This has been one of the most difficult years I have ever faced. One that has tested my very soul. First, we lost our sweet little Declan, then we lost our tiny AJ, and a dear uncle unexpectedly passed away, and now, we are in the midst of losing another, a wonderful man, our grandfather, my husband's father.

It's so difficult to watch one's children, brother's, sister's, parents, and husband grieve with so much pain, pain that I can't ease or take away.

There have been so many heart-wrenching moments, when tears were the only release. But along with all the heartache, sweet moments have trickled in: comfort from friends and family, tender memories shared, and hearts speaking to hearts without a single word spoken.

But through it all, I've been so grateful for family, for the love we have for one another, and the tight bond that has been forged between us over the years to help us endure such pain together.

I know that in time, this horrible ache will lessen, the engulfing waves will dwindle into soft ripples, and we will be filled with quiet peace. But for now, we must take the opportunity to look for each tender mercy, and be grateful for each cherished moment we were able to experience with our dear, departed, loved ones.

The life of a writer is an interesting one. There are so many hours spent alone, delving in the far-reaches of one's mind, pulling, and sometimes dragging, the inner-most emotions, thoughts, and feelings of oneself to the fore so that the characters come to life on paper. It's a daunting task, but also very fulfilling.

Some days, the writing comes quickly, naturally, flowing smooth and insightful, and I have a hard time getting it all down on paper, or in the computer, fast enough. Then other days, I'm lucky if I can come up with a single line. And even then, the words sometimes end up in the trash.

But when the manuscript is finally finished, there is such a feeling of accomplishment that I can't describe it. And I'm beside myself doing the happy dance in every room of my house. I call my friends, family, and critique group, those who have encouraged me every step of the way. And that's when I realize. I'm not alone in this endeavor. They are all there for me. What would I do without them? I shudder to think. Without their encouragement, ideas, and critiques, the manuscript is just words on paper, not a novel, not a book, not even worth the paper it's written on.

Thanks doesn't seem a big enough word. But here goes, anyway:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

I love collecting fun and unusual words, and in the book "The Word Museum," by Jeffrey Karcirk, I found the greatest collection of forgotten words.

Take a look at:

Blutterbunged-- meaning: confounded, overcome by surprise. See gloppened. So, I looked up gloppened in the same book, and found: surprised. Don't you just love it?

Here's another great word:

Glunch-- meaning: to frown.

Or how about:

Maffle-- meaning: to stammer; to stutter.

And then, there's:

Snirp--- meaning: to shrink, to shrivel up.

Why have these words been lost? Wouldn't you love to have them in your repertoire, writers? I know I would!

To work on my book series, blog, or twitter, that is the question after all the chores are finished and my family is happy and well. So, lately, I have chosen to use my spare, precious, minutes to work on my book series. Which is to say, of course, I have sorely neglected my blog, and my twittering has something to be desired.

I've been editing, rewriting, and rearranging each valuable chapter. And might I just add, having the time of my life. I love what is happening to my characters, how they express themselves, how they react, and what trouble they get into.

It's great fun.

But oh, how the time has flown. I no sooner sit down at my desk and start to type when, poof, it's time to quit and the day is far spent. How is that possible? I swear I've only been at the computer for ten minutes. Such a strange phenomenon, this otherworldly time-warp while writing.

So, I'm finally poking my head out of my writing room and checking in. Oh, no. It's already the middle of January... ahhh! Quick! Back to work!

On this Christmas Eve, as I look back on the year and all that has happened, I am so grateful for family and friends. I don't think we could have made it without you. Thank you for all the support and kindness you have shown. May you continue to help all those in need around you and may your Christmas be the best and your New Year bright. Happy Holidays and have a very Merry Christmas.

I am sorry to report that our dear, sweet, Declan was born and died on September 28th. He will forever be in our hearts as we forge on without him. Even though he was with us for such a short time, he had, and continues to have, such an impact on all those his life has touched. We love you Declan, and your wonderful mother and father, sister and brother. Love forever and always, Grandma.

Wow, what a summer. If you were like me, time got away with reckless abandon.

First off, the weather was so bizarre I had to change my plans again and again, and hope that I hadn't forgotten anything, which, of course, I had--- my blog.

Secondly, I spent so many hours revising and re-writing my book that, now, it has all become a blur.

And thirdly, I had so much fun with my family that I wish I could reverse time and do it all over again.

I can hardly believe it's the end of September, with the holidays soon to follow.

Thank you, followers, for sticking with me even though I have neglected to write. You are amazing. And now, I must beg your forgiveness again, for I will be leaving soon to take care of my daughter, who is expecting her third child, and my grandchildren. It might be a while until I can write.

But in November, I am attending a wonderful conference, put on by SCBWI. So, I will be sure to let my readers know all about it.

Thank you for being so loyal!



Have a wonderful Halloween!

I am going to have to slow down my blog enteries to once a month so that I can devote most of my time to the manuscript I am working on, some advice I received at the last conference I attended.

Thanks for following, and I hope you continue to do so. You are all awesome. Have a great summer!

Be careful when listening to the critic in your head while you are creating. One can get so bogged down in fix-it mode that the piece may never get written, much less see the time of day.

First, listen to the creative voice and enjoy the wonderful adventure, clear to the end. Set the piece aside. Give it at least a week, maybe even a month and look at the story with new eyes. Then, and only then, should you unleash the critic inside to polish the manuscript.

You will be doing yourself a favor.

There are so many wonderful writing conferences going on all the time. Make sure to take the time to figure out which ones are best for you. Who are the presenters? What will be discussed? Are the topics pertinent to your writing, your genre, etc.? How much money are you willing to fork out, and is the conference worth the expense?

One can spend so much time attending conferences that he/she can get caught up in the social aspect and forget to write, which, by the way, is most important. If the writer doesn't have the material to present, then time and money are wasted. That is not to say, that networking isn't also important. And we all need the boost that comes from interacting with others who are also on a similar path.

Balance is everything! Happy conferencing.

Life lessons are sometimes harder than we think we can bear and it's tempting to crawl into a hole and stay there until we feel better. But, of course, we can't; it doesn't work that way. Life and its demands go on. And so we plug along until one day, things don't hurt so much. Time is a great healer of sorts.

Right now, I don't know of a single person that doesn't have something major happening in their lives, something that is cruel to the heart and taxing to the body and soul. My heart goes out to so many. May you feel relief soon and the love of a good friend or loved one. May each day be a little better than the last.

Thanks for all the kind wishes today for my birthday. I appreciate every one of them! My wish this day goes out to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful year!

In-between bouts of snow, hail, rain, and cold, I've been out enjoying the sunshine and tulips. Spring is coming, I keep telling myself as I cross my fingers, eyes, and toes.

The birds are optimistic. Ducks are checking out our yard for a place to make their nest, joined by the finches, the canaries, and of course the fat robins. What a cheerful greeting I get each time I walk out my backdoor.

I'm so excited to drag out the lawnmower, the clippers, the rake, and the edger, though I know that excitement will wear off in time, especially when it gets hot. But for now, how can I be pessimistic? The leaves are budding, dark green grass is growing, and I can see wondrous color beginning to burst. Renewed life is all around me. What an awesome sight set against the majestic white mountains and the occasional blue, blue skies.

Oh, the fresh air and the hope of a bounteous garden. I love spring and all its newness and surprises!

My daughter works with the Special Olympics and special needs groups in her high school and she has made me aware of the campaign going on to replace the R-word. Please take a moment and watch these two videos, then spread the word!

I came across this the other day on Youtube and had to share it. Make sure you watch it all the way through. Enjoy.