Working SMARTER and not HARDER requires change

Peace and happiness

A close second to the pursuit of love (and who doesn’t want a soul mate?), must surely be attaining inner peace and happiness. That’s not easy in the manic world in which we live where the craziness of email, mobiles, and social media mean we are often expected to be available 24/7.

Last year I started work on my ‘working smarter and not harder’ goal. Yes, it’s not just a saying that magically changes your life! I’m afraid you have to put in a lot of work to ‘set it up’.

So what did I do? Well, for one thing I trusted that family and friends, old and new, would understand that as a typical Gemini I’m always going to take on way too much. I have a full family life with hands-on action with little ones every week; I write – at least two novels a year and have over a dozen published books to promote; I’m responsible for four websites including this one and am managing editor for an online emagazine; I’m chief painter and decorator – side-kick to my other half who does all the hard work, as we renovate an old cottage. We also have a large garden that had to be tamed last year and maintained/improved each spring/summer. I’m also a ‘listening ear’ for a lot of people and that, too, at times can be time-consuming.

??????But I wouldn’t change a thing. The difference (under my new regime) is that I forgive myself if I can’t be everything to everyone. I do what I can and accept that, after five crazy years of burning the candle at both ends, it’s time to get back to a normal working day. Yes, I do sometimes work late into the night, or through the night, and at weekends if we’re not socialising, but I no longer expect that of myself. I do it when/if it feels right, rather than making myself when clearly I’m too tired.

The second part in attaining that glib ‘working smarter and not harder’ statement, is that I’ve spent six months stream-lining a lot of things I do. Those changes have impacted on other people I work with, and again, I had to trust that they would understand. It has also meant delegating and handing over responsibility for some things. I don’t have a problem with that, but when I know how much work is involved then I hesitate to ask that of anyone other than myself!

Six months on and I’m just beginning to feel the benefits as my life normalises and I get out of the habit of working a sixteen-plus hour day. It’s invigorating and there is a sense of peace and tranquility about it, which = happiness.

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My BOOK NEWS is that I will be publishing two new books this year. The first is Quintessentially Yours, the sequel to The Quintessential Gemini.

Katherine Dale lives her life according to her daily horoscope forecast – and the fun continues in book 2.

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The second novel is The Man Who Can:

 

What do you do when your best friend has an affair with the man to whom you’ve been Cottagemarried for twenty-five years? The father of your two children and the person you trusted with your heart? Not to mention the best years of your life …

Well, you pack your bags, grab half of the equity in the house you’ve both lovingly restored and run away to an idyllic little cottage in the country.

I suppose not having the cottage surveyed was the first mistake—buying with your heart, and not your head, isn’t the wisest move. The second was moving in six days before Christmas, the day the heavens decided to open and the rain just kept on coming.

Maddie Brooks grits her teeth and hires the highly recommended ‘man who can’, ex-soldier Lewis Hart. As he rips out the very shabby, and decidedly not-so-chic kitchen, reality sets in. Not only is he the most abrupt person she’s ever met, but the man is a Neanderthal!

As the flood waters rise, and the village is cut off, everything that could possibly go wrong, does. How bad can it get, Maddie asks herself? Well, that was before she found herself living with no central heating and no kitchen, and the ‘man who can’ as an unexpected house guest.

Hitting the big five-o two days before Christmas, is the final straw. No presents, family or friends – just The Man Who Can, who can’t leave because the flood has now cut off his exit. How on earth is she going to get through this and put her life back together?

Can Maddie Brooks become that ‘fifty-and-fabulous’ woman of her dreams?

What defines YOU? Wife, mother, grandmother, colleague – or is there another person buried deep within, who is struggling to be heard?

What else do I have planned for 2015? Yes, more projects, but I will be watching that work/life balance. But life is also a lot shorter than we all think, it goes by in a flash and I wouldn’t be making the most of it if I didn’t grab it with enthusiasm and joy. If I can work smarter and not harder, then anyone can! Until next time …

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The Quintessential series – humour, laughter and a few tears …

 

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The Quintessential Gemini is proudly sporting a brand new cover …

and Katherine Dale is leaking tears everywhere. Why? Well, all will be revealed in the sequel:

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coming in spring 2015!

What do the reviewers think of The Quintessential Gemini and Katherine Dale’s life story?

A really delightful story which at times made me laugh and others I cried. Well written and a good romance story that was really enjoyable.

I felt there was everything in this book – drama, romance, humour and a great weave of characters

A delightful story set in a quaint English village with characters you will think you’ve met before! I loved old Jake and Tom the postman!

Extracts from Amazon.co.uk.

And as for Katherine, can we (dare we) ask how it’s going? Will Quintessentially Yours see your career flying and everything finally falling into place?

“It’s bad news. The revised manuscript I submitted for book number three, The Crescent Moon, hasn’t been accepted. Larraine Cinderman has taken over as my editor and after making revisions in the light of some of her comments, she has once again rejected it.”

 Dear Katherine
Whilst the synopsis is now more in line with where I think you should take this story, there are areas that are weak and require a total re-write. The protagonist, Jeff, isn’t coming to life and there are several chapters which, in my opinion, should be cut.
I think we’re going to pass on this one, but of course that’s only our opinion and another publisher may well be prepared to take it on.
In the meantime if you have anything else, please do send it in for consideration.
Regards, Larraine

“I close my eyes for a few moments to acknowledge the punch that hits me square in the stomach. Gut-wrenching hardly describes the way I feel, as if someone has told me my newborn is the ugliest child they have ever seen. Finishing a manuscript is like giving birth, you love this thing you have created. It’s a part of you and if anyone criticises it, they might as well be assaulting you with physical blows. It hurts.”

We guess that’s a no, then Katherine. See you in the spring ….

http://smarturl.it/LinnBHaltonbooks

The End is simply the start of a new beginning …

As soon as I’d written ‘The End’ to the third novella in my Harper Impulse series Angels Among Us (Falling, Forbidden and Forever), I knew it wasn’t quite the end.  Well, I suppose that was obvious as I’d already come up with two endings for Forever. But that’s the way it is when you are writing a story. It has a life all of its own.

This series is such a mixture of research and fiction, with an over-riding love story to add as many complications as you can possibly want, and for which the ideas were limitless.

But the ending has to do the story justice and Forever ends with a scene that needed an explanation. Whether or not you’ve read the three novellas, there’s a surprise waiting for you in Falling: The Complete Angels Among Us Series. I was delighted when the HarperImpulse team announcement was released today:

As an author it’s thrilling to be able to write on past ‘The End’ and the opportunity to add that into the series will, I hope, answer some of the questions that might have been left in readers’ minds. Do YOU ever wonder ‘what happens next?’ Well, I’m about to tell you just that …. and it’s all in the series collection.

To everyone who has downloaded and read, or reviewed the novellas, Falling – Forbidden – Forever, I would like to thank you for being a part of this journey with me. The support and feedback I  have received for this series has been amazing. I hope new readers will enjoy reading them in one collection and that I’ve taken the story to the ultimate ending!

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It’s Christmas in August – ‘Perfect’!

I’m thrilled to be taking part in the Christmas by the Fire Blog Hop, organised by the amazing Lori Connelly. A group of Harper Impulse authors are each writing a Christmas story based around one starting paragraph. After launching an exciting competition, Harper Impulse chose Georgia Beyers’ opening paragraph.

There’s also a GIVEAWAY, your chance to win one of 14 titles and the first prize is an Amazon Gift Card – easy to enter competition at the end of this post.

Here is Georgia’s opener:

Charlotte sat at the bus stop wondering whether she would make the ‘naughty or nice’ list this year. Last year she had rescued a stray kitten and therefore considered herself, most definitely, ‘nice’. This year she had broken Daniel’s heart into a million tiny pieces, so ‘naughty’ seemed to be the only answer. There’d be no Santa Claus coming down her chimney anytime soon …

And now for:

PerfectPart 1 of ‘Perfect’

Rachel turned off her Kindle and popped it back inside her bag. She looked around at the other passengers on the train, wondering how many of them considered themselves to be naughty. Obviously Charlotte, in the story she’d been reading, felt that breaking someone’s heart was the worst thing anyone could do.

She nestled back against the head rest, smiling at the simplicity of being thought of as either naughty, or nice. What did that imply? That some deeds or actions brought retribution, and others brought rewards? I haven’t broken anyone’s heart, she thought, but then I’ve never rescued a kitten, either.

As the train rumbled along she began to relax and clear her mind. There was so much going on inside her head at the moment—so many new emotions she was experiencing for the first time. A tear formed in the corner of her eye and she turned her head to look out of the window. Trees, houses, open spaces, industrial buildings—the world whizzed by at speed. Out there, under cover of the growing darkness, how many people were looking forward to the Christmas holiday? How many were dreading it? As the wheels rumbled on, the words naughty or nice kept running through her head in quick succession, as if keeping time with the moving train.

I don’t want to go home, she thought, then realised that was simply a knee-jerk reaction. Sometimes it’s easier to run away than it is to face up to things. She was nervous, that’s all, and Lewis would understand that. The single tear doubled in size, sitting like a perfect little pearl in the corner of her eye. If I blink now, she thought, it will begin to trickle down my face. She looked up at the guy sitting opposite and then across at the women next to him, checking for any reaction. The guy was reading a book and the woman was tapping away on her phone. No one knows what goes on inside someone else’s head, she thought. The pain may be real and the emotions raw, but everything remains hidden. As she turned her head once more to look out of the window, the night was closing in and lights were appearing in darkened rooms. Instead of shapes whizzing by, it was now inky black darkness, interspersed with flashes of light.

The train slowed on the approach to the next station and instead of a steady stream of passing blurs, the world outside began to take shape. Houses in total darkness, others with one or two lights shining out, and some lit up like Christmas trees. She laughed softly, despite the inner turmoil she was trying to contain. Real lives, she thought; real emotions being played out one moment at a time; sometimes painful and sometimes uplifting. Naughty or nice, naughty or nice, the wheels of the train seemed to reiterate those words, even as it slowed.

She was conscious that the tear was about to fall. She knew that it would go unnoticed, of course. Even if anyone was watching, no one would say a word. What’s one little tear when people have cried an ocean?

Naughty, or nice—the Christmas buzz was in the air and spirits were high.As the train finally pulled into the station, the lights dimmed for a few seconds and she stared at her reflection in the glass. It was so clear that she was able to watch the tear track down her face. It’s gone, she thought, lifting a hand to wipe the remaining tiny droplet off the side of her cheek. One perfect, little tear for me, that’s my Christmas gift to myself. A line has now been drawn.

Part 2 

Passengers bustled off the train and new people crowded on board. Within minutes it was speeding through the countryside again. Naughty or nice, naughty or nice. The wheels on the track continued to drum out the words. I wasn’t naughty, was I? The question seemed to hang in the air.

The old lady sitting next to her dropped the magazine she’d been reading and Rachel bent to retrieve it, receiving a warm smile in return.

‘Thank you, my dear. There isn’t much room, is there?’

She smiled back. Maybe I’m nice, after all, she reflected. But who knows what goes on inside our heads? It’s easy to say nice things and think mean thoughts. Rachel turned her head back towards the window. The darkness outside was virtually impenetrable, littered with only the occasional flash of light from an isolated cottage, or house, on an unseen landscape. She focused on the repetitive drone of the wheels to relax her, resting her eyes. Naughty or nice, naughty or nice, naughty or … the words were like a lullaby.

After momentarily drifting off into a light sleep, she awoke with a start. The motion of the train had changed its beat. The words echoing through her head were no longer soothing and fun, but cold and hurtful. Damaged or perfect, damaged or perfect, it seemed to chant back at her. She wriggled forward, anything to break the pattern of those scary words and glanced across at her suitcase. It was still neatly stowed away in the luggage rack. She hoped that the presents she so lovingly-wrapped after buying them yesterday, were cushioned safely among her clothes.

Lewis’ trip overseas had been a tough one, for many reasons. Being one of a small team of specialist doctors who flew off to disaster areas at a moment’s notice, his job could never be described as easy. This one had been the very worst emotional roller coaster ride for him. Four long months away from home, but today she would finally see him again. In just two short hours he would be safely back in her arms once more. The wheels seemed to change their chant as her mood brightened. Taking me home, taking me home, ran through her head and it was comforting.

She dreaded their reunion, while at the same time longing to be reunited with him. He’d wanted to fly home early, but she had convinced him to stay. How could she have asked him to turn his back on those poor people who needed his skills so urgently? Mangled bodies had been pulled from collapsed buildings in the aftermath of an earthquake. All those departed souls and yet, in the midst of the horror, some people survived. Following treatment, many were reunited with loved ones even after all hope had initially been lost. Miracles do happen and it made her heart glad.

Lewis was nice and Santa would be paying him a visit, for sure. Rachel would also be adding her own, very special, gift. The wedding band that should already be gracing his finger was waiting for him. The legal ceremony can take place at any time, she told herself, it’s only a formality. In our hearts we are already wed. Their vows were exchanged over the phone six weeks ago; at the exact time it had been due to take place in the UK. Except that Rachel had been in the foyer of her office and Lewis had been standing in the corridor of a make-shift hospital. It had seemed important to them, at the time, to honour the day they had chosen more than a year before …

You can also catch up with intros to the other stories that will be appearing in this ‘free’ anthology by clicking on the links below. I do hope you enjoy them all and we’ll be splashing it on Twitter, and FB, when the anthology is released in December 2014 by Harper Impulse and you will be able to read all of the stories in full!

I hope the first two excerpts from ‘Perfect’ have made you wonder what happens between Rachel and Lewis when he finally returns home. Can you guess how it’s going to end? If you have time, let me know – I hope this one is going to be a real surprise ending … Thank you so much for dropping by!

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Cover reveal for Sweet Occasions due for release 23 September 2014!

It’s so exciting for an author when you write ‘the end’ and are about to see a new book baby unleashed into the publishing world. What will the readers think of it? Will they engage with the characters? So many questions – but before that there’s the little matter of the cover.

Thank you to HeartFelt designs for the perfect cover for this story. It’s written from the perspectives of HIS (Steve and Adam), HERS (Katie) and Grandma Grace! This fun, chick lit-style story might make you shed a tear, or tear your hair out, as the characters seem to have the knack of making their lives as complicated as possible!

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Due for release on 23 September, 2014!

 

SO Final with borderKatie’s relationship has had more than its fair share of problems. After a difficult few years things begin to pick up and Katie finally realises her dream of opening up a bakery. Sweet Occasions specialises in novelty and celebration cakes, plus the most inspiring range of cupcakes anyone could possibly ask for!

Utilising her passion and skill helps to inject happiness back into her life, but it’s short-lived as things begin to fall apart. The reality is that you need to run a business with your heart AND your head. Help is at hand in the shape of her partner, Steve. He has the necessary experience, but does Katie want to tie herself to him financially, as well as personally?

Then one rainy, wintry day a bedraggled customer steps inside the door to order a cake …

Sometimes a turning point centres around one single moment in time:
sometimes it takes two Christmases and three birthdays

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Author no. 7 is … me! Having fun with HitLitPro

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It seems to my year for BIG smiles!

It’s official and I’ve been dying to leak the news …I’ve been invited to be one of the TEN, hand-picked authors to be promoted by fab new media group, HitLitPro. The aim? One year, ten authors and HitLitPro will be championing us and our work throughout that time. In tandem with the awesome CandleLit.com author services, they will be posting interviews, competitions and news from ten romance authors who cover a wide range of romance sub-genres. I’m in awesome company and I hope to learn a lot!

HitLitPro Banner

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Find out more by visiting:

Hit Lit Pro Opens Its Doors To Support Ten Awesome Authors!

and here is my reveal day post. The fab Sam, over at The Book Corner did the reveal:

http://mrsbbooks2011.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/new-author-project.html

If you’re a fan and you’d like to support me on this year-long journey, please do contact Suzanne at HitLitPro (details below) and get involved. Every single bit of support, review or Tweet can make a huge difference. You’ll receive advance notification of everything that’s happening, be asked to join in spreading the news and there will be prizes. Plus it sounds like it’s going to be amazing fun for us all – HitLitPro, the authors AND our readers.

2014/5 is going to be a HECTIC 12 months for me with 3 new novels scheduled to be released. With Hit Lit Pro’s help I will be able to spend more time writing and less time worrying about promotional work. And more time talking to the readers, of course!

Follow them on Twitter @HitLitPro  LIKE the page on Facebook: HitLitPro

and find out how to:HitLitPro sml
* Become a no. 1 fan and HitLitPro will put YOU in the spotlight
* Have a chance to win free ecopies of some great books
* Join in and send them your reviews to air on our new FB page
* ‘Ask the author’ will allow you to discover more about all of their authors’ stories

and MUCH more to come! If you can’t wait and want to get involved, supporting any of the HitLitPro authors, then email Suzanne Carlisle at hitlitpro@gmail.com.

They will be sending out Tweets and posts to keep you up to date and make sure you don’t miss a thing!

Written Fireside – Changes part 8

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Welcome to the penultimate part of Changes, the latest Written Fireside story being put together by a group of Harper Impulse authors. Here are all the parts so far for you to catch up on the story.

Part One – Lori Connelly
Part Two – Teresa Morgan
Part Three – Lynn Marie Hulsman
Part Four – Sue Fortin
Part Five – Zara Stoneley
Part Six – Jane Lark
Part Seven – Mandy Baggot

Coming next week – the final part, nine, from

Erin Lawless 

And now for part eight ofChanges

Changes, Written Fireside part 8

It’s been a lot of fun joining in and taking Marie and Zach one more step on their journey. I can’t wait to read Erin’s ending. Thank you for dropping by …