Monday, January 28, 2013

Monday Glee

I know that some people have always questioned my sanity when I say that Mondays are my favorite days of the week. (Frankly, that's not the only reason they question my sanity!) I've gained a reputation for finding glee in so many things, but Monday Glee is my speciality.

Here's my reasoning: After an action-packed, frequently loud weekend of chaos with the family here, it's nice on Monday when they all head back to school or work.  The house gets very quiet.  Ahhh.

Now, I'm not saying I don't adore my family (I do) and I'm not saying that I don't have fun in the midst of the chaos and noise (I do), but at heart, I'm someone who needs some quiet time.  And as you can imagine that having a  big family sometimes makes that hard to find.  So on Mondays, when the house gets very still and quiet...I'll confess, I get glee.

Of course, by the time they come home, I get glee seeing them because I missed them.

I'm such a fickle person!  LOL

Hoping you all find glee today.  Whether it's in a moment of quiet, or a bit of fun chaos...whether it's in a cup of coffee, or having the newspaper waiting on your porch despite the rain and ice (we have the most awesome kid who delivers our paper)...or whether you find your glee in the simple fact that JJ Abrams will be at the helm for the next Star Wars (I know, how awesome is that??)  I hope you find some moment today that makes you smile!!

Holly


Thursday, January 24, 2013

WLVH Radio & Everything But... Short Stories!!

I got my start writing short stories.  I think I've sold almost fifty now.  I'll confess, I haven't written one in a long time.  But when Montlake started reissuing my WLVH Radio series, and my the Everything But... series, I had a niggle of an idea.  So, I wrote three short stories that combined both series.  And I had a blast!

 The difference between short stories and a full length romance is with a short, I don't try to get a happily-ever-after.  I just want to leave the reader with the couple having a potential for a HEA.  The short story is a vignette.  Just a snippet in their romance.  I really love that sense of potential!

With these three shorts, I showcase a new WLVH disc jockey and Everything But's Nana Vancy.  They joining forces to rescue pets...and inadvertently help three new couples find love.

The first oneNothing But Love, came out at Christmas.

I just got the covers for the next two yesterday.  Nothing But Heart will come out at Valentine's and Nothing But Luck for St. Patrick's Day.  Aren't they beautiful?  Kim Van Meter designed them.  Yes, she's a heck of a writer and has a great eye.  I think they're perfect!

Keep an eye out on my FB or Twitter pages...I'll be offering the two new books free for a few days around the holidays.  It's my way of saying thank you to all of you for all the support over the years!

Holly


Monday, January 21, 2013

I have a dream, too...

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.


Happy Martin Luther King Day!  He had a dream, and slowly (sometimes too slowly) we're moving in that dream's direction.

For years I've shared my conference motto with anyone who will listen.  When I go to conference there are only two types of people...those who know me and love me, and those who don't love me but will love me.  If you go into a conference with that mindset, it makes mingling so much easier, and frankly, it makes the conference so much more fun. 

But today, reflecting on that MLK quote, it occurs to me, that maybe that isn't the just the secret to a successful conference.  Maybe it's a secret to a successful life.  And maybe there's a second part to that motto.  There are only two types of people in the world...those I know and love, and those I don't know but will love.  

Okay, that's a hard directive.  I try, but I don't know that anyone can like everyone.  But we can love them. We can find something redeeming in the meanest of people and cling to that.  Love that.  

Right now, I'm writing a heroine whose motto is, I can't save the world, but I can try.  I think she'd agree with my conference/life motto.  I think MLK would, too.

So, today, I have a dream...a dream of a world filled with love and with glee!  I think one feeds off another and every time any of us can manage to find either one, we leave the world a better place.  

I wish you all love...and glee!

Holly



Friday, January 11, 2013

New SuperRomance Covers


























I got my second '13 cover yesterday and I'm so excited!  I love SuperRomance's new look for its covers.

Covers are always a crapshoot!  Most of them I've liked, some of them I've loved and a few...well, not so much.  I'll confess, so far, I'm really liking the Valley Ridge covers.  You are Invited is an April release.  April Showers, May.  I'm just waiting for the final book in the trilogy's cover.  A Walk Down the Aisle will be out in June.

Looking at the new covers got me thinking...how important are covers to you as a reader?  Are there things you like to see?  Things you hate to see?

How close to the character's descriptions in the books do you want the covers to be?

And finally, what do you think about the new Super covers??

I'd love to get your opinion!

Holly

Monday, January 07, 2013

Weaving a Story.

When I reopened this blog, it was mainly in order to have someplace to post my "Dog Blogs" for Everything But a Dog's release.  Then it was New Year's, so it seemed like a good place to post my word of the year.  (Which is STOP, by the way.  Stop and just enjoy the moments.  Stop and take a breath.)

I'm enjoying that blogging gives me a longer format that FB or Twitter allow, so I've decided to try and post a new blog at least every week.  There's a good chance the subjects will meander all over the place.  From books, to cooking, to basket weaving, to glee!

So, today, let's talk about my hobby...

Many of my online friends know that I've taken up making baskets in the last couple years.  I like the creativity that goes into each one.  You might have a pattern in front of you, but yours will never turn out like anyone else's.  It's unique.

I enjoy the rhythm of the weaving.  Over, under, over, under... keep repeating until you're done.  Really, if you can remember that, you can weave.

Writing's like that.  People have asked me since my first book was published what my secret is.  I tell them write...write something, anything, every day.  Make it part of the rhythm of your life.  I know they want some big secret when they ask.  But it's really that simple.  And that difficult.

I guess the best things in life are like that.  Beautifully simple...and really, really hard.  And maybe that's what drew me to basket weaving.  With both writing and baskets, there's a rhythm.  A creativity.  There's some swearing during the tough parts, and there's a lot of fun in the rest.  And when you're done, you look at the finished product with a sense of wonder that you made it!

Whether I'm weaving a basket or a story, I love that moment of wonderment and glee when I've finished something!

Hope you all find some Monday Glee!

Holly

PS. You can see more of my baskets at http://pinterest.com/hollyjacobs1/basket-by-holly-jacobs/