Be Yourself: Great Advice that's Too Easy to Ignore

I'm sure you've all noticed my absence from the blogosphere this year. So far in 2015, I've only published 4 blog posts, and three of those were recipes. And this after posting a set schedule for myself in October that I vowed to keep. Ooops!

I'd like to be able to say that life has simply kept me far too busy for blogging, but the honest truth is that I'm just a little rebellious. Common blogging wisdom says that you MUST post regularly, on a set schedule, or your audience won't know when and where to find you. If you have a split focus to your blog (as I do here, with book promotions, recipes and pondering on life's lessons), you MUST have a clear rotation to space the various aspects evenly, or you run the risk of losing a major part of your audience. This all makes perfect sense.

But I'm the girl who was always a full semester behind on her reading, all through college, because I couldn't bring myself to read the books that were assigned ... just because "you can't tell me what to do!" Even though I really wanted to read the books on the required reading lists, I balked as soon as they were "required." And that's what I've been doing here. By setting a schedule for what I can blog about and when, I turned my fun "just for me" blog into "work." And suddenly, I've been stomping my foot and crossing my arms and loudly declaring "You can't tell me what to do!!"

When I was in high school, I went to a Youth Conference where the keynote speaker (Michael Wilcox) told us not to get discouraged. "You can be the best carrot in the market, but if people are shopping for lettuce, they're not going to pick you. Just be patient. Eventually, someone will come looking for carrots, and they'll be happy you're there."

So as of today, I'm reclaiming my blog. I'm going to be the best darn carrot there is, and hopefully you'll all stick with me. (After all, we all need a healthy dose of beta carotene in our lives, right?)

If I have a recipe or book rave or life lesson that I want to share, I will share it ... even if I already posted one this week. And if I don't have one I'm excited about, I'll wait until I do, even if it's been three weeks. I promise, when I post something new, I'll share the links via twitter, facebook, tumblr, etc., so you'll be able to find me. But I started this blog to remind myself of the joy found in life's little trials ... and it's time I bring the joy back to the blog.

Love you all!!

Giant Valentine's Day eBook Giveaway!

It's almost Valentine's Day, and love is in the air.
And what better way to celebrate than with a boatload of fabulous books? Some of my favorite authors and I want to give you a present this Valentine's Day! Scroll down to the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post to enter one of TWO big bundles of eBooks.

There's a YA bundle:

 including TWELVE STEPS (my own debut novel), EFFORTLESS WITH YOU and BRING THE RAIN by Lizzy Charles, DON'T FALL by Rachel Schieffelbein, ROAD TO SOMEWHERE by Kelly Lynn & Jenny S. Morris, SECRET CATCH by Cassie Mae and Jessica Salyer, HOME IS WHERE YOU ARE by Tessa Marie, and FRACTION OF STONE by Kelley Lynn

... and an NA/Adult romance bundle:

THE REAL THING by Cassie Mae, EYES TURNED SKYWARD and FULL MEASURES by Rebecca Yarros, DEFYING REASON by Elizabeth Seckman, LOVE AND CUPCAKES by Susan Bishop Crispell, OVER THE OCEAN by Georgia St. Mane, and SING FOR ME by Gracie Madison


You definitely want to enter this giveaway!! I can personally recommend DON'T FALL, EFFORTLESS WITH YOU, and LOVE AND CUPCAKES, as I've read and adored each of these books. (Obviously, I also personally recommend TWELVE STEPS.) Most of the other books in these bundles have been on my personal "to read" list for a while. I'm already jealous of the lucky winners!! (I can't wait to read Lizzy Charles' newest book: BRING THE RAIN, and I've adored everything I've read so far from Cassie Mae.) 

Update!! I got to read an advance copy of BRING THE RAIN, and it was amazing! My review is on Goodreads here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Note: Rafflecopter is a little quirky, and it kind of looks like this form is only for the YA bundle ... but if you click the little arrow under the prize information, you'll see that it's also an entry form for the NA/Adult prize package.) 

Recipe: Cheese-Filled Tater Tots

As I'm sure you've noticed by now, I hate wasting kitchen space with single use appliances. So when I get a new toy for my kitchen, I have to come up with at least five new ways to use it (other than its intended use). And since my amazing friend Brenda gave me an electric cake pops maker for Christmas, I've been busily coming up with new and fun ways to use it. Today, I perfected the process for making delicious cheese filled tater tots in my cake pops maker.

You will need:

1 pound shredded potatoes

24 quarter inch cubes of cheese (any variety - you can even use vegan cheese, if you want to make these vegan-friendly!)

Nonstick cooking spray

Salt

Electric cake pops maker

In a large bowl, sprinkle a little bit of salt (and any other seasonings you desire)* onto the shredded potatoes. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, until potato shreds just start to stick together. Stir.

Allow potatoes to cool slightly. 

Take a pinch of the partially cooked potato shreds in your hand.  

Place cheese in the center. 

Press potatoes around the cheese and form into a tight ball, approximately the size of the holes in your cake pops maker. You want the balls to be big enough that they will come into contact with all of the cooking surfaces when the appliance is closed, but not so big that it's difficult to close the lid.

Place potato balls in preheated cake pops maker that is been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Close and let bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 

Let sit for an additional minute before removing from the cake pops maker. Serve warm.

*note: It is important to season the potatoes before forming into tater tots. The crust on the outside of the tots will keep the seasoning sprinkled on at the end from penetrating to the middle, giving you bland and flavorless tots.

Variation: omit the cheese entirely for simple, giant tater tots with essentially zero fat. (Without the cheese, these tots can fit vegan diets as well.)

This was my third attempt at making the tater tots in my cake pop maker. The first time, I tried doing it with raw shredded potatoes. They were delicious, but didn't hold together in tater tot form. Next, I tried cooking the potatoes before shredding them. They held the shape well but the texture was off. (More like crispy mashed potato balls.) It appears that the secret is shredding the potatoes first and then partially cooking them for maximum effect.

Last-Minute Superbowl Snack Recipes

It's Superbowl Sunday! 

It's the one day a year that we actually watch the commercials on TV, and everyone has loads of epic snacks to munch on. And I think, in between commercials, there's some kind of sports event going on in the background. ;)

So what snacks are you making this year? If you need some inspiration for quick and easy treats, here are a few of the things I'm making this year: Simple Stuffed Mushroom Caps, Mock Tempura Veggies, and Sweet & Sour Meatballs. The mock tempura veggies are vegetarian, though not vegan, and the meatballs and stuffed mushrooms will satisfy your carnivores! (You could easily make the mushrooms vegetarian by omitting the salami.)

Simple Stuffed Mushroom Caps

You will need:
mushrooms (as many as you want to make)
mozzarella or cheddar cheese (cut into 1/4-inch blocks - 1 per mushroom)
very thinly-sliced salami

Wash mushrooms and pull stems out of caps (set stems aside for later use). Cut a slice of salami in thirds and wrap one salami strip around a block of cheese. Place the salami-wrapped cheese into a mushroom cap. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-8 minutes, until cheese is melted and mushrooms are slightly soft.

Mock-Tempura Veggies

You will need:
asparagus spears
baby carrots
onions
mushroom stems (saved from stuffed mushrooms above)
wonton skins

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut onions into wedges and pull apart the layers. Cut baby carrots in half, lengthwise (unless they're very thin carrots). Wrap each veggie piece with a wonton skin, sealing with a bit of water. (You'll probably use a full wonton skin for each of the asparagus spears, but you'll want to cut the wonton skins in half for the mushroom stems and baby carrots. The onion pieces may need a full or half wonton wrapper, depending on how big the onions are.) Place wrapped vegetables on cookie sheet, spray with a thin coat of non-stick cooking spray, and bake for 8-10 minutes, until wonton skins are golden brown and crisp. (Depending on your oven and how many veggies you cook at once, you may need to bake them for up to 15 minutes.)

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

You will need:
1-2 lb. frozen meatballs
1 jar apricot preserves*

Place meatballs into your crock pot and stir in full jar of apricot preserves. Cook for 1.5-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low. Serve.

*Optional variation: You can use grape jelly or orange marmalade instead of apricot preserves, for a slightly different sweet-and-sour flavor.

Recipe: Better Than Spaghetti

A week ago, Peter Senftleben lamented on Twitter that he was trying to eat healthier, but a diet composed of mostly vegetables was a diet lacking in flavor. Of course, I had to jump in to assure him that many of my veggie-centric meals were not only delicious, but they were actually favorites for my carnivorous family. He didn't believe me, so I posted a picture of our dinner that night: Spaghetti Squash with a sauce of tomatoes, mushrooms and red bell peppers. (Bonus! This recipe is not only vegetarian, it's vegan friendly and gluten-free. And according to the recipe builder function on the fitness app on my phone, a giant serving of this dish comes in at less than 300 calories!) As promised, I'm sharing this recipe here today.

You will need:
1 large spaghetti squash
2 large red bell peppers, diced
8 oz. mushrooms, diced
1 (15oz.) can diced tomatoes
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
2-4 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Place, cut side down, on a plate with a half-inch or so of water on it, and microwave on high for approximately 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large wok, heat up 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic. Sautee mushrooms in the garlic-infused oil. Add peppers and continue to cook until peppers are slightly soft (but not mushy!) (If vegetables begin to stick, you can drizzle in a bit more olive oil. Don't overdo it, though, or your healthy dinner won't be nearly as healthy!

Remove flesh from cooked squash (it will separate into strands resembling spaghetti noodles), and stir into the mushroom/pepper mixture. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Stir in one can of diced tomatoes (including the liquid) and continue to cook until it's all warmed through.

Serve. (We were super-hungry, so I divided the entire dish into five ginormous servings ... and at less than 300 calories, I didn't even have to feel guilty about the massive portion size. But for a normal dinner, this can easily make 8-10 servings.)

You can sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired (which would make it no longer a vegan meal), but it's delicious as-is.

Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies

 

When I shared a picture of my Christmas cookies on Twitter, several people asked me to share the instructions for making the Christmas wreath slice-and-bake sugar cookies. The process is actually fairly simple, and though it takes longer to prepare the cookies for baking, they actually save time, because you don't have to decorate them once they're baked!

First, start with a batch of sugar cookie dough, like my Vegan Sugar Cookies or the cookie portion from this recipe, which I've also included at the bottom of this post. (You can even try using my Gluten Free Sugar Cookie recipe.)

 

 Divide the dough into thirds, and then divide one third into two portions (one of these portions should be significantly larger than the other)

 Knead in food coloring to tint one large portion of dough green and the smallest portion red. Form the portion of dough that you pulled the small bit from into a long log.

 Roll out the green dough on a piece of waxed paper to a rectangle as long as the log of untinted dough and wide enough to wrap around the circumference.

 Wrap the green dough around the untinted dough, and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap to squeeze the dough together.

 Roll the red-tinted dough into three long, skinny ropes, as long as the dough log. (I always end up tinting more dough red than I actually need. If you do that too, you can set the excess red dough aside to bake later.) Put the red dough ropes onto the outside of the green dough and press slightly to adhere it. (Don't worry about squishing it in too much at this point. You don't want to flatten it.)

 Roll the remaining untinted dough into a large rectangle, and wrap around the green and red dough.

 Your dough log will likely be too thick at this point. (Mine had a diameter twice as big as I wanted.) You'll want to roll the dough a bit to reduce the size, but I found that it was a little awkward to handle the whole thing at once. I cut it into 4 sections and rolled each one separately to make it half as thick and twice as long.

 If you want, you can roll the log in colored sugar for an extra bit of fun. Then, slice into rounds with a sharp knife and bake as directed.

My Mom's Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. almond extract
4 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, salt and flavoring. Beat until creamy.

Stir in flour.

Wrap dough with plastic wrap (I prefer to form the dough into a flat disc, rather than a ball, to make it easier to roll out after chilling) and chill in refrigerator for 5-6 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll out dough and cut into circles. Bake on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes, just until lightly browned on the bottom, but still creamy white on top. (Don't over bake, or the cookies won't be soft!)
 

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

This soup is addictive! I made a big pot of it for my family, and it was gone within minutes, with everyone wishing they had more. Even though our bellies were full, we were all disappointed when the soup was gone. I actually made a second batch and put it in the fridge. (Everyone had soup for breakfast the next morning!) Now, every time I start chopping up carrots, my kids come running to ask "Are you making that delicious soup again??"

Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup

For 12 large bowls full, you will need:
1/2 lb. carrots, chopped
1/2 c. dried, diced onions
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 c. cooked, diced chicken
2 (10.5oz) cans cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup
water
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini (I used the tri-color variety)

Put chopped carrots and onions in a 5-quart pot, and add just enough water to cover the vegetables. Add chicken bouillon, garlic, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook on high 5-10 minutes, just until carrots are slightly tender. (Don't overcook! You don't want mushy carrots by the end of the process.)

Add cream soups, diced chicken, and enough water to fill the pot 2/3 full. Let simmer 10-15 minutes, to allow the flavors to develop.

Stir in pasta, and let cook 5-7 more minutes, until pasta has reached desired tenderness. Serve.

A Grateful Heart

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Whether gathering together with family and friends or in solitary contemplation ... eating until there's no room for even one more bite or enjoying a small, simple meal... The day is all about being grateful for what you have.

Trials inevitably come. The waters of life will never run smooth for long. But shooting the rapids can be fun when you're protected with a buoyant raft of gratitude. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of love and laughter and a healthy attitude of gratitude!

Recipe: 1-Hour Garlic Oregano Bread Bites

For special occasion meals, there's nothing better than fresh-baked bread. But I'm too impatient for hours of waiting for the dough to rise. These little rolls take almost no time to make. From start to finish, you can have fresh bread in about an hour. Perfect for your Thanksgiving feast!

Garlic Oregano Bread Bites

For approximately 6 dozen bread bites, you will need:
1 c. + 3 Tbsp. warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
3 1/2 c. flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar and oil. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Turn on oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add salt, oregano, garlic and flour. Mix until a dough is formed and all flour is incorporated.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. (The dough should be no longer sticky, and you should be able to stretch it without it breaking immediately.)
OR
In your electric mixer, with the dough hook attachment, knead dough until smooth and elastic.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Dough balls should be spaced approximately half an inch apart to allow room for them to rise. Let sit in a warm place (like on top of the preheating oven) for 15 minutes.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm.

Living with an Expiration Date

After reading THE FAULT IN OUR STARS over a year ago, I promised myself that I would never read another "cancer book." Too difficult. Too personal. Hits a little too close to home. But Julie Murphy's SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY was too intriguing to pass up. The story of a girl who, upon being diagnosed with leukemia, makes (and completes) a revenge bucket list, only to discover that she's not dying after all? That would absolutely be my luck, if I ever tried to do the whole revenge thing. (I do have a bucket list - started when they discovered my brain tumor - but there's nothing even remotely revenge-related on it.)

So I broke my self-imposed rule and read the book. And of course it set me thinking all kinds of thoughts and pondering life. As books like this are bound to do.

The one part of the story that really stuck with me (not an exact quote - I didn't think to mark the passage at the time, and I know I'm not quite strong enough mentally to read back through to find it in the novel) was when Alice makes an off-hand remark about living life with an expiration date. I absolutely understand this sentiment. I feel this way a lot. I can't count the times I've lay in bed at night, staring at the ceiling and wondering if my family will be okay when I go. Most of the time, I know they will be. They're strong. They're amazing. And even when I go, I don't plan on going far. We're a family forever.

Still, that "expiration date" is scary sometimes.

A couple of months ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. I didn't turn on the light, because I never turn on the light when I wake in the night. I've never had to. In fact, my nighttime senses have always been sharp enough that I can find my way around in the dark even when I'm not in my own house. And as soon as there's any kind of light shining, my brain decides sleepy-time is over for the night, even if it's only one in the morning.

So turning on my bedside lamp? Yeah, that thought didn't even cross my mind.

Until I took a wrong turn and fell over my writing area in the corner of my room. I landed on my "writer's block" - the pencil holder where I keep my sharpened pencils standing at attention ready for service when I'm writing a new manuscript - and then I and the entire contents of my little writing table went crashing to the floor.

My husband woke up at the sound of the crash and was immediately concerned about the injuries I'd sustained. A valid concern, especially since I had a couple of good-sized gashes in my leg from those broken pencils.

Me? I barely thought about the physical injuries. Instead, I was all shades of nervous about my brain. "I've never lost my way in the dark before," I kept saying. "That doesn't happen to me." And of course, I started imagining all kinds of worst-case scenarios. (Let me just say, I'm REALLY good at worst-case scenarios.)

My sweet husband, always the voice of reason, finally convinced me after two days of fretting, that I was getting too worked up over this. "It was dark. You tripped. That happens to people. A lot. Even people without brain tumors. Because people don't see very well in the dark."

I finally conceded that he was right.

Took a deep breath.

And promptly walked straight into a wall. In broad daylight. Because my feet simply decided to turn and take me on a path perpendicular to the one I was trying to walk, and it had nothing to do with being tired or losing my balance or getting distracted. My brain just had a blip where "walk straight" got totally mixed up with "turn left," and even though I could see that I was walking toward the wall instead of down the hall I intended to walk down, I couldn't make my feet move in the direction I wanted them to. Or even stop moving when I saw the wall approaching. (I did put my hands out and stop myself instead of crashing into the wall face-first.)

Yeah. Sometimes my brain does some stupid things.

And sometimes, it's terrifying.

Sometimes, I worry about that "expiration date."

 Because unlike the canister of chocolate milk mix in my pantry, I don't have a "best if used by" date stamped on my backside. I have no idea when my "expiration date" is coming. It could be tomorrow, or next week, or twenty years from now. And while I hope it's twenty or thirty or more years away, that little "what if?" monster keeps whispering "it could be tomorrow."

But isn't that the point? None of us will live forever. That's the nature of life on earth. We all have an expiration date. And none of us knows when that date will be.

So instead of worrying about that day when I might not be there to kiss my kiddos goodnight, I'll give them extra kisses tonight and every night, as long as they'll let me. Instead of worrying about what might happen if I'm not there for my daughter's senior prom, I'll celebrate every Princess Dress-Up moment with her now. And instead of hiding from the camera because I'm not as thin as I once was, or I'm having a bad hair day, or I didn't put on any makeup, I'm going to ham it up and leave as many memories of laughter and fun as I can.

I have no plans to die today. But if I did, I want my family and friends to know that I lived every moment up until the last. And that every moment, for better or worse, was totally worth it.

So Grateful for Veterans

Happy Veteran's Day! 

I just want to send a giant Thank You to all of the men and women in the Armed Forces, those who are currently serving, and those who have served in the past. The daily freedoms we enjoy are ours because of their selfless service.

Thank You!!

Recipe: Giant Oatmeal Cookies with Red Chile

A week and a half ago, I had the pleasure of attending the SCBWI Handsprings Writers' Conference here in New Mexico. Writing conferences are one of my favorite things ever, because what could possibly be better than hanging out with a room full of people who all totally get your special brand of crazy? But this conference was extra-special, because I got to help out as part of the planning committee. Specifically, I got to be in charge of the FOOD!

So, you know me. I can't just go to Costco and buy a big tray of cookies. If I'm in charge of the food for an event, I'm going to do my best to find the perfect food for that event. So, since this was a New Mexico writers' conference, of course we had to have something with chiles in it, right? And what goes better with chiles than cookies??

Giant Oatmeal Cookies with Red Chile

For approximately 36 giant cookies, you will need:
2 c. butter or margarine*
2 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
4 c. oats
4 c. whole wheat flour (you can also use all-purpose, but whole wheat tastes better)
1/2 - 2/3 c. diced dried red chiles (these can be as mild or as spicy as you like)
1 pkg. chocolate chips (opt.)
2 c. raisins (opt.)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs, baking soda, salt and vanilla, and beat until creamy. Stir in oats. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.Mix in chiles, chocolate chips and raisins, if desired. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using an ice cream scoop**, portion the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving a few inches of space around each cookie, so they don't run together when they expand. (I fit 8 cookies on my large half-sheet pan. A normal cookie sheet would probably fit 6 cookies.) Bake for 12-13 minutes, until bottom edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

*note: You want the butter to be slightly softened to make it cream together with the sugars well, but if butter is too soft, the cookies will end up being super-flat when you bake them. I recommend taking the butter out of the fridge approximately 10-15 minutes before assembling the cookie dough, so it will soften slightly but not too much. If your cookies are coming out flat, consider chilling your dough for an hour or two in the fridge before baking.

**note: You can make regular-sized cookies instead of giant cookies, if so desired. Simply use a regular cookie scoop (or tablespoon) to dish cookie dough and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 9 minutes instead.

Setting Schedules and Keeping Priorities Straight

A couple of weeks ago, I announced that I would be trimming some of the extras from my blog. Initially, I posted a poll, asking you to weigh in with your opinions. What should I keep? What should I cut? I truly enjoy each of my regular features, and although I knew something had to give, I didn't really want to cut anything from the schedule.

But over the course of the first 48 hours, two things became vibrantly clear.

1. The results of my poll were woefully inconclusive. Every vote I received for cutting a feature was balanced with a vote for keeping that same feature. And every feature had its fans. - Which is exactly how I got into this over-full blog predicament in the first place!

2. I was tempted to ask my family members to go online and cast votes for certain things that I didn't want to lose, and to vote against others that I no longer enjoyed as much as I used to. - Which told me I really didn't need a poll to show me where I need to be focusing my attention. Deep down, in that part of my soul I often forget to listen to, I already knew the answer.

So for the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to set a schedule that will allow me to keep the features I love while still trimming the blog back to manageable levels.


* First and foremost, I want to return to the original focus for this blog: Finding the blessings hidden in all of life's trials.

* I love sharing my recipes with you. There's a reason we celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast far larger than we could possibly eat in one sitting. Delicious food makes us happy and turns our thoughts to the blessings we've enjoyed. So the recipes are staying.

However, as I keep forgetting to take step-by-step pictures of the recipes as I'm making them, I'm going to simplify the format with only one or two pictures of the finished dish for each recipe (unless there's a step that's simply easier to explain with a photo, in which case, I'll include one).


* Reading is my passion, so of course I love to talk about the books I love. And I want to keep participating in cover reveals for my friends' books.

 

But there are a million book blogs out there dedicated to all the various categories in publishing, and this blog was never intended to be a book blog. So I'm discontinuing the book reviews.

However, many of my reflections and musings stem from the books I read and enjoy, so I will continue to talk about and recommend the books I'm reading, as they relate to the blessings and life-lessons I discuss on this blog. The book discussions will remain. Only the structured, trying-to-be-unbiased-and-strictly-professional book reviews will disappear. Because let's face it: I've never been a strictly-professional kind of girl, and I'd much rather gush about the books that leave me smiling for days or contemplate the lessons in books that tear my heart to shreds.


*Writing is my life, so of course there will be many, many blog posts that center around my life as a writer. Lessons I learn, news I'm excited to share, ideas I'm bubbling over with excitement about.

My blog simply wouldn't be my blog if I wasn't writing about, well, writing. But once again, it was never intended to be a "writer's blog." There are many, many fabulous blogs out there focused on grammar rules, querying, creating life-like characters, and all of the business and craft-related topics that a writer needs to know. This isn't one of those blogs. Instead, I'll talk about the lessons I learn, the friends I'm blessed to meet, and the many ups and downs of life as a writer. Just as I always have.


In the spirit of trying to keep things consistent and manageable, I've set a schedule for my blog posts, so you'll always know when and where you can find the information you're looking for.

* Recipes: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month
      I'll share one of my latest recipe creations. These may be Crock Pot Gourmet, Vegan/Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Delicious Desserts, or any other category of yumminess that I happen to be concocting in my kitchen. Rest assured, I will continue to post links to the category recipe pages on my website, so you can easily find the recipes that fit your special diets.

* "Life Lessons": 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month
     This will be a short post with a quote or a thought that's inspired me, and the way it's influenced my life for the better.

* Other blog posts: 2nd and 4th Friday of each month
     I'll squeal about the exciting things happening for my friends and family, discuss the books I've read and enjoyed, and share my own writing news and insights.


Coming next week (the 1st Wednesday in November): I will share my recipe for the delicious Oatmeal Red Chile Cookies I made for last weekend's SCBWI NM Handsprings Conference!

Getting my Priorities in Order (Update!)

I suffer from "As You Wish" syndrome.

When someone I love needs or wants something from me, it's very difficult to say no. I love seeing you smile and knowing that I played a part in putting that smile on your face. But sometimes (often), I say yes to so many people that I end up with far too many commitments and not nearly enough time to accomplish them all. And then I end up disappointing the very people I'm trying to help.

I've blogged about this issue here, here, here, and here (as well as a few - okay, many - other times). And let's be honest, I'll be blogging about it again before long. For someone with "As You Wish" syndrome, learning to say "no" is an ongoing, life-long process.

And I knew I was approaching my breaking point again a few weeks ago, when I talked about Juggling All the Things. But this weekend, I realized that I've actually long-since passed that point. As I sat down to schedule my Saturday, trying to fit in DD#1's band competition, DD#2's volleyball game, DD#3's church youth group mother/daughter activity, DS's bass guitar lessons, movie night for my oldest two daughters and their youth group, a church dance for my son, Pitch Wars critique, writing critiques for my CPs, blog posts, responding to emails about TWELVE STEPS school visits, and trying to fit in a little time to write my own WIP ... Something had to give. At any given time, I had at least three different places to be simultaneously. And since scientists haven't yet perfected cloning, I just couldn't do it all. But I'd promised everyone, and I couldn't let them down! So I worked out a schedule where I could do a little bit of everything, as long as I didn't stop moving for even a moment. It meant being on the move from 6am until 11:30pm or later, but I would do it all. And then, when the craziness was all over, I promised myself I'd learn to say "no."

As I prepared to leave my youngest daughter's mother/daughter activity (where we made these adorable Princess headbands for the little girls at church)

 the leader gave me a hug and said "I know you're extremely busy, but thank you for taking some time to come today." I smiled and nodded, but I was already running late for my next commitment, so I didn't really have time to let her words sink in.

That night, when I met my older daughters' youth group at the movie theater (where they were going to see the new Meet the Mormons movie), their youth leader invited me to stay and watch the movie with them. My daughters and their friends agreed. It would be so fun!!

"Oh, no," I replied. "I can't. I have work to do. I'm going to take my laptop and find someplace to write."

I watched the faces of my two daughters fall as they nodded and accepted the fact that Mom was too busy to simply hang out with them and their friends. - So I scrapped the rest of my To-Do list for the night and spent the next 90 minutes or so sharing a giant bucket of popcorn with the girls.

I'm really good at reminding other people that they shouldn't try to do everything at once. In a recent guest post about social media on the SCBWI MD/DE/WV blog, I wrote: "Don’t try to do it all at once! You know that old adage about eating an elephant one bite at a time? The same applies to building your online presence. If you try to do everything at once, you’ll burn yourself out before you even get started." And it's time I started taking my own advice. So once again, I'm making the commitment to streamline my life.

For the rest of October, I'll be playing catch-up. I'll be completing a web re-design to make my author website and blog more streamlined and easier to navigate, and I'll be setting a posting schedule for myself that will (hopefully) be easier to follow - including letting some of the less-important things go. When I come back in November, I hope to be much more consistent.

And I need your help! I want to return the main focus of this blog to it's original purpose: Finding the blessings within life's daily trials. I'll need to let go of some of the "extras" that have taken over recently, but I don't want to lose them all. So please vote in my poll below to let me know which blog features you love and which you really could do without. (Vote for as many items as you'd like. I'll take all of your input into consideration.)

Thank you so much! I love you all!!

Update: As votes trickled in for my poll, both officially and through comments on my other social media outlets, I realized two things:

#1 - The results were incredibly inconclusive. Every vote I got for discontinuing a feature was offset with a vote from someone else for keeping it. 

#2 - I was sorely tempted to "cheat" by asking friends and family members to come cast their votes for the things that I wanted to win. Which means I already know, in my heart, what needs to stay and what needs to go. So I've closed the poll early, and over the next week or so, I'll be working out a schedule. At the end of October, I will post my new schedule, along with the reasons why I'm keeping (or letting go) the features I've decided upon.

*Giant Squish Hugs* to you all!!

What if the Princess REALLY Just Wants a Frog?? - (Announcing my Debut Picture Book!!)

Way back in October of 2011, I was actively querying my first YA manuscript when I discovered Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month - where you come up with an idea for a picture book every day in November). The challenge seemed easy enough, and so I eagerly accepted, certain I'd end the month with hundreds of ideas.

And guess what? It wasn't as easy as I expected. By mid-month I was grasping at straws, frantically looking for any source of inspiration. Any little shred of an idea. Just so I wouldn't have to count a big, fat zero for the day.

And in one of those "I have no creativity and what was I even thinking?" moments, I started thinking about my YA novel. KISSING FROGS. And I started playing the "What if?" game.

What if there was a princess who loved frogs more than anything else?

What if she wanted a frog for a pet?

What if she loved frogs so much that she 

couldn't help kissing them goodnight?

What if she wound up with a castle full of princes, all proposing marriage...

 The idea made me giggle so hard that I couldn't wait to start writing. I pulled out my notebook and a special story pencil and wrote my first draft that afternoon. And it was brilliant. Hilarious. Beautiful. Perfect! (Okay, not really. It was a first draft. And first drafts are always messy and awful. But the potential was there!! And I was absolutely in love with my spunky Princess Cassandra!)

After many, many rounds of revision, including a full manuscript critique from Christie Wright Wild, feedback from more than a few online writing workshops, and countless sessions with my fabulous CPs, Amie Rose Rotruck, Laura Shovan and Connie Collins Morgan, who helped me figure out the perfect ending to my story ... I put the thing in a metaphorical desk drawer to wait for the right timing.

Fast forward to November 2013. I was hard at work on final edits for my debut YA novel, TWELVE STEPS, and I had signed with my dream agent, Jessica Sinsheimer. And it was time to figure out what to work on NEXT. (Because, in writing, there always has to be a next project. Waiting for things to happen is much too crazy-making if you don't have something new to focus on.)

"What else are you working on?" Jessica asked. "What would you LIKE to work on next?"

So I told her all about the other MG novels I have stored in various stages of revision on my hard drive. And the YA novels that I've written and abandoned. Or plan to come back to one day. And the shiny new YA contemporary novel that I really wanted to write, but I wasn't sure if anyone would ever love as much as I do. And then I admitted, "And I have this picture book. People seem to like it. I don't know. Maybe we could do something with that someday?"

She loved the shiny, new YA idea and told me to start writing it immediately, and then she asked me to send her the manuscript for THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS. (She loved it!)

Fast forward a few months ...

When the first "I love this book! I plan to take it to our acquisitions meeting next week" email arrived from an editor I'd had at the top of my Dream Editors list for years, I literally fell off my treadmill! (*Note: Reading life-changing emails while working at a treadmill desk can be hazardous to your health.)

It was an excruciatingly-tough decision, but as soon as I spoke to Kristin Rens with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins), I knew she was the right editor for me. We talked about the story, the illustrations, and all kinds of other things ... and, once again, I found a partner I could be so comfortable with that I forgot my phone phobia! Not only did she (and the whole team) love THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, but she shared my vision for the book. She pinpointed the few spots in the manuscript that still felt like they weren't quite right, and I loved her ideas!

I've been dancing around for a LONG time, waiting to announce this news, but the day has finally arrived, and I can shout it from the rooftops!!

Coming soon to a bookstore near you!! 

My Debut Picture Book: 

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS!!!!!

So for those of you who are keeping count … Yes, this means my first TWO book sales were BOTH based on the first manuscript I ever wrote. Two books (TWELVE STEPS, and now THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS), both inspired by the novel I counted as a failure. There is no wasted effort in the writing game. As long as you are learning and moving forward, as long as you never give up, you will find success. It may not be what you thought you were striving for, but if you keep working, you’ll probably find something even better.