BLOG HOP

Happy Halloween! A writer friend Kathyrn Jones tagged me to expand my efforts in marketing my books. So here goes. First of all answering some questions about my latest work in progress then linking to five other authors-see list at the end of the questions. Also here's my cover in process. I designed it!

1. What is the working title of your next work? Well, it's still evolving. Right now it's DISCOVER YOUR VOICE AFTER DIVORCE: Write Your Way to Healing and Recovery.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book? My last book was Find Your Voice: Write Your Life Story then I thought I'd really like to focus on the negative events in our lives and organize some journaling exercises to heal the wounds from divorce and help the reader discover his/her voice.

3. What genre does the book fall under? Non-fiction, self-help workbooks.

4. Which characters in your book would you choose to play in a movie? Well, it stars the reader and the discoveries they are lead into finding about their own life and isn't planned to be a movie!

5. Will the book be self published or represented by an agency? I will endeavor to find a publisher by submitting the finish project to different agencies, but will probably end up with going with Amazon.com's CreateSpace as they are quite reasonable and I can also make it easily into an e-book.

6. How long did it take to write the first draft? Well, I'm still in process. Hope to be finished by summer 2013 or sooner.

7. What other books have inspired you to write this book? Julia Cameron's series of Artist's Way with writing exercises as well as the fun book Pencil Dancing: New Ways To Free Your Creative Spirit by Mari Messer.

8. What other books in your genre would you compare this to? See answer to #7.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? See answer #2

10. What else about your book might pique the readers interest? The fact that journaling and poetry writing are so therapeutic. Read more on my blog about the process.  

OTHER LOCAL BLOGGERS who also write: check out their websites and publications:
1. Russ Estlack-Shattered Lives: Shattered Dreams, The Untold Story of America's Aliens During World War II
2. Tom Garrison-political books-Why We Left the Left.
3. Virginia Grenier-Children and Young Adult books
4. Ann Kearns-Jill's Journey: Overcoming An Eating Disorder
5. David Smith-Hidden Mickey and Tennis Mastery books

Boat UPDATE

It's starting to take shape and look like a boat project!

Hubby is putting together a frame or box girder

Overtop of these molds will go the wooden lap strakes 

It's quite a complicated jigsaw puzzle

Good thing hubby's a retired civil engineer

Photoshop Elements Filters

Here's the original photo before photoshopping with filters.

Kolobs of Zion Park

Colored Pencils

Cutouts

Plastic Wrap

Poster Edges

Which do you like best?

Weekend Adventure

After working on his boat all week, hubby was ready for an 

outdoor adventure on Saturday. We went to Gunlock

 near our desert home-it was 70 degrees.

There are a few trees, lots of blue water and fresh air

Gunlock Reservoir, a possible place to go boating

Not many trees but that makes it all the more stark

Love the red rocks, even the soil and dust are red!

Lots of artsy rock piles in all directions

Black rock is volcanic-lots of it around here

I like being able to see for miles with mountains in the back 

What trees there are mostly cottonwoods and willows

Article #218 Selfish or Self-Actualizing

     I’ve always been fascinated by psychology and understanding human behavior. Let’s look at some basic ideas. The Webster dictionary defines the self as: the entire person of an individual; the union of elements (as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the identity of a person. Becoming a parent is like taking a crash course in psychology as you try to understand how to guide this new unique little person who has joined your family. A new baby is demanding and dependent on his or her parents for 24/7 care. Some adult children continue to be co-dependent on others. They rely on others to enable them to continue their misbehaviors. Ever wonder why?

The psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a model of the hierarchy of human needs. First is the need for physical comfort: food, water, sleep and warmth. When those needs are met, the growing child moves to the next level of needs which are safety and security; followed by social needs: belonging, love and affection; then esteem needs: personal worth, social recognition and accomplishment. Last of all are the self actualizing needs: personal growth and fulfilling one’s potential.

It’s a learning process and sometimes individuals get stopped in a lower stage of development. A selfish person is someone who is completely wrapped up in his or her own little world ignoring others’ needs. Many individuals in our society fall into this category including toddlers, teens and needy adults. Some Hollywood stars are examples of this with their outrageous misbehaviors and not wanting to face the consequences. They feel the world revolves around them. Sadly, selfish people are seldom happy as their demands for fulfillment and attention are never met. Their conversations are always about themselves with little interest in others. It’s quite draining to try to interact with such a person. 

No man is an island. We all live in communal groups: families, churches, society, etc. It takes sensitivity to understand how one’s actions affect others. It’s easy to get caught up in co-dependent relationships with self-centered individuals who want to avoid the consequences of their own misbehavior––especially if it’s your kinfolk or children involved. You don’t have to carry anyone’s problems on your own shoulders. Learning to give a listening ear and supporting heart is more important than solving the problems for everyone at your own expense and personal growth or self actualization. NEXT TIME: Make Lemonade

Path to GROWTH

A family is a mini world of distinct individuals

trying to learn to live together with love:

communicating, caring, supporting

each other through the trials that come.

Practicing cooperation instead of competition,

seeking to forgive and heal misunderstandings,

trying to live the golden rule-Do unto others

as you would do onto yourself-peace not war!

Mormon Women-Who are They?

Abandoned...

Once a prosperous dairy barn filled with cows,

 workers gathered the precious fluid needed

by families to sustain their growing children.

 Now deserted, left to vandals to disgrace

 the efforts of hard working farmers trying to survive

on the land. Do their spirits grieve looking on?

Beauty in NATURE

River rocks washed smooth by water's constant motion

Beautiful moth or butterfly and blooming Rabbit Bush

These rocks tell a story of how the land was made

Shadows of trees

Seeds for more growth

Bark returning to the earth

Saturday ADVENTURE

The weather is still warm, we decided to try a new hike

No autumn leaves yet, but many desert bushes are blooming

We follow the trail by the LaVerkin Creek to the
confluence of where it meets the Virgin River

Being in nature reminds me of God's handiwork 

Peaceful scene-important water is needed by us

This is the desert as these prickly cactii remind us

The shade feels good as the temps are 79 degrees

Amazing what can grow with a little water and warmth

The confluence of the LaVerkin, Ash and Virgin Rivers

The Virgin River starts in Zion Park and flows south

Article #217 Change and Opposition

            Change is a constant principle in all our lives, although we fight it. Why can’t things stay as they are? we sometimes ask. That’s not the nature of life for anyone. Each day can bring new experiences and challenges to stimulate our growth as an individual. Although we would prefer for life to always be a bed of roses, there are bound to be a few thorns work their way to the surface to disrupt each person’s life. If you have set expectations and a timeline for your life, you will be disappointed when surprises arise to change your direction. A perfect agenda increases both your anticipation and disappointment as the hoped for course of life doesn’t always happen.

            We start young with children setting up expectations for their future life. What do you want to be when you grow up? As if the entire world depends on the young child deciding what he/she thinks others expect when he/she is an adult. Perhaps we would do better to ask: What good can you do for the world when you are an adult? or Expect opposition/challenges in life and learn from them. I wish someone had explained to me as a young girl that fairy tales aren’t real. Few people if any live happily ever after, instead divorce may rear its ugly head or death will at some point in your life separate you from loved ones or you may not marry.

            Keeping a journal of unexpressed feelings about your life can be very enlightening as you later reread and see the growth that came to you because of how you faced opposition. Being grounded in a faith or belief in the purpose of life can steady your course. Sharing what you’ve learned in your journey can help others in your family or friends along the way. In fact, that’s probably the main value of family/friends as a sounding board, a source of empathy and courage to continue meeting each day’s challenges whatever they may be.

            Part of aging is learning to deal with physical disabilities or life threatening illnesses, letting go of disappointments and hurts. Forgiving others including yourself can lead to self awareness and adjustments to the continuing opportunities for growth that come to each of us. A private journal can be a safe place to work through negative feelings or talk with a trained counselor or spiritual guide. NEXT TIME: Selfish or Self Actualizing 

Friday SKYWATCH

Sunset near Santa Fe, New Mexico

Photoshop Elements Project

Well, here it is-a photo collage of my life that I've been wanting to put on my family history webpage. It's showing the CYCLE of WOMANHOOD from baby to girl to teenager to bride to mother to grandmother all within one lifetime. Check out my son Daniel's collage that got me started. I'm taking one on one tutoring at the Simply Mac class in town, it's cheaper than taking a class. Only $25/session. Above it may look like an ideal family, but we've had our personal trials with deaths, divorces and disappointments.

Ideal FAMILIES?

Does such a thing as the IDEAL FAMILY really exist or

is it just the facade most of us have in place? Looking closer

there are cracks in the perfectionism we imagine there.

Needless to say, all families have their problems and trials.

Those who choose not to have their own families for whatever

reason will miss the opportunity to learn and grown in this lab

called LIFE that can come in no other way that being completely 

responsible for another's welfare in an interactive family structure.

VALUES are taught in families: responsibility, independence,

loyalty, love, forgiveness, patience, hard work and honesty.

One's self esteem and image is formed in a family, lessons are

learned for a lifetime. Being a parent is the ultimate challenge!