Week Eight - The Party's Over

The Party’s Over – Back to writing and sensible eating.

When all the company left, my first thought was, “time to get back to sensible eating and to my writing!”

I’m feeling bloated and my waistbands are pinching. But what do I do with all the remains—the fudge, cookies, potato chips, cheese spread and crackers, truffles, chocolate turtles, sour cream mashed potatoes, pineapple casserole and those other tempting goodies that I didn’t manage to send home with my company?

            All these treats are a real dilemma for me since Terry announced that as of now, he is back on his no-carb diet! This leaves me with two choices; freeze it, or toss it. Or possibly, option three, have Terry hide the candy from me (so at least I can ration my indulgences). 

Time for a plan!

Tips for the day after the binge.

1.     Nix the guilt! You enjoyed the holiday and being with your loved ones. Remember all the wonderful moments and move on.

2.     Don’t weigh yourself immediately. Give your body a day or two to stabilize first!

3.     New Year’s is nearing. Forget resolutions. Resolutions are nothing but hidden forms of punishment and we just agreed to leave guilt behind.

4.     Instead, make goals for the year. These can be weekly goals, monthly goals or just an outline of where you want to be in your life at this time next year. Most important—make them realistic!

5.     Keep your goal list in a place where you will see it and review it regularly.

6.     Be sure some of your goals are fun things. Avoid anything you dread doing. If you want to lose weight, find a food plan you can live with. If regular exercise is one of your goals, make it something your enjoy. For writers, walking is wonderful for creative thinking. One of my goals is to buy a mini-recorder so I can save my walking ideas.

7.     Freeze all the leftovers for later or give them to a family in need.

8.     Prevent post-holiday letdown by making one of your goals something you’ve wanted to do but been putting off: writing that new book, taking the cooking class you’ve always wanted, joining a yoga class, visiting a friend in another state. Take one step toward that goal in order to be sure 2012 includes something new to look forward to.

I hope all of you had a happy and healthy Christmas! I’m wishing you the very best for the New Year. Thank you for following the Ten Pounds of Christmas and helping me to make this year only a three-pound Christmas season!

Marla

Week Seven - Eek! It's Christmas week.

 Eek! It’s Christmas Week. (And I’m feeling fat already.)

Where are we in the fight to keep from gaining weight over the holidays? For me, the good news is I’ve only gained ½ a pound so far. And everyone knows that is only a daily fluctuation, right?

            As Christmas day approaches, my battle becomes more difficult. Trying to follow my own tips, I’m fighting to eat less on the days there are no parties, company, or dinners out. And during those eating events, I’m savoring the things I really love without (almost without) overindulging.  I’ve managed to pass up the things I can live without and eating desserts when I’m already stuffed. Doesn’t seem like much, you say?

            Then you most likely have never had a serious weight problem and shouldn’t be reading this blog! But seriously, it is the small changes that make a big difference.

            I’m having company this week for Christmas. Guess I’d better review my tips for serving guests. Or better yet, I’ll revisit them all. In this case, repetition is my friend.

1.     If possible, put prepared treats far out of sight and reach.

2.     Don’t give up the things you love. Give yourself permission to indulge, but only on the things you enjoy the most. Pass up foods you can live without.

3.     As host or hostess, serve things that are not your favorites.

4.     When entertaining, have holiday containers and wrap on hand. Send leftover temptations home with your guests.

5.     At a party, fill yourself one plate of the things you enjoy the most and savor every bite. Don't stand at the buffet and nibble.

6.     Pass up the public goodie trays by imagining the unsanitary conditions surrounding them. Use your imagination.

7.     Always have a mental plan before a food event. Then stick to it. This battle is all about awareness.

8.     Remember it’s okay to have your favorite things. If you overdo them and have a bad day or two, forgive yourself and follow up with two good days.Eat lean on days having no food events.

9.     A pound or two is easy to get rid of. Ten pounds means endless months of cabin fever while on a diet. Who wants that?

10. Have a happy, healthy and wonderful Christmas!

Please feel free to comment and leave any additional tips that work for you!

The Ten Pounds of Christmas - Week Six - Sugar's Slippery Slope

 Sugar’s Slippery Slope

On my annual Christmas visit to Iowa, a friend gave me a box of cookies she’d baked. They were delicious. Don’t ask me how many I consumed on my drive back home; I’m afraid I lost count after six!

Why is it, that being given a wonderful treat like home baked cookies, I eat them like they’re the last ones I’ll ever enjoy? If any of you readers have a good suggestion on how to put the brakes on grazing, please share it!

Last week I was on the edge, and now I’m at the bottom of the goodie barrel, fluffy as a marshmallow snowman. It is not a pleasant feeling. I’ve slid down the slippery slope for three days; now it’s time to follow my own advice and return to sensible eating until the next “event”. With two weeks to go before the big day, there are many more temptations ahead.

I’m also pondering why it’s so impossibly difficult to get back on track after three days of free-reign eating. The mouth wants what the mouth wants, hard to control as a cat! I must accept the inevitable truth—in order to keep from gaining ten pounds this season, I have to eat less than normal on days when there are no parties or other eating occasions luring me to overindulge.

And meanwhile, thank goodness for stretch jeans!

Tips for the week.

1 Don’t let a few out of control days become a week of binging. Accept it, forgive yourself, and eat lean whenever possible.

2 Put gift treats out of sight. (Or in the trunk!) Allow yourself a few each day as a reward for your resolve.

Week Five - I'm On The Edge of Fatness

I’M ON THE EDGE OF FATNESS

I made it through Thanksgiving week without gaining weight! But now the parties and treat trays have begun their tempting display. The lure of high-calorie temptation beckons and I feel myself weakening. It’s time to renew my vow of stability over the holidays.

            Lady Gaga sings, “I’m On The Edge of Glory,” wearing next to nothing with every lean inch of her looking great, her inspiring message nudging me to remember my vow. These are the days that put me on the edge of fatness. I need to remain aware.

            Complacency is that little devil inside me that keeps saying, “Go ahead. This is the season to enjoy. Worry about it later.”

It’s easy for me to get caught up in all the good cheer and good food that surrounds me. Every day it’s getting harder not to fall into the sedated state of overeating. I keep telling myself I’d rather feel good about my body than overindulge. Staying aware is half the battle.

            Here come my tips for the week. Excuse me if some are repetitive, but those may be worth reviewing—or tacking on the bathroom mirror.

            1 Join a conversation as far from the food table as possible.

2 I’ve been watching thin people and noticed that they don’t nibble. They take a small cocktail plate, fill it with offerings from the display, and DON’T go back. 

3 Only eat the things you really want. The hostess won’t notice you’ve passed up one or two items.

4 On non-party days, eat sensibly!

5 Box and wrap all home made goodies.

Christmas Treats--Yeeks!

Week Four

Christmas Treats—Yeeks!

Thanksgiving is behind me. I’ve indulged, bulged, and now I’m back on track. Until I start my holiday baking, that is. Making treats to give as gifts is a holiday tradition, which once started, is as difficult to get rid of as a yeast infection.

            For more than twenty years I’ve made candy to box up and give as gifts to friends and relatives. Everyone loves my fudge. Unfortunately, so does the cook. Over the years I’ve at least cut down to making only two varieties. But two or twenty, the dilemma is the same; how do I keep from stuffing my wares into my greedy mouth?

            When Terry and I each had our own houses, I shipped it to his garage in sealed containers until I was ready to box it up and pass the candy on. Keeping it in my attached garage now, makes it just too darn accessible.

            And everywhere I go, the goodies are out, even at the library and the bank. A few bites here and there, and I’ve upped my daily calorie allotment to code red. I’ve had to wrack my sugar-drenched brain to come up with a few useful suggestions.

Here goes.

1.     Pass up public goody trays by forming a mental picture of the unsanitary conditions surrounding them. Think about people sneezing on them, children handling each one before deciding, and how long they sit out, exposed to who knows how many dastardly germs and menacing viruses.

2.     No one has the time or the inclination to write out a food plan for every day, but have a mental plan and stick to it. Plan to allow yourself two or three of your homemade treats after supper, and keep that in mind when you walk past the cookie trays on display wherever you go.

3.     If you are making treats, box them for gift giving as quickly as possible. This includes a gift tag with the receiver’s name. I find that if I do this, it keeps my fingers out of them. Then store them with a neighbor!

4.     When baking cookies, make everyone else’s favorites and avoid your own.  If that’s impossible, then allot yourself a few after dinner. I find that allowing myself that small indulgence keeps me from pilfering the gift boxes every time I walk into the garage.

Celebrate the season!

Preparing for Thanksgiving

Week Three – Preparing for Thanksgiving

            Unless you’re stranded on a desert island, being held prisoner in Myanmar, or have accidently locked yourself in your storage locker, you’ll be stuffing yourself on the big day. The trick is to give yourself permission to do that without eating more and more every day leading up to it as if you were training for an Olympic event. Not as simple as it sounds. What is simple is your devious brain telling you, “Go ahead. You’ll be overeating on Thursday anyway, may as well eat whatever you want until then.

Sound familiar?

            Use your brain to help you, not sabotage you. Try to remain aware of your eating habits. Don’t starve yourself. Eat sensibly. And get enough sleep! Sound strange? Then you’ve never noticed how much more susceptible you are to food urges on days that you’re exhausted. Someone asked me last week what I meant when I said be gentle with yourself—getting enough sleep is one of the ways to be good to yourself

I came back from my trip to Iowa having overindulged. I must thank you for letting me digress on my own weight problem; the process of writing about it is helping me to stay on track.

My tips for this week are for those of you, and myself, who are going to be doing the cooking on Thanksgiving, not only for the guests. Cooking is an enormous task, requiring more that one tip!

1.                    If your family and friends are used to having appetizers, prepare the kind you can pass up. For me, that means putting out herring, a shrimp plate and stuffed mushroom. I know, it’s really weird not to like those things, but I’m a picky eater except when it comes to junk food. So no chips, cheese, or mixed nuts on my coffee table.

2.                    Have on hand a supply of disposable plastic containers for leftovers. Send the tempting, high-calorie items home with your guests and don’t take no for an answer. This will require determined assertiveness on your part when they all protest. (And they will.) Be firm.

3.                    Again, indulge only in your favorites and pass up the other dozen side dishes. I’ve practiced this one for a couple years now, and believe me, I’ve never been reprimanded by the hostess since I so obviously am enjoying what I’m eating.

Remember, Thanksgiving is one day out of three hundred sixty-five. The free pass you give yourself to eat the things you love on that day is good for one day only.

 Enjoy!

           

The Ten Pounds of Christmas - Week Two

It’s ten days before Thanksgiving, the Halloween candy is gone, and my good jeans are already snug. Yikes! I even have pre-holiday expansion! I need a plan if I’m going to avoid the “Ten Pounds of Christmas” this year.

            I’m going to be the one cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Does that mean I control the menu? Hilarious. No, you know how it goes. The cook is always obligated to produce everyone’s favorites, including at least two different kinds of pie for dessert.

            And before I even get to the holiday hurdle, I have a trip to Iowa this week—which means eating out, eating on the road, and a long boring drive. Why is it I can never stop at a convenience store for gas without leaving with a bag of chips in my hand or a doughnut or two to go with my coffee?

            I’ve developed a strategy: I’ll pack a cooler with sensible snacks, like yogurt and granola bars. No guarantee with this method of subterfuge, but sometimes it works! If I can stick to it it’ll allow me to indulge when I go out to dinner. And why is it, when we dine out, we ingest every morsel, even when the food we’re served isn’t something we are truly enjoying? I vow right now, that I’ll only eat the things I’m served that are excellent. I’ve never bought into the whole theory of leaving a bite of everything on your plate. But leaving half or more of something that is so-so? Should be doable.

            It’s really all about awareness, choices, and stopping when I’m comfortably full, instead of gasping for air!

Tip #2

Pre-Thanksgiving. Don’t try to program yourself to eat less on the big day—it won’t work. Your subconscious will rebel and you’ll stuff yourself every day leading up to Turkey Day.

Instead, tell yourself you’ll enjoy eating whatever you want that day, but will pass up anything on the buffet that doesn’t appeal to you. The hostess can enjoy the leftovers. Once you give yourself that mental green light, you’ll be able to eat lightly (not fasting or dieting) the week before the holiday.

Be gentle with yourself.

The Ten Pounds of Christmas

The Ten Pounds of Christmas

            I gain ten pounds every year at Christmas.

How is that possible? It’s easy. I start in October. Then I struggle to take off my “Christmas fat” in January and February.

            This shameful acquisition of the bulge begins in October with Halloween candy. (And I don’t have small children to blame its presence on.) Any candy that comes into this house during October is for yours truly. Terry, my significant other, may snatch a piece or two, but he’s not haunted by the same carb addiction as myself. October is candy month. Then there’s the snacking during football games—it’s an annual ritual—the home team couldn’t win if I weren’t encouraging them with the cheers of my crunching.

            Everyone knows what happens in November. In November I vow that I will NOT gain weight over the holidays this year. But, having made that vow, the terror of holiday goodie deprivation niggles at me. The only cure for this tweak of conscience is—guess what—you’ve got it—a bowl of buttered popcorn and the last of the Halloween candy.

            Then comes the mother of all eating events, Thanksgiving. It would be a sin to diet on Thanksgiving, wouldn’t it? How else would I show my thankfulness except by indulging in everything the buffet has to offer? Someone went to a lot of trouble to cook all that goodness; it would be rude to pass it up.

            I hardly need to remind you what December brings. But I will: parties, Christmas cookies on display everywhere you go, gifts of home made treats, boxes of fudge and chocolates . . . the list goes on.

            I’m not sure January would be the same without digging out my “fat” clothes, bemoaning my food transgressions of the previous ten weeks, and joining Weight Watchers for the umpteenth time. It’s all part of the post-holiday depression syndrome, that and the drifts of snow that nearly cover our west-facing windows.

Without the challenge of dropping our Christmas fat, the big diet agencies would lose millions, possibly resulting in another stock market crash. We wouldn’t want that would we? We have to protect our 401k’s.

So pass the potato chips and make mine kettle-fried. I’ll lose weight tomorrow.

Note from the author:

This blog on the holiday weight gaining dilemma will be continued weekly. Each week I’ll add a new tip on how to buck the weight gain.

Tip #1  Dealing with leftover Halloween candy

I turn it over to Terry, he locks it up in the garage, and only gives me two pieces a day, no matter how many I ask for. If you don’t have someone to hold your candy for you in a homemade Fort Knox, throw it out. But make sure it’s in the garbage with something disgusting enough to prevent retrieving it in a moment of mad craving!

John Locke is following me!

John Locke is following me!

Yesterday I got a Twitter message that John Locke is following me! Imagine my excitement that the epub guru was following me, an epub novice. Heady stuff. My elation was short-lived, however, when I sent Mr. Locke a message and saw that he follows 22,000 people!

Twenty-two thousand. Think about it—how is it possible to follow that many tweeters (twitterers?) without sitting in front of your computer 24/7? A person would have no time for such mundane things as eating, sleeping, or recreational activities. Does Locke have a Portapotty next to his computer? An IV in his arm feeding him the necessary nutrients to maintain the energy to communicate with such a mass of fans? I wonder about that, don’t you?

Recently I read Locke’s book on epublishing. He put a lot of emphasis on building one’s following (fan base, I believe he called it) and on staying in touch with fans by personal email. Make friends, he advised.

I’ve been following his plan for three months now and have acquired about four people that I would call fans. I enjoy them and consider them friends. So, by John’s principles, if I continue at this pace, I’ll have enough fans to make my writing successful when I an a hundred and ten!

Interesting stuff, right?

After reading this blog, you might be curious if I still look up to Mr. Locke as the great one in epublishing. Do I? You betcha! Thanks to him and a handful of others like him, struggling newbies like myself have hope!

And it’s that hope that keeps us writing and dreaming of hitting it big on Amazon, just like the rest of the world wants to win the lottery.

Oh, one more thing—we writers would love to win the lottery, too!


John Locke - www.lethalbooks.com

Writers Laboring On Labor Day

Writers laboring on Labor Day

(I think I’m in Labor)

Labor Day. A day we take time to reflect on the work force in our Country and the magnificent journey it’s travelled since the industrial revolution. Have today’s workers made progress? Or are they on a slippery regression back to the brutal employment methods of the early 1900’s? And the question is assumes there will even is employment available for those seeking it.

Unfortunately, both are true. American workers have both progressed and fallen backward. As a writer desperately working at marketing my first eBook, I’ve become aware of the multitude of others doing the same thing. Are all of us actually gifted writers, or are we eagerly trying to escape being one of the masses punching a time clock every day, or worse, standing in line to obtain employment?

An avid reader myself, my reading habits tend to be rather narrow. I’m first and foremost a suspense reader. Equipped with my new Kindle, I couldn’t wait to start taking advantage of the myriad of books available to me with only a click and ninety-nine cents! I’m sorry to report that I’ve been very disappointed with the quality of what’s being offered.

Am I expecting too much for 99 cents? Interestingly these same books I’m turning down, have excellent cover art and intriguing synopses. (I’m currently struggling with my own cover.) Many have complimented me on it while my son, who is a graphic designer with a Fortune 500 company, says it sucks, it’s amateurish and is the reason why my books aren’t selling.

Here I am on Labor Day, agonizing over that quandary and others related to book marketing, Re: the cover. Anyone reading this blog, please glance at the cover art on the right and let me know—it rubbish or rubies??

So back to the books with great covers and blurbs but flimsy product. Are these books then written by those folks looking for an easy way to beat the employment rat race? I wonder. As for me, I like to think I’m not one of them because first, I’m retired. I’m not avoiding job-hunting. And secondly, money isn’t my goal in writing. My goal is to write books for other suspense readers like myself, books that are engaging and hopefully a little bit different. I’m with John Locke, I want to entertain my reader.

Maybe my labor pains will help me produce a great chapter for my next novel, a project I seem to be putting aside with great regularity. I’m thinking positive—I will give birth to a great chapter before this day is over!

Please hire me, Mr. Patterson

Please Hire Me, Mr. Patterson

James Patterson bashing is a favorite pastime on many writers’ discussion sites. Most of the criticisms aimed toward Mr. Patterson concern his: short chapters, his prolific additions to bookstore and library shelves, his use of co-authors, and his Spartan writing style. And let’s not forget his treatment of writing as a business.

Am I a James Patterson fan? I sure am. Do I read everything he and his stable of writers’ crank out? Of course not. Some of his latest branch-out novels are not for me, written in genres that I just don’t care for.  He is a bookstore, a library, a shelf of books. I stand in front of them and choose which I want to read as I would in any book-filled environment.

The purists would argue that Mr. Patterson’s books are crammed with non-literary, genre-based drivel. I would argue that what he generously produces is entertainment. Isn’t that what writing is all about? Obviously, there are droves of people out there who are skipping things like reality TV, Spider Solitaire, and discussing their day on Facebook, in order to be entertained by this author.

I shudder to think what these same people would have to say about me as an eBook author. They’d probably throw cloves of garlic at me if we met on the street!

John Locke and Joe Konrath, eBook proponents, who, like Mr. Patterson, believe in writing as a business, would certainly back me on this. They are also of the school of thought that believes an author must attack his writing as a business and also, that at the end of the day, books are entertainment.

If James Patterson placed a want ad on Goodreads, looking for someone to co-author his next suspense book, my resume would be in the mail instantly. In an author interview, he stated that he does a 50-page outline before he writes a novel.

Outlining my novels drives me crazy. Just think what I’d learn by fleshing out a novel from one of Patterson’s generous outlines. Did I say learn? Maybe I should have said earn. I doubt many of us would turn down an opportunity to profit from our writing or to pass up the fantastic publicity writing with Mr. Patterson would deliver.

There’s plenty of room for every genre and sub-genre in the universe of reading material as more and more people get into reading. And I do believe (close your ears, purists) that the advent of the eBook will bring more and more readers to feed from our giant trough of books.

http://www.jakonrath.com/

Lethalbooks.com

Mr. Almost Right

            At the end of last weeks discussion of why we love bad boys, I promised out next talk would be about the ‘almost rights.’ These are the men we settle for despite the warning flags that pop up in our field of vision. Why do we ignore the warnings?

The obvious answer is we’re desperate—so eager to have a man in our lives that we don’t see the problems ahead. But is desperation all there is to it?

            Lisa Rayburn, the protagonist in my suspense novel, She’s Not There, repeatedly hooks up with men that are much younger, married, or in some way, unattainable. She fancies herself a relationship addict although none of her involvements last long enough to actually be a relationship.

            I believe for most of us, it isn’t about being desperate to have a man. Often, when we fall in love, we are so high on the experience that we put on blinders to things we’d otherwise recognize as something we wouldn’t be able to live with for the long haul.

Like Lisa, I spent many years looking for Mr. Right, often settling for men that were all wrong. Why? I liked to blame this syndrome on my relationship with my father, who I adored but was never there for me when I needed him. As a result, I enjoyed the challenge of getting someone to love me and stay by my side. That accomplished, I soon grew bored moved on to the next challenge.

            It would seem that knowing why we do these things would make changing the pattern simple. Not so. It took a lot of years before I learned the answer was to walk away—walk away before it was too late to do so. Unfortunately, I backslid a few times, but the successes were sweet, and I’ve been in a committed relationship now for more than fifteen years.

            There are no easy answers to this timeworn dilemma, but the easy advice is—when choosing a mate—don’t lead with your libido!

Bad Boys

BAD BOYS

Why are women wild about them?

A fan of The Young and the Restless, I’ve bought the occasional copy of CBS Soaps magazine, hoping to get the latest dirt on a show that has been a hidden addiction of mine for more than twenty years. However, it wasn’t until recently, spurred on by a plotline I was dead against, that I went to the forums and broadcasted my opinion.

            About two years ago, the writers of the show penned a romantic alliance between Sharon and Adam, two extremely unlikely lovers. For anyone who doesn’t follow the plot, Sharon is a lovely blonde who is always painted as perfect, a woman all the men in her life, and some no longer in her life, want to protect and adore. Adam is her ex-husband’s evil brother and has caused murder and mayhem in everyone’s lives, including Sharon’s. Despite his history, she falls in love with him, marries him, divorces him, and then goes back to him later and becomes his fiancé.

            My post regarding this duo, expressed my unhappiness with the writers breaking the pair up once again. To me, far-fetched romantic liaisons are the most interesting. Like the rest of us writers, however, these writers of our "stories," work to keep the conflict flowing. Quite a debate ensued. What struck me about it, is that many fans of the show agreed with me, making me start thinking about the susceptibility of us women to the bad boys we run across in our lives.

            Did this syndrome start with James Dean? Or can we trace it back much further in history?

            Not being a history maven, I’m not going to take this blog in that direction. I'll leave that to you to dwell on. Instead, what is it about the bad boy that is so darn attractive?

            My opinion? It is the drama factor. Like watching soaps, reading romance novels, and going to the movies, these men bring a touch (and then some!) of drama and excitement into our lives. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I got over being drawn to them and was finally able to develop a relationship that was more of a two-way street, unlike the kind you’d ever find with a bad boy.

            Yes, I married a man who was very good to me. We divorced six years later. What happened, you ask, if he was such a good husband? The answer to that will have to be addressed in a separate blog. Next topic – What about the men that we know are the “Just-Not-Rights” but stay with anyway?

Reviewing a Friend’s Book (And other dangerous sports)

I self-published my first novel about a month ago, an eBook, now for sale on Amazon and Smashwords. My first buyers have been, of course, my friends and relatives.

Then the big hurdle arose—how to market it to the rest of the world. All of you authors out there will sympathize when I say, “It ain’t easy!”

Desperate, I even sunk low enough to do an exchange with another frantic author. That at least got me my first review. And in doing the exchange, I had to read and review a book entirely out of my usual genre. Me, a suspense reader had to tackle a vampire book. Having long ago become a maven of suspense, I haven’t read that kind of thing since Stephen King’s early novels, that I used to devour. No pun intended.

In the interest of fairness, and I expected my exchangee to do the same, I reviewed her book for her market audience—the vampire readers. I gave it a great review, honestly believing it was unique and readable in its genre. She did the same for me, and we both got an early, very good review. Please don’t ask what I would have done, had her book been poorly written. Luckily, it was not!

Then a few days later, I noticed I had two reviews on Goodreads. From friends who’d read my book. I was so excited! Do I need to tell you my dismay when I saw that one of my very good friends (and a fellow writer to boot) gave me a lowly three star review?

Now in the grand scheme of book publishing, I have no doubt we’ll all get a crummy review or two. Or more, because you cannot pique everyone’s interest with your story. But to get a three star in the early days is huge—what does that say to other potential readers?

When I reamed out my friend for his review, he said he believed in being honest and my book just wasn’t his thing. Then, I asked, why bother writing a review? I pointed out how difficult it made things for me on Goodreads when the second freaking review was so lukewarm. We never did resolve the issue. He defended his betrayal to the end!

Moral of this story is; If you can’t leave a good review for a friend, don’t leave one. And to go one step further I’d ask why leave a review for a book that’s outside of your genre, written by a friend or not?

So dear readers, tell me what you think. Do you agree that avoidance is the right strategy?

Waddling away from the computer.

Frustration reigns and food feeds it! 

I'm diligently working at marketing my eBook, She's Not There. The time consuming process of it is keeping me tied to the computer with food as my only solace. Not a good thing. 

But persistence pays off in the long run. Unfortunately, that could wreak havoc on my body. You know how they say inside every fat person is a thin person waiting to get out? Well, inside this body is a 600 pounder fighting to get out! And I'm afraid she's winning these days.

What to do? Probably need a break, but there is so much to do. I think I'll just keep tweeting.

http.amzn.to/mQebPH
bit.ly/rjOrWt

The fireworks are over, the red-white-and-blue place-mats put away, and my first novel, She's Not There, is published as an eBook. Quite an accomplishment. The process of formatting and uploading an author's hard work is formidable since writers don't tend to be technical geniuses. Now that task is behind me.
I could complain about all the food I indulged in over the holiday, or the margaritas I consumed, but no one wants to hear about that. And what are holidays for anyway? Food, friends, and fun.

My next hurdle, getting a hard copy of my book set up on Createspace, appears to be insurmountable. And the fees for the site's assistance are very painful to the pocketbook. What to do? I put the question to you, dear blog readers. Any ideas? Is there a formatter out there who works for cheap? All thoughts on this dilemma appreciated.

Reading, Writing and Staying Away From the Kitchen

I've been reading since I was five, writing all my life, and been overweight since I was a toddler.

Writing suspense fiction is a fairly new endeavor. They say write what you know, but I decided to write what I read. Suspense is my latest reading addiction. Not too recent, however, it's probably been about a thirty-year love affair. I've been absorbed with genres such as historical romance, espionage, and the supernatural, the latter spurred by a fear-filled night of reading The Exorcist.

Food, somehow, has always been connected with reading for me. Nothing was ever as good as a bowl of buttered popcorn while reading an exciting book. The diet doctors always tell you not to read or do anything else while eating. While I cannot say they're wrong, I'm afraid giving up the practice might cause me enough anxiety to send me running for something even more calorie laden than the popcorn bowl.

And now I'm writing. A skill that keeps me sitting on my ever-increasing backside while staring at a computer screen. There go the eyes, too. My novel, She's Not There, will be epubished any day now, and the angst over the process is something also not conducive to a slim body!

So, dear blog reader, I will be asking you to buy my book in order to get me up and moving! Not today, but soon, and the price will be right.

Marla