White Knuckles on the Keyboard

I wish I could say this was because of a frenzy of writing bliss that I couldn't resist, and that I was furiously typing the next best thing. Nope. It's being furiously frustrated.

I can't follow my own advice and be gentle with myself. I've been going through a lot. I should give myself a break. Nope. I want, I NEED to write, damn it...but like hell if the ideas will flow.

Everyone protests that writers' block isn't real. It's not allowed. If you have it, you're not a writer. You don't deserve to be a writer. You're not a real writer if you simply can't write sometimes. I'm writing right now, but I am not writing what I WANT to write. I am blogging.

Sure, that keeps my fingers nimble and slightly less bruised than banging them against the keyboard to work on the stuff I want to write...but gah...why can't I write what I want?

So, here I am to say that I don't care what other people say. Writers' block is very real to very real writers. And it usually involves blood, sweat and tears and headaches to get through the damn wall.

Under the Thrall

OK guys, I haven't been reading my share of paranormal books lately. I haven't been reading at all much lately. And I don't usually like doing book blog posts, because I like to hold anything I read very close to me and pretend I am the only reader on earth. (Confessions of a book nerd.)

Then a few books stampeded into my life, grabbed me by the throat and enthralled me. I usually let books come into my life and if I really like an author I will go hunt down the rest. Otherwise, books come to me. I don't usually go out to look for new ones, I just know what when I get there. It's kind of like going to a humane society to adopt a pet, you just know what you will connect.

Anyway, I wrote a reading list for 2014 way back here...and those are the books that have stampeded into my life. I am trying to kind of read them in order. Kind of...but again, sometimes I just have to read what takes me in at the moment. The books are adopting me, you see...

Hell, adoption? The last book I read left me in a book hangover like I haven't had since last year when I read Bound by J. Elizabeth Hill. The rest of *her* books are on my list too. The Mirrors of Bershan trilogy is complete.

These debut authors are both intimidating to me as well as incredibly inspiring. I am not kidding. I could totally curl up in a corner and wonder if I will ever write as well as these writers. I write my own way, but I really want to be able to leave my readers with the kind of book hangover I got from reading their stuff.

I am totally under their thrall. Read their books to understand. Now, I also understand that I can't expect everyone to like what I like, but I highly recommend these authors.

Here's my review of Running Home by Julie Hutchings. I'm going to go curl up and wallow in my book hangover now.

5 Gold Stars!

Way to Get Me Back Into Vampires

A beauty and the beast/rite of passage tale unlike anything you have ever experienced. This book lit a fire in me. Intricately and passionately character driven, the story will wedge its people into your soul. At once inspiring and tragic, you will be left feeling a physical need for more, and you'll be wondering just what Fate might have in store for you.

Be Gentle with Yourself

January always seems like the Month of Limbo before the Big Change. It's the process after finishing a full year of uncompleted tasks, unmet goals, and disappointing outcomes. Or maybe it's the process of getting through the let down after an amazing year of successes, dreams come true, and answered prayers.

The holiday season comes to a close with many families drawing together to be grateful for each other and share in each other's love and presence, and sometimes exchange presents. The end of the year *should* be about celebrating the successes, the dreams come true, and the answered prayers.

Instead, a lot of us get uncomfortable get togethers, stressful holiday parties, extra work loads, disappointments and even tragedy. So, January opens with the detritus of our previous year spilling into the new year. We struggle to "clean up",  make new year's resolutions, force changes, or accept the changes that were we were "forced" into.

Every new year moves us forward. Every new year is a time of change regardless of what happened the year before. January always seems to be the hardest part - the initiation into what the new time has in store for us. Or maybe it's the initiation into being the same we were the year before, into a year of more learning. None of us change at the same pace.

Through all of this, we are molded, we are taught things that only our subconscious, sometimes only our souls, can understand and we might take another whole year to understand what we are being taught.

My wish for all of us initiates is this; Be gentle to yourself. You are a wonder of creation and you should treat yourself that way. We are all on a journey to learn about ourselves and each other. And in case you think I am just spouting platitudes, I'm not. I am speaking a flowery language to describe what I am personally going through, what most of my friends are going through right now, and what I expect a lot of my unseen readers are going through. Take heart!

Be gentle, and may your initiation bring you to the place you need to be in your life!

Mess!

Before creating anything sometimes things have to be destroyed, or at least thrown into chaos. Out of the chaos, like a phoenix, arises something beautiful.

I'm in that chaos phase with *everything* right now. So, I appreciate your patience.

Whoa Nelly!

You know how life likes to throw curveballs every once in awhile and really rile things up for you? Yeah, I've been thrown a curveball.

I've had to drop everything that I was doing, and focus on something else more important than anything I ever need to do. My daughter.

When the light in a loved one's eyes goes out because of circumstances beyond her control, you will do everything you possibly can to rescue her. Right?

this is not a good thing 

Believe me when I say this curveball is the best thing that has ever happened, ironically. It made us look at family again. Everything is going to be alright, and we will be a better family because of it. No one was hurt, but someone was hurting. Heart-sore. I am taking steps to remedy that, and my daughter will come out of it the brilliant, beautiful young woman that she already is.

this is so much like my daughter 

In the meantime: 

2014 Reading List

I'm a tried and true hardcore bibliophile. I have more books than I can read - possibly more than I can read within my lifetime, and I know many of you are the same way. I generally "zen" my way toward books, and I have my definite favorites.

For 2014 I hope to read many of my newfound friends' books from the indie publishing realm as well as read and reread favorites.

I thought I'd recommend a few books for 2014. They are listed in no particular order. All of them are equally intriguing. All of them are available for e-readers, and most offer a print copy as well. Some even have audiobooks available. I'll let you click the links and make discoveries on your own rather than cram in all of the synopses.

Running Home by Julie Hutchings

Untethered by Katie Hayoz

The Mirrors of Bershan Series by J. Elizabeth Hill 

Bound

Possession

The Nines (Due out mid January)

Because the Night by Kristen Strassel (Night Songs Series Book 1)
I hear there's a new book coming out in March.
I also bought Seasons in the Sun.

Radiance by Jason Cantrell

Mind Static by Jen Naumann

Check out Jen's Paranormal Adventures Blog 

from the button on the right. 

I had the fortune of meeting Jen in person last year. 

She's a writer who knows the meaning of the word fun and knows how to drive a tractor. ;) 

Kicking the Habit by Kari Lee Townsend aka Kari Lee Harmon

I've got all her books on my TBR list, especially the coming soon Mind Reader Mysteries, the first of which is Peril for Your Thoughts, 

due out in March. 

(I've read and own all the Fortune Teller Mysteries and they are on my favorites list.)

I've recently stocked my shelves with all of the above authors and I can't wait to get those boxes! SOON!  And my Kindle app is burning a hole in my iPad.

I am excited to read the works of people I know personally, or at least virtually. I've met all of the above authors on Twitter. If we meet someday in person, I will be one happy reader/author.

Please help support indie and all authors! Stock your e-shelves and bookshelves! Too cold and looking forward to that summer vacation? Stock yourselves up early, and discover some new authors in the process.

More books I want to stack on my To Be Read Tower:

The Drew Farthering Mysteries by Juliana Deering (aka Deanna Julie Dodson)
Rules of Murder
Death by the Book
Murder at the Mikado

Mistress of the Art of Death Series by Ariana Franklin
Mistress of the Art of Death
The Serpent's Tale
Grave Goods
A Murderous Procession

That will hold me for awhile.

Happy Page Hunting and Happy Reading!