Today I’m excited to introduce my surprise guest Nikki Wright. Nikki is the publicist and marketing director for Mountain Brook Ink. She wears multiple hats and coordinates many of the behind-the-scenes administrative duties for MBI. In other words, she’s the cog in the machine that keeps things running smoothly. She also shepherds her authors with loving guidance and abundant grace. …
Writer’s Fog… The Struggle Is Real
Do you ever wonder where the day went? How about the past three months? Maybe, for a moment, you have to think about that. No worries. I understand. It’s part of the malady. A symptom of overwork and exhaustion. A byproduct of euphoria and anticipation. The thing we hesitate to name. Writer’s fog. (Click-to-Tweet) Huh? Is that really a thing? Yes, …
How Smashed Sunglasses Renewed My Vision and Increased My Faith via Kass Fogle
Hello, friend—So happy you stopped by! I hope the summer’s treating you well and that you’re able to take a brief respite from the heat. In the Ozarks where I’m at, I don’t mind telling you—it’s HOT. Yesterday it was a not-so-pleasant ninety-eight degrees with a heat index of 107. OH. My. Word. *please pass the sweet tea* Key things …
Chasing Dreams via Kimberly Rose Johnson
Today please welcome author Kimberly Rose Johnson. In addition to writing, Kimberly and I share some common interests—specifically, coffee and dark chocolate. (Those alone can kick-start any relationship, right?) Please sit back, settle in, and soak up the encouragement. For a few moments, turn off the noise and dream BIG. Take it away, Kimberly! Have you ever had a …
Success… Is It Too Late?
There comes a point in life, maybe during a career crisis or a season of self-reflection, our confidence dips. Our belief wilts. Is it too late? Has my chance already come and gone? Has the moment of opportunity slipped past, despite my desire to move forward? For the baby boomer generation, advancing years are a reality. There’s no denying the …
Four Reasons to Take the High Road
Words, harsh and scathing, rained down my Twitter feed. Facebook fared no better. Name-calling, belief-bashing, and general unkindness seemed to be the order of the day. I scratched my head and slugged back another cup of joe. Oh, goodness, gracious me. All the hot, strong, black java in the world couldn’t make me un-see the rant-filled commentary that clogged my …
Live the ADVENTURE
As we mature (age), the tendency to step outside our comfort zone is greater than it might be versus those angst-filled days of our youth. The first decades of life, we’re more concerned with “fitting in” and we care what our peers and coworkers think. We might dance around the edges of safe and flirt with different, but we’re less inclined to go against the …
Don’t Let Fear Stop You ~ Dream Big
If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you know I’m a glass half-full thinker. I dream big. I weigh the realities and set goals within reason. I pray. I plan. I strategize. And then there’s this— I dream bigger. Over the years, I’ve often thought about dreams. In fact, I’ve blogged about them, too. Certainly, as a writer, my …
When You Must Go Through the Forest to See Daylight
As a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. It’s still not one of my favorite things, but over the years, I’ve learned to adjust. (Aren’t nightlights wonderful?) I was thinking about “the dark” again recently and how fear, tension, and negativity affect our mindset and self-esteem. People who live in the dark sometimes do so willingly. Maybe it’s a subconscious …
The GIFT You Give Others
I’m a smiler. Always have been. I’m a see the glass half-full kind of gal. Even when our family navigated through a really tough season, I tried to find a bright spot. Some silver lining that made the endless struggles tolerable. I won’t sugar-coat it. Those five or so years were a trek in the desert. A time of intense …