I’m thrilled to announce the release of 40 Life Changing Events. My essay, “Honoring My Inner Sloth,” was selected as one of the stories for this anthology.
Blurb
In our constantly evolving world…
…where the unforeseen lies in wait.
Surprises abound.
In this latest anthology, 25 writers share events that have changed their lives. Some stories are tragic, others full of joy, but they all encapsulate the tenacity, resilience, and self-belief of the human spirit.
During these challenging times, with the world in turmoil, it is stimulating to learn from other people’s experiences.
What will you take away from these exceptional recollections that span the generations?
This fascinating compilation will encourage you to pause and reflect, with tales that offer much needed motivation and inspiration.
Get it now.
Excerpt (Honoring My Inner Sloth)
For too many years, I subscribed to the busy bee myth: Complete all given tasks and start on tomorrow’s To-Do List. That was my modus operandi for the first fifty years of my life. Or, more precisely, the first forty-nine years, seven months, and seven days.
All that changed with a diagnosis that came out of nowhere: Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Stage IIIB. To be truthful, my body had tried to communicate with me many years before the diagnosis. Persistent colds and bouts of bronchitis. Slow-healing bruises. Bone-crushing fatigue. Determined to soldier on without taking advantage of sick days or lazy weekends, I chose to ignore those whispers. But I knew all about them from the Oprah shows.
To this day, I get goosebumps when I recall those words of wisdom from television’s favorite teacher: “If you don’t pay attention to the whispers, it gets louder and louder. It’s like getting thumped inside the head like my grandmother used to do…You don’t pay attention to that, it’s like getting a brick upside your head. You don’t pay attention to that; the whole brick wall falls down.”
While I was in the thick of it with family and workplace stress, I didn’t realize—or chose not to realize—that those whispers were about to break a sound barrier.
I’m happy to welcome multi-published author Liza Malloy. Today, Liza shares her new release, Mafiosa Princess.
Blurb
Two men love her. But only one truly knows her.
College Junior Giada Conti wants nothing more than to pursue a normal life fueled by her own choices. Unfortunately, she doesn’t realize her father’s business isn’t completely lawful, or how that fact will completely dictate her future.
Pre-law student Adrian Patras is certain Giada is the perfect woman for him, until he meets her family and grasps the extent of his girlfriend’s naivete.
As Adrian finds himself unwillingly pulled into the family business, Giada grows frustrated with his insinuations about her father. Meanwhile, Giada’s ex, the notorious Luca Marino, pops back into her life with his own criminal agenda that includes winning her back.
Mafiosa Princess is the captivating first book in the steamy mafia romance series that you won’t want to put down.
Excerpt
I shielded my eyes from the sun peeking in above my calypso blue sunglasses and gazed over at Luca. He was pacing back and forth ten or so yards away, clutching his phone tightly by his ear.
I tried to view him the way the other girls must. It wasn’t hard to see the appeal. He was indisputably good-looking, the quintessential Italian man. Lean muscle comprised his tall frame, long black eyelashes framed his rich chocolate eyes, and his dark brownish-black hair was soft and just long enough to run my fingers through. He carried himself with confidence, and everything about him oozed wealth and power.
I thought about what Luca said, how he’d admitted that losing me was a mistake. Had he actually meant that, or was he just trying to cheer me up? I wasn’t oblivious to the way he flirted with me, or the way he unapologetically checked me out whenever he wanted. But that didn’t necessarily signal anything except for a deep-seated sense of entitlement on his part.
Years ago, I was more susceptible to Luca’s charms. Even at sixteen, he radiated control and dominance. The attention he bestowed on me in high school instantly ratcheted up my popularity and made me more sought after by all of the guys, but thanks to Luca’s smooth lines and ceaseless flattering, I had eyes only for him.
During the time we’d been a couple, my self-esteem had been at an all-time high. If the coveted Luca Marino loved me, I had to be beautiful, smart, and funny. He wouldn’t have wasted his attentions on someone unworthy. Besides, he could’ve had any girl at our school. Yet, he chose me.
Now, years later, my heart still fluttered at the possibility that Luca still wanted me. It was flattering, and it was precisely the ego-boost I needed after watching Adrian leave me for Chicago. But could it be more than that?
Author Bio and Links
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance, women’s fiction, new adult romance, and fantasy. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming. Her books are available in both paperback and ebook, and can be found on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more!
On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.
Here’s a thought-provoking excerpt from today’s devotional in Trusting God Day by Day (Joyce Meyer):
Having potential doesn’t necessarily mean that it is absolutely going to happen. It just means that it can happen if we add the other right “ingredients” along with it. For instance, if I have a cake mix on the shelf in my kitchen, then I have the potential of having a cake. But just because that cake mix is on my shelf doesn’t guarantee that I am going to have cake. There are some things I must do to get it from a mix on the shelf to a cake on the table.
It’s the same with us. Many people today are wasting their potential because they are not developing what God has placed in them. Instead of developing what they have, they worry about what they don’t have, and their potential is wasted. They could have done something great, but they let the opportunity pass them by. You can make a difference in the world if you will develop what you have. But it takes time, determination, and hard work to develop potential into action or a result.
We are never fulfilled until we become all we can be. Each of us has a destiny, and unless we are pressing toward fulfilling it, we will be frustrated in life. Moving up to the next level requires a decision to press on, to let go of what lies behind, and refuse to be mediocre. I believe God wants to do more with your life than you ever imagined. I also believe God is looking for people to promote. You can be one of them. There is potential for greatness in you!
Kristen Stewart delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Diana, Princess of Wales, in a film that has been described as “a reimagining of a Royal Family Christmas at Sandringham, circa 1991.” (Toronto Star)
Or, more concisely, in the film’s opening caption: “A fable from a true tragedy.”
Neither description adequately prepared me for what followed.
From the start, it is clear Diana dreads this tense three-day holiday with her husband’s family. Driving by herself in an open convertible, she gets lost in the Norfolk countryside, not too far from where she grew up. At one point, she wanders into a café and asks the woman behind the counter, “Where am I?”
Once at the estate, her mood plummets even further.
Hearing the familiar words, “No one is above tradition,” from the stern-faced military officer (Timothy Spall) at the entrance sets the tone. She is expected to comply with all the rituals, including one dating back to 1847. On arrival, guests must participate in the “all in good fun” weigh-in. Upon departure, another weigh-in will hopefully confirm they have properly indulged during the holiday by gaining three pounds. An ordeal for most people and a nightmare for anyone struggling with weight issues.
While her sons, William and Harry, are happy to see her, almost everyone else belittles or ignores her. Diana’s one scene with Charles painfully demonstrates how far they have strayed since their fairy tale wedding ten years earlier. His comment, “You have to be able to make your body do the things you hate, for the good of the country,” does little to reassure Diana.
In her assigned bedroom, Diana finds a book on Anne Boleyn, another abandoned royal wife. Boleyn’s ghost (Amy Manson) shows up in several scenes, offering sympathy and warnings, at critical junctures during those seemingly endless three days.
Hints of Camilla Parker Bowles are everywhere.
Knowing that Camilla has received the same gift, Diana is sickened by the set of pearls she receives from Charles. A bizarre dinner scene involving a bowl of pea soup demonstrates the level of physical suffering Diana is enduring. While being photographed outside the church on Christmas Day, Diana catches glimpses of Camilla among the crowd.
Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran adds bursts of much-needed color to the film’s grayish-brown backdrop. Durran includes many of Diana’s famous outfits and other looks associated with that period. My favorite, a yellow suit with a pirate hat, takes on special significance in a later scene.
The film ends on a bittersweet note, reminding me of Diana Spencer’s too-short life outside the gilded cage.
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated worldwide on the anniversary of his death, December 6th. Raised as a devout Christian, the third-century saint dedicated his life to serving the sick and suffering.
Later, he became part of the inspiration for the modern-day Santa Claus.
Here are ten interesting facts about St. Nicholas:
1. Born in the village of Patar on the southeastern coast of modern-day Turkey, Nicholas was inspired by the philanthropy of his parents. During their short lifetimes, they were devoted to serving the sick. Nicholas decided to continue their legacy. He began delivering gifts anonymously to needy people.
2. According to legend, three falsely accused men were about to be beheaded when Bishop Nicholas took the sword from the executioner’s hand. He then ordered the men to be freed. Afterward, the city’s ruler came forward and confessed to the crime.
3. Another well-known story…He saved three impoverished sisters from being sold into prostitution by paying their marriage dowries with three bags of gold.
4. During the Middle Ages, a group of French nuns started the tradition of bringing anonymous gifts to needy families on December 5th (St. Nicholas Eve). When the families awoke the following day and inquired about their benefactor, they received the following answer: “It must have been St. Nicholas.”
5. In Germany and Austria, children left out a boot for St. Nicholas and received small toys, coins, or candy.
6. After the Reformation, St. Nicholas was largely forgotten in Protestant Europe. Still, his memory was kept alive in Holland as Sinterklaas. On his feast day, St. Nicholas arrives on horseback, dressed in a bishop’s red robe, accompanied by a companion. The two men distributed sweets and gifts to good children and lumps of coal to bad ones.
7. The Dutch brought the tradition of “Sinterklaas” to North America when they founded New Amsterdam on the tip of Manhattan in 1621. English-speaking settlers corrupted the name, which evolved into Santa Claus.
8. After he was buried in a tomb near Myra, water believed to have healing powers formed in his grave. It is called the Manna of St. Nicholas.
9. He is the patron saint of many causes, among them sailors, travelers, clergy, school children, and thieves.
10. St. Nicholas Day traditions can be easily incorporated into the contemporary holiday season. Why not slip a small gift or surprise into a friend’s shoe or boot. Some suggestions: wrapped chocolate, a tree ornament, a stress ball, or a new pair of socks.
I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Margot Johnson. Today, Margot shares her creative journey and new release, Let It Snowball.
Here’s Margot!
A little about my writing journey…
I write feel-good stories about women who chase their dreams and bump into romance along the way. They live in small communities near my home in the Canadian prairies, and they count on an eclectic mix of family and friends to make their lives interesting and fun.
My mom recently found my first book—written with illustrations in grade two—so I really have wanted to be an author all my life!
Years ago, I focused on magazine writing and had a couple of articles published in Chatelaine, a national women’s magazine in Canada. Then when my children were young, I got very interested in picture books and came close to having one or two published.
For a long time, I set aside my writing and focused on family activities and my career. Some people found it strange, but at work, I liked writing so much I didn’t even mind writing routine reports and briefing notes.
Dipping my toe back into creative writing, I collaborated with my sister Donna Gartshore on a novel. We alternated chapters and wrote without a detailed outline, so we had fun surprising each other. That novel didn’t go anywhere, but my dream of having a book published kept simmering.
Donna now writes for Harlequin Love Inspired, and she inspired me to get serious about writing a novel. While I still worked full-time, I set the alarm for 5:30 and wrote for 1-1.5 hours before work. I then wrote in the evening until I reached my daily target of 1,000 words.
All that effort paid off when The Wild Rose Press offered me a contract for my first sweet romance Love Takes Flight. My new release for Christmas is my third book, and a followup novella is in editing for release in early 2022.
About Let it Snowball
Tagline: Christmas tours brim with lights, cookies, and…unexpected romance?
My new release is available as an eBook on Amazon and major online bookstores. I hope you agree it’s a fun way to celebrate the Christmas season!
In my story, the heroine, Merilee, shares her famous cookie recipe for chocolate snowballs – see below. Maybe you’ll want to add it to your Christmas baking list.
Blurb
Divorced, empty nester Merilee is on a roll. Filled with scrumptious cookies and old-fashioned fun, her Christmas bus tours aim to add festive spirit to her hometown and new meaning to her lackluster life. Too bad her reserved driver slams the brakes on fun.
Widowed farmer Ross needs a little joy to combat his December blues. Behind the wheel, he wears a Santa suit but can’t muster a convincing ho-ho-ho. Too many memories block his road to happiness…until irrepressible Merilee sparks a snowstorm of unexpected feelings.
In two weeks of holiday tours, Ross might drive Merilee crazy…or will romance snowball inside their lonely hearts?
Excerpt
After a short drive, the busload arrived at their first stop. “You’re in for a treat.” Merilee leapt up, leaned over, and gave directions on where to park. Absorbing Ross’s delicious scent, clean like snow infused with a trace of peppermint, she jerked back and steadied her breath. Sudden, shocking warmth flooded her insides. Now where was she? She paused to gather her wayward thoughts.
“These rules apply for each stop so we can all enjoy the goodies inside and still keep the tour on schedule. You are free to choose from several platters of cookies. If you would like to sample other kinds or take some home, you can purchase as many as you’d like. We’ll stay for thirty minutes, and then I’ll jingle.” She demonstrated with a string of bells. “Last one back on the bus has to tell a joke or lead a song. If you agree, shout snowball.”
“Snowball.” In a chorus of voices, the group hollered back the right answer.
She lowered the mic. “What about you, Santa?”
He shifted the gear into Park. “Nobody’s going anywhere without me.” He straightened his hat and quirked a fluffy eyebrow.
She smiled, folded her arms, and tapped a foot. Her boots were pretty eye-catching covered in green and red toppers with bells on the toes. Maybe she could cajole him into some good-natured joking. “Santa, you know what happens to kids who don’t behave. You don’t want to end up on the Naughty List, do you?”
A Review from New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Balogh:
“I loved LET IT SNOWBALL. From the first page I wanted to book a place on Merilee’s nightly Season’s Eatings Christmas tour bus with its three stops at cookie shops to sample and buy. On the last page I wanted to book ahead for the Valentine’s tour! Margot Johnson has a way of making a festive atmosphere seem very real. Combine that with a warm and gentle love story that feels truly authentic, and you have a winner of a story.”
My writing tip: Don’t wait for the perfect idea or ideal moment. Just sit at your keyboard and write!
Inspiration for this story: I live in a place where winter storms and frigid weather are common. I also love Christmas.
Last year during lockdown, my husband and I couldn’t visit friends and family in person, so we delivered Christmas light necklaces to their doors and then connected online. We also bundled up for a walk on a minus forty degree day. I can imagine my characters Merilee and Ross sharing similar adventures.
One wish: I love hearing feedback from readers. I wish everyone who reads Let it Snowball would post a review.
Merilee’s Famous Chocolate Snowballs
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup 2% or whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Icing sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix well.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
5. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake until tops crackle (7-8 minutes).
7. Remove to wire racks and cool. Roll in icing sugar.
Enjoy!
Bio and Links
Margot Johnson grew up in a family of writers and has always loved books and writing. She is the author of two, sweet romance novels—Love Takes Flightand Love Leads the Way and the Christmas novella Let it Snowball. Her characters can’t possibly find their happy endings…or can they?
Before turning her focus to the fun writing life, Margot held leadership roles in human resources and communications. Her motto is “Dream big and work hard.” When not writing, she loves to connect with family and friends, volunteer with SK Writers Guild, and walk at least 10,000 steps a day (except when it’s minus 40!)
She lives in the Canadian prairies with her amazing husband and beloved golden retriever.
On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.
A longtime fan of bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff, I look forward to reading their blog. Here’s an excerpt from a recent post:
Life isn’t about a single moment of great triumph and attainment. It’s about the trials and errors that get you there—the blood, sweat, and tears—the small, inconsequential things you do every day. It all matters in the end—every step, every regret, every decision, and every affliction.
The seemingly useless happenings add up to something. The minimum wage job you had in high school. The evenings you spent socializing with coworkers you never see anymore. The hours you spent writing thoughts on a personal blog that no one reads. Contemplations about elaborate future plans that never came to be. All those lonely nights spent reading novels and news columns and comics strips and fashion magazines and questioning your own principles on life and sex and religion and whether or not you’re good enough just the way you are.
All of this has strengthened you. All of this has led you to every success you’ve ever had. All of this has made you who you are today.
Truth be told, you’ve been broken down 1,000 times and put yourself back together again. Think about how remarkable that is, and how far you’ve come. You’re not the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or even yesterday.
You’re always growing…stronger!
Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.
Matt Damon delivers a stellar performance as oil-rig roughneck Bill Baker in this riveting drama loosely based on the infamous Amanda Knox case. To recap, an American student abroad in Italy was convicted for the murder of her roommate.
In Stillwater, the setting is Marseille, France, and the accused is college-aged Allison (Abigail Breslin), Bill’s daughter. Allison has already served five years of her nine-year prison sentence for her roommate’s murder but now has new evidence that could lead to the reopening of the case. According to Allison’s former professor, a young Arab man (Akim) has boasted about getting away with murder.
Convinced of his daughter’s innocence, Bill takes matters into his own hands after the defense lawyer dismisses the new evidence as hearsay. An uphill battle from the start, Bill faces language barriers, cultural differences, and the intricacies of the French legal system. Often frustrated but undeterred, Bill seeks out detectives, talks to witnesses and chases down suspects, all in the hope of finding the elusive Akim (Idir Azougli).
Thankfully, he is not alone during this quest.
Local theatre actor Virginie (Camille Cottin) and her adorable nine-year-old daughter Maya (Lilou Siauvaud) provide much-needed language assistance and emotional support to the God-fearing, gun-loving American who is clearly out of his comfort zone.
As the relationship deepens between Bill and Virginie, there are hints of a happily-for-now ending. Bill secures employment as a construction worker, spends quality time with Maya, and slowly reveals his vulnerabilies. Beneath the baseball cap, plaid shirts, and bushy goatee lies a tortured soul yearning for acceptance and redemption. Had the film focused on this dynamic or ended fifty minutes earlier, it could have been labeled a mid-life romantic drama.
Director Tom McCarthy had a different ending in mind.
The third act veers into dark, unexpected terrain. A chance encounter releases past demons, enabling Bill’s self-destructive streak to rear its ugly head. Poor decision-making and reckless actions follow, endangering the lives of Virginie and Maya. A startling revelation touches Bill at his very core, forcing him to re-examine what he holds most dear.
A must-see film that will linger in consciousness!
I’m happy to welcome back Wild Rose Press author Kimberly Baer. Today, Kimberly shares ten embarrassing moments and her new release, Snowdrop Dream, Cherry Thumbprint Screams.
I’ve lived long enough that I’ve had plenty of opportunities to embarrass myself. Here are ten such instances—though I can assure you, there are lots more where these came from. (Maybe if I get these off my chest, they’ll cease to turn my face red when I think back on them.)
1. All those times I responded to somebody who was waving at/smiling at/talking to me, only to realize they were actually waving at/smiling at/talking to somebody else.
2. During a beach trip with friends, I was frolicking in the ocean when a particularly forceful wave hit me. When I emerged, my friends started shrieking with laughter. That wave had undone my bikini top, and it was wrapped around my neck! Several nearby strangers got an unexpected show.
3. I used to work at an insurance claims office. Ken, one of our agents, would often speak in goofy voices when he called. One day I answered the phone, and a strange, slurred voice said, “Zis ze surance company?” Figuring Ken was up to his usual shenanigans, I said, “You are so weird!” There was a stunned silence, during which I realized the caller wasn’t Ken after all. It was a customer! I was so mortified, I put the guy on hold and made one of my coworkers take the call.
4. During a luncheon at my workplace, I was trying to cut my chicken breast with the flimsy plastic utensils we’d been given. The knife slipped and the chicken went flying—straight onto the plate of the lady sitting next to me. Silence prevailed for a long moment as everyone at our table stared at the errant chicken breast. Sheepishly, I stabbed it with my plastic fork and took it back, mumbling apologies.
5. When a friend and I were eighteen, we left our respective churches and started going to a new church together. Week after week, for unknown reasons, we would start giggling—silently, but with enough force to shake the whole pew—during the quietest part of the service. Despite the dirty looks we got, we just couldn’t stop.
6. When I was about fifteen, I thought the word vagina was pronounced “va-jeena.” (I mean, it has the name “Gina” in it, right?) I even got my friends saying it that way. I was pretty embarrassed when somebody finally set me straight.
7. I fell onstage while performing in a high school play. I was supposed to walk offstage, trailed by another character. But because of a mix-up, we weren’t standing in our assigned spots, and in an unprecedented ad lib, she grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me forward. My feet got tangled in my long gown, and down I went. Can you imagine being sixteen and taking a graceless tumble in front of an audience of hundreds? I would rather have fallen through the stage than on it.
8. Then there was the time I… Wait, no; that one is just too embarrassing to write about! Sorry!
9. As I was leaving a big-box store with two gallons of custom-mixed paint, one of the containers slipped out of my hand. When it hit the floor, the lid flew off, and a whole gallon of pink paint spilled across the floor, splattering the legs of nearby shoppers. If you were in the store that day and heard, “Cleanup at the main entrance!”—that was me.
10. At age fourteen, I had a major crush on seventeen-year-old Mike. One night my best friend and I went to his house and told his mom a crazy, made-up story: a strange man had tried to lure us into his car. She called Mike to come drive us home—which (bwa-ha-ha!) had been my plan all along. Years later, I ran into Mike, and we started dating. I confessed that I’d had a crush on him in high school and had made up the attempted-kidnapping story because I wanted to see him. Turned out he already knew and always had. I was mortified—not for my current self, who, after all, had gotten the guy of her dreams in the end, but for fourteen-year-old me, who, OMG, would have died, just died, if she’d known Mike knew she was into him. (Side note: The teenage crush depicted via flashbacks in Snowdrop Dreams, Cherry Thumbprint Screams is based heavily on my real-life crush on Mike. I’ve even included the fake kidnapping incident.)
Blurb
When Annie Barkley discovers a boy living in the attic of her cookie shop, she’s stunned—and oddly elated. She can almost believe the universe is giving her back the infant son she lost eleven years ago.
Annie senses that something bad happened to the boy, but he won’t talk. All she knows is that he’s terrified of being found. When her long-ago crush, police captain Sam Stern, stops by to inquire about a missing boy, Annie says she hasn’t seen him.
Big mistake. Because that lie might cost her more than a romance with Sam. It also leaves her vulnerable to a ruthless pursuer, one who’s determined to silence the boy for good.
Excerpt
The days passed in a blur of bliss and apprehension. Annie rushed home from work each day, half afraid the boy wouldn’t be there. But he always was. One afternoon he surprised her by making a lettuce and tomato salad to go with dinner. Another day he ran the vacuum. In the evenings the two of them watched sitcoms or played video games.
Before she knew it, a whole week had gone by. Then another. She still hadn’t contacted the authorities. She’d expected the boy to be talking by now, but he was clinging to silence, resolute as a monk.
Cookie Heaven was closed on Thanksgiving. Annie declined several dinner invitations, including Jessica’s. She made an elaborate turkey dinner, knowing there’d be far too many leftovers. In the end, there wasn’t as much as she’d expected, because Jonah ate like a pig.
She was cheered to see him eating so heartily. Relieved that he was starting to fill out. Proud that she was giving him the things he needed—nourishment, love, a warm bed in a safe, comfortable home.
At the same time, she was aware of all the things she wasn’t providing. Like education. Jonah should have been in school. He needed friends to hang out with. He should have been playing sports, getting exercise. He was living a stunted life—but there was no way around that right now.
She took the day after Thanksgiving off. After lunch, while the aging dishwasher rumbled and gushed and clattered, she and Jonah adjourned to the living room to play a video game. When Jonah made a mistake that cost him a life, he let out a wail of anguish.
“Ah,” said Annie. “So you do have vocal cords.”
Jonah shot her a look that said he got sarcasm and didn’t appreciate it.
A sound from outside startled them—the crunch of tires on gravel. “Who on Earth could that be?” said Annie.
Jonah’s game controller clattered to the coffee table. He slunk across the living room, as if sneaking up on somebody. As he approached the picture window, he halted. And then a rich, young voice rippled across the living room.
“It’s the police, Annie! The police are here. Help me, please!”
Outside, a car door slammed. Jonah whirled toward her, his face as stricken as it had been the night she’d caught him in the cookie shop. “Don’t tell them about me—please! Cause if you do, they’ll put me in jail!”
My essay, “Honoring My Inner Sloth,” appears in this anthology.
Blurb
In our constantly evolving world…
…where the unforeseen lies in wait.
Surprises abound.
In this latest anthology, 25 writers share events that have changed their lives. Some stories are tragic, others full of joy, but they all encapsulate the tenacity, resilience, and self-belief of the human spirit.
During these challenging times, with the world in turmoil, it is stimulating to learn from other people’s experiences.
What will you take away from these exceptional recollections that span the generations?
This fascinating compilation will encourage you to pause and reflect, with tales that offer much needed motivation and inspiration.
Get it now.
Excerpt (Honoring My Inner Sloth)
For too many years, I subscribed to the busy bee myth: Complete all given tasks and start on tomorrow’s To-Do List. That was my modus operandi for the first fifty years of my life. Or, more precisely, the first forty-nine years, seven months, and seven days.
All that changed with a diagnosis that came out of nowhere: Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Stage IIIB. To be truthful, my body had tried to communicate with me many years before the diagnosis. Persistent colds and bouts of bronchitis. Slow-healing bruises. Bone-crushing fatigue. Determined to soldier on without taking advantage of sick days or lazy weekends, I chose to ignore those whispers. But I knew all about them from the Oprah shows.
To this day, I get goosebumps when I recall those words of wisdom from television’s favorite teacher: “If you don’t pay attention to the whispers, it gets louder and louder. It’s like getting thumped inside the head like my grandmother used to do…You don’t pay attention to that, it’s like getting a brick upside your head. You don’t pay attention to that; the whole brick wall falls down.”
While I was in the thick of it with family and workplace stress, I didn’t realize—or chose not to realize—that those whispers were about to break a sound barrier.
Liza Malloy writes contemporary romance, women’s fiction, new adult romance, and fantasy. She’s a sucker for alpha males, bad boys, dimples, and muscles, and she can’t resist a man in uniform. Liza loves creating worlds where her heroine discovers her own strength and finds her Happily Ever After. When Liza isn’t reading or writing torrid love stories, she’s a practicing attorney. Her other passions include gummy bears, jelly beans, and the occasional marathon. She lives in the Midwest with her four daughters and her own Prince Charming. Her books are available in both paperback and ebook, and can be found on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, and more!
I’ve lived long enough that I’ve had plenty of opportunities to embarrass myself. Here are ten such instances—though I can assure you, there are lots more where these came from. (Maybe if I get these off my chest, they’ll cease to turn my face red when I think back on them.)
Joanne Guidoccio 