The Tao of NGU NGI

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have The Wild Rose Press author Peggy Jaeger sharing the rich and varied experiences of her first act and her emerging second act.

Here’s Peggy!

When I discovered Joanne’s SECOND ACTS blog, I felt like I’d walked into a virtual room decorated just for me. Reading through the entries of the wonderful and artistic women she’d spotlighted made me a little nervous about what I could add to this glorious mix of wisdom, guts, tenacity and talent. For days I thought about what I should write. What could I possibly impart to the readers and writers to inspire them during the next phase of their lives – be it a writing life or one in general.

It came to me – like many ideas do – in a dream.

A little backstory about my Act 1, first.

I was an only child of divorced parents who didn’t like being on the same planet together, much less in the same room. They split when I was an infant. Like many children of divorce, I shrouded myself from hurt with a very busy fantasy life. When the harsh reality of my divorced world became too much to deal with, I would slip into my room and write. And write and write and write.

Pure escapism and very cheap therapy.

My adolescence wasn’t much better. I was obese, shy, the class “brain,” and teacher’s pet. My one way of avoiding a trip to the dark side of teenage angst? Writing.

In college I found my voice, my love of caring for people, and my true self. I worked for several years as a Nurse and was lucky enough to incorporate my profession into my writing life. I had many nursing articles published in professional trade magazines. I completed my Master’s Degree in Nursing, got married, had a kid and continued to write everyday I could.

I like to joke that during my 30’s and 40’s I was a wife, mother, nurse, cook, chauffeur, nanny, contact lens technician and business owner. And most of all, writer.

While banging out the magazine articles on motherhood, empty nest syndrome and ophthalmic care, I was also secretly writing fiction. I say secretly because I never – ever – showed those works to anyone, including my husband. Fiction writing – particularly romantic fiction – was my secret candy stash: my one guilty pleasure. Since I’d read my fist Nora Roberts book I’d had a secret ambition to be a romance novelist. I was twenty at the time when I penned my first romance story. Suffice it to say it was awful and leave it there.

But I never gave up on my dream to write romance and have it published.

So enough backstory. Here’s the present day 411.

When I was deciding what to write for this posting I had a dream about a phrase I developed during a particularly rough patch of my life. I used to repeat the phrase numerous times during the day just to keep me sane and focused. That phrase I laughingly call THE TAO OF NGU NGI (pronounced na-goo na-guy). It stands for Never Give Up, Never Give In. When all looked bleak and times were shaky, the Tao pushed me through to the other side and helped me come out stronger, more able, and a victor.

As I enter this next phase of my life there are many changes coming. Fast! I retire in April from a job I have held for over 15 years. I will be having 2 books published in 2015 by the Wild Rose Press and have 3 more in line for the continuation of the series, and three more in development. I will be eligible to get an AARP card ( if I want one). All because I vowed to never give up on my dream of being a published author, and to never give in to all the voices and advice of people who told me at various times that I was : too old, not a good enough writer, too verbose, writing popular pap and not real literature, and ( my favorite) no one wanted to read a romance by a woman over the age of 50.

God puts dreams in our hearts for a reason. It is our duty and responsibility to see that those dreams come to fruition. One of my favorite quotes is “every set back is a set-up for something new and exciting.” Don’t give up on your dreams. Ever. Practice the Tao of NGU NGI and doors and opportunities will open for you. My best advice to anyone pursing a dream is just this: never give up on it. It may take 5 minutes, 5 years, or a generation to fulfill, but I truly feel you are never too old, and no dream is ever too big, to pursue.

I know this firsthand.

Blurb

I know this firsthand.Figure skater Tiffany Lennox is busy with rehearsals for an upcoming ice show when the only man she’s ever loved comes home after a two-year overseas stint. She needs him to see her for the woman she’s become and not the child he knew to ensure he stays home, this time, for good. With her.

I know this firsthand.For all his wanderlust and hunger for professional success, Cole Greer comes home wanting nothing more than to rest, relax and recover. He is delighted in being Tiffany’s hero and has a special place in his heart reserved for her. But faced with the oh-so-desirable woman she’s become, he starts questioning his determination to keep their relationship platonic.

I know this firsthand.When forced by the television network to go back on assignment, Cole – for the first time in his life – is torn between his career and his heart.

Buy Links

Amazon | Nook | The Wild Rose Press

Bio

Peggy Jaeger’s love of writing began in the third grade when she won her first writing contest with a short story titled THE CLOWN. After that, there was no stopping her. Throughout college and after she became a Registered Nurse, she had several Nursing Journal articles published, in addition to many mystery short stories in Literary Magazines. When her daughter was born, Peggy had an article titled THE VOICES OF ANGELS published and reprinted in several parenting magazines, detailing the birth and the accident that almost turned this wonderful event into a tragedy. She had two children’s books published in 1995 titled THE KINDNESS TALES and EMILY AND THE EASTER EGGS, which was illustrated by her artist Mother-in-Law. While her daughter grew, Peggy would write age appropriate stories for her to read along with, and finally, to read on her own. Her YA stories are usually mysteries involving smart and funny 12-13 year old girls and an unusual collection of friends and relatives. They all take place in the 1980’s.

In 2005 she was thrilled to have an article on motherhood placed in the CHICKEN SOUP FOR VERY MOTHER’S SOUL edition. She has won several awards in various Writer’s Digest short story and personal article categories over the years. Recently, she has placed first in the Dixie Kane 2013 Memorial Contest in the Short/Long Contemporary romance Category, and in the Single Title Contemporary Category, and third place in the ICO Romance Contest for 2013.

A life-long and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

Peggy has embraced the techno age and writes for three blogs, all detailing events in her life. One titled, 50 pounds for 50 years is a personal blog about weight loss, one about her life as an EMPTY NESTER and her most recent one MOMENTS FROM MENOPAUSE, a humorous and informative guide through this time in a woman’s life.

Her first romance novel, SKATER’S WALTZ will be released on March 4, 2015 from the Wild Rose Press.

Where to find Peggy…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Joanne here!

Peggy, thanks for sharing your inspiring journey. You are an excellent role model for reinvention (at any age). BTW…I have decided to embrace NGU NGI as my mantra.

If Not Now, When?

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have social media/digital marketing consultant Lucille Fisher sharing her journey and extraordinary calling.

Here’s Lucille!

A friend and meditation teacher often asked, “If not now, when?” Three years ago, this became my mantra.

By choice, I deferred my marketing career to bring up my two children. I took jobs that allowed me to be available to them but did not provide for my longed for creative stimulation or challenge. I tried to exercise my marketing and sales abilities by incorporating them into these jobs and through volunteer work but ultimately, especially when my children went off to college, I was left empty. Dreams of a fulfilling career nagged at me.

About six years ago, I became fascinated with social media marketing and anxious to learn everything I could about it. As I learned about the strategies, best practices, and power of social media, I would share this knowledge with my friends, many of whom owned their own businesses. Often they would say, “You have to teach me that.” It dawned on me that there was a real need for a savvy social media consultant who understood how baby boomers learn. This was a need I could fill. I had the formal education, the know-how, and the desire but I had to confront my fear of failure and the voice in my head that said, “You are crazy to be taking on building a consulting business post fifty.”

Inspirational quotes that I clung to during those moments were:

When you follow your bliss…doors will open where you would not have thought there were doors…and the world will step in and help.” Joseph Campbell

You must do the things you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

Leap and the net will appear. Zen Saying

The final event that propelled me to leave my job and consult full time was when one of my friends quit her lucrative position at 50 years old to write a book and follow her passion. I said to myself: “So I am over 50, I can do it too.” And I did.

Today, I am a social media/digital marketing consultant and am always learning new things. My mission is to take that knowledge and empower my fellow baby boomer business owners to understand and utilize social media marketing in their businesses. Thus the logo for my business, Sage and Savvy Marketing, is a bridge and my tagline, “Your Bridge to the Social Media and Digital World.”

Consulting comprises so many different elements: problem solving, creative thinking, and facilitating change. Every day offers new and exciting opportunities to propel my clients and their businesses forward. I feel honored to witness my clients “Aha” moments.

My advice to anyone planning to pursue a second act is to not allow fear to win out. YOU CAN DO IT! The universe is waiting for you to “show up” and it’s never too late to pursue a dream. Ask yourself “If not now, when?”

Where to find Lucille…

LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+

Joanne here!

Lucille, thanks for an inspiring and motivating post. BTW…I’ll be using your mantra!

You Never Know Where Your Words Will Take You!

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have physician and author Linda O’Connor sharing the back story behind this unique skill set and introducing her debut novel Perfectly Honest.

Here’s Linda!

Joanne, thank you very much for having me today! The curtain hasn’t completely gone down on my first act – it’s still a big part of who I am – but I’m definitely well into my second act.

I’m a physician and I’ve worked in a variety of clinical settings – my own practice, with university student health clinics, teaching clinical skills to medical students, and at a walk-in clinic/urgent care center. I still work part-time, but I’d say the real first act was raising my three sons.

I can’t imagine starting to write at a younger age. Parenting took quite a bit of time and energy. I attended parenting workshops, group music lessons, mom and tot gymnastics and skating, library programs, and play groups. I did a lot of reading around various topics – raising boys, discipline, healthy eating – there was a lot to learn. It was a huge investment of time, but I think it’s paid off, as I’m extremely proud of the young men I’ve raised (well it wasn’t all me, my husband deserves some credit too).

Now that my sons have grown, I have time to invest in writing. Now I take online Romance Writers of America workshops, hang out electronically with other writers, enjoy monthly book club meetings, and read a lot in various genres – there’s still a lot to learn. But I’m loving it!

Interestingly, I never thought I’d be a writer. A professor told me that I had no command of the English language (hence the need for all the workshops so maybe he was right ) But as a physician, I thought there was a need to disseminate basic medical information – like recognizing mental health symptoms, birth control myths, and basic preventative health care – in new and innovative ways. It seemed to me that patients were visiting their doctors less often for preventative health care and more often with diseases requiring significant lifestyle changes. It would be a lot easier on them if they understood the consequences before poor lifestyle habits became ingrained. I had the idea to share the information in a romance novel, weaving it in the story and incorporating it into the activities I do on social media and through the book promotion.

Pursuing a second act has been tremendously rewarding. I wouldn’t have embraced social media as I have (I have a YouTube channel and uploaded a video MYSELF ). I’ve caught up with high school friends – that’s been fun. I have something new and exciting to talk about every day. I love learning, and am surprised at how much I enjoy writing. I’m extremely lucky that I can write simply because I love it. I think that should be part of the second act – Life’s short – so do what you love.

If someone is thinking of pursuing a second act, I would say go for it! It’s easier than ever before with online information, free workshops in the community, and Google. Plus you know, exercising your brain keeps you young! (I’m back to 39 now.)

Blurb

You never know where your words will take you…

When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor.

Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle down. But when his ‘fiancée’ helps deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly the change he wanted.

Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven!

Bio

I’ve been writing romance novels for three years and sincerely thank Debby Gilbert at Soul Mate Publishing for the ultimate encouragement to my writing – with the leap to publishing. I have many titles including Doctor, Mom, and proud Canadian, but “Linda O’Connor – hereinafter called the Author” on the SMP contract was one of the sweetest.

Contemporary romantic comedies are my favorite novels to read and write. I balance writing with my work as a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic and being a mom to three sons (luckily grown and capable of throwing together a decent meal, in a pinch). I also like to keep active and cycle, cross-country ski, skate, walk with my husband, or dance every day.

Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Where to find Linda…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Canada | Amazon U.S.

Joanne here!

Wow! I’m in awe of your work ethic and ability to balance your professional, creative and personal lives. I enjoyed reading Perfectly Honest and look forward to the next book in the series.

An Extraordinary Ordinary Life

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have author Susan Van Kirk sharing her rich and varied life experiences and introducing her debut novel, Three May Keep a Secret.

Here’s Susan!

I have lived an extraordinary, ordinary life. It has been ordinary in the sense that I grew up and never permanently moved more than twenty miles from my home town. I married, divorced, and raised three children; I taught 4,000 high school and college students over forty-four years; and now I am starting a Second Act as a writer. That would be the ordinary part. Extraordinary applies when I look back and see the blessings and people who have come into my life and made it richer in so many ways.

But it took more than one turn in the road to reach my Second Act.

Born right after World War II, I grew up in a world where women had few choices, and to marry was a lofty life goal. I mention this because today that stifling world seems so far away, but my generation and my thoughts were certainly shaped by that culture. I chose to be a teacher—a mundane choice given the times—but, in actuality, to be a teacher was all I ever wanted to do.

People would say I have had an ordinary life teaching school in a small town in west central Illinois. I married right out of college, and five years later I began having children. But when that marriage fell apart, I was thrown into a turbulent time of raising children myself, working full time on a small salary, and struggling with bills. Teaching high school students and helping them with their own struggles restored me. It gave my life meaning and put it back in balance. Eventually, I got on my feet financially, often working summer jobs to make ends meet, and my children went off to college.

After the last child left for college, I went to graduate school for an advanced degree. It was a scary proposition, living on my own in a university town and knowing no one. After all, I had left my parent’s house to reside in my husband’s house, and then I had stayed there raising children. But I discovered I loved my new-found freedom, and I finished in three summers. This degree enabled me to teach on the college level, and I left a high school job I’d loved and taught college students who wondered if they might want to be teachers. I enjoyed helping future teachers see a profession that might give meaning to their lives as it had mine. Eventually, it was time to retire, so in 2011, I left teaching.

Then, what to do? Because of my age I have spoken to people who decide—gnashing their teeth—that it’s time to retire, but they aren’t sure what to do with that time. I was never one of those people.

Act II began, but it had its roots in Act I.

Back in 2006, I told a story in my education class, an inspirational story about how a college friend of mine who had died in Viet Nam had literally reached through my life and helped a student of mine find direction in his own life. I did, and still do, believe that teaching puts a person in a situation where she can influence lives forever in a positive way. One of my college students said I should put that story in writing, so I did, and Teacher Magazine published it. I had a good time writing “War and Remembrance,” and the magazine also put an audio file of my voice reading my story on their website.

And then the extraordinary happened. From all parts of the country and even abroad, I heard from former students I hadn’t seen in years. After all, now we had the internet. One of them wrote, “I heard your voice and it was just like coming home.” They touched my heart again. Encouraging me to put more stories in writing, they reminded me of conversations we’d had, and moments when our lives had intersected in extraordinary ways.

And so I wrote a memoir, in 2010, called The Education of a Teacher (Including Dirty Books and Pointed Looks), a book about the realities of classroom teaching. I used fifteen stories from those years, some of them stranger than fiction, some of them sad, and some of them funny. While I was writing, I contacted former students who helped with the details and convinced me I was remembering correctly. And each exchange was a gift. As I look back on those stories now, they document an extraordinary life, a life that did—in a humble way—have an influence on the lives of others. That book led to Act II.

A month ago in December, 2014, Five Star Publishing produced my first cozy mystery, Three May Keep a Secret. Not surprisingly, it is the story of a high school English teacher, Grace Kimball, who lives in a small town called Endurance. She often sees her former students, and the reader laughs at what she remembers about their crazy antics in high school. But it is, after all, a murder mystery, and I have had to research and interview police chiefs, coroners, detectives, fire chiefs, and doctors. I’ve learned a whole new vocabulary of death in my new act. My main character, Grace Kimball, is a warm, interesting person, but she finds herself in the middle of a scary, dark place when the murderer sets his/her sights on Grace. She is also haunted by a past event, and her memory of this will not let her go. Five Star has now picked up my second mystery in the Endurance series, Marry in Haste, for 2016, and I am currently starting the third.

Act II is funny and fulfilling. I love talking to audiences, giving out surprise door prizes, and listening to the many people who come to book signings. I also feel happiest when I’m neck deep in research and trying to figure out how to solve a plot problem. Now, instead of teaching people, I’m entertaining them. But I’m still remaining true to what I did for forty-four years: I’m getting people to read. Between Pinterest, Facebook, GoodReads, and my website, I hear from many of those people whose lives mingled with mine, and I am gratified to think that I have led an ordinary life, but in many ways it has been blessed with extraordinary riches.

And, I’m laughing my way through Act II.

Blurb

Grace Kimball, recently retired teacher in the small town of Endurance, Illinois, is haunted by a dark, past event, an experience so terrifying she has never been able to put it behind her.

When shoddy journalist, Brenda Norris, is murdered in a suspicious fire, Grace is hired by the newspaper editor, Jeff Maitlin, to fill in for Brenda, researching the town’s history. Unfortunately, that past hides dark secrets. When yet a second murder occurs, Grace’s friend, T.J. Sweeney, a homicide detective, races against time to find a killer. Even Grace’s life will be threatened by her worst nightmare.

Against a backdrop of the town’s 175th founder’s celebration, Grace and Jeff find an undeniable attraction for each other. But can she trust this mystery man with no past?

Where to find Susan…

Website/Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Joanne here!

Susan, thank you for sharing your inspiring and motivating experiences. The storyline for Three May Keep a Secret sounds delicious. I’m putting it on my TBR list.

Just Walk Away

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

It sounds so simple and so easy, but it takes guts to give up your idea (or someone else’s) of the “perfect life” and change direction. This is especially true if you or a close relative has invested time and money into a venture that once fitted your vision.

Walking away from any well-worn path can be a long and painful struggle for everyone involved. It helps to be surrounded by supportive family and friends, but ultimately the decision to change direction is yours and yours alone. Before embarking on this difficult and challenging journey, take time to reflect on your present situation and ask yourself the hard questions:

What do you really want?

Are you prepared to choose courage over comfort? By the way…you can’t have both.

If you need inspiration, follow the journeys of twelve high achievers who took time to reflect upon their less-than-desirable situations, make the decisions to leave, and then launch spectacular second acts.

From Emotional Roller-Coaster to Emotional Freedom

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have life coach Catherine Simmons sharing intimate details of the challenges and triumphs she has experienced on her life journey.

Here’s Catherine!

As a kid I was a bit of a dreamer. I was very keen to believe in the impossible even though my parents are very practical people. My favorite show on TV was “The Tomorrow People”, and it was this show that tuned me in to science fiction, and the possibility of humans evolving special powers – like telepathy.

Growing up I was always the quiet one, and still am in many situations. Even so, I loved drama and singing in the choir. I never thought of these as practical career moves though, instead I pursued my love of biology and how life works.

After leaving high school, I followed a degree course in Applied Biology. This appeared to be a very sensible undertaking as it wasn’t purely academic and would allow me to get a “proper” job. My first paid employment after graduating was as a lab assistant, where my boss was leading research into muscular dystrophy. While there, I gained practical experience in the principles of how genes are expressed to make our physical bodies the way they are. I also obtained a Master’s degree in Molecular Genetics by research, and could have continued my studies….

….but I didn’t feel like I was making any practical inroads towards helping to cure disease. It seemed like there was a lot of study of “parts” of the biology, and no way to really fix it. I was disenchanted, so I took a job at a Biotech company that was in the research stage of drug development. This was surely going to be a way to help people! However, although everyone worked really hard we didn’t get any closer to success, and the company folded after I’d been there five years. During that time I’d developed a knack for being a support person and facilitator, and was lucky to land a position at one of the UK’s red-brick Universities. The position involved being lab support services manager for their shiny new biotech incubator building. It was this third job that was the start of my metamorphosis.

The Millennium had arrived, and it was a time of excitement, busyness, and life events: both my husband and I had new jobs, we moved house (before selling our home) and had two children under three (one of which who was not impressed about going to sleep at night!). On top of that we had begun plans to immigrate to Canada. My job led me to suffer the stress of inertia, due to University politics and the newness of the operation, and my mind was constantly engaged in trying to come up with new ideas and solutions. Eventually the constant thinking and lack of sleep led me to experience a psychotic break.

Having never taken drugs in college, suddenly being thrown into a psychedelic experience was bizarre and frightening. All my senses were working overdrive and I was talking ten to the dozen. I dare say that if this has happened to me in the Dark Ages they would have said I was possessed by demons. I ended up in hospital for a while with the other folks who were having an “alternate” experience of life. It was certainly an interesting time. After I was over the initial shock of it, the “little biologist observer” in my head found it more and more interesting – I was getting a new perspective. Sure, I always knew that everything I saw and sensed was perceived in my mind, and was a construction based on past experience…but to realize that this was true first hand, was a revelation. Not only that, there were things that I was perceiving that were outside of my “normal” experience.

The drugs to make me well again brought me down into a deep depression for some time, but when I’d recovered enough to start to begin processing the experience, I became interested in the more metaphysical aspects of life. I decided to take a course in Reiki to see what it was like. To be honest I was skeptical, especially about the attunement process, but to my amazement I could actually feel the energy. I didn’t believe this was any kind of special power, but just that most of us live our lives being unaware of it.

Following our move to Canada I had another breakdown (too much excitement too soon) and was again admitted to the hospital. This time I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Having a fresh label of mental illness was a huge blow, especially as I didn’t have the first clue what it was or what it would mean for me. Despite the diagnosis, I landed a job at an early stage Bio-pharmaceutical company and worked there grudgingly for nine years.

I loved the people I worked with, and enjoyed helping them find solutions to their problems and help with project goals, but in the back of my mind I always knew that this was not a solution to the eradication of disease. The integrated treatment model and personalized medicine with teams of professionals with a variety of skills seemed so much more sensible. Plus, I knew from all my experiences that the mind has such a huge effect on the health of the body and vice versa. The more I researched and thought about the subject in my own time, the more I learned there were others out there who had already gone down this path.

One of my favorite leaders in the field is Bruce Lipton. As a biologist he explains so well how our thoughts affect the way our genes are expressed, and affect our lives so much more that we imagine. I was drawn also to energy psychology and Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) as ways to change limiting beliefs and enable not only to cure certain diseases but to move forward from trauma.

After a divorce in 2010 and losing my job in 2012, it seems I was finally in a position to pursue my real dream of becoming a life coach. I took courses in EFT and became a qualified practitioner. There was still something missing though. The EFT was working, but up to a point. I knew about the Law of Attraction and in 2014 enrolled in Christy Whitman’s Quantum Success Coaching Academy – I now feel I’m building on my skill set to really support clients to value themselves for their uniqueness and to design lives for themselves that they love. I really believe that we have the capacity to heal ourselves from depression, lack of self-confidence, overwhelm, trauma and the diseases that are associated with them. The first step we have to take is to ask for help and support to do it.

Bio

Catherine Simmons is a Life Coach, Facilitator and Speaker. In 2014 she was a panelist at Professional Development Week for the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns in Vancouver, and a speaker at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Bottom Line Conference in Calgary. Her mission for 2015 and beyond is to support women to reach their life and career goals in a way that values their individuality and uniqueness.

Where to find Catherine…

Website | Facebook | Twitter (Life Coaching) | Twitter (Mental Health)

Joanne here!

Catherine, thank you for sharing your inspiring journey. Best of luck with your mission for 2015–you are in a unique position to make it a reality.

Living Your Dream is Never a Failure

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have Soul Mate author Camille Faye sharing her inspiring journey from existential crisis to literary publication.

Here’s Camille!

In 2009 I went through an existential crisis. My son was 18 months old, I had an adjunct teaching job, and I was driving myself nuts trying to care for him all day while teaching freshman Comp classes at night. If I’d had a full-time teaching job (including that much fuller paycheck), I’d probably have stuck it out, but my course load had dwindled to one class per semester so I was making a pittance.

To me, this situation spelled F-A-I-L-U-R-E.

Up until that point in my life, I’d been the classic overachiever and did well in school, so that’s probably why I chose teaching as a profession in the first place. One hard lesson I learned during this dark-night-of-the-soul period is that life isn’t completely under our control. No matter how perfectly you lay the ground work, you can’t force things to turn out the way you expected.

Since my teaching career wasn’t taking off, I decided to be a stay-at-home-mom. I also decided to pursue a huge bucket list item: write a novel. After all, I’d been a college writing instructor and never seemed to have the time to do my own writing.

Within a year, I’d produced my first version of my novel, Voodoo Butterfly, and gotten a full manuscript request by an agent working in New York City. Needless to say, I was absolutely over the moon. But he didn’t pick it up.

So I joined a critique group, The Lit Ladies, and over the next few years about a dozen agents and editors requested full or partial manuscripts. None were quite the right fit. Doubt crept into my mind and I thought many times about just giving up. And I wrote this…

My cells tried to run the old programming of uncertainty, hopelessness, and inadequacy, resisting the spiritual transformation I’d just undergone. Doubt crawled inside of me like thousands of tiny spiders.

These lines from Voodoo Butterfly describe how my main character, Sophie, feels as she tries to adjust to her new life as the owner of a New Orleans voodoo shop. Sophie, a native Missourian, knows nothing about voodoo or her strange surroundings in the crazy city of NOLA. Over the course of the novel, facing down inner demons becomes Sophie’s specialty and I used her character to help face down the monsters of doubt and despair in my own life.

Becoming a writer was my big picture so, rather than give up on that dream, my stubborn German ancestry kicked in and I kept on. In 2013, I entered a few Romance Writers of America chapter contests and–hallelujah!–Voodoo Butterfly finaled in the NW Houston Lone Star Contest. My publisher and editor, Debby Gilbert of Soul Mate Publishing, was one of the judges and she offered me a contract.

Since the release of the book in October of 2014, Voodoo Butterfly has had steady sales and lots of awesome reviews on Amazon. One day I’d like to get back in the classroom, but for right now I focus on the two life areas that make my soul happy: family life and writing.

I have two bits of advice for anyone who wants to pursue a writing career.

1. Write every day. I commit to 15 minutes which normally turns into about an hour or two.

2. Follow your bliss. If it’s not writing, that’s okay. Whatever it is, when things get hard, do as Dori says and, “Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!”

Blurb

When twenty-five-year old Sophie Nouveau inherits her grandmother’s voodoo shop she knows nothing about voodoo. Or her family’s history of Mind Changers who have the power to change evil people into good. To complicate matters, someone doesn’t want Sophie in New Orleans and sends a series of death threats to scare her away from her new enchanted life.

Tipped off by her grandmother’s ghost, Sophie realizes her mind changing spell’s been missing one magic ingredient: true love. If Sophie cannot experience transformative love, she cannot make her spell work, and she will be powerless to fight back when confronted by the one who wants her dead.

Bio

Camille Faye lives in Missouri, loves on her family, and writes during the baby’s nap time. She grew up in a haunted house, which sparked her fascination with the paranormal. Before becoming a writer, she reported for an NBC affiliate and taught writing at universities in Missouri and Illinois. She found the muse for her debut novel, Voodoo Butterfly, during a family trip to New Orleans where she dreamt of a woman who had the power to change evil people good. The Northwest Houston RWA named her novel, Voodoo Butterfly, a 2013 Lone Star Contest finalist. Camille’s stories are inspired by her travels to 27 countries and counting!

Where to find Camille…

Website (Camille) | Website (The Lit Ladies) | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook

Joanne here!

Wow! I could feel goosebumps rising as I read your inspiring and motivating post. Best of luck with Voodoo Butterfly.

Seven-Year Itches

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have author Joyce Ann Brown chatting about multiple career changes, the power of seven, and her debut novel, CATastrophic Connections.

Here’s Joyce!

“The only thing that is constant is change.” The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, must have had plenty of life under his belt to come up with that truth. I used to think change had something to do with the number seven. Moves to new states, graduations, marriage, children, and career changes all seemed to happen for me at age seven, fourteen, twenty-one, and so on—or when there was a seven in my age.

The year of my birth has a seven in it, and my age at the time I had my first child has a seven in it. I moved to different states at ages seven and fourteen. At age twenty-one, I graduated, married, and started teaching. You get the picture. I may have had to stretch for the seven connections after that, but I’m incredulous that the years with sevens seem to fit the big changes in my life. Or—maybe the big changes in my life fit the years with sevens.

One thing is for sure—my first article was published in 2009, and my first book was published in 2014, a year when my age has a seven in it. They punctuate the most recent chapter in my life—Writer, Author—titles which mean I’m doing what I want to do.

I majored in education, not creative writing or journalism, even though I wanted to write for a living. A college history instructor once told me, “You write well. Have you thought about history as a major? You could research and write history.” But by then I was focused on getting an elementary teaching certificate so I could help support my family and be off during school vacations with my future children.

Teaching and raising my children, then, took my time and energy for years. For a short period, I worked as a professional story teller. It was fun, but not lucrative. Too bad. At one point (in one of those seven years) I earned my master’s degree and became a school library media specialist. I still wanted to find more time to write and would have loved to call Writer my profession.

Truth to tell, I did write during those years. There were stories and plays for the students, multimedia presentations, newsletter and journal articles, and my personal journal. One summer I wrote a children’s book. After several rejection letters and the return of the school year, my manuscript found its permanent home under scarves in a dresser drawer. Nevertheless, writing helped me fulfill my passion to be creative.

Not until I qualified for my pension did I make the decision to pursue writing in a serious way. I took college level creative writing classes, attended local writing workshops, and read with an eye to style and technique. Professionals advise: to be published, one should be published. Hm.

So I wrote articles and stories for local publications and for contests and was surprised when, voila, my articles were purchased and my stories won prizes. Real money for my written work! Whoopee!

A few years ago, I took a class in mystery writing. I was hooked. My first book, CATastrophic Connections is published. It’s the first book of my Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mystery series. Now, I’m working on the promotion phase and book two. Whoever said, “Going public with your creativity is like walking out with your pants down” understood book promotion. I’m having fun with it, though. Must be an exhibitionist.

What will my next act be? Beginning in 2016, perhaps (seven years after my first work in a year divisible by seven), or in 2017. The making of the Hallmark movie or a TV miniseries based on my mysteries? I could handle that.

Blurb

When Psycho Cat alerts Beth to her step-niece Adrianna’s disappearance, the klutzy landlady careens into action. She and her no-nonsense sister question Adrianna’s associates. They discover that the police suspect the young woman of embezzling a huge sum of money from the Kansas City construction company where she works. Believing Adrianna has been framed, Beth finds clues which lead her to the U.S. Virgin Islands. After a series of bizarre detours, she finds her niece at a spectacular island hideaway.

Once home, the niece is not cleared of the theft charge. Instead, someone murders the company bookkeeper, and Adrianna is the primary suspect. Beth must try to prove her step-niece innocent by unraveling connections among unknown construction company villains in Kansas City and in the Virgin Islands. Shadowy characters follow and intimidate Beth and her family at every turn. Someone else could end up dead. It’s one thing for Beth to skirt danger on her own, but when her loved ones are threatened—Beth and Psycho Cat will fight to the end.

The award-winning story is the first in the Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mystery series.

Bio

Joyce Ann Brown is a landlady, storyteller, retired school Library Media Specialist, former classroom teacher, former realtor, and a freelance writer and award-winning author. CATastrophic Connections is the first book in the author’s Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mystery series.

Where to find Joyce…

Joanne here!

Joyce, thanks for sharing your journey. Best of luck with CATastrophic Connections and the series.

Grateful for Second Act Wisdom

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Since July 2013, I have interviewed over seventy women from three different continents and shared their reinvention stories in the Second Acts series on my blog. Originally, I had intended to focus primarily on boomer women and their older sisters, but I quickly discovered that reinvention cannot be contained or limited to a particular age group. And so I widened my search and included women of all ages—millenial to septuagenarian.

I am grateful for all the wonderful insights and advice these women have generously shared with me and my readers.

Continue reading on Soul Mate Authors Blog.

A 1000 Mile Midlife Journey Starts with One Courageous Step

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Joanne Guidoccio

Welcome to my Second Acts Series!

Today, we have coach and speaker Saskia Jennings sharing an extraordinary journey that spanned two continents.

Here’s Saskia!

My life was that common routine of getting up to go to work, come home to cook, watch TV or visit a friend. My marriage had lost the fire and we divorced.

They say: “Life starts at 40″… And I was excited, I couldn’t wait to get there.

But it wasn’t much of a party. I lost my coveted job (burnout “they” called it), and I faced major physical, emotional, mental and spiritual challenges. My life had turned upside down, total midlife crisis, although I didn’t realize it at the time.

I would say that my First Act ended confused, disappointed and feeling lost…

Longing for something new and exciting I took on a new job, for that needed “security” and I went back to school. I entered a four year part-time program in alternative medicine. I loved it, four evenings in the week in school, lots of interesting learning and I healed myself in the meantime.

I also started exploring Canada and from the moment I set foot on Canadian ground, I hopped in a car and left the big City behind. I felt home in the forest, at the lakes and stargazing in the wide open skies. “I belong here” I said to myself, I knew it!

My mind’s eye saw future images, a vision and my almost ‘out of body’ experiences gave me a real good feeling, although it was scary sometimes!

So I decided to start my Second Act. In 2005 at the age of 45, I made the decision to move from Rotterdam in The Netherlands to Northern Ontario in Canada, leaving my small family behind in Holland. On my travels, I had met the man of my dreams and he lived deep in the forest.

Now, that was different! No neighbours, no public transportation. I had no car, no bank account, no high speed internet. What we did have was a warm home, my very first vegetable garden that was shown to me in my vision, wildlife, forest and lakes and each other. I took one step at a time: getting my own car so I could make new friends in town, take courses and get a job. I also retrained as a Reflexologist and Intuitive Healer and started my own business Creating Being Well on the side.

Oh and in case you are wondering… I LOVE SNOW!

My Second Act threw another challenge at me. I ended the marriage after five years due to a lack of trust, questionable money management, and some abusive issues. No, I didn’t get physically harmed. All other areas in my life however were in turmoil. I felt small, unworthy, neglected (mostly by myself) and my self-esteem had reached an all-time low. I felt terrified for two years. I kept pleasing my “marriage” and it wasn’t until I got sick again that I tapped into my trust and courage, reconnecting with my own values.

No more procrastination! I left the marriage, found a safe place in the forest and started all over again. Time to transform my midlife crisis into Midlife BLISS!™

I invested my remaining savings in hiring a coach and taking new directions and training.

I started moving forward, in growing trust and faith. The biggest AHA’s and celebrations were about acknowledging myself, who I truly am. Valuing my gifts and skills. It sparked renewed confidence. My energetic, dynamic, courageous and caring nature started to come to full bloom, one colorful bud at a time. I became an inspiring messenger, coach and speaker, a Catalyst for Midlife BLISS!™

When I took the training to become a Sacred Money Archetypes© certified coach I discovered my own money challenges and the way to turn that around and become wholly independent.

If I’m a true Connector, how could that help me take the next step?

The answer was simple and so clear: “MOVE!”

In mid 2013, I packed up again, left the forest behind and moved to Toronto. I’m still a bit in culture shock, and the best part is that I’m coming into alignment with who I am. The vision board I made three years ago is coming alive: growing into the joy and abundance of Midlife BLISS!™

I am allowing myself to thrive and be successful and happy, I don’t need any more approval from anyone. And I love teaching this deep transformational work to other women who are stuck on midlife crossroads.

When I talk in front of an audience of women and usually wearing my favorite orange jacket, I’m on fire! And my contagious energy brings smiles, warms hearts and helps women become more empowered. That’s what makes my heart jump and I’m busy spreading Midlife BLISS!TM over the world. My mentor holds me accountable, my clients, my ‘peeps’, my new connections all support me wholeheartedly. I have my retreats in nature mapped out: Women in the Woods: Ignite your Midlife BLISS!™

I am grateful. What’s next?

“You can’t do it alone, and you have to do the work” my favorite quote, by Werner Erhard.

Bio

Saskia Jennings is a true Catalyst for Midlife BLISS!TM, intuitive Midlife Coach and Sacred Money Archetypes Cert. Coach, Trainer, Author and Speaker. With her signature system: Transform your Midlife Crisis into Midlife BLISS!™ she specializes in helping women like you to turn your fears into real midlife fulfilment, honoring your self-worth, overcome midlife money challenges and finding your true essence. She runs her programs locally and worldwide, online and on-site.

Upcoming events – 2015

January 29-31st: “Unite Your Health & Wealth” Workshop Facilitator and Speaker at the virtual LIVE summit: Women and Money: http://womenandmoneysummit.com

Unite your Health & Wealth is a collaboration of 2 caring, passionate women: Sharon Carne (http://soundwellness.com) and Saskia Jennings

Spring & Summer: “Unite Your Health & Wealth” 3-day women only Retreat: Calgary/Toronto http://unitemyhealthandwealth.com

February 27-Mar. 1: Women in the Woods, Ignite Your Midlife BLISS!™ Location: “The Birches” at beautiful Lake Joseph in Muskoka (Parry Sound, Ontario).

October: Midlife BLISS!™ Conference – Toronto

Where to find Saskia…

Joanne here!

Wow! Saskia, thanks for sharing your inspiring journey and wonderful advice. I looking forward to hearing more about Midlife BLISS!™