Returning to my roots

As I approached my seven-year publishing anniversary, it's only right that I return to my roots and the series that started me on this journey. Unlike many authors, I didn't grow up wanting to write books, heck, I didn't even like reading them. So, when my sister took me to see a movie about a Vampire that Sparkles, of course I needed to know what happened next. 

That launched my love for reading. After several hundred books and not finding the one I wanted to read, I wrote it. My Bennett Sister's series has strong family bonds, sisters that weren't afraid of taking care of themselves, and supernatural abilities and gifts. 

That series is still a fan favorite to this day. So, when deciding what to do to celebrate how far I've come down this bumpy road I decided it was time to introduce the rest of the Bennetts. 

Find it here on Amazon!  

He’s a by-the-book kind of guy, and she’s a lawbreaker at heart. 

Gwen Bennett

As an operative with a hidden talent, I know how to keep my clients safe. It’s ingrained in my unusual DNA, and I’m damn good at my job. 

So, when a thief swindles my grandmother out of a fortune and flees to a private island that’s by invite only, I’m determined to find access, even if that means taking a job I don’t want, for a family I’d rather avoid. 

Maxwell Pierce

She needs me. 
There’s desperation in her eyes. 
I have something she wants. 
And I know it. 
When my brother sends me to recruit Gwen Bennett for a job after she’s turned him down, I thought it would be more difficult to make a deal. Offering to share my island suite was more than enough to get her to agree. Now I just need to get her to realize that my sister's life is on line and that's worth more than any money she can hope to recoup.

They’ll have to get creative to keep from losing it all when lives, a family fortune, and their hearts hang in the balance.

Why Is Gratitude Important? #reset_your_attitude #RB4U

Why is Gratitude Important?

Our lives are busy. We have shopping, laundry, work, family, friends and so many other things. Taking a moment for ourselves can lead to feelings of anger because we have so many other things we should be doing. But we all need to stop for a moment and appreciate the things and people around us. Find a time to be grateful for what we have.

According to the Google dictionary, gratitude is defined as: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Happier Human reports that a five minute a day gratitude journal increases our long term well-being by 10%, which is the same impact as doubling our income. Who wouldn't like that?

Most of us believe we are grateful. We thank the person who holds the door for us. We thank the waitress who brings us a second glass of water. But do we really take the time to sit down and reflect on the people and things we are grateful for? I am grateful for the clean air I breathe because in many parts of the world, people struggle to breathe. Looking at the pieces we appreciate brings a deeper value to our lives as we focus on what is good, rather than what we are missing. 

November is a perfect month since it culminates with the holiday of Thanksgiving where we naturally give thanks for all we have in our lives, as well as to the people (from past and present) who have helped us.

Take those five minutes each day and journal about your gratitude, your body and mind will thank you!

My book Home is Where the Heart is features five sisters and daughters who left Amherst, Ohio to escape their small town lives only to return and find that love was really always around the corner. 

Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Hi Syn, Mr. Wilder. Do you mind if I join you? This place is packed, and I hate to eat alone.”

“Hello Thom. Nice to see you. What have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you since you dated Syn, here. I must have scared you off good,” Dad replied with a grin.

“Mr. Wilder, you didn’t scare me off. Syn decided to run away to the big city and leave this small town behind.” T.J. winked at me, so I stuck my tongue out at him.

I felt like an idiot while they spoke about me, and a little shocked that Dad didn’t remember T.J. being at the recent fire. “Hello—I am sitting right here. You shouldn’t talk about me like I’m invisible.” They continued to ignore me, in favor of the conversation. I took the moment to look at T.J. He certainly had grown up. I studied his profile, trying to find a small part of that little boy who was my best friend growing up. His strong jawline and full lips were new to me. His baby fat was gone, but his strong nose was the same. The aquiline had a bump that always looked like he had broken it, which earned him the nickname Rocky. I loved his smile. It was a full grin that lit up his whole face and made his eyes twinkle. I wish I could go back and have a chat with my teenage self. I would share with her just how sexy T.J. was today. Of course, I would probably also have a few words to say to teenage T.J. too. After all, I wasn’t the only one in that relationship.

My ears perked up when I heard Dad invite T.J. over for dinner tomorrow night. It will be nice to give Dad something to do, but another evening with T.J…can my heart handle it?

~*~

Thank you for stopping by today and I wish you all the blessings of the season. I am grateful for all of you who spend a moment reading my post today. <3

Until next month!

xoxo

Melissa

www.melissakeir.com

5 Things ~ #LynnCrain #AmGrateful #RB4Us

I know that some people will think the Thanksgiving thing has played itself out for the year but I do have some things to say about it. So here goes.

This year has been really weird for my family, starting on January 3^rd when my husband was diagnosed with cancer. While we’ve maintained as much of a normal life as possible, it’s also given me lots of time to reflect upon things too. And because I could make a massive list, I’ve honed it down to just five things.

My Family ~ Even though my husband had a hard year, we’ll be ending it well with his full remission. His health is getting better. Our sons supported us this year and kept our spirits high when things got intense. Family is all about the ups and downs of life. You can’t have one without the other.

My Writing ~ I’ll be honest, I couldn’t have survived this year without my writing. It kept me focused and on track with life and all the nuances it threw at me throughout the year. Writing is one of the most portable things that a person can ever do. It didn’t matter if I was sitting in a hospital waiting room or taking care of the grandkids, I could pull out my phone or writing pad and get to work. There is no other profession that makes it so easy to have a career while in the midst of tragedy.

My Writing Friends ~ I’ve been a writer a long, long time and have met a lot of great people on the way. Many of those friends, I know I can call day or night with a problem. Like when my husband was diagnosed, I texted a writing friend just three words, ‘He has it’, and she called me within twenty minutes. We are an amazing group of people and are willing to share our experiences, our shoulders and most of all our time when one of our own is in trouble.

My Writing Groups ~ While I’m fairly new to Romance Books 4 Us, the ladies here have supported me forever. And I am grateful for that camaraderie. Writing groups keep us accountable, focused and reminds us over and over that we can become exactly who we want to be in our profession.

Everything Else ~ I am thankful for the fact my husband has a great job, and we have enough of everything. From the roof over my head to the homeless person on the corner in many American cities, I am grateful for you because you remind me of what I have and that I need to help more because I am so blessed.

And that’s it. Short, sweet and to the point.

But there’s one last thing…there’s a song I love every time I hear it…it’s called Life’s A Dance. I heard it today on the long drive from Nevada to New Mexico, and it jogs my memory again. We aren’t expected to know it all, but we should be able to learn new things as we need them. Life is something you learn as you go. As I get older, I get more and more grateful for the simple things in life, the things near and dear to my heart. And that includes Cara Marsi’s list of simple things, especially her number #1. I too am thankful the Zombie Apocolypse hasn’t happened.

What about you? Just what all are you thankful for? See you next month!

Hope you all have a great month…see you next time!

Lynn