Nostalgia

With The Architect completed and out in the world (Audible finally listed it - they're always the last), I'm moving ahead with the last three Epitaph novels in audio. Next up is The Selkie. 

Once a novel is finished, there usually isn't a reason to revisit it, and I'm generally busy moving forward with the next one, so going back to review the audio files comes with a touch of nostalgia. Where I was in my life when I wrote that book. The things I researched. The tips my sources provided me for authenticity. Sort of like hearing a song from the past that takes you back to certain memories.

Then there's the "moving forward" part. These side trips into audio are forestalling my momentum. I've had enough people asking me for the other Epitaph books in audio that it's worth the time and effort. (Shout out to narrator Karen Frantz for nailing the Irish accent in The Selkie.) Meanwhile, I'm sifting through ghost stories, looking for the right one for Elle to deal with in her next adventure. I've been procrastinating until I've visited the haunted B&B in a couple weeks' time, but I usually have an idea of how the story is going to go, or at least pieces of it. I'm "head writing," which provides me with snippets, but still toying with the big picture. The main ghost. The theme. And I'm feeling BEHIND. Or am I just being lazy?

All in good time. During this quiet time, I've been visiting with family and catching up on all the other things that fall by the wayside when I'm "in the groove." Sometimes it's okay to stop and breathe in the scent of those roses, ya know?

Random moment of free association - who else is in the zone for the cicada-pocalypse? Expecting the invasion in another month's time. I should be firmly planted in front of my computer by that time and out of the flight path aside from my daily forays "out and about." 

Haunted Vacations

In case you haven't heard 😉 the new book is out. I can't wait to hear what everybody thinks about THE JANE DOE GHOST! With the new baby successfully launched into the world, I'm preparing my next. My editor wants me to keep going with the Elspeth Barclay series - says she's really enjoying them. To that end...

I'm going on a trip to stay at a "haunted" B&B in a couple of weeks' time. We'll see if we can scare up any ghosts to write about. A few years back, The Big Guy and I went to NOLA. Rumor has it that all the hotels in NOLA are haunted, and the one we stayed at was no exception. Did we see any ghosts? (No.) In June, I'm headed to Savannah, which is purported to be the most haunted city in the states. Will we find any ghosts there? Not holding my breath, but it's always fun to hear the stories. 

Everywhere I go, I hear ghost stories, and I keep a journal of what I consider the more interesting ones. Hoping I have plenty of inspiration to draw on for Elspeth to work with. 

Do you have any ghostly experiences/stories to share?

How do characters get their names?

The Jane Doe Ghost is less than a week away! In honor of the upcoming release, I thought I'd share some fun facts about how the characters got their names.

Elspeth (Elle) - I've wanted to use this name FOREVER. I first heard it when I used to listen to Mystery Theater on the radio. The actress, Elspeth Aric, was a frequent performer, as was Mercedes McCambridge. I wrote a story once using both those names that was a dud, and my critique partner tells me the names are outdated. Old names are making a comeback! For instance, my granddaughter shares my grandmother's name. I figured it was time to bring Elspeth out of the mothballs.

Laine - One of the ladies I interviewed for Horned Owl Hollow has a boyfriend named Lane. As I tossed about for a name for Elle's sister, I didn't think he'd mind if I adapted his name and changed his gender to be Elle's sidekick.

Chance - This one is funny (at least I think so). I'd been out with a group of my husband's friends (and wives) and one of the wives mentioned to me she loved the movie Being There with Peter Sellers. It's not a well-known movie, but yes, I've seen it. We joked about it and all the nuances. When the caretaker of the Horned Owl Hollow estate showed up for the first time, I reached into the recesses of my mind for a suitable name and wouldn't you know it? Chance, the gardener, popped up. At the time, I wasn't sure what his role was going to be. Obviously, my Chance isn't anything like Chance the gardener, but his name stuck.

The rest of them? I keep a database of names to use, along with names I've used in other books (so I don't reuse them). Names pop out at me every day as I live my life. Most of the names I pick are random, or appropriate to the role based on free association. When I named the people in Maine in this book, I did do a search to see what names were popular in Maine for a taste of authenticity. 

Sometimes I do have name snafus. For instance, in Cookie Therapy, I'd named a character Shannon. Time came for a last name, and I was searching about for what fit with Shannon. Somewhere in my subconscious, I picked Doherty. An Irish first name should go with an Irish surname, you know. It got all the way to my editor before she pointed out there was "someone else" name Shannon Doherty, and did I really want to use that name? Oops. Sometimes there's a reason those names sound so good together! I tend to Google names to make sure I haven't conveniently forgotten someone with that name, a lesson I learned writing my very first book that I neglected to do with that book.

Now I have to remind you that you can preorder The Jane Doe Ghost! Oh, and have I mentioned the audiobook of The Architect is available? If you buy it this month, you get the discounted launch price. Get it while it's hot!

Click here to preorder

Buy it now before the price goes up!

The end is near

How's that for gloom and doomy! Except it isn't gloomy OR doomy!

The audiobook for The Architect is done and making its way to the sales outlets. The sample is live on my website and I will be adding links to buy as they go live. I've priced it at a special launch price of $5.99 this month only, so you should buy it sooner rather than later {wink wink}. I'd love to know what you think of the narrator. The final three books in the Epitaph series will be going into audio, as well. My Facebook followers all agree they prefer a woman narrator, even if the final three books center on "the boys." They're romances (with ghostly intervention), with alternating male/female points of view. Have I mentioned how much I loved revisiting The Architect? (I think you'll like it, too!)

ALSO, I'm doing my final review for The Jane Doe Ghost, listening as Word reads the final version back to me to make sure I haven't missed any mistakes. By now it should certainly be perfect but, you know, just in case. Fingers crossed! Two weeks until release day. Promotion is scheduled for her launch into the world and scheduling the audiobook for THIS book, as well. 

So, yes, these things are taking up most of my time right now. I'm also writing a short story about Chance (from the Elspeth Barclay novels), but you'll have to subscribe to my newsletter to get that (free!). 

In the meantime, anyone know how you get a black eye spontaneously? (Asking for a friend.)

It's the final countdown...

By the end of the week, I should have (what should be) the final edits for The Jane Doe Ghost. It's getting real. She's *this close* to launching into the real world. While I'm waiting, I've been reviewing the audio files for The Architect, which should be done next week. I'm not sure which one I'm more excited about.

In anticipation of the new book (in case you haven't already seen it), here's an excerpt:

I reached for the lamp and tried to turn it on once more. Nothing. Chance and I both jumped when a resounding thump came from overhead. “The attic it is,” Chance said. “You ready?”

I followed him to the door in the corner of the living room, and as soon as he opened it, a draft swept past us, followed by a low-pitched moan.

Chance lowered his voice. “I’m still not getting that prickly feeling which might indicate—what do you call it?—residual energy. Stay behind me in case our uninvited visitor is of the human variety.”

“What are you going to do? Blind them with your flashlight?”

He patted the wall, then turned his flashlight to where he expected to find the light switch. He flipped the switch and nothing happened. Tried again—down and then up. Chance grabbed my hand and led me up the wooden staircase. We tiptoed, making the occasional creak on a loose step.

The attic was one big room, made up of exposed beams and filled with old furniture, suitcases, and miscellaneous collectibles. Potential treasures for my antiques store? I’d have to ask Annette about it tomorrow.

Chance’s flashlight lit one wall, where a desk and a filing cabinet were tucked under the pitched roof. He continued to pan around until we heard more rustling behind us and what sounded like a child’s voice. Chance pivoted and shined the light. Two glowing eyes looked back at us right before his flashlight flickered out.

Chance’s voice took on a sense of urgency. “Downstairs. Now.”

Did I mention you can preorder it? THE JANE DOE GHOST will be released April 16.

Revisiting old friends

Ya know, by the time you finish writing a book, you’ve read it so many times you know each word by heart. In spite of that, it isn’t uncommon for a few rogue words to throw a monkey wrench into the works. You release it out into the world hoping for the best and praying you never have to read it again (after reading it thirty hundred times already). Did you do a good job? Is it any good? You hope readers connect with it and you move on to the next project, but you're sick of reading it over and over and over...

What’s all this about? I had so much fun writing the Epitaph books. It took an inordinately long time to get the first one right, but when I did, it launched the series and I spent the next few years with the Bensons and the McCormicks. I recently contracted to finish the series in audio, picking up with The Architect. I remember thinking I didn’t like the man I had foreshadowed for Kathleen, so I wrote her a break-up and a new love interest. As I listen to Karen Frantz reading the story to me all these years later, I’m enjoying the book as a reader/listener rather than the author. Hey! I did a good job! You'd think I actually knew how to write a story. It helps when the narrator likes it, too.

If you're a newsletter subscriber, you'll be notified as soon as the audiobook enters the world. Oh, and did I mention I have a new cover? Subtle differences. Less "American Gothic."

Learn more

For those of you asking about the weight loss journey: I'm still sitting at the "new" baseline, so in an effort to move things along, I've lowered my daily calorie goal. No one said this was easy!

Everything old is new again

What can I say? I'm a nerd. 

I've been lazy with the last several books and let a program format my books for me. When I first started out, I did all of that myself because those options weren't available. Welp, I've decided I don't want to use the program I'd been using because I don't want to distribute the paperback via the channel that did the formatting. So where does that leave me while prepping the new release for sale? Back to square one.

Books have to look a certain way. There's room for dressing things up a tad, and to make that easier, I've developed templates and macros. However, because it has been so long since I've HAD to do it, I'd forgotten a lot of what I used to know. I've changed computers a time or two along the way, losing my hard work with the new systems. 

I spent a full day last week recreating those templates and macros and putting them all in one place. The nerd in me is excited to be doing something else creative aside from writing the books. The author in me is frustrated that I have to remember how to do all the formatting all over again. Which is why I wrote macros. And templates. Again. And I have to remember all over again where and how everything is stored. Those fun little graphics at the start of each chapter? I save those into building blocks. Building blocks are part of the “normal” template. The macros have to know which building blocks to pull. Then there's the matter of "drop caps" or "starting caps." Most books begin each chapter with the first letter of the sentence in "drop caps" (large and as a block at the edge of the paragraph) or the first three words all in capitals. If you have 40 chapters, that's a lot of manual labor when a macro can do it for you in a flash.

The end result was a merging of nerd with author, creating both the tools I need to use and applying them to the book that will go on sale April 16. In the meantime, I'm waiting for final comments from my editor so I can put the finishing touches on THE JANE DOE GHOST. Can't wait? If you order it ahead of time you can dive right in the minute it's available on release day. 

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click to preorder

Now that Elspeth “Elle” Barclay’s mother has retired from “clearing” haunted houses, Elle and her boyfriend step in to evaluate disturbances reported by a local client. They debunk the haunting, but find spiritual energy outside the house. The victim of a hit and run accident, a Jane Doe ghost asks Elle to tell “someone something,” but Elle has no idea who or what. In spite of that, the ghost’s pleas become increasingly compelling.

In an effort to identify their Jane Doe, Elle and her boyfriend take a trip to Bar Harbor, Maine, in search of the dead woman’s family. The family, however, isn’t interested in talking to Elle.

Even after Elle has passed along the information to Jane Doe’s family, Jane Doe continues to haunt her. What more does she want? Elle has never encountered a spirit who can manifest her energy physically before. After a man connected to Jane Doe is found dead, is Elle’s life in danger, too?

The new cover!

THE JANE DOE GHOST is inching closer to release day. 

Drum roll, please. 🥁

What do you think of the cover?

And, of course, I KNOW you want a taste, so here's an excerpt for you!

"Do you want to go downstairs to see what’s in the basement? Or upstairs to the attic?” I asked.

His eyes narrowed in a way the made me think he was slightly anxious about both ideas. “How regular is this activity we’re supposed to be investigating?”

“You heard what she said. Something’s happened every night she slept here so far. Bumps in the night, shadows at the edge of her vision, she even mentioned the voices, but when she investigated, she couldn’t find an explanation for any of it.”

Chance shrugged. “All potentially easy to explain away.”

“Potentially. But that’s why we’re here.” I reached for the lamp and tried to turn it on once more. Nothing. Chance and I both jumped when a resounding thump came from overhead.

“The attic it is,” Chance said. “You ready?”

I followed him to the door in the corner of the living room, and as soon as he opened it, a draft swept past us, followed by a low-pitched moan.

Chance lowered his voice. “I’m still not getting that prickly feeling which might indicate—what do you call it?—residual energy. Stay behind me in case our uninvited visitor is of the human variety.”

“What are you going to do? Blind them with your flashlight?”

He patted the wall, then turned his flashlight to where he expected to find the light switch. He flipped the switch and nothing happened. Tried again—down and then up. Chance grabbed my hand and led me up the wooden staircase. We tiptoed, making the occasional creak on a loose step.

The attic was one big room, made up of exposed beams and filled with old furniture, suitcases, and miscellaneous collectibles. Potential treasures for my antiques store? I’d have to ask Annette about it tomorrow.

Chance’s flashlight lit one wall, where a desk and a file cabinet were tucked under the pitched roof. He continued to pan around until we heard more rustling behind us and what sounded like a child’s voice. Chance pivoted and shined the light. Two glowing eyes looked back at us right before his flashlight flickered out.

Chance’s voice took on a sense of urgency. “Downstairs. Now." 

Did I mention you can preorder it! (here's the link)

In the editing chair

Apologies in advance, I’m strangled with edits and personal business and trying to commission the rest of the Epitaph audiobooks. This post speaks to where I am in the writing process currently.

Yay! I've finished the next book. Now begins the real work, the various forms of self-editing before it goes to a real editor. 

Developmental editing

Does everything make sense? Do my characters start out one place and end up somewhere that doesn’t make sense? Developmental editing is a thorough and in-depth review of the entire story. It examines all the elements of writing, from individual words and sentences to overall structure and style. 

Copyediting

A copy edit will generally address grammatical or punctuation errors, incorrect facts, anomalies, inconsistencies and glaring typos. Have I used the right words in the right places?

Proofreading

Time to double check everything, specifically looking for spelling errors, grammar errors, proper punctuation, misused homophones (everyone familiar with their, they're, there?), layout issues, font issues, and spacing issues. 

As an author, I check all of this as I go, but there are bound to be errors that sneak through, even after multiple passes. I know what the story is supposed to say, so my brain might trick me into what's supposed to be there rather than what is actually on the page. 

And once I’ve finished, I send it to my editor who finds all the things I missed.

Then, after addressing my editor's comments, I proofread again--reading with my computer, reading a "hard copy" and having my computer read it to me while I follow along. The different passes ensure I trick my brain into seeing what's actually there rather than what I expect to read.

And you thought this gig was easy!

Keep an eye out. HORNED OWL HOLLOW is on sale this coming weekend, in case you haven’t picked up a copy yet. Also, I’m part of a promotion if you’re looking for more spooky books. Check it out!

Enter here

Working on the timeline

If you've read my blog before, you might remember that I have trouble with my timeline management when I write. I've tried several different "hacks" to keep on the straight and narrow, and I'm doing better, but...

One of the hacks is starting off each chapter with what day it is. I even started keeping a calendar beside me so I can put down what is happening on what day. Figuratively, if not literally. That works, until I then screw up the time of day, The last book, I got my days right but lost track of time of day. If X happens at this time of day, Y can't happen in the time span I've laid out. I don't know WHY it's such an issue for me. 

As I'm doing my editing passes on the new book, I'm starting with the timeline pass. In spite of best efforts, I've proven it's a necessary step. I have consciously avoided using days of the week, largely because they aren't important to the time in this book, and yet, aren't they? As I began the pass, I made notes. Day 1 - No date reference. Day 2 - no date reference. But then I noted something else. Elle is working at the store, and the store is only open four days a week, so that constitutes a time stamp. Likewise, she ISN'T working on Day 1, so that's also a time stamp. Right off the bat I need to pay attention to the dates I didn't think I needed to pay attention to. But THEN "something bad happens" that disrupts the timeline. So maybe it DOESN'T matter. (but it always does). At any rate, I've completed the timeline pass. The book encompasses approximately two weeks and three months, respectively. Now that I've highlighted what day is which and why it matters, I need to go back against a calendar and make sure it tracks. That should be the hardest part. Then, on to the copyediting phase. 

I'm still on track for an April release, and I'm still liking the working title - A JANE DOE GHOST. You like?

And now, I need to get back to work. I've had more distractions than usual this month - more on that another time.

The inspiration

Surplus goodies

Happy Valentines/Galentines Day! 💘

I'm embroiled in final edits to the next book - I'm kinda liking the title The Jane Doe Ghost - so I'm taking the easy way out today.

If you subscribe to my newsletter, you had the chance to pick up one of my romance novels (a Valentines Day Special). If you don't subscribe, I have a limited number of e-copies of BREAKING THE MOLD left for those of you who don't have it already. (Needless to say, I'd love a review if you have read it!)

Click to get your copy while supplies last.

Going down the rabbit hole

Part of the writing process is research. As an author, you need authenticity so people don't say "that would never happen." The funny part is that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, and "that absolutely WOULD happen." But I digress. Today is about going down the rabbit hole.

In the quest for authenticity, I've learned many things. Like how to fight fires. How and when to file a missing person report. I've also had my sources tell me to "make stuff up. Isn't that what fiction is?" Oh yeah, there's that authenticity factor.

Sometimes, what I'm researching never makes it into the story but it's good background information that I, as the author, need to know. This week, as I was editing the upcoming book, I found a break in the storyline. The characters agreed they were going to do "this" next, and in the next paragraph, they were somewhere else altogether. After verbally telling them "Nooooo!" (husband is still recovering from my unscheduled outburst), I made myself a note. Pay attention to what my characters are telling me they're doing. They do need to go to Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park, where waves crash into an inlet like a clap of thunder, just not yet. Which sent me down the rabbit hole.

The sign from my visit to Thunder Hole

To achieve the maximum "thunder" effect at Thunder Hole, you should visit it an hour or two before high tide. So off I go to check the tidal schedules. But wait. This is February. My characters are there at the end of summer, so another rabbit hole looking for high tide history. When was high tide in August, for instance? Interestingly, the time of the tide changes rapidly from day to day. Not like, say sunset or sunrise, which moves only incrementally every day. The tidal map I found changed by an hour at a time from day to day. Is that right? Then what day are they there, and when would the tide be? Okay. Now for the fun part of "it's fiction, you get to make it up." 

Oh, and before I tell you how I resolved this, I want to tell you about one other piece of information I had to hunt up. Several states have what we call in Illinois the Safe Haven Act, which allows you to give up a child to the police or the fire department without repercussions if you can't care for it. I went in search of the details and found answers. I went to a message board of people who have experience with this sort of thing (firemen and policemen, etc.) and they sent me a brochure (which I'd already found online, in addition to the actual law verbiage). Helpful/ not helpful. Meanwhile, I interviewed a police officer friend and asked him about the Safe Haven Law. INTERVIEWING PEOPLE IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN GOOGLING, and this is why. He has practical experience rather than "this is how it's supposed to work" experience. Things rarely happen the way they're supposed to. The brochure says "this is what happens," but in the real world, "this is what REALLY happens." That interview, by the way, saved the day for me, because I was able to resolve one of the plot points that I was struggling with. I had three scenarios, and based on what he told me, I was able to pick one. During an interview, you always get more than you bargained for. In addition to the answers to your questions--which return "flat" answers on Google--you get digression. People expound on the information they're giving you, providing examples and telling you about their real-world experiences, which can be writers' gold. 

Okay, back to my tides. When I visited Thunder Hole, we were not there at high tide. We were, however, there right after a hurricane (which never happens in Maine, but how lucky were we?). Theoretically, the storm should have enhanced the "thunder" experience (it didn't). The thunder effect was still impressive, but reportedly not as impressive as it could have been. We looked up high tide for when we were there and went back the next day. Have to say, it was probably less impressive the second day, when we should have been closer to the high tide window. Based on where the water was compared to the previous day, I'd say it was closer to low tide. Or the hurricane effect was washing out. Again, I digress. So writing the scene at Thunder Hole in the book? Okay, I know WHEN high tide is/was. I know that's the best chance to hear the "thunder." But is it necessary? Personal experience says no. I spent how much time going down the rabbit hole to get information that I didn't need? Bottom line. Thunder Hole is impressive whether you're there at high tide or not. The waves will still crash into the inlet. You'll still get sea spray and the loud "crash." For my characters it wasn't about the thunder anyway. Their experience there is something completely different, so the "thunder" is irrelevant (or at least mostly so). It's a reason to visit, but the maximum thunder experience is not critical to the plot.

Do you know how many times this happens over the course of a book? I "need to know" something only to figure out, after I learn the answer, that I don't "really" need it?

Now that I've taken a step back, I can fix the scene at Thunder Hole without worrying about when high tide is/was. Thank you very much.

Back to editing.

"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify!"

I first heard this quote in a movie, of all places. One with Shirley MacLaine, where she keeps marrying men who leave her bundles of money. She wants a simple life, but marries a farmer and he hits an oil well in his fields. Marries another "poor" man and he strikes it rich. One of her husbands quotes Thoreau to her. (What a Way to Go, thank you to Google for the title.) She wants a simple life, but the men she marries all want to make it rich, and they do, along with the pitfalls that go along with their new lifestyles. Then they kick the bucket.

When I’m reading, I tend to be drawn more toward an underdog, someone who doesn’t have a lot and isn’t a social climber. Generally speaking, characters have some undeclared source of income or they stand to inherit a great deal. Occasionally, they are middle class, but have you ever read a historical novel that didn’t include a member of the “ton?” Yes, I have, but they aren’t nearly as interesting. Then there are the contemporary “billionaire” type novels. They don’t appeal to me. I like the Average Joes and Janes. There are also the famous person meets “nobody” tropes. I’ve seen some of those done well, but they are also not my favorites.

That’s why I like to write working stiffs. 

Do you have a favorite trope? Poor character strikes it big? Like Shirley MacClain’s husbands in the movie? Or do you prefer the local shopkeeper? or fireman? Or another person living in middle class suburbia/trying to make it in the city?

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Update on the weight journey: holding my own. Up a pound, down a pound. I’m actually pleased that the baseline is lower, even as I try to push it lower. Still tracking calories. 

And now there's a deadline

So far, I've been writing on my own schedule. Don't get me wrong, I usually write a book fairly quickly (although not as fast as I used to "pre-plague"). Elspeth Barclay book 3 is nearing completion, and after checking in with my editor, I am now writing to finish rather than just writing to find my way through the story.

The inspiration

That means I need a title! Ugh. Here's a hint. Elle breaks her own rules and calls out to the spirit world. The spirit that answers isn't the one she expected. Nevertheless, she helps the spirit find what Elle believes is closure, except this spirit isn't finished. What more does it want from her?

I've been back and forth through the story as it unfolds, cleaning up some of the mess along the way, redirecting the characters to the main road, but there's still a lot of mess to address. Then, of course, there's the grammatical pass that needs to be done, and the readability pass... all of those fun things that go into producing a book--and that's before it goes to the editor. She's going to want a "pre-final" version that she can then point out the flaws in. The more mistakes she sees when she gets it, the better the chance she'll miss a potentially bigger mistake. So, yeah, I need to make it as near perfect as I can before I send it to her.

Right now, the expected release date is sometime in April, but more on that later. I have a deadline to meet now! Anyone else looking forward to the new book? 

Coffee and disappearing products

I have a knack for liking products that apparently aren't all that popular with the rest of the world. I can't tell you how many times I've thrown myself into going "all in" with a product, only to have it disappear off the shelves. It's happened with cereal it’s happened with deodorant. It's happened with hair products. It's happened with perfume. I get it. Trends change. Products change. There's always something "new and better," except when it ISN'T new and better. It's just different. 

The latest product I have to now give up is my coffee.

I've never been a big coffee drinker. That is, until I found one I actually liked. Yes, I was a casual coffee drinker, and I occasionally tried a cup of tea when it was cold outside to help me warm up. Most of my life, I was a Coca-Cola drinker. That was my caffeine fix. Then I stopped drinking carbonated beverages for a number of reasons. It's only been the last maybe ten years that I actually drink coffee every day. That's coming to an end.

When I got a Keurig type brewer--actually, the Big Guy got it as an anniversary gift at work--I bought some of the flavored coffees that I like, and I discovered a new one. Gloria Jean's Mudslide. Medium roast. Hints of chocolate and vanilla without being all cafe mocha. I was a convert! Drank it for years, but then they stopped making it in K-cups. So I bought it in bags - ground or beans to grind. Somewhere in the back of my head, I knew this was going to be another one of those "it's going to disappear" things. Here's the thing. In my quest to lose poundage, I've been told coffee is a good thing to give up. I don't know why, but okay. Also in the back of my mind, I told myself when I can't buy my Mudslide anymore, I'll quit the coffee. Then they raised the price and lowered the volume (no longer a pound) you get for that price. Maybe time to rethink the "when."

About a month ago, I got a coupon in my email for coffee, so I went to order more. I'm on my last not-a-pound. Guess what? Mudslide wasn't available. I checked my order history, and the picture of the product that goes with the order is a placeholder box. Part of me mourned the loss of my favorite coffee, and part of me said "ok, the time has come." Then a funny thing happened. I got a survey about my "recent purchase" of Mudslide. "How did you like your order?" HAHAHA. What timing. Yes, I told them it was my favorite coffee but why were they tormenting me when I can't buy it anymore? Needless to say, they haven't followed up to my comment.

So now I'm working my way through the last of my coffee. I have some other flavors to tide me over, also, but I'm not planning to replenish the supply once it's gone. All those authors and coffee memes will poke me with a sense of sadness that I can no longer drink my beverage of choice. I guess we'll see how it affects my weight loss journey!

Do you have a product that you loved that is no longer available?

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Update on the weight journey: the Big Guy bought me a treat. He likes to do that, even when I tell him not to. The result was some backsliding, but a minor hiccup. Still tracking calories. Holding the line and determined to move the needle down. “Just say no.”

New Year, New Ereader?

You know what I haven't done in a while? Give away a book, just because. Lots of people got ebook readers for Christmas, and the "stuff my kindle" event showed that people are looking for new things to read. 

Are you missing one of my books in your collection? As a thank you for being a reader and for joining me here on my blog, I'm giving away one book each to three lucky winners simply by asking for it. 

Click here

Know someone who might like my books? Share this post with them so they have a chance to win, too! And did you know you can also gift books -- ebooks and paperbacks -- to friends and family at most sellers? If you need help figuring out how, leave me a comment including which bookseller you want to gift from and I'll send you a link to their gifting instructions.

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Update on the weight journey: No more binges since the Christmas cookie fiasco. Still tracking calories, still in calorie deficit. Down one more pound. Non-scale victory? I'm wearing jeans instead of my "soft pants" (as Dear Husband calls them). 

Losing Weight in the New Year

I'm Baaaack...

New years are always cause for re-evaluation. I think it's the nature of the beast. Unavoidably, people are going to talk about New Year's Resolutions, or things they want to accomplish in the new year. I stopped doing that years ago, but one thing always remains.

I'm going to talk to you about my weight today. Not a pleasant topic in the best of circumstances, and one no one wants to discuss most of the time. Here's the thing. I'm what you call a yo-yo dieter. Many years ago, I joined weight watchers because I'd reached an OMG weight--that threshhold which we shall not cross without buying a new wardrobe in unacceptable sizes. I lost a bunch of weight. Then a funny thing happened. They changed their plan. It no longer worked for me. I became a statistic, one of those "I kept it off for three years!" people before I gained it back. That was sheer laziness on my part. I tried going back to WW after that, but the program was different. Not as effective. I resorted to the MyFitnessPal app that counts calories, which I recommend - but you have to stick with it (which I didn't).

When my son got married, I was determined to drop the extra weight once more and I let a friend talk me into a (I'm going to call it questionable) program. The program worked, but even as I was working it, I knew it wasn't sustainable. Again, I dropped the weight. It taught me some valuable nutrition lessons, so it wasn't a total waste of time and money, but as an emotional eater, I was triggered when "my person" passed away. I resorted to the "life is short, eat the cookie" mentality and yes, I gained the weight back. 

So here I am. I've accepted that my body likes being a certain size. I'm of a certain age. I'm at peace with that, and my health is good, so there really isn't an issue. Except there are notable differences when I'm more in control of my food. The way my clothes fit is a no brainer, but there are other benefits that motivated me to try once more this past November. Well, I lost the weight with weight watchers once before, so I tried it again. Funny thing. While I'd seen the changes in the weight watchers program over the years, I didn't really understand how much they'd changed the program. It was impossible to follow this time around, and now they're promoting it in conjunction with weight loss drugs. I'm sorry, Oprah, but unless you have severe health risks, there's a better way. We’re older now. Our bodies have changed due to a multitude of factors. I’m never going to be that skinny 20 year old again.

I went back to calorie counting with MyFitnessPal, which is much more reasonable than manufactured points that don't work, and I've lost some weight. I've applied the nutrition lessons I've learned through the years. At the end of the day, it's all about mind set. Food really is an addiction - and as Betty Ford used to say, just say no. I've been counting my calories with MyFitnessPal since around Thanksgiving time (which means this is NOT a "New Year's Resolution"). As I told my buddy when I started, I'm committed. It isn't a sprint, it's a marathon - the only marathon I'm likely to run. Despite being in calorie deficit every day, the scale isn't moving very quickly. I originally lost 8 lbs, then regained 4 after a Christmas cookie binge. (amazing how quickly you can put it on and how slowly it comes off.) I re-lost 2 or the original 4 and am trying to do better. No more Christmas cookies.

It isn't always about the victory on the scale. It's accepting that we are all made differently - different sizes and shapes - and age weighs into the equation. I'm not making excuses or rationalizing bad decisions, but I'm also not going to jeopardize my health going the pharmaceutical route. 

I can get on my soapbox and preach about all the poor options that are available to us as Americans, how we got into this obesity mess in the first place, but at the end of the day, it's about choices. 

I'm trying to make better ones.