A Mix-It-Up Under the Tree

The time has come where the Southern Girls of Okay Listen Here are mostly published and moving in various directions, multitasking like no other time before.  It’s been an incredible journey together, learning and growing, laughing and thrilling together in the written word.  Being the newest voice under the tree, I had to go back and look at what all has happened over the years.  And le’me tellya, Cher!  What wonderful times have been had underneath this tree!  Stories of Precious Angel and Oldest Friend, Book Reviews and talk of cereal, fabulous Friday Recipes, tales of the High Seas and Pirates and Gators, and Barn Tales and Ghost Stories, too!  And then along came my voice of wacky to throw into the mix this past year.  We’ve laughed a lot and made new friends along the way.  Yes.  It has been wonderful!  

But now with Alicia Hunter Pace (aka Jean Hovey and Stephanie Jones) and Katherine Bone published and touring other blogs and manning websites and such…not to mention writing more stories to entertain us all… well, it’s time to heed the changing season and mix it up a bit here on the bench.  

Starting this week, we’re going to post blogs on a need basis rather than every day of the week, Monday thru Friday.  In other words, when we need to step under the tree and say something (of great importance, no doubt!), we’ll blog and let you know by way of our usual social groups, Facebook and such.  We don’t want you to miss one beat of what’s going on with us in the world, be it publishing or our day-to-day happenings. 

So followers, thank you for reading our words, encouraging us, laughing together with us and supporting us on our journey into the world of books.  We are each so very thankful for your support and interaction.  Watch and be ready though!  I know there will be more stories to share very soon!  In the meantime, please find Alicia Pace Hunter and Katherine Bone at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Crimson Romance  You are just going to LOVE their books!   And if you want to help, “Like” their titles at such places as Amazon, Goodreads, and Pinterest to spread the word.  Shout it out and let the world know there are a few Southern writers new to the publishing world having their say!    

Happy reading, y’all!  See you soon, right here under the tulip tree…..

Crimson Romance Historical Webinar Event

In 6 days, my debut release, Duke by Day, Rogue by Night, will be available at Crimson Romance, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ITunes, and Sony.  (Downing a large dram of rum.  Please tell me I'm not having hallucinations!)

Months have passed since I first learned Crimson Romance wanted to publish my book, but it seems like yesterday I got the offer from my savvy editor for the first book in my Nelson's Tea series.  I feel doubly blessed to be working with Jennifer Lawler and the Crimson Romance team.  They've given me a phenomenal book cover and have treated me above and beyond awesome.  (Thanks, me hearties!  Raising a friendly flag in salute.)

While I've been learning the ropes by going through edits, galleys and galley edits, I was fortunate to have been asked by Jennifer to be part of a Crimson Romance Webinar on Historical Romance.  (Hoist the colors!  There will be ondits!)

If you haven't heard, the Webinar, of which I speak, me hearties, is this afternoon, October 23, from 3-4 p.m. (Eastern). I'll be joined by two other fabulous historical authors, Robyn Corum, author of Melinda Heads West, and Elizabeth Boyce, author of Once a Duchess.  After a short presentation on historical romance by Jennifer Lawler, the three of us will be available for a Q&A about historical romance, our writing process and writing journeys.

The compass points to Crimson Romance, my friends.  Give the webinar a try, won't you?

You can join this particular Webinar by going to Crimson Romance and clicking the join button.  It's that easy!

What do you like most about historical romance?

Katherine Bone
www.katherinebone.com

I Never Said I Was Perfect...

#RWA12 Mishaps Along The Way

If you ever wondered what qualifies me as a wacky writer, look no further than the daily mishaps in my life.  The RWA 2012 Conference is no exception.  It provided a boatload of material to draw from.  I may never write like Hemingway, but rest assured, I can entertain (and embarrass) myself  like a pro!  And hopefully you can laugh along with me, too.  So, without further adieu, my mishaps along the way at #RWA12…

As the flight between Huntsville and Dallas Ft. Worth came to a close, I was a bit disgruntled.  See, I was having a hard time concentrating on what Katherine Bone was saying to me with the music playing in the background.  I mean, geeze!  Couldn’t Whoever buy a clue that the pilot had turned on the no electronics light?  It was really annoying hearing the music play loudly while trying to talk over the already loud engines.  And we were about to land!   The longer it went on, the more aggravated I got.  Until the stewardess came over and asked Me to turn off the music.  I said…”Wha…?”  She knelt down next to my seat and said, “There’s music coming from your pocket!”  I was mortified!   And that’s how I learned that the “Airplane Mode” on my iPhone is not good enough for a plane ride.  

 My second day at conference was fully loaded with workshops.  It never occurred to me to look around the day before to familiarize myself with the lay of the land.  And so off I went to the first workshop session of the day, following the map to the selected room.  Or so I thought.  But it wasn’t there.  So I walked around a bit looking for the room.  Maybe I was in the wrong hallway.  No, not according to what I was seeing on the map.  So I walked right back to where I had not seen the room before.  Sadly, it was still not there.  The walking continued around the building for 45 minutes before I realized that I was looking at the map upside down.  Yes.  So sad, I know.  And no, I don’t have blonde hair.  But now I know, maps do not guarantee prompt arrival, but they can provide me with a much needed morning walk.  

One of the highlights of the week was Cinderella attending the ball.  Well, the Avon Party, at least.  RWA Librarian of the Year Mary Moore, Katherine Bone and I were transported to Newport Beach for the prestigious Avon Party.  We were decked out in our cocktail finery…little black dresses and pearls.  I had these cute little black sandals on with black organdy roses on the straps.  Upon our arrival at the restaurant, I slid down the stairs of the bus and landed with my right shoe up around my calf!  Gasp!  I could not go into that party with my shoe flapping!  Big Authors were in there!  No!  I just could not go in there barefooted, either!   But the girls pulled me along to the entrance where a light from heaven shown down around the hostess.  She thankfully retrieved a tube of fingernail glue from her purse (She must’ve been a Girl Scout!).  We glued my shoe back together, and then my foot stuck to the shoe, too!  I was in good shape until about twenty minutes before the party was over.  The shoe gave way and by that time I’d had so many smoky, bubbly, Lemon Drop Martinis that I just didn’t care anymore.  And thus, Cinderella left the ball barefooted.  It’s really a shame the hunky model “Mr. Fireman” wasn’t my Prince!  But I did get his phone number…for an interview down the line, of course! 

On the final evening in Anaheim, Katherine Bone and I high-tailed it out of the RITA Awards to snag a table in the bar.  We figured we’d text all our girlfriends to join us after we got there.  So we got a table in the back corner that was big enough for about ten to twelve people and the only person who joined us was Carla Swafford (because she loves to party with us!).  Anyway, before we knew it, Staci Weber and Sara Dailey showed up with their party and asked if they could share our table.  Sure!  Why not? So we scootchied up tight when the Boroughs Authors along with Editor-in-Chief Christopher Keeslar and CEO Michelle Klayman of Boroughs Publishing sat down with us to party all night long.  And party we did!  But guess what?  I learned a very important lesson that night sitting right in front of Mr. Keeslar.  When you’re short like me, wearing a very snug across the boobages evening gown and stuck into that sunken groove of too-many-having-sat-there-before-you in the banquette seating with feet dangling because they don’t reach the ground to lever yourself with…tall martini glasses filled with Lemon Drop Martinis do not angle well over said boobages.  In fact, they don’t angle at all!  I believe either Carla or Mr. Keeslar handed me a straw.  Can you say Martini Conundrum?  Perhaps that’s the reason Katherine learned her napkin trick…because I really could’ve used an origami napkin  bra.  

Have you ever had an in-air mishap?  Glued your foot to your shoe?  What about a martini....ever sucked one back through a straw? 

Cow Songs and Guit-fiddles

The cows are bored with my song selections.  They’ve turned their backs on me lately.  So I’ve decided it’s time to new it up a bit.  That’s exactly what I did this week while I was recovering from being broadsided by my characters.  (They’re not playing nicely with me at the moment, either.  Buggars!)  And if you know me any bit at all, you know somewhere deep inside my soul lives the heart of a gypsy woman.  I do love me some gypsy music, wagons, dancing, etc.  Oh!  And travel.  Let’s not forget the traveling parts!  

Anyway, in my music wanderings I landed on Youtube at this guitarist’s recordings and I think I may have found a kindred soul!  I LOVE this man’s work (Minus the Beatles.  I may be the only living creature on earth that doesn’t think the Beatles are King. :/)!  Back to my new musician love, Mr. Adrian Holovaty.  Oh that my fingers would imitate his manipulations of the strings.  Alas....I'm content with my voice dancing around the finger pickings and strums.  Sigh.  Yes, sadly, I am musically codependent.  : /  

Here’s a song by this wonderful gypsy jazz guitarist for you to enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kF9j25NDG8&feature=autoplay&list=UL9DiK4ufrZVE&playnext=1

This singing gig of mine goes back to when I was a kid.  Eventually in high school my Driver’s Ed teacher told me to go to Nashville.  He said I had the boobs for it.  (I know, right!  Totally PI!)  Anyway, I never went to Nashville until I moved to Alabama a few years back.  And though I could sing a country tune as easy as anything else, it’s not what makes my heart beat, leap or jump.  But give me some Hoagy or Lena or Ella or Louis and I am in my own musical universe!  Well, and Adelle, Jason M, Kelly C, Emmy Lou, oh and we can’t leave out   Allison K….loVe her voice!  And Ray or Cat or….well, I just love it all I guess.  But my voice tells me ….and my heart agrees….sing a song that moves the soul and all will be well.  Like Mr. Carmichael said, Never play anything that don't sound right. You might not make any money, but at least you won't get hostile with yourself.   Music.  It is my heartbeat.  

In celebration of Kathy’s book sale this week, I’m adding an old favorite Norah Jones tune to my playlist for the girls (cows).  Here…..you enjoy it, too.  This one’s for you Kathy!  (Everyone lift your glass and toast her book sale!  WooHoo!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTxythHY09k&ob=av2e

To close, y’all help me out here, will you?  If you could sit and enjoy a song or two over drinks with your friends, what would it be?  What would you want to hear playing while you and you’re honey danced in each other’s arms?  What song would you celebrate life with?  Most importantly, what songs do you think the girls will mosey on over to hear at the banks of the river while the fireflies light the stage?   

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

"All dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." Walt Disney

A long time ago, when my youngest was 1 year old, we got our first computer.  I had a love/hate relationship with that machine, but in spite of my limited understanding of how to use it, I decided to write my first book.  You see, I'd been writing poetry since my teens.  Words had always been my friends, and I had stories to tell.  And so, like anyone with a mission, I dug into research, plotted my story and typed the words that would, from that time forward, define me.  But unlike Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, no one came when I built my magical world, word by word by word.  Except Jack.  ;)

"If you can dream it, you can do it."  Walt Disney

Years passed.  My children grew.  And with this new freedom, I had more time to devote to writing.  I worked harder and sent out my finished work to agents and editors, ever hopeful someone would see my genius.  It was a hopeful time - a lonely time.  Especially when rejections came swift and true.  But even steel must be tempered.  I kept this in mind as I began subsequent books and connected with my writing chapter as a lifeline. 

"Throw another buoy!"

"You don't build it for yourself. 

You know what the people want and you build it for them."  Walt Disney

Herein lies the dilemma.  As a reader, we know what we like to read.  But as a writer, how do we access that passion and harness it, mold and scuplt our worlds in such a way agents/editors/readers can relate to them?  For the past two weeks I'd been grappling with this very idea, especially after some bad contest results.  As a result, I began to ask myself serious questions about my future.  I was nearing another birthday, the deadline for publishing I'd given myself years ago.  How long did I want to keep at this?   How far was I willing to go to bring my world to life?  (Even the gold pirate in Cozumel refused to answer.)

"Get a good idea and stay with it.  Dog it and work it, until its done and done right." Walt Disney

A week ago, I left work and ran some errands.  Because I hadn't had time to eat, by the time I got home, I was ready to plunder a ship for grub.  Once I'd gotten my rations, I put my feet up for a bit before going to my computer to trigger mayhem in the 1800's.  Before I did however, I peered at my phone at 3:00 p.m. and decided to peruse my e-mail.  That was when I saw it!  Standing out like a flame was a message from Jennifer Lawler at Crimson Romance.  Thinking I'd just gotten another rejection, I opened it.  But it wasn't a rejection this time!  It was an offer to publish my book, DUKE BY DAY, ROGUE BY NIGHT!!!!  I spoke slowly and steadily to my mother, as if hearing the news aloud would make the reality that much clearer.  Then when no cannon fire resulted, and after a hushed silence, Mom and I busted out with loud SQUEEE's and hugs. (Take that Pembridge Scholars!) 

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Walt Disney

I've done what was said was impossible.  I met my personal deadline and am now celebrating an exciting future with Crimson Romance.  Thank you, Jennifer Lawler, for taking a chance on DUKE BY DAY, ROGUE BY NIGHT!

If you've ever partied in this half of the hemisphere, you'll know no partay is right unless Jack comes along.  The two of us have dipped into the Rum keg.  BYO to the partay!

What's the biggest surprise you've ever gotten in an e-mail?  Was there Rum involved?

Half Full or Half Empty?

A glass sits on a table half-filled with water. Is it half full or half empty? If I've learned anything, I've learned that the only way to decide which end brings the most potential, is by accepting what is going on in your life and then making a decision to move forward in the midst of life's trials.

This is something I dealt with last week when my FIL underwent quadruple bypass. The odds were against him from the very beginning. Fate had already seen him undergo quadruple bypass a year ago, and with favorable outcome. What the doctors did not know before going in this time, however, was that the repaired areas of my FIL's heart had rapidly declined. So as the doctor's performed surgery to repair those same four arteries, they also struggled to repair a Mitral Valve that they had decided against replacing last year. Added to that procedure, my FIL's Tricuspid Valve needed a tweak. And so, as the doctors worked diligently on these risky tasks, a 5-6 hour surgery ended up taking 11-12 hours.

My FIL wasn't expected to live through the night, but he did. He'd beaten the odds before, surviving a boulder to the chest, kicks by bulls, and a front end collision with a tracker-trailer on ice. The family knew he could do it! We all prayed for healing. Friends prayed for it. And through it all, the man I knew for 31 years fought like a fighter unwilling to throw in the towel against a more talented foe. As our visits were minimal in the SICU, each one of us applauded his stubborn streak, willed him to fight yet again. He tried. He assured us he heard our voices. But his body grew weaker and by day two, his kidneys had failed. The third morning, his liver function declined and jaundice set in. As LTC and I rushed to the hospital, we received the unwelcome call that my FIL's struggle had ended.

Is our glass half empty or half full? As I sit and look at my glass, I am filled with peace. You see, the doctors said without surgery, my FIL wouldn't have lasted more than 4-6 months. With the surgery, at least he'd had a chance. Courageous and brave, he took that chance, hoping it would give him more time.

How many times do you take a chance, oftentimes knowing the outcome of your decisions might not measure up to what you'd originally planned? As a writer I take that chance every day I sit at my computer, taking dication from the muse. I don't know how the book will turn out in the end, though I know it will come to happy fruition. I have no idea if it will gain an agent or editor's attention while writing it or if it will sell, but I write. I challenge myself, knowing that unpublished writers can wait hours, months, even years, surviving rejection after rejection before realizing success. Still, there is that chance that I can do it. If I learned one thing last week, I learned that I need to be more diligent on taking a chance and I need to better prioritize my time.

My glass is half full. I choose to believe it. My FIL based his decision to have surgery upon that very concept. No matter the outcome, how can I, given the opportunity, deny myself the chance to achieve my goals of becoming a published writer? How can you deny yourself any goal you strive for? Life is a gamble but if you play the cards right, your glass will overflow.

Thanks to the voices of members of my local writing chapter and especially my blog sisters here, I push on. What helps you push on?

Enter the Ballroom, If You Dare

The past few weeks, since getting back from RWA Conference in NYC, have gone by in a flash. I've been trying to catch up with everything at home, at work and with my writing. Giving my head time to absorb all that I have learned and doing a bit of research on the Regency in Georgette Heyer's Regency World, The Guide to the people, places and society in Georgette Heyer's Regency novels, by Jennifer Kloester.

I had the great pleasure of attending a class given by Jennifer Kloester and Sabrina Jeffries, called Keeping it Real: Regency Research Georgette Heyer Could Believe In. Not only that, but I'd won the book in a silent auction during the historical conference, given by the Beau Monde, at the Beau Monde's soiree the day before. After happily digesting all that both Ms. Kloester and Ms. Jeffries discussed, I presented my newly acquired book to Ms. Kloester, in the hopes that she would sign it for me. I was not alone. Books came out of the woodwork and expectant faces proved that the Regency is still a most beloved era of history.

Offering my thanks to Ms. Kloester and Ms. Jeffries for the excellent class, I held the book close to my heart and left the room with a gigantic smile on my face. What a great conference memory! What a magnificent book! Jennifer Kloester had the Heyer family's blessing during the research and writing of this book. And Sally Houghton created a wonderful Georgette Heyer website for Ms. Heyer's continued fan base.

To writers, readers of Georgette Heyer's books and Regency lovers everywhere, please run out and buy this book. You won't regret it!

I was charmed by Ms. Kloester's accent, wit and knowledge. And Georgette Heyer's Regency World reflects all that and more.

Since conference, a wonderful event occurred as I've been devouring the contents of this book. A new blog went live on facebook, one you'd be crazy to ignore. I'm talking about the divine Ballroom Blog, hosted by Lady Heliotrope Beaufetheringstone, or Lady B and authors: Katharine Ashe, Sabrina Darby, Tessa Dare, Gaelen Foley, Sarah MacLean and Miranda Neville. An example of the delight found there: a blog about constructing Regency Paper Dolls online.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love research. Do you like to research? Life calls for research everyday. There are maps to locate for a quick trip or vacation, online shopping, music, the list goes on. Be it online or via books, what do you look for?

The Unexpected

In the last couple of weeks, many folks have blogged  about the RWA national conference in New York,  but it's my turn.  There were several things that happened during the week that were unexpected,  yet turned out to be good surprises.  Pretty much anyone who has known me for ten minutes knows how I hate a surprise so I realize what a big shock it must that I have coupled  good and surprise in the same sentence

Pantster and I roomed with the always fun Katherine Bone.  The first surprise was that she got us some really cool "roomie" presents.  She often gets us a little something to celebrate conference, but this year she out did herself, with  matching flashlights!  You might not think that is a great gift but if you had ever roomed with me, you'd know just how precious that can be.  Before I can rest easy in a hotel, I need for everyone in the room  to have a pair of closed-toed, hard-soled shoes beside the bed with a flash light in one of them.  Why? It's obvious.  In the event of an emergency, like a fire, I need to know that the people in my room can make a quick and orderly evacuation, using the route I have preselected for us during my recon of the facility. I scope out the recommended evacuation route and alternate ones in case there is a crowd or an obstacle that must be avoided.  The closed-toe, hard-sole shoes are for protection against broken things, sparks or other bad things on the floor. We cannot be slowed down by burning or cut feet.  Of course, the flash light is so that we can see to find each other if it is dark or smoky.  Getting a good gift from Kathy wasn't a surprise, but that she played to my special quirk was an unexpected joy!  (On a different note, if you don't make a plan to get out of a hotel in the case of an emergency, I strongly encourage you to do so the next time you have a trip.  As a friend of mine often points out, the people who are most likely to survive any crisis are the people who have a planned ahead of time.)

A room like ours!

A second great surprise was how fantastic the Marriott Marquis staff was.  Everyone was so helpful and did everything that they could to make our stay the best possible--from Terrell at the security desk, who made my stay in New York City less stressful, to the lovely people who provided coffee and water for the conference attendees in the mornings.  You always hear how rude people are in other parts of the country, especially New York, but it was a very nice unexpected treat to find that to be totally untrue.

The absolute best unexpected event happened when Pantster and I pitched to Deborah Smith of Belle Books. If you have never been to the pitch room at the RWA national conference, you have truly missed a spectacle of epic proportions.  I pray every year that God will bless the volunteers who work there because it has got to be the one of the craziest volunteer slots at the conference.  These poor volunteers have to get a new group of about twenty-five people lined up and into the pitch room every ten minutes for hour after hour.  Then in the pitch room,  the noise and nervous energy are just over the top!  So there Pantster and I were pitching to another Southern writer who is also an editor. We made a little small talk as we handed her our cards.  Then she asked us to tell her about our book so we launched into our pitch.  She nodded and laughed out loud.  We took that as good signs.  Then she asked some questions and said our story sounded great. Here is where I expected to get the fairly standard request for a partial submission, but, instead, the wonderfully unexpected happened . . . . She asked us if this was our first book  and right out of my mouth popped, "We have some elves living under our beds." Now to give credit where credit is due, this is how our friend, the fabulous Lynn Raye Harris, refers to her early medieval romances that will never see the light of day but it made Ms. Smith laugh. Then she asked us to tell her about them.  Of course, by this point our ten short minutes were almost up but she gave us her card and said the most wonderful thing someone pitching can here.  "That all sounds great. Send me everything you've got."   Needless to say, Pantster and I were over the moon with excitement!

Has there ever been a time in your life twhen you thought you knew what would happen, but it turned out much better than you anticipated?

Change = A Good Thing

Life takes on new meaning when the life you've known changes. Who likes change? Most of us don't. But then there are times when change brings adventure and adventure breeds amazement.

Growing up in the Army I was bred for change. Though I did not like it when change came my way, I stepped up to the plate and swung my bat, eagerly getting my foot in the door, meeting new people from different lands, and building a life for myself somewhere I'd never been before.

As an Officer's wife, I had to initiate change, become the facilitator of change. My job was to make sure that change did not overwhelm those around me, especially my family when LTC was away on tour of duty. Change helped me adapt, and as I adapted, I blossomed and grew stronger.

Parents struggle with change on a day to day basis. Children grow up too fast and learn things a mother would never want them to know. But that is the world we live in today and each generation must change with the times. (Not wanting to conform, I can often be heard rebelling from the mizzenmast. Pirate!)

Recently my cell phone died. This not only perplexed but angered me. I lost all the pictures of my family and friends, as well as pictures of places I'd been. I lost most of my contacts too. I might as well have been marooned on a island with one shot. Though it seemed like the end of the world (Cheryl blogged about that yesterday) I quickly came to realize how much I needed modern technology and a roof over my head. Let's face it, an old timey cell phone just doesn't appease my newly developed twitter and facebook habit. Instead of being able to peruse e-mail at my fingertips, I was forced to sit in front of my computer.


Life appeared lost for half a day. Then as change gave way to acceptance and acceptance to tolerance, I realized that I was not defined by modern technology, that I could exist without instant gratification. When asked if I wanted to expedite my replacement phone, I spoke bravely, "No, I can live without it until the new one arrives."

How quickly words come back to haunt us! Jean says I developed 'buyer's regret' and I agree. Before I'd hung up the phone, I doubted I'd made the right decision to forego paying extra money to get my phone in the mail earlier. I lamented throughout the weekend that I'd made the wrong decision. Why did it matter so much? What was a day or two or three?

Well... after I'd resigned myself to accept the delivery on July 18th, I was surprised to see the phone arrived in the mail much sooner than expected. And, oh! what a fine replacement it is!

Though the same model, the software is updated. You see, change can be good. Change can open your world to even greater possibilities.

Change = A good thing! No more worries about being stranded in a calm sea without a rudder.

What changes are you making in your life? What changes have found you when you least expected them?

Stick To The Code or Get Swabbed

RWA conference was such a blast! Special thanks to the staff of Romance Writers of America for putting on such a uber awesome weeklong writer fest, and a hearty thank you to The Guy for watching over the blog while Jean, Stephanie, and I were gone. ;)

Getting ready for conference is always a whirlwind affair. Of course, the ever needed packing list comes into play. You can always find a great one listed in the archives of The Writing Playground. Once an attendee prepares/purchases his/her wardrobe, pitches are readied, and bags are packed and loaded into the car for a quick, or long ride to the airport. Expectations abound and hearts begin to race. Bags are checked, tickets approved, and the scanners and tuperware bins, though a tedious affair, remind the eager traveler that the journey is underway.

I adore airport personel who monitor the scanners and screens that x-ray our belongings, and our bodies, ensuring that we arrive safely to our destinations. I'm just as eager as the next person to get through the line and to my gate. What I never expect to get is swabbed. Yes, my deck got swabbed.

Who would have known that after walking through scanners for almost all my airline travels to date, I would be taken out of line, told to extend my hands and get swabbed. Arrr! The ironic part is, though there was something detected on my hands, I had just washed them before coming out of the bathroom and getting into line. Powdery substance on hands after washing them? Who knew? (Notice I do not claim 'pirate' here. That would be very bad timing. ;)

Being a good sport and not wanting to hang from Tilbury Point until I rot, I stepped where I was told to go and offered my belongings for a thorough swabbing. The inspectors rose to the task.

"Would you prefer that we did this in an enclosed room," they asked.

Having nothing to hide, I exclaimed, "You can check anything you want to right here."

Jean and Stephanie's eyes were as big as full moons, and just as white as they waited for me off to the side. I could see the questions riddling their minds... "She's got our pens for the Goody Room. How will we get them back?" "Are we going to make our flight?"

I directed the last question to my airline operatives. A man continued to swab my backpack and carry-on. Two women stood nearby, prepared to take me into the room for further inspection. As I was guided into the room, I reached out to Jean and Stephanie psychically, pleading for them not to stick to the code. (It's more like guidelines anyway.)

Luckily, the two airline operatives were very nice and did their jobs while helping me maintain my dignity fully-clothed. Thank you, swabbettes!

As I stepped out of that room, bless their hearts (and I do mean this in the best possible way, not the way listed on one of Jean's lists), Jean and Stephanie were waiting for me with open arms. Like Joshamee Gibbs, they had used the code as a guideline and were prepared to redirect their journey, if need be, with me aboard. After all that, thank goodness, we were able to meet our gate on time and didn't have to deal with rescheduling issues. :D

Our direct flight with Delta was fantastic. We had the best stewardess you could ever ask for. And after my initial swabbing, I can assure you her eagerness to please was greatly appreciated.

I'll post more about our trip through the next few weeks. But today I want to know, what is your crazy travel story?

My Handy Dandy Conference Scheduler

I just got back from a wonderful trip to the beach. Gulf Shores in southern Alabama was fantastic! The beaches were beautiful this year, the weather was glorious and oh! how I basked in the sun, taking in all the sunshine I could get! There is something about the rhythmic soothing sound of waves, a cooling breeze fluttering a beach umbrella above your head, and a good book, like Lynn Raye Harris' BEHIND THE PALACE WALLS. (If you haven't read it yet, run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore!)

But as with every vacation, the relaxation and laziness must end. So it is that I've returned home, switching my attention to the main event that fills every romance writer with expectant bliss (expecially this one), RWA Conference.

Conference is coming almost a month early this year. I'm sure the date change has everyone running hither and yon. There is so much to do to get ready, packing lists to make, clothing to sort or buy, shoes (the ever incredible staple of life) to match those outfits day and night, shopping for practical things and most of all, referring to my Handy Dandy Conference Spreadsheet to keep me on task.

Yes, I know RWA has a really good agenda page up this year and I'm using it too, but I couldn't help plugging my spreadsheet. For me, there is something very linear about gazing upon the color-coordinated phases and blocked days that helps me figure out where I need to be when. At a glance, I'm able to tell what time an event begins, what that event is, and if there will be a conflict with any of the workshops I've chosen to attend. And, because I know spur of the moment ideas creep into my head, I've also got space for 3 choices of workshops. This always keeps me on task because if I find I really don't need one particular workshop, I can simply look at my spreadsheet and see where else I need to be at that time.

If I want to attend a booksigning or a spotlight on a particular publishing house, that information is on my spreadsheet too. If you'd like to use my spreadsheet at conference this year, I'm more than happy to share it with you. Everything is in Excel. Adjusting the spreadsheet can be easily done by copying the cells in one row and then pasting those copied cells into the right place. After that, you can adjust the typing, add your event, and so forth.

Send me a request at: kathybone@aol.com and I'll make sure you get a copy.

What tips do you have for going to conference or taking a trip to NYC?

What Draws You?

Life is full of amazing challenges. We see them come and go in small grievances and then compare them with the mowhills that often turn to mountains. When one hurdle is jumped, sometimes it feels like another one has been plunked in its place. It can be a vicious cycle.

My life has been challenging lately. So busy, in fact, that I've had little time to devote to my family. A wonderful way to chill with family is enjoying a good show on television or watching a great movie at the theatre or on DVD. So today, I'm lamenting the season finales of the shows I love, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, Nikkita, American Idol and a few others. The challenge now is: what do I watch on television when the mood strikes? Is there anything that can keep my attention?

TV Land is trying to pump up my volume with new shoes like the addictive Teen Wolf on MTV, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, and The Secret Circle. Woot! Teen Wolf is all that and a bag of chips, if I do say so myself. Tyler Posey is fantastic as the teen bitten by a werewolf, soon facing 'the change' of his life. Oh! But he's just met the new girl in town and his desire to date her poses many more problems for his shifting form. If you haven't caught it, tune in on Monday nights. The Nine Lives of Chloe King came on Tuesday night for the first time and was, to quote Miley Cyrus, "pretty cool!" I'm still waiting on The Secret Circle. All the commercials point to the EXTREMELY GOOD button.

What I'm really missing is: The Gates! Where has it gone? Is it coming back? Be still my heart! A community filled with Vamps, Werewolves, Witches, Succubus' and more. Times like this make me wonder why the rum is always gone. Arrrrr!

On the movie front, I absolutely loved Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides! (Of course! Was there any doubt?) Make sure you stay until the final credits roll.

The Latest X-Men installment is uber fantastic! Not only do they introduce characters we haven't seen much of yet, they stay true to the comic books and give us our very first cinematic look at Professor X and Magneto before they became frenemies.

But what I'm really waiting for is The Green Lantern! This movie boasting a buff Ryan Reynolds starts this coming weekend. Ooh-la-la! For someone who grew up reading comics and dreamed of becoming an illustrator like Stan Lee, 2011 is a comagsmic summer fest!

We're all busy today. What draws you to the television or the big screen? What is worth giving up your precious time for?

Oh and while you debate the best of the best, I'll be cringing in the shadows.

What Challenges You?

We just finished the final touches on HOD's Annual Romance Readers' Luncheon. A lot of planning goes into this event every year and there are so many people involved. As luncheon coordinator, I'm always thrilled when another successful luncheon has seen its day. To pull this off, after such horrific weather and the loss of one of our dearest authors, took lots of determination this year. But we did it! HOD presented the best luncheon yet.

After such a whirlwind, what does one do with their time? Aha! The fact that there is time to spare is absolutely unheard of around here. ;)

I've actually been working on entering the Maggie's this year, a contest given by the Georgia Romance Writers. But instead of just entering one, I decided to enter four manuscripts. Ack! What grandiose goals took over my mind? I've been knee deep in luncheon business, the deadline is Friday and I've still got two entries to submit.

So, even though the luncheon is over, my life is still just as hectic these days. Apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment. I've entered contests before. Some brought me enlightenment, others disappointment and criticism. But who are we if we cannot learn and grow along the way to meeting our goals?

I've given a short craft corner on contests. Contests are tricky monsters. But when you final, as I finaled in the Romance Through the Ages contest in the Legend Award category this year, the rewards are bountiful.

So it is, with hope swelling my breast, that I submit these books to the Maggie's this week. Maybe my entries will cancel each other out. Maybe none of them will final. But if I don't try, I will never know.

Is there something you're willing to go out on a limb for these days? If so, let us know. We'd love to hear what challenges you!

Writing As Only A Billboard Knows How

Life has uncertain ways of meeting you head on. Then again, life is a head-on process of cyclic turns and somersaults. Oftentimes, in life, what you think works is usually bound to take a 180 degree turn just when you’ve finally gotten a foothold on your dreams. What you think would never work, could turn out to be a Pulitzer idea. The best idea could wind up wadded up in the trash.

As I was driving about town today, I found myself attracted to billboards dotting the landscape. Most are food advertisements, which make drivers crave a Coke or a Big Mac. Some are designed to make drivers desire sparkly finger-ware. And then there are the hospital signs, insurance signs, hotels, restaurants, and so forth. All basically attempting to persuade the average American to change the way they go about their lives, or believe that one way is better than another.

Are you led astray by advertisements? Or can you see beyond the image, zeroing in on what matters most?

Let’s take a fast food billboard, for instance. Image is a gigantic hamburger. Not just any burger but a multi-layered hamburger with the works, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and cheese. Large font declares this is the best burger known to man. The image is crisp, lifelike. The purpose is to make the tummy growl and the mind to steer into the next quick lane for a dose of chow. (Sometimes I find myself looking for Australian herders.)

I admit I’m a sucker for a large, sparkling glass of Coke. There’s nothing like the large Coke logo, giant polar bears or a large bottle with condensation glistening off of the glass. On a good billboard, I can almost feel the effervescent bubbles tickle my face as I put the glass up to my mouth, eager to sip the dark, sweetened brew. Coke with ice… a good thing.

So it was today, as I drove around, I began to ponder — yes, my friends, that ‘daring-do-thang’ I frequently do — ponder. Oddly enough, the billboards I passed did not make me hunger for food. Like Pirate’s of the Caribbean’s Barbossa craving apples, unable to gratify himself with anything else, I found myself yearning for mental foodstuffs that satisfy.

Here’s what I saw on the billboard:

Bun = The segmented part of writing most people are willing to strive for… interaction with other writers, people who think alike and, thankfully, understand the voices occupying our heads.

Lettuce = Crisp black words upon the page, which bond a reader to a story and forge a writer’s deepest secrets to the fore.

Onion = Zing that flavors each story and the brainstorming forces of storyboards, plotting parties, and advice given to anyone who seeks to reveal the oasis inside.

Tomato = Acid that burns when rejections fill the mailbox/inbox. Here also lingers the sweet essence of acceptance, the flavorful appeal of success, contributions that assure us the days of bland writing are over.

Cheese = The maturing voice/style which provides a writer with confidence, for all that has come before has hardened the writer’s skin and forged within a fermented flavor/armor of steel that can only herd the writer toward an even greater goal— the beef— success.

Meat = The pinnacle! Here is the center of our cuisine, the purpose of every ingredient… to give the writer protein and balance. This is the goal, the heart of every writer’s aura, selling the product when all the other things have been put into place. Savvy?

Hamburger = Successful writer. The final product enhanced by every nuance above and below it.

Remember the commercial, “Where’s the beef?” Like ‘No wine before its time,’ writers must prepare, share, beware, and not compare. Every writer’s journey is different. Just as every burger can be created to anyone’s taste, there will always be room for another burger in the world.

Bunless burgers are a completely different story. ;)

Can you think of another billboard that reminds you of writing?

What Do You Want Most?

I've been trying to catch up on things I've neglected in the past few months. No matter what I do, however, I just can't seem to get ahead. Isn't that always the way of it? ;)

How many of you are in the same predicament? How do you regain momentum when time seems to be against you?

I started the year off by adherring to a strict calendar template of do's and don'ts. Exercise, writing challenges, deadlines, contests, and most important family time were at the heart of my timeline. I've done better at some, than others. Did well exercising for a few months, then slacked off. Stuck to my required writing schedule more than I thought I would. But then other obligations sidelined my efforts. (Pirate! Always distracted by adventure.)

Don't get me wrong. I'm still on task, but the things I've had to focus on lately were not on my schedule. As an example: weeding my garden and planting flowers. That has been on my seasonal agenda but I had just about brushed that off. After purchasing flowers, however, I finally got the urge to see the job through. I've only got a few more plantings to do and then my garden will be ready for the season. Yay! I do love my garden. Next to the ocean, it is my fortress of solitude.

I entered the Maggie's this year and now, with the deadline looming close, must give my entries a final look-over before sending them out to contest coordinators. Thankfully, I'm on schedule here. But no matter how many times you look at writing, it always seems to change, or rather you change and see it with jaded/bejeweled eyes. Why does that happen and why is the rum always gone? ;)

I'm the luncheon coordinator for our local writing chapter, Heart of Dixie. Due to the horrific weather we had nearly one month ago, and the cancellation of our luncheon, I'm back at work trying to pick up the momentum we had up until everything went black. We've got a great team pulling this shindig together so I know it will be a wonderful afternoon for our luncheon guests. And, thankfully, our guest speaker, Kerrelyn Sparks, the venue and our local hotel were able to re-schedule us for that perfect day, next month. Many people have helped to get this event off and running and I'm indebted to them. Still... the luncheon will put a dent in my plans, as well as everyone else's as we all had other things lined up for June. Though we all want to devote our time to this, here again is something that was not on my list. (Man the braces!) ;)

This post is not meant to be a downer. I'm not about negativity. I'm excited about the things in my life. But with the many happenings/events/plans, worry often follows. I have two sons in the service, one overseas and one stationed stateside, plus one SIL-to-be in Afghanistan and a nephew holding down our Texas border, while arresting illegal immigrants and drug cartel, very dangerous indeed. My children are spread all across the world and I miss them terribly. And because of the distance between us, I'm constantly trying to fill the divide. (Rely on a compass that points to what you want most.)

Hubby and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary this past weekend. Woot! At a table nearby was a family with two young daughters. One look was all it took for me to recall the days we sat in a restaurant, all six of us, giggling and enjoying each other's company. Those were adventurous times! This became a precious moment, one making it all too clear I'm getting older and time matters. (Perhaps I need to journey to the fountain of youth.)

My heart is not only focused on my needs, but the collective need around us. There is a great cry for compassion in our country. We don't have to look far to hear the voices calling out to us. Tornadoes in Alabama jolted us aware. Now there is Joplin, Missouri, and Oklahoma too. So many people have made calendars they planned to follow this year, which are now null and void under the circumstances.

The point of this blog today is: you can have all the plans in the world but if you lose focus on what's important, you have nothing at all. I'm dealing with that today.

What has jolted you awake? What strides have you taken to get back on track?

(Schedules can be amended, but stay grounded by keeping a compass that points to what you want most, at the ready. :)

When One Door Closes, Another One Opens

Katy Perry sings in one of her newest songs, ‘Firework’.

“Maybe your reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road”

I’m thinking about doors today. Whether wooden, metal, or screened in, doors protect and direct. Doors prevent us from reaching what lays on the other side. Or, if you adjust your thinking, hide something from prying eyes.

There are doorways to the past and future, avenues taken via memories or when renewing old friendships. A picture contains a thousand words, a trail/pathway into the past. An object, house, car, new techno gadget, might be a doorway to a dream unrealized. One step to aid mankind can create a cause, guide a movement empowering millions.

Seasons of life are doorways. Birth/Spring, Adolescence or Young Adulthood/Summer, Middle Age/Autumn, Winter/Old Age, are seasons, one after another opened and closed, to reveal new experiences, frustrations and joys. These types of doors shut out the cold and hold in warmth. Each phase mesmerizes and becomes a challenging oasis with various speed bumps or the occasional flicker of green light, red light. What we make of each seasons steers us to the right door of the next phase in our lives.

"Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?"

Are doorways predestined to any of us?

I’ve been wondering about that lately as I remember the peace I felt while reading a book about Zen back in college. Created by Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, Zen combines religious and theoretical texts, focusing on meditation and understanding one’s own nature. The philosophy is difficult to conceptualize but, once it has been, there is great peace attained to the inner soul and mind.

"Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you"

According to Perry’s philosophy, if we dwell on the negative energy beyond one door, we screen the prosperous crack beaming with light from the next. It is up to each individual to look at life as a road with byways and backroads that oftentimes intersect at the precise moment needed. The universe is connected, mankind is linked, and through it all the mind seeks peace and understanding. And yet, the soul yearns for direction. It is through that direction that legacies are won.

"If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow"

We must be open to these doorways so that we’re not blinded to the reward.

"Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through-ough-ough"

My family volunteered our time this past Saturday in clean up efforts through Disaster Relief here in Northern Alabama. We were thrilled to see so many stepping forward to serve their fellow man. We came prepared to help with our chain saw. Then we saw the devastation. One cannot imagine a neighborhood besieged by hundred year old Oaks, completely uprooted, thrown this way and that, like twigs. But they are there, draped across roofs, fences, backyards, frontyards, cars, you name it. I even stood next to a 10' deep hole created by the 15' rootball of an uprooted Oak tree in a woman's front lawn. What did we joke about? Putting a hot tub there.

A door closed on so many people's lives 2 weeks ago today. But many others have opened. People have rallied. Companies, like my husband's, set out to help. The kindness of others has united lives. As Perry's song is written to include a rainbow after a huricane, so too shall new doors open and voices raise in triumph.

"Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe"

Do you recognize doors opening to you? Or do you shut the door and turn away from what’s on the other side, fearful of change or disappointment?

To Golb or Blog, When Things Appear Backwards

Efil, or life, has a way of springing traps. Just when you think you’re hitting a running high, moving past the wall, llaw gets in the way. (Don’t squint, you’re not seeing things.) I’m spelling words backwards. For one, it’s a kick of mine and you can ask my friends about it. I’m sure they are nodding right now or rolling their eyes saying “not again.” Second, it trains the mind to see things differently, besides encouraging brain activity that a person at any age needs to take advantage of. Third, it gets laughs.

Today, under the Tulip Tree, it’s not a time to hgual, or laugh. Alabama, and most of the South, are suffering from the recent surge of tornadic weather, which descended upon us one week ago today. Having lived through practically a one week black-out, I can tell you the newest deluge of information I’m receiving from the news on television has set my heart on edge. While the radio kept us up to date this past week, while we sat clueless in the dark, we now know nothing can convict a heart more than a picture. Pictures say a thousand words and the ones we are now seeing on television gut to the quick.

We live by words. But what are words, really, other than a means to communicate? Words are the fiercest things known to man. Words kill relationships, mend hearts, rip apart friendships, become abrasive, uplift, warp minds and reform sinners. One word can build a church, bond a mother to a child, or seal a convicted felon’s fate. Words. How I love them! How I love to play with them, mangle them, stress them, caress them and… say them backwards.

For instance: Mom is Mom backwards but upside-down it’s wow! You’ve got Mom (shout out Mother’s Day is coming up everybody). She’s the woman most admire, but some have a hard time getting along with, if the glass is seen half empty. And then there’s Mom with a Wow! She’s the woman who can pack a punch, make life worth living, and help us see the glass half full. Turn a situation upside down and something wonderful happens every time. (Make this your mantra!)

There is SOS, which is SOS right side up, backwards and upside-down. This is a word I’ve thought of often these past few weeks here under the Tulip Tree.

First, we lost our beautiful, dedicated wife and mother and ever amazing friend and author, Beverly Barton, nearly two weeks ago. Second, our plans for Heart of Dixie’s annual luncheon were halted by Mother Nature, who packed a whollup no one this side of Dixie, or in history, has ever seen before. Our state was bent upside-down and over backwards just to see what it would look like from the inside out. At one time, nearly a million people were without power after the storms decimated towns, cities and University housing. People’s lives were lost; homes were tumbled across highways and byways, destroyed or left untouched. Those of us lucky to survive must now pick up the pieces. How do we do that? How, when thousands are without homes to live in and young children walk around without any idea where they lived, without knowing if their family is alive, because nothing looks the same and no one can be found, do we go on with our lives as though nothing ever happened? We can’t and we shouldn’t.

Now is the time to pets and yap drawrof, step and pay it forward. Now is the time to etanod, donate, clothing, anything that will benefit the sselemoh, homeless. Now is the time to yarp, pray… pray for those who mourn the loss of loved ones, until now spelled backwards is won.

There are countless ways to reach out and touch someone. Here, below the Mason Dixon line, communities have pulled and will pull together at this our darkest hour, literally the darkest hour in Alabama history. No one should be left behind. Neighbor should shelter neighbor, stranger provide for stranger, until now is won. This is how our dearest friend, Beverly, mentored, and in the process created friends who will carry on her legacy from darkness into light.

I’ve often blogged about overcoming fear. Well… many live in a state of fear now. Fear is real. Like a pine needle thread through a tree trunk, it has pierced our shells. No tornado siren will go unheeded from this moment on. And though we must do the business of mourning our losses, cleaning up the mess and rebuilding our lives, we WILL not be blind. To each dark hour, the dawn must come. Through each gaze into the sun, a bright light will be seen. It is inevitable that we must look inside, draw upon our deepest emotions and guide those feelings to a positive end.

We must translate NOW into WON.

The human spirit has the ability to overcome whatever test it faces. Whether that be getting past a rejection on a literary work, rising above broken friendships or relationships, gleaning the positive out of negative, grieving loss, or having to start all over again. When we take the time to begin, our definitive goal will be won.

It took Alabama nearly one week to overcome darkness, but the light has come and a new day has dawned. We are no longer asleep, but awake. Ready to mentor, step and pay it forward, to overcome fear and race toward our ultimate goal, life.

What do you do when things appear backwards? How have the events of this past week convicted you?

A Time For Us: Remembering Beverly Barton

A time for us some day there'll be
When chains are torn by courage born
Of a love that's free
A time when dreams so long denied
Can flourish as we unveil
The love we now must hide

A time for us at last to see
A life worthwhile for you and me
And with our love through tears and thorns
We will endure as we pass surely
Through every storm
A time for us someday there'll be
A new world, a world of shining hope
For you and me

There are seasons for everything, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. There are food seasonings which make food eatable. There are rainy seasons, droughts, white-outs, tornados, earthquakes and hurricane seasons. And last, but not least, there are the seasons of life, creation, birth, teenager, adult, middle aged, and elderly. There is ultimately life and death, something we at Okay, Listen Here have experienced in the past week with one of our own beloved friends, Beverly Barton.

There is the knowing and a time to blog.

The earth tilts on axis, rotating like a top, spinning as it travels around the sun. We don’t know this is happening, though the gravitational pull experienced as a result keeps our feet on even ground and the tides on schedule. We DO know Darwin's Theory, if something drops, it will plummet, and if you trip you WILL fall. We know that atmosphere protects the earth from the universe and the sun. We KNOW these facts! Lately, however, I’m left wondering if the top isn’t spinning to tell me I’m in an alternate universe. As Leonardo D'Caprio did in the movie, Inception, the news of Beverly's passing has had a staggering affect on me. I can't help wondering if this is real.

In the knowing, one does not easily find acceptance.

I’m preparing for the Heart of Dixie’s 14th Annual Romance Readers’ Luncheon. This happens once every year. The event is the highlight of HOD’s calendar. I’ve worked on making sure everything is in place for HOD luncheons 4 years running. I KNOW how things work, when they’re supposed to be done, who needs to do them and why. A year’s worth of planning has gone accordingly. This year’s luncheon proved to be our most anticipated event. But then my axis spun off-kilter as if an asteroid hit, leaving a tremendous void.

In the knowing, one does not easily understand.

When my father died three years ago, I understood that I HAD to make a trip to Orlando just three days after his death. I don’t know how I did it, but I maintained decorum and kept my emotions under control so that my baby could perform at a national cheerleading competition and not see me fall to pieces. You see, if she had seen how much my father’s death hurt, she might not have performed to her utmost potential, which ultimately would then have endangered the entire team’s chances of making the final round. I did what I had to do then, while also planning my first luncheon. And I will do it again.

In the knowing, one does not easily function.

A top spins only as long as its rotation allows. People continue to work. Food continues to be cooked at fast food restaurants every day. And 174 people will be massing upon the convention center downtown expecting HOD will deliver another fun-filled event. How then, when we’ve lost one of our own most beloved authors, do I plan and prepare? We’ve initiated new things this year, Highland Warrior Simon Bade, a photographer and a romance book cover, and we’re raffling a Nook, not to mention over 40 raffle baskets, and 22 Door Prizes.

There is knowing loss even as life goes on.

How do you go on when your heart is breaking? How is it that people are laughing when you grieve? How is it that I can go outside and feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my skin and know that I’m alive, when I’m broken? I’m not alone. Heart of Dixie has over 70 members. RWA has over 10,000. Beverly’s books touched millions of readers. And yet, I feel her loss deeply.

You see, I cannot claim to have known Beverly Barton as well as others can. The two of us shared a special bond, a bond that began nearly 6 years ago, when I first joined Heart of Dixie. Beverly was one of the first to greet me. She understood right away that I’d sacrificed my dreams to raise my family. She had done the same. Family meant everything to Beverly, as so many others have said. And family history meant even more. She was a 6th generation southerner with a love for the south that, I dare say, went unmatched. The advice she has given me has made me a better person as well as a better writer. When I needed guidance, Beverly was there. When I had something to celebrate, she was one of the first to contact me. As newsletter editor of HOD’s monthly newsletter, The Heart Monitor, I kept in contact with her every month. Beverly loved HOD with a passion and sought ways to help members find the success she’d been lucky to achieve.

Vivacious, quirky, witty, sassy, loving and classy, friend, mentor, and proud southern belle, Beverly Barton, was all this and more. What an inspiration!

Beverly has left a legacy for us by lifting the bar higher than ever thought possible. You can be a published author, carry yourself with dignity, touch readers, mentor new blood, perceive the world to be inclusive, dare to live beyond your dreams, and share it all with those you love. How? By recognizing the seasons for what they are and becoming a starry guide to those around you. Life happens. Death is inevitable. What lies in between is the legacy that lives on in each of us.

I grew up listening to Donny Osmond sing, A Time For Us. I played it over and over again. The melody is haunting, the lyrics gripped my heart, and it is what I hear in my head as I remember Beverly, the woman with sparkling laughter and a contagious smile. I am a better woman, wife, mother, friend, writer, and mentor because I knew her and was blessed to have called her friend. Now it's time for me to pay it forward and keep her legacy alive.

What legacy do you want to leave behind?