Ta Da! No Wand Necessary

I was recently at a Celebrate-Someone’s-Life-Event when my long-distance friend, Dancing Beauty, questioned me about wearing tiaras.  She questioned that I would wear one, that I have a whole collection of them.  And so I had to prove to her that it is in fact true.  I love, Love, LOVE tiaras!!!  

So here’s how the tiaras play out in my life.  My very first tiara ever was a lovely Cinderella Tiara that came with a Halloween costume when I was about four or five years old.  I recall wearing that costume and feeling like royalty for realz!  And of course, I wore that costume as a nightgown until it was threads.  I think the color was a bit off and instead of Cinderella Blue it was Periwinkle Blue.  Maybe that’s where I get the Periwinkle Obsession from?  Hmm.  I never thought of that before…..

The second tiara is one I bought for a Mommy-Daughter Dance that I took Clair to as a wee one.  It’s not very big, just enough to fit around a bun.  It’s not really very fancy either, but it has lovely memories attached to it.  I think I was tiara shy at this point in my life, scared somebody might see the real me.

Then there’s the Ya Ya Tiara that my sister-in-law (Golden Child) gave me when we went out for girls night.  It’s paper and totally childish, but wow was it fun to wear that night!  We got lots of attention!  I recall adult beverages.

Next is the Daisy Tiara which is again, small and simple but it stands high enough to make a statement.  And what a statement it makes!  Golden Child gave me this one too.  It’s the Daisy Tiara and she gave it to me when V was a toddler.  She said I had to wear it on bad days to remember who I really was.  I’m pretty sure V had spent a long weekend with her just before she gifted me.  V’s a bit high maintenance.  

But my favorite of all is the lovely Swirls Tiara which I wore for the beauty pageant.  I was Miss Kentucky.  Not really.  It was the Murder Mystery Beauty Pageant with the HOD girls.  But let me tell you!  When I put that tiara on, I AM a Queen!  I don’t know what’s so special about it, but it makes my inner Queen Lesia come out and have fun!  Finally!  I have found the right tiara for me.  This is the one I wear when I write “The End” to celebrate.  This is the one I wear when I need that something special like when we all honored Beverly Barton with our bling. It is my Harry Potter’s Wand, my Golden Ticket, my Glass Slipper.  It makes me feel like the real me!

There may be other tiaras in my future, I’m not sure.  But for now I am happy and content with the bling I have.  I keep them in my office to remind me that beautiful dreams DO come true.  And my beautiful dreams involve Heroes and Heroines!  Every Heroine should have at least one tiara, don’t you agree?  And we’re each and every one of us the star of our own story!  

Have you found your right tiara?  Does your tiara make you feel like the Queen you are? 

Post Luncheon Post

We at Okay, Listen Here, love to frolic like carefree kittens.  The venue here at our blog allows us that freedom.  But as writers, we're oftentimes called to report for duty at our home writing chapter for the Heart of Dixie's Annual Romance Readers' Luncheon.

This year was no different.  With Lora Leigh as guest speaker, we lined up to get our marching orders.  Answering the call from this year's luncheon coordinator, Kimberly Ward, we helped stuff goody bags and decorated tables, schelped and mingled, met awesome new and old authors who hosted tables, and chatted up eager attendees.  There were raffle baskets galore, assembled under the direction of Dani Wade, chocolates on the tables, goody bags stuffed with free gifts from authors and 3 books each, and Door prizes.  What kitty could ask for more?

Food?  Never fear!  The menu consisted of Spring Salad, Honey Dijon Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Steamed vegetables, and rolls, a purrfect combination.

Thanks to the wonderful caterers at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, AL, we were well-fed AND treated to a choice of Strawberry Cloud or Double Chocolate Cake for dessert.  (Cleaning our whiskers!)

Stomachs full, pooped but purrfectly refreshed, the Heart of Dixie Romance Writers can safely paw another one up for the books.  172 attendees, 25 authors, including our guest speaker, with as many Door Prizes and over 35 raffle baskets later... the fun just kept on coming!  (Who could resist getting wrapped up in this kind of goodness?)

Bear witness to the result...

Purrfectly content!  This position is probably typical for all of us after this past weekend.  (Yawn!  I know I've assumed this position more often than not in the past few days.  And I wasn't even in charge this year.  Hats off to Kimberly Ward who has also been planning a July wedding!)

15th Anniversary Luncheon down.  But for Heart of Dixie members another year of planning begins... with J.T. Ellison to appear as our guest speaker next year, May 4, 2013. 

Arrrrr!  I ask ye all... Is there anything better than a pirrrate kitty?

I you went to the luncheon, what was your favorite memory? 

I have a Dream

We are all familiar with the famous speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream." I think it is important to have a dream, or six, in life. One of the saddest things that I have ever heard is when someone doesn't have a dream.

As a writer, I have had different dreams at different points in my journey. Once my dream was to write a book. Then my dream was to have someone else, other than the people who love me, read the book. Now my dream is to actually sell a book. That's right; it is my dream to have someone pay their hard earned money to read the words Jean and I have written.



Dani Wade

 I am sure that it will happen, but some days I feel very frustrated and overwhelmed at the entire process. I am always happy to hear that writer friends have sold their books or found an agent to represent their work. I am always looking for ways to keep my dream of being a published author alive which is why I am looking forward this month's Heart of Dixie meeting. Danielle Worsham (who writes as Dani Wade) is presenting a program called“A Race Well Run” about how to keep dreams alive when they seem impossible.
I am sure that this time next week after hearing the program, that I will be full of great ideas to keep my dreams alive.

How do you keep your dreams alive?

Guest Blogger Kira Sinclair

Please join us as we welcome our friend and Heart of Dixie chapter-mate, Kira Sinclair. She is going to visit with us and chat about her February release!

Out of Disaster

Have you ever had a nightmare turn into a wonderful dream? I'm not talking about a literal nightmare, but the kind of gut twisting situation that left you reeling. Maybe it was an embarrassing situation that happened in high school. Or a relationship that fell apart. Or a job you lost. Something that left you feeling disappointed, upset and probably emotionally drained.

For Lena Fuller that moment comes when she faces her fiance at the altar and learns he cheated on her...with her cousin. In a few seconds the perfect life she envisioned for herself, and always thought she wanted, crumbles around her. Betrayal, anger, and pain accompany the chaos of discovery and all she wants is peace. A chance to escape and figure out what happens next.

The honeymoon at Escape, an exclusive adults-only Caribbean resort, sounds like the perfect haven. Especially when her best friend Colt Douglas - a globetrotting filmmaker she hasn't seen in awhile- agrees to go with her. Between moon drenched nights, romantic dinners and getting lost in the jungle together overnight, it doesn't take long for Lena to realize there's more to what she feels for Colt. And that she never would have been happy with her ex-fiance.

Out of the disappointment of losing what she thought she wanted, Lena finds something better.

Has that ever happen to you?

Kira

Kira Sinclair's first foray into writing romance was for a high school English assignment; not even being forced to read the Scotland set historical aloud to the class could dampen her enthusiasm, although it definitely made her blush. She sold her first book to Harlequin Blaze in 2007 and hasn't looked back. Her newest release, Bring it On, the first book in her Island Nights trilogy, hits shelves in February. It will be followed by Take It Down, in March and Rub It In in April. She loves to hear from readers! You can contact her at kira@kirasinclair.com or visit her website www.KiraSinclair.com

Which Greedy Santa Personality Are You?

During the last few weeks I have played or observed the playing of a Christmas game known as Greedy Santa or Dirty Santa several times.  I realized at the smashingly fun Christmas party that our  Heart of Dixie, RWA chapter has that there are several different kinds of players. 

I thought we would talk about few of the different types of Dirty Santa players.
In order to protect the guilty, I will not be naming any names.  The players are in no certain order just as they came to me while I  watched the games.


1) The Stealer. You know them.  They ALWAYS take a present that someone else has worked hard to select and open.  Sometimes it seems as if the Stealer doesn't even want the stolen boot but simply doesn't want to bend over and get a present from under the tree or perhaps taking from others is just more fun.   Of course, the Stealers are a big part of what makes the game so fun!

2) The Opener.  The Opener is the polar opposite of the Stealer.  This player will ALWAYS open a present from under the tree. This can be nice if you can identify them early and/or if you think they might really want the same present you plan to steal later.

3) The Instigator (NO, not from the Writing Playground, just  instigating in general). This player just likes to stir the Greedy Santa pot!  It is the Instigator who will kindly point out, to the player whose turn it is, where the really cool stuff is so that he or she can consider stealing it.  The Instigator is also quick to point out which gifts have been stolen "almost" enough times for the last person to have it to keep.  As you can see this player is particularly dangerous if you have a gift that you like!

4) The Kind Heart.  This player is the person who will open a sad looking little present.  I saw a Kind Heart get a GREAT gift near the end of the game once and get to keep it. In this case, goodness got its own reward!  This is also the type of player who will take a present from someone who looks miserable and desperate to have a present stolen.  See what  I mean about having a heart.  While it is nice that some people want to be kind, in my humble opinion, if many players were this type the game wouldn't be as much fun.

5) Bless Her Heart.  This is the player that opens a lot of gifts, or maybe steals several times, but she is having that opportunity because everyone keeps stealing from her thus the bless her heart.  It seems that for whatever reason there is always at least one person who has cool gift after cool gift pass through their hands. Of course, there is a foolproof  method to bring this problem to a screeching halt, just watch this player open a bad present and all that getting stolen from will come to an end.  Bless her heart!

Are you willing to admit which type of player you tend to be?
Are there some other kinds of players that you can think of?

Give A Little

I was thinking yesterday about how many people enrich my life.  Of course, this led to wondering if I do anything that makes life better for others.  The obvious answer here is that, as an elementary school teacher, I enrich the lives of some children.  I even had a child tell me a few weeks ago that I was a "Precious Light from Heaven." 

This was very sweet but also sort of  made me wonder about the teachers in her previous experience because I run a pretty tough classroom this time of year.  But hey, I will take the love where I find it. 

I also thought about the professional organizations that I am in with other writers.  I have had the wonderful opportunity this past year to give back to the Romance Writers of America by serving on a national committee and helping shape the future leaders of our organization.  I have gotten to work along side of some great folks who have taught me a lot. I have been an officer in my local writers' group, Heart of Dixie, and have been able to be a part of many fun tasks such as planning programs and re-working the chapter by-laws and the policies and procedures manual.  I think we have worked to help our chapter grow and adapt to whatever changes the future holds. 

I thought about the volunteer work that I do at my church and in my community.  I pitch in to help with youth events, children's events, and tutor in the community.

I think this sort of thing makes our world a better place. But was I really helping others or  just selfishly trying to make sure that my world is as nice as I can make it?  And that is when I realized that at each  place where that I give a little of myself that there are always many other people whose gift is enriching my life!

I think that giving back to our world is an important element of being happy and content.  Do you agree?  If so, how do you give back to the people or groups in your life?

Do the Clothes Make the Woman?

I am in the middle of getting ready for the national conference of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and I am thinking a lot about what type of clothes to wear to different activities and events.  Our local chapter of RWA is know as the "Shoe Chapter", so there is also some pressure in that department.  I have actually had people in the elevator see on my name tag that I am a member of the Heart of Dixie chapter and look down to see what shoes I am wearing.  Luckily for me, I love shoes so this isn't a problem but I digress.

As I was working on my packing list yesterday, I really gave some serious thought to what I need to wear.  Of course, business casual is what everyone always says but how much business and how much casual?.  This year I have more business than casual because I have some "official" stuff to do two days, and on another day Pantster and I will be pitching our book to editors.  I guess I still think that there is some sort of magical outfit and if I wear it, everyone will love me and I will sell a book.

Of course, we know there are no magic clothes but often the clothing we choose does inspire confidence, is almost magical.

Do you have a favorite outfit or article of clothing that makes you feel confident and special?

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!

Luncheon Week

This is it! The big week!  It is finally here...the always fabulous Heart of Dixie Readers Luncheon is this Saturday at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville.  This year it has been very tough to bring the luncheon to fruition, even Mother Nature seemed to be out to get us. 


As most of you know our chapter recently suffered the loss of a charter member and a true pillar of our chapter with the sudden, heart wrenching passing of Beverly Barton.  She was such a supporter and encourager that she is greatly missed and many of us feel going into the luncheon that the absence of her sparkling personality will leave a huge hole that no one will ever be able to fill in our hearts.  That said, she loved the Heart of Dixie Chapter and I believe that she would be proud of the fact that we were able to carry on our traditions gracefully no matter what the adversity, especially if we could devise a way to do so wearing tiaras.


The Luncheon Committee has been headed up by our own Katherine Bone and her co-chair has been our Cheryl Crisona.   They have done a fantastic job getting the luncheon rescheduled and getting everything put back together. It has been a lot like trying to get Humpty Dumpty back together again but they have done it and done it well!  LeaAnn Schafer and Danniele Worsham have done a wonderful job on getting the publicity taken care of and as always Danniele has been the Raffle Basket Goddess!  We are going to have tons of fun, tons of door prizes, and even more than tons of raffle baskets!  It is really going to be a great event! 


All of us here under the Tulip tree will be away from our computers off and on for the rest of the weekend.
I know that many of you are planning on attending the Luncheon and we look forward to seeing you there.


Have you ever attended the Heart of Dixie Reader's Luncheon?
If so what is your favorite part?  If not, what keeps you away?

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?