How to Overcome the Overwhelms: IWSG + the BIG Reveal

You're a hair away from imploding due to stress. You don't know how you can manage ONE MORE THING, say nothing about keeping up all the balls you have in the air.

How in the world are you supposed to dig yourself free of the insanity so you can do important things like breathe?

If you're there, you're not alone.

A quick hello to all my wonderful friends! I'm back on the blogosphere...sort of. This is an experiment. Normally I visit 100 to 200 blogging buddies on blogging day, but life has changed yet again, as life does. Per request, here's a sweet little hint as to why:

Actually, she's not so little, for a newborn.

So I'll be slow getting around to visit everyone. Very slowly. Like 5 blogs a day. But hey, it's a place to start.

For those of you who want more details (because I know there are a few), here you go:

She threatened to come DURING Hurricane Irma, but thankfully all the prayers on our behalf held her in. A week later, and after 24 hours of labor + a home birth that made me once again question why I didn't just opt for a c-section (which would have been mandatory in a hospital), I was handed this little beauty. (And man was I grateful to have her in my arms rather than kicking my ribs.) She goes by "Ally." And she's epic.

Since that moment, I've been sleep deprived and working to get my feet back under not just myself, but my entire family.

The upstairs hasn't been vacuumed for three weeks, which is a slightly big deal with a 2 year old in the house.

Big sister adores her.

Laundry takes all week to get done.

In her handmade, great-grandma dress.

Dinners have been 50% store bought or fast food since she was born.

And all of that (and more) could be greatly discouraging and make me feel like a failure of a mom.

But I don't feel that way.

Not at all.

Every day I fight to get a little more done. Each evening we're a little better than the day before. Our routine is coming back into place and we're even establishing new and better aspects. There are set backs...like my 2 year old who dumps toys EVERYWHERE (especially my room), spills liquids all over the house (milk, juice, spaghetti sauce), sneaks into the vitamins and medicine, and wanders off with important things like makeup & baby necessities. Or there's my ADD 11 year old who periodically needs more watching than the two year old.

BUT the point is, we need to have patience with our circumstances, life, and our ability to achieve. Working toward "perfect" or even just "good" is hard. There are little victories along the way, and we have to celebrate them when they come. We can't get stuck in the overwhelms.

Today, I'm celebrating the fact that I'm going to visit a few friends that I've missed online. One more ball in the air--but it feels more like a helium balloon.

This has been an installment of

Huge thanks for hosting
Alex Cavanaugh, Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton,
MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!

What victory are you celebrating today? Who is NaNo-ing? And have you had any fabulous cheeses while I've been away?

How To Sell Time (IWSG & an Announcement!)

If only you had a corner on that market, eh?

The IWSG question this month is a timely one (pun intended):

Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?

When I was in high school, I backed away from writing for a time. It was a wise decision as it made room for social aspects I would have otherwise missed--including meeting my husband. It wasn't an "I quit" per se, but I never expected to seriously return to writing.

Five years later, when I was married, a college student, and needing some sanity, I pulled out my old notebooks and FINALLY finished my first novel. All 140,000 words of it. (For non writerly types, that's about twice as long as your average book.) Next thing I knew, I'd written a novella that eventually became MOONLESS, then a musical with a full orchestral score, then six other books...

It was the right time for writing.

But, as is inevitable, I've cycled into a new season. All my writerly loves are sitting in their file folders, begging for my attention...and not getting it. There will come a time again when I write as prolifically as before, but right now, I'm consumed with 5 major projects: one in his sophomore year of college at age 16, two of them in 5th and 7th grade home school, one in home preschool, and the last one...

For those of you who may not have seen the announcement:

She even smiled for the picture!!!

The time for writing will come again. For now, I'm a full-time teacher, part time blogger, part time taxi, house keeper, and periodic book reviewer. That'll do, eh?

HUGE thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh

and his cohosts, JH Moncrieff, Madeline Mora-Summonte, 
Jen Chandler, Megan Morgan, and Heather Gardner!

Three weeks ago, Krystal Jane Ruin shared NO REST FOR THE WICKED along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an AWESOME prize pack.

The game:

1. I once got lost in England, alone, at night, by myself. I was coming back from seeing Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Opera House in London and went out a different exit than planned. I found by way back by following signs for the British Museum as my hotel was off an adjoining street. I only ran into three weirdos.

2. I once got lost in Spain coming back from Castle Alcazar in Segovia. I wandered around the mountains for a couple of hours looking at the pretty scenery before growing tired and taking a trolley to the cemetery across from the hotel, which was the closest he could get me on his route. 

3. I once got lost in Switzerland. I got distracted by the pretty buildings on the way to see the famous Lion Monument in Lucerne. I lost my tour group, and was found by the trip director on my way back to the prison hotel who took me on a walking tour of the city while he ran some errands.

The lie: #2. 

From Krystal: I've never been to Spain, but this exact thing happened to me in Edinburgh. I got turned around after exploring Edinburgh Castle, and the cemetery was across from the dorms we were staying in, not a hotel. I get lost a lot.

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Suzanne Furness!

Congrats, Suzanne!

And now, about selling time:

With subtle wit, and poignant imagery, the unrelenting passage of time connects the vignettes in Theresa Milstein's Time and Circumstance. This reflective collection of real and imagined poetry and prose, speculates on an erratic childhood, the uncertainty of adolescence, and the reality of parenthood, through flashbacks of love lost and found.

"This everyday, why again, sometimes

ignored tune has measured time in notes, 

seconds, minutes, days, years, and so it goes. 

It's a measure of the man he will become."

Buy your copy on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Theresa Milstein writes middle grade and YA, but poetry is her secret passion. Vine Leaves Press published her vignette collection, TIME & CIRCUMSTANCE on March 21, 2017. She lives near Boston Massachusetts with her husband, two children, a dog-like cat, and a cat-like dog. For her day job, she works as a special education teacher in a public school, which gives her ample opportunity to observe teens and tweens in their natural habitat.

For Theresa, picking a favorite cheese is like choosing a favorite child ... almost. You might stumble across her eating a soft blue cheese or a gouda with a little crunch, some fresh bread, olives, and wine while hanging out with friends or family who are visiting her home.

Theresa gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win an ebook of TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCE, and if you guess correctly, you will win a SIGNED HARDCOPY! (Open internationally.) IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT WITH AN EMAIL ON THE PROFILE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS OR EMAIL IT TO crystal@crystal-collier.com WITH YOUR SCREEN ALIAS.

You have until Tuesday, June 20th at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on June 21, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Right after college, I landed a job as a make a makeup artist at Macy's, Herald Square, New York City. This led to a year doing makeup for a few shows on The Food Network. 

2. During the summer, I worked as a carney in the game booths on Long Island. I hated working the fixed games, though I hated running the sticky cotton candy booth even more.

3. One semester, I interned with a U.S. Congressman in New York, which meant handling a lot of angry phone calls, looking up data, tracking potholes, and attending events.

So sleuths, which is the lie? What would you do with a spare bottle of time? Have you met Theresa? Do you read poetry? Have you ever quit something you LOVE?

5 Life Lessons a Baby Can Teach You

Do you love babies?

My dad was a doctor and delivered so many of them. He loved babies so much, he ended up having 8 of his own. Which sounds insane. Because it was. But it was also wonderful. So many people to love, and such a strong support system of family.

In honor of that, today's funnies are brought to you by life lessons babies can teach us all:

5. Don't be jealous/envious. Share.

4. Show appropriate affection.

(Beware smooches.)

3. Look before you leap.

2. Know the difference between reality and imagination:

1. We're always working on control--refining a little at a time. No one is perfect,

and no one looks graceful all the time, even if they are ADORABLE.

And now, as promised... 

I dropped off the planet last month. Perhaps I'm a little more like my dad than I thought because...

We're looking forward to welcoming baby #5, and because my health has been a little tenuous (thank you morning--I mean--all day sickness), I've been taking everything slow. Even reading. *gasp* Every addition to our family has made it sweeter, a little more chaotic, and so much more fulfilling. I'm excited to hold this new one in my arms...in 6 months.

Do you have any awesome news? Anything you're very much looking forward to?

Two weeks ago, Katherine Bogle shared HAVEN along with two truths and one lie. Anyone who guessed was entered to win an eBook. If that person also guessed the lie correctly, they would receive FYRE (a collection of short stories) as well.

The game:

1. The second time I ever voted, I was nearly killed on the way to the polls.
2. To tell my first ever crush that I liked him, I chased him around the school yard until I kissed him. He was an a**hole to me in high school. Well deserved? Maybe.
3. I once had 8 cats (seriously, all at the same time).

The lie: #1.  

From Katherine: The first time I ever went to vote, I was driving with my best friend. We reached an intersection where we had the right of way (two stop signs on the other sides). As we were going through the intersection, a huge truck flew in front of us. My friend hit the brake mere inches from the truck. We were in a tiny little Chevy at the time, and may have died if the truck struck the side of the vehicle. Thank God for my friend's awesome reflexes! 

And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Lynda R. Young!

Congrats, Lynda!

And now for a YA urban fantasy you don't want to miss:

Blinded in an accident, only she can see the truth.

Losing her parents and her sight changes everything for Sibyl Forsyth. Terrified and refusing to accept the gift that she can now "see" into the supernatural realm, Sibyl stays at home, closed off from the outside world.

When she's plagued with a vision of a catastrophic event, Sibyl knows she can't possibly sit back and watch her California coastal town's ultimate demise. Reluctantly, Sibyl sets out to stop her premonition from coming true. With the help of her shifter guide dog, Vago, the two join forces to save the day as they encounter intensely evil spirits with a vicious vendetta.  In a race against time, Sibyl and Vago battle their own demons while trying to save the town from an explosive ending that nobody else sees coming. 

If you enjoy stories with supernatural visions, suspense, budding romances, and a heroine who has a lot of heart -- then you’ll love Pond's latest urban fantasy series!  

Check out Hidden Sight and "see" what's in store for you!

Buy your copy on Amazon.

Ready to meet the author?

Simone Pond writes sci-fi novels for young and new adults. She's also obsessed with Boston Terriers, Victorian dresses, and the end of the world. She's a warrior of light. 

She grew up in Kensington, Maryland––a small town just outside Washington D.C.––and spent most of her time filling up journals. In 2013, she published her first fiction novel, The City Center, which won a gold medal in dystopian fiction. She publishes a book every couple months, so be sure to sign up for her mailing list for updates on new releases.

You might find Simone sitting in her living room with a good French baguette and chevre (cheese). She loves cheese so much, it finds its way into her stories: There's a scene in Beyond Sight (the second book in the Coastview Prophecies) where the main character, Sibyl, and her boyfriend, Eli, are eating goat cheese. Simone was a strict vegan for about five years and didn't have any cheese -- at all. She was pretty miserable those five years.

(And understandably! Yikes!)

Simone gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. If you guess the lie, right or wrong, you will be entered to win a PRINT BOOK of HIDDEN SIGHT. (Open internationally.) IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BLOGGER ACCOUNT WITH AN EMAIL ON YOUR PROFILE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS.

You have until Tuesday, April 4 at 2 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on April 5, 8 a.m. EDT.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I saved someone's life giving them the Heimlich maneuver.
2. I was baptized in the Pacific Ocean.
3. I'm a hoarder.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you met Simone? Do you like urban fantasy? Do you have any awesome news? Anything you're very much looking forward to?

Babyness and Bookness

Some of you may have heard me ranting about my happy, happy news that we're FINALLY expecting. Our youngest is now 8, and we've been trying for a while, so this is a HUGE thing for us. It's even more huge in the fact that my daughter has been begging me for a little brother or sister for forever. 

So my happy news today, we finally know what we're expecting:

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, Kai Strand shared WORTH THE EFFORT, AYDEN'S STORY with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook.  

Kai's game: 

1. Kai once played the part of the planet Venus – dressed as a Venus Flytrap.

2. She considers herself a scorpion queen, because they tend to appear wherever she is. Yes, it's as creepy as it sounds.

3. She came down with the flu and missed being crowned Prom Queen.

And the lie is:

#3. Kai did not miss out on being Prom Queen due to an ill-timed sickness. She did, however, played the part of a Venus Flytrap and is plagued by the appearance of scorpions.

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Tanya Miranda!

Congrats Tanya! 

And now to today's feature...

Alphabet Wildlife A to Z is a beautifully hand-illustrated book where children learn of many different animals that begin with the letters in the alphabet. 

This book introduces young readers to a variety of animals, many of which are unknown to people.

Get your copy HERE.

Nata Romeo a.k.a ArtistaDonna, is the author and illustrator of her first children's book, titled Alphabet Wildlife A to Z. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she now brews and sprinkles her art and stories from the Philadelphia skies. She dreams that her work gets swept up and tangled into a massive storm front so that her world can travel across the universe and beyond!

Nata's favorite cheese is blue cheese. Since she's the only one in her family who really appreciates this delicious cheese, she ends up adding it to just about anything she eats.

UNLIKE NORMAL, Nata gave me two LIES and one TRUTH to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the TRUTH will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an Amazon eBook of ALPHABET WILDLIFE A-Z. How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, November 18, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on November 19.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Nata has traveled to Mars to study Alientology, she now speaks fluent Alien languages.
2. Thanks to the Aliens, Nata is now a prodigy in Polyglotism.
3. Nata enjoys writing and illustrating. She has conversations with her characters on a daily basis.

So which is the TRUTH? Have you ever had to wait a REALLY long time for something you wanted badly? If so, what?