So Paula is up to new tricks these days. I have a new trio of sounds that make it sound like I'm opening a can of soda. BUT as a result, my boss has been asking more questions and has even talked to corporate about me.

Apparently there is a monthly meeting for diversity and inclusion. I'll get to speak next month about Tourette syndrome and I'm so excited about it. I love public speaking. 

Some other fun updates, I've been able to spend this Memorial Day weekend with my family in southern Utah. It's been so good and so needed. My grandpa hasn't been doing well and I love being able to spend some extra time with him. 

Madamn is still a work in progress, but I've decided that I will be finished by the end of the year. Meaning I've hired a developmental editor to help me make more (and faster) progress. From there I'll be able to spend an entire 8 months working solely on promotion. 

I'm considering running a Kickstarter campaign and writing a short novella about Em's mother. She has a great story and I'm amazed at how many in my writing group are connecting with her as a parent and having no idea what to do with a child with an unnamed disorder. I'm loving it.

They are also really loving the character that is Paganini. He was a character indeed. As a world-famous violinist who was reported to have sold his soul to the devil for his talent, he would have gotten along very well with our "possessed" heroine.

I'm up this week in my writing circle, so Imma go do some actual writing now, but I hope you have a marvelous week!

Commitment & Discipline

Wow, y'all. 

Today has already really gotten away from me and I'm in shock that I haven't been able to get this post out and it's almost dinner time!

I have gotten a lot done, but I still feel so behind. 

However, despite my growing hunger and desire to eat, I am staying at the office to finish this blog post. I have made a commitment and I'm going to follow through with it. 

It takes a lot of dedication to write and publish a book. Then again, so does life. Life takes a lot of discipline, and I feel like that's a trait that society is losing. 

It's easy enough. I know I've had my moments where it would just be easier to stop. To give up or take a break. 

Don't get me wrong, taking breaks are important. But it does require discipline to start again. 

Which isn't always easy. 

Then it takes even MORE discipline to stay focused once you have started. 

Life it hard, y'all. But it's harder when you aren't putting in any effort. 

So I'm going to post this soap box I'm currently on, go to the store, make dinner for me and hubby, then try to get some actual writing in. It's the one thing I didn't accomplish today and I want that. I'm not sure if I will come back to the office, I might just take my laptop home. Either way, I've made a commitment and a promise to myself and I will see it through.

Happy Saturday!

Hey friends! I'm a bit later today posting because, well, it's FINALLY so BEAUTIFUL outside! I had a hard time sitting in front of my laptop when I could be outside going for walks or connecting with business folks.

I've wandered up and down Main for several hours, finding goodies to put in the gift boxes for the Reader's Escape, stopping for a quick bite to eat, and meeting new people. I'm just such a fan of this kind of activity and I'm beginning to think I'm more of an extrovert than I have ever realized. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my time alone. I need space to read, to write, and now, to crochet. 

But oh, how I love talking with people and learning new things and seeing the town in a new way. It's really quite marvelous.

As far as an update, I had my first crochet lesson and loved it. Huge fan so far. I also met with another author friend of mine and we are considering some work together. I've asked her to be a developmental editor for me and she has some work that I might be able to help with, but nothing is set there, so more on that later. I hope.

I'm finally sitting down to do some of my own writing. Now that I'm doing TWO Reader's Escape Weekends (did I mention this? The first sold out, so I opened another!), I have been trying to keep things straight and organized. So far I'm surviving. 

But I'm getting very excited for this coming week and to be able to see the progress with how everything is coming together.

I hope you are doing something today that absolutely lights you up and that you have a marvelous week!

Unusual Perks

I have a lot of things that I love about having Tourette syndrome. Don't believe me? I literally wrote a book about it. (You can get it here)

NOT included in the book is something I realized just this week while at work. Being a bank teller is awesome and I love it. However, there are some days that are slow. In those days, I've noticed that Paula is much more active. Which is great, it helps keep all of us awake and it breaks up the monotony.

That's when it hit me just how great having TS really can be. 

It doesn't just break up the monotony of the work day, it does this to my LIFE. 

It is constantly evolving, keeping me on my toes, giving me opportunities to laugh and to meet people. 

Isn't it wonderful to have something like that?

Life can be such a struggle sometimes. It's easy to fall into a routine, to feel stuck, to do the same thing day after day and week after week. It's frustrating, especially for someone like me who gets bored easily.

Lucky for me, Paula is really good at shaking things up and giving me new experiences.