Tag Archives: Happy New Year

December 31, 2019 · 12:59 am

A look back…..

As I’ve gotten older, I find myself in a reflective mood this time of year. The current year is drawing to a close, the New Year is just over the horizon. Since I’m such a lesson-oriented person with a tad of goal-making obsession thrown in, I wanted to look back on this year at the highs – and lows – and see what I can learn to guide me into 2020 with a brighter, enthusiastic mindset. At the end of 2018 I made some goals for myself for  2019. Of the 7 things I listed, I only stuck to 2. More about that on tomorrow’s blog.

For now, since being positive is such a good thing, let’s start with the good things that happened this year.

  1. I had 3 books published through 2 publishing houses and I released my very first indie pubbed book into the world  ( the story of how this came about is detailed on tomorrow’s blog, so check back.)      
  2. I celebrated my 59th birthday and my 32nd wedding anniversary. No small feat, either of them.
  3. I never wrote them all out together until now, but I won ALL of the following awards this year:
  4. 2019 NERFA Winner – Contemporary romance 40k-56k CHRISTMAS & CANNOLIS
  5. 2019 Book Buyer Best Top pick of the year – Contemporary Romance – DEARLY BELOVED
  6. 2019 Book Buyers Best First place in Mainstream Romance: CHRISTMAS & CANNOLIS
  7. 2019 International Digital Awards – Winner CONTEMPORARY NOVEL – CHRISTMAS & CANNOLIS (this is the second year in a row I’ve won this division, so YAY!)
  8. 2019  Golden Quill Contest – Winner Contemporary CAN’T STAND THE HEAT
  9. 2019 Maine Romance Writers Strut your Stuff Grand Prize Winner DEARLY BELOVED
  10. I finaled in a bunch more contests, but the wins have a tad more cache ( hee hee)
  11. I sold more books than ever before this year, so I hope that means I gained some new, loyal readers. That’s the goal, anyway!
  12. I joined a fabulous Blogging Group called the ROMANCE GEMS where I get to blog to the masses once a month ( more if I want a special day!) The support and love in this group is astounding.

And of course, there were things that weren’t so great that happened and need to be listed.

  1. I was dropped by one of my publishing houses after book 1 of a 3 book series was published due to low sales. I never realized they wanted me to sell 1,000,000 books right out of the gate. And yes, if that sounds bitter….I am.
  2. I received some not very flattering reviews for a few of my books ( and yes, they were outnumbered in droves by the positive ones, but the negative ones are the ones you ALWAYS remember)
  3. I tore the rotator cuffs in both arms, the bicep tendon in my right and had to have surgery to fix the right arm so I could function like a human being again. ( Left arm is next year)
  4. I continue to see my parents deteriorate with age and that truly saddens my soul.
  5. Several of my friends lost their parents this year making # 4 a reality for me to come.
  6. The world around us is very dark and scary right now and I truly am sick and tired of seeing another high school or mass shooting, or another home-terrorist attack every time I look at the news. I am trying to be hopeful for the future, but it’s hard.

I am happy and hopeful, though to see that there were more good things listed above than bad things.

So, I look forward to starting 2020 renewed, recharged, and delighted with the potential happiness the year will bring.

Happy New Year, peeps  ~ Peg

 

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December 28, 2018 · 9:01 am

A look back….

As I’ve gotten older, I find myself in a reflective mood this time of year. The current year is drawing to a close, the New Year is just over the horizon. Since I’m such a lesson-oriented person with a mix of goal-making obsession thrown in, I wanted to look back on this year at the highs – and lows – and see what I can learn to guide me into 2019 with a brighter, enthusiastic mindset.

Since being positive is such a good thing, let’s start with the good things that happened this year.

  1. I had 4 – FOUR!!! – books published through 2 publishing houses. Okay, so 3 of them came out into the world within 6 weeks of one another and I almost had a nervous breakdown from the promo aspect of all that… but 4 books!!!
  2. I traveled to some new places-to-me: Iceland,  Denver, and Bermuda. Can you find more diverse weather and cultural  locales, peeps?
  3. I was featured in the HEA column of USA today – a writer’s dream come true, believe me!
  4. I was  the featured author in a wickedly popular You-Tube podcast titled TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DAMN BOOK.
  5. I met one of my heroes, Jack Canfield.
  6. I met some of my writing idols at RWA 2018.
  7. I celebrated my 58th birthday and my 31st wedding anniversary.
  8. I reconnected with my mother.
  9. My darling daughter got engaged to the perfect man for her! ( and I swear I’m gonna use this picture on the cover of my next book!

 

And of course, there were things that weren’t so great that happened that need to be listed.

  1. I was dropped by one of my publishing houses after submitting 3 book proposals that they passed on.
  2. I received some not very flattering reviews for a few of my books ( and yes, they were outnumbered in droves by the positive ones, but the negative ones are the ones you ALWAYS remember)
  3.  My darling mother-in-law died after a long, long illness.
  4. I gained another 19 pounds after being hypnotized to lose weight. Yeah…I can’t figure that one, either.
  5. The world around us is very dark and scary right now with the way things are being run in this country. I am trying to be hopeful for the future, but it’s hard.

I am happy and hopeful to see that there were more good things listed above than bad things.

So, I look forward to starting 2019 renewed, recharged, and delighted with the potential happiness the year will bring.

Happy New Year, peeps  ~ Peg

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December 24, 2018 · 11:59 pm

Holiday Respite….

From my house to yours, from my family to yours, the Merriest of Christmas’s, the Happiest of New Years, and may your holiday season be filled with love, laughter, joy and family. ~ Peg

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December 31, 2017 · 11:46 am

One year ends, another begins…..

Making a New Year’s resolution is something a lot of people do once that clock strikes midnight on 12.31

Lose weight, exercise more, be present and not preoccupied, put down those devices and engage personally. Those are just a few of the ones my friends have told me they are going to resolve to make in 2018. They, like about 85 percent of the population, make resolutions and then don’t follow through for the entire year. The reasons? Varied, but ranging from boredom to maybe making resolutions that were unattainable, or too hard, or not specific enough.

Why am I talking about this, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

I’ve stopped making resolutions because I fall into that 85 percent. I start the year all gung-ho, losing weight, writing more, not getting so preoccupied. By about January 15th I’m already tired of it all. It’s too much work, too mind draining, I’ve got other things to do. These are all the excuses I give myself as an “out” for the resolutions. Besides, I still haven’t gotten into the habit of writing the new year date instead of the previous one on checks!

So last year I stopped making resolutions and began making goals. Calling my new behaviors goals instead seems to make me want to stick to them more, and even propels me to do so.

Last years’ goals were to write 5 times per week on this blog, finish 4 novels and get to the gym 5-6 times per week and to learn to compromise when asked to do something instead of giving a knee-jerk “no.’

1, 2, and 4 I did. #3 I had a little trouble with due to injuries and my arthritis flaring up.

This year’s goals are:

  1. Finish my current WIP by the end of January and submit.
  2. Write 2 more books and 1 novella by December 31, 2018
  3. write this blog 2-3 times per week and my menopause blog once a week.
  4. get FIT!!! I have to go on a cruise in the summer and I swear I am not going looking like I do right now. So it’s off to the nutritionist and the gym for me.
  5. Bump up the social media posts. I haven’t been on SM this week due to a death in the family and I’ve already lost 15 Twitter followers.
  6. Be present and engaged more. You know I’m a hermit in the winter. I vow not to be one this year. Still haven’t figured out how, though!

So, check back with me periodically in 2018 to see how those goals are going for me and if I needed to revise, revamp or even renege on a few of them!

Be well, Happy New Year and I’ll see you in 2018!

in 2018 look for me here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

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July 21, 2017 · 8:30 am

Ring in a New Year…and a new attitude

I think most people would claim their birthday or Christmas as their favorite holiday. After all, on both of those days you get PRESENTS!!! Presents just for you. And while I’m not knocking presents, neither of those days is my favorite holiday to celebrate. It might seem odd, but the day that means the most to me every year is New Year’s Day.

Why, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

As a writer, I love beginnings. Beginnings of books, beginnings to love stories, beginnings of family sagas. If a book captures me right from the beginning, I am with it the entire way.  I also love firsts. First babies, first loves, first kiss, first dollar you earned! Both of those things– the first and the beginning– are incorporated into New Years Day.

It’s the beginning of a new year. It’s the first day of the next 364. It’s the day when the slate is rubbed clean from the previous year and you get a fresh start at…everything: life, love, success, happiness. Out with the old, in with the new. Brand new. Fresh. Hopeful.

Plus, you get a really great kiss at the stroke of midnight!

Really, is there anything better than starting off a brand new year with a kiss from someone you love?

Since this is blog hop/share, check out these other authors. I wonder if any of them like New Year’s as much as I do!

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January 8, 2016 · 10:06 am

A New Year, a New Attitude

I haven’t been able to post this piece this week because of the beginning round of Candy Hearts releases that have hit like a giant wave. Reviews are coming in all over the place and it seems everyone loves the series, so yea!

Late December I had a kind of epiphany. Since my retirement, I’ve basically been a hermit in my own home, writing 8-10 hrs most days and seeing no one for days at a time except for my husband. I’ve said “No” to lunches with friends, dinner dates with my husband, and shopping trips. I told two boards of directors “No” when they asked me to join their organizations, and I canceled two writing conference trips because I just didn’t want to leave home. I didn’t even decorate for Christmas this year because we were going to be out of town for the holiday.

Hermit, much?

In December, I realized I was isolating myself and although this may be good for me  the writer, it wasn’t good for me the person.

So.

I made myself a promise. Instead of knee-jerking “no” to everything when asked, I would make 2016 the year of “yes.” Yes I can, Yes I will, Yes I do.

Now, I’ve had a few people tell me this is dangerous because you need to know where to draw the line at saying yes. Don’t worry. I’m not saying yes to anything harmful, dangerous, illegal or immoral! I am saying yes to opportunities, friendships, and to helping others.

By saying “Yes” I’ve become my New Hampshire’s RWA chapter secretary this year.

By saying “Yes” I’ve volunteered to be a judge at this year’s Dancing with the Keene Stars in April. ( I was a contestant last year)

By saying “Yes” I joined a gym and am now working out and talking to actual, live people instead of my characters, 5 days per week.

By saying “Yes” I feel as if a giant weight has been lifted from my body. I’m smiling more, and I genuinely feel happier.

It’s amazing what a three letter word can do for, and to, a person.

Happy New Year, and here’s to 2016, the year of  “YES…I do, I can, I will.”

And I hope you say “YES” to my new release, 3 WISHES ( A Candy Hearts Romance) when it is released on 2/8/16. It’s up for preorder now, and here’s the link.

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Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday. Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family. But this year for her big 3-0 birthday, she just might get her three wishes.

 

 

 

 

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