Sticking to It

Promises, Promises

Everyone knows promises are important. As a child, you pinky swore to be besties forever (and some of us are still friends to this day. Go, us.) As important as promises are to others, don't forget the ones you make to yourself. You matter just as much as the people around you.

Every year, I choose a word and try to make it my "word to live by" for the year. This year's word is HEALTH, and that includes my mental and physical health.

The arrival of COVID-19 derailed most of us across the world. All the work I had done in the prior few years went right out the window with everything coronavirus brought with it. I will freely admit I stress ate and gained back all the weight I'd worked so hard to lose. Things were Not Good.

Getting the Gear to Get In Gear

This, I decided, is the perfect year to work on my health again. I work from home in my day job, so I have a standing desk, but that alone isn't enough. I need to do some real work. With those two aspects of my health in mind, I decided to add yoga back into my routine. Yoga works the body while helping you calm your mind with focus and meditation. I had taken classes previously, and an opportunity came up earlier this year that sounded uncannily like the universe telling me to get off my butt.

I have no excuses (well, nothing good unless you count watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy again), so I decided to get some pretty new yoga gear to encourage me to Do the Thing.

You can do yoga in a T-shirt and sweats, but if you have the means, new gear is a fun way to encourage you to keep new habits...and a lifestyle change of eating better and getting more movement (I will never call it a diet, because I won't stick to it) is, essentially, building a new habit. There's no exact science to habit building. It takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to a year, according to experts. Do whatever it takes to form that good habit, whether it's small steps or treating yourself to an inexpensive step in your goal. I got a bag, mat, and yoga blocks for less than $27.00 new...and don't forget the secondhand stores.

Staying the course takes a certain amount of willpower. Don't get too hard on yourself if you made a New Year's resolution, then faltered on keeping it. The beauty of it is, you can get back to it. Support networks are a huge bonus in this. Social media groups, friends, and family are just a few connections you can cultivate to help you through the tough periods of sticking to your goals. (I don't know where I would be without my friends and family after 2020.)

 Got a resolution you're working on? Feel free to drop me a line about it, or subscribe to my newsletter to follow my journey and get other updates from me!

Thank You and Happy Holidays

Thank You!

Today, I want to thank each and every one of you who bought or read one of my books, visited me at a signing, or simply chatted with me this year about your favorite reads or writing. I love talking books with people who love reading the way I do, and it has become my favorite reason for doing book signings. It's truly a joy to meet fans of the same characters and compare notes on what I liked best about certain stories.

If you did enjoy any of my books, whether bought or borrowed, the most wonderful gift you can give me is a review. Reviews are the lifeblood of an author. You can simply add stars, or if you like, make a comment on something you especially enjoyed. Here are just a couple of links where you can post a review for any of my books:

Amazon: https://buff.ly/4idHEYy

GoodReads: https://buff.ly/4iiy3jt

Thank you so much for your support. It means so much to me!

Happy Holidays

The winter holidays are upon us as I write from my toasty warm office here in NY. This was a strange year, no question. From the disarray of putting a new patio in all summer, to the loss of my Macey in October, things have certainly felt "out of order." Here's hoping that 2025 brings exciting new adventures and good times with friends and family...and perhaps a new book release! I'm still working on an as-yet-untitled spicy contemporary romance. In the meantime, I have a stack of books on my TBR pile with which to while away those chilly nights, and a cup of Peppermint Mocha in my hand. I hope the holiday season brings you joyful memories and hopes for a bright year ahead.

Happy Holidays! / Updates at Greenwood House

The Holidays are Here!

Every year, our family hosts a Friendsgiving "Holiday Dinner" where we make the main dishes, and friends each bring a side to help celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. This was our 19th year, and it was a great time. Our house isn't often this full with people, and I love hearing the laughter and stories as we all come together over a delicious meal. (If you haven't tried BBQ Pit Boys Apple Cider Turkey, you definitely should. We make it every single year. 😋)

If you're looking for a unique holiday gift for the book lover in your life, you can order personalized signed copies of any of my books! Don't want to wait for a print book? Check out any of my books available in ebook or audiobook, and have them delivered straight to your loved one!

Or maybe, like me, you love watching those holiday movies. If that's the case, pick up either of my holiday novellas, THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL or THE GINGERBREAD SHRED, in ebook, or in print in HOLIDAY HEARTS!

What's Happening at Greenwood House?

On a sad note, we had to say goodbye to my soul dog, Macey, in October. She was with us for twelve and a half wonderful years, and I miss her terribly.

The house was so quiet the week after we had to let her go, and I was not in a good place. It's strange how you get used to the sounds of dog tags jingling and the ticking of claws on the floor. Not to mention how sad it is when you want to hug a furry family member and they're not there. Fortunately for us, I remembered that a good friend worked with Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter, and she found us Archie, a Shiba Inu mix with a great personality and extensive expertise in cuddling. Archie is now a happy part of our lives, and the house is full again with the sounds of fur family.

In between training and playing with our new pup, I've been writing in a new contemporary romance which I hope to have out next year (although I never count my chickens, because life). However you celebrate the season, I wish you a festive and happy one. Lift a cup of your favorite warm beverage, and toast good cheer to your friends and family. Happy Reading!

RWA Files for Bankruptcy

 

RWA Files for Bankruptcy

I’m a bit late to the game on reporting this, but better late than never. If you’ve been around the romance industry for the past several years, you probably saw this one coming: RWA has filed for bankruptcy. Romance Writers of America was, until recently, the organization to join if you were a writer (or hopeful writer) of romance. For an annual dues fee, aspiring and published authors could receive access to members-only workshops, chapter membership, classes, news, a monthly publication, and a chance to attend writer’s conferences including the annual RWA conference, which was a huge event held in various places around the United States. I joined in 2008, and not only did I learn a lot about the craft, but I also made friendships that will last a lifetime.

What a heartbreaker that this is what RWA has come to.

How it Happened

RWA’s bankruptcy move was a result of a precipitous drop in membership after the organization repeatedly ignored member and public outcry for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in its author awards, board membership, and support for aspiring novelists. I was one of the members who left, not directly due to the DEI fallout, but certainly my decision was accelerated by it. Details on the bankruptcy filing here: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/romance-genre-thrives-despite-rwa-bankruptcy-diversity-controversies-rcna155497

You can read a full writeup on RWA’s behavior that resulted in the bankruptcy filing here: https://herhandsmyhands.wordpress.com/2024/05/30/rwa-goes-bankrupt-its-not-dei-its-the-bigotry-and-racism/

What disappoints me is that the organization had multiple chances to make good on its past wrongs, and instead of righting the obvious exclusionary practices, it doubled down on its mismanagement. Now that the organization has filed bankruptcy, it seems to be “blaming” DEI instead of simply citing its drop in membership (around 7,000 members, reportedly) as its inability to continue. Granted, the membership drop was a direct result of the fallout from RWA failing to honor the diversity of its membership and readership, but the fault lies with RWA, not DEI. It’s disingenuous to say otherwise.

A Need for New Blood

Authors need community. I’m living proof that without the support of like-minded community, some of us will never get published. I went from a scared-of-her-shadow, painfully shy scribbler to a multi-published, award-winning author thanks to the people I met and things I learned in such an organization as RWA. I will always be grateful for that, but more importantly, I have become aware of the privilege I have had to learn and advance my career. Anyone who wants to publish, no matter their race, religion, creed, or persuasion should be allowed the chance to do so…and to learn how. Now, more than ever, the romance writing community needs an organization that teaches its membership, but also listens to them and supports them.

All of them.

Introducing Narrator Janine Granda!

 

Please Welcome Narrator Janine Granda!

Today, I'd like to introduce you to the unbelievably talented narrator of FLASHPOINT, Janine Granda! Janine is a SAG-AFTRA, Cuban-American actor, voice artist, and audiobook narrator with multiple credits under her belt. Her straightforward, lively voice talents have brought FLASHPOINT to sparkling life. Janine is wonderful to work with as a narrator, responsive and intuitive in her reading, and she was a joy to work with.

Get FLASHPOINT now or listen to a sample at Amazon, Audible, or iTunes.

About Janine Granda

Some of Janine Granda's earliest and most treasured memories stem from the regular family get-togethers whose sole purpose was to gather around the television and watch films like Indiana Jones, The Birdcage, and The Lord of the Rings. In fact, she's pretty sure those get-togethers are what ignited her love of sci-fi/fantasy and are what encouraged her to be an actor. She currently resides in Los Angeles by way of Miami, FL and when she is not in her soundbooth or on set, she enjoys volunteering for a local dog rescue, playing video games, being a 'fur mom' to two scruffers, exploring the Californian landscape with her fiancé, and celebrating her Cuban roots.

Instagram: @beingjanine_
TikTok: @beingjanine
Website: https://janinegranda.com

Blogger vs. Wordpress (Yep, Still Blogger)

 

 
...And Still the Champion (For Me, Anyway)

I've tried to like Wordpress. Really, I have. Between the fact that there are two different iterations of the software (Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org), each with different features and a not-at-all-intuitive design engine, I have decided for the third time that I like Blogger better.

All Blogging, No Waiting

I know there are users who love the heck out of Wordpress, and they manage to create beautiful websites and blogs with it. I am not one of them. I'm an author, Jim, not a blogger. I've been on Blogger since 2006, and like the proverbial old dog, I don't have the patience for the new tricks when I simply want to put a blog post out into the world and share some information with you.

My defining traits are stubbornness and impatience, after all. I like a simple, intuitive interface. (You should have seen me when I first downloaded Scrivener. I almost had heart failure at how complex it is. I did get it to play nice with me, eternal thanks to author Holly Evans.)

Don't (Always) Reinvent the Wheel

Innovation is great. New apps, conveniences, and computer features are being developed so fast we can hardly keep up. (See the ongoing battle against Artificial Intelligence, or "AI," and the way it's been using copyrighted works to "learn.")

In many cases, there's nothing wrong with the tried and true. As authors, who must also be editors, who must also be graphic designers, who must also be marketers, we don't have a great deal of spare time on our hands. Google currently owns Blogger, and they're not going anywhere anytime soon, so I figure I'm safe staying put with my blog (even if that means my blog looks slightly different than my actual website). Blogger is free, still offers the features I want, and does the trick for getting my news to you.

Worry Not

The moral of the story is, don't sweat the details. You need to spend time getting your words into print if you're an author. As long as someone can find you and your works online, it doesn't much matter what platform you use. If you're a new author without much money, there are lots of ways to get an online presence without spending a dime...and Blogger is one of them. You could conceivably create a whole website using Blogger if you wanted to, although it may not be as robust as some web hosts. It might make better financial sense to use Blogger when you're just starting out.

Or if you're stubborn and impatient, you might just like it better.