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About This Author
I am a 40 year old married mother of two teenage boys. I live for writing, especially romance. Love the happily ever after scenerio. The best thing about writing for me is the ability to lose yourself in your work, and feel as if you've accomplished something great. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters.
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Poisoned Purple Pen
 
She sat down at her old wooden desk, pen at the ready. Her thoughts raced. What shall I write today? Tilting her head to the side, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth before enveloping her delicate face. The purple ink began to fill the once blank sheet, each stroke a labor of pure joy as the words flowed from her mind, her heart, her very soul.
My Dreams...
to write of romance and endless love
to love without boundaries
to learn from past mistakes
to laugh with all my heart
to be the woman I am meant to be
TODAY...
I will reach for the stars
Will not give up
Will give all that I have
Dare to dream the impossible dream
For anything in this life is possible
 <---I am blown away by this
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February 28, 2017 at 7:25am February 28, 2017 at 7:25am February 28, 2017 at 7:13am February 28, 2017 at 7:13am
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Prompt: Imagine that you do not need money...for anything. Not that you're rich and money is no object, but you are the only person in the world who does not need to pay for food, clothes, expenses, or anything else. But...the only stipulation is that you always have to be naked, wherever you go...work, school, grocery store, wherever. Your life is normal except for not needing money, but always being naked. What do you think...would you do it, and why (or why not)?
I'm late. Yeah, yeah, bite me. It's not like this prompt had the muse screaming with excitement. And when I first read it I was like no blankity blank way am I writing for that!  And then I had this quick little visual in my head. And you're about to see where that will take us!
What do I think? Well, as stated above in words 5 & 6 that pretty much says it all. Oops! My bad.  Moving on.
Would I do it? First thought, HELL NO! I mean come on now, I'm about to turn 49 and gravity is not being kind to me.  Ummm, let's try this again.
In a land of plush purple and green lived a lady who never needed money. Why she never needed money to pay for anything is a mystery, but alas this dark haired woman was always nakkie!  Oh she was smooth about it as she ran around town. I saw her once in the grocery store, standing behind the melons, all Austin Powers like. Boy did she have the tendency to always have something covering her privates while making eye contact. Not once did I manage to catch her without something interesting accentuating what I imagined was behind the props. Pineapples, Melons, gallons of milk, carefully placed shopping bag, a book, the telephone pole, a tree. You get the picture. Man was she stealth!
Yep, that's all I got on this matter. 
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February 25, 2017 at 8:13am February 25, 2017 at 8:13am
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Prompt: Creation Saturday is going to cost 3500 gps but the good news is there a detective merit badge up for grabs too! I've taken one line from each of your blogs on 2/24. Your task is to write a poem or a story with the lines but also to discover who owns what lines. So yeah, you get to do some snooping in your co-bloggers blogs. Good luck detective writers!
Everyone loves, television station, hair salon, spiritual soul, too many interests, obstacles head on, direction we're heading.
I left the television station and headed to the hair salon, ranting the entire way. I couldn’t stand that dreadful woman with her flighty observations. Who was she to tell me I had too many interests? To tell me that I must face my obstacles head on? With every step, my heels tapped the sidewalk louder, the fury racing through my veins while that woman's voice rang in my ears. I had half a mind to scream at the top of my lungs to make it stop, or bash my head into a brick wall. Both routes had their appeal. I thrust the door open to the saloon, not willing to wait more second longer than necessary.
"Is there anyone here who can fix this?" I asked, pointing to my head
"Sure, have a seat," said a tiny woman with a smile as big as the sun.
I sat down and let her wash my hair and then moved to the chair, knowing it was time for something drastic.
"What would you like?" she asked.
"A big change," I replied.
"Hmm." She stared at me for a long moment in the mirror. "Everyone loves the Rachel still."
I didn't like the direction we're heading, or rather she was heading. No way would I pull off that framed face look. I shook my head.
"How about that shoulder length bob? That would be cute. Hey, you're that woman from the TV."
I cringed, realizing she probably saw the show earlier. "Yes," I admitted.
"I just loved your segment with the Spiritual Soul woman."
Courtesy of:
Everyone loves ~ me
television station ~ Chris Breva 
hair salon ~ Jade Amber Jewel 
spiritual soul ~ Prosperous Snow celebrating 
too many interests ~ SB Musing 
obstacles head on ~ tah20
direction we're heading ~ NaNoKit 
On a side note. Happy Birthday, Irish. I miss you terribly.
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February 24, 2017 at 7:16am February 24, 2017 at 7:16am
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Prompt:
Have you ever taken a job you didn't want in order to support yourself?
Yes, multiple times.
What was it?
The first time I was 15 and it was Dino's Pizza. Under the table of course Until I was 16, but I had to quit that job because the asshole boss was all hands. Then I worked at United Technologies. I had a new/used car I had to pay my mom and grandfather back for. I hated that office job. Never take a job when you know you are replacing someone that EVERYONE loves. They will let you know daily how you don't measure up. In 2003 R just got the garage and we weren't making money so I had to go look for a job. He suggested I try City Hall. BAM! Tested. Passed. Interviewed. Passed. Hired. It was so quickly I couldn't believe it. And I hadn't worked in a decade. But, I did love my co-workers and the job was pretty good on most days.
In "The Meaning of Work," an episode of NPR's TED Radio Hour, psychologist Barry Schwartz asks, "Why is it that, for the overwhelming majority of people on the planet, the work they do has none of the characteristics that gets us up and out of bed and off toward the office every morning?"
Good question. I don't necessarily think people realize what they truly want to do until after they've gone through college and graduated. Once you have that degree in hand it's more difficult to change course. You have personal financial debt, parents waiting to see you working and earning your way. Now you're trapped. Besides. if we all could earn money staying home, wouldn't we? I sure as hell would.
Are you working in your dream profession now?
 Oh how I wish. As soon as my new DIL gets situated, I'll be out looking for a job. I need to pay my personal debt down, and I am in desperate need of a change. A new job would be great. Keep your fingers crossed that I actually find something I like.
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February 23, 2017 at 6:57am February 23, 2017 at 6:57am
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Prompt: Come up with a Top 10 list- any topic or subject you'd like- and explain briefly your reasoning behind each pick.
Oh the Places I wanna Go!
10 ~ Las Vegas
Vegas seems like a cool place to visit. I also wrote one of my romance novels around it, and went through a bunch of books trying to get the strip right in my mind. Seeing it firsthand would be awesome.
9 ~ Maine
I have a 4 book series that revolves around Maine. I don't know why I picked this location, but Maine always seemed like it would be an interesting place to be. If you look at a map, it's like the beginning of the United States on the Atlantic Ocean Side.
8 ~ Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona,
Who doesn't want to visit this place? Countless movies and television shows have used the Grand Canyon as a backdrop. It looks so enormous, and even has a waterfall. I love waterfalls. I think I could get lost there and not want to come back home.
7 ~ Nashville, TN
I've been here once and loved it. I did a lot of site seeing where I was here and loved walking around and checking out the Grand Ole Opry. The bars are fun if you like dancing and an array of music.
6 ~Playa del Carmen, Mexico
I've been twice now and loved it. If you really want to be pampered, have nothing to do but soak up the sun and swim, then I highly recommend an all inclusive resort here. The staff are awesome, and the you will meet the friendliest people from all over the world. Sleep in. Get room service or go down to breakfast. Hang pool side all day, then get dressed up to hit one of the themed restaurants for dinner. The rooms are fantastic!. When you get back from dinner your bed will be turned down, slippers ready and waiting for you. Chocolates on the pillows. It's just awesome. And very affordable.
5 ~ Savannah, Georgia
Back in the late 80s, early 90s there was this TV show called Savannah. I was immediately drawn to this location and have wanted to move there ever since. They have an abundance of Magnolia's and I just have these awesome images of the scenery still in my head some 30+ years later.
4 ~Washington D. C.
Now I've been here before, but I was 14 I believe, the summer before high school. I had my first real boyfriend, and I was not happy to be going on this car trip. Once we arrived, I loved seeing all the monuments, especially Lincoln. I've always been fascinated by Abraham Lincoln. I really wanted to go to the top of the Washington monument, but lazy me said no. When we visited the Capital, Ronald Reagan gave a speech. It was cool to be standing there when he was speaking instead of seeing it on the news. I remember nothing about what he said, but I clearly remember people stomping on the tulips to get closer to seeing the President. I want a do over.
3 ~Hawaii
When I was little my grandmother went and brought me back a Hula Skirt. I have pictures of me wearing it. My mother has also gone, and with all the pictures, volcano's and blue waters it's one of the places I'd like to see with my own eyes. I love to swim and getting to swim there would be amazing.
2 ~ Venice, Italy
Venice is a definite draw! I have picture of Venice in my living room and I am so fascinated by it. I want to ride a Gondola and experience this place. It looks so serene. I keep hoping one of these trips to Lebanon we will stop in Italy for a few days so I can check this off my bucket list.
And the #1 ~ Ireland
I'm Irish, and I've always wanted to go see where my grandfather is from.
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February 20, 2017 at 7:08am February 20, 2017 at 7:08am
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Prompt: What is the most embarrassing thing (merchandise, employee, customer, or otherwise) you can recall seeing in a retail store environment?
Fresh out of high school and a brief semester at college, I started working in retail. What girl doesn't like getting a glimpse of new clothing before the public? About two years later I became assistant manager. I loved my job. I worked with awesome people. It was a five minute drive from home and I spent half my paycheck on new clothes constantly.
I have so many stories of working there, so I think I may take this prompt a little bit further. Cause it's my blog dang it and I can! [insert maniacal laugh here]
Most embarrassing:
That would be Christmas Eve. The absolute worst day to work in retail. People suck and it shows on this day more than any other day. This woman had come into the store the night before and I was closing. She asked if we'd hang onto to clothes. We had a policy. You must buy them that same day or they will be put back out onto the floor. Which she was told. So the next day, the line is halfway back through the store, and she asks where the clothes are from the night before. I told her we only hold items until 9pm that day. She starts yelling. I'm waiting on a customer. We have two registers going and she loses her mind over the clothing. We argue back and forth and I send one of the other girls to go grab my boss from the backroom because I wasn't going to stand there and let her keep screaming at me.
We kept arguing, and she calls me a Bitch. I totally lost my mind and started to climb the counter to attack her. True story I swear. Another girl actually grabbed my leg and prevented me from getting fully on top of that counter. When my boss came out I relayed the story and that woman LIED and said she never called me a bitch. I swear to God I wanted to slap her upside the head. I looked down at all these people standing in line who saw and heard everything and I said. "I'm not the only one who heard it. Who else heard her call me a bitch?" No one spoke. God it was insane. My boss pulled the woman to the side, where of course she admitted what she said.
Needless to say, I was embarrassed by my actions. I engaged her in the argument. I jumped onto the counter in front of at least 30 people to attack the woman. And I was wearing a skirt!
Most Disgusting:
Would you believe that someone actually took a dump in a pair of underwear, put said pantie in the pocket of a pair of jeans, which they left in the dressing room. Lucky me I got to be the one to put the clothing back on the floor, pulled the pantie out and ewwwwwww nasty!
Most Annoying
Being Assistant manager means no perks. I was working with one other girl. Suspicious people came in. I was getting things ready for us to close up for the night and told her to go to the front of the store and watch them. She moved to the front of the counter, but wouldn't go up front. I told her again. She took two steps, too scared in case something went down. So I finally come around the counter, and start moving in their direction. When I was about 3 feet away, they bolted out of the door, leaving behind a huge garbage full of clothing they were going to run out of the store with. Well guess who got the $50 bonus for looking out of the store? Not me! Yep, being a manager it's my job. Man was I annoyed about that for weeks!
I could go on. So many stories, but to this day, it remains my favorite job.
"30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  by Fivesixer 
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February 19, 2017 at 8:12am February 19, 2017 at 8:12am
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Prompt: Tell about a book you're currently reading (or have recently finished). Give us a brief synopsis and your thoughts on it.
Well I hope this counts because if it isn't my own novel, then I haven't read anything in over a good year. I have a four book series I've been working on for the longest time. Last year I got tired of it sitting around, collecting dust, going nowhere, and I loved my characters too much to do that. I decided it was time to finish ~ the entire series. No more 25k, half written sequels.
"A Perfect Fit" by Purple Holiday Givings  Was complete sitting at about 51k, but I paid for an editor from Writer's Digest a few years ago, and she told me the hero and heroine must meet asap in a romance novel. Well guess what? They didn't cross paths significantly until 10, 000 words in. There was only one thing for me to do. Cut the first 7 chapters. Use the rest as the beginning and middle, and write that ending. I can happily say I did that, and I love the book even more now. Anna is the fashionista who feels like a failure, and drags her butt back home after being gone for a decade. Nolan own a construction company and has been pining away for her since she ran off. I torture these two until neither can take it a second longer. And when they finally get together, I throw obstacles in their path to happiness. Nolan is my ideal man. I admit it. I wrote the man of my dreams when I tackled this book so long ago. And then I published it in paperback, which is so damn rewarding!
When A Perfect Fit was complete I needed to finish "Megan's Man" by Purple Holiday Givings . The characters drove me. I couldn't stop until I had their story told. I read, edited, wrote, erased, wrote some more. Read it from the beginning in a desperate attempt to figure out how to wrap up Megan and Corey's story. These two married so quickly that even I was shocked. No grand wedding, nope. They snuck off in the middle of the night and woke the preacher just to say I do! So then I was like, okay, now what? They married in the middle of the book. Well Corey did have a dilemma, and a past. Corey is Anna's best friend, and Nolan's brother. The rancher still lived at home with the parents, so where were newlyweds to live? Certainly not in the barn! And you really can't outrun your past, can you? How that inspiration hit that tied in something big from book one to book two was my own personal miracle! I finished Megan's Man, and published that one too! 2016 was looking to be a good year. I was on track.
I was so excited to open "Bride 2 Be" by Purple Holiday Givings and see where I left Calvin and Lisa hanging. And I was there. Until "Game of Thrones" by Creeper Of The Realm  started on WdC. You cannot do anything else that month. I know. I tried. GoT takes every ounce of extra energy you have. You read, review, write, race around the site making sure you did as much as humanly possible so you stay in the race. I kept telling myself it was only 31 days and then I'd be back to finishing book three and moving on to book 4.
It's weird when you are on this roll, accomplishing something you only dreamed of, and then watching the rest of the year pass you right on by. I'm working on Bride 2 Be again, hoping that if I can write the ending to that one, and then move on to "Endurance Bound" by Purple Holiday Givings that I will have finally wrapped up my book series I started oh so long ago. I love my fictional town of Endurance, Michigan. I love how my characters connect and cross paths, interact, bring support and chaos to one another.
I just wish I had some direction for Bride 2 Be. I believe I know where to take them, but I cannot decide if it actually works or not. Lisa Green runs Green's Boutique. Anna starts working there and shows Lisa some of her clothing designs. They get into business with Grayburg Corporation and sell Anna's Originals. The Grayburg family are prominent in New York and their father doesn't like his offspring (5 kids) mixing business with pleasure. In Bride 2 Be, Lisa gets a letter from her sister Penny, stating she's run off to marry Edward Grayburg. Lisa contacts Calvin Grayburg, Edward's older brother and Lisa's contact and the pair set off to chase their siblings down and stop the wedding. But alas, it's a romance novel, and spending time with one another leads Lisa and Calvin to test that business motto.
So my muse is saying that Calvin thinks opening a warehouse in Endurance and a second office is a safe bet. But is it? I keep picturing Calvin talking to Nolan about remodeling an abandoned building and sticking around, mostly because he's fallen for Lisa. I think it's easier in my mind to see someone from small town moving to the big city, than vice versa. And that is where I'm stuck. I've read this book a dozen times and every time I get to Calvin being in Endurance, I sit staring at the screen. Sigh.
I'm open to feedback. Ideas. Yelling at me to get my butt in gear and let my muse play it out. Go on. You know you wanna!
"30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" by Fivesixer
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February 17, 2017 at 8:20pm February 17, 2017 at 8:20pm
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Prompt: Dying is illegal in the Houses of Parliaments – This has been voted as the most ridiculous law by the British citizens. What's your take?
What weird laws exist on the books where you live? If you could write a weird law, what would it be?
Let's just say I'm stunned by how stupid some of these are. I mean, come on, when do lawmakers deem it time to change some of these outdated laws? Ever? Doesn't look that way in Michigan.
For instance:
A woman isn’t allowed to cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.
Well, I've committed this crime multiple times. Good thing R hasn't reported me to the police or I'd be donning orange scrubs.
Adultery is illegal, but can only be punished upon a complaint by the affected husband or wife.
I don't recall this actually being used with adultery rates so high.
No man may seduce and corrupt an unmarried girl, or else he risks five years in prison.
Good luck with this law, Michigan.
Couples are banned from making love in an automobile unless the act takes place while the vehicle is parked on the couple’s own property.
Umm, hello. How stupid is this one? I highly doubt if couples wanted to get busy in the car they would park in front of their own home to do so. Where is the fun and excitement of it if your bed is a few feet away?
Willfully destroying your old radio is prohibited
Uh huh. Wonder if this one was ever enforced. Not that the law itself makes any sense to me.
It is illegal for a man to scowl at his wife on Sunday
Ding, ding, ding, ding, DING! Now this little beauty may come in handy. I can seriously see myself using it to get my way on Sunday's. I'll let you know how it goes.
Being the law breaker that I am, I'm all for making changes to what's there already. I don't think we need anymore bizarre laws that no one follows anyway.
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February 16, 2017 at 9:11pm February 16, 2017 at 9:11pm
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What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some but for everyone
I couldn't agree more with these lyrics. I see the chaos the world is in and it's hard to watch. We live in a world of splendor, spectacular sights and so many things right at our fingertips. I've never been one that easily wraps their brain around hate and negativity. I'm not saying I've never hated things, or been hateful or negative. I'm one of those people who feels massive guilt when I know I've hurt someone, consciously or not.
I don't understand why it's so difficult to be nice to one another. Why is it so hard to consider what someone else might be feeling? I don't think we were put here to attack each other for opposing viewpoints. That is what is happening every day now. There is no escape from it that I can see. We get so caught up in our ego that it's stifling the world. I don't remember things being so out of control when I was a kid. The world was more carefree. You knew your neighbors, stood beside them in times of trouble, and applauded their achievements.
Now it seems families are divided over religion and politics. Forget about walking next door for a cup of coffee and sharing your worries or some random chit chat. Sadly, those days are gone. Everyone seems to be caught up in themselves, what is best for them, and what they deem is right and wrong. Conform or get out. I don't get it!
I despise the 'my way or the highway' attitude. Selfishness. And sore winners.
We need to love one another. To have an open mind. No one ever said you had to agree. Agree to disagree, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's healthy to explore someone else's viewpoint.
It is up to us to turn this nonsense around. And the first step would be in opening our hearts and learning to love one another. The things that make us the same, and even those things that make us different. Heal the World. Love your neighbor. It doesn't cost anything to be kind. Living in negativity is exhausting. Being kind lifts your heart and you will feel better for it. That is what we should all be paying forward: Love and Kindness. 
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February 16, 2017 at 8:09pm February 16, 2017 at 8:09pm
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Prompt: We've all got them...what are some of your favorite misheard song lyrics? Those words and lines you swear are/were the truth...until someone else set you straight with the facts (and probably the lyric booklet that came with the album/tape/CD).
Ah, music, my sweet, sweet music. How you've played me over the years. For instance, I'm a Rihanna fan. And out comes this song and the only words I can decipher are work, work, work, work. Honestly I didn't even try to figure that song out. And you should know going in I've got A to Z lyrics bookmarked because I like knowing what I'm singing. I've always been big on getting the words right. But I have to say the one song that plagued me for years was this little beauty from childhood by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
Oh Blinded by the Light indeed. I can clearly recall asking my mother what he was saying when we were driving once, and even she couldn't understand that lyric. We joked around about how it sounded like the word douche, but knew that couldn't be it. I mean they wouldn't be singing about douche, right? Turns out they weren't. Usually when the line Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce hit, I would stop singing. Desperate to figure out what I was missing. Yep, it was only a few years ago that I looked up the lyrics and called my mom to tell her what they were.
If you haven't looked up the lyrics to that song, let me just tell you now. I'd bet $20 we've all been singing most of that song wrong. The lyrics are even more bizarre to me now then whatever it was I used to sing as a kid. But hey, the music was great.
Then there's this oldie but goodie from my childhood that my uncle pointed it out that I'd been singing wrong for decades, only to be hanging with a long time friend and find out how badly she had the lyrics.
Build Me Up Buttercup. Ah, still love this song. But I thought it was Fill Me Up Buttercup. Which is funny to me now. So I'm getting my haircut, and Pegster and I are talking about songs from the past and what we used to dance to on Thursday nights bar hopping.
And she says, "hey T do you remember that Buttercup song?"
I'm thinking, damn who did Mark tell. I mean it was like a week after I'd finally been corrected. So I say, "Yeah, I can't believe I got the lyrics wrong for so long." And I swear to you her face lights up. God love you, Pegster ~ I can still picture your excitement from that moment.
"Me too. You thought it was Veronica too, right?"
OMG, Veronica? Where did she come up with Veronica in those lyrics????? So I'm looking all puzzled and she starts singing.
"Why do you build me up, Veronica baby just to let me down."
Oh man I almost fell out of my chair. And I'm laughing. Hard. And she's holding scissors next to my head!
So I tell her how no, I knew it was Buttercup, but I had Build wrong and kept saying Fill.
I love musical prompts. I admit it. Music lights up my life every day. It's better than American Express. For me, Music, Don't leave home without it! That's my motto. 
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So sorry for your family's loss, T. I've been through that sadness with the loss of a couple expected grandchildren. It's a terrible loss. 
