Time is a wheel that seems to be running over me. My book store is awesome. It's not doing awesome but those who come in love it. Not very many people are coming in so I just keep trying all kinds of things to get people to try me out. I sell my books for $1.00 and I have thousands of them. I put new ones out all the time and every penny I bring in goes to new books , or the ad in the paper, or my business cards, or the bookmarks that have my shop name on the back that I send out with purchases. I ask every one I meet if they read and hand them one of my cards. I don't know what else to do.
I have a large christian book section and very few Christians come in to purchase a book so I may have to cut back on that section. I do sell the Christian romances but the christian living books just sit there taking up space. I was hoping people from my church or other churches would come in and support my store but Its not happening and I guess everyone is too busy. I love the store though and I feel it was the lord who wanted me to do it so I will hang in there and let Him guide me.
My Mother has fallen about three times this week and I am very worried that she can no longer live alone. She cried and it broke my heart. All her life she has given to others and now when she needs help I have done all I can, but I cannot give her legs back to her. I cannot make it all better and I am sick inside because there is nothing I can do and she has to make a decision, I do not want to make for her.
my father-in-law had to give up his dog as he was not taking propper care of it. he thought if it didn't act happy he would dose it with mineral oil and it would be okay. the word mineral is the key I think but all it did was give it a physic and it messed all over his room and his bed and you could not make him understand that it was not good for the dog. ... then he wanted to move back to South Dakota to die. I think he thought the pain in his chest was a heart condition. but it was just heart break from missing Squirt. I think we got him talked into waiting till the hollidays are through so maybe he will have adjusted by then. I hate that he lost his dog but the helpers shouldn't have to clean up those kinds of messes.
I have not worked to much on my book lately. It seems everytime I get my hand on the keyboard something else happens. I wish I had a life for myself to get things done I want to do. I feel like it will never happen. I am getting frustrated and desperate.
I lost the hard drive on my computer and all my photographs. I managed to find a way to get most of them back but for the last couple of birthdays for my grandkids. That hurts.
I have been to a couple of sales and am geting into the swing of book buing for my shop It will be great if it gets good for our retirement. my hubby has to have an MRI on his shoulder. maybe he can retire on dissability. I wish. well will go for now my first customer of the week is here.

Under attack and fighting back!!

This summer has been the most hectic of my life. two garage sales ( from hell)or at least it felt like it as the weather was over 100. Needless to say we were frying in the shade and the few people who came deserved medals for going out into the heat. We didn't do to bad considering but it was not worth the exhaustion and the hours of sweat setting things up. Maybe made 25 cents an hour. Was so needing the relaxation of the trip to the beach with my son Jason and his in laws and our 3 wonderful grandchildren. with the parents and 2 sets of grandparents it was wonderful. And we made great strides in winning over our youngest granddaughter. THEN WE CAME HOME! My mothers cat had run away when my daughter brought her a new Yorkie dog that chased Muffin out of the house and yard. It had been two weeks when we left and I kept telling her it would come back, but it didn't and was still gone when we got home. my mom was crying and telling me the awful story of her leaving every time I talked to her. My Mom is 83 and she kept saying she wanted to die it was so hot and muffin was gone. then she became jealous of new friends I made in my book store. as she felt they took time that should be hers. I tried to tell her people visited during shop hours, but she wouldn't listen. More pressure, then my hard drive decided to die on my computer and my book sale was not very profitable. I was feeling lucky to pay for the ad. I did pay for it again the second day. God is good. You may think this is stupid of me, but the straw that knocked me to my knees was the knob on my honey pot. I bought it at a garage sale and it matched my kitchen perfectly. I loved it and it made me feel blessed by God every time I looked at it as He has constantly through the years given me things that I wanted or needed. Anyway this particular morning I lifted the lid off and set it aside to use some honey and the knob fell off. IT JUST FELL OFF!!! I felt like I would cry. Anyway, After 2 years free of anxiety and depression, I felt the beginnings of the dreaded tightness in my chest and the sinking feeling. So I prayed harder and had a talk with God and began to send the devil back to the trenches . I will get some super glue and Oh joy my Moms cat came home. My books are cleared away and My partner, God, has given some new instructions that promise to bring in many more customers.
My book has sold 5 copies on line and 4 in my shop. I am going to put it in an on line auction and see what happens. It is also available from this sight and from my publishers sight, BoHo books. I am very proud of the book and the illustrator, so I entered the book in the MOONBEAM 1st time author and first time illustrator awards contest. We may not win but It is exciting just the same. I know the Lord had so much to do with the book so maybe we will do well. Why not!!
While on vacation I did get 6 pages on my teen novel written. It was hard with all the grand kids around and it took second place to cuddling the wee ones.
OH, I could use some devine intervention. Before my computer hard drive went down, I was having trouble with the different programs. one was putting pictures on cd's. If I can't recover at least my pictures I will have lost the last two vacations and some birthday parties of my grand kids. So please pray. It is the worst of the worst. Thanks for checking out my blog I will try to write more when the computer comes back this is difficult with this tiny one hooked up to the big screen.

Oh Joy!!

My books are selling and everyone loves it. The day after tomorrow I am doing my book signing at the library. Ben is going to be there and I hope people will want him to sign the books also. He is very talented and I hope to have him work on more of my books. I have been editing "The Princess and the Dragon" and I hope to finish it soon.

AT LAST!!!! The first 70 copies of my book arrived and am already thinking I should have ordered more as I will need some for the book signing and have nearly 40 already sold. WOW! It is so exciting. I am so greatful to my friend Lee Shaw ( another author in our group who has an amazing new book out called ' The Monster Child') if you are into the paranormal you will really go for it as it has all kinds of that. If it weren't for her my book would still be in the bottom drawer of my desk. an unfulfilled dream. I have two other childrens books done except for pictures and am working on a teen novel that will be great. I am signing books and geting ready for the sales I am anticipating. My books can be purchased from me or from Amazon.com. If you go through me all you have to do is email me at yeohon@aol.com and put 'The Angry Trees ' in the subject line. I will accept paypal or checks or money orders and you will not be sorry to own a copy of my fabulous book. Well need to go. will get bak here more often .

I guess patience is built by waiting. I got the proof of my book and they had screwed up the margins and misspelled my name on the inside title page. So we had to submit the changes and wait to order another proof. I took the first proof to my church and they ordered 10 copies for their book store and another dozen people ordered copies so, I have orders for 31 copies and and am waiting for the proof # 2 to arrive so I can order 7o copies. Need some for my store and some for a book signing. I am going to enter it in the moonbeam first time author and illustrator contest. they want 4 copies. and I feel it will be going fast out of my store.But I need to wait and waiting takes patience, God help me I am in need of a lot of that. I can't imagine how long it would take for a novel if a 40 page children's book takes this long. I am excited, proud, frustrated and very grateful to Lee Shaw for giving me this awesome opportunity to see my work in print. So I will hurry up and wait some more it will all come out right. SIGH:)

Waiting

Maybe today! I keep telling myself today the proof of my book will arrive and I can OK it and have it up for sale. I (Of course) have many orders from the people from our church. Mainly because both the illustrator and I go there. I know they are buying it because of us, but once they read the story they will be glad they did because it is a great book and Ben;s illustrations are perfect for the story.
I am going to write in here more often as I need to keep it going even if nobody out there is listening.
Writing this story came to me one day as I watched the birds in my back yard bickering over their nests and other birds they felt were invaders to their back yard. I was thinking how like humans they were acting so there Was the start. I always keep a notebook handy and I thought what if the forest got tired of all the commotion and complaints.what if the trees said 'enough of this' and expelled them until they got their attitudes right.
It was an easy fun story to write. All my life I have raised the odd bird that fell out of the nest. People used to call me the bird lady and bring me birds that needed doctoring and I would do it and release the bird when he was healed.
My family has had at one time or another raised most of the animals in the story, except for the owl and the possum. we have had a raccoon and chipmunk and as I have raised every other bird in the story I can tell you that their personalities are just like the story.
I have always loved to write. I found it was my way to express what I observed around me. I could almost feel the thoughts and emotions and I am a people watcher. a nature watcher. when I was twelve a teacher gave us an assignment to write a poem and he said I was very good and should keep writing. That ,of course, made me write poems about everything.
About six years ago, I wrote a short story. I don't know why it came to me but I had a compulsion to put it on paper and not to stop writing till it was done. after five weeks and five stories I was feeling rather like an authoress so I joined the writers group in Town here. I learned to type fast with two fingers and started a novel. Took a class with Long Ridge Writers School, which taught me a lot. I now have a hundred short stories and three novel Ideas. I feel that writing is something I must do.
I believe that everything that has happened in my life was for the purpose of knowing what action is necessary in one of my stories. I don't think you can be an author without that compusion to write and be heard and understood.

A day of rest...or 2...or 3

Who knew that opening a book store was more than throwing books on a shelf and waiting for people to buy them. It has a lot more to do than that, alphabetizing, restocking, buyin, cleaning, filling orders and you name it. I am tired. So is my hubby, so we are going on a 9 day vaca in Texas. I am going to read and relax and shop. I can't wait.

Having a book store

I guess I thought that opening a book store would be like throwing a bunch of books on shelves and sitting back while herds of people lined up to buy them. HAH. I have never worked so hard in my life. I am constantly rearanging, alphabetizing, dusting and making dicisions on which sections to keep, get rid of ,or make bigger. I am hopeing for a light at the end of the tunnel. and maybe now after 5 monthe there could just be a tiny spark up ahead, at least I can hope. thanks for listening.

Sorry this picture did not come through the first time. It is one I especially like.

A love of mine.

I love photography. I would love to put poems and photos together in a book and as soon as my book is done I am going to do it. Just latly though I have been playing with the photo shop and am adding a couple more pictures here that I have been playiung around with. Tell me what you think.

After some constructive advice, I am now ready for what I had come to feel in my spirit. I need to start over on my novel. It is not a big deal. I started it before I had had any writers training what-so -ever. I have been pondering and chewing different lines for the begining and realize: I just need to start. So, may the Good lord Grant me a few days to pour it on with my computer and get it going. It seems life is so full of things we have to do that we constantly put our want to's on the back burner. I am trying to get organized so I have more time but it never seems to happen. I can do this. I will do this. Thanks for listening.

I know this is true.

I Know This Is True

I know deep inside myself
the secret of the ages.
We do not die
or grow old.
Our house becomes decrepit,
falling into disrepair,
but the furnishings
are all antique.
Full of grace and beauty
they are desirable

for their age and quality.
If you look only
At the outside of the house,
perhaps you would not visit,
however, once you’ve stepped inside,
you find it a place
of ease and comfort.
You can enjoy a pleasant interlude
tossing views back and forth
in friendly opposition.
You gaze about with pleasure,
wishing you had come before
Knowing you’ll be back.
I know this is true.

We had our writers group this afternoon and discussed our work. what had to be done by whom. And of course I found out that I have to start my book over. I'm not really suprised. after going to the writers fair, and listening too the speaker and taking several of the sessions I knew it was inevitable. but I asked My friend Lee Shaw , author of 'Blood Will tell', to read what I have and she told me what she thought and it was what i expected so am satisfied and will begin soon. I am still waiting for the pictures for my childrens book 'The Angry Trees' to be finished so it can be published by April or May. I cannot wait.

The other authors in our group were so excited about my artist they all want to use him for their books. Preston has reserected a couple of his childrens story's and is prepairing them for the illustrator. we now call him OUR illustrator.His name is Benjamin Grandle and he is 9years old. he is going to be a real great artist and I cannot wait for my first chidrens book and his first illustrations to be published.

My first time

A New Day

Pink fingers of dawn

reach out accross the sky

drawing back the curtain for another day

black steepled trees

fade to gold and

green

as the bright eyed sun

l ooks upon the scene.

a flutter here,

a movement there,

a squirrel in a tree,

a bird in the air,

a dog barking up the

lane,

An answering bark

comes back again.

then suddenly,

with a sigh

the new day

birsts forth with life.

crystal beauty

recedes from panes

Of glass

as golden beams

carress the earth anew.

And now I know I am ready too.