January a new beginning, I wish my family, friends and my readers Blessings and Happiness in the coming year. Have you set your goals for 2012? I have several goals I want to reach this year and of course I want to complete my next novel but I want to author two books this year. I have plans to do an awesome event which I will talk more about in the coming months. This event will have meaing and give honor and recognition to many special people. I'm still promoting my latest book, A Gift Called Mother: The Stages and Fantasies of Motherhood. I see reviews are being posted on various websites so I hope people will read the reviews and be encouraged to buy my book. This isn't just a book for mothers it's a book for anyone who values the love of family. You won't regret buying this book because my story will speak to you or someone you know. It makes a wonderful gift. It's written for family and friends who break the lines of communication and don't know how to make their way back. There is no greater love on this earth than the love of family. When we decide to have children we know what we want for them before they're born. We have their future mapped out but things don't always go as planned. We must realize our children are the tiny individuals we created but they have a mind of their own. They learn to manipulate us even in infancy. We can guide and encourage them but as they grow up the decision is ultimately theirs. The key word is guide. My children give me much joy but sometimes with that joy comes a little heartbreak. Prayer and Communication is the key.

Today it's raining again. I am hoping it will stop soon. There are so many people who are still suffering from the earthquake we had a few weeks ago. We have hurricane warnings, tornado warnings, we have flooding, there hasn't been much relief but I am so thankful it hasn't directly affected me. When the earthquake hit August 23, I was at my son's apt. in Virginia Beach, he had just returned home from Bahrain on Saturday. Wow, welcome home! We sat in his two story townhome talking when the building swayed from side to side. We froze and looked at each other not understanding what just happened. It felt like we were on a ship. I told him if one of us told the other the building moved we would have just looked with an expression of yeah right. Shortly after as we sat there stunned my daughter sent me a text message asking if I was all right and she said we just had an earthquake. Wow, so that's what that was. We weren't in the twilight zone. Now people would really believe us when we told them a big two story building moved. A few minutes later my sister called and ask if I was okay. That was a day we in Virginia and surrounding areas won't soon forget. When I returned home I didn't see anything out of place but the next morning my daughter and I noticed a picture had fallen off the shelf and onto my piano and a glass candle holder was laying on it's side. Amazing! Blessed! That's the only thing I could find out of place. At least one school is closed for the remainder of the school year. School just started, others at another school were sent home before the school opened it's doors for the morning. A little rain, yes, do I wish it would stop, yes, but what I want more is for those who suffered from the violent weather we've been having lately to be blessed to be strong and not loose faith. I pray their lives will return to normal.

I have had such a busy few weeks. I'm anxiously waiting for my new book to be published. I hope to have it before the Baltimore Book Festival in September. I seem to have developed a pattern, I always get my books out just before a big event. This book is special because I share my story. Just a brief memoir of my life but I hope people who read this book, A Gift Called Mother, will benefit from my message. More and more it is revealed that families don't communicate. We allow a circumstance to come between us and we stop speaking. We don't want to deal with it. Anger takes control and we make ourselves unavailable choosing to block out whatever happened. I would encourage family members to at least try to work toward a solution. If talking got us into the situation, talking should get us out. I look back at wasted time and I wonder why did it take so long? We are still family, not talking won't change that. Always remember, tomorrow is not promised. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Luke 6:37 

I've just completed my third book. This one is non-fiction. I share a brief chapter of my life and my gift from God. A gift called Mother. If you're a mother you will easily relate to some of the situations I describe in my book. I reveal the joys, pain and above all faith that is synonomous with raising children.

When you tell someone you will do something I think it's important to keep your word. Especially if you are the one who made the offer. If you can't for circumstances beyond your control and that sometimes happens it's understandable but at least acknowledge you can't. If you don't keep your word people start to learn not to trust you. I have had people approach me to review my books. So delighted, I sent the book and never heard from them again. I'm probably not the only author to go through this but I was more cautious with requesting reviews for my second novel. I was so sure the reviewers would honor their word. Two more I've never heard from again. Who do you trust these days? As an author I rely on reviews and I want to trust that people who tell me they will review my books will keep thier word. The good news is I have received great reviews from others. I'm learning more and more each day about the world of writing, publishing and promotion. I just hope as I get out there I will come in contact with people who will honor their word.