I'm doing a happy dance in my kitchen right now; literally falling off my dining room chair as I type this. All month - well since the New Year - I've felt that January was going to be THE MONTH! I had a positive feeling and a smile on my face, even despite a lot of negative things that happened to me this month. I told myself, they're not going to get to me. I won't let them - and yes, despite getting to me at first, I was able to let them go quickly and actually smile about it. Without the 'title', I now have less responsibility. If things don't go right, so what! It's not my fault anymore, because I'm not 'the title' anymore. I continue doing my very best every day, keep my personal chit-chat to a minimum, and now I'm totally reaping the rewards! I'm not the one that's stressed out beyond max, like the past five years - AND this has been the BEST selling month for the Kindness of Strangers EVER! I'm actually so close to selling 100 books this month, I can TASTE it! Not that selling what I've sold isn't great, it so fantastically is! (Yes - I made that up). That's why I'm dancing on my seat. If my kids weren't sleeping, I'd be bounding up and down the stairs, screaming excitedly at the top of my lungs! Woo-hoo!
I could seriously plant a huge, fat, kiss on those buyer's cheeks and squeeze the heck out of 'em. Now - if they like it, I think my head would explode! No new reviews though - not sure if this is a good thing or bad thing, but it's still ok. 

I feel like the little engine that could! I keep saying to myself, 'I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...' and things keep happening.

Now if only my kids would do well in school - getting two teacher phone calls in one month (one for each child) isn't very good. But I'm going to try and stay positive - going to tell them they can do better and I will help them (my children of course, not the teachers, lol). They're both very bright kids; they know exactly what they're doing. I don't want them to lose out, so positive thinking onward. If it can work for my book, it can also work well with my kids!

Wish me luck!  Happy Wednesday everyone!!

<3<3 Julie<3<3

My husband comes home around 5:50 in the morning, and most mornings my dog goes crazy, waking everyone in the house.  But this morning was different.  I don't know if my dog knew I was exhausted, or if he knew I had had a bad day the day before, but he didn't do his usual crazy barking.  As a matter of fact, my body is so used to waking up from his bellowing bark that I woke up naturally, on my own.  As I strained to hear the tinkling of the tea kettle as my husband filled it with water to make his morning coffee (instant ... how he can drink the stuff I have no idea!), I found myself falling back asleep. 

As I lay there, sleeping, my dream took me in front of my home computer.  On my monitor displayed Amazon's DTP page, where an author can go to check how many books they've sold for the month.  At first there wasn't a change from what I had seen the night before; 52 books with 2 books returned, real total 50 books.  I clicked on the six week report (which gives the author their average royalty amount for the six prior weeks) and noticed my totals didn't add up to what it had been prior to my dream.  It said $10,000.  I clicked back to the DTP report and saw that my total went from 50 to 100, then 200, then 300.  Every time I clicked the F5 button on my keyboard the number of books sold jumped up by over 100 books.  I was floored!

Just as I was going to excitedly tell my husband about my 'best seller', I woke up.  But I woke up with a smile on my face. 

As the day progressed, it was a very busy day at work - but for some reason I couldn't get that smile off my face. No matter how many phone calls I took from clients who were upset or had troubles, I felt my voice melting their anger and their tones seemed to change immediately.  Perhaps it was my perky attitude today?  Perhaps my smile eminated through the phone?  I don't rightly know.

Once I came home and after the kiddos were off to bed, I checked my e-mail, checked a few other things, and was directed to GoodReads (a friend request).  I accepted the friend request, and noticed that my ratings were different, so I checked out the reviews on my book (The Kindness of Strangers), and saw that someone had left it a 3 * rating. No written review was given, but seeing a 3 * rating was all it took to bring my smile right back from a grin.  I know some people pooh-pooh over a 3 * rating, but I'm estatic!  Someone read my book!!  Someone read it and even somewhat liked it!!!  How fantastic is that?!

I ALSO noticed another book was listed under my author page, and I saw that a short story collection I had submitted to was now listed in GoodReads as well.  How extra specially exciting is that?  For me, wicked, extra special!  LOL

So, today started off wonderful and, since I'll be going to bed shortly, also ended up wonderful.  And to think ... it all started off because of a dream ...

Sometimes things happen in your life that you don't expect.  But then there are times that you are fully aware of something going on behind your back for not just several days, or weeks, or months, but sometimes even for years.  Well a bump did hit me last week, but after I got over my initial shock (though it really wasn't a shock because I was aware of happenings going on behind my back for over several months, if not even for over a year) I moved on to bask in some actual good news;

My short story, Resurrecting Eve, will be included in a short story collection with other fine authors such as William Meikle, Daniel Pyle, Robin Morris, Robert Duperre & Danielle Bourdan (just to name a few).  Because the majority of those authors have been doing so well independently, it really makes me feel like I'm part of a successful collaboration, and I'm really honored that my short actually was 'good enough' to join those other exceptional writers.  I'm not afraid to say I'm kind of insecure about my writing.  I have confidence one day and second guess myself the next.  It's always an on-going battle.  But this just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.

I was so excited (after hearing the news last week), that I even sat down and wrote another short story for another contest (a Twist contest).  I completed over 3000+ words in less than three hours.  It did need some extensive editing and I'm thankful for David H. Burton and Dave Conifer, for their wonderful advice.  Now it's the nail-biting time wondering ... will it be 'good enough' to join this second collaboration?

All this positive energy made me forget what happened to me on Friday, (that and some chocolate, and a long conversation with my M-I-L).  Made me think of what happened in a totally different view.  I didn't need to think of it as a negative, even though it was totally behind my back and, as intuitive as I am, I was the butt of someone's joke.  Someone's year-long planning.  But ... it's ok. :)  I'm actually happy it happened because I know I did a good job, and whether or not it is felt unanimously by all parties doesn't really matter.  I took a negative, and gathered all my positives, to make it into a positive. :)

That's my way of life ... always look on the bright side, even when the clouds are blocking your view. 

I can't wait until the Unnatural Disasters collection comes out.  Just from peers (& family & friends) reading it, I've received a lot of praise and support.  A fellow writer (she doesn't write fiction), said I gave her nightmares, and that she was afraid to continue reading it but had to in order to find out what happened.  She also said I reminded her of a young Stephen King.  That last comment was the second time she had said that, and it never gets old!  :)

So what's been positive for you?  Can you turn a negative around, like turning that frown upside-down?  I hope you have a wonderful week, everyone!

<3<3Julie<3<3