The Art of Balance

I hope 2023 has started off well for you!

I have high hopes for this year. Last year was a big year of change and growth for my husband and I. This year I feel more settled and am ready embrace my new normal. That being said it hasn't come without its challenges and we are only 16 days into the year!

One of the biggest challenges I face is working an extremely challenging full time job and then coming home and writing. I managed it for a week successfully. This past week my evenings were filled with meetings, so no writing happened. I'm sure this is normal for many or you. 

How do you do everything?! 

What is your secret to successfully managing your time without making yourself sick? 

I put my health as a top priority so balance is key. Is that even possible with what I am attempting to do? 

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest USA. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance and romantic mystery and suspense with a heart.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can sign up for Kimberly's newsletter via her website at: https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Balance - by Magdalena Scott

I keep seeing articles about shaping up for the new year, so--whew--I guess it's not too late to tell you about my oneword365 for 2016.

Last year my word was Simplify, and I almost went ahead and used that one again. But I sort of have a handle on Simplify. (Except for my perennially exploding Giant Closet.)

What I'm way off on is Balance. Last year I spent so many hours working-learning-networking-promoting, that other parts of my life were suffering. (Actually now I think of it, if I had simplified all those tasks, I might be further along on Balance. Hmm.)

I'm making some progress, but a month into 2016, I'm not ready to announce I've got this whipped. The sign above is posted on my fridge, and every time I walk past it, I'm reminded of what I'm trying to achieve.

Did you make a resolution, or choose a word to help you move toward a goal? If so, how's it going? It's still early, you know. I think we can do it this year!

Magdalena Scott is a USA Today Bestselling Author of small town sweet romance and women's fiction. Learn about her books, read her blog, subscribe to her newsletter, and connect on social media by visiting her website: magdalenascott.com

Book Four in her Serendipity, Indiana series releases today!

Amazon (U.S.) ~ Amazon (U.K.) ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ Nook ~ Smashwords

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Take a Chance! by Ginny Baird

Seven years ago this month, I took a chance and ran off to the sheriff to get married. After tirelessly caring for everyone else, I finally decided to grab some happiness for myself. Things couldn’t have worked out more wonderfully. If I had to make the same choice today, I’d take that leap again – without a doubt.

January is such a great month for new beginnings. It’s also a time to challenge ourselves by thinking of taking chances. It doesn’t have to be now or next month even, but I’m hoping that sometime during this year, we’ll all take a chance by doing something special for ourselves. When you’re in the role of mother, caretaker, partner or helpmate, it can be hard to focus on anything other than giving. Though it’s important to recall that we often have more to give when we’ve stepped back and taken a little for ourselves.

When considering New Year’s goals, don’t neglect to think of yourself.  If you’ve always wanted to paint, sign up for a class. If you’ve yearned for a session at a spa, book one and make it happen! If you’d like just one day to yourself to shop, have lunch, or see a movie, explain to your family that this is what you need to help revitalize you. Then, rinse, lather, repeat… as often as needed throughout the year to keep your batteries charged and help maintain a healthy outlook that balances self-care with caring for others. For when we give to ourselves, we increase the wealth of what we can contribute by being happier, and more deeply enriched, people.

So, what will it be? What will you take a chance on in 2015? If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, or hoped to learn, you know what they say… There’s no time like the present!

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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Ginny Baird writes short contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her latest release is The Calendar Brides, a story in which twelve granddaughters plan to send their dear grandma back to Italy to reunite with her long-lost love. Find The Calendar Brides online at iBooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

“Sweet Romance Novels”, and the Smart Men Who Learn to Appreciate Them by Christine Bush

 When we think of Sweet Romance novels, we usually think of our readers as the feminine gender.  Women and romance stories go together.  Basically this is true.  The demographics of our readers show a much higher percentage of female readers than male.  Of course, there are a few writers of books who   crossover genre lines (mostly in romantic suspense, a few paranormal) and have garnered a nice percentage of readers from both genders.  

But among our sweet romance readers, we do find some males who are buying and enjoying our books. I consider them very smart guys.

One of the hats I wear in life, when I am not writing, is working as a Marriage and Family Therapist.  In this role, I hear a lot of stories of what works and what doesn’t work in today’s relationships. I hear how things can fall apart, but have witnessed the joy of healing, growth and new understanding and respect in couplehood in many instances. In my role as a therapist, I use many different  therapies and approaches when working with people.

One of the things that can break down a relationship is simple misunderstanding, or miscommunication. This seems to be sometimes fueled by  the differences in how men and woman approach love and relationship.  I’ve heard so many frustrated men exclaim, “I just don’t understand how she thinks. I can’t understand what she wants!”  

There are two suggestions I have dared to make in these cases.  One is to read Chapman’s book called “The Five Love Languages”, which is the most clear and insightful explanation of how we can each express and/or have differing measures of love.  Powerful.

The second idea is a bit more unusual. I have occasionally suggested reading a particular romance novel.  Often it’s a favorite of his wife/girlfriend.  This works because if she has a favorite hero type, it’s easy to see. But more importantly, a well crafted romance today is a direct line into the workings of a modern day woman’s brain and heart. Think about it. These books that steal our hearts, also explain our hearts. And  a fictional novel can do this in non confrontational way, if the man dares to do his homework and read.   This may not make sense to someone who has not explored the character deep/ real life conflict nature of a well written book.  But it works.

I focus on sweet stories, because those stories focus on feelings.  I’m not talking about the purely sexual side of a relationship.  That’s another issue. I’m talking about the expectations, the emotional needs, the communication side of a relationship. Our books emphasize those issues.

But sometimes (imagine this!) she hasn’t read romance novels in the past.  So reading one, like it or not, can be a great conversation starter for both parties.  It’s amazing how successful it can be to get couple’s communicating. Talking openly about love and needs and conflict and frustration and sensuality after reading one together can be as empowering as a weekend getaway. Romance is fun.

Sometimes men are threatened that they can’t “compete” with these alpha heroes on the page. When they read one who shows the hero as human, learning as he goes, if often turns out to be a good thing.  For a man who is clueless how to romance his wife, it can be a great example of how to relate to the ‘romance needs’  and imagination of their real life woman.

Though I don’t think that men will ever be our main readers, the ones who dare to open the cover can find a lot of insight into how we think.  Have a favorite and powerful romance story?  Read it with your guy. And tell him why.

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Christine Bush is the award winning author of many books and novellas of sweet romance and light mystery. When she isn’t writing, she can be found working with clients as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or teaching Psychology at a local college.  She lives with her family and two crazy cats in northeastern Pennsylvania, and loves to hear from readers and aspiring writers.

www.ChristineBush.com

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Finding Balance by Melinda Curtis

My New Year’s resolution actually started last September. As an empty-nester, I’d gotten into the habit of working long days. I’d get to my computer by 7:30 am (after the Today Show’s first half hour), and turn off my laptop at 9 pm (when my 3 pm caffeine hit faded). In September, I realized I’d written five books in 2013. When I told Mr. Curtis, he gave me the look that said, “Uh, yeah. I knew that.”

Reality check. I needed life balance. I wanted to find balance, it was just…work always beckoned. My writing muse wanted to Riverdance some more. But even I had to admit, I was tired, maybe even burnt out.

And so it was in September that I made an effort to disconnect. I took Saturdays off to go to run errands and go to the movies with my husband (even the bad movies). I made friends at the gym. Those friends convinced me to run some fun 5k races (running doesn’t begin to describe my pace). I made time to visit my mom. But I was still tired and maybe – as my daughter pointed out – I was missing my kids more than I wanted to let on and replacing them with work.

One day, I saw someone on Facebook post a picture of a puppy in need of a home. A small puppy, a happy puppy, a puppy that needed love and attention and training. A puppy who seemed to need me when no one else did anymore. Tally slowed down my production schedule. She slowed down my life. But she was so much work! And then a funny thing happened – I found balance! Tally gave me a reason to stop and have lunch away from my desk, to take walks when the sun came out, to play ball in the backyard. She also created reasons for Mr. Curtis and I to spend time together beyond bad movies and stale popcorn.

Yes, we take Tally on 5K Runs in a stroller!

At this time of year, when we’re recovering from the rush of the holidays and thinking ever-so-briefly about the year ahead and the changes we’d like to make, I’m not recommending bringing home a puppy. Instead, I’ll say you have permission to seek out more balance or health or love or whatever would make you happier in whatever avenue best suits you. But first, you have to get up out of your chair to do it!

Here’s to a new year filled with opportunities to disconnect, to redirect, and to reconnect to what’s important in life. What are you missing when you sit too long at the keyboard or spend too much time away from your family?

Melinda Curtis writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet romances for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”. Melinda also writes independently published, hotter romances as Mel Curtis. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “Sharp, sassy, modern version of a screwball comedy from Hollywood's Golden Age except a lot hotter.” Melinda is married to her college sweetheart, and has three kids in college. She follows the NFL because one young quarterback is from her hometown, and follows Duke basketball because Mr. Curtis has a man crush on Coach K. You can learn more about Melinda and her books at www.MelindaCurtis.net.