Inspiration

I’m sitting near the fence between my neighbor’s yard and mine. Blocking the sun from shining harshly on me is the tree my neighbor’s 5-year-old climbs to come and play with me. 

Some of the happiest times ever.

I’ve known him since he was a baby, and given my fondness for kids as the oldest of six children, I always played with him whenever I saw him. But then one day, I was in the kitchen and heard him calling my name. I looked out and saw him sitting on our fence. I went outside, and he immediately smiled and yelled, “Hi! I climbed the tree now. See. Can I come play at your house?”

That started a string of spontaneous interactions. He’d climb the tree, call my name, and ask to come over. After making sure his mother knew, he would come over, and we’d have our fun. Watching clouds and telling each other what we saw. He would see an angel. I would see a dragon. We’d lay on the blanket in the sun, and he’d just roll next to me and hug me. Magic. Happiness.

I haven’t seen him as much lately since he’s been going to school, and well, I was releasing three books in three months. 

This little boy’s mother just told me something special this week. She said her son really loved me, and he didn’t take a shine to a lot of people. He was really unhappy, she said, and she didn’t know why. I had been seeing that in the last six months too, and it made me sad.

I told her I’d be delighted to have a play date with him. I thought maybe I could help him work through whatever was making him unhappy while simply being present with him and playing with him. He in turn could help me be more playful and have a little more spontaneous fun. I mean, my girlfriends and I don’t lay on blankets in the sun and talk about what shapes we see in the clouds. We have a glass of wine over a nice meal and talk about men, children, career, and our continued self discovery.

I have a little boy in my Dare Valley series named Keith who reminds me a lot of my neighbor boy. He’s 7-years-old, and maybe unconsciously I based a little of him after the boy behind my house. They both possess that same childlike wonder at the world, playing imaginary games and dressing up like sheriffs or Batman. They are wise beyond their years at times and feeling their way through the world, which sometimes feels a bit rough to them. 

I admire these little boys–real and fiction–because they teach me so much and make me so happy. 

When’s the last time you had a kid make your day by seeing the gift in you? And when was the last time you realized a kid was teaching you something?

 

Image courtesy of Tina Phillips at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of my best friends and writing pals invited me out to spend the day with her. We brainstormed and chatted the day away. One thing we didn’t do was turn on our computers and write, but it’s funny how showing up and being present can give you something unexpected.

Spontaneous abundance!

What do I mean? We were supposed to go to dinner by ourselves, but her husband had come home from a trip a couple of days early, and asked if he could join us. I decided to be open and say yes. It could be fun. Well, my friend mentions something, which gives me this thought about him being a source for some book research I have been struggling to find. 

And pretty soon, it becomes obvious he’s the perfect source for the information I need. I mean, it’s like he’s tailor made for it. 

I didn’t expect him to be. And if I hadn’t been open, and listening, I might have missed out on this spontaneous abundance. Well, it was more like an avalanche of abundance. I turned on my iPhone recorder after he’d been talking for a couple of minutes and kept listening to him talk. Then I would ask him more questions. 

It was only about thirty minutes later that he finally asked why I was asking him these “probing” questions. I told him. He’s married to a writer, you know. 

What’s incredible is that I pretty much won’t need to do anymore research. It’s done. That conversation, and the research I’d done earlier, is all I need. And I’m just about ready to start this manuscript. 

Spontaneous abundance can show up anywhere for us, but it takes being open to things happening in ways we didn’t expect. It takes being open to having someone join you for dinner that you didn’t expect and say, oh, hey, I’m going to be open and let this addition be fun. 

That’s where the magic happens. We don’t always know who holds the answers to the questions we have. 

So, are you open to spontaneous abundance showing up in your life and surprising you? Give it a chance. Stand back. And be amazed!

 

 Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sisters play an important role in my life as well as my books. I’ve been blessed to have two sisters visit me separately over the last couple of weeks, and it has reminded me how happy I am with them. I mean we talk on the phone all the time, but being in person is different. This is how my NORA ROBERTS LAND heroine, Meredith Hale, feels when she returns to her hometown of Dare Valley and moves in with her sister, Jill. Their antics–but more how they support each other’s journeys–show us how important sisters can be to each other. Minus the hair pulling growing up, of course.

I have three sisters, and to some that’s a lot, but it’s what I know. Being with my sisters is sacred space, likely because they don’t live close to me. These last few weeks of having sisters visit has brought back that special sense of happiness only sisters can fulfill. Best friends are special, there is no doubt, but there is so much history with sisters. These were the girls you grew up with. You learned how to play and learn and make decisions. You learned how to take chances, and when they had consequences.

As adults, we can still just hang out, be silly ( a rare gift), refer back to things no one else would really understand, and eat. Yes, eat. We love food in my family, and as a former chef, I always roll out the good stuff when people arrive, usually making their favorites. Last night, my Doc sister ate at my favorite French cafe and about swooned over the chocolate beignets they make. They are swoon worthy, trust me. 

Like Meredith and Jill, my sister and I are just going to get in our PJs tonight and watch a chick flick. We’ll have another good meal, one my grandma taught me how to make–fried chicken–and then we’ll settle in for more laughter and sharing and bliss. 

So here’s to all of the happiness sisters bring, in real life and in books. Like the photo, they’ll help you cross the stream you’re in or laugh and help you up when you’ve fallen in. 

Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week, I talked about my friend who’s recently discovered she’s a piano prodigy at 36 years of age. She’s playing music like Bach after one lesson and is already signed up for a fall concert in the neighborhood.

Well, the story gets better. And I have to tell you, folks, this is what happens when you follow your bliss. 

She has now been invited to play at The Kennedy Center. Yes, the Kennedy Center. The one that presidents and actors grace as a matter of course. The one that plays Broadway shows like the current “Book of Mormon” or hosts famous musicians like Diana Krall. It is incredible! She’s only been playing the piano for over a month. 

When she told me the news last night, I told her it was a miracle. But also not a surprise. This is what happens when we receive our life purpose, our bliss. Everything in our life starts to flow. New experiences show up out of the blue like this one. It’s confirmation that we are on the right path and need to trust it. 

And our happiness explodes.

She gave us an impromptu piano recital last night after I’d finished jumping up and down in excitement, and the music she created melted my heart. She is so gifted, and I can feel the star rising in her, the star of her true self shining out in the world. 

This is coming home to yourself. Finding your purpose. Being widely happy for no reason. 

It’s the flow.

This is like watching an incredible book or movie in the making. I have never thought about writing about a prodigy before now, but we shall see. Regardless, it’s a heck of a story, whether real life or fiction. 

So, where are you flowing or not flowing with your own bliss?

 

Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

 My closest friend has found her bliss in the last couple of weeks, and I have to say I only feel the greatest joy when I hear her talk about it. Like I used to be, her career is in the international field involving travel to dicey places. She’s successful and accomplished. 

And then pow, out of the blue, she discovers she wants to play the piano. She’d wanted to as a child, but the circumstances hadn’t worked out. Nearly every spiritual teacher out there says we know our true passion when we’re kids. I wanted to be a writer and look at me now.

My friend follows through on this passion. Signs up for piano lessons. And receives pow number two. Her teacher looks at her stunned after she plays a little (remember she’s never taken lessons) and says she’s a prodigy. That’s right. PRODIGY. Her teacher already has her signed up for her first concert in a couple of months and says to expect big things from herself and her gift.

Because our bliss is our gift. It’s the best version of us. It’s what we’ve been given to make ourselves and others happy. My friend is radiant. I’ve never seen her happier. She knows her life literally has altered–for the better. And yes, there’s some fear around not knowing how that’s going to go or what it’s going to mean for her life. But once you’ve found your bliss, you have the spark inside you to move forward. You’ll walk through fire, I told her, just to follow it, be a part of it. And she now understands why I could leave the old career behind. 

I know it’s no accident that we’re friends. Our individual spark set off sparks in others. Especially when our intention is to bring happiness to the world and inspire others–my goal every day. 

I can’t wait to see where this takes my friend. I’m going to be front row at her first concert, and her next one, and the next one after that. 

What do you have bubbling inside you that’s your salvation? What’s the one thing you would do if money was no object? Think about it. You might have just discovered you’re a prodigy too.

 

After another incredible Romance Writers of America conference, I have to say that I get super duper happy when spontaneous abundance shows up in my life. It’s all those incredible moments and gifts when you aren’t looking and something special shows up. Here are my highlights from RWA in no particular order, and my deepest thanks to the people (mostly writers) who showed up and made it happen.

–The incredible owner of Indus Imports in Old Town Alexandria, VA, Rais Mughloo, for shocking me when I came into his store for the first time and offering to loan me this incredible 4-strand sapphire necklace because he loved my story of quitting my old career to pursue my dream of writing full-time and publishing my books. Thank you! It looked awesome with the dress that I wore to Nora Roberts’ party. www.indus-imports.com

–The woman I dubbed our own Anne Hathaway of RWA, Kristan Higgins–funny, big-hearted, and elegant–for introducing me to her super cute hubby McIrish as her friend. Deeply touched.

–For Bella Andre inviting me over to join her circle at the Barnes and Nobles bash even though we’d never met, for telling me she loved my covers (squeal!), and offering some great advice about how to get NORA ROBERTS LAND to the top of the lists. She is generous beyond words and is one of the most positive people I have come across in a while. You rock!

–For Jayne Ann Krentz, whom I stood next to in the longest hotel check-in line ever, and making the most of it by chatting and for her telling me she liked NORA ROBERTS LAND’s premise and thought it would sell really well. Awesome!

–For meeting Nora Roberts daughter-in-law at Nora’s annual party, a truly lovely woman who actually thanked me for my past work overseas rebuilding schools and clinics in places like Congo. Made my heart melt.

–For a hug from Nora at her awesome party and always including me in the festivities.

–For my WRW pals and their raucous laughter and innuendo later in the evening when we can kick off our heels and simply let our hair down. You know who you are.

–For Jana Oliver, who told me “Be patient, little grasshopper,” and then invited me to the Georgia Romance Writer’s Party, THE BEST PARTY EVER. I mean they bring their own DJ. It was awesome to dance with y’all.

–For Christie Craig, whom I approached at the St. Martin’s Party to share how much I enjoyed her workshop a few years ago, and for being so lovely and supportive. 

–For new encounters with Katy Regnery, whom I met on Twitter (I still can’t believe I am saying that), and for meeting Sara Fawkes and hanging out and talking about Indie publishing.

–For Laura Reeth and Mary Blayney, who continue to be bright lights in my life!

–And lastly, for my mom, dad, and Fashionista sister coming to the Literary Signing to see what this new world that I am a part of is all about and to support me. You guys are the best!

Open yourself to your own spontaneous abundance. Don’t know how. Just ask. It always shows up. Here’s to tons more! 

 

 

Happiness is the moment we meet THE ONE. My character in NORA ROBERTS LAND has this moment. When she sees Tanner McBride, she simply can’t look away. She can feel him from across the room. She wants to talk with him. Have him look into her eyes. 

Even though she’s scared of her reaction to this steamy hero because she’s been hurt before.

“The moment” happens in real life too. One of my best friends called me a few weeks ago and told me he’d met THE girl and had experienced something he’d never felt before. More than passion. More than attraction.

It’s connection.

The kind that reaches to our core. It makes us better individuals. It helps us grow.

The poets call it soul mates. Some call it twin flames. It isn’t just in fiction. And isn’t that great? 

Happiness takes off to a new level. In Tanner and Meredith’s case, it takes a while to reach that state of bliss. With my friend, he can’t stop smiling and laughing when he talks about her. 

THE ONE changes everything. And it only takes a moment. We don’t consciously choose the place or the time. It finds us. It’s like this incredible gift coming to us. 

It’s meant to be embraced and savored. 

So, if it’s found you, take a moment to think back to that magical moment when you first saw your ONE. And if you haven’t yet, it’s coming. Believe it. 

And if you want to keep experiencing “The Moment” over and over again, read a romance novel. It always delivers. 

 

 

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Inspiration leads us to our happiness. In fact, the moment of inspiration is when we feel happy about an idea that pops up out of the blue. We know something just happened to us. It’s exciting! I mentioned on my Facebook page last week I’d gone to my first ballet in many years, and had something magical happen. A light bulb went on. All of the sudden I had the third book in a future series. I’d been asking myself about that last book for over two years now. Then, bam. Inspiration. 

It can happen anywhere. The key is being present. Expanding our senses. Looking around. If I had my nose stuck in the playbill or been stressed about parking or traffic or whatever, I might not have had the spark. 

My characters always have a flash of inspiration. Sometimes it’s not a 2×4 to the head moment, but it’s a knowing when they have a great idea. Take my heroine in Nora Roberts Land, Meredith Hale. Her life has gone down the toilet since her divorce. She’s still stuck in the past. Not happy. 

Then one day she decides she’s through with being miserable. She wants to start anew. Read Nora Roberts again and give her ex the bird for ever suggesting Nora’s books were to blame for their divorce. So she decides to buy a new Nora book. She takes the first step and wham, she has a moment of sweet inspiration. She’s going to prove her ex totally wrong. Returning to her hometown, she’s going to prove you can find your own happily ever after–or Nora Roberts Land. 

We all have moments of sweet inspiration. The major block a lot of us have is we judge it or second guess it. One of my favorite scenes is in Jerry Maguire when he writes his manifesto about getting back to being a sports agent out of love for sports and players and not the money. When he slips it under everyone’s door, he’s following through. Of course, the next day he wakes up thinking, WTF. I’ve felt that. My character, Meredith Hale, has felt that. I expect we all have.

But sweet inspiration leads us to our happiness. It shows us what we’re missing, what we truly value deep down, what we’ve lost, and what we might experience. It puts us on a new journey.

When sweet inspiration comes your way, say thank you. It probably has just changed your life. 

photo credit: ashley rose, via photopin cc