Let the Magic Find You!

By: Marcia King- Gamble

www.lovemarcia. com

Happy Holidays to you and yours!  It’s that time of year again. A time to reflect.

For those of you who’ve been following me over the years, you know that I always start off the new year by creating a vision board.  So, isn’t it fitting to end the year looking back at the highs and lows of 2018? 

For me there were many.  But despite the best laid plans of mice and Marcia, life got in the way. The one thing I’ve learned is to roll with it and deal with whatever is thrown at me. A prominent theme  this year on my vision board is to allow myself to enter the “Zen Zone.” In other words, be more relaxed and open to what life hands me.

Overall, it’s been a promising year, and one in which I’ve learned to make lemonade out of the sourest of limes.  In the whole scheme of things, as one friend constantly reminds me, "Ours are first world problems.” 

I saw how true that statement was when I visited Malawi in October. I had the good fortune to be selected as an Ambassador to UNICEF. Many people there earn thirty-eight cents per day.  At least here in the United States, while we might moan about our income, we have a minimum wage.

 This rare opportunity, though unplanned, was the highlight of my year. Travel is always highlighted on my vision board. But I thought for sure I’d be back in Europe or maybe New Zealand.  Never in my wildest dreams had I expected to be in Africa; a place I’d not been to in several decades. This is a country that required inoculations and the taking of malaria pills.  The journey was hardly a vacation, and definitely an eye-opening experience. For me, it was a much-needed reality check, making me grateful for what I have.  In so many ways, comparatively speaking, I am rich. My wealth goes way beyond money, especially when you see malnourished children greatly in need. 

Giving back to the craft is always on my vision board. This year, I had several opportunities to present workshops; the focus being aspiring writers. I conducted several on self-publishing and marketing yourself on a shoestring. A most recent  workshop focused on how to get published in a tough publishing market.

 As you all know, the publishing market has undergone changes. It's become survival of the fittest, making it even tougher for newbies to break into our world.  Many of these workshops are free and sponsored by the local libraries. As an author, it’s gratifying to conduct them and see how grateful the attendees are to receive tips from a published author.

This was also a year of getting back to work in an industry I enjoy. After taking a long hiatus from the travel industry,  I’ve, returned to a career that is every bit as fulfilling as writing, and equally as rewarding.  I realize just how much I missed it.   It's a business that sparks ideas. Since I’ve always enjoyed meeting people of different cultures, and traveling to exotic lands,  the rewards are that I have to do limited research regarding settings. I usually write about places I've been to, so the smell and the feel of that country or city is authentic, at least from my point of view.  

Another constant theme on my vision board is ‘letting the magic find you.’  By that,  it means remaining more open to possibilities. I tend to be a planner, and at times, way too self-focused. By allowing the magic to find me, I was able to write a book for a series that was a new world to me, and one that I had been resistant to at first. Not because I disliked the concept, I’d just never considered writing about a small, Southern town, as that lifestyle is foreign to me.   

The end result, however was  Magnolia Moments, the cover above. The story is set in the small Southern town of Eighty-Eight. My hero, an executive recruiter comes to town in search of the mother who gave him away. My heroine is in town trying to piece together why her father, a retired doctor is mysteriously getting ill.  Her dad, recently widowed, is now remarried. At the urging of his new wife, he takes out out a huge insurance policy, and then starts getting sick.  Look for Magnolia  Moments, out as an eBook on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, in the next few days. The Eighty-Eight series was created by author, Bettye Griffin.  

In the last several years, Bettye and I have collaborated on the Holiday Sparkle Series; a collection of novellas, focusing on a special red dress that changes lives.  These are the perfect holiday "feel good" stories. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X6BYMFQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_4yMdCbTDA7KVD

Next up, is a novella titled Ring in the Holidays, also being released in a few weeks. Ring in the Holidays will be found on the same platforms.

Overall, it has been a year of opportunity. Many unseen, and many unplanned. Staying in the Zen Zone allows the magic to come to you.  All it requires is acceptance and an open mind, and your dreams can come true.

Happy Holidays all!  Remain humble and remain grateful.  I so much appreciate you!

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Giving Is Caring...But Do It Wisely by Kristin Wallace

This month’s theme is focusing on our favorite charities. Giving back to your community or helping a cause you support can be as rewarding for you as it is for those who receive the help. There are so many worthy organizations that it can sometimes be hard to know which ones are legitimate. Even the legitimate ones don’t always end up dispersing funds the way they should. Many spend more money on “administrative” costs than they do the people they’re supposed to be helping. They might spend so much time fundraising that the true cause becomes obscured. Recently, Wounded Warriors came under fire for the way the organization spent money. That was a big, well-known charity, which can make people wary of giving.

So how can you know which charities are spending money the right way?

Tips:

1. Do some investigation - One good place to check is Charity Navigator.  This entity looks at IRS forms to see how much of the donations are going to executive compensation, as well as other program costs. The site also gives ratings based on transparency when it comes to spending.

2. Try to find organizations that spend 75% or more of donations on their stated mission.

3. Look at local charities in your community. Sometimes you can see the results of your giving in an immediate way, such as when you donate to a local food bank. You might also choose to sit on the board or volunteer in some other way.

Here are some other articles that might give you insight before you donate.

Money Smart - How To Find Charities That Spend Money Wisely

Love to Know - What Percentage of Donations Go to Charity

Consumer Reports - Best and Worst Charities For Your Donations

I hope this gives you some good tips on how to choose the organization for your charitable giving.

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest release is COMING HOME TO PARADISE…

About the book:

Thirty years ago, desperation drove Elizabeth McCarthy to do the unthinkable when she abandoned her infant daughter, Layla, to the care of her mother. Now, after years of trying to outrun the memories and the guilt, Beth has come home to Shellwater Key to make amends. She has survived deadbeat relationships, becoming a single mother, and cancer, but now faces the most difficult battle of her life…finding a way to connect with the legendary mother she was never able to please…and earning the forgiveness of the daughter who has every reason to hate her. She might even have a chance to find the missing piece of her heart when Layla’s father arrives in town looking for answers.

Coming Home To Paradise is a powerful story of a woman who never felt like she was enough, despite being physically beautiful. It’s the story of a woman who has been broken by life, and by illness, and who now only wants to make things right. A story about discovering that it’s never too late to find true love…or more accurately…find the true love that slipped away.

For info visit Kristin’s website at: Kristin Wallace Author 

Giving Back - military romance style

by M. L. Buchman

Sometimes you get a chance to give back and sometimes you get a chance to pay forward. I think it is an interesting difference.

Years ago I asked my writing mentor, a very successful writer with over a hundred novels in print and many appearances on many lists, what could I possibly do for him in thanks for all he had done for me?

"Nothing."

"Uh..."

"What you can do is pay forward. Help a writer who is anywhere on the path behind you." And I have done my best to pay forward whenever the opportunity arises.

It is also one of the reasons I tell the kind of stories that I do, whether in my military romantic suspense Night Stalkers series or in a whole different genre like my Dead Chef thrillers. The single unifying theme of all my writing is to Champion the Human Spirit. I always seek to write stories that uplift us and show some of the wonderful things I see in the world. One of the strongest themes for me has become honoring those who choose to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. I make no judgment as to what they are sent to do, but in turn am constantly awed by what they do in that service.

However, every now and then, I get a rare opportunity to pay back as well. For my writing mentor, who has long since become my friend, it is typically help with a particularly odd piece of software (I was a computer geek for many years).

But how could I ever pay back those who serve to protect our country and keep what peace is possible? The opportunity came up when I was invited into an anthology to help benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Eight authors and the publisher Sourcebooks have collaborated on an anthology and all proceeds are being donated to the WWP.

The Way of the Warrior is filled with a brand new Night Stalkers tale by myself, a Troubleshooters, Inc. tale by Suzanne Brockmann, and more by Julie Ann Walker, Catherine Mann, and others. Stories of survival, of teamwork, and always of finding true love. Please, buy a copy (8 novellas in 472pp also equals a great investment in reading pleasure as well) or donate directly to the WWP, I know of no worthier cause and am thrilled at this opportunity to pay back.

Available for pre-order now (May 5th release).

M. L. Buchman has over 35 novels in print. His military romantic suspense books have been named Barnes & Noble and NPR “Top 5 of the year” and Booklist “Top 10 of the Year.” He has been nominated for the Reviewer’s Choice Award for “Top 10 Romantic Suspense of 2014” by RT Book Reviews. In addition to romance, he also writes thrillers, fantasy, and science fiction.

In among his career as a corporate project manager he has: rebuilt and single-handed a fifty-foot sailboat, both flown and jumped out of airplanes, designed and built two houses, and bicycled solo around the world. He is now making his living as a full-time writer on the Oregon Coast with his beloved wife. He is constantly amazed at what you can do with a degree in Geophysics. You may keep up with his writing by subscribing to his newsletter at www.mlbuchman.com.

Gratitude is an Attitude

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

 http://on.fb.me/1GF28CG

Ages ago I attended a conference where the keynote speaker asked the audience to write down three things in their lives they were grateful for. The attendees scribbled away, and at the end, the presenter asked a few select people to share what they had written. Many listed families, jobs, and financial stability. He listened, smiled and then said, “If you haven’t listed your health then you have nothing.”

Throughout my life those words stuck with me.  Recently, I lost friends in their prime, two to cancer, and one through an unfortunate mishap. He went into the hospital for something minor and never came home. My male friend who lost the battle to cancer was funny and optimistic. He never told anyone of his diagnosis. I learned of it after he’d passed away.  My female friend was an old housemate, vivacious, funny, with a memorable laugh. She left behind two smart, well brought up young men. 

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to say thanks and express gratitude for the blessings in our lives.  The journey, while often unpredictable, and sometimes not fun, teaches you resilience and strength.  It reminds you to be grateful for what you have. Without good health you are nothing. I would not be able to juggle a day job and still write. I would not be able to care for animals and meet friends for the occasional bite. I couldn’t exercise, and that is something that has helped keep my sanity even through very trying times. 

In the last few years, as our economy struggles to rebound, friends have lost homes and jobs. If you are one of the fortunate ones, be grateful that you have survived those challenging times.

This month, His Golden Heart, my re-release is the perfect reminder of the power of positive thinking and how the mind works.

Beaumont Hill is a champion skier slated to win gold at the Olympics.  During a downhill race, tragedy strikes and he ends up paralyzed. Shayna DaCosta; a former Olympic hopeful, is charged with putting him back together, body, mind and soul. Shayna believes that a positive outlook makes the impossible possible.

As you sit around your table giving thanks, be grateful for what life has served you. Not everyone is well enough to have friends and family at their table.  Many aren’t even in a position to eat. Take that good fortune and pay it forward. Your generosity will come back to you in the most unexpected way. Some call it karma. I call it your just rewards.

Eat, drink, and give thanks,  but don't forget your fellow man. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all! 

 http://amzn.to/1wIf5Y4