Special guest Nakia R. Laushaul: "Life is Good . . . Now That I Finally Decided to GO Live!"

I never imagined that the path to following your dreams would be littered with so much beauty. Of course the road gets ragged with its fair share of speed bumps, winding roads, and caution signals which we may also know as fear, cash flow and time. The truth is, those stop signs existed before and they will always exist. There is no way around them except to keep going. Keep believing. Keep dreaming.  

You see, when I wasn't doing much of anything but working to live, I somehow managed to move forward with my life. I actually thought I had a really good life. But this kind of passionate living is different; it has a wonderful, magical surreal appeal to it. Every word that I write, every motivational message I send out into the universe, every book that I sign, and every heart that I touch through my literary reach means something special to me. The stories that sat on a dusty shelf in my soul for all of those years had a purpose. I have a purpose. I am not an accountant. I am not a teacher.  I am not a scientist. I am a writer. I own that title proudly. I pray that something I write, a blog a social media post or a book will flick the switch for others to finally have the confidence, the courage to run after their dreams and begin to live their real true life just like me. This real life is so amazing that I want everyone to experience it for themselves. Yes, it is just that good.

To be totally honest, I started this journey wanting to be a rich and famous author. Hey, I’m human and the mom of a hungry seventeen year-old son. However, somewhere along my journey, I made a right turn and my goals changed and so did the way I see riches. My life has become more about encouraging others, giving to our future and healing our families by writing what is true. Truth is, holding the payment in the palm of my hand for the purchase of one of my books just doesn’t compare to how rewarded I feel when someone says, "Because you did, I think I can." When people find the inspiration in me to go and really live, I’m good.

If your dream is to write a book, a screenplay or start your own blog, I say go do it. GO LIVE! Your readers are waiting for you and have no fear, if you keep living (writing) they will find (read) you.

You can find Nakia R. Laushaul almost everywhere on the web:

Web: www.quit2write.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/nakia.laushaul

Twitter: www.twitter.com/nakiaRL

 Instagram: www.instagram.com/agirlnamedkikiwrites

Blog: www.nakialaushaul.blogspot.com

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Nakia-R.-Laushaul/e/B003BGMSSM/

Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/s/laushaul

Award winning author, Nakia R. Laushaul resides in Houston, Texas with her lovable teenage son. She is an inspirational poet, motivational speaker, novelist and entrepreneur. She is the CEO and chief designer of a typesetting and interior book design firm, A Reader’s Perspective. Her debut novel, RUNNING FROM SOLACE, is the 2011 Best Books Award Winner and a 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist. She recently penned a romantic and honest novella; CHASITY RULES (released July 2013) Nakia truly believes that by doing what you love, you become happy! She hopes that you will find your happiness. For more information visit her website: www.NakiaRLaushaul.com.

This week (8/26/13-9/1/13)only, her award-winning novel, RUNNING FROM SOLACE is 50% off!

Balancing work, life and self as an author

Yesterday I wrote about the warning signs and prevention of author burn-out. I mentioned that balance is the key.

Ironically, last night I received a motivational message from my friends John and Patrice at Higher Awareness, a site that I just love.

In their Inner Journey message, it talks about being open to change.

The following is printed here with their permission:

Be open to change

“Balance is a dynamic process; it changes with the days, the seasons, the years.” -- Sherrill Sellman

How rigid are your routines? Do you exercise for 30 minutes, three times each week no matter how you feel?

Routines and structure can provide a valuable framework to bring discipline to our lives. At the same time, we are always changing and it’s wise to be sensitive to our physical, emotional and mental states so we can ensure that our activities truly meet our needs. We need to be willing to change our patterns when our practices no longer serve us.

“Only in growth, reform, and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.” -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life. What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around?” -- Oprah

The physical, emotional and mental realms are all effects! Shift into working with cause by developing your higher mind, heart and spirituality and then your lfe will significantly change for the better. Get in touch with your spiritual nature.

I agree that we should be sensitive to what our bodies need. If it is screaming for a break, take one. Not doing so will result in a longer recovery of energy. Life is always changing around us, so we must adapt and change with it.

Thank you to my friends John and Patrice Robson at Higher Awareness for allowing me to pass along this message.

I invite you to make one small change today. Sign up for these inspiring messages at: http://www.higherawareness.com/. John and Patrice have personal development plans that are encouraging, empowering and life changing, whether you're an author or not.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

author of Whale Song

Warning signs and prevention of author burn-out

In response to fellow author Debra Purdy Kong's previous post on author burn-out, I left this comment and then decided it needed to be an actual post here.

Writing can indeed become an obsession, as can promoting one's book. I always suggest to authors (and often remind myself) that we must find a balance between writing, promoting, other jobs/chores, family, friends and fun. Each needs to be a slice of the pie for authors to feel completely successful and not burnt out.

Over the years I've witnessed author burn-out many times. I've come very close myself a few times. I've known authors who have given up writing; some have continued to write but no longer do book signings. I've seen some who barely promote their books at all.

Why do they burn out? Usually because they put so much time, energy and money into writing and promoting their most recent book and have experienced little money, reward or feeling of success. Sometimes they burn out because they had no idea what they were getting into, that writing and promoting is a fulltime career. Being an author doesn't mean instant success; we have to work very hard for it.

All authors must be very wary of burn-out, and there are some warning signs:

1. Do you dread turning on your computer to write or even answer emails?
2. Do you make excuses not to write?
3. Do you make excuses not to blog, hold book signings, write articles etc that promotes your book?
4. When I say "book signing" do you immediately go into whine mode and say "aw, not again"?
5. Do you feel your days are spent on the computer, nights too?
6. Have you turned down an evening or afternoon out or even a few hours this week with a friend, husband, wife, child because you're "too busy"?
7. Have you watched the sun come up from your office window in the past month?
8. Does your agent, publisher, editor, husband, wife, friend, child irritate you?

If you've answered yes to 4 or less, you are doing well, right on track and coping with your obligations.

If you've answered yes to 5 or 6 of these questions, be on guard for burn-out. It is looming around the corner. Take a break now to prevent it.

If you've said yes to 7, you're at the verge of a burn-out melt-down. Time for a break. Take a day or two or 7 off now. Don't wait. Take a break now, or break down later.

If you've said yes to all 8, you are seriously burnt out and this makes you useless to everybody, so go take a 1 week holiday in Mexico or Bermuda and start fresh afterward! :)

Here are some tips to preventing burn-out:

1. Pace yourself! Set limits per day and goals. Prioritize and take each deadline one project at a time. Don't overbook or overcommit yourself.
2. Learn to say no. Learn to pick your projects; say no to ones with urgent deadlines if possible. Just say No.
3. Schedule your day each morning, allowing time to have a break. Have lunch while watching Days of Our Lives.
4. If feeling exhausted, take two days off and do nothing but watch soap operas or On Demand movies all day long.
5. When you have a good, well-balanced day of work and play, reward yourself that evening. Chocolate works well...or margaritas...or mohitos...

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author of WHALE SONG

Pain… Real, imagined, physical, psychological, heroic and…self-indulgent

I figured that this might be a good topic for tonight.

I just got back from the hospital for what was just really minor back surgery – No biggie unless you get spooked by those foot-long, square tipped needles. You know the one they used in the Three Stooges movies? “Nuk, Nuk, Nuk!”
But it did give me a chance to reflect on so many people I know who are really brave when it comes to the pain in their life and how to so many of us who indulge their occasional little bouts with physical or emotional pain, really don’t even know what real pain is all about.

I just realized this while I was writing to a sweet, brave little girl who was concerned about how my surgery went.
And I realized about halfway through my reply to her that for all of my ‘tough-guy’ self-images, I really didn’t have a clue to what real pain must be like to the unsung hero’s who smile through it every day. Our wounded men and women - soldiers who must endure a life time of pain to protect us. Those sad hoping kids that have drawn the ‘busted flush’ in life’s poker games. The ones who give and give and only get a condescending smile in return. Those who love and get used but keep loving anyway.

These are the real hero’s – not those of us – like me… maybe like you – I don’t know, who run up against a few little pin-pricks in life and think we’re tough stuff.
The black guys in our band had it right. “Perspective, my man.” They’d say. “It’s all about perspective.”

But I think that my own personal genius musical idol - Bob Dylan – who I once long ago had the singular honor of playing on the same stage with, said it best in his song “Chimes of Freedom.”
“Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed. For the countless accused, misused, abused strung-out ones and worse. And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe…”
That says it all.

And if you like, here’s a peek at the road through my mushy brain that wised me up to this truth tonight.
It’s the response to my dear sweet friend who was kind enough to spare a thought for someone who’s tough-guy antics long ago ceased to matter. But then we all pretend in some way or another – don’t we?

Anyway, I don’t think she’ll mind if I share my ramblings with you as well.
Peace.
Ric
---------------------------------------------

*******

What???? You had a back operation... today! There is no such thing as a "small back surgery"..... What is going on? I know a lot about back pain.... My spine is the actual shape of the letter S... for real! Lucky for me the curve at the top is equally dramatic as the lower curve so they level each other out and allow me to look "normal".... It hurts.... back pain sucks eggs!

Are you okay? I will say a special prayer for ya!

*************

Nah, don't sweat it darlin'
It gives me a chance to prove to me that I'm still 'macho'

When I used to fight in my bad, bad old days - I always used to try to smile while I was bleeding. It always freaked out the guy who was tryin' to beat the crap outta' you.
You know wipe the blood away from your face, spit the blood from the cuts inside your mouth onto the floor and tell 'em, "Is that the best you've got?"
Freaked 'em out almost every time.

The only problems came with the very few who'd smile back at me and say, "Oh no kid - I got a whole lot more."
Those were rough.

But I'm back home now with bandages on my back, an ice pack strapped on to me and the 3d... or maybe it's the 4th, cold beer in my hand, Screw the pain Meds! (some guys never change - sigh)

But enough of my retro attempt to prove to myself that I can still take it.
What's this about your back ?
I don't doubt for a minute that you've overcome some heavy obstacles in what sounds like a fascinating life but have somehow managed to keep it from haunting your face as so many that I knew and still do - including me - still do.
You're something special darlin'

The back is acting up and wants to make me a sissy and pop the pain Meds - but what fun would that be?
I've got them on the side of my desk so I can look at them while they stare back at me and tease me.
The Hell with them - I'll get another beer. Maybe that makes me a sissy too.

There was an old black blues guitar player when I lived down in Kentucky who used to say, "We all got our poison man - You just gots to know yours".
I guess I know mine all too well.
Write me back sweet girl. Your shining smile and resilient soul helps me to do what I gotta do - suck it up.
And, yes say a little prayer for me - I gave it up 40 years ago and never went back. But I've got a hunch that every prayer that you utter goes straight to the source.
Ric

Ric Wasley – Author/Musician

•Shadow of Innocence - Kunati - 2007
•Newport Blues (limited Edition)
•Acid Test – 2004

And please check out my McCarthy Family Mysteries free sample chapters on Amazon and Google!
Baby Boomer article series: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ric_Wasley

"I'm Sorry."

WARNING: The following post may reduce you to jello. This is a 2 tissue post.

Coming up on the 1 year anniversary of Whale Song's release, I find I'm feeling retrospective. Sometimes it's good to look back over the year, analyze what went well...what didn't. We all have regrets and sometimes they hang over us, a dark cloud in an otherwise endlessly blue sky. I have a few. But for the most part, everything I've experienced--even the traumatic events in my life like the death of my son and the murder of my brother--has made me who I am as a person...and as a writer.

They say: write what you know. I've always agreed, to some extent, and I've done exactly that. There are also times to write what you don't know, in which case, having good research instincts comes in handy. In Whale Song, I wrote about broken relationships and death--two things I know maybe far too much about.

Although I am writing mainly fiction now, I wrote a lot of poetry and song lyrics as a teen. Last year, while getting ready for the release of Whale Song, I was so inspired by the story that I wrote a song. My daughter Jessica also plays guitar and sings and she performed the following song at the book launch for Whale Song last April.

Sarah Richardson, the main character, has always been a reflection of me--the bullied child I once was, the awkward teen I grew into, and the once bitter adult who harbored resentment towards her father. But Sarah's journey and experiences are her own, and in her darkest moment, when she realizes a truth that changes her life forever, she is devastated. This is Sarah's song to her father--her words, her thoughts...her regrets.

I'm Sorry

I can't believe so much time has passed,

That you'll be with me once again, at last,

Through all the pain my life has been,

I'm sorry for not trusting you,

For pushing you so far away,

For all you did,

I hated you.

I didn’t understand what you were doing,

I thought your actions selfish and confusing,

If only I had really known,

The truth of all that happened,

I’d realize far sooner

That you loved me,

Really loved me.

I’m sorry,

So very sorry,

If I could take those hurtful words away, I would,

If I only knew,

What you'd put me through,

That it was for my own good.

I’m sorry,

So very sorry,

If I could turn back the hands of time, I would,

If you only knew,

I’d make the suffering mine,

But nothing can change time.

I realize you loved me more than ever,

A father’s love could never be more pure,

But, Daddy, I wish you’d stayed,

And never have gone away,

I needed my father,

I missed you,

I love you.

I’m sorry,

So very sorry,

If I could take those hurtful words away, I would,

If I only knew,

What you'd put me through,

That it was for my own good.

I’m sorry,

So very sorry,

If I could turn back the hands of time, I would,

If you only knew,

What I’d do for you,

I’d tell you this,

I’m…sorry.

©2007 Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Read an excerpt from Whale Song.

Pick up a copy of Whale Song from Amazon or your favorite bookstore or library.

I hope you enjoyed this post. And thank you all for making Whale Song the success that it is.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif