Have you ever felt stuck? Is there something major challenging you now?

Well I’m here to say, You’ve Got This!

As some of you know, when I decided to write my new book in a different genre, I soon discovered the move from writing romance to writing mystery was quite a challenge.

Readers of my Bridge Club Series have asked,

When is your next book coming out?

How’s the new book coming?

And for a very long time, with some embarrassment, I mumbled, “I’m stuck.” 

Yes, I wrote the first few chapters, then BAM!

I hit a brick wall

Months went by, and I stared at the blank page to begin chapter four.

It remained blank.

No matter how long or how hard I stared at it, nothing… until two things happened.

First, I met with my editor/publisher/coach and friend Demi Stevens.  She inspires me to GSD–Get Stuff Done! (Yes, you can substitute another word for stuff.) 

And Second, I stopped focusing on the whole book and started taking it one chapter–or one brick–at a time.

So after meeting with my coach in March, I decided to tackle this task bit by bit, chapter by chapter, and guess what…

Yesterday I completed the first draft of my new book — Coming Soon —

WATERCOLOR WHISPERS

(Working Title)

Now soon is a relative term, so I’m not promising an exact date of release yet. This is the first draft after all. Now the fun begins. It’s time to rewrite!

But I am sharing this bit of news to encourage you to focus on one brick, and–no matter what wall is blocking your progress–you will tear that wall down!

(Images thanks to Pixabay)

One last thing: I am close enough to completion to be getting excited about a cover. Here are three images I’m considering for part of the cover. I’d love it if you’d help with this big decision and tell me which one you like best. (The protagonist, Mia–who was growing up in the Bridge Series–is grown and an art therapist.)

Until next time…

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A Poem by G. K. Bostic

(I was given a challenge a few years ago to write a one-sentence 40 line poem. As I sat out on my deck, I was inspired by listening and looking at my surroundings.)

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Why are we all so obsessed with ice cream?

Because it’s good!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Right? Okay, well maybe there are some people in the world who don’t like it, but I do believe they would be hard to find. And perhaps they are aliens from another planet in a galaxy far, far away.

But let’s admit it, most of us average humans love this creamy frozen delight. Did you know the origins of ice cream can be traced back to about the 4th century BC? Persians combined ice with flavors to produce treats, and it is said that Nero ordered ice to be brought back from the mountains to be mixed with fruit.

Ice cream probably came to Europe from Shang, China where King Tang used a method of making ice and milk concoctions. Later, in Europe and then in the United States, these concoctions evolved into recipes with which people experimented developing more and more sinful, delicious dessert temptations. 

Ice cream was so popular here in the USA that the first ice cream parlor was opened way back in 1776 in New York City where the colonists started calling the concoction ice cream for the first time, coming from the phrase iced cream. And the idea of the ice cream parlor went over so well, it would be almost impossible to find a town without one now.

But what’s your favorite? You don’t have to settle for a simple bowl of ice cream. Thanks to some of the following people, here are some other choices.

• Ice cream sundaes – May be attributed to Ed Berners of Two Rivers, Wisconsin in 1881 when a customer requested his ice cream be served with some syrup normally used for sodas. Berner charged a nickel for it. George Giffy, a competitor in another Wisconsin town, decided to serve the same thing but charged a dime and only served it on Sundays calling it an Ice Cream Sunday. It was so popular, he decided to change it to Ice Cream Sundae so he could serve it every day.
• The Ice Cream Cone was introduced in 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis
• We can thank British chemists for discovering a way to double the amount of air in ice cream and giving us soft ice cream.
• The Good Humor Ice Cream Bar was invented by Harry Burt in 1920. And soon  ice cream trucks covered the land.

So if and when you need a little comfort–and who doesn’t these days–maybe you can pick your favorite and cozy up with a little ice cream.  Oh, and if you’re watching your weight and don’t want all those calories, there’s a yummy alternative I’ve discovered. It comes in lots of flavors, but here’s my favorite. Enjoy!

Hey, and I’d love it if you’d leave a comment, and tell me your favorite! 

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Feeling down? Need a dose of something to make you feel better? Don’t pop a Valium. Have a dose of the best medicine you can find–MUSIC!

Research has proven that music can be healing. It’s used in hospitals across the country to heal patients or alleviate their symptoms. And though the research and current practices may be new, music has been used as therapy through the ages.

Al Farabi who lived from c.872-c.950, wrote about music’s cosmic qualities and discussed the therapeutic effects of music on man’s soul.

And it can help people of all ages,

• An hour of music a day helps premature babies to sleep and eat more and gain more weight. Music is soothing and softens their environment.
• Students–no matter what their age–can study better with peaceful, harmonious background music (especially classical such as Mozart) which helps them focus and can reduce stress and anxiety.
• Dementia patients who may not recognize family members or remember what you just said, will respond to an old familiar song such as Amazing Grace and be able to sing every note and every word. (In a recent news story you may have seen a man singing this through the window with his elderly mother–made me cry.) 

A 17th century scholar, Robert Burton, argued in “The Anatomy of Melancholy” that music is critical in treating mental illness.  We know today it can help with pain management, reduce blood pressure, improve concentration and enhance learning.

So today, as we face fear evoked by the Corona Virus, worry over loved ones beyond our reach, and the boredom and depression of being home-bound is getting to us, perhaps we should put on some headphones and escape with a musical interlude. Maybe we can change that helpless, restless, lonely, and confused mindset shown on the left to the peaceful, relaxed, thankful, and happy one shown on the right.

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