My husband surprised me with a Bose docking station for my office. I love it! My new writing routine now includes picking the music I want to listen to as I work on edits or on my other WIPs … genre, artist, specific album, or simply mood music. I’m putting together a few playlists, too, to capture a mix of my favorite songs.

Because music influences feelings, I choose the music for the day based on the scenes I’ll be working on. The beat has to match the flavor of the characters and the actions they’ll be involved in. I also found that specific songs speak for individual characters within each story. As an example, each song on George Michael’s - Older, helped me define all the characters in PASSION’S PROMISE. PJ, Spenser, Nick, and CJ have their own songs. I listen to them as I delve into their emotional journeys and the story unfolds with ease.

As I finish the edits on PASSION’S RACE, I listen to a mix of Lyle Lovett, Moby, Sting, and Lifehouse. An eclectic mix, I know, but they work for me. Sting started my morning and Lifehouse has taken the afternoon. What artist or genre will end my day?

That remains to be heard, because it all depends on the mood of the last scene I’ll touch tonight. For now, I’ll let the words dance on the screen. Maybe I’ll dance around the room a bit, too. What would the world be without music?? I think of gray, overcast days and turn up the volume to bring out the sun!

Sending hugs your way … Christine

1600 miles in four days … John, me, a friend & two motorcycles. Day one: 500 miles, Dumas, Arkansas. Terrible ‘all-fried food’ dinner but great company and lots of laughs. Day two: 400 miles and a night on Bourbon Street (New Orleans). Day three: 500 miles and a night on Beale Street (Memphis). Day four: 200 miles, a gorgeous, very scenic ride home!! Can’t wait until the next motorcycle road trip. Woohoo! 

in St. Louis, the sun is out, the temp is great, & there’s a mild breeze. I have latin music playing as I write, but my eyes keep straying to the front yard and all I can think about is being out there in the gorgeous weather.

I remind myself that I have an article to finish and the polishes on MYSTICAL CONNECTIONS to complete, but the need to run or walk keeps pulling me.

So, in the end, I make a deal with myself - I’ll get the draft of the article down, I’ll think about what threads still need to be woven into MC, then I’ll go for a run and let my thoughts percolate. I’ll savor the sun on my skin and let my subconscious mind fill in what might be missing in my work.

When I get back, I’ll be ready to tackle my tasks with a fresh mind set & renewed energy. Enough said, I’m out of here. Until next time - I hope you have time to enjoy nature. Hugs - Christine 

all the tabloids commenting on stars not wearing their wedding rings. What is the big deal? I’m an athlete, I don’t wear my wedding ring 24/7. Does that mean I don’t love my husband? Or that I’m not committed to our marriage?

Of course not. Come on people, get a life. There’s more to love and life committment than a piece of jewelry!! Can we please stop the insanity??? 

I just read THE POWER OF COINCIDENCE, HOW LIFE SHOWS US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW, by David Richo. It’s an incredible book. Fate and Destiny always blurred for me - I could never pinpoint the exact meaning of each or the difference between them, but Mr. Richo makes it so clear.

‘Everything that happens in our lives has its own life span. There’s a sense of something ‘Greater Than’ - beyond our control; this PLAN is FATE. It’s DESTINY when we choose to join that plan consciously.’

I’ve always believed things happen for a reason. People come into our lives, some stick; others become friends for a period of time, then slip away or deliberately walk away. How many times have you made connections to events in your life and thought, ‘what a coincidence’? Or had a feeling only to find it happens within days? Have you ever wished for something silently and had it come true at some point in your life? I marvel at how often this happens to me.

Were these coincidences? Or the power of something Larger? Say, the Universe at work, helping you see the signs of your PLAN, so you can consciously embrace your DESTINY? What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time - hugs, Christine

Once a month, a little voice whispers in my ear, “It’s time to blog.” And this month, it added, “Hey, don’t you think it’s time to update your site?”

With spring edging in, it does make sense to clean up and freshen. The magnolia outside my office window is covered in buds, looking ready to explode into color. Our little pear trees have tiny green sprouts which will flower in glorious white fluffs. The grass is growing while the birds sing. Yeah, it’s time to open up the windows and let spring in.

So, today, I’m going to take a break from my WIP and navigate through my site … 2010 deserves something different. Something new. Something that will pull me that much closer to meeting my goal. Did I tell you, I’ve been standing on the edge of the world, shouting to the Universe - “I am ready to be published!” Maybe 2010 will be my year.

Happy Spring … take some time to stop and smell the flowers, to soak up the colors as they wake up around us. Until next month, hugs - Christine.