Tag Archive for: #amthinking

Perseverance

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 Perseverance

By Cathy Perkins

We’re living in crazy times right now. The world feels turned
upside down and inside out by the pandemic and I refuse to mention the horrible
political climate in the US. When I talk with friends about writing, the publishing
industry, and life in general, I hear a constant refrain of how difficult it
has become.

Last week, my husband and I finally ventured out of our
bubble and visited my daughter’s in-laws. (Yes, we like our kids’ in-laws!) One
of our many hikes ventured into ancient lava flows – stark, alien terrain. Obsidian
faces as bright and shiny as a new penny belied the 7000-year-old explosion
that created them.

But amid all that desolation, there was a tree.

A small tree, it put down roots and built a home. And
slowly, slowly, it thrived.

The lesson is obvious but still so hard to hear. Patience. Determination.
Willingness to take a risk.

As an author, I’ve slowly built a library of books. I’m so
grateful to the people who read them. They’re the reason I write. If you’ve
read one or more of them, thank you for rewarding me with your faith in my
ability to tell a story and offer a few hours of escape and entertainment.

This picture, however, reminds me that even in these uncertain
times, it’s up to me to find a way to thrive.


(And for a tiny bit of shameless self promotion, So About the Money, book 1 in the Holly Price mystery series is on sale today. http://bit.ly/AllAmazon_SATM ) 

An award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond height or heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.  Visit her at http://cperkinswrites.com or on Facebook 

Sign up for her new release announcement newsletter in either place.

She’s hard at work on sequel to The Body in the Beaver Pond, which was recently presented with the Claymore Award.

New Way of Thinking

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New Year, New Way of Thinking

By Cathy Perkins

I’ve been thinking about New Year’s Resolutions this week. Making
them is ingrained in us, isn’t it? New year, new leaf, fresh start and all
that. This year will be different! Everything is new and shiny!
Okay, confession: I only made a couple of vague resolutions.
You know, “I’ll finish that online course I started, cough, cough, last year”
ones.
So many people swear they’re going to change, to start doing
the good for you stuff. Go to the gym. Eat healthier. And writers? This is the
year you’re finally going to finish that, fill in the blank. Novel screenplay,
memoire. You hear echoes of “work hard” and “sacrifice” and, if you really want
it…
Why do our expressions for going after what we want to
pursue—our goals, for heaven’s sake—come across as something negative? Why
do we make them about things we clearly don’t want to do?
And what happens? Here we are, barely three weeks into January
and mine are already headed for that big dump station in the sky.  
Then I stumbled across a post by Jennifer Crusie.
Jenny is a fantastic teacher. I met her several years ago
when she taught a masterclass at the beach. I think my head exploded, I learned
so much that week. So, when she says something, I tend to listen and think
about it.
Her proposal is instead of choosing tasks that you know you
aren’t going to carry through, focus on what makes you happy. Won’t that be a
better way to appreciate the good things in life? 
I’ve been thinking about happiness this week (instead of
that class I’m not listening to). What makes me happy?
I love to travel, so I took advantage of Alaska Air’s sale
and booked a few flights. And art. I’ve been playing with my kiln and fused
glass for a while, but those pencils and watercolors are calling. There’s a
shiny new book I want to write and this may be the year to screw up my courage
and tackle the book that nearly made me quit writing.
So, what about you? How are your resolutions going? Did you
make any?

Or would you rather jump on board my Happiness Train?


Image courtesy of Gross National Happiness USA organization. Find them here.




An award-winning author of financial mysteries, Cathy Perkins writes twisting dark suspense and light amateur sleuth stories.  When not writing, she battles with the beavers over the pond height or heads out on another travel adventure. She lives in Washington with her husband, children, several dogs and the resident deer herd.  Visit her at http://cperkinswrites.com or on Facebook 

Sign up for her new release announcement newsletter in either place.

She’s hard at work on sequel to The Body in the Beaver Pond, which was recently presented with the Claymore Award.

Clicking Our Heels – Dreams or Wishes for Others

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Clicking Our
Heels – Stiletto Gang Members Dreams or Wishes for Others

At the end of
the year, people begin to think about New Year’s resolutions, but the Stiletto
Gang decided to think of a dream or wish each one would have for someone in the
future — and the Gang is letting you in on those dreams or wishes.

Julie Mulhern – I have two daughters and I wish happy, healthy
lives for both of them.

J.M. Phillippe – I feel like my day job as a therapist has
me dreaming and wishing for people’s futures all the time. I just want people
to be able to feel joy in their lives–whatever shape joy takes.

Linda Rodriguez – My dream or wish for the future is for all of us. I
would wish that we would become a society that values people and uses things
rather than the society we have become that values things and uses people and a
country where the law binds all people of all classes and also protects all
people of all classes. I do believe if this dream came true we would have a
wonderful country to live in.

Bethany Maines – Tricky question! Is my interpretation of what’s good for someone
else’s future correct? I wish my daughter would win the lottery for over ten
million dollars.  Then I’ll move in with her when I’m old and do nothing
but float in the pool and drink mai tai’s and host book clubs. Too
self-serving?  OK, if I’m being altruistic and wishing for someone else to
truly get their dream I would wish that the Greta Thunberg is entirely successful
in her pursuit of environmental change.


Kay Kendall
– I fervently wish for Earth’s population that the ecological damage humans
have wrecked on the planet would be reversed.

Shari Randall – This is kind of out of left field, but I
wish and hope, in the future, that libraries will be funded and recognized for
the important work they do in building a literate world.

Dru Ann Love
– I wish my mom didn’t have cancer.

Mary Lee Ashford – Oh,
wow. So many wishes for so many people. I have six grandchildren and so they
immediately come to mind. For them, and really for all my friends and family, I
would wish health and happiness. In addition, I’ll share my own life goals
because these are things I’d wish for them:  #LiveBrave #LoveHard
#LiftOthers

Debra H. Goldstein – “World Peace” with
acknowledgements to the movies.


Cathy Perkins – Wow, where to start? So many personal wishes are crowding into my mind with friends facing tough financial or medical challenges, along with the selfish, I want my kids and their spouses to be happy. Like Debra, I’m tempted to go with the global “world peace.” (Lord knows we need it!) Anybody who has peeked at my Facebook posts knows I care passionately about the environment, so my wish is people wake up to the damage we’re doing to the planet.