Tag: Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope those who celebrate it have had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for not only taking some time off work for vacation, but also to be spending the holiday with family. It seems like it’s been a rough year for a lot of people I know. Somehow we are all still surviving, but difficult times make you realize how important friends and family are.

Thanks also to the readers who have made it possible for me to achieve my dream of being a published author. There are lots of wonderful indie authors out there waiting to be discovered and we need people to take a chance on new books. Your support means a great deal!

As the shopping frenzy descends for the month of December, please also stop to think about what is really important. With each new year, I’m more and more discouraged by the commercialism. This year I saw Christmas things out at Halloween! What’s next, buying Christmas decorations at back to school time? Now stores are opening up on Thanksgiving to give people more shopping time–which means less time with family and friends. I won’t set foot in a mall this time of year. Online shopping is the way to go. But I also like to buy local and support local craftspeople when I can. I’d much rather give a unique, homemade gift that I know someone will use and enjoy.

So may you truly enjoy the spirit of the holiday season as it descends upon us and focus on the things that are meaningful in your life.

Being thankful

Wishing all of you who celebrate it a very happy Thanksgiving! I do have a lot to be thankful for. Employment (with health insurance), family, friends, a place to live. A lot of people on the East Coast were hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, and my publisher, Crescent Moon Press, was among them. It’s going to be a long recovery, and my heart goes out to those who have lost so much. When you live in comfort, it’s easy to forget the things that are really important because these days we are overloaded with stuff. Strip all of that away, and suddenly the stuff isn’t so important after all. So instead of celebrating the holidays by stuffing ourselves with turkey and pie, followed by the gift buying extravaganza known as Christmas, which begins with Black Friday (you couldn’t pay me to go near a mall this time of year), maybe we could focus on the things that really matter. Family, friends, and community are the things that keep us going in hard times. Hold them close and cherish the time you have with them. The stuff can wait.

Happy Thanksgiving

This has been a big year. I’ve finally achieved my dream of becoming a published author. Hubby, who is a chef, started a new job at a new restaurant and even though it’s been a lot of work, it’s been worthwhile. Life has been more stressful than ever, juggling a demanding job of my own, a three-year-old, and my writing career. Yes, it’s now officially a career, and my hope is that one day it may even pay some bills.

I’m exceedingly thankful to all the people who have supported me along the way. To the friends in my critique groups who have encouraged me all these years and never fail to let me know when my writing isn’t up to par (in a nice way, of course). To my friends who have also provided encouragement and a shoulder to lean on when I need it. To Crescent Moon Press for taking a chance on a new author and believing in my book. To my family who have had to bear with my every waking hour consumed by edits and now marketing and trying to find time to finish writing the next book.

Things are looking a bit grim in the world these days. Being employed and able to pay the bills is certainly something to be thankful for. It makes me appreciate the little things even more. I love the holidays for the festive spirit and the joy in my daughter’s eyes when she sees the holiday lights. Gifts aren’t so important. More and more, I prefer homemade gifts, just something simple. I’d rather focus on spending time with loved ones.

So here’s wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a great holiday season, however you spend it.