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Give Yourself the Gift of Joy

Lynette M Burrows

You know each person has a certain level of intelligence we call an IQ. Maybe you’ve heard that each individual has a unique ability to perceive, manage and regulate emotions, an emotional IQ. Did you know you also have an individual level of joyfulness? You can choose to live up to your joy potential—or not. Don’t overlook it. Give yourself the gift of joy. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” Dennis P. Kimbro What is Joy? Some people use joy and happiness as synonyms. Even Merriam-Webster defines happiness as “a state of well-being and contentment: JOY.” But that’s not quite right.  According to Merriam-Webster, joy is “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing one’s desires.” That’s a dry answer.  The APA Dictionary of Psychology says joy is “a feeling of extreme gladness, delight, or exultation of the spirit arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction.” This dictionary explains the difference between active and passive joy. “Both forms of joy are associate with an increase in energy and of confidence and self-esteem.”  Be Honest with Yourself Life is full of ups and downs. No […]

Will You Celebrate Pride Month with These First Lines?

Lynette M Burrows

First Line Friday is a series of blog articles posted on the first Friday of every month. The first line of a story, we’re told, must hook the reader. Implied is that the reader will not buy the book if the first line isn’t great. These entries are from Amazon, my personal library, or other online booksellers. Will you celebrate Pride Month with these first lines? First Lines As she woke up in the pod, she remembered three things. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers Book 1) Becky Chambers The stranger came out of the sea like a water ghost, barefoot and wearing the scars of his journey.  The Priory of the Orange Tree Samantha Shannon Busting up a casino has never been at the top of Oriol Sina’s bucket list, but here he is, standing in the middle of the Dorothy Queen dressed for trouble in a suit he’d much rather be admiring on another man. Double Edged (The Bulari Saga Book 1) Jessie Kwak Outbreaks of magic started all kinds of ways. The Fever King (Feverwake Book 1) Victoria Lee Behind the clouds of the new monsoon, the ancient mainframe Chang rolls too fast across […]

The Ups and Down of Progress Continues in May

Lynette M Burrows

Can you believe it’s almost June? I feel as if I’ve lost 18 months. I’ll bet some of you feel the same. We’re suspended between pandemic and post-pandemic. And the ups and downs of progress continues in May. If you’re new to these monthly progress reports, I use intentions and general categories for tracking tasks I intend to accomplish. Making Progress remains slow, but it continues. Several scenes in If I Should Die were not working. I’ve rewritten those scenes many times but finally found the right one last week. That means more rewriting, but I know the story will be stronger for it. Managing I’m keeping up with the basics at this point. I have plans and materials to rearrange and enlarge my workspace. That project is on hold for a little while. (See Home—The Room is Spinning.) Marketing My low-key marketing efforts slowed this month but are continuing to generate sales. Sales makes me happy. Thank you readers! Events I’ll be taking part in ConQuest 52, our local science fiction convention Memorial Day weekend, today through Sunday. It’s virtual this year. If you don’t have any plans, check it out. Guests of Honor include authors, Becky Chambers and […]