Hello,

I hope you had a great holiday and will have a wonderful New Year to come. If you get a chance read this blog: http://www.gspitsit.blogspot.com/ its wonderful. Its written beautifully and has a great message regarding priorities, making yourself a priority and not being someone else's
option, its a terrific post and really hits home about the human condition and its failings that usually end up hurting others. The premise of the post is priorities and how our priorities differ from one another and what you may think should be a priority, someone else might not. There are people out in the world who don't think writing is a priority--or should be--for most writers, but is more like a self-indulgence that can be done or not and it's definitely not something should be at the top of anyone's priority list. I of course believe it's wrong, I do list my writing at the top and although it doesn't come near where my children and family stand; its still up there and I pay attention to it, to its details, baby it, agonize over it, rejoice in it and make it work for me when I can by putting in the time and effort just like you would do for anything or anyone you truly love.

So, we all choose our top priorities and writing is one of mine and one of yours too I know, and its a great thing especially when love of it--of doing it--is one of the reasons why and that's a blessing.

Write, keep at it no matter what, keep it at the top.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing.

Lori

Hello and Happy Christmas,

The holidays are upon us—sometimes literally--they can be a heavy burden incorporating trying to make sure everyone gets what they've asked for, fighting traffic and pushing through crowds to get to that crowded shopping mall, concerned about overspending or under spending on those you love and worrying if you’d get everything done before the day arrives; it can be way too much.

As a writer, my saving grace is to write through all this and I hope it’s yours too. It may not be true for all writers, but when I can catch a break from all the hoopla and pressure to focus my mind, concentrate on any aspect of my writing; fleshing out a character or a situation the character’s in, doing research to move the story along, working on the story itself and getting a page done or even half a page written, its like taking a mini-vacation in the midst of a storm. I feel good then, as if I’m actually doing something instead of running and getting nowhere like everyone else during this time of year.

So, I’m writing when I can and fortunately it’s pretty often and I feel very blessed this year to be able to do so. I feel blessed for a number of reasons this year ( not just for the writing) the list seems endless and it’s a good one: my sons, my family, my friends, my health, a job I like, publishing my first book, a number of things and I’m going to keep at all of them to make sure next year is not just as good, but great.

Write all you can, it’ll make the season merrier.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing,

Hello and Happy Friday,

You get anything written today? I hope so because every word helps doesn't it? At least I think so, because sometimes it can be hard to get a few sentences out let alone a page, so the few words you produce that eventually become a sentence, then a paragraph until an entire book is created, its wonderful.

I had my first interview today about the book. The interview was for the Sun Press News Paper and was conducted by this beautiful young woman named Holly and to my surprise I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, part of it was because the interviewer was easy going, she asked thoughful questions and the interview didn't take to long though the main reason I didn't faint from nerves at the prospect, let alone doing the interview, was because I told myself 'don't you flub up your first (it could be your last) interview so get over the nervousness.' And I got over it because I know, the only way to get my book out there is to promote it as gracefully, as positively, as succintly and as professionally as I could and babbling nervously, not being able to tell the readers about my book and encourage them to go out and read it emphasizing it would be more than worth their while, is not my objective, getting readers for You Don't Know me, is.

I know I'm not the most out going, vivacious person out there; able to sell igloos to eskimos, but one thing I do know, my novel deserves a champion to rally for it positively every chance I get, to be its number one cheerleader, so if I get a chance at another interview I'm going to work hard and put out my best effort so that my novel can have the chance to be found by great readers.

Keeping writing; there are really no excuses not to is it.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing,

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Hello and very Happy Friday to you,

I’m very happy this Friday because finally, finally, my novel You Don’t Know Me has faced the challenges of being self-published and won; its out there now, available on Lulu.com and also on Amazon and soon other places.

I urge you (you knew I would) to get the book, as a paperback copy or download it and let me know what you think. I’m asking for your review, your suggestions, your critique, your comments, whatever you want to give me because I would love to know how readers feel about the characters, the story line and what improvements I can consider for the second book in the Owen Story trilogy.

So, give it a look and let me know by e-mail or with a comment. I would greatly appreciate your feedback and above all else I hope it's a story you'll enjoy.

Keeping writing.

If you have any comments or suggestions I have a new e-mail address at: mathewsla@hotmail.com

Until next time, God willing.

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