#SaturdaySpotlight is on @JudithWorks & The Measure of Life!

Good Morning,

Today's guest is brand new to our spotlight so please give Judith Works a huge W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Tell us about your book, The Measure of Life, Judith... (Love that title btw)

The Measure of Life is a story of love and loss, lies and truth, and begins in Rome as Nicole shares a cappuccino and cornetto with her Italian tutor. The meeting sets off a chain of events that upends the course of her life. While Rome also brings deep friendships and immersion into a sumptuous food scene there is no escape from acknowledging the consequences of her actions. In search of forgiveness and healing, she moves to an island near her childhood home in Seattle only to find the way to reunite the remnants of her family and discover her true path is to return to Rome and face the past.

How intriguing! Please give us more....

Here's an Excerpt: Alessandro and I met twice a week. To control my raging emotions, I stayed away from subjects which could be misconstrued as provocative. I asked questions about Rome and told him about life in the United States. I honored his request to tell him how patients like to be spoken to in America by imagining how I would want to be told.

I struggled, wanting to be with him—not to talk about the newspaper headlines or hamburgers but to learn the details of his life and his hopes for his future. Not cardiology but other matters of the heart. It wasn’t hard to sense he too was finding our meetings ever more difficult as he began a sentence on some innocuous subject then stuttered to a halt. As the space between our discussion topics lengthened, the tension increased.

One day he said, “Nicole, you never talk about you, what you want in life. Let’s not talk about American food anymore.” He placed his warm hand over mine. I could feel his pulse beating at the same rapid pace, throbbing throughout my body.

I wanted to tell him I needed love, comfort, and encouragement but couldn’t articulate the words. I wanted to say it was important to be a good mother, and I wanted to say some time I’d make up for dropping out of school—become a professional like most of my friends who’d gone on to graduate and start careers.

To break the dangerous spell, I reached for my coffee with the other hand, but accidentally knocked over the cup, spilling it on the table. He withdrew his hand to wipe the mess away.

“Will you come again next week?”

I mumbled, “Yes.” He gathered his books and hurried away. I was rooted to the chair, my mind racing with anticipation I could not tamp down.

****

When I got back to our apartment Martin was home. “Where were you?”

“Working on my Italian. I need the language if you want me to manage here.”

“There’s laundry in my suitcase.”

I could feel my face contort in anger. He looked alarmed and added, “Nice to be home. What’s for dinner?” It didn’t quell my rage. It was easier to manage without his presence and I hoped he’d be off again soon.

*** 

Oh my, Judith....sounds like Nicole is in a conundrum for sure! What made you write the book?

Let me share my bio first and you'll understand my 'why' LOL!

After I earned a law degree in midlife, I had the chance to leave the Forest Service in Oregon and run away to the Circus (Maximus). In reality my husband and I moved to Rome where I worked for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization for four years as a legal advisor to the director of human resources. I could see the Circus that had hosted chariot races during the Roman Empire from my office window.

My husband and I reluctantly returned to the US after four years. But we pined for the land of pasta, vino, art, and sunny piazzas. Then the gods smiled and offered a chance to return to Rome with the UN World Food Program. Six more years of food and frolic in the Eternal City passed much too quickly. The indelible experiences living in Italy and working for the UN were the genesis of my memoir Coins in the Fountain.

Life in Rome with all its food and challenges, along with many visits to an island near Seattle, contributed to the settings and events in my new novel The Measure of Life, the story of an expat woman who struggles with all the difficulties that can come with living abroad including a fraying family and the effort to build a life of her own. Expat life can bring unexpected challenges, especially for women who have left their domestic life in the home country, and for children who are plopped down in a totally new environment and new school. Often Americans do not speak a second language and it can be difficult to manage without Italian. Tensions in marriages are common and in an international city like Rome life is filled with temptations of all kinds within the vibrant social scene.

Nicole, my protagonist, is not like me. She is young, married to an older widower who frequently travels for his job. Instead of an improvement in her marriage, it begins to founder, and she is faced with the dilemma of what to do with her life as her children grow. Rome is a food mecca, and Italian food cooking, blogs, and toursl becomes a meaningful outlet in her quest for independence after a doomed love affair. Food plays such an important place in Italian life I wanted to write about it along with some of the places that I found interesting, and which she undoubtedly would have visited. Expat life has many joys and difficulties, and I wanted readers to have a chance to experience them through Nicole's eyes and then contemplate the pleasures of rural island life where she finds peace and the courage to begin again.

*** 

How interesting! How can we find you and the book?

Website: judithworks.net

Facebook, Judith Works, Author

Instagram: WorksJudith

Threads: WorksJudith

Blue Sky: worksjudith.bskky.social

The Measure of Life can be found at Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback.

Thanks for sharing Judith. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight, Friends and that you'll check back weekly for another great author and book.

Until next time, keep reading.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Nancy AKA: NN Light's!

Good Morning Friends,

If you've followed me for long, you've heard me mention NN Light's Book Heaven. Well today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Nancy or Mrs. N from NN Lights! 

A lot of people ask me to describe myself. I tend to avoid questions like that because, hey, I’m just me. I’m also shy which is why I’m a writer. Here it goes. My name is Nancy, but I am well-known in the book world as Mrs. N aka N. N. Light. Without further ado, here are twenty-six fun facts about me, alphabetical, for your enjoyment.

A- Art lover and one time, I got lost in the Louvre and had to ask a guard for directions.

B- Baking is a secret obsession of mine. I love to bake and I love trying new recipes. I tend to share my creations on Instagram and Facebook.

C- Chocolate is my favorite food and, in my opinion, it should be a food group.

D- Dreamt of marrying a chef and getting published ever since I was eighteen. 2/2 is pretty good!

E- Exercise saved my life and I walk over 20 miles a week, no matter the weather.

F- Favorite foods include: anything Italian, Greek, Mexican, pizza, steak, burgers, lobster, etc.

G- Great writers I admire: Ernest Hemingway, Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harlan Coben, Sophie Kinsella, J. K. Rowling, Stephen King and Agatha Christie.

H- Happiness is curled up reading a book or watching a movie with Mr. N.

I- Inspiration is all around me and I get inspired by the smallest thing. 

J- Jovial is a way to describe me. There is nothing more I love to do than laugh, even if it is at myself. 

K- Kindness to everyone is one of my mantras for living.

L- Love Actually is one of my favorite movie and I watch it at least twice times a year.

M- MLB is one of my favorite sports to watch and my favorite team is the Minnesota Twins.

N- Natural beauty is my lifestyle and appearance. I don’t overdo on make-up, perfume or jewelry. Short red hair tousled, light eye shadow complimenting my hazel eyes and a big smile are all the accessories I need to make an outfit complete. 

O- Only child growing up left me free to explore my world using my imagination and books.

P- Perseverance throughout life is what has made me into the woman I am today.

Q- Questions tumbled out of my mouth as a child and some of my teachers found it annoying.  I was curious about everything and wanted to know how stuff worked. 

R- Romance is not something couples do once or twice a year; it’s every day and that’s how my marriage with Mr. N continues to feel like we’re still newlyweds. This summer we’ll be celebrating our eighteenth wedding anniversary.

S- School was troublesome for me due to bullying but I survived and I try to inspire others to stand up to bullies.

T- Twitter is my favorite social media site although I am discovering how addictive Facebook can be.

U- Understanding is one my strongest personality attributes.  I can empathize with anyone and when needed, I give out hugs.

V- Vino in a glass is one of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day.  My tastes vary but my go-to variety is Cabernet Sauvignon.

W- Winnie the Pooh is my favorite cartoon character growing up and I still love it.  I relate to all the friends from Hundred Acre Wood: Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl and Christopher Robin.

X- Xtra shy in front of a camera has been something I have had to deal with since I was ten.  I would much rather meet in person or talk on the phone. I’m still a work in progress.

Y- Yoda is my favorite Star Wars character and I try to emulate him. Wise, he is.

Z- Zen or prayer is something I incorporate in my everyday life.  It’s a constant conversation and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My spiritual life is a living thing and one I cherish.

That’s a little bit about me, Nancy.  I hope you enjoyed learning more about me. Now here's a little bit more about the inspirational thought book I wrote with Mr. N a few years ago.

"Spread the Light and inspire others to do the same." -- N. N. Light

In 2013, we wrote a mission statement and started a blog. We wanted to test a theory. Could one person (or in our case, one couple) use uplifting words to create change?

The answer is a resounding yes! People from all over the world responded to our short inspirational thoughts of the day, and our following grew. What started out as a few people promoting kindness and goodwill turned into a movement. In every city, there are Light-Bearers making a difference and we want you to join us.

Everyone needs inspiration. It doesn’t matter what spiritual belief you hold dear, you have the Light inside you. Kindness, compassion, empathy, encouragement are all attributes of the Light. In this book, you’ll find a ninety second inspirational thought for each day of the year. You’ll be inspiring people to spread the Light daily with our collection of inspirational thoughts. From giving of yourself to simply smiling, these are easy concepts for anyone to apply!

Excerpt:

The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don't give up!

Do you need a little encouragement?

This week has been a series of missteps and falters for me. I'm totally exhausted and in need of a rest. I've been working my tail off and yesterday was feeling a little low. Without me saying a word, I had three friends, two clients and MR N all tell me the same thing:

You're doing amazing work and I'm so proud of you.

Those ten words uplifted and encouraged me. It was the boost I needed.

Each of us is dealing with one struggle or another. We're trying to make it through the day. Some days are harder than others. The truth is, we need to go through these struggles to deal with what comes tomorrow.

N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N.

Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

Find and Follow NN Light's at....

Website  Goodreads   Facebook  Twitter  Bookbub  Instagram  

LinkedIn  Amazon Author Page

Get your copy of NN Light's Daily Book of Inspiration at the following locations....

Amazon US   Amazon CA   Amazon UK 

Walmart   Goodreads  

Other Ebook Retailers

It has been a real treat getting to know more about you, Nancy. I agree chocolate should be a food group LOL! We certainly wish you and Mr. N the best of luck and God's blessings!

Hope you enjoyed today's guest as much as I have, Friends. Check out NN Light's "Christmas in July Fete" and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a $75 Amazon gift card!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

Tuesday Treasures: The Ho'oponopono Prayer

Good Morning Friends!

I've often shared prayers and meditations with you that I've found beneficial in my own life. One was from Marianne Williamson's book, A Return to Love: I love you, I forgive you, I release you to God (or the Holy Spirit) OR if you don't believe in God and the Holy Spirit you can just end the prayer with I release you. Personally I believe in the Blessed Trinity and always have God/Jesus/Holy Spirit as my center in every prayer. I know Marianne is considered a "new age" author so please be aware of this should you decide to read her books.*

Anyway, I've discovered the Ho'oponopono (pronounced HoAPonoPono) prayer I'd like to share with you because the words are beautiful and they line up with Jesus' teachings on love and forgiveness.

This 'prayer' contains 4 simple phrases: I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.

Jessica Ortner incorporates this prayer in her Surrogate Tapping video and I found the words healing and soothing, but I never knew they were an ancient Hawaiian prayer!

I've practiced this over the last several weeks concerning a difficult situation in my life and it has made a huge difference. Not so much in the situation (yet!) but in me.

Jason Stephenson, whom I discovered on YouTube has a beautiful, meditative voice and he shares this prayer focusing on different areas of your life. It's a short video but powerful.

I've always believed short, sweet, simple and to-the-point prayers were more effective than long, eloquent words that you spend so much time trying to remember, the heart of them gets lost in the process.

So I challenge you to use this prayer today to heal or change the energy around a certain area of your life.

Imagine a situation (or person) you're having trouble with--Even (especially) if you need to forgive yourself for something! Bring all of the details you can firmly to mind and then say these words....

I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.

Repeat for several minutes - being in a relaxed meditative state would be more beneficial, but even if you're driving or showering or cooking or cleaning....say and feel the energy of these words then take note of changes you see, feel or experience.

If you are a proponent of (or practice) *EFT, use tapping while praying and you get the double benefit of rewiring your thought patterns around this particular situation or person.

Granted, some situations take more than one application of any type of prayer or self-growth technique (like EFT or Tapping) but isn't it worth the time and energy for YOU to be healed?

I think so!

Something to think about...
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

Hope you enjoyed today's post. Oh and check out these new banners I had created for my coaching practice!

Aren't they beautiful?! Many thanks to Delia Latham of Heaven's Touch Designs - my 'go to' girl for all of my book cover, promo and banner needs :-)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

I'd LOVE to hear if you use this prayer and how it worked for you so leave a comment. It is something I'll definitely use and treasure from here on out

Until next time, take care and God bless and remember...when the going gets tough, the tough take steps to be healed!

PamT

*This post has been edited since I wrote it this morning because it was brought to my attention that EFT/Tapping has origins in Eastern Mysticism and the "new age" movement. However, it was introduced to me through a clinical psychologist so I will be doing my research. Please be aware of the connotations if you choose to investigate this technique. Above all things, stay true to who you are in Christ.

Thursday Thoughts on Time Management

Good Morning Friends,

In my last personal post I mentioned my dream of being a Life Coach. In pursuing that dream I am faced with the dilemma of scheduling time to study and be certified, which prompted this post.

Time management is a big issue with anyone who wears more than one hat. This is especially true with writers. Most of us have outside work, home, families...the list goes on and on....and we're ruled by the clock.

So how do we manage?

I wrote an article years ago in which I stated, budget your time just like you budget your money--sage advice for those who know how to prepare and follow a budget. But what happens when you do your best to budget or schedule your day down to the minute, but life throws a monkey wrench in the mix?

Here's a thought......

Albert Einstein said, "Time is an illusion."

Therefore, time expands to meet your needs.

This does not mean we can lollygag around and then get in a mad rush-that never works! Doing so will disrupt your energy flow and unless gotten under control by a purposeful shift, rule your day. However, if you're on track but keep getting interrupted by unexpected people and events, you can calm yourself and change your energy by focusing on that one thought....Time expands to meet my needs.

Time is valuable and we always make time for what we value. Our dreams, desires and goals are important and should be given priority in our daily/weekly/monthly schedules.

So next time you glance at the clock and think...I just don't have enough time! Take a deep breath (or several) and remind yourself....Time expands to meet my needs and see how quickly things turn around.

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll drop by often to see what's happening on Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings on Juggling Life, Writing and Other Dreams & Desires

Good Morning!

It's been a few weeks since I posted a personal Thursday Thoughts and on Dec. 30th I mentioned I was re-thinking my blogging schedule. I'm currently reading Waking Up in Winter by Cheryl Richardson and let me tell you, this personal journey of hers is so ON Topic with my life at this time!

Let me begin by saying I Love Writing. I love every aspect from conception to publication to marketing. I love helping writers become published authors and I love ministering to people in whatever capacity I can.

But for quite a while I've struggled with my writing, then, when Keri's Christmas Wish finaled in 2017 IDA's I got all excited again.

Sure, it's easy when I have a guest, but personal posts can be difficult to come by, especially when your year begins as mine has with having to put down my beautiful, beloved Cassie....

Another thing I've wrestled with over the last few years is the desire to pursue a dream that was placed in my heart years ago--that of being a Life/Writing Coach/Spiritual Mentor and focusing my writing on those areas. Even my son said I should write in the Self Help/Personal Growth genre.

Hence the question as to where my life is going and whether or not to continue thrice weekly posts.

So that leaves me with this decision for today.... I will continue posting Tuesday Treasures and Thursday Thoughts when I have a guest or when I feel led. That may be regularly. May not.

Saturday Spotlight will continue weekly.

Thank you for your continued love and support. I hope you will continue to drop by and see what's happening until I get clear direction on what to do.  Meanwhile, Mistletoe, Snow and Suspense (which includes Keri's Christmas Wish) is STILL available for the next couple of weeks and check out this new collection of Christian Suspense books, Timeless Suspense, which includes my novel, The Visionary. Both are limited editions and available for only .99 cents! 

  

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT