#FREE eBook for your #BlackFriday Weekend Fun

FREE. Such a cool word, isn't it? Grabs my attention every time. And now, we are offering my short story book, PETIT FLEURS, for #FREE during this hectic holiday weekend. This special deal is to say thank you to all those wonderful people out there who have shared their reading hours with me and my stories. Yes, it's all about gratitude and giving back.

Let's face it...the holidays can be tough. You've cooked for a crowd. You've eaten and eaten some  more. You've shopped and saved. Perhaps you've even decked the halls.

NOW it's time for you to be pampered for all you do! A little R & R x 4. Rest, relaxation, reading, and reward!

Whether you're familiar with my work or you've never had the pleasure, here is your chance to own a tender collection of heartfelt tales sure to touch your heart. And my hope is that you will enjoy it enough to consider reading the companion - Vignettes Or perhaps, The Making of Nebraska Brown.

Grab your FREE eBook today. Reviews are graciously appreciated.

CLAIM YOUR FREE GIFT HERE: http://getbook.at/PetitFleurs
 

The Trouble with Thankfulness

This morning, as I awaken one week after my emergency surgery and one week prior to Thanksgiving – gratitude is on my mind. My body is healing while my mind is reeling. I have come to see a new side of thankfulness. It's the side that often remains trapped in the steely shadows. The juxtaposition of all that glitters. You see, that is the trouble with the process of being thankful. Sometimes in order to get there you have to stand in the shade.
Now don't get me wrong, it isn't as though my health is something I've ever taken for granted. And yet when I was attacked by one of my own organs, it seemed all at once that good health was something I hadn't exalted enough. It took some dark and painful days for me to truly pine for those bright, painless ones.

I realize that this is not necessarily a widespread problem. By God's good graces I have a roof above my head, and I've never needed to be homeless to appreciate that. Yet I think it's the little things we often overlook where gratitude is concerned. The easy smiles in those moments where worry is miles away. The hugs from those we love the most. The voices of our favorite people available to us at the push of a button. 

They say you don't know what you have until it's gone. I venture an addendum to that statement. You don't know where your gratitude lies until you're suddenly swirling in a choppy sea of troubled waters. And thankfulness is a distant shoreline away.

Who among us hasn't silently whispered "There but for the grace of God go I" when we hear of some tragedy that isn't our own. And of course we are grateful to have skirted such strife. 

Strife - the messy undercarriage of all that is good in the world. 

It isn't humanly possible to walk around in a constant state of unwavering appreciation. The mindless minutia of our daily ritual makes that level of graciousness just another chore. 

But, maybe right now, at this corner of what went wrong and what could be right, perhaps this is a perfect place to pause and think thankfully.

If only until the next intersection. 

 

New Release - Petit Fleurs & Vignettes are Live!!

I'm thrilled to bring you my short story collection, via Immortal Ink Publishing and available RIGHT NOW on AMAZON exclusively! These companion books are JUST .99 cents each and are perfect for those times when reading time is of the essence. With eight small though mighty tales in each volume (and bonus material included, too) these books will introduce you to people and places you won't soon forget. Like Ileana, a young prima ballerina from South Africa, trying to find her true calling among the crowded stages of New York City. And Mia whose chance encounter with a striking stranger unearths a family secret and two broken hearts. You will meet loyal pets like Finn MacFee, who is sure to touch your soul. And in time for the holiday season, you will come to know Jessica, a waitress and single mother in Barstow, California whose one wish is for her young son to hear her say "I love you." These are just a few of the many interesting characters that come to life within these pages.

Here are the purchase links: http://getbook.at/PetitFleurs and http://getbook.at/Vignettes.

Check out this early review from one of our ARC readers:
http://dalesittonrogers.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/vignettes-and-petit-fleurs-stories-of-chances-and-change/

I hope you will give these books a try and let me know which story you enjoyed most of all!


HAPPY READING, friends!!