Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays everyone! And I do hope you all have a peaceful, safe, memorable, and happy Christmas season.

Sometimes this time of year can be extra stressful for people. I admit, there's a lot to get done for us women who handle every single detail of the holiday. The shopping, the wrapping, the shipping, the baking, the cooking, the decorating, and the clean up. But I love every minute of it...well most of it anyway. However, it's usually just my husband and I so I don't have near the stress that most families have. I still do it all, and wonder why most times, but I really don't have to please anyone else but myself. At least with the decorating anyway. My husband says he could care less. But I don't really believe him. ha

Those of you who have family to spend the holidays with, try to destress a little. Take lots of deep breaths and remember, you're doing all this hard work for people you love. But you also need to take care of yourself while working your fingers to the bone!

I miss the days of spending Christmas with my family. We always had the best times. Our parents always went all out this time of year. We had tons of candy, cookies and all the goodies. Christmas lights and music were always important to us. When we lived in our small town of Edgerton, Ohio we even went caroling a few times. Driving around looking at the lights was one of my fondest memories with my family. My husband and I make sure to do that every year as well.

But as years pass, you and your family have kids and everyone gets older and involved in their own lives, it's really hard to get everyone together. My family is spread out and it's just too difficult to get us all together. I wish with all my heart that we had had one last Christmas all together before my dad passed away this year. He wouldn't have really realized what was going on but it would've still meant the world to him and especially my mom. We will all be missing him terribly this year but I know he will be singing his favorite Christmas carols up in heaven.

Christmas is a magical time of year especially for the kids in this world. Let's all try to enjoy it and come back in 2016 with even more love in our hearts and hope for the future.

Guns and Books!

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was great! Mine was quiet but nice. However, today I'm very saddened and distressed over yet another shooting, this one in California, and loss of innocent lives. When is it ever going to stop? It's sickening to have to be afraid when going to a movie or any other public place anymore.

I'm a big believer in making stricter gun laws. I don't believe in hunting for sport because I love animals too much. To me it's senseless to kill one just for fun. Or even for meat when we live in a world where we can buy what we need to live on at the store. However, I'm not a vegetarian. I'll eat meat from a store because I have no control over animals who've already been killed, if that makes sense.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against people who hunt for sport, it's their choice. I just will never do it myself!

Anyway, to me there is no reason for anyone to have a gun except to kill. That's what guns are made for so why do we all need one? Why is it so easy to get one? I especially think if you live in this country, but are not a U.S. Citizen, you should not be allowed to own a gun. I also believe this for any country. U.S. Citizens should not be allowed to carry a gun to another country either. In my little brain, only law enforcement, defenders of our country, and people who work to keep us safe should be allowed to own a gun.

But that's just MY opinion so please don't anyone get upset. Everyone's entitled to how they feel so I'm just expressing my own views.

Okay, now on to something that I hope everyone will agree with me on! My newest picture book, Cookies for Punch has just been released by Guardian Angel Publishing and I couldn't be more excited! I've waited a long hard time for this one to come out. It's one of my very first stories and one that I'm very proud of. It's also about my dog, Punch so that makes it extra special. He's been bugging me for years to hurry up and get this published! So now it's finally here! Contact me at allyn_stotz@yahoo.com if you'd like a copy.

Also, I'm participating in the SCBWI Book Launch party for my other picture book just released in September, The Color of Love. I'd love for you to check it out and sign up for my contest. You have a chance to win an autographed copy of the book or a critique of your picture book manuscript. Stop on by at: https://www.scbwi.org/display-book-launch-party/?id=363804

I'd also like to let everyone know about my mom and sisters fantastic news. They have just released a new book of holiday short stories. The book is titled Holiday Connections. Each story involves a major holiday and they are all great stories that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. If you'd like a copy, contact me at allyn_stotz@yahoo.com and I'll get you hooked up!

Thanks for stopping by and I'm going to use Ellen's favorite line, "Be kind to one another!"

A Writing Prompt for Fall

Now that Halloween has come and gone, that means the busy holiday season is approaching us quickly. I don't know about you, but it's very hard for me to stay focused or find the time to do much writing with all the hustle and bustle of things to do during this time. And coming up with ideas to write about is difficult this time of year too as our minds are on the gazillion things we have to get done.

So instead of spending countless hours trying to come up with something new and exciting to write on my blog or wasting time staring at my blank screen,  I decided to treat myself and look up fall pictures on the internet. Since I live down south, we don't get to see the leaves change so seeing all the beautiful fall colors online is especially breath taking for me. But, I wanted to find something interesting but "eerie" looking that would get all of our creative juices flowing.

Take a look at this photo and have some fun with it. Can you come up with a storyline? If so, tell us about it!

I Want To Be A Dog

While I was walking with my dogs around the dog park this morning, I realized something. I want to be a dog!!! Boy do they have it good.

They get to run and play without a care or worry in the world. They don't have to worry about the fact that their big book signing coming up this weekend  is probably going to get rained out. They don't have to worry about what their fixing for dinner tonight. Or that they are getting older and have to go through watching their parents age. They don't have to worry about having enough candy for trick-or-treaters or that their husbands job is restructuring for the millionth time and he may end up unemployed. The biggest worry my dog, Punch has is getting too far away from her idol, Beemer (our other dog). And the only worry, Beemer has is how to get on the other side of the trail so the dog coming up to her won't sniff her rear!!

That's right, she's a dog but she's not a normal dog. She doesn't like to go outdoors without a human with her, she can't take a nap without peeing in her sleep, and she doesn't like other dogs. Here she is this little tiny thing showing her teeth whenever another dog comes up to her. Like they are afraid of her!!

Then there's, Punch. He loves everyone and everything. He never met a stranger.

Going to the dog park is extremely good for my mood and gives me tons of inspiration for writing kids books. To me there is nothing more joyous than watching all the doggies running and having a great time. Just like you parents out there enjoy watching your kids at the kiddy park, well that's how I feel watching my four legged kids.

We should all take a tip from our pets and stop stressing about everything. Why don't we just take a walk and chill out like they do? Or find a friend to play with and smile. And maybe if we're real good, someone will give us a treat! Yep...I want to be a dog.

Before the park

After the park

Surround Youself with Writing Buddies

Writing is no different than anything else that we enjoy, it's always better with a partner. Someone to share the ups and downs with because anyone who has tried to get a book published knows there are tons of obstacles to cross.

And some of those obstacles are really difficult to deal with by yourself. Especially rejections, which are a plenty for most writers.

When I was early into my writing career, a very wise person told me to make sure I join a critique group. I was very skeptical about that because I just wasn't sure I could even write, let alone ready to let anyone else see what I'd written. But being in a critique group has really been beneficial. It definitely opened my eyes and proved to me that I wasn't so bad at this afterall! Plus, I've learned so much from them.

I thank God for my critique group, my writer's group, all my writing friends especially Courtney Rene who helps me everyday in some way, my book signing partner in crime, Deborah Lynne but most of all my mom/sis who are also writers. Having them to discuss my stories, their stories and the struggles we are facing in this industry, has helped me tremendously. I don't think I'd have four books published today if it weren't for all those people.



Let's face it, authors like to talk about our writing and nothing helps or inspires us more than when we talk to someone who is as interested in the written word as we are. So if you're an author or an aspiring author, next time you attend a book signing, a writer's group, a conference or some other kind of event, don't be shy - make the extra effort to talk to another author. You never know what kind of relationship will form from it. That's exactly how Deborah Lynne and I met and we have both thanked our lucky stars that we did.

Fall Is Off To A Bang!

I'm finally back to blogging after a long visit with my family and other busy things going on in this writer's life.

I must say, this fall is starting out with a bang! While visiting my family in Virginia, my mom, sis and I had two very successful book signings. To be honest, I wasn't expecting either function to be much, however the event that I was sure I'd be lucky to sell one book at, ended up being one of my most successful. It sure is fun talking to people about our books but when someone comes up to you and wants to buy one of each, well I must admit, it's a terrific feeling and big boost to the ego!

This happened not once but two or three times during these book signings. Amazing! At least to me it was.

I also just attended another successful book signing here in Louisiana at the Denham Springs Fall Festival. It was chilly, windy and I was suffering from a rotten cold, but who cares when people are buying your creations! I paid for it the next day but it was still well worth it.

Last night I had another book signing at La Divina Italian Cafe. Why there, you ask? Because the owner of that very unique and lovely cafe is doing her part in supporting the community and our local authors. Each Wednesday night she has kids night and features a different author. We read our stories to the kids, sometimes play games and have all kinds of fun. It really is a great thing this cafe is doing and we just wish more local businesses would follow suit!

The picture below is of two little cutie pies and friends, Elliot & Julia at La Divina last night. We sure had fun!

Up next on October 24 & 25 is the Poche Plantation Arts and Crafts festival which I'm really excited about.

How about you other authors out there. What's your fall looking like?

Miscellaneous

Just wanted to let everyone know that I won't be able to update my blog next week. I'll be at my mom's in Virginia and won't have access.

I'm looking forward to my visit with my mom except it's going to be really difficult for me. It will be my first visit since my dad's passing. Not having him there is going to be sad and hard. My mom has moved into a new apartment so there won't even be any signs of him anywhere. Very heartbreaking for me but I'll get through it. He'll be on my mind every single second though cause I know how much he'd want to be there.

But he'd also want me to show mom a good time. Get her out of the house and take her to places she never gets to go anymore. She can't drive so she has to rely on everyone else to take her anywhere, which is hard because everyone works.

Anyway, good things are going to happen while I'm up there though. We have two book signings scheduled together so that will be a bonding and fun time for us all.

Has anyone been watching America's Got Talent this year? I want the regurgitator to win so bad this year! What he does seems gross, but there is no one else out there that can do what he's doing. It truly is amazing and I would pay money to see his show in Vegas. There's other good talent on this year but NOTHING like him. I've never seen anyone do what he does. Anyway, the finales is tonight and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him! Here's a link if you'd like to see what he does!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSNiruzrEbo&feature=player_detailpage

See ya in a few weeks!