30 Days of Gratitude - A Countdown to Thanksgiving!

Welcome to IWSG - the Insecure Writers Support Group - monthly meeting.

I cling to this monthly post. It reminds me that there are other struggling writers out there--and I'm very happy to have many of you as friends. Sometimes I doubt the effectiveness and purpose of my blog. I often wonder if I should give it up. There are days I lose faith in writing. As technology grows, it seems like less and less people in the world read books--video entertainment is so much easier to access and process. Am I wasting my time? Then I express my feelings at our monthly meetings and get encouragement from my writer friends. And it feels even better to encourage them right back. We're in this together! 

And to help encourage each other even more, I'm bringing back a blogging tradition!

Starting on Oct 27, I'm going to blog every day with something I'm thankful for. I haven't done a Blog Hop in quite a while, but I think it's time.

If you'd like to join me on this 30 Days of Gratitude Countdown to Thanksgiving, here's the sign up list... This way, we can encourage each other and spread the thankfulness and positivity -- something we definitely need more of these days!

I'm going to do my best to visit everyone who signs up each evening. The 30 days are: Oct 27-Nov 25. Using the prompts is optional, but could be helpful.

A special note: I have to share my inspiration for this. I didn't come up with it on my own--lots have done it in the past. But recently, I was inspired by my friend Patty who's doing a similar daily thanks on Twitter. And after I made this, I saw Tyrean is taking on an even bigger challenge - daily gratitude through the end of the year. I have awesome friends!

In other news:

If you need to rant, join our weekly #WedWrant Chat on Twitter: 7:30-8:30 PM est. We have fun complaining, supporting, and making each other laugh!

Thoughts and prayers to anyone struggling or affected by the Virus 

or any other tragedies from this crappy year...

Things have to get better soon!

Find the positive! Keep Writing!

September already? GOOD! That much closer to the end... of the worst year in modern times. If I make it, I'm definitely buying a t-shirt that says: "I survived 2020"

Welcome to this month's IWSG meeting.

Remember the time before? Before 2020!

Life was good. And we had no idea how good we had it until it was all taken away and turned upside-down. So much has been lost in such a short time. And it keeps coming. In just the past week: Two hurricanes at once? Chadwick Boseman, a true hero dies? Expanding riots? (If you want a glimpse into a horrible, scary future, watch Hotel Artemis) It's awful out there! I pray hard every day for comfort to those who've lost and for some relief from all the madness that's working overtime like the Energizer Bunny.

It's very hard to be optimistic in these dark times when we can't even smile at each other, but that's what I'm trying to do. In my little world, behind our masks, I'm trying to help my students stay positive. Just being together has helped a ton.

We have to keep living, keep pushing, keep trying. Can't give up. Stay strong. Do what you can. We have no idea what's in store for us. But we can't hold ourselves back by worrying about disease, distress, and destruction. We have to carry on and support one another, now more than ever.

In the writing community, we have a special bond that holds us together. We don't seek fame and fortune or compete with one another. We rejoice and commiserate with each other. We live with disappointment on a regular basis, and we develop friendships that help us overcome failure and keep striving to get better. We express ourselves in words--words that the world can relate to and may not be able to express themselves.

So in these difficult times. Keep writing. We need you!

That's all for now... There's work to be done!

Just a reminder, I'm sharing my appropriately timed apocalyptic romance through the end of the year in fun, short weekly episodes...

 

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

And I'm happy to report: I sent my Book Bday Summer Giveaway winners their prizes. Here they are--six winners from six different states, one for each of my books--how awesome is that!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay for Fall! And Pumpkins!

Get Fall festive to shake the 2020 blues!