Addiction: The Good Kind

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Ann Roth

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m an addict. I love every one of my addictions, and am eager to share them with you. In no particular order, here they are:

1. Writing

If I don’t write something every day, I feel… odd. I enjoy writing. Focusing on writing anchors me. Steadies me. Makes me sing inside. Even when the writing is going badly. Well, that isn’t quite true. When I get stuck and can’t write another word until I get unstuck, I angst for hours, sometimes days, hashing over what to do to fix whatever the problem may be.

During this time, don’t expect me to be in a good mood. Trick I have learned over the years to get unstuck: jot down ideas, no matter how ridiculous they seem, get away from the work by doing something totally unrelated, phone a close writing friend for input. From experience, I have learned that the solution will always come… in its own time.

2. Reading

Three of the six bookshelves in my home. The top two are in my office, and include my own books, some of my keeper books (books I reread occasionally and can’t part with) and reference books. The bottom photo is in the family room.

My husband is an avid reader, too, and we have three more bookshelves and a window ledge or two filled with books. Don’t even ask about the books on my e-reader…

3. Coffee

As a naturally caffeinated woman :), I don’t NEED coffee, but I like everything about this drink, from the smell, to the ritual of grinding and brewing, to the taste. I also love treating myself at Starbucks, which I do once or twice a week.

4. Exercise

These are three of my newest exercise T-shirts. Exercise keeps me in shape and makes me feel terrific, and I work out six mornings a week. As you may know from my post last week, I also try to squeeze in a midday walk whenever possible.

Some of my most creative thoughts occur when I’m moving. Don’t ask me why, but I suspect all that physical activity occupies my brain, which allows my subconscious mind to jump to the forefront with really cool ideas.

5. Chocolate

I can’t do without chocolate. I try to keep it to a minimum, with a square after dinner. But sometimes (who am I kidding: a LOT of the time), one little square is not enough. I like all kinds of chocolate – dark, milk, with or without nuts, with or without fruit, with or without coconut…

I especially enjoy baked goods of all kinds, hot fudge sauce, chocolate malts, candy… Really, all things chocolate.

So there you have it, my top 5 addictions. I’m sure there are more, but I’ve taken enough of your time.

What are your good addictions? I would love to know, and I’m guessing others would, too!
Until next time,
Ann
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Attitude is Everything!

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Ann Roth

The other day, one of my daughters was about to tackle a difficult task. When I wondered how she planned to make it through, she replied, “I’ll figure it out. Besides, I only have to it once, so it’s no big deal.” Now that’s what I call a good attitude! I like to think she got that positive, can-do outlook from me.

Although I love this photo, I have to say that to me, attitude isn’t so little. It’s HUGE! I am a big believer that one’s attitude can make or break anything and everything in our lives.

So I have to ask: What’s your attitude? If it isn’t the best, what will you do to boost it? Here is a blog by by Paula Lawes with some great ideas on that: http://bit.ly/1DkAZW9 . Check it out!

Until next time,
Ann
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Romance… It Does the Reader Good

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Ann Roth

One reason I write romance is because I believe in love. And after all, love does make the world go round. Also because I enjoy a good story where the hero and heroine suffer and fight to get what they want–often head-to-head against each other. Where the odds are often stacked against them both in life and in love. But after all that suffering and angsting, in the end love triumphs, and the other challenges and hurdles just might get solved, too.

Life is full of bad news and sad endings. Why not indulge in stories that we know will have the payoff we all dream of–an optimistic ending?

Until next time,
Ann

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Fear Is Just A Four-Letter Word

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Ann Roth

Or so I tell myself. Because while fear can be a powerful motivator, it can also be the opposite, rendering us virtually paralyzed. That’s why this image is such a great message.

Just how does one go about conquering fear? There are many books and articles about doing just that. Here are some simple steps you can take, courtesy of Tess Marshall, who guest-blogged at Goodlife Zen.

(A quick aside: Don’t confuse simple with easy. These steps are easy to understand, but may take a great deal of work.)

1. Don’t believe your negative thoughts- Train you mind to think positive and learn to expect the best.

2. Let go of the outcome- Remain open to the possibilities.

3. Create a space for gratitude- Remember all your past successes, your strengths and determination.

4. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable- Learn to get through the things you fear.

Tess Marshall actually shares 10 tips in her blog. To get the rest, visit: http://bit.ly/1FIFDKw

Have you ever walked through a fear and come out on the other side? I have and the exhilaration, empowerment and freedom I felt was like nothing else! The next time I set out to face a fear, I remembered what I had done before, and walking through it was easier.

Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time,
Ann

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Your Monday Grin

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Ann Roth

I am giving you a break from firefighter factoids with something sure to give you a big smile.The music makes it even cuter!

http://on.fb.me/180nXji

What did I tell you? 🙂

Until next time,
Ann

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Good Times Ahead…

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Ann Roth

Make it a great week. You can, you know. It’s all in how you decide to play it out.

Until next time,
Ann
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It’s My Party…

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Ann Roth

If you constantly compare yourself to others, you’re at the wrong party.

Truth: Your party is strictly about you, and begins and ends with you. I know this, and yet time and again, I catch myself chasing after someone else’s success and happiness, and wishing it was mine.

Yes, I’m multi-published author. I worked hard to attain this dream and I love sharing my stories with others. Readers often email to let me know how much they enjoy my books. As wonderful as I feel when I hear from fans, I still catch myself in the ugly trap of comparing myself to others. I’m not as good as this writer, or as successful as that one.

This is not good for my self-confidence or my happiness, and certainly does nothing to improve my writing.

Which is why I like this sage advice:

This makes perfect sense. Because, let’s face it, the only writing skills and output that I can control is my own, and the only person I can control is myself. The same goes for you.

Of course, I can learn a great deal by reading a particular author and noting how s/he crafted their masterpiece. I can learn new ways of promoting myself from others’ successes. I’d be crazy not to do these things.

But ultimately, my party is inside of me. Just as yours is inside you.

Food for thought…

Until next time,

Ann
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If You Want to Write… Read

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Ann Roth

The other day, I came across a quote by Jeff Goins (http://goinswriter.com/good-writers-read/) that mirrors my own belief: Nothing inspires a writer like reading someone else’s words.

If you want to be a decent writer, ya gotta read. Read anything and everything, and not just in your chosen genre. The more you read, the more you learn about the craft of writing. Grammar, sentence structure, story development, description, and so on.

Obviously, reading alone won’t get you there. Writing is a craft. Like any skill, becoming a good writer takes hard work and practice. Classes and workshops help, as well as finding like-minded people and forming a critique group. Most important, plant your behind in the chair and do the really hard stuff: the actual writing.

Writing isn’t for sissies, and don’t I know it. I’ve been writing for years, including seven long years as an unpublished author. Eventually persistence and my willingness to grow paid off. To date I have published over 25 novels (for a list, visit www.annroth.net).

You’d think that by now, writing would come easy for me. And in many ways, it does. But as I get better at crafting stories, some things only become more challenging. My growing skills push me to dig deeper into a character’s psyche, an often painful and difficult process.

Why put myself through this? Because my character demands it. Usually the payoff is worth the effort. Unmasking hidden depths and richness that I had no idea existed leaves me awed and excited to share the treasures with you.

Until next time,

Ann

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Hello, Monday

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Ann Roth

I like Mondays. New week, new beginnings! Even if I am in the middle of revising my current rough draft. It’s part a new series I’m writing, and I’m loving it.

More later– I’m eager to get back to work!!

Until next time,

Ann

Come and Get It!

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Ann Roth

My January release is out now! Available in your favorite brick and mortar or online bookstore, or at www.annroth.net.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Ann