First Word

You’ve been sent home to work. Maybe you already work at home, so it doesn’t make much difference to your schedule. Or you have been temporarily furloughed. You have some extra time on your hands—and you have to stay indoors so it’s not exactly like a vacation. If you’re a writer, I have a great suggestion for you. Time to get to your desk and work on your project you may have put off. It’s perfect—you’re indoors and you’re productive. I’m here to help support you and get you moving forward. So, click off that NetFlix’s series you’ve been binge watching and get down to the business (and productivity) of writing. As your co-host and leader of Writers Who Mean Business, I’ll help you do any of the following services (at no charge until March 31 st ): 1.      One-hour consultation on your book project and publishing options. 2.      Analysis of your first chapter and 300-word book summary. 3.    ...

The old cliche "reach out and touch someone" has been replaced with "please don't touch," as we try to mitigate the spread of the Corona virus. How do you maintain your close, connected relationships when you have to go hands-free as much as possible? Since my personal relationship with my boyfriend has distance involved, I have become an expert on staying connected even when I can't be in the same room with someone. Facetime or Skype or any other video chat service gives you the physical cues more than texting or typing . It can be hard to stay close and connected when you can't see the other person. If you do video chatting, it comes in #1 over chat and text should always be in last place for closeness (contrary to popular habits). At least you can actually see if someone is distressed or smiling. You can get the joke much better than an "lol" any day. Next talking on the phone, which has gone out of fashion, comes in a close second . P...

You've always dreamed of working at home full time. Maybe you've been able to work at home part of the time, and you have already had a taste of what it's like. Maybe you have never worked at home at all. Now with the Corona virus outbreak, your company has mandated you work from home. Here are some guidelines to help you successfully work at home and keep productivity as high as possible. Make a space just for work . If you already have a home office, you're set. If you don't have a home office then clear some space that you will be using strictly for work. Don't put it near distractions like the TV or entertainment center. A good place might be in the dining area in the corner. Even your bedroom can offer too many lures to keep you away from your desk. Make sure you have all of your office supplies and daily needs within reach . The more you don't start wandering around the house, the better off you'll be. Newbies, who have never experienced the ...

Since we have to stay home and weather this "storm" it's time to get to things you can do without leaving the house (and two of them benefit our industry) - write and read. You can treat this indoor lifestyle as an opportunity to get caught up on those things you can't always focus on.   Time to get back to writing, especially if you're accustomed to flying by the seat of your pants. Take this as an opportunity to lose that commute time to write. Most industries are asking their workers to work at home. When you lose that commute time, you'll find more time to do other things. How about using that extra time to finish your book?   I like to write in the late afternoons after I've finished my main project work. I used to commute at least 60 minutes total a day. Why not use those same 60 minutes as time just to sit down and work on your book. You can do it in the morning or late afternoon like I do.   If you already write as a ca...

WestWorld Season 3, Episode 1 Rating: 2.5 **1/2 Westworld , my current favorite sci-fi show on HBO started its new season last night with a confusing, lukewarm bang. Who would have thought in Season 1 one of the few remaining original cast members would be Delores. It seems the art and sophistication of having the Anthony Hopkins character load the show with intelligence and intrigue has flipped over to a comic book-stylized future world where our sweet strawberry blonde has turned into an assassin with kick-ass marshal arts skills. Delores has gotten into some kind of love affair with the heir to a technology empire of some sort where the big brain data "center" has her attention. Judging by the little balls of artificial intelligence used to preserve the personalities of other robots from the previous season, my guess the giant ball houses the personalities (of most of it not all the "guests" and robots). I might be wrong. Remember, I'm watching it unf...

  Q. What are some of the tools the book uses to help others? A. ·       How she manages her medical team                                      ·       Daily Duties & forms for Caregivers ·       Forms to manage Prescription Drug dispensing                     ·       Nutritionals & Alternative Treatments that work ·       How to keep critical information available for everyone        ·       Forms in a Home Survival Binder ·       Recipes, and so much more!  ...

Q: What is And It Took Two Years about? A: When new author Scott Spiess discovered he had a life-threatening heart condition, his old life began to crumble—and through that crumbling Spiess gave himself two years to make serious changes in his life. His new book It Took Two Years chronicles how Spiess went from a type A, control freak to a peaceful Reiki Master, Buddhist, and Massage Therapist. Q: Why did you decide to write the book? A: This book called to me for personal reasons. A publisher asked me to write it. I felt some resistance because of ego reasons. I had this inner battle because I was no longer allowing my ego to guide my life. I decided to write the book to help others learn through my experience how they too can make major changes in their lives. My primary goal is simply to pay-it-forward. Q. How did you allow the Universe to naturally guide you and put you on the right path? A:  I used the absence of thinking to allow the Univ...