Your World, Your Words

Sitting here next to my new grandson, I wonder what his world will be like when he grows up. I wonder what words will define his future. Who will speak words to him that will inspire him and make him feel invincible? What words will he hear to make him feel less than he is? As a writer, I know the power of words in a story line. However, as a human, I know the power of words in our lives.  Words have the power to create or to destroy, to unify or to divide, and to build foundations of success or failure, even happiness or misery.

Looking back on my life, I can remember words spoken to me that made me doubt myself and words spoken to me that made me feel like I could do anything. In many instances, I can even remember who spoke those words. That’s why as I look at this innocent life, I pray the words I speak to him will never cause him to hurt, to doubt, or experience pain, but only cause him comfort, joy, and inspiration. 

Growing up as children, we believe every word spoken to us and our worlds begin to develop around those words. For instance, if we grew up hearing how wonderful and how beautiful we are, we have more confidence than the children who grew up hearing nothing positive about their attributes or characteristics. Thus, these words affected the outlook and reaction to the world they live in. 

The creation of our worlds doesn't stop there. As we all mature and become adults, words continue to shape our worlds: past, present, and future. Since our worlds are shaped by our own minds, thoughts, and beliefs, we have the responsibility to ourselves and to others to use our words wisely. Always remember the power of words and remember words become thoughts, thoughts become actions, and actions create outcomes that design your world.

So for the sake ourselves and our little ones, live by these words: Happy Words! Happy World!

Rained in at Sea Island

I know, I know, rained in sounds like a bad thing, but it isn’t.  Can you imagine just sitting in lush, green surroundings, enjoying the stillness as the sound of trickling, okay occasionally down-pouring rain falls outside?  Your view is perfect and it is so peaceful, regardless of the gray outlook?  One of the activities I had been looking forward to was canceled due to the heavy rain, but I’m okay with that.  I haven’t been on a horse since my 20’s and I was a little apprehensive about the temperament of the horse I would get.  I have fond memories of my cousin’s horse who would take you straight back to the stables whenever the whim hit him, whether you wanted to or not.  I was on him one time for that full gallop back home because he got tired of wandering around the hills of Saddle Brook, NJ.  But, I was going to give it a try.   Sea Island has a way of giving you that extra little bit of courage.

We were staying at the very seductive, very historically-drenched hotel just above Brunswick, about an hour south of Savannah on a little piece of heaven called The Cloister.  It’s beautiful.  Just a few miles after crossing the bridge, you wind down little tree covered roads dripping with moss.  Then you drive slowly into the compound on the cobblestone roads and exit your car into buildings reminiscent of old Spanish mansions, decorated with tapestries and paintings of southern charm. 

When we arrived at our room, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the room was as big as the pictures online.  Pleasantly surprised, I say, because I have felt cheated on many occasions.  So many hotels use panoramic pictures to display their rooms and lobbies.  Sadly, when I had arrived at those other hotels, I found I barely had enough room to turn around.  Not here.  The bedroom with its cathedral ceiling was more than enough room with a sitting area and an ample patio.  I have taken pictures, but they don’t do it justice.  We have a view of Black Banks River, but can walk to the beach in less than five minutes.  Something I didn’t get a chance to enjoy, though walking in the rain did sound romantic and adventurous, just like riding horses.  But, it was a little too cold for that walk in the pouring rain, though it is normally warmer this time of year in Sea Island.  So off I galloped happily to the restaurants, and then to the spa.

I ate heartily a nice shrimp omelet laden with spinach, gruyere, and other stuff that was absolutely delicious at the Georgian.  But, I didn’t stop there.  After exploring St. Simons Island, the neighboring paradise, I went for my Stone and Scent massage.  Ladies and gents, I think I had an out of body experience!   I don’t ever recall being so relaxed before.  Perhaps my surroundings helped, but the masseuse was the best.  I have been to massage establishments in Atlanta.  Some with very big names, and very big promises, but they didn’t have ‘Roderick.’  This man has an absolute gift to relax every muscle in my body to the point that I felt like a drunk when I tried to stand up.  My body said lay back down; your muscles aren’t in the mood to walk right now.  So guess what?  I obeyed. 

My pleasures didn’t stop there.  Of course not!  The Cloister has more than one excellent restaurant. Later I would enjoy a grilled red snapper that melted in my mouth at the Tavola, its charming Italian restaurant.  Need I go on?  The food was fabulous, even from the limited menu at the River Bar.  I can highly recommend this five star hotel on the beautiful Sea Island. It deserves every star.  The staff is incredibly solicitous.  They make it a point to make you want for nothing.  Kudos all the way around, I can grant them a five star review for my stay at The Cloister.  So, in the famous words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “I’ll Be Back.”

Coming Soon!!!

The Sperlings have taken a vacation while their author wrote another book.   Kali needed the breather after a harrowing adventure with the dangerously, handsome Sperling twins in Split Images.  Maybe she needs to read my non-fiction book coming out soon:  How to Find the Right Doctor:  Tips from a Healthcare Credentialing Expert.  That's right! I, Dilsa Saunders Bailey, am a healthcare credentialing expert.  You will be able to buy it in Kindle, Nook, or Print.  Stay tuned to get the tips you need to find the right doctor for you.

In the meantime, catch up with The Sperlings at the latest book event on Saturday, December 8th in Atlanta.

Stood Still Long Enough

After all these years, I have realized that though it is okay to want to be a perfectionist, it is even better to accept God’s perfection as is.  There is no reaching that level in a human existence.  That’s a hard lesson.  I know it is for me who had been living and doing at full-throttle with an overloaded plate for so long.  It was inevitable that again, I would crash and burn.  This last time, I had to wonder why.   What was the insane purpose of trying to do everything and trying to be everything to everybody?  The answer, there was no purpose other than one that was selfish.  Selfish in thinking that it was all possible and that it all revolved around me.

In response to this awakening, I began to study to find out my true purpose, one that didn’t center on self.  And boy, did I learn more than I wanted to acknowledge about me.    I won’t go into the details, but only that it has been a conscious struggle to make a decision on the next direction I want to take in my life.  Sure, part of it is how I will be remembered.  What legacy will I leave when I transition from this plane?  Will it merely be about what I wanted and what I achieved for my personal satisfaction?  Who else will be the better for it? 

An answer is slowly developing, much like anything that develops in life.  Life is a series of moments and reflections, of actions taken and no actions taken.   For a few months, I stepped back to be still and to stand down so that my thoughts could gather cohesively and constructively.  How joyful that became.  One day as I was sitting back listening to the sounds of nature in my backyard, it hit me.  My mind was blank.  I was not worried about the list of things I had to complete.  I wasn’t thinking about bills, or relationships I thought could improve.  I was just sitting there, being silent and just being human. 

In today’s world, we brag about being busy or overloaded.  We are addicted to our work lives, social media, and being in the spotlight.  We seek the material with zest and with zeal.  I think along the way, being human has been put in the background, left to the future termed as ‘one day.’  Standing still was a reminder to me to be present always.  Be thankful for the past experiences, the lessons that created us.  And to be thankful for the future, which will bring the new opportunities to experience joy and happiness.  But, if you want to really succeed in life to never forget to be present and to focus on the joy and the happiness already at hand. 

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is the author of The Sperling Chronicles, a romantic suspense series about a deadly family feud fueled by a love triange and a woman's scorn.  Dilsa Saunders Bailey's shares her thoughts in the blog simplydilsa.  Her books can be purchased on Amazon.

Everything Has A Season

I was recently a guest blogger on Renaissance Mom...Here is a copy of my advice to the moms visiting this site:

We have all been there wishing today would be over. Waiting for our dreams, our hopes to come alive, especially when are you a mom juggling kids, work, hockey games, husband, volunteer work, and whew … I am exhausted thinking about it. We have all wanted to finish that degree, take that trip to Maui, or write that book in the midst of our busy every day lives. I’ve been there. It took me twenty years to finally finish my first novel, and by that time I had hit that magic number, age 50, and I was looking back trying to figure out where all the time had flown. I’d raised my two children and had a career in healthcare, but I had this entrenched feeling that I would not be happy until I finished writing that novel.

My little voice kept whispering, do it. Do it! But, my purse that needed a funds reimbursement daily said, no. You have to work to earn money, have a job, I told myself. You can’t sit around writing for the fun of it. I had this image of writers being broke, hungry, chasing after the next check. So I hindered myself a few more years with that negative image. I thought successful writers were the lucky ones, but they were so few that I had no chance. After all, I’d been a manager for twenty years. What would I do without a paycheck and without someone to tell what to do?

I finally decided to jump out of the boat, take a risk. Live without a paycheck. Took my funds and invested in a real estate career. Started selling houses, and boom the market fell through. Oh well. I took my injured ego back to healthcare and decided that if I went out like that again, it would be with something I knew best. I started writing a business plan for a credentialing verification organization. Was thinking about it constantly, you know the adage ‘your thoughts become things.’ One day, I went into my basement to go through some old files to find resources to help me with the business plan, and the first thing I put my hand on was an old version of my soon to be book. That’s when I fully understood, ‘having an epiphany,’ the ‘Aha’ moment as Oprah would say. I was going to finish my book.

Three months later, I was done and realized I was going to have to wait until I found an agent and then I would have to wait until the agent could convince a publishing company to put it on the market. Heck, I was 50-plus. My patience had already worn thin. After finding an editor, I decided to release it myself. I did and I was so proud when the Print-on-Demand publisher I used sent me my first copy of Dreams Thrown Away.

Now, I had the bug and as I look back I had it bad. I went back to my computer and began number two, but life started getting in the way again. I went from one demanding project to another. Couldn’t blame children or husband for distractions anymore, it was all corporate employment demands that filled every minute. And then, I had another epiphany. If I can work long hours for them, I can do it for me. I finished the second novel, a sequel. Decided to rename and re-release the first and went for it. I still have time challenges, but it doesn’t matter. I am in my season. Writing brings me joy whether I earn a penny or a million. I wouldn’t change the time spent on it, even if I could.

But, here’s the kicker. I have no regrets about all the paths I have traveled before getting to this season. Every minute of life is valuable and contributes to the better life ahead. So don’t sweat about your current season, another one is coming.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR

Be careful what you ask for, you might just get it.  It’s funny how “almost” everything I have wanted keeps coming my way, just not in the form that I expected or thought I had asked for.  For years, I said over and over that I wanted to write for a living.  Then I landed in the medical services profession in hospital settings for close to twenty years.  Most of the time spent in this profession was sitting in meetings, taking minutes filled with a lot of medical jargon followed by writing policies filled with dry legislative and accreditation regulations.  In addition to that, my job responsibilities included writing training manuals and developing guidelines (writing them).  After many years, I finally realized I was earning a living as a writer.  That is what I had asked for, right?

So to clarify what I wanted, my mantra became I want to write for a living and I want to work from home doing it.  A little later, I added travel to that mantra.  I wrote my wish in journals, spouted it to friends or to anyone who would listen, and I thought about it all the time.  I do believe that thoughts become things.  I wanted a writing career to earn a living, writing from home, and writing while traveling to become a reality.  And it did, somewhat.  I have written two suspense novels, and I am no longer the queen of minutes though policies are still a big focus.  I work full-time outside of the hospital setting now where meetings no longer permeate my entire day that included insanely early morning and maniacally late night schedules coupled with a long arduous commute through Atlanta traffic, congested no matter what time of day. 

Thank God I moved from hospital to managed care, which now fills my day with hundreds of emails, instant messages, and more policies to write or tweak.  The electronic conversations alone comprise more than enough words to write numerous books.  Though management is something that wasn't in the plan, I went from managing a staff of two to eight to twenty-six, most of them remotely from their homes.  I, too, work remotely on occasion and soon will be working from home, that’s right, full-time. And travel, right now it's mostly done for my employer.  Over the last two years, I have traveled across country, across regions, and most recently back and forth to Nashville so many times, I sometimes drive there in my dreams. 

Isn’t that what I wanted?  Remember, I wanted to work from home to write for a living and travel.  Oops, need clarification again of what I am asking for; so far I haven’t gotten what I truly wanted. So the mantra has changed to writing novels from home or from wherever I am and to traveling for fun or to promote my novels so that I can become a consistent New York Times or Amazon best selling author. And I have added, to turn those novels into movie scripts and television scripts and write non-fiction books on how to get what you want.   Is that clear enough?  I hope so.  I will keep you posted.

In the meantime, remember this secret which is not really a secret.  “Ask and it shall be given unto you.  Seek and you shall find.  Knock and the door shall be open unto you.”  But, don’t forget, “Be careful of what you ask for, you may just get it.”

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is the author of two hot, sensual suspense novels called The Sperling Chronicles.  She shares her random thoughts in her blog at simplydilsa.    Like her on Facebook’s page - The Sperling Chronicles and join her on Twitter at simplydilsa.

Best Tacos Hands Down

For the past few months, I have been traveling between two cities for my job and when I travel, I eat out.  Last week I experienced the best tacos I have ever had at a little restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee called Sopapillas.  My colleague and I sat on the open air patio under an umbrella and perused their mouthwatering menu.   Never ever having heard of a sopapilla, I went over the list of menu items unaware of the delicious puff pastry I would soon devour.  I ordered the Mahi Mahi taco and was soon served a delicately balanced, inviting plate of a perfectly cooked fish, flaky moist and grilled in a soft yet crisp flour tortilla.  The Mahi Mahi laid in a bed of chopped red cabbage, topped with cilantro, avocado and kicked with a fresh pico de gallo then heavenly glazed in a cream cheese and jalapeno sauce that made me incredible quiet during most of the meal.  I savored every bite and couldn’t leave a crumb behind.  To make my stomach ache even more from fullness, the two scrumptious tacos were served with black beans tossed with pico de gallo and the most enjoyable, buttery Spanish rice.  It was to die for.    Can’t explain it any other way!  My mouth is watering now as I remember this delicious meal.  And to my surprise, our friendly waitress came back to offer us the desert menu.  When we declined, she said the sopapillas came with our meal and we couldn’t miss out.  I’m so glad we didn’t.  The light, fluff y pastry was perfect though I didn’t think I had room for anymore.  If you are ever in the Cool Springs or Franklin area just south of Nashville, check it out.  The cuisine is called New Mexican and I’m sold.  I will be looking for more Tastes of New Mexico.

http://sopapillas.com/

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is the author of the romantic suspense series, The Sperling Chronicles.  Her favorite past-time other than writing is finding an excellent restaurant.

I Quit Smoking Today

I love the stillness of the early morning.  I awaken from my last dream in a warm cocoon next to my husband, not wanting to leave that comfort to start a new day.  So most mornings, I stay in the little cocoon just a little longer and meditate on all the things for which I am grateful, or I dissect a dream I had, or I contemplate the things ahead of me that day.  This morning, after I thanked God for his abundant blessings, I began to look back at my life and realized it was about this time of year 40 years ago that I smoked my first cigarette.  It was a spring like day that I cut class with a few other students.  We went down to the football field and someone produced a pack of cigarettes.  I had been around smokers most of my life.  My dad smoked, so did my uncles.  My grandmother smoked when I was younger, but she quit when she lost her only sister to breast cancer.  I had seen movie stars and television stars smoke seductively on the screens looking sophisticated and sexy.  So I gave it a try.

It’s amazing how your body tells you immediately it is not something you should do.  And it did, I gagged and my friends laughed.  I didn’t try it again for a few weeks or months, but again I was with a group of kids that had mastered this smoking thing.  I tried again and coughed and gagged.  But, that didn’t stop me; I wanted to be like them.  I thought they were cool.  Well, off and on for the last 40 years, I have quit for extended periods of time, five years was the longest.  But, I would always pick them up again using one thing or another as an excuse.  It was always a bit hard, because my husband is a heavy smoker.  And I realized I didn’t like the smell of smoke when I wasn’t smoking, I hated being around him. Because now his smell was extremely unattractive, my attitude toward him changed and I could feel myself pulling away.  So again I would pick up a cigarette, so the smell would not be so offensive again.  Like I said though, that was an excuse.

I started smoking again over the past two years, not heavy.  I don’t think I was ever a heavy smoker.  But, my one a day became two, and recently has become three or four.  I then knew I was going to have to quit.  I talked to my doctor about it during my last physical a few weeks ago and she prescribed Wellbutrin.  It’s funny as she began to tell me the benefits of the drug, the only thing I could think of were the side effects on the commercials.  I shook my head no way, but I picked up the prescription anyway.  What’s even funnier is that I haven’t even opened the bottle yet.  I know it is an oxymoron.  I will put the detestable chemicals from the cigarettes into my body, but I won’t ingest a prescription drug.  I have never been attracted to drugs.  They frighten me.  But, nicotine is a drug I remind myself and then run for a cigarette.

Something I have recently realized though is that I am not addicted to cigarettes; I am addicted to the obsession of having a cigarette.  Is there a difference?  I believe there is.  So I have decided to test my theory.  I am likening myself to the Israelites who roamed the desert for forty years in order to arrive at their destination that was only 11 days away and I am putting myself to an 11 day test.  My intention is not to have cigarette for the next 11 days by trying to obsess on writing instead of cigarettes.  And the smell, well my husband and I might have to get used to avoiding each other if he smells.  So, my goal is to write whenever the obsession for a cigarette hits me until the obsession subsides.  Let’s see how many words I produce over the next 11 days.  If you have any tips, I would love to read your words, too.  Post with me at www.simplydilsa.com.

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is the author of a romantic suspense series called The Sperling Chronicles available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Five Things I Remembered When I Heard of Whitney Houston’s Death

1.   No amount of wealth can you bring you joy and happiness.  It brings less worry.  You don’t have to worry about breaking the bank to take your family out to dinner.  You don’t have to worry about depleting your savings account for a pair of new tires.  Less worry yes, happiness no.  Feelings of happiness, joy, and contentment are up to you.

2.   The void can’t be filled with food, drugs, cigarettes, shopping or any other addictions.  It can only be filled with a true spiritual sense and understanding of yourself, a full acceptance that you are who you are, and that YOU are the perfect YOU.

3.   Love is the greatest wealth any of us can have.  We should freely spend it and receive it.  Love is a currency that could bail out any failing economy, if we stopped beating each other down.

4.   Talent is something to be shared.  Every person’s light should shine.  Whitney’s light shone around the world, touching souls at their very depths.  She will never be forgotten.

5.   Commitment is the key to living life to the fullest.  Committing to yourself a wholeness that was given to you at birth, a wholeness of spirit, of sound mind, and of good health.  To hold on to life, you must remain committed.

I can only be thankful that I could get up this morning and reflect on these things, and remind myself to stay committed to living.  Sometimes life is so busy we forget our commitments to ourselves and others.  Today, I hope I will continue to be committed to and mindful of all the love, peace, and abundance that are already mine.

  Dilsa Saunders Bailey, author of the romantic suspense series, The Sperling Chronicles.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Just finished reading the third in the Millenium Series.  I know I am late, but considering how often I get to read for enjoyment, I am not too late.  So many of my friends still haven't picked up The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo as yet.  Thus, I am writing a review to follow the reviews of the first two I have written about this trilogy, Tatoo, just mentioned, and The Girl Who Played with Fire.  Question, am I still as blown away as I was with the first two?  Answer, I am still hooked.  Maybe I wasn't as blown away as I was with the first because I found the heroine to be so atypically captivating and so unexpected.  She wasn't the normal lady gumshoe, or the super-undercover agent, she was a hacker with a serious anti-social attitude. 

Stieg's last book was still worthy of its hardcover purchase, though I have to admit, getting through the background and the build-up taxed me at times.  Yet, I continued to read knowing that I would get the suspense that I craved.  This third in the series gave me the feeling that there was a fourth rolling around in his head before he passed, because there was one glaring question not answered about her sister.  Not satisfactorily to me, anyway.  But, if you are interested in political intrigue, and enjoy an ensemble of good, bad, and gray characters, this bunch of deceivers are right up your alley.  The journalist who threads all of the books together with his first sensational story is a middle aged love them and leave them womanizer named Mikhael Blomkvist who spends most of his time digging up dirt on the bad guys and trying to stay alive in the process.

I recently watched the Swedish version of the The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, can't wait to see the American version to compare.  Without a doubt, I am still a fan. 

Dilsa Saunders Bailey

The Help Merited a Few Choice Memories of How Far Our Country Has Come

As a writer, my second love is reading.  I read everything from cereal boxes to the classics.  I think I just finished reading a classic.  The Help was captivating, not only due to its subject matter that touched close to home, but because of its riveting portrayal of black women in the south during the most turbulent moments in American history.  It was an era when I was a child confused by the images of violence, confused by the differences made to people of color, and even deeply frightened by the confusion.  Yet, at the same time I was excited about the future and all its possibilities. 

My mother, my grandmother, and many of the women in my family had earned meager livings serving others in their homes.  Some of whom they developed life-long loving relationships with and others they lived through to tell tales of abuse, some not too unlike those told in The Help.  As a southern child whose first best friend was a little white girl whom I still call friend, I lived through blows of racial discernment because of that friendship.  The first time I realized there was a difference in us, other than her uncle’s terms of endearment calling us chocolate and vanilla, was when her cousins came to visit one day.  While playing house, they wanted to make me the maid.  Even then I knew I was going to be more than that, so I refused and went home.  Over the years though having learned what to expect from some, and having grown even stronger in my own expectations, I was again asked to become a maid in a high school play.  I was told there was only one role for a black female.  Again, I refused. I had wanted to audition for one of the other roles, not the maid and since I wasn’t allowed to that, I didn’t see a point in playing the maid. 

The Help stirred up a lot of memories as I read it, the earth shattering images of the Birmingham church that was bombed, destroying the lives of four innocent children was one.  Another was the images that gave us all hope, the massive swell of people marching on Washington for equal rights.  Kathryn Stockett deserves all the accolades she is receiving as the pictures she painted were alive as well as the strength exuded by those maids who had had enough, a statement of that era when African Americans and people of all colors were saying, “Enough.” 

Dilsa Saunders Bailey, author of Dreams Thrown Away

Update on Good Show Publications October Releases

The original version of Dreams Thrown Away is running out of time and out of print within the next 30 days. Its alter ego, The Sperling Chronicles Part I: Dreams Thrown Away will soon be available along with its sequel, The Sperling Chronicles Part II: Split Images. Order the original now at http://www.dilsasaundersbailey.com/ for that last chance autographed copy of the mother of all things Sperling.

Mama Sperling (Dreams Thrown Away, the original) will be featured at one more book signing: Nubian Book Store in Southlake Mall, Morrow, GA on September 23, 2011 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. There will be reading of an excerpt from Dreams and Split Images on A Live Reading Webinar on Sunday night at 8:00 PM by the author, Dilsa Saunders Bailey. This event will be posted on the Dreams Thrown Away Facebook page.  It’s up close and personal event with several authors who will be sitting before webcams to share the whole live reading experience. Keep your ears open and for an excerpt from Split Images on the Bernice Feagins Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio at 1:00 PM on September 22. Catch more news on these releases, if you can, on one of Atlanta Clark University’s television shows to get a sneak peek at the new cover for Dreams and the cover for Split Images.

Kali and Ashton are fighting to get back out of the box with another Sperling family adventure. Pre-order your copy of Split Images and be one of the first to receive an autographed copy. Pre-orders will be available at http://www.dilsasaundersbailey.com/ and  Good Show Publications.  Both books will also be available in any eBook format your heart desires, Kindle, iBook, epub, and more.

Book Review - The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl Who Played with Fire

by Stieg Larsson

The second installment of this series was absolutely captivating.  I can't wait to start reading the third and final book.   After that, I am going to happily hunker down and watch the movies.

So, why am so excited about this book?  Here's why.  The female character is unpredictable and extremely deliberate in every aspect of her life.  I can ony describe as a woman who viciously pursues justice and has every right to do so.  I loved the twists, the connections, and how the theatre of characters were elaborately pieced together by Lisabeth's own cape crusader, the journalist that wormed his way into her heart in the first installment (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).

You have to read it.  Lisabeth Salander is a classic and unforgettable character.  Michael Blomkvist isn't too bad himself.  You can get lost in this novel with Lisabeth and Michael as the story of an unthinkable crime against your own develops one page at time.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
 

Reviewed by  Dilsa Saunders Bailey, author of Dreams Thrown Away, a romantic suspense novel and the first in the series of The Sperling Chronicles.

Dreams Thrown Away - Mini Excerpt

Kalina sat up and watched him walk out the door.  She didn't want to move.  She was tired from all the walking and exhausted from the flood of emotions that had started raging inside her.  Her mind said he was a married man -- an older man, and she shouldn't even let him touch her.  But, her body was saying, "touch me again."

New information gives you a new perspective

Remember the anxiety you used to feel when you were starting a new class or a new grade in school.  You knew at the end of the last school year or the last semester, you would be leaving that which had become familiar behind.  Or, perhaps it was time for the ultimate…graduation, and life as you knew it was sure to change.  There are many situations like this that I could describe, the ending of one familiar experience to be replaced with the unknown.  But, isn’t it wonderful how the unknown becomes the known, giving you a new learning experience as well as a new perspective?

Let’s look at the new perspective for a minute from the learning aspect.  Dictionary.com defines learning as:  knowledge acquired by systematic study in any field of scholarly application or the act or process of acquiring knowledge or skill or the modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience.   Did you notice two of the definitions referenced ‘acquired knowledge’ and the last reference a ‘modification of behavior’?  Why?  The objective of learning something new, even if it is triggered by instinctive behavior, is to modify your behavior.  And, why does the modification of behavior take place?  Because, what you have learned grants you the ability to look at your world from a different perspective, good or bad or indifferent, but differently.

In the lathering process, you want to acquire knowledge that will modify the type of decisions you make in life.  For example, when you were younger and thinner and moving all the time you could buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies, consume the whole box, and not suffer any consequences.  Perhaps, as you grew older, you noticed the pounds beginning to stay with you no matter what, except the no matter was an improper diet.  You began to pay attention, acquired knowledge about the affects of poor or healthy eating habits.  You learned how that very tasty box of cookies could possibly add two or three pounds to your ever increasing thighs. 

If you are lathering properly though, you will use the acquired knowledge to motivate a change in your behavior.  You will now make the decision to eat a few cookies at a time over an expanded period of time, and not the whole box in one sitting.  You will look at that colorful and delicious box of cookies from a new perspective.  You will deem those cookies as a means to satisfy your sweet taste little by little, without overindulging and reducing the likelihood of those cookies adding even a centimeter to the diameter of those thighs.

What were the Lather Rinse Repeat practices in this article?

Lather – you learned you could change your outcome (the size of your thighs)

Rinse – you assessed what you learned (the effects of poor diet versus a healthy diet)

Repeat – you made the right choice (smaller portions of the cookies make your thighs happy)

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is in the process of writing the non-fiction book, Lather Rinse Repeat.  If you would like to learn more about the concept, contact her for your next speaking engagement.  Or, blog with her here at simplydilsa.

Don’t forget to pick up her novel, Dreams Thrown Away.  The romantic suspense novel that tracks a couple whose drive to reach their dreams drives them to make all the wrong decisions leaving all sorts of havoc behind including sex, lies, and murder.

Lather Rinse Repeat - Graduate

Life is awesome.  There are always lessons to learn.  Some of them hard, very few are easy.  The important thing is to actually grow and not to repeat them over and over.  You have to graduate one day.  I'm ready for graduation!!!!

Dilsa Saunders Bailey

SELF PUBLISHING TIPS 103

10 Great Reasons to Self-Publish

1. You can control the content of your book.
2. You will own the rights to your book.
3. You will control the lifespan of your book.
4. You can control the royalties and profits from your book.
5. You can control the timing of your book’s release.
6. You will not need a middle man or an agent to get your book published.
7. Traditional publishers require that you market your own book, so why not market your own book for your own increased profit.
8. You can position yourself as an expert in your genre, and jump start a speaking or consulting career, increasing your book sales and your profit.
9. You can build your own empire or supplement your income by managing your own time, no pressure to meet deadlines.
10. Self-publishing is Self-satisfying.

I would love to hear from you and why you have chosen or will choose to self-publish.  Blog with me at simplydilsa.  I blog when I can while I prepare my next novel for release this summer.  It is part of a series, check out the first one, Dreams Thrown Away.  Check out the excerpt!!!  If you like drama, suspense, and an unusual romance, you will love this book.  It's in Kindle and other ebook formats, too.

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living

Book Review - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

 

A peculiar heroine emerges in this book as she doesn't fit the typical beautiful, statuesque woman with guts syndrome. Instead, she is a defiant, dangerously brilliant Goth chick with piercings in her face and a dragon tattoo on her shoulder. Throughout the book she doesn't realize that her passion for what should be right is as great as her passion to be left alone in her own unique universe with her own set of morals and ethics. The girl with the dragon tattoo surprises herself by teaming up with an embattled journalist to uncover the gross iniquities and horrors of two of Sweden's biggest journalistic stories ever to be told. This book was fantastically engrossing. It stood up to all the great things I had heard about it and that rarely happens. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Can't wait to begin the sequel. 

Review by Dilsa Saunders Bailey, Author of Dreams Thrown Away The Stieg Larsson Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / The Girl Who Played with Fire / The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) [Blu-ray] The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

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Quote for the Day - March 12, 2011

"Fear is that little darkroom where negatives develop." 

Michael Pritchard
LifeSteps: Creative Problem Solving

Listen to What Your Kids Aren't Telling You

SELF-PUBLISHING TIPS 100 - Does Your E-Book Need an ISBN?

Whether you are self-publishing your e-book or going through a traditional publisher, will your e-book need an ISBN?  An ISBN is a unique identifier for books in print, usually accompanied with a bar code.  The ISBN is used to control stock and track sales for publishing companies, retailers, and libraries.  The ISBN is attached to the publisher, the author, the title, and format of the book.   However, since there is no inventory control required for an e-book and no means to swipe it at the check-out counter, is it necessary to assign a unique identifier?  The ISBN recently performed a study to answer that question.  Check out what they had to say at their website.

Dilsa Saunders Bailey is the author of Dreams Thrown Away, a romantic suspense novel available in e-book Format on Amazon and on Outskirts Press.
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