It's a Sunday, in fact, Super Bowl Sunday, and today I'm sitting here counting my blessings. It isn't about Super Bowl. No, I'm not much of a football fan, but it is about being grateful. I'm glad God has given me the opportunity to write, to have the life that I have. Oh, it took a while. Part of it had to do with me believing in myself. But I'm grateful for the lessons. I'm blessed in that somehow, the Great One found a way to put the family in my life that I have--for the good and the bad, as we celebrate the good and learn from ours and others mistakes. Life has a way of changing you whether you want it to or not. Sometimes we just need to embrace that change.
Last year was a tough one for me. My husband was deployed and my mother passed away. And there were other, smaller and less important emergencies that happened that my son and I dealt with. The writing helped me. I was able to finish another book. Intimate Deceptions came out in November.
But things has a way of working themselves out. This year has been a year of good things. Intimate Deceptions is getting stellar reviews. I've gotten a Recommended Read from Joyfully Reviewed and the very first Coffee Time Reviewers Recommend Award. Then there was the biggest news of my writing career--my nomination for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards for Small Press for my book On Danger's Edge, which was reviewed by Romantic Times last year. I'd gotten 4 1/2 stars on it. which thrilled me at the time as well. To me, this was incredible. Yep. The biggest thing in my writing career to date. And yes, I'm grateful. I'm grateful that people are willing to read my writing, much less like it!
And I'm thrilled that I can make a difference to someone, even if it is just a short respite in their everyday lives. And grateful that there are wonderful people that I deal with in this profession.
My husband is home now. I'm thankful for that. And he has a position training troops for combat, one that should keep him stateside for a while--a blessing.
At times like these, I think and pray for all those who have gone through periods like mine. It is my greatest hope that they see beyond the moment--see the greater things that lie ahead. Change isn't always good. And sometimes its fearful.
But there is always a lesson of growth in it.
Many blessings to you all, and have an excellent day--even with the Super Bowl!
~ LiseHow much danger would you face for the perfect romance?
Lise Fuller, www.lisefuller.com, ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEWERS CHOICE NOMINEE for 2006; Pikes Peak Romance Writers 2006 Writer of the Year
~On Danger's Edge, print-03/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, 4 1/2 Stars from Romantic Times
~Intimate Deceptions, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/, RECOMMENDED READS from Coffee Time Romance and Joyfully Reviewed
~Cutting Loose, print-04/07, available in e-book, Cerridwen Press, http://www.cerridwenpress.com/
