Uncategorized – Patti Diener / Author

I’m Back In The Saddle Again!

Querying Agents In 2023

I’d like to say this past year flew by but to be honest, every freakin’ year flies by faster now than the previous one. I’m 54 + years old and on the speeding downward hill towards my earthly final destination. I only hope I don’t hit too many bumps as I coast along, and pray for some flat terrain periodically that will slow my pace. Either way, the wind is in my hair and I’m enjoying the view.

Blogging came to a screeching halt last spring. I just wasn’t feeling it because I was too focused on querying agents for my latest book, The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. I put all my energy into that and my midlife mentoring group, Beautiful Second Act. Simply put, I had a lot of balls in the air and had to set one down.

But now I’m fully energized and ready to catch you all up on what I’ve been doing and where the heck I’ve been.

As I said, I was pumping out the query letters to agents for months upon end without a deal. I realized something was off and took a long, hard look at my query letter. It sucked!

I mean, at first glance it was pretty good, I guess. But looking closer I realized I was too close to the project. I needed a fresh perspective. Cue in my friend Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, (who is successfully published a dozen times). I was right. It needed work. I am so blessed to have her as a writing mentor and for the support she’s given me.

So the query letter was being re-worked and I started my next novel. After all, writers have to keep writing. Book deal or not. This way I know I will have more projects to showcase should my dream agent ask me, “So, do you have anything else?”

Meanwhile, we planned an epic family vacation that was supposed to happen in 2020, but we all know what happened there. So finally, after two years of waiting, my husband and I flew ourselves, our two grown daughters and their significant others, all to Disney World in Florida.

When all the Youtube videos on how to use the new app for The Happiest Place On Earth, said to prepare for the most expensive vacation you’ll ever take, I thought it was a joke.

It wasn’t a joke.

That being said, we had a great time and even met up with some friends while there. Would I do it again? No. Was I glad we had the experience? Absolutely. It was an amazing time, if not ridiculously expensive. I told Hubby I could have gone to Italy 2X over for just what we spent on ourselves. But at the end of life I will have that beautiful memory of when we got all the grown kids together to go have a blast.

Once back in California I spent more time on my new book, which is the sequel to The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. I’m writing this as a trilogy so Kentucky Sunset, was set into motion on my writing trip two weeks later.

In order to get the story started, or finished, I usually go away on my own for a writing sabbatical. It clears my head, allows for uninterrupted time alone, and sets the mood for creativity. Plus I don’t have to break in the middle of a good session to put the dogs out, cook dinner, or visit with my family. I just write.

The Mendocino Coast has been my go-to place since 2015. I’ve found it to be so magical and relaxing that I go back at least once, if not twice a year. The places I’ve stayed have been cozy, quiet, and with views to inspire. It’s truly a writer’s paradise.

Besides the views, I’ve eaten at some wonderful restaurants that gives me a break from typing away, and it allows for leisurely time to ponder while feasting on sumptuous food and drink.

Once back home and grinding away again with research on which agent to query, I felt uninspired to press the issue. I decided to focus on the new book instead. At least for awhile.

This was good for me, but too soon the days clicked by and then the holidays were upon us. Most agents close down for the holidays and don’t accept new queries until the new year. I decided to just let it be and believe in Divine Timing. I’d wait until 2023.

So here we finally are. It’s January of 2023, and I am fully charged and ready to roll. This is a great time to get back in the saddle! I’m super stoked about what is coming next and I’m open to great possibilities.

With a new, fully revised query letter at the ready, I am seeking an agent that wants to be in it for the long haul. I want to find that perfect person who will partner with me for years to come. I know they are out there. Hoping we find each other soon.

Here’s wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, and truly happy 2023. Make your life what you want it to be. YOU are the architect of your life. Build what you dream.

How January 2021 Derailed Me

There is still plenty of time

January blew in like a tornado. It was unpredictable and caused some destruction. And like the aftermath of such an incident, I was left feeling dumbstruck and somewhat confused as to how to feel.

But that’s just the beginning. I have something positive I actually need to tell you, but read to the end to find out what I mean.

My mother passed away in the early morning hours of January 16th in the home of my wonderfully loving brother, and his remarkable family. They had cared for and supported our mother for many years, enduring some extremely trying times with her failing health and addictions.

I traveled to her, and was able to spend a week long visit with her during her final days on this earth, and for that I know I will be forever grateful. And although it felt like somewhat of an out of body experience, aiding someone who is about to die, I couldn’t have imagined being anywhere else.

My incredible sister-in-law had our mother’s health needs down pat, but it became unduly trying on her. I was all too glad to assist, and share in the nursing care that our mother needed at the end. Still, I felt like most of the time I walked around comatose. It was strange.

Everyone deals with loss differently. Anticipating her passing many times over the years, (she chose a rough life), I always thought I’d be prepared for it. Quite frankly, I was surprised at how hard it hit me and began writing a short story of the event as soon as I returned home.

Oddly enough, there are many small comic relief moments when someone is dying, and in our family there were quite a few. One of the things I said about the experience was, “The longest month of my life, was the week I spent by my mother’s bedside.” It was meant to be funny, but maybe I’m just twisted. Guess you will have to read the story one day.

ANYWAY… my plans for the actual book I’m writing, (my novel, not the story about mom), have been derailed more than once so far. My depression, and health scare earlier in 2020 took me off track, and finishing the book in January went out the window with the death of my mother. It’s hard to wrap your brain around plot twists and dialog when your emotions and brain are lingering in the past. The good news is I’m very close to done. It’s the editing process that will hang me up for awhile. That is where I have to remind myself that I cannot force things.

To be disciplined is one thing, but to try and force a situation to be a certain way will only create resistance for the natural flow of things and ultimately bring about that which I don’t want. But I do want to finish my book! And there is still something else, I want you to know. Read to the end and you will understand.

I am a firm believer in flow. Some call it, “to everything, there is a season.” If you are forcibly trying to make something happen, and creating resistance with stress, then it’s not going to turn out well. Instead, I have been praying for guidance, for inspiration to lead me, and show me the path of least resistance. That’s when I know I am creating something wonderful and worth waiting for, and it’s working. I’m getting closer my friends. The book is exciting me, and this past week I got back in the game.

So when I finish the book, I still plan to submit to agents. I am really feeling good about traditional publishing this go around. No matter what though, I will see where the road takes me, and however this trilogy book series is meant to be received into the world is how it will be. I will follow my heart and let intuition lead me.

I posted the first chapter awhile back in segments, for this new book I called, The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. The title may change. I will share it again as a whole chapter, not split up, in my next blog post. If you are impatient, go to my CATEGORIES on the side menu, (upper menu hamburger if on a phone), and click on the links for New Book/ Clock Tower. Remember, I may edit it myself, but once a professional editor gets a hold of it, the book can still change. I just like to share with my readers a sneak peak at what I’m doing.

January 2021, may not have started off the way I envisioned it would. Hell, 2020 certainly didn’t either, but I still believe there is plenty of time. Time for me to do what I set out to do. Time for me to get my book out this year. At least to get a contract with a publishing house this year. I’m getting older, but there is still plenty of time.

Before I sign off today, I want to let you all in on something else… something is coming. Something I have been thinking about since May, 2020. I want to support other midlife creatives, like myself, who are just getting started. Those of us who didn’t jump into the deep end of the pool until we had empty nests. Those of us who put our families first our entire lives and still have our own dreams. I want to help you. I want to be there to show you that it’s okay to have a vision for yourself, to rediscover yourself. TO DREAM BIG!

If that sounds good to you, if that resonates with you on any level, then follow along and I will help you find the magic of your heart’s true calling. We are not washed up. We are not too old, and we have so much left to do. If you are with me, leave a comment on this blog. I will make sure when I launch my new platform that I get you on the train!

As always, warm wishes my friends.

What Success Looks Like In 2020

This bizarre year has done me some favors and thrown me some curve balls that I’m still not quite sure how to maneuver. Small businesses have been hit really hard and we still aren’t even done with this Covid situation. For me personally, I started out with wonderful book sales, just to find them dwindle as more bookstores and other retailers suffered lower overall sales. So how do we begin to even gauge success in a year like 2020?

This year, I’ve reached out to people, women in particular, more than ever before. I’m not just talking about holding conversations with my friends, but I went in search of how others are finding ways to feel more grounded. I wanted to know how folks have found more gratitude, and how they’ve become less wrapped up in the negative climate that seems to encompass everything around us, and instead have embraced hope and new possibilities.

You might be wondering where exactly, did I go looking for these people. Well, I started by researching podcasts. I’ve never really been one to listen to podcasts because I guess I thought they would be a waste of time. I didn’t ever think I had enough time to listen to one. Well now…WOW! I am hooked. I can listen to podcasts while I water my yard, while I brush my teeth, put on make-up, clean the house, in the car, it’s endless. I choose to listen to podcasts that will lift me up, not bring me down. There are thousands and one of my favorites is called, DON’T KEEP YOUR DAY JOB. It’s not just about your job, but it’s more about what creative people love to do, and how the host encourages them to do their thing, AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

With all this inspiration, I wanted to give back to those that might be on the writing path. Earlier this year I made a Youtube video on how writers, in particular, could use this time that they were off work as an opportunity to create something wonderful. I still believe that, but I’ll admit, I can struggle with bouts of depression on what we cannot do. It’s hard to stay in that space of attitude for gratitude, when we are inundated with political storms, and all our freedoms are restricted. Still, I vowed to continue living well, and that meant my mental health as well as my physical health.

I really have always wanted to be successful in whatever I do, but my definition of success has changed over the years. I guess I think success should have two different definitions. One kind of success I think we all want is financial stability. That is probably the most recognized type of success. I mean I don’t think anyone would ever say, “Geez, I don’t need anymore money.” That being said, I’m not sure if anyone would ever say, “I’m successful enough.” But the other kind of success I’m interested in is the kind that is emotionally satisfying. To be successful in what you do with your time is the most gratifying feeling to me.

My husband is a retired battalion chief, but he’s also been a farmer his entire life. He’s a fourth generation farmer and although it is very trying and difficult work, he absolutely loves it. His time spent working the ranch is extremely satisfying for him and that makes him a success.

To be content with the work you chose to do, with the craft you chose to create, whether that be, (for me) writing, painting, cooking, building, gardening, or sewing, (you get the picture), you are a success if you are able to do what it is that you love to do. But what leaves me feeling stuck is I’m not living my truth. In my soul I truly feel I’m supposed to be writing and creating full time… and I’ve no idea how to do it. So I feel emotionally stifled.

So getting back to my journey of finding these people out there who seem to have tapped into the reservoir of passion and abundance, I went online and started watching videos of people that find joy in the everyday little things. I also watched more Youtubers that have figured out how to do things I wanted to learn how to do. I realized that my age is just a number and if I don’t mind how old I am while learning these new things, (how to create better videos), then nobody else will mind either.

Something I discovered in 2020 that I feel very successful for having realized, is that women in the middle…midlife,…have a unique opportunity to do things that we could never do in our younger lives. We are a distinct demographic of people that are curious and want to explore, and have more wisdom than we did when we were first navigating adulthood and parenthood. Some of us are just now waking up to the possibilities of what we can experience now that the kids are grown, or now that we no longer feel the need to prove ourselves. We have lines on our faces, and gravity can be a bitch, but we are still energetic enough to try something we’ve never been brave enough to try before.

Now is our time!

In 2020, I’ve found myself in a way I never knew before, and I think my writing is going to take me places I’ve only dreamed of. I might not be the age I wish I’d have started this journey from, but I am going to dare to dream big and say NOW is my time to make things happen.

If you are a woman in the middle, (or anyone in midlife), I want to say, take this Second Act and imagine what you can do with it. Your success is up to you. Don’t let your age dictate how you feel. It’s just a number. I mean, just look at Betty White’s career. She’s ninety-eight! In the year 2020, we might have had to overcome a whole lot of BS, but I also feel it’s been transformative. Learn something new, dare to create what you envision, and get out of your comfort zone! I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being complacent. I’m going to throw my hat into the arena, I’m going to probably make some mistakes along the way, but success for me will come when I fulfill my purpose, and that’s being a creative person.

In 2021, you will be seeing a lot of new endeavors from this gal, as I embrace my Second Act, and hopefully take you along with me.

Warm wishes to you all.

Everyone Should Do This!

Getting Away By Yourself

I’m back! I found my mojo again. I cannot tell you how great it feels to be out from the dark cloud and finding my voice again. Writers block sent me down a rabbit hole for awhile but the one thing that can always put me straight is getting away alone.

I love my family, don’t get me wrong. They are my favorite people on the planet, but too much togetherness can bring about feelings of animosity if you don’t find time for yourself. This is true for anyone, but for writers especially. Writing is a solitary business. But what if you aren’t a writer? Would you still benefit from time alone? I can say, unabashedly YES! Everyone needs time alone.

For five years, I’ve found a few long weekends a year to get away on my own. Driving with the windows down, the music on, or a podcast that’s inspirational, can get you in the groove to unwind and put you back on the path to yourself. Life can be chaotic, overwhelming even, and although we’d never trade those that we love, if you are past the point of exhaustion, a few days away on your own can do wonders for refocusing, and feeling more peaceful.

Susan Squellanti Florence, wrote a book called, TIME ALONE, The gift of being with yourself. I have had this for many years and it has this passage that says, “When you take time alone, you leave the distractions of the day…and enter the secret garden of your soul.” I mean, WOW! That’s pretty deep, right? Well it’s true.

This crazy-ass year of 2020 has actually given me a gift. I talked a bit in my previous blog about how in the beginning of Covid, I was really handling things pretty well before I plummeted somewhere around the middle of summer. Anyway, one of the things I picked back up again, that I hadn’t made time for in years was to meditate. YES… I know, some of you find that too woo-woo, to do. I’m here to tell you, it’s all part of spending time alone.

Meditating is a great way to tune into your soul. Practicing stillness in a world that only moves faster, and expects more, can be very rejuvenating. When you meditate, you can really listen to what it is your body and spirit are trying to tell you. And you don’t have to be sitting cross legged in an ashram, chanting to meditate. Just practicing stillness is meditating. Quieting the mind and being in the present moment is all it takes.

I usually like to find somewhere on the coast to write. For me, being near the ocean and listening to the waves crash against the shoreline, smelling the salty air, and feeling the mist against my skin, it all releases me from life’s stressors. I feel a connectedness to the earth that reminds me I am worthy, and part of this fabulous Universe, born with a right to experience love, joy, and creativity.

When I sit down in a quiet space to write after exposing myself to a place of beauty and grace, I tap into a well of inspiration. It clears the cobwebs that have blocked me from my passion. Being in a calming and quiet place can also bring clarity to areas of your life that might have been murky before.

The view from my hotel in Albion, California

During one of my stays away, I received a call from a friend. She was literally in awe of the fact that I traveled by myself. She couldn’t fathom the idea of one, being alone in a strange place, and two, that my husband let me go. Once we established the fact that women don’t need permission to have time alone, she admitted that it’s just a little bit scary to be alone and traveling. I assured her that it was spectacular! I said, “You know that feeling when your husband and the kids are gone for awhile and you have the whole house to yourself?” she sighed and said, “Yes, I love it when that happens.” I then said, “Well, imagine that for three or more days.” THEN she got it!

The thing is, most women feel that the husbands cannot handle the household without them. That’s simply not true. But if you are not able to leave for other reasons, then at least schedule an afternoon away on your own. Pick somewhere close enough that you can be home by bedtime, or dinner time if you need to, and it should be a place that gives you utter peace, and joy. I’m not talking about a girl’s day out, although those are very much needed too. I’m talking about a place you can be alone! Solitude is key for truly tapping into stillness and being completely calm.

When you return to your chores and daily life after time spent alone, there is often a shift. Mostly it will bring you the ability to do your life with more zest, and a better attitude. But don’t be surprised if you find that you are realizing you need to make some changes. Probably you will want to make changes that bring you more of what you just had… time.

So I will leave you with this. Time alone will quiet your mind, and your heart. If you are a creative, (an artist, writer, musician, architect, chef, florist, …the list goes on and on), then you know you need time for inspiration to strike. Sometimes you have to go seeking that inspiration. Sitting in the presence of beauty and wonder can do that for you. But EVERYONE needs time alone.

A Course in Miracles, says, “Within ourselves there is a silence into which the world cannot intrude. There is an ancient peace you carry in your heart and have not lost.”

I highly suggest you plan your next time away alone soon. You’ll be glad you did.

Wishing you all inspiration

*All pictures taken by Patti Diener, yes even the feature pic. I used a tripod.

The Life of a Self Published Author/ What’s New in 2020 for Patti Diener?

Stepping off the sidewalk and through the door, I first encounter the colors, then grapple with the many displays and choices. I slowly cross the floor and struggle with my many options. Which to pick up first? It’s both a blessing and a curse standing in a place that leaves me weak to control my pocketbook. I’m in a bookstore!

Since publishing my book, I’ve been to many independent bookstores to set up consignment contracts for After the Fire. It is considerably harder for me than I thought it would be. NOT because I have a hard time establishing contracts. It’s because I have a hard time NOT buying books while I’m there!

I’m a sucker for books. I can’t get enough of them. Some women buy shoes, others like dresses or pretty knickknacks. I, on the other hand, love to be surrounded by the collection of pages and pages, bound by spines with titles and author names, displayed in every color and font imaginable. It might be a sickness, but as long as there isn’t a club called, book buyers anonymous, then I think I’m ok.

It is not only a New Year, but also a new decade. 2020 is giving me a feeling of not just renewed hope for better things to come, but I truly believe that there is a shift in my persona. The things I want from life have changed. The way I see the world and what I can contribute to it are far different than what I felt like a decade ago. In some ways I’m more intense, but in others, I feel a strange calmness of certainty. You might think that sounds like conflict, but it’s quite the opposite.

The intensity I feel is what I have come to realize. The dictionary says intense is a great sensation of feeling or emotion, having a high characteristic quality, as in strength. Well that’s about right. Also, the calmness of certainty is that I am certain of what I want in my life. Putting those two emotions together has been my epiphany. I am in the midst of a transformation.

I’ve told my students at the school where I am a librarian, that I never understood it when other educators would ask them, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I tell them, it’s because you will be… you! The better question would be, “what do you want to do when you grow up?” For me, I’ve liked doing many things, but what I’ve most enjoyed has been writing. Then I realized, I’ve always been a writer. It’s what I do.

Now that I’m a published author, I do feel more accomplished as a writer simply because I finished a project and vulnerably put myself out there with the thousands of other people who exposed their souls to the world in 2019. This doesn’t mean though, that I’ve only just now become a writer. I’ve been a writer since I was ten years old. It’s just now that I’ve shared my novel with the world and very gratefully, and humbly joined that club of debut authors, do I feel like the door to a new universe has opened for me.

So what can you expect from me, Patti Diener, in the year 2020? I plan to jump off more cliffs. I will share with you all, the first chapter of my new novel very soon on this blog. I will do more public speaking at author events in an independent bookstore near you, (places and dates to come), and I might even change the format of my book blog come March. In the meanwhile, thank you for always reading and sharing my information with your friends.

If you have read my book, After the Fire, then please leave a review on either this blog or better yet, go to Amazon and leave a review there. It is greatly appreciated. Also, if you are on social media, say something about it. Your friends that live outside of our little bubble called Lake County, where I live, might decide to buy a copy and share with their friends. One day, people won’t be saying, “where is Lake County?” Instead they will say, “oh I love Lake County!”

Thanks for reading everyone, and make 2020 not only your year, but make it the start of a great decade. If we are happy in what we do, we will make our world a happier place to be. Remember what Leo Tolstoy said…”Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Happy reading.

The Print Date Is Near / After The Fire, soon to be released

The much awaited novel by Patti Diener, (well if you’ve been following me it’s been much awaited), will be available for purchase this Fall. The four long years since the day the horrific Valley Fire tragically altered the lives of citizens of Lake County, California, will soon have a love story to show for it. It is my gift to my community.

My book, After the fire, will be released on Amazon soon and I have to tell you, it’s been both exhausting and exhilarating. From the beginning I was certain I would publish traditionally and I did pursue that route. You know, get an agent, have a publishing house pick up my book and I sign a wonderful contract. Well when I set a timeline for myself to find the right agent to represent me once the manuscript was finally fully edited, polished, and shined, I ended up with the decision to self publish.

I have the book cover done, the formatting is nearly done, (that’s where you have the written words formatted to fit the size of your paperback and e-book), and once it’s complete, all I have to do is upload it to Kindle Direct Publishing, then BAM! Within a few days of the upload, you can buy my book in either form.

I am going to do a big reveal on the book cover as soon as the formatting is complete. I say this because I purchased a package deal from the company that did both the cover and formatting for one price, and since I don’t technically own the cover until it’s paid in full, I don’t want to show it online. But within about a week or so, that too should be ready.

I cannot tell you how anxious I am to share with the world what I completed. It is pretty scary though too. What if people hate it? I thought about that a few times… Ok, a lot of times. But still, I realized that no matter what, I WROTE A BOOK! I started it and finished it, and regardless of my fears, I know this was a learning experience in my writing journey, and I took you all along with me for the ride. It was the only thing I could think about after so much happened in our county, and writing a love story for all of us, and showcasing what a unique and wonderful community we live in, for the rest of the world to read about…well that is good enough reason for me.

So be on the look out for that book cover. Tell your friends about AFTER THE FIRE. I am going to be stalking the indie book stores within a 100 mile radius of Lake County, to see if they will carry my book in their stores. Send me good vibes for a successful outcome on that front, and you can help by sharing my blog on social media. Use the hashtag #AFTERTHEFIRE when talking about it. I love you all for your support.

Patti Diener Self Publishing 101: Do This Before Formatting

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on everything and that all the pieces are in place, a snag holds you up. Be prepared for set backs!

I finally had the money to begin my process for formatting the book and getting the cover design for both e-book and paperback done by this really reputable company. I’d filled out all the required information and believed that by having my completed manuscript, having my title page, dedication page, and acknowledgements all ready to go, that all I had to do was upload this to them and they would handle the rest.

Here’s what I wasn’t ready for. Even though I paid for my copyright back in June, it’s still not ready. I don’t have it yet. When I upload my manuscript the company NEEDS my copyright page in order to format the book. I also found out it could take anywhere from one to four months to get it. Four months? That cannot happen! UGH! It’s already been six weeks so I’m hopeful to hear from them any day.

I went to Mendocino for my annual writing trip and continued creating my second novel because I thought I had everything I needed done for AFTER THE FIRE. In fact I had, but I really wish now I’d gotten my copyright done a few months before I did. Since at the time of my trip, I was unaware I’d kind of screwed myself, I wasn’t fretting about the situation so I really got into a groove of writing bliss. I suppose it was for the best I only just found out since there’s nothing to be done about it now anyway but wait.

At least the design team can still get the cover done for me. I am anxiously waiting to see the two designs they come up with and I am to choose one to work with that they will continue to edit until I am completely satisfied. This creative aspect of marketing excites me. They have designed tons of very beautiful and professional book covers so I’ve no doubt I’ll be pleased. Still the waiting is keeping me on pins and needles with anticipation.

As soon as I get a fully edited copy of my book’s cover I will share it with you all so you will know what to look out for when my book hits the shelves and Kindle Direct Publishing. I appreciate any and all support you’ve shown for my endeavor. If you’d like to help me create a buzz, you can share this post with all your friends on social media, and use the hashtag #AFTERTHEFIRE.

Thank you all so much for the interest you’ve taken in me and my book. I’ll keep you posted.

Book Blogging From #SFWC18

Sunset in San Francisco

is remarkable when there are clear skies, warm temperatures, and you are drinking a glass of wine at the Top of The Mark! This is what they are all out there talking about when they say, “be in the moment.”

I am a nearly 50 year old woman, with an empty nest, a husband at home I love, and a dream I’ve had since I was in the 5th grade. I am a writer. With or without an agent, with or without a published book, I am still a writer, and I still dream to live a comfortable life as a writer….and live happily ever after.

From the time I read my first novel without my teacher selecting it for me, I knew I was going to write. I can thank V.C. Andrews for Flowers in the Attic, in planting that seed. I chose that book from a shelf of many when my dad said to go select a book and read it in his office until it was time to go home, when I was 11 years old.

I had to pass time at my father’s deli and he had a paperback book shelf. I went and grabbed the book for it’s cover. As a librarian, I know book covers sell books! Maybe I should have gone into graphic or book jacket design, but anyway it sold me at 11 years old. I only looked inside the book because the cover was amazingly haunting and engaging! The story proved to be just the same.

Anyway, here I am more than 3 decades later, and I still have the same dream. I am in San Francisco, California, gearing up to pitch agents on Sunday about the book I’ve written as a genre/ romance fiction about the Valley Fire in Lake County, California.

Funny note: Tonight I was at the networking party and milling around. I bought a glass of wine, bought a few books, (after all, it’s not hording if it’s books), and basically killing time until I collapsed in my room for the night. When who do I see as I’m about to leave, but the agent I pitched my book to a year ago at the Redwood Writers Conference, Laurie McLean! She loved the idea of my book then but I only had a 1/2 written manuscript and she only looks at completed manuscripts so I had to wait until it was done. Well, I decided to talk to her briefly. Not an easy task! She is the director of this conference and very much in demand. So I see she acknowledges me, laughs and shakes my hand, almost like she remembers me but I’m sure she couldn’t remember why. Then another presenter from the conference approaches her and it’s all over. My brief connection is lost.

Not overly dismayed, I politely retreated from the conversation and made my trek upstairs a flight to the elevator that would take me 8 more floors to my room. I was tired anyway. But who do you suppose was running to the elevator to join us but Laurie McLean! This time I decided it was a moot point to so late in the evening discuss work. We simply joked at how damn tired we all were. She left at the 5th floor and I smiled on the way to the 8th, realizing it was very early in this weekend to obsess about missed opportunities. I will have plenty before I leave. It’s only Thursday night.

SFWC 2018

has started out with a bang. I reconnected with a friend from two years back. She is the one lady that talked me off a cliff last time I was at the SFWC pitching agents and nearly hyperventilated! Good times! I also met new friends from New Zealand, and Morgan Hill, California. Writers Conferences are a great place to collaborate with fellow writers, and I am so grateful to find my people. The next three days should prove to be very interesting!

Stay tuned to information on how this all pans out. As many of you already following know, I’m here to try and find an agent that fits well with me and my book.

Wishing you all love, light, and joy! From San Francisco,….. sleep well y’all!

*All pictures taken by me, Patti Diener.

2017 Blogging, Christmas, and a Literary Agent!

Reflecting is normal

as the year comes to a close. I’m sure we all do it. These past few years I’ve felt like life has accelerated to the rate of hurry up and do what you really want to do, speed. I worry about running out of time.

I started this blog to build a better book. It was intended to get the word out that I was writing a book about the Valley Fire, and to include my friends and community in this journey I’ve been on since the fire happened in Lake County. As we all know, California has since been on a rollercoaster journey of tragedy, loss, rebuilding, restoring, and finding faith and strength where we’ve least expected. At times writing allowed me to vent, in other times though, I lost my ability to express myself entirely. Those of you whom it has hit hardest will understand what I mean.

But the remainder of the country isn’t exempt from their own tragedies. With hurricanes, tornados, shootings, and other acts of terrorism, we live in an uncertain world! It’s come to the point I don’t even want to turn on the news. So how do we move forward without living in fear? What can we do to make things better?

HOPE!

There still is hope! Each day I wake I feel hope for a good day. I believe it starts with me so I try my best to be in a good mood and make the day good for myself, my family, my students, and friends. The ripple effect is real!

This holiday season has continued to bring hope. I decorated less and spent more time helping where I could. I truly enjoyed my friends and family more this year than I have in years past and made time for people I hadn’t in a long while.

In Murphys, California

we have friends we rarely see. They are a good solid 4 hours away and have lives just as busy as ours. We all attended the funeral of a mutual friend earlier this year and asked ourselves WHY we didn’t make more time to see one another. It was agreed that funerals were not going to be the only time we saw each other anymore, so on the first weekend in December, 7 of us drove to their house in Murphys, California, and spent the best time going to the town’s annual Christmas event. The entire town was open for shopping until late in the night, with fire pits lined down the main street of town, and lights on every building. A festive parade started it off, then hot chocolate, mulled cider, food, and wine were around every corner. Children in costumes ran by us as we stopped to talk with strangers around the warming fire, and my husband fell in love with a hound puppy. Christmas magic was all around and we ended the night visiting around a fire back at our friend’s home, reminiscing about old times.

This was the trend for our season, visiting with friends, doing things we never made time for in a long while, and just slowing life down to enjoy the moment. Each weekend was spent with friends and family.

I tried to think of what I’d write about this Christmas. I mean, really what hasn’t already been written about the holidays? The best I came up with was I found that even as I’m nearing 50 years old, (probably why I feel like I’m running out of time), I still feel curious about the world. I don’t feel this milestone birthday will make me depressed or anything, it’s just I am realizing we don’t live forever, and it’s kind of nice that I can still say my curiosity for life is as strong now as when I was a kid!

Moving into the New Year of 2018, I have so much I’m looking forward to! For starters, I’m going with my husband to visit our first born in the Portland, Oregon area soon and I can’t wait to see her. Children have a way of growing up and having their own lives whether you like it or not. But the excitement of a new city will be fun and I look forward to her playing tour guide to her parents. She only just moved there after Thanksgiving, but hearing the joy in her voice each day we talk makes me happy for her to begin her new life.

The time we spend

with our family is always precious. Soon I will have an empty nest, (youngest moving this month), and instead of being sad, I’m finding hope for a future of new experiences. Staying curious!

Since the book is basically done, I am in the dreaded editing phase and it’s my least favorite part of writing! The romance novel taking place in the aftermath of the Valley Fire is finally going to be pitched this February at the San Francisco Writers Conference. Here’s a sample pitch………needs work but here goes:

After losing his fiancé in a terrible car accident, an embittered excavating contractor is sent to a rural town to help clean up after the Valley Fire and not only falls in love with the community, but with a local girl as well.

Synopsis: When Gabriel Hart came to Lake County, California, after the Valley Fire burned over 1,000 homes, all he had in mind was to help rebuild the community, not fall in love. But when his job put him up in a local hotel, he saw the most enchanting woman with green eyes!

Helping the fire victims to clean up their home sites on Cobb Mountain, Gabriel happened upon this woman once again. Sarah McKinney was helping her friend sift through the rubble of her burned home site just yards away from where Gabriel was working. Could it be fate?

With both Gabriel mourning the loss of his fiancé, and Sarah’s untimely loss of her young husband, the two find an unexpected bond that is undeniable and ignites a passion like no other! But will haunting pasts, long distances, and a secret Sarah keeps stand between their true love?

In this story of catastrophic loss, community support, and renewed hope, two souls try to mend their broken hearts while assisting those who lost virtually everything in the fire.

So wish me luck my friends and followers! I hope all my editing between now and then will polish the book so it’s ready to submit.

Many blessings to you all in the New Year of 2018! Stay hopeful, stay curious, spend much time with loved ones, and slow your life down to take care of yourself! Remember to breathe, and always drink the good wine, and read a good book!

* Picture of typewriter & town of Murphys from Google Images. Patti & daughter Fallon taken by me!

A Scar Heals Stronger

Loss changes a person. Loss of any kind. It changes the very fabric of our being. But like a scar, sometimes it can grow stronger where it left it’s mark. For others, it simply never fully heals.

These past few months have brought to mind the truth that we are all here for a finite amount of time. What we choose to do with that time we are given is usually up to us. However, sometimes life changes direction and blows our sails in the opposite way from where we wished to be. The struggle to get back on course can be daunting.

Community is something I have found to be a constant. Sometimes we shut it out, sometimes we long for it. I have found myself at both ends of this rope. When times become difficult it can be very easy to slip into that pool of darkness, slowly drift away to a place of solitude. But it’s dangerous to stay there for long! Reaching out when we are at our lowest can be the biggest struggle of all! Living in a small town, I have come to realize more and more, that community is the greatest blessing of all.

The light that touches us when we are brave enough to reach out, can save us. In moments of great loss, of any kind, we often are unable to find our way to move forward. But lately, I’ve seen how compassionate this world can be in the midst of great tragedy. You will be able to move forward again only when you open yourself up to those who wish to give to you.

When we are most vulnerable, we often also are feeling unworthy of anyone’s help. Pride can block healing. But the people of our community in Lake County, have banned together on so many occasions these past few years to bring help, hope, honor, and grace back to us, that if those who need it would just let go of that pride, they would find something even stronger. It’s love.

Breathing again, after loss, comes one conscious breath at a time. But eventually the fog will lift. It does blow away, and if you can look up from grief, you may find that there have been people from our community there all along, helping you to breathe once more on your own.

Gratitude comes when you can see miracles in the smallest, everyday things. The sound of birds when you awaken, the smell of fresh coffee brewing, the smell of fresh cut grass, or the sight of an evening sunset. These things are there but when you really become aware of them, they can awaken you.

This blog started after the Valley Fire, and was primarily to help me gather thoughts for the book I’m writing. Oddly enough, it’s turning out to be mostly a book about the love of a community! The loss that so many had from the fires over the last few years is what prompted me. But after these past few months, the human loss of friends, relatives, community leaders, and icons, has brought me to this blog post. I simply want to say, I am so proud that however damaged our community has been, it still rises up to help each other through the storms.

A safe port for those searching, is usually right in front of you. Don’t be afraid to reach out. I believe I have experienced divine intervention many times in my life. Today I was driving home from our ranch, thinking about writing this post, and Marc Broussard’s song DON’T BE AFRAID TO CALL ME, came on and I found myself crying. I knew then what I had to do.

I believe it was intended for me to write this today, if even just one of you out there reads this. Maybe my words were meant for you. Remember, wherever you live, and especially in small town communities, there are always lots of people willing to help. People that want you to feel loved. People willing to help change the winds in your favor. It might not be the place you first set sail to, but it will hopefully be a place, (physically or spiritually), you can feel safe and call home.

All photos with the exception of the sailboat, were taken by me, Patti Diener. Sailboat from Google images.