If the summer has brought more time to ponder and take care of unfinished business, many have loss their footing and were searching for balance in their lives. This is normal. Shifting energies around the world meant that we had to get used to a 'new' normal with which we had no intention of complying. Our survival instincts fear the unfamiliar, anything we can't control and especially sudden changes. This is also normal.
Think of the ongoing changes in the world as growing pains. I know this is no comfort to those who have lost loved ones, businesses, jobs and so much more, but we have an important reason for getting back on our feet: in the shuffle, we have an opportunity to change what was broken and rebuild better and stronger with our newly acquired understanding and knowledge. Imagine how you would want your new you, your new life, your new business to look like in the coming weeks or months. See it in your mind's eye. Use the tide and the winds of change to your advantage. Above all, find your balance and trust yourself going forward. Blessings
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The earth is changing. Energies are shifting. At the very least, we all knew it was happening through climate change. We all felt it one way or another, but without knowing how this would translate to humankind. Now we know...
There is some good news: you know the time you never had to spend time with loved ones. The time you never had to connect with nature. All those Sunday mornings you wished you could sleep in. All those times you wished time could just slow down. Well, time has slowed down and we all have plenty of it. Catch up with family and friends, make new friends, take a walk in your neighbourhood park, take the bikes, bicycles, skateboards, redecorate that bedroom, finish the basement, set up the patio or backyard to spend the summer home. I have a sneaking suspicion that's where vacations will be spent for many. I will turn myself into a serial book reader this summer. I hesitated for some time before putting this in writing. I suppose I was at a loss for words. What is this all about, you wonder?
If you’ve reached a certain point in the book, you know that Olivia shares her life with two adorable shih tzus. The Puppy and Baileys characters were inspired by my own fur family. This summer Baileys had reached the ripe old age of fifteen and Puppy may have broken a record with his seventeen years and two months. Quite suddenly and a few months before the publication of A Quest of the Heart, both their health took a turn for the worse. Baileys had never ‘accepted’ last year's sudden blindness and had been very depressed all the while being afflicted by occasional and serious bouts of illness. Puppy’s sight had become steadily worse, as was his arthritis and loss of muscle mass. As of late, his excessive water intake, I feared, could be indicative of other issues. The day I had dreaded for years had come. To love them meant letting them go, and together, as I knew how closely knit they were. Most difficult decision I ever made. I spent the better part of the summer in tears and wondering why their health had failed so significantly and at the same time, a mere few months before publication? Had it been their life mission to provide me with unconditional love, companionship and support until the novel was published or was it just unfortunate timing - life? I choose to remain cautious before speaking of coincidences. Answers, I trust, will be revealed at a later time. Rest in peace my angels. You now rest safely in my heart forever. With the rest of the world, I found out this evening about the fire consuming the rooftop of the beloved French cathedral. You may already know that Olivia, my main character, has found closure and hope for the future while inside Notre-Dame. Little did I know that this world heritage monument would be object of such a frantic salvage operation a mere few weeks after my book was published! I will never forget my helplessness while witnessing the flame's furry engulfing the wooden roof. Because of my art history background, I understand the historical value of what can be lost in the next few hours. A miracle is what is needed now.
A Quest of the Heart has only been out for a few weeks and the response is already being felt! As a first time author, you always hope your work will be appreciated. Thank you for all your kind words.
When you are in the process of writing a novel, there is little else you think about. You think about your characters and your story while driving, washing the dishes, shopping and yes, even when sleeping. It is a labour of love, so I hope you enjoy the journey Olivia has been on and, moreover, I hope she will inspire you through your own challenges.
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