A Leap Day Announcement

For weeks now (or has it been longer!), I have been hinting about some really exciting things that are coming down the pike for me. Well, I think I am finally ready to make that announcement, without feeling like I am going to jinx everything. While I have not been posting as much to the writing prompts from The Writer's Post, GBE2: Blog On and BFF ~ Blogging For Fun, I have remained somewhat busy with organizing and preparing for this day. So without further ado...

First, I am excited and proud to announce that I have been asked to be a columnist for the website: Proverbs & Wisdom. In addition to my column I will be an editor for their mini-magazine. My goal is to incorporate my expertise as Today's Working Woman while promoting empowerment, encouragement and enlightenment in order to help individuals become wiser and reach new levels of success. This is the mission of Proverbs & Wisdom and I am thrilled to be a part of it! The new site is ready to launch tomorrow, so hopefully, my first column will be posted. However, in the coming weeks and months I will be providing links to all of my columns as well as other projects that I have been privileged to be a part of as an editor.

Second, as many of you know (or not know for that matter), I have been writing for the Examiner.com for some time. Examiner.com has partnered with CBS Local for an exciting new program, Assignment Center for Examiners (ACE). They asked me to apply and after reviewing my application, they extended me a special opportunity to write for the San Francisco CBS Local - Travel & Outdoors beat. Since they could only invite a small handful of Examiners for this new program, I was selected based on my high-quality contributions and effective localization. Needless to say, I am beyond excited about this opportunity as it means I will have content on the San Francisco CBS Local website for my category of Travel and Outdoors. Now I know that it probably looks like I have not spent too much time traveling and being outdoors, but the fact of the matter is that yes, I have traveled quite extensively across the U.S. since I was very young. The fun part of this is that I will be writing about things that I never thought I would and being able to share them with my local San Francisco Bay community. Keep in mind that the CBS Local website can be seen nationally, so I will have the opportunity for more national exposure to my writing. How cool is that! I will let you all know when my first article is published.

Third, in the coming months I will be working on providing a new feature to the Today's Working Woman website. The date has not been finalized, but I will be putting together my first Podcast sometime in 2012. So if there are any ideas that you would like for me to talk about, now is the time to share those with me. I look forward to hearing your ideas and such and hope you continue to follow me along this amazing journey that I have started with Today's Working Woman.

And finally, while it seems like I am very busy with all of these projects, I still plan on my continuing with my other writing projects, including my book reviews (which are now being posted in multiple locations - more about that to follow soon), writing my novel and cookbook, and writing my other articles that I contribute to Yahoo! Voices and the Examiner.com and for the three blogging communities that I have been apart of for approximately the last year.

Whew!

Well... what do you think? I hope you are as excited as I am about all the upcoming changes for me! I know it sounds like a lot, especially since I said I wanted to simplify things in my life. Actually, when I sat down and worked this all out, it really did simplify everything going on in my life as it gave me the direction that I had been seeking for some time. There are still some areas in my world that need further organization, de-cluttering and simplification, but that will all happen in due course. Oh, and lest I forget, I still have a surprise or two up my sleeve for later!

Hoping everyone had the Happiest of Leap Days!

 

Wordless Wednesday - Rainbows

 
Wishing you moments of simple beauty!

 

7 x 7 Award

Wow, I think I should go away more often. Two awards in a month...I am truly humbled. My friend Kathy, The Giggling Truckers Wife has presented me with the 7 x 7 Award. Thank you so much Kathy!

And now for the rules...I need to tell you 7 things about me and then pass it on to others you are equally worth as I to be recognized. So here are 7 things about me:

1. I have a tremendous fear of heights. Maybe this is why I don't travel by plane very much. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. However, if a trip to Hawaii, Australia or home to my parents comes along, I am all over it.

2. My personal design style has changed from Country Cottage to Beachy Comfort.

3. I have a personal affinity for the ocean, but I can't swim.There's just something about being near the water that relaxes me.

4.  I had two dachshunds growing up and my husband owned Great Danes. Opposites of the spectrum wouldn't you say?

5. I am a chocoholic! Suppose this is better than any other type of  'oholic!

6. I am the Carb Queen. Love bread, pasta, and potatoes (mashed and baked!).

7. I rarely watch the Big 3 Channels on television, but I am addicted to other cable channels like The Food Network, Hallmark Channel, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Spike TV, TLC, Family Channel, A&E, Lifetime, Animal Planet and the Disney Channel. Can you tell I tend to stay on the upper channels! I'd list all the shows I'd watch but that's for another blog.

Now I must bestow this award to the following:

1. Claudia at The Story
2. Gill at Bright Blessings
3. Sylvie at Sylvie Says...
4. Sharon at Empty House, Full Mind
5. Mary Beth at To Create, To Live, To Appreciate
6. Langley at Langley Writes
7. Susan at Stay Calm and Carry On

Congratulations to all!

 




 Liked anything you see here? Then contact me at todaysworkingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review. I can also provide assistance with blog writing!

TWW's Book Review: Marry Cade by Sally Clements

World Literary Book Review

I'm still not used to reading books in a PDF or Kindle format (despite the fact that I received a Kindle for Christmas!) I really love the feel of a book in my hands; flipping back and forth between the pages when I want to reread something. So when I decided to make Marrying Cade by Sally Clements, my first book review for World Literary Café, I was a bit skeptical if I would enjoy it. However, I found Sally’s story of two teenage friends becoming reacquainted as adults a fun and easy three hour escape from the household chores beckoning me away from my computer.

Hoping it would be more than just the same old romance themed short story, I was pleasantly surprised to find a bit of backbone to it. Cade has grown up to be a very successful hotelier, while Melo has gone on to become a strong, independent and successful financial advisor. They both returned to her island home for the wedding of Melo’s sister, Rosa, to Cade’s best friend, Adam.

Melo is the one person the family has counted on to take care of everything, including the entire planning and orchestration of Rosa’s wedding, but her father still won’t let her be a part of the family’s wine business. While this may seem a bit archaic, I found it to be plausible because as many of the older generation still feel that the woman’s place is in the home.

Cade has come a long way, literally and figuratively. He’s made his way back from losing everything to having almost everything. Now that he sees Melo, he realizes that he wants her. But he just doesn’t know how much he wants her.

I found that Melo’s sister Rosa, was a spoiled, selfish brat, and to be honest, the story wouldn’t have held together as nicely as it did without her being this way. There were moments I really wanted to throttle her so badly that I had to contain myself. I love the way the two sisters play against each other and as twins, it’s nice to see the ying/yang of their relationship.

I was thrilled when Melo finally stood up for herself in front of the whole family to let them know she was not going to be a pushover anymore. I think you could call this the “You go girl!” moment of the entire story. From that point forward, I knew that she was going to do whatever it took to make sure she wasn’t going to lose anything her family had worked so hard to attain.

The question begs, "Do they get together?" Well, I won't tell because I don't want to ruin the story, but let's just say the road to get there is very interesting. At 176 pages, this was the perfect length to escape the everyday doldrums of life. Put this on your “To Be Read” list for an afternoon getaway. Rating:

 

Wishing you moments of great reading!

 


Liked anything you've seen here? Then contact me at todaysworkingwoman@hotmail.com. I am always looking for more books/products to review.