I like Mondays.
Yes. You read that right. 
It’s easy to dread the start of the week when the weekend is too short. And, if you’ve had a great weekend, it’s even more reason to wish for a three-day break.
Instead of dreading Monday, consider it as the beginning of new possibilities. 
If you need a little motivation not to hit the snooze button, here are some reasons to put a spring in your step:
 
 
1.         Plan for the week ahead of time. Accomplishing a goal is motivating for me. I plan my week on Sunday night. That way, I have a clear focus on my to-do list. I write my goals on my desk calendar and physically check them off. What you can accomplish is surprising when you put your mind to it. When I make a list of things I want to get done, like, writing my blog, going for a run, or updating my website, I’m a step forward to success.
 
2.         I work out. It’s part of my weekly routine, but if I strive to get the first workout done on Monday morning, it energizes me for the week and sets me up to be productive. 
 
3.         Use #motivationmonday to inspire others. If I think of something positive and post it, I feel positive, and when I think positive, I have a better attitude, and when I have a better attitude, good things happen!
 
4.         Reward yourself. When I finish my to-do list, I reward myself with a latte or extra time to read a book. It’s a gift to myself to say, ‘You did it!’ And it feels good.
 
5.         Monday is a great time to think about other goals. I think of other things I want to get done in the next week or month, like signing up for a class, scheduling a get-together, or simply trying out a new recipe. 
 
I recently heard a personal trainer say some people want that end goal, whatever it may be, but don’t want to work to get there. How true is this? We dream and imagine what we desire, but when it comes down to it, we fall behind and eventually give up. If I have a roadmap, I clearly know where I want to be. 
Forming good habits helps drive you down the path of success. So instead of dragging your feet out of bed Monday morning, remember what could happen if you put your mind to it. One step at a time.
 
Happy Monday!
 
 
*Disclaimer: All views expressed on this site are my own and do not represent the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which I have been, am now, or will be
affiliated.

May is Celiac Awareness Month. 
 
What do you know about celiac disease?
You are right if you said it’s a disease triggered by eating gluten. It’s a chronic digestive and immune disorder that damages the small intestine. 
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease, but only about 30% are properly diagnosed. And if left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, anemia, osteoporosis, infertility, heart disease, and intestinal cancers. 
Someone with celiac disease must be careful how their food is prepared and handled to avoid cross-contamination because even a small particle of gluten can cause intestinal damage, and it could take months to heal. Let’s face it, wheat, barley, rye, and malt seem to be in the food you least expect, making it tricky for someone with Celiac to enjoy a simple treat others might take for granted. 
I spoke to romance author Jennifer Lazaris about her diagnosis and her challenges. 
Charlene: Celiac disease can be diagnosed at any age. When were you diagnosed?
Jennifer:
Looking back, I had vague symptoms of celiac disease / gluten intolerance as a teenager, but it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that it got more severe. I knew something was going on that wasn’t right. It still took some years for a diagnosis after that. What finally led me to the doctor was that I was eating clean, exercising regularly, and had lost 25 pounds, yet I couldn’t climb the stairs without extreme exhaustion. When I came home from work, I’d have to take a two-hour nap and couldn’t even think of going anywhere afterward due to being so tired. But the kicker was when I started getting non-stop heartburn. I mean, it was absolutely non-stop. I always had to have a bottle of Pepto Bismol on hand. When I was diagnosed and gave up gluten, all of those symptoms faded completely. I felt like a new person!
 
Charlene: Do any other family members have celiac disease? 
Jennifer:
I have a cousin on my mom’s side who has celiac disease and a cousin on my dad’s side who has a gluten intolerance. But as far as I know, I’m the only person with this issue in my family.
 
Charlene: My daughter has celiac disease, I’m sensitive, and my other two children and husband are not gluten-free, although I do make a lot of GF meals. For this reason, I have two ovens, two toasters… what’s it like at your house? Is your husband gluten free? How do you figure out meals?
Jennifer:
My husband is not gluten-free, though he has no issues eating any gluten-free foods. We do have two toasters, but that’s about as far as I take the food separation. Also, if something is used by both of us like creme cheese or jelly, he will take it out and put it on a plate and then spread it on his toast from there so he’s not dipping crumbs in anything we share. I take a lot of care in cleaning up crumbs, haha. Sometimes he just grabs dinner on the way home, or if I’m making it, we eat gluten free. He’s supportive, and I try to not keep him from having his favorite foods, as long as I don’t get contaminated in the process.

Charlene: 
The one challenge for my daughter is when going to a friend’s house for a birthday celebration, she will bring her own food, so she knows it’s safe. What’s it been like for you when dining at someone’s house?
Jennifer:
I’ll be honest, this is the absolute WORST for me, unless I’m very good friends with someone and they know my issues already. I sometimes feel rude bringing my own food (though I shouldn’t; your daughter is smart!), especially if someone insists something is gluten free. Sometimes I will bring safe snacks. I will try and get out of going places because I hate dealing with this kind of thing. Or if I have to go, I will eat a huge meal beforehand. People don’t always realize the level you need to go to in order to not be cross-contaminated. It depends on the people I’m visiting, too. If they have someone in their family who has Celiac or allergies, I know it will be a safer experience than with someone who isn’t used to dealing with something like this on a regular basis. My own family tries hard to help when I visit, but even they don’t always remember that at birthday parties, you can’t scoop cookie dough ice cream then use the same unwashed utensil to scoop my plain vanilla. It’s a challenge, that’s for sure! 
 
Charlene:
I find dining out to be challenging. People who don’t know about the disease are unaware of the food prep and what gluten-free means to those with Celiac. Often, I’m educating them. What has your experience been like? 
 
Jennifer:
Ah, dining out. I think the hardest thing for me is dining out in a social situation with friends because I need to go somewhere that actually has options that won’t make me sick. That can be pretty limiting. If people are just going somewhere to chat and snack, I’ll usually suggest Starbucks because at least they have a few little wrapped treats. It’s easier for me to eat out with my husband because I have my go-to places where I feel safe and don’t feel as guilty asking him to compromise because he’s used to it.
 As for dealing with the whole true dining out experience, I’m someone who doesn’t like calling attention to myself, but it’s gotten easier over the years to explain my issue and ask about fryers, prep, and contamination issues. But I still don’t like having to do it. I’ve had good experiences dining out for the most part, and I think restaurants and servers are getting accustomed to more people having food challenges and allergies, so it’s not as difficult as it might have been ten years ago.
 
Charlene:
Do you have a favorite restaurant? 
Jennifer:
I don’t eat out a lot because of this, so for me, I don’t have a real, true restaurant that is a go-to. I love Five Guys Burgers and Fries because I feel safe eating there. I know they have dedicated fryers, and I can get a burger without a bun. Sometimes I’ll bring my own bun if I want a real burger experience. I also love Subway’s gluten free bread. I will watch them do everything in front of me to make sure I’m not getting cross-contaminated, but usually only feel comfortable eating the meat and cheese and will skip the veggies because of all the crumbs flying around. The veggies aren’t covered, so that’s riskier. As for a real restaurant, I used to love going to Jack Astors, but haven’t been there for a while. I had good dining experiences there, even with having Celiac. I’m looking forward to trying Burgers Priest, as they have a lot of gluten free options, and I also love New York Fries.
 
Charlene:
What’s your favorite GF dessert or gluten-free brand?
Jennifer:
I don’t eat a lot of desserts anymore, but believe it or not, my favorite go-to gluten free treat was President’s Choice store brand gluten free cupcakes! I haven’t found them in ages, but I loved them, and they were reasonably priced. Very tasty! I also love the Marshmallow Dream bars from Starbucks. As for my fave true dessert, there’s a bakery near me that makes EXCELLENT gluten free cakes, so I usually end up going there and grabbing something. I also love making my own banana bread and muffins with chocolate chips. 
 
Thank you, Jennifer! It was a pleasure talking to you.
You can find out more about celiac disease https://www.celiac.ca/about-the-cca/who-we-are/  
 https://www.beyondceliac.org/celiac-disease/ 

About Jennifer Lazaris books https://www.jenniferlazaris.com 

There’s a lot of excitement going on in the Groome house this week. Not only for the release of my first book after a very long dry spell, but it’s our middle daughter’s thirteenth birthday. 
I’m excited to celebrate her and as happy as I am to have a new book out, it’s a bit nerve-racking. I mean, social obligations and expectations go along with sending your creativity into the world. It’s why I prefer to focus on someone else’s success or milestones than my own. 
Health and Wellness coach Sonya Looney says, “A lot of people who are achievement-driven struggle with celebrating wins, and they move on to the next thing quickly. Or they’ll invalidate their achievement in some way.”
I can relate! 
My life is a to-do list, checking off what I need to do and then on to the next thing. 
The years of working toward my goal is a blur with raising kids, tending my home, and writing. Lots of writing. I queried stories and even got a three-book contract from a publisher. I thought I was on the road to recovery from an already fragile mindset. Then, my publisher closed, and imposter syndrome took hold of me. What was I doing wrong? I was taking two steps forward, one step back. Would I ever get published again? I had folders of new material and needed help to place them. 
What more could I do?
Write.
I kept writing for my enjoyment. I didn’t stop querying, and I took writing workshops to improve. I also surrounded myself with other creatives, which I recommend as a great mood booster.
All the little things we do to get closer to our goal, add up to achievement. 
Looney reminds us that we are not the person we were when we started a specific goal, and she is so right. I didn’t give up on my dream and got my agent. An agent I am proud to have on my side. She is encouraging and cheers me on. I love her for it. 
As my agent finds a home for my most recent works, I set out to release a contemporary romance series about love, friendships, and second chances.
Playing For Love is book one in the Moonlight Valley series. It’s the series I thought would be traditionally published, but instead, I’m doing it myself. I had such high hopes wanting something bigger and better, but what is that exactly? Doing what you love and accomplishing your goals, big or small, is worth acknowledging. It takes hard work to get to the finish line.
If you haven’t read Sonya Looney’s blog, I recommend you do it for a feel-good read.
Her latest post, The Importance of Small Wins, is about acknowledging personal achievements and how to celebrate them. 
“The reality is that they are the building blocks, the steps, the brush strokes to building a masterpiece. No one suddenly has a big, flashy achievement. They are the many steps to get there that build resilience and character, not the achievement itself.”
For authors, it’s not just about writing a story; it’s about all the other go-with-it’s that take time and effort to get from point A to B. It takes a lot of work and dedication like any passion turned career. It has your focus. When you get to where you want to be, it’s up to you to recognize it and be proud of how far you’ve come.
“Making sure you are noting and celebrating these wins regularly will fuel the fire and your momentum,” says Looney.  
So, if you’ve crossed the finish line, I’m cheering for you. Baby steps equal achievement, and that’s something to be proud of. 
Our wins this week qualify for having two cakes!
 
Want to learn more about celebrating your wins? Check out Sonya’s blog:
https://sonyalooney.com/the-importance-of-small-wins/
 
 
 
Until next time,
Find your happy, live your dreams.
 
Charlene 

Thanks for joining us. If you're drinking a hot beverage, you might want to hold onto your mug before taking a sip because KJ's honesty may result in giggles. She's a lot of fun and I can't wait for her debut to enter the world. 

Congratulations on The Book Proposal! It’s almost here!
KJ: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. 
Happy to be here!
 
It’s an accomplishment to write a book, but when it’s out in the world, it’s success. I think it’s important to recognize our achievements. You’re planning on a book launch party at a comedy club, which is pretty cool. How did you decide on how to celebrate? Who’s invited? 

KJ: I love your optimistic outlook!  I'm always so busy that I have a really hard time stopping and smelling the roses, so to speak. The launch party was my way of forcing myself to do exactly that. It would be easy to be flippant about it, but the planning process has been a lot of work, and honestly, I put an awful lot of thought into it.
​
Most book launches are done at bookstores or in conjunction with libraries. Unfortunately, in my area, there are not a lot of bookstores to choose from. This is surprising since I live in a suburb of NYC, but it's true. We do have tons of libraries, and I thought about reaching out to my local branch to partner on an event but, I don't know. I'm pretty old school about libraries. I have all this reverence for them - they're these lovely, huge buildings that house literature.  What I wrote is like this very silly, funny, sometimes sexy, sometimes downright gross thing that could not be further from "appropriate" for your typical library crowd.  I envisioned a loud, funny event, and while libraries are a lot of things, I don't think most people would choose "loud" or "funny" as adjectives to describe their libraries. (I could be wrong, here. I'm wrong about a lot of things.)  It just felt like it would be more natural - more on-brand - to do something at a comedy club.  And then I thought, what if I turned it into a fundraiser?  I run a non-profit that teaches dyslexic kids to read, and also works with adults who need help with literacy skills. How cool would it be for me to take the proceeds of my debut book launch event and donate them back to an organization that creates tomorrow's readers? 

Also, to be completely transparent, I am a total chicken about reading out loud - and I figured that if I hosted an event at a comedy club and arranged for some legit top-notch talent, then I could just be, like, the opening act - which takes away a lot of the pressure of the evening so I could just enjoy myself as well. And no joke, I found the best comedian. Her name is Liz Miele (totally recommend you check out her YouTube specials), she's from Brooklyn which is where my book is set, and she has dyslexia. Once I got in touch with her agent and booked her, I realized it was going to be an incredible celebration.
The whole world is invited to come to my launch party!  It's not exclusive to anyone!  The venue seats 200 and so far I've sold 65 tickets, so I'm feeling pretty good about that!  Hoping to max it out! (Details are on my website if any of your readers would like to come! It's $25 per person which includes a signed copy of the book. 
 
I’m honored that I read an advance copy of The Book Proposal and loved it. Not only for a great story, but the snappy banter and humor. I’m curious, how much of Gracie’s character is you?

KJ: Ha! That's a great question. If you're asking me whether I shart when I'm jogging, the answer is no. I have a weak bladder, so I pee when I run, thank you very much. Gracie and I have some personality traits that are similar, but we also have some pretty major differences, too. For example, I am a workaholic where she's a procrastinator. I am really good at managing my finances, and Gracie can't figure out that (most) authors need day jobs. But many of her traumatic childhood tales are fictional retellings of moments from my youth, yes. Mrs. A is 100% based on the mom of my best friend from the third grade. Sweetest woman you'd ever want to know but man, did she constantly try to overfeed me. The high school stuff is also based on my life but just amplified. What's really fun is that people who have known me since childhood will recognize some of the stories. It's like having a bunch of inside jokes in print, immortalized forever. 

Gracie suffers from writer’s block, an author’s fear of not being able to write anything new. Have you experienced it and if so, for how long and how did you get out of it?

KJ: Hm. While I suffer incessantly from time management issues (not enough hours in the day), I don't think I've suffered from actual writer's block, to be honest. I certainly have moments where I'm not sure where a story is going or how to get from point A to point B. When that happens, I have a number of techniques that help:
1) Going on a long drive. I clear my had and just brainstorm, and usually something cool comes out of it. But when I say long, I mean long. We have a summer home that's 5 hours away, so it's on those drives that I'm able to get into a creative headspace. 
​
2) Talking plot points out with my husband. He alpha reads everything I write, so that gives me someone to bounce ideas off of who will tell me if something won't work. It's really hard for beta readers and critique partners to tell you, "Hey, that idea is like a wine glass full of garbage juice," but my husband will give it to me straight, so now the poor guy is stuck reading rom-coms for all eternity!  Anyway, we like to take walks together, and we'll hash out ideas while we do a lap or two around the park behind our house. It's a nice way to connect because after almost 15 years of marriage, you run out of things to talk about besides the kids and money. 
 
3) Watching stand-up comedy is actually one of my favorite things to do. There's so much you can learn about how to deliver a punchline in a story, how to tie stories together, etc. Plus, it just feels so good to laugh. If I can put together an anecdote - a flashback, for example - and position it in my manuscript in a spot where it makes me laugh out loud and moves the main plot line forward - ugh, that's just gold. There's nothing like it.

I’m excited to start my blog with an author I enjoy reading. Stephanie Eding. She is a mom of three and an author
of young adult and women’s fiction. I caught up with
her while her youngest was napping to talk about her
​new book, Said No One Ever. 

I love the title! How did the title come about?

Thank you! I actually have to give full credit to my
editor for this one. Titles are a struggle for me, and I
could never come up with anything for it. I just
nicknamed it “Free Range” the entire time I worked on
it because it was my take on a woman who felt trapped
in her own life going free-range for once. I turned the
book in, and Deb had a title for me in no time. Better than
​I could come up with!
​
I really enjoyed The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale and am excited to read your second women’s fiction/romcom book. I love the plot. As someone who knows nothing about caring for a farm, I can only imagine Ellie’s challenges. Where did the inspiration for this story come from? 

Despite the fact that Ellie’s trip goes completely haywire, it’s actually my dream vacation. I started out daydreaming about a quiet space in a tiny home with the gorgeous Montana backdrop and got the craving to turn it into a book setting. I live in a small rural community, but have zero farm experience. That doesn’t stop me from frequently telling my husband we’re selling everything to become farmers. J I had a good time imagining how *I* would handle the chores around the farm and then finding out how it was *actually* done. I’ve also been dying to write a book about a spicy grandmother because I’ve been so blessed by my relationships with my own grandmothers, as well as some other amazing women who treated me like a granddaughter. Marilyn might be my favorite character I’ve written yet!
I know you’re a busy mom, that alone is a balancing act. When do you write, where do you write, and do you have a schedule?

I’ll admit that I’m definitely in slow motion in this department right now. My youngest is 19 months old and into EVERYTHING! My main writing time happens during her naps or if I have any energy left when the kids go down for bed. It’s actually a nice break in my day to light a candle, grab a cup of coffee, and sit at my dining room table to be creative for a bit. There are days when I can’t do it, and I give myself grace then too. Other days, writing time really energizes me and is exactly what I need.

What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a hobby or activity you enjoy doing? 

​When the weather is warm, my favorite thing to do is take long walks or sit around a campfire. I could do that every night of my life! During the colder months, I love hot drinks and curling up with my favorite funny sitcoms. Currently, I’m re-watching New Girl because it never fails to make me belly laugh!

What genres do you like to read? What are you reading now?  

I actually read a lot of nonfiction. I love an inspiring biography, (recently read Amy Carmichael’s story, which was incredible!) and self-help books always motivate me. I do mostly audiobooks these days that can follow me around the house while I chase kids and clean. Right now, though, I’m reading Lucy Gilmore’s The Lonely Hearts Book Club that just released, and I don’t want to put it down! Highly recommend!

Thank you Stephanie! 
​

On the back cover...

Said No One Ever 

ELLIE REED’S SELF-ESTEEM can’t take any more of her family’s constant criticism. In a final effort to branch out on her own, she leaves the city to get some fresh air on a farm in central Montana. Barn animals can’t give unsolicited advice, after all. But when Ellie arrives at the Airbnb to her spunky elderly host, Marilyn, getting carted off in an ambulance, Ellie’s attempt at a quiet getaway takes a wild turn.
Suddenly Ellie finds herself the unqualified caretaker of Marilyn’s isolated farm—and all the family drama that comes with it. If only she could convince Marilyn’s handsome and stubborn grandson, Warren Oliver, that she doesn’t have any designs on the property. Caught between two rival men competing for control of the farm, navigating Marilyn’s outrageous requests, and trying to salvage what was supposed to be her new lease on life, Ellie might have to embrace the adventure in order to change her destiny…