Promises Promises!

Today promise yourself that you will be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
Sometimes, being the shy violets that we are, as authors, we find it easier to be supportive and congratulatory about someone else's wins - new contracts, promotional coups and other things then we tend to be about our own. Because we were told "brags a good bargain, but hold on is a lot better," or "Let someone else toot your horn." Well, that doesn't work when you have to go the 9 miles to promote your own books and be "out there" where people may criticize or even applaud what you do.

But--and here is the best part, what you give you get. So if you are enthusiastic about other people's success, feel that feeling, know that feeling and then claim some for yourself as well.

When Christopher Paolini first met publishing success with Eragon, I dissed him as-- oh sure his parents are publishers, authors, business people...he has an edge - maybe, but this home schooled little boy (15 when he wrote it) had just gotten his GED and was looking forward to college. Instead of heading off straight to college he decided to write a book.

Hubby just finished reading the first of the trilogy Eragon, and asked me if I would get the other two for him. He said he found no mistakes in the editing (where he found several in the Harry Potter books he just finished reading) and he said the kid writes a great story.

I must swallow my ill-placed envy or is it jealousy, and read the first of his books to see how he made and is still making news. His series is number 3 on the New York Times best seller list, still.

Anyway, be happy for those who've succeeded. Your turn can't be far away, actually good vibrations from you will make it happen sooner.
Try it - it couldn't hurt.
Cricket
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

"I Think I Can, I Think I can!"

Challenge - Promise Yourself: To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

When you are facing hard times either financially, emotionally, or spiritually it isn't easy to think only the best for yourself or any one else - but sometimes just smiling will help lighten the burden you feel. And create untold good for you and those you care about.

You can work for the best outcome, you can work to do your best - that doesn't mean perfect that just means the best for where you are and what you CAN do right now. (like parents raising children...you only do what you can do with what you have, know and are.)

If you expect the best - to paraphrase Henry Ford - you can think you can or you can think you can't --either way your are proven right.

So, if you expect the best, throw your dreams toward the moon, even if you fail you'll wind up among the stars - if you aim, expect - the best! You'll have a better chance of getting something more then not shooting for the moon at all. You can do it, if you think you can. "Little Toot, I think I can, I think I can,...." Go for it!

Hope your New Year will be your BEST year ever
Cricket
http://www.cricket-sawyer.com

Where Have I Been?

Sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans of mice and men. Besides several new books coming out in the last couple months - I have a few more being released in the months ahead. Fury of Fire: A Woman Betrayed (book 3 in this series)(Crimson Moth Publishers) is due out in January, as is A Writer's Vehicle, Filbert Publishing is a book on the craft of writing. Watch for contests and blog tours associated with each.
However, today I would like you to concentrate on something else....
Its another challenge for you today:
Promise yourself to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

That may be a little difficult, you may have to keep checking yourself when you don't really see the bright side - but if you look really hard I bet you can find one.

Today, we have near blizzard conditions - blowing, drifting, at times near white outs - so the weather is a bit of a bear, but I have a warm and comfortable home. It's a good day to stay inside and write - or bake bread or any of the household chores that make my home a place I love to be.

I'm sure when you look around you have a bunch of sunny just under the veil of "your crabby" or someone else's crabby exterior. Make a smile your umbrella and your rain will all turn to sunshine and rainbows.
Try it!
You can email me your results if you like.
at cricket@cricket-sawyer.com
visit my website at http://www.cricket-sawyer.com