My friend asked if, being an intelligent alpha female, I sat back and did some paranormal world building while the men in my life (husband and son) dealt with the wobbling, leaky toilet. No, silly me, I used my computer in an effort to help and wound up smack in the heart of the problem – when the internet resource told me it was a relatively easy fix.

No sense calling a professional when we can do it ourselves!

We’ll call it a family bonding experience and chalk it up to character development. I mean when you’re an alpha female in the thick of wax seals and broken bolts, that’s when you really get to know a person, right? By the way, if my back was healthy, I would’ve been able to do most of it on my own – the way I prefer to tackle home repair.

Truthfully, it wasn’t nasty as much as messy. The wax seals hidden on the bottom of toilets are bizarre and rather impervious (by design, obviously) to water clean up.  So while my husband ran out for replacement parts I stayed home trying to dissolve the stupid thing so we could repair and replace it with something new.

My friend asked me if I used my super laser sword. (Gotta love a friend who’s a reader and a fan). Alas, no sword in my reality, only in the paranormal worlds I build up in my imagination. So once again, many thanks to internet resource! My trusty putty knife, glass cleaner, and a heap of rags worked their last job for our family and conquered the gooey seal of wax.

My friend then says (after hearing the whole story) that it sounded like a good blog post. What? What sort of world does she think I live in that I’d find even blogging inspiration on the bottom of a toilet?

Ah, let’s mark that last question as rhetorical.

It seems my friend is ever so smart – and knows me ever so well – to think I’d use the rather strange events of my real world day here at my blog.

Live the adventure!

Don’t forget to enter the Goodreads Giveaway (over there on the right).  Find all my titles on Amazon and Smashwords in the format of your choice!

And that fear is the heart of the problem.

Since the original injury I’m afraid of doing too much, afraid of not doing my fair share, afraid of moving wrong and mostly afraid of giving in to my alpha female side and doing it anyway – whatever the ‘it’ of the moment may be. (which only launches the fear of extending the recovery time.)

I’m afraid my inner alpha female is just not the patient sort.

When I thought about it, I was shocked to realize how many of my thoughts and words were preceded by ‘fear’. It’s not a happy place – at all.

Fear is a place most of the alpha female characters in my paranormal romance novels wouldn’t linger in. Jaden might have been afraid, but she found action to be her cure. Petra dealt with more than her fair share of fear when her empathy gift siphoned it off of other people. Cali had mountains of fear to overcome, but accepting herself was key.

Fortunately, for alpha females in books or real life, fear is only a state of mind.

Which is reassuring as it means even I can overcome my fears. As the author of my own life, I focus on what I can accomplish without injurious complications. It’s a tame list, but amazingly enough, writing, reading, editing, blogging, and facebook all help.

Yup, even in the face of injuries my alpha female side is finding the way. Learn more about my alpha female heroines during the Smashwords.com Summer/Winter sale or when you buy my books at Amazon.

And check out the latest fun in video gadgetry from YouTube!

Live the adventure!

Like many of my peers, I’m always doing more and learning more about online promotion, specifically for paranormal romance authors.

And this paranormal romance author is happy to share the latest trend direct from YouTube SearchStories!

Live the adventure!

Read a couple of my stories for free through July 31 at Smashwords! And buy the rest of my books (paperback or ebook) at Amazon or OmniLit today!

I’m still behaving – I swear! – and as if the universe needed to prove it, I’ve discovered that’s a very good thing. We recently attended an event for my daughter’s school, but just two hours on my feet wiped me out.

Frustrating but true.

Of course doing said social mixer after pulling a very late night with the writing probably didn’t help, but it’s all proof my body’s not yet back on track. Grrr.

However, I am finding ways to be grateful in this challengeing time. A trait I’d like to think I’ve learned in part from the many alpha female characters I’ve written over the years.

No, I can’t be Jaden who would probably take the doctors hostage until they fixed her. I’m not Petra who would use her mental talents to separate herself from the pain.  (Yes, I’m meditating – thanks for asking – and it does help but I’m not as good as Petra).

It would be awesome to have Cali’s ability to illuminate a text so I could understand what the doctors really mean. More than once since this all began long ago in December, I’ve wished for a friend like Mira, a healer who will be starring soon in her own Shadows of Justice novel.

For now, I’ll go back to playing with Mira and the other alpha female heroines in my imagination

You can dive into their world too! Buy the books on Amazon or in the format and outlet you prefer.

Live the adventure!

No matter how you label it (type-A, control freak, or alpha female) I’ve always had more than one thing going at any given time. As a wife, mom, volunteer, and paranormal romance writer, we all know multi-tasking is just the way of the world.

But now, with physical ‘rest’ being the priority of every day, I can’t throw in a load of laundry and write, move it to the dryer and write, put dinner in the crock pot and write some more. It’s just write and write and write until it’s time to stretch.

Remarkably the single-tasking thing has amazing benefits. I can’t run away from the story when it gets rough. I have to stay put and imagine my way out of it. Of course the dust bunnies are big enough to need names – but I digress.

This injury – while so very annoying – is having a positive impact as far as life lessons go.

I’m enjoying my writing time even more. I’m moving more efficiently through my promotional (and blogging) efforts. And my family time is no longer plagued with questions about how I should be at the keyboard working on something.

So for this paranormal romance writer, single-tasking is working. And having anything working is a major boost!  Might I suggest you get caught up with my previous books, so you’re all ready for the fresh new tales I’m dreaming up now.

Live the adventure!

But I’d be lying.

As an alpha female, find my own answers, get it done type of girl, the DO nothing order is about the hardest thing to accept. I’m all about the cause and effect, make the effort, no pain-no gain sort of mentality. In short, I’m the alpha female who prefers to control her destiny.

With an ‘invisible’ injury like this back thing (no swelling, cast, etc.) I’ve learned control is a precious commodity I’m fresh out of.

I suppose I could say I’d developed a talent for doing nothing or tapped a previously unknown preference for the ‘lady of leisure’ lifestyle.

But I’d be lying.

The truth is I was the kid who was sure to run off and try it if you told me it was impossible.  (maybe that’s why I chose a career in writing and publishing) and not much as changed now that I’m not a kid anymore.  I want to fix it, or have it fixed, so I can get on with my life.

So maybe the team is right, I’m not over my alpha female tendencies, not even close to knowing how to relinquish control. But hey, I am behaving and resting and writing like crazy…so I can live vicariously through my alpha female characters.

Live the adventure!

No matter how I asked the questions, the answer came back – DO Nothing. (This, I have learned, is the exact opposite of the old ‘just do it’ Nike commercials that were embedded on this (former) athlete’s subconscious). I’m used to living a Just Do It sort of life. Stuff might hurt, but stuff needs done. From fitness to dishes to dusting.

If you asked me point blank about being a real life alpha female, having superwoman delusions, or even being a control freak, I’d label myself as reformed. That stage of my life was years ago, back when I didn’t know better.

Before experience, time and a couple of kids changed my perspective.

Apparently the team working to save my back isn’t so convinced I’m all over my need to be the alpha female. They assured me the world would not implode if the vacuuming is haphazard and the windows have smudges. (honestly the windows don’t bother me so much)

Worse, I was encouraged to think about how my kids would benefit from learning my secrets of making our delightful family dinners. (as if I don’t know how they celebrate on the nights we order pizza)

In a word, activity limits are uck. Or maybe the word is boring. But wait! I’m a writer, I can make up my own fun and adventure…it’s part of the job description.

So go buy my books and you’ll be all ready for the newest releases sure to result from the next couple of months of focusing all my inner alpha female energy into my characters.

Live the adventure!

No, not every female grey in retirement is alpha or becomes alpha female and when our Boo arrived I never thought she’d really get into the role. Boy, was I wrong.

It took some time. She was smaller than Brody and she was willing to learn how Brody worked the system. Then she started with the little things to morph that system to her own purposes.

Feeding, for instance. She eats quickly, so she’s ready to clean Brody’s bowl when he’s done and goes for water. But her bowl is off limits at all times.

Then there’s playtime. She acts all relaxed about going outside with Brody, but once business is done, she’s the alpha female – the one who starts the romping and dictates the correct route through the yard.

And don’t even try to open the peanut butter without planning to share.

Now, having learned the system, modified the system, and taught several greyhound fosters how best to retire, she is the alpha female in charge of her domain, (formerly known as our house) deferring only to the momma or the daddy.

And the latest foster, Bandit, who is playful and rambunctious and silly? Well, our shy little retiree turned alpha female has determined he’s a keeper.

They tug, wrestle, and often nap together, all according to her rules.  And when he returned from his last home visit (fail), alpha female Boo did such a celebratory dance when he came home we decided he’d better stay.

So while we might have the thumbs, she’s got the eyes and manners that are as effective as thumbscrews. Like many an alpha female we’ve met before.

Live the greyhound adventure!

p.s. You can learn more about life with greyhounds in my new book Adopt A Greyhound Guide. 50% of proceeds go to local greyhound rescue groups. Visit the site for more details!

Don’t worry – there’s much to explore about bold, take charge, types of characters. But even alpha females (and the writer who puts them on paper) have soft spots, ‘aha’ moments, and moments that simply make the heart sing!

In my case, as a paranormal romance writer of alpha female characters, some of those singing heart moments include:

An amazing cover! Seriously – when the cover art comes through and it captures the feel, the intensity of a book – that’s an amazing moment!

Great reviews will also send an alpha female heart (or writer of same) into ballads of bliss! I recently asked a reviewer who’d been so supportive of the previous two novels in this series to take a look at Veil of Justice. Her eager reply was a song in my heart!

For this author of alpha female characters, the excitement and enthusiasm around a project makes my heart sing! Not just in the writing of the book, but when it’s done and through edits, to see others share that excitement is invaluable.

Of course holding the book in my hand when it’s all done is beyond compare. I didn’t think I’d feel the same way having this book go to kindle first. I was wrong!

Seeing the cover up and live, reading the description, knowing fans no longer have to ask, “when will you get Nathan out of that prison?!”, it’s all making my heart sing.

And that ’singing heart’ keeps me going back to the keyboard to write the next story in the Shadows of Justice world…a story starring an alpha female with a secret, a challenge, and her very own hero.

Live the adventure!

Life loves to toss out challenges! No matter what career path you’re on, you’ve surely bumped into both anticpated obstacles and outright surprises.

When I’m writing (or reading) alpha female characters, I love the boldness with which they tackle every obstacle that gets tossed their way. They seem to know what they want and even if that initial goal changes or morphs, they continue with that admirable drive to attain it.

Asimov is right, life’s difficulities do seem to vaporize in the face of bold action. It’s empowering to read and write an alpha female heroine who boldly charges into their adventures, despite the risks.

A writer with the goals of being published cannot rest in a corner at the end of the day and hope the challenges of the publishing world go away or smooth out.

And knowing readers love to worry their way through a book, I suppose it makes an odd sort of sense for even the most alpha female author to have a few worries on the path to publication.

But it takes alpha female determination and dedication to overcome the obstacles and prevail over circumstance.

When a writer (or anyone) focuses on the problem or  difficulty, rather than the solution, the difficulty becomes bigger than it is. It becomes so big, in fact, it blurs our vision of the precious goal hovering just beyond it.

Alpha female characters teach me a lot. Yes I know my heroines are fictional, but I wouldn’t spend all those hours with them in the story if I didn’t like them.

Jaden Michaels  (of Justice Incarnate) is an alpha female person I would love to have on my team – and in a way, when I play with characters from her world, she is on my team and provides a solid example of daring, consideration, and definitive action.

Debating and overanalyzing a problem will not fix it. Difficulties require action if we want to get around them to realize our goal or dream. Better to assess and then move forward with boldness – to take alpha female action.

Will there be mistakes? Surely. But the alpha females of my acquaintance learn from all their experiences and move on with continued boldness and determination, with their eyes on the prize they’ve declared they cannot live without.

Live the adventure!