There are a few things I’m prone to brag about now and then, and those are my favorite people.

Being Thankful

With the Thanksgiving holiday still in full force in the United States, it seems like a good time to take a moment to appreciate a few people in my life who I love to brag about.

• My mother- I’ve written about her before, right here, and how much she’s inspired me with her stoic, strength, and endless patience. A woman I aspire to be more like.
• My husband– With all the feasting this week, I’m lucky enough to have a hubby who loves to cook. No canned cranberries, or boxed stuffing, for this dude. It’s all the trimmings homemade with love.
• My twins– As the girls wrap up their senior year, they’ve given me so much to be proud of. Their tireless dedication to their studies, and their kindhearted nature, assure me we’ve raised some wonderful ladies.
• My family- My favorite thing about the holidays is the extra time I get to spend with my family. I love having most of us together. Having a close bond with family is definitely worth bragging about in this busy world.
• My readers- Readers are awesome. It saddens me when I hear so many people who seem to act as if they’re bragging when they say, “I don’t read.” When in reality, they’re depriving themselves of a much richer, fuller life that can be gained through books.
• My publisher- The Wild Rose Press (#TWRP) is a pretty awesome publisher. If you ask any of their authors (like me) they’ll tell you how much TWRP cares about their authors. And they care about their readers, that’s why you can visit their site for their holiday sale, right here.

My Book Babies

As an author, marketing should be foremost on my mind. But like many authors, it doesn’t come naturally to brag about myself and my stories.

Getting up before the crack of dawn to make time to write, giving up my lunch break, television and social gatherings doesn’t feel like a sacrifice when it’s something I love.

I’m #thankful to get to share my stories, and my characters, with the world. That's something to #brag about. #MFRW
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It’s a Blog Hop

Check out what the other authors are bragging about.

Maybe they’re better at tooting their own horn and I can learn a thing or two from them.

What Do You Like to Brag About?

The post I Feel Like a Drag if I Brag appeared first on Author Maureen L. Bonatch.

Skip to the End

My girls used to tell me that they often read the last page of a book first to know the ending.

I was horrified. Skip to the end? Are you kidding?

That’s why I write as a panster, and I love a nice surprise (we all know there are bad surprises too).

But I must admit that my favorite epilogue was that for the television series Charmed.

It was one of my favorite shows and I hated to see it come to an end, but they provided a fabulous epilogue that made me feel a little better about leaving my favorite characters. (Yes, I know there’s a new version that started —I haven’t watched it yet. I’m just not sure it will be the same, but I’m sure I’ll check it out sometime.)

Writing Epilogues

I don’t usually write an epilogue and my opinion of epilogues varies depending on the story. So I don’t have a solid answer for this. Some stories it feels right, while other times I feel like it’s an attempt to wrap everything up too neatly and I feel a little cheated.

If my story isn’t over, I usually have so much more to say that I write the next #book. #epilogue #MFRW
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I’m long-winded like that. Hence why the next book in The Enchantlings series, NOT A CHANCE, is up for preorder now and will be released on October 31^st. (Happy Halloween!)

Plus—if you haven’t read the first book, DESTINY CALLING is on sale right now for .99cents.

One of my stories did sort of wrap up in an epilogue, FORGET ME NOT. Since it was a novella, it was nice to give a tiny glimpse of the future for this couple.

My Crystal Ball

My twins are seniors this year. You know, those little baby girls that I used to write the twin talk blog posts to document their stories since I’m terrible at filling out a baby book?

That means many changes for them soon, and for Mom and Dad. I admit, it’s caused

me stress and has had me reflecting on many things, but most of all, I just want to know how everything turns out.

With so many questions, I want answers. Sure, it might take the fun out of the journey a little, but as a Mom, I just want to take the worry away and have the happily ever after.

So, would I peek ahead at the epilogue of this story? You betcha.

It’s Not the End—It’s a Blog Hop

Be sure to check out the other author’s blogs about their thoughts on Epilogue or no?

But before you do, be sure to stop RIGHT HERE where I’m listing all the contests and giveaways this month to celebrate the paranormal season and for the upcoming release of NOT A CHANCE.

I’m telling you I have so many going on that the only way to keep them straight and not miss any was to corral them all together on one big blog post!

Plus, I have a rafflecopter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.

What Are Your Thoughts on Epilogue or Not?

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The post Do You Want to Know the End First? appeared first on Author Maureen L. Bonatch.

High School 

If I heard it once back in the day, I heard it a hundred times. Enjoy high school, these are the best years of your life! 

I disagree. 

High School was hard. Not the courses, but the awkward teenage years. Everything and everyone changes. You feel like you don’t fit in anywhere. Every little inadequacy feels as if it’s spotlighted into a massive flaw.  

At the time, I’d blamed much of my social ineptness on not being rich enough to afford the latest social fashions. Or losing my childhood friend. Because apparently once you hit high school you couldn’t have a best friend who was a boy—unless you were a couple. 

I was wrong.

We aren’t rich by any means, but my girls were able to buy brand name and wear the latest fashions in junior high. But it made no difference in their social ease or popularity. It didn’t stop them from losing long time friendships as girls became catty and hormones separated the strong from the weak. 

I’ve never once told my girls these were the best years of their life, because that’s a lie.

Believing that would mean we peak at a young age and the rest of our lives are endured on a downhill slope. What would there be to look forward to? Despite how many times I tell my girls not to worry about these little things that seem so big. That there are so many more things coming. That they’re so much more wonderful than they realize. To enjoy these years but don’t fret about them— they can’t hear me.

I’m just Mom.

The woman who won’t really know anything for another handful of years. 

As I reflect back over my life I can finally assure my teen self that these things had nothing to do with happiness and popularity. I’ve long ago accepted the stunning truth that popularity doesn’t = happiness.

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You require one thing to achieve happiness. Once you have it, you'll no longer care about popularity.
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It’s a little gem that can’t be bought or shared…you must discover this magic within. Sometimes you can’t unearth it. Then you just have to fake it until you make it your reality.

Confidence

Despite the pain at not being able to wave my Mom-magic-wand and make everything better as I could when they were small, I’ve discovered something blossoming within my young teens.

As they maneuver the senior high years, they’ve finally shed the chameleon shell. The one where they blended into whatever they felt was expected from their friends. They’ve found their true selves and embraced their heart.

They might not see it yet, but I’ve noticed this little growth of confidence…these little changes inspiring them to follow their own path…and it’s beautiful. 

So tell me, what little piece of advice would you give your high-school self? 

Leaving a comment will enter you in a random drawing for a copy of your choice of one of my books in ebook format. Winner will be announced by April 6th. 

The post How to convince my shy teens the truth about popularity appeared first on Author Maureen L. Bonatch.