Book nerd here. Freely admitting that books are my best friend, especially in a pandemic. Now more than ever, they help me cope and escape the headlines. To celebrate Book Lovers’ Day on 9 August in Coronaville, I channeled my covid-fueled frustration into a cringe-worthy new RAP – Really Awful Poem – about how books have been my lifeline in 2020.

Have a read, maybe a giggle or two, but only if you dare. It's really awful!

Hey, please be sure to scroll to the end for more bookish fun:

• watch this RAP in my first narrated YouTube video 
• find more ways to love books, from California to New Zealand and everywhere in between, with my awesome #Gr8Blog pals, who are also celebrating Book Lovers' Day

A Bibliophile's RAP (Really Awful Poem)
to Celebrate Book Lovers' Day
Covid 2020 Edition

by Cat Michaels
with deepest apologies to true poets everywhere

Covid’s got my head in a spin.
Makes me feel our world cannot win.
 
Everywhere I look –
Fright, anger and despair.
So I turn to books to escape outta there.

Nothing fancy.
Nothing deep.
Only pure escape is what I keep
​

Chick lit ...
   Beach reads ...
      Or light fantasy.
​Anything to make my heart
do a little dance-asy
 
Maybe even some happy-ending science-fiction!
Truly, anything gentle 
to take my mind off our global affliction.

Photo: Cat Michaels
​

​I might be on a sunny beach in Nantucket.
Or roaming English countryside, 
picking wildflowers with a bucket.
 
Doesn’t matter where.
just places Covid-free, please
for breaths of sweet germ-free air!
​

How I yearn to stand close,
with ease and no resistance.

And
​no more
virtual chats
or
bloody
social-distance!

Photo by Kamille Sampaio from Pexels

​Out of time.
Can’t think of more to rhyme.
​
So I’ll close and just say,
"Wretched Corona Virus, 

​you GO AWAY!”

But lastly, the most important part.
It comes with passion 
and straight from my heart.
​
To everyone, I plea:
Let's stick together 
and make this
wretched pandemic flee.
​
* Stay well 

* Spread kindness

​* Wear the mask

Masked Cat Michaels - Covid Summer, 2020

​For more Book Love RAP,
check out my YouTube channel below
to hear me narrate my Really Awful Poem.

(Please be kind.
It's my first RAP recording,
but you already know it's really awful, right [wink])

​

Even more book love for you ...
​

Carmela Dutra
How a chance encounter with a mystery novel
turns a book-hating teen into a bookworm

Julie Schooler
Three paradoxical takeaways
from Brene Brown’s self-help books​

Sandra Bennett
Characters in a book are like friends

Auden Johnson
Best horror tropes in books and movies

Rosie Russell
Fun facts, quiz and book giveaway

​

Your Turn
It's hard to stay upbeat in this marathon pandemic that's been going on for far to long.

​How are you staying positive during Covid? Are you reading more or less these days? What genre/kind of books do you prefer?  How might books help you cope? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

​Join the Fun * Join Cat's Readers' Room Team
​

​Click below 
to join Cat's Team
and download your free e-book today!

Rosie Russell and I have been working for weeks to come up with a knockout title for the children’s book we’re co-authoring for kids ages 8-12. Join us for an inside look at our quest as we announce our title in a one-of-a-kind video reveal.  (Think two authors attempting a video for the first time in a pandemic from 1,500 miles away.)
 
Plus, we have a bonus for you at the end of this post ...your exclusive FREE preview of our first chapter. It’s our way of saying THANKS for your company!

You’d think coming up with a title for a children’s book would be easy.  

Nope.  
 
My co-author Rosie Russell and I wanted something catchy to attract young readers in grades 4-6.  The title also had to hint at our story and characters without giving away too much.   
 
It was hard to move forward some days as the crush of pandemic fears blocked my creative mojo, but Rosie and I kept working in lockdown. As we polished our manuscript, we bounced titles back and forth in our respective writers’ rooms near Kansas City, Missouri, and Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1,500 miles/2,400 kilometers apart.
 
Our first choices were already used in other books or song titles. We kept searching. Brainstormed a list of nearly 100 possibilities. Used an online title generator. Asked our critique group and beta readers for suggestions.
 
After two months, we finally have a title that hits our sweet spots.
 
Rosie and I reveal our title in a 4-minute video.  (Yep, I'm in my glam shaggy quarantine hairstyle, so please be kind about my Covid styling -:D.)
​  

​Chapter Preview
​

As our way of saying THANKS!  .... 


Rosie and I are offering our readers an exclusive *free* preview of the first chapter of our book.  

You'll meet our characters named in the title (they might not be who you expect!) and explore their surroundings in Rosie’s corner of the world … the American Midwest.  
 
To get your complimentary Chapter 1 sneak peek, click the link below for your pdf download on ProlificWorks.  


Preview available only through 15 July 2020

*********************************************************
SPOILER ALERT!  
Stop reading this section and skip to the end if you want to be surprised
about the title and Chapter 1
*********************************************************

• What do you think of the title?  (Feel free to nom us for an Oscar for first film by clueless vid production authors <wink>).   
•  Did you suspect the identify of the titular Sam?  
  
• Was Sam who you imagined? 
  
• What do you think about what's going on just between Sam and the unidentified Me? 
  
• How was it for you exploring the book's settings in Rosie Russell's corner of the world? It's quite a change from mySweet T  settings on the North Carolina shore.
• Do you think the first chapter is enough of a hook to keep kids' turning the pages? ​

*********************************************************
 SPOILERS END HERE
*********************************************************

​Your Turn

I’m glued to the headlines these days but step away when the news gets too intense, which is every day.  My family, faith and writing keep me grounded.  And connecting with readers like YOU fuels my writing journey. Beyond grateful!

I'd love to know your reaction to the title and first chapter. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

How are you doing in Coronaville? Hub and I have been self-isolating since February when he came down with what we know was a common cold. After long months hunkering inside, our state’s stay-at-home mandate lifts. We decide it's time to explore.

Escape with me on a photo walk around beautiful Symphony Lake, home of the North Carolina Symphony's summer concerts. Some people have a higher risk tolerance for venturing into a pandemic. Not me. I share five ways to stay safe as you enjoy outdoor public spaces during Covid.
​

​1.  Know Before You Go
​

Keeping it 100 here: I am nervous heading beyond my home during a pandemic,
so I review recommended health precautions and scout nearby locations.  

Hub and I decide on the town park
​with a greenway that wraps around Symphony Lake.
​ It's just a 10-minute drive away.

​






​The park's 1.5-mi/2.4km greenway  
passes Covid-deserted office parks
and the outdoor amphitheater
​where the North Carolina Symphony
​normally performs its outdoor summer concerts. 
But not this pandemic season.

Hey,
how do you like my
Covid Chic style <wink>?

​We prepare for our trek with ... 
water bottles
masks
hats
comfy walking shoes
a dab of sunscreen
tissues

​Living in a metro area of 1.2-million stay-at-home-fatigued people,
we leave early on a weekday morning
to avoid crowds and ensure 6 feet of separation.  
If the parking lot is jumping,
​we’ll head home.  

Score!  

No crowds.  
Just a few other walkers, moms with kids in strollers and a sole fisherman. ​

​2.  Get Lost in the Moments

It is beyond wonderful 
to walk outside once more in warm sunshine
on a beautiful summer day!  

​Catch the sweet honeysuckle?

​​Or delicious scent
​of  those dainty white Silverberry (Elaeagnus) blooms?
​

The park's wildlife
miss seeing their humans.

The Mallard family waddles over to say hello.

Mama turtle waves a flipper as she climbs on her loggy perch.

Even a shy heron lets us get close.

3.  Delight in an Ordinary Day

Oops!  
​Watch your step!

​I hate goose poop,
but
​ I don’t mind it today. 
 
Reminds me of when I yelped a few naughty words
and hopped around droppings
​back in olden days BC - Before Corona.
​

4.  Chill

We talk for awhile,
but my sweet introverted Hub
needs some quiet time.
​
​I don't mind.

​I find my bliss ...

Stopping to capture moments of this glorious day with my phone.

Tuning in to sights and sounds of the natural world.
Yep, I still hear everything
despite earbuds
plugged into my John Grisham audiobook.   

Because I've missed being in nature during quarantine ..
​Everything is louder.
Everything looks more vibrant.

​
See (and hear) for yourself
in my Symphony Stroll video

5.  Repeat

Wow!  
We finish the greenway loop! in no time.
Tempted to stay longer, but we want to keep our visit short. 
​
Hop into the car and take off your gear.  
​There's hand sani in the unlikely event we touched anything evil.

Aren't you more energized? A wee bit lighter in your soul? 
Feeling like I can return to my writer's den
and polish the final manuscript
of my middle-grade tale in a heart-beat -:D.

Thanks for your company.
I'm ready to stroll again soon! 
​

Your Turn

I cannot wait 
for the day we can be in our fave outdoor places 
without fretting about Covid.  

Have you ventured out of your Coronaville boundaries?  
Where have you gone?  
What tips can you offer to make an adventure safe and fun? 
 Please share in the comment section.

I never imagined anything could be worse than living in a world gripped by a killer virus.
 
But I was wrong.
 
These past weeks have been a continuous loop playing out of horrific killings of black men in violent take-downs.  I am shaken to the core.  How many times do we have to say Enough!
 
I don’t want a world of hate and injustice.

I am not proud of a nation where peaceful protesters are pummeled by tear gas and rubber bullets.  

And I struggle … Me.  A middle-aged, white women from a middle-class family. Part of the #MeToo movement, so I know about harassment and abuse of power.  But I have never been denied or threatened because of the color of my skin.
 
How can I make a difference? What if I speak out and say something wrong?

My super power since fourth grade has been writing. So, I write.  
 
Sending my words into cyberspace that express my frustration and wish for a better tomorrow.
​
Sharing wisdom from one of my favorite American history teachers, my brother, Coach Steve. 

Praying our words are a first step for listening, understanding and joining with others to create a powerhouse for change.

Looking Up
by Cat Michaels

There is good in our world.
There is hope in our world.
There is kindness in our world.
 
But there also must be
justice and dignity 
for everyone in our world.
 
Let's keep looking up to find that goodness.  
Together.
 
Stamp out hatred.  Together.

Stop senseless violence against people
whose eyes have different shapes,
whose skin has darker hues. Together.

No finger-pointing.
No blame game.
​Work to change a nation. Together.
 
Now, please.  Together!
 
Gotta be NOW!

The second in our three-generation family of educators, my brother “Nunz” teaches history in a culturally diverse high school in an urban Connecticut city. He has also coached sports during his 30 years in education, working with kids of all ages, races, and socio-economic backgrounds.  I share his wisdom for these times, a good place to start.
​
​

Here For You
A White Person's Promise
​by Coach Steve
​

Your Turn

What can you do in your circle of influence to start the change?  
​Please share your positive thoughts for looking up in the comments.
​ 

We’re living the stuff of a science-fiction movie.  Cue the ominous sound track.

Deserted schools and highways.  Shuttered stores.  Empty grocery shelves.  An invisible enemy threatening millions across the globe.  

We want to the film to end and reset to normal. But the nightmare doesn’t go away after the credits roll.  
 
Fortunately, communities are joining together to find creative ways to support each other during this worldwide health crisis.  Ways we couldn’t even imagine BC (before Corona).  

Ways like a Neighborhood Chalk Walk.  

Come along with me on a springtime photo walk through my ‘hood in central North Carolina.   See how Socially Distant Sidewalk Art delivers hope and smiles to a quarantined community. 

Hey, be sure to click through to the YouTube link at the end of this post for more sights and sounds of a Neighborhood Chalk Walk that will lift your spirits.
​

How’s your stress level these days
​in our upside-down world?
​ ​

Mine is off the charts.  To be honest, it’s hard to concentrate on writing my adult fiction and editing my middle-grade tale, let alone deciding what's left in the pantry for breakfast.

I do my best to maintain balance and health.  Geez, I lost 3 pounds.  Time to indulge in more stress eating!?!  

I stick to a daily routine.  Seek creative outlets.  Find gratitude in small things (like toilet paper and cleaning supplies - enough for us but not hoarding).  Reach out to family and friends on Zoom and social media virtually or wave to neighbors over the fence.  

These tactics work during the day,
but my worries spin out at night.  
Bizarre dreams
keep me tossing and turning,
waking up tired and drained.
Sigh.
​

Like everyone else, I hunger for human contact.

My suburban neighborhood near Raleigh, North Carolina, came up with a brilliant solution for coming together during our state-wide Stay at Home Order.  Our social team, via private Facebook group, asked residents to chalk sidewalks in front of their homes with encouraging messages and images for everyone to enjoy.  
​​

Then the best part: 
sharing our creations with a stroll in the 'hood
 at safe distances from each other. 
​

Please imagine ...

A sunny spring day. 
 
Gentle temps and breezes tickling your face.

Carolina-blue skies warming your heart.  

Birds chirping. 
 
Cherry and redbud trees blooming their sweet buds off.
(We also have pesky yellow pine pollen everywhere,
but we ignore it
in the glory of being outside and together, even from 6-fee away.)
​

Ready to stroll with me?  

We'll find ...

​​

HOPE ...

​
​INSPIRATION ...

​JOY ...

​SMILES
​(there's always a joker in the crowd -:D)

Thanks for walking with me! 

That was just a taste of our chalking the walk.
To continue your happy escape ...

please click over to my YouTube video below.  

Find more sights and sounds
​on your Chalk Walk  
as a neighborhood 
brings hope, smiles, and more
to you and our quarantined community. 


​In the meantime ...

Stay Strong

Be Well

Keep Kind. 

We're gonna get through this together!
​

Please click over to my YouTube channel
​for more sights and sounds from a neighborhood Chalk Walk.

​YOUR TURN

I hope you’ll be inspired to find ways to bring your community together from safe distances, too.  Hang signs off the balcony or in windows.  Leave luminary or holiday lights glowing at night.  Please share your ideas in our comment section.  We need them!

Imagine ... a young girl trekking across uncharted wilderness with her family in search of a new home in a new land.  That's exactly the story author C.M. (Connie) Huddleston unfolds in her newest historical fiction for tweens, young adults, and even adults, Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story.

 Join me on a Cat's Corner Book Spotlight to .... 

• Preview Jemima's adventures that will captivate older students.
• Meet author C. M. Huddleston, who lives in a log cabin in Jemima Boone's beloved Kentucky countryside. How cool is that!
• Learn more about Connie and her unique connection to Kentucky in my author Q & As. 
• Read my review.

About the Book
​

Title: Caintuck Lies Within My Soul | Author: C.M. Huddleston | Publication Date: February 2020 | Publisher: Interpreting Times Past Press | Pages: 222 | Recommended Ages: 11-16

* Amazon US  |  Barnes and Noble *

​Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story is an historical biography that presents the story of Jemima Boone, Daniel's daughter. Written in novel form, C.M. Huddleston relates the story of Jemima's life, especially her dream of moving west of the Appalachian Mountains to live on America's first frontier. 

Set during America's Revolutionary War, Jemima's experiences west of the mountains include her capture by Indians and the 1778 siege of Boonesborough. Based on years of historical research, this historically accurate novel relates one of America's great adventure stories.

Author Interview
with Award-winning writer, C. M. (Connie) Huddleston

Cat:     What inspired you to write this book? 
CM:     Since I can remember, I had a great interest in Kentucky history, especially the early explorations. I have read more Daniel Boone bios than I can remember. I especially like Robert Morgan’s “Boone: A Biography.” Then a several years ago, I discovered few young Kentuckians know who Jemima Boone was! They hadn’t even heard the story of her kidnapping. So, I decided she would be my next protagonist. 

Cat:   I'm so impressed with your real-life connection to Jemima and that you live in a  log cabin!  Do you have other personal connections to Kentucky and pioneer women like Jemima Boone?  
CM:     I do!  Sukey Thomas Miller, my fourth-great-grandmother, was a Kentucky pioneer.  She dared to travel west for a new life beyond the Appalachians.

​Cat:     That is so cool that you can trace your family's roots.  What’s your next project?
CM:     Oh, heavens, can you tell me?  Right now, I have just finished the edits on a bio of James Stephens Bulloch, Theodore Roosevelt’s maternal grandfather. It will be released late in February at his former home in Roswell, Georgia. My brain has been tied up with these two projects. Perhaps in a month or so, I’ll know!
​

Cat:   ​How about another historical fiction for your next project, please?  What's your favorite book you read as a child?  Bet it's about an historic event.
CM:     For years, when I visited my grandmother, I read and re-read a book called The Ark by Margot Benary-Isbert.

​This book tells a story of survival in post war Germany.

​I really don’t remember the story now, but I plan to re-read it soon, you see,  I now own that book once located in the upstairs bedroom of a house that holds so many great memories.

Cat:     Wow!  You have the original book from your childhood readings. Favorite genre to read OR last book you finished?
CM:     Historical fiction. I just finished The Last Letter from Juliet by Melanie Hudson. WOW! I could not stop reading, turning the page, and enjoying this fabulous story of a woman aviator of WWII. 

​Cat:    "Last Letter" is another book for my TBR stack.  Change of pace from history and writing here, Connie: If you could be be a Disney character, who would you be, and why?
CM:     I'd want to be like Uncle Remus (but not like the stereotyped character in the film).
​I love to tell stories as he did, and have been told I am good at it.

Cat:     I think you're a great storyteller, too -:D.  Hey, make us hungry. What’s your favorite dessert?
CM:     Anything with apples, apple pie, apple cake, apple tart with crème Anglaise, apple strudel, etc. 
​

Cat:    Yum!  Nothing like the smell of apples baking.  One last question... what else might readers like to know about you, Connie?
CM:     I started writing fiction late in life after careers as a teacher, archaeologist, and historic preservation consultant. I am now happily enjoying putting stories on paper. I especially enjoy the research needed to write good historical fiction. 

Cat:  I'm not surprised you love research and historical fiction, Connie.  And you're an archaeologist, too!  Your skills blend perfectly in Jemima's tale.  

We'll give you a short break from authoring after releasing two books this winter -:D   Thanks for stopping by Cat's Corner and sharing your newest tale.  All the best and happy tales!

My Review

The author's depth of knowledge and research are evident in this book.  Huddleston introduces readers to Daniel  Boone and his wife, Rebecca, early in their marriage as Jemima is born in 1762, the fourth of the couple’s ten children.  This section is written in a third-person point of view to lures readers into the setting and 18th-century time period. 
​

"Still small for her age, Jemima unfailingly did her chores, never complaining, as long as she had time to fish, hunt ginseng, and wander the surrounding hills.  She still begged her older brothers to teach her to shoot, but always out of her mother’s hearing.  Rebecca had promised her daughter that she could learn just as soon as she turned eight years old." *

As Jemima grows to adolescence and moves west with her family, the author reveals her protagonist in a captivating first-person voice, even hinting of a misdirected flirtation that will appeal to young adult readers.  
​

​"As Simon left our cabin, he pulled me outside for a private word.  “Jemima, while I applaud your brave actions comin’ to my aid today, I’d prefer you stayed safely out of harm, as I like my women alive when I court them.”

“I guess you better stay out of the way of Indians, then as I also prefer my beaus alive and in one piece," I stammered. “Besides, I was savin’ my Daddy, not your worthless hide,” I shouted.  

​Thinking I’d ended this conversation, I’d turned toward the cabin when Simon whirled me around and kissed my thoroughly.  That man did know how to kiss a girl." *

This transition to the main character's voice makes the passages feel as if Mima is talking directly to readers. It took awhile for me to get used to the dialogue written in old-timey dialect, but it gives the book a more authentic feel and does not distract.

Huddleston chronicles Mima through marriage, birth, and Indian scares.  I especially enjoyed the true-to-life scene with the family gathered round their patriarch, Daniel Boone, reading a  then-current book written about his accomplishments.

​I highly recommend Caintuck Lies Within My Soul: The Jemima Boone Story for older readers and young adults.   I can also see it used in the classroom for supplementary reading in a history course.  American History buffs will not be able to get enough of this tale, and they will be impressed by C. M. Huddleston's respect for research and accurate portrayal.
​

Excerpts: ​"Caintuck Lies Within My Soul," by C. M. Huddleston

About the Author

Connie M. Huddleston loved history and dreamed of writing a book even as a child. However, she got sidetracked. She became an Army wife, a mother, an elementary school teacher, an archaeologist, and an historic preservation consultant, before publishing her first book!  

In February 2019, she published her fourteenth and fifteenth volumes, all dealing with her first love, our nation’s past. Seven are fiction, five for children and two for YA/Adult, all under the name C.M. Huddleston. Her other works are histories for adults on a variety of subjects including four about President Theodore Roosevelt’s maternal family.

​Now a full time author, Connie resides in a log cabin near Crab Orchard, Kentucky, with her husband and their Australian Shepherd Katie. They all enjoy the quiet of rural Kentucky.

Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter  |  Website
​

How are you and yours in these wild times of Covid-19?
 
As an author, I usually don’t have trouble finding words, but this global pandemic is insane.  I struggle to stay upbeat and decide what to write to you.  Forced jolliness doesn't suit me.  Ditto with gloom and doom.  

Yet, I want to reach out and connect.  
 
That’s why I’m revealing very personal take-aways from my third week of self-isolating in the #Gr8Blogs Coping in Coronaville Blog Hop and share how a simple flower gives me hope.

Let's commiserate and encourage each other as humanity morphs into crisis. Please read on to find why I refuse to waste away in Coronaville.  Then find more ideas and inspiration from my #Gr8Blogs partners at the bottom of this post.
​

​3 Weeks of Social Distancing and My New Normal

It’s our third week of social distancing  here in central North Carolina since Hub developed what we now know was a common cold.  We were alarmed at first.  It was early days for the US outbreak, so we didn’t know what to expect.  We self-quarantined, watching symptoms develop from six feet away.  I did my best to tamp down anxiety and stay hopeful, but I was scared.  
 
Fortunately, Hub never developed a cough or fever, and I never caught any of his symptoms.  <knocking on wood here>.

He and I are beyond blessed!  
 
We continue social-distancing despite being healthy.  It’s an easy adjustment since we both work from home.  We stick to our established schedules and have enough food and supplies.  

Hub works on projects and his third ginormous jigsaw puzzle.  I edit book drafts and send manuscripts for my middle-grade tale to beta readers.  To stay active, I work in my new garden and practice yoga from an app instead of the gym. 

​Fighting Despair
​

TBH, I’m anxious about hovering at that age bracket, where we are advised to take extra precautions and stay home.  That’s why online grocery shopping has become our latest venture.  
 
It’s also why shaggy hair is my new normal after cancelling my monthly haircut appointment with Betsy.  She’s been styling my hair for 20 years and is near retirement age.  I worry about her and other small business owners trying to stay afloat.  I mail Betsy a check for the missed haircut just the same; it had been earmarked for her all along.

​I fret about the pandemic’s ripple effect.  I believe its fallout will be with us long after everyone recovers physically. Unprecedented layoffs. Kids depending on school lunches looking elsewhere for food, or, worse, going without. Sigh.

I watch newsfeeds of empty city streets juxtaposed against vacationers frolicking on beaches. It frustrates me that some people still don't get it, and more will die before reality sinks in.

I gasp seeing military convoys in Italy carrying bodies to final resting places because local officials cannot handle rising mortality rates.  

​I worry most about health care workers on the front lines, who don’t have adequate supplies or equipment to protect them. Having to choose between saving their patients or staying alive for their families is a choice no one should ever have to make.

​
I Refuse to be Wasting Away in Coronaville

​
​Whoa! 
 
See how easy it is slip down a dark hole of fear and despair! 
​

Instead, I seek kindness and light.  

​Like schools providing lunches to kids despite shuttered classrooms.  

Distilleries crafting and giving away hand sanitizer instead of whiskey.  

Neighbors offering to fetch groceries for those at high risk.  
​
Relatives gathering outside a nursing home window
to sing happy birthday to an elderly loved one quarantined inside.
​

​I chill and take a cue from my garden.  
 
From my office window, I can see a beautiful Lenten Rose (Hellebore) resting in rich black soil. Transplanted from my former garden, it survived two winters in a plastic pot before a place was ready for its new home.
 
This perennial’s unique blush-pink double blooms dazzle and always bring a smile.
​

So, from my garden for YOU ...

I'm sharing the aptly named

Lenten Rose
 
Lovely and reliable …
Tough as nails, bouncing back every winter
no matter what …
Lifts the heart on dark days ...

We all need more of a Lenten Rose spirit!
​(or you could say, "give 'em Hellebore" -:D)
​

​You are in my heart. 

Be well.
 Stay strong.
Show kindness.
Keep connected.

We’re gonna get through this!
xxx,
Cat

Your Turn

These are unprecedented and distressing times. What are you doing to stay calm and sane?  Please share in the comment section.

But before you go ... click over to these #Gr8Blogs for more inspiration.

Every four years, we receive a gift of time at the end  February  …  AN EXTRA DAY!  
 
Just for fun, I looked back on my 2016 Leap Day post on how I’d use this bonus in 2016. 
 
I was gobsmacked.  
 
Life has majorly changed in four short years!  Becoming a baby boomer orphan.  Rightsizing to the cozy yellow cottage.  Making new friends and connections.  Feeling more mellow about life after a milestone birthday (Can we start counting backward, please <wink>).
 
To reflect this new reality, I thought of five easy things to do to make the most of an extra 24 hours on Leap Day.  I hope these simple actions for finding quality time will be useful for you, too.
 
p.s....At the end of this post, find more smiles and inspiration for this gift of time from my favorite bloggers in our #Gr8Blogs 2020 Leap Year Blog Hop. 

1.  Find Your Happy Place

What place nourishes your soul and makes you smile just thinking about it?  Lofty mountains?  Countryside quiet?  Big city vibes?  Library or fave coffee shop? 
 
No worries if you can’t get there in person.  Just slip away in your imagination.  

Me?  I head to the beach (IRT or imagined).  It’s an easy 2-hour drive from my North Carolina home to our sandy beaches on the warm Atlantic coast (btw ... the NC coast is also the settings of two of my Sweet T Tales chapter books for young readers).
 
I can already picture it. Emerald-green waves tickling toes.  Kids splashing in tidal pools.  Endless blue sky punctuated by squawking gulls and diving pelicans.  
Maybe a pod of dolphins leaping offshore.  

​Instant serenity!  
​

​2.  Spread Kindness 

It only takes a moment to do something nice for someone, and your spirits will do the happy dance, too.  Promise.  

Today, I was waiting in line at the Dollar Store to check out with a few items when the woman ahead of me, who had a full cart, offered to let me go ahead of her.  I was so touched by her gesture!

My friend offers a ride to an elderly gent when she finds him crossing a busy 6-lane street to buy groceries.  Even when he declines because he enjoys his outing, he’s grateful for someone just noticing him.
 
Hey, you can even go high-tech. Ring, the video doorbell and home security, launched a Neighbors app.  The app makes it easy for people to celebrate their neighbors' good deeds by posting "Neighborly Moments," good things that that happen where they live.  How cool is that!

Try a super simple way to spread kindness on your bonus day ...  
​

Smile at a stranger (we do it all the time in North Carolina!) 
Reconnect with an old friend 
Allow someone to merge ahead of you on the highway  
Check on a neighbor or tired mom you haven’t seen in a while  
​Say thanks to an overworked cashier or teacher 
​

​3.  Get Outside and Walk
​
It’s hard to make time to get outdoors, especially when stuck at the office or corralling little ones at home. 
 
I’m lucky to live in an area crisscrossed by walking trails and parks.  It’s easy to open the door and be on my way.  Walking also returns me to the keyboard feeling energized and ready to write my next scene.  

How about bundling up the kids in the stroller and heading to a nearby park?  Even a lap around the block or parking lot during lunch helps you de-stress and be more productive.
​

 
 4.  Crack a Task 

I see you rolling your eyes here.  

Really, Cat?!?  More work?!?
 
Consider spending only 30 minutes tackling a task you've been avoiding.
 
Remember, back in the day, balancing your checkbook? I hated doing that!  Today's equivalent might be sorting out photos on your mobile (or boxes of print pics).   How about cleaning out that overflowing closet or garage?  Making an appointment for your annual wellness visit?  
 
You’ll feel better knowing you made a dent in your to-do list  Once you finish, reward yourself with #5 below.
​

do i
​5.  Be nice to YOU

Do you push yourself to do more faster and better?  Skip something you enjoy because there aren’t enough hours in the day?  

Leap Day is the perfect opportunity to be nice to yourself, too.  What if you .....
​

Grab a pedicure
Enjoy a favorite beverage with a friend  
Play with a puppy at the pet store  
Start a puzzle 
Give a neglected craft project some love 
Buy those shoes you’ve been eyeing
Make time to read

.
Whatever your neglected passion, find few minutes for it on Leap Day.  You know you want to!  Might as well.  You have a whole extra 24 hours!

Your Turn

How would you use your Leap Day?  What other ideas can you suggest? Please share in the comment section.  

​Hey, before you go, discover more inspiration and smiles by clicking over to my blogging buddies in our  #Gr8Blogs 2020 Leap Year Blog Hop.  Thanks a ton!
​

I see you shaking your head.

Goal setting fun?  And sexy?  No way!
 
I get it.  Writing goals and going to the dentist are tied on my list of least favorite chores.
 
However, when I discovered New Zealand author Julie Schooler’s latest book in her Nourish Your Soul Series, Super Sexy Goal Setting, I knew that if anybody could entice me to come up with goals, it would be Julie.
 
Julie and I met a few years ago online after she tickled me with her children’s books, Maxy-Moo Flies to the Moon.  Since then, she’s drawn me into her upbeat series of non-fiction books for grown-ups with her quirky, cut-to-the-chase writing style. 

​Have a peek at Super Sexy Goal Setting (it'll rock your goal-setting world!), meet Julie, and learn more about this mum of two humans, who lives in the bottom half of the world, in my author Q&A.

About the Book

Title: Super Sexy Goal Setting - The Fun and Simple Goals Strategy to Create a Life You Love Author: Julie Schooler | Publication Date:  March 2018 | Publisher: BoomerMax, Ltd | Pages: 120 | Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
​

JulieSchooler.com/books

​

​Are you sick of New Year’s resolutions that go nowhere?

Does goal setting seem too serious or boring to even start? 

Ditch everything
you were taught about goal setting
and embrace super sexy goals
 that lead you to a life you love.
​

​​Follow Julie's short, chunked down chapters in Super Sexy Goal Setting to:

• know exactly how to determine what you want in life
• wake up each morning with a sense of excitement and zest for life
• lead and inspire others to live life on their terms
• feel like you are living the life you were meant to live, one with excitement, meaning and true joy

​* Four super sexy goals *

* One year *
​
* Your life transformed *

Q & As
with Julie Schooler: writing, goal setting and more
​

Cat:     What inspired you to write this book?     
Julie:     Super Sexy Goal Setting, was written to help people – anyone from 9 to 90 - to write and take action on exciting and meaningful goals. 
 
Less than 10% of us write out goals – less than 10%!! Yet goal setting is proven to be one of the powerful things that bring clarity, joy and a sense of accomplishment to our lives. 
 
I believe that people don’t write out goals because they think it is too hard or too boring or they can’t see the point. This book smashes through these myths by getting the reader to figure out FOUR super sexy goals for the next 12 months. It is the perfect book to read now at the start of a new year. 
​

Cat:     Do you usually reach your goals?
Julie:      Yes, because I only set a few each year plus I make them inspiring and fun. 
 
Cat:    What is your top goal for 2020?
Julie:     I am still writing out my 2020 goals (in fact I am doing it right after this). I will have four goals – one main one in each of health, business and relationships and the fourth one is around fun or side projects. My top author business goal is to write and publish the next book before May 2020 – I better work out what it is quick smart!
​

Cat:   What is your one best piece of advice to help people who dislike goal setting (like moi -:D)?
Julie:     Read my book of course!
 
If you are short on time or can’t read my book right now, I challenge you to do this: Write down just ONE goal. Decide on just one thing you want to take action, master or complete in say the next two months. When you can check that goal off through focus and work you will see in practice the real power of goal setting and hopefully it makes you want to create more goals. 

Cat:     What is your next book project?
Julie:      To be honest, I don’t know! I am currently working out my top four super sexy goals for 2020 and part of that is working out the next book writing project. I have lots of ideas but haven’t settled on the first one yet. Any suggestions are welcome!

Cat:     If you could be a Disney character who would you be and why?
Julie:      Sleeping Beauty. It is currently summer school holidays here in New Zealand. I have had weeks of two kids climbing all over me, fighting with each other and complaining they are either bored or hungry. So the thought of a nice, long, uninterrupted nap sounds like bliss. 

Cat:     Favorite book you read as a child OR favorite book you read to your children?

Julie:    My favorite book I read as a child was an old copy of Little Women that I found on my grandparent’s bookcase and read whenever I went to their house.

I have read that series of books so many times!

​I just watched the new film version of the books and loved blubbering my way through it.

He gives her the piano.

​So. Many. Tears. 

Cat:     Favorite genre to read OR last book finished?
Julie:    I read a LOT of non-fiction self-help books as I write in that space. Love Brené Brown so much and am currently reading Rising Strong. For fiction I read anything and everything - latest bestsellers and recommended books are top of the list. If I had to narrow it down, I guess I would mostly read women’s fiction. The last book I finished was out of a pile of novels that I won at the start of 2019 and it was NOT great so I won’t say its name. There is nothing worse than an unsatisfying read! 

Cat:     What else might readers like to know about you?
Julie:     I lost my job as an accountant four years ago and been writing ever since. Have not looked back although I do have to admit that I like to create spreadsheets for my book sales!

Cat:     Thanks a ton for stopping by, Julie!  All the best with your writing life and keeping up with those two young 'uns. With your focus and talents, we know you'll reach your 2020 goals.

Meet the Author

Julie Schooler is an author of 9 books and mama of 2 beautiful tiny humans. 
 
She wants you to rediscover YOUR sparkle so is on a mission to help busy people have all the love, energy and fun they deserve without the guilt or overwhelm. 
 
Her Easy Peasy books provide simple and straightforward information on parenting topics. The Nourish Your Soul book series shares delicious wisdom to feel calmer, happier and more fulfilled.
 
Julie lives with her family in New Zealand, a small, magnificent country at the bottom of the world where you may find her trying to bake the world’s best chocolate brownie.  

​Connect with Julie
@ JulieSchooler.com 
or look for Julie Schooler on all the socials. 

Find all Julie's books on
JulieSchooler.com/books

​Growing up in a family of athletes and coaches, I don’t know how it was possible for me not to love organized sports. But I do not. 

Sunday afternoons as a kid meant enduring hours of sports on TV. Hockey, basketball, baseball, football. It didn’t matter the season. There was always some kind of game being played somewhere.

While I watch infrequently as an adult, I cheer for my home team,  the Carolina Panthers, whenever I tune in. Can't tell you who's playing what or where, but I’m drawn to the Panther’s mantra, a quote from a beloved colleague who battled cancer -- Keep pounding.

Stirred by the Panthers’ quest to be the best, I found five pieces of advice from the world of football to inspire authors to produce their best, too, and keep pounding the keyboard.

1. The Road is Bumpy

It’s football season; anything can happen.
― Troy Brown, Former professional American football player

You’re a writer, so anything and everything will happen. Whether you’re searching for an agent, going the Indie route, or fighting tech gremlins that want to eat your manuscript, writing is fraught with literary curves and technology potholes. 

Some of my most creative outputs came from finding work-arounds to problems that blind-sided me.  Keep the pitfalls in stride, and author onward. 

2. Celebrate Small Wins

It’s the journey; not the destination.
― Tony Dungy, former professional American football player and coach
​
Because writing is a long game (see #5), you gotta value every victory. I’ve wanted to quit more times than I care to remember since I started writing full time in 2013.  Writing can be a lonely and discouraging path.

But I was lifted up in 2019.  After six years of authoring, my chapter book, Sweet T and the Turtle Team, won three international awards for best writing in children's literature.  Plus, it was considered by a major Hollywood film studio for adaptation to movies or TV.  

​I’m also jazzed when celebrating others’ successes, especially seeing hard-working creatives soar. There’s something joyful about sharing good news and stepping into that circle of gladness. Your endorphins do the happy dance.

And so, we keep plugging along together.

​3. Take Care of YOU

It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.
― Lou Holtz, Former college football coach, Inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame

Like football, writing is an all-consuming passion. At first, I worked at it for 10-hour days, seven days a week — a sure formula for disaster. I learned to pace myself, even unplugging for a few days or (gasp!) weeks at a time to refresh my computer and my soul.

Give that elusive chapter or frustrating book formatting a rest. Walk around the block, hug a puppy, or text a friend. And if you find yourself near burnout, allow yourself an off-season: take a few weeks or months away. Find whatever you need to reset, and then get back to the game. Guarantee the task will be there when you’re ready to tackle it.

4. Find People, Projects to Nourish the Soul

Always have four things in life: Something to do. Someone to love. Something to hope for. Something to believe in.
– Lou Holtz, Former American college football coach, Inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame

Connecting with family, friends, neighbors, and community feeds the soul. Plus, you get to be with people instead of staying inside your head, pounding alone at the keyboard. It’s amazing how much more I accomplish after time with friends. 

I’m energized tackling other creative outlets, like photography and garden design. Besides being fun, I love seeing their immediate results instead of waiting forever on writerly matters like publishing a book.
​
More than being productive, research results demonstrate that people with active social connections are healthier and live longer. These connections are especially important if you’re an introvert as many authors are. So, get out there and mingle! 

5. It’s a Long Game

Don’t give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.
― Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, former American college football player and coach

Experts counsel it takes several years and publishing as many books to make it as an author. This fact of writing life drives me crazy.

I am impatient.

I want success n*o*w. Sigh.

​I try to pace myself and enjoy the loonnnng writing ride. Truth be told, there are days I want to scream and tear out my hair. But I turn the crawl into a game and find something to laugh about.

Don’t be upset if you don’t see the results you want, especially as you begin your writing journey.  Expect and accept: the going is slow.  It will keep you in the game!