I love the word “transform,” don’t you? So many times in my life I’ve experienced transformation–in my body, my thoughts, my calling as a writer. A good friend of mine is prone to say “We’re on a learning curve” and that’s the truth! I’m forever and always learning–how to be a better mom, better daughter, better grandmother, better writer and better friend.

Lately I’ve been on a journey to figure out how to be a better friend. . .to myself. You see, I spent over thirty years caring for others and paying little attention to my own health/physical fitness. If you’ve been following my journey over the past two years, you know that is changing. In spite of struggles with autoimmune disease, I’ve been getting healthier and healthier. How, you ask? By losing weight. If you didn’t know me “back when” you might not know that I was once 275 pounds. It’s true. I masked the pain of that weight gain with a broad smile and funny books. Still, my struggles tormented me internally. 

Several factors went into the decision to lose weight, but the primary one had to do with health. Autoimmune disease (psoriatic arthritis), sleep apnea (CPAP), elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, inability to do things with my kids (picture me at an amusement park, sitting on a bench while my kids rode the rides I longed to ride). Really, if I broke it down for you, you would see a lot of tears during those “missing out” years.

In January of 2011 I set out to “try” (stress TRY) to lose weight once again. I say “once again” because I’d lost and regained weight SO many times. This time I set some short term goals and didn’t really tell anyone except my mom, for fear I would fail.

Only, I didn’t fail. The weight began to come up at a steady rate. Over the first year I lost quite a few pounds. By the second year, though, I’d hit a plateau and found myself stuck and ready to give up. At that point I ran into an old friend who had lost a significant amount of weight and she told me about Advocare’s 24-day challenge. I didn’t want to do it. Didn’t want to spend the $$. Didn’t want to try supplements (envision a person who barely remembered to take one vitamin tablet a day). Only, I knew I had to do SOMETHING and God had put this friend in my path. . .so I took the plunge and bought the challenge. At the end of the 24 days I had lost weight and re-discovered my “want to” (related to the diet and exercise plan). In fact, I found several other supplements to further enhance my journey.

It’s been a year and I can honestly say that using the supplements has offered me a turn-around, not just in my weight, but my fitness level/abilities. I’d never been able to exercise, but from the moment I added the products, I hit the road running (literally).

And biking. And walking. And Zumba-ing. If you want to know more about one of my biking adventures, check out this old post. And if you want to know about my journey with Advocare, check out this post.

I’ve carried on about these products for some time (probably wearing my friends and loved ones out) for two reasons: 1). They have changed my health and made a convert out of me; 2). My daughter, Megan Kimbrough, is an advisor for Advocare and makes a living selling their products. I’m on a mission to help her spread the word so that she can provide for her family.

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!

All of my bragging about these products might be wearying to some, but not to me. I feel like jumping up and down, especially now. You see, something VERY special just happened in my life. I just won a Houston-area “fitness” contest with a $500 price tag attached. To share a little about the contest. . .back in January I went to have a body composition test in a “bod pod.” Unusual piece of machinery, to be sure! I wasn’t looking forward to this experience, because I knew that (in spite of my weight loss to that point) the tech would tell me how much more I had to lose AND would also tell me the amount of fat vs. lean muscle mass. Ugh. No thank you.

I went anyway. Instead of coming away depressed, I left the bod pod appointment invigorated by the news that (in spite of the fact that I still had 25 pounds to lose) I had more lean muscle mass than most women my height/weight…ALL because of my supplements! (This, according to the tech, who couldn’t find anything else to attribute it to.) From January until April I worked hard at exercise and nutrition and lost seven pounds. This past week I went back to the bod pod for the follow-up. I knew (from what the tech told me) that my results were pretty good. After the increased energy and exercise I certainly hoped so! I also knew that my “secret weapon” – a product called Arginine Extreme - had surely played a role. Still, I’d totally forgotten that Advocare was doing a contest for bod pod entrants, so I left that day with results in hand, but not really focused on anything else.

Imagine my SHOCK yesterday when I got this note on my facebook wall! W-w-what? Turns out, the addition of the supplements (Catalyst, Arginine Extreme, Nighttime Recovery, Thermoplus) helped me turn the corner, not just with weight loss, but lean muscle mass vs. fat. The proof is in the puddin’ as my mama would say. (Only, pudding is probably not the smartest word choice, considering the dieting angle.)

Thank you to Mary Anne Henson for getting me started. Thank you to Megan Kimbrough, for continuing your journey with these amazing products. Thank you to my friends in the “Transform in 2013″ facebook group for your support. Thank you to my readers for allowing me to deviate from my writing-themed blogs to post about my personal journey. I know you all care about me and that brings a smile to my face, no longer a smile to mask the pain, but a genuine heart-felt smile that rises up from a happy heart.

And now, for a quick glimpse at the products I’m taking:

If you want to jump-start a diet, try the 24-day challenge.

Interested in an herbal cleanse?

Need additional energy and mental clarity? Try Spark!

If you want to burn add’l calories, take Thermoplus.

If you want to have increased energy and greater performance during workout, taking Arginine Extreme.

If you want to preserve lean muscle mass while losing fat, take Catalyst.

If you want help with digestive issues, take Digest Ease.

If you want ongoing appetite control, take Max C vitamins

No matter WHAT your goals are, take the best Omegas in the country: Omegaplex and Probiotic Restore.

I speak from personal experience about ALL of these products (and many more) but if you don’t believe me, check out the dozens and dozens of endorsers like Michael W. Smith and Drew Brees. They (and many, many other Christian athletes, performers and entertainers) are huge Advocare fans!

Put off by the prices? Do what I did and pay a small fee to become a distributor. That way you can get everything at a discounted price. For more on the business of Advocare follow the link or contact Megan Kimbrough at littlemay (at) aol.com.

Thanks for letting me share. Have a blessed day, everyone!

Picture Perfect

Ever met someone who just couldn’t seem to get it together? (Maybe you ARE that someone!) My heroine in Picture Perfect is a wedding photographer named Hannah McDermott. Though she tries valiantly to look and act like a pro, Hannah often ends up looking (and feeling) like a goober. Check out this scene from chapter two, where Hannah meets with a reporter from Texas Bride magazine. In the middle of the interview, Hannah’s chief competitor, Drew Kincaid, enters the Starbuck’s. His presence unnerves her, but she does her best to remain calm, until. . .

I fidgeted with my necklace, a lovely silver cross Grandpa Aengus had given me for my thirteenth birthday. Afterwards, I happened to glance down and did a double take as my gaze landed on my feet. On my left foot—a comfy black flat. On my right—a luscious, brown strappy sandal.

What in the world?

I looked again, just to be sure. Yep. Two mismatched shoes stared back at me. So much for looking and acting like a pro.

Stay calm, Hannah. Stay. Calm.

I shifted my gaze back up to Dani and Drew, but they were both staring down at my feet, cockeyed grins on their faces. Now what?

“I, um. . .it’s ‘Wear Your Mis-Matched Shoes to Work Day.’ I’m surprised you two didn’t get the memo.”

I reached down to grab my now-lukewarm coffee and offered Dani what I hoped would look like a confident smile. “Well, thanks for your time. Have a good day.”

“Happy to meet you.”

Judging from the fact that she never even looked up from my feet, I rather doubted it.

I gave her a curt nod, pivoted on the heel of my black flat, caught the toe of my brown sandal on the leg of Drew’s chair. . .and promptly dropped my cup of coffee into his lap.

This is the first of many such mishaps on Hannah’s part.

The story is filled with such instances. But she learns some lessons about herself by the end of the tale!

I gave up about halfway into the broken doorknob fiasco. Not that I’d ever been one to accomplish multiple things simultaneously. To me, multitasking simply meant messing up several things at once.

Though I attempted to give it my best shot, I couldn’t focus. My thoughts, as always, were on the inevitable conversation with Bella. Well, that, and the fact that I’d somehow forgotten to put my right earring on this morning.

What’s wrong with you, Hannah?

At some point about an hour later, I had a revelation. In that moment, I realized a painful truth: In my attempts to double my efforts to keep this business alive, I’d been cutting things in half: makeup half done, mismatched shoes, cups of coffee and tea poured but never drunk, food half-eaten, earrings half-worn. All of these things I’d done because of distraction. How could a photographer make her way in the world if she went on missing the finer points? The details?

A sigh escaped as I realized how deep this problem went: I’d given my relationships a halfhearted effort, only nodding at them instead of actually enjoying and living them. So many areas of my life had been sacrificed, and all in the name of building my business. And all for what? To lose the biggest client of all, due to a technicality? 

If you enjoy All-Things-Victorian AND All-Things-Christmas, you would really enjoy Galveston Island’s annual Dickens on the Strand event. For more on this festive Christmas celebration, check out the Galveston Historical Foundation’s site. I’ve been to the island during this fun event (dressed in Victorian costume, no less) and had a fabulous time! Such a fabulous time, in fact, that I decided to add Dickens on the Strand to my novel, Picture Perfect. Check out the event through the eyes of Hannah McDermott, the story’s heroine:

I had always enjoyed the Strand, but never so much as during the Dickens event. Costumed vendors peddled their wares—many of them tantalizing my taste buds with their delicious scents. From rolling carts and street stalls they called out to us, begging us to have a sample of this or that. I had a little of this and a lot of that. Talk about a feast for the eyes and the stomach! Sweets in abundance. Candy-covered apples. Caramel pecan apples on a stick. Yum.

Yum, right?!

To make matters even more exciting, Hollywood superstar serves as the Grand Marshall in the Dickens parade! This gets Hannah’s all riled up!

“Well, what I’m about to tell you may come as a shock. And you have to keep it to yourself, okay? Brock will kill me if this gets leaked.”

            “B-brock? Brock Benson?” I couldn’t help the words. They just slipped out.

            “Yes.” She grinned and put a finger to her lips. “But we really have to keep this quiet, okay? My family doesn’t know. Yet. They’ll flip when they find out. They love Brock.”

            “You asked me to come over because of something to do with Brock?” Drew looked confused. “Something to do with his wedding photos?”

            “No. Nothing like that.” Her smile now lit her face. “He’s been asked to be the Grand Marshall for the Christmas parade at Dickens on the Strand.”

            “No way.” My breath caught in my throat. “Are you serious?” At once I felt the room spinning. Brock Benson, my favorite actor in the history of movies, was coming back to Galveston Island?

            “Yes.” She nodded. “His wife is from Texas, you know.”

            “No, I didn’t.”

            “Yeah, Erin’s from Austin,” Drew said.

“Her grandfather lives here on the island, though, and he’s a big-wig with the Dickens project,” Bella added. “So, of course, he thought Brock would be the perfect choice.”

            “Wow.”

            Bella glanced Drew’s way. “And that’s where you come in. Because you’ve worked with Brock before, he felt you would be the perfect candidate to capture some shots of him leading the parade.” 

When it comes time for the Dickens event, Hannah can’t help herself. She’s like a giddy schoolgirl! 

At two o’clock we paused to enjoy the Victorian Bed Races down Mechanic Street, cheering on the participants and laughing when the teams dressed in the Ghost of Christmas Pas attire took the prize. When that ended we headed to the main stage near the middle of the Strand, where I heard angelic voices ringing out in perfect three-part harmony.

Drew gave my hand a squeeze and smiled. “We’re right on time.” He waved at Brock and Erin, who stood near the stage, surrounded by paparazzi, of course. As we approached, Brock managed to convince the reporters to hightail it. He then gestured to the Splendora sisters and smiled.

When the show ended, we took to the street again. I kept a watchful eye on the time, knowing we had to be back at Club Wed at six for the rehearsal. Oh, but I didn’t want this to end. We now tagged along behind the Rossi’s and Brock and Erin, as they browsed the shops. The paparazzi trailed us all the way.

I nibbled on the tasty delight as Her Majesty, Queen Victoria paraded by, surrounded by her guard of Beefeaters. Okay, so it wasn’t the real Queen Victoria, just someone dressed up to look like her. Still, as she made her way by in a fabulous horse-drawn carriage, as she greeted us, her royal subjects, I almost felt I was in the presence of royalty. Then again, I pretty much was. With Brock and Erin close by, they garnered even more attention from the people surrounding us than the Queen, herself.

We passed the street musicians and paused—well, my father paused, anyway—when we reached the bagpipers. This, of course, led him to a rollicking good story, complete with thick brogue, about my Grandpa Aengus. Mama and Corinne were too busy looking at the Victoria-themed crafts and jewelry to pay him much mind, though. I did my best to smile and encourage him as the story poured out. If I wanted to pass on these tall tales to my children, I needed to pay attention. 

One of my favorite things about Picture Perfect is Hannah’s relationship with her dad. There was never a man more set in his ways! Check out the following scene:

One thing about the McDermott clan. . .we were predictable. Every day at 6:01 my father would pull his chair up to the table, where my mother would serve a meal he’d seen hundreds, if not thousands, of times before. Every meal had to incorporate potatoes or cabbage, of course, and either corned beef, roast beef or stewed beef. Sometimes chicken. No exotic side dishes. No unusual desserts. Just the same fare, day in and day out. One time, my mama—I shiver to remember—made the mistake of serving up homemade enchiladas. The result was not pretty.

And so, at 5:56, as I entered the house—the same house we’d lived in all of my life, with the same furniture, the same carpets, the same pictures hanging on the wall. I smelled the usual smells coming from the kitchen, heard the usual sound—my father turning off the news channel—and waited for the usual words, the same words I heard every day: “Shutter speed, you’re home! Thought you’d never get here.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I clamped eyes on my father. Except for a few wrinkles and his graying temples, dad looked pretty much the same as I remembered from my childhood. 

Yep, predictable. But Hannah’s dad undergoes a transformation as the story progresses. How so, you ask? Guess you’ll just have to read the book to find out!

One thing’s for sure–even the most predictable person is open to change when the Lord is involved!

For more on Hannah’s “usual” daily routine, check out Picture Perfect, now available in print and e-book!

Ah, dance! How I love it. All of my references to Dancing with the Stars were probably a clue. J I’m nuts about all-things-dance, and so is Hannah from Picture Perfect. From the photo of Bing & Bob, it’s clear they both loved it, too. And why not? Life is, after all, a dance of its own. The Lord sings over us, providing just the right music, and off we go, twirling across the floor.

In my case, my personal “life-dance” includes a wacky girl named Bella, who happens to have a lot of great friends and family members. She will remain an active part of my life as long as the amazing folks at Revell Publishing allow it! (I have a vision of taking her on destination weddings, and maybe opening a little wedding chapel in Splendora!)

There’s so much I’ve love to share about Picture Perfect: those wacky ladies from Splendora, for instance. And Brock Benson’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars. Ooo, and Scarlet, Hannah’s BFF. What a nutty I-Love-Lucy gal she is!

I guess you’ll just have to read Picture Perfect to discover all that wasn’t revealed in my recent posts! You can purchase “Picture Perfect” at amazon by following this link: http://tinyurl.com/azf5kf8.

While you’re there, check out the reviews. I’m tickled pink that folks seem to be enjoying Hannah’s story. They’re also happy to catch up with Bella and the gang. I’m always tickled to get lovely reviews. They make my day. . .and they help sell books!

Speaking of reviews, if any of you have posted reviews on your blog(s), please feel free to share the links here. If you happen to read the book and enjoy it, would you consider going to amazon, B&N or christianbook.com and posting a kind word? Truly, a nice review is the best gift a reader can give an author.

And now for a question, one that might just propel me to write more Bella books in the future. . .

QUESTION: If you could take Bella and the gang anywhere you liked (around the globe) where would it be. . .and why?

What fun is a party with no food? In “Picture Perfect,” the Bing & Bob party is known for its amazing cuisine.  Check out this scene from the book:

BLURB: Saturday night arrived, but not without its drama. Less than an hour before the onset of the party of the century, my father’s emotion packed words rang out across the house. “What do you mean, you invited thirty Italians to my Bing and Bob party?”

Even from the comfort of my upstairs bedroom where I dressed up as Grace Kelly I could make out every word as the argument between my parents ensued. In fact, I could almost envision the look on my dad’s face with each punctuated word.

I stepped out into the hallway to hear my mother’s response to his emotional tirade. “You’re going to love the Rossi’s, Michael,” she countered from the living room below, her words carrying up the stairs. “And they’re great cooks. Rosa—she’s the aunt, the one with the television show—is bringing some of the food. Isn’t that sweet? She’s really doing us a favor, you see.”

“I will not abide Italian food at my Bing and Bob party. Where would we put it, in the middle of the room? It will ruin the whole thing. Besides, what will the guys from my lodge say?”

“Oh, she’s not bringing Irish food,” Mama countered. “She’s bringing a rack of lamb for the Bob Hope side. And from what I hear, it’s a genuine British recipe, one even you will approve of.”

“Still. This is an Irish-English party. You’ve got to be one or the other to come, and these people, whoever they are, are clearly neither.” He began to grumble, in Gaelic, no less, about the generations of Irishmen who’d walked this road before him, but after awhile none of it made sense to me. Or to my mother, either, apparently.

“Michael McDermott, I swear, sometimes I think you’ve got splinters in the windmills of your mind.”

My father, for once, did not respond.

***

As you can see, Hannah’s father is not keen on the Italians coming to the party. And because the room is divided into two sections—the Irish side and the English side—there’s no place for the Italians! (So HE thinks! The Rossis and the Splendora trio end up being the life of the party!) When these awesome folks show up with great food(s) Hannah’s father can’t help but usher them in. Check it out:

BLURB:

At ten minutes till seven Rosa and Laz arrived. Rosa looked stunning in her Vera-Ellen getup. What a knockout. My father huffed his way through the introductions, but made a bit of polite conversation once he realized that Laz, who had come dressed as a very non-English or Irish Dean Martin, held a pot of corned beef and cabbage in his hands.

“You made that yourself?” my dad asked.

“Sure. Love the stuff. Always have. Lived in New Jersey years ago and couldn’t get enough of it.” Laz lifted the pan as if to emphasize the point. “Want to show me to the kitchen?”

“Never been inside of our kitchen, myself,” Dad said, his expression a little forced. “But I think I can find it.”

This got a funny look from Laz, who finally caught on that my dad was teasing.

“Just kidding, just kidding.” My father slapped him on the back and led the way to the kitchen. I followed closely behind to see if my mother needed any help. When we arrived the amazing aroma of fish and chips waffled up to greet us. Yum.

“Haven’t had fish and chips in a month of Sundays,” Laz said. He gave my mother an encouraging smile. “You’ll have to give me your recipe.” He placed the pan of corned beef and cabbage on the counter and took a few steps in my mother’s direction to steal a nibble of the fish and chips.

“Really?” Her face flushed.

“Well, sure. Maybe we’ll even add a fish and chips pizza at Parma Johns on St. Patrick’s day. Something to think about, anyway.” He began to fill my mother’s ears with ideas for his upcoming special at the restaurant. Not that she appeared to mind. Oh no. I’d never seen her so flattered. She and Rosa got busy putting out the foods, including the rack of lamb, which smelled delicious.

At exactly three minutes after seven Scarlet arrived with her assistant, Kenny, who carried in the most amazing cake I’d ever seen. A true replica of Bing Crosby. On one side, anyway. He turned the cake around to reveal Bob Hope’s smiling face.

“Frighteningly realistic,” Laz said, giving it a close look. “But I prefer the Bing Crosby side.”

“Not me,” Rosa countered. “I think the Bob Hope side is priceless.” She began to gush over the cake, which, no doubt, was exactly what Scarlet had hoped she would do. Not that I could fault my best friend for trying to win the favor of the Rossi’s. She knew a good deal when she saw it.

I helped Kenny settle the cake onto a special table in-between the Bing and Bob tables, then went to answer the door, astounded by the mad rush of Italians that greeted me. I threw my arms around Bella, welcomed D.J. with a smile and ushered them inside, along with their children.

***

That’s how Hannah’s family does it, but what about us? Here we are, all dressed up at our own (make-believe) Bing & Bob party. . .and starving! Well, don’t fret! I’ve prepared a yummy platter of fish ‘n chips. (Check out the photo. Mmm!)

What about you? What food(s) have you prepared? List the dish in a comment box below. Some might want to add the recipe. That’s fine, too!

Bing and Bob! I’ve been fascinated with both men since childhood. That probably doesn’t surprise you. I love quirky/fun movies and this has spilled over into my books!

Maybe you’re not familiar with Bing & Bob. I’ve linked you to a video clip from one of their movies (Road to Morocco) to give you a taste of the comedic duo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_w3UG6C_Mo I’m also going to post a link to my favorite Bing Crosby song. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aShUFAG_WgM) No big surprise here. You MIGHT be surprised to see that I have another favorite, too. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvc3Gl_FBAs) We used this one in our Christmas production last year.

If you’ve read “Picture Perfect,” you know that Hannah’s father hosts an annual “Bing & Bob” party for his buddies. Here’s a clip from the book to introduce the party concept. (And by the way, this scene takes place at Bella’s family home, around the dinner table.)

BLURB:

I stayed out of the conversation until Rosa and Laz lit into a funny story about Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, one that got everyone at the table talking. I had my favorite, of course, but neither of the ones they mentioned. How could they talk about the greats without mentioning Bing Crosby? Grandpa Aengus would turn over in his grave at the suggestion that either singer out-shone Bing.

“I have a great idea.” My words stopped their chatter mid-stream.

Rosa glanced my way. “What is it, Hannah?”

“My dad always hosts a Bing and Bob party during the holiday season.”

“Bing and Bob?” Laz’s brow creased.

“You know. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Dad invites a ton of his buddies to come to the house. They have to dress like Bing or Bob and everyone has to perform some song or scene from one of their movies. We play Bing Crosby music and sometimes watch a movie together before the night’s over. It’s a blast.”

“What about the ladies?” Rosa asked. “Surely they don’t dress up like Bing Crosby or Bob Hope?”

“No, no. We have to dress up like someone who starred opposite Bing or Bob.”

Drew gave me a funny smile. “And you’re coming as. . .?”

I paused to think it through. “Pretty sure I’m coming as Grace Kelly this year.”

“I’m coming as Rosemary Clooney,” Mom chimed in.

The whole table came alive with noise as folks added their two cents worth. Rosa loved Mom’s idea of coming as Rosemary. Imelda felt sure she would choose Dorothy Lamour. Bella’s sister wasn’t sure who Bing and Bob were, and Marcella—sweet, quiet, Marcella—listened in without commenting. Still, the smile never left her face.

***

(Doesn’t that sound like a fun party!)

Now it’s your turn: Which of these two fellas is your fave: Bing…or Bob? Why?

Enjoy this audio file from a recent interview with GelatiScoop, where I promoted my latest book, “Picture Perfect.”

Okay, so you’ve probably noticed that I like to play with ethnicities. Bella’s family was very, very Italian. If you read “Hello Hollywood,” Athena’s family was very, very Greek. In “The Director’s Cut” Tia’s family was very, very Mexican. Now, in “Picture Perfect,” we have a very, very Irish family. Why do this? Just to be cliché? Not really. There’s something so engaging about going back to our roots. In my case, I’m very, very Scottish/English. Likely you’re very, very “something” too.

Hannah learns from an early age that her Irish heritage is meant to shape her life and her destiny. She leans on that heritage—her strong McDermott roots—to stay grounded.

Here’s a little clip from the book about her Grandpa Aengus, who played a key role in Hannah’s approach to all-things-Irish:

BLURB: There’s no denying the fact that my Grandpa Aengus shaped the way I look at life. The man had a saying for everything. If I fell and scraped my knee, he mended it with an Irish proverb: For every storm, a rainbow,? for every tear, a smile. If I woke up with a head cold, he had an Irish remedy: A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures. If I got into an argument with my BFF, he offered sage Irish wisdom: Don’t give cherries to pigs or advice to fools.

The man firmly believed that anything good that came to him in this life was, in some way, tied to his great fortune at being born Irish. No one ever debated him on that point. No one in the family, anyway. Since his passing three years ago, those once-quirky proverbs and blessings have brought those of us who loved him an ongoing sense of comfort and peace.

***

If you read the book from cover to cover, you’ll find LOTS of proverbs as chapter-starters. Here are a few of my faves:

“Bless your little Irish heart and every other Irish part.”

***

May you get all your wishes but one,

So you always have something to strive for.

***

May you be half an hour in Heaven before the Devil knows you’re dead.

So, let’s talk about ethnicities. Why were people drawn to Bella’s Italian family and/or Hannah’s Irish roots? What is your cultural heritage and why do you strive to keep it alive? Any fun proverbs or sayings passed down from your grandparents or parents?

Picture Perfect

If you’ve ever felt like you “good but not quite good enough” you will certainly be able to relate to Hannah in Picture Perfect. Here’s the opening of the book, which shares her “almost, but not quite” issues with the reader:

My life has been a series of almosts.

Take, for instance, the time I almost made the cheerleading squad in junior high but lost out to my arch-nemesis, Jacquie Practically-Perfect-in-Every-Way Goldfarb. Then there was the time Matt Hudson, the hunkiest football player at my high school, almost asked me to the prom but ended up going with Jacquie, instead. Oh, and we can’t forget the time I almost got the photographer’s dream job, shooting superstar Brock Benson’s wedding. Yep. Another almost. That time, the opportunity of a lifetime slipped through my fingers and into the open palms of my chief competitor, Drew Kincaid of Kincaid Photography.

Some people are haunted by memories of things they’ve done. Me? I’m haunted by all of the things I nearly accomplished but missed by a quarter of an inch. That’s why, when faced with yet another unbelievable opportunity—a profile piece in Texas Bride magazine to promote my new Galveston-based photography business—I couldn’t blow it. No more almosts for me. This time I would hit the finish line a winner. My meeting with the Texas Bride reporter would transform my career and propel me into the limelight, winning me the favor of the island’s top wedding planner, Bella Neeley. If I could just keep from messing it up.

Oh, but this time I wouldn’t! In fact, I could almost hear my Grandpa Aengus cheering me on from the Great Beyond: Hannah Grace, if you’re lucky enough to be Irish, then you’re lucky enough.

I didn’t happen to believe in luck, but if being Irish meant I stood a better chance at succeeding in business, I would embrace my heritage as never before. I would bathe with Irish Spring soap, dress in the vibrant colors of the family crest, skip through fields of shamrocks and listen to my father’s nightly tales of the Clan McDermott’s glory days. And I would do it all with a smile on my face and confidence in my stride.

***

You can see from this opening that Hannah has an “almost” problem. She always feels like she comes in second place. I know what that feels like, having spent several years in the theater scene. It seemed like I always got the secondary lead, not the main lead. (In retrospect, I feel like a brat for even thinking like that! What a blessing, to get any speaking part at all…right?!) In my writing life, I’ve often published books that “almost” took off…but not quite.

Well, no more “almosts” for me! The Bella books have propelled me forward and given my characters (and my writing) a breath of fresh air. I’ve received a great opportunity to connect with people and to share in my journey…all through these books!

If you haven’t read all of the Bella books, you might as well start with Fools Rush In. It’s currently free on kindle. From there, please read the rest of the Weddings by Bella series and then the Backstage Pass (Hollywood) series, too. Why? To prepare you for Picture Perfect, of course! ALL of the books have some common themes and characters. I promise, you won’t “almost” fall for Bella and the gang. You’ll tumble head-over-heels! (Or my name isn’t Jacquie Goldfarb!!!)

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