Change is good--with a touch of terror to keep you on your toes ;o)

Having two books out in three months is enough to get a girl's heart rate jumping ;o)

Plus, there's the contracting of the 2008 books, the promotion, the travelling, the family stuff--you mean the kid really wants to do something for Spring Break??? And the husband isn't planning to spend the next two months in town, so I can get myself together and start the storytelling thing again??? What gives!!!

Here's the thing--change is the one constant I've learned to depend on in business. Never relax to the point that you're not looking for the next unexpected change that will toss things on their ear. The rest of life's pretty much like that, too. I know my family loves me. I know which friends I can turn to, no matter what. Beyond that, I'm better off expecting to be surprised by the rest, then I work like the dickens to make sure I'm ready for whatever comes.

Some of my favorite things in nature whole-heartedly agree with the whole, "live in the moment" approach. The ocean, for example...its waves are never-ceasing, but there'll never be two alike. So what!!! The tide keeps doing its job, leaving the details to figure themselves out.

Autum leaves...never got to see them as a child, now I can't stop staring every fall when the trees begin to shine and show off their deeper colors. The beauty doesn't last, and you neve know which trees will be the most spectacular, but each one does its best. And you can be sure that even though the visual glory is fleeting, much hard work is being done within, so that the spring and then another fall will always be on its way--even when winter-bare limbs are all we see for months on end.

And then there's the art I search for everywhere I go. Not nature, you say? All art is derived from the organic, I'd argue. The changing beyond our control, all around us every day, has driven artists to stop and record snapshots of their feelings from the dawn of time. Not that the world won't change a soon as they put pen or paint or notes to paper. But for just one moment, they were moved to show us a glimpse of what we'll never see again, because the moment will always pass, leaving us nothing but memories and the promise of even more splendor to come if we're patient and keep our eyes on the future.

So, what does that have to do with our little world here in blog-land? Well, changes have come and gone, and here we still are...fewer of my friends can leave comments since Blogger changed over to Google...I can't have an address book on my site without being spammed into early dementia...but we're still going strong. There will always be launch parties and giveaways and fun out here, and the website giveaway is going strong...but that doesn't mean we won't have to cotinue to change things up a bit as we go.

So, more details in my upcoming newsletter (have to be in my website adress book to receive it, so if you've never sent me your email addie, be sure to get in touch through my site), but in short--I'll be doing even more to make sure that all my Internet faithful get to share in the fun this month, as we have another launch party.

In addition to the daily blog giveaway the week of the party (mid-April, but I don't have my calendar in front of me, so I can't give you exact dates), I'll be giving away a $5 Borders gift certificate to one friend a day--randomly drawing a name from my address book. And over the next few months, I'll start giving away a $5 certificate a month the same way--a special reward for friends who can't or don't do the blog thing. Of course, the cool prizes will still be plentiful out here, but I don't anyone to feel left out.

So, I'm off to enjoy the last of my vacation, and the amazing way spring is changing the world around me. Look for the newsletter, with dates and more details. Get me your email address if you haven't already. Then we'll hook back up later in the month and have an online blast!!!

TTFN!!!