Are you a lemon or a lemonade sort of person? I think most writers, as least those who are in it for the long haul, develop skills that allow them to turn their lemons into lemonade. You see, we writers pen stories filled with close-knit families, life-long friends, and happily-ever-after's. But real-life isn't always that way. Sometimes the car stalls, you have a spat with your best friend, it rains on a wedding day, or someone you trusted betrays you.
Those times are when it's most important to remember the reason you became a writer. If you're like me, writing is a love, a passion...a safe haven. It's a sane place to go when the world around me becomes less-than-sane. That said, it's easy to let the storms of life detract from what needs to be accomplished. Don't get swept up in them. Hang on and know that however rough the storm may be, God is in control and you will get through it to safe shores.
So when adversity strikes take those lemons and turn them into lemonade. Write the next chapter. Turn those experiences into wisdom and keep writing. Make lists and stick to them, if it helps. Be tenacious and protect your time. Think of writing like eating and breathing. Then write some more. Soon the clouds will break, the sun will shine again, and the lemonade you made is sure, in the end, to be delicious.
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LILA BROOKS BELIEVES IN HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER FOR EVERYONE BUT HERSELF...
She coaxes her dream of opening a wedding shop into reality when she commissions Morgan Holt to transform a run-down Victorian house into an all-inclusive bridal boutique, Diamond Knot Dreams. Clover Cove’s residents have whispered that the house is filled with spirits, but superstitions have no place in Lila's life.
Morgan Holt spent the better part of his youth transplanted from one foster home to another. Separated from his older brother, Gunnar, at an early age, they’re reunited shortly after Morgan’s arrival to Clover Cove. But the last thing Morgan wants is to trust his heart again to a family—or a woman as beautiful as Lila Brooks. He has plans to finish work on the Victorian and then ride off into the sunset, a move he’s perfected over the years.
Soon Lila and Morgan have a chance at their own Happily Ever After, but will events from the past destroy their future?
She coaxes her dream of opening a wedding shop into reality when she commissions Morgan Holt to transform a run-down Victorian house into an all-inclusive bridal boutique, Diamond Knot Dreams. Clover Cove’s residents have whispered that the house is filled with spirits, but superstitions have no place in Lila's life.
Morgan Holt spent the better part of his youth transplanted from one foster home to another. Separated from his older brother, Gunnar, at an early age, they’re reunited shortly after Morgan’s arrival to Clover Cove. But the last thing Morgan wants is to trust his heart again to a family—or a woman as beautiful as Lila Brooks. He has plans to finish work on the Victorian and then ride off into the sunset, a move he’s perfected over the years.
Soon Lila and Morgan have a chance at their own Happily Ever After, but will events from the past destroy their future?
~~~~~
Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and 13 fish.
Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.
Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.
