Category: Uncategorized

Sitting on the Fence

Why did it take me so damn long to figure this out?

I just want to have fun. That’s it. When I turned 50, I told myself I just wanted to follow all the things that made me feel happy and filled me with joy. Writing is one of those things.

Over the past few years, I’ve written three books and published exactly ZERO of them. None. I have had this idea in my head that I was holding onto them to wait for the “perfect person,” (a.k.a. Literary Agent), to find it irresistible and want nothing more than to partner with me and champion it into the world.

With the amount of people out there trying to publish a novel every day, I might have better chances at winning the lottery. Some years ago, there was this statistic that literary agents get an average of over 300 emails a day. A DAY! How is that possible? How could I expect to be picked out of that pile? And that’s only the beginning. An agent has to SELL your book to a publishing house. And even if they love it and buy your book, it takes over a year after their editors get a hold of it and want you to do more re-writes, before it will ever even see the light of day on a bookshelf in your neighborhood bookstore.

So when my lovely writing coach asked me why it was that I was so set on getting a traditional publishing contract, I thought it was so I would get a bigger team behind me and that I’d have my books in more libraries across the country, and in the bigger stores, she smiled. Apparently, most of the marketing and book tours are no longer hosted by the publisher anymore. Also, advances are strung out over a two year period and often, royalties aren’t as much as if you’d have just published the damn thing yourself.

I knew this somewhere in the back of my brain. There was more to my holding back than I was willing to admit.

I needed validation.

If I am traditionally published, I was feeling that THEN…and only then would I have “made it,” in the industry. That self-publishing only meant that nobody worthy really liked my book.

THAT IS TOTAL BULLSHIT!

I have a following. YOU are reading this and you matter. I love you readers that have supported me and YOU deserve to get my book now. Not when some yahoo out there decides I’m worthy. And I have the knowledge and power to get this done. Waiting for outside validation is only my ego talking, and as Dr. Wayne Dyer always said…EGO is when you Edge God Out.

So…I’m going to hire another editor, (my lovely Jen Graybeal is coaching now but no longer editing), I’m going to self-publish my books as soon as I feel they are ready, and will for the forseeable future.

If I decide to try my hand at traditionally publishing again, I’ll do it all on my terms, and not wait around and hold onto something for years again. As of now, I have THE CLOCK TOWER OF MAPLE CREEK, ready to be edited and it will publish in 2025, along with the second book in the series, probably around this time next year. That’s right… two books will launch in 2025 by Patti Diener. I’d imagine the final third book in the series will publish early 2026.

Damn, that feels good.

So if you liked what you read on WILDFLOWER, from my previous blog post, know this; I will do a few re-writes, (as per Jen suggested I do), but if after that, the agents don’t have time for me, I’ll self-publish that too.

I’m in the freakin’ driver seat.

I love you all so much for putting up with my doubt, ramblings and indecisiveness on how to get my books out to you. It’s a journey, learning what and how to proceed in publishing. But I can’t wait around forever, and I have a shit-ton of books in my head I want to write before I meet my maker. And now, I’m super excited I’ve made this choice.

PLEASE…if you want to support me, just share my already published book, AFTER THE FIRE, with anyone who hasn’t read it, and please keep looking out for more of my books in 2025.

Xoxo ~ Patti

*PHOTOS were courtesy of pexel.com, other than my featured photo.

Summer, Sun, Books, & Writing

Trying to Live in the Moment and Still Daydream

I’ve never been accused of being overly patient. In fact, I honestly prefer instant gratification. But in my years of learning to meditate, practicing gratitude for what is, and trying to stay present, I’m focusing these days on the summer season and all that it brings.

Something I wrote in one of my novels that I’m sure I stole from somewhere else, (nobody really has an original idea or thought), is that time is a thief. The lazy days of summer only just began in what seems like five minutes ago and yet we are already starting the month of August. No time like the present to embrace those sunny, tangy margaritas, wear that vibrant sarong and dance! Since tomorrow isn’t promised, we must enjoy everything…even if what you desire most still hasn’t arrived yet and you are already in the late Fall season of your life.

I’ve wanted to be an author since I first read Judy Blume’s book, DEENIE, when I was ten years old in the fifth grade. Mr. Albertson’s class was full of creative kids buzzing around our papier mache’ projects and talking in Pig Latin. But the one thing I remember most about that year was that’s when I decided what I wanted to do with my life. I was going to be a writer.

After discovering V.C. Andrews, FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, it solidified my notion that telling stories for a living was exactly what I wanted to do. I started writing that year in my spiral bound notebook, and with cramped fingers resembling gnarled tree limbs, I wrote diligently in pencil for two years on a story that went nowhere. I copied and most definitely plagarizing my favorite authors until I found my own voice, and even wrote some horrible poetry in my high school years.

Throughout those years, summertime was full of melting popsicles, bike rides with friends, and halter-tops. It was a time to daydream, reading scary books of Stephen King, swimming in the lake, and bonfires with beers we confiscated from our parents. We thought we’d be young forever.

Before I knew it, I looked up and I was married with children of my own, and summertime became days of hosting sleepover parties, barbecuing hotdogs and hamburgers, and setting up the slip-n-slide in our front yard. Writing seemed like a luxury I didn’t have time for. It became a one-of-these-days fantasies.

Raising a family was something I thought I had to be one-thousand percent in or I wasn’t a good mother. Time for myself and my own dreams was put on hold, largely because of my own ideologies on parenting. Summers came faster and faster, blurring like I was on a speeding train looking out the window. Before I knew it, the kids didn’t need me as much, and I didn’t know how to find myself anymore.

I still dove into books for comfort though. Margaret Atwood, Dean Koontz, and James Patterson, gave way to me later discovering romance novels of Robyn Carr, Elin Hilderbrand, Brenda Novak, and Nora Roberts. I loved the idea of complex characters that got happy endings. Let’s face it…real life is hard enough. I decided that I wanted to give writing a try again.

If you’ve been following me at all, you know I wrote and released as a self-published novel, AFTER THE FIRE, in 2019. I’ve since written a few other books but want to traditionally publish now, so I’ve been querying on two different novels, not stopping my writing process in between. Writing for me is like oxygen. I can’t stop myself from doing it. And since I am fifty-six, I know I’ve started late in the game. I don’t like the small amount of summers I have left to celebrate, but I plan to make the most of the ones I have.

Today, instead of fretting about what I haven’t accomplished, or worrying that I’m not ever going to be the next Nora Roberts, I embrace what I have, and that’s freedom. I am lucky enough to be able to write when I want to, (I retired as a public-school librarian three years ago), and Monday’s don’t give me the blues. Everyday is the weekend, summer is here, and if I want a glass of chilled rose on the beach on a random Tuesday, I can have it! Everything gives me inspiration to write. Just being alive is a good day.

Looking forward, I will also add that just because I think I want to traditionally publish, doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what will end up happening. I’ll still querying agents about my books, but my summers are coming and going faster than ice cream melts on the sidewalk. I might not wait for someone else to give me the green light. Colleen Hoover didn’t wait after all, and look how well that turned out for her. Like I said, I’m not the most patient person, but I’m trying. Maybe I will become some kind of hybrid author. Carve my own path at times and get some help with other projects. Either way, I’m going to soak up the sun while I can. If I learned anything at all on this planet, its that you have to smile more, and worry less. Life has a way of working out.

I hope you enjoy what is left of your summer, (if you are in a summer zone), and I hope you embrace your life to live fully. Be silly. Take chances. Plan a trip. See your friends. Daydream. Above all, be happy with yourself. We are all just doing the best we can.

Xoxo ~ Patti D.

*All photos are by me/Patti Diener, except the people swimming which is courtesy of pexels.com.

Jumping Into the Deep End

Back in the Querying Saddle Again

It’s like being a kid with all your friends casually treading water with smiles on their faces, daring you to take the plunge. The water’s fine, they say. But what they don’t tell you is the water, although it sparkles and looks enticingly refreshing, can be shocking and icy. It’s sink or swim baby! And if you want to play with them in the deep end, you better figure it out quick. There are other people lined up, waiting on the diving board for their turn and their place in the pool.

Ok, so maybe that analogy isn’t the best, but it does feel like that when you are a writer trying to break into traditional publishing. I’ve written five books so far and only published the second one, and that by self-publishing. I didn’t want my friends and dare I say… fans, to wait for my book, After the Fire, to be picked up in the trad-pub world, so I did it myself. It was really well recieved, (thanks to you loyal people who have stuck it out with me from the beginning), but I really want a team behind me. I’m ready to dive in.

With my book, The Clock Tower of Maple Creek, not being picked up after several attempts for representation, I set it aside to write something new. Back in September of 2023, I started Wildflower, and finished it this early spring of 2024. Since then I have done three rounds of edits and shared several chapters with my fantastic writing group, The Kick-Ass Women Writers. I wrote and tore apart to rewrite my query three different times and finally landed on the current one I’m sending out to select agents. You just never know for sure if the query will resonate with the person you are trying to connect with. It’s always a gamble, and like I said, there are already a lot of kids in the proverbial pool.

I’ll share with you the meat of my query so you can get an idea of what my book is about. I’m in love with my characters and dream of them often. Yes, they are real to me. Does that make me crazy? Well aren’t all writers a tad insane? Below is the sample without the salutations or closing bio.

What happens when the handsome guy you met over the summer ends up being your substitute English teacher? Charlie Kane finds out as she struggles with the agony of forbidden love, the heartbreak of a broken family, and dreams of one day leaving it all behind to pursue a life as a professional artist.

The summer leading up to her senior year in high school, seventeen-year-old Charlie Kane’s life is in shambles. An intellectual outcast with an unfavorable reputation, she has nowhere to turn, living in poverty with her addictive mother, in their small northern California town.

Twenty-four-year-old Jack Connors has just left a dead-end job in Los Angeles and is house and dog sitting for his uncle in Sebastopol, California, trying to decide his next career move when he meets a beautiful, if somewhat unruly girl on the street.

Although the two have instant chemistry, neither learns much about the other. Then worlds collide on Charlie’s first day of her senior year when she walks into her English class and comes face to face with the tall and gorgeous stranger…and he’s the teacher.

Inspired by the 1972 song, “Wildflower”, by Skylark, The Police hit, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”, and the mother-daughter relationship of Cloud and Tully from Kristin Hannah’s, Firefly Lane, Wildflower, is edited at 100K words and told in dual POV. This book will appeal to female fans of Colleen Hoover, Jojo Moyes, or Josie Silver.

So wish me luck on this querying journey I’m embarking upon once again. In the meanwhile, I’ll be writing with the hubby on his children’s book he’s making and learning more about the picture book industry. That’s what’s happening in my world. Thanks for stopping by.

Sending you all much love. Xoxo ~ Patti D.

*Swimming pool photo and girl with tattoo are courtesy of pexels.com. Others are mine / Patti Diener

I’m Back In The Saddle Again!

Querying Agents In 2023

I’d like to say this past year flew by but to be honest, every freakin’ year flies by faster now than the previous one. I’m 54 + years old and on the speeding downward hill towards my earthly final destination. I only hope I don’t hit too many bumps as I coast along, and pray for some flat terrain periodically that will slow my pace. Either way, the wind is in my hair and I’m enjoying the view.

Blogging came to a screeching halt last spring. I just wasn’t feeling it because I was too focused on querying agents for my latest book, The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. I put all my energy into that and my midlife mentoring group, Beautiful Second Act. Simply put, I had a lot of balls in the air and had to set one down.

But now I’m fully energized and ready to catch you all up on what I’ve been doing and where the heck I’ve been.

As I said, I was pumping out the query letters to agents for months upon end without a deal. I realized something was off and took a long, hard look at my query letter. It sucked!

I mean, at first glance it was pretty good, I guess. But looking closer I realized I was too close to the project. I needed a fresh perspective. Cue in my friend Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, (who is successfully published a dozen times). I was right. It needed work. I am so blessed to have her as a writing mentor and for the support she’s given me.

So the query letter was being re-worked and I started my next novel. After all, writers have to keep writing. Book deal or not. This way I know I will have more projects to showcase should my dream agent ask me, “So, do you have anything else?”

Meanwhile, we planned an epic family vacation that was supposed to happen in 2020, but we all know what happened there. So finally, after two years of waiting, my husband and I flew ourselves, our two grown daughters and their significant others, all to Disney World in Florida.

When all the Youtube videos on how to use the new app for The Happiest Place On Earth, said to prepare for the most expensive vacation you’ll ever take, I thought it was a joke.

It wasn’t a joke.

That being said, we had a great time and even met up with some friends while there. Would I do it again? No. Was I glad we had the experience? Absolutely. It was an amazing time, if not ridiculously expensive. I told Hubby I could have gone to Italy 2X over for just what we spent on ourselves. But at the end of life I will have that beautiful memory of when we got all the grown kids together to go have a blast.

Once back in California I spent more time on my new book, which is the sequel to The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. I’m writing this as a trilogy so Kentucky Sunset, was set into motion on my writing trip two weeks later.

In order to get the story started, or finished, I usually go away on my own for a writing sabbatical. It clears my head, allows for uninterrupted time alone, and sets the mood for creativity. Plus I don’t have to break in the middle of a good session to put the dogs out, cook dinner, or visit with my family. I just write.

The Mendocino Coast has been my go-to place since 2015. I’ve found it to be so magical and relaxing that I go back at least once, if not twice a year. The places I’ve stayed have been cozy, quiet, and with views to inspire. It’s truly a writer’s paradise.

Besides the views, I’ve eaten at some wonderful restaurants that gives me a break from typing away, and it allows for leisurely time to ponder while feasting on sumptuous food and drink.

Once back home and grinding away again with research on which agent to query, I felt uninspired to press the issue. I decided to focus on the new book instead. At least for awhile.

This was good for me, but too soon the days clicked by and then the holidays were upon us. Most agents close down for the holidays and don’t accept new queries until the new year. I decided to just let it be and believe in Divine Timing. I’d wait until 2023.

So here we finally are. It’s January of 2023, and I am fully charged and ready to roll. This is a great time to get back in the saddle! I’m super stoked about what is coming next and I’m open to great possibilities.

With a new, fully revised query letter at the ready, I am seeking an agent that wants to be in it for the long haul. I want to find that perfect person who will partner with me for years to come. I know they are out there. Hoping we find each other soon.

Here’s wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, and truly happy 2023. Make your life what you want it to be. YOU are the architect of your life. Build what you dream.

*Photos by me, Patti Diener

How January 2021 Derailed Me

There is still plenty of time

January blew in like a tornado. It was unpredictable and caused some destruction. And like the aftermath of such an incident, I was left feeling dumbstruck and somewhat confused as to how to feel.

But that’s just the beginning. I have something positive I actually need to tell you, but read to the end to find out what I mean.

My mother passed away in the early morning hours of January 16th in the home of my wonderfully loving brother, and his remarkable family. They had cared for and supported our mother for many years, enduring some extremely trying times with her failing health and addictions.

I traveled to her, and was able to spend a week long visit with her during her final days on this earth, and for that I know I will be forever grateful. And although it felt like somewhat of an out of body experience, aiding someone who is about to die, I couldn’t have imagined being anywhere else.

My incredible sister-in-law had our mother’s health needs down pat, but it became unduly trying on her. I was all too glad to assist, and share in the nursing care that our mother needed at the end. Still, I felt like most of the time I walked around comatose. It was strange.

Everyone deals with loss differently. Anticipating her passing many times over the years, (she chose a rough life), I always thought I’d be prepared for it. Quite frankly, I was surprised at how hard it hit me and began writing a short story of the event as soon as I returned home.

Oddly enough, there are many small comic relief moments when someone is dying, and in our family there were quite a few. One of the things I said about the experience was, “The longest month of my life, was the week I spent by my mother’s bedside.” It was meant to be funny, but maybe I’m just twisted. Guess you will have to read the story one day.

Pic of Mom and Me, First Christmas 1968

ANYWAY… my plans for the actual book I’m writing, (my novel, not the story about mom), have been derailed more than once so far. My depression, and health scare earlier in 2020 took me off track, and finishing the book in January went out the window with the death of my mother. It’s hard to wrap your brain around plot twists and dialog when your emotions and brain are lingering in the past. The good news is I’m very close to done. It’s the editing process that will hang me up for awhile. That is where I have to remind myself that I cannot force things.

To be disciplined is one thing, but to try and force a situation to be a certain way will only create resistance for the natural flow of things and ultimately bring about that which I don’t want. But I do want to finish my book! And there is still something else, I want you to know. Read to the end and you will understand.

I am a firm believer in flow. Some call it, “to everything, there is a season.” If you are forcibly trying to make something happen, and creating resistance with stress, then it’s not going to turn out well. Instead, I have been praying for guidance, for inspiration to lead me, and show me the path of least resistance. That’s when I know I am creating something wonderful and worth waiting for, and it’s working. I’m getting closer my friends. The book is exciting me, and this past week I got back in the game.

So when I finish the book, I still plan to submit to agents. I am really feeling good about traditional publishing this go around. No matter what though, I will see where the road takes me, and however this trilogy book series is meant to be received into the world is how it will be. I will follow my heart and let intuition lead me.

I posted the first chapter awhile back in segments, for this new book I called, The Clock Tower of Maple Creek. The title may change. I will share it again as a whole chapter, not split up, in my next blog post. If you are impatient, go to my CATEGORIES on the side menu, (upper menu hamburger if on a phone), and click on the links for New Book/ Clock Tower. Remember, I may edit it myself, but once a professional editor gets a hold of it, the book can still change. I just like to share with my readers a sneak peak at what I’m doing.

January 2021, may not have started off the way I envisioned it would. Hell, 2020 certainly didn’t either, but I still believe there is plenty of time. Time for me to do what I set out to do. Time for me to get my book out this year. At least to get a contract with a publishing house this year. I’m getting older, but there is still plenty of time.

Guess What Friends…

Before I sign off today, I want to let you all in on something else… something is coming. Something I have been thinking about since May, 2020. I want to support other midlife creatives, like myself, who are just getting started. Those of us who didn’t jump into the deep end of the pool until we had empty nests. Those of us who put our families first our entire lives and still have our own dreams. I want to help you. I want to be there to show you that it’s okay to have a vision for yourself, to rediscover yourself. TO DREAM BIG!

If that sounds good to you, if that resonates with you on any level, then follow along and I will help you find the magic of your heart’s true calling. We are not washed up. We are not too old, and we have so much left to do. If you are with me, leave a comment on this blog. I will make sure when I launch my new platform that I get you on the train!

As always, warm wishes my friends.

* All photos by me, Patti Diener

What Success Looks Like In 2020

This bizarre year has done me some favors and thrown me some curve balls that I’m still not quite sure how to maneuver. Small businesses have been hit really hard and we still aren’t even done with this Covid situation. For me personally, I started out with wonderful book sales, just to find them dwindle as more bookstores and other retailers suffered lower overall sales. So how do we begin to even gauge success in a year like 2020?

This year, I’ve reached out to people, women in particular, more than ever before. I’m not just talking about holding conversations with my friends, but I went in search of how others are finding ways to feel more grounded. I wanted to know how folks have found more gratitude, and how they’ve become less wrapped up in the negative climate that seems to encompass everything around us, and instead have embraced hope and new possibilities.

You might be wondering where exactly, did I go looking for these people. Well, I started by researching podcasts. I’ve never really been one to listen to podcasts because I guess I thought they would be a waste of time. I didn’t ever think I had enough time to listen to one. Well now…WOW! I am hooked. I can listen to podcasts while I water my yard, while I brush my teeth, put on make-up, clean the house, in the car, it’s endless. I choose to listen to podcasts that will lift me up, not bring me down. There are thousands and one of my favorites is called, DON’T KEEP YOUR DAY JOB. It’s not just about your job, but it’s more about what creative people love to do, and how the host encourages them to do their thing, AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

With all this inspiration, I wanted to give back to those that might be on the writing path. Earlier this year I made a Youtube video on how writers, in particular, could use this time that they were off work as an opportunity to create something wonderful. I still believe that, but I’ll admit, I can struggle with bouts of depression on what we cannot do. It’s hard to stay in that space of attitude for gratitude, when we are inundated with political storms, and all our freedoms are restricted. Still, I vowed to continue living well, and that meant my mental health as well as my physical health.

Hey y’all!

I really have always wanted to be successful in whatever I do, but my definition of success has changed over the years. I guess I think success should have two different definitions. One kind of success I think we all want is financial stability. That is probably the most recognized type of success. I mean I don’t think anyone would ever say, “Geez, I don’t need anymore money.” That being said, I’m not sure if anyone would ever say, “I’m successful enough.” But the other kind of success I’m interested in is the kind that is emotionally satisfying. To be successful in what you do with your time is the most gratifying feeling to me.

My husband is a retired battalion chief, but he’s also been a farmer his entire life. He’s a fourth generation farmer and although it is very trying and difficult work, he absolutely loves it. His time spent working the ranch is extremely satisfying for him and that makes him a success.

To be content with the work you chose to do, with the craft you chose to create, whether that be, (for me) writing, painting, cooking, building, gardening, or sewing, (you get the picture), you are a success if you are able to do what it is that you love to do. But what leaves me feeling stuck is I’m not living my truth. In my soul I truly feel I’m supposed to be writing and creating full time… and I’ve no idea how to do it. So I feel emotionally stifled.

So getting back to my journey of finding these people out there who seem to have tapped into the reservoir of passion and abundance, I went online and started watching videos of people that find joy in the everyday little things. I also watched more Youtubers that have figured out how to do things I wanted to learn how to do. I realized that my age is just a number and if I don’t mind how old I am while learning these new things, (how to create better videos), then nobody else will mind either.

Something I discovered in 2020 that I feel very successful for having realized, is that women in the middle…midlife,…have a unique opportunity to do things that we could never do in our younger lives. We are a distinct demographic of people that are curious and want to explore, and have more wisdom than we did when we were first navigating adulthood and parenthood. Some of us are just now waking up to the possibilities of what we can experience now that the kids are grown, or now that we no longer feel the need to prove ourselves. We have lines on our faces, and gravity can be a bitch, but we are still energetic enough to try something we’ve never been brave enough to try before.

Now is our time!

In 2020, I’ve found myself in a way I never knew before, and I think my writing is going to take me places I’ve only dreamed of. I might not be the age I wish I’d have started this journey from, but I am going to dare to dream big and say NOW is my time to make things happen.

If you are a woman in the middle, (or anyone in midlife), I want to say, take this Second Act and imagine what you can do with it. Your success is up to you. Don’t let your age dictate how you feel. It’s just a number. I mean, just look at Betty White’s career. She’s ninety-eight! In the year 2020, we might have had to overcome a whole lot of BS, but I also feel it’s been transformative. Learn something new, dare to create what you envision, and get out of your comfort zone! I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being complacent. I’m going to throw my hat into the arena, I’m going to probably make some mistakes along the way, but success for me will come when I fulfill my purpose, and that’s being a creative person.

In 2021, you will be seeing a lot of new endeavors from this gal, as I embrace my Second Act, and hopefully take you along with me.

Warm wishes to you all.

*All photos by me, Patti Diener

Everyone Should Do This!

Getting Away By Yourself

I’m back! I found my mojo again. I cannot tell you how great it feels to be out from the dark cloud and finding my voice again. Writers block sent me down a rabbit hole for awhile but the one thing that can always put me straight is getting away alone.

I love my family, don’t get me wrong. They are my favorite people on the planet, but too much togetherness can bring about feelings of animosity if you don’t find time for yourself. This is true for anyone, but for writers especially. Writing is a solitary business. But what if you aren’t a writer? Would you still benefit from time alone? I can say, unabashedly YES! Everyone needs time alone.

For five years, I’ve found a few long weekends a year to get away on my own. Driving with the windows down, the music on, or a podcast that’s inspirational, can get you in the groove to unwind and put you back on the path to yourself. Life can be chaotic, overwhelming even, and although we’d never trade those that we love, if you are past the point of exhaustion, a few days away on your own can do wonders for refocusing, and feeling more peaceful.

Susan Squellanti Florence, wrote a book called, TIME ALONE, The gift of being with yourself. I have had this for many years and it has this passage that says, “When you take time alone, you leave the distractions of the day…and enter the secret garden of your soul.” I mean, WOW! That’s pretty deep, right? Well it’s true.

  • My first night relaxing.
  • The Albion coast sunset.

This crazy-ass year of 2020 has actually given me a gift. I talked a bit in my previous blog about how in the beginning of Covid, I was really handling things pretty well before I plummeted somewhere around the middle of summer. Anyway, one of the things I picked back up again, that I hadn’t made time for in years was to meditate. YES… I know, some of you find that too woo-woo, to do. I’m here to tell you, it’s all part of spending time alone.

Meditating is a great way to tune into your soul. Practicing stillness in a world that only moves faster, and expects more, can be very rejuvenating. When you meditate, you can really listen to what it is your body and spirit are trying to tell you. And you don’t have to be sitting cross legged in an ashram, chanting to meditate. Just practicing stillness is meditating. Quieting the mind and being in the present moment is all it takes.

I usually like to find somewhere on the coast to write. For me, being near the ocean and listening to the waves crash against the shoreline, smelling the salty air, and feeling the mist against my skin, it all releases me from life’s stressors. I feel a connectedness to the earth that reminds me I am worthy, and part of this fabulous Universe, born with a right to experience love, joy, and creativity.

When I sit down in a quiet space to write after exposing myself to a place of beauty and grace, I tap into a well of inspiration. It clears the cobwebs that have blocked me from my passion. Being in a calming and quiet place can also bring clarity to areas of your life that might have been murky before.

The view from my hotel in Albion, California

During one of my stays away, I received a call from a friend. She was literally in awe of the fact that I traveled by myself. She couldn’t fathom the idea of one, being alone in a strange place, and two, that my husband let me go. Once we established the fact that women don’t need permission to have time alone, she admitted that it’s just a little bit scary to be alone and traveling. I assured her that it was spectacular! I said, “You know that feeling when your husband and the kids are gone for awhile and you have the whole house to yourself?” she sighed and said, “Yes, I love it when that happens.” I then said, “Well, imagine that for three or more days.” THEN she got it!

The thing is, most women feel that the husbands cannot handle the household without them. That’s simply not true. But if you are not able to leave for other reasons, then at least schedule an afternoon away on your own. Pick somewhere close enough that you can be home by bedtime, or dinner time if you need to, and it should be a place that gives you utter peace, and joy. I’m not talking about a girl’s day out, although those are very much needed too. I’m talking about a place you can be alone! Solitude is key for truly tapping into stillness and being completely calm.

When you return to your chores and daily life after time spent alone, there is often a shift. Mostly it will bring you the ability to do your life with more zest, and a better attitude. But don’t be surprised if you find that you are realizing you need to make some changes. Probably you will want to make changes that bring you more of what you just had… time.

So I will leave you with this. Time alone will quiet your mind, and your heart. If you are a creative, (an artist, writer, musician, architect, chef, florist, …the list goes on and on), then you know you need time for inspiration to strike. Sometimes you have to go seeking that inspiration. Sitting in the presence of beauty and wonder can do that for you. But EVERYONE needs time alone.

A Course in Miracles, says, “Within ourselves there is a silence into which the world cannot intrude. There is an ancient peace you carry in your heart and have not lost.”

I highly suggest you plan your next time away alone soon. You’ll be glad you did.

Wishing you all inspiration

*All pictures taken by Patti Diener, yes even the feature pic. I used a tripod.

The Life of a Self Published Author/ What’s New in 2020 for Patti Diener?

Stepping off the sidewalk and through the door, I first encounter the colors, then grapple with the many displays and choices. I slowly cross the floor and struggle with my many options. Which to pick up first? It’s both a blessing and a curse standing in a place that leaves me weak to control my pocketbook. I’m in a bookstore!

Since publishing my book, I’ve been to many independent bookstores to set up consignment contracts for After the Fire. It is considerably harder for me than I thought it would be. NOT because I have a hard time establishing contracts. It’s because I have a hard time NOT buying books while I’m there!

Bringing home books

I’m a sucker for books. I can’t get enough of them. Some women buy shoes, others like dresses or pretty knickknacks. I, on the other hand, love to be surrounded by the collection of pages and pages, bound by spines with titles and author names, displayed in every color and font imaginable. It might be a sickness, but as long as there isn’t a club called, book buyers anonymous, then I think I’m ok.

It is not only a New Year, but also a new decade. 2020 is giving me a feeling of not just renewed hope for better things to come, but I truly believe that there is a shift in my persona. The things I want from life have changed. The way I see the world and what I can contribute to it are far different than what I felt like a decade ago. In some ways I’m more intense, but in others, I feel a strange calmness of certainty. You might think that sounds like conflict, but it’s quite the opposite.

The intensity I feel is what I have come to realize. The dictionary says intense is a great sensation of feeling or emotion, having a high characteristic quality, as in strength. Well that’s about right. Also, the calmness of certainty is that I am certain of what I want in my life. Putting those two emotions together has been my epiphany. I am in the midst of a transformation.

I’ve told my students at the school where I am a librarian, that I never understood it when other educators would ask them, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I tell them, it’s because you will be… you! The better question would be, “what do you want to do when you grow up?” For me, I’ve liked doing many things, but what I’ve most enjoyed has been writing. Then I realized, I’ve always been a writer. It’s what I do.

Now that I’m a published author, I do feel more accomplished as a writer simply because I finished a project and vulnerably put myself out there with the thousands of other people who exposed their souls to the world in 2019. This doesn’t mean though, that I’ve only just now become a writer. I’ve been a writer since I was ten years old. It’s just now that I’ve shared my novel with the world and very gratefully, and humbly joined that club of debut authors, do I feel like the door to a new universe has opened for me.

So what can you expect from me, Patti Diener, in the year 2020? I plan to jump off more cliffs. I will share with you all, the first chapter of my new novel very soon on this blog. I will do more public speaking at author events in an independent bookstore near you, (places and dates to come), and I might even change the format of my book blog come March. In the meanwhile, thank you for always reading and sharing my information with your friends.

If you have read my book, After the Fire, then please leave a review on either this blog or better yet, go to Amazon and leave a review there. It is greatly appreciated. Also, if you are on social media, say something about it. Your friends that live outside of our little bubble called Lake County, where I live, might decide to buy a copy and share with their friends. One day, people won’t be saying, “where is Lake County?” Instead they will say, “oh I love Lake County!”

Thanks for reading everyone, and make 2020 not only your year, but make it the start of a great decade. If we are happy in what we do, we will make our world a happier place to be. Remember what Leo Tolstoy said…”Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Happy reading.

The Print Date Is Near / After The Fire, soon to be released

The much awaited novel by Patti Diener, (well if you’ve been following me it’s been much awaited), will be available for purchase this Fall. The four long years since the day the horrific Valley Fire tragically altered the lives of citizens of Lake County, California, will soon have a love story to show for it. It is my gift to my community.

My book, After the fire, will be released on Amazon soon and I have to tell you, it’s been both exhausting and exhilarating. From the beginning I was certain I would publish traditionally and I did pursue that route. You know, get an agent, have a publishing house pick up my book and I sign a wonderful contract. Well when I set a timeline for myself to find the right agent to represent me once the manuscript was finally fully edited, polished, and shined, I ended up with the decision to self publish.

My writing desk

I have the book cover done, the formatting is nearly done, (that’s where you have the written words formatted to fit the size of your paperback and e-book), and once it’s complete, all I have to do is upload it to Kindle Direct Publishing, then BAM! Within a few days of the upload, you can buy my book in either form.

I am going to do a big reveal on the book cover as soon as the formatting is complete. I say this because I purchased a package deal from the company that did both the cover and formatting for one price, and since I don’t technically own the cover until it’s paid in full, I don’t want to show it online. But within about a week or so, that too should be ready.

I cannot tell you how anxious I am to share with the world what I completed. It is pretty scary though too. What if people hate it? I thought about that a few times… Ok, a lot of times. But still, I realized that no matter what, I WROTE A BOOK! I started it and finished it, and regardless of my fears, I know this was a learning experience in my writing journey, and I took you all along with me for the ride. It was the only thing I could think about after so much happened in our county, and writing a love story for all of us, and showcasing what a unique and wonderful community we live in, for the rest of the world to read about…well that is good enough reason for me.

So be on the look out for that book cover. Tell your friends about AFTER THE FIRE. I am going to be stalking the indie book stores within a 100 mile radius of Lake County, to see if they will carry my book in their stores. Send me good vibes for a successful outcome on that front, and you can help by sharing my blog on social media. Use the hashtag #AFTERTHEFIRE when talking about it. I love you all for your support.

Patti Diener Self Publishing 101: Do This Before Formatting

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on everything and that all the pieces are in place, a snag holds you up. Be prepared for set backs!

I finally had the money to begin my process for formatting the book and getting the cover design for both e-book and paperback done by this really reputable company. I’d filled out all the required information and believed that by having my completed manuscript, having my title page, dedication page, and acknowledgements all ready to go, that all I had to do was upload this to them and they would handle the rest.

Here’s what I wasn’t ready for. Even though I paid for my copyright back in June, it’s still not ready. I don’t have it yet. When I upload my manuscript the company NEEDS my copyright page in order to format the book. I also found out it could take anywhere from one to four months to get it. Four months? That cannot happen! UGH! It’s already been six weeks so I’m hopeful to hear from them any day.

I went to Mendocino for my annual writing trip and continued creating my second novel because I thought I had everything I needed done for AFTER THE FIRE. In fact I had, but I really wish now I’d gotten my copyright done a few months before I did. Since at the time of my trip, I was unaware I’d kind of screwed myself, I wasn’t fretting about the situation so I really got into a groove of writing bliss. I suppose it was for the best I only just found out since there’s nothing to be done about it now anyway but wait.

At least the design team can still get the cover done for me. I am anxiously waiting to see the two designs they come up with and I am to choose one to work with that they will continue to edit until I am completely satisfied. This creative aspect of marketing excites me. They have designed tons of very beautiful and professional book covers so I’ve no doubt I’ll be pleased. Still the waiting is keeping me on pins and needles with anticipation.

As soon as I get a fully edited copy of my book’s cover I will share it with you all so you will know what to look out for when my book hits the shelves and Kindle Direct Publishing. I appreciate any and all support you’ve shown for my endeavor. If you’d like to help me create a buzz, you can share this post with all your friends on social media, and use the hashtag #AFTERTHEFIRE.

Thank you all so much for the interest you’ve taken in me and my book. I’ll keep you posted.