My daughter and a friend recently had a debate regarding what college is supposed to be about. My daughter is loving her college experience - studying topics she's always wanted to learn and challenging herself to achieve more than she ever imagined. Her friend is also enjoying her college experience - attending sports games, playing on intramural teams and experiencing social life to its fullest. They tried to convince the other person that their college experience was what college was all about and that the other person should be more like her.

​I, personally, think they are both right. I believe there is a balancing act to higher education, learning a skill or trade to prepare you for a career and meeting new people from all walks of life and experiencing new things. However, I also believe they are correct in how they are tackling college. My daughter is a serious student who takes pride and joy in her academic accomplishments. Her friend is a social butterfly who makes friends easily. Their approach to college matches who they truly are.

​As I listened to this debate and the arguments each shared, I thought about my own personal journey. Some of my proudest moments have been when I stepped outside my comfort zone and tried something new (or something I was afraid to do). Still, other moments of joy in my life stemmed from following my heart and being brutally honest with myself about my skills and natural tendencies.

To get the best of both worlds, I need to recognize my strengths and continue building on them, as well as stepping out and trying new things.  I've grown so much over my the past few years, and my writing journey has contributed greatly to that growth. In addition to all the stories I've promised you, I'm considering other adventures to add to the mix. For example - Twitter!

I share all of this to say -- find your balance, choose the path that feeds your natural strengths, but don't be afraid to also tackle those things which challenge you. Best of luck to you in your own adventures, and I hope 2018 is quickly becoming one of your best years!

Don't be jealous. Not everyone can be serenaded with Olivia Newton-John songs on the train.

One afternoon, it was really crowded on the train home. My stop was at the end of the line, which meant I might have to stand for forty minutes until it was my turn to leave. Instead, someone got up and let me have her seat because she was getting off at the next stop. I was really grateful and sat down next to a man who looked to be in his 40's. He introduced himself as Chris, and our conversation went like this:

​Chris: I'm going home.
Me: That's good.
Chris: Yeah, I've been in the hospital. I had a brain injury.
​Me: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
​I opened my book and tried to read.
​Chris: I'm a singer.
Me: Oh, that's nice.
Chris: My band is in Florida.
​I just smiled and tried to read my book.
​Chris: I couldn't go with them. I was in the hospital.
​I nodded and kept reading.
Chris: I had a brain injury, so I couldn't go to Florida with my band.
​I didn't respond. I was beginning to believe he had a brain injury since he was repeating himself.
Chris: Do you see that man over there?
​I looked up and saw an elderly man watching us. He was tall and frail-looking, and he smiled at me when I made eye contact with him.
Chris: That's my bodyguard. He's making sure I get home safe.
​Me: That's nice.
​Chris: You know, if you were my woman, he'd be your bodyguard, too.
​Oh, no. I realized too late that the guy was crazy. I read my book and tried to ignore him. I didn't want to be rude, and the train was too crowded for me to change seats, so I sat there and tried to limit my contact with Chris. He wasn't done, though.
​Chris: My band is in Florida.
​I didn't respond.
​Chris: I couldn't go with them because I had a head injury. John is helping me get home from the hospital. He's my bodyguard.
​I glanced at the elderly man, and he smiled at me. So, I assumed John really was escorting Chris home.
​Chris: If you were my woman, I'd say, "John, take care of her," and he would.
​John smiled at me again, and I tried to read my book and ignore Chris.
​Chris: Do you like The Eagles?
​Me: They're OK.
​Chris: What? Everyone loves The Eagles. You don't like The Eagles? What about Olivia Newton-John? Everyone loves her.
​Then Chris began to sing Let Me Be There - loudly. I was grateful he chose that one and not Physical!
​The train stopped, one stop before mine, and John said, "Come on, Chris, this is our stop."
​Chris told me goodbye and got off the train. I was even more grateful we didn't have the same stop!
​After Chris was gone, a lady across the aisle said, "You'll be careful who you sit next to from now on, won't you?"
​I smiled at the lady - if she only knew. I was a magnet for train adventures, and I knew Chris wouldn't be my last one.

You've written a book you're proud of. You know what your goals are and have a realistic expectation of the money you're going to make. Now what?

​If you're looking for a traditional publisher or an agent, then it's time to write a query letter and synopsis, and I'll give you some tips in my next Write Advice post. While it's important to understand cover art for your book. Your publisher has the final say in what the book looks like.

​For my self-publishing friends, you need to focus on your cover art. (For those looking for a vanity publisher, read their terms to determine if they are creating the cover art or if you need to supply it.)

​How important is cover art? More than you can imagine!

Most readers will try new authors based on catchy book titles and cover art. I love light-hearted, funny stories, so I'm on the look-out for covers that make me smile. If the cover has a lot of dark colors or is monotone, then it's probably a drama that's going to make me cry. I don't go any further to see what's inside - even though it's probably a great story - because I assume it's not what I'm looking for.

When I created the covers for Wished and Denied, I used messed-up cupcakes for several different reasons, the top two being, the stories revolve around birthday wishes, and the results of those wishes are unexpected (and a little messy). Most importantly, though, I used those pictures because I thought they were fun, and I wanted my stories to have a fun tone.

So, if you are self-publishing, you need to either create the cover art yourself or have someone else do it. For my novel-length stories (Wished, Denied, Granted, Just Another Stupid Boy), I've created the cover art myself. I love doing it, and since I'm charging more for those books, then it's worth the hours I spend creating and editing the covers. For my shorter stories (A Boy Named series) I hired a freelancer from Fiverr. For $5 a cover, I had a professional create a cohesive look for the series while I focused on my writing.

​Regardless of whether you create the title yourself or hire someone to do it for you, make sure your cover is eye-catching and gives your readers a clue into what they're buying. A great cover can make all the difference when you're building your reader base.

You hear the phrase every January - New Year, New You. People use it to motivate themselves on how the new year is going to be different -- better -- than the previous one. For some people, that means losing weight or getting healthier. For some, it means a new look or new style. And others, it means a new attitude or a new behavior.

​For me, I'm going to make more of an effort to connect with the people I love. My grandmother passed away in 2017, and it made me realize how far I had drifted from some of my family. Not from any family rift or feud, simply because I had lived my life while they lived theirs. I am going to make more of an effort to connect with them and keep in touch (Thank goodness social media makes that easier than ever before!)

​Of course, my New Year's Resolutions including getting healthier and trying a new style, but the one dearest to my heart is staying connected with friends and family.

What about you? What "new you" are you working on for the new year?