Reflections on 2019

So… this post was supposed to be up on Whiskers on Kittens on Friday, the 10th of January, however, the unexpectedly early arrival of our little bundle of squirmy, wiggly joy threw that plan clean out the window. However, as the post was written and just needed to be laid out on the blog, I’m going to post this anyway. It’s a bit of a walk down 2019 Memory Lane, but I hope you enjoy it:

If I’m honest, this post should have come at the end of last year and not the start of the new year. However, with so many changes happening in our home, I dropped the ball. And speaking of balls dropping and new years, I don’t see why we can’t begin 2020 by taking a look at the much loved posts here at Whiskers on Kittens from 2019.

The plans of mice and men so often go awry, and that’s sort of what happened here at Whiskers on Kittens for me this year. I had a schedule laid out for the year and every intention to stick to it, but then a little someone burgeoned and those plans needed to be changed for this mama-to-be’s physical and mental health.

However, though there were things that had to be put off or abandoned altogether, looking back over the posts from this year, I’m still very proud of what Whiskers and you, dear readers, were able to accomplish.

Giveaways

This year I intended to host four giveaways- one for each season of the year. However, I was only able to accomplish two of them. But, while it was only half the goal, those giveaways were a great success.

FEARLESS: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team Six Operator Adam Brown came to me highly recommended. Though I’m not ordinarily a person who reads biographies, I got myself a copy of this book and dived in. However, I did not anticipate how much Adam Brown’s story would affect me. Brown is an inspiration to live a life that is fearless. Regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles and troubles that he faced in his life, he faced them fearlessly and succeeded in accomplishing things that many people could not even imagine doing. As I believe in paying it forward, the first giveaway at Whiskers on Kittens for 2019 was Eric Blehm’s book FEARLESS. If you missed this giveaway, then click on the picture above and read the reasons why I think this book is such a worthy read. Then you can head to you local bookstore or library and get yourself your own copy. It’s well worth it, I promise, particularly to start your year out.

Deanna Raybourn has been on of my favorite Victorian mystery writers since I read the first line of her first book (see post here). And while her first sleuthing team- Lady Julia Gray and Nicolas Brisbane- is wonderful, I think Raybourn takes sleuthing pairs to a whole new level in her Veronica Speedwell series. That being said, I was so excited to host a giveaway for the fourth book in the Veronica Speedwell series, A Dangerous Collaboration. Deanna Raybourn was even gracious enough to sign the giveaway copy, too. The giveaway was a massive success. However, if you missed this one, or if you’re on the lookout for a great Victorian murder mystery series, click the picture above and explore all the reasons why I love this series and why you will, too.

Writing

Again, and I might repeat this more than once throughout this post, I did not get all the writing done that I wanted to do this year. I did, however, accomplish the task of finishing my Draft 4 edit on my book, I’m Glad There is You. While it hasn’t been sent out to agents or publishers yet, having the fourth draft completed is still a HUGE step in the right direction. One of the ways I kept myself motivated throughout the process of editing and re-drafting and whatnot was by looking to the words of men and women who have been right where I am now. Musing over those words produced a series of Lines to Love posts highlighting the advice, humor, and wisdom of authors about their craft.

How’s that for a salacious title? What dirty four letter word could I possibly be talking about? Well, when it comes to dirty four letter words where writers are concerned, there’s no word that’s dirtier than the word EDIT. Don’t just take my word for it. This post contains a bevy of quotes from published and renowned authors who have all probably uttered four letter words while doing this four letter word.

This is perhaps my favorite Lines to Love in the writing series I did this year. Why? Because I really enjoyed the encouragement that these well-known authors gave from their own experience. So, if you’re looking to start something- it doesn’t have to be a book, just a project you really want to do but keep putting off due to fear- then check out this post. You will finish it encouraged in your spirit.

You’ve heard NIKE’s slogan- JUST DO IT. Well, this post is like that, only with out the sneakers. It’s a kick in the butt of encouragement to JUST WRITE. Sometimes writers- who love to write, who need to write- don’t like to write. There’s a host of reason for that, but at the end of the day, this post will act as the catalyst to do what you were born to do: JUST WRITE.

Published authors have been through the trial by fire. They know what it takes to make their manuscript the best it can be. They’ve done it. And they know what they did that they wished they hadn’t and what they did that turned out to be a massive success. So, if you’re looking to hone your skill, the advice from authors in this Lines to Love post will help you out.

Short Stories

This year I published two short stories on Whiskers on Kittens. They are wildly difference from each other. One is a humorous piece, the other a trifle more on the serious side.

Half-Baked is a short story that seemed to develop out of nowhere. The heroine, Agnes, is someone I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know throughout the writing process. She’s self-possessed and independent. But, she’s feeling a little in over her head as she preparing a grand birthday party for her grandmother. Thankfully her dearest friend, Lincoln, shows up just in time to calm her down. Or does he? For a little humor and fun, check out Half-Baked by clicking on the picture above.

For something completely different, I offer you this little vignette. I really love this short story because I completely understand the heroine, Lilya. When the story opens, she’s at the end of her rope. Recently she’s lost one of her dearest friends, and now she’s having to watch this friend’s family descend and desecrate everything that she had held dear during her life. For something subtle and poignant, check out The Last Rose of Summer.

In Memoriam

It’s never easy to say goodbye, especially to someone who has had an impact on you. That’s how I felt with Doris Day passed away this spring. I couldn’t just write one post for a woman whose life had left such a mark on me. So, I wrote three.

Doris Day was an absolute favorite of mine as a child, and my admiration for her body of work has only grown the older I’ve gotten. While many people think of her as a happy-g-lucky gal full of peaches and cream and sunshine and flowers, she was actually a woman of deep complexity. In Thanks for the Memories, Doris, I talk a little about her life and the hardships she endured that forged a woman of supreme conviction and strength. In Films to Love: The Drama of Doris Day, I explore the more serious roles she took in her lifetime. These movies prove that Doris Day was not some little lightweight, but a woman who can take on meaty, nitty-gritty roles with aplomb. In Films to Love: The Joys of Doris Day, I share my favorite lighthearted musicals and comedies that she did. Perhaps she’s known for these best, but I don’t care. They’re fabulous and you should check them out.

A Little Life Inspiration

While I try to focus most of my posts on books, films, music, and the like, there’s usually a post or two per month that centers around life. These posts, oddly enough, tend to become my favorites.

I’m not sure there’s a word for this, but I’m a bit of a fanatic about herbs and spices when I’m cooking. I have a rather capacious and well stocked spice cabinet. However, the most important spice you need to ensure that your food is well seasoned is salt. We need salt in our life. This post give three words of wisdom that I consider to be the salt of life.

In consistency there is true power. If you want to see a change in your life, you need to make a change. It’s that simple. However, making the change isn’t enough. You need to also remained disciplined in apply that change. If you don’t stay disciplined, you’ll probably fail. This post explores why discipline is so important.

Community is so important for our health. If you’ve read anything about the Blue Zones of the world, then you’ll know that one of the most prominent contributing factors to a long, healthy life is a strong sense of community. This article discusses why you need to make sure you’re cultivating a community around yourself.

You’ve heard the saying, shoot for the moon, for if you miss, you’ll at least land among the stars. Well, that’s what this post is about, in essence. We may not always attain perfection, though we chase it. However, we should continue to chase perfection because at the least we’ll achieve excellence. This is a very encouraging post and one of my favorites.

A Few of My Favorite Things

And, on the note of posts that have become my favorites, in 2019 we introduced a new section to Whiskers on Kittens- A Few of My Favorite Things. And, as luck would have it, these posts have become a few of your favorites, too.

While I love all things reading, writing, and literary related, I also happen to enjoy spending a great amount of time in the kitchen. One thing in particular that I love to do is bake bread. In this article, I share with you my favorite bread recipe as well as links to other blogs where you’ll find excellent and surprisingly easy bread recipes.

How about a little history mixed with some delicious family recipes? That’s what’s in store in this post. I share two family recipes for cranberry relishes and chutneys. One is my Nana’s orange cranberry relish. The other is my own apricot cranberry chutney. And, you’ll also learn some fascinating history about why cranberry sauce is considered a Thanksgiving staple.

In keeping with what Decemeber 2019’s theme was of Tuning Out the Noise and Turning Up the Quiet, I did this post about how taking a bath can be one of the best self-care things you can do for yourself. I share my detox bath recipe here, too, as well as how you can transform you bathroom into a mini-spa so that when you’re done with your bath and crawling between your sheets, you’ll know you’ve done something really good for you body, soul, and spirit.

And now, dear readers, I’d love to hear your input. What posts from last year were ones that stood out to you? What ones were your favorites? Were there any posts you’d like to see more like? Please, leave me a message in the comments section below.