I'm getting back on my regular blogging schedule, though I'll be talking about writing some too. Today's "make a difference monday" is a PSA about establishing a good working relationship with your vet before something goes wrong. Don't worry all my fur-kids are healthy, but it's something to think about, and it's been on my mind lately.

With a diabetic kitty, a hyperthyroid kitty, a kitten, (plus three other healthy cats), and a horse, it's very important to maintain communication with my vet now. That way, if something does happen (such as Nermal getting a kitty cold), then we know what's normal for him and can get him treated (he's just fine now!).

So if you pet hasn't been in to the vet for annual vaccines or a wellness exam, now is the time to do it. For horse owners, they say measure TPR (temp, pulse rate, respiration) is very important so you know when those spring bugs attack what your horse's usual range is. Is it a fever? Or does your horse normally run a degree or two higher than normal?

Our pets can't tell us when something isn't right. It's our job to monitor them and know what's been happening. Wellness exams are part of that, and if something goes wrong, your vet, and your pet, will thank you.

Posted by Mary Winter :: 8:14 AM :: 0 comments

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008 A Series of Writing Posts - Smell Your Creativity

I talk a lot about using incense or music to set the mood. But have you thought about essential oils? I love aromatherapy. A bit of tea tree and lavender oil diffused into a room does wonders for my sinuses. And there are two blends of oils that I especially like when I need a creative lift.

Peace & Calming - This oil blend makes me feel like I've taken a big sigh of relief. Drawing the citrus blend aroma into my environment just makes me feel like all my cares have gone away. This oil blend has tangerine, orange, ylang ylang, patchouli, and blue tansy in it. I love patchouli, and the light floral ylang ylang is like a fresh spring day. When I'm feeling stressed or just need to relax a bit, this is the scent I reach for.

Clarity - Like espresso for your mind, but without the caffiene or the calories. A sharp blend of scents (but not unpleasant), this essential oil has basil, cardamom, rosemary, peppermint, rosewood, geranium, lemon, palmerosa, ylang ylang, bergamont, roman chammomile, and jasmine oils mixed in it. Since the peppermint also helps my allergies, it's like a one-two punch. Just a hint, and I'm awake and ready to work.

Both these oils are made by Young Living and both are available through my store.

Why am I mentioning essential oils. For one reason or another maybe people don't like to use incense. Smoke can irritate allergies. Plus, essential oils, like the Peace & Calming can be worn diluted in a bit of almond or carrier oil like a perfume. So it's like you're taking your peace with you. For me, part of letting the muse flow is like being in the right frame of mind. Sometimes, I need a little help. So I turn to essential oils and aromatherapy.

Posted by Mary Winter :: 3:38 PM :: 0 comments

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Monday, February 18, 2008 A Series of Writing Posts - Back to the Muse

I'm going to get back to talking about feeding the muse this week. I believe that every author gets burned out at one time or another. That's why it's so important for everyone to feed the muse. My advice today: find something you really like.

For me, it's GI Joes and polar bears. I started my next Live Action Hero novel (the sequel to Mission: Carnal which releases on 02/29) last night. And I don't know where my muse has been but she came out and sang! It was beautiful. I'm also working on plotting my next polar bear book and the muse is there too.

So find a subject that's near and dear to your heart. Do you love Regency England? How about dragons? Or maybe it's vampires? That subject is out there. You might have to write a lot of stories and do a lot of soul searching to find it, but you will!

Then, once you have a subject that sparks the muse, listen to her. Craft your world and your works exactly the way you want to, not the way someone else says to. Read about your chosen subject. Watch videos about it. Soon, I'm sure you'll find it cropping up in places where you least expect it. (Last night's GlobeTrekker was about ecotourism and had one of the hosts going to see polar bears! See, there it was.)

Getting the muse back means luring her back with subjects that make your heart sing. Go find them. And then, write!

Posted by Mary Winter :: 8:34 AM :: 0 comments

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Sunday, February 17, 2008 My newest podcast is available

This month I interview Celia Kyle. We talk about Yetis, writing, promotion, website and graphics work, as well as her company, LS Designs and Authors Pay it Forward. Enjoy!

Of Muse and Men with Mary Winter





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Posted by Mary Winter :: 12:28 PM :: 0 comments

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008 A Series of Writing Posts...take a business class

I'm going to digress from talking about feeding the muse for a moment. Today, I attended a pre-business workshop held by SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives), a non-profit group devoted to helping small businesses. I may be a writer. But I am also a businesswoman. I have to think about all the things that businesses do when it comes to my writing. Capital. Marketing. Business Plans. Law. Taxes. It's all the same stuff, folks.

And the best thing I think any writer can do for him or herself is to attend one of these workshops. There are SCORE chapters across the country. Mine only charged me $30 for the day. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about building a small business--your writing career--and learn how the "pros" do it. From accounting software (I was ahead of the class curve and using QuickBooks, even if it was their Simple Start free version), to how to form your business (yes, you do have to think about liability), to marketing and everything else that goes along with it.

I had a very informative day. I only wish I'd taken this class sooner!

Posted by Mary Winter :: 7:42 PM :: 0 comments

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Monday, February 11, 2008 A Series of Writing Post - More Muse Feeding

Today's blog is going to be about something that I think we all need more of in our lives: laughter. Being trapped, err..closed maybe, in my den for eight hours a day with a 12 week old kitten (who is teething now) has tended to bring a lot of that rare commodity into my life. After all, there's nothing quite like a hyper, gangly little ball of fur to make you smile. I call him my hyper jalapeno, because he reminds me of a mexican jumping bean on speed.

I think with the writing business and the economy the way it is, that it's far too easy to become far too serious. We're concerned about money. We're concerned about finding the right publisher, or a publisher. We want to market and promote. We need to think about the next book and the moves we're going to make two or three books from now. It can get quite taxing (especially this time of year, pardon the way bad pun!).

I think we need more laughter. Whether it's an obsession with GI Joes that borders on unhealthy (haha!), a kitten, or just a good sense of humor, anything that lightens the mood can feed the muse. I know I always feel refreshed and ready to work after spending some time in the barn or with the kitten. Even rearranging my GI Joes on my shelf sparked the muse a bit this weekend.

Smile!

Your muse will thank you!

Posted by Mary Winter :: 9:06 AM :: 0 comments

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Thursday, February 07, 2008 A Series of Writing Posts... On Feeding the Muse

I'm going to switch gears for a bit and talk about feeding the muse. For me, at least, creativity is a fickle thing. (A lot of that has to do with the unmedicated depression, thank you insurance company.) It takes a lot to keep it fueled. Luckily though, it's easy to power-up. I'm getting ready to start my next polar bear book so every snow and every run on a cold, winter's day gets me to thinking about Kjell and the sexy American sniper he's about to encounter.

I'm also a big fan of insense and essential oils. There's one "clarity" that's a pine/spruce scent and it does wonders for "waking" me up and getting the muse to work. Like ice cream for the mind. :) I also love music. Because my day job involves talking on the phones, I can't have music playing all the time. But I adore instrumentals, world music, and "new age" music. All of that really sets the mood. I even have a "polar bear mix" I put together on my ipod when I was writing my first polar bear book, Bjorn's Mate, that's also great for winter runs.

This is a quick post, but here are a few things that help my muse. And I'll expand a bit on these in coming posts.

Posted by Mary Winter :: 4:24 PM :: 0 comments

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Monday, February 04, 2008 A Series of Writing Posts - What's eBay have to do with it?

Ebay recently made some changes to their feedback policy. Soon, seller's won't be able to leave negative feedback for buyers. As someone who sells, and has gotten the occasional nonpaying bidder, I must confess, I was a bit stunned by these changes. How could I warn others about a non-paying bidder? How could I get the word out that this person is a deadbeat?


But then I got to thinking, there is a process in place. Ebay does provide non-paying bidder strikes and does take dicisplinary actions against npb's (as they're called). I just have to trust that the process works.


A similar line of thought happens for book reviews. My mother taught me that if I couldn't say anything nice, then not to say anything at all. And, I've tried to follow that policy when it comes to book reviews. When I read a book it stands, or falls, on its own merits. If I've liked the author before, I may give them the benefit of the doubt, but if a book dissapoints me, it does so because of the content of that book. It just may hurt more if it's an author I've loved in the past. And I still may go on to try the next book.


I suppose ebay's system is like that. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. And though I'm a bit concerned that some will abuse the system, frankly, I also have to trust in the process. And it's trusting in the process that's a large part of writing.

Posted by Mary Winter :: 5:42 PM :: 0 comments

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Sunday, February 03, 2008 Newsletter Posted and New Cover Goodness

The cover gods have been very kind to me this month. Within the sapce of a week or so I received this lucious cover for Cowboy Up, my 04/30 EC release (m/m contemporary) and I also received a cover for my Changeling Press release on 02/29 Mission: Carnal (part of the Live Action Hero series). I am super pleased with both of these covers for my upcoming releases and hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

My February newsletter has also been posted. You can check it out by visiting my website at http://www.marywinter.com/newsletter.htm or by subscribing to my newsletter group by sending a blank email to newsletter-subscribe@marywinter.com or by visiting my newsletter Yahoo group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marywinternews That's a lot of places to find me, but I hope that one of them will work for you. :)

Newsletter subscribers for the month of November are entered into a contest to win a pretty gold and faux crystal heart necklace. It's adorable! I want one for myself. I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, and contest. Happy reading!

Posted by Mary Winter :: 9:02 AM :: 0 comments

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Saturday, February 02, 2008 New Podcast Posted

Of Muse and Men with Mary Winter

Mary Winter...unleash his inner beast!

My new podcast is posted and I've interviewed Rachel Caine. She's the author of the Morganville Vampires Series and the Weather Warden series. We talk about her work, what's up coming, and a bit about the weather.

Enjoy! -- Mary Winter





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Posted by Mary Winter :: 3:44 PM :: 0 comments

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