Google Friend Connect

We’re nearing the end of the month—but we still have points up for grabs! Next Tuesday is the last day of my BeachFest Birthday Bash, and the first day of the Character Blog Tour—from one exciting activity to the next!

If you don’t follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you can still earn up to 10 points by doing so and leaving a comment here.

GOOD NEWS! I have added the Google Friend Connect gadget to my website! You can earn 15 points by heading over to my new blog/website to follow me there (as Faith, Hope, and Suspense will be closing)—www.raleneburke.com The Character Blog Tour will take place completely over there.

Short post today as I have lots going on and trying to organize through it, but will be back on Thursday with my normal, witty posts. Until then, enjoy Hump Day and I’ll see you on the flipside! Remember, the weekend is almost here!

Perseverance--American Idol Style

Perseverance American Idol Style

I have a confession to make. I love American Idol!

It’s funny because the first couple of seasons, I didn’t care to watch it. Then I caught a couple of episodes when some network moved my typical TV show to another night/time. After that, it was all downhill—I was hooked.

Every year, along with millions of others, I choose my favorites early on and cheer them on (until they are voted off). Still one of my favorites typically ends up in the final 3. This year is no different. Scotty and Lauren were favorites from the start. I just love their obvious charm and their vocals are stellar for their age.

This week, as you all are probably aware, American Idol hosts their Season 10 Finale at the Nokia Theatre. As I look back on the last several weeks, I’m reminded of all that these people have been through, which, in turn, reminds me of all I’ve been through.

The American Idol journey is quite similar to the writer’s journey. While I can go through and make comparisons of each step of the Idol and writer’s journeys, I’ll refrain to keep this post within an acceptable limit. Yes, you can thank me later—when that post really does show up.

Anyway, one thing that I notice that both an American Idol and a writer have to have is PERSEVERANCE.

Dictionary.com describes perseverance as a “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” Sound familiar? Here we are on this course (insert chosen passion) where we still face the everyday. Families, work, obligations—the list goes on.

When you want something so much, be it singing, writing, an education, there are always things that stand in your way. It’s how you handle those situations that gage not only your character, but your dedication to that which really matters to you.

So, you tell me: Who are you cheering for on American Idol? Who do you think is going to win?

ProACTIVE in 4 Steps!

Last week, my husband and I faced some possibilities that really brought our whole lifestyle into question. Due to some issues (mostly health related), my husband may not be in the military for more than 2-3 years—a lot of things up in the air with this.

These developments called to the forefront one of the main aspects that God charged us with in life—taking care of our family. If my husband were to get out (especially before he finishes his degree), depending on how things play out, we could be in some serious trouble financially.

Now, I’m not asking for prayers on this, I’m merely sharing a bit of my life to illustrate the point of this blog post.

My husband and I could sit around on our laurels, waiting to see what happens, but that would do nothing but cause us more worry and grief…and increase the number of gray hairs on our heads exponentially! Instead, after a day of venting and complaining, we got proactive. The military wife’s motto is: prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I’m not sure it has any Biblical basis, but I will say that it is a good motto anyway. God charges us to be good stewards of everything entrusted to us (see, I knew I could make a link between the two!), and it’s our responsibility to do what we can.

FOUR STEPS TO PROACTIVE!

1. Brainstorm! The next step for us was go over our budget to determine the best ways to stretch our dollar, see how much we could get into savings. Living in Hawaii is not cheap! There’s a reason that they give soldiers a cost of living allowance—so far I haven’t been able to save much. So, hubby and I sat down and discussed what could be done.
2. Research! Once we had a list of ideas, I jumped on the computer and did some research. One way we decided to pursue was to cut our monthly grocery bill in half. Right now, we’re spending about $800/month for groceries and eating out. As I’ve seen Extreme Couponing more in the last week than ever before, I see the value in taking some time to clip coupons. While I don’t think I would ever be as diligent as the people on the shows, I can afford a few hours a week to ensure we keep our bill within our budget.
3. Plan! Now that I’ve taken our brainstorming to the next level with the research, I formed a plan of action. In the couponing aspect, I created a price/coupon binder. I also signed up for several coupon sites and “liked” many of my favorite companies on Facebook.
4. Action! Once I have a plan in place, all that’s left is to DO whatever it is that needs to be done. With coupons, this means keeping up with circulars, printing coupons off the web, sorting/storing coupons, and making more precise grocery lists.

As early as my next shopping trip, I should be seeing the fruits of my labor. I don’t expect to get $600 worth of groceries for $1.50 (and I think I’d feel kind of bad if I did), but a little bit can go a long ways!

These steps can apply to just about any circumstance—not just money. Too often, we sit back and let life happen to us, without putting ourselves out there. We complain. We moan. We bury ourselves under blankets and pillows or social media or food (I’m guilty, guilty, guilty) instead of facing our problems head on.

What gets accomplished then?

Nothing.

What do we have to show for all the pouting?

Nothing.

What do we get out of it?

More pain. More frustration. More avoidance.

So get up, get pumped, and get proactive!

Is there anything that you could be more proactive about in your life?

ASK ME Revealed! (Winners, Too!)

I believe that the best way for writers to reach their audience is to be open to vulnerability and the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and all that jazz. So, when I blog, I try to be honest--I don't put on a show if I'm having a bad day, I don't pretend that I agree with everyone, and I don't make excuses for who I am or what I believe.

It is under that statement of connection, that I opened my blog up for questions from followers on Tuesday. In addition to the fun of birthday week, it is a chance for people to get to know me a little bit better.

So, without further ado--here we go!

Aurie asks: What is your favorite state?

As most of you know, I was a military brat who married into the military, so we know that I've been all over. I think my favorite state is Virginia. I love the mountains in the summer and fall, and there is so much to see and do. Plus, my family is there!


Wendy asks: What's one, silly, non-writing talent you'd like to have. (i.e. Being able to stand on your head and drink and entire gallon of milk before you fall over.)

Oh, goodness--can I have that one? I'd be the life of the party! If I knew I wouldn't break anything, I'd love to be able to break dance. I've always found it completely fascinating. Or pop-n-lock. I know, I'm such a nerd!

Sarah asks: What curriculum or curriculums are you currently using? And how does writing fit around schooling?

Alana and Kyra are starting Kindergarten this year. I have most of their curriculum planned out--okay, not planned out, but chosen. Math-U-See Primer for Math, All About Spelling Level 1 for Phonics/Spelling, Etiquette Factory to learn proper manners, ABC Bible Verses for Bible memorization, and Lesson Pathways for Science/Social Studies when the kids are anxious for more! Throw in some arts and crafts, some life skills...and you'll have our homeschool in a nutshell. Oh, and I am big on the Charlotte Mason style of learning.

Writing happens mostly at night from seven on--something my husband and I agreed upon. Blogs/emails/social media happens mostly from 6-8 in the morning, homeschool from 9-11ish, Reviews/Blog writing/articles/etc from 1-3 (during rest/reading time), and then working on my novels happens after 7. I grab what I can get!

Annie asks: What do you like the most about yourself? And what quality do you seek above all else in others?

LOL! We all know how insecure I can be! So to be a little corny, the thing I like most about myself is that I am beloved by Christ. I may not see myself as anyone worth much of anything, but Jesus loves me, cherishes me--who could ask for more?

In others, I value honesty and compassion above everything else.


WINNERS!

Congrats to Wendy! She won C.J. Darlington's Thicker Than Blood from Monday's post!

Congrats to Annie! She won John B. Olson's Shade from Tuesday's post!

The score for the Grand Prize Giveaway is:

Sarah: 60

Annie: 22

Aurie: 30

Wendy: 16

Don't worry! There will be several chances for points next week! Don't forget, if you go follow my new blog/website: www.raleneburke.com, then you'll get 15 more points! Hurry, there's still time to catch up!

Ralene's BeachFest Trivia Question:

Where did I attend college (even though I never graduated)?

This Blog is Moving...

I've finally decided to take the advice of so many wise people in the publishing business. I've read it time and again, but I kept putting it off. Finally, though, after some reflection on the next steps I need to take, I made the tough decision.

I'm moving my blog.

I've had a blog here on Blogger for some time. I haven't ever been able to successfully connect it to my website, though, which has also kind of pushed me to ignoring my website, and in turn, I've been wasting money with it just "sitting" there. So...

I've completely revamped my website so that it runs through WordPress. I can host my blog and my website in the same place! So, now comes the arduous process of directing you all, my favorite readers, to my new place. I figured, what better incentive than to start when we have an ongoing contest!

Whoever goes and follows my new website/blog during the month of May will earn 15 points toward the grand prize. PLUS, I will be drawing from those people for a $20 gift card to Amazon. Sounds great, right?

I'll maintain this blog for awhile. I'll be "double" posting through the end of May. Then I'll move to posting reminders on here starting in June. At the end of June, I'll quit posting on here completely. This means, though, that the whole Character Blog Tour will be hosted on the new website--so hurry over so you can join in the fun!

But, Ralene, where do we go?

GOOD QUESTION!

www.raleneburke.com

Once there, up in the top, left corner is an RSS feed button. Click on there to follow my blog! Then leave a comment here, so I can credit you with the points and enter you into the drawing.

Guess what? TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY! YAY!

I'll be answering all the questions from Tuesday and sharing the other winners and updated scores!

God bless!

Don't forget...

www.raleneburke.com

Ask Me

Ralene's BeachFest Challenge:

ASK ME!

Okay, as you all know, over the summer I'm hosting a Character Tour right here on my blog. There is an awesome line up of authors from all genres! I am so excited to have everyone join in to make this tour a huge success--and even more, to show these writers the support they deserve!

On top of that, this week is my birthday AND the beginning of the last part of the month--so the amazing prize package is still up for grabs! The score right now?

Sarah: 30

Wendy: 6

Annie: 2

Now, I know Sarah looks like she's WAY ahead, but we have some MAJOR points available over the next two weeks, starting with todays challenge. There are THREE ways to earn points.

1. Ask me a question! Leave an appropriate question in the comments and you earn 5 points, easy-peasy.

2. Refer your friends! Use your email, blog, Twitter, Facebook--whatever to persuade your friends to visit my blog. Have them leave a comment (or a question!), along with YOUR name, and you earn 10 points per person who drops your name. Oooo... I know, right?

3. Go follow me on Twitter or Facebook to earn 5 points a piece! (You have to leave me a comment to let me know you did). And b/c I love you all, if you already do both, then you automatically get 10 points...you just need to remind me that you are.

To top it all off...if I reach 100 followers before the end of the month, I'll award 2 people 30 points a piece...if it happens before the end of the week, I'll choose 4 (at random)!

In case you missed the post about Ralene's BeachFest prizes, here's a reminder:

Grand Prize: A homemade basket filled with goodies! These baskets are made by my parents, they sell them at various craft shows around the country. You can check them out at Heartworks Crafts. The goodies include a combination of yummy goodies, reading goodies, paper goodies, and whatever other goodies I get excited about. :)

1st Prize: $20 Gift Card to Amazon

2nd Prize: $10 Gift Card to Amazon

Doesn't that all sound like a lot of fun? I'm excited to see what questions you all come up with for me! I'll be answering the questions in Thursday's post, so be sure to stop by again!

MORE FUN:

I'll draw a random commenter from today for John B. Olson's SHADE.

Mid-May 3in30

So...it's mid-month, how are you doing with your goals?

The month of May is just getting away from me! It's been crazy trying to keep up with everything. Doctor appointments ruled the first two weeks. Between myself, my husband, and our son, someone was at the doctor just about every day during the work week. Whew! That can be exhausting!

What did all this craziness mean when it came to my goals? Well, it meant I did not accomplish as much as I had hoped.

1. Reducing the amount of Diet Coke I drink: The first week, this was actually going pretty well. I was alternating soda and water throughout the day. This kept me down to about 3-4 sodas, which was a start! However, when week number two rolled around and life wasn't settling down, my will power gave way-esp when in line at the McDonald's drive-thru.

2. I have actually made quite a bit of progress on the line edits for Dividing Spirits. I'm about 1/3 of the way through, and anticipate finishing well before the end of the month. Yay! On the downside, I did find out on Friday that Dividing Spirits did not final in the ACFW Genesis contest. I moped around Friday, but pulled myself together on Saturday and dove back in!

3. Exercising: ugh. This is one that I keep meaning to do, but can't seem to work it into my schedule. About the only time that I can see a possibility of fitting it in is from 3:30-4:30 in the afternoon, which just seems like a strange time to try to squeeze in a sweaty workout that requires a shower. Anyone else want to weigh in on that conundrum? On the up side, though, I have been "moving" more. I've cut my computer time during day, and have been playing with the kids, cleaning, etc. Things that require me to get up/out and move!

The nice thing about a mid-month check up is that it gives you time to evaluate and refocus. I still think my goals are attainable, I just need to buckle down and work hard!

What are you looking forward to in the latter part of this month?


Ralene's BeachFest Trivia Questions: (Points are doubled this week!)

What was my dad's profession growing up?

What does my husband do?

What is the name of my current work-in-progress?

MORE FUN:

I will draw a random commenter from today to win C.J. Darlington's Thicker than Blood.