This & That, Maggie Shayne

I'm having a great week, I really am. My son in law came home from Afghanistan on Friday, and is finally back with his family where he belongs, safe and sound. I didn't realize how powerful the relief was until the wee hours of the morning, when, having fallen asleep on the sofa with the TV on (as I often do) I heard the words "A blackhawk helicopter has been shot down...."

As has become my custom, I snapped instantly awake, sat up fast, grabbed the remote without even looking for it, and thumbed up the volume. And then it hit me, Ben is home. I don't have to wonder if he's okay every time there's a casualty reported on the news. I wish every family had that luxury right now.

So that was a Very Good Thing. And there have been others. The big one, being that I finished the book, a couple of days ahead of schedule, and sent it out to my editor and agent, and my agent read it and absolutely raved about it. (Shameless plug alert: the book is DEMON'S KISS, it's the next in the vampire series, and it goes on sale in December 07.) She really, really loved it, and for all the same reasons I loved it. Now for a long time I kind of took that sort of reaction for granted. But in the past two years, I've really been struggling. The last book I turned in had to be completely rewritten. Twice. Or more. Life went haywire for me and it showed up in my work. I was a mess. I started this book when I moved into this house. It took me four months. My writing pace has been increasing steadily during that time, and the creative fire burned hotter day by day, until I began to feel like I was back to the level I'd been at before life turned upside down. And then I began to feel like I was soaring past that level, to entirely new heights. It's such a relief. But it was even more so when my gut feelings were confirmed by my agent's glowing praise. I needed that to be absolutely sure I wasn't engaging in a case of wishful thinking.

I'm going to show you the mock up of the cover, but it's not final yet and you never know how drastic the changes might be.


A lot of other good things happened in the past week. I was watching the Oprah episode on THE SECRET (you can view it at www.inspired2action.com/Oprah_Winfrey_Show_The_Secret.html or just click on the link in the title of this piece) and wondering where all the copies of THE SECRET DVD were (I had ordered five), when the mailman came to the door with them. I mailed them off to my five daughters immediately.

And more good things. I was wishing for a means to get the snow shoveled off my roof when the phone rang with a cherished friend telling me of someone who could do it that very day. And it got done. And it was a good thing. I wouldn't have even thought of having it done, but it seemed for two days that every time I turned on the TV there was a story of someone's roof collapsing, and then just when I decided it was a message and that I'd better get up there and clear mine off, the news anchor said, "And whatever you do, do NOT go up onto your roof alone. NEVER go up onto your roof unless there's someone else on hand, just in case." Well, the timing wouldn't let me ignore that warning. And just when I decided to hire someone to do it, that phone call came.

Oh, yes, there's more. More good stuff. I was saying I really needed my next check to come in about two months sooner than it really, possibly could, and then I got an email from my editor letting me know that was exactly what was going to happen.

I was wishing for some overdue contracts to arrive, and they did.

I wishing for a new exercise routine to pump me up until I can get outside and run again, and I lo and behold, an infomercial popped on the tube advertising the newest from www.Beachbody.com. I've bought DVDs from them before and they're always the best I've ever had. So I didn't hesitate to order "Hip Hop Abs" and I do not regret it. What a fun, challenging, killer workout! (My other fave from them is Slim in Six, in case you're looking.)

It's all been good. And it's not just wishing for things that brings them about, it's wishing for them and then expecting them to happen. What you expect to happen tends to happen. So try expecting the best instead of fearing the worst, and you'll tend to attract really excellent things and people into your life.

I'm expecting to have a really excellent week next week too. Here's a game to try, just so you can see for yourself that it works. Write down some really positive intentions for the coming week. What are the things you want to happen? Write them down and expect them to come about. Once you've written it, nod your head firmly with an attitude of, well that's done. Don't doubt that they will come to you. Doubt puts up roadblocks that keeps the goals away.

Here are some of mine:
In the coming week I will finish the novella I'm working on, "Melting Frosty" for Berkely's AN ENCHANTED HOLIDAY collection.
I will finish reading the books for the contest I'm judging, well ahead of the deadline.
I will paint my upstairs hallway, and stain and hang the trim.
I will exercise and eat healthy every single day.
I will remove the snow from the back deck.
I will drink a ton of water.
I will feel good and happy and enjoy being alive.
I'll play with my dogs.
I'll blast music and dance around my living room at least once a day.
I'll get outside every day that it's over 30 degrees.
I'll order five more copies of THE SECRET to give away.

There. Now, what are some of YOUR goals for the week? Expect them to be done and they will be.

And really, go to the website and watch the Oprah episode, if you missed it when it aired. And if that gets your interest, then go order THE SECRET and view it for yourself. And if that makes sense to you, then go to www.effortlesshealing.com and do the Destination Transformation program, free. You can thank me later. =)

Until next time,
Maggie