My book, A Star Rises in Persia, is now available at Amazon.com, and it was an exciting moment when I received notice of my first sale. I feel as if I'm playing with the big kids now!

Summer is here and I've been enjoying taking off some time from work to enjoy the New Jersey shore. Sometime soon I plan to take a personal retreat where I can be alone to think, meditate, read scripture and pray. With the hectic pace of the last several months, I feel I've lost my center and it's time to come back.

Last night I participated in a teleseminar with authors Randy Ingermanson and Allison Bottke on the topic of "Branding." If I'm smart and follow through on their advice, I need to focus on a particular aspect of who I am as a writer. I admit that I've been "all over the map," if you'll excuse the cliche, with projects on historical fiction, single mom stories, contemporary teen fiction, poetry, and whatever else has come to my keyboard. I absolutely agree with Randy & Allison when it comes to making my writing hobby into a business, especially since at some point in my ever-increasingly rapid rate of aging I no longer have as much time as I once did. (Have I just admitted that I'm aging? Actually, a friend recently said to me, "You're getting old." Like I needed a reminder!)

You see, even in a blog I have trouble getting focused as I follow any rabbit trail my wandering mind takes me down. Perhaps during my retreat I'll have some success with coming back to center. If that happens, I'll let you know what decisions I've made. Until then...