Jeopardy!!!

Please imagine my excitement when friends in Nebraska let me know Harry's Pottery was a Jeopardy answer. Uh, if in your imagination I was shrieking, you are right! Here it is, in case you missed it! It was a goal I didn't even know I had!  Speaking of missing something, if you haven't checked it out yet, here are Harry's links! Kindle iBooks Kobo Barnes & Noble: And while you're shopping, take a look at July's Chances. It's available for pre-order. A foster-mom, a troubled teen and a man who doesn't know what hit him. Amazon  Barnes and Noble Kobo   Apple Books  I've fired may first couple kilns this summer. I made some lovely plates and of course more face jugs! Oh, and I made some tiles for my new bathroom (after years of an outhouse) at the cottage! There are pics up on FB and Instagram.  I know, you're thinking, now that Holly's made it to Jeopardy she's fancy and needs indoor plumbing. LOL I hope your spring is going wonderfully!! As always, thank you for all your support! Holly

Creating

So, I've been slowed down now for a month and a half. First on crutches and now limping along without crutches but with daily step limits.

So I've binge watched some tv and read almost 3,000 pages of Brian Sanderson's Stormlight Archives.

ANNNNND, I've been creating. I'm back at working on a new book. And I have a new release, Crib Notes! (If you haven't checked it out yet, I hope you will!) Plus, I've done a bunch of painting. And now that I'm getting back in the studio, I'm doing some tile work for the new studio...which now has a name. Holly'sWoods Studio! LOL (I have way too much fun with my life.) To be honest, I can't imagine a life without creating. It gives me glee.

Ray Bradbury said, "In my later years, I have looked in the mirror each day and found a happy person staring back. Occasionally I wonder why I can be so happy. The answer is that every day of my life I've worked only for myself and for the joy that comes from writing and creating. The image in my mirror is not optimistic, but the result of optimal behavior."

Yes. I get what you're saying, Ray. Ultimately every book I write or piece of ceramics I create is for my own glee. But beyond that, especially with my books, there's an element of creating for you, too. Basically, I create for my own enjoyment, then I let it go and give it to you, the reader (well, hopefully you are a reader! LOL). As I read Sanderson's books, I feel as if I'm getting to know a bit about him and his world-view. But I might be totally wrong. What he intended as a writer and what I take away as a reader are two entirely different things. And that's the way it is with creations. We give up all rights to interpreting our creations when we set them free. It's up to each reader or viewer what they take from it.

But I hope as you read my books you find pieces of me in each. Sometimes they're blatant things. For instance, I worked with teen moms for years, which my heroine in Crib Notes does. (I talk about it here.) But sometimes the pieces of myself are less concrete. I hope that tucked up in each creation you can find pieces of my glee, of my wonder, or my optimism.  

Creating.

It's really kept me sane since I've been laid up. 

I hope you have your own creative outlets. Like Ray Bradbury said, I think it leads to a happier life!

Holly

PS Here's some of my creation specials out this month:

OUT NOW: Crib Notes

Amazon

iBooks

Nook

Kobo

Preorder: A Special Kind of Different

Amazon

iBooks

Nook

Kobo

Preorder: Homecoming
Amazon
iBooks
Nook
Kobo

The rest of the Hometown Hearts series will be coming soon.
Suddenly a Father will be out in September of 2020 and
Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Something Perfect in 2021!

ON SALE THIS WEEK at Amazon:

Just One Thing
First Everything But trilogy

My Future Studio

Future Studio

See that picture at the top of the page?  That's the site of our future pole-barn. And you know what'll be in the pole-barn? My future studio!!! My studio be facing the woods and pond. There'll be lots of windows and a big porch out the back.  I soooo can't wait!

It's been a crazy summer so far and craziness appears to be on the calendar for the rest of the summer. So whenever I can, I take a moment to myself. I was out at camp yesterday enjoying the silence. Well, not silence. I heard three cars go by and a lot of birds. But that's about it. That silence is a balm. I didn't talk, didn't turn on music. I just settled in that silence by myself.

I was thinking about silent religious orders and realized I get it. There's a certain appeal to being that quiet. To listening to yourself think.  When things are chaotic here, quiet days like this are a balm and recharge me.

 So today, is going to be another, busy, loud day. But I feel ready to take it on. Although I suspect I'll be ready for another quiet day next week! LOL

My pond.

People tend to move full steam ahead. Jobs. Family. Chores. Sometimes everyone needs to just stop and listen to ourselves think.

I'll keep you posted on the studio. First project is having a road put back to it and leveling out that site (which is currently a big pricker patch). By the time I run out of ceramics classes at the university next spring, I should have my own workspace. A studio in the quiet, quiet woods. Perfect!

Holly

PS Looking for something to read? Check out my New Releases and Books on Sale...and when you're done, please leave an online review!

New Releases:
The Makeover
How to Catch a Groom

Books On Sale:

Everything But a Dog

Everything But a Mother

Everything But a Wedding