Let's Talk About Burnout

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about Writer's Block, that inability to write or to stay writing.

I had a few more thoughts on the subject that I wanted to share.

I think, for writers, burnout is a reason one can come down with a case of writer's block.

We call it burnout sometimes, but it means we're blocked in some way. Burnout can cause someone to be blocked in just about any career you can name.

You're written day after day for the longest time, and you feel as if there are no more words left in your brain. Overwork in any area without a break leaves one exhausted and stressed out—burned out. 

It's critical for people to take breaks from work. Remember the old axiom, "All work and no play makes Jack and Jill dull people."

Dull and subject to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion which turns into overstress in all areas. I think mental/emotional stress is worst of all.

When one's career is in the creative arts, the emotional stress is intense.

There's fear of rejection, failure, or success, actual rejection in the ability to sell your creative project or in bad reviews of your creative effort. It all conspires to make one discouraged and/or lack the  confidence in your artistic endeavor.

The fear that one is not good enough can be paralyzing. It's easy to let it all get to you and erode your motivation to continue or to even feel good about yourself.

Yep, that's when you begin to feel the negativity of burnout.

TREATMENT FOR BURNOUT

No matter your field of endeavor, it all begins with your thoughts. What you think about external events and how you internalize that meaning.

You absolutely must cultivate a belief in yourself, your ability, and what you create.

The world is not kind to creative people because it's so hard to prove to the world that what you do is capable of earning you a living which is how most people judge a career as being worthwhile. You must believe in your soul that you are worthwhile and what you do is worthwhile.

If you need a little self-help, you might consider any of the excellent books on building self-esteem and eliminating self-defeating habits. Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior by Mark Goulston and Philip Goldberg is a good one to start with because it has 3,065 ratings averaging 4.5 of 5 stars. It's available from Amazon in Kindle, Audio, and Paperback.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

That means you must create your own yardstick for measuring yourself, your contribution to your self-esteem, your family, your world, and perhaps to the world at large.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

Saturday Share Recipe - Veggie Heavy Salad

 If you have a problem getting enough vegetables in your meals, here is a salad recipe that makes it easy with family favorites like pasta and crunchy delicious vegetables too.

It's easy to make, delicious, oh, and it's high in protein too because it uses canned tuna which makes it easy on the budget and the waistline.

The only think you need in addition to the ingredients I'll list below, is a bottle of your favorite salad dressing. Vinagrette, Italian, and Honey Dijon go exceptionally well with this hearty salad. All the vegetables will be cut in julienne strips so they're all approximately the same bite-sized pieces.

VEGGIE HEAVY SALAD

Ingredients

12 ounce package of spiral or other pasta, cooked, drained, rinsed under cold water to cool it

1 head of romaine torn into bite-sized pieces

8 ounces of snow peas

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 cucumber

1 red bell pepper

2 carrots

1 small red onion, thinly sliced with rings separated

2 6-ounce cans or packets of white albacore tuna, packed in water, drained

1 to 1 1/4 cups of your favorite salad dressing, according to how much dressing you like on salad. Start with 1 cup then add more if not sufficiently coated to your taste.

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, pasta, and tuna.  Pour the dressing over and toss well. Cover and refrigerate 20-30 minutes before serving. Makes 6 hearty servings.

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

A Highlander's Healer by Heide Middlebrook

If you love historicals with a Highlander flair, there's a new author in the genre with the first book in a series named Kellsey Isle's Clans.

Great book cover, isn't it? Grab a coffee and get comfy so I can tell you about A Highlander's Healer by Heide Middlebrook.

A HIGHLANDER'S HEALER

The year is 1411. The campaign season has come to the Highlands of Scotland along with the conflict between Highlanders and Lowlanders in the pursuit of the Earldom of Ross.

Caught in the chaos is young Greer McGray, a bold Scottish healer, and Rory MacKearsin, a talented mercenary for the opposing clan who suffers in silence from a mysterious condition undiagnosable at that time which we now call PTSD.

Greer’s teachings passed down from the medical kindred are tested with her own nonconformist treatments in a race against time to save Rory after Greer finds the mercenary mortally wounded.

Unable to turn him away, her keen medical instincts are placed to the edges of reason when feelings spark between the pair. 

Once Rory discovers a warrior whose obsession with Greer has led to the murder of her brother, Rory vows to protect Greer and seeks justice for her loss. A choice that will force the pair onto a treacherous journey surrounded by Scottish knights, secret castle passages, and Highland spies leading them to the ultimate battle of Harlaw… where Rory’s and Greer’s destinies will be sealed for all time.

Each book in the Kellsey Isle's Clans is a standalone book within a series featuring protective heroes, strong female heroines, adventure, spice, and an epic happily ever after!

Book 2 in Kellsey Isle's Clans: A Red Lion’s Alliances is on the path soon to publication.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Heide Middlebrook writes historical romance novels and stories as an independent author.

History captured her interest as a young girl after touring historical sites, then as a teenager a love for romance reading took root.

Earning her career diploma in freelance writing led her to pen magazine articles, but it was an overwhelming desire to weave a love story occurring during a historical event that inspired her to pursue her dream of becoming a novelist.

Why the romance genre? Those happily ever afters!

Many of her novels are set atop of the Scottish Highlands because of her fascination about the fierce spirit of the people found within Scotland’s history coupled with her Scottish heritage. 

Heide currently resides in south Florida with a herd of four legged friends, including one very opinionated cat.

When not creating stories, she loves to connect with fellow writers in the literary community and continues to hone her craft by attending writing conferences.

In 2024 she established her imprint Passion Leaf Press.  Heide is a proud member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, the Historical Novel Society, and the Romance Writers of America.

Visit Heide Online: Website   *   Facebook

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for a Highlander Historical Romance, A Highlander's Healer just might be your jam. Grab a copy for the weekend because it's only $2.99, and it's also a KU free read. If you like the story, be sure and leave a review for the author.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

SIGN UP FOR JOAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

Happy Spring!

Ah, Spring! My grandfather would always laughingly say, "In the spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love."

As a romance author, my thoughts are never far from love and romance, but today I feel like saying something poetic about how lovely Spring is.

The air smells different, and it caresses the skin. The sunshine is golden, the sky is so blue, and the light is almost translucent.

Sigh. If only I were a poet. Thankfully, there are plenty of poets who have, well, waxed poetically about this loveliest of seasons.

Here's an excerpt from "A Light Exists in Spring" by one of my favorite poets, Emily Dicksinson. The poem is about that special quality of light in the spring that I mentioned. 

Her poem was published posthumously in the 1890s. Her work published before 1923 is now in the public domain which allows me to publish it here. There are a couple of other verses to the poem, but these are my favorite.

A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period –
When March is scarcely here

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.

It waits upon the Lawn,
It shows the furthest Tree
Upon the furthest Slope you know
It almost speaks to you. 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Do something special today to celebrate this change of seasons. Visit a garden center, buy a tree or a flowering shrub to plant—or just anything that's green and growing. Happy Spring!

SIGN UP FOR JOAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

Review - Leap Year on Prime

I should have posted the review of this Irish romance yesterday, but I was busy writing. I'll have my new book up for pre-release in a couple of weeks.

Better late than never though because this 2010 Irish romance truly is a delightful movie. Leap Year, starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, is funny, romantic, and emotional.

If you're a Prime subscriber, you can watch free. It's also available to rent on Amazon, Apple, etc. or you can buy a DVD or BluRay of it.

ABOUT LEAP YEAR

When another anniversary passes without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Anna (beautifully portrayed by Amy Adams) takes matters into her own hands.

She knows that Celtic tradition allows women to pop the question on Leap Day, Feb. 29, and she plans to follow her lover to Dublin and ask him to marry her. 

However, things don't work out for Anna who winds up on the other side of Ireland with Declan, a handsome, grouchy Irishman.  who may just lead Anna down the road to true love. Determined to reach Dublin, she arranges for Declan to take her there. They embark on a road trip that's funny as all get out.

The forced proximity creates intimacy between them, and Anna begins to find herself conflicted.

Does she still want her boyfriend or does she want Declan? That's not an easy question for her to answer.

When she knows the answer, things don't work out as she'd planned.

DETAILS 

Directed by Anand Tucker from a Screenplay by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, Leap Year made good use of the gorgeous scenery of Ireland so I'll give a special nod to the  Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sige. Locations used included Glendalough, Enniskerry, and Connemara.

With a cast headlined by Amy Adams (Anna), Matthew Goode (Declan), and Adam Scott (Jeremy), the characters were brought to life in a way one can't imagine anyone else in those parts. You'll also see some fan favorites like John Lithgow and Bill Nighy.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is a captivating, feel good movie so select it for your next movie night.

SIGN UP FOR JOAN'S FREE NEWSLETTER

Love to read? Sign up for my free Newsletter, I LOVE READING. Once a month, you'll receive exclusive content and news about giveaways, bargains, and new releases.

Monday Magic - 2 Free Apps for Struggling Writers

Today's app is a little different in that not everyone will be interested in it.

Plot Generator targets those who want to write books. Using it is as easy as visiting the websites.

Select a genre, click the Generate button, and the app serves you up with a plot, complete with a protagonist, secondary character, and a plot.

You can save the plot or hit the reset button to get another.

Here's an example of what I got when I selected Mystery and clicked the Generate Button.

Protagonist — A constable, who can be found at the pub.

Secondary character — A baker, who is suspiciously agreeable.

Plot — It's a spy story about good versus evil. It kicks off at a bank with a mysterious suicide.

(Note that: someone in the story has a reputation to salvage.)

And there's a twist! Someone also faked a death.

If you're trying to write your first book but don't know how to get going, this might help. In fact, Reedsy, the company that created Plot Generator has a free companion app, Studio, to help you plan, write, edit, and format your book manuscript.

Sign up for Studio with your email or use a Google login. The interface looks pretty awesome. I could see an author using one or both of these apps to get the imagination going. In fact, I know a few authors who are wonderful writers, but they struggle to come up with unique plot ideas.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Try these 2 Reedsy apps and let me know if it helps you and how it helps you. Have a great week. 

Sign up for I LOVE READING, Joan's free newsletter.

Sunday Thoughts - Awesome Spring

In a few days, Spring will make its appearance. Ah, balmy air, blooming flowers, and renewed energy from fauna and foliage.

I love the first blooms on the azaleas, the bright green of new leafs uncurling from the trees, the huge pink blossoms on the tulip trees, and the deep purple iris that seem to suddenly appear.

Yes, Spring is a lovely time of year that has inspired poets and philosophers through the ages.

Here's a sampling of some of the Written Wisdom that always resonates in the mind and heart.

"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." —Mark Twain

"Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush." —Doug Larson

"Spring is far more than just a changing of seasons; it's a rebirth of the spirit." —Toni Sorenson 

"The beautiful spring came; and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." —Harriet Ann Jacobs

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." —Lewis Grizzard

"You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep spring from coming." –Pablo Neruda

"Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day." —W. Earl Hall

"That is one good thing about this world–there are always sure to be more springs." –Lucy Maud Montgomery

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I really like this bit of wisdom from Lady Bird Johnson: "Where flowers bloom so does hope."