Hello November and IWSG!

 

So, I have to begin with the best news first. I WON!!! My entry "Rain" won first place (Gold) in the women's fiction category of the Royal Palm Literary Awards this past October! I'm still feeling the high... I've received the actual award and included a photo of it below. This was so heartwarming for me since it took me SO long to finish this novel. Whew. Talk about a WORK in progress. We're talking years here. So, to have it recognized in this way was more than powerful. It was an acknowledgement by others that the work was worthy. I am so incredibly grateful. (In case you'd like to read it, click on the links Rain and novel in this post!)

On the home front, my husband is recovering well from knee replacement surgery and I'm hanging in there as his nurse, cook and bottle washer. It's tiring, but worth it when after his first Physical Therapy session Tuesday, he came home feeling so much stronger and happier with his choice (as if he had a choice) to do this. He'd tried everything else first over the last two years. Surgery was the last choice and he finally made it. I am thankful he is healing well!

And again on the home front, our retaining walls are done! I'm going to post a full album (on FB) of the beginning, progression and end, but here I'll post just a few to give you an idea of what we had done.

Before...

During, first & second walls done

Planting first bed!

Besides all this wonder and work, I'm tired, but still happy to see the kiddiewinks I tend in before/after school care in my "day" job. I'm off to bed, but wanted to thank all the wonderful well-wishers who cheered me on last month when I told you I was in the running for the RPLA award. Thank you thank you thank you! I won! Rain won! I'm still over the moon about it. 

Now, on to the IWSG. Please go and visit our wonderful co-hosts this month! Thank them for doing a great job!  Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

The question of the month is: What is harder to do, come up with your book title, or write the blurb?

BOTH! For me each one has its difficulty. Though sometimes titles come easier, blurbs are never easy, at least for me. I struggle, and I send it out to many writer friends to ask for input. Thank goodness you all are there! How about you? Which one is easier for you?

I wish you all a November full of colors and food and good times with family. See you in December!