UPDATE: The winner is…flchen!
*~*~*

October

Work-related:

1. Gunn’s Mission released on October 17th and is still going strong (see today’s ranking?)! Thanks to everyone who picked up a copy!
2. I began work on a standalone book, Little Green Dreams (follow the link to pre-order!)! Something I’ve been thinking about writing for years. (I don’t have a cover yet!)
3. I set up pre-orders for two more books, Malcolm (Book #10 of Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT) and What Happens in Bozeman (Book #3 of We Are Dead Horse, MT).
4. I completed 3 editing projects for other authors in October.

Health-related:

1. I have not been exercising enough. Without the pool to run to every day, I’m falling off the wagon.
2. Through medicines and some diet tweaking, I’ve managed to keep my blood pressure down to 135-155. I had one bad spike this month.

Happiness-related: 

1. I participated in the local art festival! Wind knocked down a panel full of framed art, which hit my sales hard, but it was still satisfying to see how many people appreciated my art and bought tons of bookmarks and postcards.
2. I am still working on and making more great progress organizing my art room, getting ready for the next arts and craft show in December, and then the reopening my Etsy store.
3. As for making new art, again, work has kept me too busy to do much. But I have renewed energy here at the last of the month. Right now, I’m just trying to refill my stock of the small things. Here are some examples…

November

For work-related, I plan:

1. To compile the stories in my Triplehorn Brand trilogy into an ebook and print box set for publication this month! Be looking for it!
2. To complete writing Little Green Dreams which will release in December!
3. To complete 4 editing projects in November!

For health related, I plan:

1. To not make promises about counting points for my Weight Watchers diet, because it’s that time of year and I know I’d be setting myself up for failure. However, I will try to make healthier choices—emphasizing no late night snacking!
2. To continue to reduce salt, processed food, and incorporate foods good for blood pressure (spinach, broccoli, bananas).
3. To pay attention to my daily steps, trips up and down the stairs, and to incorporate some chair exercises.
4. To do more housework because my art room isn’t finished! Cleaning is exercise, too.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To work on art and ornament-making to get ready for a local arts and crafts event in December!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in November…
Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Another Sunday and time to plan out my week. Let’s pull a card…

This morning, I pulled the King of Cups. Who is he? The lute was a big hint. Orpheus, the King of Thrace, was given a lute by Apollo when he was born. Orpheus grew into a gifted singer who could heal men’s souls with his songs. He accompanied Jason on his quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. While he was a healer and a priest and a gifted singer bringing light to everyone around him, his own story was tragic. He married Eurydice who was attacked in the woods by a man when she was alone. She fought him off, but when she ran away to escape him, she was bitten by a snake, died, and was dragged down into Hades. Orpheus used his gift of song to charm his way into the Underworld. Hades gave him a chance to retrieve her. He could lead her out of Hades, back into the world, but he could never look back or he would lose her forever. Yup, just as he was ready to step out of the Underworld, he glanced back to make sure she was there, and she was gone. His end was sad as well. Dionysus–you know the god of wine and pary–was jealous of Orpheus’s popularity, so he sent his minions after him. They tore him into pieces. The Muses were so grieved they gathered his parts and buried him at the foot of Mount Olympus.

So, what does his card mean for me? Gah. Gifts, love of family. Tragedy. I’m not sure. In the picture, he holds a golden chalice and his lute. He wears his crown as King of Thrace. He wears his finery as he sits on his golden throne which sits on firm fertile land but also on the water. So, I’m going to say I can hold my gifts—talent (work), but must balance my seat (my writer’s chair) between my work, which is shared with others and those who hold my heart (my family, like he held his wife).

Knowing NaNoWriMo starts this week, I think it means I have to make sure I don’t shut the door on family while I make my daily wordcount.

See how this works? I stare at a card to divine its meaning, but I see that card through the filter of my obligations. Anyone can read cards!

So, what does The Mythic Tarot book say? “…it is time for the individual to experience this ambivalent side of himself or herself…” That’s helpful?!

Open Contests

1. Flashback: Brotherhood Protectors — Guarding Hannah (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Sweetest Day Celebration! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. 10 Things I love about Halloween (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey: Trying It Short! Rise — Out now! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Meet your Weekend Book Boyfriend–Dylan O’Hara–and get ready for Halloween! (FREE Book!) — This offer ends soon! Everyone, get your FREE book!
6. A Reminder & the Saturday Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!

Before I get into my Sunday “usuals,” I want to say thank you so much for supporting Gunn’s Mission! I woke up to see that the story was sitting at this ranking among the millions of books available in Amazon. I’m more than pleased. Thank you, again!

Another quick note: AUTHORS, I am looking to host more of you in November and December. If you have a book to promote or an older story you want readers to notice, contact me at delilah@delilahdevlin.com!

Sunday Tarot

I have never, not once, pulled this card before. It’s not a “me” card. But it does present some interesting possibilities for the week after last week’s dismal divination. I did try to fight The Devil’s temptations, but in the end, I gave in. This card gives me a chance to turn that around.

This is The Magician. It’s Hermes, the Trickster, son of Zeus (he fathered a ton of children, the horny bastard) and Maia, Mother Night. He is a master of all the elements — earth, air, fire, and water. I see all the “suits” of the tarot deck represented here — cups, swords, pentacles, and wands. So, I read that as meaning that this week is open to all possibilities. Notice he’s pointing up and down — it can go either way. As well, that “either way” theme is represented in the background — rocks and sandy pathways.

Since I’m a cup half-full lady, I’ll choose the more positive route. I’ll set a plan and maybe accomplish half of my To-Dos and be pleased.

What does The Mythic Tarot book say? “A risk of some kind is required, a willingness to jump into the unknown.” I just love that ambiguous language.

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: It’s beginning to look a lot like…Halloween! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Celebrate Dictionary Day! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
3. Word Search: Animals in the Arctic (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Flashback: Brotherhood Protectors — Guarding Hannah (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Sweetest Day Celebration! — Win an Amazon gift card!

This is the card I pulled when Hard Knox was about to come out. And this week, I have Gunn’s Mission releasing on Tuesday. What I thought the card meant the last time was exactly how my week went. Of all the cards to pull! 🙁

The card isn’t “The Devil.” It’s Pan, the half-goat/half-man, playing his reed flute while holding the chains of two humans (with horns, why?) who are dancing to his music. It also appears that they are inside a deep dark cave, which, to me, indicates Pan is trying to hide something—or maybe that he’s playing for them while he draws them into the deep abyss. When I look at this card, I think it’s telling me I’ll be captured by a mood or temptations that will keep me doing things I shouldn’t.

And yes, the last time, I was tempted to F-around. Temptations came from everywhere—and I allowed myself to follow the many things (family, pleasure) pulling me away from what I needed to accomplish. Can I fight destiny this time around? Do I even want to try? Hmm…

Open Contests

1. Gabbi Grey: Rock Star Books — Axe to Grind (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle Contest — Cuddly Stuffie on a Rock — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Word Search: Types of Handbags for Handbag Day (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: It’s beginning to look a lot like…Halloween! — Win an Amazon gift card!

It’s Sunday—and the beginning of a new month! So, I pull this card before I begin adjusting my plans…

Oh, what does this mean? I do know who the two characters on the card are: Daedalus, who is the father of Icarus and a very clever and talented guy, and King Minos of Crete. See the bulls depicted in the art on the walls behind them? That’s a huge hint at the king’s identity. Now, I’m remembering how these two were entwined in mythology… Daedalus and his son built the labyrinth that housed the minotaur—you remember, the half-bull, half-man? The minotaur was the progeny of Minos’ wife and a bull (not her fault at all—this was Poseidon’s revenge for Minos cheating him of something). The minotaur had a taste for human flesh, so Minos served him men and women every nine years to keep him satisfied.

In the picture, it looks like Daedalus is begging Minos for the gold he’s holding (the six pentacles), but that can’t be right. Minos would have paid him for building that fantastic, huge maze, so maybe this is just how you get paid—on your knees before the king.

What does this mean for me and this week/month? I can hope it means I get paid for my efforts. Good sales, maybe?

I’ll consult the book… Yay! We’re in sync for once. The Mythic Tarot says the Indvidual is “the recipient of another’s generosity.”

Whew, all that to say I have a payday coming up.

Open Contests

1. Word Search: Attributes of a book hero… (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday-Puzzle Contest: Fall is here! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Sarah Boone – An Improver Not Just an Innovator (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Word Search: Types of Pancakes for National Pancake Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Puzzle-Contest–Let’s Celebrate National Coffee Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. September into October (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
*~*~*

September

Work-related:

1. I completed work on Book #2 of We Are Dead Horse, MT — Hard Knox — and released it!
2. I wrote over a third of my upcoming book, Gunn’s Mission! (Have you pre-ordered your copy?!)
3. I revised and published an erotic/menage short story that was originally published by Harlequin Spice years ago—Eye of the Storm.
4. I completed 6 editing projects for other authors in September.

Health-related:

1. Swimming ended for me after my trip to my sister’s place in North Arkansas because I came home to a green pool.
2. Through medicines and some diet tweaking, I’ve managed to keep my blood pressure down to 130-150. I haven’t had a bad spike in a while.

Happiness-related: 

1. I have been working on and making more great progress organizing my art room, getting ready for the next push for art shows and reopening my Etsy store. I have accumulated the supplies I need to begin painting in encaustic wax BUT HAVEN’T DONE IT YET because I’ve been buried in work.
2. As for making new art, again, work has kept me too busy to do much. I attended the monthly art guild meeting, and as a group, we worked on sketching cats. The only piece of art I completed this month was this cat, which I watercolored yesterday because I wanted SOMETHING to share…

October

For work-related, I plan:

1. To complete writing Gunn’s Mission, a Brotherhood Protectors story,  which releases on October 17th!
2. To begin & hopefully complete work on a standalone story I’ve been dying to write for years and years, called Little Green Dreams. We’ll see.
3. To complete 5 editing projects in October!

For health related, I plan:

1. To not make promises about counting points for my Weight Watchers diet, because it’s that time of year and I know I’d be setting myself up for failure. However, I will try to make healthier choices!
2. To continue to reduce salt, processed food, and incorporate foods good for blood pressure (spinach, broccoli, bananas).
3. To acquire and begin using a treadmill.
4. To do more housework because my art room isn’t finished! Cleaning is exercise, too.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To work on art and jewelry-making to get ready for the Art Festival this month!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in October…
Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

It’s Sunday again, and time for me to lock down my schedule for the week. First, I’ll pull a card to see if I can get any inspiration from the tarot.

Hmmm. Seven of Wands. And this is Jason of “Jason and the Argonauts” fame, chasing after the Golden Fleece. What do I see in the card?

Two kings, so he must be fighting the King who possesses the Golden Fleece. Can’t remember his name… Ah, good old Wikipedia… It’s King Aeetes of Colchis, and yes, he has the fleece. So, two kings fighting. Four warriors helping them. Perhaps evenly matched. A battle. What does this mean for my week? I have no clue. Two kings… Perhaps it’s the classic devil and angel sitting on my shoulders, pulling at me to be good or be bad? I have a LOT of work on my plate this week, and sometimes, I see a huge page count and think, Who cares if I finish this? What does it matter in the big scheme of things? I can easily see myself shrugging off work for a movie marathon or a trip to a flea market.

What does the book, The Mythic Tarot, say about this card? It “augurs a struggle with other people’s creative ideas — stiff competition.” The person needs to learn the value of his or her ambition…” Okaaaay. Whatever. I like my interpretation better. 🙂

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest, Plus a Bounty Hunter Poll! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. 9-11, a Remembrance, and a Poll (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: Single Parent Books — Xavier (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. What’s leaving Kindle Unlimited soon?! (Contest) — Win a FREE download!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest — Let’s celebrate National Collect Rocks Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!