Good Morning!!!

It is a cold and blustery morning here in the beautiful state of bliss! I woke up and pulled on my leggings and my favorite bulky sweater. It is cold enough in the house to even consider putting on...egads! Socks!!! If you know me, you know I hate wearing socks, I prefer my feet bare at all times. I only wear socks in the house on one condition...usually, but that is a different topic for a different time. *wink*

Life has been excellent here. Book sales aren't great, but, then again, they never have been. I'm not promoting via other author/bloggers as much which makes it hard to get word out about the books, but I try to blog here more.

I was reading my Facebook feed the other day and an author friend was considering having a cover reveal event. I chuckled a little bit because I just never considered that. I'm not one to celebrate a new book being published. I didn't have a special ritual, meal, or anything I did. To me, it's just another day. I'm proud, but I still turn to the next thing at hand and dive right in. Friends were a little bit shocked at the fact that I truly don't celebrate by doing something special. My sweet roommate told me we would do something, but with money as tight as it has been, we never got around to it. Last week, I splurged and bought two bottles of wine. We opened them and celebrated. It felt good to share that moment with him. So, I now have a new ritual. With the release of each new book, a couple of bottles of wine must be bought and shared with the one man who sees my accomplishment as a HUGE deal.

And this brings me to my next piece of news...I am working on a new series (I know. I know. Not big news, Gemma.) But after much talk and deliberation, I will begin writing under a different author name. At least for this series. As I took my maiden name back in my real life, I am considering changing my Gemma name as well. I just don't feel right using something that isn't truly mine, you know? Because of the fact the Cedar River series has two books in a publisher's possession for a bit longer yet, it will be awhile before that change takes effect. However, my demons will be published under a new author name. This way, no one confuses my kinky series with my simple paranormal romances. Once I'm closer to finishing the series, I will post all the wonderful tidbits and how to find my new alter ego.

One more week until school starts back up and I have so much to get done. Declare a new major, pick up my text books, possibly get a 'real' job, make sure I have food in the house to toss into the crock pot, promote the new book, clean house, and mentally prepare for school. This month and a half off of classes has allowed me to become lazy and let things slide. Now, I've got one week of freedom left and I just want to throw caution to the wind. I want to dance barefoot, let my hair down, turn my music up and my self-consciousness down, I want be quiet enough to hear my heart beat, but loud enough to whisper my love to my world. But for now, I'll return to a world of fiction while my world is busy with life, family, and the stress of day to day living.

Have a blessed Sunday!

I've Been Thinking...

I know that thought scares most of you who know me. Thinking means this Gemini is either bored and looking for trouble or she's stalling. Actually, I'm neither. 

A friend of mine posted a thought on Facebook today and she got me thinking. Her question went along the lines of; "How does your idea of happiness in your twenties differ from your idea of happiness now?" (Thank you, Liane!) This really started my mind working overtime.

My idea of happiness when I was twenty involved a home, husband, and children. My idea of happiness now? Well, not those things. I had a husband, I no longer do. My children have all been four-legged and furry. And I've made a home out of the most I've had. Now, my happiness is slightly different. Happiness now involves sharing a single bed with a 170 lb. dog who steals as much of my bed as he can throughout the night. Spending my days studying and my nights writing. "Playing" with my best friend and enjoying this lifestyle we are exploring. Hanging out, watching movies, and eating deep-dish pizza. Laughing with my little sisters or best friend and his brothers. Cooking breakfast for my best friend and hearing him say, "This is the best one yet!" Knowing I am appreciated and loved every single day. Knowing that my studies are leading me to the career where I can make a difference in this world. Realizing that my stories are being read by people and people are loving them. 

Puppy kisses and sharing the bed with this guy...priceless!

My idea of happiness and success are so vastly different that they used to be! In many ways, this has to do with the changes I've made over the last year. In so many others, well, they have to do with my best friend and the way he has showed me how to use different lenses to look at things. He is slowly changing my pessimistic ways...the glass isn't always half-empty anymore. Sometimes it is half-full. Other times, there is simply water in the glass and I need to be grateful. Whether it is half-filled or only a swallow, I need to be happy with the fact that at least I have water in said glass.

So tell me...has your idea of happiness changed over the years? I want to hear your thoughts!

Learning To Fly

Unless I'm talking about a specific event, you won't often find me posting random thoughts about my childhood. Why? It was a great childhood and I was basically a happy kid, I just prefer to look forward instead of back.

Today, however, I'm going to tell you a bit about me. I grew up on the family dairy farm in southern Michigan. My dad helped my grandparents run it until Dad and Mom took it over in 1977-78. We lived in the farmhouse. Up the hill from me lived my aunt and uncle plus two cousins. My grandparents were literally a hill and a cornfield away. I was the only girl and everyone was certain I would be a girly-girl...growing up with two older boy cousins? Really? Okay, I love dresses and lace much better than I used to, my hair is colored and my nails are always painted, and pink may be more of a favorite color now than ever before. But you will still find me in jeans and t-shirts most day, my Carhartt jacket is a must have, and there is a camouflage baseball hat hanging on the coat hooks just inside my front door.

Okay, enough reminiscing. I am telling you this to show you how I was never what anyone expected me to be. I have never met anyone's expectations of who I am which made me very sad. It was this last year when I was able to step out of the shadow of everyone's expectations and simply realize who I am. It has taken a lot of help on other people's parts to pull me out, but I feel more alive at 42 than I ever did at 22. I am certainly happier now than ever before.

I wrote this a while ago, but I wanted to share it with you all here:

The Girl Who Dared

Once upon a time, there was a girl who dared.

She dared to dream in bright, vivid colors.

She dared to believe that she could climb mountains and touch the sky.

She dared to try anything and showed no fear.

She dared to soar on the wings of eagles.

She dared to march to her own music.

She dared to dance like no one was watching.

She dared to sing like no one was listening.

She dared to pour her soul into her stories.

She dared to believe in the impossible.

She dared to imagine.

She dared to care so deeply about others that she forgot to care just as deeply about herself.

She dared to live with no regrets.

She dared to fall in love every chance she got.

She dared to dream of possibilities.

She dared to be different.

She dared to believe in a love that would be passionate, romantic, and all consuming.

She dared to be a woman who would LIVE.

Then, one day, something happened…she stopped daring. Instead, she grew up and stopped believing she could do any of the things she wanted to do. She stopped living the life she wanted…she didn’t thrive…she merely survived in a world that was cold and uncaring. The world didn’t believe in her and didn’t care if she dared to live her life. The little girl inside the woman curled into a ball and went into a sleep that was quite like death.

One day, the woman realized that the little girl who lived inside of her had the right idea. The woman attempted with all of her might to wake the little girl up…she tried everything she could. The woman had an idea…she whispered in the little girl’s ear “I dare you to live.” The little girl opened her sleepy green eyes with a wicked grin and said, “I dare you right back.” The woman’s grin matched the sleepy child’s as she said, “Welcome back, baby.” Together, the woman and little girl dared to live.

©GemmaKMurray2014

Tomorrow I will be promoting The Golden Dragon's Treasure all day on my friend's, Virginia Nelson, website. Stop over and say hello! I can't wait to see you there!

Happy 2015

So, I spent the New Year writing, watching movies, and trying to solve the world economy...okay, maybe not the world, but mine. I also have found yet another way to exasperate my darling roommate...start a project before finishing another. He's a Virgo who likes things neat and orderly. I'm a Gemini and cannot be bored, otherwise BAD things happen. Not exactly plans for world domination, but bad in the sense that I upset his world. Then, he makes THAT face...the confused one that says he cannot figure me out and he's not sure he wants to. lol

Yes, I'm working on my demons and I am so deeply in love with them. They speak to my heart and soul. I love letting my demons out to play and putting them on paper is just TOO much fun! Give me some more time to write and I will post something about them. They are truly a group like no other.

I'm kicking off the New Year and the new book over at The Romance Studio. They have a party going on from January 2-5 with all sorts of prizes and authors. Stop over and register to win! I am offering up an e-book copy of each book for three lucky readers. Click the banner below to head over the party site.

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