By Barbara Wallace
Raise your hand if you’re having a challenging year.
I don’t know about you, but it seems like everyone I know is having a rough 2018. Job issues, health challenges, family problems. The other night a friend commented that we’ve seen each other almost as much as often wakes this year than at girl’s nights out. Even if you aren’t having personal crises, there’s all the bad news going on in the world itself. Seems like everyone is angry, bitter and yelling at one another.
As one of my friends said, it’s hard to stay positive.
And yet, despite the bad energy and personal crises, I find myself feeling incredibly thankful this November. For starters, I’m here to be thankful. I made it through eleven months of stress without needing a straitjacket.
I have a roof over my head, a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee on my table and a husband who voluntarily folded the laundry yesterday.
But there’s more. The sun rose. The changing foliage in my neighbor’s yard is a sight to behold. I have a pair of cats to snuggle while reading.
I watched my son marry the love of his life. I have a husband who puts up with writing deadlines and is strong enough to ask for help when he needs it. I have friends who listen to me when I whine about the stress in my life, and I was lucky enough to be holding my mother’s hand when she passed away.
There are so many little things in this world that we take for granted that, when added up, remind us that there are a lot of good things to appreciate in our lives. Even during the bad times. For example, as tragic and stressful as it was to watch my mother die of dementia, I thankful I was able to be there for her. Just as I’m also thankful for the friends and family who were there for me.
By now you’ve figured out, I’m one of those schmaltzy people who believes in looking on the bright side. For those of you who prefer bitterness, I’m sorry. For the rest of you, I hope you have many little things in your life for which you can be thankful and that 2019 brings many more.
PS: While I’m being thankful – thanks to Thonie for hosting me today and letting me be schmaltzy.
Bio:
Barbara Wallace is an award-winning romance author who has recently branched into cozy mysteries. Her debut mystery, THE SUBURBS HAVE SECRETS, was published in 2017. Look for the sequel BACKYARDS HAVE BODIES in early 2019.
You can read more about Barbara at http://BarbaraWallace.com
THE SUBURBS HAVE SECRETS
Blackmail and Murder and Lies – Oh My!
When Sadie McIntyre gives a drunken Marylou Paretsky a ride home on a rainy night, little does she realize it’s the last time anyone will see Marylou alive. The following morning, Marylou is found dead at the bottom of her staircase, the victim of foul play.
Who killed Marylou? Was it her philandering husband? His lover? Or one of the residents Marylou was blackmailing? In a town where everyone has a secret, the list of suspects is endless.
To make matters worse, Sadie is hiding her own secret. One that, if discovered, could shoot her to the top of the list!
Can Sadie find Marylou’s killer before her secret becomes public? Or will the killer find her first?
Where to buy The Suburbs Have Secrets:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Suburbs-Secrets-Sadie-McIntyre-Mystery-ebook/dp/B075KNQ833
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-suburbs-have-secrets-barbara-wallace/1127626753?type=eBook
iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/do/book/the-suburbs-have-secrets/id1324881854?l=en&mt=11