Women Who Think Too Much by Jeanne Marie

My Writing Process – World Wide Blog Tour

Maggie Thom, an incredible author whom I met through WordPress, nominated me for this World Wide Blog Tour. I’m not great at following directions but here goes!

First I’ll tell you a little bit about Maggie.
“Award winning author, Maggie Thom, took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a fulltime, twenty year career in management, to write full-time. After publishing her first suspense/thriller book Captured Lies, October 2012, she published her second novel, Tainted Waters, April, 2013. Tainted Waters went on to win 2013 Suspense and Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine. She is excited to publish her third novel, Deceitful Truths, March 2014.” (About Me, Maggie Thom)
I have read Thom’s first three books and loved each one.
Here is my review of “Tainted Waters.”
Thom’s book was like one of my Nana’s triple layered chocolate cakes, impossible to walk away from without licking the plate. (No, I did not lick my Nook. However, this was a one-night read for me and that’s my highest compliment.) This truth-seeking journey had danger, betrayal, generational family ties and romance. It was captivating from the very first page and it caught my full attention. Thom mixed all the right ingredients to create a delicious recipe for an entertaining night under the covers. I wasn’t putting down Tainted Waters until I knew that Sam and Keegan were…oops! Can’t tell you! The plot’s seamless, twisting turns and the tension-building exploits kept me flipping the pages. The characters had depth and color, they were very easy to connect with and I’m looking forward to more books from Maggie Thom. People always say, “Don’t quit your day job”. Well it’s definitely not true in this case.

http://maggiethom.wordpress.com/the-write-to-read/

http://www.maggiethom.com/

maggie@maggiethom.com

www.facebook.com/authormaggiethom

www.twitter.com/maggiethom2

Hi! I’m Jeanne Marie, author of “Women Who Think Too Much, A No Help At all Handbook
What am I working on?
Well the list would be much shorter if I reported what I’m not working on!
I work a bit on my writing just about every day but with numerous interests and genres, I tend to not finish things.
I am currently playing with ideas for a sequel to my first book, “Women Who Think Too Much, A No Help At All Handbook,” an anti-self help book.
The sequel, “Codependent, After All” deals with how hard it is to shake off codependency even after all… all the years of therapy, all the money spent on self-help books and even after writing a book about it!
I also write children’s stories, poetry, prose, fiction, song lyrics and personal essays. I have a room full of boxes filled with journals and printed work from my “before the computer” days.
I am always trying to organize this paper mountain and I would love to get it all on the computer but it hasn’t happened yet. I think the reason is–it’s not fun; plus, I keep throwing new writing on top of the piles, just to confuse myself.
I also take pictures to go with my work, plus a million more pictures that I don’t need. But I might!
I have pictures and writing scattered throughout two computers, two laptops and a Nook pad. When my husband isn’t looking I even throw some pictures on his computer!
Sheesh, I think I need help!
I am also a Butterfly Whisperer and since butterflies follow me everywhere I go, I often drop whatever I am doing to take pictures of them. One even followed me into my son’s house when I was visiting!
My book, “Women Who Think Too Much” sat on my computer for almost twenty-years. I held on to it for so long that someone else used that title, but since the book had developed from a newsletter I wrote for two years (1997-1999) also called “Women Who Think Too Much,” I just bit the dust and held on tight to the title. You would think I learned a lesson on procrastination from this experience but no matter how hard I try, I never seem to have enough time. I have compromised by doing at least one thing a day that is creative and makes me happy.
I promised my mom that I would publish WWTTM one day and so I did. However, I wasn’t looking for fame or glory and to be honest, I haven’t tried to promote my book. I do have a dream to go along with my book. I would like to see a copy of WWTTM in every women’s shelter. at no cost to the shelters.
If you want to know more about why and how I write, the links below may help.
Thank you for asking me to play Maggie!

Head Banging

Tonight (Friday) I got out of bed to turn out the light and to put my book away. Well, I turned out the light, turned around and about three steps later, I tripped over the box that my Chihuahua, Ms. Kita, uses to get up on the bed. I dang near killed myself. I was air born for about three feet and then BOOM. I hit the wall hard, landed on my shoulder that has a replacement joint, slammed it hard enough to break the wall plate and leave the imprint of said plate on my shoulder. I hurt my arthritic knees and twisted my bad foot. (It really is a bad foot.) I saw stars when my head smacked the wall and I free floated out in space for about ten seconds. I don’t think I fully passed out, but I did see stars. When I could breathe again, I sat up. I’m not sure, but I think angels sat me up and shook me back together because I was shocked when I sat up and realized, I just might be okay. Did I mention that I saw stars? In addition, something strange happened when I hit the wall…I saw my life experiences flash by and I saw the end of this stage of existence for me. I remember thinking, wow; this is what death feels like. I even thought that I was glad that I had almost finished the book, “Proof of Heaven,” A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, by Eben Alexander, M.D. because it had given me strong reinforcement on what I already believed. I heard my husband calling my name as he tried to help me but his voice sounded as if he was miles away. I held my sitting position until the room stopped spinning and then I stood up, slowly. I made it to the couch and he brought me two ice packs, one for my head and one for my shoulder. My shoulder was already bruised and throbbing. Of course, I would fall on that shoulder.

All that happened a few hours ago, so I’m sure I will be okay. I’ll probably get my shoulder and my head x-rayed tomorrow, if it seems like I should. I hate that box. It happened so fast and I tried to keep my balance, but I couldn’t. The accident really made me think about how life can change in a split second. Also triggered memories of my mom falling, breaking her neck and dying a week later.

Saturday. Okay, it’s the morning after. I feel all right, very sore shoulder and a nice pounding headache to go with the nice lavender bruise on my cheekbone. Can you break an ear? Well, if you can, I did.

It could have been so much worse. The fall was bad enough that from today on (Sunday) I am going to accept each day as a bonus from Heaven.

I survived the weekend, painfully and carefully, but when I saw my doctor for a regular appointment today (Tuesday) she sent me to get a CAT scan of my brain and an x-ray of my shoulder. Every medical person who I dealt with today was upset that I wasn’t checked the night I fell. I really don’t understand why I didn’t go get checked out either. I knew I hit hard when I fell and I thought about going to the 24-hour walk-in clinic, but I decided I was too tired and I think the bang to the head disoriented me. Anyway, tests turned out okay, no broken bones or compromised skull, no brain bleeding, just a slight concussion, which I already knew.

However, I was traumatized twice, because when I checked in to Radiology for the CAT scan, I was told I had to pay a $275.00 co-pay to get my head examined. First time this has happened to me, thank you Obama Care. I now officially pay 50% more for 50% less insurance. If the headaches aren’t gone by next Tuesday, I may have to see a neurologist. If the doctor orders an MRI, looks like we’ll be mortgaging the house.

by Jeanne Marie