Monday, July 30, 2012

Blythe Gifford: Showing Up, One Day at a Time


As this month of celebration comes to a close, let me add my congratulations to Cheryl for seven years of blogging.  I’m in awe.  Not just of her blog, of course, but of her long, vibrant, and continuing career.  It reinforces to me, in the immortal words of Woody Allen:  “Ninety percent of life is just showing up.”
 
Of course, there’s more to it than that, but success rarely comes from a one-shot effort, especially for a writer.  To create a blog, a book, and a career means “showing up at the page,” day after day, year after year.

That’s what I was challenged to do in writing The Brunson Clan, my new trilogy that launches with the release this fall of RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR.  I knew I could complete a book, yes, but I had never written a series.  Now, I had to write three connected stories under a tight deadline.  I wasn’t sure quite how that was all going to happen.

Here’s what I learned:  it happens the same way the rest of them do.  One day, one page, at a time. 

 
The series launches with RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR, on the shelves October 16.  

Word in the Royal Court has spread.  The wild Scottish Borders are too unruly.  

Upon the King’s command, John Brunson must return home to enforce the King’s peace upon his family.  Failure is not an option.  And one woman stands in his way…

But Cate Gilnock is beyond the powers of flattery and seduction.  Instead, the painful vulnerability hidden behind her spirited eyes calls out to John as he is inexorably drawn back into the warrior Brunson clan


So let’s congratulate Cheryl on her achievement – and think about your own!  Is there something that you’ve done, day by day, just by sticking to it?   

One commenter will be chosen to receive a copy of my most recent title:  HIS BORDER BRIDE.  Leave your email address in a comment on the blog to be entered.


After many years in public relations, advertising, and marketing, Blythe Gifford started writing seriously after a corporate layoff. Ten years later, she became an overnight success when she sold her Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist manuscript to Harlequin. Blythe lives and works along Chicago’s lakefront, nurturing her muse with art, music, history, long walks, good food and good friends.  She loves to have visitors at www.blythegifford.com and www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford,“thumbs up” at www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford, “tweeps” at www.twitter.com/BlytheGifford.

18 comments:

  1. You are so right. Showing up everyday is a major accomplishment--it is one reason why I find starting a blog so daunting. Congrats Cheryl!

    Piper

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  2. And my e-mail is huguleyriggins@hotmail.com. Thanks!

    Piper

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  3. This looks like a great book. Thank you for the chance to win

    griperang at embarqmail dot com

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  4. Sigh...those Scottish men really make me swoon.

    Thanks for showing up to share with us today. :-)

    coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

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  5. Thank you so much, Blythe! What a great perspective. Showing up is half the battle. I will remember that.

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  6. I love the cover! Scottish men make me swoon too.

    Blythe, my dog's name is Blithe. She's a West Highland White Terrier. Blithe means happy and cheerful. I am using her initials, BW, when I post.

    Congradulations Cheryl! This has been a fun month!

    lmyost@roadrunner.com

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  7. sounds a great book and gorgeous cover :)

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  8. Thank you Cheryl for sharing your imagination with us. I love your books.

    DevilAngel39@aol.com

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  9. Congrats, Cheryl! You knows I loves ya!

    Hello, Blythe. There's really nothing I've done lately that would be considered an achievement. Does keeping your e-mail down count? I would love to win HBB. Thanks.

    Mel K.
    Meljprincess AT aol DOT com

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  10. Cheryl, you have the nicest folks here! Thanks to all of you who've commented so far. Most places I go, people have never heard of my name except via Blythe Danner. (And what a great woman to share the name with!)

    And Mel K, if you succeed in keeping your email count down, I'm very envious!

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  11. I love my blog buddies, Blythe!

    Wendy, if you succeed at keeping your email down, you are definitely a winner. Mine crept up and has stayed over 500 all month. I need to get it down. Now is when I go in and ruthlessly delete mail, but man, that's tough.

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  12. The book sounds good.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  13. Congrats for a new book Blythe, the cover and the excerpt is great.


    sisilia83athotmaildotcom

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  14. I love reading books about this period so looking forward to this one.

    Cheryl I do so love your books and blogs. I recently reread one of the first books I bought of yours. Can't think of the full title but it had the name Toby in it. I seldom reread a book but I found this one stuck back in a closet and had to reread.

    lorenzc@abbnebraska.com

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  15. Congrats Cheryl on a job well done! I like that one day at a time, that is how I live my life and that is one day at a time and with everything you do.

    ghurt110 AT bellsouth DOT net

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  16. Wonderful advice, Blythe.

    And congratulations, Cheryl! You rock ;)

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