Opening Lines On Jenny Kane's blog

I'm on Jenny Kane's blog with my opening lines to Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage

Follow the link! CLICK HERE

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage is still only 99p on Amazon UK! So grab your copy fast!

One Year Single - Almost

I've been meaning to blog about life and positivity (why does blogger not like this word? MS Word likes it!) and all that.

I wasn't sure whether to wait until I'd officially made it to one year single. That's the 23rd August, by the way. I remember it very clearly - hardly can forget being dumped by text (very suddenly) by the man who swore he loved me.

One day, it will blur to oblivion. Like the others. And he will be insignificant.

It still hurts. And I still catch myself thinking I can't believe he's gone at times. Not as often as I used to though.

Compared to me a year ago, well, I have changed - a lot.

And for the better! (I hope.)

For one, I have been set free! Oh My God! No longer traipsing to his every weekend to sit with his kids, watch him cook, while I drink myself fat! I've done sooooo much in this past year, and have so many more future dates booked with good friends. People who are so important to me will stay firmly placed in importance in my life from now on. (And I feel I have so many people to catch up with, or to continue to stay in touch with but money and time fail me. Boo!)

I have discovered pornstar martinis! I've been to different restaurants, visited friends - near and far. I have had so much fun!

I'm not crying like I was - everyday. Now it might be a bit of a sob at This Is Us. 

And my body is a hell of a lot fitter and so is my mind.

Exercise has helped on both accounts. And the way I look at exercise is that I'm making time for myself.

Even though some mornings I'm thinking why for the love of God am I doing this, I get up earlier to work out (this may change in the winter). I'm lucky to be able to do this now as the boys are older and I can leave them for half hour while I run. I've lost over half a stone without even trying really, just because I've made time to exercise more (including at the weekends because I'm not sat around watching him cook, drinking wine... )

And this exercise then affects my mind. I'm a big believer in healthy body = healthy mind. I'm feeling better about myself. Exercise does release endorphins, natural anti-depressants.

I also think my improved mindset is due to the continuation of writing my three positives a day.

Don't get me wrong, I have my bad days, where my kids are shit, and I'm swearing at them (I don't feel good about this but I get to the point now they're older I can't hold it in - I was probably doing it when they were younger, but they didn't know I was uttering bad words). And I'm more conscious about my rage in the summer with the windows open too! So I tend to feel terrible.

Bad days include when I'm beating myself up that I'm not writing, or I'm doing things I don't want to do (housework is among that - I have so many jobs around this house I need to do and don't make the time to do them). Or I haven't caught up with this friend, or I really want to revisit another. And work 'work' is shit with its stupid pettiness.

But these three positives, each night, make me search hard into my day and they eradicate the negativity.

Okay, so far 2018 has been fairly kind to me - I am waiting for the curve ball. Or was last years enough for me for now? But I've had a book rejected, and had to struggle with editing it and my confidence as a writer. I have money worries - who doesn't as a single parent? Will my car last for another year or two, or three?

Anyway here's to a year being single (almost) and probably another few... because I'm not sure I've actually got time to date yet.

Occasionally I think about it... and then I remember how it brings me down, how it's depressing. Because most of the men on there are idiots. I mean, if that's the best I can get, I'm remaining single!

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage makes Kindle Sale

I was lucky last year to have Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage make it into the Amazon Kindle Summer Sale, and it's done it again this year!

If you fancy a romance, set in Cornwall, then this maybe your book! It's only 99p on Kindle (and currently only £2 in paperback! - I have no clue how long that will last).

It probably means it's been price matched in all the other ebook retailers, so if Amazon isn't your thing, then check out the others!  

Here's the blurb to the book:

A Cornish Escape

After her house is set on fire and her love life is left in tatters, Maddy Hart can't believe her luck when a friend offers her the temporary haven of Wisteria Cottage. Overlooking the turquoise blue waters of the Cornish coast, the fresh air feels like a fresh start for her and her broken heart.

Peeking out of the cosy cottage windows, Maddy's surprised to see her gorgeous but insufferable neighbour Harry Tudor has been employed to landscape the garden. But as the wisteria winding its way around the cottage begins to bloom, an unlikely friendship starts to blossom...

Buy Links: 

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon US 

And, to add, Harry was inspired by Henry Cavill. Just in case you needed that image implanted in your brain!

Book Signing Saturday 7th July 1pm

If you haven't noticed, I'm book signing with fellow romantic novelist (and good friend), Fay Keenan this Saturday at our local Waterstones in Weston-super-Mare!

Please come say hello, we'll be in store from 1pm!

Fay will be signing her debut novel, The Second Chance Tea Shop and I'll be signing Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage. 

Both are contemporary romances. Mine's based in Cornwall, and Fay's is based more locally in Somerset. We both share the love for hunky heroes.

My Three Positives A Day

I wanted to blog an update of me. I know life can have ups and downs, I look at it like waves sometimes, that you have to ride out.

Almost a year single, at the moment, I think I'm at the happiest I've been in such a long time. Maybe last years shock of the sudden end of a relationship has helped me appreciate what I have today. It's made me focus my attention on the good stuff and the right friends. It's helped me set priorities. What's important, what matters to me?

Since that awful moment, finding myself single again, with the aid of counselling and the support of good friends, I have dusted myself off, picked myself up and I have got on with enjoying life.

At the beginning of the year, I had a blip. I was dating, and getting depressed by it all. Basically, I thought if this is the best I can do, if this is the best men I can attract, I'm staying single. I deleted the online dating account, and have been too busy to look back since.

He (who shall not be named) set me free really. The last couple of months I've been so busy, my weekends full, no longer sat in his house with his kids in-tow, hardly doing anything, and I still am busy for the next few weekends! For example, next week I'm book signing at Waterstones Weston-super-Mare! Come along and say hi!

We are half way through the year, and I feel so positive. And I think I know why.

Last year, when I was at my lowest, my counsellor suggested I wrote at the end of the day 3 positives into a notebook/diary. I found it so useful that I decided to continue this in January, using a diary I'd got given as a birthday present. It's perfect as it's a page a day, giving me plenty of room to write my positives down.

Without fail, every night I fill out this diary. Some days are harder than others to find three positives, but it can be the simple things like we ate tea in the garden or the sun was shining. Sometimes, I have so many positives to write down, I'm adding bonus ones! But each day feels positive. Every day this year, even when I've had a bad day, I can look back on the good stuff. I'm focusing on positivity.

I've been lucky. This year hasn't sent me any curve balls - yet. But by focusing on priorities - keeping fit, my writing, my friends and family - I'm in a good place. I'm trying to worry less about those that don't wish to be in touch. I've done as much as I can now, I'm not forcing my friendship on to anyone anymore. I'm focusing on those that focus on me, making regular dates with my good friends.

The best thing about this is: I'm too busy to date. 😁

I'm writing a series of books now, which will feature happy ever afters. Not sure if I'll get mine... not sure I'm bothered anymore...

So, my advice to you: Focus on the things and people who make you happy, write down those 3 positives a day, and have a Pornstar Martini! (This is my new favourite cocktail).

Life is good.