Stop Making Excuses

Drop Of Water by Claudia H. Blanton

So dear fellow writers, creatives, and artists, I want to wake up this morning with a little kick in the behind.

Stop making excuses.

Say what?
You heard me right. Stop making excuses why you can not work on your creative projects, goals, and dreams. Stop that right now. Life is too short,  to waste another precious minute pondering upon the reasons why you can not follow through
The list of potential excuses are not going to get any shorter, just because you waited a month, a year, a decade to follow through. So stop, and do whatever it takes –  right now.

Keep The Dream Alive – Motivational Typography by Claudia H. Blanton

I am being hard on you here because I know how debilitating those excuses can be. I lived and breathed excuses. I would blame everyone and everything for why I do not have time, from lack of sleep to lack of resources, to not being good enough, or not having the right connections.

Guess what, if you do not do any of the steps needed to make your dream come true, you still will not have all of those things, and in addition to that, you will have a mediocre life at best. Do you really want that?
I did not think so.

So, say it with me, one more time.

Stop making excuses.

Start by asking questions. How about asking others for resources, or how they did it? How about getting your head away from that tv show and watch a youtube video on how others in your field made it? You will find, that many creatives do not mind sharing their “secrets”, which are no secrets through many platforms. Learn and then do.

I am rooting for you.

 

Blessings!

Claudia

P.S. Are you ready to take action? Then follow me to the free learning network Wealthy Affiliate right now!

Quick, Fun And Entertaining – “His Stubborn Lover” by Leslie North

Title: His Stubborn Lover

Author: Leslie North

Publisher: CreateSpace

Publication Date: Sept. 24, 2015

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Rating: 4/5 Stars

A very quick, fun read, that could have been turned into a little longer novel, but it was perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon (while I was waiting for my computer to be fixed). The characters – Brock and Keira are charming, and their connection steamy. I would not recommend this book for anyone who is looking for something rated PG 13, but if you don’t mind the physical, is cute.

I am surprised to have not found this to be a Harlequin book, considering that it fits perfectly into what that publisher offers, so if you read their books, you will like this one.
I am planning on reading the next installment of what is promising an action filled, quick entertaining read.

The only downfall of this book was that the title does not fit it very well. It makes it sound a lot cheaper and less thought-through than it actually is.  I almost did not read it,  because of that,  but like I stated above, I was unable to work and needed something to read, so I gave this book a shot and was glad I did.

 

P.S. This book was provided to me free via NetGalley, in return for an honest review.

Want to be a book reviewer? Need a website? Go to SiteRubix right now for two free websites! What are you waiting for? 

“The Long Road Home” – A Flash Fiction

“The Long Road Home” by Avalon Media available here:
http://shrsl.com/?~8swh

Despite numerous diversions, I had followed through on my plans to make the trip to Santa Fe.
No matter what the Universe threw at me, I was determined to follow through, after all, I had made the promise to stand by my sisters side on her special day, even though I loathed weddings and knew it would mean I would have to encounter slimy old Uncle Thomas.
None of that mattered, nothing did, because I was happy for her, more importantly for the first time in her life, she was happy.
Diversions or not, I had to go in a hurry, and took a wrong turn that would end my life.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

This post was inspired by this weeks prompt “Diversions” by Lillie McFerrin. The above image “The Long Road Home” is available on RedBubble here.

The Boot – A Flash Fiction

“The Boot” Vintage Design by Avalon Media
http://shrsl.com/?~8ptp

“Look what I found!”

Her voice was filled with such sweet excitement, that the older man could not hold back a smile. At one point he had dreaded to bring this young student with him to the site, not looking forward to the lack of knowledge an inexperienced person would surely bring along, but her enthusiasm made up for all of that and more. He reminded her of who he used to be, not too long before her arrival,  hoping to explore those hidden treasures, left by the civilizations before the Great War.

There was so much more to find, but the tedious work had taken his toll on him. So had the grim prospects of finding leftovers that showcased the detailed and widespread cruelty,  humankind had brought upon one another.
Her view was not tainted by such sights, not yet, and he hoped it would never come to that.

“What is it, Natasha?”, he answered, putting as much smile into his voice as its deepness allowed him to display.
“Behind that heavy broken thing you call furniture, I found this.”
She pointed at a faint painting, placed directly upon the aged wall and looked half questioning, half filled with pride.
“I have no idea, why anyone would use such a monstrously looking boot as a vase, yet in it’s strange composition it is quite pleasing, don’t you think?”
He glanced at the surprisingly well-preserved image in front of them and nodded softly. What alight-hearted, pleasing surprise, indeed.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

The above image “The Boot” is available as a framed art print on RedBubble. Thank you for your support.

Chocolate Cake – A Flash Fiction

“Chocolate Cake” by Avalon Media

I guess, it did not matter that we were the outcasts of the neighborhood, after all.
As I watched others lives fall apart, we all still had each other, no matter how many times people thought Mother was crazy for planting the garden by the cycles of the moon, or how Dad would allow us to put curlers in his hair, right before going to the grocery store, wearing them proudly.
The normal people, who looked down upon us, seemed to care more about our behaviour than their own lives. Divorce, arrests and suicides left us – unlike them – untouched.
But instead of returning their treatment with the same, my weird, flower-in-her-hair Mother, would bring them a smile and chocolate cake.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

The above flash fiction is a part of the Five Sentence Friday Flash blog hop and was inspired by this week’s prompt: “Family”

The above image “Chocolate Cake” is available on RedBubble as throw pillows and posters, and on Zazzle as postcards. Thank you for supporting Avalon Media

Prisoner – A Flash Fiction

“Simply Cute” Pattern Design by Avalon Media

Many aspects of him frightened me, but none chilled me as much to the bone as his need for perfection.
Patterns laid perfectly in unison with each other, never one aspect out of place, and the glance in my direction, when something was not up to his standards alone, made me shiver in fear. In a constant state of fright, I lived my life prisoner to his obsession, an obsession I was supposed to be grateful for. If I was not, the bruises on my face would bear witness of the price I would have to pay.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

If you liked this story, why not check out my design store on RedBubble

Fire – A Flash Fiction

Your heat engulfed me with such a force, that it became hard for me to breathe, but you weren’t even close.
The mere presence of you attracted an undeniable sensation, I could not ignore, and never had. But, until this moment, until your passionate dark blue eyes rested upon mine, I thought you had never even noticed me. With a smile, you whispered my name, and my heart bursted into flames.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

This post is a part of the Five Sentence Flash Series hosted here

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The Park – A Friday Flash Fiction

I always wondered how someone could say that they feel alone, in the middle of this wide open space. Not a day went by when this part of the park did not have visitors, even when the wind blew harder than usual, or the smoke of a nearby fire made it difficult to breath. Nothing kept people from coming back, not even rain. The hustle of this space was one of its appeals to me, because within it, I felt a part of it all, the world I sometimes shut out, when working at my computer, creating another part of the creative puzzle that would eventually make a coherent story.
I never understood, until this day, when you broke my heart.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

The End Of Everything – A Flash Fiction

He scared me, with such a profoundness that I knew I would never be the same. Not that he was threatening, this fragile, old man with the broad rimmed hat, but his eyes, gazing at me with the intensitivy of a powerful personality, borred into my soul, and left a mark. His words, as broken as his body, where humblingly simple, yet held within them the moment I had been waiting for, dreading and hoping to never hear anyone say to me.
“It has begun!”

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015

Impact – A Flash Fiction

One day can change everything. I had never appreciated that sentiment until this very moment. A breath, a glance, a decision, all actions that are fleeting, but their impact felt long after, creating waves of changes not to be taken lightly. Until now, standing here, in the midst of the thick, lushious lawn, feeling simutaniously at home and lost, I did not know the depth of this truth. But at the end, all that matters to me now, is that those decisions brought me right here – to you.

Copyright Claudia H. Blanton 2015