It's been ages since I sent out a newsletter and though I have no 'real writing' news I wanted to spread some holiday cheer! On the writing front, I've been busy, writing, reading and living. Learning tons while stretching my boundaries on how to do things. Its been fun! I may not be published yet but I look forward to writing everyday and that alone is too cool.

Just to let you know, I've updated everything on my site and will let you browse through at your leisure to discover most of the changes. Some things were changed because it was fun, and others because I suddenly discovered the programs I'd been using were no longer in use. Like my guestbook. Sadly that was discontinued but in place of it I moved on and joined the trend of having a Message Board! A method of corresponding that I've increasingly seen more of lately and thought would be really cool as it allows a user to do more than just leave a one way note. You can interact with not only the author of the website, but other's who share similar interests. Is that fun or what?

Then there is my altered Blog layout. It is a newspaper layout with tons of specifically allocated 'articles', thanks to my website guys(FreshlyPressed) who designed it(not for me, just for the fun of it). Currently it is getting warmed up but right after the first of the year it should be in full working mode with polls going on, book reviews, contest notices and so on.

A fun addition/alteration to my site is the uploaded excerpt from the novella, Heart of a Warrior, I've wrote and submitted to the Brava Contest(still currently going on) . I'd never written a short story before and it has been a wonderful challenge. It is also a story that I love! Feel free to check it out and then stop by the Message Board and comment!

I have also finally learned how to create PDF forms and now the WWR's(Wednesday Writing Romps) first story is available for download at the Visitor's Hub. We are planning on starting another one right after the new year and like before it will run on Wednesdays.

One thing I want to make note of: I've changed my newsletter provider to a program directly run from my webhost. So if you have any issues or questions please let me know!

On a more personal note, one big change in our lives was the loss of our pet Cody who was just barely a year old and the just recent addition of Kia. You can view pictures of both Cody and Kia at my newly established Gallery. This is something that will be getting added to, so feel free check it out now and then.

I also wanted to share two pieces of exciting news of my cp's, April and Rain(both whom receive this newsletter but do not know I'm passing on the news--hopefully they'll forgive me because I'm excited for them). April and her husband will be expecting their first child sometime in July! I'm doing the happy dance for them! Rain submitted one of her ms's that I think is fabulous to a publishing house and received a request! How exciting is that!??! Now the waiting is in progress for both. =) Congrats to both of you!

Well, that's all my 'news' for now.

Here is a holiday image I thought I'd share as a way of spreading the cheer --