Thankful Thursday: Book series

Wow! It's been a LONG time since I posted!  I apologize for that.  It's been crazy and unfortunately I don't think it's going to get better for awhile, so my posting is probably going to be a bit sporadic, but I'll try to be better.  For those that are looking for the winner of the Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop, I'll post that on Monday, so make sure to stop on back.  

But, in the meantime, I'm participating in the Oasis for YAs Thankful Thursday Meme.

Topic this week: What book series are you most thankful for and why?

When I saw this prompt, I was like, “Oh boy! How do I choose?!”  There wasn’t a way, so I used the ol’ stand-by…eenie, meenie, Minie, Mo. :D  Of course, that didn’t work either. LOL. So, I picked two.  Yes, I’m cheating. Kinda.  ; ) The first is posted at the Oasis blog.

The second one I’m grateful for is the Twilight series.  I know a lot of writer’s opinions on this series, but, honestly, it’s the reason I started writing seriously again.  I wanted to do what she did.  Not necessarily the movies, and the best-seller status(not that I WOULDN’T take all that. LOL.) but how she was able to create something new and fresh and make it her own. And not only do that, but making so many people--young and old alike—to fall in love with the story and the characters.  Almost everywhere you turned people were reading or re-reading this story.  I still don’t really know what it was about this story that made me want to keep reading, but there’s only been a few books since then that has inspired me that much. 

Almost immediately I started writing an awful book about fairies.  LOL. But Twilight gave me the courage to start writing again.  And for that, I’m grateful.

Thankful Thursday: Remember to be thankful, even when we don't think we can.

NOTE:  Oops!  This was actually supposed to be posted at the Oasis.  But things happen for a reason, so it's now posted in both places.  But I would absolutely love it, if you commented over there.  You can comment here, too, but we'd like to hear from you over there, as well.  Thanks!

Today I’m going to do something a bit different.  I wasn’t sure what to write today and so I just put my fingers to the keyboard and came up with this.  I hope that’s okay.

This Thankful Thursday is the first in a month set aside to be thankful.  For us to remember to be thankful for the things that have happened to make us who we are.  Whether they are good things.  Or bad things.

And it’s the start of a season that is set aside for us to be more giving.  Granted we should be that way all year, but no matter your religion November and December are those months that we spend a few extra minutes each day trying to harder to be the best people we can be.  Or at least I hope so.  J

Sometimes that’s hard.  Especially when so many things around us are going wrong and we see someone who’s doing so much better than us.  Which face it, it happens all the time in writing.

Three years ago, we were struggling with the onset of my daughter’s illness and no one knew what was going on.  I was frustrated, exhausted and fighting with my frustrated and exhausted husband.  Every where we’d turn, new parents were happily playing with their seemingly well-behaved children, while we were struggling to maintain our sanity with a child who seemed to hate sleep and loathe being in anyone’s arms, but mine.

Then came the worst days of our lives, the day we learned my daughter’s heart was enlarged and possibly failing.  We spent the next several months in and out of hospitals, until we found out she had systemic JRA.

Now every day is a struggle.  Is it going to be a good day, or a bad one?  But through it all I’ve tried to remain grateful.  Some days are easier than others, but every night before bed I try to think of one thing I'm grateful for.  Even if that one thing is I'm grateful for the day to be over with. 

But here's a list of the things I'm most grateful for because of this.  I'm grateful for the fact that I was observant enough to know there was something wrong with my daughter, besides being cranky, and insisted the Dr’s run more tests to find out what was wrong.  For the doctor who finally listened to me and saw the enlarged heart.  For the countless Doctors and nurses since then.

For my family, who’s stood by me and her, through it all.  For my husband, for helping me make sure the Drs listened, for my daughter, who despite her illness is the sweetest child ever, and for my writing, which has helped me keep my sanity through it all.

So let’s hear it.  What event in your life was awful and what are you thankful for because of it?

Thankful Thursday.

I'm blogging over at the Oasis.  Swing by and tell me what you're grateful for this week.  And don't forget to sign up for my Banned Book Giveaway here.