C.K. Bryant's Blog

My friend, Ali Cross, has been encouraging me to pick a word to be the theme for my life for this new year. I've had several roaming around in my head over the past couple weeks, but the one I kept coming back to is "Unconditionally".The word can mean so many different things to different people, but for me it means being open to not only receiving love from others, but being willing and ready to give it without expecting anything in return. To love unconditionally. To serve others unconditionally. And most importantly, to love myself unconditionally.That means not making excuses--not blaming my limitations for the reason I don't succeed when I know full well that I can achieve anything I set my mind to in spite of them.I came from a childhood, and later my entire adulthood, where those who should have loved me unconditionally, refused to accept me as I was. Instead, they constantly put me down and expected me to be someone I wasn't, and gave me the overwhelming desire to be loved unconditionally. I was never good enough. It didn't matter what I did, it never measured up to their expectations.Honestly, as bad as that sounds, it made me a stronger person and gave me the tough skin I needed to survive. A shy, scared inner child who put up walls for protection, now stands up for herself--a warrior who recognizes crap when she sees it and calls it out to battle.So, "unconditionally" has meaning to me. More so than anyone could ever imagine. I will work on loving myself this year. Putting ME first only after God and my Savior. Finding the good things in others, instead of their shortcomings. And finally, being the eternal companion my husband deserves and mother my son so desperately needs.

Hello, out there!!

I can't believe I've been MIA for so long. It's frustrating for me. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for my readers--to fall in love with a series of books, then have the author fall off the edge of the earth and not write anything else. 

Well, that's over. I hope!

I've been working on my next novel and would like to share a little blurb about it. Here ya go:

AQUATARA
Book #1 in the Spirit Hunter Series
Alone and dying in the middle of the desert isn't the best time to discover you might be a mermaid.

Seventeen, and armed with the clues from a single photograph, Tara sets out on a journey to discover who she is - or rather, what she is. After crashing her motorcycle in the Nevada desert, nineteen-year-old construction worker, Quinton, comes to her rescue. Together they uncover the startling secrets of Tara's past, and reveal the frightening truths that threaten her very life. But it's not just Tara's past that holds its secrets - Quinton's own heritage puts him at odds with his father, a Hunter, sworn to track down land dwelling water spirits like Tara and return them to the sea.  


 Refusing his birthright as a Hunter, Quinton will defy his father and do anything to protect Tara - even if it means risking his life in the frigid waters of the Atlantic.
Let me know what you think. I hope to have it out this summer. (fingers crossed)

It's been over a year since I posted an update. The time has gone so quickly and with little or no progress in the writing department. I keep telling myself it will come in time, but the truth is I'm still struggling to find that passion I once had--that drive to tell the story that's in me. And I have stories. Lots of them. I even have two books completely outlined and half written, but when I sit down at my computer . . . NOTHING. It's like my brain completely freezes up and I can't think of a single sentence to put on the page. It's so frustrating.

I sooo wish I had better news, but for now I guess the possibility of a new book being on the market soon is pretty slim. That being said, I will continue trying.

Man, I miss being in the writer's loop. I miss my author friends and corresponding with my wonderful and loyal fans. Let's hope 2018 brings me closer to finding my muse.

Hugs to all.

I have to first apologize to my loyal fans that I haven't published anything new. I'm just as frustrated about it as you are--even more. It's embarrassing. What kind of author doesn't write or produce something of value--anything?

It seems my muse has been on an extended vacation and I'm beginning to worry. It's been over a year since I was able to write anything significant. I sit at the computer and stare at the blank screen where my words should be, but nothing comes.  It's strange, too. I mean, the book I'm working on (or supposed to be working on) is completely outlined and over 1/3 of the way written. I know every chapter and even how it's supposed to end, but still . . . nothing inspires my fingers to move across the keys.  Just writing this blog post is a struggle--been over a year since I did even that.

So I'm desperately sending out this plea to family, friends, fans and anyone reading this, to please send some positive vibes my way.  Any prayers would also be much appreciated.

Anyone else have trouble controlling their muse? How did you finally break the silence and lack of inspiration?

A couple weeks ago I started searching for someone to mow our rather large lawn and possibly to take on a few small repairs around our property. There were several big outfits that sounded good, but my husband and I have always tried to support the little guy and help those just starting out. We were there once with our restaurant and appreciated the support from others, so try to pay it forward.  So, when I found a couple guys in their mid-twenties who were trying to support their new families with their new business, I took a leap of faith.

Their initial work was impeccable. Within a few days the place was looking great and their prices were reasonable. But the best part was that it freed my husband from one of the many chores he does along with working a lot of hours at our restaurant. Win. Win. Right?

WRONG!

Last week I asked these men if they'd be interested in repairing and painting our deck and painting the trim on our house. They were thrilled for the work, but asked if I'd mind paying them in advance so they could get a few supplies and such.  It should have been a red flag, but my trusting soul handed them a check.  They did come out the next day to start on the deck, but didn't follow any of the guidelines from the paint manufacturer. Didn't use the deck-wash we bought. Didn't use the power sprayer we left for them, just did a little sanding on the rail and threw a sloppy coat of paint on PART of the deck and then left.

It's been a week and I haven't heard a word. The owner's cell goes straight to voice mail. The check was cashed. And nobody showed up Friday for the scheduled lawn care.

Above and beyond the financial aspect of this transaction is my broken heart. I really liked these guys. One even showed me a picture of his sweet twin girls and spoke of how much he loved them. I trusted them completely and that isn't easy for me to do.

So, what's next? Do I just wait and see if they call with some excuse about an emergency and that they couldn't call me because they had no cell service? Do I give them another chance? I'm pretty sure I'll never see that money again, but do I trust someone else to do the work and pay AGAIN to have it done right? Or do I add even more pressure to my husband and expect him to fix this mess? It's been weighing so heavily on my mind and heart that I actually had a panic attack yesterday. Haven't had one of those for years.

So, dear reader. What should I do?

About two years ago I began the process of switching rooms with my son. He had a small room in the front of the house, while my office was in the largest bedroom in the back of the house. About half way through the process our kitchen flooded and the whole thing was put on hold, leaving both rooms disorganized and barely functional.
Not long after the kitchen was fixed (which took three months), I got sick and the last thing I wanted to do was heft boxes around and move furniture. With my husband's help, my son's room was finally finished a few months before he moved out on his own (figures). But it's taken me quite some time to feel like diving back into my office project, which looked and felt like an overcrowded storage room with a hole cut into the center for my computer. 
That is until I saw this little piece of inspiration for sale at a nearby boutique. It's a rescued piano that's been made into a desk. YES, a DESK!!  Who wouldn't want to write the great American novel while surrounded by such beauty and ambiance?
So, I put it on layaway and began carving out room for it in my cluttered excuse for an office. That was the plan. Just a space for the new desk. But once I started, I couldn't stop, and now the whole space is organized and WONDERFUL.
It took me three months to pay it off and a pretty penny to hire a couple guys to deliver it (still has the cast iron harp in it and weighs a ton). It took them over an hour to get it out of the trailer, up three steps and onto my deck. Then they had to turn it on it's side to get it through my office door. 

Here is, in all it's glory, right where it was always meant to be. Just seeing this picture brings tears to my eyes. It's SOOO ME, right down to the little white tiger watching over it. 
And I'm all ready to write. That's the best part.
ME.
WRITING.
So, what do you think??? Do you like it?

As I watched the season finale of Marvel's Agent Carter, the main character, Peggy, said something that made me think about how we see ourselves and how we often let others devalue us by their words and actions.

After Peggy saved millions of people from death, someone else was given the credit and her colleague thought she should set things straight. Peggy turned to him and said, "I know my value. Everyone else's opinion doesn't matter."

How wonderful to have such confidence. That is my goal--to know my own value. To be able to say, "I am of great worth." And mean it. To not let others influence me and my life's work because they may think I'm less than I should be or that I'm not good enough.

I don't need to be a best selling author to know I am a great storyteller and that others enjoy my books. I don't need friends and family to stroke my ego to know that I have God given talents that make me unique and that I have every right to share those talents with others.  And I certainly don't need to be a size 4 to love my body and not let the number on a scale define me. I am a daughter of God and he created me for a purpose. That alone should give me the strength to stand tall and confident in the storm of criticism and negativity.

I truly believe that each one of us can overcome anything that is thrown at us if we just remember who we are and that we have value. Be strong, my friends. YOU are of GREAT WORTH!!!

Several of my author friends have expressed their disappointment in book sales lately. Some have considered giving up on their career as an author. At the very least, they want a break from the stress caused from putting all their energy, time and money into marketing that doesn't pay off.

I totally get that.

There have been times when I considered quitting, especially in the beginning. But because I love being a story teller and writing about characters that live and breathe in my warped little brain, it's not in me to throw it all away.

That's not to say that we, as published authors, can't take a break once in a while. It's necessary to refill our cups and heal our spirits.

I took almost a year off in 2013-14 because of my health. Getting my physical health back was a priority for me and I had to put everything else on the back burner, regardless of promised release dates. Day by day, I've worked to get back into the habit of writing. It wasn't easy, and sometimes I lapse into a few days of ignoring my muse. But that's okay because this week I could finally see the old me returning and it feels great.

I guess what I'm saying is . . . it's okay to take a break. In fact, it's necessary. We all need to stop, take a breath and heal our emotional and spiritual selves. But that doesn't mean we need to quit. If you're anything like me, writing is in your blood. It's part of you. Killing it will kill a part of you that you may never get back.

Feed Your Kindle for Christmas!!!
The entire collection of The Crystor Series is now available for only
$ 2.99
For KINDLE LoversFor NOOK Lovers
ENJOY!!!  Have a Very Merry Christmas!!!
 The Bryant Family

Whew!  It's been a crazy 3-4 weeks. After school let out, I spent several days getting my son ready to move out on his own. He has autism and severe behaviors--meltdowns that were getting harder and harder to deal with--so we decided it was time to get more help. We found a wonderful agency that is providing him place to stay with two other boys his age who have similar problems. They have 24 hour staff to help them and make sure they are happy and safe. It's been such a relief to know he is doing well there.

AND, for the first time in 28 plus years of marriage, my husband and I are a COUPLE again. We have so enjoyed the past couple weeks, even took an overnight trip to Utah to see friends and go to a food show. We've never been able to do that without a kid in tow so it was nice.

I've also been taking a much needed break from writing to let my muse rest, but now it's time to get back in the saddle.  My next project is to finish Aquatara. It's about 1/3 of the way finished so I hope it won't take me too long to get it done. *Fingers Crossed*

Anyone up for a giveaway????  I need to think about what I want to offer and such. Maybe next week, so check back.