Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

Sensual western romance. Heartwarming stories. Strong family ties.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel
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  • Tag: blog hop

    • #MFRWauthor Week 18: Bright Lights or Peaceful Nights?

      Posted at 2:37 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on May 1, 2020
      blog post city or country living, sunrise or sunset wooded scenery, trees, old fence line, path, Mary J McCoy-Dressel

      Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge. Goodness, we’re at Week 18.

      Sometimes it feels like the time is flying by, doesn’t it? Other times it drags. Drags because we don’t know what we’re waiting for, to be honest.

      One thing for sure though—people around the entire world are waiting for better days—normal days to return. Will it ever be the “normal” we once knew? I think it will be a long time from now before we’ll see normalcy. Any-who, since we aren’t going anywhere, let’s get to the topic for Week 18.


      City Living or Country?

      Can I say both? I could answer this with those four words, but you know me…

      I’d like my primary home to be in the country. I’m not where I live now, but it feels like it when I look out and see the woodlands around me or when I stroll through my small-town. Today, I glanced outside in time to see a pair of ducks waddling past my window. My first thought was for them to take cover before a hawk spotted them.

      Mother turkey with babies, front yard, trees, Mary J McCoy-Dressel

      Turkeys a couple of years ago.

      Later, a FedEx truck slowing down on the road into this complex got my attention. Since I had been walking through the apartment getting in my daily steps, I glanced out the window to see the biggest live turkey I’ve ever seen—tail feathers and all—strutting down the road ahead of FedEx. I smiled.

      Last year a coyote died beneath my bedroom window! Sad. They stroll through the parking lot at night. My cousin, who lives behind me in the same building, sees deer each evening at dusk, and the ducks because the river is down the hill. Sounds like country, huh?

      In the past, I had property in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania in the Allegheny National Forest where bear came through in the wee morning hour to examine our fire pit. I’ve mentioned before how I came upon a black bear while strolling down the road

      country pole barn garage, Pennsylvania, black and white, forest behind barn, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, blog post country or city

      Allegheny Mountains.

      alone, with the bear between me and home!

      Deer were aplenty. We had nearly twenty acres and some of that acreage had apple trees right down the hill and to the right of this garage at the family section of the property. We had a place down the road. I spotted a wild cat through my camera lens one evening while waiting for a sunset. Yes, I’ve had experience with country living, and I LIKE IT!

      However, I’d like an apartment or a time-share in the city for a change of pace. Cities are beautiful at Christmastime with all the decorations. I’d hate to miss that part of city living, but I’d want to be back in my country home for Christmas Eve.

      I wonder how many days it would take to become accustomed to city noise and traffic.

      If you had a choice, which would you prefer? Or are you a rebel like me and choose both?


      Since this is a blog hop, here’s the LINK to participating authors who are answering the same question.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, blog post #MFRWauthor Week 1 2019

      Take care everyone. Stay safe. Stay home.

      Featured Image Credit: Pixabay – Free-photos

      This big guy rambled out of the woods this morning. I heard a gobble, gobble and ran to the window. I bet my jaw dropped! I took a quick shot. Forgive the bad picture through the window with the sun glare. I think he’s looking for a cute little turkey to have his babies.

      Early morning stroll.

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 10 Comments | Tagged #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, mary j mccoy dressel, Week 18: Bright Lights or Peaceful Nights?
    • #MFRWauthor Week 16: Shopping? Pick Up the Phone or Walk Inside

      Posted at 2:37 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on April 17, 2020

      Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge. The question for Week 16 is:

      Online shopping or go to stores?

       

      Shopping in Person:

      I choose both, or I did before a pandemic took over the world. The reason I like going to clothing stores or shoe stores to shop is because I need to try on clothes, shoes, lingerie, the whatnot that goes on my body. I like to go shopping shortly after they open so it isn’t too busy, which allows me to lollygag and just look and touch, and to notice what mannequins are showing off.

      If I’m looking for a new television, laptop, printer, electronic device, or even a TV table or desk, I like to see the item in person.

      It’s no surprise I love bookstores, but I rarely purchase print books because they are too difficult for me to read with my eye issues. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t look, touch, and smell books, and browse whatever else bookstores have for sale.

      My last recent purchases from inside an electronics store was a TV stand and Bluetooth headphones, earbud style. I had intended on purchasing headphones, but when I looked in person, most over-the-head headphones didn’t fit comfortably. If I had ordered online, I would not have known this.

      Another new thing though… I never thought I’d order groceries online until I went into self-isolation and then lived with Stay Home Stay Safe orders. Going into the store helped me go above my daily step quota and actually see another human being in person and hear my voice. I am a Michigangander and ALL FOR the Michigan Stay Home Stay Safe order to continue.

      Online Shopping:

      Sometimes online shopping has better discounts.

      I’ve grown to like online grocery shopping. All I have to do is order and pick it up. However, I look forward to in-store shopping for food for as long as I’m able to drive and walk.

      Once I’ve purchased clothing or shoes, I’ll order that brand online with confidence.

      Once, I ordered a Kindle Fire and iPad online from the same electronics store mentioned above. All I had to do was see the specifications. I also purchased my fitness wrist tracker online without knowing one thing about buying one. It’s a great purchase though for spur-of-the-minute.

      My computer is not staying connected to the internet these days, so a new computer might be in my future…by shopping online. Hmm.

      These days, you can purchase anything online from flowering plants to hardware items to vehicles. It’s still fun to go to the store, but I like the choice.

      Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful weekend.


      About Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge Blog Hop. “Each week, authors use our writing prompt to create a meaningful blog post. We’ll be posting every Friday… join us as often as possible.” Please click HERE to visit participating authors.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, blog post #MFRWauthor Week 1 2019

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 18 Comments | Tagged #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, mary j mccoy dressel, Week 16: Shopping? Pick Up the Phone or Walk Inside
    • #MFRWhooks Book Hooks Wednesday: Conference Room

      Posted at 12:15 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on March 18, 2020

      Hi, is it Wednesday again? Ah, it must be time for another Book Hooks post. Today I bring you the first book in the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight:

      Cowboy Boss and his Destiny

      The grandma he mentions is Tristan’s mom, our ranch matriarch who is featured in book five: Seasoned with Destiny: A Gift of Love. Snippet modified to avoid spoilers.


      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance, website

      Oh, my God. “I can’t talk right now, Destiny. We have to get there.” His child’s pain hit him like a spear to the chest. He wanted to be supportive while she cried, but he needed support. I have to get there. Have to get there. At the emergency room parking lot, he unhooked Destiny and carried her inside.

      “I have to see her. Nora Trinity. Just brought in…”

      “Just a minute, please.” She glanced at Destiny who still cried. “Do you have someone coming for your child?”

      “Yes, but I can’t wait.” He released Destiny to the floor. She held him as tight as she could.

      The lady called back there and told him it’d only be a minute. A doctor came out and glanced at Destiny. Tristan knelt. “Honey, you have to wait here for a minute. Grandma will be here soon, real soon.” He pointed to a chair. “Go sit right there and don’t get out of it. Don’t talk to anybody.”

      “No, Daddy. Don’t leave me.” She clung to him with both arms.

      There was no expression on the doctor’s face whatsoever.

      “Listen to me. Only for a few minutes. I have to go to the back.” He held her face. “This is the time you need to be big.”

      She shook her head erratically, and shouted, “I’m not big.”

      He picked her up and hugged her. “Take me back, please.”

      They went through the doors to a conference room. “I’ll put a chair outside the door for your daughter,” the doctor stated matter-of-factly. He dragged a chair out of the room, pushing it against the wall beside the door while Tristan fell apart inside.

      Tristan lowered her to the chair. He demanded that Destiny stay. “I’ll be right inside. Right here.”

      She folded her arms across her chest and stared at the floor.

      The doctor closed the door behind him but leaned against it for what seemed an eternity. Silence.

      Tristan’s heart shattered. They were in a conference room. Ah, damn, this couldn’t be good.

      UNIVERSAL BUY LINK

      From his experience with women, Tristan Carlson learned that some don’t want a ready-made family, and he and his four-year-old daughter come as a package. Then he falls hard and fast for Nora, but if she isn’t going to give him the trust he needs, their relationship won’t last. Without a warning, darkness falls over the entire Carlson family when a near-repeat of a devastating memory comes back to haunt them, and Tristan fears he and his child will have to suffer all over again.

      When Nora Trinity returns to Canyon Junction, she doesn’t expect to fall for the handsome cowboy she lends a hand to in a parking lot. However, since then, she learns about a past that nearly destroyed him. Now she can lose everything if she can’t find it in her heart to trust he’s a changed man. Then why does he disappear at a time when Nora needs him more than she’s ever needed him before? Has she lost him, anyway?

      Tristan and Nora’s bond is put to the test. They need to be strong enough to overcome issues of trust, family complications, and painful memories. They vow to prevail when circumstances beyond their control attempt to prove them wrong.


      This book has gone through multiple changes since the first edition. In fact, in 2016 I revised the entire book and cut the length by… Hmm, A LOT. That isn’t all. I gave it a new cover. I removed so much for the purpose of adding book numbered 1.5 to make it one complete book and doing away with the original 1.5.


      Thank you for reading. While here, click the image below to visit participating authors in this Marketing for Romance Writers Book Hooks blog hop.

      Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week to hook readers on your current WIP or any previously published book.

      Image credit – Father and Daughter: Pixabay – platinumportfolio

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWhooks, Book Hooks, Double Dutch Ranch Series | 11 Comments | Tagged #MFRWhooks, blog hop, Book Hooks, Cowboy Boss and his Destiny, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance
    • #MFRWauthor 52-Week Blog Challenge: Saving Daylight

      Posted at 12:27 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on March 13, 2020

      I made it this week after all. However, I wrote this post on Wednesday. You won’t find my name on the Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge page though because I’m late posting and missed the sign up time. This week’s topic is:

      Week 11: Keep Daylight Saving Time?

      I guess it comes down to liking more daylight in the morning or evening. Since the question asks, my answer is “I’d rather do away with Daylight Saving Time.” I can’t give a specific reason as to why. Sure, like most others, I like long summer evenings, but we’ve had this change for so long, I don’t remember what a winter evening is like without a time change. My oldest son mentioned to me the other day that he now has time to mountain bike ride after work because it’s still daylight in the mountains. Those who work all day get to see sunsets.

      How about a history lesson? Apparently, Daylight Saving Time isn’t as new as we might think:

      Daylight Saving Time has been used in the U.S. and in many European countries since World War I. At that time, in an effort to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power, Germany and Austria took time by the forelock, and began saving daylight at 11:00 p.m. on April 30, 1916, by advancing the hands of the clock one hour until the following October. Other countries immediately adopted this 1916 action…

      From WebExhibits website: http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html

      The 1960s:

      According to the WebExhibits website, in the early 1960s in the US, time changes were quite inconsistent until a dedicated time-frame had been figured out. One survey by the Committee of Time Uniformity found:

      …on the 35-mile stretch of highway (Route 2) between Moundsville, W.V., and Steubenville, Ohio, every bus driver and his passengers had to endure seven time changes!

      Also from WebExhibits website: http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html

       

      By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing Daylight Saving Time based on their local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in and end the confusion, and to establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S. Code Section 260a) [see law], signed into Public Law 89-387 on April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, created Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any State that wanted to be exempt from Daylight Saving Time could do so by passing a state law.

      http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/e.html

      Here’s a good tidbit of information at this History Channel link. https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-daylight-saving-time


      This is a blog hop that happens on Friday from Marketing for Romance Writers. Click HERE to visit participating authors.


      Stay safe and well everyone. Four days ago when I wrote, Worldwide Alarm and Anxiety: Coronavirus, Covid-19 had not reached my state. So much has changed since then, and it has reached us, my county, and many surrounding counties. After confirming two cases the first day, overnight, we had a dozen cases with over one hundred more being tested. Last night, our governor ordered all schools be closed for three weeks so far beginning Monday the 16th. Other states are doing the same thing.

      Please be as safe as you can. Think of those whose health is in jeopardy and keep healthy for them. We all have to do our part in helping to stop this Pandemic. How many of us have never heard that word used in our lifetime? After this, I hope we never hear it again. Remember, the percentage of those who survive this is much higher than those who do not.

       

      Featured Image Credit: Pixabay by Syaibatulhamdi

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 14 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, Daylight Saving Time, History Channel, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, WebExhibits
    • #AmWriting Week 28: Can I Be Found In My Stories? #MFRWauthor

      Posted at 6:08 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 13, 2019
      Silhouette of woman looking into a rirror at a faceless woman, Mary J McCoy_dressel, 52-Week Blog Challenge Blog Post Week 28

      Week 28: Putting yourself in the story

      I’m late with posting to the blog hop, but here I am now with a 52-Week Blog Challenge post. Taking part this late means I missed the Linky Sign up deadline.

      Let’s begin:

      This topic came around a year or two ago, but I can’t find the post referring to it.

      No, I don’t put me, the actual person into my stories. Nope. Not as “myself,” but events in my life and more, aspects of my personality, or the way I think about things–negatively and positively, have turned up in many of them.

      I admit, some aspects of my personality do come out in my story. How can it not? I know myself so well.

      • Moonlight is important to some of my characters. Could this be because I’m a moonchild? Regardless, to me and my characters, moonlight is romantic.
      • I’ve worked with kids all my life. My characters relate to kids like I do.
      • Family is a major part of my branding as it is important to my life. My books have strong family ties.
      • I’ve used settings from places I’ve lived, which oftentimes reveals memories that might end up in a book.
      • Without realizing it, some of my wardrobe and decorating styles have come out in my characters.
      • In my upcoming book five in the Double Dutch Ranch Series, I mention a tragic episode that I had experienced in my life.

      This happened outside of the book and in the interim between books four and five, so readers never experience the event. Readers will find glimpses of the aftermath through the eyes of the Carlson family. I’m sure this will move avid readers of the series and make them ask “why?” Because:

      • My characters experience emotion, empathy, and real-life situations. I suppose that’s another reason some of these events are brought into my books.

      These are some ways I add similarities to events I’ve experienced either first-hand or how I saw it through the eyes of someone else, but I tend to keep a lot of me hidden. To the best of my knowledge, my heroines are more themselves than me, because a girl can’t give away all her secrets.


      As always, we can find the other participants at this Linky Link on the main Marketing for Romance Writers Blog. #MFRWauthor

      Thanks for reading!


      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance, Marketing for Romance Writers, 52-Week Blog Challenge, October 2019!

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 6 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, mary j mccoy dressel, Week 28: Can I Be Found In My Stories?
    • #AmWriting Week 27: Glitz it up! Or Not #MFRWauthor #WritersLife

      Posted at 9:23 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on July 5, 2019
      blog post dressing up chore or pleasure, Mary J McCoy-Dressel,

      Week 27: Dressing Up: Chore or Pleasure?

      I have the boots in the picture above! That says it all. <wink> As much as I hate to admit it, getting dressed up is more of a chore than a pleasure. I’ve lost weight and have more to lose, so I’d have to buy a new dressy dress outfit. Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping, and yes, I should be prepared for a pop-up night out without running to the store first. Who am I fooling? I’m not good with unexpected proposals to go out.

      The dressiest affair I have ever attended was my best friend’s daughter’s summer wedding. Yes, dressier than my own small wedding. I wore a sexy little size six, short red dress and climbed up into my shiny “red” Ram pickup truck–my Lady in Red, while my husband’s mouth watered in the driveway. Haha. He chose not to accompany me. His loss. My first love was there. He noticed and complimented! True story.

      Preparing back in the day had been a pleasure. I remember my youngest son, a young man of around eighteen then, taking me aside at the wedding, saying, “Mom, men are checking you out.” He was the one shocked.

      As recent as last week, my daughter-in-law came to town for work. She wanted to take me out for my birthday. In this case, I knew it would be fun, and I was happy to see her, so getting somewhat dressed up for this occasion had been a pleasure.

      Being a stay-at-home writer, my daily dress is casual. Choosing to dress up to go out now means I have to get away from my characters to do something for myself. Remaining casual has become a habit, so it’s more normal for me to throw on a nice but casual outfit to go out with friends. It’s been ages since I’ve gone to a classy or dressy affair.

      The thought of searching for clothing for an extravagant or glitzy outing, is definitely a chore. I wish it was different, but I’ve grown accustom to this lifestyle, and it’s the norm. It’s hard to break out of the habit of dressing casual and comfortable. Loungewear comes on when the sun goes down and never sees the outside.

      The last time I went to the opera or symphony, I dressed business-casual and looked nice, but getting ready had been a chore, so I was torn between it being a chore or pleasurable. I glitzed the business aspect of it up a level with jewelry, dressy coat, and more dramatic makeup. As I “came together” that night, I felt great about how I looked.

      At the opera and symphony, you see a bit of everything from jeans to long formal dresses. I fit somewhere in between, and it was a pleasure. In my dreams, I’d dress like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or Cher in Moonstruck and head out the door with my head held high.

      In reality, dressing up is a chore these days, but I’m happy to go through the chore of preparing for the right occasion. How about you, dear blog readers. Oh, what about men? Is it a chore or a pleasure for you to get dressed up? I’m curious to know. Guys, I have to tell you and this is my opinion, but… Seeing you in a tux never gets old. <grin>

       

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, blog post #MFRWauthor Week 1 2019Hop on over to follow this LINK to the other blog hop participants.

       

       

      Thanks for reading!


      Happy belated Canada Day to my Canadian friends across the river from me, and a Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans.

      I hope none of you were in the earthquake in California.

      Be safe everyone.

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 8 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #AuthorsLife, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, casual clothes, dress clothes, glitzy affair, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Week 27: Glitz it up! Or Not
    • #AmWriting Week 26: Getting the Call of Acceptance #MFRWauthor

      Posted at 9:44 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on June 28, 2019

      Sorry to have missed last Friday’s topic about planning a dream wedding. I was too busy planning a fictional wedding.  ❤  I did write the post though so maybe one day I’ll post it anyway.

      Week 26: How getting the call (or acceptance) changes lives.

      This really isn’t the topic for me though I’ve received the call of acceptance twice. Years ago, when publishing was soooo different, I turned down one call of acceptance. Yes, they actually called. Turns out, they wanted more money for editing than what they’d pay me. Yes, they made money on editing over publishing, though they called themselves a publisher.

      LISTEN TO ME if you’re just starting… Stay away from them. They should pay you not the other way around. I’m glad I had enough smarts to walk away.

      Another time, well, I can’t say I had a call of acceptance, but an editor at one of the biggest New York publishing companies had requested my complete manuscript. He suggested changes in the manuscript and then to send it back to him. That’s a big deal. It was a big deal!

      The way my luck runs, I shouldn’t have been surprised. #WritersLife Hah! I had finished with all his suggestions, and my manuscript had been ready to go, but I learned that he had moved to a different publishing company. OMG. Lickity split. He’d left me. Ha-ha. It felt like he’d left me.

      I still sent it to a different editor there and explained my plight, but two years later, after I had contacted them, they sent my manuscript back with a rejection. He or she, I don’t remember now, didn’t like my story as much as the first guy. Sigh.

      In the interim of searching for an agent and a publisher, I had received many rejections, requests to read more of my manuscript, and more rejections.

      Keyword here: I didn’t give up. Don’t give up.

      • I kept writing.
      • I continued submitting.

      However, I got another call some YEARS later and should have walked away then too. I didn’t, but it was my opening—my beginning, and how it changed my life. My new beginning wasn’t with them because later, I paid them to get my rights back to two books they’d published. I say it was my beginning because I left them to make my own dream come true.

      Did you pay attention? To make my OWN dream come true. Kindle Direct Publishing came around at the perfect time for me. I didn’t know anything about publishing on my own.

      • I learned.
      • I’m still learning.
      • I have a lot more to learn.

      Back then, and even now, some turn their noses up at self-published authors. Whether anyone wants to face it or not, it’s true.

      So, yes, I’ve received the call a couple times but I don’t like to talk about those times because as I said above: I made my OWN dream come true.

      Each of us has to do what works best for us. Me? I’m too old now to wait for others to make decisions about my writing career, and I’ll be even older on Saturday.  🎂


      Thanks for stopping by to read another #MFRWauthor post in the blog hop. Find links to the other authors in the hop, HERE.

      Enjoy your weekend!

      I’m excited over recent news– My November release has been edited and is with the proofreader now.

      A brand-new heartwarming Christmas Novella moments ago came back from my editor and a cover is being made for it. Yay.

      And two weeks ago, a frightening call-back to have a test redone freaked me out. It came back fine. How scary and stressful that previous week had been.

      Last but not least, my daughter-in-law has been in town this week for work, and she took me out for a birthday dinner last night. How sweet! (They live out of state.)

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge | 8 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, Indie publishing, Marketing for Romance Writers, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Publishing, Week 26: Getting the Call of Acceptance
    • Week 21: UGH, Allergies! #MFRWauthor #WritersLife

      Posted at 1:00 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on May 24, 2019
      colorful heart rhythm with a decorative heart for blog post 52 week blog challenge blog hop week 21 2019

      #MFRWauthor Week 21: Allergies:

      How to endure them without suffering overmuch?

      Here we are with week twenty-one of the 52-Week Blog Challenge Blog Hop, and the perfect time to talk about allergies, er, well, if you have seasonal allergies. I wrote about allergies in a previous post similar to this one. Sorry, blog followers and friends for the similar topic, but this one asks us how we endure without suffering overmuch.

      With tons of food or products to be allergic to, everyone on this earth must be allergic to something. Me? Seasonal allergies among a few others like *Kapok, a filler in comforters, pillows, and some furniture, for example. Trees, and duck feathers too.

      I can control the filler and duck feather allergies by reading labels. Oh, and by staying away from ducks. bada bing

      Spring and fall is an awful time for me and out of my control other than to take medication. The other day my maintenance man had to come into my apartment. He sniffled and coughed a lot. I asked if he had pneumonia again because he had it this winter. He said, “No, seasonal allergies.” We both said UGH.  I told him I used a prescription allergy nasal spray, and it worked wonders.

      Years ago after allergy tests, I’d get allergy shots, but I didn’t keep them up. For the past three or four years, I’ve endured seasonal allergies by using prescription medication. I see no reason to suffer needlessly when there are medications. This, after suffering most of my life with non-prescription remedies.

      However, I have a life-threatening allergy too. It’s an allergy to a contrast dye used for heart tests. Sometimes we don’t know we are allergic until a product is given to us. I thought I had died seconds after the contrast entered my body. I broke out in a rash almost immediately, beginning with intense itching all over my body. Even my tongue and inside my mouth! Try scratching the inside of your mouth with an itchy tongue.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel Blog Post 52 week blog challenge about allergies 2019, heart monitor with a decorative heart in multiple colors, pink,

      I remember asking if itching was a side effect. The tech who administered the contrast, said, “No. Why?” I showed her my hands which had become one big red rash. They gave me Benadryl. Then I had an anaphylactic reaction and remember nothing from that point on. I came to, hearing the tech say ‘her blood pressure is up to 40/20.’ UP TO? The good thing is, I didn’t have a heart problem.

      Since I went through this experience, I’m afraid to take a new medication. What if I’m home alone and have the same thing happen? Am I going to die from anaphylactic shock? To endure this, I try to have someone with me if I take a new drug, but it’s frightening, and I can’t always have someone with me.

      The way I endure the allergy to contrast dye is by NOT using it again. This allergy is in my medical records now and in the Emergency section of my phone.

      Does your phone have an Emergency Info section to list medical issues? Mine is under Contacts. My family all know, but can they help when they live thousands of miles away? (Hey, crime writers, there’s an idea for your next plot.)

      Will a cop or Emergency Medical Technician look at my phone? Chances are, the first thing they’d want to do in the ER is run heart tests. My best bet is to keep my heart healthy. I don’t know what else they use this contrast for. It isn’t the same as the contrast they use for a CAT Scan because I’ve had them before.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, blog post #MFRWauthor Week 1 2019What about you guys and gals? How do you endure allergies without suffering too much?

      Blog readers, you can find out how others endure their allergies at this LINK. We might find a new cure, but always check with your doctor before trying anything new.

       

       

      Thanks for your visit today. Enjoy your weekend!

       

      It’s Memorial Day Weekend in the US. Please be safe.

      Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering and honoring people who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday, which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May. ~Wikipedia

      American Flag, red, white, and blue, stars and stripes, Mary J McCoy-Dressel

       

      *Kapok– A mass of silky fibers that surrounds the seeds of the kapok tree and are used especially as a filling for mattresses, pillows, life preservers, and sleeping bags and as insulation. Merriam Webster.

      Posted in #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 6 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, enduring allergies, Marketing for Romance Writers org, mary j mccoy dressel, Seasonal Allergies, ugh allergies, Western Romance Author
    • #AmWriting Book Talk: Farewell My Lovelies #MFRWauthor

      Posted at 8:41 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on April 19, 2019

      blog post Farewell my Lovelies, Mary J McCoy-Dressel Books, Western Romance, #MFRWauthor 52-week blog challenge post week 16

      It’s Friday. Join us for another Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge post. However, I must tell you this is a copy of a post written for this topic in a previous year. Wait, don’t leave.

      I’ve written The End on new books since then so a little has changed in the celebrating department. I have revised this copied post in brief to update and add changes. The first change is rewriting the topic as given to us this week in 2019.

      Week 16: The End: A Time for Celebration?

      Yes, I celebrate but in subtle ways. When I finish my work and it’s ready to go, I’ll smile and tell my hero and his heroine they are free to go out into the world. I will miss them when it’s over. This is another reason I write a series. I get to see them again and again.

      I don’t celebrate like I should or have a big to-do (outside of my mind). I take little down-time after finishing a book either in a draft or a true ending. Another thing I do is give myself a silent praise or a pat on the back.

      I wrote an ENDING to a new book within the last two weeks. Yay! YAY! Bringing this book to an end had been a struggle to find the perfect ending. If any of my endings deserved a celebration, this one did. The book still has to see the editor, so I will revisit this book. It isn’t due out until November, but I might push it up to October.

      At writing the ending, I shouted it on social media and celebrated with their Likes and Comments. I told my close friends. Many of them have heard a little about the story, so I relished in their pride for me. Then, alone with myself, I stepped away from the book wondering what the heck to do now. I already missed my hero and heroine, the setting, and I wanted to go back to them. Albeit, in the coming days, I subtly celebrated with Netflix, watched movies, enjoyed a couple lunches with friends as we talked about the book, and I finished “reading” a book I had started a while ago.

      I breathed.


      Well, it had been a short-lived break. Another book waited. Knowing me, I will celebrate the same way when this book is published, but my heart will be pounding and nerves-a-shakin’ because it will have been sent into the world.

      In the meantime: 

      It was time to get back to work. I stuck my hands back on my keyboard.

      Previous to writing the end to said book, I had another book started, as I usually do though this time I took more breaks than usual and shopped for a couple new outfits. I allowed myself to breathe with time to myself away from the keyboard, before taking the next book to its own ending, which I’m doing now.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Western Romance Blog Post Celebration when completing a novel.

      Thanks for reading.


      This is the time to hop on over to check out the #MFRWauthor Blog to find other participating author links. This year there are new authors participating. Not new as in “brand-new authors,” but new to the 52-Week Blog Challenge.

      See ya next time.

      Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance author, blog post #MFRWauthor Week 1 2019

      NOTE: Authors and readers? Do you think pushing up my release date to October is a bad time because of Halloween and other paranormal books being released? I don’t want my release to be buried. Hah, pun intended. 👻💀

      Happy Writing and Reading.

       

      Photo credits: Pixabay.

      Posted in #AmWriting, 52-week blog challenge | 15 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, blog hop, Celebrating in Stages: Farewell My Lovelies, Farewell My Lovelies, Marketing for Romance Writers 52-Week Blog Challenge, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, relaxing my way, Romance, western romance
    • #AmWriting Saying It With Pride #MFRWauthor

      Posted at 2:06 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on April 5, 2019
      Pixabay, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance, image for blog post marketing or bragging

      It’s me. I’m back. Wow. Many of the topics for Marketing for Romance Writers #MFRWauthor this year have been the same or similar to previous years. I skipped them and finished writing a book, revised and updated another already published book, and have been typing away at yet another work in progress.

      Look what week we’re up to already.

      Week 14: The Difference Between Bragging and Marketing.

      I replied to a similar topic in 2018. You can find the post here. And this post in 2017 when we were allowed to brag.  🙂

      Here is what Dictionary dot com says about bragging:

      brag
      verb brags, bragging or bragged
      to speak of (one’s own achievements, possessions, etc) arrogantly and boastfully

      I believe the “keywords” here are ARROGANTLY and BOASTFULLY.

      Of course, I had to look up marketing too.  🙂

      Marketing
      noun
      the act of buying or selling in a market.
      the total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling.

      There is no mention of boasting or arrogance.

      However, I’d like to mention the difference between bragging and PRIDE.

      Being proud isn’t usually done in an arrogant or boastful fashion. (IMHO) What if someone said, “Wow, I got twenty, five-star reviews but I see you have twenty, one-star reviews.” (Oh, OUCH!) Or, “I was good enough to win a gold medal, but my competitor only received a bronze medal.” Is that pride or bragging? Arrogant? Boastful? You decide.

      Another example: What if every time we saw one of our friends, they boasted about their beautiful flowing and thick hair when they know we/us have thinning and thin hair, and it hurts our soul to think of losing our hair? Boasting? Pride?

      It’s because of what others may think, that I rarely mention raving reviews for the sake of mentioning them. People tell me to be proud and post them. Of course, I am silently proud, but I don’t want readers to think I’m bragging although I know that wouldn’t be the reason. Hah, I don’t have enough confidence to brag. Maybe I’ll change this and say “What the f#$%” and change my way of thinking. I should. You’re right. Okay. I will. ☮ Peace, baby.

      Which brings me to Marketing.

      In marketing, I will on occasion post a Tweet with lines from a review. For the rest of us who must market by saying glowing things about our books, we aren’t doing it to be boastful or arrogant. We/ I do this with hopes of encouraging a reader to look at the book then, fingers crossed, buy it.

      When I mention wonderful things about my books, it’s for marketing purposes done with PRIDE for MARKETING. When authors do this, It’s in no way bragging. Heck, we’re trying to sell books, and for some of us, to keep our careers afloat. Please don’t hold it against us.

      To wrap this up, I’ll go back to the beginning with the keywords arrogant and boastful. In my opinion, I see these two words as the difference between marketing and bragging. To see what others have to say on this topic, click over to get links to their blogs.

      It’s a pleasure to be back. I missed all of ya.

      However, as much as I do miss y’all and writing in my blog, I fear book writing will keep me busy since I’ve added new works in progress this year. Plus, my youngest son and daughter-in-law will be visiting soon, and I’d love to clear my schedule for them. I’ll post when I can. ❤

      Thanks for reading!

      Posted in #MFRWauthor, 52-week blog challenge | 10 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #MFRWauthor, #WritersLife, 52-week blog challenge, blog hop, Bragging, cowboys, Gentlemen Cowboys, Marketing, Marketing for Romance Writers, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, pride, Saying It With Pride, Selling, The Difference Between Bragging and Marketing, western romance
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