Rather than make New Year’s resolutions, each year I select a single word to focus on in the upcoming year. In 2013 it was Peace. In 2014, Serendipity. Last year it was Flow. In 2016 my focus word is Alliance. That said, it’s time to unveil the secret I’ve been dangling…
MY BOOK IS BEING PUBLISHED THIS FALL!
Title and cover reveal coming soon
Stay tuned
Writing the book was the easy part. Since then I’ve learned that it really does “take a village” to birth a book. From the publisher to readers, and everyone in-between: manuscript critique, copyeditor, proofreaders, legal counsel, permissions, artwork, layout/design, book trailer, publicity, marketing, printer, distribution, bookstores, event planning, and author endorsements. I’m grateful to each person as they help me navigate literary waters.
An enthusiastic proponent of affirmations, this year’s positive supporting statement—I am in alliance with experienced people who have my book’s best interest at heart—targets my focus this year.
“It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals.” —Fred Allen
Do you have a focus word this year?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
Happy New Year Laurie. Congrats on your upcoming book, it is a collective endeavor & achievement! Many blessings to come.
You’re right about books. A complex task. I’m wondering about the focus word between several.
Olga — Once you’ve made your final choice on this year’s focus word, please come back and let us know 🙂
Congratulations! I am very pleased for you. All the best for 2016. 🍾🍾🍾
FatimaSaysell —Thank you so much! Peace, joy, and health to you and yours in the new year 🙂
Congratulations! Mazel tov! This is such wonderful news and a great way to start 2016!
Merril — Thank you so very much for your excitement for me. I’m pretty much over the moon! 🙂
🙂
What exciting news! So proud of you and know that your lessons reach many, many of us. Glad to be a part of your alliance.
Cindy — I’m tickled pink to be in your sphere of influence, too 🙂
Wow wow wow that is amazing …I really can’t wait to read it . I had no idea what every author has to go through to publish a book . I have a poem in Warrior Soul . It is a collective book of poems and art work brainchild of Laura Probert … Not nearly as good as your news but however I am proud ☺️ And I am proud of you too my lovely blogging friend .
It’s CHANGE for me Laurie …
Cherryx
Cherry — CHANGE is a fantastic focus word for the new year. I love poetry. I’m going to have to see if I can find WARRIOR SOUL (I wonder if it’s available on Kindle?). I’m proud as punch for your poem to be included in that collection! 🙂
Another word that came to mind as I read your post is JUBILATION. The faith, hope, and dogged determination you have demonstrated behind the scenes merits celebration now. So happy you shared this good news. The photo and quote are spot on.
I’ll reveal my guide word tomorrow. Stay tuned . . .
Again, congratulations, Laurie!
Marian — Ohhhhh, I love the word JUBILATION. I can hardly wait to find out your guide word tomorrow over on PLAIN AND FANCY.
I’ve always loved that photo. I took it in a women’s circle a few years ago when I was speaking in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. It seems perfectly suited to ALLIANCE 🙂
ATTENTION is my word to focus on moving forward.
I Pay Attention = Attention Rewards Me
Let’s just say I might have made (at least) a few better choices in the past if I had trusted my gut instinct and let it guide me. I’ve heard the gut described as your “second brain” to control your body…maybe it should be first?
🙂 KMC
Karin — ATTENTION! That’s a terrific focus word for the new year. I’ve never heard the saying about the gut being our “second brain” but I sure do like it! 🙂
Congratulations, Laurie! As a teacher of writing, I love that word “alliance.” It does take allies to create and produce and market a book. You’ll be an example in my upcoming Master Class in June.
Christine — You, my friend, are an integral part of birthing this book. I am ever so grateful. Thank you! 🙂
Rejuvenate! (Verb: to restore new life!)…
http://thesaurus.yourdictionary.com/rejuvenate
Nicole — REJUVENATE! Now that’s precisely and exactly what the doctor ordered. When I listen real closely, I’m pretty sure it’s you I hear kickin’ up your heels 🙂
AWESOME SUPER DUPER I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS !!!🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈💚💚💚💚💚😀😀😀😀😀
Mona — I know, just KNEW, I could expect some brightly colored emoticons from you. Thank you for your excitement! 🙂
Congratulations, Laurie! Good things come to good people, albeit not without a lot of effort. You go, girl!
Carol — Thank you so much for your well wishes. I appreciate YOU! 🙂
Congratulations Laurie!! Such great news and looking very forward to it.
I do not make resolutions either. I strive for 2 things each year which are contentment and removing negativity. These two things are very important to me and truly make my/our life better. BUT…this year I am turning 50 and have added something new into my affirmations and that is “decision”. I have been toying with ideas for the past few years always thinking “I should”. This year I plan to focus on making the firm decisions needed to take the I should to “I did”!
Tina — I’ve got 8 years on you siSTAR, so I can say with great authority 🙂 that you’ve nailed it on the head with your three-legged stool: (1) contentment, (2) removing negativity, and (3) decision. You’re rockin’ it, girl!
So excited about your coming book, congratulations!!! Alliance is such a strong word. People woven together in a common purpose. Perfect word to support a daunting creative project. Your list of those required to “birth” your book (your midwives of creativity) is quite astounding. Looking forward to seeing your cover copy and title. Very excited for you!
My theme for 2016 is “manifesting dreams.”
Audrey — I love your term “midwives of creativity.” And MANIFESTING DREAMS is fantastic. I can hardly wait to see what unfolds 🙂
You have been building and dream and creating alliances all your life, Laurie. Now comes the reward time as you get closer and closer to the goal of publishing a book. I like the term ALLIANCE and want to be one of your allies. Tell me the cities on your book tour, and I’ll try to get to one of them. 🙂
My own word for the new year is coming tomorrow on my blog. I think you’ll like it. 🙂
Shirley — I promise to shout the book tour cities from the rooftops, and if you’re anywhere near any of the vicinities, I’ll be tickled pink for you to attend. I’m looking forward to reading your blog tomorrow when you’ll reveal your guide word for this year 🙂
First congratulations!
I would choose Giving Back. Thought at first volunteering would do but don’t think it’s inclusive enough.
Bonnie — First of all, I’ve been following your tremendous progress on Facebook. Congratulations to you! GIVING BACK is going to be great as this year’s focus! 🙂
Congratulations, Laurie! This is exciting news.
I grew up in hand-me-down clothes and this year I’m being inspired by a hand-me-down word: flow. Thank you for sharing it, Laurie.
Looking forward to hearing more about your book.
Leanne — Trust me, you’re going to love FLOW. I love hand-me-downs. To this day, I purchase the majority of my clothes in resale shops. The ideas of REcycle and UPcycle are very appealing to me 🙂
How exciting! Good for you! We really can’t achieve anything by ourselves.
I love your word Laurie 💛
My word is “timeless”. You can read about it here:
Val — I thoroughly enjoyed reading your TIMELESS post! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it Laurie! xo
Indeed congratulations Laurie. And happy new year. I wait to let my new word settle. Thank you so much for inspiring us all. 🌹
Nomzi — Once your focus word for this year has settled in, please come back and share it with us. Peace, joy, and health to you and yours in this new year 🙂
Perhaps I will do that Laurie. Thank you for the lovely new year wishes for me and my loved ones. ❤
ooh – I may borrow Nicole’s word – REJUVENATE – what a lovely, juicy word!!
FiftyAndFeisty — I’m sure Nicole won’t mind in the least. Rejuvenate is a JUICY word, indeed 🙂
How exciting that your book is preparing to enter the world! Looking forward to your updates, and congratulations for all the time and effort you’ve poured into the endeavor.
I’ve only recently begun musing as to what will be my word for 2016. So far, my candidates have been kindness, with listen running a close second, but appreciation keeps rising towards the top as well. Last year it was abundance, which ended up being rather prophetic in that my life was showered with unending abundance during 2015, so I’m pondering as to what I would like to see multiplied in 2016. So far, it seems that kindness is winning the race. 🙂
I’m looking forward to coming back to this thread to read all the comments. I always have to respond before reading the comments, so that I don’t get distracted, and so that I don’t borrow someone else’s word unintentionally. But there are always such delicious comments on your posts, so I’ll bookmark this and come back to it again. “Alliance” would not appear to be a first pick, but it makes so much sense, and is a perfect focus word.
Ntexas99 — I was just over on your blog and thoroughly enjoyed reading about your discovery of the art of silence and the gift of listening 🙂
Nancy – You can’t go wrong with any of your candidates. May it will end up being “LISTEN with KINDNESS and APPRECIATION.”
Hip Hip Hurrah on your book being published in the Fall and your alliances to get the task completed. I have not found a word this year YET… maybe it will prove to be re-create or recreate which keeps coming up Maybe just achieve healing and being able to put on my own shoes and socks! I am so excited for you. Waiting for my Daisy Hickman book to arrive – they lost the order so I had to submit again…maybe this week.
Patricia — You’re going to love Daisy Hickman’s book, “The Silence of Morning: A Memoir of Time Undone.” I agree that both (either) re-create or recreate are great focus words. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts on Daisy’s book.
Woohoo, Laurie!! How great that is! My word for the year is mindfulness. It’s something I’m needing to concentrate more on as life gets crazier!!
Joan — MINDFULNESS is a great word for you this year as YOUR book, “SCATTERING ASHES, A Memoir of Letting Go” is slated for a September release. Woot Woot — I’m excited for YOU! 🙂
Laurie, knowing how hard you worked from the last written word you placed on the manuscript to the present input and collaboration of all persons involved, I have another word I would like to attach to this announcement: Jubilation!
As for a word of my own, gee…that’s a little tougher. With the changes I am making in my life this year, I think Exploration would just about cover it. New life with a new husband in a new culture demands that I do some exploring to discover just Where I am in my life and how I can best acclimate myself to so much I am unfamiliar with. I think that exploration has always been behind my love of reading. While I can’t really sail the Seven Seas with Ferdinand Magellan, I can sure follow his voyages in the pages of a book. Since I’ll be driving my truck across the country from Georgia to Southern California, I should have plenty of opportunity to do some real-time exploring of my own.
Congratulations on the new book!
Sandi — I love the word JUBILATION, thank you for adding it to the celebration. And EXPLORATION (in all of its many layers) is utterly perfect for every new and glorious facet that’s blooming in your life. It’s going to be nice having you on the same coast! 🙂
I am very happy to hear about your book. A birthing process underway . . .
I wasn’t sure this morning what my word of the year would be, but this afternoon confirmed that I should choose the word MAGIC. I’ll see what magic it brings for me in 2016.
Arlene — I love that you’ve chosen MAGIC as your focus word for this year. It’s fun, mysterious, surprising, and breathtaking all rolled up into one 🙂
Congratulations Laurie.
I don’t have a single word, I’m more of an “array of overlapping probabilities” sort of guy 😉
And at the deepest and highest levels, “cooperation” would be my greatest focus, which is kind of like “alliance”, but without the competitive aspects that alliance brings to cooperation.
Ted — I love that you’re “an array of overlapping probabilities.” In fact, I’m grinning at the mere thought of it! COOPERATION – yes, indeed! 🙂
Congratulations, Laurie. It’s a huge achievement to complete a book. I wish you much success and I’m looking forward to the release of your book!!!
Alliance is a great word. Congrats on your book! I’m thinking about adaptability and buoyancy this year. Well, this week, anyways, 😉
Not sure you can but you can get book on Amazon . If you feel happy send me your email and I’ll send you a photo of the poem in the book …just a thought
Cherryx
Alliance – an interesting word that I don’t hear that often. Yet, it makes sense, as an author and a woman and a mother/grandmother. We could not make it in life without our alliances! My word this year is STRETCH – in love, in challenges, in body, in my writing, and in faith.
Pam, S-T-R-E-T-C-H. I love it! As women, authors, mothers, and grandmothers; in love, challenges, body, and faith we definitely have to be flexible, so S-T-R-E-T-C-H- is perfect! 🙂
Wishing you all the best with the upcoming publication. . .and yes the “easy” part is the writing. So grateful to you, Laurie for your alliance and support over the years of my blog. My word for 2016 is endurance:)
Alison — First and foremost, thank you for being an advance reader and the beautiful author endorsement—a vital part of book birthing.
ENDURANCE is a wonderful word on so many levels. It brings to mind a triathlete. So many people think it’s about strength, when in fact, it’s all about ENDURANCE 🙂
Congratulations! That is so cool to hear Laurie.
Gary — THANK YOU! 🙂
Again, Mazel Tov and Best Wishes, Laurie! I am honored to be part of your book journey! I have not selected my new word for the new year. My Green Brain is still contemplating a selection.
Sheila — Thank you so much for the writing the Preface for my new book. I’m so happy to have your friendship 🙂
You have a lovely blog Laurie, I am glad I stumbled into this morning. You can count one new follower 😉
OiB xx
OrganicIsBeautiful.com
OrganicIsBeautiful — Welcome! I’m glad you found Tuesdays With Laurie, too 🙂
Congratulations!🎉🎉🎉
I will look forward to reading it. I know this has been a long haul, but I’m sure it will prove to be worth it — for you and for all who read it. Wow!
Barbara — Thank you so much! I so appreciate your enthusiasm. I’ll keep everyone posted. Peace, joy, and health to you and yours in the new year 🙂
Congratulations on your forthcoming book, Laurie! That’s wonderful news! I blurted out to someone recently that my focus work for this year would be ‘seamless’. It has so many meanings/layers that it will take me the whole year to figure it out, I’m sure 🙂 May your year be filled with happy moments.
Congrats on the book. I look forward to hearing more about it in the coming months.
Sheryl — Thank you! 🙂
Happy New Year, Laurie.
Congratulations on the book. Well done! Fiction or non-fiction?
Alliances is an inspired word choice. I see what you mean about all those connections. I have a gift in this area which started out as being a bit of a match-maker and party organiser when I was younger but I’ve done quite a lot of networking for work. I somehow seem to meet a lot of people, especially going back before the chemo 2 years ago. I haven’t wanted to lose these networks not so much for myself now but for others. My brother says that you can’t go anywhere without meeting someone who knows me and there have been some freaky instance…one in in a West Australian country town that was just too out there for words.
My word, which I’m not even allowing to be a word is ACTION.
I am so lacking in this area that I should have some sort of butt zapping device in my chair and on my lips. Just do it. I’m sure it’s a common problem for writers who no doubt extend much of their get and & go energy in writing about their intentions instead.
This is just further proof of just how set I am in my ways.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Roweeee — Your “butt zapping device” comment made me laugh! It sounds like ACTION is a great focus word for you and I’m confident that you’ll put it to great use.
My book is non-fiction. I promise to be forthcoming with more details in future posts…
I like the sound of non-fiction. I write non-fiction as well, even when I’m writing from the dog’s perspective. I guess it probably is would be classified fiction though.
I look forward to finding out more about your book.
Hope you have a great week xx Rowena
Good luck with the book 🙂
Marie — Thank you 🙂
Congratulations on your book coming out, Laurie. I’d gotten out of the habit of stopping by, but was working on my blog site when I saw your blog on my blog roll. Thought I should stop in and say hi.
Good luck with your book launch. I’m self-pubbing a novel in the coming months so I have at least some idea of what you’re feeling. For me anyway, lots of trepidation and self-doubt. But I made a promise to myself.
And I happen to have a word for this year, too. WRITE. Decided on it weeks ago when my wife linked me to a site where the author suggested replacing New Year’s resolutions with one word to focus on for the entire year that might better motivate the individual to achieve whatever goals they’ve set.
best wishes,
Chris
Chris — great to see you again, thank you for stopping by. WRITE is an excellent focus word, especially as you’re self-publishing this year. My heartfelt best to you as you move forward with your project! 🙂
The book–congratulations–could I imagine that it involved a lot of swimming upstream to go with the flow? 🙂
Years ago, in my neighborhood there was a contractor whose business was running recreation clubs–this was in Saudi Arabia–and they established a motto emblazened on all facilities and publications–Life, Be In It!
FlahertyLandscap — “LIFE, BE IT IN!” Oh, I love it. Thank you for sharing it here! 🙂
That’s a great word there Laurie. I’d go with inspiration, since that is always much desired when approaching a new artistic endeavor. It is vital to achieve success.
Sam — The word INSPIRATION suits you to a T and definitely describes the book reviews you wrote during this year’s Caldecott Medal Contender reviews. Inspired. Simply inspired!