Hello, my friend!
I hope you’re doing great! I have been a busy bee lately… My family and I are getting ready to move yet again (staying in the same fair city of Corpus Christi, which we’ve grown quite fond of!); I’m leading a weekly ladies’ Bible study that I’ve been completely nerding out about (the book of Romans rewards the nerdy among us, I will say lol!); I recently joined a neighborhood gym that several of my new mom-friends go to, which has been just the change-up my fitness game has needed; and I’m preparing to be on my best friend’s podcast for a series of episodes centered around spiritual warfare! I really need to get into the “querying trenches,” that is, sending my latest manuscript to literary agents, but that’s not nearly as fun as…well, just about anything! But alas, it will be worth it to see if and how my book baby makes it to a publisher!
This week, I’m starting off with an excerpt from the aforementioned novel, then following it up with some of my favorite thoughts from the week! I hope you enjoy!
Excerpt from my upcoming comedic fantasy,
The God Next Door:
“New York?” said Eros. He was sitting next to Zeus, who, as the coachman of the carriage, was arrayed in the appropriate livery: white stockinette breeches, a dark blue, high-buttoned coat, a black silk hat and driving gloves. He thought that Miss Clutterbuck, had she hands, would have applauded the gentlemanly ensemble.
Zeus stopped the horse in front of a tall granite monument. At the top of it stood a golden statue comprising a horse and rider, and a winged representation of the goddess Nike, or Victory, holding a palm frond in her hand.
“It’s ironic,” said Zeus. “Nike was rather unfond of General Sherman.”
“That guy?” Eros pointed to the man on horseback.
Zeus nodded. “She disapproved of his so-called scorched-earth policy. But such is the world we inhabit up above; mortals hardly care what our views and opinions are. They only use and abuse our images whenever they want to project prowess and power.”
Goals vs. Systems
“Goals are for people who care about winning once. Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly.” – James Clear
Tip for Making Up Your Mind, from Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
“Make up my mind, you mean? I don’t know, but Jo has given me a splendid rule. He says, when I’m perplexed, just to do what I would wish I had done when I shall be eighty.”
Measuring Maturity
“The greatest sign of maturity is being able to return to joy quickly after experiencing disappointment.” – Now That We’re a Family Podcast
What’s Your Problem?
“A problem well-stated is half-solved.” – Charles Kettering, the head of innovation at General Motors
We can save ourselves a lot of time and frustration by defining our problems, pain points, sore spots, worries, etc. as clearly as possible. Often, having a vague sense of what’s ailing us, emotionally, physically, or otherwise, is what prevents us from experiencing breakthrough.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me any time! You can email me at diana.tyler86@gmail.com, or reach out on Instagram @dianatylerauthor. I love hearing from you!