We Interrupt This Happiness Blog for Thanks, Laughs and Links
So many of you have commented here for my “Happiness” contest, sixty-five yesterday in fact. I wish I could respond to each of you. Some of you are going through difficult times, still managing to be happy amidst the chaos. Some have trials ahead, but are still–forgive the cliche–stopping to smell the roses.
Many of you thanked me for my books, a sentiment that always gives me goosebumps. I can only say thank you for reading them. This is the best job in the world, and in no small part because it’s brought me face to face with you.
Janya’s story begins tomorrow and concludes on Friday. I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about this second character in Happiness Key. But today, I wanted to share some links with you.
First, I blogged this morning at Fresh Fiction, a fun site for booklovers. You can find me right here. Check out the site while you’re at it. Starting tomorrow Fresh Fiction begins a Christmas in July giveway, lots of prizes from lots of authors, including me. Enter and win. I’ll post that link once it’s up.
Second, three just for fun videos you might enjoy. Some of you know my family owns land just over the mountains from the Shenandoah Valley, near Charlottesville. My oldest son has a video camera on one of the trails running through the property. You’ll enjoy what he’s recorded. (And yes, this is the same son who brought us the bird photos.)
My husband insisted I watch this You Tube video with him. I don’t know why this brings tears to my eyes. It’s just a plain feel good moment. A gift for all of us. By the way, I’m going to be in this train station (Antwerp, Belgium) in September. I sure hope they do a repeat.
And finally, one last video. My home town–and my Barnes and Noble! This is hysterical, particularly if you’ve ever visited any of the DC suburbs.
So tomorrow, Janya. Today, many thanks to all of you. Have some laughs on me!
Happiness for me is being introduced to a new author through AuthorBuzz. You are one of the featured authors this week and now I am all excited about reading your books. I see that you also are interested in quilting. My mother has shared some of her quilt scrapes with me and I am excited about trying my hand at making a quilt for my grandchildren.
Betty
All it takes to make me happy is a good book and if it is summer a nice cold glass of iced tea. If it is winter a good book and a mug of hot tea or cafe mocha.
Also sharing books with my friends and family and especially my granddaughters.
It makes me happy to watching my grandchildren enjoy books as much as I do1
Happiness is working on my latest quilt or reading your books or other good books, with a glass of Cherry Coke or Lemonade. And enjoying having my seven grandchildren visit.
I love your books, Emilie, and look forward to each new one you write.
Happiness for me is a sunny, blue sky kind of day and a huge family picnic to go along with it!
Bringing happiness to others is a true blessing that also gives back to you. You may never know just how much that person needed that little extra “lift” that you gave them at that particular moment.
Happiness is summertime when I know that I can slow down, visit family and friends, read, weave, and read some more! Thanks for your latest book that’s been added to my pile.
Happiness is a good book, a hot cup of coffee and some chocolate chip cookies!
Happiness is hearing my son happily play while I enjoy a good book nearby.
Happiness to me is the warm loving moments with friends and family. EXTREME HAPPINESS is when you snuggle with a nice quilt and a good book that makes you remember all those warm loving moments you shared with friends and family.
Happiness is being with those you love – especially getting to spend another summer with our 16 1/2 yr. old granddaughter. Each of the grandchildren is special, but having this one with us all summer for the last four years has been really wonderful – watching her mature and grow. She stays with us with us in our RV doing volunteer work and now working in the store at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME.
Happiness is finding out who your real friends are. I lived with a friend for eight months following Hurricane Katrina and, when I left, she said, “I’m so sorry to see you go. I have enjoyed having you and your family here so much.”
Very simple…what makes me happiest is my daughter.
The twinkle in the eye, snaggle-toothed, lopsided grins of my two grandchildren brings me more happiness than words can describe.
Happiness for me is being married to the man I love. After 35 years, the love we have for each other makes the bad times not so bad and the good times very special. Happiness is not materialistic but a deep emotion that you will always have in your heart.
I am new to blogging but here goes:
My happiness moment is here in Chautauqua, NY, where even when I make a “politically incorrect” statement, I get a new friend!! Reading Emilie’s books is my summer passion, when I have the time to explore the multi-layered plots, and make relationships with special characters, who bring tears to my eyes, and a smile of recognition to my lips. I am enjoying 2009’s programs, taking classes, and hoping to meet my favorite writer before this season ends. xxxiris
Iris, thanks for checking in! See you soon–starting Week Six. And I even bought yarn to make a prayer shawl, so we’ll bond over our knitting needles. It’s always good to hear from you.
I am happiest when I am with my husband doing nothing in particular, just being together. I am also happy with my sons and daughters in love, and my granddaughter. I guess I am happiest with my family. Family is so important to me.
I am happy to be who I am, where I am at. I found a freedom when I turned fifty that I am only able to define as a deep personal peace that allows me contentment under any circumstance. A true gift from God.
Happinrss is reading an Emilie Richards novel on the beach on Sanibel Island.
One of my favorite places in the whole world. Have a wonderful time and enjoy HK, which was, in part at least, inspired by Sanibel–although you won’t recognize a thing. Inspiration is a funny thing indeed.
Happiness for me is holding a grandchilds sticky popsicle in mine, it’s an ocean-side walk in the calm surf, it’s the surprise shown at the sight of the first figs on my new tree, it’s the Siberian Blue Iris blooming, happiness for me is my husband’s arm around my shoulder, and the memory of my mother-in-law’s gentle voice … happiness has nothing to do with possessions and everything to do with discovery, comfort and the emotion called love.
My son celebrated his 17th birthday yesterday. He was born with a form of Spina Bifida that luckily did not leave him in a wheelchair. It did; however leave him with many anomolies that limit his quality of life. We were blessed to find a doctor that did not believe in placing him in special education and encouraged us to treat him like any other healthy child. Although he has gone through 21 surgeries and has more ahead of him…happiness is watching him enjoy every aspect of life. What a joy it was to stand and watch him play his 1st tennis match on the jv tennis team at his highschool yesterday!
Tammy, that’s a wonderful story. You both sound like very special people, and I thank you for sharing.
I came to this blog because it has happiness in the title. I would love to enter the contest.
Happiness right now to me is to see two children – ages 8 and 9 – enjoying life. They are at their Dad’s who is fighting to get custody changed. Their Mom, her Mom and brothers are all burglars and these kids have had to live in filth. My daughter is living with their Dad and fighting to get these kids out of a filthy unsafe environment. The girl age 8 has been abused by the Mom’s boyfriend.
Happiness is watching these kids in 2 years go from being afraid to move to playing and laughing like regular children. We still have a long way to go.
This sounds like a complicated and difficult situation for you, but I am so glad the children are thriving now. A good reason to be happy.
Love the picture! Our first dog was a beagle and we have had several since. Don’t have one at the moment, so I always look with longing at them.
Checked out the animal video. Hope your son wasn’t behind the camera when the bear was around (crittercam that you strap onto trees?).
What a wonderful Central Station video. Why do tears come to our eyes at the end? Nice to see people just enjoying an unexpected gift.
Lived in Burke Center for 5 years. Lots of familiar things in the video.
Thanks for the fun.
And thank you for so many good comments. Nemo says Howl-o.
Beagles make me happy. Our first dog was a beagle and a sweet heart. We were lucky enough to have her for 17 years. We have had several since, but don’t have one now. We have four other rescue dogs and they all adore my husband. Smart dogs.
HAPPINESS for me, other than being engrossed in a good book, is spending time with my Beagle kids, Dixie and Scout. Dixie is my special inspiration. To only be six years old she has had lots of problems…major surgeries on both back legs when she was two and just this last year she developed diabetes, lost her eye sight completely and has lymphoma and is currently undergoing weekly chemo treatments. She is an inspiration because she is the HAPPIEST dog around!! Her tail is constantly wagging, even when I pick her up after a chemo treatment. She lets nothing get her down. 🙂
Nemo, my blue tick beagle, sends a doggie hug to Dixie. What a pup you have.
Happiness for me right now is being on the way to spend time with my mother at a 4 day quilting retreat. I haven’t spent time with my mother since over a year ago and that time was a time filled with sadness – the death of one of our grandchild- so to have more recent members that will be happy are something that I’m looking forward to!
Kate, I know everybody who reads this will be so sorry for your loss. How hard that must be.
Happiness for me is knowing God and that he loves me, married to a great Welsh man, having 5 children all in college and all doing well, quilting and reading good books. There is not much more I really need.