Update....Dec 2015

Its that time of year again! Less than a week away to celebrate a special birthday!!! Merry Christmas!!!

As an update, I've been really busy working on one of my books, getting research done. I don't want to leave anything out. I've been keeping my eyes open and ready!

I'm ready to send out my next newsletter. Its not too late to sign up for it. There's going to be 2 for the price of 1--free, of course lol. I'm excited about it and can't wait to fill the emails! I just hope everyone enjoys them! So far so good for the past issues!!

I'm so not ready for the upcoming year 2016. Its a special year for me. You'll have to read my issues to find out, of course. That much I won't say here. Not yet any way. I can't spill the beans about this special news!! No, another book isn't ready for publication yet. I'm still working on that lol. But its equally as good. For me anyway!!

Life is too short to sit at the computer all day and play in the clouds. Its not boring though. I enjoy visiting my new friends in my head. No, I'm not crazy. I'm talking about my characters. You should know me by now. I love creating new people and having them doing things. Sometimes I get a little carried away and they follow me to my dreams lol. Of course, that does help me make them better on the page. Its fun too!! As long as they don't go around killing each other lol. Then I may be a little worried.

So that's now in a nut shell. See you soon!!!!

Amber Rigby Grosjean

Started writing a new book

Well I started working on a new book last night
 An idea just popped in my head and I couldn't get it out. When I began writing I didn't have a title. Sometimes I do that. And then the title hit me mid sentence so I scrolled up the page and quickly added it.

The book is called The Keepers. Right now all I can say is that its an alien story. I can't wait to reveal it!

A.R. Grosjean

New Changes

As you can see I've made new changes to the design of my blog. I hope you like it.

I like mixing things up a bit every now and then. Its like cleaning house. Sometimes a sofa needs to be moved for a fresh look lol.

Yeah that's me. I'm always moving things around. Sometimes furniture is pushed up against the wall, sometimes its"free standing". I don't like the look to be the same too long lol. Lucky for me, I married someone who is the same way! I grew up in a house where the sofa was always in the same place and it got boring for me. So when I got my own place, I knew I would be different and I am! Got to have change in my life every now and then. Some things can't be changed but some things can be so I work on the things that can be changed. We've actually switched rooms before too. I once lived in a house that was broken down into apartments and my side was basically a walk through. The bedroom was originally in the center which meant you had to walk through the bedroom to get to the kitchen from the living room. So we switched the living room and the bedroom. We blocked the front door and used the back door to the kitchen. Problem solved! And of course, we had a sign on the front door for people to go the back door if they were visiting so we didn't have to yell through the door.

I'm the same way with my blog. If I left it the same all the time, it would be boring lol. So I change it up every now and then so you feel like you're at a new place. Its something for me and something for you! All at the same time.

So what have I been up to?

Besides redecorating, I got caught up on one of my favorite shows. Finally finished Season 4 on "Once Upon A Time". Now I can't wait for the next season!!! Talk about a twist!! I love twists. I really love them a lot lol. If you haven't seen the show I don't want to spoil it for you but its one of those things you really have to watch! I'm dead serious. Its got Snow White and all the other fairy tale characters all in one show. Its got me hooked big time. Of course, I was hooked from the beginning in season one with episode one. I started watching the show on TV but got behind so when I had the chance to watch it on Netflix, I got caught up as soon as I could, watching one episode after another. No commercials!! The same thing for another favorite show of mine. Yep, that would be Supernaturals! I love that Dean and Sam!!!!! I'm currently waiting for season 10. Can't wait to see what happens to the boys.

I'm also working on my books. Research for one and editing another. So much work to do still. Can't wait to send it out to publishers!!!


Amber Rigby Grosjean

Summer Time Fun

Summer is slowly slipping away. It feels like it just began. But there's been a lot of days that were enjoyed.......

4th of July is a good time to celebrate. Sometimes the goofy side of our personalities over shine the rest.

Brothers will be brothers, and when you're around family, you can be yourself. Sometimes you just want to make someone else laugh and get into the mood to party! That's my hubby, he's always wanting to make someone laugh. It helped that my daughter brought the props!




And 4th of July wasn't the only thing that made summer great. We did have some nice weather, when it wasn't raining. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the good days.

Sometimes sitting in a shade made it so much nicer. And spending the days with people you love makes it even better!!

 
And let's not forget the 3 Rivers Day Parade in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My oldest daughter was part of that parade. She marched with her school's band (Snider). I'm also an IU fan so I had to get a picture of the IU float!






The summer was way too short for all the memories but memories they are and they will be kept. You never know, some of those memories can be turned into parts of books that will be later come into life! You never know with me!!!

I hope your summer was as good as mine. And I hope Fall will have something good coming to you as well!!!



Amber Rigby Grosjean

We were never there.....

Well it is officially summer now and the 4th of July is upon us. Time for celebrating our nation's birth and our freedom! Of course there have been a lot of changes over the years since then. A whole lot.

None of us were there to see a lot of how America was back then. Only our ancestors. Our nation has a sad past. We can't change that past but we can learn from it, hopefully forget it too. Slavery was really bad. Segregation was really bad. Of course, in many ways that hasn't changed (its in reverse in many ways). That's part of our past we need to forgive and forget about. Yeah it was wrong and I'm sorry for how people were treated but the only way we can rise above it is by stopping it dead in its track. And the only way we can do that is by forgiving ourselves for what our ancestors did.

Yes, there's still hate in our nation which is also sad and I wish there was a magic wand to take it away but there isn't so its going to take time for it to finally go away. That has to start with each and every one of us. If we stop teaching our children its okay to hate another race, that will never go away. But we also have to stop saying we can't have a good life because of it either. That's up to each and every one of us too.

I was raised by people in my family who didn't like other races and me and my sisters were not aloud to date someone who wasn't black but I didn't turn out like them. I see people as equal. I consider myself color blind when it comes to people. If I can do that then so can everyone else. It has to start with ourselves. We have to put our hate and anger aside and forgive each other.

I hope I didn't offend anyone. That was not my intention. With Independence day coming up it got me thinking. Every time someone is killed by someone of a different color, it gets me thinking too. Just because they are different races, it really doesn't mean someone is racist every time. Black people kill white people too. Sometimes it is. And its sad any time someone is killed. I pray for all families involved. I pray that people stop the hate, either way. Whether its against the race, the gender, the age, the personality, or whatever someone hates someone else for. I pray it all stops. And we can all live in peace with each other and make this a great country to be living together in. As brothers and sisters. We are the human race.

Again, I'm not trying to offend anyone and if I have I am truly sorry. Its not intention. I just wanted to share how I feel. I love everyone!

Thank you!!!!!


Amber Rigby Grosjean

Update: Spring has begun!

So it has finally come! Spring!!!

The days are slowly getting warmer! I'm so excited. Did you know that sharks migrate? Well, they actually follow the fish so it seems like they are migrating. They have started heading back where they come from. So that's a good sign. And birds are chirping a little louder which means there's more of them which is another good sign. So before you start wishing for cooler days again, enjoy the switch to warmer weather lol. I know I am. Getting to spend more time outside always makes me feel better.

I have officially finished my next issue, coming out on April 1. No its not April Fool's Day even though it is on the calender lol. I'm so not looking forward to the tricks my hubby always pulls on me. I enjoy it more when he gets other people because it means I'm getting a break from it. Sorry all you people who fall victim to his tricks. Maybe one day someone will finally get him. I can hope, can't I?

Anyway, I will be getting ready for the May issue once that one goes out. I'm working up some ideas. I'm all ears from you if you'd care to share something. I know May has Mother's Day. I'm a mother of three and I love them very much! I'm always thinking of them!! My oldest is an adult now which makes me feel old. They always tell me I'm not old which makes me feel better. Although I wish they would have listened when I told them to stop growing lol. I need to find the fountain of youth so I can make them young again so I can repeat their childhood. That would be so awesome! Maybe a story idea can come of it. Who knows?

I am working on the third draft of one of my novels. The working title is "The Dead Life". I don't know what the finished title will be yet. Maybe someone can help me there. Or I might wait for the publisher to throw out ideas when it gets accepted. I'll let you know when I figure it out lol. But I have to finish the book before that can happen lol. And I'm still working on a few other stories. I'll let you know what comes of it all when I get there.

See you again soon!!

Amber Rigby Grosjean

Update, spring coming soon!!!

This is my favorite bird. I believe its the Blue Jay? Its vibrant and of course, my favorite color. If you notice, the top of the head is the same shape as the Cardinal lol. That's my home state's bird (the Cardinal). It was always said that if you see one early in the year then it meant spring was coming soon. I'm hoping that the weather man is right, no more snow storms! I heard it on the weather channel that there was going to be a warm up in all the states! Cross your fingers!!!

I'm still stuck on some of my scenes. I'm hoping the good weather will help. Its hard to write when you're cold lol. Sitting there shivering lol. No, the house isn't cold. I'm just being funny. I've been around my hubby for too long. Yes, most of his body is made up of funny bones lol. He can't go a day without making someone laugh. Usually me but its always priceless when he gets someone else on one of his jokes lol. I'm like, finally I get a break!

I'm hoping to be done with one of my books by the end of the year. Then it will be out searching for another publisher. That's the hardest part of the writing process. I'm way behind my personal goal on getting one book published a year but sometimes its out of our hands. It happens. Life happens.

That's one of the greatest challenges we face as writers. Making the time to write, edit, do research, etc. Of course time isn't going to fall into our laps, that's why I said make time. When everyone else is having a ball at the party, sometimes we have to buckle down and work on our stories. Even when we're not in the mood we have to write, if we want to get our work finished. No one else can do it for us.

So that's my Que to get off here and go to work!

Amber Rigby Grosjean

Tired of Winter.....

Okay, so I'm tired of winter. Actually I was tired of winter the day it began. I'm not a real big fan of snow and the cold lol. Its pretty to look at in pictures but as far as I go, that's about it lol.

When I was a kid, I enjoyed playing in snow but it all changed when I grew up.

Before we begin to see warm weather there's plenty of ways to keep us warm while we wait. For those who like to crochet, here's a few things I've made that I would like to share. I'm not that good yet in these areas so don't laugh lol. And size of yarn does matter I learned especially when it comes to the feet lol.

With a blanket on your lap and booties on your feet, you should stay warm. These booties were made using the granny square method and are pretty easy to make. 5 squares per foot. These were made a little big for my feet and actually fit my husband better. I made 4 rows so my feet should have been 3 rows. Two squares make the bottom of the foot. One square on top for the toes. One square for each side, then sew all the edges together. The back bottom square doesn't get attached completely to allow your foot to slide in. The full pattern can be found at freecrochetpatterns.com or something like that lol.

 Here's the blanket. Its a lap blanket but you can make any size you want. Its a single granny square. I simply changed the colors as I went. Most granny square blankets are done by make many small squares and then attaching them together but you can also make one square and just keep adding rows until its the size you want. The look is endless with either way. Use your imagination. The great thing about blankets, you can use any colors. They don't have to match or they can if you want. You can even use just one color if you prefer.

This is my latest creation. Its a softer yarn and has little pieces of yarn fraying out of it to give it that fuzzy look. I used a smaller hook with these booties. I have this set backwards so you can see the strap.

I started out making a sock and when I got to the sides, I made my rows stop at the top and turned it around for the next row. When I reached the end, I folded it meeting the two ends and sewed it closed to make the heel. I used the normal yarn to make a button and made a strap. Make sure you make them at the same time so your booties are the same size lol. When I made mine, I did one full bootie and then took a couple days off so one is slightly bigger than the other one but you can't really notice if just looking at them.


The great thing about making your own things like all these, you can customize it to fit your needs, style, and look. Your own colors. Besides making them for you, they always make great gifts. And because you make it, it will be cherished a whole lot more than something you buy in a store which is really cool! Something to think about for next Christmas or a birthday! Right?

I know this is writing but its a pass time I enjoy which gives you another sneak peak inside my head lol. See you next time!!


Amber Rigby Grosjean