Hiatus--See you in August

Yes, folks, I'm taking some time off from the blog. (Thanks Josie for the example!) I'd like to suggest that we all take some time to rest and rejuvenate in July. So, a contest. I'm giving out an autographed copy of Orange Mint and Honey OR an audio version of Orange Mint to five people for doing something to take good care of themselves. A book (paper or audio) will go to whoever does:

The most decadent

The most inventive

The most daring

The funniest

The most healing

You can email me or leave what you do in the comments. (I won't be checking email much during the next month either. Yay!)

Before I go, I want to take a minute to recommend a book hitting shelves at the end of July. It's called Going Down South by Bonnie Glover. (Larramie, you'll want it just for the beautiful cover-daisies!) It's the first novel I've been asked to blurb and it was my great honor to be able to read an advance copy of it. It's a wonderful multigenerational story of mothers and daughters.

From the book jacket:

From the author of The Middle Sister comes a heartwarming tale of second chances and the unparalleled love between mothers and daughters. When fifteen-year-old Olivia Jean finds herself in the “family way,” her mother, Daisy, who has never been very maternal, springs into action. Daisy decides that Olivia Jean can’t stay in New York and whisks her away to her grandmother’s farm in Alabama to have the baby–even though Daisy and her mother, Birdie, have been estranged for years. When they arrive, Birdie lays down the law: Sure, her granddaughter can stay, but Daisy will have to stay as well. Though Daisy is furious, she has no choice. Now, under one little roof in the 1960s Deep South, three generations of spirited, proud women are forced to live together. One by one, they begin to lose their inhibitions and share their secrets. And as long-guarded truths emerge, a baby is born–a child with the power to turn these virtual strangers into a real, honest-to-goodness family.

“Long live Olivia Jean, Daisy, and Birdie! These three daughters, mothers, and women are smart, feisty, and funny. Their stories will break your heart in the very best way. I absolutely loved Going Down South!” —Carleen Brice, author of Orange Mint and Honey

So, your challenges for July, should you choose to accept them are: Have fun, get some rest and buy Going Down South. Meet you back here in August!

The audio book!

Thanks everybody for your well wishes and kindness! Just a quick note to celebrate that the audio version of Orange Mint and Honey goes on sell this week. I got a box last week. The book is read by Cherise Booth, and I can't tell you how fun it is to hear someone else read you your story! Now all I need is some cookies and milk.

Let the healing continue

I had lots of stuff planned for the last couple of weeks in June. A book-signing, a weekend intensive, a group reading with Lighthouse Litfest participants, a fundraiser for Lighthouse, and a one-week class at the Aspen Writers Retreat (with 300 pages of workshop entries to critique before hand). All cancelled due to my health. Oh yeah, I was also going to send in novel 2 by the end of the month.

I knew I'd been pushing it for a while, but my plan was to get through the rest of this month and then chill. However, my body's plan was to chill NOW. Not next week. Not next month. As Larramie noted, I'm like Humpty Dumpty (in oh so many ways!) putting myself back together again. Slowly. This time my body's calling all the shots and my mind has to follow.

This version of a Buddhist meditation on loving kindness from Andrew Weil's book 8 Weeks to Optimum Health really helps. It's specifically for those with heart disease, but I think it helps with everything. In light of Tim Russert's death, seems like all our hearts, healthy or not, could use a little more loving kindness:

My heart fills with loving kindness. I love myself. May I be happy. May I be peaceful. May I be liberated.
May all beings in this vicinity be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May all beings in [name your city] be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May all beings in [name your state/region] be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May all beings in [name your country] be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated. May all beings in [name your continent] be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May all beings on the planet be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
[This line is added by me] May my husband/wife/partner be happy. May they be well. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May my parents [and siblings--added by me] be happy. May they be well. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May my friends [and relatives--added by me] be happy. May they be well. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
May my enemies be happy. May they be well. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.
If I have hurt anyone, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought or word or deed, I ask their forgiveness.
If anyone has hurt me, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought or word or deed, I extend my forgiveness.
May all beings everywhere, whether near or far, whether known to me or unknown to me, be happy. May they be peaceful. May they be liberated.

And for all of you: May my blog friends be happy. May you be well. May you be peaceful. May you be liberated.

The other things helping right now are these and these, which hubby and my great friend Maryann found at our local grocery, King Soopers.

And for a laugh till you cry, nothing beats this:

Piecing it together

Puzzle pieces play an important role in my next book. A few weeks ago I was excited to find Piece of the Puzzle Affirmative Jewelry and snatched up several tokens. I keep this one that says "I am creating" on my desk. (The "I am" is on the other side.) In a bead shop in Ventura, CA I bought some silky black string to make necklaces with them. The day I went into the hospital I was wearing one that said "I am powerful." Today, I'm wearing "I am blessed." I also have "I am courageous." I may wear them all to my upcoming follow-up doctor appointments!

Lifetime TV and Me

The news is out. From Publisher's Marketplace. Thanks to those who emailed me about it.

TELEVISION RIGHTS
Carleen Brice's first novel Orange Mint and Honey, an African American mother-daughter story which explores the devastation of substance abuse and parental neglect, and celebrates forgiveness, redemption and second chances, optioned for television to Stephen Bulka at Lifetime, by Caron Knauer, on behalf of Victoria Sanders & Associates.

This is for a television movie on the Lifetime Movie Network. As they say in the TV biz, stay tuned....

In other news, my health hit a bump this week. I spent a couple of days in the hospital. But the prognosis is excellent and I expect the healing to continue.

My new favorite place

Some exciting stuff is going on that could actually turn REALLY exciting. When the going gets exciting, the excited go to the movies. Tonight, I saw Baby Mama, and enjoyed it.

But even better than the movie was the venue: Neighborhood Flix. I've eaten in the cafe (a buffalo meatloaf sandwich and sweet potato fries that were YUMMM), but this was my first time seeing a flick there. And I loved it! Stadium seating. Small studio and indie features. The best part: you can order any of the menu items and eat them or drink them in the theaters. Not just any menu items, but healthy, gourmet, GOOD stuff. (The owners say they serve "health-conscious food in extreme comfort.") Popcorn and fountain drinks come in one size (what most theaters would call medium) and you get FREE refills!!

AND Neighborhood Flix is right across from the Colfax Tattered Cover Store (with free, covered parking). Can it get any better? I think I might ask to have my ashes interned there!

More Book Club Love

As y'all all know, I *heart* book clubs. (I promise, I'll stop saying that one day.) A member of this club in L.A. (which doesn't yet have a name) invited me through my site to visit them while I was there. And I'm so glad they did! These ladies know how to party (and discuss a book!)! If the last book club gets the award for most organized, this club gets the award for biggest kick (only a little because of the rum punch they served). And they made the orange mint tea and cookies from the recipes in the book! To Erica, Dawn, Mignon, Jihan and all the other ladies, thank you so much! Thank you for reading my book. Thank you for your insights and observations about my book. And thank you for the gathering. All best wishes to you!

Readers here will be hearing more about my new friend Jihan. She needs a heart transplant and will be raising funds soon. As soon as she's ready, I'll post the information and I hope you'll join me in helping her out.

***
One more thing: Don't forget to check me out on Blog Talk Radio this evening at 6 p.m. EST. The call in number is (347) 838-9511.