I'm one extremely lucky woman at the moment, and I'm smart enough to recognize it.
I've been moved in a profound way, and it resonates with me so deeply, that I just had to share.
What I'm alluding to is the gift of LOVE I've received in my life. I woke to read a blog by one of my mentors, and got the sense that he was speaking to ME (in code, of course). While he didn't name me, for the risk of giving away my identity, I knew clearly what was being said.
Now, LOVE comes in many forms; it can be the love of chocolate lava cake, the love of the Pacific Ocean, or how the blazing pink sunset paints the sky of Sacramento and catches your breath. Maybe it's the goofy way your Boston terrier jumps into your lap or licks your face to show they love you. Perhaps it's the love of a good friend who holds your hand through various trials in life.
Love could also be the devotion for a spouse, sibling, colleague or mentor. In my life, I have been blessed with such as this.
My mentor came unexpectedly into my life. While experiencing 13 years of writer's block, where try as I might, could not seem to produce another novel, things were tough. From 1998 to 2011, every effort flopped.
But then in November 2011, I took a writing course that changed my life. HE was the head of the class, the teacher. This "spark" of an idea that came from one flash of his smile and charismatic blue eyes, formed the first pages of my novel "PASSION."
Inspiration is great, isn't it? You just never know when it's going to hit you out of the blue. One day you're struggling to form a few paragraphs, and the next, you're burning the candle at both ends, because you cannot sleep, you have so much adrenaline and motivation from this spark of genius. I call it DIVINE INSPIRATION or a gift from the gods.
This mentor has been around for half a decade, and I'm infinitely grateful for his support and friendship. Any day of the week, I could pick up the phone and just share my heart with him or any part of my life, for that matter. It's a platonic connection, but never underestimate the importance of these. They can be your saving grace in times of trials and suffering. I love his effortless flow of conversation, and the warmth of his voice, as he shares a mutual understanding on life and just about everything else, music included. I don't believe he ever has "bad days"-- with a spring in his step, a sparkle in his eyes, and the joyful camaraderie he exudes, I have to admit I'm a little jealous of how seemingly pulled together and in charge he seems to be on a daily basis.
Nevertheless, this man is my godsend. I've had a few of them in my life, and it feels exhilarating. I can honestly say unashamedly, that I LOVE this man. Now before you get all flustered and judgmental, no, it's not like that. I LOVE him with the warmth of a friend and the respect of a colleague; plus he's been happily married for some 30 years or so. This post is not about revealing any big epic love story, just a simple exclamation of gratitude to the world, on how people can affect us in a positive light.
Yes, I LOVE this man. He's given me a new perspective on life, and it never gets old. From time to time, I always revisit the novel that he inspired. It is fresh, funny, passionate and pure bliss to read. Of all my novels, I'd have to say that PASSION is the one that "knocked it out of the park" for me. Hands down, it brings a burst of euphoria to my heart, whenever I open the pages and read the love story of Keane and Rhiannon.
Thank you, mentor, for being here and just for BEING YOU. I love your smile, your wisdom, and considerate ways. I LOVE you just the way you are, so don't ever change. I LOVE your quirks, flaws, and humor, but also the penchant to be a nerd sometimes (only you know what I'm referring to here).
HOPE is the one word you gifted me that day in class, when someone behind me scoffed as I answered your question about what I would be doing if I could secure my dream job. Remember when I announced that I was a novelist and wanted to become a bestseller like Danielle Steel? That naysayer laughed behind me and said "dream on." But YOU answered with an uplifting comment that made my spirits soar: "Do you hear that folks? That's the sound of HOPE in her voice." Then you went on to encourage me about my writing, even if you ultimately wanted me to be realistic about job hunting...over the years, I think with all the novels I've cranked out and a few radio and TV interviews, you started to believe that maybe this was not just some lame pipe dream.
Well, that is about it for the gushing today. I've made my point, and just want you to know how LOVED you are and what you mean to me.
I'll leave this blog post on a light note. If there is someone out there who inspires you, makes you try harder, holds your hand when you're struggling, or just brings you a cup of coffee on a day when you're feeling down...by all means...reach out to them and tell them THEY ARE SO LOVED.
We only get ONE CHANCE in this life to show people how much LOVE they've inspired within us. Take the opportunity to do it, while you can. Because you never know when that moment might be your last one with them. It could be their final breath, and you never want to live your life with the regret that they never knew how incredibly PRECIOUS they were in your eyes.
LOVE is all around...and so the feeling grows...
Be love,
RR xo
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
COMING SOON: AGAINST ALL ODDS
My latest labor of love is a book I penned in 1993 as a teenager, called AGAINST ALL ODDS.
Now it's been updated with a fresh spin and better plot.
The story spans some 2,200 miles from Chicago to L.A., and features a stunning love story between a young reporter and a music producer legend.
Come along for a thrilling adventure of passion and two hearts risking it all for love. Can soulmates Starr and Peter make it work...across the miles...against all odds?
I'm so amped to have my readers get their hands on it.
All in time for my birthday. Release day: April 27th.
Cheers!
RR xo
Now it's been updated with a fresh spin and better plot.
The story spans some 2,200 miles from Chicago to L.A., and features a stunning love story between a young reporter and a music producer legend.
Come along for a thrilling adventure of passion and two hearts risking it all for love. Can soulmates Starr and Peter make it work...across the miles...against all odds?
I'm so amped to have my readers get their hands on it.
All in time for my birthday. Release day: April 27th.
Cheers!
RR xo
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Thursday, February 2, 2017
I'm addicted to Coffee and Books!!
<a href="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/" target="_blank"><img width="180" height="300" src="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/images/coffeethoughts.jpg" border="0" />
<a href="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/" target="_blank"><img width="180" height="300" src="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/images/coffeethoughts.jpg" border="0" />
<a href="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/" target="_blank"><img width="180" height="300" src="http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/images/coffeethoughts.jpg" border="0" />
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
TRENT R GARDNER -- MAGELLAN -- OBITUARY
http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/thereporter/trent-r-gardner-condolences/180337467?cid=full
My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Trent, you were my best friend, soulmate, confidante and true love of a lifetime. Your impact on my life brought monumental changes and evolution to a soul awakened. You will forever inspire within me a love for the Pacific, for the passion of music and for the eternal flame of love that will burn bright til eternity. Now I will let you go to that mansion in the sky, where the Heavenly Father can hold you in loving arms. Farewell til we meet again, My River...I will always love you "deer"...Rest now safely my King...Love, your Queen XXXX
My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Trent, you were my best friend, soulmate, confidante and true love of a lifetime. Your impact on my life brought monumental changes and evolution to a soul awakened. You will forever inspire within me a love for the Pacific, for the passion of music and for the eternal flame of love that will burn bright til eternity. Now I will let you go to that mansion in the sky, where the Heavenly Father can hold you in loving arms. Farewell til we meet again, My River...I will always love you "deer"...Rest now safely my King...Love, your Queen XXXX
Monday, June 13, 2016
DEEP RIVER -- YOU ARE LOVED AND MISSED BEYOND MEASURE
On June 11, I lost my best friend in the whole world.
Trent Gardner passed suddenly and my heart shattered into a million pieces.
He was my soulmate, lover, best friend, confidante and twin. We met in the most miraculous way over a tweet I'd sent to my favorite band. When Trent found me, it was against all odds, one in 7 billion, pure magic. The fact we were separated by 2200 miles was a miracle, but finding him after a lifetime of hoping for a soulmate...surreal.
Trent was the mastermind musician, the charismatic angel, and the loving soul who would help his fellow man in need. He had a deep, profound sense of humanity and his empathetic heart stole mine instantly. Everyday with Trent was a blessing I will never take for granted.
California was his heritage, his native land. I had written about that beautiful Pacific from the time I was 16, in a novel about a bicoastal love affair between a female journalist in Chicago and a music producer in L.A. The distance between Toronto and Sacramento was the same in mileage. Essentially, I'd written our love story some 22 years before meeting. The prophecy was mind-blowing.
When we finally met, I got to check off a mark on my bucket list, We crossed the Golden Gate bridge one sunny October Saturday at 11:11 a.m. The twin flame hour, as I liked to call it. The sunlight glistened in my auburn hair and I closed my eyes, reveling in the miracle of our love.
Rigel, meaning brightest star, was his middle name. Incidentally, my character from the novel "Against All Odds (1993)" was named Starr Elizabeth Taylor. Trent would then go on to tell me that his mother loved the actress Elizabeth Taylor and that Mom's ancestors bore the name Taylor. Eerie coincidence? Or just confirmation that we were destined to meet?
Many parallels guided us. My university was called Trent, and his daughter and my cousins lived in Henderson, Nevada. Too close for comfort. Breathtaking. Phenomenal. We also shared the same family birthdays between us. Everything in the Universe was saying "green light: GO."
Over the course of five months, I flew to California eight times. The hours with Trent were bliss, the moments I got to share with him, forever emblazoned in my mind. My heart swelled with gratitude and sheer reverence for the man who'd suddenly swept me off my feet and made my whole world a wonderland of joy.
Both creatively blessed, he a gifted songwriter and producer; myself, a journalist and romance novelist with a history degree, we clicked so well. A meeting of minds, similar and sacred. A union of hearts, unmistakably bound for each other.
But his life was cut short suddenly. It ended too soon. And my heart is eternally broken. I can't believe I will never hear his voice again. I'm frozen in a state of shock that my phone will never ring and I won't hear that good morning greeting, midday banter or evening wind-down before we sleep. All I can do is encapsulate the memories, hold onto the brief moments, and forever entrench myself in the exquisite songs he left behind. Luckily, I recorded a lot of voice clips we shared with each other. Those are golden. Platinum. Stellar. I can hear him anytime I feel the urge to be close to him. He is here. beside me. Always, Guiding me. My "brightest star" in a vast sky of glittering gems. He stands out. The most luminous of all.
I love you, My Deep River. Infinitely. Forevermore.
You are loved and missed beyond measure. I cannot numb the pain cascading from my heart. It's just so unbearable. But in time, it will subside, the shock and horror of your departure will dim, and I will be left with a bittersweet mist that will envelope me in my times of grief.
The roses you sent me...still stand in the tall glass vase. A constant reminder of your die-hard romantic ways. The greeting cards and the telegram all declare a love so strong and timeless that nothing could rival. The video clips of you singing to me...I can watch them anytime I feel the wave of loneliness wash over me. The recording of our fabulous and fun karaoke night...when you blew them all away with the Chicago song "Beginnings"...that will carry me through the hard times.
Now, I will hold you in my heart forever. Your legacy lives on in me, and in the songs that echo through the vast expanse of eternity. So many loved you, and what a blessing to embrace!
Trent, you changed my life in so many powerful ways. I hope you knew that you brought meaning, passion and renewal to a heart once barren.
Rest now, dear soulmate, in angel wings. Your pain is gone. Your mission complete. Until we meet again, my love. Adieu.
RR
Trent Gardner passed suddenly and my heart shattered into a million pieces.
He was my soulmate, lover, best friend, confidante and twin. We met in the most miraculous way over a tweet I'd sent to my favorite band. When Trent found me, it was against all odds, one in 7 billion, pure magic. The fact we were separated by 2200 miles was a miracle, but finding him after a lifetime of hoping for a soulmate...surreal.
Trent was the mastermind musician, the charismatic angel, and the loving soul who would help his fellow man in need. He had a deep, profound sense of humanity and his empathetic heart stole mine instantly. Everyday with Trent was a blessing I will never take for granted.
California was his heritage, his native land. I had written about that beautiful Pacific from the time I was 16, in a novel about a bicoastal love affair between a female journalist in Chicago and a music producer in L.A. The distance between Toronto and Sacramento was the same in mileage. Essentially, I'd written our love story some 22 years before meeting. The prophecy was mind-blowing.
When we finally met, I got to check off a mark on my bucket list, We crossed the Golden Gate bridge one sunny October Saturday at 11:11 a.m. The twin flame hour, as I liked to call it. The sunlight glistened in my auburn hair and I closed my eyes, reveling in the miracle of our love.
Rigel, meaning brightest star, was his middle name. Incidentally, my character from the novel "Against All Odds (1993)" was named Starr Elizabeth Taylor. Trent would then go on to tell me that his mother loved the actress Elizabeth Taylor and that Mom's ancestors bore the name Taylor. Eerie coincidence? Or just confirmation that we were destined to meet?
Many parallels guided us. My university was called Trent, and his daughter and my cousins lived in Henderson, Nevada. Too close for comfort. Breathtaking. Phenomenal. We also shared the same family birthdays between us. Everything in the Universe was saying "green light: GO."
Over the course of five months, I flew to California eight times. The hours with Trent were bliss, the moments I got to share with him, forever emblazoned in my mind. My heart swelled with gratitude and sheer reverence for the man who'd suddenly swept me off my feet and made my whole world a wonderland of joy.
Both creatively blessed, he a gifted songwriter and producer; myself, a journalist and romance novelist with a history degree, we clicked so well. A meeting of minds, similar and sacred. A union of hearts, unmistakably bound for each other.
But his life was cut short suddenly. It ended too soon. And my heart is eternally broken. I can't believe I will never hear his voice again. I'm frozen in a state of shock that my phone will never ring and I won't hear that good morning greeting, midday banter or evening wind-down before we sleep. All I can do is encapsulate the memories, hold onto the brief moments, and forever entrench myself in the exquisite songs he left behind. Luckily, I recorded a lot of voice clips we shared with each other. Those are golden. Platinum. Stellar. I can hear him anytime I feel the urge to be close to him. He is here. beside me. Always, Guiding me. My "brightest star" in a vast sky of glittering gems. He stands out. The most luminous of all.
I love you, My Deep River. Infinitely. Forevermore.
You are loved and missed beyond measure. I cannot numb the pain cascading from my heart. It's just so unbearable. But in time, it will subside, the shock and horror of your departure will dim, and I will be left with a bittersweet mist that will envelope me in my times of grief.
The roses you sent me...still stand in the tall glass vase. A constant reminder of your die-hard romantic ways. The greeting cards and the telegram all declare a love so strong and timeless that nothing could rival. The video clips of you singing to me...I can watch them anytime I feel the wave of loneliness wash over me. The recording of our fabulous and fun karaoke night...when you blew them all away with the Chicago song "Beginnings"...that will carry me through the hard times.
Now, I will hold you in my heart forever. Your legacy lives on in me, and in the songs that echo through the vast expanse of eternity. So many loved you, and what a blessing to embrace!
Trent, you changed my life in so many powerful ways. I hope you knew that you brought meaning, passion and renewal to a heart once barren.
Rest now, dear soulmate, in angel wings. Your pain is gone. Your mission complete. Until we meet again, my love. Adieu.
RR
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