December 3rd, 2009 | by PJ Mellor |
With my annual holiday crud, I zoned out and missed doing my blog yesterday. Sorry about that! But, as it turned out, today may be a more fortuitous day to do this one. Today is my anniversary!
As some of you may recall, I grew up in Michigan, frequenting the beaches of the Great Lakes. For some insane reason, I decided I needed a change of scenery and thought the Rocky Mountains would be a wise move. With six weeks left, I dropped out of college and moved to north Denver, just outside of Boulder. I did, eventually, finish my bachelor’s degree in Boulder—I joke about being on the “seven year plan”. Unfortunately, I discovered a few truths about myself in the process, the main being I really don’t like being cold and (most importantly) Colorado is not the place to live if you love going to the beach. Yeah, I know, and I’m usually not so slow on the uptake. But some “good” did come out of it. (1) I made the horrifying discovery that I’d married someone who was totally wrong for me and corrected it. (2) Three days after my divorce, I married the love of my life. Everyone was shocked and thought it wouldn’t last. That was, at the risk of sounding ancient to some of you, let’s just say decades ago. Since we both grew up in Michigan—who knew?—and were beach-inclined, it was only natural to end up close to the Gulf of Mexico.
My point in telling you this? My grandmother was a fabulous, bigger than life, personality. I use her sayings often and she appears, in some form or other, in most of my books. One of Gram’s favorite sayings was “Bloom where you’re planted.” I interpret it to mean to make the best of whatever situation you find yourself in and if you don’t like it, change it. Another of her sayings was “Mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Sometimes change is good, a necessary vehicle to get you where you were meant to be. I’m living proof.
I used this thought recently in my latest Aphrodisia Christmas anthology, UNDER THE COVERS. My novella in the anthology is ESCAPING CHRISTMAS. The heroine, Samantha, is shoving her indecisiveness about her true feelings for her boyfriend aside. In the trappings of enjoying the holidays, she is shocked when she finds an engagement ring in his pocket. Panicked, she is trying to wrap her mind around committing to him when he announces the ring is for someone else and leaves her. Immediately, her favorite time of year has become, well, not so much a favorite. To add insult to injury, the creep steals her dog. Worse, he gives it to his latest significant other! Determined to take a break from men and relationships in general, Samantha sets out to recover her dog. To her dismay, her pet now resides in a too-sugary-sweet-to-be-true place called Christmas, Texas. Her once favorite holiday now taunts her from every corner as she grimly trudges toward her goal.
Goals are kind of funny, changing when you least expect it. Along the way to hers, Samantha is arrested by the man she soon realizes was her destiny all along.
As I said, sometimes change is good because it takes you where you were meant to be. Have any of you experienced a for-the-better change? Do you have a favorite book/story in which it happens? Please leave a comment! As usual, one commenter will win a copy of UNDER THE COVERS, or your choice of a book from my backlist.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I still live in Michigan, have all my life. I’m curious; do you get those same odd looks like I do when you mention you go/went to the beach in Michigan? We go to Caseville every summer and I get the oddest looks from people who don’t understand we are surrounded by the biggest area of freshwater in the world. They all think of the Great Lakes as little ponds…
I had a road similar to the love of my life as you. Isn’t it awesome?
I’ll need to read your story. I just commented on another blog that I think I’ve only read one Christmas romance ever. Sad, isn’t it? And I don’t know why…
by nightsmusic · December 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 amHey Pam!!
Ooh, I remember that story! Can’t wait to read it again!
Great post! I love your grandmother’s quotes.
I guess a majority of the changes in my life have been for the better…although at the time they sure didn’t feel like it! I’m still on the fence with the move to Arizona though cuz I miss our weekly lunches at Denny’s.
Happy Anniversary!! Looking forward to seeing you in the summer!
Hugs!
by Terri · December 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 amHi, Althea–
I remember Caseville! Yes, I think it’s interesting how a lot of people do not think of beaches in the North, even around the Great Lakes. I spent almost every day at the beach in the summer as a teenager/young adult.
by P.J. Mellor · December 3rd, 2009 at 3:11 pmYou’re the second Althea I’ve “known”–then again, if you live in Michigan, maybe you’re the same one!
Awesome is right! Finding the right person is absolutely the best–but sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs first. That can be fun sometimes, too.
I hope you read and enjoy my Christmas stories. Besides ESCAPING CHRISTMAS, in the recently released UNDER THE COVERS anthology, I also participated in the 2007 Christmas anthology, NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY–my novella was HOT FOR CHRISTMAS. I hope you will check them out. Thanks for commenting!
Hey, Terri!
by P.J. Mellor · December 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 pmLong time, no hear from! How are things? I miss our lunches at Denny’s too–I recently went there and it just wasn’t the same.
Gram had a ton of great sayings. I still miss her.
See you this summer! Thanks for commenting!
Hi Pam!
I loved that the changes in your life brought you to your true love. And I learned something about you. I didn’t know you’d been married before. Glad you got of a bad marriage.
I love your story, too. He stole her dog?
What a jerk! I have to read this one.
Linda
by Linda Warren · December 3rd, 2009 at 3:33 pmHi, Linda–
I like to think I learn from my mistakes.
by P.J. Mellor · December 3rd, 2009 at 4:57 pmI don’t broadcast my previous marriage–it was when I was VERY young and lasted about 45 minutes. Hardly worth mentioning.
Yes! Please do read ESCAPING CHRISTMAS! I think you’d enjoy it–I hope so, anyway!
My for the better was also a divorce and a marriage that has lasted decades.
by Estella · December 3rd, 2009 at 6:24 pmMy ‘for the better’ has also lasted decades. The first? 10 days. He didn’t love me, just wanted the big party
by nightsmusic · December 3rd, 2009 at 6:28 pmHi, Estella!
As I said, sometimes we just have to kiss a lot of frogs before we can find out Prince Charming.
by P.J. Mellor · December 3rd, 2009 at 8:26 pmSo glad to know your for the better is working out–hey, we rock!
Oh, Althea, I’m sure you’re so much better off without him! And just look what he missed out on and gloat.
We should start a temporary insanity club of short first marriages! 
by P.J. Mellor · December 3rd, 2009 at 8:30 pmThanks so much for commenting!
What I love about ESCAPING CHRISTMAS is that she (heroine) actually never does–escape. Instead, she finds herself deeper and deeper in a web of Christmas spirit through her own convoluted antics. And it’s really good. Only PJ Mellor could come up with this stuff. hahaha! I won’t spoil the story in case anyone here has yet to read it but it’s a lot of fun!
I grew up in South Dakota. We had beaches there but they were either dams or rivers. Lots of fun and so easy to get a sun burn.
The move to Texas led me to REAL beaches…and to my Hero Hubby. We’ve been married 17 years and it just gets better every day.
Happy anniversary Pam!
by Jaye · December 3rd, 2009 at 9:26 pmHey Pam,
by Armenia · December 3rd, 2009 at 10:46 pmYour story is so close to my own. But with me it was a long time boyfriend that was not right for me. So happy I found my HEA to and “escaped” that situation. It seems like being true to oneself is the key to finding your own happiness.
I missed the best part…..HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, PAM !!
by Armenia · December 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 pmHi PJ,
Thanks for sharing your personal story, and what Escaping Christmas is about.
I haven’t experienced the pain of ending a marriage…I’m still searching for my mister right
But I’ve made a couple of decisions that were not right for me….the one that comes to mind is when I decided to move away from my family to a larger city so that I could find myself….come to find out I am who I am no matter where I live. Much like your grandmother said “Bloom where your planted”.
After several years I decided there was no place like home and moved back to be closer to my family. I found that I was missing out on the life that I wanted, by seeking it elsewhere.It was a hard decision and I left a good paying job, but I would make that same decision every time. I guess the grass isn’t always greener
by Booklover1335 · December 4th, 2009 at 8:39 amgetting over my first love was hard but gald i did
by kh · December 4th, 2009 at 1:20 pmcongrats on the book
Great post!!
Sorry, I’m a day late. Waving and smiling really big at you, Pam.
CC
by Christie Craig · December 4th, 2009 at 3:47 pmYou’re so right, Armenia! Life is certainly a journey. thanks for the anniversary wishes!
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 4:51 pmHey, Janet/Jaye! Thanks so much for stopping by and am thrilled you enjoyed ESCAPING CHRISTMAS!
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pmSee you soon–I hope!
Booklover1335–Sometimes the grass IS greener–it’s just in your own backyard.
I’m glad you realized it and are blooming where you’re planted. Who knows? maybe you’ll find your Mister Right is a guy you’ve known all along, as well. I’ve written sever4al “best friend” romances and it seems a lot of people identify–there has to be a reason.
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 4:59 pmBest of luck!
Hi, KH–I’m glad you were able to get over your first love too. I’m sure your Mister Right is winding his way to you.
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 5:01 pmThanks for commenting!
no problem, Christie! I was a day late in posting my blog, anyway, so that probably makes us even. 
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 5:03 pmThanks for the kind words and stopping by–I appreciate it!
PJM
Althea Preston is the winner of a copy of UNDER THE COVERS! Woo-hoo!! Althea, I tried to contact you through your web site–which is awesome with the wolf image! BTW– but it bounced back. Please send me your snail mail address at pj@pjmellor.com so I can get your book in the mail.
by P.J. Mellor · December 4th, 2009 at 5:16 pmPJM
WOOT!!!!
Thank you! I’m excited and can’t wait.
Thank you for the comment about my poor, lonely site. I forget I have it. *sigh* And I’m still not happy with the overall design, but it’s getting there.
I’ll have to check the address though, see what happened.
thank you again! *snoopy dance*
by nightsmusic · December 4th, 2009 at 5:27 pm