Who’s ready for a Christmas giveaway?

As some of you know, this has been a very tough year for me, so I haven’t had an opportunity to say THANK YOU to my readers too often. Well, I just want you guys to know I’m grateful for your support, and I finally got around to organizing a giveaway on my Facebook page.
Unlike Santa, I don’t care if you’ve been nice or naughty! 🎅 😉
The gifts I put together for you include an e-book copy of my romance Lovestruck box set, an audiobook copy of my rom-com, Unabridged, and a $25 Amazon gift card!
The giveaway is only for Facebook users this time, and it’s very easy to enter. You will find it as a pinned post on my Facebook page, Melinda De Ross (click on the image below)
Winners will be announced on Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th, on this page and in my newsletter. If you’re not subscribed to my monthly newsletter, I would love to have you there and you will receive a guaranteed surprise in your inbox if you subscribe: https://melindadeross.com/
Good luck everyone, and thank you again for being here. ❤️
Wishing you all blessed holidays! 🎄
Fondly,
Melinda

Flying Above the Clouds, Thinking Positive #RachelleAyala @Mimisgang1 #mgtab

Recently, I had the misfortune of watching a highly anticipated movie only to find it utterly disgusting and disappointing. It was supposed to be a comedy, but the sexually abusive nature of the “fighting” ruined the supposedly zany plotline and ridiculous antics of the characters. I bemoaned the movie to my good friend who also had the misfortune of seeing it. You wouldn’t have known about the fight scenes from the trailer which promised a comedy in and out of the multiverse.

Some images cannot be unseen and the best thing my friend and I hoped for was “forgetfulness.” However, it means we have to stop thinking about how horrid the images were. As you well know, as soon as you tell yourself to forget something, you remember it. Like right now, I’m yet again trying not to remember the images but in writing this blog, I have the misfortune of having those scenes flash in my mind’s eye.

My friend then told me to make this a Philippians 4:8 moment. Instead of thinking about the bloody and sexually suggestive fight scenes, I would say, Philippians 4:8 and look for the beautiful, the pure, the good, the lovely, the virtuous, and think on these praiseworthy things. Focusing on the positive will leave no room for negative thoughts.

It’s the same way in life. The news is filled with the bad and the horrible. All around us, fear abounds and outrage explodes. There are plenty of things and events to be upset over, and everyday annoyances large and small. “Did you see that guy cut me off?” “The price of gas is over the roof.” “Sri Lanka just collapsed, are we next?” We can so easily fall into playing the cynic and drag down not only our own mood, but everyone around us.

Being a cynic and dwelling on negative things doesn’t change them one bit. Your circumstances are still the same. Only you’re more upset and anxious. Instead, focus on the positives, and if you can’t find any, do something kind for someone else. Instant positive thoughts and feelings! Make every moment a Philippians 4:8 moment, and soon, you will be flying above the clouds where it is lovely, pure, and free. Try it. Look at the people around you and find the good. Write down a time and place when someone showed kindness to you. Count your blessings. Even in the worst of circumstances, you can find something positive. In Acts 16:22-34 Paul and Silas were thrown into a Philippian jail after having been stripped naked and beaten. Their feet were locked into stocks, and it must have been cold and wet. They were battered and bruised, bloody and hungry. But at midnight they were singing praises unto God. They were singing with joy and hope and thankfulness!

I’m creating an audiobook for Kitty, It’s Cold Outside, and while proof-listening, I came across a passage where the heroine, Katherine Gills, is lost in another world [in another time]. Her new friends suspected she was a fraud or con-woman, and they were watching her carefully when they took her on a ride in a small airplane. I could picture and feel her sitting there when the pilot let her put her hands on the controls and pull the airplane through the cloud bank. What a joyous moment. Even though she was still lost in time and space, by keeping her focus upward, she was grateful and rejoicing, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord God up High.”

[The audiobook is ONLY 99c available from Google Play, where all my audiobooks are FREE or 99c]

Excerpt from Kitty, It’s Cold Outside:

“It’s so beautiful down there. The trees look so small, and I feel like I’m an angel looking down on everyone. I hope they’re being good this Christmas,” Katherine said.

“I bet you’re nice in Santa’s book,” the pilot said. “Because you’re going to get a real treat.”

“Will we go higher than the clouds?” Katherine asked, swinging her hands like she could reach out and touch the fluffy puffs.

“Even better, let’s go through them,” the pilot said.

“Goodness gracious!” Katherine put both hands on her face as the propeller cut through the cloudbank, and a thick gray mist surrounded the entire plane. “How can you see where we’re going?”

“I’ve got these instruments.” The pilot pointed to the screens. “Here, I’ll let you pull us up over the clouds.”

He put his hands over Kathrine’s and guided them onto the controls, then gently pulled back. The airplane’s nose lifted, and voila! Clear blue skies popped into view above with the clouds below.

Katherine squealed with joy. “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord God up High. We’re in the realm of angels. I wonder if we will see any.”

In case you’re wondering what movie NOT to see, check out this review. It’s hilarious. Of course, you might enjoy it, so to each his own! C’est la vie.

Friday the 13th -Lucky for me and you!

I was born on a Friday the 13th (June), and that day has always been lucky for me! Today it’s lucky for you – and it’s better for your eyes too!

In the world of technology, where we all have our noses stuck to television screens, computers, tablets, and cellphones, if you’re like me, your eyes need a rest. Generally, I am up by 5:30 every morning and on the computer within ten minutes of waking up. That’s after using the bathroom and pouring that first cup of coffee. Somedays, I am literally on my computer working for 12-15 hours.

So when I have a few hours off, the last thing I want to do is read because I need to give my eyes a break. It doesn’t help that I’m getting older and my eyesight is starting to change. The problem is, I used to read voraciously. I could read a 300-page book in several hours, and I used to read several books a week. Now I might read a book every other month.

What I have started doing is listening to audiobooks. I get a chance to relax my mind, enjoy a story, and clean my house, or cook something good in the kitchen. Sometimes, I just sit back and do nothing while I enjoy one!

I love audiobooks, and I know a lot of people are starting to enjoy them too. That’s why I am slowly having my books turned into audio productions! And this is where the fun begins!

I currently have several books in audio, and I’m going to give away 25 copies of several of them to you! All you have to do is look over the books on the sign-up form and pick your first and second choice. Then in a few days, I will send you a link and a code to download it for FREE from Audible.

CLICK HERE to sign up for a FREE Audio Book!

COMING SOON TO AUDIO

Make sure to join my AUDIO ONLY newsletter that is used to announce new releases and offers the first change of FREEBIES on new releases!

JOIN HERE