Maria's Journal

For several weeks whenever I walk into a drugstore in Queens I'm subjected to an explosion of everything pink and red, this could only mean one thing:  Valentine’s Day is around the corner. The funny thing about Valentine's Day is that most of my adult life I have recognized the holiday as romantic in nature, but in recent years with the inclusion of friendship, I’ve come to appreciate Valentine’s Day as a general day of Love. In fact, I send Valentine’s Day cards to close family and friends (yes, I do!).   Recently I got to thinking, how many women and men go out of their way to celebrate special people on this day. A lot, it would seem from an online search. One celebration which resonated with me the most was: Galentine’s Day. What is Galentine’s Day, you ask? This term was coined a few years back by Leslie Knope - a fictional character from the popular sitcom Parks and Recreation. Leslie declared, “Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and o...

It's a brand new year...ah the possibilities! I am thrilled to start this year with a renewed sense of purpose. Already, I started the road back to writing every day, I'm also committed to: journaling, blogging, writing articles and book reviews; all this is sure to keep the creative juices flowing. As an author I've set daily and weekly writing goals. Below is my Done list: Pulled out the Idea Board Developed a writer's schedule Enlisted an Accountability Partner (AP) Signed up for the 2018 Goodreads Book Challenge Whatever your goals, set a plan in motion today. Write your plan down then tell your family, your friends, even co-workers. "Why?" you ask. A month from now when life settles back into a routine and the well-intentioned resolutions fall by the wayside, you'll need the accountability factor. So when your neighbor asks "How's the writing coming along?" you'll proudly say, "It's going great!" Happy Wr...

Hello and Happy Eclipse Day! On Monday, August 21, 2017, North America will be treated to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the  path of totality  can see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring events. The path will stretch all the way from Lincoln Beach, OR to Charleston, SC. Make sure to wear protective glasses and have fun!  Maria

Hello friends, I thoroughly enjoyed today's warm weather in NYC. Brunch at the Meat Packing District, then The High Line then One World Observatory. Awesome Sunday excursion with family and friends. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. If you haven't had a chance just yet, you have about five weeks left!

Three facts about Fourth of July 4 you may/may not know: 1. Independence Day is really longer than a day July 4 is the day we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but not all 56 eventual signers signed that day, few others signed the original a few days later on July 8 th . Most members of the Second Continental Congress did not sign the Declaration of Independence until August 2 nd . 2. Why red, white and blue? The common story is that the colors represent purity and innocence (white), hardiness and valor (red), and vigilance, perseverance and justice (blue). The colors of the flag, however, may simply have been chosen because it was designed after the British Union Jack. 3. Why the fireworks? Fireworks on the Fourth of July is a tradition dating back to 1777, the first anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams wrote in a letter to his wife that he wanted Independence Day to be celebrated with para...

To conclude Women's History Month...here's a shout-out to my Abuelita. At eleven years old when I read my first few romance novels – my grandmother’s Barbara Cartland collection – I was hooked. There was something magical about the stories and how they unfolded. What I didn’t know at the time was that my grandmother would be the reason behind my writing. “Speaking of romance,” my mother said over coffee one morning, “Your grandmother was quite the romantic writer.” “Grandma?” I shrieked. The reference caught me off guard, Grandma had been deceased for years and my mother rarely spoke of her. “Yeah” she answered. “Your grandmother wrote love letters to your grandfather when he was away on business.” “She did?” I never heard this before. “Yeah, didn’t you know?” Mom continued, “She placed first in a writing contest.” Love letters? Contest? Whoa. I had no idea. When I started to write romance in my twenties the genre fascinated me. Intrigued by such appeal I often questio...

Malala Yousafzai has never been an ordinary person. Malala began blogging when she was barely 11 years old. At the time she was writing about the Taliban takeover of her hometown of Mingora in Pakistan. The group responsible for the takeover followed an extremist version of Islam and believed girls should not go to school. Malala was very courageously standing up for girls right to education.  On October 9, 2012, the Taliban tried to silence her. A gunman boarded a truck that she and her classmates used as a school bus and shot Malala in the head. Malala survived the attack. The months following she showed remarkable strength and optimism during a long recovery. Since then Malala has become a symbol of the struggle for girls' rights worldwide. In fact, she delivered a powerful speech at the United Nations just nine months after the attack.  Two years after her ordeal, on October 10, 2014 Malala Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala said the prize wa...