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Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.
Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.
Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.
Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.
13 Comments:
If that's you with a weight gain, then life is so not fair! Speaking of which, I drink and eat the real stuff too, but somehow I'm still living large. Am I missing something?
PS. Cute dog!
You know what I've discovered? Life is short, so you might as well enjoy it.
3-1/2 years ago I made the decision to lose weight and get fit, so I lost 40 pounds and exercised almost every day. I went from a size 16-18 to an 8-10. (Still heavy by Hollywood standards...) I watched my carbs and obsessed if I gained a pound.
2-1/2 years ago I started getting dizzy.
1-1/2 years ago, they found a tumor on my vestibular (balance) nerve bundle. Almost 11 months ago, I had brain surgery.
Let me tell you, when you're asked to complete a Living Will at the age of 36, it changes your perspective! Now, I haven't gone hog wild about eating, but I did gain about 1/2 the weight back. I don't care. I have my white chocolate peppermint hot chocolate with full fat and whipped cream.
Life's short. You might as well enjoy it! (But be a good steward and be wise, too!)
Oh, and other than some facial nerve damage, I am fine now. Praise the Lord!
You're right, K. Studies show consuming artificial sweeteners make you gain weight. Weird huh?
Valerie, I'm so glad you're here to talk about it!!! Actually, I grew up in a bigger family, but I take after my dad. I was so anorexic looking, no doctor would ever believe I wasn't. I didn't get "normal" under after children. And my grandmother never worried about weight, and she was always huge -- and the best person I ever knew -- so it's all about priorities, I so agree!
But my husband is waifish, so when I gain, I make him look anorexic. Plus, all these size two around me make me feel big, and when you're small by nature, that gets to you, it messes with your identity.
But I have good genes. I think we should learn to appreciate that our bodies work though. I have MS and being able to run makes me feel empowered. Even if I do have to go downhill and it's not pretty to watch.
Valerie--I've had brain surgery, too, for an acoustic neuroma. It's in the same "nerve bundle." I am deaf in one ear as a result, but that happened before the surgery. My surgery was 8.5 years ago. At that time, I was a size 18. Weird, but after the surgery, I decided to give up all sugar, as I was SO addicted it was affecting my health VERY negatively. I lost a ton of weight and have kept most of it off. Plus, I've never gone back to sugar. I can't--it makes me too sick.
I do use Splenda, and I have never noticed a single bad effect. I don't do low fat ANYTHING. A person has to have some flavor in her life!!!
Thanks, Kristin.
I should say that my weight gain wasn't all because I decided I didn't care. When the dizziness got bad, I started falling off the tread mill. Not. Good.
Since the tumor - and its removal - affected my balance somewhat, I have to watch using exercise equipment. The surgery stretched my facial nerve, so my left eye doesn't blink well and does not make tears, so walking outside is only possible if it's not too windy.
That's my excuse anyway! :D
Katy,
Yes, I had an AN. My hearing was miraculously preserved! Miraculously. The tumor itself was actually entwined in the facial nerve, not the balance nerve. The doctor said it was like removing the yolk of an egg from the white of an egg - with both the tumor and nerve being white. I had the very best surgeon... God is good!
So glad you are doing well.
I use Splenda too and don't notice anything amiss. Probably because I eat enough white and brown sugar to couteract any negative affects! :D
Wow!! You girls rock. Brain surgery???? My balance is awful and I have no such excuse. That's why I don't like being bigger, I walk into more doorways. : (
Wow, with all these brain surgery stories I can't help but chime in. So glad to hear all the successes! I had a brain tumor (benign) about 19 years ago. At the time I was non-coffee, non-soda, super skinny vegetarian. So where did that get me? These days I'm well (although weird as ever, but I blame it on that balance thing :) and I love to eat. La Dolce Vita, you know?
p.s. Your doggy is very cute. When I saw the headline of your post, I thought you were talking about the soccer ball nearly attached to Fiona's tail...lol
I put that soccer ball there to add context. LOL SO basically, you don't want to be near any of us if you have to walk across a log bridge, is that what we're saying?
This all reminds me of another brain surgery girl, Kristy Dykes. We need to keep praying for her and her family every day!!
Julie--So, you were like THREE when you had brain surgery??? :)
Valerie--We're twins! I had some eye involvement, too, but not horrible. OK, except for my husband waking up in the middle of the night and I'd be sound asleep with ONE EYE POPPED WIDE OPEN. That always freaked him out a little. I am happy your hearing was preserved! Unilateral deafness will keep you spinning in circles trying to figure out where the sound is coming from! .....But, yeah, the balance thing....I'm with Kristin. My size sixes are getting tight. If I get any bigger, both hips will have bruises from crashing into door frames!!! It's a motivation to keep the weight off..... :)
OK, with all the brain surgery stories, I really have a "what's my excuse" thing going.
But I do have one answer to the question of why big people go sugar-free. When I do it, it's a low self-esteem day and the words "No wonder she's so fat" aren't far from my mind.
I know my reality, that a caramel mochiatto (sp?) is a once every few months' treat, but I feel like I'm being judged.
So, on bad days, it's eat the fake stuff and smile anyway.
But the good days, now those are something to enjoy!
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