Perish in the Palm by Kari Lee Townsend

Perish in the Palm by Kari Lee Townsend.

Series: a Sunny Meadows Mystery
Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 9, 2015)
Language: English




Perish in the Palm (a Sunny Meadows Mystery) Sunny’s life is finally on track. Her fortune-telling business in the quaint town of Divinity, New York is running smoothly, her parents have finally stopped interfering, and her boyfriend Detective Mitch Stone has moved in with her. But then her life derails, leaving the palm of her hand empty and her dreams just out of reach. With Sunny’s mischievous cat Morty under foot and quirky Granny Gert flitting around, cohabitation with Mitch becomes nearly impossible. Then Sunny’s parents show up for her best friend’s wedding, causing all sorts of trouble. Sunny’s future is put on hold when the innkeeper’s lifeline is literally cut short at the reception, and Sunnys’ mother is named the prime suspect. Sunny must use her clairvoyant abilities to clear her mother’s name and take her life back in her own hands before the real killer gives a whole new meaning to ‘till death do us part…

What a fun read. The characters were witty and humourous. The story kept you wanting more to the end.I am eagerly waiting to see what Sunny will find herself into next.

Balancing Professional with Personal

We all know life’s a balancing act. With constant demands and being pulled in several directions at the same time, it’s hard to be successful in all areas. This was a tough lesson for me to learn. I have always had a difficult time saying no to people. I have been married for twenty-six years and have four children: three boys and one darling diva. They all play sports and my husband travels. I love my life, but it literally involves donning my cape and becoming Super Woman to make everything work. That was when I realized I had to make a list of everything I needed to get done and then rank the list in order of importance. Next I actually wrote down how many hours a day I am awake. I’m a visual person, so it helps me to “see” my daily schedule. Once I was aware of my day as a whole, I realized how much time I actually wasted on trivial things, leaving no time left for important matters.

Having a successful career, a happy marriage and a happy family means balancing your life. I learned to make time for my writing but also time for my family. That meant saying no to things I didn’t have room for and learning not to feel guilty or beat myself up about it. Putting yourself first can be hard, but it’s necessary if you don’t want to burn out. I also learned I’m not alone, and it’s okay to delegate things to my children. Being part of a family means pulling your weight, and everyone needs to be on board because Mom can’t do it all. You’d be amazed what your kids and spouse are capable of if you let go enough to accept that as long as the task gets done, it doesn’t have to be perfect. And if something doesn’t get done, it’s not the end of the world.

Once I narrowed my list and delegated duties, I filled in my schedule. I blocked out appointments, events, etc. that were essential. Then I looked at the hours left in the day. If I needed more “time,” I simply got up an hour early or went to bed an hour later. Then I blocked out my writing time, family time, etc. The tricky part is sticking to it. I had to realize that my time is just as important as anyone else’s, especially my writing time. My family knows not to interrupt me when I’m working unless the house is on fire.

I don’t believe in writer’s block. Just keep writing, and eventually an idea will spark. We all get stuck, you just have to work through it. I also think about where I left off and what needs to happen next while I am doing my other chores, so that when I sit down to write I make the most of my time. The last thing I want to do is waste time thinking. Also, I have learned to be realistic when setting my writing goals. Every author should know how many hours they have in a day to write, how many pages an hour they can write, and how many days a week they have available to write. Once they know what, then they should know how long it will take them to write a book. Don’t get in over your head when figuring out a deadline with your editor or agent. Otherwise your writing time will bleed into your family time, and then on one will be happy.
Thanks so much for having me here today. This was fun. If you’re a reader, happy reading! If you’re a writer, then I hope some of my tips will help inspire you to make a schedule and stick to it. Happy writing ;) To find out more about me and everything I write, check out my website at www.karileetownsend.com

About The Author –

National Bestselling Author, Agatha, RT Reviewers Choice & Golden Duck Award Nominee. Kari Lee Townsend lives in central New York with her very understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter. A former teacher with a masters in English education and a background in freelance editing, she is a long-time lover of reading and writing. She is best known as the author of the Fortune Teller Mystery series, but also writes romance and women’s fiction (under the name Kari lee Harmon), as well as children’s fiction about tween superheroes. These days, you’ll find her at home happily writing her next novel and still trying to find out whodunit.
Author Links:

Webpage : http://www.karileetownsend.com Email: Karileetownsend@gmail.com Street Team: Kari’s Lakeside Readers Newsletter Link: Harmon – Townsend News Author Central: Karileetownsend Author Central: Karileeharmon Facebook: kariharmontownsend Facebook Page: karileetownsendAUTHOR Facebook Page: karileeharmonAUTHOR Twitter: karileetownsend



Giveaway:Leave a comment by Sept.22th for the chance to win a e-copy of Perish in the Palm. Winner will be notified within 48 hours after giveaway closes and you will have three days to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected.