I love romance. Happily ever after, hot love scenes… all the good things in life.

For a long time, I was content to explore this enticing world through books. Then, wow – I found out it can happen in real life. I met my husband, who showed me that all those wonderful, magical feelings described in the books are real. Hey, what d’ya know, fiction really IS based in reality.

Once that particular dream came true, it was like Pandora’s Box opened… if I could have that dream – why not the one I’d hidden away in that quiet corner of my mind… the one about putting those stories dancing around in my head onto paper (or computer screen) and writing my own romances?

It took awhile. Workshops and classes, voraciously devouring every how-to book I could buy, studying the market and finding my niche – to say nothing of my voice. Throw in those little distractions like life, children and such… but the dream started taking life.

Once I joined RWA I found another form of magic. Camaraderie, support and friendships that have touched my heart. The dream is blooming. In the last few years, I have served two terms as Secretary for my online chapter, as well as Publicity Chair, Mentorship Chair, Critique Chair and moderated a few other programs. I was the 2008 President of the Black Diamonds Romance Writers and VP of Administration of the SFA-RWA — and loved the challenge. All of this gives strength to that dream, and keeps it grounded.

My novella, A Babe in Toyland is a part of the Must Have Been the Mistletoe anthology, out December 2010. This will be my ninth Harlequin Blaze. I have with three more scheduled for 2011 - Breaking the Rules in February, Just For The Night in May and a new series will launch in December.

I do have other dreams that I’m happily tending: my own real-life hero husband and our two children. Our Northern California home, an ode to ideas and obsessive redecorating/remodeling. Good thing my hero is handy with a saw. Gardening, scrapbooking, crafting and an incredibly supportive family round things out. Along with homeschooling our children and writing, I work from home with my Intuitive Consulting business.

• Michelle Butler
• Mary Curry
• Sally Kilpatrick
• Trish Milburn
• Anna Sugden
• Tawny Weber

• Rachel Graves
• Keri Mikulski

     

• I’m a homeschooling mom.
• I love lifting weights. There is something so satisfying about being able to see muscles grow.
• Before I was a writer, I was an Intuitive Consultant and Reiki Master.
• I’m a list addict.  I make lists for everything – even my lists.

Happy Birthday To Me

Posted by Tawny Weber Mar 1 2012, 3:55 am

My birthday was Tuesday.  Yippeee, and yum (the chocolate ice cream cake was delish!).  This was the first year in the last five that when my family asked what I wanted for my birthday, I didn’t answer with some form of “To lose this freaking weight!”

Because I’m a big believer in doing everything in my power to make something happen when I want it, I seriously worked at it.  I exercised.  I dieted.  I joined weight loss programs.  I tried other exercise.  I tried other diets.  I saw my doctor, a dietician and hired a weight loss coach.

I stressed, I wrote, I obsessed, I made deals with myself and stressed some more.  The doctor said that weight gain was simply a matter of aging (a fun tidbit that always made each birthday more fun).  The dietician confirmed that my eating was healthy, but told me to up my calories from my comfy 1100-1200 to 1500 a day.  The weight coach echoed the dietician, and also offered motivational ideas that tied my weight to my writing career as incentive (ask me how well that went on the days I got bad reviews).

And yet another birthday passed by, with my weight still an issue.

Then last summer, I’d had enough.  I’d followed all of the rules and tried the ‘right way’.  And I’d gotten nowhere.  In September, I dropped my calories to 900 a day.  By Thanksgiving, I was at a healthy BMI, and I had faith that I’d finally found my weight loss answer.  I started to believe that I might actually get my wish this time -to be at my goal weight by my birthday!  Since it was going well, I tentatively added in cardio (tentatively because I was concerned that burning more calories a day, when my intake was that low, might send my body into starvation mode and stop the weight loss).  I started simple.  3 days a week, 30 mins a day.  By Christmas I was up to 45 mins a day, 5 days a week.  In January I added in strength training and started window shopping for cute clothes that I’d be able to buy after I hit my goal weight.

But the deal was, no new clothes until I hit that goal.

And I didn’t make it for my birthday.  I’m 2 1/2 lbs away… so close, but not quite there yet.  But man, I feel great.  I’m ecstatic to be this close, even if I’m there in baggy clothes.  Because even though it’s only a couple of pounds, I just can’t do the clothes shopping until I’m there.

I’m still at 900 calories a day, which on Tuesday included cake (and frozen yogurt with my girls earlier in the day -cuz it was yummy *g*)!  I’ve nicely solidified the cardio habit and am amping up the strength training and getting definition.  I’m totally comfortable with the concept of this being my lifestyle (although I’ll be upping the calories after I hit goal to a comfy 1100-1200). I’ll admit, I’m a little frustrated not to be able to go shopping yet, but I have faith I’ll get there.  Then the challenge will be finding the right pair of jeans to go with all my adorable shoes that I can finally wear

If you were going to shop for your perfect weight-loss reward outfit, what would you get?  My perfect outfit (and I haven’t found it anywhere except my imagination) is a black leather pencil skirt with a ruffle at the hem, a red wrap blouse and a killer pair of t-straps.

 

10 Comments

Nurturing the Habit

Posted by Tawny Weber Feb 16 2012, 4:17 am in Tawny Weber, Tawny's Thursdays

I love how easily our journey as writers mirrors our journey in health.  That’s something we’ve all blogged about at least a few times each   I swear, sometimes I think the struggle are interchangeable in my life.  Especially when they’re, well, just that -struggles.  And it’s the rare, so so rare, that the one [...]

9 Comments

Oh No! It’s a Plateau.

Posted by Tawny Weber Feb 2 2012, 2:46 am in Tawny Weber, Tawny's Thursdays

My weight is at a place I’d started to think I’d never hit again.  Oh, not the number on the scale (although there were some sneaky doubts about that dancing around in the back of my mind).  Nope, I’ve hit a plateau.  After 4 months of steady loss, my body apparently declared January roadblock month. [...]

10 Comments

We’re Writers, Right?

Posted by Tawny Weber Jan 19 2012, 1:38 am

I don’t know about all writers, just myself.  But I write, like, all the time.  I write lists, I write notes, I write in a journal.  And hopefully *g* I write books.  So writing is pretty much a constant in my day to day life. Added to that, I know the power of the written [...]

7 Comments

An Abundance of Information

Posted by Tawny Weber Jan 12 2012, 1:02 am in exercise, Tawny Weber, Tawny's Thursdays

It’s that time again, a new year, a new resolve to get fit, be healthy and make it all work this time!!  One of the great things about the seeming world-wide focus right now on weight loss is that great tips and hints and articles on the topic are abundant.  Eating plans, healthier foods and [...]

9 Comments

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•