This Labor Day weekend was my birthday! Yea, me, right?

I don’t know if birthdays are as sweet as they once were. You get to a point where you don’t want to see your age increasing. What I will say is that I do feel better this birthday than I have for many of my past ones because of some physical challenges I put myself through over the last several months. Things like running a 5K, a 10K and a mud obstacles course.

And some thought I hadn’t truly run the course because I wasn’t muddy enough in the pictures I posted so I have included a few more as “proof” of my endeavor.

What do you do, regardless of age, to keep your life interesting? I had just seen a man over 60 attempt American Ninja Warrior. He didn’t get very far but he trained and tried.

What dream do you have that you need to take that first step toward. I think this man proves age does not have to be a limitation.

For you this week:

Tuesday: Evaluation of a police scenario.

Thursday: How would a medical person lose their license?

Hope you guys have a fabulous week and hope you enjoyed our Labor Day Weekend!

Jordyn

Hello Redwood’s Fans!

Are you like me and maybe celebrating a little too joyously the children going back to school?!? I do love my children but it is nice to have some quiet in the days as well to get back to writing.

I DO love fall and am excited for all things pumpkin to come out over the next several weeks. Autumn is really my favorite time of year. Plus, it’s the beginning of the holiday CANDY season– yep, trainer dude is going to be ecstatic about that, too.

This week is also birthday week– me and my oldest daughter will celebrate. I think we’ll focus more on hers than mine. 

For you this week:

Tuesday: I thought I’d do a little public service and help get you all ready for the fall/winter viral season. This post will be seven things I do to make sure I’m ready.

Thursday: What’s it like being a male nurse? My one and only male nursing colleague steps onto the edge to let me know his deepest darkest thoughts– and it is pretty hilarious, too.

Hope you all have a great week.

Jordyn

How has your week been?

Mine? Well, you know, never a dull moment.

Yesterday, I participated in the Warrior Dash. It is a 5K with obstacles on the course. Things like climbing over a 10 foot wall. I think there were three of those. It was great fun minus a minor shoulder injury. Just why my shoulders like to gravitate out of their sockets mystifies me. I did finish and here is photo proof. I did clean up a bit.

This summer I’ve done a lot of physical things I’ve never done before and those who know me can attest to the fact that I am not a fitness guru. I still would pick chocolate over celery on any given day. Nachos over hummus. You get my drift.

But, I have been trying to get into shape. So, in my wake over the last several months are three 5K’s, one 10K and I’m hoping to hike one 14teener (a mountain where the peak is at 14,000 feet.)

Sadly, I am still not a size four. Nor will I ever be but this summer of mostly fun physical activity got me thinking about writing goals. Just how do you try and achieve something where the finish might not be as glamorous as you imagined. A finish like you’ve published almost three books and still can’t quit your day job.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Striving toward a goal gives you confidence. When you accomplish little things (like running a 5K)– you believe you can do the bigger things (like running a 10K.) Words will add up to sentences. Sentences will add up to paragraphs. Paragraphs become chapters! Once you pile enough of those up you will have a novel.

2. Sometimes the step in front of you is all you can focus on. When I ran my first 10K– I lasted about 5.5 miles. I had run six miles before but I was mentally having a bad day– like my friend who was walking still had a faster pace than me jogging. At one point– all I was doing was looking at the sidewalk and counting to four. Four steps was the distance between the cracks and meant that section of sidewalk was finished. I would count to four again. I must have done this for a mile just trying to take the next step. Focusing on the large picture can be overwhelming. What is your next step?

3. Finishing is fun! It is great to have that moment where you cross the finish line. You have a completed book. People like the book! Your words touch someone. Sometimes visualizing those moments can help you take those small steps.

What is a goal you’re working on?

For you this week!

Tuesday: I’ve spent a lot of time in the hospital with a sick family member this month. Just what got my authorly wheels turning?

Thursday: A GREAT resource for writers with LOTS of information on death. I know– but this is how suspense authors think.

Also– I am getting ready to launch my newsletter! Subscribe and be eligible to win the WHOLE Bloodline Trilogy, $50.00 in gift cards and some nifty home-made items in time for Halloween!

Hello Redwood’s Fans!

How is your week going? Is your summer winding down? Getting ready to go back to school?

I have recovered from camping, horse back riding and white water rafting. Looking back I think those were the easy things.

Coming up for me are my first 10K race (well, I am just hoping to finish) and a Warrior Dash– the muddy 3-mile long obstacle course.

Yes, I am insane. But you knew that already.

For you this week.

I am taking on author James Patterson. Usually I don’t rat out authors or their books if I give a medical critique of their scene. However, James is unique because he can certainly afford a team a medical consultants so I tend to give him a lot less leeway.

This week we’ll look at the medical woes in one of his latest Alex Cross books– Kill Alex Cross.

Have a GREAT week.

Just a quick post on this happy Monday to announce the winner of the Who Will Survive The Zombie Apocalypse Contest– or at least have fun trying whilst reading a copy of either Proof or Poison.

The winner is: Audrey Allyn Reilly!!

Audrey– e-mail me at jredwood1(at)gmail(dot)com and I’ll tell you how to claim your prize.

Thanks for playing everyone. It was fun to see your percentages. I’m not sure I’ll be hanging with those of you who scored under 65%– you might have to fight those zombies off on your own. Now– as Crystal said– time to stock up on canned foods and weapons.

Hello Redwood’s Fans!

Our group hitting a rock.

How has your summer been? Ours– very busy. For the first time since living in Colorado for almost seven years we finally braved the wilderness and took our two daughters camping– twice. I know some of you may not think this is a major miracle– but it is.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy camping– I really do. Nighttime– not so much. It just gets too cold. Of late, I’ve resorted to boiling hot water and putting it into water bottles and lining my sleeping bag with four or five of them. Even with that and wearing three layers it is hard to stay warm.

If anyone knows of an electric sleeping bag– let me know.

Then going backwards!

One of my favorite activities is to go white water rafting and this year we decided to torture– I mean– let our children experience this fun adventure.

And yes– I am in this boat!

For you this week:

All is right again!

Monday: Winner announced. Have you taken the Zombie Apocalypse Quiz yet? Check out this post for a chance to win Proof or Poison for details.

Tuesday: Fungal Fright: What is cryptococcus and just how deadly is it?

Thursday: Fungal Fright: The medical thriller Spiral by Paul McEuen.

Hope you have a great week!

Hello Redwood’s Fans!

Did you enjoy learning about the creepy crawlies on my pathogen posts last week? Hopefully, you haven’t been scratching at your skin.

We have been camping! Last time for this summer. Hopefully, I’ll have some pictures to post next week.

For you this week.

It’s author questions. You know I love these. Hope you’ll tune in.

Are you enjoying your summer.

Jordyn

Hello Redwood’s Fans!

How has your week been? Mine– relaxing. It’s weird not operating on a book deadline. Hopefully my new fiction proposal will get picked up and I’ll be a writer under a deadline again.

We. Shall. See.

Writing downtime usually leads to trolling on social media. Someone posted this picture of uber-scary children and of course I think– “Stephen King obviously saw this picture and it inspired him to write Children of the Corn.”

What do you think? What book would you write based on this picture? A scary one? Whimsical? A psychological thriller?

This week– I thought I’d focus on pathogens. Those microscopic instruments of death. Good news is that most of the time– people do survive infectious disease.

However this is not always the case.

So enjoy my “Primer on Pathogens” series as well as a chance to win either Proof or Poison (you’ll have to check Friday’s post for details.)

Have a great week!

Wow– what a week. The final edits on Peril are done. I wonder if how I feel is how movie people feel when the final scene of a movie is shot. I just don’t know if I can say good-bye to these characters.

When Peril was first going through edits– the editor I was working with said something close to “You have like four endings. It’s only your inability to say farewell to these characters that lends to this.”

Sigh. And yes, I did pick one ending but I have saved the others and I’m sure they’ll show up for you over at my website someday.

The Bloodline Trilogy is complete. Three books. I never thought I’d publish ONE fiction book . . . ever. Quite a dream come true. I’m very thankful for it.

In October– I’ll be celebrating a lot so be sure to be following my author page for a HUGE party with lots of amazing prizes. You can find it here.

This week I’m excited to host fellow friend and author Michelle Griep. I love it when historical authors come to visit and blog about their medical research in eras that have passed. Michelle takes on the insane asylum and other topics and I know you’ll enjoy her posts. Please take time to check out her novel A Heart Deceived. Isn’t her book cover just gorgeous?!?

Hope you have a great week.

Jordyn

Hello Redwood’s Fans!!

Hope your week has gone well and that this upcoming week you have special plans for July 4th!

I am wrapping up edits on Peril! Final round. That’s a big relief.

I got AMAZING news last week that I finaled for a Carol Award through ACFW in the debut novel category for Proof. This is a prestigious award and I’m super excited to be nominated with such amazing authors. I won’t find out anything until September.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

For you this week:

Monday: News Stories for Authors: Or as I like to say– you can’t make this stuff up as a fiction author and get away with it. A true story of cyanide poisoning.

Wednesday: Summer Safety. You know I’m a pediatric ER nurse and just can’t help myself. Let’s keep those kiddos safe. This post is on drowning.

Friday: Another example of “real” life cyanide poisoning.

Have a GREAT holiday.

Jordyn