Blog Hop - Books I'm Grateful I Read, 2017 Edition

The Giveaway Hop has finished, but read on for good reads!

Coming into the holidays, particularly Thanksgiving, is a terrific opportunity to count my blessings from the past year. Here I share three special book titles that influenced my career, my relationships, and my spirit.

The first book that comes to mind when I think "grateful" is Kathleen Woodiwiss' THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER. I received it as a gift from my favorite aunt when I went off to college. I loved the characters and the texture of Woodiwiss' descriptions, both of location and action. And Heather and Brandon's love story blew me away. Still does. I'd been writing stories all my life, but after reading this book I knew that I would become a romance novelist. I continue to love stories with knock-your-socks-off intensity. And I'm writing them, too. Thank you, Kathleen!

Having decided to write romance novels, I needed to develop strong, interesting characters. I found THE ENNEAGRAM MADE EASY, a guide to using a centuries-old structure of nine personality type definitions to understand yourself and those around you. Although there are many personality typing tools, like the Myers-Briggs system, the Enneagram provides descriptions of how people of each personality type will likely react and relate in various situations. I use it regularly as I write, and I admit, I use it to understand my husband, too! He is a 5 - all logic, few words; I am a 3 - all heart, words are my life. The Enneagram explained why our marriage has lasted over 40 years!

Reading has always affected every aspect of my life, so I am very grateful I read Sister José Hobday's book, SIMPLE LIVING: THE PATH TO JOY AND FREEDOM. José Hobday was a Sister of St. Francis who wrote and lectured about simplicity as an attitude. Rather than seeing simplicity as a criterion by which to judge your actions, in SIMPLE LIVING, she describes it as a way of looking at life. Simplicity does not mean living without material possessions, but it encourages us to take stock of the abundance in our lives outside of our stuff and learn what will make us truly happy. Her book continues to inspire me to see the abundance all around: friends, family, and nature, to name just a few. If followed, SIMPLE LIVING affects every relationship, and it's a way of living I hope is contagious.

Thanks for stopping by!

For my U.S. readers, Happy Thanksgiving!