Takeover Tuesday: Brandy Bruce’s Hope for the New Year

Happy Tuesday, Reader Friends!

Today Brandy Bruce has stopped by to Takeover Tuesday! Give her some love in the comments and be sure to check out her latest release. It’s fantastic!

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It’s 2018! I cannot even believe it. It feels like it was just 2017! Oh wait…

A new year. A fresh start. A chance to do things differently.

Or maybe, like me, you’ve started off slowly. A little low on energy. Out of ideas. Do you know that feeling? Where rather than tackle the world, you’re more interested in binge watching The Crown and eating brownies? (Or is that just me?)

I’m one of those people who likes to put away all the Christmas decorations by New Year’s. I truly love the holidays. I enjoy decorating and parties and Christmas cookies and all the magic that comes with the season. But a day or two after Christmas, I start itching to put everything away. When I was growing up, my mother was the opposite. She wasn’t in a hurry to box up the tree and the lights and the Sarah, Plain and Tall village set that we loved to put out every year. The decorations lingered on. You know when the point comes where the tree stays up but no one even turns on the lights anymore? Yes, I know that point too.

But as a grown-up woman with her own family and home now, I’m pretty set on putting everything away by New Year’s Day. I feel a need to get the house in order before the routine of school starts back up. As much as I love the holiday season—the truth is that when it’s over, it can sometimes feel like a relief, don’t you think? It’s difficult to maintain the energy it takes. There’s so much build up and excitement for the big day—and it’s all wonderful and fun—but then it’s time for a deep breath and a new beginning. And like the changing of seasons, sometimes we just feel ready for it. Spring after a long winter. The cool of fall after a hot summer. A blank slate after a crowded schedule.

Whether you’re like me and want all the ornaments boxed up, or you’re like my mom and don’t feel the need to rush, the truth is that this January is another beginning for all of us. And what I’m learning more and more as I get older, is that time is a gift and we’re not promised more of it.

What is it you want to accomplish this year?

Last year was special for me for so many reasons. I repackaged my Heartsong book series into one compilation book called The Romano Family Collection. And my novel The Last Summer released in June. Both of those books mean so much to me and seeing them in print was just so exciting. After finishing The Last Summer, I felt that inner pull to write again. I’m working on a follow-up novel to that story. One of my goals for this year is to finish that next book. I’m loving it so far and I’m excited to keep working on it, so that the readers who came alongside me and supported The Last Summer in so many ways can connect with those characters again.

As a writer, I’ve got all kinds of stories floating around in my head. But fleshing them out isn’t always so easy. I’m one of those people who can struggle with inspiration. During an interview, I was once asked how I find time to write amid mothering and freelance work and everything else. But honestly, when I’m inspired by something—in big ways or small—I’m going to find time to write. Late at night. Early morning. Nap time. Sitting in church! When inspiration hits, I have to write. For me, a lack of inspiration is far more challenging.

What I’m hoping for this year, is inspiration.

To see it in everything. To feel it deep inside. To capture it and write.

I want to feel that surge of inspiration that leaves me scrambling to find free moments to write. To be moved by music and art and life experience and even sadness. For a new story to flow out of me, without me even having to search for it.

What about you? What inspires you? What sparks that passion in you? For me, for 2018, I’m hoping for something new. More stories and voices and experiences and even stillness. Whatever it takes. I’m ready to feel inspired.

So, come on, 2018. Bring it.

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About the Author

Brandy Bruce is a mom, a wife, a book editor, an author, and someone who really loves dessert. She’s the author of the award-winning novel The Last Summer, The Romano Family Collection, and Looks Like Love. Brandy, her husband, and their children make their home in Colorado.

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About the Book

The Blurb: “For twenty-something Sara Witherspoon and her group of friends, a perfect Southern summer includes lake-house getaways, wedding planning, outdoor concerts, and a dash of romance. But for these seven friends who love each other like family, this year, summer rolls in with changes for everyone.

Sara’s longtime crush, Luke, has been her best friend for as long as she has been a part of the group. When Luke begins seriously dating another of their friends, Sara’s forced to deal with her hurt and jealousy, while outwardly try to support them both.

While Sara comes to terms with her own heart and her friends’ relationships, an unexpected handsome pilot from North Carolina and an old flame are thrown into the mix. Knowing her heart suddenly becomes much more complicated.

But as time unfolds and friendships begin to unravel, Sara and the others are presented with the reality of what a season of change does to old friendships and new love interests.

Does growing older mean growing apart?”

Links: Amazon, Goodreads