A New Beginning

by Amanda Forester

Spring has sprung! I love the change of seasons. I enjoy winter, but by the time March rolls around I am very ready for a change. Here in the Northwest, we have enjoyed a mild winter, but I know in some parts of the U.S. folks are still digging themselves out of the snow. I'm sure the coming Spring is a welcome relief!

When I think of Spring, showers of flower petals float through my mind. First the purple and white crocuses emerge through the frost, then the bright yellow daffodils, the fluffy, pink cherry blossoms, and finally the tulips. This year our tulips have been hindered by the two bunnies who have moved into our front yard. I occasionally see our new uninvited guests hopping across my lawn. My dogs go insane when they see them frolicking about freely where dogs are not allowed to roam. So wrong! I think bunnies are cute...until I find my tulip stalks nibbled to the ground.

A few years ago I went out to the local tulip fields. It was a wonder of swaying color, like a patchwork quilt stretching out for miles on the ground. Absolutely beautiful. I wanted to buy a bags of bulbs, but I decided against buying expensive bunny chow.

With all the new life bursting forth, Spring is a great time to start something new, to begin afresh. I love all the symbols of renewal and the hope that comes from the celebration of Easter. It's an opportunity to take a look at your life and see what might need some "spring cleaning". This weekend I am trying something new by taking a class to learn to do something that has scared me for years. Hopefully I will leave without the fear!

I just turned in a new manuscript for Sourcebooks, and did final edits on The Highlander's Bride (here is the new fabulous cover - coming out in September!). Now it's time for me to begin a new story! I have yet to write a word, but I have begun to daydream about my characters and how they first meet (in my head it's fabulous!). My white board is divided into the story structure sections, but completely blank, waiting for me to begin to plot.

The blinking curser on a blank screen can be exciting but terrifying. My story is still mine until I begin to give it away. Anything is possible. Maybe it could be a bestseller!

What is your favorite part of spring? Are you beginning anything new this year?