Blisscraft Life With Christina Katz

I am very pleased to announce the release of my fourth seasonal prompt ebook, Writing Prompts For Spring Stories.

To celebrate completing the series, and just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’m offering all four ebooks as a bundle for only $24.99. That’s better than half off the usual price for all four ebooks!

How long do you need to take advantage of this offer? How about until the end of the month? It’s Leap Year, after all.

So now this is a Valentine’s Day – Leap Year special: Half off when you purchase all four of my seasonal prompt ebooks. Two free for two holidays this month.

Thank you so much for your support. While I was working on the last ebook, I could not help but be reminded how much writing success has to do with maintaining a magical zone within ourselves where we feed and nurture our creative muscles until the next process begins to flow.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just stay in a steady state of creative flow all the time?

Well, these ebook will help you do that when you are the type of writer who has to jump around from season to season or get in the mindset of a season before it actually arrives.

I hope you enjoy these prompt books as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Seasonal writing is one of my favorite things to do. And I look forward to hearing what you discover and express as you use these ebooks.

If you prefer to purchase individual ebooks, please click on the individual covers for more info.

Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Leap Year. You rock, writers!

This price is temporary until midnight February 29, 2016, so this is the ONLY place where you can find the shopping cart buttons for this offer. Limit is one purchase per person.

Did you know my website has a shopping cart?

If you put something into your cart in error, no worries. You can take your time, look around, and select items until you are ready to check out. To view or alter the contents of your shopping cart, click the button below.

All this and more! Please subscribe to The Prosperous Writer Blog and sign up for The Prosperous Writer Newsletter, for exclusive discounts you won’t find elsewhere.

Even though our family gets flu shots every fall, it’s still hard to dodge the common colds and viruses going around all winter long.

This year I’ve started making superfood juice at the first sign of a sniffle and my only regret is that I have been so busy making it for Jason and Samantha that I haven’t had enough myself.

So I caught Samantha’s virus, and now I’m sitting down with a large glass of superfood juice (my second of the day) and sharing this recipe with you.

Give it a try. If it tastes good to you, your body will likely benefit from it.

I use a blender, but if you have a juicer, use that instead.

Simple & Healthy Superfood Juice

• 2 cups of fresh organic orange juice (I got mine at Costco)
• 1 cup of frozen wild organic blueberries (I got mine at Trader Joe’s)
• 1/2 cup of fresh raspberries (I got mine at Costco)
• Handful of fresh parsley leaves (rinsed)
• Handful of fresh cilantro leaves (rinsed)
• 1-2 mini cucumbers
• 2 long stalks of celery (or 4 short)
• 6-10 baby carrots
• 1 apple quartered and cored
• 1 pear quartered and cored
• Handful of Power Greens (I got mine at Trader Joe’s)

Combine ingredients in blender, blending as you go so that everything fits. Once all of the ingredients are blended, fill the blender to the top with more orange juice and run it a bit longer.

You don’t want the juice to be too thick because you need to pour it through a strainer. The juice will still be pulpy after you strain it, but at least you won’t have to chew it. It may take a few minutes for the juice to strain thoroughly. Be sure to get every last drop.

I strain into a large stainless steel bowl and then pour it into a container. Be sure to keep your juice refrigerated.

Rinse or wash blender, bowls, and utensils right after using to save yourself a headache later.

You could use these ingredients or whatever fruits and veggies you have in the house.

You could also add a green powder to your juice, if you like. One that I use and recommend is Vitamineral Green. But try the juice plain first because it’s so tasty.

Enjoy!

Create a room in which you display all the things that make you feel successful. Don’t display anything in the room that you did to impress others, if it does not inspire you.

For example, in my home office, I hang all of my most recently published articles on two wires above my desk. I also have magazine covers and books framed around my office. I’ve collected lanyards from conferences where I’ve been invited to speak and teach. I even decorate the door to my office with inspirational sayings. My office is full of signals to me that I am happy, productive, and successful. Why would I want my office to communicate anything else?

Now your turn. If taking over a whole room is too much, just find a shelf, hutch, or wall where you can gather your most compelling successes. This does not have to be an expensive process. A binder or folder can be the beginning point for something that will look great soon.

Create a space that makes you say, “Go, me!” and you will feel successful even as you are growing and learning.

I am a veteran journalist, author and coach with over a decade and a half of experience and a wealth of techniques to share. I am focused on making the world a saner, more expressive place. I help folks become more creative for personal enjoyment, professional development and transformational growth. Whether you are a professional creative or hope to become one some day, I can help you embrace your personal strengths, explore your creative possibilities, and evolve incrementally into your most inspiring self. If you are ready to achieve creative consistency in your life and career, email me about monthly coaching calls. To learn more about increasing your creative confidence, please check out my online school. Stay tuned for ways to save money by becoming a Beta User for my next new course by subscribing to The Prosperous Creative. And don’t forget to get these blog posts delivered to your inbox, so you never miss a post. If you appreciate my work—school, products, blog and social media posts—you are welcome to make a contribution of any size at any time. Thank you for your support!

Is there anything better during the long, cold gloomy winter than homemade chicken soup?

Perhaps not.

I’ve been enjoying a batch of what I think is my best soup yet, so I thought I’d spill my secrets.

Here goes.

Homemade Chicken Soup With Vegetables

One or two picked over roasted chicken carcasses (home-roasted or store-bought or both)

Any of the following that you have in your crisper, chopped: onion (any type), carrots, celery, greens, fresh herbs (like thyme, parsley, and rosemary).

Break apart carcass and place in large stew pot. Add chopped veggies and herbs. Cover with organic chicken broth and/or water to just cover the ingredients. Add a hefty shake of both salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours. Your home will smell great and you will feel cozy and inspired.

Turn off broth and allow to cool to room temperature. Put a strainer over a storage container and pour broth through. If you are concerned about bone splinters, strain the broth into a large bowl with strainer, then strain it again through both a strainer and a layer of cheesecloth (or a finer strainer if you have one).

Refrigerate broth overnight. A layer of fat will accumulate. Skim it off with a large, flat spoon.

Put your stew pot back on the stove. Add your homemade broth plus one quart of the best quality organic chicken broth you can find. Heat to boiling and add:

• One large chopped onion
• One large handful of carrots, chopped
• One large handful of celery, chopped

Simmer veggies until just barely cooked. Do not overcook because you will likely be reheating your soup and it’s nice if the veggies stay slightly crispy. Then add:

• One bunch of rainbow chard leaves, chopped
• Half a bunch of parsley leaves, chopped (use half for broth and half for soup)
• One small bag of petite organic peas

Simmer a few minutes until peas are cooked. Again, do not overcook your veggies.

I like to add a good amount of chopped freshly cooked chicken because I like to get a bite of chicken in every spoonful. So I will usually purchase another freshly roasted chicken and chop up about half the meat using both white and dark meats. But if you have a lot of chicken meat leftover from the chickens you boiled, go for it.

Taste soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to over-salt your soup, folks can always add more salt later. I don’t think it’s possible to add too much pepper, but you can try.

When serving, add cooked brown rice, white rice, egg noodles, or pasta to each bowl. Usually I’m an egg noodle girl, but lately brown rice has been tasting good.

You may need to heat each serving bowl in the microwave to make sure your soup is piping hot (this is why I suggested not over-cooking the veggies).

I like to serve my soup with a garlic loaf from the bakery, sliced, toasted, and buttered. But any bread, warmed or toasted, and/or crackers will make a nice addition.

Otherwise, this is pretty much a meal unto itself.

Enjoy!

So much inspiration, so much time! Please subscribe to the Create, Share, Prosper blog and sign up for The Prosperous Creative ezine for exclusive discounts you won’t find elsewhere. Click on the Enter School tab above to put your creativity to prosperous use right now. Join my monthly pep talk video series because all the other prosperous writers are doing it. Like words? Check out my Etsy shop. And you haven’t seen anything, if you haven’t seen all the helpful offerings in my online shop. Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing this post with fellow creatives!

Last year, I followed a simple principle in my business. I stopped following anyone I thought I should follow.

And I started only following those people who actually inspire me.

Notice the shift from the mental and the shoulds to the intuitive and the personal.

Often in business, we try to be smart, but it only makes us dumber.

Smart implies that others would agree that what you are choosing is practical.

But maybe being consistently more practical all the time does not feel that great.

If so, I’m asking you to pay attention to how you feel more than what you think (or what others think).

So last year, I stopped being so sensible, and I started being more honest.

I kept my activities private. I let go of the idea that I have to share every single thing I do online with everyone. I remembered that I’m allowed to have a personal life.

This is not a new belief. I talked about this in The Writer’s Workout. We get to set our privacy boundaries wherever we see fit, as we see fit. Nothing else will serve us. And this advice stands whether you have an online business or not. In fact, if you have an online business, it’s crucial to remember.

As I nurtured myself with daily inspiration, I felt more and more empowered, happier, less conflicted, more centered, and more myself.

I shifted all authority from outside myself to back inside myself where it belongs. Too often, I have listened to popular advice and unconsciously started following it without realizing it. But I can’t be myself and always fall in line with the latest trends. That’s just too tall of an order.

What’s awesome is that I am now in the habit of filling and refilling my inspiration tank. I don’t forget because I can feel if I start running low. And I don’t turn to outside approval when my energy dips, I turn within and do something that inspired me. And then I feel more like myself again.

And isn’t this the goal of life? To feel like the person you are meant to be and not the person anyone else thinks you should be?

We’ll talk more about how to fill and refill your inspiration tank. In the meantime, consider whether or not you believe you deserve a personal life rich with personal preferences or not.

Inspiration is impractical. And that’s why it’s so important.

So take a break from all the shoulds and have-tos, and have a little fun every day. Fun is allowed, and the only person who can create they type of fun you prefer…is you.

Stay tuned for more New Year inspiration. And share something you do to tune out the world and keep yourself inspired, if you feel moved.

So much inspiration, so much time! Please subscribe to the Create, Share, Prosper blog and sign up for The Prosperous Creative ezine for exclusive discounts you won’t find elsewhere. Click on the Enter School tab above to put your creativity to prosperous use right now. Like words? Check out my Etsy shop. And you haven’t seen anything, if you haven’t seen all the helpful offerings in my online shop. Thanks for reading and thanks for sharing this post with fellow creatives!

~ Photo by Greg Racozy

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Happy New Year, writers near and far!

I offer many resources for writing career goal-setting, but this month I’ve drastically lowered my phone consult fees for first-time clients.

Many writers get all revved up for the New Year, but could use a sounding board or help trouble-shooting to start the year off right.

If this sounds like you, go ahead and register for a session. Spaces are limited and will be scheduled first come, first served.

I’ll even throw in my Dream Team year-end/New Year questionnaire for free for everyone who registers for an hour consult during January.

Monthly one-hour consults come with weekly check-ins. If you are interested, register for your first consult in January. Appointments will be scheduled within 24 hours after payment is received.

Discounted slots are only for first-time clients only.  Returning clients can sign up for regular rates below or on my Phone Consult page.

I hope to work with you in 2016!

Discounted Rates:

Half-hour Phone Consult: $100 $75

One-hour Phone Consult: $150 $100

Regular Rates:

Half-hour Phone Consult: $100

One-hour Phone Consult: $150

I look forward to speaking with you at our designated time!

Did you know my website has a shopping cart?

If you put something into your cart in error, no worries. You can take your time, look around, and select items until you are ready to check out. To view or alter the contents of your shopping cart, click the button below.

All this and more! Please subscribe to The Prosperous Writer Blog and sign up for The Prosperous Writer Newsletter, for exclusive discounts you won’t find elsewhere.

I hope this is your most successful year yet!

~ Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

Hello, writers! Happy New Year!

Maybe you have already cleared the decks in anticipation of being more productive in January. But if you have not, you are in luck, because this week feels perfect for cleaning your digital house and setting yourself up for more streamlined success in the New Year.

We’ll talk about what to add in the next post, but first, clear the clutter both actual and digital!

Keep a to-do list handy as you work through these steps because insights and desires will come to you, and you may wish to put these into a list.

Step One: Streamline Your Email Subscriptions

Step Two: Respond To All Social Media Requests & Delete Spammers

Step Three: Quickly Go Through Your Office & Pull Useless Items

Step Four: Take Down Dated Inspiration

Step Five: Put Away Last Year’s Tax Materials

Step Six: Clean Off Your Desk

Each of these steps takes time. But rather than feeling impatient, pay attention to how you feel as you perform each task.

Lessons come from doing. Lessons do not come from planning to do. Lessons do not come from daydreaming about doing. The only way to learn lessons about you and your career is to actually engage with your process and pay attention to what you notice.

Information is just waiting to bubble up as you dive into your office and start tidying and sorting. If you want your writing space to work for you and to inspire you, you must take charge of it.

By the time you are done, your office and your computer should feel like a breath of fresh air.

In the comments, feel free to share about how and where you get stuck in de-cluttering your literal and work spaces. I’d love to hear if you enjoy this process or dislike it.

I am a veteran journalist, author and coach with over a decade and a half of experience and a wealth of techniques to share. I am focused on making the world a saner, more expressive place. I help folks become more creative for personal enjoyment, professional development and transformational growth. Whether you are a professional creative or hope to become one some day, I can help you embrace your personal strengths, explore your creative possibilities, and evolve incrementally into your most inspiring self. If you are ready to achieve creative consistency in your life and career, email me about monthly coaching calls. To learn more about increasing your creative confidence, please check out my online school. Stay tuned for ways to save money by becoming a Beta User for my next new course by subscribing to The Prosperous Creative. And don’t forget to get these blog posts delivered to your inbox, so you never miss a post. If you appreciate my work—school, products, blog and social media posts—you are welcome to make a contribution of any size at any time. Thank you for your support!

I hope you had a cozy and wonderful Christmas. We sure did.

Visit The Christina Katz Writing & Publishing School to learn more.

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you will take advantage of these discounts on courses designed to inform and empower your writing career this year and every year.

We went to see Joy yesterday, the new film directed by David O. Russell, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Bradley Cooper.

And I loved it.

I knew I would as soon as I heard that it was about the life of a woman entrepreneur.

I mean think about it…when is the last time you went to the movies and it was a film about:

A. a woman

B. a woman entrepreneur

???

The last time I saw a similar film was when Big Eyes came out with Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.

I loved that film, too, although it is about an artist, not an entrepreneur. However, Joy is even more inspiring.

We might imagine that “the force” is the only awakening happening in movie theaters right now.

But it isn’t. Important films about and by women are also awakening.

And if we want to keep them coming, we have to go watch them.

So thanks for joining me in watching Joy in theaters. I know you’ll be inspired.

Here’s the trailer for Joy:

Here’s the trailer for Big Eyes, in case you missed it: