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The Milford-Haven Novels, Novellas & Novelettes have now won more than 60 book awards!
Prequel Novella
Novelette
#1 Artist AdventureNovella
#2 Artist AdventureNovella
#3 Artist AdventureNovel One of the Pentalogy
Novel Two of the Pentalogy
Novel Three of the Pentalogy
Novel Four of the Pentalogy
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Category Archives: Bellekeep Books
Uni-Tea of Head and Heart
Every journey has its especially sparkling moments, and for my Winter Western States Book Tour, this was it. Elegance and style, generosity and community, connections with old friends and new—a unifying experience for all. The setting—a historic home in the mountain canyons of Santa Barbara; the time—Valentine’s weekend; the opportunity—helping others.
I had the privilege of working with a superb charity in co-creating a fund-raiser/ friend-raiser author tea. This is truly my favorite kind of event because of its synergy—which makes it a win-win-win: for the charity, for the guests, and for the author. In this case, there’s a fourth winner: the community of Santa Barbara, which benefits so directly from the services this charity provides.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Bellekeep Books, Book Clubs, Book Marketing, Books, California, Connecting through books, energy, familial history, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Heart, Integrating lifes purpose through art, joy, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novel series, Nurturing the soul, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Santa Barbara, synchronicity, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl
Tagged Gratitude, marcia reed, prosperity, The Milford-Haven Books, transformative fiction, Unit y of head and heart, Unity Shoppe, What the Heart Knows, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, www.marapurl.com
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Women, Books & Jewelry
I’ve known for a long time that there’s a connection between women and jewelry. In fact, that’s probably a connection I made at about age three. Was that when I first admired Mommy’s shiny baubles? Hmm. I think by then, I was actually asking for baubles of my own.
One of the earliest pieces to grace my collection was my very first charm bracelet. How I loved its shiny silver trinkets with their magical moving parts! Each time my parents took me someplace special, a new charm was added, until from every single link dangled a treasured memento: the Rockettes kicked up their legs all in a row; five candles poked through a birthday cake with pink enamel icing; a split oval twisted to become a heart.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books, Book covers by artist Mary Helsaple, book covers painted by artists, Books, California, Cambria, Connecting through books, Cover art for books, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, familial history, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Gifts, Gratitude, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, Integrating lifes purpose through art, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, joy, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Milford Haven, Nurturing the soul, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Santa Barbara, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, women and romance novels, Women authors, womens literature, writing romance novels
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Thanksgiving Fully Present
There are three things I love about Thanksgiving: the future, the past, and the present.
I think as a child I probably loved Thanksgiving because of the future—it meant Christmas was coming soon! It was also a holiday I anticipated with great joy because it meant we’d go visit Grandma Dorothy. She married my step-grandfather late in life—but just in time for my sister and me to adore her. The house she shared with “Daddy Bob” was a classic New England cottage in Waterbury, Connecticut. Cape-Cod-Blue with white trim, it stood erect despite the steep street that seemed to slice under it.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Blogging, Books, Business, careers, Community, community and transformation, Connecting through blogs, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, familial history, family history and genealogy, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, flow of life, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Gratitude, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, heart of an artist, history, Integrating lifes purpose through art, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, joy, life's purpose, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, Personal Essays, physical and emotional process of creating art, Power of the universe, power of the universe, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, sychronicity of life, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged Advance Reader Copies of What the Heart Knows, author Mara Purl, children, children and stories, children dressing for Thanksgiving, classic New England cottages, Creativity, deep reflection, food in shelters, grandparents, Gratitude, gratitude lists, heart, imagine, inspiring day of the year, joy and thanksgiving, living being fully present, Mara Purl thanks readers, multi-culturalism, native hosts of Thanksgiving, relationships, serving others, sheer gratitude, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving of the past, three things about future past present, tradition and country, uniting heart and head, Waterbury Connecticut, What the Heart Knows, working hard, www.marapurl.com
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Mile High Tea
You’ve heard of “Pie in the Sky”—an idiom to convey that which is so unlikely that we shouldn’t count on it, a kind of fool’s gold, a dream only a Pollyanna would dare to dream.
Well, if Pie-In-The-Sky describes what can’t come true, perhaps “Mile High Tea” should be the new descriptor for what can. Why? Because anything Judith Briles touches actually does turn to gold. Judith was my hostess this past weekend for a gorgeous, elaborate and delightful tea at the lovely home where she and her husband, poet and editor John Maling, love to entertain.
So what do I mean by “gold”?… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Artists, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Authors and Publishers Services, Authors on Talk Shows, Baby Boomer women, Baby Boomers and Empty Nest Women, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Book Editing, Book Marketing, Books, Books for Baby Boomers, Business, Business Coaching for Artists, careers, Collaboration with other writers, Colorado, Community, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, current events, E-Books, Editing manuscripts for good writing, Editors, energy, Escapism through romance novels, Fictitious town of Milford-Haven, Finding treasures of the heart in books, flow of life, Gifts, Gratitude, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, heart of an artist, history, Innovative marketing, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Intuition, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, joy, Life in Baby Boomer years for Women, life's purpose, Logical Thinking, Love, Love of Books, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Motivation and inspiration for Baby Boomer careers, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, Of Baby Boomer Women, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, physical and emotional process of creating art, Possibili-Teas in Colorado and New York, Power of the universe, power of the universe, power of the universe, Power of Universe, Presidents of publishing trade organizations, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, Science, self-growth, Skill sets, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, synchronicity, Teas with author Mara Purl, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, When Hummers Dream by Mara Purl, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged adventures of Mitford Haven novels, author and speaker Judith Briles, author Mara Purl, author services at Author U, author services of Judith Briles, Author U, business partners, Fiction, fools gold, fulfilling callings in life, gifts of the heart, good books published well, heart, Judith Briles, Judith Briles and the power of the Word, Judith Briles inspiring others to publish, Mara Purl inspiring others to publish, Mile High Tea in Mile High City, Mile High Tea with Judith Briles and Mara Purl, Pie in the Sky, poel and editor John Maling, Pollyanna dreams, possibilities in publishing, publishing opportunities, science and art of Judith Briles, steeping tea with Mara Purl and Judith Briles, strategies and solutions by Judith Briles, Suze Orman, The Milford-Haven Books, the power of the word, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, www.marapurl.com
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Fiction: Tricks or Treats?
Perhaps cracking the cover on an unknown book is something like opening the door to strange children on Halloween. “Trick or Treat” they cry. We consider it mostly an idle threat, because we know if we’ve opened the door at all, we’re going to deliver a treat, and therefore not expect to be tricked. And perhaps this is analogous to shelling out our twenty-five dollars for a hardcover book: we expect to receive a treat and we don’t expect to be tricked.
But what’s the point of fiction? Is it to trick the reader into thinking that the characters they’re reading about and the circumstances in which they find themselves are real?… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Books, Business, careers, Connecting through books, Creativity, Domestic Violence, Escapism through romance novels, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Gifts, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, ideas for books, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, Logical Thinking, Love, Love of Books, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, physical and emotional process of creating art, plot and structure, Power of the universe, power of the universe, Power of Universe, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged author Mara Purl, books offering sugar coated versions of reality, changes of The Milford Haven Books, cracking covers on books. treats found in fiction, entertaining readers through fiction, Fiction, fiction that shows readers how novel life can be, fiction tricks readers into thnking characters are real, hardcover book by Mara Purl, intersecting plot lines in fiction stories, mara purl newsletter, novels that feed the soul, plot lines running across the universe, sense of possibility in novels, smart readers and stories, transformative fiction, tricks found in fiction stories, women's fiction, writing, writing tricks that keep readers coming back for more, writing tricks that pique readers interest, www.marapurl.com
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Serendipi-Tea
A few years ago, when I was first searching for the right kind of special event for readers of my Women’s Fiction novels, I chose Afternoon Tea as the perfect thing. “Tea” seemed to signify both elegance and comfort, a chance to connect with others while taking a break from hectic schedules. And though men sometimes attend, the event itself has a feminine quality, with great attention to detail and style.
The first person I approached with this idea was my mother. A brilliant hostess, she grasped the concept instantly and offered her own home for a series of three events that I named Hospitali-Teas.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Book Clubs, Book Marketing, Books, Business, California, careers, Community, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, e-books by Mara Purl, Escapism through romance novels, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, flow of life, Gifts, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, Innovative marketing, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Intuition, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, Journaling, life's purpose, Love of Books, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Music, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Possibili-Teas in Colorado and New York, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, Santa Barbara, self-growth, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, Teas with author Mara Purl, Transformation, transformation through AHA moments, Travel, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged author Mara Purl, Barnes & Noble, books for Birthdays, careers as tea sommeliers, create occasions with tea, create space for tea and conversation, create space for womens fiction and discussion, Dianemarie and Doug Collins, Earl Grey tea, Fiction, good brithday gift What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, Jeffrey Hattrick "The Tea Guy", Jeffrey's Tea, listening to her heart through tea and conversation, Mara Purl on scones and tea, Mara Purl's Creativi-Teas, Mara Purl's Generosi-Teas, Mara Purl's Possibil-Teas, Mara Purl's Socie-Tea, Mara Purl's Teas for readers, mother and daughter conversations, pianist Jeffrey at Ritz Carlton Tea Lobby, possibility, relationships, Ritz-Carlton and High Tea, Serendipi-Tea with author Mara Purl, Tea Lobby at Ritz Carlton, tea menus, team sommeliers, The Milford-Haven Books, transforming lives through books, Uni-Tea with Unity Shoppe non-profit, Unity Shoppe in Santa Barbara California, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, womens fiction novelist Mara Purl and Hospitali-Teas, www.marapurl.com
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Discovering a New World
In our somewhat over-populated world (depending upon where we live), with centuries of human history behind us, it may seem that when it comes to the notion of discovering a new world, the ship sailed long ago. So if we want to experience something entirely new, get away to an undiscovered country and chart unknown waters, is our only option to pretend?
Since I write fiction, some might think I’d say yes. Yet there is both exterior and interior exploration, and my novel series explores both. On the external side—which we might also call a journey of the head—there’s plenty to engage the senses and challenge the mind.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Authors on Talk Shows, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Blogging, Book Marketing, book marketing using websites enewsletters and blogs, Books, Business, careers, Community, Connecting through blogs, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, current events, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, energy, Escapism through romance novels, Fictitious town of Milford-Haven, Finding treasures of the heart in books, flow of life, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, Innovative marketing, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, Journaling, joy, life's purpose, Love, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Motivation and inspiration for Baby Boomer careers, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, Power of the universe, power of the universe, power of the universe, Power of Universe, Publishing, Reading Guide for What the Heart Knows, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, Science, self-growth, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, synchronicity, Syncronicity between bloggers, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged beautiful inspiring locations found in Mara Purl's fiction novels, beginning journeys through What the Heart Knows, blog tour, Columbus and intrepid crews arriving in new lands, cross-connecting journeys lead to extraordinary connections and syncronicities, discovering new worlds, discovery that is not familiar, emails flow due to Livestream launch of Mara Purls book What the Heart Knows, emotional and technology launches, exploring exteriors through fiction, exploring the interior through fiction, going heart good to hear from readers and listeners to Livestream Launch, heart soars when happy, human history, interior journeys through What the Heart Knows, internal journeys through books, intuition delves into interior journeys, journeys of head and heart, limits of imagination, literal, Livestream Launch, maps and non-fiction travel guides by Mara Purl, Mara Purl fiction novels explores the mind and senses, marketing teams, native people, new experiences, new horizons, new technology through Livestream Launch, novel series by Mara Purl expolores new worlds, recognizing new lands, root causes of issues, sense of renewal through getting away on vacation, small town fiction of Mara Purl, small town fiction takes journeys through the heart, Small Town Guide of Californias Central Coast, studios providing Livestream launch, trips to California Central coast for renewal of spirit, undiscovered countries and charting unknown waters, unfolding world of Milford Haven novels published by Bellekeep Books, virtual world and Livestream, What the Heart Knows on Livestream Launch
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Synergy, Schedules, and Supporting Others
It was a spectacular California early October Autumn day on the Central Coast: blue sky painted with whisps of cloud, sparkling water tracing the carved coastline, and just enough of a bite in the air to break out a jacket. Actually, this was a dress-up day, so the jacket was a pale silk leopard print, the skirt was leather and the shoes were high heels. Why the fancy duds? Today was High Tea in Santa Barbara, something I’d been looking forward to, something we’d planned for months.
There was an interesting twist in this plotline, however. The charity we’d been working with supports families to prevent homelessness and welfare dependency, especially in a tough economy.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Audio Drama, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Authors on Talk Shows, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Book Clubs, Books, Business, California, Coastal regions, Community, community and transformation, Connecting through blogs, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, current events, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Solutions Tea, economic recovery, Escapism through romance novels, familial history, Family values, forgiveness, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, inspiring through fiction novels, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Intuition, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, Journalism, Love, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Newsletters, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, Personal Essays, plot and structure, Power of Universe, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, Science, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, synchronicity, Transformation, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing
Tagged anger leading to death in domestic violence, assaults and suicides due to domestic violence, autumn on the central coast of California, breaking away from domestic violence, charities working in communities, charity supporting families to prevent homelessness and welfare dependency, desparate for jobs leads to abuse, domestic violence solutions, Domestic Violence Solutions Tea in February and Mara Purl, Erin Gray on board of National Coaition Against Domestic Violence, families drowning in debt, freedom and fresh starts in life, Haven House in Los Angeles, healing domestic violence, High Tea in Santa Barbara, insolvency due to economy, leading and following with your heart, light transform dark, Mara Purl and domestic violence charity teas, mara purl newsletter, Mara Purl on National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, negatives and prints from cameras, negatives in collective consciousness, non-profits for domestic violence, oldest shelter for battered women in the United States, opening cameras and exposing film, perpetrators producing scarey movies, public service awards for domestic violence awareness, Santa Barbara District Attorney as keynote speaker on abuse and violence, scope of infinite love, shame and fear of victims of domestic violence, shift in public awareness of domestic violence issues, shifting blame from victim to healing anger in domestic violence cases, speeches written by Erin Gray and Mara Purl to Congress on domestic violence, storylines in Mara Purls novels about domestic violence issues, supporting others and following heart, synergy and transformation of lives, tough financial times leading to abusive behavior, transforming a human heart through love, twist in plotline, Unity Shoppe, using heart as a guide, victims and perpetrators in domestic violence, what the heart knows by mara purl, Wisdom of what the heart knows
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