Real You: New year, new adventures, dreams coming true!

Tonight I'm co-hosting a Twitter chat with my friend Elisa All who is the brilliant creator of 30 Second Mom. I'm proud to be a contributor to Elisa's new venture. She's a rock star  - her first company was purchased by Disney, so you know she's a mom who knows what she's doing, eh? We'll be talking about Turning Your Dreams Into Reality and we'd love to have you join us! You'll find us at the hashtag #30secondmom at 6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central tonight! And tomorrow, to celebrate, I'm offering my short story, A Mother's Day,  celebrating mothers and sons, free on Amazon.com! It's a short story - but it will probably take you more than 30 seconds to read it! Writing novels and short stories, and hearing from readers that they enjoyed them, is my dream coming true.

Are your dreams coming true? I hope so!

Real You: Heading to Hollywood Tonight

Really, I am. Tonight I'm doing a signing and reading of HERE, HOME, HOPE in Larchmont Village - very close to Hollywood.

Which got me thinking about the town where dreams are made...which then got me thinking about dreams coming true. All those years ago, when I dreamed of seeing a novel of mine on a bookstore shelf, I never dreamed that I'd be in Hollywood for a book signing! I know, I'm showing my Midwestern sensibilities here, but pinch me, please!

So if you cannot make it to Chevalier's Books tonight, imagine me, with a huge grin, soaking it all in. These are those moments when I thank God for all my blessings. And I thank you for supporting me.

And if your dreams still haven't yet come true, don't give up. Your pinchable moment is on the horizon. Keep believing!

Real You: To thoughts, dreams and contests

 Here's a thought. It's February. Sure, it's cold, blustery and snowy in much of the country and the economic news still isn't great, but the thought is this: Things will get better and you aren't alone. As you know, many people in many different industries are facing career challenges. Some days it's hard to be resilient, but you must. Why? Because you're getting stronger. Better. There is no exact answer as to how that will happen, not for your industry and not for you as an individual. But it will. If you believe it.      Have you been taking time to invest in you and your dreams? Are you ready when the market improves and opportunities arise? Do you have a clear vision of your future? Have you solidified and embraced your passions, surrounded yourself with the right people and are you following your instincts?

      Knowing what you want goes a long way toward feeling in control of your life, and your future.

     I'm following my passion for writing and my first novel HERE, HOME, HOPE comes out May 1st! Like the real estate industry, the publishing industry is going through a major upheaval and the road for a debut novelist not being published by a big New York publishers is - and this is an understatement - daunting. But writing fiction - and seeing it actually published and in the world as a book has been my dream since 4th grade. And now, I'm going for it.

      If you'd like to help spread the word - and have a chance to win an Advance Reader Copy of my book and a Dogeared Karma Necklace - just head to Facebook and "Like" my Kaira Rouda Books page. Your support means a lot!

     You have mine, too. Make sure you are creating a business and a life that is a reflection of you, your goals, your dreams, your essence. Then, when the challenges come - and they will - you can return to that essence and know it was worth it. And it will be. Because you chose it. It's your dream.