Let's Talk About Words

Riding Waves is a book about learning to navigate the joys and trials of growing up, falling in love and going to college. When Harper's relationship with Dan starts taking her down a path she doesn't like, she will have to make some hard choices. Can Harper ride the waves of life or will they take her under? Excerpt: July 2011     The sun feels warm on my shoulder as Ashley and I play tennis on the street in front of my house. We have been best friends since the sixth grade, and we just graduated from high school this year. I see a car coming so we stop playing for a minute to see if it is coming this way. As the car gets closer, we realize that it is her parent’s car, and that her brother Dan is driving. I wonder why he is here and if Ashley has to go home? Or maybe he is here to see my brother, Jake? Even though, I am seventeen and she’s already eighteen, neither of us have our own cars. We were too lazy to ride our bikes to the tennis courts today so that’s why we...

Riding Waves   is a YA and NA Fiction Novel about learning to navigate the joys, as well as, the trials of growing up, falling in love and going to college. It appears that Harper’s life is heading in the direction of her dreams as she graduates from high school and begins to date her best friend’s charismatic older brother, Dan. As she struggles to balance her own needs with the demands of being in a relationship, she loses her best friend and is in danger of losing herself. She has some hard decisions to make when her choices lead her only to confusion and pain. While on vacation in Florida, she writes a poem comparing her own life to how she feels when body surfing. She realizes that just like in body surfing, she must decide which waves will take her to shore and towards her dreams, and which choices might take her under and cause her only pain.  Can Harper ride the waves of life or will they take her under? https://itunes.apple.com/…/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849...

Abraham Lincoln said, " Most folks are about as  happy  as they make up their  minds  to be."     While it is true that we can't control how others behave, you can decide how you will respond. Because our minds, thoughts and words create our reality, we can determine our own experience and the meaning we assign it. Can we choose happiness and peace no matter what life is sending our way?     https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849093?mt=11 http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Susan+Marie+Schulhof?fs=0&_requestid=358537

   Although I enjoy hiking, hanging out with my loves ones and writing, there is nothing like getting lost in a good book. Since I was a little girl, I have been an avid reader. I often wish that I had a list of every book that I have ever read. I also wonder what the very first chapter book I read was. Hours can fly by when I let myself enter the pages. I love getting lost.... https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849093?mt=11

So excited to start the next chapter of my life!  ‪#‎ lifegoals‬ My life goals in 2013 were: 1. Write and publish a fiction book (Done 2014) 2. Travel and hike -Grand Canyon (Done 2014) -Yellowstone -Italy -Australia 3. Inspire, mentor and/or teach others (In 2016!) http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8

I can finally fall asleep with that future life in my thoughts. As I drift off, I think that even though I am scared, this has been a great day... https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/riding-waves/id898142854?mt=11 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riding-waves-susan-marie-schulhof/1119940881?ean=9781483531601 http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Waves-Susan-Marie-Schulhof-ebook/dp/B00LQABJLW/ref=sr_1_47?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406176791&sr=1-47&keywords=riding+waves https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7    

Riding Waves is a book about learning to navigate the joys and trials of growing up, falling in love and going to college. When Harper's relationship with Dan s tarts taking her down a path she doesn't like, she will have to make some hard choices. Can Harper ride the waves of life or will they take her under? https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/riding-waves/id898142854?mt=11 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riding-waves-susan-marie-schulhof/1119940881?ean=9781483531601 http://www.amazon.com/Riding-Waves-Susan-Marie-Schulhof-ebook/dp/B00LQABJLW/ref=sr_1_47?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406176791&sr=1-47&keywords=riding+waves https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

If I knew that the world would end or go to pieces tomorrow, what would I still do today? I would make sure that everyone knew that I loved them and that they are all special to me. I would want to spend a few moments in quiet reflection on my life and the choices that I have made. I wish that I could be working towards achieving my goals and making a difference in other people's lives more often. Instead of wishing, I will strive to make that come true. https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

I need a little practice :)

I am getting so excited and so nervous to be part of this Local Author Fair and Book Signing at the Barrington Area Library in Illinois. I have done book signings but only at my work with people that I know. Please come and say hello. I would love to meet anyone who has read my books or my blogs.

 I hope my words touched you in some way. Follow me on this blog or on my Facebook Author page for more thoughts about life and for the release date of  Suppression and Growing Flowers. Susan Marie Schulhof is the proud mother of three adult daughters and lives in the Chicago area. Riding Waves is her first novel, and she is currently writing two books called Suppression and  Growing Flowers . She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and has worked for Bright Horizons Family Solutions since 2001. She published the non-fiction book Fun4Babies in 2013 , writes an inspirational blog ( http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com ) and is on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. She is an active presence at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois.   

   After we get our ice cream, we push a couple of tables together. I get coffee flavor with chunks of chocolate, and Ashley gets bubblegum ice cream. Everyone in my family just talks over each other. Most people just sit and wait for a pause to talk, but Ashley has been around my family long enough that she just jumps into the conversation.    “The valedictorian’s speech was so boring,” Ashley says.    “No it wasn’t,” says my mom with a chuckle, “So University of Evansville this fall Ashley?”    “Yes, but it doesn’t seem real yet.”    “When is orientation?” my dad chimes in.    “Sometime in July when we get back from our family reunion in Georgia.”    “Is your whole family going?”    “Yes. My mom said that we all must go, no if, ands or buts about it!” Ashley says with a laugh, imitating her mom’s voice.    “That will be nice.”     “Can I go with them?” I as...