Hello Reader friends,

The Saskatchewan Romance Writers holds writers’ challenges through different months of the year. In January of 2018, I participated in and wrote daily for the month and continued writing and moulding my fourth novel throughout the year.  The working title in my files was, If you want love, be love.

The theme for Emily and Max, the heroes, is their conscious choice to love.

As the novel progressed through the rewrites and editing a new title emerged, along with the Leo Tolstoy thoughts of love, I added research on touch. In today’s world, it feels as if we are isolating ourselves from touching each other.

As adults, we can no longer reach out to a child or another adult for fear of frightening the child or adult because we have entered their personal space. We can’t take for granted that we can step forward and throw our arms around anyone as in the idealist flower child’s summer of love.  My agemates and I felt it was our right to be hugged instead of clasping an outstretched hand. Today, we should ask permission to enter someone’s personal space.

In this present time, we’ve promoted the idea of individualism, and opportunities for touch have changed. We have smaller families, smaller groups of close friends and neighbours, who we can reach out to for the skin to skin contact. For some individuals, the only time they may be touched is when they visit their hair stylist or barber, pay for a massage, or receive physical therapy. For others, when they attend a religious service which unites them through a handshake of peace.

In October, I submitted the first three chapters and a synopsis of my novel, Touched with Love, to Soul Mate Publishing according to their submission guidelines. In November the editor requested to read the whole Touched with Love. I submitted a 70,000-word novel on November 21, 2018. The receipt was acknowledged and stated that I would receive a reply in approximately four weeks.

Any day I will receive a reply. I hope they will accept Touched with Love and contract it for publication. Until that day arrives, I’m working on a new idea for another novel.

I wish you as my friends and readers a brand new 2019 where you will have moments when you will choose love and where you will ask and then reach out and touch someone.

“A hug is a wonderful thing it makes you feel wanted, needed, and loved all at the same time.”