2012 Horoscope...

It’s that time of year again – for resolutions and astrology! Here’s the 2012 overview for the Taurus, according to Yahoo Shine….


"With lucky Jupiter continuing to bless your stars, you can definitely expect to have the Midas touch in 2012, Taurus. Take advantage of your cosmic carte blanche during the first half of the year and get yourself firmly on the map. The first six months of the year are part of an ongoing personal renovation project before generous Jupiter leaves your stars. Not that you'll be losing much once the planet of fortune and fame moves into your neighboring sign and starts to bless your money sector. On the contrary - as soon as Jupiter moves into Gemini in June, your luck continues to build while grounding you in positive energy. The second half of the year will bring you great financial prosperity and opportunities to expand your talents.

"You certainly won't starve for love, lust and creativity in 2012. Mars, the planet of action, will heat up your romance sector for the first half of the year. The first four months of 2012 could bring the return of old flames. Use Mars's first quarter retrograde phase to wrap up old creative and romantic business. Having both Mars and Jupiter working hard on your behalf for the first six months of the year is a glorious predicament, indeed. Between mid-May and late June, your ruling planet, Venus, will turn retrograde, so mark that period on your calendar as a reminder to slow down, reflect and re-evaluate your relationship priorities. In fact, this would be an ideal time to take a hiatus from responsibilities in favor of completely relaxing and immersing yourself in beauty.

"Money and finance take center stage for most of the year as you experience several gains and losses. The key to your sanity will be to ride the wave of unpredictability and, in the end, trust that you'll still come out ahead. Pay special attention to your finances around the major eclipse points in May, June and December. Watch for new money-making opportunities around your birthday. It's just in time, because you may very well need to pad your piggy bank for some unexpected expenditures in June and July."

And the Chinese horoscope for you Tigers out there…. 

"Whoa, there. Don't push yourself too hard. Sure, you're eager to get going on those New Year's resolutions. However, a perfectionist attitude will only set you up for failure. Start the New Year with an attitude of gratitude instead of focusing on what's bad in your life."

To find your 2012 horoscope overview, visit Yahoo Shine….

Here's Your (New) Sign!

So the powers that be decided to announce today that the Earth has wobbled to such a degree that the astrological signs have changed, too! And not only that - the twelve zodiacs have company in the name of lucky number thirteen, Ophiuchus. Prize to anybody who can pronounce it for me. How I went to bed as a Taurus and woke up as an Aries is really beyond me, but by all accounts the change has been known among astrologists for some time...they just forgot to tell us about it.

Here are the new sign dates...

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11
Pisces: March 11-April 18
Aries: April 18-May 13
Taurus: May 13-June 21
Gemini: June 21-July 20
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20

The question is whether a majority of the people embrace this change. I liked being a Taurus, so much that I considered getting a zodiac tattoo of the bull. Now I'm certainly glad I decided against it. My sympathies to those who didn't....

Almost everyone in my family's sign shifted. The hub actually stole my sign - going from Gemini to Taurus. My sister and father shifted from Libra to Virgo. My mother, luckily, is still a Taurus. How 'bout you, Cozies? Did your sign change, too? Any new Ophiuchus-ians out there? From what little research I've done over the years of the zodiac, Ophiuchus is associated with the snake and is known to some as "the serpant bearer."

The above Aries figurine is from the Royal Copenhagen collection. View it here!

Zodiac Predictions for 2011...

The stars have spoken. I don't live my life by the zodiac, but I've always loved idea of the celestial and reading up on the zodiac's mythological roots. I look forward to new year horoscopes. Here's this year's Taurus predictions....

Your legendary tenacity and patience is truly about to pay off in spades this year Taurus. After a long and arduous 12 years, your luck is returning with a fabulous vengeance. Jupiter, the planet of large-scale fortune enters your sturdy stars this June for an extended stint taking you right into 2012 in excellent standing. Never has it felt so easy to let go of comfort zones and move into unknown territory with such confidence and gusto. Even the most cautious and conservative of bulls can easily see that the rewards far outweigh the risk this year. Push the envelope, raise the bar and go for the biggest stakes your loyal heart can fathom.

You're a florid channel of original ideas this spring when six planets line up in your unconscious sector of dreams and inspiration right around your birthday. Ready yourself for what becomes a turbo-charged imagination to keep you up at night with more genius schemes than there is time to humanly handle. Your brain will feel like a non-stop idea factory that refuses to rest, so you'll need extra time in nature or at the gym to remain relatively grounded.

Unexpected social encounters and fabulous new friendships flourish throughout the year with special highlights occurring in March and April when Mars powers up your friendship sector. May and June are stellar months for dating and mating with all around good times to be had in general compliments of Venus in Taurus. You've got your mind on your money and your money on your mind all summer with Venus and Mars emphasizing your financial sector. Make your money in June and July while the getting is good and save the leisure rewards for August when you can kick back guilt-free.
I love the idea-factory potential. Sounds like some great career predictions for The Bull this year! Readers, if you're curious to see what's on your astrological calendar for 2011, visit Yahoo Shine.... I found the porcelain zodiac figurine at right at Royal Copenhagen. Isn't it cute?

More new year fun to be had this weekend!

Writerly Wisdom in the Stars

My favorite feature on my new phone is the Horoscope app. I love checking my horoscope everyday and recently began research on a paranormal series with strong elements from the zodiac, which I really can't wait to dive into. Anyway, today's horoscope felt particularly profound from a writing standpoint. I found it so inspirational, I thought I'd share it here:

Taurus

2/4/10

If you've slipped off track with a New Year's resoluation, get back on that train. You were making progress, even though you may not think so. Every step, no matter how small, gets you closer to your goal. Take pride in the fact that you have that bullish willpower and fighting spirit. You are a powerful contender, Taurus, and right now you are your own opponent. That's sometimes tougher than dealing with an outside force. Concentrate on achieving what you want, and move forward with purpose, and you'll get to where you want to be.

The message isn't just for Taureans and it's so universal, it can be used by anyone at any time for any endeavor.

Oh, and the February edition of Romance Writers United's "Write Right" newsletter went out today. If you didn't receive a copy via email, just let me know. Included is a fun article about alpha heroes from yours truly!

My 2010 Horoscope

Taurus Year 2010 Overview



Taurus always gets tagged with things like "pleasure-seeking" and "materialistic." That's probably unfair, in most cases. You're just as good at dishing out the pleasure as you are at seeking it, and who doesn't like a few nice things around? Sadly, there's been just too much struggle in your life the last couple of years when it comes to those two very important parts of your life. Thankfully, 2010 marks the end of that long uphill struggle. Your pleasurable pursuits have been a little more restricted than you'd like over the course of the last two years or so. That's over with now, so ... game on!

The big events this year will not so much be a matter of major happenings as they will be things that have been in the works and are slowly revealing themselves. In the last two years, you've put a lot of work into what makes you happy, while Saturn transited your solar Fifth House. Now that those pressures are finally being relieved, you'll find you are finally gaining traction. Certainly, your love life and your career will feel the difference, but beyond that you'll notice things going a lot better in other departments of your life. You may have already noticed some of these changes starting to kick in; the real results start happening around your birthday in 2010.

I love reading my horoscope, especially now that I have begun in-depth research on the zodiac for an upcoming paranormal series. And...hm...I don't think I'm all that pleasure-seeking or materialistic. Though, true to Taurus characteristics, I am resistant to change. And I am told I grow horns when having a tantrum. Oh, and I thought the Reasons You're A Taurus (seen above) was fitting, too. I don't know who came up with this...and I'm not admit to any of the following. Haha.



10. One Word - Stubborn

9. Your motto: Better to fight than switch.

8. You love practical shoes. ALW: Will be wearing my cowgirl boots all January. I think those count.
7. We always know what you'll do.
6. You work too hard.
5. You've never won the "tactful" award.
4. You'll eat anything.
3. Giving up is a foreign concept. ALW: I like this one.
2. You're oh so romantic. ALW: And this one.
1. You were born under the sign of the bull!
To view your 2010 Horoscope before the new year, visit Yahoo Shine!



And don't forget to check back in on New Years Day for an exciting giveaway and post from Alison Kent to kickoff Cowboy Lovin'!

And good news on the coming soon front: the third book in my western romance trilogy, Bet It On My Heart, now has a gorgeous cover (thanks to TWRP artist Tamra Westberry) and galleys have been sent off to production. My editor tells me I should expect a release date soon. Looks like it will be a late February/early March launch so readers of Bluest Heart won't have to wait long for the complete Ridge family saga! Yay!!!