Looking for a romance novel or a spiritual book—why not try a blend of both?

I love reading spiritual books that offer personal inspiration and transformation. The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra, The Ten Commitments by David Simon, and Ask And It is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks are among my favorites.

While I enjoy these books, it takes me a while to finish reading them because I need to process the outlined ideas and ponder how I might integrate what I learned in my own life. Years ago, while contemplating this, an inspiration formed. I could write fictional stories about real characters with real issues and embed spiritual concepts to show how they might work in real-life situations.

These days, I'm doing just that! I’m blending traditional romance and women’s fiction with new age spirituality. 

In a recent guest blog post, Laurie Sander’s described my blended genre as follows:

I’m sure you’re all familiar with the inspirational romance category. Some of you probably read it and maybe even write it. I enjoy inspirational romance and count authors like Karen Witemeyer and Autumn Macarthur among my favorites. And have I blogged about Karen’s book The Short Straw Bride over here.

But what Sedona Hutton is doing is different from the inspirational romance that we know and love. Sedona is blazing new trails by blending traditional romance with new age spirituality. What’s emerging is a unique blend of romance and spirituality with themes like The Law of Attraction – being present – being in the now – that I’m really enjoying. The books are spiritually uplifting with fully developed romance plots and enough heat between the sheets to keep you turning the pages.

You can find the full post at: https://lauriesplace.net/2019/01/28/sedona-hutton-visits-book-giveaway/.

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of romance and women’s fiction novels with new age, spiritual twists.

The Perfect Lap—His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? To purchase, please click on this link: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

Cloud Whispers—The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate… To purchase this mind-expanding, award-winning novel, click here: https://goo.gl/N9aC38

To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/

 

Recommended Reading:

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon: https://amzn.to/2UEH0J2

Ask And It is Given by Esther & Jerry Hicks: https://amzn.to/2IwrlbP

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

8 Spiritual Themes in The Perfect Lap

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

As an author it’s my desire to write stories that entertain and inspire. To this end, I’m blending traditional romance and women’s fiction with new age spirituality. My novels include plenty of romance, conflict, and family drama, along with new age concepts like the Law of Attraction and Focusing on the Now.

There are many thought-provoking themes in my newly released contemporary romance, The Perfect Lap, including:

©     Non-judgment

©     Everyone is doing the best they can from where they are

©     Giving from a place of love

©     Prioritizing joy

©     Living in the now

©     The difference of one

©     Gratitude

©     No such thing as perfection

Below I’ve included select questions from The Perfect Lap’s Reading Group Guide related to these themes to prompt further contemplation.

1.     Non-judgment: Ella has a preconceived notion about the Piper kids’ mother before she meets Clare. After she gets to know Clare, she finds someone entirely different than what she had envisioned. Have you ever experienced this? What did you learn?

2.     Everyone is doing the best they can from where they are: AJ’s grandfather taught him this concept. What do you think this means? Do you agree or disagree with this philosophy, and what supports your position?

3.     Giving from a place of love: Cruz tells AJ that he needs to give from a place of love. Do you think the reason for giving makes a difference, or is it just the gift that matters? Please explain your position.

4.     Prioritizing joy: AJ suggests that Ella make an important job decision based on what makes her happy. What do you think about this advice and why?

5.     Living in the now: AJ’s granddad used to tell him to “stop fretting and live his life.” What do you think he meant by this?

6.     The difference of one: Ella’s aunt taught her that one person can make a difference. Do you agree? Why or why not?

7.     Gratitude: In the New Age Parenting class that Ella and AJ attend, they learn that giving gratitude shifts your energy from negative to positive. Do you believe this? If so, how does this work?

8.     No such thing as Perfection

a.      AJ’s grandfather taught him that there’s no such thing as perfection; in racing this translated to no such thing as a perfect lap. What are your thoughts on perfection?

b.      AJ taught Ella and the kids that you don’t need to be perfect to be successful, you need to consistently do your best. Do you agree? Why or why not?

A full list of Reading Group Guide questions can be found at the end of The Perfect Lap and on my website at: https://sedonahutton.com/the-perfect-lap-rgg.

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of romance and women’s fiction novels with new age, spiritual twists.

The Perfect Lap—His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? To purchase, please click on this link: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv.

Cloud Whispers—The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate… To purchase this mind-expanding, award-winning novel, click here: https://goo.gl/N9aC38.

To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/.

47% of waking hours are spent thinking about what isn’t going on!

This blog was written as a guest post for LauriesPlace.net as a part of a blog tour for NORA’S PROMISE. Please stop by to check out the full tour at: https://lauriesplace.net/.

Focusing on the present moment is a key theme in my contemporary romance, NORA’S PROMISE.

It sounds simple, but for most of us, living in the now requires practice and ongoing awareness. A Harvard study found that people spend 47% of their waking hours thinking about what isn’t going on. It’s human nature to spend time dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. Unfortunately, this isn’t good for us. The Harvard study shows that this mind-wandering makes people unhappy.

“A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” says Killingsworth and Gilbert, professors of psychology at Harvard. “The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.”

“Mind-wandering is an excellent predictor of people’s happiness,” Killingsworth says. “In fact, how often our minds leave the present and where they tend to go is a better predictor of our happiness than the activities in which we are engaged.”

Increased happiness is an excellent reason to focus on the now. According to spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, the only time we’re truly alive is in the present moment. Not in the past…not in the future…we live our lives in the now.

“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.”—Eckhart Tolle

“When we live in the flow of that stream of energy, we remain centered and fulfilled even through the ups and downs of our day.” — Deepak Chopra

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Living in the now allows us to savor the simple moments in life. It increases joy, reduces stress, and enhances our connection with others.

The greatest obstacle of presence is the mind. Mind-wandering is our brain’s default approach. Given this, we must be conscious of our thoughts and recognize when we’re not fully present. Once this acknowledgment takes place, there are many ways in which one can reconnect with the present moment. Several suggestions are provided below:

§  An age-old tip is to focus on your breathing. Bringing your attention to your breath reduces the number of thoughts running through your mind and opens space for awareness of what’s going on inside and around you.

§  Consciously move your body. Wiggle your toes, fist and release your hands. Roll your neck. It’s amazing how these simple movements return your attention to the now.

§  Ask yourself, “Am I present?” If not, redirect your focus. Ask this question many times throughout the day…and overtime you’ll likely find an upward trend of, “Yes!” responses.

§  Focus on your immediate surroundings using your senses. Listen to the birds chirping. Gaze at the mountains. Feel the sun warming your skin. Breathe in the scent of pine. Cup your hands around a mug of tea; feel its warmth and draw in the delicious spices.

Now it’s your turn—what techniques do you use to refocus or to remain focused on the present moment?

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of women’s fiction and romance novels with spiritual & new age twists.

NORA’S PROMISE, a contemporary romance: She trusts animals more than men. He runs through women like tires. Can one orphaned boy force them to change gears? Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2OktquX

CLOUD WHISPERS, a contemporary novel: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate. Purchase link: https://goo.gl/N9aC38

To sign up for Sedona’s blog newsletter, tap this link:  https://www.sedonahutton.com/

 Recommended Reading:

The Power of Now-A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle: https://amzn.to/2Rq9YgN

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh: https://amzn.to/2BRpecU

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.