This month you will be thinking quite bit about money. You are not usually focused purely on money, but we all need to earn enough funds coming in to pay bills, care for those who depend upon us, and have enough left over to have a little fun. I bet you agree, if only you could write a poem for a loaf of French bread, or paint a tiny painting in exchange for a bottle of wine! (As the zodiac's most awesomely creative sign, you might actually be able to pull that off!) You are one of the least materialistic signs, and yet, throughout your life, you have a way of attracting money like a magnet. (Here I am speaking of earned income of course, not money you win or are given as a gift.) Your secret to your success is that you always put the emphasis on the quality of the project, and your faith in your abilities and in your strong intuition allows you to have uncanny timing. No wonder the world had beaten a path to your door, and will continue to do so. If you are very young, give it time. Believe in yourself, dear Pisces. You have what it takes to become extremely successful.

As you begin April, you have a lovely aspect, April 5, when the Sun, now in your financial house, will send a beam directly to Saturn, now in your house of fame and honors. It appears your reputation precedes you, and a client or an employer will be willing to pay whatever it takes to get you in their corner. Saturn has been asking a lot of you over the past year, and no doubt you have been working long hours. On this day, April 5, you can see some of the fruits of your labors.

The part of your chart so lit up in April will be your second house, a financial house of the horoscope that reflects how you earn money, spend it, save it, and how you value money, as well as your own contributions to a client or employer. Having a new moon in your second house is the very best place for you to get more money as earned income. If you work for others, ask for a raise immediately after the new moon arrives April 7. If you are self-employed, don't be shy about asking for the money you feel you deserve, even if it represents more than you usually ask to earn. To see big results, you always need a new moon to lasso all the prevailing aspects into one direction and create results. You have that now.

This new moon will come conjunct Uranus, so news will be very surprising, and not at all what you were expecting to hear. You may be paid more than you expected, or a juicy job may pop up suddenly that you will want very much to take. We all want surprise in our lives, or life would be dull. We realize that surprises can go either way, and this is one of those months were news about your finances may be wonderful or horrible or a combination of the two. We don't have to brace for good news, but we do have to brace for untoward news. With Uranus, you can never try to guess what will come up - it's always something you have not been looking at as a possibility. Uranus' presence not only describes the situation, but also your response to it. You may be just as surprising to those around you, when you problem solve this situation in a highly creative way that no one thought to do or assumed would work. You always think outside the box, so this is nothing new, but I want you to know if you are faced with any financial news that you don't want to hear, it looks like you can find a way you can deal with it effectively.

Pluto will be in hard angle to the new moon, so you may have to be careful about socializing, for you may be pressured by a friend to spend more money than you ever wanted or expected you would do. This would happen if you are traveling together, or if you are in your friend's wedding. Still, I love that Saturn will be in strong support of your finances at this time, acting like a bodyguard, so let's think good thoughts.

Saturn is in your honors, awards, and achievement house, and so is Mars, for a very long stay, until September 27 (with a brief exception in June and July). Mars will be close enough to help you too, orbiting on the border line of being close enough to be significant. Mars will be within an aspect of 10 degrees, and although I wish it were a tiny bit closer, I feel strongly that Mars is in a close enough position in the sky to bring you money and opportunity for status and prestige. Combined with Saturn, this good news, for Saturn will add to your sense of security as well as add to your dignified reputation - the kind of reputation people admire.

One day that should be outstandingly positive will be March 12, when Venus, in your income sector, will receive strong shimmering vibrations from Mars in your house of fame. This is a great day to earn more money - your client will gladly give you your due, for everyone will love (Venus) your work so very much.

On April 17 until June 29 Mars will be retrograde and slow down progress for everyone. Mars retrograde is not the time to launch any vital new product or service. It is not the time to forge new relationships, but instead, it is a good time to look back at past successes and relationships and analyze what made those situations work so well. Reopen past alliances, and show appreciation to all those who have had faith in you and supported you in the past. Mars gives us courage, determination, and drive, and suddenly many people around you will be lagging. Mars is the natural ruler of your second house of income, so during the retrograde, you may find payments to you come in very slowly, and that you may have to prod one or two clients to write the check to you.

If you were up for a big deal, it may suddenly fall through, but it may not be forever - just for now. Or, you may get the deal and sign the papers, but the client will add all sorts of demands after the deal is signed and threaten to tear up the contract if you don't comply. (Yes, this does happen. It happened to me. Every tough situation makes you smarter, dear Pisces.)

There is an old astrological adage that says what you begin a venture during Mars retrograde, you lose out. I can't say I entirely agree with that axiom. When Astrology Zone® was new, I had licensed my material to Time Inc first (in pre-AOL days), and later to The Walt Disney Company. (I stayed with each company for three years. I never sold any parts of my company - it was an exclusive licensing agreement.) I was still learning about the Internet, and I needed to work with and learn from the big media companies before I could feel confident enough to go off on my own and hire my own team. On March 27, 1999, I joined The Walt Disney Company, and Mars was retrograde.

Whenever Mars is retrograde, you need to supply the energy that Mars cannot send to you because Mars is sleeping. It is true, I worked very hard, and it was a very strenuous experience, but the decision to join Disney was an excellent idea. I learned so much from those I worked with, and I am glad I took the opportunity. (At the same time, Jupiter was conjunct the Sun, making for the luckiest day of the year, and Jupiter and Pluto were in trine, so these were spectacular aspects. You have to look at the entire sky, not just one aspect.) I did have to work very hard to meet expectations, but I am not afraid of hard work, and I suspect you aren't either. The point is, you can make things work, but it will require that you be willing to give everything you have to give. Sometimes we don't have full control over events, and we have to make the best of them.

Still, I will advise you to hold off on important launches or new relationships if you can do so. Mars is the booster rocket to all that you do - it lifts that big rocket into orbit, and as the job of the booster rocket, the second, little booster rocket falls away, knowing the big rocket is now on course. It's helpful to have a booster rocket, isn't it, dear Pisces? If you are in a competitive situation (and who is not?), you are better off lifting off later, in July or August, or in October or November. I don't want you to sign papers after April 17, the date Mars goes retrograde - you won't want Mars' weak energy bound into the birth of your new endeavor.

I will give you another example in my personal life. Since September, I have been working with a team of 18 people who are creating Astrology Zone's new design. We went through three possible designs, the last one offered by me, which the team liked very much. Because we could not get my new site up and ready in February, the time I wanted, I told the team to slow down - we would not launch until July or August. This gives the team lots of time to Q and A (test) and be sure all things are ship shape. So you see, dear Pisces, I do take my own advice. I am not saying it is easy to delay things! Not at all! I am relieved my upgrade to my app ("Susan Miller's AstrologyZone Daily Horoscopes") was given the green light from Apple's testing department on March 16 last month, so that you can get it now, for free. You will have the option of getting the premium version with longer forecasts - see how you feel. You can try it for $4.99 for one month or $12.99 for three months. I added lots of new features, like video and better navigation, new articles, and more! See it in Apple App Store or iTunes, or Google Play for iPhone, Android, or Samsung Galaxy. Also we are on the Apple Watch. I would never have brought my upgraded app to market if Mars had been retrograde last month.

Mercury is about to retrograde too, April 28 to May 22. If you need to buy a computer, smart phone, iPad, flat screen TV, Dr. Dre headphones, or even a kitchen appliance like a new stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, washer-dryer, or something like a car, do so in early April or wait until July. Mercury rules electronics and moving parts, while Mars rules metal, especially iron, and the metal gears in products. Mars also rules sharp instruments, so if you have a surgery to schedule, Mars rules the instruments that the surgeon or dentist will use, so schedule your operation for early April or delay until July or August. This includes non-essential plastic surgery. Of course, if you have an emergency, have your surgery immediately. With so many planets pointing us backward, it may mean that it is finally time to fix a part of your body that has been troubling you for a long time. Remember, if you have a medical emergency or need urgent surgery, agree to it immediately.

Let's look back to last month for a moment to the solar eclipse of March 8. If you didn't hear powerful news last month, and your birthday falls near that date (within four days before or after March 8), then watch April 8, plus or minus four days for news. Solar eclipses often open a door of considerable opportunity. That solar eclipse received strong help from Pluto, so a friend might recommend you or introduce you to an individual who might offer you a chance to get involved with a plum project or to interview for a position of great importance. Jupiter was partnering with that new moon (indicating the opportunity would bring you good money), but Saturn was in hard angle (more work for you, but again, that may be a blessing - it's nice to be in demand). See what happens around April 8, for you may get the message of the eclipse in Pisces if you did not hear March 8. Sometimes an eclipse delivers news one month to the day later, plus or minus four days.

The full moon of April 21 at 2 degrees Scorpio this month will light your house of foreign people and places, so you may be packing your bags to go to an exciting location. This full moon is made for you, for it will receive as its only aspect a lovely beam from your ruler, romantic Neptune. This appears to be a trip for you and your sweetheart or established partner, for Neptune will make it so very romantic. It is possible you will go to present a creative idea or to investigate or work on one. You may alternatively hear good news from the media, either because you are the subject of an article or work on one that brings you acclaim. News from the courts, your lawyer, or from academia will be equally fine. You may file a trademark or patent now, or hear about a court case that was settled in your favor. No matter what happens, this part of the month will be for you.

If your birthday falls on February 21, plus or minus five days, you will feel this full moon the most. The same is true if you have Pisces rising 3 degrees (plus or minus five degrees) or have a natal planet in Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer, or Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn at 3 degrees (plus or minus five degrees).

Earlier in the month, on April 14, you will have an outstanding day to travel too, especially if you go with your partner. This day is a weekday, so you might also use it to sign papers, hand in an important written document, or give a presentation. If you were getting married, this would be the day to go to City Hall and get your license. You can even marry on this day - it's that special.

Power, money, and career success will be on your mind in April and for months ahead. Keep your eye on April 7, the new moon in Aries in your salary sector, for it appears to be a pivotal time. Uranus will conjoin the new moon and Sun, so you are due for unexpected financial news. You won't know which way things will go until you experience the days that follow April 7, so you won't be able to prepare. This will have to do with earned income or a sudden expense.

Remain optimistic about your financial picture, however, because Saturn, planet of long-range thinking and stability, now in Sagittarius, will be friendly to that new moon, and Saturn is currently brightening your house of honors, awards, and achievement. It appears that the work you've done over the past year is adding up to something big and that you may be due for reward. Saturn takes 29 years to circle the Sun, so this period is a rare one. After Saturn exits this part of your solar chart in December 2017, you will garner greater accolades and become a force to be reckoned with in your industry. Your reputation will reach new heights, your influence will grow, and your compensation will expand with your reputation.

Also this month, Mars will also be in the same career sector, in an unusually long stay, until September 27. However, Mars will retrograde for part of that time, from April 17 to June 29. It would not be wise to make career changes in April through June, as conditions will shift rapidly. You may change your mind more than once about a career direction you've hoped to take.

Sign a contract or travel on the month's best day, April 14, when Mercury will align with Jupiter. Home-related decisions and actions will also do well. If you have a partner in love or a collaborator in business, that person will be a gem for you on this day too.

Be sure to get all done in the first two weeks of April, not only because Mars will go retrograde April 17, but another planet, Mercury, which covers communication and agreements of all kinds, will also go retrograde, April 28 to May 22. May will be a very slow month, with five planets retrograde for the lion's share of the month.

The full moon in Scorpio on April 21 may have you packing for a long distance trip, and with Neptune, your ruler, so prominent, it appears this particular journey will be an important one for you. If you can stay near water, do, for the sea will inspire you and stir your creativity. Love will be stronger for you next month, so for now take care of finances, and enjoy moments of solitude in your hidden, private world.