Joy in the Journey

A Woman and Her Workplace

2010-11-10T10:24:00.005-05:00

Ever wondered...
Why does one coworker become
a best friend while another becomes
a bitter enemy?

Why is the workplace a delight for some
but a drudgery for others?
What are the warning signs for an ungodly
workplace relationship?

A Woman and Her Workplace, published by Beacon Hill Press, helps women consider their part in workplace relationships. Rosemary Flaaten reveals attitudes that wreak havoc in dealing with others at our jobs and shows how to replace these thoughts with strong biblical principles—ultimately transforming your work environment.

For most people, the workplace is their home-away-from-home. We spend most of our waking hours with coworkers and employers. No blood relation, but yet we must build healthy relationships with them if we hope to excel at our work and enjoy our careers. Just like families, our work families are disturbed by dysfunctional issues. Interactions at work are often anything but ideal, let alone godly.

We find someone to vent about the grumpy boss, that arrogant team member, the lazy coworker who gets by doing nothing, and the undermining woman who makes our lives miserable. Yes, it’s easy to blame them for our workplace woes—but it’s better to look inward at what we have control to change.

A Woman and Her Workplace shows how God can perform a deep heart transformation within us so His love flows through us to the people in our workplaces. By delving into the issues that wreak havoc on our workplace relationships, author Rosemary Flaaten provides readers the help they need to develop and apply strong biblical principles of humility, integrity, forgiveness, grace, and celebration in the workplace.

Through discussing relationships such as boss to staff, woman to man, woman to woman, and teamwork, Rosemary guides women to develop healthy interactions in their workplaces. It makes sense to invest some effort into the relationships where we spend the lion’s share of our waking hours. This book isn’t just for women, though. Men find the book gives them insight into how to make the best of their working relationships with the opposite sex in their offices.

Publisher: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City
ISBN-10: 0834125234
ISBN-13: 978-0834125230
Released: September 2010
Paperback: 192 pages
Retail: $14.99

CHAPTERS
Building the Relationship Bridge
Pride Vanquished by Humility
Deception Defeated by Integrity
Anger Diffused by Forgiveness
Judgment Dissolved by Grace
Envy Rejected by Celebration
I'm Part of a Team
I'm the Boss
I'm NOT the Boss
I Work with Him
I Work with Her
Sharing Your Faith

Post a comment and you will be entered to win the GRAND PRIZE from Beacon Hill.
Give your desk a facelift.
Transform your desk and your relationships with---
An autographed copy of
A Woman and Her Workplace
Hard cover journal
40 piece stationary set
Handbag styled refillable note dispenser
Photo frame
Stainless steel travel mug
Mini stapler, pen, pencil and highlighter
Just post a comment here and you are entered to win. What could be easier?

Check out this article by Rosemary Flaaten on Handling Workplace Gossip. The article and the book, A WOMAN AND HER WORKPLACE will give women tools they need to handle all the areas of their lives with grace, integrity, and honor.

ROSEMARY FLAATEN’S successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships. She writes from a fully equipped life-experience toolkit. In it we find her varied work experience, a counseling and educational background, and a deep love for God as well as a passion to help others. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada's top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

NaNoWriMo--Is it in You?

2010-10-31T19:21:00.003-05:00

I did it. I signed up for National Novel Writing Month. If you haven't yet, it's not too late. Be warned though, the website is moving slowly tonight. Lots of last minute writers logging in and signing up. Leave it to writers to put off action until the last minute. We are champs at procrastination.

Most Novembers I am already in the middle of one or two projects and can't commit to writing 50K words on anything else. This year found me between contracts and between writing projects, so I thought, "Hey, why not?"

In June '09 my darling husband woke up from a dream and laid out an entire romantic synopsis for me. Most writers have dreamed something that might spark an idea for a book or make a cute scene in a novel, or is just a kick to play around with. But his idea had complete novel potential. Best part, it was a romance, typically not something he thinks about or I write.

That story has nagged at me since last June when I transcribed his recounting into 8 pages of a synopsis. I've made a few changes, expounded on a few characters and sub-plots, and I'm rip-roaring ready to go tomorrow.

If you haven't signed up for NaNoWriMo or don't even know what it is, check out the website. It's not that complicated. Nor is it intimidating if you clear your head, fasten your rear to the chair and let the characters have their way. That's the best thing about NaNo. No plotting if you don't want, no editing--it's absolutely forbidden. How else will you reach your word count?--no stressing over plot points and submission guidelines. The whole point is to see if you can actually bang out 50K words in a month.

My guess is you can. Who's with me? What have you got to lose? You might even find gold.

Time stealers

2010-10-12T11:26:00.002-05:00

Writer Ben Erlichman shared his addiction to video games on his blog this morning. Actually it's a four-part post you should really check out.

Ben's confessions reminded me of my son. Randy is 26. His excuse for spending hours at Halo and others like it is that he can play with old friends and a cousin on Active Duty he doesn't keep up with any other way. He's even played with TJ Houshmanzada (not going to take the time to look up correct spelling) and Chad Ochocinco--receiver and former receiver for the Cincy Bengals. For an avid sports fan--and even a not-so-interested-in-sports mom, that's pretty sweet.

But in the process of keeping up with friends and making new ones, not to mention the fun he has mastering the games, he doesn't eat right, sleep enuf, or get any exercise. Sound familiar?

Ben's confessions reminded me the same can be said about any other addiction or pursuit that steals our time and keeps us from doing the things that will bring us closer to reaching our goals. Many of us would never allow video games to come between us and our writing time. Or TV or the telephone or other things we consider time wasters.

And not everything that keeps us from writing is a time waster per se. Housework must be done. The family needs to eat. We have to shop for the food to prepare. Then there are familial commitments, work, friends--the list goes on and on.

Even if we don't think we have any unhealthy addictions in our lives, we can use those necessary chores as excuses why we don't accomplish more. I appreciate Ben's honesty in sharing his addiction to video games with us this morning. May we be as honest in examining our own lives and the things we allow to separate us from our goals.

Time Tips for Writers by Karina Fabian

2010-06-22T20:40:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Karina Fabian was here to tell us about her new book WHY GOD MATTERS. Today she is back to offer some encouragement for writers on how to manage our time. Welcome back, Karina. Take it away.

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "How do you find time to write?"

I've been writing steadily since since my daughter was about a year old--14 years--when I was an Air Force Reservist and mother of two. At that time, I wrote a couple of short stories and two articles a month for the Wyoming Catholic Register. Over the next 14 years, we'd have two more children, move five times and build a basement ourselves. My husband, now a Colonel in the Air Force, often has jobs of long hours and big commutes, plus short-stint TDYs (away from home, but not deployments). In addition, I have homeschooled my kids, helped found the Catholic Writers Guild (of which I've been an officer for 4 years), coordinated four writers' conferences, and started Kickstart Marketing, a service to teach authors to market their books.
However, in those 14 years, I have written for local newspapers and national magazines, edited three anthologies, wrote six novels and one devotional and have written various short stories.

Writing can be done. Here are some of the tricks and attitudes I've used to make it happen:

1. Set realistic goals: In Colorado, my mother was able to watch my kids, and we needed extra income, so my goal was to work part time reporting, and I got a regular job at the local weekly and did some freelancing on the side. Later, we moved and I started homeschooling, with two first graders, a toddler, and a baby, I made myself one promise: Not to go to bed unless I wrote one sentence on my novel. Naturally, there were times that one sentence led to more, but I always wrote at least one. I finished my first novel that year. (Mind Over Mind is under contract with Dragon Moon.) My last book, Why God Matters, was written with my father, Deacon Steve Lumbert, took six weeks--including several intense evenings of e-mailing each other stories and discussing them over IM.

Some people like to set time goals; others quantity goals. You know what works best for you. The key is to make the goal something you can reach. You feel good about succeeding, and when you surpass it, you feel even better!

2. Make time! You will never "find" time to write, especially if you have a busy life. If writing is important to you, you need to carve some time out of your day (or week) to dedicate to it. Get up early one morning; stay up late at night. Give up TV or XBox in favor of time at the computer over the weekend.

3. Isolate yourself electronically. Do not open your internet browser. Do not check e-mail. Turn off your IM. If you're planning on a long stretch of writing, set a timer and give yourself 10 minutes of internet for every 30 minutes of writing, if it drives you crazy.

4. Cut distractions. The enemy of writers--especially mom-writers--is the house. The dishes call to you. The fridge tempts. Suddenly, that unmapped floor is weighing on your mind. Resist! Writing time is for writing. If you must, leave the house and write with a laptop or pen and paper until you get into the habit of concentrating on writing.

5. Get help. If you really are overwhelmed by things that you have no time for writing, then it's time to say no to requests, delegate tasks to family, or get someone to give you the break you need to take time for writing. Even if writing is a hobby, you deserve some time just for you.

Finally, I want to suggest time most important tip: Stupid First Drafts. Sometimes, the problem is not finding time, but finding courage. Words won't come because we can't figure out how to write them perfectly on the page. Give yourself permission to write schlock. Tell yourself, "Get it out, fast and messy. I can't make it perfect until it's on the page."

Now, quit reading this blog post and go write something!

For more information about Karina, her books, and writing in general, check out her blog.

Why God Matters

2010-06-21T19:44:00.004-05:00

Do you feel distant from God? Do you want a closer relationship with him? God is with us always, sometimes in ways we don't even realize. Deacon Steve Lumbert and his daughter Karina Fabian share their stories of how God led them from casual belief to deep devotion, and offer tips and exercises to help you see God's hand--and take it.

Far too often, we expect God to show Himself in grand ways yet ignore when He makes His presence known in the day to day. Neither Deacon Steve nor Karina had dramatic conversions. Rather, God led them into deeper faith through the seemingly minor details of life: pot of rice, a habit of prayer, a frustrating flight home, or a barefooted stranger. This father-daughter team have written a delightful, quick book about finding God in the day-to-day. With thought-provoking quotes, heartwarming stories, Bible verses, passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and simple exercises the reader can fit into his or her daily routine, they help others recognize God's presence. Great for the casual or converting Catholic longing for something more in their relationship with God, or the "advanced" Catholic wanting light spiritual exercise.

SHORT BIOS:

Deacon Steve Lumbert officially converted to Catholicism in 1988, but had been a "practicing" Catholic long before that. He met his lovely and loving wife, Socorro, while sercing in Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico in 1966. They raised their daughters, Karina and Regina, in the faith. Steve spent 30 years as a Colorado State Trooper, but retired when God called him to the diaconate. Currently, he serves the Diocese of Pueblo as Associate Director of Deacon Formation.

Karina Lumbert Fabian was born into the Catholic faith, but truly grew to love it as an adult. A busy mother of four, she finds her strongest encounters with God's love happen in the ordinary events of the day-to-day. Karina started her writing career with diocesan newspapers but has settled into writing fun-filled fantasy and science fiction that nonetheless incorporates the principles of faith-filled living.

COMBINED BIO:

The writing team of Deacon Steve Lumbert and Karina Lumbert Fabian only began with Why God Matters, but the father-daughter team has been running strong for over 40 years. Steve is a former Colorado State Trooper and Associate Director of Deacon Formation. Karina gave up an career as an Air Force Officer to have children and write books, stories and articles. Both came to love the Catholic faith in different ways--Karina being born into it; Steve as a convert. While they've not collaborated much on writing, they have created many things together, from costumes for Karina's high school plays to basements.

Click here to view book trailer

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RELEVANT WEBSITES

Click for information about the book, including purchase link
Check out Karina Fabian's website with news, her books, and extended bio, link to her blog and more.

PURCHASE INFO

Publisher: Tribute Books, http://www.tribute-books.com
ISBN: ISBN 9780982256534
Cost: $15.95 Hardback, $4.95 e-book
Click here for an Autographed Book Plate.

PURCHASE LINKS

Click on publisher to purchase.

Yesterday's Promise by Delia Latham

2010-05-20T19:55:00.002-05:00

Please join me in welcoming Delia Latham to Joy in the Journey. Delia's new book, Yesterday's Promise was released in March. To celebrate Delia has allowed me to be one of her stops along her virtual book tour. I just finished the book and loved it. I think you will too. Don't just take my word for it. Here is what others are saying about Delia's latest offering.

Quite a delightful tale. I enjoyed the struggle between Hannah's worry of right and wrong, and how ultimately her faith brings the answers she seeks. Brock and Hannah are endearing characters who will have you on their side immediately. I love an inspirational romance and I loved this story. Well done, Ms Latham.
~ Wendy, Coffee Time Romance, 4-Cup Rating

A story of loyalty, devotion and enduring love. Ms. Latham shows that as one trusts in God, miracles can sometimes happen. Yesterday’s Promise is a charming read. Once I started reading, I didn't wish to stop until I learned the fate of Brock and Hannah.

~ Linda, Lighthouse Literary Reviews, 4-Beacon Rating

Read my interview with Delia. Post a comment and you will be entered to win a $10 gift certificate from Wild Rose Publishing.

Yesterday's Promise

A whirlwind romance amidst the natural splendor of Yosemite
National Park. A spur-of-the-moment wedding. A young
bride who awakens the morning after to find her new husband
gone with the mountain wind.

Songbird Hannah Johns supports the child born of that ill fated
union by singing in a dinner lounge. Her dream of
someday owning the elite establishment and turning it into a
venue more suited to her Christian values is shattered when
an unexpected transaction places it in the hands of Brock
Ellis, the handsome biker who abandoned her in their honeymoon
suite.

Ensuing sparks fly high, revealing buried secrets and
forgotten pasts. Seeking to find peace with her painful past,
Hannah returns to Yosemite, only to have Brock show up
hard on her heels. Back where it all began, she finds herself
in danger of losing her heart yet again to the man who shattered
it the first time around.

First off, thank you, Delia, for including me in your blog tour for Yesterday's Promise. I absolutely loved the story. The first thing I noticed as I'm sure many readers will as well, is the title change. I have a hard time coming up with one title for a book. You managed two really good ones. But why the change?

Thank you for allowing me to hang out at Joy in the Journey for awhile! I’m so glad you enjoyed Yesterday’s Promise. I changed the title because the original book is still all over the web, under the original publisher’s name. I didn’t want any confusion about that.

Your idea or the publisher's?

Mine. And now I’m really glad I did it. The original book included several pieces of lyrics from well-known songs. In fact, the opening line was from Ronnie Milsap’s song, “It Was Almost Like a Song,” which is where I came up with the original title, Almost Like a Song. By the time I finished making the new edits for White Rose Publishing, all the lyrics were gone and the old title wasn’t really relevant any more. Yesterday’s Promise actually sums up the story perfectly.

Was there an ah-ha moment when you got the idea for this story, or had it been nagging at you for years?

Nope. No nagging, just ah-ha. J I was well into writing Goldeneyes (my 2008 release from Vintage Romance Publishing), and I came up against a massive, seemingly insurmountable wall. I simply couldn’t write that book, and I was despairing of ever finishing the story. One day, while surfing the net trying to find some elusive inspiration, I came across an advertisement for National Novel Writers Month (Nanowrimo). For those who might not be familiar with it, it’s an annual event in which writers are encouraged to come up with a minimum of 50,000 words—either a novel, or that far into a longer one. I decided on the spur of the moment to do it. That was somewhere in the last week of October. So on November 1, 2005, I laid aside my work-in-progress, pulled up a blank document in my Word program, and just started writing. No outline. No storyline. No plan. Just me and God. Thirty days later, I had the skeleton of what would become Yesterday’s Promise. (For the record, when I returned to Goldeneyes, God gave me the release and the inspiration to finish it. All in His timing… J)

I loved Hannah's boss, Kip Caveness. Was he based on a real life character in your life?

He looked a bit like my grandfather, but other than that…no. He just kind of appeared in my book and charmed his way into Hannah’s heart and mine.

Without giving much of the story away, I also loved Hannah's idea of what she would do with the dinner lounge if it ever became hers. Is that a secret dream of yours? Or a not so secret dream?

I would love to have a place like that! I’ve even considered trying to set up a similar spot with used/recycled books. Someday…

Were you one of those people who always had a story inside you or did the whole writing thing take you by surprise?

I think I always did, I just didn’t have enough confidence to try it. I’d been writing since I was old enough to figure out what pencils were for—little stories, songs, poems…a little bit of everything. I eventually became a newspaper staff writer, which led to freelancing articles to a local regional magazine. All that time, I planned to write a novel, “someday.” I had actually promised my aunt-by-marriage, Rita Dawson, that I would write a book. She was my pastor’s wife while I was growing up and my Bible teacher and speech coach in high school (I attended a private Christian school from 5th grade up). An incredibly talented woman. She wrote, she sang, she preached, and was just a character. Very funny. Not someone you’d ever forget. She kept at me about writing, and I promised her that someday I’d do it. I’d write a novel. She didn’t live to see it, but Yesterday’s Promise is dedicated to her memory.

I know your time is valuable, but could you give us a quick peek into your journey to publication?

My first publishing experience (2006) was not exactly positive. I won’t go into a lot of detail, other than to say I was so excited at being offered a contract that I didn’t bother to research the publisher. That said, that publisher delivered exactly what they promised in their contract. I was just too “green” to understand that it wasn’t much. And the experience was good for me in some ways, because I learned a lot about marketing a book. I had to, if I wanted anyone to hear about mine! It was through that process that I gained a little bit of name recognition, established a web presence, etc. And I was able to reclaim my rights a couple years into the contract. Then came the sudden awful awareness that selling a reprint was not going to be easy. Not a lot of publishers are willing to even consider a book that’s already been published by someone else. It was during that time that I met Dawn Carrington, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Vintage Romance Publishing, where I found a home for Goldeneyes in 2008. It wasn’t until last year that I finally had the heart to start actively seeking another publisher for that first book. I’m so grateful to White Rose Publishing for being willing to consider my reprint, and to accept it for publication as an e-novel.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Write. Every day. Experience is still the best teacher…but not the only one. Take advantage of every educational and networking opportunity that presents itself.

Besides writing, can you tell us your dream job?

Now we’re back to what Hannah wanted to do with the lounge… J

We've read a thousand times about how writers spend their writing time. Can you tell us how you spend your time when you are not writing?

I’m a full-time secretary, so that takes up eight hours a day, five days a week. Plus, I design marketing products for other authors—which most often means bookmarks. Some of my work can be seen at www.deliadesigns.webs.com.

Summer's coming. If you could take a vacation anyplace in the world, where would it be?

Ireland and/or New Zealand. The first because I’d like to see the land of my ancestors, and the second because—don’t laugh—the setting for The Shire in Lord of the Rings was so incredible. I’d love to actually stand in the midst of all that beauty.

Are you working on something right now? If so, can we have the inside scoop?

I’m working on a series based around a Christian dating agency called Solomon’s Gate. The first book is finished, and I’m deep into the second. Now to find a home for them… J

Delia, I wish you all success with Yesterday's Promise. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to read it and to share a little about you with my readers. Is there anything else we should know about Delia Latham?

Only that I sincerely want my writing to be an inspiration—to uplift, encourage and entertain Christian readerse. And I love to hear from my readers. I can be contacted through my website or blog.

How can readers get their hands on Yesterday's Promise?

It’s available in e-format only, and can be purchased through Amazon.com or my publisher, White Rose Publishing.

Can we follow you on Facebook or any of the other networking sites out there?

Absolutely! Facebook and Twitter are probably the most easily accessed.

Any parting thoughts you would like to share?

Just a huge thank you to you, Teresa, for inviting me to stop in at your blog! I’ve enjoyed “chatting” with you, as always, and I look forward to visiting with your readers.

Delia Latham is a born-and-bred California gal who transplanted to Oklahoma in 2008 with her husband, Johnny. Her children and grandbabies are the spice in her life. A wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Delia considers her most important kinship that of child of the King and heir to the throne of God. A former newspaper Staff Writer, Delia also frequently contributed to Bakersfield Magazine—a bi-monthly regional—prior to her move to Oklahoma. Her editing skills have been utilized by numerous authors, including Dr. Chuck Wall, founder of the Random Acts of Kindness movement. She is a member of ACFW and WIN-ACFW (Tulsa branch). Her historical romance novel, Goldeneyes, was released in March 2008 by Vintage Romance Publishing.

Don't forget to post a comment and you could win a $10 gift certificate and maybe a surprise gift as well...

Writing exercises to get your fingers moving

2010-04-26T07:35:00.011-05:00

Missing in action lately with job training and all the other things that distract a writer from actually writing. Tomorrow I leave for another week of training so more time away from my desk. But I am psyched and anxious to make the most of today and what moments I can steal away to write over the next few weeks.

I spent the weekend at beautiful Greenbo Lake State Park near Ashland, KY for the 5th annual KYOWA Dogwood Writers' Conference. Wonderful staff, lovely people, and fun writing exercises that inspired even an old dog like me. My workshop, "Breaking into the Inspirational Fiction Market" was well received, but I got a lot more out of the trip than what I gave.

For me, inspiration and motivation are best reasons to attend a conference. Teaching is great, but I need the burst of creativity you get from a room full of people as excited about writing as you are.

Monday morning, and I am ready to use the fuel from that fire to spur me to action. I have two new writing projects in mind as well as motivation to get my current project ready to send my agent in a few weeks.

You don't have to go to a conference to get inspired. Several of the writing exercises proved you can find inspiration anywhere. We played with storyboards which you can create at home out of old magazines. Clip pictures or sayings that remind you of your story and post them around your writing area. I never thought that sort of thing would help me, but I was proven wrong once again. Create two completely new characters and have them meet. You may never use what you come up with, but the exercise might help get you over a hump in your current project.

But the best exercise by far for any writer is to put your rear in the chair and get those fingers moving. This habit may take some time to incorporate into your routine, but the benefits are immeasurable.

A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin

2010-04-19T18:12:00.006-05:00

To celebrate the release of A Distant Melody, Book 1 in Sarah Sundin’s exciting Wings of Glory series, we’re offering one Grand Prize winner the chance to get nostalgic! A Distant Melody is in stores now. You don't want to miss this book. I couldn't put it down. I know you are going to love it as much as I did.

THE PRIZE:
The Winner of our ‘NETFLIX® & Nostalgia’ giveaway will receive a vintage prize package, including:

*A 6 month NETFLIX® subscription
*$25 Starbucks® gift card
*A box of See’s Famous Old Time Chocolates®
*A jar of homemade strawberry jam
*A Big Band music CD
*A Mini B-17 Model airplane
*Vintage stationery and pen
*British specialty tea
*WWII style playing cards

To enter just click on the icon above! Contest will be live April 5th and run through April 25th!

About A Distant Melody:

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart? A Distant Melody is the first book in the WINGS OF GLORY series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II.

Sarah Sundin In Sarah's words:

Although I come from a home wallpapered in books, I only briefly envisioned myself as a writer, when my sister and I co-wrote Funny Dancing Fruits and Vegetables complete with crayon illustrations.

Then I discovered science. I loved learning about the intricacies of God's creation, so I studied chemistry in college, and then got my doctorate in pharmacy—not a typical career path for a writer.

In pharmacy school, I met my husband, Dave. We settled in northern California and were blessed by three bright, funny children—Stephen, Anna, and Matthew. Then on January 6, 2000, I woke from a dream so intriguing I had to write it down. I proceeded to write a really bad 750-page contemporary Christian romance. Burn-it-when-I-die bad. But the Lord used it to call me into writing. I joined a critique group, attended writers' conferences, and joined American Christian Fiction Writers. These all taught me about the craft of writing and the publishing industry, and introduced me to writers, editors, and agents.

I first submitted the manuscript for A Distant Melody in 2003, and over the next five years I accumulated a pile of "good" rejection letters from editors and agents. Finally in 2008, a submission at Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference led to my first sale.

Between writing and driving kids to soccer and karate, I work one evening a week as a hospital pharmacist, teach Sunday school to fourth- and fifth-graders, and teach women's Bible studies. I enjoy speaking to women's groups and am available to speak on several topics. To learn more visit Sarah's blog, and if you are a history buff, don't miss her great blog!

Bring Forth Fruit with Patience

2010-03-30T06:02:00.003-05:00

If you've been in this writing business more than five minutes you know how much work it is. As if writing a book that might appeal to someone other than your mother isn't hard enough, it's a million times harder to attract the attention of a publisher. You may have seen the cartoon of the skeleton leaning against the mailbox waiting for a reply on a submission. Nothing is more frustrating than working hard on something the rest of the world dreams of doing, yet receiving no recognition.

I have fallen into this trap many times myself. It's difficult to keep writing when it doesn't seem like anything is happening in our careers. We ask ourselves what's the point in working so hard if I'm never going to get published.

What we need just as much as discipline and grit and vision to see our book to the end is patience. Most of us know going in the journey won't be easy. But we still want it now. I have a fantasy in my head of how the process should go.

Today my agent Terry Burns will call me and say one of the Christian publishing giants has read my latest submission and is putting it on their winter calendar. But they don't just want this one, which is sheer brilliance by the way. They want four more. A contract is in the mail, along with a hefty advance. Eight months from now after the first release, followed in rapid succession by 4 more, my name is on every bestseller list in the country and every set of lips in the reading world.

Alas, it seldom happens this way. It may seem so to the ones watching from the sidelines. Our counterparts receive multi-book contracts and we wonder why it came so easily for them. When is it our turn?

Luke 8:15 says: But that on good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Note all the action words in that passage. So much of the time Christian writers believe that since God has given them a story to tell, a message to encourage and equip the masses, that he will do all the work.

God will help and provide sustenance for the journey, but He won't do our work for us. First they heard the word. Are you studying and growing in your craft? What actions have you taken in the last month to become a better writer? What groups do you belong to that make you grow as a writer and hold you accountable for improving what you do?

Secondly, they kept the word. Have you been so discouraged lately that you slacked off in your writing time? Do you find other things to do because it isn't likely you'll get a contract anyway so what's the point in plugging along? Have you lost your desire to write and almost look for distractions to keep you from doing it? Do you lack discipline and focus in your career?

Lastly, those who sowed in good ground brought forth fruit with patience. To bring forth anything requires an act on our part. To bring it forth with patience adds another element to the task.

God will reward our diligence as long as we continue to fight toward the prize without stamping our feet and demanding things our way. Yes, it takes patience, and yes, it's hard. Instead of blaming the publishing industry for our lack of success---or the electronic addicted public or the economy or the powers that be who don't understand our vision---we need to take a good hard look at what we are doing to bring our dreams to reality.

Are we working diligently with patience to perfect our craft? Do we continually strive to grow and learn and accept criticism? Do we apply the knowledge we've acquired to make our manuscripts shine? Do we study the markets to see what will attract a publisher's attention, or do we just gripe that no one appreciates our efforts.

Bring forth fruit with patience.

Most anyone who has taken the time to write a chapter or a page or even a sentence believes in his story. He believes in its value and its merit and can't rest until the story is told. We exercise patience in writing our book. Let's exercise that same patience in finding a publisher. It's an action. No one is going to do it for us. It's won't be easy, but it will be worth the effort.

Writing for an invisible audience

2010-03-10T07:02:00.002-05:00

I sent congrats to a writer friend this morning about an award she had won. Her success made me think of how writers so often wonder if anyone is out there, paying attention to what we do. We put our heart and soul into every keystroke. Then when it's not going well or the words just won't come or we get another rejection, we wonder if there is any point in continuing.

Thomas Hardy wrote after a particularly scathing review of Tess of the D'urbervilles, "If this continues, no more writing for me. A man must be a fool to stand and be shot at."

I know how poor Tom felt, on a much smaller scale of course. Even before the bad reviews come--and they will come--we feel shot at nearly every time we sit down to write. Or when we browse bookshelves and compare our writing to that of those who consistently sell hundreds of thousands of copies every year. Or when we receive yet another rejection.

This business is not for the faint of heart. It can be discouraging on the best of days. Even after we begin selling consistently we never fully know how many readers are out there, how many responded to the message we fought to achieve in our books, or if anyone will remember our story once the book is closed.

Yet we continue to expose ourselves to the disappointment, the rejection, the fear. To be shot at. We are writers and we cannot still the voices in our heads any other way but by bleeding the words onto the page day after day. Our first goal in everything we do should be to please God through the individual gifts he's given us. But crafting an excellent story, striving for each sentence to be better than the last, is what we do to legitimately call ourselves writers.

Awards and accolades are nice. Great reviews and letters from satisfied readers make our day. But we must write to satisfy that mysterious part deep inside of us that knows when it's going well and accepts when it isn't. Don't stop, even when it hurts. Even when no one is reading. Even when no one gets you. Write. Grow in the craft.

As in life, accept your awards when they come and keep striving for perfection.

Spread the word about your Writing Life

2010-03-08T12:12:00.003-05:00

This morning on The Writing Life, Terry Whalin's post was entitled, Publishers Cringe at this Question. Well, I cringed at the following segment.

From Terry: "Often authors feel powerless when in reality they have lots of power which they are not using...Who have you told about your book in the last month? the last week? the last day? How are you telling them? Are you using an electronic newsletter? Are you using a blog? Are you using social media like Twitter and Facebook? Are you involved in online groups and telling people about your book in the signature of your email? Are you using direct mail such as postcards or printed pieces such as bookmarks? Are you speaking about the topic of your book? Are you doing radio interviews and readings at bookstores...What are you doing to stir those multiple presentations about the benefits and value of your book?"

Before I ever began submitting for publication, I knew a lot of marketing work fell on the writer's shoulders. Is it my imagination or has that workload just gotten heavier. Thanks, Terry.

But he is right. Besides writing a fabulous book readers can't put down, the writer's responsibility for success continues to grow.

Today is Monday--the day we roll up our sleeves and hit it hard. If something in the above statement didn't light a fire under you about all the things you should be doing to bring attention to your writing, please reread. Better yet, follow the link to The Writing Life and read Terry's entire post.

Then get to work. Does your website need updated? When did you last send a newsletter? Have you commented on other writing blogs today? Have you guest hosted in the last month? Have you handed out bookmarks to your church group, library, or bookstore? Do 5 marketing tasks this week, regardless of where you are in your publishing journey. Just because you don't have a new book to tout, doesn't mean you shouldn't stay in front of readers.

And don't forget to write something.

Leaving Hurryville

2010-03-05T07:46:00.002-05:00

Leaving Hurryville
(Comments From a Former Resident)
by Frankie D. Sherman

A big concern of Christian women is the epidemic of shallow relationships among women. In an age when broken marriages, moral decline, and unbelievable heartache are frighteningly high, our God-given support system is lacking.

What happened? Why do we know more people than ever before, yet know very little about each other? Why do we know more about the latest celebrity break-up, yet very little about the young woman in our church going through her own divorce?

Unfortunately, we live in Hurryville. Hurry and get the kids to school. Hurry and get to work. Hurry to Bible study. Hurry to the ball field. Hurry! Girl Hurry! In this “hurry up, see you later” world we don’t take the time to invest in relationships like the generations before us did. Our busy lives leave very little time to invest in meaningful relationships.

Because of this, we are suffering. We miss wonderful opportunities to reach others for Christ and to strengthen others in the body of Christ.

How about you and I change the busyness in our circle of influence by adjusting our schedules and priorities? We can start right now to focus on the relationships in our circle of influence as the nurturing women God designed us to be.

Becoming a better friend is something believers should focus on, because it can impact the world for the Christ.

So where do we begin?

Leave Hurryville-without a forwarding address! It’s a choice and a hard one. But God is faithful and he will help you with this lifestyle change.
Pray, and read God Word.
Schedule time with friends; ask them how they are and what’s up in their life.
Engage in meaningful conversation about them and how the Lord is working in their lives.
Leave the cell phone turned off during your time together.
Share good books, good tips, good information and good food.
If your friend is a single mom, widow, health issue, or has problems at home, always be sensitive to her needs or situation. You are not “the solution” but you can show her you care through your friendship. God will provide the wisdom concerning boundaries and blessings.

I left Hurryville, many years ago. Sometimes my old nature tries to pull me back. But I learned the value of meaningful friendships and Hurryville doesn’t compare. Should you decide to leave Hurryville too, let me know. We can sit on the porch and enjoy chat together.

BOOK FRANKIE FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT!

About the author:
Frankie Sherman is a national speaker, comedian, and Bible teacher for conferences, retreats, and women's events. She fell in love with Jesus at Vacation Bible School and takes every opportunity to tell others about the joy of being alive in Christ. She is a former choreographer for the Georgia Peach Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl Halftime Show. Her specialty is in theater musical/productions. Her first Bible Study, Why We Need Girlfriends is based on the relationship of Mary and Elizabeth, from Luke's gospel. Two women brought together by extraordinary circumstances by an extraordinary God. Frankie is from South Carolina—loves sweet tea, BIG hair and her grand-girls. She believes there will never be another Elvis. And knows that her Jesus will return for her soon.

Now Securing Interviews and Reviews
Kathy Carlton Willis Communications – KCWComm@rgv.rr.com or WillisWay@aol.com

Marathon, not a Sprint

2010-03-03T08:31:00.002-05:00

I sometimes wonder if writing is the easiest business in which to get discouraged. My husband seldom comes home from work with his head hanging low and says something like, "I didn't have a very good day on my press."

Growing up, my dad never came in and said, "I couldn't get inspired to operate the backhoe today. I don't know if I'm cut out for this line of work."

If my husband scraps a few jobs on his press or Dad didn't reach his mile quota on a highway job, both hit hard the next day. They never considered another line of work. They have families to feed and bills to pay and things need to be done regardless of bad days or low production or lack of motivation.

Why are writers one of the few groups of workers in the world who have the option to work or not work based on the above?

There are many things about the writing life that are discouraging. Sometimes, regardless of how good you are, publishers ignore you to buy works from better known, less talented writers. Sometimes, regardless of research, solid idea and multi-faceted characters you've created, the words won't come. Sometimes, even your biggest supporters wonder if you'd be better off to chuck it all and get into something that actually earns a paycheck.

Writing isn't easy. Getting published is harder by about a thousand times. If it was, everybody would do it. And then what would your contract be worth? While you're waiting for that blessed moment, take time to learn and practice the craft, polish your skills, open yourself and your writing to critiques. We must do these steps throughout our careers. Doctors never stop attending conferences and studying and learning the latest techniques and break-throughs. Why do writers?

Don't forget the importance of attending conferences, pitching your book idea, and finding editors and agents who are interested. They may not buy your book this go round, but you'll grow and get closer to your goal. There are no short cuts.

Face it folks, just like maintaining a healthy weight, writing is a marathon not a sprint. In the meantime, enjoy the process. Write what you love. Give your characters a voice. Share it where and when you can. Don't overlook the smaller markets. Study magazine guidelines. They can provide a nice supplemental income while you're awaiting that lucrative book contract.

Make them Suffer

2010-02-26T07:13:00.004-05:00

While preparing for my workshop--You Can Write a Novel--to be presented Saturday, Feb. 27th at the Greater Harvest Workshops in the Cincinnati/Dayton area tomorrow, I came across this great quote by Alfred Hitchcock.

“Always make the audience suffer as much as possible.”

While Al was speaking more of moviegoers, the sentiment can easily be applied to writing. I love quotes. I love using them in teaching and using them to inspire myself. And this one is a gem.

"Always make them suffer." This is every writer's purpose. Build an emotional attachment between the reader and the character, put the reader into the situation, and create extreme nervous anxiety that stretches the reader to the very limit of endurance. Make them suffer.

Isn't that when you know you just read a good book? When you, as a reader, became part of the action. When you felt like you had something to lose. Even with romances, YA, or picture books, pull your reader in. They should experience whatever the character experiences. Whether romance or danger or the exhilaration of buying the perfect dress at 80% off.

My challenge to you today is to open your current WIP at random. Any page. Open and start reading. Is there tension on that page? Does it capture your imagination? Do you want to learn more about the character and the situation just by reading that one small excerpt? Is it enough to keep you reading? If not, raise the stakes.

Happy writing and make them suffer.

Fruitful in all Good Works

2010-02-24T08:16:00.004-05:00

We all work with a goal or purpose in mind. For most of us, our goal is financial gain. We put in our 40 hours to earn a paycheck at the end of the week. Those fortunate among us work because we love what we do, we believe we are called to fulfill a ministry. We look forward to Mondays and think about our jobs when we're not there. But even those workers couldn't do what they do for long without financial reward.

Hopefully money isn't your only motivation for what you do. For the last few weeks my pastor has preached a series on the Fruits of the Spirit. Regardless of how we spend our days, our goal is to bear fruit. Whether that fruit is a paycheck or healthy, well-grounded children or trimmed hedges, we work to achieve a desired outcome. We even sleep to achieve a result--rest.

This week's sermon was on longsuffering. I don't need to tell you most people don't want to suffer, especially for any length of time. But that's where many of us find ourselves. You could say that's where I am in my writing career. I have been without a book contract for over a year...a very long year. Like many stuck in a career rut, I sometimes wonder what I am working for. If no one is buying, why bother killing myself to put words on the page?

The answer of course is to bear fruit. Fruit doesn't grow before it's season. The soil must be prepared. the seed sown, a period of wind, rain, and sunshine, and then growth. Finally the fruit is ripe and ready to be enjoyed.

My thoughts inspired by the pastor's sermons: My goal is to bear fruit. Christ must dwell in my heart, rooted and grounded in love. The power to bear fruit comes from the source, not the individual branch.

John 15:11-16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, that ye should bring forth fruit.

Heavenly Father, help me to be fruitful in all good works. Let me not be discouraged by outward appearances; by the economy or rejection or frustration when things take too long or don't go the way I want. Let me continue to look to You from where true blessings flow and remember all the good works you have already wrought in me.

Advice for Writers from Mitch Albom

2010-02-22T17:27:00.003-05:00

This weekend I am teaching a workshop at the Greater Harvest Workshops in the Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio area. If you haven’t registered, do it now before prices go up the 25th. Regardless of your writing level or experience, you will find a workshop to benefit you on your journey. My workshop is called YOU CAN WRITE A NOVEL. One of the best ways for preparing to teach a workshop—besides practicing what I preach of course—is to read what other writers have to say about getting the job done.

A while back I found an interview with Mitch Albom in Writer’s Digest. In case you don’t know, Albom is the fellow who wrote Tuesdays With Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Albom seems to utilize a practical, no nonsense approach to writing that appeals to me. It doesn’t hurt that he’s very successful at what he does. They say the best way to learn something is to study those who have mastered what you want to do.

Here is an excerpt from the interview.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE WRITERS WHO WANT TO HAVE SUCCESS IN SEVERAL GENRES?

Don’t think that one audience isn’t as worthy as another. You have to treat all readers of all genres and formats the same. If you don’t take each format seriously, people may just walk out on you after a couple paragraphs. But if you find the essence of the story, the reader will ask that essential question: “What happens next?” If you can get them to do that, it doesn’t really matter where you’re writing.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST WRITING CHALLENGE?

Writing a novel for the first time was the biggest challenge. Until The Five People You Meet in Heaven, I had always dealt with the truth and the facts. As a result I’d been both limited by it and able to relax in it.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH EACH MEMOIR?

Writers and publishers tend to make more of fiction and nonfiction, memoir versus novel, than the average reader does. Most people just want to read a book. If you have a good story, people want to turn the p ages whether it’s a memoir or a novel.

What I gather from Albom’s advice is to take your writing seriously, regardless of your genre. Don’t write what’s in the moment or what you think is selling well. By the time you finish your manuscript tastes would’ve changed and you will be out of date.

Focus on the story. Story is king, was once said by someone great and prolific. Regardless of what you write—memoir, how-to, or cozy mystery—people want a good story that will hold their interest, at least until the end of the book. Give it to them, or risk losing them forever.

Hope to see you at Greater Harvest. Whether you are interested in writing devotionals, articles, or the Great American Novel, or you have an idea for a project but aren't exactly sure how to get started, the workshops will inspire and instruct, motivate and equip. Register now!

Greater Harvest Workshops--Register Now

2010-02-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Subfreezing temps, mountains of snow, and being housebound for two solid months can really get the creative juices flowing. I've written two short stories and gotten down to business with a nearly finished novel since the first of the year. With the snow falling and piling up against the front door, there's little else I can do besides write.

Do these situations inspire other writers to think of secluded houses with at least one resident wacko, ghost, serial killer or surly mother-in-law? Or is it just me? There isn't much else to do this time of year. No flowerbeds calling to me. No grass to mow or leaves to rake or vegetables to put into the ground. It's just me and my muse. And my muse is the snow.

Today the sun warmed a patch on my bedroom carpet for the dog to lie in. Does this mean Spring is coming and my muse will soon abandon me? Since I don't put a lot of stock in muses and good luck charms and strokes of inspiration, I need to buckle down and write, regardless of conditions with out or distractions with in.

Next weekend I am presenting a workshop, YOU CAN WRITE A NOVEL, for the Greater Harvest Workshops. If you are an aspiring or experienced writer, or are just toying with the idea of putting pen to paper, these reasonably priced workshops may be just what you're looking for. Join us at the
Healing Word Assembly of God
5303 Dixie Highway
Franklin, OH 45005

Greater Harvest Workshops are designed to move you closer to your goal of becoming a working writer and published author. Taught by authors and speakers, Donna J. Shepherd and Linore Rose Burkard along with guest presenters, these workshops, along with hands-on training, will motivate you to step up to the next level!

Schedule:
8:30-9:00 - Registration
9:00-9:20 – Opening Session
9:30-10:30- Workshop #1
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45-11:45 - Workshop #2
11:45-12:00 – Snack Time
12:00-1:00 - Workshop #3
1:00-1:20 – Closing Session

Register now.

Jim Shepard On Writing

2010-02-15T17:53:00.002-05:00

I recently reread an article I had saved from a copy of O magazine. The article was by Jim Shepard and was On Writing of course. Why else would I reread it, or have saved it in the first place.

I often need a little nudging in my writing life, especially on Mondays and lately when I am not under contract with a publisher and don’t feel a particular urgency to put something on paper. But I’m a writer, I remind myself. Writers write. They produce, even if no one has asked for it. Writers can’t NOT write. I think those who can—NOT write that is—aren’t true writers. But that’s just me, and I'm nothing if not opinionated.

Jim had a lot to say about writing. I love reading the words of these prolific and amazingly more-successful-than-me-writers. I often understand just where they’re coming from, having dug myself out of the same pit more than a time or two.

Jim said: When writing is going well, it's hard, and for most of us, most of the time it's not going all that well. When students ask, "When did you know you might be a writer? How did you know?," one of the things I tell them is that they may be designed for that life if (a) they need to do it in order to feel good about themselves, even though (b) doing it almost never makes them feel good about themselves.

A hearty Amen to that. Writing is something I can’t get away from. Lately I’ve thought about getting a job outside the home. My motivations are purely economical, you understand. But a big part of me wonders if non-writers realize how easy they have it. They put in their eight to ten hours, or whatever, draw a real paycheck that is pretty close to the amount they earned last week, go home and gripe about how they are taken for granted.

What they don’t do is argue with voices in their heads, try to come up with blog topics that will prove both helpful and interesting to readers, beg interviewers to invite them on their show when they know only about 16 people are listening, line up speaking engagements, try to make their family understand they are actually writing and not just goofing off even though the kid down the street who mows grass and delivers newspapers got back a more impressive W-2, while managing to feel like they accomplished something at the end of the week.

This writing life is tough. While I might find myself out in the working world again in 2010, I will continue to strive to earn a living through writing. While writing makes me feel good about myself and like I am fulfilling the reason I was put on this earth, it also makes me feel inept, pitiful, overwhelmed, and frustrated.

I am relieved to know other writers—every writer I ever met in fact-—feels the same way. William Styron said (or wrote, I'm not sure which): I certainly don’t enjoy writing. I get a fine warm feeling when I’m doing well, but that pleasure is pretty much negated by the pain of getting started each day. Let’s face it——writing is he@@.

Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

2010-02-13T17:11:00.006-05:00

Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme.

Interview Questions:

1. How did you develop the initial story idea/plot line for this book?

Some book ideas you search for, and some just blow in on the wind. For the past several years, dating back to Hurricane Katrina, we in Central Texas have been the recipients of massive hurricane evacuations. These massive exoduses of people, pets, and belongings are frightening, frustrating, challenging, and at times oddly wonderful. When so many are on the road seeking shelter, the worst, but also the best qualities of humanity come to the surface. Hurricane evacuations truly provide times when we ask the question, "Am I my brother’s keeper?" In answering that question, we’ve enjoyed amazing moments of friendship and fellowship, family reunions, and chances to share a food and space with strangers from other parts of the country. We’ve traded stories and recipies, laughter and tears.

One thing we’ve learned about hurricanes, living here, is that the paths are never predictable. Storms waver, hesitate, speed up, slow down, and sometimes change course unexpectedly. Evacuation needs can change and develop quickly. What better way for the beauty shop girls to find their inner strength and to show Daily hospitality, than for their cruise plans to land them smack in the middle of a sudden and chaotic hurricane evacuation?

2. Almost every author puts a little of themselves into their stories—what did you put of yourself into this one? (personality traits, life events/jobs, settings, characters based on people you know, likes/dislikes, etc.)

There’s a bit of me in the setting, of course. I love Texas, in all its variety of cultures and landscapes, but, living in a small town, I have a particular affection for little bergs like Daily, where the coffee’s always hot, and a good slide of pecan pie can cure most ills. Having watched our little town mobilize to take in hurricane evacuees several times now, I’ve been reminded that sometimes the worst things that can happen bring out the best in people. Given the opportunity and faced with the need, regular people can rise to the occasion in amazing ways, as do the citizens of Daily in the book.

Some members of the Wingate family might also claim to recognize themselves among the citizens of Daily, Texas. I would offer the disclaimer that any resemblances are completely unintentional, but that would be a bald-faced lie. When you come from a family of great storytellers and colorful characters, there’s nothing to do but make use of what you’ve got.

3. Did you encounter any interesting challenges while writing/researching for this book? Please explain if so.

The most difficult part of working on Never Say Never was researching and reliving the devastation left behind on the Texas gulf coast last year after Hurricane Ike. While interviewing family members about their experiences during the evacuation and return, we shared laughter and quite a few tears. For those who have lived in southeast Texas all their lives, talking about familiar landmarks, heirlooms, and old family places that were washed away forever, knowing some things will never be the same, is both difficult and devastating. For those of us who have so many memories of family gatherings and vacations there, it’s hard to believe we’ll never visit the old places again.

4. Why is this book/story relevant today?

Despite our best-laid plans, we all experience storms in life—whether those storms be of a weather-related nature, or due to an illness, death, or in recent months, job loss and financial misfortune. When the parameters of life and our ability to control fate suddenly change, we’re confronted with our own helplessness and need to rely on other people and God. In a culture that values independence and self-sufficiency, it’s important to remember that we all have a common need and a common responsibility for each other and that without faith we really are alone in the storm.

Lisa Wingate’s
How to Talk Texan
Road Trip Tutorial

A couple dozen phrases that'll keep you from lookin' like you don't know gee from haw. You can hang your hat on it!

Hey, y’all!

If you’re planning a road trip across Texas, well, my friend, you’d better get your trottin’ harness on, I’ll tell you that right now.

This state’s wider than a woodcutter’s pile. You’ll be so busy here, you’ll think you’re twins. You might even meet yourself comin’ and goin’ or travel so fast you’ll catch up to yesterday.

One thing’s for sure--there won’t be any grass growin’ under your feet, especially if it’s summer, because it’ll be hot as a nanny goat in a pepper patch. Don’t let that trouble your mind, though.

Seeing the whole state might seem about as easy as tryin’ to saddle up house flies or put socks on the rooster, but here’re a few phrases that’ll make your trip just as smooth as a calf’s ear. You’ll find this little bit of Texan talk just as handy as a pocket on a shirt. With these phrases, you’ll be right at home in jig time, and happy as a pig in sunshine, I promise.

Folks’ll think you’re just as fine as frog hair split four ways. Why, you might even find yourself a Texas gal who’s cute as a bug’s ear or a fella who catches your eye like a tin roof at noonday. Even if you don’t find love here, you’ll run across lots of folks who’re so friendly, they’ll add a cup of water to the soup and tell you to get your sittin’ britches on.

Some of them might be full of wind as a corn-eatin’ horse, but you’ll be welcome ‘till whenever you figure it’s time to put the chairs in the wagon and turkey-tail it toward home.

When you do, we’ll keep a light on and a hitch out for ya, just in case you miss us like a west Texas farmer misses rain. You’re welcome to darken our door any old time. Long as we got a biscuit, my friend, you got half, and if that ain’t a fact, well, then I’m hip high to a horned toad.

Y’all come back now, y’hear!

--Lisa Wingate (and the REST of the folks in Daily, Texas, too!)

For stories with Texas flavor
and fun, come see us at www.Lisawingate.com

About the Author:
Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Drenched in Light, A Thousand Voices, and A Month of Summer. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in central Texas.

Thin Places by Mary DeMuth

2010-02-09T09:06:00.004-05:00

Zondervan sent me a copy of Mary DeMuth's latest release, Thin Places to read and review. Wow. Called "Brave, moving, and poignant." by Tosca Lee. You will see why from the very first page.

From the back cover: What if you could retrace your life and discover its thin places--places where the division between this world and the eternal fades?

"Thin places are snatches of holy ground, tucked into the corners of our world, where we might just catch a glimpse of eternity. They are aha moments, the beautiful revelations."

In her moving spiritual memoir, Mary DeMuth traces the winding path of thin places in her life, places where she experienced longing and healing more intensely than ever before. Mary's story invites you to a deeper understanding of your own story. She calls you to discover new ways to look for God in the past so that you might experience him more profoundly in the present... A God ready to break through any ordinary day or extraordinary pain and offer you a glimpse of eternity.

Thin Places is not just a memoir, it's an experience. This journey will transform you--open you up, strip you bare, force you to examine your life and how your experiences have shaped you into the person you have become. The honesty within its pages will force you to be honest with yourself and allow you to see the Thin Places in your own life that bring you close to eternity.

Feel free to download the book trailer and other powerful tools from YouTube for teaching ministry to those hurt by neglect, sexual abuse, unsafe homes, or drugs.

A storyteller at heart, Mary DeMuth is the author of Watching the Tree Limbs and Wishing on Dandelions, both finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year. Mary recently moved back to Texas with her husband, Patrick, and their three children after spending two and a half years planting a church in southern France.

The Pastor's Wife--A Novel

2010-02-07T15:51:00.003-05:00

Maura Sullivan never intended to set foot in Granger, Ohio, again. But when circumstances force her to return, she must face all the disappointments she tried so hard to leave behind: a husband who ignored her, a congregation she couldn’t please, and a God who took away everything she loved.

Nick Shepherd had put the past behind him. At least he thought he had, until the day his estranged wife walked back into town. Intending only to help Maura through her crisis of faith, Nick finds his feelings for her never died. Now, he must face the mistakes he made and find a way to give and receive forgiveness.

As God works in both their lives, Nick and Maura believe they can repair their broken relationship and reunite as man and wife. But Maura has something to tell Nick before they can move forward. It’s what ultimately drove her to leave six years earlier, and the one thing that can destroy the fragile trust they’ve begun to rebuild.

Click here to read the first three chapters of The Pastor's Wife.

Jennifer AlLee takes a classic romance situation; two people stuck together by an inheritance, and makes it fresh. The conflict between the pastor and his wife has eternal value. How does a pastor balance his ministry and his family? How can a woman of faith give up on vows made before God?
AlLee does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life and making you care so much for them. I count myself lucky to have gotten an early look at The Pastor's Wife. Mary Connealy, Christy award-nominated author of Calico Canyon and Montana Rose

Featuring realistically drawn characters and a theme so needed in today's it's-about-me society, The Pastor's Wife is a well-crafted, heart-stirring story of love lost...and rediscovered. In my opinion, Jennifer AlLee is an author to watch.
Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of My Heart Remembers

As a child, Jennifer AlLee lived above a mortuary in the heart of Hollywood, California, which may explain her unique outlook on life. Her publishing credits include The Love of His Brother, a contemporary romance from Five Star Publishing (November 2007) as well as skits, activity pages, and over one hundred contributions to Concordia Publishing House’s popular My Devotions series. Her latest novel, The Pastor’s Wife, releases February 1, 2010 from Abingdon Press. She’s an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers and serves as the Nevada Area Coordinator. Jennifer resides in the grace-filled city of Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and teenage son. Visit her website at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Defense Against Excuses and Limitations

2010-02-04T11:51:00.008-05:00

Concerns, aggravation, and wasted hours on the phone with technicians over my email server problems have put me woefully behind schedule for February. I read this post on Spark People this morning and it made me realize all is not lost. I have a lot to do, but what I accomplish or don't accomplish depends just as much on attitude and determination as it does on if Microsoft returns my calls. Hope you find some inspiration to get moving on that project that has you stymied, or the one you keep putting off, or whatever.

Burrr ...
February, for many, is a cold month. Regardless of whether it is cold or not, it can feel very cold emotionally. The holidays are in the past and there might be credit card bills to deal with. New Year Resolutions are long forgotten. The enthusiasm you had going into the New Year has worn off and you are falling back into your old routines. Things are feeling like a grind. Heaviness sets in and you can begin to feel as cold and empty as the February landscape. You have been through this cycle many times, and yet here you are again. A dreary outlook and attitude to match the weather.

When we're cold we want to get warm. How do we do that? We turn up the heat. I remember when I lived in Northern Ontario, it got really cold in the winter. Did I say cold? I meant freezing cold. I lived in a house that was heated by woodstoves. We had an expression that you created heat twice when you burned wood. Once when you burn it, but also earlier when you chopped it. In fact in subzero weather, we would go out in t-shirts to split logs because we created so much heat from the activity.

Let's not settle back this month, let's get excited. February is not what is causing us to get down, it is the thinking that we indulge in. If we see it as more than just a time we have to get through, it is not an unpleasant experience. Let's change our attitude this February and decide this is going to be a great month.

Exercise. If you're stuck inside and can't participate in your favorite fun outdoor activities, do something else that gets your blood pumping and also accomplishes something. Organize your closets. Clean out the garage. Make a game out of doing your old exercise DVD's with the kids or your husband. Just don't let them know they're working out.

Create a writing plan for February. I don't know about you but this time of year gets my creative juices flowing. Something about the wind and swirling snow outside while I'm warm and cozy at my desk makes me want to get that novel off my fingertips and onto the keyboard.

What about you? Are you stuck on a project? Are you bogged down and distracted with concern about the economy or family issues and can barely string two sentences together? One of the reasons we develop a negative outlook, is we can't see where we are going. What's your goals? What do you want to finish by the end of the month? The end of the season? The end of the year? Write it down. Change your attitude and take charge. Make this the best February ever. It's your choice.

It's time for us to take off our shirts--figuratively speaking of course--split some logs and heat up our lives...so start chopping.

Need Inspiration--Clean out your file folder.

2010-02-01T07:39:00.005-05:00

I lost nearly all of last week to Mail Server problems. Still not resolved, btw. My PC has been acting a little wonky lately. While annoying, these situations remind me technology is not infallible. Qlitches or wormholes or warps, or whatever proper term you use, can suddenly wipe out everything you worked years to establish.

Today is Roll up Your Sleeves Day here at Joy in the Journey. My goal first thing this morning was to backup my files and do a little housekeeping in the process. You know, delete old files, combine virtual duplicates, and reorganize into a more efficient system. What I didn't expect was all the nearly abandoned and forgotten files languishing in my hard drive, screaming for my attention.

If you've been pursuing this writing gig for more than a year or two, your Documents File probably looks the same way. Like me, you might've experienced an epiphany at the grocery store or overheard a conversation or woke up from a dream and thought, "Wow, that's the best idea for a book I ever had!" As a good writer, you opened a new file while the episode was fresh in your mind and recorded every word and nuance. Weeks passed and more ideas came and the family needed fed and laundry piled up, and you forgot about that fabulous book just waiting to be written.

My Documents folder is filled with such files named "NOTES", "BEGINNINGS" or "IDEAS". Just someplace to record these ideas that will assuredly become the next Great American Novel if I can just get around to writing the thing. I don't need to buy books or read articles on writing prompts. My hard drive is full of them. All I need to do is open up one of those Documents and get to work.

So that's my goal for today. Open a few of those files. Rediscover why I thought they were worth recording in the first place. Organize, prioritize, add notes and delete what will only serve to slow the story down.

The last few months I have focused my energy on blogging, networking, articles, and short stories. While I enjoy this necessary aspect of the writing life, my focus should remain on my novels. That's where my heart is.

I read a quote not long ago: If you chase two rabbits, both will get away.

I highly recommend you backup your files right now before you get distracted with all the busyness of a new workweek and a new month. Don't put it off. Most importantaly, don't rely solely on automatic backups. The best part about doing it manually is you will see firsthand all the marvelous ideas you've written and forgot about. Who knows? One of them might just be your next bestseller...or your first.

Happy hunting.

Mounting Tension

2010-01-28T08:21:00.002-05:00

Computer problems kept me from posting earlier in the week as I had planned. Can anybody direct me to the nearest MAC dealer. During the second hour of tech support, the technician said, "Talking to you reminds me of why I'll never go back to a PC." I'm glad I was able to inspire someone yesterday.

But back to creating tension in a work. As I said on Monday I was disappointed that the AFC Championship game didn't contain more tension. Someone pointed out the NFC was chock full. Maybe that was the NFL's way of making it up to disappointed viewers.

Tension: 1. the act of stretching, stretched tight. 2. intense nervous anxiety. 3. stress caused by pulling or stretching.

I posted earlier about creating tension to keep your readers turning pages. It is imperative that you create tension as quickly as possible in a story. You may argue that the first thing a writer needs to worry about is the characters. After all, without characters to root for, the reader isn't going to care about whatever fantastic plot you've cooked up.

Yes, your characters are important. This is absolutely true. Give me someone to root for. But if you don't put the character in a must-win situation from the word go the reader won't hang around long enough to get to know and care about the character.

The opening character can be as basic as a dog lost on the street. I don’t need to know where the dog came from, what breed he is, or how he ended up homeless and hungry. Without knowing anything about the dog besides he is in a dangerous situation, I automatically root for him. He's a helpless animal, for crying out loud. That situation begs for sympathy.

Sympathy in a character builds tension. Imagine the following possibilites: A woman waiting for her husband to get home from work. There's an unopened letter on the table. She keeps looking from the letter to the window. Tension from the word go. What is she afraid of? The contents of the letter? How the contents will grieve him? Or is there a secret inside that puts her very life in danger?

What about: a child dreading the receipt of a test.
Someone waiting for a returned phone call.
A frustrated driver in rush hour traffic.
A man in a van near a city park, his hands wrapped around the steering wheel and his eyes glued to a lone child on the swings.

Each situation breeds tension. Fear. Compassion. Sympathy.

Does your opening contain these elements? Like I wrote earlier, it doesn't take exploding cars or gunshots in the night or squealing brakes and the thud of a body hitting pavement to create tension, though those work well. Imagine again the skinny dog flinching at the noises of the city as he maneuvers between legs and moving cars. Endless possibilites or an opening a potential editor will easily set aside.

You decide.

AFC Championship--Where's the tension?

2010-01-25T09:48:00.004-05:00

As a huge Peyton Manning fan you can believe I was in front of the TV watching the match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets yesterday afternoon. Part of me can’t help but root for the underdog so I almost wanted to see the Jets win the prize. The first half was a nail biter. Both teams played as if a championship was at stake. Oh, yeah, it sorta was.

But my interest soon waned as the wind went out of the Jets’ sails. Anyone could see this was the Colts’ game. As a writer it didn't take long to figure out why the AFC Championship game lost me as a viewer.

No tension.
No contest.
No surprises.
The death knell for any form of entertainment.
The Colts pulled ahead in the second half; the lead widened and the Jets began to play like a defeated team. When the Colts intercepted the ball just before the two-minute warning I was actually disappointed, even though it was the outcome I had hoped for.

In fiction, I know a few pages into a book how I want it to end. I already know my heroine is probably going to outsmart the bad guy. She’ll return the lost puppy to its master. She’ll reconcile with her mother. She’ll win the chili cook-off, save her sister’s marriage, rescue the children from the bottom of the deserted mine shaft, lose that last fifteen pounds, and of course, capture the heart of our dashing hero.

The trick for the writer is to make all those things happen---to give the reader the story they want, the outcome they expect, the champion they’re rooting for, without turning it into a runaway game that makes them turn the channel. The key to doing this is tension.

Tension: 1. the act of stretching, stretched tight. 2. intense nervous anxiety. 3. stress caused by pulling or stretching.

Readers hate this in real life, but you better give it to them in their reading material. Sol Stein in Stein on Writing says conflict is the ingredient that makes action dramatic. If you don’t quickly arouse the reader’s curiosity they will stop reading and close the book. You must arouse that curiosity and keep it aroused as long as possible.

Readers want to be taken to the edge of their seat once in a while, even though they expect a certain ending when they start reading. During the game yesterday, I got just what I expected...and it was boring. While still wanting the Colts to win, I would've preferred a little back and forth, a contest, some tense moments where it looked like the Jets might actually pull it out.

Whether fiction or nonfiction, look at your project this week. Determine that you are giving readers what they expect, but not it the way they expect. Try something new. Turn everything upside down and shake it out. Ask yourself: Is this going to deliver the right results, but in a new and unexpected way?

While you want to write a runaway bestseller, you don't want to turn it into a runaway ballgame that has everyone leaving early to beat traffic.

Lessons from the Garden--Mary DeMuth

2010-01-20T08:05:00.005-05:00

My guest blogger today is Mary DeMuth, author of Thin Places: A Memoir. If you've met Mary or read any of her books, you know what an uplifting, inspiring person and prolific writer she is. I am honored to have her hear today to offer us words of encouragement.

For those of you discouraged about the writing journey, I hope my story helps a little. Or at least gives you an idea of how important tenacity is in the writing journey.

I read in Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent book called Outliers about the irony of genius. Most of those highly proficient in a career or endeavor spent 10,000 hours before they “broke out.” As I thought about my writing career, it all suddenly made sense. I spent the decade of the 90s (plus two more years) writing in obscurity, hour upon hour until I’m sure I surpassed the 10,000 hour mark. After that decade, I attended Mount Hermon with a novel in hand, landed an agent, and sold two books in that first year. Folks often want to hear that part of the story, but it’s hard for them to hear about all the underlying work that went into that dramatic year.

I don’t at all see those 10,000 hours as wasted time. It’s what I needed to apprentice myself to the writing craft. I found my voice. I learned to write fast. I exceeded deadlines. I curried discipline. All those traits serve me well now.

So now I’m in my twentieth year of this journey. I’m not a bestselling author. I’ve achieved some critical success, but I’m not fully making a living at it. I see this last decade as a building one. Recently the Lord showed me something profound while I gardened in my small vegetable patch (readying it for winter). My garden is small, though I long for a larger one someday. The Lord said, “I gave you a small plot so you’d learn to bloom there. If I gave you a field, you’d have been overwhelmed.”

True, true, true. Had I been granted instant success, it would’ve been like trying to garden on ten acres when I hadn’t mastered a 3x30 plot. All these ten years have been training ground for me to learn everything belongs to Jesus. Had I become successful out of the gate, I shudder to think of the Me Monster I might’ve become. I’m at that place where I’m keenly aware that everything is a gift. Success. Rejection. Waiting. Accolades. It’s all from His hand. And it’s not about me.

I’ve had an inkling that my next book could be the breakout one. But I’m also grounded enough to know that it could flop around like a dying fish. It’s okay. God, through ten years of 10,000 words and ten years of small plot gardening, has taught me the beauty of His sovereignty in it all.

So if you’re on your journey discouraged that publishing isn’t happening fast enough, that you’re “good enough” to be published but aren’t getting nibbles, stop and wait and consider.

Have you put in your hours?
How’s your small garden plot? Any weeds?
Have you rested in the fact that God has us all on vastly different journeys, and that yours will differ from everyone else’s?
Are you learning contentment, tenacity, patience?
Are you better craftwise than you were last year at this time?
Have you passed on what you've learned to others, being generous in what others have taught you?

Just some thoughts to consider as you journey forward.

The Awesome Bond of Sisters

2010-01-18T13:35:00.003-05:00

Virginia Smith is the author of a dozen Christian novels including the Sister-to-Sister Series, which is based in large part on her relationship with her own sisters. Stuck in the Middle was a finalist for the 2009 ACFW Book of the Year award. Her newest book, Third Time’s a Charm, the third and final book in the series, is now available wherever books are sold. Learn more about Ginny and her books, and enter a Prize Bonanza Giveaway, at www.VirginiaSmith.org.

My middle sister and I fought like wildcats when we were growing up. One of my most vivid childhood memories is of being forcibly separated during an argument and banished to sit together on the living room couch with orders not to get up until we could get along. I huddled against one arm and resigned myself to living on that two-foot square cushion for the next eleven years, when I would turn eighteen and could get my own apartment. After an eternity, Mom entered the room to mediate. “Girls,” she said, “you are sisters. There will never be another person in the world more closely related to you than your sister. So you’d better learn to get along, because someday one of you might need a kidney.” Not, perhaps, the most convincing argument for reconciliation ever presented, but it worked. For the moment, anyway.

A woman has many relationships in her life, but the bond between sisters is unique. There is the biological link, but the connection goes beyond that. Sisters enjoy a shared past. They experienced many of the same events that molded their personalities, and therefore they understand one another in a way no one else can. They speak the same shorthand. If one of my sisters says, “I know! Let’s put on a show!” we all laugh, because we remember the first time one of us said that, and the resulting spectacle that has become family legend.

Sisters “get” each other without having to go into all the background. When I’ve had an argument with my husband, I can call my sisters and say, “He doesn’t want a puppy. I think I may divorce him.” My sisters understand my reaction immediately, because they remember witnessing our parents’ argument over the same subject. They can talk me down from the ledge, and away from the divorce attorneys. And they will do this even if I call them at three o’clock in the morning, with only a minimum amount of grumbling about the loss of sleep.

Psychologist Marcia Millman, author of The Perfect Sister, said during an interview, “I think sisters can help repair the injuries of childhood.” That’s certainly been true in my family. Whenever we get together, our husbands cover yawns and eventually slip away to the other room to watch a ballgame while we rehash events of our childhood, and discuss how they have impacted us as adults. Often I come away with a new perspective and a better attitude, so gatherings with my sisters are sort of like group therapy sessions. Only less expensive.

While it’s true that we share a common past, even sisters experience different events while growing up in the same household. I like to remind both of my sisters that, being the oldest, I blazed the trail for them. They both got their ears pierced sooner than I did, and wore lipstick, and shaved their legs. They were both allowed to date at an earlier age than I was, and stay out later. There are ten years between my youngest sister and me, so by the time she became a teenager, I had successfully driven our parents into a state of exhausted stupor, and she got to do pretty much whatever she wanted. (Which I still think is totally unfair, but that’s the way it is in most families, I’ve learned.) I think she owes me big-time.

My sisters and I do still have the occasional conflict. Author Linda Sunshine said, “If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child.” Our arguments don’t become physical anymore (we all understand the importance of good hair now, so we are no longer tempted to grab a handful), but these days, being at odds with one of my sisters is far more painful than our childhood brawls.
Several years ago, my middle sister and I had a disagreement and didn’t speak to each other for a few days. I was miserable without her, but we both stubbornly refused to back down. While cooking dinner one evening, I dropped a glass measuring cup she had given me, and it shattered. When it did, my stubbornness broke into a million pieces. My husband brought the phone to me where I sat sobbing on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass, and said sternly, “Call your sister.” Never has a reunion been so sweet.

Someone once said that relationships between siblings are the most long-lasting and influential of all. My sisters have been a part of my life longer than my husband or my children, and they will be part of my life even after our parents are gone. They know me, and understand me, and they like me anyway. They’re one of the best blessings God has given me. And as Mom said, if I ever do need a kidney, I know who to call.

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SIDEBAR

8 Tips for Maintaining a Relationship with your Sister
In today’s busy world, it’s easy to let a relationship slide. That’s true regardless of whether you live nearby or far apart. Here are some tips for maintaining a strong relationship with your sister.

Scheduled Phone Calls – Communication is the key to any relationship, so don’t leave it to chance. Select a specific day each week for an uninterrupted phone call. Put your sister on your cell phone “Favorites” so you can talk free.

Text Messages – Texting is the preferred method of communication for one of my sisters. Be sure you have unlimited texts on your cell phone plan.

Utilize the Internet – Email and social networking sites like Facebook are wonderful ways to stay connected. On Goodreads and LibraryThing you can keep track of what your sister is reading, too.

Skype – If you both have a computer with a camera, this software allows you see each other while you talk – and it’s free.

Letters – Email is wonderful, but there’s nothing like reading your sister’s words in her own handwriting.

Cards – Next time you browse the card shelves, pick up several funny ones and tuck them away in a drawer. Send one every so often to surprise your sister with a laugh.

Sister Sleepovers – Even if you live near one another, there’s nothing like getting away from it all with your sister. Schedule an annual sleepover at a lodge, or hotel, or even at someone’s house. Leave the kids at home, and focus on having fun with each other.

Start a Tradition – Create a tradition you share only with your sister. For instance, my sister and I exchange ugly ornaments at Christmas every year. We spend months shopping for the ugliest ornament we can find, and love the competition of seeing who “wins” that year.

Third Time's a Charm by Virginia Smith
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell
Release: January 1, 2010
ISBN-10: 0800732340
ISBN-13: 978-0800732349
Retail: $14.99

Kathy Carlton Willis Communications
1324 S. 10th Street Raymondville, TX 78580
WillisWay@aol.com | kcwcomm@rgv.rr.com | 956-642-6319 | www.kathycarltonwillis.com

Crafting Unforgettable Characters--Free E-book

2010-01-15T20:06:00.005-05:00

My friend and fellow author K. M. Weiland has graciously allowed me to bring this info and offer to you.

As those of you follow me on Facebook and Twitter may already know, I’ve been hard at work for the last month, putting together an e-book as a gift to my readers. Today, I’m excited to announce that you can now claim your copy of Crafting Unforgettable Characters: A Hands-On Introduction to Bringing Your Characters to Life.

Featuring some of my most popular tips on character crafting, this pdf offers a good starting place for understanding the basics of character building, as well as some tips for troubleshooting. You’ll also discover inspiring quotes from successful authors, writing prompts, and creativity exercises. Of course, the discussion of character is far too vast a subject to be covered in a 50-page e-book, but this information will give you the tools you need to tackle your latest batch of characters.

Click here to follow the link.

Thanks, K.M. for letting me share this on Joy in the Journey.

The Country House Courtship

2010-01-09T20:44:00.004-05:00

Available now from Harvest House Publishers, readers will love the third volume in Linore Rose Burkard's wildly popular regency series, The Country House Courtship. In this installation, a young regency miss runs into conflict when her heart's desires concerning a husband run counter to what her mind says is best.

It is 1818 and Miss Beatrice Forsythe is determined to marry well. After all, her sister married the Paragon, Mr. Phillip Mornay, five years earlier--which all but guarantees that she, Beatrice, can also make a famous match to a wealthy man.

But her sister and husband have disappeared from high society as they raise a family at their country estate.
Can Beatrice persuade them to chaperone her in London?

Meanwhile an old acquaintance, Mr. Peter O'Brien shows up at the house as the candidate for a vicarage to which Mr. Mornay holds the rights. Will old passions and jealousies be revived? Or can Mr. O'Brien and the Mornays ever live near each other as friends? And what about Beatrice's rash promise to marry the curate, made years earlier? At seventeen now, she has no wish to marry a mere clergyman--despite his agreeable countenance and winsome gentle ways.

When Mr. Tristan Barton comes on the scene as the tenant of the Manor House, Beatrice's hopes seem to have found their object. But when Ariana falls gravely ill, secrets come to light, motives are revealed, and the pretences that are easy to keep up in the sunlight begin to crumble. Hearts are bared, truths uncovered, and when all is said and done, a country house courtship like no other has occurred!

Fans of Linore's first two books, Before the Season Ends,and The House in Grosvenor Square, will love this exciting conclusion to the Regency Series, as will all readers of historical romance.

Linore Rose Burkard creates Inspirational Romance for the Jane Austen Soul. Her characters take you back in time to experience life and love during the Regency England era (circa 1800 - 1830). Ms. Burkard's novels include Before the Seasons Ends and The House in Grosvenor Square (coming April, 2009). Her stories blend Christian faith and romance with well-researched details from the Regency period. Experience a romantic age, where timeless lessons still apply to modern life. And, enjoy a romance that reminds you happy endings are possible for everyone.

Just Write--What not to do when you should be writing.

2010-01-08T10:13:00.004-05:00

The average writer encounters at least a thousand distractions during the writing day that takes us away from our masterpiece. While working on a workshop presentation for an upcoming writers' conference, I came across this list of things to avoid to keep from writing.

Always fun and inspiring, I thought I would share it here with you.

Do not check your email. Do not log in to your favorite writers’ group to see what everyone’s up to. Do not turn on the TV and tell yourself its research. Do not wash the dishes. Do not reorganize your computer files. Do not take out the trash. Do not Google your exes. Do not Google yourself. Do not take a nap—I fight this temptation every afternoon. Do not change the cat litter. Do not hang out the laundry. Do not file your nails. Do not answer the phone. Do not pay your bills. Do not balance your checkbook. Do not yell at your husband because he didn’t record the last five transactions. Do not start to think you don’t actually have what it takes to write a book. Do not edit your ideas before you even write them down. Do not start a to-do list. Do not start wondering if that mole is bigger than the last time you looked at it. Do not start thinking of all the loose ends you need to fix before you finish your book. Do not start perusing your own bookshelves for inspiration. Do not organize all the magazines you subscribe to but never read. Do not start thinking about what to fix for dinner. Do not look up the number for the local delivery place because you probably won’t have time to cook dinner since you’re having such an awesome writing day. Do not start worrying about all the time you’ve already wasted. Do not come up with 20 more Do-Not’s to add to this list.

Enough distractions. Get back to work. And if you happen to be in the Middletown/Dayton, Ohio area on February 27th, I'd love to see you at my workshop. Times and details will follow.

Undoing Negative Habits

2010-01-05T17:02:00.001-05:00

They say old habits die hard. For me that is especially true. Have you ever moved a clock from one wall to another? How many times did you look at the blank wall to check the time only to remember the clock had been moved?

This week on American Christian Fiction Writers, they are discussing habits, both good and bad, that either rob us of our time or make us more productive. I examined my writing habits to see which ones should be eradicated and which ones I need to adopt?

One habit that I start every day with is logging into Spark People—an online community for those looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle—and logging my fitness minutes. You get Spark Points for time spent working out. Once I’m there, I check out the challenges for the day, see how my Spark Buddies are doing on my teams, and posting encouragement to newcomers.

Nothing wrong with that, but if I’m not careful, in no time at all an entire hour has slipped away. I do the same thing when looking for blog ideas. Other blogs are so darn interesting I have to stop and read. I convince myself it’s for research. After all, I need to see what they’re doing to attract so many visitors. The same goes for Facebook and Twitter. Before I know it, it’s almost eleven and I haven’t written a word.

The afternoon brings its own challenges. I usually eat my lunch around one. I look forward to that hour all day. I nuke something and plop down in front of the TV for some downtime. One episode of The King of Queens turns into two and then I watch an episode of The Office that I recorded last night. Or worse I doze off on the couch and don’t accomplish a thing.

What about my good habits? Hmmm. There has to be something. First thing every morning I watch Joyce Meyer, work out, and then watch another preacher from Singapore while I cool down before taking a shower. It’s after I get out of the shower that my routine breaks down.

I need to learn to apply the same dedication to writing as I do my workout routine. I worked out on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day because I didn’t want to gain over the holidays. Achieving my writing goals should be more important, or at least as much as keeping off the weight I had lost. While my health is important, my career should have the same priority.

Habits I need to incorporate:
1. Keep the TV off, especially during the day when I am home alone. What better time is there to write?
2. Prioritize. Each day is a gift. Don’t waste a moment of it.
3. Don’t answer the phone every time it rings. Not every call needs to be taken when it is convenient for the caller.
4. Write at the same time every day. Begin early and finish early so if something comes up I’m not behind in my work.

What about your writing habits? Are they productive or ineffective? What do you need to incorporate into your routine and what should you eradicate? It’s a new year—an opportunity to begin anew. Don’t lament the time wasted or what didn’t work last year. Move on, and move up.

Happy Writing

2010-01-04T16:38:00.001-05:00

Two years ago my friend joined a group called Celebrate Recovery created by The Purpose Driven Life’s Rick Warren. She has grown immeasurably since joining. One thing she told me about the other day was taking inventory of her life, especially of how she has grown from last year to this.

Unlike resolutions, an inventory is simply a way of making sure you are on track to reach your goals you have already set and evaluating where you are on your journey, whether spiritually, physically, in relationships, career, or any other goal a person might have made.

Unfortunately after writing my inventory for 2009 this morning, it was so depressing I cannot bear to post it here. Suffice it to say, I did not get a book contract. I’m not sure if that means I went way off track in reaching that goal or if I can blame the economy and other factors. Maybe a little of both. I did procure an agent last year. That was a step in the right direction. I wrote another book though it is far from a publishable form. Maybe it will be my breakout bestseller.

Since today is Roll up your Sleeves Day here at Joy in the Journey, I challenge you to take an inventory of your goals and how far you’ve gone in reaching them. Are you still on track? Do you recognize where you are headed? Is what you’re doing today drawing you closer to those goals, or are your time and energies better off spent elsewhere?

I believe nothing easy will come to any of us this year. If you want something you’re going to need to roll up your sleeves and go after it.

I will continue in 2010 to hone my skills and grow in the craft. If something doesn’t change soon, I will be forced out of the house and back to the nine-to-five grind. Since I would rather eat barbed wire, I trust this sense of urgency will propel me to take drastic measures, like actually fastening my rear to the chair and focusing on my writing.

What about you? Are you on the right path to end up where you want to go? What resistance do you regularly face? What can you do today that will put you on the fast track to your goals?

A New Year's Resolution you may actually keep.

2009-12-31T12:27:00.006-05:00

A good friend of mine from Spark People was kind enough to allow me to use this post she wrote a few weeks ago.

I stumbled upon this quote from Yo-Yo Ma, which I very much appreciate. It gives direction! "Things can fall apart, or threaten to, for many reasons, and then there's got to be a leap of faith. Ultimately, when you're at the edge, you have to go forward or backward; if you go forward, you have to jump together." I'm ready to jump. Want to jump with me?

The New Year is upon us, and I am thrilled. We now have an opportunity to look back on 2009 with lovingkindness, decide what we'd like to change and what goals we'd like to set, and move forward into a new year!

At the same time, I recognize that the statistics for people actually reaching their New Year's goals aren't very encouraging. Research shows that more than half of those who set goals fall off the resolution bandwagon by mid-February. What's up with that? Why do we abandon our goals? It's because we take on too much, and we make it all so complicated! We are overwhelmed and under-motivated. Take the leap of faith.

Statistics show that 75% of what we write down happens. Putting your goals on paper both alerts your brain that you are "open for business," as well as sending a strong and positive message to the universe, declaring that you are, indeed, "in the game!”

No Procrastinating Jump right into change. Now is as good a time as any to start working toward a more satisfying future. If not now, when? Create a Plan In order for you to manifest your goals, you need to create a series of clear and simple steps that you can put into action. Set your mind It starts and ends in the mind. If you resolve to walk every day, don't let the rain dissolve your resolve! There are always the stairwells at work or at home! And there's even rain gear!

Be Specific. Don't write or say, "I'm going to lose weight ." Instead say, "I am going to permanently remove 10 pounds."

Visualize. When you visualize, your brain "practices" your action. See yourself eating less, exercising more, relaxing, succeeding, smiling, being in a happy relationship, making money, singing, dancing, etc! Woo hoo!!

Less is more. The more things you try to change in a short period of time, the less likely you are to change anything over the long term. Pace yourself. Don't try and change 50 things at once.

Find a resolution buddy and share your goals with them. You are now accountable to someone other than yourself, and you will also feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment from helping your friend reach her goals!

Set a Timetable. The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline! It can make all the difference. Specifically, when were you going to reach your goal? And how are you going to do that?

Create a Vision Board. Find inspiring quotes, motivating pictures, or anything that reminds you of your goal and collage these bits n' pieces together on paper and place it where you can see it!

Take a Risk. Resolutions are not just about 'fixing' something or getting something; they are about stretching a bit outside of your comfort zone. Go for it!

Write your goals on Post-It notes and place them on your fridge or bathroom mirror, or write your goals in your date book, or on your calendar. You don't want them to fall off your to-do list, do you?

Accentuate the Positive. Looking at the bright side of things will definitely generate more energy and enthusiasm that will help you to go after your dreams. And actually celebrate failure If at first you don't succeed, try again! Reassess the situation, tweak it, learn from it and celebrate your moving forward.

Start a Journal. Record your successes and your failures. Your thoughts and a-ha! moments. Give yourself a gold star, while you're at it. Steer Clear of Negativity. Just as you will find people who will support you, you will also come across those who are negative and are likely to stop you from moving forward. Smile and walk away.

BE PATIENT! People want immediate results, but change takes time. Remember that it's the journey that's important. Remember YOU matter! Carve out time to give yourself the love and attention you need, and be sure to compliment yourself daily. Fully acknowledge all that you've accomplished and how special you are!

My Hero

2009-12-29T08:47:00.002-05:00

I’m sure we all remember the heroes of books from olden times. Square jawed, aristocratic nose, shoulders that started out as broad as a barn and tapered to a flat stomach with chiseled abs. As if. (Without workout equipment that targeted certain muscle groups, how did these guys manage such a physique? Powerful biceps and a bull like neck I get. But those abs? Get serious.) And don’t even get me started on his gleaming, perfectly straight choppers. How in the world did that happen? A fortunate few are born with straight teeth that never require a dentist or at the very least fluoride, but in those days? Everybody knows what the lack of proper prenatal care does to bones and teeth.

But I digress. In days of yore the hardest part of creating the hero of a dime store novel or bodice ripper was deciding on which color to paint the thick mane that fell in glorious waves past the requisite broad shoulders, even in his waning years.

Villains were just as easy. Their hair was always thin and greasy to match their lecherous smile. They generally had bad teeth and equally poor hygiene. They were usually thin. No ripped abs or rippling biceps on these guys.

Most discerning readers today expect a little more. We want a hero with meat on his bones. No, now wait a minute. Not that kind of meat, though a little is acceptable, especially if he’s married. We still want our heroes handsome, mysterious and in halfway decent shape. But he needn’t be perfect. In fact, if he is we don’t buy it.

Besides a few physical flaws that add to his charm and good looks, he better have an issue or two. A little baggage is good as long as it isn’t too grievous. Life has been tough on our hero but it can’t have turned him into heartless jerk. That’s what villains are for.

I’m currently rewriting my hero as if you couldn’t tell from the tone of this post. He has a job, a past—including an ex-wife and an obnoxious teenage daughter—and obstacles to overcome. No ripped abs, but no beer belly either. Somewhere in the middle is good. Powerful arms and calloused hands are a given. I like those on a man. But he hasn’t yet told me exactly who he is. Besides the obvious, I’m unclear on what he needs to accomplish by the end of the book. How will he grow? What will he learn about the man he is and who he hopes to become that he didn’t know before?

I’ve been dwelling on my hero for several weeks. He keeps me awake at night. I can see him when I close my eyes, but he’s still a little blurry. I need to know him better before I can adequately tell his story. Of course he will become clearer as the story progresses. At least that’s what I’m counting on.

Isn’t that the fun of writing? When the story is a journey of discovery for the writer as much as for the reader. Enough stalling. Back to work. Speak to me, Brock. Tell me your story. What’s on your mind? Where do you need to go…….

Learning How to Write

2009-12-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

I couldn't log in to my You Can Write a Novel blog to post this article. I am posting here instead to see if I can figure out the problem. Hope it inspires or motivates someone today.

Is writing easy? That can be a tough question to answer because it can be both easy and difficult simultaneously. A great and legendary writer like Stephen King admits he has his good points and his tough points and by no means is writing a new novel easy for him. Of course, the mere fact that Stephen King is enormously successful leads one to reasonably conclude that he does not make the common mistakes that beginning writers commonly make. So, here are some tips on learning how to write while avoiding some of the common mistakes that are often embodied by new writers. Actually, a few seasoned writers make these errors as well.

All works of writing need to have a clear beginning, middle, and end. This is true of both fiction and non-fiction. Fiction needs to present a clear narrative with writing that yields a direct path to the conclusion of the work. Non-fiction will usually introduce a concept, spend the middle of the material developing it, and then tying it all up in a proper conclusion. Beginning writers have a tendency to meander in their material and present an unfocused work. That confuses the readers and turns them off rather quickly.

Be sure you know and understand the audience you are writing for. Those that are crafting works designed for a young audience need to be sure the material is written at their level and not above it. If it is, they won't understand what they are reading. On the other hand, you would not want to write oversimplified material to an older audience that they reject. Again, you always need to tailor your writing to the age bracket of the reader.

It is also important to maintain the same point of view in the work. Yes, there are some famous novels such as THE SOUND AND THE FURY that violate such principles, but these books are complex even for those that study them on an academic level. Also, Faulkner knew what he was doing when he was changing the narrative and structural point of view of his novel. This is not an easy task to pull off! When done improperly, changing a point of view can thoroughly confuse a reader. So, avoid doing it!

Avoid making every character in a fiction piece sound the same. This is often the result of using too much exposition. When all the characters sound the same, they can have a tendency to blend together. When you can't tell the protagonist from the antagonist, you have a major structural flaw. Keep this in mind when you are learning how to write.

When learning how to write, it is quite helpful to invest a lot of time practicing how to improve your material. Consistent practice is something that you never lose sight off and something you never stop no matter where in your writing career you may be. Setting aside the time to practice so you hone into your craft is always a recommended plan when seeking to correct common beginner writing mistakes.

Lastly, it should almost always go without saying that proper syntax and grammar are a must. Those learning how to write always need to pay attention to the proper wording of their material. If not, the material will not be well received. That's just the way it goes!

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

About the Author:
Lisa Brunel
Planning on writing a book? Have you considered writing for children? Learning how to write can be a rewarding and fun experience! Sign up for our free newsletter at http://learntowriteachildrensbook.com and receive regular writing tips and articles. From story development to publishing tips to much more in between. Get the support you need become a successful writer.

Celebrate with Dawn Meehan

2009-12-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

What Really Matters
by Dawn Meehan

In the hustle and bustle and commercialism of Christmas, take time to remember the real reason why we celebrate - the birth of Christ, our Lord and Saviour. May you all have a blessed Christmas!

I had a VERY long day with the kids doing little but fighting. By the time we left for church, we were all short tempered, snapping at each other, and not at all in the Christmas spirit. Thankfully, once at church, we calmed down. Things were put in perspective for us. We sang Christmas songs and began to smile at one another again. The kids didn't fight once while we were there. Well, they did use their battery operated candles as light sabers for a minute, but we'll forget about that part.

I never sent out cards (sorry to all my family and friends). It just didn't happen this year. I don't think I ever completely finished my shopping, but it's a little late now. Several items I ordered online have been back ordered. I just realized that the kids have eaten all the cookies I've made and there are none to put out for Santa now. I encouraged them to leave him a glass of wine instead. And I failed to read the Christmas story to the kids before they went to bed.

But you know what? None of that matters. It really doesn't. Christmas is here! Christ is born! And He doesn't care if we sent out Christmas cards. He doesn't care if we ate all the cookies we baked. He doesn't even care if we never got around to baking a single cookie at all! He loves us no matter how much we screw up.

Now that's worth celebrating!

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Dawn Meehan (aka mom2my6pack) grew up in Chicagoland where she began her writing career at the age of 5 with her widely praised, The Lucky Leprechaun, an epic tale of a leprechaun who is- yes, you guessed it, lucky.

Dawn has six children, basically because she didn't want seven. She is the author of Because I Said So and spends her days blogging at BecauseISaidSo.com, changing diapers, cleaning pudding off her ceiling, tackling insurmountable piles of laundry, and explaining to her kids why they can't have a pet squirrel or an indoor slip-n-slide.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Slow Down, Pray & Give Thanks

2009-12-24T11:03:00.001-05:00

All Decked Out For Christmas
by Maureen Lang

One of the reasons so many of us love the holiday season is that it's just so...pretty! Twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, packages that glisten with bows and fancy wrapping. Our houses are trimmed with wreaths and glowing trees, and the neighborhood lights up the night with strands of icicles and glimmering reindeer.

Even we get decked out for the holidays! Chances are most of us will attend at least one party this season, and if we don't usually don clothing or jewelry with a bit of sparkle, now's the time to take a chance with something that reflects the holiday.

Smiles are another reason this season is such a popular one. They accompany that familiar greeting-Merry Christmas! Smiles go with the gifts we give and with the gifts we receive. Smiles go with the old Christmas carols and classic movies we watch every year.

The holiday season is a time when everything can seem amplified. But what if we're all decked out on the outside, from the sparkling clothing to our best effort at a smile, and on the inside we're anything but happy? If life isn't what we expected it to be, the gap between reality and our happy, hopeful expectations seem wider when everyone around us is laughing through the season.

I know there are as many reasons to be unhappy as there are to be happy, and I wouldn't begin to have the answer to make this season bearable for everyone. But I do know a few things that have worked for me:

Slow down. What? During the busiest time of the year? Yep. I know when I feel completely overwhelmed it's because I'm pressuring myself to do too much. So I try to plan ahead, settle for less than perfection, do my best without driving myself and everyone around me crazy. Choose what's really important and let go of the other things. And I've adopted my aunt's favorite saying: "However it turns out, that's how we like it." Works wonders on attitude!

Pray. As my pastor reminded me this weekend from Psalm 34:18: the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. God may not deliver us from our troubles, but He promises to stay beside us-in fact, closer than when everything seems hunky-dory.

Find a moment to give thanks for what you do have (without looking around at those who have more).

This last point deserves a moment of reflection, and is something I'm still learning to do. I have a child severely handicapped by Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic form of mental retardation. For years I thought I'd accepted his condition. I obediently said to God, "thank you even for this," since it taught me many things about adjusting to the life I've been given rather than the one I might have chosen.

But as my son gets older, I see new forms of acceptance making that feeling of gratitude more genuine. I think I'm finally letting go of some of the hopes and dreams I had for him, my oldest son. I can no longer imagine him any other way than the way he is, even though I'd be first in line if a cure is ever found.

I still think it's a good thing to give thanks in all things, even if it begins out of obedience rather than tender gratitude for whatever thorn we live with. But realizing it's okay to grow into that gratitude was a blessing to me.

Maybe some of the bruises on our spirit seem tender during the holiday season, a reminder that all the glitter on the outside might not light us up on the inside. My prayer is trust Psalm 34:18. Let's lean on Him this season-He's right here beside us!

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Maureen Lang grew up loving to tell stories, and God has blessed her immeasurably to be able to tell them to a wider audience these days. For the latest goings-on, please check her blog!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas with Anna Joujan

2009-12-23T13:50:00.001-05:00

12 Pearls of Christmas: Wondrous Mystery

Magnificant
by Anna Joujan

Holy. Holy. Holy is the Lord. The familiar catch of breath. The sting in the eyes. And the tears begin to flow with the falling rain. Or do the tears fall with the flowing rain.

What is it in these words that I whisper that wrenches at my heart so? Why does Mary's prayer touch the core of my being, so many centuries after it was spoken?

I think it must be because I know that she was just a girl, just a human being, with a woman's heart like my own. And so, when I hear her wondering words, I can feel with her the emotion she must have felt. To bear the son of God-what wondrous mystery, what glorious honour! And she was, like me, just a young woman-much younger, in fact, than I am now. And so, no matter how often I hear the story and read her words, it still has the power to bring abrupt and unsought tears.

What a gracious God, to work wonders with such frail and faulty creatures as us!

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Anna G. Joujan was born in South Dakota, as a Canadian citizen, and was raised in Zambia, the child of missionary teachers. Since her family's move to the U.S., Anna spent her childhood and early adulthood traveling throughout the world thanks to various educational and work opportunities . . . France, China, Peru, and Jamaica being some of the stops in her journeys. Her undergraduate degree in French Literature led to a Masters in Information Sciences, and to work as a college and high school librarian, and a cross country coach. She has also returned to Zambia multiple times to teach for individual families and for local schools. All the while continuing pursuing her passions of writing, artwork, photography . . . and running to a fault. She blogs at Full of Grace.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas by Melody Carlson

2009-12-22T09:40:00.001-05:00

A Soggy, Jolly, Holly Christmas
by Melody Carlson

One of my most memorable Christmases started out as a natural disaster. But isn't that a bit how a pearl is formed? An oyster's soft easy life is disrupted by the invasion of sand, but something good comes out of it. When I was eight, we experienced the worst flood in recorded Oregon history. It was only a few days before Christmas when our streets became shallow rivers and the governor proclaimed a state of emergency. My sister and I assumed the flood was simply our new water-world playground and didn't understand the seriousness of washed out bridges and downed power lines and submerged homes. But when we realized this flood was about to nix our usual three-hour trek to our grandparents' home near the coast, we were not happy.

Naturally, our mom, a single parent, protested the sensibility of holiday travel (most of Oregon's rivers were involved in the flood). But Christmas at Grandma's house was our favorite event of the year. And thanks to our persistence, Mom finally gave in. We piled into the car and headed out. Flood waters climbed higher the closer we got to the coast. And at one point the road behind us was closed and the one ahead was flooded and about to be closed as well. The state policeman told us we could cross "at our own risk." We followed a Volkswagen Bug into the water-then we actually watched the bug floating away! Of course, there was nothing to do besides plow on through the water, which appeared to be nearly two feet deep! Fortunately we had an old heavy Chevy that did not float away, but the water seeped in and pooled on the floors.

Fortunately, we made it safely to the grandparents. But once we arrived, we learned there would be no Christmas tree because the road to the woods was closed. Then my grandpa picked up his ax and led us outside where he chopped down his prize holly tree planted in the parking strip. I stared in horror, thinking Grandma was going to have a fit. But then he explained the city had told him to remove the tree for traffic visibility. So we had a twelve foot holly tree for Christmas. It was a little prickly decorating it, but with its shiny green leaves and red berries, it was the most beautiful tree ever! So what started out as a disaster turned out to be a soggy, holly, jolly Christmas after all.

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Melody Carlson, author of Limelight, Love Finds You in Sisters, The Christmas Dog, 86 Bloomberg Place, Diary of a Teenage Girl, The Carter House Girls, and much more... http://www.melodycarlson.com

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas with Tricia Goyer

2009-12-21T09:08:00.001-05:00

12 Pearls of Christmas: Help & Support

Calling Elizabeth ... HELP!
by Tricia Goyer

Mary, the mother of Jesus is one of the most well-known women of all time. She was also a teen mom facing an unplanned pregnancy. This Christmas we will see evidence of Mary's story all around us. And as you hear it through Christmas songs and Christmas shows think of three things:

1. Mary was signed up for a big task she wasn't prepared for.
2. Mary no doubt faced criticism from people around her.
3. Mary found someone to turn to - a friend who could help Mary to succeed in her new role. It was Mary's older cousin Elizabeth.

Elizabeth played an important part in Mary's life. We know this because the book of Luke begins by telling us Elizabeth's story first. Elizabeth was the wife of a priest. She was very old and had no children, but God blessed her in her old age by allowing her to get pregnant. After Elizabeth's story comes Mary's story ... another surprise pregnancy. Can you imagine what a shock that was to everyone who knew both women? (Yes! I'm sure you can!)

The cool thing is that the angel Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth's surprise pregnancy. It's as if he was saying, "Look, there's someone in your same situation. Turn to her. She can help you."

Mary did go to Elizabeth. In fact she lived with her older cousin for three months. Elizabeth was the first one who rejoiced over the child Mary held within her womb, and I imagine Elizabeth was there to encourage Mary as she coped with the idea of becoming a teen mom.

Like Mary, each of us should have people in our lives who we turn to for help, support and encouragement. Being a mom isn't an easy thing, and facing an unplanned pregnancy is even tougher.

When I had my son Cory I was 17-years-old, and there were a group of women from my grandma's church who supported me. They were the first ones who showed me that the child that was growing inside me was a gift. They gave me a baby shower, and they fought over holding my son after he was born.

As my son grew, there were other women I looked to ... and most of the time they didn't even know I was watching. One of them was Cheryl. Cheryl was patient with her children, she gave them big hugs, she laughed with them and played with them and I modeled myself after her. The thing about finding mentors is sometimes we can observe them without them even knowing. And if we're really lucky they enjoy their role of giving us advice.

Later, when I had two kids, I met a friend named Cindy. She and I were the same age and we became quick friends. Cindy was a support to me because we traded babysitting, talked about parenting problems, and we encouraged each other. She was someone who was walking the same road as me, and her advice helped more times than I can count.

No matter who we are, or where we live, each of us can look around and see the people we have in our lives. Some may cheer us on, some may guide our parenting, and others may just be there to walk along side us. If the mother of Jesus needed someone to look to for support ... shouldn't we? Everyone needs someone to provide a little help and support.

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Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-one books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted, and the children's book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today's Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana. Connect with Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Wisdom---God Intervenes

2009-12-20T08:25:00.000-05:00

The Answer
by Susan May Warren

Whos, Here, we are Whos here, smaller than the eye can see. Whos here, we are Whos here, I'm a Who and so is she...

I've always wanted to live in a musical. When I was a kid, I loved Oklahoma, Sound of Music, West Side Story. I seriously thought that, if the moment was right, maybe the stars aligned, people would break out into song and dance.

I was sorta right. Because in my house, one needs to be able to talk in movie lines and song lyrics to effectively communicate. At any moment, someone might break out with a quip from the Princess Bride, or Finding Nemo. They might sing Tomorrow from Annie, or My Favorite Things like Julie Andrews.

But, most recently we've found ourselves speaking in "Suess"...

It's suppertime, son, and the time is near To call far and wide the sneetches who hear Just the sound of their bellies, the whir of their gear The Gurgles and Burbles that give them great fear Tell them all, tell them loud, tell them clear Their hands they should wash, check their face in the mirror Because the food is now ready and it's time to steer Close to the table, where they'll find hot gribbles here.

Why, you ask? Because David and Sarah are performing in the community theater's production of Suessical the Musical, a hilarious conglomeration of Dr. Suess' fun work, from Horton hears a Who to Horton Hatches an Egg.

As the Christmas season draws close (and the songs from the play linger in my head), one line has stood out to me... "We are here, we are here!" You know the story - that part where, after everyone has called Horton names and they're about ready to boil the speck that contains Who-ville, Horton calls out to the Whos to send up a cry to prove themselves as real. "We are here, we are here!"

It strikes me that sometimes we can feel like Whos...smaller than the eye can see. Tossed hither and yon by the wind, helpless and facing being boiled. Tired, perhaps, or alone. Wishing someone might find us and pay attention.

Someone has, and that's the good news about Christmas. Because we don't have to "make ourselves heard," like the Whos. In fact, even before we realized we were headed for the cauldron, God intervened. God demonstrated his own love for us in this - while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8). That's what Jesus is all about - he's the answer to even the unspoken cry of our hearts, saying, "I am here, I am here." Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

So as this season approaches with its whistles and bells I hope you hear the voice where the Mighty One dwells -- down deep in your hearts, so nothing can shake the knowledge of his love, given all for your sake.

Merry Christmas from Susie May Warren

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Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of twenty-one novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep's Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader's Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota. www.susanmaywarren.com Check out her Christmas Novella, The Great Christmas Bowl.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: He is Always Enough

2009-12-19T17:11:00.000-05:00

Christmas in a Barn
by Mary DeMuth

The Christmas of 2006 we were homeless. We didn't have keys. Not to a car, not to a home. We'd flown halfway around the world, leaving behind a ministry we toiled over. Much, particularly in our hearts, lay in ruins.

Some friends had a camp, and on that camp stood a barn. In the corner of the barn was a tiny apartment, flanked by this caboose and hundreds of acres of Texas pasture. We'd never been there before, so we followed directions at night, making plenty of wrong turns.

When we found the place, we drove a borrowed car over the cattle guard toward what would be our home for a month. String lights illuminated a small porch, a window and a door in the corner of an aluminum-sided barn. We hefted large pieces of luggage to the apartment.

And when we opened the door, Love welcomed us.

The place, usually completely unfurnished in the winter, was decked out with just the right amount of beds, couches and tables. The pantry was full. We had dishes and garbage cans, and cups and forks and food. But even more, we had a Christmas tree. Friends had hijacked the place, decorating it for Christmas. Cookies preened on the table.

I will never, ever forget that Christmas. We had so little. We felt the painful burden of failure. But we were loved, so terribly and wonderfully loved.

Christmas felt right there, in a barn. We heard the nickering of horses, the meowing of kittens, the clop of hooves against the barn floor. Chickens and goats and cows served as a holy object lesson of the incarnation. Although we were warm and clothed, we understood more keenly the Savior's homelessness, how He left the splendor of heaven for the sodden earth. We experienced barnyard life alongside him, without much to call our own except our Heavenly Father and our sweet family.

He was enough, that Christmas. And He will always will be.

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Mary DeMuth writes fiction and nonfiction. Her latest book, A Slow Burn released in October and she has a memoir entitled Thin Places coming out in February of 2010. You can meet her: http://www.marydemuth.com, http://www.thewritingspa.com, on Facebook and Twitter!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Jesus in the Christmas Cookies

2009-12-18T08:53:00.003-05:00

Since adopting a healthier lifestyle in 2008 and losing almost 20 pounds I never want to see again, I don’t bake nearly as often as I once did. Nor do I bake in such large quantities.

You may think that just because I don’t want to gain over the holidays, I shouldn’t punish my whole family. To that I say if it’s in the house I’m going to eat it. My only hope of not gaining the usual 5 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day is to limit the presence of temptation in the house.

But I love splurging as much as the next gal. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without star shaped cookies and homemade fudge. Not to mention the men who work the nightshift at my husband’s job have come to expect a huge platter of cookies from me.

Yesterday my four-year-old grandson arrived just as my kitchen counter had become a landmine of cookie preparations. My prayers are with you if you’ve ever had to bake a large quantity of food around a four-year-old.

But it offered a chance to impress upon him the true meaning of the season. When I told him the cookies were for Papaw’s work party in honor of Jesus’ birthday, he asked; “Is Jesus going to be there?”

What a good question. Is Jesus going to be there? Will he be here for any of our Christmas rituals? Whether baking and obsessing over maintaining a goal weight, sending cards, hanging lights, singing carols, or attending parties, is Jesus there?

I am thankful for the opportunity to share my faith with my grandson. And I’m thankful for that nugget of wisdom out of his mouth. When we wear our “Jesus is the reason for the season” pin, may we truly embrace the sentiment. As our special guest at our Christmas rituals, let us feel His presence and honor Him in everything we do.

The Last Full Workweek of the First Decade of the New Millennium

2009-12-14T10:36:00.002-05:00

This is the last full workweek before Christmas. Actually it’s the last full workweek of the first decade of the new millennium. At least it is for me. Doctor’s appointment this week and party this weekend to plan, shop, and clean for. Besides the usual gift wrapping, last minute shopping, and all the other things that need done well before the twenty-fifth, squeezing in writing time is going to be tough.

But this is Monday. We have a full week to make something happen in our writing before the relatives descend—or we catch the plane to their house—before the kids begin rifling through our closets in search of bounty, before the dog needs taken to the kennel and the cookies need to go in the oven.

What tips have you picked up along this writing journey that keep your butt in the chair and your fingers on the keyboard? The key things for me are routine and discipline. I wake up before six every morning and jump right in. I eat half a granola bar while watching Joyce Meyer and then do an hour long exercise routine. After a shower and phone call to a friend, I eat my real breakfast and get straight to work. On days when I can’t keep this routine for whatever reason—like aforementioned doctor’s appointment—my entire day is shot. Even if most of the afternoon remains, my productivity level drops to nearly zero. I can't explain why I get nothing done simply because of an appointment or unscheduled visit from friends, but it always happens that way.

It’s the end of the year, dear writers. Two weeks and 2009 will be a memory. I have several projects to wrap up before then. If I don’t hustle this week, my totally manageable tasks will follow me into the New Year to be added to what needs done in the next decade.

Let’s practice some discipline and routine this week. Consider this your last workweek of the first decade of the new millennium. Now let’s get cracking.

Good News of Great Joy!

2009-12-11T10:00:00.003-05:00

I am so happy to bring this devotion to you today from the desk of my good friend Penny McGinnis. More of Penny's devotions can be found at Encouragement Journey.
You can sign up there to receive her weekly devotions in your inbox.

Good News of Great Joy!
by Penny McGinnis
11/2/09

Luke 2:8-11

vs.8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

If I were outside at night sitting on a hill preoccupied with my job and an angel (or anyone else for that matter) appeared to me, I'd be terrified too. And, I would wonder why on earth an angel is telling me, a lowly shepherd, news that the whole world longed to hear. Of course God knew what he was doing, he always does. He knew that the shepherds believed, and that through their faith they would spread the news. Later in the scripture we learn that the shepherds did indeed spread the story and glory of Jesus. They lead others to see him in the manger outside of Bethlehem, where they worshipped him.

What message has God given us to share this season? Perhaps through our greetings and cards, he wants us to remind the world that Christmas glorifies his Son. Penning an encouraging email to brighten someone’s stressful day, or using words to create inspiring stories and essays may bring the joy and peace of the season to a reader’s heart.

Where are you in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday? Are you a shepherd minding your own business or a shepherd spreading the news of the glorious King's birth?

Best wishes for a joy-filled Christmas.
Penny McGinnis

http://encouragementjourney.blogspot.com/

http://pennyspicks.blogspot.com/

Free Books for Christmas

2009-12-09T15:54:00.006-05:00

From now until December 31st, buy two of Teresa’s books and get one free. There is no limit to the number of books you can get free and no specific combination of books. Much fewer restrictions here than you’ll find on those BONUS gift cards you buy at your favorite restaurant.

Cost per book--$15.00. Additional savings: I have reduced shipping and handling costs to the absolute minimum. Only $1.00 shipping per book. Again, no limit.

So take the hassle out of your gift shopping this Christmas. Books are a no-brainer for the reader on your list. I will happily autograph each book any way you like. Email me for more information or to place an order. I will put your books in the mail within 2 business days of placing your order.

Description of each title:

Streams of Mercy—— On the day of her father’s funeral, seventeen-year-old Jamie Steele discovers he was the prime suspect in the disappearance and possible murder of an old girlfriend. All too familiar with his violent reputation and hard-fisted lifestyle, Jamie has to find out for herself if he was capable of the crime everyone in their small town thinks he committed. What will she do if he’s proven guilty? How can she forgive someone who never asked to be forgiven or admitted any wrongdoing? Can she find the mercy in her heart to forget the past and mourn the father she has lost?

Redemption’s Song—— One woman stands on the precipice of change and discovery. The other carries a twenty-year-old burden of sin in her heart that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.

Jamie Steele and Abigail Blackwood share nothing more than love for one man. When heartbreak and tragedy test their faith beyond what either can imagine, will they trust the God of purpose, or will foolish pride drive them to take matters into their own hands?

Two women who share nothing more than love for one man. When their lives are shaken and faith tested beyond what either can imagine, will they trust the God of purpose who promises to stand closer than a brother? Or will foolish pride drive them to take matters into their own hands?

Evidence of Grace—— A phone call from a potential eyewitness leads Noel Wyatt to believe the real killer of Sally Blake got away with murder. He enlists the help of a young attorney and his old friend, retired prosecutor and judge David Davis, to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Was someone else involved in the events of that fateful night? Since the convicted killer is already serving time for the murder, is it too late for justice to be served?

A Tender Reed—— Michelle is a 33-year old never married nurse. She leads an uneventful, predictable life, but her calm exterior hides unresolved resentment and emotional insecurity. When Nicole, her irresponsible younger sister, abandons her two young children in Michelle's front yard, she's forced to recall her own mother's abandonment of her.

How Michelle faces her childhood demons while building a family with Nicole's kids offers a thought-provoking examination of family relationships. The author deftly handles Michelle's spiritual cynicism as she struggles to find acceptance and love.

Infused with humor and practical insights, A Tender Reed and its characters will capture the hearts of readers who love children, understand their challenges, and appreciate the many definitions of family.

The Ultimate Guide to Darcy Carter——Considered an expert on every conceivable topic, Ultimate Guidebook guru, Darcy Carter, can’t guide herself out of a paper bag. When her editor suggests she write The Ultimate Guide to Finding Mr. Right, Darcy wants no part of it. To avoid Mr. Right and hopefully find out where the discontentment with her life is coming from, she heads south to research one last ultimate guidebook. Soon she discovers there’s more to life than telling other people how to live theirs.

Finding Christmas

2009-12-03T17:23:00.003-05:00

I have had so much fun bringing the Revell Christmas releases to your attention this week. Today I want to tell you about Finding Christmas by James Calvin Schaap.

Christmas is everywhere . . . even where you least expect it.

Join award-winning author and storyteller James Calvin Schaap as he uncovers the grace, joy, and love of the season through seven heartwarming tales of miracle moments in a messy world. This beautiful and inspiring collection of contemporary Christmas stories will remind you what grace looks like--and where to find it.

Click here to read an excerpt from the book.

Endorsements
"Jim Schaap knows our lives. He re-fires our memories. He draws us into settings familiar. He causes us to inhabit the worlds of plain folk struggling with the problems of an ordinary life--and he makes it all so very, very important. . . . Schaap writes sacred mystery into our common lives."--from the foreword by Walter Wangerin Jr.

James Schaap is a professor of English at Dordt College and president of the Chrysostom Society and the award-winning author of twenty-two books. He lives in Sioux Center, Iowa.

The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh

2009-12-01T16:38:00.003-05:00

I received a review copy of The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh a few weeks ago. I immediately fell in love with the story and couldn't wait to let readers know about it.

From the back cover: Can a gift from the past mend a broken heart?

Ian Collins is an old man without his son. Patrick Collins is a young boy without his father. On his Christmas list are only three items. He wants the army to find his father. He wants to leave his grandfather's house. And he wants the dusty wooden soldier in Grandfather's attic--the one he is forbidden to touch.

Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift is the engaging story of a family in need of forgiveness. With simple grace, it reminds us of the small things that affect powerful change in our hearts--a young boy's prayers, a shoe box of love letters, and even a half-carved soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of reconciliation will touch your heart.

It is easy to let little hurts and misunderstandings escalate into huge obstacles in relationships with the ones we love most. This is the case of Ian Collins and his son Shaun. When Ian's daughter-in-law dies unexpectedly, his grandson Patrick has nowhere else to go except to Ian. Out of obligation to his late wife's wishes, Ian begrudgingly accepts the boy into his home.

Thus begins The Unfinished Gift and a relationship that will change both of them forever.

One for the keeper shelf! Dan's book is a fabulous story of redemption and forgiveness. I couldn't put it down, and it made me cry, which is hard to do. ---Colleen Coble, author of the Rock Harbor and the Lonestar series

Click the link below to read an excerpt from The Unfinished Gift.

http://www.revellbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780800719241.pdf

The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

2009-11-30T15:09:00.003-05:00

I recently received a review copy of The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson from Revell Books. I'm always in the mood to read themed books this time of year, and I gobbled this one up in no time.

From the back cover: Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just cant seem to find Christmas in her heart. Maybe it's because her husband is gone. Maybe it's because she's missing her children. Or maybe it has something to do with her obnoxious new neighbor, who seems to be tearing his house apart and rearranging it on the lawn.

But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn what Christmas is really all about.

If not for a commitment to plan her friends' anniversary party at her church, Betty would've skipped out on the Christmas season altogether. Then her son calls to tell her about his missing stepdaughter, Avery. Avery's mother is frantic over the missing young woman, although Betty figures it is more for her own gain than actual concern over her daughter. Avery shows up at Betty's, but her parents want her home. As if she doesn't have enough to contend with before Christmas, Betty is suddenly in the middle of a family crisis.

All she wants is to be left alone to plan the anniversary party and get through the holiday.

A Christmas Dog will provide a fun respite from the malls and will surely help put you in the holiday spirit.

Click to read the following exerpt from Revell The perfect gift idea for the readers on your Christmas list.

A Passion for Writing

2009-11-25T09:38:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I attended a writers' retreat in Dayton, Ohio. I came home pumped and ready to tear it up on my lastest manuscript. Then, guess what, the week got in the way. Between cleaning, shopping and preparing for the 30+ guests who will descend upon my home tomorrow, I barely wrote a word. While I look forward to holiday guests and all the parties and celebrating that come with the Christmas season, I tend to stress over my writing schedule and all the things I still haven't done.

In the midst of my frustration over what I need to do--update my website, add layers to my current romance, better illuminate my hero who is such a great guy, and perhaps sell a book or two--but can't seem to find the time, I was reminded of what a very sweet, astute lady wrote to a group of writers not long ago.

Just when I needed encouragement in this writing journey, I read these words by Lea Ann McCombs: "I just wanted to encourage every one of us with the reminder that it is God who has placed this passion for written expression in our hearts. It is He who gives the story, the twists, and the truths that we weave into the lives of our characters. So it is also He who will see it through to whatever end He had in mind in the first place.

Whether it becomes a bestseller or one little old lady's favorite book, God's purpose for our writing is what we must desire. We study to to our very best, but in the end, it is up to God what happens to it. And that's all right with me. Take heart today as you struggle with whatever writing phase you are in at the moment. The result is not really up to you. This is God's show. Write for Him today."

Thank you, Lea Ann. And thank you, Heavenly Father, for using your people to encourage us in just the way we need at just the right time.

You can learn more about Lea Ann at her blogs.

http://leaannsgarden.blogspot.com/
http://learntowritecreatively.blogspot.com/

And a very happy Thanksgiving to All.

Mothers of the Bible--free book

2009-11-24T12:04:00.004-05:00

Between now and December 15 my good friend Kathi Macias is hosting a Christmas promotion for her beautiful hard cover, gift/study book Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today. Buy one copy of this wonderful book to give to someone special in your life, and receive a free copy to keep for yourself. Or go in with a friend and get two books for the price of one. What could be better? With Christmas right around the corner, here is a great opportunity to give a gift that will touch someone's heart.

Contact Kathi for ordering information or visit her website.

Soldier Daddy by Cheryl Wyatt

2009-11-22T13:21:00.004-05:00

I am excited to present Soldier Daddy by Cheryl Wyatt, available in bookstores and online now. What a perfect gift for the upcoming Christmas season.

The following interview is with Sarah Graham, the heroine of Soldier Daddy

1. Hi, Sarah. What made you want to be a nanny?

I've always loved children and I have a secret in my past tied to a tragic event involving a child. It changed my life and caused me to give my life to helping children.

2. What do you think about Aaron Petrowski, your new employer?

First of all, wow! Is he tall and handsome. Reminds me of Kevin Costner as he played in The Guardian. He's very brave too. And he's such a wonderful dad to his boys. He leads three pararescue teams, an amazing job. I feel blessed to have gotten this job. Mina, the housekeeper says it's just a matter of time until I fall head over for Aaron...errr Chief Master Sergeant Petrowski. But I told her to put her cupid arrows away.
At least for now...

3. What's your favorite part of taking care of Aaron's sons?

That they are so full of life and fun and laughter despite that they lost their mom in infancy. Aaron has done so well raising them alone despite that he thinks at times he hasn't. The twins are almost four and we're planning a great big party. If only Aaron's sister wouldn't have gotten the kids guinea pigs for their birthday. I'm not fond of rodents. Of course Ash knows that which is why she probably got the boys the pets.

4. Sounds like there's some animosity there between you and Ash?

Oh, definitely. Only I can't figure out why. Unless she has used her skip tracing abilities to uncover a past I'd rather stay buried...

If that's the case, my days as the nanny may be numbered.

I hope you will pick up the book and see how our story unfolds. Most people laugh about the bubbles. And there is an imaginary set of geese one of the boys has that you won't want to miss. Hope to see you soon inside the pages of Soldier Daddy.

About the book

U.S. Air Force commander Aaron Petrowski leads pararescue teams, yet can't find one nanny for his three-year-old twins? The widowed father is returning to duty, but not without the best care for his beloved boys. So when Sarah Graham applies, the young woman surprises everyone by passing inspection. Until Aaron discovers Sarah has a secret tied to a tragedy in his past. He can't keep her in his employ—or in his heart. Until his brave little soldier boys teach him a thing or two about love.

Soldier Daddy-4 Stars-Romantic Times

About the Author

Born Valentine’s Day on a naval base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers.

Join her newsletter mailing list by visiting her Web site and signing up in the space provided if you’d like Wings of Refuge recipes, new release news and goodies exclusive to newsletter subscribers.

Book purchase link:

Soldier Daddy on Amazon

2009-11-19T18:29:00.005-05:00

Seattle, WA - Critically acclaimed author, Athol Dickson's writing has been favorably compared to the work of Octavia Butler (Publisher's Weekly), Daphne du Maurier (Cindy Crosby, Christianity Today fiction critic) and Flannery O'Connor (The New York Times).

Although a work of fiction, Athol's LOST MISSION, touches on some of the hot-button issues being discussed in the media today! Dickson explores 1) The personal costs of our immigration policies, asking difficult questions about our ethical and moral obligations as Americans and as Christians. 2) It forces readers to consider the logical end result of the spiritual decisions being made by most Americans today, which are slowly driving American into a post-Christian era. 3) LOST MISSION digs deep into current debate within the American church between the emergent movement and the traditional evangelical community, exposing strengths and weaknesses in both ways of "doing" Christianity.

About LOST MISSION:

What haunting legacy awaits deep beneath the barrios and wealthy enclaves of Southern California?

An idyllic Spanish mission collapses in the eighteenth century atop the supernatural evidence of a shocking crime. Twelve generations later the ground is opened up, the forgotten ruins are disturbed, and rich and poor alike confront the onslaught of resurging hell on earth. Caught up in the catastrophe are...

· A humble shopkeeper compelled to leave her tiny village deep in Mexico to preach in America
· A minister wracked with guilt for loving the wrong woman
· An unimaginably wealthy man, blinded to the consequences of his grand plans
· A devoted father and husband driven to a horrible discovery that changes everything

Will the evil that destroyed the Misión de Santa Dolores rise to overwhelm them? Or will they beat back the terrible desires that led to the mission's good Franciscan founder's standing in the midst of flames ignited by his enemies and friends alike more than two centuries ago?

From the high Sierra Madre mountains to the harsh Sonoran desert, from the privileged world of millionaire moguls to the impoverished immigrants who serve them, Athol Dickson once again weaves a gripping story of suspense that spans centuries and cultures to explore the abiding possibility of miracles.

About Athol:

Athol Dickson is an award-winning author of several novels. His Christy Award-winning novel River Rising was name one of the "Top Ten Christian Novel of 2006" by Booklist magazine. He lives in California with his wife.

Dickson's They Shall See God was a Christy Award finalist. River Rising was selected as one of the Booklist Top Ten Christian Novels of 2006 and was a Christianity Today's Best Novel of 2006 finalist. Both River Rising and The Cure won Christy Awards for best suspense novel.

His latest novel, Winter Haven was a finalist for the 2009 Christy Award in the suspense category, making four novels in a row to receive that honor.

And now Athol is back with a gripping tale with an epic sense of the passage of time and the way events and choices impact people across generations.

Visit his website for more information.

What people are saying...

Athol Dickson is a breath of fresh air in a market that is often saturated by manufactured plots, spurious characters, and inauthentic spiritual conversions. Lost Mission is redemptive storytelling at its highest level and once again Dickson proves that he is a true master of the craft. -Jake Chism, Fiction Addict

The story is filled with compassion and truly reaches to the heart of human kind and it's frailities and reminds us that we are not alone and that God will direct us if we choose to follow his ways and not our own selfish desires. And when we sin we can ask for and recieve His forgivness. This is such a beautiful story that you simply MUST read. -Kim C., Book Reviews Today

Stephanie Grace Whitson--Advice for Writers

2009-11-17T20:59:00.003-05:00

For most published writers, writing means HARD WORK. We do not go on book tours. We do not talk to Oprah. And, most disappointing to me personally. . . . Mel Gibson is not going to star in the movie (smile).

The most encouraging thing I know to tell any writer is this: If God has called you to write, you will be successful as long as you follow His leading, whether that results in a publishing contract or not.

My own "how I got published" story is atypical and is an example of the Lord taking a manuscript and putting it in the right hands at exactly the right time to provide for a widow and her children. Once a contract was offered, the Lord also blessed the first books with sales enough to begin a new career. Since the beginning of this new career back in 1995, I've often felt like I was playing catch-up with other writers I admire -- the ones who know "the rules", who study "the craft," who have the creative writing degrees and speak at the conferences. In my not-very-organized quest to improve my craft, I've stumbled on some encouraging words from other writers that I have posted near my computer as reminders to myself.

It's not about talent. It's about persistence. Donald Maas.

I only write when I'm inspired, and I make sure I'm inspired every day at 9 a.m. Peter DeVries.

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. Reading is the creative center of a writer's life. Stephen King

I have not read many "how-to" books on writing. Of those I own, I go back to three repeatedly. Stephen King's On Writing (This isn't the Ouija board or the spirit-world we're talking here, but just another job like laying pipe or driving long-haul trucks.), Donald Maas's Writing the Breakout Novel, and Sol Stein's Stein on Writing. James Scott Bell's fiction column in the Writer's Digest Magazine invariably gives me the feeling of having had a "pep talk" from my favorite coach.

I often remind myself that success in light of eternity has nothing to do with books sold. Success in light of eternity means obedience to the Audience of One. In a hundred million years it will not matter if I was published, if my name appeared on any best seller lists, if I received any writing awards. In a hundred million years, what will matter is my obedience to my Lord. If He says "well done," then whatever happened here below was good, and I achieved success in the truest sense of that word.

For more information about Stephanie or her books, visit her website.

On to the next round, Deborah Bolack

2009-11-16T12:22:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the drawing here at Joy in the Journey for the gift basket sponsored by the creators of Christmas Miracles. I had a lot of fun hearing from you. I am only sad that my dear son didn't enter. Had he won the prize, I'd know all the cool stuff I was getting for Christmas. But then you would think the contest was rigged, and we wouldn't want that.

Instead I am happy to announce Deborah Bolack from Manitoba won my drawing here. She will go to the next round for the basket of Christmas goodies. Congrats, Deborah. I hope you win.

Christmas Miracles with Tracy Ruckman

2009-11-13T09:28:00.003-05:00

Today is the second part of my Christmas Miracles Blog Tour. I am so excited to have with me Tracy Ruckman, author of Miracle of the Nativity, one of the beautiful stories featured in Christmas Miracles.

A fun side-note about the following interview is that Tracy answered all my nosy questions in the middle of a hurricane! Talk about dedication...and putting up with an annoying interviewer.

Now on with the show. Welcome, Tracy! You sure have a lot going on. Photographer, author, editor, mom, and writing promoter. How in the world do you balance everything?

I have a very supportive husband, and I work a lot of hours. But when you love what you're doing, it doesn't seem like work! I've very blessed to do what I'm doing. I've learned to take a 24-hour Sabbath each week - usually from some point Saturday to some point Sunday. I think that helps me rest and refresh.

Christmas Miracles is a beautiful book. What can you tell us about it?

We're so excited about this book - the stories included are incredible. Tim and I are reading one story per day with our "Preparing Your Heart for Advent" Bible study, and it is just blessing us beyond measure. Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson did a tremendous job of pulling all the stories together, and St. Martin's packaged it so beautifully. It makes a perfect Christmas gift, basket filler, or stocking stuffer! We also learned it's going to be printed in Swedish, too! How fun is that?

Writing for anthologies is a tough nut to crack. Do you have any suggestions for writers who aspire to break into the market?

The first thought that came to mind was, "Try, try again." Keep writing, write tight - make every word count, and write from the heart. I shared recently that God took two of the hardest times of my life, gave me the ability and courage to pour the experiences out on paper, and let if find favor with the authors and publisher. So have courage - share of yourself.

You are a writer, editor and designer for hire. What is the one thing you believe editors look for first in a manuscript?

A story compelling enough to keep turning pages, is first and foremost, but if the story isn't presented professionally, it's not going to get much attention either. Prove to the editor you know what you're doing by studying the industry and learn how to submit.

As an editor, what makes you stop reading a submission?

This question is interesting to me right now, because of a discussion going on over at my blog about the responsibilities of a writer. How are our responsibilities as writers who happen to be Christians different from our responsibilities as writers of Christian material? If I am presented with a manuscript claiming to be written for the Christian market, yet I find many highly objectionable issues, I'll stop reading. Then I'll discuss the matter with the writer to determine his or her goals for the project, then we'll go from there.

What would you tell those writers who continue to improve in their craft, but have still not received that elusive contract?

Oh, please don't give up. Keep writing. You'll only improve. Look at other options if publishing is vastly important to you. If you write nonfiction, self-publishing (especially in today's market of print-on-demand) might be a viable option for you - especially if you've got a platform through speaking engagements or a heavy online presence.

I see your faith is a very important part of your identity. If you don’t mind me asking, does it influence your writing, and how?

Yes, faith is very much a part of my writing. To continue my thoughts from the earlier question, we have a responsibility as Christian writers, and as writers of Christian materials, to shine the Light of Jesus into this dark world - and even if we don't mention Christianity in any form, that responsibility still exists to not spread darkness. So with each story I create, each character I develop - I think of the reader. Will this story cause readers to stumble in their faith? Or will it give them hope? Are my stories God-honoring, or self-honoring? Our sole purpose is to glorify God in all we do - if our stories fail to do that, then we need to rethink our mission.

I am a fellow dog lover and animal rescue advocate. People tell me my dogs are my muse. Has your dog ever inspired a story idea or made an appearance in your writing?

Abby is truly a member of our family - thank you for asking! Some of my stories have had dogs, but I've never featured her in one yet. Hmmm ... maybe it's time. Thanks for the idea!

Thanks for stopping by, Tracy. Is there anything else you would like to add? Please tell us how to learn more about your workshops and especially about Christmas Miracles.

Thanks for having me, Teresa! Your questions have been great!

Readers can learn more about our online writing courses at WIES Workshops - www.WIESworkshops.com. We offer gift certificates, too, for our classes and our editing services, so if you know any writers who might benefit, keep us in mind as you do your gift shopping!

You can read my story, "Miracle of the Nativity" in Christmas Miracles-available online, and they're now beginning to appear in the stores. Grab one if you see it - they're selling out quickly, and we're already on our third printing! You can also order from the link on my blog - www.pixnpens.com.

Be sure to let your readers know about the cool contest we're having over at Pix-N-Pens. All during the month of December, we'll be featuring Christmas stories submitted by readers. Pix-N-Pens will publish a book with the top 20-30 stories, and the top three will receive cash prizes! Deadline is November 25, so get your story in soon!

You heard that, writers and readers. Get your Christmas stories over to Tracy and the staff at Pix-N-Pens. And don't forget you must comment to this post or yesterday's to enter to win the fabulous gift basket from the creators of Christmas Miracles.

Christmas Miracles

2009-11-11T20:53:00.006-05:00

On Friday author Tracy Ruckman will be here to discuss writing and her contribution to Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press, October 2009). If you've ever wondered what it takes to write for an anthology--or if you love to give or receive these awesome books--you really need to come back on Friday and read what Tracy has to say. In the meantime I am happy to introduce you to Christmas Miracles and its creators. This is a beautiful book; one you won't want to leave off your Christmas shopping list this year.

Oh, and before I forget, don't forget to leave a comment at the end of this post to be entered to win a fabulous basket of Christmas goodies.

Christmas Miracles
Cecil Murphey/Marley Gibson
Foreword: Don Piper
St. Martin’s Press, Oct. 2009
Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN: 978-0312589837
Retail: $14.99

Many ordinary people experience Christmas miracles—those special moments during the season of giving and receiving when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday. In Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press, October 2009), Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson share the stories of those who have recognized the special moments that transcend daily experience and transform their lives.

In these stories, people overcome desperate situations through a miraculous twist of fate—all during the most wonderful time of the year. A young boy sits down to read a Christmas book and discovers that his learning disability has vanished. A woman stranded in a blizzard is rescued by a mysterious stranger who she suspects is an angel. And a woman living far from home gets an answer to her prayer in the form of an unexpected gift.

Bestselling author Cecil Murphey says, “We all face discouraging times, whether it's the lack of money, being stuck on a road in a snowstorm, feeling stress, or being hungry and homeless. But God's help is available. I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural. We start by asking, and in strange and wonderful ways God tiptoes into our dark nights; we experience renewed joy in life and witness God in action through people and unexpected events.”

Interview with Cecil “Cec” Murphey

by Marley Gibson

Co-authors of Christmas Miracles, from St. Martin’s Press

I am extremely privileged to have the opportunity today to talk to my friend and co-author, Cecil “Cec” Murphey, and to chat about our upcoming book, Christmas Miracles.

Marley: Cec, thanks for spending some time with me today.

Cec: Marley, it's great that you could take time away from important things like making a living to spend a little time with me.

Marley: I’m so jazzed about our Christmas Miracles book that’s coming out soon. I’ve had a lot of questions from folks wanting to know how we met, what brought us together, etc. So, I thought we’d do a back and forth on how it all came to be. Of course, I have to give props to our amazing agent and friend, Deidre Knight, for bringing us together. For those of you who don’t know, Cec co-authored the runaway New York Times bestselling hit 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper.

Cec: I have to say thanks to Deidre Knight as well. Between Deidre and my assistant, Twila Belk, I've been able to sell quite a few books. 90 Minutes in Heaven has been my big book. I'm also proud of a book I wrote in 1990 called Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. The book has never been out of print and has hit close to four million in sales. Early this year, Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in the made-for-TV film version.

Marley: That’s amazing! You are truly prophetic and definitely “the man behind the words.” Now, people ask how we teamed up. Sadly, there was a personal tragedy that brought Cec and me together as friends.

Cec: True. In early 2007, our house burned and our son-in-law died. Aside from the grief over Alan, we lost everything. Deidre and Jan, my-then-assistant, sent the word out of our tragedy without telling me. I'm immensely grateful for every gift people sent, but I probably wouldn't have admitted I needed help and wouldn't have asked. They taught me how much we need other people.

Marley: Deidre put out a call to other clients of The Knight Agency, to help Cec and his family out in any way in their time of need. At the time, my company was moving and we were cleaning house. We had a ton of office supplies that we were either going to throw away or give to some of the charities the company worked with. I got my boss’ permission to send a large care package to Cec…full of office supplies for him to re-stock his writer’s office. You name it…post-its, staples, paper clips, pens, pencils, markers, white out, ruler, scissors, paper, notebooks, notepads, envelopes, a laptop case, tape, glue, folders, binder clips…etc. A veritable potpourri of office delights. I was hoping that it would help Cec have a sense of getting his office back so he could keep working.

Cec: Marley's gift was the most unexpected I received. We hadn't met, although Deidre Knight had spoken of her many times and kept telling me she was wonderful. I wonder if you can imagine what it was like for me to open that box from someone I didn't know. I saw all those practical things for my office and yelled for my wife. I felt as if I were reading a first-grade book. "Look! Look and see! Oh, look!" I was overwhelmed by the gift and even more to receive it from a stranger. Those supplies were the most practical gift anyone could have given me. I'm still using black paper clips and red folders from Marley.

Marley: Awww…thanks, Cec! I didn’t have to think twice about doing it. Writing is such a solitary “sport,” but the writing community always astounds me with how they help their own. Not long after that, over plates of spinach and Gouda omelets, Deidre introduced me to Cec in person and I was thrilled to finally meet the man behind the words. Deidre knew we needed to work on a project together and thus began our brainstorming. What did you think of that first meeting, Cec, and cooking up the idea to work together?

Cec: Deidre and I had already spoken about a Christmas book and I had some idea about what it should contain, but nothing had come together. One day Deidre told me that Marley was coming to visit her and she wanted us to work together on a Christmas project. Marley and I talked before we ate and again during the meal. Everything felt right to me. I knew my strengths and Marley knew hers (and Deidre knew both of us). Everything clicked. Marley, a far better networker than I am, immediately sent out the word for submissions. Within days she had almost four times more than we could use. (She read every one of them!)

Marley: I was truly impressed with the submissions we received and it was hard narrowing it down to the ones we chose for the book. We’re fortunate to have such a go-getter agent in Deidre Knight. Cec, can you share how the whole idea of Christmas Miracles came about and what you thought of the project originally?

Cec: For me, it actually started while I was on the rapid-rail train from the Atlanta airport when I listened to teens talk about Christmas and it was mostly about gifts. I had the idea then, but nothing really came together. Months later when Deidre I and had a meeting, she brought up the idea of a compilation and mentioned my working with Marley. I've been Deidre Knight's client since 1997 and I've learned to listen carefully when she comes up with an idea. I said yes before she gave me all the information.

Marley: That’s the truth about Deidre! Getting back to those submissions, I want to say we got more than two hundred submissions for Christmas Miracles. So many wonderful stories to read through and select for the book. It was a challenge to pick and choose which ones were right for the book, but I loved every minute of it. After I chose the entries that would go into the book, Cec toiled long hours editing the works for a unified voice. What was the biggest challenge you found in the editing process, Cec?

Cec: I've been a ghostwriter and collaborator for twenty-plus years and this was a switch to give the book a unified voice—which was mine. It would have been easier to stay with each writer's voice, but the book—like many compilations—would have been uneven in tone and quality. When I discussed this via email with our delightful editor, Rose Hilliard, she was (to my surprise) familiar with my work. She told me she liked the warm tone of my writing and that I don't waste words. "That's the voice we want," she said. It still wasn't easy, but it was an exciting challenge. After Marley and I agreed on the stories and gave them that unified voice, our editor pulled six contributions. Although different, Rose felt they were too similar to other stories.

Marley: Can you give our readers a preview of the book? A favorite story perhaps…or one that moved you to tears? (I have to say the little boy who wished for nothing but to be able to read a book all the way through because of his stutter had me bawling when I read the submission.)

Cec: That's not fair! I liked them all. The one that touched me most, however, is the last story in the book, "Sean's Question." We had almost finished the book and I was teaching at a conference in Florida. I felt we needed one strong story at the end. Despite all the good ones, I didn't feel fully satisfied to conclude the book. On the last day of the conference, I met a conferee named Sara Zinn for a consultation. As we talked, I mentioned Christmas Miracles and that I still needed one more story. "I have a Christmas story," she said and told me about Sean. As I listened, tears filled my eyes—but, being the macho type I am, I was sure it was an allergy. Sara wrote the story, and it became the one I sought.

Marley: Oh yes…that one is an emotional one all right. It was meant to be in the book because of how you met at the conference. Now, you and I have both had challenges in our lives that others might have found too much to take, but we are both very strong in our faith and our relationship with God. How do you think Christmas Miracles is going to help others feel closer to God and experience His miracles in their own lives?

Cec: Awareness and appreciation are the two things I want readers to grasp. Awareness means for them to realize that they're never totally alone in life. Those unexpected, out-of-the-ordinary events remind us of that. Appreciation means to be thankful for what we already have. Too often, and especially at Christmas, we focus on what we'd like or what is supposed to make us happy. Christmas Miracles gently reminds readers of both.

Marley: In this day and age when our country is fighting two wars, unemployment is high, and a lot of people have a lack of hope and faith for their future, what do you want readers of the book to take away from Christmas Miracles and how can the stories in our book help provide comfort to those struggling?

Cec: I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural (as in one of Marley's stories). I call myself a serious Christian. For me, the world's greatest miracle began with the birth of Jesus. Regardless of a person's religion, this book encourages readers to think about life during the Christmas season and see that life as more than gifts and celebrations. It's also a reminder that God loves us and hears our needy cries.

Marley: Beautifully put, Cec, and I couldn’t agree with you more. Can we share what’s next after Christmas Miracles?

Cec: Why it's the Cec and Marley show, of course. Because of our go-getter agent and our enthusiastic editor, we've already received thumbs up for The Christmas Spirit. This will be stories of people who express the true spirit of Christmas by acts of love and kindness, for release in the fall of 2011.

Marley: And I can’t wait to start working on that project! Thank you so much for your time, Cec, and answering my questions. It was a privilege and honor to work with you and I look forward to our future projects together. You’ve helped me along during a trying time and I appreciate your friendship and support.

Cec: I liked this project because Marley had to send out the word, collect submissions, read them, and discard the weaker ones. I get to see only the better-written stories. (Don't tell her that I have the better job.) Although I mentioned only one story, all of those in the book touched me because of the poignancy of their situations and the miraculous answers. I won't say the stories increased my faith, but they increased my appreciation for the delightful mix of human need and divine intervention.

Marley: Thanks again, Cec! God Bless! And to our readers, please be sure to pick up a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, out October 13, 2009 from St. Martin’s Press. It’s a great stocking stuffer or gift basket filler. We hope you, too, will discover your own Christmas Miracles in your life.

Award-winning writer Cecil Murphey is the author or co-author of 114 published books, including the NY Times bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). He’s also the author of When Someone You Love Has Cancer and When God Turned Off the Lights, both 2009 releases. Murphey’s books have sold millions and have given hope and encouragement to countless readers around the world. For more information, visit www.cecilmurphey.com.

Marley Gibson is a young adult author whose first published books in the Sorority 101series were released by Penguin Group in 2008 under the pen name of Kate Harmon. She has a new Ghost Huntress series with Houghton Mifflin written under her own name. She can be found online at www.marleygibson.com.

Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win the Christmas Miracles gift basket. Wouldn’t you love to take home this amazing basket filled with Christmas goodies galore? This amazing gift basket contains everything you’ll need to make your Christmas holiday a success. Inside you’ll find a stocking stuffed with hard candies, kitchen towels and oven mitts, seasonal potpourri, holiday-colored candles, stuffed animals that talk, snowman candle, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, gift bags, gift tags, gift bows, ornament hangers, Christmas cookie cutters, a Merry Christmas doorstopper, a picture frame, Christmas cards, Santa ear muffs, and not just one, but two copies of Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson’s Christmas Miracles – one to keep and one to give away to someone special.

My Son John by Kathi Macias

2009-11-07T18:51:00.004-05:00

My Son, John (Sheaf House -April 2009)Read the chilling summary of Kathi Macias's latest book, followed by an account from the book's heroine, Liz Peterson. Then run, don't walk, to buy this intriguing book.

Murder. Could there be a more chilling word? Could it be any more horrible than to have a loved one killed, brutally and heartlessly, without obvious reason or motive? When Liz Peterson’s elderly mother is found viciously beaten to death in her home, Liz and her husband, Charles, along with their grown son, John, and teenage daughter, Sarah, are horrified beyond words. Their previously predictable, respectable lives seem to have vanished without a trace, as they struggle to make sense of a senseless act.

And then a second blow—more devastating, if possible, than the first—rocks them to their core. John is arrested for his grandmother’s murder. As what’s left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons’ longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Will family ties and relationships withstand such a crushing blow, or will evil succeed in dividing and conquering this once close and inseparable family?

ISBN 978-0-9797485-4-7

Trade paperback with study guide and resources list $12.99

Primary Character Interview with Liz Peterson

My Son John by Kathi Macias

Q: Liz, you’re respected in the community—married to a successful attorney with one grown son and a teenaged daughter—and you’ve been a Christian since you were a child. How did the news of your mother’s murder affect the lifestyle you had known for so long?

A: It was as if someone had dropped an atomic bomb in my backyard. What it didn’t kill outright was quickly tainted by the fallout. Nothing seemed familiar any longer. Life as I’d known it was over.

Q: Tell us some of the immediate emotions you experienced soon after receiving this tragic news.

A: Shock was primary, though grief and loss and confusion all swirled around me, vying for attention. And of course, in the background, was this nagging thought that something about John’s reaction to what had happened just wasn’t right.

Q: And yet you seemed unwilling and/or unable to accept the truth when John was arrested. Tell us about what was going on in your heart and mind then.

A: Without a doubt, the strongest emotion in play once John was arrested was denial. Even when I heard he’d confessed, I simply could not believe that the little boy I had loved for twenty-three years could do such a horrible thing.

Q: Once you were able to get past the denial and admit the truth about what had happened, where did your emotions take you then?

A: It was so much easier to stay in denial, which is why I clung to it so desperately. Once I faced the truth, I then had to deal with issues no mother should ever have to experience—primarily, how can I still love my son unconditionally after what he had done? Did I even know him anymore? Could we ever have a close relationship again?

Q: What was the catalyst that finally moved you from denial to truth, and from hopelessness to healing?

A: God used many people to speak truth into my life, and finally brought it all together when I realized my heavenly Father still loved me unconditionally and had never left me, even in the worst moments of my darkest ordeal. Slipping back into His arms was the best move I ever made.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is even now wrestling with the need to forgive something so horrible that it seems impossible, what would it be?

A: There is an old saying that refusing to forgive someone is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die. Unforgiveness benefits no one. There is no sin too terrible, no act too vicious, no breach too wide that it can’t be healed by God’s unconditional love. God gave us the example of how to deal with the hurts and injustices that inevitably come our way in this world when He sent His only Son to die a horrible death in our place. Why? To pay the required price for restoration of relationship between God and man. God’s heart is to see relationships restored. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was in the world, reconciling the world to Himself; now He sits at the right hand of the Father, and He has given to us the assignment of completing that “ministry of reconciliation.” That’s why Jesus came, and that’s why we’re still here—to bring reconciliation to broken relationships.

Learn more about Kathi Macias and her books at her website.

He said, She said--Handling Attributions

2009-11-06T08:52:00.003-05:00

I am so happy to have fellow author and book doctor Sandi Rog here today at Joy in the Journey. Sandi is going to share her expertise on Attributions (Dialogue Tags)

Let's talk about those pesky dialogue tags, otherwise known as attributions. An attribution is "said." As in "he said, she said." If you read the following excerpt (http://thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com/), you'll notice that there are no attributions. No, not one. In light of that fact, isn't it interesting that we knew who was talking the entire time, whether it was a soldier, David or his parents? How is that possible? Not one "said" word gave it away? How can that be?

Answer: If Character A's dialogue is in the same paragraph as the action of Character A, we'll know who's talking, so there's no reason to add "he/she said."

Attributions aren't "wrong." Using them doesn't mean your writing is poor. But if a beat of action can be used, that would be much better. Why? Beats of action can pull your reader deeper into your story. How does it do that? Beats give readers something to see, smell, touch, taste or hear; they reveal details about the character and the setting; they help eliminate useless words; and they can make the writing more active.

Notice below, we know who's talking because the action and the dialogue of each character is in the same paragraph:

"Let her go!" Abba pushed away from a soldier with his shoulder and lunged forward. "She has nothing to do with this!"

The third soldier rushed over, grabbed Abba and held him back. "Oh, really? That's not what we heard." He motioned toward the man touching Mamma. "Aulus, shouldn't convicts pay the full penalty for their crimes?"

The fewer attributions a writer uses, the better.

Here are some before and after examples:

BEFORE

"Let her go!" Abba shouted, pushing away from the soldier. "She has nothing to do with this!"

AFTER

"Let her go!" Abba pushed away from the soldier. "She has nothing to do with this!"

Can you feel the difference between these two lines? "Pushed" is more active than "pushing." It gives the writing more life. A part of the scene is played out with ongoing action; the scene moves forward. The exclamation mark shows that the character is shouting, so there's no reason to tell the readers that Abba is shouting by adding, "he shouted." Also, the sentence is shorter, giving it more punch, which adds to the tension of the scene.

But what about scenes that aren't supposed to have this kind of tension? Will eliminating attributions add tension to a scene that doesn't need it? Scenes will usually have tension, just a different kind.

Here's an example where the tension is beneath the surface, rather than an outside force:

"Well, I'm glad I don't have any sin." Alethea swung her legs as she sat on the wall. She thought to scoot in closer to David so her arm might brush against his. Instead, she basked in his scent of leather and pine.

David rested his elbows on his knees and watched her, but Alethea avoided his gaze. "No one is without sin." He leaned toward her. "No one."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, but quickly refocused her attention on the horizon. "It doesn't make sense." She shrugged. "Why make someone die when he could clap his hands and say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' and be done with it?"

David stared at her for a while, his mouth closed as if tasting her words.

Shifting under his scrutinizing gaze, she leaned forward and watched the birds soar and dance on the air in front of them.

A gentle breeze caressed her cheek as David lifted her chin. He forced her to look at him. His blue eyes fixated on hers.

"Passion," he said.

Alethea took a long shuddering breath.

"What shows greater love?" He continued to hold her chin. "Someone who sacrifices himself to save your life, or just claps his hands?"

There are times you'll want your scene to move slowly and adding an attribution will help slow the pace or create the right rhythm. This leads to my favorite subject: breaking the rules. Notice above how after the dialogue "Passion" one attribution is used, but it works to create the right rhythm.

Depending on how attributions are used, they can also become a form of telling.

I call the following "impossible attributions" because they create impossibilities.

Chime, deliver, breathe, repeat, seethe, spat, articulate, laugh, conclude, add, roar, state, counter, muse, roar, growl, exclaim, fume, explode, and the list goes on.

Why do these create impossibilities?

A person can't "chime, deliver, breathe, repeat, seethe, spat, articulate," a statement. These vices shout amateur to editors and agents (and if not, they should). Avoid them at all costs.

Here's a quote from Newgate Callender, in The New York Times Book Review:

Mr. (Robert) Ludlum has other peculiarities. For example, he hates the "he said" locution and avoids it as much as possible. Characters in The Bourne Ultimatum seldom “say” anything. Instead, they cry, interject, interrupt, muse, state, counter, conclude, mumble, whisper (Mr. Ludlum is great on whispers), intone, roar, exclaim, fume, explode, mutter. There is one especially unforgettable tautology: “’I repeat,’ repeated Alex.”

The book may sell in the billions, but it’s still junk.

The best thing to do with “said” is to cut it all together and replace it with an action. This will create more “showing” and less “telling.” It pulls us into the story and helps us become more acquainted with the characters. Also, as I said, if one character has dialogue and action in the same paragraph, we’ll automatically know who’s talking so there’s no need to "tell" us who's talking. But if you have to use “said,” then use “said” and not some impossible attribution that hack writers love.

Dave King and Rennie Browne's book, "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers," goes into detail on this subject, as well as other important writing subjects. If you'd like to ask Mr. King some writing questions, pop on over to my blog at: http://thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com/.

Attributions aren't "wrong." Just use them with care.

Inspiration at the Polls

2009-11-02T19:14:00.001-05:00

A few years ago someone in my polling district got sick or moved or retired or whatever. As a registered voter of the minority party in my county, I received a phone call from the election boards asking if I would be willing to work at my local election poll. Little did I know this would become a fulltime gig.

For a writer always on the lookout for material, manning the polls is pretty good fodder for the old idea mill. Since I seldom leave my house, I don’t hear much local gossip that could inspire a fiction work. Once a year this changes radically.

Discussing the election or candidates and issues is off limits so we talk about the way things used to be, former residents and those we only wish would move away, unresolved scandals, and the bleak condition of the economy. Or rather, they talk and I absorb like a sponge.

The one thing all writers have in common is an insatiable curiosity. We’re not satisfied knowing something happened. We need to know why and how. If no one can tell us, we fill in the blanks. It’s how fiction writers are born.

Filling in the blanks is a habit I picked up as a child. When adults discuss the really good stuff around children, they speak in code they think the child will not be able to follow and leave key sentences hanging. Covertly listening in on these conversations is what encouraged the writer in me so many years ago. Born and raised in a small town I heard stories, new and old, about unrequited love, jealous quarrels that ended in gunfire, robberies, back stabbings, cheating, lying, and coveting thy neighbor’s wife.

It wasn’t long before I began writing stories that satiated my curiosity and allowed me to end them however I chose. The power over the lives of adults was intoxicating. Before I even knew how to write the stories down, I was addicted. I suppose writers never outgrow that love for the unknown, the unsolved. It’s what keeps us tapping away on our keyboards even when publishers are stingy with contracts and our agents consider another line of work.

It is my hope that my job tomorrow at the polls will deliver some interesting, intriguing tidbits that start me tapping away on some new material. I’m taking my Dana with me for when inspiration strikes. Who knows, I might even start my next bestseller. So get out and vote tomorrow. If you see old neighbors and friends with their heads together discussing the latest local scandal and a lone woman nearby tapping away on her keyboard, come over and say hi. I always like meeting readers.

Behold the Dawn

2009-10-30T07:08:00.005-05:00

I am happy to welcome K.M. Weiland to Joy in the Journey. This prolific young author writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sand hills of western Nebraska. She is the author of A Man Called Outlaw and the recently released Behold the Dawn

She blogs at Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors and AuthorCulture

Synopsis of Behold the Dawn:
Marcus Annan, a journeyer famed for his prowess on the battlefield, thought he could keep the secrets of his past buried forever. But when a mysterious crippled monk demands Annan help him find justice for the transgressions of sixteen years ago, Annan is forced to leave the tourneys and join the Third Crusade.

Wounded in battle and hunted by enemies on every side, he rescues an English noblewoman from an infidel prison camp and flees to Constantinople. But, try as he might, he cannot elude the past. Amidst the pain and grief of a war he doesn’t even believe in, he is forced at last to face long-hidden secrets and sins and to bare his soul to the mercy of a God he thought he had abandoned years ago.

The sins of a bishop.

The vengeance of a monk.

The secrets of a knight.

Excerpt from Behold the Dawn

He ran a hand over the saddle, checking the Baptist’s flat-bladed sword where it lay snug in its fastenings on the near side. “Fetch the food purse.” She had kept it near her during the night, and he hadn’t asked for it. What he had told her about having nothing to fear from him would sink in better if he stayed away from her.

He gave the cinch a final check and tossed another glance at the sky. With blessings from both the weather and the saints, he and the lady could be in Orleans within the month—if the horse held out that long. He patted the courser’s shoulder. The horse blew through his nostrils and tossed his head. He was a far cry from the bay destrier Annan had lost outside Acre, but then the bay’s stamina probably wouldn’t compare with the courser’s on a trek of this sort.

Without looking at him, Mairead handed him the heavy leather purse. “The horse should have a name.” It was the first offhand comment she had offered since he had met her two nights ago.

“I don’t name my animals.”

“Why not?”

He tightened the knot that would hold the purse to the saddlebow, then turned to where she stood fondling the courser’s dark head. Why indeed? The last animal he had named was the charger Lord William had gifted him with a few years before St. Dunstan’s. He had called the big stallion Caird. Since then, he had owned and lost countless beasts, some through the tourneys, some to pay his debts. Marek named them all, but Annan never paid him heed.

Mairead looked at him, and he straightened. “Animals without names are easier to watch die.” It was as good a reason as any.

“Oh.” Her mouth set in a firm line once more. “I see.”

She didn’t see, but he hadn’t expected her to. She had known the shelter of her father’s and then Lord William’s castles for too long; she couldn’t realize that the pain and the death that filled a man’s life were bearable only when kept at arm’s length.

She didn’t look at him until he had lifted her onto the pillion, and then her eyes met his only for a moment. But it was an unguarded moment. And in it, he sensed again a flash of pain—raw and burning—and he was reminded that perhaps Lady Mairead of Keaton was a woman who knew pain all too well.

He could guess at the cause. He could piece together the import of her fear and of Lord William’s words and of everything left unsaid in her own statements.

But, that too, like all the horses he had seen fall beneath him in battle or forfeited for melee ransom, was something he needed to leave unnamed, lest he open himself to the realization of what had been done to her. Were he ever to allow a crack to open in the mental barrier of sixteen years, that would be all the gateway his own pain and fear and anger would ever need.

He mounted, wincing at the groan of his old hip wound. Reining the horse around, he headed for the riverbank where the going would be smooth. Mairead did not brace herself with her arms around him as she had yestermorn during their escape from the prison camp.

He urged the horse into a trot to loosen its muscles. The courser stumbled, then righted itself, ears pointed ahead, hooves crunching in the pebbles.

Annan glanced to his left. By now, the stranger on the donkey should be too far away to hear them. He rubbed the horse’s rough mane with his knuckles. Let the horse hold out. It was as close to a prayer as he had come in a long time.

The lady didn’t speak until the campsite had almost disappeared around the river’s bend. “He deserves a name,” she said.

The breeze, cool and still heavy with the damp of night, slid across the thickening stubble of his cheek, whispered secrets in his ear, then blew past him to caress the countess’s long hair.

Lines knit themselves deep in his forehead. He touched the horse’s belly with his heel, and the animal leaned into a canter. “Then name him.”

Click here to see the book trailer.

Welcome Regency author Laurie Alice Eakes

2009-10-28T07:39:00.005-05:00

Today my Encouraging Words for Writers comes from author Laurie Alice Eakes. Her first hardcover won the National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency, as well as being a finalist for Best First Book. She has also sold other books, articles, short stories, and essays. She lives in Virginia with her husband and assorted cats and dogs.

Welcome Laurie to Joy in the Journey. Thank you for using your gifts to uplift others.

"When you need encouragement, go to http://www.unboundbible.com Under the NASV version and the field marked simply “search”, type in encourage. Just reading the verses that pop up is encouraging, from the Israelites being told to encourage Joshua, to Paul telling us to encourage one another.

The ability to encourage one another is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It’s not something I thought I was terribly good at. In fact, I often felt as though I was constantly drawing on others to encourage me. I felt like my golden retriever, who is a love sponge. “Tell me, please, please, please, that I can write, that I’ll sell, that every word I put down isn’t nonsense. Please. Please. Please!!!” Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.

The funny thing was, it didn’t work. About two minutes after the nice words came, I dropped back into the Slough of Despond into which I tumbled with each rejection, or sometimes worse, each day without word. Ironically, the despondency got worse after I’d made a couple of sales than before. Surely God wanted me to be a writer. “Look, there’s my name on that book over there.”

Yes, God wanted me to be a writer. What He wanted from me more, though, was to be an encouragement to writers, a teacher, a giver rather than a taker. When someone got good news, I needed to feel joyful for them with sincerity, not simply pay lip service to happiness for their good news, while my own heart sank. I had to realize that God had a special place for me in the writing community. For nearly two years, I realized that He had only given me my two sales to keep me in the field because He had a place for me amongst writers.

To say that you may not be getting that book contract you yearn to receive, doesn’t seem encouraging, especially when you can, as I could, if I’d kept them, paper your office walls with the rejections. Being a writer means being published.

No, being a writer for God means allowing Him to use you and your gifts writing. It may be the devotional that uplifts a depressed friend. It may be the blog post that gives another writer the impetus she needs to carry on with her own work for the Lord. It may be the memo that makes your boss look good. And, yes, it may be the novel that starts a new subgenre of fiction.

I want everyone who wants to be, to get published. I want to see everyone achieve her dream. More so, I want my fellow writers not to take as long as I did, to find the joy of knowing when I surrendered my day’s writing to the Lord, I truly meant it.

That is my encouragement to you. Surrender your will to be published, your will to sell more, your will to have more of an impact in the writing community or your home community, or the world, all to the Lord’s reasons for calling you to write. It’s freeing."

Post Script:

In the year since I have put serving God through my writing over writing with the sole goal of getting published, I have sold eleven more novels.

Laurie Alice Eakes, The Glassblower, December, 2009; (Editor’s Pick); The Heiress, April, 2010; The Newcomer, August, 2010; When the Snow Flies, August, 2010

NaNoWriMo--How it can help your writing

2009-10-26T10:03:00.003-05:00

November 1-30 Thirty days and nights of literary abandon

If you’ve been around the writing circuit for very long, you know that next week marks the beginning of the annual NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. If you aren’t in the middle of a project or facing a deadline, I suggest you hop over to the website and sign up. There’s nothing like accountability to get the old juices flowing.

Has anyone tried this before? Someone challenged one of my writing groups to a similar exercise in June. It worked out perfectly for me. I was stalled at 25K words in a novel that was going nowhere. My premise was great. The key characters were hashed out. I knew where the book would end up. Yet nothing was happening. The challenge was exactly what I needed to dive in headfirst. By the end of the month I had added 52K to my original writing. The first draft of the book was complete! And guess what? It didn’t stink.

I solved all the major problems that had left me stymied up to that point. When you free yourself to just write and not worry about how it will come together, your subconscious mind has no choice but to take over.

What about you? Do you have a book idea that’s been pestering you for months but you don’t know where to go with it? Or you are too intimidated to tackle a project like a novel? Or you’ve had a few false starts but can’t get past the first fifty pages?

NANOWRIMO might be exactly what you’re looking for. You might surprise yourself. If nothing else, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you can do it. You can pump out 50K words in a relatively short amount of time and they may actually be something to build on.

Like so many other writers, I wonder why the powers that be chose November to begin writing a novel. November couldn’t be a worse time for most people to tackle something as daunting as a novel, with Thanksgiving and Black Friday and all the things that go into planning a holiday season.

But maybe that’s why they chose November. This way we can prove to ourselves that even amidst the busiest season of the year—with a little planning, discipline, and commitment—we can still write a novel. Or at least get a pretty good handle on it with 50 thousand words of a first draft.

The key is fastening your rear to the chair and staying there. The best thing about writing 50K words in a month is you don’t have time to edit. You don’t have time to second guess yourself or agonize over your hero's preoccupation with fighter jets and creating the perfect quiche. All you have time to do is pound out the scene and move on.

Quite liberating really. So take up the gauntlet. What have you got to lose? At the end of the month you can either be right where you are with your current novel, or you can have a solid first draft with the potential to become something worthy of submitting to a publisher.

Author Reaches 1.5 Million Sales Mark

2009-10-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS) On average, more than three hundred and fifty books by DiAnn Mills have been sold every day since the author released her first novel in 1998. With over forty novels, novellas, and works of nonfiction to her credit, it is not surprising that the author recently surpassed the 1.5 million sales mark.

How'd she do it and what can I learn from her achievements?

“This milestone in DiAnn’s career reflects her ability to connect with readers and build fans for her stories," says Karen Watson, Associate Publisher of Fiction at Tyndale House. "Beyond that, DiAnn is a model of professionalism and hard work for up-and-coming writers. She is a gracious woman blessed with a fun kick of imagination!”

Mills has often garnered recognition in her career, including multiple nominations for the American Christian Fiction Wrtiers Book of the Year; multiple appearances on bestseller lists, two Inspirational Readers Choice Awards, and a mention for the ECPA's highest award, the Christy. Colleagues state what lands Mills these accolades is hard work, perseverence, and the ability to write a book readers love.

"DiAnn has the ability to tell a compelling story, whether it be a romantic suspense or a historical, that just won't let the reader go. Unstinting in her research, she visits the settings she writes about and then brings them alive for us, her readers. Every DiAnn Mills book is a stimulating reading experience, which is how she has garnered so many copies sold," says Janet Grant, Founder of Books & Such Literary Agency.

Not content to merely gather accolades, Mills has plans to release several new novels in the coming months. Sworn to Protect the follow up to her March 2009 suspense novel Breach of Trust from Tyndale House Pubishing's Call of Duty Series will be in bookstores in the spring of 2010. Her historical, A Woman Called Sage from Zondervan Publishing is slated for a March 2010 release.

Sue Brower, Exective Editor of Fiction at Zondervan Publishing is especially excited to offer Mills' next novel to readers. "DiAnn is a joy to work with and I know her fans will be captivated by Sage."

When DiAnn was asked about this milestone in her writing career, she responded with her usual graciousness. "I'm truly honored and grateful to the many readers who have made this possible. I remain committed to my goal that readers can always Expect an Adventure."

_______________________

DiAnn Mills is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild.

DiAnn Mills is available for interview.

Add Suspense--Shake Things Up

2009-10-22T11:49:00.001-05:00

Want to write something awesome? Read awe inspiring books. I’m currently in the middle of rewriting a manuscript I wrote way back in 2006. Ever wonder if you are growing in your craft? Go back and read something you wrote a few years ago. Don’t despair if it makes you cringe. That means you are growing, evolving, becoming better with every book, every page.

My book has lots of potential. I love the story. But alas, there are a few things missing. It’s a romantic suspense. Sadly there is little romance. Worse, there is virtually no suspense.

Back to Square One.

In order for a book to be suspense and not women’s fiction or contemporary satire, the element of suspense must be integral to the plot. The hero or heroine must be in clear and present danger. My characters are not. They learn a lot through the course of the story. They grow into more compassionate individuals. But no one is in any real danger, and the romance is minimal at best. Not good if I intend to market the book as romantic suspense.

I just finished reading a romantic suspense by a prolific writer whose books I enjoy. Throughout the course of the story, the characters kept getting deeper and deeper in trouble. Suspense mounted with each turning of the page. The villain became more twisted and brazen while the hero and heroine kept discovering new reasons to survive and renewed determination to help them reach this end.

Now I need to figure out how to incorporate these methods into my own writing. My heroine isn’t the focus of a serial killer. She doesn’t have enemies from a past life bent on silencing her. Danger must lurk behind every corner. Suspense is always fun for me. I like coming up with twisted, convoluted situations. That’s my task for today. Delete mundane passages. Insert suspense.

What about you? Do you need to up the ante for your characters? Have they become content and complacent in their circumstances. Shake things up. Insert some suspense—regardless of your genre—and see what happens.

Happy writing!

Encouraging Words for Writers

2009-10-21T12:29:00.001-05:00

We’ve all been told that to break into publishing, we need to write a great story, one that editors can’t put down. But we’ve also heard tales of editors who have turned down a book that went on to be a huge bestseller. No one can predict how well a book will do, but an author’s first challenge is to get past editorial and marketing committees to make that actual first sale. And the waiting period, for some of us, can be far longer than we’d ever anticipated.

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, biblical fiction was a fading genre, and I couldn’t sell my work despite my knocking on 28 different publishers’ doors. One editor did give me the suggestion to spin my story a different way, but novice that I was, I turned her down. Sixteen years later, (and after I had finally taken that editor’s advice) the series of my heart finally sold. Today, the genre is picking up and books on King David and other biblical characters are on the rise.

But what do you do when nothing you touch turns to gold? You’ve studied the craft, you’ve written a gazillion books that are lying dormant in a file on your computer, and you’ve done all of the right things – attended writer’s conferences, networked with agents, editors, and published authors. You’ve sold smaller pieces and built your portfolio, but for reasons known only to God, you just can’t break in. Rejection hurts in any form, but if you’re like me, after years of rejection, you start to wonder if you’ve been pursing the wrong dream.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God has created us to do good works that He has planned in advance for us to do. If we are in Christ, dearly loved children of God, then He is working in us, and has plans for us that only we can fulfill. He’s given us gifts and talents and desires that were placed there by Him. When we understand what those gifts and talents are, it is up to us to use them. But sometimes it’s not always easy to tell the exact way in which our gifts are to be used.

Sometimes our own self will can get in the way of God’s best for us.

How do we recognize when we are being too stubborn to listen to voices of reason, maybe even God’s still small voice telling us it’s time to move on, as opposed to persevering through the fiery trials of rejection to reach the goals we believe God gave us?

If we are obeying God in the things His Word commands and seeking Him with all of our hearts, then we should ask ourselves, what is it we love to do? Do we love to write? Are stories burning within us waiting to be told? Then to obey Him, we must write those stories to the very best of our ability.

But God has not told us what He will do with those good works He’s planned for us. He has only commanded us to do them. So write the stories of your heart, then place them in His hands. And keep placing them there even when the rejections come. Keep placing them there when doubts replace hope. And in the process, keep an attitude of submission – one that says you will follow Him to publication or to a completely different pursuit. You will even follow Him into the seemingly endless place called waiting.

If God has placed a passion in our hearts to write, we can do nothing less than write the words, pen the stories, create with all our ability. Then if publication is our dream, pursue it, doing all in your power to be the best you can be. But in the end, in the midst of your perseverance and rejections, keep those stories, those dreams and desires, in an open hand. The results are up to Him.

by guest host Jill Eileen Smith
http://www.jilleileensmith.com
http://www.thewivesofkingdavid.com
The Wives of King David Series
Michal: A Novel - ECPA Bestseller!
Abigail - Releases February 1, 2010
Bathsheba
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

What's holding you back?

2009-10-19T08:00:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I decided to reach my goal weight by Thanksgiving. I've been struggling with those last few pounds for a year now and I am determined to get keep them from following me into the New Year.

As far as my writing is concerned, there are a few other things hanging around that I believe have kept me from getting a contract from a major publishing house. One of my biggest offenders: Head hopping, according to a friend of mine who is helping me polish my latest manuscript. I have a tendency to write my story through the eyes of whoever happens to be in a particular scene. It doesn't matter if it's a key player or a one time Joe who delivers roses to our killer's next victim.

Only tell the story through the eyes of your hero and heroine, my friend told me. Occasionally you may get into the head of the villian, but do so sparingly.

I don't know if I completely agree. As a reader, I like to hear the story through conflicting viewpoints. I think it offers a greater depth into each character. But I suppose the main character is the only one the reader really cares about. Don't share the love too much.

Regardless of how much I like to head hop, I want to get this book published. Even if I don't agree with every rule and nuance, at this point in the game, I should be willing to play by their rules. What's that old saying? He who owns the game, makes the rules.

I would be well advised to remember that.

So what about you? What last few pounds are holding you back from reaching your writing goals? Do you head hop? Do you rely too heavily on adverbs and adjectives? Do you prefer to make up your rules as you go along and hope to find a publisher willing to bend her guidelines to suit your manuscript?

Here are a few tips that might help you on your journey to achieving your goals starting this beautiful October morning.

1. Never ever, ever quit! Consistency and persistency are the keys to success!
2. Thoughts become things. If you think you can do it …you can do it!
3. Join a team. Find friends who offer support, accountability and motivation for whatever your goals are.
4. Don’t just sit there. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.
5. Have written goals. Use them to create your action plan.
6. Start with one new habit and build on that.

JUST DO IT!

What to do when the lights go out

2009-10-16T19:26:00.008-05:00

When God Turned Off the Lights

Author Cec Murphey

About the Author: Award-winning writer Cecil Murphey is the author or co-author of more than 100 books, including the "New York Times" bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). He's also the author of When Someone You Love Has Cancer and Christmas Miracles, both 2009 releases. Murphey's books have sold millions and have brought hope and encouragement to countless people around the world.

Is it possible that God would use a time of spiritual loneliness and isolation in our life as an answer to our prayer for "something more?" That's what happened with best-selling author Cecil Murphey. In When God Turned Off the Lights (Regal, September 2009), he openly shares from his journey that seemed to be stalled in darkness.

Murphey decided to write about his months of seeking God in the darkness because he suspected his situation wasn't unique. "If this happened to me, a rather ordinary believer, surely there are others out there who have wept in the isolated blackness of night and wondered if they would ever see God's smile again."

Murphey could have handled this topic as a theologian and given pages of heavy, hard-to-read advice, but he chose to write from his heart and expose it for the readers to see. He talks honestly and shares his skepticism and frustration. He asks hard questions. And he lays out the steps of healing that brought him back to the light.

When God Turned Off the Lights is a book for those of us who ask, "What's wrong with me? Why are others living in the sunlight while nothing but dark clouds and darkness envelop me?" Readers will learn:
Why God turns off the lights
Why we have to have dark nights
Why asking "why" isn't the right question
What's worse than going through the darkness
How to feel worthwhile and accepted by God

Each chapter of When God Turned Off the Lights ends with an inspirational personal quote from Cec. Here's a sampling:

Although it may seem as if God is asleep when we go through deep darkness, could it be that God is most watchful in the moments of our despair?

Could it be that moving from why to what might take us one more step closer to the light?

Our task is to hang on. We wait until God takes us off hold and deals directly with us again.

God's provision is based on unconditional love - not on my faithfulness.

What to Do When the Lights Go Out

by Cec Murphey

If you sincerely desire to follow Jesus Christ, life won't always be easy. Many times the Bible promises victory, and you may need to remind yourself that there can be no victory without struggling and overcoming obstacles.

In my book, I used the image of God turning out the lights because that was how I perceived the situation. I felt as if I walked in darkness for 18 months. We all interact differently with God, and my experience won't be the same as yours. Even so, most serious Christians have times when God seems to turn away or stops listening. And we feel alone.

Perhaps it's like the time the Israelites cried out to God for many years because of the Egyptian oppression. "God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise...and knew it was time to act" (Exodus 2:24 NLT). God hadn't forgotten, of course, but from their perspective, that's how it must have seemed. It may seem like that to you if you're going through your own form of darkness.

Here are a few suggestions to help you:

1. Ask God this simple question: "Have I knocked out the lights by my failures? Have I sinned against you? After you ask the question, listen. Give God the opportunity to speak to you.

2. Don't see this as divine punishment (unless God shows you it is), but consider the silence an act of divine love to move you forward. This is God's method to teach you and stretch you.

3. Avoid asking why. You don't need reasons and explanations--and you probably won't get them anyway. Instead, remind yourself that this temporary darkness is to prepare you for greater light.

4. Say as little as possible to your friends. Most friends will want to "fix" you or heal you and they can't. They may offer advice (often not helpful) or make you feel worse ("Are you sure everything is right between you and God?").

5. Stay with the "means of grace." That is, don't neglect worship with other believers even if you feel empty. Read your Bible even if you can't find anything meaningful.

I chose to read Lamentations and Psalms (several times, especially Lamentations) because they expressed some of the pain and despair I felt.

6. If you don't have a daily prayer time, start one. Perhaps something as short as three minutes--and do it daily. Talk honestly to God. It's all right to get angry. (Read the Psalms if you're hesitant.)

7. Remind yourself, "I am in God's hands. This is where I belong and I'll stay in the blackout until I'm ready to move forward."

8. Pray these words daily: "But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12 TNIV). Some versions say "secret sins." These are failures and sins of which you may not yet be aware. One of the purposes of your darkness may be to bring those hidden problems to light.

9. Ask God, "What do you want me to learn from this experience?" You may not get an answer, but it's still a good question. Continue to ask--even after the lights go back on again. If you're open, you will learn more about yourself and also about God.

10. As you receive "light" about yourself while walking in darkness, remind yourself, God has always known and still loves me.

Tale of Tails with a Thirst for Verse

2009-10-16T08:23:00.004-05:00

This morning I am happy to welcome award winning author James E. Tate to Joy in the Journey.

Tale of Tails with a Thirst for Verse is a "...Heartwarming book about life, love, God, nature, science, and family."A fun read." --SRD

A cross between William J. Bennett’s Book of Virtues (for prose), and both Ogden Nash and Robert Frost (for verse), the book works well for something to cuddle with or a thoughtful gift.

The first part of the book’s title was taken from this excerpt: “If you find a tail with a dog attached / say hi, and pat its head / If to the tail a Rottweiler’s latched / better nothing’s said.”

You’ll learn how to handle a talkative caller with, Rx for Phone Fatigue, “If the caller won’t quit / and you’re having a fit / to get off the phone / and you know it’s no use / to make an excuse / just ask for a loan!”

Another short poem describes the foibles of a prevaricator, titled, Never Applaud a Fraud, “No accolades for the man so sly / as to avoid some blame by telling a lie / but he earns respect if he takes reprove / and the risk of shame by telling the truth.” More serious is an inspirational poem: Finding Jesus, “When your heart feels a tug / and your soul wants to worship / and you feel a certain longing / deep within your spirit / just kneel in prayer / you’ll find Jesus there.”

Essays and articles fill nearly half of the book. Reflect on this snippet from, Magnificent Creation.

“Consider for a moment, the genetic attributes of the body, the gene pool from which we are made, and we become aware that our bodies are marvelous creations.” Another excerpt: “Thanks to aids such as the electron microscope, scientists have found a microcosm so complex it defies the greatest minds to unravel. Each DNA cell is one thousandth of an inch in diameter, containing fifty thousand genes to a cell! I suppose we can compare the makeup of our bodies to the complexity of the vast universe itself.”

For those that love intrigue, check out the story, A Sound in the Night and see how a boy, left at home alone with his sick dog handles mysterious noises in the night.

These and many more are carefully selected works from over 40 years of my writings covering life, love, God, nature, science and family. A book that’s different.

If you like to read about life, romance, pets and wildlife, religious and secular, this book is for you. It depicts varied subjects regarding fantasy, space travel, prehistoric creatures, Christmas stories, Bible characters, and much more.

See Jamestatebook.com for more information.

Learn more about James and his writing journey on his blog.

Faint not in doing good

2009-10-14T08:03:00.003-05:00

Promotion comes neither from the east or the west, not from the south. But God is the judge: he puts down one and sets up another.
Psalm 75: 6-7

Some days while I’m writing and the words flow like a stream after a spring rain, it’s easy to believe I have a special calling on my life. I am set apart for God’s use. He has a big purpose for me. My writing is meant to touch hearts and change lives.

Then I get word from my agent that another publishing house passed on my work. I log onto one of my writing groups and I hear of a multi-published author who just got a contract for three more books with a fantastic advance, and I come crashing to the ground.

What’s the deal? What am I doing wrong? When will God show me favor? I'm not typically a jealous person, but it's hard to rejoice over another's success when we've had nothing but rejection for months, or perhaps years on end.

Several times in the last few weeks I’ve talked to people, many of them writers, who are disheartened about the loss of a job or cut in pay or yet another rejection from a publishing house. It is easy to ask; “Why not me? I know I have a calling on my life. I’ve read published works that are ten times worse than mine. Why is So-and-so blessed and I'm not?”

You will drive yourself crazy trying to wrap your head around these questions. We won’t always understand why things happen the way they do, whether with writing or promotion at work or in relationships. The only thing we can do in times of trial and doubt is to keep doing well. Keep applying yourself at work. Keep growing in your craft. Use the downtime in your writing to read and study the markets.

Faint not in doing good. It will happen as long as we keep working, keep submitting, keep growing, and most importantly, keep the faith that God is bigger than we are and he has a plan for each life he put on earth.

Folklore and the contemporary novel

2009-10-13T09:17:00.005-05:00

This weekend my husband and I traveled out to the country to participate in an arts and crafts fair. I’m not a very crafty person. I crochet and make a few things that find a small market everywhere I go, but I won’t get rich this way. The main reason I set up is to sell my books. If you have a book and a free weekend in the fall, you may consider these venues. Most people show up at these events ready to spend money. And many will agree an autographed book makes a unique and fun gift.

It also helps if you live locally. Anything within a hundred miles is considered local as far as I’m concerned. Even though this one wasn’t far from home, I met readers who had never heard of me. Visibility is the goal here. So this weekend we enjoyed the fall foliage during our trip into the hills of southern Ohio. Selling a box or two of books was just the icing on the cake.

But the biggest benefits by far from this craft fair and many others like it were the tidbits of local folklore I picked up. Fascinating stories I’d never heard before that would make great additions to my books. One story in particular was a book in itself. Writers live for these moments.

I always warn people never to say anything in front of me they don’t want to end up in a book someday. What goes into my ears now belongs to me to do with as I please. So the next time a reader wants to bend your ear about anything, don’t pass it up. You may end up with an idea for the next bestseller.

Interactive Fiction Series for Girls

2009-10-09T07:32:00.003-05:00

Barbour Releases New Interactive Fiction Series for Girls

I learned of this unique and exciting idea through an email sent to the American Christian Fiction Writers group, and I’m thrilled to bring it to your attention today. I’m sure after you read about it, you’ll be excited as I am. Especially if you have a young woman in your life.

Barbour Books Uhrichsville, OH—Written specifically for tween girls faced with difficult decisions and lots of peer pressure, the new Scenarios series debuts with Truth or Dare and All That Glitters by Nicole O’Dell in August 2009. Lessons of right and wrong are put to the test when readers use their own decision making abilities in an eye-opening but safe way. Each book follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s the reader’s turn to choose!

In Truth or Dare, Lindsay Martin is faced with a tough choice: Does she give in to peer pressure and make her friends happy or does she do what she knows is right—even if it means losing her friends forever? All That Glitters finds Drew Daniels with popularity and a cute boyfriend—everything she thought she wanted. But now she’s faced with choosing between pleasing her boyfriend and doing what’s right. Tween readers make the choices in these interactive stories and discover how the consequences change Lindsay’s and Drew’s lives. Both books include a contract and prayer at the end to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions.

Truth or Dare by Nicole O’Dell. August 2009. $7.97. 192 pages.
ISBN 978-1-60260-399-8.

All That Glitters by Nicole O’Dell. August 2009. $7.97. 192 pages.
ISBN 978-1-60260-400-1.

Author Bio:
Nicole O’Dell lives in Illinois with her husband and six children, three of whom are triplets. With a heart for young girls and a special passion for the relationship between mothers and daughters as they approach the teen years, Nicole created the Scenarios: Interactive Fiction for Girls series to help girls develop sound decision making skills. Her writing also includes devotionals and Bible studies for women of all ages.

Nicole, I am so happy to have you here on Joy in the Journey to talk about this project with Barbour. Can you first tell us a little about yourself?

My husband is Wil O’Dell, and I’m a mother of six kids. They range in age from 17 all way down to my infant triplets. I work from home with all of my kiddos underfoot, which presents challenges of its own but has also been a huge blessing. The past two years have been interesting, to say the least. I spent several months on bed rest while I carried the triplets. Then, I was in the hospital for six weeks. I actually submitted the finished manuscripts for Truth or Dare and All that Glitters from my hospital bed just days before I welcomed my three little angels. Phew!

Triplets! I'm impressed. I get distracted by my two dogs. May I ask when did you discover your love for writing?

When I was in the fourth grade, I entered a district-wide literary contest. I had to take a blank, white, hardcover book and write a story with illustrations to fill it. My book, The Girl on the Runaway Pogo-Stick, took first place. It was printed and placed in the school libraries in my district. I was hooked from that moment. I remember the process of writing that book. I was sitting on my bedroom floor (with green, shag carpeting, of course) leaning against the side of my bed. As I was writing about the girl bouncing her way through town, passing all of the businesses and waving hello to various townspeople, I realized that she'd need to pass them in reverse order on the way home. Something in me clicked, and I realized that things like that didn't just happen by accident in books; someone did it on purpose. Suddenly, I wanted to be that person—the one who made things happen and told the story.

How did you break in to the publishing world?

It took me a long time to actually attempt any kind of formal publishing. I mainly took classes and wrote for myself through those many years. Finally, a few years ago, I dabbled with a few queries for some ideas that I now see were never going to work—and they didn't. But, once I had an idea that I couldn't let go of (Scenarios) and a far better understanding of how the industry works, I gave it a real try. I actually only sent out one query for the Scenarios series. That query eventually led to a two-book contract, and here we are ready to release those two books, with the third and fourth books already in the works and slated for release in May 2010

What drew you to the YA market?

Fear! Seriously. When I was a young girl, my mom was my hero. I really believed that she could do anything and that she knew everything. Somehow, when I entered my early teen years, that all changed. I became angry and really gave her a hard time. I regret much of those years now that I see the truth of them. My mom is now my very best friend; I wish I had known then what I know now and just how temporary all of that angst and confusion really was. Ever since I had my daughters, I have feared those years. My parenting has really been shaped by my desire to avoid as much of that destruction as possible. My heart’s desire is to reach hormonal, confused, pre-teen girls, protecting them from themselves, and their families from the confusion that can ensue as the girls face those life changes.

Tell us a little about your novels...

In the Scenarios series, each main character is faced with many choices and moral dilemmas. Eventually, they find that their choices have led them into a situation that requires them to make a very difficult and potentially life-altering moral decision. When the story has fully unfolded, and the main character arrives at that moment of truth, the reader makes the big decision for her and then turns to the corresponding section in the book where the resulting circumstances unfold. This places the responsibility for those decisions squarely on the reader’s shoulders, in hopes that she will learn from her personal experience as she lives it through the eyes of the book's character. She will learn the importance of good decisions as well as the truth about forgiveness and grace. Even when poor choices are made, the redemptive power of Christ is evident as forgiveness is sought, offered and received.

How can we find you on the web?

My Web site is www.nicoleodell.com. There, you can find my blogs—one is a blog about my writing career, and it actually offers a lot of tips and insight into the publishing industry for people trying to get started; the other is just a personal family blog. You’ll also find links to me on Facebook and Twitter. And, I’m excited to announce we have launched a Web site for teen girls at the same time as the release of the first two Scenarios books. It is a fun, interactive and insightful place for teens that meets them where they are.

There will be awesome product reviews with giveaways, a blog, lots of advice and insight into the teen world and plenty of spiritual guidance mingled in. Girls can sign up now for reminder mailings by e-mailing me at nicoleodell6@gmail.com.

What are your goals for the future?

More than anything, I hope to grow this ministry for teen girls. I have a real passion for them and for the mother/daughter relationship as it approaches and weathers the teen years. I believe that our enemy seeks to destroy the family, and one of the ways he does that is by affecting teenagers through temptations and emotions that they aren’t ready to face. It seems that mothers and daughters often have the most difficult time during those years. On the horizon, I have speaking events and outreaches where I intend to bring a message of hope and promise to women and girls who are facing those difficult years.

If someone would like to book you for an author event or a speaking engagement, how can they reach you?

They can contact me through my website:or email me.

Lastly, how can we meet you? Where can we come see you?

You can find out all about my upcoming events at my Web site. AIf you’d be interested in hosting a speaking event, please e-mail me. I hope you do take the time to come on out and meet me at one of my events! You can also find me on Facebook or at www.scenariosforgirls.com

Writing Doldrums

2009-10-07T06:21:00.002-05:00

Ever get stuck? You don't know what to write. You stare at the screen
and your mind is just as blank as it is. Then, you don't want to
write. Been there, done that. More times than I care to remember.

It's like being trapped in the doldrums. That's an area near the
equator that sometimes becomes deceptively calm. It's literally the
calm before the storm. Because that is where and when hurricanes are
often spawned.

Sometimes our lives seem peaceful, but there's a storm brewing. And
if we don't get moving and get out of it's path, we may be devastated.

Now, I don't want to be overly dramatic, but I want to relate this to
our writing. At times it's a chore. Let's face it (to borrow a line
from "A League of Their Own"), "If it were easy, everybody'd be doin'
it." But writing isn't easy and sometimes it's just hard work.

Too often when we encounter a problem we think we must do more, try
harder, pray more, read our Bibles more, be more diligent at church (or in a writers group), or fast. (Now this guy's gone to meddling!) But
what if the answer, the solution we need, isn't about us, what we do?
What if the answer is about what we don't do? What if what we need is
simply to rely more on God? Of course we must do our part, but what
if there's something we're missing?

I challenge us to consider what novelist Jack Cavanaugh calls the God
Factor. I'm going to write, despite my busy schedule. Despite not
knowing everything I could know about "the market." Despite the fact
that I know I could improve my work if I edit it one more time. And
I'm going to submit something before the end of the year. And I'm
going to trust God to take my five loaves and two fish and do what is
humanly impossible. I'm going to trust him to fill my vessels, not a
few. I'm going to write, and submit my work, and trust God for a
harvest, for fruit, for something I can't even imagine.

I hope you'll do the same. And as Chuck Nolan in "Cast Away" said, "I
know what I have to do now.... Because tomorrow the sun will rise.
Who knows what the tide could bring?"

Don't be afraid of success.

Posted courtesy of Jeff Adams. Visit Jeff's blog to hear more encouraging and eye opening words. You may also visit http://www.praisechapelkingman.com/ and follow the links. The first url is interactive for comments, the second has lots more stuff.

What writers can learn from friendly turkeys and family reunions

2009-10-05T13:11:00.008-05:00

Our neighbors have a pet turkey. Turkeys make better pets than you might think. This one is rather amusing to watch. He pecks around the yard, talking and garbling and intent on making friends with everything in sight. Unfortunately my dogs are not nearly as congenial with him as he is with them.

The other day while trying to enjoy a leisurely walk with the dogs, the turkey caught sight of us and ran out to greet us. While he saw potential friends, my dogs saw an early Thanksgiving dinner. As my husband and I tried to deter the turkey and keep my Lab from latching her jaws around his straggly turkey neck, my fingers became entangled in the retractable leash. If you’ve ever used a retractable leash, you know why they come with labels warning against getting your legs or fingers near the rope. The fingers of my left hand are seared top to bottom with rope burns that made writing nearly impossible all weekend.

The pain has subsided for the most part and I have mobility back in my digits. But Saturday and Sunday were a wash as far as accomplishing much with my writing. Losing a weekend writing and figuring out how to someday work a turkey encounter into a novel made me realize once again how inspiration can strike at the most unlikely times.

Sometimes a writer need go no farther than his front yard for ideas. Saturday before the turkey attack, we attended a family reunion. A niece talked with me about whether or not her boyfriend would propose and what she would say if he did. She loves the guy, and is pretty sure he’s the one, but what if she’s wrong. A husband and wife spent the whole time sniping at each other and drawing unwanted attention. I overheard a conversation about a cousin who disappeared about forty years ago. The family finally tracked her down in another state a decade or so back. She has children of her own and a life none of us know anything about. She emphatically stated she did not want contact from anyone in the family. Someone whispered about rumors of “incest” and knowing glances were passed around the table. The conversation quickly shifted to layoffs and unemployment and of family members who had died since the last reunion.

I’ve heard it said the best way to repair the sagging middle of a novel is to throw in a dead body. Since that scenario doesn’t work for every piece of fiction, you may want to pay attention to what the old folks talk about at the next reunion, wedding, or funeral. Or just walk your dogs around the neighborhood and see what kind of exotic pet captures their attention.

Amish Peace

2009-10-03T17:23:00.003-05:00

“Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Amish Wisdom for Modern Life: Suzanne Woods Fisher shares the real-life stories of the Amish, with insights to find lasting peace in our lives.

Take a look around you. Everyone is rushing around with endless to-do lists and back-to-back deadlines, barely able to catch a breath. Everyone, that is, except the Amish. Living on the outskirts of modernity, the Amish are icons for a simpler life and a slower pace. It’s this allure—something of a sanctuary, suspended in time—that draws millions of tourists to travel to Amish country every year.

“The Amish are the only people I have ever known who seem to have a handle on inner peace,” says Suzanne Woods Fisher. Fisher recently published Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, in which she explores the tranquility that marks their lives.

“It’s easy to get distracted by the buggies and beards and bonnets,” she says. “From the outside, the Amish can seem quaint and old-fashioned. But there’s much we can learn from them.” She would know because she’s spent most of her life alongside these people: Her relatives are members of the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church, which shares similar values to the Amish.

Interviewing dozens of Amish for her book to gain a deeper understanding of their steadfast peace, Fisher got a closer look into the daily struggles and triumphs of the Amish. She shares these touching, real-life stories in the pages of Amish Peace.
For example, she got to know some of the Amish families who lost children in the West Nickel Mines School shooting. Even in the face of that kind of tragedy, she saw how the Amish community found calm by trusting in God’s sovereignty.

“We just have to keep going on,” remarked one Amish woman whose family members were among the victims. “People think we’re perfect, but we’re not. Yet we can’t dwell on what happened. We have to leave it in God’s hands.” That fundamental belief also enabled them to extend incredible, almost immediate forgiveness to the gunman and his family.

Through her conversations and interactions with the Amish, she looks at how their enduring peace is rooted in their appreciation for five key elements: simplicity, time, community, forgiveness and their faith. Whether it’s living with only necessities, spending time with family or learning that the world is larger than our feeble understanding, those attitudes provide the framework that allows them to find solace in spite of life’s unpredictable circumstances.

“We don’t have to ‘go Amish’ to find true peace,” Fisher says. “Instead, we can learn from the example they’ve set and incorporate some of their lessons into our own lives. That’s what Amish Peace is all about—being inspired by the best of the Amish way of life.”

"Suzanne has captured the calm spirit of the Amish community.
She offers us a glimpse into a world of peace, serenity, and
total commitment to family and God.

This book just might change the way you live your life." — Glenda Lehman Ervin, vice president, marketing, Lehman’s

"Fisher plants the reader inside Amish living rooms, barns, kitchens, and schoolhouses while distilling the best of what Plain life has to offer. Heartening and helpful." — Erik Wesner, author, Simple Success: How the Amish Do Business and Amish America blog

"As one who has experienced peace firsthand from a wonderful Amish family, I see the recent flurry of writing about the Amish as welcome to our hurting nation. Read Amish Peace and you will not only learn about this unique subculture, but you will also be inspired to live a life of peace." — Joel Kime, pastor, Faith Church, Lancaster, PA

Suzanne Woods Fisher’s interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict left the colony, amicably, and eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne’s work has appeared in many magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, Christian Parenting Today, Marriage Partnership, and many others. She has contributed to several nonfiction books and is the author of three novels. Fisher lives in California.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet.

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For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Writing Devotions for Encouragement and Publication

2009-10-02T08:40:00.005-05:00

If you are an author in search of speaking and networking venues, you need to check out your local libraries. They have been supportive of my writing ministry since way back in the day when I first got started and no one else wanted to listen to me. The best thing about participating in these events is meeting some wonderful, inspiring individuals who truly love the printed word. One such person is Penny McGinnis. Today I am pleased and thrilled to have Penny here at Joy in the Journey to talk about her own writing.

Since she possesses such an encouraging and gentle spirit, I suppose it's only natural that she began writing and emailing devotions for family and friends three years ago. Since then she has written and published poetry in magazines, articles for newspapers and websites and many book reviews. She's here to tell us about getting started and what she's learned along the way.

Penny, can you tell us why you began the email devotion ministry?

For years I have known that God gifted me to be an encourager. When my children started leaving home, I wanted a way to encourage them through God’s word, and I hoped by sending the devotions to friends and family, they would also find encouragement in the midst of the sadness and negativity of the world. The devotions also proved to be a great avenue for me to keep writing.

So you write to encourage?

Yes, with so much sad news in the world, I feel led by God to bring light and positive words to each reader. It seems like each day when I wake up, I think the day holds great promise full of positive ideas and thoughts, and then little by little the positive gets chipped away by sad news, negative attitudes, and general frustration with life. I know I’m not alone in this, so I want to remind my readers of Jesus and his glorious grace and the promise of hope.

How have you grown from writing the devotions?

Writing one every week, helps me stay in God’s word. I can’t write the devotions without seeking God’s guidance and knowing what he has to say. I find myself digging deeper into the Bible to discover what truth I can share with others. I also enjoy the responses and confirmations I receive back. Together I grow with my readers as we discover how God works in our lives.

You still send devotions each week and you’ve added a blog where you post your devotions; tell me about that.

Yes, I post my devotions, book reviews that mostly focus on Christian fiction and non-fiction, and my other inspirational writings. You can find my blog at http://encouragementjourney.blogspot.com/. I chose to create a blog with the hope that I could send encouraging thoughts to more people. As a reader, I also wanted a place to post book reviews and other random thoughts. From working in an academic library, I’ve learned that embracing newer technologies like blogging and Facebook creates another avenue for spreading God’s word.

Do you have any plans for pursuing publication of your writings in print form?

I would love to write devotions for either magazines or in book form. I currently have one idea I am thinking about for a devotional book and I’ve submitted articles to a few magazines. As you know, finding a publisher is tough. I’m praying about where God wants me to go with this.

What motivates you to continue writing devotions every week?

My appreciation to God for his grace and forgiveness and my desire to tell more people about Jesus’ sacrifice, keeps me writing. It’s not about me; it’s about my Savior. Only by God’s grace do I rise each morning and face the day knowing that I am free.
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Penny McGinnis

To learn more about Penny's writing and her devotion ministry, visit her blog where you can sign up to receive her weekly devotions. http://encouragementjourney.blogspot.com/

To read her book reviews, visit Penny's Picks http://pennyspicks.blogspot.com/

A Writing Career--Love it or Hate It

2009-09-30T10:10:00.001-05:00

It is never too late—in fiction or in life—to revise. ——Nancy Thayer

We are often tempted to take the path of least resistance in writing and in life. It is after all, the easiest way to go. No hindrances. No problems. But most often it isn’t the best path.

I won’t lie to you. Writing is often a discouraging career choice. Publishers aren’t buying. Agents aren’t reading. Editors don’t have time to sift through the mountainous slush pile on their desk in search of the gem that is your manuscript. Why even bother to submit? The reasons are endless as to why this is not the most sound career path for a sane person who likes to eat and wear clothes to take.

Many writers say they didn’t choose writing; the writing chose them. I’ve been thinking a lot lately of the passage of time, and how I’m not getting any younger, and what happens if I don’t get a contract by the end of the year, or even, God forbid, next year.

Should I do something else with my life? Should I go back to school? Should I polish my resume and hit the streets? But what exactly would I do? I’m a writer. I believe it’s the only career you can’t walk away from. Oh, you could do something else to earn a paycheck. You could cure cancer or walk on Mars or win an Academy Award, but everywhere you go, people will always ask; “Yes, but when are you going to write another book?”

Writing has chosen me and it isn’t letting go. Whether I get another book contract by the end of the year or whether I polish the three manuscripts sitting on my desk and submit them to my agent or not, or whether I bury my head under the covers and refuse to come out, I am still a writer.

I can revise my plans for a short time, but I can’t walk away from writing. It is who I’ll always be. So I’ll go back to revising my books, not falling too much in love with my words, and hope my dear husband doesn’t get tired of paying the bills while I wait on that elusive contract.

It will come, of that I’m certain.

Writing Workshops for every level of writing

2009-09-28T07:03:00.003-05:00

Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade, just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself. – Truman Capote

As writers, we must continually learn the craft, and fortunately, there are numerous ways to educate ourselves. High school and college classes, books on craft, writing conferences, and nowadays, even online writing courses provide writers with endless possibilities to hone and polish their work.

Today, I’m thrilled to share with you about WIES Workshops. We began offering affordable, educational, online courses earlier this year. We usually have two or three courses each month, geared towards writers of all skill levels. Our workshops can be completed from the comfort of your own home and offer a great alternative (or even an excellent addition to) numerous conferences each year. Multi-published, award-winning, and/or best-selling authors considered experts in their chosen field teach our courses, so the benefits for the student are exceptional, for instruction and for networking.

Class size is small, format is easy to use, and the instruction one-on-one. Student feedback has been very positive thus far, and we can’t wait to hear of the successes as our students continue on their writing journey.

October course offerings include:

Writing Fiction Proposals, taught by Virginia Smith. This course covers all the elements of building a successful proposal, taught by one of the best. Virginia Smith has just signed her 12th book contract in four years, so she knows what she’s doing. She teaches other courses for us, and the students rave about her instruction. At the end of this 4-week course, Smith provides feedback on each student’s completed book proposal elements (minus the sample chapters.)

Reach for the Stars! A Writing Course for Young Authors is taught by Susan K. Marlow. This unique course is geared towards students ages 10-15. It’s a great unit study for homeschoolers, or for any young person interested in writing. Susan Marlow’s energy is contagious, so the class will be fun and educational. This 6-week course offers discounts for homeschool groups of five or more.

Writing Devotionals is taught by Jeanette Hanscome, who brings her experience to the table to help writers learn how to share God’s truth without preaching. This 4-week course will not only teach you the basics and formatting of devotions, but will help you learn to write tight and focused, and help you find home for your work.

Other upcoming courses include:
· Build Your Publishing Credits
· Head Games: Exploring Point-of-View
· Writing for the YA Market
· Writing Romantic Suspense
· How to Write How-To Books
· From Flat to Full: Characterization in Fiction
· Writing for Children
· Writing Women’s Fiction
· And MORE!

Each month new classes are offered, so check the schedule regularly for updates.

Courses range from four to eight weeks in length, and $100-$150 in price. Gift certificates and payment plans are available; scholarships may be available for some of the courses, so please send me an e-mail if you’re interested in one, and we’ll see what’s available.

For more information, or to register for any WIES Workshop, visit www.WIESworkshops.com.

Teresa, thanks so much for welcoming me to your blog. I’d love to hear from your readers.

About Tracy:
Tracy Ruckman is a freelance editor, writer, and photographer. She owns Write Integrity Editorial Services and WIES Workshops, and hosts the popular Pix-N-Pens blog for writers, editors, and photographers. Her story, Miracle of the Nativity, appears in the book Christmas Miracles by Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson, releasing October 2009.

Tracy is the blessed wife of an incredible husband and the proud mom of two grown sons and one spoiled rotten dog. She loves to travel, fish, garden, and read - and usually has her camera with her at all times.

Urgent: Victims of Sexual Trafficking

2009-09-25T07:00:00.004-05:00

Brought to you by Kathy Carlton Willis Communications
WillisWay@aol.com or KCWComm@rgv.rr.com
956-642-6319

Salvation Army Sponsors
4th Annual International Weekend of
Prayer and Fasting
for Victims of Sexual Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery

September 25-27th concerned individuals across the world will join in prayer and fasting for the victims of sex trafficking and modern day slavery. In an effort to raise funds and awareness for this project, the Salvation Army is raising hands and hearts together in a special weekend dedicated to praying and fasting for the social injustices forced upon many individuals in our world today. For more information about this important project and other organizations partnering with The Salvation Army, go to the Salvation Army homepage.

For years, author Kay Marshall Strom has visited countries where human trafficking and modern day slavery run rampant. Her recent fiction release, The Call of Zulina, draws attention to the historical issues of slavery, that unfortunately continue today across the world and even in the United States of America. Through her diligence and commitment to help resolve inhumane issues revolving around slavery and trafficking Strom has become an expert in the field.

Kathy Carlton Willis Communications offers this timely free content article by Kay Strom to bloggers who would also like to draw attention to these relevant and current events in society. If you would be interested in posting the content below between Sept. 10-25th, please email GINA with your date and blog address. We will list your blog on the KCWC Blogsite during the week of placement to help drive traffic to your blog.

Stolen Identity by Kay Marshall Strom

Enormous eyes in a bony-thin face, and a baggy green dress that dragged the ground. Because of all the cast-off children at the village school in India, the raggedy girl stood closest to our translator, he gently asked her, "What is your name?"

The girl stared.

"Your name. What is it?" the translator asked again.

The girl whispered her answer: "I have no name."

A child with no name. A little girl abandoned so young she could not even remember what her parents had called her. She grew up begging at the train platform, snatching up the scraps harried passengers dropped, watching other children picked off by traffickers. Now that she was seven or eight--perhaps even a scrawny nine--the traffickers had come for her. But the girl screamed and kicked and clawed so ferociously that someone called the police. Someone with clout, evidently, because the police came and pulled her away from the traffickers. Somebody in the crowd suggested that instead of putting the child in jail, the police might take her to the village school, which they did. They dropped her at the door and left.

Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is rampant around the world. We think of it as an eastern European problem, or Indian or Nepalese or Thai. It is. But it's also a Western problem. The U.S. State Department estimates between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the Untied States each year, but concede that the real number is far higher. According to the U.S. Justice Department's head of the new human trafficking unit, there is now at least one case of trafficking in every state.

The little girl with no name was fortunate that someone responded to her screaming pleas. What would you do if you heard a child shriek for help? Of course, if she were a trafficking victim in this country, she wouldn't likely scream or kick. She would probably shrink away in terror, or act submissively. You might see wounds--cuts, bruises, burns. Perhaps what would catch your attention would be the constant work: babysitting, cooking, washing dishes, scrubbing floors--never just being a child. Or maybe you couldn't say exactly what was wrong--only that something about the child's situation made you profoundly uneasy.

Please, please, if you suspect a person is being trafficked, call 911 and report it. Yes, it is okay. Yes, even it you are mistaken. In fact, eighteen states require citizens to report possible child abuse or neglect of any kind.

In the 1700s, Quakers led the fight against the African slave trade. In 1885, the Salvation Army took up the abolition banner, and since then it has led the fight against a different kind of slavery. More and more, 21st century abolitionists are followers of Christ determined to see slavery of all kinds ended in our day.

Oh yes... Before I left the school in India, I asked if we might give the little girl a name. She is now Grace.

About the Author:

Author Kay Marshall Strom has two great loves: writing and helping others achieve their own writing potential. Kay has written thirty-six published books including Daughters of Hope: Stories of Witness and Courage in the Face of Persecution and In the Presence of the Poor. She's also authored numerous magazine articles, and two screenplays. While mostly a nonfiction writer, the first book of her historical novel trilogy Grace in Africa has met with acclaim. Kay speaks at seminars, retreats, writers' conferences, and special events throughout the country and around the world. She is in wide demand as an instructor and keynote speaker at major writing conferences. She also enjoys speaking aboard cruise ships in exchange for exotic cruise destinations.

Schedule Kay for an interview or request her book for review by contacting Kathy Carlton Willis Communications at WillisWay@aol.com or call 956-642-6319.

If Mom Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy!

2009-09-24T09:49:00.005-05:00

Ain't that the truth!!!!!!!!!
It isn't often I get to use the same grammer on my blog that I speak. So this is a good day for me. I am also happy to introduce Mary Byers and make you aware of her books and resources.

Mary Byers, author of The S.O.S. for PMS: Practical Help and Relief for Moms and Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof offers two resources that directly address the frustrations many moms are experiencing today!

If you are a wife or mother and especially if you work at home, how you live affects more than just you - your family rides the same roller coaster every inch of the way (only without the cramps!). Mary Byers is an author and national speaker who is dedicated to helping women live and work more fully. With humor and insight, Mary challenges readers to take control of their circumstances, to become more confident in the roles that they play, and to discover new energy for the things that are important to them.

The S.O.S. for PMS

Throughout S.O.S. for PMS, Mary explores an often frustrating topic, the symptoms of PMS, and offers practical advice and encouragement for mothers. Readers will find comfort in the stories shared by other moms, realizing that they are not alone in their struggles with PMS.With this book, you will find suggestions designed to inspire healthier lifestyles, relationships, and daily choices for all women.

Mary Byers offers mothers encouragement, help, and camaraderie as she shares:

* women's stories-the good, bad, and the hopeful
* overlooked symptoms and how to manage them
* foods and activities to avoid or indulge in
* God's first aid for stress, depression, and anxiety
* a call for help-how husbands can come to the aid of their wives

Making Work at Home Work

In Making Work at Home Work, Mary shows moms how to develop an entrepreneurial mind-set without sacrificing their families. It covers important topics such as developing a successful business philosophy, balancing time between work and family, setting realistic goals, and handling the challenges of being both "Mommy" and "CEO" while running a profitable home-based business. In addition to including her own experiences, author Mary Byers profiles real moms with home-based businesses who offer their hard-won advice.

What people are saying...

"Making Work at Home Work is a must-have for anyone contemplating working from home, or anyone who is already working from home, but who wants to make things run a little more smoothly and make sure all their business-bases are covered!" Wendy - WAHM & blogger

"Inside Making Work at Home Work you will find practical tips and useful advice. The information is easy to follow and realistic. This is a fabulous book for any mom already working from home - whether you are just starting out or have been doing it for years. It covers everything!" Karla - Modern Media Mom

"Friends, SOS for PMS is a wonderfully helpful and practical and hopeful book. If you suffer from PMS or have a friend who does, GET THIS BOOK!." Tricia Goyer - Author/Speaker

"I opened SOS for PMS on Monday and started reading... and it was like I wrote this book.. the stories of the ladies.. it was like reading about my own emotions... splattered across a page... just raw and real. I started crying in the doctors office (which by the way leads to weird looks)... I wasn't expecting to read about someone else going through issues like myself." Amy - blogger

Help the millions of work at home, PMS moms and the people that live with them by reading these books and Spreading the Word by sharing these great resources.

For more information visit MaryByers.com

How to Learn from Rejection by Karin Beery

2009-09-23T06:11:00.002-05:00

Two years ago I sat down and wrote my first novel. It only took six weeks. I did some edits, then sent it to friends to read. They gave much positive feedback that I knew it was time to query.

The whole experience went so quickly, and so easily, that I knew someone would respond. Sure enough, in the first week an editor requested a partial! That's when I knew I was meant to write.

But a week later the same editor told me 'no thanks'. Unfazed and determined, I queried more editors and agents.

Rejection, rejection, rejection.

What??

I sought counsel from more experienced (i.e. published) writers. Go to conferences. Read books. Enter contests. I did it all. Then I waited for someone to notice me.

Yeah, right.

At the conferences my introverted self surfaced. It took so much effort to remain calm in the midst of published writers that I had very little courage left for the agents and editors.

Then my contest results came back, and I wasn't enough close to finaling in any of them. Some of the judges' comments were hard to accept, but they all found flaws.
I read best-selling novels and craft books. Each one pointed out more of my inadequacies.

Every day my confidence and desire waned. Soon I was doubting why I was writing and if I even wanted to continue doing it.

During all of this I had been looking for freelance work (someone had suggested it). One glorious day I got an email from an online arts magazine in California. Though I had no experience, and no bylines, the editor decided to let me submit. She didn't make promises, but agreed to see if she could use anything..

You've never seen anyone so excited to get such a non-commitment!

It wasn't a fiction job, but it was a chance to write, so I took it.

The magazine eventually ran five of my articles. That led to a part-time job at a weekly newspaper, which led to another part-time job with another weekly paper. My confidence increased!

With my non-fiction career taking off, I decided to hit the fiction again. I picked up my original manuscript – and cringed.

Two years prior it had been a masterpiece, but after months of conferences, reading, and studying, the errors jumped off the page and smacked me in the face. My writing was terrible!

My first reaction was to quit. I felt justified in it – I had the evidence of my bad writing in my hands!

But then I got a check in the mail for one of my articles. A mere $30 for my efforts, but also proof that I could write, even if it was non-fiction.

I picked up the manuscript again. This time when I saw the mistakes, they applauded me. If I could identify them, that meant I had learned something. If I had learned enough to recognize my faults, then I could change them. There was hope!

I decided to try the fiction market again, but on a smaller scale. I submitted two short stories to an online magazine.

Rejection...and suggestions! The editor liked my story, but thought it could be better. She suggested, I changed. Suggestions, changes. Suggestions, changes. After the third submission...

Acceptance!

I called everyone and did my happy dance. The website can't pay me, but I don't care. It's not about the money – it's about the validation.

I can write fiction! The process has taken longer than I expected, but I'm doing it!
If you're frustrated with your writing experiences, take a break. Try something different – write an article or a devotional or a poem. But keep learning, and keep practicing while you do it. Don't let a few rejections get in your way. If you want to write and are willing to put in the time and effort, it can happen.

Good luck!

Winner of Where in the World is the Albino Squirrel

2009-09-22T16:46:00.002-05:00

A day late in posting the results of the "Where in the World is the Albino Squirrel?", brought to you by Joy in the Journey and author Vicki Moss. My computer was tied up yesterday with tech support.

Up and running once again in time to announce the winner who found 8 albino squirrels hiding in cyberspace was Patricia Goldbach.

Thanks again to everyone who played, and especially to all the bloggers who so generously agreed to help and make the search a lot of fun. A special thank you to Vicki Moss whose Writer Rat inspired the whole thing.

Patricia, please email your address so we can get your prizes to you.

Where in the World is the Albino Squirrel?

2009-09-19T10:07:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to Joy in the Journey and Part II of Writer Rat by Vicki Moss. Last week we read about how Vicki's first encounter with an albino squirrel sparked her imagination to write. Please enjoy Part II of the story. Don't forget to enter the contest "Where in the World is the Albino Squirrel?" at the end of the post.

Hurry! The winner will be announced Monday, September 21st.

Writer Rat by Vicki Moss
I filed the picture away. One day, I would write a picture book about
that squirrel.

After the encounter, I said on different occasions, “God, what kind of
story would you have me write about your albino rat with a bushy tail?
You created him. You tell /me./”

I waited.

Nothing came.

For fourteen years I waited on God.

I wrote other stories.

I waited on God.

The squirrel story refused to come. Until I thought about giving that
critter some redeeming qualities. I looked at God’s creature through new
eyes – a different light. What if I made him a good guy instead of a
flea ridden plague carrier? What if instead of being different - a freak
- he was really /unique?/

What if I made him a hero?

Instead of wearing a white hat, he /was/ the white hat.

Now this writing business was becoming fun.

What if I made him – lovable in some way?

And I was reminded of Mark 10:21 “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”

Only when I manifested love for the freakishness of an albino rat with a
bushy tail would his story shine forth. Then one morning, it came as
stories sometimes do in the shadowy time between sleep and wakefulness.
It was a story about a south of the border outcast who lived in a
fantasy world where he could be his own hero. Some days he rocketed like
a Russian astronaut. Some days he posed as a Chinese sky-diver. Some
days he pistol-gripped a sabre and wore a cape as one of the three
French Musketeers. And then one day something changed. A
once-in-a-life-time snow fell and the plot thickened. He was no longer
the odd-kid-out. He blended in with the landscape at last. He spread his
cape to become a hero.

The story was written. I titled it “All For One and One For All.”

Then, procrastination set in like gel on souse meat.

Two years later, after the story had dry marinated in a drawer, I dusted
off the manuscript and entered it in the July 2009 Alabama Conclave
writing contest. They were a serious bunch - writers who held
conferences on the University of Alabama campus. I knew if they gave an
award, I was on the right track.

The story was awarded honorable mention. Not first place, but not shabby
either. Elated, I said, “Thanks for the story God. You rock, you reign!”

“But fourteen years from the time you snapped the picture until the
story was written…egads!” I heard wannabe writers wail. “And it’s still
not even published!”

Yes. And I was still relishing each joyful revelation along the revision
journey. At one crossroads along the path, I was reminded that like
Simon Peter, I could sometimes be a rat too.

I thought back on my first meeting with that albino critter. What if I’d
thought of a squirrel as only a flea-ridden rat with a bushy tail?

What if I’d never mailed the story in?

What if I’d tried to quiet those ideas and voices in my head.

She’s crazy. She hears voices in her head.

Nah, she’s a writer.

As a writer, I’d been given a gift from God. My gift required being
nurtured, watered, exercised, and the hard part – tested.

With testing came rejection. And with me, angst rode in on rejection
like a demon riding a fast Kentucky thoroughbred.

I reminded the wannabes that Margaret Mitchell took eleven years to
write /Gone With the Wind/ in a time without computers. It was her
masterpiece.

It took only one good story to change the world. For instance – the
Bible written over centuries by many inspired authors who penned a hook
of a beginning, a racing middle, and a dynamite raising-the-dead ending.
Some of it written during a time when carving on stone was the original
form of texting. Okay, maybe the begats slowed the pacing down some and
would have been boring twitter but they were still important to the plot.

So, I spelled it out. Writing for me was a lot like being an outcast.
There was a lot of
R = rejection

A = angst

T = testing

No matter how I looked at it, it still smelled of rat. But what if I
threw on some fluff? Now, that’s when the joy wafted through.

I deduced I might never write a masterpiece, but I could always be a
unique writer rat with a bushy tale.

Bio – Vicki H. Moss is an award winning writer who’s poetry and many
stories have been published in magazines. With a two time award winning
YA novel waiting for the right publisher, she’s presently working on
Christian romance novels and a couple of women’s nonfiction. To find out
more about her work, go to www.livingwaterfiction
and hang out awhile.

This is your last chance to search for the albino squirrel. Follow these links to see where the squirrel is hiding in cyberspace. Email the list of blogs where you found the squirrel to me. Entrants who find at least 8 squirrels will be entered to win a $15 Amazon.com gift card and a can of mixed nuts.

Happy Hunting!

http://www.wisdomwalk.wordpress.com
http://www.buuklvr81.blogspot.com
http://www.Daneymoco.blogspot.com
http://www.sandirog.blogspot.com
http://www.diannesagan.wordpress.com
http://www.byelizabeth.blogspot.com
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com
http://www.carlaspathways.wordpress.com
http://www.youcanwriteanovel.blogspot.com
http://www.pennyspicks.blogspot.com http://www.sallyhanan.wordpress.com http://www.lionheartedkat.com
http://www.thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com http://www.midsnovelidea.blogspot.com
http://www.midspointofview.blogspot.com
http://www.lisalickel.com/cgi-bin/blog
http://www.ebussey.blogspot.com
http://www.therehastobeabeginning.blogspot.com
http://www.livingwaterfiction.com
http://www.sftlm.blogspot.com
http://kellyklepfer.blogspot.com
http://www.marionmarchetto.com
http://www.livingourfaithoutloud.blogspot.com
http://www.wordsharpeners.wordpress.com
http://www.encouragementjourney.blogspot.com