10 Things You May Not Know. . .

As I've mentioned in my post Monday, I'm focusing on the relationships in my life this year and part of that process is getting to know each other. A lot of folks have problems with that--anytime you have to reveal yourself to someone, you run the risk of being rejected. Not that I've ever worried about that--I figure if you like me, great! And if you don't--well, there's just not that much I can do to change your mind.

So in an effort to reveal the 'real' me, I borrowed an idea I saw in a weekly magazine where you share twenty-five things most people probably wouldn't know about you. But I'll only stick you with ten for right now. So without further delay. . .

TEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME

1) Math has never been my strong suit. Whoever thought up the idea for the calculator must have had me in mind.

2) In high school, the librarian accused me to stealing a copy of Louisa May Alcott's 'Rose in Bloom' because a) she knew Alcott was my favorite author and b) I was the only person to ever check it out in the school's history. It had been misplaced on the shelf.

3) I didn't know how to turn on a computer until my oldest daughter taught me in the Fall of 1997. Up until then, the closest I would get to it was to watch

my husband play games on it.

4) I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior on the Fourth of July. My very own Independence Day!

5) I have a soft spot for campy TV detective shows--Remington Steel, Moonlighting and (of course!) Castle are among my all time favorites!

6) For my thirteenth birthday, my uncle pierced my ears using a piece of ice, an apple sliced in half and a sewing needle. Not a pretty sight!

7) My first job after graduating high school was in the county morgue. Enough said!

8) I asked my husband to marry me three hours into our very first date! We married fifteen months later and have been together for almost 29 years now.

9) All of my first drafts are written longhand because there's something about the feel of a pen in my hand and the sound of a new notebook being opened for the first time that gives my imagination free reign.

10) I'm a newspaper hound. After I finish my devotionals in the morning, it's not unusual for me to read five to six newspapers every day. And yes, the comic strips are still my favorite part of the paper.

My Word of the Year is. . .

Writers are all about words; how you put them together in a sentence; how those words blend together to convey a thought or feeling. So it’s not surprising that an article by a brilliant writer on the process of selecting one word that would be a touchstone for the year to come would make such an impact on the writer in me.

The first time I did this a few years back, I knew instantly what my word would be--I’d been struggling to finish my book and figured it might take an act of Congress(and we know how SLOW those guys are!) to get it done. So it didn’t take a

rocket scientist to know I needed PERSEVERANCE. I mean, it made sense--I needed something to put my backside in a chair and write, and amazingly enough, having that word pushed me toward finishing my novel and eventually publication.

This year, I’ve been having trouble coming up with a word to focus on. Not sure why, really--I’ve spent more time with my dictionary this year than I have some of my oldest friends. I’ve prayed about it, thought about it and yet, that special word alluded me. Finally, like any writer who gets stuck, I ‘brainstormed’ with my husband and as I talked about what I hoped to accomplish this year, my word became very clear.

RELATIONSHIPS

Now, that may seem like an odd word to focus on, but the more I thought and prayed about about it, it seemed perfect. I want so much to work on my relationships--with my God, with my family and friends. With my editor(who is the absolute BEST!) and fellow writers because if Hillary Clinton thought it took a village to raise a child, I’m here to tell you it takes a group of talented people to help a person put together a book.

And with my readers. I want you to know me, to pray for this writing ministry God has pressed upon my heart. So every Monday and Thursday, I’ll be blogging on a wide range of subjects from the craft of writing to watching your kids fly the coup and everything in between.

The good, the bad and the funny.

Growing in Faith

I was cleaning out our apartment in preparation of moving into our new home when I came across this note. It was written a few weeks before I learned my first book was going to be published but the lesson is one I hope I carry with me throughout the rest of my life:

June 18, 2010

Something the pastor said this morning really pricked my heart this morning--when the children of Israel was stuck in the wildness because of their fears, God wanted them to remember all the things He'd done for them. That way, when they reached the Jordan River, they'd have a faith and strength in God to take that first step into the water's edge.

That got me to thinking. Is this time I'm waiting to hear about my manuscript a time I need to remember all God has done to encourage me to this point in my writing journey? Looking back, I'm amazed at God's goodness and incredible patience in my life, especially when I think about how it has unfolded.

What if:

1) My mom hadn't bothered to put aside an hour every night to help me learn how to read when I struggled in second grade? Having raised two girls, I know the days are never long enough to do all the chores and errands that need to be done, but my mother always found time to listen to me read, correct me when I messed up, even went so far as to get books she thought I'd enjoy reading. Without her, I never would have developed my love of books and stories. And my dad deserves a shout-out as well--even with his busy work schedule, Dad always managed to find time to take me to the county library every week.

2)Ms Collins, my tenth grade English teacher, hadn't assigned our class to write a fictional story on anything we wanted to? Better yet, what if my friends who were assigned to my group hadn't bailed out, leaving me to write the ending?. Little did they know(and me, for that matter of act) that my 'ending' was ten more chapters and our five page assignment turned into a 56 page novella. Bless Ms Collins' heart, she didn't jump me when I turned it in--besides the A+ she gave us, she popped three dollars down on my desk and encouraged me to keep writing.

3) my grandma hadn't given me that two dollars to buy a book from a new romance line I'd discovered in the book section at the local Woolworth's? I was eleven at the time and just had my heart broken by a boy for the first time. I loved that book, but better yet, I fell in love with that line--Harlequin.

4) Years later, after college and raising kids, Jody(the women's minstry director at our church) hadn't given me a journal at the ladies retreat and urged me to write? I started out with a paragraph or two every day, but within a month, I was filling up ten pages, front and back.

5) I hadn't seen an ad in the back of a Harlequin about a set of tapes on how to write for Harlequin? Now that may not sound so out of the ordinary if not for the fact that I ordered these tapes NINE YEARS before I ever even thought of writing historical romance. Those tapes sparked my imagination and if I could find them, I'd listen to them every day.

I could go on and on--about the Genesis win or the various articles that were published along the way. All of these events are a God thing--putting people in my way to encourage me to write. And I will never forget God's call for me to write in 1999. The joy I felt when I wrote, the way I still feel writing is an act of worship. God is so good to me! And like those children of Israel standing at the edge of the Jordan, I can do anything with Him!

MY DEBUT NOVEL!

Resolutions

With each passing new year, I've made a list of resolutions. Sometimes, I do okay like last year, when I made the decision to write at least 4 hours every day. But for every one I manage to complete, there are others I don't even come close to achieving like dropping enough poundage to fit into last year's jeans.

So this year, I've taken up the practice of picking out a word that can sum up what I would like to accomplish in 2011. And trust me, it was hard. Being a wordsmith, narrowing down the vast words to one word was next to impossible. I mean, ONE WORD! Gracious Gravy, how can one person make that kind of selection. But one word kept coming to mind and I can only think it was God who placed it in my heart. My word for the year is:

FOCUS

Some people may wonder about my choice. But each time I prayed, I heard the words of the old hym, 'Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face.'

So that's what I want to do--focus on Jesus, on my relationship with my heavenly Father, on the job He's given me and on myself. That last part may throw some for a loop--but I got the idea from a pastor. He said that if I would concentrate some of my time on myself instead of running about doing for others, I'd find that the others in my life would find their needs met.

Focus is a great word, one I'm glad to carry into the new year.

Review: Her Patchwork Family by Lyn Cote

When Felicity Gabriel inherits a mansion, she decides to turn it into a home for orphans. But her first charges test her resolve: one child is a thief, suspicious of her kindness; the other is the local judges traumatized daughter.

Broken by war, Judge Tyrone Hawkins is devastated when his little girl runs from him to Felicity. But Felicity’s courage despite the town’s scorn for her orphanage and her caring way with his daughter restore his lost faith. Now he wonders if they all can find the family they seek. . .just in time for Christmas.

I’ve got to admit—I’m a sucker for a holiday romance and Lyn Cote doesn’t disappoint with this second installment of the Gabriel Sisters series. The story is a lovely tale of one woman’s desire to help those left orphaned after the Civil War while discovering the love of her life. I thoroughly enjoyed getting acquainted with Felicity and Ty--I liked them so much, I took them to my mother-in-law’s for Christmas!--as well as the secondary characters of Vista, Tucker, Camie and the others. There are several conflicts that developed over the course of the story to build the tense between Felicity and Ty while keeping them apart until the very end.

This is a great read, especially if you love historical romance or are like me, writing for the Love Inspired Historical line. I liked Lyn’s book so much, I’m going to go back and read the first book in the series, Her Captain’s Heart.

The first person in the continental US to leave a comment will receive a copy of Her Patchwork Family.

Book Giveaway: An Unexpected Suitor By Anna Schmidt

After years of caring for her brothers and sister, Nola Burns is ready to live out her own dream--running a tearoom on Nantucket. But the return of charming theater entrepreneur Harrison Starbuck and his determination to buy her out may dash her dreams forever.

All Harry offers is a business propostion, but soon finds himself concerned for the woman herself when she receives threatening letters. He doesn't harbor any romantic feelings for the spirited and talented woman, does he? But as the threats escalate, Harry realizes that loving Nola may be his greatest role of all.

Review--loved it, loved it, LOVED IT! I've always been a sucker for turn of the century historicals but Harry and Nola's story grabbed me from the first page. Nola's determination in light of her tragic situation and her ablity to accept Godly people who color outside of the lines is a lesson everyone needs to be reminded of. And Harry is just a doll--confident in his God, focused to reach others for the Lord. The secondary characters--Ellie, Rose, the acting troupe- all added rich landscape to the lovely scenery of Nantucket.

The first person in the continuous USA to leave a comment will receive a copy of An Unexpected Suitor.