writing what i can when i can

Here I Am

2025-04-23T04:50:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written anything on this blog in almost two months. Since I wanted to update you on what writing I have – or more like – have not been doing, I thought it was about time I posted something here.

First, not quite two weeks ago, I had a sale of my books and the bags I sew at the WSMA conference – the Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants I used to belong to. The sale went okay. Unless you count my hotel room for the night and my mileage, I came out a little ahead. But it was good to see all the other medical assistants I've known for years from around the state.

I have another sale this Saturday, and I think I’ve decided it will be my last one. I love doing them, meeting new people, and seeing old friends who show up to support me, if only by just saying “hi.”

But it is a lot of work, and since I haven’t published any new books, it’s hard to keep sales going. Believe it or not, a handful of people have all of my books and are waiting for the next one.

Unfortunately, the characters from my last novel aren’t sharing their story with me. Ellen, Kimberly, Michael, and Sam are all just looking at me, arms folded over their chests, clearly telling me to finish writing the book about how they became a team. But it’s their story to tell, not mine. I can’t do it without them.

But even if they have given up on me, I hope my faithful followers don’t. I am working on another memoir. It will be about the family travels I went on as a kid. I blogged about those adventures in the past, but I want to put them in a book. Maybe just for my family or people who are truly close to me.

Forty years ago, I imagined that I would someday make money writing. That will never happen, but it doesn’t mean I have to quit writing. It just means I have to do it for myself, enjoy my time doing it, and not spend any money on it or make myself crazy looking at figures on Amazon or my spreadsheets.

So, there you have it. In the next few weeks, I’ll start sharing those travel stories again. You can read about Mom, Dad, my sister Pat, our dog Mac, and me traveling the country in that old pickup camper. And you won’t need to buy the book when I publish it on Amazon. I will be okay with that.

standing up for ourselves

2025-02-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

I used to post on this blog twice a week. Over time, that goal fell way off the charts. On the first of this year, I committed to posting once a month, but I still struggle with that. Writer’s block continues to plague me like acne on a seventh grader.

But that doesn’t mean the thoughts aren’t still roaming around in my head.

This morning, I posted a political rant on my other blog. I may regret it, but sometimes we have to speak our minds. This reminded me of the protagonists in my last novel, “Prior to Now.”

Three ordinary women, Emma, Ellen, and Sarah, stand up for what they believe in and fight an uphill battle against forces of evil – and realize that sometimes those forces are their own United States government.

“I don’t think Kimberly’s coming. I think this has her so freaked out that she has left RASA for good, probably left the country already.”

“Sam, we just left her at the office ten minutes ago.”

“We can’t –” Ellen began, but Michael cut her off.

“Here she comes.”

The shortest member of the team entered the tunnel and marched to where they stood. “Not doin’ it.”

“I think we’ve all agreed on that already.”

“What about the other agents? Anybody get a feel for what they think?” Ellen asked.

“I think most of them will get on board,” Michael answered. “I’m not sure if they’re all 100% in agreement with this mission, maybe a few teams will bail, but I think most have at least one member who will push the rest of them into it.”

“So, what do we do?” Ellen hadn’t usually taken the lead in decisions the team made, but on this, she was passionate. She would not work on this assignment.

Sam took a deep breath. “Well, I propose we act like we are jumping in full force, and instead, when we get to each location, we do the exact opposite of what the Feds want.”

He presented his closed fist to the center of the group. Each of them did likewise until their fists were touching in the middle.

“One for all,” he began.

They finished the chorus, “And all for one.”

If you haven’t read “Prior to Now” yet, now might be the time. Now might also be the time to see how little it can take to stand up for your rights, but how vital it can be.

what is wrong with me?

2025-01-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

How is it possible that I haven’t posted here in six months! What have I been doing, and what is wrong with me? And why haven’t I written a word on my latest novel in eighteen months?

First, I have had total writer’s block regarding that novel. My heroes are all sitting in their rooms staring at the walls, not doing a thing, so I have nothing to write about them. I nudge them, and they just look at me blankly, like, “You put us here, you get us out.” Oh, well, I’ll have to do more than nudge, I guess.

As you probably know, the other big thing is that I finally took my dream trip to Cambodia. I am still writing about it on my other blog. It was such a wonderful trip; I saw so much and did so much. Oh, how I would love to go back!

Instead, however, my friend and I booked our next trip – this time to the Czech Republic. So, the planner in me has been looking up all kinds of stuff about that area of the world, and I anticipate spending much more time over the next eight months researching even more. And, of course, organizing all those facts.

Other than that, not much new. I hope you had a good holiday season and that you, too, are looking forward to a new year full of adventure and happy news.

where have I been

2024-07-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

It certainly has been a long time since I’ve posted anything here. Hubby and I went on vacation the first part of June, so I’ve been busy working on posts to my other blog, "The Dino Chronicles”, sharing all the adventures – and misadventures – we had in the Dakotas.

I’ve been to South Dakota multiple times since I was a kid. You know, the whole Black Hills / Badlands / Mount Rushmore gig. Dad was especially preoccupied with Crazy Horse. I never saw any progress on it from the time I was six until I was in my twenties. There finally is much progress.

I never remember spending much time in North Dakota. Hubby and I drove out that way and thought the landscape along the freeway was much more interesting than in South Dakota.

But I needed to make this short. I have a vendor sale for my books today and have to get ready.

I also want to get back to work on my next book—the first in the RASA series. Hopefully, you’ve read “Prior to Now” and have been looking forward to reading the first book, where we meet the team and learn how they come together. I’ve just had so much going on, though! I hope to get back to it next week.

Wish me luck with that and today's sale. Send me any encouragement you can. And as always, reviews of my books on Amazon.com are always appreciated.

Have a safe and happy Fourth. Chris

This is at the Chapel of the Hills in Rapid City. I love this picture of myself, just because I love my ballerina foot. Before I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to be a ballerina.

Meet Sarah and Visit her Basement

2024-05-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

I haven’t posted anything here for a month, and I haven’t shared any excerpts from any of my books in an even longer time. So here is one from chapter 8 of my latest novel, “Prior to Now”.

Sarah had finished unpacking and organizing her possessions in the cozy house. She'd even put a few nails in the blank walls to hang some paintings she had purchased in her various travels. The only place left in her new home for her to put her mark was the basement.

She'd only been down the rickety stairs a few times. She didn't need to store anything there, and her washing machine and dryer fit nicely in the laundry room off the kitchen. There was still plenty of afternoon sun streaming through the windows of the ground floor, so maybe the basement wouldn't be too creepy.

She brought along a flashlight just in case.

The bare bulb at the bottom of the steps illuminated enough of the damp room that she felt a little bit silly carrying the flashlight. No such thing as being too prepared, she thought to herself, shining the light into several of the corners.

The basement consisted of a single room, the furnace residing just past the bottom of the stairs. A set of wood shelves lined one wall. A sump pump sat watch in a sump pit, waiting for unwelcome water to seep through the cement blocks.

Otherwise, the room was bare except for a squadron of cobwebs hanging from the low ceilings. There are advantages to being short, Sarah quipped to herself.

She walked over to the set of shelves, wondering if she would discover anything interesting to give her clues about the home's past. Each of the twelve wooden shelves was empty, revealing no clues to their past. Sarah imagined glass pint jars filled with homemade preserves, canned pickles, apples, and other sorts of produce occupying the space.

She ran her hand lightly over one of the wooden boards at shoulder height. She was wary of slivers, but her hand returned to her unscathed. And empty, except for dust.

She sighed. No hidden treasures.

She shone her flashlight beam along the wall just to be certain. Something with the cement blocks didn't look right. It almost looked as if a section of the wall was newer.

She couldn't tell for sure as the shelves were nearly two feet wide, keeping her from getting a good look at the wall behind them. She walked the perimeter of the room, shining her light on the walls.

She discovered the same discrepancy in the cement blocks directly across from the suspicious area behind the shelving. A section of wall three feet wide and four feet tall had been replaced. The floor afforded her no information. She guessed that the cement floor had been poured sometime after the rest of the house had been built, perhaps when the drain tile and sump pump had been installed.

Well, I guess there's nothing else intriguing about my simple home, she thought to herself.

She flicked off her flashlight and headed back upstairs.

Is there newer cement blocks in Sarah’s basement? And why? Will she find out or does it really matter?

These and many more questions will be answered in “Prior to Now”. If you haven’t read it yet, I hope you do soon. And when you are finished with it, please leave a comment on Amazon.com, Good Reads, or any place else you frequent on the internet.

If you still need to buy a signed copy from me, I will be at the Food Truck-a-Palooza in Merrill, Wisconsin, this Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm. Even if you don’t need a book, I hope you swing by to see me if you are in the area.

Have a good weekend, Chris

where I'm off to now

2024-04-19T04:59:00.000-07:00

As you may recall, I attended my first sale of the year last weekend. It was a success, but I was pretty tired at the end of it as it was a two-day event.

And where am I off to now? I’m heading to Neenah, Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants annual conference. I’ll be attending a luncheon today for the past state presidents (hard to believe, but, yes, I was a state president in 2004. Wow! Twenty years ago!)

Hopefully the weather is nice over there this afternoon as I want to explore a state park. It’s time I get out and take some pictures and hike some new trails.

Then Saturday, I will be a vendor at the conference, peddling my books and bags.

Hope I don’t have flashbacks to last year. I attended the same conference last year as a vendor and threw my back out hauling my books to my table. The rest is history, as I am still in some sort of pain every day. I’m hoping that returning to the scene of the crime (even though it’s at a different hotel) will suddenly cure me.

What do you think? A resounding “nice try, Chris.”

Wish me luck anyway. Have a good weekend, Chris

My Latest Three Books

2024-04-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day—my first vendor event of 2024. And what exactly will I be selling? Well, silly, my books, of course. In case you've forgotten or haven't kept track, here are the most recent ones.

My newest book is "Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh My." Part memoir and part devotional, it is forty days of entries dealing with various pains—both physical and emotional—that I have had over the years.

Forty days of devotions all about pain does not sound like a cheery book to read. But the idea is to give you the strength and hope to get through those bad days and to turn your pain over to God. You might be disappointed when He doesn't take your agony away, but He is always there and will answer your prayers in His way and His time.

I published two more memoirs in 2023.

"Holding All the Aces: Memoir of my sister and best friend" is the story of my sister's battle with cancer. Sprinkled throughout the book are memories from our childhood and her amazing – and sometimes prophetic – words of wisdom.

Also last year, I published "Chronicles of Chris Coping with the COVID-19Crisis: How one woman survived three years of working in health care during thepandemic." The title rather explains it all.

My other six books have been around for a few years, but you can always still pick up a copy.

Oh, and one last thing—please remember to write a review on Amazon of any of my books you've read. I'd really appreciate it.

(And I don't know why the font randomly changes. Maybe you didn't notice, but it drives me nuts!)

Come Find Me in the Next Two Months

2024-04-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

“Well, Chris,” I tell myself, “It’s time to start gearing up. You have a busy two months.”

To which Self looks at me and says, “Just one more old episode of Reba.”

This is my upcoming schedule of places I will be selling my books and the bags I’ve sewn to carry them in.

April 13, 9 am to 4 pm and April 14, 10 am to 3 pm – Tomahawk Home, Sport, and Travel Show at the Tomahawk School Complex in Tomahawk, Wisconsin.

April 20, 7:30 am to 4 pm – Wisconsin Society of Medical Assistants Conference at the Bridgewood Resort in Neenah, Wisconsin.

May 11, 10 am to 3 pm – Creative Spring Showcase at the St. John’s Event Center in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

May 18, 11 am to 7 pm – Food Truck-A-Palooza at the Merrill Festival Grounds, Merrill, Wisconsin.

On Friday’s post, I will share information on the books I’ll have available, but for now here are some of my bags. If you are anywhere near any of these places, I would love to see you.

A Little Truth about God

2024-02-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

Cecil chuckled. “Sometimes it’s harder to do God’s work than anyone realizes.” He scrubbed a little bit on one of the pans he was washing. “What about you? You said you used to go to church, but not anymore. Why is that?”

Teresa shrugged. “I guess I just got busy. I also think that I got tired of all the rules that they gave us in church. I didn’t see the point.”

“If you want rules, try being a monk, or in your case, I suppose, a nun.” He turned the pan over in his hands, guessing that it would have to just be clean enough. “We have rules for everything—what time we get up, when we go to bed, when and how we pray, what we wear.” He lifted his brown tunic a few inches off the ground with both of his hands. “But I do believe that all those rules are to keep us close to God. I think each person needs to figure out what he needs to do to stay close to God.” (From the novel “The Truth Beyond the River”)

I can’t remember exactly what our pastor said during his sermon at this week’s Lenten service, but it reminded me of the lines above.

Sometimes we make Christianity way more complicated than it needs to be. That works for some people, but in general, most people want to keep it simple.

How simple is Christianity? Believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Know that God the Father is always there for you, that the Son died on the cross to take away your sins, and that the Holy Spirit will help you to keep your faith. Love God above all else and love others as you love yourself.

For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Good News Translation)

I started this blog years ago to keep track of my writing goals. Seeing as those goals have gone by the wayside, I’m mostly using this blog to unashamedly promote my books. I published “The Truth Beyond the River” several years ago, and it is still available on Amazon.com. Click this link or you can always message me for a signed copy. Chris

Introducing . . .

2024-02-09T05:11:00.000-08:00

As you read here just over a week ago, my latest books have arrived. I’m looking forward to my next vendor sale where I can push all my books off on my town’s people, but that isn’t until mid-April. You can get your own copy from Amazon or from me directly. Just shoot me a message.

In the meantime, I see that I never even shared the introduction from the book, even though I’ve told you the premise. Forty days’ worth of pain. How fun could that be?

On April Fool’s Day of 2023, I threw out my back toting a suitcase full of books to a sale. I didn’t think much of it. My back had been “going out” off and on for 37 years. It would be all better within three to four weeks, with heat, rest, and the right sort of stretches, and maybe the chiropractor if my back was stubborn.

This time was different. Ten weeks later, the pain was still there. Most mornings, it was a struggle to get out of bed. I couldn’t bend or walk normally. Nothing in my toolbox was working, and neither was the chiropractor or the variety of meds my primary care provider provided. Physical therapy gave me a few good days, but that pain kept returning.

I blogged about it and then started reading blog posts I’d written over the past thirteen years when I was dealing with various other pain. Yes, lots of back pain, but also migraine headaches, a broken leg, bone spurs in my heel, bursitis in my hip, a frozen shoulder, and the worst one up until now – kidney stones.

There was also the emotional pain of losing my mother and the mental pain from that COVID-19 pandemic, which I wrote about in an entirely different book.

How did I get through all of that pain? Yes, my family and friends were immensely supportive, and my medical community gave me everything it could. But at the end of the day, or at one a.m. when I thought I was losing my mind, and I got up to write, God is the One who got me through.

Forty days of devotions all about pain does not sound like a cheery book to read. But the idea is to give you the strength and hope to get through those bad days and to turn your pain over to God. You might be disappointed when He doesn’t take your agony away, but He is always there and will answer your prayers in His way and His time.

And if nothing else, you’ll want to read the book to see how many times my weird sense of humor sprung up, even without narcotics in my system.

Click here to order your copy on Amazon.

A New Batch of Babies Has Arrived

2024-01-31T04:43:00.000-08:00

The first shipment of my latest book has arrived.

It’s always exciting to see that Amazon box on my doorstep and to rip it open, allowing my youngest babies to hatch.

I got the idea for this book several years ago when I was fighting my second kidney stone. That was when I took the picture holding my “kidney stones,” not imagining it would grace the cover of any book. But I was inspired to write about the pain I’d been having, wondering if what pain taught me about life would be helpful to anyone else.

Fast forward to the pain that started in my lower back the weekend of April 1st last year. The pain that seeped into the fabric of my very being and is still plaguing me today.

I started putting this book together about that time and began working on edits by fall. The problem was my pain was still shifting, evolving, even some days abating, so that I couldn’t decide when to declare that the book was finished. But what if that never happened?

And it hasn’t. Even though the pain, in general, is much less, I can live normally at least half the days of each week. I continue to adjust to this life – the other half of the week when the pain is manageable, but still leaves me mainly on the couch all day.

I only pray that I am back to normal before I come up with forty more days’ worth of devotions.

Order your copy online by clicking here or message me to get a signed copy. Chris

Where my pictures came from.

2024-01-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

In case you haven’t gotten your copy of my latest book, “Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh, My”, here is a little excerpt. It also tells you where the cover photo came from.

“Be joyful in hope; patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, NIV)

We had been having a good time camping in the U.P., until around 4:30 Friday morning.

I won't go into detail. I did avoid a trip to the ER, thanks to the fantastic people I work with at the clinic back home, who gave me a phone visit by eight a.m. and called in some drugs to the pharmacy near where we were camped. That makes it sound so simple.

In reality, I was writhing in pain in our truck in the pharmacy's parking lot, waiting for those prescriptions to be filled. The curse of a previous vacation – dratted kidney stone. I feel like such a wimp. I know anyone who has had a kidney stone will tell you it is the worst pain they've ever had.

But really, Chris? Writhing in pain? Acting crazy, pacing in the parking lot, squatting on the pavement, nearly throwing up (by the way, those doggy poop bags they have in park dispensers can double as puke bags).

At one point, as I was sitting on the truck's running board, I turned to prayer. My usual – God, I know You have better things to do, but can You please make this pain go away.

I looked down at the pavement and saw this heart-shaped pebble. Okay, God did not take away my pain. I don't know why; that's His decision, but He let me know that He was still with me.

That's not the end of the story, though. After several trips into the pharmacy, Hubby came out again to report that they had the prescriptions, but it would take about 20 minutes for them to be ready. He asked if I wanted to ride around town.

I answered sure.

There was a picturesque church in town that I wanted to check out, so I asked him to drive there. I barely looked at the building, though, as I kept pacing and squatting and dry-heaving in the parking lot.

Until I saw a bunch of loose pebbles on the blacktop. I scooped them up and told Hubby I would take them home and tell people they were my kidney stones. This was all before I even took a narcotic pain pill!

I don't know. To me it is proof again that God answers our every prayer, maybe not how we would like. But He always has an answer. And if His answer is to bless me with a weird sense of humor, who am I to doubt Him.

This, however, is the picture on the back cover of the book. The heart in the pavement in the parking lot was too small and became too distorted when I zoomed in on it. This heart here is from one of the buildings at Kinstone in Fountain City, WI. A much nicer place than that parking lot.

Click on this link to order your copy of this devotional.

And here is the latest book

2024-01-12T04:49:00.000-08:00

Once again, it has been way too long since I posted anything to this blog. And I even have something to say this time!

As you may know, if you follow me on social media, I finally published my latest book, a devotional / memoir about pain. "Bones, and Stones, and Pain, Oh, My" is available on Amazon.com as a paperback or an e-book. I am also ordering some to sell directly; I'll let you know when they arrive.

The topic of pain sounds like a real downer. Why would anyone want to read this?

Quite simply, each of the forty-one entries is meant to give you hope and lift you from whatever emotional or physical pain you might be in. Hopefully, you even get a chuckle out of some of the entries. I can find humor in some of the most non-humorous situations. I am not sure if that's a blessing or a curse.

But here is one blessing – the back pain that assaulted me in April of last year and then morphed into chronic pain practically all over my body has started to ease. I really wanted to wait and publish the book after the pain was all gone so I could end with a devotion about how faithful God is, and how He answers our every prayer, and how He answered mine.

Here's the thing. God did answer my prayer. He answered it in His way, and I'm thankful that each day, I wake up and can get out of bed, no matter how much pain I might still be in. I can still get out of bed! Do you know how many people worldwide can't get out of bed? Or don't have a bed to get out of!

Anyway, so this book is set up as a forty-day devotional, with an additional devotion at the end to sum up. But it is also a memoir, as each entry was written from my own experiences. Over the past twenty years, I wrote about each of those incidents on my other blog, The Dino Chronicles.

So that's a little background. Check it out online by clicking here, or keep watching this blog for more tidbits from the book.

Asking for your opinion again

2023-11-29T04:47:00.000-08:00

I am working to finalize my latest devotional/memoir. First I need to choose between the two titles:

“Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh, My – 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain” or

“Pebbles, Rocks, and Kidney Stones – 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain”

Let me know which one you like better. Also, below are four more possible covers. When I shared covers previously, the majority voted for the picture of me holding a handful of pebbles I had picked up in a church parking lot when I was suffering from my second kidney stone.

COVER 1

COVER 2

COVER 3

COVER 4

Not only let me know which one you like the best, but if you like one font better than another or a different color and stuff like that.

Moving on. The first of November, I finally started posting a list of goals again. Here is what I accomplished:

Writing:

1) Finish editing my devotional/memoir about dealing with pain. Done

2) Finalize the cover for “Bones”. Asking for your opinion

3) Get my son to work on formatting with me. Done

4) Reread what I have so far on the second novel in the “Ice Cream Spies” series, in anticipation of getting back to it as soon as “Bones” is finished. Not done.

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works once a week. No, I don’t think I did.

2) Promote the vendor sale on November 18. Yes.

3) Sew three book bags for the vendor sale on November 18. Yes (And by the way, the sale was a huge success 😊)

4) Hire someone to do some professional advertising of my books. No.

Reading:

1) Start and finish reading two novels. Looks like only one.

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study. Yes.

Retiring:

1) Once a week do research on my trip to Cambodia for next fall. I know it seems a long way away, but I gotta keep chasing that dream. Nope, didn’t at all.

2) Once a week do one hour of research on the family tree. Did a couple times.

3) Host our annual Thanksgiving dinner. Yes.

For the month of December, I am only going to work on getting this latest book finalized and published. I have found that getting that done takes longer than it should, or maybe it’s just me being a putz. And Christmas is right around the corner. So I’m not going to put any added stress on myself.

Have a great day and I look forward to your thoughts on the book title and cover.

Chris

November Goals and More Covers

2023-11-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

I have been lax in posting any goals here. Probably because I have been so very lax in keeping any goals. I kind of gave up on any writing goals in September. Now that I’m retired, you would think I have all this time to write, but instead, I don’t know what I do all day, beside scroll through stupid Facebook or watch old reruns of “The Wonder Years” and “Cold Case” on TV.

Let me give it one more shot for this month. I know that some writers do the NaNoWriMo challenge (National Novel Writing Month, where you write an entire novel in the month of November), but let’s not go crazy here.

Let’s take baby steps:

Writing:

1) Finish editing my devotional/memoir about dealing with pain. The working title is “Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh My – a 40 day devotional for dealing with pain.”

2) Finalize the cover for “Bones”.

3) Get my son to work on formatting "Bones" with me.

4) Reread what I have so far on the second novel in the “Ice Cream Spies” series, in anticipation of getting back to it as soon as “Bones” is finished.

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works once a week.

2) Promote the vendor sale on November 18.

3) Sew three book bags for the vendor sale on November 18.

4) Hire someone to do some professional advertising of my books.

Reading:

1) Start and finish reading two novels. (I’m in between right now.)

2) Read four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study.

Retiring:

1) Once a week do research on my trip to Cambodia for next fall. I know it seems a long way away, but I gotta keep chasing that dream.

2) Once a week do one hour of research on the family tree.

3) Host our annual Thanksgiving dinner.

And that should do it. My back is doing much better, but I still have days where I am useless. I just gotta power through those times. I can do this!

And here are some possible book covers. Let me know which you think works.

Chris

Cover #1

Cover #2 ( I do need to highlight the sub-title and my name though)

Cover #3 (the original one I liked the best)

Cover #4 (another one I already shared)

Cover #5 (final one I already shared)

First Worst Pain

2023-10-20T04:45:00.001-07:00

I’m working on a 40-day devotional to help you cope with pain. (Click here for more about that book.) I’d been editing the forty entries I’d written when it dawned on me that I hadn’t shared the first time I had the “worst pain” ever. Even though it’s not winter and no one has sledding on their minds, here’s that first story of pain.

We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction.” (Lamentations 3:47, NIV)

One Sunday afternoon in the winter of 1975, when I was in seventh grade, my dad dropped my sister Pat and me off at a friend's house so we could go tobogganing. There was a steep hill that ended at the lake, maybe a quarter mile from their house. Two of us hopped on a snowmobile, and the third settled on the attached toboggan. Her parents weren't home.

When we got to the treacherous, narrow trail down to the lake, Pat was the first to hop on the sled and ride it down head-first. I noticed only several inches of clearance on either side of the path. With a grin, my sister pulled the toboggan back up the hill.

"Next?" she asked.

I turned the sled around, pointing it to the frozen lake far below. I sat down feet-first, grabbed the reins, and pushed off. Within seconds, I was about to careen into a tree, so without thinking, I stuck my leg out to stop myself.

The next thing I knew, I was on my stomach, being dragged down the mountain by the sled. Pat and the friend slipped down the hill after me.

When the snow settled, I tried to get up. I couldn't put any weight on my left leg.

The three of us looked at each other and then at the hill. I don't remember talking about it, but it seemed apparent that no one could drive the snowmobile down the trail or pull me up on the toboggan.

The friend knew of a place further along the lake with easier access, so she trudged to the top, got on the snowmobile, and drove it west. In a few minutes, she was riding towards Pat and me along the lake's edge.

With me safely on the back of the snowmobile, we slowly retraced her steps and then headed back to her house.

Pat called home, and Dad said he'd be right over to get us. Mom was off doing something.

When we got me in the house, we tried removing my boot, but pulling on it caused excruciating pain. Dad resorted to cutting off the boot. My ankle was already swollen.

He called Mom (wherever she was), and she told him to take me to the ER.

Since this is getting too long, let me jump to the parts about pain.

Yes, it hurt like the dickens when I hit that tree and hurt some more when I tried stepping on it. Once in a wheelchair at the hospital, I was comfortable. Until after the x-ray. They put me back on an exam table, and the old coot of a doctor on call said to my dad, "Hold her down, Paul."

Crazy how, all these years later, I remember those exact words as if I were right back in that emergency room.

When the doctor yanked on my leg to set it, the pain was way worse than anything I'd ever experienced. Sure, I was only thirteen. I'd had a few belly aches and lots of typical kid-falling-down injuries. But I'd never had appendicitis or tonsillitis or any other -itis. I was your normal tom-boy living in the country, climbing trees, riding my bike, and sledding down death hills.

They say kidney stones are the worst, or maybe childbirth. But I am here to tell you – having your broken leg set with no anesthesia is the worst!

And I'm not entirely done.

I wore a cast from the tip of my toes to halfway up my thigh for six weeks. The only good part was staying home from school the entire time, doing my homework at the kitchen table every day, and waiting for Mr. Lintereur, one of the kindest teachers from our school, to bring me my assignments. Mom had baked peanut butter cookies one day when he was there, and he told her that peanut butter cookies and milk were the best thing to heal a broken bone. So Mom made them every week.

Okay, but back to pain.

My mom worked at the doctor's office, so she was the one who cut that horrible, smelly cast off of my leg while I laid back and licked a cherry sucker that one of her co-workers had given me.

At the end of her work day, she escorted me on my crutches to her car and eased me into the front seat. At which point, my knee bent.

Unless you've been in that situation, you may not realize how much your joints lock up when they are immobilized for six weeks. I'd been holding my leg straight until I slid into the car. No one told me not to bend it. But it bent and locked that way. I could not straighten it. All I could do was scream in pain.

The doctor had left his office already for the day, so Mom drove to his house and pounded on his front door.

Next thing I know, he's reaching into the car's front seat and yanking my leg straight. "You'll have to work on bending it slowly," he said. Or something like that. I don't remember his exact words at that time; I was pretty much done with him by then.

On that same lake this past summer, near the death hill.

Introducing My Next Book

2023-10-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

Shortly after I had my first kidney stone in 2017, I got the idea to write a devotional about dealing with problems in life – things that feel like boulders, rocks, or stones. I renewed that idea earlier this summer when I realized that my back pain, which started the first of April, wouldn’t have a quick fix. I started reading past blog posts dealing with various pains I’d had and started compiling them into forty days of entries. I’m currently editing it.

Here’s my thought for a blurb for the book:

Part memoir, part devotional, this book is composed of forty posts from my blog, The Dino Chronicles. Each entry, written over the past ten years, shares a time in my life when I was dealing with pain, whether from kidney stones, broken bones, chronic back pain, or the pain of loss. During those times, my faith in a loving God and His written words gave me the strength to face each day.

If you are struggling with any sort of physical or emotional pain, it is my wish that at least some of these passages will give you hope that tomorrow will be a better day. And that you will find relief and an answer to your prayers.

Here are potential titles. I’ve written two previous devotionals, “The Christmas Story in 40 Days” and “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”, which is why I wanted to stick with the 40 Days theme. I’m just not sure how to word it so it makes sense.

Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh, My – Dealing with Pain in 40 Days

Bones and Stones and Pain: Coming out on the other side in 40 Days

Bones and Stones and Pain - 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain

Bones and Stones and Pain - 40 Days of Living in Pain

Pebbles, Rocks, and Kidney Stones – Pain in 40 Days

And lastly, here are just a few very rough-draft ideas for the covers. Any and all of your thoughts would be appreciated.

Swimming through the weeds - August goals

2023-09-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life is just trying to swim through the weeds.

Here we are a week into September already. How did I do on my goals for August?

Writing:

1) Write 4,000 words on my next novel, “Ice Cream Spies.” None.

2) Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. The working title is “Bones, and Stones, and Pain, oh my.” Almost finished with the first edit.

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week. Twice all month, I think

2) Promote the vendor sale on October 7. Yes, once

3) Sew four book bags for the vendor sale on October 7. Only one.

4) Research other fall vendor sales. Yes, signed up for another sale.

5) Actually pay for some sort of advertising, because what little I am doing on my own is simply not enough. Nope.

Reading:

1) Finish reading “Anna Karenina.” This is a crazy goal That book is soooo ridiculously long! I’ve been at it for a week and have only read 10%. Sorry, I gave up after the first few chapters.

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Yes.

Retiring:

1) Go camping. Yes, once for three days.

2) Once a week do research for my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Also meet up with my friend who is going there with me, to discuss our plans. Well, because of my back, we cancelled the trip, so I guess there’s no longer a need to research it.

3) Seriously get that cheaper health insurance by the end of the month, coz I’m just not going to pay this much anymore. Don’t even bring this up!

I don’t think I’ve ever done this poorly on any goals in my life. This stupid back pain has just got me completely flummoxed. I just can barely get up the ambition to get dressed some mornings. The pain, in general, is not that bad most of the time, but it’s enough of a constant ache that I feel like I’ve been subjected to Chinese water torture for four months now.

I keep trying to look up and be optimistic, but I am so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I have an appointment this morning with a new therapist. A friend of mine recommended her and says she can work miracles. I pray she can fix me.

With all that in mind, I’m just not even going to list any goals for this month. I’ll just see how it goes and let you know the first of October if I actually did anything. Chris

Things to Think About

2023-08-18T05:11:00.002-07:00

As Emma entered the kitchen, a fire was burning in the wood stove, and a kettle of water was boiling, but neither Izzy nor Lucy was tending it. That's odd, Emma thought to herself. Usually, both of them spent the early morning hours in the kitchen, cooking or baking for the day.

Emma walked to the front of the house and out the main door unto the veranda. She saw the four workers standing in a huddle at the barn. Izzy had her eyes on the house, but she didn't move when Emma came out the door.

"What is the matter?" she called when she was still twenty feet away.

Saul and Izzy shook their heads, but the two youngsters kept their eyes on the frozen ground.

"What is going on?" Emma stopped next to them and placed a hand on Izzy's shoulder.

"Well, finally, a human bein'," a voice came from just beyond the worried group.

Emma dropped her hand and watched two men emerge from the darkness of the barn.

"Might you be the mistress of the house?" the taller man asked. Both of them were disheveled and smelled to the point that Emma instantly felt dirty in the presence of these strangers.

"Who are you?" She thought she could guess as she struggled to keep her voice even, pleasant but not friendly.

"We’s lookin' for some runaway slaves, and these four fit the description."

"These four people have been working here for several years; they work for Mr. Cook, who runs the mercantile in town. Surely, you've heard of him."

"Can't say we have, but we ain't from 'round here. We're from Tennessee, huntin' runaway slaves."

Emma's worst fears were realized. She broke out in a sweat despite the cold outside. What could she say or do to make these men leave peaceably? And if she did say or do the wrong thing, would they find out about all the slaves who had been helped to freedom through Mr. Cook’s house?

One of the men shifted, and Emma noticed for the first time that a rifle hung from his right hand. She glanced at the other man and saw his weapon as well. She fought the feeling of panic, which was lurching into her chest.

It’s been a long time since I’ve shared any excerpts from my recent books. This one is from Chapter 23 of “Prior to Now”.

Emma is the town’s young school teacher, rooming in the large house of Mr. Cook, the founder of the town of Prior Gulch. Izzy, Saul, Lucy, and Oscar work for him and live with him as well. At the time, Emma didn’t even know if they had once been slaves and if so had they gained their freedom? Or were they runaways as these men claimed?

If it were you, what would you do? Risk your life for these people who had become your only friends in town? What could you possibly do against two men with loaded guns?

Hopefully you are never faced with that situation. But have there been times when you have been asked to do something incredibly uncomfortable? Defend a friend against bullies? Stand up for yourself when you’re being picked on? Write your opinion on someone’s Facebook page when they’ve posted something disrespectful? Support the least popular candidate, the one who shares the same values you do?

A few things to think about. Maybe 2023 isn’t so different from the 1860s.

And July is over

2023-08-04T04:52:00.001-07:00

Not only did this week get away from me, but it looks like the whole month of July did as well. Did I accomplish any of my goals for the month? A few. I’m seeing 65% completed.

Writing:

1) Write 4,000 words on my next novel. Somehow, I wrote 6820 words. I find that hard to believe as I haven’t written anything in the last week and a half, and it felt like every word I wrote the entire month was like birthin’ a baby. Hmm? I guess I’ll keep plugging away at it then.

2) Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. Hmm? I worked on it a little bit but didn’t really do any editing.

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week. Nope, probably more like every other week.

2) Attend vendor sale on July 3. Done.

3) Research other vendor sales. Done, signed up for one October 7.

Reading:

1) Read two books. Yes, done.

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Only did three chapters, but since we only met three times during the month, I really have to call it accomplished.

Retiring:

1) Go camping one week. Yes, and it was miserable, but we will try again soon.

2) Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall once a week. Only did twice all month.

3) ~~Secure cheaper health insurance by the end of July, assuming I won’t have to stay on the expensive insurance, because now my back is a pre-existing condition.~~ I have to delete this because my back is still being dumb, so I had to stick with the expensive insurance for one more month.

Ranching:

1) Thoroughly clean one room in the house. No, still not up to it.

2) Complete a sewing project. Hmm? I sewed a pair of shorts and did a few other mending projects, so yes.

3) Work on my family tree once a week. Hmm? Again I think it was only once or twice.

Also, the MRI I had on July 7 showed EXACTLY what I predicted. “Your back is a mess, it might get better on its own in six to twelve months, but we’ll send you to a specialist coz they might have an idea, but you can’t get in to see them for six weeks, so good luck with that.”

Argh! I’ve been going to a different chiropractor, which seems to be helping a little. I’m also trying to take a half-mile walk every day as well as the exercises my physical therapist gave me. I’m also getting another massage next week. We’ll see.

But I leave for Cambodia in six weeks, so this back has got to be 98% better by then.

So what else do I want to get done in August?

Writing:

1) Write 4,000 words on my next novel, “Ice Cream Spies.”

2) Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. The working title is “Bones, and Stones, and Pain, oh my.”

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week.

2) Promote the vendor sale on October 7.

3) Sew four book bags for the vendor sale on October 7.

4) Research other fall vendor sales.

5) Actually pay for some sort of advertising, because what little I am doing on my own is simply not enough.

Reading:

1) Finish reading “Anna Karenina.” This is a crazy goal. That book is soooo ridiculously long! I’ve been at it for a week and have only read 10%..

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group.

Remaining:

1) Go camping.

2) Once a week do research my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Also meet up with my friend who is going there with me, to discuss our plans.

3) Seriously get that cheaper health insurance by the end of the month, coz I’m just not going to pay this much anymore.

I’m also really going to take it easy all month. I have to take better care of myself this month to get ready for Cambodia.

Well, that’s it for now. By the time I post my goals again, summer will be over. Make it a good month. Chris

In addition to going camping for five days with Hubby,

I went for a hike with my sister one day,

went for walks with my daughter and her dog on two separate days,

took a mile walk around our nearest state park,

and spent one night at a cabin with my daughter.
No wonder I didn't get more done! But our summer is too short as it is. A person has to get out and enjoy it while you can.

I know you keep helping me out… but can you do me one more favor?

2023-07-07T04:32:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I sold my books and book bags at the vendor sale here in town. It went well, and I got to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. I asked everyone who bought one of my books to pass it on, either physically or by mentioning it to a friend or writing a review.

Unless you’ve published a book that you have spent months or even years laboring over, you won’t fully appreciate how every review on Amazon makes an author’s soul sing. I know that Amazon is as money-hungry as any big business, so the review you want to write might require you to purchase more junk from Amazon that you don’t need. But you can still say something nice on Facebook or your other social media about a book you read. Or, as I’ve already written, pass that book on to another friend, reminding them that they could write a review of it.

And so I don’t sound like a hypocrite, here are three authors these new and old friends told me about this week.

The first was Martha Tate, the author of “The Last Ride.” The Amazon blurb states: “The Last Ride is the first book ever written about the murder of prominent Nashville citizen W. Haynie Gourley on May 24, 1968, and the heart-stopping, controversial trial that riveted the city of Nashville.” Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it would be an interesting read, and I will order a copy.

The next one someone told me about was Jamie Jo Wright, who is an award-winning author of multiple historical Christian novels with a Gothic flare. Sounds like her books have a little bit of something for everyone. Right now, I can’t decide which of her books to read first.

And finally, a week ago, a friend loaned me a book that an acquaintance of hers had written and given to her. “From Beneath the Tarp: A Story of Abuse and Redemption” by Susan Perry is a bit darker than I usually like to read. Still, it is a story that needs to be shared.

So there you go. Easy ways to help me – or any other author out – after you’ve read the books they consider their babies.

Have a great weekend and read a book! Chris

And June is Done

2023-06-30T05:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the list of goals I hoped to achieve by June 30:

Writing:

1) Publish my Covid Chronicles in paperback form. Done.

2) Publish “Holding All the Aces”, the memoir about my sister. Done.

3) Get back to work on my next novel, working title of “New, Old Spies.” Read through it and I wrote maybe 300 words.

Reaching:

1) Promote all three of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid-19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” twice a week. Okay, it was only once a week.

2) Prep for and promote the vendor sale on July 3. Started to.

3) Research other vendor sales. Nope.

4) Sew eight book bags to sell at my book sales. Yes.

Reading:

1) Read two books. Yes. One was horrible and one was pretty good.

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Only one because we only had Bible study one week.

Retiring:

1) Clean the camper and get it ready for camping. Pretty much got it done. Just need to start packing the nonperishables and wash the outside.

2) Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Been working on it.

3) Sign up for that expensive health insurance. Done, and because I can’t get my MRI until next week, I have to pay for another whole month of it. Argh.

Ranching:

1) Thoroughly clean one room in the house. Who was I kidding? I can barely vacuum the kitchen floor, much less deep-clean anything! I did clean my desk in my office and cleaned out one of the book cases. So a start.

2) Plant some flowers in the yard. Done. Hubs and I also planted some tomato plants and he has been diligently watering them for me.

That’s not too bad, considering I still spent a lot of my time laying on the couch on a heating pad, an ice pack, or the TENS unit because my back is still awful. As you may have noticed above, I do have an MRI scheduled for next week. Not that it is going to help at all. Having worked in health care for 35 years, I’ve noticed that the majority of MRIs come back saying something like, “the patient is a mess but there is nothing that can be done to fix it.” Or they send you to a specialist to fix it, and six months and several thousand dollars later you aren’t any better.

I will somehow muddle through. I’ve been trying really hard to be optimistic and just deal with the back and keep doing as much as I can.

Anyway, what’s up for July?

Writing:

1) Write 4,000 words on my next novel. I need to keep that goal if I plan on finishing the rough draft by the time I leave for Cambodia in mid-September.

2) Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. Oh, I should have added that as a bonus goal above. I compiled forty-plus devotions from my other blog, all of which deal with how a person (me!) gets through pain. Still no title for it.

Reaching:

1) Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week.

2) Attend vendor sale on July 3.

3) Research other vendor sales.

Reading:

1) Read two books.

2) Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group.

Retiring:

1) Go camping one week.

2) Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall once a week.

3) Secure cheaper health insurance by the end of July, assuming I won’t have to stay on the expensive insurance, because now my back is a pre-existing condition.

Ranching:

1) Thoroughly clean one room in the house.

2) Complete a sewing project. I was thinking about sewing a pair of pants to take to Cambodia; we’ll see.

3) Work on my family tree once a week.

Well, that should keep me busy. Just praying that my back gets better or at least that the MRI gives me some answers.

Have a good month and happy Independence Day. Chris

Before Now

2023-06-15T18:22:00.002-07:00

With so much going on, I’ve forgotten about my recent novel, “Prior to Now”. I’ve sold a few copies since its release in January but have only gotten three reviews on Amazon so far. I need to up my game, just as the heroes in the book had to.

When Michael finished talking, Sam gave him the thumbs up as he shut off the recording.

The four of them once again watched as the video went viral, but this time it was shut down after only twenty minutes.

“I think they saw that coming,” Sam admitted.

“Well, we’ll have to up our game before we put Chad on,” Kimberly replied.

“We’ll start working on that.” Sam pointed to Ellen and Michael. “You two, go do what you do.” He and Kimberly took off for the mansion leaving Ellen and Michael staring after them.

“What did that mean?” she asked.

What did Sam mean? And what video were they trying to share with the world and why? And more importantly, why was it being removed from the internet?

I guess you’ll have to order your copy today and start reading so you can find out. Also, let me remind you that if you live near my hometown, I’ll have a booth at the SARA Park craft show in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, on Monday, July 3 from 9:00 to 3:00. I’d love to see you if you are around. I’ll have all seven of my books for sale. Oops, I just recounted. Looks like I have eight books! Holy cow!

Have a great weekend. Chris

(Click the book cover above to be taken to the Amazon website)

Releasing my new babies

2023-06-09T04:48:00.004-07:00

I didn’t realize how much the coronavirus messed with my head, until I reread the journal I kept during the three years I worked at the clinic during the pandemic.

Monday morning, a sign was posted outside the medical facility where I work, stating, “Heroes work here.” I think everyone can be a hero. It's not always the big things; the little things are just as important. God be praised; this pandemic hasn't hit my community directly. Yet. But that doesn't mean that people aren't scared, and about all I've been doing is talking to my patients over the phone as much as I can, not even about this virus, but about everything else in their lives. Nope, I'm not a hero any more than anyone else.

Nope, I sure was not a hero. Instead, most of the time, it was all I could do to keep from losing my mind.

Last night, I approved the proof of that story, “Chronicles of Chris Coping with the COVID-19 Crisis.” It’s available now as an e-book and in paperback. I ordered copies for myself to sell, so I’ll have those in a couple weeks if you want to buy a signed copy from me.

On the other end of the spectrum, there were the wise words of my sister Pat.

Sometimes you just have to go for it and sometimes you have to wait and it sure is hard trying to decide which it is. But no matter what you do, you have to tell yourself that it’s the best decision you could make at the time. And then you go on.

She didn’t make it to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the words she wrote some thirty to forty years ago still stun me.

Yesterday, I received the proof of her book, “Holding All the Aces”. Hopefully, I’ll be able to read through that in the next day or two and then it will be available to buy as a paperback as well; the e-book is available on Amazon now.

I will have a booth at the craft show at Sara Park in Tomahawk on July 3 for any of you who will be in the area. I’ll have all my previous books for sale there, and hopefully, will have received copies of these latest two by then as well.

Have a good weekend and see ya soon. Chris

You can order them on Amazon by clicking these links:

"Chronicles of Chris Coping with the COVID-19 Crisis”

"Holding All the Aces"

Two Books Back to Back

2023-06-02T05:05:00.002-07:00

When I published my last novel, “Prior to Now,” in December, I thought I would take a break for a month or two and then jump right into writing the next book in that series. I don’t know what happened. I fell off the tracks right into a ravine.

The coronavirus pandemic was reaching its three-year anniversary, and I decided to finish the chronicles of it that I had started in February 2020. Then I reread the whole thing and thought, “You know, maybe I should publish this; maybe someone out there has had the same struggles I have had and needs to know that they, too, can get through anything.”

So, I’ve been working on the “Chronicles of Chris Coping with the Covid-19 Crisis” since then and finally published it as an e-book last month. A print version will be available as soon as I get my copy of the proof and have reviewed it.

Then, during all of that work, I decided to finish and publish the memoir of my sister Pat and our journey through cancer and life. I’ll release the e-version of “Holding All the Aces” later today. And the print version, again, after I’ve gotten and reviewed the proof.

I know – too much going on. I guess that’s why I retired.

Next week? Time to plow into that prequel to “Prior to Now.”

Have a fantastic weekend. Chris