Splashing in the Deep End

Relocated

2009-07-14T21:01:00.001-05:00

I'm still splashing, still venturing past the wading pool to dive into the deep end, but I've relocated my website and blog to a new "pool" with a new focus. Come visit at www.cynthiaruchti.com and learn about the Hope that glows in the dark!

Thanks for stopping by. I'd be honored if you'd jog on over to the new website and blog.

Blessings always,

Cynthia

Patti Lacy's Debut

2009-03-22T19:33:00.002-05:00

I'm blessed to offer you a glimpse into the life and work of novelist Patti Lacy, a friend from American Christian Fiction Writers and a joy to those who know her.

Patti, those who read your debut novel from Kregel—An Irishwoman’s Tale—appreciate your attention to detail and historical/geographical accuracy. Is your research homegrown (from your ancestry), Web grown (Internet), onsite (visits to Ireland), or bookish (library)?

Hello, dear Cynthia! ’Tis a blessing to be on your blog, now, isn’t it? My attempt at brogue, and the gorgeous Irish turns of phrases, comes from a research trip to those mystical cliffs in 2005. I was so blessed to accompany the real-life Mary to her homeland. God had so many miracles wrapped up—in shades of green, of course!

I also devoured the usual Irish fiction (ala McCourt, Uris) and some lesser-known gems, like Little Green Apples, looked at maps, websites, and found a wonderful toll-free connection called Tourism of Ireland, which employs writers, students; a hodgepodge of brilliant Irish lads and lasses bored of the usual hotel/pub questions and just itching to help a Yank write her debut novel!

Like my novels, my answers go on and on…Sorry!

What did your journey to publication teach you about yourself? Your faith? Your family relationships?

God keeps showing me that my job is to write for the Audience of One—Him—and not worry about the rest. Oh, He is faithful! The wild, wacky world of publishing has taught me that I am far too high-strung to deal with the ups and downs without His guidance and a good support group. Thanks to Beth Moore’s, A Woman’s Heart, I recently reread Exodus 17:11-12 and marveled at the teamwork needed to do the tasks God sets out for us. Thank you, writer friends, encouraging readers, agent, publicists, editors…it goes on and on!!! It takes a metropolis to make a writer these days!!!

Did you begin writing An Irishwoman’s Tale with the ending in mind or did you discover the ending as you wrote?

Oh, Cynthia, I’ll have to send this question to Dawn, my Kregel editor so she can ROFL! One of my many writing weaknesses is getting the ending right. I think four different professionals took their turn at poor Mary and her climax on Croagh Patrick’s rugged slopes. After y’all read it, e-mail me a better ending…and I’ll consider it…next time!!!!!

What three factors made the greatest impact on your writing career to date?

Timing. God fitting together all the little pieces of my background (avid reader, English teaching field, court reporter career, half a master’s in African American literature, some dysfunctional experiences) to start me writing at just His moment.

A true passion for all the little words. With generous friends like Nancy Drew and Beautiful Joe and Pippi and Jo—oh, hundreds and hundreds of them—I combined loads of voices and found the right one for me. If you want to learn to write, READ!

God’s manna. I have prayed big for God to give me soul food on those bad days. He has been so faithful to send a phone call, a card, an e-mail, a good review, my way. Manna is still raining from heaven—in just the right portions!

Is there a subtle thread that laces An Irishwoman’s Tale, one that thrills you when readers pick up on it?

Well, Cynthia, subtlety isn’t normally a word people use with this displaced Southerner! I did thread Irish songs and folk sayings through the book hoping to capture the minor melancholic chords that lace many an Irish personality. I also explore first memories in this novel and in What the Bayou Saw. The theme of forgiveness is trumpeted as well. I did use the puffin as a motif for a misfit since the odd-looking birds pop into and then away from Ireland, like my dear Mary. That’s probably the one subtle thing!

Most authors have partial novels tucked away in computer files. Which one keeps calling to you?

Right now I have three books in “to-do” files. I’ll soon start the next one as I can’t WAIT to write God’s stories. All my novels explore the secrets women keep and why they keep them. “Spanning seas and secrets” emphasizes the multicultural link I so love to include in my books!

Here’s my about-to-be WIP, Recapturing Lily:

Xiu Ling abandons her baby on the banks of the Yangtze and returns to the studies that she hopes will gain her entrance to Harvard’s ivy-covered gates. When her grades begin to slip in the competitive Chinese education system, Xiu offers atonement to the gods by volunteering at a local orphanage. A darling baby—her own dear girl—is brought in by a raggedy peddler and then adopted by an American pastor and his wife. Xiu plunges herself into her schoolwork and is soon bound for America—but with very different motives than she has listed on the student visa.

Recapturing Lily will explore the Christian notion of sacrifice, of roots, of the tension between God’s dream and the dream of the individual.

Where were you and what were you doing when you heard that Kregel was interested in publishing An Irishwoman’s Tale?

I got a very short e-mail from Dennis Hillman saying Kregel would like to publish my book. If I remember, I was working on Bayou, my second novel.

What unusual opportunity has your book opened to you?

Oh, the places you’ll go, the people you’ll meet! Thanks, Dr. Seuss, for saying it better than I could. Just last week I got to share “all my broken pieces” with an amazing group of women at White’s Chapel UMC women’s gathering in Southlake, Texas. I met a woman at a Barnes & Noble in San Antonio who stepped out for the first time after a long ordeal of chemo, just to buy a book. In Corpus Christi’s bookstore, a woman brought her daughter to meet a writer—and I met a former student of my dear father, who has been dead for nearly a decade. Viola expressed gratitude to my father for being tough on her—and making her a tough teacher. Viola inspired her daughter to become a teacher—no amount of book sales could equal the high created in that glorious Barnes & Noble in Corpus! And this was just over a three-day period!

Whose appreciation of your book has stirred you to the depths?

The heroic readers who’ve taken the time to share their connection with Mary, either because of their own bout with the devil’s tools of suicide, substance abuse, and familial dysfunction.

Are your future projects linked to this one by emotion, location, characters, or some other factor?

Yes. I’m broken-record stuck on women and their first memories and secrets and how God will use even the worst past to pull us from the mire of dysfunction.

How would you complete this sentence? If I could choose my ideal location for a book signing, it would be the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland.

What was the last stamp on your passport?

Ireland, 2005. If my budget cooperates, the next stamp will be China, 2009.

Where can readers find you on the Internet?

www.pattilacy.com. I’ve tried to create a hybrid blog/website; y’all come on over and enter the March heroes contest!

Opposites

2009-02-27T15:39:00.002-06:00

"Let's play Opposites!"

Since my oldest is more than thirty, I've been playing Opposites (and Rhyming and Colors and Hide 'n Seek and Situations--our homegrown version of "What would you do if...?") for a minimum of three decades.

I'm pretty good at Opposites by now.

Hot? Cold. Wet? Dry. Up? Down. In? Out. Frogs? Um...toads? No, wait. Something furry and doesn't hop--polar bears?

When one of the grandkids suggests we play Opposites, I'm ready with my vocabulary arsenal.

But have we humans learned how to use the opposites principle to best advantage when life gets hard?

The ink on my to-do list is running off the edge of the paper. What's the opposite of that time-cramping scenario? Nothing on my to-do list. Would I like that better? Nothing meaningful to occupy my time? No thank you!

My husband hovers while I'm in the kitchen trying to get supper. It's a small kitchen. He's a tall man. He throws shadows on my work space! What's the opposite? Would I like it if he didn't want to be with me? If he didn't care to know what I was doing? If he didn't want to come home at the end of the workday?

I can't have nice things. Well I COULD have a new coffee table, but it's probably best if I wait until the last grandchild is done teething and learning to walk...until the last grandchild has grown out of the desire to play with PlayDoh, until they stop using my garage sale coffee table for their picnics. The opposite of a scarred, beat-up, sticky, all-function-no-style coffee table is an enormous tufted leather ottoman and the babies all grown up.

I'll wait for the leather.

Doctor visits bumping into each other? The opposite is no good health care nearby. The opposite of aches and pains is lack of feeling, or paralysis, or death.

Dirt on the floor? I have a floor. Mud on my shoes? I have shoes. Closet too crowded? Oh, brother! What a thing to complain about!

Tough time deciding what to make for supper? What's the opposite? Bare cupboards make the decision easy.

The next time I'm unhappy with how things are going, I hope I remember (and hear) the voice of God saying, "Let's play Opposites!"

2009-02-19T20:23:00.004-06:00

“When life gives you lemons…don’t confuse them with hand grenades.”

With that opening point, author James Watkins reveals his unique take on…well, everything in life. In his new book from XarisCom, he turns his humor and his heart to the subject of:

Squeezing Good Out of Bad

“Life is filled with lemons!” he says. “Here are the top ten ways to squeeze the good out of those life-puckering situations.”

James Watkins brings both empathy and experience to the pages. He's known the squeeze of cancer, unemployment, family crises and “chronic nose hair.”

With humor stirred in like a refreshing portion of lemon zest, Watkins tackles tough subjects and leaves his readers grate-ful (sorry for the pun) for his insights.

He says:

When life gives you lemons . . .

10. Don't confuse them with hand grenades (Identify the problem)

9. Check the delivery slip (Determine if it's your problem)

8. Sell them on eBay (Profit from the problem)

7. Paint smiley faces on them (Laugh at the problem)

6. Join a citrus support group (Share your problem)

5. Use as an all-natural, organic astringent (Grow from the problem)

4. Don't shoot the delivery driver (Forgive the problem-maker)

3. Graft to a lime tree for a refreshing, low-calorie soft drink (Take the problem to a higher level)

2. Grow your own orchard (Live a fruitful life despite—or because of—the problem)

1. Give off a refreshing fragrance (Live a lemon-fresh life).

James N. Watkins is a friend and colleague, and an award-winning author of fifteen books and over two thousand articles including a column each issue for Rev. magazine. He serves as an editor with Wesleyan Publishing House and instructor at Taylor University, as well as popular conference speaker. His most important roles, however, are as child of God, husband, dad, and "papaw." Read more than you’d ever want to know at:www.jameswatkins.com/bio.htm

Jim is offering a free electronic copy to anyone who is currently unemployed or disabled. (Details at Web site above.)

For more information, or to purchase a copy (or a bushel) of Squeezing Good Out of Bad, check out http://jameswatkins.com/bookstore.htm

Not What I Expected

2009-02-06T20:23:00.000-06:00

It’s a family joke. Perhaps in more households than just our own. The males (no offense intended) were born without the ability to find lost things.

“Honey? Do we have any toothpicks?”

“Yes, dear. In the spice cabinet.”

“I’m looking in the spice cabinet. They’re not here.”

“Yes, they are.” By this time, I’ve already stopped whatever I was doing and am heading for the kitchen to solve his toothpick mystery. Ah, there they are. In the spice cabinet. Front row.

“I didn’t see them,” he says.

“I know, dear.”

“I thought they were in a red and white box. Wasn’t expecting yellow.”

That’s what stops me. He couldn’t find the cotton balls because they were on the second shelf, not the top one, as he expected. He couldn’t find ME in a crowd, because I was wearing my sister’s coat.

I can’t fault him, though, much as that might be in my nature. I do the same thing. I don’t recognize the Lord’s answers to my prayers because they don’t come packaged as I expected. I thought I’d see my friend Mary healed of cancer. God took her Home for healing. I thought financial provision would come wrapped in an unexpected check. It arrived as endurance. I looked for spiritual growth in soul-stirring conferences and high-powered retreats. It appeared disguised as heartbreak. I hadn’t thought to look there.

After 36 years of marriage to a hyper-observant wife, my husband is learning to look for lost items in unexpected forms. And after years of being surprised by the shape of God’s answers, I’m discovering where they hide and why I’ve sometimes missed them.

He didn’t fail to answer me. I failed to notice.

Writing Sediments and Sentiments

2009-01-29T08:08:00.002-06:00

The writing day I envisioned evaporated. In its place I found what I considered sediment. Upon closer examination, it revealed its true nature. Not sediment at all, but condensed particles of a writing life devoted to God’s plan and timing.

ACFW tasks (always a joy, even the hard ones) kept me busy most of the morning, but I managed to make progress on a dozen other small projects. Then—sigh—grocery shopping. Whether it’s convenient or not, Tuesday is now grocery day because I can’t miss out on the ten percent senior discount. It is, after all, one of the few benefits of being older than Beatle memorabilia.

The aisles held not people but characters. An elderly woman shouted at her deaf husband who had a one-word vocabulary—“Huh?” A lost soul seemed befuddled that the pizza sauce isn’t kept on a shelf near the spaghetti sauce. A height-challenged woman (wait, that was me) strained to reach the two-liter bottles of Diet Coke which are—for some reason known only to marketing departments and chiropractors—in racks too high for anyone but NBA hopefuls. A mother chided her tactile-learner daughter, “Don’t touch!” A man read the label on a box of frozen, deep-fried mozzarella sticks. (If you have to read the label, trust me. This is not the product for you).

My cell phone rang as I negotiated the cleaning supplies aisle. A request for an errand for a person in need. It rang again as I exited the parking lot with my trunkful of groceries. A neighbor needed someone to stop at Walgreen’s for medicine the doc had neglected to order when the neighbor was discharged from the hospital earlier in the day. (Someone asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered, “The person who needs mercy.” And who are our characters?).

I tried the drive-through window at Walgreen’s, but the prescription had “issues,” so I parked and went inside, where I discovered another handful of characters. A customer apparently unaware batteries come in different sizes. A man staring long and hard at the glut of cold and flu medications (I kept a wide berth). The check-out clerk whose center-part told me her original hair color which was not even close to the color an inch out from center, or the one two inches beyond that. She pointed to the clearance rack make-up I’d purchased and commented that it was good stuff. Then she apologized. She wasn’t wearing any makeup at the moment and how could she promote a product looking like that? I told her—and meant it—that her smile went a long way toward beauty care.

A quarter mile from home, I delayed my progress toward my next novel yet again. This time the character was a young woman sitting behind the wheel of a car whose front end looked like the loser in a prize fight. Toothless and sporting a spectacular starburst where its windshield should have been, the car bore the marks of a tangle with a deer. Not a win-win situation. After determining the young woman had been Elvised (All Shook Up) but not injured, I flagged down the neighbor who is—conveniently for the neighbor-hood—a county deputy.

Crisis averted, I delivered the medicine, put away my groceries, speed-cooked supper, and wondered where the day went. I’d wanted to write. Instead, a cast of characters paraded past me.

Ah. Research.

It is the act of living that fuels our fiction. Sure, imagination plays a large part. But if I resent a God-breathed interruption because it interferes with my writing plans, am I shooting past the scenic overlook without a glance?

It’s been said that the things that threaten to keep us from writing are the things we write about.

If you’ll excuse me, I have some character sketches to flesh out and notes to take about a spectacular starburst windshield.

Joined at the Heart--Interview with Sharon K. Souza

2009-01-12T09:42:00.008-06:00

I met author Sharon K. Souza at an authors' retreat for the literary agency the two of us are privileged to call "home"--Books & Such Literary Agency.

I say met, but from the first moment of our face-to-face connection, we knew we'd always been friends but hadn't had the opportunity to be introduced yet!

I devoured her first novel--Every Good & Perfect Gift--as much enthralled with her writing talent as with the story. If one outshines the other, the reader misses out. But Sharon exquisitely maneuvered the balance beam and performed a glorious dismount with the book's final words.

I'm pleased to share this conversation with you and encourage you to treat yourself to the gift of her writing through Every Good & Perfect Gift or her second novel with NavPress, Lying on Sunday.

1. I asked Sharon...

How long was your journey from the seed of an idea for Every Good and Perfect Gift until its publication? Musing time? Writing time? Sending it out to publishers?

From inception to release, Every Good and Perfect Gift was ten years in the making. It’s the only book I’ve written from real life experience. The story was inspired by a catastrophic illness that struck a very close friend, one I didn’t even know existed until her diagnosis. I jumped right in when the idea for the story struck, so there was very little musing time, but it took two and a half years to write. I did send it to a few publishers on my own, and got it back each time with a nice form letter. It wasn’t until I went to the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, met a young editor who was interested in the story, and ultimately signed with my wonderful agent, Wendy Lawton, that things began to happen. Within a few short weeks following the conference, I was offered a contract.

2. The friendship between your two main characters—DeeDee and Gabby—is so rich, it seems obvious that imagination alone couldn’t flesh it out as fully as could your personal experience with deep, sacrificial friendships. Did you draw heavily from your own relationships in creating the characters?

Not since high school have I had the kind of friendship I wrote about in Every Good and Perfect Gift, not even with the friend whose story inspired the book. I think the relationship between DeeDee and Gabby reflects the kind of friendship I would like to have, but that too many grown women, myself included, don’t have. Marriage, motherhood, career and ministry, all take so much of our time, energy and emotion, that very little is left over for the type of relationship the characters in my stories enjoy. Or maybe it’s just the type of person I am, too private for my own good. All I know is that writing stories about such rich friendships has birthed a desire in me I haven’t known in years. I’m allowing myself the luxury to cultivate my own version of those friendships, now that I know how important they are and how much I missed over the years. If there’s one thing I’d like to do, it’s to encourage young women not to sacrifice that in the busyness of their lives. I’d encourage them to make time for themselves, because everyone in their life will benefit from it.

3. Can you share your philosophy—with which I personally identify—of how humor and pain seem so often intertwined in life and crises?

The difficult times in our lives can bring us very quickly to the breaking point. Humor, like nothing else, can break that tension at just the right time. My dad passed away very unexpectedly at the age of 54, and it was one of the hardest things I ever experienced. My sister, her husband and I spent almost a week at his house, going through all his things, emptying the house he’d lived in most of our lives. It was a very difficult time. Well, he had this nearly dead spider plant hanging in front of his swamp cooler, and it came right to the height of my brother-in-law’s forehead. You guessed it. Every time Bob turned around he was banging his head on the plant. By the time it happened three or four times, we were all laughing so hard we were crying. But we were no longer crying from our sorrow. I love my brother-in-law all the more dearly for the comic relief he provided – intentional or otherwise – for my sister and me.

4. What did it cost you, emotionally, to write this story?

It was an emotionally difficult story to write, but then most of my stories are. I think because I was so closely linked to the issue I wanted to present with my friend’s illness, I could never really step away from it, like I might with another story and another issue. It was always there in front of us, getting worse all the time. So in that regard, it was more real than anything I’d written – until now.

5. Your three children are grown. How has your empty nest affected your writing habits or stories?

I look back and wonder how I accomplished what I did with my writing, as a working mother and pastor’s wife. Back in the day (ha!) I did most of my writing at night, after everyone was in bed and all the chores were taken care of. I’ve never been a morning person, so getting up early was not an option for me. I’d much rather stay up late to work. I have a friend right now who gets up every morning between 4:30 and 5:00 to work on her book before she gets ready for work, and just thinking about that makes me want to take a nap. I can get by on four hours of sleep when I have to, which is more often than I’d like, but it better be because I’ve stayed up half the night, rather than gotten up before the sun.

Now that our children are grown with children of their own, I’m able to do most of my writing in what I call the heart of the day, that time between noon and dinner time. That gives me the morning to do my housework, run my errands, have an early lunch with my daughters, husband, or a friend once in a while, and get home to write. I also have time to write at night after my husband—who IS a morning person—goes to bed. But usually I reserve that time for things like answering interview questions, catching up on email, and reading.

6. It seems no nest is truly “empty.” And certainly our prayers and concern for our children and grandchildren don’t cease. What’s the greatest gift your kids and grandkids have given you in regard to your writing career?

Their support and encouragement has been phenomenal. Sadly, our son passed away during the final edits of this book, so he never got to hold it in his hands, but he’d read the manuscript and cheered me on as proudly as his dad and his sisters. Now my grandchildren are getting to the age where they’re eager to read my books. That’s very gratifying.

7. Every Good and Perfect Gift is your debut novel, but writers often have a couple of “practice” novels on file. Was this the first novel you completed? If not, what made this one rise to the surface in your focus and in the eyes of your publisher?

You’re absolutely right about those practice novels. I have three or four that will never be published, but they were wonderful learning experiences. By the time I began to edit Gift, my writing style was much sharper and I’d found my voice, if you will. So I was able to tighten it up before turning it in. It really was the one I hung my hopes on, and I’m glad it was the first one published, but I like to think I improve with each book I write.

8. If you had it to do over again, is there anything in your fiction career you would have done in a different order?

I would like to have been published much sooner than I was, but I committed my writing to the Lord a long time ago. I have to believe this has all been in his time and according to his plan.

9. Describe for us your typical writing day.

As I said earlier, I’m not a morning person, so morning is not the time I use to write. Instead I like to clear as much off my plate as I can, so that when I do sit down to write I don’t have things vying for my attention. Late morning and all afternoon is when I usually write, and sometimes at night. However, when I’m under a looming deadline all bets are off, and I’ll spend as much time at the computer as I have to.

10. Do you have any specific advice for writers seeking to stay well-balanced in their family life, spiritually, physically…?

This is definitely a case of do as I say … and when I speak to you I’m speaking to myself as well. The pastor we had for a number of years was known by one word – something he talked about all the time. Balance. In whatever we do, it’s the Lord’s intent that we put him first. He created us and knows that’s how we function best. It’s a principle similar to tithing – give the Lord 10% and the remaining 90% goes further. I believe that same principle applies to our time, our energies, our devotion. Putting God first puts everything else in balance. Then comes our family, our vocation, and our ministry. Typically we run into problems when we get those things out of order.

We can’t do it all, no matter how much we try. So if something has to go, make sure it’s the right thing – and that’s never your relationship with the Lord, your spouse or your children. If I could spend one more day with my son, believe me I’d give him my undivided attention.

11. How did your own faith walk differ after you completed the book compared to before? Or did the writing of the manuscript simply solidify how you felt before you picked up your pen or laid your hands on the keyboard?

The writing of Every Good and Perfect Gift certainly solidified the point I wanted to make with the story, and that is the faithfulness of God. Yes, bad things happen. Yes, we sometimes lose our way, but God so loved the world . . . that he sought us, to redeem us. There’s no greater story and no greater truth. It’s a truth I cling to, more now than ever.

12. I’ve fallen in love with your writing style and know that many others have, too. Lying on Sunday—your second novel—is on my must-read list. What kinds of new projects can we expect from you in the future?

Thank you so much, Cynthia. My stories continue to include extraordinary friendships, and the intricate workings of familial relationships. Unraveled (working title) is the story of a young woman who goes to Moldova in Eastern Europe to teach English to children, and has a crisis of faith when one of the children is abducted for the worst of reasons. The Hub of the Daisy (also a working title) is the story of a boy who carries the guilt of the accidental death of his sister. I can only encourage readers of this interview to check my website from time to time to learn the release dates, because I don’t know what they are yet.

13. Here’s your opportunity to express something from your heart to your readers and potential readers. What would you say to them if you were sharing a cup of tea with them in a quiet café?

It’s my hope that you will come to value those around you a little bit more, and that the infinite and incredible love that God the Father has for you will become ever clearer because of something you’ve read within the pages of my books.

14. Where can readers find you on the Internet? Would you share a link through which they can purchase your books and learn more about you?

Readers can visit my website at www.sharonksouza.com or visit http://novelmatters.blogspot.com, featuring myself and six other authors where we talk about what makes good fiction good from the perspective of reader and writer alike. You can find my books at all online bookstores, such as www.christianbook.com.

So It Appears

2009-01-07T22:32:00.002-06:00

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have been interviewed by Cara Putman for Christian Fiction Online Magazine's January issue:
http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/buzz_acfw.html

And by pure coincidence, a short fiction piece requested long ago by the editor also appears in the January issue. It's terribly tongue-in-cheek (and not at ALL biographical) but was fun to write.

http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/cookiejar.html

It's fun wading in new waters!

Pull Up a Chair

2008-12-27T18:02:00.002-06:00

I'm getting reacquainted with my chair. Granted, it took a horrible, nasty, no-good, terrible, did I say nasty head and chest cold to make me buddy up to it again. We'd been incommunicado for a while.

This photo isn't my chair, but it evokes the feeling I get sitting in it in front of a fire in our fireplace. Warmth. Coziness. Comfort.

I took to my chair a couple of days ago and got all my Christmas cards written. I thought I'd be kind to the postal system and not mail them until AFTER Christmas.

My chair was the setting for writing a radio script and the outlines for two speaking projects.

And I broke through a barrier in my latest novel.

I like this chair. Starve a cold; feed a fever. Hate the cold; love the chair it forces on you!

English 107

2008-12-18T06:44:00.002-06:00

I was honored in the fall of 1970 to "test out" of English 101, 103, and 105 and move right into English 107 my first semester at Moody Bible Institute. That landed me under the care of Professor Helen Needham. Day Two of the semester--or was it Day One?--I realized the honor came with a price tag. Miss Needham ran a tight ship and brooked no excuses. She demanded excellence and pried out of us things we didn't even know we could do with words.

She lit a fire in me, a passion to use words for God's glory, to sculpt them and poke at them with a stick until they woke up. She urged words out of me, and wouldn't allow me to miss the deeper meanings in poetry, great literature, and the Word.

I sat under her teaching just those two semesters. I sit even now under the influence of what she planted in me and coaxed out of me.

Yesterday, the Moody Alumni News brought word that she died in May of 2007. A year and a half ago. At the age of 98. Today, I'm in mourning.

But I'm celebrating her life. And I'm grateful for the intricacy of God's plan that dictated I would walk into a classroom and find her waiting there.

Count Your Blessings

2008-12-07T15:13:00.002-06:00

Construction workers are losing their jobs. As are auto workers. And teachers. And Walmart employees. And publishing company department heads.

Baby Boomers are mourning the loss of hard-earned retirement funds they'll now never see.

Young people are not on the cusp of the American Dream. They're experiencing foreclosure and bankruptcy.

If surveyed, who would answer, "No, this economic downturn hasn't affected our family or friends at all"?

The snowglobe of our security has been shaken again. This time by the economy. How do we respond? How do we carry ourselves until the snow settles?

When I asked the Lord that question today in regard to friends of ours who are struggling, the answer came, "Count your blessings."

"Yes, Lord, but it looks really, really bad for--"

"Count your blessings."

"You mean, the fact that we still have food, even if it isn't fancy. And we still have a roof overhead, even if it isn't ideal? And we still have clothes to wear, even if they've seen too many trips through the washing machine...and that we still have a washing machine?"

"It's a start."

I wondered where that old song--"Count Your Blessings"--originated. Was it written during the Great Depression? Wouldn't that be cool?

But no. It was written in 1897. As I researched, I found a great quote about that song, which became a favorite of its time and has moved those who sing it for more than a century now, through all kinds of upturns, downturns, and plateaus.

"'In South London," a reporter of the time wrote, "the men sing it, the boys whistle it, and the women rock their babies to sleep on this hymn.'" During the great revival in Wales it was one of the hymns sung at every service along with such Welsh favorites as "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" and "O That Will be Glory."

Is it time to revisit the hymn...and the sentiment?

Aww! I'm Blessed!

2008-11-23T21:10:00.005-06:00

My dear friend, constant encourager, and website designer, Angie Arndt nominated this blog for a Butterfly Award.

The rules of the award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate 10 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

So, I'm pleased to nominate these beautiful blogs:

Mary Pierce’s http://www.laughlady.com/
Mary DeMuth’s http://www.wannabepublished.blogspot.com/
Heather Cox’s http://mommymonk.blogspot.com/
Dawn Kinzer’s From Dawn til Dusk http://dawnkinzer.blogspot.com/
Annette Irby’s http://annetteirby.blogspot.com/
Katy McKenna’s http://www.fallible.com/
Brandilyn Collins’ http://www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/
Sharon Hinck’s http://www.sharonswriting.blogspot.com/
Michelle Rayburn’s http://www.michellerayburn.com/ (blog coming soon...just know it'll be good!)
Lena Nelson Dooley http://www.lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/

These wonderful women have had an impact on my life. It's a joy to honor them in this small way.

The Perpetual Smile

2008-11-20T21:12:00.004-06:00

Praising the Perpetual Smile-Giver today for granting me a contract for my debut novel! I'm excited and blessed and conscious that joy can be overwhelming.

I've also recently signed with Wendy Lawton from the Books & Such Literary Agency.

One Scripture in particular carries new meaning for me lately:

"Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over."

Thanks for walking beside me in this incredible journey.

*Not the real cover. Just one I made up.

Thanksgiving My Way

2008-11-16T18:54:00.002-06:00

How different would our Thanksgiving table look if I didn't have to worry about pleasing the tastes of my children, grandchildren, and husband?

Besides the non-negotiables like elegantly bronzed roast turkey and fluffy mashed potatoes and a lovely assortment of pie (mostly pecan), I'd definitely serve oyster chestnut stuffing. And braised brussel sprouts. Creamed spinach. Pickled beets. Date nut bread. Butternut squash. Hot crab dip. Sweet potatoes. Lobster bisque. Scalloped corn (they like corn, just not the scalloped part). Antipasto (sounds like Thanksgiving food, doesn't it?).

What would your table hold if you didn't have to worry about pleasing any other person's palate? Seriously. I'd like to know.

How sad would my table look if it wasn't surrounded by a bunch of noisy, boisterous, darling, demanding, picky eaters????

If it were up to the grandkids, we'd eat chicken nuggets and fun fruits on Thanksgiving Day.

I wonder if I could sneak an oyster/cauliflower/asparagus/pickled beet/turkey pizza past them.

Food fetishes aside, I'll embrace those darlings and thank God for letting me watch them grow.

For Your Christmas Wish List

2008-11-14T10:47:00.009-06:00

A guitar came between us when I first connected face-to-face with Christy Barritt. We'd communicated about an article of mine that appeared on her award-winning website, http://www.willwrite4food.com/. But our face-to-face came when we both served in the worship band for the American Christian Fiction Writers' annual conference in Dallas in 2006 (was it 2005 or 2006?). The guitar? I admired it. She played it. Beautifully. With a warm and genuine heart of worship.

Observing her talent and her heart, I presumed I might like what she wrote. I do! Christy skillfully blends tangled mysteries, tangled faith, heavy subjects, and lighthearted humor in a way few can pull off.

Christy Barritt is the author of the Squeaky Clean Mystery Series (Kregel Publishers), which includes Hazardous Duty and Suspicious Minds. The series follows the life of Gabby St. Claire, a crime-scene cleaner who likes to stick her nose into police business. She says that if books that "are a cross between CSI and Monk/Psych interest you, you'll want to check out the Squeaky Clean Series."

She's agreed to answer a few questions that crossed my mind. My hope is that getting to know her better will send you to your bookstore or favorite online shop to order her books. Great items to include on your Christmas wish list!

Christy, from your website, I know that you majored in communications and psychology in college and that you worked at a Christian publishing house for two and a half years after college. You also enjoyed a short jaunt in the independent Christian music field. How did those varied experiences specifically prepare you to be a novelist? Yes, grammar and spelling, insights, a knowledge of the industry. Can you think of two or three specific lessons that equipped you well for what you do now?

It really helped me to be on the other side of the editor’s desk. When I worked at the Christian publishing house, it was my job to do the initial reject of manuscripts, so I know all about that—from both sides now! Something else that equipped me was that when I used to travel with my band, we often stayed with people from whatever venue we were playing at. I really loved that—seeing how other people live, what life is like in their town, what the dynamics of their church is. I know those experiences have helped me today because I had the opportunity to be a true student of people. Also, I’ve always hung out with all kinds of people, which I think helps to vary my experiences.

Was making the choice to write an easy one for you? Or did you wrestle with concerns about family income, time constraints, success and failure? If so, how did the Lord nurse you through those concerns?

My father became ill while I was working at the Christian publishing house and I had an importance choice to make. I ended up moving back home so I could be near him. The decision wasn’t easy but it propelled me to start writing again. I’d put my own desire to write on the back burner for quite a while. Writing helped me to get through the difficult time of watching my father decline and decline until finally he went to Heaven and met Jesus. When I felt the call in my life to write, I knew I didn’t have any choice but to do so. There have definitely been moments of difficulty, moments where I wanted to give up, where I wondered if I was talented enough to do this job. I still have those moments, to be honest! But time and time again, God whispers for me to trust him. I had to get to the point in my life where I was willing to trust him, even if it meant giving up writing. When I could truly say that, then my focus became much clearer.

Many new writers are surprised to learn how long is the process from the seed of a novel idea until it reaches the bookstore shelves. What was your experience?

With Hazardous Duty, the original idea came to me after I read that there were people who actually cleaned crime scenes as a career. I had no idea! I immediately realized that that career would be excellent for a protagonist in a mystery novel. I wrote the book, submitted it and had several requests for some revisions and then to resubmit. Finally, Kregel offered me a contract. That was right before the ACFW conference in 2005. I started writing the book in 2004. The book released November 2006. That’s actually kind of quick turn around time for some publishing houses!

How did your writing life change when your son, Eli, was born...beyond the obvious schedule challenges?

To say my schedule changed a lot would be an understatement. LOL. My schedule changed and it continues to change at each new phase. My son is at this phase where he doesn’t want to take naps now, so I’m facing a new challenge… When Eli, who’s now two, was born, I went from writing full-time (not for a full-time pay, mind you) to writing two days a week. Now those two days include my work for the newspaper and the articles I still freelance for a couple of publications. I *used* to write while he took naps, but now the little guy is being stubborn and wanting to be with mommy *all* the time. Which is sweet. A little draining, but sweet. I try and wake up early to write. What’s really worked for me is this: when I know someone is going out of town, I ask if I can housesit for them for the weekend. Then, with my husband’s blessing, of course, I pack up and “move out of the house” for a couple of days. I dedicate that time to write furiously—no TV or email or anything else. This has really worked for me—and it’s free!

Your giftedness for the genre you're now writing is clear. Do you have other types of books you'd like to tackle in the future? Something radically different from romantic comedic mysteries?

I actually never planned to write romantic comedic mysteries, believe it or not! I just started writing Gabby’s story and that’s what the book turned into! I really do love suspense—the edge of your seat stuff. I also have a CIA series that I wrote several years back that’s kind of adventurous and fun. We’ll see!

What creature comforts do you draw around you when you write?

Coca-cola and chips. And I wonder why my hips are getting bigger.

What part does worship play in your writing preparation?

I’m also a part-time worship leader at my church. I gave this up for awhile after Eli was born but now I’m doing it again. I really missed it when I quit because music and worship is such a huge part of my life. Worship helps put things in perspective for me. It calms me and gets my focus on the Creator of all good things. I’m constantly talking to God through worship.

What comes first for you--the plot idea, the characters, a stirring scene, a title, an opening line...?

It would depend on the book, to be honest. Each one has varied. For Hazardous Duty, the idea to use a crime-scene cleaner as a protagonist was the initial spark. The idea for another book, The Good Girl (unpubbed), was sparked when I was house-sitting for my brother in Minnesota. The house was old and kind of creepy. I kept hearing these weird noises, like someone opening the backyard gate in the middle of the night. The next morning, the gate really was open! I had this character that had been floating around in my mind for awhile and suddenly I realized she was meant to be house-sitting in a creepy old house where weird things like gates opening in the middle of the night happened! That’s what sparked that book.

As a young mom, you've no doubt discovered tips and tricks for managing a home, a young child, a meaningful marriage, service to your church, and your personal life as well as your writing career. Right? In what areas do you feel you've latched onto a good system? What helpful hints do you have to offer other writers?

I always tell people who make excuses about not having time to write that if I can do it, they can do it. Seriously. I lead worship at church, write for the newspaper, write for other publications, write my books, market my books and, most importantly, I’m the mother of a two-year-old and wife of Scott. The only way I can honestly say I get that all done is by God’s grace, that I’m right where he wants me to be and he gives me the strength and “multiplies my hours.” I try to have a low maintenance lifestyle, and that helps. I don’t worry about my house looking picture perfect—though I do like for it to be clean. I always make sure I clean when my son is with me and can help. I’m not a member of a lot of clubs or extracurricular activities. I don’t fuss over getting my nails done. My hair is no longer highlighted so I don’t have to worry about getting my roots touched up. I never buy clothes I have to iron. I also plan out each week pretty meticulously. I write down everything that needs to get done and then schedule a time for it. Communication with your spouse helps also. If he and I aren’t in sync, then everything is out of sync.

We haven't talked yet about your latest book in the series--Suspicious Minds. Great cover. Great story. A large cast of lovable, interesting characters. Describe for us how you keep the "funny" in their mystery-solving antics?

The “funny” just grew naturally out of the characters. They’re so just so real to me that I can hear their constant dialogue in my head. I’d be sitting somewhere, doing something else, when suddenly they’d start talking to me and I’d crack up. Which other people thought was weird, of course. I think the “funny” in the Squeaky Clean series comes entirely from the characters. If I’d picked a different character to be my crime scene cleaner, the story could have been much darker, sadder, gorier.

Any editor would applaud your ability to weave faith issues organically in your stories. Does that flow naturally as you write or do you work at making it appear seamless?

I’m glad you used the word “organic” because I use that a lot to describe my writing. I try to make issues grow naturally out of the characters. I don’t want to write a “sermon in disguise.” Every faith issue is there because that’s what the characters demanded, not because I choose to put it there.

My opinion is that your books are a perfect choice for people who want an entertaining break from the stresses of life but who don't have time for fluff. That may sound contradictory, but I'm impressed that your books give the illusion of pure fun while presenting meaningful faith and relationship principles...like a luscious dessert that you find out later is full of nutrients. Who are you hoping will read "Suspicious Minds"?

One thing I’ve loved hearing from my readers is that my books are ones they can share with their friends who don’t know Christ. That’s totally where my heart is! I believe in being in a light in the darkness… but a lot of times, as Christians, we tend to try and be lights in an already lit room. I want Christians to read and enjoy my books, but I also have a heart for reaching those who need hope.

Do you have any closing thoughts for readers and writers? Is there one thing you've always wished an interviewer would ask you?

Thank you so much, Cynthia, for taking the time to do this interview. Great questions! Is there one thing I’ve always wished an interviewer would ask me? Hm…. You know? I can’t think of anything! Thanks again!

Find her on the web at:
http://www.christybarritt.com/
www.myspace.com/christybarritt
http://www.faithchicks.com/

Ten Tips for Surviving Economic Downturns

2008-11-12T21:20:00.000-06:00

1. Make meals out of the things already in your pantry or freezer. Let’s see, hamburger, frozen peaches, and marshmallow fluff. Yum.
2. Stop dusting. It will extend the life of your dust rags and your furniture.
3. Stop vacuuming. See point 2.
4. Use natural elements in place of expensive decorations for holidays. Pine boughs, leaves, pieces of blown semi tires from the side of the road.
5. Invite menopausal women to share your home. It’ll cut down on your heating bill in winter.
6. Rather than buy new books, pull your old college textbooks out of the attic. What fun! And they’re already paid for…most of them.
7. Downsize. Wear only one mitten or glove at a time. Switch. Twice as much life!
8. Train your dog to pull a rotary lawn mower.
9. Give new life to old kitchen cabinets. Elmer’s Glue and Popsicle sticks. Need I say more?
10. Tip from a friend. You can still entertain. Take your guests to Sam’s Club and load them up on food samples.

The Snap of a Salute

2008-11-03T13:32:00.002-06:00

I sang for a funeral today that left me grateful and speechless.

Just before the casket lid was closed, a band of veterans from the local VFW unit filed forward to pay their respects. I doubt any of the men were younger than 70. (All the young ones are still off fighting somewhere). Their military steps were sluggish and halting. One by one they strode to the casket, then saluted the US flag folded into a thick triangle.

Pride still rang from their snappy salutes, though their cataract eyes had seen more battles post-war than during active duty. I watched the bent backs struggle to stand erect for their salutes. One frail man, his hat and jacket well-decorated with reminders of his service to his country, raised his hand, but his salute was a limp wave. Sincere, but lacking strength. He'd given it all away--for his country, his family, his community...

I owe that man a debt of gratitude. Tomorrow I'll say "thank you" by voting.

Today I say it by thanking the Lord for those willing to serve.

Introducing a New Author

2008-10-24T09:16:00.003-05:00

Today, it's my privilege to share a brief interview with an exuberant personality and a hard-working, dedicated writer who is enjoying the wonder of seeing her first novel in print. Welcome, Michelle Sutton.

Michelle, you’ve built a reputation as the go-to person writing “edgy inspirational” novels. Would you care to share the thought process that moved you in that direction rather than, say, “nail-biting inspirational fiction” or “soothing” or “laugh-a-minute”?

I’d say it has a lot to do with the fact that I work with hurting people for my career, not to mention that I have always been the kind of person who wants to dig deeper.

Your debut novel –It’s Not About Me—has been instrumental in helping launch a new publishing house—Sheaf House. How has that role challenged you? How has it energized you?

In some ways it’s scary and a huge responsibility. The other authors are just as capable as I am and have a great product to sell, but I want to pull my weight, too. And YA is hot now. I joke with Joan and tell her I want to be the Karen Kingsbury of Sheaf House and make her millions. J One can dream, yes?

You and Bonnie Calhoun form the publishing and editorial hearts of Christian Fiction Online Magazine. How do your magazine editing assignments dovetail with your novel pursuits? What have you learned in your editing responsibilities that has had an impact on your own fiction?

None of it really dovetails. I see it as a separate entity. How CFOM impacts my own fiction is it takes up the majority of my free time. Ironically, I will probably make more money every year from my job as CFOM Editor in Chief than I ever will as an author. So why do I keep writing fiction? The love of it, pure and simple. I want people to read my stories.

According to early reports or what you’ve heard from reviewers, describe a reader’s approach to your book when first picking it up compared to his or her feeling when the reading experience is over.

People tell me they expect something fairly edgy, but I still manage to shock them a bit. By books end I get a lot of “Can’t wait for the sequel” comments, which is gratifying.

I’ve heard that your book often makes a splash at booksignings, surprising book store owners with the exceptionally enthusiastic response of their customers. Is it the book’s subject matter, your contagious enthusiasm, or a clever marketing plan?

I think it probably has a lot to do with my personality. I am a people person and not afraid to strike up a conversation with people in stores. J That helps a lot. So does advertising and word of mouth.

Your book is of interest to a wide range of fans, but describe your typical reader. Young, unmarried? Young, married? Middle-aged? Churched? Unchurched?

I have no typical reader. Though my target market is 16 -23, my youngest “fan” is 9 and my oldest is 81. Even the older folks say they remember being young and enjoyed going back in time in the story. However, I have sold many copies to the unchurched. This mainly happens at booksignings. It’s a huge risk for me to promote a book that people may find too “Christian” for them, and a bit scary, too, but I’m willing to risk it.

Even this early in your debut novel’s life, you’ve earned the honor of a four-star review in Romantic Times magazine in the inspirational category. Blog readers want to know—how loudly did you scream when you heard the news?

I expressed more of a huge sigh of relief. I was worried it wouldn’t do as well. So the sound a made was a huge WHEW!

Have you had a defining moment as a writer?

If you mean like when I knew I was cut out for this biz, I’d say it was when published authors kept asking me to send them more chapters.

How has writing changed or deepened your faith?

It has humbled me in many ways, yet I still fight pride and other nasty temptations like wanting people to notice me, etc. I wish I didn’t struggle, but it’s hard not to want to be revered as an author. Being content as a nobody is a pretty big challenge for me. But I want to believe that I am not doing this for the accolades but simply because I love to write and I want people to read my stories.

How did writing It’s Not About Me affect your understanding of the needs of the human heart and the depths of God’s grace?

It hasn’t expanded things much, but maybe deepened them a tad. I’ve always been a deep and introspective thinker and so pondering the human heart is just something I do.

Give us an “elevator pitch” for your next novel.

A young woman is pregnant after passing out at a party and she has no idea who the father is. Her best friend, a handsome single man, wants to marry her so she will keep her child. Will two hearts with such different agendas ever become one, or are they destined to remain “just friends.”

Some blog readers will want to know more details about your writing life and this project in particular. Which of your websites or blogs is the best one for them to connect with that information?

I have a blog that I post on in addition to my website. The address is http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

Thanks for sharing your time and your insights with us, Michelle. Do you have anything you’d like to add in closing?

Nope. But I’d love to hear your thoughts on my story if you get a chance to read it.

The Gift of Progress

2008-10-07T06:40:00.002-05:00

No matter what our field of interest--writing, painting, music, motocross, restoring homes, restoring cars, teaching--progress is key to our enthusiasm while we endure the often long wait or the tedium of daily chores or the setbacks.

Finaling in the prestigious American Christian Fiction Writers' 2008 Genesis Contest in Women's Fiction felt like progress. The competition was stiff and the judging considers carefully the "publishability" of the entries.

So you can imagine what an honor it was to be named one of three to PLACE in the Women's Fiction category at the awards banquet for ACFW! My project--They Almost Always Come Home--took second place.

May all who placed in the Genesis Contest of the ACFW Book of the Year contest be blessed, take courage, and first find their fulfillment in Him then their books in Barnes and Noble!

Book of the Year Winners (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place):

Debut Author - Sushi for One? by Camy Tang, Zondervan
Bayou Justice by Robin Caroll
In Between by Jenny B. Jones

Contemporary Novella - Finally Home by Deborah Raney, Barbour Publishing
Moonlight & Mistletoe by Carrie Turansky
Remaking of Moe McKenna by Gloria Clover

Historical Novella - Love Notes in Love Letters Anthology by Mary Davis, Barbour Publishing
Beyond the Memories by DiAnn Mills
The Spinster & The Tycoon by Vickie McDonough

Lits - Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh, Multnomah Books
Sushi for One? by Camy Tang
Tie: One Little Secret by Allison Bottke & The Book of Jane by Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt

Long Contemporary - Within This Circle by Deborah Raney, Steeple Hill Books
Like Always by Robert Elmer
Autumn Blue by Karen Harter

Long Historical - Tie: Veil of Fire by Marlo Schalesky, RiverOak
Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer, Bethany House
Tie: Fancy Pants by Cathy Marie Hake & Then Came Hope by Louise Gouge
Courting Trouble by Deeanne Gist

Mystery - Your Chariot Awaits by Lorena McCourtney, Thomas Nelson
Death of a Garage Sale Newbie by Sharon Dunn
Sticks And Stones by Susan Meissner

Short Contemporary - The Heart of Grace by Linda Goodnight, Steeple Hill Love Inspired
Heart of the Family by Margaret Daley
Wedded Bliss by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Short Contemporary Suspense - Caught Redhanded by Gayle Roper, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense
Pursuit of Justice by Pamela Tracy
Tie: Nowhere to Hide by Debby Giusti & Her Christmas Protector by Terri Reed

Short Historical - Tie: Canteen Dreams by Cara Putman & Barbour/Heartsong PresentsGolden Days by Mary Connealy, Barbour/Heartsong Presents
A Wealth Beyond Riches by Vickie McDonough
A Time to Keep by Kelly Eileen Hake

Speculative - The Restorer’s Son by Sharon Hinck, NavPress
Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee
DragonFire by Donita Paul

Suspense - Black Ice by Linda Hall, WaterBrook Press
Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins
Abomination by Colleen Coble

Women’s Fiction - Remember to Forget by Deborah Raney, Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
Watercolored Pearls by Stacy Hawkins Adams
A Promise To Remember by Kathryn Cushman

Young Adult - In Between by Jenny B. Jones, NavPress
Sara Jane: Liberty’s Torch by Eleanor Clark
Saving Sailor by Renee Riva

GENESIS CONTEST

Chick lit, Mom lit, Lady lit Category:
1st: Erica Vetsch, Pam On Rye
2nd: Lynda Schab, Mind Over Madi
3rd: Tiffany Kinerson, Stand On My Own Two Hands

Contemporary Fiction Category:
1st: Dan Case, The Voice
2nd: Christina Berry, Undiscovered
3rd: Jim Rubart, Book of Days

Contemporary Romance Category:
1st: Annalisa Daughety, Love is a Battlefield
2nd: Kathleen Haynes, The Quarterback Club
3rd: Cara Slaughter, Joanna's Treasure

Historical Fiction Category:
1st: Mona Hodgson, A Thimble's Worth
2nd: Rachel Moore, A Trail of Waves
3rd: Lori Benton, Trouble The Water

Historical Romance Category:
1st: Patty Smith Hall, Flights of Freedom
2nd: Karen Witemeyer, Cloud by Day
3rd: Erica Vetsch, Marriage Masquerade

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Category:
1st: Jane Thornton, Menace
2nd Donna Alice Patton, Wrestling Demons
3rd: Janice Olson, Don't Look Back

Romantic Suspense Category:
1st: Jenness Walker, Deja Vu
2nd: Dani Pettrey, Quest
3rd (tie): Kelly Ann Riley, A Cowboy's Prayer
3rd (tie): Jane Thornton, Be Anxious

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Allegory Category:
1st: Chawna Schroeder, Metamorphosis
2nd: Lynda K. Arndt, The Song of Blood and Stone
3rd: Valerie Comer, The Girl Who Cried Squid

Women's Fiction Category:
1st: Heather Goodman, 50 Things To Do Before I Turn 30
2nd: Cynthia Ruchti, They Almost Always Come Home
3rd: Kristian Tolle, When Autumn Comes

Young Adult Category:
1st: Carla Stewart, An Unexpected Journey
2nd: Stefanie Morris, The Dragon of Delarest
3rd: Kasey L. Heinly, Broken Glass

May the Lord use these projects for His glory!

My Mercies

2008-09-30T15:29:00.002-05:00

I've landed on a Scripture verse and a concept that won't let me go. Just a small thought, one would presume. But as rich as a Paula Deen buttercream frosting.

IF my goal in life is to become more like Christ, to grow to act more and more like the Lord would in any given circumstance...

And IF that means acting as He would and speaking as He would and reacting to stresses as He would...

And IF I claim that's what I desire...

then what do I do with verses like the one from Lamentations that tells us, "His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness"?

Are MY mercies new every morning? Is MY faithfulness great as opposed to just run-of-the-mill?

Is the batch of kindness I show my family and friends and church family fresh every morning? A full, renewed supply ready for any challenge?

You can see why I'm stuck here. Thinking, thinking...

Not Food Anymore

2008-09-12T10:06:00.004-05:00

I knew it was inevitable. Sooner or later I'd have to clean the fridge.

You understand, though, that the conditions have to be just right for that task. The garbage can must not be more than half full and the dishwasher must be completely empty to hold all the freshly emptied but riper than a big city garbage truck plastic containers.

If for some reason I don't return from the conference next week, I don't want my funeral conversation to center around the unmentionables...or rather, undistinguishables...I left in my refrigerator for my poor widow to deal with.

So, today was the day.

One of the reasons I despise the job is because I really do hate to throw away food. I'm growing more frugal as I linger with my husband. But the good news is the impetus that got me through the task without guilt. Some of it wasn't food anymore. Technically.

I recognized applesauce under the colorful patchwork of mold. I knew that the one item was a meat product at one time--from the sheen. But several things in zipped bags had morphed from solid to liquid form and who but God Almighty knows their origin. (Don't tell me it hasn't happened to you).

My guilt lifted as I tossed away things that were no longer food and therefore no longer a waste to dispose of.

And that got me thinking.

Are there things in my life that are no longer fun, so I can throw them away without guilt? Like sewing my own clothes? (Okay, I gave that up in the 90s). Crafts? Canning enough harvest produce for the whole neighborhood? Planting a garden of vegetables my husband won't eat?

Some I've already given up but retained a little reminder of guilt. But why feel guilty if it wasn't truly fun anymore?

What if it isn't productive anymore? Or meaningful? Or necessary? Or satisfying?

Can it be tossed without guilt?

Yes, with two exceptions. Love and commitment. Doesn't matter if they're no longer fun, productive, overtly meaningful, or perpetually satisfying. They're not disposable or discardable.

They are, however, redeemable.

Unlike the pool of what I think used to be a leftover burger.

He Knows My Name

2008-09-11T05:45:00.003-05:00

If you're intrigued by the idea of meeting some of your favorite Christian authors and letting them know how much their words have meant to your personal enjoyment of this life and growth in your walk of faith, you might want to know the names of those participating in the joint booksigning at the Mall of America on September 20th.

The Lord knows these authors by name. Now you do too.

Event Details
What: Booksigning and Author Panels at the Mall of America Who: 127 Christian novelists Where: Best Buy and Sears Rotundas and connecting hallway When: 1-3 p.m., Saturday, September 20, 2008 Why: To meet your favorite Christian authors.
Participating Authors
Tamera Alexander
Jennifer AlLee
A.K. Arenz
Diane Ashley
Karen Ball
Janet Lee Barton
James Scott Bell
Joseph Bentz
Terri Blackstock
Robin Caroll
Patricia PacJac Carroll
Jeanie Smith Cash
Eleanor Clark
Debra Clopton
Gloria Clover
Brandilyn Collins
Mary Connealy
Lyn Cote
Kathryn Cushman
Margaret Daley
KM Daughters
Susan Page Davis
Mary Davis
Janet Dean
Megan DiMaria
Brandt Dodson
Lena Nelson Dooley
Cecelia Dowdy
Sharon Dunn
Wanda Dyson
Lynette Eason
Meredith Efken
Leanna Ellis
Sharon Ewell Foster
Miralee Ferrell
Tina Ann Forkner
Darlene Franklin
Jonathan Friesen
Rhonda Gibson
Terri Gillespie
Debby Giusti
Beth Goddard
Cathy Gohlke
Rene Gutteridge
Cathy Marie Hake
Rachel Hauck
Roxanne Henke
Cynthia Hickey
Patti Hill
Sharon Hinck
Joan Hochstetler
Steven Hunt
Angela Hunt
Denise Hunter
Annette Irby
Jennifer Johnson
Jenny B. Jones
Golden Keyes Parsons
Deb Kinnard
Julie Klassen
Kathleen Kovach
Harry Kraus
Patti Lacy
Maureen Lang
Jeanne Marie Leach
Tosca Lee
Julie Lessman
Michelle Levigne
Sherri L. Lewis
Elizabeth Ludwig
Christine Lynxwiler
Richard L. Mabry
Sharlene MacLaren
Gail Martin
Debby Mayne
Vickie McDonough
Andrew McGuire
Susan Meissner
Becky Melby
Dana Mentink
Amber Miller
Judith Miller
Sara Mills
Siri Mitchell
Nancy Moser
Janelle Mowery
Elizabeth Musser
Mark Mynheir
Jill Nelson
Mae Nunn
John Olson
Donita K. Paul
Trish Perry
Marta Perry
Allie Pleiter
Cara Putman
Deborah Raney
Sandra Robbins
Paul Robertson
John Robinson
Martha Rogers
Cynthia Ruchti
Gail Sattler
Kim Vogel Sawyer
Shelley Shephard Gray
Virginia Smith
Lynette Sowell
Candice Speare
Kathryn Springer
Denice Stewart
Sarah Anne Sumpolec
Michelle Sutton
Camy Tang
Donn Taylor
Janice Thompson
Cindy Thomson
Missy Tippens
Carrie Turansky
ML Tyndall
Amy Wallace
Susan May Warren
Linda Wichman
Beth Wiseman
Cheryl Wyatt
Kathleen Y'Barbo

What has HE gotten me into now?

2008-09-08T13:43:00.003-05:00

I can't remember the last time I was bored. Oh, wait. It might have been when, in an attempt to share "quality time" together, I sat beside my husband while he watched something less than riveting on the History channel, or ESPN, or TVLand.

But other than that, I'm rarely bored. I attribute that wonder to a God about whom the psalmist (with a little help from the people at Tyndale) wrote, "The godly person's life is exciting!"

The things He gets me into sometimes! Flying across the country. Sharing devotional thoughts with a banquet room full of hundreds of Christian fiction authors, agents, and editors. Teaching others to write well! Amazing. (Did I tell you about the time I shared an airplane with Mohammed Ali?).

Within a few days, I'll be part of the 2008 national American Christian Fiction Writers' conference in Minneapolis. I'll have the privilege of serving on the worship team, reporting on a couple of the many workshops for the online ezine, and directing the conference choir. I'll suffer through the awards banquet, waiting to hear if one of my fiction projects is granted a "Parting the Red Sea" miracle to rise higher than the awesome Women's Fiction Finalist position it now occupies.

And, I'll take part in the massive booksigning at the Mall of America on the 20th. A hundred and twenty or more incredible Christian fiction novelists...and me. I'll have my pen ready to sign any copies of Cup of Comfort for Writers, in which I have a story.

I also plan to spend a great deal of that time marveling at the things the Lord gets me into.

It pays to read the fine print. When I committed my life to Him, I wasn't aware of the "Hang onto your seatbelt, girl!" clause.

MASSIVE BOOKSIGNING!!!
Over 100 Christian Novelists in One Place
(and did we mention it’s free?)
S A T U R D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 2 0
is your chance to meet over 100 Christian novelists at the Mall of America!
1:00—3:00pm
best-selling and award-winning authors like
Angela Hunt, James Scott Bell, Rene Gutteridge,
Deborah Raney, Tamera Alexander, Judith Miller,
Nancy Moser, Brandt Dodson,
and numerous others will be at Mall of America. Author panel discussions
will be held simultaneously in the Best Buy® and Bloomingdale’s Court.
ENTRY TO THE BOOKSIGNING IS FREE.
The Barnes & Noble inside the mall will be carrying books by those authors
present at the signing, so you can purchase your books that day!
For more information, call Cara Putman, ACFW Publicist, at
(765) 418-3427 or email pr@acfw.com.

Bypass Surgery

2008-09-01T17:09:00.002-05:00

A little tidbit to chew on:

"The risks involved in bypassing God's plan would make the most confident medical malpractice insurance lawyer tremble. Odds of survival? Too low to calculate."

We insist that we're not turning our backs on God's Plan A, just...well...taking a shortcut. Saving a little time. Bypassing the construction zone.

Is it worth the risk?

"...Turn not aside after (in other words, do not bypass the Truth in favor of) vain and worthless things which cannot profit or deliver you, for they are empty and futile." --I Samuel 12:21 (Amplified Bible)

One Small Letter

2008-08-18T15:48:00.002-05:00

One small letter. What a difference! One little s.

Here, all along, I didn't realize the Lord promised to lead me through the wildernesses--the deserts--of life. I thought He meant to lead me through all the desserts!

I've been doing my best.

Small things. One little letter. Big difference.

Here's the next offering from the Challendar Calendar:

"Do you really have time to wander around in the desert of disobedience and confusion for forty years or more, rather than simply choosing to do things God's way the FIRST TIME? Disobedience and disappointment are flip sides of the same coin. As are obedience and peace."

Joshua 5:6, NIV--"The Israelites had wandered about in the desert forty years...because they had not obeyed the Lord."

(And if you're in the mood for a lighthearted look at the issue of desserts and their consequences, check out my column in ACFW's Afictionado ezine this month: http://www.acfw.com/ezine/cgi-bin/aug08.pl?record=5 )

Blessings as you journey on.