Barbara Edema's Blog, page 8
May 16, 2017
Chick Lit Review of To Have and To Hold
Chick Lit Cafe has reviewed To Have and To Hold. Here's what they had to say:Delightful, spiritual and engaging.This is the second book in the Pastor Maggie” series.I loved “To Have and To Hold.” Not having read the first book, I was still able to jump right in and follow the plot and discern the characters well. I was drawn right in as I got to know the individuals that are written into this story. I felt I knew them personally and cared for them by the end of the book. They are endearing, unique and quirky. I felt that the author really put a lot of thought into developing the characters and did an excellent job. As the fun and colorful characters are rolled out, you can’t help but to love them. They are all beautifully woven within the story . The plot is convincing, inspiring and some what suspenseful. It is very realistic. We get a glimpse of the inner workings of a church parish with it’s love and care for others. With plenty of conflicts and emotions the story is especially engaging and exciting. Pastor Maggie and the church go through trials, challenges and triumphs. Filled with blessings as well as oppression and sorrow, we see how people can be in weakness and in strength.
The thread of mystery made this story especially good. Wonderings of who has been lurking about causing trouble and fear, was in the forefront of my mind. I was fully engaged and anxious thinking it through and trying to figure it out. Who has been behind all the mysterious things that are going on? I was held captive in suspense.The story is filled with emotion and brings up the reader’s own feelings of faith, doubt, fear, joy and more. To Have and To Hold had an impact on my own beliefs and spirituality. I felt my faith being strengthened. I loved how the unconditional expansive love of God is depicted throughout.. This is a very inspiring read and an exceptional creative literary work written from the heart. “To Have and To Hold” will not disappoint. It’s one of the better reads I have come across in a while.
May 11, 2017
Mimi, Maggie, and Me
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Dr. Mimi Elzinga Keller
It’s fun to write such a variety of characters in The Pastor Maggie Series. I’m always fascinated to hear questions from readers about particular characters and who they might be based on. Not surprisingly, Irena-the crazy organist-gets a lot of attention! She is based on a real person who taught my daughters how to play string instruments. She was a very scary little woman! Her physical description is the only connection to the real woman. Irena’s fictional backstory will be revealed in book three of the series For Richer, For Poorer. Look for it this fall!
But there is another character I would like to highlight. Maggie’s mother, Mimi Elzinga. Mimi is the no-nonsense, practical, intelligent mother of both Maggie and Bryan. She is also my mother. Writing her character in the books is a whole lot of fun. She is not as harsh in real life – I want that to be clear.
If you sat down with my mother, Mimi, she would sip a cup of coffee or tea, depending on the time of day, and listen to your story. You most likely would not learn that she has both a B.A. and Master of Science degree in Psychology. She has her Doctorate in Early Childhood Education. She did research at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, researching child development. She taught special education in the classroom. She still works with Developmental Psychology majors at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She’s been a three-term president of the Holland Literary Club. She’s a published author. She’s a violinist and a church organist – thankfully, nothing at all like Irena! (Although, the same size.)
Mimi is a badass. She would also never use that word. She is classy, well-dressed, polite, and appropriate in every situation. I wish I was more like my mother.
Maggie and I tend to be dressed in unmatched Old Navy items. We are clumsy, impetuous, emotional, and dramatic. We both have needed Mimi to “class us up a bit.” And settle us down.Maggie isn’t a mother (yet). But I was fortunate as I raised my four children, to have a mother who could answer ANY question about every stage of their lives. That’s an important point: she waits for questions. She doesn’t shove herself into other people’s lives with her brain full of knowledge and experience. She waits until she’s asked.
I’ve learned a lot about children, having raised them and now as I watch them fly on their own. They live all over the country and world. I’ve also learned a lot by spending over two decades working with parents and children in the church. But if I have ever have a wonderment about a child, I call Mimi.
Twenty eight years ago, Mimi buried one of her two children, my brother, Todd. Her level of grief, her descent into hell, and her rising again to go forward in life, were agonizing and inspiring to witness. She’s simply, and complexly, an amazing woman.
She has given me a love of reading, writing, and cooking. I’ve given her a fictional son named Bryan, which is what she wanted to name Todd in the first place.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. What would Maggie and I do without Mimi for a mother? We’d be lost.
So, Happy Mother’s Day, Mimi Elzinga Keller! You make this world a better place. You are an extraordinary mother, grandmother and mother-in-law.
And you will continue to guide Maggie and me as we stumble through life, badly dressed, but with hearts full of love.
Another incredible gift from you.
Dr. Mimi Elzinga Keller
It’s fun to write such a variety of characters in The Pastor Maggie Series. I’m always fascinated to hear questions from readers about particular characters and who they might be based on. Not surprisingly, Irena-the crazy organist-gets a lot of attention! She is based on a real person who taught my daughters how to play string instruments. She was a very scary little woman! Her physical description is the only connection to the real woman. Irena’s fictional backstory will be revealed in book three of the series For Richer, For Poorer. Look for it this fall!
But there is another character I would like to highlight. Maggie’s mother, Mimi Elzinga. Mimi is the no-nonsense, practical, intelligent mother of both Maggie and Bryan. She is also my mother. Writing her character in the books is a whole lot of fun. She is not as harsh in real life – I want that to be clear.
If you sat down with my mother, Mimi, she would sip a cup of coffee or tea, depending on the time of day, and listen to your story. You most likely would not learn that she has both a B.A. and Master of Science degree in Psychology. She has her Doctorate in Early Childhood Education. She did research at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, researching child development. She taught special education in the classroom. She still works with Developmental Psychology majors at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. She’s been a three-term president of the Holland Literary Club. She’s a published author. She’s a violinist and a church organist – thankfully, nothing at all like Irena! (Although, the same size.)
Mimi is a badass. She would also never use that word. She is classy, well-dressed, polite, and appropriate in every situation. I wish I was more like my mother.
Maggie and I tend to be dressed in unmatched Old Navy items. We are clumsy, impetuous, emotional, and dramatic. We both have needed Mimi to “class us up a bit.” And settle us down.Maggie isn’t a mother (yet). But I was fortunate as I raised my four children, to have a mother who could answer ANY question about every stage of their lives. That’s an important point: she waits for questions. She doesn’t shove herself into other people’s lives with her brain full of knowledge and experience. She waits until she’s asked.
I’ve learned a lot about children, having raised them and now as I watch them fly on their own. They live all over the country and world. I’ve also learned a lot by spending over two decades working with parents and children in the church. But if I have ever have a wonderment about a child, I call Mimi.
Twenty eight years ago, Mimi buried one of her two children, my brother, Todd. Her level of grief, her descent into hell, and her rising again to go forward in life, were agonizing and inspiring to witness. She’s simply, and complexly, an amazing woman.
She has given me a love of reading, writing, and cooking. I’ve given her a fictional son named Bryan, which is what she wanted to name Todd in the first place.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. What would Maggie and I do without Mimi for a mother? We’d be lost.
So, Happy Mother’s Day, Mimi Elzinga Keller! You make this world a better place. You are an extraordinary mother, grandmother and mother-in-law.
And you will continue to guide Maggie and me as we stumble through life, badly dressed, but with hearts full of love.
Another incredible gift from you.
April 15, 2017
Easter Women
Easter Women
The Easter Women came to the tomb with sorrow, tears and ointment to cover the smell of death.
The Easter Women came to the tomb of the one who had lifted them up, gave them a voice, and honored them as women.
The Easter Women came from a culture where they were property, where they could be abandoned, where they had no worth.
Jesus changed all that for the Easter Women.
Because his resurrection from the dead was for them.
The Easter Women saw it first. No dead body anywhere. The stories in the gospels differ, but they saw angels and Mary saw Jesus himself.
The Easter Women found the good news first.
There were men that day. Jesus’ best friends and his disciples. The Easter Women brought the best great good news to the men.
And the Easter Women were not believed. Their story of resurrection fell on skeptical ears.
Jesus had spent his ministry seeking women who were outcast in their own communities. He gave them resurrection and new life.
He defended a woman who was judged and set to be killed, because apparently, only women committed adultery. He gave her resurrection and new life.
He healed a bleeding a woman. Resurrection and new life.
He was merciful to a woman who had lost a child. Resurrection and new life.
He was friends with two sisters and raised their brother from the dead. Lots of resurrection and new life.
So…
To you Easter Women of 2017, please believe this: resurrection and new life are for you, too.
Easter Women, have you ever not been believed? Have you told the truth with your whole heart and had your words fall on skeptical or condescending ears? Were you dismissed? Were you called a liar? When, in reality you are a truth-teller. You speak with authenticity. You are not invisible. Our words are powerful. Our honesty is believable. Resurrection, new life, and our truth are real. We will believe that the one who has called us blessed and worthy, is the one who speaks the truth.
Easter Women, do you work for less pay than your male co-workers? Have you had your childcare taken away? Is there no place for your school-aged child to go after school anymore, because that’s gone, too? Do you listen to men who know nothing of your life, telling you how to do your job, what you may and may not do with your own body, and expect you to take it?
Wait…is this sounding like a political statement? Sorry, it’s meant to be a human statement.
These days it can seem insurmountable. Our steps toward equality and fairness were steps made in the sand. And someone has washed away those steps. This is where Easter Women come together. We march together. We hold one another. We walk into dank, dark tombs together with sorrow, tears, and ointment to disguise death. But resurrection is ours, too. New life is our gift, too. We will believe that the one who has called us blessed and worthy, is the one who speaks the truth.
Easter Women, have you ever been touched or grabbed where you didn’t want to be touched or grabbed? Did you believe you were expected to take it? Did something worse happen to you? Did something happen to cause part of your heart to die, part of your soul to die, something that left your eyes empty? It’s hard to come back from the dead. But I know it can be done. I really do. Along with some of you, I have walked into tombs, and have walked out again. Resurrection, healing, wholeness, and new life are possible for all of us. YOU are an Easter Woman.
Easter Women, are you healthy in spirit, but sick in your body? Easter can seem somewhat lackluster when you feel like hell. You will be well. This is what I believe, we all will be well. We may be healed from disease on this earth. We may be healed from disease into eternal life. In fact, at some point, we all will be healed into the hands of God. But I have something to say to a very special lady: this summer is not what you planned. It sucks. But this summer will come to an end, and rejoicing will reign. Resurrection and new life are yours. And whenever one of us has resurrection, we all do. I love you.
Easter Women of 2017, there are so many other issues we could chat about. We each have our own concerns as we love, mother, work, friend, and family in our lives. But like the first Easter Women on that first Easter morn:
We walk together, sometimes in despair, sometimes crying, sometimes hopeless, sometimes filled with hope, sometimes overflowing with joy, all the while we know that someone, a really Good Man walked this earth, he empowered women, he healed women, he died for women, and he rose again for women. Because we are part of the story. We are part of the “raising the dead” story. We are the ones he talked to first. We are the ones who shared the story first. We are the ones who haven’t stopped talking about it for over 2000 years. And we rock.
Who else is capable of giving new life?
So…Happy Easter. Happy resurrection. Your life is renewed and renewing.
The Easter Women came to the tomb of the one who had lifted them up, gave them a voice, and honored them as women.
The Easter Women came from a culture where they were property, where they could be abandoned, where they had no worth.
Jesus changed all that for the Easter Women.
Because his resurrection from the dead was for them.
The Easter Women saw it first. No dead body anywhere. The stories in the gospels differ, but they saw angels and Mary saw Jesus himself.
The Easter Women found the good news first.
There were men that day. Jesus’ best friends and his disciples. The Easter Women brought the best great good news to the men.
And the Easter Women were not believed. Their story of resurrection fell on skeptical ears.
Jesus had spent his ministry seeking women who were outcast in their own communities. He gave them resurrection and new life.
He defended a woman who was judged and set to be killed, because apparently, only women committed adultery. He gave her resurrection and new life.
He healed a bleeding a woman. Resurrection and new life.
He was merciful to a woman who had lost a child. Resurrection and new life.
He was friends with two sisters and raised their brother from the dead. Lots of resurrection and new life.
So…
To you Easter Women of 2017, please believe this: resurrection and new life are for you, too.
Easter Women, have you ever not been believed? Have you told the truth with your whole heart and had your words fall on skeptical or condescending ears? Were you dismissed? Were you called a liar? When, in reality you are a truth-teller. You speak with authenticity. You are not invisible. Our words are powerful. Our honesty is believable. Resurrection, new life, and our truth are real. We will believe that the one who has called us blessed and worthy, is the one who speaks the truth.
Easter Women, do you work for less pay than your male co-workers? Have you had your childcare taken away? Is there no place for your school-aged child to go after school anymore, because that’s gone, too? Do you listen to men who know nothing of your life, telling you how to do your job, what you may and may not do with your own body, and expect you to take it?
Wait…is this sounding like a political statement? Sorry, it’s meant to be a human statement.
These days it can seem insurmountable. Our steps toward equality and fairness were steps made in the sand. And someone has washed away those steps. This is where Easter Women come together. We march together. We hold one another. We walk into dank, dark tombs together with sorrow, tears, and ointment to disguise death. But resurrection is ours, too. New life is our gift, too. We will believe that the one who has called us blessed and worthy, is the one who speaks the truth.
Easter Women, have you ever been touched or grabbed where you didn’t want to be touched or grabbed? Did you believe you were expected to take it? Did something worse happen to you? Did something happen to cause part of your heart to die, part of your soul to die, something that left your eyes empty? It’s hard to come back from the dead. But I know it can be done. I really do. Along with some of you, I have walked into tombs, and have walked out again. Resurrection, healing, wholeness, and new life are possible for all of us. YOU are an Easter Woman.
Easter Women, are you healthy in spirit, but sick in your body? Easter can seem somewhat lackluster when you feel like hell. You will be well. This is what I believe, we all will be well. We may be healed from disease on this earth. We may be healed from disease into eternal life. In fact, at some point, we all will be healed into the hands of God. But I have something to say to a very special lady: this summer is not what you planned. It sucks. But this summer will come to an end, and rejoicing will reign. Resurrection and new life are yours. And whenever one of us has resurrection, we all do. I love you.
Easter Women of 2017, there are so many other issues we could chat about. We each have our own concerns as we love, mother, work, friend, and family in our lives. But like the first Easter Women on that first Easter morn:
We walk together, sometimes in despair, sometimes crying, sometimes hopeless, sometimes filled with hope, sometimes overflowing with joy, all the while we know that someone, a really Good Man walked this earth, he empowered women, he healed women, he died for women, and he rose again for women. Because we are part of the story. We are part of the “raising the dead” story. We are the ones he talked to first. We are the ones who shared the story first. We are the ones who haven’t stopped talking about it for over 2000 years. And we rock.
Who else is capable of giving new life?
So…Happy Easter. Happy resurrection. Your life is renewed and renewing.
April 1, 2017
Dancing with Angels
Greetings!
Writing about writing is fun, but I was wondering if you would help me out this time. For those of you who have read To Love and To Cherish and/or To Have and To Hold , I would greatly appreciate your insights. You can respond to these questions in the comments section of this blog, or from “contact” on my website http://www.barbara-edema.com/
1. What tasty treat would you order at Mrs. Popkin’s Sugarplum bakery, and which character would you like to eat it with? Why?2. Who would you like to sit with in the pew of Loving the Lord Community Church? Who would you notlike to sit with? Why?3. There’s a dinner party for eight at the parsonage! You have been invited. Besides Pastor Maggie and Jack, who else would like to be there?4. Where would you like to work if you lived in Cherish? Why?5. What characters would you like to know more about?
Thank you for your answers. I can’t wait to read them! I’m happy to tell you that book three, For Richer, For Poorer is finished. Book four, For Better, For Worse is coming right along.*****The following is the story of how I went from hopeful Hollywood actress, to the streets of Jerusalem, to seminary, to pulpit, to being an author. Everything I have done has been because of the people around me. I dance with angels – you are one of them.
At the age of 18 I had an agent in Hollywood and was on track to be another small, blonde actress. It was my dream, my hope, my only goal in life. Finding an agent took only one interview. I signed on the dotted line. Driving to studios for various auditions was a bit more difficult, because I am, and always will be, geographically challenged. In 1980 there was no GPS. But I made it to the interviews and found myself sitting in rooms full of girls who looked exactly like me. Humbling.
My father was an American Baptist Minister. Being a pastor's kid meant that when the doors of the church were open, we were there. I knew how the church functioned and which keys opened which doors. I can't say much went on with my personal faith. I knew how to smile and be polite and eat odd food when invited over to parishioners homes for dinner. Manners were most important.
One day, my father called and said there was a group of Christian actors going to Israel to perform a Nativity Play and a Passion Play. They needed one more woman. As aforementioned, my faith was as solid as a vapor, so I naively asked him where Israel was. Mmm…
After saying, "Sure, why not?" Life moved quickly. Within one day I had a passport (unheard of), within two days I had two packed suitcases with everything I would need to live in a foreign country for six months (false, I was woefully unprepared), within three days my brother threw a surprise goodbye party (fun), and on day four, I was sitting on a 747 bound for Jordan, then to Israel.
My grandma asked my mom where I was going to be living. "I don't know." My mother said. My grandma asked my mom how I could be contacted or if I would contact someone upon my arrival. "I don't know." My mother said. My grandma asked who I would be working with. "I don't know." My mother said.
My mother had just put her 18 year old daughter on a plane from Los Angeles to Israel for a six month stay. That was all she knew. When she looks back on that time, she says it was the Holy Spirit that kept her from asking questions, or there would have been no possible way in the world she would have put me on that plane. Thank God. I have an amazingly wonderful mother, I’m glad she was Holy Spirit-blinded that week.
I met nine American strangers when I finally got to Jerusalem. Our director, Francisco de Araujo, was a thin man with crazy white curly hair, which his fingers regularly ran through. He was artistic, visionary, and created two plays that changed many lives. Mine was one of them.
Over the course of six months, our small group became very close. We experienced things like being robbed, bombs going off in the Old City of Jerusalem, an important education about differing cultures and religions living side by side. We ate waffles covered in ice cream, and falafels covered in yogurt sauce. We walked the streets with Bibles opened, and read the names of the places where we stood in the pages of the Gospels. We went where Jesus had been and it was marvelous.
I had many roles in each of our plays. But in the Nativity Play, performed on the hills of Bethlehem, I played the role of an angel. The blonde hair was one stereotypical reason I received this part. All the other smaller angels had the blackest of hair and chocolaty brown eyes. They were local Arabs hired to perform with us, and they were absolutely beautiful. I danced with little angels on the hills of Bethlehem.
Six months in Israel, with more experiences than there is space to tell here, brought me to LIFE. Real life. When we all departed for our different homes, I flew back to Los Angeles and told my Hollywood agent bye-bye. I enrolled in College, then in seminary. I had lived the most fabulous story of Jesus Christ, from his birth in Bethlehem to his gruesome death and life-saving resurrection in Jerusalem.
I wanted to tell that story with my life. It was my dream, my hope, my only goal in life. I wanted to make the story of Christ artistic, visionary, and creative. I understood why Christianity could be as boring as dirt, and also how it could light someone on fire with joy and excitement.
I have been a pastor for 23 years. I now write fictional books about a young, small, blonde, twenty-six-year-old pastor entering her first church. I write about "Pastor Maggie" because I don't find many female clergy stories in this world. I also don't like how clergy are often portrayed in Hollywood, etc. Maggie is clumsy, impetuous, lacking life experience, and loves cats a little too much. Her church is full of people who may or may not have similarities to hundreds of parishioners I have served over the years.
If you haven’t already, I’d like to invite you to settle into a pew at Loving the Lord Community Church, and make some new friends!
So, how have you danced with angels? How have they changed your life?
Dancing with angels in REAL LIFE is more enthralling to me than a lot of what Hollywood puts together. It is truly the collision of our stories that make reality more powerful than anything else. It's the way we all dance with angels each and every day.
I'll meet you on the hillside.
www.Pen-L.com/ToHaveAndToHold.htmlPastor Maggie Series Facebook Pagehttp://www.barbara-edema.com/http://barbaraedema.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/BarbaraEdema1 BarbaraEdema@goodreads.com
March 16, 2017
Three Men and a Book
"Three Men and a Book" is about two special men who have sadly died this year, and one man I am so thankful to live with. These three men did, and do, incredible things with their lives. Because this is a blog about writing, I'm going to share how they influenced and continue to influence my writing.
Howard Baker died on January 27, 2017 at the age of 90. Howard gave me permission to use his name and charming personality in my Pastor Maggie Series. Howard owned and operated a book store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If anyone knew books, it was Howard. Howard was also on the Search Committee of The First Congregational Church of Chelsea, Michigan. At that time I was seeking a call to be the pastor of the church. Howard was a huge flirt. He was generous to all. He changed lives for the better. Now, my books are not the kind Howard would have ordered from Amazon, or picked off his own bookstore shelves. But he encouraged me to write. He read the first two books in the series. It was after To Love and To Cherish that he surprised me with his first comment. Here is a small excerpt from the eulogy I delivered at Howard's funeral on February 3:
Thank you for saying “yes” when I asked if I could use your name and personality in my books. After you read the first book I asked you if you liked it. You said, “It was okay.” I could tell you weren’t thrilled. “Oh, didn’t you like it?” I asked (slightly heartbroken). Then you said, “Well, you married me off to that old bitch, Mrs. Abernathy! Why?”
I laughed so hard when you said that. And I responded, “You were the only man who could truly love her and make her a better woman.”
And Howard, that’s just who you were and are in our hearts. Everyone who has ever known you has become a better person. You were a man with a huge heart, a bit of a temper, a naughty sense of humor, a world traveler, and voracious reader, a creative builder, an honorable husband, father and grandfather. A man who loved and is loved so completely.
Howard Baker changed my life in many ways. Before he died he asked how the writing was going. He told me not to stop because I had stories to tell. I am thankful he will always be alive in Cherish, flirting with the ladies, encouraging the youth, living a life of generosity, and loving God.
My Uncle Craig Hubbell died on March 3, 2017 at the age of 76. Shock turned to heartbreak after receiving the call from my Aunt Vicki. Craig was my father's twin brother, and after my father died almost sixteen years ago, Craig stepped in as a dad to me and a grandpa to my four children. For all these years he kept his promise to love us. He and Vicki came to football games, concerts, plays, and church. Church was a big deal. He sang the hymns with his beautiful tenor voice, and he often wiped away a tear or two by the last verse. Craig had taken a decades-long break from church, but he and Vicki would drive to Chelsea for special services, confirmations, and graduation Sundays.
One of the greatest gifts Craig gave me was reading my first novel, and then the second, To Have and To Hold . Now, my books are not the kind Craig would have ordered from Amazon or walked into a bookstore to purchase. But he enthusiastically read early drafts and the finished copies. He made me feel like a writer. He said, "I need the next book. The people of Cherish are my community, they feel like friends. They are my church." He gave specific critique and also raved about his favorite story lines. He gave me a great suggestion for the ending of To Have and To Hold which I used, and the book was better because of him.
I sent him the first chapters of the third book, For Richer, For Poorer. The last time we spoke on the phone, he hadn't had a chance to read them. I told him to wait, that I would send him the entire book for his thoughtful edits. But I won't have his edits or suggestions this time. I will miss his insights and his willingness to critique. He definitely wanted the two characters of Bryan and Cate to, "make a match of it." That request is done and dusted. True love reigns.
Speaking of which, my husband, Doug, had his knee replaced on February 6, 2017. Because he came through the surgery so well, did all the things the surgeon told him to do, and had me for a nurse, I did not feel guilty asking him to read the third draft of For Richer, For Poorer. Now, my books are not the kind of books Doug would order from Amazon or walk into a bookstore to purchase. But he bravely sat in his chair, leg up, ice machine whirring, and read. As a physician, he makes sure my medical references are correct. His pages of handwritten comments were immediately implemented into the manuscript. He knows some stories in my books are ever-so-slightly autobiographical (understatement). He also claims he is not as nice as Jack Elliot (total lie - he is as nice as Jack). We talked through plot lines and character development. We laughed at the stories we have lived together, and I gave him spoiler alerts of future Cherish happenings.
I don't know...maybe my books are the kind of books these three men would order from Amazon, or walk into a book store and purchase. Howard and Craig wanted to know more about the series progression and were eager readers. Doug encourages me every day as I hit the on-switch of my computer. Especially the days when being a writer isn't fun or productive. The truth is, each of these three men did buy a book (or two). Perhaps it was just sentimentality toward the author. But you won't mind if I choose to believe they enjoyed, and enjoy, the community and craziness of Cherish.
Howard, Uncle Craig, and Doug, Thank you for letting me be one of your authors. I write for you.
www.Pen-L.com/ToHaveAndToHold.htmlPastor Maggie Series Facebook Pagehttp://www.barbara-edema.com/http://barbaraedema.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/BarbaraEdema1 BarbaraEdema@goodreads.com
Howard Baker died on January 27, 2017 at the age of 90. Howard gave me permission to use his name and charming personality in my Pastor Maggie Series. Howard owned and operated a book store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If anyone knew books, it was Howard. Howard was also on the Search Committee of The First Congregational Church of Chelsea, Michigan. At that time I was seeking a call to be the pastor of the church. Howard was a huge flirt. He was generous to all. He changed lives for the better. Now, my books are not the kind Howard would have ordered from Amazon, or picked off his own bookstore shelves. But he encouraged me to write. He read the first two books in the series. It was after To Love and To Cherish that he surprised me with his first comment. Here is a small excerpt from the eulogy I delivered at Howard's funeral on February 3:
Thank you for saying “yes” when I asked if I could use your name and personality in my books. After you read the first book I asked you if you liked it. You said, “It was okay.” I could tell you weren’t thrilled. “Oh, didn’t you like it?” I asked (slightly heartbroken). Then you said, “Well, you married me off to that old bitch, Mrs. Abernathy! Why?”
I laughed so hard when you said that. And I responded, “You were the only man who could truly love her and make her a better woman.”
And Howard, that’s just who you were and are in our hearts. Everyone who has ever known you has become a better person. You were a man with a huge heart, a bit of a temper, a naughty sense of humor, a world traveler, and voracious reader, a creative builder, an honorable husband, father and grandfather. A man who loved and is loved so completely.
Howard Baker changed my life in many ways. Before he died he asked how the writing was going. He told me not to stop because I had stories to tell. I am thankful he will always be alive in Cherish, flirting with the ladies, encouraging the youth, living a life of generosity, and loving God.
My Uncle Craig Hubbell died on March 3, 2017 at the age of 76. Shock turned to heartbreak after receiving the call from my Aunt Vicki. Craig was my father's twin brother, and after my father died almost sixteen years ago, Craig stepped in as a dad to me and a grandpa to my four children. For all these years he kept his promise to love us. He and Vicki came to football games, concerts, plays, and church. Church was a big deal. He sang the hymns with his beautiful tenor voice, and he often wiped away a tear or two by the last verse. Craig had taken a decades-long break from church, but he and Vicki would drive to Chelsea for special services, confirmations, and graduation Sundays.
One of the greatest gifts Craig gave me was reading my first novel, and then the second, To Have and To Hold . Now, my books are not the kind Craig would have ordered from Amazon or walked into a bookstore to purchase. But he enthusiastically read early drafts and the finished copies. He made me feel like a writer. He said, "I need the next book. The people of Cherish are my community, they feel like friends. They are my church." He gave specific critique and also raved about his favorite story lines. He gave me a great suggestion for the ending of To Have and To Hold which I used, and the book was better because of him.
I sent him the first chapters of the third book, For Richer, For Poorer. The last time we spoke on the phone, he hadn't had a chance to read them. I told him to wait, that I would send him the entire book for his thoughtful edits. But I won't have his edits or suggestions this time. I will miss his insights and his willingness to critique. He definitely wanted the two characters of Bryan and Cate to, "make a match of it." That request is done and dusted. True love reigns.
Speaking of which, my husband, Doug, had his knee replaced on February 6, 2017. Because he came through the surgery so well, did all the things the surgeon told him to do, and had me for a nurse, I did not feel guilty asking him to read the third draft of For Richer, For Poorer. Now, my books are not the kind of books Doug would order from Amazon or walk into a bookstore to purchase. But he bravely sat in his chair, leg up, ice machine whirring, and read. As a physician, he makes sure my medical references are correct. His pages of handwritten comments were immediately implemented into the manuscript. He knows some stories in my books are ever-so-slightly autobiographical (understatement). He also claims he is not as nice as Jack Elliot (total lie - he is as nice as Jack). We talked through plot lines and character development. We laughed at the stories we have lived together, and I gave him spoiler alerts of future Cherish happenings.
I don't know...maybe my books are the kind of books these three men would order from Amazon, or walk into a book store and purchase. Howard and Craig wanted to know more about the series progression and were eager readers. Doug encourages me every day as I hit the on-switch of my computer. Especially the days when being a writer isn't fun or productive. The truth is, each of these three men did buy a book (or two). Perhaps it was just sentimentality toward the author. But you won't mind if I choose to believe they enjoyed, and enjoy, the community and craziness of Cherish.
Howard, Uncle Craig, and Doug, Thank you for letting me be one of your authors. I write for you.
www.Pen-L.com/ToHaveAndToHold.htmlPastor Maggie Series Facebook Pagehttp://www.barbara-edema.com/http://barbaraedema.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/BarbaraEdema1 BarbaraEdema@goodreads.com
February 26, 2017
In the Nook
There is a room in our home we call "the nook." It is cozy with my grandma Elzinga's writing desk, a love seat, two bookshelves (one is grandma's), a large window, a cat condo, and my great grandma's rocking chair. Although I've tried writing in different rooms, it seems to work best in the nook. Every day I bring steaming coffee and my imagination to this little spot, and take a trip to Cherish.
I'm never in the nook alone. The felines who live in To Love and To Cherish and To Have and To Hold (plus a couple who haven't been introduced yet), always join me. These rescue kitties, like Marmalade above, settle in for the day. Besides the occasional break to drink out of the toilet (yummy), they curl up and dream their way through the hours. Except when...
They don't. I am also caring for a small rescue bird named Smitty. So before six-hour cat naps commence, the kitties often take time to gaze longingly into the bird cage, which sits on grandma's desk. Smitty is usually surrounded by a minimum of three cats. Smitty is less afraid of the cats than he is of me. Which is annoying, because I feed him, buy him toys, clean his cage, and give him three Rice Chex a day (mixed in his birdseed) for a fun little snack. And because he needs salt.
Back to the point, I enjoy reading about other writers. I like to know where they write, how they write, and what inspires them. It's so different for every one. Some can write in any space and in small chunks of time. Others need a block of several hours. Some have a specific number of words they want to complete per day. Some don't. I admire writers who do intense research and create a story from another time or place. I write from experience, which sometimes feels like the easy way out.
Writing is so personal. It's difficult to tell someone how to write without the possibility stifling them.
The freedom to create stories and characters has no boundaries. We all see life from different angles. That's what I love about writing.
Pastor Maggie, the protagonist of my book series, listens for, and hears whispers from God. I do too. I know where my inspiration comes from.
No matter what I write, I know where I write best. In a nook full of furniture belonging to strong and intelligent female relatives-my good heritage. I'm surrounded by cats who were each on their ninth life when they were rescued. There's a little bird who had been trapped in a suet cage, and now lives in a bird mansion. Lots of Coffee.
And you the reader. There would be no point in writing, if there weren't people interested in reading.
So, thank you! You are all crammed in the nook with me every day. Please don't step on the cats :)
www.Pen-L.com/ToHaveAndToHold.htmlPastor Maggie Series Facebook Pagehttp://www.barbara-edema.com/http://barbaraedema.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/BarbaraEdema1 BarbaraEdema@goodreads.com
February 11, 2017
The Box
When the first box of books arrives it's...very heavy!
It's also exciting to see the dream of a story beautifully published, and ready to share with you. It was just as exciting to open the box with copies of the second Pastor Maggie book, To Have and To Hold, as it was with the first. I'm guessing a similar picture will be taken with the third book, coming next year. I am so appreciative of my publishers Duke and Kimberly at Pen-L Publishing Pen-L.com
I hope you enjoy another visit to Cherish, Michigan. Maggie is as clumsy and impetuous as ever. She's also growing her cat collection. Oh dear! And scrumptious Dr. Jack Elliot is never far away. It's a good thing, because someone is breaking into the church. Who could it be?
I enjoy going to Cherish every day via my computer. I'm often surprised by what my characters are up to, as the story often takes on a life of its own. Writing is a joy for me
To Have and To Hold is available for pre-order and will be released on Valentine's Day. What a perfect day to read a little romance. Order your copy on my website:
Click here: www.barbara-edema.com
If you would like to order 10 or more copies at a discount for book groups or other gatherings, you may do so at Orders@Pen-L.com.
Would you like a free book? Send me a 100 word reason why you enjoyed Cherish, Michigan, and who your favorite characters are. I would love to know what you love about Pastor Maggie's world. You can do this on my website (under "contact"). The first 5 people who post will receive a free signed copy. Please include your home address. Enter by February 18. I will post the winners in the next blog.
Thanks again for your support of Pastor Maggie and Cherish. Many more Maggie adventures are on their way!
Barb
www.Pen-L.com/ToHaveAndToHold.htmlPastor Maggie Series Facebook Pagehttp://www.barbara-edema.com/http://barbaraedema.blogspot.com/
twitter.com/BarbaraEdema1 BarbaraEdema@goodreads.com
February 4, 2017
Here we go!
Latest book in The Pastor Maggie Series! Pre-order now at Pen-L.com or Amazon.com
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Hi friends,
If you followed my previous blog, A Little Good News from Pastor Barb, you will find this new blog quite different. I was going to call this blog, From Pulpit to Pen. But Barb's Blog is simpler.
As I am not serving a church presently, I have poured my overwhelming amount of spare time and energy into writing about the church. WAIT! DON'T LEAVE! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!
The church can be quite funny. In the midst of the comfort and boredom of the church year calendar, the tragedies, struggles, and loss; the church is also full of creativity, personality and personalities, accidents, goofiness, forgiveness, and love. Each of these things are wrapped up in holy moments and outrageous grace.
This blog gives me the freedom to write about writing. Being an author has opened up a new realm of creativity and thoughtfulness. Decades of pastoring different churches has given me endless experiences. My books are fictional. However, some people and their stories have wended their way (with their permission) into this fun series.
Howard Baker is one of those precious saints. He died last week at the age of 90. My heart wasn't the only one that was broken. Here is a small part of the eulogy I gave at his funeral on February 3, 2017:
...Thank you for saying “yes” when I asked if I could use your name and personality in my books. After you read the first book I asked you if I liked it. You said, “It was okay.” I could tell you weren’t thrilled. “Oh, didn’t you like it?” I asked (slightly heartbroken). Then you said, “Well, you married me off to that old bitch, Mrs. Abernathy! Why?”
I laughed so hard when you said that. And I responded, “You were the only man who could truly love her and make her a better woman.”
And Howard, that’s just who you were and are in our hearts. Everyone who has ever known you has become a better person. You were a man with a huge heart, a bit of a temper, a naughty sense of humor, a world traveler, and voracious reader, a creative builder, an honorable husband and father and grandfather, a man who loved and is loved so completely.
You wanted your funeral to be ten minutes long. Sorry. If you were here, I would take your hand, look in your tear-filled eyes, and say, “Now Howard, let’s be reasonable, how can all the love and sadness of this day be contained in ten minutes. You are just being ridiculous.”
He was a precious man, and will live on in printed word married to Verna. Whether he likes it or not.
This new blog will share bits of my writing. I'm happy to answer questions-I would LOVE to hear from you! Once in awhile, I may just leave a thought or wonderment. I hope you join me as pulpit and pen are melded together in stories you can hold in your hands and hearts!
Barb
Pen-L.comhttp://www.barbara-edema.com/BarbaraE...
[image error]
Hi friends,
If you followed my previous blog, A Little Good News from Pastor Barb, you will find this new blog quite different. I was going to call this blog, From Pulpit to Pen. But Barb's Blog is simpler.
As I am not serving a church presently, I have poured my overwhelming amount of spare time and energy into writing about the church. WAIT! DON'T LEAVE! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!
The church can be quite funny. In the midst of the comfort and boredom of the church year calendar, the tragedies, struggles, and loss; the church is also full of creativity, personality and personalities, accidents, goofiness, forgiveness, and love. Each of these things are wrapped up in holy moments and outrageous grace.
This blog gives me the freedom to write about writing. Being an author has opened up a new realm of creativity and thoughtfulness. Decades of pastoring different churches has given me endless experiences. My books are fictional. However, some people and their stories have wended their way (with their permission) into this fun series.
Howard Baker is one of those precious saints. He died last week at the age of 90. My heart wasn't the only one that was broken. Here is a small part of the eulogy I gave at his funeral on February 3, 2017:
...Thank you for saying “yes” when I asked if I could use your name and personality in my books. After you read the first book I asked you if I liked it. You said, “It was okay.” I could tell you weren’t thrilled. “Oh, didn’t you like it?” I asked (slightly heartbroken). Then you said, “Well, you married me off to that old bitch, Mrs. Abernathy! Why?”
I laughed so hard when you said that. And I responded, “You were the only man who could truly love her and make her a better woman.”
And Howard, that’s just who you were and are in our hearts. Everyone who has ever known you has become a better person. You were a man with a huge heart, a bit of a temper, a naughty sense of humor, a world traveler, and voracious reader, a creative builder, an honorable husband and father and grandfather, a man who loved and is loved so completely.
You wanted your funeral to be ten minutes long. Sorry. If you were here, I would take your hand, look in your tear-filled eyes, and say, “Now Howard, let’s be reasonable, how can all the love and sadness of this day be contained in ten minutes. You are just being ridiculous.”
He was a precious man, and will live on in printed word married to Verna. Whether he likes it or not.
This new blog will share bits of my writing. I'm happy to answer questions-I would LOVE to hear from you! Once in awhile, I may just leave a thought or wonderment. I hope you join me as pulpit and pen are melded together in stories you can hold in your hands and hearts!
Barb
Pen-L.comhttp://www.barbara-edema.com/BarbaraE...
