Ada Brownell's Blog, page 71

What Do Disciples and Writers Have In Common?

By: Tanya Eavenson       Let me give you a hint with the word, “disciple.” Jesus called twelve men to follow Him. It was a call for them to be trained and to learn. As writers, we are much like these men with different backgrounds, temperaments, occupations, special gifts and talents. With those talents, we are continually learning the craft and the trade of the business. We submit to publishers and agents, enter contests, and attend conferences. All of these are important but we miss something of greater importance if our only focus is that all illusive contract. The disciples also looked toward the future, not their present time of training when they asked Jesus, who would be the greatest. One of the places Jesus taught them was at the Sea of Galilee. This is where Jesus called four of his followers, where the raging storm brought fear to the disciples while Jesus slept in the boat, and where Peter walked on water. All of these occurrences displayed Jesus’s glory, power, and His provision. But it also showed His concern for them and a desire for His disciples to trust when they felt overwhelmed. Matthew 14:25-32 says, “25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. How many times have we as writers been discouraged, passed over for a book contract, received a rejection letter or fought writer’s block? What did we do? Peter gives us a great example of what we should do. His faith inspires us to step out of our comfort zone and meet Jesus. But we can all relate to what happened next. Peter turned his attention to the storm. In a similar way, we take our eyes off Jesus. We begin to look at our inadequacies, our past, or an approaching storm, and if we focus too long on the waves, they will surely topple us over. When that happens, we miss Jesus’ teaching to take courage, to remember He is with us, to stop doubting and have faith.
Everyone who is a disciple will find themselves in training. If we allow God to have His way in our lives—through our experiences and the things we learn—He will use us to touch others in ways unique to us. But that kind of life is a journey, following the Author who fulfills His purpose in us, so whatever we do, in word or deed, He will be glorified.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tanya Eavenson and her husband have been involved in ministry for fifteen years teaching youth and adults, and doing counseling. Tanya enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes for Christ to the World Ministries sharing the Gospel around the world.


The following is a taste of Tanya's book, Unconditional. 


Chapter One
Elizabeth pushed herself up from the bed. Her gaze swept the dark room and fixed on the hall nightlight. Her hand grazed over her husband’s shoulder when a thought gripped her. Katherine. The baby monitor stood silent. Darkness shrouded the red and green lights that indicated movement.Her chest tightened. She hurled the covers away and leapt to the floor. Panic made her clumsy as she rushed to her daughter’s room. She lunged over the crib. No sound. No movement. Not even a stirring of air from her tiny nostrils.“Katherine!” Elizabeth snatched her daughter from the mattress. The infant drew a heavy breath as her eyes flung wide open.Lord, what’s happening?Elizabeth’s bare feet pounded the cold tile as she ran back to her husband. “Chris, wake up! Katherine quit breathing again!”Chris rubbed his eyes and scowled. “What is it?”“We need to take Katherine to the hospital. She stopped breathing.”He studied their child. “She seems to be breathing now. Are you sure?”“Of course, I’m sure.”“She’s fine.” Chris fell back against the pillow.“Please—”“We don’t have the money to take her to the hospital when there’s nothing wrong with her.”“But there is. She stopped breathing.”He sat back up. “You’ve been worried about her since before she was born. You’re all worked up because she hasn’t rolled over yet. The doctor said that’s normal for being early.”She’s called a preemie. She glared into his eyes. “If you were home more often you’d know she’s not fine.”“I’m home, Elizabeth, and she’s fine.”Heat flushed her cheeks as tears filled her eyes. “I’m scared. Can’t you see that? I need you to pray for our daughter. I need you to hold me and tell me everything will be all right.”“Look, she’s sleeping.” His voice softened as his hand ran down her thigh. “Come to bed.”“How can you care so little? I’m worried about our baby.”Chris’s hand dropped to the sheets. “Shut the door when you leave.” He turned away from her.Elizabeth stood for a moment unable to speak. With their baby in her arms, she slowly closed the door behind her and sank her teeth into her lip to keep from crying. If tears came, it would be for her daughter, not for the stranger in her bed.
Purchase links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unconditional-ebook/dp/B00AZL8F5G/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357883999&sr=1-1Barnes and Nobles: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/Unconditional%2FTanya-Eavenson/1114108760?ean=2940016066837Website: http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/

What Do Disciples, Writers, and Faith Have In Common?

By: Tanya Eavenson       Let me give you a hint with the word, “disciple.” Jesus called twelve men to follow Him. It was a call for them to be trained and to learn. As writers, we are much like these men with different backgrounds, temperaments, occupations, special gifts and talents. With those talents, we are continually learning the craft and the trade of the business. We submit to publishers and agents, enter contests, and attend conferences. All of these are important but we miss something of greater importance if our only focus is that all illusive contract. The disciples also looked toward the future, not their present time of training when they asked Jesus, who would be the greatest. One of the places Jesus taught them was at the Sea of Galilee. This is where Jesus called four of his followers, where the raging storm brought fear to the disciples while Jesus slept in the boat, and where Peter walked on water. All of these occurrences displayed Jesus’s glory, power, and His provision. But it also showed His concern for them and a desire for His disciples to trust when they felt overwhelmed. Matthew 14:25-32 says, “25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. How many times have we as writers been discouraged, passed over for a book contract, received a rejection letter or fought writer’s block? What did we do? Peter gives us a great example of what we should do. His faith inspires us to step out of our comfort zone and meet Jesus. But we can all relate to what happened next. Peter turned his attention to the storm. In a similar way, we take our eyes off Jesus. We begin to look at our inadequacies, our past, or an approaching storm, and if we focus too long on the waves, they will surely topple us over. When that happens, we miss Jesus’ teaching to take courage, to remember He is with us, to stop doubting and have faith.
Everyone who is a disciple will find themselves in training. If we allow God to have His way in our lives—through our experiences and the things we learn—He will use us to touch others in ways unique to us. But that kind of life is a journey, following the Author who fulfills His purpose in us, so whatever we do, in word or deed, He will be glorified.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tanya Eavenson and her husband have been involved in ministry for fifteen years teaching youth and adults, and doing counseling. Tanya enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes for Christ to the World Ministries sharing the Gospel around the world.


The following is a taste of Tanya's book, Unconditional. 


Chapter One
Elizabeth pushed herself up from the bed. Her gaze swept the dark room and fixed on the hall nightlight. Her hand grazed over her husband’s shoulder when a thought gripped her. Katherine. The baby monitor stood silent. Darkness shrouded the red and green lights that indicated movement.Her chest tightened. She hurled the covers away and leapt to the floor. Panic made her clumsy as she rushed to her daughter’s room. She lunged over the crib. No sound. No movement. Not even a stirring of air from her tiny nostrils.“Katherine!” Elizabeth snatched her daughter from the mattress. The infant drew a heavy breath as her eyes flung wide open.Lord, what’s happening?Elizabeth’s bare feet pounded the cold tile as she ran back to her husband. “Chris, wake up! Katherine quit breathing again!”Chris rubbed his eyes and scowled. “What is it?”“We need to take Katherine to the hospital. She stopped breathing.”He studied their child. “She seems to be breathing now. Are you sure?”“Of course, I’m sure.”“She’s fine.” Chris fell back against the pillow.“Please—”“We don’t have the money to take her to the hospital when there’s nothing wrong with her.”“But there is. She stopped breathing.”He sat back up. “You’ve been worried about her since before she was born. You’re all worked up because she hasn’t rolled over yet. The doctor said that’s normal for being early.”She’s called a preemie. She glared into his eyes. “If you were home more often you’d know she’s not fine.”“I’m home, Elizabeth, and she’s fine.”Heat flushed her cheeks as tears filled her eyes. “I’m scared. Can’t you see that? I need you to pray for our daughter. I need you to hold me and tell me everything will be all right.”“Look, she’s sleeping.” His voice softened as his hand ran down her thigh. “Come to bed.”“How can you care so little? I’m worried about our baby.”Chris’s hand dropped to the sheets. “Shut the door when you leave.” He turned away from her.Elizabeth stood for a moment unable to speak. With their baby in her arms, she slowly closed the door behind her and sank her teeth into her lip to keep from crying. If tears came, it would be for her daughter, not for the stranger in her bed.
Purchase links: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unconditional-ebook/dp/B00AZL8F5G/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357883999&sr=1-1Barnes and Nobles: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/Unconditional%2FTanya-Eavenson/1114108760?ean=2940016066837Website: http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/

MEET AUTHOR JAMES R. CALLAN -- Mysteries, murder and intriguing characters

First of all, thank you, Ada, for having me on your site today.  You asked how some of my books came about.  Let me talk about the three mystery/suspense novels published in the last sixteen months.
Cleansed by Fire released in January, 2012 as the first Father Frank mystery. Father Frank is the  pastor at a small church in east Texas and is pulled into solving a series of arsons. The basis for this book came from the local news.  Several years ago, a number of churches were torched in east Texas.  Eventually, the police caught the two young arsonists. But as I followed the trial, no motive ever came out, except, “Could we get away with it.”  While I could imagine this as a motive for one fire, I could not reconcile this for four churches.  So, I began to wonder, what could be a motive for burning several churches.  Eventually, the plot for Cleansed by Fire emerged.

The second mystery published during this period was Murder a Cappella .  Some years ago, our youngest daughter, Diane Bailey, sang with the Sweet Adelines, woman who sing barbershop harmony.  One year, her chorus made it to the International finals, so naturally we went to hear.  It was a very interesting week with nearly ten thousand women coming to San Antonio, all in colorful costumes. During almost every meal we had in a restaurant, some Sweet Adelines would spontaneously get up and start singing.  In the hotel lobby, on the River Walk, women would burst into song. It was certainly interesting. Diane’s chorus didn’t win, but they were excited to be named the fifth best in the world that year.
Diane writes middle grade non-fiction books  and has more than thirty in print.  We began to toss the idea around about a murder mystery set in the glitz and glamour of an International singing contest.  Eventually, Murder a Cappella materialized.  It is a fun book with all the sequins and excitement of the singing contest. But when two of the women from a chorus are shot while singing in front of the Alamo, a member of their chorus has to get involved in solving the murders.  Even the most well-read mystery lovers won’t figure this one out until the solution is revealed, even though the clues are there.
My latest, A Ton of Gold , was released by Oak Tree Press just over a month ago.  A couple of years back, I read an old Texas folk tale. I began to wonder if such a tale could affect the lives of people today.  Slowly the plot for A Ton of Gold evolved.  Young and brilliant Crystal Moore is in danger of losing her only family and her self-esteem. Adding to the murder, fire-bombing, and kidnapping, the man from her past who devastated her psychologically returns. This time, he can destroy her career.  She will need all the help she can get from a former bull-rider, a street-wise friend, and her feisty seventy-six year-old grandmother.

So, you can see, it doesn’t take much to set the wheels in motion for a seventy-five to ninety-five thousand word novel.  Just give your mind a little time to work on it, and ask those famous questions: What if … ? And Why?
All three are available on Amazon in either paperback or Kindle editions at:  http://amzn.to/RLYuhSOr visit Jim’s website at:  www.jamesrcallan.com

Brief Bio of James R. Callan
After a successful career in mathematics and computer science, receiving grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and being listed in Who’s Who in Computer Science and Two Thousand Notable Americans, James R. Callan turned to his first love—writing.  He wrote a monthly column for a national magazine for two years, and published several non-fiction books.  He now concentrates on his favorite genre, mysteries, with his fourth mystery released in February, 2013.

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                              SAFETY IN THE EARTHQUAKES OF LIFE
      Our daughter lay dying down the hospital corridor and my heart screamed, “Where are you God?”
      It was the first time in my life an earthquake struck my faith in the message of John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall  not perish but have everlasting life.”
      The Bible says, however, if you build your life on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ you can stand through the storms, even a large spiritual and emotional quakes and the aftershocks, as I discovered.
      The interesting thing about faith is it’s an act of the will. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” we’re told in Hebrews 11:1 (NIV). The scripture further explains: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command. So that what is seen was not made out of what was visible…. Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (verses 3, 6).
      When we back up into Hebrews 10 we’re admonished to keep believing, even when our faith has been shaken: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him” (Hebrews 10:35-39).            Abraham, after living a long life of believing and communing with God, had his crises when Sarah got tired of waiting and tried to bring about their desires for a child herself. But apparently Abraham kept believing he would father a son and many nations: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:19-20)
            Sarah did become with child and Isaac was born.
            Through prayer, study of the Word and surrounding myself with brothers and sisters in Christ, I found I truly believe those who have faith in Jesus will never die, but have eternal life.
            If your faith sometimes falters, you are not alone, however. Jesus’s disciple, Thomas, said “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
            Eight days after Jesus rose from the dead, although the doors were shut, Jesus appeared right in the middle of the gathered disciples. He greeted them, then said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
            Thomas slowly reached out and touched the place where the spear pierced the Son of God on the cross, and then examined his hands.
            “My Lord and my God,” Thomas exclaimed.
            “Thomas, because you have seen me, you believe. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (From John 20.)
            Since we lost our daughter, I have found plenty of evidence that shows we’re more than a body and we’ll live beyond the grave.
            Because I was a newspaper medical reporter and a student of God’s Word, I compiled this information into a book to build your faith: Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal.It’s now available at the link below.
            Yet as you read the book, notice I said “to build your faith.”
            Can we prove Jesus rose from the dead? Can we show the world they’ll live beyond the grave?
            No. Despite all the evidence that is so concrete it’s difficult to deny, faith is still necessary for salvation and God requires we believe. Romans 10:9 says “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
            That’s the Easter message in a nutshell.

FREE AND 99-cent Christian Books and a chance to win an Amazon Gift Card

It's the CrossReads March Madness Sale!TWO DAYS ONLY -- March 27 & 28th, 2013Free books!99-Cent books!A chance to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card!Click here to join the FUN!

Donna Good, author of 24 books and 700 published manuscripts tells how she gets the job done

Interview with Donna Good


· It’s been said that writers must first be readers. Do you enjoy reading?Yes, I even read cereal boxes. · What genres do you read most?I like mysteries best, but also read light romance novels and biographies. · Who are your favorite authors, and what makes them special to you?In the secular market, Mary Higgins Clark; religious market, Max Lucado. · When did you decide you wanted to write?I think I always knew. I enjoyed the essay-type questions in school, and wrote my first poems at 9 years old. · How many books have you written, and how many of them have been published? 29; 21 published, plus edited two anthologies, and self- published 1 writers’ club booklet.Have a new book coming out next year from Harvest House: Rhyme Time Bible for Little Ones. · Can you tell us what you believe has had the greatest influence on your writing?It would have to be “who”, not “what”, and that would be my mother, our children’s librarian in my hometown public library, my 5th-6th grade teacher, and my book editor boss at the publishing house. · How do you prepare to write a book? Did you do any special research?I keep notes for a long time until I get time to sit down and write the book. I also use personal experience and stories from others, plus quotations from books I’ve read. · How long have you been writing?65 years. · What genre do you usually write?Everything—devotional, how-to, self-help, biography, etc. · What made you choose that genre?· Can you tell us a little about your latest book? I’d like to mention my last two if that’s okay.   1) A Step in the Write Direction—the Complete How-to Book for Christian Writers is taken from all the conference workshops I’ve taught over the years. I wanted something to offer all the people who called saying, “I want to be a writer. How do I get started?”2) The idea for The Freedom of Letting Go came from the fact it took me 11 years to let go of my mother after she died. Then I realized it wasn’t just letting go of her, it was the whole principle of letting go of many things: grief, guilt, hurts, success, failure, children, material things, worry, doubt, fear, then the book ends with The Land Beyond Letting Go.
· How do you get an idea for a book?I have more ideas than I’ll ever have time to write. I see the needs of people around me and would like to help meet those needs. · What one piece of advice would you give to a beginning writer?Find a local writers’ group and join. If there isn’t one in your area, start one. Also (and I know this is two!), try to attend a writers conference. · Do you have any favorite inspirational quotes?“We are called to write, and I feel we will be held responsible at the Judgment for the people that we could have helped but didn’t because we didn’t write what God laid on our hearts to write” (Harold Ivan Smith). · What is your writing schedule like? Do you write only when inspired?I have no schedule, just fit it in when I can. I edit and proofread for publishers and writers and these jobs usually have deadlines. I also care for a disabled husband. · Did your parents encourage your love for reading and/or writing? If not, where did encouragement come from?My dad left when I was 11, but he and my mother both gave me a love for reading. My mother should have been a writer. She gave me a lot of ideas for articles and books. But my greatest encouragement came from the children’s librarian at our public library. She introduced me to The Writer magazine when I was 9. Also I was in what would be known as an accelerated class in the 5th and 6th grade, and that teacher encouraged me a lot. · Do you like the promotional aspect of being a writer? What are your best promotional tools? That’s my weak spot. I need a PR person! I know what to do; just don’t take the time to do it. · How did you study the craft of writing?I took journalism one year in the 10th grade. Mostly it was on-the-job training: secretary to a book editor, magazine associate editor, newspaper reporter and columnist, and attending many writers’ conferences. · Do you read books on the craft of writing? If so, what are your favorites and why?Not many. Favorite is You Can Tell the World, an out-of-print book by Sherwood Wirt. · Are you a plotter or a panster? Explain your writing process.I sort of outline, at least my main ideas. I keep folders for various chapters and drop things in these folders—ideas, personal experiences that fit, quotations, etc. · What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have any hobbies?I like music, reading, and crossword puzzles. · How did you get your first book published? How long did it take? Was this the first book you had written?I sent 30 puzzles to a Sunday school paper, and they wrote back they’d like to put them in a book. It sold for 29 cents, and before it went out of print, had sold app. 150,000 copies. The first that sold that I actually wrote was Winning Souls Through the Sunday School¸ a devotional book for S.S. teachers. · Why do you write?As my nephew says (a gospel songwriter who was sick for 19 years, and has 25 #1 songs to his credit), “I can’t not write.”



Donna Clark Goodrich
www.thewritersfriend.nethttp://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com(blog appears every Monday)

www.thewritersfriend.net
"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers"

Donna Good, author of 24 novels and 700 published manuscripts tells how she gets the job done

Interview with Donna Good


· It’s been said that writers must first be readers. Do you enjoy reading?Yes, I even read cereal boxes. · What genres do you read most?I like mysteries best, but also read light romance novels and biographies. · Who are your favorite authors, and what makes them special to you?In the secular market, Mary Higgins Clark; religious market, Max Lucado. · When did you decide you wanted to write?I think I always knew. I enjoyed the essay-type questions in school, and wrote my first poems at 9 years old. · How many books have you written, and how many of them have been published? 29; 21 published, plus edited two anthologies, and self- published 1 writers’ club booklet.Have a new book coming out next year from Harvest House: Rhyme Time Bible for Little Ones. · Can you tell us what you believe has had the greatest influence on your writing?It would have to be “who”, not “what”, and that would be my mother, our children’s librarian in my hometown public library, my 5th-6th grade teacher, and my book editor boss at the publishing house. · How do you prepare to write a book? Did you do any special research?I keep notes for a long time until I get time to sit down and write the book. I also use personal experience and stories from others, plus quotations from books I’ve read. · How long have you been writing?65 years. · What genre do you usually write?Everything—devotional, how-to, self-help, biography, etc. · What made you choose that genre?· Can you tell us a little about your latest book? I’d like to mention my last two if that’s okay.   1) A Step in the Write Direction—the Complete How-to Book for Christian Writers is taken from all the conference workshops I’ve taught over the years. I wanted something to offer all the people who called saying, “I want to be a writer. How do I get started?”2) The idea for The Freedom of Letting Go came from the fact it took me 11 years to let go of my mother after she died. Then I realized it wasn’t just letting go of her, it was the whole principle of letting go of many things: grief, guilt, hurts, success, failure, children, material things, worry, doubt, fear, then the book ends with The Land Beyond Letting Go. · How do you get an idea for a book?I have more ideas than I’ll ever have time to write. I see the needs of people around me and would like to help meet those needs. · What one piece of advice would you give to a beginning writer?Find a local writers’ group and join. If there isn’t one in your area, start one. Also (and I know this is two!), try to attend a writers conference. · Do you have any favorite inspirational quotes?“We are called to write, and I feel we will be held responsible at the Judgment for the people that we could have helped but didn’t because we didn’t write what God laid on our hearts to write” (Harold Ivan Smith). · What is your writing schedule like? Do you write only when inspired?I have no schedule, just fit it in when I can. I edit and proofread for publishers and writers and these jobs usually have deadlines. I also care for a disabled husband. · Did your parents encourage your love for reading and/or writing? If not, where did encouragement come from?My dad left when I was 11, but he and my mother both gave me a love for reading. My mother should have been a writer. She gave me a lot of ideas for articles and books. But my greatest encouragement came from the children’s librarian at our public library. She introduced me to The Writer magazine when I was 9. Also I was in what would be known as an accelerated class in the 5th and 6th grade, and that teacher encouraged me a lot. · Do you like the promotional aspect of being a writer? What are your best promotional tools? That’s my weak spot. I need a PR person! I know what to do; just don’t take the time to do it. · How did you study the craft of writing?I took journalism one year in the 10th grade. Mostly it was on-the-job training: secretary to a book editor, magazine associate editor, newspaper reporter and columnist, and attending many writers’ conferences. · Do you read books on the craft of writing? If so, what are your favorites and why?Not many. Favorite is You Can Tell the World, an out-of-print book by Sherwood Wirt. · Are you a plotter or a panster? Explain your writing process.I sort of outline, at least my main ideas. I keep folders for various chapters and drop things in these folders—ideas, personal experiences that fit, quotations, etc. · What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have any hobbies?I like music, reading, and crossword puzzles. · How did you get your first book published? How long did it take? Was this the first book you had written?I sent 30 puzzles to a Sunday school paper, and they wrote back they’d like to put them in a book. It sold for 29 cents, and before it went out of print, had sold app. 150,000 copies. The first that sold that I actually wrote was Winning Souls Through the Sunday School¸ a devotional book for S.S. teachers. · Why do you write?As my nephew says (a gospel songwriter who was sick for 19 years, and has 25 #1 songs to his credit), “I can’t not write.”



Donna Clark Goodrichwww.thewritersfriend.nethttp://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com(blog appears every Monday) www.thewritersfriend.net
"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers"

THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE-ARE YOU MORE THAN A PUFF OF STEAM?

IT'S ALMOST EASTER! WILL YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES LIVE BEYOND THE GRAVE?

Read more about this subject in my book, SWALLOWED BY LIFE: MYSTERIES OF DEATH, RESURRECTION AND THE ETERNAL. E-book, through March: 99 cents
                                         The book, released in 2012, is available at http://buff.ly/TLkr0a 


CREATED TO LIVE FOREVER
By Ada Brownell
               “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:2                                           Is the water that makes steam gone forever? No, because the earth has only a certain amount of water, which is constantly in a precipitation and evaporation cycle. Clouds, which are nothing but water vapor like steam, hold water until they become so heavy it rains or snows.  Then the sun comes out, water evaporates into clouds, and the cycle continues.Do you know the Bible says our lives are similar to vapor?  (James 4:14) But when we die, we are still somewhere, just as the water isn’t gone when it becomes steam.  We are made to live forever. Another amazing fact is we’re not walking around in the same bodies in which we were born, or the bodies we had last year. Our flesh developed from one cell and now each of us has about 75 trillion living cells, constantly dying, and being replaced.  Everything, except for the neurological system, has died numerous times in our , then replaced by new cells that knew exactly what to make, such as skin, blood, hair, bone and your inward parts. Our skin is estimated to be rebuilt every seven days. The birth and the death of cells is not the only way we know we are more than a body. For instance, we can lose weight and it doesn’t change who we are. We can have parts cut off, such as our tonsils, a wart or even a hand or leg, and still live. We can even live with someone else’s, kidney, liver or heart!            The person you are, that God made you, is more than flesh and blood. But you also have a unique personality, and a spiritual side. When God’s powerful breath went into Adam’s nose, the eternal soul was born and every person born since then has a soul and spirit, which lives forever.             Watchman Nee, author of The Spiritual Man,           

Christian Fellowship Publishers Inc., New York, 1968 Ibid, Volume 1, pages 22 and 23

Vanessa Riley's testimony: Even when earthly fathers fail, The Heavenly Father never forsakes

Ada Brownell: GUEST AUTHOR VANESSA RILEY TALKS ABOUT HER REGENCY CHRISTIAN NOVEL, MADELINE'S PROTECTOR, HOW GOD'S HAND HAS BEEN WITH HER EVEN AS A CHILD, AND  HER  CHARACTER'S ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE, TOO

Vanessa:
Thank you Ada for hosting me today. I'm excited to be here. For people who comment  on the blog, I will give away a T-sjort tp the winnder, in their size. It's a black T-shirt with white writing: on the front, "Who's your daddy?" the back, "Romans 8:15 God is my daddy."

In my debut book, Madeline's Protector, the heroine is Madeline St. James. Though she is young, and a might naïve, she holds to her faith. No matter the challenges tossed her way, she knows God is in control. At one point, when everyone has let her down, she's hurting and she's cries out to Abba, Father.  Abba is translated as daddy and it shows the closeness of her relationship to God.
As Romans 8:15 says, we've been adopted by God and should cry out Abba.  Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (KJV)
Think about that. All who know Jesus and have invited Him into their hearts are sons and daughters of the king. God is our father, but do you call him daddy? Do you believe and feel that warm relationship of a Daddy-and-daughter or a Daddy-and-son?
No, maybe, not every day.
But God is our daddy.
Who do you want to pick you up when you scrape your knee? Loving DaddyWho do you want to embrace you when you've face the loss of a job or a rejection. Consoling DaddyWho knows how you hurt on the inside, when your breath is stolen at the death of a spouse or a friend's anguish over a terminal diagnosis.  Huggable Daddy
I've been a Christian since I was eight years old. I still remember making the long walk from the middle section of the church pews. Down the shaggy burgundy carpet, I kept moving until I stood at the front underneath the shadows of a gigantic oak altar. Every set of eyes from the congregants seemed to bear down on me as I stumbled reciting the pastor's words. I squinted as the altar call ended. A majestic stained-glass window allowed the sunlight to stream inside, almost blinding with its brightness.  I was awed and struck with the reverence of committing my life to God in this formal tradition, but it would be a few years before I could call Him, Abba.
When my world ripped asunder as my middle-class life disappeared, I found God was Abba. My earthly father decided he wanted a new life and never came home again. An ache like I've never known twisted in my stomach as I watched my mom soldier on even though she'd have to figure out how to feed four children. That night, I dropped onto the cold ceramic tile of the bathroom, and cried until I felt God's spirit warming me, whispering everything would be all right. Abba cradled me and has been there for me as Daddy ever since, whether to share a triumph or to hold my hand.
Whatever you are going through, know God loves you. He cares about you. He is your Daddy, and He's waiting for you to call upon Him.

Vanessa Riley's CHRISTIAN REGENCY NOVEL: MADELINE'S PROTECTOR

Today's guest, VANESSA RILEY is a technology enthusiast who loves all things regency. Her debut novel, Madeline's Protector, exhibits her skill in discovering the hidden nuances of a character: making him believable, her touchable, and both ready to be used of God. Vanessa holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and loves writing from the comfort of her southern porch. · http://www.christianregency.com,· Blog: http://www.regencyreflections.com, http://www.infinitecharacters.com· FB: ChristianRegency, · Twitter: @VanessaRiley




Back Cover Blurb of Madeline's Protector: If all the young men of England leapt off a cliff, Madeline St. James wouldn't care. Then she'd have peace. Her nightmares of courtship would end, and she'd cozy up with a Psalm in her aunt's quiet sculpture garden. Yet, a chance meeting and a bullet wound change everything, and Madeline must trust the Good Shepherd has led her to the altar to marry a dashing stranger, Lord Devonshire. Death and pain are no strangers to Justain Delveaux, Lord Devonshire, and he vows his dutiful bride will be kept safe and in her place. Though this compromised marriage is in-name-only, his wife and her unwavering faith both intrigue and allure him. Perchance when he thwarts his brother's killer, Justain will tempt the unpredictable Madeline with the comfort of his arms. But can Madeline and the stubborn earl forge a true bond before the next disaster strikes?