Micki Clark's Blog, page 2

Teaser Tuesday: Don’t Ask Me to Leave

I’m starting a new feature called “Teaser Tuesday”, where I share with you snippets of my favorite parts of my books (published and work-in-progress). I spent most of the night awake on the couch battling a terribly sore throat, which is what gave me the idea to share the scene below with you.

[image error]Cover design by Diane Turpin

In Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel finds herself dealt a series of pretty harsh blows by life. She’s beaten down by it and struggles to find a path out of the maze of sorrow (to some negative consequences). Thank goodness Beau and Nadine are around to help her out:

The house looked peaceful as the truck swung into the driveway. Nadine’s heart thrummed, and she unbuckled her seat belt.

“Beau, why don’t you wait out here for a bit? I don’t want to embarrass her if she’s still in bed.”

“All right. But I’m here if you need me.”

His white and strained face betrayed his worry. It was sweet of him, but there was no reason to panic, was there? Surely she overslept.

Four knockout roses sat in pots in what had been the front flower bed. Rachel needed to water them or they’d die before they got in the ground. Why hadn’t she asked Nadine to help plant them?

Enough stalling.

Beau nodded, and Nadine squared her shoulders and marched up onto the front stoop. The key rattled as she put it in the lock.

“Rachel? Rachel, it’s Nadine. Honey, are you home?”

No answer. Warm, stale air drifted through the open door. Nadine wrinkled her nose and stepped into the foyer. She raised her voice. “Rachel? Rachel!”

A faint moan reached her ears, and Nadine rushed to the sound.

Rachel lay on the couch in the living room, covered in a jacquard throw. Tissues overflowed from a trash can beside her, and empty water bottles littered the end table.

“Sick.”

The pitiful, barely audible whimper went straight to Nadine’s heart like an arrow. She knelt next to the couch and put a tender hand on Rachel’s sweaty forehead. “Oh, honey. You’re burning up.”

Rachel’s face had turned pallid, with its sunken eyes and chapped lips. “And you look dehydrated. We have to get you to the doctor, baby. Can you sit up?”

Rachel’s head lolled. “Weak. Don’t feel good.”

“Honey, when was the last time you had anything to eat or drink?” Nadine smoothed the moist bangs off Rachel’s forehead.

“Some…some Cheerios. Yesterday morning.” Her raspy voice made Nadine shudder. “Keep throwing up everything. Water too.”

“I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” As Nadine hustled to the front door, she slipped on an area rug and threw out a hand to catch herself on the foyer wall. She stuck her head out and waved. “Beau! Hurry, please!”

He leapt from the truck and loped into the house. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s so sick, Beau. She’s caught something. Should I take her to the clinic or just go straight to the ER? I’m sure they’ll have to give her an IV no matter where I take her.” Nadine led him into the living room. “Can you carry her to the truck for me?”

Rachel’s eyes closed, and icy fear gripped Nadine. She couldn’t lose this baby too.

Lord, please, help this child. Put Your healing arms around her. Please, Lord.

The excerpt above is from chapter 16 of Don’t Ask Me to Leave.

Latest NewsTeaser Tuesday: Don’t Ask Me to LeaveFebruary 13, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / WritingI’m starting a new feature called “Teaser Tuesday”, where I share with you snippets of my favorite parts of my books (published and work-in-progress). I spent most of the night awake on the couch battling a terribly sore throat, which is what gave me the idea to share the scene below with you.
In Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel finds herself dealt a series of pretty harsh blows by life. She’s beaten down by it and struggles to find a path out of the maze of sorrow (to some negative consequences). Thank goodness Beau and Nadine are around to help her out:
The house looked peaceful as the truck swung into the driveway. Nadine’s heart thrummed, and she unbuckled her seat belt.
“Beau, why don’t you wait out here for a bit? I don’t want to embarrass her if she’s still in bed.”
“All right. But I’m here if you need me.”
His white and strained face betrayed his worry. It was sweet of him, but there was no reason to panic, was there? Surely she overslept.
Four knockout roses sat in pots in what had been the front flower bed. Rachel needed to water them or they’d die before they got in the ground. Why hadn’t she asked Nadine to help plant them?
Enough stalling.
Beau nodded, and Nadine squared her shoulders and marched up onto the front stoop. The key rattled as she put it in the lock.
“Rachel? Rachel, it’s Nadine. Honey, are you home?”
No answer. Warm, stale air drifted through the open door. Nadine wrinkled her nose and stepped into the foyer. She raised her voice. “Rachel? Rachel!”
A faint moan reached her ears, and Nadine rushed to the sound.
Rachel lay on the couch in the living room, covered in a jacquard throw. Tissues overflowed from a trash can beside her, and empty water bottles littered the end table.
“Sick.”
The pitiful, barely audible whimper went straight to Nadine’s heart like an arrow. She knelt next to the couch and put a tender hand on Rachel’s sweaty forehead. “Oh, honey. You’re burning up.”
Rachel’s face had turned pallid, with its sunken eyes and chapped lips. “And you look dehydrated. We have to get you to the doctor, baby. Can you sit up?”
Rachel’s head lolled. “Weak. Don’t feel good.”
“Honey, when was the last time you had anything to eat or drink?” Nadine smoothed the moist bangs off Rachel’s forehead.
“Some…some Cheerios. Yesterday morning.” Her raspy voice made Nadine shudder. “Keep throwing up everything. Water too.”
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” As Nadine hustled to the front door, she slipped on an area rug and threw out a hand to catch herself on the foyer wall. She stuck her head out and waved. “Beau! Hurry, please!”
He leapt from the truck and loped into the house. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s so sick, Beau. She’s caught something. Should I take her to the clinic or just go straight to the ER? I’m sure they’ll have to give her an IV no matter where I take her.” Nadine led him into the living room. “Can you carry her to the truck for me?”
Rachel’s eyes closed, and icy fear gripped Nadine. She couldn’t lose this baby too.
Lord, please, help this child. Put Your healing arms around her. Please, Lord.
The excerpt above is from chapter 16 of Don’t Ask Me to Leave....

Monday Musings: The Soldier’s WifeFebruary 12, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingGood morning! Happy Monday! Today, I’d like to tell you a little bit about the progress on my next novel, currently titled The Soldier’s Wife.
The Soldier’s Wife, like Don’t Ask Me to Leave, is a modern adaptation of a Biblical story. In The Soldier’s Wife, I plan to examine the relationship dynamic of David, Bathsheba and Uriah.
 We don’t spend much time in Bible classes talking about Bathsheba; we focus mostly on David. If we do talk about her, we tend to be very negative. She’s generally viewed as a loose woman, free with her favors.
But is that fair?
When I think of Bathsheba, I feel terribly sorry for her. I can’t imagine the position she was in. It’s really easy to judge and say “I would never”, but we can’t truly know. Had she said no to the king, she was facing almost certain execution. While it’s easy to say we would do the right thing, I’d wager many of us would choose to save our own skins.
And then, after she did submit to David, she had one loss after another. Uriah was killed in battle, which surely affected her. Then, after a pregnancy that was most likely unwanted, she lost her infant child.
Bathsheba had a lot of sorrow to overcome in a very short while.
When I thought about her story, I can easily see it occurring in the present (even if we don’t necessarily have kings running around the United States forcing women to bend to their every whim).
I’m about eight chapters in to the rough draft now; it’s slower going than I’d like, but this is a busy time at work (and those paying gigs do come first). If you’d like to join my preview group and read the sneak peek, please let me know and I’ll send you an invite to the Facebook group.
Have a blessed day!...

Enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave!February 3, 2018Announcement / Don't Ask Me to Leave / WritingThrough February 17, you can enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave! Visit https://goo.gl/7t5jbe for more information and to enter for your chance to win!...

Where Could I Go?January 25, 2018General / WritingI’ve been struggling to think about what I want to say in response to the school shooting so close to my own town and the high school where I teach. It’s hard to put into words the rush and swirl of emotions I feel (and that I know so many others are struggling with). In October of last year, I wrote a guest blog post in reaction to the Antioch church shooting that I felt was appropriate to share with you. I’d like to share an excerpt with you  (you may read the full original post on Patti’s Porch at https://goo.gl/REoDja).
I lead what I would call a blessed life. I have two wonderful Christian parents. I have a husband who genuinely loves me and our three children, and works very hard to provide us with a comfortable life. I thoroughly enjoy my job as a teacher. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways.
But on September 24, life wasn’t so grand. That morning, a masked gunman entered a Tennessee church and opened fire on the congregants. While this certainly isn’t the first church shooting in recent history, it is one of the first that’s been within a half day’s driving distance.
I hadn’t had time for that tragedy to fade from my consciousness when, on October 2, a shooting in Las Vegas killed nearly sixty people and left hundreds of others wounded.
Last Sunday, as I sat in church, I found myself looking around the auditorium during the service in a way that I never really had before. I wasn’t seeing the building, or the faces of my friends. I was contemplating a potential path to safety for my family should a gunman enter. It shook me to my core.
I was thinking the same thing that countless other parents have before me—why did I bring a child into a world so full of sin? Where could I go for safety? How could I protect those I loved from the unseen face of Evil?
And then it hit me. Where could I go, indeed? I simply had to look to the Father.
That day, I was preoccupied about how evil the world has become, but I had forgotten something. Since Adam and Eve left the Garden, this world has been full of sin, suffering, and anguish. While the ancient Christians might not have had to worry about church shootings, they definitely faced persecution, fear, and evil.
Most of us know the story of Stephen, a “man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8). We can flip through the Bible and find many examples of persecutors. Pharaoh. King Nebuchadnezzar. King Saul. Ahab and Jezebel. And so many more.
It’s not just in the Bible. In 177 AD, Eusebius, a historian, told us of a group of Christians in what is now Lyon, France, being gathered, interrogated, and tortured. In more recent history, we have Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and countless others.
In other words, the world has always been full of sin. However, God’s word exists to provide us comfort.
In the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre, many on social media decried the phrase “thoughts and prayers”. Prayers meant nothing, they insisted. Prayers are for sheep.
I agree. I am a sheep, and I am grateful that He is my Shepherd. Isaiah 40:10-11 tells us that “the Lord God will come with a strong hand and … he shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” Revelation 7:17 says “the Lamb … shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
As difficult as it might be to live in today’s world, so full of sin, fear, doubt, and anger, it can be easy to forget that we are loved by a Shepherd who will protect us from the wolves howling in our midst. It is He, and only He, who can wipe away the tears from our eyes.
For me, I will do what I can to raise my children safely in this world. We’ll lock our doors, learn how to look both ways before crossing the road, and other important things… but I refuse to raise my children with a fear of what may happen tomorrow. Life on Earth can truly be wonderful, but it simply cannot compare to the reward that awaits us.
Instead of living a life in fear of the evil that may be lurking around the corner, we’ll work on being like Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We will work our hardest to be good, to be faithful, and to spread God’s light as far as we can. If enough people do that, then we can certainly prevent evil from netting a stronger toehold. Either way, we can certainly look forward to a blessed life in Heaven with our Shepherd....

Guest Blog AppearancesJanuary 23, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / General / WritingGood morning! I just wanted to quickly share two guest blog appearances with you.
Yesterday, I was the featured guest on Main Character Monday, with an interview of the protagonist of Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel Miller. You can visit Heather Greer’s blog and read the post here: https://goo.gl/6gwtmg. Heather’s book, Faith’s Journey, will soon be releasing from Mantle Rock Publishing. Learn more about Heather here: http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com/authors/heather-stearns-greer/
I will be a guest on Linda Fulkerson’s Ideas to Books Podcast in two weeks. Check back for a link soon, but if you’re interested in prior episodes, you can check out the podcast on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ideas-to-books/id1245507117?mt=2...

Monday Musings: The Soldier’s Wife

Good morning! Happy Monday! Today, I’d like to tell you a little bit about the progress on my next novel, currently titled The Soldier’s Wife.

The Soldier’s Wife, like Don’t Ask Me to Leave, is a modern adaptation of a Biblical story. In The Soldier’s Wife, I plan to examine the relationship dynamic of David, Bathsheba and Uriah.

[image error] We don’t spend much time in Bible classes talking about Bathsheba; we focus mostly on David. If we do talk about her, we tend to be very negative. She’s generally viewed as a loose woman, free with her favors.

But is that fair?

When I think of Bathsheba, I feel terribly sorry for her. I can’t imagine the position she was in. It’s really easy to judge and say “I would never”, but we can’t truly know. Had she said no to the king, she was facing almost certain execution. While it’s easy to say we would do the right thing, I’d wager many of us would choose to save our own skins.

And then, after she did submit to David, she had one loss after another. Uriah was killed in battle, which surely affected her. Then, after a pregnancy that was most likely unwanted, she lost her infant child.

Bathsheba had a lot of sorrow to overcome in a very short while.

When I thought about her story, I can easily see it occurring in the present (even if we don’t necessarily have kings running around the United States forcing women to bend to their every whim).

I’m about eight chapters in to the rough draft now; it’s slower going than I’d like, but this is a busy time at work (and those paying gigs do come first). If you’d like to join my preview group and read the sneak peek, please let me know and I’ll send you an invite to the Facebook group.

Have a blessed day!

Latest NewsTeaser Tuesday: Don’t Ask Me to LeaveFebruary 13, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / WritingI’m starting a new feature called “Teaser Tuesday”, where I share with you snippets of my favorite parts of my books (published and work-in-progress). I spent most of the night awake on the couch battling a terribly sore throat, which is what gave me the idea to share the scene below with you.
In Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel finds herself dealt a series of pretty harsh blows by life. She’s beaten down by it and struggles to find a path out of the maze of sorrow (to some negative consequences). Thank goodness Beau and Nadine are around to help her out:
The house looked peaceful as the truck swung into the driveway. Nadine’s heart thrummed, and she unbuckled her seat belt.
“Beau, why don’t you wait out here for a bit? I don’t want to embarrass her if she’s still in bed.”
“All right. But I’m here if you need me.”
His white and strained face betrayed his worry. It was sweet of him, but there was no reason to panic, was there? Surely she overslept.
Four knockout roses sat in pots in what had been the front flower bed. Rachel needed to water them or they’d die before they got in the ground. Why hadn’t she asked Nadine to help plant them?
Enough stalling.
Beau nodded, and Nadine squared her shoulders and marched up onto the front stoop. The key rattled as she put it in the lock.
“Rachel? Rachel, it’s Nadine. Honey, are you home?”
No answer. Warm, stale air drifted through the open door. Nadine wrinkled her nose and stepped into the foyer. She raised her voice. “Rachel? Rachel!”
A faint moan reached her ears, and Nadine rushed to the sound.
Rachel lay on the couch in the living room, covered in a jacquard throw. Tissues overflowed from a trash can beside her, and empty water bottles littered the end table.
“Sick.”
The pitiful, barely audible whimper went straight to Nadine’s heart like an arrow. She knelt next to the couch and put a tender hand on Rachel’s sweaty forehead. “Oh, honey. You’re burning up.”
Rachel’s face had turned pallid, with its sunken eyes and chapped lips. “And you look dehydrated. We have to get you to the doctor, baby. Can you sit up?”
Rachel’s head lolled. “Weak. Don’t feel good.”
“Honey, when was the last time you had anything to eat or drink?” Nadine smoothed the moist bangs off Rachel’s forehead.
“Some…some Cheerios. Yesterday morning.” Her raspy voice made Nadine shudder. “Keep throwing up everything. Water too.”
“I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” As Nadine hustled to the front door, she slipped on an area rug and threw out a hand to catch herself on the foyer wall. She stuck her head out and waved. “Beau! Hurry, please!”
He leapt from the truck and loped into the house. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s so sick, Beau. She’s caught something. Should I take her to the clinic or just go straight to the ER? I’m sure they’ll have to give her an IV no matter where I take her.” Nadine led him into the living room. “Can you carry her to the truck for me?”
Rachel’s eyes closed, and icy fear gripped Nadine. She couldn’t lose this baby too.
Lord, please, help this child. Put Your healing arms around her. Please, Lord.
The excerpt above is from chapter 16 of Don’t Ask Me to Leave....

Monday Musings: The Soldier’s WifeFebruary 12, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingGood morning! Happy Monday! Today, I’d like to tell you a little bit about the progress on my next novel, currently titled The Soldier’s Wife.
The Soldier’s Wife, like Don’t Ask Me to Leave, is a modern adaptation of a Biblical story. In The Soldier’s Wife, I plan to examine the relationship dynamic of David, Bathsheba and Uriah.
 We don’t spend much time in Bible classes talking about Bathsheba; we focus mostly on David. If we do talk about her, we tend to be very negative. She’s generally viewed as a loose woman, free with her favors.
But is that fair?
When I think of Bathsheba, I feel terribly sorry for her. I can’t imagine the position she was in. It’s really easy to judge and say “I would never”, but we can’t truly know. Had she said no to the king, she was facing almost certain execution. While it’s easy to say we would do the right thing, I’d wager many of us would choose to save our own skins.
And then, after she did submit to David, she had one loss after another. Uriah was killed in battle, which surely affected her. Then, after a pregnancy that was most likely unwanted, she lost her infant child.
Bathsheba had a lot of sorrow to overcome in a very short while.
When I thought about her story, I can easily see it occurring in the present (even if we don’t necessarily have kings running around the United States forcing women to bend to their every whim).
I’m about eight chapters in to the rough draft now; it’s slower going than I’d like, but this is a busy time at work (and those paying gigs do come first). If you’d like to join my preview group and read the sneak peek, please let me know and I’ll send you an invite to the Facebook group.
Have a blessed day!...

Enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave!February 3, 2018Announcement / Don't Ask Me to Leave / WritingThrough February 17, you can enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave! Visit https://goo.gl/7t5jbe for more information and to enter for your chance to win!...

Where Could I Go?January 25, 2018General / WritingI’ve been struggling to think about what I want to say in response to the school shooting so close to my own town and the high school where I teach. It’s hard to put into words the rush and swirl of emotions I feel (and that I know so many others are struggling with). In October of last year, I wrote a guest blog post in reaction to the Antioch church shooting that I felt was appropriate to share with you. I’d like to share an excerpt with you  (you may read the full original post on Patti’s Porch at https://goo.gl/REoDja).
I lead what I would call a blessed life. I have two wonderful Christian parents. I have a husband who genuinely loves me and our three children, and works very hard to provide us with a comfortable life. I thoroughly enjoy my job as a teacher. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways.
But on September 24, life wasn’t so grand. That morning, a masked gunman entered a Tennessee church and opened fire on the congregants. While this certainly isn’t the first church shooting in recent history, it is one of the first that’s been within a half day’s driving distance.
I hadn’t had time for that tragedy to fade from my consciousness when, on October 2, a shooting in Las Vegas killed nearly sixty people and left hundreds of others wounded.
Last Sunday, as I sat in church, I found myself looking around the auditorium during the service in a way that I never really had before. I wasn’t seeing the building, or the faces of my friends. I was contemplating a potential path to safety for my family should a gunman enter. It shook me to my core.
I was thinking the same thing that countless other parents have before me—why did I bring a child into a world so full of sin? Where could I go for safety? How could I protect those I loved from the unseen face of Evil?
And then it hit me. Where could I go, indeed? I simply had to look to the Father.
That day, I was preoccupied about how evil the world has become, but I had forgotten something. Since Adam and Eve left the Garden, this world has been full of sin, suffering, and anguish. While the ancient Christians might not have had to worry about church shootings, they definitely faced persecution, fear, and evil.
Most of us know the story of Stephen, a “man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8). We can flip through the Bible and find many examples of persecutors. Pharaoh. King Nebuchadnezzar. King Saul. Ahab and Jezebel. And so many more.
It’s not just in the Bible. In 177 AD, Eusebius, a historian, told us of a group of Christians in what is now Lyon, France, being gathered, interrogated, and tortured. In more recent history, we have Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and countless others.
In other words, the world has always been full of sin. However, God’s word exists to provide us comfort.
In the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre, many on social media decried the phrase “thoughts and prayers”. Prayers meant nothing, they insisted. Prayers are for sheep.
I agree. I am a sheep, and I am grateful that He is my Shepherd. Isaiah 40:10-11 tells us that “the Lord God will come with a strong hand and … he shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” Revelation 7:17 says “the Lamb … shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
As difficult as it might be to live in today’s world, so full of sin, fear, doubt, and anger, it can be easy to forget that we are loved by a Shepherd who will protect us from the wolves howling in our midst. It is He, and only He, who can wipe away the tears from our eyes.
For me, I will do what I can to raise my children safely in this world. We’ll lock our doors, learn how to look both ways before crossing the road, and other important things… but I refuse to raise my children with a fear of what may happen tomorrow. Life on Earth can truly be wonderful, but it simply cannot compare to the reward that awaits us.
Instead of living a life in fear of the evil that may be lurking around the corner, we’ll work on being like Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We will work our hardest to be good, to be faithful, and to spread God’s light as far as we can. If enough people do that, then we can certainly prevent evil from netting a stronger toehold. Either way, we can certainly look forward to a blessed life in Heaven with our Shepherd....

Guest Blog AppearancesJanuary 23, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / General / WritingGood morning! I just wanted to quickly share two guest blog appearances with you.
Yesterday, I was the featured guest on Main Character Monday, with an interview of the protagonist of Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel Miller. You can visit Heather Greer’s blog and read the post here: https://goo.gl/6gwtmg. Heather’s book, Faith’s Journey, will soon be releasing from Mantle Rock Publishing. Learn more about Heather here: http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com/authors/heather-stearns-greer/
I will be a guest on Linda Fulkerson’s Ideas to Books Podcast in two weeks. Check back for a link soon, but if you’re interested in prior episodes, you can check out the podcast on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ideas-to-books/id1245507117?mt=2...

Enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave!

[image error]

Through February 17, you can enter to WIN an eBook of Don’t Ask Me to Leave! Visit https://goo.gl/7t5jbe for more information and to enter for your chance to win!

Where Could I Go?

[image error]I’ve been struggling to think about what I want to say in response to the school shooting so close to my own town and the high school where I teach. It’s hard to put into words the rush and swirl of emotions I feel (and that I know so many others are struggling with). In October of last year, I wrote a guest blog post in reaction to the Antioch church shooting that I felt was appropriate to share with you. I’d like to share an excerpt with you  (you may read the full original post on Patti’s Porch at https://goo.gl/REoDja).

I lead what I would call a blessed life. I have two wonderful Christian parents. I have a husband who genuinely loves me and our three children, and works very hard to provide us with a comfortable life. I thoroughly enjoy my job as a teacher. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways.

But on September 24, life wasn’t so grand. That morning, a masked gunman entered a Tennessee church and opened fire on the congregants. While this certainly isn’t the first church shooting in recent history, it is one of the first that’s been within a half day’s driving distance.

I hadn’t had time for that tragedy to fade from my consciousness when, on October 2, a shooting in Las Vegas killed nearly sixty people and left hundreds of others wounded.

Last Sunday, as I sat in church, I found myself looking around the auditorium during the service in a way that I never really had before. I wasn’t seeing the building, or the faces of my friends. I was contemplating a potential path to safety for my family should a gunman enter. It shook me to my core.

I was thinking the same thing that countless other parents have before me—why did I bring a child into a world so full of sin? Where could I go for safety? How could I protect those I loved from the unseen face of Evil?

And then it hit me. Where could I go, indeed? I simply had to look to the Father.

That day, I was preoccupied about how evil the world has become, but I had forgotten something. Since Adam and Eve left the Garden, this world has been full of sin, suffering, and anguish. While the ancient Christians might not have had to worry about church shootings, they definitely faced persecution, fear, and evil.

Most of us know the story of Stephen, a “man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8). We can flip through the Bible and find many examples of persecutors. Pharaoh. King Nebuchadnezzar. King Saul. Ahab and Jezebel. And so many more.

It’s not just in the Bible. In 177 AD, Eusebius, a historian, told us of a group of Christians in what is now Lyon, France, being gathered, interrogated, and tortured. In more recent history, we have Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and countless others.

In other words, the world has always been full of sin. However, God’s word exists to provide us comfort.

In the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre, many on social media decried the phrase “thoughts and prayers”. Prayers meant nothing, they insisted. Prayers are for sheep.

I agree. I am a sheep, and I am grateful that He is my Shepherd. Isaiah 40:10-11 tells us that “the Lord God will come with a strong hand and … he shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” Revelation 7:17 says “the Lamb … shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

As difficult as it might be to live in today’s world, so full of sin, fear, doubt, and anger, it can be easy to forget that we are loved by a Shepherd who will protect us from the wolves howling in our midst. It is He, and only He, who can wipe away the tears from our eyes.

For me, I will do what I can to raise my children safely in this world. We’ll lock our doors, learn how to look both ways before crossing the road, and other important things… but I refuse to raise my children with a fear of what may happen tomorrow. Life on Earth can truly be wonderful, but it simply cannot compare to the reward that awaits us.

Instead of living a life in fear of the evil that may be lurking around the corner, we’ll work on being like Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We will work our hardest to be good, to be faithful, and to spread God’s light as far as we can. If enough people do that, then we can certainly prevent evil from netting a stronger toehold. Either way, we can certainly look forward to a blessed life in Heaven with our Shepherd.

Latest NewsWhere Could I Go?January 25, 2018General / WritingI’ve been struggling to think about what I want to say in response to the school shooting so close to my own town and the high school where I teach. It’s hard to put into words the rush and swirl of emotions I feel (and that I know so many others are struggling with). In October of last year, I wrote a guest blog post in reaction to the Antioch church shooting that I felt was appropriate to share with you. I’d like to share an excerpt with you  (you may read the full original post on Patti’s Porch at https://goo.gl/REoDja).
I lead what I would call a blessed life. I have two wonderful Christian parents. I have a husband who genuinely loves me and our three children, and works very hard to provide us with a comfortable life. I thoroughly enjoy my job as a teacher. The Lord has blessed us in so many ways.
But on September 24, life wasn’t so grand. That morning, a masked gunman entered a Tennessee church and opened fire on the congregants. While this certainly isn’t the first church shooting in recent history, it is one of the first that’s been within a half day’s driving distance.
I hadn’t had time for that tragedy to fade from my consciousness when, on October 2, a shooting in Las Vegas killed nearly sixty people and left hundreds of others wounded.
Last Sunday, as I sat in church, I found myself looking around the auditorium during the service in a way that I never really had before. I wasn’t seeing the building, or the faces of my friends. I was contemplating a potential path to safety for my family should a gunman enter. It shook me to my core.
I was thinking the same thing that countless other parents have before me—why did I bring a child into a world so full of sin? Where could I go for safety? How could I protect those I loved from the unseen face of Evil?
And then it hit me. Where could I go, indeed? I simply had to look to the Father.
That day, I was preoccupied about how evil the world has become, but I had forgotten something. Since Adam and Eve left the Garden, this world has been full of sin, suffering, and anguish. While the ancient Christians might not have had to worry about church shootings, they definitely faced persecution, fear, and evil.
Most of us know the story of Stephen, a “man full of God’s grace and power” (Acts 6:8). We can flip through the Bible and find many examples of persecutors. Pharaoh. King Nebuchadnezzar. King Saul. Ahab and Jezebel. And so many more.
It’s not just in the Bible. In 177 AD, Eusebius, a historian, told us of a group of Christians in what is now Lyon, France, being gathered, interrogated, and tortured. In more recent history, we have Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and countless others.
In other words, the world has always been full of sin. However, God’s word exists to provide us comfort.
In the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre, many on social media decried the phrase “thoughts and prayers”. Prayers meant nothing, they insisted. Prayers are for sheep.
I agree. I am a sheep, and I am grateful that He is my Shepherd. Isaiah 40:10-11 tells us that “the Lord God will come with a strong hand and … he shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” Revelation 7:17 says “the Lamb … shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
As difficult as it might be to live in today’s world, so full of sin, fear, doubt, and anger, it can be easy to forget that we are loved by a Shepherd who will protect us from the wolves howling in our midst. It is He, and only He, who can wipe away the tears from our eyes.
For me, I will do what I can to raise my children safely in this world. We’ll lock our doors, learn how to look both ways before crossing the road, and other important things… but I refuse to raise my children with a fear of what may happen tomorrow. Life on Earth can truly be wonderful, but it simply cannot compare to the reward that awaits us.
Instead of living a life in fear of the evil that may be lurking around the corner, we’ll work on being like Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world; a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We will work our hardest to be good, to be faithful, and to spread God’s light as far as we can. If enough people do that, then we can certainly prevent evil from netting a stronger toehold. Either way, we can certainly look forward to a blessed life in Heaven with our Shepherd....

Guest Blog AppearancesJanuary 23, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / General / WritingGood morning! I just wanted to quickly share two guest blog appearances with you.
Yesterday, I was the featured guest on Main Character Monday, with an interview of the protagonist of Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel Miller. You can visit Heather Greer’s blog and read the post here: https://goo.gl/6gwtmg. Heather’s book, Faith’s Journey, will soon be releasing from Mantle Rock Publishing. Learn more about Heather here: http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com/authors/heather-stearns-greer/
I will be a guest on Linda Fulkerson’s Ideas to Books Podcast in two weeks. Check back for a link soon, but if you’re interested in prior episodes, you can check out the podcast on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ideas-to-books/id1245507117?mt=2...

How I Write: The Plantsing ProcessJanuary 22, 2018General / WritingOne of the most frequent questions that I am asked about writing, both from my high school students and from those that have read my novel, is “how do you get started writing”? It’s a good question (and a very personal question) since if you asked forty authors, you’d probably get thirty-eight responses. There are two basic schools of thought: planning and “pantsing”. Me, personally? I’m a plantser. Let me explain.
Most of the people who know me think I’d be a planner. I like things to be organized and in their place. I use color coordination in my classroom (each class is assigned a color, and their turn-in tray, their returned work, their folders, their paper clips, etc. are all that color). I once had my closet organized by length of sleeve, style, and color of garment, although I’ve relaxed on that somewhat.
However, I’ve found that for me, obsessively planning the plot of a novel is actually rather destructive. Characters won’t behave themselves and do what I want. They have minds of their own, and when I try to write them into a situation it just doesn’t work.
Author JK Rowling revealed that once she had a major issue with the planning of a novel, as seen in this excerpt from a 2000 interview with Entertainment Weekly:
Was this the hardest book you’ve had to write so far?
JKR: Easily.
Why?
JKR: The first three books, my plan never failed me. But I should have put that plot under a microscope. I wrote what I thought was half the book, and “Ack!” – huge gaping hole in the middle of the plot. I missed my deadline by two months. And the whole profile of the books got so much higher since the third book; there was an edge of external pressure.
And what exactly was that gaping hole all about?
JKR: I had to pull a character. There you go: “the phantom character of Harry Potter.” She was a Weasley cousin [related to Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend]. She served the same function that Rita Skeeter [a sleazy investigative journalist] now serves. Rita was always going to be in the book, but I built her up, because I needed a kind of conduit for information outside the school. Originally, this girl fulfilled this purpose.
Of course, that’s more likely to happen to those who write in the other major writing style, “pantsing”, so called for the author’s tendency to write “by the seat of their pants”, so to speak.
Pantsing, quite frankly, terrifies me. It’s like getting in the car for a road trip and just pointing the car down the driveway with nary a destination in mind, just ambling along until something interesting happens. However, there’s something to be said for letting a story develop organically.
That’s why I do a combination of the two (and honestly, I think most writers are the same). When I start a manuscript, I write out a document that ends up being anywhere from five to ten pages in length and I generally tell the story as if I were summarizing it. Then, I take that summary and chunk it up. Can I get 25 – 30 chapters out of it? If not, I go back and dream up another plot twist (or two).
When I have the chunks identified, I create a Google Doc for each chapter and paste the sentences for that chunk at the top. I use those four to five sentences as an inspiration for the chapter, a general destination, but the actual chapter happens pretty fluidly.
What I like about writing in this style is the ease with which I can come back to the manuscript. I’m a full-time teacher and a mom of three kids. Life is busy. I don’t often have hours or days to devote to writing, but this way, I can drop in on a chapter, write it, and move on. Later, when the chapters are finished, I paste them in one document and start working on continuity and flow.
Are you an author? How do you create your work?...

#BookReview #Twofer – Amy Blake’s Whitewashed & ColorblindJanuary 6, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingIf there’s an upside to having a sick child and spending an evening on the couch on “trashcan watch”, it’s having a good book (or two) to use as a distraction. I was definitely lucky last night to have recently downloaded author Amy C. Blake’s Whitewashed and Colorblind to my Kindle.

When I began reading Whitewashed, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a shift to a narrator that seemed deliciously malicious (and the use of the pronoun “we”–one evil person lurking in the shadows or two?). I positively raced through Whitewashed, several times accidentally turning the pages too fast on my Kindle and having to go back a page or two.
Whitewashed follows Patience (who, unlike her name, is a bit impatient), a nascent college student willing to give up a potential full ride to a prestigious school and instead attend the small institution Verity in her grandparents’ hometown of Hades, where her grandfather was once a professor.
Patience isn’t long at Verity before things start happening, and we realize that there’s something quite sinister lurking just beneath the surface (both literally and figuratively).
There’s an interesting cast of characters, and Blake does a good job weaving her tale. I was equally dismayed and pleased that she’d tricked me when I reached the end; I hadn’t fully guessed the twist as I thought I had.
What’s also pleasant about Whitewashed is that it’s clean fiction; this is a book that you can leave lying about and not feel guilty if your child wanders along behind you and picks up your copy (unlike many other mystery and suspense tales).
I finished Whitewashed around 11:00, and while I had to go on to sleep, I went ahead and downloaded Colorblind to start as soon as I woke up.
I had expected Colorblind to continue Patience’s story, and in a manner of speaking, it did–just not in the way I expected. In the beginning of Whitewashed, Patience mentions her two good friends (and refers to them periodically throughout the novel). Colorblind follows Christy Kane, one of Patience’s best friends.
Colorblind begins with the protagonist being blindsided by news that sends her perfect world crashing down around her ears: therk aher that she loved, trusted, and planned to work alongside has been accused of adultery with another church employee. The media is circling, and Christy barely has time to gather her thoughts before cameras are shoved into her face.
To give Christy a chance to escape from the paparazzi and (hopefully) still complete her summer internship, Christy’s mother negotiates a position at Christy’s Aunt Jo’s music and dance school. There’s just one tiny problem: the school is on the shores of a massive lake, and Christy is beyond terrified of water.
Colorblind is written in a similar fashion to Whitewashed, with the narration shifting between our fair heroine and the person or persons unknown who are intent upon destroying the Pier Ball Room and everyone associated with it.
Both Whitewashed and Colorblind were excellent reads; I look forward to the next novel, telling the third friend’s story.

Have you read a good novel lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations. Connect with me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/MickiSClark) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMickiSClark)....

Why I #AmWriting About PTSDJanuary 3, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingI was recently chatting online with some people about my work in progress, The Soldier’s Wife. I was telling them about my plans for the characters, and we started talking about my plans for Uriah. In the Bible, Uriah is a soldier. In my novel, he becomes Ryan, a special forces member who has come back from a recent deployment not quite himself. He’s struggling with PTSD, which is one of the contributing factors to the breakdown of his marriage to Barbara (Bathsheba).
One of the people raised this question: why give Ryan PTSD? It’s a good question. Here’s why.
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is becoming very prevalent in our society. Here are some statistics, courtesy PTSD United:

8% of Americans have PTSD at any given time. That’s over 24 million people.
The Veterans’ Administration (VA) estimates that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans suffer from PTSD. That’s 400,000 soldiers.
In the past year, the number of diagnosed cases in the military jumped fifty percent–and that’s just the diagnosed cases.

If those statistics aren’t sobering enough, here are a few others from the VA:

In 2014, 18% of all adult suicides in the United States were military veterans.
That is an increase of 32% since 2001.
The increase of female veteran suicide rates is an even more alarming 85.2%.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t like to talk about the “ugly” side of war. It’s only been in the recent past that we have begun to truly discuss and learn about the atrocities of the Vietnam War (and if you don’t know much about the war, I highly recommend Ken Burns’ documentary).
It’s not a disservice to Uriah to give his modern counterpart PTSD. PTSD is a very real struggle that many of our military (and, let’s face it, non-military) families face every day. Simply “not talking about it” won’t make it go away.
Aside from calling attention to the issue, I think including it also gives more potential depth to the characters. We really must think about the motives that everyone has for their behavior (from David to Uriah to Bathsheba), and how each bear their own responsibility for everything that is to come.
There’s no doubt Uriah was a good soldier. He wanted to stay with his men. But what kind of husband does that make him? Well, that’s one of the things that I explore in The Soldier’s Wife.
What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!...

Guest Blog Appearances

Good morning! I just wanted to quickly share two guest blog appearances with you.[image error]

Yesterday, I was the featured guest on Main Character Monday, with an interview of the protagonist of Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel Miller. You can visit Heather Greer’s blog and read the post here: https://goo.gl/6gwtmg. Heather’s book, Faith’s Journey, will soon be releasing from Mantle Rock Publishing. Learn more about Heather here: http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com/authors/heather-stearns-greer/

I will be a guest on Linda Fulkerson’s Ideas to Books Podcast in two weeks. Check back for a link soon, but if you’re interested in prior episodes, you can check out the podcast on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ideas-to-books/id1245507117?mt=2

How I Write: The Plantsing Process

[image error] One of the most frequent questions that I am asked about writing, both from my high school students and from those that have read my novel, is “how do you get started writing”? It’s a good question (and a very personal question) since if you asked forty authors, you’d probably get thirty-eight responses. There are two basic schools of thought: planning and “pantsing”. Me, personally? I’m a plantser. Let me explain.

Most of the people who know me think I’d be a planner. I like things to be organized and in their place. I use color coordination in my classroom (each class is assigned a color, and their turn-in tray, their returned work, their folders, their paper clips, etc. are all that color). I once had my closet organized by length of sleeve, style, and color of garment, although I’ve relaxed on that somewhat.

However, I’ve found that for me, obsessively planning the plot of a novel is actually rather destructive. Characters won’t behave themselves and do what I want. They have minds of their own, and when I try to write them into a situation it just doesn’t work.

Author JK Rowling revealed that once she had a major issue with the planning of a novel, as seen in this excerpt from a 2000 interview with Entertainment Weekly:

Was this the hardest book you’ve had to write so far?

JKR: Easily.

Why?

JKR: The first three books, my plan never failed me. But I should have put that plot under a microscope. I wrote what I thought was half the book, and “Ack!” – huge gaping hole in the middle of the plot. I missed my deadline by two months. And the whole profile of the books got so much higher since the third book; there was an edge of external pressure.

And what exactly was that gaping hole all about?

JKR: I had to pull a character. There you go: “the phantom character of Harry Potter.” She was a Weasley cousin [related to Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend]. She served the same function that Rita Skeeter [a sleazy investigative journalist] now serves. Rita was always going to be in the book, but I built her up, because I needed a kind of conduit for information outside the school. Originally, this girl fulfilled this purpose.

Of course, that’s more likely to happen to those who write in the other major writing style, “pantsing”, so called for the author’s tendency to write “by the seat of their pants”, so to speak.

Pantsing, quite frankly, terrifies me. It’s like getting in the car for a road trip and just pointing the car down the driveway with nary a destination in mind, just ambling along until something interesting happens. However, there’s something to be said for letting a story develop organically.

That’s why I do a combination of the two (and honestly, I think most writers are the same). When I start a manuscript, I write out a document that ends up being anywhere from five to ten pages in length and I generally tell the story as if I were summarizing it. Then, I take that summary and chunk it up. Can I get 25 – 30 chapters out of it? If not, I go back and dream up another plot twist (or two).

When I have the chunks identified, I create a Google Doc for each chapter and paste the sentences for that chunk at the top. I use those four to five sentences as an inspiration for the chapter, a general destination, but the actual chapter happens pretty fluidly.

What I like about writing in this style is the ease with which I can come back to the manuscript. I’m a full-time teacher and a mom of three kids. Life is busy. I don’t often have hours or days to devote to writing, but this way, I can drop in on a chapter, write it, and move on. Later, when the chapters are finished, I paste them in one document and start working on continuity and flow.

Are you an author? How do you create your work?

Latest NewsGuest Blog AppearancesJanuary 23, 2018Don't Ask Me to Leave / General / WritingGood morning! I just wanted to quickly share two guest blog appearances with you.
Yesterday, I was the featured guest on Main Character Monday, with an interview of the protagonist of Don’t Ask Me to Leave, Rachel Miller. You can visit Heather Greer’s blog and read the post here: https://goo.gl/6gwtmg. Heather’s book, Faith’s Journey, will soon be releasing from Mantle Rock Publishing. Learn more about Heather here: http://mantlerockpublishingllc.com/authors/heather-stearns-greer/
I will be a guest on Linda Fulkerson’s Ideas to Books Podcast in two weeks. Check back for a link soon, but if you’re interested in prior episodes, you can check out the podcast on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ideas-to-books/id1245507117?mt=2...

How I Write: The Plantsing ProcessJanuary 22, 2018General / WritingOne of the most frequent questions that I am asked about writing, both from my high school students and from those that have read my novel, is “how do you get started writing”? It’s a good question (and a very personal question) since if you asked forty authors, you’d probably get thirty-eight responses. There are two basic schools of thought: planning and “pantsing”. Me, personally? I’m a plantser. Let me explain.
Most of the people who know me think I’d be a planner. I like things to be organized and in their place. I use color coordination in my classroom (each class is assigned a color, and their turn-in tray, their returned work, their folders, their paper clips, etc. are all that color). I once had my closet organized by length of sleeve, style, and color of garment, although I’ve relaxed on that somewhat.
However, I’ve found that for me, obsessively planning the plot of a novel is actually rather destructive. Characters won’t behave themselves and do what I want. They have minds of their own, and when I try to write them into a situation it just doesn’t work.
Author JK Rowling revealed that once she had a major issue with the planning of a novel, as seen in this excerpt from a 2000 interview with Entertainment Weekly:
Was this the hardest book you’ve had to write so far?
JKR: Easily.
Why?
JKR: The first three books, my plan never failed me. But I should have put that plot under a microscope. I wrote what I thought was half the book, and “Ack!” – huge gaping hole in the middle of the plot. I missed my deadline by two months. And the whole profile of the books got so much higher since the third book; there was an edge of external pressure.
And what exactly was that gaping hole all about?
JKR: I had to pull a character. There you go: “the phantom character of Harry Potter.” She was a Weasley cousin [related to Ron Weasley, Harry’s best friend]. She served the same function that Rita Skeeter [a sleazy investigative journalist] now serves. Rita was always going to be in the book, but I built her up, because I needed a kind of conduit for information outside the school. Originally, this girl fulfilled this purpose.
Of course, that’s more likely to happen to those who write in the other major writing style, “pantsing”, so called for the author’s tendency to write “by the seat of their pants”, so to speak.
Pantsing, quite frankly, terrifies me. It’s like getting in the car for a road trip and just pointing the car down the driveway with nary a destination in mind, just ambling along until something interesting happens. However, there’s something to be said for letting a story develop organically.
That’s why I do a combination of the two (and honestly, I think most writers are the same). When I start a manuscript, I write out a document that ends up being anywhere from five to ten pages in length and I generally tell the story as if I were summarizing it. Then, I take that summary and chunk it up. Can I get 25 – 30 chapters out of it? If not, I go back and dream up another plot twist (or two).
When I have the chunks identified, I create a Google Doc for each chapter and paste the sentences for that chunk at the top. I use those four to five sentences as an inspiration for the chapter, a general destination, but the actual chapter happens pretty fluidly.
What I like about writing in this style is the ease with which I can come back to the manuscript. I’m a full-time teacher and a mom of three kids. Life is busy. I don’t often have hours or days to devote to writing, but this way, I can drop in on a chapter, write it, and move on. Later, when the chapters are finished, I paste them in one document and start working on continuity and flow.
Are you an author? How do you create your work?...

#BookReview #Twofer – Amy Blake’s Whitewashed & ColorblindJanuary 6, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingIf there’s an upside to having a sick child and spending an evening on the couch on “trashcan watch”, it’s having a good book (or two) to use as a distraction. I was definitely lucky last night to have recently downloaded author Amy C. Blake’s Whitewashed and Colorblind to my Kindle.

When I began reading Whitewashed, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a shift to a narrator that seemed deliciously malicious (and the use of the pronoun “we”–one evil person lurking in the shadows or two?). I positively raced through Whitewashed, several times accidentally turning the pages too fast on my Kindle and having to go back a page or two.
Whitewashed follows Patience (who, unlike her name, is a bit impatient), a nascent college student willing to give up a potential full ride to a prestigious school and instead attend the small institution Verity in her grandparents’ hometown of Hades, where her grandfather was once a professor.
Patience isn’t long at Verity before things start happening, and we realize that there’s something quite sinister lurking just beneath the surface (both literally and figuratively).
There’s an interesting cast of characters, and Blake does a good job weaving her tale. I was equally dismayed and pleased that she’d tricked me when I reached the end; I hadn’t fully guessed the twist as I thought I had.
What’s also pleasant about Whitewashed is that it’s clean fiction; this is a book that you can leave lying about and not feel guilty if your child wanders along behind you and picks up your copy (unlike many other mystery and suspense tales).
I finished Whitewashed around 11:00, and while I had to go on to sleep, I went ahead and downloaded Colorblind to start as soon as I woke up.
I had expected Colorblind to continue Patience’s story, and in a manner of speaking, it did–just not in the way I expected. In the beginning of Whitewashed, Patience mentions her two good friends (and refers to them periodically throughout the novel). Colorblind follows Christy Kane, one of Patience’s best friends.
Colorblind begins with the protagonist being blindsided by news that sends her perfect world crashing down around her ears: therk aher that she loved, trusted, and planned to work alongside has been accused of adultery with another church employee. The media is circling, and Christy barely has time to gather her thoughts before cameras are shoved into her face.
To give Christy a chance to escape from the paparazzi and (hopefully) still complete her summer internship, Christy’s mother negotiates a position at Christy’s Aunt Jo’s music and dance school. There’s just one tiny problem: the school is on the shores of a massive lake, and Christy is beyond terrified of water.
Colorblind is written in a similar fashion to Whitewashed, with the narration shifting between our fair heroine and the person or persons unknown who are intent upon destroying the Pier Ball Room and everyone associated with it.
Both Whitewashed and Colorblind were excellent reads; I look forward to the next novel, telling the third friend’s story.

Have you read a good novel lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations. Connect with me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/MickiSClark) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMickiSClark)....

Why I #AmWriting About PTSDJanuary 3, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingI was recently chatting online with some people about my work in progress, The Soldier’s Wife. I was telling them about my plans for the characters, and we started talking about my plans for Uriah. In the Bible, Uriah is a soldier. In my novel, he becomes Ryan, a special forces member who has come back from a recent deployment not quite himself. He’s struggling with PTSD, which is one of the contributing factors to the breakdown of his marriage to Barbara (Bathsheba).
One of the people raised this question: why give Ryan PTSD? It’s a good question. Here’s why.
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is becoming very prevalent in our society. Here are some statistics, courtesy PTSD United:

8% of Americans have PTSD at any given time. That’s over 24 million people.
The Veterans’ Administration (VA) estimates that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans suffer from PTSD. That’s 400,000 soldiers.
In the past year, the number of diagnosed cases in the military jumped fifty percent–and that’s just the diagnosed cases.

If those statistics aren’t sobering enough, here are a few others from the VA:

In 2014, 18% of all adult suicides in the United States were military veterans.
That is an increase of 32% since 2001.
The increase of female veteran suicide rates is an even more alarming 85.2%.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t like to talk about the “ugly” side of war. It’s only been in the recent past that we have begun to truly discuss and learn about the atrocities of the Vietnam War (and if you don’t know much about the war, I highly recommend Ken Burns’ documentary).
It’s not a disservice to Uriah to give his modern counterpart PTSD. PTSD is a very real struggle that many of our military (and, let’s face it, non-military) families face every day. Simply “not talking about it” won’t make it go away.
Aside from calling attention to the issue, I think including it also gives more potential depth to the characters. We really must think about the motives that everyone has for their behavior (from David to Uriah to Bathsheba), and how each bear their own responsibility for everything that is to come.
There’s no doubt Uriah was a good soldier. He wanted to stay with his men. But what kind of husband does that make him? Well, that’s one of the things that I explore in The Soldier’s Wife.
What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!...

I am (Not) ResolvedJanuary 1, 2018WritingCall me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.
For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.
So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?...

#BookReview #Twofer – Amy Blake’s Whitewashed & Colorblind

If there’s an upside to having a sick child and spending an evening on the couch on “trashcan watch”, it’s having a good book (or two) to use as a distraction. I was definitely lucky last night to have recently downloaded author Amy C. Blake’s Whitewashed and Colorblind to my Kindle.

[image error]

When I began reading Whitewashed, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a shift to a narrator that seemed deliciously malicious (and the use of the pronoun “we”–one evil person lurking in the shadows or two?). I positively raced through Whitewashed, several times accidentally turning the pages too fast on my Kindle and having to go back a page or two.

Whitewashed follows Patience (who, unlike her name, is a bit impatient), a nascent college student willing to give up a potential full ride to a prestigious school and instead attend the small institution Verity in her grandparents’ hometown of Hades, where her grandfather was once a professor.

Patience isn’t long at Verity before things start happening, and we realize that there’s something quite sinister lurking just beneath the surface (both literally and figuratively).

There’s an interesting cast of characters, and Blake does a good job weaving her tale. I was equally dismayed and pleased that she’d tricked me when I reached the end; I hadn’t fully guessed the twist as I thought I had.

What’s also pleasant about Whitewashed is that it’s clean fiction; this is a book that you can leave lying about and not feel guilty if your child wanders along behind you and picks up your copy (unlike many other mystery and suspense tales).

I finished Whitewashed around 11:00, and while I had to go on to sleep, I went ahead and downloaded Colorblind to start as soon as I woke up.

I had expected Colorblind to continue Patience’s story, and in a manner of speaking, it did–just not in the way I expected. In the beginning of Whitewashed, Patience mentions her two good friends (and refers to them periodically throughout the novel). Colorblind follows Christy Kane, one of Patience’s best friends.

Colorblind begins with the protagonist being blindsided by news that sends her perfect world crashing down around her ears: therk aher that she loved, trusted, and planned to work alongside has been accused of adultery with another church employee. The media is circling, and Christy barely has time to gather her thoughts before cameras are shoved into her face.

To give Christy a chance to escape from the paparazzi and (hopefully) still complete her summer internship, Christy’s mother negotiates a position at Christy’s Aunt Jo’s music and dance school. There’s just one tiny problem: the school is on the shores of a massive lake, and Christy is beyond terrified of water.

Colorblind is written in a similar fashion to Whitewashed, with the narration shifting between our fair heroine and the person or persons unknown who are intent upon destroying the Pier Ball Room and everyone associated with it.

Both Whitewashed and Colorblind were excellent reads; I look forward to the next novel, telling the third friend’s story.

Have you read a good novel lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations. Connect with me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/MickiSClark) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMickiSC...).

Latest News#BookReview #Twofer – Amy Blake’s Whitewashed & ColorblindJanuary 6, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingIf there’s an upside to having a sick child and spending an evening on the couch on “trashcan watch”, it’s having a good book (or two) to use as a distraction. I was definitely lucky last night to have recently downloaded author Amy C. Blake’s Whitewashed and Colorblind to my Kindle.

When I began reading Whitewashed, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t a shift to a narrator that seemed deliciously malicious (and the use of the pronoun “we”–one evil person lurking in the shadows or two?). I positively raced through Whitewashed, several times accidentally turning the pages too fast on my Kindle and having to go back a page or two.
Whitewashed follows Patience (who, unlike her name, is a bit impatient), a nascent college student willing to give up a potential full ride to a prestigious school and instead attend the small institution Verity in her grandparents’ hometown of Hades, where her grandfather was once a professor.
Patience isn’t long at Verity before things start happening, and we realize that there’s something quite sinister lurking just beneath the surface (both literally and figuratively).
There’s an interesting cast of characters, and Blake does a good job weaving her tale. I was equally dismayed and pleased that she’d tricked me when I reached the end; I hadn’t fully guessed the twist as I thought I had.
What’s also pleasant about Whitewashed is that it’s clean fiction; this is a book that you can leave lying about and not feel guilty if your child wanders along behind you and picks up your copy (unlike many other mystery and suspense tales).
I finished Whitewashed around 11:00, and while I had to go on to sleep, I went ahead and downloaded Colorblind to start as soon as I woke up.
I had expected Colorblind to continue Patience’s story, and in a manner of speaking, it did–just not in the way I expected. In the beginning of Whitewashed, Patience mentions her two good friends (and refers to them periodically throughout the novel). Colorblind follows Christy Kane, one of Patience’s best friends.
Colorblind begins with the protagonist being blindsided by news that sends her perfect world crashing down around her ears: therk aher that she loved, trusted, and planned to work alongside has been accused of adultery with another church employee. The media is circling, and Christy barely has time to gather her thoughts before cameras are shoved into her face.
To give Christy a chance to escape from the paparazzi and (hopefully) still complete her summer internship, Christy’s mother negotiates a position at Christy’s Aunt Jo’s music and dance school. There’s just one tiny problem: the school is on the shores of a massive lake, and Christy is beyond terrified of water.
Colorblind is written in a similar fashion to Whitewashed, with the narration shifting between our fair heroine and the person or persons unknown who are intent upon destroying the Pier Ball Room and everyone associated with it.
Both Whitewashed and Colorblind were excellent reads; I look forward to the next novel, telling the third friend’s story.

Have you read a good novel lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations. Connect with me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/MickiSClark) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMickiSClark)....

Why I #AmWriting About PTSDJanuary 3, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingI was recently chatting online with some people about my work in progress, The Soldier’s Wife. I was telling them about my plans for the characters, and we started talking about my plans for Uriah. In the Bible, Uriah is a soldier. In my novel, he becomes Ryan, a special forces member who has come back from a recent deployment not quite himself. He’s struggling with PTSD, which is one of the contributing factors to the breakdown of his marriage to Barbara (Bathsheba).
One of the people raised this question: why give Ryan PTSD? It’s a good question. Here’s why.
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is becoming very prevalent in our society. Here are some statistics, courtesy PTSD United:

8% of Americans have PTSD at any given time. That’s over 24 million people.
The Veterans’ Administration (VA) estimates that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans suffer from PTSD. That’s 400,000 soldiers.
In the past year, the number of diagnosed cases in the military jumped fifty percent–and that’s just the diagnosed cases.

If those statistics aren’t sobering enough, here are a few others from the VA:

In 2014, 18% of all adult suicides in the United States were military veterans.
That is an increase of 32% since 2001.
The increase of female veteran suicide rates is an even more alarming 85.2%.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t like to talk about the “ugly” side of war. It’s only been in the recent past that we have begun to truly discuss and learn about the atrocities of the Vietnam War (and if you don’t know much about the war, I highly recommend Ken Burns’ documentary).
It’s not a disservice to Uriah to give his modern counterpart PTSD. PTSD is a very real struggle that many of our military (and, let’s face it, non-military) families face every day. Simply “not talking about it” won’t make it go away.
Aside from calling attention to the issue, I think including it also gives more potential depth to the characters. We really must think about the motives that everyone has for their behavior (from David to Uriah to Bathsheba), and how each bear their own responsibility for everything that is to come.
There’s no doubt Uriah was a good soldier. He wanted to stay with his men. But what kind of husband does that make him? Well, that’s one of the things that I explore in The Soldier’s Wife.
What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!...

I am (Not) ResolvedJanuary 1, 2018WritingCall me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.
For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.
So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?...

#BookReview: A Light in Bailey’s HarborJanuary 1, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingRecently, I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon reading A Light in Bailey’s Harbor, by Bethany Baker (Follow her on Facebook here).
As the listing on Amazon reads, “Katy Kippling has an abundance of personality, or so she was told by a recent male acquaintance. Trying to conform to the etiquette of an 1880’s lady is difficult enough, without adding the challenges of having an abundance of personality.
Katy loves the Cana Island Lighthouse, serving her small lakeside town in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1880, the new lighthouse keeper arrives. While Katy imagines his stately captain’s beard and noble brow, Blake Strawberry, the new keeper, is quite the opposite.
Blake is a young man searching for something to heal the pain and heartaches of his past. By moving west and accepting this new position, he plans to forget all of his painful memories and disappointments. What he hasn’t counted on is that the Lord’s voice can be heard just as clearly in Wisconsin as in Massachusetts.”
A Light in Bailey’s Harbor was a pleasant afternoon read. I enjoyed the very interesting potential origin story of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. While Katy Kippling is the main character, my personal favorite was her friend, a non-native English speaker who frequently spouted malapropisms in her endearing accent.
I wasn’t ready for A Light in Bailey’s Harbor to end; in fact, I double-checked my Kindle to be sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped more chapters. Alas, it was over, and so was my stay at the Wisconsin lighthouse. Why don’t you pick up a copy of the novel and go for a visit yourself?...

Five Things I Learned About Being A “Real” AuthorDecember 31, 2017WritingWe’re wrapping up 2017. It’s been a big year for me, personally and professionally. Publishing my first novel has taught me a lot that I never knew about literature–and that’s saying something, considering that I am a teacher of literature! Here are five things that I learned this year:





Reviews Are Important – I never really thought about reviewing novels before. I honestly never gave it a second thought; especially the novels by best-selling authors. But once I became an author, I realized how important reviews are. Aside from the fact that reviews help put your novel out there for other people, reviews teach you important things about your own writing. A lot of my friends have read my book, but I don’t know anything about what they thought. I don’t know which characters they loved or hated, which parts they wished had been longer, and which jokes they thought were annoying. A good, honest review is very valuable to an author and really helps them hone their craft.





2. Writing is a LOT of work – Boy, is it a lot of work. It takes hours to write a draft of a chapter. Then it takes more hours to revise that chapter. Your average novel is 25 – 30 chapters long. That can be 180 hours just to write your first draft. If you were working a regular 40-hour workweek, that’s almost a month. And that’s just the first draft. That doesn’t count your own revisions before you send it off to an acquisitions editor, who may or may not request additional revisions before offering a contract. Then, there are additional revisions to be made. When you and your publisher finally agree on all the revisions, then there’s another final proofreading read-through. It takes forever. I signed my contract for Don’t Ask Me to Leave in July. It wasn’t published until March of the following year, and somebody was working on something pretty much up until that date.
3. You Can’t Do It Alone – It’s funny. Writing is one of the most social anti-social professions I’ve ever seen. You have to write the manuscript yourself, sure. But from there, you can’t do it alone. You rely on so many others along the way. You rely on the help of your editor, your publisher, your cover art designer, and countless other people to get the book on the shelves (or to digital readers), but it doesn’t stop there. Once the book is published, you need the help of others to help get the word out about your book. Again, I feel guilty about this one. I so rarely shared good books I read with other people (and in a way, it’s kind of my job). In 2018, I’m making a much bigger effort to share with others.
4. Where You Sell Matters – Again, I hadn’t really thought about this one. I figured it all worked pretty much the same way. I also didn’t think much about print versus eBooks. A book was a book, or so I thought. But as it turns out, some companies are a lot more friendly to authors (like Amazon). And it also matters how you sell. For example, if someone gets the book on Kindle and only reads 1/3 of it, you don’t make as much money than if they read the whole book (which means it’s definitely worth your while to work hard on making the book engaging!)
5. You Have To Keep an Open Mind – If you had told me three years ago that I would write and publish a contemporary romance novel, I’d have laughed in your face. I don’t read romance novels, as a rule. I don’t even watch “chick flick” movies. I always figured I’d write YA fantasy . . . but here I am. I’ve learned that you have to keep an open mind, no matter what. For example, I see my character one way, but an editor might not. If I’m open to suggestions, we might both be able to come to a much more beneficial interpretation.
What about you? What do you wonder about the publishing world?...

Why I #AmWriting About PTSD

[image error]I was recently chatting online with some people about my work in progress, The Soldier’s Wife. I was telling them about my plans for the characters, and we started talking about my plans for Uriah. In the Bible, Uriah is a soldier. In my novel, he becomes Ryan, a special forces member who has come back from a recent deployment not quite himself. He’s struggling with PTSD, which is one of the contributing factors to the breakdown of his marriage to Barbara (Bathsheba).

One of the people raised this question: why give Ryan PTSD? It’s a good question. Here’s why.

PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is becoming very prevalent in our society. Here are some statistics, courtesy PTSD United:

8% of Americans have PTSD at any given time. That’s over 24 million people.
The Veterans’ Administration (VA) estimates that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans suffer from PTSD. That’s 400,000 soldiers.
In the past year, the number of diagnosed cases in the military jumped fifty percent–and that’s just the diagnosed cases.

If those statistics aren’t sobering enough, here are a few others from the VA:

In 2014, 18% of all adult suicides in the United States were military veterans.
That is an increase of 32% since 2001.
The increase of female veteran suicide rates is an even more alarming 85.2%.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t like to talk about the “ugly” side of war. It’s only been in the recent past that we have begun to truly discuss and learn about the atrocities of the Vietnam War (and if you don’t know much about the war, I highly recommend Ken Burns’ documentary).

It’s not a disservice to Uriah to give his modern counterpart PTSD. PTSD is a very real struggle that many of our military (and, let’s face it, non-military) families face every day. Simply “not talking about it” won’t make it go away.

Aside from calling attention to the issue, I think including it also gives more potential depth to the characters. We really must think about the motives that everyone has for their behavior (from David to Uriah to Bathsheba), and how each bear their own responsibility for everything that is to come.

There’s no doubt Uriah was a good soldier. He wanted to stay with his men. But what kind of husband does that make him? Well, that’s one of the things that I explore in The Soldier’s Wife.

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!

Latest NewsWhy I #AmWriting About PTSDJanuary 3, 2018The Soldier's Wife / WritingI was recently chatting online with some people about my work in progress, The Soldier’s Wife. I was telling them about my plans for the characters, and we started talking about my plans for Uriah. In the Bible, Uriah is a soldier. In my novel, he becomes Ryan, a special forces member who has come back from a recent deployment not quite himself. He’s struggling with PTSD, which is one of the contributing factors to the breakdown of his marriage to Barbara (Bathsheba).
One of the people raised this question: why give Ryan PTSD? It’s a good question. Here’s why.
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is becoming very prevalent in our society. Here are some statistics, courtesy PTSD United:

8% of Americans have PTSD at any given time. That’s over 24 million people.
The Veterans’ Administration (VA) estimates that up to 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom veterans suffer from PTSD. That’s 400,000 soldiers.
In the past year, the number of diagnosed cases in the military jumped fifty percent–and that’s just the diagnosed cases.

If those statistics aren’t sobering enough, here are a few others from the VA:

In 2014, 18% of all adult suicides in the United States were military veterans.
That is an increase of 32% since 2001.
The increase of female veteran suicide rates is an even more alarming 85.2%.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t like to talk about the “ugly” side of war. It’s only been in the recent past that we have begun to truly discuss and learn about the atrocities of the Vietnam War (and if you don’t know much about the war, I highly recommend Ken Burns’ documentary).
It’s not a disservice to Uriah to give his modern counterpart PTSD. PTSD is a very real struggle that many of our military (and, let’s face it, non-military) families face every day. Simply “not talking about it” won’t make it go away.
Aside from calling attention to the issue, I think including it also gives more potential depth to the characters. We really must think about the motives that everyone has for their behavior (from David to Uriah to Bathsheba), and how each bear their own responsibility for everything that is to come.
There’s no doubt Uriah was a good soldier. He wanted to stay with his men. But what kind of husband does that make him? Well, that’s one of the things that I explore in The Soldier’s Wife.
What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them!...

I am (Not) ResolvedJanuary 1, 2018WritingCall me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.
For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.
So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?...

#BookReview: A Light in Bailey’s HarborJanuary 1, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingRecently, I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon reading A Light in Bailey’s Harbor, by Bethany Baker (Follow her on Facebook here).
As the listing on Amazon reads, “Katy Kippling has an abundance of personality, or so she was told by a recent male acquaintance. Trying to conform to the etiquette of an 1880’s lady is difficult enough, without adding the challenges of having an abundance of personality.
Katy loves the Cana Island Lighthouse, serving her small lakeside town in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1880, the new lighthouse keeper arrives. While Katy imagines his stately captain’s beard and noble brow, Blake Strawberry, the new keeper, is quite the opposite.
Blake is a young man searching for something to heal the pain and heartaches of his past. By moving west and accepting this new position, he plans to forget all of his painful memories and disappointments. What he hasn’t counted on is that the Lord’s voice can be heard just as clearly in Wisconsin as in Massachusetts.”
A Light in Bailey’s Harbor was a pleasant afternoon read. I enjoyed the very interesting potential origin story of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. While Katy Kippling is the main character, my personal favorite was her friend, a non-native English speaker who frequently spouted malapropisms in her endearing accent.
I wasn’t ready for A Light in Bailey’s Harbor to end; in fact, I double-checked my Kindle to be sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped more chapters. Alas, it was over, and so was my stay at the Wisconsin lighthouse. Why don’t you pick up a copy of the novel and go for a visit yourself?...

Five Things I Learned About Being A “Real” AuthorDecember 31, 2017WritingWe’re wrapping up 2017. It’s been a big year for me, personally and professionally. Publishing my first novel has taught me a lot that I never knew about literature–and that’s saying something, considering that I am a teacher of literature! Here are five things that I learned this year:





Reviews Are Important – I never really thought about reviewing novels before. I honestly never gave it a second thought; especially the novels by best-selling authors. But once I became an author, I realized how important reviews are. Aside from the fact that reviews help put your novel out there for other people, reviews teach you important things about your own writing. A lot of my friends have read my book, but I don’t know anything about what they thought. I don’t know which characters they loved or hated, which parts they wished had been longer, and which jokes they thought were annoying. A good, honest review is very valuable to an author and really helps them hone their craft.





2. Writing is a LOT of work – Boy, is it a lot of work. It takes hours to write a draft of a chapter. Then it takes more hours to revise that chapter. Your average novel is 25 – 30 chapters long. That can be 180 hours just to write your first draft. If you were working a regular 40-hour workweek, that’s almost a month. And that’s just the first draft. That doesn’t count your own revisions before you send it off to an acquisitions editor, who may or may not request additional revisions before offering a contract. Then, there are additional revisions to be made. When you and your publisher finally agree on all the revisions, then there’s another final proofreading read-through. It takes forever. I signed my contract for Don’t Ask Me to Leave in July. It wasn’t published until March of the following year, and somebody was working on something pretty much up until that date.
3. You Can’t Do It Alone – It’s funny. Writing is one of the most social anti-social professions I’ve ever seen. You have to write the manuscript yourself, sure. But from there, you can’t do it alone. You rely on so many others along the way. You rely on the help of your editor, your publisher, your cover art designer, and countless other people to get the book on the shelves (or to digital readers), but it doesn’t stop there. Once the book is published, you need the help of others to help get the word out about your book. Again, I feel guilty about this one. I so rarely shared good books I read with other people (and in a way, it’s kind of my job). In 2018, I’m making a much bigger effort to share with others.
4. Where You Sell Matters – Again, I hadn’t really thought about this one. I figured it all worked pretty much the same way. I also didn’t think much about print versus eBooks. A book was a book, or so I thought. But as it turns out, some companies are a lot more friendly to authors (like Amazon). And it also matters how you sell. For example, if someone gets the book on Kindle and only reads 1/3 of it, you don’t make as much money than if they read the whole book (which means it’s definitely worth your while to work hard on making the book engaging!)
5. You Have To Keep an Open Mind – If you had told me three years ago that I would write and publish a contemporary romance novel, I’d have laughed in your face. I don’t read romance novels, as a rule. I don’t even watch “chick flick” movies. I always figured I’d write YA fantasy . . . but here I am. I’ve learned that you have to keep an open mind, no matter what. For example, I see my character one way, but an editor might not. If I’m open to suggestions, we might both be able to come to a much more beneficial interpretation.
What about you? What do you wonder about the publishing world?...

Songs of My Soul: Count Your BlessingsDecember 28, 2017Don't Ask Me to Leave / Songs of the Soul / WritingWe’ve just had a wonderful Christmas holiday. As usual, my children were very blessed (probably a little too blessed, honestly), and my living room still shows the signs of it. I have great children, and they keep swinging by the couch giving us hugs or kisses and saying thank you. They know they’re blessed.
Still, it made me think, though. Sometimes it’s easy to see your blessings, as it was for us when the floor was full of toys, discarded wrapping paper, and cardboard boxes. Other times, it’s not so easy. And that’s when it’s the most important to count your blessings.
In my first novel, Don’t Ask Me to Leave, the main character struggles a lot with that. The novel is based on the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible, which means that very early on, the main character loses her husband (and almost her faith). She balks when others point out the blessings that still surround her.
That is how it often happens, isn’t it? “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost”?
So many of our blessings are easy to ignore or forget. But right now, I am so blessed. I am sitting on a couch, surrounded by family and two very grateful cats inside a warm house while it’s below 20 degrees outside. My refrigerator is full. I live in a country where I am free to express my opinions out loud, online, in just about any way I see fit.
And sometimes, when we think we’re not blessed, it’s because we’re “missing the forest for the trees”.
About thirteen years ago, I was pregnant with our son. To our dismay, it was a high-risk pregnancy, and starting at four months, I started bouncing in and out of the hospital thanks to pre-eclampsia. My husband ended up leaving his job, and for a few days there, we were very worried and stressed.
And then the phone rang.
He had applied for another job months prior (so many months, he’d almost forgotten about the application), and he would start in a few days.
So it ended up that he was off work while I was having my initial hospital stays and diagnosis, and then he started a new job with better insurance, pay, and hours.
Blessings come in many forms, even when you’re not expecting them.
We’re just a few days away from a new year. There’s no telling what it will bring. I’m sure there will be struggles and sorrows, but blessings also abound. I hope that you will be blessed in this new year....

I am (Not) Resolved

Call me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.

[image error]For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.

So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?

Latest NewsI am (Not) ResolvedJanuary 1, 2018WritingCall me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.
For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.
So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?...

#BookReview: A Light in Bailey’s HarborJanuary 1, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingRecently, I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon reading A Light in Bailey’s Harbor, by Bethany Baker (Follow her on Facebook here).
As the listing on Amazon reads, “Katy Kippling has an abundance of personality, or so she was told by a recent male acquaintance. Trying to conform to the etiquette of an 1880’s lady is difficult enough, without adding the challenges of having an abundance of personality.
Katy loves the Cana Island Lighthouse, serving her small lakeside town in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1880, the new lighthouse keeper arrives. While Katy imagines his stately captain’s beard and noble brow, Blake Strawberry, the new keeper, is quite the opposite.
Blake is a young man searching for something to heal the pain and heartaches of his past. By moving west and accepting this new position, he plans to forget all of his painful memories and disappointments. What he hasn’t counted on is that the Lord’s voice can be heard just as clearly in Wisconsin as in Massachusetts.”
A Light in Bailey’s Harbor was a pleasant afternoon read. I enjoyed the very interesting potential origin story of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. While Katy Kippling is the main character, my personal favorite was her friend, a non-native English speaker who frequently spouted malapropisms in her endearing accent.
I wasn’t ready for A Light in Bailey’s Harbor to end; in fact, I double-checked my Kindle to be sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped more chapters. Alas, it was over, and so was my stay at the Wisconsin lighthouse. Why don’t you pick up a copy of the novel and go for a visit yourself?...

Five Things I Learned About Being A “Real” AuthorDecember 31, 2017WritingWe’re wrapping up 2017. It’s been a big year for me, personally and professionally. Publishing my first novel has taught me a lot that I never knew about literature–and that’s saying something, considering that I am a teacher of literature! Here are five things that I learned this year:





Reviews Are Important – I never really thought about reviewing novels before. I honestly never gave it a second thought; especially the novels by best-selling authors. But once I became an author, I realized how important reviews are. Aside from the fact that reviews help put your novel out there for other people, reviews teach you important things about your own writing. A lot of my friends have read my book, but I don’t know anything about what they thought. I don’t know which characters they loved or hated, which parts they wished had been longer, and which jokes they thought were annoying. A good, honest review is very valuable to an author and really helps them hone their craft.





2. Writing is a LOT of work – Boy, is it a lot of work. It takes hours to write a draft of a chapter. Then it takes more hours to revise that chapter. Your average novel is 25 – 30 chapters long. That can be 180 hours just to write your first draft. If you were working a regular 40-hour workweek, that’s almost a month. And that’s just the first draft. That doesn’t count your own revisions before you send it off to an acquisitions editor, who may or may not request additional revisions before offering a contract. Then, there are additional revisions to be made. When you and your publisher finally agree on all the revisions, then there’s another final proofreading read-through. It takes forever. I signed my contract for Don’t Ask Me to Leave in July. It wasn’t published until March of the following year, and somebody was working on something pretty much up until that date.
3. You Can’t Do It Alone – It’s funny. Writing is one of the most social anti-social professions I’ve ever seen. You have to write the manuscript yourself, sure. But from there, you can’t do it alone. You rely on so many others along the way. You rely on the help of your editor, your publisher, your cover art designer, and countless other people to get the book on the shelves (or to digital readers), but it doesn’t stop there. Once the book is published, you need the help of others to help get the word out about your book. Again, I feel guilty about this one. I so rarely shared good books I read with other people (and in a way, it’s kind of my job). In 2018, I’m making a much bigger effort to share with others.
4. Where You Sell Matters – Again, I hadn’t really thought about this one. I figured it all worked pretty much the same way. I also didn’t think much about print versus eBooks. A book was a book, or so I thought. But as it turns out, some companies are a lot more friendly to authors (like Amazon). And it also matters how you sell. For example, if someone gets the book on Kindle and only reads 1/3 of it, you don’t make as much money than if they read the whole book (which means it’s definitely worth your while to work hard on making the book engaging!)
5. You Have To Keep an Open Mind – If you had told me three years ago that I would write and publish a contemporary romance novel, I’d have laughed in your face. I don’t read romance novels, as a rule. I don’t even watch “chick flick” movies. I always figured I’d write YA fantasy . . . but here I am. I’ve learned that you have to keep an open mind, no matter what. For example, I see my character one way, but an editor might not. If I’m open to suggestions, we might both be able to come to a much more beneficial interpretation.
What about you? What do you wonder about the publishing world?...

Songs of My Soul: Count Your BlessingsDecember 28, 2017Don't Ask Me to Leave / Songs of the Soul / WritingWe’ve just had a wonderful Christmas holiday. As usual, my children were very blessed (probably a little too blessed, honestly), and my living room still shows the signs of it. I have great children, and they keep swinging by the couch giving us hugs or kisses and saying thank you. They know they’re blessed.
Still, it made me think, though. Sometimes it’s easy to see your blessings, as it was for us when the floor was full of toys, discarded wrapping paper, and cardboard boxes. Other times, it’s not so easy. And that’s when it’s the most important to count your blessings.
In my first novel, Don’t Ask Me to Leave, the main character struggles a lot with that. The novel is based on the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible, which means that very early on, the main character loses her husband (and almost her faith). She balks when others point out the blessings that still surround her.
That is how it often happens, isn’t it? “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost”?
So many of our blessings are easy to ignore or forget. But right now, I am so blessed. I am sitting on a couch, surrounded by family and two very grateful cats inside a warm house while it’s below 20 degrees outside. My refrigerator is full. I live in a country where I am free to express my opinions out loud, online, in just about any way I see fit.
And sometimes, when we think we’re not blessed, it’s because we’re “missing the forest for the trees”.
About thirteen years ago, I was pregnant with our son. To our dismay, it was a high-risk pregnancy, and starting at four months, I started bouncing in and out of the hospital thanks to pre-eclampsia. My husband ended up leaving his job, and for a few days there, we were very worried and stressed.
And then the phone rang.
He had applied for another job months prior (so many months, he’d almost forgotten about the application), and he would start in a few days.
So it ended up that he was off work while I was having my initial hospital stays and diagnosis, and then he started a new job with better insurance, pay, and hours.
Blessings come in many forms, even when you’re not expecting them.
We’re just a few days away from a new year. There’s no telling what it will bring. I’m sure there will be struggles and sorrows, but blessings also abound. I hope that you will be blessed in this new year....

December Book Review: Dead BrokeDecember 27, 2017Monthly Book Review / WritingAnyone who knows me knows that I’m an avid reader. I devour a ridiculous number of books a year. Goodreads tells me that I read 196 electronically so far this year. That doesn’t count the ones I read in print (or that I re-read). So, I thought I’d start sharing with you some reviews of my discoveries.
This month, I’m reviewing Dead Broke, by Linda Fulkerson. Find it on Amazon here.
So, I should explain–I love mysteries and thrillers. What sometimes frustrates me, though, is that mysteries and thrillers can be suuuuuuper inappropriate. I don’t like having them auto-download to my Kindle, because I don’t want my kids to read some of the things in there, and there are several novels that I routinely have to skip ahead a few pages. I didn’t have to do that.
Fulkerson’s protagonist, Andrea Warren (call her Andy) has a fun sense of humor and just the right amount of self-deprecation.
“Some girls get perfect teeth and cute button noses from their moms. I got green eyes, freckles, and enough hair for three more heads.” – Dead Broke
Like most protagonists in the genre, Andy is operating on a shoestring budget, but it’s believable. She’s a photographer in a digital world, where anybody with an iPhone fancies themselves a pro.
There’s just the right mix of characters in the novel; as a reader, you’re not sure whom to trust until almost the very end (and even then, you find yourself wondering if there will be another twist). The story never felt predictable or contrived, and it was a truly pleasant read (and one that I don’t have to worry about showing up on my family’s devices).
I can’t wait to see what she has in store next for Andy. You can get your own copy from Amazon ($3.99 Kindle, $11.99 print), and find out more about her on her website, http://lindafulkerson.com/....

#BookReview: A Light in Bailey’s Harbor

Recently, I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon reading A Light in Bailey’s Harbor, by Bethany Baker (Follow her on Facebook here).

As the listing on Amazon reads, “Katy Kippling has an abundance of personality, or so she was told by a recent male acquaintance. Trying to conform to the etiquette of an 1880’s lady is difficult enough, without adding the challenges of having an abundance of personality.

Katy loves the Cana Island Lighthouse, serving her small lakeside town in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1880, the new lighthouse keeper arrives. While Katy imagines his stately captain’s beard and noble brow, Blake Strawberry, the new keeper, is quite the opposite.

Blake is a young man searching for something to heal the pain and heartaches of his past. By moving west and accepting this new position, he plans to forget all of his painful memories and disappointments. What he hasn’t counted on is that the Lord’s voice can be heard just as clearly in Wisconsin as in Massachusetts.”

A Light in Bailey’s Harbor was a pleasant afternoon read. I enjoyed the very interesting potential origin story of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. While Katy Kippling is the main character, my personal favorite was her friend, a non-native English speaker who frequently spouted malapropisms in her endearing accent.

I wasn’t ready for A Light in Bailey’s Harbor to end; in fact, I double-checked my Kindle to be sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped more chapters. Alas, it was over, and so was my stay at the Wisconsin lighthouse. Why don’t you pick up a copy of the novel and go for a visit yourself?

Latest NewsI am (Not) ResolvedJanuary 1, 2018WritingCall me a rebel, but I don’t do resolutions. I know today’s The Day, and everyone’s been happily posting theirs online all morning, but I just can’t.
For me, it never made sense to wait until a certain day to start something. Going to start a diet? Start it. Don’t cheat for two weeks and wait to start on the first Monday of a new month.
So, here are the things I am (not) resolved to do this year (because I already started them):

Exercise more – About a month ago, I started a new fitness program someone recommended to me. I have had five abdominal surgeries, and my stomach’s a wreck. This program is meant for postnatal moms, and while it’s been a year or eight since I last gave birth, I thought it would be perfect for me in my post-c-section-post-appendectomy-post-gallbladder state. I really enjoy it, and so far I have been working out four times a week with this program.
Eat right – last year, I started the Trim Healthy Mama plan (any other THMs in the house)? Anyway, we’ve been eating this way for months now, and while I don’t plan on doing much differently, I am continually growing in my understanding of the concepts and branching out to try new recipes and ingredients. Newsflash: there are zucchini in my fridge that I bought because I like them. I’m not sure what to do with that.
Write more – I am so bad about putting everybody else first. I’ve wiped a lot of things off my plate, so I won’t feel as guilty about spending more time at the computer. I’m finished with National Board Certification (woo hoo!), and I recently sent in my application to be a Google Trainer after finishing my Level 2 certification. There’s not really much standing in my way except, you know, me. So there’s that.
Participate more in the writing community – Ya’ll, I’m bad about reviewing other people’s novels. Which is terrible, since I wish more people would review mine, but that’s neither here nor there. Last month, I’ve started writing a review every time I finish a book unless the author is long since deceased (and considering that I teach literature, that’s a fair concession, I think. Otherwise Shakespeare would be getting all sorts of favorable reviews from some chick in Kentucky).

So what about you? Do you “do” resolutions? If so, what are they?...

#BookReview: A Light in Bailey’s HarborJanuary 1, 2018Monthly Book Review / WritingRecently, I had the pleasure to spend an afternoon reading A Light in Bailey’s Harbor, by Bethany Baker (Follow her on Facebook here).
As the listing on Amazon reads, “Katy Kippling has an abundance of personality, or so she was told by a recent male acquaintance. Trying to conform to the etiquette of an 1880’s lady is difficult enough, without adding the challenges of having an abundance of personality.
Katy loves the Cana Island Lighthouse, serving her small lakeside town in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. In the summer of 1880, the new lighthouse keeper arrives. While Katy imagines his stately captain’s beard and noble brow, Blake Strawberry, the new keeper, is quite the opposite.
Blake is a young man searching for something to heal the pain and heartaches of his past. By moving west and accepting this new position, he plans to forget all of his painful memories and disappointments. What he hasn’t counted on is that the Lord’s voice can be heard just as clearly in Wisconsin as in Massachusetts.”
A Light in Bailey’s Harbor was a pleasant afternoon read. I enjoyed the very interesting potential origin story of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul”. While Katy Kippling is the main character, my personal favorite was her friend, a non-native English speaker who frequently spouted malapropisms in her endearing accent.
I wasn’t ready for A Light in Bailey’s Harbor to end; in fact, I double-checked my Kindle to be sure I hadn’t accidentally skipped more chapters. Alas, it was over, and so was my stay at the Wisconsin lighthouse. Why don’t you pick up a copy of the novel and go for a visit yourself?...

Five Things I Learned About Being A “Real” AuthorDecember 31, 2017WritingWe’re wrapping up 2017. It’s been a big year for me, personally and professionally. Publishing my first novel has taught me a lot that I never knew about literature–and that’s saying something, considering that I am a teacher of literature! Here are five things that I learned this year:





Reviews Are Important – I never really thought about reviewing novels before. I honestly never gave it a second thought; especially the novels by best-selling authors. But once I became an author, I realized how important reviews are. Aside from the fact that reviews help put your novel out there for other people, reviews teach you important things about your own writing. A lot of my friends have read my book, but I don’t know anything about what they thought. I don’t know which characters they loved or hated, which parts they wished had been longer, and which jokes they thought were annoying. A good, honest review is very valuable to an author and really helps them hone their craft.





2. Writing is a LOT of work – Boy, is it a lot of work. It takes hours to write a draft of a chapter. Then it takes more hours to revise that chapter. Your average novel is 25 – 30 chapters long. That can be 180 hours just to write your first draft. If you were working a regular 40-hour workweek, that’s almost a month. And that’s just the first draft. That doesn’t count your own revisions before you send it off to an acquisitions editor, who may or may not request additional revisions before offering a contract. Then, there are additional revisions to be made. When you and your publisher finally agree on all the revisions, then there’s another final proofreading read-through. It takes forever. I signed my contract for Don’t Ask Me to Leave in July. It wasn’t published until March of the following year, and somebody was working on something pretty much up until that date.
3. You Can’t Do It Alone – It’s funny. Writing is one of the most social anti-social professions I’ve ever seen. You have to write the manuscript yourself, sure. But from there, you can’t do it alone. You rely on so many others along the way. You rely on the help of your editor, your publisher, your cover art designer, and countless other people to get the book on the shelves (or to digital readers), but it doesn’t stop there. Once the book is published, you need the help of others to help get the word out about your book. Again, I feel guilty about this one. I so rarely shared good books I read with other people (and in a way, it’s kind of my job). In 2018, I’m making a much bigger effort to share with others.
4. Where You Sell Matters – Again, I hadn’t really thought about this one. I figured it all worked pretty much the same way. I also didn’t think much about print versus eBooks. A book was a book, or so I thought. But as it turns out, some companies are a lot more friendly to authors (like Amazon). And it also matters how you sell. For example, if someone gets the book on Kindle and only reads 1/3 of it, you don’t make as much money than if they read the whole book (which means it’s definitely worth your while to work hard on making the book engaging!)
5. You Have To Keep an Open Mind – If you had told me three years ago that I would write and publish a contemporary romance novel, I’d have laughed in your face. I don’t read romance novels, as a rule. I don’t even watch “chick flick” movies. I always figured I’d write YA fantasy . . . but here I am. I’ve learned that you have to keep an open mind, no matter what. For example, I see my character one way, but an editor might not. If I’m open to suggestions, we might both be able to come to a much more beneficial interpretation.
What about you? What do you wonder about the publishing world?...

Songs of My Soul: Count Your BlessingsDecember 28, 2017Don't Ask Me to Leave / Songs of the Soul / WritingWe’ve just had a wonderful Christmas holiday. As usual, my children were very blessed (probably a little too blessed, honestly), and my living room still shows the signs of it. I have great children, and they keep swinging by the couch giving us hugs or kisses and saying thank you. They know they’re blessed.
Still, it made me think, though. Sometimes it’s easy to see your blessings, as it was for us when the floor was full of toys, discarded wrapping paper, and cardboard boxes. Other times, it’s not so easy. And that’s when it’s the most important to count your blessings.
In my first novel, Don’t Ask Me to Leave, the main character struggles a lot with that. The novel is based on the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible, which means that very early on, the main character loses her husband (and almost her faith). She balks when others point out the blessings that still surround her.
That is how it often happens, isn’t it? “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost”?
So many of our blessings are easy to ignore or forget. But right now, I am so blessed. I am sitting on a couch, surrounded by family and two very grateful cats inside a warm house while it’s below 20 degrees outside. My refrigerator is full. I live in a country where I am free to express my opinions out loud, online, in just about any way I see fit.
And sometimes, when we think we’re not blessed, it’s because we’re “missing the forest for the trees”.
About thirteen years ago, I was pregnant with our son. To our dismay, it was a high-risk pregnancy, and starting at four months, I started bouncing in and out of the hospital thanks to pre-eclampsia. My husband ended up leaving his job, and for a few days there, we were very worried and stressed.
And then the phone rang.
He had applied for another job months prior (so many months, he’d almost forgotten about the application), and he would start in a few days.
So it ended up that he was off work while I was having my initial hospital stays and diagnosis, and then he started a new job with better insurance, pay, and hours.
Blessings come in many forms, even when you’re not expecting them.
We’re just a few days away from a new year. There’s no telling what it will bring. I’m sure there will be struggles and sorrows, but blessings also abound. I hope that you will be blessed in this new year....

December Book Review: Dead BrokeDecember 27, 2017Monthly Book Review / WritingAnyone who knows me knows that I’m an avid reader. I devour a ridiculous number of books a year. Goodreads tells me that I read 196 electronically so far this year. That doesn’t count the ones I read in print (or that I re-read). So, I thought I’d start sharing with you some reviews of my discoveries.
This month, I’m reviewing Dead Broke, by Linda Fulkerson. Find it on Amazon here.
So, I should explain–I love mysteries and thrillers. What sometimes frustrates me, though, is that mysteries and thrillers can be suuuuuuper inappropriate. I don’t like having them auto-download to my Kindle, because I don’t want my kids to read some of the things in there, and there are several novels that I routinely have to skip ahead a few pages. I didn’t have to do that.
Fulkerson’s protagonist, Andrea Warren (call her Andy) has a fun sense of humor and just the right amount of self-deprecation.
“Some girls get perfect teeth and cute button noses from their moms. I got green eyes, freckles, and enough hair for three more heads.” – Dead Broke
Like most protagonists in the genre, Andy is operating on a shoestring budget, but it’s believable. She’s a photographer in a digital world, where anybody with an iPhone fancies themselves a pro.
There’s just the right mix of characters in the novel; as a reader, you’re not sure whom to trust until almost the very end (and even then, you find yourself wondering if there will be another twist). The story never felt predictable or contrived, and it was a truly pleasant read (and one that I don’t have to worry about showing up on my family’s devices).
I can’t wait to see what she has in store next for Andy. You can get your own copy from Amazon ($3.99 Kindle, $11.99 print), and find out more about her on her website, http://lindafulkerson.com/....