Grace A. Johnson's Blog: Of Blades & Thorns, page 50
December 1, 2020
Name of the Week: Margaret
Well, I've hem-hawed all last week about December's first Name of the Week, and of course I've been hem-hawing about whether or not I should do this particular character's name now or closer to Bound and Determined's 2021 release.
As you can probably tell, I've decided to share with y'all the story behind the name Margaret--one of the key characters in Bound and Determined!
I'll to keep this short and the spoilers down to maybe one or two.
Margaret is a very interesting name, believe it or not. Especially in the way I'm using it for Bound and Determined. It has many variants, many nicknames (some of which are kind of strange), and two separate meanings in the same name.
Margaret all started out in Latin--which, per the word margarita--is more than a little obvious. The Latin name, Margarita (you so saw that coming, didn't you?), actually comes from the Greek (). The word means "pearl," and it goes even farther back into an Indo-Iranian language. The name was popularized by Saint Margaret, who was martyred in the 4th century in Antioch.
Even today the name is popular, thanks to people like Margaret Mitchell, Margaret Thatcher, and several queens in Europe throughout the last several centuries. We all likely have at least one Margaret in the family tree.
I don't have any Margarets that I know of, though.
But wait. Didn't I just say that it's a family name?
Well, it is. A variant of it, anyway.
My great-grandmother's name was Margarite, which is more closely related to the Northern European Maragreta and Margreet, the Latin Roman and Greek Margarita, and the Danish and Dutch diminutive Grete/Greet. My granny went by Grete for most of her life, I believe, which is a popular nickname in Europe, whereas we in America/England have Meggy, Peggy, Maggie, Midge, and others as nicknames.
And that's just a few of the many, many, many variations and diminutives of Margaret there are.
I said something about separate meanings, didn't I?
I did. And I was talking about the French form Marguerite--pronounced like Margareet or Margarite. I use Marguerite as the basis for my character's name, as she is French and Anglo-Norman in origin. Therefore, my Margaret doesn't go by Maggie or Mae.
She's Daisy.
Marguerite is in fact the French word for "daisy." The French word is of no relation to the Greek word, but the names themselves correspond. Funny how that is, huh?
When I first created Margaret Sharow, she was just Daisy. I had a face and a personality just begging for that name, and from there I chose Margaret as her given name. Believe it or not, Daisy isn't the only character who is a "Margaret." My minor character Marjorie from Held Captive would find that her name is another variant of Margaret.
Intriguing, eh?
Well, I hope y'all enjoyed this little glimpse into the origins and meanings of Margaret. Lord knows that I wanted to share some excerpts and spoilers...but we'll save that for another day, aye? You can always find some sneak peeks in my earlier blog posts, take a look at the inspiration behind BAD (along with some of my other stories) on Pinterest, and stay up-to-date on my writing progress by signing up for my newsletter! Just enter your email at the bottom of the page, and you'll receive my monthly newsletter and get notified every time I post here on my blog!
Merry Christmas!
(Update: Yeah...some idiot thought that today, Tuesday, December 1st, was Monday. I'm not pointing any fingers, but we've all been thinking it...)
November 25, 2020
Dreams of Savannah Coming Soon!
First things first, that cover. Second things first, Savannah? Aw, yeah! I got Georgia on my mind, baby!
Roseanna M. White's second Civil War era novel is coming out January 5th, 2021! Dreams of Savannah promises to be a delightful novel full of intrigue, romance, and adventure! I can't wait...but, guess what!
I don't have to, and neither do you!
If you're looking for a new Christian historical romance to add to your collection, or you're as excited for Mrs. White's next release as much as I am, then YOU can have the chance to get an exclusive sneak peek before the release date sent straight to your inbox everyday for a month! All you have to do is click the link below and sign up for Mrs. White's newsletter and sneak peek package! (Not really a package, by the way.)
The sneak peeks will be released serial style, and not only will you be able to read them and get a taste of Roseanna M. White's amazing writing style, but you'll get first glimpses at new releases, cover reveals, and everyday insights in the future!
Wait. You're not sure if Dreams of Savannah is for you? Well, I recommend reading this tantalizing blurb! And if you're not sold by the time we're through, then share this with your friends and family who may be interested!
Cordelia Owens can weave a dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.
But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him.
As the War Between the States rages ever nearer and Savannah's slaves start sneaking away to the islands off the coast to join the Yankees, both Phin and Cordelia get caught up in questions they never thought they'd have to ask--questions that threaten the very dreams of a future they'd cherished.
See? I told you you'd be interested! Now, stay tuned, because I'll have more news about Dreams of Savannah coming throughout the next month and a half, and I'll be sharing my review after the holidays!
November 21, 2020
New Blog Series!
Coming Soon...
...As in, TOMORROW!
My new blog series, "Theories of Man," begins tomorrow, Sunday, November 22nd. Every fourth Sunday of every month (until Lord knows when), I'll be selecting a different "theory"--be it regarding religion itself, the Bible, denominational practices, Biblical interpretation, spiritual gifts, etc.--and carefully examining it.
My purpose is to make the Christian majority aware of the theories that are being taught in churches, books, and even by the media and the secular world. I'll be returning to the Bible verses theologians, scholars, and our modern culture have taken out of context to reveal the true meaning of God's Word and His will for His children.
A few examples are the popular "Flat Earth" theory, which debuts my new blog series tomorrow, Calvinism vs. Arminianism (aka predestination vs free will), and spiritual gifts such as "speaking in tongues" and prophesy.
By no means do I intend to enforce my opinion--I just want people to know the truth. And sometimes that takes going back to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin of God's Word and discovering what He really meant. Sometimes that means hurting a few feelings, particularly those of the people who have believed the lies fed to us by the media, the culture, and even the church.
If you enjoyed my three-part series "What is Church?" last month, then I'd bet (if I were a betting woman...ooh, there's a theory for ya: Is Gambling a Sin?) that you'll love "Theories of Man"!
Do you have any theories you'd like me to examine, any questions you've never found answers to? PLEASE let me know! You can contact me on my website and share what you'd like to learn more about.
Are you ready to dive in to the "Theories of Man," the man-made "truths" we've been led to believe were God's? Then join me tomorrow for the first monthly installment on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
...As in, TOMORROW!
My new blog series, "Theories of Man," begins tomorrow, Sunday, November 22nd. Every fourth Sunday of every month (until Lord knows when), I'll be selecting a different "theory"--be it regarding religion itself, the Bible, denominational practices, Biblical interpretation, spiritual gifts, etc.--and carefully examining it.
My purpose is to make the Christian majority aware of the theories that are being taught in churches, books, and even by the media and the secular world. I'll be returning to the Bible verses theologians, scholars, and our modern culture have taken out of context to reveal the true meaning of God's Word and His will for His children.
A few examples are the popular "Flat Earth" theory, which debuts my new blog series tomorrow, Calvinism vs. Arminianism (aka predestination vs free will), and spiritual gifts such as "speaking in tongues" and prophesy.
By no means do I intend to enforce my opinion--I just want people to know the truth. And sometimes that takes going back to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin of God's Word and discovering what He really meant. Sometimes that means hurting a few feelings, particularly those of the people who have believed the lies fed to us by the media, the culture, and even the church.
If you enjoyed my three-part series "What is Church?" last month, then I'd bet (if I were a betting woman...ooh, there's a theory for ya: Is Gambling a Sin?) that you'll love "Theories of Man"!
Do you have any theories you'd like me to examine, any questions you've never found answers to? PLEASE let me know! You can contact me on my website and share what you'd like to learn more about.
Are you ready to dive in to the "Theories of Man," the man-made "truths" we've been led to believe were God's? Then join me tomorrow for the first monthly installment on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
November 17, 2020
Want a Free Book?
Scratch that. Want free BOOKS?
Don't tell me I'm the only one on planet earth who likes free stuff.
Surely there are more people who like free stuff. Surely you like free stuff. You do, don't you?
Anyway... Whether you like free stuff or not, whether you like to read or not, whether you like to review or not, there are THREE amazing books currently FREE for review.
What--for review? What does that mean?
That means that YOU get the chance to read a stupendous book at no cost but, like, five minutes of your time. All you have to do is leave a review on one or more sites--like Amazon, Goodreads, and more. Of course, you can't just miraculously pull the book out of thin air. You have to click right here, to view one of the three books available and download it seamlessly.
Just what are these three books anyway?
Well, one is Shadow Road: Shadows Rising Trilogy: Book 1, an epic fantasy story that came out earlier this year. It's written by indie author A. E. Pennymaker, and you can view my review of it by clicking the title above, or scrolling through my blog archives for my first author interview last month, where I showcased Pennymaker and her awesome debut novel. Download it here!
The second is Shadow Dance, the sequel to Shadow Road. It won't come out until next month, so the first who come get served an ARC first! You can read my review by clicking on the title or reading my last post! Download it here!
And the third... Well, that's my debut novel, Held Captive! If you haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, now's the time! I only have 12 e-copies left to download! Download it here!
I hope y'all take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, because it won't last long at all!
Don't tell me I'm the only one on planet earth who likes free stuff.
Surely there are more people who like free stuff. Surely you like free stuff. You do, don't you?
Anyway... Whether you like free stuff or not, whether you like to read or not, whether you like to review or not, there are THREE amazing books currently FREE for review.
What--for review? What does that mean?
That means that YOU get the chance to read a stupendous book at no cost but, like, five minutes of your time. All you have to do is leave a review on one or more sites--like Amazon, Goodreads, and more. Of course, you can't just miraculously pull the book out of thin air. You have to click right here, to view one of the three books available and download it seamlessly.
Just what are these three books anyway?
Well, one is Shadow Road: Shadows Rising Trilogy: Book 1, an epic fantasy story that came out earlier this year. It's written by indie author A. E. Pennymaker, and you can view my review of it by clicking the title above, or scrolling through my blog archives for my first author interview last month, where I showcased Pennymaker and her awesome debut novel. Download it here!
The second is Shadow Dance, the sequel to Shadow Road. It won't come out until next month, so the first who come get served an ARC first! You can read my review by clicking on the title or reading my last post! Download it here!
And the third... Well, that's my debut novel, Held Captive! If you haven't gotten a chance to read it yet, now's the time! I only have 12 e-copies left to download! Download it here!
I hope y'all take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, because it won't last long at all!
November 15, 2020
Beautiful Designs for SALE!
Y'all know I'm all about support. Support young, Christian, and/or indie authors. Support indie artists. Support local farmers and small business. Support Donald Trump. Support...okay, you get the point.
So today, I'm coming to you with TWO causes you can support with ONE purchase!
Adoption is a beautiful, bittersweet thing. It holds a very special place in my heart, to be honest, because two close family members were adopted--and if one of them hadn't been, I probably wouldn't be here today.
But sometimes, for those of us who can't actually adopt a child, it's hard to find ways to support both them and loving families who can.
Well, my good friend, the AMAZING Emily K. Seaver (who is not only a terrific person but also a great writer and designer), has presented the solution. She has a whole shop full of gorgeous designs on Redbubble that you can purchase in many different forms.
She has something for everyone, and you can check them out here! I urge you to support adoption (all the proceeds go directly to her family's adoption fund) and a young Christian artist by purchasing at least one of her designs now!
Want to see a few examples of her work? I've shared a few on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
So today, I'm coming to you with TWO causes you can support with ONE purchase!
Adoption is a beautiful, bittersweet thing. It holds a very special place in my heart, to be honest, because two close family members were adopted--and if one of them hadn't been, I probably wouldn't be here today.
But sometimes, for those of us who can't actually adopt a child, it's hard to find ways to support both them and loving families who can.
Well, my good friend, the AMAZING Emily K. Seaver (who is not only a terrific person but also a great writer and designer), has presented the solution. She has a whole shop full of gorgeous designs on Redbubble that you can purchase in many different forms.
She has something for everyone, and you can check them out here! I urge you to support adoption (all the proceeds go directly to her family's adoption fund) and a young Christian artist by purchasing at least one of her designs now!
Want to see a few examples of her work? I've shared a few on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
November 9, 2020
Calling All Reviewers!
So...I did something crazy yesterday.
I made Held Captive available on Booksprout for reviews. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Held Captive has been out for more than a year and a half--and, suffice it to say, it's not quite worth the time it takes to write a review.
But that's exactly why it's out there--a year and eight months later.
I'm calling all reviewers, because I have t-minus 18 e-copies (epub, mobi, and pdf) available for review from now until the reviews are due on January 1st, 2021.
I am super excited to see what happens with having my debut novel out there. I can't wait to see what readers (apart from my friends and family) think and what they say. I expect a lot of constructive criticism, and I'm open to that, because I have plans to rewrite Held Captive in the future.
I want this option out there for readers who want a chance to read Held Captive (and for free, at that) and for my own benefit, and I hope that you'll join the other few reviewers out there and snag your e-copy today! I can't wait to read what you think!
Just click right here and claim your review copy! (Note: Held Captive was released on March 23rd, 2019, and I know it says ARC, but these are not advanced readers copies. I am, however, asking that reviewers of this review copy would contact me through my website and let me know that they've reviewed Held Captive, so that they can be of the first to get a chance to review Bound and Determined when it releases sometime next year.)
And if you've already read Held Captive, feel free to post a review wherever you can, then contact me (link is above) and let me know. I'd love to thank you with a free short story!
Also, for those who aren't reviewers (or just don't have the time at this point to write one), please let your friends and family know (and share the Booksprout link through social media), so that everyone can have a chance to read and review Held Captive!
I made Held Captive available on Booksprout for reviews. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Held Captive has been out for more than a year and a half--and, suffice it to say, it's not quite worth the time it takes to write a review.
But that's exactly why it's out there--a year and eight months later.
I'm calling all reviewers, because I have t-minus 18 e-copies (epub, mobi, and pdf) available for review from now until the reviews are due on January 1st, 2021.
I am super excited to see what happens with having my debut novel out there. I can't wait to see what readers (apart from my friends and family) think and what they say. I expect a lot of constructive criticism, and I'm open to that, because I have plans to rewrite Held Captive in the future.
I want this option out there for readers who want a chance to read Held Captive (and for free, at that) and for my own benefit, and I hope that you'll join the other few reviewers out there and snag your e-copy today! I can't wait to read what you think!
Just click right here and claim your review copy! (Note: Held Captive was released on March 23rd, 2019, and I know it says ARC, but these are not advanced readers copies. I am, however, asking that reviewers of this review copy would contact me through my website and let me know that they've reviewed Held Captive, so that they can be of the first to get a chance to review Bound and Determined when it releases sometime next year.)
And if you've already read Held Captive, feel free to post a review wherever you can, then contact me (link is above) and let me know. I'd love to thank you with a free short story!
Also, for those who aren't reviewers (or just don't have the time at this point to write one), please let your friends and family know (and share the Booksprout link through social media), so that everyone can have a chance to read and review Held Captive!
November 7, 2020
National Indie Author Day!
Guess what today is...
National Indie Author Day!
Now, I know most of you have never heard of this awesome holiday, and, to be honest, I hadn't until a month or so ago when a friend brought it to my attention! And I'm so glad they did, because now, we'll all be able to celebrate independently and self-published authors together!
Indie authors don't get the credit they deserve. In fact, most of the time they're put down by traditional publishers, agents, authors, and others in the writing/publishing industry--but why? Because indie authors and indie books don't appeal to the market. They aren't out there for money of fame--if they were, they would've opted for traditional publishing long ago. Indie authors desire only to get their story out there--and, sometimes, those stories are subpar. Indie authors can't afford editors to spit-shine their stories, and a lot of the time, indie authors are your average joes, like myself. Most of them are young teens and college-aged adults, working middle-class parents, grandmas--the people with a story to tell but not the resources to do so in a business-minded, market-focused, very expensive world.
Sometimes indie books are full of typos, errors, horrible grammar, and even some not-so-nice content.
Sometimes they're not even worth the $0.99 charged for a Kindle copy on Amazon.
But then there are other times that you discover a gold mine. You find a story that's extremely well-written and decently edited, with a plot that hooks you and characters you feel for, by an author you can trust to give you quality stories you could let your child--or your mama--read! Even better, sometimes you find a young Christian author who has a calling laid upon their hearts to write great books for God's glory--and that's worth all of your support.
Starting TODAY, Indie Author Day, I'll be sharing about new Christian indie authors so that you can do your part to support young authors following God's call on their heart. I hope to have a new author each month, at least throughout the winter season. And this month, I want to introduce you to the girl who actually got all this started by sharing Indie Author Day with me, R. M. Archer!
R.M. Archer has been an avid reader since the time she could first make out words, and has always been a lover of story. That interest developed into a love of writing when she was seven (though those first attempts have long-since been incinerated), and she’s been pursuing a career as an author ever since. Archer combines her love for writing with a passion for her fellow youth and aims to write YA speculative fiction that shows teens that even their deepest-seated struggles can be overcome.
In addition to writing fiction, Archer keeps up a non-fiction blog of writing tips and book reviews.
You can check her out at her website, follow her blog, and like her Facebook page, or follow her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Pinterest!
I'm so happy that Ms. Archer took the time to answer some of my questions! It's been great to get to know her as a person and a fellow author, and I can't wait to share about her with y'all!
The first thing I did was ask her those basic questions I like to ask authors, which helps me understand how and why they became a writer.
I hope this excerpt has piqued your interest! If you want to read my interview with R.M. Archer, then hop on over to my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
National Indie Author Day!
Now, I know most of you have never heard of this awesome holiday, and, to be honest, I hadn't until a month or so ago when a friend brought it to my attention! And I'm so glad they did, because now, we'll all be able to celebrate independently and self-published authors together!
Indie authors don't get the credit they deserve. In fact, most of the time they're put down by traditional publishers, agents, authors, and others in the writing/publishing industry--but why? Because indie authors and indie books don't appeal to the market. They aren't out there for money of fame--if they were, they would've opted for traditional publishing long ago. Indie authors desire only to get their story out there--and, sometimes, those stories are subpar. Indie authors can't afford editors to spit-shine their stories, and a lot of the time, indie authors are your average joes, like myself. Most of them are young teens and college-aged adults, working middle-class parents, grandmas--the people with a story to tell but not the resources to do so in a business-minded, market-focused, very expensive world.
Sometimes indie books are full of typos, errors, horrible grammar, and even some not-so-nice content.
Sometimes they're not even worth the $0.99 charged for a Kindle copy on Amazon.
But then there are other times that you discover a gold mine. You find a story that's extremely well-written and decently edited, with a plot that hooks you and characters you feel for, by an author you can trust to give you quality stories you could let your child--or your mama--read! Even better, sometimes you find a young Christian author who has a calling laid upon their hearts to write great books for God's glory--and that's worth all of your support.
Starting TODAY, Indie Author Day, I'll be sharing about new Christian indie authors so that you can do your part to support young authors following God's call on their heart. I hope to have a new author each month, at least throughout the winter season. And this month, I want to introduce you to the girl who actually got all this started by sharing Indie Author Day with me, R. M. Archer!
R.M. Archer has been an avid reader since the time she could first make out words, and has always been a lover of story. That interest developed into a love of writing when she was seven (though those first attempts have long-since been incinerated), and she’s been pursuing a career as an author ever since. Archer combines her love for writing with a passion for her fellow youth and aims to write YA speculative fiction that shows teens that even their deepest-seated struggles can be overcome.In addition to writing fiction, Archer keeps up a non-fiction blog of writing tips and book reviews.
You can check her out at her website, follow her blog, and like her Facebook page, or follow her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Pinterest!
I'm so happy that Ms. Archer took the time to answer some of my questions! It's been great to get to know her as a person and a fellow author, and I can't wait to share about her with y'all!
The first thing I did was ask her those basic questions I like to ask authors, which helps me understand how and why they became a writer.
I hope this excerpt has piqued your interest! If you want to read my interview with R.M. Archer, then hop on over to my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
Cover Reveal!!!
All right, all right--I know that the very first thing y'all saw was "cover reveal" and the first thing you thought was "Bound and Determined." But y'all can mosey on back up to that picture and take in the words "The Gift of Her Heart" and get that fool notion out of your head. BAD's cover won't be arriving for another six months, probably. (I know; I'm just as upset about that as you are.) So, to tide you over, I'm revealing the new--and improved--cover for The Gift of Her Heart!
I spent two weeks toying with two of my favorite side characters, Kit Arlington and Chloe Wellington, back in May, and ended up with a full-blown Christmas novella for their love story. It comes right smack in between Held Captive and Prisoner at Heart, although it's part of my companion/prequel series for the Daughters of the Seven Seas, The Arlington Family.
I shared about it in one of my earlier blog posts, but I'll give y'all a blurb here too.
'Tis Christmastime in Port Royal, Jamaica, in the year 1683, and Lady Chloe Wellington has her holiday all planned out. Then one fruitcake and a startling secret sends her well-laid plans careening into the ocean...and her well-protected heart into the hands of her nemesis.
The cover, which I designed all on my own with Paint and a stock picture, looked like this:
Yeah...it's kind of so-so. Much better than the covers for my two Christmas short stories (which I hope to redo eventually), but not as good as it could've been.
Which is why I'm debuting TWO surprises this holiday season!
A new cover for TGOHH AND the paperback version!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahem.
It was originally available in eBook format only, but now that Christmas is right around the corner, I'm publishing it in print as well, and it should be available for purchase in a day or two!
So, without further ado, I present to you the brand-new cover (which has taken me a month to get right) for The Gift of Her Heart...
Want to see my new cover? Finish reading this blog post on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
I spent two weeks toying with two of my favorite side characters, Kit Arlington and Chloe Wellington, back in May, and ended up with a full-blown Christmas novella for their love story. It comes right smack in between Held Captive and Prisoner at Heart, although it's part of my companion/prequel series for the Daughters of the Seven Seas, The Arlington Family.
I shared about it in one of my earlier blog posts, but I'll give y'all a blurb here too.
'Tis Christmastime in Port Royal, Jamaica, in the year 1683, and Lady Chloe Wellington has her holiday all planned out. Then one fruitcake and a startling secret sends her well-laid plans careening into the ocean...and her well-protected heart into the hands of her nemesis.
The cover, which I designed all on my own with Paint and a stock picture, looked like this:
Yeah...it's kind of so-so. Much better than the covers for my two Christmas short stories (which I hope to redo eventually), but not as good as it could've been.
Which is why I'm debuting TWO surprises this holiday season!
A new cover for TGOHH AND the paperback version!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahem.
It was originally available in eBook format only, but now that Christmas is right around the corner, I'm publishing it in print as well, and it should be available for purchase in a day or two!
So, without further ado, I present to you the brand-new cover (which has taken me a month to get right) for The Gift of Her Heart...
Want to see my new cover? Finish reading this blog post on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
November 2, 2020
God Governs in the Affairs of Men
Tomorrow is Election Day.
And I realize I probably should have written this post weeks ago, but I hadn't felt called, nor was I prepared, to write this until now.
Tomorrow is Election Day.
That leaves us with two more days to vote for who we, the people of the United States of America, want to guide us as a nation for the next four years. Anyone who knows me well knows that I could sit here and type out a long thing about just who you should vote for. And, God help me, I want to.
But I won't. Simply because that's not the point of this post. Because no matter who you vote for--for president, for senator, for your city mayor or county commissioner--God's will will prevail.
It's pretty obvious that I believe that. And, if you've ever listened to some of my speeches or read some of my other posts, y'all know that I have very strong feelings about God's sovereignty, His will, and His desire for our country. I touched upon this subject in my post "An Appeal to Heaven," back when all this COVID mess began in March--but I didn't realize then just how much we all, even us Christians, need to hear that message now.
There are a lot of people and a lot of Christians, even, who neither see nor believe that God has His hand in this election--and not only the election, but in the pandemic, in other nations, in individual people's lives. A great deal of them want to believe that God is impartial, that He refuses to, quite frankly, endorse a presidential candidate, that whatever happens just happens. And, honestly, any Christian who believes that might as well believe in evolution.
None of that is true.
God governs in the affairs of men--that's the truth I unpack with scripture after scripture on the day before Election Day. Want to read the rest of this post? Check it out on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
And I realize I probably should have written this post weeks ago, but I hadn't felt called, nor was I prepared, to write this until now.
Tomorrow is Election Day.
That leaves us with two more days to vote for who we, the people of the United States of America, want to guide us as a nation for the next four years. Anyone who knows me well knows that I could sit here and type out a long thing about just who you should vote for. And, God help me, I want to.
But I won't. Simply because that's not the point of this post. Because no matter who you vote for--for president, for senator, for your city mayor or county commissioner--God's will will prevail.
It's pretty obvious that I believe that. And, if you've ever listened to some of my speeches or read some of my other posts, y'all know that I have very strong feelings about God's sovereignty, His will, and His desire for our country. I touched upon this subject in my post "An Appeal to Heaven," back when all this COVID mess began in March--but I didn't realize then just how much we all, even us Christians, need to hear that message now.
There are a lot of people and a lot of Christians, even, who neither see nor believe that God has His hand in this election--and not only the election, but in the pandemic, in other nations, in individual people's lives. A great deal of them want to believe that God is impartial, that He refuses to, quite frankly, endorse a presidential candidate, that whatever happens just happens. And, honestly, any Christian who believes that might as well believe in evolution.
None of that is true.
God governs in the affairs of men--that's the truth I unpack with scripture after scripture on the day before Election Day. Want to read the rest of this post? Check it out on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
November 1, 2020
Bound and Determined Sneak Peek #3!
On August 15th, I shared that I was 71,000 words through with Bound and Determined and gave a peek into the more spiritual side of the story thus far.
Well, it's been quite some time since that last sneak peek, and I know y'all have been looking forward to another one, and this time, I have something ever more fun to share!
Have you ever wondered what transpired when Keaton and Rina first met? I know I have, so when I began Bound and Determined, I started with a prologue, and it in was two different scenes. One of those was Keaton's first moments upon the Rina.
Of course, not everything makes the cut, and since my prologue for Prisoner at Heart wasn't entirely satisfactory, I knew that I had to take extra special care with BAD's prologue.
So I cut out that scene.
I'm not actually upset about that, because it truly is so much better without it, but it was a hilarious--and momentous--scene that I knew I had to share.
So, without further ado, read the deleted prologue scene of Bound and Determined! (Note: the following is in Keaton's POV.)
Great Yarmouth, England
March 1675
“C’mon, Reagan. We ‘aven’t got all day,” another filthy fellow squawked from his perch, arms flapping like a seagull. He leaned over the boat’s railing, appearing to be nothing more than a small, meaningless speck from this distance. A small, meaningless speck floating upon the large, bottomless ocean. Exactly where I would be in a matter of minutes if I let my uncle and the tall man before me drag me upon this large, intimidating boat.
If it were up to me—and it never was, unfortunately—I would be at home. Mum would be out in the garden, bent over her flowers. Father would be in his shop, repairing a customer’s shoe. Christabel would be running through the meadow with her friends.
But no. I was miles away from Cambridge, in the care of my one remaining relative—who just so happened to be a thieving, murderous pirate who spoke very little English—and about to be inducted into a crew of said pirates.
If it were up to me, I’d be dead too.
The boat rocked in the waves, threatening to pull loose from her anchor and drift to shore. If only it would. It could smash into the rocks and become nothing more than splinters of wood washed away by the tide.
But then I would be without shelter and transportation. Which would leave me with nothing but several shirts, a pair of breeches, and an uncle who smelled worse than a skunk. Perhaps I should be more aware of what I wished for.
Want to read more? Read the rest of this deleted scene on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
Well, it's been quite some time since that last sneak peek, and I know y'all have been looking forward to another one, and this time, I have something ever more fun to share!
Have you ever wondered what transpired when Keaton and Rina first met? I know I have, so when I began Bound and Determined, I started with a prologue, and it in was two different scenes. One of those was Keaton's first moments upon the Rina.
Of course, not everything makes the cut, and since my prologue for Prisoner at Heart wasn't entirely satisfactory, I knew that I had to take extra special care with BAD's prologue.
So I cut out that scene.
I'm not actually upset about that, because it truly is so much better without it, but it was a hilarious--and momentous--scene that I knew I had to share.
So, without further ado, read the deleted prologue scene of Bound and Determined! (Note: the following is in Keaton's POV.)
Great Yarmouth, England
March 1675
“C’mon, Reagan. We ‘aven’t got all day,” another filthy fellow squawked from his perch, arms flapping like a seagull. He leaned over the boat’s railing, appearing to be nothing more than a small, meaningless speck from this distance. A small, meaningless speck floating upon the large, bottomless ocean. Exactly where I would be in a matter of minutes if I let my uncle and the tall man before me drag me upon this large, intimidating boat.
If it were up to me—and it never was, unfortunately—I would be at home. Mum would be out in the garden, bent over her flowers. Father would be in his shop, repairing a customer’s shoe. Christabel would be running through the meadow with her friends.
But no. I was miles away from Cambridge, in the care of my one remaining relative—who just so happened to be a thieving, murderous pirate who spoke very little English—and about to be inducted into a crew of said pirates.
If it were up to me, I’d be dead too.
The boat rocked in the waves, threatening to pull loose from her anchor and drift to shore. If only it would. It could smash into the rocks and become nothing more than splinters of wood washed away by the tide.
But then I would be without shelter and transportation. Which would leave me with nothing but several shirts, a pair of breeches, and an uncle who smelled worse than a skunk. Perhaps I should be more aware of what I wished for.
Want to read more? Read the rest of this deleted scene on my blog, Gabbing with Grace!
