Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog, page 33

A Trip to Facebook HQ

A week ago, my friend who works at Facebook (in Seattle) was  in town, so he invited me to  come to Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park. I grabbed it!

 

I’ve been to Facebook HQ four times now. What shocked me this time was how many more employees there were! My friend has worked at FB for four years; he said that he’s worked longer at FB than 85 % of all other employees.

 

 

 

This is a lending library in the center of the campus. I always forget to bring one of my books to donate! And no doubt techie wizards would love to read Amish fiction, too. Next time I’ll bring one, for sure.

 

Facebook is such a unique environment–not unlike a college campus, where most everyone you pass is under 30. Or 25.

 

Below is a video arcade on the campus…in lieu of coffee breaks.

Just a note…each time I post about a trip to FB, I get emails from all over the world, asking me to help get them on a tour. I wish I could help but I can’t! FB doesn’t give public tours.

“The Newcomer’s” Release Day!

What a week! I sent in a manuscript yesterday, have The Newcomer releasing today, and am expecting revisions for another book in tomorrow’s mail!

Busy week…but a great week.

Consider yourself invited to join in the fun to celebrate “The Newcomer’s” release! This story follows the path (love and hardship, sorrow and laughter) of hardy souls who went before us. We all had someone, long ago, who sailed across an ocean in search of a better life. I hope you finish reading it with curiosity about your own family heritage. My publisher and I are offering a grand prize of “23 and Me” genealogy service, plus a first prize of a personalized family tree, and a second prize of an amusing genealogy pendant.

And there will be books to give away! Always, always books.

A Certain Signal

This thoughtful and relevant guest post is written by my friend, Faith T. McDonald. She’s just started a blog, A Certain Signal, and is oh-so-close  to receiving her first contract for a book about her family’s experience with a son who has suffered from debilitating anxiety and depression. Suffered…and come out of the tunnel to the other side. 

In the aftermath of the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting, I have a few questions.

by Faith T. McDonald

Two weeks to the day before the January 6 shooting in the Fort Lauderdale airport, my 23-year-old daughter spent a four-hour-layover in that airport.

Four weeks before that, in the span of ten days, I spent two long layovers there. The TSA agents who herded me through security were grumpy and the wifi was weak and intermittent.

Since the shooting, my thoughts keep returning to our visits to that space. On one layover, I bought coffee with cream, an orange and a banana nut muffin, settled in a secluded chair by a woman’s restroom and tried to grade student papers. Due to the lackluster wifi signal, I couldn’t access the assignment-filled online dropbox. With my work impeded, I felt almost as grumpy as the TSA agents acted.

But today, I wonder, what if, while I sat there, nibbling on my muffin, balancing my coffee and my laptop, the alarming phrase “active shooter” had rippled through the terminal?

What would I have done? Hidden in the bathroom? Attached myself to a group of people? Hoped the TSA agents would herd me to safety?

What if during her layover, my daughter, instead of texting, “Send me your Netflix password so I can watch a movie” had texted, “Mom, there’s an active shooter in the airport.”

I’ve talked to friends who frequent airports and found I’m not the only one who wonders about the what-ifs.

I work on a college campus and every time national news reports a story about a shooting on school grounds, I ask that what-if-here question. A few years ago, I taught a disgruntled student who behaved erratically in my classroom. One day, in an angry fit, he stomped out of class and the next class session, he talked loudly, so I could hear, about guns and how they should be allowed on campus. I was worried enough about him having a violent outburst that I planned my exit route and imagined how I’d direct the students to safety–just in case. But I didn’t know if my worries were warranted or baseless.

I think we consider more often than we reveal: what if it was me against a shooter?

When I hear news reports of these types of violent situations, another question that always comes to my mind is what if the shooter was my family member? My child? What if it was me for the shooter?

What if I had noticed over the months, the deteriorating, erratic behavior of my loved one and tried to get help, but failed? This morning, I watched the heartbreaking video interview of the brother of the alleged airport gunman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-eFG27Rw2E He says that he told his brother to get help for mental illness and his brother tried to get help, but the help was insufficient.

Here’s what I know: most mental illness does not lead to catastrophic violence, but mental illness does lead to difficulties finding help. It’s hard to find help for all kinds of reasons: we don’t recognize mental illness. We’re afraid. We stigmatize mental illness, so people don’t feel comfortable speaking about symptoms.

My husband and I are educated people who live in a community of educated people and when our son suffered from depression and anxiety so severe that it interfered with him living a productive life, we didn’t know where to go. Finding the right help took us years. Eight years.

So what if this alleged gunman’s brother’s frustrating experience and frank comments compelled us to talk about how to help people with mental illness more effectively?

A few years back, our son was going through a really rough time. He was overwhelmed with frequent panic attacks. I suggested that he and I find some peace and enjoyment by spending an afternoon cross-country skiing in a State Park. Halfway through the afternoon, we took separate trails that we thought would join. But at dusk, when I returned to the car, my son was not there. I watched for him in the fading light. He didn’t show. The park was empty and no cell-service was available.

In the cold, I stood by the car and wondered if my son was lost in the woods in a panic. I didn’t know if I should take the car and leave the park to get cell service and help—what would happen if he skied to our meeting spot and the car was gone?

I decided to wait. But what if he had fallen on the trail and hurt himself and needed help now?

I waited a long 15 minutes. The stars sparkled in the sky and the snow sparkled on the ground. If I didn’t have this wrenching worry, I’d be admiring the vast beauty, I thought.

Eventually, I saw the headlights of another car coming towards me. I flagged it down. I explained to the occupants—a man and a woman–that my severely anxious son had not returned from skiing to our designated meeting place. That he was somewhere in the vast, shadowy woods. Maybe lost. Or hurt. The woman said, “We have children. We know how if feels when one of them is in trouble. We’ll help you find him.”

Her intensity made me feel like I should explain fully, “Well, he is 27.” I felt sheepish. Maybe my worry was unfounded. I thought they might drive on and leave me to my wait.

Instead, the woman declared, “We’re not going home until you find your son.”

While I drove to cell service, returned and waited by the car, the couple strapped on their skies and headed down the trail. They found, led my very panicked son to the car, and left before I could thank them.

To this day, their level of commitment to a stranger, their declaration: we’re not going home until you find your son— nourishes and inspires me.

And it prompts today’s most important what-if: Understanding that finding help is challenging for people with mental illness, what if we all committed to helping one person find help? To finding one person who struggles with depression, or anxiety, or post traumatic stress disorder or schizophrenia or suicidal thoughts and stating, “Help is available and I’m going to stay by your side until you get the help you need.”

See, this challenge that mentally ill people face isn’t mine because my daughter recently spent a few hours in an airport or because my loved son struggled with depression and anxiety, it’s our problem. Millions of Americans face the challenge of mental health problems. In the past few years, educators describe the number of college students who struggle with anxiety as an epidemic. You can see some numbers here: http://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers

Let’s start talking about helping people get the help they need and deserve.

 

Faith T. McDonald is a lecturer at Penn State University and a remarkably gifted writer and well, all around thinker. Please pop over to her blog (click here) and leave an encouraging comment for her. 

Author Spotlight: Bonnie Calhoun

 

Today’s spotlight: Bonnie Calhoun

[Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Bonnie’s newest book, “Storm.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Tandy for winning Sandra Orchard’s book, “Another Day, Another Dali.” Please email suzanne {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.]

Welcome, Bonnie!

Your new book has been out about a week now and no doubt you’re busy on the promotion train. Before we learn about “Storm,” fill us  in on your life behind your books.

I live in upstate New York, in a log home on 15 acres with an old apple orchard and a pond full of bass but I prefer to buy haddock at the grocery store under plastic wrap! The household consists of two cats and a Yorkie/Bijon puppy who has crowned herself queen of the house.

After you started writing seriously, how long was it before you were published?

Well I had a slight hiccup when I started but the first book I completed was sold before I finished it hot off the press. I’ve had a very blessed career and am thankful that all the characters residing in my head are getting a chance to be heard and seen by the world!

 

 

Tell us about your new release: What inspired this particular story?

This particular story is the epic conclusion of the Stone Braide Chronicles series. The inspiration comes from thoughts of end times, and how we are going to get to where God wants up to go, and what is entailed in getting there.

 

 

 

 

Do you prefer reading physical books or e-readers?

I’m an e-reader convert hands down! As we age…and I’ve recently found my problem is cataracts…reading printed books becomes increasingly difficult. But with an e-reader I can make the type any size that makes reading more comfortable, and I can turn up the brightness for my particular lighting conditions. The only drawback, and action not doable, is throwing books at the wall when a writer expects me to suspend disbelief too many times.

 

Why do you write?

That is the 24,000 Question. LOL…I bet most authors get to that question at least once in every book they’re writing. Anxiety, unfulfilling scenes, and anything that proves to be a writer distraction make this question bubble to the surface. But there is always a basic answer…because I have all these stories and characters taking up space in my head and they need to be released into the wild to roam free!

 

Best author moment? Worst author moment?

Best author moment would be writing “The End” on a manuscript and the worst moment would be when you discover you have a plot hole halfway thru the story that is going to take a major re-write to fix.

 

If you weren’t able to write, what would you do?

LOL…live at being retired! I’ve had many careers over the years and my longest and most lasting career has been being a seamstress and clothing designer. I’ve done that literally since I was seven (7) years old. My mom was a master pattern maker so I lived in her sewing room….learning. I was making and selling Betsy Wetsie doll clothes in our back yard on Saturdays as a kid!

 

Right this moment, what does your office look like?

ROFLOL…you don’t want to know. The house is in the middle of a remodel and my office has become a catch-all! I’ve been doing my writing at the coffee table in the living room.

 

Ever had a bad review? How did you handle it?

Oh yes! Bad reviews are the nature of the beast. Sometimes they are totally off base like blaming me for the way an ebook loads onto their reader but most of the time it’s someone who doesn’t like what or how I wrote something. How do I handle it? Well if it’s a writer mechanic like editing then I take their comments into consideration. If it’s on my content and they don’t like it then they are not part of the reading audience that I wrote it for. Everyone has a right to their opinion and I’m looking for the audience that likes my style, storyline, and characters. Oh…and as a general rule I never respond to bad reviews. It just propels the disgruntled person into more arguing.

 

What are your biggest distractions?

“Oh look…a shiny thing over there!” Literally anything could distract me. Dust in the corner of the hardwood floor, a cobweb up in the corner of a bookshelf…even the puppy with her squeaky duckling. It’s a perk of being an author. We get away with being distracted to allow our swiftly whirling brain cells to take a break for a few minutes and recharge! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

 

If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?

Hands down…my two cats and my puppy Jasmine!

 

Thanks for dropping by during your busy release week, Bonnie. How can readers connect with you?

Readers can join my mailing list at http://bonniescalhoun.com. All of my social media connections are available on any of my website pages and readers can readily find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bscalhoun.   

    

Readers, don’t forget to leave a comment to win a copy of Bonnie’s newest book, “Storm.” And check back next week to see if you are a winner! 

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt…Day 2!

If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 31 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand prizes! Take your time, have fun, enter side-contests along the way (including mine!). The more, the merrier!

Don’t forget…start the hunt at Stop #1 at Lisa Bergren’s site.

Election Night

This essay is from Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World. It was one of those conversations that has stayed close to my heart–a before and after moment. Just as relevant this week as it was eight years ago!

Election Night 2008

You cannot change life—because God on high,

controls this world with an all-seeing eye.

He makes the calls and you’re never alone;

all’s well in heaven and God’s on the throne.

~Amish Proverb

It is Tuesday, November 4, 2008, the day our country is going to elect a new president. Throughout the day, I check in with news sources to listen to exit polls and election results. A little before 5 p.m., I pick up the leash to take the dog for a walk before the first polls close on the East Coast. After all, this is an important day for our country. Whoever wins the election, there will be a “first” in office. Either our country’s first African American president or our country’s first female vice president. An historic night.

Earlier in the day I had left a message on an answering machine for Samuel, an Old Order Amish bishop, a man who has been kind to answer some questions for me about Amish ways. Just as my hand reaches for the doorknob, the phone rings. My phone’s caller ID pops up with Samuel’s name, so I put down the dog leash (sorry, pup) and grab my notebook and pen, eager to connect with him. It’s always fun to talk with Samuel. I learn so much from him. Not thirty seconds later, Samuel makes a remark that seems so right, so grounded, so piercing in its simple wisdom, that I feel a catch in my heart.

Samuel: “Hello, Suzanne. I was going stargazing tonight and stopped by the phone shanty to pick up my messages. Thought I’d return your call.”

Suzanne: “Samuel, do you mean to tell me that the entire country is glued to the television tonight and you’re going stargazing?”

Samuel: “Well, you see, Venus and Jupiter are moving close together this month. . . .” (He then went on to describe the alignment of the planets with great enthusiasm and detail. I could barely keep up! Remember, this is a man with an eighth-grade education. But that doesn’t mean his education stopped at eighth grade.)

I stop taking notes, a little stunned. Think about it. Most Americans (myself included) were thoroughly immersed in the moment, on a temporal event (albeit an important one) that would come and go.

What a profound comparison of our two cultures! We are both Americans. We are both Christians. We had both voted that day (he even told me for whom he voted). He knows all about the election and its consequences. I ask him where he gets his news and he says, “My daughter subscribes to Newsweek and gives me her old issues, and I read a local daily newspaper, but it’s pretty feeble.” He has strong reasons for the candidate whom he supports, and he lists out his reasoning, apologizing if it conflicts with my party affiliation.

No doubt about it, Samuel cares about this election. He voted. But then he went stargazing.

Samuel’s eyes are fixed on the heavens.

On the eternal view.

On a sovereign God.

Stargazing isn’t a one-time “antidote to election anxiety” for Samuel. Actually, I don’t think he feels any anxiety about the election at all. Stargazing is a way of life for him, a metaphor. So are long walks in the woods. He keeps a pair of binoculars with him for bird-watching as he plows the fields in spring. “Skywatching has its rewards,” he says. He has never once gone on a walk in which he didn’t see or find something exciting or interesting.

Samuel sees God in every aspect of creation, large and small, from the recycling efforts of the dung beetle to the red-tailed hawk that soars above his fields on thermals of warm air, searching for a down-on-his-luck cottontail. “The God who created all of this beauty and grace must be a wonderful and loving Being,” he says, meaning it with his whole heart.

And such a God, Samuel believes, is able to bring all things together to his glory.

As I hang up the phone with Samuel, I pick up the dog’s leash (oh happy dog!) and take her for a long, long walk. I hear the hoot of a great horned owl, trying to woo a mate. I watch the late afternoon sky change from bruised blue to velvety black, dotted with diamonds. The day’s concerns, even a day with a national election, seem so small and unimportant under this sky. Worries lift, floating up off my shoulders and disappearing into the night. I decide that I will not watch the election results, after all. I can wait and read about our next president in tomorrow’s paper. And I promise myself to make a daily appointment with nature to remind myself of Whose capable hands are in charge of this earth.

What a difference it makes when we lift our eyes upward and fix them on God’s heavens.

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3).

May God bless you and give you peace as you make your decisions to vote on Tuesday. And then…remember to look up at the stars that night. And…after you vote…leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of “Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World.” My small way of thanking you for casting your vote for our country…regardless of whom you vote for. Just…be sure to vote! 

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #24

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all 31 stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 3 grand prizes!

The hunt BEGINS with Stop #1 at Lisa Bergren’s site.
Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 11/6)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books.
Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the clue on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at Stop #31. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

And now…on to business! I have the pleasure of introducing Tricia Goyer, a warm, enthusiastic, and prolific author of multiple genres (fiction and non-fiction) who is always up to something interesting! I first met Tricia through her World War II novels, and then through her Amish fiction. We used to host a radio show back-to-back, so each Thursday afternoon I would sign in as Tricia was signing off. In this ‘Pinecraft Pie Shop’ series, Tricia teamed up with cookbook author Sherry Gore to write books set in the Amish-Mennonite community of Pinecraft, Florida. Below is Tricia’s “sneak peak” at the story that inspired the writing of this fun series.

Behind the Scenes of a Popular (Amish) Television Show

       Young actress ready to film a new scene

When you think of the words “Amish” and “television” they don’t seem to go together. I’ve watched a few interesting Amish television shows, but others seemed simply to be only filmed with drama. So much of television is all about the ratings and outlandish scenarios.

 

Still, I thought it would be fun to write about this very thing. How would an Amish young woman handle the pressure of the camera, being on set, and spending time with actors and actresses so different than her? I had to write about it to find out.

 

Thankfully, I had research to pull from. First, my co-author Sherry found herself on Amish: Out of Order? a National Geographic television show. For Sherry, meeting the producers and staff was a blessing to her, and she walked away with lifelong friends. (Here is information about the episode Sherry was on: http://patch.com/florida/sarasota/pinecraft-recap-on-amish-out-of-order

 

A few years ago, my husband John and I attended the taping for Dancing with the Stars. It was clear how much work happened behind-the-scenes. I had no idea so much work went into a one-hour prime time show. (Here’s the behind-the-scenes scoop: http://www.triciagoyer.com/dancing-with-the-stars/

 

But overall I got the most details from my friend Guy Lia who is currently the executive producer of Storehouse Media Group but who spent dozens of years working in the television industry. He was able to give me the ends and outs of what happens behind the scenes of the television industry. From staff, to food, to filming, Guy provided all the details. Thank you, Guy! (Here’s more about the Lia family: http://godcenteredmom.com/2013/07/11/honoring-him-in-hollywood-meet-the-lia-family/

 

What did I found most interesting? The FOOD! Depending on the shoot schedule Craft Services is brought it to provide breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner. These services are ordered and they must take into account the likes and dislikes of the stars.

 

In Sewn with Joy, the arranged craft services agreement falls through and Joy is able to round up the Amish women to cook the meals.

 

Guy told me that if that happened in real life everyone would have thought they died and went to heaven! Of course I think the Amish woman would be VERY disappointed by the portion sizes eaten by the actors and actresses. After all the stars have wardrobes to fit into!

Thanks so much for hosting me, Suzanne. Happy hunting, all!

 

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John. A USA Today bestselling author, Tricia has published over 55 books and has written more than 500 articles.

Here’s the Stop #24 Skinny:

You can order Tricia’s book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or at your local bookstore! 

Clue to Write Down: always

Link to Stop #25, the Next Stop on the Loop: Tricia Goyer’s own site!

 

***

HOLD ON! Before you dash off to Stop #25, I’m offering a $25 Amazon gift certificate! All you have to do to enter is to sign up for my newsletter (look on the right hand side of this blog). The winner will be announced on November 7th. 

 

 

 

 

Author Spotlight: Sandra Orchard

Today’s spotlight: Sandra Orchard

 

[Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Sandra’s newest book, “Another Day, Another Dali.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Patricia Barraclough for winning a copy of Liz Johnson’s “Where Two Hearts Meet.” Please email suzanne {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.]

Hi Sandra! Thanks so much for taking time to drop by my blog! I didn’t realize you lived in Canada. Getting a little cold up there?

 

Yes! I live in the beautiful Niagara region of Ontario, Canada. After my youngest daughter marries this month, my household will consist of my hubby and I and our Alaskan husky, Bella. But we have four grandchildren five and under, so I’m sure our nest won’t feel empty.

 

I love your book’s title: “Another Day, Another Dali.” So what inspired this story?

 

Another Day, Another Dali is the second installment in my FBI art crime mystery series with agent Serena Jones. The theft of a Matisse from a Venezuelan museum that went undetected for more than two years, because a forgery was hung in its place, was the inspiration for this story.

 

When Serena’s grandmother asks Serena to investigate the switch of a valuable Salvador Dali painting, Serena hopes tracking down the original will also mean finally measuring up to Nana’s expectations. But when the evidence points to members of the owner’s own household—friends of her grandmother’s—it becomes increasingly clear that Serena won’t be winning any popularity contests.

The Dali isn’t the only painting that’s fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief either, raising the specter of a sophisticated theft ring–one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena’s grandfather. And of course, Serena’s zany aunt is still as eager as ever to help her solve her cases, as are the two handsome men in Serena’s life…or so it would seem.

 

 

 

 

Sandra, answer this question: “My great adventure has been…”

 

Spending the past four months at my three-year-old grandson’s side as he recovered from a near fatal lawn tractor accident. For weeks, his organs wouldn’t even fit back in his swollen body, he lost a leg and some ribs and a lot of skin and muscle and suffered a severe break in the femur of his whole leg and his heel, but tens of thousands of people worldwide continuously prayed for his healing, including many of the dedicated medical personnel who worked so hard to save him and help him get better. And Jed’s bright smiles and laughter and tenacity have filled my heart to overflowing and been such an inspiration to so many.

 

I’d dedicated Another Day, Another Dali to Jed when I first handed in the manuscript last October, more than 7 months before the accident, because he inspired a scene in the book in which Serena has to babysit an active little toddler with a one-word vocabulary. It seems incredibly fitting that we’re celebrating the release of the novel dedicated to him at the same time we’re celebrating Jed’s release from the hospital.

 

Oh Sandra, my heart started pounding as I read about Joel’s accident. Thanking God that your little grandson is heading home, safe and sound. Wow…what a year you’ve had. What a month you’re having!  So aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well?

 

I never acquired a taste for coffee. A brisk morning walk with my dog helps wake up the creative juices.

 

Why do you write?

 

To entertain, encourage, educate and inspire hope.

 

How would you describe your writing style?

 

fast-paced, keep-you-guessing, laugh-out-loud stories, with a dash of sweet romance

 

What was your biggest break?

 

I’d have to say winning the Daphne DuMaurier Award of Excellence for the revised version of a novel Love Inspired Suspense had already rejected, because thanks to that, when I met the line’s new editor two months later at an ACFW conference, I was able to secure her agreement to read the revised manuscript. She too rejected it for the line. But… she detailed why and asked me to send her another story. I immediately applied what I learned from her critique to another finished manuscript and submitted it. And Deep Cover, my debut novel of 2011, was the result.

 

If you could write any book–on any topic–and be guaranteed a publishing contract, what topic would it be? (Or genre?)

 

A children’s book, because while my son was in the hospital this summer cuddling his preemie baby, he called me and said if I wrote picture books he’d read them to his son. J

 

Blessings to you, Sandra, with your daughter’s wedding AND grandson Joel’s recovery, in the midst of a new book release (phew!). Thanks for dropping by and sharing your life. Know that I’ll be praying for your family this month!

So how can readers connect with you?

www.SandraOrchard.com

www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorSOrch...

http://bit.ly/Goodreads_SandraO

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of “Another Day, Another Dali!” And don’t forget to stop by next week to see if you won. 

From the Mail Bag: Luggage from the Charming Nancy

If you read Anna’s Crossing, you know the story of the first Amish who came to America in 1737, on a leaky, creaky merchant ship named the Charming Nancy.

This week, I received an e-mail from a gentleman whose ancestor, George Arnsparger, was ON the Charming Nancy in 1737! He was Penn Dutch, though not Amish, and came from the Palatinate region of Germany. The wooden chest that George brought with him has survived for nearly three hundred years. It probably held everything he owned in it.

I asked David, George’s great-great-great-great (how many?! I’m not sure!) grandson if he would send some pictures of the chest. The very next day, he did! And gave me permission to share them with you.

Looking at the pictures gave me chills. Oh, the story it could tell!

From David: “The chest is not what I would call huge. Two people could easily carry it.”

From David: “It has a lock. It is in excellent condition. There is a crack on the back. Interestingly the handles can spin in place. They are not fixed.”

From David: “My grandmother told me years ago that there is a date on it. I’ve not found it.”

Thank you, David, for bringing the story of the Charming Nancy to life by sharing your story. Imagine how pleased George would be!

Author Spotlight: Liz Johnson

Today’s spotlight: Liz Johnson

[Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Liz’s newest book, “Where Two Hearts Meet.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Becky Smith, winner of Susan May Warren’s “Wild Montana Skies.” Please email suzanne {at} suzannewoodsfisher {dot} com to claim your prize.]

Hi Liz! Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Fill us in on your life away from the computer.  

 

I just moved to Tucson, Arizona, from Nashville. It’s been ten years since I lived in Arizona, but I find the desert pleasantly familiar. Even the lizards and cacti are kind of refreshing. The crickets and heat, not so much. My desert home is a household of one. Just me—plus my nieces and nephews and siblings and parents, who come for a visit every now and then since I live a short drive away for the first time in a long time. But living alone gives me lots of time to write and create and explore my new world.

 

 

Tell us about your new release: What inspired this particular story?

 

Where Two Hearts Meet is the sequel to The Red Door Inn, which released earlier this year and both are inspired by my trips to Prince Edward Island. In the first book we discover how the inn came to be and all the characters it took to open its doors. In the sequel we follow Caden, the inn’s chef as she ventures beyond the confines of her kitchen and leaves her comfort zone in order to show a travel writer around the island. But Adam Jacobs isn’t the type of journalist Caden thinks he is. He’s on a forced sabbatical but is still looking for a story and maybe some healing from his own regrets. When Caden discovers Adam isn’t who she thought he was, she realizes that the article he’s writing could do more than ruin the inn’s chances for survival—it might also break her heart.

 

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well?

 

I’ll substitute a cup of coffee here for a very large Diet Dr. Pepper. I can’t beat that for getting my brain going. If I’ve hit a wall and can’t come up with anything else, I find that taking a walk or getting out of my house usually helps. I heard recently that blue and green are colors that stimulate creativity, so walking outdoors for 30 minutes (with green grass and a blue sky) can really help a writer get through a block. (Of course, the green grass can be difficult to come by in the desert.)

 

What book is on the top of your TBR pile?

 

I have several at the top of my TBR pile right now. Cathy West’s The Things We Knew has been on my counter for weeks, and I can’t wait to dive into it. Also, Karen Witemeyer’s latest, No Other Will Do, just arrived, and I’ll be reading that shortly. I’m also in the middle of Stay the Course, a nonfiction by a Pastor Choco de Jesus. I really appreciate his encouragement to use the Word of God as our North Star in the midst of a drifting culture.

 

How do you solve a grammar dilemma?

 

Usually I google it. I generally check the Chicago Manual of Style. If I can’t find a clear reference there, then I ask an editor friend of mine. If we can’t figure it out, I take a Facebook poll. And if that still doesn’t produce a definitive answer, I close my eyes, point to an option and roll with it. Being consistent is 95% of the battle most of the time.

 

What are your biggest distractions?

 

Social media and the internet in general. I can tell myself that I’m going to google one particular piece of necessary research. Four hours later I’m watching Youtube videos of my favorite Broadway musical and I’ve written exactly nothing. The internet is a vast trap of mostly useless knowledge, of which I often find myself in dire need. So to battle this, I have to let the research tidbit pass, flag the section, and come back to it later. Writing with a buddy also helps. I’ve had several writing friends throughout my career, and just having someone sitting across the table from me keeps me accountable not to fall into the black hole of the internet.

 

What advice would you give to new writers?

 

Put in the work. Don’t be discouraged when what you write isn’t quite what you want it to be. I love this quote by Ira Glass where he talks about the gap between what we want to create and what we actually create. “All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit.” Don’t quit. Keep writing. Because the only way to close that gap is by doing a lot of work, filling a lot of blank pages, writing a lot of stories. When people tell new writers to get their seats in a chair and finish their stories, it’s not just because agents and editors want to see completed manuscripts (although they do). It’s because there’s actual value in practicing writing. Like a muscle that can be developed, writing is a skill that can be improved. Ira Glass goes on to say, “It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.” I think that’s fantastic motivation to keep writing.

 

Who’s your favorite character you’ve written so far? Explain:

 

I think I have too many characters to have an absolute favorite, but I will say that Adam Jacobs has been my most surprising in a delightful way. When I sat down to write Where Two Hearts Meet, it was always going to be Caden’s story. And it is. But somehow Adam bulldozed his way into the forefront too, battling for equal attention. And when he first stirred from a deep sleep and his arm swung out over the empty nightstand in search of a bottle, I nearly fell out of my chair. Up until that moment I’d had no idea he was an alcoholic. I love him for the wounds he carries and the way he tries so valiantly to do it on his own. I see that mirrored in myself. And I love even more that he realizes he can’t possibly tote them around by himself. I love the way he befriends a retired couple vacationing on the island and how he pesters Caden into letting him into her domain. And I love how he loves her insecurities. Yep. He’s one of my favorites.

 

If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?

 

My laptop. Perhaps it’s a writer’s cliché, but it’s filled with pictures and memories and more story ideas than I can count. I don’t know what I’d do without it.

 

Anything new for you on the book horizon?

 

I’m busy working on the third book in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series. On Love’s Gentle Shore releases next summer and wraps up my time at the Red Door Inn, which has been an enormous part of the last four years of my life. For now I’m wondering where to go next and what adventures I can find in new locations with new characters.

 

How can readers connect with you?

 

I love to connect with readers on my Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/LizJohnsonBooks or on Twitter @LizJohnsonBooks or at my website, www.LizJohnsonBooks.com, which I keep up to date with bookish news.

Thanks again, Liz, for taking time to drop by! Readers, don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of “Where Two Hearts Meet.” And stop by next week to see if you won!