Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 11

How to “Go There” and Not Lose Your Readers: Writing Difficult Topics in Fiction by guest blogger Felicia Ferguson

 

Happy Friday, Seeker villagers! Carrie here, with a wonderful post from author Felicia Ferguson on writing those difficult topics in fiction. Felicia is an award-winning fiction & nonfiction writer; in fact, her novel The Choices She Made just won the silver medal in Illumination Book Awards’s General Fiction category! Welcome, Felicia :)

How to “Go There” and Not Lose Your Readers: Writing Difficult Topics in Fiction

By Felicia Ferguson

The Christian life isn’t all sunshine and roses—sometimes it can be even more challenging after we’ve decided to walk with God. How do we authors craft authentic stories of the Christian life that don’t sugarcoat the struggle, but do keep the reader turning pages and the focus on God’s love?

I believe we start by making and keeping five promises to our readers.

When a reader picks up a book, nine times out of ten they want to be entertained, to escape into another world for a while. But if you’re going to write about difficult subjects well, then I’ve discovered there are five promises which must be kept for the reader to ultimately feel satisfied by the book.

First, readers will expect an emotional journey. Difficult topics like sexual assault or mental health issues are rife with heady and heavy emotions to probe. But addressing them should not be an avenue to push an agenda. If what you’re really hoping to do is preach to them about their own bad choices and tell them you have the right answer that will fix everything, please put down your pen or step away from the keyboard. Message-driven fiction is manipulative and not authentic. No matter how you personally feel about a topic, focus on the characters and their experiences. Take readers on an emotional journey and let them decide what to take away from it. Besides, preaching is telling rather than showing, and we all know telling in fiction is not a good thing!

How do you avoid preaching but still provide emotional impact for readers? That’s where the second promise comes in. Your character will use practical methods to resolve whatever trauma/tragedy/heartbreak they’ve experienced. Whether in first or third person, writing in deep point of view is perfect for amping up emotional impact. I liken deep POV to the first-person-shooter video games where the player is completely in one character’s head. They see only what he sees, hear only what he hears. Reality is almost fully enmeshed with the virtual world.

In my book, The Choices She Made, my main character became pregnant after a sexual assault at seventeen. Thirteen years later, she begins experiencing panic attacks as circumstances revive memories she dissociated from and buried. As part of the story, she uses grounding techniques, turns to God and scripture, and leans on her family and her counselor for help to confront terrifying situations. All of these are techniques readers could use, if they needed them. In her adult timeline, I use deep first-person point of view. Readers feel what she feels and see what she sees. This experience allows readers to not only witness a model for HOW the techniques should be used but also experience using them for themselves. And in the end, they’ve not only been entertained, but they possibly learned something too.

The third promise an author needs to make and keep is being true to the character’s emotions as she faces her past woundings. If you’re going to do the hard work of researching and building an authentic trauma, heartbreak, or tragedy, then don’t shortchange the character or the reader on the emotions that result from them. If you don’t know how the character would feel, then ask someone who does. I have never been pregnant, so I asked my writers’ critique group members who have been to describe what my character would feel during different stages of her pregnancy. If your character has panic attacks, dissociations, or any other trauma-induced experiences, find out what they feel like. Fudging on or glossing over the internal sensations will irritate people who do experience them and could lead to negative reviews.

The fourth promise goes hand-in-hand with the third: you will NOT miraculously make everything better for the character nor will they out-of-the-blue decide to take an action they’ve fought for roughly 200 pages. A deus ex machina may make it easier on you as the author, but miraculous resolutions in fiction do no one any good. Readers need to see how the character moves through her healing process—or at least starts out on the road toward healing. In showing this, readers can appreciate how difficult or even scary that process can be, which creates empathy—and is a perfect take-away.

Finally, by the time they reach the end of the book, readers have invested hours and possibly days with this character. If you’ve done your job well and they’ve bonded with her, they’re going to want and, in reality, need to have hope she will heal. Leaving the reader with hope is the fifth promise to make and keep. Writing from a Christian worldview is all about hope so make sure hope is woven in. It will be not only believable, but will encourage the reader. And who couldn’t use a little encouragement these days?

~*~*~*~*~

Felicia Ferguson achieved master's degrees in Healthcare Administration and Speech-Language Pathology, but has known she wanted to be a writer since the fifth grade. An award-winning fiction and non-fiction freelance writer, she writes strong female characters who work through their baggage and don’t just repack it. The Choices She Made, her first contemporary women’s novel with End Game Press, released in 2022 and recently won the silver medal in Illumination Book Awards’s General Fiction category! When Secrets Come Calling will release in 2024 also with End Game Press. When she’s not glued to her laptop, Felicia enjoys hiking, meandering with her twelve-year-old Frenchie, and looking forward to the next story.

Connect with Felicia at her website (and sign up for her quarterly newsletter), Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

What about you, dear writers? What is your takeaway from Felicia's great post? Which of her five promises resonates with you most?

Planning, Plotting, Pantsing: What matters? What doesn't?

 A quick look back while Ruthy's kitchen is torn apart and her mystery is due in three weeks!

Words as true today as they were three years back! 

by Multi-published, Award-winning author Ruth Logan Herne

You're a planner.

You're a plotter.

You're a pantser.

Guess what?

It doesn't matter. Not all that much. Not nearly as much as some would have you believe.

How you write isn't nearly as important as how you spend your time. If you're spending all of your time planning or plotting or researching and not writing, well... then your production may drop. Or be non-existent.

What does that mean, you ask?

Simple. We follow the math. Some creative types hate to look at numbers. It stifles their creativity.

(YAWN....)

Like so many things, it comes down to numbers and a writer is actually running a small business. You need to know and understand the numbers of your business to make it work, right? We'll keep it simple, I never get complicated if I can possibly avoid it.

If you plan or plot your book for a month... then write it for two months and have a full book 90 days in:

GO YOU! BONUS!!! YOU ROCKED IT!!!! :)

And I mean that most seriously.

If you didn't plan or overly plot and you still have a book done at 90 days, YOU ROCKED IT, TOO!!! PARTY BONUS FOR YOU AS WELL!

So you're equal, correct? Both with a book done at 90 days, equating the possibility of 4 books/year if they're 70,000 to 80,000 word books. Leaving some editing time there.

You two can go grab coffee now. I'm not talking to youse at the moment. I'm talking to them.

You know who you are...

You've over-plotted four books and haven't finished one.

You've written three great openings, and sent them out to editors and EVEN GOT A BITE ON ONE, a request for a full manuscript, but alas... you haven't finished a manuscript.

And therein lies the problem.

It's not the writing for some folks.

It's the finishing.

When someone does the dishes and leaves them on the counter to air dry: UNFINISHED TASK.

When someone walks out of a bedroom leaving the bed unmade: UNFINISHED TASK

When someone adds pool chemicals but doesn't vacuum the weird things on the bottom: UNFINISHED TASK

When someone washes a car, but doesn't wash the inside of the windows: UNFINISHED TASK

Do you get what's similar about all of these tasks? They look good on the surface. Effort has been expended. Stuff's gotten started, but nothing is finished.

That's a common conundrum, and the basic reason why many authors never get published...

Because writing the whole book isn't easy. It's not the fun part. It's a challenge on a daily basis.

Now I love what I do. Like that cute GMC truck commercial, and the wife that claims the big gray truck, exclaiming "I LOVE IT!!!" And the crazy cute guys acquiesces and nods toward the big red SUV. "I like red."

That's me and writing. I love it.

So maybe I'm jaded because I love what I do, but if you also love it, then why aren't you finishing things?

Here's a probable cause: Your conflict isn't strong enough and your characters are under-developed.

That's another common cause of the malady they call "Writer's Block"... when the brain just can't wrap its head around the story, it's usually because the story is too weak to write. Once you've added layers of conflict, reasons to avoid one another, and big bumps in the road, the kind that are organic to the story, not just thrown in for the author's page count, you have the depth to keep writing. Otherwise it's very hard to know what on earth these characters should do next?

(THAT WAS A VERY LONG, BAD SENTENCE. DON'T DO THAT, OKAY?)

We are all guilty of this at one time or another. And the world didn't end. We re-write.

We deepen the conflict, we add reasons why the characters can't ever get along (Mother/daughter, sister/sister, hero/heroine) and then we have them creep toward the middle...

Not like Justin Timberlake in "Can't Stop the Feeling"... 

And by the way, Justin can creep up on me anytime. The guy is two thumbs up stinkin' adorable, but I digress...

And along those lines, as an author I would be REMISS to not remind you about my newest Love Inspireds "A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing", a great story about a cowboy who thinks he know just who he is, what he's doing and where he's going...

Until he finds out he's been living a lie for thirty years.

Great story. Heart-grabbing characters. And a beautiful Western Idaho setting that makes you want to move there, like right now.

I've got a copy to give away to one lucky commenter. It could be you... and I promise: It's a really good story.

What's your plan for this brand new year with no mistakes in it yet? Well, hardly any!

Let me know below and I've got the Keurig set up, delightful creamers and raw sugar. You know you love raw sugar.

I just love saying it!

Raw sugar.

What's the plan, Stan? Answer and I'll tuck your name into the cowboy hat for this latest Shepherd's Crossing book... and a favorite of readers nationwide already!

Multi-published, award-winning inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne is living the dream of writing books that touch the heart-- and soul-- and leave the reader wanting more. Book #50 will be published in 2019 and she is over-the-moon about that! Find her on facebook or Twitter as Ruth Logan Herne, stop by her website ruthloganherne.com and email her at loganherne.com to sign up for her newsletter or just to chat. She's a people person most days, as long as caffeine and chocolate are involved!

It Takes a Village of Writers (and a Giveaway!)

 One of my absolute favorite things about being a writer is the sense of community.Whether it's in the form of individual friendships found and nurtured, large conferences, daily sprint partners, or prayer warriors, other writers are always there to lift us up. Nowhere is that more evident than when someone is going through a difficult time.

 

 

I've certainly benefited from that sense of community and I hope you have too. Today we have the chance to help lift a fellow writer. Some of you may know that Lisa Jordan sadly lost her beloved mother just over a week ago. Needless to say, through her mother's illness and this period of mourning, promoting her new book was one of the last things on Lisa's mind. So her fellow authors have jumped in to help.

Today is my chance to focus a spotlight on Lisa's wonderful new book. Rescuing her Ranch is on the shelves now, but three of you will be lucky enough to win a copy here today!

 Welcome to Stone River Ranch. Rescuing her Ranch is Book 1 in the new series.

A fight for her future…

Might not be the one she thinks.  

Returning home after losing her job, Macey Stone agrees to care for the daughter of old friend Cole Crawford. Then she discovers that Cole’s uncle’s company wants to bulldoze her family’s land. Seeing the devoted dad with his child soon has her falling for the enemy. But can she choose between saving Stone River Ranch…and helping the man who’s stolen her heart?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

 When I asked Lisa if she wanted to say anything to our readers today, she replied that her mother "was a joy and a light in my life. I love how my LI sisters have come alongside me. I plan to return the favor. Our community is one of the many reasons I love writing for Love Inspired."

 Do you have any stories of writer friendships or how writer friends have lifted you? Please share. I'll get us started.

When my husband was dying, my Yankee Belle Cafe partners jumped in and covered all most posts for months, digging into the archives for some of my favorite recipes. It was an tremendous help to me to have my posts covered, but also just to know there were friends looking out for me, caring to check in, praying for me and my family. It made a world of difference.

Please let us know if you would like to be entered in the drawing for a copy of Lisa's book. 

US residents only for the print book.

.

The sun rises on the Wyoming sunrise series -- And Subplots

 

Forged in Love releases THIS MONTH.

Today will be 

The first ever in the known universe giveaway of

Forged in Love!

It releases February 28th. So just BARELY this month. But if I get my books and GET MOVING I might get the winner of my drawing, the book before it releases!!!

Forged in LoveAmazonBaker Book HouseBarnes and Noble

Forged in Love!

When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father's blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering--does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.

Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of Forged in Love

I'm writing, always working on what comes next, of course, and I am having an interesting experience as I write this future, as-yet untitled book.

I was quite a way into it when I realized I hadn't been developing the subplots I needed.

I blame this on Erica, because we found a place halfway between our houses and met there for a writer's retreat. She brings out the best in me, word count-wise. Not sure why, especially considering how much time we spend talking, but I always do well writing with Erica.

BUT I blame her because I was just starting a book and really pushing for word count, and also really setting up the opening action and such, all those first things, and I just powered through ten thousand words in four days. But it was straight forward. Then, since I really got rolling, I just kept on with it.

Full speed ahead. Then about five? Days ago I realized i wasn't weaving in the subplots I needed. 

So now I'm at TWENTY THOUSAND WORDS and yikes. Gotta go back.

So here's the part that's an interesting experience. I'm finding the subplot more compelling than the main plot. And I'm sort of USING that fact to push myself hard with the main plot to keep it entertaining. It's fun. And I'm delighted my subplot is weaving in nicely and is going to be really cool.

I HOPE.

So do you put subplots in your books? Tell me how you weave them in. Are they just secondary characters right there with your main characters? Or, as if my case, is the subplot, characters introduced in book one and now those folks are having their trouble where they are and my main characters have left and are having trouble elsewhere.

Tell me about subplots. (or just say HI!) And maybe win a book!

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

 Picture of the lamp on a stand from "Biblia ectypa : Bildnussen auss Heiliger Schrifft Alt und Neuen Testaments," 1695, Johann Christoph Weigel. [PD-US]

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father."

Matthew 5:13-16

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please pray for our country and for an end to the problems that plague us at this current time, such as the increased cost of fuel and food and the rise in crime.

Also, please join us in praying for the protection of our military and for law enforcement officers and border agents.   
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

God bless you and keep you safe.   

Weekend Edition

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected. **(All winners' emails will receive a response within a week. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, we may not have received it. Please leave a comment in the following Weekend Edition.)


Monday: Ruthy hosted Blue Moon Monday
Wednesday: Mindy shared some tips for Recharging the Writer . The winner of a copy of  Easter on the Ranch , a 2-in-1 with Mindy's Their Ranch Reunion and Jessica Keller’s The Rancher’s Legacy
Thursday: Audra talked about Creating a Series from an Old Story .




Monday: Mary will be launching her next release and there is a Giveaway!!! Tuesday: Cate will host a special Giveaway for Lisa Jordan's newest Love Inspired. Be sure to stop by for a chance to win a terrific book!

Wednesday: Ruthy offers her usual wit and wisdom 
Thursday: Felicia Ferguson is our guest   





Coming February 23rd...
One book, two stories.  Easter on the Ranch  has the first book in Mindy Obenhaus's Rocky Mountain Heroes series, Their Ranch Reunion and Jessica Keller’s The Rancher’s Legacy.
Spring and second chances

The Rancher's Legacy by Jessica Keller

Returning home isn’t part of Rhett Jarrett’s plan—until he inherits the family ranch from his father. Running it won’t be easy with his ranch assistant and childhood friend, Macy Howell, challenging all his decisions. But a long-buried family secret might help Rhett begin to see things Macy’s way…and allow them to find love—and a home—together at last.

Their Ranch Reunion by Mindy Obenhaus

Single mom Carly Wagner is surprised to learn she’ll have to share ownership of the home she’s inherited with her first love, Andrew Stephens. Now a successful businessman, he’s standing in the way of her dreams to expand her B and B. Andrew has eight weeks to buy Carly out. But Carly’s too stubborn to persuade—and too beautiful to ignore. Should he leave and chase another deal…or stay and chase Carly’s heart?









Disclaimer: Any blog post that includes an offer of product purchase or service is NOT to be considered an endorsement by Seekerville or any of our authors  (please see our Legal page )
How to Return to Writing After a Long Break by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors
How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn at Well-Storied
5 Ways to Benefit from AI as an Author by Daniel Parsons at Self-Publishing Formula
Book Proposals I'd Love to See by Tamela Hancock Murray at Steve Laube agency
Different Types of Characters in a Story  at The Write Life
How to Find the Right Email Cadence by Jonas Fischer at MailerLite blog
Mismatched in the Yoke by EV Sparrow at ACFW blog
Finding Time to Write in an Already Busy 2023 by Alena Wendall at Learn How To Write A Novel
Conflict in Story: Character vs Self by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Other Ways to Write a Hero by Donald Maass at Writer UnBoxed

Creating a Series from an Old Story

 

Happy Groundhog Day, everyone!! Audra, here. I hope Punxsutawney Phil DOES NOT see his shadow! It's time for warm weather to blow across Colorado again!

Anyway, frigid temps aside, it seems like an eternity since I’ve written something new for a book. And it’s all coming back to me now:

·         The characters

·         The setting

·         The conflicts

And countless other details.

I guess you know you’re chosen to be an author when no matter how hard you try to put writing behind you, stories always seems to find a way of creeping back into your mind, winding through your heart and eventually, hijacking your fingers (or voice if you dictate) demanding attention.

I have a story – a series really – that has followed me for at least two decades. I found a floppy disk containing my first venture into this story with the title and date neatly printed on the yellow plastic.

1999

Someday I’ll try and access that disk, when I find a floppy reader and have access to a WordPerfect program. It’s not necessary, though. I know exactly how I framed that story back then – dark, mysterious, aloof – exactly how the historical romance writers of the time wrote their bestsellers.

I’ve revisited this series from time to time with little luck in finding a voice and a tone that felt right. Until now.

I’ve opened up a new binder in Scrivener and have begun working on a new series reflecting my old concept.  You might think “wow, piece of cake! The book is essentially written. All I need to do is tweak here and there and I’m done!” Mmm, not so easy. You see, all those years of simmering behind the scenes has led to many changes in my characters and the series itself. I talked about brainstorming ideas for this story/series back in October. In just a couple of days, I had brainstormed and outlined 6 novellas to accompany the original novels.

Fast forward to present day

I’ve started a new binder for my series. I’ve incorporated all my notes so I have everything all in one place. I’ve even scrounged around and found photos of characters to rekindle inspiration.

I use Moleskin for my daily planner. For my "bullet journal," I use any dot paper notebook I can find that's cheap!!Ready! Set! Go! Let’s write! Right? WRONG!

If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years of reading, writing, workshops, conferences, etc, it’s that you have to have a plan. Not the plan for your character arcs or black moment, or all the other elements of story.

There needs to be a plan in place for your SERIES.

A series needs a blueprint just as much as the first novel. Think about your favorite author and your favorite series. Beloved characters and villains probably made guest appearances in stories beyond their own. Settings contained consistent details. Seasons and fashions progressed with the stories. All of  these details go into a Story bible, but the creation of those details requires insight and vision. Let’s look at a couple of blueprint points.

TIMELINES

When I think about my series of novels, I have 3 books, each occurring in succession with circumstances based on outcomes of the previous book. That’s a relatively easy timeline to realize. Incorporating historical events aside, I’ll need a simple timeline to make certain seasons, holidays, schedules, etc all coincide.

When I look at my 6 novellas that compliment my first book, they all happen simultaneously. I am looking at a period of a week where I have dozen primary characters interacting with each other and, at times, the characters of the featured novel. AND, the dozen primary characters all have their own conflicts and desires that sometimes clash with their love interest and characters not necessarily involved in the novella I’m working on. Do I need to know where all these characters are at all times? Yes, I do!

CHARACTER PROFILES

Let me start by saying, I’ve never been a big one to fill out the routine hair color, eye color, height, etc forms. When I write a book, I’m dealing with 2 primary characters, and I can pretty well look at their pictures and visualize the scene. When I start thinking about a series of novellas that all wrap up in the same week, I better keep in mind which character has the green shawl, the silver reticule, the blue satin slippers. This may be a large estate, but people will interact and personal affects from one character’s situation in one book must show up in another book if the detail is noteworthy to any extent.

SETTING

In a prior lifetime, I was a licensed interior designer. Blueprints and creating purposeful environments are still second nature to me. I love researching the layout of an old manor house to see how I can modify it for my purposes. Creating presentation boards remains a tool I use to keep me in sync with the setting of any project. It’s fun; it’s creative; it’s essential.

These are just a few story points in keep in mind when formulating your next series. Or even, stand-alone book if you have a lot of details to keep straight. Create your own “binder” either by hand or using writing program like Scrivener.

Truth is, I’m not an organized person. I was desperate. I’ve modified Plato’s famous quote to fit: 

Desperationis the mother of invention.

I’d love to hear how you keep story details ordered and accessible. Let’s brainstorm!!

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 RSV
Audra Harders writes "rugged stories with heart" featuring fearless men who haven't a clue about relationships, rescued by ladies who think they have all the answers. In real life, she's married to her own patient hero, has two adult children, and a very strong-willed Corgi. She began writing right after her second kidlet was born and sold her first book to Love Inspired mere months before that same young adult graduated from high school. Surviving those years in between reminds her God does have a plan for her life...and that He has a tremendous sense of humor. You can visit Audra at:

Website: www.audraharders.com

Recharging the Writer

 

by Mindy Obenhaus

I can’t help chuckling when I watch a movie in which the hero or heroine is a writer. Oh sure, they might show them battling writer’s block, but most of the time the writer is embarking on/in the midst of a book tour or being hounded by his/her agent/publisher for their next project. What they rarely show is the reality of being an author. The hours of research, laboring over a scene, trying to juggle writing time, promotion and marketing, family, work and other commitments. If a writer isn’t careful, it’s easy to get burned out.

That’s why it’s important for writers to take time to recharge so they can be at optimum performance. How do they do that?

Read Writing Books – When I first started writing, I bought loads of craft books. Some I read cover to cover, while others had me feeling overwhelmed. Now, having published several books, I find that revisiting those craft books sparks my creativity and reinvigorates me. It awakens that passion that can fade, making writing feel more like a have-to than a want-to.

Get Creative – Writers are creative by nature. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be writing. But sometimes our creative side needs to be fed with other things. Do you like to cook/bake? Take some time to have fun in the kitchen. Maybe you’re a crafter. Start a new project. Explore your creativity beyond writing, nurture it and it will carry over into your writing.

Retreat – Writing can be a lonely endeavor. And nobody understands that better than other writers. So why not escape with one or more of your writing buddies? Maybe you want the time to just write. Perhaps you need help with your plot. There’s just something about being with like-minded people that fills your creative well and leaves you with a renewed passion.

Now it’s your turn. Writers, what are some of your favorite ways to recharge? Even if you’re not a writer, you can get burned out. How do you refresh yourself so you can tackle whatever lies ahead? Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Easter on the Ranch, a 2-in-1 with the first book in my Rocky Mountain Heroes series, Their Ranch Reunion and Jessica Keller’s The Rancher’s Legacy that releases later this month.

Spring and second chances

The Rancher's Legacy by Jessica Keller

Returning home isn’t part of Rhett Jarrett’s plan—until he inherits the family ranch from his father. Running it won’t be easy with his ranch assistant and childhood friend, Macy Howell, challenging all his decisions. But a long-buried family secret might help Rhett begin to see things Macy’s way…and allow them to find love—and a home—together at last.

Their Ranch Reunion by Mindy Obenhaus

Single mom Carly Wagner is surprised to learn she’ll have to share ownership of the home she’s inherited with her first love, Andrew Stephens. Now a successful businessman, he’s standing in the way of her dreams to expand her B and B. Andrew has eight weeks to buy Carly out. But Carly’s too stubborn to persuade—and too beautiful to ignore. Should he leave and chase another deal…or stay and chase Carly’s heart?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com  

Blue Moon Monday: Add A Scene!

 

Okay, dear ones, this is a fun writing exercise that gets out brains fired in multiple directions! 

Your task is to read this and then post the next part of the scene!

Have fun! Go anyway you'd like, and give it your best shot.

GOOD MORNING!!!!

And happy Monday to all of us!

He lives!!!!

Ninety degrees and humidity at total saturation levels.The combination didn't just annoy Jayce Montgomery.It infuriated her.Not because it turned her nearly black hair into a bush resembling a squirrel's nest, or the fact that science hadn't invented a women's deodorant that actually worked under these conditions.Jayce could deal with that.It was the oppressiveness of the combo.Jayce hated oppression.Like 'in-your-face' hated it. Nothing mild or tempered in her reaction.A therapist might have a lot to say about that.Forget them.Forget anything that took a deep-dive into hidden meanings behind everything, she decided as she approached the Jackson house. She didn't feel for her gun.That would be amateur hour. It was where she put it, where she always put it, ready to be withdrawn.She might not need it.But if she did, she was ready.Jayce Montgomery was always one-hundred percent ready.Ready right up until the Jackson house exploded, a fireball rising up as it blossomed out.Suddenly her hair wasn't humid.It was singed.And singed might be even worse than humid.
All right... Go get 'em, friends! We're here for two days so there's no rush. None at all... Just you, us and the keyboard.
Let's do this!

Multi-published and bestselling inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne has over seventy published novels and novellas to her credit... She loves God, her family, her country, coffee, chocolate, dogs, some cats, mini donkeys and co-managing the rapidly growing pumpkin farm she runs with Farmer Dave and a wonderful crew of family, friends and volunteers. Fine her on Facebook, pop over to her website and email Ruthy at loganherne@gmail.com. She'd love to hear from you!

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Requests

James Tissot, The Beatitudes Sermon, c. 1890,
Brooklyn Museum. [PD-US]

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."

Matthew 5:1-12a

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