Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 124

Waiting in expectation--Myra Johnson is here to celebrate Christmas!

By Myra Johnson
Hello, Seekerville! Hard to believe almost a whole year has gone by since my retirement from the blog! This has definitely been a year of change and adjustment. My “One Word” for 2018 was NEW, and I chose two focus verses:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.(Isaiah 43:19, NIV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)

Waiting to see what new thing God has in store for our lives can be both scary and exhilarating! His plans may not always match up with what we would have chosen for ourselves, but we can rest in full confidence that God desires only our highest good.

The season of Advent is a time of watching and waiting in hope and expectation of God’s promises fulfilled. In the Lutheran worship tradition, on each of the four Sundays before Christmas, we light a candle in the Advent wreath and sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” adding one more verse each Sunday. Instead of the familiar Christmas carols they’ve been playing on the radio since before Thanksgiving, the hymns we sing during Advent all speak of our anticipation of Christ’s coming. Then at our Christmas Eve candlelight services, the sanctuary echoes with many favorite Christmas carols in a joyous celebration of music and praise!
This Advent season, as you reflect on the Lord’s promises and anticipate His coming again in glory, may you know the peace and joy that comes from faithfully waiting in Christ.
What does the season of Advent mean to you? Are there any special traditions you follow at this time of year?
If you haven’t read my latest Love Inspired romance, Hill Country Reunion , let me know in the comments if you’d like to be included in the drawing. I have three copies up for grabs! Click to Buy

If you’d like to learn more about Advent, here are some resources:
6 Advent traditions you may not have heard of
Why the Wreath
With the lighting of one candle, it begins
Lutheran Advent Traditions
Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. She’s currently at work on a new Love Inspired mini-series, Hill Country Haven, with returning characters from Her Hill Country Cowboy and Hill Country Reunion . The first book in the series, The Rancher’s Redemption , is slated for a May 2019 release.
Myra is a three-time Maggie Awards finalist, two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. Originally from Texas but currently residing in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband love the climate and scenery, but they may never get used to the pulled pork Carolinians call “barbecue”! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue dogs who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’ve also inherited the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they moved overseas.



Website
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Twitter: @MyraJohnson and @TheGrammarQueen
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Sign up to receive Myra’s e-news updates here !

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Sweet Treats and The Sweetest Gift

This is a holy season and a time for sweet treats and books so sweet and warm they make you sigh.
All the better if the books hold within them the true meaning of Christmas.
To celebrate Christmas two things
A sweet treat:
Connealy Crunch
Seriously if you haven't got the recipe and/or have never made this (Heaven knows I've posted it before)
You will be back here in Seekerville thanking me!
It is just so delicious.

Connealy Crunch
2 pound package Almond Bark (melted) 
Melt in microwave 1 ½ minutes. Stir. Melt 1 ½ minutes. That should be enough. You might need slightly longer. Almond bark doesn't lose its shape when it melts so you have to stir it to see if it's enough. Add:
3 C. Captain Crunch Peanut Butter Cereal
3 C. miniature marshmallows
3 C. Rice Krispies
3 C. mixed nuts
Spread out on waxed paper. Let cool. Break into pieces. 

Talk about the Sweetest Gift--a new granddaughter!
And a Sweet BookI am giving away a signed copy of my Christmas Novella collection called:Three Christmas NovellasThose three books are all previously released, but two have never been in print before, just ebooks.The middle book, The Sweetest Gift, is a fictionalized story about my grandparents marriage of convenience. I've changed times and dates and locations, for example my grandpa was a farmer in eastern Nebraska, in this book he's a cowboy in western Nebraska. But the fundamentals, the train ride, the widower, the deathbed promise my grandpa made to married his dying wife's college friend, the piano...though it wasn't gained in quite so dramatic a way as in the book, my grandparents old country farmhouse had a grand piano in it, so big, in this room that was so small you couldn't walk around the piano. I never knew how it got in there and I imagined they built the room around it, left a wall open to get it in, then boarded up the wall. My mom (the fourth child born to this marriage) didn't know when they'd gotten the piano, how they'd gotten it in that room or how long they'd had it. And you'd think she'd know that. And when my grandma died that piano vanished. (this part of the story isn't in the book)Now I'm sure someone just took it and either has it or sold it but it's not known to me or my mom where it went.I always thought of that piano as a bit magical. It appeared in that little country farmhouse and when my grandma died it disappeared.Anyway, that's book two in:
Three Christmas NovellasLonghorn Christmas, The Sweetest Gift and The Christmas Candle Longhorn Christmas  An Advent Story
Netty Lewis, a lonely young widow is saved from a raging mama longhorn by a passing cowboy who's been wandering since the end of the Civil War.
She needs help surviving her rugged life and caring for Jeremiah, her young son. And that means rounding up a nice-sized herd of wild-as-wolves longhorns.
Netty and Roy, along with Jeremiah begin a journey toward Christmas, family, home and love.
And a herd of longhorns are making the way hard.
The Sweetest Gift She longs for music. He needs a valuable horse to improve his herd.
When Christmas comes the gift they truly give is the gift of love.  A sweet re-telling of The Gift of the Magi--with a happy ending


The Christmas Candle A lonely widower with a pair of out-of-control sons he never got to know while their mother was alive.
A woman with a love of nature and beauty and scent...and the little boys seem determined to destroy her way of life.
A feisty Ozark mountain granny who doesn't put up with much nonsense.
The gift of a candle for Christmas and a Christ child who is a perfect match for this scent of heaven.
I'm giving away a signed copy of Three Christmas Novellas--leave a comment to get your name in the drawing.And the recipe is for everyone!!!
And just up, I have a new Garrison's Law available for preorder. The ebook is up, the print book is coming. I don't know how to make it available for pre-order, every time I've tried the book just PUBLISHES. So I'm waiting but it's coming soon.
Loving the Texas Stranger An assassin takes a shot and hits two people with one bullet.
Natalie Brewster, a deep undercover agent for a group that doesn’t officially exist, saw the gunman aiming. He definitely waited, lined up the shot, and tried to kill both of them. Nat and Case Garrison hit the ground bleeding. They both come up shooting and kill the assassin—but that just makes him mad.
Now Case and Nat, who have never before met, have to figure out what they have in common to make them prey for a killer.
And they have to do it while running for their lives because, despite the two of them being highly skilled at keeping a low profile, the killer keeps finding them. They are running at break-neck speed, hiding with all the skill of long-time undercover agents, and falling in love with a passion that might be part of what brought a killer down on them.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday:  Erica shared her tips for that final read through of a manuscript before turning it in to an editor. 
Wednesday: Laurie Tomlinson shared simple visual branding tips!
Friday: We've launched the Seekerville Advent Season! Woohoo!


Monday: Mary Connealy is our hostess
Tuesday: Welcome returning Seeker, Myra Johnson! 
Wednesday:  Mindy Obenhaus will be sharing some of her favorite Christmas traditions and her love for all things Christmas!
Thursday: Welcome returning Seeker, Glynna Kaye!  Friday: Welcome guest, Leslie Ann Sartor







Order Here!

Ruthy's (Ruth Logan Herne)  free ONLINE READ... a sweet novella set in her popular "Shepherd's Crossing" series, begins MONDAY!!! Here's the general link (mine isn't up yet!) so go here on MONDAY...
 https://www.harlequin.com/articlelist.html
And the name of my novella (a chapter a day for 20 days!!!) is "The Cowboy's Christmas Surprise"! A beautiful story of love rekindled... and two little boys with no where to go... no place to call home.  You must read this sweet story!
No picture of the novella cover.... but there's this, from Ruthy to you!

Loving the Texas Stranger Available for preorder nowAn assassin takes a shot and hits two people with one bullet.
Natalie Brewster, a deep undercover agent for a group that doesn’t officially exist, saw the gunman aiming. He definitely waited, lined up the shot, and tried to kill both of them. Nat and Case Garrison hit the ground bleeding. They both come up shooting and kill the assassin—but that just makes him mad.
Now Case and Nat, who have never before met, have to figure out what they have in common to make them prey for a killer.
And they have to do it while running for their lives because, despite the two of them being highly skilled at keeping a low profile, the killer keeps finding them. They are running at break-neck speed, hiding with all the skill of long-time undercover agents, and falling in love with a passion that might be part of what brought a killer down on them.




Three Ways to Add Tension to a Scene During Revisions by Janice Hardy at Fiction University.
100 Greatest Novels of all Time according to The Telegraph. How many have you read?
Take Charge of Your Creative Life: The SWOT Analysis by Dave Chesson at Jane Friedman
The Writer's Vision for 2019 by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Why The Story of the Starving Artist Needs to Die by Jeff Goins at Goins, Writer
Grand Finale: Two Strategies for Writing Great Story Endings by Jane Cleland at Writer's Digest
3 Good Reasons To Write A Sequel by Deanna Cabinian at Writer's Digest
How To Consistently Write 3500-4000 Words An Hour by Monica Leonelle at Prose On Fire

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like - ADVENT!

The Advent Season is upon us! The time of the year when we remember the birth of our Savior and we anticipate the special day we've set aside for the celebration.



Here at Seekerville, we're hosting a month-long party for our readers and friends to celebrate the season of Advent!

We'll be posting six days a week with a variety of Christmas-themed posts, recipes, memories, and the like.



And we're giving away PRIZES. Opening up the prize vault and tossing out prizes like Black Friday Deals!

Each post will feature a prize or two or FIVE, and there is a GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY of not one but TWO KINDLE FIRE EREADERS! You'll be given LOTS of opportunities to enter, and the winners will be posted in the final WEEKEND EDITION post of December...



You know...just before our NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION!

If it looks like I'm sort of excited about this, I AM! :)

Be sure to come by each day in December and chat with us about Christmas, Advent, yummy food, books, and prizes!

To get us started today, answer the questions posed in the pictures above, and I'll put your name in the Stocking Cap of Prize Drawings to win a copy of my book A Child's Christmas Wish!


On Behalf of the Seekers: Merry Christmas and we look forward to sharing with you this Advent Season!

Slow the Scroll: How to Capture Readers with Visual Branding

Hello, Villagers! My marketing nerd heart is so full that I get to talk more about branding with you today. If you missed our first Seekerville post on the subject, you can click here to read more of the specifics on honing brand, audience, and strategy.

Today, we’re going to focus on visual branding, which includes the colors, imagery, typography, and other design aspects that help tell the story of what we write and what our audience can expect in our social media spaces.

To start, I’m going to lay a few easy ground rules. The possibilities for self-expression are as unique and numerous as fingerprints, but the most effective platforms:
Keep it clear: Once they’ve determined the core vision and mission of their platform, successful brands make sure no part of their visual branding conflicts with it. If they’re going for entertainment, their colors might be whimsical and bright. If their subject matter is poignant and serious, then every image, font, and color they choose reflects that.Keep it simple: Less is always more when it comes to branding. That includes text, white space, and clean design. Marketing expert Donald Miller, of StoryBrand, advocates promotion that requires the least amount of thinking for the audience. Just as vague branding can deter a potential reader (or an existing one), visual elements that are too busy can have the same effect. In today’s digital world, the goal is to create content that will get readers to notice and stop their scrolling. Keep it consistent: Effective brands choose a few fonts, colors, and layouts and then use them everywhere they like to play on the internet--website, social media, newsletter headings--a cohesive package wrapped in a shiny, on-brand bow. When readers know what to expect, this builds a trust that makes them more likely to engage.So now that we have some basic ground rules, let’s look at ways we can make stylistic decisions that reflect our brand, even if we have no experience in design. (*Ahem* Like me!)
ColorsPick a palate of complementary colors. Three or four will be enough. If you have no idea where to begin, mood boards are helpful with images that capture what you’re going for. Is there a common scheme? Tons of articles talk about color psychology in branding, but I don’t think it needs to be that complicated. Say you’re a historical romance author who captures all things vintage in your brand. You might find an inspiring photo and experiment with a cream for the aged lace in the shot, a warm brown from the antique suitcase you loved, a dusty pink that matches the pretty vintage ribbon. Voila!

If you do an online search, there are plenty of color palates and wheels. When you find the ones that work for you, be sure to keep the HEX code for each color handy, which starts with a pound sign followed by six symbols (i.e. #99FFFF is a lovely teal color). This is a magical internet-friendly code that will produce the exact color in most programs and applications.

Now, incorporate them into your logo, business cards, and one-sheets. Put them in your newsletter, your social media graphics, and website. Use one, a few, or all of them, and readers will know they’re yours.

ImagesImages can help enhance the tone you’re trying to convey and show off your sparkling personality. But the number one thing to remember is that they must be your own, public domain/licensed under Creative Commons Zero, or used with permission and clearly attributed to the original source.

If you frequently post your own photos on social media, then using a distinct filter, lighting, or composition can also contribute to your visual branding. For example, if your content is poignant and introspective, then artsy, moody images with deeper saturation might complement it well. There are so many apps that can help make your photos unique (author Mary Weber, aka the Instagram Queen, has some wonderful tricks and techniques in her Instastories).

Typography The language of sans and serif might as well be Mandarin to me, but typography definitely contributes to the tone and personality of brand. The fonts you pick for your website and graphics largely depend on the software you use and the choices available therein. One of my favorite resources for inexpensive, gorgeous typefaces is CreativeMarket.com, which has a demo area that shows what sample text looks like before you buy it.

When making your choice, it’s important to ensure fonts are clean and legible across multiple browsers (and small phone screens, too), particularly if they’re for a blog post or another large body of text. While I’m a huge fan of a strategically placed accent fonts, too many fancy scripts or ornate flourishes can be distracting and unpleasing to the eye. So keep it simple, friends!

TemplatesThere are loads of programs that can help even the novice graphic designer create a cohesive visual footprint on the web. Whatever program works best, you can make templates for blog and social media content and simply interchange text, images, and colors for new posts. Also keep in mind that different social media platforms have different optimal sizes. Minding these dimensions will ensure that all of a graphic is visible and that it doesn’t get resized or warped.

Say you want to do a Question of the Week post on your business Facebook page. You would find the correct size for Facebook (1200 x 630 pixels, according to SproutSocial.com), crop an on-brand, eye-catching image or solid-color background to that size, and overlay text and colors on it. Then the next time, all you’d have to do is open that saved template and change the question, adjusting the background and colors if you want to.

Deep breaths…Does this sound like a foreign language to you? That’s okay. While I worked in PR for many years, I’m much more of a word-nerd copywriter whose hot mess graphic design offerings leave the real pros shaking their heads. So I encourage you to feel around in the dark until you get it, even if it means bumping your shins a couple of times.

Don’t be afraid to let that brilliant personality shine in your visual branding. And when in doubt, keep it clear, keep it simple, and keep it consistent. I have full faith in you!


What do you want your visual branding to say about you?
What authors are doing this well?



Laurie Tomlinson is the award-winning author of That’s When I Knew , With No Reservations , and The Long Game, currently featured in the Once Upon a Laugh collection . Her stories are fueled by faith, steaming mugs of tea, and her belief that life should be celebrated with cupcakes and extra sprinkles.


Find her on Facebook @AuthorLaurieTomlinson or her website, www.laurietomlinson.com.



More Visual Branding Resources:
● Gorgeous color palettes to inspire you
● Lots of colors (and their HEX codes) here
● Adobe’s fun tool to help you experiment with color palettes
● A list of resources for free stock photos + licensing guidelines
● Some helpful font combinations for inspiration
● A comprehensive list of optimal social media image sizes
● Simple photo and graphic editing programs to experiment with
● The best phone apps for photo editing and filters

Deadline Euphoria!

Erica Vetsch here:

I'm throwing confetti. Lots of confetti! (Because I don't have to vacuum up cyber-confetti.)

Just before Thanksgiving, I finished the manuscript for The Accidental Earl, a Regency romance that releases a year from now. That seems like a long way in the future, but it will be here before I know it.

Technically, the manuscript isn't due until 12/1/18, so I have almost a week before I need to hit 'send.'

During that week, I will be done throwing confetti about the place and will settle in to the final read-through of the manuscript.

Some authors write a fast-draft, knocking out a ton of words in just a few weeks, and then spending the rest of the time until the book is due editing and polishing and filling out the story.

Others, like me, tend to write fairly clean copy at a steady pace. It's clean because I edit what I wrote the day before and then continue with new words. Also, and this is just my method, at somewhere between the one-half and two-thirds mark, I go back to the beginning and edit everything, making the changes I need to now that I know the characters and the story better.

So what sorts of things will I be looking for during this final read-through?


I have a small checklist:
1. Inconsistencies. Does the hero's middle name change halfway through the story? Does the heroine have the same color eyes from the first chapter to the last? 
2. Fact Check. Anything I'm not sure of, I double-check. Regency readers are particularly sharp on the period details, and they LOVE sinking into a story that hits the right historical notes.
3. Finish filling out my style sheet. I keep a style sheet as I write, listing characters with descriptions, a timeline, important historical dates, etc. Sometimes I write so quickly that I don't get everything listed in the style sheet, so as I read, this is my chance to complete what's missing. I turn in the style sheet with the manuscript to aid the editor in  fact-checking and searching for inconsistencies.

With the manuscript sitting at just under 100,000 words, I will need to edit at least 20,000 per day to finish by Friday. But the more I can read in one sitting, the better it is for staying in the flow of the story and being able to pick out things that are off. I usually do my final read-through in 2-3 days.
And when it's done, and I get to send it in to my fabulous new editor at Kregel, I will throw a bit more confetti!

What is your procedure when you type THE END on a manuscript? 


Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she is married to her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

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.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday:  Jan Drexler shared the delight in the details. Winners of a copy of The Amish Nanny's Sweetheart are Vince and DebH!
Wednesday: Debby Giusti's blog post, "Give Thanks," focused on our thankfulness for all God's blessings. The Seekers provided their own Thanksgiving reflections. The winner of the fourth and final story in Debby's Amish Protectors series, Amish Christmas Secrets, is Melissa Cafin. Congrats, Melissa!
Friday: Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday!


Monday:  Erica Vetsch will be talking about Deadline Euphoria! 
Wednesday:  Laurie Tomlinson will join us  Friday: Prelude to Advent







Ruthy is crazy excited to chat about TWO THINGS. Wait... Make that THREE!

First, there's this: We are having a week-long CHRISTMAS NOVELLA celebration over at Petticoats & Pistols... Mary and Winnie and I are all there and it's Christmas Novella week for the Western-writin' ladies! I'm there on Wednesday, the 28th and we are giving away gift cards to kick off your Christmas shopping... and I'm celebrating these two offerings! My historical trilogy "Christmas on the Frontier" for $2.99 for Kindle and $7.99 for paperback at Amazon.  LINK HERE

And then there's "A Cowboy Christmas", my contemporary Western duo with Linda Goodnight! LINK HERE



And the third thing? Harlequin is featuring a FREE READ starting December 3rd, written by Ruthy! "The Cowboy's Christmas Surprise" is a beautiful serial done over twenty days of Christmas fun... and you get a chapter a day! More next week!



Erica Vetsch's The Trail Boss's Bride is on sale for just $0.99!



Steve Ketchum loves being a trail boss, almost as much as he hates river crossings. But it’s part of the job. As is moving an abandoned wagon out of the ford. But when he goes to haul it away, he’s stunned to see what’s inside.

Kitty Fareholm's good-for-nothing husband picked a lousy time to die. How could he leave her stranded, birthing a baby in the middle of nowhere? She'd prayed for help to come, but did God honestly think a trail-worn cowboy was what she needed? What’s more, Steve’s trail crew is dead-set against having a woman join their camp. He promises the men he’ll leave her at the nearest town...but Kitty just might have other plans.
You can get your copy at:

https://amzn.to/2QeLlDj


Tried and TrueOn Saleebook for 99 cents
Three Christmas Novellason sale now!!!
A week of Christmas Cheer on Petticoats & Pistolshttp://petticoatsandpistols.com/Prizes and fun on an early Christmastime--next week!
~~~~~Are you a fan of Jocelyn Green, Mary Connealy Tracie Peterson @beccawhithan, Jaimie Jo Wright or Kimberley Woodhouse ? We'd love to have you be a part of our giveaway! Just follow us on BookBub for plenty of chances to enter and then you can tweet or post on social media about the giveaway for another entry. http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/155d58732/? The prize is a $150 gift card! Just in time for Christmas!! ~~~~~
Thanksgiving Giveaway on Just Commonly blog, Facebook & Instagram. 

Click to buy on sale! $1.99





How to Writer Flawed Characters & Antiheroes That Provoke Empathy by David Corbett at Writer's Digest.

It's That Time of Year Again-Strategic Planning For Authors by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive

How Many Viewpoint Characters In Your Novel? by Randy Ingermanson at Advanced Fiction Writing

Get More Done As A Writer by Sarra Cannon at Heart Breathings

Seekerville Is Closed Today

Autumn in Vermont - Glynna Kaye
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  (Psalm 106:1)

Seekerville is closed today as we celebrate Thanksgiving Day with friends and family.  Please join us back here again soon! 

Giving Thanks!

By Debby Giusti  Today, I give thanks for all of you, the writers and readers who frequent Seekerville. Over the years, you’ve shared your joys and your sorrows with us. You’ve commented on our blog posts, read our books, left reviews, told your friends about our stories and have supported us with your encouragement and, most of all, your friendship.
Thank you, dear Villagers, for being a part—the most important part—of this blog. You are the reason we write and the reason we blog. I hope you know how special you are to us. Together, we have grown into a community of sisters and brothers united across the miles by our love for story.
During this Thanksgiving season, my heart is filled with gratitude for God’s many blessings. Everything I am or have is because of His mercy and love. He gives me life and sustains me as I try to follow Him. Luke 17:11-19 comes to mind. Jesus had healed ten lepers but only one—a Samaritan—returned to give him thanks. At this special time of the year, let’s offer thanks to the Lord for all He has given us. I’ve asked the charter Seekers and our newer blog sisters to write about that for which they are most grateful in a short Thanksgiving reflection.

Missy Tippens…
I'm so thankful for each of you today! You bless my life every day as I visit the blog or meet up with you on social media. I pray that each of you has a blessed day with family and friends, full of love and gratitude. I hope we'll all reach out to those who may be lonely or hurting today. I pray God will be with each one to give peace and comfort. Happy Thanksgiving my friends!
 Erica Vetsch…
This year, I'm giving thanks for the way God has led our church, bringing us an interim pastor after our previous pastor of 20 years left our church. I'm thankful for my ladies' Bible study, and the way they have encouraged me. I am so thankful that my husband continues to be cancer free and to tolerate his daily chemo well. I'm very thankful for all the traveling mercies I've experienced this year. And I'm thankful for Seekerville and my Seeker sisters who encourage, pray, laugh, and support one another with such grace.
Annie, AKA Just Commonly…
I'm extremely thankful for this bookish community, for the many great friendships introduced that I know will last long, if not for a lifetime.  I've been loved, supported and even humbled this year, sharing of God's love and grace. So thank you to every one of you.    
Glynna Kaye…
For many of us, giving thanks for life’s many blessings isn’t a once-a-year event, it’s a daily way of life. I’m acutely aware that I am one of the most privileged people on planet earth—given clean water, a comfortable home, good food on the table, close family and friends, freedom to worship God, and countless other blessings I’ve done nothing to deserve. Most of all, though, I’m thankful that we are loved so much that God sent His one and only Son to bridge the gaping hole between us and our Heavenly Father. He, by his willing sacrifice, freely washed away the deep-set stains of our disobedience and welcomes us into an eternal relationship with Him. My prayer this season is that we would all take time to give thanks for—and accept—that unfathomable gift.
Pam Hillman...
Giving thanks. Where do I start? How do I end? I look at all areas of my life and realize how blessed I am. I am blessed with health, financial stability, a home, healthy, beautiful, and perfect grandchildren, a Godly husband, a close knit family, dedicated church family, good friends to laugh (and cry) with, and good old country living in my little corner of the world. Should I dare to taint my glowing praise with a hint of juggling bills, health struggles, disagreements, those minor things only serve to shine a brighter light on how good God has been to me and mine. There’s no beginning and no end to His goodness, and all my thanks goes to Him. 
Julie Lessman…
Oh, goodness, if I listed everything I’m grateful for, this would be longer than one of my old Seeker blogs! So instead, I’ll just compartmentalize in Reader’s Digest-style. Spiritually, I’m eternally grateful for God’s love and salvation. Emotionally I am forever grateful for children, grandchildren, friends, and Keith, the love of my life. Physically, I’m beyond grateful that I can see, hear (albeit marginally), walk, and write. And gastronomically, I’m utterly grateful for turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie, and Lindt’s Salted Dark Chocolate. THANK YOU, GOD, FOR YOUR MANY WONDERFUL BLESSINGS!

Myra Johnson…
With our two daughters and their families living so far away—one on the other side of the country and the other overseas—the holiday season makes me especially grateful for the wonders of the internet. Thanks to Facebook, WhatsApp, iMessage, and other forms of instant communication, we can keep in touch and maintain those important family ties.
Mindy Obenhaus…
I love that we take a day to reflect on that which we are thankful for. In today’s busy world, we often forget to pause and give gratitude.
I am thankful for so many things. My family, friends, God’s provision and countless blessings, no matter how big or small. I’m thankful to be a part of Seekerville, not only to share my love of writing, but the opportunity to get to know both readers and writers alike. To share in their goals, triumphs and disappointments. To offer encouragement. God knows we need each other and Seekerville is safe place where we can gather and share our love of books. May you all be blessed beyond belief this holiday season.
Janet Dean…
I’m so very thankful that I have the privilege of talking to God, and amazingly, that He wants to hear from me! If you’ve ever noticed someone you’re talking with seem to stop listening, letting his or her gaze roam the room, maybe even settle on the televised game or nearby phone, then you realize how precious it is that the God of the Universe listens to every word. If only I could listen better to what He wants to say to me! The huge blessing is that even when I fail, God still wants a relationship. I think I’ll make LISTEN my One Word for 2019 and work on keeping my eyes and ears on Him.
Mary Connealy…
Being a writer is a solitary business. Usually those involved are solitary people so it’s okay. But once in a while I get a letter, usually through my website email address thanking me for some book, the laugher, the adventure, and I am so thankful for that. To take the time to find an email address, write a note, is so thoughtful. And I fail to do things like that for others far too often. I am thankful for so many things about being an author but today I want to thank those who write authors notes.
I am encouraged and uplifted by notes from readers. And since many of them hang around Seekerville…thank you Seekervillagers, have a wonderful thanksgiving and God bless you.


Carrie Schmidt…
I am thankful for so many things this year - my dad's improved health (after a scary cancer diagnosis), family, Jesus, story, BOOKS, Seekerville. I could go on and on - even in the midst of great grief this past year, there has been Joy and Peace as only Jesus can give. Yet, I want to mention specifically today how thankful I am for my friends, for the 'ride or die' (I really don't know what that means but everybody uses it so it must be cool or something lol) ladies that God has placed in my life. From the two friends I've known since 2nd grade to the bookish sisters I've met over the past three years - new and (ahem) old friends alike - I'm so incredibly grateful for their love and grace and laughter and wisdom. We cry together. We pray together. We LAUGH together. We swoon together. We praise Jesus together. We READ together. Love them so much. They are a true gift.
Ruth Logan Herne…
We are so blessed. There is so much to be grateful for in this country, with our health and our families but the thing I am most thankful for... the thing that shores me up and that holds me down when I'm about to say or do something stupid... is my faith. My faith in God. My faith in his son, Jesus Christ. My belief that the Holy Spirit guides us and loves us and challenges us... and that Christ's mother Mary was put in a position to set the very best example for us all. The example of sacrificial love. Of what it means to be a mother. Of that walk, to Calvary, and that cross. I am so blessed by that gift of faith because everything else, every other gift, stems from that. And that makes Thanksgiving perfectly beautiful.
Jan Drexler…
I could fill an entire book with the things I'm thankful for, but I'll be brief: my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; my dear husband; my family; every word I write; my readers; my church family; God's call on my life; the beauty of His world... I could go on and on. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Audra Harders…

How do I begin to list the people and things I'm thankful for? When the noise of life is deafening, it's the quiet moments and low voices of friends and family that encourage me to focus and press on. I'm more than thankful for my loud, boisterous, unconventional family who make me run the gambit of my emotions, yet every night, there are hugs and "I love yous" scattered throughout the house. My Seeker sisters who laugh, love and pray for me. The people God brings into my life for special purposes I won't understand until the day I see Jesus face to face. Oh, and wait! I can't forget Dobby and Hank, our faithful dog kids who's sloppy kisses let me know everything is all right. God bless you all!


Winnie Griggs…
I am so very thankful for the grace that has allowed me the joy of being in the circle of a large, loving family, extended family and sweet (and spicy!) friends.


Thank you, Seekers, for those lovely words of gratitude!
Villagers, add your own words of thanks in a comment to be entered in a drawing for the fourth and final book in my Amish Protectors series, AMISH CHRISTMAS SECRETS.
May the Lord bless you and your families with peace and joy and health throughout this beautiful season of gratefulness. I thank God for each of you and the many ways you bring joy to my life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing you abundant blessings,Debby Giustiwww.DebbyGiusti.com
AMISH CHRISTMAS SECRETSBy Debby Giusti
Safe Haven for the HolidaysThe thrilling Amish Protectors conclusionLeaving the nursing home where she works, Rosie Glick’s accosted by a man demanding incriminating evidence her murdered boyfriend stole—until Ezra Stoltz scares him off. Now with a killer dead set on silencing the Amish single mother, Ezra must hide Rosie and her baby to keep them safe. But can he expose a sinister conspiracy in timeto save the woman he secretly loves?
Order HERE!
Watch for AMISH SAFE HOUSE, the second book in the Love Inspired Suspense Amish Witness Protection continuity series.

AMISH SAFE HOUSEHiding in Plain Sight
The second thrilling Amish Witness Protection novel
After Julia Bradford’s son witnesses a gang shooting, hiding in witness protection on Abraham King’s Amish farm is the only hope the Englischer and her children have. Even as danger closes in, Julia is drawn to the community’s peaceful ways—and the ex-cop turned Amish protector. But when their location is discovered, can Abraham protect her family…and possibly have a future by her side?
Pre-order HERE!

The Delight is in the Details

by Jan Drexler

Writing is a complex task.

We work with words, using them to build sentences and paragraphs. But writing is much more than buildings blocks. Any computer could do that.

What we do when we work with words is artistry. We create worlds, moods, emotions, action. We convey hope, despair, love, and hate. We might even affect a reader’s world view.

Our goal is to make the reader forget that they are reading and immerse them in an experience.

That’s easy to say, but how do we do it?

One key is in the details we add to our writing.



Here’s a simple example to start us off:

He kissed her cheek.

Simple and straight forward, right? But where is the experience of the kiss? The way this sentence is written, there is no reward for the reader. No “being there” feeling.

So, let’s add some details:

He cupped her chin in his hands, turning her face toward his. Her eyes softened as he drew her near. The time to claim her as his own hung before him, sweetly tantalizing, but this wasn’t the time. Longing to feel her rosebud lips, he ran his thumb over them in a light caress, then planted the kiss on her soft, fragrant cheek.

This is a different experience, isn’t it? Now we’re getting a hint of both characters and an idea of the story behind the original sentence.

Let’s try another example. This one is from my book, “The Amish Nanny’s Sweetheart.” First, I’ll give you the bare-bones scene, then I’ll show you what the scene is like after I added the details.

Bare-bones, first draft:

Luke left Judith standing in the road. She looked around at the unfamiliar landscape and pulled her shawl tighter. She headed off the opposite way Luke had gone, hoping that this was the way he had brought her.

And now, here’s the way this description appears in the book:

Luke slapped the reins on his horse’s back harder than he needed to and the horse jumped into a trot, leaving Judith standing by the side of the road.

Judith stamped her foot and turned around to walk home. But as she took the first few steps, her anger at Luke faded. The road stretching in front of her was unfamiliar, and the night was dark. The wind had picked up, tugging at her shawl.

Ripples covered the black, oily surface of the lake and lapped against the shore along the roadside. From the woods across the water came the hoot of an owl. A night bird trilled in response. Judith backed away and started down the road, hoping she was heading the way Luke had brought her. 


Do you see how the details I added filled out those few paragraphs, bringing the reader right into Judith’s mind, experiencing what she experienced?

But how do we add those details? And how many details do we add? How do we know when to stop?

One thing I do when I’m filling out a scene like this one is to place myself there. I know the lake where Luke took Judith – it has appeared in most of my Love Inspired Amish books. When I wanted to add the details to this scene, I started by closing my eyes. I went back in my memory. What does that lake look like? Where are the woods? The road in relation to the lake shore?

I thought about times when I’ve been in an unfamiliar place, and times when I’ve been outside on a dark, cold, windy night. I thought about what a lake looks like on a night in early spring, after the thaw and before the first leaves appear on the trees.

Finally, to all those memories, I added Judith’s feelings about what she had just experienced: an unwelcome kiss and a disagreement with the boy she thought she liked. Anger fading to uncertainty and fear.



But it is easy to go too far when describing a scene. Details can slow the action and bog the story down.

Here’s another example from the same story. In this scene, Guy (the hero) has just finished milking the cows and is running the milk through the cream separator. At the same time, he and Judith are having a conversation. I hope this snippet gives you an idea of how the scene goes:

Guy watched Judith from under the shock of hair that always fell over his eyebrows as he started assembling the cream separator. He tried to catch her eye, but she seemed distracted. She stepped forward to help him sort the dozens of rings and filters, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Well?” Guy set the filters in their place and attached the big onion-shaped hopper on the top of the cream separator.

“Are you serious about learning Deitsch?” She handed him the clean steel buckets that would hold the separated milk and cream. Guy started the slow, heavy crank, getting the separator up to speed before he poured the milk into it.

“Of course I am.” He lifted the first pail and poured the steaming milk into the hopper. “At least, I am if you’re going to teach me.” 


In preparation for writing this scene, I learned how a cream separator from the 1930’s works. I read descriptions and I watched You-tube videos. Too late, I realized I should have asked my dad, because he used one of these every day when he was growing up.

But now I know how to run a cream separator, and I know a LOT more than the little details I mentioned in this scene.

And I don’t know about you, but I love sharing information like this with anyone who will listen! I could have added SO MANY more details about cream separators…but I didn’t, and I’m sure you know why:

This scene isn’t about cream separators!

I put in enough details to place the reader in the milk house with Guy and Judith, but not so many that the purpose of the scene is lost.

In other words, don’t let your story get overshadowed by the details.

Learning to sprinkle in the right details at the right time is part of developing your writing skills, so today we're going to play a little game!

Choose one of the following sentences and add in a few details. Make the sentence your own, and share it in the comments. Practice making the sentence come alive for your readers!

1) She turned the page.
2) He closed the car door.
3) It rained all day.
4) It snowed.
5) The meal tasted good.
6) She saw him walking toward her.
7) The dog barked.
8) The smoke was thick.
9) She heard a door slam.
10) A baby cried.


Have fun!


*I will draw the names of two commenters this week to win their own copies of "The Amish Nanny's Sweetheart!"




Jan Drexler is a long-time Seekervillager who credits the ladies of Seekerville for giving her the tools she needed to launch her writing career. In her former life she was a Homeschool Mom, but was forced into retirement when her youngest son graduated from high school. That’s when a computer and a deep well of family stories to draw from inspired her to delve into a long-held dream of writing historical fiction with Amish characters. When she isn’t writing she spends much of her time satisfying her cross-stitch addiction or hiking and enjoying the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband of more than thirty-six years. Her writing partner is her Corgi, Thatcher, who makes life…interesting.