Beth K. Vogt's Blog

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #8

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 the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

The hunt BEGINS on 6/15 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.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, 6/18 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.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 the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

 

I’m author Beth K. Vogt and I’ve always loved a good romance, contemporary or historical, especially one with some humor woven through it. I’ve written award-winning contemporary romance and women’s fiction, and Dedicated to the One I Love, which release June 20, is a return to my romance roots. I also love my home state of Colorado, so Kylie and Joe’s story is set there, as my other novels have been too — with an occasional foray to Florida, where we lived for eight years. You can connect with me on Instagram and Facebook, and Twitter.

Here’s what Dedicated to the One I Love is about:

She doesn’t believe in love anymore. He doesn’t either.
They’re perfect for each other.
Two  friends who connected online via a popular word game and their mutual love of trivia discover they’re both novelists writing under pen names — and now are forced to worked on a project together. Surely they can wrangle their alter egos into this literary collaboration. But as the deadline looms, their differences threaten the romance developing off the page.

In their emails, Kylie and Joe try to stump one another with various trivia questions.

In honor of of my main characters and the literary thread woven through Dedicated to the One I Love, I decided to share some fun trivia about famous authors. Read on and see if any of your favorite authors are included.

Did you know:

 

J.R.R. Tolkien worked for the Oxford Dictionary and spent two years researching the etymology of words beginning with W. His most famous additions are “waggle” and walrus”.John Steinbeck’s dog ate his first manuscript of Of Mice and Men.Louisa May Alcott, who wrote Little Women, which happens to be my favorite childhood book, was the first woman registered to vote in Concord, Massachusetts. At the time, women were only given the right to vote in school board elections.Roald Dahl, author of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, was a taste tester for Cadbury’s chocolate.Maya Angelou was San Francisco’s first ever black streetcar conductor. (I love quotes and I quote Maya Angelou so often!)William Shakespeare coined the following phrases: dead as a doornail, in a pickle, wear your heart on your sleeve, star-crossed lovers, and off with his head.Jane Austen never married, but she was engaged for one night. She accepted the proposal of marriage two weeks prior to her 27th birthday and changed her mind the next morning. (Anyone else surprised by this?)Before finding fame as a novelist, The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown was a pop singer. One of his solo albums was called Angels and Demons.J.K. Rowling came up with the names for houses at Hogwarts in Harry Potter while she was on an airplane. She jotted the names down on an airsickness bag. (And this is why writers are told to always carry a notebook, yes?)Famed mystery writer Agatha Christie wrote six romance novels – perhaps relationship-centered novels would be a better description – under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. Mary is her middle name and Westmacott is a distant family name.

Here’s Your Critical Stop #8 Info:

If you’re interested, you can order Dedicated to the One I Love on Amazon! 

Clue to Write Down: for the 

Link to Stop #9, the Next Stop on the Loop: Tracie Peterson’s site!

Don’t miss my giveaway! (This giveaway is for U.S. entries only.)

Choosing to Embrace Unexpected Life Change

@bethvogt

The last few months I’ve experienced a few changes in my writing life.

As I worked on producing an audiobook of Things I Never Told You, book 1 in my Thatcher Sisters Series, and self-publishing Unpacking Christmas: A Thatcher Sisters Novella, I spent a lot of time in 2021 praying about “what’s next?”

The first answer to my “what’s next?” prayer surprised me. After 10 years with Rachelle Gardner as my agent, I’m now represented by Cynthia Ruchti of Books and Such Literary Management. Cynthia is a longtime friend and someone I trust and respect in the publishing industry. The transition, which was prayed over for weeks, went smoothly — accompanied by both tears and excitement. My friendship with Rachelle is as strong as ever and, as always, I consider her one of the best agents in the business.

The second answer to my ‘what’s next?” prayer is another surprise and affects everyone reading this.

I’m ending my weekly blog with this post.

 It’s still a bit odd to think about not writing a weekly blog post, but after evaluating how I’m using my time, I know this is the wise choice for me. I need to choose what I say yes to and what I say no to – and after years of saying yes to the blog, I’ve decided to take the hours I commit to blogging and use them for my fiction writing.

I appreciate each one of you for following this blog. I invite you to continue following me several different ways:

 

Subscribe to my monthly Words of Encouragement. When you sign up, you’ll get a short novella, Revisions, written just for subscribers, as well as a 30-day devotional. And each month I’ll touch base with you with – what else? – words of encouragement, as well as book news and information about contests and giveaways and other authors I support. Sign up for Words of Encouragement here. Follow me on my Author Facebook Page. On Mondays I do Monday Motivation Facebook Lives – short encouragements to start our week together – and on Fridays I do Friday Favorites Facebook Lives – sharing something fun that I found during the week. I also connect with you during the week with friends’ giveaways and book releases. Follow me here.Join my Dream Readers Group. I always link the FBLive videos here and I also plan to share about what I’m writing and other fun stuff in this more personal group for my readers. I’m working on a women’s fiction novel and a Christmas-themed novella. Join the group here. Of course, check out my Author website. It’s getting revamped because of the blog transition, so stay tuned.Follow me on my Instagram page. I love Instagram because I’ve found so many encouraging, creative and inspiring friends there. I hope you join me there!Follow me on BookBub. This is another opportunity to stay connected about new releases and when my books go on sale. I also post book reviews and recommendations. You can follow me on BB here.

Again, I thank each one of you for joining me during the past years for this ongoing conversation. You’ve enriched my life and blessed me with your insights. I appreciate you, my friends.

 

Choosing to Embrace Unexpected Life Change #change #writing
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'True life is lived when tiny changes occur.' #quote by Russian author Leo Tolstoy #change #choices
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Second Chances and the Chance of a Lifetime

My husband Rob and I are Guy Fieri fans. Fieri is American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award-winning television presenter. Rob and I first got hooked on his TV show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” segued to “Guy’s Groceries Games,” and our favorite is now “Guy’s Ranch Kitchen,” where his chef-friends come to his ranch and cook themed meals.

Which brings us to his newest show, “Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime” – and this blog post.

The premise of “Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime” is straightforward: Seven candidates compete for the opportunity to become the owner of a new Chicken Guy franchise.

The chance of a lifetime? Nobody’s going to pass that up, right?

One of the candidates almost did.

In the first episode, Cayton has been selected to compete for the franchise opportunity. However, the night before he and the rest of the candidates meet with Fieri and his team, Cayton second-guesses whether he should compete.

Why?

Cayton’s not sure he wants to uproot his family – and there’s no telling where the new franchise will be located.

After discussing his doubts with Fieri, Cayton agrees to let Fieri know his decision by 10 a.m. the next day.

Fast forward to the next morning when all the candidates show up – except Cayton. Fieri moves on, talking with the other six candidates …

… and then guess who shows up late?

 Bingo! Cayton.

Fieri and his franchise manager leave the room to discuss what to do. The other candidates are all for tossing Cayton out.

Rob and I discussed whether Cayton deserved a second chance after showing up late for his chance of a lifetime.

My thought: Everybody deserves a second chance.

Rob’s thought: Yes, Cayton is late, but maybe more than any of the other candidates, he’s counted the cost of winning.

In the end, Fieri gives Cayton a second chance.

Cayton’s relieved. The rest of the candidates aren’t happy.

And yet, haven’t they at some other time in their lives been grateful for a second chance? Wouldn’t they have wanted a second chance if they’d been Cayton?

Have you ever been thankful for someone overlooking a mistake you made? Maybe you showed up late to work. Underperformed in class.  Said the wrong thing.

Instead of a “one strike, you’re out!” reaction, you’re offered a second chance.

Grace.

Maybe, just maybe, that second chance became your chance of a lifetime.

We never know where a second chance can lead, do we?

Second Chances and the Chance of a Lifetime #perspective #seconchances
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'To take that second chance, we need to notice where we are and be open to the possibility of growing.' #quote by Holly Elissa Bruno @hollyelissabrun #secondchances #possibilities
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Unpacking My One Word for 2022

@bethvogt

 

I’m five days into focusing on my One Word for 2022. A quick reminder, because you’re not responsible to remember my One Word: I’m focusing on the word pray.

Pray, not prayer.

I’m specific about the difference between the two words. Prayer is a noun, a word referring to a person, place, or thing. Pray is a verb, a word referring to an action or occurrence. This year, I want to be actively praying.

While I didn’t set aside my 2021 One Word listen before the end of the year, I did find myself concentrating on “pray” before I’d turned my calendar to 2022. I even started wearing my “pray” necklace in mid-December. When I pray for someone during the day, I clasp the medallion with the word “pray” stamped on it.

My friend Jeanne gifted me my visual for my One Word: a sign with the words “Pray, Trust, Wait,” printed against a gray background. A good reminder that not all answers to prayer are immediate.

An unexpected addition to my year of prayer is a soft gray blanket from my friend Fran. It’s become a prayer shawl, something I wrap around my shoulders as I pray each morning. And yes, there are versions of prayer shawls, to include the one referred to in Old Testament that includes fringe that reminds the wearer of God’s commandments, as well as another type of prayer shawl that is prayed over while it is knitted or crocheted, and then given as a gift.

For me, wrapping this blanket/shawl around my shoulders signifies it’s time to pray. I like to think this shawl will be saturated with my prayers. It may be just my imagination … but I’m going with it.

I also plan to read various books on prayer this year. I’ve started with 100 Prayers Every Christian Should Know: Build Your Faith with the Prayers That Shaped History by Bethany House Publishers. Categories include Prayers for Peace and Comfort; Prayers for Light and Guidance in the Darkest Hours; Prayers of Thanksgiving and Gratitude; and Prayers for Humility.

I’m just beginning my 2022 prayer pilgrimage. I’m not certain where this path will lead me, but I certainly hope – pray – it will draw me closer to God.

So that’s me and my One Word for 2022. How about you?

 

Unpacking My One Word for 2022 #OneWord2022 #thepowerofoneword
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'There's power in words. Beauty in words. Grace in words... They stimulate our creativity. And they script our possibilities.' #quote from My One Word Challenge by @mikeashcraft and @RachelOlsen #words #OneWord
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Wishing You the Hope of Christmas

@bethvogt

There’s no denying I love quotes. Quotes about Christmas? They’re some of my favorites.

So many people have different perspectives about Christmas and, yes, I skip over some of them. But, for the most part, the quotes I read inspire me. Encourage me. Uplift my heart. Guide me through the season with the right attitude – one of gratitude, hope, and most importantly, faith.

Christmas isn’t “the most wonderful time of the year,” despite the song lyrics telling us otherwise. Life is still hard during December. We still face disappointments. Loss. Heartbreak. Grief. No amount of holiday lights and tinsel and fa la la la la will ever change the harsher realities of life.

But if nothing else, Christmas is about hope. God stepped into our world and offered us more — the gift of Emmanuel, God with us.

No matter what circumstances you find yourself facing right now, I pray you are able to grasp the hope offered each one of us at Christmas.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and I’ll see you in the New Year. I’m taking a social media break until 2022.

Wishing You the Hope of Christmas #encouragement #faith #Christmas2021
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'And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind is coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent ... ' #quote by author Taylor Caldwell #Christmas #hope
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One last thing: I wanted to share one of my favorite Christmas songs with you. Enjoy.

 

 

Treasuring an Unexpected Holiday Tradition

@bethvogt

Some things become treasured family traditions without any planning on our part.

In 1988, when my husband was a family physician in the military, Uncle Sam declared, “I want YOU to be stationed in Turkey for two years!”

What Uncle Sam decrees, he gets. And off we went, with a newborn, a two-year-old, and a five-year-old. Travel back and forth from Turkey to the U.S. was an arduous 22-hour plane flight with multiple stops along the way.

A few months later we we were faced with celebrating Christmas thousands of miles away from family and friends. We tried to uphold as many normal holiday traditions as possible. We trimmed a small Christmas tree and shopped at the base exchange for presents for the kiddos. Our family back in the States overwhelmed the base post office with presents for the kiddos too – so much so that the postal staff learned our names and greeted us whenever we came by to check on our mail delivery.

One day, we received a package from the Clarks, close friends who’d attended a couples’ Bible study with us during Rob’s medical residency. Inside was a Precious Moments snow globe highlighting the image of a little child standing on tiptoe to put a Christmas card in a mailbox. Written on the base of the snow globe are the words: “I’m Sending You A White Christmas.”

I showed the gift to our three young children, who were fascinated with how the “snowflakes” fell whenever I shook the globe. For days, they asked me to show them the globe. Come January, I packed the gift away until Christmas came ‘round again the next year – our second, and final, Christmas overseas.

As the years passed, the snow globe was eagerly anticipated when we unpacked the Christmas decorations and then carefully packed away with the ornaments and stockings. Our children understood how special this snow globe was – and our grandchildren, who are just as enchanted with it, have learned the same thing. And as they grow up, they’ll also learn the story of how our dear friends sent this gift across the miles to remind us that we were loved and missed our first Christmas overseas.

With the passing of years, the snow globe is a bit worn. The water level is a bit lower than it was when I first unpacked it in base housing, still wondering what our first Christmas in Turkey would be like. At some point, the little figure may very well be above water. But the gift is even more precious with its imperfections. And yes, our friendship with the Clarks has survived the years and the miles too – the most wonderful gift of all.

What traditions do you treasure? Were they planned or unexpected?

Treasuring an Unexpected Holiday Tradition #gratitude #Christmas
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'Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends.' #quote by Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister #traditions #Christmas
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Christmas Blessings Giveaway12 authors + 12 novels + 12 gifts = 12 fabulous winners! 

Come find out more about the books and gifts we’re giving away and enter the giveaway here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realizing What Gratitude Can Do For You

“Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry, and irritation. It is savoring; it is not taking things for granted; it is present-oriented.”

 

 

I hope today’s quote encourages you and that you’re able to lean into gratitude.

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The holiday season doesn’t mean we can push pause on relationship ups and downs, heartaches, and disappointment. Which makes it all the more important to search for reasons to be thankful. They’re still there in the midst of all our circumstances. Sometimes reasons to be thankful are just more difficult to see.

 I’m thankful for each one of you who reads this blog and who joins the conversation.

 

'Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry, and irritation. It is savoring; it is not taking things for granted;it is present-oriented.' #quote by Sonja Lyubomirsky #gratitude #atitude
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How We Create Magic with Handwritten Notes

@bethvogt

 

 

I accepted a challenge this week.

Not a physical challenge involving upping my exercise. Not a health challenge to decrease my calories or carbs. Not a decluttering challenge to attack my closets or my garage.

What did I say yes to? I accepted an invitation to a Five-Day Card and Note Writing Challenge, thanks to my writer friend Elizabeth Cottrell.

Quite an undertaking, right?

For me? Yes, yes, it is.

In the middle of 2020, I’d determined to get back to writing notes to friends and family. I even made a monthly list of who I’d sent notes to, which means I can easily see when my effort trailed off … and then stopped altogether in early 2021.

I enjoy sending cards and notes to family and friends. There’s something a bit magical about writing a note to someone … slipping it into an envelope … addressing it … putting a stamp on it … and then depositing it in the mailbox.

Now here’s the truly magical part: I never know when my card is going to arrive, but it always seems to arrive at just the right time. Even when I’d meant to send the card sooner, someone will say, “Oh, your note arrived on just the right day!”

Perfect timing – you can’t control stuff like that when you’re committing a card to the whims of the postal service.

With everything else going on in the world, talking about writing notes to others may seem unimportant. But if you pause for just a moment, you might recall receiving a “just at the right time” note that contained the words you needed at that moment. As my friend Elizabeth has posted on her Heartspoken website, “Send love by mail … send notes that comfort, encourage, and inspire …”

Stop and think for just a moment: When was the last time you wrote someone a note – more than just signing your name on a pre-made card? How did you feel sending it on it’s journey? When was the last time you opened your mailbox and discovered a handwritten note from someone? How did you feel when you saw it waiting for you?

How We Create Magic with Handwritten Notes #communication #relationships
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'...I loved the idea that you can put marks on a page and send it off, and two days later, someone laughs somewhere else in the world.' #quote by novelist David Nicholls #letterwriting #communication
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Unpacking Christmas, my Thatcher Sisters Christmas novella, is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the fun giveaway for a chance to win 4 of my books (to keep for yourself or to give as gifts!), as well as a $50 Amazon gift gift card! How’s that for some fa-la-la-la fun? You can enter the giveaway here. 

 

Finding Hope in How You Finish

@bethvogt

I like to watch pro football.

This is not a surprise for many of you.

I’m a loyal fan to the Broncos despite years – yes, years – of disappointment. But this blog post is not about being a frustrated Broncos fan.

As I worked on my social media for this week, I listened to the pregame show for Sunday Night Football. *SPOILER ALERT* The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Green Bay Packers. During an interview, Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs quarterback, said “It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.”

 A little context for any non-football fans: Mahomes, who is 26 years old, has taken the Chiefs to the Super Bowl the past two years – his first two years with the team. This year, though, he and the team are struggling. Mahomes is facing not one, but two questions:

What’s wrong with the Chiefs?What’s wrong with Patrick Mahomes?

Once a winner, always a winner, right?

Nope.

 When I first heard Mahome’s say, “It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish,” I agreed. Good words. But the longer I ponder what he said, the more I go back and forth – sometimes agreeing with him, sometimes disagreeing.

How we start does matter. After all, we have no story without a beginning. Did we have to fight through adversity and find victory against the odds? Are we one of the “overnight successes” that took twenty years? Did success welcome us with awards and accolades?

I also understand why Mahomes said finishing matters more than how we started. With fans and media judging his (under)performance, he’s saying, “Don’t judge me now. I’m not defined by what’s happening. We may have lost some games, but I’m not quitting – and I intend to win the season.”

Of course, sports can be an analogy for life.

“It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.”

I like how Mahomes’ perspective provides us with hope – with not just a second chance, but all the chances we need to keep going no matter how many times we miss whatever mark we’re aiming for.

 

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Samuel Beckett, (1906-1989), Irish writer

 

Which matters more: how we start or how we finish?

Finding Hope in How You Finish #success #encouragement
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'It's now how you start. It's how you finish.' #Quote by @PatrickMahomes #focus #perseverance
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Unpacking Christmas, my Thatcher Sisters Christmas novella, is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the fun giveaway for a chance to win 4 of my books (to keep for yourself or to give as gifts!), as well as a $50 Amazon gift gift card! How’s that for some fa-la-la-la fun? You can enter the giveaway here. 

 

 

What Life lessons Did You Learn on the Playground?

@bethvogt

I was thinking about life yesterday.

And the children’s game “Mother, May I?”

You remember how to play this one, right?

 

You have one player who is Mother. Other players are, well, just regular players.The regulars line up shoulder to shoulder in front of Mother. Make sure there is plenty of space between Mother and the regulars.Mother than calls on each player one at a time, giving them instructions on how they can move forward. Example: “Beth, you can take 2 giant steps” Or “Tracie, you can take 5 baby steps forward.”The child who is called on must ask, “Mother, may I?”Mother can either say Yes or No. (Fun game, right?)If the child forgets to ask, “Mother, may I?” or steps out of turn, they must start all over again.The first child to reach Mother wins the game.

Y’all know me well enough by now to know this blog post isn’t about a child’s playground game.

I researched Mother, May I? because I wanted to ensure I wasn’t forgetting any major rule. Nope. It’s a simple kids’ game that teaches manners and respect, or so says the online person who outlined how to play it

Okay, I’ll buy that.

The reason I was thinking about Mother, May I? I thought the game teaches some significant life lessons too.

Yes, I learned to ask politely for a turn.

I also learned the Law of Favorites: how one kid who is Mother will pick their best friend to win the game, banking on the chance to be picked when that friend is Mother the next time.

Giant Steps and Yesses? I also learned these were valuable commodities on the playground. We moved forward much faster with Giant Steps and Yesses. No one wanted Mother to grant us Baby Steps or to say No when we oh-so-politely asked, “Mother, may I?”

I’ve unlearned some of those childhood lessons as an adult. Don’t get me wrong. Favoritism still happens, there’s no getting around that even when we’re all grown up and should know better.

But I’ve learned Giant Steps aren’t necessarily the best way to move forward. And a No isn’t always an indicator of failure.

Baby steps add up to significant forward motion. Think about how we cheer on a toddler’s first steps. Small, even wobbly, right? But they’re still progress.

Sometimes a no, even when it’s disappointing or dream-crushing, can lead to a better, unexpected opportunity.

Yes, it’s true we learn things as children, and sometimes we learn lessons that last through the years. But sometimes we unlearn things we learned playing games on the playground — and that’s all a part of growing up too.

Did you have a favorite childhood game? Carryover any life lessons from it?

What Life Lessons Did You Learn on the Playground? #perspective #babysteps
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'Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take a step.' #Quote by @naeemcallaway #forwardmotion #encouragement
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I’m so excited you can now spend the holidays with the Thatcher sisters! My Christmas novella released this week and stay tuned for a blog tour giveaway starting next week!