Becky Wade's Blog, page 116

Authors on Autumn

Welcome, autumn! Red maples, crunchy leaves underfoot, crisp air and crisp apples, and a return to routine. To usher in the new season, I thought I’d share what 10 classic authors (including some of my favorites) have written about autumn. Some quotes you probably know, while a few may be less familiar. If I’ve missed your favorite, please add it in the comments below.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

―F. Scott Fitzgerald

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

―L. M. Montgomery

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

― George Eliot

“It’s the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and, best of all, leaping into leaves!”

—A. A. Milne

“Wild is the music of autumnal winds amongst the faded woods.”

—William Wordsworth

“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.”

― Samuel Butler

“Go, sit upon the lofty hill,

And turn your eyes around,

Where waving woods and waters wild

Do hymn an autumn sound.”

—Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I hope you are enjoying these mellow, golden days as well. Thank you for stopping by today!

Eight National Parks

Today Ken and I are beginning Week 5 of a six-week loop through ten states, eight national parks, and many state parks. We have seen so many beautiful sights and have been reminded daily, hourly, that God’s glorious creation is very, very good! Do you see both of the moose in the photo above?

I captured that amazing photo (if I do say so myself) while hiding behind a BIG tree. We had just come down a trail where photographers were gathering to capture the sunset behind the Grand Tetons. When we rounded a corner, we heard a huge commotion and saw that photographers were rushing toward us in a panic clutching their camera equipment. Turns out a bull moose was chasing a cow moose through the water and didn’t care that the photographers were in his way! Ken and I were lucky enough to capture some great photos almost by accident!

We have seen so many different animals and birds (but only one lizard and ZERO snakes, so I’m a happy camper!) Here are just a few of them:

Upper left, clockwise: a grizzly bear, pronghorn antelope, elk on the lawn of a Yellowstone visitor center, mule deer, cow moose, bull moose, chipmunk, the moose again, and center, a wolf!

I don’t even know where to begin sharing photos, but here are just a few of my favorites from the national parks.

[image error]Getting to see some dear friends and family along the way has been one of the highlights for me. My dear friend, author Roxanne Henke and her husband Lorren in Minnesota; Ken’s sister and her family in Montana; and my wonderful uncle and aunt, also in Montana.

We have almost two more weeks to go but we’re in Colorado, working our way toward Kansas and will spend some time with my family and two of Ken’s brothers there, so that will make the time fly. Then we’re meeting friends in Missouri for a bike ride on a trail we’ve been wanting to try, so I have a feeling the rest of the trip is going to FLY by! (And that’s okay with me. I’m getting a tiny bit homesick after a month on the road!)

Have you been to any of our country’s national parks? Which is your favorite? Which is at the top of your list to see next?

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

Trials and Deliverance

A number of years ago, a follower of my blog left this comment:

How do you personally reconcile the two thoughts — embracing trials and praying God’s deliverance? I grew up in a church that strongly teaches pain and suffering are to be endured – almost to martyrdom, as some sort of penance, even as a way of offering a prayer up for others (i.e. if I have brain cancer I should just suffer and offer it up for someone else’s salvation). Now that I more fully understand what Jesus did for us, I don’t go along with that. I’ve learned to pray God’s word into my life and others. But some of the teaching on “favor” seems to go overboard the other way. Just wondering about your thoughts on that…

Here was my answer, edited a little for length and clarity:

Tough question. You see, embracing trials and praying God’s deliverance are both true. As believers we need to be discerning. Through my years as a Christian, I have heard the prosperity gospel preached and I have heard teachings on walking in divine health and a host of other things. Christian maturity teaches us to test what we hear with the Word of God. The whole Word. We should not take one verse and make a doctrine out of it. We do so at our peril.

I think the greatest problem we Westerners have with this is that we associate an “abundant life” (God’s favor) with a prosperous life and/or a life without physical or emotional trials. I don’t believe that a study of the Bible reveals that as true at all. As long as we live in a fallen world where sin and disease are unloosed, we will have trouble. Jesus Himself told us so: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, TNIV) Jesus said we will have trouble, and He didn’t say that the instant we pray we will be taken out of that trouble. He said we’ll have trouble but that He has overcome the world. So we take heart in Him, even as trouble swirls around us. The Word also teaches that God goes before us and behind us and on all sides. He is always with us, even to the end of the age.

I do not believe Scripture teaches us that we are simply to endure hardship. Persevering is so much more than merely gritting one’s teeth and getting through another miserable, hard, awful day. Martyrdom isn’t the goal. The abundant life is having joy, no matter the outward circumstances. I believe that if Western Christians took a look at our persecuted brethren in countries around the world that are hostile to Christianity, where believers are put to death or imprisoned for their faith, we would have a better understanding what the true “abundant life” is.

The Word tells us to pray about everything, to pray without ceasing, to pray with belief. Our responsibility is to pray for the sick. It’s God’s responsibility whether or not that prayer is answered with healing now or what that healing will look like. If there is anything in this life I am sure of, it’s that nothing happens to me that isn’t either caused or allowed by my Heavenly Father for my benefit. He causes or allows people or circumstances to enter my life so that I will continue to be refined, continue to be honed to be more like Jesus. That’s the reason I was born: To become molded into the image of Christ, day by day by day. I won’t get there until I’m in heaven, but I should be moving in that direction all the time.

Pray for patience, and I can guarantee you that God will send people into your life who will test your patience to the very limits! Because how else can we know that we are patient unless our patience is tested? Pray for wisdom, and your wisdom will be tested. Human nature tends to object to those lessons. Usually when we pray for something, we already have in mind the way we think God should answer us. I’ve rarely seen God work in the way I’ve figured out that He should.

Once when I was in a very dark place in my life, I stood in my office, crocodile tears splatting onto the floor mat under my feet, and I whispered, “Why, God? Why is this happening to me?” (Meaning, of course, that “I don’t deserve this!”) In a voice so full of love, He spoke to my heart, Why not you, beloved?

That’s right. Why not me? Who am I to tell the God of the Universe how He should use me or teach me or refine me?

Did Jesus deserve the cross? No, He even prayed that the cup might pass from Him. Prayed so hard He sweat blood. (I’ve never prayed that hard. I’m like the disciples who couldn’t even stay awake and watch for one hour.) But ultimately His prayer was “Not My will but Thine.” He went to the cross and died — and all along the path to Calvary, God showed His favor to His Son. And because of it, I will spend eternity with Him.

Yes, I believe in God’s favor. I just don’t think it always looks like we think it should.

In the grip of His grace,
Robin

A Tribute to My Beloved Writer Dog

Our wonderful 11.5 year old dog, Sam, passed away at the beginning of this month. As a tribute to him, I’m re-running this post I wrote more than three years ago and adding a brief update at the end. -Becky

I’m reminded for the thousandth time of one key component of my career: the indispensable Writer Dog.

Ask many a writer, and they’ll tell you.  Writer Dogs (and Writer Cats) are the unsung heroes of the authorly life.  You may not have realized it, but they’re the pillars that hold up the world of publishing!

I thought I’d give you a peek into the daily responsibilities of my own Writer Dog, Sam.  He’s an eight year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and he’s the most helpful and least high-maintenance individual in my family.

He begins the day by accompanying me on chores.

Sam, riding shotgun for morning car pool.Sam, helping with the dishes.

Next, he spends time working on his fitness, so that he’ll be in shape for the harsh demands placed upon Writer Dogs.

During the Bible study we do before writing sessions, he can be counted on to pray fervently.

As I begin writing, he faithfully a) warms my feet and b) provides a soundtrack of snoring.

He makes sure I rise from my seated position regularly to let him outside and in because he knows writers need to kickstart their circulation from time to time.

Whenever I get stuck and need brainstorming assistance, he’s a whiz.

Should I get bored, he’s quick to liven things up by eating something he shouldn’t.

Any time I need revision tips, require a high-level discussion about writing craft, or want to discuss the use of metaphor, I know who to call.

I’ll confess that he’s not perfect.  Whenever I release a book, he becomes insufferable with self-congratulation for a few days.

But, really.  Sam’s very, very close to perfect.

He and I both know that he’s brilliant at his most important jobs: keeping me company, comforting me when I’m discouraged, and lavishing me with unconditional love.

We all loved Sam so very much! He was our family’s first dog and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. He was sweet and mellow, quiet and cuddly. He was a playmate for my kids and a companion for me. A precious member of our family.

In August of 2020, like so many people during Covid, we added a puppy to the mix. Because of Sam’s fabulous-ness, we went with another male Cavalier spaniel (this time a “black and tan”). For more than a year, the two dogs overlapped in our home. As his final gift to me, Sam showed Duke how to become a Writer Dog. Duke learned from his example. When I sit down to write, Duke knows it’s time to rest and he curls up in the dog bed under the desk, on the carpet near my feet, or in my lap. Sometimes, he even attempts to snore.

Thank you, my sweet Sam. For everything.
We miss you enormously, but we’re also incredibly grateful for the years we had with you.

The Indispensable Writer Dog

Our beloved 11.5 year old dog, Sam, passed away at the beginning of this month. As a tribute to him, I’m re-running this post I wrote more than three years ago and adding a brief update at the end. -Becky

I’m reminded for the thousandth time of one key component of my career: the indispensable Writer Dog.

Ask many a writer, and they’ll tell you.  Writer Dogs (and Writer Cats) are the unsung heroes of the authorly life.  You may not have realized it, but they’re the pillars that hold up the world of publishing!

I thought I’d give you a peek into the daily responsibilities of my own Writer Dog, Sam.  He’s an eight year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and he’s the most helpful and least high-maintenance individual in my family.

He begins the day by accompanying me on chores.

Sam, riding shotgun for morning car pool.Sam, helping with the dishes.

Next, he spends time working on his fitness, so that he’ll be in shape for the harsh demands placed upon Writer Dogs.

During the Bible study we do before writing sessions, he can be counted on to pray fervently.

As I begin writing, he faithfully a) warms my feet and b) provides a soundtrack of snoring.

He makes sure I rise from my seated position regularly to let him outside and in because he knows writers need to kickstart their circulation from time to time.

Whenever I get stuck and need brainstorming assistance, he’s a whiz.

Should I get bored, he’s quick to liven things up by eating something he shouldn’t.

Any time I need revision tips, require a high-level discussion about writing craft, or want to discuss the use of metaphor, I know who to call.

I’ll confess that he’s not perfect.  Whenever I release a book, he becomes insufferable with self-congratulation for a few days.

But, really.  Sam’s very, very close to perfect.

He and I both know that he’s brilliant at his most important jobs: keeping me company, comforting me when I’m discouraged, and lavishing me with unconditional love.

We all loved Sam so very much! He was our family’s first dog and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. He was sweet and mellow, quiet and cuddly. He was a playmate for my kids and a companion for me. A precious member of our family.

In August of 2020, like so many people during Covid, we added a puppy to the mix. Because of Sam’s fabulous-ness, we went with another male Cavalier spaniel (this time a “black and tan”). For more than a year, the two dogs overlapped in our home. As his final gift to me, Sam showed Duke how to become a Writer Dog. Duke learned from his example. When I sit down to write, Duke knows it’s time to rest and he curls up in the dog bed under the desk, on the carpet near my feet, or in my lap. Sometimes, he even attempts to snore.

Thank you, my sweet Sam. For everything.We miss you greatly but we’re also tremendously grateful for the years we had with you.

Fall Flowers and Novella Samplers

Yesterday the calendar flipped to Fall. The equinox where the day is balanced between day and night. Summer and Winter. Over the weekend it was 90 degrees here in Indiana. Today I need a jacket. I love the mildness of fall. The thought that we could soon be snuggled up in front of a bonfire. The smoke and rich aroma of burning wood surrounding us.

There’s also something about the richness of the color of fall. The leaves are barely beginning to turn, but the flowers are on wild display.

There’s a nature area half a mile from our church that I love to walk through while our kids are at youth group. Last week while I was walking there I took the photos of these wildflowers. They are delicate and hardy. The colors are rich, and the pollen rich. While I love the blooms of spring with their heady scents and vibrant colors that remind us that eventually the cold and snow will leave, I love the delicate explosion of goldenrod. The pops of purple from the wild asters. I love watching the dance of the bumble bees and butterflies across these flowers.

And I love the peace that comes as I walk along the path and let myself absorb their beauty. Do you like fall? What’s your favorite part of it?

Book Fun

As I’ve mentioned before I’m in two novella collections that release in October. Time is running out to purchase Christmas in Mistletoe Square before the price rises to $4.99 October 1st. I’ve done something fun and created a sampler with the first three chapters of each of the four novellas in the collection. I really think you’ll love each, but this is your opportunity to try them first. Click on the image or here to go to the page to download your sampler.

Christmas is in the air in Kedgewick Creek, North Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Will romance find four couples in the month of December or will the pressure to keep the festivities Mistletoe Square is known for keep these couples apart? Find out in this collection of four novellas from inspirational authors Pepper Basham, Cara Putman, Janine Rosche, and Teresa Tysinger.

The authors in the other collection I’m in liked the idea, so I’ve created one for that 15 novella collection as well. You can find the link for the Dangerous Pursuits Sampler here.

The chill of fall brings with it a hint of peril in Dangerous Pursuits, a clean and Christian suspense anthology featuring some of today’s most popular female authors. Start your fall off right with 15 gripping tales of Clean and Christian suspense from today’s most popular ladies of mystery and suspense. Just .99 cents until October 12th.

Do You Believe in (Book) Fairies?

Hi friends,

With great pleasure, I want to introduce my guest blogger and friend, Joy Tiffany. She’s a voracious reader and author-supporter extraordinaire. If there was reader superhero–it would be her. She’s blessed me with gift bags full of deadline items to keep me going and to surprise me daily. She’s made me awesome scrabble-letter coasters with names of my characters and book titles. She’s flat-out amazing and today she’ll be sharing a secret with you all. I know you’ll enjoy the day spent with her! ~Dani

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I love surprising people with little gifts that make me think of them. Gift-giving fills my heart with great joy. I get giddy just thinking about it! A couple of years ago I stumbled upon a hashtag that combined my love of books and surprising people. And oh my! It has been incredibly fun! The hashtag was #IBelieveInBookFairies. I discovered a group of people from around the world who take the books they’ve read and hide them in fun places for others to find and read. I knew instantly that I wanted to join this movement.

Becoming a Book Fairy, it turned out, was extremely easy. I visited their website and ordered some stickers that are placed on the cover of the book. That is the only challenging part of being a Book Fairy; trying to place the sticker on the cover in a spot that won’t cover a key piece of it. Most readers will agree that stickers on book covers can drive us crazy! And OK, I also fell in love with the tote bag pictured below because (and here’s another little secret for you) I am addicted to tote bags. I have far more than any one person should ever have. It’s true… and I’m not sorry.

Once my tote bag and stickers arrived, I simply had to find my favorite books to share with others. A cute ribbon around the book made it feel like I was hiding a little gift. It didn’t take long for me to run out of books, despite being an avid reader. I turned to online and local used book stores to restock my book fairy stash. I’ve chosen Christian fiction specifically and pray over each book that God would lead the person who needs that book to my hiding spot.
I’ve lost track of where all I’ve hidden books at this point but whenever I travel (near or far), I make sure I have a few books on hand in case I happen upon a fabulous hiding spot.

It only seems fitting to leave a Dani Pettrey novel in a coffee shop. Ha! And if you look closely, you can see her reflection in the photo on the lower left

Sometimes I write a little note inside for whoever finds the book. I think it adds a personal touch and encourages the finder to read it. I also include a bookmark for a similar Christian fiction author as my way of saying, “If you enjoyed this book, you might like this one, too

What about you? Do YOU believe in book fairies?  What creative ways have you found to share your favorite books with others? 

Not-to-be-missed encouragements

Hey friends!

Do you need some encouragement either in your writing or personal life? Me too!

First, for writers…

Royal Writers Conference is coming up and, bless them, they’ve asked me to keynote for the conference. Tons of fabulous writers will be teaching and sharing their knowledge and journeys as well. I’m so excited to be part of this ONLINE event and invite you to join us!

Registration opens on September 29 and closes on November 3rd. The conference website has all the info—including faculty bios, workshop descriptions, the conference schedule, appointment information, FAQs, and a registration page. 

I’m taking mentoring appointments the week AFTER the conference, so if you’re interested in those, I’d love to connect with you and encourage you in any way I can.

Next, some encouragement from Matthew.

You’ve heard me mention Kristi McLelland before, author of Jesus & Women, a phenomenal Bible study. Kristi has a new devotional from Matthew 2 that really poured fresh hope into my heart today. I pray it does yours too.

Listen to Kristi’s message taken from Matthew 2

Is there an upcoming “encouraging” event you’d like to share with the group today? Something you’re doing personally OR a group event? And maybe you have an encouraging word to share in the Lord—a passage you’ve read or study you’ve done? Please share!

Much love from Nashville,

Tammy

Setting the Setting

Have you ever been in a place where you didn’t want to be? Or how about being in a place that you loved, and that quickly became your happy place? I’ve experienced both, and each time, the setting always seems to affect my mood and my emotions. A dreary place brings me down, while a beautiful place lifts my spirits. That’s how I’ve learned the importance of choosing the settings for my novels very carefully, and then describing them in enough detail to transport my readers there—if only in their imaginations. I’ve also learned that the best way to get a feel for each setting is to travel there.

The first few novels I wrote took place in Israel, and the story didn’t come alive for me until I went there. Viewing all of the tourist sites on my first trip gave me a taste for the country, but living there for a month as I volunteered on an archaeological dig, really helped me absorb the country into my bones.

I visited Virginia and the Carolinas when writing my 3-book Civil War series, walking through alligator and mosquito-filled lowlands, and touring lovely period mansions. I also saw the slave quarters behind some of the mansions, and it helped me imagine the lives of those slaves.

I visited Ellis Island with my sister and we could picture our great grandparents landing there, confused and frightened by the babble of languages and the stern officials, yet moving forward courageously. I was able to describe that setting and those emotions in my novel “Until We Reach Home,” which featured three sisters who immigrated to America and landed on Ellis Island.

My husband and I had quite an adventure a few years ago as we made our way through London’s city streets and viewed its landmarks for my novel “If I Were You.” Our experiences traveling The Underground helped me imagine what it must have been like to huddle in those deep, subterranean subway tunnels with Nazi bombs falling above my head.

For my most recent novel, “Chasing Shadows,” we rode bicycles as we explored parts of the Netherlands. We were moved by our visit to Corrie Ten Boom’s home, author of “The Hiding Place.” We saw the impossibly small, secret room where she and her family hid Jews from the Nazis, and I imagined their heart-pounding terror as they heard Nazis thundering up the steep, wooden stairs, searching for them. We visited Westerbork, a Nazi concentration camp in the Netherlands, but I still struggle to describe the emotions I experienced there.

Last year, in the middle of the Covid epidemic, my publisher asked if I would be interested in writing a Christmas novella. I had no place to go because of the lockdown, and more free time than usual since everything was closed, so I happily agreed. That book, “The Wish Book Christmas,” was just published two weeks ago, and it continues the stories of friends Eve Dawson and Audrey Clarkson from “If I Were You.”

It seems much too early to be promoting a Christmas story! The leaves are still green! I’m still wearing summer clothes! But that was also the case when I was writing that novella. I was unable to travel to research the setting, so I had to rely on my imagination and LOTS of pictures. I pasted vintage snow scenes around my desk, and pages of toys from the 1951 Sears’ Wish Book, the year in which the novella takes place. I immersed myself in photos of what fashions and houses and Christmas trees looked like in those post-war years. I even played Christmas carols (in July!) to help set the mood.

And now, sitting here at my desk, looking out at the sunlight dappling through the trees, and at the bicycle trail that is beckoning me to take a ride, I’m in my happy place. I’m doing the work I love in a setting that I love. I hope that you’re as contented in your current setting as I am. So, where is your happy place? And how does being there—or not being there—effect your attitude?