Becky Wade's Blog, page 134

When Grief Mingles with Joy

First off, I want to say a huge thank you to Robin and the rest of the Inspired by Life… team who stepped in for me this past month when I wasn’t able to blog. I’m still reeling a bit, and trying to process two great losses in my life that happened within a 12-hour span. On February 1, Shirley Ann Turner Raney, my precious mother-in-law, passed away after a valiant battle with cancer.

After Ken’s mom passed away on Monday night, I texted my dear friend Terry to let her know the news. Terry responded with her usual sweet and encouraging words and we talked about our plans to get together for coffee while we were in Kansas. Early the next morning Terry’s husband, Eric, called to tell me that Jesus had taken Terry Home sometime in the middle of the night. Completely unexpected.

Honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around these heartbreaking losses. I only know that Heaven gained two beautiful souls this month and I miss them both fiercely, yet I’m so very grateful to have had them in my life for as long as I did.

Mom at our house on her 80th birthday.

From the day I married Ken, I called Bud and Shirley “Dad” and “Mom.” And especially after my own mother passed away four years ago, Mom became even more special and important in my life.

At her graveside service, everyone mentioned what a strong woman Shirley was. And she had to be. After Ken’s dad died twenty-five years ago, Mom took over running the antiques mall and refinishing business they had built from scratch out in California. When Mom’s aging parents needed help back in Kansas, she sold the business and returned to devote her life to Grandma and Grandpa. They each lived to be 101 years old and Mom’s help allowed Grandma to stay on her farm 11 miles from town until the end of her life!

We teased Mom that she was a bionic woman. She had a metal rod in her back, a hip replacement, knee replacement, and I don’t know what all other metal in her body, but that never stopped her. In her eighties, she took solo road trips from Kansas to New York and California and traveled near and far with her Bridge club. Even a double mastectomy and later a diagnosis of Stage IV cancer barely slowed her down.

She took all of her kids to Hawaii four years ago and while there went snorkeling for the first time at the age of 83! Every five years, she made family reunions possible for all her kids and grandkids, and we are especially grateful for our time together with her in South Dakota last July where this photo was taken.

One of my most poignant memories about Ken’s mom is that her husband died on her birthday, July 22. And then five years later, unbelievably, Mom’s only brother also died on her birthday! While some might have found that an unbearably cruel coincidence, Mom never felt sorry for herself, and always said that those anniversaries made her birthday a day of remembrances. Still, we were all ecstatic nine years ago when our first little granddaughter made her appearance in this world on July 22. She and Nana had a special bond being birthday twins.

“Nana” with her birthday twin.

In October, Ken’s mom and sister visited us in Missouri and Mom got to meet her newest great-grandchild, our youngest grandson. Mom could then declare that she had been able to see every single member of her family—kids, in-laws, grandkids, and great-grandkids—in a year’s time. Pretty impressive, considering it was the year of the pandemic!

Ken often said of his mom, “She is an amazing woman!” Indeed, she was! We already miss her deeply, but we are so grateful for her love of Jesus and the knowledge that she is whole and joyful in His presence.

“Nana” at our oldest daughter’s house with her six Missouri great-grandkids.

I met my dear friend Terry at a Bible study shortly before I turned thirty. I spent my thirtieth birthday having coffee with Terry in her cozy, welcoming home in the country. She was Ken’s age—a couple of years older than me and many years wiser, and I learned so much about strong marriages, good parenting, and walking with Jesus from watching how Terry did life.

Terry was one of those people who went out of her way to brighten the day of anyone she came in contact with. She did not know a stranger and if she did meet one, by the time they parted ways, they were friends. I used to tease her that I didn’t like going out to eat with her because we always seemed to run into numerous people she knew who were so happy to see her and wanted to “steal” from the brief time she and I had to visit.

Terry with her beautiful daughter, Deseri.

Terry was someone I could talk to about anything at all. She would listen well and answer honestly, even if what I needed was a bit of scolding or an attitude adjustment. And yet, she offered such an adjustment with such love and good intent that I could never be anything but grateful. She loved her family fiercely and they loved her in return. My heart breaks for how much I know Eric and her family are missing her and for how much of their lives she won’t be part of. And yet, I rejoice that Terry had a close relationship with the Lord and that there will be many joyous heavenly reunions to come.

These losses have shaken me deeply, but they have also made me treasure even more deeply the family and friends that remain. The losses have made me more determined than ever to live my own life in a way that brings glory to God and joy to my loved ones the way Shirley and Terry did.

Inspired by Scripture

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5 Must-Haves For Fan-Favorite Romance Novels

Happy belated Valentine’s Day! I just love romance, don’t you?

My favorite genre as a reader is definitely romance.

As a historical romance author, I’d even go as far as saying that I’m more of a romance writer than historical writer. My stories always end up with a romance element. It seems to come out whether I’m writing time crossing or YA or historical.

Most of the time readers appreciate the romance aspects of my books. Occasionally I get complaints like: “for a historical it was too romance-y.” But overall I’ve gotten a positive response to the romantic sizzle in my books.

After I finish reading a romance novel, I usually muse over elements I liked or didn’t like. A romance novel usually has to have several key elements to make it to my “keeper” shelf.

These elements might cause some readers or writers to classify romances as “formulaic.” But essentially, those tried-and-true basics are the building blocks for penning a winning romance. They’re the things romance readers expect, love, and essentially why they pick up a romance in the first place.

Here are 5 must-haves for fan-favorite romance novels (at least the romance novels that are my keepers):

1. Both the hero and heroine must be likeable. The reader must be able to fall in love with the hero right along with the heroine. He has to be the kind of guy that melts readers’ hearts. Sure he has to be flawed but in such a way that readers still love him.

And the reader must also be able to cheer for the heroine. She can be many things, even a feisty tomboy. Certainly not perfect. But she has to be the kind of woman that readers would aspire to be.

2. The hero and heroine must meet early in the story. It’s best if the hero and heroine meet within the first chapter or two. Even if we have a love triangle, readers still like to know which man they’re rooting for.

This goes back to the above point. Readers want to fall in love with the hero. And if they don’t know who he is, then they can’t do that as easily.

3. A barrier must keep the hero and heroine from finding true love together until near the end. In fact, there could be many barriers standing between the two keeping them physically, emotionally, and relationally apart.

Readers have told me, one of the most disappointing aspects of a romance novel is when all the barriers keeping the hero and heroine apart fall away. If the love relationship is wrapped up too neatly too soon, a romance reader doesn’t have motivation to keep going, no matter how strong the rest of the plot might be. 

4. The romantic tension must be strong and gradually increase throughout the book. Obviously, a romance must have heart-warming and pulse-pattering romantic moments between the hero and heroine. That doesn’t have to mean we have to load our books with kissing or bedroom scenes.

My books have very few kisses and no sex, and yet I weave in a lot of sizzle. I also intentionally find ways to put my characters into romantic situations that fit with each unique story.

5. The romance must come to a satisfying conclusion (aka happily-ever-after). The couple must get together by the end of the book. They need to realistically overcome the barriers that have kept them apart. They have to fall in love. And they have to want to be together forever. Period.

In fact, the ending really should be sigh-worthy. When the reader closes the book, we want them smiling in ultimate satisfaction because they’re happy the hero and heroine persevered through great obstacles, defeated the antagonist, grew in character as a result, and in the end found true love.

Is there anything you’d add to my list of must-haves for a romance? Do you think romances have become too formulaic?

When Texas Freezes Over

Where I live in West Texas, it’s rare to get much snow. We had our second largest snow on record back in January, but February refused to be outdone. On Valentine’s Day, Sunday, we received 14.3 inches of snow. That smashed the single day snowfall record for our town of Abilene, TX. The previous record had been a whopping 9.6 inches.

There’s a street between the tree and the house on the other side. You just can’t see it.

The snow is beautiful. Such a rare sight is a treat to enjoy around here. Yet what came after was less enjoyable. Texas is not used to such a demand for energy. So at 2:00 am on Monday morning, we lost power. Even though the day outside was calm and beautiful, we were stuck inside with no electricity. We had about two hours of power in the morning and about 45 minutes in the afternoon, but that was all. So it was time for creativity.

Taking advantage of the sunlight in the kitchen, I actually worked on my taxes for about an hour, since all I needed was paper, pencil, calculator, and my giant manila envelope of writing-related receipts. No Internet required for this organizational step.

Could have tried ice skating on the frozen pond in the backyard, but thought better of it. With no electricity to keep the water circulating, our pool froze over.

After lunch, I had enough life left in my Kindle to finish reading my e-book. I did this after pulling out an old aerobics step that I placed in the middle of the living room floor. Kindle in hand, I stepped on and off that step for about 45 minutes in an effort to get exercise while I read. It did keep me warm, which was nice, since the house had no heat.

In the evening, we lit candles and played card games in front of the fireplace where we manage to scrounge up just enough wood to keep burning for a couple hours. Who knew that the day after Valentine’s would be when I’d share a candlelit evening with my husband?

I must say that I’m thankful for thick blankets and fuzzy socks. And for a warm husband to snuggle with under the covers.

We ended up with no power or heat until Wednesday. Waking up in the wee hours of Wednesday morning to hear the heater kick on was the best sound ever! We’ve had no water since Monday either, but that should be restored soon, even though we’ll have to boil everything for a while. Losing necessities creates a vivid reminder of how much we have to be thankful for. And while I love romanticizing about life in the 1800’s, I am incredibly thankful not to be emulating that lifestyle any longer. Whew!

What creative things do you do when the power is out?

Never Stop Learning

My husband and I married just after he graduated from college—just before he started law school. While we were married, I finished my undergraduate degree. After he began working, we often harkened back to those days, lamenting that we couldn’t find a way to remain students forever while still making a living (because those mountain of student loans weren’t paying themselves off!).

Both of us are learners by nature, though, so not being official students hasn’t really stopped our progress. With the advent of the internet, the opportunity to learn new things increased. And now that we are the only two left at home, we indulge our tendency toward learning even more.

For instance, in the past few years my husband has discovered that baking relaxes him. He has learned to make things he never imaged he could do. Like pie crust. And biscuits. Custards and ice creams. Cakes and frostings. He is now constantly on a quest for new recipes and eager to learn new techniques.

We also recently signed up for a class though The Great Courses on little-known World War II heroes. It has been fascinating to go beyond the familiar, to add texture to the “big picture” events of history.

And although I’ve been taking writing classes since high school—and even more consistently since 2000—I never fail to gain a new understanding of the writing process when I dive into a class with a new-to-me teacher. My most recent class was on writing mystery without plotting. Boy, did this seat-of-the-pants writer need that!

All of this learning is great. The process, the stimulation of thought. The challenge as well as the feeling of satisfaction when a concept or task is mastered well. But the place I still most enjoy learning is in my relationship with the Lord.

My learning heart loves that reading the Bible is never the same experience twice. New emphasis, new connections, new whispers from the Holy Spirit regarding how to live my life in ways pleasing to the Lord. In those God-breathed pages, I learn the nature of God from His recorded words and actions and use them to better understand His words and actions over the course of my life. I learn about myself and why my heart sometimes doesn’t readily want to line up with His. I gain greater understanding of the depth of His forgiveness, His mercy, His love.

Such learning far surpasses earthly knowledge. It teaches me to live as if I am not of this world. And yet spiritual learning fuels my desire to continue to be a student of the life around me, before me, and behind me. Because in this way, I live in the world, as Jesus has asked me to do.

So what have you been learning lately?

FUN NEWS & a GIVEAWAY (for The Chosen novelization by Jerry B. Jenkins)

Happy Tuesday from ICY Nashville, Tennessee!

I don’t know what the weather is like in your corner of the world but Nashville is slip slidin’ away! Give me snow any day over treacherous black ice. Our lovely city is pretty much closed down at present, but the hope of warmer temps springs eternal. As does the hope for Spring itself!

Just as I love the changing of seasons in nature, I’m finding that I’m really enjoying a (temporary) change of genres in writing.

Which leads me to my FUN NEWS…

I’m busy writing my first contemporary novel for Focus on the Family! I’m one of three writers who are contributing to this new fiction line at Focus. The other two authors are so gifted and popular and downright wonderful, and I’m just honored beyond words to be part of the team.

The novels we’re each writing address some of the current and most crucial issues facing our culture today, and will all release (Lord willing) next year (2021). But you know me, my contemporary story definitely has a historical thread to it. #KeepRealHistoryAlive

As soon as I’m finished writing this story, I’ll happily jump back to the historical genre and finish the last novel in the Carnton series, which is Nora’s story. A seven-year-old Nora is pictured here on the cover of Colors of Truth.

And speaking of Colors of Truth, may I take a minute to say THANK YOU?

I’ve been blown away by how warmly Colors of Truth has been received by readers. Especially after the book was twice delayed then finally cancelled by my publisher.

Colors of Truth is my first indie, and I’ll publish the final Carnton novel—which is Nora all grown up—the very same way later this fall.

Now for the GIVEAWAY…

If you haven’t seen The Chosen, the first multi-season television show about the life of Christ, stop right now—I’m serious—and watch this clip…

Oh. So. Good. So encouraging, convicting, life-changing.

If you’ve already seen the first season of The Chosen, then this GIVEAWAY will likely mean even more to you.

It’s for a copy The Chosen: I Have Called You By Name, the just-released novelization by Jerry B. Jenkins, the dad of The Chosen’s creator Dallas Jenkins. (It’s a shame the Jenkins family isn’t more talented, right?)

HOW TO WIN this copy of The Chosen: I Have Called You By Name?

Leave a comment on this blog TODAY by 9PM Central and tell me if you’ve seen The Chosen or not. If you have, please share what the show has meant to you. Your comment could well encourage someone else who hasn’t watched it yet…to watch. Which could well change someone’s eternity.

Only comments left by 9PM Central today will be included in the proverbial hat. I’ll post the name of the winner TONIGHT at 9:15PM Central. So be sure to check back.

Thanks, friends, for the community we share here at IBL&F. I look forward to hearing from you!

Tammy

Fact, Fiction, and a D-I-Y Life

by Jane Rubietta

My husband stood beside me, our fingers clutching the frozen fencing. The unexpected ice storm shut down many roads in Tennessee, but we slid up to this gateway to my grandparents’ farm. Though the acreage sold 20 years prior, I hadn’t returned. My husband creaked open the unlocked gate and, in our station wagon with three small kids, we inched along the icy lane to the old farmhouse.

            Smaller than my memories, and decrepit in its presentation, still, the house contained poignant history. We peeked through the windows to peeling wallpaper and sagging ceilings. I grieved the loss of place, the lack of love and respect for such an antique beauty.

            A decade slipped past. This time I steered a rental while on a Tennessee book tour. An internal map guided me straight to the farm, this time without a gate—or ice and snow. Cotton fluffs dotted the dark soil, reminiscent of last year’s harvest. I crept over in my dress clothes and heels to collect a few wisps.

            Then I noticed. The sycamores lining the lane…gone. Fields rolled straight to the gravel’s edge. But surely soon I’d see the barn and tractor shed and the old gas pump. And the house.

            Except, no. In their places, dirt and more dirt. I crawled from the car again, rooted at the edge of the house’s memorial site. So many stories, collapsed with the walls, the memories of hope and laughter, hardship and hard work. The scents of buttermilk biscuits and the smoke house with the best cured ham and bacon anywhere in the country.  

            That day, a novel began to stir. About a woman who, wounded by her family, evacuates her past, and creates her own Do-It-Yourself life far from the fertile fields and painful memories. 

When everything she’s built threatens to collapse, Evelyn Lewis returns to liquidate her inherited farm. If only it were that easy. That’s no fun. Under the roasting southern sun, Evie realizes she must excavate her past in order to build her future. 

Is it biographical? No. But geographical, you bet. Though the farmhouse is larger in the novel than in real life, and waits in dire need of a kind hand when Evie reaches the cattle guard before the short driveway. 

            The Forgotten Life of Evelyn Lewis is filled with laughter, sweet tea, healing, hope, lots of hammers, reclamation, and the surprising gift of friendship. 

No one, perhaps, is more surprised than me (well, except my family) that from so many fingers-clutching-fences places, I’ve become an author and speaker. Twenty of my books are non-fiction; with Evie, I wanted to experiment with real people working through the very real issues I write about. While it was a finalist for a couple of national book awards, the real blessing, to me, about The Forgotten Life of Evelyn Lewis comes when someone says, “It felt so good to laugh.” “I will never look again at another person with the same lens. People carry so much inside; I want to honor that.” Or, “Evie’s journey helped me heal.” 

It’s been a harsh year. I hope t The Forgotten Life of Evelyn Lewis will continue to help us laugh and love and heal. Meanwhile, last summer, in the spirit of reclamation and rebuilding, I published Brilliance: Finding Light in Dark Places.Six weeks of readings lead us in both our present and past realities, and invite us out of the shadows to the One who said, “I’m the Light of the world.” 

Because even though life feels a lot like a D-I-Y project, it really isn’t. As Evie ultimately figured out, it’s a “Come to Me” journey, where we collect others along the way. Although laughter and sweet tea help a whole lot.

https://www.janerubietta.com/biography.html

Jane Rubietta is a  platform coach  and speaks internationally (well, pre-pandemic she did) and writes stirring and deep works, both fiction and non-fiction. Her Tennessee roots appear via an occasional drawl, or a masterful pitcher of sweet tea. She’s never figured out buttermilk biscuits, and has found that words are powerful tools for rebuilding a life and a world. Find out more at  LifeLaunchMe.com  and  JaneRubietta.com

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.

My Favorite Kissing Scenes

Earlier this week, I read this fun post written by Andi at the Radiant Light blog. She provided short excerpts from several kissing scenes and I enjoyed her post so much that it inspired me to write this post. After all, I’m a romance author and the opportunity to write kisses between my characters is a huge job perk. And, after all, it is almost Valentine’s Day.

So here are four excerpts from the kissing scenes I’ve written that stick out most in my memory…

“A combination of shock and mind-spinning sensation submerged Meg.  Bo.  Her Bo.  Bo Porter — her crush, her friend, her employee, her calm — was kissing her.  And oh my.  What a kiss.  The most perfect kiss that heaven had ever dreamt up.  Tender and passionate.  Full of endless longing and eternal promises.

His hands burrowed into her hair.  Her own hands reached up in answer.  She couldn’t believe she was touching him — his chest, his neck — weaving her hands behind his head to draw him closer.  Cold chills sizzled against the backs of her knees in glaring contrast to the hot and demanding heat pulling at her from the inside.

When Bo finally lifted his head his expression was stark, honest, intense.  His color high.

“I love you,” he said.

Plainly, just like that. 

She gawked at him.

“I love you.  I do.  And I want to marry you.”

This kiss, from Undeniably Yours, is memorable for me because it breaks the dam of Bo’s restraint and causes him to suddenly and astoundingly state his emotions and intentions to Meg outright.

“I’m not . . .” he spoke haltingly, his voice raspy, “ . . . good enough for you.“

“Of course you’re good enough—”

“No.” He inclined his head so that his forehead rested against hers. Their eyes closed, breath intermixing. She could sense his struggle and his despair.

“None of us are perfect,” she murmured.

His hands rose to frame her jaw on both sides. “I’m more imperfect than most.“

“Not to me.”

He groaned, then kissed her….”

This excerpt is from A Love Like Ours. Jake was such a brooding, wounded hero. I remember this kiss clearly, even many years after writing his book, because this moment was a mammoth turning point for him.

“You almost died and you didn’t contact me.”

She stepped close to him, scowling, her hands balled on her hips. “I didn’t almost die.”

“You could have died, Britt, and I’d have been on the other side of the world.”

“But I didn’t die!”

“But you could have. And I’d have been wrecked.”

“Any of us could die any day, driving our cars or walking down the street–“

He let out a rumble of frustration, stepped forward, and cut off her argument by taking her face in his hands and kissing her.

The shock of his mouth against hers wasn’t cold or dominating. The stunning contact was all glowing, sparkling warmth. Soft, firm lips. His lips. Against hers. Passionate and urgent to communicate something to her that he’d been unable to communicate with words.

I’m kissing Zander. ZANDER is kissing me.

He smelled like expensive cologne and sun and heat and ocean. His breath blended with hers so that she couldn’t tell where his exhale ended and her inhale began. Every sensation was packed with miracles and overwhelming surprise and deep commitment. Britt’s pulse thundered.

She’d had no idea, no idea, that kissing him could be like this, that kissing him could set her soul on fire–“

This kiss, from Sweet on You, is one of my favorites for a few reasons. One, Britt and Zander have been friends for thirteen years and this is their first kiss — so it changes their relationship dynamic irrevocably. Two, I had a blast moving them straight from a tense argument into each other’s arms.

“He was a fool because his stupid heart that hadn’t yet made one right decision was giving itself piece by piece to Genevieve.  No amount of structure or routine or control was good enough to hold it back–

A knock sounded on his front door.  His attention cut to the foyer as his pulse began to pound.

His footfalls loud in the quiet, he made his way to the door and opened it. 

Gen looked beautiful, standing there with her delicate face and long, thick hair. She gave him a raw expression of apology.  Then she launched herself into his arms and kissed him.

The shock of it barreled him back a few paces.  He carried her with him, not wanting to drop her.

Like a landslide, his mighty defenses fell.  His hands speared into her hair.  Need roared, blotting out thought and light and sound and worries.  He was kissing her hungrily.  He’d waited his whole life for this, and his world was never going to be the same, and all he wanted was more.”

The above scene, from Stay with Me, is memorable for me because I loved writing about a heroine who flings herself into the hero’s arms, stunning him in the process.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! May February 14th give all of us reason to cultivate gratitude for the loving relationships — of all types — that the Lord has so generously entrusted to us. Which kissing scenes (from my books or any author’s books) stick out most in your memory?

New-to-you writers & a giveaway

While I love writing, I’m a reader first. I love finding new-to-me authors that allow me to binge through their books, so I’m always on the look our for new books to try.

Are you the same way? Do you have your trusted authors that you read everything they write? But let’s face it, authors are slow! Crafting those wonderful story worlds and characters takes time. So you’re looking for new-to-you authors?

In an effort to help readers find new authors, I’ve started a Facebook Live series on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 EST. Can’t make it? No worries! I capture them on Facebook and Instagram TV. So far I’ve chatted with four wonderful authors, and I’ve got a great line-up coming through the end of April including some of the wonderful women in this group. So far, I’m talking with my favorites — y’all, it’s so much fun! You are welcome to join us or catch up by watching them later. Here are the next three weeks lovely authors. See why I’m excited!

You can click on the following links if you want to sign up for an event so you get reminders from Facebook: Rachel Hauck, Sarah Sundin, and Becky Wade. If you’d like to check out the earlier chats, there are links below!

   

Bethany Turner Chat; Toni Shiloh Chat; Rachel McDaniel Chat; Janine Rosche Chat.

I’ve also been up to some spring cleaning. I want to share a bounty of duplicate books with you. You can use the form below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway