Keli Gwyn's Blog, page 13

Fun-filled Friday: Catching Up With Friends

How are you doing? I wish we could sit in my cozy real-life living room and have a nice chat. The decor is not at all Victorian, as you can see, but the couch and chairs are comfy.

Our German-influenced Living Room

If you were to come calling, I would invite you to have a seat, offer you something to drink and sit back, eager to hear your latest news.

Alas, few of you live nearby, so we’re resigned to my virtual parlor. Since it can take any form I’d like, I’ve chosen the one below. Note that it comes complete with an attentive butler ready to see to your every need.

Click on image for source information.

Because we’re limited to an online conversation, I’m forced to wait for a comment filled with your latest news. While I do, I’ll tell you what I’ve been doing during the past months while I was sadly neglecting my blog.

Since this is Friday, I’m going to have fun with the letter F and one of my favorite literary devices–alliteration. These five F’s happen to be my top priorities, which I identified following an enlightening sermon.

Faith

Gwynly and I are attending a church closer to home these days and are able to participate in a number of activities. We’ve joined the usher/greeter team and are enjoying meeting new people. We’re both participating in Bible studies and are learning a great deal. I just launched a life group for writers called The Write Stuff. Four liked-minded ladies joined me at the first meeting, and we had a wonderful time talking writing.

Family

Change has been the byword in our family of late. Gwynly is teaching his last year of high school chemistry. He’ll retire at the end of May and enjoy his “endless summer.”

Our daughter, Adriana, a German-French major, spent the past school year in France working as an English-language assistant in two middle schools while becoming fluent in French. This year she’s once again employed as an English-language teaching assistant, but she’s moved to Austria, where she’s working in two high schools and taking her German from great to stellar. We were blessed to be able to visit her in France last Christmas and are saving our pennies for a trip to Austria after Gwynly retires.

My dad passed away in December, and I’ve been missing him. Losing a parent is tough. I’m sure some of you can relate to that vacant ache.

Friends

I enjoy spending time with my face-to-face friends when I can. My online friendships bring me a great deal of pleasure as well. That’s why I’m eager for you to leave a comment.

Fitness

You may recall that I have osteoporosis and have been battling plantar fasciitis as a result of doing so much walking. I’m happy to report that my foot is doing better. I continue to enjoy my workouts at Curves and look forward to spending more time on our wonderful walking trail. I’ve joined the Fitbit craze, so I’m eager to increase my daily steps.

Fiction Writing

I’m excited about the release of my first short story this month. “A Father’s Gift” appears in A Cup of Christmas Cheer, volume 3, one of two volumes in this collection of heartwarming Christmas stories. The other authors and I have launched a Cup of Christmas Cheer website and blog, where readers can learn more about the stories.

At long last, I have a title and release date for my first Love Inspired Historical! Family of Her Dreams, a wholesome God-honoring inspirational romance, will be released in June 2015. I hope to get my first glimpse of the cover in the next few weeks.

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So, that’s my latest news. What’s yours?

I’d love to hear what’s been going on in your life.

‘Way Back When’sday: Glove Stretcher

What is this unusual looking item from yesteryear?

A fancy pair of tweezers? A hair clip? A clothespin?

It’s a glove stretcher.

Ladies and gentlemen in the Victorian Era weren’t considered properly attired unless they sported a pair of gloves. The best gloves were made of kid, a soft, supple leather. When washed, the gloves shrank. A glove stretcher slipped into the fingers and gently squeezed until it opened remedied the problem.

This glove stretcher I saw at the Bernhard Museum in Auburn, California is a simple wooden one. Those who were well off might have chosen a sterling silver model instead, with the elegant engraving the Victorians fancied.

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Have you ever seen a glove stretcher before?

Have you known anyone who used to wear gloves on a regular basis?

Hover over the image to see a Pin It button.

Mailbag Monday: Chocoholic’s Survival Kit

Welcome to my first Mailbag Monday post.

I’ll be sharing fun ways to use snail mail to spice up our friends’ lives.

Several of my friends are crazy about chocolate,

so I created a Chocoholic’s Survival Kit.

Six Easy Steps…

1. Locate a clear container. I chose a travel-sized box of cotton swabs.

2. Carefully remove the labels

3. Fill with chocolates of your choice. I used Hershey’s

Nuggets bars, since six of them fit perfectly.

4. Add mailing labels.

5. Seal container with clear packing tape. I covered the labels, too.

6. Add postage and mail.

(Stamps shown are for illustration only.

Check with your post office for actual shipping cost.)

Your Turn…

Do you know someone who’d love to receive a Chocoholic’s Survival Kit?

What other containers and candy could be used to create one?

Chocoholic’s Survival Kit

Welcome to my first Mailbag Monday post.

I’ll be sharing fun ways to use snail mail to spice up our friends’ lives.

Several of my friends are crazy about chocolate,

so I created a Chocoholic’s Survival Kit.

Six Easy Steps…

1. Locate a clear container. I chose a travel-sized box of cotton swabs.

2. Carefully remove the labels

3. Fill with chocolates of your choice. I used Hershey’s

Nuggets bars, since six of them fit perfectly.

4. Add mailing labels.

5. Seal container with clear packing tape. I covered the labels, too.

6. Add postage and mail.

(Stamps shown are for illustration only.

Check with your post office for actual shipping cost.)

Your Turn…

Do you know someone who’d love to receive a Chocoholic’s Survival Kit?

What other containers and candy could be used to create one?

Tearful Remembrances on Memorial Day

Memorial Day means more to me this year than ever before, due to a visit to the Normandy American Cemetery my family made when Gwynly and I visited our daughter in France over Christmas last year.

As I think of the many who made the ultimate sacrifice, tears come to my eyes, just as they did when I beheld the staggering number of white crosses in the cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. (This is only a small section.)

As we prepared for the visit, I knew I’d be moved, but I wanted a way to feel a closer connection to the many who gave their lives fighting to bring an end to Hitler’s battle for world domination. This video, which I saw posted on Facebook, gave me that.

This touching tale of a widow who waited over 60 years to find out what happened to her husband moved me deeply. Peggy Harris’s husband, 1ST  LT Billie D. Harris, died July 17, 1944, fifteen years to the day before I was born.

When we headed to the cemetery, I had a grave to locate. I chose to pay tribute to this brave man who not only gave his life but saved many others’ lives by avoiding a small French village when his plane went down.

I’m grateful for every service member who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending the freedoms we in the U.S. enjoy. My heart goes out to those whose loved ones died while serving our country and defending its ideals.

Golden State Gem: Grand Island Mansion

by Keli Gwyn | @Keli Gwyn

Historic Grand Island Mansion sits alongside the Sacramento River

in the Sacramento Delta town of Walnut Grove.

This beautiful estate, built around 1917, transports one to the

Roaring Twenties when life was full of glitz and glamour.

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Grand Island Mansion Entrance

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Front View of Grand Island Mansion

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Although I visited on a rainy winter’s day, I can imagine how beautiful the grounds must be in spring when the flowers and trees are in bloom.

View from the Front of the Grand Island Mansion

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Grand Island Mansion Grounds Looking Left from Front Doors

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Grand Island Mansion Grounds Looking Right from Front Doors

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Visitors through the years must’ve enjoyed tennis matches or dips in the pool.

Grand Island Mansion Tennis Court

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Grand Island Mansion Pool

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Oh, the parties that must have taken place in this beautiful ballroom. Today Grand Island Mansion is a sought-after venue for weddings and receptions.

Grand Island Mansion Staircase to Ballroom

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Grand Island Mansion Ballroom

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Grand Island Mansion Ballroom

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If you like to eat, you’ll enjoy the food served at Grand Island Mansion.

It’s delicious.

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Grand Island Mansion Serving Area

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Grand Island Mansion Coffee Bar

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I can imagine the dapper gentlemen of yesteryear playing a game of

billiards while turning the air blue with their cigarettes and cigars.

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Grand Island Mansion Billiard Room

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I’m sure many a guest has had fun sending a bowling ball down the lane.

Grand Island Mansion Single Lane Bowling Alley

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The small theater would be perfect for a private showing.

Grand Island Mansion Theater Seating

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Grand Island Mansion Theater

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The ladies’ rooms are quite elegant.

Grand Island Mansion Women’s Powder Room

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Bride’s Dressing Room

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What aspects of the Roaring Twenties do you most find most interesting?

 

 

 

A Contract for Christmas!

by Keli Gwyn ~ @keligwyn

The News

The phone rang early on Thursday, December 12, 2013.

I turned from my manuscript and reached for the cordless handset lying on my desk, sure this would be another in a long line of recorded messages that bombarded us during the holiday season.

Instead of a carpet cleaner, alternative energy provider or supposed representative of my credit card company, I heard the cheery voice of my hard-working agent, Rachelle Gardner.

Knowing we had an editor interested in one of my stories, my breath caught. Yeah, I know that’s cliche, but it’s what happened.

Rachelle asked if I was getting excited about our upcoming trip to visit our daughter, who is living and working in France. I was, but at that particular moment I was more excited about Rachelle’s call.

I can’t remember how I answered her, but I know I didn’t elaborate. I wanted to find out as quickly as possible if she had news for me—good news, that is.

She did!

The lovely and talented Emily Rodmell at Harlequin™ Love Inspired Historical had offered me a contract.

When I received my first contract offer three years before, I had an idea it was coming, so I spared Rachelle’s ears.

Not this time.

I was unable to contain my glee and did some serious squealing. I like to think Rachelle was smiling as she held the phone away from her ear.

The Dream

My father and first hero, who lost his battle with Alzheimers last month, was a retired Forest Service firefighter. Every summer he would travel across the western United States fighting forest fires. To while away the lonely hours, my sisters and I would bury our noses in books.

During those long, hot California summers when I was in high school, my mom would take my sisters and me to a tiny used bookstore with narrow rows flanked by floor-to-ceiling shelves. I can still recall the thrill of perusing the offerings and can almost smell the enticing scent of old books.

No sooner were we inside the store than I raced to the romance section, where the sweet Harlequin romances were shelved. The books sold for a dime, and we each got to spend a dollar. Choosing my ten books was a delight.

We’d get home, I’d flop onto my bed and be whisked to some far off land: England, the Netherlands, Belgium. I dreamed of seeing those places someday.

Little did I know then that I would visit those countries, which I did when Gwynly got a job teaching at an American military high school in Germany years later. I recall standing in the market square in Delft, Holland on one of our vacations during our four and half years aboard and thinking that it looked just as the author of one of those Harlequin romances had described it.

Click on photo to see source.

I also dreamed of writing romances like those that had helped me pass many delightful hours as a romance-loving teen.

And now my dream’s come true. My book will be part of Harlequin’s Love Inspired Historical line of wholesome, faith-filled stories, and I couldn’t be more excited.

The Details

Like my debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, this story takes place in the Golden State. It’s set in 1866/67 in the Gold Rush-era town of Shingle Springs when it was experiencing its heyday.

The title and release date have yet to be determined, although I don’t expect to see the book on the shelves until some time in 2015. That’s a bit of a wait, but I don’t care. The anticipation will only serve to heighten my excitement.

I first pitched this story to Love Inspired editor Melissa Endlich at the 2012 ACFW conference, but I had yet to complete my self-directed revisions. She asked me to have Rachelle submit the story when it was ready, which she did.

After one of those long waits the publishing world is known for, I received a request for revisions from Emily, to whom my story had been assigned. I took one look at her suggestions and rejoiced. She’s every bit as savvy as my agent and gave me just what I needed to make the story stronger.

I blasted my way through the revisions, getting help on how to resolve a tricky issue from my sister, Karla, who is a romance writer and one of my plotting partners. I felt the revised version of the story was much better and held out hope Emily would agree.

After another wait, the call finally came. The contract followed, arriving the day after I’d returned from our trip. It’s been signed and is on its way to Harlequin, so I can finally share the news that kept my spirits up when I was going through the tough process of losing my dad.

The Lessons

I’d heard other authors talk about having received a “revise and resubmit” request prior to being contracted. The vast majority of them say “perform the revisions.” I echo that advice, because I’m living proof doing so can lead to good news.

The other lesson I learned is that following editors on Twitter is beneficial. I’ve devoured every tweet Emily posts for months now. She, and others like her, are generous with their publishing tips. I see encouraging tweets like the one above, which kept my hopes up as I awaited news from her, along with excellent reminders of writing craft do’s and don’ts.

Oh, and if you follow Emily Rodmell on Twitter, you’re guaranteed to see cute pics of pandas and penguins from time to time.

The Celebration

Since the good news came when Gwynly and I were busy preparing for our trip and my dad was failing, we haven’t really had time to celebrate. There’s an Olive Garden dinner in our future.

Right now I’m excited to share the news with all of you who have been so supportive of me through the years. I appreciate you greatly!

Persevering Through a Publishing Plateau

Three years ago today I was offered my first publishing contract.

Much has changed since then, but much is the same.

My contract was one of the two Rachelle mentioned in her tweet.

My novel wasn’t due to be released for eighteen months, so I had a long time to anticipate the milestone event. I enjoyed each part of the process as my publisher and I got the book ready for the big day.

A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California hit the shelves July 2012. I celebrated at my book launch party attended by some one hundred fifty friends and family members.

My cheeks were sore after all the smiling I did at my book launch party.

My release month was one of the most exciting and busiest of my life. In addition to planning my launch party, I was hosted by many wonderful bloggers. I didn’t get much sleep that July, but I didn’t care. I was too excited to sleep anyhow.

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A Return to Reality

Once my release month was over, things slowed down. I was privileged to visit two local book clubs, sign at some bookstores, serve as a guest speaker, and participate in a couple of author events, but the pace was more manageable.

I’ll be honest and admit that I experienced a bit of letdown. I’ve been told that’s fairly common. After all, one can’t expect to soar in the clouds forever. I returned to my regular life wiser and ready to see what came next.

Like many authors eager to make writing a career, I’ve waited for another contract. And waited. And waited some more.

At times I’ve felt like a has-been, a flash-in-the-pan, a one-book wonder. Doubts, discouragement, and disappointment have relentlessly pursued me.

I used to struggle to come up with an answer to the question put to me by many well-meaning friends eager to read more of my work: “What’s next?”

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A Look Ahead

And what is next? The honest answer is, “I don’t know.” As much as I wish I did, the future is not in my hands, but I’ve learned to be okay with that.

While I might have felt like giving up a time or two, those around me have been as supportive as ever. My husband and writing partner have encouraged me. My agent has stood behind me. My friends have cheered me on. And my readers continue to await more stories.

So, am I eager for something to happen? Definitely! Will I keep on keeping on? Yup! Will I rejoice when another contract comes my way? You’d better believe it! But in the meantime I’m doing just what I did before I was contracted: waiting, hoping, and trusting while living my dream.

These days when I’m asked what’s next, I respond quickly: “I’m having fun working on another inspirational romance set in California’s Gold Country,” or “I’ve completed more stories, and my agent is busy seeking homes for them.”

I look forward to the day I have exciting news to share, but until that comes, I’ll keep on writing.

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What do you do to keep yourself motivated when your dream is deferred?

 

 

The Surprising Gift of Alzheimers

When Dad was first diagnosed with Alzheimers, I wept a sea of salty tears.

Mere months have gone by, but Dad’s decline has been rapid. This heart-wrenching disease has robbed him of many of his memories, some of his mobility, and a fair measure of his dignity.

The journey has been a tough one for Dad, as well as for my three siblings. I feel for my sister who lives near him. Although he lives in a wonderful facility with a kind and knowledge staff equipped to deal with dementia patients, she’s the one helping him with his day-to-day issues–and doing a tremendous job of it. Our other sister has extensive training in elder care and is a wealth of information. Our brother who works in law enforcement has much to offer from his perspective as well. Between the three of them, Dad is in good hands.

And me? I try to support my sisters and brother the best I can, but at times I wonder if the little I do really makes a difference.

I made the four-hour drive to visit Dad on Halloween. I’d been told that taking him ice cream would make his day, so I arrived bearing a strawberry shake and a Burger King crown, a simple costume, yes, but one fitting for the man who poured his heart into his four kids.

I was also told Dad rarely recognizes anyone now. To my delight, when I greeted him, calling him “Dad” to remind him of our relationship and quickly supplying my name, he smiled with obvious recognition.

The next words out of Dad’s mouth brought me back to reality. He asked what I was doing back from Germany so soon, letting me know he had gone back in time over twenty years to when Gwynly and I lived abroad.

I got Dad settled at a patio table and handed him his shake. He did his best to enjoy his treat, but his eye-hand coordination isn’t what it used to be.

Not being a nurse or caregiver by nature, I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to Dad’s limitations. When dollops of ice cream began falling down his front, I reached for my tissues as instinctively as a mother of a young child would and sopped up the sticky plops.

Not wanting Dad to feel embarrassed by my ministrations, I smiled and reminded him of all the times he’d taken me to Thrifty Drug Store for their five-cent-per-scoop ice cream cones when I was little and how he’d taken care of the drips for me. “It’s my turn to help you,” I said.

An important truth struck me in all its sugary sweetness. I’ve been given a gift. Dad paid a great price to parent me, sacrificing more times than I care to recount. I have an opportunity to give back, if only in small ways.

There will be more visits and more shakes in the future, but two things have changed. First, whether or not Dad remembers me, I will be glad to see him and add a smile to his day. And second, I’ll know to pack wet wipes next time.

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Do you have experience dealing with a loved one diagnosed with dementia?

If so, what lessons have you learned in the process?

 

The State of Your Favorite Book

I saw a link to a post from Business Insider on Facebook recently, Most Famous Book Set in Every State, and had to to click through.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck takes the honors for California.

I haven’t read that classic, but seeing the map in the post got me thinking about how I enjoy reading stories set in my native Golden State. I have a list of some of those I’ve enjoyed on my website’s California-set Romances page.

What’s even more fun is discovering a story set in my hometown of Placerville, which is where my fellow Northern California writer friend Candace Calvert set Critical Care, the first book of her Mercy Hospital series

 

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Questions for you. . .

Does the most famous book set in your state

as listed in Business Insiders article surprise you?

What are your favorite stories set in your state, province, or local area?