Amy Durham's Blog: Amy Durham, page 14

#SixSunday "Massive Hormone Rush"

Welcome back for another Six Sentence Sunday! As always, I'm so appreciative of your encouraging comments. I look forward to visiting your blogs today, as well. 

I'm enjoying sharing bits of ONCE AND FOR ALL with you, in preparation for the January (hopefully) release! In the meantime, if you haven't read ONCE AGAIN - book 1 in the series - you can check it out by clicking the links to the right. The books are stand-alones, but I think you'll enjoy them better if you read them in order, since characters from book 1 "pop up" in book 2!

The following conversation takes place just before the start of the art show where Phoebe and Todd will present their joint project. Phoebe has just emerged from the school bathroom in black pants, along with a frilly ivory top and black heels that she got at a consignment store. Todd is waiting for her by the lockers, in black dress slacks, a deep purple shirt, and a satiny tie in the same shade. They're both pretty enchanted by each other's appearance!

I reached for the locker to balance myself. It would be just like me to stumble at a moment like this, and given I was wearing strappy black heels - also from the consignment shop - falling over from a massive hormone rush was a distinct possibility.

"Wow,"  Todd said, his voice a husky whisper.

My sentiments exactly.

Not quite comfortable under his tense gaze, I shrugged and said, "Best I could come up with."

"D@#n good job," he said with a grin.



If you'd liked to read more from other talented authors, visit the host site by clicking here. You can also find other participants on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

Doing the "Hard Stuff"

My oldest son is a freshman in high school. YIKES! It seems like just yesterday I was writing about him here at my website as he was beginning middle school!

This is a really fun stage in his life, as he's discovering the things he loves to do, the things he's good at, and beginning to make decisions about his future. I'm enjoying every minute of watching him become a young man.

Recently, he auditioned for All-State band. This is a rigorous audition process - that involves 2 different "cuts" - to determine the very best instrumentalists in the state. For his instrument (French Horn), only 20 players from the entire state would be selected. He made it through the first cut, finishing 5th overall in our district. Already a tremendous accomplishment for a freshman competing against students who are sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school. When he didn't make it through the second cut to be one of the 20 selected, he was bummed. So was I. But not too terribly disappointed.

We had a talk about what it meant to do the "hard stuff". Auditioning for All-State band, especially as a freshman, was hard. He didn't have to do it. He CHOSE to do it. And choosing to do the "hard stuff" is how we improve, how we grow, and how we eventually "get there". There's such value in doing the hard stuff. When we stretch ourselves past what is comfortable or easy, that's where we find who we truly are. Where, after several tries, we find success.

I told him it was sort of like writing a book. Writing a book is not easy, as all authors know. It's difficult, toiling, gut-wrenching work. It takes a long time and can drain you mentally and emotionally. But authors choose to do it, because we know that by "doing the hard stuff" and stretching ourselves beyond where we're comfortable, a book eventually comes to fruition. And with each "stretch" and each "completed product", we grow and improve.

This idea is true no matter what area you pursue. For my son, it won't be the last time he chooses to do the hard stuff, and it won't be the last time the results don't turn out exactly the way he'd like them to. But in the end, he'll be better and stronger for his efforts. And he'll have a list of accomplishments to his credit because he chose to do the hard stuff instead of doing the easy thing and sitting on the sidelines watching life pass him by.

#SixSunday - It Matters

I'm so happy to say... ONCE AND FOR ALL is finished! I typed "the end" earlier this week! WOO-HOO! I'm reading through it again, trying to catch all the typos I can and check for continuity, consistency, etc. After that, it's off to my readers and my editor. I hope to have it to my editor by New Years, then out to readers by the end of January! So excited to share this story with everyone! Phoebe and Todd have really become special to me, and I think you all will love them, too!

In the meantime, if you haven't read ONCE AGAIN - book 1 in the series - you can check it out by clicking the links to the right. The books are stand-alones, but I think you'll enjoy them better if you read them in order, since characters from book 1 "pop up" in book 2!

Here are six sentences that follow closely behind the kiss scene I shared last week. They are still in the afterglow of the kiss, and Todd asks Phoebe what she's going to wear to the art show on Saturday, where they will be presenting the group project they've been working on. Her response is a brilliant... "Huh?"

"Are you going to dress up for the show?" he asked.

"I don't know why it matters," I said, clueless as to where this conversation was heading.

"It matters." He pulled back to look at me, pressed his lips to mine in a quick kiss. "It matters because your work is going to be the star of the show, and I want everyone to see that you're just as beautiful as your art."

My heart flipped, then thudded solidly in the soles of my feet.

If you'd liked to read more from other talented authors, visit the host site by clicking here. You can also find other participants on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

#SixSunday - FOOLISH, RECKLESS

It's Sunday! That means a six sentence preview of ONCE AND FOR ALL! If you've visited before, you know that this is the sequel to ONCE AGAIN. It follows Phoebe Campbell and Todd Miller as they encounter their own reincarnation mystery. For the full blurb, click here.

As you know, Phoebe and Todd are social opposites who get paired to work together on a project for art class. The grow closer, begin to see past the preconceived notions they had about each other, and during one work session wind up in a kiss. However, knowing it would never amount to anything, Phoebe asks Todd not to kiss her again, reasoning that it will just hurt worse when their uneasy partnership comes to an end if she's allowed herself to get involved with him. He abides by her wishes, though he doesn't want to. In today's excerpt, Phoebe initiates a kiss between them after a particularly emotional event, effectively ending the "prohibition" she'd enacted!

I went up on my tip-toes and fixed my eyes on his. I watched as they widened, his pupils dilating as I slid my hands around his shoulders.

Knowing it was the most foolish, reckless moment of my life, I pressed my lips against his, and what I felt from him was so completely foreign.

Acceptance. Admiration. Belonging.


Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

#SixSunday - This is How I See You

Hello Sixers! I'm so glad to be back after several weeks away. Life, as it often does, got crazy busy and kept my weekends filled. For more on that, click here. Thankfully, things have slowed a bit, and I'm looking forward to participating in this week's Six Sentence Sunday with all of you!


I'm continuing with my YA Paranormal book, ONCE AND FOR ALL, the sequel to ONCE AGAIN, which is now available (links to the right), and was reviewed recently at Night Owl Reviews! ONCE AND FOR ALL follows Phoebe Campbell and Todd Miller as they encounter their own reincarnation mystery. Oh... and here's the cover reveal!



As you know, Phoebe and Todd are social opposites who get paired to work together on a project for art class. The experience not only genuine romantic feelings toward one another, but also some really strange and unsettling supernatural episodes, which include seemingly random shape-shifting and telepathic connections. For the full "blurb", click here.

In the snippet below, we see the two of them during one of the telepathic connections. Not only are they hearing each other's thoughts, but Phoebe is seeing through Todd's eyes as he looks at her. (The italicized words are Todd's words.)

The green of my eyes sparkled, amplified by the light around me, and the strings of hair that escaped my ponytail to fall haphazardly around my face looked like golden silk. My skin, the same fair as always, looked more like fine porcelain.

I was beautiful.

How was this possible? How could I be exactly the same and yet so beautiful?

This is how I see you.

Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

Catching Up... A Writing Update & Thanksgiving Menu

Hellooooooo blogosphere!

It's been a while. I have neglected my blog for several weeks as life came at me full force... in a good way.

My oldest son - now a freshman in high school - participated in his school's marching band. So, from September through early November, our afternoons and weekends revolved around his band activities. And it was great fun! The band enjoyed tremendous success during competitions, and it was a real joy to watch my son "come alive" doing something he loved. I also completely enjoyed getting to "hang out" with the rest of the kids and get to know them.

Now that marching band season has ended, life is settling back into a normal routine. I am writing much more these days, and I'm pleased to say that ONCE AND FOR ALL, the sequel to ONCE AGAIN, is nearing completion! HOORAY! When I finally type "The End", you may hear my shout of joy wherever you are! My plan is to finish the first draft before Christmas, then spend a month in edits/proofreading, and hopefully release the book late-January or early-February.

I'm just giddy with excitement over this book. The writing hasn't been as "smooth" as the writing for ONCE AGAIN, but I have fallen SO in love with these characters. Phoebe Campbell is a "hidden jewel", and Todd Miller, flawed as he was at the beginning of ONCE AGAIN, is a gentleman just waiting to bloom. I can't wait to share these two with you!

In the meantime, I wish each of you a glorious Thanksgiving with your loved ones. May your holiday be filled with lots of love, laughter, and delicious food!

Here's the menu for my family! I'd love to hear yours!

Smoked Turkey (Hubby's the "smoker" in the family!)
Cornbread Dressing
Green Beans
Sweet Potato Balls (Mashed sweet potatoes molded around a large marshmallow, rolled in raw sugar, and baked!)
Cole Slaw
Pea Salad
Cranberry Sauce
Yeast Rolls
Sweet Iced Tea
Mini-Pumpkin Pies

#SixSunday - Change Your Mind

Happy Sunday Sixers! Thanks for stopping by.  It's been several weeks since I participated, and I'm really happy to be back! I always appreciate the comments and encouragement. I look forward to hopping around to other blogs and reading what other talented authors have shared!  
I'm continuing with my YA Paranormal book, ONCE AND FOR ALL, the sequel to ONCE AGAIN, which is now available (links to the right), and was reviewed recently at Night Owl Reviews! ONCE AND FOR ALL follows Phoebe Campbell and Todd Miller as they encounter their own reincarnation mystery.
In this snippet, Todd is making an attempt at expressing his feelings to Phoebe. Earlier in the story, she'd asked him not to kiss her again. It was her own form of self-preservation, since she knew a relationship between them would never work. However, they're both finding it somewhat difficult to keep their distance! 

"I've tried to put aside what I feel, and I can't." He reached toward me, taking my shaking hands in his. "Don't." "I told you I wouldn't kiss you again, and I won't, as long as you don't want me to." He angled his head, forcing me to look at him. "I'm hoping you'll change your mind."
Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

Killing Our Creativity

I have nothing at all against math, science, and reading. They are necessary to every human's well-being and success. And for goodness sake, reading is practically my favorite thing to do... something I push my kids to do and enjoy.  But I'd like to point out that the greatest innovators of our time... the inventors... the ones who build empires... people like Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos... they aren't just scientists, mathematicians, and readers.  They are creators. And they were FIRST creative children. And it pains me that my children are growing up in a day and age when we have to fight and push for their creativity to be honored and valued by society. It worries me that creativity and creative pursuits are secondary at best - afterthoughts at worst - in our schools.

I think Sir Ken Livingstone hit the nail on the head in this 2007 video. I'd like to hear President Obama and Governor Romney talk about the killing of creativity in American society at the next presidential debate.

THE IMPOSSIBLE MENTOR - By Ray Hollenbach

Ray Hollenbach is one of the greatest men I know. I don't say this lightly. For 8 years, he was my pastor. He baptized my oldest son. And over the last 3 years, he's become a dear friend and fellow author with whom I've shared the journey of writing and publishing. And even though he's not my pastor anymore, I still consider him a mentor and counselor.

Most often the books I feature here on my blog are fiction. Most of the authors I know write fiction, and most of the books I read are fiction. Occasionally, I make an exception. Today is one of those days. Ray's new book, "The Impossible Mentor: Finding Courage to Follow Jesus", doesn't read like a textbook or instructional manual. It reads with the wit and wisdom of the author himself, whose conversational style of teaching is responsible for a good portion of the adult I am today.

I'm thrilled to introduce you to Ray and his writing. I hope you'll take a moment to read on as Ray talks about his book and why he thinks it's important for everyone!

"The Impossible Mentor: Finding Courage to Follow Jesus"
By: Ray Hollenbach


If publishing a blog is an act of vanity, writing and publishing a book is megalomania. I am guilty on both counts. Saturday saw the release of my spiritual-formation book. The Impossible Mentor: Finding Courage to Follow Jesus. I want to tell you why I wrote it, and why I’m foolish enough to think you need to read it.
Most Christians find Jesus a worthy role model while holding the conviction that no one could possibly live up to his example. That’s a problem. It creates cDiscipleship and spiritual formation books come and go at the pace of diet and exercise manuals, with approximately the same results in the lives of believers. Deep down, in the secret place, we believe it’s impossible to obey what Jesus modeled and taught. This means we experience a cycle of good intentions and fresh starts, followed by frustration, guilt, and eventually resignation. Why would anyone choose a mentor who’s impossible to follow?
The Impossible Mentor explores how to take the yoke of discipleship Jesus offered in a manner that breaks the cycle of resolve-and-failure. Jesus actually invited us to imitate him and follow his example. He said, “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Yet most Christians think his ways and his example are distant and impossible to attain. If we try to become like our Master we find ourselves restless and burdened. Why would Jesus extend this invitation if there is no hope of following it?
The Impossible Mentor will give you the courage to follow, and experience the surprising joy of true transformation. Come join me in the journey.

Book Blurb:Can you live up to the example Jesus set?
Why would anyone choose a mentor who’s impossible to follow?
What if it’s possible to experience real transformation?
What if we really can be conformed to his image--in this life?

The Impossible Mentor explores why Christians find Jesus a worthy role model but also hold the conviction that no one could possibly live up to his example. Discipleship and spiritual formation books come and go at the pace of diet and exercise manuals, with approximately the same results in the lives of believers. It’s the same cycle: good intentions, fresh starts, followed by frustration, guilt, and eventually resignation.

You can break the yo-yo cycle of false starts and the guilt that follows when you stumble. The Impossible Mentor explores the four great challenges to following Jesus, and suggests five practical answers that have helped people of faith through the ages. You can put these answers to work in your life, right now.

Author Ray Hollenbach combines slice-of-life vignettes with Biblical resources in a highly readable, conversational style: part pastor, part theologian and fellow-traveller, he explores how to take the yoke of disciple Jesus offered in a manner that will break the cycle of resolve-and-failure.


You can connect with Ray online at the following places:Website: Students of JesusTwitter: @Hollenbach
You can purchase "The Impossible Mentor: Finding Courage to Follow Jesus" at:Amazon PaperbackAmazon KindleB&N Nook
Happy Reading and Writing!

Oskar Schindler: Profound Reasoning

Today I was doing a little reading on Oskar Schindler (the subject of the movie "Schindler's List"). Psychoanalysts wanted to "dig down" and find a deeper, more profound meaning for his actions. They say no one ever truly understood his motivations for spending his fortune saving the Jews who worked for him. Perhaps it wasn't so complex after all, and in its simplicity, his reasoning was truly profound. Here's what Schindler himself said:

"I knew the people who worked for me... When you know people, you have to behave towards them like human beings."

Well said. We could all learn a lesson here.