Lessons Learned

I learned a valuable lesson…the hard way. Well, if we learned our lessons the easy way, we’d soon forget the lesson plan, right? I made the mistake of telling the Lord I’m ready to go to a higher level as a writer. The next day, my bosses tripled my workload, sending my fatigue level six feet under.

Lesson learned: Don’t tell God when you’re ready for the next step. He’ll let you know when He’s ready for you to take that next step.
 
Maybe it’s a test to see how devoted I am to writing. That makes sense. If I can still hammer out a chapter here, or a page there, or even scribble an idea down on scrap paper while trying to keep up with the demands of six attorneys, three investigators, a conscientious supervisor, household chores, a husband, and two cats, then am I dedicated to this calling?
 
I almost missed the Florida Christian Writers Conference in Lake Yale earlier this month. Between financial challenges and my busy workload, I thought I’d have to pass. But the Lord paved the way for me to attend. Imagine the joy of taking classes with best-selling suspense thriller author Steven James (http://www.stevenjames.net/). The Pawn, The Rook, The Queen are only a few of his novels,  and Dan Walsh, (http://danwalshbooks.com/, who wrote Deepest Waters, The Unfinished Gift, and The Homecoming, among others). And the thrill of pitching my work-in-progress novel (The One) to an editor who showed so much enthusiasm, she suggested an idea for the sequel (which will be The Two).

I shared room with a delightful young woman from the east coast whose amazing story may make her the next Lisa Beamer.


And our Tampa Chapter took most of the awards at the Conference Banquet! I’m proud to be part of this outstanding group.

The conference was a cornucopia of valuable information. But the best lesson I learned was from author/speaker Rachel Hauck (http://rachelhauck.com/). She related a dream in which Jesus came to her carrying a large burlap bag filled with books. He offered them to her, saying, “These are the stories I wanted someone to write, but they never got around to it.”

When tempted to drift away from the task of writing, I remind myself, “Don’t be one of those writers who never got around to writing one of His stories.”
 
Instead of telling the Lord I’m ready, I’ll ask Him, “Lord, have You prepared me for the next step of Your calling?”

Many thanks to Eva Marie Everson and Mark Hancock for this amazing conference!

HARVEST OF RUBIES



2011 New Author of the Year

 I received this novel as a prize through a friend's blog. What a wonderful prize to win, too!

The opening line - On my twelfth birthday, my father discovered that I could read - drew me into the story and didn't let go of me until the last line. I normally don't read first person novels (with the exception of Mark Mynheir's work), because they usually have a whiney or self-centered voice. But Sarah, the main point of view character, splays her heart open for the reader. She begins the story as a young girl with low self worth and, through her rediscovery of  the love of the Lord, grows to a mature woman of authority and substance, earning the respect of her father and her husband.

Author Tessa Afshar is a champion of deep, riveting point of view writing.

Harvest of Rubies is on my "should be a best seller"  list.

Get your copy today!!

THE EMPTY STOCKING



Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking:

Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child’s cry. A blazing star hung over a stable, and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven’t forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, the sound of bells, and with gifts—but especially with gifts. You give me a book; I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer. Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. Oh, we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled.

All, that is, except one.

And we have even forgotten to hang it up. It’s the stocking for the Child born in a manger. It’s His birthday we’re celebrating. Don’t let us ever forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most, and then let each put in his share: loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.

David Niven, The Bishop’s Wife, 1947

"The River" Book Review

“The River” began with a sweet father-son scene, then pulled me into with the story of Gabriel and the tragic loss of his father.

 

The thread of the story flowed like a river, moving the characters along, churning with rapids, then streaming from shallow, light moods to deep emotions. The frequent point-of-view shifts pulled me out of the story from time to time, but I kept going back to see how little Gabriel was managing. Author Michael Neale made me care about the characters and their struggles.

 

I guessed the plot twist before the end, but it didn’t dampen my interest in the story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Sale Event 11-10-12




L-R: Janet Rockey, Sheryl Young, Kim Moore, Kat Hechenback

How to Spend a beautiful Autumn Saturday in Lutz: 

1. Arise early
2. Pack up books to sell
3. Get South Tampa Passport Stamped at Kennedy Blvd.*
4. Drive north on I-275
5. Meet 3 other writers at Organic Life Shopping Center on Oak Grove Blvd. in Lutz
6. Drink coffee
7. Set up table under provided tent
8. Cover table with fringed tablecloth
9. Set up display with the following books:

• Heavenly Humor for the Cat Lover's Soul
• Heavenly Humor for the Mother's Soul
• Heavenly Humor for the Dieter's Soul
• Women of the Secret Place
• Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can't Believe My Cat Did that

10.  Wait for customers
11.  Sell books
12.  Buy books from other writing friends
13.  Buy cat earrings from vendor in next tent
14.  Pack up table & unsold books at 5:00 p.m.
15.  Hug 3 other writing friends goodbye
16.  Drive south on I-275
17.  Have South Tampa Passport stamped at Kennedy Blvd.*
18.  Fall in recliner and take a nap

*The "passport" is a local joke about us SOKS (South Of Kennedy Snobs) who hate to go north of Kennedy Blvd. for ANY reason.

Having way too much fun on 11/10/12. This is supposed to be work!

Coming up in my next post: Book Review on "The River" by Michael Neale (Thomas Nelson Publishing).

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Cats!

I don't know where Chicken Soup gets their cover art, but the look on this cat's face says it all. "Did I do that?!"

Another writing success story to report. I thought we were limited to submitting only one story per book. When I couldn't decide which story to submit, "Taming My Ogre" or "Mewsic Critic," I took a chance they would like one of the stories. What a wonderful surprise to learn they liked BOTH stories!

One of my Word Weavers buddies, Sammie Callahan, submitted her story, "Lonely Leo" (her original title was "Lonesome Leo." We don't know why they changed it). Adding more joy to being published is sharing the book with other talented writers, especially when we've helped critique each other's work!
So get your copy today to learn how my kitties turned Tom Rockey into a cat-loving man in "Taming My Ogre." And you'll discover a secret about my past in "Mewsic Critic." You'll share in Leo's angst as he makes an amazing trek in search of his loving pet human, Sammie, in "Lonely Leo."

I have a few copies available if you want to avoid shipping charges.

Mark Twain once said, "If man could be crossed with a cat, it would improve man, but deteriorate the cat."

Marriage is like Christ and the Church

Marriage is Like Christ and the Church

The Professional Women’s Bible Study I attend every Friday morning is presently studying the book of Ephesians. Our fearless leader, Marsha Rydberg, has led us through the first five chapters, using her extensive library of Biblical history books to explain the culture of Biblical times. Last week, Marsha was absent due to her work schedule, so we opted to watch a DVD of one of Ray Vanderlaan’s tours of Israel. Ray showed us a different view of Moses’ mountain-top experience with God on Mt. Sinai. He explained that God performed a marriage ceremony with His people on that mountain in Exodus 19. He loved them as a groom should love his bride. And He wanted His people to love and rely upon Him as a bride loves and relies upon her husband.

As God’s timing is perfect, we reached the end of the fifth chapter of Ephesians:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. - Ephesians 5:22-24

As Marsha went into great detail of the culture of that time, I piped up and reminded the ladies of the DVD we had watched last week. God, through Paul, is giving us a sneak preview of the marriage we will share with Him in eternity. The first sentence of verse 22 ends with “as to the Lord.” It was a perfect segue to what Marsha had to say next. The statement, “Wives, be subject to your own husbands,” was not a revolutionary statement in those days, but to submit to their husbands out of love was. I once groaned at these “submit” verses, believing the lie our feminist culture has shoved down our throats. But now realize we have been in rebellion against God since the third chapter of Genesis. To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth (literally means and your pregnancy, conception), In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 The term “desire” in this verse does not indicate a sexual yearning, but the need to dominate. Eve succumbed to Satan’s defiant nature, and God had to put her in a different place in the human relationship. So as we women groan at the thought of submitting to our husbands, we are perpetuating Eve’s defiance against God. If we can give up this rebellion and trust God, even to the point of submitting to our husbands, then we will find the joy He wants us to have. And in the very next verse, Paul admonishes the men: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…” Ephesians 5:25 As wives, we get the better end of the deal. All we have to do is show a little respect to our husbands, but our husbands must be willing to die for us. “…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” - Ephesians 5:20-21 Let us joyfully submit to one another, and to our husbands, and, most importantly, to the LORD.