Still Called Today

I lost a good friend earlier this month, but I didn't find out until nearly three weeks after her death. Her mother called on Saturday night, and I knew immediately that something had happened. People who live 5000 miles away and normally don't call...ever...well, when the phone rings and it's them, you know it can't be good news.

My friend died violently, needlessly. And when she moved away nearly three years ago, I had no idea it would be the last time I'd see her on this earth.

Living in a military area, we have a double-edged sword of friendship. People move into the area from all parts of the country. The hard part is saying goodbye, especially to the ones who become like family. All the while you're friends, you try not to think ahead to the time when Uncle Sam tells them to move. Usually that's about three years, sometimes more or less.

One of the things I remember about her was her musical laugh. How she loved to laugh. I can still hear her, "Oh, Sister Lynette!" when I said something funny or off-the-wall, and she'd go off into giggles. Sometimes I'd say something crazy just to crack her up. She was Hawaiian, short and round and bubbly, and beautiful. She loved children of all ages, and her son was the pride of her heart. When we first met him at barely 4 years old, he'd already memorized more Scripture than a lot of adults. Whenever we had an event at church, she was there pitching in and giving a hand. And she loved our youth. She wrote two plays, which the kids loved performing. And our kids loved her.

Her home was creatively decorated, clean, and full of love. Not perfect. Oh, no. The last four years or so were a struggle for her on some fronts, and I know she battled her demons. I wish I'd known how deep her battle was, to let her know that I would be there for her, and pray for her. We spent some great times together, her family and mine. We saw each other at our best, and at our worst. But we always forgave.

She was one of the greatest supporters of my writing, before I even had a single acceptance letter. One Christmas, I gave her a printed out copy of my still unpublished historical novel, and you'd think I'd given her gold.

I remember one night, shortly after her husband returned from a year-long tour in Iraq, they came for dinner and stayed very late. We sat there for hours, and he just shared about what he'd seen and experienced and his frustration with the slow process of helping an institutionalized people learn to govern themselves, and keep everyone safe. Later, with tears in her eyes, she told me the night they visited with us was good for him. "He really needed that," she said. I know she did love him, and was fiercely proud of him, no matter what.

Then about six months before they were transferred away, her husband brought his mother with Alzheimer's to live with them.

And gradually, our friendship changed. I feel like they left us before they moved away. When someone pulls away, what can you do? I wasn't sure at the time. But I was worried. They had so much to deal with, and I felt like they were cutting themselves off from all of us. Thinking back now, I wish I'd made more of an effort to keep in touch.

After they moved, we had her cell phone number, and that was it. (I didn't even know what town they lived in until I read the news articles about her death.) I knew she was going through a lot with a new home, a new town, trying to find a new church, and dealing with an ailing relative in the house full-time, plus a growing boy. One time when my husband called, she was "really busy." She had no time. And then we'd leave messages on voice mail every once in a while. Finally, the number didn't work anymore.

The last time we heard from them was Christmas day 2006. We got home from church to hear a message from the three of them bellowing into the answering machine, " Melikalikimaka! Merry Christmas! We love you guys! Happy Hanukkah!' And that was it.

Why this long story? Because there are some rifts that are worth trying to mend. There are some gaps worth closing. Don't put it off. For the longest time, I'd wondered how they were since that Christmas Day phone call. I probably could have found her mother's phone number or asked another church friend if they had any numbers. We could have tracked them down. But we didn't. And I regret all that I never said. Especially when a month ago they were heavy on our hearts, and we had no idea why.

It reminds me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song, Still Called Today...

"But while it's still called today, won't somebody make it right
Before the day slips into night and the moments waste away
While it is still called today, we've got to say the words
That are longing to be heard 'cause tomorrow may be too late
Go on and say what you need to say while it is still called today."

Money-saving Monday!

Every little bit adds up. A few dollars here, a few there. Just like when we were kids and our parents tried to get us to SAVE MONEY and not spend it. For some reason, it was easier just to spend what we had.

Here's my little tips for the week.

Saving gas: Combine your trips. Try not to make trips to the store for just one thing. Keep a note pad by the fridge to have a shopping list in progress all the time. The busier I am, the more I forget we're on the LAST ROLL OF TP (cue dramatic music). And so I jump into the car to head to the store for one thing.

Learn to read labels: Just because it's bulk, doesn't mean it's less expensive. Just because it's the store brand, doesn't mean it's the better deal. Take a moment and read the unit price on the shelf. Bring your calculator if you're bad at math. I know. I can hear it now: "But I've got ten screaming kids and 100 items on my list. Do you expect me to do this for every item?" Of course not! But we creatures of habit like to buy the same things all the time. Once you start keeping track of what items usually cost, you'll notice if a price goes up and down. For example, Wesson cooking oil was less expensive than the Great Value brand, so I purchased Wesson. Then Great Value must have figured this out, and the price of Wesson went up, and Great Value went down.

Learn to consider value, not just the price: Just because the chicken is 99 cents a pound, if it's not boneless, you're paying for bones you'll throw away. I don't care how cheap the meat is, if I'm paying for something I'm throwing away, that's not a good value for me when feeding a family. If you can't afford boneless, skinless chicken breasts, try the boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They are less expensive, and not that much "fattier" than the white meat.

Op At Wal-Mart

The teenager deep within me is reeling from the injustice.

WalMart is now selling Op. Can you believe it?

I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in a rinky-dink town not quite thirty minutes from the beach. I grew up in a loving family where dad provided and mom did neat things for me, like sewing some of my clothes. I even had a cute bikini wayyyyy back when I was 8 or 9 that mom made. Powder blue and white seersucker material. I loved it. The very last time I wore one.

I've digressed, of course. When I became a teenager, even in that rinky-dink town we had a fashion hierarchy. And anyone who was anyone wore Op.

I loved Op. Op T-shirts, Op shorts, Op bathing suits. And oh, how I envied the "other" kids who wore Op. But could I buy Op? Ha!

The one "boutique" store in town, Scher's, mocked me every time we drove by. The Op mecca taunted me with what I could not buy. One day, I had enough to buy an Op wallet. But who'd see a wallet of tan corduroy with brown trim? I just knew when I took it out of my purse to pay for something, everyone would know I couldn't afford the clothes.

Then finally, somehow, I saved up enough money to buy my own pair of Op shorts.

I still remember them. A cobalt blue corduroy, short-shorts (no, not too short or I'd never be let out of the house). They had front cargo pockets and the embroidered white "Op" logo on one of the pockets. And they were mine, on sale for less than twenty bucks.

I wore them until they wore out.

Fast forward over twenty-five years later, and here comes WAL MART selling Op. In my town back then, that would have been like Ames or KMart selling Op. It wouldn't have happened. So this is why WalMart selling Op is such a coup.

Sigh. Now I have the budget where I could buy myself Op. But the body I had back then is gone, or at least hidden. Sigh.

And I'm about five hours from the nearest REAL beach.

I console myself with the thought of: Corduroy at the beach being cool? What were we thinking??

Money-saving Monday!

I love tortillas!

I love how one bag of 20 fajita size tortillas can feed a crew from breakfast to snack time, too. Here's how:

Breakfast Tacos
Scramble some eggs. Add crumbled ground turkey sausage, cheese, etc. Spoon onto a tortilla and serve.

Lunch Wraps
Take your favorite lunch meat, and lay a slice or two on a tortilla. Add a sprinkle of shredded cheese, if you like. Also add lettuce and/or fresh spinach leaves or green onion. Spread a teaspoon of salad dressing on top, and roll up for a tasty lunch treat

Suppertime
Make quesadillas or burritos. Use cooked meat of your choice--chicken, beef, or pork. Top with cheese and/or grilled onions.

Yummy Snack
Slice a flour tortilla into quarters. Fry in a saucepan of hot oil for about a minute on each side. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate. Dust with cinnamon and sugar and a drizzle of honey.

Yield: 4 snacks/meals using 5 tortillas for each person. If you have big eaters, get two bags of tortillas. Or get the larger burrito size tortillas.

I've never tried making my own tortillas, but I love the taste of fresh ones. Our local Tex-Mex place, Jalisience (I probably butchered the spelling), makes their own. I'm not a big fan of corn tortillas (the bagged ones always taste rubbery to me), but I might try some of their fresh tortillas.

Enjoy!

A Journey Through Loss

Author Darlene Franklin is one of my friends and critique partners. This spring she lost her daughter, and afterward Darlene started a blog to journal about her grief. It's a way for us to look over her shoulder and also see her heart during this difficult journey. It's also a way for us to hear how the Lord has been with her every step of the way. Darlene has started having authors as guests to share about loss, writing, and grief. Today I'm answering questions at Darlene's blog.

Please, stop by! I hope you will be encouraged by what you read. :)

Money-saving Monday!

Gas is four bucks a gallon. What a shock, right? We also have two teenagers who are working. We don't have time or extra dough to do much this summer as a family. This means we have to get creative.

One thing we're going to do is have a family movie night. We're going to drag out all the old home videos from years past--vacations, class programs, Christmases, and ball games. We'll let the kids choose some favorite snacks and one Sunday night after church, we'll sit up and watch the videos.

I can't wait. We've got all these movies sitting on 8mm cassettes, just waiting to be watched and memories rediscovered!

Maybe our kids (or yours) will moan and groan, or proclaim it the lamest thing ever. But I have a feeling once we get past the first few minutes, they'll be hooked!

So if you're looking for something to do, give family movie night a try.

Writing, writing, writing...

...and writing, writing, writing...

I'm working on my third book in the Scents of Murder series, titled The Perils of Peaches. While it's been fun to travel with Andromeda Clark Hartley, I'm looking forward to what's ahead. I'm also compiling a treasure trove of information from mystery/suspense/thriller authors, and I've interviewed sixteen of them about writing a series. This compilation will appear in a several-part series of posts over at the blog Keep Me In Suspense.

I love picking other writers' brains. We all work so differently, but sometimes we can learn something from another author's process that can change the way we write.

The BIG thing to remember about being a writer is that, well, we WRITE. We can talk theory and technique all day, but that does nothing until we sit down and start letting the thoughts pour out from our fingertips.

That's all for now!

Money Saving!

Okay, families large and small, the idea of saving money is definitely in everyone's minds.

One of the first ways we can start saving money is by de-cluttering. And I am in the running for Clutter Queen. Either it's because of busy-ness, or fatigue, or good intentions. But it happens. So get the kids together, de-clutter, and have a YARD SALE. You'll help other people find some good deals and you'll get stuff out of your house (so you'll find out why you have two staple guns because you LOST one of them). And you'll have a few dollars in your pocket you didn't have before.

I mentioned in another post (Pa, it's time to buy us some chick-uns) that we can save money simply by limiting our eating out.

We can also check out thrift stores. I know, some of them have junk. But last summer when I realized the kids needed sturdy rolling suitcases before we went on vacation, I found some nice ones for $8 apiece at a local thrift store, instead of paying $30 and up for a case at the store.

Click on the photo above and check out my friend Gina Conroy's Summer Savings at Writer, Interrupted, for more summer saving ideas!

Tight Wallets and Tight Fists

Okay, this post may seem directly opposed to my last one about trimming our budgets, especially where eating out is concerned. I've noticed that when times are tough, we want to clench our hands more tightly around whatever funds we do have. No one's going to control what we do with our money, and yet it seems when the gas prices rise, we must adjust our budgets. Even if it's painful. I read somewhere that our gasoline consumption has not decreased from a year ago. Ironic. We still complain, and still pay at the pump.

During times of these skyrocketing gas prices and the carryover to our grocery stores, do you know who I really have sympathy for? People on fixed incomes that don't spend money on extras to begin with. I admit it. Right now, our budget has some padding for those nice little perks we enjoy. Sodas on the weekend. A night at the movies in town ($3 admission per person, so even that's cheap fun). A nice cut of steak (on sale).

When prices climb, people on Social Security don't receive any extra compensation from the very government that pays their meager pension. And those numbers of people are increasing in the U.S. day after day. Or think about a single parent, working a full-time job and trying to pay day care for several kids. It's crazy. My husband runs a day care and we know it's not cheap. And we've only raised our rates twice in 11 years.

I'd like to put this out there for people to consider: Who do YOU know that's on a fixed income or struggling? And I mean, someone who's struggling more than you think you are? What can you do to help them or make their load a little easier?

Mother's Day is over, but Father's Day is coming. We bought my mom a gift card to her favorite deli, so she can buy some sandwiches when she goes to visit my stepdad in the nursing home. Really, my mom has so much stuff, she doesn't need another knick-nack or Greatest Grandma T-shirt. When she had surgery in February, we got her a 3-month Netflix gift certficate. One of my sisters got her an assortment of meats from their local butcher. For Father's day, I'm going to send the dads some Dunkin' Donuts cards.

Other ways you can help someone on a fixed/limited income would be gas cards or postage stamps. Listen when they talk to you about things they'd like to do but can't. Sometimes those little perks help us through tough times.

The more tightly we hold onto what we have, the more that fear can turn us into misers. Remember, give, and it shall be given unto you.

Reminds me of a story I read once.

A man was having a conversation with the Lord and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”

The Lord led the man to two doors. He open one of the doors and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.” They went to the other room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was a large round table with a large pot of stew which made the man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.

The man said, “I don’t understand.”

“It is simple,” said the Lord. “They have learned to feed each other."

Who can you feed?

Pa, it's time to buy us some chick-uns

Have you seen egg prices? I'm ready to build a hen house, but I have flashbacks to my in-law's psycho birds they used to have on their farm, so I'll hold that thought.

We are such a spoiled culture, we Americans. I won't start raving about the increased prices because I've been seeing that happen for over a year now. With my husband running a home day care, we frequently purchase the same products, and most prices are up 10% or more from a year ago. In some cases, 25-30% or more. I could give you a list, and we could probably compare. That said, this is nothing new. I find it ironic that only in the last few months or so the media has begun to notice what my husband and I have noticed for a long time.

Anyway, we've been finding ways to adjust our budget without kicking and screaming too much. We're spoiled. We've made a practice of confusing wants with needs, comforts with necessities, our pampered palates with real hunger.

For example, going out to eat for a family of four is expensive. At a conservative 50 bucks a pop (that's ordering water, too and not paying $2 a glass per person of soda), that translates to $200 a month if you eat out once a week. Multiply that out by 12 months, and you've got at least $2400 over the course of a year.

But what if that's not enough to help your budget? What about ordering pizza or going through the drive-through once a week? Conservatively, that'll run you $25 a trip for 4 people. Or $100 a month, or another $1200 a year added onto the above. So far, if you cut out one trip through the drive-through and one dinner out, that's $3600 in your pocket for a year. Okay, so you'll spend it on gas. Or absorb that into your grocery bill. But it's do-able without an undue amount of suffering to our spoiled selves.

Let's face it, folks. We criticize our government for lending itself money, printing more when it runs out, and spending billions that it doesn't have. And we do the same thing. As long as the lights are on and there's food on the table and nothing infringes on our little world, sometimes we just don't care that we're spending like there's no tomorrow. Um, well. Check the calendar. It's past time to flip the page. Tomorrow's here. We need to quit whining, stop buying our spoiled selves so much takeout, and grow up. I'll continue my semi-rant another day...

Mom Was Right

It's taken forty years for me to say that. Really.

(The photo to the right is of my gorgeous baby sister Amy and my mom back in November at my middle sister Cat's wedding. My mom looks GREAT for 66, dontcha think??)

Anyway, back in 1984, when I was a junior in high school, mom knew I loved art and design. I remember the harrowing experience of course selection. Which courses? Which electives? I took education very seriously then (still do). And of course, I thought I knew best. In art class, my teacher Ms. Chiampa wheeled out a neat contraption called a Mac. Wow. We sure had fun , each of us students taking turn during class time and playing with the computer's graphic features. Of course I went home and told my mom.

Senior year was fast approaching, and the usual questions came. What will be your major? (I'd already picked a college)

"ComPEWter graphiCSSSS," Mom would say. "You need to study comPEWter graphicCSSSS." (My sisters and brothers-in-law will understand the intended enunciation.)

"Sure, mom."

A few years later, I was still an art major and had transferred to a college back home because of finances. One of the professors was known for her computer design courses.

"I still think you should study grrraphicccsss."

"Right, mom." I took every other art course except computer graphics.

When I think about the fledgling computer industry over 20 years ago, I realize it was still very new. I didn't have the foresight to know that the future has become all about computers.

Where would I be if I'd listened to Mom? Kind of like that movie where the kid goes back in time and tells his old friend. "Yahoo. When you decide to buy stock one day, buy Yahoo." And so in the future, his pal is a multimillionaire for listening to his friend.

And somehow mom knew that computers would one day revolutionize every area of her lives. Or at least knew how to point her kids in the right direction. No, she didn't know everything. She wasn't right about everything (which far too often I smugly tried not to remind her). But in this case, mom was right.

I love my life and feel that I've been blessed in spite of myself. And mom has cheered me on, every step of the way. Thanks, mom!!

Polly Ticks

During this election year, I'm sure we in the United States have followed the primaries. Earlier this spring, I can't remember when, I heard a guy crunch the numbers. On the Democratic side of the race, the primaries won't secure the votes needed for a clear winner. Neither Clinton nor Obama will get the minimum required to gain the nomination. Soooo, where does that leave the election? At the moment, the superdelegates. That's how I see it.

What can we do? I'm pretty well decided on who I'm going to vote for, but I sense a held-back panic in some circles. What if the one who gets elected in November doesn't believe just like we do? What if someone is more liberal, or more conservative? What are we going to do? Defect? (Insert sounds of shrieking, screaming, wailing, and the sounds of opening suitcases)

Throughout thousands of years of history, God has been at work in politics. It would be nice to say, "Okay, Lord, which party do You belong to?" But it doesn't work that way. I don't know why, but where do we start thinking He's blind to what's going on in the affairs of the nations? Maybe it's when things don't work like we believe they ought to. Or when the ones we elected don't deliver on their promises? (Another aside: Don't believe all those promises. It's important to know what someone stands for and which projects they champion, but as I learned from my trip to Washington last summer, there is a balance of power for a reason.)

I found this in Chroniciles... In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:
"This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
" 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you—may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.' "

I remember hearing that story years ago, how the Lord used King Cyrus to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem. Looking at the news now, this translates to me that: A Persian king (modern-day Iraq) decides to build a Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and he would let the people just go home to do this? Talk about an unlikely political move.

God has no party. He is over all. He can use the most unlikely people as instruments of His will. He will always honor His Word. No matter who is in office.

So, don't fear. Don't panic. Don't spread rumors. We definitely should be praying for those superdelegates!

A New Voice in Politics

There's a new voice in American politics...my son.

Nope, he's not running for office. He's registering to vote. Last year, someone in the family mentioned the 2008 elections, and we realized that our son will be able to vote. And wouldn't you know? He almost glowed. He stood a little taller.

Now he knows he has a voice.

But who to vote for? How does anyone decide?

We told him he needs to decide as an American, what's important to him. What candidate, regardless of party, speaks to issues that Zach values? Who sounds like he or she is competent at speaking and acting upon our behalf?

If you've ever been to Washington and walked the halls of Congress, you'll see that the hallways resemble high school during student council election time. Every Senator or Represetative, it seems, as a bulletin board or display outside their office highlighting their pet project. Remember high school, when students would lobby for better dances or pizza on Friday in the cafeteria? The people in their states have voiced the concerns and issues they want dealt with in Washington. Our Congress needs to remember who they are, and who put them in office. They are our servants, and we as people gave them our literal vote of confidence that they're the person meant to represent us.

We walked the hall of Congress last summer, so we saw this firsthand in our Representative's office. Not glitzy or glamorous by any means, but an office of busy workers who looked happy that they (and we) were there. Representative John Carter's staff were gracious and friendly. Of course, it's a Texas group, but we visited a Texas Senator with whom we were less than impressed (can you say moooooo as we felt shuffled through like cattle?).

Unfortunately, people vote for someone for the wrong reasons, like they did in high school.

"They seem nice."

"Someone told me they were nice."

"He makes me laugh."

Or they shun a candidate...

"Well, someone told me he was evil." Really? Do you know for sure?

"I heard that he used to..."

Anyway, as we have a new voter in the home, we're going to encourage him to investigate the candidates himself. Because he has a voice. As do we all. Most importantly, we're going to pray!

Rock Star Sunday

I think of Palm Sunday as Jesus' rock star moment. Jerusalem's streets echoed--and rightfully so--with the praises of His disciples and others who had heard Jesus had just arrived. If the paparazzi were around, they'd be thronging his red carpet, eager to catch a glimpse, snap a photo, and interview those praising His name.

Yes, this is the same Jesus who raised Lazarus.
Oh, fed thousands with a Happy Meal.
And freed the tormented from their mental chains.
Forgave sin.
Told the self-righteous religious leaders what they really were made of.
The list could go on, and like John said, "All the world could not contain the books."

But the whole rock star thing? People thought they knew Him. They'd heard, Him speak, watched the miracles, maybe even tagged along as He traveled. Surely He'd do something to fix that whole Roman occupation problem. Anyone who can call someone back from the grave or stare the devil in the face should surely be able to throw off Roman rule.

Less than a week later, a sham trial, and then inciting a riot, the crowd changed. They chose Barabbas, and what would have been a first-century media frenzy changed from an atmosphere of "Jesus, Rock Star" to "Jesus--the heretic and political insurgent."

He knew all this, and as He rode into town during his rock star moment, He wept for them because He knew what would happen.

"When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit."

A Chat With Lynette

No, I don't mean me. I mean Lynette Eason, author of Lethal Deception, available now from Love Inspired Suspense. If you're a reader of what my buddies and I like to call LIS, you know that you must get to Wal-Mart, or wherever you get your LIS books every month, as soon as you know the books are available. Because they fly off the shelves, with good reason.

Lethal Deception is Lynette's first published novel, and I had the chance to ask her a few questions about her book, and about writing too. Here's what we talked about.

Where'd you get the idea for your book?

Lynette: I was sitting the Department of Motor Vehicles thinking I would NEVER get out of that “jungle” when I just started brainstorming the first chapter of Lethal Deception. I had a screaming two year old in front of me who became the daughter of missionary friends who needed a guardian. I threw in a few bad guys, a hero to the rescue and a loving God and voila! I know, that’s a really weird way to get a story idea, huh?
Lynette: Oh, that makes perfect sense to me. People-watching is a great way to find ideas.

What process do you go through as you write? Are you a plotter, or a pantster?

Lynette: Oh boy. This is kind of a hard question for me. I’ll get a little smidge of an idea from something and then I’ll have to place my character in the midst of that idea and see what happens. But before I can really develop the story, I HAVE to do a character sketch. I use Randy Ingermanson’s layout. It’s the only one I’ve found that works for me and lets me get to know my characters. Once I’ve got the characters down, I move on to the synopsis. At this point, it’s not really a synopsis, it’s a brainstorm page…or 10. Once I have all that down, I can start writing Chapter 1. Usually the synopsis/story changes as I write it, but at least the synopsis helps keep me on track, and I know I have to get to the next scene.

Before I was published, I would edit the synopsis as I wrote because I knew when I submitted the manuscript, I’d have to submit a synopsis, too. So, using this method, when the manuscript was finished I had a “matching” synopsis to go along with it to submit.

As far as revision, I find that I really write a pretty clean first draft. And that’s simply because I catch a lot of mistakes as I go. I’m not one to waste time on constant editing. I write, editing as I go to some extent. When I finish the manuscript, I print it off and read it out loud to myself…and anyone who is unfortunate enough to be within earshot. At this point, I generally send a copy to my critique partner. As I read it aloud, I find mistakes, holes in the plot, things I need to address, etc. I make note of those on the printed version, then change them on the computer, print it out again, read through it again, see if I missed anything, fix it if I did, then send the thing off to my editor.

Who's been the biggest influence on your writing?

Lynette: Dee Henderson and Brandilyn Collins have been huge influences. I wanna be like them when I grow up…ha. Seriously, I LOVE suspense, the weaving of the characters, the faith element, the mystery, the “scariness”. It’s all just like a great big puzzle waiting to be solved. Dee and Brandilyn do all of this beautifully.

Tell us about the day you got "the call."

Lynette: I was at work and my cell phone rang. Now, normally, I wouldn’t have my cell phone on, but my son was showing signs that he wasn’t feeling well that morning, so I kind of expected the nurse at his school to call me and tell me to come get him, so I just kept the phone on. When it rang, I thought, “I knew it! Rats.” I didn’t mind going to get him, I just didn’t want him to be sick! But…it wasn’t the school, it was Krista Stroever! I wanted to scream, but managed to hold it in…at least until I hung up. It was incredible. I couldn’t believe it. Then I just started thanking God!

Any advice for those who'd like to write for Love Inspired Suspense?

Lynette: Oh my, just keep writing. I know that doesn’t help much, but it’s true. You just have to keep at it. Believe me, I know how hard it is to keep at it and keep getting rejected. The best thing, I think, is to find a mentor who writes for the line. And read the books… Which I know most people who want to write for Steeple Hill DO read the books, but just thought I’d mention it. Go to any and all conferences that you can afford, join a critique group and just keep at it. Really, I very firmly believe it’s all about honing your skills and perseverance.

When does your next book release?

Lynette: My next book is RIVER OF SECRETS and will be out in August 2008. HOLIDAY ILLUSION is out November 2008 and then the new series starts off with a bang in March of 2009 with A SILENT TERROR.

Lynette: I'm marking my calendar!

Thanks, Lynette, for stopping by today. I enjoyed hearing about your books, and your writing journey.

Meanwhile, y'all stop by Lynette's web site at www.lynetteeason.com. You can learn more about Lynette, and her books.

Chill out with: Chill Out, Josey!

Okay, I couldn't resist using that title for my blog post today. I'm excited to talk about Susan May Warren's latest release, Chill Out, Josey!

Most of the time at the end of a romance, we read the happily ever after part, and off the couple goes into the sunset. Or what have you.

This time, we get to see Josey's adventures continue after she says, "I do."

Russia ? Not again. Josey's finally living the good life - she's got the man, the (almost-perfect) wedding, the two-story Cape-Cod house of her dreams. That is until her man drags her back to Moscow ! Josey knows she has the guts to follow her own dreams across the world, but she's not so sure she can play the perfect wife while her husband chases after his. Josey's set on having the perfect life…even in a world without hot water, decent take-out and size-two leather fashion. But can she find the courage to tell her man the secret that will change their lives forever?

Two things delighted me about this book. Susan puts such humor into the everyday situations we all face. Especially with Josey's newlywed awakening, so to speak. And then during the bombshell of going back to Russia.

Also, in my opinion, the real work of romance starts after the wedding. We still learn much about our spouses, past that getting-to-know-you and attraction phase, past the deciding "Do we believe we should spend the rest of our lives together? Is this what God has for us?" Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that because we say yes to each other and yes to God, that we won't have bumps in the road. Or major potholes! Part of the journey is learning to live and love with each other through those bumps and potholes. Or, in Josey's case, a major move!

Here's Susan, in her own words:

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I can't help be amazed at the gifts God has delighted me with - a wonderful husband, four amazing children, and the opportunity to write for Him.

I've been writing as long as I can remember - I won my first book writing contest in first grade! Over the years, writing has become, for me, a way to praise God and see Him at work in my life.
Although I have a degree in Mass Communications from the University of MN , my real writing experience started when I penned the The Warren Report - a bi-monthly newsletter that detailed our ministry highlights.

Living in Russia meant I never lacked for great material - and those experiences naturally spilled out first into devotionals and magazine articles and finally into my first published story, "Measure of a Man," in the Tyndale/HeartQuest, Chance Encounters of the Heart anthology.

I grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis , and became an avid camper from an early age. My favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota - it's where I met my husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living. The north woods easily became the foundation for my first series, The Deep Haven series. Based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior . I have to admit - I'm terribly jealous of Mona, the heroine of my first full-length book, Happily Ever After, a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.

Our family moved home from the mission field in June 2004 -- and now we live in the beautiful town I'd always dreamed of! God has amazed me anew with His provision, and blessings -- and allowed me a season when I can write full time for Him.

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Susan didn't mention this, but if you're a writer, you should check out her Book Therapy services. She's helped me flesh out a future book series, and I'm so glad I took the chance to work with her. I generally have few issues with punctuation, sentence structure, but Susan helped me work on character, plot, and other areas. I believe my future book will be much stronger as a result of her input. (Thanks, Suz!)

Lastly, she's holding a contest. Here's the details:

Submit your funniest/craziest/most embarrassing PREGNANCY STORY and be entered to win a Super Fabulous, Ultra Deluxe Chill Out, Mom SPA BASKET! Here is the link to the Contest page on Susan’s website: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/contest.html (**note, this contest is exclusively for her blog tour, chances are there will be another contest going on for her general audience…feel free to enter both contests. By submitting your story, Susan will know which contest you are entering!)

Happy Reading!

Veterans Day: Don't Let the Stories Die

I wanted to post something about Veterans Day, but I received this wonderful e-mail from author Tricia Goyer, with permission to post.


- - - -

From author Tricia Goyer:

In 2000, I got my idea for what came to be my first historical novel, From Dust and Ashes. Wanting to know more about the 23 men who liberated Mauthausen concentration camp, I contacted the 11th Armored Division who put me in touch with six of the veterans. These men then invited me to attend the 59th reunion of their division. I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought they'd point me to a good research book or allow me to interview them over the phone.

I felt SO unworthy to meet with these men. I knew very little about WWII, and I didn't want my inexperience to show. Not to mention the $1000+ for airfare, hotels, rental car for a book I didn't have a contract to write.

I urged a friend to go with me, and I've been so thankful we went. The men were caring and opened their hearts to me. They shared stories with me that they hadn't shared with anyone before. They laughed. They cried. They took my hands and thanked me for caring about their story. They hugged me and kissed my cheeks.

When it came to writing my novel, I wasn't writing about fictional characters. I was writing pieces of Charlie's story, bits of Arthur's experiences. The memories that made LeRoy cry made it into my book. The snapshots that Tarmo carried around in his mind for 60 years transformed into scenes in my novel (and the novels to follow!).

I get many letters from readers who say that my novels come to life on the pages--that's because the men's experiences came to life to me as I looked into their eyes and saw glimpses of young heroes. Also, the following year I went to Europe and walked the streets of the SS housing with a man who'd been nine-years-old when the camp opened near his home. Again, I "saw" the story in his eyes as he shared--this time from someone on the outside.

There was an added benefit to this diligent research that I didn't expect. After my second novel Night Song came out I received a letter from a veteran. He made a list of twenty minor research points that I'd gotten right, and then he asked, "One thing I didn't understand was the faith element of this story. Can you tell me more about your faith in God?"

YES!

Because I had done the research, I'd was able to share about my Jesus with a veteran who has since passed away.

One more fun thing I didn't expect. One of the men I met at the reunion was Pete. Pete was a medic--the one medic I met. Years later I received a letter from a reader who had read From Dust and Ashes. She was a survivor of Mauthausen--actually, she was born there. When she was 3-weeks-old she was close to death. When the gates were open a medic spent a full day lancing and cleaning infected boils on her skin, saving her life. She asked me if I knew any medics. I knew one, and I passed on his phone number. It turns out Pete was the one who saved her life! They have since met on numerous occasions.

If I hadn't gone to that reunion I wouldn't have met Pete, and I wouldn't have been able to connect him with Hana--what a God thing!

Of course, I do have regrets concerning research, too. In my most recent series on the Spanish Civil War I received a letter from a SCW veteran who said he was willing to help me with research. The letter got put into my "very important" pile on my desk and weeks and months passed. I pulled it out again, and I planned on calling him when I heard from someone else that this man had passed away. That has happened more than once with men who offered to be interviewed, and I'm always regretful of the "one more story" I missed. After all, once gone they are gone for good.

If you have a veteran in your life ... today is the perfect day to reach out--to listen to his or her story. Don't let the stories die, when you have a chance to make a difference.

Below are photos of a few of the men I've interviewed.

To read some of their stories, go to:
http://www.triciagoyer.com/ww2stories/

To see more photos (including real photos from the liberation of Mauthausen) go to:
http://www.triciagoyer.com/dustandashes/

Enjoy, and go find a veteran and hug them!

At the Banquet

Tricia with Shelby & Orville

Tricia Interviewing Alvin

Women & Children at Mauthausen

Ovens at Mauthausen

Tricia With Ray Buch

Medics loading the wounded.

World War II memorial

My Life, Unsripted

Here's the scoop, straight from Tricia Goyer about her latest nonfiction book: My Life, Unscripted.

The Facts of Life was teen girl drama at its finest. Yet today's teens know life if NOT like the movies. Real life means real drama ... something teens face on a daily basis. Yet, do teens have to let their lives be molded by every wave of emotion?

My Life, Unscripted empowers teen girls to write their own script and direct their own life by using God's Script as a guide.

---

One of the reasons I was excited to hear about Tricia's book is because I have a teenage daughter. In fact, my daughter was one of the many young women who helped Tricia on this project. I loved hearing the sound of her fingers clicking on the keyboard as she answered Tricia's questions.

Another reason is that I was a teen girl yearrrrs ago. But I still remember the drama of the teenage years. Pressure about who you were supposed to be, how you were supposed to act, how to dress, who to hang out with. And how to handle the many curveballs life threw your way unexpectedly. Yes, I was a Christian teen, but still the battles raged. Lots of time I felt alone.

I wish there'd been more resources like this back in the 80's when I was a teen.

Montana Mistletoe!

Welcome to Kim Sawyer, Lisa Harris, Lena Nelson Dooley, and Debby Mayne. They're chatting about their latest release, Montana Mistletoe, available now from Barbour Publishing.

What is the premise of the collection?

KIM: Four childhood friends from Mistletoe, Montana--the town that celebrated Christmas year-round--make a pact to find true love by their 28th birthdays. But career commitments get in the way of fulfilling the pact. When love arrives in unexpected packages, will each girl recognize the gift?

In my story, All I want for Christmas. . .is You, Kathy Morgan has gotten caught up in the corporate world of writing advertising jingles at a San Francisco advertising company--a far cry from the simple world of Mistletoe. As Christmas approaches, an unexpected bonus gives her the opportunity to return to Mistletoe for a trip down "Memory Lane" where she can consider the marriage proposal of long-time co-worker Chad. But postman Erik Hoffman becomes a distraction that makes her wonder if she needs to evaluate more than Chad's proposal...perhaps more than romantic love, she needs the love of Jesus in her life.

What’s it like working with three other authors on one story?

LISA: One of the best parts of working with other authors is the time spent brainstorming and being creative together. It’s fun to work with new people, make friends, and enjoy the creative process. On the other hand, it is tough to put together a story, set in the same town, with the same characters. You have to pay attention to details to insure the integrity of the story.

Is there a character who you relate to and who made an input on your life?

KIM: I really enjoyed taking Kathy on her journey to discovery of faith. It's pretty easy to get caught up in our work and forget the needs of our heart to love and truly know God. Writing her story was a good reminder to me to keep my priorities in the right order: God first, family second, and work third.

What is the number one thing you’ve learned from your writing journey?

DEBBY: We don’t have as much control as we’d like.

Any future plans for your writing you’d like to share? Any specific dreams you’d like to accomplish in the area of writing?

LENA: I love what I do. I believe I’m fulfilling God’s purpose for this season in my life. As long as that’s His plan for me, I will continue to write books. As for dreams, my agent is marketing a women’s fiction proposal for me. It would be a breakout novel into the next level of writing. I’m looking forward to the time when an editor buys it. Others will follow.

There are many aspiring writers out there, can you share any tidbits of wisdom on getting published?

LISA: Be professional. Be diligent. And don’t give up. Join a crit group and a writer’s group. That will help with the frustrating times of rejection, and add to the joy of a sale.

****
If you want to learn more about the authors of Montana Mistletoe, check out Cecelia Dowdy’s blog on September 12th at http://www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/

Winners! Winners! Winners!

Want a chance to win a FREE copy of the book and a $30 gift certificate to ChristianBooks.com? For more information, visit our official Montana, Mistletoe blog at http://montanamistletoe.blogspot.com/ by October 1st!

http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/ http://www.debbymayne.com/
http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/ http://www.lisaharriswrites.com/

Tesser Well!

One of my favorite authors has passed away. I can't remember who lent me a copy of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time many, many years ago. But I own several copies now, and one of them is autographed. Now I treasure it even more. Once I discovered Madeleine L'Engles's writing, I went on to read the rest of the Murry family series, and I also met the Austins, and read The Young Unicorns, and learned to enjoy the O'Keefes in Dragons in the Waters. Through these families and their stories, I saw the battle of good and evil, the glory of God and His power, and how He weaves events together seamlessly for good. But her books were not preachy, although they tackled some difficult subjects. Evil sometimes came in pretty packages, and the Holy was often seen in the base and rejected...a lesson to us all.

A snippet from A Wrinkle in Time:

With the last vestige of consciousness she [Meg] jerked her mind and body. Hate was nothing that IT didn't have. IT knew all about hate.

"You are lying about that, and you were lying about Mrs. Whatsit!" she screamed.

"Mrs. Whatsit hates you," Charles Wallace said.

And that was where IT made ITs fatal mistake for as Meg said, automatically, "Mrs. Whatsit loves me; that's what she told me, that she loves me," suddenly she knew.

She knew!

Love.

That was what she had that IT did not have.

She had Mrs. Whatsit's love, and her father's, and her mother's, and the real Charles Wallace's love, and the twins', and Aunt Beast's.

And she had her love for them.

But how could she use it? What was she meant to do?

If she could give love to IT, perhaps it would shrivel up and die, for she was sure that IT could not withstand love. But she, in all her weakness and foolishness, and baseness and nothingness, was incapable of loving IT. Perhaps it was too much to ask of her, but she could not do it.

But she could love Charles Wallace...

...Charles. Charles, I love you. My baby brother who always takes care of me. Come back to me Charles Wallace, come away from IT, come back, come home. I love you, Charles. Oh, Charles Wallace, I love you.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she was unaware of them.

Now she was even able to look at him, at this animated thing that was not her own Charles Wallace at all. She was able to look and love.

And... if you want to find out more, then you'll have to read the book. :)

Tesser well, Madeleine. I trust you had a safe journey Home.