Happy Monday friends! Grab a cuppa and join me for a chat!

For "C" I chose "Character":

"How you handle hard times is a true show of character." ~Submerged

I looked up character in the dictionary and in the Bible and my favorite definition was:

Character: moral or ethical quality:  a man of fine, honorable character. - Dictionary.com

As a writer, when I hear the word character, I automatically think a person from my story, but the true nature of the word describes who that person is heart and soul. It’s the traits and the choices a person makes, how you handle hard times, what you do when no one is looking. Are you honest? Are you someone people can rely and trust? If so, then you are a person of character.

The Bible verse I chose for character doesn’t speak so much on what character’s definition is, though there are plenty of places where that occurs in the Bible and I’ll share those verses below for further study if you’re interested. Rather, this verse talks about how character is cultivated, and I’ll warn you, like many other things in life, it ain’t easy.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope." ~Romans 5:3-4

Character is produced by perseverance through suffering. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of suffering, and yet, God tells us that even our suffering, even all the hard, yucky, knock-you-to-your-knees trials, in the end produce character in us. Here’s the really cool part... character, in turn, produces hope. HOPE.

I don’t know about you, but I can always benefit from hope, and, again, the Bible so beautifully tells us why in the very next verse:

"And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." ~Romans 5:5

Hope does not put us to shame. In another translation, it says:

"And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

God loves us so dearly that even our sufferings do not lead to shame in disappoint, but rather, in the end by the working of God’s Holy Spirit which fills our hearts with love, we are filled with hope.

I’ve been through my share of suffering and I hold on to that hope as an anchor for my soul because I know that while "weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." ~Psalm 30:5

So, have hope, your suffering is not in vain. It is producing perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character hope, and hope does not disappoint because God never disappoints. He keeps his promises. Joy will come in the morning.

Bible verses for further study of character:

• 2 Peter 1:5
• Proverbs 31:10
• Ephesians 5:13
• Titus 2:2
• Ruth 3:11

And, don’t forget this week’s coloring page. I’m having a blast seeing all of you sharing your colored pages online. Thanks bunches for taking time to share. I’m loving being a part of this journey with you. Thanks so much for joining me!

While we’re talking character…who’s your favorite literary character? I know, tough questions. It’s so hard to pick just one. Mine is Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. He’s an amazing man of character.

Download today's Coloring page

"C" for Character

Download PDF       Download JPG

If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

Front cover        Back cover

To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Today’s post was brought to you by the letter C (a flashback to those of you who grew up watching Sesame Street).

Blessings,

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Happy Monday friends! Grab a cuppa and join me for a chat!

For "B" I chose "Bravery":

I chose bravery because, let's face it, we all exhibit some level of bravery every day. I’m not talking soldiers on the battlefield bravery, they are heroes and I respect them immensely. I’m talking about the bravery it takes to be our real, authentic selves day in and day out through trials, obstacles, and fears. Being who we were created to be and resting in that is one of the most freeing things you’ll ever experience and I pray with all my heart you do. But it also takes a whole heap of bravery not to try to fit in with your peers, colleagues, friends, or even your family. To not feel the need to conform or to hide the beauty of who God made you to be.

The verse I chose for this week's principle is from the song of Solomon.

“You are altogether beautiful my love. There is no flaw in you.” Solomon 4:7. (ESV)

Some things to keep in mind this week as you go through your days:

1. "God knit each of us uniquely together in our mother’s womb."  Solomon 139:13-14
2. "God knew you before you were born." Jeremiah 1:5
3. "God has called you by name and you were his." Isaiah 43:1

Rejoice in that today, soak in those verses of truth. You are altogether beautiful.

For further study you can look to Ephesians 210, Psalm 139, 1st Corinthians 12:25-28, 1st Peter 4:10-11, and Jeremiah 29:11.

Download today's Coloring page

"B" for Bravery

Download PDF       Download JPG

If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

Front cover        Back cover

I hope you have fun coloring in your page and I’d love to see what you’ve done. If you share it on social media, remember to tag it with #alphabetforthesoul and tag me @danipettrey. Thanks so much for joining me today and I hope you have a wonderful week.

To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Blessings,

Dani

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Happy Monday Friends!

I'm so excited to officially kick off week 1 of Alphabet for the soul. Today's letter is "A". There were so many word options for each letter, at times it was hard to choose just one.

For "A" I chose "Adversity" for two reasons:

1. It's something we all face for one reason or another.
2. It's some I've been dealing with for several months now due to continuing and significant health issues.

I looked up adversity in the dictionary. And found it said:

Adversity: a state or instance of severe or continued difficulty.

Some of the synonyms included: hardship, stress, suffering or sorrow. I think it's safe to say that we've all encountered adversity in our lives.

The Bible says, in John 16:33: "I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world." In other translations the word tribulation, suffering, oppression, distress or affliction are used in place of trouble. All words speak of adversity, continued difficulty.

There are many other bible verses which speak on adversity. For further personal study, if you're interested, you can look up:

• 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
• Proverbs 3:4-6
• Phil 4:12-13
• 1 Peter 5:8-10
• James 1:2-4

One of my favorites is Psalm 34:19. "The righteous person may have many troubles but the Lord delivers them from them all." Jesus tells us that we will have trouble and adversity in this life but that He will:

• Be with us through it all. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
• He works all things together for good for those who are in Christ Jesus... Romans 8:28
• He has overcome the world (John 16:33)
• We are more than conquerers (Rom 8:31-39

So if you are in the trenches of adversity, my prayers go out to you, but take heart God's got you and you will overcome.

Download today's Coloring page

"A" for Adversity

Download PDF       Download JPG

If you have not already, you can also download the front and back cover below:

Front cover        Back cover

Here's a song that I hope you will enjoy and that will remind you of the truths that we've chatted about today.

What's one of your favorite songs to listen to when you need uplifting?

Thanks so much for joining me on the letter "A" today. Be sure to print out your coloring page. I'll be coloring mine in this week and sharing a photo of it here next week. I would love if you'd share your colored-in pictures on social media, be sure to tag me (@danipettrey) and use the hashtag #alphabetforthesoul so I'm sure to see it.

Let's get creative friends! See you next week.

To see all letters and download all coloring pages, go to the Alphabet for the Soul page.

Adventuring on with you,

Dani

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Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you've enjoyed your morning cuppa. If not, sit back, take a nice long sip and spend a few minutes with me. I'm SO excited to share two new things:

You might notice my updated logo

What's changed is my tag line. Thanks to you all and your wonderful reviews, I realized what you all enjoy most in my stories is the page-turning suspense aspect, so I've updated my tagline to Up All Night Suspense. I hope you love it as much as I do. You can see the new logo below:

Over the next month, you'll continue to see updates as I switch things over to Up All Night Suspense, which brings me to a question for you. I'm trying to decide what to call my newsletter now and I'd love YOUR opinion. You can leave your choice in the comment section below.

For my newsletter, which title do you like the most:

A) Up All Night Suspense Newsletter

B) In Suspense Newsletter

C) Nail-biting Newsletter

D) Keep it Armchair Adventures

Thanks, friends, for your opinion!

Now on to the BIG news.

Starting next week I'll be launching a fun new blog series on Monday Cuppa entitled Alphabet For The Soul.

What is Alphabet For The Soul? 

Each week, beginning next Monday, July 3rd,  you'll get a beautiful, printable coloring page of a letter, starting with A and eventually ending with Z.

Not only will you get a free coloring page printable that you can enjoy coloring in, but each page also has a key word that letter brought to mind for me. For example, A is for Adversity, so next week I'll be chatting about adversity--how it affects our lives, how we can overcome it, and what God's Word says about it.

You'll also receive a key quote I've complied, and an accompanying Bible verse I based the quote off of. By the last Monday of the year (Christmas day!), you'll have everything you need to compile your completed Alphabet For The Soul coloring book, complete with full color cover and corresponding back page, both of which you can download now by clicking on this link to get you started:

Download the Alphabet for the Soul Cover

Download the Alphabet for the Soul Back Cover

I'm so excited to chat about an alphabet full of topics that affect all our lives at some point, and how we can grow closer to God through them.

I hope you'll join me for this fun adventure!

To get started, remember to download and print out your front and back cover. Next week, I'll share a number of creative ways you can bind your pages together throughout the project or at the end.

I can't wait to get started! 

I'd love if you'd share your favorite letter, if you have one, or the first letter of your favorite word. And, why it's your favorite?  My favorite word is Grace so I'd say G. Because Gracie is my nickname and special to me, but, more importantly, God's grace is the reason for my hope in Christ and His sacrifice.

Excited to start a new adventure with you,

 

Dani: Hi Rachel, Thanks so much for being on Writerly Wednesday. For those who don't know you, could you take a moment and introduce yourself?

Rachel: Sure, I’m Rachel McRae and I’m the Senior Book Buyer for LifeWay Christian Stores.  Nashville, TN has been home for the last 16 years and I’m originally from East Tennessee.  For my job, I oversee all of the adult trade books in our stores.  I spend a lot of my time working on Fiction and that’s just fine by me as it’s my favorite category!

Dani: Having the job you do and knowing you, it's obvious you love what you do, and you love stories. What is it about books you love so much?

Rachel: What’s ironic is that I was not a fan of reading growing up.  I read the Little House on the Prairie series because all of my friends did and I read Anne of Green Gables because I found Gilbert Blythe to be oh-so dreamy.  Beyond that, you would never find me with a book.  

Fast forward to college and you would have heard me proclaiming that I would never be a buyer.  I wanted to be a Christian bookstore manager.   Given all of that, it’s funny to me that I’m now a book buyer.  It shows that God certainly had other plans!  

This job certainly has given me a love of books and especially for Christian fiction.  I love how stories can provide a welcomed escape from the normal grind of daily life.  Even if I can only get through one chapter on a quick lunch break at my desk, I find myself refreshed enough to carry on through the day.  

While I enjoy general market fiction, there’s something special about Christian fiction.  Melody Carlson was quoted in an article I read years ago as saying, “Christian fiction is one of the best evangelism tools there is.”  I wholeheartedly agree with that.  Sharing a novel that has themes of love, forgiveness, faith, and redemption all wrapped up in a powerful story can speak to a person’s heart and make them think upon the Lord.  I love that Christian fiction has a higher purpose in addition to being a form of entertainment.

Dani: There's always the doomsday talk about all bookstores closing, but LifeWay seems to be doing stronger than ever, which I'm so happy to see. What is it about LifeWay that helps it stand so strong, and where do you see bookstores in general in the next five years?

Rachel: We are in interesting times within the Christian retail industry.  The recent closing of Family Christian Stores was a hard day.  I’ve had people say to me that we must be excited that stores like Family are going out of business.  I quickly tell them no and that we never see it that way.  These stores are a part of the greater mission we all support so to lose even one store, let alone a full chain of stores, is a blow for all of us.

LifeWay Christian Stores has been blessed to be weathering the changing tides in our industry a bit better than others.  There are several reasons for that, but one of the main ones is that we are a part of a bigger organization.  As a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, we have constant support in all areas of our business from our corporate office.  Because all of our divisions benefit each other and support each other, LifeWay Christian Stores has a more solid base in our finances, operations, and future growth opportunities.  

We are currently pouring resources into our stores that will set us up well for future growth and sustainability.  We have increased our training for our associates so they can better assist customers and churches.  We’re in the middle of implementing a lot of new systems both in our stores and in the corporate office.  That may not sound too glamourous but new technology will allow us to serve our customers and churches in more personal ways as well as to help us manage our business efficiently.  

These investments plus many others will help us to be good stewards of what God has entrusted us with.  As we continue to seek His guidance and direction, we trust that He will lead LifeWay into the years ahead to accomplish the work He has given us.

Dani: Being the fiction buyer, you know what attracts readers to books. What is it that draws them in when they walk into a LifeWay store? The cover, back cover copy, author's name, bookseller recommendation?

Rachel: It’s honestly a combination of all of that.  One is not more important than the other.  When a publisher presents a new novel to me, I immediately critique the cover.  If I see something that might hinder the book grabbing someone’s interest, then I’ll share those thoughts with them.  Sometimes even the slightest change to a font or brightening up the color of a girl’s dress can make a big difference.

If we’ve gotten the shopper’s attention long enough to pick it up and read the cover to learn about the story, then we certainly need that description to be impactful and leaving the reader wanting to know more.  

Of course, the best selling tool for a novel comes by way of a recommendation.  I hope that LifeWay Christian Store customers know us enough to trust the novels we recommend to them through our  promotions, on social media, and more importantly, by our store associates.  If you love a book or a particular writer, you want to tell people about it.  Word of mouth will always be the best bookseller!

Dani: For authors, what can they be doing to come alongside LIfeWay and help support your stores?

Rachel: Some of our best friends at LifeWay are our authors!  We see you as an integral part of our ministry.  You are entrusting us with your talents and your own ministry and we want to serve you well.

We love partnering with authors in a variety of ways.   We always invite you to get to know the LifeWay Christian Store in your area.  Meet the managers and ask if you could sign a few copies of any of your books they have on the shelf.  You could even do a post or a tweet about how your local store has some limited quantities of signed copies.  

Authors can encourage readers to buy their book at LifeWay.  Online shopping is great but you can never replace the experience you have in a Christian book store.  From the selection of titles you can actually pick up and flip through, to getting help with your questions, to seeing all of the other great resources we have around the store, customers can have a fun and encouraging experience at their local store.

Oh, and a side note… LifeWay Christian Stores price matches other retailers and online stores.  Our customers love being able to shop and support us while still getting a great deal should a book be a bit cheaper somewhere else.

Dani: Finally, who are some authors you see really shining in the industry and who are some new names to be on the lookout for?

Rachel: I’m excited to see some upward trajectory in 2017 on novelists like Katie Ganshert, Laura Frantz, Jocelyn Green, and Kristy Cambron.  These ladies have been writing for a few years but we’re seeing some nice growth with them.  Lisa Harris, Kristi Ann Hunter, Tessa Afshar, and Susan Mason are authors that are being discovered by our customers, too.  I would encourage you to check out Connilyn Cossette, Liz Johnson, Rachelle Dekker, Sarah Loudin Thomas, and Julianna Deering if you haven’t had a chance yet.

There are a lot of great new novels coming in the second half of 2017.  I’m excited that Randy Singer is back with a new legal thriller this fall.  Two of my favorites, Lynn Austin and Kate Breslin, both have titles coming.  Allison Pittman is back with an intriguing look at Martin Luther’s wife in October.  I also think readers will enjoy The Promise of Breeze Hill by Pam Hillman, Freedom’s Ring by Heidi Chiavaroli, and Jane of Austin by Hilary Manton Lodge.

We also have several debut novelists to look forward to.  Two that I’m personally looking forward to are Joanna Davidson Politano with Lady Jayne Disappears, coming in October, and Jamie Jo Wright with The House on Foster Hill in December,

Oh, and I can’t help but mention my excitement over another novel in the Chesapeake Valor series from Dani Pettrey!  Customers are already asking for Blind Spot now!

Dani: You’re so sweet! Thanks so much ☺ I’m thrilled to hear that readers are excited about Blind Spot. Thank you for taking the time to visit with us and share your insight today. I so appreciate having you on Writerly Wednesday!

Rachel McRae is the Senior Book Buyer for LifeWay Christian Stores.  Be sure to follow her on Twitter at @LifeWay_Books

Giveaway

I’m giving away an e-gift card to LifeWay so one lucky reader can pick up one of the fabulous authors or titles you recommended. To be entered to win the gift card, just answer this question in the comment’s section below.

Which Christian fiction release are you most looking forward to this year?

 

Happy Monday, friends!

Coming out of my writing cave for a fresh Cuppa of coffee and a quick chat with you all. I’m wrapping up my story (book four of the Chesapeake Valor series) and while I’m working on the finishing details, I’m listening to the soundtrack I’ve put together. If you haven’t checked out the Books Page of my website yet, you should take time. I compile soundtracks for all of my stories and by listening to them, I can picture the story playing through my mind like a movie. Here’s one song from Book 4. Hope you’ll enjoy!

 

Speaking of songs, since it’s summer, I’d love to hear what your favorite summertime song is? Mine is Knee Deep by Zac Brown. Always puts me in a beach-y mood.

Humming to it right now and envisioning our upcoming beach trip as soon as this deadline is met!

Blessings,

Dani

Peeking out of my writing cave to wish you a happy Monday!

Time to grab your Cuppa and let’s dish.

The story I’m working on (book four of the Chesapeake Valor series) is coming along well, but I’m in the stage of wondering if the story is the best of what might be. When I start writing, I envision the story as a movie in my mind, but as I’m writing I’m often filled with doubts that the story will never live up to the image I hold in my mind. I’d love your prayers that God would guide the story to be the story He wishes it to be, and that He would equip me to write the best story possible for my super awesome readers and friends!

What might be are you hoping for this summer? Time with your family? A glorious beach vacation? Checking a bucket item off your list? Time to sit on the porch swing and read?

Praying you all have a wonderful week of what might be,

Dani

This week I'm celebrating the sale of a client's project to a dream publisher—a project I first saw (and loved) two years ago. I knew the moment I read the manuscript that it was something special. I resonated with the author's story and her writing, and I felt very strongly that many others would too. Eventually.

My instinct was that it wasn't the right timing to put it out to publishers. I suggested she take some time to polish the manuscript, while also working on her blog and building her platform. I told her the market wasn't ready for it, and I didn't want to show it to publishers at the wrong time. I promised I'd be watching for the right time and the right editors to send it to. She handled all of this like a professional. She improved her manuscript. She continued blogging—and being patient.

Meanwhile, I was second guessing myself. It's risky to ask a client to be patient, to trust me to find the right timing to give their project the best chance for success. Do I really know what I'm doing? What if I'm wrong? What if this long wait doesn't pay off for my client?

I get mired in Impostor Syndrome occasionally. In fact, I think many people do - writers included.

Impostor Syndrome is when you have those moments of thinking: I can't do this! People think I can do this, but I've got them all fooled! I'm a fraud! A poser! A fake! I'm not REALLY an agent/novelist/physician/teacher/take your pick. They are going be on to me soon!

But then ... we have those moments when we're reminded that we do, in fact, sort of know what we're doing. I had that moment yesterday when the editor I'd hand-picked for my client's book called me with an offer. I'd been patient, watched the market, determined the timing was right—and it paid off. I had to take a moment to acknowledge that I do know just a teensy bit about what I'm doing. Maybe I'm not an impostor after all.

I think it's important to be aware of the insecurity that makes us sometimes feel like a fraud; and to remind ourselves that we do have talents, skills, and abilities. The most helpful thing I've done to keep my confidence strong is a simple sticky note on my computer:

"This is what I do." Every day when I sit down to work, that sentence reminds me that I know what I'm doing; that I don't need to waste energy thinking it's too hard or I can't do it; that I've put years into learning this job; that I can simply start the day with confidence, do my job, and always be open to learning how to do it better.

Giveaway:

I (Dani) am giving away a copy of one of my books (your choice!). Simply answer the question below in the comments for your chance to win and be sure to tell me which book you would like to win!

What about you? Do you ever feel like an impostor? What makes you feel that way? What reminds you of the truth about yourself?

Rachelle Gardner is a literary agent with Books and Such Literary Agency. She is an experienced editor, writing/publishing coach, and speaker. She has been working in publishing since 1995.

You can follow Rachelle on Facebook.

Every summer has a story and this month it’s book four of my Chesapeake Valor series. I’m entering my writing cave to finish up the story for the rest of the months so for June Monday Cuppa’s will be short and sweet. Just an image and a fun question to get the conversation going. Look forward to chatting with you all, so grab your cuppa and let’s dish. 

My beach vacation starts just after deadline, and I’ll be reading Threads of Suspicion by my absolutely favorite author, Dee Henderson.  

What’s your favorite or upcoming summer beach read?

Happy Summer,

Dani

As I considered my options for what to write about in this blog post, I decided to address the question I get the most whenever someone discovers I’m an author. That question is always a form of this – “I’ve been thinking about writing a book. What suggestions can you give me?” I must admit that my first impulse is to tell that person to run as fast as they can away from that type of thinking. However, that’s hardly helpful, so I’ve compiled a list of my top five suggestions which might be a little better than…run.

• Have an honest talk with yourself about why you want to write that book.

If you simply love story and want to experience the satisfaction of writing an entire book, that’s great. I say get writing. But, if you’re thinking about writing a book because you want to pursue writing as a career, that changes everything. Publishing is a business, and it’s a daunting business, which means you need to…

• Understand the scope of your competition.

When I first started writing, I had no idea what I was up against. I figured there were a lot of writers out there, but it’s almost unfathomable to grasp exactly how many writers are even now bent over their keypads, writing away. To give you an idea what your competition looks like, out here in Denver, we have a highly respected literary agency, but it’s small and represents under forty clients, most of whom are New York Times bestselling authors. Having said that, they receive over 30,000 query letters a year, and yet take on an average of two new clients a year from those 30,000 queries. That means your work needs to stand out, and also means…

• You should have an above-average grasp of the English language.

I know that seems somewhat simplistic, but I encounter aspiring writers all the time who struggle with basic grammar and yet don’t believe that’ll stifle their goal of getting published in the end. Here’s the thing – when you have agents getting tens of thousands of queries a year, grammar matters. If they find numerous grammatical errors in your query letter, or in the first chapter of your work, they’ll reject it because they have thousands of other submissions that don’t have that problem. Editing is one of the most expensive aspects of publishing, so a publishing house does not want to sign on authors with grammar issues because fixing those issues is expensive. So be honest with yourself about your abilities.

• You need to be a voracious reader.

Reading is one of the best learning tools a writer has. Every genre has unspoken rules, and by reading in your genre of choice, you’ll understand those rules. You’ll also have a better grasp of what your future target audience expects. I’m always taken aback when I ask an aspiring writer what the last five books were in the genre they’re thinking of pursuing, and they tell me they don’t read. I haven’t come up with a good response to that yet, although I think standing there with my mouth hanging open speaks for itself.

• And last, but not least, understand that it can take a very long time to find success in this industry.

First books are often not worthy of publication and that’s okay. You should look at them like stepping stones, and you might have more than one book that never gets published. I have seven, and again, that’s okay with me. They were my stepping stones, and with each one written and rejected, I received wonderful, and occasionally scathing, advice from agents, pointing out in detail what I was doing wrong. Did that advice hurt at times? You bet it did. However, I learned so much, and if I would have taken the rejections to heart and abandoned my writing, I would have never seen one of my books in print, which I have to admit is a very cool thing to see.

So there you have it – my top five suggestions. Thanks for stopping by, and if you are an aspiring writer, good luck and God bless!

Giveaway

And now, a question for you to answer if you’d like to enter to win a copy of “Behind the Scenes.”

What is another suggestion a person thinking about writing a book might find helpful? 

Leave your answer in the comments for a chance to win!

A USA Today Best-Selling Author, Jen Turano is known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. When she’s not writing, Jen spends her time roaming around Denver with her husband and friends. She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/, or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

 

Happy Monday, friends!

I've been struggling this week. I'm attempting and rather poorly to juggle health-issues, a book deadline, and life in general (time with God, time with my family, errands, etc.). It's got me thinking A LOT about balance and priorities. My husband gave me a book he read ages ago, but I'd imagine the majority of you have heard about it--Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Have you read it?

I'm so excited to dive further into this book. The little I've read so far has been amazing. Yes, I'm decades behind the curve ball, but that's okay. It's never too late to look at your priorities and re-evaluate. When was the last time you revisited your priorities? Any books, tools or suggestions you've found particularly helping for finding balance in your life?

Because, here's the thing, life is a collection of moments. Big moments, little moments, and they're all a gift, but who and what we invest time in is what matters. I've decided to live for the moments you can’t put into words.

To me that those moments mean time with God, time with family and friends, and pursuing the passion God put in my heart for writing.

How about you? What are your top four priorities?

Blessings,

One of the primary reasons I write is to share my love for the place I grew up and the ancestors who have lived there for more than two hundred years. Especially since so many of those people are long gone.

I grew up in a house where we told stories. Well, mostly my dad told stories. And they were TRUE stories. Well, mostly true stories.

Dad’s family has lived in that little corner of West Virginia for seven generations. (I’m the seventh–my nieces and nephews are the eighth). My ancestors reach back to the days when West Virginia was just Virginia. And the tales have accumulated like leaf litter, growing deeper and richer year after year.

There were the characters I actually met–Gail Phillips, (great) Grandma Jane, (great) Aunt Bess and a handful of other aunts, uncles, and cousins. Then there were the characters I could never know firsthand–Grandpa Rex, Grandma Nellie, Uncle Judd, Celly, and a whole raft of other, colorful characters.

These people live in Dad’s stories. They were and still are real to me. Which is why I was so delighted the day I went to see Aunt Bess, then almost 100-years-old, and she forgot who was dead and who was still alive.

Aunt Bess had shared stories about my family before, but on this day, she thought family members long gone were still around. She said she guessed Judd and Rex were still up there on the farm. I was taken aback at first, but decided to play along. “They are,” I said. “Judd put in a garden?” “He has—and it’s doing real well.”

She said he always grew the best tomatoes. And I could just picture my great uncle in the garden staking tomato plants and pinching back suckers so the fruit would thrive. I could see him picking a ripe tomato and eating it with some of Aunt Bess’s amazing bread. It was all so clear—so very real.

And so we chatted about family–the people whose stories I knew so well they were practically still alive to me. And for the space of an afternoon, Aunt Bess and I traveled back in time and those people were alive. They grew tomatoes and basked in the sunshine of a mountain summer. And I’m pretty sure they loved me like they’d known me since the day I was born.

Aunt Bess is gone now. She was 102 when she was finally reunited with everyone who had gone on before. And Gail is gone and Grandma Jane’s been gone and so are most all the rest.

But not really. Not so long as I have a time machine built into my heart and my mind that lets me set these people down on paper. It’s something well worth writing about.

Giveaway

Sarah is generously giving away a copy of her book, A Tapestry of Secrets. Simply answer the question below in the comments for a chance to win.

What family story do you think would make a great novel?

Sarah Loudin Thomas grew up on a 100-acre farm in French Creek, WV. Her Christian fiction is set in West Virginia and celebrates the people, the land, and the heritage of Appalachia. Her first novel, Miracle in a Dry Season, released in 2014 through Bethany House and won several awards for debut fiction. Her fourth novel, The Sound of Rain, releases in November 2017.

Sarah and her husband Jim live in the mountains of Western North Carolina where she currently oversees fundraising and communications for a Christian children’s home in Black Mountain, NC. Sarah is active in her local church and enjoys cooking and–you guessed it–reading.

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. My family and I spent it at our eldest daughter's and her hubby's house, enjoying lunch, laughter and the little ones. How'd you spend your day?

Mother's Day can be wonderful, but it can also be hard. While I had a fabulous time with my family, I couldn't help but think about my own Mom who went home to be with the Lord five years ago, and her mother just shortly after. Both of these women deeply shaped my life and I'm so grateful.

How about you? Who in your life has left the biggest imprint?

It's so important to me for my grandkids to know about my mom and my grandma, so I share stories about them. My daughters and I reminisce about the funny things they did and the years of good memories. The greatest way to let someone live on in your life is to tell their stories. All of our lives are a journey made up of stories, and telling them keeps the journey going, it allows their legacy to live on. So, embrace the journey and keep telling the stories.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you've had your happy cup of coffee. I've had several. I've just returned from the fantastic Romantic Times Booklovers convention in Atlanta. I had the best time meeting readers and connecting with old and new friends, but, boy, am I lagging today. Fortunately, I was able to overcome the hardship of making coffee before I had my coffee ;)

Since....

...I thought I'd share some moments from my time at RT Booklovers Convention.

My time at RT started with a super fun Meet & Greet. I got the privilege of meeting so many readers and seeing some dear friends (Suzie and Carrie, waving hi!). And, the gorgeous flower delivery made my day. Thanks, honey. You are the best!

Wednesday night my fabulous publisher Bethany House/Baker hosted a yummy meal at the famous PittyPat's Restaurant.

Love being part of such an awesome book family!

Fast-forward to Saturday, and the Giant Book Fair. It was awesome. Adored seeing so many incredible literary fans! It was inspiring. Thanks to everyone who dropped by to say hi!

Hope your week is off to an inspiring start!

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

Thank you SO much to everyone who participated in Expedition: Still Life. I loved chatting with you all and enjoying the journey with you. A special shout out to the bloggers who hosted me. You're all amazing!

APRIL 4 - Heidi Reads

APRIL 6 - Mocha with Linda

APRIL 11 - Bethany House Fiction 

APRIL 13 - Reading is My Superpower

APRIL 18 - Christian Bookshelf Reviews

APRIL 20 - Just Commonly

APRIL 25 - Finding Wonderland (Rissi Writes) 

The Winners!

Expedition Still Life winner:

Now for the really fun news....the winner of Expedition: Still Life is Amy O'Quinn. I was super excited to learn after Amy's name was chosen that Amy is a fellow author. You can check out her website here. She's also a fellow homeschool mom. So exciting. Congrats, Amy!

I Love Bloggers Winner:

And the winner of my I Love Bloggers portion of the giveaway is Rissi of Finding Wonderland.

Congratulations, Rissi!

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I'm off to the Romantic Times convention in Atlanta. If you're in the area, I'd love to see you. I'll be participating in the Giant Book Fair on Saturday from 11-2. You can find all the details by clicking here.

Oh, and if you haven't already snagged a copy....my debut novel, Submerged, is free on ebook for the month of May. Grab your copy from your favorite retailer by clicking here.

Thanks, friend! Have an adventurous week.

Blessings,

Happy Monday, friends!

Tuesday:

On 4/25  we'll be traveling to the quaint and delicious Baltimore neighborhood of Little Italy via Rissi's Finding Wonderland blog.  Why do I love Rissi and her fantastic blog? What's not to love? Rissi is so encouraging, supportive and just plain fun. And, her blog is fantastic. If you haven't had the chance to visit Wonderland yet, you definitely must and since Rissi is hosting the final stop along Expedition: Still Life, now you have the perfect chance. Thanks, Rissi, for taking part in Expedition: Still Life. It's a true honor to be on Finding Wonderland.

Thank you SO much to everyone who has joined me for Expedition: Still Life! It's been a blast. Be sure to grab your last stamp at Rissi's on Tuesday and be entered to win a fun gift card, along with getting one last entry for the grand prize in. The winner will randomly be drawn and announced on next week's Monday Cuppa. Best of luck!

Blessings,

From your desk comes the sound of a demon being unleashed in your living room. When you look up, heart in your throat, you realize it’s just the dog. Vomiting all over the white carpet! While pouring over the latest edits, the deadline looms over you like an anvil. That’s when you throw out your back—simply by flipping your hair over your shoulder.

Or you’re in a taekwondo class, gleaning real-life experience for that next fight scene, when you step back to do a combo you’ve done a million times—and POP! TWANG! You’ve torn your calf muscle and reduced your life to hobbling and doctor’s appointments.

And sometimes, all of those things happen at once.

Life has an often cruel and unrelenting attitude when it comes to interfering with writing time. I mean, we’ve got the time slotted in our planners and fancy stickers to mark the time and projected word count. Or we’ve logged into a NaNoWriMo-style program to keep us motivated and on track. But then—LIFE!

I’ve homeschooled for the last eighteen years and I’m about to graduate my youngest—twin boys. And I have book contracts with two publishers. But life isn’t slowing down. And it’s certainly not giving me any consideration in what it throws at me. Friends often ask how I do it, and the answer I give is rather oversimplified, but essentially true: I just do. The adage is true that we make time for what’s important to us, but perhaps I can share a few tips I’ve employed the last few years during life’s unusually rough treatment.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK!

We will get to physical breaks in a moment, but I mean this mentally. If you’re anything like me, you’re hard on yourself. Maybe even dealing with unrealistic expectations. Part of my weekly chores growing up were cleaning baseboards. I’m not sure when the baseboards here were last cleaned (I really should fire that maid. . . just kidding—I am the maid). Realize that truly, you cannot do everything on your own. Sacrifices will be made, and they might feel bloody and violent. Sing Elsa’s Let It Go, and free yourself!

TAKE A BREAK!

Not even kidding. The best thing we can do for ourselves during high stress is get some physical exercise, which could be as simple as walking the dog (cat? Invisible monkey?) into the backyard and breathing clean air, un-word-ified air. Science has proven that a little exercise helps oxygenate your brain cells, which stirs creativity. For this reason, no matter the deadline I’m under, I go to taekwondo and kick bag has many times and as hard as I can (this is especially helpful when a character is being obstinate).

PRIORITIZE

This can be a two-edged sword because family comes first, but family also needs to understand and support you as you work toward deadlines that, ultimately can help put food on the table and clothes on the children. Chores might need a break as much you need one from doing them. Buy take out or—as I’ve recently started doing—organize easy meals in a planner and buy groceries once a week.

BE HONEST

Yes, life is always going to interfere. It’s not looking out for you (though we have a God Who does), so—as my friend Shannon McNear and I were talking about recently—there may be a time where you need to step back from writing to recover pieces (chunks?) of yourself and your sanity. Sometimes, writing does need to take the back seat, though this is the except rather than the rule—because again, LIFE!

GIVEAWAY

What advice would you give to a writer locked in mortal combat against life to defend their writing time? Leave a comment below for your chance to win a copy of Ronie's book, Conspiracy of Silence,

Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of over fifteen novels. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have an adventurous life in Northern Virginia with their children and a retired military working dog, VVolt N629. Ronie's degree in Psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Happy Monday, friends!

I pray you had a wonderful Easter remembering Our Lord rising from the dead and conquering the grave.

As a family we had a blessed time. Now we're off for Expedition: Still Life's third week. I'm so excited about this week's stops.

Tuesday:

On 4/18 on we'll be traveling to the stunning Port of Baltimore via  Christian Bookshelf Reviews. Why do I love Melanie and her fantastic blog? Because Melanie was gracious enough to feature me and my debut novel, Submerged, all those years ago when I was an unknown author. She's hosted or reviewed each novel of mine since. What an incredible supporter. Thanks, Melanie, for taking part in Expedition: Still Life. It's a true honor to be on Christian Bookshelf Reviews.

Thursday:

On 4/20 we are headed for Ft. Howard and some inside photos of one of Still Life's creepier locations via Annie's Just Commonly blog. Last week I introduced you to Carrie from Reading Is My SuperPower. Annie and Carrie are two of the three coordinators of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat. I'm so ecstatic to be attending again this year, especially since I'll get to give Annie a great big hug. She is the spunkiest, sweetest, super reader I've ever met.

Hope you'll drop by both blogs, be entered for this week's giveaway, along with a chance to grab two more passport stamps along with two more entries for the grand prize. New to the Expedition? Don't worry, you can catch up by clicking here.

See you on the Expedition!

Blessings,

 

Happy Monday, friends!

I hope you are thoroughly enjoying Expedition: Still Life! We're off onto two new stops this week:

Tuesday:

On Tuesday 4/11 we'll be journeying to Avery Tate's (from Still Life) neighborhood of Federal Hill via my fantastic publisher, Bethany House's fiction blog hosted by the effervescent Amy Green (fiction publicist and all-around fantastic lady). Thanks to Amy for offering to take part in Expedition: Still Life! Why do I adore working with Amy so much? Because she's an out-of-the-box thinker, super creative, witty, and sweet as can be.

Thursday:

On Thursday 4/13 we'll be journeying to one of my favorite neighborhood's, Fell's Point, on  Reading Is My Superpower. Why do I adore Carrie's blog? Because I adore Carrie. She's warm, giving, and a huge Christian fiction reader and advocate. So much so, she with two other awesome ladies, started the Christian Fiction Reader's Retreat. Not familiar with the retreat, check it out here. It's fantastic and I'm honored to be one of the keynote speakers this August. So, if you're in the Ohio area, or feel some trip fever coming on, join us. You won't regret it. I promise.  Thanks so much to Carrie for hosting me this week. Super honored to be on her awesome blog.

Prizes!

This week's prizes include a LifeWay gift card and a Christian Book Distributors gift card, and don't forget about the grand prize!  

Grand Prize 

Since we’re spending the month on Expedition, the grand prize is an Expedition: Still Life vintage leather travel tote full of locally-procured goodies (and some of the Chesapeake Valor gang’s favorites) to help you travel in coordinated style. It includes the following:

• Autographed copy of Still Life (to read on your next trip)
• Still Life Tote Bag (for carrying around all your sightseeing gear)
• Still Life Disposable Camera (to take pictures of your travels)
• Still Life Magnetic Picture Frame (to share your travel pics on your fridge)
• Milk Makeup Sleep Mask & Cooling Gel Insert (to help you rest and keep your eyes looking refreshed)
• L’Occitane Floral Cherry Blossom Voyage Set (in honor of cherry blossom season)
• Blush Infinity Scarf (to keep you traveling in style)
• Collapsible Water Bottle (to keep you hydrated)

Not familiar with Expedition: Still Life. No worries. Here's where you can find all the information you need to participate: 

Click the image below to find all the details so you can join in!

See you in Fed Hill and Fell's Point.

Enjoy the journey,

Happy Monday, friends!

I am SO excited to kick off Expedition: Still Life today!

What is Expedition: Still Life?

I'm so glad you asked. Expedition: Still Life is a fantastically fun adventure with two blog stops every Tuesday and Thursday throughout April where you can learn about a location from my latest release, Still Life. At each stop you'll be able to enter that particluar blog's gift card giveaway (gift cards vary from Starbucks to Amazon to Barnes & Noble), as well as collecting a custom designed virtual passport stamp, which enters you to win the Grand Prize. Each Expedition stamp you collect at my favorite blog location stops earns you another entry for the Grand Prize.

Where are this week's stops? 

On Tuesday 4/4 we'll be journeying to Charm City via Heidi Reads blog. Why I love Heidi's blog? It starts with Heidi herself. She is warm, caring and super supportive. She's actually the second place winner of my recent Still Life Photo contest with her on location pic at an art museum. Way to go the extra mile! In addition, Heidi maintains an awesome blog where she reviews a plethora of Christian fiction. Thanks, Heidi. Honored to be on your blog this week.

On Thursday 4/6 we'll be journeying to Parker Mitchell's neighborhood on Mocha with Linda's blog. Why I adore Linda? What's not to adore about Linda. I had the privilege and joy of meeting Linda in person when she was kind enough to interview a fairly brand new writer about her debut novel. Thanks, Linda! Honored to be on your blog this week.

What is the Grand Prize? 

Since we’re spending the month on Expedition, the grand prize is an Expedition: Still Life vintage leather travel tote full of locally-procured goodies (and some of the Chesapeake Valor gang’s favorites) to help you travel in coordinated style. It includes the following:

• Autographed copy of Still Life (to read on your next trip)
• Still Life Tote Bag (for carrying around all your sightseeing gear)
• Still Life Disposable Camera (to take pictures of your travels)
• Still Life Magnetic Picture Frame (to share your travel pics on your fridge)
• Milk Makeup Sleep Mask & Cooling Gel Insert (to help you rest and keep your eyes looking refreshed)
• L’Occitane Floral Cherry Blossom Voyage Set (in honor of cherry blossom season)
• Blush Infinity Scarf (to keep you traveling in style)
• Collapsible Water Bottle (to keep you hydrated)

Where can I find all the information I need to participate?

Click the image below to find all the details so you can join in!

Blessings,