Are You Ready? A Sermon on the First Sunday of Advent

Contest Winners, Mom Moments and the Eclipse

Good morning. Hope you are having a great week. We’re dealing with colds, so this post might be short and all over the place. So, to keep me on track, here’s what I plan to write about today.

1. Announcement of the winner’s of last week’s contest
2. A mom moment because my oldest is now 12 years old
3. A thought or 2 on yesterday’s solar eclipse

Congratulations to Lucy Reynolds and Carolyn Holtz, winners of the giveaway I did last week. It was great having Heather Day Gilbert here, and I know you ladies are going to enjoy “Miranda Warning”. Check your email, because we need your addresses to mail you the books. Thank you all for reading and commenting, and I hope you’ll stick around. :)

Time is a funny thing, isn’t it? One minute you’re busy changing diapers, and the next, you’re telling them not to wear such a low cut shirt. LOL Twelve! I’m stunned. Where has time gone? I remember holding her for the first time at a few minutes after 6 AM 12 years ago, and now, she’s going shopping with my Mom with money of her own in her purse. She helped decorate the cookies I made yesterday for our eclipse/birthday party, arranged the table and chairs outside for our guests, still sits on my lap and tells me she loves me, loves to decorate, loves to paint, sings so pretty when she thinks no one is listening and reminds me everyday what it’s like to be young. :)

Saw a post on Facebook a few minutes ago that disturbs me. It said something like, “God speaks profoundly through the signs of heaven.” I didn’t read it all, but what disturbs me is that no one mentioned God speaking through His Word, only signs in the heavens, signs they can see. Seems to me that Jesus had something to say about this in Matthew 16:4. “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be no sign given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.” In order to understand the sign of the prophet Jonah, we have to look into the Old Testament, which, BTW is the Word.

Now, I’m not saying God doesn’t speak to us through the signs of the heavens. He can and does. After all, Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” Therefore, we must take the eclipse yesterday for what it is—the glory and wisdom of God on display. He’s got the whole world (universe, galaxies, everything you see in the night sky) in His hands, and the best way to get to know what He is saying to us as a people and as individuals is to get into His Word. He will give us wisdom and understanding, if we simply ask Him.

So thankful for His healing power. I felt pretty rough when I began writing this. Feeling much better as I finish. If you enjoyed the interview last week and want more of them, drop me a comment and let me know. Love hearing from my readers. The birthday girl and the youngest aren’t doing school today, so I’m praying for inspiration to write on one of my works in progress. Here’s praying you have a fantabulous week. Catch you here next Tuesday.

Blessings.

Lil Bit of Wisdom

Tuesday again, and I find myself unable to concentrate on a subject to write about. I thought of telling you about my vacation last week, but we didn’t do anything terribly exciting. I wanted to come up with some biblical wisdom, but all that is running through my mind is God’s goodness and grace. Certainly he is enough, so maybe I’ll talk about that.

While scrubbing my bathtub earlier, I had this profound thought: I have to put some muscle into ridding my tub of grime, but the Lord washes me clean with only one drop of Jesus blood. How awesome is that? Seems like we try and try to better ourselves, knowing all along we can not do anything to fix ourselves. Only His blood makes us clean. It isn’t even hard for Him.

I’ve also been thinking of organization. I have none, BTW, at least, none that would make sense to anyone else. My oldest daughter, however, is organizing the bowls that we keep seashells in. She wants to make them look pretty. Me, I'd just dump them in there and call it a job well done. She is taking her time, making sure each one fits the best. Guess maybe she’s doing something the Lord does all the time: putting us where we will look and work out the best. We fight Him, sometimes. We don’t like this particular job or situation. We’d rather do this or that, but He knows best how and where we will fit to make His plan what He knows it can be. Lord, let me be a little seashell in your hand, so you can put me where you want me.

Spent all week during my vacation thinking of my characters, Mercy and Gabriel. Had a brainstorming session with my friend and couldn’t wait to get home where I was sure inspiration would flood my mind like a…well, a flood. Hahaha! But, last night, I clearly heard conversation in my mind that is intended strictly for another manuscript. Wow, haven’t thought of that one in a month or more. So, before my cleaning spree today, I sat down and worked a bit on it.

Well, think I’m about out of words for now, so even though this was short, praying y’all have a safe week. Remember, I’m doing an interview and a giveaway. Two weeks from now on August 15. I’ll be creating an event on my FB page, so come on over and check it out. The address to the FB page is facebook.com/sjwellsauthor/

Blessings to you all.

A little Music History

Hi, there. So glad you chose to be with me today. A few days ago, while doing some research, I came across an interesting tidbit that I want to share. I don’t know if it will show up in any future books, but I just thought it was cool. Come along, as we talk about singing.

I grew up in country churches, where hymns were sung to a piano. We sang songs like, “Amazing Grace”, “Just As I Am”, “Victory in Jesus”, and “Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Saviour”. Worship music was something fancy churches sang down town or something we sang at church camp.

Fast forward several years. My family and I attend a church down town where worship music is common. Our praise and worship team do songs like, “Chain Breaker”, “Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone”, “Revelation Song” and “Jesus Messiah”. The instruments accompanying the singing include a piano, guitars, drums, a cello, and once in a while a mandolin. Something more important has changed, though-my heart, because God is too big to fit in just one type of music.

But, lest you don’t believe me, let’s rewind time back to 1650. We’re in Scotland, and there is a new book of psalms put in metrical form. In other words, lots of somebodies rearranged the words in the book of Psalms from the Bible and put them to metre. The tunes are interchangeable, just make sure you keep the timing. Some radical things are happening here, and not everyone is convinced that God will be pleased with this type of worship. I mean, it wasn’t so long ago that the singing was done in latin. And, don’t forget, we’re not supposed to add or take away from the Scriptures. Yes, these metrical psalms are the correct words, but they are all jumbled up so that the songs rhyme. *Gasp*

Now, step ahead in time a few years into 1700’s America. Immigrants are flooding into this English conglomerate of colonies, and since we’re Scots, for now, we’re taking our Psaltery with us. There are some English writers who are coming up with their own worship songs that aren’t necessarily from the Psalms, but we’re going to be careful of them. I mean, do you know anywhere in the Bible where it says, “Alas, and did my Saviour bleed and did my Sov'reign die? Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?”

When I begin writing about new characters and times and places, I like to research what type of music was popular. If possible, I like to listen to it, to try and get a better feel of what my characters felt like, what they said and what they might have thought. When I typed in “1700’s music”, though, I found that while Google and Youtube have music from that time period, my characters probably would not have heard it until much later in life. What they would have been familiar with were songs sang in church. What kind of church singing? Well, metrical psalms, of course.

The first song I found was based from Psalm 130. Check it out on Youtube. The second was Psalm 23 put to the tune of “Amazing Grace”. Beautiful. Take a listen.

What type of music brings you into His presence? What type of singing lifts your soul? We are all different, and there is no right or wrong answer. As long as it is bringing glory to God, He will love it.

Coming up soon I’ll be doing an author interview and a giveaway, so stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates. Ever heard of Heather Day Gilbert? I’ll be creating an event, so y’all won’t miss it.

Until next Tuesday, have a fantastic week, and hop on over to facebook.com/adkinsandwells/ for lots more fun stuff.

Blessings.

From The Crazy Writer

You don't think writers are crazy? Well, you'd better take a closer look, 'cause I'm here to tell ya, I'm as crazy as it gets. Keep reading; I have proof.

Proof number 1.
During the day, I can't stop talking to my characters, thinking about my characters and writing about my characters. I'm working on a new project, and so far, my momentum has not slowed down. At night, I think about them, pray for them and even hear them talk to me in my sleep. This would naturally sound crazy, but no more crazier than I've ever been. But, you see, this time the characters aren't of my own making; they are real people. Yep, living, breathing people who probably thought I was a weirdo stalker at first. Hey, they might still think it, but at least they aren't treating me like it to my face. LOL

Proof number 2.
If there is something I don't understand that pertains to my characters, I will research that something to death. Yesterday, my daughter and I were looking up "football for dummies" on Youtube, just so I would understand the significants of a 90 yard touch down. My other daughter hears us and comes running into the living room, hollering, "Why are you two talking about football, when you aren't into sports what so ever?" Thankfully, do to my daughter's eye sight and Youtube, I got it. Now, all I can think of is wow, I sure could have acted more impressed when he told me about his 90 yard touch down. LOL

Proof number 3.
This evening, I sent a portion of today's writings to one of my best friends who is also my editor. She hadn't had time to read and comment, by the time I contacted her. You know what I almost said? Ahem, I almost said, "I don't need to hear whether it is good or not; I already know it is good." Yeah, if that isn't crazy, ain't nothing crazy. LOL

See what I mean? I just gave you 3 good reasons why I might be "off my trolly" as they say in England. There is hope, though, and knowing this, I have confidence that all will work out in the end. The story will get written, because it's the Lord's will, and He will make sure His will gets done. There will be another project for me to obsess over, when this book is finished. I know this because there is one waiting in the wings, already.  And, lastly, the New Testament is full of verses that begin with the phrase, "And it came to pass". Notice, it did not come to stay. It came to pass. This crazy season will not last forever. Just gotta work while it is day and pray all night long. :)

Now, I know last week I promised a post about what is going on around here, and I will write that post. But, since I have been writing so much...like as in seven pages since Saturday morning...I can't put together anymore than what I'm putting together right now. Not real sure, but I'm thinking those seven pages equals about six thousand words. So thankful for you, faithful readers for sticking with me. Hopefully, I will be able to put together a more coherent post next week. Until then, keep praying, keep reading and gear up for an awesome story based on a real life hero.

Be blessed.

Advice From Master Yoda

Disclaimer: The quotes in this post may not be completely accurate.

I had a rough day. Stressed because I’m always stressed when the teacher reviews my girls’ homeschool portfolios, I did not sleep well last night. Nervous, I couldn’t eat much except a peanut butter and jelly sandwich this morning. We were getting the books put into the waiting bag, when my oldest spills water on her science notebook, pretty much ruining it. Then, I cut my finger on the end of my mandolin string while hurrying to put it back in its case. Wrapping a bandaid around it, I hurried to grab my bags, when my aunt says, “Aren’t you going to change your shirt?” It is certain I would have walked right out that door with a stained up shirt, if she had not stopped me. The first book the teacher opens shows correct answers but no proof that those answers were not obtained by cheating. My youngest was put on the spot, something that freezes her up. All was cleared up, yet, I knew, somehow, I had failed. Afterward, I thought to buy milkshakes to celebrate finishing the school year. But, since I didn’t buy what my oldest wanted from the place she wanted it from, she wouldn’t take anything from anyone or from anywhere. Once again, I failed. We came home and began clearing out the cabinet where I keep school supplies, only to realize we can’t find the book I purchased a month ago. Failed, again. I despaired that this day would ever be redeemed.

During supper and subsequent dish washing, Star Wars played on the TV. I prayed, kept reminding myself it would all be OK, and sat down with a second glass of sweet tea. Then, I turned my attention to the current movie and found some encouragement.

I am not an avid fan, and I don’t have the script memorized, but what I heard was this…if I remember correctly.

Luke Skywalker says, “Well, I’ll try.”

Yoda replies, “No. Do. There is no try.”

A conversation takes place where Luke says it’s too big of a job, and Yoda says something about size having nothing to do with it. Then, Yoda raises the spaceship out of the water. I know this, because I asked my husband what happened. LOL Anyway, at the end, Luke says, “I can’t believe it.” Whereupon Yoda replies, “That is why you fail.”

Suddenly, it hit me. Exactly who is living in me, seeing as how I call myself a Christian? If the force within me is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, BTW has no dark side, then why am I calling myself a failure? I had just been telling myself during dish washing that I would try to do better next year. But, according to Master Yoda, “There is no try.” And, the reason I fail is because of unbelief.

I will not try to do better next time. I will do better, because I know how to fix this year’s mistakes. I will not fail, because I am not trying to make my kids perfect students. I will succeed, because I am teaching them how to be lifelong learners. Besides, the Lord didn’t tell me to make my children happy or make them smart or even make them good at a particular subject. Nope. He told me to teach them. He told me to present the gospel to them. He told me to love them. As long as I do that, I am a success.

On this day twenty years ago, I donned a cap and gown and walked across a stage to receive my high school diploma. I was salutatorian, which is a fancy way of saying my grade point average was the second highest in my class. I had to give a speech, I remember, and it’s topic was success. Yeah, like I knew anything at eighteen, but still… LOL I can’t help but look back over the years and wonder at how far I’ve come. Part of me wants to smack that girl up side the head for being so arrogant. Then, I turn around, look at my own two girls and think, “Wow, how can I be the best mom to them?” Once again, Master Yoda’s words come back to me. “There is no try.” So, here’s to Yoda, my merciful heavenly Father and a good batch of homemade pizza cooked by my amazing husband. I’m going to be all right.

Tomorrow, I’m going to pick up that mandolin and work on those tremolos. I’m going to work on the fiction story I started a few months ago and the nonfiction story I started a few weeks ago. I’m going to love my family, come up with an inexpensive way to have a good supper when my man comes home, and I’m going to work on the blog post for my other blog. BTW, if you want to read it, you can find it at adkinsandwells.blogspot.com.

So, until next time, keep on keeping on, and when life gets tough, eat some pizza and watch a Star Wars movie. :)

Note to Self

“Note to self…” You’ve heard that saying before, I’m sure. Probably even said it, yourself. That’s part of what I’m going to talk about today. So, with that in mind, let’s jump in and start each of the next few paragraphs with the phrase “Note to self”.

If it seems too good to be true, then chances are it is too good to be true. A publishing company who will edit, format, distribute, sell and promote your book all for $999 is quite possibly trying to rip you off. After getting scammed by a publishing company back in 2009 and then self publishing three books with the help of a friend, I think I’d rather go with my gut here.

If you spend a lot of time talking to folks about their lives so you can write their story, chances are you will think about them all night long. This is not a hardship, BTW. It’s a great opportunity to pray. However, when you start talking about them all the time, then it’s probably best to back off so they won’t think you are a stalker. :)

If you drink caffeinated beverages all day, then you’re going to be awake most of the night, unable to shut off your brain.

If you don’t turn on the dryer, the clothes will remain wet. I know this is like duh, but I just thought I’d add it here.

If you want to feel God’s Holy Spirit moving, then open your mouth and praise Him. He is worthy to be praised. Amen?

If you don’t turn on the crockpot, your food will not get cooked. Again, I hear you saying “well, duh”, but stick with me; I do have a point to all this.

Talking about doing something is all fine and good, but it won’t amount to anything if I don’t get my hands in there and do it. We’re having homemade soup for dinner, hopefully. I cut up the potato, opened a couple of cans and mixed it all up with the left over roast we had Sunday. But, if I had sat on my couch and talked about it without doing anything, we would be hungry come dinnertime.

The same goes with doing laundry or writing a book. Talking about writing is easy. Writing the words down, now that takes some effort. Sometimes, I wish the words would go from my brain right to the page, but it never happens. I actually have to put my fingers on the keyboard and type out words. *gasp* LOL

Even after the words are on the page, most of the time they need edited. I misspell them, get them backward and often just plain get them wrong. But, thankfully there is a delete button.

Sometimes in life, there is no delete button. In fact, we only get one life to live. No do-overs. We can go back and apologize for hurtful words, we can ask the Lord to forgive us, and He will, but we can never go back and redo the past. Hindsight might be 20/20, but the future is uncharted territory, and our only guide is the one who is, who was and who is to come.

So, keep making those notes to yourself, don’t forget where you came from, but, more important, don’t be afraid to grab hold of God’s big, warm hand and step out into the future. It might be scary, but He has more out there for you than you have ever dreamed of.

Thanks for being with me today. I would love to hear from you, so drop me a comment. Y’all take care and remember to pray for each other.

Taking Out the Garbage

Last Tuesday I talked about the results of binge reading. Today, I’m going to talk about ways I get rid of the extra garbage in my brain after one of those reading binges.

Seeing as how we serve a mighty God who already has the answers to everything, I thought it best to look into the Word, first. Here’s what I found.

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” Psalms 119:9 KJV

After reading 7 books pretty much back to back, I can tell you there is a need for cleansing. According to the psalmist, taking heed to God’s Word is the answer. Yep, more reading, but this time, it’s the kind of reading that satisfies my soul. :)

Another way I expel the extras in my brain is to write about them. I keep a personal journal, in which I allow myself to say anything. Doesn’t matter if it makes sense or not, doesn’t matter if it matters or not. I let myself say whatever is on my mind. So, I write about the characters or how the story made me feel. I quote a passage from the book that either bothers me or sticks with me for some other reason. I make up my own version of the story, which, BTW, can lead to some very bad stories that I can’t bring myself to delete. LOL The key here is to give myself a chance to talk about what I’ve read to someone. It just happens, that someone is me and my heavenly Father. No use keeping secrets from Him, anyway. He knows all, sees all and still loves me, even when I’m being stupid.

Sometimes, if the books that I have devoured are especially clingy after reading, I stop reading completely. Except for my Bible, I don’t read anyone else’s work but my own. I listen to music or play music or crochet or knit or bake. I have gone months without reading any fiction but my own, which is probably why I go on a reading binge to start with. LOL

Books, especially the good ones with real characters and unpredictable endings are more than just something to read when I’m bored; they become part of me. I know that sounds loony, but characters stick inside my mind like real people. Usually, the only way to quiet them down is to write them out. So, as an author, understanding what makes real characters has become important to me. If an author can make a character pop off the page, then it doesn’t matter whether that character is male or female, werewolf, vampire, smoke jumper, doctor, ghost, shapeshifter, cowboy, gunfighter, beautician, soldier, police officer, preacher, time traveler, slave, pirate, Martian or whatever. Just make them real.

To add some humor and show you how my mind works, here are some story ideas from some reading binges from the past. Keep in mind, many of these  are too bad to share.

Young lady sets out on the Oregon Trail with her family and falls for the mysterious mountain man who is guiding the wagon train. (I did start this one, but can't seem to finish it.)

In 2117, a woman is given the task of teaching a man from Mars how to live on Earth and falls for him.

A blind woman’s werewolf husband changes to become her guide dog whenever she goes anywhere, scaring off anyone who would try to approach her. (This would actually come in handy) LOL

A woman travels back in time and finds not only the man of her dreams but her faith in God. (Oh, wait a minute, that one turned into a book, "A Moment in Time")

A young woman is on the run from the law and is captured by the one man who can teach her about God’s forgiveness. (Oh, wait, that turned into a book, too, "Wild Heart")

Female physician takes in a man wanted by the law and falls for him, all the while praying for his salvation. (Ok, that one is a book, too, "To Tame A Heart")

A wounded soldier comes home to heal and finds a book about her ancestors who fought in the Civil War. (Oh, dear, I think I’m starting a trend, because that one is turning into a book that hopefully will be published this year.)

To sum it all up, my way of taking out the trash in my head is to write it out. Some of these story ideas are just plain silly, but some of them work. The only way to know is to write them and see.

Thanks for spending your Tuesday with me. I hope you’ll come back often. Be blessed and remember God loves you.

Binge Reading

Binge: (according to dictionary.com) a period or bout, usually brief, of excessive indulgence, as in eating, drinking alcoholic beverages, etc.; spree.

The results of an eating spree would include the following:

an overload of food in my body,

a feeling of discomfort and sluggishness, especially if that food was full of carbs and sugar,

my system would take a long time to digest said food,

I would gain weight,

and last but not least,

I would be out of food.

If I over indulged in alcoholic beverages, some of the results might include the following:

a lot of liquid in my system,

impaired brain function do to the alcoholic content in said beverages,

a need to expel that liquid in my system,

and, if I went way too far,

death.

There was a time in my life when I would have said, the above speculation and facts had nothing to do with my excessive reading habits. Now that I have some experience behind me, I know that the above speculation and facts have a lot to do with it. Notice, faithful readers, I did not say I was wiser than before, just experienced. Wiser would imply that I do not make mistakes in this area. Alas, I do make these kinds of mistakes. Ergo, last week’s reading binge.

It started out innocently enough. Early on a Monday, I remembered a book I had started but hadn’t finished. Wanting to finish it, I downloaded it and started listening. I finished it, and found another that sounded good. And, another, and another, and… By the time Friday evening rolled around, I had listened to 5 audio books, which seriously depleted my credits on audible.com. A friend asked if I had got my fill. I told her yes, but then yesterday, I downloaded 2 more and finished them this afternoon.

Results of binge reading may include the following:

too many characters yapping inside my head,

too much information vying for space inside my head,

unfinished house and school work,

Manuscripts of mine still waiting around to be worked on,

Sleepless nights,

a feeling of disconnect with the outside world,

hearing my thoughts in the voice of the narrator of those audio books,

no blog post last Tuesday

less time spent in prayer,

less time reading God’s Word,

and, last but not least,

A sense of emptiness, because the books I read, while funny and full of action and good characters, cannot satisfy my soul.

To use the words of king Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

My conclusion, therefore, is this: just as binge eating has consequences, so does binge reading, and it’s going to take a while for my brain to expel the garbage of my over indulgence. As for what you can take away from this post, remember that little song from Sunday School? “Oh, be careful little ears what you hear. Oh, be careful little ears what you hear. For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little ears what you hear.”

What goes in the ear most times comes out the mouth, so let’s sing another verse. “Oh, be careful little mouth what you say. Oh, be careful little mouth what you say. For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little mouth what you say.”

Thanks for being with me today. Come back next Tuesday, when, Lord willing, I’ll talk about just how I usually expel garbage from my brain. No need for paper towels, either; this mess is usually harmless.

Be blessed, and pray for me. :)

Pondering A Story: Creativity

What feeds your creativity? Or, rather, what do you do to get into a creative frame of mind? Welcome to the blog and today’s post, where, once again I slip into avoiding talking about my manuscript. LOL

I have been talking these last few weeks about how to begin a story. If you have been with me this whole time, you’ll remember I said this planning it out is new to me. Thus, using Randy Ingermanson’s Ten steps of design found on his website www.advancedfictionwriting.com is taking me longer than I thought it would. Six weeks into it, and I’m still revising steps 4 and 5. Good news is I’m actually writing real scenes, now. But, I can no longer share on here, because I have deviated so much from Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method that I can no longer call it his. Let me explain.

Step 5 is when I’m supposed to write a character synopsis for each major character. This basically means, write the story from each main character’s point of view. He suggests one page for each main character and about a half a page for each minor one. Yeah, well, Mercy’s was 6 pages and Gabriel’s was 5. You can see they are quite gabby. I set down and over a couple of weeks, wrote these out. Then, I looked at them and realized they didn’t match up. Also, when I started to expand them into scenes, the characters had different things to say.

Step 6 says to take that one page synopsis and expand to a 4 page one. I’m thinking, “Yeah, I think I need help.”

Step 7 says to expand your info about your characters into full-fledged charts on them. Um, yeah, cause I’m not there yet.

Step 8 is make a list of scenes. Ingermanson suggests using a spread sheet. Step 9 is expanding the spread sheet. Step 10 is actually beginning to write the first draft. Again, I’m way behind. Or, am I?

I’m a mom who homeschools. As such, when my girls or I get sick, just about everything stops. If we are well, we’re schooling during the day. Last week, we all got sick. Needless to say, my energy lagged. I’m not so sure I’ve found it, even now. So what can I do to get my creativity up and moving again?

Prayer. Bible reading. Finding another way to express myself creatively. I listen and play music. Then, I read more Bible and pray some more. For the first time in a week, I was able to truly write this morning. And, that’s what it’s all about. When the Lord gives it to me, I’ll write. When He doesn’t, I won’t. So, while I’ll be going back to Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method, I won’t be religious about it, because some rules are meant to be put aside for the time being.

A friend once told me that she wanted her daughter to learn to play a musical instrument by ear before taking lessons. Once her daughter could play the instrument by ear, she learned to read the music. I think writing can be that way, as well. Have fun with it. Write to see what works and what doesn’t. Then, pull out the rules and work with them. Once it loses it’s fun, put it away for a while. And remember, above all, true inspiration can only come from the one who created you.

So, this post is my last in the “Pondering A Story” series. Feel free to try Randy Ingermanson’s method, and let me know how it works for you. I’ll continue working on steps 4 and 5 until I’m ready for the rest. In the meantime, I need to push my girls and myself to “get on the ball” as my mama used to say. Summer’s coming, and there’s a lot to be doing before school is out in June. :)

Thanks for being with me today. I look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy the pretty weather while you can, and remember the one who made you.

Be blessed.

Pondering a Story: Recess

In my neck of the woods, it’s spring break. Friends on FB are posting pictures of their vacation, the town is noisier because of the kids who are out of school, and little learning is taking place. As for me and mine, the youngest is beginning to recover from the flu, the man of the house might be coming down with it, the oldest daughter is resting after her first trip kayaking and the 4th step of Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method have taken me longer to compile than I expected. So, welcome to the recess portion of this writing series.

In preparation for today’s blog post, I kept looking at last week’s post and asking myself, “What is it that bother’s me about this storyline?” Then, over the weekend, and even this morning, I began to iron it out. What I have now is different than what you saw last week, but the story works a lot better. No, I’m not going to share, but I wanted you to realize that it is ok if your summary paragraph and subsequent paragraphs change. In the past week alone, mine have changed 4 times. :) Now, when I look at it, I see a clear story with clear motivation, real goals, feasible conflicts and plausible character epiphanies. All I need do now is pray and wait for the scenes describing these things to come to me. Or, I can go to Ingermanson’s website and see what’s next. But, hang on a minute, I just got finished saying it’s spring break. I’ll write about writing next week. LOL

Since I’m not writing about writing this time, what should I talk about? Facebook wants us to tell our friends what’s on our minds. Trouble is, that story is on my mind. Might be difficult to find something else to talk about. I’ll give it a shot, though.

Springtime is one of my favorite seasons. After a winter of windows and doors closed to the chill outside, I finally get to feel the fresh air wafting through the house. I love to listen to the birds sing, neighbors mowing their lawns, train whistles echoing off the surrounding hills and all the other sounds of a town coming back to life. Makes me feel awake. I will admit, sometimes said neighbors feel too close, but the Lord is helping me with that. Crazy thing is, there were birds twittering away at 3:30 this morning. Heard them when my cough meds wore off and I couldn’t sleep. Was sitting near an open window reading my Bible. Great way to spend a sleepless night, BTW.

I heard back from my editor friend. She just finished reading over my manuscript I finished a couple of weeks ago. She said she only had a few questions/concerns. She numbered them. Guess how many her “few” was? 18. Yep, 18. LOL Let the editing begin. LOL Not in a hurry with it, which is a good thing. After these changes are discussed and made, I will print it out in braille to read to myself out loud. After that, I don’t know. Probably more editing. I think a writer’s motto should be, “Keep writing until it is perfect. Then, wait a few months and work on it some more. While doing that, write on something else until it is perfect, then write some more.”

Well, this recess turned into talking about writing, after all. Guess it’s in me blood. :) The man of the house is on his way home from work early. Says he isn’t feeling well. So, until next time, keep writing, keep reading and don’t forget to have fun.

Be blessed.

And God Said...

Remember the account of creation in Genesis? “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” verse 1 says. Verses 2 and 3 go on to say, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

If you keep on reading that chapter, you will find that God said a lot of things. He spoke light into existence, He spoke and dry land appeared. He spoke and the water brought forth living creatures after its kind, and so on.

Why do I bring this up? Do I not know that many disagree? I bring it up, because it reminds me, I do have something to blog about. I do have something to say.

Ever had one of those days? Y’all know I homeschool. Well, today was one of those days. Struggled to get the girls out of bed, struggled to get them to get finished with breakfast and brush their teeth. Swam upstream just to get them to pay attention during Bible reading. Threatened to keep their electronics unless they worked to complete the math assignment. No, I wouldn’t let them do language arts in their dad’s recliner. Yes, handwriting matters. Yes, you have to take a shower, whether you go to youth tonight or not. Talk about an uphill battle. With all that going on, plus writing on my book and obsessing over how my document looks, I kept thinking, “What on earth do I have to blog about? I might be passionate about writing, reading and homeschooling, but I felt empty. How can I entertain or inspire you, when I need inspired?

Then, the Lord reminded me how He spoke and light was created. Reading His word speaks life into me. All I need to do is be a vessel He can work through.

My children managed to get themselves ready for youth this evening. The laundry is all done and put away. The 11-year-old washed the dishes without complaining. The school day is over, and we manage to keep from yelling at one another. The man of the house came home early from work and said he would cook the dinner. To all this I have only one thing to say: “The Lord is good. His mercy endureth for ever and ever through all generations. So, I will stand up and sing praise hallelujah, for I know the Lord is good.”

Okay, so it was more than one thing, but this day was successful, because He spoke life into it. Miracles still happen, and I am living proof.

Next time you start thinking you have nothing you could possibly give, remember how the first day of creation began. God said, “Let there be light.” And, there was light. Amen?

Did you know I am on Facebook? Yep. Come on over to facebook.com/sjwellsauthor and like my page.

God bless, and be sure to come back, as I try and post once a week. See you next time. Same bat time, same bat channel. LOL 

Random Thoughts on a Valentine's Day

Okay, so I tried to think of something profound to say about love. After all, it is Valentine's Day and social media is buzzing with pics of lovy-dovey sayings and gifts. Nothing came to me, though. I started to feel discouraged, but then I remembered all that has been accomplished so far today in my home. I worked on my book I am writing, both girls have had their showers, we read Bible together, both girls finished their math assignments and got all correct, the laundry is clean and dry, Valentine cards are ready for the party at youth tonight, and the Lord reminded me through His word this morning, He will never leave me nor forsake me. So, instead of profound thoughts on love, here is a list of random thoughts running around in my head today.

1. I really need to come up with a title for this WIP I’m working on. Calling it by the hero and heroine’s names doesn’t quite fit, especially when their are 2 heroes and 2 heroines.
2. The only reason I wish I could go out to eat or have dinner delivered to me is so I won’t have to clean up afterward.
3. I’m thankful for naps, and I’m hoping I get time for one this afternoon before my man comes home from work.
4. Proud homeschool mom moment: When my girls found out they needed 40 Valentine’s Day cards for their party this evening and only had 32 in their boxes, they got creative and made extras using their imaginations. Who needs money for extra cards, when you have creativity?
5. The clean laundry on my bed won’t put itself away.
6. No greater joy than laughing with your children and giving and receiving hugs and kisses.
7. Haagen Dazs chocolate peanut butter ice cream would be an excellent Valentine’s present.
8. The Lord is gracious and merciful and better to me than I deserve.
9. Wondering if 103,421 words and counting is too much for one book.
10. Love is sharing your power cord, so the 9-year-old can play on her laptop.
11. Too much Facebook makes me stupid.
12. I really need to post this article so I won’t miss my nap.
13. So blessed to have such good friends.
14. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is hard but so worth it.

Happy Valentine's Day. See you next Tuesday. <3

The Power of the Written Word

While working on a blog post for my other blog, adkinsandwells.blogspot.com, I realized, anew, just how important words can be. They can bring life. They can tare down. They can change your mood. They can hurt your feelings. Words are powerful.

The subject of that blog post is homeschool. Why do I, obstacles I face and how I overcome. I knew what I wanted to say, but when it came time to write my reasons down, I struggled. It’s one thing to think something; clearly another to put it into words. Now that the article is written, my thoughts, beliefs and values concerning homeschooling seem more solid, valid, real. Before, they were just ideas. Now, they are facts. Which brings me to another writing subject.

What makes a good fiction writer? In my humble opinion, a good fiction writer is one who can make you believe what is not real. If you study history, you might know that the first woman to graduate medical school did so in the middle of the nineteenth century. If you aren’t a student of history, then a good writer could convince you that women have been practicing medicine for centuries before that. As an example, I read a book once whose characters had bionic implants. The author wrote like a scientist, and I’m still not convinced it all was fiction. :-)

The trick is to blur enough fact with fiction to create a whole new world. My novel, “A Moment in Time" is a work of fiction. The castle in the book, Glenrevan does not exist outside the pages of that story. I went online and looked up a few names of Scottish castles, played around with the spelling of things and settled on Glenrevan. Sounds authentic, doesn’t it? That’s what I think makes a good writer, someone who can use their words to create something new.

I keep a diary. When daily life gets a little too crazy, I go write in it. When my thoughts are all written down, I relax and can put those frustrations into perspective, because they are no longer in my head; they are real and on paper…figuratively, anyway.

Well, I’m slowing down, ideas aren’t coming to me as fast, and my mind is wandering. About time to stop all this writing and find something to eat. :-)

Happy Tuesday and be sure and come over to facebook.com/sjwellsauthor and like my page.