Love is in the Air ~ Tanya Eavenson

Love is in the Air!

by Tanya Eavenson

Can you feel it? Whether it’s a romantic kind of love or the parental kind, love is in the air! Even in my fictional world from my story To Gain a Valentine.

My second novella in the Gaining Love series entitled To Gain a Valentine, was so much fun to write. Why? Because I could relate to the hero, Patrick Reynolds, who works wonders with sick children as a pediatrician, yet when it comes to pets, he’s clueless.

That is so me! Several years ago we moved from the pastorium to the home we bought seven minutes away. Carrying all our possessions, including our cat, Woody, (he was named after Woody from Toy Story) I placed him in the garage. Little did I realize, I left the back door open.

Can you imagine my horror when I was the one who allowed my daughter’s cat, her best friend, to escape and wander around lost in a neighborhood during a rain storm? Yes, a storm! It was raining cats and dogs, pun intended. I could hardly see three feet in front of my face. I felt just awful! The way my eight-year-old cried, those tears, the words “he’s going to die out there!” just about killed me on the spot.

So me, who uses an umbrella at the first sign of rain or mist in the air, I charge out into the pelting rain in hopes of finding a cat and mending broken hearts—hers and mine. “Soaked through” wouldn’t even begin to describe my clothes, which clung to me seconds after stepping outside. Already exhausted from the move, I dragged myself through the process of combing the neighborhood.

But there, at last, was Woody, waiting under a stranger’s patio, sheltered from the storm. I still remember whispering a prayer of thanksgiving as I trespassed on this person’s yard with all intent to steal my own cat. But as I neared, he ran. And I chased.

Two blocks, yard after yard, calling his name. “Woody!”

Then, I lost him. What was I going to do now? How was I going to tell my daughter that not once but twice in one day I had lost her most beloved cat?

Heading back toward the house, I hung my sopping head and said another prayer that Woody would return, and soon.

 

Sloshing up the front steps, I heard my husband’s voice from the garage. It was better to tell him first, so I went to him. There, sitting in a folding chair next to our dresser, sat my daughter with a wide smile on her face, holding Woody against her chest.

Happy tears filled my eyes, but in the next breath I realized, seeing him in her arms, dry, I’d been running down the streets of our new neighborhood like a crazy person, chasing after another person’s cat! Needless to say, in life, you have to learn how to laugh at yourself. This was indeed one of those moments that will forever be etched in my daughter’s mind and heart, as well as my own. She saw, in action, how much I loved her.

Yes, I see a lot of myself in Patrick from To Gain a Valentine, his attempts to care for animals when he has no idea what in the world he’s doing. Granted, I had one cat in my care, and he had one dog, three fish, two— Well, you’ll have to read the story, but it was also his desire to forget what was safe and love others with action and abandonment. And like my ending, Patrick’s actions will forever last in Amabelle’s heart and mind. For them, it was the day when love took flight.

  About the book:

Pediatrician Patrick Reynolds works wonders with sick children, yet when it comes to pets, he’s clueless. But caring for his sister’s menagerie while she’s on vacation is the perfect answer to working through a broken engagement. Hoping to escape the memories, he returns to his hometown, the last place he'd expect to find love.

Life as a single mom is never easy, but pet shop owner Amabelle Durand has found contentment. When an old friend returns to care for his sister’s pets, he enlists her assistance to keep the animals alive. But when Amabelle's young daughter falls ill, she finds herself attracted to more than the handsome pediatrician’s medical skills.

As Valentine's Day approaches, will Patrick and Amabelle miss out on the love they've always desired? Or will their love take flight under the stars on this very special night? 

BUY LINK:

https://www.amazon.com/Gain-Valentine-Novella-Gaining-Love-ebook/dp/B01N22RDRL/

 About Tanya:

Tanya Eavenson is an international bestselling and award-winning inspirational romance author. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee, eating chocolate, and reading a good book. You can find her at her website http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/ on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google, or on Amazon.

Where to find Tanya:

Website: http://www.tanyaeavenson.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tanya-Eavenson/e/B00B2UO5TE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tanya-Eavenson-129609683872033/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6913760.Tanya_Eavenson

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tanya-eavenson-9d088e1d-ab19-49c0-a25a-72f623418d75?list=author_books

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tan_eave

A Train Ride to Heartbreak ~ Donna Schlachter ~ Behind the Story

A Train Ride to Heartbreak: The Story Behind the Story

by Donna Schlachter

The idea for this story came from a love of a movie and a friend with a great story to share.

The movie was “The Fugitive”, both the original series pilot and the more recent remake. I loved the idea of a train ride leading to a second chance.

My friend had recently taken a train ride from Denver to San Francisco, and she shared several delightful stories. I wondered if a train ride might be like a cruise in that it would provide an insulated environment where the travelers might do something they’d never done before. If so, this was perfect fodder for a romance, much like the old TV show, “The Love Boat”.

And then I saw “Murder on the Orient Express”, and as a lover of anything Agatha Christie, decided to incorporate a few of the details in my story.

The result? A chance meeting, two characters with integrity, and a way for God to reach both of them.

1895, Train to California

John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.

October 1895

Mary Johannson has scars on her body that can’t compare with the scars on her heart. She is alone in the world, with no family, no prospects, and no home.

John Stewart is at his wit’s end. His wife of three years died in childbirth, leaving him with a toddler and an infant, both girls. Theirs was the love of fairy tales, and while he has no illusions about finding another like her, his children need a mother.

Though separated by thousands of miles, they commit to a mail-order marriage. But on their journey to Heartbreak, they meet another and realize the life they’d planned would be a lie. Can they find their way back from the precipice and into the love of God and each other, or are they destined to keep their word and deny their heart?

Buy link: http://amzn.to/2Cur1I4

Excerpt:

Groverton, Pennsylvania

September 1895

Chapter 1

Mary Johannson plunged reddened hands into the dishwater and scrubbed at a crusty spot on the chipped china plate.

In the yard, the vicar, shoulders slumped from the cares of his congregation, held a small child in his arms while two toddlers clutched his pants leg. And Matron Dominus, the imposing head of the Meadowvale Orphan’s Home, towered over the small group huddled before her.

Mary checked the plate. Satisfied it would pass muster, she dipped it into the rinse bucket and set the piece into the dish rack to air dry. Next she set a burnt oatmeal pot into the water to soak while she dried her hands on her apron and surveyed the scene outside.

The vicar nodded and turned to walk the gravel path he’d traversed just minutes before, the wee ones in tow as he hoisted the child to his other hip for the mile-long trip back. No doubt he was waiting for space to open in the orphanage.

Her space.

Mary would turn eighteen in two months. And despite her desire to escape the confines of the orphanage, she wasn’t excited about making her own way in the world. The last girl who aged out—as the other orphans called the act of turning eighteen—now worked at the saloon.

And everybody knew what kind of girls worked there.

Mary swiped at the scarred worktable set in the middle of the kitchen floor, her washrag sweeping crumbs into her hand. She still needed to finish the dishes and report to Matron

Dominus for her next order for the day.

By the time she returned to the sink, the vicar and his charges were out of sight.

But Matron Dominus stood outside the tiny window staring in at her.

Checking up on her, no doubt. Making certain she wasn’t lollygagging. An activity all of the residents indulged in. According to Matron.

Mary hurried through the rest of the washing up. She swept the floor, put a pot of beans on to soak for supper, and shooed the cat out from under the stove. After checking the dampers to make certain the range wouldn’t needlessly heat the kitchen—another of Matron’s accusations—she hung her apron on a nail beside the back door.

Stepping out into the fresh air, Mary drew a deep breath and leaned against the clapboard siding.

Perhaps she could work at the seamstress shop. She was a fair hand with a needle and thread. Or maybe the general store.

“Mary Johannson.”

The screech like a rooster with its tail caught in a gate startled her, and she straightened. But in her haste, she overbalanced and stepped forward to catch herself, hooking her toe in the hem of her dress, which she’d just let down last week to a more respectable length.

The sound of rending cloth filled her ears as the ground slammed toward her. She got her hands out in front of her just in time to prevent mashing her nose into the soil. The toes of Matron Dominus’s boots filled her vision.

Mary pushed herself to her feet, wincing at an ache in her lower back not there a moment before. Tears blurred her vision when she checked her dress—she had a three-inch rip just above the hem.

“Are you lollygagging about? Sunbathing? Do you think you’re on the Riviera?”

Despite her imposing height and girth, the matron’s voice—particularly when she was irked—resembled the irksome peacock Mary had once seen in the zoo in Philadelphia. Why God would create such a beautiful bird with such a nasty voice was beyond her.

But if what Matron said was true, He’d created Mary, too, only to have her burned by the flames that killed the rest of her family. Angry red scars ran from her forearms to halfway up her neck, and a collar of white tissue, the result of an inept doctor sewing her back together again, ringed her neck and inched toward her ears.

No, if God really loved her, He wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.

About Donna:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid author who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. She is a member of American Christian FictionWriters and Sisters In Crime; facilitates a local critique group, and teaches writing classes and courses. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She loves history and research, and travels extensively for both. Donna is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management.

Where to find Donna: 

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Other Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2gZATjm

  

The Power of Story

What Good is Fiction, Anyway?

 Guest blog post by Ellie Gustafson

I had an interesting conversation with a theology professor while book-selling at a conference. He taught Bible; why would I think he’d be interested in fiction? I lined out my talking points but got nowhere. Then I grabbed a copy of my David novel, The Stones, and read a brief bit of the interaction between David and the prophet Nathan, concerning the king’s lark with Bathsheba.

Nathan stood, and an eternity passed between his leaving the seat and standing so tall his head seemed to graze the ceiling. His swirling robe inscribed judgment on the air; his eyes incinerated the heart of the king.

Every hair on David’s head stood straight.

“You are the man!” Nathan thundered. “This is the Word of the Lord.”

David sat frozen before this furnace of wrath. The prophet’s voice came as from a distant mountain …

“You stole the beloved lamb of Uriah the Hittite and then killed Uriah himself with the sword of the Ammonites.”

The entire two-mile room began to rotate, with David at the center. Nathan was circling, faster and faster, his words beating on David’s head.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Since the sword fits your hand so well, the sword will continue as your bosom companion, never departing from your house.” . . .  

The spinning slowed, leaving David with only the thinness of his shadow to lean against. He dropped and lay crumpled, face down with his hands protecting the back of his head …

Was it one hour or ten they remained that way? Neither David nor Nathan could say afterwards. How long before sin of that magnitude is reamed out of a man’s heart? Nathan did not interfere; he simply sat with his flame sword sheathed—and waited. 

The professor got it. He didn’t buy a book, but he grasped the power of fiction to speak truth.

I write story. This is what I do. Dramatic crisis is often the stuff of life for ordinary readers. Divorce, illness, tragedy. Story picks up these raw ingredients and offers a recipe for healing. I write with a dual purpose in mind: I aim for page-turners that will engage readers with the power of story because I want them to drink in my passion for God and find help through him. The God I know is not always predictable, not always comfortable. He is light and love and grace and mercy but is not formulaic.

I’ve been an author a very long time. At age 5, I started making up stories, some of which required the heroine to start having babies at age two. I couldn’t conceive of anyone being older than 20! Not till my mid-thirties did I allow my stories to be read, but my mother told me straight out to stick to music as a career.

I had to write, though, and it had to be fiction. Story is the great communicator, helping us try on life like a coat, to learn what works and what doesn’t. Each of us has a value system, blending religious belief, ethical principles, societal norms, and life experience—a good system…or bad. In my stories, I can showcase both aspects, while pointing to the God who loves and salvages sinners.

I think one of the most satisfying reviews I ever got was a man who said, “I’m NOT a reader—hadn’t read a book for six years—but I stayed up till 1:30 AM, then got up at 6 to finish Dynamo.”

Having three other men say essentially the same indicates that fiction can have pull.

For an excellent article on the value of reading fiction, see http://www.russellmoore.com/2013/03/25/why-christians-should-read-fiction/

About Ellie:

Ellie Gustafson writes pretty good books, having worked at it long enough to learn a few things.

In many of her stories, she explores the cosmic struggle between good and evil in light of God's overarching work of redemption. She graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois—where she met her husband while teaching horsemanship (funny story there; you have only to ask)—and has since been actively involved in church life as a minister's wife, teacher, musician, writer, encourager, and dispenser of hugs. A host of other experiences, from house building to mouse wars, help bring color and humor to her fiction. She loves to laugh.

She and her husband live in Massachusetts, where he teaches philosophy. They travel a fair amount, spend time with three children and eight grandchildren, and enjoy camping at the family forest in Chester, Vermont.

Email: egus@me.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EgusEllie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellie.gustafson.7?fref=ts

Website:  www.eleanorgustafson.com/

Blog: www.eleanorgustafson.com/

Amazon Page:   www.amazon.com/author/eleanorgustafson/ 

The Stones: www.amazon.com/Stones-Eleanor-Gustafson/dp/1603740791/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366735533&sr=1-1&keywords=gustafson+stones    (Now available only as an ebook)

We know more of David’s life than any other biblical person. But not nearly enough. The tangle of motives and emotions, chaos, and charisma continue to kindle the imaginations of our best writers, drawing us into a story in which we see every detail of our humanity against the epic of salvation. Eleanor K. Gustafson is one of our best.

 — Eugene Peterson, author of The Message

Dynamo: www.amazon.com/Dynamo-Eleanor-Gustafson-ebook/dp/B00IQEVRIG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398252590&sr=1-1&keywords=dynamo+gustafson

...a riveting tale, set in a world of high-stakes horse shows and stable intrigue, and an unflinching look at some of the best and worst in human relationships.
                         —Sally Wilkins, Sports and Games of Medieval Cultures

Broken Dreams by Sue Barr w/Giveaway

Image from Pixabay

God is the Healer of Broken Dreams.

by author Sue Barr

I am a devoted fan of all things Jane Austen. It doesn’t matter how many times movie adaptations come on TV, I watch them - avidly (much to my husband’s chagrin). I’ll bite the hand that tries to change the channel and because I live in a testosterone laden household, they suffer my addiction with much eye-rolling and groaning. I also read and re-read favorite variations of her novels, specifically Pride & Prejudice.

Late last year I joined a fan fiction site and thoroughly enjoyed reading other author’s work. I myself wrote contemporary romance and never once thought about writing my own fan fiction story until … a question popped into my head.

  

Whatever happened to Caroline Bingley after her brother Charles and Mr. Darcy both became engaged to the Bennet sisters? As you know, when an author begins to ask the ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘why’ questions, plot bunnies abound.

Caroline is the villain everybody loves to hate, other than the odious Mr. Wickham. There are few fans of Pride & Prejudice who want to see her have a happy life, but I kept thinking – she is redeemable. All of us are redeemable through God’s love; otherwise none of us would ever see the glory of Heaven. Why couldn’t Caroline experience her own redemption?

I paired her with a handsome vicar. He didn’t let her get away with anything, but he also showed her God’s love and slowly her life took a new direction. I love how Caroline changed in this book. It reminds me of how God pursues us. He calls us to come and experience unconditional love, something Caroline Bingley desperately needed in her life – as we all do.

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.”  Psalm 139: 1-3 KJV

Like Caroline, I’m so glad our Heavenly Father pursues us, gently nudging our sin-encased hearts to invite Him in.

More about the Book:

Caroline Bingley, beyond frustrated with her brother, Charles and Mr. Darcy both proposing to the Bennet sisters, dreads their upcoming nuptials. For three years her sole focus has been on attaining a marriage proposal from one Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, only to be foiled by a country miss with ‘fine eyes’.  Adrift and not sure of her place in life, she meets the mysterious and devastatingly handsome Lord Nathan, who equally vexes and intrigues her.

Lord Nathan Kerr, third in line to a Dukedom, had a well-earned reputation as a Rake. He cast all that and his noble title aside to become Mr. Darcy’s vicar in Kympton, finding contentment in leading his small flock and doing the Lord’s work. His plan for a quiet, country life is thrown into upheaval when he meets the fiery Miss Bingley. Can he reconcile his rising desire for the spoiled miss with how a vicar’s wife ‘should’ behave?

About the Author:

Sue Barr committed her heart to Christ at the age of sixteen. Much later in life, and she’s still not sure how it happened, she detoured off the path. Ten years after that aberration, she re-committed her life to Christ and has not looked back. The only good thing to come from those years was the knowledge that life without God was bleak and lonely.

Sue resides in beautiful Southwestern Ontario with her hubby and their sons and families. She’s a purveyor of food, a herder of cats, a drinker of coffee and a prayer and praise Warrior. For more information, please check out the links below – and remember to sign up for her newsletter. Sue promises NO SPAM. She uses this venue to announce new releases, special events and announce winners of various incentives.

About the Giveaway:

Sue is offering two lucky readers a digital copy of her latest release, CAROLINE: Pride & Prejudice continued… Book One. Just leave a comment below to enter, and maybe share a 'broken dream' of your own. Giveaway ends on Tuesday, June 27, at Midnight O'clock Central Daylight time.

Social Links:

Website: www.suebarrauthor.com

Blog: http://suebarrauthor.blogspot.com

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/suebarr

Our Plans vs God's Plans ♦ Author Cynthia Roemer

Greetings, Whispers in Purple readers!

It is my pleasure to bring you author Cynthia Roemer, who shares a bit of the 'Story Behind the Story' of her new release, Beneath This Same Sky.

Welcome, Cynthia!

Of course you knew I'd find a picture of a PURPLE sky, right?

Our Plans vs God's Plans

by

Cynthia Roemer

Have you ever noticed that the Lord’s plans for our lives often differ from our own? We start off in one direction only to have doors slam shut and another entirely different path open up. There’s a lot of truth in the saying that the Lord moves in mysterious ways. He often takes us down roads we never would have chosen or anticipated for ourselves. Events happen in our lives that totally reshape who we are and how we view life. Tragedy, loss, unexpected changes, new opportunities. God uses the events of our lives to shape us and draw us into a deeper relationship with Him.

In my upcoming historical romance novel, Under This Same Sky, my main character, Becky Hollister, discovers this when tragedy strikes her family, turning her world upside down. Her heartaches cause her to question God’s power and authority and to ask why He allows bad things to happen in our lives. She must work through a lot of anger toward God before she comes to the realization that He is wise and loving and that He wants only the best for us.

The novel’s key verse is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” Under This Same Sky allows readers to walk alongside Becky as she journeys from the depth of anger and bitterness to acceptance and understanding.

Though my novel doesn’t seek to answer the question of why God allows pain and difficulties to infiltrate our lives, it does convey the message that God is able to work all things for our good when we seek Him. No matter what we go through in this life we have the comfort in knowing the Lord walks beside us.

About the Book:

             ~ She thought she’d lost everything ~ Instead she found what she needed most. ~

Illinois ~ 1854

Becky Hollister wants nothing more than to live out her days on the prairie, building a life for herself alongside her future husband. But when a tornado rips through her parents’ farm, killing her mother and sister, she must leave the only home she’s ever known and the man she’s begun to love to accompany her injured father to St. Louis.

Catapulted into a world of unknowns, Becky finds solace in corresponding with Matthew Brody, the handsome pastor back home. But when word comes that he is all but engaged to someone else, she must call upon her faith to decipher her future.

♦ ♦ ♦

About the Author:

Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons.

Where to Find Cynthia:

Website:  http://cynthiaroemer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer 

Where to Buy Cynthia's Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Under-This-Same-Cynthia-Roemer-ebook/dp/B06XZNPSRR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492553688&sr=8-1&keywords=under+this+same+sky+by+cynthia+roemer

Research for Historical Writing ♦ With Pegg Thomas

Research for Historical Writing

Guest Post

 by Pegg Thomas

Nailing the Details

Many people who read historical and historical romance novels are those who love history. I know that’s true for me. As a life-long history geek, one thing that pulls me out of a story is incorrect details. Let me give a few examples of details that are easy to fact-check.

James haltered the horse, grabbed the reins, vaulted into the saddle and galloped away without a backward glance.

One doesn’t ride a horse with a halter. One rides a horse with a bridle, to which the reins are attached with either a bit or a hackamore. A quick Google search of horse tack (the correct term for gear used with horses) will save any non-horseperson the embarrassment of writing such a sentence.

The rifle knocked against his shoulder once, twice, and a third time as he watched the redcoats fall.

There were no repeating rifles during the Revolutionary War. The first repeaters were patented just before the Civil War, but they were not widely manufactured and distributed to foot soldiers until the end of that war. If you’re going to use a specific type of tool or weapon, always check to see when it became readily available in the geographic region of your story.

With a crack of the whip, the horses plunged into a full gallop, their Conestoga wagon rocking through the deep mud of the prairie.

Conestoga wagons were large and heavy. They sank in the mud, became mired more often than not, had to be dug free, and wagon trains often stayed in camp until the ground hardened enough for traveling. The wagons were almost always pulled with oxen, not horses. If you’re going to write about life on a wagon train, read some of the many journals written by those pioneers.

While writing Embattled Hearts, my new release in The Pony Express Romance Collection, I spent time researching the equipment a Pony Express rider would have, including the type of pistol he would carry and what his saddle bags would look like. The Pony Express had a specific type of saddle bag called a Mochila that fit over the entire saddle so that the weight of the rider held it in place. It contained four locked pockets, three of which could only be opened at military posts. The other pocket could be unlocked by any stationmaster. It contained the rider’s time-card which recorded their arrival and departure times from each station.

Knowing the little details adds a level of authenticity to your story that your history-loving readers will enjoy.

Author Bio:

Pegg Thomas lives on a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. A life-long history geek, she writes “History with a Touch of Humor.” Pegg’s debut story will be published by Barbour in April of 2017. When not working on her latest novel, Pegg can be found in her garden, in her kitchen, or on her trusty old horse, Trooper.

Amazon link to The Pony Express Romance Collection

https://www.amazon.com/Pony-Express-Romance-Collection-Inspiring/dp/1683221176

Contacts:

   e-mail

   Facebook 

   Twitter 

   Goodreads

   Google+

   PeggThomas.com

   QuidProQuills

   ColonialQuills

Why the Next Book Isn’t Ready ♦ Julie Arduini

Please welcome author Juiie Arduini with a guest blog post that touched me right where I live!

Read on, Whisperers, and discover how you can get a free copy of her devotional FINDING FREEDOM FROM SURRENDER.

Thanks for being here and sharing this post today, Julie!

Why the Next Book Isn’t Ready  

by Julie Arduini +Julie Arduini 

As an indie author, I have the ability to set my own deadlines. I’ve learned I often give myself a goal without allowing reality, and last year I struggled to find success. This year I’ve embedded more time into my tasks, knowing life is just going to get in the way. With a husband that travels, a college aged son, and a teen daughter with medical issues to monitor, there’s rarely a dull moment.

Or time to write.

The wisdom in that played itself out immediately this year. I had to take an unexpected trip out of state and it was full of winter driving and heavy emotions. My husband was local, but unavailable as he was training clients from out of town. That left our eighteen-year-old son to fill in the gaps.

I gave him a modified schedule, writing down menu ideas, ingredients, medicine reminders for his sister, homework issues she had, and the pet agenda. I didn’t add laundry, housecleaning, or bill paying. While I was away, I received a text.

Now I know why your third book isn’t finished.

Tears fell as I realized he got it. There are so many times I get all the “stuff” done to sit down and write, only to look at the clock and realize it’s time to go to school and pick our daughter up. There is always something unplanned that pops up. A run to the bank. Praying for someone who texts an emergency. Cleaning up a pet mess. It all adds up.

Of course, I’m not perfect. I find myself on Facebook or looking up to see what someone else is watching on Hulu, and that’s valuable time, too. There’s also marketing the books already available. Creating a monthly newsletter. Engaging with readers through social media. As much as I try to write that in my iBloom planner, these things seem to take a little more time than I anticipated.

Last month I finally reached a place where I wasn’t traveling or going to doctor appointments when I felt like I was supposed to set ENGAGED aside and do something unique. I created a devotional called FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH SURRENDER and it utilizes the surrender themes I wrote about in my Surrendering Time series. What makes it very different than anything I’ve read or written is that the daily readings are written from the POV (point of view) of the characters from ENTRUSTED, ENTANGLED, and ENGAGED. They share their experiences of surrendering fear, loss, change, regret and the future without giving away the story. I’m formatting the 30 day edition for Amazon now, and the 14 day preview is available for readers at my website. It was sidetrack I wasn’t counting on, but already I’ve received reader feedback that the readings helped them with their surrender issues. That’s what I’m called to do, so I’m not frustrated that my ENGAGED deadlines need tweaking. Again.

ENGAGED: Coming Spring 2017

Trish Maxwell returns to her mountain hometown after a failed move to New York City with a lot of apologies to make. The Speculator Falls residents haven’t forgotten how she left, and want to know what’s next for her. Paramedic Wayne Peterson encourages Trish with her idea to market Adirondack store fronts to increase business traffic, but he also wonders if her love for city life will lure her away from their blossoming friendship. Can Trish find a “Plan B” that will satisfy her and gain back the trust of everyone in Speculator Falls?

Book Links:

ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, Book 1

ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past, Book 2

ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, Book 3, Coming Soon!

While You Wait:

Julie Arduini has a FREE 14 Day devotional based on the characters from Entrusted, Entangled and Engaged. FINDING FREEDOM FROM SURRENDER features the surrender issues fear, loss, and change, including Julie’s own surrender experiences. Click link for your copy. FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH SURRENDER.

How about you? Do you keep strict deadlines? Are you able to meet them? What kind of things distract or get in the way for you? I’d love to hear from you.

Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to surrender the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of ENTRUSTED: Surrendering the Present, as well as ENTANGLED: Surrendering the Past. The last book in the series, ENGAGED: Surrendering the Future, is coming soon. She also shares her story in the infertility devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. She blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com, where she invites readers to subscribe to her monthly newsletter full of resources and giveaway opportunities.

Facebook: http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulieArduini/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

Instagram: http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/

Monthly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dCFG