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Monday, May 30, 2011

Up, Up, and Away

Last Wednesday I flew to Denver to see our oldest son and his family. I have to admit that I was somewhat nervous about the flight. The tornadoes at Joplin and Oklahoma City had me a little jumpy. It was no help at all that the panhandle winds were brisk.
My flight from Amarillo was delayed for 45 min. because of high winds. The flight was fine, bumpy, but fine. I spent Wed through Sat afternoon in Denver and brought back my 5 yr old granddaughter with me. It was fun to hear her giggle when the plane took off. At first, she asked if the plane was going to drive all the way to Texas. We were on the runway a long time getting ready for the take off and getting in place. (Kids are funny.)

When we landed in Amarillo, our 4 yr old granddaughter was on hand to welcome her cousin to Texas. You should have heard the chatter from one car seat to the next on the way to Cracker Barrel. My daughter-in-law and I just eves-dropped and laughed at how clever they were.

The 4 yr old had just returned from staying with her other grandparents in the Oklahoma City area. She was explaining what it was like to go into a storm cellar. "We went into the storm cellar because a big tomato was coming."

When you put it like that, it takes some of the fear away doesn't it.

Speaking of the recent tornadoes, I would like to recommend a place for giving to the victims of the tornado in Joplin, MO. The Apostolic Faith Bible College in Baxter Springs, KS is taking donations to help those who lost their homes in this terrible storm. I recommend them.
This is the Bible College that Terry and I attended when we met in 1974. They will give 100% of the donations to the victims.

Mail to:

AFBC Joplin Tornado Donation
P. O. Box 110
Baxter Springs, KS 66713.

Terry and I will be welcoming our grandsons for a summer visit in June. They will join their little sister for a summer of fun...and work... at the Littau place. I lovingly call it "The Almosta Ponderosa Ranch". (7 1/2 acres isn't really a ranch.)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Ponca City, Oklahoma

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of going to Ponca City, Oklahoma for the first annual event of Northern Oklahoma Literary Arts. The young woman who organized it is, Eyvonna Rains. She did a wonderful job. She is also an author. You will want to read her books. The event was so enjoyable.
It took place in the Marland Mansion. I just have to share the pictures of it.




I had the opportunity to meet a lot of author friends that I had "met" online through our author group on facebook. These people are so sweet. They are dedicated to the work that God has placed on their hearts. Many of them have been interviewed on this email newsletter.
It was a very good event.

On Monday, Terry and I went to Beaver, Oklahoma and spoke to the Friends of the Library group gathered there.

Denise Janko, the head librarian and also an author, welcomed us. She has written a darling children's book. (It is available at His Corner bookstore at the Community Worship Center in Perryton, TX) We had a great time. The ladies were so nice to us.

I love doing events with Terry. He is so fun to hang out with. For those of you who don't know, Terry did the audio voice for Luke's Legacy. If you purchased that book, you have a free download of the audio included in it on the very back page.

If you want Pre-made CDs, just let me know by sending me an email. It is $17 including shipping. The suggested retail is $27, but we never charge that much for it.

The thing about Terry's audio...I love it! His voice fits the tone of the book.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Wrong Side of the Tracks

Have you heard the saying, "They live on the wrong side of the tracks"? When I was a kid, I did. I didn't realize what that meant until I got to Jr. High School. I loved the little house Mama, Daddy, and I lived in, so I didn't understand what the problem was. It was one of the more inexpensive housing areas in our small town, but we kept it clean, updated, painted, and had a beautiful yard with pretty trees and roses. We didn't have a garage or carport, but we did always have a good car. Our neighbors took care of their homes also.

There weren't many children on my block so I played alone a lot unless we went to my sister's house and I played with my nephew who was 18 months older than I. It was exciting to play with my twin niece and nephew, too. I never let the words hurt me. I knew that Daddy took good care of us.

When Terry and I married, we bought a new 14' wide trailer house and moved it to a small trailer park on "the wrong side of the tracks" close to Mama and Daddy. It was one of the best parks in town. We loved our home. Eventually, we crossed the tracks and purchased a little rent house and put our trailer behind it. We rented out the house and stayed in our beautiful trailer.

A note about the trailer: It was beautiful. 1975 model Great Lakes home. It had a red...yes I said 'red'...shag carpet throughout. (except for #2 bedroom, bath, and kitchen) The vinyl flooring was off white. It had dark panelling on all walls but one. That wall was white panelling with two large black iron keys on red velvet background. Doesn't that sound sweet?

Our furniture and appliances were furnished when we purchased the trailer. We had red velvet sofa and arm chairs trimmed in black vinyl....pretty...

Really, it did look pretty good. We loved it.

Eventually, we did move into the rent house, then across town, and finally twenty years ago, we moved to the country where we love our life now.

A few weeks ago, Terry and I were sitting in church. Bro. Jeff Hinshaw made a remark that brought me right back to my raising. "We used to be the little church on the wrong side of the tracks. Now we aren't because there ARE NO TRACKS!"

No tracks? True. The tracks were taken up in the past few years. Our town's history is that there were a couple of established communities that picked up all the buildings, banks, homes, and moved the location of our town to the railroad. It is weird that the railroad left the town. They say there were reasons for the tracks being taken up. (structural and economic issues)

So now what do we do? The 'tracks' are still in our mind. I catch myself looking both ways in case the once a week train chose to come through. I am afraid the "wrong side of the tracks" mentality is still there. That is too bad. Some people were never given a chance in school because of that mind set.

Of course, we all have mind sets that are wrong. Sometimes we hold ourselves back. For example, I was a solid B student. I made a few A's but B was my mainstay. Because of this, I never felt that I could really do anything great with my life.

I was not brainy enough to be a doctor or nurse. (I beat myself up about this even though I know I have problems with the sight of blood. Ask my kids.They will tell you that even if the word 'blood' is said too much, I pass out.)

Being a lawyer took more brain power than I thought I possessed. I thought about being a teacher. (Actually, I did teach pre-school for a few years in a Christian school.) The money for college just couldn't be found.

After our boys were born, I knew I was doing what I was supposed to do. I was a Mama.

Writing became my passion, and those old 'tracks' showed up in my mind. "You aren't smart enough to be an author." I remember that when my first book came out, I almost cried when Terry called me 'author-girl'. My face became hot. "I don't deserve to be called 'author'!", I thought.

Now, after 4 published books, I still struggle. I am getting used to the 'tracks' being gone. I still look for the 'train' once in a while, but not as much as I used to.

The purpose of all of this is for you to think about the 'tracks' you have in your mind. What is holding you back? Should it really be holding you back from doing something you know that God wants you to do? Step out. The train won't be coming. The tracks are gone.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Our Visit to Lake Victor, Texas

On last Thursday, April 28th Terry and I went to Lake Victor, Texas for a book event. If you don't know where that is, it is close to Austin. More specifically, it is between Lampasas and Burnet, TX. It is a beautiful place in the Hill Country of Texas.

I was invited to speak to the ladies of the Burnet County Extention Education Association Club. The women were so nice. They also invited my author friend from Fort Worth, TX, Laura Eckroat. While I spoke about writing Christian Historical/Western Fiction and my process, Laura spoke on the process of writing children's books. Laura won the North Texas Book Award for Children's Books in 2010 for "The Life of Bud". The picture is of us hanging around on the Live Oak Tree at the front of the building we met in.







I tell you what, if I had that tree in my yard...I would live in it.

Terry stuck around at my request and enjoyed visiting with all the women present. There were around fifty in attendance. Most all of them purchased books. This was such a blessing for Laura and I. Thank you so much, Susan Tiemann, for the invitation. We are looking forward to returning.

Besides going to the book event, Terry and I were blessed to visit our mid-kid and his wife. Marlin and April. It had been a long time since we had been down to see them. It is 500 miles from our home.

We were also blessed to have dinner with my niece and her husband, Diane and Christopher. Their daughter, Haley, my great-niece, was also there. We ate at Marble Falls at Russos. Our table was on the deck overlooking the river. What a beautiful sight.

We also met Marlin's boss at Capstone Comics in Round Rock, TX. That is a super nice store. Everything is very well organized.Of course, Marlin is the manager.

Book number 4 is getting so close. When we got home the sample proofs were in the mail. I had to shift around some of the paragraphs to make things line up properly. I took a day to work on this and resubmitted it. The next proof will be in soon and I will check to see if they meet expectations. I have to tell you, the book really looks good. It is the same size as Luke's Legacy and Elk's Resolve. The print is a 12 point font which is the same as Elk's Resolve. It is larger than the words in Nan's Journey. Purchase price for The Eyes of a Stranger is $9 including s/h when you purchase from my website. http://elainelittau.com.
From Amazon, it will cost $10.45 plus s/h.

The ebook version made it through all the hoops so it is available for purchase at Barnes and Noble and Amazon and all ebook formats for $1.99.

Here is the book cover Jonna Feavel did for "The Eyes of a Stranger"
It looks so cool in person:




I will tell you a little about what "The Eyes of a Stranger" is about. Gertie is an eighteen-year-old girl who finds herself at the threshold of life. Rejected by her father and sent off to become a mail-order bride by her mother, she realizes that many options are open to her.
We met Gertie briefly in "Luke's Legacy" when she helped her fellow traveler, Sheriff Roy Miller, on the train in his care for baby Rose.

After finishing "Luke's Legacy", I couldn't get Gertie out of my mind. The story she shared with the sheriff begged to be built upon. It has been a pleasure to bring this character to life. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did when I wrote it. It has the feel of "Nan's Journey", plus a little mystery.












Today's Wild Card author is:





and the book:



100 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




JOYCE MEYER is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than seventy inspirational books, including The Confident Woman, Look Great, Feel Great, and the entire Battlefield of the Mindfamily of books. She has also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life® radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.



Visit the author's website.



Product Details:



List Price: $16.99

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0446509396

ISBN-13: 978-0446509398



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:





Introduction



Everyone has them: those days where nothing seems to get done, except maybe what you’ve added to your already lengthy to-do list. Are you tired most of the time? Are you spent? Do you find yourself wish- ing for a better day—a simpler day? Too many things compete for your limited resources of attention, energy, and time. You may be suffocat- ing and not even know it. If you feel like this, you’re not alone.



Most people today live complicated lives that leave them frustrated and confused, weary and worn out. But I have good news: your life does not have to be that way. You can choose a life of simplicity, fruitfulness, fulfillment, peace, and joy. I want to warn you, however, unless you are determined not to, you will do what everyone else does. You will get sucked up in the system and spend your life wishing things were different, never realizing you are, in fact, the only one who can change things. Unless we are resolute and remain undaunted in our quest for simplicity, we are destined for complication and frustration.



I recall a time when I was complaining to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. How could anyone be expected to do all I had in front of me? Then the realization hit me that I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me. You can spend your lives wishing things were different, but wishing won’t change anything. Smart decision making and decisive action is what changes things. If you picked up this book looking for change, are you willing to make a decision and follow it up with action?



I wasted many years hoping life would change and things would calm down until I finally realized life itself doesn’t change; in fact, it has the potential to get worse. I understood my only real option was to change my approach to life. I had to say no to another day of rushing around and feeling frustrated. I didn’t want the doctor giving me another pre- scription to mask another symptom of the real problem—stress.



In my search for simplicity, I have come to believe life can never be simple unless I learn to approach all things simply. It is my attitude toward each event in life that determines how easy or complex each situation will be. Perhaps life is complicated because people are compli- cated. Is it possible that life is not complicated, but rather, individuals complicate life in the way they approach it?



I discovered it wasn’t really life or circumstances or other people as much as it was me that needed to change. My problem wasn’t the problem—I was the problem! When you spend your life in frustration trying to change the world and everyone in it, you fail to realize it could be you just need to change your approach to life. It can be very easy for someone to live an entire lifetime and never entertain the notion that the way they do things is the real problem.



Have you ever attempted to have friends over for what you initially intended to be a simple afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun, but somehow, it turned into a complicated nightmare? I remember those days vividly. I’d be at church on Sunday and, without much forethought, invite three couples over for the following Sunday to a barbecue. My initial thought was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, potato chips, and iced tea. My motive was fellowship and fun, but by the time the guests arrived, I didn’t even want them there. Fun was not going to happen, at least not for me. Why? I turned my simple get- together into a nightmare of preparation, expensive food, and fourteen people instead of the original six. My complicated approach to life and my complicated thought process convinced me hot dogs and hamburg- ers weren’t nice enough so I bought steaks we could not afford. My potato chips turned into a huge bowl of homemade potato salad. The simple baked beans became four side dishes I labored over.



Insecure and wanting to impress everyone, I had to spend the week cleaning and getting everything in the house to the point where I thought it would be impressive. Of course, the lawn chairs were old, so I bought new ones. I got angry at Dave because I thought he wasn’t help- ing me enough, and by the time our friends arrived, I resented them, wished they hadn’t come, and had a miserable day of pretending to be the happy hostess when in reality I was frustrated and miserable.



I could not figure out why I wasn’t able to enjoy much of anything in life until God revealed to me I was killing my joy with complication. For years, I prayed God would change the people and circumstances around me when, in reality, He wanted to change me and my approach to life. He wanted me to simplify so, ultimately, He could be glorified.



Let me share with you 100 ways to approach living that can simplify your life and, in turn, release and increase your joy. I believe they will dramatically improve the quality of your everyday experience if you incorporate them into the way you do things. Jesus said He came so we might have and enjoy our life in abundance (see John 10:10). His prin- ciples are simple. Faith is simple! Trusting God is simple! A childlike approach to Him is simple! The plan of salvation is simple!



Jesus offers us a “new way of living,” and I believe it is a simple, yet powerful way that enables us to enjoy everyday life. Are you ready to simplify your life? Are you ready to say good-bye to the complexities you’ve allowed to take over? Let’s get started.





Do One Thing at a Time



The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything elseówe are the busiest people in the world.



ÓERIC HOFFER






Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].



—Hebrews 12:2




When we do things without truly focusing our minds on them, we immediately decrease our strength to do the work before us and do it well. By putting our hands to one thing and our mind to another, we divide the muscle behind our abilities and we make the task much more difficult. It’s like removing an egg yolk from the egg white—both can be used separately but the result isn’t as effective (or tasty) as it would be if we leave the egg whole. However, by directing all of our faculties to the one thing we are doing on a particular day, at that hour, at that moment, we find it much easier to do. The ability to concentrate and stay focused can only come from discipline.



The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing. Anxious people are always trying to live ahead of where they currently are. They spend today trying to figure out tomorrow and the result is the loss of simplicity. God expects us to trust Him with tomorrow just as He instructed the Israelites to do when they crossed the barren wil- derness, pressing toward the Promised Land.



Practice living one day at a time; give yourself—your thoughts, your conversation, your energies, every part of you—to the day at hand.





100 Ways to Simplify Your Life



1. Develop an ability to give yourself to what you are doing. You will sense an awareness enabling you to enjoy the current activity, instead of going through each day in a blur of activity and confusing thoughts which leave you drained and exhausted.



Do you fear you will not accomplish as much if you try to live this way? It’s true you may not do as much, but you will also enjoy what you do a whole lot more. One key to simplicity is realizing that quality is far superior to quantity.



The Blog Tour for "Nan's Journey" Begins July 23



It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!





Today's Wild Card author is:


and his/her book:


Nan's Journey

Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Littau is a life-long resident of Perryton, TX. She met husband, Terry at the Apostolic Faith Bible College in Baxter Springs, Kansas in 1974. They married March 1, 1975 and reside on a small acreage near Perryton where they enjoy spending time with their family and friends. They raised three sons and now have three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren added to their family. They also enjoy visiting with their extended family located in Perryton, Clear Lake, Laverne, and Amarillo.

Author Elaine Littau is a busy woman who by profession is the church secretary for Harvest Time First Assembly of God Church in Perryton. Among other things she has led women’s groups and taught preschool, and was a mentor for the M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in her community. She has been active in Toastmasters and enjoys painting, crafts, and playing piano and organ. She was recently appointed to the Campus Education Improvement Committee for Wright Elementary in Perryton. She belongs to Christian Storytellers and Faith Writers writing groups.

“Nan’s Journey” was written over the course of several years. “A salvation message is at the core of the book.” Littau says. “If it weren’t for the Lord, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. I truly enjoy meeting new people.”

Littau is currently working on two other books that are continuations of “Nan’s Journey.” Book signings and speaking engagements are currently set up for venues in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon.


Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602478325
ISBN-13: 978-1602478329

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Chapter One

It was late. The moon had risen and the night symphony was in full force. Crickets chirped at their rivals, the frogs, and dominated the night chorus. Only one sound in the forest was foreign—a whimper from under the ferns. At the base of the largest pine in the woods was a small form crying, moaning, and whimpering. Black hair, matted and dirty, hung in long ropes down the front of the tiny girl. She had been in this spot for hours. At least that is what it felt like to her. Stretching, she cried out in pain. The blood-covered welts burst open to bleed again. Her back was wet with blood, and her dress was torn and useless.

Why had she dared to speak to the woman that she was obliged to call mother in that way? She knew that talking was not allowed from children before chores were finished. The accusations being made by “Ma” were totally false and she could not let Elmer take the blame for something she herself had forgotten to do. She shut her eyes tight against the memory, but it intruded anyway.


She had just gotten up to take the water off the stove to make up dishwater for the supper dishes. Ma had stepped outside the room to turn down her bed and prepare for sleep. When she reappeared in the kitchen, she realized that the wood supply next to the stove was low. Elmer was standing next to the table gathering the plates for washing. “Elmer, where is the wood you were supposed to bring up to the house?” Before he could answer, a hand had slapped him across his face. Getting back onto his feet and standing as tall as a five year old can stand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma, I was sick today, ‘member?”

“So, Elmer, you’re going to play up that headache trick again. Nan, didn’t your good for nothing Mama teach you people how to work, or are you just lazy?”

“Our Mama was good! Don’t you say mean things about her!” Nan yelled as her heart raced at the assault against her real Mama’s character.

“What about it, Elmer, are you like your weakling Mama or what?” Elmer’s eyes became very large and filled with tears. He could barely remember his real Mama, but when he did, he remembered soft kisses and sweet singing and a beautiful face. “I’m sorry; I’ll get the wood now.”

“No, Elmer, don’t. I promised you I’d do it today when your head was hurting, but I forgot. I’ll get it after I do these dishes.”

“Listen here, Nan, I’m the boss around here and Elmer will do what I say, when I say, and you will respect me.”

Nan’s eyes widened.

“Don’t look at me like that, little girl.”

Nan held her breath.

“Well, I guess you will be making a trip to the wood shed…with me!” Ma had grabbed her by the arm and jerked her along behind the shed. The strap was hanging there, waiting. Whippings were becoming more and more frequent. After Ma’s husband left, they had taken on a more cruel form. The last whipping was more like a beating. It took days for the marks to scab over and heal. Little Elmer had come in that night and brought some horse medicine from the barn and applied it to the oozing marks.

The next afternoon when the schoolteacher came over, Ma had already formulated a story. “Mrs. Dewey, we missed Nan and Elmer today at school. Are they sick?” Ma lied the first time in her life and said, “Well Miss Sergeant, since Mr. Dewey is going to be gone for another four weeks, I need more help around here to get things done. I’m holding the kids out until he gets back.” Week after week went by, and Mr. Dewey still hadn’t come home. Everyday Ma grew more and more angry. It became more and more impossible to please her. When she began hitting Elmer, it was too much. Nan had to do something— right or wrong; things couldn’t stay the way they were.

The coolness of the earth had settled into Nan’s bones. She stood silently for a minute and carefully crept up to the farmhouse. As she opened the door, she saw that Elmer was in the pallet at the foot of the stove next to her bedroll. Ma was asleep in her room. The door held open with a rock. Slowly she began peeling off the dress and the dried blood stuck to it. She reached for the old shirt she normally wore over her wounds and under her dress. She had washed it today. It had bloodstains on it, but it would keep her from ruining another dress. She retrieved the old work dress that she wore when chores were messier than usual; it was the only one left. She put it on swiftly and shook Elmer awake with her hand over his mouth. “Baby, we must leave. Do you understand? Stay quiet and I will get some stuff to take with us.”


She found large old handkerchief and began looking for food supplies. There was one sourdough biscuit and about a cup of cold brown beans. She located her tin cup and another rag. She would probably need that. Three matches were in the cup on the stove. She would just take two. Suddenly she heard a sound from Ma’s room. A scampering sound… just a rat. Ma turned over. Her breathing became deep and regular. For once Nan wished that Ma snored. She tied the handkerchief in a knot over the meager food supplies, grabbed their bedrolls, and slowly opened the door.

“Come on, Elmer. Can you carry this food? I’ll get your bedding. That’s a good boy. We must hurry!”



The cold air bit at their faces, but they walked bravely on.

“Elmer, we must go tonight so we can get as far away as we can before Ma wakes up and sees that we are gone.”

For the next half hour the pair walked in silence through the familiar woods past the graves on the hill. In one, a mother dearly loved, in another, an infant who had died the same day as his mother, and the third, a father that only Nan had memory of. Elmer was only two years old when Pa died in the logging accident. Nan snapped out of her reverie and urged Elmer on. Molasses, Pa’s good old workhorse, stood in the pasture. He skidded the logs Pa cut with his axe. His legs hadn’t healed quite right, but Mama hadn’t let Mr. Dewey kill him because he was all she had left of the husband of her youth. Molasses was a faithful friend to Nan and Elmer. He stood there and waited for them to mount him.

“Molasses, take us to…” Nan realized then that they had nowhere to go. Mrs. Dewey had said that they were ungrateful little imps who didn’t realize she and Mr. Dewey were taking care of them out of kindness, and they could easily be put into an orphanage. Nan didn’t know anything about orphanages except what Mrs. Dewey…uh, Ma had told her. “Molasses, just take us out of here.”

Cruise Blunder

Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Westminster CO

Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Westminster CO
Great book signing in Colorado!

Mardel Bookstore in Littleton, CO

Mardel Bookstore in Littleton, CO
Booksigning - Elaine

Elk's Resolve Proof is Here