100 Ways to Simplify Your Life by Joyce Meyer

I received a copy of Joyce Meyer's new book "100 Ways to Simplify Your Life" from the people at FIRST Blog Tour. I found myself taking it and reading portions throughout the day. It is the kind of book that has short chapters that are easily digested at a quick sitting. I found that the suggestions are easily applied...maybe not so much easily, but perhaps when the reader is looking for breathing room in their life, the tools are there to be applied. Joyce is known for her common sense approach and this is no different than her teaching. I admire that about her. Some of the chapters are as plain as the nose on your face. You realize that you knew the concept but somehow have not put it to practice. This book is practical as well as necessary! Read it!

Progress Continues on "Elk's Resolve" the Sequel to "Nan's Journey"

I am happy to say that the progress on the sequel to "Nan's Journey" is moving along steadily. At this time the script for the "Elk's Resolve" audio book is completed. Terry and I have made our selections on the voice to deliver the story. Also, the book cover selections have been sent to me and I polled our family and some of our friends about their opinion on them. Tate does such a good job that is it difficult to make the selection. Soon I will post the finished product selection for the book cover of "Elk's Resolve".

"Elk's Resolve" is the continuation of the story begun in "Nan's Journey". The question of "What happened to the baby?" is answered and more issues are addressed. The main thought behind this book is dealing with depression, prejudice and demonic attack. Hopefully, the reader will be encouraged and uplifted after finishing the last page of this book.

I don't want to write for the sake of writing. I want to bring hope and help to people who read my stuff. I have been in prayer for everyone who reads these stories, praying that they will find the help they need through our Lord.

"The Unseen"

” is unpredictable and somewhat disturbing. The genre is not my usual cup of tea but I found it a good read in that after each reading session thoughts of the book and the plot possibilities were much on my mind. The main character developed nicely although one of the main characters who was introduced toward the end was somewhat sketchy. It may have been on purpose, but I felt that I needed a little more for him because he was a foundational character.
We have all met people who are like the main character, Lucas, who is the “loner”. The places he frequents are also familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Subways, elevator shafts, abandoned buildings, underground maintenance structures, and doors reading “authorized personnel only” are the playground of the characters of “The Unseen”. We have all wondered about those places especially since the television show, “Beauty and the Beast”, but this book takes the concept a few steps further into a place we all hope does not exist.
On second thought, I find it disturbing that I too am interested in people and the things they do along with most of America. The reality television shows are proof that I am not alone in this. I would never go to the extremes of the characters in this book, but it is ridiculous that I jump through some hoops to see “The Amazing Race.”
Elaine Littau
Author of “Nan’s Journey” and “Elk’s Resolve”

Reflection of 2008

My best friend from Jr. High and High School sent me a Christmas card with a sweet note jotted in it. She reminded me that 2008 has been a remarkable year for me. I was struck that she wrote about me instead of herself. (I want to know her things too!) The point is: She spent those several words encouraging me. That is so like her!

Sometimes I get bogged down with talking about the book and promoting, selling, and writing, that I forget how awesome it is that it is published. Man alive, IT IS PUBLISHED!!! If you know me, you know that I'm not all that...but God is! You may not believe in miracles, but I want to tell you, This has been a real life miracle!

2008 has been a year of discovering priorities. What is my platform? What am I trying to say? What is important to me? What will I spend my time on? What will I spend my money on?
Answers to these questions coming soon...I will have to chew on them a bit to put the right words to it.

Libraries and Prisons

Libraries and Prisons??? What are you talking about? I just wanted to say that they are my favorite places to give books to. This morning I gave a copy of my audio book to my local library. I have also given away a bunch of hard copies of "Nan's Journey" to school and public libraries and prison libraries.

There is a process for giving to prisons. You have to find someone connected to a ministry or service to a particular prison that is authorized to take a copy in to the library. If you are reading this and have access to this type of ministry, contact me. We will see about getting a copy into the prison or library you have in mind.

Right now I am in the middle of preparing the manuscript for "Elk's Resolve" for the audio process. It is exciting to see the sequel to "Nan's Journey" come along. It has made it through the first stage of the conceptual edits and now I am waiting for the next editing step. I should get some selections to choose from for the book cover soon. It is a fun process. I will keep you updated. Be sure to check in and not miss anything.

Winter

Yesterday we had our first snow up in the Texas Panhandle area. What you need to understand about snow in our neck of the woods (just kidding---It is flat plains and no trees) is that the snow usually does not fall here. It lands against stuff because it blows horizontally. (usually) I have seen a few snowfalls around here when there was no wind, but rarely.

I drove into town the ten miles from where I live inching in at 40 mph. The wind was blowing so hard that visibility was terrible. I would have turned around if I could have seen a driveway to pull out on. After I arrived at the church where I work as a secretary, the wind continued and my pastor/boss suggested that I return home before I was stranded in town. I did a little work and the sun came out a little but the winds continued to howl. I made it home safe and sound and curled up next to my computer and looked over my book stuff.

I read a lot of emails and blogs that I got behind on and even joined Twitter. It looks like fun. Terry called and said that he was on his way home also. I was glad because this bitter weather is dangerous for truckers. I was relieved to see him safe at home. He actually read 128 emails that he got behind on. He has this thing about forwards...He doesn't really like them but he HAS to read them. (He like the extraordinary ones...just not all of them) He prefers to be personally contacted. All he wants is a short little sentence from his friends telling him what they are doing. (Sounds like Twitter doesn't it!!!)

I get so tickled at him because he struggles with the computer...especially my laptop. I have to help him find things that disappear on him or won't move or delete...That's OK because he is great at things I have not idea how to do. (I still consider him my hero after he fixed the drain on my kitchen sink on Monday morning.) I think that is why he lets his emails pile up. He feels dumb when he can't maneuver around like he wants to.

We watched The Biggest Loser and cheered on our pick for a winner the we watched a Hallmark movie and caught up of a DVD that he promised to watch. It was nice and peaceful here at Fort Littau. (That's what the boys' friends used to call our home place.) We caught up on each other. Sometimes we just sorta communicate in snippets because of work schedules and exhaustion. Terry falls asleep in his recliner when he finally gets through the door. We enjoyed talking and laughing while the countryside was plastered with snow.

Today all is calm and all is bright. The snow is not deep and probably won't last very long. It never does in our prairie country. The sky is bright blue/grey without any clouds. I will pick my way to work on a highway with patches of ice. We live in an area of light traffic or no traffic. I am grateful for that in this weather. Terry has been gone on the road for hours already. All is back to normal. I hope you have a great day today. God bless you.

Twitter???

I just joined Twitter! My name there is nansjourney. What do you think of twitter? I don't know much about it.

What Do You Think? Seriously!

For the book "Elk's Resolve" I have the option of having the creative department of Tate Publishing make a book trailer for me or they will make an abridged version of the book on CD. The CD would be 25% shorter than the book.

The reason for the abridgment is so that the cost would be lower than it was for "Nan's Journey". In comparison to book sales, I have sold 35 copies of the audio CDs vs 1107 books. I am torn about what to do.

What do you think? Seriously!

Annual Christmas Letter

Most years I try to have an annual Christmas letter with my Christmas cards. This is one of the years I didn't get around to it. It would have been a great year to have added the epistle of the Littau's, but alas, I didn't do it.

I will name off the things that I might have included in it:

1. I would have voiced gratefulness to Almighty God for His tremendous blessings in our life together. (Terry and I)

2. I would have stated my appreciation and love to my friends and family. They are one of the biggest reasons I can make it through things that come up in my life.

3. I would have written a sentence or two about each son and his family. I am so proud of them. Those grandchildren are the absolute best! (2 boys and 2 girls)

4. I would have to tell about the joy of having a book published and how awesome it is to know that people are reading it. One of my great nieces told her mom that "Nan's Journey" is in the Jr. High library and is on the AR (Accelerated Reading) list for testing!!! She likes to tell the other kids that her auntie wrote it. I am happy that I can make her proud.

5. I would include a recent family photo for all to gasp at our beauty. (not really)

Even though I didn't send a Christmas letter, I try to send notes and emails here and there and express love to those I know. If you are reading this, I appreciate you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Things are Moving Along

A lot of things have happened in the past week. Terry finished the hardwood floor! I will post a detailed account of that, but right now I want to talk about the craft show. It was sooooo fun! I visited with a bunch of very sweet people who came by my booth. They were very encouraging and many of them purchased copies of "Nan's Journey" to give for gifts as well as signing my list for the pre-orders of "Elk's Resolve". I appreciate everybody who stopped by.

also

My editor returned my marked up copy of "Elk's Resolve" for my corrections. I have until Dec 15 to get it back to her. She was very thorough. I think she is just right for this book. The book cover designer will phone me tomorrow and discuss ideas for the cover of "Elk's Resolve". Things are really moving along.

Do you have any cool ideas for the book cover?

Perryton Satellite Arts and Crafts Show

Sat and Sunday I am going to be at the Perryton Expo Center with my book "Nan's Journey". This is the 40th year for the Satellite Arts and Craft Show. It is a fund raiser for the town's school for the mentally handicapped. This school is awesome in the training it gives for the individuals enrolled.

I am excited to see the people who came by my booth last year as well as new folks. I will have booklets to give away with the first chapter of my next book, "Elk's Resolve", including an order form for pre-orders of the new book and also for "Nan's Journey". I think I am better prepared to answer questions and I also have some hand-outs to give away. (bookmarks, speaker/author brochures, magnets, compasses for the children with my logo on them, the new booklets, and push cards) I will bring my laptop and have my book trailer going until the battery goes out...smile smile.

I have a special sale going on through Jan 2, the anniversary of the release of "Nan's Journey". Come by the booth and visit. Buy books for your friends and family for Christmas. Please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com or another book seller blog (Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc) for a free book. It helps to have a lot of reviews on a book seller site because people wonder what is up with a book that has people talking about it. If you can't do that, please tell people about my books. "The Shack" became a best seller because people talked about it and bought it. It was self-published by an unknown author, but God used people to promote it. It is an awesome book. (controversial, but awesome because even if you do not agree with the doctrine, it makes you think about what you really do believe.)

I hope to see you soon!

"My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw & Tom Douglas

I just finished reading "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw and Tom Douglas. It was a precious book. Having raised three sons, I found that time with a parent was pure gold to each of them. The story is simple, but the simplicity is the beauty of it. I heard it said that love is spelled t-i-m-e. Even though it is definitely a children's book, I think the things the daddy and his little girl do are examples that could spark ideas of easy and fun moments to share with children whether they are a girl or boy. Activities with our sweet little children do not have to cost a thing. I thought that was a great aspect of "My Little Girl". Sometimes we get caught up in the hype that kids really want a lot of stuff when they really would treasure undivided time with their mom or dad.

The illustrations by Julia Denos are colorful and whimsical. The animals are well done and I loved the wardrobe choices for the little girl. She truly looked like she picked out her own clothes. The rural setting was enjoyable and lended itself to more lovely illustrations. Even though it has been many years since I was a little girl, it made me miss my daddy. This book will find a place on my shelf for my granddaughters and their dads to share.

Mentors and Tormentors

This morning I listened to Jentenzen Franklin on television before going to Sunday School. He was speaking about mentors and mentorship. One statement he made caused me to sit up and take note. He said something to the affect that sometimes tormentors can be mentors. What do you think of that?

Suppose you grew up in a home with a parent who perpetrated a lot of physical or mental pain.
As you endured each episode you determined within yourself that you would not treat another human in the same manner. Whether you stayed with your convictions that life would be different in your home after your became an adult or whether you followed the same destructive pattern, your abusive parent was your mentor as well as your tormentor.

Any thoughts?

Review of "Through the Storm" by Lynne Spears

Upon finishing Lynne Spears book “Through the Storm”, I find myself with a better understanding of the pressures families of celebrities face in the fishbowl of fame. As a mother I related to the fears and concerns Lynne shared within the pages of her book. The peer pressure and career traps that are set before our children are much the same.
Mrs. Spears wrote about columnists who misrepresented her concern for her children as their careers took off. The tag “stage mom” was attached whenever decisions of the “powers that be” ran with ideas that were questionable for Brittany as a young teen. The book detailed how quickly things can spiral out of control. How does a parent help their adult child? Prayer is the only answer when the child is not willing to let you into their mess to help.
I found the background of this Louisiana family to be normal. It could have been the story of any of thousands of families across the United States. Many moms and dads spend endless hours taking their children to dance lessons, recitals, sporting events, and gymnastic. When children are excited about doing things like that, parents tend to facilitate progression into these things. How many parents of Olympians have spent hours travelling for their children’s dreams to be given a shot? I saw a lot of people I know in Lynne Spears’ story.
Elaine Littau author of “Nan’s Journey”

Go the Extra Mile

This morning I found a quote from a fellow author that really inspired me. "Go the extra mile, in the long run, its a short cut." - W. Dale Cramer author of "Summer of Light" (Cramer...mmmm my grandma's maiden name was Cramer...I wonder???)



Back to the thought here, the statement is true isn't it. When we rush through and try to hurry the process up we end up going back to explain or fix something. How does this apply to you today? I know it applies to me in almost every area whether it be writing, proof reading, or home improvement.



My poor hubby had to re-sand our dining room because I wiped it down with a dust mop that I was certain was clean. It was not and the stain grabbed hold of the dirt and made a very ugly mess. Bless his heart, he is so patient with me. He grumbled a little, but his heart is pure gold and he stayed sweet about it. After the sanding he re stained it and it is fine. (He applied the first coat of finish last night and it looks great....pictures soon.)



How about going the extra mile in relationships? Terry does all the time. I attempt to but I struggle with impatience. I think I am going to chew on this quote by W. Dale Cramer for a while. It is a gold nugget of truth that will bring certain growth.

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for the goodness of God. This past year has been a year of growth for me. It is the anniversary of the day that my first copies of "Nan's Journey" came into my hands. The only thing I can think of that comes close to conveying the emotion of that day is the birth of a baby.

Like birthing a baby, getting a book published is only the beginning. There are responsibilities to the book that require care and attention for it to be successful. I have become more assertive and stronger in voice and confidence. The thought of speaking before a group is less intimidating with each event. Meeting store owners and customers at book signings has become a joy.

A lot of self-doubts threaten sanity at times encouraged by looks of astonishment from acquaintances who can hardly believe that I have the capacity to actually "write something". It has been amusing to watch the various reactions of people. I am blessed that a lot of them are encouraging. That helps soothe the bruises from the others.

If it weren't for the message that is within the covers I don't know that I would have the stamina for this. When a reader approaches me and shares with me the impact this simple story had on their life, it is all worth it. One lady that I have known for years phoned me. She was someone that I thought had it "all together". As she spoke about reading the book she began to cry. She said, "You wrote my story!" It showed me once again that we do not really know the pain behind another person's eyes. She was very grateful that I had written it. I am too.

I am thankful that God lead me to a Christian Publisher who took a risk with me. Every person on the team has been great and I am thankful for them too.

Marketing

Like many people who dream of becoming an author, I had some lofty ideas of what being a published author was like. It must have come from a "Hollywood" movie or something, but I had dreams of going up on a mountain in the quiet of the woods and typing away on my laptop while my publisher marketed my most recent brilliant work of fiction. There were visions of book signings with rabid fans waiting in long lines just to meet me. (Did I tell you I have a vivid imagination?) I hate to burst any one's bubble, but it just doesn't happen that way for most first timers out there.I am so blessed to find a publisher who will read unsolicited manuscripts. I participated in a web instruction event by a book agent. He said that most of the "stuff" he got in the mail was pitched after the first paragraph. If it didn't "grab him as something fresh and compelling" in those few words, it wasn't worthy of his time! After listening to his brilliance for an hour I was one very depressed author. The experience with Tate Publishing and Enterprises is a very personal one. Every phone conversation has been productive and helpful. The professionals assigned to each phase of the book development are invested in the success of each book.I have to say that marketing is not something I knew much about, but after reading a ton of information and studying the blogs of various authors and groups, I have gotten my feet wet. I keep a journal about every last thing that I have tried. Each attempt is marked with the number of books sold or people affected by the event. Every mail out is registered as to how many cards, letters, author/speaker brochures, or event fliers were sent and what the response was. I think I will have a better idea of how to spend my marketing dollars for my second book, "Elk's Resolve".At a book signing in a small book store the proprietor told me that Tate is very aggressive in putting their author's names and titles "out there". With every box of books from Ingram/Spring Arbour are fliers about the offerings from Tate authors. I was impressed with that bit of information. There have been time when I had felt that I was shouldering a lion's share of the marketing, but after talking with her, I realized that there is so much more to the publishing business than I will ever learn or know. I am glad to leave those parts to Tate. The very next time I looked at a blog from a group of authors, I saw that they were discussing how their "big house" publishers were having them do their own marketing. They were upset that times had changed. At this time those publishers are downsizing and a bunch or authors were let out of their contracts. I imagine they would be glad to do a little marketing if they had a chance.I said ALL of that to say this. Tate does a lot of things for the author that we do not see every day. Eventually we see the effects of it. It takes a lot of publicity to get name recognition for authors. If you don't believe me, ask "the man on the street" to name their favorite author. They will most likely say someone from the New York Times best sellers list. Then ask them who their favorite Christian author is or to name ten television preachers. I promise you that the majority of Christians are somewhat stumped. We have to be out there with our face and our voice connecting with people. That has been the best way that I have found to market my books.Elaine LittauTate Authorof"Nan's Journey" and "Elk's Resolve"

Stonecroft Women's Ministry

Last night I spoke to the wonderful women who attended the monthly meeting of the Dodge City, KS Stonecroft Ministries. They were truly a delight to me. My good friend, Jeri Grove, was the featured musical artist. She has a great talent in voice and in songwriting.

Flowers by Irene owner, "the friendly florist" of Dodge City, was there with a Christmas centerpiece presentation. She was inspiring in her creativity. If you are ever in Dodge City, go by her shop. She offers specialty cards, candles, gifts, and flowers. She really is a very friendly woman.

The attendees were gracious to me and welcomed me and my story with open arms. It is a pleasure to meet with a group like this. As I understand, there are chapters of Stonecroft Women's Ministries all over the USA. The specific ones I have heard of are in Denver,CO; Dallas, TX, & Oklahoma City, OK. This is a group for all women and is a very enjoyable event.

Thank you ladies!

The Schedule of Conceptual Editing of "Elk's Resolve'

Today I got the schedule for the editing for "Elk's Resolve". The process is well underway. If you enjoyed the action, twists and turns, and emotion of "Nan's Journey", you won't be disappointed with "Elk's Resolve". Already over 100 people have contacted me wanting a pre-release copy. I have no idea what the publisher's price will be for "Elk's Resolve", but for those contacting me during the pre-release phase, I am selling them for $10. You won't have to send the money until I receive them. These copies won't be in my hands until spring/summer of 2009, but if you want me to write your contact information down so that I can send you a notice when I have them, please let me know.
I put the third book in a contest on Christianstoryteller.com. Hopefully it will get some recognition there. The fourth in the series is coming along nicely. I write when I am nervous or bored. Waiting for publishing makes me a little crazy even though it is fun. Please continue to pray for me as I try to follow Him with all my heart.

Do It Yourself Tip on Taking the "Popcorn" Off An Acoustical Ceiling

Terry and I are "do it yourselfers". We have remodeled and lived in a couple of houses. This October we have been in this house 17 years. All the while we have lived here we have been in one project or another. Our house was built in the 1920s so there has been plenty to do.

When the boys were little we built a tree-less tree house and built fence around a big garden area. We planted many trees. The boys helped me plant our orchard. (If we counted on those trees to provide sustenance for us we would be out of luck. I have harvested less than a bushel of fruit from them in all these years. smile)

We spent one summer vacation painting the 32 windows...ugh. Thank the Lord that we had new vinyl ones put in last year. (The bottom story of the house) We have done a lot of work outside and painted inside and are in the process of redoing the hardwood floors. (almost ready for the staining step...Maybe it will be done in 10 days.)

When we began the process of working on the floors I had Terry take a flat hoe and knock off the acoustic balls off the ceiling in the living room. At some point in the past...probably 30 years ago someone had painstakingly sprayed the ceilings in the house to modernize them. Terry and I even did it to one of our other houses. It looks great for quite some time, but after 30 years...the dirt just won't vacuum off anymore.

We scraped the ceilings of our kitchen and dining room in years previous, but I thought that maybe there was a better way to do it than to scrape it "dry". On the home improvement shows they usually show people spraying the ceiling with water and using a putty knife. The way we did it in the past left a nice texture behind. Using water in the way suggested on TV causes it to scrape off to a smooth finish. If that is the look you want then that is the way to do it. It takes a lot more time because you have to climb a ladder and use a putty knife and get the ceiling pretty wet.

I took the spray bottle and sprayed...I thought evenly, and Terry stood on the floor with the flat hoe and scraped. Where it was wetter it went smooth otherwise it left texture. It made sort of a pattern of texture and smooth, so it looks somewhat intentional. Yesterday I scraped the ceiling of the hallway...dry... I was much more satisfied with the look. In the dining room and kitchen we painted over the "left over" texture. The paint soaked in pretty much and flattened the texture even more, but it looks very nice. I have heard of diy people scraping the ceiling smooth and then applying texture. To me that seems like a redundant step when a dry scraping will leave a nice look. Try it. You will be able to see what you are left with for texture. If you don't like the look, then spray it down and scrape it clean.

I am looking forward to the finished product. Two walls will be medium chocolate brown with the other two a couple of shades down the color chip...a tan. I am doing the ceiling in a cream and using a overhead projector to project an over sized vine pattern on the tan wall which I will paint in the cream color. On the ceiling around the ceiling fan I am planning to project and paint a vine in the tan color...mmmm hopefully all will turn out well. I will post pictures so you can judge for yourself.

Do What You Can Do

This home improvement mess has really played with my ambition and energy! The process as been extremely slow. Terry is a hard worker, I am not saying that he is not. He works 10to 16 hours a day. He simply does not have time to do a lot at home. He does have Sundays off and every other Monday. With a time table like that it will take a long time to get anything done. I know it sounds like I have been whining a lot on this blog. That is not my intention. I want you to see that anything is possible.

Because of Terry's schedule we take these home improvements in bite-size pieces. We usually don't have more than a day and a half at a time to work. He is very hands on so I do what I can, but he has the muscles and energy to do the heavy work. Over the 17 years we have lived in our home, we have accomplished a lot but it has all been in these bite sized pieces.

Writing a book is much like doing home improvement at my house. Start planning, thinking, and writing. I can't sit and write a whole book in a day. I wouldn't want to. I enjoy the process of watching the story unfold. I do watch the story in my mind as I write it. The characters are very real to me. I see their faces and personalities when I write them. Honestly, it is very fun. Some days it is hard to get to the computer and write but I am always glad that I do. It may be a paragraph or a time line that I work on. I may jot notes on a pad about an event I want the character to go through, but the process has to keep moving so that the momentum is not lost.

Yesterday I was wallowing in self-pity about my mess at the house. I had gotten so frustrated that I didn't even make my bed or picked up my room. That is one place that has not been affected by the remodel. Then I looked at my car. I had moved a big plant from my sister's house to my house and dumped a lot of soil and leaves in my front seat. I missed my weekly car washing...everything was a mess. Of course the car is not part of the remodel. I decided that I was tired of letting the mess overtake every part of my life so I got out my vacuum and cleaned out the car. Then I got the water hose and hand washed the car and made it shine. I loaded the dishwasher and picked up the clutter in the few rooms that are not affected by the remodel. I feel so much better.

I learned that I must do what I can do...whether it is about writing a book, preparing a speech, marketing my books, contacting friends, cleaning my stuff, or working on my house. That is all I am responsible for. One day my house will be back to normal. I am looking forward to it, but I will enjoy my life no matter what.

And The Work Goes On!

I wanted to add to the old post because when people look up this on the internet, it only shows one of the posts about the hardwood floor.

OUR FLOOR IS DONE!!!!

Terry put 7 coats of floor finish on the hardwood floor. He was sure that he could make it perfect, but perfection was not to be. It is still so pretty. With the furniture and everything back in the rooms, the imperfections don't show up so much.

Terry now is thinking about doing the floors in our main floor bedrooms. (one at a time) My recommendation is not to attempt too much unless you are taking vacation time to get it done. The process can drive you crazy!!!


The epic of refinishing the hardwood floor continued...yesterday. Is there anyone else who has taken as long as we have? Terry only gets every Sunday off and every other Monday off. Boy oh boy...we live 120 miles from the large lumber yards. Our local lumber yard does not carry rental equipment. The rental shop here has old and damaged stuff as far as floor sanders go sooooo... We went to a town 60 miles away to rent from a mid-sized lumber yard. We got the sander and found that the horror stories we have heard were exaggerated.
Terry decided that we would start with 60 grit paper instead of the roughest stuff. Our floor is in good condition so we didn't need the roughest. The floors look good. The next step is staining and then varnishing.
One tip I think is worth knowing: Do rent the edge sander or get rough grit for an oscillating sander if you have one. It takes at least 40 grit to cut through the residue on the edges. Don't let the largeness of the job intimidate you. If we can do it, you can too. I will let you know how the staining and varnishing go...stay tuned...this may take some time. Hopefully all will be back to normal by Thanksgiving. That is my hope!!! and Terry's semi-promise.

Rough Draft of Third Book Completed!

Monday I decided to drink some coffee and do a little writing on my day off. We are limited to the finished basement until we get the hardwood floors finished on our main floor. It may take a little time....That's another story...Anyway, being in the basement with no natural light, I began writing and got lost in the story. I emerged periodically to eat and drink and all that but I returned to the basement. Before I knew it I heard footsteps overhead. Terry was home and I asked him why he was at home so early. He said that it was 7 p.m.! Wow! I had written all day!The great thing about it was that I finished the rough draft of "Luke's Legacy". I am very proud of the story and I think readers of "Nan's Journey" and "Elk's Resolve" will be moved by this story about the "little brother and sister". I am entering it into a contest and hoping to place. Pray for me!

Hunger for God

God is up to something inside of me and I am so happy about it! For the past two weeks I have felt the Presence of God in my life stronger than ever before. It began with an insatiable hunger for more that so so christianity. I wanted to feel the way I did as a child when I first gave my life to Jesus.
I went to the big women's conference where the logistics limited the amount of prayer offered and I was dissapointed. The next day a young woman in my church was seeking God at the altar. Several women were kneeling in prayer with her. I stayed back in my seat. I don't really know why, but maybe it was laziness... who knows? One of the women in prayer looked up and motioned for me to join them. I am so glad I did.
Upon approaching the girl, I felt her hunger for God and it was infectious. I wanted more as I even prayed that God would answer her prayer. It reminded me of a group of mid-wives bringing forth a baby in birth.
The Power of God came in the midst of us all and I swear that it felt like my blood was burning. A wave of electricity flowed through all the women in prayer and especially the seeker. She had her answer. The Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way among us.
Since that night Jesus has been even more real to me than ever. I know that some people will think that all of this is emotionalism...if it is I don't care. I am an emotional person. I cry and laugh and get depressed and love with all my heart. Doesn't it stand to reason that God deals with me in an emotional way. I haven't had this much joy in my soul in a long time. My circumstances are exactly the same, but the Presence of God is still so close. I am so glad that He is available to anyone who asks and hungers for Him. The "table" is spread....eat up!

Mega Churches-Micro Churches

Last weekend a friend and I went to a mega church in Oklahoma City, OK for a women's conference featuring Lisa Bevere. It was great to worship with the thousands of women within the large walls of the church. The Presence of the Lord was there and many people were touched. Lisa had pertinent messages that spoke to my heart in particular.

One statement she made really ministered to me where I am now. She said that the Body of Christ needs the daughters who ask questions and the mothers who find the answers although they are the busiest ones but also the grandmothers who have the time to nurture and do works of ministry. At this point in my life I am 52 years old. I am a grandmother who also is available to my children to answer questions they throw at me. I try very hard not to offer unsolicited advice... I am in two of the generations although I lean more to the grandmother one. I am not intimidated by my age. I still have a lot to offer. The Lord has placed a desire on my heart to write good books until I die.

Many wonderful things happened at the mega women's conference. The women were moved to come to the front for prayer. There were so many who responded that the prayer team was told to just touch each one of the ladies so that they could move back to their chairs and give room for the others. The logistics of the day demanded that sort of response, but my heart broke for the women who needed more care.

On the way home my friend and I discussed the tragedy of the women who needed more... more time at an altar with sisters engaged in urgent prayer until something broke in the spiritual realm. My soul was grieved. The next day was Sunday. I guess you could say that I attend a "micro" church. There were less than 70 people present. We had a special speaker for morning and evening services. The call for prayer came at a few minutes until noon. People responded and stayed at the altars until 1 p.m. The people were in need of breakthroughs in their lives and there was time and room at the altars to stay until the needs were met.

Sunday evening was especially poignant. Many came to the altar and stayed but I want to focus on two young women in particular. The evangelist asked one of my friends, a 82 year old retired minister lady, to come and pray with one of the women. It was a beautiful picture of the grandmother nurturing the mother. Others were praying with the other young woman who had been seeking a special touch from God for weeks. She had an insatiable hunger that was not met. I joined in the prayer for her as well as my 82 year old friend and the young woman she had "prayed through" with. When the second girl broke through to victory a shout of praise erupted from every one's lips. We hugged and cried and rejoiced. I loved the intimacy of praying together with my sisters.

There is a Scripture that says "do not despise small things". I think sometimes we get frustrated with our small churches. Of course we want them to grow and reach more people and not to become a small exclusive club, but we can attempt to keep the small church care and concern for one another no matter how large we grow. I wonder what would have happened at the mega church if the women who had desperate needs knelt down and the leaders asked everyone to lay hands on them and pray until they had a breakthrough. I think the rejoicing would ring out in every one's heart.

Gifts of Love

On Saturday I received a package in the mail. It was a lovely hand-made gift from a friend of mine who lives in Pekin, Illinois. She told me she was sending something special...but I had no idea! It was a beautiful picture frame made of plastic canvas done in cream, green, and rose. It fits the decor of my house perfectly. She did a wonderful job and I am so proud of it.
I cannot display it until my hardwood floors are done. I don't want to risk getting it dirty. It is too precious.

I "met" this friend through a Internet group of church secretaries. We have a lot in common and I treasure her friendship. I have another friend I "met" on the Internet. She is also an author. She is a sweet lady who is also a great writer. Her pen name is Anne Kimberly. Her book title is "Deep Well of Decision". It is a fantasy that is intriguing and you can purchase it on amazon.com. There are others I "met" on shelfari...an interesting woman from Spain and another from Australia on a blog tour.

The gift I received was wonderful, but the best gift is friendship. I am blessed!

Rainy Days

I remember the 70's song, "Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down." We sang it in my high school choir. It is funny how perceptions change from teen years to middle age...I kinda like rainy days...not so much Mondays, but rainy days are some of the most restful days there are. I especially love rainy days when it is my day off. Curling up on the couch reading a book while the raindrops patter on the glass....mmmmm....yummy. Some of my best naps have taken place on those damp days.

Fall is here and the rain is falling softly. I love it! Outdoor activities are stifled, but sometimes it is good to take time to ease up a bit and enjoy being at home. Last month I bought an antique clock that has to be wound up every seven days. The tick is mesmerizing and restful. It sounds like home.

What other sounds remind me of home? There is always the Sunday after church football game on television. Terry loves that. The sound of the dishwasher draining or otherwise doing its job is always welcome. Telephone calls from my sons and their families. I love to hear the sounds of their dear voices.

Blake Shelton's song "Home" is so beautiful. I urge you to listen to it if you haven't heard it yet. The musicality of it is mystical and the lyrics are touching. I love it. Give it a quick listen when you have time.

Let me urge you to try to enjoy the rainy days when they come and take the time to give yourself the treat of a great memory, a good conversation, or a postponed read from a good book. Happy rainy day!

GPS

After spending the weekend in New Mexico I think I do need to get a navigation system for my car. Not that finding the destination towns was so difficult. It is just that after arriving some of the locations of various venues and locations are a challenge to find.

A nephew-in-law gave up completely after trying to give me directions to his house from another relative's house. Since it was late and dark to boot, I didn't argue the fact. (Does anyone else find it harder to find things after dark...even with good street lights???)

My brother-in-law from Oregon told Terry and I that he uses a GPS when he goes hunting so that he can detect the closest trail to his car when he gets his game. Since he tramps through the woods hither and yon, it is not always fastest to return by retracing his steps...interesting.

I think I want to get one that works for people when they are walking or riding a bike as well as when I am in the car. I saw one on QVC...should have gotten it!!! Oh well, I'll think about that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day!

New Mexico Here I Come!

On Friday, September 26, I will be heading out to New Mexico after work. I will spend the night with my brother and his family and on Saturday hold two book signings. The first one will be at The Art of Beauty Salon and Spa located at 6200 NE BLVD Ste B in Albuquerque from 1-3 p.m. and the next will be at Hastings Booksellers at 12501 Candelaria Rd NE from 4-6 p.m.
On Sunday I will be speaking at the First Assembly of God Church in Estancia, NM and enjoying a ladies luncheon following the services.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about these events. It is great to visit with people and see their "take" on "Nan's Journey". Hopefully some of the issues represented withing the pages have rung true to real life. I am very interested in what the readers have to say.

If you are in the area, please stop by and visit. I would like to meet you.

One note of interest.... the second book in the series already has 82 people signed up for copies as soon as I get them. (about 3 months before the release date) If you have not emailed me or left a comment requesting one or more, please do it. I don't want you to have to wait to see..."What happened to the other baby?"

Smile smile

Famlies

Last week a cousin of Terry's came over for a visit. Although they have never met they share a greatgrandfather. (Terry's mom's dad - Albert Hoch) Grandfather Hoch died after a car accident in New Mexico when Terry's mom, Viola, was four years old.

We invited Viola and Anna Mae, Terry's sister, over to meet Arthur Hoch, the cousin. I find it sad that families drift apart because of life's circumstances. Grandfather Hoch died about 88 or so years ago. After Grandmother Hoch met and Married her second husband, Grandfather Peters, the family lost touch. Viola and Anna Mae, Terry and his brother Daniel all enjoyed filling in the blanks and getting acquainted.

It makes me think...It takes a lot of effort to stay connected with family. My sons do not know some of their cousins. We have a generation shift thing going on. My cousins are twenty years older than me...so and my brothers and sisters too so... my nieces and nephews are my age so... they are not the typical cousins for my boys. They had already moved to the corners of the world when my kids came along. My sons do know some of their cousin's kids...and time goes on and people move and lose touch. Many times the only times we see extended family is at funerals or the rare family reunion.

I try to keep in contact with nieces and nephews with MySpace and Facebook. It takes time but it is worth it. Of course I love to see them face to face and I try to do that when I can. Christmas cards are still important for me to send. I want family to know that they are important to me. I do not want to lose touch!

Book Signings,Day Off, Dentist Visit, & Hardwood Floor Patching!

This past week has been a doosey for me! First of all...I went to the dentist on Tues and had a long overdue scaling and cleaning (2 hrs in the chair & 6 shots) after that 2 extractions! Upper left back teeth. (1 hr and 2 shots) Can you say..."Whole mouth numb...drooling because I can't tell if my mouth is shut or not."?
anyway... bottles of pain pills and antibiotics later...
Saturday...
2 book signings...one in Amarillo from 2-4 p.m. and one in Canyon from 6-8 p.m....

I have to say this about book signings... People who talk with you are very nice. I truly enjoy the interaction...It is the other folks that make you second guess yourself...
It reminds me of having a bake sale...people who do not want to feel guilty about buying your product try to occupy themselves fumbling with purses etc... or making a quick turn avoiding eye contact. That leaves me there...avoiding eye contact sort of... but checking to see if there is a glimmer of interest. At the very least...it is an interesting dynamic.

Today I am back home with my hubby. My jaw still hurts but it is nice to kick back and drink coffee (ever so carefully) and watch him in the dining room...trying to get everything together business wise. This is his day off and a lot of the things he doesn't have time to do during the two weeks he is not home during business hours have to be caught up with. After those things are nailed down...he will begin literally nailing down the new hardwood we purchased to patch our dining room floor. A few weeks ago he tore out the old stuff across a third of the dining room because through the years there was water damage and shrinkage and cracking. We are both excited to get the process going. The epic continues!!!

I Bought a Monster!

Well...I tried, but I had to get the Mega Steamer Thingy on TV! It is called the Monster 1200 Sanitizing Steam Cleaner Superclean SC20.

I unpacked it. Searched and searched for the instruction manual. I finally found it and it is pretty straightforward on set up. I thought stuff would come up or off a little faster, but I realized that on the commercial they did use a rag to wipe as the dirt was loosened. The steam cleans wonderfully, but be prepared to move VERRRY SLOOOWLLY for hard water deposits! The cleaning solution has very little fragrance if any. I like that.

It did great on my kitchen floor. I have a white stripe of linoleum around the edge of my black linoleum tile. It has texture and is impossible to clean. The back door has only the white stuff back there. Let me tell you... The steamer got it all!!!! That part was as fast as it shows on TV. It did it as fast as damp mopping!!! Yea!!!

I used it on my cream colored area rug that was stained badly. It came pretty clean. I did have to spot clean the worst part. I am pleased with the result. Terry will be working on the grill this evening probably. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sometimes I think I buy this stuff to make my house look instantly like I have a daily housekeeper. I used to work very hard to make it look that way, but since I started writing on my books consistently, I have to prioritize. The house is clean, but not exactly white glove clean.
If you have looked at this thing and been tempted to buy it, I think it works. BUT...REMEMBER YOU ARE ON THE OTHER END OF THE STEAMER...YOU WILL BE WORKING TOO.

I'll get back to you on this in a few....


Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer"
Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer" Terry tried the steamer on the grill...IT WORKED!!!

Reputation

Thursday at John's funeral there was a time of sharing memories with the 100+ people who were gathered there. I was impressed with everything I heard about him. It was clear that everyone was referring to the same person.

I think it speaks well of John that he was the same person with the same characteristics to everyone who knew him. People he went through school with or who served with him on the police force or in the maintenance department of the city, every niece and nephew (no matter which side of the family) said the same things about him. He was the same teasing, funny, and caring man to everyone.

As I sat there I wondered about the perception people have of me. Am I the same to everyone? Of course, you are closer to some people than others because people have differing degrees of openness, but for those who allow you to know them...I want to be the same person. Does that make sense? In a way I felt sort of possessive of him. He was MY brother-in-law! He joked with me! Upon listening to the eight or so people speak of him in the service, I rejoiced that he did allow everyone the opportunity to know him.

Anna Mae will have challenges living without her dear husband. Please keep her in your prayers. She will make it through with the help of our Lord and her friends and family. One thing is certain, she has no doubt about her husband's reputation. He was a great man.

Oh Death, Where is Your Sting?

Sunday, August 31st at 5:10 p.m. a dear friend and family member died. John was my brother-in-law. We enjoyed many times of laughter at family gatherings. He was the guy my sons looked for every time we had a family event. Uncle John teased and joked and was never at a loss for a good story to tell. He was the kind of guy that would find where your "goat" was tied and then "get your goat"! If John wasn't at a holiday dinner we all felt the void.

January of 2007 John had a near fatal heart attack. He told about his experience to everyone who came close to him. He was shy in front of people he didn't know, but after his heart attack he had boldness to tell even a church full of people about his experience. It still scared him but he had to declare the mercy of God. The last time we spoke he told me part of it again.

He said that his heart stopped beating. He found himself at a door and walked through it. On the other side of the door was a terrible desolate feeling. "Desolate" was the word and he could barely speak it. Tears sprang to his eyes as he told me. He felt panicked and alone. A force was drawing him deeper into this place and he knew there was more horrors beyond. He screamed, "Help me Jesus!" A hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him through the door. He was back in his hospital room. He began praying in his bed saying, "Lord, I don't deserve another chance."

He saw many things during his hospital stays. He saw an angel in the corner of the room and other things that comforted him. He felt bad because he waited so long to come to God. He probably told more people about Jesus in the last year and a half than many people do in a lifetime. He never forgot the mercy of God.

One of the things he stressed when he spoke publicly and privately was the "levels of prayer". He came to realize that every prayer prayed was not of the same intensity. The first level is surface. That would include prayers by rote. The second is prayers that are a little more personal, and the third level is fervent and urgent. John stressed that we need to be more serious and urgent when we pray. Those prayers are of utmost importance.

The last few months John was in a lot of pain. Now he is not. He is in the Presence of the One he found those months ago. The One who literally rescued him from the pit. He was a wonderful man and an example of all who have made the decision to follow Jesus. I want to fearlessly proclaim the gospel of Jesus like John did. He was an inspiration to me and we will all miss him.

Depression

One of the things that "Elk's Resolve" speaks of is depression. I am interested in what you have to say about it. You don't have to use your actual name.

1. In what way have you been impacted by depression?
2. What things helped you overcome it?
3. Are there indications that a person feels when a bout is coming on?4. Do you have any other information or thoughts on this subject?

So Near

Driving the ten miles into town to get to work, I found myself in prayer. Okay, it was whining. I said, "Lord, why is it that sometimes I don't think you are anywhere near me?"
Just then I checked my rear-view mirror and the words etched in the mirror stood out to me. "Objects are closer than they appear" or something similar to that.
My mind raced. God is closer than He seems most of the time. When the Lord is near you can touch Him and feel His closeness. You can speak in delicious whispers. You can hear the heartbeat of God at these times.
I especially love the times when I can almost feel His breath on my face. Those times remind me of days gone by when my sons were little and we lay in bed talking and dreaming about the future. They had big dreams and I had big dreams for them. Terry and I also love to talk quietly before we go to sleep. It is a precious closeness that is so dear. I enjoy whispering into God's ear and feeling Him so very near to me.
Near
Far
Near is much better!

Wheatheart of the Nation Celebration and Pioneer Fun at the Museum of the Plains

August 23, 2008 was a great day for me. (It did get very hot, even in the shade, but it was great!) After the annual parade honoring the birthday of Perryton, TX, The Museum of the Plains on highway 83 had a great day of fun for families and friends.

I am impressed with the size of our museum. There are a number of buildings and exhibit halls. My book table was in front of the "General Store" building. Thankfully, it had an ample porch that provided shade all day. I truly enjoyed visiting with the people who stopped by to look over the general store exhibit and my book, "Nan's Journey". I had a drawing for a free book at the end of the day.

The winner of the drawing/free copy of "Nan's Journey" is Vanessa Lester. I will be mailing it on Tuesday of this week. Congratulations Vanessa!

I gave away a ton of toy compasses with the "Nan's Journey" logo on them to the children. They seemed to really enjoy getting something for free! Another freebie I gave away was a folder with the first chapter of "Elk's Resolve", the second book in the Heritage Series. I gave around 60 of those away. There is an order form for "Nan's Journey" and the first batch of pre-released copies of "Elk's Resolve" in the folder. If you are reading this and wish to order either of these books, leave a private message in the guestbook.

I could hardly believe that after living here all my life, there were so many people I didn't know. We are a small town... Oh well, I did get the opportunity to meet a number of them and everyone was very kind. That is one of the perks to living in a small town, right!

The museum had a hamburger feed, local singers and a great band. There were a dozen or so vendors selling jewelry, metal work, balloons, face painting, etc. Bouncing games for the children were a hit as well as a cow milking contest. My personal favorite was the team of large work horses and wagon rides for everyone. If you missed it this year, make plans to come next year.

Small Potatoes

Despise not small beginnings....potatoes! I know that "Nan's Journey" is not a best seller...yet. (One can dream) You all have been so sweet to me that I want you to know how the sales are going.
Since I got the books in my hands we have sold 865 copies! Now, you say, that is really small potatoes! ....yes, but that is over 1000 people who have read it. People pass books around and that makes me happy! Yes, happy... If they like the book, they will look for the next and maybe in the future they will buy one.

I am counting down to 1000 copies sold.
We lack 135 for this short-term goal.

It is possible! One month we sold 120 copies!!! yea! Thank you!!!
Keep a watch on this blog and see how we are doing. You can buy copies from this site or amazon, or tate publishing. Send me a comment on this page and I will send you a signed copy at a discounted price. Mark the comment private and give me email address.

I am excited about this!

The next book will be out in the spring of 2009!!!!

Tearing out part of the original hardwood floor

Today Terry was out of hours for driving his truck so he was home. After these few months, this was his first opportunity to really get into working on the hardwood floor since he patched the hole from the floor heater opening. He studied and studied the condition of the floor and even took out his belt sander and sanded the rougher spots and the spots with large gaps between the boards. He determined that the portion of the dining room that was in the worst condition had to come out.

Yes, come out! He also said, "Boy, this is almost as bad as the can of worms I opened with the bathroom floor."
I responded, "THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE BATHROOM FLOOR!!!"
We had a big laugh over that. He did find a store/dealer for hardwood that is 3/4" thick and 2 1/2" wide. It is either red or white oak. (kind of a bear to find) Anyway, after the dust and sawdust settled, we have a sub floor showing over 1/3 or the dining room floor. Such fun trying to keep the house presentable.

This reminds me of the job of getting a book published. After it is accepted for publication, the work begins. One thing leads to another. First you write the book, then write the synopsis for the back cover. The next step is to get people to write reviews, then write acknowledgements, and dedications. There really are a lot of steps to it. It is a fun process.

You would think that writing a synopsis of a book would be much easier than the book itself. I have to say that it has been a bigger challenge for me than you might think. Also, the author biography is a soul searching experience. "What have I done with my life?" or "Where have I been?" I find that I am so terribly ordinary.

Now, let me tell a goofy story about Terry and I...THAT'S EASY AND FUN!!!

Tillamook, Oregon

The first Monday of August Terry and I travelled with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law to Tillamook, Oregon. It is a beautiful city next to the lovely Oregon coast. When I set up the book signing at the Cornerstone Bookstore, I thought it was probably a tiny place with a few fishermen and tourists. I was wrong. Tillamook is a busy city with many stores and a cheese factory and air museum.
Since Terry is a restless sort, I sent he and his brother to the air museum to wile away the two hours of the book signing. (Really who needs antsy men around a small bookstore rifling through the books and stuff.) My sis-in-law enjoyed shopping in the nearby stores. I, of course, stayed behind and had a great visit with Alisa, the owner of the store. I am afraid I purchased a few more dollars than I made at the book signing, but it was worth it. I found some great stuff. There was a wide selection of gift items and books. I was able to take care of some shopping that I needed to do for upcoming things.
I enjoyed meeting customers there and visiting and laughing with them.
We were also blessed to meet some very sweet fellow travellers at the Amarillo airport on our way to Portland. Among them were a retired cake decorator from Greeley, Colorado and a couple from Midland, Texas and their daughter. While we were visiting we found that some of them knew people we knew. I am so glad that we had our conversation with them.
Terry and I had to sit in different areas of the plane on the trip home, but each of us decided to make the best of it. While we did not force people to converse with us, we asked a question or two to see if our seat mates were up to visiting. They were! Terry met some very interesting women from Austin, Texas who were going to Amarillo to do a story of people of interest there. He enjoyed visiting with them very much. On one leg of our journey I met a very nice elementary school teacher and on the next, I met a young man who was the age of my sons who is a welder. He had been in the military for a few years and now is working in Texas as a welder. He was very kind and we laughed all the way from Dallas to Amarillo.
While we had a lot of sight seeing activities in Oregon and Washington, a big part of the fun was meeting people on the way. I am glad that I have a husband that joins me in interest in people. If you give a person a moment of time, they open up and you can see a little of the miracle of their original personality. God bless them all!

The Bathtub is PAINTED!!!

When we began the bathtub painting saga, I didn't know it would take us this long to actually get it done, but now it is finished!!! yeah!

It isn't that the process takes so long. No, just the bathtub painters take a long time to do the work. Mind you, we are not talking professionals...Not even semi-pros. Week end warriors is even a stretch. (mostly because most weekends we don't work on the house or even like to) We are do-it-yourselfers-'cause-it's-supposed to be cheapers. (Is that the correct term?)

We were due to be out of the house for a week and Terry figured that it would be a perfect time to put the last coats on the bathtub. (Refer to an earlier post if you don't know the first part of this story.) The curing process takes three days and Terry would rather die than take a bath upstairs where there is no shower. Thus, the perfect timing being while we were away.

I do have to say IT LOOKS GREAT! Oh man, it started out pitted by acid and wear and tear. Now it is smooth and easy to clean. It is so shiny. I picked up a kit from Home Depot for bathtub painting similar to the first one we got only this one was much better. It had the special gloves, cleaner, steel wool, and was premixed! All we had to do was clean the tub as per the directions, tape off the tub surround and fixtures and spray. There were fumes, but it wasn't that bad. I am so proud of my pretty tub. The name of the tub paint kit is:Homax Tough Tile Tub Tile Sink Refinishing Kit.

Headed for Oregon

Terry and I are going to Oregon for a week. We plan to have fun with Terry's brother and his wife and also go to a coastal town called Tillamook for a book signing. When I spoke with the owner of the Cornerstone bookstore on Monday of this week she was worried about turnout for a book signing in her small store. I assured her that all was well and I wouldn't hold a grudge if I didn't sell a lot of copies of "Nan's Journey".

She told me that her store is now for sale. Mmmmm....that sounds tempting don't you think? The Oregon coast is such a beautiful place in our country. I am excited to meet this friendly and kind woman and I hope that she is able to get a great price on her business. If you are in Tillamook, Oregon on Aug 4th from 2-4 p.m. I would love to meet you.

This leads me to tell you a little story about book signings. They aren't really like they show them on television unless you are one of the people who have sold a gazillion copies of a book. Don't get discouraged when people walk quietly by trying not to make eye contact with you. They don't know you and don't know what a great book you are selling. Some of the funniest questions I get asked is: "Are you Nan?" or "Did you write this?" I don't really know of anyone who would sit in a bookstore for 2 hours at a table of books unless they were the person who wrote it. The skin has to grow thicker with each book signing. After 30 since November, I have a hide like an elephants as far as that goes...

Not everyone is stand-offish. There are some pretty neat people who engage you in conversation. I love that! They each have so much to offer. I met people who have family connected with Tate Publishing and people who are writing books, articles, and short stories. I love to encourage them and tell them to keep going. Kids are fun because there are a lot of them who aspire to be a writer. "Just keep on writing!" is my usual reply because I think that when you enjoy something like writing, you need to continue doing it.

Some of the people I have spoken with have become email friends. I enjoy email, myspace, shoutlife, facebook, and all those social networks. If you want to leave a comment or send an email, I will get back to you. If you are interested in the next book, "Elk's Resolve", be sure to let me know you want a pre-release copy and look at the blog I have for it. elksresolve.blogspot.com. I am going into the process from my end of the work of getting it into book form. All the editorial staff, cover design people, audio people, and the rest have a very big job ahead of them on this... I don't know all the ins and outs of what they do, but you will see what happens from my point of view on the elk blog.

Thank you for stopping by

Patching the Hardwood Floor/Patching Hard Feelings

This week Terry has been taking a few of his extra vacation days off. He decided to tackle the hardwood floor this time. The previous owners had taken out a floor furnace that was located in a doorway between the dining room and the living room. They slapped down a piece of plywood and covered it with wall to wall carpet. He took up the carpet in one of the closets and began prying up the hardwood floor there. After trial and error he was able to get the pieces up with a crow bar without damaging them beyond repair. The plywood was another story. This was done in the times that people used nails the size of spikes...yikes!
After levelling the floor area he began placing the hardwood floor pieces in the area to be patched. With a lot of TLC, sanding, staining, and varnishing...It should look ...pretty good!

Terry has a very hard time staying awake in the evening time. He sleeps like a hibernating bear in his recliner. He has slept through some of the most exciting movies and TV shows out there. When he gets out of the recliner he is wide awake. As I am trying to drift off to sleep he begins talking and talking...mmm. I have tried to explain that I am trying to get some sleep...oh well.

This evening I was writing on my book and was trying to think of that perfect word to finish the thought of a paragraph. Terry came into the room where I was writing and was hurt that I didn't answer his remark for a few seconds. I had to explain that I was in deep thought. (Not that thoughts get all that deep around here.) I had not intended to hurt his feelings. He took it well. It was a vivid reminder that ...When you are writing you need to do it where you cannot be interrupted! I told him that after I finished the sentence he would have my full attention. Guess what? He got in his recliner and fell asleep while we were talking!!! Men!

Writing is FUN!!!

Sunday afternoon I plunged into the third book in the "Heritage Series". It was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. The thing about writing is the amazment of watching a story unfold and getting acquainted with the characters.

Those characters are misfits sometimes. They behave like real people (if you are on the right track) and don't always do the "right" things. "Good" people do bad things and "bad" people do good things. It makes the process interesting and fun. I try to zip myself into each character's skin. I want them to be believable.

The mindset of the west in the 1800s is a lot different than the way people think in the 2000s. My grandparents were raised in the 1800s and a lot of the standards were taught to my parents who did not stray from those standards. I have to admit that I have eased up on some things, but the basic truths are still cemented in my bones. That also helps with writing about this time period.

I am excited for you to read the books following "Nan's Journey". I think you will become invested in the characters and the story. Keep watching...you never know when they will be coming out!

I want to encourage those of you who have a story in you. Write it down! There is a great feeling of accomplishment to see it completed on your own computer screen. Most people don't get that far. Then, take the next step. For me, it was sending it to the publisher. For most, it is finding an agent. Take one step at a time. Don't get bogged down in the process. Like Nike says, "Just do it!"

Camping in the Mountains

A couple of weeks ago Terry and I traveled through Trinidad, Colorado and tent camped in the forest on a mountain above Monument Lake. The spruce and Aspen were beautiful. A roaring creek cut through our camping spot and the air was crisp and clear. I felt like I had gone to heaven. It is one of my favorite places on this earth.

I found myself thinking of the people in my family who had camped in this same campground with us. A lot of them are gone. I sat by the stream and cried. I miss our conversations around the roaring campfire my dad always tended. I also miss his strong campfire/cowboy coffee. The sweet laughter from my sisters and brother-in-law were missed. I promised myself that I would get my two brothers, my only sister that is left and my children up on that mountain to camp with me...soon.

I know the past cannot be recreated, but I do want some new memories from the time I am living in NOW. I think I have a good chance of getting at least some of us together. The tranquility of the spot is needed and wanted.

Confidence

Confidence... pause and think about the word. To many it is illusive. To others it is as natural as breathing. To me, it is a struggle. This morning I listened to Joyce Meyer talking about confidence. She has taught to "do it afraid" for years. The premise is that when you are afraid do the things you need/want to do anyway. Step out and try while your heart is pounding.

The reason it took me so long to get the first draft of "Nan's Journey" written was lack of confidence. One day I decided that I was going to finish writing it because, if nothing else, it was an accomplishment to actually finish the "book that is in me." I did it for myself! I decided that it was worth the trouble even if it was only for my enjoyment. The Lord lead me so gently. When I finished my friend, Rhonda, told me that her niece worked for a publisher in the acquisitions department. I was blown away. She said to send it in because they promote new authors! Of all things!!!

You know the rest of that story. Even with the miracles that have happened with "Nan's Journey", fear creeps in. What if the sales stop? What if no one shows up for my book signings? What if...? I keep pretty detailed records on "Nan's Journey" sales and promotion and addresses of the people who have purchased it. When I get discouraged I look at those records. Yesterday I got a newsletter from Tate Publishing and Enterprises, my publisher. Their marketing department had just returned from a big meeting of publishers and "book people" in general. They had great success in the time they were there. Where other publishers are downsizing, they have increased by more that 200%!!!

I have to admit that when I heard about Thomas Nelson downsizing, I worried about Tate. God has His hand in all of this. He is with all the publishers that are getting out His word. Big publishers and small. So... I keep my hand in God's capable hand and keep on typing away on the books He leads me to write.

I am about 1/2 way on the first draft of book 3 in the "Nan's Heritage" series!!!! Pre-release sales of "Elk's Resolve" are going well and since November "Nan's Journey" has sold over 815 copies. (I know that is a far cry from 50,000 but it is in God's hands!) If you haven't ordered a copy of "Nan's Journey", sign the guest book or hit the link. If you want to be one of the first 100 to get a pre-release copy of "Elk's Resolve" sign the guest book. (the links won't know what you are talking about ...smile smile)

A Voice in the Wind

I just finished reading "A Voice in the Wind" by Francine Rivers. In many ways it was a disturbing read in that Rome in the first century was much like our world today. So much for the "good old days" huh! The challenges the main character overcame made me come face to face with the reality that even on my worst days, I am blessed. In the days that Hadessah lived in Rome every religion and thought was accepted and held in high esteem, EXCEPT for Christianity and Judaism. Does that sound familiar to anyone? The difference is that today, at least for now, in the United States the persecution meted out is humiliation or slander instead of facing literal lions in the coliseum.

When we watch the History channel on television and they show the coliseum we often think of the place as a place of games. IT WAS A PLACE OF SLAVERY AND DEATH! The blood thirst of the spectators held them prisoner as well as the gladiators and Christians. Most of the time the reality of the place never reaches our brain. God, forgive me!

My fear of offending or conflict has been hard to overcome. I know the Lord will be with me to stand for my beliefs to the end. This book has given me much to think about. The characters were interesting, complex, and infuriating. It is worth the time and energy to read and explore the deeper issues of life.

Contract for "The Sequel"!!!

Yesterday I was contacted by Tate Publishing and Enterprises. They sent me a contract for the sequel to "Nan's Journey". The story continues with twists and turns that I think you will like.

Now the work begins: edits, book cover design choices, voice choices for the audio version, and a boat load of other things. I am excited to get my sleeves rolled up and begin the process. "Nan's Journey" took about 10 months to get the pre-release copies in my hands. The acquisition process took about 2 months of that so I am thinking (not promising) that "Elk's Resolve" (the working title) pre-release copies should be ready in 8 months. (Feb or March?)

Terry and I have decided that we want to do something special for the first 100 orders for "Elk's Resolve". You will be the first to get a copy and we will let you have it for a special price. $10. This will be a $4 or $5 savings! Send in your name and I will save one for you and let you know when to send in your $10.

I desire your prayers over this book and a continuation of prayers for "Nan's Journey". As you know each book has an underlying theme. Nan's was forgiveness and Elk is overcoming depression along with other sub themes.

God bless you!

P90X - Extreme Exercise & Core Rhythms

As soon as we get back from vacation Terry and I are going to get back to our exercise programs. He really loves the P90X by Beach body. I also like it too. He really has seen results with it. I do not have upper body strength so I don't do the chin ups, but I am going to attempt it this round. I used to joke that I didn't think I needed to do chin ups until I only have one chin. Well, I got a few half-hearted laughs over that and now it is time to get real about getting strong. I am going to lift weights and the whole nine yards. (building up little by little mind you!)
I also love the core rhythms DVD. It really does take 2 inches off the waist in 2 weeks! I have to watch and not get over enthusiastic with my hip movements because at my age, my hip goes out more than I do. (I know that's an old joke, but it is TRUE)
What does all this have to do with writing books and reading "Nan's Journey"? Well, I want to be healthy for a good long time and I want my mind to be sharp enough to write a good many books before I die. One way to do this is to get and stay in shape. Terry is my mentor in this because he has a body at 52 that many guys in their 20's would die for. The muscles he has are awesome! His health is great and I am tired of being jealous and ready to DO SOMETHING!
How about this:
Sign my guestbook and I will put your name in a drawing for a free copy of "Nan's Journey" to be given away on July 20. If you tell me you are going to exercise, I will put your name in twice!

Running Down The Path

Psalms 119:30 – 32 – “I have chosen the way of truth: I have set my heart on Your laws. I hold fast to Your statutes, O Lord: do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set me free.” NIV

When I read the phrase “running down the path” it conjured up memories of bygone summers. I can just feel the hot dust as my little bare feet trot down a windy path to the lake. The warm breeze tugs at my hair and I anticipate plunging in to the cool dark water awaiting me.

The feelings I have when I think of moments like that are of sheer pleasure and freedom. I think the last time I actually did something akin to that was in my young adulthood. Face it, as we grow older we forget how to “run down the path”. We start fretting about whether there are stickers on the way or if there are germs in the water, or a myriad of other things. We don’t have time to even think about the path much less look at the path or run down the path.

Since this Scripture is not speaking of a literal path, how does it pertain to me? The “path” is the way of truth, the laws of God and His statutes and commands. At first those words have a harsh sound to them, but they are no harsher than the statement that there is a law of gravity. “What goes up must come down.” There is absolute truth. That truth is found in God. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” I like to think of the word “Way” as the path. If we walk within the laws of God and His statutes we have no more cause for concern than a law abiding citizen has about being arrested by the police.

When we run in the path of His commands, we are set free. Have you ever noticed that when you are driving your vehicle with an expired safety sticker or tag and you see a police car, you feel uneasy? You pray that they will not be looking closely enough to realize that you are not up to date on your stuff. In contrast, when you have all the updated tags and stickers on your vehicle and you are obeying all the traffic laws, you don’t even think about being pulled over for an offense. That feeling is freeing.

When I started on the path of getting “Nan’s Journey” published I was skeptical. I thought I was too old and uninteresting for God to use in this way. He has faithfully helped me with every step I have taken. Sometimes I feel that I am crawling or creeping down the path. Other times I am running. I thank God that He is still leading me and cares about me. Would you like to join me in a little run?

Inspirational Times online Magazine Has a Write-Up About Me!

Inspirational Times has done an article on me. If you want to see it click on the link in the column on the left! Please send a comment to them if you like it. INSP-Times.com Christian Newspaper-

Can I Be "Real" With You?

In my search to study marketing for the promotion of my book, I found a post about blogs. The author of this blog post said that it was not wise to jump from topic to topic on a blog and that the writer of the blog needs to determine the purpose for writing it.

Some of the reasons stated were
*Is it about your book?
*Is it about writing?
*Is it to share experiences in your life?
*Is it for sharing interviews with authors & people connected with the business?

Well, I have to be real with you. I think I want to do most of those things. Will I do them? Who knows? One thing I do know is that I cannot teach writing! Of course I am kinda pushing "Nan's Journey" under your nose all the time on this blog. It is named Nan's Journey after all and I do want those of you who haven't heard about it to get a copy and tell me what you think of it. I love telling the crazy little stories about my life. It seems that odd things happen to me at the oddest times, so I HAVE to share.

I guess the main focus of this blog is that being an author is not what I thought it would be. The weight of the message of my book is heavy on my shoulders. Forgiveness is the overlying theme of the book and it is one of the things I struggle with in my life. Letting go of hurts does not come easy for me, but I know I need to do it.

I want people to know that it is possible to write a book, get it published, and promote it. Each step is a feat, but it can be done. Today I met a man in the post office. He heard me talking with the young woman at the counter about sending a couple of books to Australia. I get kind of animated and goofy, so I guess my conversation stuck out to him. He approached me and said that he wrote a book, sold 1000 copies of it and decided that marketing was not his thing. He doesn't pursue sales anymore. I think he still writes because he said he does reviews for books. I handed him a copy of mine and asked him to review it. He looked at it and said that he had a copy of it and was working on the review. I was awestruck so I forgot to ask him his name! (If, by any chance, he finds this post...I appreciate your kindness this morning.)

Each step is just that...a step. I learn daily about things in the writing world. I don't know many people in "the business" . I have met a couple of authors by email and now I consider them friends. We share tips and such. The thing that scares me most about the title "author" is that people who would like to talk to me will think that I don't care to talk to them. I want to help you if I can. If I can't be of help, together we can brainstorm about what steps to take next for you.(and me;)

One thing I do is to keep a notebook of the things I have tried in marketing. I note the date, cost, effort, and results. I started doing this to help my sons when they are published to not make the same mistakes and spin their wheels as much as dear old mom has. I also write down things that I think I will remember such as: Date I wrote the thank you card to the bookstore mgr, posters sent to the store, books ordered, books sold, books given away for review, date I joined a certain writer's group, etc.

I seem to always be saying that I am pretty vanilla. What I say and write is pretty much who I am as a person. I try to be very honest and hopefully very helpful. In this blog, you have a window into my simple life. I am a very happy woman with a great family and good friends. My life has it's difficulties and is not perfect, but I choose joy.

I hope you visit often. I will try to update twice a week. (We will see how that goes ;)

P.S.
I haven't forgotten that I am supposed to tell you how the bathtub painting story finishes.... we just haven't put on the last coat yet. I think it is going to look great though! The tub is already so much easier to clean.

Love Crosses All Boundaries

Boundary defined by Webster's New World College Dictionary is: any line or thing marking a limit; bound; border.

Bound: a boundary; limit; confine - out of bounds:1 beyond the boundaries or limits, as of a playing field 2 not to be entered or used; forbidden.

The last post I wrote told that Terry and I were going to West of 50s Camp. We did. It was a blast! There were only a few of the campers who were in their fifties. The rest were in the decades of sixties through nineties. Every one of them were people with something great to contribute to the world and me in particular. After we introduced ourselves the "age thing" ceased to be an issue. (I have to say that it was cool to be one of the "kids" of the bunch.)

As we played games, sang, ate, and worshipped together I was struck by the depth of emotion and gusto they expended. Their enthusiasm was infectious and Terry & I jumped in with both feet too. One lady's home had burned to the ground only three weeks earlier but you would never know it. Despair had not found a home in her heart. She was an inspiration to me.

The sermons were encouraging and passionate. The call to serve was given to all of us no matter our age. Some of the oldest faces glowed with the realization that God was not through with them yet and they still had great purpose in life. I suspect that a lot of well-meaning younger people have taken over jobs from them to help them but in the process made them feel that they were not needed anymore. Of course most of them could not do as much as they did when they were younger, but they still wanted to be used and needed.

The singing was straight from the heart and with great strength. Terry and I sang our tonsils out and had a great time worshipping our wonderful Savior. No, it didn't sound as refined as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but it was a joyful noise presented to our Father in heaven. I am certain that He appreciated the offering. I know I did. I will say it again, these saints were passionate in their praises. I entered in whole-heartedly and I gained strength from it.

Terry and I sang a "special" at the singspiration time that we learned in 1975 at Bible College. "Jesus Will Outshine Them All". In case you don't know that particular song, it talks about getting to heaven and experiencing all that heaven has to offer. After you get there you realize that Jesus is the greatest thing about heaven. I can hardly wait to see Him! Our friends clapped and cheered as if we were rock stars but we knew they were really cheering for Jesus. It was a neat experience. Of course we heard many other "specials" that hour and my tears flowed unchecked because of the devotion of the hearts of these people.

Teen-agers and young sponsors were there to assist all of us and I really appreciated the love they showered on us. They treated us like the people who work on cruise ships would have. They were called "The Furnace Group". I called them the little slaves!!! Boy did those kids work hard! They were learning about leadership in learning servanthood first. "The greatest among you is the servant of all."

As we sat there in the meeting room as people mostly known as Believers, I was very happy that the boundaries were down. They prayed for me and I prayed for them. We were God's children. I feel that in churches today the focus has been on reaching the younger decades. The oldest decades have been ignored and unused. It is as if when someone reaches a certain number, whether it be 35, 40, 50, 70... they are no longer relevant. That is so not true!

Some of my best friends are in their seventies, eighties, and up. They bless me with their wisdom and knowledge of life. I see that they made it through the things I am going through so I know that I will make it too. " I found it interesting that part of the definition of boundary was "forbidden, not to be used, limit" Please, for your own sake, do not discount the importance of our older people. They have the treasure of experience, time, age, wisdom, knowledge, and so much more. It was sad to me to think that some of my new friends may not be around for the next camp, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to talk with them and call them "friends".

We're Goin' Ta Camp!

Terry and I are going to "West of 50s" Camp with a group from our church. We love hangin' out with people our age and older! The older crowd has so much wisdom to share and we enjoy hearing their stories.

Terry will be 52 on Monday, June 9. I turned 52 in January. He likes to say that he "always went for older women!" I try to ignore his cute little remark as much as I can. I remember that I was 20 when the series "Charlie's Angels" came to television. Before the series ended the "angels" were turning 30. I remember thinking, "They don't look toooooo bad for being 30!" It helped me when I had my 30th birthday to remember that. Each decade there were people I watched and was able to be okay with the "age thing."

Since I have become an adult I have never lied about my age. I figured that I had better admit the number or people would think, "Boy, she sure looks older than that!" My two oldest sisters were twenty something years older than me when I was born. When they were approaching 70 I thought, "I wish I could be that pretty when I am 70!" My oldest sister passed away just shy of her 70th birthday and she was a beauty all of her life. (inside and out)

I'm excited about the adventure of spending time with the "West of 50" group. It will be interesting to see which decade over 50 has the most get up and go...I might be surprised!

Car Window Decals/Stickers

As you know, the contest for the free book in June is for the best idea for me to use in marketing "Nan's Journey". When I first got the marketing package from my publisher they recommended that I read a book by Leon Mentzer called "Amen". One of the many ideas within the pages of the book was to put a sign on your car. I was timid about doing that so I didn't know what to do.

One day I was driving down Main Street and noticed a neat looking decal on the back window of a minivan. It was a logo of a college sports team. I decided to contact a friend of mine who owns a sign company in Liberal, KS and ask her to design a bumper sticker-sized decal with a clear background and white script letters. After some thought we decided it should read:
Read Nan's Journey
Get it at
nansjourney.blogspot.com

That is all it says! It looks great and she did a wonderful job. When Aimee saw it she wanted one to put on her car in Denver. I sent a quick email to Jammie, my sign maker, that I needed ten more stickers. Terry heard that I ordered ten and told me to scale back because we didn't need ten. I began to wonder how I would "get rid" of nine window stickers. I put out a plea on myspace saying that I had free window stickers for anyone who would really put it on their car to help me advertise "Nan's Journey". In two hours I had 14 takers!!! Now I had to order more!

I ordered 20 so now I have 6 left!!! I am overwhelmed with the support that has been given to me and this book. It is more than I can say in gratitude when readers take on the promotion. Their kindness is...humbling.

Do you have an idea or two or a hundred? Come on...you just might win the June contest!

If you want information on Jammie and her sign business, sign my guest book and I will let her know.