Our Christian Mission Is to Love

Originally, I thought I would write about the adult Sunday School lesson I'm teaching today, "Our Work with Creation," but on my morning walk yesterday, God spoke to me about something else.     
              

When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And  the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). Jesus was telling us that loving God and others is the most important thing we can do. If we get this right, we will keep all the rest of God's commandments at the same time. 

I'm afraid that too many Christians today are putting other things above God and hating those who don't agree with them. As a former history teacher, I know that politics are important, because they directly affect our lives, but they're not more important than God and His Word. I can pretty much guarantee that the Lord is neither a Democrat or a Republican, and He loves each equally. We are supposed to pattern our lives like Jesus', and He never ranted against leaders (although some of the Roman leaders were pretty bad). He never blasted those who didn't believe the way He wanted them to (although there was no doubt that His ways were right). The only people He ever became angry with were those who thought they were better than everyone else or those who were greedy and self-centered. 

My prayer is that none of us become too much like the self-righteous Pharisees. Let us focus on following the Great Commandment and really put God first in our lives and love Him and everyone else with no exceptions.

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Grandfather Mountain

In Cleared for Planting, the farms of both the Cagles and the Moretzes are to the north of Grandfather Mountain. The mountain got its name, because from at least one angle, it resembles a man's reclining head with a beard. The peaks form his forehead, nose, chin, and beard. 
                                                                                                                                                            (Photo by Amy Curlee Pruitt) 

At 5,946 feet, it's the highest point on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a major chain in the Appalachians. The peaks of Grandfather have been known to experience very high winds, some say in excess of 200 mph. Two rivers originate on the mountain - the Linville River, mentioned in the novel, flows east, and the Watauga River flows west.   


                                                  

(Photo by Amber Speight)

Listen to the characters talk about the mountain in Sown in Dark Soil, the second book in the Appalachian Roots Series.

            “Look at Grandfather,” Luke said. He pointed to the mountain in the distance.

            “The mountain?” Ivy asked.

            “Yes, the Cherokee called it ‘Tanawha,’ which means great hawk or eagle in their language. The settlers named it ‘Grandfather Mountain.’ Look at it. See, it looks like the profile of an old man with a beard. He’s reclining horizontally. Can you see it?”

            I don’t see an old man,” Ivy said. “All I see is a mountain.”

            “It’s the head of a man with a beard,” Leah told her. See the first rise is his forehead. The sharp, thin peak is his nose, then comes his chin and beard. Can't you see it?

            “I can see it now,” Patsy said excitedly.

            “We’re getting close to where we turn again,” Luke told them.  


                                                                                                                   
                                                  (Photo by Hugh Morton)                              

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Meet Edgar Moretz

Edgar Moretz is one of the main characters in Cleared for Planting. He's eighteen when we meet him and has two older brothers and a younger sister. He has the reputation of being a tease, but he's never malicious with his teasing, and he has a serious side, too.    

 Edgar's family is of German decent. His grandfather came to the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina from Pennsylvania, while some of the family stayed there. Edgar's uncle has a grist mill at Meat Camp, to the northeast, but his father is a farmer. The family lives in a two room log cabin with a larder (pantry), but it seems spacious to Emma. She even likes Edgar's teasing and senses something special about him.    

Edgar helps Emma find answers to some of her questions about the Bible, and she accepts Christ as her Savior. Ironically, however, when trouble comes, Edgar is the one who wavers in his faith, while Emma stands strong.


See the excerpt below to read a portion of Cleared for Planting:

     "I'm fourteen," she answered, but please call me Emma. Emmaline is a mouthful."
     "It's a very pretty one, though," Martin said. 
     "Edgar looked at Francie and Christie then back at Emma. "Just like the girl," he said and gave her a quick wink. 
     Emma almost laughed out loud. What a tease! She looked over at Christie. If Christie's face hadn't been skinned from their fall, she bet Edgar wouldn't think Emma was the pretty one. Emma knew her brown hair was too dark to be called "blond," and her eyes were more gray than blue.
     Edgar was the most handsome of the three Moretz brothers, however. He had sandy brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and you could just tell he enjoyed life. She'd better watch herself around this one. Her hand quivered as she reached for her water glass. What was wrong with her? She'd never acted like this before.

....

     Emma looked over at her older sister. Francie had the pretty feminine curves, but her face looked rather plain. Emma and Christie were more slender, but Christie had the pretty face. Where did that leave Emma? Somewhere in the middle, like always. She sighed.

     "I'm wondering what's going on in that pretty head of yours," Edgar said to her.

    "I'm just thinking about my sisters."

     "If they make you sigh like that, I'll trade you two brothers for them, if you want, but I'd rather you take me."

     Emma felt her face begin to heat up. She looked around, and the adults were all busy with their own conversations. "I'm not sure I could handle you," she said back.

     Edgar laughed easily. "Oh, I think you could handle me just fine. You'd have me wrapped around your little finger in no time."

     "Edgar quit your teasing." Mrs. Moretz had heard his last remark. "These are our guests, and they don't know us well enough for that."

     "Yes, Mama, but I was just trying to get to know them better."

     "Edgar, don't you talk back to your mother," Mr. Moretz told him.

     "No, sir. I didn't mean to sound like I was."

     "Enough said, son."

     "Yes, sir."

     He turned back to Emma. "I hope I didn't offend you, Emma. I only tease those I like."

     "I hope you'll tease me forever, then," Emma whispered. 

     Edgar raised his eyebrows, and then gave her a huge smile.

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I'm Thankful for Librarians

I've always said that some of my favorite people are librarians. I can never remember meeting a rude one, and most have gone beyond their job description to help me. As a lifelong student, teacher, historian, and writer, that's important.

In North Carolina, I've called the Stanly County Public Library, and staff members have looked up information for me while I waited on the phone. If Appalachian State University isn't able to find what I need, they've always pointed me to someone else who could. Faye Byrd at Wilkes Community College emailed me old maps of Wilkesboro and answered many of my questions. Glenda Austin at the Oakboro Branch Library has gone out of her way to be helpful, and Deborah Baugham at Chowan University put extra effort into finding me any books I needed, even though Chowan might not have them. The list could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the picture. Thank you, librarians!

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How I Write

When I write, I don't do a lot of planning on paper. If I did, I would lose my momentum and enthusiasm to write to learn all about the story myself. I have had the ideas about a book rolling around in my head for months. I know the main characters, the setting, and the story line. I also have certain scenes that come to me all along. When I sit down to write, I start at the beginning and write like I read, fast and furious. This is the exciting part, because I write to see what happens and how the details play out. 

I have also had characters that surprised me. In the Appalachian Series, for example, I actually wrote the second book in the series first. But Emma became a more central character than I had planned, and she told me I needed to go back and write her story. So I did. There was another character in Cleared for Planting that refused to fade away, so I brought that character back in the third book, Uprooted by War. This is another facet that makes writing so much fun. I live with these characters, and some of them become close friends, or so it seems.

If I'm writing a historical novel, I always do quite a bit of research before I start. Yet, things come up along the way that I have to check as I write. I also always check my vocabulary to make sure it's appropriate for that time period as I write.

I should also add, that I always feel God with me, and I pray for His guidance. I want to give Him the glory in my writing, because He gave me the desire and gift to write. For more on this see the "About" posts on this website.

I have written the first draft of a novel in as little as twelve days and five manuscripts have not taken more than two weeks. Of course, others have taken longer, because I didn't have time to write full-time. And, these are only the first drafts. I go through each one, edit, and correct at least a dozen times, if not more. Although I've never outlined or done extensive plot planning on paper, I often make short notes as I write about details I'll need to recall later in the story. I've also done brainstorming, planning, and plotting in my mind.

It isn't unusual for me to have the ideas for four or five books in mind at any one time. They come to me faster than I can write them. The persistent ones that don't leave are the ones I write. I have written eleven books so far. The Appalachian Roots Series has four books, and the first one, Cleared for Planting is being published (see other posts here for more information); I have a contemporary trilogy; one set in early Pennsylvania; one on the Oregon Trail; and a contemporary that begins on a cruise ship. In addition, I've written one Christian non-fiction, On the Road to Jericho. I have also just begun a historical series set in New Mexico, and it will have about five books. I also have another contemporary in mind about a pastor's wife, the break-up of her marriage, and the aftermath. 

Please feel free to ask me any questions about my writing. I love to talk about it, and I like the direction that questions give.

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Back to College

When my husband accepted a fulltime church to pastor in Powellsville in the northeastern corner of North Carolina, I knew we'd not be able to travel as much, so I looked for another way to satisfy my love of learning. There sat Chowan University only about fifteen miles away. 


We moved in September 2012, and I went back to take regular college classes for the first time in years that spring semester of 2013. I took Renaissance Literature, Christianity in the Roman Empire, and Novel Writing. Coming from a teacher's perspective, I did every assignment the teachers gave to the best of my ability, studied hard, and I ended up making good grades with the lowest being a 97. Even better, I made some great friends among the faculty and students. For the most part, the students were very accepting of an "old" student in their midst.

I needed a break after that intensive semester, so I took fall off and returned spring 2014 to take Stuart England, Poetry Writing, and a literature class on an author with North Carolina connections. 

      
I made new friends and even better grades than before. God surely blessed! I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Chowan and found it to be an excellent small university. However, I may not go back to school anytime soon. I want to give my writing and book promotions my full attention for a while.

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Emma Cagle 

Emmaline Cagle is the main character in Cleared for Planting, especially in Part One. The book opens with the family in an old farm wagon pulled by a team of poor mules on their way to the North Carolina mountains to live with her father's brother, whose wife and son have died. Emma is fourteen; her older sister, Francine (Francie) is sixteen; and the youngest, Christine (Christie) is ten.

Their father has had a drinking problem in the past, but Emma hopes the move will mean he changes, too. At least he hasn't had anything to drink on the journey.

Emma has quite an imagination. Here's a short version of how she sees one scene when they've climbed the first mountain:

(Photo by Amber Speight)

            Emma thought the area at the top of the mountain looked prettier than a painting. The trees stood straight and tall, as if they'd been stationed there to protect her. At least, they kept her from seeing any more of the huge cliff edges and drop-offs. Her spirit took wing. She almost felt as if she could reach up and touch the sky.

          She looked up to see an eagle soaring overhead. Emma could imagine it grow larger, swoop down, scoop her up, and fly her up to have a full view of the whole area. Now that would be something! She’d be like Icarus, except her wings wouldn't melt.

To be continued...

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Choose Happiness
"This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). Happiness is a choice based on how we choose to react to a situation. The secret to real happiness is turning everything over to God. Of course this is easy to say but not so easy to put into practice. However, the more we give God control of our lives, the more the burdens are lifted from our shoulders. As long as we have our focus on God and recognize His goodness and blessings with a thankful heart, we can't help but be happy. If our focus is on ourselves, we'll never be satisfied. It's so freeing to come to the place of surrender and not be weighed down with problems. The problems may still be there, but their effect on us has changed. It's also in this place we draw close to God and feel what real peace and joy is like. It's the place where we get a small taste of heaven. 

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Writer’s Dilemmas

Many people have misconceptions about what a writer’s life is like. Most people think that writers make a lot of money. According to research by author, Robin Lee Hatcher, only about 1% of novelists are able to support themselves from their publications. Most are married to the breadwinner or work some other job.

Lisa Samson has had numerous successes as an author, but she recently announced she is leaving the field. She wrote, "The publishing world has changed drastically since I first set pen to paper almost exactly twenty-two years ago on August 8, 1992. Back then, you could just be a novelist.... The author has become increasingly responsible for marketing, publicity, and that platform I mentioned earlier. I'm simply not that kind of writer. I write, create, mull, think. write some more, go look in the fridge, and am not interested in nor gifted for the new responsibilities and I never have been. So, in essence, I'm a lousy person to publish in this new world. I fall down on the job when half of my job isn't writing. In other words, what is now required of an author is something I'm neither equipped for, nor willing to do. I write. That's it." As Lisa explained, today authors have to market and sell their books. They have to establish a platform with social media and websites. And if their first book doesn't sell well enough, there won't be a second one published.

On top of all this, publishers are paying less money. Lisa explains it this way: "I was recently offered a contract that was insufficient for me to support my family. A real step down from the previous one.... it was severely disappointing to have worked faithfully for two decades only to have your work go down in value to that point." So, when you hear of an author, don't assume they're raking in the money. Instead, know that most likely they're putting in hours and hours of hard work with little pay.

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What Was Boone, NC First Called?

Another interesting fact I found when researching my Appalachian Roots Series is that Boone was first called Councill's Store. The Councill family established a store early in the history of the area, and, by 1835, the store already included a post office. The community grew more quickly than most others in the area, and the lumber industry aided in this growth. At this time, the village was still part of Wilkes County. In 1849, the new county of Watauga was formed. Councill's Store, renamed Boone after the explorer, Daniel Boone, who had had a hunting cabin there, became the county seat.

Even having many relatives in Watauga County and graduating from Appalachian State University in Boone, I didn't know that Boone had first been called Councill's Store. This information enters into the first novel in the series, Cleared for Planting. By the last  books, Sown in Dark Soil, Uprooted by War and Transplanted to Red Clay, the town is called Boone.

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Country-style Venison

This is my mother’s recipe for country-style venison, and people have eaten it and thought it was beef. Mother was born and grew up in Watauga County, NC in the Appalachian Mountains. In my first novel, Cleared for Planting, I have Emma preparing venison this way for a guest.
                                                                           (Photo by Ken Christison)

Place frozen pieces of venison in a bowl of water with lemon juice. Vinegar also works, but my family prefers the lemon or lime juice, and fresh is better than reconstituted, although the reconstituted will work. This will remove the gamey taste. Put in the refrigerator for at least four hours, and it can be overnight. Rinse and place in fresh lemon water and set back in the refrigerator until it is completely thawed and soft. It is best when soaked for 8-12 hours. Rinse thoroughly. Use a washable cutting board (placing it on a folded towel will tone down the noise). You can sprinkle a little white meat tenderizer on both sides of each piece of meat and omit the salt, but we never do this. Beat in one direction and then the other with a meat mallet or the edge of a saucer that will not chip easily (I find the saucer works much better), until the meat thins some and tiny holes begin to appear.  Place in a skillet with heated oil and brown on both sides. Add water and steam turning at least once for over an hour or until fork tender. You may need to add more water along. Remove meat. Stir in flour to make gravy using either milk or water, whichever you prefer. I do this without measuring, but you can find a gravy recipe if needed. Your gravy won’t lump as much if your stock is not too hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place meat back into the gravy and simmer until ready to serve.

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Author Uses Unforeseen Source for Research

An interesting twist occurred in researching the Appalachian Roots Series. When I taught at Oakboro Elementary School, I also served as leader for the Oakboro Junior History Club. In order to get to attend the Tarheel Junior Historian Awards Day in Raleigh, a student had to submit a project. Blake Williams submitted a model of the early town of Big Lick. When I was writing  Transplanted to Red Clay, the fourth and final novel in the series, I used this model to help in my research, since the book is mainly set in Big Lick in Stanly County, NC.  This model is still on display at the Oakboro Regional Museum of History. So, the teacher used her student’s work as part of the research for her book. I never imagined such a thing might happen when the projects were submitted.

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How I Became a Writer

I grew up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains (Wilkes County), and my parents and relatives came from the Appalachians. Part of that heritage was an oral tradition of storytelling. Mother was the storyteller in my family, although Dad had a few of his own, especially funny ones.

I began writing my stories in about the third grade, and poetry started about seventh grade. Personal writing stopped during college at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC (back to my roots). Marriage and a family followed, and I didn’t start writing again until I’d finished my Master’s Degree.

I was teaching at the time, and I didn’t have time for extensive projects, so I wrote magazine articles. My first one about the tradition of quilting in North Carolina sold to The State Magazine the first time I sent it out. I received plenty of rejections after that, but having one published kept me going, and I’ve published in over forty magazines.    

       

Ironically, when I retired from teaching, I quit writing for a while, because I spent a lot of time traveling. When my mother became sick and I took on the role of caregiver, I had time to sit down and write my first novel. Isn’t it amazing how God uses bad situations for good? I’ve completed eleven manuscripts so far, and have lots more in mind. I love the journey and marvel at God’s gifts and blessings.

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What Was Lenoir, NC First Known As?

When I researched some of the locations I used in my novel, Cleared for Planting, I found some interesting bits of history or trivial. Some of it has to do with what would later become Caldwell County, North Carolina. In the book, Emma Cagle and her family travel from the flatlands of North Carolina to a small mountain farm out from Grandfather Mountain. On their way, they stop at Tucker’s Barn to get their wagon repaired.

In the 1760’s, a Tucker family settled near Lower Creek in what would later become Caldwell County. As the area grew, the Tucker homestead became a gathering place. Some of the events held there included voting, military practice, speeches, dances, and special celebrations. One musician even composed a piece called “Tucker’s Barn.” The Tuckers also ran a store on their property for a while, and the entire community became known as Tucker’s Barn.  In 1791, this area had nearly 3,000 people.

When Caldwell County was formed in January 1841, commissioners studied possible sites for the county seat and decided on Tucker’s Barn, because it had a larger concentration of people. The new town was named “Lenoir” after the Revolutionary War General, William Lenoir, who had once given a Fourth of July address at Tucker’s Barn.
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The Appalachian Roots Series

Since Cleared for Planting, the novel being published, is the first in a series of four, I thought you might like to see a synopsis of the other three. I've tried to write the summaries so they don't reveal too much and contain spoilers. If Cleared for Planting sells well, the others in series will be published as well.

* Appalachian Roots *

An inspirational, historical series

   Cleared for Planting – (see the first blog post below)

   Sown in Dark Soil -

Leah Morgan grew up on a plantation in Anson County, North Carolina, as her father’s favorite, while Mother favored her older sister, Ivy. When their father dies and Mother tries to force them to marry men they don’t want, they leave with Ivy’s secret fiancé to go to his home in the Appalachian Mountains. On the journey, Ivy’s petty selfishness comes out, and Luke begins to have reservations, but he feels God wants him to keep his word. Even his Granny Em likes Leah better, and she’s a shrewd judge of character. Ivy runs away, but Luke feels he needs to find her and make sure she’s okay, because he feels responsible.  As obstacle after obstacle surround them, will Ivy always stand between Leah and Luke, even as their feeling for each other grow?

   Uprooted by War -                                     

When the Confederacy begins conscription, Luke goes over the mountains to Tennessee to join the Union army, and they all rely on their faith to get them through. He fights in several battles, like Antietam, with only minor injuries but is captured at Gettysburg and sent to the Salisbury prison. He’s unable to contact any of his family and ends up in the horrors of Andersonville. In the meantime, those left on the farm are trying to survive amid raiders and scavengers. Will they all be able to persevere, or will the war tear them apart and take some of their lives as it has in so many other families?

   Transplanted to Red Clay -                        

Rachel goes to stay with her Aunt Ivy in Stanly County, North Carolina. Ivy’s first husband was killed in the war, and she’s married the man she once ran away with. Patrick, Ivy’s oldest son, has always been fond of Rachel, but he’s surprised by the way his sixteen-year old half-cousin looks now. He knows he’s falling in love with her, but struggles with the issues involved. Others are also interested in Leah and in Patrick’s sister, Hope. One admirer is rumored to be a member of a gang led by Jesse James. Rachel fills in for a school teacher and tames some wild students, but Blanche, the local beauty, is jealous of Rachel and stirs up trouble. When a criminal makes plans and the KKK objects to Rachel’s heritage and how she treats blacks as equals, the situation becomes dangerous for Rachel, Patrick, and Hope.