Contacting Authors

Fans seemed to be afraid to contact authors for fear they will be some sort of bother. I don't know about other authors, but I love to hear from fans. Perhaps some of the biggest names might be overwhelmed, but most of us aren't. I rarely receive an email and have never received a phone call. Messages and comments on social media are more frequent, but even they have never been overwhelming.

Hearing from fans give me much-needed feedback. I remain so close to all my books that I have no perspective and depend on readers to let me know how I'm doing. I love to talk about writing and books, and my family and friends get tired of hearing it, so questions are always welcomed. I find acclamations and praises encouraging and inspiring, and criticisms help me to know what I need to work on or change. I've heard some authors say they never read their books' reviews. I read everyone of mine, and sometimes I go back and reread them when I need a lift or some encouragement. Thankfully, so far, all eight of my published books have a five-star average on Amazon.

My contact information is posted under the top picture on the homepage of this blog. I feel that when authors give a way to reach them, it's okay to contact them. Writing is a very solitary profession, and it's good to hear from others about how I'm doing and what about my writing does or doesn't appeal to them. This is one way to keep improving and meeting my readers' expectations. It'll make me a better writer.

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The Numbers Behind Memorial Day

May 29, 2017, is Memorial Day, the day the United States has set aside to honor those who gave their lives to protect our nation and its interests. The holiday was established in 1868 but called "Decoration Day" at first, because the day was to be used to decorate the soldiers' graves. In fact, more Americans died fighting in the Civil War than in any other war, and nearly half those from all the wars we've fought died during this War Between the States.

Here are the rounded numbers of fatalities from all the major wars:

• Revolutionary War - 5,000
• War of 1812 - 2,000
• Mexican War - 13,000
• Civil War - 500,000
• Spanish American - 2,000
• World War I - 117,000
• World War II - 400,000
• Korean War - 54,000
• Vietnam War - 90,000
• Persian Gulf War - 2,000                                 
•  *Statistics from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans' Affairs
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So today, lets remember these men and women and their families who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Let us never take that lightly and never squander what's important with pettiness. 

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Old Testament Salvation

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteous (Romans 4:3).

As an older child, I often wondered how people in the Old Testament were able to go to heaven since Jesus hadn't yet come to earth and died on the cross. Genesis 15:6 gives us a clue in talking about Abraham. "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Some have interpreted this to mean Abraham's great faith got him into heaven. This is only partially true.

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6).

There is nothing that Abraham could have done to earn his salvation or get himself into heaven. This is why it was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. No matter how good we tried to be, we were unable to meet God's perfect standards. However, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God bestowed His grace on men of faith like Abraham, took favor with them, and allowed their faith to count as righteous. It wasn't that their faith was enough but that God's grace was. Just like today, salvation was a free gift from God and there's nothing we can do to earn it.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

However, this is the greatest gift you'll ever receive, and all you have to do is ask Christ into your life and believe. But this has to be heartfelt and sincere. When you belong to Christ, He will change your life, and you must let Him - want Him to.

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Grammar Matters

More and more, writers are getting the idea that grammar isn't important. Perhaps the explosion of self-publishing has contributed. I've had writers tell me that people didn't need grammar rules anymore, because they could put what sounded right, and it was all up to the writer. I disagree. I can and have edited for other writers, but I would never think about publishing something without having it edited first. I can catch other people's mistakes but not my own.

Grammar rules are there for a reason. They make writing uniform in much the same way Noah Webster made spelling uniform in America in the early 1800's. Without either, reading would be much more difficult. Correct grammar makes understanding clearer, comprehension faster, and reading smoother. Readers don't have to slow or stop to comprehend. Today, however, even the supposedly educated people use incorrect grammar more and more.

Here are some of the most common mistakes I'm finding:

• Using a nominative pronoun when an objective case is needed. Example: He gave it to Sue and I.
• Using an adjective instead of an adverb to modify an action verb. Example: He ate his lunch quick.
• Incorrect singular possessive nouns ending in an "s" (you still add an apostrophe "s"). Example: James' suit should be James's suit.
• Misuse of homonyms. Examples: "you're" for "your" or "complement" for meaning to praise, "compliment."
• Incorrect punctuation, which often changes meaning and understanding.

When I read one of the above errors, it slows me down to consider the mistake, I come out of the story, and the flow is broken. And of course, some of the problems change the meaning, like the wrong homonym. I would encourage all writers to strive to get it right and then get a good editor to make sure. Your readers will thank you with better sales and more positive reviews.

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The Oregon Trail Begins

On May 22, 1843, the first line of covered wagons pulled out of Independence, Missouri, headed for Oregon. About 900 people were willing to make the 2,200 mile trek across rugged, dangerous terrain. They followed foot trails set by fur trappers, and some of the forts along the way were first established for the fur trade.

Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, on the Oregon Trail

This group, as well as those who followed, would wait in Independence for the prairie grass to green up enough to support the livestock. There had been earlier trains that didn't go all the way to Oregon but ended in other locations more to the east, so the conditions ahead weren't totally unknown. Ever since Lewis and Clark explored the territory to the Pacific Ocean, the western lands had held promise. From 1846-1869, about 400,000 emigrants would attempt the journey.

Settlers to both Oregon and California used the first half of the trail, and then the California trail would fork off and go its separate way. After the first transcontinental railroad was up and running, travel on the trail began to decline. However, the trail left behind tales of danger, adventure, perseverance, and undaunted spirits that help form the country.

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Whose Will?

In Jeremiah 12, the remnant left in Judah fear the Chaldeans will come back and take them, too, so they decide to flee to Egypt. However, they go to Jeremiah first and ask him to pray for them, despite the fact that Judah had turned from God.

Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us. That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do (v. 2-3).

Jeremiah agrees to pray for them, and then they promise:

The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all the things for which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God… (v. 5-6).

God answered them through Jeremiah:

If ye will still abide in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the King of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord; be not afraid of him saith the Lord; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey to voice of the Lord your God Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, not hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread, and there will we dwell. Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt, and ye shall die {v. 10-11, 13-14, & 16).

After asking for God’s direction and receiving a clear answer, what do these people do? They go to Egypt. Before we judge them too harshly, think of the times you knew you should do one thing in order to be obedient, but you did something else based on what you wanted. We all have been there, especially if we’ve been Christians for a long time. Of course, what God told them would happen did. Disobedience always has consequences. Thankfully, we live in a time where we can have grace and forgiveness, but it’s important to learn from our mistakes and know that life is so much better when we obey. Following God’s will shouldn’t be an option for us, but He did give us free will. Therefore, don’t be like his remnant from Judah, refusing to give up the plans that seemed best to them. Choose to always follow God and His will for your life.

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Buying Reviews

I've been reluctant to give away books for the promise of the recipient leaving me a review. I question how ethical such a practice is, but it's what most other authors and many publishers do. Some have a team established who read a book early and post reviews as soon as it's published. Amazon allows this as long as the reviewer states it in their review, but most people still don't do that.

As a result, many of my books have very few reviews. In fact, Cleared for Planting, the book with the most reviews only has 23. Peace, the last one out, doesn't have any yet. The reviews I have, however, are very good, averaging 5 stars, the best rating. And most of them are not from family and friends. I have a really difficult time getting most of them to leave reviews, too. I don't think they realize how important they are or how much they mean. The best way to thank and author is to leave a review.

The books on Amazon that have the most reviews are the always free ones or those offered free often. I haven't done that either, although mine have been put on sale for 99 cents occasionally. I have 4,000 books stored on my kindle waiting to be read, and most of them have been free. If readers are able to get all the books they can possibly read for free, why buy them at all?

Perhaps I'm looking at this all wrong. I'm certainly no expert on marketing. And maybe what other writers are doing works better. However, my books are selling steadily in both print and ebooks, I'm enjoying writing and presenting, and I've established a solid fan base. Now if I could just get more good reviews.
(I would love to hear what you think, so please leave comments.)

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Floorcloths

Floorcloth at historic Kenmore

Floorcloth was an early term for a throw rug used to protect the larger flooring or to cut down on drafts and cold floors. These historic floorcloths were often made from oilcloth or heavy canvas and painted or stenciled to make them attractive. As such, they can even be waterproofed.

Making floorcloths

Floorcloths were widely used in colonial America and are still recognized as a part of Early American decor. They continued to be used into the nineteenth century, but the widespread use of linoleum after 1920 put an end to the general use of floorcloths, and they became a part of historical displays for the most part.

Installing a floorcloth at Kenmore

There have been revivals of interest in the craft periodically, such as during the years surrounding the Bicentennial, but in general, they've not become in vogue in modern times. It's somewhat of a shame, for they're fun to make and add a special touch to a home. They'd be great to use in front of a kitchen sink and could have designs to match any decor.

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The Power of Story

Several months ago, I heard a small group of pastors talking, and one was telling how he wouldn't waste his time reading novels, even if they were Christian. According to him, stories like that was unimportant and he saw no need for them. The others seemed to agree, and I was taken aback. I had never looked at Christian fiction so judgmentally.

My church has been doing a study using the book, Patterned, which is on "sharing & imitating Christ together." Week 8 deals with ministry opportunities through storytelling. Jesus was the Master Storyteller, using parables to teach important biblical truths. And yes, the parables were stories like those pastors were disparaging. 

"Stories can reach into the minds and hearts of people, teaching beliefs, values, and attitudes where other approaches have difficulty" (p. 193). They pull us in and cause us to apply what's happening there to our own lives. Research shows that 80% of the world's population prefer to learn from stories; and while a few might choose to learn through an explanation of concepts, even these can learn through stories.*

"No matter how much education we have, no matter how old we are, stories still move us" (p. 194). In fact, the Bible is not just a book or rules, as many think. It is God's story, a true story, but a story nonetheless. "Stories bring the truth to life" (p.199). "Many misunderstand the place and power of story. Jesus didn't. We shouldn't either. Story has the power to lead us and draw us into a deeper relationship with God" (p.195).*

*Robinson, George, Tim Brannagan, and others, Patterned. Cary, NC: Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. 2016.

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Tom Swifties

How many of you remember Tom Swifties? They are phrases using adverbs in a statement that almost become a pun. The term comes from a series of books about Tom Swift which started around 1910 and continued into modern times. In an effort to avoid being repetitive, the author constructed sentences using different ways to tell who said it, and some became almost comical.

People began constructing similar sentences for fun and produced many parodies, since they became even more exaggerated than the original ones. There have even been some books published that are filled Tom Swifties. Here are some examples of them:

This salad dressing has too much vinegar," said Tom acidly.
I'll try a martini," Tom said dryly.
"I don't like shellfish," Tom said crabbily.
I won't stick my arm in a lion's mouth again," the animal trainer told off-handedly.
"I might as well be dead," Tom croaked.
"My uncle struck oil," Tom gushed.
"It's too cold in here," Tom stated icily.
"I'm finally here," Tom announced presently.
"I'd like to make some returns on my investment," Tom said with interest.
"I think this spaghetti tastes great." Tom voiced his opinion saucily.
"Do you also write fairy tales?" the brothers asked grimly.

What do you think? Have you had more than enough of the often corny or silly Tom Swifties, or are you inspired to go write some of your own? Maybe you could make a car game of them on your next long trip. Who do you think can quickly make up the most Swifties?

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The Arts

In the days of dwindling funds and budget cuts, the arts are often the first to go. For example, many school systems have watered down their art programs or deleted them altogether. Community art programs have had their budgets slashed until, if they've survived, they can do only a fraction of what they once did.

The arts encompass much more than the visual arts, although they're an important part of it. Theater, dance, music, writing, etc. are included. The list could be exhaustive. Even the visual arts include a wide variety of crafts, like jewelry making, glass blowing, pottery, sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, tatting, embroidery, needlepoint, candle making, woodworking, and many others. 

Admittedly, attitudes that art has to be risque to be viable hasn't helped their cause, but the public often focuses on this more than necessary. Art can touch places deep within us and brings out the best. It can lift us out of the mundane routines, whisk us away from our problems, and take us to where we're faced with beauty instead of turmoil. It stimulates possibilities and lets us dream dreams. We all should support the arts, because they touch our lives for the better.

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Are You Good Enough?

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do (Romans 7:19).

Last year, I had a frustrated young man respond to one of my blogs. He seemed about to throw up his hands with trying to live a Christian life, because no matter how hard he tried, he still felt like a failure. "What is wrong with me?" he wrote. Last week at a Wednesday night prayer service, a dear little lady teared up and said, "I try my best to do what's right. That's all that I can do."

These two people express sentiments all of us have probably felt at one time or another. However, they're looking at the Christian life from a distorted perspective, one that Satan would like us to keep. It is true that we will always struggle to live a righteous life on our own, and our best will never be good enough. But that's why Jesus died on the cross. Now, it's not about us but about Him in us. 

That's why the Lord sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. We aren't strong enough to live the life we should, but He is. Our best is not good enough, so we let Him have control and we become more like Christ. We traded our sinfulness for Christ's righteousness, and those sins died on the cross. The more we surrender all, the more we have the power of God within us and become the person He meant for us to be. "It is no secret what God can do." Praise the Lord!

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Love to Learn

I'm a lifelong learner, and I love it. Perhaps that's why I became certified in twelve different areas, K-12, when I taught and often joked that I was a professional student. I find the structure of a class keeps me from procrastinating and forces me to get the job done. I stay so busy, I tend to postpone it otherwise. The only way I learn well without this structure is by traveling to places and touring.

When my husband and I moved to our current location and I discovered a small, private university thirty minutes away, I decided to take advantage of some of their programs. They allowed me to take up to nine hours a semester for a ridiculously low tuition price through a special grant. I did this for two semesters, until my first book was published, and then things got too hectic and busy to fit it in. But this new career has been exciting too.

Recently, I've found free online classes that allow me to take a four to six week class, which I complete at my own pace during that time. I'm taking mine from FutureLearn from universities mainly in the United Kingdom. They have a long list of classes staggered to start all along. I especially like the history classes. I recently finished England in the Time of Richard III, which I found to contain excellent information on life in the Middle Ages and the War of the Roses. Now I'm taking A History of Royal Food and Feasting, and I find it quite intriguing. It began with food in the court of Henry VIII. I think there might be a novel set in Old England somewhere in my future. This is furnishing much of the research or at least giving me a good start. Oh yes, I love researching historical novels, too, and I've always had more historicals published than contemporaries. Learning, researching, and writing are so much fun!

Tower of London, Thames view

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May Day

Photo by Paul Barnett

May Day is an ancient spring festival celebration in the Northern Hemisphere. It often included singing, dancing, and eating special foods like cake. The Roman Empire even held such celebrations, and German and Gaelic events came a little later. In fact, some sort of spring celebration can be found in many of the European nations.

May Queen - photo by Charles Rispin

Dancing around a May pole and crowning a May queen are traditional activities for May Day celebrations. Small May baskets filled with treats and anonymously left on doorsteps used to be popular but faded from vogue more quickly than the other two. The Catholic Church chose May 1st as a day to celebrate Mary and later Mary and Joseph, so the date also became a saint's day to celebrate.

Photo by Kevin Gordon

Although May Day celebrations came across the ocean with the colonists, they haven't had the same impact or continued in the same way in America as in Europe. Many of the villages in Britain have kept the traditions alive for a long time, and May Day festivals have had renewed interest in recent years. It is certainly a part of European and American history, so happy May Day, everyone!

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