Another Benefit

I've already written and posted blogs about my heavy publishing schedule this year.  (See) I have committed to publishing fifteen books in 2023, all of which are multiple-author projects. This will be the most books I've ever published in one year, and it's unlikely that I'll ever try to do this many again.

However, I'm already seeing a benefit to publishing books close together that I hadn't considered. My monthly royalties from Amazon have doubled. It makes sense, but I wasn't thinking about that when the schedule developed. I took advantage of some opportunities that came my way and fit writing ideas that I already had. I didn't do it thinking of monetary gain, but since all my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children, this will have an added benefit. I'll be able to fund more scholarships.

MaryLu Tyndall once told me the more I published, the more my royalties would grow -- that in today's book market, I shouldn't expect to make much on just one or even a few books. This experience certainly proves her statement to be true. I'm looking forward to seeing this year unfold, and I'm excited about the possibilities.

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 God Speaks

There are some who think that God spoke to His people in biblical times but not today. However, the Bible shows that this isn't true. God can speak to us in many different ways. Since we accepted Christ as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit living within us, and God doesn't need to speak audibly as much as he once did, but he still speaks.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork (Psalms 19:1).

God Speaks to Us Through His Creation - Nature and creation speak to us of God. We can see traces of Him in the beauty He created on the earth. The intricacies of the universe point to our great and mighty Creator.

Be careful for nothing;, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

God Speaks to Us When We Pray -  In fact, our quiet time in prayer with God is one of the main times He speaks to us. This is just one of the reasons daily prayer times are so important.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . (2 Timothy 3:16a).

God Speaks to Us Through His Word - This is another major way God speaks to His people today and why reading the Bible is so important. You won't get to know God well any other way. The people in the Bible didn't have all the books of the Bible that we have today. He speaks to us in these verses and reveals His will.

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established (Proverbs 16:3)

God Speaks to Us in Our Thoughts - Today God often speaks to our thoughts. The closer we stay to Him, the more clearly we can hear His voice.  We must be conscious not to let the noise of the world drown Him out.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and you daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2: 17).

God Speaks Through Dreams and Visions - Yes, this is sometimes true, even today. He doesn't always speak this way, but I know some honest people of integrity where this has happened, and I believe them. Don't close your mind to the possibility, but be open to any way God chooses to speak to you.

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 A New Valentine's Series 

Now that Christmas is over and New Year's Day has passed, it's time to look to Valentine's Day. It's a holiday that's special to romance readers, and this year, there's a new series of seven books set to publish just in time for the holiday. The sweet, clean books in A Small Town Valentine's Day Romance are all on preorder for only 99 cents right now, so don't miss out.

A Small Town Valentine's Day Romance link

My contribution to the series, The Prodigal Pastor, published today, January 23rd. In it, Brooke Bennett is ecstatic when she learns she's expecting a baby. She and her husband had been trying for years. Knowing that David would be as thrilled as she was, she prepared him a special celebratory supper, dressed up, and waited for him to come home, so she could give him the news. But he never came. After trying to track him down to no avail and shedding rivers of tears, she finally goes to bed to find a note on her pillow. He had left her! But that's not the end of the story. It doesn't take David long to realize what a huge mistake he's made, and he vows to repent, turn his life around, and get his wife back. However, he also knows what an uphill battle that's going to be.

The Prodigal Pastor link

The Audible version of The Prodigal Pastor is also ready. I had so much fun seeing this book come to life under the voice of a talented narrator. Jared Walters has also narrated Taking Stock and Candace: Runaway Brides of the West for me. He's a voice actor, and I love how he interprets my books. Listeners must agree because he has great reviews. I hope to use him in at least two more of my books this year. He reads The Prodigal Pastor with all the emotion the book deserves.

I have always loved Valentine's Day, so I am beyond pleased to have a book to offer for the holiday. Of course, a book like this is appropriate reading for any time of the year. Order it now. I don't think you will be disappointed, and it's only 99 cents until all the books are published. Then the price will go up to $2.99.

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"Go"

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel . . . (Mark 16:15).

Jesus' example teaches us to go out into communities where the people are. That's what he did. He did not teach us to build a building and expect people to come to us. That's not the best way to evangelize. People are more likely to come to know Jesus when Christians demonstrate care for them and when relationships are built. 

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" Hebrews 10:25).

That's not to say that churches aren't important. They are. But they're more effective at things like growing believers, strengthening faith, teaching God's Word and will, providing fellowship, and worshiping God. That's because it's hard to get non-believers to walk through the church doors to hear the gospel message. But when we go out into the world and live the gospel message, we can have a great impact. Then, we can accompany our new friends to church.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

Jesus commanded his followers to go several times. He didn't say to build and they will come, to wait and be patient for something to happen, or to become as educated as possible so you can teach and preach well. He said to go. How well are we Christians following that command? How well are you?

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 A Struggle and a Success

When I began to write Candace: Runaway Brides of the West, I already had the plot firmly established, knew my main characters well, and had decided where the story was going. What I hadn't anticipated is how difficult it was going to be to write. You see, unusual circumstances would cause Jude and Candace to be stuck in a remote cabin in the Rocky Mountains during a harsh, dangerous winter.

Link to Candace

The problem came with the details of the story. Since they were so limited and couldn't be outside much, what could these two characters do that wouldn't become boring to readers?  The tension between them would help make the story interesting, but I still had to decide what scenes to write. Perhaps the fact that I worked hard to overcome the problems actually helped the book because Candace has gotten great reviews, and one reviewer even said this is my best book yet.

I have no idea how well I do on a book and depend on my readers to tell me. I'm too close to them to have any perspective. I review other people's books all the time, but I can't do that for mine since I don't know how to rate them. However, I wasn't surprised when my listeners rated Jared Walters's narration high in the Audible version. He's one of the best narrators I've encountered at correctly interpreting a book with his voice. And he has a smooth voice that's easy to listen to and pulls listeners into the story to keep them there. All in all, what began as a struggle with Candace became a success.

Link to Candace audible

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 Lessons from the Vine

Read John 15:1-9.

There are many lessons to be learned from the Parable of the Vine and Branches. Here are a few of them:

I am the vine, ye are the branches (John 15:5a).

The branches on a grapevine will not live apart from the vine. If they are broken off or disconnected from the vine, they will wither, bear no fruit, and die. The vine is their life source. Jesus is the Vine and we are His branches. Without Him, our life is without meaning, bears no fruit worth having, and will, in essence, wither and die.

Anyone who has grown grapes will tell you that the branches must be pruned or eventually they will die. Cutting away the unhealthy parts of our lives is a painful process. It often involves suffering, but it is beneficial in the long run. It allows us to stay strong and bear much fruit. The Vinedresser carefully cuts away the parts that need removing and cares well for the branches. In addition, John tells us that if a branch continues to bear no fruit, it is eventually removed and thrown into the fire.

The branches should recognize the superiority of the Vinedresser and the vine. Remember, the branches that bear the most fruit hang the lowest on the vine because the abundance of fruit weighs them down. This should remind us to stay humble. Life is not all about us but about our Lord and His kingdom.

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Writing Delays

My husband and I hadn't been sick in almost fifteen years, not even a cold. However, this year we made up for that by becoming almost bedridden for two weeks. I hope I never have to go through that again. The doctor said I had bronchitis, an ear infection, a respiratory virus, and an eye infection. My temperature soared in the afternoons for over a week, and I didn't feel like doing anything, not even reading. Thankfully I have an Alexa beside my bed and Audible books. It kept me from being bored out of my mind even though I didn't feel like doing anything but lying in bed.

It all began with a trip to Texas to visit family. Although the long drive was tiring, the trip went well, and we enjoyed the visit. On the way home, we swung by Knoxville, Tennessee to spend time with my son and his family. I took my laptop with me, did a little editing, and managed to keep up with anything pressing I needed to do. However, I'd just finished writing a rough draft, and I didn't try to begin another.

We returned home on a Saturday and had a church Christmas dinner that night. Jim woke up sick Sunday morning and got a deacon to preach for him. I went to bed feeling drained Monday night and woke up sick on Tuesday. It was all downhill for both of us after that. It has taken us two weeks to recover, but we're feeling much better now. However, some nasal drainage and an occasional persistent cough remain.  The doctor warned that it may take a while for these to leave. Jim has recovered more than I have.

I haven't been able to write in a month, and that's unusual for me. I miss it. I started a new manuscript on Tuesday, but it's going slower than usual. I'm beginning Chapter Five today. However, I don't want to push too hard at this point. I sure don't want a relapse. But on the brighter side of my writing world, the new manuscript won't publish until July, so I'm still ahead. I would like to finish it by the end of January, however, so I'm hoping my writing pace picks up as I get further into the book.

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Smelting

Smelting is the process where substances, such as metals, are put into a furnace at high heat to purify the substance and remove the dross or the unwanted, worthless parts. It is a refining process that makes the substance stronger, better, and more valuable.

Sometimes God allows the same thing to happen to his people or a church. Too many impurities can weaken both. Although the time of being put into the fire is painful and worrisome when it is happening, the end result is worth it. We come out with more understanding, better, and refined. 

Look at Job. God didn't send the suffering and bad things into his life; Satan did. But God allowed it because He could use it for good. Not only was more restored to Job, but he came out of his struggles stronger, better, and refined. Job's faith had never been tested. Now it had, and in the process, it had grown stronger.

When sorrow and pain come into your life, turn to the Lord. Trust in Him. He has promised to bring good from the bad and to never leave us. In Him, we always find the comfort we need. He will work all things for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

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 Writing Plans for 2023

I finally have my 2023 writing schedule set. I'll be writing fifteen books this coming year, the most I've ever written, and I doubt if I'll ever write that many again in one year. This will definitely stretch my time because it will require keeping up with it all and additional marketing, as well as all the steps in writing the books. However, good opportunities came along, and I took advantage of them. Every one of these will be a multiple-author project. And as with all my books, they will be available on Kindle, KU, print, and Audible.

Here is what the schedule will look like:                                              

Jan 23, 2023 - The Prodigal Pastor, A Small Town Valentine's Day Romance

Feb 1, 2023 - A Match for Marshall, The Matchmakers…Agatha Returns

Feb 21, 2023 – Mason's Memories, The Reclusive Man, Hers to Redeem

Mar 21, 2023 - Simon’s Shane, The Reclusive Man, Hers to Redeem

Apr 18, 2023 - Ingrid's Intention, The Suffrage Spinsters

May 1, 2023 - A Match for Cord, The Matchmakers…Agatha Returns

May 30, 2023 – Boone’s Burden, The Reclusive Man, Hers to Redeem

Jun 12, 2023 -  Hurting Hero, A Small Town 4th of July Romance

Jul  10, 2023 – Inman’s Impersonation, The Reclusive Man, Hers to Redeem

Aug 29, 2023 – Upside-Down Cake by Dana, Old-Timey Holiday Kitchen

Sep 19, 2023 – Annette’s Assignment, The Suffrage Spinsters

Oct 16, 2023 – Bretta’s Business, The Suffrage Spinsters

Nov 17, 2023 – Christmas Quilt Brides series

Dec   5, 2023 – Fruitcake by Fran, Old-Timey Holiday Kitchen

Dec 26, 2023  - Tessa’s Time, The Suffrage Spinsters

The good thing is that, so far, I've been able to stay about six months ahead in the writing. This is much better for me because I don't like to write under pressure with a deadline looming close. Right now, I'm writing Inman's Impersonation, which will publish in July. I've already finished the rough drafts of all the ones before it, and they're just waiting on a professional editor. Ironically, can usually write faster than my editor edits.

I have seven books in mind for 2024 and eight in 2025. However, these will likely change as time goes by. I don't want to publish more than ten a year from now on, and certainly not more than twelve. However, I am excited about the books coming out in 2023, and everything has gone smoothly so far. It should be a good year despite the busyness. 

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