Writing a Series in a Team 

Many authors are teaming up to write a series. This is a great way to grow their number of fans by sharing readers, and any marketing efforts will pay off for everyone. If a reader reads one book in the series and likes it, he or she is likely to buy others. If there are four of five books in the series, the benefits can mushroom because of the broadening readership. 

Each author can write and publish their own book while coordinating with the others. This takes care of the question of how to split the royalties. I suggest that one author act as the coordinator to get the project off the ground and keep it moving. Many times, the books are just based on a theme, but they can have other connections, such as setting, friendships, family, etc. The authors can also act as beta readers or editors for each other. However, unless there's a professional editor involved in the group, I still suggest each writer still use a professional editor.

I am thinking about teaming with other authors to write a series of novellas or novels. These would be inspirational, historical romances that include sweet food(s) somewhere in them. The series might be called "Sweet Somethings,"  which could have a double meaning. I already have the rough draft of my novella - The Sweetest Christmas. The stories need to be new and never before published. If any Christian author would be interested in participating in this, let me know soon. 

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 Grace and Obedience

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3).

Grace and obedience are a lot like faith and works. They might appear to be opposites, but they actually go together. James tells us, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26). And Paul saw a connection between grace and obedience when he said, "By who we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all the nations, for his name" (Romans 1:5).

If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

We work to help others, not for favors or special blessings, but because we love the Lord and want to do His work. We work because of our faith. Likewise, we obey God's laws, not from a sense of duty or fear of what might happen to us if we don't but because we want to please Him. Because of what Christ has done for us, if we accept Him as our Savior, we are covered by His grace. However, that doesn't mean we should totally ignore God's laws and commandments. It means that we should be more willing to follow them since He has done so much for us.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him (John 14:21).

Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (Matthew 5:17). Obedience to Him is a natural response to God's love and grace for us. Jesus brought keeping the law to a whole new level. He wanted His followers to keep the spirit in which the law was intended instead of being so concerned with keeping the letter of the law as the Pharisees tried to do. Most of them kept the laws without giving a care about their fellowmen.

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself (Luke 10:27).

If we could get the Greatest Commandment right, we need not be concerned with keeping a set of laws because we would be obeying God. If we love God more than anything else and loved everyone else as much as we do ourselves, we would have all the laws covered. This makes it easy to remember what to do, but it's often difficult for our selfish natures to put into practice. Loving God means we obey Him as we accept His grace when we fail. We work to further His kingdom according to His call because we have faith and trust that His way is always best. Faith, grace, works, and obedience are all intertwined.

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Second-Choice Bride

Second-Choice Bride has just been released. You can find the ebook and print editions on Amazon, and I have dual narrators working on the audible version. This is the first book in a five-book series set in early New Mexico. I think the second book in the Cactus Creek series, Sterling Orphans, may be out around the end of February or the first of March.

https://www.amazon.com/
Second-Choice-Bride-Catcus-Creek-Book
-ebook/dp/B08RJZFVTT

In Second-Choice Bride, Abby Carter is horrified with herself when she blurts out a marriage proposal to Preston King. A proper lady would never do such a thing, but her cousin had just jilted Preston, and she wanted to ease his hurt because she cared for him. Preston is confused but knows he needs a wife to help him ranch in New Mexico Territory, so he asks Abby to marry him. But will he ever purge Magnolia from his heart, and will they even survive the long journey west?

New Mexico Territory didn't open up to traders and settlers from the United States until Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. I lived in New Mexico for two years and taught school there. My husband and I bought an old adobe house and did a cosmetic remodel. I had a great time decorating in a Southwestern theme. The whole experience of what I learned living there gave me a good foundation for writing the Cactus Creek series. I think it will be as successful as my other best-selling western series, In from the Storms.

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Another Resolution

People make New Year's resolutions, but statistics show they aren't usually successful. Only about 8% of the resolutions made around January the first are kept. In fact, so many people have failed to keep them that only about 40% of Americans make them anymore.

But what if your resolution centered around your faith? What if you allowed the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you needed to work on during the coming year? And what if, instead of trying to live up to that resolution on your own, you relied on God's strength and power - you allowed Him to take control? 

I think we sometimes view setbacks as failures and see failures as permanent. Jesus didn't. Look at how he dealt with the people most others considered failures - tax collectors, beggars, prostitutes, etc. He not only ate with tax collectors, like Zacchaeus, but He called one to become His disciple (Levi who became Matthew). He told of Lazarus, the beggar, who sat at the rich man's gate and of others who won favor by their humble, kind spirit. And, look how He dealt with the woman at the well. He offered her living water if she would accept who He was. When the Pharisees were about to stone a woman caught in adultery, He saved her with a simple statement and then said He didn't condemn her but told her to go and sin no more.

I've talked with Christians who'd become so discouraged with their failures they were ready to give up. But when they asked for forgiveness, their sins are wiped away, and they had a new start. If you'll let Him, God can even use your failures for good. If you're willing to learn, you can become a better person each time. Resolve to surrender to God and live by His directions and His grace in this New Year!

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

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 My Publishing for the Year

 For the first time in my five years of publishing, 2021 is all planned out. I have a five-book series that will cover most of the year, and I'll finish up with a Christmas book. Second-Choice Bride, the first novel in the Cactus Creek, New Mexico series, should be out around the end of December. It begins in Virginia in 1822, moves to St. Louis in a covered wagon, and then continues on to New Mexico along the Santa Fe Trail. Preston and Abby's story is a rough ride, both in the wagon and in their relationship.

Sterling Orphans should come out in late February, followed by Poor Relation in April, Returning Neighbor in June, and Southern Belles in August. The Sweetest Christmas, a holiday release set in Kentucky in 1882, will be ready toward the last of October. This is a rather tight schedule and may change - even some of the covers might change - but these are the plans right now. I'll post more about the storylines later. I'm excited about them all.

                                                                                                                                           

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 Arranging Christmas

Many events had to fall into place to bring us to the birth of our Savior. Fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, not only was Joseph of the house and lineage of David but most Bible scholars believe so was Mary. They attribute Matthew's genealogy to Joseph and Luke's to Mary, stating that during this time in history, a woman's name would not have been used but her husband's in such a list. So, a man and a woman, both of whom could trace their genealogical line to David, became betrothed.

And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus (Luke 1:30-31).

Then, both the man and the woman needed to accept this incredulous event. Mary had such a strong faith that she believed the angel's proclamation that she would have a child without knowing a man, and this child would be the long-awaited Messiah. She didn't try to shrug it off as a dream or a strange vision. Instead, she said, "Be it unto me according to thy word." She was willing to face whatever was needed and to make whatever sacrifices asked of her to follow the will of God.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:20-21).

And Joseph had to accept all of this, too. By law, he could have had her stoned for being with child apart from him while they were betrothed. However, when he found out, he decided to send her away quietly. But the angel also appeared to him in a dream, and Joseph believed what the angel told him, kept Mary to be his wife, and did not know her until after Jesus was born.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,  into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child (Luke 2:1 & 3-5).

Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth, but the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem according to Micah 5:2. Something needed to get Mary and Joseph the ninety miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a great distance to be traveling in those days, especially for a pregnant woman. So, Caesar Augustus, the Roman ruler issued a decree that all in the Roman world must go to the city of their ancestors to be counted in a census and taxed. Therefore, being of the lineage of David, Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem.

Do you see how God orchestrated these events so that everything would fall into place for his Son's birth? I'm sure that, like me, you have seen things coming together in your own life to support God's plan for you. Don't we serve an amazing God? And one of the most amazing events in history happened in the Christmas story. The Savior of the world was born in a manger so that he could go to the cross, rise again, and provide a way for mankind to have a relationship with the Father and spend eternity in His presence. Praise God!

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From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea Audible

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PMPSXS1

After six months, From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea: Lessons from Elijah and Jonah is now available on Audible as well as on Kindle and in paperback. I am thrilled with this production. Not only did the whole recording process go quickly and smoothly (although ACX approval was delayed), but I am very pleased with the final product.

We can always learn much from God's prophets, and this is certainly true of Elijah and Jonah. At first glance, their stories are very different, but they also have some remarkable similarities. And, although some might think they know the stories well, this book may prove otherwise. One reviewer writes, "From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea is very well written. It is inspiring and faith enriching and thought-provoking."

I would like to introduce the narrator who produced this Audible. Ryan Parish grew up in Southern California but now lives in Central Pennsylvania where he pastors a church congregation. He has narrated and produced 15 Christian or clean audiobooks so far. He's passionate about sharing the life-giving truth of Jesus and teaching about His kingdom and sees audible books, like this one, as a way of doing that. I was impressed with his voice, how easy he was to work with, and his professionalism. I'm sure listeners will be impressed, too.

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