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

___________________________

 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.

______________________________

 

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.

_______________________________

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.

________________________

 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. 

______________________________

What Are Your Purpose and Goals?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:20).

A new year is a time when many assess where they are and set goals for the coming year. Do you do this for your spiritual life too? We were all made to glorify God. How well are you doing this? What might you need to do differently in the coming year?

We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29b).

As a part of glorifying, God we need to follow His truths, obey His Word, and fulfill His purposes. At the end of our lives, nothing we have done will matter except these things. How well we've loved others and reached out to help them will live on. The positions we've held, our possessions, or our worldly success will not.

He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit (John 15:5b).

God is waiting for us to renew an intimate relationship with Him. We have Jesus as our Savior and the best example to follow. And we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to be our mentor and guide. So, beginning right now, let's reassess and realign ourselves with our Creator and become the person He calls us to be, making this the best year ever.

______________________________

Authors and Readers on Facebook

Authors depend on Facebook to connect with each other, especially in multiple-author projects. They also use it to let readers know about their books and themselves. I've always found Facebook more conducive to this than any other social media site.

However, I can tell there's been a great falling away on Facebook. Author events aren't nearly as well-attended as they once were, and there aren't as many comments or responses to posts. No doubt, this has come about because of some of the trouble Facebook has been having. The site even blocked all my blog posts for almost a year before they apologized, saying they'd made a mistake.

I have mixed feelings about Facebook, but the truth is, authors and readers need a site like this. We need a place where we can meet, coordinate, share our news, and encourage and support each other. The format of Facebook lends itself to these things. 

_______________________________