Hi everybody. Tomorrow’s the big day. I’m getting on that airplane and flying to Texas. I’ve already asked my church family for prayers for the airplane and the pilot. I’m n-n-not really a n-n-n-ervous flyer. Honest. I mean I’ve already been on two airplane trips. That makes me practically an experienced traveler, doesn’t it? But prayers always help. No matter …
What an Honor!
I’m still excited and honored and blessed to know my book, The Outsider, is one of five finalists announced last week by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for the 2009 Christian Book Award in Fiction. Since 1978 the Christian Book Awarde has honored titles in six categories: Bibles, Bible Reference and Study, Christian Life, Fiction, Children & Youth, and Inspirational …
A Chair in the Sun
We’re having a sunny Sunday today and that’s very welcome after last week when winter came to visit. We even had snow on the ground one night. It’s still chilly, but the sun feels fantastic. As humans, I think we’re wired to need the sunshine. I know we need the rain and maybe if it was sunny all the time, …
Back from the Smokies
Got home from our trip to the Smokies with the Gabhart side of the family – the brothers and sisters. We had a beautiful cabin up on the side of a mountain and a great time talking and catching up on all our family news. When Darrell’s mom died a few years ago, we decided to make a special effort …
A Writer Needs to Feed Her Imagination
I talked to a fun bookclub on Monday night by phone. I’m not great at hearing on speaker phones, but I could tell those ladies of the South Zumbra Church Book Club were having a good time. And not just because they were talking to me although I’m sure that put a little extra zing in the meeting – getting …
Characters and the Things They Do
Hi everybody. I’m a little early this weekend, but Sunday promises to be busy. Besides catching up my blog is a good excuse not to be peeling apples the way I should be doing. That wind last weekend blew bushels off my trees. I sneaked over to my neighbor’s house and left a box full on her porch. I’m thinking …
Meeting People and Hearing Stories at the NQC
What a week! We were at the National Quartet Convention every night and didn’t get home until the wee hours of the morning. I’m barely awake now, so hope what I’m writing is making sense. I didn’t hear much singing since we stayed out in the Exhibition Hall all week at the Patriot Quartet’s booth so we could meet and …
Creating Characters with my Friends
Hi, everybody. Well, I had my book event at the local library today and some friends and family were sweet enough to show up and listen to me talk about my writing and how I come up with characters. That was sort of a warm-up for my talk in West Virginia in October when I’m speaking on “Writing about Shakers …
The Frog Takes a Hayride
I just got home from my grandson’s birthday party. He’ll be nine tomorrow and he had a fishing party. I don’t fish, but it’s fun watching the grandkids fish. Austin – that’s my grandson – he hooked a big one, but it broke his line and got away. After that he lost interest and began hunting other game. And soon …
The Gift of Today
Today the sun came up and it misted rain all day. Both gifts. Today I fired up my computer and changed this word and that to try to make my new book better. Today three of my grandkids came to visit to give me the gift only a grandchild can give a grandparent. Sorry, those of you who aren’t grandparents …