Counting My 2009 Blessings

I'm counting my blessing for this past year on my other blog, It Starts With Me. Writing, personal or other, all my blessings come from the same Source.

What are you thankful for this year?

Happy New Year!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Old Goals And New

Goals, goals, goals.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their game against the New Orleans Saints yesterday because they were able to aim and hit a field goal.  Right between the upright bars.

I've put off looking at my 2009 writing goals because I knew I'd missed the mark. In fact, I haven't given them much thought this year so it was unlikely I'd made much progress against them.

I was right.

My goals for 2009 were scaled down and simple:

1. I will finish the first draft of the story I'm currently working on by the end of the end of April. To do so, I will attempt to write at least 5 out of 7 days a week (and track my efforts).
   
   
2. I will submit it to two early contests, the RSJ and the ACFW Genesis. Although I'd love to win, my objective is to get feedback. Both entries are due March 1st.
   
   
3. I will write another complete first draft by December 31st.

Didn't happen.  Check.  Not even close. Although I didn't finish the story from the beginning of the year, I did submit it to the ACFW Genesis contest and I submitted a different story to the RWA Touched by Love contest.  I got great feedback on both, constructive feedback that has stuck with me so I consider that a goal well met. I also won't finish another first draft by Thursday.  Even after participating in NaNo...sort of...the truth is I'm not even close.  I challenged myself--and my fellow writers--to keep the NaNo energy going into December.  Well, mine sputtered and died. (But, way to go Bettye, Kaye, and LaShaunda! Let us know how you made out.) I've been altering my story premise--and my outline--again, but this time I think I have a winner.  Whether my story is headed in the right direction is a gut thing.  If it feels right, I write.  If it still feels right, I keep writing.  If it doesn't, I stop and tweak the premise, characters, plot, outline, whatever...until it does.  I just can't write 75k words or more on a story that isn't working. (I've tried and it's not pretty.) If the story isn't working for me, how will it ever work for agents, editors, or readers? As usual, I read a lot of books, in part because I had a lot of stuff going on outside of writing, and reading is a salve to my soul.  Those other challenges remain and make it difficult to focus on writing. I gave a moment's thought to taking a break from writing, to remove one expectation off my shoulder's, but then I saw the movie Invictus with Morgan Freeman.  Nelson Mandela was a very wise and very honorable man.  Most of all, Mandela dug deep to inspire himself in the most difficult of siutations and by doing so, inspired others.  Including me.

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

--from the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley

Whatever writing I accomplish, be it 80 words or 80,000, it will be more than if I were to stop. So I'll keep writing. I also renewed my ACFW membership as planned, and continued to invest in my writing by taking a few online classes, both things I'll do again in 2010. I was going to write a separate post about my 2010 goals, but that won't be necessary.  Again, my goals will be simple.

1. Finish the story that I'm working on. (Charmaine's Story, for lack of a better title.)
   
   
2. Enter the TBL and Genesis contests.
   
   
3. Work through Charmaine's Story with my crit group to polish and submit to at least three agents/editors by year's end.
   
   
4. Write a first draft of another story by year's end.

I plan to be a bit more selective about the books I read and feature because I'd like to get back to doing author interviews on my blog. I'm also looking to have more guest posts on writing craft topics.  I've got one or two lined up for January already. How did you do with your goals?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits -- December 26, 2009

I pray everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and that the joy of the season continues to rule your heart and home.

These are my last tidbits for the year so I'll keep them short. I hope you've enjoyed these postings as much as I've enjoyed aggregating them.

Would it be possible to close out the year without another word on self-publishing? Of course not. Writer Beware provides what might be the definitive column on the self-publishing continuum. I'll be there are more options than you imagined.

Have trouble finding Christian fiction of interest to you? Try the new FictionFinder, a tool recently launched by the American Christian Fiction Writers to help readers find Christians books that meet their reading needs. It's a pretty good tool and I can tell that they're already considering ways to make it even better. Here's the press release.

In case you missed it--I did--you can still enjoy a whole lot of kissing on the Kissing Day Blogfest. The list of participating authors, who posted kissing scenes on their blogs last Monday, can be found here.

Finally, the best breakdown of the story structure for writing romance I've seen. Thanks, Larry Brooks. (And if you haven't already, despite me linking to his posts every couple of weeks, check out his blog at Storyfix.com)

Continue to enjoy the blessedness of Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Merry Christmas!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
-- Luke 2:8-21

M E R R Y      C H R I S T M A S

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Most Intriguing Books I Haven't Read...Yet

I always share my favorite reads of the year. So far I've revealed my favorite romances of the year, favorite Christian fiction, and favorite everything else.

But every year ends with a host of books on my To-Be-Read list that I just didn't have time to get to, no matter how fast I consume the words. This year, I want to share the list of the most intriguing books I didn't read. Books I would love to read,hope to read eventually, but just haven't got to as yet. (See Chicki, I don't have time to read everything either!)

Here are my picks, in no order:

I enjoy a good life story. Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA by Lance Allred intrigues me simply based on all that the title implies. A deaf kid making it to the NBA? The NBA has had Mormons before, most famously Danny Ainge, current general manager of the Boston Celtics, and retired player Thurl Bailey, but it still sounds interesting.

I wanted to see the movie starring Jaime Foxx, but never made it to the theater. Since I always prefer the book to the film, I'd like to read The Soloist: A Lost Dream, and Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez.

Then there's the story of the two men, one a black, homeless ex-convict and one a white artist and gallery owner, who became friend's because of Ron's wife.Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

On the political front, there's Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama by Tim Wise. I campaigned for and supported our president wholeheartedly and still do, although I not crazy about how some things are being handled nor by how the members of the Congressional Black Caucus are treating him. Unfortunately, his will never be an administration where race is separated from politics.

We Used to Own the Bronx: Memoirs of a Former Debutante by Eve Pell provides a look at the blueblooded upbringing that was Eve Pell's and generations of her family (the Pells as in Pell Grant, the federal higher education scholarship program), and how she came to be an award-winning investigative journalist and prison rights activist. Fascinating stuff.

From a writer's viewpoint, there's the fictional The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax about four women authors, and the non-fiction The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue & Vice for Box Office Success by Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D. I first heard of this book over at Seekerville, but then I saw it repeatedly popping up across writers' blogs with glowing recommendations.

In line with my constant desire to increase my faith, aside from re-reading the Bible, I'd love to get my hands on God According to God: A Physicist Proves We’ve Been Wrong About God All Along by Gerald Schroeder and Clutter-free Christianity by Robert Jeffress. The first intrigues me because science and faith are always interesting bedfellows and Schroeder is both a physicist and a biblical scholar who has devoted his life to revealing God in science. The latter because I have this sense that Christ intended our faith to be much simpler--and "kinder and gentler"--than we make it.

I'd also like to read Playbook for Christian Manhood: 12 Key Plays for Black Teen Boys by Dr. James C. Perkins to see if this is a title I could pass on to my sons. Given the title, I'm wondering about the juxtaposition faith and race in this coming-of-age guidebook.

Of course, I have to have a few fiction titles. I'd start with The Help by Kathyrn Stockett, a book about the Southern black women who worked in white households during the 1960s that got a lot of buzz and is showing up on more than a few year-end favorites lists.

Then, there are two of the many Christian novels I didn't get to, The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson, about a religious sister called to give up "her calling" for an old, troubled friend, and Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent, about a white family that takes in a black girl after her home and family are destroyed in the 1930s. (Ms. Valent's Cottonwood Whispers, the sequel, is on my TBR list too.)

The problem, as always, is there are just too many good titles!

Some other books I learned of this year that I'd like to read include:

Scared by Tom Davis

Before I Forget by Leonard Pitts, Jr.

Slavery by Another Name: The Re-enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II by Douglas Blackmon

The Constant Art of Being a Writer by N. M. Kelby

Fearless by Max Lucado

Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Albert Zuckerman

Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook by Donal O'Mathuna and Walt Larimone, M.D.

Maybe I'll find time for a few of these in 2010.

What books were you unable to read this year?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

2009 Favorite "Other" Reads

The majority of my reading fare is romance or Christian fiction. But I read other stuff too, like women's fiction, biographies, writing craft books and some non-fiction titles.

I'm not sure why, other than maybe I was in a bit of a mental haze when posting last week, but I should have included the few women's fiction and romantic suspense titles with the romance. (I included the Christian ones on the Christian fiction list.)

Anyway, here are my top "Other" reads for 2009, including a few women's fiction titles (in no order):

What Doesn't Kill You by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant -- Because when I read this, I identified with the protagonist wholeheartedly and I noted "I don't think they write fast enough to satisfy my thirst for their storytelling talents."

The 4-Day Diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith -- Because diets, or rather alternative eating methods (don't ya like that phrase?!) are necessary but quickly turn boring. Hard to get bored in 4 days before you move on to yet another method.

Midnight: A Gangster Love Story by Sister Souljah -- Because, like the movie Ants, if I could have done a tiny bit of editing, this would have been a perfect book for me. As it was, it was near-perfect. I was only disappointed that I couldn't pass it on to my teen because of the explicit love scenes. He otherwise would have enjoyed it.

The Hero's Journey by Christopher Vogler -- Because this heavily recommended title made me think about story structure and how to get from "Once Upon a Time" to "The End" without getting lost in the middle, not an easy feat.

The Attitude of Faith by Frank Damazio -- Because this one made me think more deeply about my faith and helped me grow in it.

Tap & Gown by Diane Peterfreund -- Because this dead-on Ivy League fiction takes me back too many years to mention.

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews -- Because I love Southern fiction, and this one was sassy and fun, not to mention making a great case for publishers giving away free online reads. I might never have paid Ms. Andrews attention otherwise, but now I'll look for her.

Character Driven by Derek Fisher -- Because I love books I can share with my sons, and this was one by a professional athlete who takes nothing for granted, works hard, and is humbled by his success.

Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story 1958-2009 -- Because I grew up loving the Jackson family's music, even if I didn't understand or like much of what I learned of Michael, especially in his latter years. I love these behind-the-scenes looks at music icons who are so much a part of life's fabric.

Honorable Mention

Gotta Keep On Tryin' by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

Almost Single by Advaita Kala

Conception by Kalisha Buckhanon

The Air Between Us by Deborah Johnson

Deception by Selena Montgomery

Thursday Night Widows by Claudia Pineiro

A Novel Idea by Chi Libris

I've got one more list, the most intriguing books I didn't read, but hope to read soon.

Anything outside your usual reading repertoire that you particularly enjoyed this year?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits - December 19, 2009

Less than a week until Christmas...

From agent Holly Root, negotiating a publishing contract.

For authors with a backlist, you may want to pull out your contracts and check the wording related to the definition of a book. Random House believes it already has ebook publishing rights for most of its backlist. What position will other publishers take?

The Author's Guild has already spoken out, disagreeing with Random House, as expected. Perhaps the controversies over Google's book sharing and self-publishing weren't enough. I think the publishing industry is going to be really interesting in 2010.

Speaking of ebooks, Borders has invested with several other entities in Shortcovers, now renamed Kobo. I thought Borders was on it's last legs?

Business author Stephen Covey, of such titles as The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has inked an exclusive deal with Amazon for release of the ebooks for several of his titles. Hope they weren't published by Random House originally, or he and Amazon might have a fight on their hands.

Me? I've got my hands full. The boys are out of school until January, but there's still work, two basketball tournaments, a host of words to pen, and a few non-writing things I don't want to say more about yet (good things). Only six days until Christmas. As my youngest is fond of saying, "That will take too long!"

I agree. The only thing I would love more than Christmas would be Christmas every day.

Are you ready yet?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

2009 Favorite Christian Fiction Reads

I'm way behind. I was supposed to have finished my "favorites" lists by now so my blogging could coast into the new year. Oh well, more to do, more to do...

How about my Favorite Christian Fiction? At least half of my reading every year is Christian fiction. I read 69 Christian fiction titles this year, and my favorites (excluding the romances I already covered) were:

Havah by Tosca Lee -- Because no one writes thought-provoking, outside the box Christian fiction, maybe fiction of any genre, like Ms. Lee. I loved her first book Demon even more, but I think that was only because I had no expectations then. This time, I did and I'm pleased to say she met them. I look forward to her next book on Judas.

The Bishop's Daughter by Tiffany L. Warren -- Because this fun and sassy, very contemporary look at salvation and Christian living from a male perspective kept me turning the pages, all with a smile.

Unsigned Hype -- Because I crowed about this book all year, and would have handed it out to every teen I know had I been blessed to do so. Great Christian fiction for teens, especially boys. Talks to them on their level in their world.

Talking To The Dead by Bonnie Grove -- Because this one was unique. Really. Even if there are no new stories. Perhaps this gentle and endearing story about finding faith in the midst of personal crisis is the exception.

Through The Storm by Vanessa Miller -- Because every now and then, I get the time to read an author that's been on my TBR list for a while. Ms. Miller is such an author. I don't know why I waited so long. I loved this book, beginning with the prologue's assassin.

Sins of the Father by Angela Benson -- Because it doesn't matter to me whether how Ms. Benson's books are labeled. This story based on xxx was my favorite ever, and that's hard since all her books are tops on my list.

Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish -- Because this story of a struggling married couple faced with choices that might be their unraveling was "Smart and provocative. Powerful. Meaningful. Engrossing. Illuminating. Entertaining." All that!

Secrets and Lies by Rhonda McKnight -- Because Rhonda's debut was worth the wait!

Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh -- Because Ms. Leigh is another writer that sat on my TBR list too long. Then I read this take on cultural Christianity and Leaving Carolina in succession. Enjoyed them both.

Be Strong and Curvaceous, Who Made You A Princess?, and Tidings of Great Boys by Shelley Adina -- Because I wish there'd been fiction for young adults like this All About Us series when I was growing up. So yes, Shelley gets three nods!


Honorable Mention (in no order):

What The Bayou Saw by Patti Lacy

An Eye for An Eye by Irene Hannon

Stretch Marks by Kimberly Stuart

Forsaken by Vanessa Miller

God Only Knows by Xavier Knight

You Made Me Feel Like Dancing by Allison Bottke

Til Debt Do Us Part by Michelle Larks

Deadly Charm by Claudia Mair Burney

The Devil Is A Lie by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Mom's The Word by Marilynn Griffith

Ulterior Motives by Mark Olson

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

Leaving Carolina by Tamara Leigh

According To Their Deeds by Paul Robertson

The Someday List by Stacy Hawkins Adams

Lady Jasmine by Victoria Christopher Murray

Great Tidings of Boys by Shelley Adina

I have to say I find the writing in the Christian fiction genre overall to be tremendous. Fresh and well-written stories with an eye to entertainment as well as inspiration. Not an easy feat to pull off, but more and more writers are doing it.

I still have one more list, everything else, from general fiction to biographies to non-fiction.

What were your favorite Christian fiction titles this year?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

2009 Favorite Romance Novels

As the year draws to a close, it's time to highlight my favorite reads. This year, I think I'll go with Favorite Romances, Favorite Christian Fiction (all genres), and Other (combination of other fiction genres and non-fiction; maybe I'll split those into two...)

It's pretty easy for me to do this, as I keep a spreadsheet of my reads, which over the years has become color-coded and modified to include comments. I can tell you my very favorite, great, pretty good, and nothing to get excited about reads, by genre, publisher, author or a few other categories, in seconds.

I know, I know...

Here are my Favorite Romantic Reads for 2009 (they may not have been published this year and are in no particular order):

Road to Seduction by Ann Christopher -- Because I had 4 Ann Christopher novels in my top 20 and I wanted to choose the best of those. Here's a quote from my notes on another of Ann's books that could describe this one just as well: "With some authors, you get sexy. With some, great story. With Ann, you get both."

Nobody But You by Francis Ray -- Because I've never done a favorites list without a Francis Ray title, and as long as she keeps writing, I probably never will. Continuing the Grayson Friends saga, this was, the story of NASCAR driver Cameron Dunlap and Caitlin Lawrence, made the NYT and USA Today bestseller lists.

Captured by Beverly Jenkins -- Because novels set in and around the Civil War era from the perspective of African descendents are rare. Combined with Ms. Jenkin's particular style, I found myself on a hunt for more of her books. This one offered up my favorite romance hero of the year, Dominic La Veq.

Love Starts With Elle by Rachel Hauck -- Because I had goosebumps for days after reading this book. I guess others did too as this book was a 2009 RITA award finalist. The love story between art gallery owner Elle and pastor Jeremiah was gentle but engaging, as was the faith thread. This is a book I will reread many times, both for pleasure and as a model for writing Christian romance.

A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman -- Because Julie Lessman writes deeply sensual Christian romance, and no, that isn't an oxymoron. After being wowed by the first book in the Daughters of Boston series, A Passion Most Pure, I had to read this. I don't read a lot of historical romance, but Julie's books inspire me to read more.

Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus -- Because I loved this one even more than Kaye's debut book, The Stand-In Groom. I found this story of almost unrequited love between Meredith and Major completely believable and heartwarming. I anxiously await the next book in this series.

Intimate Seduction by Brenda Jackson -- Because this sizzling hot book featured a smart and savvy heroine, and I like that a lot. I tend to like Ms. Jackson's heroes more than her heroines, but Dr. Natalie Ford was definitely an exception. Also, Ms. Jackson writes sexy romances with the best of them.

The Last Woman Standing by Tia McCollors -- Because this romance was about couple already married who have lost their way, and because Tia tells a good story. She, like Rachel Hauck, provides Christian fiction I can read time and time again as well as utilize as a writing reference. In this case, Tia does an excellent job of writing about African-American characters without beating the reader upside the head with physical descriptions and other obvious, cliched clues.

The Hand-Me Down Family by Winnie Griggs -- Because as I previously said, I don't read a lot of...maybe I should stop saying it since three of my favorites are historicals. The Hand-Me Down Family, a fresh take on the mail-order bride story, is another that certainly made me want to read more of them.

Breach of Trust by Diann Mills -- Because it's a tightly written Christian romantic suspense that ramps up the tension without sexual innuendo. Loved her use of romantic banter. Had to include this one on the list because it was one of the few that made me stay up into the wee hours to finish it.

Honorable Mention (in no order):

A Bride In The Bargain by Deeanne Gist

Campaign for Seduction by Ann Christopher

Risk by Ann Christopher

Body Chemistry by Dara Girard

The Stand-In Groom by Kaye Dacus

Scrapping Plans by Rebecca Seitz

Rescue Me by Farrah Rochon

Ready-Made Family by Cheryl Wyatt

A Soldier's Daddy by Cheryl Wyatt

Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida by Sandra D. Bricker

The Baby Bond by Linda Goodnight

Gone to Green by Judy Christie

And Mistress Makes Three by Francis Ray

What were some of your favorite romantic reads this year?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Determined and Hopeful

I was thinking about what to post when it comes to my wip. Despite my challenge to myself, I'm not moving ahead as rapidly as I would like. I considered that saying this may make it seem like I'm always in some stage of rethinking, revising, recrafting, re-something when I'm supposed to be adding words. Always wandering in the wilderness, so to speak.

When my thoughts for this post began to come together, I thought there were two kinds of "wilderness wanderers", The Stubborn and The Determined. But the more I think about it, I believe there are four:

The Stubborn -- They know they are headed the wrong way but keep going anyway. When they get to the end of their original road, they'll figure it out. This wanderer is stubborn, refusing to veer off the original plan, no matter how obvious it becomes that something's wrong. I did this once. That manuscript will never see the light of day.

The Hopeful -- They aren't sure which direction they are headed and keep making wrong turns in hopes of finding something familiar, or that feels more right than the current course, to guide them. This wanderer is both optimistic and intuitive, and it will probably take longer than necessary to reach her target.

The Clueless -- They believe they are on course but don't realize they either bought the wrong map or were reading it upside down. This wanderer knows how she got where she is, but now faced with unexpected results, has no idea what to do next.

The Determined -- They start out with a vision and perhaps a plan. They check how things are going and make constant corrections. They stop to assess where they are and what they need to do next to end up right where they need to be. Maybe this is a different kind of stubborn. Let's call it thoughtful persistence, although one that has to be careful not to become paralyzed by analysis and possible indecision.

I tend to fluctuate between The Hopeful and The Determined. Stubborn doesn't work for me because I hate being lost and won't hesitate to ask for help.

I've never considered myself to be "clueless" because I've usually think through a few alternatives and typically have a Plan B before I set out on my journey. I also read maps well and tend to ask for help or retrace my steps if need be.

Hopeful can feel as though one is making progress when all you're really doing is going in circles or chasing the latest advice, which may or may not work for you. If you hit on something that works, it feels like a great strategy in retrospect. But if you don't...

Right now, I'm The Determined. Yes, I keep reconsidering my wip. But I'm determined and moving forward, not stuck. I'm not rewriting and rewriting and rewriting. I'm trying to get the story right. My characters' goals and motivations, and the story premise have to be right in order for the story to be right. I think it's the difference between plausible and implausible, between fresh spin and cookie cutter.

I've been here before. I come back to the same thing that worked then, and this time I'm a bit more seasoned. I'm shoring up my outline so that the back half of the story will work. The front half will get redone in revisions, after I write The End.

Maybe I should have spent more time on the GMC and outline before I wrote a word, although I'm not sure about that. Through the early writing, I discover some of the potholes that send me back to the drawing board for a better story. I'm not sure more time upfront would help, not writing part-time anyway. Not if I want to finish a book in this decade.

Do you find your characters' goals and motivations or your story premise changing midstream? Do you blindly keep going or work through it to get a clearer picture of where you're headed?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits - December 12, 2009

Quick wip update: I continue to wrestle with this story. This character and her journey won't leave me alone, but I'm not liking (1) the hero, (2) the story premise, (3) the supporting characters... Do you see my problem?

This is definitely a "get it out and fix it" type deal. Because I've reconsidered the premise and characters at least three times now. Each iteration gets better, I'm glad to say. And many of the scenes already written, with some rewriting, can still be used. So I'm plugging away, trying to force myself forward so I can go back and revisit the whole thing to make the story work.

That's why the December challenge to myself. To help keep me moving forward.

----------------------------

The fallout for Harlequin, or more specifically, Harlequin authors, continues. Mystery Writers of America has delisted Harlequin as an approved publisher, thereby removing their books from consideration for membership eligibility and the annual Edgar awards...

...and some words from an author who knows what it's like to be alienated by the powers that be of writing organizations.

Two publishing news outlets bit the dust this week. Kirkus Reviews and Editor & Publisher are no more.

On to happier news...

Words Move Me is an effort by Sony to connect readers based on the emotion behind special literary moments. Check out my initial submission.

Agent Chip MacGregor continues to share his publishing expertise in response to reader questions on his blog. This week, he had a particularly interesting post that touched on (1)whether publishers will abandon advances, (2) how publishers make money even when an author doesn't earn out, and (3) why working with you might not be worth an agent's time.

Hoping to write for Harlequin's Kimani Romance line? Take part in the Editor Pitch with Kimani Senior Editor Kelli Martin.

If you haven't clicked on any other link, click on this one. Thomas Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt talks about The End of Book Publishing As We Know It. I know, I know. Everyone's been hypothesizing about this very subject of late. True, but I'll be you haven't see what Time Inc's Sports Illustrated and the Wonderfactory have been up to relative to the ereading. The video demo is in Mike's post and it's worth a look.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Where Do Book Lovers Hang Out on the Net?

I have a Shelfari account. When I started my account, Shelfari was the hot new thing. Seemed like everyday I was getting an email notification that someone wanted to connect with me at that site. I've logged in excess of 600 books that I've read, am reading, or plan to read in Shelfari. I've got my "shelf" posted to my blog.

But, I don't spend any time over there other than cataloging my books. I don't ask for recommendations, although I occasionally get asked to give them. I don't engage in discussion or dialogue with other readers. I don't look at the shelves of my Shelfari "friends" (except when I see them on a blog).

So beyond using it as a backup to the spreadsheet of books read or planned to read on my flash drive, I'm not sure what the real value of Shelfari is. At this point, updating it is more habit than purposeful activity.

Now, it seems the hot place for book lovers to be is Goodreads. I don't have a Goodreads account. Not because I prefer Shelfari to Goodreads, but simply because I question the value of starting yet another catalog.

Goodreads, Shelfari and other social networks for book lovers are supposed to be about seeing what others are reading, sharing what you read, and engaging in dialogue. Or, at least I think that's what they're supposed to be the purpose.

Frankly, I spend too much time on the Web as it is. What with email, blogging, and now Facebook and Twitter, not to mention the occasional Ning group, I've got my hands full. And increasingly, I'm receiving invitations to join informal book groups in those arenas. (Most of which I decline for lack of time.)

Does anyone actively engage in any of the book lovers' social networks--LibraryThing, Shelfari, Goodreads, or other, and if so, what do you do over there beyond building a book catalog? What is the value for you?

Let's take a poll in the comments. Tell me which book lovers' network you subscribe to, if any.

Just curious...

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Nearing The End

It's getting close to The End.

Not the end of my current wip. Nope, I'm nearing the midpoint on that, I think. (I write long and then have to cut-slash-destroy to make my writing tight.)

No, it's nearing the end of 2009. As usual, I'm thinking, "Where has the year gone?"

This year held a lot of joys and a few personal challenges. A very faithful God is bringing me through those. Still, these buffeting winds very much affected my ability to write, sometimes physically, sometimes mentally. (He's bringing me through that too.)

It's the time of the year to pull out those lofty goals laid out back in January, and see how I did. Since I haven't pulled them out much before now, I already know I didn't do very well against them, although I made significant progress against a few.

On the reading front, it's also the time when I look back over the books I've encountered this year and select those that were my favorites. Favorite Romances. Favorite Christian Fiction. Favorite Other (General Fiction, YA, Non-fiction, and everything in between). Favorite Debut Authors and Authors-New-To-Me. I'll be sharing those lists over the remaining days of the year.

It's also the time of the year when I begin to look forward. I love New Year's. For me, it's a holiday full of hope. A milestone, a marker of time past and a gateway to time to come. I'm not big on resolutions, but I do like to consider where I am, where I want to be, and how I'm going to get there. So I'm beginning to think about next year's goals too, especially now that I'm feeling better and clearheaded again.

Have you begun to think about your goals for the next year? Or, are you completely consumed by the holidays for the time being?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Felled by Illness But Forging Ahead

It's hard to write when your throat is on fire and you can barely lift your head off a pillow. That's how I felt on Saturday. Mind you, I still made our weekly Saturday AM pancakes-and-bacon breakfast and went grocery shopping with Hubby (a bit of a control issue there as I'm not always certain what will come back if I send him with a list). (Don't worry. I wrapped myself up tight and I wasn't coughing or sneezing. He put the items in the basket.)

I gargled with warm salt water several times Saturday and Sunday and took Motrin, both of which helped. I also slept until almost noon on Sunday. I'm much better today, although still not 100%. More brine in my future.

Alas, I definitely didn't write this weekend. So I've got some catching up to do. Three dear writing friends and blogging buddies--Kaye, LaShaunda, and Bettye--are joining me in my December challenge. For the next two weeks, we're each making a major push in our current wips. My goal is to add 25,000 words before Christmas. That would put me at nearly 60k in total.

I'll let you know how I make out when I'm done. I feel well enough today to do some writing this evening, and since I cooked last night for tonight, the evening routine will go much more smoothly.

Let me crow a bit before I end this post. One of my critique partners, Lynda Schab, won the 2009 Faithwriters Page Turner contest. She writes women's fiction with a light, humorous voice. Her winning manuscript is a mystery in that same vein. You'll be hearing more from her very soon, I predict. Congrats, Lynda!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Reader/Writer Tidbits - December 5, 2009

Let's begin with the new FTC rules for bloggers. Simply put, book bloggers need to identify the source of their copy of a book when offering a book review.

Agent Terry Burns of The Hartline Agency surveyed editors, both ABA and CBA, to determine if the changes he sensed to submission policies were true. Find out what they said here.

Former LA Times book editor, now editor and agent, Steve Wasserman tells us what we already know: the future of book publishing is unknowable. He makes some interesting points though, and I'd certainly like to see that thin, flexible roll-up e-reader that's purportedly on its way.

Prices are dropping, but you may want to wait before purchasing an e-reader. You don't want to get stuck with the e-reader version of the 8-track.

Harlequin's self-publishing venture, formerly Harlequin Horizons, is now DellArte Press. Other than no mention of Harlequin anywhere on the site, don't think anything else has changed. You'll have to check it out.

Finally, it may be possible to write your way to your weight-loss goals. There's something to this, as I assuredly eat less when I'm engaged in writing, and because of the euphoria I get from writing, eat less afterward as well. Which suggests I need to get back to writing...

Have you begun gearing up for the holidays? Finished your shopping or hardly begun?

20 days until Christmas...

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

A December Writing Challenge

I was only "sort of" participating in NaNo.

I didn't start fresh with a new story.

I didn't have a 50,000 word goal.

I'm happy about the 12,000-plus words I wrote. Still, I didn't write as much as I had hoped.

Here's what I learned:

Being prepared, with a plot outline or at least a solid idea, helps loads. (Didn't have one in my first NaNo a few years back.)

The hardest thing is still committing the time. Best intentions are not enough, and sometimes life throws you some curves that you just have to yield to, no matter how much you try not to.

Momentum is wonderful. It will take you far, but you have to guard it because it's easy to lose and hard to regain.

No need to wait until November. I mean, I could make the same goal and commitment any time of year. But having others in the trenches helps to keep you going, even only due to guilt.

So I'm going to give myself another NaNo-like push. For the next two weeks, beginning Saturday, I plan to write everyday. I'm looking to add another 25,000 words to my story in December, before the whole holiday thing kicks into high gear.

At the end of the month, I'll let you know how I made out.

Anyone care to join me?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

NaNo Might Be Over, But the Writing Is Still Underway

As of Monday at midnight, NaNoWriMo was officially over. Until next year.

After a Thanksgiving weekend that was both lovely and trying, during which I barely even considered writing, one of the first blog posts I read came from agent Scott Eagan who regularly offers tough love for novelists on his blog. This time he wondered "Are You Showing Up or Just Saying Your're (sic) On The Way?"

Blaaahhhh!

Why did it feel as though he were speaking directly to me? Not exactly what I wanted since my NaNo progress stalled in earnest about two weeks ago.

But exactly what I needed as I move toward 2010, and begin to consider what I need to do--and more importantly, what I will do--to move my writing forward. Each year I make progress, no doubt, but when will I make the significant leap from Less saying to more doing?

These thoughts tumbled around in my mind as I re-crafted the beginning of my novel on Monday.

Again.

In outline form.

But before I did that, I dealt with some of the trying stuff that needed to be addressed. Found some solutions I hadn't envisioned. Followed the leadings of the Holy Spirit exactly as given. I can't say I always do that, but when I do, I can say such obedience always results in a good outcome. Obedience may be better than sacrifice, but it sure is hard sometimes.

I then turned my attention to my wip, in part out of a clarity that had been eluding me and in part out of NaNo guilt. I solved the problems of the heroine's goal and motivation that were making me crazy and impacting my ability to move forward. I also tossed out a storyline that I'm very interested in, but was more of a force fit than a natural offshoot of the main storyline. I can always use in in another story where it's a better fit.

With these new thoughts, I'm happy to say one of the three beginnings I've written actually works. The second one. (I always have more than one beginning.) A lot of what I wrote before and during NaNo is still usable, albeit with tremendous surgery. But, I actually can pick up writing where I left off and move forward.

I went home with plans to do that, to eek out a few more words before the NaNo buzzer sounded, but that didn't happen. The weekday focus is always family first, and not always accommodating of my writing.

Still, I have in excess of 30k words, 12,818 of which I wrote during NaNo.

Woo-hoo!

With a little peace of mind and some concerted effort, I still can finish the first draft of this story by year's end.

I stumbled upon this video, "Things Novelists Do While Their Novels Remain...Unwritten". I got a kick out of this lighthearted offering by authors Robin Lee Hatcher, Kristin Billerbeck, Terri Blackstock, and Angela Hunt. And I felt so much better after watching it.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Featured Book: A Simple Act by Debbie Macomber

Although I adore Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove series--or at least the first five titles which I read voraciously several years ago, literally back to back, making me a bit nauseous at the idea of reading any of the subsequent or forthcoming titles--I found the notes from her keynotes speeches at this year's ACFW conference and the rave reviews she received enough to make me want this title.

I have not read this book. Yet. It sits ever so prettily on the night table beside my bed. But I'm intrigued by it, and apparently so is my husband who picked it up, turned it over, and thumbed through a few pages before putting it down. (That's a lot. Most of my books are simply ignored.)

Actually, in recent months, I've been drawn to non-fiction inspirational titles in a way that I haven't in at least a decade. So One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity is next up on my list of books to read, after I finish Tamara Leigh's latest novel, Leaving Carolina. When I finish it, I'll come back and post a review.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Debbie Macomber

and the book:

One Simple Act

Howard Books (November 3, 2009)

***Special thanks to Jennifer Willingham of Simon & Schuster sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Debbie Macomber is one of today’s leading voices in women’s fiction. With more than 100 million copies of her books in print and translated into twenty-three languages, her popularity is worldwide. Debbie and her husband live in Washington and Florida and are the proud parents of four children and grandparents of nine grandchildren.



Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $22.99
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Howard Books (November 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439108935
ISBN-13: 978-1439108932

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Chapter One

Fleas, Footsteps, and Check-out Lanes

Giving from a Grateful Heart


Kate stepped out of her bookstore at the end of a long, tiring day, locked the door behind her, pulled her scarf up over her nose and mouth to shield her lungs from the bitter cold air, and rushed across the lot to her car. Just one quick stop at the grocery store and she’d be on the way home to cuddle up with her new book in front of a warm fire.

As she waited at the traffic light to turn into the grocery store lot she took off one glove to feel if the air blasting out of the heat vents was starting to warm. Ah, yes. What a relief. In the few minutes it had taken her to get from her bookstore to the grocery store her fingers had started to ache from the cold. “I think I was born with cold fingers,” she muttered. The light changed to green and as she turned into the lot she came alongside a narrow median strip and noticed a man holding a crudely made hand-lettered cardboard sign. HOMELESS. NEED FOOD. PLEASE HELP. At his feet was a small white plastic bucket. His collar was pulled high against the cold, but her eyes went to his hands holding the sign. Bare hands.

My fingers ache from five minutes in this cold car, with gloves on. How cold must his be? she wondered. Her eyes went to his face. Late twenties, probably six or seven years older than Mark. The sudden thought of her son instantly made her shoulders sag. She hadn’t seen Mark since summer. Addicted to drugs, Mark had left home several months ago after a two year struggle—maybe war was a better word—with his parents over his drug abuse. He still called sometimes, but he’d been bunking in with friends, house hopping, and he’d even slept on the streets rather than come back home. Never had she felt so helpless as she’d felt watching her son self-destruct these past two years. Never so powerless to meet the deep needs of the son she loved. But he wasn’t ready to give up his drugs or his illusion of freedom. He remained elusive about his whereabouts and declined every offer Kate made to meet him someplace to talk. Where is he tonight? Cold and hungry like this guy? Begging on some street corner? And if a kind stranger gives him a ten dollar bill, he’ll buy his next hit of pills before buying a warm meal. Kate’s heart sank. Are Mark’s hands cold tonight?

And then it came to her. A quiet nudge. She parked, hurried into the store to pick up bread, eggs, and some yogurt for the weekend, then hit one more aisle. Through the checkout, a dash back to her car, and back along the other side of the median strip, where she pulled alongside the young man, rolled down her window and stopped. Her heart picked up its pace. He walked over to her car, bucket held out, but she didn’t hand any money out the window. Instead she held out a warm pair of gloves she’d just bought. He looked startled.

“Your hands must be terribly cold,” she said. “I hope these help.” The young man looked confused for a moment. Then accepted the gloves. “Thanks,” he said.

The car behind her honked and she pulled away and moved toward the intersection. She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw him pulling on the gloves. She blinked to clear a few tears away. They were warm on her cold checks, but another warmth from somewhere in her core was spreading upward, and she found herself smiling.

For the first time in a long time she didn’t feel powerless at the thought of Mark. Take care of my son tonight, Lord, she prayed. Show him Your love through the kindness of a stranger. And Lord, comfort the mother of that young man tonight.

In that one simple act Kate had discovered the power of generosity. She’d not only warmed a troubled young man; she’d kindled a spark of hope for Mark. And she realized that God had just used her to care for the son of another worried mother. And who knows, maybe the young man on the median strip called is mother that night.

Just one simple act.


A Discovery Worth Sharing

You’ve read the subtitle of this book, Discovering the Power of Generosity. If you recognized my name on the cover of the book you may be asking yourself why a writer known for fiction is writing a nonfiction book on generosity The answer is . . . well . . . if you don’t mind me quoting the title . . . simple. Have you ever discovered something so great that you just had to tell your friends? You know, like a great little vacation spot you stumbled across while on a trip, or a new clothing store with affordable prices, great selection and really stellar service? Maybe you’ve heard a speaker that had a huge impact on you, or saw a movie that made you laugh ‘til you cried and you knew just the friend who needed it. When we find something we love, we want to share it with it others and spread the joy. Right? That is how I feel about simple acts of generosity. I have had some encounters with generosity—as the recipient, the giver, the witness—that have had a profoundly life-changing impact on me. I’ve just got to share the news.

On the other hand, you may have seen the word generosity and thought to yourself, “Oh great. One more appeal to go digging deep into my pocket.” Don’t worry! You are not in for a brand new load of guilt. I promise! That’s precisely what this book is not about. In our age of overwork and exhaustion, tossing a few dollars here and there may be the easiest way to practice generosity. But I am talking about it in larger terms—life-changing terms.

Like my friend Kate. She made a five minute investment of time, and on a whim probably spent about eight or nine dollars on that pair of gloves. But her decision had nothing to do with her wallet. It had to do with her heart. When she handed those gloves out the window she brought unexpected goodness into a bleak situation. And that goodness spilled over and gave back. It multiplied. For my friend Kate, that was just the beginning. But that is a story for another time.

When you pick up a book, it’s fair to ask, “What’s in it for me?” My goal in writing this is to surprise you with the multiple benefits that come from small and large acts of generosity. I’m convinced that we cannot become all we could be until we are willing to unclench our hands and release what we’ve been clinging to, what we’ve been determined to keep for ourselves. The intriguing part is that once we release such gifts we are free to take hold of something more, something better; something that God has wanted to give us for a very long time.

Simply put, intentional acts of generosity can open our lives to the very best God has to offer. In fact, the very best that God has to offer is exactly where we need to start.


A Tradition Worth Keeping

Several years ago I read of the old Quaker tradition of keeping a gratitude journal. I was inspired by the idea so I purchased a book with blank pages and titled it My Ode to Joy. Each morning I wrote a little thank you note to God. I found it to be a way to start my day on a positive note. Little did I understand then how the discipline of writing down five things for which I am thankful every day would forever change my life.

When I first started I found it easy to hit the big things—good parents, a wonderful husband, my children (and later my grandchildren) and, of course, a writing career I love. These precious gifts still make their way onto my list over and over. Today, when I re-read journals from past years I see that as the months, then years, trickled by, I began to dig deeper for things to add to my list. As I matured in my understanding of how God works, it wasn’t only the good things, the pleasant, “happy” gifts for which I expressed appreciation. I began to see more clearly how God was using life’s trials in unexpected ways for my good so I began to write down my gratitude for the seemingly negative things in my life—my troubles, pains and losses. With that knowledge I became more confident that God would see me through everything, and my gratitude grew deeper. In fact, expressing thanks for negative things is a practice I adopted from Corrie ten Boom as I read her book The Hiding Place.1


Fleas, God’s Secret Weapon

During World War II, Corrie and her sister, Betsie had been arrested in Holland for trying to help Jews escape the Holocaust. They ended up in Ravensbruck, one of the most infamous Nazi concentration camps. Their barracks had been built to hold 400 prisoners but by the time the sisters arrived at the camp, the room held more than 1400 women.

Living conditions were insufferable. The women were housed like stacked cordwood on dirty, flea-infested straw, strewn on wooden platforms. The fleas feasted night and day until everyone was covered in itchy, raised welts.

If it hadn’t been for their Bible and the comfort the sisters were able to take from Betsie’s readings, Corrie didn’t know how they could have survived from day to day. If the guards had ventured into the room they would have discovered the forbidden Bible. Not only would it have been confiscated but the consequences would have been brutal. Over and over, the two sisters wondered over the mystery of why the guards never inspected their barracks.

One morning Betsie read the Bible verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that said, Give thanks in all circumstances. She insisted that they put this into practice, feeling certain that ‘giving thanks’ was the answer to their suffering. As Corrie tells the story, her sister named a litany of things they needed to thank God for—from the amazing circumstance that enabled the sisters to stay together, to the Bible she held in her hands, to the other women in the camp. But when Betsie began to thank God for the suffocating room and finally for the fleas, Corrie balked. It seemed impossible to Corrie to find anything for which to thank God in the deprivation of a concentration camp.

But Betsie insisted, reminding Corrie that God said, “in all circumstances.” Corrie recalled standing in that room with all the other women, thanking God for the fleas and being certain that, for once, Betsie was wrong. Yet, that prayer proved to be a turning point for the women. Their circumstances hadn’t changed but their attitude did. Betsie and Corrie began to connect with the women in a way that changed those barracks and the women imprisoned there. It wasn’t until much later that Corrie discovered the reason the dreaded inspection never happened and their beloved Bible remained undiscovered. It was the very same reason she and Betsie were never stopped from having their much-anticipated Bible studies.

The fleas!

The guards refused to set foot into those barracks because of the out-of-control flea infestation. When Betsie took God at His word and thanked Him in all circumstances, she had no idea those fleas were actually a gift from God.

It’s easy to be grateful for the sunshine, the good things, plenty of food, meeting the budget and compliant children. But God tells us to express gratitude in all circumstances.

Think about it. That means we are called to offer thanks when the wind blows into our lives at hurricane force. We are asked to thank Him when the money runs out long before the end of the month, and when the kids are pushing the boundaries and challenging us at every turn. It doesn’t make any logical sense, does it?

Corrie ten Boom discovered the “sense” of giving thanks in all circumstances. She discovered the vital link between gratitude and trust. Through reading The Hiding Place and through the practice of keeping my own gratitude journal, I, too, have discovered this link. Though we may not understand the whys of our circumstances, by thanking God we grow to acknowledge that He is in control—that He can be trusted. We learn to release our iron-tight grip on our circumstances, and we experience a much-welcome reprieve from worry.

The importance of giving thanks is clear in Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Interesting, isn’t it? The antidote for anxiety is to pray with thanksgiving.

Discovery

The act of gratitude reminds us that God is worthy of our trust.


Footsteps Worth Following

I admit learning to praise God in all circumstances takes practice. I find I need to be intentional and deliberate in doing so, and make it a day-by-day, even minute-by-minute exercise. My grandparents were immigrants of German-Russian extraction who settled in the Dakotas. They were dirt farmers during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. My grandparents, Anna and Anton Adler, rose long before dawn, greeting each day with anticipation. My grandfather labored in his fields only to see his crops fail year after year. When all seemed lost, he didn’t give up. He looked toward the future. He heard of work picking fruit in the Yakima Valley in Washington State. Selling everything they had, my grandparents headed west with six children, leaving their two adult children behind with and all their earthly possessions strapped to the back of their Model T Ford. They headed west, and without a backward glance, he left the farm behind. By all outward appearances my grandfather had failed just as the land had failed and yet, as told in our family stories, my grandparents chose to thank God for the work ahead of them, rather than complain over what they had lost.

In the footsteps of my grandparents I, too, want to look at life with a sense of gratitude. I see my journal writing as starting my morning out on the positive note of practicing gratitude. Instead of grumbling over the drizzle outside my kitchen window, I can smile and remember that it’s the rain that makes everything so green and lush in the Pacific Northwest.

I once read that there are more verses in the Bible that praise God than anything else. I’m not a Bible scholar so I can’t say for sure if that’s true or not but I do know that when we have a thankful heart, despite our circumstances, we lighten our load. Nothing jumpstarts our gratitude like practicing the habit of praise. King David, who poured out his gratitude in verse after verse of the book of Psalms, was called a man after God’s own heart. Isn’t that what we’d like to be? Simply reading his psalms of praise is an ideal way to build gratitude into our lives.


Check-Out Lane Surprise

A few months ago I was in line at the supermarket. My cart was piled high and I was anxious to be on my way. I was grateful that the young woman in front of me only had a partially filled cart. As I watched her carefully unload her groceries, I could see that she seemed anxious. As the checker finished ringing up the groceries, the young woman leaned across the check stand, whispered something to the checker and left—without her groceries. The checker piled the bags onto the cart and set it off to the side.

I guessed the scenario. The young women didn’t have enough money to pay for her purchase.

The clerk looked up at me and smiled, “Thanks for waiting. She had to go to the bank for more money.”

I looked at the mountain of groceries in my cart, remembering my own scary days back in the early 1980’s when I first decided I wanted to be a writer. My husband Wayne and I had four young children and, as a construction electrician, Wayne was often between jobs. I remembered well when were feeding our young family of six on Wayne’s unemployment check of one hundred fifty dollars a week.

I felt that inner discomfort that I sometimes get when God nudges me to do something. I call these moments ‘divine appointments’. It wasn’t by accident that I turned up behind this young wife and mother.

“How much were her groceries?” I asked.

The clerk looked up as if she hadn’t understood my question.

“How much was the bill?” I repeated. She pulled the tape from the bag and told me. Then she shrugged her shoulders as if she didn’t know why I’d be asking.

“Kindly add that amount to my bill,” I told her

The clerk stopped checking my groceries. I was glad my piled-high cart had kept others from lining up behind me.

“She may not even come back,” the woman cautioned. “Sometimes if a person doesn’t have enough money they say they’ll come back because they’re embarrassed. In every likelihood she won’t return, so save your money.”

“No,” I insisted, “I want to pay for her groceries.”

“She probably won’t be back,” she said in a flippant tone. “What do you want me to do with them then?”

“Give the food to someone in need,” I suggested.

I could see the clerk had never had someone offer to pay for someone else’s groceries. She appeared shocked and continued to stare at me. “Why are you doing this?” she asked.

I explained that at one time I’d been in that young woman’s situation. I remembered wondering how I’d feed my family. I told her how grateful I was for all that God had given me. I tried to explain that with gratitude comes the urge to share.

She didn’t say a word and I was left wondering if I was babbling on far too long. What I was doing didn’t make a lot of sense. The clerk was right—the woman who’d left might very well not return. Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that God wanted me to do this. I’ve come to recognize those promptings from God and learned not to resist them.

Slowly the clerk returned to ringing up my groceries. “I want to know more about God,” she said simply.

That’s when it hit me. This nudge from God wasn’t about the young woman who left her groceries behind. God hadn’t nudged me for her sake, but for the clerk’s sake! For whatever reason, she needed to witness an act of generosity done in the Lord’s name.

I thought of Corrie ten Boom’s fleas. In this case, my own gift of generosity was having a benefit I had never imagined, just as the fleas had a benefit Corrie had never imagined. I thought I was helping the young woman needing groceries, but the Lord had set his sights on the clerk. Something my Florida pastor, James Biles, once said in a sermon came to mind. I remembered being struck so by his words that I wrote them down on the margin of my bulletin: “We aren’t called to share the Gospel. We are called to show the Gospel.”

Look at it this way: had God not been tutoring me in the habit of gratitude, I might have been stewing about the delay caused by the young woman’s inability to pay. Instead I was able to listen to that still, small voice that sometimes gently urges me to act. Had I rationalized that the young woman might never come back for her groceries, I might have missed blessing the person God intended. Although I frequently shopped at that store I never saw her again and yet I feel God planted her in my path that day for His purposes.

Keep the eyes of your heart open for those God may want to help through you today.

Discovery

Practicing an attitude of gratitude spills over to acts of generosity.


The Science of Gratitude

My own discovery about the importance of gratitude was largely developed as I read the Bible. But did you know that science confirms the importance of gratitude as well?

Two researchers, R. A. Emmons of University of California at Davis and M. E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have been researching the Dimensions and Perspectives of Gratitude. Their findings fascinate me and have been the basis of dozens of articles in scientific journals and bulletins. Take a look with me at what they learned.

Their experiments demonstrated that those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer illness symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded troubles or neutral life events. As they continued to experiment, they found that participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress over a two-month period toward their most important personal goals—academic, interpersonal and health-based—compared to the subjects in their control group.2 So gratitude not only contributed to better overall health but helped reach important goals. Think about it. Our creator designed us to benefit when we give thanks.

And that’s not all. Here’s something else they discovered: a daily gratitude exercise where young adults regularly focused on specific things for which they were thankful resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy.

And remember that I said that generosity grows out of gratitude? The study also showed that participants in the daily gratitude experiment were more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or having offered emotional support to another. You see, when gratitude becomes a habit, then generosity seems to follow naturally.

In a sample of adults with neuromuscular disease, a twenty-one-day gratitude intervention resulted in greater amounts of high energy, positive moods, a greater sense of feeling connected to others, more optimistic ratings of one’s life, and better sleep duration and sleep quality, relative to a control group.

Wow!

But there’s more. Stephen Post, PhD, professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, is the author of Why Good Things Happen to Good People.3 In an article in Guideposts, “The Power of Gratitude” he shares five things he discovered about gratitude:

Gratitude Defends. Just fifteen minutes a day focusing on the things you’re grateful for will significantly increase your body’s natural antibodies.
Gratitude Sharpens. Naturally grateful people are more focused mentally and measurably less vulnerable to clinical depression.
Gratitude Calms. A grateful state of mind induces a physiological state called resonance that’s associated with healthier blood pressure and heart rate.
Gratitude Strengthens. Caring for others is draining. But grateful caregivers are healthier and more capable than less grateful ones.
Gratitude Heals. Recipients of donated organs who have the most grateful attitudes heal faster.
Discovery

Gratitude gives back. When we practice gratitude, not only do we grow in our trust of God, but we benefit physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Gratitude as a Prerequisite to Giving

As we acknowledge all we have, as we learn to praise God for all He has done for us. Then God helps us pry our fingers off our possessions, our Day Timers® and our bank statements. This brings us full circle. Can you see why we explored gratitude before we set off on our journey to discover the power of generosity? Gratitude is the basis for giving. Grumpy, stingy people cannot live in the spirit of generosity. In order to be able to open our hands to give, we first have to give thanks for all we’ve been given. It’s just that simple!







[Design note: Bordered feature—or maybe decorative corner treatments and different font—at the end of each of each chapter: Simple Acts of XXX. Also, find an attractive alternative to plain bullet points.]



Simple Acts of Gratitude


Begin a Gratitude Journal. Each day write five things for which you are grateful.
Practice praise. Nothing opens our eyes to the gifts we have been given than focusing on the Giver. Find at least one new thing to praise God for each day.
Stay alert for those “God Nudges” and be grateful when you sense them. When you feel like you should be doing something for someone, act on it. Keep track of those nudges. Write them down, noting how you responded and the outcome. When we practice listening for that still small voice we become better at hearing it.
Thank God in all circumstances. This means that sometimes you’ll thank Him for the “fleas” in your life.



****************************************


One Simple Act

Debbie Macomber


Howard Books

Nashville, Tennessee

Our purpose at Howard Books is to:

Increase faith in the hearts of growing Christians
Inspire holiness in the lives of believers
Instill hope in the hearts of struggling people everywhere
Because He’s coming again!


Published by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
www.howardpublishing.com

One Simple Act © 2009 Debbie Macomber

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Howard Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.


Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data TK


ISBN 978-1-4391-0893-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


HOWARD and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.


Manufactured in the United States of America


For information regarding special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact: Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com.


The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our Web site at www.simonspeakers.com.


Edited by Cindy Lambert

Cover design by TK

Interior design by TK

Photography/illustrations by TK


Scripture quotations not otherwise marked are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked The Message are taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.