A Broken Heart Can Lead You to Rise by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

Once upon a time, the seeds of a series planted themselves in my heart. I saw a farm. A family. Midwest strong and vibrant. Within this harvest I saw three brothers. A picturesque piece of rolling land in Indiana. There were low-lying, rippling fields of soybeans. There was turmoil, faith, and overwhelming love.

For the bulk of their lives, my brother and sister-in-law, John and Mary Hilger, oversaw the operations of a 400-plus acre farm much like the one I imagined. They bore and raised six daughters, and life was good. Much like the family I imagined. You couldn’t leave their home without a heap of fresh fruits and vegetables. John’s laughter, his Christ-centered heart, resonated through all who knew him. Mary’s spiritual artwork ( www.spiritualhands.org ) was acclaimed and on-the-grow. Much like the faith I imagined.

John and Mary not only helped me research and develop my series, The Fishermen of Antioch, their example was something to which I longed to pay homage. Within their large, boisterous, loving unit, they demonstrated Christ’s love at its best. Plus, they were mentors to me and key to my spiritual discovery and growth.

So, I began to write a trio of books that honored farm families, stories that celebrated deep roots. I wanted to shine the light of respect upon those who work the earth and harvest without thinking of anything else but community provision. How much like our Father God? In John and Mary’s world, if strawberries rested on the vine after the main harvest, those without means were bussed to their farm to pick the fields clean. For free. Waste of God’s gifts was never an option.

John and Mary saw their family to fruition. As life’s golden-age came upon them, sons-in-law joined the picture. A multitude of grandchildren blessed their lives and there was retirement on the near horizon. They had plans. An art and Scripture-based ministry they’d carry out from church to church was already taking off. John’s engaging recitation of Scripture coupled with Mary’s ordained artwork brought souls to the Kingdom. They couldn’t wait to embrace an exciting new season of life. A few Christmases ago, their family gifted them with a river cruise through Europe that would take them to Germany—a long-held bucket list destination.

Before departing, John and Mary stopped by our house on their way to Detroit Metro Airport. We shared dinner, and, in typical fashion, Deacon John prayed over me as they prepared to depart for Europe. Selfless love. I prayed with and for him as well, but nothing was as special as a blessing from John…

Less than a day after they left, we received a panicked text notification from Mary that read, simply: “PRAY.” We did, of course…but that’s where the story takes a twist. Soon we discovered what prompted her outcry. Following dinner on the first night of their cruise, John suffered a massive heart attack. Thanks to Jesus alone he was in Amsterdam and was immediately transported to a world-class hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma.

We prayed, we believed, we stormed the gates of heaven. Meanwhile, all six daughters made their way to Amsterdam, battling horrific weather patterns, botched deliveries of passports, and a nightmare of bureaucracy…but by the grace of God alone, they all made it there.

Just hours before John passed away.

My sister-in-law has written a book about her journey through grief. It’s called ‘Finding Beauty in Ashes.’ The story is amazing. Meanwhile, the final book of the Fishermen of Antioch series releases in March. The result, I hope, will honor my original God-given goal, and the rich legacy of a family’s love.

*****

CLICK TO TWEET!

Within each story we create, there's so much more than meets the eye.

*****

Benjamin Fisher melds with quiet perfection into the tapestry of the Fisher family. The youngest of the three Fisher men, Ben is gifted with skills that keep machines running, crops efficiently harvested, farm structures sound and secure.

But there’s one person in the small village of Antioch, Indiana who has noticed and adored the man since her youth. Hailey Beth Thomas. Hailey Beth’s sister is marrying Ben’s brother in a spring wedding that promises to be the event of the season. Thrown together as the heady romance of an upcoming marriage takes place, love and revelation come to life.

Unknown to anyone else, Ben wants to answer a call to the mission fields of North America that will lead him far from the life he has always known. Ben longs to serve, but he wants a life with Hailey Beth as well. Hailey Beth can’t leave Antioch, but can’t bear the idea of losing Ben.

Are they meant to be together, or will God’s call pull them apart just as they’ve found a way to one another?

*****

Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of faith-affirming fiction who has won acclaim from critics and readers. RT Book Reviews named her book Forgiveness a 4.5-Star Top Pick and readers laude her books as ‘riveting’ and ‘true to heart.’ She’s a life-long resident of Michigan who calls suburban Detroit home.

The Stories In Their Faces by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

The Easter season has inspired me to consider the way my writing has evolved over the years. At the intersection of the pew and the main aisle of my church, I found a purpose. I found the means by which to fulfill a call on my heart that existed long before I was fully able to acknowledge it, or put God’s plan into motion.

Ever since middle school I considered myself a writer. I’ve always gravitated toward words, scenes and images that would bring emotions to life. Furthermore, I fell in love with the idea of…love.

My first publications were secular. I wrote for Kensington Publishing; after that I was contracted by The Wild Rose Press for a book titled With This Kiss. When I worked my way through edits on that story, something struck me, something  some might refer to as a ‘game changer.’

The end of that secular romance was decidedly Christian, and left me thinking about the fact that, for the longest time, I had wanted to write Christian fiction and romance, but didn’t feel worthy, or like I had a suitable story to tell.

God made use of that yearning. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, He was leading me straight to where I am now. The craving to write never left me, even through the fits and starts of contracts/no contracts – raising kids/maintaining a corporate job to help raise and college-fund said kids…

I went to church one fateful Good Friday—a service at which I’m always emotional and overwhelmed by Christ’s love and sacrifice—and noticed so many different things. Ushers readily helping the disabled, people gathered to honor the season, our friends and family giving us hugs, kisses and well-wishes as we served at Mass and joined our long-time worship community at the altar of God’s greatest gift.

During communion I found myself drawn once more to the people who filed forward. Most of them were strangers to me. That didn’t matter. I saw their faces. I saw individuals. I saw…stories. I saw them the way I hope and pray Jesus sees me while I live and love, struggle and savor, succeed and fail. I thought of them in a context of pure, unencumbered love, a people full of God’s hope and promise.

What greater gift could I have ever been given as a writer? From that moment on, I stormed the gates with my pen and my heart, and the gift of words He gave me from my youth. I determined from that point on to craft stories that I pray will do Him some form of humble praise and homage. As this season of rebirth and warm, sunny promise reminds me, this life, this journey is all about Him. It’s all about God’s kingdom being revealed and shared.

Where are you seeking renewal? Whatever your hope, always remember: You are cherished…you are loved. Alleluia!

Click to Tweet!

At theintersection of the pew and the main aisle of my church, I found a purpose.

Alwaysremember: You are cherished…you are loved.

Seekingrenewal? Find it in the faces, and stories, of the people around you. 

~~~~~

Marianne’s latest release, Date Night, is part of the new Pure Amore imprint at Pelican Book Group! Pure Amore is a ‘book of the month’ subscription service featuring Christian romances centered on the concept of pre-marital purity and abstinence that doesn’t surrender one moment of the thrill to be found when two people fall in love!

Check out Date Night and the other wonderful Pre Amore titles at:

http://pure.pelicanbookgroup.com/

~~~~~

Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.

Readers laud her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ Devotion, earned the prestigious Bookseller’s Best Award from Greater Detroit RWA as well the Heart of Excellence Award from Ancient City Romance Authors. She also earned wins for Best Romance from the Christian Small Publisher's Association and the Selah award for Best Novella.

Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

Connect with Marianne: Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Pinterest

I Have Arrived! ... Or Have I??? by Pamela S. Thibodeaux

Pamela S. Thibodeaux

Greetings, friends! Marianne here, wishing you all the best as the new year kicks off! In this month's edition of Monday encouragement, I wanted to introduce you to Pamela Thibodeaux. Pam is a gifted author with an encouraging message  to share. Hope you enjoy her insight and wisdom! Pam, take it away!!

~~~~~

When I began writing more than thirty years ago,  I had no clue what I was getting myself into. All I knew was I’d been disappointed one-too-many times. Based on what I read, I figured it couldn’t be hard.

I can do better than this!

With the niavette of the uninformed, I figured all I had to do was write a good story and BAM! I’d be published. So I did. I poured my heart out in page after page of five-subject notebooks. By the time I’d filled several and started researching how to get published, I found out the manuscript had to be typed.

I didn’t own a typewriter nor could I afford to rent one. Then came the blessed day eleven years later I purchased a used word processor. Just when I thought I’d be able to really embark on the glamorous journey, submissions became electronic!

I’d put off buying a computer for lots of reasons, the main one ~ all I do is write. After getting connected, I figured the voyage to being in print was just an email away.

Wrong again.

My first novel was accepted as an Ebook, my first short story in an Ezine. What’s with this E-industry? I wanted to hold a book in my hands – after all, being Epublished isn’t really published. That’s what ‘they’ say (anyone ever figure out who ‘they’ are?).

In my article on Success, I make a statement…as beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so is success. It is, in and of itself, success.

In addition to numerous articles and essays, poems and devotions, I now have 7 published novels available in ebook and print as well as 6 short stories and 2 nonfiction books.

Guess this means I’ve finally arrived……or Have I?

We all have our own definition of success, our own idea of what it means to ‘arrive.’ I’ll arrive when I can make a living doing what I love most – bring glory to God through my writing.

When will you know you have ‘arrived’? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

~~~~~

Set at the tail end of the Vietnam War era, Circles of Fate takes the reader from Fort Benning, Georgia to Thibodaux, Louisiana. A romantic saga, this gripping novel covers nearly twenty years in the lives of Shaunna Chatman and Todd Jameson. Constantly thrown together and torn apart by fate, the two are repeatedly forced to choose between love and duty, right and wrong, standing on faith or succumbing to the world’s viewpoint on life, love, marriage and fidelity. With intriguing twists and turns, fate brings together a cast of characters whose lives will forever be entwined. Through it all is the hand of God as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Purchase Links:

Kindle: http://amzn.to/13b6qCG

Print: http://amzn.to/1zfEzNH

Create Space: http://bit.ly/1qRN3cb

Nook: http://bit.ly/1ySeQqJ

B&N Print: http://bit.ly/1wA6DsH

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/136qK7n

~~~~~

Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com  

Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Face Book: http://facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux

Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib

Cast a Wide Net by Sandra Merville Hart

Sandra Merville Hart

I had the privilege to meet Sandra Merville Hart at ACFW last year and was so blessed by her humble spirit. I was so thrilled to hear that she'd sold her first book and asked her to share a some of the things she'd learned along the way. Here's some wise words from a sweet friend. ~ Angie

Someone once told me, "You're not a writer until you've been rejected." Though this author obviously meant to encourage me, it did not remove the sting of a rejection recently received -- the first of many.

If you're a writer, your thoughts likely already traveled back to that first painful rejection. Perhaps the most recent one sprang to mind. Receiving refusals doesn't seem to grow easier.

A seasoned author gave me a bit of advice when I began writing. These words of wisdom probably saved my sanity in the past few years. What was this sage advice? Cast a wide net.

Those weren't her exact words, but that's what it has come to mean to me.

When I first began writing, I wrote a short story, devotion, or an article. After researching for magazines looking for this type of writing on the Internet and my trusty writers guides, I submitted it to one editor at a time. Waiting to hear from that one publisher agonized me. Once the rejection letter arrived, it took weeks to summon the courage to send it to the next name on the list.

My friend encouraged me to submit to several publishers at a time, at least to all who accept simultaneous submissions. There's always a feeling of hope and possibilities when submitting. Once it has been sent, she advised me not to wait idly. Write something else. Revise it. Polish it. Make it the best you know how to do. Whenever that work is ready, send it out after researching potential editors. Then begin the next writing project.

The rejections that come in typically don't hurt as much when other possibilities exist. In the meantime writing skills improve with each task, increasing our chances of publication. It's like the basketball player who practices throwing hoops day after day. Continuous practice adds finesse and polish to already familiar tasks.

Will rejection always hurt? Unfortunately, it probably will. Some have crushed me. Shifting focus to learning to be the best writer you can be may be the key.

If you are continuously applying all you've learned thus far to each new writing project, you will improve. You'll be submitting your best work each time because you're not the same writer as a year ago or even six months ago.

And someday your best will be good enough.

Click to Tweet
Cast a wide net and more writing advice by Sandra Merville Hart. Click to Tweet
Write something else. Revise it. Polish it. Make it the best you know how to do. Click to Tweet

About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart loves to find unusual facts in her historical research to use in her stories. She and her husband enjoy traveling to many of the sites in her books to explore the history. She serves as Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com where she contributes articles about history and holidays. She has written for several publications and websites including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, Common Ground, Afictionado, and ChristianDevotions.us. Her inspirational Civil War novella, A Stranger on My Land, released on August 21, 2014. Her book is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-My-Land-Sandra-Hart/dp/1941103278/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405606746&sr=1-1&keywords=A+Stranger+on+my+land.

A Stranger On My Land

Carrie and her little brother, Jay, find a wounded soldier on their land after a battle which later became known as "The Battle Above the Clouds." Adam, a Union soldier, has been shot twice in the arm. Though Carrie is reluctant to take Adam to their cave where her family hides their livestock from both armies, she cannot turn her back on him.

A Stranger On My Land
by Sandra Merville Hart

 
But her Aunt Lavinia, bitter over what Yankees have done to their land, urges Carrie to allow Adam to die. Carrie refuses, but cannot remove the bullets. Adam's friendship with Jay softens her heart toward him. It's not long until his gratitude and teasing manner spark a friendship between the young couple. Even though Carrie's father fights for the Confederacy in far-off Virginia, her feelings for the handsome young soldier begin to blossom into love.

When Adam's condition worsens, Carrie knows a Union surgeon is needed to save his life. How can she accomplish this and keep her family's hiding place a secret?

The Power of Words

Marianne Evans

Hi, friends! I'm Marianne Evans, honored to return to Seriously Write as a monthly contributor! Annette Irby, the editor extraordinaire I credit for making my book Hearts Communion shine and earn wonderful honors, invited me to join the team and offer words of encouragement. I hope you enjoy the journey and I look forward to our time together! God bless!

The Power of Words

By Marianne Evans

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) 

“Words can build us up, words can break us down, start a fire in our hearts…or put it out.” From the Song ‘Words’ by Hawk Nelson 

Words fascinate me. A plaque hangs on the wall near my desk reading: “I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” The quote is from James Michener. I’d like to take matters a step beyond that truth.

No matter what God gives me to do, no matter what He calls me to become, encouragement and uplifting others is a vital component of my life. Our words possess a level of impact we may not fully recognize as we communicate with those around us.

I’ll never forget my first writer’s conference, Tapping the Source, sponsored by Greater Detroit RWA. I submitted ten pages of my manuscript for review. Hopes high, best foot forward, I entered the small conference room and sat across from the diminutive, yet high-energy agent from New York. Other writers joined me. Nerves tight, prayers lifted, I waited.

And I was slaughtered.

 Merciless, she ripped the submission to shreds. Specifics escape me but for the end note: “This story won’t be published, but at least you know you can write a book.”

Words can build us up…words can break us down…

Sucker-punched, I held it together. At lunch, I sat with another "victim" who had been treated with equal severity. We talked. Planned. No way would this moment be the last say when it came to our dreams. We established a critique group. We worked, learned, attended conferences and refused to give up.

Start a fire in our hearts…or put it out. 

From ashes rose best friendship. To this day we’re ‘sisters-by-another-mister.’ She’s the constant reminder in my life of the power of encouragement, of sharing and supporting. Together we survived the machete of poorly chosen words. The agent had every right to disregard my work. Writing is subjective.

But what about impact?

Yes, the woman’s words ripped a hole in my heart. But that hole left just enough room for a miracle. I fought back. I refused delivery on her verdict. I lived, I learned, and I grew. I won. Perhaps that slaughter was necessary in order to accomplish God’s purpose.

Get bitter, or get better.

The story she critiqued became my second sale to Kensington Publishing in a career now stretching across twenty-plus releases. So, my encouragement for you today? Never let someone run roughshod over your dreams. Persevere! (Tweet this!) Learn from life’s bitterest circumstances, then regroup. Give yourself to God in prayer and keep moving forward as He calls.

I don't want to say a word, unless it brings the world back to you." From the song 'Words" by Hawk Nelson.

Nothing fills Jodie Sullivan’s spirit like sharing contemporary Christian music and scriptural insights on her morning drive radio show at KWJD. Lately, though, life is conspiring against her. She’s overwhelmed, drained and depleted by the circumstances that have led her from the big city to Angel Falls, Texas and Heart’s Haven apartment complex. 

Kevin Mitchell is the freshly installed groundskeeper at Heart’s Haven—a place famous for angelic intercession and loving connections. His uncle owns the facility, and he’s ailing. Kevin is more than happy to chip in, and as he prepares the grounds for a spring wedding, he meets Jodie and they begin to work together to make Heart’s Haven sparkle. Kevin begins to believe the stories of Heart’s Haven, and its aura of romance, are true.

But just when lasting connections form between himself and the lovely, if troubled DJ—right when he succeeds at coaxing Jodie’s heart to bloom, tragedy strikes in a double dose that will test the bonds of their faith, and the love they’ve found…


Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Readers laud her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ Devotion earned the prestigious Bookseller’s Best Award from Greater Detroit RWA as well the Heart of Excellence Award from Ancient City Romance Authors. She also earned wins for best romance of 2012 from the Christian Small Publisher's Association and the Selah award from Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Fiction Writers for best novella of 2013. Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

Re-Defining Creative by Mesu Andrews

Mesu Andrews

When someone asks me, “Are you creative?” my mind flashes to the half-full closet of half-finished craft projects in our spare bedroom. But, remarkably, my answer is, “Yes. I was created to be creative.” Believe it or not, you’re creative too! Read on to see if you agree…

God is distinct as Creator with the ability to create from nothing. He brings into being something that previously didn’t exist.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”            Genesis 1:1-2

He continued creating the sky, land, seas, plants, animals—but when the Creator created man, He did it a little “creatively.”

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”    Genesis 1:27

Don’t you wish you could have seen Adam and Eve BEFORE sin? The perfect image of God on earth—unscarred by sin—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin marred them. Sin marred the image of God in human form.

Blemished by not broken, God’s image still forms the core of every newborn, and it is this core of God’s image that distinguishes us from animals and angels.

“You have made [humankind] a little lower than the angels and…You made them rulers over the works of your hands...”            Psalm 8:5-6

So, what do you and I do that our dogs can’t do? Well, I’m a pet-lover, not a theologian, so I don’t know all the ins-and-outs of the body, soul, and spirit. But I know this:

Because I was created in the image of my God:

• I can create.
• I am creative
• You’re creative too.

This post is a creation. I used letters, a computer, and the internet to communicate it, but the thoughts were a creative process made possible because I was created in the image of my Creator.

And creation is a PROCESS: inspiration and imagination that leads to revelation. We participate in this process—as writers, teachers, moms, dads, problem-solvers of all kinds—with the Creator Himself. How cool is that?

Sin may have marred the divine image of original humanity, and it most certainly strained the fellowship of our Holy God with His Creation—but through the righteous blood of Jesus I’m renewed day-by-day in both His image and in fellowship with Him.

So, let me be the first to ask…Are you creative?

Can you think of other creative pursuits besides writing?

Click to Tweet

• God’s image in humans was flawed by sin, but it still forms the core of every newborn.
• Blemishedby not broken, God’s image in us distinguishes us from animals and angels.
• Inspiration and imagination lead to revelation. We participate in this process with the Creator Himself.

About the Author

Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue the next step in God’s calling. They enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Both enjoy the cozy warmth of a fire on rainy Northwest days. Mesu loves movies, waterfalls, and travel.

Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year in the Debut Author Category. Love’s Sacred Song (Revell, 2012), the Song of Solomon story, received a 4 ½ star rating from RT Reviews. And Love in a Broken Vessel(Revell), the story of Hosea and Gomer, is available now and received a 4 ½ star TOP PICK rating from RT Reviews.

The Shadow of Jezebel

Princess Jehosheba wants nothing more than to please the harsh and demanding Queen Athaliah, daughter of the notorious Queen Jezebel.

In the Shadow of Jezebel
by Mesu Andrews

Her work as a priestess in the temple of Baal seems to do the trick. But when a mysterious letter from the dead prophet Elijah predicts doom for the royal household, Jehosheba realizes that the dark arts she practices reach beyond the realm of earthly governments. To further Athaliah and Jezebel’s strategies, she is forced to marry Yahweh’s high priest and enters the unfamiliar world of Yahweh’s temple. Can her new husband show her the truth and love she craves? And can Jehosheba overcome her fear and save the family–and the nation–she loves?

With deft skill, Mesu Andrews brings Old Testament passages to life, revealing a fascinating story of the power of unconditional love.

Infusing Dark Subjects with Light by H. L. Wegley

H. L. Wegley

When I hear the words child trafficking, words associated with darkness and evil come to mind, words like abduction, sexual abuse, slavery, and prostitution. How does one expose this evil without giving the readers a dark story? The short answer is infusing the story with light.

To accomplish this, I tried to follow a couple of simple, logical principles when constructing the plot. The first principle is, light obliterates darkness. So infuse the story with light. But what does one do during the darker moments of the story? They cannot be completely avoided, hence the second principle. Hope is the precursor to light — i.e. it opens the door for light to enter. When the story must grow darker, infuse the situation with hope.

Using the principles of hope and light, I started plotting On the Pineapple Express. During plot construction, the author has a lot of freedom. She/he can place the ugly events on stage, make them happen offstage, or prevent them from happening. I constructed my story so that the most evil aspect of human trafficking, sexual abuse, wouldn’t happen until the captive girls were sold. Instead of the evil, I created an imminent threat of evil. This worked well, heightening the suspense by providing a ticking clock against which my protagonists must work to locate the girls before they were sold.

Creating the threat of evil, and substituting it for graphic evil and violence, is a great alternative. When creating the threat of something evil, like sexual abuse, the author can choose words that paint a partial picture allowing readers to complete it with their imaginations. This is preferable to spoon-feeding horrifying, R-rated images to readers.

One way that I inject hope is to put a person of faith in the scene, a person who shares applicable truths from God’s word. Mild spoiler alert — in On the Pineapple Express, my heroine shares scripture with the captive girls showing God’s heart for the oppressed.

In the end, light must win. Goodness and justice must prevail, defeating the darkness. My heroine summed this up by saying her role became clear to her, woven into the tapestry of a story only a good God could write. I believe that’s where all of us, readers and writers, want our stories to end.

The details and statistics on human trafficking, I relegated to the epilogue, where my heroine gives a speech to concerned students and parents.

Treating the dark subject in this way, I have no reservations about giving this book to my 14-year-old granddaughter to read. She would profit from it far more than from a book filled with graphic descriptions of sex trafficking.

About the Author

About H. L. Wegley

On the Pineapple Express
by H. L. Wegley

H. L. Wegley served in the USAF as an Intelligence Analyst and a Weather Officer. In civilian life, he was a weather forecaster and a research scientist in atmospheric physics. After earning an MS in Computer Science, he developed computing systems for Boeing before retiring in the Seattle area, where he and his wife of 47 years enjoy small-group ministry, grandchildren, hiking Olympic Peninsula beaches, snorkeling Maui whenever they can, and where he writes inspirational thrillers and romantic-suspense novels.

On the Pineapple Express

In one of the most beautiful places on earth the ugliest of crimes holds young, innocent lives in its evil grip. An intercepted cell-phone call from a remote area on the Olympic Peninsula tells beautiful, brilliant NSA researcher, Jennifer Akihara, a group of girls will soon be sold into slavery by human traffickers. She enlists her fiancé, Lee Brandt, to help find the holding location and convince the FBI to intervene. With the clock ticking off the last few hours before both the sale of the girls and the arrival of a deadly storm, and with international criminals pursuing them, can Jennifer and Lee save the girls, or will their wedding plans be cancelled ... permanently?

It's Never Too Late by Dora Hiers

Dora Hiers

When it comes to time, I'm a firm believer that most people fall into two different categories:

those who are usually a few minutes early

That would be me. I'm the one sitting patiently at the airplane gate an hour before the plane is due to board. 

and those who are perpetually running late 

Hubby fits in this category. You know the type. He's the guy standing in the Starbucks line as the airline announces the last call for a boarding flight.

My sweet hubby

He doesn't just arrive late, he also includes some type of dramatic announcement of his presence, usually a booming, "Well, well, well." Those of us who like to keep a low profile, well, we've learned to adjust or duck our heads in embarrassment, just accepting his energetic personality as one of the things we love about him. Can you see that mischievous glint sparkling from his eyes? >

What about when it comes to our writing? 
Do you worry that you'll be too late in achieving your dream, of holding your story in your hands, of seeing your baby in print?

Maybe you crested the "hill" more years ago than you care to admit, and you've been knocking on the publishing door for decades. Hundreds of rejection letters are crammed into the deepest, darkest hole in your closet. Or maybe the agent you've been hoping to land has just turned you down for the fourth time. Wherever you're at, take hope in God's promise:

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

Eccl 3:1, NKJV

We've all endured traumatic events at some point in our lives. Maybe it was a divorce, a tragic accident, a serious illness, or the death of a loved one. Whatever the circumstances, it shattered our perspective, made us lose our grip on reality for a time. It's only later, when we look back, that we realize something good came out of it, that God weaved those painful threads into a glorious tapestry as only He can do. 

Trust Him with your writing dream. He has a purpose, a plan, and He will reveal all of it in His time.

You see, God's timing is always perfect, never too late and never too early. Rest in that, stop fretting, release the stress and worry over not being published back to Him, and leave it there.

No matter where you're at on your particular writing journey, take time to treasure the friendships He's placed in your path, to savor the actual gift of writing for writing's sake. Cherish Him because He is enough.

Where are you on your writing journey?

Do you worry about the timing?

Journey's Edge
Purchase Link

A Routine Audit? Hardly.
Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Treasurer for ACFW-Charlotte Chapter. Connect with her here on Seriously Write, her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Tips to Keep Distractions from Veering You Off Course

Me - Dora Hiers

This spring, hubby and I purchased a new car. Before that, I drove a Ford Explorer, which I loved, but now that it's mostly me and the dog tooling around, it seemed pointless to drive such a big car. And gas? Nothing like watching $70 drain out of a tank, right?

So when the Explorer got to be of age, I set out to find a car with better gas mileage, but it had to be sporty and roomy enough to accommodate our full-figured Golden Retriever.

We decided on a Hyundai Santa Fe. I could ramble all day about the features. Heated seats, shiftronic capability (the ability to switch between automatic and stick~don't get me going on that!), great gas mileage, and ...

<--- check this out!

An electronic digital display estimates my average miles per gallon. What?? Do you know that you can boost your gas mileage by taking your foot off the accelerator for a few seconds? Well, I am all over that! That's why I got the car, right?

So, instead of focusing on the road, sometimes I would find myself honing in on that blue line, getting giddy as it edged closer to 50 mpg. I mean, really. How cool is that?

But then a honk would get my attention. Or moseying off the side of the road...

It's the same with our writing, isn't it? We allow distractions to take our attention away from getting words on the page. Those interruptions and diversions will drain our writing time and cause us to veer off the road, er...not accomplish anything that day.

Here are some suggestions that help me stay on track:

Determine your most productive time and stick to it. Early on, I recognized my most productive time of the day was in the morning, so that’s when I write. After breakfast and quiet time, I respond to emails and check social media briefly, and then immediately start writing. Every thirty minutes I get up and stretch, occasionally hit the restroom or refresh my drink. I don’t answer the phone unless it’s my husband, and I schedule all appointments for afternoons. Figure out your most productive time and do your best to work with it within the confines of your schedule. 

If you work a full time job, but your fingers fly across the keyboard in the mornings, can you get up a few minutes early to write? If your mind comes alive late at night, carve out some time after the kids go to bed to write. If your day consists of taxiing your kids around from football to gymnastics, you may have to adjust to lugging a laptop or tablet and squeezing word counts in fifteen minute increments. As much as possible, whenever you write, guard that time.

Set a goal. Set a realistic word count goal for the day, and then map it out for the entire year. Sounds like a lot of work, but it’s actually a great tool to help you see what you can accomplish if you cut out the distractions. Ask your spouse or a friend to keep you accountable by asking how many words you wrote that day.

Recognize your priorities. My recent college grad lived at home for a short time while he searched for a job. When he sauntered in my office, no matter the time, I was all ears because I recognized time with him was short, so talking with him was a priority. Occasionally, I found it necessary to adjust my word count while he was living with us, which I did, willingly.

Eliminate unnecessary distractions. Do whatever it takes to eliminate distractions. The biggest distraction for me is the Internet. There are apps available to disconnect from the Internet for extended periods of time, or you can just set a timer to alert you when your break is over.

What about you? How do you minimize your distractions?

Care to share the tips that work for you?

Journey's End
Purchase Link

Devastated after the brutal murder of her husband, Chelsea Hammond vows never to love another lawman. Intent on rebuilding her shattered life, she turns her focus to helping troubled teens. But when an angry father bent on retaliation, threatens her, Chelsea must turn to the one man she never thought to trust: Deputy U.S. Marshal Trey Colten. 

Trey wants only to protect Chelsea, but she blames him for her husband’s death. Trey can relate. He blames himself, also. As danger lurks, Trey begs Chelsea to heed his warnings. He let down one Hammond. He won’t let down another—especially one who now holds his heart.

When Chelsea is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear, and trust Trey with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block by Rosemary Hines

Rosemary Hines

There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting at your computer with deadlines looming and no words flowing. Here are a few ideas for overcoming writer’s block that I shared recently on my author page.

1. Take some time to step back and reread the whole story you have written up to this point. Sometimes that process ignites an idea that will ignite the flow again.
2. Get alone with your main character and interview her. Ask her why she is getting stuck. Where is she hoping to go next with her life and what is holding her back? Ask her to share her innermost fears with you as well as her hopes and dreams. Give her time to open up to you. Maybe she is in need of a visit from someone who will encourage, motivate, or inspire her to press on. Maybe she's needing to be jolted by a life altering event that neither of you expected when you began writing her story. My guess is that if YOU are stuck, it's because SHE is.
3. Think of a captivating scene that would draw the reader into the text (scary, tense, exciting) and put your character in the middle of that scene. As you begin to describe the scene and her reactions to it, she may begin to tell you the next chapter herself.
4. Set a timer. It’s amazing how limiting your writing time can actually help increase productivity. Make it short, like 5-10 minutes. During that time, write from your stream of consciousness as you think about your character, story, or the process of writing itself. Knowing you won’t have to sit there staring at the computer screen or yellow pad for hours can really open the floodgates. Even if you begin with something simple like this example: “I have no idea what to write, but I’m going to keep going until the timer rings. As I think about my character, I wonder what keeps her up at night. Does she have the same worries about ________ that I have right now in our family? Does she ever think of escaping and running away? If yes, where would she go?”
5. Step back from the manuscript and clarify/define the theme of your story. Especially in Christian fiction, we have an obligation to consider the message we are communicating. When I taught writing, I always had my students begin with a theme or life lesson readers could take away from their stories. The world can offer stories with ambiguous themes or pure sensationalism, but we are called to a higher bar of using our words to communicate Truth. Your story might be stuck because the theme or life lesson has not yet been defined. Give specific purpose to your character’s journey and the path will become clearer.
6. Get some fresh air. Take a walk alone with God. Check in and make sure your relationship with Him is up to date and intimately connected. As you walk, open up and share with Him your roadblock. Then be observant. Look at the amazing intricacy of creation surrounding you. The God, who made it all, dwells within you and desires to speak through you in your story. Sometimes we get so consumed with the writing and the deadlines that we forget to draw our inspiration from the Author of Life.

About the Author

Into Magnolia

Rosemary Hines is the author of the Sandy Cove series ~ contemporary Christian fiction with a message. She taught writing at a secondary level for fifteen years and has been published in such magazines as Signs of the Times and Woman’s World. She and her husband live in California where they enjoy spending time with their children and two new granddaughters. For more information and other helpful tips, you can follow Rosemary on her Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryHinesAuthorPage and visit her on the web at www.rosemaryhines.com