Freshen Up
by
Mary Manners
It has always been my dream to live on a farm, and a year ago that dream came true. Well, sort of. My husband and I purchased acreage in our small town and it came with a house. I often say I fell in love with the land, the garden shed, and the chicken coop...and the house was merely a bonus!
The house had issues. The flower beds were maze-like jungles that had grown up over the entrance, while a bird's nest sat in the porch light. A pagoda was leaning perilously and the garden pond had dried up. The shutters needed paint and the decks would have to be torn out and rebuilt from the bottom up.
But inside the house was warm and inviting, despite the fact that some areas needed a paint job and some serious TLC. We immediately realized the house had good bones...and would soon become our forever home.
A year later, the land has been tamed with beautiful flowers and box gardens that produce lovely vegetables nearly year-round. Our rescue dog and cats love to frolic in the yard with the chickens, and my husband and I often enjoy an evening out on the restored porch as we watch the sun set in a breathtaking display of tranquil beauty.
So, what does all this have to do with writing? Well, our stories are often like the house on my mini farm--they have good bones but need a little (or a lot) of TLC. Look for the beauty that lies within the pages of that unfinished manuscript, and don't be afraid to renovate in order to make that beauty shine. With a bit of pruning, your story just might call someone home.
~~~~~
HAVE THE YEARS TAUGHT THEM HOW TO FORGIVE...AND
TO TRUST THEIR HEARTS?
Megann Reilly returns home to Wildwood, Tennessee to
help nurse her estranged mother back to health. She's grateful for her newfound
job as an administrative assistant at Wildwood Community Church…until she runs
into Colton Kendrick, the bad-boy-wannabe who broke her heart.
Colt's job as Youth Director at the church is a cavernous stretch from his high school days as the town's privileged rich kid. The death of his sister has left him with a young niece to raise and an unruly puppy to tame. He's not the self-centered person who once hurt Megann, and all he wants is a chance to prove to her the man he’s become—and to love her.
Colt's job as Youth Director at the church is a cavernous stretch from his high school days as the town's privileged rich kid. The death of his sister has left him with a young niece to raise and an unruly puppy to tame. He's not the self-centered person who once hurt Megann, and all he wants is a chance to prove to her the man he’s become—and to love her.
Is it true that time heals all wounds, or has
Colt found Megann…only to lose her again?
~~~~~
Mary
Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing
her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of
East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats
Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and a dozen fish.
Mary writes stories full of faith
and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational
Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold,
the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.
Mary
loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She
enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.
