The Best Love Note Ever! by Dawn Kinzer

The Best Love Note Ever!

It’s Valentine’s Day, so it’s the perfect time to talk about love, right?

My favorite Valentine’s Day movie is called just that—Valentine’s Day. It came out in 2010 with a large cast of well-known actors, and it didn’t focus on only one type of love. Scenarios included first dates, longtime commitments, young crushes, connections to old flames, and parent-child love. There were so many ways viewers could relate to what the characters were experiencing. I appreciated that!

I believe most people yearn to be seen and loved for who they are. We long for intimacy—the kind that comes with a special kind of closeness, devotion, and selflessness, whether it involves romance or not.

How does this relate to love and writing, regardless of the genre?

With our computers—or our notepads—we become conduits through which the Holy Spirit can share God’s devotion and faithfulness via our novels, memoirs, children’s books, blog posts, etc. In so many ways, our words are love notes from God written through us. Using our stories, we have opportunities to reveal God’s unconditional love and acceptance—his grace and forgiveness.

Just like self-help books or Bible studies, fiction can teach and impact lives. Story-telling can point to God. Our characters’ experiences can encourage readers to begin a relationship with him—or desire a better one.

How do we accomplish that? We write about the real stuff and meet readers where they are—in the trenches. That requires vulnerability and a willingness to write pieces that include not only love, romance, fulfilled dreams, and other warm fuzzies—but also the tough stuff so many of us experience. Heartbreak. Divorce. Abuse. Broken relationships. Fears. Rejection. Chronic illness. Gossip. Slander. Financial crisis. The list goes on …

Our heavenly Father wrote the best love note ever when he gave us the Bible, and that message couldn’t be more clear.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16

Dear friends, when you feel discouraged about your writing life, don’t give up. You have important work to do! Please … go write those love notes! We have a world starving to read them!

Our words are love notes from God written through us. #SeriouslyWrite #encouragementforwriters

With our computers—or our notepads—we become conduits through which the Holy Spirit can share God’s devotion and faithfulness. #SeriouslyWrite #encouragementforwriters

By All Appearances

By All Appearances

Liana Tate, a special events planner grew up in a high-profile family. No matter what she does, Liana feels she never measures up.

Bryan Langley, a talented musician, was close to signing a recording contract when a barn fire left part of his face severely burned. He survived, but his career did not.

When Liana’s father hires Bryan as a caretaker on the family estate outside of Seattle, Liana’s and Bryan’s lives become entangled. He risks public humiliation for Liana’s success, and she encourages him to use his musical gifts, despite his reluctance. Thrown together, will they achieve their elusive dreams? And will the two find the love and acceptance they yearn for, or will their actions only drive each other away?

Dawn Kinzer

Dawn Kinzer is a freelance editor, and her own work has been published in various devotionals and magazines. She co-hosts and writes for Seriously Write. Sarah’s Smile is the first book in her historical romance series The Daughters of Riverton, Hope’s Design is the second, and Rebecca’s Song completes the trilogy. Her contemporary romance, By All Appearances, is set in the Seattle area where she resides.

A mother and grandmother, Dawn lives with her husband in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Favorite things include dark chocolate, good wine, strong coffee, the mountains, family time, and Masterpiece Theatre.

You can connect and learn more about Dawn and her books by visiting these online sites: Author Website, Faithfully Write Editing, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Amazon Author Page, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Amore! by Terri Weldon

Terri Weldon

Being a romance writer I’m thrilled to have a chance to post two days before Valentine’s Day. After all, Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year. It evokes images of red roses, chocolates, and love letters. All things you want for your heroine, regardless of the genre you write. In fact, I think our belief in love is one of the reasons we write.

Since we all know the course of true love never runs smoothly in our novels, what would cause our heroines to believe in true love? Parents? Not for my heroine in the book I’m currently editing. Her parents are more interested in money and social status than their daughter. Boyfriend or husband? She doesn’t have one. God? She feels like God turned His back on her the day her sister died.

Enter my hero. A wonderful man with a personal relationship with Jesus who was raised by parents that exemplify true love. He longs to see my heroine develop a relationship with God and then to spend the rest his life loving her. In fact, he’s willing to sacrifice anything, even his job as a homicide detective, to protect her and win her love. Sigh. A happily ever after. Just what readers want. Any editors out there reading this? Um, not that I’d turn any requests down, but please know that was meant as a joke.

Before I bid you farewell, I’ll share with you a quote from my most treasured love letter, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16 NKJV

Just think about it, God loves you and me so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that our sins could be forgiven. There is no greater love. I know that’s why I believe in a perfect love and I pray you do too.

Let’s have a mini-brainstorming session. Leave a comment and tell me what your hero is willing to give up to prove his love to your heroine.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

****

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Misty Winslow is determined to find her prince, and she meets the man of her dreams through an Internet dating service. Or is he, because the new dentist in town also sets her heart aflutter.

It's love at first sight for Tyler Davenport, but before he can finish his first root canal, Misty is involved in an exclusive online romance with Wes99—Tyler’s online persona. How can he tell her he’s the man she’s been waiting to meet, and how rational is it for him to be jealous of Wes99! Soon Tyler's pulling out all the stops to woo Misty.

As Christmas approaches, Wes99 and Tyler both ask her to meet them under the mistletoe. Which man will she choose?

Terri is a lead analyst by day and an author by night. She enjoys gardening, reading, and playing in the hand bell choir. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction.

She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Terri has three dogs – a lovable mutt and two adorable Westies.

Terri is a member of ACFW and OCFW, a local chapter of ACFW. Her dream of becoming a published novelist came true in November 2013 when Mistletoe Magic, released from White Rose Publishing. To learn more about Terri visit her website at www.TerriWeldon.com.

My Everyday Valentine by Susan Tuttle

Valentines may be passed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still talk about love, right? I was lucky enough to marry my BFF fifteen years ago. We’ve known each other for twenty-five years, but we were “just friends” for a good ten before realizing somewhere along the way we’d fallen in love. How lucky are we?

Now, when you’ve known someone that long, sometimes you think you know everything about them. You can almost fall into a rut. After we married, we had kids and settled into a nice pattern. When the kids reached school age, we decided we were going to homeschool. Things moved along nice and steadily. Hubby worked, I stayed home with the kids, and all our responsibilities naturally rolled into those categories. Which meant, laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning, cooking…etc. were all mine. Along with schooling the kids. And I happily made our house into a home.

Then God called me back to writing.

Oh. I’d always wrote, it seemed as natural as breathing. But God was calling me into the ministry of writing and pushing me to devote more time to it. To seriously pursue it.

Now, with no agent, no book contracts, and only the whisper of God urging me forward, how was I to explain that to Hubby?

Luckily God paired me with the right man.

Because if you’re a writer, you know that there can be days or weeks where laundry doesn’t get done, the cupboards run bare (McD’s and pizza nights become the norm), and the house is destroyed. That’s been the biggest change for both of us—redefining our roles. It’s an act in constant progress, but we seem to be doing it. And over the past two years as I’ve learned to balance this calling and our home life, Hubby has supported me. Through every step, with no concrete outcome achieved, Hubby has been nothing but encouraging, prayerful, helpful…excited for me. Even when he comes home to a messy house or receives another call to pick up take-out.

And that is beyond lucky, that is blessed. That is love. Our lives have changed, and he’s changed along with them, learning to navigate this road with me and encouraging my dreams—even helping me to attain them. They are never too large, never too inconvenient, and never too far out of reach for him to push me towards them.

He’s my biggest support system.

He’s my everyday Valentine.

Now, it's your turn. 

Does your loved one encourage and support your writing?

How do you balance your writing and home life?

Dora here. Recently, Susan signed with Linda Glaz of the Hartline Literary Agency. 
Congratulations, Susan! That's definitely a "concrete outcome!"

Susan Tuttle is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the second grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

When You Marry a Novelist By Patty Froese

My husband thought he knew what he was getting into when he married a writer. He knew I wrote. He loved that I'd been published, but I don't think he had a perfect grasp on what that would mean on a daily basis. I think he thought it would be... prettier. More quill pens and less hammering out a chapter outline before having had a shower.

He thought that I'd happily work another job, and write in the time that was free after working a day job, after spending time with him and before getting a decent night's sleep. What he didn't count on was how much I hated my day jobs, and how much I needed to write, even more than I needed sleep.

He thought that once I got my first book published, it would be an easy life of cashing royalty checks. Nine books later, I still giggle a bit at that one!

He thought I wrote about things entirely fictitious... but when you live with a writer, you run the risk of being included in her work, even subconsciously!

He thought writing was my hobby. He was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Getting the balance can be a bit of a ride for any relationship, but once we did, my husband started to appreciate the benefits of having a full time writer wife. (Yes, I quit the hated day jobs.)

1. I'm here all day, so when he gets home, a meal is on the table and I'm thrilled to see him. (Writing all day doesn't provide a lot of social contact.)

2. When people ask him what his wife does, he gets to brag a little. "No, really. She's a novelist."

3. I'm at home, so I can take care of our son and do all those mom-things that make for a sweet childhood. (Granted, my son will also have plenty of memories of me saying, "Mommy has to write, sweetheart. Go play now.")

4. Whenever he needs to write out something for work, he has an excellent editor on hand to smooth it all out and give it a little pizzazz.

5. I'm happy. Deeply happy. And I know that I'm able to stay home and write full time because he supports me--that gratitude can only mean good things for him!

A great relationship is when both people get to pursue their dreams, and we have that kind of marriage. I'm lucky!

Marriage isn't always rose petals, and sometimes it takes a good amount of work. My newest novel, Legally Wed, is about two marriages--one that was supposed to be perfect, and one that was supposed to be over. Neither marriage ends up being what the partners expect!

But that's life. Marriage is generally a surprise, no matter how prepared you think you are!

When Rich McConaughey comes back to town, divorce papers in hand, he's in for more than he bargained for. Lisa Young, the woman he was married to for six months, hasn't changed a bit. His mother has though... she's gone from matronly to meow, and his father has taken off with the secretary. Does anything last anymore? 

Lisa Young feels chained to the hardware store her family has run for generations. How can she tell her father that she hates the family business? When Rich walks back into her store asking her to finalize a divorce she thought was behind her, she thinks that the answer is to sign on the dotted line and move on. Except, Rich isn't making it so easy... and God has other plans.

For better or for worse, when you're legally wed, things can get complicated.  Buy link

Meet Patty Froese 

I am an inspirational fiction writer with a husband, a child, a quirky sense of humor and a passion for what I do. Give me a pot of tea and some peace and quiet, and I can give you a novel. I’ll also give you blog posts, hilarious internet jokes, pictures of my ridiculously intelligent rabbit and other random things that keep me busy.

You can join the chaos and fun of novel writing by following my daily posts. Come, comment, let me know you’re there. Who said writing has to be solitary?

http://pattyfroese.com/

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