IN A WORLD OF WHAT IFS? By Sharee Stover

A favorite book plotting tool I use is the “What If?” game. I ask myself the question throughout the course of a story’s development. Of course, in the beginning when I’m researching, I ask “what if?” in a general sense, for instance when I’m pondering a possible plot.

When I’m in a scene and want to up the ante, I ask, “What if?”

And when I’m doing edits I ask, “What if?”

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The whole point of asking, “what if?” is to make our characters’ lives a little more miserable. I know that sounds incredibly cruel but, the bigger their challenges, the bigger their victories. Or failures. It’s okay to have both.

The risks and adventures in their journey give our characters life. The way they handle situations brings out their inner fears, beauty, and values.

And in the end, our characters grow and mature. At least we hope so, because an unchanged character is boring.

I can’t help but wonder if God allows the “what if?” periods of our lives for similar reasons. When we have life all figured out, we’re busy being busy. In those times when I feel most in control, I’m checking off things in my dayplanner, scheduling appointments, meetings, and events. I’m crossing off items on my To Do list and feeling like I have got this thing handled. And it’s those moments where I fall into the false sense of security that I’m in control of my life.

But throw in a “what if?”, mix it up, take away my planner, add in a pandemic … and “what if?” becomes an in-my-face reality.

In those uncertain times, the “what ifs” free us to ask questions, explore new ideas, and admit we don’t have a clue how to handle a situation. It’s where we throw up our hands in full surrender and admit we aren’t in control.

Like that’s news to God.

But friend, sometimes, it’s news to us because those “what if?” moments ground us in reality, setting us back where we should be. On our knees admitting to God that we are not in control and honestly, it’s all a little unnerving.

And it’s there in the quiet, in the place where I’ve cast my care that I find He is fully in control.

What if God loves me enough to take care of today?

What if God loves me enough to take care of tomorrow?

Does that mean I’ll live sheltered in a bubble fully protected from every bad thing? Of course not. In fact, this year has been one of the toughest I’ve faced and it’s not even summertime.

But it does mean I am not alone. And neither are you. No matter what is on the other side of “what if?”, God’s in control. And because I belong to Him, because you belong to Him, He’s got us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

Someone’s after a deadly weapon…

and only she can stop them.

It’s undercover ATF agent Randee Jareau’s job to make sure the government’s 3-D printed “ghost gun” doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. So when someone goes after scientist Ace Steele, she must protect him…before she loses the undetectable weapon and its creator. But with a mole inside Ace’s company and everyone a suspect, this assignment could become Randee’s last.

Colorado native Sharee Stover lives in Nebraska with her real-life-hero husband, three too-good-to-be-true children, and a ridiculously spoiled dog. A self-proclaimed word nerd, she loves the power of the written word to ignite, transform, and restore. She writes Christian romantic suspense combining heart-racing, nail-biting suspense and the delight of falling in love all in one. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Sisters in Crime, and Nebraska Writer’s Guild. Sharee is a triple Daphne du Maurier finalist, winner of the 2017 Wisconsin Fabulous Five Silver Quill Award, and her debut, Secret Past, won Best First Book in the 2019 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. When she isn’t writing, Sharee enjoys reading, crocheting and long walks with her obnoxiously lovable German Shepherd. Visit her at www.shareestover.com.

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Yes, That Really Happened! By Patti Jo Moore

As writers, we know that story ideas are everywhere. People-watching can often send our minds into overdrive, and we start playing the “what if” game in our thoughts. What if that man patiently accompanying his wife in the grocery store is actually a spy?

We can also use incidents in our own lives to add an interesting twist in our stories. Has something unbelievable happened to you? Maybe something so crazy that later you find yourself thinking, I can’t believe I did that! Or Did that really happen?

Since I recently returned from attending the American Christian Fiction Writers’ conference in San Antonio, Texas, I’ve been reflecting on what I learned, the friends I saw, and yes—even some zany things that happened. 😉 It occurred to me a few days ago that some of these happenings might find their way into my future stories.

Because I’m not a seasoned traveler, I was a bit nervous as I prepared to board my flight at the Atlanta airport. *Side note: For those of you who’ve never been in my hometown airport, it gets CRAZY!* As I headed along the jetway to board the plane, I glanced behind me to see if I was the last passenger. The line ahead suddenly stopped, sending me plowing into the woman ahead of me. Cringing, I profusely apologized, preparing to be met with a glare. Instead, the woman laughed and joked about not having her brake lights on! I had no idea who she was, but I liked her right away. 😊 A few hours later, I was leaving the registration table at the writers’ conference when a woman approached me, smiling as she introduced herself. She was the same woman I’d bumped into, and also a Hallmark author whose books and movies I love! I gushed like a crazy fangirl, but she was so sweet and since then we’ve visited and emailed. I have a new friend!

When I checked into the hotel, the kind employee smiled and handed me a bookmark with a Bible verse on it, along with my room key. As I stepped away from the counter to join a friend, I glanced down at my room number. Room 666. Seriously? At a Christian conference? For a minute I thought it must be a joke. ☹ The woman who’d helped me was now busy with another guest, so I went to a different desk clerk. When he saw my room number, he shook his head and exclaimed, “I told her not to give anyone this room!” He completely understood my reason for wanting a different room, and happily assigned me to a new room on a different floor. 😊

I could go on and on…but you get the idea. Those clumsy moments we might have, or something that we can later laugh about can all become part of our stories. Even something that might seem unbelievable to others—yet really happened to us—can all find their way onto the pages of our stories. If you’re too embarrassed to admit an incident really happened, no worries. You’re a writer, so folks will just think you made it up. 😉

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. Proverbs 15:13

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After being deceived by her beau the previous year, library worker Sadie Perkins feels she’s meant to remain single and serve as a missionary to orphans in Africa. Her plan is to return home to Riverview after a year, and open an orphanage in a lovely house she’s admired since childhood. She didn’t plan on losing her heart to someone who intends to demolish the house.Widower Shaun O’Leary of Savannah yearns to make his father proud, and hopes to accomplish that by overseeing a hotel project in the town of Riverview. But first he must have a house demolished before hotel construction can begin. After meeting lovely Sadie Perkins in Riverview, he’s puzzled why she seems upset when he mentions his plans. He’s also saddened that she’s leaving for Africa soon, because he’s fallen in love with her. As Sadie prepares to board a ship, she finally has peace and realizes what she should do, yet still feels sad that the house she loves is to be demolished. When Shaun suddenly has an idea to save the house Sadie loves, he rushes to the Savannah port to tell her, but the ship has sailed. When things seem hopeless, can dreams still come true?

Patti Jo Moore is a former kindergarten teacher who now writes full-time. Her “Sweet, Southern Stories” feature characters who face realistic struggles and challenging situations but always have a happily-ever-after ending.

Patti Jo loves Jesus, her family, cats, and coffee. When not writing, she loves spending time with her family—especially her precious grandbaby. She enjoys connecting with readers and can be found on Facebook at Author Patti Jo Moore. You can also visit her blog at http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com

She has three contemporary stories and one historical, all with Forget-Me-Not Romances


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