Carrot Confessions by Patti Jo Moore

“Hello, my name is Patti Jo, and at one time in my life, I was addicted to carrots.” Yes, you read that right - - carrots. Not the Bugs Bunny variety of carrots, but the tiny baby carrots—juicy, sweet, and crunchy. Easy to carry with me when I taught school years ago, or wanted a snack while driving my car in the afternoons as a busy soccer mom. I figured they were a healthy snack, right? But the more I ate, the more I wanted. It’s as though my body craved baby carrots.

That winter when I went for my usual thyroid check-up, the doctor gave me a good report, but then added his only concern was the yellowish-orange tint of my skin. I simply laughed and replied that it must be the pound bag of baby carrots I consumed daily. He appeared stunned and wouldn’t let me leave his office until the nutritionist on duty had a talk with me, strongly urging me to limit the carrots and add celery and broccoli to my snack choices. What I learned that day was concerning. The excess Vitamin A I was getting in the little orange nuggets was not only coloring my skin, but giving me headaches (which I’d thought were from teaching lively first-graders!). She informed me that taking in that much Vitamin A was toxic to my body. I was horrified.

Needless to say, I cut way back on the carrots. But to this day, when I walk past the bags of baby carrots in the grocery store, my mouth waters. Seriously. Recently I was reminded of that time in my life, and that old phrase “too much of a good thing” echoed in my thoughts. I’d honestly thought I was doing something good when I began snacking regularly on the carrots, but little did I know I gradually did harm to my body. Another phrase comes to mind: All things in moderation.

As so often happens, my carrot-related thoughts led to writing (of course). 😊 Just as too much of a certain food isn’t healthy for us, putting too much of anything in stories doesn’t help and often turns away readers. I’ve posted before about my tendency to include many eating scenes in my stories. After all, my stories are set in the South, and food is an important part of our lives, right? But I’m trying to limit the eating scenes, although it’s a challenge.

When writers attend workshops, we’re often reminded not to give too much backstory at the beginning of our story, even though we’re eager for readers to know what’s happened in our character’s past. We’re told it’s better to sprinkle in the information gradually, rather than in excess at the beginning. Some years ago, I read a story that had so much description of the setting in the very first paragraph, I had to re-read (several times!) to let it sink in. Moderation is key - - in eating, and yes, in our writing too!

If you ever read a story and learn that a character has an unusual habit of eating too many carrots, don’t assume something so strange could never happen. Hopefully the writer will use moderation, and not include too many unique habits for the characters. 😉

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m heading to my refrigerator to find some broccoli---not my first choice, but it’ll do.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

 Psalm 139:14 

SCROOGE'S HOLLY DAZE

Holly Sims loves Christmas and children, so when she’s asked to help plan a Christmas festival for foster children, she’s thrilled. As a newcomer to Pine Valley, North Carolina, Holly is eager to become involved in church activities and meet people. When she continues seeing a handsome but sullen man in town, she’s curious about him. Why does he appear so unhappy?

Rick Bates is fine with being an introvert. After being shifted from family to family throughout his childhood, he knows he cannot depend or trust anyone and must guard his heart. Running his small business and taking photographs of nature scenes are all he needs in his life. So why does he continue thinking about the auburn-haired woman he keeps seeing?

When Holly asks Rick to take photos at the Christmas festival, he’s ready to decline—until he learns it’s a festival for foster children. When he arrives at the event, Rick is in awe of the decorations, including countless twinkle lights. But the joy on the children’s faces stirs his heart even more. With help from a Christmas-loving lady, a friendly town, and a kitten named Taco, Rick knows the ice around his heart is melting. 

Just as too much of a certain food isn’t healthy for us, putting too much of anything in stories doesn’t help and often turns away readers.

Patti Jo Moore is a retired kindergarten teacher and lifelong Georgia girl. She loves Jesus, her family, cats, and coffee, and is blessed to be published with Forget-Me-Not Romances. When she’s not spending time with her family (including her two sweet grandbabies) or writing her “Sweet, Southern Stories” Patti Jo can be found feeding cats—her own six and local strays.

She loves connecting with readers and other writers, and can be found on Facebook at Author Patti Jo Moore or her personal blog at http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com

Writing for an Audience of One by Elizabeth Goddard

The phrase “for an audience of one” is often referred to when talking about being a fan of your own work or, another way of thinking about it---creating for the pleasure it gives you.

Let’s face it, not many people write novels for the sake of writing a novel. Okay, well maybe some people—but most of us start that long, arduous journey of learning to write, making connections at conferences, and either pursuing self-publishing or securing an agent to land an editor, for the purpose of getting published. As mentioned, not everyone does this. Some write novels for the sheer joy of creating a story which they stick in a drawer. Honestly, I don’t know anyone like that. You might. But let’s go back to the term “publishing”.

Merriam-Webster’s Definition of publishing : the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art.

So, yes, most writers want to get our words—novels, articles, poetry, whatever—out there for the world to see our work! Or at the very least we want to share our heart with a lost and dying world, trusting that our message will land in the hands of someone who needs to read it.

At Christian writers’ conferences, this question is sometimes asked—Would you still be writing if you were only writing for an audience of One?

Capital One.

As in, you’re not your own audience, but God is your audience.

For many, the answer is still a resounding “yes”. For those writers the need to write is a burning drive, a dream, a call, that must be answered. I fall into that category, and yet, if I’m honest, my answer to the question—would you still be writing if you were only writing for an audience of One?--would likely be no. Okay, so if there was never any hope of being published, I doubt I would have continued on that journey. Yet, if God truly called me to write, then of course I could do no less than answer that call. (I answered the call in 2001 when I joined American Christian Fiction Writers).

My point is that the question gets right to the heart of the matter. Why do you really want to be a published author? Fame? Glory? You’re driven to write? Because God called you to write?

Scripture says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3 :23 CSB

Not for people. Did you catch that part? But for an audience of One.

Whatever your answer to this question regarding an audience of One, remember that ultimately everything we do should be done for God. It’s up to Him to bless you with a bigger audience, but in your heart of hearts—make sure you do it all for Him. For His glory.

Lives...and hearts...are on the line in eight brand-new Christian Romantic Suspense novels from the genre’s most explosive authors. 

Lethal Outbreak: Lisa Harris & Lynne Gentry 

Virus hunter Aiden Ballinger believes the source of the lethal outbreak that decimated a remote Tibetan village came from disturbing the permafrost. Desperate to rebury it before it buries the world, Aiden enlists Rachel Allen, a beautiful epidemiologist. But while Aiden and Rachel pursue the cure—and their feelings for each other—someone is hunting them. Whoever wants them dead will not stop until they are silenced. 

Collision Course: Elizabeth Goddard 

His cover blown, FBI Special Agent Reg Jacobson finds refuge on the other side of the country, but trouble follows him when he faces off with a woman from his past. Private Investigator Nicole Weatherly, hired to catch a thief, suspects Reg. When the bullets fly, Reg and Nicole must escape secrets from their pasts before their futures collide. 

Glimmer in the Darkness: Robin Patchen 

When Cassidy learns another child has been kidnapped from her hometown, she's convinced the man who took the girl she’d been babysitting seven years earlier is behind the recent abductions. She alone holds the key to finding him. Though James blames Cassidy for his sister’s death, he’ll help if there’s a chance to save a child’s life. Can Cassidy and James identify the serial killer in time to rescue his latest victim? 

Expired Plot: Lisa Phillips 

A man after justice. A local crime boss. The woman caught between. Undercover FBI agent Will Briar is working his way to the top of an illegal operation. But when he discovers the identity of the boss, everything changes. Hollis knows nothing is as it seems. Now she must either save her father and doom herself, or take a chance on the man who could be the answer…to everything. 

Ice: Lynnette Bonner 

Camryn Hunt witnessed a murder. Now she’s under the protection of handsome small-town sheriff Holden Parker. The gorgeous island location, and break from her dreary life, might be pleasant if the sheriff wasn’t so demanding. Determined that no harm come to Camryn, Holden secludes her at his home. He only wishes she didn’t intrigue him so thoroughly. Attraction only complicates things. Especially when the murderers arrive at his door. It’s going to take all his wits to save her. 

Never A Traitor: Jan Thompson 

The last thing Private Investigator Earl Young expects is to pose as a fake boyfriend to a whistleblower. His driving need to solve problems forces him to work with paranoid Sienna Halstead as she draws him deeper into her corporate world of secrets and subterfuge. The more time they spend together, the more attraction grows. When another whistleblower is murdered, Sienna knows she's next. How far will Earl go to protect her? 

Ben in Love: Luana Ehrlich 

Is CIA operative Ben Mitchell really in love with the daughter of a Turkish dissident? Titus Ray, his mentor, isn’t buying it; he thinks Ben needs intel on a Muslim cleric. But when Titus follows Ben to northern Virginia, he discovers Ben’s deception is more dangerous than he thought. With their lives on the line, can Titus convince Ben to abandon his plans before it’s too late? 

Liar Like Her: D.L. Wood 

When disbarred attorney Quinn Bello discovers a body that inexplicably vanishes, no one in her seaside town believes her—no one, that is, except newcomer Ian Wolfe, who for his own mysterious reasons doesn’t hold Quinn’s past against her. Together they search for the truth, but doubts about Quinn’s sanity and innocence increase as the danger escalates. Will they expose the heart of the deception before Quinn becomes the next victim? 

Scripture says, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3 :23 CSB Not for people. Did you catch that part? But for an audience of One.

Elizabeth Goddard has sold over one million books and is the award-winning author of more than 50 romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery The Camera Never Lies--a 2011 Carol Award winner. She is a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense finalist for her Mountain Cove series--Buried, Backfire, and Deception--and a Carol Award finalist for Submerged. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.ElizabethGoddard.com.