Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing by Terri Weldon

This is my last post on Seriously Write. The last time I’ll ever pull up Blogger and load a post that will be published on This and That Thursday. It feels bittersweet.

My journey on Seriously Write has been progressive. I guest blogged, then became a regular contributor, and eventually moved to hostess when Dora Hiers felt led to pursue other writing related goals. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

The ladies on the blog: Annette Irby, Dawn Kinzer, Sandy Ardoin, Dora Hiers, Angie Arndt, and Mary Felkins have been a joy to work with. I’d also like to give a special shout out to the regular contributors I’ve been blessed to work with: Sally Shupe, Patti Jo Moore, Susan Tuttle, and Heidi Chiavaroli.

Sounds sad so far – right? So you may be wondering where the Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing title comes in. Each stage of my Seriously Write journey has been filled with anticipation of what each step would bring. That’s even true of the end of the blog.

I know God isn’t through with me or my writing yet, so I’m left to ask, “What’s next, Lord?” Seeing what God has planned and anticipating what the future holds is exciting. Knowing I’ll have more time to write or time to serve a writing group in some extra capacity is encouraging. Is the end of Seriously Write scary? Not really. When we discussed ending the blog it seemed as if God was leading us to do so. We may not know always what His plans are for us, but we know they are far greater than anything we could plan for ourselves.

Seriously Write has been good to me. I’ve made friendships I hope to never lose. A quote often attributed to Dr. Seuss says it best, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

So I leave you today with a smile. I’m feeling joyful that I was invited to be a part of Seriously Write. Blessings my friends – both now and forever.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all." —2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT 

Saying Goodbye Can Be A Good Thing

A quote often attributed to Dr. Seuss says it best, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Terri Weldon feels blessed to be a full time writer. She enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, and shopping for shoes. 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 the Heartland of the United States. Terri is a member of ACFW and RWA. Readers can connect with Terri on her Website: www.TerriWeldon.com

YULE Be Blessed by Patti Jo Moore

As the Seriously Write Blog comes to a close, I want to say how very blessed I’ve been getting to know so many of you in this community. Yes, we may have only met online, but I consider you a friend nonetheless.

When Terri Weldon (waving at this precious lady!) asked me to be a regular contributor, I was humbled and honored. I know I still have much to learn on this writing journey, yet if I can offer even a bit of encouragement to one person, I’m happy to do so. And so, in my final post of Seriously Write, may I offer encouragement to you today. Please don’t give up---no matter where you are in your writing journey. If things are going well for you, be thankful, celebrate, and try to bless others with what you’ve learned along the way. If things are not going well, don’t despair! If you’ve prayed and genuinely feel called to write in this season of your life, keep writing. Many authors go through a “dry season” and go for months (or years) with no writing contracts. Some authors feel the sting of a poor review, while others start second-guessing their writing career. Then, just like the first twinkling lights on a Christmas tree, things begin to look brighter. Maybe a new contract is offered, a writing contest win gives a boost, or readers eagerly ask for more books - - all giving much-needed hope to the author.

Just as with any career, the writing journey is not always smooth or easy. But if you seek the Lord’s guidance, work hard, and are willing to share what you’ve learned with others, your blessings will abound. Even in a challenging year like 2020, when many are wondering if they’re having a bad dream and will suddenly wake up to a “normal” year, there are still blessings. Lots of them.

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I want to wish each of you a happy, healthy Christmas - - no matter how different your celebration might look this year. May you feel the joy and peace that comes from being truly thankful for the birth of Jesus Christ. Because if you have Jesus in your life, you are blessed beyond measure.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 

I know I still have much to learn on this writing journey, yet if I can offer even a bit of encouragement to one person, I’m happy to do so. And so, in my final post of Seriously Write, may I offer encouragement to you today.

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.

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

Are You Ready for a New BFF? by Sandra Ardoin

I’ve made two major moves in my life—once from Indiana to Texas and once from Texas to North Carolina. Those weren’t just “a hop, skip, and a jump” to another neighborhood. Each move required me to say goodbye to old friends. 

Reaching the end of a novel is a little like making a major move. As writers, we create “friends” we spend time with for as much as a year or more. I don’t know about all writers, but I suspect many are like me. They get attached to their characters—even the not-so-friendly ones. They are people we endow with talents, flaws, quirks, tragic pasts, and a destructive present. We give them happily-ever-after endings or, in some cases, vague futures. We stand alongside them as they face tough challenges. (If they don’t have tough challenges, it isn’t a story worth writing.)

Like our real-life friends, they can reflect some aspect of our own personalities—we have something in common with them. Maybe your heroine has a similar sense of humor to yours, which makes her dialog sparkle with teasing sarcasm or dry wit. Perhaps your hero has suffered a tragedy you can relate to and your empathy causes his emotions to run deeper on the page.

Some of us wipe away tears when writing that last scene because it means saying goodbye to those we’ve come to know as well as we do our real-life BFFs. It can be like staring through the rear window of the car as the people and places we know so well grow smaller and smaller until they disappear. But take heart, dear writer, there will be future visits through edits and the marketing of your book.

Now before you call in Dr. Phil for yourself (or me), let me say there is good news. Just as you made friends in your old town (novel), you’ll make friends in your new town (novel). While writing one book, plans for your move to another will have been popping in your brain like a bag of Orville Redenbacher’s best.

Soon, you’ll meet new characters whose stories draw you to them. In the planning, you’ll question them about their lives, eventually getting to see what makes them the people they are. In the process of writing, they’ll show even more of themselves.

Relationships grow when people allow us see below the surface to the person they really are—their emotions and how they change and grow. It’s the difference between true friendship and a passing acquaintance. If you cannot see below the surface of your fictional characters to sympathize or empathize with them, then neither will the reader. And everyone will miss out on a special relationship.

Have you ever written a character you dreaded saying goodbye to? 

What makes someone else’s fictional character stand out in such a way that you, as a reader, don’t want to their story to end? 

Sandra Ardoin writes historical romance, mostly set in the second half of the nineteenth century. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Carolina Christian Writers, and the author of Get a Clue, a children’s short story in Family Ties: Thirteen Short Stories. Contact Sandra through her website at www.sandraardoin.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.