I just got back home from North Carolina. Emma is now home with her parents (my daughter and son-in-law), dog Cody, and cat Haley! She had a rough time of it when her jaundice spiked, but now everything is fine. Take a peek at Alison and Jason's blog where they post pictures and videos when time allows. Now it's time to return to my regularly scheduled life filled with writing books, writing devotions, and reading delightful papers from my Long Ridge students.
Something cool and unexpected happened yesterday. I learned that my book If the Dress Fits was voted one of the contemporary Heartsong Presents book club favorites for 2008! I also saw the names of several of my close friends on that list, so it was a great day to celebrate! If you click on the Heartsong Presents link above, check out the lists posted on January 23, 2009.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
I'm a grandma!
What a way to start 2009! My daughter Alison and son-in-law Jason are now the proud parents of Emma Grace. She was born January 13 and weighed 8 lbs., almost 15 oz. Here's a link to their blog where Jason has posted some pictures: JasonandAli.blogspot.com.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas 2008
My family is blessed this Christmas season. Our older daughter Alison and her husband are having a new baby soon. Lauren is now a college graduate, and even though she hasn't yet found her dream job, I know she eventually will. Wally and I are both actively working.
As I reflect back on 2008, I realize that I'm approaching Christmas with blessings I never dreamed would happen this time last year. Since I write books for a living, I rely on my agent Tamela Hancock Murray to keep me employed. When she called back in July with a lilt in her voice to announce that my book Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida sold to Summerside Press, I was ecstatic! She told me she thought there might be more good news soon, and she was right! Her next announcement came about two weeks later with a 3-book sale to Heartsong Presents. Then later that same month, Paige Winship Dooly, Lisa Ludwig, Beth Goddard, and I sold a Christmas anthology to Barbour Publishing!
All these sales are wonderful. They also mean that I'll be busy for a while. Fortunately, I'm somewhat organized with my time, and I've been able to stay on target with my personal deadlines set much earlier than my publishers'. With three of these projects completed, I can take some time off to focus on Christmas before I jump back in to work on the other two.
Another blessing is my job as an instructor for the "Breaking into Print" writing program with Long Ridge Writers Group. I have some of the most amazing students, and I'm honored to be with them on their journey toward publication. There's no doubt in my mind that many of them will reach their goals because of their dedication and willingness to do what it takes in this exciting yet often frustrating business.
As the year draws to an end, I'll continue praying for my family, other people I love, my church family, my agent, my writer friends, my students, my editors, the USA, our president-elect, and the economy. I also want to keep the Rovenstine family in prayer as precious little Von goes through cancer treatment.
As I reflect back on 2008, I realize that I'm approaching Christmas with blessings I never dreamed would happen this time last year. Since I write books for a living, I rely on my agent Tamela Hancock Murray to keep me employed. When she called back in July with a lilt in her voice to announce that my book Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida sold to Summerside Press, I was ecstatic! She told me she thought there might be more good news soon, and she was right! Her next announcement came about two weeks later with a 3-book sale to Heartsong Presents. Then later that same month, Paige Winship Dooly, Lisa Ludwig, Beth Goddard, and I sold a Christmas anthology to Barbour Publishing!
All these sales are wonderful. They also mean that I'll be busy for a while. Fortunately, I'm somewhat organized with my time, and I've been able to stay on target with my personal deadlines set much earlier than my publishers'. With three of these projects completed, I can take some time off to focus on Christmas before I jump back in to work on the other two.
Another blessing is my job as an instructor for the "Breaking into Print" writing program with Long Ridge Writers Group. I have some of the most amazing students, and I'm honored to be with them on their journey toward publication. There's no doubt in my mind that many of them will reach their goals because of their dedication and willingness to do what it takes in this exciting yet often frustrating business.
As the year draws to an end, I'll continue praying for my family, other people I love, my church family, my agent, my writer friends, my students, my editors, the USA, our president-elect, and the economy. I also want to keep the Rovenstine family in prayer as precious little Von goes through cancer treatment.
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