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This past April at Mount Hermon, I hoped to hook an agent and possibly a publisher. Didn't happen. Still, I received an awesome comment from two astute agents, Steve Laube and Wendy Lawton, on aspects of the pre-conference submission of my novel. A huge plus.

While there, I also learned from Ramona Richards with Abingdon Press that the Christian Book Sellers Association (CBA), won't accept some of the content in my story unless I modify two specific parts. There's more I didn't have time to go into with her they'd surely frown upon.

"So, that means I have to change it?" I asked, sitting at a table outside the lounge with her.

"No. You could go secular. Let me know what you decide," she said, which I count as another plus. The problem with her suggestions to modify my story? Both are the main reasons I wrote Kellen's Hope. You see my dilemma.

As I walked away, chin down, two lovely ladies from Oregon asked how our meeting went. I scrunched my nose, told them what happened, and about the needed changes in my story. "Keep it," both said. "Your story needs to be read."

I turned and faced one of my friend's who'd sat next to us, also part of the Inspire Christian Writers Group I'm a member of, and told her what happened. She said, "Keep it. That happened to me." She told me her personal story and that she's writing about it as a fictional account.

Right after that, and I mean right after, a gal that was in Brandilyn Collins' mentoring class with me asked the same question. "How'd it go?" After giving her the details, she said, "That happened to me." Are you kidding? After sharing her story, she said, "Don't change it. It needs to be read."

Wow, talk about confirmation!

My friend Laura later said in response to Ramona's suggestion, "And that's bad why?"

"The CBA won't publish it as is."

She asked the same question again followed by another. "Why did you write it?"

"To help those in similar situations and to make Christ known."

"And who needs to hear that?—"

"The lost." The Lord practically shouted confirmation to keep what I'd written.

I've made minor changes based on great critiques in Brandilyn's class, but overall, the main story line remains the same.

After the Lord redirected my path to publication, I took James Scott Bell's class on self publication, based on his book SELF-PUBLISHING ATTACK! Never before had the prospect of publishing an e-book excited me, as did his class on Scrivener, which I downloaded for forty bucks as soon as I got home. By the way, James book on self-publication is awesome. His is the first book I've read through in a day. I'm putting his teaching into practice and it's helping me achieve my writing goals.

I can't wait to start sharing bits of Kellen's Hope with you, friends. With that in mind. I'm considering starting a blog just for my novels. And if you think the title of my novel's too blasé, it could change. Let me know what you think. Like Dumbo, I'm all ears!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths," Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV).

 

Lord, thank you for directing our paths and for making yourself known to us. I praise you for your mighty acts of kindness. In Jesus name, amen.

 

As Always,

Love & Blessings ~ Danie

I'm doing the happy dance!

 

Crash...

Free i-Stock photo

That's what I did, literally, at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Palm Sunday.

 

It was a lovely, sunny day. I was traipsing through the Redwood forest amidst ferns enjoying the scenery when the devil reached out from beneath a log with a long nailed bony finger and tripped me. Not. Although that'd be a much better story than what really happened.

I was in the room my roommate and I shared, rushing to the door to make it to the Palm Sunday Service. My foot caught on the bedspread. Maybe it was the devil after all. Either way, I launched headlong and landed on the thinly padded carpet, my head inches from the door.

 

As I fell, pain in my left knee. My right pelvis. My right shoulder.

 

Free i-Stock photo

I laid there trying to catch my breath, moaning and groaning, thinking, you've got to be kidding. It was the second time I've had a bad fall while at the same conference. Determined not to miss the service, I waited a minute for the pain to ease, and rolled to my side. I gingerly pushed myself off the floor, stumbled to the bed a few feet away and collapsed on the edge of the bed.

 
Still groaning, I inched my pant leg up to take a look. My black jeans did little to protect my knee. The skin had rolled up leaving a good sized raw area. The pain in my pelvis, I realized, was due to my insulin pump being smashed against the bone. The area quickly turned purple. But why did it hurt so much to walk?

Pain or no pain, I wasn't about to miss the Palm Sunday Service. I gimped my way there, almost in tears. Partly due to shock, I'm sure. Kay Marshall Strom's portion of the message was moving.

 

Lunch was right after the service. I couldn't walk, sit, turn or twist without pain. My new friend, Christie, prayed for me, and the tears I'd held back pushed to the surface. To shorten a long story, after the urging of several caring friends, including my roomie, Michelle, I went to the ER after dinner. X-rays showed no fracture. The pain I had when walking etc, was a pulled groin muscle.

 

But before I left the ER, it became evident why the Lord had sent me.

 

My nurse, Brad, needed prayer.

Who wouldn't when the same people come in day after day and abuse the system, you're spat upon and cursed at while helping patients. I won't go into details, but Brad's response to my prayer made it clear the Lord used it, and I pray the Lord continues to minister to Brad and draws him to Himself.

 

Jesus came to save us while we were still sinners. He was spat upon. He was cursed at. He was lashed with barbed whips, and nailed to a cross … for us. I've learned over the years that our suffering need not be wasted, but rather be used for His glory. 

 

John 15:16-17 ~ "You didn't choose me, remember, I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

 

"But remember the root command: Love one another." The Message

 

Jesus, thank you for giving yourself for us, for placing Brad in my life, for your perfect timing. Open our eyes to opportunities you send our way, and show us when we need to offer ourselves to others that they might be drawn to you. In Jesus name, amen.

Love & Blessings,
Danie Marie

 

PS  Thanks to praying friends around the country, and there were many, I'm almost completely healed. Thank you Jesus!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her Laughter...

Christmas 2012

Sunday after church we drove to Mom and Dad's, picked them up, and met our son and daughter-in-love at Fats Asian Bistro in celebration of my birthday. While most of the feast was enjoyable, at one point Mom got mad. Dad poured more Jasmine tea into her cup. She didn't want more tea.

The incident silenced us.

Alzheimer's is ugly.

It changes a person's personality.

Not that Dad hasn't given Mom plenty to scuff about in their 63 years of marriage--it's the trivial irritations that rub her nerves, makes her lash out in uncharacteristic ways. But the moment passed. We finished our meal and all headed back to their place.

We're in the process of looking for a home to put Mom in, and praying it's a place where Dad will be comfortable too. A caregiver comes to their house a few times a week, but once Mom's in a care facility, the thought of him being home alone would cause us concern. His balance is bad and he falls.

Despite what appears to be a downer, the timing, well, it couldn't be better. Our kids are looking to purchase their first home and would love to buy Mom and Dad's. A big plus? It's close to us, our church, and the schools our son attended, and in a good area.

While our daughter-in-love has been to their home a few times, she's never seen the back rooms and the whole yard. So in an unobtrusive way, we showed her around.

After the tour, we visited a short time in the kitchen. Mom sat on a chair with her family standing around her. Three different times she threw her head back and laughed with childlike abandon. She's always loved to laugh. I'm thankful to have inherited that from her.

When Mom's gone, I want to remember that day. That vision of her head thrown back, and the childlike giggles pouring forth from her so sweetly. You couldn't help but join in her contagious gaiety.

Several years ago, she told me how Dad, upon hearing her laugh at something she saw on TV, asked, "Why do you laugh so much?" Her reply, "It's better than crying."

While my heart aches for the whole of who she was … I love her still and always will.

 

Proverbs 17:17 - "Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble." The Message

 

Abba, comfort us when life's changes come crashing down, and be our strength when we are weak. Thank you for being an ever present help in time of trouble, and for giving us joy in place of sorrow, in Jesus name, amen.

 

Love & Blessings ~ Danie

 

PS  I'm preparing for the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference and won't have time to blog for awhile. I'll see you soon sweet friends! Then again, I didn't think I'd find time to write today. So I'll simply follow God's lead. :)