Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Grab it While You Can

I'm featured in Book Fun Magazine this month through an interview with Nora St. Laurent. Nora asked some great questions. My food and book column is featured as well, with a couple of recipes. And there are so many more fascinating things to read.  

Get a free kindle download through the 15th here. Just click "Buy now" and it will load for 0$ to a free kindle app on your phone or computer. You have to have the app first, obs. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ The Sun Will Be Out Tomorrow....

Kiddos practicing contortionist skills like Sophie from AGT

Facebook is many things.

It is something to scroll through to keep up on the doings and comings and goings of acquaintances, friends, family and wannabes in any of those categories.

Home of dog, cat and hedgehog ridiculousness. Oh, pigs, let's not forget the pigs!

Facebook is a tool for communicating an event or a bit of news in your life. As a new novelist it's invaluable for getting news out to my people regarding what's going on with my book and it gives them a chance to join in my celebration. Just like it gives me the opportunity to see the joys and accomplishments in others lives and a chance to celebrate them.

Not all my favorite people are there on Facebook. Some are. Many others are random and sporadic or not at all. But Facebook allows me to see a slice of life for loads of people I care about. 

It is a unique place though. I've noticed that I have relationships there that are kind of hovering on simmer when they would otherwise have faded off into the distance. I think of my friend Cory, a girl I grew up with. My cousin and cousin-in-law Julie (both of them, how convenient) who cross my path on Facebook far more than in person. But I can "like" things that are going on in their lives. Share a bit now and again and feel a connection with them.

Friends from different seasons are there, too. I don't see Bonni and Sandy, Peggy and Sue every day anymore like I did when we worked together. Friends whom I've laughed and cried with over the years like Jody and Erin, I rarely see them. But I can see what they've been up to with the click of a finger.

Leslie holds a piece of my heart, Tiffany and Sarah, too. Young moms in a whole different season, two in different states. It warms my heart to see pictures of them with their little kiddos and read comments about things going on in their lives.

Writing friends are busy friends and sometimes so much to do equals no connection at all. But if I'm wondering what's going on in Gina or Ane's world, I can scroll their Facebook.

New friends, too. My path just crossed with those of some great folks in Minnesota. Because of Facebook we can keep in touch and our paths will likely cross again sometime when I'm there.

I can laugh with people, pray for people, grieve with people in spirit on Facebook. I can even share heart felt thoughts and know that most of the people who read them are going to understand.

But there is a dark side to Facebook, too. The anonymity of it. The quickness of communication without the benefit of tone of voice or non-verbal language. Some choose to use Facebook as a bully pulpit. Or as a monologue. Some feel the need to correct or condemn others with posts or comments. Some choose to fight to be right rather than to bite the tongue out of love for the other person. Wise Thumper's mother said that if one can't say something nice, one should say nothing at all. My mom quoted that often. I'd like it to say kind. Kindness is better than nice. Nice can be faked. Nice can be drenched in passive aggressive sugar. Kindness comes from the heart. 

Friends, acquaintances, loved ones, ones I know hardly at all but like none-the-less, strangers who post hilarious pet videos that make my life so much more fun, please, please, please don't let something as huge as Tuesday's events destroy people's hearts, minds, peace. I scrolled through for twenty minutes  on Wednesday and my heart aches. 

This too shall pass. It does every four or eight years. Changes will happen. But one person cannot destroy the entire world. And they literally have no power to destroy your hope, your attitude or your peace. Unless you chose to give them the power to do so.

You voted out of your passion and convictions. So did I. I hope we all did. What's done is done. 

Carelessly, or angrily tossed words can't be taken back. If you need to heal, Facebook might be a place to avoid for awhile. I'm cautiously going to continue on in my use of Facebook as something that enhances my life. If grace is needed. I will give it. If something is yucky I am going to ignore it because I will assume the person spewing the ugly is processing and working out their struggles via social media. 

The headlines will be replaced with other issues and tragedies. But there will be more cute pet videos and sweet pictures of mamas and babies. Someone will win Dancing with the Stars and The Voice. Good will still be done. The sun will be out tomorrow, behind the clouds possibly, but there. 

Life will go on.

I love you, Friends. Warts and pimples and wrinkles and all, and I hope you can see past mine, too. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Tea for Two...Well...Guests

I completed another whirlwind trip to Minnesota. Michelle and I were invited to a tea party as guests. (I love this word...guests...it means we didn't have to do anything but show up! PERK!) 

The tea was worth the drive.

Michelle has been before and the ladies are big fans of hers. They welcomed me with open arms.

First. The food.

Unbelievable amounts of deliciousness. Most items came in dairy free options as well gluten free and everything was delicious. I mean really delicious.

They gave us our choice in hatwear and tea cups. Many, many choices. They have acquired unique head coverings and tea cups through the years of building this special book club. 

And then we talked about books. Not just ours though many of them shared bits of Out of the Frying Pan that were their favorites. And they are eager for book two to come out soon. Hmmmm motivation to write...

I was shocked two hours after lunch when Michelle announced it was time to go. The stories those ladies told. Whoeee there is some serious fiction fodder there. No, actually, if we tried to write up the stories as fiction people would say they were way too unbelievable. True story.

We ended our time together by opening their gift to us. Each of us received a small frying pan filled with hand made artisan gifts. Apple butter, lotion, soap, lip balm, knit scrub pads and dish cloths. Goodness. The gift smelled delicious and the topper was a bouquet made from scavenged silk flowers. Ha. Ha. They literally came from a dumpster. Well, one of the gals used to work at a book store and they were rescued from the fate of the dumpster. She's had them for years and just knew that this was the occasion with which to part with them. 

These flowers and frying pans will show up at our author's table this weekend you can be sure of that!  The dumpster diving sparked a lively conversation. I was able to talk about my grandma's years in a condo that bordered an apartment complex. She was a regular visitor to the dumpster when people moved out. She was always horrified at the things people threw out. I probably still have some items she scavenged and offered to me. 

Did I mention the stories were hilariously stranger than fiction? 

A good time was had by all. Especially me! 

Serials and Scenarios ~ Appearances...Keeping Them Up...

I told you November would be a busy month again book wise. 

Here's the first blog post of the month wherein I share about buried treasures. Yes. It's true, I do!

Well. Maybe not the treasures you are expecting. But treasures nonetheless...ask any book lover or Jesus lover. 

http://www.faithfriendschocolate.com/2016/11/buried-treasure.html

Tomorrow I am on the road appearing with Michelle at a writers' tea. I believe we are guests of honor. I assume that because we don't have to make food and there was an invitation. I'll let you know if we are the cleanup staff or something like that. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Random Bits, Brain Fog and Head Colds

Is it just me? When I have a head full of cold and sinus and a weekend full of children's activities I have zero creativity. Nada. Nuthin.

Granted the weekend activities were things such as wrestling kids in and out of car seats and costumes. And with a head full of unmentionables that alone is a challenging task. But it was Halloween weekend with a party, a trunk or treat and the main event. 

And I did finish three articles that were due for the Out of the Frying Pan book tour. And study for and teach a Sunday School class. And varnish cabinet doors. And create and make a recipe for The Book Fun Magazine column I write. 

Monday night after the trick or treating this grandma crawled into bed slathered in oregano oil and slept like a mummy. 

And last night I unapologetically watched television and cleaned hedgehog cages and snuggled with pups who've been feeling neglected. Oh, and I got my oil changed since I was about 2k over the recommended oil change sticker that has been inducing guilt for a few months. The receipt says I received a "pretty girl" discount. Holy moly wonder how many times a feminist has jumped over the counter and punched the cashier/mechanic right in the man bits when that discount appears on her receipt. I'm guessing angry feminists only get the "pretty girl" discount once. 

Also, an adult without a child, wending it's way through the child packed trick or treat streets, wearing a creepy costume. At least it wasn't a crazed killer clown, simply possibly the oarsman who silently rows people down the River Styx. Fun times. Fun times. 

Serials and Scenarios ~ My Stars

The weirdest part of being published is being read by people who know me.

That may sound funky to say because the people who know me and love me are going to find my voice and picture me in the whole mix and somehow that's going to ensure that they love my story. Right?

Early on in the "shopping" process where we were given an offer from the publisher we decided to go with eventually a lady from church asked to be able to read the manuscript and edit it because she just loves to edit. I sent it to her over email. Granted, this was just a gesture because our book had already gone through the edited-to-death phase.

This lady, a few weeks later came to me in the church bathroom, of course. "Hey. I've gotten a start on your book. I told you I'd be honest. There are a lot of words. So many I finally have decided the whole plot was about one woman wanting to get flowers out of a dumpster. Is the whole book going to be like that? Because I just don't think it's my cup of tea. I read hard books, I've read Frank Peretti so I'm pretty sure it's not me, it's your book." This comment is paraphrased. 

Fortunately, my co-author is an extremely good editor and multi-published herself. And the critique group I worked with is no-nonsense, get-rid-of-that-paragraph, red-pen-slashing tell-it-like-it-is sucker punchers. So my skin had developed a tough enough exterior that I was able to tell her to please stop reading it and thank her for her time.

Honestly, there are people who aren't going to love this story. I'm okay with that. Because likely, they are folks who don't really "get" me any way. I get looks on occasion. I know when I'm just being tolerated and when I'm being dismissed and when someone truly enjoys my company.

I've also had bloggers who didn't know me from Adam tell me that my interview process caused them to instant click and order Out of the Frying Pan or suggest it for their next book club meeting. And so far they haven't been disappointed. One friend purchased two copies hoping to eventually get one back from her sister who loved it. The other copy went to a friend who's husband is going to be reading it out loud to her during her chemo treatments. This comment alone has made all the struggles worth it. To think that something we wrote could bring escape during a really rough period of time makes me feel so blessed. 

Several people have told me it's been a long time since they read a book that made them laugh out loud. People are loaning their copy to friends. Right now a copy is going around my office. The girls, one by one, are reading it over nights and weekends and during lunch. One plans to take it to Portland next week, another is taking it to Texas in November. We are still in a top 100 on Amazon, in the 60's. We are there with books in the Amish genre and with books written by big name authors. Our 17th review was just posted on Amazon. Three reviews from strangers have been three star reviews, seven gave us four stars, the rest are five star reviews. The most critical three star review made a few comments about errors she'd spotted, one being the airport being mentioned as five minutes away then it morphed into two hours of fast driving...the five minutes down the road referred to the nursing home not the airport so I'm not sure how she misunderstood that. She also questioned "white noise whooshed in his ears" and said "what is white noise?" So I'm thinking she was VERY generous giving us three stars because she did not get us at all. Romantic Times gave us four stars. They rarely, rarely give out five. 

The fact that I review novels has made the reviews very interesting. I won't write a review of a book that would be less than a three star read. Three stars means theres several reasons I liked it but others might like it a whole lot more so I keep those readers in mind. I only give five stars if I feel like the author nailed characters, plot, timing, dialogue and setting/scene. I don't often give five stars. So four is very good. 

I now have an author signing at my local library in November. Where I am likely to run into patients and who knows who else. This is a small town. So I'm using all of the above swirling feelings to help me get through that day. The one where I'm likely going to feel like I've forgotten to get dressed and am walking through crowds in my mismatched underwear! 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ I Shoulda Been a Writer...

The blog tour mania has left me a little bit worded out. How strange. That never happens. Right now I'm soaking in the fumes of varnish and so glad I wore gloves when staining so I don't have filthy fingernails. The dogs are wrestling on the newly carpeted stairs and I'm gearing up for a full 5 Day Grandma gig. Ha. Maybe that's why I'm speechless. 

A little funny which I will go into more of later at Modern Day Mishaps or elsewhere. My boss doesn't like to share his bathroom. But because he's only one lone discontented man and there are 13 others -- 12 of those women -- he pretty much has to. So he asked me to put up a sign in his bathroom spelling our the rules. 

I can not put up a sign that just states the facts. So I put up one that was snarky and sarcastic and pretty amusing to me. 

He came to me later. "That was hysterical he said. I was so impressed with your use of flotsam. You just don't see that word very often." I laughed and thought to myself. "He paid me to mess around at work and entertain myself. Jokes on him." Then he said. "You really are in the wrong career because you could be making 10 times what you are making now if you wrote for a show or something." 

I laughed even harder. Hello! I've blogged for years. I tweet an occasional show stopper, I have two cute dogs and two cute hedgehogs who have yet to have gone viral. Oh, and I just had a book published. I'm pretty sure my talent isn't going to be "moving me on up" any time soon. 

Oh, sweet mercy. I just said. "Thanks! Glad you liked your sign."