Five lessons about the way we treat people.

1. The Cleaning Lady

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.' "

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her (generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's). The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a special note read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3. Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4. The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5. Giving When it Counts . . .

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek.

Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

How many Americans have learned these lessons? Have I?

Going camping this summer? Here are a few fun hints:

• Cook your eggs in canning rings for egg sandwiches
• In an emergency: Nylon rope can be used as shoe laces
• Old shower curtains make great ground sheets
• (If you're really in the outback:) Make a camp washing machine from a five gallon bucket and a toilet plunger (Laugh!)

Quote:
Live for today but hold your hands open to tomorrow. Anticipate the future and its changes with joy. There is a seed of God's love in every event, every circumstance, every unpleasant situation in which you may find yourself. --Barbara Johnson

Blessings

The Lazy Hazy Days of Summer


My favorite parts of summer?

• outings with family

• my garden

• my garden pond

• mists (morning mists this morning from the heavy storm we received last night)
  

• rainbows (saw one last night--a double one in fact. Gorgeous, with both ends touching the ground.)

• flowers, flowers, and more flowers.
  

• outdoor activities--walking, camping, bird watching, boating and fishing
  

• fireworks!

• later hours to write (Big smile!)

• campfires
  

• campfire foods: melty, gooey marshmallows, smoke-filled hamburgers, fresh tomatoes, corn, and potatoes, my sil's baked beans, hotdogs-cooked just right with my homemade sauce! (yum!)

• the refreshing atmosphere after a severe storm

• more time to write (ooops, did I already mention that?)
  

• sitting on my deck and watching the trees around me move in the breeze

• reading a book with hubby on my deck

• writing down some good ideas for my next novel on my deck (tongue in cheek--got in another reference to writing!)
  

• enjoying a neighborhood historical outdoor play with friends and family

• the smells--rain, the perfume of a variety of flowers, smoke from the campfires, cut hay

• dandelions (I love those small invasive things!)
  

• city lights on a summer night

• clover and wild flowers

• my rocks

• mystery hunts

• ocean surf

• caves

• hot air ballooning

• rock-strewn creeks

• wading in shallow streams

• grape arbors

• swings (love to curl up in them and sleep!)

• big open porches
  

• no cold weather!

• writing in the summer time! (smile)
  

Talking about picnics . . . why not plan a romantic one for your honey?

• Choose a basket with some sophistication (no ratty ones, please!) Line it with a softly colored napkin. Choose goblets or nice glasses just for the two of you.
• Find a great spot. Use your imagination. For example: A) Your own backyard. String lights in the trees. Create a canopy out of fabric, bring some pillows. Or B) Use a theme--Indian with saris, bright colors and curried dishes; Or Mexican, Italian, Chinese. C) A private balcony, if you live in an urban area. D) Rainy days or winter timed, lay a blanket out on your living room floor, or a covered porch. Arrange plants and candles. For any of these ideas, little flourishes of romance will add the finishing touch: flowers and music!
• Plan a delicious meal--easy to transport and clean up after. Elegance is preferred--A French touch: cheese and fruit, fresh baked baguettes with grapes. Or a Mediterranean feast with tomato and basil bruschetta, tortellini salad and calamata olive spread with crackers or pita. Out of time? Drop by the store and pick up French bread, cheese, a rotisserie chicken and some favorite drinks. Or order from your favorite restaurant.
• Surprise! The most romantic element of a picnic is often surprise. Show up at your husband's work at the end of the day with your picnic basket ready to go. Come home with a single rose and plans for the picnic ready. Or hide the ready-to-go basket & surprise him/her by "finding" it. Leave/send an invitation to her for the special time.

Enjoy!


Quote:
A fiery sunset, tiny pansies by the wayside, the sound of raindrops tapping on the roof. What an extraordinary delight to share simple wonders with someone you love!


Blessings

Can You Cry Under Water?

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are
considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. but it's only a
"penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the
clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it
would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby"
when babies wake up like every two hours?

If a deaf person has to go to court,
is it still called a hearing?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and
then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change?
They're going to see you naked anyway.

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp,
which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares,
why is there a stupid song about him?

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut,
why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains
on all fours? They're both dogs!

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME,
why didn't he just buy dinner?

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables,
what is baby oil made from?

If electricity comes from electrons,
does morality come from morons?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Questions, guestions. Enough to make a sane person go mad.



More good-ole-summer-time hints:

• As always, wash hands and work areas before preparing food.
• Cook foods in plenty of time to thoroughly chill them in shallow containers in the refrigerator.
• Pack foods right from the refrigerator into the coolers.
• Don't put the cooler in the car trunk; Carry it inside an air-conditioned car. At picnics, keep the cooler in the shade and keep the lid closed. Replenish the ice if it melts.
• Use a separate cooler for drinks so the one containing the food won't constantly be opened and closed.

Quote:
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --Jeremiah


Blessings

Chicken Little


Do any of you remember the story?

The chicken walked along minding his own business when something cracked him on the head. He declared that the world was coming to an end and told everyone who'd listen.

Of course, it didn't end. Of course, he jumped to conclusions. Of course, he was wrong.

What am I saying?

How easy is it to behave according to emotions, and in specific--fear?


How easy is it to label someone unfriendly because they don't come up to us and talk? Because they haven't smiled?

Excuse me, but maybe they're having a bad day. Could be they're really bashful. And what keeps us from making the first move? Fear? A thinking-of-self attitude?



How easy is it to criticize the government when we don't do our part?

How many letters do we write to our senators? How much do we pray? How lazy our we with our neighborhood politics? Do we even vote?



What do we do when we see friends and family doing wrong?

Granted, sticking our noses in other people's business isn't always the wisest action. But who said we can't show concern? Who said we can't protest against bigotry and lies and biases? Who said we can't stand for what we know is right?



How easy is it to pass the buck?

This is something I see go on from churches to businesses to families to the government. Everyone wants to point fingers, rather than stand up and admit they've made a mistake. Easy to do? Nope. But what a man/woman it makes! What character it develops!


Chicken Little? Caught up in his own little world, making his own absurd predictions, influencing others with his out-of-line observations. Going on in his own foolish path.


Yikes. At least let me find my own path and walk it in sincerity and integrity. With open eyes.



Picnic-ing Hints:

• An easy way to organize your picnic table: Use a muffin tin to hold your condiments--catsup, mustard, relish, chopped onions.
• Things to NOT forget: sunscreen, blanket, insect repellant, band-aids, wet wipes.
• Other fun things to take: a single use camera, bottles of bubble mix, shovels and pails, colored pencils and sketch pads, baseball or beach ball, jump rope, books (YEAH!).
• Games to play: croquet, badminton, 3-legged races, hide and seek, scavenger hunts

Have tons of fun!


Quote:
Though I have seen the oceans and mountains, though I have read great books and seen great works of art, though I have heard symphonies and tasted the best . . . foods, there is nothing greater or more beautiful than those people I love. --Christopher de Vinck


Blessings

Words That Make Me Think of . . .



Clitter, clatter, ting, tang, tong and swinging
Chimes

Flitter, flutter, dart and beating wings
Hummingbirds

Winding, purr, soft, and claws
Kittys

Tall and straight, bent, green, and brown
Trees

Splashing, cool, wet and soothing
Fountain

Dreamy, imaginative, lazy and hard-working
Writer

Kids, learning, reading, riting, and arithmetic
Teachers

Understands, forgiving, mind-reader
Friend

Graceful, unique smell, fast and long-legged
Horse

Native Americans, sand, burrs and beautiful nights
New Mexico

Mine, favorite, drink, hot and cold
Mug

Destruction, damage, death and burn
Fire

Big, smart, loving and heavenly
God


A Baker's Dozen. More later . . .


Have you checked out Cindy's interview, Friday, July 13th. Do it, for a chance to get one of her books!




Surviving the rest of summer hints:

• Don't like creepy crawly insects enjoying your picnic? Place the legs of the picnic table in containers of water. Ants can't swim.

• Baby wipes will temporarily soothe bug bites.

• Use apples to ripen your tomatoes. Place in a container with a lid.

• Put tomatoe-stained plastic containers out in the sun where it can bleach out the stains.

• Leave uncut watermelons out on the counter--helps keep their health-friendly levels of lycopene. Store in fridge only after they've been cut.

• Want a good night's sleep? Spend at least 30 minutes a day outside in natural light.

Quote:
The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.


Blessings

Morning Mists and Romance

Light patches of mist on a cool morning
in Australia

I left the house early this morning and as I turned onto the main road, my gaze zeroed in on the mist in the distant valley. What a beautiful sight and one of my favorites!

What couldn't a writer do with that above scene?

I researched some about mists and found out a few facts:

• What's the difference between a mist and a fog? the visibility. It's a fog if the visibility is one kilometre or less.
• What's the difference between a mist and a haze? Seen from a distance, mists are bluish; hazes are brownish.
• Where are mists seen most often? Around shores and water.

Fog is a cloud, but it differs from other clouds in that it touches the earth. The foggiest place in the world is Grand Banks off the island of Newfoundland, Canada.

Mist is a phenomenon of small droplets suspended in air. Scotch Mist refers to a light, steady drizzle, the name being typical of the Scottish penchant for understatement.

There are lots of different types of fog. Here's a few:

Radiation fog
Ground fog
Advection fog
Steam (evaporation) fog
Precipitation fog
Upslope fog
Valley fog
Ice fog
Freezing fog
Artificial fog
Garua fog
Hail fog

Fog Shadow of a tree

Fog Shadow of Sutro Tower

Fog on a Greek mountain.

Advection fog at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay.

I suppose that's why many different cultures hold strong religious and superstitious associations with fog and mists.

Spooky, mystical, haunting, lonely, scary, romantic, beautiful.

• What couple wouldn't want to take a romantic walk over those hills in the first picture of this blog?

• What person wouldn't be scared silly with someone after them in a fog (or mist) like on that Greek mountain?

• What person wouldn't be lonely in a cabin surrounded by fog day after day with no human contact?

Acch! Let me grab my pencil; I've got an idea for a new novel!




Quote:
May your hours of reminiscence be filled with days of good cheer and weeks of pleasant memories.


Blessings

Ancient Words?


An elderly friend emailed these words (lots to do with automobiles) to me. They'd brought wonderful memories back to her. I'm sharing them with you since I love to write about the early 1900's. Enjoy them!

1962 Cadillac Series 62 with rear wheels covered by detachable . . .
Fender Skirts

Curb feelers
steering knobs (suicide knob)
Continental Kits (rear bumper extenders and spare tire covers to make cars looks as cool as a Lincoln Continental)
emergency brake
foot feed (when your foot gets hungry?)
running board (where you exercise?)
store-bought
coast to coast (used widely now, but "back then" was a wonder)
wall to wall
in a family way
brassiere
picture show

rat fink ( a nasty name to call someone)

percolator (replaced with coffee maker)
DynaFlow
Electrolux
lumbago
castor oil

What about some of these "cool" sayings?
See you later, alligator
After while, crocodile
curve killers (straight A students)
mullets (those badly behaved people)
roaches (unpopular girls)
cool dad (a popular young man)

Can you remember the . . .
H bomb

split-level homes
integration
DNA
junk mail
hot rods

(Rat Rod)

T-bucket hot rod

Third World
The Korea War
Civil Rights Movement


If you can, then maybe you have some good memories. And remember: you can never wear out a memory!


Hey, don't forget to read Friday, July 13's interview blog with Cindy Woodsmall. THEN leave a comment or email me to enter a drawing for one of her books. You won't regret it.


ACFW conference coming up soon--September!


Quote:
Joy is the echo of God's life within us. --Joseph Marmion


Stormy Day Blessings . . .

Take Me For a Ride in Your Hot Air Balloon . . .

Three "special shape" balloons with a conventionally shaped hot air balloon at the Canberra Balloon Festival,
in Australia, 2004

Talk about fun! Don't those big things look like it? Even though I'm afraid of heights (a high ladder makes me dizzy. Eeeek!), I think I'd like to ride in one. I might sit on the floor the whole way with my eyes squeezed tightly shut, but at least I could say I'd ridden on one. Makes good research experience for my novels, especially the current one.

(Anyone out there in cyberspace want to volunteer to give me a ride? With hubby along, of course. If I've gotta die, he's going with me.)

Anyhow, in my current romance novel that is done, except critiquing and editing, Starli--the protagonist, says she'd loved to ride in one--and what?

Come to find out, Joel (the hero, drool) has already had practice in flying in them. Hmmm. Where's this gonna lead? And what's that guy NOT done?

My brainstorming friends--remember? Jam and Lyn?--they say to let Joel kiss Starli, or at least, begin to, up there in the clouds, so she can't get away. Cause she doesn't trust men, because . . .

Ah, you thought I was going to tell all. Nope. BUY the book (when it's published, of course) and you'll find out what happens. What do you think?

ANYHOW. We've seen the balloons from the balloon festival in New Mexico. You wouldn't believe the awesome balloons they have.

• Animals: cows, turtles, fish, penquins, birds, bees, mice, chickens, eagles, ducks, frogs,

• People: smiley faces, famous people, cartoon characters, Uncle Sam, pirates

• Plants: sunflowers, daisies

• Objects: space ships, coaches, buildings, flags, lighthouses, trains

• Advertisments for: real estate businesses, dog food, batteries

All of it fascinating and beautiful.


Here's the Balloonist's Prayer:

May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God
joins you in laughter and sets you gently
back into the loving arms of Mother Earth.

Rainy day hints for fun things to do with or without your kids:

• Experience the world through your PC or library. Learn about animals, outer space, and the water. Learn new words and phrases from other far-away lands.
• Plot out your next vacation. Use maps and the PC. Study the planned area. Find out what would be fun to do there.
• Explore your artistic nature. Use your PC for fun digital effects, or use crayon, ink, pencils, or other mediums for your work. Try writing poems or short stories. Write a collective story together. You start, your kid finishes the story. Use a funny beginning sentence and each develops something from it.
• Exercise your brain and your body. Do fun puzzles and games together. If someone has a special interest, try to find games or puzzles that include that interest. Look up information of why certain exercises work. Discover new ones.
  

Quote:
Recall it as often as you wish, a happy memory never wears out. --Libbie Fudim


Blessings

Hot Air Balloon Get-Away!


How would you like to start your married life in a hot air balloon? Starli and Joel did.

That is, in my second romance novel: Joel arranged for a hot air balloon to pick them up to leave for their honeymoon. Romantic, huh?

What kind of ideas would be romantic for a couple?

• Hot air balloons, for sure!

• What about a honeymoon on a sailboat?

• How a space shuttle trip to the moon? (Of course, you'd probably have to be an Arabic sheik!)

• What about a houseboat trip down a river?

• What about someone playing a flute or a sax (I love sax's) at your wedding . . . now, that interests me (for a novel!)

• How about using your very-much-loved pet dog for your best man. Wouldn't he look sharp in a tux? (and my Noah would add to the music with his bass barking!)

• Live in the country? Why not invite your guests to come in what they're comfortable in . . . or barefoot? And the bride and groom is barefoot!

• Or you like plays? Have your guests come dressed in their favorite characters! Whooeee! The bride and groom can go as Romeo and Juliet!
  

• You like healthy and simple? What about water instead of punch?

• Everyone uses carriages or limousines now-a-days. How about an antique car, maybe something in the 50's. Ooooh, I love it!

• What if the bride and groom put on a mini play for their guests?
  

• Or the parents of the couple sing to them?

• What if the couple reads to them from their journals--their thoughts about the other (?) or their desires and hopes for the future?

Possibilities, possibilities. What fun the imagination is!
More on hot air balloons later . . . gater!




Those who send their kids to public school should be alert to keep their kids on the top of things. Here are a few hints to give you and them a head start:

• How does the teacher grade the students? Is it mostly based on class work, home work or class participation. If you child is not doing well, ask which area needs improvement.
• When talking to the teacher find out what role you are expected to be. Are you supposed to review home work before turning in? Is there anthing that you need to help with?
• When speaking with the teacher, if something is said that you do not understand, ask the teacher to clarify. It is better to know than to not understand and have your child miss out.
• If your child's teacher says that your child needs more help with a subject, ask for suggestions about where to get the help. You can try to help your child yourself, but most of the time you will not be as effective as a stranger.
• When at all possible, take your child with you to the conference. The teacher will know exactly who they are speaking about and prevent any confusion.
• You don't have to wait for a conference to speak with any teacher. If you feel the need, contact the school directly and set up an appointment to meet with the teacher. Also give enough inforamation so that the teacher can be prepared.

Quote:
Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish. --Jean de la Fontaine


Blessings

Cindy Woodsmall's Interview

Thanks, Cindy, for sharing a little of your life with my readers.

Cindy Woodsmall’s Debut novel When the Heart Cries was released in September 2007. It made the CBA best-sellers list, won Road to Romance Reviewer’s Choice Award, was a Books-a-Million Book Club of the month choice and is a finalist in the ECPA Christian Book Award contest.

Hi, Caroline, thanks for this opportunity to come visit on your blog!

Caroline: How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?

Cindy: I fell in love with stories at a really young age, but the idea of being a writer took a long time to grow on me. My earliest memories consist of me lying awake at night reworking the stories my mother had read to me. What would the story be like if Cinderella had been mean and her step sisters were kind? Once in bed each night, I tried to stay awake for as long as I could, imagining different plotlines for the classic stories. I knew whenever a bed popped into my mind and the characters kept trying to head for it, that not only was my body demanding sleep, even my imagination was:-o)

As a practical gal who wanted to tend to the ways of her family, I stood against the stories until they became so loud I couldn’t hear people when they tried to talk to me. Desperate for relief from the stories, I prayed for some help. The stories took on a weight to them and became relentless.

Hmmm. Desperate for relief, I asked my then teenaged sons to set me up a computer and I started writing. That was in the summer of 2000.

Caroline: What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

Cindy: I had aimed to write Women’s Fiction ~ beautiful tales of woe and success based on strong women. I had nothing against writing a Christian romance, except it grated against that practical side of mine that I mentioned earlier. So, I listed all the rules of how to write a romance on a chart and placed it beside my computer. Each day I wrote, I made sure I broke every ‘romance’ rule. After WaterBrook contracted the three-book series, they marketed them as romance. It took me about a week and a good, long talk with my editor and my agent to get over the shock of that one.

My editor said something along the lines of: mentally try removing the relationship between the hero and heroine from the story and tell me why we still care about the heroine.

I thought that over for a bit and realized I had broken the ‘rules’ of romance and yet if the relationship between the hero and heroine had been removed, the story would have lost much of its power.

Because I write Amish stories, it’s actually considered a subgenre within the genre of romance.

Caroline:
A. How do you spend your writing days?
B. Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day?
C. Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

Cindy: A. Since my debut novel hit the shelves in September, much of my writing day is spent trying to keep up with the part of being published that has nothing to do with fresh writing. There are the in-house edits of the next book that’s coming out, the marketing of the book that’s already out, and trips and research for the book that is being written. Then there’s the day to day privilege of connecting with readers. I had so many technology issues those first few months and a problem will still crop up from time to time, but I have a top of the line server and a new system in place, so those things are helping a lot.

B. I set a word count per week, but not per day. I need enough leeway to have unproductive days, but not an unproductive week. For example right now it’s eight at night and today is a Holiday, so it’s been a family day. Even so, I took a few hours to meeting up with another published author to discuss a class we’re teaching at a local library. The story of book three is pressing in on me and I won’t be able to sleep until I get some of it written. So I may write until one or two in the morning. Tomorrow, I may still be in the groove or I may not be able to write one word. If fresh words are at a standstill, I use my writing time to edit or research.

C. After years of honing the craft of writing, it took me a little over a year to write When the Heart Cries. It took less than that to write When the Morning Comes, which is book two in the series. If by “writing” we mean actual typing time, then it probably took six months of long days to write book two. But if we include research, interviews and trips, mixed with regular life it took about a year. Francine Rivers said she’ll never write a series with the same heroine and hero throughout all three books. After this series, I may agree with her for the rest of my writing days ;-)

Caroline:
A. Do you have any interesting writing quirks, such as “you must have this or that” to write effectively?
B. Would you describe your writing nook?

Cindy: I don’t do well when guilt hounds me, so I try to handle the rest of life in a way that prevents that sense of “you’re at the computer too much; the laundry isn’t done; what’s for dinner; have you done everything you said you would?” etc. Other than that, I’m ready to write.

Over the years, my writing nook changes as the family dynamics change. When I began there wasn’t a spare room to set up in, so my nook was in the dining room, where the French pantry now sits. When one bedroom came open, we moved my office into it. Then when a larger bedroom came open, I moved into it, which means two birds have flown the nest and somehow in the transition I ended up with two offices. I’m not sure it’s a fair trade, since the children were more fun than the office and I can’t stay organized with one office, you can’t imagine what I’m like with two. The good news is one office is up a set of steps, so office work for me is no longer a sedentary life style. I’m up and down those steps about dozens of times a day.

Caroline: You recently had your first book come out “When the Heart Cries” (and I was proud to be one of your promoters!). What’s next? And when? Would you take this time to describe both to us? How will they appeal to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

Cindy: Oh, Caroline, you’ve struck on a chord that is so precious to me—the volunteer promoters. Readers and aspiring writers volunteered from across the U.S. and just did a fantastic job of helping get the word out. When the Heart Cries made the best-sellers list and, although that takes a combination of marketing strategies for a debut author, word of mouth is a very important part. When the Heart Cries is book one in the Sister’s of the Quilt series. Hannah’s story will continue in book two and three.

Book two is finished and off to the printers. Its release date is September 4, 2007.

When the Morning Comes ~ Wounded by her family, doubted by her fiancé, Hannah Lapp plunges into life outside her contemporary Amish community.

I think readers will enjoy the journey of what’s in store for our seventeen-year-old Amish heroine as she triumphs over the odds that face so many people in life—limitations, past hurts, unfair circumstances—while making new mistakes along the way. She chooses as an act of her will to accept life for what it is and yet continues to improve it, all the while still trying to figure out who God really is and what that means to her.

I’m working on book three, yet untitled. Book three is both fun and challenging; our wonderful Amish heroine has grown tremendously and has soaring-high victory in areas of her life, yet she struggles to let go of a past she can’t retrieve.

Caroline:
A. Where did you get the ideas for Sister’s of the Quilt?
B. Character names?
C. Do you find your characters similar to you in any way?

Cindy:
A. Parts of Hannah’s story have been with me since becoming childhood friends with a Beachy Amish girl. But one day six or seven years ago, as I was making dinner and singing praise songs, a full story flooded me and it wouldn’t go away. I took a stab at writing it before getting the privilege of some brainstorming and developmental input from Karen Kingsbury. I worked on it for another year before I had a meeting with Anne Goldsmith, then senior editor for Tyndale. While talking with her, Hannah’s story developed into a three-book series. That’s when the story When the Heart Cries went from being a bit of backstory in a stand alone into becoming a full novel. The story Karen gave me pointers on is actually book two: When the Morning Comes.

B. I get character names through two main ways:

1. I call my Amish friends and we discuss various names and where specific Amish surnames are from. I once chose an Amish surname for a Pennsylvania character when that name does not exist among the Pennsylvania Amish, only the Ohio Amish.
2. I read The Budget, which is an Amish-Mennonite newspaper that comes to me weekly. It’s a wonderful resource for names. I apologize if this sounds morbid, but, like all newspapers, it has obituaries listed; I can read the ages of the people along with their names, plus their parents, siblings, children, grandchildren and sometimes even the preachers, deacons, and bishops are listed. So, if I want to use a specific name, but I’m not sure if that name was in use sixty years ago among a certain sect, be it Amish or Mennonite, The Budget is a great way to verify it.

C. Some of the characters are similar to me and it’s easier to figure out what they would say or do in certain situations. Others are as foreign to me as strangers from a culture I’ve I’m not familiar with; those are much harder to know what they would say or do. Thankfully there are ways to map out personality types that can offer some insights.

Caroline: Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through? Who’s inspired you the most?

Cindy: Facing a blank page is much harder than I ever imagined in the beginning. But then a story starts begging to be written and there is no better joy than tackling that blank page and making a character come to life. Writing is both my hobby and my work. Because of that I have times when I want to avoid it (work) and times when working on it is fun and fulfilling (hobby).

I think how tenuous writing is depends on the person’s reason for writing. If we write as an art, then the power of enjoying it and extracting satisfaction from it is in the process of creating, not the business part of basing success on dollars and cents.

If we look at those around us who are more qualified or have more time to pursue their dreams or had doors open to them that we can only dream about, then we can get so discouraged that we give up trying. But if we look at ourselves through faith, then we can tune out the comparisons and are free to find who we are. The idea of looking at God through faith isn’t foreign to believers, but the thought of looking at ourselves through faith can be. Faith in ourselves should not be based on what we see, but on what He sees. And He is not limited by our limitations. I don’t mean that we will be zapped into being something we’re not, but if we don’t believe, we won’t start the journey. If we don’t start the journey, we won’t find out how far we could have gone.

Caroline: Would you roughly explain how you “chose” (or was chosen) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Grin.

Cindy: Fantastic question—one that took time for me to recall how parts of this journey went. After spending several years honing the craft of writing, I began talking to editors at conferences—just to get a feel for who might be interested. I wasn’t pitching per se, but asking questions and listening.

And I learned a lot. For example, I talked with an editor from a certain house and they weren’t interested in looking at the work because they had someone who wrote Amish books. The editor then explained that stance would include any of their affiliate houses.

Although I thought that odd since they have a good number of historical romance writers, and suspense romance writers etc, the conversation helped me to know that I shouldn’t spend any time submitting to them.

Also, through those conversations and conferences, I learned which publishers in the CBA wouldn’t consider a work like When the Heart Cries because of its word count, the fact that it’s not a “sweet” romance, and its opening chapter—each a separate issue which disqualifies the interest by different publishers. A few publishers that thought the writing could have fit their house were not interested in looking at the work of an unpublished author. So that seemed to boil my options down to four publishers. I prayed over the work and decided to submit it to two of those four publishers. I submitted to a third on a whim of deciding to pitch while at a conference and they asked for a full. Although there were nibbles of interest by other publishers, Shannon Hill of WaterBrook Press wasted no time contacting me to say the work was going to committee.

Once it passed committee, I opted to remove it from the desks of other editors rather than try to stir a bidding war—which became an option.

Caroline: Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success of your first one?

Cindy: I think this career can be compared a little with having a baby; there’s great joy and moments when you get to totally enjoy the awesomeness of what’s happening, but overall, there’s work, work, work to be done.

Caroline: Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes?

Cindy: Hmmm, I’ll start with a few things that I love. I’ve loved being a mom from day one. If I had a choice of anything on this planet, I’d choose being a mom above all else—including unlimited beauty, life, money, or fame. And I love that my husband may not have been who he thought he was when we married, but he’s everything I needed.

I love choosing simple over extravagant whether money is an issue or not. I love that no one is only skin deep and no matter what that skin looks like, there are lessons, life, and experiences hidden under that layer that are fascinating. And I love that no matter how badly some bash and hate Christianity, it doesn’t change the truth one iota.

I like vacations if I can get many hours of writing-related work done in the mornings. I like that this works great for my husband who only wants to enjoy the ocean view with coffee in hand and no one needing anything. I like that we can choose to improve ourselves by an act of our will and God is always glad to join forces with any positive step.

Caroline: Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

Cindy: My Web site is www.cindywoodsmall.com

I have a year long Amish quilt contest running. I’m really excited about this quilt contest and would love for people to drop by the site and enter. A winner will be chosen in September. The contest is set up where if you have a friend or friends come by the site, they can enter their own name and enter your name again.

I received the quilt a few weeks back and it’s gorgeous.

Folks, I met Cindy last year at our American Christian Fiction Writers conference in September. She was one of the sweetest persons there! Thanks so much for sharing, Cindy!

AND don't forget to get those comments to me for a drawing in the near future of one of Cindy's books. You won't be disappointed. She's a great writer!

A Writer's Quote:

Make them laugh, make them cry, and make them wait. --Charles Dickens

Have a wonderful book-filled weekend!
Blessings

A.A.A.D.D.


You know, I don't consider myself OLD. (No comments, thank you!) Then why do I find myself carrying out two, three, or more tasks at the same time and forgetting what I was doing? I told someone I thought I was getting Alheimizers, but they replied, "No, you're just too busy."

Whatever the problem, I know I have way too many things to try to deal with most of the time. Some times I'm on top; other times, things weigh me down.

Here's a funny illustration, I thought some of you might enjoy and connect to:

"Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. This is how it develops:

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that

I brought up from the mailbox earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox, when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only 1 check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the study to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the
counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.

I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, get some towels and wipe up

the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills a ren't paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers don't have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.

Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message to everyone you know, because I don't remember to whom it has been sent.

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!
G ROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY.
GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
LAUGHING AT YOURSELF IS THERAPEUTIC.
AGE AND MATURITY ARE NOT NECESSARILY RELATED.


P.S: I just remembered. I LEFT THE WATER RUNNING IN THE
DRIVEWAY!"

Pet hints:

• Don't let your pets have: chocolate (everyone knows that!), macadamia nuts, garlic (and all its relatives), and grapes and raisins (can cause anemia in SOME animals).
• Never let puppy do anything you don't want an 80 pound dog to do. Ooooch. So right!
• Don't let puppies lick you in the face; the older they get, the wetter and sloppier they get. And you don't know (or do you?) where those tongues have been!
• Doggy breath? Put parsley in his food once a day. (Works for people too!) AND don't forget to brush doggy's teeth! Yeah, I said that. Smile

AND tomorrow's the day, folks. Cindy Woodsmall's interview. Have you checked out her website yet?



Quote:
Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Blessings

More Words to Drive Us Batty


Check out the following sentences. Is it any wonder people from other countries find our language so confusing?

A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does funny things when the does are present.
A seamstress and a sewer fell down into the sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

and . . .

Why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing? Grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, two meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends, but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

and for good measure . . .

Why doesn't Buick rhyme with quick?

Arggh! No wonder "us'ins poor writers" have such a h-a-r-d time. Laugh!



Gardening is so much fun. Here are a few general hints:

• The best materials to use for mulches are clean leaves (oak leaves in particular), salt hay, shredded redwood bark, and peat moss.
• Destroy all corn stalks and hollow stemmed weeds so that borers cannot get into them.
• Weed when the sun is on its way up. Prune when there is no drying wind.
• Water in the morning; spray or dust with rising temperatures but not when temperature goes above 75 degrees.

Trivia about Cindy Woodsmall:
Cindy and her family sponsor a young girl from Bangkok, living at the House of Grace which was founded to protect and care for tribal girls that are at risk of being sold into prostitution.

Interview posted: Friday, July 13th
with a drawing for a free book from Cindy.
How to get your name entered? Post a comment, email me, or phone. Easy!

Quote:
Never mind what others do; do better than yourself, beat your own record from day to day, and you are a success. --William J. H. Boetcker



Rainy Day Blessings!

Everyday Insanity

And it's catching!

There are some days that nothing seems to go right. I end up questioning my sanity and most of those I come in contact with and a few I never even see--just out of frustration.

Frustrations:

• Overslept about a half hour--which I need, to feel like I've got time to get my day going right.
• Too much mail to get ready to go out.
• Material for envelope refuses to go in! EEEK!
• Can't find a journal I need.
• At bank, asked teller -- via deposit slip -- to deposit an extra $200 to our account. Fortunately, she knows me and sympathized with my morning!
• Not able to get my mile walk in.
• Unable to stop by the store this morning.
• Too many things to do today; can't possibly get them all done.
• Tired from a hard day yesterday, traveling.
• Book I ordered, haven't received.

But . . .
Had a wonderfully creative weekend with lots of writing and editing done! Love it when genius bubbles like a hot spring!

Here's a funny tale. I'm afraid I qualify! Laugh.

The Bathtub Test
During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a patient should be institutionalized.

"Well," said the director, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

"No," said the director. "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?"

What would your answer have been?




Here are some more handy hints for around the house. Use with your own discernment!:

• Blood stains on clothes? Us a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth & wipe off.
• Permanent marker on appliances or counter tops? Rubbing alcohol on a paper towel will do the trick.
• A new box of SOS pads? Cut in half & have twice as many. Usually you only use part of one before it goes bad.
  
• Streaks on windows? Use vertical swipes on outside of windows; horizontal on inside. That way you can tell which side as the streaks. Vinegar gets windows really clean and don't wash on a sunny day. Windows dry too quickly.
• Spray a bit of perfume on a light bulb; lovely scent!
  

Cindy Woodsmall Trivia:
Book One (out now) "When the Heart Cries"
Book Two (out in Sepember '07) "When the Morning Comes"

If you like Amish stories, check out her books. And her interview on Friday, July 13th!


Congratulations, Ann, who was the winner of the Father's Day Mystery Story contest! She won a $10 certificate from Bob Evans! Good work, Ann!



Quote:
Some things cannot be spoken or discovered until we have been stuck, incapacitated, or blown off course for awhile. Plain sailing is pleasant, but you are not going to explore many unknown realms that way. --David Whyte


Blessings

Independence Day

What does it mean to me?

Fireworks, of course.
Hotdogs (you been listening to the news about the hotdog eating contests?)
Hamburgers, baked beans, potatoe salad, fresh tomatoes and new potatoes
Grilling out
Picnics
Family
Fun
Travel
Home
Time to read a good book

Then there is:
The privilege of reading what I want
Hearing the news (biased that it is)
Worshiping the way I want
Enjoying the privileges of the good ole USA (in spite of her problems)
Feeling outrage at unjust accusations against our wonderful country
Taken-for-granted security
Our beautiful soldier boys and girls and their work to keep our country safe
The way they look in their uniforms
The way they move in their uniforms--the proud, steady, and sincere desires in them

I love the:

• Declaration of Principles: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

• Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal . . . that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

• Thomas Paine's fervent statement: "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

• Patrick Henry's bold words: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death."
  

Happy Birthday, America!

Summer Hints:

• Bikes, Blades, and Skates: Make sure kids wear protective gear

• Barbecues: Set a line that kids are not allowed to cross. Have adult supervision.

• Sunburns & Dehydration: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. are the most dangerous times. Sunburn can happen on cloudy days. Use cute hats and sunglasses. Use sunscreen. Water and sand reflects the sun's rays and increases the chance of sunburn. Use light colored clothes. Serve water often.

• Water: Anything that can collect water is a danger to children. Children can drown in inches.
  

Cindy Woodsmall Trivia:

Cindy's giving a way an Amish quilt on her website.
Check it out & mention I sent you there!
www.cindywoodsmall.com

Quote:
Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it not less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace. --Frederich Buechner


Blessings