Happy Mother's Day

One of the very first to hold me after my birth, my maternal grandmother gave me my name. She named me after my mom (Betty), and herself (Audrie). I know she loved me, though I never knew her. She died two years after my birth. I grew acquainted with her through my mom's memories and the many beautiful pictures we have of her. A few years ago, I traveled to Seattle and visited her grave. Seeing that name on a gravestone was a little bit of a shock, but I'm so glad I did it. She became real to me that day. Though I had no physical memories of her, she really had existed.

Mom grew up in Seattle, where she met my dad, a young sailor on leave. He was from Tennessee. She left her home and family to follow him, and stayed with him through sometimes extreme difficulties, until the day he died. She was with him in San Diego, living on base, when her mother died in Seattle. She still has the airplane ticket from her flight home for the funeral.

These two strong women loved me, spoke into my life, and gave me my morals and principles. They were shining examples to me of the kind of woman I wanted to become. Women who gave everything for those they loved. Women who endured hardship as if it were just another bump in the road. Women who could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Dedicated and Godly women.

I was never able to send my grandmother a Mother's Day card, or even tell her I loved her. I never heard her voice or saw her grow old. So I'll tell my mom, her daughter: I love you. I'll visit her and give her a gift and a card for Mother's Day. I'll smile at my reflection in the mirror, the part of me that resembles my namesakes. I feel very blessed to be descended of such excellent women. Happy Mother's Day!

The Answer is YES!

How I love the word YES. It may be my favorite word. A few things about YES: 

• It’s short and to the point. 
• It’s stylish and lovely to look at. 
• It’s positive. 
• It rhymes with bless (another word I like). 

I think YES has been good more than it’s been bad. I can think of a few times when YES was the wrong answer, but these are far outweighed by the number of times it was the right answer. I don’t want to think of the times I wish I’d said YES, but said NO (that’s another post). 

*Photo Purchased From Shutterstock*

Right now you may be thinking this is a very silly post. I agree, it is, but there’s a lot of truth buried in the silliness. I hope it makes you think, but most of all, I hope it makes you smile. 

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Labor Pains: The Death of a Business

The beginning of the end: “I’ve decided to close the company.” 

The words are dry. But I know the feelings that lay behind them. Agony, fear, desperation―just to name a few. Only three short months since her husband’s passing, she’s pulling the plug on his dream. But I don’t blame her. In fact, I think she’s incredibly brave. 

Twenty-two people will walk, over the next three months. Some have worked here from the beginning, twenty-five years ago. A few of the lucky ones will leave early, accepting job offers. Others will stay until they’re told to go, and then begin the process of job hunting and filing for unemployment. 

“It was good while it lasted,” I hear them say. But the truth is, most of its years were difficult, seat-of-the-pants years. Years of barely making ends meet, interspersed with a couple of really good years when profit was high and so were the taxes. Don’t get me started on taxes. Thinking about starting a business? Be sure to plan on high taxes. Small businesses get hit hard.

In a few short weeks, the machinery in the shop will be silent. A “For Sale” sign will go up on the property. I hope it won’t be there long. There’s a history to the place. It needs to live on and prosper. The right people can make it happen. 

Comfort Food is on the Menu

It’s raining leaves. 

At least that’s how it looks. Summer has officially ended. As the weather cools, my instincts kick in. Time for comfort food. Summer’s sandwiches and salads were nice, but there is nothing like a good, hot meal to chase away autumn’s first chill. 

What is your favorite comfort food? I posted this question on my Facebook page and got a variety of answers. Chili. A big pot of pinto beans with homemade cornbread. Anything my momma cooks. Okay, that one came from one of my sons. 

Homemade chicken and dumplings, roast beef and whipped potatoes with rich, dark gravy. Potato soup and crispy cornbread. White beans and turnip greens.

Hungry yet? One thing all of these have in common, besides being high in calories? Homemade. 

Nothing beats it. Just like Mom used to make (if Mom could cook). But I’m not going there. This kind of weather makes you want to settle in with a bowl of something hot and delicious. My favorite? Homemade chicken and dumplings. Do you have a favorite that I didn’t mention? Leave me a comment to cast your vote. Happy Fall!

A Frivolous Waste of Time?

        A writer friend took the summer off to devote to her family. And she had some serious soul-searching to do.

“What am I doing?” She asked herself. “Am I just wasting my time with my head in the clouds? Writing frothy fiction to entertain overstuffed saints?” When she shared this with me, she looked me in the eye. “Is this just a frivolous waste of time?”

Wow. Those words hit me hard. How often have I thought the same thing? Wondered if I was on the right track, or chasing a fancy. 

Serious soul-searching is best done in God’s presence. I presented it to Him. As soon as I spoke the words aloud, a thought occurred to me. A question, really. Actually two questions. “Is a beautiful painting a frivolous waste of time? Is a well-written symphony a frivolous waste of time?”

Creativity, art—or at least the doing of it—can sometimes seem like a shallow pursuit. What great meaning does the work have? Does it stir you? Does it speak to your inner man? It doesn’t always have to. Sometimes you just need to laugh, so you read a humorous story, or watch a funny movie. But during those times when you seek growth or spiritual renewal, you hunger for something with more depth. 

Read a great novel or watch a well-crafted movie, and it stirs your creativity. Stroll through an art gallery or listen to your favorite music. It can calm your teeming soul. 

It all comes down to a very personal decision. A call. A gifted writer crafts a story that captures readers and takes them to another place. Skillfully touches hearts and feeds hungry souls. My writer friend has that kind of gift. I hope she’ll find her way back. Maybe she’ll read this, see herself and know, God has given us the power to create beautiful things. Perhaps it’s because He loves beautiful things.  

Interview with author Linda Yezak

It's easy to admire someone like Linda Yezak. As a writer, she excels. Her debut novel, Give the Lady a Ride is making waves in the world of Christian fiction. As any author knows, writing the story is just the beginning. Making it shine is a lot of work. Even then, the work's not done. Just like a birth, once the baby's here, the real labor begins. Thank you, Linda for allowing me to interview you and help promote your book!

Who has been your shining star throughout this venture?

I’d have to divide the venture into stages to answer this accurately, because I’ve had several shining stars–way too many to enumerate. God has been good to me! 

So, in the writing stage, it was author K. M. Weiland, whose sharp eye and gentle direction helped me refine the story. Katie has been an incredible source of encouragement throughout the entire process, but especially when I was writing. She still is. 

In the early cyber-promotion stage, it was Joy Tamsin David, influencer extraordinaire. From the moment she discovered Give the Lady a Ride was coming out, she gave me guidance about the best romance blogs to submit it to for great reviews. The bulk of my amazon sales were due to her advice.

In the physical marketing stage, Mom and Billy have to share the limelight. You just can’t beat the efforts of a mother who’s proud of her daughter, or a husband who’s proud of his wife.

These are my brightest stars, but as I said there are so many others–not to mention a certain Betty Thomason Owens who has been an avid supporter since day one!

What is your highpoint memory from the moment the book went live until now?

Wow. Tough one. I think it would have to be the look on my 79-year-old mother’s face when she held the book for the first time. She cried, of course. Then, after I read the dedication to her (she has Macular Degeneration and can no longer read), she cried again. It was sweet and emotional, and it makes me happy to have her so proud of me.

When did you think you may have “knocked one out of the ballpark”? Whose great review blew you away?

Monte Alkire, a rancher and rodeo team roper in Illinois, read my book and gave me his impression in detail. (Yes, I have male readers. That surprised me, but those I’ve heard from really liked the book.) The fact that he found my depictions of ranch life, rodeo, and cowboys accurate is the biggest pat on the back I’ve received, and I’ve received some wonderful pats. Monte believes the book is Hallmark quality and thinks I should submit it. I’d certainly love to try. He sent his review in an email, so I couldn’t post it anywhere but Facebook (and my blog–I didn’t think of that!), but the fact he wrote it at all is a great honor.

Where to now? Future plans? 

I’m still debating a sequel to Ride, and I’m almost finished with my second novel, The Cat Lady’s Secret. I’m also co-authoring a thriller with a friend, and I’m anxious to see that one finished. I enjoyed writing Ride, but I’d also like to write suspense/thrillers (probably under a different name) and women’s fiction.

Aside from my writing, Billy and I enjoyed our times at the festivals so much, we’re planning to add a few more–fall festivals. Or spring. But definitely, no more summer festivals! At the Polish Days in Bremond, Texas, I included the books of some author friends whose works I’d read and could comfortably endorse. I enjoyed selling theirs as much as I did selling mine, so I’ll continue to add other books to my traveling bookstore.

How does it feel to be a superstar (if only for a moment)?

The word “stunning” is accurate, despite the fact it is often misused. I’m always stunned when someone seems enthusiastic to meet me. At the Blueberry Festival, someone rushed over to me, all excited, and exclaimed, “You’re her!” as if I were some Broadway star. She had read my book and enjoyed it. At the Polish festival, people asked to have their pictures taken with me. That floored me. I’m amazed every time something like this happens. 

Thanks for interviewing me, Betty. You’re one of the stars God blessed me with, and I’m forever thankful for you!

For more information about Linda Yezak, visit:
777 Peppermint Place, AuthorCulture

The Gift of Invisibility

Have you ever wished you could just disappear when the pressures of life close in? At work, when someone’s looking for you? At home when the kids are driving you crazy? What if it was really possible? 

Some say it is. In this article from Wired Science, I read about the existence of “invisibility crystals.” Potter fans say all you need is a cloak. Well, there’s an actual invisibility cloak according to this article by Charles Q. Choi, Invisibility Cloak: Now you see it, now you don’t.

In The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien) a ring rendered Bilbo invisible. There was also an elven cloak later in The Lord of the Rings that enabled its wearer to blend into his or her surroundings. And of course, there’s the Bible. There were incidences in the Bible when saints disappeared, some to reappear in another place. Catholic believers will remember several of the ancient saints practiced the gift of invisibility. Eastern religions also spoke of it. 

Jael of Rogan, the heroine of my fantasy novels, practices invisibility. She discovers the gift quite by accident. It comes in handy several times. In The Lady of the Haven, she “fades into the background.” That’s a talent I could use at work. In the second book, A Gathering of Eagles, she learns to travel while invisible. Think of the gas you’d save!