Fantasy Series In Progress.

My writing project for 2020--blessed with plenty of time during the pandemic--was to explore the genre of fantasy. Something with magic, Mages, possibly dragons, flying carriages, and spells affected by true love's kiss. I wanted to write a new twist on a fairy tale. 

As a result, the first book in my new series, 'The Reborn Prince,' is drafted and undergoing beta reading right now as of early 2021. I'm enjoying this writing process more than any other novel I've ever written. It's my own take on the popular 'Beauty and the Beast' theme and stars a somewhat macho, egotistical male, formerly a Prince, who gets taken down a notch. :) And, it's set in 18th century France, one of my absolute favorite historical times and places--though tied close with Regency England and Civil War America. 

I hope to keep readers posted on when it is ready to be put out in the world. Here are some mood boards and images that I chose to give a feel for my new book-in-progress! 

The beautiful peak of autumn's splendor has come! Thank you Lord for your gift of color and brilliance every year. 

50 Blessings

Our challenge today at church was to list 50 blessings- things to be thankful for in order to look on the positive side of life and remember all the things which God has provided for us.

...

1. My awesome husband! He's a go-getter, a hero, a veteran, and a great dad. 

2. Our firstborn daughter, 20. She loves her boyfriend, horror movies, choir singing, hiking, and The Office.

3. Our middle-born daughter, 18. She loves her BFF's, soccer, horses, sunbathing, and Nike sportswear.

4. Our son and youngest child, 11. He loves Marvel movies, beef stroganoff, mango juice, and UNO cards.

5. Our home in small-town Wisconsin where we've lived for over 20 years.

6. Diet iced tea. 

7. My air conditioning unit. 

8. Lake Hayward, with its deep drop off point that makes your feet feel chilly.

9. My friends who manage to drag me out of my house once in a while.

10. The aspen tree and pine forest behind our backyard.

11. The field of long grass in our backyard; the way it sways in the breeze.

12. Laundry hanging on the line in the summertime.

13. Daisies.

14. 80's music.

15. Our choir cantata that I sing in, and our director Holly.

16. Black cherry diet soda.

17. Refillable plastic water bottles.

18. Coffee.

19. The maple tree in the front of our house, that has grown from a sapling over 15 years.

20. Our dog, Lexie.

21. Facebook and Twitter (when I can use them without addiction)

22. My blue bedsheets, the super-soft ones.

23. Ibuprofen pills.

24. Maxi pads.

25. My laptop, which I use for writing and for wasting too much time.

26. Marvel movies. 

27. The 'oldies' radio show on 101.7 that plays good 70's and 80's music.

28. Disney movies.

29. Amazon.com's Kindle program and various other websites, (including this one!) which have allowed me to publish my mediocre writing- and improve my writing abilities to where I've published my own novels.

30. Books. Lots! Of! Books!

31. The Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library.

32. Miller's Market.

33. Backroads Coffee.

34. Hayward Coffee Company.

35. DiGiorno's Stuffed Crust Frozen Pizza.

36. Snap Fitness. (So I can eat DiGiorno's pizza, drink Backroads' frappes, and eat Miller's subs!)

37. Bath and Body Works' shower gels and hand soaps.

38. Maurice's clearance rack.

39. Walmart's clearance rack.

40. The song of the Red-Winged Blackbird, especially when springtime begins.

41. The song of Eastern Grey tree frogs at night.

42. The full moon, which rises over the eastern skyline from my backyard.

43. The stars on a clear night.

44. Lilacs in June.

45. Fall- the turning colors, pumpkin patches, apple pie baking, and cooler days.

46. Thanksgiving time, when Ben and I have our birthdays, which leads into Christmastime.

47. Christmastime.

48. Kohl's store in Rice Lake.

49. My Dodge Caravan which is still driveable and has a working A/C and heat.

50. Our church. And thank you to Chad, for challenging us to make this list! :)

A Prayer for My Daughter, on her Graduation Day

Dear Lord, help. There's a cap and gown hanging in my younger daughter's room.

She's graduating soon, and I can't believe how fast the time has gone. She's ready and excited…and so am I, but it's bittersweet. Because since the day she was born and wrapped her tiny fingers around mine, and I could see that her eyes were brown and not blue like her sister's, I knew she was a unique person of her own. Once again, I understood the concept of unconditional love—including Your love.

Thank you for making me her mom…and trusting my hands to care for this little human's life when I had no clue what I was doing.

This parenting journey has been the hardest, funniest, most terrifying, inspiring, holy mess…and there are a lot of parts I messed up that I wish I could do over. Please forgive me for the times I was exhausted and bitter and wanted to give up. Forgive me for yelling a lot. Forgive me for not paying attention. Forgive me for forgetting things.

Forgive me for all of the mistakes I made as her mom. And please help her forget this stuff—or at least help her forgive me if my failures screwed her up. Hopefully, you can turn the consequences into something positive—like the development of grit and resilience. She is a very strong, vibrant, and determined girl, and I thank You for making her that way.

I look back at it all, and could not be happier with this gift- 'my Christmas present' I like to call her, since I went to the hospital in labor with her on Christmas Day, and she was born 10 minutes after midnight. She is my pride and joy, my middle child. 

I love her so much. Thank you, Lord, for giving me this wonderful young lady for me to raise.

Just a little sneak peek! 'Blended and Blessed' the sequel to 'The Cedar Chest' will be released in about one month!  

Gee, I haven't posted in a while!

Here is a pic of our choir performing the Cantata "Hope is Born Emmanuel" last week. I loved these songs and the way the narrators presented the story so much! I'm the blonde with glasses in the top middle, right behind the lady with white hair. I was NOT sick and coughing for once during the performances! Praise God!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! 

Book Review- And She Was, by Alison Gaylin

....

https://www.amazon.com/She-Was-Suspense-Brenna-Spector/dp/0061878200/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473194449&sr=1-1&keywords=and+she+was

Okay, summer is over, school is back in session, and looking back, I definitely can tell you what my favorite book I've read over the summer of 2016 is.

"And She Was, a Brenna Spector Mystery" by Alison Gaylin is a mystery crime suspense about how Brenna Spector uses her unique gift of recalling her most detailed life memories, to the exact date- to help solve crimes.

It is also a book that takes a look at missing persons, a grim topic in the light of the news of a 27 year old case of an abducted boy from Minnesota being confirmed as murdered- a story I'd followed since I was an 18 year old freshman in college. I wish there had been a happier ending for that. Prayers to his mom and family. :(

There is a connection between the recent disappearance of a suburban wife named Carol Wentz, and a little 6 year old girl named Iris, who went missing several years back. That is what Brenna is fighting to prove to the skeptical authorities. Her only allies are her tech assistant Trent (a fun character! He's kind of like a male, muscle shirt wearing version of Penelope Garcia, lol!) and detective Nick Morasco, who Brenna has a very subtle chemistry with. I do ship them, but I really liked the idea that there were no romances in this book to detract from the suspense and mystery plot. I also like how the author describes the setting, this pristine suburban town founded by a millionaire family, who huddle together with the local police department to protect their dark secrets.


Brenna's backstory is interesting, too. When she was a little girl in the 80's, her big sister Clea was also abducted and remains missing. When I found out there was a sequel, I was so excited. I have all of Gaylin's other books on my 'must read' list.

I was quick to give this book 5 stars on Amazon.