A Blessed Week in My Writing World

It's been a blessed week in my writing world. Of course it all began a week ago today when I found out that the compilation book, His Forever, which includes my story "Like Son, Like Father," was out. I blogged about that in my last post. I immediately ordered copies. Then began the wait to finally hold the book in my hand. That finally happened on Thursday.


The cover is even more beautiful in person than it is in the picture! What a thrill to see something I wrote in a book. And having this particular story published this way is even more thrilling. Who else can get the glory other than God! Here's a picture of me holding the book. I took it with my web cam so it's not as clear as it could be.


On about the same day that I received copies of the book, the editor of His Forever emailed me asking if I would contribute a devotional piece to a new Cup of Comfort book on prayer he's editing. He assigned me a specific prayer that has already been written. It's my job to write about a personal experience that fits into the theme of the prayer. Of course I said yes. Since I have to submit this devotional by next Friday, I began working on it right away. I've written about the biggest lesson I've learned over my past year of setbacks is that everything happens in God's due time--the setbacks and trials, as well as the blessings. I've titled it "In God's Due Time." I don't know if I'm definitely to be included in the book provided my submission is good, or if I'm competing with others like in the last one. We'll see. Either way I'm so blessed to have been asked.


A couple days ago an author friend read the first chapter of Murder for Breakfast and said she liked it. I feel like that old Life cereal commercial saying, "She likes it, she likes it!" Her input was very encouraging to me because she has written several published books, and she can recognize good writing or bad. She also mentored me on setting up writing goals. I have two projects going. The MFB tweaking so I can get the full sent off to HP-Mystery, and the proposal on Shiloh Legacy. Since SLrequires major rewrites, I need time to get that in order before I can do the proposal for an editor at Tyndale who has asked for.


So it's finish MFB by Christmas, spend January researching for my SL rewrite, and start the SL rewrite in February. Then once I have it plotted and the first three chapters complete, send the proposal and keep working on the rewrite. Whew! I'm gonna be busy, but it's a good kind of busy.


Last night ACFW members in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs met at a local Panera Bread. It was great to see those I'd enjoyed being with in Dallas last month and to catch up with others who weren't able to make the conference. We're in the process of officially becoming an ACFW chapter. Something we're very excited about. I'm excited because the number of ACFW members in my area is growing. In spite of being in a major metropolitan area like Chicago, surprisingly there haven't been a large number of ACFW people to connect with here. Here are the eight of us who attended last night: Front row is Maureen Lang and me. Second row is Greg Williamson, Corky Richardson, Julie Dearyon, Allie Pleiter, Kris Brown, and Sally Bradley.

It's been a blessed week.