Dreams. We all have them. Whether we share them with friends or hide them deep in our heart. They exist.

Since Mary Connealy’s message last week, I’ve been thinking again about my dreams. I’ll share some of mine with the hope that you will join in and share yours – I’d really like to hear them.

• I dream…of a book finally published, with the connections God has prepared and in His timing.
  
• I dream…of a new home that does not need “plenty of TLC” but is in move-in condition. Not too big, not too small – with room for a real writerly office with a lovely view on several acres.
  
• I dream…of being closer to long distance friends and finding new ones along the way.
  
• I dream…of living near the ocean, not waterfront, but within reasonable driving distance.
  
• I dream…of God’s divine direction in our lives as a couple, in a new church close to our new home, where we can be effective in ministry and a help to leadership.  Wow – looks like most of the dreams involve re-location!
  

What are your dreams? They do feel more real when you put them in writing : )

Thank you! – for the wonderful show of support for Mary’s books last week. The winner of the autographed copy of “Petticoat Ranch” is Susan Snodgrass! Congrats! Please send me your mailing address.

Because we had so many comments, I am going out to buy another copy and the second winner of a book is Ginger Solomon!

We reached the official first day of summer this week on June 21st and actually had….Sunshine! The summer days always pass in a blur of motion. The word balance comes to mind. How to balance accomplishing the necessary duties and still find time to enjoy times with friends and family. Perfect days by a lake, or better yet, sitting on an ocean beach, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic music of the waves.

How do you balance your time in the summer?

I’m balancing by taking my own advice from previous blog: if there is sun out there, I’m outside soaking it all in! I’m determined to spend more time outdoors while we have decent weather. I’ll catch up on other things later…

Where does your writing fit in?

My writing fits very nicely with a notebook and pen, in the gazebo in the yard, on the beach, or by a lake.

Where do you write in the summertime?

Thanks for the responses to a perfect summer day and the winner of Broken Trust is: Katie J.! Congrats, Katie! Please send me your mailing address.

       Warning – Weather Tantrum here.

Since Memorial Day weekend we have had rain, rain, and more rain. Throw in a tornado for good measure and then add some more rain, rain, rain, but with the added novelty of hail and flood warnings. Summers in New York are short to begin with, three months tops if you’re lucky. According to the calendar, it is fast fading away into two months.

What to do, what to do?? If you’ve been overcome with rainstorms, here’s the plan:

1. At any hint of sunshine, run, run, run outside! Grab a lawn chair, find a spot where you will not float away and soak up any rays that you can, while you can. Seriously. Drop everything else to do this. You need the Vitamin D.
   
2. As soon as the rain starts in again, run, run, run back inside and catch up on all the housework, laundry, ironing, writing, etc. so when the sun shines again you can go back to #1.
   

I’m wondering about characters in a story and how they can be affected by weather. Maybe a recluse that won’t go out unless the sun is shining. Or for a different twist, they will only go outside when it rains. Is the sun shining in your world?

Book Giveaway -Broken Trust by Sharon Dunn. 

To enter the drawing, leave a comment with a description of “your perfect summer day.”

Summer is almost here!

Time to relax in the sun with some good books and work through that To-Be-Read stack that is about to topple over…

Latest books I’ve read are: Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock and Once Upon A Prince by Rachel Hauck                

Good Books, great stories!

Currently reading: Lock, Stock & Over A Barrel by Melody Carlson  – Fun characters!

What are you reading this month?

             New Yorkers are not used to tornados.

One zipped through our area this week uprooting trees, lifting off roofs; causing downed wires, blocked roads, and a pretty wild night. We were in church when it happened. A good place to be. Thankfully, the building is old and solidly built. We watched the torrents of rain, lighting and winds through the huge windows of the church. What a show! Conflicting emotions- excitement, fear, unease, wonder at the force of the winds from the storm. Though it was a bit scary, deep in my heart I knew we were safe and in the Lord’s care. No one realized how bad it was till it was over. (including the weather service and news reports who predicted a bad storm with high winds) The actual tornado hit just blocks away from our church and swept a long path several miles up Rte. 159. We were spared.

It took us awhile to get home that evening as so many roads and streets were blocked off. Emergency vehicles everywhere. We had to turn around from at least six different routes to find our way home. But we prayed and God led us and we arrived safely – with no damage to our house which is surrounded by huge trees! I had prayed that morning (as I do daily) for God’s protection over us, our cars and our property. God hears our prayers. We lost power for about 24 hours.
Have you ever been through a traumatic weather event? What did you feel? Record those emotions so you don’t forget and you may use them someday in one of your stories : )

Praying for those who were affected by the storm, no serious injuries, thank God. The day ended with God’s promise: a huge rainbow.

Do your characters walk right out of the book? We’re supposed to make them as “real” as possible but where is the fine line of reality and likeability? If I make my character too snarky, someone won’t like her.

Too imperfect, they may get tired of how many times she messes up.

Sweet, charming and beautiful, we’ll all hate her because she’s too good : )

Writers – how do you create believable, likeable characters?

 Readers – Tell me about a favorite character in a book you’ve read and why you like them.

Book Giveaway: Answer one of these questions in a comment and you’ll be entered into a contest to win Dying to Read by Lorena McCourtney.

                             but what if you’re not a mother?

                           or your mother has died?

Either of these facts tend to make Mother’s Day a very difficult time. If you relate to this, how do you deal with Mother’s Day? I’m re-posting this from last year because I feel it is important. There were so many heartfelt replies so I know many others deal with this day and often struggle through it.

I’m doing good with the no kids part, check out my Kidless & Content article with Sasee:

http://sasee.com/2011/10/01/kidless-and-content/

But I can’t seem to get over missing my mom and Mother’s Day hits hard.

Please leave a comment with how you manage on this day.

Any suggestions or encouragement for each other in either circumstance is most welcome.

I know Jesus is the only One who can fill those empty places in our hearts.

And I also know the Lord will pass the following message on to my mother – the very best mother in all the world. What a day  of rejoicing when we’ll be together again!

I’ve been watching a BBC series on dvd almost every weekend. Mid-way through the series, one of the main characters died very tragically. I was angry!  Could not believe it. After the anger passed, I felt like I was actually mourning the character.

I know, it’s a movie, not real, just a story. But somehow the family life of the series had become part of my emotions and I still miss this guy. He was an integral part of the story. An elderly man who was a bit of a crank and definitely eccentric. Yet still likable. I know I’ll have to get used to him being gone, but I’ll miss him : )  Obviously good writing.

So…how do we make our characters likable?

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie and thought about the characters long after?

Or actually mourned a character?

Did you ever have your day begin by receiving a nasty-gram email or an angry text?  And the rest of the day felt like the above picture? Careless words, whether written or spoken, can blanket the whole day in a negative cloud.

Just from a few simple words.

As true followers of Jesus, may we learn to guard our words carefully and with wisdom and prayer. Spoken words and written words are powerful. We have the choice to slant our words in a positive or negative direction.

I challenge you this week to start each day with an encouragement. To a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor.

And watch what a difference it makes to those around you.

Stifle the urge to criticize.

Practice the art of encouragement.

Share life-giving words of truth and hope.

“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul…” Proverbs 16:24

Book Giveaway – To enter, leave a comment or share a quote on encouragement. Winner will receive a copy of a cozy mystery,  “The Wedding Caper,” by Janice A. Thompson. 

And my life will never be the same…how about you?