Summer Sparkles

 Summer has always been my favorite season. As a child--and later as a teacher--June's arrival brought weeks of delicious freedom. I loved it!
But down here in Georgia, summer also brings some serious heat. As I've grown--ahem--older--I've liked that aspect of the season less and less. In fact this year I found myself dreading summer, and that made me kinda sad. Summer and I have been besties for a long time, and I don't want to forget about her good points.
So, I've been paying a little extra attention to the gifts and the lessons this summer has given me. I thought I'd share a few of them here--just in case I'm not the only one whose relationship with summer has hit a rough patch.

Summer makes me lazy, but our chickens? Not so much! They've been laying faithfully. We have enough eggs to share even though our hens are older and lay only every other day. But the eggs they do lay are bigger--so that's a good lesson for this older hen! Good to know I can pace myself and still be a faithful producer.








We've had plenty of rain which has resulted in our first ever

bumper blueberry crop! I begged for blueberry ideas on Facebook, and I was immediately provided with an avalanche of delicious recipes!

Peaches are in abundant supply, too! I wasn't sure I'd get any this year because our closest peach supplier retired. But a local friend told me her son's commute took him right past a peach-packing place. He picked up some seconds for me to can and freeze!
And so blueberries and peaches reminded me what an incredible blessing kind and helpful friends can be--both the ones I've come to know through Facebook and the ones I know in "real life."









Oh, and here's a cute one--while picking blueberries with my kids, we saw that a little bird had

built her nest right in the middle of the best-producing bush. It was a bird version of a bed and breakfast! This bold mama bird wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted--and she offered me a good lesson in gumption and practicality!

Of course the abundant rain also meant a bumper crop of weeds! This batch of green beans came from the weediest garden we've ever had! But hey--that just means you don't have to be perfect to be productive, right? And who doesn't need a reminder of that from time to time?










Once I started looking, I saw summer sparkles everywhere!

                           




 In the cheerfulness of this busy worker, pausing to smile for my camera as she wrapped up my purchase.

In the kind gentleness of my oldest son, steadying his eighty-four year old grandmother at his sister's piano recital.

                                       





                                           And in the brave enthusiasm of my
                                          three-year-old niece as she took her
                                          her first steps into the exciting                                                                world of ballet.

Yes, this searing hot summer has turned out to be pretty wonderful after all. And it's zipping by--cooler days will be here before we know it! In the meantime, let's crank up those air conditioners, slice some watermelon and collect our sparkling summer blessings like lightning bugs in a mason jar!

So tell me, sweet friends--what's making your summer shine?

Available now!

Let's Talk About Animals!

I was pondering what I wanted to talk about today--what element of writing or faith or
life in general that would be fun to share. And then I looked out my office window and saw
cows coming up to get a drink from their trough, and I had it!

Animals! Let’s talk about animals!

I love animals--my husband would quickly tell you--maybe a leetle too much! I’ve featured at
least one animal in each of my books so far. And I'm not a bit sorry, either--I think animals add a
fun sparkle to stories.

In my first book, A FAMILY FOR THE FARMER, I introduced Glory the world's bossiest
goose.

She even made the cover--no surprise--because she totally stole the show (and eventually the
wedding ring!) I loved writing about Glory--partly because I based her on our beloved “Goosey”
who patrols our barnyard to this very day.

Additional characters in that book pulled from our personal barn family included Beulah the milk cow

Beulah in the shade

and an assortment of Oberhasli 

dairy goats

Our youngest son loves goats!

In A BABY FOR THE MINISTER, another goat--an escape artist called Rufus--butted his way
into the heroine’s heart. While I don’t actually have a goat named Rufus, he is a combination of
numerous billy goats we have owned over the years.

   


      Goats are such gems--their unique personalities make them perfect for adding a dash of humor to any situation! (Whether you want it or not!)

Then in HOMETOWN HOPE (releasing tomorrow--woo hoo!) I added a puppy into the mix!
This is my daughter’s beloved Pembroke Welsh Corgi “Nugget.”

The puppy in my story was actually a mixed breed shelter rescue, but his mischievous personality? That was one hundred percent Nugget!

And this week I’m wrapping up my final edits for my fourth Love Inspired, A RANCHER TO
TRUST, coming out in January 2020. The four-legged star of that story? Lucy Ball--Beulah’s very
curious calf. Check out this attitude:

                       See why I couldn't resist putting her in a book? Isn’t she adorable?

So tell me--what animal has its paws (or claws or hooves) on your heart? Extra points if you
share a picture in the comments!

Laurel Blount lives on a small farm in middle Georgia with her husband, their four children, and an assortment of very spoiled animals.

She divides her time between farm chores, homeschooling, and writing. She's busy, but at least she's never bored! Laurel writes inspirational contemporary romance, and Hometown Hope is her third title for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. Whenever she's not working, you can find her with a cup of tea at her elbow, a cat in her lap, and a good book in her hand. Stay in touch by signing up for Laurel's monthly newsletter here !

What Good We Know

"What do you know good?"
This is a old-time folksy greeting down here in Georgia. When you're settling down for a chat, the other person often poses this question.  It's the best sort of invitation. It means--tell me the good you have in your life right now. Share some happy news you've heard. Lift my spirits. Make me smile.
I love this, don't you?  And I think we need more of this--lots more of it--in our world today. We need an extra dash of goodness everywhere--in our conversations, on our television and computer screens.
And most definitely in our books!
We writers are often told "Write what you know." I took that to heart--which is why my books brim over with small towns, farms, goats, chickens and milk cows! Those are some of the many good things that make up my world, and I dearly love sharing them with others.

So what do I know good today? Let's see...

I know sometimes it's kind of fun to play with your food!

I know age brings its own unique beauty.

I know the rainy days we experience bless us with their own special sort of loveliness.

I know the smell of freshly baked bread brings a family running to the kitchen.

I know that curiosity can be the doorway to some really fun adventures.

I know that beauty is found in humble places--if you take the time to look for it.

Now it's your turn! What do you know good, sweet friends? Share the glimmers of joy you see sparkling around you today, and let's make each other's lives just a little brighter! 

   Don't miss my newest Love Inspired romance set in Pine Valley, Georgia! Hometown Hope releases in June 2019! 

A Dollop of Gratitude by Laurel Blount

I have a confession: I’m a television show binger. When I find a program I love, I lose every scrap of self-discipline I have.

Please tell me I’m not the only person who’s like this.

Recently I stumbled across a British cooking show and decided to give it a try. I was instantly hooked.

It was fascinating. I watched as a dozen or so amateur bakers competed to successfully complete challenging assignments set by their two accomplished judges. At the end of each episode, one baker was spotlighted as the star and another one was sent home. These guys were incredibly good, and the dishes they had to create were amazingly difficult. Plus there was that whole fabulous British accent thing. I even found myself using expressions like spot on and simply scrummy, the highest compliment of all. (FYI, those things sound kind of strange combined with a Georgia accent.)

Anyway I adored that show—and that was a little strange too. I’m not usually a big fan of reality television programs. They seem to bring out the worst in people. Backbiting, jealousy, lying, betrayals…who needs more of that?

But this series was different.  As each competition warmed up, so did the affection between the contestants.

I watched as contestants held hands waiting for verdicts, celebrated with the spotlighted bakers and wept when a friend was sent home. I saw them come to each other’s rescue in tight spots, sometimes actually helping a competitor complete a dish. I saw them encourage each other through setbacks and cheer when a competitor got a handshake from a critical judge.

They gave their very best to their own work, sure, but they also wholeheartedly supported those working around them. It was beautiful to see. Don’t we all wish we had a community like that surrounding us?

You know what? I think Love Inspired authors kinda do. 

I've seen this group pray for and  encourage each other. I've watched them celebrate and sympathize with each other. I've also seen firsthand how welcoming they are to fledgling authors.

I love to tell this story.

Some years ago I attended my very first writing conference. I had just sold my debut book to Love Inspired, and I was brand spanking new to the writing world. I knew I had a lot to learn.

I nervously signed up for a pitch workshop because pitching (whatever that was) seemed like a really big deal. Better learn how to do that, right?

The workshop wasn’t what I’d expected. We were divided into very small groups. As in, mine consisted of me, one other writer and our assigned coach. Uh-oh--no hiding in the back row here! 

Secondly, that coach was none other than Debby Giusti, whom I knew only as a talented and prolific author for Love Inspired Suspense. I could barely focus on her pointers because I had to keep mentally pinching myself.

I’m sitting next to Debby Giusti. And she’s TALKING to me.

You can go ahead and laugh at me—Debby certainly chuckled when I told her about it later! She, of course, was gracious and kind, as Debby always is. When I stammered out how impressed I was by her, she leaned over and gave my arm a friendly squeeze.

“You just sold your first book to Love Inspired! I’m impressed by you, too!”

That story is the tip of a very large iceberg. As I said, I have met some of the most supportive and generous, faith-filled people through Love Inspired—and I’ve witnessed far too many of their kindnesses to list them all here.

Recently at a writing conference, I sat next to a lovely aspiring author at a luncheon. At one point, she leaned over and said, “I’m sorry if I seem a little weird. I’m just so excited. I can’t believe I’m sitting next to you!”

When I picked my jaw off the floor, I gave her arm a friendly squeeze and tried to do Debby proud. “I’m so excited to be sitting next to you, too!” She beamed, and I was so thankful for the opportunity to pass Debby's warm torch of welcome to another new writer.

So as we enter our Thanksgiving week here in the U.S., I’m going on record as saying that I’m grateful and proud to be cooking up my stories alongside some of the finest people in the business.

Because in my book all these ladies are simply scrummy!

Do you have a story like mine? Come on, spread a little love and tell us about it!

Showers of Inspiration

    

It's happened to me more times than I can count. I get up early, brew some coffee and settle down at my desk in my teensy writing office, ready to tackle the next scene in my story.

     I write. I delete. I write again.  I delete. I stare goggle-eyed at the annoying cursor flashing reproachfully on my screen.

     I mentally tot up how far behind I'm getting and how soon my kids are going to be up, signaling the official end of my writing time. I seriously consider scratching the whole idea of writing books. Maybe I'll take up knitting instead. Knitting is cozy, and you can do it while you watch television.

     I remember the last time I tried to knit.

     Okay. So maybe not knitting.

     I refocus on the computer screen. I don't like my characters anymore, especially that heroine who's stubbornly refusing to cooperate with me. In my beautiful, breezy outline, she came across as delightfully spunky. Now she's like that renegade wheel on the grocery cart I always end up with--the one that makes me veer off track and crash into pyramids of canned green beans.

     I want to clonk her on the head.

     I decide this book is a total wash. No matter that I'm on page one hundred and eleven. It's garbage. I'm just going to have to start over; that's all there is to it.

     I give up and go to take a shower.

     And then--when I am physically as far away from my computer as I can get and still be inside the house, when I have no pen, no paper, nothing except shampoo and soap--it comes to me.

     I know exactly how to write that scene.

     I wish I had a nickel for every time I have hopped dripping out of a half-completed shower in desperate search of a pencil to jot down the dialogue my spunky heroine can utter that will turn the scene from a disaster into exactly the plot device I need to move the story forward.

     Apparently, I'm not alone in this. Agatha Christie, who as a murder mystery writer did have the enviable advantage of being able to kill off annoying characters, once remarked, "The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes."

     What about you? Is there a non-writing activity that tends to get your creative juices flowing when you're blocked? Since I'm in the middle of a particularly balky book right now, I'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment below--or connect with me on my blog, via email or on Facebook.

And don't forget to check out my newest release A Baby for the Minister, available now! 

From Blurb to Book to Besties

Hi, it’s Donna Gartshore here with Laurel Blount. We’re a couple of Love Inspired Newbies and thrilled to be here!  Today we’re going to talk a bit about our experiences with getting contracts and forming a lasting friendship through the From Blurb to Book Pitch.

I remember that after we had both made it to round three and had submitted our full manuscripts, we started chatting on Facebook, along with other contest participants, as a way to deal with the nerves of waiting to hear from the editors. In fact, I was online with Laurel the day she got THE CALL! Now, here’s an inside scoop – she hung up on her sister to take that call! But I’ll let Laurel chime in here and tell her side of the story …

Hi! Laurel here, and listen, ya’ll. When you’re in the final round of a writing contest for Love Inspired, and a New York editor’s number shows up on your caller I.D., your sister just has to understand! Seriously, all my family members were thrilled for me, which made my special moment even more special.

But you know who really understood the scope of what had happened? The online writing buddies I’d met during the contest—like Donna! When I typed in my news with shaking fingers, Donna instantly began celebrating with me. I think I heard her squealing all the way from Canada! Her congratulations were even more meaningful because she really “got it.” I’m delighted to say that I was celebrating her book sale to Love Inspired shortly afterwards. We discovered that selling our books wasn’t the “happily ever after” ending but instead was the start of a new, exciting…and bewildering…chapter—one we’re thankful to travel together!

Oh, there goes Laurel with the `y’alls’, but what can you expect from a good Southern girl? I’ll just have to toss out a few Canadian `ehs’ to even things out!

 Laurel said she celebrated my sale with me a short time after. But my journey had an extra step.  I didn’t get a contract right away but instead received an opportunity to revise and resubmit. While I was relieved that it wasn’t a rejection, I felt overwhelmed by the requested changes and worried I wouldn’t pull it off. I was so grateful to have writing friends who encouraged me, and pushed me, and believed that I could do it even when I wasn’t sure myself. The day I got THE CALL, I told my daughter first, and Laurel second.

As Laurel says, we’ve discovered that this is only the beginning of the journey. We are so glad to have each other to talk to – not just about writing, but about our college-aged daughters and work challenges too. It’s great to have LI friends that share our love of writing and our love of God. I can’t wait to make friends in person at the RWA Conference in July. Which reminds me, Laurel, tell them who’s going to be your roommate, eh?! (couldn’t resist!)

 I’m so excited! I finally get to meet Donna in real life! I’m amazed at how close we’ve become via a computer connection, especially given how different we are. We don’t share a country, a climate, or even a writing style—Donna is primarily a pantser, while I am a plotter! Donna started out writing short stories, which might explain why she perpetually worries about meeting her word count, while I’m usually cutting words!

However, Donna and I are here to tell you that crossing the gaps of geography and personal styles has been well worth it! Writing can feel so competitive that sometimes it’s hard to truly connect with other authors, to make yourself transparent and vulnerable. But when you make those connections, you tap into wonderful resources that will help you weather both the successes of this journey (like being a finalist in the HOLT and the New England Reader’s Choice awards, yay!) and its challenges (like the dreaded sophomore slump…when IS that next book coming out? Boo!).

I couldn’t agree with Laurel more. We want to encourage anyone who has a dream to write for Love Inspired to learn from all the tips available and not give up. Speaking of stories – Don’t miss Laurel’s debut book A Family for the Farmer, a wonderful story full of heart, humour and hope.

Laurel's website 

And definitely watch for Donna’s fabulous, heart-catching romance Instant Family, which will be released December 2017. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon now! 

Visit Donna on Facebook!