Patricia Johns: A Better Behaved Woman

There is a Marilyn Monroe quote that drives me crazy:

It dislike this sentiment so much because it suggests that bad behavior is "worth it" in order to get the sweet times. I couldn't disagree more--and that might sound callous, because I do understand the underlying plea... Underneath Marilyn's false bravado, under the swagger, there is something deeply sad: an unmet desire to be loved.

We all just want to be loved: by parents, by siblings, by friends, by a partner. No matter how wealthy or famous, that search for love is the same. Love me--even when I'm hard to love.

But is that too much to ask of a man?

I'm married, but that love is based on my behavior, too. If I started cheating, started hurting him, I could break that relationship irreparably. It would be possible to push him away. I can't just say, "Put up with my garbage, or you don't deserve my good times." That isn't fair to him. Nor would it be very mature of me. He loves me heart and soul, but maintaining a marriage is practical, too. He might still love me, but if I continually behaved badly, he might not be able to stay with me. It would be too much to ask.

If I'm looking for Someone to stick by me no matter what, I need to look higher. God loves me at my worst, and not because I'm so fabulous at my best, either. He is the One I can trust to love me as I am and not give up on me. And with that basic need met--being loved at my worst, treasured even when I'm hardest to be with--it makes me into a stronger woman, a better woman, a better behaved woman.

Because, at the end of the day, behavior still matters.

What does it take to make a relationship work? Christian or secular, everyone is searching for same answers. I've found my answer in the One who created my heart.

I write for three different lines in Harlequin--Love Inspired, American Romance and Heartwarming--and you'll see the Christian values I live by in all of them. This month, HER STUBBORN COWBOY is on the shelves, and I hope you'll check it out!

If you'd like to see more of my work, come by my blog! You can also find me on Facebook, where I'm always thrilled to connect with my readers.

Patricia Johns: Women of Faith

Women of faith don't always preach.

 In fact, women of faith seldom get the chance to preach, unless they are talking to their children. In our day-to-day life, it isn't appropriate. But that doesn't mean that a woman's life doesn't speak for her.

I'm a Christian. I'm a church-goer. My worldview is colored by a belief in a God who loves me and guides my future. As a church-going Christian, I might be a minority, but as a woman of faith, I'm not! Many people don't identify with a religion, or they haven't been to church since childhood. Others are come from other faith backgrounds. When you set aside our differences, we're united in our belief in something more.

We believe in Someone More. We believe more is expected of us. We have hope. It isn't something nailed down by dogma or theology, it's an anchor of certainty deep inside of us that can't be argued away. We're women of faith. 

I write for both the Love Inspired line and American Romance. My Love Inspired writing is faith based, and my American Romance writing is written by a woman of faith. My faith, my conviction that there is something more to life, is a part of that writing. Even if I can't talk about it directly, it's there. My hope in Someone More is what fuels my love of writing happy endings. 

This month,  my American Romance came out. I hope you'll check it out! It's about family, starting over, motherhood in less than ideal circumstances, and finding out what kind of woman we want to be.

You can find it in bookstores this month. You can also find it on Amazon and the Harlequin site. And as a special surprise to me, it's also found in bookstores in the UK, published in the Cherish line of Mills and Boon!

 As women of faith, we're part of society, part of our communities, and part of the world. We're out there, and we can't always preach. Sometimes, we just have to live it.

If you'd like to see my other books or keep up with the life of a Harlequin author, come by my blog! You can also find me on Facebook, and I love to connect with readers. :)

Sticks and Stones with Patricia Johns

It takes a certain personality type to be a writer. I sit at home all day by myself, spinning stories and drinking pot after pot of tea. I only have the internet for company most days, which isn't very balanced. I'm forced to get out and interact with real live people on a semi-regular basis, and I have to warn you: not a lot of social contact  tends to breed a socially awkward woman.

I once spent a few weeks working on a deadline, and when I finally roused myself to go to the grocery store, I struck up a conversation with another woman at the egg case, which seemed entirely natural to me. I was starved for human contact. Who wouldn't want to discuss the chances of eggs being cracked in the carton? Then I caught the slightly panicked look on her face as she edged away. Oops. Sorry. I get like that when I've been cooped up for too long.

But then, like most socially awkward people, after chit-chatting with a friend or having a good visit with someone (an absolute necessity from time to time), I get this nervous feeling in my gut that I've said too much and sink back down into quiet solitude again. That's where novel writing comes in and soothes my soul. I can say as much as I like when I write a book, because it's fiction and a lot harder to nail down the vulnerable bits. ;) It's feels safer that way. People can buy their eggs un-accosted by lurking novelists.

It's okay to be different. My intense focus on things that interest me and mild social anxiety are actually an asset to my writing. The focus makes it possible for me to write entire novels in a matter of weeks. The social anxiety makes me more sensitive to the details in relationships around me. If I weren't as sensitive as a skinned grape in social circumstances, I doubt I'd notice half of it.

God put me together like this on purpose. I'm not a mistake. His hand didn't slip. I'm just... me. And you are put together the way you are for a reason, too. So be you with all the dignity and pride you can muster. And if you recognize yourself in me at all... maybe try writing book!

 ~~~~

A Hero for Her Son

When the baby he rescued seven years ago returns—with his widowed adoptive mom—Deputy Fire Chief Matt Bailey can't turn them away. Desperate to escape the reminders of his failure in the line of duty, Matt is close to leaving town. But one look at Rachel Carter and her son, Christopher, has him second-guessing his plans. Rachel is a mom in need of a hero for her son. But as much as she wants the two to bond, she's determined to keep her distance from Matt. After losing her husband on the job, she promised never to love another fireman. Yet somehow she finds herself drawn to the one man she should avoid.

Check out my newest release, A FIREFIGHTER'S PROMISE. And come by my blog! I'd love to see you.