Favorite Book Friday

Just a Bit of Magic (Magic and Miracles: A Multi-Author Charity Anthology) by Mindy Burbidge Strunk Regency romance. Another enjoyable read and another author I'd like to read again.

 

Independence Day

The Unites States Army Field Band plays "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem

https://youtu.be/EIODUFpatkQ?si=LlL4G6BQJS4GmdYY

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

The Right to Choose

As I continue and grow closer to finishing the revisions for "A Promise of Possibilities," I question why the story focused on some things. Gradually, I remember why.

In 2007, a stranger emailed. She'd been reading the fanfiction I was writing with a friend, a romance for Frodo, from "Lord of the Rings." She suggested I try writing a historical romance for popular publisher's new inspirational historical romance line. My first thought was that I couldn't possibly. It was one thing to write a story with established characters and setting. It was something else again to write all new material. It didn't take long for the thought to niggle in: Why not?

I gave it a try and was rejected, outright, a form letter. I'd tried not to get my hopes up, but I had and was crushed. I entered the story in a contest and received feedback from three judges. Some of the feedback was useless, i.e., criticizing words that were too old. Clearly, the judge didn't read Regency romance as I used words with which I was familiar from the numerous Regency romances I'd read. However, one judge was incredibly helpful, pointing out my bad habit of head hopping, jumping from one point of view to another without any transition. Now, I've read this in other multi-book authors, without difficulty, but I re-read my manuscript and could see how it might be a problem. So, I re-wrote the story.

At the time, I still wanted to publish with the same company, even though it had been sold to a new publishing house, so I changed the title and revised the character names, hoping no one would notice it was the same book because it wasn't. It was better. I sent the first three chapters. They asked for the full manuscript.

I kept reading books from the publisher but noticed the basic premise of their stories was changing. Instead of smart men and women struggling with life and relationships, many of the stories portrayed the women as "I can do anything" shrews and the men as eye candy but stupid. Suddenly, my story was with a publisher I no longer admired. Now what?

What if they wanted my manuscript? What would I say? Would I be willing to compromise?

I'd spent my whole life compromising to please abusers. I'd been through two rounds of counseling already. I prayed they would reject my manuscript so I wouldn't be faced with the temptation of saying yes. The next day, I received a polite email stating my manuscript didn't quite fit their company. I had too many characters - one of my favorite books was "Lord of the Rings" with nine heroes, of course, I valued a lot of characters. My story was also too political - wait, what? Maybe it was that tried to remain true to the values of the time, i.e., instead of dropping a 21th century protagonist into an early 1800s setting without benefit of time travel. Something I dislike. Women didn't have a lot of options at the time and pretending otherwise is grossly dishonest. Besides, I was addressing my abuse victim mentality; abuse victims don't have a lot of options either.

Which brings me to what my story was really all about. I embraced the opportunity to explore the right to choose, within the Regency time frame. In the 21st century, anything goes, no boundaries. It isn't healthy. I wanted the structure of learning to choose with boundaries, but I wanted to explore healthy boundaries, especially within a relationship that is closer than any other but one's relationship with God.

From time to time, I've lost sight of that goal. I'm back on track, exploring the wonder and joy and sometimes painful journey of learning to choose, to growing from abuse victim to abuse survivor to thrivor.

Sunday Scripture

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Saturday Links

Into the Light Adventures shares a quick photography lesson:

https://intothelightadventures.com/bokeh-lights-photography/ 

Willie Torres Jr, over at Being Crazy For Jesus, shared the importance of good companions:

https://beingcrazyforchrist.com/2024/05/28/take-me-to-jesus-feet/ 

God bless.

Favorite Book Friday

The Last Wish (Magic and Miracles: A Multi-Author Charity Anthology) by Jo Perry, early 1900s story with a touch of magic. I enjoyed this one and wouldn't mind reading more from this author.  

Musical Thursday

Hauser - Pathétique Sonata

https://youtu.be/qReo3JBpuCg?si=fweSnZ9cFXeeqi5e

Musical Thursday

Life in 3D - How Great Thou Art

https://youtu.be/sUOhFQSrWB4?si=60_rKLo_KDzgF3kv

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Quote

Coming soon:

Thanks to Donna Keevers Driver for creating this for me.

Sunday Scripture

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Saturday Links

Jason Frels shares gorgeous photos from his adventures:

 https://jasonfrels.com/2024/05/24/waterfall-trails/

HorseAddict shared some lovely photos from the 2019 Canadian National Draft Horse Championships:

https://horseaddict.net/2024/05/26/silent-sunday-16/ 

God bless.

Favorite Book Friday

Carter Goodwyn's  Fairy Godmother (Magic and Miracles: A Multi-Author Charity Anthology) by Krista Jensen fantasy with a touch of romance. Difficult start as the villains are truly villainous, but it didn't take long for me to not be able to put it down.

Musical Thursday

HAUSER Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2

https://youtu.be/gt-1jXmuTEE?si=Y95G3x0YSVFjb5ag

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidbit

I needed to make some formatting changes, a time-consuming process as each page must be checked to ensure the computer program did what was asked. Computers are not smart; computers are fast. Computers are not fast when the human eye and mind must check the work done, especially since computer mistakes are often tiny, a missed period. Yes, I've put in a period and had the computer remove it or fail to save it despite being set up with autosave. Not to mention grammar is often wrong, so if I mess it up I can't count on the computer to catch it. Worse is when the computer thinks it is smarter and tries to correct grammar that is already correct. Every day is a step closer to re-publishing "A Promise of Possibilities."

Monday Quote

"The sun may rise, but not everyone wakes. A degree of faith is needed to face each new day. A belief the day is worth enduring, no matter how difficult the journey promises to be, requires a measure of faith."

~ Reverend Whitley

"A Promise of Possibilities"

by Laurel Hawkes

Sunday Scripture

Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

Saturday Links

Song Dog Journal poetically shares"Old Friends":

https://songdogjournal.com/2024/05/09/old-friends/

What a contrast from the above blog but just as important, perhaps a needed reminder that good and evil exist in the world. Good must always stand up to evil. P.T. Bradley shared a reminder that human trafficking is increasingly profitable and going on everywhere. Pray for the trafficked and even the traffickers: 

https://christians-read.com/2024/05/23/what-goes-wrong/ 

God bless.