Thank you is not enough, but it's all we have. Thank you for serving the USA, for being a soldier, for sacrificing the time and effort to keep this nation free. It costs. Thank you for believing it's worth it.
Father, please bless those who serve this One Nation Under God. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Who then is able to stand against me?
Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me.
Job 41:10b-11 (NIV)
Let's get right to it. This will be an eclectic list for you book shoppers. When you want to go deep into a character, you want to read a Charles Martin novel. Long Way Gone will take you there.
If you or someone on your Christmas list loves to read unique stories with the emphasis on the spiritual and supernatural, Nicholas of Haiti by Joseph Courtemanche is the novel for you. An engaging character in Nicholas, this is a fascinating tale of doing the Lord's work in Haiti.
This scrumptious cover is a great lead-in to a wonderful novel by Normandie Fischer. The Sea Prayers is a touching story of a variety of personalities centered on two very lonely people who ultimately realize they need each other.
For those romance lovers on your list, this is the third in the Bradford Sisters Romance Series. You cannot beat Becky Wade when it comes to romance, and Sweet on You will absolutely not disappoint. You will love the hero in this one.
Romeo's Fight is Book 4 in the series and it's as stark, touching, snarky, anti-hero as it can be. It's a great series from James Scott Bell, the master of wit and sarcasm.
These sum up Part Two of your early Christmas shopping for novels.
Father, you've given such talents to these authors. Thank you for them all and what they provide to the reading world. Please bless them as they honor you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Memoir:
[ˈmemˌwär]
NOUN
The above definitions are the technical renditions of what a memoir is. My question in the title is rhetorical but something to consider as readers begin new novels.
I have a couple of finished unpublished novels. One of them is titled The Fixer and is the story about three adult sisters while focusing primarily on the middle sibling who was dubbed "the fixer" at an early age by her mother.
I grew up with two best friends who I imagined it felt like to have sisters. One of them had an older sister, and the other was an only child. I had a brother who was nine years older than me. At the end of most days we went home to our families and the lives we knew and lived but always looked forward to the next day or time when we could be together again. Although we shared this beautiful closeness, we were in fact friends, not sisters. The point being I had no direct knowledge of what it was like to be or have a sister.
I've always insisted novels hold the essence of truth in their various genres because they depict concepts and circumstances human beings know, love, hate, worry about, imagine, trudge through, exalt, triumph over, fail in, overcome, or are overwhelmed by.
An author digs deep to find the dynamic that works for those things he or she has never intimately experienced – to write it like you own it.
It's never easy to write what you don't know, but it's almost a given that it will be required at some point in the story. While it's important to make characters, places, and conflicts authentic, it seems in order to make this happen the author must infuse himself into the story based on his emotional, physical, and spiritual experiences. So each novel reveals a snapshot of the author in some aspect of his life whether it be actual participation or personal observation.
A tiny memoir of who tells the story while experiencing it along with the reader . . .
Father, all I know is that apart from you I can do nothing. You allow me to write. May I always honor you with my words. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
In Rhode Island.
In Vermont.
In Connecticut.
No matter where you travel in autumn, you can find incredible views the locals often take for granted.
Father, we never tire of your creation, of the beauty you allow us to savor. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Still missing summer . . . Another oldie from Chad and Jeremy.
Thank you, Lord, for pretty songs, seasons, words, and expressions of beauty. You made them all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
(From my novel Destination. Available for Kindle only.)
From chapter titled "Light in the darkness" . . .
“Oh, land sakes! Almost forgot. Dang old age,” she muttered as she reached into her jeans’ pocket. “Here, son. This here is the key to the door down the hall from your room and around the corner. It’s your own private entrance. This here’s the one to the front door, and you just flip it over to use it in the back door at the laundry room. I’ll give ya one of the garage door openers for your rig when we leave today and keys to the car and truck. Might as well park yours in the garage, too. This here’s the one to the door leading into the garage on the far side of it. We never used to have to lock the doors, but like the Bible says, these are the last days, and there’re always those folks who want what they can’t have unless they work for it. Lost souls, you know. Anyway, now you’re set.”
Wanting to say more, he settled for a thank you.
She walked out of the barn, and Thomas went into the tool room to get what he needed. He marveled at the Jonsered chain saws, the mauls, the wedges, and axes. Clearly, this was a regular activity at this ranch. The thought struck him—how in the world did that tiny wisp of a woman operate a chain saw that probably weighed at least half of what she did? No way, but knowing her, he couldn’t quite convince himself she wasn’t somehow capable of it.
As he readied himself for the task, he could feel the heat grabbing a hold of him. In spite of not being used to its intensity, he welcomed it. He’d work, and he’d sweat. Later on he’d be sore. He smiled. Sure beats the heck out of a shirt and tie and no windows in his office. He fueled the heavy chain saw and took it out to the logs, firing it up.
Just short of panting, he used his key to unlock his “private entrance”. His long hair was wet and sticking to the sweat on his neck. His socks were soaked in his work shoes, not to mention being covered with wood shavings above his shoe line and all over his chest after removing his shirt shortly into the task. He wasn’t about to track anything into the house so he looked around thoroughly before he dared to strip down to his underwear and shook out his clothes, wiping himself and his jeans off with his T-shirt before entering the house. He slipped into the air conditioned house and down the wide hallway into his room, grateful to be able to immediately soak under the water he barely allowed to get lukewarm. Thank you, God. Jesus, I feel your friendship—you know how much I need you. Holy Spirit, help me in all I do here. Please let me bless Grams and the others I meet. Help me not to offend them, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
He wondered as he stood naked in the bathroom if it would be acceptable to wear shorts into town. He decided against it and found another pair of jeans. When they returned from town, he’d have to do a load of laundry. He did opt for sandals, though, not being able to tolerate putting socks on again and wearing them in this heat. He found a white T-shirt and pulled it on, realizing he was sporting a royal sunburn. Uh-oh.
He made it out to the kitchen at about 12:50. Grams had a plate of food set at his spot where he’d eaten last night and an ice cold coke.
“Wow, Grams. Thanks,” he said gratefully. “Looks delicious.”
“A man’s gotta eat, don’t he?” She smiled.
He bowed his head briefly before he took a bite.
“Mmm,” he moaned. “This some of that beef we had last night?” he asked between bites.
“Yep. Slow cooked but rare roast beef. Best sandwich meat.”
“You ain’t kiddin’,” he said enthusiastically with his best country slang.
“Hey, you. College educated man—you don’t get to talk like that. Well, maybe once in awhile, I’ll allow it, but most of the time I wanta hear your fine soundin’ English. I talked that way once, but around here when we used to have a lot of hired help, I didn’t want ‘em thinkin’ I was all uppity, you know? Now, I gotta help some poor folks at the church who can barely speak the language, and now it’s a habit. You’re a man of such few words anyway, I like hearin’ ‘em all pronounced right and used properly. And I don’t want you to forget how to talk right, you hear me?” she warned.
“Alright, Grams.”
He hadn’t meant to gulp down his meal, but the sandwich and the fresh fruit, the coke, the chips—well, it tasted so good he couldn’t help himself.
“I heard they don’t feed you so good in prison,” she remarked as she took his plate to the sink. “You ready to go?”
Father, every word, every thought, every concept. If they're good, it's all you. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
. . .
For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.
Lamentations 3:22-24;31-33 (NIV)
Yay! Christmas décor is about to happen at my house! Not waiting for December. Too short a time to enjoy it all. So . . . here are some novel (literally) suggestions for your Christmas gift buying. PART ONE!
Every suggestion I make will not satisfy every person's taste in literature. However, The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers was my personal BOOK OF THE YEAR. I still think about Roman and Grace, smile, tear up, swoon, and, yeah, this novel touched me so deep, it made an immeasurable impact.
I'm including Destination because my husband recently read and enjoyed it. His favorite of mine (and he's read TFO, Destination, and Race) is The Famous One. I suspect it always will be. The character "Grams" in Destination is one of my favorites that I've written. (Destination is available on Kindle only.)
If you are or know a Cozy Mystery lover, then you must begin the Juniper Grove Series by Karin Kaufman. Lots of wonderful novellas in this series.
If you are or know a lover of Women's Fiction, go to the beginning of this series or any of those in the Brenda S. Anderson collection. Lots of Brenda's novels to choose from in this genre.
This is where the Sibella Giorello stories of the adult Raleigh Harmon mysteries began, but there are prequels to show you how this woman developed her amazing traits of investigation and endured the utter pain of her childhood. If ever you wanted a female character to completely admire and fall in love with, Raleigh Harmon is the one. Incredible character.
There have been critics of Kyle Mills taking over the Mitch Rapp legacy written by Vince Flynn, but all things considered, I think he's done a credible and a very remarkable job of continuing Rapp's story. If you truly desire to give or receive espionage thrillers with a clear understanding of the cutthroat politics involved, start at the beginning of the Vince Flynn series of Mitch Rapp novels (including the prequels).
Those are the first novel suggestions for your Christmas list. Merry shopping!
Father, thank you for writers and authors, for words and novels, for truth in fiction. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Looks like I acquired the Drama Queen label quite early in my life. Hahahaha!
Father, I had an idyllic childhood. You gave me the perfect parents who I loved deeply. Thank you is never enough for all that you've done for me. I'm always desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
