Previous Creations

Remember the days of VHS? 

Back in the day when they were popular, I wrote scripts, hired crews, and sold the production in a world wide market.

The picture on the VHS cover you see in this picture hangs on my fireplace above the mantle. 

I commissioned a professional photographer to take it. He hiked up to a spot on Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, set up his camera and took the photograph. I wasn't there on this shoot. I'd sent the Bible and bookmark from Texas and asked him to open the Bible to Psalms. I'd been present for all the footage we shot in the Canadian Rockies for the video itself. I also was here in Texas and went with the crew for Texas vistas. I bought footage from Hawaii. I haven't been there yet.

I loved the production of videos. The writing, the directing, and overseeing the editing. I miss it, but I also enjoy writing novels these days.  

In several books, my characters travel to Canada. Have you been to the Canadian Rockies? Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper are places to put on your bucket list.

I also loved Quebec. It's another romantic city.

If you still have a device to play VHS tapes, I've got a few of these left. 

Have a blessed day. It's a diamond of one down here in the Houston area.

Until tomorrow, smile today.

Visit my Amazon page, please.

Gay N. Lewis

Time Travel, Let's Go!

Time Search

by

Danele J. Rotharmel

eBook on Amazon

I'd like to welcome Danele back to my blog. She's been here before, and I always enjoy our visit. She has a new book in her Time Travel Series. I know you don't want to miss this one.  Listen in on our conversation while we drink coffee and eat cookies.

Who is  your favorite character in your book?

I love all of my characters, but I have a special place in my heart for Crystal Stuart. Crystal works as a lab tech for the TEMCO program. She is incredibly smart and kind, but she’s also extremely klutzy. She has an enormous crush on Marc Kerry, a professional time surfer, but she always seems to make a fool of herself in front of him. In Time Search, Crystal and Marc go on a date, and Crystal has a rare opportunity to make him see her in a new light. What unfolds is heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time.

 I love hilarious events, especially the unexpected. Is Crystal modeled after anyone you know?

Crystal is simply the product of my overactive imagination. Although she and I aren’t really alike—I couldn’t solve a calculus problem if my life depended on it—I have drawn on my own klutzy tendencies when I write her scenes. In Time Search, Crystal falls and gets her hair trapped beneath a door—that’s something that actually happened to me. Writing scenes for Crystal and Marc is an act of pure joy. I took up writing as a way of entertaining myself, and Crystal’s scenes always make me laugh. I really love her!

That's funny. I've had my hair caught in a car door. Who would you be if you were one of your characters?

Wow, Gay! That’s a hard question! I love all of my characters, and I don’t think I could choose between them. But I can tell you who I wouldn’t want be! I’d hate to be Drake. He’s so full of anger and hate that he can’t think straight. Revenge has become his entire life. When I try to see things through his eyes to make his scenes realistic, I always give myself the creeps. I think he’s pretty scary… No, I take that back—I think he’s AWFULLY scary. I’m extremely glad he’s not real.

Hmmm, That's intriguing, and you are right. He's scary. I'm reading the book, and he gives me nightmares.  If you were Drake, what kind of clothes would you wear? What would be your hairstyle?

Drake is a very handsome man, and he’s also a master of disguise. He is used to manipulating people with his charming manners and his gorgeous face. What he chooses to wear and how he does his hair depends on how he is trying to further his vendetta. At times, he dresses as a businessman or a doctor. At other times, he dresses casually and appears nonthreatening. Every human has a soul, but somewhere along the line, Drake lost his humanity. He is evil personified. If I could figure out a realistic way to redeem him, I would. But gracious, he’s awful! I’m just not sure that redeeming him would be possible.

Aren't we glad God can redeem the most evil of people when we can't? If you could go back in time, where would you go? Why?

There are so many historical events that I would love to witness! But setting those aside, I would really enjoy the chance to be present at my parents’ wedding. Being part of that special day would be a blast!

That's one event I hadn't considered. I think I'd like that too. If I could go back in time, I might choose the day my hubby proposed to me.  If you could go forward in time, what year would you choose? Why?

I would choose to go forward to the year 4017. I assume that by that time, space travel will be a normal, everyday occurrence. I’ve always loved studying the stars. It would be so much fun to hop on a transport ship and travel to them.

I think we'll all be able to do that. We'll be in heaven by that time. We won't do it on a transport ship, we'll just transport ourselves. How long did it take to write this one?

I wrote Time Search when I was ill and enduring a seven-year stretch of quarantine. I can’t remember exactly how long it took me to write it, but I would estimate around eight months to a year. During quarantine, I was addicted to writing. It was a way of distracting myself from pain. I would spend eight to eighteen hours a day at my computer. Even after Time Search was written, I spent quite a few years polishing it up. Books one through three have been published, and books four through six have been written. I love sitting down at my computer and randomly picking a chapter of one my unpublished books to edit. I write books for fun, and I try to make sure that every part of the process is a joy. Life is too short to be drudgery.

How did you feel when you wrote “The End”?

Fabulous! Wonderful! Accomplished!... And very eager to start writing Time Awakening, the fourth book in my series. In fact, I think I started writing Time Awakening the same day.

Do your characters like to eat?

Absolutely! And so do I! It’s pretty funny, but while I was in quarantine, I really missed going to restaurants. Sometimes, I would literally dream about food. Because I wanted to go out to eat, my characters ended up going to a wide variety of restaurants. I had such a blast dreaming up what type of food would be on the menus.

I love to eat too. What’s your favorite food?

Cookies! Cookies! Cookies! Did I mention cookies??? I love them!

Here, have another one, and while I freshen the coffee, here's a question for you. Do your characters worry about having a family and leaving them for time travel?

Danger is part of a time counselor’s job, and all TEMCO employees understand the peril. Unfortunately, knowing the risks doesn’t make leaving your family any easier—it makes it more difficult. In Time Search, TEMCO’s enemy isn’t content to stalk employees while they are on assignment. He visits their homes—a situation that makes things extremely frightening for the staff.

I know in real time, you’ve traveled with your mom. How do you two decide where to go? Do you stay on the interstates or do you prefer the byways?

For seven years, I couldn’t leave my house overnight—the danger to my health was too great. I live in farming country, and during that time, the fields around my house were in hay. Hay is a wonderful crop that doesn’t need much spray. My neighbors were very considerate, and they avoided spraying their hayfields as much as possible. Now that I’m out of full quarantine, I have the ability to travel. This is fortunate because fields can only be in hay for a certain number of years. The fields around my house are now in corn, and corn needs sprayed several times a season. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and pesticides/herbicides make me very ill. Because of this, when my neighbors get ready to spray, I have to evacuate my house at a moment’s notice for several days at a time. Sometimes, I hunker down in a local hotel, but occasionally, my wonderful mother will travel with me, and we will hit the open road. Car exhaust no longer makes me ill, so we can travel on a variety of interstates and byways. Most of the time, we don’t have a clue where we are going—we just know that we have to be gone for a certain number of days. We can’t make reservations because I have to sit in a prospective hotel room for several minutes to see if the detergent and cleansers will make me ill. So basically, we just go where the wind blows us, and we never know where we will end up. It’s been rather fun. We’ve been north to Mt. Rushmore. Another time we went south to the Grand Canyon. Last time, we turned west and kept going until we hit the Oregon coastline. I had such a blast wading in the ocean! As far as travel, I think that unpredictability is part of the fun.

Favorite place?

I’ve traveled all over most of the United States and all the way to Uruguay, but my favorite place is still Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s located about thirty minutes from my home, and it’s absolutely lovely.

Do you return to the same places or choose new ones?

When I first started traveling after quarantine, I always went to the same hotel in South Dakota. Now that I’m better, I’m able to branch out and travel just about anywhere. My car is safe zone that’s kept free of chemicals and perfumes. My only real danger of chemical exposure comes when I leave the car, and through experience, I’ve learned how to limit the risks.

Besides health issues, what is the most difficult issue in life for you?

I would have to say my tendency to worry. I’m the type of person who likes being very organized. I like having plans, contingency plans, and backup contingency plans for everything that I do. I’m addicted to lists, and I have Post-it-note reminders all over my house. Before I became ill, I would plan vacations months in advance. I would start packing a week before I left. In light of this, my seasonal evacuations—which end up taking place at a moment’s notice—have been very good for me. There’s nothing like the unpredictability of evacuations to help a person combat an unhealthy tendency to excessively plan and worry. Believe it or not, I’m actually discovering the joys of being impulsive.

Do you long for a mate and children?

Naturally, I do. One of the hardest things about my illness was the knowledge that life was passing me by. After all, it’s hard to meet “Mr. Right” when you can’t leave your house. Actually, my longing for a husband hit a crisis point during the writing of Time Search. I wrote Time Search years ago in the middle of a seven-year stretch of quarantine. If you look, you will find a chapter in which Angelina feels desperately lonely and longs for a spouse. I wrote that chapter at midnight during a thunderstorm. I can still remember how awfully tragic I felt. Oh, Gay, I was so incredibly full of woe. I was literally crying at my keyboard. But later, after a long bout of feeling sorry for myself, I had to laugh. That’s one thing about me—I know when I’m behaving silly. And I was being totally silly about my situation. Quarantine and loneliness were horribly hard, but they taught me that I can be a complete person without a man in my life. I’ve come to realize that marriage and children are wonderful gifts from the Lord—but so is the state of being single. I can honestly say that I’m content now. I don’t feel awful about being alone; in fact, sometimes I rather enjoy it. Now, that doesn’t mean that if God sends the right man my way that I’ll ignore him—but it does mean that I’m not going to settle for a man who isn’t God’s best for me. And it also means that I’ll still feel content and happy with my life even if I never marry. Paul said in Philippians 4:11b-13 that “I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the SECRET OF CONTENTMENT in every situation…I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.”  It took me seven years of quarantine, but I understand what Paul was saying now. Through bitter experience, I’ve learned the secret of contentment. Contentment comes when you stop being angry about your situation. Contentment comes when you stop longing for what you don’t have. Contentment comes when you decide to be happy with your life. And most of all, Contentment comes when you stop leaning on your own understanding and start trusting that God knows what’s best for you.

 What do you do for fun?

That's a beautiful insight. What do you do for fun?

I enjoy listening to Christian music while going for long walks. I also enjoy going to the mountains. There’s nothing quite as wonderful as the smell of the woods and the sound of the wind in the pines. And did I mention shopping? I don’t care if I buy anything—I just love wandering through stores. For over seven years, stores were off limits to me. The closest I could come to shopping was driving slowly by a store and looking through the windows. In light of this, you can understand why it’s a small slice of heaven for me to stroll through a grocery store or the mall. One of the thrills of my life was walking into Safeway and choosing my own bananas for the first time in seven years.

Tell me something I don’t know. Share a secret.

When I diet, I always empty my cupboard of cookies and hide them from myself. Unfortunately, that means I know where they are, and I tend to indulge in them at 2:00 a.m. I’ve tried hiding the cookies in the bottom of my freezer, but do you know what? Frozen cookies taste even better than room-temperature ones. Ah, me! Life is SO hard… And please don’t tell me that I should throw the cookies away—that would be a crime against nature! It would be a horrifying and truly heinous thing to do!

Now that we've had our cookies, I'm taking you to my favorite Mexican place for cheese enchiladas. Ready to go?

Wow! More food. Let's go, and Gay, thank you so much for interviewing me today! 

 You can catch Danele on these sites.

Danele’s Blog: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/

Danele’s Testimony: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/welcome/

Danele’s Books: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/my-books/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14782632.Danele_J_Rotharmel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danele.rotharmel

Here's a blurb from Time Search

Time Search—The Time Counselor Chronicles #3

A nameless evil lurks in the shadows…

In the wake of a recent wave of violence, TEMCO employees are left reeling. While some of the staff are put into hiding, others are left behind to discover the true identity of the mysterious nemesis who is determined to destroy them all. While Crystal, Marc, and Zeke search for clues to unravel the mystery of his real name, their enemy is lurking in the shadows searching for TEMCO’s missing leaders. It’s a race against the clock! And as the hours and seconds tick away, it’s anyone’s guess whose search will be completed first. It’s a classic battle of good versus evil, and the stakes couldn’t be higher!

Danele Rotharmel’s Author Bio:

Danele Rotharmel grew up with a love of the literary word, and by age five, she knew she wanted to be a writer. However, her life took an unexpected turn when a mysterious illness brought her close to death. Eventually, she learned that a low-level carbon monoxide leak from a faulty furnace in her home was slowly poisoning her. This poisoning triggered severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and partial amnesia.

During this time, the hardest thing she faced was a crisis of faith. She had to quit her job and stop going to church. She couldn’t write, couldn’t drive, and could barely remember who she was. To say she was upset with the Lord was an understatement. She began reexamining her faith in light of her illness, and eventually, she came to the firm conclusion that God is real, God is good, God is interested and involved, and God is trustworthy regardless of tragedy.

When her illness became even more severe, she was put into quarantine and could only talk to friends and extended family through the glass of a window. This quarantine lasted for seven years. During this time, she wrote the first six books in The Time Counselor Chronicles.

Danele currently lives in Colorado where she continues to write. Although her journey back to health was long and difficult, it provided her with the opportunity to grow closer to God and to write her books. For that, she is forever thankful.

You can learn more about Danele by visiting her blog at https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/

Danele has other blog tours lined up. I hope you'll visit these sites too!

4.99 eBook on Amazon

Book Clubs

 Pixabay

Are you a member of book club? I am and I find them so much fun! The opinions and perspectives of different people often bring a new thought. As a writer, I find a reader's observations helpful.

I'm a member of one in Weston Lakes. It's a bit too large for good discussions, but we like each other and never limit the size. 

We meet in each other's homes and the hostess prepares food. Delicious snacks. I've only had it once in our home, and my buffet of choices was puny compared to many of our ladies.

I checked these two books out of the library. If you don't use the library, you're missing a treat. There's a wealth of knowledge and selections in libraries. Now with eBooks, reading is also easy and not expensive.

I've finished The Promise.  It's a novel written by an author who lives in Sugar Land, and the story is set in Galveston.  The description from Amazon.

Young pianist Catherine Wainwright flees the fashionable town of Dayton, Ohio, in the wake of a terrible scandal. Heartbroken and facing destitution, she finds herself striking up correspondence with a childhood admirer, the recently widowed Oscar Williams. In desperation, she agrees to marry him, but when Catherine travels to Oscar’s farm on Galveston Island, Texas—a thousand miles from home—she finds she is little prepared for the life that awaits her. The island is remote, the weather sweltering, and Oscar’s little boy Andre is grieving hard for his lost mother. And though Oscar tries to please his new wife, the secrets of the past sit uncomfortably between them.

Meanwhile, for Nan Ogden, Oscar’s housekeeper, Catherine’s sudden arrival has come as a great shock. For not only did she promise Oscar’s first wife that she would be the one to take care of little Andre, but she has feelings for Oscar that she is struggling to suppress. And when the worst storm in a generation descends, the women will find themselves tested as never before.

This book has over six hundred reviews with a 4.2 star rating. I'll give three stars when I review it on Amazon. I know how hard an author works on a manuscript, and I never leave lower than a three. If I think a book should have less than three stars, I don't leave one at all.

The book has a sad, sad, ending. I prefer happy endings. I'm familiar with the history of the 1900 storm to hit Galveston, and I already knew over six thousand people died. I expected to find a rainbow in the story. I didn't.

Here's a blurb from In the Kingdom of Ice


The ship sailed into uncharted seas, but soon was trapped in pack ice. Two years into the harrowing voyage, the hull was breached. Amid the rush of water and the shrieks of breaking wooden boards, the crew abandoned the ship. Less than an hour later, the Jeannette sank to the bottom,and the men found themselves marooned a thousand miles north of Siberia with only the barest supplies. Thus began their long march across the endless ice—a frozen hell in the most lonesome corner of the world. Facing everything from snow blindness and polar bears to ferocious storms and frosty labyrinths, the expedition battled madness and starvation as they desperately strove for survival. 

This book has over a thousand reviews and a 4.7 star rating on Amazon.  I haven't read it yet, but it sounds interesting. I'd rather read it in hot August since these guys are stranded on ice in Siberia. 

I have three books that feature Galveston. Have you read them? They're happy books with an uplifting ending. Easy, carefree, and funny. I tell about the famous storm and the history of the island is woven into the stories, but these characters enjoy new, joyful beginnings...thanks to Sarah.  You don't have to read them in order, but each book features the same characters. I recommend starting with Sarah and the Internet Dating Service.  The second in the series, Sarah & the Scary Ferris Wheel tells more about the history in Galveston.

   

You'll find these books on my Amazon page.

Gay N. Lewis

Mentally Healthy Parents

Mentally healthy parents don't intentionally do or say anything to hurt their child. Unbalanced, emotionally ill parents can and do.

Did you notice the word intentionally in that sentence? As sensible, stable parents, we might accidentally say a word or two to hurt a child’s self-image. Scary, isn’t it?

My dad had good qualities and was emotionally sound, but as an outspoken man, he habitually failed to overrule his outbursts. I can remember him praying, “Lord, help me control my temper.” But nothing changed. As a six year old, I recall thinking, “God isn’t strong enough to help my dad.”  Erroneous, right? The request taught me flawed thinking about God’s power. Perhaps my dad’s prayer should have been spoken silently—without young ears to hear.

A friend of mine has a father who told her, “I wish you’d never been born.” I’m not sure that guy is mentally healthy.

A mother told another friend, “You’re nothing but bad luck.” Wow! Even if the mom later apologized, and she did, the impression couldn’t be erased.

I believe the majority of people never plan to hurl damaging words to their child. Adults fling a phrases without a thought as to how a child will internalize it.  Children take things literally. The way we influence a child is a fearsome concern.

A parent who breaks a child's spirit gives birth to a child's disillusionment. Without intention, a parent can dig a hold too deep for a kid to crawl back to the surface.

Okay, folks, that’s my opinion for the day. I’m incorporating some of these thoughts of them into my latest Sarah story. In Sarah and the Magical Makeover, Sarah’s charge, Emily, has a cruel parent who gave her a flawed image of herself. Sarah has come to earth to help Emily eradicate herself from a lifetime of verbal abuse.

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.

Feels like Spring in Texas

Good morning!

Looking up through my trees, the skies look like this picture.

Today will be a diamond day in Houston. We're in the middle of January, but it feels like springtime. Yesterday we had the March winds. 

We've had three days of winter cold. In one week not long ago, we set two records. One for the hottest day ever recorded and one for the coldest day on file. The freeze left quickly and now the days are perfect. We don't need heavy coats, boots, scarves and gloves down here. I wore shorts yesterday and will again today.

Yes, the climate is wonderful now, but I'm already dreading July and August. If I were one of those rich people, I'd have a summer home and a winter home. 

Wherever you are, stay safe. Find your blessings. No matter how dreary or complicated life can be, we have positive things to celebrate. The healthy choice is to dwell on them.

On Amazon and other online book sellers

Inauguration Day

Two televisions with different stations were blazing at my house. Did I have work to do? Of course, but today was historical, so I watched one president say goodbye and another one say hello.

We are fortunate in this country to have a peaceful transfer of power, and there's protocol and a bit of pomp and ceremony to go with it.

I love seeing what the women wear, don't you?

Michele Obama and Melania Trump both chose well. I can hardly wait to see the ballgowns tonight.

I remember past suits and gowns from previous inaugurations. Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Nancy Reagan, and Laura Bush personified my image of how a First Lady should look, and they were my favorites in fashion.  Michele Obama worse several gorgeous gowns too. I fully expect Mrs. Trump to do the same. 

Wouldn't it be fun to turn back history and see the selections of the early wives?  I'm sure they were elaborate.

The choices we have today look more comfortable.

What about personality?  Which First Lady did you relate to better than the others? I suppose I'd have to say Barbara Bush for me. I love her sense of humor.

On this fateful day, I prayed our nation would embrace the change, remove bitterness, and God would come into our midst.

Whose after Eve?

Eve was the first woman mentioned in the Bible. In a previous post, we saw her problems. She talked too much, and then she ate too much.

We must skip several generations before the next women are mentioned. In Genesis 4:19, the NIV reads:

"Lamech married two  women, one name Ada and the other Lillah."

I'm sure you've noticed when you read the early chapters of the Bible how women aren't often mentioned. Actually, Eve deserves a lot of credit before her sins. Her name is recorded, plus she and Adam were equal partners. Somewhere in the course of time, men ceased to think of women as equal. Was it because of Eve's sin? We can't blame Eve totally. Adam should have been stronger and done the cave man thing. He could have pulled her away from the snake and the tree. But oh no! He stood idly by, watched, listened, and participated. 

I have an idea I won't go into, but here's a tease. Part of Eve's consequences reduced womankind to forever climbing back up to our rightful positions, but that's another story for a future time.

Today I want to acquaint you with Ada and Lillah, These two women are Lamech's wives and they might have looked similar to the sweet ladies in the picture below.

Ada and Lillah were the first two women who married the same man. There's another ugh thought.

Polygmay entered mankind's world. God had planned monogamy. He gave Adam one wife, but Lamech comes along and decides one isn't enough, so he gets two.

The birth of boys was recorded back in that day but not girls. Probably due to Adam and Eve's fall thing again. So where did men get their wives? Many believe brothers married sisters.  That's an ugh thought to me. Gross. Disgusting. There's a word for that nasty stuff today. Incest, and God doesn't allow it. Other ideas float around about where women came from, but the family connection seems to be the popular belief.

Lamech was of the seventh generation from Adam. Perhaps by that time, he married cousins. That's a revolting thought too, but God ordained marriage, and men had to find women from somewhere.

Strife, jealousy and division were inevitable in that household. Although the Bible doesn't say, I can imagine Lamech had moments of regret. Monogamous men and women in today's time often find it difficult to get along with each other, and divorce happens, but two women married to the same man?That's a disaster in the making.

King David and his son Solomon had harems of wives. Just think of that hullabaloo. 

Since I write fiction, I can imagine all sorts of scenes in Lamech's household. Here's one.

Ada finished drying the dishes and turned to Lillah. "It's your turn to sleep with Lamech tonight. I did it last night. I'm too tired to listen to his loud snores."

Lillah stomped her foot. "Why do I have to do it again? He likes you best. I don't want to. I'll make a deal with you. I'll cook for three nights in a row if you'll go to him tonight."

"Deal. Maybe I'm tired enough to sleep through his noise. He shakes the ground with those snorts of his. " The two women shook hands. Ada trudged off to the couple's sleeping tent and Ada nestled down with a smile in the solitary tent. 

You'll find my books at all online book stores.

Gay N. Lewis

Hope for the Day

I cut my walk short this morning because the rain came.

Thoughts of other events in my life came to mind as I ended the walk. Stuff that is gone. Jobs I've had, relationships, dreams...sometimes others were responsible for the conclusion, sometimes me, and often God brought the losses.

Giving up something that has been a major part of my life is a challenge. Hubby has less problem with it, and sometimes that makes me want to scream. I don't, of course. He is naturally an optimistic person. I wish I were too, but then God made me as I am for reasons. I know He expects me to change what I can and leave the rest to Him. My problem? I want to change His mind about His plans and His objectives. Hahahaha. Laughable, right?

Hubby has had sorrow and changes in circumstances. He remains hopeful and confident that God works all things out. He requests guidance, makes decisions, and goes forward without questions or drama.

Me? Well, that's a different story. I labor at being optimistic and hopeful, but it's difficult. I'm one of the Drama Queens.

Can you identify with me?

Right now I'm hoping. Hoping we find answers to church problems. Hoping my books will sell. Hoping I can finish the two I've started. Hoping our daughter who has dementia will not grow worse. Hoping for a place of service and additional income. Hoping for health. And the list goes on.

Here's a few quotes. When I feel lost, I look for others to inspire me. These come from this link.  https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/change

“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.” 

― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” 

― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

“To say goodbye is to die a little.” 

― Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” 

― Lao Tzu

Good quotes, right?  They prove to me others have felt the need for optimism. 

I took this picture on another early morning walk. Hope is the light not the shadows.

Here's another good quote.

"Keep your eyes on the sun and you will not see the shadows." 

 Australian Aborigine Saying  

 http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/hope-quotes/

  

   What I'm experiencing, I'll have hope for the day. May you do the same.

Meet One of My Editors

Delia Latham and Gay N. Lewis

I began the Sarah Series in 2012 and submitted the first story, Little Angel Screw up to a publisher. Prism Book Group accepted the story immediately and assigned it to Delia to edit. Delia "liked my voice," at least that's what the publisher said. I was thrilled.

Delia also is a writer and has written angel stories, so right off the bat, we had a lot in common. I had a great deal to learn and still do, but Delia was a good teacher. One element she pointed out over and over (ugh) was my point of view. I needed to stay consistent with it. Funny thing is, I thought I had been. Delia's good set of eyes and keen knowledge pointed out my mistakes. Boy! Am I glad she did.

After the final edit, Delia, with the help of the publisher, designed the cover. She also suggested changing the name of the book to Sarah: Mission of Love. I laughed heartily when she said Little Angel Screw up just didn't sound like a Christian novel. Of course she was right, but my title fit the character of Sarah. I've not been sorry about the title change, and the book cover is one of my favorites. I was thrilled when this book went to number one on the best seller's list in three categories. It's now available in eBook, print, and audio. This book kicked off a series I didn't expect. I thought Sarah would only be one book, but I'm happy readers wanted more of her.

3.99 on eBook on Amazon

Okay, back to Delia. During those days, Delia was contracted with Pelican Book Group, and her books were published through Pelican. She edited my books for Prism Book Group as time allowed.

Now here's the uncanny thing. As of January 1, 2017, Prism Book Group became an imprint of Pelican Book Group. Now Delia and I are contracted by the same publisher. I love God's surprises. Well, most of them, anyway.

I'm hoping Delia will be assigned to edit Sarah and the Magical Makeover. I'll be submitting it soon. Sarah, my dyslexic angel who assumes human disguises, adds fifty pounds in this story to help Emily, Sarah's human charge, lose weight and gain a healthy self-image. I thought I might lose a few pounds along with Emily in my story. So far, that isn't happening.

I don't choose book covers, and I'm curious what Sarah and the Magical Makeover will look like.  Book covers are important. Many readers buy a novel based on the cover. Here's one of Delia's books, and the cover is mesmerizing.

2.99 eBook on Amazon

Goldeneyes is the first of Delia's authored books I read. Want to know why I like it so much? It's a good story, and guess what? There's an angel in it. Check out Delia's author page. I know you'll want to read her novels. 

Delia Latham

While you're over on Amazon, look me up.

Gay N. Lewis

May our books bring a smile to you!

See you tomorrow.

From the Womb to the Tomb

In churches across the land today, we celebrate life.

God is the author and finisher of our humanity.

He and He only is the one who should determine

 when life comes and goes in this world.

Photo compliments of Pixabay

What we do between life and death is our choice.

Unveiled in 2000, the original life-sized bronze monument COME UNTO ME stands in the grand foyer of the Spilsbury Mortuary in St. George, Utah.

Diets. Do You Hate Them?

There's one low calorie item on this plate. Asparagus. That's it. I like asparagus but I don't care for diets. Steak and baked potato on the plate make a yummy choice. Heavy in calories too.

I've promised myself a loss of fifteen pounds. That may not sound like much to some, but a pound here and one there adds up.

If you stay married for fifty years and gain one pound a year, think about the difference that makes in health and looks.

I'm tall and weighed 107 pounds when I married. I was on the skinny side, but I thought I was fat. How nutty was that?  Why do women have such false ideas about image? Do men do that to us? Other women? Parents? Hollywood?

I'm not going to tell you how much I weigh now, but suffice it to say it isn't 107. I'm happy I haven't gained a pound for each year of marriage. Not yet anyway.

Sarah, the dyslexic angel I write about, is helping a human lose weight. I thought if I researched the subject and wrote about it, it would motivate and help me. Sarah and the Magical Makeover will be available soon.

It hasn't.

I'm trying again. Can any of you identify with me? I have family members who can't. They are self-disciplined and say, "just do it." Yeah, right. I need accountability.

I walked two miles early this morning. That's a beginning. My neighborhood is an excellent place for walking, biking, or jogging. I chose to walk. Will I make myself do it tomorrow? I hope so.

I also have a membership at the Y. One day I walked on a treadmill for thirty minutes beside a guy who ran for an hour. I asked him how he could run for that long. He said when he started out, he walked slowly and built up to a run. He'd lost 55 pounds in a matter of months.

Impressive.

A lot of ads are on TV these days to help us lose. Marie Osmond tells about Nutrisystem, and Oprah loves Weight Watchers. There's enough gadgets and equipment advertised to bankrupt the average person. All of them promote weight loss. It's a big business.  Big, get it? All these diets and gadgets tell us we're big and need to be smaller.

Sigh.

Stay tuned. I'll let you know if I succeed for fail with today's calories and tomorrow's walk. Join me and let's motivate each other.

If you haven't read the Sarah Series, you'll find the Sarah books online and in bookstores. Here's the Amazon link.  I think you'll like her. For an angel, she's kinda human.

Gay N. Lewis

Eve Was First

The first woman in the Bible, Eve.

God created her to be the soul mate of the first man, Adam. Can't you imagine their reaction to each other? No romance novel needed. It was love at first sight. 

Ha ha ha. Of course there were no others to look at, so the choice was simple.

So, my friends, if she was the perfect mate for dear old Adam, what happened to their relationship?

Eve had a healthy appetite and ate too much. Her figure remained svelte. She looked the same on the outside, but inwardly? Well, she ruined her relationship with God and Adam.

Eve should have been on a diet from the get-go. God gave her one. She chose to ignore it.

Kinda like me. I do the same thing. How about you? Do you eat the wrong things?

Eve also talked too much. She shouldn't have been gossiping with the serpent, that mean ole snake who wanted to destroy her...and us along with her. 

If it hadn't been Eve to eat and gossip, it would have been me.

I have words I regret. I run from snakes, but the serpent appears in other forms these days. How about you? You have that problem too?

I'm on a diet today. Gonna watch what I eat and what I say.

Watch the calories

Be careful what your lips touch and say.