***Some of you may wonder what goes on in my writers' world.
Well, I penned a little poem so you could get an idea!



Inside This Writer’s Head…

The second draft, oh what a blast!
The editing is here at last!
Crossing ‘t’s, dotting ‘i’s,
Reread, rewrite, rethink, revise.

The road to “Finish” takes awhile,
Research, outlines, setting, style,
Files full of worthless news,
Stuff I’ll never even use!

All this for that first, sweet copy,
Who cares if it’s a wee bit sloppy?
Because—guess what— no need to whine,
The editing will make it shine!

Some writers really hate this phase,
Fine-tune, tighten, trim, rephrase.
But me? I find it sheer delight
It means the end is within sight.

I approach it with an eye for fun,
Remembering it’s almost done.
And, then, I’ll finally stop my stewing.
But wait! Another story’s brewing!

Shar MacLaren © Oct. 2007

Here we are at the ACFW book-signing in Dallas! Look at Dee in her cute little argile (how do you spell that?) vest! She is every bit as sweet as her smile! Looking forward to the chance to get to know you better, Dee!

And here we are at the ACFW Saturday night Gala. Yummy food, awards announcements, great fun and conversation at our tables...and best of all--my darling husband, Cecil, surprised by flying into Dallas unexpectedly so he could go to the banquet with me. For more details, read my post of a couple of weeks ago--This is Why I Write Romance!

God is GOOD! May you all sense His marvelous blessings threading through your lives today and always.

Big, Warm Hugs,

Shar

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." Psalm 37:3


There it was, the sign I'd been waiting for! "Mums - 10-inch pots: 4/$20.00" Quickly, I pulled onto the gravel shoulder and came to a stop at the large roadside greenhouse. Finding no one around, I loaded four beautiful flowering pots into my car, then went inside to pay. Still, no one came to my aid. Instead, I found a large plastic bucket with a scrawled note that simply said, "Put your checks and cash inside." Lifting the lid, I found the gallon-size bucket full to the brim with twenty-dollar bills and checks. Can you imagine? Such trust!


After I added my bill to the heap of others, I drove away feeling somehow lighter and having a deeper sense of confidence in my neighbors, my town, even my country. Maybe I am naive, but I still believe that America is the best country in the world. Anyway, this trusting farmer who dared to leave a bucket full of twenty-dollar bills on a table in a little roadside stand got me to thinking along some other lines.



Do I trust my Heavenly Father with that same degree of confidence, I wondered, knowing that when I drop my worries and cares into God's bucket of love no one will run off with my joy? On the other hand, am I slow to trust, afraid of the consequences of stepping out in faith?


PRAYER: Father, give me the faith to trust You with everything, believing that no one will be able to steal away that which is rightfully mine, the simple joy that comes from relying on You. In Your Name, Amen.

JILL, JAMIE, AND "WENDY JO", MY GEORGEOUS NIECES WHOM I LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART!!!!!!!

WENDY JO BAKER IS MARRIED--WHOO-HOO! Wendy (Baker) Hodgin is my beloved niece, sort of my "double" niece, as my oldest brother married my husband's oldest sister. Which makes their kids my nieces by blood--but also my husband's nieces by blood. Get it???? I took a few pics but realized afterward that all of the pics I took (of which I'll share a few here) were informal. I didn't really get any of the bride and groom together, or the entire bridal party. Just smidgeons of all "the fun" we had at the reception. It was a glorious, fun-filled wedding, and we thank and praise God that, even while Tim and Wendy had broken off their relationship for a few years, God had a special plan to bring them back together. I'll just write a note or two about all the pics I've included. Nothing long or involved!

My beautiful daughter, Kendy, with her best friend and cousin, Wendy!

Cecil and me waiting for our delicious meal to settle before the dancing begins!

My beautiful daughter, Krissi, with Cecil's mom and Krissi's grandma. Aren't they lovely together?

And another of Krissi and Grandma. And by the way, Krissi is giving me another grandbaby on or around March 12. Yippee-Skippy!

In the "Green Room" after the wedding. Wedding party girls and some friends are practicing their Michael Jackson "Thriller" routine. It came off without a hitch during the performance. SO cute!

More rehearsing. Don't they look serious. But then this is THRILLER we're talking about.

And MORE practicing!

My handsome nephew, Justin, talking with Cecil and a dear friend named Ray, brother to my "almost" niece, Shelly!

The groomsmen AFTER the wedding. The extra tall one is my son-in-law, and the guy next to him is the groom, my new nephew. Actually, I'm related to all those guys--but never mind.

SARAH, MY BELOVED HAS ARRIVED!

Maybe you're shrugging your shoulders and saying, "Huh? Sarah who?" "Sarah" is the second in my Little Hickman Creek Series and it is now available for purchase. The first was Loving Liza Jane. Courting Emma, the third and final installment, hits shelves in early March. Which means... ta-da!...

***I am working on my next historical series set in the fictional West Michigan town of Sandy Ridge (aka Grand Haven) titled The Daughers of Jacob Kane. Very little about these books will be based on fact, save a few buildings, and the setting, of course. None of the events...so far, anyway, will be factual. The first book in the series, Hannah Grace, centers around the oldest daughter (21). The other books, Maggie Rose and Abbie Ann will follow.***

I have been having a hard time getting myself "in gear" for this series and maybe it's because I have so many other things on my plate that interfere with my focus and creative juices. Or maybe it's because of that nasty word--deadline! Somehow, having a deadline sort of removes the joy of writing for me, even though I sought a mainline publisher for five+ years.

I DO know, however, that God gifted me with a passion to write, and I love the way my books have touched people's hearts from all around the world. It's both mind-boggling and humbling to think God would choose to use my frail little words to make an impact on another's life.

And so I plunge ahead with this next series, knowing He has a plan and will provide this aging mind with new ideas and scenarios! What a journey I'm on.

One thing is for sure--God is not done with us until He says so, and that's usually not until we breathe our last breaths!

May God bless you in rich and bounteous ways, filling you with continuous HOPE and JOY!

Love and Hugs,

Shar