Everybody Has a Story

Little did I know when I spoke for the Golden Triangle Writers Guild, 9/9, that we'd be evacuating ahead of Hurricane Ike on 9/11.

I talked about journaling events, writing memiors from journals and keeping family history. Did you journal your experiences during Ike? If not, it's not too late to catch up. Your memories, empressions and reactions are important.

Update those notes.

My home was not damaged. I was blessed to be safe at my brother's in Lake Charles. The biggest challenge I faced was boredem waiting for the power to be restored.

Since returning to Beaumont, I've assisted in tree and limb removal and am now working with Baptist Disaster Relief cooking meals that are served by the Red Cross.

Gustov? Evacuate for Ike?

Gustov was on everyone's mind. Stay or evacuate. Now we wait for Ike. Has it been a week ago that I got the RV packed? Mother, who will soon be 90, Sassie the collie and Frizbee the cat and I left Sat. at noon for Kilgore. Sunday we drove to Mother's sister's in southwest Missouri for a "vacation". We helped her pack for her move to Kilgore. Hearing about the threat of tornados we started south on Tuesday in heavy rain.

Back in sunny Beaumont I was confronted with swarms of a gazillion love bugs.

This is the only way I found to attack those nasty critters.

The long hours on the road gave me time to contemplate how people react to stressful situations. Here are some thoughts: Denial. Deliberate. Decision.

Let's consider Gustov, then Ike.

Denial: Rita hit, will Gustov? Do we chance it? Naa... . Ike won't come here, Gustov didn't.

In challenging situations do we first deny that we could personally be affected?

Deliberate: What if? What if Ike follows Katrina or Rita? Eveybody shares stories of their worst experiences: traffic jambs, power outages, fallen trees, homes damaged. Naaa.. it'll be another false alarm, or will it? Pros/cons. Should have and didn't. Didn't and should have.

Perhaps we should buy batteries and bottled water, just in case. Most won't want to evacuate again. Will you?

Decision: Action. (Or inaction). Planning and preparation based on past experiences. Once a decision is made and action is taken we have a temporary relief of doing something, anything. Even if we drive for days and the hurricanae takes a welcome detour.

Results maybe exhaustion and frustration, or relief.

And the cycle goes on, next hurricane season or Hurricane Ike.

Now if only I'd had my tape recorder so I could "write" while on the road.

SummerFest '08

Several volunteers from the Pregnancy Resouce Center East in Baytown manned a booth at SummerFest. Sat. 23 rd.

I was priviledged to share their booth with my books, and with two adorable girls Bethany and Alexandra.

Our presidential candidates answered some imporant questions in the media. Each was asked his understanding of when life begins.

My answer is found in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you". God is saying that from conception, before cell division, etc. there is life.

Isaiah 44:2 says "I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born." When I look at my adopted son Darrell, blind and profoundly retarded, do to shaken baby syndrom, I don't blame God for his imperfect life, because I know that God's purpose for Darrell's life is that I tell his story to pregant and parenting young people to teach them about the devistation of post partum depression and child abuse prevention. I also talk to them about the loving option of making an adoption plan for thier child.

Your Spare Change Can Spare Babies and Change Lives

The Hope Center for Crisis Pregnancy, Beaumont, relies on love, prayer, volunteers and donations to enable us to help mothers-to-be and new mothers with pregnancy tests, counseling, parenting classes and baby needs such as diapers and clotheing.

These bottles were filled at West End Baptist Church. You may get bottles for your church to participate at the center. Put your bottle in a location so it does not become part of the decor and fill it with change, bills and checks!

Saturday, Aug. 23, the Pregancy Resource Center of Baytown will be participating with SummerFest. 'o8

I will be signing my books during that time at their booth.

Come join us for a free concert, venders and a fun filled day in the park. This is the largest Christian event in Baytown. Held at Bicentenial Park, 1001 Market St., Baytown, from 2:00 PM till???

Guilds, Groups and Conferences

Imagine my dismay when I realized I'd forgotten my camera last Tuesday. The Golden Triangle Writers Guild met, as we always do ,on the second Tuesday on the month at Barns and Noble. For the writer wanna-be as well as the published author this meeting is a time to learn, share and get to know what's going on in the world of writing. Speakers present on a variety of subjects from screen writing to blog writing, from poetry to novels. Topics of publishing, agents and editors are covered with lots of time for questions and answers.

At this meeting we also discussed having a guild sponsored book signing at Barns and Noble this fall. All published authors, who are members will be invited to participate. What an incentive to join!

See you next month!

Writers are readers

My computer's been in the shop so I'm late with this blog.
Tropical storm Euardo was as bust, but I couldn't take a chance, so my computer was unplugged. (It got a virus later) Time to curl up with a book, except that Frizbee wanted attention, too.

We writers must be avid readers to know what's going on in the world of publishing. Whether we read non-fiction to verify details and facts, or fiction to suggest character traits, strengthen plots or to inspire dialog, writers are critial readers, often spotting editing and author errors. Don't those bug you?

My lastest women's contemporary fiction is set in Alaska so I've been reading Alaska stuff. Imagine a heroine driving to a remote bush village north of the Arctic circle. No way! No Roads! Enough to make me throw out the book. Another fiction was written by someone who has never been north on Montana. Is research lacking?

I've driven to Alaska three summers to work as a volunteer and make copious journal entries, taken lots of photos, collected picture post cards., and added to my research library. All tax deductible.

Frizbee's not bored he's just resting his eyes.

Writers must be readers, critical readers. Writers read on!

Inspirational Writers Alive! Conference

Saturday was a day of surprises. I attended the IWA conference at First Baptist Church, Houston, with several members of the Agape Chapter of IWA. I was awarded honorable mention for my book proposal for A Venture of Faith .

I am with DiAnn Mills, author of several women's novels, a wonderful mentor and inspiration to the writing of this novel.

I had entered this contest back in the spring when the proposal was in its beginning stages. The manuscript has progressed since then. and is nearing completion.

The photo on the right is with Terry Burns, an agent with Hartline Literary Agency who is working with me to pitch A Venture in Faith.