I learned a great deal by watching my dad over the years. He always sought to be an example for me and my brother. Here are the things that mattered most to him: Faith is essential. Our family attended church on Sunday. Dad’s mom was a strong Christian and played piano for her church back …
Rick and I are back from a wonderful vacation (bus tour) of Spain, Portugal (Lisbon) and Morocco (Tanger). We arrived in Madrid two days before the tour group gathered and toured the Palacio Real. Highlights: the Porcelain Room, Charles II’s Antechamber with its frescoes and treasures, Alfonso XII’s Japanese (smoking) Room, the Royal Chapel and …
Just returned from adventures in Spain and Morocco. I will blog about it in few days. My book proposal has been turned in, I hope to start writing again soon! I’m on my way to Fresno to speak at The People’s Church on Saturday.
I wish I could say I had faith like Hadassah (main character from A Voice in the Wind). But I have been told (by family members in-the-know) that I sometimes go into “frantic Frani” mode. Yesterday was one of those days. One of my primary mentors passed away at 95, and her sons wanted me …
The lovely ladies from our women’s ministry team held a luncheon last Saturday in honor of Mother’s Day. Everyone was encouraged to bring salads. Having any kind of potluck at church is like Jesus and the loaves and fishes: enough to feed thousands. My daughter, Shannon, is part of the ministry team, and was drafted …
We came home after church on Easter and I went to a lovely ladies’ tea party outside Cloverdale. Rick and Travis stayed home to enjoy one another company’s, and I offered no apologies for abandoning them on this special celebration day. My friend Loretta has tea parties that would make Kate Middleton plead to come. …
A few days ago, I received a pleasant surprise: the new omnibus edition of the Sons of Encouragement. Caleb is on the cover. I love the story of Caleb. He and Joshua were the only men who believed the Israelites could conquer the Promised Land the first time they approached because God was with them. …
I’m a fair weather gardener, which means I only work in the garden on warm, clear days – like today. I thought I could just slip my little shovel into the soft soil, lift, plop in a bulb and voila, we’ll have summer gladiolas! The ground was hard as a rock. I got my pick. …
I’ve been working on a new proposal. Same heart of the story I’ve been dreaming about, but transplanted into a different body. The character sketches came together quickly. The names are a little hokey, but then character names often change several times during the course of writing a story. As I write, the characters begin …
I’m scrapping my proposal and prologue today. Shredding it is a better idea. I’ve been thinking/working over a story idea for months! I dream about this “thing”, whatever it is. It’s been like living in a rabbit warren and the rabbits keep producing more rabbits. In this case, ideas are reproducing ideas. I’m living in …