Faith through Fiction
Becky Wade, Stay with Take A Chance on Me (Misty River Series, Book 2) Releases 2020
Jody Hedlund, Bride of Convenience (The Bride Ship Series, Book 3)
Diana Gabaldon, Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone (The Outlander Series, Book 9) Hoping this is published in 2020
Kara Isaac, Start with Me, releases in June 2020, pre-order on Kindle for $3.99 now!
Comment if you’ve read and would recommend any of the above. Comment and share what is on your nightstand or your “want to read” list!
His compassions never fail. They are new EVERY morning! Great is His faithfulness!
When I saw this photo (from Pixabay) on FB this morning, I was reminded of a favorite verse Many times–good times or difficult–I’ve read this verse and thanked God for his presence and provision.
GREAT is His FAITHFULNESS!
The End. Really? You finished your manuscript? Yep! I did. I finished my final edits for my women’s fiction, Just About Perfect. Only took three and one-half years since the day I had this wild hair of an idea, I should write a novel. Had I any idea how much I needed to learn or the focus and time it would take, would I have started? Well . . . that’s probably why the LORD doesn’t let us see into the future. Ya think?
The next step – Four beta readers are now reading the entire book and hopefully finding typos, anything that doesn’t make sense, any section that slows down, and who knows what else? They will share their suggestions and I will make a few more edits. Next, I’ll send proposals to agents and editors who have given me permission to send my work when finished.
Presently, I am considering the BIG QUESTION – What shall I write next? I’m kicking around ideas for a novella that I can give as a gift to those who get this newsletter, thinking about the next book in the series, and considering some shorter projects, like online magazine articles. I learned I really enjoy editing, so I may take a course that would qualify me to offer edits for other writers.
There’s no way to express how much I appreciate all the encouraging words friends, acquaintances, and family have given as I make this journey. You are THE BEST. I am immensely grateful to you and for you.
Family Update: Our granddaughter in Australia, Baby Caroline, weighs over five and one-half pounds and should go home late this week, nine weeks after birth, if all continues to progress. Thinking about her in her own sweet room surrounded by her little family brings a smile to my face. I miss my Australia family, but we FaceTime often, and that helps. Plus it helps to know I am going back November 7. Thanks to all of you who prayed for this two pound, three ounce baby girl. Prayers make a world of difference.
Maybe by next month’s newsletter I’ll have more news about my book to report. Josh, one of my characters tells his mother, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Let’s run the marathon set before us.
Leave a comment below. I love to hear from you. Have a wonderful August.
Cele LeBlanc
I know! If you’d have asked me if I’d EVER go to Australia, I’d likely have said it wasn’t going to happen. But here I am—for the second time this year! Randy and I had a lovely time in the spring and did a lot of sightseeing. Even fed a kangaroo! Enjoyed beautiful beaches. Saw Melbourne and the Peninsula. Pictures above are from our spring trip.
Our son Jon moved here with his wife Lizzie and their son William Noel (we call him Noe-pronounced No-e) last November. They just had miracle baby number two. Caroline was born at just under 28 weeks, weighing 2 lb, 6 oz. There were LOTS of complications before the birth, so I have been here since May 25th and will be here all month, helping out with Noe, cooking, laundry, etc.
With JOY I report Mom and Baby are doing well! Caroline will be in NICU for quite some time. I love being here to help, and just MAYBE I’ll get to hold Caroline before I leave!
I am In Brighton, a suburb of Melbourne. I love that I can walk to a coffee shop, to the grocery store, to a clothing shop, or restaurant, or ride the train most anywhere I’d like to go, even to the beach. Although it is winter here, the weather is moderate but rainy.
Some of the things I have come to love about Australia:
1 ) The COFFEE- it is fabulous everywhere you go and it is available EVERYWHERE!
2) The PEOPLE- they are friendly and don’t mind my Southern accent!
3) The HEALTHCARE – Our Caroline is getting wonderful care from the NICU nurses!
4) Of course – TIME with my family.
I’d love to have your comments! Add them below.
Have you been to Australia? Or would you like to go? (the flight really isn’t that bad) Like me, are you pleasantly surprised by some of the things you’ve done or places you’ve been?
Thanks again for being a part of my newsletter group!
I’d love to hear back from you!
Cele LeBlanc
PS-I promised to update you on my book… at a recent writers conference, an agent took my proposal and first chapters to study. It doesn’t mean a contract, but it is a POSSIBILITY for a contract.
PS#2-I am coming to Australia the THIRD time in November! Actually, our whole family (minus 1 granddaughter) is coming. But that is the subject for another newsletter!
I Opened a Book by Julia Donaldson
“I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.
I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring,
I’ve swallowed the magic potion.
I’ve fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.
I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.
I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.”
Explore Julia’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGruffalo/
What awes you? Our cynical society experiences more disbelief than belief. We question almost everything. Little is taken on faith. At some point it seems our whole country adopted Missouri’s motto, “Show Me.”
I and over 1400 fellow writers are about to travel to one of God’s most beautiful creations, the Black Mountain range of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Southern Appalachians. While focused on the purpose for our trip, the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference, how easy it would be to overlook God’s magnificent creation.
We could move from class to class and speaker to speaker engrossed in all we are learning, overwhelmed by all that’s expected of us as writers, and full of fear for our upcoming 15 MINUTE APPOINTMENTS.
Or, we could make connecting with our Lord our primary purpose for the week. We could start (or end) each day with a walk, glorying in our surroundings, praising our creator, seeking his peace, and asking him to guide our every moment at Ridgecrest.
Two things amazed Jesus. In Luke 7:1-9, he marveled at the faith of the centurion. Mark tells us in chapter 6, verse 6 he also marveled at the unbelief of the people in Nazareth. Let’s not be skeptical and filled with unbelief. Let’s allow the beauty around us to remind us that God is on his throne. He has a purpose and plan for our WIPs.
Let’s spend those four (or five) days in May, 2019, marveling at our great God with faith that his purpose for our WIPs will come to fruition. May God speak to each of us next week and leave us filled with awe.
What awes you? Leave a reply.
“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good. His mercy endures.” Psalm 107:1
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year, but not just for the reminder to be grateful. I truly am thankful all year long. How could I not be? My life and my family are so very blessed.
Have I lived a perfect life? No. Of course not. Does anyone have a perfect life? We’ve had our share of disappointments through the years. But I’ve discovered disappointments can draw one closer to God, prove His faithfulness in all things, and grow my faith. Experiencing God’s faithfulness in disappointing situations gave me increased strength, stamina, and courage the next time my situation called for those characteristics.
The working title of my WIP (work in progress) is “Just About Perfect.” I chose that because even though we may glance at someone and think they “have it all together,” if we looked closer, perhaps we’d find layers of hurt, secrets, lies, heartache, fear, and maybe even guilt lying underneath the facade of perfectionism. Trusting God in both the good and the bad allows one to work through and overcome the disappointments in life.
In times of distress Romans 8:28 reminds me God is on his throne and is working even in this circumstance.
How have you experienced good coming from hard circumstances? Leave a comment.
Cele LeBlanc 