It's Time for Catch-Up AGAIN

Hello everyone. I hope life is going well for everyone.

A lot has happened in my family this past month, and I do have an update on book 3, The Truth Revealed. For the past few blogs, I’ve included a review of someone’s book I had read recently. I plan to do that as well as give you some future upcoming events.

I’ll start with the happenings in my life. For those of you who have been reading my blog for the past couple of years know my husband, Scott, has been through some physical challenges. After going 60 years without being sick, suddenly his lung collapses and they find he has lung cancer. The damage done by the tumor Agent Orange caused slowed his life down tremendously. I call this a blessing in disguise. We’d been married almost 40 years at the time and he had worked six days a week practically all of our married lives. Over the past three years fighting through pneumonia several times and other things, he endured and kept pushing forward. He’s a man. What can I say? Scott does not like to admit when he can’t do something, but there has been several times he’s had to admit it.

This month he’s been in hospital two times, but nothing to do with his lung. How about that? Now it’s his heart…well more to do with his blood pressure and a blockage. Three mornings in a row I tried to get him to go to the doctor. He woke up the first morning with really puffy eyes—more than I’ve ever seen on him or anyone else for that matter. Of course he said it was nothing and went about the day. The third morning was a little different. His eyes and his face were swollen. His chest looked like someone (me, I guess) had been beating him up all night long. It looked like bruising all over. He still didn’t worry and wouldn’t go to the doctor no matter how much a pleaded. I forgot to say others had encouraged him to go to the doctor as well. He ignored them too.

Tuesday I went on to Bible Study and when I returned he sat down with me and said he had to tell me something but he didn’t want me to worry. Scott took his daily stroll around our neighborhood (1/2 mile). Sometimes when he’s up to it, he takes two. While I was at B.S. he started on his first lap and only made it about 1/4^th of the way. Pains and pressure accosted his chest. His breathing was hampered and he thought he was going to die—literally. He knew most folks in the neighborhood were gone to work and he doubted anyone would find him if he gave into his body and just laid down on the street. He pushed himself through neighbors’ yards, side and back, and around until he made it back to our home. He then came in and put his oxygen on. It took about an hour for the pain to diminish and the tightness to let up some. Of course by the time I got home, he felt good. I tried to talk him in to going to the doctor. He wouldn’t hear of it.

Our youngest girl, Molly dropped by with our new grandson, Eli. The minute she walked in the door she said, “Daddy. What’s wrong with your face? It’s puffy.” I told her she should see his chest and hear what happened an hour ago. By the time he told her everything she started working on him to go to the hospital. FINALLY he said I could call the doctor and tell them what is going on…see what they thought. I was told to take him immediately to the hospital.

They found he had a blockage and opened it with balloon but felt it didn’t need a stint at the time. Immediately, his chest cleared and the puffiness went away. What I thought was bruising was blood pooling in the vessels or corpuscles in his chest. They said if it happened again, they would probably put in a stint. Well two weeks later it happened again. This time he didn’t wait for the bruising and the whole face to swell. I’m not going to give more details and bore you with the next several days. The good news is with the treatment of thinning in his blood and putting him on medicine that slowed down his heartbeat, he seems to be doing great. He looks fantastic (always, even sick) and he feels good as well.

For you men who are reading this…please don’t play so tough. If something is wrong with you physically, take care of it—let the doctors take care of you. This will make your wife’s life easier too.

My grandson, two months old now, is getting cuter every day. Growing by leaps and bounds. Check him out:

Enough on my family life...for now anyway.

October 5^th – the free all day workshop at the Denham Springs Library will be happening. I’ll be speaking on writing mystery and suspense. There will be other speakers as well covering some great writers’ subjects. Call the library for more information and to sign up now. Although it’s free, they like to have a rough head count.

Now about The Truth Revealed, book 3 of the Samantha Cain Series. I love that people are asking me about it and can’t wait until its released. I’m excited too. My publisher told me I would have it in time for the Louisiana Book Festival, which is November 2^nd. So all of you Samantha Cain fans, keep watching. If you live in the area, I hope you’ll come out to the capitol grounds to buy a copy. There will also be copies at the Holiday Bazaar. More details will come later. You can always order it from your favorite bookstore once it has been released, or order on line to come straight to your door. For those of you who don’t like to collect books but love to read, it too will eventually be in the libraries in our area (EBR & DS), like my first six are.

More news on Deborah Lynne novels, published by Oak Tara Publishing – They will be coming to chain stores across America. This should be around the spring of 2014. Some of the chain stores will be: WalMart; Costco; and Christian Book. When I learn more of the names of the stores I will let you know. I also hope as the stores start caring me around the nation, I manage to have some book signings in your area. I’d love to meet you all face-to-face. I am blessed with the stories and with a fantastic publisher who believes in me, Ramona Tucker – co-owner of Oak Tara Publishing.

The book I’m working on now, After You’re Gone is a stand-alone romance. As soon as I get that off to my publisher I will begin work on book 4 of the Samantha Cain Series…Against Her Will.

Remember the interview I promised you? Well, this one is a little different. Instead of answering questions Gladys Ford, author of 2 Inspirational non-fiction novels, spoke to me from her heart. I sent her questions and then she wrote what she felt she could/should share. First, I want you to know before those chain of events filled our lives this month, I’d started reading Abba, Father, and I do believe His words in her book helped me endure and walk through the fire with Scott knowing God was in control. I trust Him, so I was able to stay strong through most of the ordeal. I wont say all of it – cause hey. I’m human and at times I let my flesh move my lips. You know what I mean. I spoke before I prayed, you might say. But 95-99% of the time I believe I walked in peace.

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Take a few minutes and enjoy the words Gladys shared with me:

Ernest Hemingway is quoted as having said, “There is nothing at all to writing. All you have to do is sit at your typewriter and bleed.” This sentiment can be true but it doesn't encompass the “why do writers write” question.

 Just as no one questions why birds sing (chirp) or why musicians play music, writing is spontaneous to those who have been given this gift by God.  I cannot remember not having a desire to write.

picture of Glayds Ford:

 Perhaps because both of my parents died before I was fourteen, I maintained a journal of my daughter's first five years of life.  It may have been my way of securing memories for her in the event I was gone. Years later, I wrote a five-year journal for my firstborn grandchild.

  Little did I know that I would self-publish two books and be working on a third. The first book:  Along the Pilgrim Pathway is a treasury of testimonies and Bible expositions written, compiled, and published for the benefit of fellow pilgrims. It brings the word of God together with human experiences in a personal way, using humor when appropriate. Often poignant and always heartwarming, it was written to encourage those walking the pilgrim pathway.

Along the Pilgrim Pathway:

  The second book, Abba, Father, was written for those privileged people whose hearts cry, “Abba, Father.” It contains fourteen carefully selected Bible expositions that provide provocative insightful understanding of God and His word. By examining destiny-setting events recorded in the Bible, we gain an appreciation for the sovereignty of our God who moves providentially to accomplish His purposes. He often works through, what we call adversity, to accomplish His best in the lives of those who love Him and call upon Him as, “Abba, Father.”

Abba, Father:

  The third book, For His Glory, is a work in progress and will be a combination of testimonies and Bible expositions.

  Only God knows the reasons why He grants to individuals keen insight and understanding of Him and His word. But certainly part of the reason is that He intends for that person to share by whatever means made available. Studying, praying, writing, and publishing are the means He has made available to me for your benefit.

   These books can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other distributors like Book Depository, which offers worldwide, free shipping. Along the Pilgrim Pathway is also in e-book form.

   I pray you will be enriched and encouraged as you read the words He has shared.

Thank you, Gladys, for sharing this with my readers. Keep doing God's will in your life, blessing others as your work has blessed me. THANKS.

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And to all of you readers who are thinking about writing or have started but want to learn more, I remind you to check out the all day FREE Writer's Workshop. Other published authors and myself are there because we love sharing what's been given to us to help improve our writing...and maybe even help you skip some of the hard times we had to go through to get where we are today.

One more note in closing. A dear friend of mine lost one of her children this past week. Although he was a grown man, it made the pain of losing him no less to the mother and father. Please keep Kathy Mayeaux, her husband, and their grandchildren (Christopher's children) lifted in prayer as they walk through the loss of their loved one.

Thank you again. I hope to see some of you at the October Workshop, and others at the Louisiana Book Festival and Holiday Book Bazaar in November. Take care and God bless you all!!