Second Self-Published Book

I have just published my second book on Amazon: The Word is Peace.  This is a juvenile story about a young woman who goes on a journey to save her village from the Death Queen.  With her pet companions, she encounters Monsters along to way to gain the Armor of God.  

I wrote this when The Hunger Games was popular among children my niece's age.  I liked that the story had a lead female heroine, but I didn't like how violent it was.  I instead wanted to create a female heroine who used the Word of God to fight her battles. 

So if you want to see what it looks like, you can click on the link about.  I think this whole process of self-publishing is pretty cool.  I have tried to get this published the "official" way, but I haven't taken any workshops on writing juvenile fiction, just general fiction.  Maybe that's it.  But I didn't want to limit this story to just young folks.  I wanted adults to be able to read it too.  So we shall see.  I guess it doesn't hurt to try!

Fort Snelling

  

When I was a child, my dad would take us to Fort Snelling.  I personally hated it.  As a girl, I was more interested in Barbies and animals, not war and weapons.  But now, as an adult, I have a new appreciation for historical sites, and the sacrifice that men and women over the years have made to ensure our freedoms.

So on Memorial Day weekend, I went to visit Fort Snelling.  Museums, in general, are more family friendly than they used to be when I was a child.  They are more hands on and relateable to our everyday lives.  

You can go to the Fort Snelling website to find out more.  Here I have included some pictures I took.

Fort Snelling

Shooting off the cannon

Marching back to barracks

My first self-publication!

The Story of Chocolate the Cat is now available as an Kindle book from Amazon.  It is my first attempt at self-publication.  I don't know how it will sell, if at all, but I thought I would try it!  If it all goes well I may also publish my story and my memoir.  But we shall see.  I just wanted to share with you in case you are interested.  You can click on the link above to see what the cover looks like!  I'm pretty pleased with it.  I think it turned out pretty cool.  Anyone can do this, and it is free!  I find it amazing that one can do this nowadays, when just 20 years ago there was no internet and we were still using floppy disks and tractor feed printers.  My how computers have changed.  Now we have the computer in the palm of our hands, the smartphone.  The wonders of technology!

My Parents' Home

I spent about a month at my parents while my dad was in the hospital and in the nursing homes.  My parents' home has been a kind of resort, or a sanctuary when I just need a time of healing or refreshment.  I stayed there a week after I dislocated my shoulder, I stayed there after Chocolate died.  It seems like I have been there a lot this year.  But I guess I have been through a lot. 

I am truly thankful that I can always go home when I need to.  Sometimes life as a single person gets lonely and hard, having to make all my decisions on my own, having to conjure up something to occupy my time to assuage the feelings of aloneness.  Usually, I am happy being single.  But when I have an injury or a problem, I feel very alone sometimes.  So I am thankful my parents are always there for me.  

When I was there that month, I took some pictures of their tranquil property.  Every day I walked with their dog, Minnie around the place, taking pictures and noticing the changes that happen in nature.  

Minnie

When I was staying at my parents last month, I spent a lot of time with Minnie, their dog.  She helped me cope with the trauma of my dad being in the hospital and nursing homes due to his injury.  She also helped me to grieve the loss of my beloved cat, Chocolate.

Minnie loved to sit on my lap or next to me, soaking up the love and attention I gave her as I scratched and petted her.  I took her for walks throughout my parents large property numerous times a day, keeping watch over her, for I didn't want anything bad to happen to her while she was under my care.  

She even tried to sleep with me a couple of times.  She had never attempted it before.  I wondered if her previous owners wouldn't let her.  And with my parents desire to keep the furnishings consistent in their Early American Colonial home, the beds are unusually high.  But one night when it was stormy, she managed to jump on the bed.  But a few hours later she jumped off.  I don't know how well that went as there was such a clatter, probably due to the slippery wood floors.  That didn't stop her from trying again another stormy night!  Minnie is terribly afraid of storms.  She stays close to us, trembles, and hides under the bed.

She is a good hunter.  She caught and killed four juvenile groundhogs!  She loves to run around outside, barking at all the critters to stay away, this is her property!  

In the mornings after my mom left to care for my dad, she came into my room and whined for me to get up.  At first I got up and tried to sleep on the couch with her, but I couldn't.  So I decided she was going to have to accept that I needed more sleep.  I think after a few times she realized I wasn't going to get up until I was ready!  

But she sure brightened my day.  I couldn't help but smile when I got up or when I came home.  She jumped all over and was so excited to see me.  

I am home now and am glad to be in my own bed.  But I do miss her in the mornings.  I think that was the only time I ever actually wanted to get up.  Usually I hate mornings, I just want to lay in my cocoon.  She kept me going, walking her outside and such.  I just enjoyed hanging out with her.  And I didn't mind her kisses on my face.  I love them!  

But I don't want to get a dog here.  The summers are too short and I would have to go outside with the dog all the time for potty.  And I hate winters and I hate the cold.  Where Minnie lives, I just had to let her out and she never ran away.  

She is a good dog.  I am glad my dad is home now, for Minnie sure missed him.  And I know he missed her.  But she was a great help to me during that time, and I am very thankful for that.  

Disappointment

A few weeks ago, when I was staying at my parents, I got an email from a Christian publisher who was interested in my memoir.  I sat in shock, staring at the computer screen.  I looked at my mom and told her about it, with a goofy grin in my face.  But I kept saying, even if it doesn't work out, at least I know someone likes my writing!

It didn't work out.  The contract had too many issues I couldn't live with, so I had to say no.  I so wanted to say yes, but I had to be wise and not be impulsive.  My memoir was my most important writing, and I didn't want to just publish it without making sure the contract was kosher.

I just never thought anyone would respond to my many emails and snail mails regarding my writing.  Besides my one cat article for a magazine, I had never been paid.  I've been published, but never paid.  

But just because I want to be published doesn't mean that I should jump at the first chance.  They weren't a a bad publishing company, but I guess the timing wasn't right.  I didn't have enough time to renegotiate the contract, and they seemed like they weren't willing to change it.  They were a small and new company so I knew I would never get much, which I was OK with. I'm not in it for the money, but I saw red flags that I couldn't just ignore.

I let my hopes rise, and now I am disappointed.  But my memoir is kind of like my baby.  I have to do it right.  I have to give it a good home, and a fighting chance to make a difference somewhere.  

But it felt pretty good, I felt pretty official as a writer, for three weeks.  It's just hard, when your dreams come true and you have to say no to them.  It's like settling, I have never been one to do anything half-assed, and I am not about to do that with my memoir.

I just try to remember that even when I make bad choices, like when I mixed meds, and I have an accident, God is still watching over me.  He kept me from getting hurt, or hurting anyone else.  I shudder at the thought of what could have happened.  And thank God that He watches over me, as a Shepherd over His flock.