Telling Stories

For Those Who Are Waiting To Be Noticed {you already have a spot on the team}

I always thought my boys would be baseball players. Having been raised in a baseball family, I assumed that we, like my parents before us, would spend our summers at the ball park, cheering on our would-be Major Leaguers. 

So when it came time to sign up for baseball this summer, I was shocked when Ethan told us he didn't want to play. 

"Well, you have to do something active," I told him, hoping he'd see the light and sign up out of guilt.

 Imagine my surprise when he said, "Then I want to play soccer." 

Especially since soccer is the ONE sport neither Adam or I wanted our kids to play.  But I believe in letting the kids choose what makes them happy, so I thought, Let's do it. 

Last night, sitting on the sidelines, thankful to be out of the writing cave and loving what had to be a record-breaking beautiful day...I found myself actually enjoying soccer. Even the lady parked next to the goal doing underwear-showing floor exercises provided entertainment. 

And then I realized something. As the boys got in to their clumps, kicking at that ball, striving to get it in the goal, Ethan regularly ran along the perimeter of the action, waving a hand as if to ask permission to get in the game. 

He'd run alongside his teammates, hand in the air, as if to say "is it okay if I kick the ball too?" 

Ethan is such a kind-hearted kid, so it didn't really surprise me that he didn't want to take away anyone else's chance at a kick or two. I've seen him do this before, running up to the ball, realizing someone else was running to, then stepping out of the way as if to say "Oh, you go ahead and take a turn."

That's not to say he's not playing hard and doing a great job. In one game, he head-butted (is that the term?) the ball to a teammate who then kicked a goal.  Awesome!

But some of the very same qualities I admire in my son are the ones that could potentially hinder him in this sport. What a delicate balance. 

More than anything, Ethan needs to feel like he's a part of this team. That he's allowed to get in there and go for it, to take the ball away from the other team, to take a shot at a goal, to risk being a star...

It's like so many of us, isn't it?

Waiting on the sideline for someone to pass us the ball instead of getting in there and going for it? Hand in the air, we ask for permission to do the thing our heart is begging to do...If someone would just give us a chance, we could be great. 

If only someone--anyone--would toss a glance in our direction and tell us it's okay to go for it. 

But sometimes I think we don't get the chance because we don't take it. In all our politeness, we fail to realize that we're here for a reason. We're here shine and when we allow our fears to darken our light, when we give in to the voices that tell us we're not good enough or worthy enough or we have no right to want what we want...

Everything inside us that makes us unique and special starts to wither and die. 

Don't we have a duty to get in the game? To realize that we are entitled to a spot on the team? 

Today, make up your mind to stop running around the perimeter of your dreams. Tell yourself it's okay to go for it. Figure out what's stopping you and shove it to the back of your mind. 

You only get one chance to live this life. Live it out loud. 

Writing Inspiration {In Images & Words}

Turns out, it's hard to keep up with your blog when you can't sit upright in your chair for more than twenty minutes. I'm on deadline for my new book, so you can usually find me sprawled out on the floor of my front room, head propped up with two pillows and the laptop weirdly positioned on my knees and torso. 

I wish I could draw some awesome parallel to "changing my focus" or "changing my view" but to be honest, I'm too grumbly about the whole thing to notice anything worthwhile coming out of it. 

To combat my inner grump, I have to show you some of what's been inspiring me lately in the writing process...did I tell you the setting for this new book is an old Midwestern farm? 

In my mind, it looks a little like Green Gables.

Or maybe something like this: 

Or this:

A place filled with people... a place that invites that sense of community. 

Of course there are a few of these on the property:

Surrounded by earth and crops and green. 

I'm inspired by the Midwest, by small towns, by the simple life. I'm inspired by the world around me, and I'm striving to create a place I would want to live. Full of people I would want to know. And maybe a few I wouldn't. 

They gather together on warm summer nights for simple dinners cooked with great love. 

They aren't afraid to take quiet naps under the great, open sky, gently swaying in the breeze. They know there is much to do, but they see the value in rest. I love that about them. 

They spend quiet evenings strumming their guitars, singing songs over an open fire, maybe roasting a marshmallow...maybe just inhaling the smell of charred wood as the ashes dance on the cool night breeze.

And most of all, they are searching, like most of us are, for the good in others, for the strength in themselves. They strive to overcome past hurts, past mistakes. They fall in love. They dare to take chances, to be brave, to embrace change. 

And it doesn't always go well. 

I love that about them too. 

And when things get a little too hard to handle, they take to the roads and head out of town...

Careful to inhale the scent of earth on their way. 

They've become so real to me...I can't imagine spending a day without them. I hope you'll fall in love with them too. 

Follow my Pinterest Inspiration board for more images that are coming together to create the world of Fairwind Farm... a world you are most welcome to explore...

Tell me...What would a little town have to have to charm your socks off? 

A Sweethaven Giveaway {or Send Cooper to Guyana!}

Celebrating {My Big News} With a Giveaway!

A Sweethaven Winner!

Art Workshop Recap {This Is So Fun!}

When The Way You See Yourself Prevents You From Dreaming Big

Recently I had the chance to speak to a local MOPS group. I can still remember the season of having very young children (and babies) and I remembered feeling harried and overwhelmed a lot of the time. 

I wish someone had told me that was normal. 

Instead, I pressed on, pretending to have it all together only to save up all my angst for a meltdown only my husband or best friend would have the pleasure of witnessing. 

I'm thankful that in recent years it seems a new message has prevailed. Instead of telling moms to be "Super" and try to do everything...we're telling them it's okay to let some things go. We're reminding women that what people put out on the internet is just a snippet of real life. That not everyone has a magazine ready living room 24 hours a day. 

And it seems some of the pressure to be perfect is melting away. 

I love that. Thank God. We've been craving authenticity--voices that say "I am having a really difficult time right now." 

When I was at this group, I did my little talk and afterwards, I was happy there was real life conversation. While I'd worried my message might appear to contradict the call of motherhood (it didn't, but I was worried about how I was presenting it...because I worry....about everything)... it seemed these women "got it." 

Maybe a few of them were feeling harried and overwhelmed themselves. 

My 25-year-old self would've loved them just as much as my 37-year-old self did. 

During that conversation...about pursuing your passion even in the midst of chaos...one of these young moms said something I felt was so insightful. She said, "I think part of my problem is that when I think about doing all these things--these big dreams--I imagine myself differently. I see this trendy, thin, cute version of myself, and when I realize I'm not there yet, I just give up." 

And I thought...Oh my gosh. She is so right. 

I used to think that in order to be a "writer" I had to look/dress/act a certain way. Same thing with being an artist. I needed an armload of dangling bracelets and a well thought-out, yet disheveled outfit making myself a piece of art. 

So for a long time, I didn't pursue that. Because I didn't fit the "mold." 

I'm not good with fashion. I'm not so great with interior decorating. I bend a lot of the rules. Most days, I prefer to wear jeans and tee-shirt. I'm boring that way. But does that make me less of an artist or less of a writer?

It dawned on me that for many of us, we're in a holding pattern...waiting for things to line up just so. Because when they do...THEN we can go after that dream. Because THEN that dream will look like it's supposed to. 

But what if your dream could come true without you having to create the perfect circumstances first? What if you could put yourself out there just as you are today...a perfectly authentic version of yourself...and what if people accepted you just the way you are. 

Today. Now. 

Not ten pounds from now. Not one trendy haircut from now. Not Anthropologie wardrobe from now. Not perfectly styled, vintage inspired, magazine worthy house from now. 

But today. Exactly as you are. Authentic. Real. Harried. Overwhelmed. Inspired. Passionate. Genuine. 

What if you decided to live out loud just as you are? To be kind to yourself knowing that you're a work in progress...and therein lies the joy...

And what if it changed your entire life?

Art Workshop Recap {This Is So Fun!}

I want to thank you guys for sharing in my excitement over the new book deal. I'm ecstatic, though I admit, it's about this point in the process where I start to hear all those wonderful doubts creeping in... and I wonder if I still remember how to construct sentences. 

What's up with that? 

If you haven't entered to WIN my celebratory Sweethaven Series plus Melody Ross' A Little Bird Told Me, go ahead and scroll on down one post. 

This week, I'm hoping to share with you some of my favorite authors with new-ish books out because when I find a good author I want to pass their books around...{and there might be some giveaways involved...}

I've given myself a new goal to read at least two books a month--it's definitely something I want to do more of, but I find myself struggling to find the time. No excuse for that, is there? 

Yesterday I hosted my rescheduled Art Workshop. Rescheduled due to flooding. This was the first time I felt a little nervous about it, though I'm not sure why...we ended up having TONS of fun. 

Everyone put their own spin on the original project, which I absolutely LOVE. 

I absolutely LOVE having mothers & daughters come do this with me. Making art with my kids has been one of my all-time favorite things to do, and I love that they love it... so seeing other moms & daughters do it together is so fun. 

I'm anxious to get started planning my summer classes and anxious to get my new floor installed in the art room. 

If you're ever in Northern Illinois, swing on by and let's do art together!

May's classes are filling up fast (one is sold out, another is very close.)

This is our project:

Email me at: courtneyrwalsh {at} gmail {dot} com if you want more information! I would LOVE to have you! 

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Celebrating {A Homemade Year} with a Giveaway!!

Celebrating {My Big News} With a Giveaway!

So, yesterday I mentioned something really cool that happened after I finally got over myself and did what God was telling me...

Last year was largely about marketing for me. I wrote three novels and they needed to be read, so I did what authors do and hawked my wares.

It's grueling work, really, to market yourself or your books or anything you've created...it can really take a lot out of a girl.

Especially a somewhat introverted girl. 

After awhile, I started getting questions about Sweethaven from readers who wondered if there might be a fourth book...what was next? And I wanted to tell them, but the publishing world doesn't move at the same pace as the rest of us. There's a LOT that goes in to getting a book deal. 

But I am happy to say that I have officially signed a contract with Guideposts Books to write a brand new two-book series set right here in the Midwest. 

I had a couple of ideas floating around and the one my editor liked was the one I'd already fallen in love with...I love it when that happens. I kind of dove straight into the story, writing up a frenzy until the day the flood came. That threw me a little. 

Don't be surprised if you read about a flood in one of my upcoming novels. I promise I'll make it more exciting than it really was, you know, a husband and wife vacuuming up water, hauling out water, swearing in the garage, ruining their non-waterproof shoes, tearing up drywall and flooring...

Bor-Ing. 

But I feel like this is a huge cause for celebration. I'm not great with remembering to celebrate... That's one thing Adam always reminds me to do. Every time I turned in a draft or got a new box of books delivered to the doorstep, he'd take us out to celebrate. 

So, I want to invite you to celebrate with me...in honor of this new contract, I am giving away signed copies of the entire Sweethaven Series PLUS an awesome book (which is more like a work of art) by my dear friend Melody Ross:

I'm so thankful for the support I've received this past year, and I'd LOVE to share my gratitude with everyone who has read my books, shared my books, reviewed my books...Heck, wish we could all go out for coffee! 

So here's how you enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post. (Easy, right?) 

But for additional chances to win: 

2. "Like" my author page on Facebook. 

3. "Like Brave Girls Club on Facebook (you probably already do!) 

4. Tweet, Pin or Share this Giveaway on Facebook. 

For any of those additional things you do, come back and leave another comment for another chance to win! 

I'll leave the comments open until next week, midnight CST Wednesday and then I'll draw and announce a winner! 

Good Luck and Happy Weekend! :) 

Embracing Happiness {Or Waiting for the Other Shoe}

I've never considered myself a pessimist. Even when I learned that word back in grade school, I knew that was definitely not something I wanted to be. 

A Debbie Downer. 

A Negative Nelly. 

A Whiner. 

And yet...the other day, when Adam said to me, "It seems like you're kind of just waiting for something bad to happen..." I thought, "Oh, heck. I AM!" 

A few months ago, when I was angsty and worrying about whether or not to take the plunge into writing full time, I knew God was telling me something important. He's fairly straightforward with me. 

I think it's because I'm a little bit pig-headed. 

He said, "Courtney, I want to bless you, but you won't get out of my way." 

See, I was holding on to what I knew. I was clinging to comfort of a paycheck rather than having the faith that he could bless me in ways I'd yet to see...I thought I had it (and God) all figured out. 

So, I almost made myself sick with worry as I listed out pros and cons of leaving my job--a job I really liked--but one that, time-wise, made it nearly impossible for me to continue writing. I knew God had given me the go ahead...that "It'll be okay" had come to me loud and clear.

But I still doubted. I didn't doubt GOD, I doubted my ability to hear Him. So I put out fleeces. I drove Adam crazy with my lists and my worries and my "What if's..." 

And I kept shoving aside that feeling in my gut, the one that said "You know what you need to do." 

I was terrified. I don't embrace change very well, despite my track record in recent years. But our Colorado experience taught me that no matter what, God's got us in the palm of his hand. 

So finally, I did what He was telling me to do. I took a step. I'm not going to pretend I was some fearless warrior woman or even some impressive woman of God. 

I was terrified. What if I just single-handedly sunk our family? Nevermind that Adam had told me over and over that we were in this together. He knew this was what I needed, the same way I knew he needed to take the job that brought us back here. He had a list of ways to help supplement our income if we needed to...and most of them involved him working very long hours. 

We were in this together. So, I jumped. Hands over my eyes, no idea where I'd land. 

And you want to know something crazy? 

God caught me. 

A week later, I got some really cool news that I'm anxious to share...another week later, I started to see--really see--the blessing God had been storing up for us. It was like God was saying "I told you so." 

The thing is, the blessing came almost in segments, like, one right after the other...the kind that make you just stop and, well, freak out a little... the kind that allow you to know that He knew best all along...and as they came, blessing after blessing, I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I got a royalty check...that must mean we're going to have to pay HUGE on our taxes this year. 

But we had our taxes done...and we're getting a refund.

Some great things happened for Adam at work...but I started having nightmares about missiles and being accused of attempting to kill my husband (Seriously?)...so there must be something really bad coming our way.

"I feel like you're just waiting for something bad to happen." 

The words kind of hit me sideways like a bus that rounds a corner and slams straight into your car. What makes happiness so elusive? Why is it so hard to rest in the good? 

I don't have the answers, but I know that I have to try to allow myself to embrace the happy. I sometimes catch myself in the car, smiling for no reason, just thankful to be in a place I love with people I feel invested in, and as soon as I notice it, it's like  that "It can't last forever" thought dashes the happy away...

And maybe it can't last forever. But it's here for today. 

In the present, happiness is waiting...so I'm choosing to embrace it. 

Tell me, do you live cautiously, waiting for the other shoe? Or do you live fearless, ready to accept the blessings God so generously wants to give you? 

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When the Mighty Fall {Or What I Learned From the Joel Osteen Hoax}

The other day, a Facebook post led me to a blog where Joel Osteen apparently stated he was no longer a Christian. 

In it, there was a quote from the man, saying he now believed the Bible to be a work of fiction...and at the end of this post, an announcement for a fundraiser for Joel. 

I admit it, I bought it. Hook, line and sinker. I don't know if it was an April Fool's joke gone horribly wrong, or someone's attempt at showing us how gullible we are, but it made me stop and wonder about a couple of things. First, what else is being put out there that I believe...that isn't true? 

The site made it look like it was quoting CNN. It had images and video. All taken out of context. All very convincing. And every bit of it, a lie.

My heart dropped as I read Osteen's supposed comments. How could he abandon his faith? And what would that do to all the millions of people who rely on him as a teacher and an example? Would they recover? Would they leave the faith? Because when you're hurt by your leadership... that's often what happens. 

And while in this case, thankfully, it was all a ridiculous fabrication, (one that Osteen has since said is comical) you have to wonder...when men fall, who cleans up the mess? Because men do fall, you know. And so do women. And anyone who is human. 

I've experienced this kind of disappointment more than once...where you realize someone you hold in high regard is really just as flawed as everyone else. It's hard when people are so selfish they put their own desires ahead of the needs of those they're leading. It's frustrating and sad and so very wrong. 

And while I've wrapped my brain around the idea that I can't put my faith in a person, that I have to put my faith in God, that doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt when someone lets you down. 

Or lets a bunch of people down. 

And while I wish it never happened, the fact is, that sometimes people get caught up in pride or greed or lust or whatever else leads us away...and it doesn't change the fact that God is still God. He's not surprised by any of it. He's not even surprised when people don't admit they're wrong. When people pretend they're justified. When people hurt other people for their own gain. 

It's the world we live in.

And while it's sad, it's not enough to ever make me blame any of it on a God who loves me and saved me and redeems me. His grace isn't something any of us can really understand. It's out of the realm of human comprehension. 

I've tried to make sense of a lot of my questions and I've come up empty. People are people. They hurt each other. They sin. They fall. They fail. 

But God loves us through it. No matter how damaged we are. 

I'm thankful Joel Osteen didn't really turn his back on Christianity...but if he had, would it have changed what I believe? 

Not for one second. His love and his mercy and his grace...no man's sin can ever change those things. And for that, I am grateful. 

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life."

--John 3:16, The Message Bible

Achievement Addiction

Humans are born with an innate need to succeed. To please others, to do a good job, to achieve. I think I was born with a double dose of this need. 

The need for achievement. It's a bit like an addiction, really. Something you need whether it's good for you or not... Years ago now I made a conscious decision to stop comparing my work with the work of other people, but it still creeps in sometimes. You see what other people are doing and you assume you have to do the same. 

I need to write more books. I need to build a bigger online presence. I need to build a recognizable brand, have online classes, host a creative retreat, change lives, move people, heal the world... 

I've been praying for contentment. Not the kind where I pretend to be content, but genuine, down in my bones contentment...and I think throughout the past few months, I've discovered where it lies. 

In the small things of my life. 

And while I feel like perhaps I've had the start of this revelation before, it never sunk in the way it has now. See, when you're an achievement addict, you get all of your self worth from what you accomplish. 

This makes for some very stressful days. You run around and do and forget to sit still and fail at domestic things in the quest for greatness...as you attempt to achieve more. And I have to tell you... it's exhausting. 

Lately I've been thinking about the way I spend my days. What I do with each minute matters, and if each minute is spent trying to achieve but failing to connect with anyone, then I don't think I'm truly living out my purpose. 

What if I'm called to live a small life? And by small I don't mean "small", I just mean, what if I shed the need to achieve? What if I let all those stressful expectations I have for myself just go... let them fall away like a cocoon does as the butterfly emerges?

Do you really need a large audience to shine? 

What if I'm meant to shine right here in my little life? How can I make that happen instead of being critical of myself all the time for what I haven't achieved yet? 

Don't get me wrong. I think God loves when we work at hard at something, but what I've realized is that working hard isn't a replacement for loving well. I LOVE hard work. I love work. I love getting to the end of a day and feeling like I was productive.

But does it make Him love me more? Not a chance. 

And I think that's what it all comes down to. This need to earn love and approval. Somewhere along the way I got it in my head I had to work for grace. If you've ever been in a situation where how you were treated depended on how you performed (that's manipulation, by the way), then maybe this is for you. 

Because I can tell you...you don't earn grace. It's there for the taking. And God's love for you isn't contingent on whether or not you checked certain things off your spiritual to-do list. 

What if we just let it go? 

What if we worked hard at loving well first and let everything else fall into place? What if we focused on the people right in our little worlds, on their reactions, on their needs, on their lives? 

Wouldn't that make our lives shine a little brighter? 

I'll keep you posted. 

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For Those Who Are Discouraged.

Building a Real Life Presence

I think I'm going through a new revelation as of late. 

I love how God reveals things to me...bits at a time. Especially things about myself, and lately, that's been happening a lot. I guess he's not finished working on me. (No surprise here.) 

I have a tendency to commit myself to things that I later wish I hadn't. I'll agree to do something and then the night before have near-panic attacks wondering WHY did I say I would do this? I struggle a bit with anxiety, I guess. 

Before rehearsals started for Hercules I had a pre-panic moment where I thought "What if this is one of those things? What if I regret doing this? What if I end up not being okay with giving up every weekened for the next eight weeks?" Two months of Friday nights and Saturdays is a lot, after all.

Don't you think it's funny how I panicked that I might panic? (I know. It's ridiculous.)

But a funny, awesome, amazing thing happened...I LOVED it. I mean, I didn't just like it a little bit. I LOVED it. There was never a rehearsal that I dreaded. Even the one Adam couldn't come to (and I'm aware that I sometimes use him as my crutch.) But it stretched me. And I LOVED it. 

For two years I blogged from Colorado about being agorophobic, about loving my yoga pants, about holing away in my house and preferring to be alone... and I did. And I think maybe I needed to. See, those years were about deprogramming, about re-learning who God really is, about reconnecting with my purpose. Those were quiet years in which I discovered that it really doesn't matter what people think. I'm here to serve ONE master. 

And He doesn't judge or criticize. He loves and loves and loves. 

Near the end of our time in Colorado, I realized I was ready to love that way. I was ready to encourage and uplift. I was healed enough to be able to look a child in the eyes and promise them God made them for a reason. 

And there's nothing quite like that. 

I've spent a couple of years working on an "online presence" only to realize that while I will continue to work on that for the sake of my writing career, nothing even comes close to a "real life presence." Nothing matches real faces and real hugs and real moments. 

I have a lot of thoughts tumbling around about those Colorado years...I'm SO thankful for them because they did so much good for us. There isn't a single doubt in my mind that for a number of reasons, we needed to be away. But my heart is so full with gratitude that God brought us back here, back to discover that we're meant to rejoin real life. 

Regardless of our old hurts or our trust issues. Regardless of the ways people have let us down. Regardless of the fact that yoga pants are actually the most comfortoable clothes on the planet. 

And I for one am thrilled to be among the land of the living again. 

****

In other news, today is the first day of another new adventure...my Beautiful Girl Art Workshop is this afternoon, and I can't wait to give you a recap later this week! (Email me if you want to be on my mailing list for future classes. I have limited space and the classes have sold out fairly quickly, but I've got lots more in the works!)

****

And finally...the Winner of Jerusalem Greer's A Homemade Year is Patti at Pandora's Box! Patti, email your address to me at courtneycrops {at} msn {dot} com and we'll get your prize shipped out! :) 

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Celebrating {A Homemade Year} with a Giveaway!!

I'm dusting myself off after a couple of weeks of chaos, finally feeling a bit recovered, though not entirely normal yet...but I had to come back to the land of the living to share a little about something fabulous by someone fabulous. 

It's got to be one of the very best things to sit on the sidelines with my pom pons cheering for friends who make a decision to dive headfirst into the land of their dreams. 

Because you know dreaming is mostly about doing and you won't get anywhere if you don't get up and start...(Just sayin'.) 

In the chaos of show week, I got some very happy mail and it looked like this:

It wasn't the first time I'd seen the book as I was fortunate enough to write an endorsement for it a few months ago, but it was the first time I'd seen it printed and in FULL COLOR and I felt this swell of excitement for my friend, authorJerusalem Greer. 

All the emotions she must be feeling...I remember them well...and I am SO excited I get to tell you a little more about A Homemade Year and give a copy of this book away. 

This book is the coolest collection of faith, recipes, crafts, entertainment ideas and personal stories and I can honestly say I've never read a book like it. It's like Jerusalem took all the things we love the most and focused on those. (She's even inspired ME to try a few recipes!) 

So, all that said, I am SO excited to offer you a chance to win this book for yourself. Trust me, you want it. It's the kind of book you can get lost in...and it's so PRETTY. 

Just look:

So, how do you WIN this beauty for yourself?

Simply leave a comment on this post answering the question: "What's your favorite holiday?" I won't even make you tell me why (unless you want to which I would love.) 

BUT, that's not all...if you Blog, Tweet, Facebook or PIN this book/giveaway, you can come back here and leave another comment for each one that you do. That means, you actually have FIVE chances to win. 

 

Not a bad deal, eh? 

BUT...if you're like me and you just want to hurry up and crack this baby open already, then head right over to Amazon where you can snag your own copy of A Homemade Year without any waiting! 

Contest closes Monday so start sharing! And congrats to you, sweet Jerusalem! You should be so very proud of this beautiful book! 

You Can't Live Your Life From Behind a Computer Screen

What I know for sure. 

You can convince yourself you don't really need face to face interaction with people...because sometimes you don't. Sometimes you need quiet. Sometimes you need to rest and be still. 

Sometimes you need to work or write or dream. 

And that often requires alone time. 

But a few years ago, somehow, I convinced myself that I didn't really need that human interaction...that I was just fine behind the computer. I could still connect and communicate, after all, I prefer the written word. 

But you know what I realize now? I was hurt. I was scared. I was in "protection mode." Because when people turn out not to be what they said they were, that has an affect on you...and it's easy to go into hiding when you're hurt. 

Now, though, I realize that's not where we're meant to stay. I think our journey to Colorado allowed me the quiet, alone time I needed. I convinced myself I was an introvert and faceless interactions were sufficient. After this experience directing our show with nearly 100 kids and their families, I know better. 

Nothing takes the place of the human connection. 

Maybe you're like me, and you've built a nest around yourself, allowing only a very small handful of people entry...maybe you've spun a web of protection, to keep from getting hurt, convinced you don't need anyone or anything. Maybe you're overly cautious...

I was. I'd been hurt. I'd had the wool pulled over my eyes. I'd been fooled. 

But that "protection" I created for myself really just kept me from fulfilling a part of my purpose. See, we aren't meant to live lonely lives. We're meant to encourage and uplift and inspire each other...and yes, words do that, but they cannot, not even for a second, replace the face to face. 

That's a connection that can't be replaced. 

And why would we want it to be? 

There are lots of emotions flooding through me this afternoon as I decompress from several stressful, rewarding, challenging, amazing weeks...but mostly I'm just feeling so thankful that God brought us back here, to work with these kids, to purpose to encourage them and to watch them shine. 

I couldn't do any of that from behind a computer screen...

 

When Dreams Don't Come True

When I was a kid, a neighbor loaned me their bootleg copy of a movie I don't think I was supposed to watch. The Goonies quickly became a personal classic and I literally memorized it. Part of the infatuation was my huge crush on Sean Astin. 

Last week, for whatever reason, I started thinking about that scene in the wishing well, the one where Mouth steals the coins and Steph says "You can't do that. Those are somebody else's wishes. Somebody else's dreams." 

And Mouth says, "Well, you know what? This one right here...this was my dream--my wish--and it didn't come true. So I'm taking it back. I'm taking them all back." 

My first thought now, as an adult, is "Really, kid? You're twelve." 

But I get it. Sometimes dreams don't come true. 

I've always been a big dreamer...

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor. It was the only thing I really loved...and it took me awhile to figure out that it was okay for me to not love the things everyone else loved. I wasn't good at sports. I had no athletic ability. I didn't enjoy that kind of play. 

But the stage? That got me jazzed. 

So that's what I studied. I studied acting. I went to school and majored in theatre. I spent a summer studying in New York and had every intention of returning after I graduated. I had HUGE dreams...

But somewhere along the way, my priorities shifted. Suddenly, I realized I didn't want to live an actor's life. I didn't want to live audition to audition, working all hours. I wanted a family and I didn't want to raise them in the big city. 

So, looking back, does that mean I failed? Or that I gave up? 

I don't think so. I think it means I found a bigger "Yes." 

Maybe there's a dream you had once. You put in the time, the energy, the work, the effort...and it didn't come true. Does that mean you failed? 

Or could it be that you, like me, were following your passion--your calling--your gut instinct, even though, in the end, it didn't turn out the way you thought it would? 

See, I'm not an actor anymore. I honestly have very little desire to ever be on stage again. But the training I received in pursuing that dream...it is still, to this day, invaluable. As a writer, being able to take on a character, to pull myself into someone else's skin, that's vital. 

Because of the time I spent on stage and immersed in scripts, I understand dialogue. I get "show don't tell" a lot better now. I've got a better sense of the storyworld. All of those exercises and experiences make it easier for me to pursue the big dreams I have now.

But that's only part of it. My study of the theatre came out of pure passion and ambition. But now, with that training, I'm able to take what I know and impart it to other people in the shows we direct. Before I made the decision to quit my job, Adam asked me, "When are you the happiest?" 

My answer? "When I'm writing, doing art with the kids or directing a show." 

See, that big dream became the first layer in uncovering my purpose. That I want to be a famous actress was step one in determining what it was that was going to make me happy. If I hadn't pursued it, I wouldn't know...there would be a big piece of my life that was missing. 

Today, as you look back on those big dreams, some of them are still within your reach...but some of them were just step one on the way to something better. Something that you perhaps didn't see before.

Can you stop looking at your bigger "YES" as a failure and start seeing it for what it is? A very important clue to discovering your purpose. 

A Question for You: Do you still beat yourself up over dreams that didn't come true? 

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Dreaming the Impossible.

Today I find myself without many words. 

I guess sometimes when I get really busy, I get quiet. I need to be quiet right now. 

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to impart to the kids in our show over the next week and a half...what do I really want to leave them with...and I think I've figured it out. 

It's simple, really, and it's something I've been trying to remind myself of lately. 

It's this:

I have a lot more to say on the subject...the idea of dreaming big and looking back on dreams that didn't come true...

How that can be a huge blessing. 

But I'm still mulling, pondering, thinking...

So for today, this is all I have. 

Your impossible dreams...aren't. 

For Those Who Are Discouraged.

I'm having one of those days...I can feel the anxiety kind of bubbling underneath the surface. You know how you can sometimes sense the perfect storm before it hits...I sense it.

I'm stressed out. 

I try to get to the root of the stress and realize it's not the fact that Adam slipped a disk and is completely immobile. Or that we're snowed in and I don't know how to work the snowblower and we missed garbage day and I tend to get stuck when there's this much snow on the roads. Or that I keep staring at my to-do list and not crossing anything off... a sure recipe for disaster. 

It's all of these things coupled with the pressure I put on myself, I think. 

Do you know that pressure? You must. It's the thing that tells us we should be farther ahead of where we are now. The thing that makes us think we're failing even at things we're just beginning. The thing that tells us we can't do something when we know we're called to it. 

That thing is a beast. 

So today, I'm gently reminding myself, as I take care of my husband, brave driving in crazy amounts of snow and work my way down the to-do list... that I'll get there. 

In time, I'll get there. 

And so will you. 

In time, you'll get there. 

You Can Shine

Friday night after rehearsal, I found myself alone in the car for about ten minutes. It's amazing what ten minutes of silence can do for you. I started to pray because once again I had that lumpy throated experience thinking about the kids in our show...how amazing they are...and I wondered if they knew it.

I wanted to believe they did, but  a word dropped into my heart. A word for them, but also, I think, for you. 

Shine. 

I started thinking about the youngest kids in our cast (age 8)...how easy it is to shine when you're that little. You don't know how NOT to shine, really. You're taught to "let your little light shine"...so you do. 

And then you get older. And it gets more difficult. Hiding your light seems like less trouble. Not everyone is a fan of a well-lit person, you know.

People tell you you're not good enough or talented enough or thin enough or pretty enough. You're the wrong height or weight or race. 

And you start to believe them...who are you to think you could shine? What do you really have to offer? You're ridiculous for even thinking it. 

And your light flickers like the candle at the end of its wick. 

Looking out over a sea of youth, there's nothing I want to convey more than the fact that the reason other people try to put your light out so theirs will appear brighter. There's nothing I want to teach more than the fact that you were born to shine.

You've been given gifts that the world needs...if you hide them, the world misses out. 

And I'm not talking about facial expressions on stage, I'm talking about something deeper. Way, deep down...that's where the power source is.

You will face adversity. We all do... the question is...what will you do with it? 

 

You can shine. 

What are you waiting for?

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Lately, in the van, Sam's been watching Chicken Run. Remember that movie? We're on a continuous loop with it (as is the way it goes with movies in the car...last month it was Mr. Popper. This month, Chicken Run.) 

Not only does it make me think, "Wow, that Mel Gibson does a flawless American accent," but it also seems to be echoing the same line over and over. Mel's character is trying to teach the chickens how to fly, and he says, "it's going to take three things. Hard work. Perseverance. And hard work." 

An old-man chicken squawks, "You said 'hard work' twice." 

Mel: "That's because it's going to take twice as much work as perseverance." 

Every time I hear it, I think, "huh. That's so true." So much of what we want to do comes down to the same thing: hard work. 

Before you roll your eyes and click out of my blog, let me tell you a story. Years ago...many, many years now, I decided I'd try my hand at writing. I'd been working for a newspaper and had started writing scripts but wow, the idea of writing a novel just exhausted me. 

It wasn't the writing I didn't want to do...it was the re-writing. The editing. The going back and re-reading my words and making them better. The handing it over to someone else so they could tell me what was wrong with it. 

I decided instead I'd write a children's book. Because those are short and easy. Because I could wrap my brain around it. 

I wrote the first draft of "Silly Lilly" and decided I had a future as a children's book author. I had an acquaintence who was an actual, real-live children's book author...and I asked her to critique it for me. 

And she did. 

Turns out, Silly Lilly wasn't very good. My main character had a few quirks, but I'm not silly by nature and didn't have kids yet, so she was kind of just like every other little kid...you can't name a kid "Silly Lilly" and then have her be just like every other little kid. It also turned out that while I was enamored with my first line, it also wasn't very good. 

Oh, she had many positive things to say, but all I heard was "this pretty much sucks." 

Kind of like amazon reviews. You can have lots of positive reviews but it's the one bad one that you agonize over. {I stopped reading my reviews a long time ago.} 

Anyway. Here's what I know. I didn't want to do the work to revise that book. I thought about it a lot over the years...but I just didn't get around to it. I couldn't swallow the fact that it wasn't perfect the first time, and I let my pride get in the way. 

Well, guess what? Last week, I was in Barnes and Noble and look what I found in the children's section:

I know there are several books with the same title...but when I saw this, staring me in the face, I thought, "It really is true. If you don't do it, someone else will..." 

And that's what I know for sure. If you're afraid of the work, or if you simply put your dream on the shelf for too long, someone else will move forward with it. While I firmly believe that there's room for everyone in this creative world because the world needs our individual voices, I also believe that we talk ourselves out of really good ideas because we're afraid. 

Of failure. 

Of looking stupid. 

Of being wrong. 

Of doing the work. 

There is no substitute for hard work. There just isn't. 

Do the work. Dare to be great. Dare to fail gloriously. And honor that big dream in your heart. 

It's worth it. 

I Am Here to Live Out Loud

To live a bold life. 

To stand up for truth. 

To make a difference, even to one.

I am here to believe the impossible. 

To wait on the miracle. 

To push for better.

Simpler.

More meaningful.

To make mistakes. 

Dare to fail gloriously.

To pick myself back up and keep moving forward. 

To be brave.

I am here to shine. 

To write words that matter. 

To spread kindness. 

To encourage.

To give.

I am here to live out loud. 

Won't you join me?

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A Big Change. A New Adventure.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know I am the PR Manager for Webster's Pages. It's an incredible scrapbooking company with amazing people and a whole lot of goodness going on.

I love working there. 

And I love this chick:

(That's my boss/friend Brandin, the creative force behind WP)...

So when I started to feel pulled in too many directions, I crossed other things off my to-do list. Things like writing time or art with the kids... but not work. I couldn't cross work off. I love my job!

And yet...there was this nagging feeling in the back of my mind, something that told me I was getting ready for a change. I've come to recognize this feeling being the vagabond that I am, but when it first niggled its way in, I ignored it. 

There was no possible way I could not have a day job. We need for me to work. Who am I to think I could be a full-time writer/creative person? 

I'd imagined us broke, destitute and begging for food outside Wal-Mart.

And it would all be my fault.

But there were all these ideas...things I wanted to try. Things I'd put on the back burner for "someday." I had lists of big dreams that I was doing nothing to accomplish. I didn't have the time or energy. And I watched other people doing similar things and thought "I should do that...someday..." or "I had that idea once..."

What do you do with that? It's so easy to tell people to go after their dreams. It's so easy to say "just do it." Or "if you don't like something, change it..." or "When are you going to start believing in yourself?" 

Suddenly those words I'd spoken to other people seemed empty. I couldn't muster the courage. When it was me on the line, I had to choose if I was worth taking the risk for. 

And I decided I wasn't. I couldn't do that. It wasn't smart. I am not a risk-taker. 

Yet, when Adam was in a similar situation toward the end of our time in Colorado, I was gung-ho that he go after the thing that was in his heart. I could see his creativity lying dormant, and I wanted him to revisit it...because I knew how happy he was writing music, teaching, being creative...and he was doing none of that. He was sitting behind a desk checking for commas, something a copyeditor should be looking for...

Not being creative was killing his spirit...

And when it was him we were banking on, I was all for it. "We'll be fine. I just want you to be happy." I said the words every day for awhile. Because I believed in him. Because his happiness and creativity were worth it. 

But mine? 

I wasn't unhappy. I just wasn't finding time to do the things on my list. The things in my gut. The ideas that kept getting shoved aside. Writing. Creating. Teaching. Directing. 

And those things are important to me. Even if they don't sustain us financially. Even if they never "take off"...those are the things in my heart...and somewhere along the way, deep down in a place I can't quite locate, I found this tiny sliver of courage. 

It came in the form of a HUGE revelation: 

God was asking me to move. To get out of the way. To trust something I couldn't see. To believe that I actually could hear his voice (in spite of my best efforts to convince myself otherwise.) 

So I made the decision and I handed in my resignation...and it made me sadder than I ever expected it to because I really do love my job.

And at the same time, I was excited because my ideas were simmering again. 

I am filled with passion for them. Anxious to work on them. Excited to start. 

And yet, there is more fear than I have ever felt before. Panic. Anxiety. The kind that paralyzes you and makes your breath catch in your throat. What if I made a bad decision and my family suffers for it? 

So I pull myself back to His side, lay my dreams down at His feet and ask Him to meet me in this broken place full of confusion and worry and doubt. 

And I'm learning that bravery doesn't mean you aren't scared. It just means you push through it. You do it anyway. You jump and trust that the net will be there. 

Because He's proven He will never let you fall...

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In the Beginning...

There's something about the beginning of something.  Starting a new story. The blank canvas of a new art piece. A new home renovation project.

The beginning is so shiny, isn't it? You can hardly wait to find out what's going to happen. And that newness pushes you through so much. 

But other times, the beginning can be terrifying. Traipsing out into the unknown...discovering that it's not safe 100% of the time. Embracing the risk. Being afraid. Doing it anyway. 

I tend to be the kind of person who loves big ideas. In certain ways I also love details...but mostly I love big ideas. And when I get big ideas, I can't sleep until I begin. And yet... lately, it's the first step I can't seem to take. 

I analyze. Over analyze. I come up with a plan. Then another one that I'm sure is better. Then I get another big idea and wonder if that's a better way to go... I'm losing the forest for the trees, or whatever that saying is...

The truth is, starting something new is terrifying. At least when it requires you to take a step of faith...And in all that planning and wondering and worrying...you have to figure out which voices are the right ones to listen to. 

So, how do you jump into the deep end without a life vest? Especially when you aren't a risk-taker by nature? What do you do when the fear squeezes your throat and you can't breathe? 

Can you push through? Can you stop comparing your beginning to someone else's middle? 

It's a process. I'm working on it...and trying to be gentle with myself while I do. 

What is it you're jumping into right now? What's keeping you from taking that first step? 

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Consider Yourself Dared.

What is the dream in your heart? 

The one you keep pushing aside. You know it. It scoots in closer in the quiet moments which are too few and far between these days. 

It tugs at your skirt like a knowing toddler and when you look down at it, you have the choice to pick it up and embrace it or to send it on its way. 

Too many times you've asked it to wait. 

Too many times you've talked yourself out of it. 

You've told yourself it doesn't matter. You can do it later. It's not logical or practical or smart. 

And another day passes,then a week...a month...and the dream begins to fade into the background of the busyness. 

Until something ignites a spark. An idea. A silent thought. A moment. And you're struck again with that flame of passion...and you go back to thinking about it. Entertaining it. Believing it...just for a moment. 

And you realize that maybe the time to embrace it has finally come. Maybe you're ready. Maybe you do have what it takes to stop being afraid. Maybe if you start believing in the dream, believing it's there for a reason...maybe then you can actually take a step of faith. 

Put one toe over the line. 

Then a foot. 

Then another. 

Maybe the big dream really IS in your reach...and all that's left is for you to just hold on tight... 

The dream is out there out there...

Do you dare?

Moving Mountains

How many times must I walk around this mountain? 

The words smack at me like a tantruming toddler. Here we are again.

 Typically my issues have to do with trust. Partly trust in God. Partly trust in myself. 

The slope is slippery. 

Tonight I found myself in the red chair again, across from my husband. Our talking chairs, I've come to call them.

So, we talked. 

Only this time I walked away with something different, as though the same thing he'd said a thousand times before finally sunk in.

He believes in me. Why don't I? 

I know what I'm supposed to tell you...that writing books and attempting to live a creative life is all go with the flow...that once you're published, you can write and write to your heart's content, but I'm not sure in this day and age anyone can really do that.

The fact of the matter is...it's hard work. There's a lot of putting yourself out there. A lot of waiting. And in the waiting, your creativity doesn't sleep--at least not always. So you find your head spinning and your direction aimless. 

And your creativity is at war with your responsibility. 

How do you really do it all? 

In an effort to keep myself out of the hospital, I've vowed to make some changes...but they lead me right back here. The same mountain. The trust mountain. And I remind myself over and over of all the ways He's come through for our family...even when we were taking blind leaps of faith that seemed utterly ridiculous. 

So tonight I left the house for about a half an hour to spend what's left of my grocery budget (and not a penny more) at Target. Do you know how hard that was? And I took the long way home because something in my spirit didn't feel settled. 

So, I prayed. 

And I asked God to move. And the words came back at me clear as day...

Don't ask me to move on your behalf if you aren't willing to move on mine. 

See. He's been talking to me. He's been shifting things in my heart. He's been making himself very clear, putting up with my "just to be sure" prayers. He's done all that for me. 

And what have I done but complain? 

You can't un-ask the question just because the answers scare you. You have to listen.

You have to be willing to move. 

Are you?

Is Your Intelligence Having Fun?

I get cranky when I don't carve out time to be creative. 

I need to create stories or paint or dream up new ideas or I get, well, not fun to be around. 

I'm working on a new project I can't WAIT to tell you about...but in the meantime, I'd love to know: 

Is your intelligence having fun? 

Are you pursuing your creative dreams? What helps you? What hinders you? 

Let's chat!

Dare to Fail {Gloriously}

Growing up in a small town, there weren't a ton of opportunities to express myself. As a non-athlete (I know you're surprised to learn this about me), there was a limited supply of extra curricular activities. 

In Jr. High, I tried basketball and volleyball...then ended up starting a school newspaper. In high school, I was Class President, Editor of the newspaper...nerdy stuff like that. 

But for all my attempt to fill the time, there was one place where I seemed to come alive...on the stage. Still, there weren't a ton of plays being produced in SmallTown, Illinois...so when I announced I wanted to major in theatre, I was met with that concerned furrowed brow that conveys a loud and clear message...without a single word. 

This is not a smart idea.

I went on several college visits, and I remember the one that made my college choice clear. It was to Bradley University in Peoria and they let me sit in on an acting class. Up until that point, I'd done lots of shows...but I'd never actually sat in an acting class. Not like this. 

The only way I can describe it is that suddenly I came alive. When the professor spoke and moved and challenged the students, my spirit kind of leapt. Like, bubbled up and almost overflowed. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. Much to parents' dismay, I'm sure, I was hooked. On this school. On that program. On the stage. 

Over the course of those four years, there was one phrase that that same professor drilled into our heads...Dare to fail gloriously. 

Truth be told, I'd forgotten all about it until this week...I was going about my business and I started thinking about a couple of crazy ideas I've been kicking around in the back of my head. The "What ifs" came at me hard and my anxiety skyrocketed. (I'm in the market for armpit guards if anyone knows where I can find them.) 

Fear is a nasty thing, isn't it? It's paralyzing. And every time I started to get really excited about this crazy-put-myself-out-there-could-be-a-total-flop idea...I felt that fear come over me. And I know the Bible. I know all the places God tells us not fear. I know it my head...but I was having trouble getting it into my heart. 

And then I remembered this phrase. Dare to fail gloriously. 

A celebration of failure? Couldn't happen... and yet, in the context of theatrical rehearsal, it absolutely CAN. I mean, now that I'm directing shows...I want my kids to fail gloriously. I want them to do outlandish, crazy, might-never-work-in-a-million-years kind of things... because in those moments of throwing yourself out there...greatness comes. 

You stumble upon an idea that opens up a whole new world for your character. You uncover backstory you didn't know existed. You find mannerisms or strength or motivation that wasn't there before...because you're open to it. And you're exploring. And you're searching. 

And you're willing to fail. 

Wow. That's powerful. 

Failure doesn't have to be a shameful thing. It can be glorious if you let it. If you learn from it. If you embrace it. 

So what if you try to fly and you plummet to the ground at first? Eventually, you'll find your wings. 

Eventually you may even soar. 

What's stopping you? 

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Dear Eleven-Almost Twelve-Year Old Daughter,

I wish I could tell you I clearly remember what it was like to be your age, but the truth is, my memory has lapses in it, spaces that have disappeared and details that have vanished. 

If I did remember, I would like to write you a letter as my eleven-almost twelve-year-old self, because I bet we had a lot in common. I bet we would've been great friends. 

While I can't recall the typical day-to-day of sixth grade, I can recall the overarching feeling of being stuck between childhood and adulthood. I can distinctly remember how it felt to feel like no one heard my voice...to be so sure I had important things to say. 

Why won't anyone listen to me? I'm old enough to understand what everyone is talking about. I have opinions too. 

But now that I'm older, I see that was a time of great development for me. A time of learning, of figuring out who I was going to be. In some ways, it was one of the most important years of my life. 

So, I don't take any of your feelings for granted. Because everything in your world really is heightened. You feel things on a different level than someone who has lived 37 years. You are welcome to feel those feelings. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

But, I think there's something you should know. 

I am not your friend. I am your mother. There's a big difference. In my mind, God's given me a duty. To protect you. To raise you. To love you. And if I simply brush off bad behavior or sass-talk, blaming it on hormones, I don't feel like I'm doing my job. 

This is a really trying time for every girl. You haven't quite become responsible, so I have to nag a little. You don't want to be told what to do, so we sometimes butt heads. You haven't fully grasped what it is you're supposed to learn...and many days, neither have I. 

The truth is that while I'm not your friend, you might think that I'm your enemy. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am your cheerleader. I am your confidant. I am your teacher. Your role model. Your dance partner. 

I'm the one that will hold you when you experience your first broken heart. I'm the one who creates a safe place for you right here in this house...a place where you can laugh, cry, struggle, fail, fall flat on your face and still know that you will always be loved.

Always.

To that end, I must tell you, in hindsight, I do have one regret--vivid in my pieced-together memory.  I wish I'd learned sooner to appreciate the family God gave me. The mom who wasn't my friend (yet), the dad who worked hard to provide for our family and prayed over us every day, the brother and sister who pushed every last one of my buttons but have since become two of my favorite people in the world. 

I wish I'd cherished them and treated them as though they were my safe haven...because in retrospect, they were. 

This family is your spring board. This home is your foundation. And we will do everything we can to make absolutely sure to create the perfect environment to launch you into whatever God has for you, but I implore you now...please see us for who we are.

People, with feelings, oozing with love for you. 

Let us be a part of your journey...even the ugly parts that twist your stomach into knots. Because when you cry, I will cry. And when you celebrate, I will celebrate. And when you can't speak, I will hold you. 

Because I'm your mother.

And you will forever be mine. 

And I wouldn't have it any other way. 

For Those Who Are Afraid

He calls me from the road, on his way to work, and tells me he prays at the same point of his commute every day. 

I quiet the background noise and try to focus in on what he has to say...because in my spirit, I know it's something I need to hear. 

He tells me this morning he prayed for me. 

I say my own silent prayer of thanks. He must be able to tell I needed it today.

Of course he knows the inner workings of my mind. He recognizes when I'm in a bad mood and he almost always knows why. 

His words from last week whirl back toward me. "So, be afraid. But do it anyway." 

He doesn't want to hear all the reasons I'm justified in my fear. For him, it's cut and dry. He knows the value of bravery, having been so very brave in his own right the past few years. So my instant thought that he just doesn't understand is nothing more than a lie. 

He gives me an insight into myself that I hadn't considered. He's good like that--seeing things from a different angle...and sometimes it's clear he knows what I need better than I know it myself. I do the same for him, but it's easier to believe in his gifts and talents than it is to believe in my own. 

"I believe you can do anything," he tells me. 

Even the scary things? Even the big, ridiculous things? 

For all my feeling like God has been silent lately, I have to wonder if he's just choosing to speak to me in a different way...? Through a husband who loves me, perhaps? Through that gut feeling that has never steered me wrong before? Could it be he's been speaking all along, but I haven't been able to hear? 

It occurs to me that not everyone has someone in their life who believes in them--someone who won't laugh at their big, ridiculous dreams... it occurs to me that someone could be you. So, even though I hate to admit this weakness, this mountain I walk around every single day, I wanted to put it out there...to tell you and to pray you hear me when I say...

You aren't alone. 

If you're struggling to overcome the fear, struggling to believe that you can do something big and amazing, struggling to see yourself as valuable, struggling to do it in spite of the "what ifs"...you aren't alone. 

And I believe in you. 

Wholly. 

Be afraid. But do it anyway. 

Creative Spaces vol. 2 & A Giveaway!

When we moved back to Illinois from Colorado, we knew we needed a house with creative spaces for both Adam and I. It's not often you find such a thing, especially when you're also hoping for four bedrooms, but somehow, miraculously, we did. 

And I'm so thankful every single day. 

Our house is such a blessing to me...but it's definitely a work in progress. I felt a little selfish starting our renovations with my own office space, but it was the most pressing considering the fact that I work from home. 

And also considering this is what it looked like before: 

The folks who lived here before really loved earth tones. 

Redoing rooms is a family affair in our house. 

So we all got to it. And I'm so happy we did. Not long after I'd finished I got an email from one of my all-time favorite magazines, Creating Keepsakes. They were doing another Creative Spaces issue and would I be interested in being a part of it? 

Um, does the world as I know it revolve around coffee? Of course I want to be a part of it! 

My good friend Liz's room was featured in their first issue, so I already knew this was going to be one of those slam dunk publications, the kind you get lost in...the kind you read with a notebook nearby for all the inspiration inside...because who doesn't LOVE to peek inside other people's creative spaces? (And who isn't looking to be more organized?)

So, one day in October, CK sent me Adam. (Ironic, considering that the Adam they sent was not the Adam whose last name I share.) 

This Adam is a hugely talented photographer here in the Midwest. And I got to watch while he set up and shot my room. 

I tried to stay out of his way, but I'm a scrapbooker, you know I had to take my own pictures of this. And look, I was sort of incognito...

Anyway, my copy should be here any day now and I can hardly wait to see it! Just the sneak peek has me dying to see more!!! You can see that for yourself right HERE. 

And CK's own, the fabulous Megan Hoeppner is chatting up this special issue on My Craft Channel so that's another great way to find out more about this publication! 

Read more from Megan here on her blog.

The funny thing is, in her post, Megan points out an Ikea cart (it's on the cover) that's featured FOUR different times in this issue...and while I had NO idea because I'd never seen it before, I spotted it in the bathroom section at Ikea but sadly didn't pick it up. I mentioned my regret in passing and guess whose sweet 'ol husband made the hour drive to Ikea to get it for her for Christmas? Yep. It was the best Christmas present.

I might go back and get another one! It's SOOOO cute! 

So, all that leads me to the most important part of this post...

WHO WANTS TO WIN?!

Today I get to give away a copy of this fabulous magazine to one of my very lucky readers! 

Let me tell you, it's chock full of inspiration and organization and practical tips you can actually make work for you, so even if you're not looking to overhaul your space, there is still so much you can get out of this book...

So, how do you enter? 

1. In the comments section of this blog post, tell me what space makes you feel the most creative? 

There. You're entered. 

BUT...for additional chances to WIN...

2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook or Pin this post (in other words, share, share, share!) and then come back here and leave another comment for each one you do. That means FOUR more chances to WIN! 

3. Cross your fingers. 

I'm pretty sure the issue is popping up at Barnes and Noble and other bookstores, so make your way out to grab a copy right away! You're going to LOVE all the inspiration you find. 

Now, leave a comment...I'll draw a winner next week so spread the word for lots of chances to WIN! 

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Free Christmas Printable {To Thank You For Your Awesomeness}

Argo, Home decorating and Giveaway Winners {An exercise in Randomness}

Urban Farmgirl in Rockford, IL {Well worth the trip!}

Quiet for the Busy Mind...

This week has felt more like a month. Getting back into the swing of things has been more difficult than I expected. 

I find myself scattered and trying to catch up. The other day, I started to clean out my inbox, finally returning emails and patting myself on the back that I'd made some headway. 

Within an hour, 85% of the people I'd written had responded. Apparently, they each have a better system for responding to email than I do.

It just kind of goes that way sometimes. You get caught up doing important things like marveling at how very much Ted Dekker resembles Bo Brady:

Days of our Lives fans of yesteryear will remember the REAL Bo Brady. 

Truth be told, last night I went to bed with a word in my head...quiet. And I knew God was speaking. He does that all the time, they say. 

I don't think it's the same as him saying "Shut up for a minute"...I just think he's longing for me to be mentally still. And I struggle with that...it's why I started writing my prayers down in the first place years ago...because I was far too distracted to focus on praying out loud.

I'm like the Dog in "Up." 

I blame this  tardy reflection on Christmas and New Year's. When everyone else was pondering their lives, I was purposely not thinking...I gave myself permission to stop the busy-brain and just soak it all up.

The time with my family...

The Christmas Eve traditions...

Art time with the littles...all of them...

And I didn't think about blog stats or marketing ideas or what comes next...not even once. Maybe once. But not much more than that. 

It was liberating to give myself a mental vacation. 

To spend time lazing with the family and loving on them the way I should be every day (even when they are grumpy)...

She was grumpy. 

I felt filled up. Full up. Overflowing. 

Thankful. 

And now I'm left trying to pull those things into my daily life. My real life. The life with duties and responsibilities and deadlines. 

It's familiar territory. I've been here before...clinging to earlier revelation and allowing myself to reflect. 

Challenging. 

How do you do it? How do you still the busy mind? 

New Year. No Resolutions.

I took some time off. 

I forgot to tell you before I did and wonder if an "Out Fishing" sign should've graced this page for the past two weeks. 

I needed the break. I still do a little, I think. 

Last night, Adam said to me regarding the past two weeks, "This is the first time I've ever seen you just do nothing." I almost got offended. "When did I do that?" 

"At your mom's. Here. You just sat and painted with the kids. Or the day you sat and read a book." (Submerged by Dani Pettrey. Highly recommend.) 

He said it like he admired it. Like I'd done something noble. But it struck me like I'd done something wrong. I find I'm so caught up in doing all the time. Even when I say I'm going to knock that off. This morning, as I returned to my regularly scheduled program, I pondered the question "Where does this desire to achieve come from?"

It keeps me from relaxing. It drives me away from contentment. It prevents me from allowing myself to be loved...just for being who I am. 

The way God wants to love me. 

As New Year's came and went, I thought about choosing one word. I considered making resolutions. But then I realized I was just setting myself up to fail. I always have a list of goals...and they have nothing to do with the calendar. Just because I turned the page on 2012, doesn't mean my goals change...

And yet, the pressure is there. To be thoughtful. To be in line with what everyone else is doing. 

But I'm not. I'm not mentally prepared to choose a word for 2013, and I have a long list of things I'd like to change about myself right now...yet somehow they overwhelm me.

There are simple tasks: 

Eat healthy dinners together as a family. (No judgment on how many per week.)

Drink more water. 

Pray more. 

Go easy on myself. 

At what point do we cut ourselves a little slack? When do I settle in to God's warmth and just rest? For all my head knowledge, I wish my heart would latch on to that one...

Because sheer exhaustion will steal your joy.

And because rest is a weapon. 

I'm starting this year with big faith and lots of prayer...getting to a place where God's voice is the loudest one I hear. Shutting out what everyone else is saying and honing in on the One whose opinion matters. 

It's where I should've been all along...

Five Things I've Learned on my way to 37

I had a birthday this week. 

I turned an age that puts me closer to 40 and I have mixed feelings about that. Every year, I tell myself (and everyone else) that it's not a big deal, this birthday one week before Christmas.

It's not really something special or celebratory, but there's this tiny piece inside of me that secretly hopes a little bit of that childhood birthday magic settles on my shoulders for just a few hours on December 18th. 

But when you're a grown-up, let's face it, birthdays are just like every other day...you still have responsibilities, after all, and you ask for things like flooring--practical presents that are definitely cause for excitement, but about as far from the pile of gifts that used to grace the end of my birthday bed as you can get. 

And the closer I get to 40, the more comfortable I get in my own skin. I find myself worrying less about things like bags under my eyes or the number on the scale. I start thinking more about this life and the legacy I want to leave...what am I doing here...and what do I want to be doing here...? 

And I think it can all be summed up in two words:

I spent some time creating last weekend, and I wanted to do something simple...a reminder to myself to keep going on my Big Dream List. One of those big dreams came true about two weeks ago (I can't really talk about it yet) and it floored me. It was like God was saying, "yeah, I was there when you wrote that down." 

And I was thinking, "Huh. How 'bout that?" 

I've learned a few things on the way to 37.

Like...

1. A bad day can be instantly made better by a dance break. (I recommend this song. Try not to at least chair dance. I dare you.) 

 

2. Coffee is one of life's greatest pleasures. 

3. Nothing is more important than your family. Sometimes you have to take a look at what you're doing and how it affects them...if it's not good, change is in order. 

Photo by LyndseyLew Photography

4. You can't be good at everything. 

5. Most of all, if your dreams don't scare you, then they're not big enough. I had to readjust some of my big dreaming accordingly and I can tell you I'm now properly afraid. 

But I feel pretty confident that God's got my back...even when it doesn't look like I think it should. 

Funny how that works, huh? 

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Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Annalisa Daughety}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Jody Hedlund}

The Book Lover's Giveaway is winding down with our final author in a very wonderful line-up. In case you've missed your chances, you can still comment on all of the previous authors' posts for your chance to win a very big box of books! Just scroll down and comment on any of the posts and learn about some of my favorite authors! 

Today, I am excited to introduce you to another amazing author, Jody Hedlund. Jody is also incredibly generous with her knowledge, and as a debut author this year, I frequently found myself on her BLOG soaking up the wisdom...(Thanks for all you share, Jody!) 

Now, read on for a little more about this fabulous writer and don't forget to comment for your chance to WIN! (Winner will be selected Friday.) 

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for your book? 

Jody: I live in central Michigan in an area that was once filled with towering white pines and that played a major role in the lumber era. I decided I wanted to explore that era, especially since it happened right in my backyard, so to speak.

During my research for the book, I ran across stories of young women who were abused, exploited, and even enslaved. I was heartbroken to learn of these lesser known evils of an era that is usually quite glamorized.

Unending Devotion is inspired by one of those women, Jennie King. She rode a train into central Michigan in answer to a newspaper ad for a job. She expected to work in a hotel. Instead she found herself enslaved in a brothel. She fled, but was recaptured and beaten. The brave and desperate woman escaped again, wearing only a nightgown, and this time gained help from a local family. The brothel owner tried to get her back again. But the family helped smuggle Jennie out of town and to a safe place.

Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write? 

Jody: I always have something hot to drink, usually coffee in the mornings and not tea in the afternoons. Otherwise, I'm fairly flexible with my routine. Sometimes I listen to Pandora and wear headphones to block out my kids' noise. Other times, I write standing up at the kitchen  counter so that I can better able multi-task other responsibilities. And there are rare moments of absolute quiet that I cherish! 

Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?

Jody: As mentioned, I usually have my hot beverage in hand. And of course I also have my sweet treat (that usually involves chocolate in one form or another!).

Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Jody: I would say my writing style tends to be on the more intense side. My books aren't quite the traditionally sweet romance since I tend to tackle some tougher more mature issues in my books. However, readers often tell me my books are passionate, page-turning adventures.

Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Jody: One of the most surprising things to me as a writer has been the delight that I find in hearing from readers. It really brings me great joy to hear how readers have enjoyed my stories, especially when something in the story touches them on a deeper level.

To find out more about Jody, visit her website or head over to amazon to purchase her books for yourself (books make wonderful gifts!) 

For your chance to WIN Jody's latest book and all of the other books we've been chattinga bout this past week, simply leave a comment on this post. 

For extra chances to win, Blog, Facebook, Pin or Tweet this giveaway and come back and leave comments for each one you do. Lots of chances to win as I'm pooling together all the comments on all of the posts starting with last Monday! This is a HUGE prize!! 

I hope you win. :) 

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Annalisa Daughety}

I'm really hoping you guys are taking notes and that you'll find some wonderful new books as a part of this Book Lover's giveaway...we're nearing the end, but not before I share a very special Christmas treat with you. 

There is just something so special about a story that takes place at Christmas time, isn't there? I'm so thrilled to introduce you to my friend Annalisa Daughety and her new, beautiful book:

Doesn't that look absolutely perfect? Read on to find out how you can win this and several other books...and discover a bit more about the beautiful Annalisa. 

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for your book?

Annalisa: I wrote the historical story in Love Finds You at Home for Christmas and Gwen Ford Faulkenberry wrote the contemporary. Our stories are connected--they center on different generations of the same family. My story, Sweet Southern Christmas, takes place at the Arkansas Ordnance Plant during World War II. I wrote the story as a gift to my 93-year-old grandmother. She worked as a WOW at the ordnance plant during the war and met my grandpa there--he worked as an electrician. I was able to learn about their courtship--some of the dates they went on and such--and include some of those real stories within my fictional story. It was so much fun to be able to take a piece of my grandmother's life and include it in a novel. 

 
Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write?

Annalisa: Well...this might sound a little strange. :) I need some background noise, but I don't like to write to music. And if I have the TV on just anything, I run the risk of getting sucked in to whatever show it is. So when I start writing a new book, I put in the first season of the show FRIENDS and keep playing season after season until the book is finished. I've seen the show so many times, I can pretty much say the dialogue along with the characters. But it doesn't distract me to the point of stopping writing to watch. So it provides just the right amount of background noise. 
 
I also pace the floor a lot when I'm plotting. I put giant post it pads all over my walls and plot, pacing back and forth--scribbling details and re-arranging scenes. I know when people come to my house and see those big post it pads all over the walls, they probably think I'm nuts! 

 
Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage? 

Annalisa: I'm a coffee girl, so a fresh cup of coffee is a must. And I like Peppermint Mocha creamer year round. As for snacks/food...I will confess that I gained 5 pounds with each book for my first few books. (I'm not going to share how many books...) I used to do the fast food/pizza thing while on deadline, but those pounds taught me a lesson! Now during those last couple hectic weeks of a deadline, I go and get a fruit tray and a veggie tray so I'm not tempted to get every meal from a drive thru window. 

(I am SOOO stealing that idea!)

 
Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Annalisa: My books are lighthearted and fun--I don't shy away from tough issues, but I do it in a way where there are still funny moments. For the most part, my characters are flawed and quirky. I love it when readers write me to say that they felt like they could be friends with a character in one of my books. I think if I had to put a label on my books, I'd probably call them romantic comedies. 

 
Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Annalisa: Even though at times it can feel lonely--just me and the keyboard, it really takes a village to write a novel (at least for me!) There are so many people who support me in so many different ways. From friends who send texts of encouragement the last days of a deadline, to my mother bringing me food, to my critique partners who read my chapters and help me brainstorm...it is definitely a team effort. 

You can find out more about Annalisa and her books by visiting her website, Facebook page or by following her on Twitter. Or, if you can't wait (and why would you?) head over to amazon and orderLove Finds You at Home For Christmas today!

So, just to recap...there is still just a bit of time left to enter the Book Lover's Giveaway on any of last week's posts (and discover some FABULOUS authors as you do!) 

Today, just leave us a comment here and you'll be entered to win! Tweet, Blog, Facebook or Pin this giveaway and then come back and leave another comment for each one you do for FOUR more chances to WIN! 

Time's running out, so enter today! 

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Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Katie Ganshert}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Beth Vogt}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Dani Pettrey}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Deb Raney}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Katie Ganshert}

We're nearing the end of my big Book Lover's giveaway...but we're not there yet! We still have a few more amazing books to add to your box, and I am in the mood to curl up with any one of these and get lost for a few hours! (Anyone else ready to escape the daily grind?) 

Today, I am excited to introduce you to my friend, Katie Ganshert. Katie and I met at this year's ACFW Conference, and we were both debut authors this year, so we had a lot to talk about. PLUS, I found out Katie lives not all that far away from me, which made me even happier. So, I'm thrilled to share a little about her book and her process with you: 

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for your book?

Katie: Sleep deprivation. When I wrote Wildflowers from Winter, my son was a wee little infant and in the throes of nursing. I remember being up with him in the middle of the night and the voice of this twelve year old girl came into my head. I couldn't get it out so I wrote the prologue. Being a writer is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia, you know. ;-) Anyway, at the same time, I was thinking a lot about my best friend growing up and how we'd lost touch, but even so, I still felt so connected to her because of all the memories we share. I decided I wanted to write a story that explored the bonds of friendship. So I took this orphaned prologue and this idea about friendship, squished them together, threw in a handsome farmer, and voila! I had my novel.

Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write? 

Katie: Check Facebook a million times. Check email a million times. Check Twitter a million times. Get coffee. Get a snack. Check Facebook and email and Twitter again. Then start writing. Can you tell the blank page intimidates me?? I think if I could figure out how to cut through all the procrastination, I could write twelve books in a year.

Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?

It used to be Diet Coke, but I've nixed that from my diet and now go with coffee. I never used to like it, but then I discovered all those delicious flavored creamers like salted caramel mocha and pumpkin spice latte and now I have to keep myself away from the coffee maker. AS far as snack, I'm a big fan of frozen chocolate chips and goldfish crackers.

Did she just say "salted caramel mocha?" Yum.

Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Katie: Oh, I'm the worst at trying to describe myself in any shape or form. So how about I cheat and take other people's words? A lot of my endorsers have called my writing style lyrical, which sounds all musical and pretty. Some people say I write women's fiction. Some people say I write romance. There are definitely strong components of both. I like writing stories with a meaty emotional journey for the main character, which is very reminiscent of women's fiction, but I also love the giddiness that comes with a good romance. So I include both!

Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Katie: Hmmm.....I'm stumped. Maybe that it's 95% waiting and rewriting. 5% creation. And that 5% is being generous!

You can find out more about Katie on her BLOG or at her WEBSITE. 

And yes, Wildflowers in Winter will be part of the Big Book Lover's Giveaway, so this is where you want to leave a comment to get yourself entered to win all of the books featured this week! That's a lot of books (and we're not even finished yet!) 

For more chances to win, simply do a good deed a spread the word to your friends. Blog, Tweet, Facebook or Pin this giveaway and then come back and leave another comment for each one you do. Four more chances to win! 

What've you got to lose? It's Christmas...you might as well get a present for yourself, right? :) 

Also, remember A Sweethaven Christmas is only $2.99 for your Kindle, Nook or iPad for a limited time. I hope you'll pick up a copy today!

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Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Beth Vogt}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Dani Pettrey}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Susan Meissner}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Deb Raney}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Beth Vogt}

This is getting to be more and more fun every day! The stack of books I'm reading over Christmas is growing, but I truly am hoping to get lost in a few stories. I tend to be careful when I crack open a new book because I know no one will see me for at least a couple of days...

But it's so worth it. Today, we're adding another new book to the giveaway box, Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt.

Beth writes contemporary romance because she believes there’s more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us.

I LOVE Contemporary Romance, so this is right up my alley. Read on to find out more about Beth's process!

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for your book?

Beth: I’d written a scene several years before that I wanted to grow up into a novel. The scene involved a bride, standing at the back of a church, not sure if she could walk down the aisle and go through with the “I do.” I had to figure out how she got stuck at the back of the church – what caused her confusion – and yes, I knew it had something to do with the best man. If she went through with the wedding, well, all I had was a short story. So, I had to figure out what happened next … and that’s Allison’s story in Wish You Were Here.

Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write?

Beth: Rituals? Other than obsessive editing once I’m past the fast-draft stage? Or drinking extreme amounts of Coke, Sobe, or hot/ice tea – depending on the season? Or keeping a stash of jellybeans in the bottom left-hand drawer of my desk? No, no rituals.

I love to process my novels using The Book Buddy, a marvelous workbook developed by author Susan May Warren. Once I have all the components detailed – characters, subplot, spiritual thread – I map it out on the back of my office doors, using oversize neon colored Post It Notes.  And I’ve discovered that Skyping is essential to brainstorming. I am blessed to have Rachel Hauck on speed-dial.

Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?

Beth: Snack: popcorn or jellybeans, as previously mentioned. Beverage: Coke, Sobe, or tea, also as previously mentioned.

 Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Beth: I just discussed this with Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck the other day. Susie is a “processor” and Rachel is all about the “ping,” i.e. feeling the emotion of the scenes. Me? I’m both, so I was labeled “prong.” I love the process I’ve learned through My Book Therapy, Susie’s writing community. But I also want my reader’s to connect emotionally with my stories, which is why I hand my rough drafts off to Sonia, my “Preferred Reader.” She lets me know if what I’ve written flows (process) and when she laughs and/or cries (appropriately), then I know I’ve hit the “ping” too.

Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

I think many non-writers suspect this and I will now confirm it: Yes, we writers watch you and listen to you and think, “Hhhhhmm, that would make a wonderful scene for my novel. That bit of conversation? I’m going to have my heroine say it to my hero in chapter 3. Ooooh, I’m going to have my heroine’s BFF’s hair styled just like yours!” We don’t waste anything in our lives – or yours. 

Courtney interrupting, as usual, to say: I can attest to that fact. 

You can read more about Beth on her website and you can find her book right HERE. 

Now about that giveaway...

I am thrilled that Beth has agreed to include her book in the Book Lover's Giveaway, and I cannot WAIT to see who wins. Remember, you can enter on each of this week's posts (up to five times each), so scroll down to read interviews with Deb Raney, Susan Meissner and Dani Pettrey!

Then, leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win! 

Tweet, Blog, Facebook or Pin this post/giveaway and then come back and leave another comment for each one you do to be entered a total of FIVE times today...one lucky winner is going to win all of these beautiful books! {I can't tell you I'm not jealous!} 

Good Luck!

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Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Dani Pettrey}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Deb Raney}

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Susan Meissner}

And then that happens...and you get a little excited.

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Dani Pettrey}

Can you imagine winning a big box of books just in time for Christmas? I mean, what a great gift just for YOU...and you just might if you are the lucky winner of my giveaway this week. Don't forget to go back and comment on my Deb Raney post and my Susan Meissner post because I'm pooling all the comments together for one big drawing at the end of the week! 

Today, I am happy to introduce you to my friend, Dani Pettrey, who writes one of my favorite genres to read...romantic suspense. 

Look at the gorgeous cover for her first novel, Submerged. 

Um. Yes. Please. I have this book sitting right here next to me as a treat during my Christmas vacation and I can.not.wait. So, I asked Dani my nosy questions and she happily chatted with me... read on to find out more about this fabulous debut author AND find out more about how you can WIN her book!

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for your book?

Dani: I watched a movie about cave divers and it got me thinking what type of person would pursue such a dangerous job for a living. I find extreme athletes and people who pursue adventurous careers simply fascinating. I began diving (no pun intended) into all the extreme sports and adventure professions and the McKenna family was born.

Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write?

Dani: I always make sure I have a few quiet hours set aside, make my favorite drink and snack (see answer below), curl up on the couch with my notebook (If I'm writing my first draft) and write away. 

Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?

Dani: In the cold weather: my favorite beverage is a a half coffee-half hot chocolate and my favorite snack is my homemade trail mix (1/4 cup raw almonds, 1/2 dried cranberries, and 1/8 Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips). Yum! 

(Courtney interrupting to say "I'm SO trying that.) 

Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Dani: What I hope readers will experience in my stories is the thrill of adventure, the excitement of travel to far off places, the romance of falling in love, and the heroism of saving the day.  That's the beauty of a novel… all you have to do is flip the page (or the cover on your e-Reader) and you open the door to adventure!  

Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Dani: You still have to clean your bathrooms :/   (Amen, sister.)

More about Dani:

Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.

You can find Dani on her Website, on Facebook or on Pinterest. 

So, the rules are the same, simply comment on this post for your chance to WIN my Book Lover's Giveaway, which will include a stack 'o books, including Dani's Submerged which just so happens to be offered for $2.99 on Kindle and Nook right now. 

For additional chances to win, Facebook, Pin, Blog or Tweet about this giveaway/post and then come back here and leave another comment for each one you do. Easy as pie. Five chances each day...I like those odds. 

****

One more thing before I go...

$2.99, my friends! That's a steal! You can snag it for your Kindle, Nook or iPad now through December 18th! Tell your friends? :) 

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Susan Meissner}

I love readers. I love people who get excited about books. And you already know I love to give presents, so this is a super-fun-great week for me (despite the fact that I have a sick kiddo home today.) 

Remember this is like a cumulative giveaway...you can enter every single day (up to five times) and I'm pooling all the comments together to choose ONE winner of a whole box 'o books. That means, you can still comment on yesterday's post too. 

For today, I'm excited to chat with one of my favorite others, the wonderful Susan Meissner. I've had the pleasure of meeting Susan several times, and I've loved taking classes from her as well. She is genuine and kind and an absolutely amazing storyteller. 

I've read several of Susan's books and I've never been disappointed by a single one. They are wonderful stories that always pull me right in. Today we're talking about her latest release, The Girl in the Glass. 

Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for "The Girl in the Glass"? 

Susan: For our 25^th wedding anniversary a few years ago my husband and I went on an eight-day Mediterranean cruise. One of the ports of call on the Italy side was close enough toFlorence to hop on a bus and spend the day there. When I stepped onto Florentine pavement I fell head over heels in love. No joke. There is something magical about   Florence that I didn’t see in Rome, or even Paris if you can believe that. The beauty created by the masters of the Italian Renaissance is jaw-dropping and it meets your eye no matter which direction your turn. Florence was the perfect place to bring a disillusioned present-day character who needs to re-invent her life. That’s what Renaissance means: rebirth. I went back a couple years later with my mom, daughter, sisters and nieces and knew I just had to set a story there and somehow involve the infamous Medici family.

Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write? 

Susan: I used to have to have a steady supply of Diet Coke with Lime but I gave it up for Lent this year and then just stayed off of it for me. (Thanks for giving me the head start, Jesus!) When I gave up that and realized I could still write, I realized I didn’t need any of my little oddities. I have no rituals now except this one: Derriere in Chair.

Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage? 

Susan: I have to stay away from snacking when I write because the energy that is expended when I write makes me want to do everything else at the same super-charged, frenetic level. I can polish off a whole bag of chips that way. Not a pretty picture. A hot drink is the way to go because if I drink that like a hopping mad woman, it burns my mouth. I am forced to sip.

Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books? 

Susan: I like to say I write book club books. I want to write books that make people think and wonder and ponder and want to talk about it with someone. I don’t usually include a super-overt spiritual thread; I like to keep it subtle so that anyone with any frame of reference can read my books and enter my fictive world and understand my worldview. That can sometimes get me less than fully positive reviews from Christian readers who want a Christian book with a Christian message from me, a Christian writer. But that’s not who I am as a writer. I am a story teller who wants to reach as many listeners as I can with Truth. When I write a story, my Christian world view is all over the pages but in a way that is subtle, just like we see in the Book of Esther. Esther is a wonderfully told story of God’s influence yet you don’t see Him mentioned by name anywhere in the book. I think I am in pretty good company!

Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Susan: It doesn’t get easier the more you write. It gets harder. I raise the bar for myself every time I finish a book but I still start at the same place on every new page 1; looking at a big white space with a whole lot of nothin’ on it!

***

You can find lots of GREAT reading from Susan right HERE. Why not pick up The Girl in the Glass for yourself? 

This book will be a part of this week's Book Lover's Giveaway, so leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win! 

For addition chances to win, Tweet, Blog, Facebook or Pin this giveaway, then come back and leave another comment for each one you do. Easy, right? 

Happy Tuesday! 

Related articles

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"The Girl in the Glass" by Susan Meissner

The Girl in the Glass by Susan Meissner (A Review)

Book Lover's Giveaway {+ an interview with Deb Raney}

Our weekend was a tiny bit crazy... with a book signing at Barnes & Noble, home projects, a date night to celebrate our 13th-anniversary (which is today)...and a lot of painting, so I'm reminding myself once again to simplify. 

It's a constant reminder. 

Anyway. I know I said I was ending my Reader Appreciation Month in November, so I guess I'm going to call this my "Happy Ho-Ho-Ho" month or something equally less charming...because I have another Book Lover's Giveaway and it's a week-long event (with a chance to win a whole box of awesome books!) 

Personally, I think books make GREAT Christmas presents, and I am often asked which writers I recommend...so, I've decided to tell you about some of my favorites. Every day this week, I'll introduce you to a writer or two and I'll tell you how you can WIN books from every single one of them! <Keep Reading>

Today, I'm excited to talk to my friend, the fabulous Deb Raney, about this series: 

I've read each of these books and loved them all, and I absolutely LOVE to hear what Deb has to say about writing, family and life in general. Read on to find out more! 

Nosy Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for this series?

Deb: Real life provides a great deal of inspiration for me, and that was the case with the Hanover Falls series. My husband placed a newspaper clipping beside my plate at breakfast one morning, the story of nine firefighters who died in a tragic blaze in South Carolina. "I think there's something worth exploring here," he said. I began thinking how the tragedy would change the lives of those firefighters' families, yet how they would pull together, because the firefighting world is a "family" unto itself, and before long, the Hanover Falls series was putting itself together in my mind.

Nosy Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write? 

Deb: I can't write among clutter, so the first thing I do before I sit down to write is make sure the bed is made, dishes done, laundry at least started. Then I light some scented candles, choose some instrumental music that fits the scene I'll be working on, and fix a mug of coffee or tea. Only then am I ready to really dig in and write.

Nosy Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?

Deb: Well, my FAVORITE snack would be M&Ms or Coffee Nips or a big spoonful of Nutella. But I'm trying to eat healthier these days, so I'll have a handful of nuts or a bunch of grapes or a cup of yogurt. I try to be good most of the time and really enjoy it when I cheat and choose the M&Ms. 

  

Nosy Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?

Deb: I think my style has gotten more straightforward as the years go by. I try to let dialogue and action carry the story, rather than doing too much ruminating. Though there IS some of that. But when I read I prefer to let the characters tell the story through their interactions with each other, so I try to write that way too. But I do want my readers to feel emotion when they are reading my stories––whether I make them laugh or cry or feel angry, I want them to feel.

Nosy Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?

Deb: I don't think most non-writers realize how much of a writers time is spent NOT writing! Between keeping up with Twitter and Facebook and my website (all things my publishers encourages me to do), then book signings, speaking events, answering reader mail, communicating with my editors and agent about the business aspects of writing...all those things take time––sometimes, I suspect, as much or more time than actually writing the book.

****

It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Deb's. Her work, of course, but especially a fan of HER as a person. She is definitely an author you should be reading!! 

Deb has offered to give away her entire Hanover Falls series as part of this Happy Ho-Ho-Ho giveaway (really, are we calling it that? I need to think of a better name.) 

How Would You Like to WIN a box of BOOKS?!

So, here's how it works. I'm going to take the comments on the blog posts all week long and pool them together to draw the name of one VERY lucky book lover. That person is going to WIN signed copies of all of the books I'm blogging about this week, plus a Sweethaven book from me. 

Simply COMMENT on this post & you're entered to win. 

For additional entires, share this post on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or blog, then come back and leave another comment for each one you do. 

That's FIVE chances to win at least eight awesome works of fiction (and maybe more...I've got a lot of faves!) 

Tell your friends...books are the perfect holiday treat!

And then that happens...and you get a little excited.

You guys have been on this writing journey with me every step of the way, so today I have something exciting to share. 

And I'm not going to lie. I'm excited. Squealing like a little girl excited. Or maybe not. I'm more of a hold my breath and stifle a squeal kind of girl. 

It's one of those milestone moments where I sit back and pinch myself, thinking "Holy cow. Is that me?" 

And in the next second I think "Thanks, God. You're awfully nice to me." 

There's an Interview by the fabulous Kim Ford in here too, in case you're curious about early drafts of Sweethaven and what God taught me during the writing/publication process. 

This is the part of the writing journey that leaves me feeling kind of amazed and humbled and awestruck at the same time. It's funny, I almost have a picture of myself hiding behind a wall with just my eyes peeking over the top, watching like a bystander as my books make their way from my computer to the store shelves (digital or otherwise) and then into people's homes. 

Thank you for bringing Sweethaven home. 

So much I've learned along the way.  

I can tell you in no uncertain terms, that this isn't a career path for the faint of heart. You really have to be willing to work. And then work some more. Sometimes I think if I'd known just how much work went into writing a novel, I might have shied away from it...

But if you can break it down into bite-sized pieces, you can do it. 

I think that goes for anything, really. Break it down so you can digest it. One step at a time.

Anyway, thanks for letting me share my excitement today. I hope you get a chance to check out the magazine. It's a great read, whether you're a reader or a writer!

Also, don't forget I'm signing books this Saturday, December 8th from 2-4 p.m. I'd LOVE to meet you!!

{Free gifts for the first 30 people who attend!}

Finally, I have a winner to announce.

The Print Canvas from Printcopia goes to: Pam Sohan

Thanks to everyone who played along!! 

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A SWEETHAVEN HOMECOMING by Courtney Walsh....review

Free Christmas Printable {To Thank You For Your Awesomeness}

Faith Friday {What if...?}

The Simplification of Christmas

I say the same thing every single December. 

"Christmas is not going to pass me by this year." 

And every single December, our calendar fills up before the end of the first day. Let's face it, Christmas can be a very stressful time. 

There's the how am I going to pay for presents stress. And there's when am I going to get everything done stress. And there's awkward family stress. Before long, the stress is the most pervasive thing...and the whole holiday season becomes something you wish away, not something you enjoy. 

I hate that. 

When I envision the Christmas I want, I don't think about mountains of presents. I think about a certain feeling that's in the air. A magical feeling, one that can't really be explained. 

This past weekend, we went to my parents' house, and for whatever reason when I'm there, things are quieter. Suddenly, I'm able to think more clearly...and what I found myself wondering was how can we simplify Christmas? 

How can we avoid the obligation, the running around, the over-spending? At its core, what do I want my Christmas to look like? 

Simple. Sweet. I'd rather spend time than money. I want to shop small. I want to do things for people and teach my kids to do things for people. I don't want to bake 25 different kinds of cookies to make sure that my neighbor gifts are "good enough." I don't want to be paying for Christmas for the next 6 months. 

I was thinking about how these handmade Santas have been a tradition in our family. My grandpa carved and painted them himself. We have a ginormous family. There are eight brothers and sisters who all have kids who now all have kids of their own. You can imagine how many Santas have been created over the years. 

And in my "simple-Christmas" mentality, it dawned on me that these Santas are probably always going to be one of the best Christmas memories any of us will ever have. 

Because they kind of capture the heart of the holiday...the most important parts. 

Family. Kindness. Friendship. Love. 

It's not okay with me to take on the stress of the season. Not this year. I'm searching for simplicity in my Christmas...I'm searching for ways to hold on to the magic...that feeling writers write about...that elusive thing that all of us wish we could bottle up and hold onto throughout the year. 

If we want to experience that kind of Christmas, we have to be willing to let go of the Christmas that's being shoved down our throats. It's our perogative to make a change. To make memories instead of making a mess of our finances. It's up to us how we get to spend our time. 

Life is too short to continue missing out on the things that really matter...this year, how can we simplify our holidays? How can we keep the focus where it really needs to be? How can we capture the true magic of Christmas?

Is anyone up for the challenge? 

***********

 

If you're struggling to find the Christmas spirit, maybe it's time to escape to Sweethavne for a little bit of magic. 

A Sweethaven Christmas is now available (both print and e-book formats) at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and CBD. 

I'll also be having a book signing at the Barnes & Noble at Cherryvale Mall in Rockford, Illinois this Saturday, December 8th from 2-4 p.m. 

The first 30 people to come visit will get a free gift! I hope to see you there!

Find the magic...

Reader Appreciation Month {A Printcopia Canvas Print Giveaway}

As you may already know, I declared November my own personal Reader Appreciation Month, and I'm having a TON of fun with this. I'm convinced that I have the very best readers on the planet...and I'm hoping some of you will be able to come out for this:

The final book in the series. Bittersweet. I'll be signing books at Barnes & Noble and I would LOVE to see you there... I'll have a special gift for the first 30 people...and I'm working on a giveaway too!

But today...I wanted to talk to you about something else entirely...

I can't remember when it was, but at some point and in some house, Adam told me he preferred to decorate with our own photographs. 

It kind of hit me like a revelation, which is weird, because I'm a scrapbooker, and I'm in the business of taking lots and lots of pictures...I like to put our family on display. Even when I end up with this: 

What can I say? The kid has his own way of doing things. 

It's  important to me to capture moments. I've noticed that my kids will talk about "that one time when I was a baby..." and they only know the stories because they've seen the photos. Great memory joggers, those images. 

There's no better way to make a house yours than to fill it with your own photos!

Combine this love of photography with my love of artwork and you've got a person who oohs and ahhs over the very idea of a canvas with my family's faces on it. 

Enter Printcopia. 

Today, I am really happy to offer a very fun giveaway from this awesome company... an 11x14 Canvas Print of your very own! 

Part of the fun of it all is choosing the image, and my advice is to choose one that evokes an emotion. Posed, beautiful photos are GREAT but I'd so much rather have something meaningful on my wall. 

Something like this, maybe:

Photo by LyndseyLew Photography

Or this:

Photo by LyndseyLew Photography

Or maybe this...which was a really candid moment during our photoshoot. 

Photo by LyndseyLew Photography

Because those images mean so much more to me than something stuffy and canned ever could. They're memories...moments...and that is what I want to surround myself with. 

Of course, you could be extra generous and give the print away as a Christmas present? (I wouldn't, but maybe you're more generous than I am?) 

So. How do you win? 

Just leave me a comment and you'll be entered! 

FIVE extra chances to win: 

1. Facebook, blog, tweet or pin this giveaway for FOUR extra chances to win! (Then, come back and leave a comment for each one you do!) 

2. A bonus entry if you "Like" my author page on Facebook. 

One very lucky winner will receive a beautiful canvas print from Printcopia.

Good Luck, Lovelies! 

How do you Find Your Voice in such a noisy world?

It's such a noisy world, isn't it? 

More and more I find myself getting overwhelmed at the thought of everything whizzing around me. When I log on to Twitter or Pinterest, there is just so much information. It can be exhilarating but it can also be flat overwhelming. 

How can you ever hope to have a voice in a world that moves so quickly? Doesn't it sometimes feel like you're running as fast as you can but you can't catch up? 

More than ever, there are so many ways to spread the word about your work--work that matters so much to you--but then there are almost too many choices when it comes to HOW you do that. And sadly, it doesn't seem like anything is "tried and true" so there's no "best way" for any of it. 

There are just noodles against the wall. 

All my life, I've sort of strived to live according to this idea:

 

Maybe it was because I saw this at such a crucial time in my adolescence, but it's stuck with me. The whole "Find your voice and use it." 

The idea that I must seize the day. 

The idea that when I read (or hear or watch) I don't just consider what the author thinks...I consider what I think. 

Is anyone teaching that anymore? 

So often I see all the possibilities and I get it in my head that there is ONE path for me to take... but then I remember that my path doesn't look like everyone else's path. Or anyone else's path. 

It looks like mine. And mine may have a few more potholes in it than someone else's. Or, there may be patches of open road before me that make for a very smooth ride (for a time). Regardless, I have to clear away the noise and find my right path. 

That's what I'm trying to do. To spread the word about my work/books without being obnoxious. To offer something of value to everyone I come in contact with. To build up and never tear down. To approach my world with kindness. And to do it in the way that I'm meant to do it, whether that way would work for someone else or not.

Constantly, I'm asking myself What do I have to offer? And I don't always have a clear answer. Sometimes I feel like all I have to offer is a smile. Sometimes, not even that.  

You'd think it'd be a lot easier to figure this stuff out, but in the busy, loud, chaotic world we live in, finding quiet is harder than ever. 

And I am always reminding myself of the most important thing: 

Break it down to the root and stop over-thinking it. 

Or at the very least, jump up on a desk and say "Oh Captain, my Captain." 

A Question for you: How do you clear away the "extra noise" and stay focused on your own path? 

Free Christmas Printable {To Thank You For Your Awesomeness}

This month, I've been trying to really focus on my readers...on sharing my appreciation...because frankly, I never really thought I'd have "readers." 

But, when you write books...that IS the goal (I know you're marveling at the genius of that last sentence)...and while I may sound like a broken record, it's really true that I am beyond thankful to anyone and everyone who has read my books.

I spend a lot of time wondering "What can I do in return?" and "What do I have to offer?" and many times I come up empty. I mean, I don't know. I wish I could buy everyone a Starbucks and throw a big party. 

Oooh, wouldn't that be fun? 

But I don't want my blog to turn into a giveaway-only type of place...my goal is really to connect with people. Because ultimately, that's what I'm in this for. Writing for the sake of the reader. 

That's my heart. 

That said, I still have a few gifts to share... and since I'm slammed/swamped and covered in deadlines I thought this little gift would be the best for today.

Most of my Christmas stuff is still packed up in bins and boxes. I'm not one of those smart day-after-Thanksgiving-decorators. I wish I was. My neighborhood is outlined with twinkly lights and our end of the cul-de-sac is a dark & dreary place. 

So, I'm doing what I can. Little bits. Baby steps. 

And I've created this Free Christmas Printable for you. (Click the link below to download it for yourself!)

Download Merry & bright

I printed one and tried it in my trusty Ikea frame and I'm hooked. 

Super easy (and cheap!) decoration for the holidays.

How is your decorating coming along? Hopefully you'll be able to use this in a super clever way (or a super boring way like I've done. It still works.) :) 

Just a little Thank You for visiting me in Sweethaven. 

Merry Tuesday!

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The Best Gift We Are Given...

I had a bad dream last night. 

I woke up this morning, trying to sort out the details, but typically when my eyes pop open, the dream disappears. 

I do remember, though, that in my dream, I watched someone die. An old friend from college that I haven't spoken to in years. 

Moments after I woke up, I started thinking "Thursday. What happens on Thursday?" because every Thursday is pretty much the same...

And then I wondered if that was a good thing. 

Clicking off the days in hours and minutes and seconds...wishing some of them away by "getting through one more week"... oblivious to the idea that time is the gift that makes us the richest of all. 

I haven't shared much about what I'm really grateful for because I would hate to put it out there simply because it's November. The truth is, I'm grateful all the time and not nearly enough. Funny how that works. 

So, after a bad dream and a robotic morning, I decided to focus on making this Thursday different than last Thursday...better than last Thursday... and to truly engage in what makes me happiest of all. 

And  maybe it's not surprising that those same things are often the things that get pushed aside. This week, Sophia had to bring in a baby photo to school...and it made me think about when she was a baby, something I can only remember in bits and pieces...memories that don't play like a movie in my mind. 

I hate that they don't. I wish I could recall those precious, fleeting moments. Does that mean I didn't engage well enough? 

Time. The best gift we could ever be given...and the most elusive...

How will you make this Thursday better--different--than the last. 

Reader Appreciation Month {Continuing the Love of YOU}

My Big Dream Weekend yielded over 60 "Big Dreams." Sixty different things I want to pursue. Sixty things I am aiming for...and many of them are well over my head. 

Also over the weekend, I felt like God reminded me time and again that I'm not doing this on my own. He has a plan...and that's ultimately what I'm seeking. I don't want 60 to be the cap on my list. I'm shooting for 100. 

How about you? Did you have any luck getting your dreams down on paper? {I'd love to hear about it!}

Today, I'm turning my attention back to my Reader Appreciation Month with another chance to WIN BIG...I've been trying to find things that I LOVE to give away because I LOVE my readers... so today, a Sweethaven-inspired prize full of things I LOVE. 

Here's how it works...

Up for grabs is this beauty, which I have to admit, is going to be hard for me to part with. To me, this calendar screams Sweethaven (not out loud. That would just be weird.) But it's SO perfect for reminding you of those small town moments we all love and want to live...

Then, I have a set of THREE Picadilly Journals to add to this basket:

They're called "Pocket Memos" but that'd be a mighty big pocket. "Purse Memos" might be a better way to describe these. They're about the same size as one of my books. 

Speaking of which, a signed copy of this guy will also be in the mix: 

So, head over to my Facebook Author Page & Start the Share-fest for your chance to win!! 

Next week, I have a SUPER fun prize to give away...and I know it's Thanksgiving, but it's going to be worth it, so stay tuned!! 

Happy Monday!

 

Big Dream Weekend {Are you in?}

Oh, I do love to verbally process. 

Yes, I'm a talker (ask my husband). Especially when I'm sorting through something that's scary or requires a lot of faith. Like moving across the country or putting myself "out there" in a new way. It's terrifying, so I talk. 

Often in circles. 

Often I talk myself right out of the thing I thought was the most BRILLIANT IDEA EVER.

I overanalyze and think of all that could go wrong. And yet, when that same dream comes back and taps me on the shoulder, the feelings of I can do this come along with it...at least for a little while. 

I've learned that's a great time to take action. 

A few weeks ago, I was challenged to create a list. Not just any list. A really important list. 

I believe in the power of the list. 

I also believe in the power of the handwritten word. I'm on my computer 24/7 but when I step away with my favorite pen and notebook, something wonderful happens... it's like my brain is engaged in an entirely new way. 

So I've been thinking a lot about this list. Talking about it. Dreaming about it. And today I want to challenge you to make a list of your own. 

This is Step One. 

This weekend is Big Dream Weekend for me. I'll still be cleaning bathrooms and washing school uniforms, but while I go about my business, I'll be meditating on these things... the things my heart is longing to do. The big dreams. 

And some of them I would never tell anyone. 

Others, like "I'd love to be able to hire someone to clean my house once a month" I have no problem putting out there. Because I have a feeling I'm not alone in that. 

No dream is too big. No dream is too small. 

Now, if you do this with me, you should know something...crazy things might happen. First, you might start to feel like your dreams are frivolous or silly. Especially if they're creative in some way. But creativity is NOT frivolous or silly. It's who you are. It's who we all are, really, whether we know it or not. 

I've been thinking a lot about life and dreams and the steps it takes to get the dreams out of dream-state and into reality. I believe it starts with such a list. 

So, this weekend is Big Dream Weekend. I expect some opposition. I mean, there will likely be chaos in my house as a result of this declaration. Perhaps I'll wake up feeling especially discouraged or like "What's the point?" 

I don't know...but I do know that I'm ready for it. I'm ready to stop talking and start doing. 

The Big Dream List. 100 of your wildest dreams. 

Are you in?

Do for One. {For those who feel they don't matter}

I woke up this morning with an odd heaviness in my heart...prayers started racing through my mind knowing what a big day this is for our country, but also knowing that so many people are still without power and bracing for yet another storm, knowing that the news said no one is really helping them. 

How can that be? 

This past week we visited a church here in town. They were collecting supplies for hurricane victims, filling a truck to drive out to a neighborhood and do what they could to help. The pastor said "This isn't even going to be a drop in the bucket compared to what's needed out there...but we're going to do what we can. We're going to do for ONE what we wish we could do for millions." 

And that settled into my spirit. 

It would be easy to let that statement discourage us. I mean, to know that this huge truck isn't even a drop in the bucket? How sad. 

But that wasn't what impacted me the most...it was the last part of the statement, the call to do for ONE what you wish you could do for millions...

Generally speaking, I tend to get a little overwhelmed (or maybe a lot overwhelmed) thinking that I'm just one person...I'm just one person with a few things to say, things that may not matter to the masses...and it's easy to talk yourself right out of sharing those things. 

Because Who am I to expect anyone to care what I have to say?

But what if a kind word, an encouraging word doesn't transform a generation, but it transforms one life? 

Is it any less important? 

Sometimes I think of these brilliant things...you know, when you get an idea and you're thinking "this is the best idea ever in the history of the world..."

And then you start to research it...and you realize it's been done before. Maybe more than once. Maybe lots. And that can intimidate you...because you're just one person. Who would listen to me? 

What do I really have to say? 

But you know what I think? It starts with one. 

All of this soul searching got me thinking about the ONE I've been focusing on. I have to tell you, often (more often than I care to admit)...that ONE is ME.

Talk about sad.

So, I started asking myself who can I help and how? 

Little things. Big things. Honest things...maybe you or I can't change the world but we can change one life. It costs us nothing to be kind. 

I don't want to live a self-important, me-centric life. I want to show people they're loved, that they matter, that they were born for a purpose...I want to inspire a feeling of joy, even if I can only do that one person at a time. 

What can you do today to help just ONE person? 

It's Reader Appreciation Month! {For the LOVE of YOU!}

Ok, so I made an uber-dorky video to explain a little bit about what's going on here on my blog this month...I'm not even going to tell you how many "takes" I had before I had a video I could post...but it was a lot. 

I should've saved the outtakes. Talking to myself is something I've grown quite fond of. 

Still, here is a little "share from the heart" on why I've chosen to call November my very own personal Reader Appreciation Month and just exactly what that means...

 

In case you don't love to watch videos (or dorky girls), let me give you the bullet points...

And that's it. You take a picture, post it, tag me and you're entered. **Edited to Add: Just to be safe, tag me and then comment on my Reader Appreciation post on my page. I just don't want to miss anyone!

My way of saying Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this writing journey. You just don't know how much it means to me. Truly.

So, I'm offering a couple of prizes this week...including (but not limited to)...

A Girl's Night In Basket. Everything you need for an awesome evening IN...a night of hanging out with yourself and letting your mind rest. 

Framed art prints from my collection. {Did you know I had a collection? Neither did I...but I do. I collect pretty images. So, I'm going to print, enlarge & frame one for you. 

Perhaps this?

Or a different one...we'll see! (I have two to give away so I don't really have to be decisive just yet.) 

Signed copies of my novels...because I REALLY want everyone to visit Sweethaven!

...and so much more! 

So, what do you say? Play along? I'm dying to see where Sweethaven is this week! :) 

Visit my author page HERE & join in the fun! It's my way of saying a most heart-felt Thank you. 

The Pursuit of a Dream {What is holding you back?}

Oh, it's such an easy thing to say, isn't it? 

follow your heart. 

pursue your dream. 

find your passion. 

We've all heard every possible cliche on the topic of going after the thing we love most. The dream of being a writer, artist, business owner, public speaker (or whatever)...the thing that makes us happy is just within our reach...

That's what they say, right?

For years, I professed that this was an easy thing. Easy to tackle, this dream-following business. Fear and worry are absent, of course, because you're going after a dream. And the dream trumps all. 

The dream is the most important thing in the whole wide world. 

Right? 

But then life started happening to me. (I really do feel like that sometimes...it's not something I lived, it's something that happened to me...) And I got shaken a little bit. It's like God threw us in a Yahtzee cup, covered the lid with his hand and tossed us around for a little while...

When he spilt us out over the game board, something was different. My perspective had changed. 

Suddenly I understood I'd inserted myself into an idea of what it looked like to follow a dream. But the truth is...dream-following isn't easy. Especially in the mix of real life and responsibilities and parenting and being a good wife and forgetting important dates even though they've been on the calendar for months. 

Suddenly I understood how fear and worry can get in the way. Suddenly "What if...?" became powerful for a completely different reason. I believe those words are empowering, but when a fearful statement follows them...

What if I fail...?

What if no one likes my books...?

What if I get a bad review...?

What if I never get to do it again...?

Then those words become your enemy. And when you're talking about the battlefield of the mind, I'm telling you, that is one powerful enemy. 

So today I'm revisiting letting my heart be my guide. I'm diving into what that looks like. I'm uncovering what fears are standing in my way. I'm putting them in their place. 

Is it easy to follow your dreams? Not a chance...

But is it worth it? 

I'll let you know...but my heart is whispering... "yes. it is." 

To Thank You... {WIN a BIG book lover's gift basket}

Every once in awhile, I have to stop and think about these three books I wrote... I mean, I still think about the characters as if they're real people--a part of my life. And they were for so many months, it's hard to let them go without so much as a goodbye...

I'm so thankful for everyone who has taken the time to read my books. I didn't know how it would feel to get reader emails {it's amazing and humbling and amazing}...I didn't know how much more I would want to get to know the people who so related with these characters. 

I mean, we must have a lot in common, you and I.

During the month of November, I've decided to create my own "Reader Appreciation Month..." (I'm still working on a snazzier name than that)

A chance for me to give back to all of you beautiful souls who have taken the time to visit Sweethaven, who have come along this journey of writing a debut novel with me. It's been scary and emotional and wonderful and exciting all at the same time.

So November in my world is a month of gratitude... 

And I. Can't. Wait. {Gift Giving is one of my Love Languages...and there will be lots of gifts given!}

Still, when I looked at the calendar, I realized November actually starts this week...and I didn't want to overlook the first couple of days in this glorious, thankful month... so I'm kicking it off with a Share & Win contest...and here is the prize, a book lover's gift basket:

• Signed copies of each of my Sweethaven novels
• An LED Booklight
• A Barnes & Noble gift card
• A cozy throw blanket (a duplicate of the one I love more than all other blankets I own!) 

Here's how it works...

All you have to do is Like my author page & share the above image, which you can find right HERE.

That's it! Once you share the image, I'll be able to find you and your friends will be able to find me and who knows? Maybe they'll even visit Sweethaven...and maybe YOU will be the lucky winner of this fabulous basket of goodies. :) 

What do you say? Wanna play??

######

Also, I'm excited to announce the WINNER of Little Yellow Bicycle's Acorn Hollow collection (and a copy of my book) is:  

Lisa P said...

https://twitter.com/scraphappygirl/status/259313856915066880
tweeted

Lisa, shoot me your address at courtneyrwalsh{at}gmail{dot}com and I'll get that in the mail to you! :) 

And now...let the sharing (and the winning) begin! :) 

The Day We Met...

My junior year of college I was cast as Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest. It remains one of my favorite productions 1. because I got to wear a really fun costume that looked like drapery (and had a corset) and 2. because I got to learn how to do a British accent. 

I'll also add that one of my lines always got a really big laugh...and I still, to this day, have no idea why. Perhaps the "dim" part of Cecily Cardew isn't so unlike Courtney Walsh. 

Regardless. 

One night, after rehearsal I walked into my sorority house to find I'd missed one of those events, the kind where the girls bring their guy friends in to embarrass their pledge daughters...at this hour, there were still some stragglers hanging around, one of which was a guy I'd met in the dorms the year before. 

I didn't like him at all. 

I'll spare you the details, but this guy was soooo not my type. He was flirty and thought he was so funny and I was pretty sure he'd left a string of broken-ish hearts in his wake. 

And besides, I had a crush on someone else. 

Then I realized that same guy I'd written off last year was sitting at the baby grand piano in our front room. Now, don't get me wrong, I knew this was his way of impressing girls, but and I hated to admit it...it was kind of impressive. I mean, he was good. And several of my sorority sisters were great singers, so I walked into what sounded like a rehearsal for Rent. 

My first thought was, HE has TALENT? 

I admit. I had misjudged him. He was more than I originally thought. (How often does that happen?) So I stayed awhile. And sang awhile (this was before I realized I'm really not a very good singer) and that was that. 

But a few days later, that piano-playing flirt asked one of my sorority sisters about me. 

And I can't tell you what came over me. I think it might've been morbid curiosity, but I agreed to go out with him. I was certain it wouldn't go anywhere (and said as much to him) and positive we weren't right for each other (and told him so) and convinced my initial impression about him had to be at least a little bit right (it was.) 

But that night, I found myself at Perkins after rehearsal where I sat across from this boy until 5 a.m. talking about everything. I drank a Coke and he had a bottomless tea because neither of us had any money.

Turns out, he'd been away at a summer camp where he found Jesus and he couldn't wait to tell someone about it...

That night, I left pretty certain I knew everything about that guy. I mean, he told me things he'd never told anyone. Things you can't un-tell. That's not to say I understood him by any stretch, but he'd let me in to his world in a way that no one else ever had. 

When my theatre professor walked in to Perkins for breakfast, I realized we needed to leave (remember when you could pull an all-nighter and actually recover from it?) 

So we went home. And later that day, everyone I knew told me it was a terrible idea, dating this guy. What was I thinking? Why would I even consider it? Didn't I know his reputation? 

And I can't explain it. Because it really didn't make a bit of sense for someone like me to spend so much time with someone like him...

It's hard to find someone to love when you're young...because neither of you really knows who you are yet. You make mistakes. You say stupid things. But when you get to the other side of it, well, it's kind of a beautiful thing...

That Perkins date was 16 years ago today. And while I won't lie to you and tell you everything has always been perfect, I will tell you that I'm very, very thankful I didn't listen to everyone else...

Because this guy? He's my favorite "mistake." 

No one, not even me, can believe how thankful I am to have this man in my life. Because every day I think of another reason to love him. Even though he taught my kids to throw their socks in the ceiling fan.

Today I'm celebrating 16 years with my best friend...

And looking forward to 100 more...

Sweethaven, Acorn Hollow, Kelly Goree & A BIG Giveaway! {Phew!}

After I wrote A Sweethaven Summer, something really unexpected happened. I started to get letters from readers. 

No one tells you when you're writing that first book that something so amazing as that will happen one day...(Future writers, take note!) 

The thing I didn't expect to hear was "this book made me want to scrapbook again." Or "I'm not a scrapbooker, but after reading this book, now I want to try." 

I can tell you, it wasn't my intention to convert a new crop of scrapbookers...though, if that were a by-product of writing these novels, I'll surely take it. :) 

See, to me, there really are some wonderful reasons to scrapbook...to preserve, to capture, to process (I often process my thoughts while I'm scrapbooking them.) So, it was a natural fit to tie it all in...

So today, I have a super special, awesome treat for you (and a big giveaway)...and it comes from Little Yellow Bicycle & the FABULOUS Kelly Goree. Over the next few weeks, Kelly & I will be sharing at the LYB blog  some inspiring layouts inspired by Sweethaven...and many chances to WIN awesome prizes. 

So, I asked Kelly to create a layout about her oldest & dearest friend...after all, Sweethaven is a whole series celebrating oldest & dearest friends...{the kind I call "life friends."} She used LYB's Acorn Hollow and look what she came up with: 

Here is Kelly's sweet journaling: 

"To say I was blessed the day you walked into my dorm room almost twenty-five years ago wouldn’t even begin to describe it. There was no way of knowing that you, my mid-term replacement roommate freshman year of college, would become my lifelong best friend. I know physically we’re as different as two people can be (and you got the good end of that deal!) but we were soul sisters from the very start. We complimented each other. I talked you into trying things you never had done before (including coloring your hair for the first time – sorry!) and you taught me what true friendship was all about. I am so grateful and humbled that you are my “person.” 

What's that you say? You want to win this collection for yourself? 

Well, guess what? You're in luck. Today, I'm giving away an Acorn Hollow prize pack {the whole collection!} that will also include a signed copy of A Sweethaven Homecoming, the second book in my Sweethaven series.

Because this is the PERFECT time of year for Homecoming & Acorn Hollow, I am going to give you lots more chances to enter my drawing. Blog, Tweet, Facebook or Pin this post/giveaway, then come back here and leave another comment for each one you do. That's four more chances to win just for sharing the news! 

BUT! That's not all!

There's also a SECOND chance to win! Head over to the Little Yellow Bicycle Blog for yet another chance to WIN A Sweethaven Homecoming.