Dana's Book Nook

The Wedding Dress

2011-01-14T21:49:00.004-05:00

Here it is! This is the wonderful dress I found to serve as the "wedding dress" in the latest book. I took the liberty of colorizing it to reflect the actual color of the dress described.

Many thanks to my uncle for suggesting the green/green coloring... and the many who discussed the pros and cons of various other color possibilites!

2011-01-14T21:31:00.003-05:00

Hi there everyone....

It has been a crazy year. Yes, I said year, for it has been nearly that long since I last updated the blog. Between moving, getting settled in, vacation time, "me" time, and a promotion at work, it has been wild and crazy. The end of October was I diagnosed with diabetes, so you can imagine what life has been like as a result. I've dropped 25 lbs. as a result, and still getting life back in order.

The latest book has just come out as of yesterday. "The Heart Mended" picks up with the latest concerning the children of James and Ella Gray. If you read, "The Heart Broken", the last chapter of the book skipped ahead five years in time and left you hanging with the sudden death of a much beloved character. When Ella Gray died, so did the hopes and dreams of her children.... or so they thought. Through the kindness and compassion of family friends, it seems that the Gray children are reliving their mother and uncle's lives from almost forty years earlier.

This book was a delight to write, and it mentally flowed out onto my keyboard and screen as if I were witness to it actually happening before my eyes. I had even seen a wonderful dress a year or so ago that I hoped one day to be able to use in one of my future books. Lo and behold, the book ended up being "The Heart Mended". I'll post a picture of the dress that will be the "wedding dress" talked about. And yes, there is a wedding... and of a main character! I won't ruin the surprise.

I'm presently working on the fourth book in the series. It is tentatively titled, "The Heart Remembers". In this book, it will not only keep the current story moving, but will go back in time and reveal the histories behind Grandpa Benjamin and Grandma Ruth's families (of the first book, "The Heart's Desire). It will be quite a stretch for me to research and write about a time period that isn't really my forte', but I'm going to give it a try and go from there. The worst that can happen... it flounders and isn't any good. I won't give up, though. The book after that will be the first of possibly two books that cover the Civil War era in Breckinridge County and the nation.

Going to close for now. I'll be posting a picture of the above mentioned dress shortly! Have a great one in Him!!

Dana

It's Finally Done

2010-04-08T23:09:00.003-04:00

Well, it's finally come and went. Moving day was March 20th and while there were a LOT of emotional moments leading up to that day, there were very few on the actual move day. Quite a few friends along with my brother in law, nephew, aunt, and uncle helped get what I owned from a two bedroom apt. to a one bedroom apt. I wasn't sure it would work, but it did. And several friends gave me a "new" couch and recliner, diningroom suit, and bedroom suit. The Sunday School across the hall from the Nursery (at Church) gave me a brand new mattress as a housewarming gift. I've never had a brand NEW mattress! The blessings that occurred in just one week's time frame are unbelievable... there were 18 that I counted in just a few days or so!

Still unpacking boxes, but thanks to my cousin and a friend from church, quite a bit of it got unpacked and put in place. Just a few days ago several friends from church came over to mount my curio shelves and corner curios. I'm now getting back "into" life and living again since the move. Hopefully here soon I'll be back into writing the next book in the series, "The Heart Mended".

Say a prayer for me and the first book in the series, "The Heart's Desire". Here soon I plan on sending it to "The Writer's Edge" in hopes of getting it professionally published. Self-publishing is nice, and it gets the job done for the moment... but I'm not an agent or a promoter and have little free time to take it on. If it's what God is wanting to have happen, then things will fall into place with it, like it did with the moving!

Heading on to bed now. It's the first time I've been in bed before midnight in almost three weeks.

Have a great one!!

First Review in for "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken"

2010-02-19T20:09:00.002-05:00

Well, I hadn't planned on doing a posting tonight, but couldn't sit on this. I got in the first review for "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken". As you all know, "The Heart's Desire" is my first attempt at fiction writing. To say I was scared was an understatement. I wasn't sure how it would be received. I was scared that much more that I'd made an idiot out of my myself through my writing attempts and now EVERYONE knew what I felt. I love my family, but while they love my books... I needed to find someone objective to honestly critique it. So, by the grace of God and a friend from church, Debra Gaynor's name was given to me to contact. Debra is a Kentucky reviewer who has her own business and wants to promote the fine authors Kentucky has to offer. So when she not only gave a 5 star rating to "Forget Me Not" AND wrote about it in the Hancock Clarion newspaper, my confidence started to rise... and thus I began my venture into fictional writing.

Below you will find the reviews found at "Readers Favorite: Book Reviews". Out of a 0-5 star rating (0 being bad, 5 being outstanding), I received a 5 star rating for both books. To say I'm estatic just doesn't cover it. I'm beyond estatic. At the present, my dreams are beginning to be touched... but there is still MUCH more of the dream to grasp.

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Rated 5 Stars
The Hearts Desire-Book 1 of "The Heart Series"

Moving from Virginia to Kentucky was a hard trip for the Baker Family. Tragedy and joy followed them on the journey. The death of children and the birth of son along the way, only to be murdured by Indians in this their dream land. The few who survive carry on the legacy.

Ella Baker Gray has grown uo, married and raising a family of her own, all the while beliving her oldest brother survived the attack years ago.When a mysterious stranger arrives in town, he holds the key to all the questions Ella has pondered for years.
When their daughter Kate falls in love with William Miller, his father comes between them and along with her plans to be a teacher will this drive them apart or make their love stronger.

When an unexpected storm comes up just as the Church social is ending everyone in its path is threatened.

As the tornado rips through the town who will survive........

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Rated 5
The Heart Broken-Book 2 of "The Heart" Series

In book two of The Heart Series we find the town of Big Springs Kentucky trying to recoup from the tornado that nearly destroyed the town. When many lives were lost along with homes and businesses ,the town would survive. They would re-build.
For one family, James and Ella Gray the tornado was devastating. When Ella survives the tornado the outcome of the rest of the family changes completely. Who can predict the future.

Matthew Conner along with his family has been a stronghold in the Big Springs community for several years, but he has secrets that have remained hidden that would surprise the whole town if they only knew. If they ever became known it could very well destroy not only his life but the life of his daughter, destroyed by the hands of his very own family.

As the new year begins there have been many changes. A new school teacher, who has her own little unsuspected twists and turns to add to the story to a surprise ending of the book.

To get to know the characters and the what leads up to the beginning of the book “The Heart Broken “one really needs to read the first book ”The Heart’s Desire”. Look for book 3 of the series out later in 2010
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I'm waiting with anticipation two more reviews to come in on both books... to see if the first was a fluke, or if I really do have "something" to work with.

Have a great one!
Dana

And It Continues....

2010-02-18T23:46:00.002-05:00

Got the word yesterday that it'll be 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 wks. before they'll have the apartment ready for me to come view and do the last little bit of paperwork. So the date is definitely narrowed down to one of two weekends. Either March 20th or March 27th. The 20th would be best for me, as the 27th is the local book fair. I've already ordered (and paid for) the books and the table for the fair and the roughly $300 isn't something I can "eat". So while I'm praying God's will, I'm hoping it's that He has the 20th in His will. We shall see!

As for now, any writing on the next book in the series (which I'm also working on as a "presentation" piece) has come to a sudden halt until at least after Easter. Each room, minus the bathroom, has little odds and ends that need to be packed to "complete" as much as possible until the actual move day. That means I'll be packing and getting things ready as much as possible between now and then. It also means I might be a little more quiet on this end, barring book reviews coming in, until I get moved into the new place. Once I have a set date, I'll be brief... posting the date... and then it'll be after the move before I get back up and going again. Getting excited!!

Have a great one!

Exciting Times Abound

2010-02-16T18:59:00.003-05:00

Where do I begin? The excitement has been incredible the past two days to the point I can barely stand it. Yesterday I got the call that it'll be a couple of weeks before an apartment is ready for me to view. If it pans out, then it looks promising for a possible March 20th date to move. That means I need to get "off my behind" from writing and start packing so I'm not totally caught off guard. Tonight... it's totally breaking down the bathroom minus the absolute essentials. Gonna be interesting!!

Today has been incredible. I finally received the copies of "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken" for the book fair the end of March. It seemed as soon as I started showing them off, they started selling. In one hour's time, I'd sold three sets of the series plus one book of "Forget Me Not" and one book of "The Heart Broken".... two hours later I sold two more sets. With what was sold in that short amount of time, I believe I have recouped what I've already paid for the printing of the 10 sets. Out of all of this, there was a very special blessing that occurred. This blessing is one of two blessings that I can fall back to when I get in the writer doldrums and wonder what in the world am I doing writing.

I know you all know I'm a preschool teacher of many years. One of my former students, she's nine years old, came with her mom this evening to pick up her little sister. I happened to have the books there and showed her mom... to which her mom called her over to see them. Caitlin loves to read, I gave her my old set of "Little House on the Prairie" books when she was finally reading at a level where she could understand what she was reading. So when she was reading the backs of the books I asked her if she liked the "Little House" books, to which she replied, "yes". I responded that my books were like those. Well, Caitlin asked about getting a set and her mom said they would but things were a little tight right now and they would get them later. With that, you could see the wheels beginning to turn in Caitlin's mind. She said, "Mom, I have $34, I could get one book." Her mom asked her if that included $10 from her sister (Caitlin just had a birthday a few weeks ago) and she replied, "No." When her mom told her she had $44, Caitlin got all excited and said, "I can get both books mom!". She was so excited that she was getting them... reminding me she would get them tomorrow and wanted them signed.

I can't tell you what that did for my ego, but MOST especially for my heart. This is the second of my former kids who has a copy/copies of my books and are excited about them. While my marketing strategy is for the 30+ year old womens group, my secret desire was also to reach the pre-teen and early teen readers too. I wanted to offer them another choice besides the Vampire novels and Harry Potter books that are out there. Something that their moms could read right along side them and they could discuss it and talk about the characters... and the moms weren't concerned about language, extreme sexual/violence scenes their daughters might read. So this has been a VERY blessed day that I'm not only grateful for the blessing of having, but excited that He chose me to experience it.

Y'all have a good one!

Dana

Decisions and Surprises

2010-02-13T14:40:00.003-05:00

It has been a wild and crazy week. First it was a possible publishing company's interest in me and my books, then it was snow, then it was more snow, then it was more snow! We've had a break in the snow, the last round letting loose with 6". Weather forcaster are saying there is more scheduled to be on the way starting tomorrow. Depending on the track of the system, we'll get snow or we'll get SNOW. I think I'm going to have to make a trek to the store to get more dog food so the Pookie puppy is as ready for it as what I am.

Obtaining a publisher has been an interesting venture. There are several things on the table, the first being something local. I talked earlier this week with Bearhead Publishing based in Louisville, Kentucky about my books and publishing avenues. Due to scheduling conflicts this coming week, we will be meeting to talk the following week (barring any snow events). I'm interested to hear what they have to say and what they can do regarding the publishing and promoting of my future work. While it seems the first two in the series are probably out of their publishing control, it seems God is moving me into several different areas and places.

The second has been something on a "national" level. I've been retooling the next book in the series, tentatively entitled "The Heart Mended". I'm beginning to learn the ins and outs of the publishing world. I learned that the first two books in the series are under my ownership when it comes to the content within the pages of the book. Lulu Publications, though, holds complete and total publishing writes... so the first two books are not under my publishing control. In order to have a body of work to present to Writer's Edge or Christian Manuscript, I need to do some heavy "reflecting of the two previous books" in the first chapters of the newest book. It will provide them the ability to send it to a traditional publishing firm, versus a private/local firm, and there be no issues with ownership of the writing or publishing portions. Only time will tell! I'm not making rash decisions and have several that I'm talking with for guidance and help. Oh, and waiting on a contract lawyer too! All that said... I have a LOT of work to do on my part... but I'm up for it.

Have a great one and happy reading!!

And We're Off....

2010-02-08T00:39:00.002-05:00

This has been one very exciting weekend. Not only did I get my income tax in, but it provided me with the chance to order a grouping of both books for a book fair the end of March. My cousin, Duke, had spent several days going through and finding places and groups that offered various types of products for authors and even contacted two different Christian bookstores regarding the placement of my books. God love him!! He's getting a half ton of peanut brittle, if not a whole ton of it!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I contacted AFAF (Almost Famous Author's Faire) regarding placing my book on their submissions list. That's when I found out about the pending book fair but that I had a possible chance at gaining an actual publisher. Up until now I'd been printing on demand through Lulu.com. If anyone wanted a book, they either had to purchase it directly through them or go through me... and I would pray I had the money to pay for the book until their check went through. I've been in email contact with Bearhead Publishing, a small, local publishing company, and will learn at some point this week if I am someone they are interested in taking on. The "roughest part" was making sure I wasn't held down by Lulu for anything that might hamper any positive work that might occur with Bearhead Publishing. Keep your fingers crossed! I will post to let you know if and what happens when it does.

For those that will be in the area of Clarksville, Indiana, at the Green Tree Mall from noon until 7pm on March 27th, there will be a book fair hosted by AFAF (Almost Famous Authors Faire). We'll be set up in the courtyard down by J. C. Penney's, so come look me up! I'll have plenty of books on hand to sell and sign while I'm there. If I run out, I can take pre-orders and mail them to you directly when they come in. I have a feeling this is going to be a VERY exciting week for me, in the book writing field. Stay tuned!

Off to bed for now. We're due 3-6" overnight tomorrow night, so I'll be hitting the store tomorrow for bread as I just pulled out my last loaf. Oh, and I'll need to replenish the hot chocolate and something sweet for the sweet tooth that's been growing!

Exciting Blessings

2010-01-31T21:43:00.002-05:00

I don't think I've ever posted something on back to back days, so this is probably a first. The day has been chocked full of blessings and I just had to share them.

Yesterday was "D-Day" for the book's release. I was so excited about the release of it, I could barely contain it. In fact, the only damper was that I didn't feel comfortable enough to drive to Jeffersonville for my nephew's 16th birthday party. We had 4 1/2" of snow fall here Friday night/Saturday morning and after a MAJOR scare on black ice Tuesday during the commute to work, I was still a little skittish about driving at night. This morning I was able to go into the sanctuary for first service at church (something that's only happened once or twice before in the past 6 years of heading up the Nursery Department). The sermon was a good one... reconfirming everything I'd been feeling God was telling me over the past couple of weeks. Hahahaaa... it reaffirmed that I needed to be patient about the move into the apartment. I know God was having fun with me as He KNOWS patience isn't my strong suit.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the blessing really started rolling in. My fave 21st century author replied to my email and made an offer that was extraordinary. She's asked me to be her guest blogger on her blogspot in April. I've never been to a guest blogging, let alone know how it's done... but I'm excited none the less. She's going to introduce me and my books to her readers. I am SO excited. I get to talk about three things important to me, only succeeded by God and my relationship with Him. I get to talk about writing, genealogy, and Breckinridge County. Then just when I thought it couldn't get any better, next comes the "cherry on top".

I'd only posted via my Facebook status that the book was available. As of a couple of hours ago I had already sold 3 of the new book. If you could have only seen my happy dance. I'm now working on the next in the series due to all the adrenaline coursing through my vein. Gotta take advantage of the drive and the "little whispers" that have been coming since about 8pm tonight. Those little whispers are how to tie up the loose ends from "The Heart Broken" and fill in a little more of things I left to the imagination. I was afraid that doing Alexandria's story as I did would be a downer for family who knew her story was being done. I'm drawing off of what was unwritten in the one book and expanding in the next one. I'm doing the same with a "major" storyline that seemed to "not be wrapped up properly". Both will be explored in greater detail in this book. I just LOVE writing!

Have a great one!

"The Heart Broken" Available for Purchase

2010-01-30T22:33:00.004-05:00

I can very happily report that "The Heart Broken" is available to the public now. Yippee!! This afternoon the last of the corrections were completed, a few adjustments made to the back cover page, and then it was all sent to Lulu.com. I was excited to send it, and overjoyed to learn it was ready so soon. Yet, while I was excited to see this next book become available, it means that an "end" as come... of sorts. I won't divulge what as it is part of the storyline. I will only say that it saddened my heart, yet I knew the pruning was needed for what was ahead for the next few books.

One of my favorite 21st century authors had a book contest recently and I won a book through that contest. I had, what I thought, was an idea of what the book was about. When I started reading it, it threw me for a loop. Not only wasn't it what I thought, but it was even better... it caught my attention right off the bat. Each night I read a little more which gets those cogs in my brain grinding. Before I know it, I have ideas floating through for snippets of stories in my writing. Hehehehehee... and then I go to Laura's blog and see pictures she has embedded in her page... and that stirs up even more ideas. I think I need to get this move into the new apartment hurried so I can get back to writing ASAP!

Speaking of which, there is one person ahead of me on the waiting list for an available apartment. It's been agonizing, but it has been working out for the best enlight of little things going on that cause you to side step along the way.

Have a great one!

Packing, Moving, and "A Forest of Books"

2010-01-02T09:27:00.007-05:00

Well, over the past month I've been going through everything I own in my two bedroom apartment to purge, clean, and pack. I'm in the process of moving to a one bedroom apartment in which the rent will be cheaper and most of the utilities will be paid. Lord knows it will help out on the finances, but the emotional toll it's taking can be nearly unbearable at times.

Seeing old trinkets, mementos, and especially clothes, has brought back a world of memories and stories I had forgotten about.... not to mention no need to go shopping for new clothing! It's been hard to see some things go to the trash or to other people, but I know it's what has to be done. The neatest, so far, has been my mother's collection of records. They were her pride and joy when she was alive, despite not having a turntable for two decades to listen to them on. She simply couldn't part with them as they reminded her of a time gone-by and my father. I knew the 100 or so albums from the 50's-80's were more than I could keep and I wanted them to go to a good home. Selling them to a local music store seemed to be the only option until a good friend noticed my comment about having to load them into my car. It seems he received a turntable/CD player for Christmas and loved the 33 1/3rd albums. We talked and a few hours later he came to pick them up. In talking with his wife, she said he was so excited upon getting them home and going through them. As hard as it was saying "goodbye", it was even better... near cathartic... to know they were with someone who would appreciate and take care of them.

To this same friend went a TON of books (and I'm still finding more as I pack). I packed up five boxes of genealogy books alone, with more scattered throughout two other boxes. My personal books, those I wanted to keep, have totalled roughly four boxes... with still another box to be packed. I teasingly look at the boxes and think, "I have a small forest of trees in those boxes". When I go to move or pick them up, I feel like I found the whole tree... trunk, roots, and all. In the end, though, I have 2-4' book cases that will house those books rather nicely in my livingroom... and a 10' bookcase to house the genealogy books. So there you go, the bookcases and books will "complete the tree"!

Off to relax a little more before possibly attempting to pack more for the eventual move! Then again, maybe not!

And So It Goes

2009-12-16T13:25:00.002-05:00

You have to love it when it comes to moving and living life in general. Not only am I'm sorting through and packing 17 yrs. worth of memories, I still have 2 jobs I'm working in addition to it being Christmas time. Couple that with promotion one book and retooling/proofing another, and you have a recipe for one BUSY kind of life!

My blessing for the day came with a reviewer's comments. The place that reviewed my first book is one of the reviewer's for the second book... first in the series of books. It SO made my day that this particular reviewer loved the second book. With all the hustle and bustle going on... it's nice to have that little surprise tucked under the edge of my heart to help it on it's journey today!

Have a great one!!

Seventeen Years of Memories

2009-12-02T08:25:00.002-05:00

Well, after living for seventeen years in the same apartment complex, I am finally moving to a new apartment. For twelve years mom and I lived in a second floor apartment before the necessity of a first floor unit. I am presently living in that first floor apartment and have since Aug., 2003. A jarring incident almost two weeks ago made me realize my safety wasn't as secure anymore, nor was Baby's. It seems someone decided to set the hallway of the apartment building on fire. Of four families, only one was home that day... thankfully... or the whole building would have went up in flames and everything a total loss. Goes to show just how much prayer can change things. Every night I pray a hedge of protection around myself and Baby, the room, the apartment, the building, et. al. Then I ask God to have His Hand upon us with secure and complete safety for all that we need to do.

As you can imagine, I'm in the process of going through seventeen years of memories. Since moving here, my grandparents (who showed us these apartments) and my brother and my mom have passed away. I just found out a few days ago how much I'm like mom (in not wanting to face going through item of someone deceased) as she had two drawers that need to be sorted through of dad's things. He died in Jan., 1986. Just like in the apartment safety and security issues, I'm having to trust God to help me make the right decision on what to keep and what to get rid of. There've been tears shed, but also a realization of just how good I've had it. The handcarved wooden clock that my brother gave my mom for Christmas (which doesn't work now, the endless mounds of video tapes mom did of her favorite shows, various books, my washer and dryer, one of the entertainment centers... all have to go. If not for lack of "hook ups", it's for lack of room.

I guess I'm learning that just like with God, there are times for keeping and times for letting go. Just as the tree needs pruning to grow even more than it already has, I'm pruning life so I can grow even more that I already have.

Have a great one!!

It Is Finished.... Sort Of

2009-11-21T11:31:00.002-05:00

Well, it is finally finished. The rough draft of "The Heart Broken" was finished Thursday night, and I can say I'm pleased with it. The last chapter was a little difficult to write, as I knew what I wanted to say but didn't quite know how to say it. The last page or two was the most difficult as I had to go slowly so as to not lose the reader from the "speeding up of time". What I had intended to be a storyline in the next book was rather shortened and at the end of this particular book, meaning the storylines were bumped up a bit.

In this book there is the culmination of the 1849 tornado, the loss of several major characters, the rebuilding of many lives, and the introduction of several new characters. I've covered things regarding the Conner family and Alexandria Ford and their roles in this book. What I didn't cover was a few other characters. There was the expansion of the young Mabel Parker friend to Cora Gray. Mabel and Cora are roughly the same age. They attend school together and are best friends. Mabel eventually is called upon to help out, but will she be successful or not in her endeavors. Then there is the introduction of the stern stepfather Jacob Mercer. He could care less about his stepchildren, as his only desire is to sire children of his own. While he's a minor character and only in a brief section of the book, his impact will be felt throughout the next book in the series, "The Heart Mended".

The last set of characters briefly mentioned in "The Heart Broken" are Thomas and Emma Green. He from Virginia, she from Southeastern Kentucky, they arrive in Big Spring in late 1850 and are looking to fulfill their heart's desire and a new ministry in the area. What Emma fails to realize is that women preachers, or women as the head of a church, aren't well received in 1854 nor in rural Kentucky. What she endures will break your heart, but route for her and her family none the less.

All that said, I need to be getting ready for a baby shower for a cousin. Happy Reading!!

In The Homestretch

2009-11-19T08:13:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm on the last few pages before the rough draft will be considered finished. I can't wait. I had been pondering a few things the last week, mainly how I was going to end the book. I had already introduced the next two storylines within this book and still needed to move it forward, yet not too far. On the way home, I connected up and realized JUST how the end of the book should be. Once I started fleshing it out in my mind, the more things started rolling and fit into what I felt I was being led to do for the next book in the series.

Excited simply just doesn't do the word or emotion justice regarding what I felt last night. Things are running so smooth right now, I'm a little scared. I guess because I was taking things "oh so slow" to invoke the right emotions and feelings from the reader that I forgot what it was for my fingers to fly.

Proofing has already been completed for the first 3 chapters and very much on a roll right now. I can't believe it... it looks like it'll be ready for a stocking stuffer at Christmas!

Almost At The Finish Line

2009-11-13T09:26:00.003-05:00

Well, it's been over a month since I posted to my blog, but life intruded yet once again. The downturn in the economy has been such that the daycare has seen a drop off in enrolled children which has resulted in combining classes as well as fluxuating hours. While in once sense it's not a good thing, in another sense it's not a bad thing.

With the fluxuation of hours, I'm taking on new and different responsibilities with the newly acquired title of assistant director (actually I'm one of two now). While I like the change in hours and duties, there are times I yearn for teaching again. Heheheee... but one day or afternoon in the a classroom shows me that I really do need a break. As a result, though, I stay in a "stressful" state because I'm not one that takes to change easily. I'm forever wondering if I'm getting everything done that needs be done, or if I'm forgetting that one little thing that makes my (or someone else's) job a little easier down the road. While some might look at this whole change as a "not so good thing", I'm looking at it as God's blessing to learn during a period when time is a little easier to find!

Writing has been unusually slow the past several weeks. I don't think it's so much that I don't have anything to say, I'm wrapping up the book... so there's lots to say! I think God's intentions were for me not to write during the last couple of weeks. It's been a "struggle" of sorts to get down what I want to say, but with good reason. I'm wrapping up the story of Alexandria (based on the last years of life for my cousin, Lieta); starting the new storyline of Mabel... which not only will be a main story in the next book, but serve to set a tone throughout all the books (honoring/remembering the midwives and medically inclined of my ancestors); and the culmination of one beloved character's life. It will be SO hard to write them out, but it has to be done for the advancement of storyline. I also will be introducing a set of characters, for the series' third book, that will be based on the lives of my g-grandmother's brother and wife, half brother and wife. I really get to explore the area of religion during the mid-nineteenth century through the latter two groups of characters, as well as that of a woman preacher in rural America. It should be VERY interesting.

All that said, now I must head off for work. While the hours are crazy, at least it's a paycheck doing one of the things I love... taking care of children!

Ciao

A Few Pies Finished!

2009-10-10T10:05:00.008-04:00

In reference to my last posting, I finally have a few of the "pies" out of the oven and they "look" great. Chapters 4, 5, and most of 6 have been retooled and look much better. I must have been going through somewhat of a fog when I wrote them as I hit the delete button a LOT in the latter two chapters mentioned. It freed up some page space, which is what I wanted as I still have stories finish (and two to start). With the amount of pages left it, didn't seem to be enough. Now I can get back to writing and then return to the rough draft for further tweeking later!

Been a wild week, weather-wise around here. My grandparents old "stomping grounds" had an F-0 tornado that struck early yesterday morning. While I've traipsed in car and on foot over those hallowed grounds, it's nothing like hearing about it and pulling up the maps to see what you DO remember and want to go back and see. Several cousins still live in the general area, not to mention many an ancestor buried there, so am glad to know that everyone is doing okay and suffered no damage. Kinda odd, though, in reading and listening about the tornado and the area on the Breck. Co. radio station's online website and on the local Louisville news. Breck. Co. isn't "famous" in the Louisville area unless something major happens there. So while it was an F-0 tornado... it threw me to hear about the area I've been to, as well as have in my books... sorta. While set in an area that is in and around Big Spring.... the tiny towns of Custer and Dyer are a little piece away... locals term that it's "only as far as the crow flies". Hmmmmmmmm!!!!!

Off to do some researching for a cousin who is interested in a family connection concerning a good friend of his. Having a bit of an uncommon surname, my cousin and his friend wondered if they were related. While I can trace back the friend's family lines pretty well, I've not been as fortunate on my cousin's paternal side (which is the one I need to get info on). It's been almost 30 or so years since I've talked to or seen my former uncle. Am praying he's receptive to my phone call and will help... and not ask questions about his two sons. Long story that goes with all that, but I want to respect my cousin's wishes. Hope it's a good phone call. Hope it's an informative phone call. Hope it's a short one, in one sense!

Have a great Saturday! 6 days until "the day". Uggggghhhh!

Too Many Pies, Not Enough Ovens

2009-10-03T07:01:00.004-04:00

This one is going to be a short posting as I need to be at a Yard Sale VERY shortly. Chapter Ten proved to be not only a crucial chapter, but one that bogged me down. I wanted to make sure I got the pivotal items in place to begin wrapping up this particular book, but was finding it hard to get in my mind what I wanted to say and put it on paper. After two weeks of brooding over it in my head and making as much progess in that time as what I would in two days, I finally got past the "elephant in the room". Made a phone call to Hardinsburg, posed some situations to them, and Karen helped out tremendously in what began to flow in my head as the ending solution to the abuse/alcohol storyline that I've been working on. I think what slowed me up was trying to reconcile my mind that I was writing fiction beyond the family story that I was patterning Matthew Connor after. Once I came into realization of that, it really started to flow a little easier.

Never the less, it was all still so very slow. Now that I've eased around that elephant, I can finish it up as well as concentrate more on Alexandria and her situation, as well as the bump up of a minor character to a major character status. I still have the next book in which this minor character's complete assimilation into the main family will happen, but the ground work almost ready to be put in place.

If you're wondering about the title of this posting... think of someone that has so many things going on and not enough time in the day to do them all. I think "Too Many Pies, Not Enough Ovens" is very appropriate with what's going on in my life right now.

And with that, it's off to the Yard Sale.

Now Things Are Rolling

2009-09-07T10:14:00.002-04:00

I had always heard that if you are going to write, make sure it's on a topic that you know about. Have you ever read an article or book, and while reading it you wondered where in the world "some of this came from"? I have, and it's so sad as I would really get interested in what was going on and then be blown out of the water by erroneous facts or well meaning intentions that went bad.

I think that's what was my greatest fear in doing the first part of this book, especially the last several chapters. While not growing up in an alcoholic home or being around alcoholism, I had and have NO clue what the homelife is like, let alone knew how to write a storyline around it. While it wasn't really talked about by my grandparents or aunts and uncles, I'm slowly learning about the issues and things my grandmother and her immediate family went through at the hands of her father. As I listened to a cousin, who lived with her father at her grandmother's house (my g-grandmother), I was truly amazed at not only what had gone on, but how a "generational curse" can continue on until someone makes a conscious effort to break the cycle. I remember smiling when hearing that my g-grandmother would always pass the gift of Jesus on to this particular cousin by one simple act. She would hold her granddaughter's face, look her in the eye, and smile before saying, "Remember, Jesus loves you.". As simple as that.

Mamaw had great faith and trusted in Whom she believed in. As I have learned about her from those that remember her best, I truly now can see how the alcoholism ran the lives of those living in the household. How it etched a daily way of life into the lives of those trying to escape the presence of the one who was the alcoholic, not to mention carried over into their own homes and those of their childrens' homes decades later. It really gives a new meaning to, "Train up a child in the way it should go and it will not soon depart from it." If you train a child to be fearful, they will be fearful. If you train up a child to be loving, they will be loving. The longer the training, the more ingrained it will be, thus becoming a part of their very personality long into the adulthood and senior years. These same stories are now what's opening my eyes to snippets of conversations with my grandmother decades ago and her feelings towards drinking and alcohol.

All this to say, Matthew Conner not only is a complex person, but someone with a complex problem that is shoved onto his family as well. They don't want it but are powerless to its effects. Putting all that into words, into a viable working story, when you have never lived it or been a part of such a lifestyle can be almost impossible. Didn't God say, though, "All things are possible with Him"? That's how I viewed it as I wrote on Matthew's story, praying the entire time. As things began to slowly pan out, it became easier and now the whole story is rolling along nicely.

In the next chapter, I believe it's Chapter Nine, will be the introduction of "Alexandria Ford". It took a little bit to figure out a last name as I wanted it to be a regional name but not a family name. Then I remembered the family name of a dear cousin of mine and adopted it as "Alexandria's" last name. As I stated in an earlier blog, "Alexandria" will be based on my distant cousin Lieta. I am so excited to write her story, yet scared at the same time. So, as with Matthew's story, I'll be doing a lot of praying and seeking God's wisdom in what to write and how to write it. Research on Aplastic Anemia, what Lieta died from, has been interesting and will require me to talk to a cousin or two in the medical field to make sure the medical aspect (illness and symptoms) is as accurate as possible. It'll require me to make a few more phone calls to Lieta's siblings to hopefully jar their memories of her last year and what she went through... how they knew she was as sick as she was. As special as it will be to write her story, I pray I do it justice.

Sick Puppy update

2009-08-31T22:43:00.006-04:00

Well, while I'm ready to crash... the "sick puppy" is bouncing around here and there as if last night never happened. In fact, she's been a little too friendly tonight as she wants ALL my attention while I'm trying to write. I think she finally gave up about ten minutes ago as she's staring at me on the couch... just watching and waiting for the right moment to run over and jump up in the chair with me to "warm" my backside. Thank goodness for fans!

Here's a pic of Baby, affectionately known as "Pookie". This is of her and her Froggie squeak toy. Froggie is the only "flying frog" I know of in the city of Louisville... as when we play, Froggie goes a sailin'! In this pic, it's as if she was daring me not to come get Froggie... saying something like, "Back away and the Frog doesn't get hurt!"

That's my Pookie!

Sick Puppy and Lieta

2009-08-31T01:37:00.004-04:00

Well, here I sit at 1:38am in the blessed morning... attending to a sick puppy. She's 8 years old, so not technically a puppy, but she has a puppy face and plays like a puppy... even sleeps like a puppy.

Baby, I call her Pookie, was a blessing in disguise almost two years ago. Not quite two months after my brother's sudden death, my sister calls and tells me of her grandmother-in-law being in bad health (not expected to live) and owning a dog that is half Jack Russell and half Chihuahua. She asks if we might be interested as the dog might help pull mom out of her depression. We talked a little and I called her back, arranging a time to go see the dog. Little did I know that roughly two hours later, this little bundle would come home with me... and a few hours later I'd see my mother smile for the first time since my brother's death.

This was all in January, and come the end of April, mom's depression as well as osteoarthritis got the better of her. She fell, breaking three ribs. A week after taking her into the hospital, she died. While the death certificate says, "pneumonia", it was really "a broken heart complicated by three broken ribs". While my world was spinning beforehand, it went topsy-turvy. This little bundle of a dog, just over 20 lbs., would be my reason to come home at night, my determination to get up in the morning and keep a routine. I think I have as many pics of her on my computer and camera phone as what most parents and grandparents do of their own flesh and blood.

Tonight, though, is the first time she's been sick since we got her. She has sinus problems as well as allergies and while I had the windows open all day, I never once gave it a thought that it might affect her. It hasn't in the past. Evidently today, it did, as I sit here now waiting for her to stop initiating my carpet, sofa, and chair. With not having kids... I guess this is about as close as it gets to "being up all night with a sick kid".

I talked with my cousin, Lovera, Friday night about her sister. Twyla Lieta Lynch was a very special young lady who was cut down in life all too suddenly. One of ten children to Rufus and Katie Mae Minter Lynch, she had a specialness about her. Born in 1925, she learned to play the guitar and sang southern gospel music with some of her cousins as she was growing up. Pictures show Lieta, as she was called by family, most always with a smile or a grin on her face. When she graduated from Irvington High School, she became a teacher, teaching at the one room school house in High Plains in Breckinridge County. It was while she was teaching that she found out she was sick. Today's term would be leukemia. Cancer.

One of her sisters begged to stay in eighth grade another year so she could spend time with her big sister. She was allowed to, and spent the year helping her sister with the other students. In January of 1944 Lieta was taken to St. Joseph's Infirmary in Louisville (there's apartments on the location now). She never came home once she entered the hospital. I can only imagine the devastation her parents felt, but know that their faith in God is what carried them through burying the second of two children that had died by this time.

Lieta is who I am patterning a minor character after in the book I'm presently working on. While I haven't come up with a last name as of yet, I will be drawing from Lieta's experiences and her personality when I write on the character of "Alexandria". The name of Alexandria is of someone dear to my heart and I wanted to save it to use for someone special... and the memory of Lieta and her life is perfect.

Whether a person, or a puppy, you never know when life will throw your a curve you least expect. Sometimes it's just missing hours of sleep. Sometimes it's missing years of a life that should have been.

On to the next chapter...

2009-08-29T08:07:00.003-04:00

Well, it's on to Chapter 7 now. I had thought about taking Chapter 6 and making it longer than it has actually turned out. In the end, it was so emotional for me to write, I didn't want to do anything but this particular family for the entire chapter. When you read this section, this will make sense. Chapter 7, though, will be the beginning of a budding romance and the return of a beloved character because of events in the previous chapter.

Am now looking in to 1850 probate laws and estate settlement laws for Kentucky. Last thing I need to do is write something and it not be as plausable or "realistic" as possible. Hahahaaa... and the last thing I want to do is be bored out of my mind reading dry material that I barely understand... so THAT little task (reading the laws) should be an interesting turn!

Oh, and Mr. Matthew Conner.... despicable character of the "month".... he took a somewhat humanly turn. A developing mystery into just WHAT the events were that caused him to go mean and seek an escape in alcohol has been introduced. I know in real life there are those that truly are mean just because they want to be mean. I just can't help, though, thinking that there wasn't something somewhere in the past that affected the individual which made them give up on thinking there was good in people.... somewhere deep down. Thing is, some people have their "good" buried so deep within that you really have to search them to find it. That means a lifetime of searching before it's finally found. And then for others... it simple means a visit with Him for it to begin to peek out which saves a lifetime of trying. But back to Matthew. His demons are real people who have hurt him beyond the hurt of losing his mother when he was young. And one in particular not only hurt him, he wanted to drive him from the family home and take away whatever he could to ensure HE had the family inheritence. In the end, while it may seem he succeeded, nothing bad ever succeeds for long! At least, not in my books!

Happy Saturday everyone... should be a good one, so get out and enjoy it while it lasts!

.... Chapter Five.... Chapter Six

2009-08-22T15:24:00.003-04:00

It's the end of another work week and the housework just won't go away. Two loads of laundry in, a trip to the store, and now I'm sitting here waiting for possible rain to hit. I think any rain might put me more in the mood for what I have to write over most of the chapter I'm working on.

I'm now at, and have been working on, Chapter Six over the past two days. While it's been trying, at times, to get down what I want to say... it's actually been coming a little better than I expected. Now that I'm in to Chapter Six, not only is it flowing, but I had to do something I didn't want to do. The whole time I'm thinking... "I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this". Some might say, "Then don't do it.". I wish it were that simple. If I don't do it, then I can't achieve what I need. If I go ahead and do it, then I can continue on with the story like it's suppose to be. Boy am I gonna hear it later on from Lexi! She's one of my kids from church that I took care of in the nursery back about five years ago. God has given her quite a love for reading. At age ten, I think her mom said she's reading on a 7th grade level. So if for no other reason, I write because of the simple ability to give her (and girls like her) the chance to read something that their parents won't have to worry about the content of. Anyone else is gravy on the roast beef sandwich!

Have a great weekend!

New Purchasing Links on Site

2009-08-15T11:25:00.005-04:00

Well, I finally think I'm close to getting down this whole blogging thing. I'm learning, step by step, what to do (and with a LOT of help from the forum section) and now have one more task under my belt.

On the side bar is listed all the books I've written. With one click on the button, they are available for purchase. As book covers are completed and future books written, a preview (when available) of the next book will be seen as well. I just added the new cover for "The Heart Broken".... something I'm especially proud of!

Both my cousins, in doing "The Heart's Desire" and "The Heart Broken" have seemingly jumped into my thoughts and were able to paint/draw a picture of what I was seeing as I wrote/am writing each book. I'm just utterly amazed at the prayer that was answered. I can be a pain in the butt when it comes to doing a project and getting it "just the way I want it"... ask anyone I work with. In short... I'm VERY opinionated (which isn't good all the time). So when I saw both these covers for the first time... I about fell over with excitement... it couldn't have been any closer to what I was envisioning if I would have taken a snapshot of my mental picture and placed it on the covers.

Roberta and Kirstie... you guys are THE best!!

Rough Week

2009-08-14T20:32:00.003-04:00

Finally Friday is here!

Starting on Tuesday, we said "goodbye" to at least one student every day as they started "big kids' school". Then to top it off, a dear long time friend that I use to go to church with died yesterday morning. Lots of mixed emotions there. While it hurts to say goodbye to one more person (count is now at 8 since Dec., 2007), I've talked with friends and reconnected in ways I haven't in over ten years. Bittersweet doesn't seem to accurately cover it.

Right now I've got the finances to where I can place "The Heart's Desire" in a book writing contest. Still praying for the rest to come in as I really would like to participate at the November book fair I was invited to at the Galt House... only time will tell. For now, though, just taking it one day at a time and waiting for the first residual check to come in. Sometime next week I'll be making a copy of that check so I can place it in a frame and hang it on the wall next to my first book review. Exciting!

Still working on "The Heart Broken". Roberta (my cousin) sent in the painting she did for the book's cover and I was blown away. Just like with Kirstie (another cousin), they were able to capture exactly what was in my head and get it down exactly right! Now to get the words and story to be as good as the cover.

The character of Matthew Conner is causing a little trepidation with me as he's to be a despicable individual in the eyes of just about anyone who is remotely human. I had tried writing the story of my grandmother's father back last year and really struggled to write. Due to possible liable issues, as some individuals were still living and issues were very "touchy", I opted to let it go. It would have been a very "dark" book as my grandmother's father was not a very kind man to his wife or children and loved his alcohol and alcohol making. Matthew Conner is based on him. While I'll be taking dramatic license, there are some instances that I'll be pulling from that are from real life and are difficult for me to visualize and put words to. So with each writing, I have to take a step back, reassess where I'm at and where I'm going, and make sure it jives with what I have in mind for the end of this book. Thankfully I have everything I wrote last year and can pull off of it so as to save on typing... but it's still hard none the less.

Well, off to writing!
Dana

More Work on Chap. 3 and the Book Cover

2009-08-07T22:55:00.005-04:00

After a trying week, it's finally the weekend. I'm hoping to develop more of chapter three tonight and tomorrow so I can begin to delve more into the story that will be one of two major storylines within this particular book.

While I won't go into details, I will say that Kate has some pretty serious decisions to make, as does someone close to her. Two new families will be introduced, the Conner family and the Parker family. The Parker family will have one that will be followed into at least the next book if not the next two. The Conner family will only be in this newest book, "The Heart Broken", and will delve into a pretty dark area that has invaded quite a few homes over the centuries. As with the first book, the stories will all parallel or at least touch base with issues/events that occurred within my Allgood, Bruner, Knott, Lynch, Blissett, St. Clair, Kasey, Hall, Prather, VanMeter, Milburn, and allied family lines. So while it might seem far fetched, it's very possible that the story/scenario is something that happened anytime over the past 200 years.

I'm also planning on doing the story of my g-grandmother's brother and his wife, half brother and his wife. It's going to take a little bit of planning, talking to family, and really getting a sense and handle on their lives, as they all died between 1963 and 1986, which was long before I began researching. I want to do them justice, so I may not do them "specifically" but individuals who greatly resemble them. The last thing I want to do is upset and anger their descendants who I look to as some of my closest family/friends.

Heading out for now... need to get writing!

Dana

2009-08-01T10:23:00.006-04:00

Hi all...

Am still getting the word out about the blog/book site to everyone. Between battling with sinus' (inherited by my grandfather) and genealogy issues involving an individual "stealing" my pics and posting them as her own (nevermind she's messed up quite a few cemetery listings for my Bruner family), it's been quite a past couple of days.

Am working on "The Heart Broken", the second book in a series of books I'm working on. Each individual book will take stories I've heard from family that have been passed on through the ages/seen firsthand, or discovered through researching and put into story format. The "Gray" family will be followed through out the "The Heart" book series and will be the ones that will live out the "family stories" as I know them.

Most recently, "The Heart's Desire" covered a rendition of what my Bruner 5th g-grandmother went through as she and her husband travelled with William "Indian Bill" Hardin to what is now the Breckinridge County area. It involves indians, kidnapping, and death. The book also has factual events that occur, such as the 1849 tornado that nearly destroyed the town of Big Spring, Kentucky.

My future plans are to incorporate stories from the Blissett, Allgood, Prather, and Lynch families, as well as further incorporation of stories from my Bruner lines. Should be LOTS of fun!!

Until next time......

2009-07-29T23:30:00.003-04:00

This was my first attempt at writing. "Forget Me Not" is the love story of Letitia Jared and Thomas Lynch, my 3rd g-grandparents. The cover picture is believed to be taken shortly after they married in 1865. On the back cover page is a picture that has been restored and colorized to give better detail as to what Letitia looked like when she was nearly 18.

Here is a little about the book:

In the early 1860's, the Civil War took a toll on the nation and on many families. Pitting many a brother against brother, father agains son, causing scars that would run deep for many generations.

For Letitia Jared, the War would prove to changer her life forever. Just as she thought life couldn't be any more complicated, in walks a handsome stranger that would change her life forever.

For Thomas Lynch, life hadn't been grand. Losing both parents at an early age, he lived with family until he decided to enlist. Just as he thought life couldn't be anymore complicated, in walks a family that would change his life forever.

2009-07-29T23:17:00.013-04:00

This is the latest and the first in a series! Many, MANY thanks to Kirstie Atteberry Johnson for designing and drawing the cover. Here is a little something on the book:

The Baker family arrived in Kentucky full of dreams and hopes for a better life than what they had in Virginia. One fateful day, Ella and her brother Samuel witnessed an event that would forever change their lives and close the chapter of her family's dreams. Or so they thought.

Decades later, Ella married James Gray and had a family of her own. Alone in the belief, she still held on to the hope that her brother, Benjamin, survivied the tragedy that took her family. On day, a stranger appears in town who not only has a mystery, but holds the hey to all of Ella's questions about her borther and what happened to him.

Kate Gray pursues her calling in life as a teacher but also finds the one who would be the love of her life. Which will she choose? Will she choose the desire of becoming a teacher? Or the desire of becoming a wife to William Miller.

William's father, Edward Miller, only sees William learning the family hotel business so as to take it over one day. Believing Kate Gray is a threat and an undesirable for his son, Edward realizes he must do what he has to in order to keep them apart and the family business remain within the Miller family.

As the annual Supper Basket Social winds down, storms appear on the horizon for Ella, Kate, and William. Some will survive while others fall. Will tragedy strike once again, or will there finally be triumph in the end.

The Time Has Arrived

2009-07-29T19:13:00.003-04:00

Hey there everybody....

Well, the time has finally arrived to where I need to get my own page up and running. It was hard passing on the online purchasing address for my books, so I decided to create a blog. It'll help me provide the links regarding my past books, and any future ones to be written, that someone might want to buy through my publisher.

This is in it's infancy stage, so I'm hoping to get all the kinks worked out and the page set up nicely.... as well as in a format that is easy to use for everyone!

I'm hoping to provide "buttons" which would send you straight to the individual book you might wish to purchase. They should be on the sidebar, but keep a look out. I'll let you know when they are up and running!

Have fun!