Allie Pleiter on...wait, I forgot...

It’s all material….

image courtesy of WikiHow

It had to happen.  

After all, romance author is probably the only career—except maybe soap opera star—where experiencing an episode of amnesia is a professional resource.  I was bound to do an amnesia story one of these days.  And this year, A RANGER FOR THE HOLIDAYS (November 2015) is just that.

In June of 2010, I woke one morning with no ability to retain short-term information. I remember only glimpses of this, but my son CJ tells me I recognized him and all our family, but not that my daughter was at camp or the things we had bought the day before.  Now, CJ is no stranger to medical crises, so he wisely asked me things like what day it was, etc.  I could not answer any of them.  Smart kid, he sat me down on the couch with my dog, said “here, pet Bella while I call Dad.”  CJ and Dad decided it was time to call an ambulance.  CJ was in cancer treatments at the time, so the immediate theory was that I had suffered a stroke from the stress of his illness.

I remember none of this.  I don’t remember the ambulance ride nor most of my days in the hospital.  Evidently, I asked the same 12 questions over and over (think “50 First Dates” only nowhere near as charming) and gave identical responses to the answers.  Can’t you just see the headline now?  “Teenage cancer patient calls 911 on amnesiac romance author mom”

It’s almost amusing now that everyone is okay.  CJ is healthy and in very successful remission, our house is not in any medical chaos whatsoever, and my doctors tell me that I experienced not a stroke but Transient Global Amnesia—a once-in-a-lifetime vascular phenomena known to happen to migraine patients and people who take cholesterol drugs (I am both).  And, it makes a fascinating story.

I don’t recall many facts, but the emotions are still vivid for me.  Feeling like a freak, feeling as though your missing memory is stalking you, the desperate need to feel safe, all these things were useful to me as I crafted Texas Ranger Finn Brannigan.  And now I really can say, “It’s all material…”  

If the story is vivid and compelling to you, now you know why.

Allie Pleiter on high school memories

High School.  So many of us have strong memories of that time in our lives.  It’s such a dramatic, formative era in any life, isn’t it?  I think that’s why so many people work with youth groups and youth organizations—there’s such a powerful potential for a life-long impact.

Max Jones, the hero in A HEART TO HEAL, doesn’t think he’s that type at all.  Still, the problems facing young Simon Williams are so close to Max’s heart that he can’t resist.  I suppose pretty guidance counselor Heather Browning has a bit to do with his saying “yes,” to helping, too.  Max learns what many of us know:  when you offer to help someone, the benefits always run both ways—you often get as much as you give, if not more.

What I remember most about high school was theater.  I was one of those high school “theater geeks,” finding my place and my friends among the drama club.  I’ve kept in touch with many of those people, especially through social media.  I went to college as a theater major, eventually moving from performing to directing to producing, spending my first post-collegiate professional years in the “front of the house” in cultural arts administration.

I remember those times fondly.  If I hear a song from any of my high school musicals, I’ll always sing along (but not THE High School Musical, mind you…I’m a bit older than that…).  What about you?  What group or club was your "home" in high school? 

Allie Pleiter on Happy Moments

That’s me, 24 years ago today, dancing smitten with my new husband.  It’s my very favorite photo from our wedding, and I’m sure you can see why.  Even now, so many years later, it brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

It’s good to mark the happy moments, to keep them alive in our memories.  It helps us balance out the bad recollections life is all too eager to hand us.   Too often, I’ve found, we devote lots of energy to “making the bad go away,” when that’s not really possible.  Better to spend our time and attention capturing all the good we find to serve as a counterbalance.

I’ve also found that frequently the good we seek hides inside what feels like tragedy.  It’s definitely been true in our lives--our son’s cancer was a devastating experience, but there have been so many blessings in that journey and his recovery that it’s “balanced out.”  I don’t think it’s an accident that his diagnosis date was March 10 and my wedding anniversary is March 11--both were launching dates of incredible journeys.  We acknowledge both.  I once had a character say, “that’s why God gives us two hands...one to hold the good and the other to hold the bad so we can balance them out.”  I believe it to be true.  It is one of the deepest lessons Holly and Mason learn in my new book “Family Lessons.”

Where’s the good in your life today to balance out the bad?  Finding good, hunting it down wherever you are, is a habit that can be learned.  Adopt my daily practice and find four good things in every day.  It will train your brain to find the good (even the tiniest good) in the life you have now, not the one you wish for.

One of my good things today?  Looking at that photograph and feeling myself smile.

Steadfast Soldier by Cheryl Wyatt is IN STORES NOW

Hey all, Cheryl Wyatt here.

Today is the official release day for Steadfast Soldier and all other June Love Inspired books. Be sure to pick a few up on your next trip to town because they only stay on shelves for a matter of weeks.

I didn't realize until this weekend how fitting it was to have Steadfast Soldier release on Memorial Day weekend. In this story we know that Chance, the hero, has just experienced the death of his mother followed immediately by his father falling ill to a debilitating stroke. Having Chance's mother die was not my original idea but one my editor suggested and for good reasons. Every editorial suggestion has strengthened my books. I trust my editors. They know the readership and they know story. So I simply killed off his mom by writing her out of the synopsis and it was as easy as that, right?

Wrong.

In order to evoke emotion in readers, authors sometimes have to "go there" in their minds. Meaning, imagine what that particular trauma would be like. My mom is still with me and TRUST ME, I did NOT want to go there. That aspect of the book was the most difficult to write because, due to a certain scene involving my hero and a tattered tea pot, I had to think of all the things I'd miss about my mom if she were gone. Simply put...I'd miss EVERYTHING about her.

Unfortunately I know many of you out there have lost your moms and my heart goes out to you.

This weekend, I'm sure many of you spent time and probably a few tears remembering loved ones who've already stepped into Eternity.

My hope is Jesus and the cross. When He rose from that tomb to live again, so did hope that we will see our loved ones again if we only believe.

Please believe.

I don't want this to be a one-way conversation, so I'd love to hear who you miss the most today and why. They deserve to be remembered. No one wants to be forgotten. It's okay. Let your heart go there today...



And I pray that God will lift you up into His lap and hold you. He promises to wipe all of our tears away for good one day. While you draw near to Him in the remembering and let Him draw near to you, I pray that you will experience Him in a deep way. Feel Him lift your chin in the mourning and as eye-meets-eye, you see joy sparkling in His eyes for the tears that have hovered in yours. See the compassion of a God who is Eternal and whose love will never die. Feel Him plant the promise on your cheek through mercy's kiss. You will see your loved one again. Let Him love on you today and thread the hope of Heaven more deeply into your heart.





My heart has been heavy for several days over the loss of a girl I've never met. My niece was informed this week that a good friend of hers comitted suicide a few days ago. Especially painful was the fact that she mentioned my niece in her note and asked that she be thanked for being the only kid at camp to stick up for her when other kids relentlessly teased. Three weeks before she took her life, this seventeen year old girl sent a message through a mutual friend to tell my niece thank you for reaching out and making her life better.

My niece's tearful, agonized-to-the-soul reply: "Cheryl, if I made it better then why did she do it?"



I feel her pain. Such a senseless, preventable death. Those are hard. I can't imagine. I don't want to. Still...a story idea keeps swirling in despite that I continually bat it away.

But if the book can save even one life...I'll go there mentally in a heartbeat. Pray protection over our youth against suicide if you are reading this today. The suicide rate among soldiers is especially high these days too. Lift them up. Support them with your prayers whether you agree with the war or not. The fact is these brave men and women are sacrificing EVERYTHING so that you don't lose everything.



God help us to see the sadness in the eyes of those who may be on the brink of suicide and enable us to reach out and make THE difference of a precious life saved instead of lost.

Feel free to share about a loved one you miss so that we may know a special thing about them and remember them today. You are in my prayers!

As you remember your loved ones today, also remember the hope of Heaven. God is very near to the broken hearted. He loves you. He made a way. Jesus did it. Heaven is real. Hope lives. Sorrow has a definite end. God made sure of it. He is intimately acquainted with your pain. He will help you.

Believe.



Warmly,

Cheryl Wyatt

Memories

Greetings. Carolyne Aarsen here.

I've been taking a slow, meandering walk down memory lane the past few months. I started working on my daughter's scrapbook again. I made one for my other two children when they turned 25 and this one is the third of four. It's been a fun trip reliving memories of my children when they were younger and seeing who they've become.

My book out this month, Close to Home, from Love Inspired, is a story about a woman who would prefer not to go back into the past. Whose memories are things to be avoided, not cherished. Dodie Westerveld is a character whose story I wanted to tell ever since she showed up, for the first time, in all her irreverance in Yuletide Homecoming, the first of my Riverbend series books. Dodie has made an appearance in each one since - Finally a Family and A Family for Luke. If you've read the other books, you'll want to read her story. Find out why she stays in Riverbend. Why she seems to be happy working at odd jobs and occasionally helping out her sister in her coffee shop.

And why she would just as soon not talk to Jace Scholte. A man with his own secrets and past.

I hope you have a chance to pick up Close to Home and find out more about Riverbend and Dodie, my favourite Westerveld.

I Remember Mama

I'd like to invite all of you to visit my personal blog http://www.strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com

to read a special Christmas memory of my mother who was always the friend of any animal.

And also I'm suffering cabin fever and I'd love it if you'd drop by http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com

and cheer me up.

Hope you're all having fun in the lull between Christmas and New Years.
Blessings,
Lyn