**First, an apology for all the typos in my last note. I was clearly suffering from heat-induced grammatical stroke**
So, last we chatted, I was sweltering in Florida, with no Air Conditioning.
Oh wait, no, HUBS was sweltering. I was at a writer’s conference with this cutie. (Sarah, who wrote THIS book, in case you missed it).
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Anyhoo…we hung out on the beach, enjoying the writing conference with these people.
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I downloaded into my brain a brand new series I can’t wait to write! And then I came home to enjoy a homecooked GREEK meal with Hubs and my son. (Hubs made the pitas from scratch!)
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However, all was not great.
The AC had been fixed while I was away. (YAY!) Unfortunately, right before dinner, Hubs heard a thunderous POP…
Our transformer had blown.
We were in darkness. AND heat. 
But we did enjoy the show when the truck came to fix the power. (It took two trips…)
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But…the story ends happily. The power was restored. The AC resurrected. And we all lived Happily Ever After.
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And that’s how we like it, right? A happy ending, a triumph over the suffering. The sense that it was worth the journey. (I’ve never been so grateful for AC!)
I’m often asked how I plot my books. I always start with a problem. And then I add the great desire to overcome the problem. And then I add trouble. And finally, I add character change and a truth that sets my character free before they reach the happy ending.
Which brings me to…what truth have I learned in all this? I heard something that hit me this week. Philippians 4:7 says “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” But sometimes you have to surrender the understanding to arrive at Peace. How? By knowing God loves me, and that His ways are higher than mine. And, that He will carry me through the flood, the broken moments, the heat…
I keep a gratitude journal…it helps me see all the ways God has shown up every day, it helps me toss out my need to understand and centers me in peace. (By the way, if you didn’t know this already, I also run a school for writers – Novel.Academy. We sell cool writing products like journals. 
Check it out HERE.
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I’m also so grateful for the kind feedback from the MN Kingston’s series.
Thank you for reading. I try, with every book, to write a story that not only entertains but blesses you with a triumph of faith despite the struggles.
Haven’t picked up final book in the series yet? Go here to complete your collection!
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Thank you for reading!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Warmly,
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P.S. Free book Friday!
I just added this to my TBR pile and I’m so excited to dive in! A poet racing against time to save a stranger’s life through exchanged verses during the Great Depression? Plus a second-chance romance that complicates everything? This sounds like exactly the kind of unique, beautiful read that will completely consume me. If you love poetry, historical settings, and romance with real emotional depth, you need to grab this one too. Enjoy!
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