THOSE WONDERFUL CRITTERS

by Marion Ueckermann

I’m born and bred African. My birth and the first six years of my life were spent in Mufulira, Zambia, close to the Congo. After that I spent my childhood in a small town right beside the Kruger National Park.  When I finished school I moved to Johannesburg, some 600 kilometers away. I married and raised my children in suburbia Jo’burg and Pretoria (bar the 18 months we spent overseas in Ireland).

Africa is synonymous with wildlife, bugs and critters, and it’s not uncommon for children to find tortoises, chameleons, and a host of other strange pets to keep them occupied and entertained for a while.

One of our greatest wildlife pets we had was a hedgehog. Then we had two. Sadly, they found the back door leading inside from our garden, probably dashed through our house to the front door, and escaped. We were sad, especially my youngest son. But it was fun to have them while it lasted.

Dinner time

I think they were planning their escape.

And right here is probably where they got the idea to escape through the house.
My son, Kyle, aged 12 then with one of his pet hedgehogs.

 In January last year, I joined ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), and subsequently their Scribes critique group. During my time there I have made friends with some wonderful critters. Many of them having stayed the course of two novelettes with me, and many have become good cyber friends.

Each of these woman come with their own set of strengths, but together, they’ve allowed me to submit a manuscript that was as close to perfect as I could get it, and subsequently was contracted for publication. I’m hoping that, with their help, a second will follow soon.

So, I wanted to share a little about a few of them.

First, there’s Sondra, who’s brilliant at noticing those unnecessary words. I’ve gotten to the place of trusting those red lines that come with her crits.

www.sondrakraak.wordpress.com

Sondra Kraak grew up in Seattle, Washington, studying writing and theology, and now resides in North Carolina with her husband and two children. A musician, writer, and theologian, she serves her church through music ministry and Bible teaching. She has recently finished her first novel and is seeking publication. When she's not writing, playing the piano, or tending her home and family, she might be hiking in the mountains that surround her home, reading, or sharing coffee with a friend.

http://inkygirl.com/comic-use-policy/
Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

Diane is my Comma Queen (and she loves the title I’ve bestowed on her). If a comma should be there, Diane will spot it and rectify my run-on sentences.

www.dianeetatumwriter.com

Diane Tatum started writing her own stories in 6th grade. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration and later a Masters in Teaching Language Arts—raising her boys in between—she began writing again. She did freelance writing for magazines and church Sunday school curriculum. Her novel, Gold Earrings, was published in 2011. She’s completed a second and third novel, A Time to Choose and Colonial Dream. Diane loves creating characters that become deeper and fuller as the story evolves.

http://inkygirl.com/comic-use-policy/
Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

Heidi’s writing is as vibrant as those gorgeous eyes of hers, and she’s always on the same page as me. We both belong to a smaller crit group of five who write Contemporary Romance. Heidi’s a writer after my own heart, her voice and genre so like mine. She’s great at spotting a myriad of things, or just coming alongside like a High School cheerleader, cheering me on when the writing shines. I love critiquing Heidi’s writing, too.

www.heidimccahan.com

Heidi’s formative years in Alaska, coupled with the country's breathtaking scenery, fueled her active imagination and loosely inspired her debut novel, Unraveled. With a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Athletic Training, Heidi enjoyed a brief career as a Certified Athletic Trainer before she married her husband, Steve. They live in North Carolina with their three active little boys. When Heidi isn’t stepping on Legos, chauffeuring the boys around suburbia or folding laundry, she loves to write heartwarming romance set in unique locales.

http://inkygirl.com/comic-use-policy/
Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

And then there's Nancy, my toughest critiquer. In the beginning I would cringe when I saw a crit coming from her. But, oh, how I appreciate this woman who goes far beyond the extra mile, not only in critiquing my work, but also in encouraging and complimenting when needed. I just love what she had to say to me in a crit recently: “The thing about writing as strong as yours is it allows me to be very, very picky and see little nuance structure and reader anticipation things, so while there were a LOT of comments and tweaks here, it’s kind of like getting to dust the Mona Lisa for me when I crit you. Nice job girl and so glad we’re friends.”

www.nancykimball.com

Author, avid reader and shameless hero addict, Nancy Kimball makes her home in Houston, Texas. She loves history, great books with strong heroes, and doesn't understand the point of white crayons. Her stories feature characters that must rise from brokenness to triumph, with a little love and faith along the way, solidifying her brand of storytelling, Fiction From the Ashes.

http://inkygirl.com/comic-use-policy/
Used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

Don’t you just love having critters in your life? Why not share about those you’ve had the privilege of encountering, in both the animal kingdom and the writing world?

Marion Ueckermann’s passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners (2009), The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (published August 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers) and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven (published 15 October 2013). She has recently signed a publishing contract with Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing) for Helsinki Sunrise, Passport to Romance series. Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She now lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.