MAGIC MOMENTS

by Janice L. Dick  @JaniceDick54

I’M AN INTROVERT

I’m an introvert. I would guess that a large percentage of writers are. At conferences I’ve attended, the emcee will often comment about the buzz of talk among all the introverts, but that is, of course, because of our common interests, and the fact that we are respectful of one another’s reserved nature.

When I was young, I read a Peanuts® cartoon that stuck with me. Charlie Brown said to Linus, “I love mankind, it’s people I can’t stand.” I concurred, not knowing anything about the basic differences between people who love to foster new relationships, and those reluctant to do so. However, there have been times—I call them magic moments—when I’ve met another introvert and we’ve become instant and lasting friends.

STEPPING OUT

I attended my first Write! Canada conference in Guelph, Ontario at the invitation of the planners, to facilitate a fiction workshop. (I felt anything but qualified, but that’s another story.) One of the responsibilities that accompanied the gig was that I agreed to be available at mealtimes to speak with people. I wanted to crawl inside my shell, to put my back to the wall and observe. But I couldn’t. I had to step out of my area of familiarity and pretend I was comfortable speaking with strangers.

At one meal, two women approached me, one being the spokesperson, because the other was too shy to come forward on her own. Barbara (not her real name) and I sat down together and found instant camaraderie that amazed both of us, as well as Barbara's friend, who shook her head in wonder. The two of us chatted away about writing and life and stories until lunchtime was over, and we hadn’t thought to eat. That’s also rare for me. Although I’ve since lost touch with Barbara, our instant relationship will always remain in my memory as a true heart-connection.

REWARDS

Just last week, we visited our daughter and family in Alberta. Since their son’s teacher knows I write, she asked if I’d come read to them and speak a bit about writing on Read Aloud Day. I was thrilled…until a few days before the event, when I had second thoughts. Silly fears jumped into my mind, questions like, why on earth did I agree to this? But I followed through and the event was lovely. The students were enthralled by the reading (excerpts from the beginning chapters of The Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton), they participated in the discussion session, and they helped create a simple “Story Quilt.” The pièce de résistance was the gift of a story written just for me—Goldie Goes to the Vet—by Daniel G., one of the grade three students.

As much as I love my quiet times alone, these magic moments are rare gems to store away in my memory, to remind me that I can do things that are uncomfortable, that introversion should not be allowed to control my life, and that opening up to people can be rewarding, no matter what our life work is.

ABOUT JANICE L. DICK

Janice L. Dick is an award-winning author who writes from her rural home in Saskatchewan, Canada. She writes contemporary and historical fiction, blogs, book reviews, and inspirational articles. In September 2016, Janice became the first recipient of the prestigious Janette Oke award, presented by the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship.

 In 2016 Janice established her indie imprint: Tansy & Thistle Press: faith, fiction, forum, and has since released two more historical novels. Find out more at her website.

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Walking In Faith

Lorraine Hossington | @lorrainehossing

Faith is stepping out when you are not sure what is going to happen. Making the decision to trust in God no matter where it may lead or what consequences may occur. But knowing that he will show us the way. In Hebrews 11:8 (NIV) it tells us that Abraham obeyed God in faith and went, even though he didn’t know where he was going.

It sounds so simple until it comes to ourselves. Last year I moved from the city to the countryside. For a few years I had felt God speaking to me about moving and had a sense that it wasn’t the right time. Then last year I moved knowing it was the right time and everything fell into place. I had a lot of decluttering to do which stopped me putting my property up for sale straight away. Ten years of hoarding seemed to take ages to sort out, but finally I managed to get rid of it all. And I will be honest and say it was not an easy thing to do as there were lots of memories that had to be dealt with, some were good, others quite painful. But through this process God had a plan for me. I realised that as I was decluttering the physical, God was helping me to declutter the spiritual. I felt a cleansing and a renewal in my life that was just the start of what he had planned for me.

There have been times when I’ve felt a bit like Peter walking on water. (Mat 14:25-31 NIV) He was bold enough to get out of the boat and walk toward Jesus, then he became frightened and began to sink. That has been me, looking at The Lord, then for whatever reason I lose focus and start sinking. But when we seek him he is always there to hold us up.

Perseverance

Faith can sometimes be a difficult road to walk. We start out okay, everything is fine. Then out of nowhere comes the trials which can be frustrating and at times painful. When I’ve been going through these times I’ve cried out and said, where are you God? Yet at the end of a difficult time I have looked back and realised that he has been with me all the time. But by going through these times it gives us the strength and perseverance to go carry on our journey.

Trials

We have testing times that we have to go through. A few years ago I went through a dark time in my life. I suffered with depression and wanted to end my life. It was so hard, yet God stepped in. I was in the bath and thought this is the end. Then God spoke to me, not through scripture but with a worship song. It was by Gloria and Bill Gaither called God sent His Son. The chorus of this song tells about facing tomorrow because Jesus lives. I had only heard this song once, but God used it to speak to me. I went to my Gp who recommended counselling. I’m a different person from who I used to be. There is no more depression in my life and I feel so filled with joy and free. In John 10:10 (AMP) it tells us that Jesus came so that we may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance. Going through this trial has helped me to help other people. What the enemy used to try and destroy me God has taken and used for his Glory. These trials have helped me to walk in faith because I know through personal experience that God has never left me alone but has always been with me.

Are you going through a hard time? I want to encourage you to hold on, God is with you. Joshua 1:9 (AMP) be courageous and do not fear. He is with you.

Lorraine Hossington lives in the Gower Peninsular in Wales. She writes contemporary Christian Fiction. And loves nature and being able to see the wild ponies and sheep on the hills in the area she lives in. As she used to live in the city, but loves where God has put her in the country.
Twitter @lorrainehossing Facebook Lorraine Hossington

Wandering Wednesday: Beautiful Tuscany

By Marion Ueckermann @ueckie

When one hears the word Tuscany, one cannot help but be swept away by the sheer romance and beauty of the place conjured up by the name. I mean, look at that cover image...doesn't it make you  want to travel there and fall in love?

That's what happened to fellow author, Autumn Macarthur and I about eighteen months ago. 

I got an email one evening from Autumn saying something to the effect of, "Hey, why don't we put a multi-author set together?" At that time, I was busy writing A Romance for Rose with some scenes in Tuscany. So I suggested Tuscany as a storyworld option. Autumn loved the idea because she had a character from her book Least Expected who needed her story told. And there was a link back to Tuscany in that book. You can read more about what we've planned in this 9-book multi-author series titled A Tuscan Legacy in my blog this week on Inspy Romance
http://www.inspyromance.com/something-a-little-different/
To get an idea of what we have planned in Tuscany, watch our promo video on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Wys-lEjBI&t=6s or our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/atuscanlegacy/videos/443467872738425/

Around that time, I was planning a trip overseas to visit my son, Kyle, in Finland, and my brother and his wife in the UK. Kyle suggested as I'd be that side of the world and I was planning two books set in Italy for this series, one in Tuscany and one in Rome, that hubby and I should plan a stopover in Italy too. And that's how our month-long holiday stretched into six weeks.

Today, I'd like to share a few photos of our time in Tuscany.

I might even throw in one or two of Rome as well. Soon we'll have a photo album of both these places on A Tuscan Legacy's website , however, where you'll be able to enjoy many more of my wonderful Tuscan memories. Follow our Facebook https://www.facebook.com/atuscanlegacy/ page to see when we post the website link (as soon as the site is ready for the world to see).

I chose this picture below to start off with because it reminded me of so many things I loved in Tuscany—the walled villages perched on hilltops, the undulating hills dotted with hay bales (see next photo), and the narrow cyprus-lined roads leading to villas and interesting villages. This is Tuscany!

One of my favorite images in Tuscany was the hay bales. Sometimes they were neatly stacked like here, and other times they lay scattered in newly-cut fields. The first-cut hay, or maggengo, is cut in May/June, the second-cut hay in August, and the third-cut hay in September. Obviously the first-cut is the best quality. So glad we got to see the maggengo.

Monticchiello

was the first little village we decided to stop in a on our way to our hotel. And I'm so glad we did because this quaint place with its very own Michelin-star restaurant for eight years running, features in the storyworld for A Tuscan Legacy's first book, That's Amore. We had fun exploring the alleys and courtyards and old church.

Bosco Della Spina,

with its perfect views and wisteria-laden pergolas near Murlo, was the hotel we stayed at for four incredible days. Have a look at some of the photos from there and you'll soon see why this became my location of choice for my heroine in That's Amore's first days in Tuscany. The window views are from our lounge window (which was mine and hubby's bedroom as we gave my son and his wife the privacy of the bedroom. But with a morning view like this, I wasn't complaining!)

 

Flora

I can't only show you the beautiful views, now can I? I wanted to share these three photos of this strange tree formation, wild poppies (and it was only the beginning of the poppy season), and the overgrown jasmine creepers that left a pungent aroma everywhere. I loved it! But as much as I loved the smell of jasmine hanging in the air, the tiglio tree (lime tree) was like jasmine on steroids. I've never smelt something so incredible—first in Florence, and then one evening in Modena (yes, where the balsamic vinegar comes from).

Food

I'd be cheating you if I didn't let you see a little Italian cuisine, wouldn't I? This was the dessert hubby and I shared one night (traveling abroad on a weak rand, many things were shared LOL). It was at this same dinner that I discovered pici pasta—thick, hand-rolled pasta originating from Tuscany. I loved it so much, I had to try make it when I got back home (see pics below). Why not try it yourself sometime...totally worth it!

Walled medieval village

Finally, I want to take you on a whirlwind tour around Buonconvento that features briefly in That's Amore. Buonconvento is purportedly one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. We could see why.

 

Ice cream

No visit to Italy would be complete without sampling their gelato. Daily! Sometimes more than once. Three scoops in a sugar cone. This little gelato shop in Buonconvento had the best we tasted in Italy. My favorite (as is my heroine), was dark chocolate, mango (only because I couldn't find orange), and I think I topped it with lemon, or limone as the Italian's say.

The famous Italian scooter

I just had to add in this photo. I'm sure you're going to love reading about strong-headed Alessa buzzing around Rome on her Vespa in A Tuscan Legacy book 4, Ti Amo.

Hot springs

Before I go, I just had to pop on over to the next village we visited and share four special photos from there. Bagno Vignoni is in the hamlet of San Quirico d'Orcia and is situated on a hill above the Val d'Orcia (valley of d'Orcia where all these other villages we visited are to be found). It's well-known for its hot springs and hubby and son couldn't resist trying out the thermal pool at the bottom of the hill below the village.

It was in Bagno Vignoni that we discovered the yummiest sandwiches and this wonderful old Italian woman. I just couldn't resist sneaking a few photies of her. All in the name of research.

Arrivederci!

Let me leave you with one last image of Tuscany...the sunset. And believe me, these photos do no justice to how beautiful it was.

PS. Sorry there wasn't space to fit in anything of Rome, and I've barely scratched the surface of Tuscany. Perhaps on my next blog, althought that could be a while as I'll be stepping back from blogging on ICFW due to enormous writing projects scheduled this year. But who knows, maybe I'll find some spare time to share the odd blog here or there. And if I don't, you can always visit A Tuscan Legacy's website to enjoy more of Tuscany, Rome, and Florence...the places to be found in my Tuscan Legacy books.

About Marion Ueckermann

Marion Ueckermann's passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa, but with two gorgeous grandsons hanging their hats at the house next door, their empty nest's no longer so empty.

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God’s Timing, and Stepping Out in Faith

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can get a little caught up in production mode. I’ve had a pretty busy year with lots of deadlines to meet, and at times I’ve felt a little bit like a meerkat being busy, busy, busy then when I’ve met my deadline, poking my head up to peer around to see who and what is available for a chance to relax, refresh and reinvigorate.

Last month, a week before the Omega Writers Conference in Sydney, I had such a moment, and just so happened to attend my local chapter of the Jane Austen Society. We were fortunate enough to have a guest speaker, Tim Bullamore, who is the editor for Jane Austen’s Regency World magazine (and who also, incidentally, writes obituaries for The Times newspaper). After his talk about Jane Austen’s life, death and legacy, I spoke to him, where it just so happened someone mentioned I was a writer. He gave me his card, saying if ever I would like to submit an article for his magazine (which Jane-ites from around the globe subscribe to) then to send him an email. I took his card, thanked him, and went back into busy mode, all the while thinking, thinking, thinking.

Having done a fair amount of historical research for my Regency novels I wondered if he might be interested in an article about Brighton, England’s Royal Pavilion, something I mention in my latest book The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey (and something Donna Fletcher Crow just so happened to write about last week). I sent off an email, went to the conference, and had a great time. The following week was back to busy, busy, busy as I work to get my sixth book ready for submission next month. In the midst of my busyness, mothering duties called me to Sydney (1½ hours away) to pick up my daughter from a concert at the Sydney Opera House. Having some time to kill I thought I’d visit the nearby New South Wales State Library, where they just so happen to hold a copy of the most marvellous book, The Making of the Royal Pavilion: Designs and Drawings by John Morley. This book examines the renovations and refurbishments that took the Royal Pavilion from Brighton farmhouse to the jaw dropping edifice of Moorish / Chinese / Indian design that it is today. I was able to read this, take a few colour photocopies of some of the designs, then pick up my daughter, all the while marvelling that I had such (relatively) easy access to one of the only copies of this book in Australia. Why did I want to read this? It was a faith step, just in case Mr. Bullamore said yes to my article proposal.

 

It just so happened that two days later I received an email saying – you guessed it – yes, love that idea, please submit, etc, etc.

As a Christian, I’m trusting God will open the right doors at the right time. Not everything works out, but so many times when I’m asking God to direct my paths and submitting my plans to Him it just so happens that I see Him provide opportunities, opportunities that I’m learning to say yes to. Life can get pretty busy, but taking time to follow those Holy Spirit nudges can be so much more rewarding than we realise. Sometimes we need the reminder that God holds our lives in His hands, and we just need to trust Him and His timing, and step out in faith.

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked part-time as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.

A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer’s Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novels include The Elusive Miss Ellison, The Captivating Lady Charlotte, and The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey, all available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Koorong, etc

Connect with her:        www.carolynmillerauthor.com

                                     www.pinterest.com/camillering

 www.facebook.com/CarolynMillerAuthor/

 twitter.com/CarolynMAuthor

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