Merry Christmas!

                                                              Merry Christmas! 

From my home to yours, I hope your Christmas is filled with joy.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

It's Almost Here!

I am so excited to let you know that the book I co-wrote with my husband now has a release date. It is coming out on Jan 15, 2020 but is already up for pre-order! It can be pre-ordered here.

This book took over ten years to write, and a couple more years to get published. I have chronicled some of our publishing story in this blog. We came within an inch of having a contract with P&R Publishing and then had to walk away from a contract offer from Founder's Press because it was not one we could agree to. Finally, Gregg Bridgeman at Olivia Kimbrell Press picked up the publishing mantle and we are so grateful to him! This is the same publisher who my novel, The Whisper of the Palms is published with.

As hard as it was to write and publish this book, living it was harder or at least more challenging. It is the true story of my husband, John R. Michael's, experience as a young trustee at Southern Seminary during a time of huge change. We have garnered the endorsements of many great people, including leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Albert Mohler, among them.

It's a thick book--much larger than most books--and as such will cost more than many other books on the market. But it is riveting, chocked full of seminary and denominational history but also one that reads like a novel. Those who have pre-read it call it a page-turner and say they could not put it down.

And finally … it's almost here!

Free Stuff!

In celebration of a coming release of Glimpses of God, the authors, Harriet E. Michael and Shirley Crowder will be sharing inspirational thoughts through November 6.

My publisher is offering these as a free mini devotional serial, no strings attached. The 1st is out today. Sign up for them Here

Christmas in October?

Look what I got in the mail the other day! It was a box of 10 complimentary copies of the soon-to-be-released Chicken Soup for the Soul book, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas". I wrote a story in it called, "Angel or Alien?" about an adorable but at the same time sort of hideous Christmas tree-topper angel my daughter made when she was in kindergarten … that ended up on the top of my tree year after year after year! 

I know it's October and frankly, here in Louisville, it still feels like summer. Nonetheless, the holidays will be upon us soon. Books are a great way to enjoy the season. This year, you might enjoy this one or if you want a good seasonal devotional, I suggest Glimpses of the Savior. 

And of course, don't forget that books make great Christmas gifts too! 

Cover Reveal!

I am so excited to show you the cover of "A Stand for Truth"!

Drum roll, please …

A Stand for Truth

“A Stand for Truth” is the title of a book co-written by my husband, John R. Michael, and me that is on the verge of publication. It is about to be released and very soon I will be able to show you the cover. I can’t wait to give a big “Cover Reveal.” We have seen the cover and are quite excited about it but right now it is under wraps at the publishers awaiting some final tweaking.

So, what is the book about?  

In 1984, John was 28 years old, our life together was new, and our family was young. Also, in 1984, John recieved a phone call that would change our lives … and others’ lives too. It was a phone call from a man who wanted to interview John for possible appointment to the Board of Trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the world’s largest Protestant denomination. During the 1980’s and 1990’s the SBC fought an historic battle over the truth of scripture and the basic doctrines of the Christian Faith. As the flagship seminary of the SBC, Southern Seminary sat prominently at the heart of this conflict.

In 1984, John was elected to the Board, making him one of the youngest to ever serve on that Board. Though naïve and inexperienced, he dramatically stood alone to challenge the President and officers of Southern’s Board when they attempted to cover-up heresy during a national investigation of alleged theological problems.

Though his initial challenge was turned back by the seasoned and powerful leaders, John continued to stubbornly resist. Even as he fought that battle, John also foiled a deceitful plot by a group of liberal Trustees as they maneuvered to steal the seminary and take it independent from the denomination. 

 At its essence, this is a story of how God used a persistent and often lonely young man to play a crucial role in the restoration of a prominent institution to its historical, biblical roots.

So, why did we write our story—the story of John’s travails as a foot soldier in this historic Holy War?

Even while John was still a Trustee and the controversy far from settled, people would come to him and ask for updates and details about the struggle. In the years following, though he was still despised by many, there was growing appreciation for John and his fellow Trustees. At church, or sometimes while he was on campus for Foundation Board meetings, someone would point him out as “the first conservative,” or the Trustee who stood up to the liberals. Soon he would be surrounded by small groups of students, wanting to meet him and ask questions.

John often invited them out to our home for grilled pork chops, or to his business office for pizza, where he spent the evening giving the highlights, and lowlights, of his Trustee experience.

The students were always riveted. Without fail, at the end of the evening, the students would say that they had heard a lot about the years of controversy, but most of what they knew was from the beginning of Dr. Albert Mohler’s presidency. They had no idea that all this had happened before Mohler’s arrival. They would often urge John to write a book about it.

For years, John just accepted the compliments, but had no intention of writing a book. Aside from the time and energy it would take, there was no way that he would write about himself. That was just too awkward.

However, many years after John left the Board a seminary student came out to the house with some friends to hear the stories. Like others before them, the students said John should tell his story in a book. But unlike others, this student stayed on John’s case about it. He was a member of our church at that time.

Then one Sunday, in the aisle after a Sunday worship service, the student once again pressed John about writing his story. When John gave his usual excuse, the student asked if John was willing to give his testimony. Was he willing to tell others about his faith in Christ, how God had forgiven his sin, and changed his life? If so, then why wasn’t he also willing to share his testimony about how God used him to help change Southern Seminary? That little exhortation had an impact on John. He couldn't get it off his mind, and realized that, somehow the story should be told.  

Online Submissions

Yesterday I received an email from "War Cry", a magazine I occasionally write for. The email came from their Electronic Communications Specialist letting me know that one of the articles I sent them was live on their website. This was a pleasant surprise to me as I sold it to them a year or more ago and at the time they did not know which issue they would be posting it in.

The article was actually a reprint that had been published a few years ago in a different magazine. All if this prompted me to write today's blog post because this experience highlights something freelance writers encounter.

This article (on War Cry's website) is one of only two that sold almost as soon as I pressed "send" on my submission. I heard back from the editor on the other article in about a half hour but this one was almost immediate, less than five minutes from sending, anyway.

That is not usually the case and thus this blog post about making online submissions.

Most freelance writing submissions are made online these days, though there are a few exceptions. Some magazines, devotionals, or anthologies let writers know one way or another but some only respond to you if they select the submitted piece for publication. Some let you know quickly and others after weeks and months. I keep a record of all submissions I make by title and date. If six months go by and I have not heard back, I assume the piece was not selected. This isn't sure-proof. There is one devotional magazine taking freelance submissions that can still choose your piece even a couple of years later. I have had one instance when that happened and I had to e-mail them and let them know it was now a reprint, instead of first rights since it had been published elsewhere since I had submitted it to them about three years earlier.

I like to share pieces of my writing journey on this blog. This is one of them. As a freelance writer, sometimes I get acceptances, sometimes rejections, sometimes I hear back within days and weeks, sometimes its months or not at all. And sometimes … once in a while … its immediate. :)  

Writing Updates

I have not posted in a while, mostly because I am waiting with bated breath for some updates on "A Stand for Truth", the soon-to-be-released book I co-wrote with my husband, so I could pass that on to you. But the publishing process always takes longer than authors like. Frankly, authors would like a publisher to complete his work in mere days but in actuality, publishers put an awful lot of work into a book and I am just thankful to have found one brave enough to publish this tell-all book about the conservative resurgence at Southern Seminary.

So, instead I will give you some freelance updates. Coming out in the next few months:

SEEK: this magazine is closing soon but they published an article by me on May 19. I sure am going to miss them!

Green Prints: is a gardening magazine who has contracted with me for a humorous article about weeds which will appear in their magazine sometime this summer.

The Secret Place: I received notice (and a check) from them for a devotion they will be publishing in their fall issue.

Bible Advocate: I have an article on missions coming out in July titled, "Catch the Fire."

Blue Ridge Country: Contracted with me last year to publish a memoir titled, "High School Football and the Age of Innocence." It is a regional magazine and I am thrilled to have a cross-over piece in a secular magazine. It will come out late summer or early fall.

Many of these pay on publication. The work is done and now comes the fun parts--complimentary copies coming in the mail and payment!

In addition to these, I have received word from Purpose Magazine and Bible Advocate of acceptances for articles coming out in 2020 and apparently am still in the final cut list for a story in Chicken Soup's Christmas book.

I also still speak and have book signings. I just spoke to an amazing group of girls and their mothers at a Mother-Daughter dinner at a local church and held a book signing at my mother's church in Augusta, SC. (Btw, I welcome speaking invitations, if any reading this are in need of a speaker.)

And I keep busy writing and mentoring. In fact, on my agenda today is to edit a piece that a new, unpublished writer hopes to submit to Chicken Soup, post two blog posts, and work on a freelance submission to another magazine.

But meanwhile, I am still super busy with book-writing. On the docket are two books to be released this year (one of them being "A Stand for Truth") another manuscript due to my publisher by my co-writer and me this August, and one we are just starting that is due next Feb. All of these will require a lot more work requested by me from the publishers before the books actually make it to press. Whew! It's a good thing I love what I do!

He is Risen!

I most often use the blog to let my readers know what is happening in my writing life. It's been a while since I have posted and I apologize for that. I have a co-written book that I am very excited about coming out soon and have been waiting in hopes that I would have a release date or at least a cover reveal to show you, but so far I still do not. And it's Easter, which is basically the reason I write. As a mostly Christian, nonfiction author and writer, I would not do what I do if not for the fact that I serve a risen savior. So, in honor of the season, instead of posting information on what's happening in my writing world, I am posting the words to one of my favorite Easter songs.

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

Oh, that old rugged cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left His glory above
To bear it on dark Calvary

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies, at last, I lay don
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown.

I'm a Speaker too!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and I'm feeling like spring may finally be on its way. Thank goodness! What a long, cold winter it's been. But in spite of the cold, I have been enjoying some speaking engagements which I thought I'd tell you about today.

Writers must also learn to be speakers. Speaking serves several purposes. There are often groups that ask a favorite writer to speak to their group and its also a way to build a platform. (A platform is the group of people who follow you as a writer, who enjoy reading your books, and who will continue to read new books you write.)

I am reminded of this aspect of the writing life because lately I have been asked to speak to a few groups and have loved every minute of it. In the past few weeks, I have spoken to a local writing group about an aspect of the writing craft, to a group of high schoolers about writing, and to a men's group about one of my books which they are studying.

… yes, you read that correctly. A men's group has been studying one of the books I wrote.

Last summer a man I know who teaches a Sunday School class at a large Methodist church in my city and also leads a men's small group at that same church read Prayer: It's Not About You and liked it well enough to want his groups to read and study it too. I am both humbled and honored by this!

His small group has been studying it since last fall and asked me to join them for a casual question / answer session. They wanted to meet the author and be able to ask me questions. What an enjoyable time I had! Now, this same man tells me his Sunday School class (a much larger group) will begin studying it in mid-April and later this summer when they are closer to the end of the book, he would like me to come speak to them. He may have several Sunday school classes join together to hear me, so in that session I will be both speaking and answering questions.

And I'm loving every minute of it! If you have a group in need of a speaker, I'd love to be contacted. I can speak on Biblical topics, especially prayer, and on writing topics too.

New Pictures and a Chat with my Mom

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I had some pictures made in order to choose one for back of our book, "A Stand for Truth" that is currently in the publishing stage with Olivia Kimbrell Press. The choice was difficult since we had a great photographer who made us look nice, in spite of ourselves. Here is the one we chose.

Oliva Kimbrell Press is the same publisher who published my novel, The Whisper of the Palms back in March of 2017. This book is the fictionalized version of my parents' story--their childhoods, love story, and call to foreign missions that ultimately led them to Nigeria where I was born. In celebration of the two-year book anniversary, Valentines (since this is a love story), and my mother's birthday (Feb 23) the ebook is going on sale Feb 13-16. You can watch for more reminders of that sale on my Facebook author page.

Since the story is based on the lives of my parents, I wanted to share a conversation I had with my mom the other day. Mom told me about a book she is currently reading that took her back to her childhood because it had a rural farm setting about the time she grew up in the hills of North Carolina, the daughter of a poor farmer. Mom told me about the turning plow and the regular plow. In the book she's reading the little girl had to learn how to use a turning plow.

"Now that was different from me," she said. "Daddy would never let me work the turning plow. He said it was too hard to handle." Then she explained that the turning plow turned over new ground still hardened from the winter. "But I begged him so that he finally agreed to let me try my hand at the regular plow. I was supposed to plow between rows of corn but I lost control and plowed up about a fourth of a row of corn. We could get most of it to stand back up by stepping around the roots and packing them back in the dirt but Daddy lost some of his plants." 

I asked her if my grandfather, whom I remember so fondly, was angry with her. "Oh no," she said. "He thought it was funny and laughed and laughed at me. I had my pride hurt, though. I was always so sure I could do anything anyone else could do." 

… and this is why I wanted to write a book about my parents. I love my mom's can-do attitude and my dad's ingenuity. My mom has always believed anything was possible and my dad has usually found a way to make it happen, whatever it was. If you haven't reads the book yet, get it while its on sale in a couple of weeks. I promise you will enjoy it. 

Looking Forward ... And Back

Welcome 2019! Today is the first day of a brand-new year. We have 364 more days ahead of us to live, laugh, love, and maybe cry a little before this year is behind us. As I think about the days to come, I can't help but also look back.

2018 was a mostly good year. I had some not-so-wonderful moments both personally and professionally but many more wonderful ones that far out-weighed the less than wonderful days. This blog is focused on my writing journey so that is what I will talk about today as I let you know some of the highlights of 2018 and things to look forward to in 2019.

2018 was another good year for freelancing. I had numerous articles published in an assortment of magazines and sites and even taught a workshop on freelance writing in June at the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference. One highlight was getting my first acceptance in a regional magazine for an article that will not come out until late summer '19.

On the book front, 2018 saw the release of one book and re-release of another, both by PixNPens. The most recent release, Prayer Warrior Confessions is an anthology compiled (and partly written) by Shirley Crowder and me. It has been received well by readers, has just finished a blog tour, and is garnering many great reviews. Another book that has been quite successful this past year is Prayer: It's Not About You. This book remains my best-selling book, actually, partly because groups of 10 or more often buy it for group Bible studies. Last August, a men's small group studied it and the leader emailed and told me he intended to teach it in a Sunday School class he leads this spring.

What were the less-than-wonderful moments in my writing world? Well, I did receive a few rejections of submitted articles (which is the norm for freelancers but stings just the same) and I learned that SEEK magazine will be folding. It has published so many of my articles. Also, my husband and I had a couple of disappointments with large traditional publishing companies who gave us every indication they were going to publish our book, "A Stand for Truth" but in the end, they did not. One actually sent a contract but it differed greatly from what we had discussed with them and was not a contract we could sign.

So, I start 2019 with much hope and great expectancy. Here is what I know already about my writing journey in the year ahead:

Freelancing:
I will be receiving contracts from both Focus on the Family and David C. Cook in January for articles to be published sometime in the coming year. I still have articles coming out in SEEK in Jan, Feb, April, and May before they close their door in August. And I know of other articles I wrote coming out in May in Purpose Magazine and in August or September in Blueridge Country magazine and devotions in both the winter and spring issues of The Secret Place.

Books:
My husband and I are moving ahead with the publishing of A Stand for Truth with the help of Gregg Bridgeman at Olivia Kimbrell Press (the press that worked with me on my novel, The Whisper of the Palms) We do not yet have a release date for A Stand for Truth. And speaking of my novel, it will be featured in a friend's blog in mid February and will go on sale at that time too.

My co-writer on many of my books, Shirley Crowder, and I have been and will stay quite busy again this year. We are in the process of writing the Glimpses of God series of devotional books; four in total--winter, spring, summer, and fall. We have winter all done and turned into our publisher. It will release next fall. (It will keep us busy in the summer when it hits the publisher's editing schedule.) We are putting the final touches on the spring book and hope to have that to our publisher in February and are just starting on the summer one which has a deadline of next August. So, while it may be winter outside, my thoughts for the next few months will be filled with summertime!