A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

Patience...not always my strong suit. My second novel,  Libby’s Cuppa Joe , released on March 8th. Prior to the release, I began planning a launch for March 16th. If you read last week’s post, “And Then Some” you know the launch was a success.  A true success. I had ordered books for the event, but ran out quickly. I'm not worried. I expect a shipment of books from my publisher on Tuesday, March 19 th . My team offers people at the book signing to prepay for their copy and I'll hand deliver it to them…or have them over to my house for brunch.  It’s a plan.   I have a tracking number for my books. The expected arrival is March 19 th .” Just as I was told. Good. March 19 comes. And goes. So does March 20 th . And the 21 st .  I check my tracking number again. My books are in a “facility” in Los Angeles! Los Angeles! That is like a million miles from Ohio. (Sometimes I may exaggerate a bit…but it feels like a million.) I pray ...

My youngest daughter lives by the “and then some” principle. Simply put, it is the notion that God loves us so much that He gives us what we need…and then some. We ask for something and He gives it…and then some.  Oldest Daughter and Youngest Granddaughter offered total support! As a parent, I understand reasonable requests and I certainly know there are those times when my own children have been so humble in asking for something, Tom and I wanted to give them more. When we love God and we’re not greedy, He gives us the desires of our hearts…and then some. I experienced those gifts this past weekend. I planned a launch for my second novel,  Libby’s Cuppa Joe .   It was a difficult time in a sense. It was the first time I would do something like this since Tom died. I prayed to get through it without tears. I prayed for strength. I prayed for people to show up. This launch wasn’t about me as an author. It wasn’t about the book. It was about taking a ...

When I was young…and that seems like yesterday in some ways…there was a popular song performed by a group called the Byrds. Here are some of the lyrics: To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose under heaven  A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) and a time to every purpose under heaven A time to build up and a tiem to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones, A time to gather stones together To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn,turn) and a time to every purpose under heaven The song was based on Ecclesiastes 3, verses 1-8. It was a long time before I could read the passage in the Bible without wanting to insert “turn, turn, turn” at the end of each line.  Longer still before I bega...

February 2019: Florida Recently, I enjoyed a couple of weeks in Florida I loved the warm weather and was saddened to return to a chilly start to spring in Ohio. I am fascinated by weather patterns. I tracked last year’s hurricane season with what I’d call “educated interest.” You see, I spent my formative years in Tampa. Hurricanes were a part of life. Native Floridians and locals, at least those who have lived there for a great while, respect the storms. They are, however less intimidated by hurricanes than people watching from the outside. In fact, I’ve heard old timers say, “The water’s too low. We need a good hurricane.”  “Northern Transplants” tend to worry over the storms the first year or two, but slowly settle into the rhythm of the season. Shelters are open and full from time-to-time with an array of people making their home in the Sunshine State. Rarely do Snow Birds worry over the storms since they are likely somewhere in Ohio or Mich...