Should You Go to Writing Conferences When You’re Not Writing?

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Are you currently writing? Maybe for one reason or another, you have put your novel pursuits aside. Sometimes it is related to life getting in the way. Or maybe you’re burnt out. Or maybe you’ve just felt God nudge you in more creative directions other than writing.

Should you be going to a writer’s conference if you aren’t writing?

And I don’t necessarily mean the big conferences like ACFW or RWA, but should you drop your memberships to the writing organizations or stop attending the local meetings? This is truly a personal decision based on where God has you right now in your writing journey. But here are a few reasons why I think you should keep maintaining the relationships in the writing community.

Friendships. Just because you aren’t writing right now, doesn’t mean that your friends are no longer your friends. Your friendships are not dependent on your desire or lack thereof to put your fingers against the keyboard and put words to screen. Amongst the Alley Cats, we have all gone through periods of not writing. There are several of us right now, (myself included) who are not writing at all. That doesn’t give less meaning to our community.

You can still learn. Since I’ve moved out here to Colorado and got involved with the local ACFW chapter, I’m still taking notes. I’m still getting involved in the meetings and I’m still thinking about my writing. I don’t have a timeline for when I’ll pick my writing back up, but until then, I’m happy to soak in the knowledge that is put in front of me. We can always learn—we might not be applying what we learned right away, but we’re still learning.

What does God have to teach you? I am blessed to be able to attend ACFW this year. But let me just say, I would not be going if I were not the Carol Awards Coordinator and had to be there for the awards ceremony. Because I do get the privilege of going, I’m heading in with my eyes wide open. I’m not looking to pitch. I’m not going to meet with agents and editors. I’m not even attending that many classes. So what is the point of my going? I’m going to reconnect with friends and mentors. I’ve requested mentor appointments so I can sit down and ask them questions on where I should go from here. I’m looking to be filled up and encouraged. And encourage others myself.

We all go through seasons. Seasons of drought. Seasons where we need to be filled instead of being the ones to fill. Seasons to sit back and soak it all in, instead of becoming actively involved. It’s okay to lurk on the edges of the writer’s community. It doesn’t make you any less apart of the crowd. It doesn’t make your time any less worth your while. You’re just waiting. Learning what it means to be at peace with the changes happening in your writing world.

And who knows? Maybe lurking on the edges will encourage you—fill you back up—to jump back into the deep end of the pool. Until then, we’ll wad together. :- )

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Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school. She is a total country girl, now living in a metropolis of Denver, Colorado. 

Cool, Calm, and Covered

For the least few months, I've been stressing over what I personally feel is one of the MOST important parts of indie-publishing... or really ANY publishing for that matter.

THE COVER!

Well, apart from writing a great story, of course.

It's like when you are buying a house. CURB appeal is SO important. While it may not be the reason a buyer purchases the home, it's responsible for getting them in the door.

The same with a book.

When you're browsing, the first thing you'll notice is a cover.

Is it ugly as sin? Does it look like someone did it who took one class in graphic design 30 years ago?  Are there ten fonts, miss-matching colors, unpleasing graphics? Or is it just plain boring?

Most people's eyes will march on, although maybe get a second glance if it is THAT bad. Most of us don't want our cover to be noticed for its awfulness :-)

Is the cover appealing? Does it catch your eye and make you think, "Oh! I wonder what that's about!" Does it fit your favorite genre and just capture your fancy?

Then you might snag it up, turn it over, and scan the back cover. Maybe even read the first page or chapter, or look at reviews.

While any of those other things might cause you to put it back, getting that reader to pick up (or click on) your book in the first place is super important!

If you plan to Indie-publish... this is SUPER important for you to think about now, at least to gather thoughts on what kind of covers would appeal to your audience.

If you plan only to traditional publish, it still isn't a bad idea. Publishers do ask for input and thoughts (not always...) but to have a ready (and educated) answer will give you a chance to sound informed and a better shot at being a ready voice in the process.

Now, I don't claim to be an expert on how to make a great book cover.

But when I was going through the process with my newest novella I'm putting out myself, one of the things I did was browse covers to see what my personal likes and dislikes were. I then sent my cover designer a handful of covers I thought were GREAT, and a handful of "you-better-not-design-me-something-like-this" covers.

Since it'd be horribly mean to point out the latter (and we are all about encouragement here on the alley) I thought I'd share some of the covers I found that were GREAT... and why I thought they were great.

Keep in mind: I stayed within my genre. Comparing a sci-fi cover to a rom-com is just silly, because they are going to be so different in feel.

And these are only a few that I sent him, because... I found a lot!!!

Keep in mind also: The idea of researching covers isn't to copy someone else's idea. That'd would be super bad. Instead, it's to get an idea of concepts. Do you like covers with faces, or not-so-much? How did they use color to enhance? What kind of fonts appeal to your eye verses distract? That kind of stuff...

And without further adu... here are some of my favs!

Oh I LOVE all of Becky's covers! I love the smile and the "realness" of this, and it's just plain fun. 

I couldn't help it ... I was only going to do one per author, but the girl has PINK SHOES you guys!!!! I think I would have bought this book just for that reason only, but I already knew I was a Becky Wade fan by then....

I like this a.) because any cover with a wedding dress intrigues me and b.) she looks like she's running, and it makes me want to figure out why she's running and c.) the wedding ring hanging off the you was pretty cool!

I've noticed that having text over a picture like this, without a little box, is difficult to do (and still make it look good). Bot I LOVED that they were able to do that here, and I LOVE the feeling of fall... and the characters just make me want to find out their story! And I LOVE the colors of this!!!!

Um... yes, this was awesome. We've got a kiss, a fancy dress that I love, and some of my favorite flowers, AND it is pink. Even if I didn't know Janice was an amazing author, I'd pick this up just to see what it was about!

Now this one was a bit different, and that's why I picked it. It isn't girly, and Karen rights very much for women. But... I still like it. The bright lights.... it would make me want to read the back cover, even if I didn't know that Karen was a super star writer:-) I also liked how they made the font be bright like lights for the title... very cool!

And last but not least.... after perusing the cover choices that I liked, my cousin and I finished designing MY first indi-pubished novel, and this is what we came up with.

Given the covers I liked most, I knew I wanted to have PEOPLE on my cover, and preferably faces. I know not all authors/readers like it, but a lot do. My original idea was to show the "sides" of their faces as a nod toward the title.

I perused stock photo sites like mad. SHE was super easy to fine. Oh my goodness, is she not gorgeous?!? her pink lips and pink tank-top sealed the deal as to what color font I'd be using, and since I'm a fan of pink, it worked!

My hero? Eh, not so much. Cameron is a red-headed tall guy, a little on the lean side, who is very handsome. Can I tell you how HARD it is to find handsome redheaded stock male photos (that don't cost like $1,000....)? But when I ran across this brown-headed guy who had that amazing look in his eye as he checks her out... which is TOTALLY Cameron, I sent it to my cousin and he said he could make his hair red. I'll be honest, it's not exactly how I pictured him, but it's close.

I do like having my name in all-caps print... it was that way on my first novel and I wanted to continue with that look, with my name at the bottom. My cousin came up with the fun way to display the title of the name, and yeah, I'm pleased. I was a LITTLE nervous about the white background... but I'm a fan of simple covers and I thought a background would be distracting.

That might be more than you wanted to know about my crazy thought process....

But now it's YOUR turn!!

What covers in your genre have you seen lately that you love? What kind of covers appeal to you?

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Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romance . She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by Sarah Freese of Wordserve Literary.

How to Entice Readers to Turn the Page

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The number of unfinished books that have visited my nightstand in the past are way more than ten. You too?

Have you ever forced yourself to finish a book "just because" and for no other reason? That book is collecting dust, too, right?

I'm really not a high maintenance reader. 

I simply want a story that is realistic, draws me in, causes me to empathize for the right characters, and hate the others. 

While I'm putting in my order, I also like stories that surprise me, wow me, make me laugh, cause me to reach for a tissue, force me to shout out loud and feel embarrassed when my family looks at me weird. Is this asking too much?

I am a writer. I am also a reader. I always start a book hoping it will send shivers up my happy scale, cause me to want to read it again, and show me what a well written book looks like. 

Perhaps you are the very writer I want to read. The one who distracts me from a crummy day at work, the snobby cashier, the rotten driver who nearly ran me off the road, the fifty cent jump in gas price while I ran in for one grocery item, or the perfect dinner in the crock pot that didn't get turned on (Erica Vetsch recently confessed to this one).

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Readers want to turn pages. Readers want to feel the power of a story that could change their lives. Readers want stories like Esther to move them rather than be lectured with ten points. Readers love to read.

Writers just need stories that put out the welcome mat.

So, how can writers welcome a reader, show them a comfy chair, and hand them their favorite beverage to keep them turning pages?

One of the best way to gift a reader is to have a page turner novel. One way to set up page turners is by giving a special gift at the end of a chapter.

Often readers will endure slow moments in a scene, sometimes these are breathers for the reader. But if the end of a chapter ends with everything wrapped up with a lovely pink bow or has no action, the reader might close the book instead of turning the page to dive into the next chapter.

In Tim Shoemaker's class: Take Your Fiction to the Gym presented at the Write to Publish Conference this year he helped me see how crucial the end of a chapter can be to keep the pages turning.   

Choose a random chapter from your WIP. You know the scene, the characters, etc. Now look at the end of the chapter (which may not necessarily be the end of the scene) and answer these questions:

1. Who is the POV character? 
2. Where are they?
3. What have they just seen, heard, said, done, etc?
4. What is the most unexpected word or action that could happen at this specific moment?

This doesn't have to be something huge. But it can be.

Here are some examples:
*Girl meets boy, (nothing new). Girl dresses nice and hopes boy wants to date her (nothing new). Five minutes before Mr. Wonderful arrives her little brother shoots her with his squirt gun...that has red dye in the water.

Or...Girl gets a call five minutes before Mr. Wonderful arrives. The doctor's office says she has a brain tumor.

*Man is walking down the street to his place of employment. Car drives by and splashes mud on the man. He goes to the men's room to wash, reaches into his pocket for his phone to call a family member to have them bring a new outfit. The same pocket he keeps his wallet. Only he doesn't feel his wallet.

Or...he reaches into his pocket and finds the one hundred dollar bill he thought he lost two weeks ago.

*A truth that rocks the POV character's world. (Boyfriend finds out his girlfriend is actually married. She discovers she is adopted. They find out the neighbor robbed a store ten years ago and is still hiding from the police.)

*Something undoes things just when everything seems right for the character. (Turbo tax says she owes $9,859.42, Or his shoelace is untied. He trips and falls into the waitress carrying a large tray of food. Or... he trips and falls, knocking the papers off of a desk. He finds the one he'd been looking for. )

*The pov character received a reward-A promotion, the guy breaks off an engagement with the other girl, chosen for first place, etc.

*The pov character finds a treasure that changes them (Found a priceless painting in a garage sale, a long lost photo of a family member, the key that unlocks the hope chest in the attic)

*It could be a phone call, a letter, troubling news

*Maybe something big like the birth of a grandchild, word of an inheritance, a house fire, lost job, major illness

*It could be something as small as someone peeking around the corner and catching the character doing something.


Whatever you choose must be: 

* Something the character cannot fix. This will give more power.
       The flat tire has made them late. What did the character miss?
       The phone call has canceled an important appointment. 
       Your character has witnessed something good or a crime.

* Needs to be unique or you will loose the surprise effect.

Tim Shoemaker's class showed me the importance of putting something enticing, mysterious, suspenseful, or surprising at the end of every single chapter. This is doable. Ask your character what is the one thing they would not want to have happen at that moment...then write it in the scene.

Let's share good examples from either your manuscript or a book you've read. Tell one awesome page turner (feel free to condense or share the text).

Tim Shoemaker shared one about a teen boy trying to ask a girl to a prom. Paul tried to be alone with Joyce all day at school, but never had the chance. After school he went home, took a shower, put on nice clothes and drove his jalopy over to her house. He practiced his words all the way there and was confident Joyce would say yes. He turned on to her street and pulled up to her house. In the driveway, Chuck, the captain of the football team, stood next to a shiny black Fiat....talking to Joyce. What did the teen boy do? Turn the page and see.

Your turn. If you can't think of an example, please take a second and say howdie doo. Standing in the Alley alone is no fun.

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If you found any typos in today's post...Mary Vee, (that's me sheepishly grinning), is waving her hand as the guilty party. 

If you have questions or would like this topic discussed in greater detail, let me know in the comment section. I'll gladly do the research and write a post...just for you :)

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes contemporary and romance Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

How to Be a Good Guest

So excited for my first post as an official AlleyCat! What my introductory “interview” didn’t mention was my background in book publicity. In over seven years, I’ve scheduled media appearances, coordinated bookstore events, and organized blog tours for authors. I could write an entire post filled with ways these bright and brilliant personalities have, to put it frankly, behaved badly.

But instead, I’m going to share three ways you can be a good guest in your promotional efforts so hopefully you’ll get invited back :)

1. Above all, be gracious.  Whether you’re J.K. Rowling or a pre-published author with two Twitter followers, don’t get delusions of grandeur. If someone is hosting you, he or she is doing you a favor by giving you the chance to connect with a new audience.

Don’t act like you’re above an appearance or unhappy to be there. Because any hint of this in your tone can translate poorly for future opportunities, even with other outlets. Don’t be demanding. Ever. (See what I just did there?) Low maintenance guests who make a contact person’s job as easy as possible are much more likely to get invited again.

And do your best to make sure all of the stipulations you previously discussed with the contact person are met in a timely manner with excellence. Turn in your article or arrive at the designated place on time if not early. Don’t stray from the agreed subject matter or pull any fast ones. Even if you discover the people you're working with are difficult, only you are responsible for your behavior and the way you choose to react. 

If you know your heart isn't into an opportunity enough to give it your very best, don’t commit to it in the first place. But if you do, see it through and be gracious. Always write a thank you note.

2. Give back to your audience. Hopefully you or your marketing team have created room in the budget for strategic giveaways that will capitalize an appearance’s exposure. If you haven't reached that point in your career, do keep that in mind! While published authors typically give away books, promotional materials, and packages of keepsakes that fit with their stories’ themes, if you’re not published, you can give away a book in your genre (Hint: Make sure to tag that author when promoting your appearance!), a service you provide such as design or editing, or even practical non-book-related items that fit with the brand you’re trying to create.

Food is also good if you’re appearing in person. Food is always good.

While tangible giveaway items can be beneficial, I’d argue that some kind of takeaway knowledge is just as valuable to your audience. Is the overall focus of your “spiel” self-serving, or will your audience be better for it? What can they learn from your education? Your experience? Your mistakes? 

It’s important to have a good grasp on how your appearance is not only accomplishing your personal goals, but how it’s making your audience better, too.

3. Interact with your audience. Granted, this doesn’t apply for radio or TV spots unless the Q&A format is supported, but for appearances online or in print, make sure you check for comments and respond to the legitimate ones (graciously—see #1). End with a question or call to action that will encourage dialogue and make you more memorable. 

People love talking about themselves. It's just the way most of us are wired. Your audience will remember someone who seemed invested in what they had to say. You don't have to make a bunch of new best friends or anything, but do make sure your appearance is two-sided if possible.  

GIF by disneylatino.com

And in everything, be professional but beeeeee yourself. Unless you’re just a terrible human being, in which case, do what the sweetest person you know would do :) But seriously, there’s a huge difference between a strong hook and tacky shock value. Always choose genuine and classy over shock value. It’s just the right thing to do.

These rules are important to keep in mind whether you’re an author, business, or anyone with a message or product to promote. Hopefully if you’ve been given the platform to reach a new audience, you’ll capitalize on it in a way that's beneficial for you and them, also keeping the opportunity open in the future.

What have your successful guest appearances been like? Have you ever worked with a difficult personality before?

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom who writes stories of grace in the beautiful mess. When she's not writing, she enjoys car singing, baking, and going on adventures with her husband and little girl. 

Her first book won the 2013 ACFW Genesis Award (Contemporary), and her second is a current finalist in the 2014 Genesis Contest (Romance). She is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie at www.laurietomlinson.com or Facebook.com/AuthorLaurieTomlinson.

Tips on Synopsis Writing - Basics

www.pixaby.com

Pepper here, and I just finished speed writing two synopses for a request, so when I was trying to figure out what I could share with you guys today, that was fresh in my mind.

Synopsis writing is not for the faint of heart....or the long-winded, which makes it particularly difficult for a good ole Appalachian girl like me. We're fond of being long-winded.

A synopsis is a short version of your story - basically "the narrative arc" including the main characters' arcs.

Here are  a few tips I've learned from writing a synopsis.

Basic info:

1. Typical length is 3-5 pages (with some exceptions). There is also the painful phenomenon known as the one-page synopsis. A whole story with the most interesting plot-points in one page? Whew....challenging. It seems that if you're a newer author, the publishers want to see longer rather than shorter to ensure you have a good grasp on your novel.

2. Single-spaced - usually, unless the editor or publisher requests differently.

3. Main characters - lots of times I'm tempted to add TOO many people in my synopsis, which then makes the synopsis too complex. Only include characters specifically attached to major scenes in your book. Uncle Joe who shows up two times in the story isn't a vital character (unless it's someone like the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella - she's vital to the story. No bippity boppity boo - no dress - no prince)

4. Present-tense- unless you are told otherwise by the agent or publisher, most synopses are written in present tense.

5. Conflict - The heart of a story is conflict, and in the synopsis, just like in your novel, it has to propel your story forward. Make certain the reader knows what your characters WANT and what keeps stopping him/her from getting it.

www.pixaby.com

Other info:

1. Keep the reader engaged -so use active voice. The synopsis might be the first glimpse of your story the editor/agent gets, so let it sing. It's supposed to 'sound' like your story in voice and style, not like some fact-by-fact science report. Give it the same personality your books have. If you write suspense, make the synopsis sound suspenseful. Comedy? Add some humor. Also remember, your story is filled with action and emotions - both should be present in the synopsis

2. Just like with the information about 'conflict', remember to add your character's internal and external motivation. For example, in one of my books, my character wants to move out of the small town of Ransom, Virginia (external), but his internal motivation is to be seen as 'a hero' because he's always felt like the black sheep and a loser.

3. Make sure your reader knows what will be lost if your character does not attain his/her goal - what's at stake.

4. Be clear. Don't add any extra information that isn't necessary to expressing the story arc. The dress color of your character is probably not a key component of your story, so could probably be left out :-)

5. Remember - you HAVE to leave stuff out in a synopsis. It's not the novel :-)

6. Last but not least, the ending should resolve the major conflicts of the story (unless a few are purposefully left for the next book).

These are the basics! As a treat, I'd be happy to edit one reader's synopsis to help with conference prep. If you're interested in an read-through, let me know in the comments below and I'll put your name in the drawing for an edit of your 3-5 page synopsis.

Come on, let's chat. What is your biggest struggle with writing a synopsis?

The Alley Weekend Round Up

I've have the wants! I want to write. I want to paint. I want to be a landscaper and get my yard beautiful enough to house a Yard-of-the-Month sign. I want to learn to new recipes and be a great cook. I want to decorate my home to look like Karen Schravemade's home. I want so much. But you know...I cannot do it all. I can focus on what God puts before me today and do it to the best of the ability He has given me. That's all we can do...use out gifts and talents to bring glory to Him. No, it may not be beautiful like the kind of beauty Karen can make, but it will be the kind of beautiful that God has created me to make. We all make our own kind of beautiful...and that is a great thing. So as you go through your week and write the words of your story, know that God is using you to create something of worth. And while you are at it, stop by the Alley and take in all the awesome posts we have lined up for you! Wow...it's gonna be a good week.

The Alley Weekly Line Up

Monday - Pepper has been slaving away, writing a couple of synopsis to send out, so she is well prepared to give us some great pointers in doing the "dreaded synopsis".
Tuesday - Laurie begins her role as an Alley Cat telling us "How To Be A Good Guest In Your Promotional Journey (And How To Get Invited Back). How's that for a great first post?!?!
Wednesday - Mary is going to teach you "How To Entice Readers To Turn The Page".
Thursday - Krista's got you covered..."Cool, Calm and Covered".
Friday - Casey has the question that many of us are asking..."Should You Go To Writing Conferences When You Aren't Writing?"

Alley Cat Spotlight

We are spotlighting Angie Dicken! She loves to write historical romance and has been a winner and finalist is quite a few writing contests. She is a mother of four and keeps busy doing "mom" things and other fun stuff such as...Jamberry Nails! Angie just launched her start as a consultant for them and has been selling the coolest nail wraps I've ever seen. (You can check out the ones I bought here.) You can check out her Facebook page here. Angie also is a master at creating One Sheets for your manuscripts and even won the Mile High One Sheet Contest in 2011. You can find out more here and here. Angie is an amazing person and we are so blessed to have her here at The Writer's Alley.

The Awesome Link Round Up

Self-Publishing Is Real (Now What?) (The Passive Voice)

Be Careful Where You Look For Glory (Storyline Blog)

How To Maintain Focus When Writing (WritetoDone)

Creativity and Story (Ransomed Heart)

Reflections on Things Heard At RWA 2014 (Scott Eagan)

Link Love: Synonym Finders, Marketing on Goodreads, etc (Go Teen Writer)

Writing Contests - August Update (Seekerville)

New Kindle Feature (hahaha!!!) (Passive Voice)

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!

I Can't Get No Satisfaction... Again.

Can I just say when I sat to write this blog post I just felt, well... empty. Uninspired. Tired. What could I possibly say at a moment like this that will strike a chord with anyone? I drew a big fat blank and so I revisited my old blog, seeking inspiration. Funny enough, my own words from over a year ago came back and nurtured that same weary place in me. These aren't fancy words or some grandiose lesson. We will never have it all together. We might never find it possible to be truly content in right now. But in this simple bare confession, we might, just maybe find common ground. And be inspired for today.

The words may be recycled but they hit me afresh.

March 27, 2013 - I Can't Get No Satisfaction

As I’m certain all of you know by now, life is, well . . . hard. Busy. Hectic. Stressful. Exhausting.

There are countless distractions that steal my time and my focus away from my Source. And often enough, my Source starts to feel like a side dish, and then maybe a dessert, or just an occasional splurge. It’s much more difficult to notice just a pound or two. Most often it’s only when you’re completely out of shape that you start to realize how horrendous your diet has become.

As a mother of two wild-child toddlers (now 2 tots and a baby), most days when I catch my reflection in the mirror I have one of those “Whoa!” moments. As in “Whoa, sister, what the heck happened to you? You used to be kinda cute and, well, skinny, with unlined skin and an almost perpetual grin. 

When did I lose my focus? When did I become complacent? How did I get so out of shape?

With everything in me I want to be desperate for God. But am I? And how, with the kids and the bills, and a marriage, and relationships, and writing, and blogging, and facebook, and church, and missions, and . . . (you get the idea), do I find time to indulge in Him?

In my heart I’m not trying to simply perform or look good on paper so that others might commend my holiness. Ick! Even just thinking that makes me all itchy with the hypocrisy of it all. Legalism. Empty works. Going through the motions.

That is not how I want to glorify the God that is my very breath. The God who has blessed me with this wonderfully exhausting home and family. The God who has never abandoned me even in my darkest, desert nights.

So why do I feel like a snail wiggling inch by inch up an endlessly long and treacherous mountain when, in reality, I know that I will never reach that ideal peak. There is no perfection to be had here. There is no earthy destination where I will have done everything God has for me to do and then I can just dust off my hands, kick up my feet, and wait to see his Glory face-to-face.

Since my efforts very often fall short and leave me filled with frustration, am I bringing Him any glory at all?

A few weeks ago at church my Pastor said something that stuck all over me like winter static. He said:

God is most glorified in you when you are satisfied in Him.

Man, it really got me thinking  . . . Am I satisfied? My life is great, but am I so caught up in my daily struggles that I’m left wanting more without the energy to even cry out for it?

This profound thought has been tooling around in my brain for a few weeks, and yet, I'm not convinced I know how to be fully satisfied with where I am at. Every day is a battle. From the unique struggles that we are facing with our children, to the constant financial battle of getting ahead, and the challenges of my husbands dreadful job (no longer dreadful, hallelujah!), I feel like we are simply pushing through the junk in hopes of the day when things won't be quite so difficult.

But that really just means that we are missing out on what God is trying to teach us right now. Missing out on time that we will never get back. And failing to see that regardless of our circumstances, we are called by God to be a light today. To show his love, joy, grace, and compassion today. To seek him with everything we have, not tomorrow, or when life finally settles down (as if that will ever happen), but TODAY.

What do people see when they look at me? Do they see the snot-crusted mommy who hasn’t had a good nights sleep in almost four years? Or do they see a joyful servant of the Most High, blessed beyond belief and satisfied with the God that is always more than enough?

What about you? Are you shining with His Glory? Or are you so worn out that you can’t even reflect an ounce of His goodness?

Regardless of your struggles, are you satisfied?

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers, one pretty little princess, and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.