Cover Reveal: Tides of Souls

I’m only halfway through the manuscript, but I just had to share. Isn’t it dreamy?

HUGE shout-out to the incredibly talented, Karen at Story Graphix Plus. It’s an absolute pleasure working with you (as always). 🩷

A Groan is Enough

It’s been such a dark month, dear reader. With a heavy heart, I write this post. September is supposed to be a sunny time of year, yet so many tragic events have clouded our days. I found out a good friend of mine went home to be with the Lord, my niece received a devastating diagnosis, and a Godly man I admired was assassinated.

The grief brings me to a place of no words. As strange as that sounds (coming from a person who writes novels), I literally don’t know what to say. So many nights I’ve lain in God’s presence, groping for articulation. It reminds me of a scripture that feels so fitting:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26

I’m wrestling with the concept that God is in heaven and I am on earth—my words are to remain incredibly few. Yet, I’m encouraging myself that He knows me better than I know myself. I don’t need to put together some flowery prayer. . . I can just groan. He knows what it means. He’s my author after all.

I’ve switched gears as of late. Perhaps my heart is trying to speak in a way that doesn’t require words. As each event blew upon our family, I saw a change that I didn’t see coming. I started to SEE my emotions. I started to see colors. Geometric shapes came together to form an image I’ve never seen in my life—I started to see a painting.

I finished two and am working on a third. If I ever gather enough courage, I may post them. Until then, take comfort knowing our Lord doesn’t need words. Sometimes a groan is enough.

Why Is He Flying So Low?

(Me) Why is he flying so low?
(Friend) To stay out of the way of other flights or to avoid turbulence.
(Me) Huh?

A frantic, typed out message exchanged with my friend on our way home from Michigan. Our plane took off without turbulence, but never fully reached altitude. The lights that signaled our mobility never came on. I watched as rooftops passed my window and grew incredibly concerned. The pilot wasn’t pulling up. It was dark, and he was flying really low. What the heck was he doing? After about forty-five minutes of sweating in my chair, our plane finally broke through the clouds, and I could see the star-filled sky. It was then that it all made sense.
Lightning.
Lots and lots of lightning. The pilot was flying low to avoid the electrical storm that raged from above.

It’s amazing how a situation like this can put everything in perspective. Here I was, thinking I knew what the pilot should be doing. I assumed I knew what was best for our flight, when in reality, my plan could have put us in grave danger. I often make this same mistake with God. I think I know how things should be done and question His chosen path. But just like my flight, I don’t always know the bigger picture. And I have no clue what’s beyond the clouds.

I’m grateful I have a Pilot of my life that isn’t me.

Realm Sphere—How Did It Go?

I just stepped off the ride of Realm Sphere, and yeah, it was cool. There were many highs and lows. At times it felt like things were spinning out of control. But with all carnival rides, you never know if you’ll have fun or hurl. So let’s recap from the beginning:

First, the flight over was horrifying. Seriously, there was a point where I was asking for forgiveness of sins. I mean, it wasn’t my first rodeo—I’ve experienced turbulence before. This ride was incredibly rough. It was as if the pilot couldn’t get the dang thing off the ground. You know that feeling of your stomach dropping on a rollercoaster? It was that—over, and over, and over, and . . .

Anyways, we got to the hotel (which was gorgeous, btw) and received the news that they couldn’t process our card. The bank put a security hold on the funds because we were out of state. The gentleman who helped us was completely indifferent, and after a painful 45 minutes of sweating, they finally paid it through. We raced to the nearest elevator—only to discover it was broken! At this point, we just wanted to get to the room and watch QVC.

The conference itself was fun. I mean, let’s be honest here, there were two things I was looking forward to doing: the costume contest and my pitches. So, I’ll start with the costume contest.

The turnout was interesting. There were a ton of fairies, wizards, elves—you know, the typical fantasy fare. I did see a Phoenix, and a man dressed as a dragon. And a guy wearing real knight’s armor! Anyways, we all lined up on a huge stage and announced what we were. I simply said, “I’m Amy, a common moth.” Apparently everyone cheered (or so I was told). I was overcome with stage fright, so it was a bit of a blur.

There were several classes I attended—most of which I was either too bored to remember or I ditched. It actually brought back fond memories of high school. 😂 I wasted a ton of money at the expo buying books for my daughter and even had some of them signed.

But this all boiled down to the pitches, right? They were the reason why I traveled clear across the country in the first place. Well, I’ll say this: they didn’t go horrible. To be respectful of the editors, I’m going to self-edit here. I did meet a kindred soul who I instantly connected with. She left with my books, so maybe lightning will strike . . .

All in all, I had a really good time. I made PRICELESS memories with my daughter and friend. Memories that can only be described as EPIC. For now, I can’t wait to go home. As with all introverts pushed to their limits, this trip was a colossal drain. I will return to my cave and emerge some time next year.

Alien Abduction

The writers’ conference is less than a week away, and I’m honestly freaking out. It reminds me of a ride I experienced a few years ago . . .

Its name was Alien Abduction—otherwise known as Gravitron. It’s an exceptionally popular ride at carnivals and fairs. You know, it’s the spaceship-shaped container of madness that spins for what feels like eternity. My daughter begged for me to ride with her, and despite my horrendous vertigo that’s increased with age, I reluctantly agreed. As I stood next in line, I remember thinking I had possibly made an error. Most riders were excited when they exited the attraction and looked like they had a great time. But some . . . dare I say some, didn’t look so great. Some looked disoriented. A couple even looked sick?

As the ticket-taker checked my wristband, I entered the colorful wheel of people with an overwhelming sense of dread. There was loud Mariachi music, bright red lights, and a smell that was rather unpleasant. My daughter and I lined up against the wall and tried not to touch it (germs). I took a quick scan of the youth that trickled in, and of the man who operated the machine from the center. If my calculations were correct, I had a few minutes left to escape.

But I had no time to waste.

I turned to grab my daughter’s hand, when the door slowly closed. I had waited too long to leave and was trapped in what I could only imagine was a proper glimpse of hell. At first, I didn’t feel anything. The music loudly thumped to a flicker of lights. Then the screaming started. A tremendous feeling of pressure pressed us against the germy wall, and for three horrifying minutes, we spun at maximum speed. I closed my eyes and prayed I wouldn’t die. By the time the ride was finished, I had uttered several curse words that would make a sailor blush (okay, not really). I would’ve given anything for a picture of me staggering down the ramp, pale as a ghost. Yes, I tackled Alien Abduction and the sight of a UFO makes me sweat. But you know what’s very odd? I look back at that experience with fond memories. I kinda liked it. Dare I say, I might even do it again.

The point? My conference is in less than a week, and I entered the spaceship. Tickets are paid, hotel is booked—door is closed. What will happen? Will I have fun? Will I conquer this thing? You bet. Will it be scary as hell? Yeah, it will be. But I’m in it to win it. And I’ll probably do it again.

Werewolves, Robots, and Mummies . . . Oh My!

So, okay, what’s on the horizon after I wrap up my WIP? Well, so far I have three novels (possibly series) brewing in my head. They’re just ideas of course, but you know if I put my mind to something, I’ll do it. So without further ado, here’s a glimpse of what I’m thinking . . .

Werewolf: If you didn’t know this already by looking at my website, I LOVE werewolves. I’m not talking the man who turns into a literal wolf. I’m talking about the bipedal wolf (from the waist up), torn flannel shirt (why is it always a flannel?), and muddy jeans. The kind that morphs at the unveiling of a full moon and needs a silver bullet to be stopped. Yeah, I’m dying to write a paranormal romance starring one of those (clean, of course) with plenty of chills and thrills. I won’t give away much of the plot, but I will say this: There’s a story in the Bible where a king “turns” into a cow (well, kind of). Enough said.

Mummy: I’ve dreamt of writing this paranormal suspense for literally ten years. It’s etched in my mind as if it already exists. This too will have a nice romance thread, and is in essence, a story of redemption. A logline already? When a girl tries to end her life, a mummy takes her back in time to show her its meaning. 😭

Robot: Specifically an AI robot. Yes, I know, this is a stretch and maybe even played out. Perhaps by the time I get to writing this, AI will have romantic relationships with humans and it won’t be so “paranormal”. Mmm . . . Okay, back to the drawing board if that happens.

So, that’s all I have for now. If you haven’t already watched the video in my aww bio, it pretty much sums things up. A snapshot of my future in writing, Lord willing.

A Moth and a Prayer

This July is going to be a very exciting month! I’ll be attending a writer’s conference hosted by Realm Makers. I’m horrified to say the least. First of all, I’ll be dressed as a moth—which is interesting because I’m incredibly introverted. 😅 Perhaps it hides my anxiety? Lol! Second, I have an interview with an agent. Now this is what I’m really nervous about. I’ll be pitching my series in a total of fifteen minutes. What if I stutter? What if my brain freezes up? What if I have a panic attack? Should I wear a mask during the whole meeting? Sigh. I don’t know. Those are some of the worries that trouble my mind as of late.

In a curious twist of events, my husband brought home this moth from work. It happened to be the kind of moth I’m dressing as! We released him that night with a prayer.

Lord, Your will be done. 🩷

Guess What I Got?

Guess what I got? A nose ring! People say it feels like a bad bee sting . . . but, yeah. It hurt. It’s totally worth it though. Did I mention I wanted one for thirty years?