Hello, my friend!
I hope you’re having a – in the words of Katie Voetberg – peacefully productive week!
My mom, aka “Baba” to my kids (her name is Barbara…) is visiting this week, and every time she’s here, it’s like summer camp for my two oldest, Isaiah and Elliana. My mom is the ultimate camp counselor, leading them on grand adventures in the great outdoors, fixing (southern for “making” and “cooking”) the yummiest, most love-filled snacks and suppers (well, camp counselors don’t really do that, but you catch my drift), singing them golden oldies, telling impromptu campfire-y tales, and setting up Pinterest-worthy arts and crafts. It’s always a drag when she has to go home. Not every grandparent is as spry, intentional, and big-hearted as Baba – we thank God for her!
In writing news, I’ve finished reviewing my editor’s notes on Ring of Wishes and am eagerly awaiting the crisp, good-as-it-gets manuscript from her before sending it off to my cover designer and formatter. Before that, however, I face the daunting task of crafting a 150-250-word summary, used for the back cover and online descriptions. Wish me luck, as I refuse to enlist Chat GPT to do it for me, lol…
Here’s another excerpt, for any mythophiles reading!:
Not twenty seconds after she’s closed her eyes, she feels a sharp sting on her finger. She’s never been stung by a scorpion before, but she’s certain that’s what’s happened. She kicks off the comforter and rolls onto the floor, crazily shaking her hand like it’s been lit on fire, which is precisely how it feels.
“I tried my best not to touch you.”
Rosalind leaps back at the woman’s voice, stumbling over a mound of pillows. Her mind immediately jumps to pepper spray, then remembers it’s in her purse and her purse is in the kitchen. The next best thing she knows to do is scream for her mom, who, thankfully, is a very light sleeper.
She opens her mouth, fills her lungs with air, and prepares to yell, but not so much as a whimper escapes her lips. She hears the woman click her tongue.
“Ah-ah-ah,” the woman says at the same time as tiny sparks of purple light start to spin and weave in the air. “It isn’t polite to raise one’s voice in the presence of deities.”
If you’d like to be an advanced reader and receive a free digital copy of the book, plus two paperback copies, please reply at diana.tyler86@gmail.com!
Alrighty, on with this week’s Top 4!
BE WEIRD
“The modern world is set up for poor physical and psychological health. If you want the best shot at enjoying a long and healthy life, you have to eat sleep, breath, and move differently than most people. Being ‘weird’ is key.” – Dr. Austin Perlmutter
WHO > WHY
“God responded to Job’s pain not by telling him why, but by telling Job Who was behind it all. During difficulty, we want answers. What God gives to us is Himself. God didn’t say, ‘Let me tell you why this is happening.’ He said, ‘Let me tell you Who I am.’” – Jonny Ardavanis
SOMETHING = EVERYTHING
“How you do something is how you do everything.” – Jenise Johnson
UNOFFENDABLE
“ The Greek word for offense is skandalon, which literally means the part of an animal trap where bait is hung. In other words, an offense is literally a trap. It makes perfect sense that the devil would choose to use offenses to catch us in his snare … Satan lays all kinds of traps for us, and I’m convinced he hunts among the hurting. Think about it – when people offend us, we get angry and hold grudges that leads to unforgiveness, which leads to broken relationships, which lead to self-pity and isolation, which lead to broken communication with God. From there, it’s nothing but discouragement and defeat.” – Heidi St. John from the book MomStrong
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