Butt in Chair at Long Last

When I stopped writing a few years ago to help my daughter during her breast cancer journey, I never expected it to evolve into a multi-year sabbatical. I love creating stories. I love my characters. I’ve missed them and their new adventures terribly. That said, I have absolutely NO REGRETS!

I am most fortunate to be able to make helping my daughters and their families, including all six of our grandchildren, a top priority as they transitioned into new schools, new work, new a lot of things. The wife and I have been adapting to new, too.

Probably, like many of you, our Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays were abundant and full. We just returned from a family vacation at Granby Ranch, Colorado where we shared a lovely ski in/ski out home. Yep, all 12 of us (6 adults, 6 children all six and under). What a wild time. In the picture at left, I’m preparing to launch the first snowball of our epic snowball fight! Everyone, even the littles, had to get involved. Sadly, the king of the mountain group perched atop a huge volume of snow prevailed.

Here in the very beginnings of 2023, I am over the top THRILLED that NOW is the time to get back in the game. Today, my butt was in the chair, my head in the story, and I started putting words on the page. Much has changed in the writing and publishing world in the past few years. I’m on a learning curve using a new writing software. Writing about four hours a day has worked for me in the past. I should be back up to that level soon.

In celebration, I’m offering a FREE download of my second novel, Thin Places: Hawaii, for the next five days (Thursday, January 12th through Monday, January 16th). Click on this link: https://amzn.to/3vUuHMv

https://amzn.to/3vUuHMv

Thanks for your patience and continued interest in my books. I’ll keep you updated here and via email for those who have subscribed to my newsletter. Happy New Year!

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Well, That Didn’t Go As Planned

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”

James 4:13-15 MSG

At the airport hotel on May 23, 1976, about to depart on the big honeymoon, my wife and I awoke on our first day or marriage, played Bible roulette, and this is the verse that magically fell open. We glanced at each other a bit puzzled, but quickly hurried to finish the room service breakfast so we could make our flight. Bags checked, we rushed to the departure gate and learned, you guessed it, our scheduled departure was cancelled. Instantly, the words about being off to such and such city slammed into our present reality. That experience has stayed with us as we’ve navigated the many pathways of life over the past 46 years. And that’s exactly what happened since my last post here over a year ago.

Rather than a return to writing, finishing “Thin Places: Dallas” and launching into yet another novel, I never brought myself to the butt in chair, head in story, putting words on the page four hours a day reality as I had long planned to do. Instead, I took a year to thoroughly enjoy living in remote isolation in a log cabin at 9,400 feet altitude an hour-and-a-half west of Colorado Springs deep in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. Every time I thought about getting back into writing, I’d get distracted by the abundant wildlife up close and personal — bear, deer, bobcat, coyote, eagles, elk, and even a rare lynx. Becky would take long walks almost daily in the mountain meadow. Never did a month pass that various combinations of grandchildren would come to stay with us for a few days. Then such a wild thing called seasons happened — fall and winter — a phenomenon I didn’t grow up knowing much about in the Deep South. All in all, it was a glorious respite that oozed with opportunity for restoration and refreshing. And I did!

This past spring, Becky and I came down from the mountains and began settling into our new Colorado Springs digs. We traveled back to Dallas in May to deal with a storage unit we’d piled two decades of family treasures into. Finally, we’re beginning to find our new normal. And YES, I’m feeling the itch to get my butt in the chair, get my head into the story, and put words on the page again. My writing adventure continues…

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For Good

I spent my first decade growing up in the small Mississippi Delta town of Doddsville, population 304. Oxford, home of esteemed writers William Faulkner and John Grisham, was an hour-and-a-half northwest of our little farming community. Grisham and I are the same age. Later, I remember reading, then watching, The Firm, and thinking maybe someday I could write a novel just like Mr. Grisham did. He was an inspiration, one of many.

So, when I read that he said this “is the most important book I have ever written,” I was compelled to download it. I was surprised when it was FREE!

It’s a quick read and like the title says, non-legal. Grisham uses his storytelling brilliance to convey facts — facts about brain tumors. As some of you know, I had my own tumor scare in 2001. Fortunately, it had not invaded my brain. Despite trying to stay current on all things tumors, I was not aware of the developing new treatment described in the book.

I love it when influential people use their talents for good. In this story, John Grisham does that as an advocate and call to action for funding this new treatment for tumors.

I recommend to all my readers and friends downloading and reading The Tumor. You never know if or when YOU or someone you love will be impacted directly or indirectly by something like this. Together, each doing just a little something, we can make a difference.

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Happy 2020!

Upcountry Maui, May 2018

Just a little over a year and a half seems like a lifetime ago when my wife, Rebecca, and I were in Maui celebrating a job well done with our eldest daughter and her family. Rebecca and I had just completed caring for our granddaughter weekdays during her first year when her parents had to return to work following her birth. As I have often mentioned, it was one of the most glorious and wonderful things I’ve ever been a part of. Yes, EVER!

While sipping Mai Tai’s poolside one afternoon, said eldest daughter arrived at our cabana. Her face bespoke of surprise, perhaps even shock. Katherine had been feeling a little off with symptoms that seemed somewhat familiar. Secretly snagging a test kit when we were all at the local store, the results were in. PREGNANT!

Like that news, every moment of our time together on the island was charmed. When we returned, I put together and published Madeleine’s Midday Updates. Then I plotted and started writing Thin Places: Dallas.

Genevieve Garrett joined the family a year ago in January, 2019. Rebecca and I knew then we desired to do for her the same thing we did for her older sister. It’s been another magical year, two in the last three now, with the responsibilities and joy of caring for an infant 10 hours a day, 5 days a week.

After doing it once, I had the grandiose notion that I could write when she napped. WRONG! Parents, grandparents, nannies, and others who care for little babies know what I’m talking about. Doing it well is work. And it’s exhausting. When it came time for me to write, the ole brain was tired and fried. Putting even two words together that made any sense whatsoever eluded me. Consequently, I made the decision to give writing another rest, like I did before, and dedicate myself to providing this baby the best care I could possibly offer.

Genevieve’s Daddy Ben Loves Her to Pieces!

So, that’s where in the world Ben Coleman has been for the last while. Now, our little bundle of joy has transitioned into full-time daycare. And I’m back, back to doing what makes me come alive. Writing.

Initially, I’m refreshing myself on the plot, characters, and what was already written. After making a few adjustments, it will be back to butt in chair, head in story, putting words on the page. I’m looking forward to an awesome 2020 and hope YOU have the best New Year yet!

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