Asking for your opinion again

        I am working to finalize my latest devotional/memoir. First I need to choose between the two titles:

“Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh, My – 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain” or

            “Pebbles, Rocks, and Kidney Stones – 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain”

        Let me know which one you like better. Also, below are four more possible covers. When I shared covers previously, the majority voted for the picture of me holding a handful of pebbles I had picked up in a church parking lot when I was suffering from my second kidney stone.

COVER 1

COVER 2

COVER 3

COVER 4

        Not only let me know which one you like the best, but if you like one font better than another or a different color and stuff like that.

        Moving on. The first of November, I finally started posting a list of goals again. Here is what I accomplished:

 Writing:

1)     Finish editing my devotional/memoir about dealing with pain. Done

2)     Finalize the cover for “Bones”. Asking for your opinion

3)     Get my son to work on formatting with me. Done

4)     Reread what I have so far on the second novel in the “Ice Cream Spies” series, in anticipation of getting back to it as soon as “Bones” is finished. Not done.  

 Reaching:

1)     Promote one of my latest works once a week. No, I don’t think I did.

            2)   Promote the vendor sale on November 18. Yes.

3)   Sew three book bags for the vendor sale on November 18. Yes (And by the way, the sale was a huge success 😊)

            4)   Hire someone to do some professional advertising of my books. No.

 Reading:

            1)  Start and finish reading two novels. Looks like only one.  

            2)  Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study. Yes.

 Retiring:

1)     Once a week do research on my trip to Cambodia for next fall. I know it seems a long way away, but I gotta keep chasing that dream. Nope, didn’t at all.

2)     Once a week do one hour of research on the family tree. Did a couple times.

3)     Host our annual Thanksgiving dinner. Yes.

         For the month of December, I am only going to work on getting this latest book finalized and published. I have found that getting that done takes longer than it should, or maybe it’s just me being a putz. And Christmas is right around the corner. So I’m not going to put any added stress on myself.

        Have a great day and I look forward to your thoughts on the book title and cover.

Chris

November Goals and More Covers

I have been lax in posting any goals here. Probably because I have been so very lax in keeping any goals. I kind of gave up on any writing goals in September. Now that I’m retired, you would think I have all this time to write, but instead, I don’t know what I do all day, beside scroll through stupid Facebook or watch old reruns of “The Wonder Years” and “Cold Case” on TV.

Let me give it one more shot for this month. I know that some writers do the NaNoWriMo challenge (National Novel Writing Month, where you write an entire novel in the month of November), but let’s not go crazy here.

Let’s take baby steps:

Writing:

1)     Finish editing my devotional/memoir about dealing with pain. The working title is “Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh My – a 40 day devotional for dealing with pain.”

2)     Finalize the cover for “Bones”.

3)     Get my son to work on formatting "Bones" with me.

4)     Reread what I have so far on the second novel in the “Ice Cream Spies” series, in anticipation of getting back to it as soon as “Bones” is finished.

Reaching:

1)     Promote one of my latest works once a week.

            2)   Promote the vendor sale on November 18.

            3)   Sew three book bags for the vendor sale on November 18.   

            4)   Hire someone to do some professional advertising of my books.

Reading:

            1)  Start and finish reading two novels. (I’m in between right now.)  

            2)  Read four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study.        

Retiring:

1)     Once a week do research on my trip to Cambodia for next fall. I know it seems a long way away, but I gotta keep chasing that dream.

2)     Once a week do one hour of research on the family tree.

3)     Host our annual Thanksgiving dinner. 

And that should do it. My back is doing much better, but I still have days where I am useless. I just gotta power through those times. I can do this!

And here are some possible book covers. Let me know which you think works. 

Chris

Cover #1

Cover #2 ( I do need to highlight the sub-title and my name though)

Cover #3 (the original one I liked the best)

Cover #4 (another one I already shared)

Cover #5 (final one I already shared) 

First Worst Pain

 I’m working on a 40-day devotional to help you cope with pain. (Click here for more about that book.) I’d been editing the forty entries I’d written when it dawned on me that I hadn’t shared the first time I had the “worst pain” ever. Even though it’s not winter and no one has sledding on their minds, here’s that first story of pain.

We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction.” (Lamentations 3:47, NIV)

One Sunday afternoon in the winter of 1975, when I was in seventh grade, my dad dropped my sister Pat and me off at a friend's house so we could go tobogganing. There was a steep hill that ended at the lake, maybe a quarter mile from their house. Two of us hopped on a snowmobile, and the third settled on the attached toboggan. Her parents weren't home.

When we got to the treacherous, narrow trail down to the lake, Pat was the first to hop on the sled and ride it down head-first. I noticed only several inches of clearance on either side of the path. With a grin, my sister pulled the toboggan back up the hill.

"Next?" she asked.

I turned the sled around, pointing it to the frozen lake far below. I sat down feet-first, grabbed the reins, and pushed off. Within seconds, I was about to careen into a tree, so without thinking, I stuck my leg out to stop myself.

The next thing I knew, I was on my stomach, being dragged down the mountain by the sled. Pat and the friend slipped down the hill after me.

When the snow settled, I tried to get up. I couldn't put any weight on my left leg.

The three of us looked at each other and then at the hill. I don't remember talking about it, but it seemed apparent that no one could drive the snowmobile down the trail or pull me up on the toboggan.

The friend knew of a place further along the lake with easier access, so she trudged to the top, got on the snowmobile, and drove it west. In a few minutes, she was riding towards Pat and me along the lake's edge.

With me safely on the back of the snowmobile, we slowly retraced her steps and then headed back to her house.

Pat called home, and Dad said he'd be right over to get us. Mom was off doing something.

When we got me in the house, we tried removing my boot, but pulling on it caused excruciating pain. Dad resorted to cutting off the boot. My ankle was already swollen.

He called Mom (wherever she was), and she told him to take me to the ER.

Since this is getting too long, let me jump to the parts about pain. 

Yes, it hurt like the dickens when I hit that tree and hurt some more when I tried stepping on it. Once in a wheelchair at the hospital, I was comfortable. Until after the x-ray. They put me back on an exam table, and the old coot of a doctor on call said to my dad, "Hold her down, Paul."

Crazy how, all these years later, I remember those exact words as if I were right back in that emergency room. 

When the doctor yanked on my leg to set it, the pain was way worse than anything I'd ever experienced. Sure, I was only thirteen. I'd had a few belly aches and lots of typical kid-falling-down injuries. But I'd never had appendicitis or tonsillitis or any other -itis. I was your normal tom-boy living in the country, climbing trees, riding my bike, and sledding down death hills.

They say kidney stones are the worst, or maybe childbirth. But I am here to tell you – having your broken leg set with no anesthesia is the worst!

And I'm not entirely done.

I wore a cast from the tip of my toes to halfway up my thigh for six weeks. The only good part was staying home from school the entire time, doing my homework at the kitchen table every day, and waiting for Mr. Lintereur, one of the kindest teachers from our school, to bring me my assignments. Mom had baked peanut butter cookies one day when he was there, and he told her that peanut butter cookies and milk were the best thing to heal a broken bone. So Mom made them every week.

Okay, but back to pain.

My mom worked at the doctor's office, so she was the one who cut that horrible, smelly cast off of my leg while I laid back and licked a cherry sucker that one of her co-workers had given me.

At the end of her work day, she escorted me on my crutches to her car and eased me into the front seat. At which point, my knee bent.

Unless you've been in that situation, you may not realize how much your joints lock up when they are immobilized for six weeks. I'd been holding my leg straight until I slid into the car. No one told me not to bend it. But it bent and locked that way. I could not straighten it. All I could do was scream in pain. 

The doctor had left his office already for the day, so Mom drove to his house and pounded on his front door.

Next thing I know, he's reaching into the car's front seat and yanking my leg straight. "You'll have to work on bending it slowly," he said. Or something like that. I don't remember his exact words at that time; I was pretty much done with him by then.

On that same lake this past summer, near the death hill. 

Introducing My Next Book

 Shortly after I had my first kidney stone in 2017, I got the idea to write a devotional about dealing with problems in life – things that feel like boulders, rocks, or stones. I renewed that idea earlier this summer when I realized that my back pain, which started the first of April, wouldn’t have a quick fix. I started reading past blog posts dealing with various pains I’d had and started compiling them into forty days of entries. I’m currently editing it.

           Here’s my thought for a blurb for the book:

Part memoir, part devotional, this book is composed of forty posts from my blog, The Dino Chronicles. Each entry, written over the past ten years, shares a time in my life when I was dealing with pain, whether from kidney stones, broken bones, chronic back pain, or the pain of loss. During those times, my faith in a loving God and His written words gave me the strength to face each day.

If you are struggling with any sort of physical or emotional pain, it is my wish that at least some of these passages will give you hope that tomorrow will be a better day. And that you will find relief and an answer to your prayers.

           Here are potential titles. I’ve written two previous devotionals, “The Christmas Story in 40 Days” and “The Early Life of Jesus in  40 Days”, which is why I wanted to stick with the 40 Days theme. I’m just not sure how to word it so it makes sense.

Bones and Stones and Pain, Oh, My – Dealing with Pain in 40 Days

Bones and Stones and Pain:  Coming out on the other side in 40 Days

Bones and Stones and Pain - 40 Day Devotional for When You’re in Pain

Bones and Stones and Pain - 40 Days of Living in Pain

Pebbles, Rocks, and Kidney Stones – Pain in 40 Days 

           And lastly, here are just a few very rough-draft ideas for the covers. Any and all of your thoughts would be appreciated.

Swimming through the weeds - August goals

Sometimes, life is just trying to swim through the weeds. 

Here we are a week into September already. How did I do on my goals for August?

Writing:

1)     Write 4,000 words on my next novel, “Ice Cream Spies.” None.

2)     Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. The working title is “Bones, and Stones, and Pain, oh my.” Almost finished with the first edit.

Reaching:

            1)   Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week. Twice all month, I think

            2)  Promote the vendor sale on October 7. Yes, once

            3) Sew four book bags for the vendor sale on October 7. Only one.  

            4)  Research other fall vendor sales. Yes, signed up for another sale.

            5) Actually pay for some sort of advertising, because what little I am doing on my own is simply not enough.  Nope.

Reading:

            1)  Finish reading “Anna Karenina.” This is a crazy goal That book is soooo ridiculously long! I’ve been at it for a week and have only read 10%. Sorry, I gave up after the first  few chapters.  

            2)  Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Yes.      

Retiring:

            1)  Go camping. Yes, once for three days.     

            2)  Once a week do research for my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Also meet up with my friend who is going there with me, to discuss our plans. Well, because of my back, we cancelled the trip, so I guess there’s no longer a need to research it.   

            3)  Seriously get that cheaper health insurance by the end of the month, coz I’m just not going to pay this much anymore. Don’t even bring this up!

 I don’t think I’ve ever done this poorly on any goals in my life. This stupid back pain has just got me completely flummoxed. I just can barely get up the ambition to get dressed some mornings. The pain, in general, is not that bad most of the time, but it’s enough of a constant ache that I feel like I’ve been subjected to Chinese water torture for four months now.

I keep trying to look up and be optimistic, but I am so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I have an appointment this morning with a new therapist. A friend of mine recommended her and says she can work miracles. I pray she can fix me.

With all that in mind, I’m just not even going to list any goals for this month. I’ll just see how it goes and let you know the first of October if I actually did anything. Chris

Things to Think About

            As Emma entered the kitchen, a fire was burning in the wood stove, and a kettle of water was boiling, but neither Izzy nor Lucy was tending it. That's odd, Emma thought to herself. Usually, both of them spent the early morning hours in the kitchen, cooking or baking for the day.

            Emma walked to the front of the house and out the main door unto the veranda. She saw the four workers standing in a huddle at the barn. Izzy had her eyes on the house, but she didn't move when Emma came out the door.

            "What is the matter?" she called when she was still twenty feet away.

            Saul and Izzy shook their heads, but the two youngsters kept their eyes on the frozen ground.

            "What is going on?" Emma stopped next to them and placed a hand on Izzy's shoulder.

            "Well, finally, a human bein'," a voice came from just beyond the worried group.

            Emma dropped her hand and watched two men emerge from the darkness of the barn.

            "Might you be the mistress of the house?" the taller man asked. Both of them were disheveled and smelled to the point that Emma instantly felt dirty in the presence of these strangers. 

            "Who are you?" She thought she could guess as she struggled to keep her voice even, pleasant but not friendly.

            "We’s lookin' for some runaway slaves, and these four fit the description."

            "These four people have been working here for several years; they work for Mr. Cook, who runs the mercantile in town. Surely, you've heard of him."

            "Can't say we have, but we ain't from 'round here. We're from Tennessee, huntin' runaway slaves."       

            Emma's worst fears were realized. She broke out in a sweat despite the cold outside. What could she say or do to make these men leave peaceably? And if she did say or do the wrong thing, would they find out about all the slaves who had been helped to freedom through Mr. Cook’s house?

            One of the men shifted, and Emma noticed for the first time that a rifle hung from his right hand. She glanced at the other man and saw his weapon as well. She fought the feeling of panic, which was lurching into her chest.

 

    It’s been a long time since I’ve shared any excerpts from my recent books. This one is from Chapter 23 of “Prior to Now”. 

    Emma is the town’s young school teacher, rooming in the large house of Mr. Cook, the founder of the town of Prior Gulch. Izzy, Saul, Lucy, and Oscar work for him and live with him as well. At the time, Emma didn’t even know if they had once been slaves and if so had they gained their freedom? Or were they runaways as these men claimed?

    If it were you, what would you do? Risk your life for these people who had become your only friends in town? What could you possibly do against two men with loaded guns?

     Hopefully you are never faced with that situation. But have there been times when you have been asked to do something incredibly uncomfortable? Defend a friend against bullies? Stand up for yourself when you’re being picked on? Write your opinion on someone’s Facebook page when they’ve posted something disrespectful? Support the least popular candidate, the one who shares the same values you do?

     A few things to think about. Maybe 2023 isn’t so different from the 1860s. 

And July is over

 Not only did this week get away from me, but it looks like the whole month of July did as well. Did I accomplish any of my goals for the month? A few. I’m seeing 65% completed.  

Writing:

1)     Write 4,000 words on my next novel. Somehow, I wrote 6820 words. I find that hard to believe as I haven’t written anything in the last week and a half, and it felt like every word I wrote the entire month was like birthin’ a baby. Hmm? I guess I’ll keep plugging away at it then.

2)     Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. Hmm? I worked on it a little bit but didn’t really do any editing.

Reaching:

            1)   Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week. Nope, probably more like every other week.

            2)  Attend vendor sale on July 3. Done.  

            3)  Research other vendor sales. Done, signed up for one October 7.

Reading:

            1)  Read two books. Yes, done.

            2)  Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Only did three chapters, but since we only met three times during the month, I really have to call it accomplished.  

Retiring:

            1)  Go camping one week. Yes, and it was miserable, but we will try again soon.   

            2)  Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall once a week. Only did twice all month.

            3)  Secure cheaper health insurance by the end of July, assuming I won’t have to stay on the expensive insurance, because now my back is a pre-existing condition. I have to delete this because my back is still being dumb, so I had to stick with the expensive insurance for one more month.

Ranching:

            1)  Thoroughly clean one room in the house. No, still not up to it.

            2)  Complete a sewing project. Hmm? I sewed a pair of shorts and did a few other mending projects, so yes.

            3)  Work on my family tree once a week. Hmm? Again I think it was only once or twice.

 Also, the MRI I had on July 7 showed EXACTLY what I predicted. “Your back is a mess, it might get better on its own in six to twelve months, but we’ll send you to a specialist coz they might have an idea, but you can’t get in to see them for six weeks, so good luck with that.”

Argh! I’ve been going to a different chiropractor, which seems to be helping a little. I’m also trying to take a half-mile walk every day as well as the exercises my physical therapist gave me. I’m also getting another massage next week. We’ll see.

But I leave for Cambodia in six weeks, so this back has got to be 98% better by then.

So what else do I want to get done in August?

Writing:

1)     Write 4,000 words on my next novel, “Ice Cream Spies.”

2)     Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. The working title is “Bones, and Stones, and Pain, oh my.”

Reaching:

            1)   Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week.

            2)  Promote the vendor sale on October 7.

            3) Sew four book bags for the vendor sale on October 7.

            4)  Research other fall vendor sales.

            5) Actually pay for some sort of advertising, because what little I am doing on my own is simply not enough.  

Reading:

            1)  Finish reading “Anna Karenina.” This is a crazy goal. That book is soooo ridiculously long! I’ve been at it for a week and have only read 10%..

            2)  Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group.     

Remaining:

            1)  Go camping.         

            2)  Once a week do research my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Also meet up with my friend who is going there with me, to discuss our plans.  

            3)  Seriously get that cheaper health insurance by the end of the month, coz I’m just not going to pay this much anymore.

I’m also really going to take it easy all month. I have to take better care of myself this month to get ready for Cambodia.

Well, that’s it for now. By the time I post my goals again, summer will be over. Make it a good month. Chris

In addition to going camping for five days with Hubby,

I went for a hike with my sister one day, 

went for walks with my daughter and her dog on two separate days, 

took a mile walk around our nearest state park, 

and spent one night at a cabin with my daughter.
No wonder I didn't get more done! But our summer is too short as it is. A person has to get out and enjoy it while you can. 

I know you keep helping me out… but can you do me one more favor?

On Monday,  I sold my books and book bags at the vendor sale here in town. It went well, and I got to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. I asked everyone who bought one of my books to pass it on, either physically or by mentioning it to a friend or writing a review. 

Unless you’ve published a book that you have spent months or even years laboring over, you won’t fully appreciate how every review on Amazon makes an author’s soul sing. I know that Amazon is as money-hungry as any big business, so the review you want to write might require you to purchase more junk from Amazon that you don’t need. But you can still say something nice on Facebook or your other social media about a book you read. Or, as I’ve already written, pass that book on to another friend, reminding them that they could write a review of it. 

And so I don’t sound like a hypocrite, here are three authors these new and old friends told me about this week. 

The first was Martha Tate, the author of “The Last Ride.” The Amazon blurb states: “The Last Ride is the first book ever written about the murder of prominent Nashville citizen W. Haynie Gourley on May 24, 1968, and the heart-stopping, controversial trial that riveted the city of Nashville.” Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it would be an interesting read, and I will order a copy.  

The next one someone told me about was Jamie Jo Wright, who is an award-winning author of multiple historical Christian novels with a Gothic flare. Sounds like her books have a little bit of something for everyone. Right now, I can’t decide which of her books to read first. 

And finally, a week ago, a friend loaned me a book that an acquaintance of hers had written and given to her. “From Beneath the Tarp: A Story of Abuse and Redemption” by Susan Perry is a bit darker than I usually like to read. Still, it is a story that needs to be shared. 

So there you go. Easy ways to help me – or any other author out – after you’ve read the books they consider their babies. 

Have a great weekend and read a book! Chris

And June is Done

Here is the list of goals I hoped to achieve by June 30:

Writing:

1)     Publish my Covid Chronicles in paperback form. Done.

2)      Publish “Holding All the Aces”, the memoir about my sister. Done.

            3)   Get back to work on my next novel, working title of “New, Old Spies.” Read through it and I wrote maybe 300 words.

Reaching:

1)     Promote all three of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid-19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” twice a week.  Okay, it was only once a week.

2)     Prep for and promote the vendor sale on July 3. Started to.

3)     Research other vendor sales. Nope.

4)     Sew eight book bags to sell at my book sales. Yes.   

Reading:

1)     Read two books. Yes. One was horrible and one was pretty good.

2)     Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group. Only one because we only had Bible study one week.

Retiring:

1)     Clean the camper and get it ready for camping. Pretty much got it done. Just need to start packing the nonperishables and wash the outside.     

2)     Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall. Been working on it.

3)     Sign up for that expensive health insurance. Done, and because I can’t get my MRI until next week, I have to pay for another whole month of it. Argh.

Ranching:

1)     Thoroughly clean one room in the house. Who was I kidding? I can barely vacuum the kitchen floor, much less deep-clean anything! I did clean my desk in my office and cleaned out one of the book cases. So a start.

2)     Plant some flowers in the yard. Done. Hubs and I also planted some tomato plants and he has been diligently watering them for me.

            That’s not too bad, considering I still spent a lot of my time laying on the couch on a heating pad, an ice pack, or the TENS unit because my back is still awful. As you may have noticed above, I do have an MRI scheduled for next week. Not that it is going to help at all. Having worked in health care for 35 years, I’ve noticed that the majority of MRIs come back saying something like, “the patient is a mess but there is nothing that can be done to fix it.” Or they send you to a specialist to fix it, and six months and several thousand dollars later you aren’t any better.

            I will somehow muddle through. I’ve been trying really hard to be optimistic and just deal with the back and keep doing as much as I can.

            Anyway, what’s up for July?

Writing:

1)     Write 4,000 words on my next novel. I need to keep that goal if I plan on finishing the rough draft by the time I leave for Cambodia in mid-September.

2)     Edit the latest devotional that I started writing. Oh, I should have added that as a bonus goal above. I compiled forty-plus devotions from my other blog, all of which deal with how a person (me!) gets through pain. Still no title for it.

Reaching:

            1)   Promote one of my latest works, “Prior to Now”, “Chris Coping with the Covid- 19 Crisis” and “Holding All the Aces” once a week.

            2)  Attend vendor sale on July 3.

            3)  Research other vendor sales.  

Reading:

            1)  Read two books.

            2)  Read and study four chapters in the Book of Acts for my Thursday Bible study group.

Retiring:

            1)  Go camping one week.     

            2)  Research my trip to Cambodia in the fall once a week.

            3)  Secure cheaper health insurance by the end of July, assuming I won’t have to stay on the expensive insurance, because now my back is a pre-existing condition.

Ranching:

            1)  Thoroughly clean one room in the house.

            2)  Complete a sewing project. I was thinking about sewing a pair of pants to take to Cambodia; we’ll see.  

            3)  Work on my family tree once a week.

    Well, that should keep me busy. Just praying that my back gets better or at least that the MRI gives me some answers.

 Have a good month and happy Independence Day. Chris