A book signing? Really?

It took me 25, long, insecure years to finally get the courage to publish.  Actually these books, these stories were formulating in my head long before that.  I just didn't think anyone would want to read my little books.  I couldn't even get my husband to read them!  To be fair he didn't read novels for the last 10 years of his life because of his many health challenges.  In addition, how many men do you know that want to read a book about gushy, mushy, romance? 

I had heard tales of authors claiming that their writing was driven by the voice of the characters they had created.  I thought that it was a charming idea, but let's face it, a little wacky.  AND THEN, Celeste.  I know very well that one of the first rules in writing is WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW!  I work earnestly to fulfill this standard.  When your story is filled with the passionate joy of words arriving and then being spread across paper, those words need to be from your experience right?

So I begin to write Celeste.  Let's see, oh I think I'll make the character from France.  That's the idea!  Her Father has followed a long generational line of Master Vintner's.  In France his chance of ever becoming Master of his OWN vineyard is zero to none.  He wishes to travel with his family to the reputedly fertile fields of Oregon to develop his own line of wines.

The family immigrate by ship.  While on board all of Celeste's family die.  Innocent at 14 she barely can speak English.  When she arrives at her families destination she has nowhere to go and nobody that she knows.  She is trapped into sexual slavery.

For those who know me, does that sound like something from my life?  I can joyfully announce, NOPE!  I have never faced those types of challenges.  I pray that I never will.

I was so startled by the first several chapters that I wrote that I put them away.  I didn't want to think about any of that awful stuff.  I am a firmly avowed "Happy ever after," sort of writer.  (Yes I DO know that life doesn't always seem to follow that pattern.  That is just when you are looking at life as a finite set of parameters.  When you open your mind to the possibility of eternity I firmly believe there WILL BE a "Happy Ever After."  The book "Celeste", didn't even seem like it COULD have a "Happy Ever After."

One week later I was watching a documentary with my husband.  (We loved watching them together).  I was stunned to find out that sexual slavery is at an all time high in our world today!  People are actually paid to troll the streets of America looking for unsupervised children that are easy prey.  HORRIFYING!  They also target the mentally challenged.  Even though their bodies have grown into adults, their minds are and always will be childlike.

I don't believe in focusing on fear.  I prefer the practice of faith.  Faith in God, in family, in the fact that this evening the sun will go down, but in the morning the sun will rise again.  Yet it is ever so important that we are educated about the subject of human bondage and sexual slavery.  It simply is no longer wise to leave our unsupervised children in the front yard to play.  Either we must be with them, or they must be in the backyard.  One story told about a child being two aisles away from his parents.  That was all it took for this predator to sexually abuse the child.

Children are our future!  Where would be if Mozart did not mature into his music?  How about Einstein and his mind boggling discoveries.  None of us knows what untold greatness the children in this world possess.  I forgot to mention one of the greatest losses this world would have known.  My beloved parents.  They were humble, but they were powerful.  They spent their money and lives serving others.

It takes only one heart-stopping-tragedy-engendering second to snatch a small child.  Please, watch over our children.  When I'm in a public place with children giggling and playing all over in front of me, I watch ever so carefully.  There will be nobody kidnapped when I'm around!

After watching that documentary I got my Celeste manuscript out and went back to writing.  I am now a believer that you can become so invested in a character that you feel as though they are writing the book.  Oh not some creepy "channeling" sort of way.  I do know that these people are fictional.   If I start to talk to you about these people as though they ARE alive, please stage an intervention and get me immediate help!

This book signing day has been an extremely long time in coming.  I never believed that it actually would.  (I'm working on that insecurity thing of mine).  So tomorrow I will be sitting in a comfy chair smiling brightly and hopefully signing many books.  What a thrill to have written two books.  I have a third novel coming out in the next several months.

My mind is filled with untold stories, and songs.  What a joy it is to create!

Celeste's Journal

Eric was with me for the weekend.  He's such a serious, thoughtful lad.  He's very protective of me, and of his younger brother Jamie.  One day he and Jamie were crossing the road.  A man came galloping into town on a horse.  He was traveling so quickly that he would have run down Jamie.  Jamie was frozen with fear.  Eric simply scooped Jamie up and moved him out of the way.

Blake, Red, and I were all startled at Eric's selflessness.  It's very unusual for a child his age to think of his brother's life first and his second.  I have no doubt that he will grow up to become an amazing man.

I'm often surprised by the maturity of Eric's questions.  Today he asked, "Maman, where did we live before we were born?  Did we come from Heaven?  If we did, what is Heaven?"

I responded, "Those are all excellent questions Eric.  Have you asked your Papa these questions?"

"He's always too busy. 

"Well your Father is a very important man Eric.  He has lots of responsibilities to accomplish each and every day."

"I know.  I just wish that maybe he could count me as one of the tasks that he marks off a list everyday.  I love my Papa, so much.  I would like to go fishing with him sometimes."

Celeste smiled.  "Did you know that I'm an excellent fisher?  I used to go fishing with my brother when we were young.  We never came home empty handed."

"Really Maman?  Would you take me fishing?"

"I have no appointments after 1 this afternoon.  Let's make a sign for the window, "Gone Fishing," lock the place up and go."

Suddenly Eric looked sad.  "I don't have a fishing pole."

I laughed, "Neither do I.  It's a good thing that I know how to make a fishing pole from a stick, and some string.  There are lots and lots of juicy worms where I like to fish.  Carter's Creek is a great place to fish.  With that tiny stream running into it there are lots and lots of fish."

We had a wonderful afternoon.  We caught some beautiful fish.  We took them home and cooked them.  I'm pretty sure that fresh fish are the most delicious food in the world!  I'm going to have a chat with Blake.  He needs to know how Eric feels.  Childhood is so short, and so precious, Blake really doesn't want to miss it!

Celeste Journal

I hold Jamie ever so close to my heart as I rock him.  He is boldly fighting sleep.  His eyelids began to droop downwards, but then he pulls them open again.  I begin to sing to him.  Little songs ma mere sang to me.  Tender verses about safety and love.

Jamie is so beautiful.  His hair is thick and black.  His eyes are a much darker brown than his Father's or Brother's.  Their brown is golden, like the syrup from a maple tree.  Sometimes when you look deep into Jamie's eyes you feel that there is no bottom to them.

His hair is so soft.  It feels as if you are stroking silk.  His lips are perfectly proportioned.  A perfect Cupid's bow is centered in his top lip.  Many people thought Jamie was a girl for the first two years of his life.  I wouldn't call him handsome.  I'd call him beautiful.  His skin is the loveliest shade of almond.  I have never seen  more perfect features on a male, adult, or child.  Even though I'm only  his "Foster" Mother I suppose that I might be a bit partial.  On the other hand he IS beautiful!

I wish that I could have met Sarah, Jamie's Mother when she was alive.  She was going to be, "The Leader of the People."  Her people, her heritage, readied her to lead the People.  The People was the name of her tribe of Indians.  She told Blake that her people had come long ago from Jerusalem to the new world.  In the Bible God calls those that follow Him, "The Chosen People."  Sarah said that along the many years the "Chosen," part was dropped from their tribal name.

She was betrothed at the tender age of ten to a handsome young man named Vanque.  He was two years older than Sarah.

When Vanque grew up he became the Leader of the Protector's.  The Protector's were not Warriors in the typical sense of the word.  In Sarah's life the Protector's had never waged war with other people.  They protected by teaching about planting, fishing, and hunting.  They also taught people about caring for their bodies.  They also showed by example the importance of worshiping the Great Spirit.  (Their name for God).  So the Protector's were a composite of hunter-gatherers, wise men, and doctors.  They had excellent battle skills that they never quit practicing, even though nobody in their lifetime had ever needed those skills. 

I must have thought about Sarah too much.  One night I dreamed that she came to me.  She was so lovely.  Looking at her I understood more about why Jamie is so beautiful.  She said, "Celeste, woman who Mothers my birth child Jamie, and my child of the heart Eric, I wish to honor and thank you.

"You need to know that I'm watching over you and over our children.  Please continue to love them.  You have the heart of a Protector.  You are fierce when you need to be, and gentle when you need to be.  In addition you are close to the Great Spirit.  I know that you pray to him often.  Sometimes I am close listening when you pray out loud."

"Please do not give up on Blake's love.  I am afraid that he will take a very long time to heal and marry you.  Be patient with Blake.  He is a very good man, and he needs a very good woman.  You are a very good woman.  It is an odd thing to try and find a new wife for your husband.  I will always love him.  On the other hand, he is so lonely.  He needs you, and you need him.  So again, be patient, please."

"I know that for most humans it can be difficult to believe that we live after death.  It's especially difficult to believe that we can visit the living after we are dead.  Knowing that, I'm leaving behind a tiny thing that will help you remember and believe."  Sarah leaned down.  Brushing hair away from Celeste's head she kissed the very highest point of her forehead.  "There, now you will remember.  Remember this Angel Kiss that I am leaving for you is very sacred.  It will always help you remember that there are angels watching over you and the family that we share.  I love you Celeste."

The dream was over.  I remember awakening feeling groggy as though I had not slept long the night before.  At first, I didn't remember the dream.

After I had dressed, made coffee and was sitting in a chair in my kitchen, the dream came flooding back.  Quickly I walked into the shop.  There is a large mirror that I placed on the wall.  Slowly I lifted my hair.  There was the faintest outline of a lip print.  I lowered myself into the nearest chair.  Sarah's ghostly visit couldn't have been real, could it?
 
 

Book Signing for Celeste

Two times before I have arranged to have a book signing for Beth, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch, and now my newest publication, Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch.  First my beloved Mama passed away so I had to postpone.  Then the owner of my venue became ill and had to close her store for several months.

The old saying is, "The third time is the charm."  So here we go, third time, and it WILL be charming!  Aunt Addy's Country Home, October 25, 2014, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.  The address is 58 N. Main, Farmington, UT  84025.  Both books will be on sale that day.  If you live in or around the area, please join us.

Aunt Addy's is a gift store.  So while you purchase my book you can do some Christmas shopping.  The shop is a charming home from the 1800's.  In the room that used to be the kitchen you can see a remarkable DIY project.  There are beautiful wood floors in all the rooms.  In this room a former owner painted the floor to look like tiles.  It's very well, done, charming.

Aunt Addy's is a consignment shop.  Many of the gifts that you purchase there are home made.  This is a marvelous way of supporting local craftsmen/women.  There is a gift for almost everyone within it's humble walls.  The best part?  The prices are quite reasonable.  So, come one, come all!  It's a book signing party!