I've been thinking about my dedication page for the upcoming book and I realized that I wish I could just write a page or two about the people who have been so supportive of me during this process. Then I realized that I have my blog and so I could dedicate a post to them.
My first book, Best Laid Plans, I had to dedicate to my husband, Joel. We've been married for fourteen years and this month we'll have been a couple for nineteen years. I often tell him that I can't imagine being with anyone else. He's a man who wants to be the best husband and father he can be. He wants to grow closer to God all the time and he serves God with all his heart. He is passionate about the power of prayer and I love to see how excited he gets when he sees wonderful things happen because of prayer. I have seen an improvement in my own prayer life, not because he preaches at me to be better at it, but because his own excitement is contagious!
When I told Joel that I had started writing a book, he never questioned, never doubted, never discouraged. He helped me to research various publishing options and graphic artists to do my cover art and we made the decisions together. He was excited for me when I first published the book and he's cheered me on every step of the way.
Since that first book, he often gives me suggestions for how to work pricing and sales. He anticipates each new release and is excited for me when my sales do well. I'm not sure that I would have had the courage to go through this without his support. I certainly would not have been able to wallow through all the options without his help.
Joel encourages me to better myself as a writer. He wants to see me grow and develop as an author and not stagnate. I know that he wants me to be the best writer that I am capable of being. I love how he actively participates in this process with me without taking it over. He lets me write as I want to write. He lets me set my own deadlines. He lets me have the final say in the decisions that I make. Yet he's right next to me to support me, advise me and encourage me.
Joel often gets asked if he's actually read any of my books. It's a valid question since Joel is not a big reader and he certainly doesn't read romance novels when he does read. In all honesty, I don't let him read my books until they're published. After Best Laid Plans was published, he did read it. It's the only one he has read. It may be the only one he will ever read and that's okay. He doesn't need to read my books for me to know that he supports me.
I have been blessed by the man that God put in my life. He has supported me in every way possible through this journey and I know he'll continue to support me. Joel was an obvious choice for the dedication of my first book.
Now a quick progress report. My editors have book three. I know one of them has started on it. She said that she was taken completely by surprise by the end of chapter three. Before then she was carefully reading for errors, but after that she found herself reading quickly because she had to find out what happened next! She had to force herself to slow down. I love hearing things like that!
I have also started working on my Christmas novella. I hurt my back last week and the only time I felt comfortable was when I was sitting down, so I wrote - a lot! I'm about a quarter of the way through and hoping to have it completed by October so I can hopefully have it published by Thanksgiving!
If you haven't read the first two books you can get them by clicking the links below. Book three should be ready to purchase in September!
Best Laid Plans
Smell the Roses
