As I was scrolling through emails, deleting most, and reading a few, I came across an email from the company from whom I order my yearly Christian Planner. The email asked if I had chosen my “Word of the Year.” In the email was a link to click named “Word Generator.” Knowing it was a safe resource, I clicked the link and tried the Word Generator. My word was “Create!”

A couple of my goals for 2024 are to travel more and to do more book signings. I would love to do book signings as part of our future travels!

Over this past summer, I did a good amount of writing. In fact, I previously blogged about a couple of extended getaways when I wrote several chapters in book two of the Kammer Family Trilogy. After all that writing, several weeks went by where I did not write at all. During this time, I found myself experiencing a bit of brain overload for various other reasons.

“There may be snow on the rooftop but there’s still fire in the furnace!” ~ Wynona Judd

In the summer of 2023 I started learning something new. My son, Chris, and his family traveled to Hawaii, and they bought me a ukulele!

As I sat, I watched people going by. I enjoyed the view of Autumn in Chicago. While I sat, I took the attached picture of the trees, and the poem came to me easily.

I love coaching! I feel like I haven’t said that for a long time. I stepped away from doing much coaching as my book launched. While I am still writing (book 2 is coming a long great!), I am now actively seeking people to coach. I have plenty of space for new clients and would love to share more about coaching with anyone interested in learning more.

Who doesn’t love the season of Autumn? It’s by far my favorite. Everything seems happier. Even the air has a sense of joy in it.

I often think back to how all this writing began for me. I may have dreamed of my writing going public, but I definitely didn’t believe in myself enough to think it would become a reality.

As a Writing Coach I love hearing about other writers’ experiences. Writers are very creative people. When I think about creative writing, I tend to think of my style which is creating characters and making up stories about the same characters. Using my creativity to piece the story together.

Listening to a song by Michael W. Smith, “New Hallelujah” (a longtime favorite of mine) brought some thoughts to mind. I love this song. I enjoy playing it while driving my Jeep and singing at the top of my lungs. It’s a spiritual event for me.

But this time when I was singing, new thoughts came to me. When I heard the lyrics, “Make Him known, and make Him famous, sing it out, sing a new hallelujah” I got goosebumps and I heard the word, “bruised” in my spirit. I knew instantly what it meant.

In April 2023, due to a big life change, our health insurance had to change suddenly. Interesting how blessings can come from hard things that happen in life. The change in insurance brought new wellness checks for me and husband, Vernon. The new program turned out to be invaluable to spark changes in our eating habits and brought us to a place of much more healthy eating.

This month I want to brag about my oldest. My firstborn who truly knows about country living. What I thought I knew; he now teaches me.

I expected writing acknowledgments would take a lot of thought and time. The first time I attempted to work on this in my first novel, I realized how very important it would be to me.

“Revisited” is the name of our son, Chris Baker’s newest CD that released this month! It’s awesome! I can say that because I’m his mom, yes. But it truly is a work of art! I have had opportunities to work with him on writing songs. It is always an amazing experience, but he blows my mind on how he writes not just the words but the music too!

Feedback is a scary part of writing.

I did it! I mean I have never been a good salesperson. I have had to learn how to promote myself and my writing.

Life takes us all on a journey. So many choices, so many options, and so many possible paths. There have been plenty of times when it has been difficult to decide which path to take. Through prayer and dependence on God’s guidance, we have chosen; some good, some questionable, but always with hope.

“She turned to the stove and picked up a fresh baked cherry pie, Izrael’s favorite”

I finished a complete novel! Now what? As I finished editing and re-editing and multiple times editing, I began to wonder if I could publish my book. The answer was a clear, YES, I can, and I did.