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Keeping Us on Task

Happy Monday, from Jeanette. Can you believe it’s already August? Summer has a sad way of whizzing by just as I’m relaxing into its pace.

Let Him Lead

Hello from Jeanette. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. For me, summer seems to include a lot of movies. Over the weekend I watched one that came highly recommended by my sister Sherry—the Young Victoria. The story followed Queen Victoria as an 18-year-old adjusting to her role as ruler of England. A scene from the end of the film really resonated with me; I couldn’t help applying it to the writing life.

Introducing, the Next Generation of Writers

Happy Monday from Jeanette. Today I walked into one of the 2nd grade classrooms at my youngest son’s school and handed the teacher a stack of books that I’d just finished spiral-binding.

“I’ll let you make the announcement,” Miss Anne whispered. She got her class’s attention.

Before I could say a word a little girl named Myra squealed, “Our books!”

“That’s right. You’re authors!”

What are We Putting Out There?

Happy Monday from Jeanette, writing from exciting snowing-one-minute-and-sunny-the-next Reno. I spent most of today, not writing, but talking with my bank’s fraud department. Apparently someone borrowed our account number for some overseas purchases. “That’s it,” I told the bank representative. “Nobody in this family is ever ordering anything online again.” It’s possible that that’s all it took—an innocent purchase put information out there for a sick individual to snatch up for who knows what (make that, I don’t want to know what). It probably took them five minutes to rob us, while it took me hours to undo the damage.

Sticking to the Plan

Happy Monday from Jeanette. I’m finally getting caught up after the Mount Hermon Writers Conference. This year I didn’t come home nearly as exhausted as I have in the past. Knowing that I could not afford to return to my family completely wiped out, I made up my mind to pace myself. And this time I actually did it.

10 Things I Love about Writers Conferences

Hello from Jeanette! I’m in the process of last-minute preparations for the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference (March 26-30). This conference is always a highlight of my year. I attended for the first time in 1995 and now have the honor of serving on the Support Staff as the coordinator of the first-timers’ Buddy System.

If you have never attended a conference like Mount Hermon, I highly recommend it. Here are just a few of the things I love about writers’ conferences:

Why I Love New Writers

Jeanette here, wondering how March got here so fast. A little over a week ago I had the fun of teaching at the Castro Valley Christian Writers’ Seminar. This is a conference that attracts a lot of beginning writers. Today, as I continued work on a buddy program for the upcoming Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, I couldn’t help reflecting on why I love new writers.

Flashback to First Writers' Conference

Hello, from Jeanette, CAN's faithful secretary! This week I am scrambling with last minute preparation for two writers’ conference workshops that I am teaching over the weekend. Teaching at the Castro Valley Christian Writer’s Seminar has become a highlight of my year. In addition to teaching, I critique, and have many opportunities to encourage and guide new writers. Fifteen years ago I attended my first writers’ conference with a pretty even mix of excitement and terror. Now I’m one of those standing beyond the podium (actually, at this conference we get a music stand) teaching hopeful newbie’s how to format manuscripts correctly, write so readers will listen, and communicate with editors. What a fun yet humbling place to be.

Sharing Success

Last week my friend Diane pulled me aside after choir practice and placed a package in my hands.

“I wanted you to have the first copy.” Her first book was finally in print! Over the past few years
I have seen this book evolve as Diane brought individual devotions to our writer’s group, asked me to edit/critique the first draft, and started submitting to publishers. I was almost as excited as I would have been over my own book.

Brand New Year, Same You!

Hey, friends!

It's time to usher in a brand new year. Now, I know you're expecting me to jump into a nice little story about making a new resolution to help you become the person you've always wanted to be. Sorry, not happening.

Instead, I want you to take a minute to celebrate who God created you to be -- who He saw before you were created in your mother's womb. The potential He sees today, in the midst of your failures, trials, and shortcomings. Search for what God sees in you, underneath all the influences of this world.

That's who you really are, and who God is using to share His story of hope, grace and love.