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‘Countin’ On Jesse’ is finally here!

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The Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective

At long last, Scrivenings Press will publish my first book on September 12th. Countin’ On Jesse has been a work in progress for more years than I like to remember, but who’s counting?

People have asked what motivated me to write a book. Well, it had been on the bucket list for my whole life. When I turned 60, I realized I’d better get busy. After research, I decided that fiction would be the best route to go, since my dream came with a caveat. I wanted to be published through an established publishing house. And non-fiction writers need to be experts with credentials in their given fields. I’m not an expert anything.

When people hear I write books, they often ask what the book is about. What they really want to know is what genre I write. Is it fiction or non-fiction? If it’s fiction, what kind of fiction? Most people have opinions about the different types of fiction and very strong opinions about romance. However, romance is consistently the best-selling genre. Just sayin’.

What matters to an author is the target audience. The genre I write in won’t appeal to everyone. In fact, it’s very specific. Women who like good love stories with strong heroes and happy endings will probably like my books. No offense to men, but guys are not my go-to with book talk, my husband being the exception.   

When people ask about my book, I give them a card as quickly as possible and say, “All you need to know is right here.”   

Here’s a blurb of the story, same as on the cards I give out:

Countin’ On Jesse is an (inspirational) contemporary romance.  

Accountant BRENNA MCKINLEY only wants what’s best for Peeps, the wildly popular gym in Valiant, Texas. But when money goes missing, and she’s the obvious suspect, will she be able to clear her name or face criminal charges? Keeping her dream job matters, but falling in love with her boss isn’t part of the plan. Neither is the creepy guy stalking her.  

 Young veteran JESSE JACOBS manages and co-owns Peeps, an exercise facility in Valiant, Texas. He needs help to gain accreditation for the gym, and his new accountant is all in. But is she who she seems? Too bad he’s falling for her like a man with no parachute. When the pressure builds, PTSD renders him moody and volatile, risking everything he loves.

In the meantime, feedback from my book launch group has been heartening. Here are some of their quotes about the story…

“Exceptionally strong debut author who sends readers on a thrill ride filled with romance and adrenaline-pumping action.”

“Three main things stand out to me so far…1) The dedication sets a precedence for all the quips in this book. 2) I love the chapter lengths. They are not too long, but really get your attention to continue reading. 3) The metaphor sayings! ‘his temper needs a permanent vacation’ and ‘like a peacock in a yard full of chickens’.”

“(This book) it was everything I wanted it to be. It was mysterious, fun, suspenseful. I love all the characters even Emilio LOL!… I love it when books create big emotions in me. I loved that scenes caught me off guard… I was shaking my head… It made me laugh. I can’t wait to get a hard copy in my hands.”

One reader warmed my heart with her short succinct comments—“I’ve reached the end—boo-hoo…Hope there will be more books in your future.”

The official release for Countin’ On Jesse is September 12th. On that day, the paperback version will be available to order through Amazon. Starting on the 9th, the first three chapters will be available for free, one chapter per day. Use this link to access the free chapters, https://scrivenings.link/countinonjessepreview  

Bonum est Deus. God is good.  

Our messes versus God’s glory

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A Different Perspective, Mary Pat Johns

A four-gen picture–Mary Pat on left holding Ria, Mom, Annabelle, and Nancy holding Ellie

My daughter’s house flooded. A bathroom sink faucet got left on upstairs—and water ran all night. My daughter and her husband woke up to their oldest screaming, “It’s raining in the house!” And so it was. What to do? They turned the water off and called their insurance agent. By early afternoon, the professionals had finished tearing out the carpet and all the wet sheetrock on the ceiling and lower walls. It was weird how the water ran in a path that missed most of the kitchen but snaked through the pantry into the garage.

They moved to a hotel for a few days. But since they had a fully functioning kitchen, and one unharmed bedroom and bathroom, the first adjuster said a hotel wasn’t a necessary expense. (My daughter and son-in-law asked for a second opinion.) It’s been a tough one, but my daughter has held onto her faith, choosing to look beyond the water damage.   

Recently, she and the girls visited Victoria for the day. They went to the zoo and enjoyed the exhibits. That afternoon, we visited a patriotic celebration at Morada East where the girls got to see their great-grandmother, Gigi. By the time the adults made our way into the clubhouse, the girls had already found the free food and were eating bags of chips. They also won cakes. My daughter wasn’t crazy about taking two cakes home, so we settled for one.

We all rode in the shuttle to see the “open house.” Even the girls figured out it looked like Gigi’s house with different furniture. Gigi showed them the flowers and new rocks in her small flower bed. She adored spending time with her great grandchildren.

Once Nancy and the girls made it back to my house, we ate cake. The entire cake. In our defense, there were six of us, and it was a small cake. Our flimsy reasoning for eating too much cake revolved around not taking leftovers home. Yeah. Flimsy.      

It was a heartening visit. I was glad to see my daughter and the girls. It thrilled Gigi to see everybody, and the girls loved the visit. Win-wins are my favorite.

A few days later, my daughter called to ask if they left behind a pair of sandals and a green water bottle. I looked and sure enough, four-year-old Ellie had tucked her shoes into a cubbyhole in our mudroom. Tidy but easy to overlook. My husband is taking them to her along with a new set of bathroom cabinets, new flooring, and a custom addition to my daughter’s kitchen island. Her refurbished home will have the improvements she’s always wanted.     

            We never found the green water bottle. I thought I saw their cousin with it, so I asked my son. He said seven-year-old Emmitt had a green water bottle, but his had a Minecraft logo on it. This past weekend, Emmitt found the walkie-talkies and wanted Mamaw to play with him. He kept saying, “Talk to me, Mamaw,” so I did. I asked if by any chance he had picked up his cousin’s green water bottle. No, he didn’t know anything about it either. I wonder if we’ll ever know where it went.

Is there something in your life that’s a big, hairy tangle right now? Let me encourage you that God isn’t intimidated by our mountains or our messes. Scripture says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NASB) He can take an unfixable mess and cause it to turn out far better than we could ever think or imagine. Nothing is impossible for him. Our job is to believe.

Crashing waves and counting heads

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A Different Perspective

Emmitt at the beach

For two years in a row, our daughter has rented a condo at Port Aransas for a quick getaway. Last year, my husband accompanied her and the girls. After hearing about all the fun they had, I made plans to go with them. A short 2 day stay I could manage, though my laptop went with me.  

The day we left Victoria, I spent the morning on the phone, getting permission and planning to take our youngest grandson with us. At the last minute, both my husband and I realized it would be a pleasant outing for him since his older brother was at camp.

The trip to Port Aransas was fun. Excited and chatty, Emmitt entertained us from the back seat. When he found out we were meeting his girl cousins at the condo, his euphoria over the unexpected windfall increased.

The condo was lovely. Dave and I claimed the downstairs room and bathroom. Everything else was upstairs. It even had an extra bunk bed for Emmitt, who was happy to be with his cousins—even if he got insistent about sleeping in a top bunk. Ria, his female counter-part, let him have her spot. Her prize for acting as peacemaker was the only bunk with a double mattress.

The next morning, when sunlight streamed in the door, I assumed I was the last one up. Not the case. Dave had slipped out with his coffee to watch the sunrise. I stayed on the couch and one grandchild joined me…then another. As if they sensed the sweetness of the moment, they asked quiet questions and seemed to enjoy the low-key togetherness.   

However, the beach beckoned. After a quick breakfast, off we went. Definitely the highlight of the trip. The kids couldn’t wait to get into the water. Dave and our son-in-law took turns with the boogie board and helped all who wanted to learn how to surf. I monitored all of them—constantly counting heads. As a child, I loved the swells, and when the waves crashed over my brother and me, it was simply the best. My daughter built a sandcastle, letting the sun and ocean drain away the stress. Their home had flooded, so she’d had an exhausting week dealing with insurance adjusters, contractors, and one hellacious mess.

Once everyone had their fill of sun, despite all the sunscreen we applied, we headed back for a late lunch and a lazy afternoon. After such a strenuous morning, tablets and iPads were a blessed relief. Dave and my son-in-law played ping-pong in the garage-turned-game room.  

Late that afternoon, the others left for their favorite gelato shop. I opted to stay behind with the four-year-old, who had crawled into her bunk and fallen asleep. One of Mamaw’s cardinal rules is—NEVER WAKE A SLEEPING BABY.   

The condos had an excellent pool, which we took advantage of later that evening. It had a long, curvy slide, which the kids loved going down. They were brave and jumped off the rocks into the pool—until the adults spied numerous signs that strictly prohibited jumping. We showed them the signs, and they cooperated—mostly.

The evening was fun. We popped popcorn and watched an old Superman movie. Kids and adults alike loved it. After a quick trip to the beach the next morning, we reluctantly left.  

Short breaks from our daily routines help us stay on top of our game. The only thing we wished for was one more day at the beach. Something about the repetition of the waves crashing, the hot sunshine, and the salty air invigorates the soul. Beyond that, it was simply good to be together with family. I think it pleases the Lord when we take time to enjoy one another’s presence.       

WIPs and what you believe

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A Different Perspective

In my writing world, I’m jumping through hoops for my debut novel. Countin’ On Jesse, (book 1) will be available in September. I just completed the content edit—that’s when the editor says you’ve used the word “and” over 2000 times, and the pacing (all the chapter and scene breaks) needs adjusting.  

The next step, where my manuscript is now, is line edits by the publishing editor. On one hand, it’s a relief for it to be in capable hands, but it’s also like telling your child goodbye before he/she embarks for another country.

Meanwhile, I’m writing the first draft of book 3 in the same series. When I’m able to keep my thoughts on track. Right now I’m in the mushy middle, and my brain keeps getting bogged down with what’s supposed to come next. Frankly, it’s a mess. Good thing I already know how this story ends. I can fix whatever else goes awry, but a bad ending—O the horror! There’s just no coming back from a bad ending.

Recently, my daughter had a water catastrophe. The upstairs bathroom sink faucet got left on all night and water ran. And ran. And ran. She said it was “raining” in the downstairs living room the following morning. They have moved into a hotel while the house undergoes major repairs. Fortunately, she has strong faith and says the silver lining to this complete upheaval is she’ll get to choose new flooring and carpet. Definitely a work in progress.

A few days ago, I had a kitchen disaster. While I was emptying the dishwasher, the cabinet shelf gave way and dishes crashed onto the counter and the floor. I lost seven bowls, the sugar dish, and the gravy boat spoon from a set of dishes I treasure. Cleanup is a work in progress. We swept and vacuumed, but we’re still finding bits of ceramic in strange places.    

 My husband and son are expanding the shop in our backyard so they can work on projects at the same time. But during the time my husband built the addition, he declared it was such a mess, he couldn’t find anything, much less take on new projects. Order had to be restored so he could move forward. Still a work in progress.                

But I believe our messes will get cleaned up. My daughter looks forward to her home renovation. My husband and son will have their bigger shop. My first book and this awful first draft will hopefully turn into something readers love.

It matters what you believe. We have to keep holding on to what we believe because fear whispers a different story in our ear. I didn’t write for a long time because I was afraid. I feared my writing wouldn’t be any good, and I feared what other people would think. It was only when I gave myself permission to do it badly—a practice I still use on first drafts—that I could move forward. It wasn’t a straight path, either. Lots of stops and starts. Lots of mistakes. Lots of head banging.

I’m a work in progress too. But since I belong to Christ, I’m his workmanship. When I let him guide and direct my life according to his purposes, I’ll get to my destination, no matter how things look in the meantime. Christ can take the biggest gnarly mess and straighten out every last knot. Our part is to believe and have faith. Scripture says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

What’s your WIP? Put your faith in God, then go for it!