MISSION WORK IN HAITI

Yesterday I had lunch with a wonderful, dedicated lady by the name of Roberta Edwards. Roberta lives in Haiti and does mission work there. She is one of the most hard-working women I know. I pray each day that I will have her zeal for the Lord.

Roberts takes children, mostly babies, who are dying. Their mothers give them to her. I can't imagine giving up my child, but they do. Most of the women are prostitutes and most of the babies they give her are boys. Girl babies make money for them, so they try to take care of them. Can you imagine sending your daughter out as a prostitute? I look at my granddaughters and say, "No way!" But in a country with little resources, that's what they do.

Roberta said most children will have a glass of sugar water for breakfast. Now, it isn't theirs alone, they have to share it with mostly five others, maybe three times a week. The glass is not even full, maybe half of a twelve ounce glass.

When Roberta gets a child, it is usually starving. Not only for food, but for love. She takes them in and loves them. She said every child is hugged and talked to every day. I don't think we think about hugging our children or talking to them. It's natural for us to do that. Even today, I tell my children and grandchildren, "I love you," when I talk to them.

Roberta has started a nutrition center. She has twenty-one children in her home and feeds about 165 daily. Can you imagine how much food it takes for her to feed that many children? They get good food, not sugar cane or sugar water.

Another thing Roberta has started is teaching women to have a business. So many times a man will marry a woman, have several children with her, then leave her for another woman. The women are not educated, have not business skills, but she teaches then to sew, crochet and do other things. With $50 they can start their business. I bought a couple of purses yesterday. They are well made and beautiful.

When a woman gets her business started, she is able to care for her family and invest in more product to increase her business. Roberta also teaches them to put back some money to help someone else. Aren't we greedy here in America? We have so much and are not eager to help others.

So, I'm sitting her in my office with two computers, a printer and all the gadgets on the computer I need to run my business. My house is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I have plenty of clothes to wear and food to eat. The Lord has blessed me greatly. I am so thankful for what I have. I pray I can be as giving as Roberta and the seventy-two ladies she's help to get a business started. I'd admit, I'm selfish. I'm content to see what I have and not give back. This is not what we Christians are supposed to do. If anyone would want to help Roberta and her children, please let me know. I'll be glad to give you addresses where you can help them, or I'll be glad to see the money get to the right place.

Oh, did I tell you she home schools her children as long as she can? I have no idea where this lady gets her energy. I'm thinking it comes from God.

THE COFFEE POT IS BROKEN

The first thing I do in the mornings is make coffee. This morning I put coffee and water in the coffee pot, turned it on and went to read my Bible. When I finished, there was no coffee. It is not a happy day at our house. We are so addicted to coffee. No matter, I'll buy a new one when I go to the hospital for my mammogram.

All morning, I have tried to drink coffee. Isn't it crazy the habits we get into. I looked for the coffee cup on my desk and even went to the kitchen once to pour a cup. Our habits rule our lives.

I have several habits that my husband kids me about. I always check the doors two or three times in the  evenings. One door we don't use that much has stayed unlocked for almost a week. I'm trying to rid myself of this habit. The door is locked now.

Sometimes our lives are directed by our habits, like making sure the doors are locked. That comes from my childhood. My mother was so scared of everything. As she grew older, it grew worst. I don't want to live my life like that, so I'm trying to change. I'm not as scared or worried about things as I used to be. So, I may be improving a little.

I'm still taking names and email addresses for a news letter to begin in May. If you haven't commented on this blog for a while, please do. I want to draw for a free book of Susannah's Hope tomorrow. I'll let you know Saturday who the winner is. 

What is your special habit? I've told you mine, so let me hear what crazy thing you do.

Writer's Retreat

Good Tuesday Morning!

The last of March our writer's group had our annual retreat. Of course, this is the second year we've done it, but it is so much fun. Last year we went to Ken Lake State Park and rented two cabins. We all thought it would be nice if we could stay in one cabin or house. The three bedroom cabin at Ken Lake was hard to get and it still didn't have enough room.

After looking on VRBO for a couple of days, we decided on a house in Camden, TN. It had four bedrooms and seven beds. That was perfect for our small group. No one would have to sleep with anyone. We all had our own beds and a couple their own bedroom.

The trick was getting to the house. It was very secluded and we do not read directions right. In fact, I can get lost going to my own house. I have no sense of direction. The owner of the house called me and she led me to the property.

It was beautiful and looked over Birdsong Creek. Only one person came directly to the property. Two finally found it and one got really lost. In finding her, I took the wrong road and ended up on a logging road in the back of nowhere. I thought I was in the movie, Deliverance.

After everyone arrived, we had a wonderful time. What do authors do when they get together. Talk. Learn from each other. Eat. Learn some more. Play games. Have fun.

What did we learn? We had a discussion on plotting. Man, did I need that! We also talked about selecting a name for your book. We played word games and writing games. It was very nice and I learned a lot. Lately, I've felt my learning curve has been very shallow. A retreat will wake you up and get you going.

I'm looking for pictures for my story characters. I've seen a nice looking young man on a Nissan commercial. His beard is a little scruffy, but he's cute as a button. I don't think I want someone with a beard, they will go out of style. I have in mind the man I want to find. One way to keep me focused on my story is to have a storyboard with pictures I can look at.

I"m still looking for people interested in receiving a newsletter from me. I will draw the name for a free Susannah's Hope to be given away. Send the comments in.

SUSANNAH'S HOPE

April 1, 2014 was the release date for my latest book, Susannah's Hope. I thought you might like a little information about Susannah and Val.

You met them both in Callie's Mountain. Susannah was very selfish, attracted to herself and a gossip. Val, ,on the other hand, was kind, considerate and a handsome man. Val was the child of a mixed race race couple. When I started developing the characters, I thought I needed someone who was not a Melungeon, but was accepted by them. Let's ask them a few questions.

Susannah, what made to change to be the person you are now? "Mercy me, it was spending time with Mary Gibson and her husband, Aaron. They were so kind, and not like my father and grandfather had told me. They were clean, helpful and certainly not thieves."

Val, were you happy to see Susannah's change? "I certainly was. She was and still is a beautiful woman. I was drawn to her by her beauty, but she was not someone I wanted to be around. She was arrogant, self-centered and an all over brat. I didn't think I could ever fall in love with her."

Susannah, did you really believe the lies your father and grandfather told you about the Melungeons and people of color including Indians? "Yes I did. You know you are taught to respect your parents, and that's what I did. I thought Papa and Grandfather knew what they were talking about. They would have been much happier if they'd discovered how wonderful the Melungeon people are.

Val, exactly where is Maple Hill, Tennessee? The real name would be Newman's Ridge. It's in Hancock County, Tennessee. When white men came to the ridge, they found the Melungeons. They were there before the white man set foot on the ridge. Some people think they may had been Spanish solders who became lost. There are many theories to how they got to the ridge. They were isolated from the rest of the world."

Thanks for telling us a little about your and your lives.

I am giving away a copy of Susannah's Hope. The name will be drawn on April 18.

 If you would like to receive a monthly newsletter by email, please reply to kattanderson4 at gmail.com. I will start the newsletter in May. I'd love to send you one. It will be filled with lots of what's going on in my life, recipes we like and lots of other information. The first one to sign up will receive a free copy of Susannah's Hope. 

SUSANNAH'S HOPE

I am very proud to announce the almost birth of my new baby, Susannah's Hope. She's had a tough time entering the world, but if you'll go on Amazon.com, you can see a picture of the cover and read the blurb.

As with each baby, Susannah is my favorite so far. The naming of Susannah had special meaning for me. When my husband and I were going to cemeteries to look for the graves of his long lost relatives, we found the grave of Susannah Cole. That name stuck with me for years and when I began Callie's Mountain, I knew Susannah was a name I wanted to use.

I know very little about the real Susannah Cole except she is buried in the Cole Family Cemetery in a cow pasture in Shady Valley, Tennessee. I do know she and her husband came to Shady Valley from North Carolina.

My Susannah was a spoiled brat. Not someone I would want as my best friend. Callie had a lot of patience to like her, but they remain friends through both books. Susannah does change into a wonderful woman, someone I would want for my friend.

What's next? I'll try to bring you up to date next week. I'm becoming more organized with my writing time, so I should have more time to devote to my blogs. I thought you would want to see the beautiful cover by Roseanna White. I'm so happy with all the covers she has designed for me.

Here's the cover and blurb for Susannah's Hope. The Kindle edition is the only one I could find on Amazon. The book will be released April 1,  2014.

Susannah Cole had been taught prejudice since she was born. But when she is almost drowned with her father, she is taken to a Melungeon home to heal and recuperate.  A mixed race doctor, Dr. Val Minor, encourages her to accept the Melungeons and other races.

Susannah and her mother decide to make the store her grandfather established a success and to consider all people equal, as God intended. It’s a struggle, but with the help of Rachel Gibson, a Melungeon, and Lincoln Amis, a suitor, they all work hard together.

A smallpox epidemic strikes the small mountain community of Maple Hill, Tennessee. Val doesn’t have time to treat all the people. He asks Susannah and others to help him. He finds Susannah has changed and is a caring person. She enjoys helping those in need, not like her father had taught her.

Through the course of the epidemic, Val finds he has fallen in love with Susannah. Marriage is out of the question for a mixed race man and a white woman. Is their love stronger than the law of the land?

The only place for them is in the North, but would they still be accepted in the South?

THE BUG MAN

Tuesday I mentioned I'd been reading some of Tim Downs' books. My friends, Susan Page Davis and Sandra Robbins, talked about them so much that I had to read them. I didn't read them in the order they were written, but I was able to keep up with what had and was going on.

The first book featuring Dr. Nick Polchak is Shoofly Pie. It introduced Nick to us and all his crazy ways. If you can read about bugs, dead bodies and maggots, you'll love these. After that is Chop Shop, First The Dead, Less Than Dead, Ends of The Earth and Nick Of Time. Some of the characters are in all of the series. I like keeping up with each character.

If you like to laugh and enjoy a good book, I highly recommend these. Mr. Downs is not writing anymore in this series. I wish he would. I've enjoyed Nick so much.

What ever happened to Global Warming? We're sitting in the South in 16 degree temperature. Snow and ice are covering the ground. One good thing is that there should be less bugs this summer. The stomach virus that has been rampant recently is slowing down. If you can't get out to give it to someone, the virus is eliminated.

I'm not complaining about the weather. This is all of God's Plan.

I'M BACK

This has not been the easiest surgery to recover from. As you get older, you don't pop back as quickly. Everything did go well. I'm feeling better than I have in ten years. Ten years ago a doctor botched a simple surgery and I almost died. It's taken ten years for me to get the courage to have everything corrected. I was fortunate to find a wonderful doctor who could help me.

Today I'm slimmer with a smaller stomach. He did a sort-of tummy tuck. I'm able to move around much better and there is not much pain in my abdomen. My body is still adjusting to the mesh. My energy level is returning and I'm able to get more accomplished by the end of the day.

Also, during this time, I've been preparing books to be published. My second book, Susannah's Hope, should hit the shelves late March or early April. Right now I'm waiting on the cover, then I can zap it to the printers. I'm also redoing Callie's Mountain. I've thought about it for a while and the designer for the cover, Roseanna White, suggested we make them consistent. Good idea! I need to do a better job with Callie.

On top of that, we have three more books coming out with Mantle Rock Publishing. One will be out in May. It's called Hearatsong, A Sisterhood of Shepherds. I'm very excited about this book. The author is Nicola Furlong. This is a women's contemporary and about a family with the last name of Shepherd. Three sisters, Faith, Hope and Charly are the main characters. I loved the book the first time I read it, and I still love it after reading it for the second time. Nicola is a good author and I'm eager to see more of her writings.

Sandi Rog has written a children's book, Bab's Is Back. The art work is being finished now, but the book is so cute. I've seen some of the pages and I love the book and the story it tells. We don't have a definite date for it yet, but it should be late spring or early summer.

The third book we're working on is A Most Precious Gift. The author is Jacqueline Wheelock and the setting is Mississippi before the Civil War. It's about a slave and a freed slave. I've laughed all the way through it. You'll laugh at Dinah's antics. It is so well written and the story informed me a lot about slavery in America. This books will publish in September.

That about brings me up to date. I haven't read much, been too busy with reading what's coming in to the publishing company. I am going to read a proposal today. The only printed books I've read are the Bug Man Books. If you have never read any of Tim Downs books, please do, if you have the stomach to do it. They are hilarious!