Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Sinking into Wishing Bridge

 My buddy Vince Mooney labeled my writing as "Romance Realism" and I loved him for it.

He was right. Besides being a good friend and ardent reader, Vince had a way of sensing what an author was all about, where we were going and he often told me that he kept a box of tissues at hand when he read one of my books for the first time. Not because he always cried...

But he knew there would be opportunity to weep and he wanted to be ready.

He was a good man and a good friend.

He would love "Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge"


He would love it for the same reasons he loved my first contracted book "Winter's End".  Because it's real... and because between me and God we waited just the right length of time for me to tell the story.

Ideas come and go in this biz. 

I keep them in my head. Sometimes for years. I keep them in my head until I know that the time has come and then the story spills out from multiple thoughts/sources/perspectives. The first grain for this set-up was a very thinly done book I read years ago about a dreadful storm.

I wasn't impressed because the human cost of the storm was minimized.

Human cost should always be handled with grace but it should never be minimized. 

So that was the first nudge. Nudge #2 came with the growing chronic problems in American schools.

A few are good.

Most are below par. They shade it so you don't see it unless you delve into national statistics, but it's there. It's simply not discussed.

Some are dreadful.

So in my head I wondered why? Why are people putting up with that? Why do we suddenly think that okay is good enough????

And the third thing was that I'm surrounded by young families and their friends and friends of friends.

Divorce... death... remarriage. Step-parents. Some good. Some awful.

So as I was putting together Heather's profile in my head, I knew she was displaced as a child. Put aside, a beautiful little girl, because her daddy remarried a woman whose neurosis blossomed when her own child was born.

One blonde.

One dark.

One petite.

One bigger. Stronger. More robust.

One fragile as a baby.

The other was never fragile. She was big, strong and smart with big brown eyes and gloriously thick brown hair.

And because she wasn't "her" child, because she was bigger, stronger, more robust, she was set aside in favor of the woman's own child. Her flesh. Her blood. Her single opus of achievement while Heather grew up in a shadow of loss and self-reliance.

It's hard when a parent chooses love or sex or marriage over a child's needs. It's a heinous blow to the child's self-esteem, but I didn't want Heather to ever be a victim... she was an overcomer and that became her strength and also her weakness.

And that's what makes this story "romance realism" because we're all a blend of the pros and cons that help shape us but we're also an amazing compilation of genetics that give us strength and talent and focus... so using those combinations, I was able to draw Heather Johnstone the way I wanted to.

Strong. Resilient. Focused. And tough but with such a love for children, for her students that you know she took those early rejections and turned them into something wonderful. 

Some stories come to me overnight.

Some stories are years in the making.

Both are wonderful ways of doing this thing I love... this thing called writing. Storytelling. 

Authors are blessed to live in a "best of both worlds" environment right now. We have traditional publishing and indie publishing and there is a lot to be said for both sides of the aisle but for this story I was glad to be on the independent side of the fence because human tragedy does happen.

It's how the survivors, those remaining handle it that helps shape the future.

And that's a story worth telling.

Leave a comment below to open the conversation... about school, about books, about romance, about writing... Ruthy has a copy of this newest 5 Star book to be given away to one lucky commenter... and she's so glad to be here with you today! 



USA TODAY Bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne has over 70 novels and novellas to her credit including over thirty Love Inspired books, dozens of independent works and a body of work with Harper Collins, Penguin Random House (Multnomah), Guideposts and several others. She is living her dream as she manages a very busy and crazy fun pumpkin farm in Western New York with her husband Dave and a slew of family and friends to keep things going. You can friend her on Facebook, check out her website ruthloganherne.com and email her at loganherne@gmail.com where she does, in fact, personally answer emails. 


18 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, what a thoughtful thing to say! Thank you so much!!!

      Delete
  2. Oh, what a great reminder of Vince! He was a cheerleader, but not a blind one. When he liked something we wrote, he told you exactly what had touched him. :-)

    I can't wait to read this book, Ruthy. Love born out of ashes is so much sweeter, isn't it? I'm rooting for Heather already!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that thought "love born out of ashes" because it leaves the image of not just survival... but thriving. Always hope!!!

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. Aw, thank you! And Model of Devotion is the next on my TBR list!

      Delete
  4. I absolutely love the Wishing Bridge series and Heather's story is no exception. So well written. Be sure to have tissues handy...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True words... and Beth, you did such a great job with the editing and the cover/graphics. What a talented woman you are!

      Delete
  5. Oh, my, I would love to meet Heather! Thanks for sharing her beginnings with us today, and I can only hope that our schools today have many teachers like her. Teachers who understand the students who feel they are never good enough at home, are never loved enough, and never appreciated as a precious gift from God. My heart aches for those children!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Connie, that's exactly why I developed her character in such a positive (although more than a little regimented at the beginning!!!) way when it came to children... because she didn't want anyone overlooked... ever. There are always lost children and a good teacher or administrator or minister or neighbor can make such a difference!

      Delete
  6. Ruthy, I look forward to reading this. No need to put me in the drawing--I won it from you last time! By the way, do you know what is going on with the Miracles and Mysteries of Mercy Hospital series for Guideposts? I have been buying the e-book each month when it comes out. But it has been more than two months since they have released a book. I am still waiting for Book 17.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy, did you get a copy yet? I sent them all out on release day, did I mess up yours???? Let me know, okay? And Miracles & Mysteries of Mercy is in pause and I'm not sure if or when they'll give us the go ahead to write the last seven books... I'd love to see that one finish up but Covid and a hospital-based series seemed to take a hit so they hit the "pause" button... Didn't they notify readers? If they didn't, I'm so sorry! Give me a shout here or email about Reclaiming Hope in Wishing Bridge, though, because you should have gotten your copy weeks ago. And let me know if you'd like Kindle or paperback, my friend!

      Delete
    2. Ruthy, sorry if I didn't make it clear that I did receive my copy of Wishing Bridge from you. Haven't gotten to read it yet, but I will! I am so disappointed to hear that the Mercy Hospital series may not continue. I had called them and I think there must be a book 17, but I wonder if they aren't going to put that up on the website. I only buy the ebooks. I used to get all the series mailed to me, but I don't have enough room to keep all those and it costs a little less, so I buy for kindle. They might have informed the people who have the subscription to getting the books in the mail. That is a bummer! Thanks for the info.

      Delete
    3. Oh, I'm glad you got it! I know that some folks had to wait for me to mail things in late August and September, it's just a total morph into pumpkins for about 8 weeks but I don't want folks to ever think I don't appreciate them.... Sandy, you are a national treasure for authors!!!

      Delete
  7. I'm reading this one right now and it is touching, real, and beautiful, just like all the Wishing Bridge books! Congrats on another wonderful story!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ruth, thank you so much for being you. When I think of you, I think of the words intentional, genuine, and integrity. I am an avid reader! From the time that I was a young child, books have always been my escape. I was introduced to you by your books. A fellow chemo treatment buddy (who was actually a math teacher at my high school many years ago), used to bring me grocery bags of Love Inspired books. They are what helped get her through her journey with cancer. They also help me. When I connect with a beautiful story, series, or author, I try to reach out to them to thank them for sharing their beautiful story/stories with me. You were one of those authors. I reached out to you on Facebook, and have been blessed to read not only your fiction, but the beautiful, painful, rewarding, faith filled, pumpkins and cookies and children that make up your life. I am leaving a comment here…not to get a free book…but because I wanted to let you know that sometimes an author connects with people through their craft, and sometimes an author connects with people through their life. You have connected to your readers through both. You have erased the bold line between those who write and those who read…and that is truly noteworthy and beautiful!! Thank you and may God continue to richly bless you! Karen McGuire

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Karen, now you got me all ver klempt... what a lovely thing to say. Thank you.... and sometimes I wonder if it's wise to lift the curtain between the fiction author and the real deal, but I like it... and I like being human and normal with folks. Thank you so much. You just made my day.

      Delete
  9. Well, my comment is coming right behind Karen McGuire’s…and she did such an amazing job writing so beautifully the essence of WHO YOU ARE and your wonderful writing, Ruthy. Both you and your writing reflects both the messiness and magnificence of living in God’s world, though immensely fallen…with hope, peace, love, and joy. Be blessed as you are a blessing.💕

    ReplyDelete

If you have trouble leaving a comment, please "clear your internet cache" and try again. You can find this in your browser settings under "clear history."