Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Slipping Into Christmas Mode

 Good morning, all! Ruthy here, and it's been a crazy couple of months around the farm, around life, around everything but in the middle of all that have been one book completed, one book half done, a new kitchen, a really cute teenager on hand to help with this, that and the other thing, a blood donation, two puppies (now at their new homes) and a lovely winter of track-and-field events, basketball games and grandkids.

So once I finished my mystery, I dove right back into a Christmas story coming out late September. This story, "Rekindling Christmas in Wishing Bridge" is a beautiful tale of a returning hero... he thinks he's a prodigal.

He's anything but.

He's a man anyone would be proud to call son, brother, husband, father, etc. but it doesn't matter that others see Luke that way.

He doesn't see himself that way and that makes all the difference.

I'm delighted to be back in this book, I love working on it, but I must admit that working and keeping my head on straight between puppies, A Certain Farmer and the massive kitchen remodel (all of which meant folks kept interrupting me... for good reason... but still... interrupting me.) tested me! EEK!

But I've emerged unscathed (pretty much) and ready to tackle a heartfelt Christmas story with spring birds finally singing outside my window. Yay, Spring!!!

So to get my head into Christmas mode I play some sweet Christmas hymns... I look at pictures of the Journey to Bethlehem that Mandy, Beth and I took in Walnut Creek, Ohio, an amazing experience that inspired me doing a similar thing in this Wishing Bridge book... and I think of that baby, that child, born to the poor.

It's a beautiful thing and it's just enough to get me in the mindset I need to have to do this story justice.

Part of being able to write a story that grabs the heart and soothes the soul is being able to make it seem organic to the setting, the time, the people, places, things, moods, emotions... and that's just how I'm feeling with this story.

Of course, if we're doing the job right, we should be feeling that way with every story, right???

Oh mylanta... and I'm behind in my mailing, so my goal is to get prizes in the mail this week and keep working on this story so that I can sail into farm season with both feet firmly planted on the ground, ready to tend pumpkins and mums... and kiss cute little faces! 

No book covers I can share yet, but I have a BEEYOOOTIFUL story coming out from Guideposts in three months, then Wishing Bridge, then Guideposts again, so I'm hoping we'll have some fun reading times together very soon. 

As for today?

I'm playing "Breath of Heaven" and loving it! 


Inspirational bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne has over seventy published novels and novellas and is so grateful to God for this amazing opportunity to let her talents shine and her words soothe. She's got a whole lot of kids and grandkids, some dogs, cats, miniature donkeys and lots of bugs on her popular pumpkin farm in Western New York. You can friend Ruthy on Facebook, email her at loganherne@gmail.com or visit her website ruthloganherne.com. She'd love to hear from you! 

6 comments:

  1. Good morning, Ruthy. You know if you want to write a Christmas book you've got to write it well before, NOT at Christmas! Merry Christmas and Happy Easter, all rolled into one

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  2. You're always super busy, yet you still keep writing book after book after book! I'm impressed. Always! Love the pics of the basketball star in your family! Is the kitchen job completed? Woot! I have a delightful workman redoing our upstairs bathroom where a water leak occurred early in DEC. The kitchen ceiling had to be patched, and the entire room repainted. The bathroom is a complete remake except for the tub. So much activity and dust! Enjoy writing your Christmas book. I hear sleigh bells!

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  3. Ruthy, such a fun and busy post! Love Christmas stories and can't wait to read it and the others!!

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  4. You know that scene in "When Harry Met Sally" when a lady reacts by saying "I'll have what she's having." That's how I feel when I read all that you accomplish in an hour, a day, or a week! I want some of that energy, BUT I'm so glad that you have it! Can't wait to read all of the books you're working on and I'm so happy that you're getting your kitchen redo!

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  5. You are such an inspiration to me, Ruthy. I need to emulate your discipline and energy. Hope your kitchen is done. And I can't wait to read all of the Guideposts and the Christmas books you are writing.

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  6. Ruthy, is your plate ever not overflowing? You, just wouldn't be you, if you didn't have kids, puppies, construction peeps, etc surrounding you all the time, LOL!! Hat's off to you, my friend!
    Audra

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