Diary of a Murder, 1

Filed in: blog

“We’ll get through this.” Carla reached out and grasped her best friend’s hand. “I know we will.”

Diane shook her head and shifted uncomfortably on the hard plastic chair of the waiting room. Her dark curls fell forward over her lean face, casting deeper shadows on eyes already drawn by pain. “I don’t see how.” But she gave Carla’s hand a gentle squeeze.

Carla took hope and sat straighter. “I know it’s just part of God’s plan for—”

Diane jerked away and stood up, a scoffing noise echoing from her throat as she crossed to the window. “God. Right. You know good and well God left both of us when we were ten. I certainly haven’t seen Him since.”

Carla rose slowly, considering what to say as she joined Diane at the window. Five floors below, steam rose in spiraling tendrils from the rain-soaked streets, turning the air from a sauna bake to a steam bath. Carla knew she’d have a hard time breathing in the muggy air so different from the chilled air of the hospital. She dreaded leaving.

She dreaded staying even more.

“When we were ten. . . ” Diane’s words hung between them, both of them all too aware of what she meant. Ten. When both their lives had been ripped apart, forever changed by the man who now lay three doors away, trying to die. He’d destroyed their innocence, their families, and their faith. Carla had regained the last two. Diane still wouldn’t talk about it.

“He’ll make it. He’ll live.”

Diane snapped her head around, her words sharp. Her eyes narrowed, the pain giving way to fury. “And then what, Carla? Will you kill him for real next time?”

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Dusk to Dawn: Finding God in the Solace of the Night

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The Stars Cry Out Their Names Last night, while I was staring up at the stars, two passages from Psalms came to mind, making me sigh with a feeling of relief – and blessing. The first was Psalm 8:3-5: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which [...]

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This Fine Life – Review

Filed in: blog

This Fine Life is one of the more frustrating books I’ve read in a long time. First, because I wanted to abandon my other responsibilities in order to sit and read. Putting this book down became harder every time I picked it up. Second, Eva Marie Everson tells the story of Mariette and Thayne Scott [...]

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31, 53, 64, 84

Filed in: Family | Life | Travels

Today is my birthday, which I thought an appropriate date to jumpstart this blog, which I’ve ignored for the past 2 ½ months. It’s been a strange time; one of transition and fear, prayer and tested trust. My mother has been repeatedly ill, a combination of heart and lung ailments—some recent and some long standing—and [...]

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And the Prize Goes to…

Filed in: Contest Stuff

Joy Isley! Joy, please email me your address, and I’ll get the books in the mail to you this week. Thanks to EVERYONE who entered. The next prize package, Spring in the South, will be given on May 15. Click here for more details, including links to the books. More to come.

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Contest Drawing Tomorrow!

Filed in: Contest Stuff
Tags: A Murder Among Friends | contests | Field of Danger | New Hampshire | The Face of Deceit | The Taking of Carly Bradford

The drawing for my Winter in New Hampshire prizes will be tomorrow (2/15) at 5pm. Prizes include: * A Murder Among Friends, The Face of Deceit, and The Taking of Carly Bradford, autographed * Field of Danger, autographed * New Hampshire: A Living Landscape, Peter E. Randall * Assorted teas in a gift basket * [...]

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Lead Dragons and Yellowed Pages

Filed in: Life | Wild Ramblings
Tags: Michael Moorcock | Philip K. Dick | Piers Anthony | Ral Partha | Roger Zelazny | South Bend | The Griffon | Valentine's Day

“What,” my young friend asked, “do you get a guy for Valentine’s Day?” Hm. Now, I’ve been single a long time. But immediately my mind leaped backwards, over two boyfriends and into a time when I pondered the same thing about my husband. And before I could stop it, out of my mouth came, “Used [...]

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Three AM Thinking, about life, love, and the pursuit of a writing career

Filed in: Wild Ramblings | Writing

Any regular reader knows that I’m a night owl. I really do think it’s genetic. Rachel tends to be one as well. Even as a kid, I’d pretend to sleep until after my parents were in bed, then get up and read by the nightlight in the hall. The world is simply different at night. [...]

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A Few Book Recommendations

Filed in: Book Reviews

I’m early this week with the book column, but I decided not to wait until Wednesday. Below are the February releases from members of the American Christian Fiction Writers. I have already read, and highly recommend, Jennifer AIlee’s The Pastor’s Wife and Christa Allan’s Walking on Broken Glass. And those of you who’ve heard me [...]

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Book Review: Waxing Poetic about Peace

Filed in: Book Reviews
Tags: book review | Chip MacGregor | Lief Unger | Peace Like a River | Sandra Bishop

Welcome to my book review space – every other Wednesday I plan to post my thoughts on a book I’ve read. These may or may not take the form of a “real” review: summary followed by skilled evaluation. Sometimes I may just “wax poetic” because a book moves my heart, whether or not it’s a [...]

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