Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Preview of I Walked with Jesus - book 2 - update

[I expected this book to be finished by now, but I am not quite there. Becoming a beta reader has passed. I plan on working on the final-final this weekened, and then it will ready. I'll keep you posted]. 


I am almost there with book two in the I Walked with Jesus series. And because I am, and because the first story has everything to do with Christmas, I thought I would share it with you.

Initially, I had planned on having this book out before Christmas. But you know how things go. As it sits right now, expect the book to be out in February 2023.

Working through the Acts of the Apostles has been a bit harder than my first book. So many of my stories in the first book are well-known; i.e., The Woman at the Well, The Ten Lepers, and so on. Less is known of the apostles and their journeys after the resurrection of Jesus. I have 21 stories, the book is finished, but the stories are a bit shorter than the first book of 17. 

Another thing you need to know. The first story, "The Handmaid" carries over from the first book. It takes place in Luke 1. Story two connects with the first, but the story comes from Acts 2 at the time of Pentecost. 

Now is the time for me to get some beta readers for this book. After reading the first chapter, "The Handmaid" if you are interested in being a beta reader for me, please let me know at kathy@ariverofstones.com

I would love to get some readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially those who enjoy learning more from the scriptures. Merry Christmas! 


The Virgin in Prayer, by Giovanni Battisti Salvi, Il Sassoferrato (1609-1685)

The Handmaid

Luke 1

Mary loved her son even before he was born. Like most mothers, she found if she rested, fed her soul as well as her body, and made time for reflection, the energy she received at the hand of God was more than sufficient to carry her pregnancy even at the last.

          Though she was not always treated kindly as a young girl by her friends because of her timidity, as she grew, she discovered the wisdom in this. If she had something to say, she would say it, and others would listen. Her mother and father treated her kindly, and her brother and sisters spoke well of her. Her family didn’t have much in the way of worldly goods, but they had each other, and that’s what mattered.

          Mary had learned about God at a young age, and, like most girls had been shown her place in Jewish society. She respected this place, though she often thought about being equal to the young boys with whom she associated. It wasn’t until Mary grew that she began to see the truth of the matter.

          When the angel came, Mary was at first surprised as anyone would be. But her heart calmed as she spoke with the angel. She wasn’t alone. There were others nearby, yes, but she could not hear them. It was like she’d been brought to heaven while still kneeling on the earth.

          “Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women,” the angel began.

          She was amazed. Not only at the bright clothing the angel wore, but the manner in which he saluted her.

          “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

          “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” she asked.

          “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

          The words of the angel spoke volumes of love to Mary’s heart. How could she doubt what God could do? Her heart burned as the words came: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

          She’d gone to see Elisabeth after the departure of the angel, and the truth she’d known even before her arrival there became a second witness. Truly God could do all things.

          Her son was born six months later, and they named him Jesus as the angel had spoken.

          He was a beautiful baby. As his chubby hands reached for her face, she would kiss them, and speak to Jesus of God’s love. He grew into a good, kind, son. He was always thinking of her, teaching her the ways of God. And as he continued into manhood and her husband, Joseph, left the earth and returned heavenward, Jesus was a great comfort to her in her loneliness. The first few months after Joseph’s passing, He consoled her, His loving arms surrounding her, His voice soothing her aching soul.

          By the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, she’d made His teachings a part of her heart. She knew the truth of the resurrection. He was here! They’d eaten together at his arrival, and He’d shown her the marks of the nails in His hands and feet. She’d touched His side – the babe she had carried in her womb. He lived!

          At first, she thought He’d returned for good. But then the news had come. His teachings were nearing an end. He had many things to do, to help His father. Not Joseph – He smiled as he’d spoken it – but His father in heaven.

          She dared not ask if He’d seen her Joseph, but Jesus seemed to know her thoughts.

          “I have seen many loved ones. And others are waiting to hear the gospel. Missionaries have been sent to the waiting spirits in prison.”

          “Can it be so?”

          “Surely, Father is well pleased.” He took her hand in his. “And you, how are you, Mother?”

          “I am not eager to have you go,” she said.

          “But the 40 days of teaching, of preparing hearts and souls for the greater work, are almost spent. It is time.”

          “I know… And yet…”

          “You will miss me, as I will miss you. But my spirit will be here, and the gift of the Holy Ghost…”

          “I know.”

          “It is the greatest gift of the Father. The Holy Ghost will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

          “Still…”

          He embraced her then and, as the tears fell, her heart ached for the separation that would soon come. Only when she met His eyes again did she see tears in His own.

          “You will always be my mother.”

          She sobbed then, huge gushing tears, and He held her tighter.

          “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” words given over an outdoor fire some two weeks past, filled her soul long after Jesus had ascended to heaven. How could she give now that He was gone?

           Her children spent time near her; her grandchildren pulled at her skirt for attention, and she had given it. At home, it wasn’t difficult. When she was away from home, that’s when giving became more difficult. But she would do it.

          For weeks, she dreamed of her son. And as the months passed and the dreams dwindled, a softening returned, and she was able to live again. She hadn’t experienced the transfiguration for herself, but Peter, James, and John had spoken of it often. They had seen Jesus, her very son, as he looked in his glorified state. As she closed her eyes on those lonely nights when her children and grandchildren had returned to their own homes, she could see Him as He was during the 40 days – as she remembered Him.

          And she was carried forward.

 

 

 


Tuesday, December 6, 2022

What's more important than selling books?

If you're like me, you are constantly thinking about different ways to sell your book(s). From book signings, to craft fairs, to library events.

This year, I have done less promotion than I have ever done, but it has given me an opportunity to think about why I write.

I write for me. It's great free therapy and I can travel anywhere I want to without spending a penny.

I write for you. I want you to feel as if your life is better because you have read something I have written. What I am writing right now is focused on improving your life spiritually. I think after writing some fun fiction books I have finally decided on the genres that makes me the most happy.

Christian fiction and nonfiction.

This past Saturday I was part of the Utah Authors Day and spent a couple of hours at the Riverton Library. I was not able to sell any of my books - some libraries have this rule - and so I displayed my books and gave one away for the contest. Instead of 'selling' I focused on answering questions about myself and my books. The children walked around and visited with the authors. They had a cute little card that I could stamp after they'd asked me a particular question out of five.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm

My favorite was: what is your favorite word?

The first child who asked me this question caused me to reflect before answering. I didn't want to give them just any old word. And then it came to me. "My favorite word is Jesus." That word stayed with me during the two hours I was there, and the answer was the same every time a child asked me the question.

It was only later that I realized how right I was about my favorite word. 

Jesus is known as the word. You can read all about it in John 1:1

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

I made quite a few connections and shared my work on Saturday, and there were a couple of people that wanted to buy my books, but because I couldn't sell them directly that day, I was truly able to focus on what mattered to me.

And it wasn't selling.



Saturday, December 3, 2022

Today's the Day! Utah Authors Day

Planning on coming to Utah Authors Day?

Visit a library near you or come and see your favorite author at one of the library locations!

https://www.leagueofutahwriters.com/utahauthorsday

I will be here:


    Riverton Library

    12877 S. 1830 W., Riverton, UT

    2 pm - 4 pm

    *Prepurchase books for authors     to sign for this location

  Authors at this location:

   Janet Sumner Johnson, Jaclyn       Weist, Kathryn Elizabeth Jones,    Juliann Law & Anders Roseberg

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Utah Authors Day 2022!

Utah Authors Day is TOMORROW! 

I will be at the Riverton Library on December 3 between 2 and 4 p.m. to read my two picture books:

Get the book at Amazon
and...
Get the book at Amazon

Please pre-purchase any of my books including the two children's books above before December 3rd - that's this Saturday, and bring them to the library to be autographed! [I will not be selling books at the event].

Four of my books are on sale as of Friday, December 2!

The Human Bean (above) $5.55

I Walked With Jesus - New Testament Stories from the Least of These (book 1) $6.47

Buckled Inn (book 2 of the Brianne James Mystery series for YA) $4.18

Sunny Side-up (book 2 of the Susan Cramer Mystery series for adults) $4.24

Bring your children!

See more of my books here!




Thursday, October 27, 2022

You'd Better Believe It!

Okay, so posts of late have been lacking, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working.

My second book in the "I Walked With Jesus" series takes takes place at the time of Acts. The book is almost completed. I should have it ready for sale in January or February of next year. Yes, that's later than I promised - it won't be out for Christmas - but it will definitely be out in the next few months.

I want to make sure the book is the best it can be, and that means the stories chosen will have the most impact on you the reader. I figure I need to add at least three more stories before the book is ready for beta readers. And then there's the cover to decide on and so on.

I have a short story in the works which I am trying to decide if it fits into the picture book or magazine category. The idea was sudden. I was sitting in church when it happened. The next day, I sat down to write "The Perfect Dress." Perhaps I need to post the story here first. I will let you know.

It snowed again this morning. This time I have icy snow stuck to my car's windshield. Have "cool" day!

Photo https://unsplash.com/@damianmccoig




Friday, October 7, 2022

It's time for a Halloween Romance!


New Book! 

When the Scottish came to America, they brought their Halloween traditions with them. Will Charlotte find her true love on Halloween? 

Synopsis

Holidays in Willow Valley is a Collection of Six Holiday Stories set in 1840: When Emmeline is invited to a Valentine’s Ball, she and Charlotte wonder if they will have an opportunity to meet the Valentine Bandit? When it’s St. Patrick’s Day, what three wishes will Josie make if she finds a leprechaun? Is it common to play jokes on one another on April Fools Day? Nicholas and Lucas find out firsthand and are surprised who the culprits are. On Independence Day, Angelica’s eyes are opened when she is challenged. She believes in independence for all people. When the Scottish came to America, they brought their Halloween traditions with them. Will Charlotte find her true love on Halloween? When it’s time for Christmas, Angelica learns what the gift of giving is all about. This book is full of surprises.


Get the ebook, paperback, or audiobook 

____________

Pastor MacFarlane held up his hand to quiet everyone down. “Thank you for attending All Hallows Eve. Today and tomorrow are the days when we remember and honor our loved ones who have passed on. It’s also a time to pray for the souls who have gone astray.” He motioned to the fire. “We gather together every year on October 31st and light a bonfire, in order to ward off bad luck and any evil spirits for the coming year. The following day, you are permitted to take buckets of ashes to spread over your gardens to ward off bad luck and to give your soil nourishment for the coming year. Please enjoy yourself this evening.” 

“Is somebody going to tell us ghost stories?” a young boy asked eagerly.

“Of course. It wouldn’t be All Hallows Eve without a scary story.” With a chuckle, Pastor MacFarlane added, “By the way, those who are dressed up as little devils, try not to make so much mischief this year.”

As everyone laughed, an elderly man pulled out his flute and began playing a jig. Young men and women quickly took a partner and joined in the revelry, dancing around the bonfire. When Charlotte saw some young boys huddled together, she knew they were thinking up some mischief to do. 

When she noticed Jacob watching her and giving her a charming smile, Charlotte was about to join him when Mr. Campbell stepped up to her and said, “To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect to see you dressed like this.” His eyes scanned her gown and he cleared his throat. “You have on a very interesting costume, Miss Charlotte. I’m not sure who you represent, but is it appropriate for a pastor’s daughter?”

Trying not to laugh at his pompous attitude, she replied, “Queen Esther was a saint who was beloved by all her people, because she saved them from certain death. You can learn about her in the Bible.”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure I’ve heard of her.”

“Please excuse me. I must help father greet our guests.”

With that said, she walked around the gentleman and headed for Jacob. 

“Welcome to our celebration, sir,” she said as she approached him. When she noticed he had on a cap with two homemade ears sewn on top, she held back her laughter and put her hand to her mouth to hide the humor. “Wow! I like your costume.”

Before he could answer, she walked around him to inspect his outfit. Lo and behold, he had a braided rope tied to his backside for a tail, and it was sewn to his trousers.

Laughter bubbled out as she said, “Uhm, what are you supposed to be?”

Jacob turned around to face her and he was grinning. “Guess.”

“A cuddly kitten?”

“No, you’re not even close.” He groaned and shook his head. “Cuddly kitten?” 

Charlotte laughed when he pulled a face.

“Guess again.”

“Are you a sly fox?”

Jacob chuckled. “Sly, perhaps. But no. I’ll give you a hint. After I made the ears, my cap kept falling off so I had to cut the ears shorter.”

“So… your ears are supposed to be longer?” Charlotte’s eyes brightened. “I’ve got it. You’re a stubborn ole mule.”

He broke into laughter. “No, no. I’m a horse.” He swept his tail into his hand and turned his backside to her. “Isn’t this a tail of a horse?”

When she looked closer, Charlotte realized that his tail was not made of rope but actual horsehair that had been braided. With laughter, she said, “Very nice, indeed.”

“The hair is from my horse’s mane,” he said proudly. “I braided it myself.”

“You’d better not get your backside too close to the fire with that tail,” she warned.

Jacob laughed. “You’re right.”

“That reminds me. We have a tradition for All Hallows Eve. If you drop a piece of your own hair into the bonfire, the identity of your future wife or husband will be revealed to you through your dreams that night.”

Jacob’s eyes brightened. “Then by all means, let’s do it.” 

He quickly grabbed a knife from the table and cut a few strands of his hair. Then he very carefully cut a piece from Charlotte’s and gave it to her. After putting the knife back, he hurried to her.

With a grin, Jacob said, “Are you ready?”

When she nodded, they both tossed their strands of hair onto the embers where they sizzled and disappeared.

Leaning toward her, he whispered, “Tell me who you dream about. All right?” He winked at her. “And it had better be me.”

She laughed. His flirtations were such fun.

Pointing to the brightly glowing turnips on the table, Jacob cocked his head curiously. “I like those. Very creative.”

“It’s part of our tradition. We carve them out and put a little candle inside. If they’re too small, we’ll just carve a face into them.”

“Wow! I like it. I wonder what it would look like with something larger… such as a pumpkin?”

Charlotte raised her brow and gave a nod. “We’ll have to try it sometime.”

When she saw her father watching them, she noticed a very curious and sober expression on his face. When he motioned her toward him, she said, “Oh, oh. I’m being summoned. I’ll be back, my brave steed.”

He chuckled. “Oh yes, a steed. I like that. It’s much better than a stubborn mule or a cuddly kitten.”

Charlotte laughed as she sauntered toward her father.


Bio

Linda Weaver Clarke was raised in the Rocky Mountains of Southern Idaho and now lives among the red desert hills of southern Utah. She is the author of Historical Romance, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Suspense, Swashbuckling Romances, Children’s Books, and non-fiction. Linda is a service missionary at the FamilySearch Center in St. George, Utah where she helps people find their ancestors. She believes it is important to learn about your heritage.

 

 

Friday, September 2, 2022

Wow! Readers are Loving This!

Fall is almost here!

What blog posts did readers and authors enjoy this summer?

Here are the top 5 picks.

1. What's New with Sounds Fishy? This first science fiction picture book by Lucas Salmon is a must-read! 

2.  Day Three! Last day to get your Two FREE books

Two of my books went on sale! The Parables of Virginia Bean and Heaven 24/7 - Living in the Light.


3. REVIEWS FOR LIGHTSHADE. GET IT FREE THROUGH TOMORROW

LightShade, book one in the Aaden Prescott science fiction/fantasy series was free. You can get the book here


4. When it's rough... What do you do when you don't feel like writing? How can you get back to it? This post gave some ideas.

5. You too can be a book rockstar! An interesting fact about this post... It was read a lot, but I didn't receive one taker! I don't know what's up with that. It wouldn't have cost you a penny to do a character interview on my blog. But now the time is passed until next summer.

Once again, it was the new book and the FREE books that got the most attention. After that, it was all about writing, but not so much follow-through when it came to marketing your book.


Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Free Writing Conference featuring local authors leading workshops!

TODAY!!


Local Authors & You - The Writing Conference is a FREE writing conference open to writers of all kinds. Local authors are leading learning sessions.

Sessions start promptly at 11 AM. Check-in begins at 10 AM.


The Panel Discussion starts at 4 pm.


Click here to begin registration.


To see sessions and bios click here.


To see the conference schedule and when I will be speaking click here.


This year purchase your books BEFORE the conference and bring them with you to be signed! 


The Human Bean (picture book, softcover) $4.22! You don't need to be a Prime member to get this fun book for a discounted price.


There are two special deals currently running on a few of my books for Prime members. They are:


Buckled Inn (YA mystery) $4.17!


Sunny Side-Up (mystery) $4.12!


Many of my books are also on AUDIO! You can also get them in eBook format! I have been trying to figure out a solution to autographing these for you, but haven't got it quite set up yet. 


I hope to see you at the conference! 

Monday, August 8, 2022

Did you get your free books?

No?

You'll get another opportunity come Christmas. I'm debating over the two books I will be providing for free. If you have a favorite of mine, make a comment and I may just choose your favorite book!

Looks like, between Mooseberry Mooseberry Gooseberry Pie, and The Human Bean, the Human Bean won, but just by a few copies!

Thank you to everyone who grabbed my book(s)! If you'd like to review one or both of them I would be very appreciative!

If you missed out on the FREE picture books but would still like a copy, here are the links to both books.

  

Get the book on Amazon


Although The Human Bean is no longer free today, it is on sale for $4.20. That's for the paperback! But don't wait, it may not be on sale tomorrow!


Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

5+ Reasons You Didn't Get Your Free Books!

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FREE BOOKS YOU COULD GET!

1. You thought time would wait. You thought about getting your FREE books but you waited too long and by the time you remembered, the FREEBIE WAS OVER! Consider bookmarking this page for future reference.

2.  You wondered if you'd like them. You thought you might, but you wanted to think it over. You wanted to think FREE over? Just get the books ma'am and then decide if you're gonna like them by dipping your toes in!

3. You thought, "How good could they be if they're FREE?" Let me tell you something. Most authors struggle to get their sales as high as they'd like, and giving away FREE books is one of the ways they know to attract new readers. So be attracted!

4. You didn't want to jump through all of the hoops to get the books. Hoops, you say? Just click on the link provided. You will then be directed to the link where you can click one last time to get your book.

5. You frankly don't like eBooks. Okay, I get it, but when was the last time you read one? Aha! You haven't read one, or you read a pretty heady one, or a boring one... How about a short one with beautiful illustrations?

+1. There weren't any reviews or there were few reviews. You just couldn't take a chance on books with little to no reviews? Why do you think authors give their books away for FREE? I would love to get some new readers for both of these books. I would be thrilled to get a review. Thank you in advance if you are a reader who decides to read and review my books. 

August 4-6 get two of my children's books (notice the large print and highlighted word and numbers :)

Mooseberry Mooseberry Gooseberry Pie and/or

The Human Bean

All you have to do is click here or here on August 4, 5, or 6th to get these FREE books. I will remind you again as the days get closer but you just may want to bookmark this page NOW. Just saying. 

Kathryn

Monday, July 18, 2022

5 Unique Tips to Get You Writing

Can't get that first sentence on the page? Try these tips to get you writing.

Magazine shop. Great ideas can come from opening a magazine and pointing to the first sentence or picture your finger lands on. "Shampoo and condition, then apply oil..."

Book shop. Use the first sentence you point to as the first sentence of your story. "They should ask Baal to send a fire to consume their offering..."

Dream a little. Wake up in the night? Write down your dream. Use the dream as the first line. "I was trapped in an elevator."

Listen to conversations. "You wouldn't believe what my son did last night."

Write about what you did the day before.  Choose something from your list that strikes you as funny - or a bit - odd. "I ate ice cream. Chocolate. My favorite. I wasn't hungry."

What I have learned is that there is always something to write about, I just have to wake up my brain from sleep mode.

Here's something to write about :)

Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash