Author: deborahanndykeman

Writing has always been a love of mine. Except for school reports! I didn't cherish those moments. I began with poems in grade school, and short little stories that I illustrated. I created something for each family celebration and probably wore my family out. But I graduated to a longer 'book' by the time I was 18. Following traditional romance novel writing, I pounded out a pretty cheesy story on a Royal typewriter I had found at a garage sale. You didn't worry about your nails when using one of those! When four of our five children were still young, I wrote my first full-length book back in 1998. I followed it with three more in that series. Those are my current WIP, needing many updates and editing. I'm happy to say as of this writing, the fourth in the Love Defined series is written and waiting for edits! I can't wait to get this final book in the series into my reader's hands! Currently, I have published twelve books, creating the covers on most of them. The cover work is something I really enjoy! Stay tuned for more on that. My husband and I have been married for forty-one years, and we have five children and nine grandchildren. I've been a homeschooling mom, Sunday school teacher, AWANA director and a pastor's wife. I've worked as a CNA and an Activity Director. When I'm not busy writing...which I love, BTW, I'm working on home projects, marketing and attending events, where I love to meet you...my readers!
Writing

The Top 50 Sites for Indie and Self-Published Authors

deborahanndykeman

This post was very helpful to me, so I wanted to share it with you! Indie authors are coming into their own. As a self-published author, this list was very interesting. I have used Smashwords and CreateSpace. CreateSpace is a bit more user-friendly in my opinion. If you are thinking of publishing your own book, check out this list and read all that you can on the topic. I would highly recommend it!

Future Self

I stumbled across this fantastic resource and wanted to share with you. I’d love to hear any feedback.   # URL Category 1 KBoards – Writers’ Cafe ALL 2 The Newbie’s Gui…

Source: The Top 50 Sites for Indie and Self-Published Authors

Our Christian Walk, Where do I go?

Walk the Talk

deborahanndykeman

Sunday morning…a day when most people would think of attending a church of their choice. Now it’s just another day in most people’s minds. A day to sleep in, barbecue, go to the park or watch a ball game. I can understand the thinking behind that. People today are rushed from one activity to another, usually working a couple of jobs to get by. We are tired physically and emotionally…and we want a break.

This post came to mind because of the readers on here that have clicked on the link, The church is called to be churchy, so deal with it. I don’t know why, but this site is no longer there. So I do apologize for those of you that have tried to read the article. It was a good one. He had several posts that really made you think. Maybe that’s why the site is gone…too much conviction going on.

I was also thinking of something our second oldest daughter asked about. She and her husband are experiencing some testing. She didn’t understand why it seemed like every time they decided to make a commitment to read the Bible, attend church, and just generally get things together in their lives spiritually…life became tougher.

What a question!

When a person first accepts Christ as their Savior, the world is pretty bright and new. It’s a wonderful feeling. You skip along, finally understanding a bit about the Bible and trusting in your destination.

But then life happens.

Many times a new Believer does not have follow-up. They don’t continue to grow in their relationship with God. They don’t find a church to attend where they can have fellowship and support, and learn about God’s Word. They don’t make time in their lives to read the Bible or pray. That new-found joy begins to evaporate until all there is left is the burden of life. This is a very sad scenario, because the new Believer never has a chance to develop that relationship with God and other Believers. They don’t have the opportunity to have the rewards and blessings of the Christian life that make this worldly life more bearable.

Then there is the older Believer. They have been plugging away for years, and that first joy has disappeared. Sometimes the thinking is, “What does it matter if I go to church or read my Bible?  Who cares if I pray? I don’t see any results.” They lose heart and just rest on the fact that they will go to Heaven someday. That is good enough.

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But is it? God sent His only Son to die for us.

1 John 4:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 2:2(NASB)
2 and He Himself is the [a]propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

So why can’t we as Believers put a little effort into our Christian Walk?

I think that God allows a new Believer a chance to get their feet wet. They can stroll down the path of that new gift of salvation. The canopy of trees overhead shades them from the bright sun, and the birds chirp merrily. No stones impede the progress as the Babe in Christ drifts along.

But God doesn’t want us to stay there! A mountain climber isn’t content stepping over an ant hill. A surfer doesn’t want to dabble their feet in a brook. The long-distance runner won’t be motivated by a casual walk around the block. A pastor won’t only teach on salvation, but give the whole council of God. Any new mother loves her baby, but she wants them to grow up someday. And that’s what God wants of us…His children.

A mountain climber doesn’t get better by stepping over ant hills. He or she has to climb higher and more rough terrain to progress. The surfer has to find bigger waves to hone their skills. Someone that runs marathons has to run…a lot, or they aren’t ready for that race. A pastor that really wants to lead his flock and teach them God’s Word has to study and pray so that he knows what his congregation needs. Parents gain knowledge of their children over the years by caring for them and then instructing them in the ways of life.

So why do so many Christians just want to be saved…and call it good?

The Christian Walk is all of those items I mentioned above, put together and then some. In order to grow in Christ and abide in Him, you have to put the time in. The more time you grow, the harder the journey becomes. Often that path is strewn with rocks and boulders, deep crevices beside the road. The shade is intermittent and the glare of the sun is blinding. There are days, weeks and sometimes months when the birds stop singing. The Believer that perseveres finds great blessing and reward at the end of their journey, just the same as the mountain climber, the surfer, the runner, the pastor and the parent.

But the rewards for the Believer are so much better! I love this conversation that Jesus Christ has with his Disciples in John 14. It shows that people have always been human, struggling with the answers. It also shows Christ’s patience with us.

John 14 (NASB)

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, thatwhere I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Oneness with the Father

7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; andgreater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Role of the Spirit

16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [b]Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 [c]After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. 28 You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father,[d]I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.

For me, I desire the close relationship with God. I want to abide in Christ and seek Him first in all that I do. No, I’m not always successful…and no Believer is. My path is often rocky and full of crevices and there are days when I want to sit down and not continue. But prayer and God’s Word strengthen me so that I may get up and forge ahead…because I know the rewards…the medal, is there at the end.

We’ve all just watched the Olympics. We’ve seen people from all around the world dedicate their lives to one event…for a medal. That medal won’t last into eternity. Think about your own life, your priorities, the daily chores you put so much effort into. Will they be there for you in eternity?

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As a Believer, my life should be centered around God and His priorities. Spending a Sunday morning in church with other Believers, reading my Bible, spending time in prayer rather than complaining, shouldn’t be too hard. Let’s put forth the effort.

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Writing

Imagination

deborahanndykeman

When I was younger…much younger, I loved to read. My favorite genre was biographies and autobiographies. I really enjoyed anything historical, and that is still one of my favorites. In high school, Victoria Holt became a favorite author. It always took a bit to get into one of her stories, but once you did the twists and turns took you on a wonderful journey.

I loved reading so much that I would rush through chores at home so I could find a cozy corner. To spend hours ensconced in a great tale was better than anything else in the world, in my young life. In teen years, I spent my lunch hours in the library reading. I could eat any time. But to have all those books at my disposal was more temptation than I could handle!

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For me, reading was better than a TV program or a movie. I could read and the story would unfold in my mind. The characters would show up vividly in spectacular color, their features, hair and clothing all of my creation with a little help from the author. Landscape and houses would all come under my direction as each scene paraded through.

When I first saw these pictures, I was so excited. They show just what a reader does in an artistic way. Kudos to the photographers and artists that thought of this and captured it so well.

Reading a great book, whatever the genre, takes you to scenes in your head. The story plays out in your mind until you reach the end. If the author has done their job, you are involved and part of that. And it is in vivid color.

As the first picture shows, the sky is the limit with your imagination. Shut off the TV, turn off your phone and find a great place to read. A green meadow, a rowboat on a pond, waves crashing at your feet, or a chair beside a crackling fire. All make wonderful havens for the story to unfold.

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Just For Fun!

Millennials

deborahanndykeman

I admit it. I’m old! I’m at the place that I said I would never be. I was going to be young and hip my entire life. I was going to understand my children, their music, their clothing and their decisions. I would be young at heart and fun to be around until the day I died. I wasn’t going to be a fuddy-duddy like so many older people that I had seen when I was young.

To say a phrase I dislike…”Not!”

I have arrived at the destination I was not going to take. But I’m still a step behind. I think of younger people as yuppies, and that was how many years ago?

So the term today is millennials. I must say, I don’t even know what that all entails. But this video seemed to wrap it all up in one pretty little package. I mean no disrespect in sharing this…just a light-hearted look at what is going on in the world today. If you have been out in public at all recently, you have seen some of the things that are spoken of. If you are old like me, you’re nodding your head. If you are young like my children…you are shaking your head saying, “What?”

So, just enjoy. Start your day off with a smile on this Wednesday.

For those of you that watched this video earlier…I do apologize. There was another video after the song that I hadn’t realized was included. It was using language and expressing views that I would not state on here. Again, my point to this was to look at the millennials in a fun way.

Writing

The Rolling Hills

deborahanndykeman

I love creating the Facebook memes I post a few times a month. Two Tuesdays a month I post something from one of my books. On Fridays I post something inspirational. Either a Bible verse or a few words to get people thinking. Few words can say much!

Today, I posted this. I absolutely love this picture! It just seemed to bring it all together. Even though the picture is of Ireland, it reminded me so much of the Flint Hills where we currently reside. There are many places around us where you can top a hill and have a view such as this one. In the spring time, or a wet summer like we’ve had, the hills roll along, green mounds under the very blue sky.

The words under the picture are from the first book in the Rubyville series, A Place to Call Home. And yes, Annabella Barton would have walked around the Flint Hills, dragging her beautiful gown through the bluestem pastures. Sometimes the rigors of the late 1880’s mandates for women didn’t sit well on her shoulders!

Since I love this picture so much…Rubyville - A Place to Call Home

Have a great Tuesday! Take a stroll through your neck of the woods. Watch the late summer wild flowers sway in the breeze. Listen to the rustle of the leaves of the trees, dark green filtering the sun. Lift your eyes to the blue sky, lazy clouds drifting overhead. Have a perfect late summer day!

Writing

This Life We Live

deborahanndykeman

It seems that people that are creative are usually creative in many different areas. For example, if you play a musical instrument, you may also sing. If you can draw or paint, you probably have a good eye for photography or landscaping. Of course those are general observances. In my opinion, your brain just works along certain lines. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t able to appreciate music, art work or photography if you only sing in the shower, and color at the kindergarten level.

Sometimes it’s been hard for me to narrow down what I wanted to do with my life. When younger, I loved to draw and I loved art. I talked about this in another post. I also wanted to be a  ballerina, a famous singer, famous artist and maybe dabble in photography. As I grew older, modeling appealed to me and then an interior decorator seemed the way to go. At one point I even thought of being an architect.

So, I became a wife and mother! At times through the years, I thought of all those exciting careers and lifestyles I could have had. Of course I would have been extremely successful with all of them. Because in your dreams…you always are! That’s what’s fantastic about dreaming…you can make it whatever you want.

But you know what? Because I became a wife and mother I was able to do all of the above. I played the piano for church and sang in the choir. Our children and I had a singing group for awhile and we were asked to sing at several places. I’ve ‘designed’ and decorated so many of our homes over the years. Landscaping our yards was always fun. I’ve created an English garden at our current home…on a bleak Kansas driveway. I’ve had the privilege to attend several balls, wearing the gowns that I designed and made. My children have endured me singing to them at night, and dancing with them around the room. I’ve fulfilled all my dreams.

Have I been successful? Well the score is still out on that one. I have one more child at home and several grandchildren. And yes, they will have to endure all my interests. Someday, I will stand before my Heavenly Father and I hope to hear, “A job well-done, my good and faithful servant.”

Life isn’t about the career you choose or all the goals you set. You can have a career and have goals. But life is what you do along the way…the life you live. Have a Blessed Sunday!

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A Quick Thought

Solitude

deborahanndykeman

I worked the night shift for a year, two years ago. I didn’t work full-time, and I am thankful for that. I don’t think I could have stood it as long as I did if I had worked a forty hour week.

I’ve never been much of a sleeper. Everything has to be about perfect for me to get a good night’s rest. The correct pillow, mattress, and room temperature. For me, around fifty degrees, snuggled under a bunch of covers works out very well. Then I sleep.

So, to have me up to work from 10 pm to 6 am a couple nights a week, usually meant no sleep for that day. By the time I arrived home, it was wake-up call for everyone else in the house at the time. Dark curtains at the window, and the temperature as cool as I could reasonably have it, didn’t seem to help when the sun was shining outside. After a year of that, I was pretty much exhausted.

What I loved about that shift was the solitude. In nursing, generally the patients and the residents are sleeping…until you go in to wake them up. Yes, I had tasks to accomplish before the next shift came in, but it wasn’t crazy with the hustle and bustle of day-time hours. The lights were low, it was quiet, and it was peaceful. Solitude.

For me, being alone isn’t a bad thing. I do appreciate my family and friends. I love a day away, or a few days when we can manage it, with my husband. An afternoon with a dear friend is very special. I look forward to our family times when we are all together, eating around the table or playing games. But I do enjoy the times like now, when I’m alone for a bit.

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Yes, I should be sleeping, and I will probably regret this decision to write at two in the morning. I’ll regret it when I’m at work later today, dragging through the last couple of hours until I can go home. But for now…it’s really nice. Just the hum of the ceiling fan, the air-conditioner coming on every now and then, and solitude. My mind works much better during these times. How about yours?

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Gardening

Cooler Days are Coming!

deborahanndykeman

Summer! Hot and humid days, sun so bright that everything is a blur. Nights that barely dip below 75 degrees, the air dripping with moisture. That’s what it’s been like here in Kansas. And I’m ready for fall!

I’ve been trying to get back on track with my walking. It really takes a nose dive during June, July and August. This morning, I finally made it out to the lake at around seven this morning. It was still ‘cool’, in a manner of speaking. Only 72 degrees out. But the steam hung heavy over the lake and after twenty minutes, I was soaked through. Ugh! Our daughter’s dog, Buddy went with us. He gave up before us and just about needed a lift back to the van.

But before summer ends we still have tomatoes to redden on the vine. Lots of peppers to pick and cucumbers that are as big as zucchini squash. I have made refrigerator pickles in the past. They are my favorite because I can put them in a jar, add vinegar and spices, and let them sit. And I don’t have to add sugar. After one bite that puckered our lips and rolled our eyeballs, I added a little bit!

I love sour pickles, but these were over-the-top. The ‘weeds’ in the jar, as our son called them, are dill. I’ve grown my own in the past, but these are store bought.

To be fair, this summer has been a little different than others in the past. We’ve had lots of rain, sometimes torrential downpours. My little fountain has been filled to over-flowing many times this year. The flowers, grass and trees have loved it. My hedge has adored all the rain and this Monster Hedge deserves a post all it’s own. I planned to keep it trimmed up tight and neat. I wanted to keep it trimmed that way! But this hedge has a mind of it’s own and now, our son-in-law will have to return with the chain saw. Sorry David! I really did try to keep it under control.

The above picture on the left was taken in March, shortly after the hedge was trimmed back. It looked so forlorn! You can see the shepherd’s hook and the hedge is the same height. The next picture was taken a few minutes ago. You can’t see the shepherd’s hook enveloped by the branches, just the white bird feeder. The hedge is probably five feet higher than the top of the hook. The little fountain is covered as well. And I notice just now, my sun tea sitting on the table. It’s heated to around 100 degrees by now!

Summer…very special in it’s own way, but cooler days are coming and I can’t wait!

Writing

Saying Good Bye

deborahanndykeman

My eyes are gritty, and I feel as though I haven’t slept in days. I went to bed very early last night, looking forward to a walk at the lake with my husband, our youngest and our second oldest’s dog, Buddy. This walk was suppose to take place at sunrise, when the air is in the upper seventies and a bit muggy. Rather than later when it’s in the nineties and unbearable to breathe.  And then I laid there for hours, conversations going through my head, reminding myself of things my characters needed to do.

Finally, I got up, at almost two in the morning and I wrote for two hours. The words came fast and furious…yes, just like the movie, and I accomplished much. My mind was purged of all those conversations. I went back to bed and laid there for another hour before falling into a deep sleep. The kind of sleep I look forward to and rarely achieve. So, no walk for us…or at least all of us. My husband and Buddy still took a stroll, so all was not lost.

Now, I’m out of sorts and trying to get back on track. I’m at 66,000 words on my last book in my Rubyville series…and I’m sad. These books are all around 64,000 words, so you can see I’m having a bit of a problem letting go. I’ve been with this family for a year and a half now. I’ve argued with them, cried with them, laughed at their faux pas and watched them all grow up and…die. It’s very similar to sending a child off to college, watching them get married, or saying good bye to someone you’ve loved your entire life. It hurts, and it makes you sad. If you don’t write, you will think I’m crazy. If you’ve read  a great, all-encompassing book…you know what I’m talking about.

So, off to write, through another emotionally exhausting day. Maybe today will be the day I finally say, “Good bye to Rubyville.”

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Parenting 101

You are Gifted!

deborahanndykeman

I’ve always had a bent toward the artistic, creative side of things. I am extremely thankful for this gift and I have enjoyed it immensely over my years here on this earth. But only now do I feel as though I am starting to really feel some of the potential. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Exciting because there is so much more to explore and learn…over whelming for those same reasons.

When I was a little girl, I loved to draw. I was always sketching something, coloring. Of course art was my most favorite ‘class’ of the week and I longed to have it everyday…all day. I took summer classes to learn pottery, macrame and anything else that was offered. I also wrote poems and songs. I dreamed of being a singer and the bed post finials of my canopy bed made terrific microphones!

Then the teen years came. My maternal grandfather was a very talented man. If he had a desire to do something, he did it. He made it happen. He built stone terraces, laid brick, and worked wonders in a yard. He made plantation-style shutters for my parents bedroom windows, from scratch. When he needed a new tool, he made it and if my grandmother needed a new cookie sheet, he made one. He’s the one that taught me to do a job right…the first time. To this day, I know how to fold fitted sheets because of him. Because I admired him so, I wanted to learn all that I could from him, and I did. He is greatly missed in my life, not only because of his talents, but his Biblical influence in my life as well. I only wish I had absorbed more of his patience!

In my late teens, I wrote my first story. I typed it on a Royal typewriter I had purchased for $5.00 at a thrift store. I had some strong fingers and broken nails by the time I had pounded that one out! But I felt I had accomplished great things. The story wasn’t long…and probably more of a ‘Harlequin Romance’ genre. I named my lead character the name I gave our oldest daughter. It was to be my name, but my father did not like it, even though it was an old family name. I was very disappointed with that, because I grew up with Debbie. There were always about four of us in a class, and my opinion was that any girl with that name, probably wasn’t the brightest bulb in the package. I tried in school to have people call be by my given name, but to no avail. I think the Debbie was just easier for them, or I really didn’t seem like the brightest bulb in the package! I think my future husband was the first one to tell me he didn’t think I seemed like a Debbie and he wanted to call me Deborah. There’s marriage material right there!

My early years of marriage gave me many opportunities, much to my husband’s distress, to practice all those trades I had learned from my grandfather. I built rock walls and landscaped where ever we lived. And we rented! Yes, I know you agree with my husband on this one. I painted, sewed curtains, and really loved putting all my interests into our homes. When we finally purchases a run-down house, I ripped out walls…and my husband put them back together. I’d say we made a great team, but he wasn’t into all that as much as I was! He thought the kitchen was just fine where the kitchen was, and why did we need to move it to the opposite end of the house? I’ll never understand that. Sigh!

I’m very thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had to express myself in so many ways. I’ve learned to sew, and decorate cakes. I am able to play the piano, if needed and I would love to learn the mandolin and guitar. But I have benefited greatly from two of our children learning these instruments. Now that I’m older, the writing is wonderful. As I said in my bio on here, I can sit in my climate-controlled office and there are no hurting muscles, strained back and rashes to deal with. In my life, I’ve had so many chances to try different things, so many ways to express my interests. And as I observe our five children, they have been given some of the same talents and abilities…and they have gone even further. And that is what makes life fun.

Have a great day, and explore some of your talents. You probably have more than you think. You are gifted!