Tag: change

Writing

Part Two Rabbit Trail

It’s hard to let go. Does that sentence sound familiar? I’m going to try this again and see if I can stay on track. And speaking of rabbit trails, isn’t that a cute little guy, hanging out in the dunes by the sea?

The Rubyville series is finished. Some say it shouldn’t be, and they want the story to continue. And a very huge part of me agrees, because it’s hard to let go. The Barton family became my family. I lived with them fictionally for 100 years, but in reality, for the past year or so. I was a part of their dinner conversation, what clothes they chose to wear for the day, where they wanted to live, and I prayed with them. I laughed at their antics and I cried along with their losses. And now they are gone! And I feel a huge hole in my life. For those of you that don’t write, please don’t call the white coats. I’m really not crazy…just a writer.

Before I began the Rubyville series, before I wrote that first book of 65,000 words the month of March in 2015, I had another series. This series was near and dear to me for almost twenty years, at that time. I couldn’t even fathom starting another series. I didn’t want to be that close to another group of characters. I couldn’t stop thinking, or talking about that other series. And then along came the Barton family.

So that’s why I began my post yesterday with that sentence. I’m having difficulty letting go, and getting back to that first series. I haven’t visited with that other family in a long time, and I’m nervous about what they are going to think of me. Will I know them like I used to? Will we be friends again, close family that shares everything? Right now, it seems hard to believe. And it’s even scarier to think that this other series may not connect with my readers as the Rubyville series did.

But I have knocked on their door, and I’m waiting on the front porch, exchanging polite conversation until they invite me in, and include me in their lives once again.

I really need to say good-bye to Rubyville. Maybe not forever, but for now. So I’m going to share with you, my visions of the little town in Kansas that became so dear to me. I painted a picture of Rubyville and the Barton home. I used this to construct a little town using my village pieces. With the help of the paint program on my computer, I designed my proof covers for Rubyville. Each book depicts a new season. Here is winter and spring:

rubyville-1-book-cover

book-cover-2-rubyville-by-deborah

And summer and fall:

book-cover-3-rubyville

rubyville-book-4-cover

I absolutely love the covers that http://www.DesignByJulia.com did for my books! They are beautiful and I’ve had so many compliments on them. Julia captured the Barton women, and the fact that they were Rubyville, not the town. But I will always have a soft spot for what I picture Rubyville to look like.

Thank you for sticking with me for these two posts! I really appreciate you, my readers. Change is difficult, but I will survive, and I’ll work on being patient in the process. Until next time…

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A Quick Thought

Part One Rabbit Trail

It’s hard to let go. This applies to so many areas in our lives. New jobs, moving, adding children to your family, losing someone close to you, and even the change of season. Change takes a certain amount of flexibility, and some are better at it than others. One person may be a real fighter and survivor. Rushing in, doing whatever it takes to live life. Another may just want to sleep it off, or bury their head in the deepest sand hill. And whatever route we choose to take, we never really understand the other side of the coin.

I’m usually a survivor. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done. I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of patience for other people that just want to curl up and sleep it off. My thinking is that if you are going to be here, you might as well live it to the fullest, doing the best job possible with what you have. I don’t understand the other way of thinking, the ‘branch bouncing down a rushing stream’ way of dealing with things. I’m going to swim to shore, fighting the current, and then I’m going to shake off the water and decide best how to handle the situation.

creek-593146_1280

Is one way better than the other? Well of course I believe my way is the best way! It’s the one I’m comfortable with.

But my way also pushes people aside, just worrying about getting the job done, and not about how people are feeling or adjusting. Yes, I get the job accomplished, but I may not have many supporters when I’m through!

Am I envious of the slow-thinking, lovable, patient person that cares more about having a great time than if the chore is finished? Yes!!! And they drive me crazy! But there are many of their attributes that I wish I had.

My prayer is that I will keep changing as I grow older. I have already, just a little bit. I live with things around my house that I would never have looked at everyday a few years ago. Some of it just doesn’t seem to be as important as it used to be.

So thanks for reading my rambling thoughts for today. This is part one of this post because as you see from the first sentence, I didn’t really follow up on it. Sometimes, other stuff just needs to be said. Today is one of those days. So tune in tomorrow to find out the real reason I started this post with the first sentence!