Christian author Diana Lesire Brandmeyer writes historical and contemporary romances set from the Midwest to the Mountains. She’s written Mind of Her Own, Frontier Legacy Brides, Small Town Brides, and A Time for Love, among others.
Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.
*affiliate links are used on this site. It won't cost you more but those extra pennies keep me stocked in tea, thank you!
Penny Sullivan finds herself in a new neighborhood, her husband is deployed, and her support system not yet in place when she finds herself witnessing a shocking crime. Unable to leave her home even to purchase food for her young son she knows she has to get better, but how? She has her faith or does she? And if she has faith why can’t she move forward?
I can’t remember the last time an author reached inside of me and pulled out my story. Hinck has done just that, while I’ve never been in a holdup I’ve been a prisoner of anxiety. I was on those pages with Penny Sullivan, holding hands with her praying she would be able to take each step.
I finished this book with a huge ‘take away.’ God wants my best, even if my best is only the smallest thing I can do that day. I wish I had read this book four years ago. I’m finally coming out of my dark corners and I know this book, while a work of fiction has the power to heal. Thank you Sharon for writing it.
My friend Jen has a post about a painting from her youth that touched her. I promised her I would post a photo of a painting of my childhood favorite. My grandmother bought this and then my mom got it from her. It graced the wall over our couch for a long time. I would spend hours starting at it wondering what that girl’s name was, did she have any friends. I grew up in a subdivision and thought this girl must be lonely. Then I would try and figure out how did she get that bird to land on the porch, how far were those mountains from her house and did she swim in that lake? Did she have brothers like me that had died? Did she make up stories too? Art is fantastic. So many feelings from someone else’s vision. I’m so happy my mom let me have this painting. It’s hanging in my bedroom and even know I find myself wondering…does she know the person who’s about to kidnap her?
You know how you feel when you get a piece of really good chocolate? Not the stuff you get at the service station, but the kind from the specialty candy shops. You unwrap that piece and savor every bite, letting the rich flavor melt on your taste buds, and when it’s gone, you want more, just one more piece, please. That’s what it’s like to read A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman. This book is filled with characters that will linger long after the book is finished.
Charity O’Connor—misguided in the past by her emotions, lack of faith and confusion about a father’s love will steal your heart. You’ll soon be cheering her on as she discovers what real faith, real love and living real is all about.
Mitch Dennehy—has had a rough road too, dumped by Charity’s sister, Faith (A Passion Most Pure) has left him raw and hurting, but Faith left him with a strong faith of his own.
Once again, Lessman has found a place on my KEEPER shelf. This book will be reread again and again. This writer knows how to turn a phrase and keep the pages turning.
I have a great husband. He drove me to Minneapolis for the conference knowing he would be on his own for two days. He assured me this wouldn’t be a problem for him. He loaded up his bike into the trunk of our car along with the bike lock and maps. He snapped a few images of the the town for me since I was at the conference the entire time. This is the bike trail. He rode 20 miles both days. I would liked to have done that too!
This is a shot from one of the bridges over looking the Mississippi River.
And this shot is on the beach. It’s so clean compared to what we see here at home. By the time it reaches us the water has picked up a lot of dirt.
I have to admit I couldn’t wait to get to ACFW this year. One of the reasons I wanted to go was I knew I would get something on my name tag that said published author. Now, I know I’m published with awe-struck and a few others but the respect isn’t quite there in the print world yet. It’s coming but it’s been moving slow. So now that I have a print book Hearts on the Road coming out from Barbour in January I have to say I feel as if I’ve achieved a major goal.
so where did I go wrong?
I let my pride take over my thoughts. Somehow I thought this would make me feel better, wiser, people would want to talk to me…millions of reasons. Then I went to the registration desk and picked up my badge. No ribbon of honor waited for me, so I asked what about my author tag. “No, I’m not doing the book signing the book isn’t out yet. Oh, so I don’t get a tag.” Sadly I walked away but wait, I saw someone with an extra tag that said Barbour Author, shouldn’t I at least have one of those?
I grumbled inside all day Thursday and Friday when I saw a fellow author with that coveted ribbon. But something else was happening, I forgot about being published when I sat next to new attendees, I talked to them, made new friends, even talked to those with the coveted ribbons on their chest. AND I realized perhaps I didn’t get a ribbon because my pride might have caused me to miss forming some new friendships.
And then:
I went to the Barbour Author event. It was held in the Underwater Aquarium at the Mall of America. I had my ticket in an envelope given to me by Rebeca Germany on Thursday morning. I looked inside pulled out my ticket and Yep, you guessed it, my Barbour Author tag. I know I was smiling a huge smile because my husband told me so! I reached in my purse and pulled out my name tag and applied the ribbon. It was too late to wear the ribbon to the conference because I left Saturday morning but that’s okay. I learned something…a ribbon does not an author make. Hard work is what gets the job done. Being welcoming and making new friends is more important. Sure I’ll gladly wear my ribbon at the next conference but I’ll be more humble about having it.
I’m finding cats to be as individual in their play time desires as humans! Cleveland (black) loves to play fetch. He runs after that fuzzy, crinkly ball and then drops it at your feet, over and over and over! Wendell however prefers strings and boxes.
A ten hour car trip –one way, is the plan. What do you like to to snack on when you travel?
For Ed and I it’s all about the licorice and cinnamon almonds. The almonds are a recent find. We discovered them at Target and the only time we get them is for a car trip. They are so good!
If you aren’t the driver how do you pass the time? I knit. I’ve been knitting squares that are made into small quilts for kids with cancer. I enjoy the simple stitch and I can work with lots of different colors.
I finished my lazygirl Miranda bag! you can see the front and back of the bag here. This is going to be wonderful to take my pens, folders and the chapters for my first class at the ACFW conference. It’s a really easy pattern to make too.
I also finished the quilt for the church auction. It’s a Very Hungry Caterpillar quilt. I love the book.
You know that song? I’m in a hurry and don’t know why? Rush and rush until life’s no fun? Well, that’s me today! I’m scurrying to get things ready for the ACFW conference and it seems as if my to-do list keeps growing. I need to be still and let God take care of my angst! But of course I’d rather be in charge so my stomach is in knots, papers are spitting from my printer, the cat litter box needs to be cleaned and oh yeah what about dinner? See, I’m not having fun. REFRAME! Dear God, please untangle my today and make my path straight! Today has been a blast! I found a great deal on a few clothing items this morning to take on my trip. I found out I needed several color highlighters for a class and I love going to the office supply section of any store. It’s a joy to have my words on paper piling up to be put in a notebook for the class too. See…I’m doing better. 🙂 Dinner? Pizza of course. 🙂 It’s so much easier to handle life when you give your life to God.
I’m so torn! I want to do so many things! Why didn’t God give me two or three brains and the hands to go with them? I have a Passion Redeemed by Julie Lesman sitting on the corner of my desk begging me to read it. I can’t wait, but I must! Because I have to get things organized to attend the ACFW conference next week which means not just writing things but I have to co-ordinate pet watchers! Yes, I said pets. Wendell now has a friend. My son’s cat, Cleveland has come to say for a year. He was evicted, not my son! The cat! So since my son can’t move the Cleveland came to live with us. So far it’s been interesting to watch to grown male cats try to make it work. I’m a bit uneasy about leaving them alone while I’m gone so…I’m lining up people to stay over night with them. That takes more time and I just want to read that amazing book that’s taunting me from the corner of my desk! How do I know it’s amazing? Because I have the honor of being in Julie’s critique group so I got to see how this book grew and developed (or at least the first draft) and it a wonderful read. So if I quit informing you of what my life is about maybe I’ll get time to start reading it later today. 🙂 Bye!