Motorcycle Riders Be Safe

Dear Motorcyclist

I know the past few weeks have been hot ones. I know it’s too hot to want to wear jackets and extra layers over your shorts or jeans. But I also know what happens when you don’t.

I’m married to a motor safety instructor. He doesn’t just teach it, he lives on his motorcycle — all but the days it’s too cold or too much snow or ice to ride.

It’s economical, and I get it… motorcycles are cool. They bring out the rebel in us and are attractive because of their daring and dangerous nature.

That’s why you have to stay safe.

Most motorcycle accidents are not caused by the motorcyclist but other cars and trucks out there sharing the roadways. They forget there are two wheels out there on the roadways along side them. Most times they don’t look. However, it doesn’t mean as a motorcycle operator that you shouldn’t still use your whits and protect your best asset. Yes, I’m talking about you.

Motorcycles can be replaced.

The people who drive them and ride on them are one of a kind.

Just because it may not be a law, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect yourself. We clothe our children with protective gear and helmets for sports and riding a bicycle, mom and dad you are no different.  When you straddle all that horsepower, be smart. Be safe. You are important.

Wear a helmet.

Wear a jacket.

Wear protective pants.

Have you ever seen road rash? Go ahead Google it.  Not pretty. While you’re at it, look up the stories of many who have experienced it and survived. Painful? I don’t know. I don’t want to find out either.

Have I ever ridden a motorcycle? Absolutely.

Have I ever driven a motorcycle. Yes, I have.

And I’ve been blessed to meet so many other men and women who have shared their joys,fears, and experiences on motorcycles. Not every motorcycle story ends happy.

Last May, my husband was driving home from teaching motorcycle safety one evening on his motorcycle. A young college student pulled out in front of my husband. I still cringe when I think of this happening. I remind myself how blessed we were to that my husband was able to walk away from the accident with broken wrists.

An ER doctor told my husband if not for his protective gear he would have been hurt much worst than he was. Another medical specialist, told us that motorcycles are often referred to a “murder-cycles” in the medical community due to the fatalities from accidents.

While summer is not officially over, fall weather still remains for a few more weeks of good motorcycle weather. I can’t guarantee that like wearing a seat belt it will always save a life, I do know it’s safer.

And you, dear motorcyclist are the only one who can make the decision on wearing that helmet and appropriate coverings to protect yourself for that one time you weren’t expecting to get in an accident.

If not for you, think of those who love you.

Feature photo credit: motorcyclessonsbrisbane.com.au

Meet Jenny Anderson from UNBRIDLED (Book 2 of the Silver Wind Equine Rescue Triology)

Today, I’d like to introduce you to Jenny Anderson, our main character in Unbridled, the second book of the Silver Wind Trilogy.

So who is Jenny Anderson?

Jenny Anderson may be fresh out of college, but she’s not fresh out of faith. Raised in the church, Jenny often helps out with socials and leads the singles Bible study group in her church near Shelbyville, Kentucky.

How does Jenny relate to the character and from Book 1: Forgotten Reins?

Jenny is about three minutes older than her twin brother, Josh, but Josh is still the taller of the two and therefore will always be her big brother.

Jenny and Josh both worked at Kingsley’s Estate the same summer with Sarah, where Jenny and Sarah became best friends, and Josh developed a crush on Sarah.

What’s Jenny’s qualifications to work at the equine clinic?

Jenny went to college and received a degree in accounting that equipped her to step in and take over the secretarial position at Micheal’s clinic. She now handles all the billing and keeping appointments and Micheal’s routes plan for the clinic to run smoothly.

What is Jenny’s favorite kind of music?

She enjoys musical artists such as Francesca Battistelli and Toby Mac.

Out of her physical features does Jenny like best and least of herself?

Jenny has a love and hate relationship with her hair. She loves the style and hates her hair color. If you catch it in the book, her hair will change shades of red from time to time as she’s always trying to find the right shade of red that she looks best in.

Jenny’s favorite Bible verse:

Proverbs 24:14

Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it; there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Hope For Your Day

One of my favorite poems is by Langston Hughes called Dreams. One of the lines of that poem is, “Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die Life is like a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”

You may recall the post a wrote some time ago about dreams, if you haven’t or would like to read it again, you can here.

Everyone has dreams. Not just the kind when you close your eyes and go to sleep, but the kind have you longing for something more, something you’re supposed to be doing. And these dreams lead to hope.

Hope – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

So often I hear stories concerning young people being told they’ll never amount to anything above where they already are in life. It saddens me that in these stories parents tell their children not to expect to go to college. Never dream to be anything more than what the majority of the population is where they live.

While many of us do what our mothers and father’s did before us, because that is all we know. That is what we are comfortable with, we ignore the gifts and talents that we have been born with in order to do what is expected of us.

Hope is an expectation.

Someday, I hope to see my children graduate college, follow their hearts, and succeed in their dreams. Their dreams. Not mine, not anyone else. Theirs.

Hope is like a wishing well for many of us. It’s lowering ourselves into a place we can’t see and quenching a thirst that feels as if it will never be sated. It’s reaching deep down to where we don’t think we’ll ever touch the one thing we’re after.

But we can. All we need to hold on to our dream. As Langston Hughes poem suggest, without a dream, we can’t fly. We can’t soar, and we can’t accomplish the work we’ve been put here to accomplish. It’s the dream that gives us hope. It’s the dream that leads us to the work that brings us joy.

It’s what helps us press on during those days when nothing goes right when a spark inside us draws us near to something, and motivates us to make it happen.

Almost thirteen years ago, I got a job working at a publishing company. Not as an editor, not as an author, but as the accounting department manager. I wasn’t even thinking about what I could do with all those stories I’d been writing while I was there. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I started writing my first novel.

The burning desire had always been there. Yet, I sat it aside because the expectations others placed on me during my youth didn’t include becoming a writer. Yet, unlike so many, I found my way. I persist and continue to hope and make it happen.

What is it that gives you hope? What is it inside you that you feel you should be doing that your not?

Some may think that time has been wasted. Yet, as I look back I think not.

Sometimes we have to experience situations, have people come into our lives, and gain knowledge before we feel the dampness of the Hope well upon our fingertips. Reaching out is more than a distance, but a time.

Hope cannot read the face of a clock, but grasp it tightly. It is the fuel you need make your dreams happen.

Everyone needs hope. Too often we let go, but when things appear to be the worse and you are disheartened it will help you find your way.

That is why we must always have hope.

And I hope I’ve been able to give you a little of it today.

SDCWC Writer's Retreat 2015

This past week, I escaped my usual routines to journey to Grove City, PA for the annual Saint Davids Christian Writers Conference.

I have had the privilege of serving on the board for the Saint Davids Christian Writers Association for the past six years. I go to serve.

Seven years ago, I attended my first writers' conference at St. Davids. In the evening of the Literary Coffeehouse (now known as ‘Got Talent Night’), I listened to may talented authors reading poems and pieces from their books. At the time all I could think of was one day being able to stand up and do the same.

Seven years is a long time.

While I listened to most starting from the first page of their books, I started from that first moment when Sarah and Michael meet in Forgotten Reins. You know the moment, it’s in Chapter nine. And if you don’t, then I encourage you to read it.

This week, I was also blessed to have been invited to sit on website/ blogging and social media panels with well-known authors such as Bob Hostetler, Cindy Sproles, David Fessends, Tracey Michea’l Lewis Giggets, and Jeanette Windell.

Please believe me when I tell you that when I tell you this is the “happiest conference on earth” it really is.

This week was both exhausting and exhilarating. The friendships I have made over the years and the people I have met have been invaluable to me.

Here I am with fellow critique partners and authors Roberta Brosius and Sue Fairchild.

e again.

May your week be blessed by the people you share it with.

Meet Apple Jack the rescue horse in Unbridled

(Photo compliments of Creative Commons via Flickr)

As I’m writing and revising the second book of the Silver Wind Trilogy, I realized how important the horses in the books were. They play just as if not more of a role then the main characters themselves to help tell the stories.

Several weeks ago, you read the story of Mandy and her adopted rescue horse Prince Fox. While the horse in Forgotten Reins was a fictional horse inspired by the true story of a rescue horse, I wanted to introduce you to the horse in the second book of the Silver Wind Trilogy, Unbridled.

We met “Apple” as Jenny likes to call him, in the first book, when Josh brought him to the rescue along with another horse.

Apple Jack is a buckskin stallion.

I know most of you have heard of buckskin clothing. If you read any historical fiction with cowboy and Indian’s they wear a lot of buckskin. That comes from a deer, not a horse.

In this case, buckskin refers to the color of the horse. It’s a gray/ yellowish color and they always have a dark line down their back.

Now Apple Jack is a stallion, but he’s also wild.

What you don’t know about this horse is where he comes from. Josh doesn’t exactly tell Sarah where he found him. If you know, feel free to share what Josh tells Sarah when he brings Apple to Silver Wind in the comments below.

Beyond that short scene, Apple isn’t part of Sarah’s story.

But this buckskin stallion plays a large part in Jenny’s.

I love this picture of this buckskin horse above. It’s the eyes I think that draw you to this horse. There’s a lot of sadness.

Jenny named this horse “Apple” because the only thing he’ll eat is apples, and even then he won’t take them from her hand, just from inside his feeder.

When Cade comes along, he feels “Apple” isn’t really a good name for a stallion and dubs the buckskin “Apple Jack” because “Jack” just sounds so much more masculine to him. He also once had a horse named Jack, but he never tells that to Jenny.

If you know much about horses, then you’d also know that a “Jack” is a male donkey and “Jenny” is a female. Just something quirky on my end, like in Forgotten Reins when you see that Sarah’s rescue horse is named Bonnie and Micheal’s horse is named Clyde. (I know … the things we writers come up with.)

So the more you get to know Apple Jack in this story, the more you’ll find out three things.

1. Apple Jack doesn’t like women

2. Apple Jack is wild and ran free reign until he came to the rescue.

3. Apple Jack has a sweet spot. Can you guess what it is?

Shop Critique: SewSweetStitchery

A few weeks ago, I mentioned buying my youngest daughter a new dress from a shop on Etsy. The dress arrived last week, and sadly to say my daughter wants nothing to do with it. "It's not pink," she says. However, I have a feeling she'll be wearing it soon - pink or not.

I purchased this fall themed dress from a Etsy shop called Sew Sweet Stitchery.

Before I purchased the dress I contacted the seller, who replied promptly. Had the dress not fit, I could have returned it. Lucky, my daughter allowed me to put it on her long enough to ensure its fit. It fit her perfect. Now if we can just convince her that blue is as nice of color as pink. :)

Anyway, the dress arrived wrapped in tissue paper in a large envelope. Very nice.

From a mother's view, it was wonderful. The dress arrived in a very timely manner, it was exactly as pictured from the shop and it was well made.

From a small business consultant's view, I would have these recommendations for the shop owner. I was disappointed not to see a invoice of my purchase included with my package ( a receipt of sorts.) A business card would have given me the opportunity to share this shop with my friends who have little girls wanting cute little dresses. There was no brand, no tag on the dress.

Lastly, one thing I've come to looking forward to when I order from Etsy Shops is that personal touch. Within my own shop I include a personal written note, a sample of another product I carry. Neither was included here, which is what I would have expected from buying on Ebay-- not Etsy.

Sellers, your craft is your brand, your name and your business are your imprint on your customers. Entice them, wow them, and impress them, so that they will share your name and your product with their friends. The best type of referrals are those that come from your customers.

Overall, I would recommend this shop to anyone. The dress was cute as a button and the price was very reasonable for a handmade dress.

Next week, we'll start gearing up for the holidays. Three major holidays are fast upon us. How will you handle them and promote your shop?

What's Outside Your Studio Window?

Sometimes as artists, authors, and crafters we get so caught up in our projects that we forget about what's going on outside our studio windows.

The one complaint I hear from those cooped up in their studios is that the public doesn't support them enough. They're under paid, under appreciated, and they don't want to participate in community efforts because the community doesn't give back.

So, today I want to point one very important thing out. Some one once said it and it holds true today. "You must give something to receive something back." I know you all have heard it before. A financial planner will tell you that in order to see a return from your investment you must first take a risk on a chosen investment.

As an artist, author, or crafter only half of your investment is your work. Without the public, community, you have nothing to invest in. The interest of your investment comes in the form of fans, followers, and sales of your work.

But how do you do that, right?

First you must look outside your studio window. Out there is a community full of people who can't wait to meet you. Each one of those people of their own hopes, dreams, and daily dilemmas. Just like you. Unlike you, most of them are running on schedules of work, children's activities, and family obligations.

Don't get me wrong, you may have those too. You also have a craft to sell.

When is the last time you left your studio and attended a community event. Have you gone to another photographer's show, participated in a charitable cause? Have you said hello to the guy who you pass at the bus stop each day? Each one of these people and organizations have the potential to be your clientele.

Clientele = fans = sales

It's a little known fact, too, that people are more likely to buy from you if they know you. Now, how much you decided to tell people about yourself is your choice. You always want to keep in mind that some things are too private to share.  Like never announcing on social networking sites that you or your home is vulnerable. Studio included.

This weekend, I challenge. Take a walk around the block. Visit an art gallery. Go somewhere your idle clientele might visit on a Saturday morning. Lock your studio door and instead of watching what's going on outside your studio window-- become a part of it.

I can't wait to hear what you all did.