Welcome to the blog today, Rachelle! Please tell our readers a bit about yourself:

I write contemporary romance novels filled with heart and hope. I earned my masters’ degree in Fine and Decorative Arts from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. I love to include Art History elements in my novels, so I have an excuse to research.

That is fascinating! Please describe your new book briefly:

When Samantha Holt discovers Newcomb art pottery in the wall of a historic home, she knows the pieces are valuable. If she can sell the vases with her family’s auction company, she can bring in much needed funds for both the historic home and her family business. But she needs a second opinion and calls an expert from Chicago. The man arrives with his daughter and nothing goes according to plan.

I love single parent stories! What was the inspiration behind this one?

I wanted to write a story about finding treasure because it happens more than you’d think and in unexpected places. A lot of small towns in the Midwest were bustling during the nineteenth century thanks to the Mississippi River. Go look at your attics!

Were there any surprises that came up as you wrote your story?

I loved writing the historical elements of this story. I first discovered romance books through the historical subgenre. While I don’t think I’d be able to write a full historical romance, I had a lot of fun putting myself into the mindset of the time for one element of this book (no spoilers about what it is!).

Who was your favourite character to create?

My favorite character(s) to create in this book were the little girls. I have two of the funniest kids, and I loved incorporating some of their personalities as five-year-olds into Isla and Olivia.

Let’s see your gorgeous cover and back blurb for your book:

Her One in a Million (Home to Harmony #3)

While renovating the MacKinnon mansion, Samantha “Sam” Holt discovers three prized ceramics in a wall. The one in a million find could provide much needed funds for the restoration—and her family’s struggling auction business. She calls a Chicago expert for a second opinion.

Zachary Reynolds arrives with his five-year-old daughter in tow, intending to leave with the vases immediately. Partly because the pottery won’t reach its six-figure potential in a small-town sale, but mostly because the ceramics will secure his job in an impending merger with a larger firm—and he needs that guaranteed stability for his daughter.

Sam and Zach both need the pottery for very personal reasons, but only one can emerge victorious. As they research the history of the pieces and the mansion, however, the best choice isn’t clear-cut. Add in romantic feelings neither of them expected and things become even more complicated. With the odds stacked against them, can they both achieve the financial and personal success they crave?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3U9lqep

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3U7d6f7

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3qB2yr1

Apple iBooks: https://apple.co/3BF8xl7

And here’s an excerpt from the book:

“It looks like a scary house,” Isla murmured.

He chuckled. To a child, the faded and flaked paint on the shutters indicated ghosts. When he studied the house, blood coursed through his veins with enough energy to propel him through a marathon. Old homes held treasure. Maybe enough to save my career.

“No, sweetie.” Bending, he rested a knee on the sidewalk and pointed a finger to the building. “It’s just old. But someone is fixing it up. See the light colors on the side of the house between the windows?” He wasn’t sure how else to explain new cedar shingles to a child.

“You mean the polka dots?”

He smiled. “Sure, that’s a better description. Would anything scary live in a place with pretty polka dots?”

“I guess not.” She nibbled her lip and dropped her chin. “I like polka dots.”

With a hand on her shoulder, he squeezed and stood.

She reached for his right hand with hers and interlaced their little fingers.

He raised the pinkie promise to his lips and kissed his side.

She did the same.

Their unspoken oath meant more to him than anything. Her faith in him would never be misplaced. Filling the role of both parents grew more complicated with every year and major milestone. Thinking ahead overwhelmed him. He took each situation one at a time and prayed he wasn’t screwing up. He wasn’t in a rush to deal with adolescence.

“Shall we go inside?” he asked.

She nodded.

He pushed open the front gate slowly, anxious any groan or squeal of rusty hinges might agitate his daughter again. When he studied her, however, he only saw delight.

“Look at how pretty.” She pointed with her free hand to the facade. “It looks like a princess house.”

Once inside the fence with the gate shut, the shrubs on the perimeter offered a green buffer, hiding the outside world. While the house looked imposing from the street, standing before the place, it seemed perfectly sized and welcoming. A wraparound porch hugged the house from the turret past the front door, extending around the side. He scanned over the grass to neatly mulched flower beds, planted with mums.

He studied his companion and arched a brow. “Want to see the inside?”

She nodded, grinning.

He led the way along the path and up the front steps. At his side, his daughter bounced in time to his large steps. Maybe today would be fine. After a rough start, he prepared himself for the rule of three and waited for the next disaster. Since arriving in town, however, his luck changed. Maybe someone is watching over me. On the porch, he dropped his grip of Isla’s hand and pressed the doorbell.

Leaning forward, he strained to hear the echoing ring. “I don’t think that worked.”

“Knock.”

Raising a fist, he rapped on the door and stepped back, reaching for Isla.

The heavy door opened, swinging inward.

A woman filled the empty frame.

He blinked several times, clearing his vision. Dressed in a dark pink sweater and black slacks, the blonde’s golden hair sparkled by comparison. With a smile stretching her cheeks to her blue eyes, she extended a hand.

Realization slammed into him. The woman from the bakery. He studied her slim fingers in midair. She didn’t align with the voice on the call yesterday. He shook his head, dislodging the ambiguous wrinkling face from his mind. He’d been annoyed and caught off-guard at her insistence for the in-person meeting. He was here and needed a second chance at a better first impression.

“It’s you,” Isla said. “Is Olivia here?” On tiptoe, she danced side to side.

“Good morning, again,” the woman from the bakery replied. “No, I dropped her off. She’s home with her mom.”

“That’s not you?” Isla asked.

The words sounded equal parts bitter and tired, a croak strangled from a tight throat. He squeezed Isla’s hand once. If anyone should appreciate how tender the subject of mothers could be, she did.

Isla looked at the ground, rolling her shoulders. “Sorry. That was rude.”

The woman held up a hand. “No need to apologize. Olivia is very well-mannered and a treat to spend time with. I was helping her mom.” She extended her hand again, hovering her fingers in midair. “I’m Sam Holt. I’m guessing you’re Mr. Reynolds?”

“Yes.” He grabbed her hand and shook in an exaggerated up and down motion. His clammy grip didn’t improve on yesterday’s first impression.

©Rachelle Paige Campbell 2022

What does your family think of your writing?

My family are my biggest supporters, and I’m so grateful. My parents, my husband, and my kids hold the only opinions that matter to me. They have all encouraged me from the start and celebrate every step of the way.

What’s next for you as an author?

I have the fourth—and final—book in the Home to Harmony series in the works. It is a Christmas book that includes baking, a nativity play, and all the festive fun of the season. In a series about forgiveness, the last book has the toughest hurdles for the characters.

Where can readers find you online?

If you want writing updates, sales alerts, and information about new releases first, sign up for my newsletter: https://eepurl.com/dEjzZz

I’m also very active on Instagram https://bit.ly/3xBTyXp

and my blog https://bit.ly/3DunsA1

Thanks so much for sharing your latest release with us today, Rachelle! And all the best for writing Book 4 in the series.

The post Author Interview with Rachelle Paige Campbell appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

And we’re going to kick off January, 2022 with a dandy, short book by Christian clinical psychologist, Andrew J. Bauman, called “How Not To Be An *SS”.

I “met” Andrew Bauman on Facebook and was thrilled to be on his launch team because after following him for nearly a year, I realized he had much to say to men who’d grown up in evangelical Christianity.

While I’m not sure I would’ve titled the book this way (although it is eye-catching and that’s likely what he was going for), these short essays are such that you can open the book and browse through them and read them out of order, or in order, depending on your mood.

Here’s the back cover copy:

“I am a recovering ass. Of course, at times I still am one, but it’s less often. I now recognize my “assness” more quickly, recalibrate, and take action to make amends for my poor behavior. It’s important to acknowledge the truth of our mistakes without turning towards self-contempt, shame, or beating ourselves up for the harm we have caused to those we love. Yet, we must take full responsibility for our poor behavior and fully own what we have done and learn to live differently, becoming men who bring life rather than further heartache. This book is just as much for me as it is for you. I am in the process of learning to become a good and safe man and writing out these truths in this book has helped me immensely. I hope it will help you on your journey to becoming the man you most desire to be.”

What I love about Andrew is that he’s transparent with his own journey of addiction and recovery, and writes about it in such a way that the reader can’t help but feel he can relate – without the self-condemnation and shame that prevents healing and growth.

But that’s not all the book is about – it’s about healing childhood trauma because abused children grow up to be abusers. (Yes, women too, although this book deals with men) It’s about what domestic abuse/violence actually IS, and it’s not just black eyes and broken wrists. It’s much more insidious than that and comes from darker places.

Andrew takes on the evangelical church and it’s lack of nurturing for boys, the lack of “good and safe” role models for them to aspire to become, and it’s an eye-opener. He provides a “self-test” in case the reader wants to know where he might fall on the evangelical scale of “am I an abuser?”

People who’ve been deeply hurt, hurt other people. Even in the church – especially in the church. And this book has the statistics to back up that statement.

Women will also learn a lot from this book. If you’re in a relationship/marriage where things don’t feel right, where you’re walking on eggshells or don’t know when the shoe’s going to fall next, then this book is for you.

And, if you’re single, this book will give you a clear picture of what a “good and safe” man looks like so that you can use that ruler to watch for any red flags in your dating relationships. Of particular interest is an essay written by a female psychologist who gives training on domestic abuse, called “If I Were An Abuser, What Church Would I Go To?”.

As Christians, we can’t close our eyes to the fact that we have hurting families in our churches. The statistics for domestic abuse don’t stop at our doors and we’re not exempt from bad parenting, bad teaching, or dysfunctional relationships.

This book goes a long way towards opening up that conversation between men and women, wives and husbands, pastors and their boards/councils.

I highly recommend it.  *****5 Stars

You can buy it here:  https://amzn.to/3GaFF49

And you can find more of Andrew J. Bauman’s books at his website here:

 https://www.andrewjbauman.com

If you are in an unsafe relationship or marriage, please seek help from your local women’s shelter or the police.

The post Book Review of “How Not To Be An *SS” by Andrew J. Bauman appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

I’m so excited to have my friend, Lisa Elliott, on the blog today! Please tell us a bit about yourself, Lisa.

I’m an award-winning author, speaker, blogger, pastor’s wife, mother of four (3 on earth, 1 in heaven), mother-in-love to two and nana to four (so far). My greatest joy and passion is sharing the truths and life-giving principles of God’s Word Straight from the Heart, based upon Romans 15:18 that says, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me.” I love walking, spending time in my kitchen, Skyping my grandchildren (who live too far away), and dating my husband of almost 35 years.

I know these books are near to your heart. How did you come to write them?

 The Ben Ripple; Choosing to Live through Loss with Purpose journals my18-year-old son, Ben’s year-long battle with leukemia and chronicles my grief journey for the first year after his death. Dancing in the Rain; One Family’s Journey through Grief and Loss is a companion book, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the many faces of grief that take place right within a single family. Both books offer scriptural Lifelines and Practical Tips that not only give readers insight to those dealing with crisis and grief but also equip those wishing to walk alongside them.

I can’t imagine what you and your husband have gone through, losing a child. How did you decide to write about your experiences?

The Ben Ripple began as a Facebook page that was set up to rally prayer warriors to pray for my son, Ben, and our family. Throughout his life, but even throughout his death, Ben’s Christ-like attitude, otherwise called, “The Ben-Attitude” became an inspiration for me, my family, and thousands who joined and followed our journey from around the world.

What was the catalyst for your interest in writing? 

Up until writing the daily prayer requests—turned blog—turned book, I had honestly never considered writing. However, those who were praying for us and joined our journey online, prompted me to publish. They felt it was not only a source of encouragement but also a powerful resource for others. What began as an outlet for my grief, opened up a writing platform with the editor of a Christian Women’s magazine, Just Between Us. This, in turn, led to a Christian Publisher inviting me to submit my manuscript and enter it into a Free Publishing Contest. I won. And the rest is HIS-story

Before we go on, I just want to share with our readers these two books and where they can buy them:

On August 12, 2008, Lisa Elliott received the phone call that changed her life forever. It was from her husband, David, on his way to the hospital emergency with their 18-year-old son Ben who was subsequently diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. After a one year and one week valiant battle, Ben was promoted to his heavenly home. Throughout his life, but even throughout his death, Ben’s Christ-like attitude became an inspiration for thousands around the world who followed updates Lisa posted on a Facebook blog entitled, “Prayer for Benjamin Elliott”. It was appropriately re-titled, “The Ben Ripple” upon his death. This is not just an ordinary “journal”, but a victorious and candid “journey” of one faith-filled mother who sought to use her story for the glory of God through her pain, loss and grief. It provides validation for those dealing with a family crisis, hope and inspiration for those who are grieving losses, and practical help for those desiring to come alongside those needing comfort. Copyright Amazon.ca

Buy it here:  https://amzn.to/3rwGQmg

We all know what it is to face storms in our lives. The question is, how do you deal with them when they come? How do you keep your head above water when the undertow of crisis pulls you under? How do you keep your faith afloat amid loss, disappointment, and betrayal? How do you keep your faith from drowning in sorrows of unanswered prayer? How do you weather the storms as they break into the safe shelter of your home? How do you find an anchor during times of change? How do you live the abundant life when the life is sucked out of you? Lisa Elliott invites you into the living room of her heart in the aftermath of the biggest storm she ever faced. Let her take you by the hand as she and her family candidly share their journey of hope. You will find invaluable insights that will help you to dance in the rain! Dancing in the Rain is much more than a story. It is a chronicle of a spiritual journey, a decisive choosing to find and experience God in brokenness and ultimately live again with new inner strength, renewed hope, and joyful purpose. -Margaret Gibb Copyright Amazon.ca

Buy it here:  https://amzn.to/2QGdg0G

Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find time in your day to write?

I am an inspirational speaker. So my every day is spent preparing speaking material. My writing stems from that and not only fills in the cracks, it also fulfills my soul. My publisher invited me to write a monthly blog for them Straight from the Heart in keeping with the name of my speaking ministry. I find that whether I’m at my computer or not, my mind is always actively writing, processing thoughts, and adding scriptural application. I need creative space that enables me to put my thoughts into writing and speaking material. So I seize moments whenever and however I can.

 Were there any surprises that came up for you as you wrote these books?

I was surprised at how God showed up in answer to my prayer through the writing of both of my books. Every day, as I sat at my son’s hospital bedside, I opened the Psalms. Psalm 40:1-4, in particular, was impressed deeply on my heart, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” These verses became my prayer, so it really shouldn’t have surprised me to have a ready-and-waiting audience. It was like each person who’d journeyed with us felt like they were characters in the book. Perfect strangers became deeply connected to me and my family. And really, they were. It was a nice and welcome surprise in my darkest moments.

What does your family think of your writing?

Seeing as both my books involved my family, they were, and still are, very supportive. In fact, Dancing in the Rain includes some of each of my family members’ own writing to tell their parts of the story. The hardest part of writing my books, given the personal nature of them, was maintaining a semblance of sacred and privacy while we, quite literally, lived out our private lives in front of a live audience.

Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book?

This may be a different answer to the question you’re asking. However, I think it’s worth mentioning here. My husband wasn’t on Facebook as I was posting my daily updates to a prayerfully watching world; many of which were strangers. When it came time to sift through all of my entries to see which ones to include or exclude in my book, I was having difficulty. So he had me hand the entire manuscript over to him. Rather than scratching out what should be excluded, he chose to highlight what he felt needed to be included. I was moved to think that what he highlighted was my heart. And that became the published product. As a note of interest, I didn’t even read my book in its completed book form until Ben’s would-have-been twenty-fifth birthday, six years after his death. And when I did, was amazed at how deeply it spoke into my six-years-fresh grief to minister to my heart.

Please share your favorite excerpt from your book:

In The Ben Ripple; Choosing to Live through Loss with Purpose, I included an excerpt of what living in the moment looks like. I felt it noteworthy enough to mention again. In many ways, it’s the platform on which we have stood as we’ve striven to Dance in the Rain.

• Living in the moment doesn’t wallow in the land of “if only.” It doesn’t reflect on the past, in case seeds of bitterness and regret are planted. These are bad weeds that will sap us of any true strength to deal with the task at hand.
• Living in the moment doesn’t live in the land of “what if”. It doesn’t forecast the future, in case seeds of worry, anxiety, and fear take root. Ninety percent of what we worry about never takes place anyway, so it’s a waste of time and energy we don’t have to spare.
• Living in the moment only requires what’s needed at the time. It’s dealing with what is rather than what should or could be, setting aside our “if only’s” or “what ifs”.
• Living in the moment means celebrating the process rather than regretting the past or putting things off until tomorrow. (Tomorrow, by the way, is not promised for any of us.)
• Living in the moment means making the best of today—this hour, this moment—since yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery. But here in this moment, today, is a gift, and that’s why we call it the present.
• Living in the moment means savoring each blessing that comes along.
• Living in the moment means allowing tears to flow when the moment proves to be a painful one and making sure to take time to taste the tears.
• Living in the moment means trusting God with the bigger picture.
• Living in the moment is where Jesus lives. He holds the future. He has a purpose for the past. Great is His faithfulness! His mercies are new every morning!

I believe that living life in the moment is what it means to live the abundant life Jesus invites each of us to live as His children. The abundant life isn’t something we look forward to; rather, it’s something to be lived out now. Right here, right now. Scripture tells us, “This the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 11:24, NKJV). Jesus is peace and comfort and hope and joy and a very present help in times of trouble. You have the privilege of making this moment count for eternity!

Thank you for sharing this moment with me.

(Dancing in the Rain, One Family’s Journey through Grief and Loss: Pg. 129-130) Copyright Lisa Elliott

What’s next for you as an author?

The Lord used the Covid-19 pandemic to lock me in my house and open wide my heart to produce a book for pastors’ wives (and anyone else who is curious). What Every Pastor’s Wife Wants to Know but is Afraid to Ask has been percolating in my heart for years. Lord-willing, it will be published by the end of this year. I believe it will be a great resource, particularly for pastors’ wives, but also for those in ministry, ministry, kids, and anyone seeking to follow Christ. It contains a wealth of personal experiences, practical advice, biblical examples, and a Bible study for devotional or group discussion purposes.

Where can readers find you online?

Word Alive Press, Blog–Straight from the Heart Word Alive Press is published every month. You’ll also find me on Facebook, Lisa Elliott – Straight from the Heart – Speaker/Author. Or view 100 Huntley Street Interviews: November 12, 2012 “Choosing to Live through Loss with Purpose” (Parts I & II), & July 21, 2015, “Journey through Grief”. And for added interest, view 10 Days Before Dying- Ben Elliott Stratford – YouTube to meet my son, Ben, my inspiration for writing.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us today, Lisa. I can’t wait to read your new book for pastor’s wives when it comes out later this year. 

Readers, do you have any questions for Lisa about how to deal with grief, or how to help someone else deal with their grief? Leave it in the comments and she’ll drop by to answer them.

The post An Interview with Author & Speaker Lisa Elliott appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

If you’re a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, you’ll love this Christmas romance set in the small Vermont town of Winterberry Falls. It has all the beloved attributes of a favourite Hallmark movie, meaning you can curl up with this romance and a cup of tea or hot chocolate, your favourite afghan, and snuggle in front of your fireplace for an afternoon of pure delight.

Small town snowed in by a nasty blizzard?  Check!

Heroine and Hero separated in the past by family secrets that need to be brought into the light?   Check!

Heroine is passing through the small town of Winterberry Falls when she crashes into the town sign in the blizzard, forcing her to seek help in the snow at the nearest building?   Check!

Hero is back home in said small town, struggling to keep his family’s newspaper and their legacy afloat in hard times?  Check!

Heroine is struggling to decide regarding her future with a supposedly suitable, all-around, “maybe-perfect” boyfriend in the big city?  Check!

Add to these a heroine who’s diabetic and from a wealthy family while our hero’s family is barely making ends meet, in a town where they celebrate Christmas in their businesses all year round, and you have the delicious recipe for a novel of opposites attracting and love denied for the past twelve years.

Debut author Ann Brodeur melts these traditional tropes into a story of hope and redemption and brings us along on the journey of two people who get their second chance through true forgiveness and leaning on God’s direction instead of following their own misguided ways. Best of all, she does it with a sub-plot of a light, cozy mystery about missing town Christmas decorations, delightful secondary characters, and a Christmas town setting you’ll want to return to again and again. I’m looking forward to her next book with anticipation.

Here’s the Back Cover Blurb and Buy Links to grab your own copy:

Unwrapping their past – one secret at a time.

Owning her own PR firm is all reporter Stephanie Clark wants for Christmas, but the idea of running a prestigious election campaign in the country’s capital throws her stomach into knots. A last minute vacation road trip to focus and seek God’s direction for her life ends up in disaster when she gets caught in the worst snowstorm to hit Vermont in over a decade, crashing her into a small town and the one person she’d rather forget.

Former photojournalist Jason Miller hadn’t planned on being solely responsible for saving his family business from financial ruin. He’s barely keeping the newspaper in print, his News Editor has gone AWOL during the town’s most celebrated holiday festival, and reports of missing Christmas decorations have everyone on edge.

When a desperate knock at the newsroom door brings a ghost from Christmas past back into his life, can Jason make up for his prior behavior without breaking his promise to Stephanie’s father? Will Stephanie’s quest to solve the town’s Christmas caper—and uncover the truth about Jason’s disappearance—cost her everything she’s ever wanted?

https://www.amazon.ca/Snowbound-Winterberry-Falls-Ann-Brodeur-ebook/dp/B08MBCNY7D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TRRUQI558XOH&dchild=1&keywords=snowbound+in+winterberry+falls&qid=1604351032&sprefix=snowbound+in+wint%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Snowbound-Winterberry-Falls-Ann-Brodeur-ebook/dp/B08MBCNY7D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25ACGSBC5DBUU&dchild=1&keywords=snowbound+in+winterberry+falls&qid=1604351070&sprefix=Snowbound+in%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1

The post Review of Debut Novel SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

We celebrated 32 years of marriage this past March, just when the lockdown hit everywhere. That’s an excellent length of time these days. We have friends who didn’t make it and ended up divorced. We’ve had our own difficult and soul-gutting times ourselves. But we have always come through the other side, mainly because we’re both too stubborn to quit.

Over the past five years, my husband’s military career had put him in two increasingly stressful jobs. So stressful his blood pressure became alarmingly high, and I was afraid for his health. We were living in the same home, but his exceptionally long hours at work meant we were passing in the bedroom and shower a lot of the time. We both felt disconnected, communication suffered, and frustrations mounted. Neither of us liked the situation but his work couldn’t be changed so we tried our best to adjust our perspectives and ride it out.

Then came the pandemic and the order to “work from home”. One might think these kinds of pressures would make matters worse, but in my eyes, nothing could’ve been better. Aside from our fears about getting the virus from shopping for groceries and the perpetual quest for toilet paper, everything in our lives came to a grinding halt. Although he still had his work Blackberry “attached to his wrist”, as I liked to call it, and he was on call 24/7, because the world had slowed down, so had military training operations.

My husband’s blood pressure went down to normal for the first time in years. He began sleeping more than five  hours at a time. We both relaxed because our adult children with special needs live at home with us and we didn’t have the additional anxiety that other friends whose adult children lived in group homes did. And we had the chance to sit and have coffee together and actually have a conversation!

It felt like a miracle to me. I realize it sounds silly—you couldn’t talk to your husband before the virus hit? Yes, but not in the same manner as we did when we were on a forced lock down. While other people were on social media moaning about being stuck together in their homes, we were enjoying playing Scrabble, UNO with our kids, completing puzzles with them, and reading books for the first time in months.

We had time together with our dogs, an extra dose of relaxation that comforted us. When we suddenly lost our golden retriever, Valour, to lung cancer at the end of April, I was so happy that we’d had that 24/7 time with him to enjoy what ended up being his final days with us. It was a gift.

And I felt like we “saw” each other for the first time in a long time. My husband found an unusual hobby—watch collecting. He came upon a new group of fellows to hang out with online, and enjoyed digging into the history of watch-making. I upped my own hobbies and renewed interests with online friends. I completed my novel NORTHERN PROTECTOR and turned it into my editor in May. And my husband, being home, had time to read it before I sent it in. It felt like we were enjoying my writing together. Another new experience!

Has it all been sunshine and roses? Not at all. I know we’re lucky in that none of our family has suffered from the virus. We haven’t lost income or jobs. But I wouldn’t give back these months at home for anything. I’m fine with life flowing at an easier pace. I love our new weekend rituals around special meals and watching movies on Disney+ with our kiddos.

There’s no doubt we’ll look back on the year 2020 as an historical turning point for many things in society: how we handle public health, view sports and other live events, experience school, and what constitutes “polite” behaviour by wearing face masks to protect ourselves and others. This crazy year of a pandemic mixed with heightening climate change is as traumatic as 1918 and the Spanish Flu was to that generation. I’m just grateful for the benefit it’s had to my marriage and my family and I’m holding on to those intangibles along with my faith.

What benefits have you found during this season of stress from the pandemic?

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