housekeeping

As you can see I decided to do a little housekeeping here. Just like a woman, I guess, to want to paint and rearrange even on a blog! Hope you like the new format and colors.

I was thinking that besides all that leftover turkey and stuffing and pie, I really appreciate Thanksgiving because it has none of that let-down feeling I get at Christmas. Thanksgiving unwraps a very merry month of Christmas carols, snow, eating Cranberry Bliss Bars and those little Reese peanut butter and chocolate trees, wrapping gifts, mistletoe, and all the rest. But January ... If you think you're really hardy, I welcome you to a northwest January:)

As I write this Randy and his dad and Paul are up in our last apple tree shaking the branches to get those apples down so they can make a last batch of cider before winter sets in. It's so wet and dreary today I'm in here by the fire typing this rather than outside shaking down apples. They usually pick instead of shake so I think they must want to come back in by the fire.

On the book front, I am up to page 184 of The Scrivener's Daughter and I think, for once, that I'll be able to keep this one to about 350 pages. I am learning so much about the Revolutionary War and have the best possible teachers - Alan Eckert and James Thom. It you want a wonderful winter read, run to your local library - no, better yet, go to Amazon.com and buy a very inexpensive copy of Long Knife or Follow the River. Then curl up by the fire and forget where and who you are!

Here's a Sabbath thought by Oswald Chambers: "The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive."

Have a blessed Sunday.

Christmas countdown

Now that we've downed all that turkey, Christmas is only 26 days away! In years past we've had our tree up by today and all those Christmas cards addressed and stamped and the whole house smelling of cinnamon and cedar and woodsmoke. But not now! I have other things to think about like book covers and sales catalogs:) I did untangle two strings of white lights and threw them up over a quilt rack and the hutch but they're hanging a bit crooked and not all of them are twinkling. I won't be sending Christmas cards this year, just book cards and bookmarks next year, Lord willing.

About that book cover. It's been interesting to hear first impressions. My mom said, "Wow! Your name is in big letters!" My dad thinks the man standing in the background looks like Randy, my husband. Sans ponytail, that is - or queue, the 18th-century term. A dear Hispanic friend of mine looked at the girl on the cover and exclaimed, "My, she's so WHITE!" Well, as far as I know, Joyce, there were few Hispanics settling Kentucky in 1777. They were making things happen further west (Missouri territory)!

I really like the cover. It's very different than I thought it would be. The beautiful girl on the front is an actual model. I hope she reads the book! Lael looks right to me as does Ian behind her. His clothing is also just right. Colonials were big on buttons. I love the cabin and woods and the dramatic colors. I even love the font style used - sort of looks chisled in wood. I'd prayed about this whole process and am so pleased. If you were standing in my shoes after a 40 year wait, you'd be singing too!

The Frontiersman's Daughter is available for pre-order on Amazon.com and also Christianbooks.com at this point. And yes, I've already ordered my copy!

Happy Friday.

about that book cover ...

Here is that book cover I've been promising. Since I'm banking on the fact that you would rather look at it than read a post, I'll just say that I would love to hear your first impressions, any and all, anonymous or not. If you tell me yours I promise to tell you mine ...

i love words

As you can guess, I love words and some of them appear too frequently in my work. Friend and fellow writer, Ann H. Gabhart, author of those great Shaker books (and many others) says she sometimes finds herself using the same pet words over and over. Right now I am stuck on the word "seemed" and am having to go through what I'm writing like I'm killing snakes to weed it out. I also love the words unravel, disarming, mercurial, intense, etc. When I'm tired they tend to multiply and I find them everywhere. This might sound strange but good writing has a certain rhythm. You can read a sentence and tell if it's not quite right. Guess this is a little like playing violin and hearing that you're too sharp or too flat.

My boys are so excited now that we're creeping closer to Christmas. They love advent calenders, especially the one LEGO makes for December. Behind every little door is an even littler LEGO creation. They've already flipped a coin to see who will open door number one in only 7 more days. I never have to worry about them doing math this time of year because they are constantly counting down the days, counting their Christmas money, counting holiday cookies and candy, etc. Must be a boy thing:)

And now for you faithful readers who are following this blog, I have a little pre-Thanksgiving surprise for you tomorrow. Can't wait so please check back in!

the thankful list

Here are some things I'm thankful for:
1. forgiveness
2. Randy, Wyatt, Paul, Digger the dog and Callie the cat and other family
3. lawnmowing season is over
4. hot cocoa with whipped cream
5. good books
6. Mannheim Steamroller's CD - A Candelight Christmas
7. sleeping in
8. Starbuck's cranberry bliss bars
9. leather boots
10. snow
11. weddings
12. going home
12. encouragement
13. The Bible
14. my brother Chris and his pictures for these posts
15. long walks
16. happy endings
17. letters

After 145 posts on this crazy blog, I feel a bit uninspired (but still thankful)!

The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach.
-Lin Yutang

Be content with what you have for He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

soft hearts, hard feet

Last night at the Alpha study our church is doing, I learned about a woman (British-born) who has an amazing ministry in China. At about age 20 she went into one of the largest and worst of the Hong Kong slums to work among the drug addicts and prostitutes there. She's seeing Chinese people become free of all kinds of addictions as they turn to Christ. These people love her because she has a "soft heart and hard feet." Many people have "hard hearts and soft feet." I wonder what would happen if we prayed for a heart like Christ and feet that were willing to go wherever He calls us? I think He loves that kind of prayer.

Next week is Thanksgiving and I am looking for just the right Butterball to fit in my fridge. The Frantz menu really never varies: roast turkey, Cracker Barrel stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, garlic cheese grits, green beans, cranberries, deviled eggs, black olives, and sparkling cider. If that sounds somewhat dull, wait till Christmas! I'm always so thankful for an abundance of food, among other things.

On the musical front, Paul's great-uncle, a violin-maker in rural Quilicene, has just gifted him with a new violin. The wood - maple - is just beautiful and the tone is just right! He is playing a 3/4 size right now so will grow into this one soon. When he got it, he took it out of the case and promptly played "Shortnin' Bread". His teacher is trying to develop some finesse as he tends to saw across the strings with his bow like a bandsaw!! Not an attractive sound.

On the scribbling front, I'm expecting the galleys for TFD any minute (hope they come after Thanksgiving). Red River Daughter is still in a box waiting for the next edit. And, GLORY BE, I've reached page 150 or so on The Scrivener's Daughter and am really enjoying life in a military outpost. Amazon delivered on that Encyclopedia of The American Revolution and it's so good I have a hard time putting it down.

Here's a quote to remind us to look around during this fleeting season:

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.
-Emily Bronte

got that plot?

As I was sitting in the orthodontist's office today for 3 hours (poor Wyatt!), I happened to come across a recent obituary/article of the famous author Michael Crichton in Time magazine. He was the creator of the hit movie Jurassic Park and the award-winning t.v. drama "E.R.". Well, he's gone on to his eternal reward - which I hope includes some really good books - all 6 feet 9 inches of him!

The article was talking about his writing, of course, and his ability as a novelist to create "crystalline plots." I thought that was a lovely way to say he can tell a darn interesting story that keeps the reader riveted. Since crystalline implies clear, his plotting must be reader-friendly and understandable. The reader doesn't get lost.

Right now I'm reading a historical fiction novel that is extremely well written with amazing historical detail - and I'm lost. I love this book and I'm not sure it's the author's fault. I think it is simply a plot-driven novel instead of a character-driven novel like the ones I write. On page 300 or so of this book, the two main characters are discussing some action in the book and one of them says, "None of it made any sense." Amen, I thought.

I think my mind doesn't run along complicated lines so truly complicated plots are over my head. This post might come back to bite me if some reviewer reads my work and says, "Frantz writes pretty well but her plotting, by her own admission, is as flimsy as a Wal-Mart paper plate." My plots aren't complicated but I think they are interesting. You'll have to tell me.

I confess I never understood any Agatha Christie mystery I ever read (and I read a slew of them, probably hoping I would "get it" at some point). Same goes for Sherlock Holmes stories. Yet these bestselling stories must be understandable to somebody out there!

I am tired tonight so this post might not be crystalline either. More tomorrow:)

a thankful spirit

I think one of the nicest things about having company is that you still have a clean house and lots of leftovers after they leave:) Yesterday's lunch went well but I had to chuckle. This pre-Thanksgiving meal was heavy on the ham, turkey, pastrami and Valdosta pecans. And our guest of honor is a vegetarian with nut allergies! So after church I rushed home and hid the pecans and tried to make all that meat look less conspicuous! She was very gracious but her mind was really not on the menu.

Two weeks ago she and her family survived a terrible collision that totaled their RV. For a few terrifying minutes she looked out the back of the RV and all she saw was the highway where her 5 year old son had been lying on the bed moments before (the entire back end had been torn away). They were traveling through the Columbia River Gorge when a semi hauling three loads struck. And they were hit three times! Miraculously, all of them were okay.

So they gave thanks for God's protection and moved on to that next singing engagement in a mini-van. She said nothing on earth matters as much as your family. She displayed such a thankful spirit and was a joy to be around. I felt my house was blessed by just having them come in. And she does sing like an angel! Looks like one too:)

One of my favorite preachers, John MacArthur, has said that one of the hallmarks of a believer should be a thankful spirit. And it shouldn't take a terrible accident to make us that way. In contrast, non-believers lack thankfulness. They don't attribute the mercy and grace in their lives as coming from His hand. They have unthankful hearts. Remember the Israelites and all that grumbling in the desert and where it got them?

Sometimes it's hard to be thankful. But Christians are in a win-win situation. Even when the bad things come we have the unbroken sweetness of His presence. There have been times in my life when I was so upended by circumstances and heartache that all I had going for me was Him. And it was enough. Lisa Marie was a good reminder of that.

A cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15

The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

The biggest reason why I can trust in the sovereignty of God is because I am so utterly convinced of the swetness of God. -Beth Moore

weekends

I'm sure many of you breathe a collective sigh of relief when the weekend comes. A good weekend here means sleeping in and big breakfasts and lingering by the fireplace and reading a good book (or writing one). But not this weekend! We're expecting at least ten for lunch tomorrow and our fridge just passed away so ...

Now I have a new fridge and even more company coming:) I think of Thoreau who said, "I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude." But we all need company sometimes! And the Bible has a lot to say about hospitality. My favorite verse regarding this is:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

We are entertaining an angel of sorts tomorrow. At least she sings like an angel! She and her family travel the U.S. in an R.V. to sing and speak all over. Her name is Lisa Marie Buster and she has a wonderful music ministry. Her husband and sons, ages 5 and 8, travel with her. Her website is really neat and she seems very dynamic. I've never met her but will tomorrow as she's coming to our church.

Hope you have an angel in your future:) Happy Saturday.

a writing marathon

My dear brother and his family did arrive in the U.S. safely and were met by a group from one of the Christian churches they're involved with. No cold airport homecoming for them! I think it's wonderful that folks would go to the airport late at night and greet them. I haven't talked to Chris yet but believe they landed and then got on another plane the next day and are now in Oklahoma for a conference. But he'll be home to Kentucky soon for a big Thanksgiving with our mom and family. The only ones who won't make it are my cousin, Lorri, who lives in Russia - and me.

On Tuesday I had one of those heavenly (rare) writing days when I started early in the morning, about seven, and kept on till about nine o'clock at night. I did break to take a walk, practice violin with Paul, and eat:) But the rest was spent in that wonderful 18th-century world of mine. By day's end I wasn't tired of writing but was just plain tired which sort of dulls the writing joy and you have to rest. Eating has always been high priority for me - and I think one of God's best gifts is a good nights sleep!

I wonder, in this writing journey, where I'll be this time next year. Maybe at the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort! They're hosting a lot of Kentucky writers this year. I'm not sure if I would be considered a Ky. writer since I now live in Washington state but my books are set in Kentucky. I'd move back in a minute if I could!

I've just ordered a big book called the Encyclopedia of the American Revolution. Some of you might be yawning at this point but this is reading at its absolute best to me! I have to figure out those Continental uniforms - did the soldiers wear black stocks or plain white? Who cares, right? Well, someone will and if I don't get it right I am very sure they'll let me know I didn't do my research. Hmmm. Maybe I should switch to writing contemporary novels.

Hope you're perusing Amazon and ordering a good book - or looking forward to ordering mine:)