Did You Know? ~ Three Stories From 1890 Newspaper

I'm sitting on my bed tonight writing this blog article on my tiny laptop. Next to my laptop is a copy of the Kanas City Daily Journal, dated Monday, April 21, 1890. Yes, it's that old, and seriously yellow and brittle. (I would probably be yellow and brittle if I were over one hundred years old, too.) Anyway, I think it's ironic to have something that old next to this modern technology.

I love old magazines and newspapers. I have framed several old papers because I like the way they look on the wall, and it keeps them safely intact. Surprisingly, there are many available for sale, and unless they are of historical significance, they are fairly inexpensive. Owning an old newspaper gives me a sense of awe. Over a hundred years ago someone bought this paper and read it. That person has been gone a long time, yet I'm holding the paper he or she read.

I don't know a lot about the Kansas City Daily Journal except that it was printed in Kansas City, obviously. But I thought I'd share a few of the articles from the front page that I found interesting. They could even be seeds for a historical novel.

A HORRIBLE MURDER
An Uncle Shoots the Top of His Nephews Head Off

Chambersburg, PA., April 20. -- John Rhodes, a well-known farmer living near Green Castle, shot and instantly killed his nephew, William Rhodes, last evening during a quarrel on the farm of the former. The uncle taunted his nephew about the latter's crippled son, and the young man threatened to shoot him.

Rhodes then stepped into the house, got his gun and fired at his nephew who was standing only six feet away. The load struck the young man fair in the forehead and blew the whole top of his head off. The uncle is now in jail here.

(I love the old timey language--fair in the forehead.)

Desperadoes Killed

Cinncinnati, April 20. -- A Commercial-Gazette special from Catlettsburg, Ky., reports the killing in West Virginia, near Pigeon creek, last Friday, of Smith Baisden, John Baisden, and William Baisden, three brothers, noted desperadoes. James Brewer, deputy sheriff, and posse attempted to arrest them and were fired upon. A battle ensued and the desperadoes were killed or mortally wounded and captured.

(Desperadoes is an old timey word, too.)

Another Female Poisoner

Pittsburg PA., April 20 -- Pretty 16-year-old Mary Stewart, of McKeesport, is under arrest on a charge of poisoning. Friday the girl cooked soup for dinner. All the family but her partook and were immediately seized with violent pains. Physicians pronounce the case as arsenical poisoning. A 4-year-old boy died yesterday and three others of the family are in a serious condition. The girl evades all questions, and stoutly declares her innocence. She says she did not eat the soup because she did not care for it.

(The title of this article is interesting. ANOTHER female poisoner--implying there are more of them. As if all sorts of females are poisoning people.)

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Listen, Trust and Obey by Author Karen Barnett

“Write a book,” God said. 

Okay, not exactly. Sounds a bit too much like, “Build an ark.” But I felt the Spirit nudge me, regardless. 

The trouble was, writing a novel sounded even more difficult than building a 450-foot long boat. How many words go into a novel? To satisfy my curiosity, I went to the internet. According to several sources, novels typically clocked in at 75-100 thousand words. That’s not going to happen. 

I scanned the rest of the list. Young adult novels: 40-65 thousand. No way. 

Middle-grade fiction: 30 thousand. Hmm. That’s it—God wants me to be a children’s writer (insert heavenly choir here). 

I sat down to write the book. It was harder than even I had expected, but I persevered. The finished manuscript, an adventure story set during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, was great. 

So I went to a writer’s conference and showed the manuscript to several professionals. They said it was good. Just one problem—it was written more like a young adult book. Heavy, deep, introspective. “Why don’t you take it home and rewrite it for young adults?”

I’d already written 30 thousand words. How hard would it be to make it 60? Suddenly the prospect didn’t sound as daunting. Maybe God wanted me to write for teens! 

I got to work and before I knew it, I hit the word count. The YA book was a masterpiece. 

A niggling thought grew in the back of my mind. Wouldn’t this story be more powerful if the characters were adults, if the story went deeper than a YA historical would allow?

That’s insane. Rewrite the book for adults? God wanted me to shape future generations—children, teens. He never said anything about adults. Oh, wait… He never said anything about children, either. That was MY decision. Had I even asked Him? 

The doubts lingered, but I took the YA version of the book back to the conference the next year. This time editors started using words I’d never considered—pub board, cover art, marketing. Teen fiction must be where God wanted me.

So why did my heart ache? Why did I have this burning desire to rewrite the book one more time? I mentioned it to a few folks at the conference. Their jaws dropped. “Don’t touch it. Why rock the boat?” 

Maybe because I’d built my own boat. Not God’s. 

I went home in confusion. What should I do? Contact the editor and say, “I’m sorry—I know you love this YA novel, but I think God wants me to rewrite it. Again.” 

I put the manuscript aside and tried writing something new—but for which age group? Did God want me writing for teens or for adults? This time I asked Him. He didn’t answer—at least not right away. 

Months went by. One day I opened my email to see a note from the editor. “Is this project still available?” (Insert my hysterical laughter here). The next sentence gave me pause. “Would you consider rewriting the manuscript for adults?”

Would I? 

You mean, would I LISTEN to God? Would I TRUST that He would equip me to accomplish whatever He called me to do? Would I step out in OBEDIENCE as He asked?

Yes, I would.

That should be the happily-ever-after moment, but a deal with that first publisher never materialized. That’s another story, but it was actually the best possible outcome and completely in God’s hands. I did rewrite the book for adults, and I eventually contracted a different novel, Mistaken—written for adults—with Abingdon Press. A few months later, they offered me a second contract for a three-book series. The first of those books is Out of the Ruins, the story I’d written for three different age groups. Now written as a historical romance, Out of the Ruins is the work of my heart. 

God called me to step out in obedience. It took me three tries, but eventually I learned to trust Him. 

Out of the Ruins, Back Cover Copy: While her sister lies on her deathbed, Abby Fischer prays for a miracle. What Abby doesn’t expect, however, is for God’s answer to come in the form of the handsome Dr. Robert King, whose experimental treatment is risky at best.

As they work together toward a cure, Abby’s feelings for Robert become hopelessly entangled. Separated by the tragedy of the mighty San Francisco earthquake, their relationship suddenly takes a back seat to survival. With fires raging throughout the city, Abby fears for her life as she flees alone through burning streets. Where is God now? Will Robert find Abby, even as the world burns around them? Or has their love fallen with the ruins of the city?

Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of Mistaken and several articles published by Guideposts and other national magazines. Her latest release is Out of the Ruins (May 2014). She lives in Albany, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and an attention-loving dachshund named Mystery. For more information, visit her website KarenBarnettBooks.com.

Links:
Website: http://www.KarenBarnettBooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenBarnettAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenMBarnett
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenbarnett/ 

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Romantic Suspense Character Interview ~ A Bridge Unbroken

Author Cathy Bryant has a special treat for us today! An interview with the hero and heroine of her new inspirational romantic suspense release, A Bridge Unbroken - well, sort of. Her characters might have other ideas. ;)

Meet Chance and Dakota, and be sure to stick around after the interview for some some exciting info and an ebook giveaway!

* * *

Chance: (finger to lips) Shhhh! Don't tell Cathy. She'll arrive here in a sec to interview me and Dakota. But we're gonna put her in the hot seat for a change. After all, she's put us through the ringer in writing A Bridge Unbroken. It's only fair that we return the favor. Shh, here she comes. (returns to seat and acts all nonchalant)

Cathy: (enters, moves to seat) Hey, you two. Ready to get this interview underway?

Chance: (with a smirk) Of course. Why wouldn't we be?

Dakota: (her eyes shoot daggers) Yeah, it's not like we have anything else to do with our time, thanks to you.

Cathy: (shifts uncomfortably) Uh...what do you mean?

Dakota: Renovate a farmhouse, fix a bridge, work on our relationship, get away from the antagonist, all while dealing with an unexpected gift of a dog and chickens? I mean, really, couldn't you just send us to outer space in a defunct space shuttle or something?

Chance: (pats Dakota's arm) Easy, honey, your Irish temper is showing.

Dakota: (continues to shoot daggers)

Cathy: (swallows hard) Um, sorry. First question: Why did you two introduce yourselves to me with such major problems to overcome?

Chance: Ha! You're the one who created us, not the other way around. Why'd you give us so much to overcome?

Cathy: I wanted to explore the topic of forgiveness. It's a huge part of our faith, but we struggle with it, especially when the offender seems determined to destroy us.

Dakota: (nods) Even worse is when our actions hurt others. We can't go back and undo it. Sometimes we can't even forgive ourselves. And when the other party accepts no responsibility... (her words trail off as she glances at Chance)

Chance: (frowning) Haven't we discussed this enough? Yeah, so maybe I have a hard time seeing the speck in my eye--

Dakota: Speck?

Chance: So maybe it's a little bigger than that.

Cathy: Maybe?

Chance: You, too?

(Cathy and Dakota share a knowing look.)

Chance: (sighs) Okay, beam. You happy now?

(Cathy and Dakota smile.)

Cathy: (glances at clock) Well, let's move on to question two. Dakota, why do you run away so much?

Dakota: As I recall, you gave me a pretty tough childhood. (inserts sarcasm) Let me express my undying gratitude.

Cathy: Anything to help the story.

Chance: Yeah, speaking of that, why do you put the story above the characters? Don't we deserve some gratitude for bowing to your commands?

Cathy: Um, first of all, you are the story. That's just the way it works. And as for bowing to my commands? Y'all are the most unruly characters I've ever written. You took over on more than one occasion.

Dakota: You should be grateful.

Cathy: If I wrote by the seat of my pants, maybe. But I like knowing what you guys are gonna do before I ever start the story.

(Chance and Dakota look at each other.)

Dakota: Great. Our author has OCD.

Chance: Big time. But at least it explains why she put us through so much.

Cathy: Enough about me. Chance, would you explain how you got those scars on your face?

(Chance blushes and squirms in his seat.)

Dakota: (compassion in eyes) Uh, I'll take responsibility for that. Sorry, Chance.

Chance: (smiles tenderly at Dakota) It's over and done with. Besides, I'm not the only one.

Dakota: I think we've done pretty well in moving past it all. (She takes his hand.)

Chance: (brings her hand to his lips and plants a soft kiss) Agreed. (He stands and pulls Dakota up with him.) Interview over.

Cathy: (her face incredulous) What? I'm not through.

Chance: Oh yes, you are. (He and Dakota turn and move away.)

Dakota: (glances back over her shoulder) Seriously, Cathy, how can you expect to write a romance and not give your hero and heroine some alone time? I mean, really.

Cathy: (watches them walk away, with a sheepish grin) Sorry. Did I mention they don't always do what I say? (shakes her head as she exits)

* * *

A BRIDGE UNBROKEN

Letting go to build a bridge…

A frightened runaway's plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But he isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?

CLICK HERE TO READ A SAMPLE CHAPTER AND VIEW THE TRAILER.

| Print Version | eBook Version |

Other Miller’s Creek Novels

| Texas Roads | A Path Less Traveled | The Way of Grace| Pilgrimage of Promise|

“Miller’s Creek, Texas…where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons…”

* * *

A Texas gal by birth, Cathy enjoys spinning tales set in the fictional town of Miller's Creek, Texas. When she's not writing the Miller's Creek Novels, you'll find her rummaging through thrift stores or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years. You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.CatBryant.com

Here are a few other places to find Cathy:

|Facebook| Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads |  Amazon | YouTube | Google+|

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianBooks.Giveaways/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MillersCreekReaders/

* * *

$100 Visa Card Giveaway/Launch Party

Cathy is celebrating the launch of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN with a $100 Visa Card Giveaway. Other prizes include t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, bookmarks, eBooks, print books and Amazon Gift cards. Winners announced at the Facebook Launch Party, May 22, 2014, 7-8 p.m. CST. CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE VISA CARD GIVEAWAY. See you at the party!

* * *

eBook Giveaway!

In addition to the awesome tour-wide giveaway and Facebook party, Cathy is kindly offering an ebook copy of A Bridge Unbroken to one of our BB readers! Just leave a comment with your e-mail address (so we can get in touch with you if you win), and let us know what you think of Chance and Dakota, and their story. Are you a romantic suspense fan?

(Note: This giveaway is open internationally. Winner will be announced next Monday, May 26th, in the comments section of that day's post.)

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Winners!!

Good morning, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming!

This week's winner is: 

Breanna Brittain (medievalfreak17@gmail.com) - A Promise in Pieces by Emily T. Wierenga.

Congratulations, Breanna! Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book.

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Sunday Devotional: Psalm 10

“Why is it that so many people seem to never be tested,” she asked me, “and yet my life is one long, constant trouble? And why isn’t God answering me when I ask him to show me the way?”

We all have times of our life when we ask that.

Psalm 10 (NKJV)

Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
² The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

³ For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.

Granted, it isn’t always the ones we consider “the wicked” who seem to have life easier than us. But we know plenty of those who thumb their noses at God and His laws, and yet apparently do just fine.

⁴ The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

⁵ His ways are always prospering;
Your judgments are far above, out of his sight;
As for all his enemies, he sneers at them.
⁶ He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”

Worse still, the conceit of their own hearts convinces them that they are bulletproof, emotionally if not physically.

⁷ His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.

⁸ He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the secret places he murders the innocent;
His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
⁹ He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den;
He lies in wait to catch the poor;
He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
¹⁰ So he crouches, he lies low,
That the helpless may fall by his strength.
¹¹ He has said in his heart,
“God has forgotten;
He hides His face;
He will never see.”

Sounds almost overdramatic, doesn’t it? Or maybe not. I think sometimes I live such an insulated life that I forget there are those who live to prey on others.

And then, if nothing else, I watch the news, and am reminded. Forcibly.

Worse, I think, than those who believe God hasn’t taken note of their wickedness is those who believe God condones what they’re doing.

¹² Arise, O Lord!
O God, lift up Your hand!
Do not forget the humble.
¹³ Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”

¹⁴ But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.

Once again we read those words: God sees. God takes note.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man;
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

¹⁶ The Lord is King forever and ever;
The nations have perished out of His land.

As we look over the ebb and flow of history, we see people after people who have vanished from the face of the earth. These men who are so sure their cause is right, or that God doesn’t notice their misbehavior—they cannot endure, either.

¹⁷ Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear,
¹⁸ To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.

The day is coming,  one way or another, that troubles will end. If that isn’t a temporary end, here on earth, then it’ll be a permanent one in heaven.

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Weekly Drawing

It's Fun Friday at The Borrowed Book! This week's prize is available to residents inside the continental US only.

To enter:

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzles in the comments section as well as your email address for notifying you if you've won. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. Enter all weekend long! Winners will be announced Sunday night at midnight.

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Emily T. Wierenga and her newest release, A Promise in Pieces.

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10 Tips for Writing When You Don’t Want To, by Emily T. Wierenga

I pin the colored fabric as though savoring a mango, this slice of time so sweet, and the sounds of children splashing in the pool. And all I want is to rest. To open wide this moment and step into it, to sit on a beach chair and hold my babies and breathe in their skin, and funny how, once you get what you want, all you can think about is the other.

But I am learning to write, in spite of myself.

Because I want to honor the call.

But I also don’t want to miss out on my children. Nor the man I made them with.

So how do we do it? How do we balance the laptop with the laundry and the liturgy?

Here are 10 tips:

1. Write when you feel most alive. (be it morning, before the kids wake up, or in the evening, after they’ve gone to bed, snag those seconds, those minutes, and let those fingers fly)

2. Don’t over-think it. Just write. Edit later. Stephen King has some good stuff to say about this in his book, On Writing. I don’t read his fiction, but my husband does, and says the guy knows what he’s talking about.

3. Don’t read the same kind of genre you’re writing in, or you’ll get your own writing voice mixed up with someone else’s. So if you’re writing fiction, read non-fiction, and vice-versa.

4. Drink or eat something while you’re writing. I drink coffee in the mornings and snack on raisins or chocolate throughout the day. This fuels the mind and keeps the stomach happy.

5. Give yourself rewards. For example, write for 15 minutes, and then go hug your babies. Or write for 15 minutes and then spend 5 minutes doing something restful or invigorating.

6. Surround yourself with inspiration. My friend constantly mails me encouraging quotes and artwork; if you’ll notice in this photo, I have posted these quotes and pieces of art above my desk to provide visual stimulation.

7. Work in a quiet place. Find yourself a haven, even if it’s a closet, and close the door and write. I wouldn’t use music, because silence allows you to “hear” the characters, or God’s spirit directing the words you need to say.

8. Choose a certain number of words per day, and stick to that word count. You will feel so productive when you’re done. Just focus on getting down 500 words, or 1,000, or 2,000, and then quit for the day, and enjoy the outdoors.

9. When you’re done, choose a varied team to share your work with: friends who you know will encourage you, friends who will offer constructive criticism, friends with a sharp eye, and then those who are just acquaintances and can offer some sort of un-biased perspective.

10. Pray as you write, as you edit, as you rest. Pray through it all. Because God is the Word. He gave you this calling. So trust him to work through you, even on days when the pool and the sunlight and the birds are calling. For in the end, it’s all about him. And if he doesn’t write our books, we write in vain.

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped

and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a (poor) first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.”

― Anne Lamott, Bird by bird: some instructions on writing and life

Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist, commissioned artist and columnist, as well as the author of four books including the novel, A Promise in Pieces, releasing April 15 with Abingdon Press. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons. For more info, please visit www.emilywierenga.com. Find her on Twitter or Facebook.

Make sure to stop by The Borrowed Book tomorrow, when you can enter to win a free copy of A Promise in Pieces!

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