Have you noticed?
I know many of you have because you have complained loudly to me!
We have not produced a Newsletter from this blogsite since February. I’m so sorry I didn’t warn you, but I didn’t know myself.
We’ve always promoted our Newsletters by explaining that they work just like a monthly magazine. In the past, we have reposted every article in all of our blogging categories in summary every month for you to view in such a way. Everyone loved it too.
What happened?
There were no deliberate intentions to stop this enjoyable and rewarding task from our blogging; but the following sections of this posst will help to explain happened:
EXODUS TO FREEDOM IS NOW PUBLISHED
What fun we have had over the last few months promoting this book!
EXODUS TO FREEDOM came out for the first time in the Spring of 2024. Some people used it for small group bible studies during the Passover Season. We have spent all summer doing a book launch, having book-signing events and promoting this book through on-line and in-person marketing venues.
If you missed us, don’t worry. You can obtain a copy of this time-sensitive book from Amazon.com. Just go to the Amazon.com website, click the “books” arrow, type in Exodus To Freedom by Gail Landgraf, and you can place your order. (Hint – we sold these much cheaper at our book signings because we wanted people to know we appreciated everyone coming out to see us.)
I want to extend a huge thank-you and a warm hug to The North Shelby County Library who let us use one of their great conference rooms for our book launch. This was my very FIRST book launch ever. It was wonderful! We love that library. Exodus To Freedom had a great launch event. The crowd wasn’t HUGE, but all of the right people showed up.
God blessed us!
Also; I want to thank the kind people who run Nichol’s Nook in Springville, Alabama where we held our next book-signing event after the launch. They were wonderful to work with. That day was such a delight. Beth and Scott, the Owners of Nichol’s Nook were so much fun.
Many good friends showed up and blessed us with their presence. It was a special day. I want to go back there soon just to relax and listen to music outside in the patio one night. The coffee was excellent and the gifts they sell are terrific. Nichol’s Nook is going to become my go-to place to look for special gifts. My granddaughter loved their children’s book section.
I loved browsing through their shelves. It was an honor to be signing books in the old county where I grew up. I got to meet and sign books for some old friends from long ago. We were able to catch up on each other’s lives for a little bit. Hopefully, there will be more of that in the future.
So I’m really happy to report that because of all this “busy-ness” our book sales increased, but time for posting Newsletters went down.
MY VERY FIRST WRITER’S CONFERENCE
This author attended her first writer’s conference!
My choice was the Southern Christian Writer’s Conference, which is held each year in June. What an amazing experience. Why have I not done this before? I will never miss it again – ever!
Excuse the quality of my photos, I was there to learn, not take photos, but now each one brings such special memories to mind. My budget didn’t allow the lovely professional photos that were being taken. I’ll be sure to plan for those next year though. Not only did I learn more about my craft (we enjoyed excellent information for becoming a better writer from the best speakers in the country,) I also developed some amazing new friendships with many of the writers and speakers who attended the conference.
Several of the people I met live close enough to stay in contact throughout the year, and those friendships are now flourishing. Others are in many of my on-line groups. I enjoy the experience of having actually met them in person now. Some of my favorite people didn’t make it into these photos because we were too engrossed in our conversations to think about taking pictures. I guess that is a great excuse to look them all up again.
In my pressent state, which I’m calling “simi-retirement,” I’ve been busier than ever. It has all been good though. I can’t tell you how much this conference blessed me with the contacts and connections which I truly needed in my life. It also provided a great outlet for selling my books. I will confess that I probably bought as many books at that conference as I sold, but I treasure those books from people that I actually know. It is great to know these are people who I can pick up the phone and call at any point and discuss what they have written.
As another spin-off from the conference, the level of writing contests I’ve been invited to participate in have greatly increased. I can’t keep up with all of them. Daily I struggle with decisions of which entry to send and how to meet the deadlines for the next, and hope that these little efforts will pay off somewhere down the road.
If nothing else, it encourages me to keep expanding my subject material and increases my files of articles-on-hand when needed. However, those deadlines are killers when you are already blogging and writing novels as fast and furious as you can. It has been impossible to meet all of those deadlines for the contests, though I would love to be able to do that. I keep doing what I can whenever I can.
THREE NEW BOOK PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN CIRCULATED
One publishing company I pitched to at the conference requested three book proposals. I was delighted. With great excitement I very quickly submitted the information they requested. I haven’t heard back from them yet; but there is always hope that they will reach out as the traditional publisher I’ve been hoping to meet.
I’ve done a lot of self-publishing in the past. This is how I chose to start publishing because I’ve been on a learning curve for about ten years. We learned at the conference that most professional writers DO self publish these days. A lot has changed about this industry in recent years. Technology has made things so much easier.
Now I still have that wish for a traditional publisher to contact me to market my books and promote my work. I guess I dream of having an agent too, as all struggling writers do. I definitely need someone to help me with the time-constraints of doing EVERYTHING myself. You have to be willing to live and breath writing 24/7 to really be successful.
I am grateful for every chance to submit. However; submitting three new book proposals all at once was a real time-eater, which again took away from my time to concentrate on blogging, specifically Newsletters.
WE DID GRANDPARENTS WEEK
Last, but probably most important, my husband and I set aside a week this summer (as is the custom in our family) to spend undistracted time with our grandkids. We call it Gma and Pop Camp.
During these summer days we did so many fun activities together. Our days were full of stories and crafts and games. Mostly it was quality time spent just enjoying each other’s company. I’m sure there is now nothing available for children in the Birmingham, Alabama area that my grandchildren have not experienced. We did it all while they were here.
Great memories were made.
Being a grandparent is sometimes hard for us because the three grandsons live in another state. We have a granddaughter who lives close by; but she is at that stage of life that every ten year-old seems to hit for awhile. She is always booked-up because she is very busy spending time with the friends she has met at school this year. Our oldest grandson has his own set of limitations for visits too. This is mainly because he has just turned 16 and is busy working, driving, dating, doing all of those teen-things that occupy a 16-year-old’s time.
So – this one week every summer seems VERY important this year. It seemed especially time sensitive to me this year, as I’m beginning to notice that the ten-year-old isn’t as interested in the same activities as the youngest ones anymore. I don’t know how much longer we will be able to get them to do all of the same things at the same time. We’ve already lost one to teenship, and I feel it beginning with the other. We may have to spend time with them all individually after this year so that we can do age-appropriate activities; but I truly wanted this one last week of having all but one of them under our roof TOGETHER without distractions.
I’m proud to say the “cousin-thing” is still safely going on and accomplished in spite of age differences.
We had a blast!! I wouldn’t take a million dollars for the time that we shared.
However; I didn’t get much writing done in the way of monthly Newsletters.
WE ENJOYED THE SEASON OF PENTECOST
The Season and subject of Pentecost was a huge focus in our daily lives this year. That is because we counted the omer every day with a devotional thought and a prayer. It made our lives much more fruitful. We found ourselves stopping and pausing to consider what God was doing in our moments.
I love how this helps us to grow in God’s grace and mercy and love. It makes the days seem shorter between Passover and Pentecost and the waiting is just less tedious.
Also; I’ve been compiling a book with these devotionals we have used. I’m hoping for it to hit the market BEFORE next Passover so that people can use it in a timely manner for the season. These 49 days of short devotions have taken a lot of time to write, but it is going to be a lovely experiential and unique way for others to count the omer next year.
Needless to say; no Newsletters happened as I did all of this extra writing during the last season leading up to and through the Summer.
THE COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY PONDERED THE BOOK OF RUTH
For many weeks now, the COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY from The IN SEASON Lifestyle blog has focused on a study of The Book of Ruth. It has been so enjoyable. I hope you were able to join in with us every Thursday.
All of this time spent in the Book of Ruth has been very rewarding. It is the sincere wish of the writer that much was learned by all who participated.
One last lesson on Ruth will publish next week.
Then, we will begin our next study from the book of Samuel.
I must pause here to explain that I put TONS of study and research into these weekly lessons which I’ve compiled and published over the last ten years. We have traveled as a community from Genesis and made it all the way to Samual now. Much time has already been devoted by this author/teacher to the study of Samuel. I look forward to what God will chose to show us next.
I’m very sure this next study will be amazing; I could never regret one moment, but again; no Newsletters were produced during all the time last bible study transpired.
LEARNING TO REMEMBER
As you might have gathered by now, the first six months of this year have been pretty amazing. We are feeling blessed in every way.
As our gift of “time” moves on-and-on, I am making the time to be sure I remember. I don’t ever want to forget this spring and summer of my life.
Recently I read an inspiring article by Lisa Rowell. She was talking about the art of “remembering.” She was reflecting on the pages of an old bible that she had used for 17 years which had fallen apart. It was helping her to remember all of the things of life that God had walked her through, the good and the bad, the best and the broken, the ups and downs of a whole year of time. She pointed out how many times Jesus had admonished us to “remember.”
I am taking her words to heart!
Of course, the spiritual side of much of this will overflow into writing that will now come forth from my “remembering.”
As for the “physical” side of this reminder, I’ve been compiling a digital scrapbook of the last six months of our life. It has turned into a beautiful memory book, but again, I wasn’t spending this time writing Newsletters.
Instead of the photos on-line in the digital Newsletter articles I usually post, I had a physical photo book placed on top of my living room coffee table which everyone can hold, look through and remember. It contains beautiful memories of the last six month of this life.
That was important to me, but so are the Newsletters!
THINKING THROUGH SEMI-RETIREMENT
You know I work a part-time job these days, just to make myself have some sort of normal schedule. My husband has completely given up his schedule to retirement though. He is a schedule all unto himself which I make first priority. He does struggle with health issues which are chronic, and I like to be around to force him to get up and get out of the house.
The outtings we do together, no matter how routine or boring, when I’m home seem to help him to keep a better balance of his time. He is slowly developing his own type of retirement-routine with his exercising and tea-making hobbies. These activities contribute to his health’s improvement, so I particpate in those things with him.
I think if I did not enourage him he would never leave our den these days. A lot of my off-time is spent just getting him to get up and move around. I’m also doing many more of the house-hold chores that he used to do, like taking out the trash and mowing the lawn. He just can’t seem to accomplish these tasks anymore. I’m not complaining though, because he has been such a hard worker in the past years of our lives. He has been a great provider. I’m thankful for how he has managed to work long hours and raise four kids and give us all that we have needed for all of these years.
THINKING ABOUT AN APPLE A DAY AND GROW OLD WITH ME TOPICS
Today it makes me feel good just to see him up, awake, moving around and doing things that he enjoys at home. As I’ve studied these things related to age and retirement years; I’ve had to write a lot of it down. I think much has overflowed to the AN APPLE A DAY topics of this blog.
A recent conversation with a friend made me realize that this section of the blog needs refining and reorganizing. I’ve just started to get busy with the rebuilding and refreshing of these articles which now seem so much more relevant to our daily lifestyle. All of the same subjects also overflow into the GROW OLD WITH ME topics which I love to create. I’m feeling the need to write more in each of these two topics over the coming year. I’ve made it a goal to revisit the older articles and revise many of them. Expect changes in these two areas of the blog soon; good ones.
Of course, that will mean less time for writing Newsletters.
OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO
This section of the blog has stacks of notes and photos just waiting to be polished up, written down, compiled and published. I’ve not had time to complete them. Each year we take a family vacation together . We go to a different, unique location every time. I have plans to write about all of these places. I am going to try to get that done in the future. Also, there are places we have already published stories about where I wish to add comments and photos from other extra times that we have re-visited the same sights.
I guess this topic section of the blog is suffering as much as the Newsletter section. I’m going to get to work on these two areas soon. It will probably be the travel articles first, then the Newsletters, though they are very important too.
THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR PEN ART TOPICS
As I mentioned earlier; I’ve come into much closer contact with so many excellent writers since attending the writer’s conference this summer. The PEN ART section of the blog is about to explode with book reviews from the reading of some of their books.
I can’t wait to read each one and begin to write reviews of each one.
Also, I hope to pursuade a few of them to give me some guest-blog articles on their topics to include in the PEN ART section of the blog.
If you follow this section very often, you know by now that it is all about art. Any type of art.
Writing and literature ARE my favorite mediums, but we also feature drawing, painting, musical talents, song-writing, potery-making, dancing, poetry, and all types of art-forms. As long as the subjects are Christian, clean and not pagan, I’m going to love any type of art. I want to feature more of these endeavors from local readers of the blog.
If you have an art-related subject/story/project you wish for me to showcase here; please contact me through Wordcastle Publications. E-mail is the best route, through wordcastlepublications@gmail.com. Please include SUBMISSION IDEAS in your subject line though, so that we know you are real and not spam. Expect this topic to increase more and more in the future.
I’m presently working on interivewing a few local actors in order to get their prespective on how hard it is to enter the world of acting. We are blessed with many good theatre groups in Birmingham, Alabama. My story of their story will be like the play behind the play. I want to capture many of their stories if I can.
However; all of the above surely leaves less time for writing Newsletters!
THE FUTURE OF MONDAY NIGHT MENUS
Another thing that has been going on with “time” here is that I’ve been engrossed in unveiling some great new recipes I’ve almost accidentally created.
Over the last months I have been reading articles about preparing food in such a way that you always have it available and easy-to-prepare. I love being able to have things quick and easy yet tasty and on-hand when needed. Thinking ahead and being prepared takes the stress-factor out of daily living and allows more spontaneous living in all of the other areas of life.
In light of that interest, in a conversation recently I was asked by someone to note and list our family’s ten favorite meals. As I listed them, it occurred to me that I have subconsciously honed-in on some great simple techniques for preparing certain main dishes over the years. I want to share those recipes with all of our readers soon.
Also; I have a friend who is very enthuiastic about her gardening. I’m hoping for a chance to interview her with questions about canning and storing fresh foods straight from the garden. Maybe I will even get her to guide us through how to be more successful with gardening. You know how far my articles have taken us to this point. Please don’t laugh. At least I have tried! Maybe I’ll learn with everyone else when my friend gives us good advice.
I DID learn that you need to cross-pollinate plants. I think this was the huge fail-factor in my own container gardening from the past which I tried so hard to produce on our back deck. Fortunately, she is also an expert on flowers. Sounds like a win/win interview for our readers coming up soon.
I keep trying to be a good gardener, but this year it just wasn’t meant to be.
Instead; I’m going to visit my friend who gardens and purchase some of her fine local produce. Then, if she tells me how to can this food too, I’ll feel like I’ve made a small contribution to the world of preppers who I greatly admire from a distance.
Note that the MONDAY NIGHT MENU’S topic section of the blog is going to have some of my own tried and true favorite recipes for you soon.
However; this is going to slow down the production of more Newsletters…..
STILL COMPILING NOVELS – BOTH FICTION AND NON-FICTION
All of the above has been happening as fast as I can write it all down, and that doesn’t even include the fact that I’m working on compiling four new novels.
One of them will be the compilation of our on-line studies from Leviticus. I’m calling that book HOLINESS – LEVITICUS THOUGHTS FOR MODERN TIMES. You are going to love it!
The other non-fiction book I’m working on is full of devotionals for counting the Omer. It will come out some time before next spring so that it can be used by the readers right after Passover.
You might be surprised to learn that I’m working on two new fictional novels as well. The fiction hiding inside my vast imagination is finally making its way up to the surface. I knew that day was coming. I hope the world is ready.
One fictional novel is about a doorkeeper in Congress from four generations ago. The other work of fiction is about five friends whom I’m calling the Five Steel Magnolias, which is also the title of the fictional book.
This fiction writing is new territory for me; so pray that I’m able to be successful. It doesn’t mean I will ever leave the non-fiction world which I have always enjoyed so much. I’m so comfortable in the real world, but from time-to-time a little escape is nice too.
It is so hard for me to turn the fiction writing and editing on and off during my little snippets of writing time. I find writing and editing non-fiction easier to stop and continue again on a schedule. Thus, the fiction is usually saved for a day when I’m all alone and have nothing better to do. When those days hit I look forward to sitting at my laptop and typing away.
I’m loving each of these stories so far. The characters will steal your heart. The history is fun to research. All of the plot twists and turns employ my favorite kind of creativity and carry them to their greatest heights. I’ll be glad to see these first fictional projects finalized. It may take a year or two.
LEARNING TO MARKET – USING THE PRODUCTS TOPIC OF THE BLOG
My own feble but persistent attempts at marketing my favorite hobby continue.
I have planned some more book-signings this year. You will hear about them when the times approach. I’m also sending free books to some pastors whom I know lead Sabbath-Keeping and Holy Day Keeping congregations. I’m enjoying promoting EXODUS TO FREEDOM as well as some of my other books to some of these groups for small group studies.
REVISING THE DATES FOR PRODUCING NEWSLETTERS
Well – there are a lot of other things going on! I just don’t have time to share it all.
The point I’ve tried to make with each of the above conversations is that I no longer have time to do a Newsletter each month.
That sounds very sad at first.
When I realized it out-loud I almost cried.
The monthly Newsletter is my “baby magazine.” I love producing magazines. In my next life I’m a magazine editor. It is a process that I enjoy very much.
The good news is coming though.
The other side of that issue is the fact that I think I CAN manage to publish a beautifuil Newsletter at least once each season.
This is my new plan.
Each season’s issue will be filled with re-prints of most of that season’s past articles. I’ll add a few seasonal and personal touches too.
I’m beginning to like the “seasonal themed” newsletter idea even better!
So know that once each season (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall) you will still be getting your on-line beautiful magazine-type Newsletter.
It will be even more abundantly full than ever.
I’ll still not charge you one penny for so much original writing and great photos.
You will have a “seasonal” newsletter to read instead of a “monthly” newsletter. It will flow better like this. I know you are going to love them!
Something good comes from everything.
Even when it doesn’t seem possible.
God designed the world that way – just for us.
THE COMMUNITY STORE
One other thing I should mention is yet another “something” that has been in the works. I’m not sure when it will be completed, but we are working on re-doing our Community Store.
I want a way for you to be able to buy our books and other seasonal products directly from the blog; but it is so technically challenging for someone like me who only wishes to spend time writing. God is so good to send help when it is needed. I do have a friend who is helping me to understand all that I need to do.
We do have some software moving in the right direction; we just have to tweek it more and begin to pull it all together; so please be patient with us.
I can’t wait to open THE SHOP FOR ALL SEASONS.
You will love shopping there because it is YOUR KIND OF PLACE.
The affiliates we are working with are being very carefully chosen. They are going to become some of your favorite venues.
Keep watching! Of course we will keep you posted as time allows.
Again – not much time for writing Newsletters with all of this going on – but guess what? Maybe you can buy our new seasonal Newsletters in paper at some point from our new store. It is our dream to make them into a REAL magazine for all seasons of the future. By “REAL” I mean you can actually touch the pages and you can really feel the paper. You can buy an issue or subscribe to a year of the magazines for The IN SEASON Lifestyle. Wouldn’t that be nice?
So many people keep asking that same old question I’ve heard for years. Just WHAT IS The IN SEASON Lifestyle anyway?
I’m planning a new article to discribe it into more detail soon. Be watching for that issue to arrive. Can’t give you a date or a time yet. All I can say is you will like the clarity it will provide and enjoy the thoughts we have compiled for this wonderful reading community.
Then there is that other question they always ask: “How do you have time to do all of this?”
I always want to answer; “How do I have time to breath?” This is my purpose that God has planned for me all of my life; how could I NOT be doing it?
BE BLESSED AND DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER
With all of the good news of all of the above, I’m going to say good-bye for now. In the meantime, keep remembering and be blessed!
Gail Landgraf/Blogger/Writer/Publisher of The IN SEASON Lifestyle Blog