Real Life Research, Staying Open to Possibilities!

APRIL!!!!!

So why am I still wearing a coat and scarf?

Aw, you know why, because it's cold up here!  The occasional 50 degree day isn't enough for me to go back to the summer pic... We'll switch back to that in May... but for now, I'm keepin' warm!

Ruthy here, delighted with so many things... First, we had so many folks participate in Speedbo this year, and they ROCKED. Second, a bunch of us finaled in the Killer Voices contest run by Love Inspired, and what a hoot that whole contest is. LOVE IT!!!!!

Third, I'm looking forward to warmer weather and new book challenges! I've just finished my current Love Inspired contract and I'm looking forward to more fun on the horizon... I absolutely positively love what I do. And because of that I'm going to drive Tina and Sandra crazy by offering A LOT OF COPIES of "Loving the Lawman", my 4-Star upcoming release from Love Inspired books!

Do you totally, over the top, oh my gosh it's great, LOVE THIS COVER?????

And it's baseball season again!!!!!

Oh, happy day! Oh glorious day!!!!! Oh.... JETER!!!!!!!!!

  

Oh my stars, we could skip this writing gig and just sit here.... look.... and sigh.....   :)

But let's talk this real life research stuff, and I'll tell you what inspired this post. A coupon. Dave and I got a coupon package from a co-worker at Christmas and part of it was a $20 gift card to Applebee's Restaurant. And being typical people, we waited until the last day to use it. The restaurant was crowded with other people doing the same thing, but.... none of us could sit down. No one could eat. No one could order. And you know why?

The alarm went off. And when a business alarm goes off, the firemen and police are required to answer and CLOSE the place until they can say "all clear"... So for forty minutes while they tried to decide why the alarm coded and how to clear it and re-set it (the alarm system was most uncooperative) we got to watch.... and listen... and come on, you know me:  Talk!!!!

And all the while I was examining the situation for story possibilities. The manager, staying calm and cool while the decision is being considered by the fire department. You know he's seeing his break-even point about to walk out the door as more and more folks with that Christmas coupon gathered, hoping to grab a fun supper. Is this the bad night that puts his job on the line? Is he going to lose a possible promotion? Is his wife pregnant or did she run out on him and his kid is in the office next to the kitchen, trying to do homework?

And the seating hostess, trying to field the questions of the incoming people and the folks sitting, waiting for the decision. Single mom? Two kids? What did she want to do when she was twenty, was she hoping to be a seating hostess or did she need money two years into college and had to drop out?

The firemen... Oh my stars, it must have been a RULE that only the good-looking guys were on call that night. A cuter group of thirty-ish guys couldn't possibly exist, and there were two wizened forty-somethings that seemed to have things well in hand, very "Gibbs" friendly....

And the cop. Tall. Dark. Square-built, somber but nice. He had the look of a widower, a man who's raising two kids on his own and wondering how to find time for it all. And when he answered  his phone, I'm pretty sure it was the fictional kid's teacher, wanting to call a meeting.... and then maybe fall in love!

(Yes, I love living in my fictional Make-Up-A-Story-A-Day world!!!!!)  :)

Today at a baby shower, I sat with a young, gorgeous Visiting Nurse and as we discussed things, I could see her as a  heroine, helping out the locals as they age, knowing so much about so many and being discreet with her wealth of personal information. I could see her in a Deb Giusti suspense novel, trying to figure out why three seemingly unrelated old people have died, and hunting for a connection at the cost of her own safety...

Or put her in a rural situation doing well-baby visits to indigent families, teaching, counseling, showing folks how to keep their babies safe, happy and healthy... and finding either a real-life mountain hero, a park ranger, a lumberjack or a hunter/gatherer to be her hero.

If you find yourself scarce on stories, look around.

They're everywhere, behind every door, inside every office, and rolling by your house in a squad car.

Borrow from real life....

Or from TV.....

Or your take on a great movie.....

And then make it better!

Hey, Helen's bringing coffee, I've got creamers and sugar, the fancy cups are on the sideboard and we're ready to roll!

There are TEN RUTHY BOOKS to give away today, ten lovely signed copies of "Loving the Lawman", so you can win it before you can buy it!!!!

Stop in, grab a cuppa, stay awhile and we'll talk books.... romance.... God..... and swoon-worthy heroes.

I'm all in!

Ruthy is a multi-published author who has lived in an underground rabbit warren for the last six months, rarely peeking out to see anything other than snow... BUT rumor has it the sun is starting to shine in upstate NY and Ruthy has ventured above ground!  She's married, (Bless his heart!!!) and surrounds herself with kids, coffee, chocolate, the occasional dogs, cats and chickens and more than a few wild geese and whitetail deer. She's quite willing to claim credit for good things others do while pretending to be sweet and humble. :) Her newest Love Inspired release "Loving the Lawman" is the fourth book in her "Kirkwood Lake" series and rated 4 Stars by Romantic Times Review.... and she totally loves Seth and Gianna's sweet, lakeside romance, a story inspired by life experiences like the ones noted above... because everybody has a story.