I started my list and wrote that one thing down. Then I waited. I wanted each thing to be very special. Something that makes me smile, something that gives me the warm fuzzies, or just something that really, really makes me go WOW!
It took me several weeks to complete my list, but I did it just in time for this blog post. I know that during our discussion, I'll think of many more random things that make me go wow, but because we're celebrating 7 years here in Seekerville, I'll be good and stick to the 7 on my list.
1. The St. Louis Arch, but not just because it's the ARCH...
2. Phone call from Kim...
A couple of weeks ago, I got a phone call from a young wife and mother who's been been going through a tough time. Her husband was in a car wreck over a year ago, and he's still having a lot of healthy problems from his injuries. Our community rallied around Kim and her husband and raised money to help with their medical expenses. I donated some bundles of Christian fiction to be auctioned off, but sent a copy of my book to Kim herself and encouraged her to take a few minutes for herself, to read and relax for a bit. When she called, she was bubbling over with excitement about how much she'd enjoyed the book and wanted to know where to find my next one. Sure, I was glad she wanted to read more of my work, but I was MORE blessed and WOWED that my fictional story took her away from the overwhelming stress that she and her family are facing right now. Keep my friend Kim and her husband in your prayers.
3. New Book Covers
Seeing a new book cover for the first time is just an amazing experience. When that cover lands in my inbox and I get my first peek at it, I get that giddy feeling that makes me want to run outside and shout, "Look, I have a new BOOK COVER!" ... Never mind that I live half a mile from my nearest neighbor and the the cows and the dogs are my only audience.
4. Typing "The End!"
I'm at the point in my current wip that typing THE END seems like a pipe dream, but it will happen. I know it will. And I'm not just talking about THE END after I've hammered out a rough draft, but THE END when I know that I know that I KNOW I've nailed that story to the wall. That makes me go wow. We won't think about edits... not today!
5. Emails like this one from Deborah...
"Just finished reading"Claiming Mariah" and wanted to let you know what an awesome read!! I thoroughly enjoyed the book, couldn't put it down, and read it in one day (in between household chores)! I really enjoyed the authentic details and the conversations between characters was so real, just like people really talk! Looking forward to your future works...God bless you as you proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ!" Deborah6. Satisfied readers. Client bought Claiming Mariah at a craft fair on Saturday morning. He wasn't too sure if he'd like it...was afraid it might be too heavy on the romance, but I assured him that several male readers had read it and sent word that they enjoyed it. Client decided to bite the bullet and buy the book. He finished reading it in less than 48 hours and sent me the following email:
"I finished CLAIMING MARIAH yesterday afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and now I'm waiting on STEALING JAKE." Client
7. Group pictures of Seekers and Friends of Seekerville!
Well, I started with the Seekers and I ended with the Seekers. Honestly, it doesn't get any better than that. :) So, what about you.... Quick, give us 7 random writerly things that make you go wow!
And if you can't think of any, here's something to get you excited. I'm giving away 7 copies of The Evergreen Bride today. Ebook only, for Nook or Kindle. Just let me know in the comments if you'd like to be in the drawing for THE EVERGREEN BRIDE!
The Evergreen Bride by Pam Hillman. Mississippian Annabelle Denson dreams of visiting cousins in Illinois and seeing a white Christmas. In the face of her excitement, Samuel Frazier hides his growing affection for her behind a quiet smile and a carpenter’s lathe. Samuel starts to worry that if she goes, Annabelle won’t return. Can he convince her to stay?The Evergreen Bride is also available in the White Christmas Brides Collection, exclusively at Walmart. Keep your eyes peeled and give me a shout-out on Facebook if you spot it. Copies are scarce as hen's teeth!
Hi Pam. Thanks so much for trading days with me. One of my wows is the friendship we have here in Seekerville. Wow.
ReplyDeleteHave a fun day. And thanks again.
WOW
WOW indeed.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be counted in for THE EVERGREEN BRIDE thank you.
would love to read THE EVERGREEN BRIDE :)
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Wonderful post, Pam! I still haven't been able to read your books but they are on my TBR pile. :-) Thanks for sharing and Happy Birthday Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post Pam. I love to think of Wow! moments in every day life. For example, I live in a small town and when we drive into the larger city we often see deer in the fields (I get quite excited). Well, this morning coming to work, in the dark, I saw two deer in an open field lit by the light of a building behind it. It was definitely a Wow! moment. My hubby saw them two but couldn't gaze to long since he was driving.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have my name in your drawing. Thank you for the chance.
Happy Birthday celebration today!
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
Okay, I meant to say, "My hubby saw them too but couldn't gaze too long since he was driving."
ReplyDeleteSmiles,
Cindy W.
Hi Pam,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your 7 writerly things. I'd love to read The Evergreen Bride.
When you say 'exclusively at WalMart' ...not exactly sure how that works. You can buy the ebook for Kindle or Nook, but the hard copy only at WalMart?
Is this a good thing? I'm still not published, and as you know there are so many things to learn and figure out. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)
I share Sandra's WOW moment. It's the friendships that develop.
ReplyDeleteNo need to put me in the book drawing, it's on my Nook waiting to be read!
Pam, all I have to say about your seven wow things is, WOW! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteEverything about Seekerville is wow. All the seekervillians are WOW. The sharing, caring, supporting attitude—WOW.
The sun is peeking through the trees, the air is cool and my day is free to do as I please. How much more WOW does it get than that? :-)
Good morning, Pam! Those are DEFINITELY fabulous "WOW" things! It so warms a writer's heart to know that you brought a few hours of enjoyment to a reader.
ReplyDeleteI have the framed arch photo that Julie and Keith gave me sitting by the lamp on my desk. LOTS of good memories!
I saw "White Christmas Brides" at Walmart last week!! :)
Pam, nice list! I have so many WOW things about writing that I can't narrow them to seven, but I can narrow the first one easily:
ReplyDeleteThe ability and honor to touch hearts and souls. I'd do it for free...
But I'm glad to get a paycheck because that's a sweet thing, too!
I'm leaving Dannolis for all o' youse.... they're from a bakery in Philadelphia, a cannoli-cream-stuffed donut!!! I featured them in "Longing for a Miracle" my novella in our contemporary "Hope for the Holidays" collection, and it's a worthy call out!
Dannolis...
Cronuts....
I'm all for new pastry ideas!
Pam, I love your seven writerly things!! It's appreciation of the little "wow" moments that confirm we are doing the work we were meant to do.
ReplyDeleteI had to read number 6 a couple of times. You go, Clent! I love hearing stories of unexpected readers loving our books. And of course, he is now an avid Pam Hillman fan!!!!
Speaking of unexpected readers, I have to share a review I received on Amazon for Second Chance Ranch.
ReplyDeleteWe're always way thankful for folks awarding us 5-star reviews, aren't we? A reviewer, Donna, gave me a great review along with the 5 stars. I clicked on her profile expecting to see a list of inspy romances and what do I find? My inspirational romance is surrounded by rather exotic titles, MANY hot, spicy, exotic titles!! And to make it more an eye-popper, the hot novels received 4 star reviews.
Wow. That made me really wonder WHY she picked up Second Chance Ranch in the first place and why she found it such a good read.
Goes to show God works in mysterious ways and He will aways use our obedience for His glory.
Cindy, I love seeing wildlife roaming around the countryside. We don't see much in the way of deer around here anymore, but recently we've been inundated by raccoons!! I know they're infested little creatures, but they're so cute!!
ReplyDeleteMary Hicks, enjoy your day enough for all of us!!!
ReplyDeleteWanting to read the Evergreen Bride so count me in. Great post Pam. My 'wow' is Seekerville. Love this place!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Seekerville! :)
ReplyDeleteSandra, your comment made me smile. The friendship on Seekerville is such a wonderful thing, isn't it?
A place where we can talk about writing, share writing tips, commiserate with and congratulate each other.
All while drinking coffee, tea, and helping ourselves to whatever the Yankee-Belle Cafe's serving up for the day.
You're in the drawing, Mary P! :) And KarenK as well.
ReplyDeleteMan, you guys were up early, or maybe it was late.... :)
Jessica, long live the TBR pile!
ReplyDeleteWOW! I just realized...I'm in somebody's TBR pile. That was a dream I never had, but I like the idea. lol
Cindy, nature sightings are always wow moments. We had a fox squirrel in the front yard one day and it was so much fun watching him scamper around. Love me some wild animals. Well, I'm not to fond of the skunks that come around! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're in the drawing!
Jackie asked: When you say 'exclusively at WalMart' ...not exactly sure how that works. You can buy the ebook for Kindle or Nook, but the hard copy only at WalMart?
ReplyDeleteJackie, I'm not sure I understand either, but I'll give it a shot! The Evergreen Bride and the 3 other novellas in the print edition of White Christmas Brides Collection are all available as ebook downloads (individually) for 99cents.
The print edition, White Christmas Brides is Book 2 in Barbour's 12 Brides of Christmas Collection. Walmart does have an exclusive on this book right now.
Any time your books are in Walmart, it's a good thing...at least IMO. :) But I also hope that White Christmas Brides becomes available through other retailers as well. I'm sure that depends on sales and whether it goes into a second printing. Wouldn't that be awesome?
ROSE!!! Thank you for grabbing a copy of Evergreen. Love you!!! :) WOW! lol
ReplyDeletePam, I loved reading this, and I enjoyed meeting you in the Mentor Appointment area when I waited for my appointment. :)
ReplyDeleteLet's see, 7 writerly things that make me go wow:
1. Friends with the gift of brainstorming that help me through the rough spots in my story
2. Taking autumn morning walks with a friend, marveling at the colors of the leaves and talking story with walking friends
3. My husband's unconditional support of my writing dream
4. My kids' encouraging me to finish my books!
5. God's inspirations in the middle of the fast draft
6. Writing conferences where I can learn so much
7. Connecting with online friends and discovering they're just as wonderful in person as they are online
I would love to be in the drawing for your book, Pam!
Mary, you hit the nail on the head. Cindy's already mentioned spotting deer this morning, and you described the beautiful day in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteA heavy fog blankets the pastures around here this morning. Black, white, brindle, and tiger-striped cattle are grazing in the valley between and I can just now see them. But you know what I've woken up to for almost 30 years?
1/2 mile away, down my long driveway, is my church. It faces my house. Every day, I get to look at that church and the steeple with cattle grazing in between the two. It's my own personal white house and "mall". :)
"Wow" to me is the ability to touch lives. The first Christian fiction to impact me was The Zion Chronicles and the Zion Covenant. Those stories showed me, far more than history books, how servants of Christ could shine a light in dark places. And made me want to do the same. I make my living as a nonfiction writer, so it's not about bylines, and having written for publication all my life, I know it's not about the money, at least for most people. As RUTHY often reminds us, it's a privilege, as much a privilege in its own way as preaching the Gospel. Which gives me chills.
ReplyDeleteKB
Glynna! You saw White Christmas Brides. Wow! (Okay, y'all start practicing rolling your eyes because I think WOW is going to become a cliche today. Sorry!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so easy, but reading Glynna's comment made my heart just THUMP a little bit. That's what wow feels like sometimes...that little kick of pleasure you get when you read/hear/receive a little happy.
Adding another state to my list. I've been adding virtual pins to a US map with every state White Christmas Brides has been spotted in. I'm up to ... 14 states. :)
I think I shared this story before, but it is one of my better ones. When I was writing for Sunday School papers (REMEMBER THEM?) I had a piece accepted by a Mennonite magazine. Now I live in New England and there's like five Mennonites in the whole region and I got like $35 for the story, so at one point I was discouraged and thinking "What is the point?" Then the Lord reminded me that the story could be read by some Mennonite on the other side of the world, a missionary or what ever, and that it might be what they needed to hear That Day. So I've tried to let that guide my work since then, and to write for the Anonymous Mennonite.
ReplyDeleteKB
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels."
ReplyDeleteThat is WOW to me.
KB
PAM, I'll check my local Walmart. There are two that I patronize and I'm in each of them at least twice a week.
ReplyDeleteKathy Bailey
Pam, your post brought me a huge helping of joy this morning! The seven items on your list are some of the fabulous blessings we writers need to savor. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe photo Julie gave us is on my desk too. The Scripture is perfect for writers and blesses me. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; Establish the work of our hands..."
Love the blurb for The Evergreen Bride. Can't wait to read it! So excited that Glynna saw the anthology in Walmart!! Yay!!
Janet
Ruthy, you are so right. There are way, way more than 7. But I didn't sit down and think about this. These were all truly RANDOM things that happened in the last 30 days.
ReplyDeleteI could have come up with 20 more just from my book signing at Sebastopolooza last Saturday. But I was determined to stick to my handwritten list.
Oh, btw, everybody needs to go look at my TOO-CUTE BOOTHfrom Saturday's book signing.
I've had a few book signings here and there this year, but I guess you could call this my launch party of sorts, because it was at a local festival/craft fair and I couldn't have asked for a better turn-out with friends and family stopping by getting books signed and congratulating me. It was MEGA fun and a definite WOW day. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I didn't have time!
Hi, Pam! What makes me go Wow? When I've written something (maybe just a page or a paragraph) that I really like. I wonder where that came from!!!
ReplyDeleteAudra, I was so glad Clent enjoyed the book, too! A couple of weeks ago, one of the "morning coffee club" members at the local watering holes asked Iran to bring him 2 books...one for himself and one for his daughter.
ReplyDeleteIran did and just like Clent, the man read it in a couple of days. Another wow moment and made me smile that he enjoyed the book so much.
Maybe all those years of reading Louis L'Amour and watching John Wayne movies paid off because so far my male readers have all finished Claiming Mariah in record time. lol
Great list Pam.
ReplyDeleteThis may not exactly fit, a Wow moment for me is when my husband tells people that I write and follows up with, "Naw, they're pretty good stories. Really." From him, that's a big compliment.
Don't throw my name into the hat. I've downloaded several ebooks and can't get them to work.
Uplifting post!
Hi Pam,
ReplyDeleteI just stopped by to tell you I got The Evergreen Bride the day it came out and read it right away.
I loved it. It reminds me of a man or two I know ;) who are quiet about the love they feel, but feel it deeply none the less.
Excellent story!
Fun, fun post, Pam! It's so important to appreciate the WOW moments of writing, because a couple here and there can go a long way in carrying us through the more mundane aspects of a writing career.
ReplyDeleteLove it that Clent read your book in two days and is hungry for the next! My hubby is always quick to encourage his male friends to give my books a try. A good book is a good book, right? Even if it is labeled "romance." Besides, I have yet to read even one of hubby's techno-novels that doesn't contain a love interest for the hero!
Thanks for stopping by, Cindy! You're in. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list, Jeanne. Love those walks, too! Something about a walk outdoors in God's creation jumpstarts my creativity.
ReplyDeleteI got my copy of Evergreen Bride at CBD.com.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cover.
And I like typing THE END wow and those awesome reader letters!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have Julie and Keith's framed photo and scripture at my bedside. It makes me smile.
ReplyDeletePam I thought of another one. The Joy when a thought that has been in my mind for some time finally making its way to paper!
ReplyDeleteI have Evergreen. I started reading this morning and did not want to put it down. But alas life must go on. When i stop working to eat lunch I will most likely begin reading again. I must say I love it!
Kaybee, I couldn't have said it better. Reaching out, touching lives. Spreading the gospel in our own way.
ReplyDeletePreach it, sister! :)
Thank you, Kathy! :)
ReplyDeleteCara, that is so true. Or when you're in "the zone" and write a whole scene and then slowly come out of zombie-land and go WOW! I could see that scene in living color in my head as I wrote it.
ReplyDeleteConnie, that fits perfectly. People are starting to ask my husband about my books, and he's finally getting comfortable talking about it. Not that he wasn't proud of me and supportive, but before I was published, what could say?
ReplyDeleteThe other day we went out to lunch with the preacher who married us. We hadn't seen him in years, but we've kept up with each other. And he mentioned my writing. I said a LITTLE BIT about writing, then stopped, not wanting to monopolize the conversation by talking non-stop about ME and WRITING (not that I would ever do that. ahem!) but My Cowboy jumped in and told him all about his retired friend who'd asked for my books. That was a first and a definite warm and fuzzy wow moment. To have my husband be proud of me and my writing and not be afraid to share it over the dinner table. So I get what you're saying. :)
Thank you, Tracey!! You are so appreciated!
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love a strong, quiet hero? Sigh
Kaybee, I just put a book in an envelope for you, and popped over here and saw your sweet words!
ReplyDeleteSMILING!!!
It is a privilege, isn't it? So absolutely.
I'm grinning, knowing we feel the same way!
Seekerville is such a wonderful blog! Please include me in your drawing! I love holiday novellas :)
ReplyDeleteMyra, that is so true. Clent and I shared a love of Louis L'Amour westerns and that's what tipped the scale for him to try it.
ReplyDeleteBut, I'll tell you.. I was sweating BULLETS all day at the festival, and it wasn't just because it was a hot day! lol
XOXO Tina! :)
ReplyDeleteWilani, you ROCK!
ReplyDeleteAnd those elusive thoughts. Like trying to lasso the wind. I had a thought last night... now where did I put it... and more importantly, what WAS it?
Done, Heidi!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I must say, it's friends like you and all the other Friends of Seekerville that make Seekerville what it is.
Hi Pam! Please enter me for The Evergreen Bride, and I'll look for the collection.
ReplyDeleteSEVEN WOW things for me as a writer:
1. Seeing my words in print
2. The possibility of self-publishing
3. Sharing Christian fiction on my blog
4. Sharing the journey with other writers
5. Knowing I can learn to write better
6. Attending a writers' conference
7. Finding SEEKERVILLE....a place of encouragement and friendship!
Thank you!
Great post, Pam!
ReplyDeleteMy 7 things -
1) Revisions. It's like watching a bud turn into a flower.
2) How I look at things differently now that I'm writing. On my walk this morning I passed a building site where they were pouring concrete. The concrete steamed in the cold air, turning the construction guys into ghostly forms dancing around the concrete mixer.
3) Notes from readers. Just the best. :)
4) Friendships I've made here on Seekerville, both with Seekers and with Villagers. And now that my husband has met Mary Conneally, he has to admit that maybe I'm not making all of you up. ;)
5) How easy it is to lose myself in my writing. And lose track of time.
6) The lives people lived in the past, and recorded, so we can read their diaries or memoirs, and glean fodder for our fictional stories..
7) But the biggest thing that makes me say "WOW!" is that God has chosen to use me to write these stories. The best job EVER (except raising my children...)
Thanks for the opportunity to think about my own "wow" list!
I agree about Claiming Mariah! It is a wonderful book! I read it in less than 12 hours. I couldn't put it down. I'd love to win The Evergreen Bride.
ReplyDeleteSherida, another great list. And, yes, the advent of the ereader in conjuction with self-publishing has opened up a whole new world for authors. A definite WOW!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jan, isn't it funny how one of us can list a wow moment, and it makes the rest of us think of something?
ReplyDeleteYour #2 - I ride with My Cowboy to the feed mill and sit in the truck while he goes inside and takes care of business. I take a notebook and record what I see. The sights, scents, and sounds. Writing definitely makes you see things differently.
Wow, Becky! You DEVOURED that book, didn't you? lol But I LOVE that you loved it. Thank you so much for letting me know. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd you're in the drawing for The Evergreen Bride!
I love your seven 'wows'. Finding reasons to say 'wow' reminds me of when I responded to Ann Voskamp's challenge to count 1000 little things that bring me joy and for which to be thankful. It's become a daily practice, noting a fresh everyday joy at the top of my journal page. Life can be full of discouragements and heartache, but looking for the positives is a much nicer way to live our days.
ReplyDeleteAww, that was sweet about your husband talking w/the preacher about your writing...
ReplyDeletePAMMY!!! This is SUCH a fun post, my friend, and really kick-started me about things that make me go WOW!!
ReplyDeleteHere's my list:
1.) THE SEEKERS AND SEEKERVILLE. I mean, come on, how often do you get THIS CLOSE to 12 women online, intimately in tune with each of them and their families, both emotionally and spiritually? AND that's only the start. Then you have Seeker friends, many of whom you experience the same closeness and support as we Seekers do. WHAT a blessing!!
2.) One writerly thing that makes me go WOW every single time is when I am reading my galleys for the first (or second!) time and a scene makes me cry (usually a spiritual scene). I am ALWAYS blown away at how God uses us to impart His truths, not only to others, but to us as individuals as well, over and over again. :)
3.) Finally, I am always AMAZED at the kindness of my reader friends. A young woman from Slovakia once read that I like chocolate (uh, who doesn't???) and had my address from a book she won from me, so she sent me four or five incredible large-size chocolate bars in several flavors!! I was blown away by her thoughtfulness and kindness. Not that I'm trolling for chocolate here, but honestly -- that anyone would go to that trouble always makes me go, WOW!!
Hugs,
Julie
Lovely, Pam!
ReplyDeleteMy Writing WOWs!
1. Seekerville and the Seekerville friends who are like family.
2. Finishing a story and seeing how all the threads tie together.
3. Finding that perfect turn of phrase.
4. FB where I can pray and laugh and rejoice with folks in the midst of their successes and struggles.
5. Visiting with friends at conferences.
6. Sharing Christ with others.
7. Getting a go-ahead from my editor to write the story I've proposed.
I'm excited about my first NaNoWriMo, writing my first THE END, a new wip idea that may be my next wip!
ReplyDeleteLoved the post and the WOW factor. Haven't seen that book, though I was in the Walmart book section today! Would love to win! Thanks, Pam
ReplyDeletemy wows:
ReplyDelete1. SEEKERVILLE
2. finalling in the Killer Voice contest (did NOT think I'd get that far...)
3. the Seeker ladies getting all excited about my first ms
4. anytime someone thinks the graphics stuff I do is amazing (it's what I do and forget it might be something special)
5. watching my five year old get excited about writing lists in his little Incredible Hulk memo pad
6. Anita Mae - an online friend that God brought to me
7. the effectual fervent prayers that avail much - all coming from the ladies of Seekerville
okay... the list is not necessarily in order of greatness, just going off the top of my head there.
p.s. I already got the ebook Evergreen Bride. Couldn't wait - plus, I've been too mercenary about winning opportunities here during Birthday month in Seekerville. Need to drop a little coin for a change.
How fun, Pam! Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the photos. LOVE the framed Scripture Julie gave y'all!
ReplyDeleteI guess my biggest wows come from reader letters. They touch me more than I ever imagined.
Hi, Pam. I love the cover of The Evergreen Bride. Sounds like a great story too.
ReplyDeleteA wow moment for me is any time I'm struggle to come up with a plot point or a way to say something and all of a sudden it is there. That is always exciting. I would love to be entered for you e-book, Pam.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I like the idea of finding 1000 little things to bring us joy. :)
ReplyDeleteJulie, chocolate from Solvakia? That is a definite WOW moment! :)
ReplyDeleteDebby, what a great list. I especially like #7. :)
ReplyDeleteS...good luck on your new WIP and NaNoWriMo! :)
ReplyDeleteDebH... love the Incredible Hulk memo pad WOW and WOW that you bought The Evergreen Bride. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMissy, those are definitely heart-tugging wow moments.
ReplyDeleteJamie, thank you!
Sandy, I know the feeling. I faced that on my last book. And when it finally came together, it felt wonderful!
A fun list, Pam. Wonderful that readers have let you know how much your words impacted their lives. There's so much 'wow' in the world.
ReplyDeleteNancy C
Okay, so I was curious about the word 'wow.' Looked it up. According to several sources, 'wow' as an exclamation was first recorded by Scots in the early 16th century. Wow! :-)
ReplyDeleteNancy C
Hi Pam:
ReplyDeleteHow about seven writerly Wow Seekerville things?
1. Mary writing a romance about a wife abuser hero. (And they said it couldn’t be done.) Wow!
2. Ruth writing about hospice and a heroine who is being treated for breast cancer and a hero whose wife died of breast cancer. Can you spell fearless? Wow!
3. Sandra writing an inspirational romance that really was an inspiration in the truest sense. Then following that up with her Disney quality animal tale books. Wow!
4. Reading the opening scene in Tina’s first book that takes place at the Tulsa International Airport. The copy was so well 5-sensed that I would have hired her on the spot as a copywriter. Wow!
5. Reading Janet’s crystal clear prose that would be the envy of even the highest paid copywriters. I’ve only read a few authors who can do this as well. Wow!
6. Watching Missy get better and better with each book as she wrapped the reader in a loving embrace that I have not experienced in another author. Wow!
7. Reading Juile’s Boston books with the knowledge that each provides a snapshot of Americana just before it was lost forever in the holocaust of WWII. These are works that can be read with the same enjoyment for hundreds of years. Wow!
7a. Watching Debby weave four story themes into one romance giving each its due. She provides the best example of excellent plotting imaginable. Reading her books is like watching someone tightrope across the Grand Canyon. Genuine book of the year material! Wow!
7b. Reading Cara’s ‘Dime Novel’ romance at a time I was reading an actual 1882 dime novel and thinking, ‘Cara’s really got this thing down right’. Wow!
7c. Reading Glynna’s first “Canyon Springs” novel and loving the setting so much I wanted to move there. I still do.
7d. Reading Audra’s Rocky Mountian vista panoramic scenes and being so taken with the experience I kept going back and reading them again and again trying to find the magic in the words. Wow!
7e. Reading Myra’s “Autumn Rain” and thinking it had the best mirroring use of setting that I ever read. I thought it was the book of the year! Wow!
7f. Pam’s Wow experience was last night! Here’s how I describe it:
After finishing “The Evergreen Bride”, I felt like the man in the train that told Mark Twain, who was sitting across from him in a first class compartment, that he wished he had never read, “Tom Sawyer”.
“Was it that bad?” Twain asked.
“No, it was that good. I just wish I could read it for the first time again.”
“The Evergreen Bride” made me feel that way. Reading it was just like driving through Mississippi on the back roads from Mobile to Tupelo. (I’ve done this a lot of times) And then their was the ending: it just had to be pantsered! I don’t see how anyone is going to see that ending coming. I’d love to see if Pam could surprise me with that ending for a second time – given I had not read it before hand. Wow!
I guess when it comes to Seekerville it’s a Wow World!
Vince
P.S. No comments are necessary to this post. : )
Thanks, Pam. I hope you sell so many copies that it goes into at least a second printing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Vince is Seekerville's Hero of the Year!
ReplyDeletePam I just finished Evergreen Bride and posted reviews. It was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your WOW list, Pam!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am soooo glad I finally was able to meet you in person at ACFW!! :)
I don't have an e-reader, so no need to enter me in the drawing. But the story sounds great!
Happy Birthday Seekerville!!! :)
Hugs, Patti Jo
Nancy, I like that. Wow in the world! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, Vince, clever use of your 7 Things that make you go wow! lol
ReplyDeleteAnd you said no comments, but I will say this....You, my friend, have a mind like a steel trap.
Wilani, so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the sweet review. :)
ReplyDeleteOH. MY. GOODNESS!! It blesses me SOOOOO much, Pammy, to know you and the other Seekers have the framed Arch Scripture Keith and I gave you in a prominent place -- that's a definite WOW blessing for me, for sure. :)
ReplyDeleteWould you believe I didn't even make one for myself? I'm going to have to have Keith print me one off and frame it for myself. :)
Hugs,
Julie
Pam,
ReplyDeleteReally great post!
One of my WOWs is the ladies at Seekervllle. All of you are such an inspiration to me!
Please put my name in for the drawing!
Blessings,
Edwina
Julie, you're amazement of how we felt about the framed photo of the arch and the scripture points to the very heart of what constitutes a true WOW moment.
ReplyDeleteWhen a gift, a word, or a sight is so unexpected that you're overwhelmed. The dollar value of the gift isn't what matters. It's the heart of the giver, and that's what makes the recipient treasure the gift.
Edwina, Seekerville is a community that tends to inspire wow moments, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteHere's to many more WOW moments in EVERYONE'S lives. :)
Someone needs to get a check in the mail to Vince. Are we sure he isn't a Southern boy. All that charm!!!
ReplyDeleteSeekerville is definitely one of my Writerly Wow things. :) Please put my name in for the drawing.
ReplyDeletelol - So true, Tina!
ReplyDeleteAnna, so glad you stopped by! :)
Hi, Pam!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your fun post - I enjoyed it!! I'm not a writer so don't have any writerly WOW's. However, one of my readerly WOW's is Seekerville and all the amazingly gifted writers involved - thank you, Seekerville, and Happy Birthday!!
I'd love to read "The Evergreen Bride", Pam!!
bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com