Seekerville's Annual Rockin' It New Year's Eve Party!

WHERE DID THE YEAR GO????

Well, we say that every year, but this year is special... this year marked twelve years of being "Seekers" the group we formed to pray each other into publication.... and we all know how well that worked. God hears prayers and he gives us one another as helpmates. And it sure helped each one of us.

Then we started the blog.... Seekerville... and we've had TEN GREAT YEARS of blogging, of teaching, of learning, of sharing... we've made friends and built relationships and won awards... but it's not about the awards. Or the page count. Or the follows. Seekerville was begun to create a friendly community, cost-free, where aspiring and established authors could meet and greet with readers and other writers and move forward. Where we can share our successes and failures and know we're not alone in a business that can get mighty lonely at times.

Now we move forward again. We've got a few gals retiring, nothing unusual about that, but with that change, Audra and I wanted to look back and enjoy what these first ten years have brought to us. Faith, Hope, Love... and Laughter.

From long-time villager and marvelous friend Vince Mooney:

Seekerville was really the first internet Reality Show! 

It was a quest!

It was the great escape from Unpublished Island!

It was lived in real time with real egos at risk! 

Courage was the byword.

Faith provided the sustenance.

Persistence was the life blood.

Prayer providing a salvation.

Love: the reward. 

Yay on the great escapes from the Island, although we get the lure of island relaxation for our retirees... The Zac Brown band made a great song about sittin' in the sand, dippin' toes in the water... and time to read! :)

And of course there's always our favorite "Auld Lang Syne" from "It's a Wonderful Life"... where an angel surely does get its wings!

Should old acquaintance be forgot? And never brought to mind? 

Nope.

Not around here. We started this enterprise with fifteen authors... 

and as life moves on, as folks find new roads and take new curves and bridge new waters, we're not afraid to move forward with it... because we're no strangers to change around here! 

We've changed editors... agents... addresses... dress sizes... and dress sizes again! 

We've lost family, we've lost friends, we've lost money... and gained all three as well, depending on the year.

We began as a team, but like any team, when folks retire the team brings on new players... who'd have imagined anyone but Jeter in pinstripes at shortstop? And yet Sir Didi Gregorious is doing the job wonderfully, three years later...

Times change, people change, but the goal remains... to welcome aspiring writers into Seekerville, to advise and counsel them, to embrace new readers because we love them to the moon and back... and to welcome some marvelous new bloggers into the fold as we bring more inspirational and Christian fiction to the public's attention.

But with those new opportunities come memories, those days of old. And some good days they were! 

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From Cindy Woolard: 

Cindy's Peppi Pooh Bear! 

Memories...there have been so many wonderful things throughout the year(s) that to pick just one would be difficult. I have laughed and I have cried over posts from the Seekers and comments from Seeker Villagers. What really touches my heart is the 'heart' and 'love' poured out by the Seekers. The prayers offered up for me when I had my knee replaced in January 2016, I felt so blessed. Then this year, as a caretaker for my Mom, I received support again through prayer. We lost Mom on 02/01/17, it was devastating for me because she was also my best friend, but the Seekers were there for me again, offering prayer and cards of condolences. I was so touched by a group of wonderful women who have never met me but reached out to me with love. I appreciate you all so very, very much!

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RUTHY FAN-GIRLING OVER MEETING NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR KAREN WHITE!

Janet Dean, Missy Tippens, Ruth Logan Herne, Debby Giusti at Harlequin Party!

Debby Guisti, Missy Tippens, Darlene Bucholz, Janet Dean, Sandra Lee Smith, Myra Johnson, Ruth Logan Herne, Anita Mae Draper

From writer and editor Barb Scott:

Memories. Too many to list. Getting to know all of you better is a blessing. 

Seekerville feels like home.

From multi-published author Mary Jane Hathaway:

Sometimes, years after you’ve written a book, you realize the ending was THIS CLOSE to being fantastic, but you simply weren’t a good enough writer at the time to get to it. And that’s okay. There’s no shame in looking back on old books and seeing flaws you didn’t see before. That means you’ve grown and changed as a writer. Seekerville reminds me that we’re writers with a calling, souls on a journey. We do the very best we can, where we are, right now. It’s not about awards, royalties, or headlines. It’s about reaching readers with a story and honoring the Giver of this gift called writing. 

Patti Jo Moore, Mary Connealy, Janet Dean and Julie Lessman!

Mindy Obenhaus and Mia Ross! 

Award-winning authors Tina Russo Radcliffe and Missy Tippens!

From MH...

It’ll be my first Seekerville New Year Party! How exciting!
Memories...I remember meeting the Grammar Queen on this blog for the first time and laughing out loud....reading about the process of writing, editing, publishing, and promoting and thinking it’s really really hard for authors and being grateful for those who continue to write....realizing that Julie Lessman can make me laugh until I cry....

From Jeanne Takenaka:

Memories: One of my first times ever commenting on a Seekerville post, I was nervous and shy. It was a post Mary had written. And it may have had to do with first lines. I was so blessed by Mary’s feedback on my first line. It was helpful and fun. 

I loved, LOVED meeting Seekers at my first-ever ACFW. I think that was the year that Tina offered to buy dessert for villagers who won the opportunity to spend some time with her. Other Seekers were there too. I was the shy, quiet one, who mostly listened and soaked in all the good-vibes shimmering around the table. 

I’m so blessed by critique feedback I’ve received from Seekers. I’ve learned from each one. 

It was fun to run into Debby Giusti, Janet Dean, and Missy Tippens in the hallway at ACFW a couple of years ago. Their warm smiles invited me into conversation.

And meeting Ruthy! Loved our chance meeting one morning, during your dash in and out of ACFW 2016. 

I was blessed by your prayers for me after I tore and had surgery on my ACL. Debby messaged me on Facebook. The fact that she took the time to reach out to me spoke deeply to my heart.

Each one of you ladies is an inspiration. I’ve been encouraged, uplifted and blessed by your comments, your words and your kindnesses in the time I’ve been a part of this community.

From Sherida Stewart:

Seekerville memories.....I immediately think of the fun, laughter, tears and smiles shared among everyone in Seekerville. All of you are dear friends. I appreciate the encouragement and felt the prayers offered on my behalf. And I love winning books! There’s no place like our home in Seekerville!

And, one more thing . . . I have met some of the wonderful, encouraging writers in the the Seekerville community. Carol Moncado—the amazing GF cookie-maker and giver,  Jackie Layton and Patti Jo Moore are all such encouragers and uplifters. 

From historical author Keli Gwyn:

Keli Gwyn fell in love with Seekerville nine years ago when Tina went searching for her in cyberspace and invited her to guest post. Keli, a fluorescent-green newbie writer at the time, didn’t even know what a blog was, let alone how to comment on one. She quickly learned that the Seekers are known for being helpful since they coached her through that daunting experience. They’ve taught her a great deal since then, teased her a bit (waving at Ruthy!), encouraged her and celebrated with her. She’ll be forever in their debt.

And a note from Cindy Huff!

Ruth, I've been following Seekerville for years before I was a published author. So much encouragement and helpful posts. Seekerville is like family. I've discovered some wonderful authors to add to my reading list.
Cindy Huff

And one from Marcia Scott:

I think this will be my third or fourth New Year's Eve with Seekerville, and there's not a more fun time or place I'd rather be! Bring on the fun!

Like Cindy said, I've seen so much heart and love, and all of it truly meant. The support from everyone makes the journey a bit easier. Just like family!

From Jackie Layton come these sweet pics:

Jackie and Sherrinda Ketchersid

Bethany McManus and Jackie! 

Jackie Layton, Sharee Stover, Connie Queen and Sherrinda Ketchersid

More from Vince Mooney!

10 Years of Seekerville Memories  

1. Being introduced to Seekerville by Cheryl Wyatt when I won a writing contest on her website.

2. Being asked by Mary Connealy to guest a Seeker posting.

3. Cheering as one Seeker after another got 'the call' sometimes many months apart!  (I believe only one Seeker, Debby Giusti, had published when I first came into sight of Seekerville.)

4. Experiencing the thrills of having 10 guest posts on Seekerville and seeing the words I wrote beautifully laid out better than I could have imagined it.  Thank you Tina!

5. And best of all: spending a day with Ruth, Tina, and Mary when they came to Tulsa!!!!

Like all of you, we cherish our memories... but we're also young enough to want to make new memories, break new paths, help more folks and keep the tradition going, so as we go forward... With a plucky and fun new staff to round us out...

We anticipate more of the same!

Only different.

And gosh.... we think that's okay and hope you do, too.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! And because Connealy cleaned a closet, we have TWO KINDLE FIRES TO GIVE AWAY TONIGHT!!!!

Leave a comment to be entered in any of our drawings today! And... Let's get this party started, my friends!

PLEASE FIND US AT OUR HOME ADDRESS... Seekerville.blogspot.com


AND THANKS FOR STOPPING IN AT THE PARTY! WISHING ALL OF US THE VERY BEST 2018 THE GOOD LORD HAS IN MIND!