A Heart & Soul Devotional, by Paula Rose Michelson

 1 Chronicles 22:19 …devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God.

There are days—sometimes too many to count—when I have not made time to spend with you, God, and I feel your sorrow. There are other times when I short change us both by trying to spend time with you when I am on the run. I am even guilty of sending up arrow prayers at the spur of the moment before we have met and had fellowship. 

I have studied your word and know that you desire to have a relationship with me. I know that by my putting off time alone with you, I cheat both of us. Instead of giving you the “First Fruits” of my day, I fear that sometimes, I give you the leftovers, and I feel sorrow. In my sorrow, I feel yours, which is not like the sadness that falls upon us mortals, and then is lifted in the next few moments or hours when our mind is engaged in something else, another drama or perhaps another joy. Knowing Scripture, as I do, I believe your sorrow continues as I, your beloved child, keep myself away from you. 

Knowing you desire to have a daily—moment by moment—relationship with me, I still find myself put other demands first. Thus I watch as my need to give into the ‘the tyranny of the urgent’ causes me to drift farther and farther away until I cannot see you in my life. The things of this word become my focus, and I become a person doing instead of a human being. I lose sight of you; the creator God the one who called me into existence and the one for whom I was created. During these times, I feel as if I am a helium balloon floating on the winds of chance. Yet even in these situations, I hear you calling to me. For a brief moment, I am reminded of your overarching love, care and concern for me. Awareness dawns and I realize that I must return to you while my heart and soul still respond to your call. Returning to you, you once more teach me how to reorder my priorities and therefore bless me as I make our relationship the first priority in my life. You shelter me under your wings, and I rejoice, for only in you do I experience true and abiding love, faith and commitment because these attributes of yours will continue even though heaven and earth are no more!

Looking back from the shelter of your wings to that distant and troubled world, I realize anew that if your Scriptures had not reach me when I was far away from you, I may have become as one who has heard, received, and believed the gospel, but whose roots were not firm. Seeing the world and all it has to offer from the comfort and security of your nurturing care, I know that even in your sorrow your mercy was extended to me. I rejoice in the realization that you have again drawn me back to you! Yet in this joy I am aware that no mother, father, sister, brother or child, no one can understand the grief that I cause you. And I, only I know the grief I caused both of us when I allowed the world and all it deceptions to pull my focus to those things that will not last and in so doing see that my feet were planted on slippery sand rather than on the firm salvation that knowing you affords.  

Please God, I pray, help me stay close to you today, this very minute that I may replace the ‘tyranny of the urgent’ with a commitment to make my relationship with you the "Alpha and Omega" of my existence. Remind me to begin and end each and every day with you and allow my mind to be drawn to you again and again throughout the day for; succor council, wisdom and encouragement.  In this world there is no one like you; who graciously offers these resources to me from a wellspring of blessings and guidance that you have. Ah, to begin and end of each and every day with you...what joy! 

Because of your great love for me, because of my great need for you, I ask you to draw me close to you by the renewing mind so that I may be transformed though spending time with you and in your Scriptures. Amen

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%2022:19&version=NIV

Paula's Book Banter, by Paula Rose Michelson

Since I often post reviews I've written for authors, I thought it would be nice to share two reviews that Judy K. Burgi wrote about Casa de Naomi, Books One and Two. Before you start reading, I think it's a good time to mention that we authors really appreciate you posting a comment or a review whenever you've read a book that mattered to you. With more books being bought online than in a store, your thoughtful comments can help a reader decided which book they'd like to buy, and also help us writers. 

This 5 star review from Judy K. Burgi for Casa de Naomi; The House of Blessing, Book One says, "This is a book that you can't put down. The story draws you in and it seems that you are walking in Naomi's shoes. I found myself so engrossed in this book that my emotions were all over the place. As the story unravels, unseen things happen in Naomi's life. Will she survive the people who are out to harm her and the one who finally betrays her? Will Chaz, the husband she just married forgive her for the secrets she kept from him?

I am rooting for Chaz and Naomi. Will their love be enough to save their marriage? I hope to find out in Book Two!”

http://www.amazon.com/Casa-Naomi-House-Blessings-ebook/dp/B007ILFVWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381890222&sr=8-1&keywords=casa+de+naomi+the+house+of+blessing

Then her second 5 star review, this time for Book Two, Judy K. Burgi says, "This is a book you do not want to pass up! I can't wait until Book Three is published. Thank you Paula Rose Michelson for your powerful God inspiring books! I don't even know how to write a review that will show the reader just how caught up I was, but I'll try! 

While Naomi struggles with new insights about God...Chaz, still furious over Naomi's betrayal visits his uncle in Mexico and learns more about his families’ secret.

Is there any possible chance for Chaz and Naomi to live as man and wife again? 

Will all the secrets come out and be dealt with? Can there be forgiveness? 

Maybe the powerful scene between Chaz and his uncle where I could actually feel the electricity flowing back and forth holds the key? All I know is I wish I was there to witness what happened next."

http://www.amazon.com/Casa-Naomi-House-Blessing-Book/dp/1622951069/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376764147&sr=8-2&keywords=casa+de+naomi+the+house+of+blessing

Pet Peeves & Little Bits of Business, by Paula Rose Michelson

Many, who know me, know that I can be downright...well, let's just say that when I've had it it's best to run for cover. So, to ward off everyone needing to flee, today I'm sharing some of my 'Pet Peeves.' Before going there, I must confess that when writing I had all of these. I became aware of them before I was writing to be published. Still I am certain that each of my books has some of these issues within them. Therefore, before I mention the writing 'No Knows' let me assure you that I need to continually apply these ideas to my own work because I know that using a 'Little Piece of Business,' which can be defined as a specific mannerism, vocal inflection, adding a fragrance, or any other unique quality which sets a character in your novel apart will negate your need to identify them by name for each verbal interaction or for that matter when they walk into a room.

Here’s an example of a ‘Bit of Business.’ If Doctor Watson was fumbling for his key and mumbled, "Dash it all, I know this is the right key because I live at 221 B. Baker Street,” and he heard violin music, we'd know that Sherlock Holmes was at home. Likewise, if we were visiting a friend who had some music playing and we heard a man sing 'Tradition!' we know she was listening to 'The Fiddler on the Roof.' 

Within every great book, move, or play these ‘Tells’ or as I call them 'Little Bits of Business' move the story along so we don't have to hear one character say another character's name before or within every scene or sentence. Applying this idea means that when two people are speaking to each other it is not necessary to continually tell the reader 'he said, she said.' When more than two people are in a scene the 'Little Bits' let the reader know who is speaking, thus allowing the drama to heighten by eliminating the need for the drama reducing 'she said, he said' information which slows down the story and might add to the cost of the book since the number of words determine the price. 

Equally important 'Little Bits' like vocal inflection were used in Shakespeare’s "The Taming of the Shrew" letting theater goers know who the shrew was without calling her that the moment she walked on stage. In playwright Edward Albee's Tony and Drama Critics Award winning “Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf” we meet another shrew but the audience isn't told that. It is Virginia who shows us who she is. 

Ah! Show! I love this word! Yet many prefer to tell! This one word is at the top of my 'Pet Peeve List' because, I want to see the characters living the story, which many times does not happen if the story is told.

Wonder if you have told or shown the tale? An easy way to discover the answer without having to ask anyone is to look at a few pages and see if you have lots of quotation marks. The less dialogue you have the more you are narrating (telling) the story. Every author struggles with this issue…if that weren’t so I would have written about something else.

Book Review O-Rama, by Paula Rose Michelson

Being offline to let an injury heal gave me time to read and review books, which is something I've become passionate about, since there are so many great new authors. The two book reviews I posted today were written with a smile on my face. One nonfiction, the other book fiction, I found each amazing authors work took me to another reality or showed me how to reframe the reality they were living with. Should you wish to purchase a book after reading a review the link for each book is there too. 

En Garde by Hamburger Fry

A valiant swordsman sauntering forth to battle in the weapons bay that seems like something snatched from an English hamlet of Robin Hoods day melded with the highest-tech Star Trek Ship. A fair damsel, a healer, light sabers, names of great literary figures sprinkled throughout that makes one wonder if they've stepped into Alice in Wonderland or entered the fifth or maybe even the sixth dimension. Words oddly chosen set ones teeth on edge to illustrate the juxtaposition of while illuminating the tension between what we know and don't in this amazing melee where confusion grabs the reader pulling them into this otherworldly tail.

Hamburger Fry (the authors name is itself a pseudonym) takes his reader on a quest and, like the Cyrano of old and the one we meet in this book, you'll have to take the journey of overlapping realities, or it is really fiction, "Nay! I think Steampunk Science Fiction!" to discover what is really real.

http://www.amazon.com/En-Garde-ebook/dp/B00DUFR61S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380991462&sr=1-1&keywords=En+Garde+by+Hamburger+Fry

Surviving Life: Through Faith, Hope and Love by Melissa M. Carson

In her incredible account of daughter, Cori's cerebral palsy, mother, Melissa M. Carson tells us, "...we do not have to accept that we only live a certain life." This one thought grounded Melissa and because of her absolute belief that, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone," she challenged what she was told and discovered a life for her, her daughter, and her family, built upon the concept of doing things, "...that used to be considered "outside the box" and confronted, "...the opinions of...single-minded beliefs."

Her resilience in the face of the obstacles Cori faced gave her joy in discovering, "The true measure of a person's strength is how we continue to exist when that moment does arrive," as it shaped her journey and Cori's life. 

If you or someone you know is in a difficult place, or need words of wisdom, this journey of affirmation is one I recommend for within it you will discover that, to paraphrase Melissa M. Carson, "...there are no limits unless you set them." And this woman knows what she's speaking about because Cori traveled and graduated High School! 

http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Life-Through-Faith-ebook/dp/B00F9AA5QU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381161032&sr=8-1&keywords=surviving+life+through+faith%2C+hope+and+love+by+Melissa+m.+Carson

Editing Blessings, Part Three, by Paula Rose Michelson

When I read my September 28th blog to my husband, he had me reread, "God doesn't allow things to happen just because! He allows things to happen so we can chose! It's in the choosing that we become. And it is through changing, refining, or narrowing our choices that we know more about our self and if we're walking with God, more about Him.” Ron blessed me by calling those words "profound." I was happy to hear this comment, because I was beginning to think, as some of you might have, that "Editing Blessings" was becoming sort of a...well, you know almost a “Never ending Story.” So I’m glad to announce that in this post you will experience the blessings as I did. Three in the Godhead: Adonai (Father), Yeshua (Son), and Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). 

Although, I'm certain that you know that one must need a 'God Blessing' before we realize we've received one, I feel it important to mention, in case you, like some I've meet haven't experienced this type of blessing, which is very different from the way we might wish to be blessed, or want to bless others. This is a blessing we cannot earn and will never notice if we don't believe in God. I call my "Editing Blessing in Three Parts" a 'God Blessing' for I was in a pickle and left to my own abilities and connections had no way to solve the problem. 

When discussing a God and His blessings, I believe it best to start with the problem. And mine, I am certain you know by now, is my inability to edit. Couple that short fall with an edit that I paid for, and assumed was done correctly and which I spent more than I had to have done, and I'm certain you'll see that I needed God to step in. 

If you're wondering how I got here, an author friend recommended the editor, so I assumed her to be amazing. If this were not so, I would have found the fault mine. However, my error, and I know it was mine, was not asking the editor if she would be working with me until the edit was finished. Had I asked and heard that once I received her notes we'd be done, I might have suspected that something was wrong, and continued to look for someone who would commit to seeing the project through. At least, I hope I would have done that. Hindsight always being twenty-twenty, I don't know for sure if I would have, so it's a moot point. All I do know is that if an author friend and I had not exchanged manuscripts, mine would have been published with errors galore. Thank you Katie Mettner, for letting me know that my manuscript was not ready for publication, and for going one step further, and recommending an amazing editor who sees each project through. 

Having this editor’s name and email address, I assumed I'd soon be in editing heaven. However, wanting this fine wordsmith to understand why I need The Naomi Chronicles, Book One, Beginning Anew edited in time for a pre-Thanksgiving release, I shared that I was planning to use a certain PR firm. I was surprised when I received a response letting me know that the editor would not work on my novel, though she wanted to, because that company, unbeknownst to me, was offering to do things Amazon did not allow. Not having any idea about the guidelines Amazon posted, but planning to use Amazon's Create Space, I checked Amazon's guidelines, and discovered my relationship with the group could have disastrous consequences. This certainly didn't feel like a blessing...disengaging from what was planned, letting down people that I had come to admire was difficult. But then, not all ‘God Blessings’ are easy, ask Moses, or the Jew's who wandered for forty years, or better yet, ask Messiah how painful it was for Him to sacrifice Himself for us. 

Finally able to move forward with this editor, I had to wait my turn, just as I expected I would. However, while waiting, I discovered that she was in pain, and in the hospital. Not knowing what to do, but aware that her issue might take months to resolve, and trying to keep to my self-imposed timetable, I asked Katie if she knew another editor, and she did! This woman had not edited fiction, but she had been editing for years. I sent my manuscript to her.

While waiting to discuss the particulars, I remembered that another author friend, Jayna had gotten an amazing edit. I say that because an acquisitions editor I know, and whose opinion I trust said, "This is the best edited book I've ever received!" So trying to find the editor God wanted me to have, and having become painfully aware that my shortcomings could undermine the story Naomi had gifted me, I asked Jayna. She sent me that editor’s email, and I contacted this gentleman. 

I hope you'll see the triple blessing when I share that within twenty four hours, I received an email from both editors who were eager to help me for a very modest fee since each knew this was a reedit. Before I could choose, thanks be to God, the editor who was fist recommended let me know she was alright and beginning the edit on my book. 

If you counted the blessing within this post as I did when they occurred, I'm certain you noticed more than three. I've written about three blessing because each editor was ready to work with me, and when two were told that the one God lead me to was able to do the edit, the other two told me that if I ever need their help, all I had to do is ask.  As I complete this writing, I'm reminded of the words found in James 1:16 "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt." I believe! Do you?

 http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=when+you+ask&version1=NIV&searchtype=phrase

The Editing Blessings, Part Two, by Paula Rose Michelson

Editing for me was never a bad word. However, because of my dyslexia it was beyond my abilities. For those of you who might think I'm blowing smoke, I'll sight the short discussion Mr. Raboy had with me after my English 101, Creative Writing class ended, and I heard the "The Raboy Imperative," from this esteemed prof who'd taught me to as he put it, "...include all the elements of a story in succession such as the cow, pail, stool, milk bucket....and everything that led up to drinking the milk!" Now my prof was trying to instill in me, my need to spell and punctuate accurately.  Our verbal exchange, I call it that because we were sort of sparing, at least I was, was sort of hard on the ear. I remember him saying, "You want to be a psychologist." Then trying to suppress a laugh, he continued, "You can't even spell the word."

I had no defense, so said nothing. Time stopped. I could almost hear the seconds tick by. The tension was palatable. Finally, my friend, Ina who was standing next to me, and was a great technician of all things grammatical cleared her throat. Happy to shift our focus we both, at least in my mind's eye, turned towards her, as she said, in her quiet way, "I'll be running Paula's office, so don't worry about all of that." This was news to me especially since I was certain, Ina's husband, a doctor himself, would have loved her to work for him since that's what she'd been doing before they had children.

I was so grateful that she rescued me from this onslaught of 'ought' that it never occurred to me to find out if this issue had a medical name or if there was anything I could do to overcome. Here I was learning how to help people do exactly that. Yet, so used to the problem was I that it had become a 'Non-Issue' for me, sort of like being born a lefty, which I was, and then taught to do everything with my right hand, which the school system did so well that I'm profoundly right handed.

This was my life, and as surly as Johnny Appleseed planted those apples, I believed I was to blame for this issue. Ah! The Blame Game! Really? I did this to myself for about a nanosecond. Then I remember Frank Sinatra singing "High Hopes," and with a nod to the leader of 'The Rat Pack,' I decided to not worry but hope! Hope is a good thing because without it 'the people perish.' Yet hoping to become what I could not was a potential stumbling block. Except....get this! God doesn't allow things to happen just because! He allows things to happen so we can chose! It's in the choosing that we become. And it is through changing, refining, or narrowing our choices that we know more about our self and if we're walking with God, more about Him!

God gifted us free will. It is in this freedom that we reveal our-self to our self. Self-knowledge can be a powerful, heady experience...at least that's what I've been told. I used to believe as Alfred Adler did that each of us has some flaw that we're trying to overcome. Adler labeled this "The Inferiority Complex." Therapists who use this paradigm site such notables as a 26 year old deaf Beethoven to drive home this point. However, believing in Messiah, this is what I know now, there is another way to look at obstacles. We read in the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Corinthians 12:7, "Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh..."

I believe that each of us has at least one thorn in our flesh that 'none should boast but all would give glory to God.'

Having made peace with the 'thorn in my flesh' this dyslexia had no hold upon me. I was free! Yet? But? Have you ever noticed that God always wants to impart more? I have! Sometimes this 'more' is revealed to us quickly. Then again, we may need to travel that long and winding road before we are ready to receive the 'more' God has in store for us. I say, "The more in store," because Scripture says, in 1 Cor. 2:9, "...no eye has seen...no ear has heard...no human mind has conceived' the things that God has prepared for those who love him."

Loving God...that's what this all boils down to because we only trust those we love, who love us back, so

The Editing Blessings, Part One, by Paula Rose Michelson

Many of you have been reading this blog and know that this dyslectic author can't tell a misspelled word or a misplaced comma anymore that she...I mean, I can write anything worthwhile without it being God inspired. I know! I've tried and the truth is that left to my own resources I can misspell a word incorrectly six ways from Sunday. And punctuation, .don't even get me started on that! So given that my writing blindside is about as big as the biggest barn you've ever seen, and as high as the eagle can fly, I've discovered a few things: 

1).If a reader falls in love with your story they'll overlook the occasional opps'. 

2). If you're getting slammed because of mechanical issues look at your story. 

3). Stories with tension on every page keep readers reading. 

Have people told you they can't put it down? Or have you been told that the reader reads many books at the same time? If the latter is what you've heard then be assured that person was not captivated by your book. 

"I'm okay on all of those," you say.

Great! Then you're where I am! I say that because my books are getting rave reviews, so much so that I'm astounded. And perhaps that's why my inability to even see if an edit was done well or not is becoming an issue. 

Or maybe, and I really think this is the case, God knows it's time to stretch me again. I really do love Jeremiah 29:11, which says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope," but just now, I must admit, I don’t want be stretched! After all I've been on this writing journey with Messiah since 2007, given up a lot, and gotten...well...meet a lot of wonderful people. You know those that can't wait to help. Like the friend who wanted to read the first manuscript of Casa de Naomi: The House of Blessing, Books One and Two so badly that she told me her spiritual gift was editing and found very few errors but loved the books. Or the publisher whose contract read like they were going to do it all, but...

After years of prayer, work...really, really hard work and dedication, I finally realized that left on my own, I don't make good, I should say, God decisions regarding my books editing or publication! So, I finally realized that besides praying, and trying to figure out what's best...with my husband’s help of course, I need to remember the wisdom found in Proverbs 15:22, for it says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

Having reached the precipice I could not scale, I knew it was time to send up the S.O.S.! Now doing what Gods Word says to do sounds easy when it's read. But really adhering to the meaning IN those 11 words was anything BUT easy....