On Healing

I've been on a quest for healing for many years now. I started working with a functional medicine doctor who's helping me detox and it has helped greatly. But we are body-mind-spirit, so I'm also working on my spiritual life. Began a wonderful online retreat offered here: Watch the Path to Healing Our Broken Hearts - Oblates of the Virgin Mary  I'd been waiting to watch and listen to these videos for six months. Got on a wait-list and finally, finally, the email with the links came, during Advent. I thought, no way--NOW? When I'm busy with Christmas concerts and last-minute wedding preparations? The thought of adding something more to my plate was daunting. But after a week, I couldn't resist and took a peek. It was so good. I realized everything always happens at the right time. So I watched in the pockets of free time. They are short and so rich. I cried a lot--they are healing tears. Given that we are ALL wounded in some way, I'm sharing the links to the workshop. You will resist, just like I did, but when you're ready...open it up. It's free. With Lent just around the corner, it just may be the perfect time for you. 

And that is how I discovered Bob Schuchts' books on healing. He's the founder of the John Paul II Healing Center – Transformation in the Heart of the Church I just finished BE HEALED today. Take a look at how the seven deadly sins and our wounds make us believe lies about ourselves, cause us to sin, and remain shackled, but the Divine Physician is ready to heal and we can know we are being healed when the lies are replaced by the truth--that we are beloved. I'd done the smaller retreat book earlier and I loved how easily it was to enter into the Gospel stories of healing. I feel as if I'm being healed from the inside out. I know I have more work to do but I am so grateful to invite Jesus into the difficult moments of my life and experience His Love for me. Although I will have to wait to get to heaven to experience His arms wrapped about me, He's present here in the Eucharist and He can look at me, and I Him. Deo gratias!  

Meeting Online Friends in Person

What a joy it is when you've shared letters and your heart over the years with a dear friend and you finally get to meet her and her beautiful family. Last year Faith and her family stopped by our place on their way to Florida and again on their return trip. We stayed up half the night talking. This time, they planned it so that the four older girls could come to barbershop practice with me. They dove right in. We all had a lovely time. 

It was so great to see how the children have grown over a year. The most apparent changes are in the youngest but in reality it's the older ones who have the greatest changes in store as they prepare to fly the nest. Such a beautiful family. Faith, from the time I knew her (she had two little girls and expecting her third), has taught me so much about living in trustful surrender to God and His plans. She's my Charlotte: "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer."

SCBWI Message Board is Down

People are asking me about the SCBWI boards. I don't know when it will be restored--I'm just a lowly moderator. Please direct your inquiries to SCBWI. You can use the green help button at the bottom of the page. And I do encourage you to ask what's going on. There's no update on the main website. 

Verla has another craft board. However, children's writing would be off-limits due to conflict of interest with SCBWI at this time. But it is a place to gather if you so choose to maintain our friendships and share other crafts: Verla Kay Creations Forum - Index 

When requesting membership to the craft board, be sure to mention you were on the SCBWI message board. It will speed up your acceptance and give you access to an exclusive Message Board Alumni group. Of course, it's open to all who enjoy crafts.

Do any of you remember this? I use this bag for my barbershop music. I added the Sing/Pray after I got religion :) I learned that Verla Kay used to sing in a barbershop chorus as well. So fun!

Conference Recordings

I'm sharing tidbits but if you want to listen to even some of the lectures with handouts, this is a great offer. 

Missed the Conference? Get the Recordings for $35! Use code 2025replayCWG.

Buy access to the CWCO2025 recordings

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Conference Raffle Books and Tidbits

Look what I won at the conference! Not one, not two, but THREE books! Thank YOU, Maria Riley! I've only read the first one so far and it's so well-written. Joshua is a newly adopted child in a family with two children already in the family and he struggles to believe he's loved as much as the other kids. The three kids get to time-travel back to the Nativity and get to experience how St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus loves Him. Children will really connect with the saints in this series. 

I'm still not caught up on the conference videos because I've been working on pitches and proposals and polishing my manuscripts for submission. But here are some tidbits from the wonderful speakers. I hope you will discover some new authors and editors here that will help you on your own writing journey. A BIG THANK YOU to all the organizers and volunteers for making this possible.  

Powerful Not Preachy: Crafting a Story with a Message. Good stories are balanced between engaging both mind and heart. If a story is all heart, no mind, it can become sentimental. And the opposite, it can become more about an idea and the plot/characters can feel contrived to fit an agenda. Share truths, not propaganda. Powerful stories pose questions and explore them through character development. Trust your readers; they're allowed to come to a different conclusion than you, the writer. Let God work. Don't meddle. ~ Sister Allison. 

Publishing Industry Red Flags. Learn the different paths to publication. Have realistic expectations. Practice discernment. ~ Anjanette Barr, . It was good to listen to an agent. I've been thinking that once my historical is ship-shape, I might query agents again.

Instagram: So Much More than Likes or Follows. Use Instagram as an online business card. ~ Kate Frantz. This talk made me realize that I could try Instagram. I am visual and this medium would suit me.

Serious Popular Fiction. Calibrate the Mind to Reality. Remember Plato's example of people living in a cave, only see shadows. It's a false reality. Once they go outside, they see as things truly are. A well-calibrated mind is less prone to being deceived and is able to assess new ideas wisely. With stories we can both experience and reflect at the same time. We can judge the moral weight of an action. Serious fiction is fundamentally moral, not because it teaches morality, but rather creates experience of facing a moral dilemma. ~ G. M. Baker. This was one of the best talks that integrated writing with philosophy. Looking forward to reading his books.

Why the World Needs Catholic Romance Novels. Be countercultural, break stereotypes. ~ Gerri Bauer. I love romance and have toyed with a couple of ideas and this talk inspired me to revisit them.

Incorporating Biblical Themes into Fiction. We are authors of words...and Sacred Scripture is the inspired Word of God. Why not let the two intersect? Let the Bible inspire your fiction. Some topics to consider: sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, priesthood, purgatory, angels, sacrifice, chosen people, outcasts, barrenness/infertility, brokenness, healing. ~ Allison Ramirez. It's funny, but even as an atheist, I ended up incorporating some Biblical themes in my work because it's true.

Newsletter Marketing. A newsletter is the most stable and long-term marketing tool. Make it worth the reader's time. Be authentic. ~ Stephanie Landsem. I've been told this over and over to write a newsletter. Maybe this is the year I begin. I have loved Stephanie's historical fiction.

Author and Editor Relationships Panel. Editing is also where you allow another into the creative process. Education is an investment. Publisher brand should match your sensibility. Rebecca Martin, Colleen Pressprich, Michelle Buckman, Roseanna White, Marybeth Giltner. Really enjoyed listening to the publishing stories. 

Tips for Writing Your Nonfiction Book. Simplify. Evaluate your writing space, your commitment and fitness for writing, your writing itself. Write with Jesus! What is God's vision for me? If it's from God you will overcome all obstacles. Discern. What are your ruts, your killer thoughts? A big one is fear. It stops you from writing. So change your thoughts. Thoughts-->Action-->Behavior. When you are overwhelmed, PRAY! ~ Belinda Terro Mooney. I really loved these tips on pre-writing. 

I'll stop here. More tidbits later. Happy reading and writing. Look at these newlyweds in their cosy little home! Michael and I had a very rich Chef's Kiss dinner at New Realm last night. And we have leftovers. Yum! And it is because HE first loved us that we can even manage to love a little. A happy and blessed St. Valentine's Day to you and all yours.