Quotation Station
Haiku, Cut, Paste
Hello, Realmers! It’s time for another weird Thursday post, but at least I have something to report.
If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll know that my poet friend, Cat Russell, challenged me to ten days of writing haiku. She said I’m doing a good job, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no poet. It’s an artform that is beyond me, and often, I just don’t understand it.
I learned the 5-7-5 technique of haiku in grade school, and if you take the time to read my poetry, you’ll see I never advanced past grade school haiku. I’ve been using lovely fonts and backgrounds in my posts as a distraction from all the mediocre poems. I think it’s working.
If I didn’t already have other writing goals to achieve, I’d devote time to learning poetry, although I believe poetry is better when it comes naturally. And honestly, I don’t need another hobby right now, which is why I’m also not pursuing jewelry making.
As for my writing, I keep editing my current WIP, and I haven’t finished it yet. Plotters are pulling their hair right now and screaming, “If you would have outlined your novel, this wouldn’t happen.” Yes, it would because while the overarching story has been in place from the beginning, it’s the details I’m working out. But hey, if plotters are so good that they can anticipate such details from the onset, then more power to them and their outlines.
My eyes went buggy from having so many chapters open on the laptop that I reverted to the printed page. And then, in joyful glee, I went to work with my Post-It flags. Everything is color-coded with notes. I’m even creating a timeline to double-check myself.
I find sifting through the pages is easier, so laugh all you want but hold a few chuckles in reserve for when I tell you that I’m prepared to literally cut and tape certain passages as I edit. I’ve done it before when I needed a visual for the large portions of text I moved. I’m a very tactile person, and while working on my laptop is my preferred method when writing, sometimes a writer must do whatever is necessary to keep moving forward.
I believe that’s everything to report currently. I’ll keep you updated on my progress, so stay tuned, Realmers!
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Quotation Station
Shabbat Shalom to all those fighting to secure the peace of Jerusalem!
I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Shabbats holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.
~Ezekiel 20:19 – 20
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January at Realm Central
The bleak days of January are upon us, and even though it looks as if I’ve abandoned my loyal followers, nothing could be farther from the truth. I will admit that this month has been a little off, but I finally managed to find my groove.
I completed the holidays basking in the glow of fond memories as well as the welcome relief that arrives once they’re over. That’s not to say that we didn’t have a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family, but let’s not pretend the holidays aren’t a lot of work.
I slipped into January and the new year on quite a high, and I assumed I’d channel that into my writing. In all honesty, I absolutely have no idea what knocked me off course to the point that just this past week, I sat myself down and commenced working.
But January has been full of good things, so don’t think I haven’t been productive.
First, my primary beta reader and good friend, Doug Nelson, is very close to completing his first novel. I’m so excited to be beta reading for him because I absolutely love the concept of his story. I don’t want to give it away, but permit me to say that it’s a labor born of love for his children, who are now adults, and the novel has its origins rooted deeply in a tradition he started with them when they were just pups!
Second, I’ve acquired a little writing mentee, AKA protégé or mentoree. She’s adorable, vivacious, and brilliant. The connection came somewhat out of the blue, but when offered the prospect of working with this wonderful young lady, I welcomed the opportunity. Now, I look forward to our bi-weekly meetings where we brainstorm, write, and edit, and I have the blessed occasion of giving back and paying it forward all at once. Baruch HaShem for young writers coming up through the ranks!
Third, I’ve been asked to work with the sweetest little fella to prepare him for kindergarten. I’d forgotten how fun teaching ABCs and writing can be as my own precious son is a young adult. The best part is the relationship I can see budding between me and the preschooler. And I’d be fibbing if I said I wasn’t developing a deep affection for the little guy.
Lastly, I’ve received several requests for the next installment of Realm. Perhaps I’m naïve, and please don’t interpret this as false humility, but I was rather shocked and not a little pleased to hear such comments. Truth be told, the next book has been written for well over a year. Here’s the thing: I don’t do anything fast, and I can’t be pressured into making a move until I sense the time is right, which, admittedly, is a small part of me getting my act together but also a large part of seeking HaShem’s guidance.
All of 2023 was devoted to Realm. I also have a goal of finishing the third installment of the series before moving toward publication of the second book. Then there is my involvement with my friend’s novel and whether or not he’ll publish this year, and if so, when. It’s important that he receives the attention and support I was blessed to enjoy during the publication of my first novel, Realm.
In closing, you can see that while the writing has been slow in coming, and is more like editing at this point, I have been productive during January. Keep in mind that the writing life isn’t something that produces measurable results for everyone to see, which is why there have been three Quotation Stations in a row and nothing in the way of a new post until this one coming to you at an odd hour on a Thursday.
Still, I’m excited to see what Adonai brings into my life this year, overall and in writing. As always, my novel is available at BookBaby in hardback and softcover. If you haven’t journeyed through the Realm, you’ll need to do so before the second book arrives.
Until then, stay tuned, Realmers!
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Quotation Station
Isaiah 27:13
On that day a great shofar will sound.
Those lost in the land of Ashur will come,
also those scattered through the land of Egypt;
and they will worship ADONAI
on the holy mountain in Yerushalayim.
Shabbat Shalom and remember to pray
for the peace of Yerushalayim!
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Quotation Station
Prayer for Those Being Held in Captivity
May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, and Solomon bless, watch, and guard those missing from the Israel Defense Forces and our brethren of the House of Israel that are situated in distress and in captivity.
May the Holy One, blessed be He, grant mercy upon them, take them out from darkness and gloom, break their chains, redeem them from their ordeals, and return them quickly to the comfort of their families.
“Let them praise the Lord for His kindness, and His wondrous deeds for the children of man” (Psalms 107:8).
And through them, let the verse (Isaiah 35:10) be fulfilled, “And the Lord’s ransomed shall return, and come with shouting to Zion, crowned with joy everlasting; they shall attain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing flee.”
And let us say, Amen!
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Quotation Station
Shabbat Shalom to all those
praying for peace!
May He who blessed our fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov bless the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, in their standing guard upon our land and the cities of our God on land, in the air, and in the sea.
May the Lord give our enemies that rise against us plagues in front of them.
May the Holy One, blessed be He, guard and rescue our soldiers from all trouble and distress and from all affliction and illness; and send blessing and success in all the work of their hands.
May He crush those that hate us below them and crown them with the crown of salvation and with the wreath of victory.
And through them let the verse be fulfilled (Deuteronomy 20:4),
“For it is the Lord, your God, that walks with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you.”
And let us say, Amen.
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Looking Ahead
Coming to you live from Realm Central ~ it’s the first day of the New Year 2024! I never make New Year’s resolutions, but for 2024, I have a goal.
Over the past year, I made the effort to set my face forward. One of the ways I achieve this is by praying that Adonai will show me His hand in every situation I encounter in daily life. This is when He teaches me many lessons, and if I’m truly paying attention, I learn something valuable as I move from moment to moment.
Contemplation of my experiences is important, but I don’t stop there, especially if the lesson was a hard-learned one. It’s too tempting to wallow and play the victim. Rather, I continue facing forward and moving ahead by applying my newfound wisdom, understanding, and knowledge toward myself by working on my soul in partnership with Adonai.
This has built amazing trust in my relationship with HaShem as I progress from faith, which is mostly an intellectual exercise, to faithfulness, which is the act of structuring my life in such a way that reflects what I believe. Some of the building blocks in my process are the expression of gratitude, paying it forward, humility, forgiveness, learning to absorb the (metaphorical) arrows released against me, returning kindness for evil, and refusing to (physically/verbally) act upon or (emotionally) react to the drama others manufacture and try to lay at my feet.
I have good days, and sometimes, I have a less than good day. Thankfully, Adonai is patient, loving, and has more faith in me than I have in myself. We’ll keep working on me and continue building on the above-mentioned foundation. The next step, i.e., my goal for 2024, is to maintain this high standard of character (as defined by HaShem) and implement it in everything I do: writing, relationships, homemaking, Torah study, prayer life, etc.
I’m looking forward to 2024 and the plans Adonai has for me. Admittedly, when I stop to think about it, it’s scary and exciting all at once because I know I’ll be stepping away from certain things while moving toward others. It’s a beautiful dance that aligns my will with HaShem’s, and it’s for my good but more importantly for His glory.
Here’s to authentic joy and true shalom in 2024!
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The Best of Realm Central 2023
Well, Realmers, here we are at the end of 2023! I don’t know about you, but it’s been an exciting year, and I’m thankful for the many blessings Adonai has bestowed upon me and my family. Since I’ll be keeping Shabbat and celebrating New Year’s with family, I thought today would be a good day to reminisce the past year.
My debut novel Realm launched in April. After all the writing, editing, beta reading, editing, more beta reading, professional editing, choosing a launch date, ordering and sending invitations, planning the party, and then going forward with the book launch party, all I can say is THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for making my dream of publication come true. I couldn’t have done it without all the love and support I received along the way.
One of the neatest experiences I had with promoting Realm was the creation of an unboxing video, book trailer, and scene re-creation with Heath and Michelle Smith. Be sure to check out the videos on YouTube at HL Gibson.
In May, I held a successful book signing at Thirty-two 8 Inspired & Co. where I made a new friend in baker and chocolatier, Michelle Kostich of Shell’s Confections. What a privilege and pleasure it has been to support each other in our chosen professions, but our friendship really is the icing on the cake, cupcakes, and cookies.
Another amazing book signing took place at Therapy Ice Cream & Coffee Bar in June, and several more people became Realmers that day. Many wonderful beta reading and editing sessions took place at Therapy. Lots of ice cream and coffee were consumed at Therapy. And it is with a heavy yet grateful heart that we bid a fond farewell to Therapy and wish the owners a happy retirement. You will be missed.
I kept writing during this time, but it was mostly blog posts regarding what I mentioned above. One of the best things to occur was the large amounts of positive feedback I received about Realm. I produced a decent amount of monthly marketing by creating my own ads for social media, which were well-received. Then there was a bit of a break for the summer, and I worked a bit on writing toward my current WIP.
My next event was my first multi-author book signing at Kern’s Home & Garden & Christian Bookstore. I coordinated with nursery owner, Heidi Flack, and the authors who participated, to create some lovely advertising for the Fall Open House. The weather was perfect on both days of the event, and the customers enjoyed having us there.
So, we did it again in December for the Winter Wonderland Open House! This time, in addition to lovely headshots, the advertising included a short bio about each author. Again, the day was perfect, and customers picked up some great reading material for themselves and as gifts.
Since I found my groove with creating my own ads, I finished my year with social media advertising because I wanted to focus on my family during the holidays. I also threw myself into working steadily on my current WIP, and while I’m cautiously optimistic, I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel for this one.
The big challenge regarding my current WIP in the coming year will be to stay focused and on track with concluding the novel. “What’s vying for your attention?” you ask. Well, it’s faithful fans and followers who keep asking when the next book in the world of Realm is due to be published. I must admit that I honestly did not expect that to occur quite so soon, and I’m going to have to look at my schedule to decide the logistics of publishing the next book. It’s all rather exciting and scary.
Stay tuned as I manage things here at Realm Central. If you haven’t already become a Realmer, be sure to pick up your copy of Realm today. You’re going to require the info in Realm as a foundation for the next book.
As always, I make the plans, commit them to Adonai, and He gives the go-ahead or adjusts the details as needed before I move forward. This is my secret to success, and it’s worked every time.
Wishing you and yours a Blessed New Year in 2024!
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Quotation Station
Sometimes, when we’re so overwhelmed by events that we cannot find the words to express the many emotions we experience throughout the day, it’s good and acceptable to consult the wisdom of those who came before us. Consider King David, a man after Adonai’s own heart, who wrote down his words and organized them into the prayers we can access today.
Many are taught the freedom of expression that comes when speaking with Adonai, and yes, it does exist. But what many are not taught is the awesome benefit of praying “the prayers” as they are recorded in the Bible and elsewhere. Imagine, people all across the world saying the same words at the same time. “But how can we actually be praying them at the same time unless we coordinated beforehand?” you ask.
Because Adonai is outside of time. Shabbat Shalom to those seeking rest and peace.
Avinu Shebashamayim
“Avinu Shebashamayim, Rock and Redeemer of Israel
Bless the State of Israel, the start of flowering of Redemption.
Shield it with Your love; spread over it the shelter of Your peace
Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth.
Establish for them Your good counsel.
Strengthen the hands of the defenders of our Holy Land
Cause them to inherit, our G-d, deliverance
Place the crown of victory upon them
Give the land peace, and everlasting joy to its inhabitants
And visit all our Brethren of the house of Israel,
in all the lands where they are scattered,
and bring them rapidly to Zion, Your city,
and to Jerusalem, where Your name lives,
as it says in the Torah of Moses, Your servant:
‘Even if your dwelling is at the end of the sky,
G-d will congregate you from there, and bring you from there,
and will bring you toward the land that Your forefathers inherited
and you will inherit it and G-d shall benefit you
and multiply your numbers greater than your forefathers.
Then the LORD your G-d will open up your heart
and the hearts of your offspring to love the LORD your G-d
with all your heart and soul, in order that you may live.’
Unify our hearts to love and worship Your name and to keep all that is in Your Torah,
and send us the son of David, the Messiah of Your justice,
to redeem those who wait for Your salvation.
Appear with the glory and the pride of Your strength,
in front of all the inhabitants of the Universe,
and all those who have breath will say:
The G-d of Israel is the King,
and He reigns over everything.
Amen, forever.”
(Courtesy of Sefaria)
hl gibson, author 