She Could Have Walked Away: Don’t Miss Your “Ruth” Blessing!

Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. And she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

But Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.
Where you die, I will die,
And there will I be buried.
The Lord do so to me, and more also,
If anything but death parts you and me.”

– Ruth 1:14-17

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The Book of Ruth tells the story of Ruth and Boaz

One moment in time. A bereaved mother, and her two daughters-in-law, on their way back to “the land of Judah” (Ruth 1:6-7 NKJV) from Moab after the deaths of both her sons. Two women, grieving for their husbands. One moment that would change everything and alter the course of history. Urged by their weeping mother-in-law to return to their people, both young widows had a decision to make at a moment’s notice that would change their lives one way or the other. With tears in their eyes, they wept, wanting to stay with her. Broken in her grief, with nothing left to offer them, the woman could only urge them to go back to the life they had known. The one kissed her and turned back. The other stood there, no doubt, with tears running down her cheeks as she watched her sister-in-law walk out of her life. She could have just walked away. But the choice she made in that moment would change her life forever. Her name was Ruth.

Have you ever had a “Ruth” moment? I am sure at one time or other, we all will at some point in our lives. For some, it will be the right choice they make in that moment. For others, it will be one they will regret for the rest of their lives.

For Ruth, it was the right choice. She could have chosen to go back to her people in Moab, and their gods. In the eyes of Naomi, her broken-hearted mother-in-law, there was no more reason for either of her daughters-in-law to stay in her life. The tension builds as they both look to her, weeping as they have, at this point, intended to go back with her to her people (Ruth 1:8-10 NKJV). It’s pretty clear that Naomi is thinking of their future, even in her grief, still weeping as she cries out, asking why they would want to stay with her, seeing she is past childbearing age, and knowing that even if she could have more sons, they couldn’t possibly wait until they were grown. The one, Orpah, finally kisses her mother-in-law and walks away. Naomi, looking to Ruth, can only try to get her to see the obvious pointlessness in her staying with her (Ruth 1:15 NKJV): “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” Yet, in that pivotal moment, the young, widowed Ruth couldn’t walk away and leave the poor woman to go on alone. In a dark time of faithlessness and everyone doing whatever was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25 NKJV), she chose to be faithful to the God of Israel, and spoke the well-known words that have now been used in many weddings as wedding vows (Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV, see above). It was settled. Ruth chose in that moment to let it be firmly known that she would not leave her. In time, she would see God’s reward for her faithfulness.

As the two women reached the city of Bethlehem, you might say they had a pretty big welcome. Yet, when the women asked about her, calling her by her name, Naomi changes her name (Ruth 1:19-21 NKJV) to Mara, which, in Hebrew, means “bitter”, saying God had dealt very bitterly with her. Click here for the meaning and history of the name, “Naomi”.  So, this is a woman who is truly devastated at this point (Verse 21). Yet, before it was all over, God would turn her situation around.

You see, if you think about it, with the state of grief she was in, she could have adamantly ran Ruth off. Yet, instead, she chose to let her go on with her. Verse eighteen of Chapter One reads, “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her (or, I guess you could say, she saw no further point to argue with her).

But here’s where it gets interesting. In those days, Jewish custom, or law, said that when a woman’s husband died before she could conceive, his brother was to marry her in order to raise children in his brother’s name. For example, in Genesis 38, we read of the story of Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah. So, you see now, why Naomi is so grieved for her daughters-in-law, thus, her emotional response to their pleas in verses 11-13 of that first chapter of Ruth:

But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”

Yet…I’ve gotta say it! BUT GOD!!!! (You had to know there was a “but God” coming!) 😀 So, Ruth was in the right place at the right time. God placed her directly in the path of Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband! You can read the Book of Ruth in like 5 minutes, but I love what he says to her in Ruth 2:11-12, after she asks why she has found favor in his eyes, that he should take notice of her, since she is a foreigner (Verse 10):

And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

More and more lately, I believe, as Bishop T.D. Jakes has well said, Nothing Just Happens. In this message, at about 8:10, Bishop Jakes mentions Orpah and Ruth, and talks about this story, so if you’re interested, you can click the link and listen to this excerpt of his message on this. The footsteps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord (see Psalm 37:23)! So, as God’s reward for Ruth’s  undying loyalty to her mother-in-law, and her faithfulness to Him as the God of Israel, she was rewarded with an honored place in the bloodline leading up to the birth of Christ, through (of course) the Tribe of Judah.

The story of Ruth has to be one of the most beautiful love stories in the Bible, (2nd only to our Jesus and what He did for us, of course). So, Boaz married Ruth, and they had a son, who was named, Obed. Here, from Ruth 4:13-22, is the wonderful ending to their love story, as only God could write it:

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife; and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom, and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi.” And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron;Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.

Remember when I mentioned Tamar earlier? Well, Perez was one of her twin sons. Even the well-known geneology sites can’t touch this! So, think about this story if you ever have a “Ruth” moment, and trust God. He only writes the best love stories.

So, Naomi found joy again, and no doubt, got lots of cuddles in with that new baby boy. Ruth took her place in history, in the bloodline through the Tribe of Judah, leading to the birth of our Savior. She was the great grandmother of David, and another page turned in Biblical history…

…And she could have just walked away. 

Romance, Time Travel, and a River of Secrets…and an Idea for a Romantic Getaway! #greatvalentinesdayreads #loveisintheair

“They say there is a path that winds through the forest, that exists deep within our imaginations, in that childlike part of our minds…that gate is only open once. After this, the adult mind somehow closes it.” – “Anna” – “Summer of the Rose”

SOMEWHERE DEEP IN THE FOREST LIES A SECRET…

A rose is thrown onto the water, as its surface sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight, beckoning you to go just a little further…

Come with me on a path that winds through the forest, and even back in time… 

Romance, Time Travel, and a River of Secrets…

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A RIVER OF SECRETS…Anna Brownfield is 12 the summer of 1877, when she and her twin brothers, Jed and Josiah, 15, set out to find the secret place in the river, hidden in the forest near their little dirt road southern town, where folks say that if you touch the water there, you will look around and realize you have traveled forward or even backward in time. Little do they know what the “Enchanted Lady” winding her way through the forest, which Anna refers to as “Lady River”, has in store for them. 
ROMANCE…Did she find her true love because of a secret place in the river, like others claim they did? Anna is now 87 years old, and she has some stories to tell, but none quite like the “Summer of the Rose”. There are others who have stories to tell, and Anna knows who they are. She also knows that there are few who have ever been able to resist the River’s call.
TIME TRAVEL…Pull up a chair and sit for a while with Anna. She might just tell you a story you just wouldn’t believe…

Although my second book, “Summer of the Rose” is not classified as a “Romance”, (it has romantic “threads”, but that’s not the main theme), I feel it will truly take you on a journey you won’t soon forget. As you follow Anna’s journey as she tells of that magical summer of 1877, when she comes of age, and eventually finds her true love, you might be surprised at the lines she is willing to cross to find him. The Kindle version is only $2.99, and with a simple click, you could be reading it in just a few minutes! The book is also in the Kindle Matchbook Program, which means…”If you buy a new print edition of this book (or purchased one in the past), you can buy the Kindle edition for only $0.99″.

I am currently working on other projects I hope to have available soon, but since it is Valentine’s Day, I just wanted to put this out there for you. It is a truly captivating tale that would make a great addition to your Kindle list, especially since summer is just around the corner. It is the first in a series, and I have started on the 2nd book, although I did kind of put this project on the back burner in order to focus on other projects, one of which I have been working on a bit longer (it’s gonna be good, I promise! More on this later…wink, wink!) so I really want to get that finished. That one ended up being a 2 book set, and I just recently got book 1 back from my editor, so I am in the dreaded re-write stage, but it’s all going to be worth it! So, if you don’t want to miss out on this and my other upcoming books, be sure to hit the subscribe button so you will be among the first to know!

Meanwhile, click here to read my “Interview with Anna” and I’ll just let her tell you a little about the story. But now, I’ll have to warn you, she’s 87 now and she says what’s on her mind! Also, for those who might be looking for a nice, cozy, rustic cabin for a romantic getaway with your sweetheart, the link is on the page (the “Interview…”, above). Be sure and tell Arizona Jane Keith and Flossie sent ya! The cabin is in Cherokee, NC, and we’re pretty sure you will enjoy it! For other things to do in Cherokee, click here. 

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Dancing Stones Cabin in Cherokee, NC

So, from Keith and me, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! 

Enjoy your evening with your sweetie, and be sure to check back later or subscribe for more of my exciting books coming soon! Visit my home page to learn more.

Meanwhile, what’s your story? Click here to read my post on getting your story out there and making it happen! Well?

Now, go get ready for that romantic date with your sweetheart! As for my sweet hubby and me, we’re having ours right here at home, with candle light and the works! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go put my roses in a vase and some water and get ready for my own dinner date to celebrate our love, married 3 years and counting, although we actually went to the prom in 1983! We may have walked away from each other, but we are thankful every day that God brought us back together and gave us another chance!  And don’t forget parents, grandparents, and others who are special to you too. They need to hear those three little words too! Oh, and if you two do decide to try the cabin, be sure to bookmark the page and check the calendar early, as special dates do get booked way in advance! You can thank me later!

 

Great Summer Reading: “Summer of the Rose” – now in hard cover! #TimeTravel #Southernhistoricalfantasy

“Is ‘The Wind in the Willows’ a children’s book? Is ‘Alice in Wonderland?’ Is ‘Treasure Island?’ these are masterpieces which we read with pleasure as children, but with how much more pleasure when we are grown-up.” – A. A. Milne 

2014-01-15_14-05-07_194 - Copy (3) - CopyGreat news for all you summer book readers! Book 1 in the “Secrets of Rose River” Time Travel Trilogy, is now in hard cover edition on B&N.comIf you liked “Tuck Everlasting”, you will love this one! A Southern Historical Time Travel Fantasy, with just the right amount of romance, and even a bit of mischief, this is a “coming of age” story being told by “Anna” who’s now 87, that will be enjoyed by young and old alike! Pull up a chair, Anna’s just getting started! The River has secrets she will never tell, but Anna just might know a few of them…

Summer’s just around the corner, and “Summer of the Rose” will make a great addition to your list!

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A RIVER OF SECRETS…Anna Brownfield is 12 the summer of 1877, when she and her twin brothers, Jed and Josiah, 15, set out to find the secret place in the river, hidden in the forest near their little dirt road southern town, where folks say that if you touch the water there, you will look around and realize you have traveled forward or even backward in time. Little do they know what the “Enchanted Lady” winding her way through the forest, which Anna refers to as “Lady River”, has in store for them.

ROMANCE…Did she find her true love because of a secret place in the river, like others claim they did? Anna is now 87 years old, and she has some stories to tell, but none quite like the “Summer of the Rose”. There are others who have stories to tell, and Anna knows who they are. She also knows that there are few who have ever been able to resist the River’s call…

TALES OF TIME TRAVEL…So pull up a chair and sit for a while with Anna, Sam “Tater” Jenson, Mattie Turner, and the others, along with “Flapjack”, the town hound dog as they take you back to a time of early southern America, when the town storytellers sat out in rocking chairs in front of the old stores and told stories of days gone by. Go back to a time when you saw the world through the eyes of a child and dared to imagine the impossible. You might hear a story you just wouldn’t believe…

A truly heartwarming, yet daring romantic adventure you won’t soon forget! Get it now on Amazon in Print (Paperback) and Kindle, and now on B&N.com in Hard Cover, as well as Paperback and Nook! If you liked the movie, “Tuck Everlasting”, <— (Click here for my “Interview” with “Anna” and a special treat at the end!), you will love this book!

Be sure to subscribe to my email so you won’t miss Book 2, “Scent of the Rose”, and my other future releases! If you know someone who would enjoy this book, please share to your Facebook or Tweet, via the buttons below! Get yours today, and I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to stop back by the Amazon or B&N pages and leave a review!

 

 

 

A Southern Historical Romantic Time Travel You’re Going to “Love”! #ValentinesDay #sweetreads #romanticnovels

 

“They say there is a path that winds through the forest that exists deep within our imaginations, in that childlike part of our minds…that gate is only open once. After this, the adult mind somehow closes it.” ~ Anna, “A River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”

First book in the “River of Love’s  Rose” Time Travel Trilogy!
A RIVER OF SECRETS, SUMMER OF THE ROSE
– A Southern Historical Time Travel Fantasy with just the right touch of romance, this one is sure to appeal to young and old alike!
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In Print and Kindle versions on Amazon!
Get it now in ebook for only $2.99!
And now, just to “sweeten” the deal, here is a short sneak preview excerpt!

(Anna is now 87 years old, and is telling the story reflecting back on her childhood. Here, in this scene, she was 12 years old, and her twin brothers, 15.)

Now, looking back, all I can say is, it’s just as old Sam said. It’s hard to really know because at first there is no change that you can notice around you—no obvious ones anyway. No one was ever really certain that it could be pinpointed to one exact location. But then, the folks around here had always known that the river has a kind of personality of its own. It was like the way things happened, it seemed to keep everyone guessing. After all, we all knew that the river had secrets it would never tell.

We got off of our horses and tied them to some nearby trees, then just walked around admiring the beauty of the place. All we were really thinking of at the time was that it was a nice place to stop. It didn’t seem a possibility in our minds at the time that we might have found the secret place. But then, the river itself wouldn’t have told us if we had.

We ran through the trees and climbed the rocks like silly children, laughing the whole time. But then, as we looked down into the water, once again, something about it seemed to beckon us.

I stood there, looking at my reflection in the water as we let our horses drink their fill of it. I looked every bit of my twelve years, although I had often been told I looked older than I was. But then, something in the water seemed to beckon me to come a little closer. It was like it suddenly seemed to take on a life of its own, like some sort of magical rippling effect in the water, making you want to reach down and touch it. Perhaps it was just that curiosity that seemed to have taken ahold of each of us. I would never know for sure. It was when I reached down with my fingers and touched the water that I knew immediately that something had changed.

The wind blew a little differently, somewhat stronger. All of a sudden it was late in the day. I looked around. The horses were gone. My brothers were gone. There was no one but me. It was later in the afternoon. At first it seemed nothing around me had changed that much. But then, as I looked around, I began to realize what my mind did not want to accept. I had somehow gone to another time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’ll want to be sure to add this one to your summer reading collection! Then, check back soon for the second book in the series, “Return to the River, Scent of the Rose”! Subscribe to my email via the tab above, so you’ll be sure to get email updates and be sure you don’t miss out! Also, be sure to click the link on the side to follow my Facebook Author page! Know someone who would love this? Please share to your Facebook or Twitter, or  Email it to a friend!

Interview With “Anna”: “Summer of the Rose”#characterinterviews

“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.”
Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

An INTERVIEW with your STORY CHARACTER? Why not?!

This is an enchanting Southern Historical Fantasy that is also a bit of a Romantic Time Travel story that will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget! It was inspired by a movie that my son got me onto, which is a favorite of ours, adapted from a children’s book and starring Sissy Spacek, called “Tuck Everlasting”. The first book is available now, and the 2nd one is coming soon! Once more, since I’ve updated some things, I’ve decided to repost this one more time, for those who don’t know about my “Secrets of Rose River” Time Travel Trilogy. The first, book, which “Anna” is here to tell you about, is now available in print and Kindle versions on Amazon   Great news! It’s now available on B&N online in hard cover edition, as well as paperback and Nook, click here! So, here you go, and if you know someone who might enjoy this, please share the page to your Facebook or  Twitter!

Feature Photo (above): Dancing Stones Cabin, Cherokee, NC If you’re looking for a great retreat in a truly rustic atmosphere that will take you back in time, click here! Arizona Jane will make you feel right at home! I went on a personal retreat there and my husband and I spent part of our honeymoon there! You’ll love it!

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Barnes &Noble

Amazon

Here is the interview with “Anna” and I hope you enjoy it and tell a friend! But now, I have to warn you, she’s 87 now and she’s something else!

It is late in the summer of 1952, in this little town “somewhere in the south”. I am here, sitting out in front of the store with “Anna”, our story teller from my “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, the first of which is “A River of Secrets: Summer of the Rose”. Meanwhile, why don’t you go on into the store here and get you a drink and come back out and sit down here with “Anna” and me and we’ll just let her tell you a little of what to expect. I told her it would be nice if we gave everyone a little of what it’s all about so she agreed to let me interview her. Now, let me just say, before we get started, “Anna” is one of the best story tellers around, and folks here in town will tell you, she knows how to tell a story. So, without further ado, let’s see what she has to say..

WHAT IS IT?
ME: So, Anna, tell me, what is this “Secrets of Rose River” all about?

ANNA: “Well, you see, folks say there’s a place somewhere along the river that runs deep into the woods here alongside our town that holds a secret. They say the water there in that place is like magic. It can take you places. The story goes that if you were to find this place, and touch the water there in that certain place, you will look around and see that you’ve gone forward in time, or even backward. But now, as far as I know, nobody’s ever found it, at least that would admit to it.”

WHERE IS IT?
ME: So, nobody you know of has ever found this place?

ANNA: “Well now, that all depends on how much of this story you want to believe. Of course, not too many around here ever told their stories, but then, who would believe them anyway? So, you just have to read my story and then decide for yourself. But, if you are willing to look through the eyes of a child once again, there is a little place somewhere down that little path in that forest of imagination you took as a child, where you could believe that just about anything’s possible. But of course, you know too, that I’m not going to just come out and tell you that. Now, that would spoil the magic of the whole story, now wouldn’t it?

ME: OK, I can understand that. So, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Anna?

ANNA: Oh, naw, I don’t mind a bit! I’m eighty-seven. I was born Anna Elizabeth Brownfield, the youngest of eight children. I was born in 1865 just as the Civil War was ending.

ME: Anna, what is the name of your town here?

ANNA: “Wouldn’t you love to know? Of course, I’m not going to tell you that! Then all you folks would be a tryin’ to get here and see if you could find that place, now wouldn’t you?”

ME: (Laughing) OK, well, that makes sense. I can understand that. So, tell me, why do they call it a “river of secrets”?

ANNA: “Folks have called it that because that river, well, they say it’s like this enchanted lady that’s out there just a windin’ her way through the forest. The way we all put it, old Lady River has secrets she will never tell. That’s the truth too. I can tell you that river’s got secrets she will never tell. One thing I can tell you for sure is, ain’t many ever been able to ignore her when she comes a callin’.

ME: So, the river has a way of calling you?

ANNA: Oh yes! That’s how she gets you. See, there’s just this way the water kind of takes on this sparkle to it that just makes you want to go just a little farther, until before you realize it, you’ve done and gone too far.”

ME: You talk about Tater telling his story after a while. So, what do folks around here think of his story?

ANNA: Now, that’s a mighty interesting question! Of course, now, you know I learned from the best. Old Tater knows how to tell a story. Course, now, everybody around here knows he’ll knit you a yarn a mile long if you’ve got time to sit and listen to him. But now, old Tater, he loves to tell tall tales. So, there again, you just have to kind of take what he says and put it through the strainer, if you know what I mean, and just decide for yourself what you believe and what you don’t.

ME: So, tell us a little bit about Flapjack.

ANNA: (Laughs) Oh, that old dog, he’s something else. He’s always just kind of belonged to himself in a way. All I can say is, he plays a big part in our whole story, and I know a few things about old Flapjack that you don’t, so you just have to come back and listen to the story and see.

ME: Alright. So, tell me, what do you mean by “summer of the rose”?

ANNA: “Oh, well, that’s the whole romantic part of the story. Most of us have some kind of interesting story of how we met our true love. The rose plays an important part of my story. But then, I can’t tell you much more than that, you see. It would spoil the story. So, just come on back sometime and I’ll tell it to you. Well, I’m getting tired. I’m gonna go on back in there and rest a bit. But now, come on back, you hear? Come on back sometime soon, and I’ll sit here and tell you the whole thing. Believe you me. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. But now, just remember, if you mess around here long enough, Lady River out there, she knows you’re here, and she’ll soon come a callin’. If you’re like most folks have been, you won’t be able to ignore her. Everybody around here knows she’ll keep on a callin’ until she gets what she wants out of you.

ME: Well, Anna, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me and answer my questions. I’m sure folks will enjoy your story!

ANNA: Oh, you’re quite welcome! Come on back now, and I’ll tell you all about it! You be careful going back through them woods, now. That old river, she’ll take you on a trip you won’t believe if you mess around her long enough! Bye now, y’all come back!

ME: Good bye, Anna! We’ll be back for more of your stories!

We close that gate for now, and return to the present. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, coming soon, titled, “Scent of the Rose”. But don’t let “Anna” fool you. She’s just getting started!

Interested in reading more? Preview & purchase the book here!

And now, here is the movie trailer for the movie that was the inspiration for the “Secrets of Rose River”  Time Travel Trilogy. Adapted from a children’s book by Natalie Babbit, it is a lovely little story that I found enjoyable. My son, Joshua, got me onto the movie, and I guess you could say it is one of those you could watch again and again and never get tired of. So here you go, enjoy!

Again, I have already started book 2 in the series, “Scent of the Rose”, which will be coming in the near future, but right now, I am still playing catch up, as my husband and I have had a lot going on, plus I am also a grandma to my awesome grandsons. Also, I am in the planning stages of some neat stuff for you to include here on the website for download in the near future, so check back, and be sure to subscribe to my email so you don’t miss out! As always, thanks for stopping by!

If you know anyone who would find this interesting, please share!

Flossie Stewart, Author: Books Now a Part of JCC Library!

Every author has to start out small and work their way up. No doubt, many great authors who have achieved success started out small. Here are some examples.

With that said, I suppose I should not let it get to me that my latest two book readings have been less of a success than I would have liked them to be. Actually my first one, which was at the Breezeway Cafe’, next to the Dunn Library, had a fairly good turn out. I actually had a teacher who asked me if I would be interested in coming to read for his students. My books are also now a part of the Dunn Library, although I was in the process of redoing the covers at that time, so I still am intending to get them new updated copies.

As for the one at the Mary Duncan Public Library in Benson, it being cold and pouring rain had a lot to do with it. As for the one at the Johnston Community College Library, I suppose the laugh is on me here, as you would think that as a 2008 graduate of JCC, I would have realized that after 12:00 – 12:30, most of the students are out of class and heading off to lunch, work or home. So, of course, not one person showed up. But I still have to say, hats off to the ladies at the library, Leander Croker and Jaxie Bryan, who made me feel right at home, and also purchased my books for addition to the library!

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With Leander Croker (L) and Jaxie Bryan (R) at Johnston Community College Library

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With Jaxie Bryan, receiving my books for addition to the JCC Library! (Sorry, this one’s a little blurry.)

Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind
My first book, Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind, available on Amazon and B & N online.
My latest, first in the "Enchanted River of the Rose" series, now available in Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B & N) versions for $2.99
My latest, first in the “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, now available in Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B & N) versions for $2.99
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Believe in yourself and you will be on the “write path”, as the banner behind me says.

If there is one thing I have learned, it is that in most instances where things have not turned out the way I had planned, I have tended to have bad timing. At any rate, we live and learn. Meanwhile, you can bet that in future events and gatherings at my Alma Mater, where there is likely to be a good crowd of students present, or anywhere there is an opportunity to be an inspiration, yours truly will be there, with copies of my books available. After all, one of my main goals is to encourage others, especially other students, that there are always opportunities to use your skills and abilities, if you only believe in yourself. Walt Disney himself said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them”.

My youngest daughter graduated high school in 2010 and has also attended JCC. She is currently working on her transfer degree, as is my eldest, my son (at Fayetteville Tech). My middle child recently completed her Associates through an online college and both of my daughters are working hard towards their goals, in addition to being excellent mothers to my grandsons. For my youngest daughter, for her 2010 high school graduation, I was able to use my skills from my training in Office Systems Technology to make her graduation announcements myself, which actually came out very nice. The quote I put on the back? “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

With that said, I am proud to be an alumna of Johnston Community College. A lot has happened since I walked across that stage, some of it good, some of it not so good, but I have learned from it. I have taken the lessons life has taught me and kept moving forward, and I’ve taken my skills I gained from my time at JCC and put them to use in whatever way I could. That is what has carried me to where I am now. After all, like the many other “Indie Authors” like myself out there, we can only hope that perhaps one day, we will take our place in the “Authors’ Hall of Fame”, along with the others who started out small. For now, if I look at this experience in the positive light, I know what to do differently in the future. That and the fact that in that light, it was a milestone on my path, seeing my books become a part of the selections at the JCC Library! From that viewpoint, I walk away a winner!

So, I will simply learn from my mistakes, and keep moving forward. I will keep on using the things life and experience teach me, and if there is an opportunity for me to be an inspiration to someone else, then I will take it and run with it. It is then, that I will be on the “write path”! Believe in yourself, and never give up on your dreams. You never know, a future best seller may be trapped inside you! What ever your talent is, give it all you’ve got. Decide you are going to make it happen, and never settle for anything less! And yes, that is my tassel hanging off of the rear view mirror of our car!

All of my best to you,

Flossie Stewart, Author, JCC Class of 2008

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Upcoming Event: Wednesday, March 18th at Johnston Community College!

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Author Event at Johnston Community College

Wednesday, March 18th

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

In the Library’s North Carolina Room,

I will be holding a book reading, along with an insightful talk on my reading inspirations, and question and answer session,

AND

I will have a few of my books handy! I have a few with the new covers, and some with the old ones.

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If you would like to come, but are not sure of where the college is, here is the address:

Learning Resource Building (LRC) Building E
Johnston Community College
245 College Road
PO Box 2350
Smithfield, NC 27577

919-464-2251

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I know, I meant to post this much sooner, but I have had a lot going on lately, sorry for that. But I am just posting it here now, for any of my local friends who would like to join us, you are most certainly welcome to come! The picture above is not very good, since I had to take it off my computer screen, but is a copy of the poster they are using to advertise for the event around the college, with the exception of the fact that I changed the pics of my books to the new covers I have just designed. So, consider this an invite! Feel free to reblog this or share it!

I hope to see you there!