Wow, so much has happened last week/will be happening this week that I'm going to be posting a couple times this week. For today, because it's Monday, because it's been a while, and because I'm much better at posting these moments on Instagram and Facebook than keeping my blog updated, here's a 7 Things summary of what's been going on.

What happened when my book was captured by pirates. Turns out, it's a lot more fun when it's in fiction than when it happens to your fiction...

This week, I have been resetting physically and mentally, including my current writing project. Plus, a quick knitting update.

Announcing the cover for my new book, Finding Heaven. (In case you missed the newsletter announcement.) Plus CSA and other resources.

A dream you don't put efforts toward is a wish. Are you working toward your dream today?

Translating imaginary people into the real world can require quite a bit of research. My hope is that while I entertain, my story makes a difference. My current novel is set in San Francisco, Edmonton, and Mumbai. Here's a sneak preview...

As a reader, I always thought that the ending was the goal. And it is. But it never occurred to me that it was the well-written middle that actually got me there as inevitably as a cart on a roller coaster track.

If only life had someone writing me out of my "swampy middles."

I am a strong believer in being the best person you can be. Not in some humanist, "you-aren't-living-unless-you-achieve-your-full-potential" way. But in an "I'm-grateful-for-the-person-I-am" way.

Are you grateful for the talents you have?

Can we look backward and move forward at the same time?

One cold winter's night in 2013, I was sewing myself a summer dress (because that is completely logical, right?), and for the first time ever, I used the couture technique of setting my zipper in by hand.

And as I sat and hand-stitched my zipper, I wondered what might inspire someone to self-teach themselves to be a top-level designer.

How long would that take? And why would they do it?

Thus, the spark of an idea for The Friday Night Date Dress was born.

I am so thankful that bad days--and bad weeks--are temporary.

I haven't read a ton of "Christian fantasy" books, but I have read some. And I always wonder afterwards if the real God of the Universe would behave as the author imagined he would. And I wonder if I really have the right while "playing God" with my own characters to cast the real God as one of them.

Let's re-imagine a key scene from the gospels together, shall we?

The gathered crowd shouted in a frenzy of righteous indignation. Shouts of "stone her" and "kill the b__" rose into a cacophonic haze of hatred that all centred on the one young woman, barely clothed, who trembled in terror on the rough ground at their centre.

The Teacher started making his way through the crowd, and when men and women saw the look on his face, they fell back from his path in silence, wondering what he was going to do.

The woman squinted up at him, too, wondering what new terror was upon her.

I am getting so excited about my upcoming book! Last week, my editor (Lora) contacted me with a super deal to help get my book formatted for print and eBook. I would have been an idiot to turn her down. So starting this weekend, my book will be getting formatted--and I can still work on my taxes! (Not sure if I'm excited about that last part, or not.)

Here is a teaser excerpt from the first chapter to whet your appetite: