Girls Write Out
Tuesday, November 15, 2011


Lisa has been a longtime friend and participant here on Girls Write Out. We've all cheered her on with her own writing efforts and no one could be more thrilled for her than we are because Lisa's first book is coming out! Whoohoo! We're sooo proud of you, Lisa!

Here's Lisa's bio: Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories that feature both comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired, followed by her second novel, Lakeside Family, in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for twenty-two years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn’t writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com to learn more about her writing.

Now here's Lisa!

Directionally Challenged

Four years ago, I drove our oldest son to Boy Scout camp about two hours from our home. He spent his summer working as a lifeguard and swimming instructor.

Hubby usually drove, but he had to work, so my sister agreed to go with me. Two directionally-challenged adults are better than one, I say.

Common sense would’ve dictated that I should’ve paid closer attention when Hubby drove, but the trip was long and boring with windy roads and miles upon miles of trees. Rural? Oh, my, yes! Instead of noting directions, I kept my nose buried in a good book.

Before we left, Hubby rattled off directions faster than an auctioneer, but being the visual person that I am, I needed something to look at, so I printed out the route from Mapquest—no, I didn’t have GPS. By the way, don’t click the shortest distance box. Always go for shortest time.

According to the commandos at Mapquest, I needed to turn right onto Fire Tower Road. Okay, no problem. We’re three miles from camp with time to spare. I had this trip in the bag. Nothing to worry about.

Except Fire Tower Road is an impassible logging road with ruts that rivaled the Grand Canyon. Road was a definitely a tongue in cheek term for this donkey path.

Determined to get my son to camp, I pressed on even though there was no way this could be the right road. Continuing to follow the mapped route, I took the first left, as directed. No road. Instead, there was a gate across an even narrower impassible footpath.

Frustrated and angry, I called my husband at work. He told me how to get to camp from where we were located. Less than three miles, but it took me over an hour to go that short distance. Not to mention the paint damage my car received from that nasty little jaunt.

My boys like to poke fun at their directionally-challenged mother, but you know what? They’re right. Yes, I’m sometimes directionally-challenged trying to get from Point A to Point B, but I can be directionally-challenged by sitting at my computer while writing too. If my characters lack defined motivation, they wander all over the place. If I receive feedback from too many sources, my story voice gets lost as I try to please everyone else.

For clarity about my writing, I need to stop and focus on God’s direction. Instead of poking our noses in the proverbial books in life, we need to look up from our current chapters and pay attention to the routes we’re taking. Taking shortcuts in our spiritual and writing lives leads us down rutted, bumpy roads that can cause damage, if we’re not careful. When we trust in Him and focus on His Word, He will make our paths straight.
~*~

Lakeside Reunion: Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won’t run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he’s still able to stir up Lindsey’s old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he’ll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again. Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion here.

I’m holding a scavenger hunt and lakeside photo contest to promote my Lakeside Reunion release. Plus, blog commenters on my blog hop will be put in a drawing for fun prizes—breakfast basket, Love Inspired Authors basket, autographed copies of Lakeside Reunion. Visit my Lakeside Reunion Contest page for more information.

The token for this blog is a road map. Join in!





Labels: ,

Colleen Coble  
posted at 6:00 AM  
  Comments (6)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
6 Comments:
At 10:44 AM, Blogger Denise Hunter said...

Great to have you here, Lisa! Your book sounds great!

 
At 11:44 AM, Blogger Timothy Fish said...

It just struck me how ironic it is that someone would get lost on the way to Boy Scout camp.

 
At 9:07 AM, Blogger Suzanne said...

Congrats Lisa!!

 
At 12:44 AM, Blogger Embrace said...

Lisa, I read the preview chapter and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I will need to go find it so I can finish;)
Thanks for sharing from your heart. I am a mess with directions too. Where I live people like to give directions like the 'it's the house past the cow pasture lined with old fence post, turn at the second laneway with three trees and past the red barn. You can't miss it!'
I'm lost already!

 
At 9:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

:D This post reminds me of my dad. When I was a kid, I had to go for speech therapy in the city. Every time we went up to the city, we would get lost. :P

I read the preview chapter. The book sounds good! I would enter the contest if it is open to internationals.... sharing this with my friends so that they can check it out.

 
At 9:43 AM, Blogger Diann Hunt said...

Whoohoo! Great to have you join us, Lisa! Congrats on the book--it sounds wonderful!

 

Post a Comment

<< Home



The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
Subscribe
Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz