Thoughtful Thursdays

Musings on faith, family, & fiction

Who Have You Invited?
Who—or what—fuels you in your work, your beliefs, your mission? My husband subscribes to the blog of Seth Godin, a leading marketer who always has such wonderful insights...not only as to how to get the work of our hands and hearts before the world, but which can...
Come, Holy Spirit
My parish has three churches, each with a different history. There's St. Mary's, which was the Italian church. St. Patrick's, which was (surprise, surprise, LOL) the Irish church. And Sts. Peter and Paul, which was the German church. I imagine back in the day, one...
The Me I See
The image I see when I look in the mirror has only rarely matched the image I carry of myself in my mind. I imagine we're all like that. There are those who see fat or skinny when the world disagrees with them. There are those see young or old, fit or flabby, pretty...
Royally Inspired Writing Contest!
Royally Inspired Tournament The First Annual WhiteCrown Princess Moments Contest   Hear ye, hear ye! You’re invited to don your writer’s armor and prove your mettle in a battle to the death…er…publication!  What Is the Royally Inspired Tournament? In this...

Though a novelist by trade, one of the trademarks of my books is the spiritual depth and exploration I includes as my characters work through what it really means to walk out their faith. Faith, in fact, is one of the things I like to ponder most. In these once-a-week articles, I gets thoughtful at the crossroads of faith, family, and fiction.

Thoughtful About . . . Battling the Beast

Every now and then, I get tired. I get overwhelmed. I get bogged down with particulars, with comparisons, with frustrations. And that's when the beast rears its ugly head. Insecurity. We all know it, right? It's that voice that whispers in the back of our minds,...

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Thoughtful About . . . My Latest Brilliant Idea

Actually, my hubby and I had this brilliant idea years ago, but we only ever remembered it when it was too late to implement for Christmas. Not so this year! Curious yet? Biting your nails in suspense? Only, I suspect, if you're not on any lists or loops with me--if...

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Thoughtful About . . . My Week

Thoughtful About . . . My Week

First, today's my best friend Stephanie Morrill's birthday, so all you mutual acquaintances should go wish her a happy 27th. =) Now as to my oh-so-broad topic for the day. It's been a busy week. Last Saturday was Xoe's 5th birthday, which of course means that last...

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Thoughtful About . . . Growing Up

So on Saturday, my first baby turns 5. This feels pretty landmark to me. Five means school (yes, we've been doing that for two months already, but it still felt ahead of the game). Five means a more focused attention span. Five means endless coloring and playing with...

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Thoughtful About . . . Seasons, Holidays, and Halloween

(First, a sidenote--I'm featured today at Stepping Stones Magazine for Readers, so go check out the letter I wrote you!) Now that I have a school-age kiddo, I've found that an awful lot of focus in our house in on the season and holidays coming up. Kind of amazing how...

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Thoughtful About . . . Taking That Leap

I'm a by-the-books person. Can you tell that about me from blog posts? I mean, I can't help it. I just love books so, so much. 😉 Okay, so I imagine it's more that following rules is ingrained so deeply within me . . . other than a few minor rebellions when the rules...

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Thoughtful About . . . Substitute Teachers

Is that a random enough title for you? =) Yesterday as Xoe and I were doing our math lesson, Rowyn came in needing help with something. I asked Xoe to finish the exercise she was working on while I followed Rowyn out to see what he needed. I came back in two minutes...

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Thoughtful About . . . Promises

You know one thing I love about the Bible? You can't open it up without finding God's promises and encouragement. You can't read about despair without hope chasing on its heels. As everyone returned from the ACFW conference this week, I was smacked with a few moments...

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Thoughtful About . . . A Cool New Site

So, there's an awesome new site debuting in October, and as an official sponsor (well, the Christian Review of Books is), I feel the need to let y'all know about it. Cuz it is cool.Clash of the Titles (www.ClashoftheTitles.com) is a place "Where authors battle and...

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Thoughtful About . . . Spider Drama

I can think of nothing else to talk about yet, so y'all are going to get the story of my last evening.Okay, so let's set the stage. Xoe (she's 4, almost 5 for those of you who don't know), fell asleep on the couch yesterday afternoon. This inevitably means she has...

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Thoughtful About . . . Limits

Last weekend, we had dinner down at my grandparents' farm. It's nestled in a bend of the Potomac River, a little outcropping of West Virginia completely surrounded by Maryland. Mountains rise up all around their couple-hundred-acres of relative flatland, creating a...

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Thoughtful About . . . Photo Shoots

I intended to wax philosophical and thoughtful this morning--not that I knew what I was going to be all brilliant about, but I figured I was due for some profound thoughts. 😉 Then I thought maybe I'd mention my friend Kimberly who's coming up this weekend, perhaps...

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Thoughtful About . . . How Did I Miss That??

I just realized that my one-year anniversary of this blog passed at the end of July without me paying a lick of attention. The nerve! Why, I oughta break up with me for such an oversight . . . ;-)Yesterday I realized I'd crested the 300 post mark and thought, "Wow, my...

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Thoughtful About . . . Salvation

I remember thinking, sometime between ages 12 and 14, that I could never write a story that took place before Christ. Or which dealt with people after Christ who never heard his message. "I just couldn't do it," I recall thinking. "I'd be wondering about their...

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Thoughtful About . . . Whatever

For the past month or so, I have been in the "Whatever" stage when it comes to publishing. This isn't a negative place, though it might sound like it, given the name. But that's an abbreviation. Really, it's the "Whatever You Want for Me, Lord" stage.See, the industry...

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Thoughtful About . . . Getting Away

Don't forget you have a chance to win Stray Drop at www.ShannonVannatter.com! The last time my family took a vacation was September '08, when Rowyn was 7 months old. Last summer we just couldn't take the time--and this summer we expected to be crammed full of travel...

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Thoughtful About . . . Prayer in the Headlines

Yesterday, while the rest of the country's newspapers probably had headlines about Russian spies, oil spills, or presidents, the Cumberland Times-News dedicated its front page to prayer. Oh, it might not have known that's what it was doing. But we did.See, the front...

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Remember When . . . The Post Had Wings–er, Hooves?

"Whatever the condition--be it snowing, raining, blazing hot, or dark--they never fail to complete their assigned journey in the fastest possible time."Post Office motto? Well, not the one you're thinking. That's actually what Herodotus says of the Persian post...

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Thoughtful About . . . Sharing and School

Thoughtful About . . . Sharing and School

A couple weeks ago in one my daughter's Famous Fits of Four-Year-Old Frustration, she tossed out that she hates being alone in her room (and tacked on that I don't care because I'm mean). Which made a strange idea click into me head. Me, the queen of One Child Per...

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Thoughtful About . . . Wuv, Twue Wuv

Thoughtful About . . . Wuv, Twue Wuv

Nine years ago today, I pledged my heart, body, and future to David. The man I loved since I we were 15, the man I knew with all that was in me was The One. Sometimes, I think he's much more than that.It seemed an appropriate day to muse (not for the first time, I...

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Thoughtful About . . . The Spirit

I'm writing a book right now that's way more spiritually charged, spiritually involved than I imagined it would be. There are a lot of beyond-your-vision battles raging, and that means a lot of Roseanna praying before writing--I so don't want to get this stuff...

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Thoughtful About . . . The ACFW Conference!!

Thoughtful About . . . The ACFW Conference!!

Totally Worth ItAs conference season warms up, I'm tickled to be a stop on the official ACFW Conference Blog Tour. This is the only conference I've had the pleasure of attending thus far, so I can't really compare it to any others out there. But I can share my...

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Thoughtful About . . . The Idyllic

I'm sitting on my back porch. The clock just flipped to 7 a.m., and the air's still cool and scented with honeysuckle. I'm in exercise gear, though I have no intention of exercising--but my aunt passed along a too-cute tank with built in shelf, and it seemed a good...

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Thoughtful About . . . The Right Thing

This may be rambling, so we'll have to see where I go with it--at the moment, I'm not quite sure. There are times in life when we know absolutely what we have to do. Times when the Lord speaks so clearly, guides so strongly that we have no doubts. We recognize His...

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Thoughtful About . . . Confidence and Humility

Giveaway here - Deb Raney's Almost ForeverGiveaway of A Stray Drop of Blood - a special Mother's Day contest at Sunnybank Meandering includes my book and many other awesome prizes. Also, there's a really awesome interview and giveaway to correspond with the ACFW book...

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Thoughtful About . . . Discoveries

Two giveaways - Jennifer Hudson Taylor's Highland Blessings and Ginny Smith's Third Time's a Charm (last day!!).~*~I love history. Have I mentioned that before? And it's not that I just love learning it for its own sake--I mean, that's cool and fun, but I always have...

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Thoughtful About . . . Feelin ‘ It

Giveaway - Last day to enter for Sarah Sundin's A Distant MelodyGiveaway of Stray Drop - at the fabulous Jennifer Taylor's blog~*~First, a funny story. Over the weekend we went to the big St. John's vs. Naval Academy Croquet Tournament . . . yeah, only Johnnies or...

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Thoughtful About . . . News!

Today's the last day to enter to win Jill Williamson's To Darkness Fled!!~*~So it's been an interesting week. As I've considered what would be a good followup to A Stray Drop of Blood, I got an idea for another Biblical Fiction that would be a new twist on the...

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Thoughtful About . . . My Guys

Thoughtful About . . . My Guys

Don't forget the giveaway of Ann Shorey's The Promise of Morning!~*~Today's a pretty cool day in my history. It's my husband's and mine dating anniversary--twelve years that we've been together! Woo hoo! I was 15 when he became my boyfriend, and we've been going...

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Thoughtful About . . . Building Character(s)

Today's the last day to enter my giveaway of Meander Scar and Carman's giveaway of A Stray Drop of Blood. Still have time on The Character Therapist's of Stray Drop, though!~*~So I've been thinking about characters lately. Probably because all of the new reviews have...

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Thoughtful About . . . Lessons Learned in the Laundry Room

Today's the last day to enter to win Once in a Blue Moon!~*~I never thought I'd sink so low as to write about laundry, but there you have it. I'm writing about laundry. Perhaps this wouldn't be odd for some, but I hate doing laundry. Even more than I hate doing...

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Thoughtful About . . . Other People’s Opinions

Thoughtful About . . . Other People’s Opinions

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for Love's Winding Path that posted on Tuesday, or the one for Amanda Cabot's Scattered Petals from Friday--last day for that one. And for those who are eager for a copy of A Stray Drop of Blood, today's your last chance to enter the...

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Thoughtful About . . . Sales

Few things--today's the last day to enter the giveaway for Never Far from Home, but you still have a few days to enter the giveaway for Liberty's Promise. Also, for those of you still awaiting a copy of A Stray Drop of Blood, there's a giveaway up today at Michelle...

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Thoughtful About . . . Friends

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for The Big 5-Oh! ~*~ Have you ever paused to take account of your friends? Tried to categorize them? Mentally nudged a particular person from one category to the next? How do you rate them/think of them/judge them? Do you have...

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Thoughtful About . . . Bartok the Jeep

Again, TWO giveaways to remind you of! First is Friday's of Deliver Us from Evil by Robin Caroll (romantic suspense), and then Tuesday's of The Stones by Eleanor Gustafson (Biblical Fiction).And while I'm reminding, don't forget to check out giveaways of A Stray Drop...

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Thoughtful About . . . Silence–and Birthdays

First, the announcements. Don't forget my giveaway of Christa's Walking on Broken Glass, and swing over to Sunnybank Meanderings for a really neat giveaway of A Stray Drop of Blood Plus. (The plus includes Companion Guide, bookmark, chamomile, lip balm, and recipe...

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Thoughtful About . . . Rejections

Today's the last day to enter the giveaway for A Lady Like Sarah, so hop down and leave a comment!~*~Yesterday morning, I received what every author dreads: a rejection. And this isn't your run-of-the-mill, "Thanks, but after reading the proposal, it's not what we're...

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Thoughtful About . . . An E-World

Don't forget that today's the last day to enter the giveaway for Wind of the Spirit! ~*~ It strikes me at least once a week that my world is pretty much wrapped up in the internet. Especially when I get to church and someone says something about talking to strangers...

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Thoughtful About . . . Stray Mittens

(Real quick--today's your last day to enter the giveaway for Golden's A Prisoner of Versailles before I draw the winner tonight!) I know, I know. You look at the title to this post and think I'm going to talk about my kids' propensity to lose one of each and every set...

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Thoughtful About . . . Organizing

Hello, my name is Roseanna, and I am disorganized.That's right, I confess it. The dishes sometimes sit on the counter for a day or so. The toys lay scattered on the floor. And I flip out every day at four o'clock when I realize that yet again I have to make dinner,...

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Thoughtful About . . . Book Lovers

I will never forget my shock. There I sat, an innocent, in the admissions office at my college. All around me were the usual people that made up my day--the admissions counselors, the office manager, the director and associate director. We were minding our own...

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Thoughtful About . . . What’s Been and What’s Coming

Well, here we are on the last day of 2009. Kinda hard to believe, isn't it? In a lot of ways, it's been a busy year. And in some ways, I feel like I got nothing done.What have I accomplished this year? Well, I've met my goal for books produced (though I didn't set a...

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Thoughtful About . . . Christmas Memories

I decided to post today solely that I could copy my friend's idea from her blog yesterday and chat about some of my favorite Christmas things. =)I have so many fabulous memories surrounding the holidays, but one of my favorites is from the first year my grandmother...

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Thoughtful About . . . Who I Am

I had the pleasure of spending last weekend with some of my dearest friends. It's kind of funny. When I'm with both of them at the same time, it inevitably makes me think about who I am as compared to who they are. For all the things we have in common, there are so...

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Thoughtful About . . . Anticlimaxes

Well, there I was. Fully aware that the calender had flipped to my release date. Fully aware that I would never have a release date for this book again (I mean, I already got two--that's more than most people get, LOL). Fully aware that if I didn't somehow pour some...

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Thoughtful About . . . Gee, Take a Guess!

I imagine 99% of blogs today are going to talk about Thanksgiving in some form or another. I toyed with the idea of taking a holiday from blogging, but I'd actually like to sit back and muse about the day. We'll see if anyone reads it, LOL.This year, I have so much to...

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Thoughtful About . . . MY COVER!

Thoughtful About . . . MY COVER!

Drum roll, please . . . Though this is only a proof, and there's one mistake that's been fixed (dare ya to find it, LOL), here it is. The full cover of A Stray Drop of Blood. Since it's hard to read the text in this size, here's what it says: The endorsement on the...

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Thoughtful About . . . Gearing Up

Thoughtful About . . . Gearing Up

With the official release of A Stray Drop of Blood only two and a half weeks out, I'm getting pretty darn anxious and excited. And it occurs to me that I have lots of stuff to announce to my three faithful readers! ;-)First, Stray Drop is available for pre-order at...

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