Fabulous Friday Feature-Gayle Roper

Today I welcome a kind and giving author who is happy to share her experiences to help new writers: Gayle Roper. 

Enter to win an autographed copy of 
Gayle Roper's book Summer Shadows see below

In 2011 I attended my first big writer's conference. I must admit, I felt pretty nervous. Someone suggested I use my appointment times to speak with a mentor. I did. 

I spoke with Gayle Roper. A wise and gracious lady who never bragged about her credits, but used the time to help me take the next step in my writing career. As a matter of fact, I didn't know about all her writing achievements until doing the research for today's post, be sure to check out her bio at the end.

Gayle had quite an adventure last year. She tells how God led her on her journey. 

200 Days of Wandering . . .

Wondering Why God Picked This Journey For Me

What do you do when your house sells seven months before your new place is finished? You move around a bunch and pray the beds won’t kill your back before you return to your own Sleep Number bed.

At the end of last May, I stood in my bedroom and tried to decide what clothes I’d need for the next seven months, including those I’d need for 2 writers conferences and the evening gown for the ACFW Awards Dinner. I went to Walmart and bought containers into which I packed the items I chose to keep with me and stuffed my selected treasures into the back of my tiny CRV.

The next morning, I hit the road. First stop: the Jersey shore. I sat on my rented porch and watched the ocean every day for four weeks. Very therapeutic after the loss of my home of many years (I can’t tell you how many. It’d make me sound old.).

God took me on a whirlwind trip to Canada, Texas, California, Florida, Kansas with periodic stops at the motel in my Pennsylvania town. I’m now an elite level patron at Marriott. The Pièce de résistance:  four days at Disney World, staying at the Grand Floridian, a bucket list type thing.

photo taken by Gayle Roper

My journey ended as I stepped over the threshold to my new house. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful it was to sink into my Sleep Number 35 bed my first night in my new home. Now if I could just figure out my window treatments, I’d be a happy woman.

People ask me if I’m going to write about my traveling adventures. My answer: I don’t know. I’d need a story to go with the various places I visited. I’ve already done five books set at the Jersey shore in my fictitious town of Seaside (Spring Rain, Summer Shadows, Autumn Dreams, Winter Winds and Shadows on the Sand), but they took place in only one setting. I visited seven places on my adventure, counting my motel stops in Pennsylvania.

Should I write a mystery where the clues take the heroine from locale to locale, finishing with a great chase through Disney World as Mickey’s Christmas Parade passes by? 

How about a road trip of three girlfriends who find out secrets about each other that test their friendship and faith and bring them to a tearful hug as Tinkerbelle flies on her wire from Cinderella’s icicle-covered castle to wherever it is she lands? 

Or maybe I should try an invitation to seven people in seven locales to come to the Grand Floridian for a special event that of course turns sinister as the monorail goes off its track on its way to the Magic Kingdom, plunging everyone into catastrophe and confusion.

The beauty of both adventures and stories is that they aren’t predictable. So for the moment I’m shrugging my shoulders about what to do with the tales of my 200 days of wandering. But I do know that I had a great time, and isn’t that enough sometimes?

Gayle is the award winning author of more than forty books.   She has been a Christy finalist three times for her novels Spring Rain, Summer Shadows, and Winter Winds.

Her novel Autumn Dreams won the prestigious Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance.Summer Shadows was voted the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Book of the Year (tied with fellow author Brandilyn Collins).

Gayle has won the Holt Medallion three times for The Decision,Caught in a Bind, and Autumn Dreams. The Decision won the Reviewers Choice Award, and Gayle has also won the Award of Excellence for Spring Rain and the Golden Quill for Summer Shadows and Winter Winds. Romantic Times Book Report gave Gayle the Lifetime Achievement Award.

To enter the contest for an autographed copy of Gayle's book, Summer Shadows leave a comment and become a follower of this site if you aren't already. Include email address in your comment. U.S. residents only. Winner announced next week.

Thank you, Gayle Roper for Joining us This Weekend!

Reader, God has led all of us on unexpected journeys, some short, some long. How has your unexpected journey helped your walk with Christ? 

You can find Gayle at her  website, Facebook