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Fabulous Friday Feature-Brenda Minton



Today we welcome author: 
Brenda Minton


To win a copy
of Brenda's new release:
A Rancher for Christmas

Scroll to the end of the post 
to see how to get your copy.



What amazed me the most about Brenda was her four books published by Love Inspired in 2014. A lot of writers can boast they had a book published in 2014 but not many can say they had 4 published by one publisher in one year. Amazing! To me, this says she has great stories that readers have enjoyed and the publisher knows it. I asked Brenda to share how God has led her on her writing journey. Here is what she said:


On Being Content


When I started writing, I had no idea where the journey or God would lead me. I did have plenty of my own ideas. I researched publishers. I studied the books I enjoyed. I found other authors to socialize with and learn from. And I found that God had a plan. A very distinct plan. I found that no amount of kicking doors on my part would make things happen any differently than they were intended to be.

Because God had a plan.

For eight very long years I wrote, I submitted, I got rejected. I learned. I grew. I continued to push on toward the goal. My first agent, Janet Benrey, always reminded me: Onward and upward.

I have likened the writing journey, in its worst moments, to cooking spaghetti-by tossing it at the wall to see what would stick. My uncle once told me if it sticks, its done. But in my desire to get published, I wasn't always waiting for it to be done, or God's timing.

For a while I gave up what I wanted to write and did what others thought I should do. I gave up what I wanted to write what the market said I should do. In the end I took a deep breath and went back to what was in my heart. When I settled down, took that deep breath, and stopped trying to kick down doors, God opened the door for me.

Every now and then I will have someone ask why I don't write something else, or for another publisher. Those questions can sow seeds of discontentment. When that happens, I have to remind myself that this is the door God opened for me. He has blessed me in this journey. He's given me wonderful readers, a great team of editors and stories that I love to write in a genre I love.

When God opens the door, don't spend your time wanting something else, a different journey, or something you think might be better. Be content. 


I think that is good advice for all of us, not just when writing books, but in life. Be content.

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



Brenda Minton grew up on a farm in the Missouri Ozarks where she had plenty of time to read books, imagine stories and dream. And one of the things she dreamed of on long bus rides to and from school was to be an author. The dream, planted in her heart, never went away. She took out on the journey and didn't give up. Now she lives a crazy busy life as a pastor's wife, mom to three kids, foster mom to three, dog trainer to four untrainable dogs, circus performer (not really, but her home does feel like a circus) and author of over two dozen books for Harlequin Love Inspired.



Connect with Brenda at: 
Twitter: @Brendaminton
her website: www.brendaminton.net

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



Martin's Crossing: In this small Texas town, every heart finds a home.


Raised on the run, free-spirited Breezy Hernandez has never stayed in one place too long. But now that she has joint custody of her late brother's twin daughters, she's determined to give them a stable home. Even if it means cooperating with the twins' bossy uncle. Texas rancher Jake Martin learned the hard way that women can't be trusted. But as he and Breezy care for the orphaned girls, Jake begins to open his heart. Is Breezy ready to put down roots in Martin's Crossing, or will she run from the one thing she's always wanted: a family?



Brenda Minton's other 2014 releases are:
Click here to view His Montana Bride 9/14 release
Click here to view Single Dad Cowboy 5/14 release
Click here to view The Cowboy's Reunited Family 1/14 release


To enter the contest for a copy of 
Brenda Minton's  new release: 
"A Rancher for Christmas"
leave a comment (and email address)
AND become a follower of this site, 
OR sign up to receive posts by email
if you aren't already.

Sorry, U.S. only

Winner announced on my facebook page.


Thank you, Brenda, for Joining us This Weekend!


We love chatting with you and are looking forward to reading your comments and questions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Don't forget to comment!

Comments

Angie Quantrell said…
What a great story of God's perfect timing! Love it. I am on my own path of His timing. Patience, patience, patience, I tell myself. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas!
Hi Angie!
Seriously, that patience situation can be tough to endure, but in the end...amazing results. God's blessings on you. Thanks for stopping by today.
Merry Christmas.
Unknown said…
I love reading Christmas books during the Holidays.
oh.hello.hiya@gmail.com
Susan Johnson said…
I love Christmas stories AND I love books set in Texas. Win, win. This sounds like a great book.
susanmsj at msn dot com
I love this quote and I plan to keep it close by: "When God opens the door, don't spend your time wanting something else, a different journey, or something you think might be better. Be content." Great words of advice and I appreciate you sharing it.
Merry Christmas!
Connie
cps1950@gmail.com
I totally agree, Danie. With a cup of hot chocolate, that is.
Hi Susan!
So nice to see you! So you like Christmas stories in Texas? Which one is your favorite?
Connie,
I totally agree. And I think it strikes me big because I spend so much time wondering if the open door is the one I should really go through. Sheesh....maybe a hammer would convince me?
Merry Christmas! So glad you visited with us today.
Jennifer said…
I so enjoy a good Christmas story about God's perfect timing in our lives. Even I don't see it that way. Merry Christmas ladies!
jennydtipton at gmail dot com
Anonymous said…
Hello to Mari and to Brenda. Brenda you are a new author to me but I love the cover of this book. And I love it has to do with twin orphans. I would love to win it and have my first book by you. Mary thanks for having Brenda here. I am a follower of yours already. Please put my name in for a chance to win.
Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
Merry Christmas, Jennifer!
Thanks for stopping by. I think we all have difficulty seeing God's perfect timing, the hows and whys of things. Good thing He is in charge, eh?
Well now Maxie I haven't seen you in so long. I am overjoyed you're here today. A story about twin orphans does sound really intriguing, probably mischief and fun. I definitely have you name in the drawing.
Merry Christmas!

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