The Storyteller | Mary Vee

I connected with a gifted critique group through the American Christian Fiction Writers Association years ago. I credit them with teaching me the bulk of what I know about writing. Accuracy. Clarity. Compelling. Interesting. Stories. Dave Arp is one of those amazing author/critique members in my group. He writes mystery suspense. His specialty is telling believable stories. He does this by taking pieces from his life experiences and weaving them into fast-paced, page-turning, riveting suspense stories.   Dave's work has been recognized by Agent Terry Burns and Pelican Book Group. The result is his new release: ORB Just so you know, Dave did not ask me to do this post to promote his new book. I offered because as a reader, I felt ORB was that good! Without further ado, let me introduce Dave Arp. David has spent the past 35 years in the oil industry, drilling wells offshore and onshore, from Texas to Asia to the Middle East.  His thirst for storyt...

Marksburg Castle, Rhine River Photo by Mary Vee Last week, a friend of mine mourned on the anniversary her brother took his life. He was in pain. Physical pain. Emotional pain. And chose to solve the problem.  He was young. A teen. So much yet for him to live. So much to look forward to. But he didn't see it. Or Feel It. What he felt was pain. If only he truly understood how much his family loved him. How much they would sacrifice to help him...if they had only known his thoughts, the moment before the decision. A very different story happened this weekend, A weight lifter heard a crash outside his gym as.he turned off the lights for the night. He opened the door. Two cars had collided near his business. One man lay trapped against a signpost and under the weight of his car. Four people pushed, endeavoring to lift the vehicle and free the man, but the SUV weighed too much.  The weight lifter rushed to the scene wanting to help. He reached through the broke...

Friends - Photo by Mary Vee Island of Bolero, Venice, Italy Thanksgiving week blessings. Hubby walks out to his car dressed for work and lunch in hand. He happens to look down at the front tire, something I wouldn't do, and walks back to the house. The tire is flat. This morning, he fills the tire with air and nurses it up to the tire store. Across the street is one of those hometown restaurants with basic food, servers with pads of paper and pencils, and unlimited gut rot coffee. "So, yah wanna get breakfast?" He asks me. How could I refuse? Two hours later the car disappears into the shop. Although Hubby devoured southern style biscuits and gravy et all the trimmings, he is nervous he won't have the car in time to leave for work. We walk across the road, yes we paid the bill plus tip, and walk inside the tire store. Before hubby can ask, the tire guy grabs keys off his counter walks them to my hubby and says, "Everything is taken care of."...

There comes a time when each of us have been able to stand up on a box and shine. You may think you are not one, but, if you give me a moment to help you, I think you will agree that you too have had such a time. Maybe more than once, I hope so. A time to shine, to beam from the depths of your heart. It doesn't have to be epic to encourage us. To warm our heart. I think of a small child who comes to an adult with an object or picture. Their eyes are wide and waiting to see the response. A smile fills their face. Their skin may add color. They are so proud of what they've done and are hopeful...so very hopeful to receive recognition. Encouragement. Support. Pleasure. This is an epic moment. I think of a teen who has received the recognition they have longed for. Perhaps the unexpected good grade, being elected for school office, their name remembered by someone they didn't expect would notice them. Something from their family. A neighbor. Affirmation. Encouragement....

Finishing a book takes a whole heap of work. I love using the word heap in settings like this. I heard it used by a Jamaican once and thought it sounded perfect. Any way, I am bound to get today's post out to you before midnight, since it is still Tuesday.  There's a great sense of fulfillment to meeting a huge goal when time is restricted. Mine was to format my manuscript for publication. No it's not finished, but the piece I assigned for today is. Even if it took the entire day minus making dinner and the other daily required duties, I know this, though, I can go to bed happy today's to-do list is finished.  This was not a tedious chore. Well, maybe it was a bit when the computer didn't do what I wanted. There is a lot of give and take, downright compromising when dealing with computers. In the end I won. After more than a year invested, the book is due to be released May 1 in paperback. It will be available in Kindle format as part of a boxed Patriotic no...