Category Archives: Blog

From Dreams to Reality: 3 Questions to get you Started

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Many of us don’t expect a gift to fulfill our dreams or lead to a significant lifestyle change. However, that’s what precisely happened when my husband’s gift (sorry, no spoiler) kindled a shared dream to relocate our family.  

Dreams give us hope; they connect us to goals and potential glimpses of a future yet to be realized. Maybe you’ve always wanted to live in a different state or country, or relocate from town to the country or vise versa. You might adore where you live, but you’d love to spruce up your home. Not all our dreams will come true. Some are passing thoughts. Others stay with us until we take that first step to bring them about … to live them to the fullest. Perhaps you’ve been mulling over a dream for months, or maybe even years because you’re not sure. Here are some helpful questions to ask:

What do I want for our family?

Do we Want to Change our lives?

How can we make it happen?

The answers to these questions helped my husband and me make the decision to move. We missed who we had been as children: country off-springs. We wanted our sons to have the same experiences, so we figured out how to make it happen.

Your dream is important, even if it isn’t to create a rural lifestyle. Working to fulfill a dream ignites purpose and enthusiasm. This is powerful. It can encourage your children, spouse, family, friends, and co-workers.

Be inspired through our experiences and useful tips applicable to most people by preordering Country Perks and Grit today, while it’s discounted! You’ll find a bit of humor, arduous and sometimes scary events, leading to a fulfilling adventure.

Six Steps to Get You through the Waiting Period to Your Dream

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This is the road to my home. It’s mentioned in my upcoming book, which is delayed, possibly until after the holidays!

An alternative word for delay is pause. Somehow it feels less discouraging than Merriam-Webster’s definition: hinder.

Who wants to feel hindered from accomplishing their dream?

Pause; however, offers a breather to wait in rest for God’s perfect timing.

Maybe you’re waiting for a raise. Or a package in the mail. Perhaps it’s a car repair or the birth of a child. Recently, my husband spent many days repairing several waterlines. Rain, huge tree roots, and lack of parts delayed the work. After retrieving a wrench from the garage, he stopped at the wooden bench, where I had gathered a few garden vegetables. With a sigh, he remarked, “This is taking longer than I thought.”

I chuckled. “Try writing a book!”

Waiting is hard no matter what size your dream is or how you hope to accomplish it. We don’t easily accept obstacles or individuals that slow us down.

I confess I had to pray for trust during this unexpected pause in publishing my book. I had to keep reassuring myself that God is in control, that He knows exactly how and when to lift the fog.

The Bible says all we need is the faith of a mustard seed, and honestly, sometimes I don’t even have that much.

There’s a saying among authors that we use to encourage one another. It goes something like this: Take a break from your manuscript. When you pick it up again, you’ll see it through fresh eyes.

This is true of most dreams. Facing a pause is more than a breather. It’s a time of rest and trust. It enables us to embrace personal and spiritual growth, new perspectives, and ignites creative spark.

Here are six ways that are helping me to rest and strengthen my faith while I wait for the Holy Spirit to lift the fog.:

  1. Stop thinking about how hard the waiting is. Focus on the good to come from it.
  2. Learn how to enjoy this time through prayer, praise, and meditation.
  3. Share your gifts; help someone else move forward with their dream.
  4. Challenge yourself to do something new.
  5. Plan for when the fog lifts.
  6. Don’t give up. I repeat: Don’t give up!

“5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)

What do you find helpful while waiting to move forward?

A HUGE Reason to Celebrate

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What a milestone, to celebrate life THIRTY YEARS FREE FROM my first bout with CANCER! In the past, October has been a hard month for me. It’s when I learned I had this dreadful disease, when subsequently, October became laced with more cancer scares.

This year, I feel different . . .

Blessed.

Grateful.

So very GRATEFUL, minus any sadness from past Octobers.

There are so many ways to celebrate. If you’d like to commemorate October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, here are a few ideas how you can help cancer patients:

Sign up for Send a Smile Today with a subscription to send cards to cancer patients, friends or family.

Looking for volunteer opportunities? Here’s a list of cancer-related groups.

Not sure what to say to someone with cancer? Here’s a list of what not to say.

Want to help financially? Check out this list of 30+ charities and organizations.

If you’re a cancer patient or have been, you’re not in it alone. People all over the world are fighting for you.

Common and Unique Pet Names have Value

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What unique pet names have you heard or given to your adorable companions? Naming them is such a joyful moment. It creates a bond between you and your pet, and lets them know they are an important family member. Once they identify with it, it gets their attention and hopefully encourages them to listen to most of your commands. Just like God, when He changed Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17:5 as a sign of His promise to him, we, too, name our pets as a vow to love and care for them.

Names have been significant since the beginning of time. Psalms 147:4 tells us God called all the stars by name. NASA Science Universe Exploration states astronomers estimate the universe could contain up to one septillion stars! Only God could name that many stars. Knowing He did, tells us how important this is.

Some of the most adorable pet names I’ve heard include:

Have you ever named a pet after a favorite food, song, or celebrity? I loved naming the pets in Dress Shop Miracles, especially the unexpected, little white kitten that suddenly entered Molly’s life. I took great thought to connect its name with the main character’s hopes and dreams.

In real life and in my upcoming memoir, you’ll get to know some of my beloved pets by name, characteristics, and adventures. Unfortunately, not all of them made it into my book. Some of those include Betsy, Brutus, Whitey, Princess, Bobo, Poopsie, Bow, Tiger, and Francine. I bet you can’t guess what breed each is. I’ll give you a hint. They’re not all canine or feline.

Coming back to my question, I’d love to know what unique names you’ve heard or given to your adorable pets, fur babies or otherwise? If there’s a special story attached, I loved to read about it too.

The Nativity

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The Nativity

by Dianne Marie Andre

Mary, mother of Jesus. My heart can barely grasp what an extraordinary woman she must have been to be chosen the mother of the world’s Savior. I imagine her perfect, without sin. Though this is unlikely, God blessed her above all women. Yet His path for Mary wasn’t easy. To avoid disgrace as an unwed mother, God instructed her fiancée to marry her and to travel together from Nazareth to safety in Bethlehem.

The young couple trekked on unpaved trails for four days along flatlands and over hills, possibly in freezing temperatures. When they reached Bethlehem, no doubt weary, they had to settle for a cave—used to house animals—in which to rest where Mary gave birth.

The least desired place for a birthing mother became the most honored and beloved story of all time. The young couple listened to God, trusted, obeyed, and persevered. Hard as it was—which many of us can’t comprehend just how difficult—God provided for them along the way and when they reached their destination.

I wonder if the world silenced to hear the first cry of the King. If an unidentified light glowed in the dim cave the moment Jesus entered the world. If the waters rested and the winds ceased. Luke 2:13-14 tells us after shepherds in Bethlehem were told of Jesus’ birth, the angels sang. We will never know the full magnificence of all that took place during the nativity.

What an honor it is to have included the nativity in my novel Dress Shop Miracles. It’s one of my favorite scenes as my characters traveled from a difficult path to hope, love, and miracles. I hope you love the story of Molly and Ted as much as I did writing it, and guess what?

To get your copy click here.

I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy a video with my 52-year-old nativity set honoring the birth of Christ.

Merry Christmas,

Dianne Marie Andre

The Mighty Oak

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The Mighty Oak

“The Mighty Oak’s zeal for life suggests determination

despite aging cracks and cavities.

Extended arms of gnarled bark give rest to fowl,

nesting habitats, and acorn fuel.

The Mighty Oak is never alone.

It greets visitors where it grew beneath the sun,

weathering the wind and rain,

watching, listening, and sheltering man and beast.

It’s serene and tranquil … always giving.

Always receiving.

Always present.

Bound by a vast network of roots.

May its wounds heal and its leaves rustle in the wind.

May its majestic trunk uphold a mighty canopy

over the meadow where branches soar into the sky.

Let its journey live forever.”

Dianne Marie Andre, 2022

We have two giant oaks. One has died from borers and now stands bare. The other oak—pictured above—with its obvious deterioration fights to live … to give splendor and renewal to creatures and humanity.

Regardless of its state, it doesn’t stop baring fruit … a stunning message that we too can bear fruit no matter what our circumstances.

“For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 (WEB)

 The Christmas Tree by Julie Salamon is one of my favorite Christmastime books. It’s about befriending a fir tree and “learning to love, and, finally, being able to share that love with others, allowing it to be reborn, remembered and cherished forever.” 

This story is a beautiful reminder of yielding fruit to the very end. Do you have a favorite Christmas story? A favorite tree? I’d loved to hear about them.

Release Day!

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Today is the day, friends! Dress Shop Miracles is live on Amazon and it’s dedicated to those with a dream. If this is you, be sure to read the Dedication page.

Here’s the blurb:

Molly is determined to achieve her dream as a dress shop owner before accepting Ted’s marriage proposal. As the Christmas-season grand opening approaches, an unexpected curve derails her plans—which means possibly letting go of her career hopes. But at least she has Ted . . . or does she?

Ted, a former city guy turned small-town farmer, longs to marry Molly more than anything. He also wants her happy doing what she loves. He uses his city connections to help solve her problems when his secret comes to light and she wants nothing more to do with him.

As if life isn’t hard enough, a stranger enters Molly’s life, testing her faith even further. She tries to move forward with a broken heart when she learns that God had been working behind the scenes all along and that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without His miracles and healing grace.

I can’t reveal all the characters, but I can share the following personalities that carry small but significant roles.

Hetty isn’t bashful. She has all the answers to Molly’s problems and she’s not afraid to speak her mind.

Mr. Hollow, a booming, older man bearing threads on his apron, leads a pack of merchants when members need help.

Simon, a shopowner of exotic creatures gives a freshwater fish to Molly for good fortune.

Noah and Julia are sure their natural methods will make life easier for Molly, at least for the moment.

Shanna, a bookshop owner, believes the answer to Molly’s problem is to read a book.

Then there are the pets! But you’ll have to read the story to learn about them and their owners. So get your ebook copy today!

Dress Shop Miracles is available on Amazon. Get your copy now!

Want to catch up on previous blog posts about Dress Shop Miracles? Here are the links:

It Took a Miracle or Two

The Book title Challenge

The Truth about Snow

Writing about a Farmer

I’d love for you to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Writing about a Farmer

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Now that we’ve discussed my research about the weather—more specifically, snow—how about talking farmer? As in Ted, Molly’s boyfriend in Dress Shop Miracles.

As a master gardener, I’m familiar with sowing and harvest schedules for home gardeners in my zone. Not so much with commercial crops in snow country. Naturally, a list of questions ran through my mind. What type of winter crop would a farmer harvest before the ground freezes and the first snowfall? What does a packing building look like? What equiptment and material would it contain? How does a farmer keep busy during the off-season?

A trip to Apple Hill during harvest season, where I walked through a packing building, had all the elements I needed. Google data and a California crop calendar answered my other questions. I had a pretty good idea of what farmers do during the winter, but I wanted to gather as much information as possible. I found an award-winning website with a blog post titled, What Do Farmers Do in the Winter? A second website broke down winter tasks by the month, with photos of Montana snow. 

Pinewood Village isn’t in Montana, but farming tasks are much the same in most states: fertilization, seed purchase, plant, and crop harvest, storage, farmers’ market, export, hiring field hands, and the list goes on. 

If all this sounds boring, trust me, it’s not. The details are weaved with plenty of drama and special moments at Ted’s farm. There are also tender scenes at Molly’s Pinewood Village apartment. In one scene, Ted helps her preserve a batch of his apples. Here’s an excerpt: 

Ted removed the last of the pint jars containing apple-cinnamon butter from the water bath. He eased behind Molly and untied her apron bow. She tossed her apron onto the preserves cooling on the counter and then twisted around in Ted’s arms.  “I’m beat. How about you? “

“I’m never too tired to hold you.” Ted kissed her on the neck, the jaw, then her earlobe. 

I can’t tell you what happens next but I assure you this is a clean Christian read. I can tell you there are a lot of surprises. Life isn’t all kisses and hugs for Ted and Molly. Bad choices are made. Undeserved adversity enters their lives. As it’s true with all of us during difficult times, they needed supportive friends. I’ll reveal a few of them in the next post.

Release day is November 1, so be sure to get it now on Amazon while it’s discounted. Still not sure? Read the blurb here.

I’d love it if you would 1) share this blog post; 2) follow me on Facebook and Instagram.  

Thank you for reading!

Top Photo Background: Dianne Marie Andre; Couple:  Joanna Nix, Unsplash

The Truth about Snow

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In the last two posts, I shared the hardships and miracles of writing Dress Shop Miracles. This week, let’s visit the story’s fictitious location, Pinewood Village.

This quaint little town portrays similarities between those from my past and my current residence. I live on rolling hills eight minutes from an unincorporated community with less than ten businesses surrounded by agricultural land. The nearest city with ample shops is twenty minutes away. In the process of bringing Pinewood Village to life, I blended the charm of a small rural area with mom-and-pop shops, agriculture, and distant groves.  

I had one challenge. Raised in a region where it rarely gets cold enough for snow to fall or accumulate on the ground, I lacked experience with snow country. I wanted a snow-covered storybook village.

I’ve watched many Christmas movies with beautiful, romantic snow scenes but how actuate were they? What does the sky look like before a snowstorm? Do snowflakes float? Are six inches enough to cause roadblocks? Is it windy during snowstorms?

Dissatisfied with Google search results, I turned to my street team. Terri Lynn Flowers whose annual winter scenery is covered with white fluff, read the snow scenes I had written, corrected my misconceptions, and answered all of my questions. Thanks, Terri!

Did you know snow doesn’t adorn one’s hair with pretty little flakes? They melt. Terri explained it this way: “Your head radiates heat so snowflakes don’t usually linger.” She also said if someone is in a blizzard for any amount of time, their hair would be stiff or frozen.

Leave it to Hollywood to manipulate nature. 

Regardless, I loved writing the snow scenes—the beauty, even the avalanche of trouble it brought into Molly’s life. Yes, there is misfortune in my protagonist’s life—lots of it—and for her boyfriend, an ex . . .

Oops, you’ll have read the story to uncover Ted’s mysterious past, but you can learn more about Dress Shop Miracles by reading the blurb here.

How about you? What type of winters do you have? Are you a city or country dweller?

To read more about this story, subscribe to my blog. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Release day is November 1, so be sure to get it now on Amazon while it’s discounted. 

Email from a Reader: “I loved Kiss under the Lemon Tree – I read it in 3 days, that’s a record for me, lol, my mind usually wanders to other things when I read, but that story kept me engaged. So I am looking forward to [reading] and sharing this new story [Dress Shop Miracles].”

Top Photo credit: Jill Wellington, Pexels

Bottom Photo credit: Celine Ylmz, Unsplash

The Book Title Challenge

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Last week, I shared how Dress Shop Miracles came about and why it was delayed a year.

Today, I’d like to tell you about the original title and my reasons for abandoning it. 

When I began writing this story, I knew the title was Open for Christmas, which hinted at a Christmas story and the plot. It can take weeks to articulate the right book title and minutes to search online for other possible books with the same title. There are several reasons to avoid this, but today I’ll spare you those details.

Fortunately, I didn’t find any books titled Open for Christmas. Whew! The three words I had chosen in hopes of reaching the hearts of readers were a go. 

For more than twelve months I worked under that title. It inspired me to keep with the theme, to move my protagonist, Molly, forward with her dream and Ted with his. It helped me to shape the unexpected twists and turns into meaningful messages with an ending I prayed readers would love. 

It was a beautiful partnership: the title, the story, the characters, and me.

Then, last November, I sat down to relax in front of the TV only to come across a Hallmark movie with the title Open by Christmas. My heart sank. It was too similar to my story’s title. Titles can’t be copyrighted so I could have kept it. However, if a reader searched it online without my name, the results would direct them to the movie, not my book.

I had to start fresh. Not an easy task. Approximately four million new books were published in 2021! That’s a lot of titles!

I scribbled various words on several paper scraps. My critique partner and I tossed ideas back and forth. The good titles were taken, and the washouts made me cringe. I sought my husband’s opinion regarding possibilities. I even tried an online title generator. I think there’s an online generator for just about anything writing-related. 

The title I loved and worked with remained the best option, and honestly, I didn’t want to change it.

Have you ever tried to let go of something in order to redo it differently? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Frustrated with the title challenge, I put my efforts aside several times to clear my mind. Let me tell you, once again I felt like Molly.

Preoccupied

Deflated 

Beat

A few weeks later, I gathered my papers with the handwritten possibilities, mixed and matched words and phrases, then drew a line through the titles I disliked. One remained: Dress Shop Miracles and it wasn’t taken!

I stared at it for some time, read it aloud, and thought about what it conveyed. It was better than the original title.

I wanted to open the dress shop door and take hold of the Christmas miracles!

Why couldn’t I see this before?

Sometimes we try too hard. Sometimes we just need to relax and wait for God to give us what we need. As Molly’s friend said to her in Dress Shop Miracles, “That’s when we learn the most, often about ourselves.”

Release day is November 1, so be sure to get it now on Amazon while it’s discounted. 

To read future posts about this story, be sure to subscribe to my blog. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Background Photo: Tim Umphreys