By Mandy Boerma, @mandyboerma
Dear Santa,
This year for Christmas I’d really like…
How many years have you written a letter to Santa? I’ll be honest, it’s been a few since I penned those words, but it’s a tradition I’ve carried on with my girls. But if we were to don our writer hats, because you know we all wear a lot of different hats, I bet our letters to Santa might be pretty similar.
Dear Santa,
This year for Christmas I’d really like…
- Inspiration to finish my story.
- Time to read my TBR list.
- Open doors.
It would be pretty amazing, if we could wake up Christmas morning to find our stocking stuffed full. In between a fresh pound of coffee and some decadent chocolate we would find our perfectly edited, ready to publish manuscript, a fresh stack of books (because of course we’ve read everything on our current list) and a contract to sign with that publishing company we’ve been dreaming of all tucked neatly in the stocking.
But the reality is we don’t need Santa to fulfill our wish list, because we can achieve it on our own.
Inspiration to finish my story
This morning, my daughter asked me what I was going to blog about. I confessed I really didn’t know. Her suggestion? “Mom, you should tell people to find inspiration from Christmas magic. Faith, family, lights, glitter—there’s inspiration everywhere right now.” Well, as they say, out of the mouths of babes, right? Taking time to really let the reason of the Christmas season settle in our brains, and to get in touch with the Master Creator, is one of the best ways to find inspiration. Whether it’s to finish that scene, add the finishing touches, craft that perfect ending, work through the writer’s block. Our God is faithful, and His creativity is everywhere. When we ask Him to help inspire us, He won’t let us down.
Time to read my TBR list.
Sometimes inspiration comes from reading. So, take some time to read your favorite authors. Turn the tv off and grab that book. Read just a few minutes to engage the brain. Need some suggestions? I’d love to chat about that.
Open doors.
This one’s hard—the hardest on our list, and sometimes the hardest for us to find. As writers, we all want that open door—open doors to publication, or the courage to go through the doors God has already opened. Whether we decide to go indy or work to find that sweet spot within the traditional publishers. We’d like to see our words in print. The waiting process can be hard, so while it would be really nice for Santa to tuck that contact into our stocking, waiting for God’s timing, and path, is so much better. Psalm 18:30 sums it up when it say, “This God—his way is perfect.” You really can’t beat perfect, so as hard as it is to wait—God’s time would be far better than Santa’s.
But sometimes it’s more than just the open door, sometimes we have the contract, and yet we are filled with self-doubt. We long for the courage and peace needed to walk through the open door. Asking God to go on this journey with us, to bravely walk the perfect path He has opened before us. We need that too.
What about you? If you could channel your inner-child, what would your Dear Santa letter say?
He just wants to leave the past behind him…
International hotel manager Ben Carter is not sticking around Hearts Bend. He’s just home to sell the inn he inherited from his grandparents. The place holds all his best memories—especially the ones that include regular summer guest Cami Jackson. But she’s been out of his life for years, and she’s not coming back.
She is headed for a glorious future…
Real estate developer Cami Jackson is ready to take over as VP of her father’s company, Akron Development. When the Hearts Bend Inn comes on the market, she wants to swoop it up, if only because of the sweet memories of her favorite summers. The last thing she expects to find is her first love back to sign on the dotted line.
But a first love won’t let them go…
The more time Cami and Ben spend together, the more they realize they have unfinished business. Suddenly, an impulsive decision could turn into a lost-but-found dream. But for Cami’s father, the inn holds memories of a terrible tragedy, and he wants to kill the deal.
Will their lost dreams survive another betrayal?
A heart-healing story of second chances set in the charming town of Hearts Bend!
When Mandy Boerma isn’t hanging out at her favorite coffee shop writing her next novel, she’s a busy mom. After meeting Prince Charming, they started their own version of Happily Ever in the Florida Panhandle. Nothing compares to life at the beach. While those early days included romantic sunset walks with sand between their toes, days are now filled with sand in the mom mobile, affectionally named Scottie, as she chauffeurs her daughters anywhere and everywhere their busy schedules take them. You can connect with Mandy at www.mandyboerma.com.