Ch-Ch-Changes

Here’s the thing, I’ve been thinking about lately, nothing stays anymore. Particularly where technology is concerned. I’m finding this very unnerving. I upgraded my iPhone in August and now I want the new iPhone 4S. It’s been three months. Three months! I’m sick of it. If you buy a new car it’s depreciated before you drive it off the lot. Purchase a new computer? It’s old the next day. It’s true with everything from coffee makers to cameras to the food we eat. They (whoever they are) are constantly fiddling with our stuff. How can we make it better, sweeter, less caloric, less fat, faster, more innovative? Can we add a DVD or better yet, Blue-Ray to it? How many pixels is your camera phone? Oh, too bad, that’s a lot of mega pixels but they just came out with a camera with a bazillion more pixels. I mean really, someone needs to slow down. Books? Who needs paper when you can give the world yet another screen. How many screens do you have in your house? Go on, count them. I currently have six screens and I don’t mean window. Six screens from which to participate with the world, to do life. I love technology, don’t get me wrong. That’s part of the issue. I want every new gadget that comes along. I can’t afford it but I still want it. Yet I’m worried. I can foresee a day when our gadgets are simply part of us, connected, wired. That scares me. But I really wish I could have a gadget for longer than twenty minutes before it’s obsolete.
I worry about young people and the effect this might have on them. I didn’t grow up in a world where everything I purchased became useless the next day. I could believe in my stuff, hang on to my stuff for so much longer. But now a days every time I turn around something is new again. How can anyone believe in a world that in constantly in flux?
Thankfully God is not in flux. He never changes. We don’t worship God 2.0. We don’t need a screen to be friends with him. His truths remain the same, except, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Uhm, I suppose even God’s compassions have to be new every morning. His children keep changing.

ReJoyce! I'm Back

Here’s the thing, I’ve been terribly neglectful as far as social media is concerned and I apologize. It has been a strange month as I met deadlines, forged new alliances, researched new ideas, made new deals, tended schoolyard boo boos and well, I’ve been busy. But I have some room to breathe now so let me bring you all up to date on my mad cap adventures.

The most exciting thing is that I completed Harriet Beamer Take the Bus and sent it off to my wonderful editor, Bob Hudson who I so wish I could have with me here, watching over me as I write. The man is a genius. Harriet is scheduled to release May 1, 2012. I can’t wait to see it all pulled together.

I have three other projects in various stages of development and I am excited about all three. But it takes time to juggle all this. I’m writing another middle grade novel called CAKE which is about two magical sisters who take in foster children. I love writing abut magic and wonder and possibilities. Which is why I might have been drawn to Steampunk. I’m writing a proposal for a Steampunk YA novel now. I hope it’s good. I think it is. Kind of a Willy Wonka meets Victorian England but in Massachusetts in 1839. Uhm, weird, I know but be patient. And of course the sequel to Harriet. I love Harriet and cannot wait to develop her even more in book two.

And then there is family. No need to say more except I am so excited to announce that my daughter and her beautiful family will be moving back to the east coast next month. They have been transferred to Maine. I’m so excited. I haven’t even met my third grandson, Soren yet.

My son has discovered the joys and problems of keeping saltwater aquarium. It’s a great hobby and he loves it. The boy knows so much about fish and coral and things like feather duster worms and anemones. He rocks. But saltwater takes are delicate and need a lot of care—hence several visits to Captain Nemo’s Aquarium. I love the name and it kind of fits with the whole Steampunk thing right now.

And I’ve been hanging out with my middle daughter, Emily as much as I can. She’s a senior now at West Chester University. I’m very proud of her. This also figures in the Steampunk thing. Not to give it away but, I named Emily for Emily Dickinson. Uhm, how does that figure.

Oh, and of course not to mention various and sundry visits to the ER, the doc, church things, and traveling. Yep. It’s been a busy month. But still, I love being a writer and am so blessed in many ways.

And I’d like to announce a little giveaway. I will give away a copy of either Blame It On the Mistletoe or Carrying Mason to two lucky commenters. All you have to do is leave a comment and I will randomly pick two or three winners. Cool. Christmas is coming. These books make great gifts.