5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Michele McKnight Baker

What have you written? Two commercially published titles, both on Amazon: Sandpaper Sisters (non-fiction; addicts turned community builders, miracles do happen!) and Soldier's Heart (historical fiction-Civil War. Two boys, two fathers, scarred by war, who will survive?)

What do you read? Consistently read the Bible, daily papers, the New Yorker,  especially stories re: human trafficking, children and poverty and immigration issues. I work with the Salvation  Army in York, PA, which is directly involved in resolving such issues. In fiction, just finished reading two books by friends: Susan Breen's The Fiction Class and Richard Cleary's Bridging the Abyss. I'm currently reading a few Christmas gifts: Allen Eskens' The Life We Bury, James Lee Burke's Wayfaring Stranger and Isabel Allende's The Japanese Lover.

Why do you write? Joan Didion once said, "When read aloud, the question, why I write, answers itself: I, I, I..." Writing is part of my identity. It is my calling, and in its process, a form of sacramental worship. I love to share wonderful stories with others, and keep readers/listeners spellbound in the telling.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): What a pleasure and privilege to meet other
terrific writers along the way, including those who have endorsed my work: Mary Pipher, Tony Campolo, Patricia Hickman, and Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, to name a few.

One more thing: You are probably already reading Lisa Lawmaster Hess's work. Invite her to speak to your group. Funny, smart, passionate lady! (Thanks, Michele!)

White Lights and Chrisnowvalday

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Happy Chrisnowvalday!

Confused? That's okay. Welcome to my house. Have a seat and I'll explain.

Or, just take a look around. Here a Christmas village (and a Christmas tree), there a snowman, over there some ahead-of-the-game hearts.

Yes. 'Tis the season for three seasons in my house. In what I'm choosing to view as an extension of my drop and run organizational style, my house is an eclectic mix of celebrations, as the remnants of Christmas intermingle with the I-don't-want-to-undecorate snowmen and the gee-aren't-they-cute Valentine's Day hearts.

Apparently, I am reluctant to let go of the holidays. Or at least their accompanying decorations.

This is not news. Every year, we leave our tree up until at least Epiphany (one of the advantages of an artificial tree), and I'm pretty unapologetic about that. But this year, due to a late-ending fall semester, the trees went up much later than usual, and so I'm even more hesitant than usual to say goodbye to them.

Other Santas and Christmas trappings inspire much less loyalty; in fact, I put a whole pile of them away yesterday. My husband took down the outdoor lights on Saturday, and, if he hadn't been battling a cold, the holiday villages would have come down, too.

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Typically, as the Santas come down, the snowmen go up, so that the house gradually returns to an undecorated state, rather than going from festive to stark all in one day. But this year, it's been so warm that it seems strange putting out snowmen, and, since there are several spots in the mudroom (where our main tree is) that lend themselves well to February decorations, the Christmas tree and the hearts are currently coexisting.

Truth be told, it's the lights I hate letting go of. There's something peaceful about the glow of white
lights in an otherwise dark room that feels warm and comforting. Consequently, I've wrapped a mitten garland around the white lights on our banister, hoping to convince my husband that they should stay up a little longer. The heart garland is waiting on deck so I can stretch things until at least mid-February. By then, I think perhaps even I'll be tired of the lights.

Photo: Veggiegretz via Morguefile

If not, I can always retreat to my office; white lights are strung along one wall in there year round. And, when the weather gets warmer and my husband puts up the screened gazebo around our patio, there will be white lights there, too.

By next weekend, I'll be ready to let go. The trees will come down and the organized part of my personality will revel in the cleared space. But for now, I'm transitioning, replacing one tchotchke with another as I move forward into the new year.

Saturday Special: Packing Tips

Photo: Kolobsek via Morguefile

Last summer, I bought a notepad that says, "I love to travel, but I hate to pack." It's a packing checklist, one I use only when I'm going on a longish trip -- one that lasts longer than a weekend.

Certified professional organizer Janine Adams has a list of her own: Five Ways to Make Packing Easy. I'm proud to say that I do all of them, but the make-up packing idea is my favorite. The nice thing is the things on the list don't only make packing easy -- they are easy.

How do you pack?

Friday Freebie: Never Too Old to be an Entrepreneur

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I love my Fitbit, but I sometimes wish it was a little more fashionable. I've tried accessorizing it, and Santa brought me a three pack of wristbands in different colors to coordinate with different outfits, but it's still a pretty casual addition to my look. Heaven forbid I should take it off, though -- I might miss keeping track of a few steps!

Apparently I'm not alone in wishing for something a tad more stylish. But I never expected a fashionable solution to come from a 94-year-old woman. Thanks to Iris Apfel, we can count our steps and be stylish, too -- if you happen to want to pay quite a bit more for your fitness tracker, that is.

No one ever said beauty came cheap.

5 Questions from the Porch Swing for Clarice James

What have you written? I've written two novels (Party of One and Double Header), and I'm almost finished with my third. Its working title is Manhattan Grace. My second novel, Double Header, was the first to get published when I won a publishing contract with Mountainview Books, LLC, through the Jerry Jenkins Operation First Novel Contest. Double Header debuted December 1, 2015. 

What do you read? As for fiction, I read contemporary women, historical, general, some westerns with a quirky angle, short stories, and humor. Non-fiction varies, but mostly Christian living, Bible studies, and devotionals.

Why do you write? Just can't help myself and don't want to :-) Seriously, it's the way God made me, and, since He made me this way, I feel right doing it. I want to use whatever talent God endowed me with to glorify His name.

Fun writing factoid (not technically a question, I know): I often change a character's name three or four times before I feel it's right for them. I think it was easier picking names for my three children!

One more thing: Check out Double Header on Amazon and/or Barnes and Noble. Read the reviews, and you'll find out it's not really all about baseball. :-)

An Open Book

Photo: Michelle Dean

My house is quiet. Everyone else has returned to their regularly scheduled activities. My husband is at work. My daughter is at school -- and best of all, she has one more week of late starts before the next semester begins, so we both got to sleep in, even though it's a school day.

I am alone with my list. No more excuses. Possibilities beckon.

Yesterday, I read my friend Barb Szyszkiewicz's blog and I had to laugh. Her vacation sounded so much like mine. Clearing her work space (she beat me to that -- mine is still a work-in-progress, but definite progress has been made). Setting goals. Getting ready to dig in again.

A little more than a week ago, at a celebration for my book, Chasing a Second Chance, friends and readers nudged me toward one of the things I want to dig into: finally blowing the dust off a novel I finished more than five years ago and seeing what's there. They did this with a simple question: "So, are you working on something new?"

Others have asked if I'm working on Book 3 of what I've come to think of as the Marita/Angel/Charli story, which is funny, because those characters were only supposed to get one book, yet they've made it clear they have more to say. I haven't ruled out a third book -- perhaps one in which my friend Missy gets her wish and one of my subordinate characters gets a storyline of her own. I've even written a rough first chapter -- but right now, it's time for someone else's story.

Photo: Pixabay

Whose story will you tell this year? Will you focus on your own? Who will inspire you, and how will you stay motivated when inspiration is in short supply?

Brand new year, brand new list, brand new story.

What will yours be?

Saturday Special: 16 Ways to Tackle 2016

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When it comes to Saturday Specials, I look for things that inspire a feeling of relaxation or inspiration, and today's Huffpost Home article does both. I've spent enough years making New Year's resolutions to know a recipe for disaster when I see one, and this piece neatly sidesteps those land mines in favor of easy first steps and creative projects.

Is organization one of your 2016 goals? If so, today's article is a great step toward doing it with STYLE.

Happy New Year!