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CWO - Salty fluff

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2006

Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is MURDER, MAYHEM, AND A FINE MAN by Claudia Mair Burney.
My Monday book giveaway is EMILY EVER AFTER by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for MURDER, MAYHEM, AND A FINE MAN and post the title for another book I'm giving away.



Check out Christian Women Online (click on the button above) to see what other women are blogging about this quote!

"Salt, when dissolved in water, may disappear, but it does not cease to exist. We can be sure of its presence by tasting the water. Likewise, the indwelling Christ, though unseen, will be made evident to others from the love which He imparts to us."
~Sadhu Sundar Singh~

I loooooooooove salt. Love it, love it, love it. I crave it especially during those times of the month, and then I bloat out like a blowfish.

When I was single, I didn't crave Jesus the way I craved salt. And I knew that was wrong, I knew I needed to reorient myself.

Singleness was hard for me. I struggled a lot. Thank God He gave me my discipler at church to help keep me sane and remind me to at least try to focus on Christ rather than on my desire to no longer be alone.

Now I have my husband, but I still have a heart for single women. My singleness was a hard time for me, and not every woman can have an older woman discipler to help her along.

So I write books aimed at that single woman. And yes, they're fiction. They're romances. They're funny, breezy, fluffy, and entertaining, because that's what I like to read. I'm not a terribly deep person.

But I'm also praying that the love Jesus gave to me when I was struggling and crying and alone will come through in these funny, breezy, fluffy words. That Jesus' love will salt the entertainment of my novels--just like salt on hot French fries! Yum!--so that a single woman will finish my book with a satisfied smile, and feel a little less alone because she has a little more of Jesus in her heart at that moment.

So on the surface, my books are beach reads. But Jesus is in me like that salt, and I'm praying His message comes through the fun, sun, and fluff to strike a deeper chord in my readers.

Okay, now I want French fries!

TMI:

Diet: I exercised yesterday! Of course I also was trying to "burn the butter" (quite literally) from the shortbread I made Sunday night! Doh! Does it count that the shortbread has oatmeal in it???

Writing: I am SO lucky! My friend Jane (whose hubby is a fantastic wedding videographer) is going to take my promo pictures! She and I are trading services--she's going to use her HOT new digital camera for my pics and I'm looking over her proposal.

So all you--us!--poor writers, we should think more about what we can trade for each other.

Take card-making. Say you're terrific at it. Say I (or somebody else) need thank you cards to send to editors/agents from appointments at conferences which are personalized for my brand (I said the b-word). You offer 10 cards made to my specifications in exchange for a crit. Voila! We have traded services and spent minimal money.

I wonder if I should start a trading services section in the ACFW forum?
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Comments

  1. Miriam PaulineTue Aug 22, 02:39:00 AM 2006

    I loved this post. I was a single minister for a few years and have such a heart for singles who don't want to be single. Nice to find a kindred spirit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. _Tue Aug 22, 04:52:00 AM 2006

    What a wonderful post, Camy! Your fun loving, light hearted nature shines through in your words and I'm sure that's exactly what your books impart on those that read them. Thanks so much for looking out for all those single women.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ann Voskamp @Holy ExperienceTue Aug 22, 04:53:00 AM 2006

    It doesn't get better than giving more of Jesus in your words!
    Write on!
    Warmly,
    Ann Voskamp

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tracey, in MITue Aug 22, 05:41:00 AM 2006

    Grils gotta have hot salted fries, on ocassion. I worked in a counseling ministry for over 13 years, the ministry was hard and heart wrenching. Hours and hours spent learning about abuses and healing them... and struggles and reaching through them.

    (I specialized in working with children)

    I can't tell you how much "beach reads" met a need for rest and distraction and refreshment.

    Keep writing- ;) There's someone waiting for their "fry- order";)

    ReplyDelete
  5. AmydeanneTue Aug 22, 06:58:00 AM 2006

    I'm a salt fiend myself. I think your purpose behind yoru books are great. As an enjoyer of fluffy reads, the good ones have always been encouraging.. a thread of hope! Great post!
    btw, I'm a barter & trade girl too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mary DeMuthTue Aug 22, 07:47:00 AM 2006

    Hey Camy,

    I used sea salt in an unusual way last night...to soak my nose! Yep, I did it. I'm officially not part of the status quo of the CBA. My nose is pierced. Tag, you're it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cathy BTue Aug 22, 07:59:00 AM 2006

    Here in Manila (philippines) we call them ex-deals Camy :) I can so relate to your post. May His saltiness always make its way through our work as writers. God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  8. KellyTue Aug 22, 08:24:00 AM 2006

    I love a great read and a good cry but there are times when a good laugh can really hit the spot. Also having a sense of humour does not necessarily mean your're not deep it just means you're great fun to be around!

    I agree with amydeanne about the thread of hope in lighter reads. It seems to me that when you can still laugh you tend to think "How bad can things be?" Great post. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Girl Raised in the SouthTue Aug 22, 08:27:00 AM 2006

    I love that you have a heart for single women. Ive seen that over and over in the Captivating study. We have several single women in our church who are so lonely. Clearly struggling with where they are. Enjoyed your picture of craving fries with salt. Who would want them without! Good word picture.

    ReplyDelete
  10. loriTue Aug 22, 09:43:00 AM 2006

    Camy, that is what we are called to do...let HIM do what HE will in our lives, for you it is in your writing and words..your heart for singles...your salt spills out...
    I must tell you....on a bad day there is NOTHING like a little salt!!:) thanks for the words...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Heather SmithTue Aug 22, 10:14:00 AM 2006

    Great post. I agree. Whatever we do should be done for the Lord, and He should be glorified through it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. FruitfulSpiritTue Aug 22, 05:06:00 PM 2006

    I'm not a beach read kind of woman but you have my curiousity aroused! Very nice post. Eat some french fries for me because they aren't on my diet! And I have to settle for the salt of Christ since I'm not allowed salt either!

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousTue Aug 22, 05:09:00 PM 2006

    Strange but true: in the last 10-12 years I've grown less and less fond of salt. I try to find all the ready-made foods like tortilla chips without it--and that ain't easy. But then I don't think I could ever describe myself as a salt-fiend. But yes, I did like salty stuff.

    Yeah, singleness can be hard but I guess over the years I've discovered through others that marriage also has a lot of problems. Maybe it was God's provision for me not to get married so that I wouldn't have someone to run out on me when the going got as bad as the pain.

    But a great blog, Camy. And yes, we are to be the salt of the earth and that will still be there in any book written in and for his glory.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousWed Aug 23, 12:17:00 PM 2006

    I'll echo the other comments here because this was a great, very real blog. Singlehood seems to be celebrated in the media, but not by the ones on the frontlines of that battle. Especially when it comes to struggling with purity and singlehood. I can't wait to read your books!

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownWed Aug 23, 12:43:00 PM 2006

    What a great post. I have a few single Christian women friends and I know it can be a tough place to be.

    I am craving chips now and gotta go get some.

    ReplyDelete
  16. eph2810Wed Aug 23, 06:35:00 PM 2006

    I truly believe that God has given us a ministry even when our own circumstances change in our personal life. I think it is awesome that you still minister to single women, because you know what you are talking about. Even if it comes in the form of funny, breezy, fluffy beach reads :)

    ReplyDelete

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