It Takes A Village to Write A Book

It's a big day for me. We All Married Idiots sits on Amazon.com available for pre-orders. Today it hit me.  Yes indeed, this story which began over 40 years ago will be published. My heart sings with praise!

I thank God Who whispered to my heart during a sermon, What good are your writings doing in a file cabinet if no one reads them. Thank You for the amazing privilege it is to write and speak for You, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I thank my husband who always answers, "If this will help others, you have to share it" when I ask permission to reveal our personal lives. Thank you Dan for loving me and freeing me to be obedient to God's call on my life.

I thank my children. Joanna, Elizabeth, and Sam. What great kids and cheerleaders! They knew from our first days of ministry that obedience to God took precedence over their desires. Never rebelling, always loving and supporting and encouraging me to be all I could be for Christ.

I thank my grandchildren who are the delights of my life. Thank you especially to Garrett, who allows me to tell his stories so others can come to know Christ.

I thank my mother who drove her six children bananas by making us learn a new word every day. We teased her and called her Mary Webster while she searched the dictionary for the daily gem. The acorn didn't fall far, did it? Such an encourager at age 91 chastising me that I need to get back to the computer and write another book. Still trying to get me to do my homework.

I thank my dad who died before I ever wrote a book, but whose signature is on every page. One of the funniest and lovingest people I've ever known, he passed his laughter to the next generation.

I thank my prayer team. Like an army they go to war with every email request. My ministry is stronger because of them. If you would like to join that team, I'd welcome your support. Just let me know.

I thank Joyce Hart from Hartline Literary Agency who looked at my proposal, burst out laughing and said, "This will be published. I hope no one changes the name." Thanks for believing in me, Joyce, and signing me with Hartline. I am honored.

I thank Diana Flegal, my literary agent, who persevered and encouraged and persevered more until she found the right publisher for We All Married Idiots.

I thank Eddie Jones from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, who read my manuscript, laughed and said, "I like your sense of humor." Thank you, Eddie, for your vision for this work and your diligence and long hours to make it the best book we could for the glory of God.

I thank the editors and beta readers and book designers and endorsers and proofreaders who all spent hours and days and weeks making We All Married Idiots shine! Some of us stayed up til the wee hours of the morning poring over book covers and sentence structures and the right words to put power into each sentence. Phew! I'm still tired thinking about this. What sacrifices you made for me. Thank you, dear friends.

I thank Montrose Christian Writer's Conference where I learned the process of getting published and how to write a proposal. There I met all those odd ducks that quack everytime I slack. You are all joy and laughter and fun and amazing blessings in my life.

I thank Pete and Krissi Castor who first believed I was a writer and published The Splashes of Serenity Bathtime books. Oh what a gift you were to me. Thank you for the absolutely beautiful hard-cover books you produced for the glory of God. He's still selling them and using them in people's lives. Fruit that has remained!

I thank my writer's groups in Rome and in Horseheads, NY. What an inspiration you all are to me as you spur me on to be the best writer God created me to be. Especially, I thank Diane Estrella and Lisa Buske who seem to drop everything they want in order to help me get what I want. You two are amazing blessings from God. One day we will celebrate your books!

I thank Barb Spurling my friend, website administrator, advisor, teacher, and go-to gal for the first five years of this ministry. Barb, I don't think it would have happened without you. You are another gift to me.

And now Mary Hess at www.MaryHess.com who designed this beautiful website helps me with every old-lady-trying-to-use-a-computer question. You've been a God send, Mary. Appreciate you so much.

Last, I thank God for his sense of humor. Some 40 years ago, during an argument with Dan, I thought, I must have been an idiot to marry that idiot. Bursting out laughing at the realization that I just called myself an idiot, I didn't realize that 40 years later a book would be born to encourage married couples. God truly does work all things out for good and according to His purposes. Even our arguments. That's a splash of serenity to me.

Thank you, readers. Oh yes, I must thank you readers. For without you, there would be no book.  Be blessed everyone as you read: We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can. It is my joy to write it for you. May this book make marriages shine!