Healer, book one of the Brides of Alba is finished! At least until the content edits come. And like many of my books, God had a different ending than I'd planned. It blows my mind when that happens...and lifts my spirit. I never ceased to be awed by His editing, though I wish He'd let me know what's going on so I won't panic when my characters just take over and do their own thing.

Weddings! Despite the characters' detour, we (God and I) made our deadline of September 1st. in time for me to attend a wedding in Savannah and tour that lovely city. I really needed more time to delve into its history and savor it all, but alas, my son was getting married five days later. So, I have two beautiful weddings from which to draw material for future books. The first was on the ocean at Tybee Island just before sunset and the reception held at the old Life Guard Station, which was perfect since the groom's dad was retired Life Guard and the wedding couple were both in the Navy. All the decorations were beach-themed, including the bride and groom on the cake, who sat on the sand in each others arms. And the white cake looked as though a blue wave had washed over it. The things they do with cakes these days!

My son was married on the Wicomico River at the edge of the sloping manicured lawns of a local country club in mid day and that setting was spectacular in its own right. The couple stood before a lovely floral arch with the green-edged, sun-splashed river winding toward the future before them. The blues, the greens, the flowers and sparkling water...it was as God-spectacular as the ceremony. Never have I heard the metaphor of the marriage ceremony forming a cross with the verticle exchange of vows between them and God and the horizontal exchange of the rings. Truly symbolic of Christ at the center of this new union.

And they played the song I'd written and recorded with my late husband Jim for our wedding 25 years earlier. It took me back to the joy we felt On This Our Wedding Day ( song title). Ironically Jim was the same age as my son, both commited bachelors till they turned 36. The kids exchanged our wedding rings as well, so it was especially poignant for me. They claimed the rings had done so well by us that they hoped our good marriage would rub off on them. And I reminded them it was Christ at the center that held it together. As different as men and women are, they need Divine glue, not gold rings.

And I danced with my son for the first time since he was a little boy. For those of you whose sons have married, you know those indescribable few minutes where you are overwhelmed by the recognition that your little boy is a man of whom you are so proud and you are overflowing with wonderful hopes for him and his future...even though it feels like you're dancing with a bear in combat boots.

Now, back to the books. In August, a battered Priority Mail box arrived and I thought it was more research books . Imagine my delight when I discovered it held the 2008 NATIONAL READER'S CHOICE AWARD for For Pete's Sake! It's a to-die-for engraved granite award now proudly displayed in my office. Like a kid at Christmas, I took a picture of it.

Then I thought, why not take pics of my other awards. As I did, I began to sober with the realization of how much God has done for me. I was overawed to tears of gratitude...and of shame. Shame that, while I thanked Him at the time of receiving them, I don't take stock of all my past blessings as much as I should. I get buried in current projects/events that distract me from all He has already done. Anyone else out there hear me? Been there? What have you taken for granted?

New Covers! I received the new cover proof for Healer, Book One of The Brides of Alba just before I left for my son's rehearsal dinner. It not only perfectly reflects a scene in the book, but to my astonishment, the cover model looked like my new daughter-in-law. So naturally I printed it off to show her family. The resemblance was uncanny. Healer is scheduled for a June 2010 release.

After the wedding, I received another surprise. My Christy finalist Riona, book two of the Fires of Gleannmara Irish Celtic series is being re-released next summer also. The new cover is just gorgeous! God is a god of second chances, for this book didn't sell to expectations the first time out and I was so passionate about its historical content. This is the series where the research enabled me to reach my daughter.

Witness: Most of you have heard the story of how my daughter was assaulted in college, blamed and turned against God, and became involved in Wicca (white witchcraft). She read the Gleannmara books. She listened to the research I'd uncovered about Christ and the early church as well as how the Druids knew who Christ was and most accepted Him when Christianity arrived with the rest of His story. It took nearly eight years of chewing on all this, but she is now one of His again, Praise God.

My Arthurian Britain series Brides of Alba demonstrates the same kind of witness as the earlier Irish series. You can see why my passion is to get this age and church and history out there for others who are seeking or disillusioned like my daughter was. Or for those who know New Age seekers and want to be able to effectively witness to them by understanding how New Age is old age revisited, what they had in common with Christianity as well as the differences, and how the early church won the non-believers over with this knowledge.

I've taken enough of your time. I'm compiling my Bibliography for Healer for those who would read the nonfiction books that influenced and formed the setting and background for my characters and want to write a letter to its readers.

Have a wonderful fall and take time to look around you and appreciate God's coloring book. I love this time of year!

Blessings to you all in His name,