The Social Porcupine

December was a step into Dostoevsky's words, "the soul is healed by being with children." It was the time of basking in Elizabeth's greatest fairytale, a true-ish story called "Green Dolphin Street". I spent the first half of the month staying with a friend, waiting with her for her first child to come. She and I processed a small deer, and then when the little one was born, I tried to help by cooking and cleaning. I tended to spend much of my spare time sewing on her treadle machine. I kept busy, but never too busy to not be able to take breaks for holding baby. There's been so much contentment. I didn't want to leave.  But time inures us ever onward.  I went to visit an old friend who is going through a divorce. It was sad to be there. She and I worked on projects together, I filled the house with piano music, and I cu...

I have written dozens of short stories. I have around ten novellas.  And I have written three novels, two of which I feel are ready to be published.  Yes, I know I'm probably not ready, but these last few months I finally feel like I'm ready to be published. I've always wanted to be published. But I've always known that I must write a ton, receive piles of rejections, and keep writing for a time first. And then suddenly these last few months things have felt different for some reason. So I looked around for a conference I thought might suit my writing. Through recommendations from Stephanie Morrill  I finally decided upon ACFW .  And then for months I prepare by writing, editing, researching, and WRITING. A huge highlight was meeting Frank Peretti, and hearing him speak. I laughed so much in his class.  My goal? To be published. I didn't have to sign a contract or anything, I just wanted affirmation that this is in my futu...

First read: Part I Part II Current Richards family photo. Back row, left to right: JJ, Tammy, Caleb, Brandon. Front row: Gideon, Iris, Hope, and Faith.  Did you have many friends among the Amish? Rebekah:  I found that most all the ladies were friendly. A couple in particular I really felt like were friends. One was Freida. Another was Annie. I remember driving by her place and recognizing it from my childhood, getting out and saying,  "Do you know me?!" Tammy :  I had a couple Amish I considered friends, and I still exchange letters with them. Erin :  Oh yes! So close that to me we feel as if we are one of their family members. I just went to an Amish funeral for the woman that was like my Amish mother. The men don't hug women, but her husband hugged me five minutes, bawling his eyes out. Every time I return I feel tempted to live like the Amish again– my husband calls it Amish-meningitis. But he doesn't want to return—he likes me looking pretty, ...