Running with Roselle, by Michael Hinson with Jeanette Hanscome

Thanks for visiting today. This will be my last blog post here on Blogger. Starting next week, I will begin posting book reviews from my new website! I'm still fine tuning things, but I'd like to leave you with the link: www.joannereese.com.

Here is this week's review:

It's rare to find a story that shares two points of view--that of a blind boy and a dog. I found the combination delightful!

Written for children, this book really got into a youngster's head and answered all of the questions one would ask about what it feels like to be a dog. Roselle, a golden retriever bred and trained to become a guide dog, passed all of the rigorous testing needed in order to ensure she could be trusted to guide her companion safely. The internal dialogue was a lot of fun and masterfully written. 

Mike, a blind boy who was raised by parents that never wanted him to feel different from other kids, did not allow the limitations of blindness to keep him from succeeding in life. He brought inspiration to every page. 

Bring the two of them together on one of the worst days in America's history, September 11, 2001, and you have a real page-turner. Come and see this pair find not only find their own way through the rubble, but also help others to safety. 

I highly recommend this story for adults and children alike. If you are an animal lover, or if you like learning about new things, this book will entertain you the whole way through. 

A Dream

I'd like to share a post I wrote years ago when I'd spent some time considering the very breadth and depth of God in every moment of my life. Reading it now, I see a vulnerability and freshness that I fear I may have lost through the years. This was the heart of what I hoped to contribute to the publishing world. And it still is.

I have been given a dream. A very low level of my consciousness knows it. Day and night it calls to me in whispers. Words I can't quite make out that make more sense than the things I can hear and see. Wanting so much to see the end result, to really know where this journey will lead.

But I am instructed to be still, to wait and simply be.

I return to the world of blogging for many reasons. Documenting my encounters with a God who has captured my heart seems like a good use of time. The practice posting affords, keeps ideas fresh and fingers flying. But more than anything I find a need to get what is inside, out. Like a dam about to burst, my heart longs to be seen.

In my last post, I spoke of taking steps toward the writing industry. The last couple of months have proven to be more than getting that next paragraph written. Embracing truth becomes necessary for anybody who aspires to become an artist. 

Facing truth ensures death. Death of self.

If you are still with me, I hope you will stick around. I aspire to inspire, much like the griot in Freedom's Pen, by Wendy Lawton. Every gifted storyteller began with one idea - a seed. Every seed must succumb to terrible conditions and surrender to death before the transformation can begin. 

What kind of seed has God handed you? This is your ministry to the world! God needs your voice, your ambition, your heart.

I am just finishing up a book that has stirred the dreamer inside. I would recommend it to anybody who loves to get lost in a good story. Sweet Janxa, with incredible talent, would not have been able to blossom without the Wheatley's. 

You've heard the old saying, "Timing is everything." I'd like to throw in my two cents this morning. God's timing is everything. It can mean the difference between spinning your wheels and reaching the stars.

My dear readers, I hold a special place in my heart for you. I hope to deliver a story to you, through the posts in this blog that will challenge you to embrace truth.

A mighty oak waits to break past that dirt. Patience dear one . . . God's timing is well worth the wait.

A Devotion

Today's post is a devotion of mine that was published on CBN.com some years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

The Lunch Encounter

Top Three Literary Works

Since I feel compelled to center a whole blog around the concept of literature, I thought it would be fun to park here a moment and take a deeper look at its value and functionality.

Literature, commonly known as literary works, is quite “literally” seen all around us. From dissertations to directories, to textbooks and tracts, it can be difficult avoiding words and the messages they carry. I dare say that literature keeps the fabric of our society together. (We won’t go into the condition of such a fabric. All of that should probably be saved for a different blog altogether.)

The top three literary works readers are most familiar with fall into three categories: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. While non-fiction seeks to educate, and fiction strives to entertain, poetry digs deep into a reader’s experiences and extracts beauty from something that otherwise may have gone unnoticed.

Literature tapped me on the shoulder at an early age. My response at the time didn’t involve more than a shrug, but I believe the image made a lasting impression. I have memories of my mother curled up on the couch in the middle of the afternoon with her nose tucked into a book. The afternoon sun warmed her shoulders and shrouded her with a happy glow. Sounds of pretzel munching and slow sips of Dr. Pepper meant all was well with the world. If memory serves me right, we would have just left the library with a trunk full of paperbacks. Going to the library, I discovered, was as necessary as a trip to the meat market. Yes, we used to buy our meat from a separate store. I’m probably giving my age away with that comment, but why try and butcher it now?

My mother would always be ready to trade a towering stack of novels in for a new one the following week. Her spelling and grammar skills were, and still are, impeccable. I attribute that to all of the carbohydrates and the words she devoured by the handfuls.

I like to believe this memory has a lot to do with the writer I am today. Of the writing exercises I’ve experimented with so far, creative writing has been my favorite way to find expression. I can’t help but wonder if it has something to do with those mid-week errands into town so that my mother could get lost in her next novel.

What about you? Which of the three literary works is your favorite? And was a love for literature modeled for you at an early age?

Welcome

I am so happy to announce the arrival of my new blog! An event of this magnitude mirrors the appearance of a wrinkly new baby. (Bear with me here.) The seed of an idea was planted during a very memorable conversation I had with a literary agent during a Mount Hermon visit some weeks ago. The delicate notion was fed with sparks of inspiration as I spoke with other professionals who already have this blogging thing all figured out. 

Sure, I could start a blog. Why not? The idea of connecting with other industry professionals while getting to know potential readers sounded dreamy. I could almost feel the bundle in my arms, so soft and endearing. Rumors of a thing called platform happen to be important for somebody who really wants to pursue publication. This would be a great way to get something like that going.

Then it was time to push the puppy out. 

Gulp.

I ran to Barnes and Noble and purchased a book on blogging, one with pictures, mind you. Then I clicked over to the tutorials the Internet offers at no charge. I wish I could say that the simple instructions were simple enough for me, but the verbiage wasn't matching what I had staring at me from my laptop monitor. As a result, just prior to pulling every strand of my own hair out, I decided it might be a good idea to breathe a little. (Hee hee whooo ... my interpretation of lamaze breathing). And just when I was about to give up, similar to the transitional part of labor, my husband reminded me about the very simple and user-friendly interface of Blogger.com.

Oh, yeah. 

This was something I could relate to, a blogging platform I've used before. And just like the relief an epidural needle in your spine can bring, I felt myself finally relax enough to let the baby come.

As one of my new blog readers I hope you will extend me a little grace. I am, after all, a brand new mother to this novelty. Aside from a devotional blog I wrote almost a decade ago, this is all new territory for me. Literature is my passion, so I hope to generate some good discussion about the beauty of its contribution to the world.

If you've stuck with me this far, I want to thank you for being a part of such a special moment. With your permission, of course, I think it would be fitting to take a snapshot and save it for the archives.