Get to Know Janet Thompson on the Diamond Mine!

I’m delighted to introduce my new friend and fellow author, JANET THOMPSON, to the Rough Diamond Writers, today. Janet was introduced to me through a mutual friend who sent a copy of her blog post this past week. And it was sister-ship on my end at first read.

Welcome Janet, and in one small question that takes a paragraph to answer, can you tell us when, why, and how you began writing?

In 1995 while managing an insurance agency and attending Fuller Theological Seminary, I heard a call from the Lord to "feed my sheep." Later He revealed the sheep were women and the feeding was mentoring. I took the steps to start a mentoring ministry at my church, Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The ministry turned out to be successful and other churches started calling to find out what we were doing. I couldn’t tell them in a phone call, so I sat down and wrote the Woman to Woman Mentoring Resources, available exclusively now at our website, where you can also read more of my story and testimony. Writing these resources also launched my speaking and writing ministry, About His Work Ministry.

And isn’t that a writer’s heart? You just sat down and wrote…love it! Our readers are always interested to know about the personal side of your life. Please tell us about your family, your church, and your favorite scripture passage.

My husband Dave and I are a blended family. Together we have four children and eleven sweet grandchildren living throughout the United States, but we’re blessed to have one family living within an hour from where we live. We were members at Saddleback Church for twenty-three years and served there before moving to the rural mountains of Idaho, where we attend a small community church and Dave is an elder. The theme of the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry is Titus 2:3-5, and mentoring is at the heart of everything I write and speak about: one generation sharing life's experiences and God's faithfulness with the next generation.

The rural mountains of Idaho? That seems like a dream come true…except in the winter. What fills your time when you’re not in front of the computer?

I must admit I do have calluses on my hands from hours writing and networking on the computer. In fact, I have two screens and one of my screens is actually a TV monitor. It’s so wonderful in today's world to reach so many people at one time without having to leave your home. That's how I met you! But I love spending time with my grandchildren, and as I said most are in different states, so we try to plan my speaking around trips to visit them and spend as much time as we can with those that live close to us. When weather permits, I take a three-mile mountain walk that gets the blood and ideas flowing. I'm a three-time breast cancer survivor. I feel the Lord spared my life for a specific purpose: to spread the Gospel, help Christians grow in faith to mentor new believers and seekers, and focus my time and energy on things that have kingdom value. My husband and I co-facilitate a Couples Small Group at our church, I'm doing a Bible study with my young granddaughters, and mentoring several young women long distance. I write a Monday Morning Blog and a Monthly Newsletter...so I guess being About His Work would be my pass time and hobby.

What is your heart’s desire for the reader to understand from your writing?

I have a passion for our generation to teach and train the next generation. That we would understand this is the job description for EVERY Christian, male and female. There are no qualifiers in passages like Titus 2:1-8 or Psalm 145:4 or so many others. They don't say if you feel like it, or have time, or it's your calling . . . they all say "One generation will..." I feel we are seeing the fall in our culture today because “One generation didn't . . .”

My latest book Forsaken God: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten is the most passionate book I've written to date on this topic, and it's written to both men and women. God gave me the idea for that book ten years ago, but I know now why He had it come out February 2016, because I wrote it for such a time as this when we’ve reached a point in our culture where God has been from the public square. But with the new administration, we have a chance to bring God back into our culture, but the church must lead this revival and it must start with individual Christians.

Will you share your WIP?

I have a book releasing this fall with Leafwood Publishers Mentoring for All Seasons: Women Sharing Life’s Experiences and God’s Faithfulness, which I’m very excited about as it will help women either mentor or be mentored in every season from tweens to death.

I’m currently writing Get Your Brave On and am soliciting stories from women who had a time in their life where God asked them to be brave. Maybe they didn’t see it as brave at the time, but they knew they couldn’t have done it without God, or others have told them their actions were brave even when they were just doing what comes naturally. They can contact me for more guidelines at ahw@sbcglobal.net

And finally do you have a word of encouragement or advice for new writers?

When anyone asks about writing, I always advise to attend a writer’s conference. I never aspired to be an author, ever. But after starting the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, I attended Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference ten times, and that is where I learned to write. I made so many contacts and took all the workshops, and did finally get a proposal accepted by Howard Books/ Simon & Schuster for my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide For Women on the Breast Cancer Journey. That book came next after the Woman to Woman Mentoring resources, with many rejections in between in which I perfected my craft.

The other advice is never self-publish without paying for professional editing. You can’t edit your own work! And your family, friends, other authors…can’t do it either. If you think you have a project worth publishing, it’s worth doing it right.

And I just want to add a little blip. Go to: http://dianegates.wordpress.com/ to read Janet’s blog that introduced me to this fine author and sister-laborer-together in sharing the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Interview and giveaway with author Danele Rotharmel!!!

Today we welcome author Danele Rotharmel to The Diamond Mine! The third book in her Time Counselor series is out now! It's called Time Search and continues her riveting saga. Be sure to leave a comment for Danele to be entered in a drawing for a free copy of her book!

A nameless evil lurks in the shadows! Now it’s a race against the clock! –Time Search

In the wake of a recent wave of violence, TEMCO employees are left reeling. While some of the staff are put into hiding, others are left behind to discover the true identity of the mysterious nemesis who is determined to destroy them all. While Crystal, Marc, and Zeke search for clues to unravel the mystery of his real name, their enemy is lurking in the shadows searching for TEMCO’s missing leaders. It’s a race against the clock! And as the hours and seconds tick away, it’s anyone’s guess whose search will be completed first. It’s a classic battle of good versus evil, and the stakes couldn’t be higher!

Wow! Sounds like another awesome book by Danele!!
Hi Danele!

Nancy, thank you for having me on the Diamond Mine! It is such an honor to be here!

And it's an honor to have you. I have some questions for you! So let's get right to the interview! 
Do you write in short or extended bursts, or do you have time set aside each day for writing?

When I first began writing, I was very ill and in quarantine. Because I was trying to distract myself from pain, I wrote in huge, extended bursts. Sometimes, I would spend as many as 18 hours a day at my computer. I became so engrossed in my books that I would forget to eat and sleep. Later, as my illness subsided, I would spend the mornings writing new material and the afternoons editing my previous work.

 So you really poured your whole self into your work, coming from a challenging, vulnerable place. No wonder it's so compelling! I'm glad you found a productive outlet at such a time.

When you begin a story, do you jump right into the writing, or do you have an outline you work from?

The Time Counselor Chronicles simply flows from one chapter to the next. I just follow where the story leads. However, I do have a basic outline that entails how I envision concluding the series. This outline constantly changes because I’m continually surprised by my characters—they sometimes misbehave and throw curveballs that tend to disrupt my outlined plans. Because I write to entertain myself, I basically go with the flow and enjoy the process.

Oh, I like that. It's such a fun way to write!

During the writing of your stories, do you find yourself thinking constantly about your characters and plot, or are you able to easily leave the story and focus on other things?

When I wrote the first six books in the series, I was in quarantine, and TEMCO literally became my life. Because I didn’t want to think about my health, I focused on my imaginary world. Now that I’m feeling better, TEMCO isn’t my primary focus anymore. That being said, I still have a tendency to get lost in my stories. When I start writing, I have a difficult time stopping.

 It's hard to control the creative process sometimes! It has a life of its own.

Do you ever experience writer’s block, and if so, what do you do about it?

One of the most intimidating things in the world can be a blank page. When I can’t figure out what to write, I turn off my computer and lay down. I close my eyes, and try to imagine my scene unfolding like a movie. I ask myself what the scene looks like, what it sounds like, what the characters are wearing. Then, with my eyes closed, I compose dialogue in my head. For some reason, getting away from the computer always seems to help.

Wow, that's a really creative way of moving forward! Very helpful way to deal with those potholes in the writing road. :)

What made you decide to do a time travel series?

I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of time travel. The first book in my series, Time Tsunami, began as a short story for a college creative writing class. At the time, I was a cadet teacher working in a middle school. As I looked at my students, I wanted desperately to help them become the best they could be. Naturally, this desire became tangled up with my imaginings about time travel. Soon, I began thinking about TEMCO, a future organization that would send counselors back through time to help children and teens make the right decisions. When I composed my short story, my professor told me that I had a “sellable” idea. Later, when I became ill, I reread Time Tsunami and decided to craft it into a novel.

That's so cool! Your idea came out of a desire to help students. I love that, and it shows what a big heart you have!

Your third book of the series is releasing. Have the second and third books been easier to write than the first one, or more challenging?

Time Trap and Time Search were easier to write than Time Tsunami because I had “conquered the dragon.” In other words, I knew that I could write a book and most of my insecurities about being an author had been overcome. They were also easier to write because I’d already created my characters and fallen in love with them. I couldn’t wait to continue telling the TEMCO team’s adventures. Sometimes while writing Time Search, I was typing so fast that my fingers seemed like blurs on the keyboard as they attempted to keep up with my rapid thoughts. I would literally go to bed with numb hands.

And now you have these great books to show for it! Bravo!

Which characters have you most enjoyed creating?

I love all of my characters, but my favorite is Crystal Stuart because she always makes me laugh. She is so much fun!

And I'm so glad you're sharing her with the  rest of us!

What do you like best about your time series?

There are three things that I like equally well about my series. I love my books’ suspense, my plot twists, and my characters. My goal has always been to craft exciting books that keep readers on the edge of their seats. And I’ve always wanted my characters to come to life and feel like friends.

And they sure do!

Do you write in other genres besides science fiction?

On my blog, https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/, I write short devotionals. These articles discuss the spiritual lessons I’ve learned down through the years—especially the lessons I learned during quarantine.

And your blog is a blessing to everyone who reads it.

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am editing the fourth book in my series, Time Awakening. Time Awakening was one of the six books that I wrote during my illness, and I’m enjoying polishing it up. I’m especially enjoying the funny scenes between Marc and Crystal. Sometimes, I spend my days giggling while I edit.

That's a great visual. Writers have more fun than people realize!

I want to thank you so much for being here and sharing yourself with us!

Thank you for allowing me to talk about Time Search, Nancy! I’ve had such a great time! 

Me too! 

Okay readers, here's an excerpt from Time Search:

Taking a deep breath, Crystal entered Drake’s apartment with Marc and Agent Ruthford. Her mind kept flashing back to that horrible moment when she’d regained consciousness and realized she was locked inside a burning building.

“We’ve already searched the premises,” Agent Ruthford said, walking to the center of the room. “We didn’t find anything.”

Attempting to forget that Drake had tried to burn her alive, Crystal replied, “We’re searching for different things. I’m sure Drake left us clues to his identity. With his ego, he would’ve thought it amusing.”

Studying her surroundings, she shuddered. Although at first glance, Drake’s home was like many other student apartments—something was a little off. It was as if she could feel an undertone of evil oozing from the walls.

Marc came and stood by her side. “What’s bothering you? What do you see?”

“It’s what I don’t see,” she replied. “This room is twelve inches shorter than the living room.”

Moving to the northern wall, she spotted a blotch of ink. Her mind recoiled in horror. Springing back, she stuttered, “T-this is a false wall. Drake’s hiding something behind it.”

“I think you’re right about the dimensions of the room,” Agent Ruthford said. “I’ll have my team check it out.”

As Agent Ruthford contacted his agents, Marc touched her arm. Crystal jumped nearly out of her skin.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Can’t you feel the evil in this room?” she replied. “It’s oppressive.”

Marc looked around. “Everything looks normal to me.”

“Everything is a lie.” Running her hands over her arms, she whispered in a voice full of horror, “I don’t want to be here when that wall comes down.”

“Why? What do you think is behind there?” he asked.

“Nothing good.” She pointed at the tiny, black stain on the wall. “That says it all.”

Kneeling down, Marc studied the blotch. “It seems like an ordinary stain to me.”

“It’s not ‘ordinary’ at all,” she replied. “Look closer. It’s a black half-circle with one short line and one long line dangling down. It’s the ancient Egyptian symbol for Amenta. It was used to represent where the Egyptians buried their dead.”

Oh boy! We're in for another great story from Danele!

Here's a short bio from her, as well as her social and purchase links, and  a preview of her blog tour for Time Search!

Danele Rotharmel’s life took an unexpected turn when a mysterious illness brought her close to death. Eventually, she learned that a carbon monoxide leak from a faulty furnace was poisoning her. This poisoning triggered Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, causing her to be put in quarantine. For seven years, she could only talk to friends and extended family through a windowpane. During this time, she wrote the first six books in The Time Counselor Chronicles.  Although her journey back to health was difficult, it provided her the opportunity to grow closer to God and write her books. For that, she’s forever thankful. To learn more about Danele, visit her blog:  https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/

Social Media Links:

Danele’s Blog: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/

Danele’s Testimony: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/welcome/

Danele’s Books: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/my-books/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14782632.Danele_J_Rotharmel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danele.rotharmel

Time Search Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY7RGFJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484259046&sr=8-1&keywords=danele+rotharmel+time+search

Time Search’s Blog Tour: https://dragonflydanele.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/time-search-book-launch-20-stop-blog-tour/

DiAne Gates Ropes the Diamond Mine! (UPDATE! Giveaway!)

Hello everyone, welcome to the Diamond Mine! As y’all know, we have a slew of new miners this year and I have the honor of welcoming a great friend to the crew, DiAne Gates. In addition, she’s an awesome author! But I won’t spoil the surprise, let’s get started with the interview!

Renee: Hi, DiAne, I’m so happy you’ve joined us at the Mine. What can you tell us about how you began writing?

DiAne: Renee, thank you for introducing me to the Diamond Mine Writers. It’s a pleasure and privilege to be included in this talented group of authors.

Even though I’m a late starter, I’ve been writing for years, like since I was a teen. I’ve written and illustrated five other children’s books and hope to find a publisher for them in the coming year. We have an Air Force Colonel son and his beautiful wife, a daughter who resides in heaven for the past almost sixteen years, and her two almost grown children.

In 2010 God led me kicking and screaming to North Texas Christian Writers and the rest is history. He always knows best and has a perfect plan. Sure would have been easier if I’d gone peacefully, but that’s another story.

Renee: Oh, boy, now that does sound like an interesting story. I’d love to hear about it someday, as would everyone else, I’m sure! But for now, I think we have ANOTHER story to talk about. What’s special or unique about your book…you know, the latest one up for all these cool awards?

DiAne: Anytime you include Texas, horses, and rodeo in the same paragraph you have the makings of a rollercoaster ride of dips, dives, and page-turning drama. Throw in a tall, handsome Texas Ranger under that Stetson, El Grande, a teenage immigrant boy from China, and a teenage competition-crazed, barrel racing, bull riding gal, and her spoiled, temperamental, red-headed diva competitor—that spells unique by any description. Confine them all in a small Texas town outside Dallas, Texas, where prejudice and family lies flourish like a crop of sandspurs, and the story writes itself!

Renee: Well, then, I’d say ROPED is deserving of its acclaim! You said the book is set in a small town outside of Dallas? Is there anything unique about this small Texas town? How did you come up with rodeo as your topic?

DiAne: This Florida girl (meaning me!) arrived in Texas and had not a clue about anything rodeo. But due to corporate downsizings, I needed to help with family income and God opened the door for me to open my own business. After trials and errors, I hired a young mom who was a barrel-racer. We became close friends and my teen daughter and I learned to love the excitement of rodeo!

We pulled on boots and jeans. Weekends on the circuit taught me the lingo, introduced me to the nuisances of competition, buckles and titles, and ROPED became a figment of my imagination. One evening, perched high atop a field judge’s seat, I commenced to photograph the events, barrel racing first then bull riding. But instead of “that super shot” of a bucking bull, a Brahma bull named Booger Daddy had other ideas. The cowboys threw the gate open, he bucked twice and his cowboy hit the ground with a thud. Then I realized BD was staring right at me. He pawed the ground. My mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out and my feet and fanny refused to move.

Did I mention there was an enormous puddle of muddy water just inside the arena fence beneath me? A pick-up man galloped toward the now charging BD. The cowboy, his paint pony, and the bull all hit the puddle at the same time from opposite directions. Mud covered me, my camera, my white eyelet blouse, and fancy jeans—and Booger Daddy became immortalized in my first book of the ROPED series.

Renee: I wish I had been there! Mud baths are so nice, aren’t they? Besides watching rodeo (just kidding!) do you have any hobbies or things you like to do when you’re not working?

DiAne: For most of my life, painting has been my pursuit. I toured while living in Florida, doing weekend art shows. My mom referred to those years as my “gypsy life-style.” And when Book Two-TWISTED is released in the Spring of 2017, I will be giving away five or six of my paintings. I’ve graduated from that mud-caked camera and still love to roam the countryside taking pictures of God’s gorgeous creations. I also love to garden and cook and have a new blog entitled The Southern Side of Flavor, at http://floridagirlturnedtexan.wordpress.com. I share family recipes and give some tips on cutting calories yet maintaining flavor…southwestern flavor!

Renee: Oh, yum! Did you here that, folks? Food! Good southern food! I may need to visit this blog. J Is there a special quote or saying which comes to your mind in times of need or adversity?

DiAne: My mom was the queen of proverbial sayings. One of her favorites that is permanently engraved on the underside of my eyelids is, “If you don’t want to get in trouble, don’t be where trouble can happen!”

And yes, all these years later there are numerous times her words still echo in my head and heart…

like the night a girlfriend and I were driving from Orlando to an art show in Marco Island, Florida.  We took a wrong turn, ended up on Alligator Alley, and ran out of gas on this notorious roadway across the Everglades where every bad four-footed and two footed varmint comes out after dark. Cecil Murphey’s book, “Heavenly Strangers, Entertaining Angels Unaware”, contains my story of that frightful night, entitled “Alligator Alley Angels.”

My barrel racing terror, Crissy Crosby, hears her mama repeat those wise words to her in TWISTED, just like I repeated them to my own children when they were teens. And sometimes I still have to repeat them to myself when I see that uber-super shot I can only capture with a trip across someone’s pasture. My husband won’t buy me a four-wheel drive saying, “At least with a regular car I can hope you’re still on the roadway.” If he only knew—

Renee: God uses life to teach us lessons. Share one of your life lessons with us.

DiAne: This would be an eanie-meanie-miney-mo choice when you’re my age. But the most dynamic number of lessons came from one tragic life event—the sudden death of our twenty-eight-year-old daughter, almost sixteen years ago.

I was convinced my life and world went to the grave with her. But God taught me about “those secret things” He proclaims in Deuteronomy 29:29. The “why” questions drove me to near insanity until I read that verse early one morning. “The secret things belong to the Lord. The things revealed belong to you and your children forever.” I read and reread the verse, never having seen it before and God whispered Do you trust Me? I would love to tell you I answered with a clear, firm, Yes Lord. I trust You. But I could barely answer back with a nod and a gulley-washer tear storm. It took months for me to understand that if He answered my why questions, our Michelle would still be gone. Her death was one of those secret things. He had numbered her days before she was born.

The subsequent months and years I’ve learned that if we clutch what and those we have with a fierce grip, God cannot and will not replenish our hands with His peace and joy. I learned that as the scripture in Revelation says, “Blessed are those who die in the Lord for they find rest” comforts my soul when I miss my daughter. I’ve learned to count the blessings her death has loosed in so many lives. At her funeral five of her friends found Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior. God has blessed me by allowing me to walk through over fourteen years of helping and being His physical arms of comfort around others who are new to the grief journey. Does her loss still hurt? Of course, it does. But grief is the price you pay for loving someone. And it’s a small price when compared with our mutual love.

Renee: God promises never to leave or forsake us. Share an instance where you have been alone but God has been by your side in the tumult.

DiAne: In the weeks, months, and year after my daugher’s death, I cared for her almost five-year-old daughter and seven-month-old son. With all those people around, I was alone. Caring for little ones gave me no time to grieve and physical and mental exhaustion became normal for me. One afternoon I had enough and collapsed on the living room floor and sobbed. Our almost five-year-old granddaughter stopped and said, “Mimi, why are you crying?” I replied, “’Cause I miss your mama.” “Why?” She asked. “Cause she was my daughter,” I sobbed.

With her blonde tussled hair, hands on her hips, and that look only a little girl can give, she scolded. “Mimi! She’s still your daughter!”  I dried my tears and accepted this new insight from a tiny girl who gained wisdom from her Jesus. God is good…even in times of great distress.

Renee: It’s amazing how complex we make life, isn’t it and through the eyes of a child, we are reminded how complete—perfect God’s plan is for us. All of us, from now to eternity. What is your life goal?

DiAne: My life verse is Hebrews 12:1-4…”Run the race that is set before you…”  God doesn’t make mistakes. He promises if we belong to Him, He will bring good for us and glory for Himself out of everything He allows in our lives. And sometimes we forget, but God doesn’t.

However long He allows me to remain on this earth my one goal is to honor and give glory to His Name and His Word, and to share that Word and those difficult life lessons He’s taught me with everyone He places in my sphere of influence. ROPED, TWISTED, UNTIED, and any other titles yet to be named, share real life, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and show God is Sovereign over all things. And if we allow Him, He will indeed transform our lives and fill us with His joy, now and forever!

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UPDATE!

Woohoo! The rodeo has come to the Diamond Mine!

DiAne has agreed to giveaway a digital copy of ROPED!

Leave a comment about the interview or ask a question to enter!

Don't forget to leave your email address to validate the entry.

One winner will be selected by random draw on 1/18/17.

_________________________________________________

About ROPED by DiAne Gates:

Thirteen-year-old Crissy Crosby chases a dream to live up to her parents’ rodeo legacy. But the rodeo championship is two months away and problems beyond her ability to solve stack and teeter like a game of Tumbling-Towers. Meanwhile rival Jodie Lea and her father, Ed Fairgate, contrive to swipe the silver buckles from Crissy’s grasp any way they can. Prejudice, anger, and dark secrets simmer in a pot of family feuds destined to boil over in a tragic nightmare at the rodeo. Will Crissy develop courage and faith to overcome the consequences of her temper? Will her dreams of buckles and titles become reality? Or will the character-building adversities of her life quash her dreams forever?

About DiAne Gates:

Texas writer, DiAne Gates, illustrates, photographs, and writes for children, young adults, and serious non-fiction for adults through her two Word Press blogs, Moving the Ancient Boundaries and The Southern Side of Flavor.

DiAne also works as a freelance artist, photographer, edit group leader for North Texas Christian Writers, and GriefShare facilitator. A writing stent with the East Texas Rodeo Association magazine, gave birth to this western rodeo adventure series, released by Prism Book Group in August of 2015. ROPED--Available at Amazon.com and the second book, TWISTED, continues the journey of the Crosby and Fairgate families. The third book of the series, UNTIED, is her current work-in-progress.

ROPED was selected as a finalist for the Grace Awards and the Christian Literary Henry Awards in 2016.

Wife, mother, and Mimi, whose passion is still to share those hard life lessons God allows in our lives. Lessons she hopes will leap from the page into your heart.

DiAne’s Website: http://www.dianengates.webstarts.com

Word Press Blogs: http://dianegates.wordpress.com/ and http://floridagirlturnedtexan.wordpress.com features The Southern Side of Flavor

Crosswalk Christian Online Magazine: http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/grief’s ugly-step-sisters.html and several other articles

Face Book: http://www.facebook.com/dianegates.125

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Roped-DiAne-Gates-ebook/dp/B0147NL6KS

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14246715.DiAne_Gates