General Interest Archives - Page 2 of 3

Feb 26, 2015 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: characters, inspiration, novels, plot, seat, tractor

HOW SITTING ON THE SEAT OF A TRACTOR INSPIRES ME Picture this: A novelist-farmer in Southwestern Colorado needs answers to questions that keep popping up in her current work-in-progress. She also needs to mow or disk the pasture. If she spends her time thinking about plot and characterization while sitting in front of the computer, the pasture doesn’t get done. If she spends a few hours on the tractor, the writing doesn’t get done. So what does this author decide to do? She multi-tasks by mowing or disking the pasture while mentally working on her novel. The novelist-farmer is me, and some of the…

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Feb 8, 2015 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: Christian romance, DiAnn Mills, Firewall, high-tech, suspense, terrorist bombing

FIREWALL This novel by DiAnn Mills will keep you turning pages ’til the very end. This story is fast-paced with a surprise twist at the end. If you’re looking for a story that will keep your blood pumping and your attention riveted, then FIREWALL is the book for you. Here is the text from FIREWALL‘s back cover blurb: After a whirlwind romance, Taryn Young is preparing to board a plane at Houston International Airport, bound for a dream honeymoon, when a bomb decimates the terminal. Injured but still alive, she awakens to discover her husband is missing and they’re both considered prime suspects…

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Dec 17, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: cat, Christmas, cuento de navidad, familia, family, forgiveness, perdón, tale

A CHRISTMAS TALE When I was growing up, most of the cousins in my extended family were girls, so when my brother and the only boy cousin got together for reunions, they couldn’t stay out of mischief for long. I was the eldest cousin, and as I remember it, this mischief was always directed at the girls. They loved to hear us yell, and were overjoyed if we chased them. A CHRISTMAS TALE is a work of fiction, though the characters are a compilation of personalities from my childhood. Some of the names have been changed to protect the…

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Dec 6, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: Christian, Exiles, Fantasy, Judge, King, Prophet, R.J. Larson

Exploring Fantasy Worlds with author R. J. Larson Fantasy is not a genre of fiction I typically choose. I mean, come on. Dragons or other strange and frightening creatures? Make-believe words and worlds? Magic? Medieval-type settings full of castles and men and women who fight with swords or other deadly weapons? REALLY? By definition, fantasy is extravagant and unrestrained imagination using mental images that are unreal or fantastic. This type of fiction never attracted me much, though I did enjoy Lois Lowry’s, The Giver, and Robin McKinley’s Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast, The Hero and the Crown, and The Blue Sword when my classes read…

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Jun 11, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest

In A Still Moment It is my pleasure to announce that on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, three weeks before the 151st anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, you will be able to read, In A Still Moment, a Civil War short story of faith and healing. My hope is that it will entertain, inspire, and encourage you. AN OVERVIEW: IN A STILL MOMENT outside the village of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Civil War photographer Christopher Grant looks on the peaceful fields and orchards through the viewfinder of his camera and senses that this morning, the morning of July 1, 1863, is the day the Union Army and General…

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Apr 23, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: captor, foe, friend, medicinal, Oregon Trail, sagebrush

SAGEBRUSH: FOE When my family first moved to Southwestern Colorado, our pastures were overgrown with sagebrush. At the time, we didn’t have the equipment to remove it quickly, so the only way to get rid of it was with a mattock. This was time-consuming, back-breaking work, that nobody liked, but it had to be done, because nothing much would grow near sagebrush. It produces a strong chemical that repulses most plants, animals, and insects, so up until recently, we considered it a noxious plant with no value. SAGEBRUSH: FRIEND Then I researched for the second book in my DESTINY trilogy….

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Apr 9, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: impacting others, individual, sphere of influence, unique

Impacting those in your sphere of influence When I think of the different skills, abilities, desires, and interests God has given us to do His work, I’m amazed. We may have similar life experiences, but we are unique and can influence others in a way no one else can. I don’t believe the people who show up in our spheres are there by accident. Considered how Simon Peter, a.k.a. The Big Fisherman, and the Apostle Paul, previously known as Saul of Tarsus, were uniquely prepared to minister to those who moved into their spheres of influence. Their objective was the same–…

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Mar 26, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: author, Dangerous Turn Ahead, dog, dog trainer, Sherri Gallagher, Trust Your Dog

Sherri Gallagher: Utilizing her expertise in novels For 13 years, Gallagher has been training and using her German shepherds for search and rescue (SAR) missions for children, dementia patients, disoriented hunters or hikers, and even potential suicide victims. Sherri Gallagher has served the body of Christ for since 1998 doing canine search and rescue. She has been a Boy Scout merit badge counselor for since 1999, and her son is an Eagle Scout. She brings the authenticity of this experience to her writing. Sherri, tell us about your dog training experience. When I was growing up my parents bred German…

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Feb 26, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: benefits, Dan and Tiffany Bergman, Mercy Ship, responsibilities

THE DAN AND TIFFANY BERGMAN FAMILY SERVE OTHERS ON AN AFRICAN MERCY SHIP Why did you chose to serve on the Mercy Ship? We were looking for a place to serve together in Africa as a family. With Dan’s medical background, my administrative and teaching background, and the girls as students, Mercy Ships (view the Denver Post article here) was the best fit we found available. We also knew about it because my aunt and uncle had lived on-board a previous ship run by Mercy Ships, The Anastasis, in the 1980s and 1990s. What were your responsibilities? Our roles changed during our…

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Feb 12, 2014 · by Derinda Babcock · In: General Interest Tagged: aspiring writer, clay, Durango High School Colorado, medieval village, sculpey artist, Steve Powell, Tolkien shadowbox

INTRODUCING STEVE POWELL Steve Powell is the teacher librarian at Durango High School in Durango, Colorado. He coaches knowledge bowl, chess team and speech and debate, sponsors the school’s book club RABID, and co-sponsored the international winning aerospace design team. He is also a talented Sculpey artist and an aspiring writer. Steve, how long have you been creating characters of clay? What inspired you to get started? I have been “playing” with clay all my life. My first piece was a duck pond in 1st grade. My inspiration for creating historical pieces are the great dioramas at the Colorado Historical…

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