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Friday, November 04, 2011

Welcome Rhonda Gibson and A Biltmore Christmas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RHONDA GIBSON is an award winning author who loves being a wife, mother and Mimi. She has held many types of jobs in her life starting with hoeing cotton as a young girl and her last position, outside of writing, was Preschool Teacher. Rhonda is blessed to be able to write full time. Before Rhonda was an author she was a reader. Thanks to her mother’s love of reading, Rhonda started reading at an early age. She believes that that love of reading lead to her desire to write. To learn more about Rhonda, you can visit Rhonda at http://rhondagibsonwebpage.blogspot.com where she enjoys chatting with readers and friends online. Rhonda hopes her writing will entertain, encourage and bring others closer to God.

A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS
by Rhonda Gibson, et. al.
Published by Barbour

ABOUT THE BOOK

The four orphaned Bradford sisters find employment and romance at the Biltmore Estate at Christmastime.

In A HONEY OF A CHRISTMAS by Rhonda Gibson, Peggy Bradford loves being an assistant cook at the Biltmore Estates. She enjoys being close to her sisters and has become what she thinks is an old maid. Will the arrival of beekeeper, Mark Ludman, prepare Peggy for a honey of a romance? And take away her old maid status for good. Or will she feel the sting of a lost love due to her allergic reactions to bee stings?

Christmas is a time for love to glow at the Biltmore Estate.

Readers, buy your copy of A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Writing Time

I get asked all the time, how much time do I invest in writing? For me the answer isn’t simple. I know there are people who have a “regular” writing time. I’m not one of them. I write at various times throughout the day depending on my day.

Let me explain. I have a family that keeps me hopping. They always want or need something and most of the time whatever it is they want or need can’t wait. I’m one of those people who usually drops everything and does what her family wants. So that makes it hard to keep a focused schedule. That doesn’t however stop me from trying.

So on the days when life is “normal.” I get up; take care of James, do my Bible study, and household things in the mornings. Then I write in the afternoon and some in the evenings. On the days when life isn’t normal, I write whenever I can but I make sure that I write something every day. That is the key to establishing writing time. No matter what happens during your day to interfere with writing take a few minutes and make time to write. You don’t have to write a whole chapter or even a whole page but you do need to write at least a sentence.

How much time do I invest in writing? The answer is: I try to write at least one hour a day. Normally, I write up to four hours a day. Most of the time that is 2 hours in the morning, one in the afternoon and one more in the evening. When I’m on deadline, it’s more. When I’m not, it can be as little as one hour a day.

If you are a writer and this question was important to you, remember: How much time and how much you get written isn’t what’s important, what is important is that you write.

* * * * *

Thank you, Rhonda, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: So what eats up your time and keeps you from writing? If you aren’t a writer, what eats up your time and keeps you from doing what you feel you should be doing?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

The contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Life eats all my writing time... mom, work full time, going to school full time, etc. By the time I have a minute to write I am exhuasted.

Please enter me for a chance to win. The book looks awesome! :)

Salena
srstormo at yahoo dot com

Janet Lee Barton said...

Great post, Rhonda! I love getting my writing done in the daytime, but many days, I find it's at night I get the most done. But like you said, the important thing it to write each day.

Beth Loughner said...

The book sounds wonderful, Rhonda. It seems to be harder and harder to find time to write. I'm just too busy and need to drop one or two of my bigger commitments. Writing for God is an important ministry. I need to remember that!

Beth Loughner
www.bethloughner.com
beth@bethloughner.com

Aaron McCarver said...

Hey Rhonda!
Great tips about being consistent with writing. That must be why you are so good at it!

Diane Ashley said...

Hi Rhonda,
Great post and advice. Please do not enter my name in the drawing as I already have a copy (lol)

To answer the guest question, I have a day job that keeps me busy (and pays the bills). I generally get an hour in the evening to devote to writing and I write as many hours as I can manage on the weekends. I'm looking forward to retirement and writing full time during the day so I can spend more time with my sweet and supportive hubby.

Rhonda Gibson said...

Thanks Everyone!

Selena, keep writing! If all you do is a page a day in a year, you can have a book complete :)

You are right Beth, writing for God is an important ministry. I found I had to drop a lot of things to be able to write.

Laughing, thanks Aaron... I appreciate the compliment.

Janet and Diane, I often wonder how you two ladies get so much done and still write such wonderful books!

Edwina said...

Reading emails/blogs really can eat into my time!

edwina(dot)cowgill(at)yahoo(dot)com

Erica Vetsch said...

Time and obligations...argh. It's always so hard to balance everything, isn't it?

I try to write every afternoon. I've gotten so used to it, I feel guilty if I don't.

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your blog Rhonda. I am often side-tracked by phone calls. It's especially tough when the calls come from my 80 yr old Mom and my two year old grandson! I really can't say no to those! Consequently, I have to make up that time in the evening, so I plug in my headphones and write away while others are tied up with dinner and bedtime routines!

LyndeeH
spooler(at)comcast(dot)net

Rhonda Gibson said...

I agree Edwina, email is a big time eater! I've been trying to "train" myself to only read it in the morning and the evening... I won't lie... I'm failing :)

Erica, I'm like you. I feel guilty if I don't write some in the afternoons. I miss it, it's like seeing my old friends when I pull up the pages to work on their stories. I feel guilty for not stopping by for a while. How crazy does that make me sound? LOL

Thanks Lyndee. I enjoyed posting. I know what you mean about the phone.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. This is fun!

Anonymous said...

I'm hit or miss, too. I used to love writing at night after everyone was asleep, but now I'm too tired.

I write best early morning, but the kids get up early and we hit the floor running.

I seem to get going late evening out of necessity.

Paige Dooly
paige@paigedooly.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Rhonda,
Great interview. I try to write every chance I can. We spend a lot of time with our families so I work writing time in between as often as I can.

Jeanie Smith Cash
littlesweetpea2k@hotmail.com

Merry said...

I'm another one who has to watch the time I spend with e-mail and my favorite blogs. A moment can quickly stretch into a bunch of my time. The more I stick with a basic schedule, with my most important things planned first, I can get more accomplished... not everything, but more! Please include me for A Biltmore Christmas.

worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

Cynthia A. Lovely said...

I have no excuse for not writing. I think the hardest thing is to stay motivated on a day to day basis. A Biltmore Christmas sounds like a great holiday book!

Anonymous said...

I love to read and find myself reading more than writing. My husband says I'm "obsessed" with books. LOL
My writing time is sporadic. I have no reason not to have a set writing time, but, like so many others,family needs take precedence.
I'm especially fond of Christmas stories. (hint! hint!)

growingingrace@rocketmail.com

squiresj said...

I am not a writer but a reviewer. I am busy right now with my new granddaughter and helping my daughter. That is what eats up my time. My new granddaughter will be three weeks old on Monday.
jrs362 at hotmail dot com

Judy said...

I find that I get frustrated with my time flying by. I am a caregiver to my Mom and even though she can't help it I just don't have enough time to do things that I feel need to get done or things I'd like to do for myself. I feel guilty for feeling this way. I wouldn't hurt my Mom in anyway. She can't help the way she is.

judyjohn2004[at]yahoo[dot]com

Rhonda Gibson said...

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Judy, something that helps me when I feel like I'm not getting the things done I need to do or would like to do for myself is writing down what I have done. I keep a small notebook close at hand, I write down what I do as I do it. Whatever you do for your mother is a blessing to her. So look at the list as being a blessing and be proud of what you accomplish.

I'll be praying for you because I know it is hard when you are the caregiver. Don't feel guilty for the way you feel just ask God to help you feel better about what is happening.

Hugs to you.

Tiffany Amber Stockton said...

I've been horrible at returning to post the winners selected. But having 2 little ones under the age of 3 takes its toll on my free time...and my brain. :)

Here is the winner for this drawing:

Salena Stormo

Congratulations! I'll go now to post the winners of the other drawings up through current. Thanks for your patience.