HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter! Welcome back to Patti's Porch. It has been raining all day here, a true blessing when one considers how dry this area has been for much too long.

I did a couple of things new during lent this year that brought the importance of the season to light more clearly. First, on the recommendation of a friend, I followed a Lenten daily devotional online. Each day portrayed events in such vivid detail that I felt I was actually there duirng that dark time in history when our Lord was condemned to die. I experienced His pain, His suffering, His love for every one of us. The wondrous miracle of his resurrection.

Our pastor held a six-part series on Wednesday mornings duirng Lent. It proved a special time of fellowship, sharing, and learning. We enjoyed breakfast, formed a bond as a small group, and came away with a deeper understanding of love.

Friday evening, I accepted a co-worker friend's invitation and went to a contata performed by members of the Nazarene church and First Presbyterian church combined. It was an enriching experience to hear harmonious voices lifted in praise to our Lord.

Last evening, I had fun coloring Easter eggs with our granddaughter and hiding them. I discovered she is much better hider and finder than grandma is! We talked about what we really celebrate at Easter, and this year, she is old enough to grasp an understanding of the meaning.

Today, after an inspirational sermon at church, our family got together with our "barbecue" cooked inside due to the inclement weather, but that didn't stop lots of folks from turning out. At least a dozen kids and ten times as many Easter eggs to be hunted and found.

All in all, this has been a wonderful Lenten season for me and I pray that all those who read this will carry with them the joy and the victory of Easter Sunday in their hearts throughout the year.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Interview with Author Peg Phifer

Welcome, Peg. I’m delighted to have this chance to interview you and allow you to tell others about the new writing opportunity you are offering. I understand “Apples of Gold” is a venue for devotionals and short inspirational pieces. What is your main goal in providing this opportunity to writers?

Thank you, Pat. I’m delighted to have an opportunity to talk about my new venture. “Apples of Gold” (Proverbs 25:11) is a new feature on my blog “Sips ‘n Cups Cafeteria,” but it is not a new idea with me. A number of years ago I was editor and publisher of an e-newsletter and website called Wordsmith Shoppe, in which I featured a writer of devotions in each issue, also called “Apples of Gold.” The idea resurfaced when I started up my blog.

Devotion writing is a niche market and writers of these inspirational thoughts and musings don’t get the recognition other writers do. At least that’s the way I see it. Most often they become part of a compilation book of devotions that include many other writers in, say, 365 days of daily devotions. So I thought I’d open one day a week on my blog to give some of these writers a bit of exposure.

But I’ve expanded the original concept to include not just the standard formula devotional, but ‘slices of life,’ poetry, almost anything that has an inspirational tone, perhaps even a lesson learned from a personal experience.

Is there a particular target audience you are hoping to reach?

No, not really. I just hoped to provide meaningful and thoughtful reading for anyone who comes across my blog. Each Apples of Gold post is listed as an archive file with an embedded link to that particular posting. Contributors can direct friends and families to their posts. That way they get exposure and my blog gets the traffic.

It’s exciting to report that I now have fourteen regular contributors and I have all the Thursday slots filled up through early March. I’m considering breaking off Apples of Gold into it’s own blog and then we won’t be restricted to just one day a week. I’m praying about that.

I realize you offer guidelines on your web site, but could you give us a brief overview of your guidelines here?

Sure. As I mentioned above, I’m open to almost any type of short inspirational writing, subject to approval. But I’m not too difficult to please. Submissions must be sent as an attached Word document, RTF or plain text (i.e. Notepad). The subject line must contain the words “Apples of Gold.” At first I was trying to keep word count between 300 and 500 words, but I’ve loosened up on that and have accepted longer articles. A brief bio, Web site and blog links, email contact (not made public unless approval granted), and a jpg or gif photo is nice. If the contributor is published, those credits may be included, as well. (Links for all this at the end of this interview.)

I know from my association with you, Peg, that you feel a deep commitment to serve other writers on their journey toward success. I’d like to hear your thoughts on that calling.

I’m an introvert. So it’s easy for me to stay behind the scenes and help others along the way. I really enjoyed my fourteen years doing my e-newsletter, providing all types of helpful information for writers, such as: Conference schedules, market news, contests, opportunities and calls for submissions from other sources, paying markets, interviews, etc. For a while, I even had a chat room where a featured writer, editor or agent would visit and conduct a mini workshop or do a Q & A session. These included folks like Jack Cavanaugh, Sally Stuart, Marlene Bagnull, Eva Marie Everson, Andrea Boeshaar, Lynn Coleman, oh . . . I can’t remember them all. But after a time, I felt the Lord calling me somewhere else, and I discontinued that adventure.

And He led me to ACFW, then ACRW, in 2001, and in 2005 I was elected as Treasurer on the ACFW operating board, serving in that position for 2-1/2 years. It was a special time that allowed me to give something back to that great organization for Christian fiction writers.

“Apples of Gold” is just one more opportunity for me to help fellow writers on their writing journeys.

Who have been your strongest influences during your writing journey?

Oh, my, there have been so many over the years. I have to say that my very first encourager was Jack Cavanaugh. In my early attempts at serious fiction writing, in an online chat room, Jack helped me brainstorm a bit with some character development and a tricky plot. There were others, too, at that same time period. Lynn Coleman for one. Marlene Bagnull was a constant encourager and supporter of my Wordsmith Shoppe efforts. More recently are Christina Miller, crit partner who also writes in my historical era, and Staci Stallings, mentor extraordinaire.

Any parting advice for fledgling writers?

I’m not sure I have any new advice to offer as I’m a ‘fledgling’ myself. Just keep at it. Pray about everything. Be sure you’re in the center of His will in your writing. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, you won’t have peace about your efforts if you’re not where He wants you to be, or going where—and when—He directs you.

Thank you, Pat, for giving me this chance to share. I didn’t think I’d have much to say! LOL

Links:
Website: http://peggyblannphifer.com
Blog: http://peggyblannphifer.blogspot.com
Apples of Gold Guidelines: http://peggyblannphifer.com/applesofgold.htm
Submission Mailto: applesofgold@peggyblannphifer.com (be sure the subject line says Apples of Gold.