Hello and welcome to my first newsletter. If you have found your way here from my website, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to follow the link here; if you've come via my personal blog, I am grateful for your faithfulness; and finally, if you have come via a search engine, I am humbled that you took the time and made the effort to find me.
Readers have asked me what happens to Katie and Samuel and I feel that I need to respond. There is another book – two actually – in the Distant Land series, but despite all my best efforts, these have not yet been published.
When the second book was submitted to Ark House Press, the economy had taken a downhill turn, and Ark House made the decision not to commit to publishing novels for a time. I found another interested publisher, but to cut a long story short, I recently resubmitted the manuscript to Ark House Press. Currently I’m waiting to hear “Yay” or “Nay”. As soon as I know, I’ll let you know. But be assured that Katie, Samuel and Rhiannon’s story does continue. I hope you will enjoy what is in store.
I know that whatever happens, our God is in control. I trust and believe that there is a reason for this delay … and thank you – my readers - for your patience.
As I write this, I can’t help but reflect on how God has shown His goodness to my family yet again. Less than a week ago my husband, our two youngest sons, a friend of our youngest son, and I were involved in a car accident. Given the circumstances, it’s a miracle that we were all unhurt and able to walk away from the scene. We thank God for His goodness and mercy and everlasting love.
God has also blessed us abundantly in so many other ways. Since To A Distant Land was published, another beautiful daughter-in-law has joined our family and two more gorgeous granddaughters. Another grandchild is due early October. I am grateful that God has allowed us to still be here to enjoy these incredible little beings and to watch our family grow and change.
My husband and I have also experienced a number of changes, not the least our youngest son leaving home. I will not deceive you: we were dreading it. But it has been exciting to see our children mature and go out into the world on their own - confident and responsible - and we have discovered that this is but just another stage in our life together.
If you're interested in learning more about the author who penned the story of Katie and Samuel, please feel free to visit my Personal Blog. Here you will find that I am just a very ordinary person with faults and struggles like everyone else. Please leave a comment if you do drop by.
What does my writing hold for me this year? Well I would love to see my second novel published ... but that is in God's Hands and I will try to wait patiently on Him. I have a fourth novel that is all but finished which I am itching to get back to. And then ... hopefully more ideas, more writing, more words. I love the whole process of writing from the ideas and research to the writing and to the editing. It is when I'm engrossed in writing that I feel that this is what I was created for.
If you have a dream to write: never give up. Keep writing and reading and writing and reading. Pursue your dream. Whether your writing touches millions or just a few, if it's what God has called you to do, don't be sidetracked. Go for it!
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NKJV).
Blessings,
Julianne Jones
