Debbie Macomber's Blog, page 14

Bright in color and flavor, this soup is a perfect way to taste spring vegetables at their peak. The broth is savory and satisfying, yet still light enough to serve for lunch.

Amanda Eyre Ward is the critically acclaimed author of seven novels, including How to Be Lost, Close Your Eyes, The Same Sky, and The Nearness of You. She lives in Austin, TX and currently writes every morning and spends afternoons with her children. Her most recent novel The Jetsetters, was Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick for March! Amanda graciously lent her talent and wrote an article in the March issue of Welcome Home on how cruising connects you to strangers. She also generously answered a few questions about becoming a writer and what's next for her!

I’m wearing pearls today in honor of Barbara Bush. As the Bush family gathers to celebrate the wonderful life she lived, I wanted to reflect on the impact she had on me. Twice in the last few years I was honored to be part of literacy events that were sponsored by Barbara and her family.

She was an exemplary woman who I greatly admired for her devotion to family, her faith and generosity.  Here are a few quotes from Barbara Bush that will forever resonate with me. Her legacy lives on in the morals that she so instilled in the hearts of many in our nation and with the over 50 million dollars she has raised towards literacy.

“Your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the White House but on what happens inside your house.”

 “I know there is a great God, and I’m not worried”

“Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life’s blood. But everyone has something to give.

“I married the first man I ever kissed, when I tell them they just about throw up.”

The month of March is Women’s History Month and today also happens to be International Women’s Day. On the staircase leading to my office, the wall is decorated with several author signatures, ones I’ve collected through the years. I call these writers my mentors. Many of them are the women I read as a teen and young adult. There’s Willa Cather, Lillian Hellman, Edna Ferber, Pearl S. Buck. (I couldn’t pick just one!) As I walk up the staircase I am reminded of the road these women paved for me as a writer and novelist. Because of them and the ground they broke in the male dominated publishing world, I have equal footing. They make me aware, every single time, of my responsibility as a storyteller. Their works have stood the test of time and they inspire me to strive to be the best I can be. At the same time, these women whose photos and signatures grace my wall, bring to mind my responsibility to encourage the next generation of women authors. Last year my team and I visited the Fearless Girl, staring down Wall Street…This girl inspires me, don’t ever underestimate the power of a strong girl and the dreams she carries! Happy #InternationalWomensDay!

Everyone thinks that just because I write romances that I have the most romantic husband in the world. Well, that is just not true.

He tries, he sincerely tries though. There was one Valentine’s Day that he was building a plane in our basement. As he was working on the aircraft, he said his biggest fear was that he would have to land the plane quickly while we were flying so I could use the bathroom. And so, for that Valentine’s Day, he got me a portable urinal! When a friend asked what he had gotten for me, he simply said, “you can’t love a woman more than that!”

A little after that I took over planning our Valentine’s Day excursions! And while I did it because I wanted to take the pressure off of him, it also gave me another way to show love for my husband.

One year we went to fancy restaurant which happened to be close the sports center—and the Sonics were in town. So, after a wonderful dinner, we enjoyed a Sonics basketball game. It was perfect. I had what I wanted and he had what he wanted. We had both the romance the fun that year and the best part of all is that we were together, my Valentine and me.

For years I’ve used the World Vision Christmas catalog and allow our grandchildren to choose a Christmas gift for a child in need. When our granddaughter Maddy was around eight she carefully scanned the catalog, and decided she wanted to buy a camel, which at the time was $700. There was also the option of buying half a camel for $350. I explained to young Maddy that $700 was a bit more than I had intended to spend but if she was willing to give me her allowance we could buy the whole camel. Maddy carefully chewed over the decision and then with a heart filled with generosity, announced, “Half a camel, will do.”.

It’s Giving Tuesday and there are children around the world in desperate need. My prayer is that you’ll find it in your heart to look through that catalog yourself and whether you decide on a camel, a goat or a soccer ball, know that you will be making a tremendous difference in a youngster’s life. Thank you!

View World Vision Gift Catalog

What are you most thankful for this year?

As with every year I have felt God’s blessings upon my life in numerous ways but none more so than with the medical issues Wayne, my husband, went through these last several months. While I eluded to the fact that Wayne was having health issues, what I didn’t explain was how serious those issues were. In a nutshell, following surgery Wayne contracted a serious infection in his spine that resulted in 4 visits to the Emergency Room, two major surgeries, meningitis, and a partridge in a pear tree of other side effects. It is through the prayers of family, friends and our church that he managed to survive. I treasure every day with my husband and am eternally grateful that God gave us more time together. If that isn’t miracle enough, I was unable to write for nearly six months as Wayne went through this ordeal. Even with that amount of time away, I have still managed to meet my deadlines. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. I feel like we’ve had more than one miracle this year.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

As our children matured and married, Wayne and I realized it would be impossible for them to be home for every holiday. They had in-laws now and so we decided to celebrate on off days. For Thanksgiving, those who are going elsewhere come for dinner the Wednesday night before. This works well as Wayne isn’t over fond of turkey, so I generally serve a rib roast. The same holds true for Christmas. It’s time for our children to start their own holiday traditions so Wayne and I celebrate Christmas the weekend before as a family. On Christmas Day I put out a huge buffet and whoever wants to stop by for dinner is welcome.

With a busy work schedule, I rarely have time to visit a shopping mall any longer . . . with one exception! For more years than I can count, my mother and I were one of hundreds of Black Friday shoppers. We plotted for days which stores to hit, marking up the newspaper for bargains, setting a time table. When mom passed, my two daughters Jody and Adele have continued the tradition. It’s bonding time. We bond, we scheme, we make lists, checking them two and three times and then we’re off to the races, shopping until we drop and loving every minute.

Our office was being renovated so I spent nearly five months writing at home, which was quite the switch for me. I’m accustomed to writing with my staff and lots of activity. I have a much smaller office above our garage so it was just Bogie and me. The truth is, I quite liked being at the house. It reminded me of the early days when I wrote in a small area off the kitchen. Now it’s time to move back and the timing is perfect. I’m starting my next book and it’s great to be back with the creative environment I’m most familiar with.

I had something of a fright recently: I looked in the mirror and saw my mother’s face. It was a surprise because I always thought I looked like my father. As I leaned in closer and adjusted my glasses I realized the old saying, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all” was true. It isn’t a bad thing. My mother was a lovely, gracious kind woman. I can aspire to nothing less!

Jody, Adele, and my granddaughter, Maddy Rose and I canned apple pie filling a couple of weeks ago. Soon Wayne and Isaiah, another grandson, got involved peeling the apples with one of the devices that makes it fun and simple. The girls worked together and I made the sauce. It was truly a family affair. It’s times like these that create wonderful memories. As a bonus we have more apple pie filling to give as gifts and to enjoy right along with the laughter and the good times!