I have built a new website and am trying to consolidate my online presence! By doing so, I will be moving my blog! Please join me at the "new" Harris Happenings blog.
This site will officially be closed at the end of January, 2012.
Showing posts with label Karina Harris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Karina Harris. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Roller coaster
The past month has been as bi-polar as possible.
Thanksgiving marked the arrival of prerelease copies of my second novel, Third Time Around. I was so excited to finally have this one ready for others to read! I went to work, setting up book signings and delivering copies to all who preordered. I had the privilege of sharing the publishing process and the end result with my students, my young authors, and even students in another school.
In the midst of this excitement, however, my father-in-law, who has been battling lung cancer for two years, took a turn for the worse. He passed away on Friday. Four days before he passed he told my husband he believed he had made things right with the Lord. We hold tight to that hope.
Because I am a writer, and I process my feelings with words, I sat down yesterday and wrote a poem. This has not been an easy road for our family, and as with many others, dealing with death shows itself in many different ways. My prayer is that regardless of the circumstances, we will turn to the one true source of comfort and allow him to give us peace.
Dealing with Death
For some it is steeped with guilt
For words left unsaid
Deeds left undone
The best intentions laying in a pile of ash at their feet.
Others wail in anger and despair
At the world
At the wasting disease or cruel accident
At God for not staying his hand.
Death can reunite embittered relatives
Or rip apart the closest friends.
It is the bringer of grief
Mourning
Loss.
But sometimes death delivers
Peace
In knowing the loved one no longer suffers.
Hope
For an eternity spent in paradise.
Joy
At the promise of a sweet reunion one day.
Thanksgiving marked the arrival of prerelease copies of my second novel, Third Time Around. I was so excited to finally have this one ready for others to read! I went to work, setting up book signings and delivering copies to all who preordered. I had the privilege of sharing the publishing process and the end result with my students, my young authors, and even students in another school.
In the midst of this excitement, however, my father-in-law, who has been battling lung cancer for two years, took a turn for the worse. He passed away on Friday. Four days before he passed he told my husband he believed he had made things right with the Lord. We hold tight to that hope.
Because I am a writer, and I process my feelings with words, I sat down yesterday and wrote a poem. This has not been an easy road for our family, and as with many others, dealing with death shows itself in many different ways. My prayer is that regardless of the circumstances, we will turn to the one true source of comfort and allow him to give us peace.
Dealing with Death
For some it is steeped with guilt
For words left unsaid
Deeds left undone
The best intentions laying in a pile of ash at their feet.
Others wail in anger and despair
At the world
At the wasting disease or cruel accident
At God for not staying his hand.
Death can reunite embittered relatives
Or rip apart the closest friends.
It is the bringer of grief
Mourning
Loss.
But sometimes death delivers
Peace
In knowing the loved one no longer suffers.
Hope
For an eternity spent in paradise.
Joy
At the promise of a sweet reunion one day.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
"Old Acquaintances" -- a New Hit
Ursula Gorman's new thriller, Old Acquaintances is an action-packed bullet train. This fast paced mystery will have you turning pages as quickly as you can. Gorman spares no time with long descriptive passages or extraneous back story, but cuts right to the chase.
Rissa Neil's life turns upside down when she realizes she is the target of an unknown stalker. Her world further spins off kilter when she finds that several of her old acquaintances have been murdered. Enter Stone, the perseptive and elligible detective assigned to her case. Will he follow the clues to solve the killings before Rissa's assailant catches up with her? Get your copy of Old Acquaintances today and find out!
Available where books are sold, including amazon.com.
Rissa Neil's life turns upside down when she realizes she is the target of an unknown stalker. Her world further spins off kilter when she finds that several of her old acquaintances have been murdered. Enter Stone, the perseptive and elligible detective assigned to her case. Will he follow the clues to solve the killings before Rissa's assailant catches up with her? Get your copy of Old Acquaintances today and find out!
Available where books are sold, including amazon.com.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Hold Fast to Hope
After a few dry months, where words were as elusive as water in the wilderness, I finally managed some writing today. I've been trying to write the prequel to Second Chance, starting the story when the Summers siblings first discover their parents' deaths. It journals Jaden's path as he takes on the mantle of head of the family. While dealing with the loss of their parents, Avalin and Quinn also question their faith. I've been stuck 30 pages into the story for months, until today.
I always back up and reread what I have previously written to help refresh my memory and put myself back into the story. I had completely forgotten the last scene I penned, and fully believe it was not a coincidence that today I had the urge to revisit this story.
In the latest scene our characters are at church. In the sermon, the preacher uses a well quoted verse from Jeremiah; "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to give you hope and a future." While one character in the story takes joy in this scripture, the Summers siblings do not. In fact they react with anger, not understanding how they can have hope while facing their personal tragedy.
As I read that, my heart was heavy. Over the past month hundreds in our state (Alabama) have suffered loss through violent storms. Flooding has devastated parts of Tennessee and Arizona. Then Joplin, Missouri was struck just yesterday.
I can't imagine losing a loved one in such a violent way. And while my story is purely fictional, the emotions inherent with loss are real. I sat at my computer struggling to answer the question my characters asked. If God is a loving God, why is he allowing so much destruction? How can we have hope and a future? And as I tried to reconcile the Summers's struggles, this verse continued to play in my mind: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105.
How aptly it applies, both to the fictional plot in my story, and more importantly to the struggles in our daily lives.
Right now we may only be able to see the light at our feet, and not the whole path in front of us. I don't know why God has allowed the weather to cause such wide spread destruction. But I do know God is good because his WORD tells me. His word—that promise of his goodness—illuminates the air around me. Though I know not the fullness of his purpose, and cannot see the path in front of me right now, I also know he is faithful. If he says his plans are to give us hope and a future, then we can take him at his word. And when the time is right, he will light our path and allow us to see that future more clearly.
My prayers continue to go out to those who have lost loved ones. I don't mean to trivialize your pain. My own struggles with loss did not come swiftly through physical disaster, but slowly due to age and sickness. So while my experiences may not match yours, the pain of loss still tears at our hearts with the same sorrow and at times seems unbearable.
I hope that you will find comfort in knowing the God of the universe knows your name, and while he has allowed these events to occur, he still loves you. His WORD is full of comfort, and he can give you strength when yours fails.
So hold to hope. Hope that God is still in control. Hope that his mercies are new every morning. Hope that each day you continue here is an opportunity to share Christ's love with others. Hope that in heaven there is no more pain. Hope that the day will come when you will be reunited. Hope.
I always back up and reread what I have previously written to help refresh my memory and put myself back into the story. I had completely forgotten the last scene I penned, and fully believe it was not a coincidence that today I had the urge to revisit this story.
In the latest scene our characters are at church. In the sermon, the preacher uses a well quoted verse from Jeremiah; "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to give you hope and a future." While one character in the story takes joy in this scripture, the Summers siblings do not. In fact they react with anger, not understanding how they can have hope while facing their personal tragedy.
As I read that, my heart was heavy. Over the past month hundreds in our state (Alabama) have suffered loss through violent storms. Flooding has devastated parts of Tennessee and Arizona. Then Joplin, Missouri was struck just yesterday.
I can't imagine losing a loved one in such a violent way. And while my story is purely fictional, the emotions inherent with loss are real. I sat at my computer struggling to answer the question my characters asked. If God is a loving God, why is he allowing so much destruction? How can we have hope and a future? And as I tried to reconcile the Summers's struggles, this verse continued to play in my mind: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105.
How aptly it applies, both to the fictional plot in my story, and more importantly to the struggles in our daily lives.
Right now we may only be able to see the light at our feet, and not the whole path in front of us. I don't know why God has allowed the weather to cause such wide spread destruction. But I do know God is good because his WORD tells me. His word—that promise of his goodness—illuminates the air around me. Though I know not the fullness of his purpose, and cannot see the path in front of me right now, I also know he is faithful. If he says his plans are to give us hope and a future, then we can take him at his word. And when the time is right, he will light our path and allow us to see that future more clearly.
My prayers continue to go out to those who have lost loved ones. I don't mean to trivialize your pain. My own struggles with loss did not come swiftly through physical disaster, but slowly due to age and sickness. So while my experiences may not match yours, the pain of loss still tears at our hearts with the same sorrow and at times seems unbearable.
I hope that you will find comfort in knowing the God of the universe knows your name, and while he has allowed these events to occur, he still loves you. His WORD is full of comfort, and he can give you strength when yours fails.
So hold to hope. Hope that God is still in control. Hope that his mercies are new every morning. Hope that each day you continue here is an opportunity to share Christ's love with others. Hope that in heaven there is no more pain. Hope that the day will come when you will be reunited. Hope.
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