Love and Laughter in Ransom Canyon

Let's get to know Jen Dodrill. Her Empty Nesters Cozy Mystery! Book #1 will hit the market early in 2024. I'm excited for her!

 Online  I met Jennifer (Jen) Dodrill. One of the reasons I wanted to become her friend is that she earned a graduate degree at the University of Southern Mississippi, which is the college I attended and earned my Bachelor of Arts.

 Since then, I have discovered that Jennifer has a way with words, a zest for living, and a kind heart. She graciously agreed to tell us about herself.

(I forgot to ask her if she likes collard greens.)

1. Tell me about yourself.  

My dad was in the Navy until I was two. We lived in Virginia and moved to Gulf Breeze, FL when I started 6^th grade. I went to college in Pensacola, earning a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication. It was a mistake! I thought I'd be helping kids who had speech problems. Lesson learned!

After college, I moved to Nashville and met my husband who was going into the Navy. We got engaged two months later and married five months after that! We didn't move a lot, but he was on sea duty for over 14 years and served a total of almost 23 years. We have 5 kids, all grown, plus 2 granddaughters and our first grandson is due in November. Eddie and I have been married almost 38 years and he is my best friend.

I homeschooled my youngest 3 kids and also blogged about homeschooling, wrote magazine articles and guest blog posts. I even spoke at a number of online homeschool conferences. I know that all of these experiences have been helpful as I've turned to writing.

It's the hard times that have increased my faith in God. I learned to rely on Him and allow Him to be my rock when I found out a family member was an addict. Then two years ago, my dad had terminal cancer. His wife decided she couldn't live without him and took her life. Unimaginable pain for all of us. I had the privilege of staying with Dad until he died. Life isn't easy, and these are just a few things I've dealt with, but God is faithful.

 2. Tell me what you have written. 

I just signed a 3-book series contract with Scrivenings Press for my cozy mystery series - The Empty Nesters Cozy Mystery! Book #1, Birds Alive!, is due out late Feb 2024. I'm working on book 2 now and just got back from seeing my mom in Pensacola and doing some research for this book out at Fort Pickens. 

I've also written a contemporary fiction novel that deals with addiction in the family. I'm still looking for a publisher for it. This novel is something I think will offer hope and joy to others who live with addiction in the family. It's fiction but is honest about the toll addiction takes on everyone involved.

I have another contemporary fiction novel in the works, and so many other ideas just waiting to be written!

3. Tell me about your writing habits.

This made me chuckle. I don't work so I get to write whenever I want! I do my best in the morning with coffee and my black cat, Tom, by my side. I will confess that I can do all kinds of things other than write. I even recently started a coffee mug shop on Redbubble - JDMugs!

I use Save the Cat Beat Sheets to plan my books, but I'm more of a pantser than an actual plotter. The Beat Sheets help me stay on track.

When I stayed with my dad I came up with the idea for my cozy series. Dad and his wife were big birders and I'm an empty nester. So, my series is about an empty nester who starts a birding group to meet people and then she starts finding dead people! 

 4. Share your goals

My goals for my writing - I want to inspire, encourage, and offer hope to people. I am a Christian and there is a thread of my faith in my books. I also love to make people laugh so there is always humor, even in the serious novel. I think my readers will be women 40s and up. Women who want to read about real life, sometimes the hard stuff, and find a way to walk in joy.

5. Mention some books you like to read.

I read for escape, and I read a lot. I'm stuck on psychological thrillers/suspense at the moment, but I also read cozies, mysteries, and historical fiction.

I use The Emotion Thesaurus almost daily. I also have read On Writing by Stephen King, Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell, and The Dance of Character & Plot by DiAnnMills. I have more books on my shelf in my study that I will use as needed.

The first thing I did when I got serious about writing was attend writing conferences. In 2022 I went to the Asheville Christian Writing Conference and met Larry Leech. He was incredibly encouraging and answered so many of my questions. I also went to the Scrivenings Press Writers Retreat that year and to the Florida Christian Writing Conference. I'm active in 2 critique groups - one with ACFW and one with Word Weavers. I still have so much to learn!

 6. Talk a little about your platform.

I started using social media when I blogged about homeschooling, so I understood how important that is for a writer. Now I blog at Jen Dodrill Writes and I'm actively working on building my newsletter email list! Because - publishers want writers to have social media and a newsletter! Plus, I like to talk/write so I get to share in many areas. 

You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), and Pinterest!

Jennifer and Her Daughter 

Living Close to the Earth. Do you ever wish you had lived in the nineteenth century?

 

All Her Dreams of Love Does your mind ever wish you'd lived in a simpler time? Life is never easy. Each day has its complicatons. Let me show you some glimpses of yesteryear, of life in the Deep South in the 1880s. Talking about problems... Nancy and six-year-old Tommy sat on the porch and looked into the forest. Papa worked at a sawmill a few miles away. With money in his pocket, he walked home every Friday night, but one week he didn’t come home on time. They stared down the road with a dwindling hope he’d show up. “I heard a gunshot," Tommy said. Nancy laughed. “It was probably B. K. shooting hawks trying to steal his chickens.” “No, ma’am.” Tommy pointed to the left. “The Barneses live that way, but the shot came from the other direction.” Tommy’s words sent a chill through her body. Nancy's Cotton Field Time passed. Nancy waited, but Amos didn’t come home. The cotton blossoms changed to green bolls, and then the fluffy white cotton needed waited to be harvested. Nancy was pregnant. How would she manage?  "When you get your sack full, bring it to me. I’ll weigh it and record how much you’ve picked. Then we’ll empty it into the cotton crib. I’m gonna keep it locked up the rest of the time.” High Bank of Cohay Creek Nancy dreamed she and Amos stood on a bluff overlooking Cohay Creek. He held her tenderly. The White Sandy Banks of the Cohay Nancy stirred in the sand. Log Cabin Freed slaves lived nearby.  “It ain’t safe for us here no more. After them four Klansmen get out of jail, they’ll come for us. Maybe burn down our cabin. Or some more of ’em’ll come after us.” The Washpot Nancy built fires under the pot and filled it with water to wash her family's clothes. It also served as a cooking pot, where cubes of pigs' fat boiled to make lard. “How’s the lard rendering?” “Good. We’ll have some cracklings to share with the children soon.” Black Panther Resting on a Limb The sound of the panther's scream reminded her that Amos could have encountered danger That was then, but even today the cry of a panther sens its chilling cry through the neighborhoods along Cohay Creek.

A Review of All Her Dreams of Love... Led by a delightfully inspiring heroine, All Her Dreams of Love by Mary Lou Cheatham is a historical romance set in Mississippi after the end of the Civil War. As the sun sets, Nancy and her son wait on the porch for Amos, who always comes home from the lumber mill on weekends. When the night passes and he fails to show up, Nancy prays for his safety. Soon after, she sets out to look for him with Tommy but the roads are fraught with danger. Days pass without any sign of him and Nancy is forced to make difficult decisions. She has another child on the way and must decide what to do with the farm and animals. Nancy soon learns that she is not alone as she tries to sustain her young family without Amos. Exploring positive themes encompassing faith, family, community, and finding love after loss, the novel is a wonderful read with uplifting messages. I found its post-Civil War setting atmospheric and Nancy's strength and hope encouraging. I enjoyed the story's exciting twists and its multidimensional characters whose lives were intriguing. The author does a brilliant job of describing the harsh realities that many families faced after the end of the war and the challenges that people encountered during that era. There were many happy moments in the story and captivating conversations that were engaging. A moving tale told through unforgettable characters, All Her All Her Dreams of Love by Mary Lou Cheatham will be an excellent red for fans of historical romances. -- Edith Wairimu, Readers' Favorites

Reorganizing the Garden

Have you planted your fall collards yet?  

In west Texas where we live, it's time -- maybe past time --  to start growing collard plants from seeds. Then I'll transfer these to the garden.  

Here's a helpful site to guide us through the process:

How to Grow and Cook Collard Greens in Texas - Experiential Gardener

In my backyard, we've been gardening in feed tubs elevated on pallets. After a few years, the pallets are wearing out, and the tubs haven't produced as well as we expected. Now I'm changing over to a big above-the-ground garden box. Some of west Texas is semi-arid during the good years, but lately we've been in a drought. 

New Garden Box
My daughter and son-in-law are filling it with dirt.
These days I'm not quite up to shoveling.

I'll purchase some seeds and plant collards in flower pots. Then when the plants come up and grow to an acceptable height, I'll transfer them to my new garden box.

Tubs on Pallets
Notice the pallets are disintegrating. 
Pepper plants can endure the hot Texas sun. 

~~~

When I'm not gardening and cooking, I write novels. Here's the newest one:

     All Her Dreams of Love

It's a story about a woman named Nancy, who lived close to the earth in the late 1800s.  

Description of a meal on a fall evening:

The coolness of fall felt pleasant, especially in the evenings and early mornings. Nancy’s garden yielded new fresh vegetables - tomatoes, onions, collard greens, and beets.

She invited Jeb to supper again on Friday night. After they feasted on fried green tomatoes, cottage cheese, and a variety of vegetables, Jeb helped clean the kitchen.

What Other Authors Are Saying About ALL HER DREAMS OF LOVE

 

Knowing that Mary Lou's latest book, "All Her Dreams of Love" was based on fact made it that much more intriguing and interesting. It was a page turner that I couldn't put down. I had to keep reading, I had to know what happened to Amos.

The setting of the book is in the area where I live. Cohay Creek, where panthers can be heard screaming in the early spring and fall, is just down the road. I could imagine the heavy rains and the Creek getting out of its banks and flooding the cabin of B. K. and Bertie.

The KKK, which still exists in the south, the way neighbors help each other when needed, jealousy, love, and mystery it's all there in this engaging novel.

This is a must read!

Sarah Walker Gorrell, Author and Columnist

~~~

I loved this book!

I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've read by Mary Lou Cheatham, but this story really grabbed me. She writes Nancy as a strong, caring woman with a heart full of Christian charity.

I admired how Nancy kept strong for her little boy when she must have been falling apart inside and didn't know if her husband was dead or alive. I admired how good she was to her friends and neighbors, always willing to help them in any way she could.

Along comes Jeb. A man who is her equal in every way and who teaches her to love again.

This is a wonderful second-love story with some great side characters.

I highly recommend All Her Dreams of Love - it's a good one to snuggle up and read with a nice cup of tea.

I absolutely recommend this book.

Regina Rodgers, Author of The Winding Roads to Love Series

~~~

Mary Lou Cheatham writes wonderful stories with rich characters, interesting settings, and true-to-life plot lines. Be sure to read All Her Dreams of Love and get caught up in Nancy O'Reilly's world. 

Jackie Zack, Author of An Irish Heart 

~~~

Another heartwarming historical romance by Mary Lou Cheatham. Jeb and Nancy meet amid tragic happenings in their lives. Both fight the growing attraction between them due to society’s expectations during their day. A well-told story. 

Jonni Rich Author of The Chartres House Murder

All Her Dreams of Love, Mary Lou Cheatham’s Newest Historical Romance, Now Available

 

 

Nancy O’Reilly’s husband has disappeared in the sparsely settled wilderness of post-Civil-War Mississippi, and she goes searching for him.

Virgin woods offer cover for bands of outlaws. Underdeveloped roads provide limited transportation for the settlers. Most farmhouses stand miles apart. All Her Dreams of Love weaves tension into an inspirational romance set in a harrowing struggle to survive.

When Nancy lies in bed at night, the cries of bobcats, panthers, and owls in the nearby Cohay Swamp remind her how lonely her life has become. She doesn’t know how she can manage their remote farm while she takes care of her little son. Because she has a baby on the way, she experiences tender feelings, and she needs the gentle touch that her husband has provided.

Without the man she loves, Nancy doesn’t know how she can carry on. Where will she find the strength?

“In the light of the morning, her hand reached to the pillow on the other side of the bed. Empty. The hope that Amos could have slipped into the house during the night was also empty.”

If you liked The Dream Bucket, don’t miss this absorbing tale of the power of love.

Join Nancy on her journey to resilience. Buy your copy now of All Her Dreams of Love. Available at Amazon.

Malta Farms--When was the last time you visited a halfway house?

 Let me tell you what I did last night. I visited Malta Farms. The church I attend, Ransom Canyon Fellowship Church helps sponsor Malta. Every few weeks members of our church go out to Malta to play games, visit, and eat pizza. Last night was the first time I’d gone.

My reasons not to go. I was not sure where it was located. (It is on the north edge of Slaton just west of 13908 Highway 400.) I didn’t know how to play Spoons. (The rules of the game are simple.) I didn’t want to go by myself. (Some people gave me a ride.) I was afraid of socializing with recovering drug addicts. (All the men were sober, polite, and welcoming.)

Why should I be afraid? Back in the 1970s when I taught at Greenville High School in Mississippi, many of my students took LSD trips and smoked pot. The younger siblings of returning soldiers from Viet Nam experimented with drugs. I was fearless back then.

In the 1980s while I attended nursing school at Louisiana Tech, I spent time at Louisiana State Mental Hospital with recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. Last night at Malta, as soon as I saw these men—mostly young—struggling to regain their lives, compassion overcame the fear. Love drives out fear.

What is Malta Farms? Quoted from the Malta Farms Facebook page: 

Malta Farms is a faith-based, sober living facility that aids men with their transition back into the community. These men come from addictive lifestyles, brokenness, and neglect. Malta Farms offers men a safe place to experience the transforming power of the Lord. Our ministry is partially funded by a resident work-program, within the ministry (we are a 501(c)(3) program). With your prayers, partnership(s) and generous donations (God's provisions); our hope to see our men fully restored to their Maker and families will be realized. This process begins when a man encounters the Living God.

 

Why was Malta established, and what do the residents do to overcome their problems? How do they start their lives over? To read the answers to these questions, go to Half Way House | Malta Farms

What is going on with Malta now? The men spend their mornings in class, where they study a Bible-based program of regaining their lives. In the afternoon, they work. They seem to spend their time farming produce, which they eat and sell to stores and to individuals. An interesting person I conversed with was the cook. This weekend one of the men will graduate.

 

How can we help? The men have an annual stock-the-pantry drive. Here’s a page on Amazon, where concerned friends can go and with a few clicks send them some items they need. Amazon.com

 

We had a wonderful time. When have I laughed so much? Playing Spoons was a blast. My friends from church didn’t want to leave, and the men who are living at Malta kept talking to us. At the back door, an engaging polite exchange of conversation went on and on.

 

Thank you. Tyler, our pastor, said, “You have no idea what it means to these guys to get to feel normal and sit around a table with family.”

All Her Dreams of Love is now available. 

An alligator knocked on her door.

 

Jessica's front yard was covered in water from the flood.

An alligator came for a visit.

As Doves Fly in the Wind

Other Plans

Dale opened his sermon with these words.

As Doves Fly in the Wind

 

Author's new book receives a warm literary welcome.

Readers' Favorite announces the review of the Christian - Romance - Contemporary book "As Doves Fly in the Wind" by Mary Lou Cheatham, currently available at Amazon.com

 Readers' Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "Honoring Excellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

 As Doves Fly in the Wind is a work of fiction in the romance, interpersonal drama, and Christian fiction subgenres. It is suitable for the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Mary Lou Cheatham. The plot follows our protagonist, Jessica Boudreaux Hays, a talented music professor who has moved to Rousseauville to open a bed and breakfast in her grandparents' house. Despite her cooking skills, musical talents, and hospitable nature making her an attractive prospect to those around her, Jessica faces challenges. Her sister, Emmie, needs constant care after their parents' fatal car accident. Meanwhile Dale Bonnier, a widowed pastor, ministers to two rural Louisiana churches. Despite his inspiring sermons and kindness, Dale carries the weight of a troubled past involving drug addiction that destroyed his family decades ago.

Author Mary Lou Cheatham has crafted a compelling drama that delivers an emotional and complex journey through the interlocking lives of Jessica and Dale. The book explores themes of forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the potential for redemption whilst connecting these to the Christian faith, but never in a way that would alienate readers from outside of these beliefs. The characters' struggles and growth are portrayed with depth and empathy thanks to the close attention paid to the narrative style and dialogue, making the story relatable and touching. Less of a Hollywood feel and more of a heartwarming, genuine real-life drama. Cheatham's storytelling weaves together various elements of human emotion and spirituality, creating a narrative that resonates long after the final page. Overall, readers seeking a heartwarming story with plenty of ups and downs will certainly enjoy As Doves Fly in the Wind.

                                          K. C. Finn, Readers' Favorite

Letter from Belleau Wood -- “A touching tale of young love during wartime.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Letter from Belleau Wood” by Mary Lou Cheatham is now available as a hardcover, in addition to paperback, Kindle, and Audible.

In 1917, Europe, drowning in the disaster of World War I, welcomes the United States doughboys to join the fight. Soon, the great influenza pandemic spreads over the battlefields and back home in the States.

Trudy Cameron says goodbye to the three men she loves—her brother, her childhood sweetheart, and her husband. On the home front, she must carry on. Then one day a blood-stained crumpled letter changes everything.

“A group of young people grow up in the shadow of World War I.” – Kirkus Reviews