Love at First Thought with Ruth Logan Herne

by | Feb 10, 2011 | Fiction Book Reviews, God's grace, inspirational fiction | 18 comments

I’m continuing with my blog series Love at First Thought, where authors share the inspiration behind their beautiful novels.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have a very special person as guest today.

In fact, she’s so special that I’ve adopted her.

She’s my writing mother. Do you want to know the reasons I had to adopt her?

  1. She’s WAAAAY too young and savvy to have a daughter my age, of course.
  2. Not only is she savvy, but she’s sassy too – keeps me in my place. (you know, the kick- you-in-the- pants-when-you-need- it kind of person.
  3. She has an amazing sense of humor. Hilarious. Even if it’s at other people’s expense.
  4. She has a heart the size of New York. (So the big stick she carries isn’t as intimidating…mostly)
  5. And she’s a Seeker-extraordinaire

Welcome Ruth Logan Herne to Words Seasoned With Salt.

Here’s the inspiration for her novel, Winter’s End (to read a review, go here)

Winter’s End.

I saw this farmhouse,  frayed and faded.  Mold-hashed. Worn. Tired. In need of care. And a man’s soul, the same way. Aching, both of them, but no time to fix either. I saw a hospice scene, an older man but not old, in a hospital bed, dying. And I saw a young woman who worked so hard to be normal, to appear normal that she almost thought she was. But she hated the cold. Hated the snow. Hated the long, dark days of winter. Hated the memories that  winter spawned, that feeling of never quite being warm enough.

He was wed to the land, born to it, at peace with it when no other sanctuary offered him shelter. His land. His farm. His family. His home. His legacy.

She wanted and needed peaceful faith, a bucolic setting, a Kincade cottage of hopes and dreams, lit from within.

She couldn’t stay.

He couldn’t leave.

Oooh, doesn’t that sound so good! And it is!! Not only that, but Ruthy has loads of new books coming out this year. Learn all about them at www.ruthloganherne.com

And check out the wonderful world of Seekerville while you browsing the Web.

Inspirational Beginnings:

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

 1 There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

 2 a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
 3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
 6 a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
 7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
 8 a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

 9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Have you realized yet that things come and go? That even the best things in life only last for a definitive time period.

The old adage “Nothing lasts forever” might come to mind.

Well, Ecclesiastes is trying to help us gain perspective on eternity. Because, until we grasp the idea of a God over All things – we will spend most of our lives getting lost in the moments. Trudging through the tough times or the ‘waiting’, without stepping back to catch a glimpse of a God’s-eye view.

It’s easy to get lost in the moments. Who likes to wait? Or be discouraged? Or feel grief and pain?

But the good thing is – those are only part of a season, not an eternity.

And the wonderful seasons? Well, they’re only here for a specified time too. Remembering this (especially for me as a parent) should keep me from holding on too tight and trusting God a whole lot more. (I’m still working on that one)

The only safe, secure, unchanging foundation at the heart of eternity is God. Eccl states “He has set eternity in the human heart.” Wow, what a thought. Our hearts are already set on an eternal timepiece, waiting for the next tick of time.

It’s so easy to get caught up in worldly affairs that we forget the BIG perspective: God’s. There’s relief and hope within his constant care. When our world falls to chaos, his eternal, strong, and nail-scarred hands remind us there is a bigger picture we cannot see.

The comfort is in the fact that our Father God loves us…THAT much!

We can trust Him with the seasons of life, and cling to the knowledge that at Winter’s End, Heavenly Joy will be our reward.

Blessings,

Pepper

18 Comments

  1. KC Frantzen

    Pepper, the seasoning was PERFECT today.
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • pepperbasham

      Thanks, KC.
      You’re wonderfully punny. 🙂

      Reply
  2. KC Frantzen

    YAY Ruthie!!!
    I didn’t know that about Winter’s End.
    So special.
    You are AMAZING!!!

    Reply
  3. KC Frantzen

    ha ha ha!!!

    (I’m trying to get my avatar updated but cannot figure out why it won’t let me in. arg. just wrote and asked for help. HELP HELP!!!)

    Reply
    • pepperbasham

      You think you have it bad?
      I’m trying to sink a ship.
      Sigh.
      The things we writers do!

      Reply
  4. Audra

    Oh my. Ruthy has never been one at a loss for words, has she? This time, her words fit together so beautifully to give the deeper essence of her books. And they are, by far, that good.

    Love your topics, Pepper! So fun to see how people’s minds work. Hmm, kinda spooky at times, too. LOL!

    Have an awesome Friday!

    Reply
    • Pepper

      Thanks, Audra.
      It’s so much fun to create these.

      Reply
  5. Julia

    I love the covers on Winter’s End and am excited to see she is setting her next series in Alleghany county, what a neat spot in NY.

    Reply
  6. Ruthy

    Oh my stars, what an honor to be over here with Pepper. I brought coffee and cookies AND…

    the beatin’ stick, ‘case my girl gets out of line, wi’ y’all. 😉

    Pepper, it’s hard for me to put into words how deeply I take our friendship.

    Wait.

    I’m a writer.

    Of COURSE I’VE GOT WORDS!!!

    And I might note that I was the FIRST author to get back to you on this assignment. I should get extra chocolate for that, right? Or hugs. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE SOMETHING FOR BEING FIRST, DAGNABBIT!! THIS IS AMERICA!!!

    Sorry. Carried away there. Momentarily.

    Phew.

    Swiggin’ diet Snapple. Love it. And I think you should all come and we’ll do a retreat in upstate New York and play. Wouldn’t that be fun????

    And lovely?

    🙂

    I’ll bake and cook and we’ll talk writing. SWEET.

    Reply
    • Pepper

      Count me in, Ruthy.
      I’ll come up the NY if I get to hang out with you AND eat your cooking.
      WOOHOOOO!!!!
      I’m going to check online to see what professional conferences are taking place up your way 😉 Surely there have to be some good ones about Autism in NY.

      Reply
  7. Casey

    Can I be a neice to that adopted mother’s daughter??? Puhleeeaseeeeeee???

    Ruthy, like I promised, I’ve added Waiting out the Storm to my Amazon wish list and I hope to have it in my hands sooon!

    Love the root of story ideas, it holds such inspiration!

    Reply
  8. Casey

    Nope! That was Casey who left the to be approved comment. Ignore it. Sigh.

    Reply
    • Casey

      YAY it works!! *giddy laugh* Sorry Pep for the clutter! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Ruthy

    You guys are a hoot. Having trouble blogging? Oh my stars, laughing so hard up here!

    Yes, come up. With the U of R and Nazareth College and RIT there must be something you can claim on your taxes. You can stay here.

    There are TWO clean bedrooms now.

    And a clean office.

    Seriously, I’m sooooo big time. I’m amazing myself. 🙂

    Casey, you come too. We’ll party and talk about Mary behind her back. It’ll be fun. And Deb, Julia and Joy aren’t all that far away.

    SWEET.

    Reply
    • Casey

      I’d be there quicker than you can blink. *wink* 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kathryn Albright

    Great blog, Pepper–and how true. Been thinkin’ on this a bit lately. Seasons…life…
    Deep stuff.

    Reply
  11. Julie Lessman

    Oh, man, Ruthy — that description of Winter’s End has me wanting to read it all over again, and I would if I didn’t have so many Mary Connealy books to read first … 🙂

    Seriously, my friend, your incredible way with words drops my jaw more times than I care to admit. 🙂

    Hugs,
    Julie

    Reply
  12. Myra Johnson

    WAAAAAAY behind on visiting my favorite blogs but couldn’t miss Ruthy’s day! I can totally relate to Ruthy’s heroine’s dislike of winter. And I have to agree, Ruthy does have a way with words. Wow!

    Reply

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