The To Do List

How do you like my new business card? It was designed by Kelley Cowan of Iconix and I LOVE the way she added the little apothecary logo for my tagline: RX: Charisma & Contagious Hope. She's done several projects for me in the past (like bookmarks with my cover images), and totally rocks. Iconix is fast, has very economical pricing, and great personal service. I highly recommend them. And having these cards completed is one more task I can check off. Which is so very satisfying, since, well, okay . .

I'll Confess: I'm a List Person. I love lists--making them (always in pencil) and checking items off one-by-one. In truth, I've made lists OF my lists. Grocery lists, gift lists, party planning lists, travel packing lists. My daughter in law (Dr. Wendy) gets the biggest kick out of checking my party lists (on a dry-erase board in my kitchen, red felt tip pen itemizing the entire food prep minutiae, right down to oven temp settings and assigned serving pieces). Sure I make lists because I don't want to forget things, but a large part of my "Listing" likely has to do with a sense of accomplishment and goals met. I'm a planner. I guess it helps me feel secure. Maybe a shrink would say it gives me a sense of control. Maybe that same shrink would try to make some analogy between my less than storybook childhood and a need to control chaos, even extrapolating that into my choice of career--Emergency Department Nurse. Talk about your chaos! But, hey, we're not talkin' psycho babble here, we're talkin' lists. And the point is, that along with the Writing Life, comes a great new opportunity for new lists! So, approximately one year from the launch of THE HEALER'S HEART, here's what's on the To Do list posted above my computer:

Contact RN Magazine (offer interview)

Contact Disaster Preparedness Nurse Methodist Hospital --DONE--

Contact International Critical Incident Stress Foundation--DONE--

Announce Tyndale Contract on "OverBoard" Blog --DONE--

Send out newsletter to readers announce new genre--DONE--

Finish judging the RWA RITA contest--DONE--

Finish first draft of The Healer's Heart--DONE--

Write Dear Reader Letter

Get New Domain for new website--DONE--

Get new author photo--DONE--

Have business cards made--DONE-- (see above!)

Have bookmarks made when bookcover image available

Register for American Christian Fiction Writers Conference Minneapolis

Make new Blog (RX:Charisma)--DONE--

Make lists of review sites--DONE--

Make lists of promotional venues--DONE--

Think of "branding" ideas--DONE--

Have "Faith QD" logo designed--DONE--

Make contacts for author quotes

Talk with LifeWay regarding booksigning op

Plan book launch party

So, as you can see--I'm getting things "DONE". And, because this isn't my first book series, I know VERY well how fast an author has to "tapdance" to keep up with momentum once things get rolling. My first mystery was released several months ahead of schedule and I felt like the mother of a "preemie"--no Pampers and the crib was still unassembled!

It is by no coincidence that nurse Claire Avery, the heroine of THE HEALER'S HEART, is a "List Person"--actually, an Excel Spreadsheet Person, who has planned her new career path with precision. All designed to avoid facing a painful past and to completely avoid future hurt. She's got it all figured out and (she emphatically insists) has "done all the legwork" and left God to "simply give her plans his stamp of approval." Heh heh. Of course, it doesn't work out that way and brings her a truckload of angst, frustration and doubt--trust me. And that's because God has a far better plan for her future." Along with hope, healing--and a love that was nowhere in her plans.

As List Person and author, I loved creating this conflict for my heroine.

And as a woman of faith, I loved sharing the comfort that comes with learning (despite our checklists, spreadsheets and red ink) to "let go and let God"--let him handle the big stuff. It's his job.

Works for me.