What's Up with The Ponderers?

The Ponderers together again at MBT Pizza Party

The Ponderers juggle writing, brain-storming, editing, and promoting their books along with cleaning house, making meals, loving on their families, tackling various full-time jobs and keeping their faith dynamic. We thought it was time to update our readers on each of the Ponderers.

Beth Vogt

Beth is on deadline for contemporary romance novel #3, Take Another Look, which will release May 2014. She’s also planning the celebration for the release of novel #2, Catch a Falling Star, which comes out May 7, 2013. Other significant date: Her first grandchild is due in late July -- and yes, she says, “I’m over-the-moon elated about her arrival!”

Pat Trainum writing as Patricia Bradley

Pat is working on edits for Shadows of the Past for her editor at Revell that comes out February 1, 2014, then finishing book# 2 of the Logan Point series. In May she will speak at her local Methodist church about her writing and how God brought it about.

Lisa Jordan

Lisa understands the challenge of juggling a writing career with a full time job, so this year at ACFW, she will teach a workshop: Building Your Writing Career While Working Full Time. By day, she continues to care for her Little Darlings, and by night, she's working on her third novel for Love Inspired, which will be released in 2014. 

Ginger Takamiya

You’ll find Ginger editing her work in progress and keeping up with her five children. Son # 1 graduated in Computer Science and got commissioned in the US Army, son # 2 plans a trips to Russia this summer with his dad, son # 3 received a scholarship to Truman to major in Music Performance, Son #4 takes private drum lessons because his band teacher says he has potential to be great, and the youngest #5 will soon be baptized.

 

Delores Topliff

Delores still teaches 4 classes at a good Christian college, 2 online and 2 on campus, and is thankful to be involved more in her 2 youngest grandchildren's care. After submitting 2 books to the Genesis in different categories and entering a 3rd Work In Progress in the Frasier, she’s just back from a 12-day mission trip to Macau and the Philippines (her 4th time to the latter). She had a wonderful email back from an editor at a major publishing house specifying what she and her editorial team likes in her writing. Dolores had 3 other houses to contact, and based on the editor’s strong recommendation, hopes she can get an agent. She’s polishing the first 2 complete books agents will likely look at so she’s determined to save good time for writing.

Amy Lindberg

Amy’s busy mothering her one year old daughter and actively writing in her baby book. She graduated and obtained a PhD in Pharmacology and currently works for the National Marrow Donor Program/Be the Match registry. Amy hopes to tackle writing her first historical fiction novel this summer.

Jennie Atkins

Jennie’s big news for this month is that she signed with Sarah Freese of WordServe. She looks forward to working with her on her current work in process, Enduring Hope.

Alena Tauriainen

Alena recently finished her first ever Nanowrimo (write a novel in a month!).  She thanks her Savior and encouragement from her friends at mybooktherapy.com, that she finished her fast draft in 10 days!  10 Days!  She said, “That's a big deal for a newbie writer like myself.”  She’s gone through it one more time since then and hopes to have a finished draft by the end of May.  Alena also enjoys the challenges of raising her four children and running the family business.  They increased their family with another dog.  This one they call Mooch, well, because that's what she does!  

Roxanne Sherwood Gray

Roxanne Sherwood Gray is happily married and lives with her blended family in sunny Central Florida. Each week, three teenage boys eat more than they weigh in groceries and make mountains of dirty laundry, while her 1st-grader creates construction paper art by the ream. The crazy situations her large family find themselves in continue to provide plenty of fodder for Roxanne's fiction.

Paula Boire

 Paula's hard at work polishing her WWII suspense manuscript.

Jenness Walker

This year Jenness has two short works of fiction coming out in May and December, and one short child in September. :) 

Teri Smith

Teri recently spent hours brainstorming a new historical fiction book with her fantastic daughter, Sarah. Her health issues have improved, and she acts as caregiver to her sweet parents. She's also taught a sweet puppy, Titus, to dance. A call or visit from any of her three children always brings great pleasure. 

Melissa Tagg

Summer 2012 rounded out big for Melissa. She signed with her agent, the fabulous Amanda Luedeke of MacGregor Literary in June, and then in July, Bethany House offered a two-book contract! Her first book, Made to Last, is a contemporary romantic comedy and releases September 15. Melissa keeps up with her day job at a nonprofit homeless ministry and also serve as the marketing coordinator for My Book Therapy...and tries really, really hard to be patient for Coldplay's next album.

Reba Hoffman

 We pray for Reba as she is traveling around the country. She blesses ladies all over with her new ministry of encouraging women to step out in faith and embrace new adventures.

Heidi Geis

Heidi rejoices for God's blessing of a scholarship to ACFW! We pray for writing time, and that she will get her young adult manuscripts finished.

Now we’d love to have an update from our readers. What’s new with you?