Marriage ~ Made easier through faith by Mary Ellis

You’ve been married HOW long? That’s a question I often hear when thrown into a new group of women. My answer usually brings a knowing nod from married ladies my own age, along with a wide-eyed look of awe among young wives and never-married women. Often their next question is “where did you two meet?” When they hear that we met in college, I’m often asked: “Did you live together first? Were you engaged a long time? Did you two know each other well before walking down the aisle? When they hear: No, No, and No, their usual response is, “You two are very lucky.”

My husband and I married six days after graduation; we did not live together, and we didn’t know each that well because we both worked during college. Yet luck had nothing to with our marriage lasting forty-nine years. It has been by the Grace of God. Marriage is hard work, and it’s not easy at any age. Young couples often struggle financially after buying their first house and starting a family. Middle-aged couples often juggle careers along with the demands of teenagers and aging parents. And long-married folks could struggle with the hardship of poor health or the temptation to stray from their vows. But Christian couples have a silent partner in marriage—God. He has already heard every sorrow and every painful disappointment many times before, but He always intercedes on behalf of His children. When we send up our problems in prayer, we find the necessary strength and courage. No, I didn’t read that in a book...I’m speaking from experience. In the past, I sometimes turned to the Lord as a last resort, after struggling unsuccessfully to fix things on my own. It’s hard for me to give up control of my life. But only when we surrender control do we find the solutions we seek. Experience has been a good teacher. And after forty-nine years, my husband and I have plenty of experience.

Marriage is not for the faint-of-heart. But God lightens our load when we include Him in each decision we make. I trusted God to bring me a suitable spouse, which He did. And although our married life hasn’t always been a bowl-of-cherries, God has never left our side and He never will.

Mary Ellis is a former schoolteacher turned USA Today bestselling author who’s written twenty-six novels including Amish fiction, historical romance, and suspense. Her first mystery, Midnight on the Mississippi, was a finalist for the RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award. Her latest series is the Bourbon Tour Mysteries from Severn House. Book two, One Hundred Proof Murder released August 3, 2021. Her latest Amish novella is Missing available on Amazon Kindle. She enjoys gardening and bicycling and lives in Ohio with her husband and dog. www.maryellis.net or www.facebook.com/Mary.Ellis.Author

Creative Minds and the Need for Sleep by Mary Ellis

Read any author interview or listen to any conversation between writers and you will hear one universal theme: There aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Between day-jobs, families, houses that need to be cleaned, and meals to get on the table, how does a writer find time to write? Once published, authors must find time for editing, publicity, research, and coming up with ideas for a saleable proposal. But wait…what about email and social media, that lurking Goliath ready to devour every minute? Writers become ingenious at squeezing more into their day, but sleep often gets short-changed. 

Instead of slipping under the covers at a decent hour, writers network into the wee hours and face the next day sleep deprived. Besides bags under our eyes and crabby dispositions, there’s another downside to consider. Sleep-time is also dreamtime, and there is no better way to recharge your creative batteries than dreaming. During REM sleep, dreams are often vivid enough to jump into and direct the outcome. The more writers dream, the more they revitalize the right side of their brains. I’m no dream therapist, nor do I play one on TV, but for years I’ve noticed my writing is better after a good night’s sleep. Creativity thrives on rest, not extra caffeine. So authors, the next time you find your story stuck with characters having nothing to say, don’t reach for another cup of coffee. Instead brew a cup of chamomile tea, turn off your phone and catch some zzzz’s. Your writing will thank me in the morning. 

Mary Ellis is a former schoolteacher turned USA Today bestselling author who’s written twenty-six novels including Amish fiction, historical romance, and suspense. Her first mystery, Midnight on the Mississippi, was a finalist for the RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award. First of her current series, One for the Road, is available in Kindle for $10.99. Also available in hardcover and CD’s. Book two, One Hundred Proof Murder just released in hardcover. She enjoys gardening and bicycling and lives in Ohio with her husband and dog. www.maryellis.net or www.facebook.com/Mary.Ellis.Author

Amazon.com: One for the Road (A Bourbon Tour mystery Book 1) eBook: Ellis, Mary: Kindle Store

New book from Mary Ellis ~ leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy!

 

Authors are often asked, “Where did you get the idea for your new book series?” For me the answer is almost always: from travel. And the funny part is you never know when and where inspiration will hit.

Almost three years ago I was driving south on one of the major highways when hunger pangs grabbed my attention. Tired of fast food, my husband and I took the next exit in search of local cuisine. What we found was a bourbon distillery just outside of Lexington that served lunch on the patio. After truly delicious sandwiches, I talked the manager into giving me a peek behind-the-scenes. Although their normal bourbon tours had been suspended for the season, my enthusiasm for the product won over the bartender/tour guide’s heart and she gave me a thorough step-by-step explanation of how they make their bourbon. I even got to meet the Master Distiller and ask him a few questions, which is no small feat. And I was allowed to photograph areas normally off-limits to tourists. During the process, corn and rye are mixed with limestone well water, then malted (fermented) barley is added to begin new fermentation. The mash is distilled twice to create a smoother bourbon and aged in new oak barrels with annual taste-testing after the first two years. Once the master distiller decides it’s ready, the bourbon is filtered and bottled. What’s my secret for getting insider info? No secret—I was simply in the right place at the right time among distillers who love their craft.

That evening, while sipping my purchase in a hotel room, ideas for murder mysteries popped into my head. Who should be my central character to solve these heinous crimes? Where to find the body? Who wants to kill whom? And so the Bourbon Tour Murder series was born wherein a syndicated travel writer, who drinks nothing but wine from a box, becomes my reluctant sleuth. I had fun taking these tours and writing these books. (Although absolutely no murders took place during my tours.)

In the first of the series, One for the Road, my travel writer, Jill Curtis, becomes a suspect after she lands in the middle of a century-old family feud between bourbon makers. And in my current book, One Hundred Proof Murder, Jill hopes to land a job promotion, get better acquainted with her new detective boyfriend, and keep her relatives out of trouble. She’s not looking for a best friend, unless that friend’s father is a Louisville distiller. And she certainly doesn’t wish to involve herself in another murder. But you know how good intentions go…

So grab your beverage of choice, then pour yourself a shot of rivalry, romance and murder with One Hundred Proof Murder.  Available on Kindle now and in print 8-3-2021.

Book one, One for the Road, now $3.99 in Kindle!! Amazon.com: One for the Road (A Bourbon Tour mystery Book 1) eBook: Ellis, Mary: Kindle Store

Leave me a comment regarding your favorite "tourist" destination for a chance to win a print copy of One Hundred Proof Murder. You must leave your email address to win. Drawing in one week.