Carrie Turansky, author of Seeking His Love, and Gail Pallotta author of Love Turns the Tide duked it out in week 3 for Best Description of Nature. Gail won the cyber laurel, and our drawing winners were Elaine Cooper and Pamela Morrisson.
EXCERPT A--Love Turns the Tide by Gail Pallotta
EXCERPT A--Love Turns the Tide by Gail Pallotta
When she strolled on the wooden walkway to the
gazebo that overlooked the seaside, seeing the beauty of the
water and miles of white sand dotted with sea oats blowing
in the breeze stopped her in her tracks. What a sight it must
have been for the disciples when they saw Jesus upright on
the lake. The Bible said they were frightened and thought it
might be a spirit instead of Christ until he told them
“…Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then Peter
walked on the water. As long as he stayed focused on Jesus
he never faltered, but when he became skeptical and turned
his attention to the wind, he sank. In Matthew 14: 31, when
Jesus caught him he said, “You of little faith, why did you
doubt?”
Why did she doubt? Now when she needed God most
with her life spinning out of control, for some reason she
didn’t understand she felt more estranged from him than
she ever had. If only he would take the weight of the failed
romance, the new job, and a new home off her shoulders.
She was saying her prayers and reading her Bible every
day. What more could she do? She strolled down the steps
beyond the dunes amid the smell of salt and fish and
stationed her chair in front of the sea, which seemed to call
to her. So she waded through it to a sand bar, where the
roaring water drowned out every other sound as the brine
splashed on her long thin blue beach jacket. While the
white capped waves broke beside her, she swung her arms
upward and breathed deep again and again.
Before the sun grew too hot, she headed back toward
her seat, where white sea gulls with gray trim soared
overhead, squawking, then landed in a flock and stood at
attention like miniature guards of the shore. Suddenly a
sandpiper lit at the edge of the ocean and drilled at
something so fast his tiny beak blurred. Fascinated,
Cammie leaned forward and wondered if she’d ever seen
anything so cute.
EXCERPT B --Seeking His Love by Carrie Turansky
The gray, wind-whipped waters of Bellingham Bay came into view as Rachel traveled west on Taylor Ave. Dancing whitecaps ruffled the surface of the harbor, and threatening clouds rose in the west. The rain hadn’t started yet, but a storm seemed only moments away.
Rachel scanned the sky, certain the weather was a perfect reflection of her life. A downpour of trouble was due to dump on her at any moment, and no umbrella was going to keep her from being soaked this time.
Why had she ever promised Cam she would keep her kids quiet and never disturb anyone? Who was she kidding? Keeping two rambunctious boys under control for ten minutes had proven impossible. What was she going to do when all fifty kids showed up for summer drama camp? Had she locked herself into an impossible situation that was doomed for failure? Would she end up losing her lease at the Arts Center before summer camp even began?
Straightening her shoulders, she pulled in a calming breath. Whatever it took, she had to find a way to make this work. There was no other option.
She rolled to a stop at the corner and tapped on the steering wheel as she waited to make a left turn. Perhaps things weren’t really as bleak as they seemed. Not all of her co-op partners were so difficult to please . . . just a certain frame shop owner who needed to lighten up and learn how to take things in stride.
Kids made noise! Their energy, laughter, and goofy antics were going to disrupt the peaceful ambience of the Arts Center. Their music and dancing might even shake the walls of that old building, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He just needed to adjust his expectations.
She parked near the Taylor Avenue Dock and climbed out of the car. Perhaps a stroll on the South Bay Trail would clear her head and give her a chance to pray through everything.
A wave of conviction washed over her, slowing her racing thoughts. It was past time she consulted the One who knew how to resolve this situation rather than plowing ahead under her own steam and running straight into more trouble.
A cool, salt-tinged wind blew the hair away from her face as she trudged toward the Taylor Avenue Dock and path that ran north through Boulevard Park up the South Bay Trail from Fairhaven to Bellingham proper.
Gulls hung on the breeze circling the sailboats anchored in the harbor. One lone walker in purple Capri pants and matching sweatshirt strode toward her, a hot pink sun visor shading her eyes. The walker looked up and smiled.
Rachel lifted her sunglasses and waved to Hannah Bodine, curator of the small Fairhaven Historical Museum. Moving NCYT to the Arts Center had been Hannah’s idea. Maybe she could help smooth things over with Cam, or at least give her some direction. Rachel strolled over and greeted her friend.
Rachel scanned the sky, certain the weather was a perfect reflection of her life. A downpour of trouble was due to dump on her at any moment, and no umbrella was going to keep her from being soaked this time.
Why had she ever promised Cam she would keep her kids quiet and never disturb anyone? Who was she kidding? Keeping two rambunctious boys under control for ten minutes had proven impossible. What was she going to do when all fifty kids showed up for summer drama camp? Had she locked herself into an impossible situation that was doomed for failure? Would she end up losing her lease at the Arts Center before summer camp even began?
Straightening her shoulders, she pulled in a calming breath. Whatever it took, she had to find a way to make this work. There was no other option.
She rolled to a stop at the corner and tapped on the steering wheel as she waited to make a left turn. Perhaps things weren’t really as bleak as they seemed. Not all of her co-op partners were so difficult to please . . . just a certain frame shop owner who needed to lighten up and learn how to take things in stride.
Kids made noise! Their energy, laughter, and goofy antics were going to disrupt the peaceful ambience of the Arts Center. Their music and dancing might even shake the walls of that old building, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He just needed to adjust his expectations.
She parked near the Taylor Avenue Dock and climbed out of the car. Perhaps a stroll on the South Bay Trail would clear her head and give her a chance to pray through everything.
A wave of conviction washed over her, slowing her racing thoughts. It was past time she consulted the One who knew how to resolve this situation rather than plowing ahead under her own steam and running straight into more trouble.
A cool, salt-tinged wind blew the hair away from her face as she trudged toward the Taylor Avenue Dock and path that ran north through Boulevard Park up the South Bay Trail from Fairhaven to Bellingham proper.
Gulls hung on the breeze circling the sailboats anchored in the harbor. One lone walker in purple Capri pants and matching sweatshirt strode toward her, a hot pink sun visor shading her eyes. The walker looked up and smiled.
Rachel lifted her sunglasses and waved to Hannah Bodine, curator of the small Fairhaven Historical Museum. Moving NCYT to the Arts Center had been Hannah’s idea. Maybe she could help smooth things over with Cam, or at least give her some direction. Rachel strolled over and greeted her friend.
