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I don’t know any parent of a special needs child that doesn’t have this fear. What if she outlives me?

What do we do with this question? For Daryl and I, we have our younger daughter, Mary, who will step up and do what’s needed for Anna. But not every family has someone they can depend on to do the right thing for their special needs child or children.

Can I tell you how God has taken care of Anna over the years? I’ve seen “normal” and supernatural care for her, and I thank God often for that care. Sure, there are times when Anna will have a seizure and fall or hit her head and off to the ER we go. She has always received great care. If you’ve been reading this blog, or if you’re friends with me on Facebook, you’ve seen that.

About 7 ½ years ago, Mary joined the New Life Drama Company. She traveled all over the country, telling people about Jesus through drama, music, and testimony. I was ridiculously proud of her! When Covid hit, that all shut down. Mary is now working full time for Oasis Community Church in Scottsdale, AZ. It has become her home. She has friends who love her deeply, and the only things she misses about the East Coast is family, friends, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Daryl and I take turns flying out to visit her. Just a few weeks ago, I went out because Mary was in a play; Pride & Prejudice. And she had the fabulous part of Mrs. Bennet! (If you’re a Jane Austen fan, you can relate to my excitement when she got that part!)

I flew out on a Wednesday. Thursday morning, Daryl called me to say Anna had a seizure in the driveway with Bonnie, and she had fallen and hit her head on the cement. They were off to the ER. This is not the first time it’s happened. Not even the second or third time. What you need to know about Anna’s seizures is that there is literally no warning for them. And you can have both hands on her and still lose her. It’s crazy!

I have been there every single time … except this one. I was almost all the way across the country. I can only describe the feelings as uncomfortable and awkward. Did Anna wonder why I wasn’t there? Would Daryl let the doctors do whatever they wanted? Was she in pain? Just how bad was it? I had no choice but to trust God.

I emailed and texted friends to pray, then I went to the pool and swam laps while I waited to hear something. Anna ended up with 10 staples in her scalp. She did great! They did a CT scan without sedation, and they even put the staples in without numbing shots (which can be worse than the staples).

I praised God over and over. And I enjoyed my visit and the show and came home without any other incidents.

I was home about 2 weeks when God nudged me. What if Anna outlived me? He would continue to take care of her. He doesn’t change. I was all the way across the country, and He was with her and took care of her. Can you say peace of mind? How kind of God to show me that! He didn’t have to. He could have let me get to the end of my life and wonder. But that’s God. He loves me so much, He showed me that Anna will be cared for if she outlives me.

I’m listening to Jordan Feliz’s song, Witness, on YouTube right now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgD92xLlNGs    Can I get a witness from anyone reading this??

Friends, God does not change. He loves us, our children, and our grandchildren waaaay more than we can ever begin to understand. He loves Anna. She loves Him.

What if Anna outlives me? She will continue to be in God’s hands and His care. Glory to His Name!

hey, FFFers! So, y’all know I’ve been contributing to anthologies for the last few years. I’m in LOTS by now! 

I missed telling you that last spring was the first time I co-wrote a short story with my friend, Rosemarie DiCristo. Rosie is a regular contributor to Havok Magazine, which is for flash fiction. It’s really cool! https://gohavok.com/ 

Anyway, I’ve been writing stories alone for Ye Olde Dragon Books, FCL Books, and the Whitstead anthologies, but last fall, I asked Rosie if she wanted to try co-writing. We’ve known each other since 2002 and have been in the same writers group since 2003. We know each others’ writing well. 

She said, SURE!

So we brainstormed a story for the Little Red Ridinghood theme. I started the story and emailed it to her. She added to it and emailed it back. We wrote the story like that, round robin style, until we got near the end and then I went to her apartment and we finished it. And our story, The Case of the Missing Legs, got accepted!

It. Was. So. Much. Fun.

I didn’t know what she was going to write. She didn’t know what I was going to write. We had such a blast, we decided to do it again for the fall anthology based on The Invisible Man. We got accepted again!  Squeeeeeeee!!

Here’s the cover for Tales From the Forest. You can buy it on Amazon or on Ye Olde Dragon Books website.

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/anthologies/          

And now the cover for The Invisible Files!

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No, it’s not invisible. Keep scrolling.

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Isn’t it so cool???

THE INVISIBLE FILES
CLASSIC MONSTERS ANTHOLOGY #4

Now you see them … now you don't…

Who hasn't dreamed of being invisible, either to play a trick or to escape or to get revenge? For greed or power or justice?

Who hasn't felt invisible, at one time or another?

What if it became real?

What if you dreamed of the power of invisibility, and achieved it at too high a price?

What if you became invisible by accident? What would you do with that power?

These eleven stories explore what it means to fade utterly from view, by choice, by accident, by need, through pain or greed.

Which story could be your story … but for the grace of God?

In my and Rosemarie’s story, The First, we have invisible aliens on Earth. This story plot didn’t come as easily as Missing Legs, but we still wrote in the round robin style, and we still had a blast!

The Invisible Files releases on October 15^th!

And since you’re still reading, you get the first sneek peak … the spring anthology will be based on The Three Little Pigs. Rosie and I have already started brainstorming. While we sat on the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ, during our free time at a writers retreat! heh, heh, heh …

It’s good to be a writer.

Hey, FFFers! Long time, no blog! Life has been quite full. Sorry for the long silence. But I’m back with a terrific interview!

My bestie, Kim Sponaugle, is a professional illustrator. You’ve seen her artwork in my Willoughby books, and she designed the window with the hanging fairies on the cover for my fantasy novel, Fairyeater.

Kim & I first published together in 2001. Two books in the Adventures of Beatrice came out through Concordia Publishing House.

Since then, Kim started a freelance illustrating business, Picture Kitchen Studio. We’ll talk a little about that, but my real focus is her NEW illustration business: Candle Realm Studio. More on that later.

FFF: Welcome, Kim! I’m super happy to finally have you here on my blog!

KS: Hey, Pammy! Thanks for having me!

FFF: Let’s start out with a little history. How long have you been illustrating children’s books?  

KS: It blows my mind that I’ve been doing this for about 24 years! It doesn’t seem all that long, I guess, because most of the time I’ve enjoyed it so very much. 

FFF: How did you get started? And when did you start Picture kitchen Studio?

KS: You and I had our first two book series published The Adventures of Beatrice back in 2001, and I illustrated a couple chapter books for Christian Focus, but I started Picture Kitchen Studio in 2007. https://picturekitchenstudio.com/ 

A year earlier I was about to give up on illustration as I had submitted so many sample packets to so many publishers with so many replies- of “we will keep your work on file”. This was before electronic submissions, and everything was done through the mail, and it could get pretty discouraging for a new illustrator. I was working as a part time hostess when you connected me to Kevin Collier, an illustrator who was very busy creating lots of picture books for self-publishing authors. He just happened to be on an online panel that you were watching. You (providentially) mentioned I should email him, and I did, and he graciously responded with some genuine encouragement. He was kind, saw I had some talent, and went out of his way to help figure out why I was not getting work. He discovered that, though I did have a few books online, I did not have a web presence and needed a website.

Kevin took the time to make an easy-to-use weblog website - just somewhere to post my work so it could get seen. I will always be grateful to the Lord for sending Kevin’s help. Once the website was up, I was able to begin my illustration adventure! I have been actively working ever since. A great example of what one act of kindness can do to change someone’s life direction and how God provides what we need when we need it.

FFF: I am delighted I was able to introduce you to Kevin! God knows what we need, right?

KS: He sure does!

FFF: Do you have any favorite stories you’ve illustrated? 

KS: Of course, our Willoughby and Friends series has and will ways be my favorite children’s fantasy series. It has been a joy to work on it with you! I also have a love for animal tales and one specifically, “Poppy’s Adventures,” a series based on a true story about a cross beaked rooster, has been great fun to work on with Tricia Stone Shumaker. I had a great time creating Tzmet’s window for your Fairyeater cover…beautiful creepy illustrations can be so fun to work on!

FFF: I still remember gasping when I first saw it! And everyone I showed it to gasped, as well. It really can be fun to be beautifully creepy sometimes! What gave you the idea to start Candle Realm Studio? 

KS: I enjoy listening to audio books and podcasts like “Haunted Cosmos” and “The Symbolic World” while I work in the studio - I love all good storytelling - and especially stories about the unseen realm, the things that are there that we do not see. It’s been a wish of mine to do more fantasy illustration as I love ancient legends, fairytales and myths. They help me uncover symbolic patterns throughout time that explain this world, God, and ourselves.

I love finding meaning in this, and it enriches my illustration work. Whether it’s giants (ancient Nephilim), tree lore, or Hercules, so much of these old tales bear witness to truth from long ago. I’d like to see us recover these tales from modern reinterpretation and reset them back to their initial meanings. I found I had such fun creating kingdoms and fantasy worlds that I decided that some of my studio time I would set aside a little studio time to develop it further. 

FFF: Well, you know how much *I* love fantasy stories! And I love your artwork and designs. Will you tell us how Candle Realm Studio works?

KS: Candle Realm https://www.candlerealmstudio.com/    is a studio that focuses on fantasy and sci-fi cover art and design along with fantasy picture book work and family friendly illustration. Just pop on to the site wwwcandlerealmstudio.com, hit the contact link, and you can query me regarding your project. I enjoy working directly with authors and publishers learning about their goals and finding more about what they need.

Potential clients can contact me via email to set up a time to chat, or they can contact me by email at [email protected] for more information. Once I contract with a client and receive their specs, I create a series of sketches so I can land on a unique feel for their character and story. I also build a base file of images related to their theme and spend some time reviewing it. Then I begin the sketch process - uncovering the special something needed to tell their story or cover art.

For me, listening to the client is essential to understand what is most important to them. It helps so much in creating the fantasy realm they are looking for. Once sketches are complete, I email them a file for review, we then discuss and complete any revisions needed. Once the client signs off on the sketches, I begin working on finished art. The mediums I work in are watercolor, pen and ink, and mixed media. I work traditionally, and the work is hand drawn all original work with a few final digital touches in Photoshop. I am non AI Artist. 

FFF: Do you strictly do fantasy art or do you do other types of speculative stories?

KS: I love fairytales like Straparola’s “The Doll” and “Jack and the Bean Stalk” where the children who made bad choices (trading the cow for magic beans or buying a doll instead of wool) receive a great surprise instead of disaster and poverty. Stories that feature extravagant grace, something that Disney does not do. 

I enjoy illustrating from the classics like CS Lewis, Tolkien, and George MacDonald’s wonderful works, especially “At the Back of the North Wind”. 

Illustrating creatures from the cryptozoological realm - (Bigfoot, Nessy and other cryptids) and the mythological - mermaids, cyclops, giants and Titans…all these ancient stories fascinate me and I would enjoy working on.

                                                                         (Spot’s imitation of Nessie)

FFF: I love all of that so much! What is your BIG dream for Candle Realm? 

KS: That’s a good question. To illustrate worlds that are symbolic and rich in meaning. I want to continue to make good art for my clients, art that serves them well, and I want to create illustrations that acknowledge the world as it really is, and the Kingdom of Light is here and on the move!

FFF: That sounds amazing! Will we see you at any writer’s conferences this year? 

KS: This year I am looking forward to teaching with you at Montrose Christian Writers conference and am doing a few workshops for authors that would like to learn more about the picture book process from an illustrator’s perspective. Things like how to find the artist right for you and how to create revisions an illustrator will love and not hate! I would like to attend a future Realm Makers conference!

FFF: I would love it so much to bring you to Realm Makers with me some day! This has been so great learning even more about you, friend! I thank God over and over for bringing you into my life. We’ve had some great times together, created fun stories, taught workshops, shared dreams, and supported each other in life’s difficulties. Thanks for being here today and sharing all your wonderfulness with us!

KS: Thanks for having me. It was fun!

You can connect with Kim on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558441738960 

https://www.facebook.com/kimspicturekitchenstudio 

https://www.facebook.com/kimberlymargaretsponaugle 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/picturekitchenstudio