It might seem like I still have time, but the truth is, it's going to go faster than I'm prepared for. My oldest is currently in college, majoring in Music Education, and I felt like I blinked and she was gone.
When children decide where they want to go, and what they want to do, it's so exciting. I love watching my daughter and sons grow up and become their own person. It's a beautiful privilege. I'm grateful and anticipate the years to come.
But it's also sad. Soon my home will not be the center of their world, and I have to adjust to that. I think I'm doing a good job. I hardly ever cry, but I sure do hug them a lot. Thankfully, they're sweet and indulge me.
At Romance Gems we're asking WHAT'S NEXT for everyone, and my "next" is helping my son prepare for the SAT. I've got to dust off my study skills and hone my ability to think differently. (I'm not looking forward to it.) But I love him, and I will labor right alongside him.
Sending children off to college leaves one with so many emotions and much hope for the future. I believe my husband and I have raised kids who will contribute well to our world.
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| My children! My 7th grader is on the left. My freshman in college is in the middle. And my upcoming Senior is on the right. |
You know, it's funny. As I write this, I realize that the book I'm currently editing is about a son who returns from college after a five year absence to a family who is equal parts overjoyed to see him, and equal parts sad he had to be gone so long. It's interesting how what I'm writing sometimes mirrors what I'm currently going through.
The book is called The Inventor's Heart. It doesn't have a release date yet or a cover, so I can't share it with you yet. But it's book 13 in my series, and Alex and Julia are in many other books. They are members of my core families, so they've made several appearances in earlier stories.
I'm looking forward to this book hitting the shelves. Julia has Dyslexia and Alex is a genius. This creates conflict for the characters, and Alex has to work hard to prove to Julia that she's as brilliant as he is. I enjoyed writing this story. Helping Julia feel worthy became a labor of love for me. I'm a Special Education teacher, and I wanted to write a romance with a character who had to overcome similar obstacles as some of my students. This book has brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.
I can share an excerpt with you, though:
“I’m…stupid, Alex.”
His eyes flashed.
“I am.”
Thunder appeared on his face. “You. Are. Not. Stupid.”
“Yes, I—”
He clutched her shoulders. “No,” he ground out, anger sizzling
from him in waves.
But his forceful reply couldn’t change what was. She eased out
of his hold and stood, putting the chair between them. “You’re so smart. What
you can do boggles my mind, and you need a wife who can be your partner in all
ways.”
Alarm slashed across his face, and he went rigid. “What do you
mean?”
She gestured toward his designs on the wall. “I can’t help you
with your work, and I’ll probably cause you trouble if I try. You need someone
who can walk with you, support you and help…broaden your reach.” She shook her
head. “That’s not me. I wouldn’t even know where to start."
Pain grew in each line of his face. “With me.
You start with me. You be Julia. That’s all I need.”
To read any other books in my series, click here.
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Hi, Kara, interesting how you weave parts of your life into your books. Do your children read your books and recognize parts of it from your lives? Good luck with the new characters. They sound original for sure!
ReplyDeleteThey do. They don't read my books faithfully, but they ask me what I'm writing and can see when I create a character similar to someone they know.
DeleteLoved the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteAs the years have passed, I found my relationship with my son and daughter changed with each passing season. Our love grew deeper. My husband and I were blessed to have two wonderfully caring children.
I'm noticing that with my daughter. It's amazing. There's no way you can prepare yourself for what children actually give you. They are blessings.
DeleteGreat post, Kara! I love how you've woven your personal experiences as a teacher and mother into your books and characters. I've been where you are...the "off to college" phase. Other friends have "kids" getting married and starting their own families. It's quite the journey when things change, but it can be oh-so-wonderfully different, as you suggest here. Best of luck with your next release. Sounds like an awesome read!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are all out of the house now with lives and careers of their own. It was hard as they left, but I am so proud of the adults they have become. When you raise them right, they become independent people who can be responsible adults and live on their own. Then you know you've done a good job!
ReplyDeleteIronic, the way it seems we can't get enough time to ourselves when they are young, and one day we have too much time to ourselves and wish they'd walk through the door again. Bittersweet for sure. But very rewarding to see them become amazing adults who contribute to society.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that we raise the people we love most in the world to leave us, isn't it? A wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteI cried all the way home each time we moved one of our kids into their first dorm. For a parent, it's a rite of passage I guess. Each milestone—first job, marriage, baby—requires a little more "letting go" until one day, you're forced to acknowledge that they really are adults! *LOL*
ReplyDelete