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Sunday, June 27, 2010

When Life Imitates Fiction

REMINDER: This is your last chance to leave a comment (each one counts separately) for a chance to win one of my books or A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer or The Gunsmith's Gallantry by Susan Page Davis.

CHECK OUT http://apenforyourthoughts.blogspot.com/ for an interview and book giveaway about my next release, Prodigal Patriot.

I just finished reading U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton. In addition to solving her PI mystery, heroine Kinsey Millhone has to come to grips with a grandmother she thought had rejected her when her parents died.

Interesting. Kinsey is a complex character that has sustained the mystery series from A to U so far. But, like most mysteries, nothing I expected to experience in real life.

Enter email from a cousin I have never met. One I didn't even know existed. If I'm understanding her email correctly, she's my father's first cousin.

Forty years ago, I spent a summer with my my father's second family and met his sister's family. I know my aunt's first name: Juanita. That's it. Not her married name, not her children. I don't recall meeting any of the rest of the family, although I might have.

Now this total stranger invades my email box and shares bits of family history that confirms our relationship.

She also told me one piece of news that I didn't know: my father died a few years ago. (She didn't realize I didn't know) I've lost both parents in the space of four months.

I'm not sure how I feel. At odds and ends. This poem by my good friend Roberta Brosius sums it up well:

Regret

He’s gone now—
Though he died to me
Decades ago,
And I mourned what might have been.
Today I rue what never will be.

© 2003 Roberta Tucker Brosius

Good news: My oldest granddaughter Savannah was baptized this morning! She received Christ as her Savior a couple of years ago, but now she has made it public. Praise the Lord!

4 comments:

Nancye said...

Yeah Savannah!! I pray that the warm feeling of accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior lasts forever!

I would like to be signed up for the book giveaway!

Thanks for the chance.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

karenk said...

Blessings to Savannah...

Thanks for the opportunity to read your lastest masterpiece :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Darlene Franklin said...

Nancy, Karen: Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you again! And thanks for rejoicing with me and Savannah.

Ruthie said...

so enjoyed talking to you the other day. I'm anxious to see the end of the story...the real life one. I think the Lord is just giving you another blessing!!

Would like to be your book giveaway drawing.

"talk" again soon.
Hugs. Ruthie