Morning Coffee With Renae

Have you ever noticed how embarrassing it can be to write a resume? On it, you are essentially supposed to toot your own horn, and tell everyone how extremely qualified you are! Well, a blurb from my real life resume might go something like this:

Renae has more than ten years experience in multitasking. She has the uncanny ability to type at the computer, talk on the phone, kiss boo-boos, sing lullabies, referee in brother/sister matches, sew darts in her skinny child’s blue jeans, iron patches on her active child’s pant legs, bathe the dogs, wash the dishes, scrub the toilets, change the sheets, fold the laundry, prepare meals, and home school both children all within a thirty minute time span. (Well, it seems that way, anyway.)

To me, the above blurb seems much more impressive than what I shall list below. Still, for those of you who are interested in my writing/publishing credits, this page is for you. I sold my very-first-ever paying article at a writer’s conference in March/April, 2007. Here is what has happened since then:

Magazine Credits:

In Touch: October, 2007, “Sing It Again”; Coming soon, “My Top Ten List”.

Listen Magazine: February, 2008, “Love that Hurts”; May, 2008, “Pot Hole”.

Brio Magazine: February, 2008, “My Cheerful Friend”.

Focus on the Family’s Focus on Your Child: Since October, 2007, I have had more than forty articles (some only a paragraph, some full-length articles) accepted by this magazine. The first of these contributions appears in the April, 2008 issues of “Early Stages” and “Discovery Years”.

Good Old Days Magazine: May, 2008, “Eggs in my Pocket”.

Vista: I have sold more than a dozen articles to this weekly publication by Wesleyan Publishing, and hope to sell many more!

Light from the Word: I will contribute a week of devotionals for this periodical in October, 2009.

Homeschool Today Magazine: March/April, 2009, “The Hiding Place”.

Newspaper Credits:

My inspirational humor column, “Coffee Talk”, began in fall, 2007 when I basically begged our local newspaper editor, Gary, to give me a chance. At first, I just kept sending him stuff, hoping he would like it enough to publish it. Then, he started asking me for more. Hooray! Finally, he talked to some of his newspaper buddies, and I am now published in four newspapers. My column appears every week in the Copperas Cove Leader Press. It also appears in the Harker Heights Evening Star, the Belton Journal, and the Mart Minute - but I’m not sure it is every week in these other three. I think it is more of a “when we have space” kind of thing.

In summer, 2008 I began as a columnist for the faith-based newspaper, Real Talk. The new publication currently has a circulation of 8,000 plus, and is continuing to grow.

Book Credits:

In late spring of 2007, I started my devotional blog, “Morning Coffee”. I had a good response to it, and someone suggested I turn the devotionals into a book. I wrote a query letter, sent it to several publishers, and eventually had the book accepted by Chalice Press. Morning Coffee with James is scheduled for release in fall, 2009, with plans to turn Morning Coffee into a series.

In summer 2007, I submitted a book proposal for a fiction series for girls, ages 8 – 12, to Barbour books. It was rejected, but the kind editor said she would like to keep me in mind for another project. In fall 2007, I was given the opportunity to “compete” for a slot as one of six authors for their upcoming 24 book series, Camp Club Girls. In February of 2008, I was offered a contract! I am currently working on my last book in the series. Please pray for me and the other authors as we write. Our goal is to teach important spiritual truths through this fun, exciting mystery series. The series is scheduled to launch in April, 2010.

I am also working on a few other projects for Barbour: 365 Simple Tips for Busy Moms, a perpetual calendar, and I’m writing/compiling the 2011 Simple Living Planner. I’m a contributing author to the devotional book, 365 Whispers of Wisdom for Step-Moms. I also am contributing two stories to God Sightings: Stories of His Involvement in Life’s Greatest Moments for Howard Publishing.

I have completed a book titled Filling Up My Lap: One Woman’s Victorious Journey through Infertility, Miscarriage, and Adoption.

I am currently working on a book titled Infertility 101: Where Medical Meets Miracle.

Ephesians 3:20 – 21

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”