Katie Ganshert, Author at Katie Ganshert

Laughter

Posted on May 25, 2012May 27, 2012 by Katie Ganshert

I believe one of the best things we can bring to a marriage is laughter.

Laughter truly is the best medicine.

As you all know from my post on Wednesday (One Bite at a Time), life has been stressful lately.

Ryan and I have both been less patient, more irritable, than usual.

Getting away for the weekend – spending two days in Minneapolis with just the two of us – was divine.

We enjoyed great food and deep conversation and time alone.

But by far, my favorite memory, was the drive home.

Seems weird, after eating at nice restaurants and strolling through the Mall of America, that the drive home would be a highlight.

But it totally was.

Because there was a portion of the drive where Ryan and I laughed.

Not just chuckles either. But full-out, tear-inducing, can’t-talk, belly-aching laughter.

Oh man, it felt good.

I love that God gives us something so wonderful.

I love that after eight years of marriage, we can still laugh like that.

I hope we have many, many, many more years of laughter ahead of us.

Let’s Talk: When’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried? Who was it with?

You can find me several places today…

I’m talking about the importance of the ping-moment in our stories over at The Writer’s Alley (plus a giveaway of my debut novel).

I’m talking about adoption and redemption over at Lisa Jordan’s blog.

I share the very best advice I’ve ever received with Serena Chase on Outside the Writer’s Studio (plus a giveaway of my debut novel).

OTHER NEWS:

Wildflowers from Winter was nominated for Fiction Book of the Month over at The Book Club Network. If you read and enjoyed, I’d love your vote!
If you’d like to receive my blog posts via email, I wanted to call your attention to “Follow By Email” option on my sidebar. It’s super easy to sign up!
AND! Stay tuned for next week, because I’ll be sharing the official book cover for Wishing on Willows!

One Bite at a Time

Posted on May 23, 2012May 23, 2012 by Katie Ganshert

Anybody else have a mile long, ever growing to-do list?

I don’t think I’m alone.

Life has been crazy here in the Ganshert household. Cra-zy.

We have all this educational stuff we have to get through for our adoption. I’m talking, pages and pages of homework and hours and hours of video that detail all the problems we may face in the future.

We’re organizing a Silent Auction/Trivia Night to help raise funds. And wow….

Rounding up donations + coming up with trivia questions + spreading the word so people will come + all the other odds and ends = one gargantuan time commitment.

Then there’s that book that just released. Wildflowers from Winter. Seeing as I wrote the thing, I should probably be promoting it. Which is an insane (albeit very fun) time commitment in and of itself.

It’s no surprise then, that I had my first official melt down last week.

Allow me to state the obvious:

Adoption is not an easy journey.

Combine that with all the nutty emotions that come with debuting a novel and yeah….

I felt angry that it was this hard to be a forever family to an orphan when there are so, so, so many out there.

I felt ridiculously worried over all the unknowns that lay (or lie?) ahead.

I felt like a bad mom because I wasn’t giving Brogan the attention he deserved.

I felt like a bad wife because I was taking some of these emotions out on my husband.

I felt resentful and overwhelmed and stressed out.

So I emailed two of my closest friends. Basically hurled all my junk into cyber space. Apologized for the delightful pity party I was throwing myself. Got into the shower and cried. Not a pretty cry either. But an ugly, scrunchy-faced cry.

When I got out, I hugged my son for a really long time.

And later, I opened my email and read this:

I think we have tendencies to go on and on pretending we are doing just fine and trusting God, but deep down we are quickly getting worn out and beat up. I honestly think pity parties are God’s way of letting that all rise to the surface so we can face it all, get support/encouragement from others, and start to process through all the muck that life throws at us (seemingly all at once).

My friend, she knows me well. Because I do have a tendency to forge ahead and pretend everything is good.

But in that shower, when I was having that ugly cry, God brought me face to face with all kinds of gunk that needed processing. All kinds of gunk that needed surrendering.

I also read this:

Take ONE thing at a time. Don’t think about the whole…just pick one and then cross it off the list.

Ryan and I went to Minneapolis this past weekend and on the drive, there was a long stretch of construction. Workers were tearing up an entire road. There were piles of rocks, miles and miles long, that needed to be crushed and carted away. Looking ahead, the job seemed impossible. There wasn’t an end in sight.

Yet on our way home, only two days later, those construction workers were already halfway done.

I have no idea if the workers worked the entire time with their eyes on the never ending piles of rocks ahead. Daunted and overwhelmed.

Or if they focused on one rock pile at a time. Talking and enjoying the sun.

Both involve the same work.

One makes for a much happier construction worker.

It’s like that cliche…

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

In this crazy busy often-overwhelming thing called life, we need to focus on one bite at a time.

And we should remember to laugh and hug and pray and play and breathe and process and enjoy life in between the bites.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -Matthew 6:34

Let’s Talk: What bite are you working on today? What do you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed?

Kathy Harris interviewed me on Divine Detour yesterday. Hop on over for a chance to win a free copy of my debut novel!

Book Signings

Posted on May 21, 2012May 21, 2012 by Katie Ganshert

You arrive with your fancy new pen, all inked and ready to sign. You sit down at the table with the pretty display of your books. And you wait….

10 Way to Pass the Time Until your Adoring Fans Arrive:

1. Give people your best Miss America wave.

2. Put your seat in front of the exit and don’t let anyone out until they say the secret password, “Will you sign a book for me, please?”

3. Throw tootsie rolls at the customers. If that doesn’t work, try throwing your book.

4. Carry on a conversation with your imaginary fans. Make sure to insert plenty of laughter and hand gestures for maximum impact.

5. Erect a catchy display of best-sellers on your table to draw people in.

6. When customers ask where the bathroom is (because they totally think you’re a store employee), give them a copy of your book for some reading material.

7. Pay people to form a line so you look famous. Mob mentality, baby. If enough people are doing it, others will join.

8. Stand by the check out line and read your story very loudly.

9. Better yet, stand by the check out line and read your endorsements very loudly. Feel free to make a few up.

10. Wear a really big name tag that says “Karen Kingsbury”.

Seriously.

I had a book signing at LifeWay Christian Store in Burnsville on Friday night. Everyone and their mother loves Karen Kingsbury.

I know. I had conversations.

Anyway, my Friday night signing couldn’t have been more different from the launch party I had in the Quad Cities.

Which is really no surprise, since I’m local in the Quad Cities. It’s where all my friends and church family live. All of which equated to a big line in the Quad Cities.k

In Burnsville, not so much.

The highlight was probably when a flustered looking lady asked if I would hold her books while she ran out to her car to get her purse.

I jest. It wasn’t that bad.

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I met four new readers, which made the whole thing worth it. Plus, I had a fun time chatting with the store manager.

And thankfully, the signing in Maple Grove on Saturday had a lot more traffic.

I got to chitchat with fellow ACFWers, one of whom was Julie Klassen (best-selling, award-winning author of historical romance). She reassured me that I’m not the first author to have crickets visit during a book signing. She told me some pretty funny stories of her own, which made me feel a lot better about my Friday night adventure.

Random Tips when Preparing for a Book Signing:

Have something to offer for free.

Like bookmarks. Or truffles! The four ladies who bought my book came over for a free bookmark. This led into a conversation, which eventually led to sales.

Timing is key.

5-7 pm on a Friday night is not the best. People are stuck in traffic, eager to get home at the end of the work week. They don’t want to make detours to book stores.

Team up with another author.

When I walked into LifeWay in Maple Grove on Saturday and saw that I was signing with another author, I almost melted with relief. Not only would I have somebody to talk to during those slow moments, it introduced me to new readers. There were a few people who came for Judy Baer and ended up buying a copy of my book as well.

Have somebody hand out bookmarks and direct attention to your table.

On the drive home, Ryan and I were brainstorming ways to make a book signing more successful. We were thinking….what if he handed out bookmarks at the door and said something like, “Stop on over to meet the author and enjoy a free cookie.”

Something that would invite customers to stop by with no pressure to buy.

I quickly noticed people avoiding my table. I remembered to shower, so I don’t think I smelled. I’m pretty sure people felt like they shouldn’t come over unless they were going to buy a book. But straight from the mouth of an author….

I totally appreciated those people who came over to say hi. Regardless if they bought my book or not.

From now on, whenever I go to a bookstore and see an author sitting all alone at a table, I’m going to make a point to introduce myself. Maybe I’ll discover they wrote a book I want to read. Or maybe I’ll take a book mark and recommend it to somebody I know. Either way, I know the author will appreciate the conversation.

Let’s Talk: Have you ever been to a book signing, either as a reader or as an author? What do you think makes for a successful signing?

Thank you to LifeWay Christian Stores for hosting the Spring Fiction Days and for giving this debut author the opportunity to meet new readers! I felt very welcomed by all the staff. I wish I could have brought you hordes of buying customers. 🙂

Hop on over to Lena Nelson Dooley’s blog for a chance to win a copy of my debut novel.

Wildflowers from Winter was nominated for Fiction Book of the Month on The Book Club Network. If you read the novel and enjoyed it, I’d love your vote!