Jodi Thomas Returns!

by

Ancient Chinese Curse: “May you live in a time of change.”

I’m hopeful change will come. Soon. But for now, welcome to the past year. I’ve been waking up lately thinking I must be stuck in Groundhog Day. Just when I thought we were beginning to win the fight against Covid, everything is right back where we started. Again. We’re all adjusting to a new not-so-normal. Still not much shopping. The shelves are pretty bare anyway. Not much eating out with friends. No arguments over politics. (I’m being delusional.) No traveling to exotic places to have wild affairs. (Sorry, that one was my imagination talking.)

I’ve been hibernating. Again:

  • Waking up and putting yesterday’s clothes back on.
  • Having to ask my phone what day it is.
  • Talking to myself and sometimes getting in an argument.
  • Watching movies that don’t have plots.
  • Waiting for the mailman then reading the junk mail
  • Driving around for no reason at all.

Same as the first time around, for a few months I did nothing productive. I binged series on Netflix and cooked. My favorite saying, if I’d had anyone to say it to, was:

“I don’t suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.”

Yep, I’m living the crazy loop of Groundhog Day! Then, one day it occurred to me that I had imaginary friends to play with. I spent a week reading a book a day. Then, characters started lining up in my mind. They all wanted to me to write their story. Fiction was suddenly my place to go.

Last month I visited a quilter’s meeting as a guest. I gave my little talk about writing about quilting, then they all gave me a dear gift. Each one had brought a quilt passed down in the family, and each quilt had a story. We might have been 10 feet apart, but we were sharing.

One lady ended her talk by looking straight at me and said, “I’ve got to tell you that your books were my joy this year. When I got down, I could step into a Jodi Thomas book.”

Writing is a lonely career sometimes, just as Covid is a very lonely time, but I realized I can help in a small way. This crazy imagination I’ve been blessed with, and sometimes haunted by, can take readers on a journey.

So, I’d better get to work creating a world anyone reading can step into. A place for a time, you can relax, sit among friends, and talk about living.

And always remember, you are the main character of your life, and your story isn’t finished.

Three lucky winners will win one of my new releases. To enter, leave a comment about something that brings you joy during the hard seasons of life.

As an added bonus…your name will be entered twice if you can tell me where I got the title of my story “Father Goose” in The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas!

Enjoy some time to read,

Jodi

BUY The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas

PREORDER Dinner on Primrose Hill

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69 thoughts on “Jodi Thomas Returns!”

  1. happy mail brings me joy, funny graphics on facebook, freinds, animal and baby antics….so much… And I’d be happy to send you a piece of mail that isn’t a bill or junk mail. Send me an email with an addy and it’s as good as done. 🙂

  3. My grandma’s quilts bring me joy. I have several quilts she made, and I have four of them out and used in my decor.

    The most special is the double wedding ring in purple and pink pastel calicos–I also have one in pink and blue. Grandma found herself making and selling a lot of these in the late 80s. She once mentioned she wanted to have one for herself in pink and purple. I bought the fabric and took it to her, told her to make herself a quilt to keep. That if she felt she needed to sell it, I’d give her the money–she’d never take it from me. She made the quilt, but she never used it.

    After she died, my parents made sure I inherited that quilt. I’m the only grandchild with double wedding ring quilts made by Grandma.

  4. hehe okay I wanted to attempt to guess where you got “Father goose” from and I think it’s from that rhyme: Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man’s hat!
    I may be wrong but it’s the first thing that popped into my head. It’s my little sister’s favourite poem <3

  6. Hi Jodi! love this post so much. Since you’ve asked, I really just wanted to say that the first books I read of yours were ‘When a Texan Gambles’ and ‘Just Down The Road’ and it was just two years ago in my senior year when I picked them up, I had lost five of my best friends and I was feeling so lonely and discarded. Your books helped me through that hard season, just pure sunshine in pages that made me want to carry on and go on to make new friends in university. I’m in my first year at uni now, and I just adore your books.

  7. Good morning Jodi. You just do not know how therapeutic your books have been to me these lady 16 years I’ve been reading them. I just celebrated my 21st year of recovery from alcoholism and your books, Linda’s, Phyliss’s, Shanna’s, Pam’s & so many others hear have been my therapy.
    You and your funny sense of humor has kept me going.
    This past year I’ve cleaned and have a spotless home, but of course, no company to see it. Isn’t that just our luck. By The time we can have company, it will be a mess and I’ll probably have to do the “30 minute pick up & fluff up” we do when we get that call, “We will be there in a few!” LOL!
    Im excited to read your new book. You are such a bright light in my life and I love you dearly. Hopefully Linda, Phyliss, you & I can get together soon, in the future.
    Stay safe and healthy.

    • I always love hearing from you, Tonya and all of us here are doing ok and hope we can all get together for real one day soon. And no need to pick up or fluff up for us! You stay safe too.

  8. HI! Trapper took charge of the five little girls who came off the paddleboat in a single thin line, resembling a line of geese, hence the name of Father Goose.
    MY family, especially my two granddaughters, and my dogs keep me joyful in this difficult season of life.

  10. Jodi, when I retired eight years ago, while at a used bookstore in Branson, I picked up your book Beneath the Texas Sky. That was the beginning of my absolute love of historical westerns. It became fun for Ron and I to find used bookstores while traveling and to check off the books we’d find on our list. God blessed you with an imagination for sure! You are pure delight in my world.

    What else brings me joy? My relationship with God, cooking, baking, friends, family, and loving on my grandkids. I’ve survived breast cancer this year and that has opened my eyes to living a more fruitful life. Each day is a gift. Thank you for brightening my world with books. I’ve saved them all.

  11. I use to enjoy taking a long walk and visiting with my neighbors but lately I can’t even do that because I am needing another hip replacement and can’t enjoy the walk anymore. Due to covit the hospitals are full and you can’t get in to get things like that done. I guess my joy now comes from reading a good book, so will have to stick with that for a while.

  12. My greatest joy is spending time with my Heavenly Father in prayer, reading His Word, and praising Him. Next comes reading! Then, making cards to send to my clients. And, riding my recumbent stationery bike.

  13. My grands bring me joy and the first thought I had about Father Goose was the movie from back in the 60’s.

  14. My family and friends bring me joy. Even if I don’t see them all the time, especially this last year and half, they call or text and we facetime. And books kept me happy too..

  20. I hear you! Just when we think it’s safe to emerge more restrictions are placed. I’m okay with them, but life is different these days. I just got my first haircut since the pandemic started. First we just had to stay in, then it hardly mattered (hibernating!) but when I had longer hair than high school days, time for a cut! Did it safely, feels great.

    Books keep me going always, also old classic movies. October is my old horror classics month. And I have enjoyed cooking more planned meals for the family, loved getting into all those recipe books and file boxes again.

    And I am guessing that maybe Father Goose comes from the movie with Cary Grant and Leslie Caron. Oh yeah, Cary Grant always also keeps me going in tough times ;-).

    • Well, Connie, I hope you’re able to read my latest Honey Creek series. I have been so busy editing Book 3 and writing Book 4. I have enjoyed the characters and guarantee they will bring you joy!!

  24. Joy is taking a walk “up top” as our kids called it when they were younger. Our house is part way down a hill and we walk up to the high point. On a clear day we can see the highest peak in North Cascades Nat’l Park, have a gorgeous view of Mt Rainier, and to the south is Rattlesnake Mt. which is in the Hanford Reach National Monument area. Rattlesnake is about 90miles away. The others are more than 150 miles from us. Hard not to think of all the wonders God has given us when all of that is in view as you twirl around.

    I have never seen Father Goose but I just reread Father Goose last week. Loved those spunky ranch girls.

  25. Wow, Alice! What beautiful country that’s near you. We have awesome sunsets that always bring me joy! So glad you’re enjoying Father Goose and hope you catch the movie one day. Thanks for sharing.

  26. Hi, My family and our pets give me great joy. Messaging with my siblings and my loved ones always gives me great joy also, I usually send them a Good morning and a good night message. Thank you for the chance. Have a Great Weekend and stay safe.

  27. Hi Miss Jodi, my family and two best friends make me very happy. i love quilting and learned it from Mama. I’ hoping to get back to quilting my “Texas Star” which has been pieced together for years and I’ve quilted about a quarter of it. Big hugs, P

  29. Welcome. Sounds like you had a great time at the quilt talk. I would love to read some Christian quilting books.. And you are making a huge difference in many of our lives with your writing. Thank you. What gives me joy? Reading and studying the Bible and talking it over with sisters of the faith. Next is spending time with my husband and kids when they are around. Quilting for new family members. I am about to start a baby quilt for one of my nieces. She will be having a boy. woohoo. It gives me joy to know that those little ones have a quilt that they can hang onto for their lives. And the smiles it gives to the parents. Another joy is making my own greeting cards for family and friends. Yes giving is a joy for me.

    • Thanks for your wonderful comments, Lori. I did have fun at the quilt talk and so glad you enjoy quilting for others. I can tell that giving brings you joy and that’s awesome.

  30. What a wonderful perspective, Jodi. And you are SO right. Reading books has helped me maintain my sanity for sure. And reading does inspire writing! Thank you for sharing! It was so great seeing you in Lubbock!

  31. My dog, Daisy, brings me joy. As does reading and being around friends and family. Thank you for the chance to win!

  32. As with many others, escaping through reading is my usual way to cope. I also enjoy working in my gardens. Digging in the dirt and seeing the end result, beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables. We are lucky you can get lost with your imaginary characters and give us wonderful stories to keep us sane in this crazy time our world is in.

    As for the Father Goose title, I am not certain where you got it, but my best guess is the old Cary Grant and Leslie Caron movie FATHER GOOSE. The situations are similar. It is a good movie I would like to watch again.

    • Patricia, so glad you enjoy gardening. I also love to plant and have just the most beautiful fall flowers blooming right now! You are right about the movie, which I enjoyed so much too.

  33. Congratulations on your new books. I enjoy looking out my back door watching the stray cats, kittens, possums, and raccoons come up to eat the cat food that we put out daily. It has been fun watching the four kittens play with each other. We have three indoor cats who enjoy having their time to get love and attention. Thank you for the opportunity.

  36. Hi Jodi – I have been enjoying your books for years. And that makes me happy, that you & all the fililes keep writing all those amazing books to help keep our minds off this crazy COVID & political world. My grandchildren & great-grandchildren are always lifting our spirts. They can come up with some crazy happy things to say & do. Stay safe. Enjoyed your post.

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