Guest Author, Kathy Cretsinger

 

Kathy Cretsinger is a dear friend. As a publisher, she took a chance on me, a beginning author, for which I will always be grateful. She is a devoted Christian, a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and a delightful writer.

 

Thank you, Kathy, for having me on your blog. I always enjoy visiting with you and your friends.

Authors are a strange race of people. We think of things that no one else thinks about, and our thoughts come to us at all times of the day or night. That is what happened with Unlikely Candidate.

A couple of years ago, I was listening to the news and a thought came through my brain. Can a Christian woman run for President of the United States? Would she win, and could she have a sense of humor? Maggie Culbertson was born.

Maggie is a no-nonsense woman, mayor of the town of Possum Ridge, Tennessee, lawyer, wife, and mother. She loves God, family, and country in that order. She sees things differently than most people. There is always humor in her life. There is also Clarence the rooster who chases her when she is outside.

This came from something that happened in my life. When I was a child, we had a rooster that chased us all over the back yard. He always tried to take a bite out of your heel. I named him Clarence.

There are snippets of truth in the story. Most writers add from their life.

While I was writing the book, I decided we needed a Secret Service Agent, and Kenneth was born. Then, he told me he wanted to fall in love with Loretta. Most of us have characters who talk to us. I loved writing about Kenneth and Loretta. He is such a sweet guy.

There is a tradition in Possum Ridge. When a child is born in the family, their first name begins with the same letter as their last name. Maggie is Magnolia Louise Masters, but she married Craig Culbertson. Their children are Cynthia and Charles. The chickens are Clarence, Cindy, Caroline, and on and on. I think you get the picture.

I enjoyed writing this book. I hope you enjoy reading it. It can be purchased on Amazon at https://bit.ly/4dieZ13

 

Blurb

Magnolia (Maggie) Louise Masters Culbertson asks a question, “What do you have to do to run for President of the United States?” Her husband, Craig, and friend, Rocky, explore the early stats and discover she has powerful support.
The country is in a turmoil, and she can improve it with her calm demeanor, witty outlook on life, and Christian values. Her experience as a U.S. Senator, Special Counsel for the State of Tennessee and mayor of Possum Ridge, Tennessee are in her favor.
When she announces her candidacy, someone slips a note into her hand. It reads, “You will not live to be president.” That won’t happen.
Maggie’s stubbornness to make the country better prevails. She is unstoppable and has a secret few know about.
She happily watches her secretary, Loretta Little, and security guard, Kenneth Anderson, fall in love while she runs for office.
Can she save the country from this den of lions?

 

Kathy Cretsinger is an avid reader and writer. She loves to encourage other writers to help them find their writing life.

 

Several years ago, Kathy and her husband left their home in East Tennessee to begin a new home in Western Kentucky. They are much closer to their children and grandchildren. This move brought more time for her to write.

 

Each month, Kathy writes a newsletter to bring her readers up to date on her books. Join her at kathycretsingerauthor.com.

Rerun: At the Feet of Jesus

    This was first posted on my blog in January of 2018

 

I have long believed in the power of the name of Jesus.

 

My husband Murry is a math tutor. He says he likes to tell people that once you have a decimal point, “You can add zeros after the last digit until Jesus comes, and it won’t change.”

 

Murray believes that there is power in using the name of Jesus.

 

Recently, in a book by one of my newest favorite authors, Jan Karon, whenever people needed to pray about a hard thing in their lives, and they couldn’t think what to say, they prayed simply, “Jesus.”

 

I started writing this piece in June of 2016, and from that day I wrote: “In church this morning, we were singing a song I didn’t know well, but when we came to the place where I knew to say ‘Jesus,’ I had a moment of joy.”

 

Often, as I sing a song with Jesus’ name, I find my heart calming and my face smiling.

 

Not too long ago, I started reading a book I didn’t really like. When the author began talking about her and her husband’s faith in Christ, I suddenly started liking the book more and relating better with the author.

 

There is such power in the name of Jesus.

 

A few weeks ago at church, we read from Luke 10, about Mary and Martha, and how Martha was worried about getting everything done. But Mary chose the good stuff or “what is better”, by sitting at the feet of Jesus. Our pastor demonstrated “the good stuff” by giving a bakery made cupcake in a box to a little boy in the crowd.

 

I want to not only know the power of the name of Jesus, and it is amazing, but I want to get the good stuff. I want to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him, and learn what he thinks is important for me to know.

 

I plan to spend extra time in the gospels this year, praying each day that God will help me open my ears to what Jesus has to say to me.

 

Luke 10:38-41: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”