Lodge Family Adoption

Hope is a weird thing.

I'm late posting this, but it's been a day. 

I got an email from our adoption coordinator this morning. We’ve been working with this agency for over a year now, working towards adoption for three. Wanting to have a family for ten. Lots of stops and starts for all sorts of reasons – health, family emergencies, covid. But this time, with this agency, things were moving forward. Our home study was finalized, applications completed, profiled written up, pictures taken.

The agency has had our completed profile, a five-page pdf about me and Danny, for about six weeks. Danny’s been travelling for work more than usual – power plant outage season – and we’d planned to start our grant applications and adoption fundraising when he was back from his second trip.

But this email.

We’d known there were a couple birth moms at the agency. The last handful of women considering adoption had chosen to parent, so I didn’t have high expectations. The email arrived, giving us an update – one mom choosing to parent, another being induced the following week. That second mother had chosen a family, but the family hadn’t been notified because they were waiting on the waiver from the birth father, who was currently out of state.

Probably not us. Right? We would know if we were in the running, I thought as I brushed out my hair for the morning. Should I tell Danny? He was on site at a nuclear plant, I didn’t want to burden him. And it was probably, definitely not us.

Lord, if it’s us, you’ll have to figure out the money thing. 

But it probably wasn’t us.

Because the moms interview the birth parents first. Wouldn’t I want that if I were in her shoes? She would have interviewed other families. It was fine. Maybe next spring.

And then I got the call.

“Hillary? Are you home? Can you talk? Is Danny home?” The adoption coordinator asked.

So I called Danny, who was on-site, supervising…something. Told him the coordinator called and wanted to speak to both of us. I couldn’t put words, though, to what we both knew it probably meant.

Because hope is a weird thing.

We got everybody on, and the coordinator told us she also had the birth mother counselor on the line. Because that’s what they do when they tell you that your profile has been selected. Because that baby that was probably definitely not ours at all was actually our baby.

Our baby girl.

I have tears in my eyes, small ones, but I haven’t cried because it’s so strange to hear something you’ve thought about and hoped for, for so many, many, many years, is in the process of happening. That a young college student in a STEM field has plans for her life that don’t involve a baby, but she’s chosen to carry her pregnancy to term and place her baby with a family. That she doesn’t want to meet the family, doesn’t want contact, but wants to do the hard thing – giving her baby a life and a family a baby.

Hope is a weird thing.

Today has been a flurry of calls, getting logistics into place - because we have to have the funds ready to go before baby girl comes home.

Also a car seat.

Also a pediatrician.

Also a name.

Danny flies back early tomorrow. There are decisions to make. Funds to raise. I'm posting this very late so that I can perhaps relax a little and...sleep? But the Lord is bringing us a baby girl, in time for Thanksgiving, and we are so very full of thanks.

 

First and foremost, we would appreciate prayers for Baby Girls’ safe delivery, and for her birth mama as she transitions into her next season of life.

If you would like to contribute to the adoption fund, you may through AdoptTogether (tax-deductible, 5% fees), GoFundMe (2.9% fees + $0.30 fee per donation), or through Venmo (@hillarymantonlodge, no fees). We are working with Adoption Choices of Memphis. 

Pardon the Design Dust...

A little dusty around here - both in terms of some long (very, very long) overdue redesigns on the site as well as a general, er, lack of posting in the year 2019.

I've been hard at work, and shortly parts of the site, particularly the design portions, should reflect that. I've gotten to make a bunch of covers for a bunch of super talented writers, made a bunch of graphics for my Etsy shop, and also been working away on a new book. And then off of my computer, life is a series of busy somethings - feeding people, serving on church committees, and occasionally getting to get out into the world a bit.

All that to say, things should be tidying up here in the weeks to come, freshening up and getting all of the plug-ins working again. What have your busy somethings looked like lately? Share in the comments!

Jane of Austin on E-Book Sale!

I'm so thrilled to see Jane of Austin on e-book sale! Click here to get a copy from the vendor of your choice.

Looking back on 2018 -

Happy New Year! I've been meaning to write for a while, but life and work kept getting in the way.

One of the questions I get asked a lot is what I'm writing. I am writing - some. But I'm doing a lot of other things these days. My graphic design work has kept me busy, and I've really enjoyed it. Church has kept me hopping - this spring, I'm writing/organizing much of our women's bible study materials and then co-leading the sessions. I'm also on the pulpit search committee, since our pastor took another post last summer.

INSPY Contemporary Romance Shortlist Giveaway Bundle!

It's been such an honor to be shortlisted alongside such a wonderful group of women for the 2018 INSPY Award! To celebrate, we decided to giveaway a bundle a books to a lucky reader. You can get to know all of the authors a bit below, and then enter to win the bundle below!

Writers Corner: Good to the Last Page - A Crash Course in Finishing your Novel or Narrative Nonfiction

On April 25th, I was honored by the opportunity to share about constructing a book in general, and finishing it in particular, at my very favorite place in Memphis - the Dixon Gallery & Gardens. Between the art (lovely!) the grounds (peaceful!) and the programming (fascinating!) it has brought so much joy to my life, so it was lovely to get to participate in one of their weekly lunchtime lectures ("Munch and Learn," every Wednesday at noon).

Anywho, I got to pare down quite a lot of fiction theory into an afternoon chat and was asked (rightfully so) to post the slides on my website. Theoretically, the video should be available at some point? I will follow up on that. In the meantime, let me walk you through what we covered...

It's Been a Minute

Hey all.

I'm just gonna say it.

I'm terrible at written multi-tasking. Either I'm writing a book or I'm writing blogs, or maybe I'm not even writing at all at which point I'm just bad at the doing of writing, and this has turned into a long sentence.

You may notice that, in fact, the last blog posted was very nearly six months ago. And...I never meant it to be that long. But the thing with blogging is that the longer you're away the harder it is to go back.

Also, things were busy. We experienced our first holiday season in the south, and we spent time with friends and I got sick (again) and I made all of our Christmas gifts and we spent more time with friends. Everyone asks why we moved here, what we were thinking, and you know what? The Mid-south is America's best kept secret. We've moved around a lot over the years, and I feel more settled and at home here than I ever did in the Portland area. Also, I can find parking places. It's a win-win.

After the holidays, life was a blur of visiting family, another round of viruses, and becoming members of our church. Things were settling out a little bit, and I was looking forward to catching up on the writing and blogging and newslettering.

And then Danny's father passed away unexpectedly, and that threw everything, all of us, for a loop. We traveled back to Oregon and spent two weeks there, and since our return Danny's had work trips to Alabama, I got to see Darlingside with my dear friend Ginny in Nashville, and then Danny and I drove to North Carolina and back to attend a sweet cousin's wedding reception.

That was...weekend before last? To complete that whirlwind, I got to speak at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, which was great but also kinda prepared at the last minute (see previous paragraph). The notes for that will be in the following post, if you're interested.

Also, there will be a newsletter forthcoming I KNOW, BUT I MEAN IT THIS TIME. So if you'd like that in your inbox and haven't subscribed, make sure to do that!

What else? I am still working on a new book. Yes, it is going very slowly. Yes, I hope to pick up the pace. Yes, I like it very much and if you liked Jane of Austin, I think you'll like it too.

I've been reading A Lady in the Smoke and have been enjoying that very much. I also reread The Peach Keeper (which I have to say I enjoyed better as a reread) and have The Music Shop in my TBR pile with Robin Gunn's Woodlands as well for peak nostalgia.

What's kept you busy? What's in your book pile? Share in the comments below!

Needtobreath Interview with Seth Bolt: The Extras

Needtobreathe at the Mud Island Amphitheater in Memphis, TN

Back in August, I had a chance to interview Needtobreathe bassist and vocalist Seth Bolt about the band's history and current tour. You can read the official interview - "Needtobreathe finds success in the space between mainstream and gospel"
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It's a tight piece and well-edited, but that editing for the magazine meant a lot of streamlining, and there's material from the interview I knew a lot of you would want. So here's a bit more. Call it the special features edition!

Together at the Table Sale!

Laying in extra reading for the upcoming holiday weekend? You're in luck! Together at the Table is on sale for a limited time, for only $1.99! Pick up your copy at Amazon, Nook, or Kobo.

Southern Autumn Butternut Squash Soup

Funny thing - it only just began to feel at all like fall, here in northern Mississippi. Until a couple weeks ago, it was just Summer 2.0 - still some heat and humidity, but not as much heat. Springtime weather.

Two weeks ago, I was recovering from a long week and declared, on the way home from church, that I absolutely was not cooking for the rest of the day. But then...the rain and drizzle got to me, and all I could think about was butternut squash soup and chocolate chip cookies. So we stopped at the grocery store on the way home from church, and I zipped through the store for butter and brown sugar (for the cookies) and a squash and apples for the soup. In the end, I wound up spending the afternoon and early evening in the kitchen - but we had good food to enjoy because of it!

Great British Bake Off Series 8 Review

Welcome, Bakers! 

Or, at least baking watchers. If you're like me, you love the Great British Bake Off (or, in the US, the Great British Baking Show, a title so charmingly on-the-nose that it mainly works because it's said with a British accent). 

There was a massive shake-up since the filming of Series 7 (they're called "series" rather than "seasons" across the pond), in which the BBC lost the Bake Off to rival Channel 4 when Channel 4 threw down a giant pile of money. Presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins opted to stay with the BBC and leave the show, and days later beloved octogenarian Mary Berry left the show as well.  Paul Hollywood (yes, that's his real name) stayed, and the internet deemed him a heartless money grabber because dude wanted to keep his job.

New Etsy Shop & Graphic Giveaway!

Guess what - I’ve opened an Etsy shop! If you’re not one of the people who’s had their ear talked off about my love for graphic art and design, this might take you by surprise. (And if you have had your ear talked off, well, thank you for your patience!)

Pumpkin Scones with Chai Glaze for Fall

Who's ready for fall? After a long - though admittedly mild, by southern standards - Memphis summer, I'm ready. And for about 48 hours, it felt like fall...and then it was back to highs in the 90's. So clearly, the solution is to make my own autumn, and that means homemade pumpkin scones.

Jane of Austin - The Playlist!

Want to experience the music of Jane of Austin? I've put together a Spotify playlist with the songs and bands mentioned in the book, songs they listened to on their road trip, and music they might have heard at SxSW. Give it a listen - you might find some old favorites and make new discoveries! Click below to enjoy. 

Restorative Chicken Soup

Most of the recipes that show up here are ones I've developed and tweaked, and this one is not different. But if you've got the current issue of Real Simple on your sofa, this'll look familiar. I was flipping through and found it the day Danny's parents arrived from Oregon, and thought, "we should eat that."

Inspirational Contemporary Romance Bundle Giveaway!

Exciting news! Booksweeps is holding a super huge giveaway, and Jane of Austin is one of the books in the prize package! See all the included books below and click here to enter.

Jane Austen Week: Day 5 - Katherine Reay & the Austen Legacy

I'm sad to see Jane Austen Week come to a close - I've had such a great time!

To help bring things to a close, I've invited Katherine Reay to come and share about Jane Austen's impact on her own writing. It's a gorgeous essay, so I suggest getting a cup of tea settling in to enjoy the read.

Jane Austen Week: Day 4 - Reflections on Sense & Sensibility

As  Jane Austen Week wraps, I felt like there was a hole here on the blog for Day 4 and I wanted to shore it up.

As part of the official festivities, we watched Sense & Sensibility together - even if you didn't get to participate, you may enjoy reading over the threads! It was a lot of fun, and I'll do something similar again another time.

Watching the movie over again reminded me of my experience reading Sense & Sensibility in preparation for the writing of Jane of Austin. You see, when I was first tapped to write Jane, all I had was a title. From there, I had free reign to go anywhere I liked.

I hadn't read Sense & Sensibility yet - I'd read Pride & Prejudice, Emma, and Persuasion. But I knew I wanted to write a more rebellious, headstrong character than I'd been writing for the last several years. Of Austen's likable rebels, Marianne was the strongest choice - unlike other rebels (*cough* Lydia *cough*), Marianne gets an entire redemption arc. She learns, she grows, and she's offered a chance at happiness.

Jane Austen Week: Day 3 - Q&A with Teri Wilson

Welcome to Day 3 of Jane Austen Week! To recap briefly, on Day 1 I shared the recipe for chamomile and lavender scones, as well as the link to the All Things Jane Giveaway. On Day 2, I got  chat Jane Austen and time travel with author Kathleen A. Flynn.

Today, I'm thrilled to be hosting Teri Wilson, author of Unleashing Mr. Darcy!

Teri came onto my radar via an elderly neighbor from our Vancouver, Washington neighborhood. I'd been gardening and doing yard work with my mom in the front yard and had Shiloh and puppy Sylvie tethered near the front door. The neighborhood's bank of mailboxes was just to the left of our house, and I met most of my neighbors over there. That day a sweet, elderly lady from two doors down introduced herself and, after a fashion, remarked on Shiloh and Sylvie.

"They look just like the dogs from that movie, that Hallmark movie," she said. "The Mr. Darcy movie."

As you can imagine, my ears perked up. Cavaliers? Mr. Darcy?

I did some creative Googling later and discovered that Unleashing Mr. Darcy was indeed a Hallmark Original Movie - which would be re-airing in a couple weeks - and was based on a book by Teri Wilson.

Who has two cavaliers.

Jane Austen Week: Day 2 - Q&A with Kathleen A. Flynn

Welcome to Jane Austen Week, Day 2!

One of the many pleasures of being a writer is getting to meet other writers. I haven't had the pleasure of getting to meet author Kathleen A. Flynn in person, but I was a third of the way through her debut novel, The Jane Austen Project, when I was in the planning stages of Jane Austen Week.

With its mix of Jane Austen, time travel, and philosophical speculation, it landed squarely in my reading sweet spot. In a nutshell, time travelers Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane are sent to 1815 to recover Jane Austen's letters to her sister Cassandra, as well as a previously undiscovered completed manuscript. But their objective becomes messy as they become involved with Jane's social circle and begin to notice small changes in the historical timeline. And after a while, Rachel – a doctor – begins to wrestle with the mysterious illness that ultimately takes Jane's life.

Intrigued? So was I! After all, Jane Austen Week is all about the 200th Anniversary of Jane's passing; a celebration of her life's work. And because the plot of The Jane Austen Project centers very much on Jane's life, the looming reality of her death, and what might have happened if history had unfolded differently, I'm thrilled Kathleen could participate!