With apologies to you, my friends, for not posting a blog on Tuesday …

I flew to New York for RWA (Romance Writers of America) — a ginormous writers conference. In all the madness to get ready and get on the plane, I just forgot to post a blog. That’s it. I forgot. Several of you sent, “Are you okay” emails. I am okay … just in NYC — and slightly embarrassed. And overwhelmed, in a good way, with all the sights and sounds … and I’m having fun. (I played “tourist” and was at the Today show on Wednesday morning by 7 AM with some friends, holding a hastily scrawled banner that said, “Hello, Colorado! #RWA15.)

Anyway …

Tuesday night I went to dinner with two writer friends and we talked writing (surprise!). One topic we discussed? Themes. 

Specifically, we talked about what kind of themes show up in our books. You can usually nail a theme with one word:

• forgiveness
• regrets
• estrangement
• second chances (two words, I know)
• perfectionism
• expectations

And the list goes on.

I always determine the themes of any book I write — yes, there can be more than one — and then settle on the central theme. The central theme is the one my main characters are going to wrestle with through  the book.

And then I I ran across today’s quote about having a life theme … and I loved it.

Our lives develop themes. Not just one … several. And those themes can chang during different seasons of our life too. God works in our life and molds us, reshapes us — maybe breaks us — and reshapes us to teach us new things.

Different life themes for me?

• honesty
• boundaries
• reconciliation
• healing
• courage
• relationships

If I had to choose one central theme in my life, I would select: mistakes. How God works through the mistakes we make. How God uses us, in spite of the mistakes we make. How mistakes don’t define us. How mistakes aren’t necessarily the end … but sometimes the beginning.

In Your Words: What would you list as your life themes? What would you choose as the central theme of your life?

 

[Tweet “In Others’ Words: Identifying Your Life Theme #InOthersWords #lifequotes #theme”] [Tweet “What is the #theme of your life? #livingoutloud #writer”]

 

My novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, has hit the bookshelves! I’m celebrating with a Beach Bag Giveaway. Enter to win lots of fun stuff worh $200, including:

a Nikon CoolPix Camera
a Lands’ End canvas bag
2 beach towels
a Contigo water bottle
a copy of Crazy Little Thing Called Love
a copy of Somebody Like You

[Tweet “Celebrate @bethvogt’s new release Crazy Little Thing Called Love! Enter the #beachread #giveaway http://bit.ly/1JtPxpn”]