Guest Speaker Anita Onarecker Wood

When I first discovered Anita would be speaking to our group, I wasn't sure who she was. I'd heard of 90 Minutes in Heaven, but I wasn't as familiar with the story as others in this group may have been. Until recently, my familiarity with it came primarily from publicity for the movie.

Then, Friday, October 30, I went to the East Texas Christian Writers Conference at ETBU in Marshall. First on my to-do list was a course on dialogue that Cecil Murphey taught. You know Cec--the one chosen to write 90 Minutes in Heaven.

That evening, I got to sit with Cec, Twila Belk, and others as Don Piper, the keynote speaker, presented clips from the movie, 90 Minutes in Heaven. I bet you know Don Piper, too--the guy who actually lived 90 minutes in Heaven.

I was so touched by his story, I had to take his class the next day--From Story to Movie--in which we learned some of the challenges and miracles he faced when approached about making his story into a movie. In that class, I got to meet Eva Piper, author of A Walk Through The Dark: How My Husband's 90 Minutes in Heaven Deepened My Faith for a Lifetime (also written by Cecil Murphey).

So you can imagine how I feel now about getting to meet Anita Onarecker Wood--who, along with her husband, Dick Onarecker--was first on the scene after the wreck happened. The first couple to pray for a dead man. In her book, Divine Appointment: Our Journey to the Bridge, Anita tells of this event that changed lives.

I hope everyone can make it this coming Saturday, November 14 (a week earlier than our usual meeting) to hear this amazing woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Other News:

NaNoWriMo is in full swing. We're looking forward to hearing how our participants are doing. Hope to hear some uplifting stories of productivity and creativity.

This from Linda Kozar:

Scour garage sales and resale shops for the perfect book to exchange. This isn't a normal book exchange, so don't even think of showing up with a regular book. Find a Terribly Terrific Title. They're out there, believe me. Check out my Pinterest Board: Terribly Terrific Titles for ideas. If you still have trouble finding a book, contact me. I have quite a collection...

So, harness your elephant and drag him along to Linda's, December 12!