When Dreams Change

by Kathleen Denly

Do you remember what you said when you were a child and people asked you what you wanted to do when you grew up?

According to an article I read recently, the most popular dream careers among today’s youth include: dancer/choreographer, actor, musician, teacher, scientist, athlete, firefighter, detective, police officer, astronaut, pilot, veterinarian, lawyer, doctor, and…writer.

Believe it or not, even though I was a voracious reader as a kid, I didn’t realize being a writer was even a career option. Instead, I wanted to be a day care worker. I had started babysitting my neighbor’s kids when I was nine years old (already CPR certified) and loved it. It seemed like the perfect job. Until someone told me I couldn’t actually live on the wages I’d be paid as a day care worker. Thus began a long line of careers I considered pursuing.

By the time I reached college I had decided I wanted to work in the hospitality industry. I’d been bit by the travel bug and it never really let go. In the spring of 2001, I was in the middle of pursuing a certification in hospitality and working toward attaining degrees in both French and English. English because, well, I loved it. French, because I really enjoyed it and it would give me a leg up once I was ready to apply for a position in the airline industry. My ultimate dream was to be a flight attendant working routes between the U.S. and Europe.

That’s when I met my husband. Suddenly, the idea of being away from home for so much of the year didn’t sound so appealing. So my dreams changed again.

Sometimes our dreams change through positive events. Other times, through negative ones. In my novel, Sing in the Sunlight, Clarinda Humphrey has her dream of becoming a professional singer taken from her through a terrible tragedy. Then she’s robbed of her dreams of marriage—or so she believes. It takes a special man sent by God to help her find the courage to dare to dream again.

Have you ever experienced a change of dreams? How did you handle it?

Just for fun, use the graphic below to see what your career might have been in the nineteenth century and let me know where you end up in the comments below.

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YouTube link to audio recording of Kathleen reading the first scene from Sing in the Sunlight: 

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Giveaway!

To celebrate her upcoming release of Sing in the Sunlight, book two in her Chaparral Hearts series, Kathleen is offering a giveaway. One winner will receive:

• 1 digital copy of Waltz in the Wilderness (Chaparral Hearts book 1)
• 1 Joshua 1:9 leather journal
• 1 set of custom Sing in the Sunlight gold vinyl stickers
• 1 bookmark made and signed by Kathleen Denly
• 1 Chaparral Hearts pen

Open to U.S. and International winners, void where prohibited. Entries open until midnight on March 2, 2021. Winner will be announced on Kathleen’s Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram accounts and must contact Kathleen with your mailing address within seven days of announcement.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Short author bio:

Kathleen Denly writes historical romance stories to entertain, encourage, and inspire readers toward a better understanding of our amazing God and how He sees us. Award winning author of the Chaparral Hearts series, she also shares history tidbits, thoughts on writing, books reviews and more at KathleenDenly.com.

Social Media Links:

Website | Newsletter | FB Author Page | FB Reader Group

Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | BookBub | Amazon

Purchase Links (note: Sing in the Sunlight is currently on preorder):

Ebook order links:  Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Paperback order links:  Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble 

***In celebration of this second book in her Chaparral Hearts series, Kathleen’s offering preorder bonuses. These include a set of exclusive coloring pages (hand drawn by Kathleen for this novel), and an MP3 recording of the hymn referenced in the book, (God Moves in a Mysterious Way) performed by Kathleen’s wonderful mother.

Anyone who preorders Sing in the Sunlight no later than February 28, 2021 can register to receive their preorder bonuses. To register, email your proof of preorder purchase to kdpreorderbonuses@gmail.com no later than February 28, 2021. A proof of purchase is typically a screenshot of your receipt. Please do not include any personal information such as physical mailing address or account numbers when submitting your proof of purchase. Preorder bonuses will be emailed on the day of the book’s release to all who register.

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Book Details:

Title: Sing in the Sunlight
Series: Chaparral Hearts
Genre: Historical Christian Romance
Length: 402 pages
Publisher: Wild Heart Books
Release Date: March 2, 2021

Book Description:

Richard Stevens isn’t who he thinks he is. Neither is the woman who now claims his last name.

Disfiguring scars stole Clarinda Humphrey’s singing career, her home, and her family, but she refuses to let her appearance steal her future. While attending The Young Ladies Seminary in 1858 Benicia, California, she finds a man who promises to love and cherish her. Instead he betrays her, leaving her with child, and Clarinda must take drastic measures to ensure her child doesn’t suffer for her foolishness.

Richard Stevens’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected, and when a shocking letter turns even his past into a mystery, he travels to San Francisco in search of guidance. On the way, he encounters a mysterious young woman hiding beneath a veil. That night he experiences a dream that sends him on a quest to find the bride God has chosen for him. He never imagines she’s already told everyone they’re married.

Unwilling to lie, nor accept a marriage of mere convenience, Richard wants the real thing. Yet Clarinda’s not interested in love, only a chance to save her child. Can he help her rise above the pain that runs deeper than her scars to accept a love worth every risk?