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I'm an author spreading the words. Read about my books at www.SeleneCastrovilla.com







Thursday, December 1, 2011

Share my Matchbox Miracle and Enter to Win a Kindle!

Thanks to everyone who's been entering this contest. Especially with the passing of my aunt, I'm appreciating the positivity and love we're generating.
 
I promised I'd tell the story of my Matchbox Ford Focus miracle, so here it is:
 
A few years ago I was going through a really hard time. I'll spare you the details, but things were confusing. My head felt like it was literally spinning, and I didn't know what to do with myself.
 
And I wasn't writing. Who could write with my personal life in turmoil?
 
I was coming out of an office building, and for some reason I looked down. At my feet was a Matchbox car. "Oh, Casey would like this," I thought. I picked it up for my younger son.
 
I examined it: A Ford Focus. Purple. It said "Focus" across the hood, and the word was scattered all over the side doors. "Focus, focus, focus, focus, focus, focus, focus..."
 
 
This is what the car looks like! Thank you, Google Images!!!
 
I put it back down. "I can't give this to Casey. It was on the ground. Who knows where it came from."
 
I started to walk away. Then it hit me:
 
A Ford Focus.
 
Henry Ford said one of my favorite quotes: "Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, you're right."
 
 
Purple.
My favorite color. I surround myself with it.
 
Focus.
Could the word be any clearer?
 
"This is a messsage for me, from God," I said, picking up the car for a second time.
 
I took it with me to a writing retreat a few days later. I focused. And I wrote the book I'd been trying to write for years: Upon Secrecy.
 
 
 
 
It came pouring out in that one week. I had only the first line when I got there: "God, forgive me."
 
I wrote that story in a veritable fever. My head was pounding.  The scene was something out of a movie.
 
When we were leaving, I handed the end of the manuscript to my editor, who'd been reading along as I wrote.  She said, "If it's anything like the rest, it'll be fine."
 
Hearing those words from her was a second miracle, believe me.
 
Focus. So simple. But it took a Matchbox car from God for me to sit down and do it.
 
 
 
Got a story about a miracle? Share it with me, and you could win yourself or someone you love a Kindle.



There are other ways to win:

1. Follow this blog. (There is a space at the bottom of the post to enter your e-mail. I know it's hard to figure out - but I can't figure out how to make it clearer. Sorry!!!)
2. Post this contest in your status on any social media.
3. E-mail your favorite quote on "miracles" to Ldymcbeth@aol.com.
4. Review one of my books (there are four) on your blog, Goodreads or Amazon.
5. I'm open to other creative ideas for entries. Try me!
You will receive one entry for each thing you do. I will select ONE winner out of all the entries on Thursday, December 15.

3 comments:

  1. Certainly needed to hear your focus message today, Selene. Thanks!

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  2. Love hearing that story again. And imagining you in your Calkins Creek upstairs room (back before you became cabin friendly, right?)pounding the keys.

    Love imagining the dialogue with awesome editor. She's kind of a miracle too.

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  3. She is a miracle, Joyce.

    So was becoming "cabin-friendly" ;)

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