<![CDATA[BETTY M REEVES - AUTHOR - A Sometimes Newsletter]]>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:05:20 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[Faith, courage, and history]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:35:18 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/faith-courage-and-historyMy second draft of On the Fringes #1 is presently in the hands of my beta readers who will give me feedback on such issues as plot, pacing, and characters. If they don't like the book, I'll be back to revising. Fortunately, three beta readers have already given positive feedback along with needed constructive criticism.

On the Fringes is a sweeping biblical historical fiction series for adults and tells a dramatic story of faith and courage beginning in 10 BCE. This captivating series follows ordinary lives touched by extraordinary events, where every choice carries eternal consequences. Join the journey through intrigue, devotion, and courage in a time of hope, uncertainty, and divine purpose.

In the first book of the series, the people hear nothing from prophets for four hundred years. Then, unlikely people say, “The Messiah has come! We have seen him!” Buni ben Gurion thinks it is impossible, but he investigates. He realizes people will have to make a choice--become involved, stay on the fringes, or ignore the claim. Suddenly, there is no time left! The king makes a fourth choice--​eliminate him.

Meanwhile, I continue to explore the lives of God’s people during this pivotal, crucial time in history. Every new discovery about their lives, especially from c. 10 BCE and forward leaves me more enthralled and inspired.

​Waiting for the publication of this first book in the series grows more exciting each day. When I have a confirmed Launch Day, I'll be challenged to shout it from the rooftops but will definitely share it in a newsletter!

I am already gathering information and historical data for the next book in the series. I've thought of a couple of possible titles for On the Fringes #2. Something like Before the Messiah's Anointing or In Strength, Wisdom, & Grace. But perhaps I should think more sequentially and save the choice of title for later.

I feel tremendously blessed to live a literary life, embracing all its joys, challenges, and discoveries along the way.

In Christian love,
​Betty]]><![CDATA[Books, Reading and Writing]]>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 22:29:29 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/reading-and-writingQuotes on Books, Reading, and Writing:
  • "When you finish a draft of a poem, or short story or novel, make sure you go out and celebrate all night long because whether the world ever notices or not, you did something most people never do: You started, stuck with, and finished a creative work. And that is a triumph." — Andre Dubus III (American author, novels, short stories) 
  • "Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home." — Anna Quindlen (American author, novels, journalism)
  • "Reading is to the mind, as exercise is to the body." — Brian Tr)acy (Canadian-American motivational speaker and author)
  • "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." — C. S. Lewis (British author, scholar, Christian apologist - one of my favorites)
  • ”Both reading and writing are experiences―lifelong―in the course of which we who encounter words used in certain ways are persuaded by them to be brought, mind and heart, within the presence, the power, of the imagination.” ― Eudora Welty (American photographer, writer, short-stories, novels)
  • “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour (American writer, mostly western fiction - a favorite of my Uncle Rip)
  • “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ― Madeleine L'Engle (American Christian author, young adult fiction, other genres)
  • "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." — Mason Cooley (American professor emeritus and speaker who used aphorisms)
  • "A book is a dream you hold in your hands." — Neil Gaiman (English producer and author, novels, comic books, audio theater, screenplays, short fiction)
  • “And by the way, everything in life is writable about, if you have the outgoing guts to do it and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." — Sylvia Plath (American author, confessional poetry)
  • “The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them―words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.” — Stephen King (American author, horror, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy) 
  • "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." — Toni Morrison (American novelist, editor)
  • "Books last longer than digital media, with physical books (especially hardcovers) potentially lasting for centuries while ebooks may disappear without active maintenance. Many paper books, particularly high-quality hardcovers, have lasted for hundreds of years and will continue to exist indefinitely if stored properly. E-books and other digital artifacts have a much shorter lifespan without constant maintenance and updates. Internet engineer Brewster Kahle suggests that without active upkeep, digital books may not last a decade. A Yale study found that people who read books lived, on average, almost two years longer than those who do not read books. This survival advantage is thought to be linked to the cognitive engagement that book reading provides, which can hone critical thinking skills, concentration, and empathy. Researchers caution that this is an association, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship. Factors like higher income and education levels common among book readers may also contribute to a longer life." — AI Overview (artificial intelligence)
  • "I read because I love to read. I enjoy all kinds of books―physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks—in many genres including my own. I write because I love to write. God gave me the desire to write as surely as He gave me the desire to sing, play piano, teach music, love, and be loved. And it is my desire to do His will." — Betty M Reeves (American author, audio producer, self-publisher - I know her well.)
Happy New Year 2026!
Thanks for reading!
In Christian love,
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]]><![CDATA[Merry Christmas and happy new year]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 22:46:47 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/merry-christmas-and-happy-new-yearAll in all, 2025 was a great year. I hope and pray for all of us to have a wonderful Christmas, a fine culmination of the year, and an even better 2026.

We had a difficult few months with two family members in the hospital for several trips in a row, another family member in day surgery, two with continuing difficulties who need God's miraculous strength, and two who passed on to be with Jesus in the rooms he has built for them in his Father's mansion. That's the way it is for us in this life. We trust God to get us through it, and he always does. Then, we will meet him in in the air. Praise God the Almighty Creator, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Indwelling Holy Spirit. In faith and trust.

I'm still singing, playing piano, reading, and writing. My books are always for sale, so get yours anytime from me, or at Pac & Mail, Morton's, Amazon, Kindle, or Audible. Glenn is still actively busy at Pac & Mail where three or four family members work with him, some just when they can, making it a true family business. Of course, we think it is the best business in Borger in the world! Our lovable little Yorkie, Kiara, is a bundle of fun and energy.

May the New Year of 2026 bring you and yours, us and ours, renewed hope and energy for the days to come. 
​
With love,
Betty]]><![CDATA["Dwelling place" comment ―]]>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:21:09 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/dwelling-place-comment―​from Nathaniel Fryml, conductor of Amarillo Master Chorale, as written in the concert program, November 14, 2025, in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Amarillo, Texas.

What a joy it is to be back in this elevating sacred space making beautiful music together. Our program this evening has been carefully selected not only to highlight the glorious acoustic of the nave of St. Andrew's, but also to evoke the feeling of a journey towards a safe place―perhaps a journey home.
​
The idea to organize a program around the poetry contained in Griner and Gawthorp's "Sing Me to Heaven" came rather unexpectedly. I had been puzzling for weeks over what direction to take this fall concert, a long-anticipated traditional choral event after a few years devoted almost entirely to masterworks and wonderful collaborations. I was writing a poem about an exhausted bird who collapses on a (seemingly) barren patch of hard earth, thinking perhaps I could build a program around this metaphor. But as I wrote, I discovered the poem was really for someone I dearly love who is sgruggling through a very difficult season in their life. 

I then started to reflect on the "other" implied in so many one-sided conversations we are privy to in music and throughout the arts, but especially in poetry. I began to reevaluate my long list of dream pieces for performance venues like St. Andrew's Episcopal with this in mind, and a common theme begn to emerge. And though this concert would indeed be infused with poetry, the central image would not be that of a fallen bird, but of a lamb―a lamb looking up at its shepherd, with questions in its heart but no words with which to articulate them. 

"If you would comfort me, sing me a lullaby..." From the infant's first awestruck, gasping breaths in the arms of a protector and provider, to the wizened yet labored sighs of one who has lived and seen much, we draw in and pour out comfort in a myriad of different ways. Words of affirmation, knowing glances, careful touch, warmth of physical presence, random acts of kindness, great acts of self-sacrifice, or even the humming of a simple tune―we feel instinctively we cannot bear to be alone, and we sense something inside of us that longs to move toward the "other," despite the fear of the unknown. Why do we reach out for love? Why do we feel welling up inside of us a love that has to be given away lest it overwhelm us or, worse, grow stale? Because at some point along our journey, there was an Other who first reached out to us in love. 

As in life, certain portions of our journey this evening will be colored by a tinge of loneliness. Other moments may invite painful reflection on deep loss we have experienced or that we dread may be waiting right around the corner. But then light starts pouring through broken clouds, or a fragrance of delightful memory is wafted on a breeze, or the hand of a friend rests lightly on one's arm, and suddenly the path forward becomes clear enough to take one more step. My deep hope is that, as we share the gift of music tonight, you will find the comfort and courage you need to take the next step towards your dwelling place.

Thank you for reading.
Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christian love,
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]]><![CDATA[On books, reading, and writing:]]>Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:34:22 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/on-books-reading-and-writing
  • "When you finish a draft of a poem, or short story or novel, you make sure you go out and celebrate all night long because whether the world ever notices or not, you did something most people never do: You started, stuck with, and finished a creative work. And that is a triumph." — Andre Dubus III 
  • "Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home." — Anna Quindlen
  • "Reading is to the mind, as exercise is to the body." — Brian Tracy
  • "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." — C. S. Lewis 
  • ”Both reading and writing are experiences―lifelong―in the course of which we who encounter words used in certain ways are persuaded by them to be brought mind and heart within the presence, the power, of the imagination.” ― Eudora Welty
  • “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ― Louis L'Amour
  • “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ― Madeleine L'Engle
  • "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." — Mason Cooley
  • "A book is a dream you hold in your hands." — Neil Gaiman
  • “The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them―words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.” — Stephen King 
  • “And by the way, everything in life is writable about, if you have the outgoing guts to do it and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."  — Sylvia Plath
  • "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." — Toni Morrison
  • "Books last longer than digital media, with physical books (especially hardcovers) potentially lasting for centuries while e-books may disappear without active maintenance. Many paper books, particularly high-quality hardcovers, have lasted for hundreds of years and will continue to exist indefinitely if stored properly. E-books and other digital artifacts have a much shorter lifespan without constant maintenance and updates. Internet engineer Brewster Kahle suggests that without active upkeep, digital books may not last a decade. A Yale study found that people who read books lived, on average, almost two years longer than those who do not read books. This survival advantage is thought to be linked to the cognitive engagement that book reading provides, which can hone critical thinking skills, concentration, and empathy. Researchers caution that this is an association, not a proven cause-and-effect relationship. Factors like higher income and education levels common among book readers may also contribute to a longer life." — AI Overview
  • "I read because I love to read. I enjoy all kinds of books― physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks—and in many genres including my own. I write because I love to write. God gave me the desire to write as surely as He gave me the desire  to sing, play piano, teach music, love, and be loved. More importantly, I desire to do His will." — Betty M Reeves 
Thanks for reading!
​Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christian love,
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]]><![CDATA[Trip to New Zealand and Australia, and progress on "the book"]]>Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:06:04 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/trip-to-new-zealand-and-australia-and-progress-on-the-bookOur group of forty-something people went with a local leader to New Zealand and Australia in March. We had perfect weather, wonderful activities including snorkeling, riding in a glass-bottom boat, and parasailing over the Great Barrier Reef. We saw beautiful scenery, interesting animals including koala bears and other marsupials, kiwis, and crocodiles, and ate interesting food. We interacted with the native people from down under, and made new friends. I bought some black pearl jewelry and some natural opal jewelry. Our guide was knowledgeable and had a winning smile. We had a great time! I highly recommend Collette Tours. I will go with a group and the same local leader using Collette Tours in April to Greece (In the Steps Of Paul). The trip will even include a cruise to several islands. (Think Mama Mia.) I look forward to the trip. 

Two years ago before Christmas, I sold books at five events, but last year, due to the trip to Italy in November, I only sold books at the Christmas In October event and in our Pac & Mail. So this year, I am focused on selling books at more events. I have four lined up: Christmas In October, Cornerstone Outreach Ministry's Vendor Fair, Coulter Road Baptist Church's Shop-til-you Drop, and Texas High Plains Writer's READiculous Book Fair. Glenn is a retailer all year, but my retailing is mostly in the last three months of the year.

I thought my latest writing project/manuscript was finished, but, alas, I need to revise it. I can practically hear you nodding your head and saying, "Been there. Done that." Each revision makes it better, so I'm happy to make the changes even though they are time consuming and brain draining. Fortunately, I recharge fairly quickly. And there's the interesting research for the next book to keep me buoyed. I can imagine God on a ladder. Each time I climb a rung and think, "Hooray! I know a little more about you," he sprints up two rungs higher and lets me know I will never know him fully in this life.

I will skip through Halloween and wish you and yours an excellent Happy Thanksgiving and an amazing Merry Christmas. For me, the special music is the highlight of this time of year. So, go to some musical events, like First Baptist in Amarillo's annual Choir presentation, the Amarillo Symphony's Happy Holidays event, other church presentations, children's specials, and make some children happy! Try to eat healthy food even if, like me, you would rather eat every delicious dessert within reach. 

My author's mission statement is attached. Even this project needed revision. It was supposed to be "thirty words or less," she said. "Done," I finally stated. "Exactly thirty!"

Let me know what your favorite part of Thanksgiving and Christmas are! May God bless you and keep you within his comforting embrace. ​

In Christian love,  
 
Betty
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]]><![CDATA[Exciting News!]]>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:38:48 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/exciting-newsI have exciting news! (drum roll) I finished the manuscript for Expecting and Encountering the Messiah, the first book in my new Biblical Historical Fiction series for adults, On the Fringes. Hooray! Also, I sent my proposal to a publisher. They said I should hear from them in less than a month. The title and cover may change, but I have attached it at the bottom for you to see. While I wait, I will begin researching for the second book in the series. Please pray for the best outcome for the books and the series, whether they get published by a traditional publisher or self-published by me. 

That is my big news. Please, feel free to let me know your big news, too.

In February, our Sanctuary Choir, FBC Amarillo, went to Washington DC to sing in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. We joined a couple of other choirs to sing Saviour, A Modern Oratorio, The Story of God's Passion for 
His People. Our director was one of the four soloists.

On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we in Amarillo Master Chorale, Amarillo College Concert Choir, and a select orchestra presented the complete Handel's Messiah. The three parts are: 1. prophecy of the Messiah and his birth (Christmas). 2. passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. (Easter) 3. redemption of humankind and victory over death, Paul's teachings on resurrection, and Christ's glorification in heaven. I am thankful that I can still sing in such beautiful music.

When the children's choirs present a program at church, I sometimes play a song or two for the third and fourth grade choirs. I am usually their rehearsal pianist. I do as much as these old fingers will let me.

This past November, a friend joined me on a trip to Italy. Then, she invited me to accompany her to Australia and New Zealand. In NZ, we took a short cruise on Milford Sound in the Southern Alps. In Australia, we went to Cairns and to an island near the Great Barrier Reef. Some snorkeled at the reef while others of us snorkeled in shallow water, rode in the glass-bottom boat, parasailed, and relaxed on the island. In Sydney, we toured the famous opera house. Actually, it is the Great Performing Arts Theatres. I was fascinated with the sail-like design of the roofs. The largest ones cover the opera house, the medium ones cover the Performance Hall, an the small ones cover the Band Hall. Its construction spanned from 1959 to 1973, but it is still considered very modern.

Then, my friend and I decided to go to Greece in April, 2026. In fact, we have our first meeting about the trip tomorrow evening. Fun, fun, fun!

In the midst of all this fun, I researched and wrote, researched and rewrote, and sent it to my editor. The finished manuscript weighs in at 79,400 words. Oh, boy! But my editor is still looking through it for anything that needs fixing. 

May God bless you and yours.
Give me a shout sometime!
In Christian love,

Betty
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]]><![CDATA[Happy new year!]]>Tue, 07 Jan 2025 18:48:32 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/happy-new-yearI feel honored that I get to co-lead a Bible/book study based on the excellent book The Forgotten Jesus. I sincerely hope you will attend. If you can not participate, I hope that you will read this enlightening book. It is readily available online and in our church office and library. 

​We have lost an essential understanding of Jesus — His Jewishness. Our understanding of Jesus has been shaped by our own culture, and many Christians today have formed a view of Jesus and His teachings, beliefs, and actions that fall short of the truth. I think it will amaze you as much as I am amazed.
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For you who are in and around Amarillo, Cheryl Brewer, FBC Amarillo librarian, and I will lead the study using the Bible and Dr. Robby Gallaty's The Forgotten Jesus: How Western Christians Should Follow an Eastern Rabbi.

​We will meet:
  • from 4:30 to 5:30 pm
  • in room 102 on the first floor of Amarillo FBC (just under the church offices)
  • for eight Sundays, from this Sunday, January 12, through Sunday, March 2. 

 The Forgotten Jesus will open your eyes to:
  • the first-century world in which Jesus lived
  • important Hebraic perspectives on the Messiah
  • differences between the Western and Middle Eastern thoughts and actions.
  • differences between our Bible, influenced by the Greeks and Romans, and the truth of Jesus and His people, the Jews
  • essential connections between parts of the Bible that are often overlooked
  • reasons that Jesus’s words on the cross had deeper meanings than we may realize.

"By uncovering the teaching of the first- and second-century rabbis and Christian theologians, and highlighting little-known Jewish idioms and traditions, Gallaty takes Christians on a biblical journey to rediscover a forgotten Jesus from a biblical perspective, deepening our relationship with God." — quoted from Amazon.com.

"The message of Jesus may be timeless. But his life, teachings, death, and resurrection were all time-stamped. They took place in the real word at a specific time and place. In The Forgotten Jesus, Robby Gallaty helps us better understand the long-forgotten culture and context of Jesus's life and ministry so that we may better grasp the timeless beauty and power of his gospel." — ​Larry Osborne, Pastor/Author, North Coast Church
]]><![CDATA[Good News!]]>Tue, 07 Jan 2025 18:47:58 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/good-news
In earlier times, barn raisings, square dances, quilting bees, churches and other community gatherings were places where people came together to celebrate, nurture, and encourage one another. Today, we still need that same nurturing and encouragement.
]]><![CDATA[Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!]]>Thu, 28 Nov 2024 17:40:38 GMThttps://www.bettyspublishing.com/newsletter/happy-thanksgiving-and-merry-christmasHappy Thanksgiving to one and all!
God has blessed us and our family immeasurably, and I pray you feel blessed, too. It's both a sweet time of reflection and an exciting time of anticipation.

Two other Christian authors, friends in the Texas High Plains Writers Association, joined me for the "Christmas in October" event. It was much more fun sharing a booth than doing it solo. Sales were good and we made some great connections. We already plan to have a booth in the same event next year. 

Research for the new book is ongoing, and so far, the book includes about 22,000 words. The possible back and front cover is attached. The back is incomplete without blurbs, publisher information, and ISBN barcode.
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The trip to Italy was amazing! My roommate was a sweet friend from Amarillo, and we joined a tour group that included people from California, Arizona, Minnesota, and West Virginia. The weather was perfect the entire eleven days that we were there. We flew into Venice and traveled by bus to Assisi, Florence, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Rome. All our flights were on schedule (basically) and our luggage traveled with us. No hiccups. It was great! If you want to see photos, I have narrowed my 700 shots to about 350 good ones. 

Christmas is just around the corner and music is in the air! I will play piano for some programs and sing in others. The children's choirs will sing at church and at Park Central Senior Adult facilities. The Sanctuary choir and orchestra of First Baptist Church in Amarillo will present our annual musical program. It is "Bright Angel Hosts," and takes place Sunday, Dec. 8 at 4 pm and 7 pm, and Monday, Dec. 9 at 7 pm. The Amarillo Master Chorale with the Amarillo Symphony present our "Holiday Pops" on Friday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 pm, and Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. 

Cheryl Brewer, the church librarian, and I will lead a Bible Study on "The Forgotten Jesus: How Western Christians Should Follow an Eastern Rabbi" by Robbie Gallaty. The eight-week study will begin Sunday, January 12, at 4:30 to 5:30 pm, in FBC room 101. If you do not yet have the book, be sure to contact the church office to order one for you. Of course, Amazon has the book, too.

Looking ahead, Amarillo Master Chorale will present Handel's complete Messiah with a small orchestra on the Saturday evening before Palm Sunday. That is April 12, 2025, at 7:30 pm. This will be a thrilling, meaningful experience. Fun, fun, fun!

Merry Christmas to one and all!​
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