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For additional information contact Theresa Nichols Schuster at tnschuster7@gmail.com.

About Theresa Nichols Schuster

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Theresa Nichols Schuster is author of "Brittle Silver" and "We Are the Warriors" a 2015 USA Regional Excellence Book Award Finalist. She currently lives in southwest Montana where she appreciates the wonders of nature, family, friends, a bit of pottery.

Saturday, June 6, 2020

Finding Thankfulness

Not like I felt like my life was already tumultuous enough in the past year and a half…then along came Covid-19...A bit like the raging Gallatin River during spring runoff.

                                   

I, and many of us at this time, have had to dig deep to find the positive, live the values we believe in, and cultivate a patience that often hides itself from us. One of my ongoing initiatives is to give thanks for the good, however small.

I was fortunate this past year to work with a freelance editor, Pam Glauber, on tuning up my Brittle Silver manuscript. Over a period of several months, Pam analyzed my plot, characters and story arc, and made suggestions. It was several more months of fits and starts, interspersed with challenges in my own life, to finally come to a rewrite that made me happy. I am so thankful for her vision and assistance.


Finally under 100,000 words, still historically accurate and interesting, yet character-driven and challenging, Brittle Silver is again ready for a round of hunting for a literary agent. This daunting and time-consuming task always leaves me shaking my head, but I hope for the best, and a match of interest and enthusiasm. Each submission is personally researched, tailored, rewritten with guidelines followed and details adjusted. All with the hope that my manuscript will find a home and a champion that can see the world of Vic and Jago and relive the days of 1892-93 in Granite and Philipsburg, Montana.


Thanks to Granite County Museum for some of these classic photos.

Other reasons I am thankful; for my husband to share these trying times with, for my family who keeps in contact through texts, calls, and video chats, for my friends who stay in touch. I yearn for more, but try to accept the current situation.


I am grateful for spring and summer and the beautiful signs of nature around us that continue to show forth. I am pleased I finally discovered that odd sound I have been hearing; the winnowing of the snipe, actually the wings of the snipe as it flies in the evening or early morning. Check it out. Truly amazing! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dam0sDp6Xig I won’t tell you how long it took me to figure it out. https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-16/mysterious-sound-snipe


My encouragement is for us to accept and honor our feelings, whatever they may be...then to list ten things we are thankful for, no matter how small and simple. Peace to you in these days.