Jewell Tweedt

MerryChristmas everyone! This has been an interesting year full of surprises and challenges. I published my first two books and got a bit more involved with my wonderful writing club-Romance Authors of the Heartland. Thanks to all of you who have read the books and for your insightful comments. My husband and I lost our precious little dog Gracie to a brain tumor on Halloween. We miss her everyday. My tribute to her are twelve years of wonderful memories and book three. Grace Freeport is the name of a new character. Grace, of course for her name, and Freeport is the town she is from in Illinois. The title is (for now) Autumn Faith-Grace's Story. I am on chapter two and hope to publish it late this spring. Well, time to go bake some pies to take to the family dinner today. "May your days be merry and bright..." I'd love to hear form you on this blog. Jewell

Thanks to the local paper for this neat article. Lewis Central history teacher to publish third book

Last week I was blessed to be featured in an article in my local paper.It tied in my American History teaching job with my second career writing. It was fun to have people stop me and remark on it. Funny how a little encouragement can go a long way.  I guess that's a good lesson. Even a simple smile or kind word can change someone's entire outlook. Have a peaceful week-end. You're worth it and so am I. Remember the old psychology book, I'm Okay, You're Okay. Still great advice. Jewell

It's hard to believe there are only a couple days left in November. We've been blessed in western Iowa with mild weather and best of all- no ice! My holiday shopping is nearly done and I managed to avoid freaky Friday. I know, lots of people love shopping the day after Thanksgiving, but not me. I worked in retail for years and that day was always exhausting. Now I'm delighted to stay home with hot tea, a warm throw and a good book. I just finished reading Janet Evanovich's Notorious Nineteen. It was a fun read. If you enjoy Stephanie Plum you'll like this story. Gentle reminder from this teacher and writer: books make great gifts for all ages. keep your brain engaged. Read. Take care, Jewell  

I've been remiss in keeping up this blog but I'm vowing to do better. School is busy and we've just completed our first trimester. Hard to believe that it is one third done and that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. My hand is finally healed from carpal tunnel surgery and I'm ready to start on book number three of my Back to Omaha series. If you haven't checked out the first two- please do so. Faith of the Heart and Still Faithful are available in print and Kindle versions. I will be doing a book signing on November 17th at 1:00-3:00 at Tweedt Engineering, 4030 Greenview, Council Bluffs. Iowa. Hope to see you there. Jewell

Hello, It has been a few weeks since I've posted but I have a good excuse. I had carpal tunnel surgery and am limited in using my left hand.  Yes, I am left-handed. Sigh. Anyway, Still Faithful is now available on Amazon.com. It is the continuation of the story of crazy Cal and his obsession with Claire Maxwell in 1870's Omaha, Nebraska. There are new twists and new characters. Please take a look. I think you'll enjoy it. Meanwhile it's a lovely October day and I am going to go swish through the fallen leaves.  

Good morning! It's a beautiful cool day here in western Iowa. I am determined to get some writing down today and a little shopping.  Big news! The sequel to Faith of the Heart, Still Faithful, should be available very soon on Kindle, and in paperback form from Amazon or me directly. Look for it in about 2-3 weeks!   Until then, if you're in the mood for a good buy on Kindle, Amazon is running several books for $1.99 today. One of my favorite authors, Debbie Macomber, has 16 Lighthouse Road featured. Enjoy your day!

It's been two weeks since I've stopped in. I could use the excuse I've been busy, but we all are so let's leave that one alone. School is in full swing and the halls are bursting with kids. Every year about this time I pick up somebody's cold germs and last Friday I really struggled to get through the day. By the time I got home I was miserable. Needless to say I spent the weekend and today sleeping, sipping hot tea and thanking my lucky stars for substitute teachers and  me having everything organized enough to be able to have someone else take over. For now I will get to bed early and hopefully have a good day tomorrow. Sounds like a good wish for you too.

I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that the school year has begun. I reported last week and my students start Wednesday. To celebrate I am running my paperback, Faith of the Heart, on sale for $7.99. If you order it and leave me a note on this blog, I'll send you an autographed card. The Kindle version is only $1.99 and the offer stands. Happy school days.

A wedding is always a wonderful occasion. This week-end my nephew will make the transition from bachelor to married man. He is so very excited. Please wish him well.   Jewell

Good morning, Love cowboys, Civil War times, inspirational romance? If you've been thinking about buying the Kindle version of Faith of the Heart now is your chance! It's available for $1.99 on Amazon! Jewell

I live in a suburban area of a large town. Behind my house are several acres of soybeans and corn. Last week , about 8:00 PM, I walked through the fields and was screamed at by a red-tail hawk, saw deer in the corn, and a small pack of  coyotes hunting. I've often heard the coyotes howling and my little terrier stands at the fence mesmerized, when they do, but this was the first time I actually saw them. Three were hunting in the soy beans while one stood watch on a knoll. When he spotted me I started backing up slowly. He watched me carefully until I was no longer a threat. It was a very cool experience. Try altering your path and see what you discover. Jewell

The neighborhood is quiet, my dog has stopped trembling, and all is well in her world. I hope yours is too!

Thanks to all of you who came to the signing last Saturday. Lorna  Seilstad  and I had a great time meeting you. Jewell

Last year the Midwest suffered severe flooding. I wrote this story after hearing how people were being forced from their homes. Please send me a comment if you'd like.                                                                 Flood of Emotions             “The levee just burst at Hamburg!” I looked up from my romance novel as my husband Joe snapped off the 6:00 news. “You know what that means don’t ya?” “Yeah, it means those poor folks are going to have a mess in their basements.” I marked my page with a finger and glanced over at him sprawled in his recliner. “More than that, honey. It means we’d better be pack...

I was working at school today with a co-teacher on social studies plans for the up-coming school year. We got off track and talked about our pasts. Okay, so the past and history isn't really too far off-track. Anyway, we both learned something new about one another. I made the comment that  all the jobs I've held have made me a more well-rounded and  interesting teacher and writer. She stared at me for an instant and then she got that 'aha' look. "You know, I never thought about it that way," she replied. She continued,   "That's what makes me so damn fascinating! All the times I've been fired." We both about fell off our chairs laughing. Find something funny and fall off your chair! Jewell

Using actual historical events adds a layer of interest to your story. Be accurate and responsible when researching. Use primary resources when possible (diaries, letters, first-hand accounts). Avoid sites where anyone can add anything. Yes, there is a lot of false information wafting through the internet. You will be amazed at the bizarre things that happen in real life. For example, did you know that  Confederate president Jefferson Davis hid hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold and silver from the Yankees when they invaded Richmond, Virginia in 1865? Did you know that it hasn't been accounted for?    Read more in my second book Still Faithful coming soon on Amazon.com.

Ahhhhh! Kids live for summer vacation but so do teachers! It's Tuesday and I'm doing chores with the windows wide open and the sweet morning breezes wafting in. Later today I will get to work on a query letter but for now it's laundry and errands. Later alligator! 

This is the final week of classes for my middle school. as always I have mixed emotions. Yes,I'm excited to have time to focus on my writing but I also will miss many of my students. I attended high school graduation yesterday and was amazed to see how my former students have grown and matured. I barely knew many of them. Time does march on! Have a great week.

Enjoy Florence days and shop the unique Prairie Piecegoods shop. 8611 N 30th St., Omaha, Ne. Saturday May 12th. See an array of gifts and books by local authors.

Today the CB library hosted a local author fair. Seventeen area authors were there including best-selling writers Mary Connealy and Lorna Seilstad. It was a great opportunity to meet area authors.

 Check out the site lexile.com.

As a teacher I see kids hurry through just to get an assignment done. I also am guilty of this at times. For instance just a moment ago I posted  an incomplete entry about an upcoming book signing event. So I will try again. On May5th I will sign copies of Faith of the Heart at Ogden Salon at 275 W Broadway in Council Bluffs at 11:00. I would love to see you all there. Jewell Whew! That's better!

Hello, I am pleased to announce  I will be signing Faith of the Heart at Ogden Salon Saturday May5th at 11:00 am in Council Bluffs. Please join me. Jewell

Saturday April 21st there will be a book signing event at Tweedt Engineering to celebrate the publishing of Faith of the Heart. Please join me at : Tweedt Engineering and Construction, 4030 Greenview , Council Bluffs, IA from 10:00 to 11:30am. Jewell

Hello and Happy Easter! The day started out cool and overcast but it is warming up nicely. I am excited to announce my debut novel is now available in paperback at Amazon.com. Faith of the Heart is sporting a new cover and I am glad to offer it to paperback readers. Check it out and let me know what you think. For those of you who have asked ,Still Faithful, the second book in the series is now in the editing process. I hope to have it available next month as an e-book. Jewell

Okay, so it is March 26th and 83 degrees in western Iowa. What gives? No, it isn't global warming!

"Why do we have to do this?" is a common question teachers are asked. Sometimes the answer is simple. To practice. To practice is to improve, to grow to new levels, achieve standards or reach a particular goal. Just as students need to practice their skills, writers do too. So today I am practicing. I am practicing on this blog and practicing as I edit the second book in my Back to Omaha series. Later I'll go outside and practice my yard clean-up skills. Ugh. Happy Saturday. Jewell

Today was one of those days you just get through. My students were dazed with spring fever,it's 75 degrees when it should be about 50 and they, I mean we, are dreaming of summer vacation. My Gracie is still under the weather so I stopped at the vet's for another round of meds. When I got home though the proof for my paperback version of Faith of the Heart was waiting for me. While it needs some work, it was still thrilling to hold MY book in my hands. After some tweaking, it will be ready to go on sale through Amazon.com. A long awaited book review of Faith was in our local paper and that was fun too. Then a girl friend called and offered to host a book signing party for me. Maybe things are starting to jell. Have a great rest of the evening. I plan to write a bit more on Faith's sequel, Still Faithful. Jewell

The wind is blowing and I think about "The Ides of March" arriving soon. I just washed Gracie (my terrier) and she is snoozing at my feet. Bath time is exhausting for her. I am at a difficult spot in my sequel and keep putting off writing. Why is it that when a person is so close to finishing a big project they seem to freeze? My  psychology background would say it was a fear of  failure- or maybe of success. Hmmm. Jewell

My favorite quote for helping me sit down and write is by Alan Shepard. I keep it posted on my refrigerator. "Have you worked toward your dreams today?" Well, have you? Jewell

Lately people have been asking me how to find time to write. The answer is to turn off the television. Easier said than done. I love old movies and old sitcoms. I can waste an entire evening ( and still do) watching episodes of M*A*S*H. I have a special fondness for Rifleman too, if you can believe that. Try to write for a while first, then reward yourself with your favorite activity. At the end of the day you'll have words on a page. Those words are what get you to the next words, and the next. Keep your butt in the chair and eventually you'll finish your article, story, book, whatever. So stand up, reach for the remote and shut it down. Jewell

It's windy, it's cold and still February! I spent the entire day grading exams and posting grades for the end of our second trimester. It is rewarding to see evidence of learning and improvement from the previous trimester with several students. Snuggle up with hot tea and a good movie tonight. I plan to. Jewell

There's an old Carpenter's song, "Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down." Well today I'm feeling pretty good. It's my birthday and I got through an entire day without having to hear the tired old birthday song. Hope your day is good too.

Faith of the Heart (Back to Omaha Adventure) by Jewell Tweedt | Bestsellersworld.com

Hello and welcome to my brand new blog. If you love stories of faith, hope and western romance this is the place to be. I will be sharing stories that touch my heart and hopefully will touch yours. I love the humor that often goes along with those traits and will share the funny things I experience as a middle school teacher and newly published writer. I will also share portions of my new book, Faith of the Heart, in diary form and give you peeks into its sequel, Still Faithful. So grab a cup of coffee or maybe a glass of iced tea (my favorite) and come along for the ride as this technically-challenged, middle-aged, middle school teacher continues her journey into the wild unknown.

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