Hello everyone! Hope you are having a lovely Friday! This is the next to the last post in this series on the writing process! Hard to believe it isn’t it? My 2nd completed Series! (Click here for the 1st post in my 1st completed Series. Click here for the last post in this current series!!)

Oh dear. This is a post on grammar and I just totally abused the exclamation points. So sorry…
 
Okay, so I don’t have a set process for the grammar edit…because, I don’t do it! My Grandpa Miller is a retired English teacher, so he has graciously agreed to edit my work for me. However, I will gladly list a few grammar mistakes that you can look for in your work.
 
1.The Comma Splice. This is something to watch for and that my grandpa is constantly showing me.
 
Wrong way Ex.: Bobby ran down the stairs, at a rapid pace.
 
At a rapid pace is not a complete sentence. As a general rule, you should only use commas to separate two complete thoughts.
 
Right way Ex.: Bobby ran down the stairs, and he jumped over the boxes in his way.
 
Of course, there are exceptions…
 
Jumping over the boxes, Bobby continued his rapid pursuit.
Bobby turned, cocked his head, and continued on his way.
 
2.Improper use of Exclamation Points! See what I did there? Hee, hee 😉 I love exclamation points and probably use them too much, as you all probably know. But seriously, sometimes it comes across as if you are yelling at someone the entire time. I understand it conveys excitement too, but as a rule, keep it to a minimum in your writing. This will be something I will combat until I am old and gray haired…
 
When in doubt, use a period.
 
3. A dangling Modifier. My brother-in-law actually taught me about this (via my sister😉).
 
Ex. While walking across the yard, the bike plowed into Joey.
 
Now, this is a bit confusing, as we are picturing a bike walking across the yard. Here’s how to fix this.
 
Ex. While walking across the yard, Joey was plowed over by a bike.
 
Okay, so maybe not the best example, but that’s the gist of it.
 
4. Passed vs. Past.  I’ll make this simple, even though I get them mixed up all the time.
 
Ex. I passed him on the road.
Ex. It’s in the past.
 
5.There, Their and They’re. Elementary, I know, but so many times these get misused! Here’s some examples of proper use.
 
Ex. I put the napkins over there. There, it’s finished!
Ex. Their house is on my street.
Ex. They’re moving to Nebraska. When they find out, They’re not gonna be happy.
 
There are many grammar rules, these are just some of my nemesis! Stay tuned for next month’s posts! We’re gonna have so much fun! It’s Christmas after all!
 
In Christ,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Disclaimer. I do not recommend anyone go out Black Friday shopping. Seriously, it's dangerous. Sorry to be the party crasher, but I heard of too many people dying over it. It ain't worth it. :) This has been your Black Friday PSA.

BUT WAIT!

Shopping on Black Friday at home is totally permissible! In fact, I advocate for it. And this sale, of literally dozens of books lasts through MONDAY!

While I cannot endorse all of these books/authors (Because I haven't read them :) I'm sure everyone can find some books they'd like to have on their shelf/kindle! And Coffee Shop Christmas is on sale for $5.00! This will be your last opportunity to get her for this price, because soon, the 2 for $10.00 bundle will be disappearing!

AND...everyone that orders between now and Dec. 20th (while supplies lasts) gets a free Coffee Cup bookmark/gift tag with their purchase! My sister Faith made them and they are soooooooooo cute! So be quick and order, because I have a limited supply!

Hop over to http://perrykirkpatrick.com/sale/ for a full list of books available and enter a giveaway! Coffee Shop Christmas and The Land of Cotton are part of a 2nd Place ebook giveaway prize! So be sure and enter! Have fun and God Bless!

Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! You may remember that I did an article like this last November. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to do it again this year! This year, I will name 10 different things I’m thankful for! Enjoy!

1. God’s protection during Hurricane Florence and Michael. These two threatened our home church and radio station, and yet we are still broadcasting! Everyone is safe and we had an amazing share-a-thon! In addition to operating costs, we were able to raise $25,000 for storm victims! God is good!

2. My new nephew. June 26th was very special for our family. It was the first time us still at home had been at the hospital while a new member of the family was coming into the world!

3. The King James Bible. God’s preserved Word for English speaking people has been such a blessing to me my whole life, but I’ve looked at it with a new appreciation this year. His Word shall stand!

4. More Radiance Blog. Oh, ladies, if you have not read this blog before, I recommend that you do! Rebekah Joy does an amazing job encouraging women of all ages (especially young ladies) in purity, waiting for the right one, modesty and Bible study. She is such a blessing. Can’t recommend her enough. www.moreradiance.com

5. My Local Library. Rediscovered the wonders of the library this year 😊 Love it!

6. My Piano Teacher. She is amazing, y’all! If you went to Gera’s wedding, she was the pianist!

7. Clean Water. We should never take this for granted. So many people go without it!

8. My Laptop. Without it, I couldn’t get post on my blog or publish my books!

9. The United States of America. Can we pause a moment to thank God that we live in the greatest nation on earth?

10. You! If it weren’t for each of my readers, I would have no reason to write!

Have a very happy Thanksgiving! Why not make a list of things you are thankful for this year? If you have a blog, share them with your readers. If not, share them with your family!

God Bless!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone! So glad to get to spend another Friday with you! Our 10TRF series is back and I'm so excited to share with you some facts about this sometimes over looked Battle, Chickamauga! Enjoy!

1. What does it mean? The name Chickamauga is an Indian word, we all agree on that, but is it Cherokee for "Bloody River" or "River of Death" or is it Creek for "Dwelling Place of the Chiefs?" No one really knows, but the one I hear the most is Bloody River. Which leads us to...

2. Bloody Pond. According to the men who fought in this battle, the fighting was so fierce and men were so desperate for water, they dragged themselves over the Chickamauga Creek for relief. There, their blood mingled with the water and supposedly turned the creek red. Pretty scary!

3. Mother Vs. Officer. During the fighting, Confederate soldiers became so hungry, some of them raided a potato patch at a nearby farm. An officer quickly ordered them to stop, reprimanding them for stealing. Mrs. Deborah Thedford, the lady of the house intervened, saying, "Hold on, Mr. Officer. They are my potatoes and they are my boys. Let 'em take 'em." Among the raiders were her sons. Mrs. Thedford opened her home to the many wounded during the battle, among them two of her boys. She became known as the Mother of Chickamauga.

4. Costly. This was a Confederate victory, badly needed after a crushing defeat like Gettysburg, but it wasn't won without a high price. 16,170 Union soldiers were reported dead, wounded or missing/captured, 18,454 for the Confederacy. It is ranked as the second costliest battle of the Civil War second only to Gettysburg.

5. The Traitor. Gen. George "Pap" Thomas, nicknamed "The Rock of Chickamauga" following the battle, was actually from Virginia and left his home state high and dry to join the Union.

6. Old Pete to the Rescue. Chickamauga is considered a Western battle, so many may be surprised to find Gen. Longstreet, a famous Eastern theater fighter, listed among the Southern commanders of this battle. Following the Battle of Gettysburg, "Gloomy Pete" loaded his men on trains and came to the aide of Gen. Braxton Bragg in Georgia.

7. A Nod to a Hero. While Braxton Bragg is not know for being the best fighting General of the Confederacy, he was indeed a fighter and Southern hero, worthy of respect. He is one of 10 Confederates who have U.S. Army forts named after them, his namesake being Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. What better way to honor men who served their country than with a fort?

8. Welcome to the Peach State. This was the first battle fought in Georgia. But it would not be the last.

9. On the closing day of fighting (the battle lasted from September 19th to September 20th, 1863) confusion occurred when the Confederacy attempted to encircle three Union units. A fourth federal outfit opened fire to aid their comrades in escaping (A few did, but most were captured). When Southern units turned to fire on the federals, they accidentally opened fire on a Confederate Unit coming to help them. Thankfully, things were straightened out before things got too bad.

10. Where did this happen again? If you look up the Chickamauga National Battlefield, you may be confused as to why part of the park is in Tennessee. Since the battle was fought in the Northern most corner of Georgia, fighting spilled over into Tennessee. Most of the fighting took place in Georgia though.

This battle and much more are covered in my newest book, "The Rivers of Sorrow."

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13
King James Bible

Until Next Week,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Happy Veterans Day! November 11th is the day we set aside each year to remember and thank our servicemen for their service to our country, but do you know why the date is so important?

November 11th this year is the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War One. The horrors of trench warfare were over, but not soon to be forgotten. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was a date set aside to work towards World Peace (like one day was gonna do that?) since WWI was called “The War to End All Wars”. Unfortunately, this failed to stop WWII, The Cold War (which includes Korea and Vietnam), The Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Over the years, since it was quite obvious world peace was impossible, Armistice Day morphed into Veterans Day. This is something we can accomplish, thanking our Veterans and making sure they know we love and appreciate their service and sacrifice.

A few fun facts about the blog graphic: The flower is a poppy, the international flower of World War One Remembrance :_ And the Phrase "Lafayette, We are Here!" is what many American soldiers said when they arrived in France. They were referring to Gen. Marquis de Lafayette of France, who came to the Colonies to aide us in our American Revolution. Our troops were announcing when they arrived that they were here to return the favor, over a hundred years later!

If you are a Veteran, thank you for your Service!
Have a blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22