Cherie Burbach | Spread the Christmas Joy

 

One of my favorite Christmas memories was right after I got engaged. My future hubby and I were just starting out our new family life, and getting together for that first holiday was so special. We both worked hard to get each other things we’d like, and even though we hadn’t even been dating a year yet at that point, it was clear we knew each other really well. He bought me a lot of nice gifts, but perhaps the one I cherish most was an ornament. You wouldn’t think an ornament would be that memorable, this one was.

It was of a front door of a house and he had our name and the year we got married put on it. It was a simple yet thoughtful gift that I found so sweet. That he was thinking of us, of our lives, now and into the future, really brought it home for me. This was my guy, the one God had chosen for me. This was the one I was going to build a new life with, create family traditions with, and love forever.

It wasn’t until that moment that Genesis 2:24 really stood out: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

It isn’t about leaving behind your parents or family but about building something new, just the two of you. My grandparents had been married 60 years, and I would often think of our family and the traditions we had just because they met and fell in love. And now, God would be writing a new life story just for me and my husband. How amazingly sweet it is. Every year when we hang that ornament I still feel that moment of sweetness, of the specialness of marrying your best friend and the excitement in making a new life together.

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Cherie Burbach is a poet, mixed media artist, and freelance writer specializing in lifestyle and relationships. She's written for About.com, NBC/Universal, Match.com, Christianity Today, and more. Her latest book is: My Soul Is From a Different Place: Poems. Visit her website for more info, cherieburbach.com.

Cherie Burbach {Writer Wednesday} + GIVEAWAY

I am so excited to introduce you to Cherie Burbach - a writer, artist, and founder of Putting On The New (where I'm a monthly contributor). I am fortunate enough to offer a print giveaway from her amazing Etsy shop in conjunction with this interview!!! 

To enter the GIVEAWAY leave a comment below about your favorite dessert and/or a comment for Cherie! 

I'll announce the winner next Tuesday, August 12th!
 
A little bit about Cherie...

Cherie Burbach is a freelance writer, mixed media artist, and poet. She’s obsessed with Tudor fiction and never misses a Packer game, and she’s written for About.com, NBC/Universal, Christianity Today, and more.

How to connect with Cherie...

Website: http://cherieburbach.com/
Blog: http://cherieburbach.tumblr.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CherieBurbach
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brrbach
Instagram: http://instagram.com/cherieburbach

Writer and Artist Interview | Cherie Burbach

You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I started writing as a kid. I liked creating stories and illustrating them. That evolved to include poetry when I was about eight. I kept writing “in secret” and just for myself, but when I entered the working world writing was always a major component of my job. Now I work full-time as a freelancer, writing mainly nonfiction.

...Writing is a way for me to figure out the world. It helps me express myself and work through things, and gives me another way to connect with God. Writing is almost like prayer for me.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...My first book, a work of poetry titled The Difference Now, was published ten years ago and marked a turning point for me, so I guess that would be my favorite.

I Make The Rules (print) by Cherie Burbach

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...Inspiration comes from everywhere. Feelings, thoughts, observations. My characters aren’t usually based on real people, but sometimes I do give a character a trait from one of the favorite people in my life. One of my characters shares the name of my great grandma, a phone habit from my auntie, a love of coffee from my mother, and a back-love story that is similar to my grandma’s.
When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...To tell a story that others will want to read. Ultimately, I like to think of writing that is entertaining first, and if it goes deeper for some people and encourages or inspires them, that’s a bonus. But there’s no point in writing a fiction book if the reader won’t get taken away by the story and enjoy it.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Write a lot! Read a lot! Read more than a lot! And then… keep at it with writing and publishing. It’s never going to be an easy road but that’s part of the fun.

The Difference Now (print) by Cherie Burbach

You

What is your favorite activity during the summer?
...I like going to some of the ethnic festivals in town. Milwaukee is known for fabulous festivals down by the lakefront. I also like to take my computer and head outside to work. It makes me feel like I’m playing hooky when I’m really not.

What are you currently reading?
...I always have a pile on my nightstand! I like to keep things varied. So… right now I’m reading:

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner
I’m So Sure by Jenny B. Jones
APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur by Kawasaki and Welch
The Burglar Who Counted Spoons by Lawrence Block

Apparently August 15th is National Lemon Meringue Pie Day (who knew). What is your favorite dessert?
...I love a good root beer float in summer.

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Cherie, I just LOVE your art and how it combines so many colors and phrases etc. So fun! And, being artistic (well, photography wise) myself, I appreciate the connection between art and writing. And good choice on the root beer float there! There is nothing better in the summer! 

So, remember dear readers, leave a comment below for Cherie and/or about your favorite dessert and make sure you check out her amazing Etsy shop - if you win, you'll get to pick a print from there :D