A Tribute from Jessica Ferguson...
My sweet, sweet friend Florence Moyer (she wrote as Florence Case) has gone to be with the Lord. Flo was my RWA Chapter - Faith, Hope and Love friend. We never met, but oh, the love and encouragement she gave to me via email. Once when I was particularly low, she offered to read my proposal. That doesn’t happen very often—at least not in my little corner of the writing world. That’s how I knew Flo was a gift from God—she offered, I didn’t have to ask. And she told me that she didn’t often make that kind of offer but felt God connected us.
Flo was a former instructor for Writer's Digest School. She taught for them for 5 years, with over 300 students during that time, did critiquing of proposals and whole books for them in a separate section of the School and she also worked as a freelance critiquer for about seven years. She sold three secular historical romances and five Silhouettes, and two Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspenses. Melissa Endlich was her editor.
Flo and I often ‘talked’ about ideas from God and writing for God. She believed if an idea wouldn’t leave you alone, it must be important.
She told me: “If writing is your dream, please do not give up on it. I recently read that there are two ways to write as a Christian--to be called to it by God, and to just write and offer it as a gift to God. Isn't that something? I'm not sure which mine is. ”
Flo's friendship was special to me. She didn't rush through her posts or her explanations. She spent time composing just the right words and encouragement. Once I opened an email from her and read, “I DO NOT want you to lose your passion. So persevere, Jess. Write from the heart and your emotions. And don't give up. Flo"
Flo's gift wasn't only writing for God--it was encouraging others. I'm going to miss this very special lady and receiving her wise counsel. I pray she knew just how much I cherished her friendship.
Flo's last Love Inspired Suspense hit the stands in November. Let's honor her memory by buying Mistletoe and Murder. I know you won't be disappointed because her writing partner was God.
Comments from Missy Tippens…
Flo was a very special person and such an encourager. We emailed for the last year, spurring each other on in our deadlines and "racing" each other on work on proposals.
About a month before her death, I wrote to her to check in and told her about a rejection I'd had. When I found out that she wasn't doing well, I told her that any of my writing woes were trivial compared to what she was going through. And she wrote this back to me (yes, I saved her emails):
"But they weren't, and aren't!!! Your work is so important to God. I got to understand the difference between "knowledge of God" and "being saved in the heart" by reading a book. You could do that for someone someday!"
What an encourager who knew just the right thing to say. I'll miss her.
Terri Reed here. We would love to give a copy of Florence's book away. Please leave a comment. And if you've already had a chance to read Mistletoe and Murder, please let us know how you enjoyed it.
