Blog Tour for The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry

All aboard for the last stop on Christina Berry's two-month long blog tour for her outstanding debut novel, The Familiar Stranger. I am giving away the copy I purchased of the book to anyone with a US address who leaves a comment on any of my posts during the month of October, and Christina is doing a drawing as soon as her last two bloggers post within the next few days for 10 winners who comment on her blog tour stops this whole month, so by leaving a comment on this post you will have double the chances to win a copy. Make sure you leave your email addy so Christina or I can contact you if you are one of the lucky winners!

Christina and I first met online through American Christian Fiction Writers. Then I signed up for the "infrequent, humorous newsletter" she co-authors with her mom. You can sign up, too, and check out back issues at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx and by signing up you will be entered in a drawing for lots of neat prizes like a copy of every book Christina ever publishes! In one of her newsletters she did a giveaway for a free short edit of a manuscript, so I entered that and won! After seeing the great advice I got from the free edit, I paid her to critique the rest of my manuscript. A very good gift to myself, as her crit helped me to get my story in shape to soon submit. She is an excellent editor, so check out her site at http://www.christinaberry.net/ for info about that service. Well worth the money.

Christina and I finally met in person at the recent ACFW conference in Denver, CO. In fact, I rode the shuttle to the hotel with her and her mom and several other conference attendees. Then the two of them and I were meal greeters at one of our evening meals, so shared some more time together and even ate a couple other meals together, too. The picture I am posting is of me and Christina at conference all dressed up for the awards banquet. She's the young, pretty, skinny one!

I left a post on Oct. 1st with her bio and a short blurb of the book that you can check out for more book info, so I wanted to ask her some different questions here today.

Thanks for visiting, Christina. I hope you get some well-deserved rest after this looong tour! Since I am a writer also, I was wondering what kind of planning you do before writing a novel?

My previous writing has been heavily plotted and I’ve known almost everything about the characters before diving into the story. Writing with a co-author, Mom and I both need to know exactly how a character looked and his or her history. We wrote out each scene’s main plot point and point of view character on index cards and posted them on a large corkboard. We also found catalogue models that looked like our characters, made collages of the pictures, and slipped our character interview in the back of the plastic sleeves.

With The Familiar Stranger, the first scene came to me like a movie. Once the first chapter was written, I took a few hours to write down how I saw the story progressing. Then I numbered each main point and called it a chapter. All told, I had just over one page of plotting. To keep everything straight, I made notes about the characters as I went along. A very different experience to write by the seat of my pants, but I’m working through my current book in the same way.

Can you tell us a little bit about your personal life?

Though the plot of The Familiar Stranger came from news stories, I’d been looking for a fictional vehicle to express the lessons I’d learned regarding forgiveness in my own marriage. I knew no one was interested in reading my particular story, but I still felt God had given me something to say. My husband and I worked through a major issue six years ago and found a vibrant, completely renewed marriage on the other side.

However, seven months ago, that same issue broke our bond. Now as a newly-single woman, I’m in the midst of promoting a book that touches far closer to home than I would have ever dreamed. If no one else ever reads it, I’ve been convicted and encouraged by my own words. If that isn’t a gracious God at work, I don’t know what is!

Rose here again: If you don't win in the book drawings or if you want additional copies for gifts, here are two links:
http://www.christianbook.com/familiar-stranger-christina-berry/9780802447319/pd/447319?netp_id=612553&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

http://www.amazon.com/Familiar-Stranger-Christina-Berry/dp/0802447317/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239913987&sr=1-1

You can also have any bookstore order copies for you if they don’t have any in stock. Happy reading!

Book Review--The Light Across the River by Stephanie Reed

I have fallen behind on my book reviews, so plan to post several more between now and Christmas to help you in your gift buying. And remember to leave a post with your email addy for one chance at our drawing for this month, The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry. And also come back on Oct. 31st for a special chance to win a copy from Christina herself as that is the last day of her 2-month-long blog tour.

The book The Light Across the River is the sequel to Across the Wide River, but you don't have to read the first one to enjoy the second. They both portray a family involved in the Underground Railroad in Kentucky, one of the things which first attracted me to this book since that is where I live.

To whet your appetite I want to share a quote from the back cover by author Susan K. Marlow "This book has everything--history, action, suspense, adventure--all nicely blended in a page turning story of real people living out their convictions."

This book is a fictionalized account of the Rankins, a real family, and real events such as the saving of the slave Eliza about whom Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. It is listed as Juvenile Fiction, but I would recommend it for adults as well, in fact for anyone with an interest in the people, both young and old, black and white, who let their lights shine during this dark period of our country's history. It is published by Kregel, so can be ordered from them or at www.amazon.com I also hope you will check out the author's website at www.stephaniereed.turboflanges.com Happy reading and gift buying! Remember--a book is a gift that keeps on living in the reader's mind long after they close the covers!

Book Giveaways
There has been much discussion on the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) loop this past week about the legalities of giving away books that an author or book company has sent to you for purposes of reviewing the book. The consensus seems to be that it is still okay to do so, but you need to put the facts of how you got the book on your blog, so that is what I will be doing concerning my monthly book giveaway from now on. And just to clarify, most of the books I give away have been given to me by a friend or a publisher for review purposes, although I have purchased some of the books.

The discussion led me to my topic for today's post. I check out a couple of posts almost daily and others weekly. If I read all the blogs that interest me, I would never get any reading or writing done! LOL I thought I would compile a list of the blogs that often do book giveaways, and I hope that several of you will add other book giveaway sites in your posts. That way we can all be winners!

And anyone who leaves a post this month with their email info will be entered into a drawing for the book The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry to be held on Nov. 1st. (see post on Oct. 1st to read a review of this wonderful book. And yes, Christina is a friend of mine, but I bought this book myself. She is giving 10 books away this month to 10 lucky people who post on her book blog tour, so if you leave a comment on Oct. 31st on my blog, you will have 2 chances to win!

Below are a list of sites I have checked out and/or won books or other items from. It is great fun to win books, but even more fun to read about all the wonderful Christian books out there, so check out one or more of these sites:

http://www.lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/ Lena usually reviews at least 3 books a week and draws for the winners each Saturday. Her author interviews, like Lena herself, are very fun and eclectic.

http://www.inkwellinspirations.blogspot.com/ This new site is written by 15 writers. To celebrate their grand opening, they are giving away an item each day this month and 2 grand prizes at the end of the month, so this is a site you will definitely want to check out soon! I enjoy reading it because it ranges from devotions to book reviews to info about the authors--all great stuff!

http://www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com/ This is another new site, written by Lynda Schab. Her giveaway each Monday for the next 11 weeks is called The Twelve Books of Christmas! Guess who won the first Christmas book--moi! If I were a Grinch and wanted to keep the chance of winning all of those wonderful Christmas books just to myself, I wouldn't be telling you all about it, so pass the word and share some Christmas cheer!

http://www.favoritepastimes.blogspot.com/ This site is wo-manned by 8 contributors and gives away one book each week. In keeping with the name of this blog, the books are usually historicals, so all of you fans of that genre need to mosey on over.

http://www.dimensionsartandeternity.blogspot.com/ This is one of my favorite sites, co-written by Robin Johns Grant and her niece, Kristi Israel. Written from the different points of view, you never know what the topic will be, but I think you will love it! Their giveaways have ranged from an Amazon gift card to books to hand made crafts, so head on over and find out what is in store for you there.

I know there are scads of other sites that do giveaways, so please add your favorite in the comments section. Thanks, and may the best reader win!

Congrats to Amy Barkman for winning Maggie Rose! Two chances to win The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry this month!

The Familiar Stranger is one of the best-written debut novels I have ever read, so I am happy to be a part of its online blog tour this month. You can win a copy from me by posting any time this month on my blog, having a US mailing address, and leaving a way to contact you. AND you can have another chance to win a copy from the author herself by posting on my blog on October 31st which is the day her blog tour will stop in for a visit. Or you can visit any of the other stops on her blog tour (a different site each day this month!) to have an even better chance of winning because she will choose 10 winners on October 31st from all the comments left on her blog tour this month. Read more about the tour and its sites at http://www.christinaberry.net/ or http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/ You will also have to check out the author's photo and book cover there as they were too big for my dial-up system to download.

Now, a blurb of the book to whet your appetite: The Familiar Stranger is about a couple going through a really rough patch in their marriage. When an accident incapacitates the husband, their relationship must be redefined. Which could be a lot easier to do if BIG secrets from his past didn't raise their ugly heads. Despite the upheaval, the choices they make involving forgiveness and trust might allow a new beginning. Or...they might not.

Here's a short bio of Christina Berry who besides being a great writer is also an editor-extraordinaire: As a single mom and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time out of her busy schedule to write about the heart and soul of life. She lives with her family in rural Oregon.

I hope you will check out her sites and get to know more about this great new author! Also check back on Oct. 31st as she will answer some questions for us. Then check here on Nov. 1st to see if you won a copy.

More Conference Photos and Info

I'm back with installment #2 of ACFW conference pics and info. Joining me in the first photo is Christina Miller who attends our KY Christian Writers meetings, altho she lives in Southern Indiana. Christy was a finalist in the Genesis contest for unpubbed writers. We are very proud of her.

The next picture is me with prayer partner and friend Connie Stevens who received her first contract while at conference! We are all so happy for her! Check out more of her faith-filled journey at http://www.conniestevenswrites.com/

The lady in the blue denim jumper is my former agent, Andrea Boeshaar. One of the reasons she quit agenting was to have more time to write her own books. She recently received a contract for 7 books from Strang. Way to go, Andrea! Find out more at http://www.andreaboeshaar.com/

The youngest attendee of the conference was this little cutie shown with her dad, Stuart Stockton www.ritersbloc.com . She is wearing a costume similar to a character in her dad's book, Starfire. You can check out more about his debut novel at http://www.marcherlordpress.com/ Stuart and his wife Tiff who is pubbed by Barbour under her middle and last name, Amber Stockton, met at one of the first ACFW conferences, and are now happily married and the proud parents of this sweetie. The both write fiction, but you can read about their real-life romance at http://www.amberstockton.com/

I hope you will enjoy checking out these authors and their books. Be sure to leave a comment by September 30 if you want to win Maggie Rose by Sharlene MacLaren. And check in on October 1st to find out the winner and the name of our next book drawing you could win!

Two Trips--Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky and ACFW Conference in Denver

I usually try to blog once a week, but this time it has been three weeks since I blogged due to two trips this month. From Sept. 7-11, I spent five days on my annual spiritual retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemani. It was a wonderful time of prayer, Bible reading and also digging into some other Christian study books, along with several quiet walks and meals. Gethsemani is a silent retreat center run by Benedictine monks. A wonderful place.

Then from Sept. 16-20, I was in Denver for the 8th annual American Christian Fiction Writers' conference. My return connecting flight was delayed due to a plane malfunction so I spent an unexpected night in Memphis, TN and didn't get home till Monday afternoon. So, I feel like I've been a day behind all week, but I wanted to post some highlights from the conference along with some pictures.

Our first speaker was Donald Maass of Writing the Breakout Novel fame. His class was as good as his book and gave me several ideas for making my manuscript better before submitting it to an agent. Our keynote speaker was Debbie Macomber who has sold over 100 million copies of her books in 23 languages. I got to assist at her booksigning and found out she is more humble and sweet than you can imagine. She was also such an encouragement to all the writers at the conference with her own story and her admonitions to persevere! She is wearing the red sweater in the first picture.

We had many other classes, meetings with an editor and agent and wonderful worship services, but my favorite part of conference is always meeting up with writing friends, both old and new, so I will share a few pics of some of these special people. My roommate was JoAnn Swearingen whom I had met at another conference and got to know much better at this one. She is a great writer and also a talented artist. (She's wearing a gorgeous pink top in our picture.)You can check out her site at www.joannswearingenfiction@viviti.com

Kim Sawyer, another friend who happened to win the Book of the Year award (yea, Kim!), and I always try to catch up on each other's lives and take a picture at the annual conference. (she's in the black) Check her out at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/

Another fun meeting and picture event was with the other three authors who have joined me in proposing a Christmas anthology for Barbour--Jeanie Smith Cash (who came up with the idea), Deb Ullrick (in the back), me and Jeri Odell. Prayers for this project to come to pass would be muchly appreciated. I love and collect Christmas books, and this has been such a fun group to work with!

I think four pictures is about all my dialup will download without timing out, so check back in a few days for more conference photos.

Drumroll, please! The winner of Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus is...

Robin Johns Grant.

Congrats to Robin who is a faithful blogger on my site and at her own site at www.dimensionsartandeternity.blogspot.com. Check her site out (she shares writing there with her niece) and you might win another book!

And check out my post from August 29th to read more about the book you can win this month--Maggie Rose by Sharlene MacLaren. Leave a comment and info on how to reach you by September 30th to be entered in the drawing.

Book Review--Maggie Rose by Sharlene MacLaren

Warning: Do not start this book unless you want to stay up reading past midnight for two nights like I did!

This book, Maggie Rose, is the second in The Daughters of Jacob Kane series by Sharlene MacLaren. Although I had not read the first book, there are enough bits and pieces of the family history in this book to let you enjoy it without reading the other one first. And, book three, Abbie Ann, about the third daughter of Jacob Kane is slated to be published next Spring, 2010. I look forward to reading it and losing some more sleep!

Maggie Rose is called by God to leave her hometown to travel to New York City to help at the Sheltering Arms Refuge, a short-term home to keep orphans who will be transported across the country for adoption. There she meets a newspaper reporter, Luke Madison, who is assigned the job of writing a story about the home and the orphan trains. Luke has experienced heartache that has shaken his already-weak faith.

Luke and Maggie Rose are attracted to each other, but she will not allow herself to fall for someone who doesn't love the Lord like she does. They accomplish a daring rescue together and are also the targets of some shady characters. Read this book and find out how God keeps them all in His sheltering arms.

I'm the Recipient of the...Superior Scribbler Award

Joining me on the red carpet are the other 851 blog writers who have also received this award, including the wonderful Karen Lange, another KY writer who nominated me! You can check out her site at http://www.karenelange.blogspot.com/

And you can also check out the complete list of winners at www.scholastic-scribe@blogspot.com I tried to copy the rules but couldn't, so you will have to check out the site for yourself to read them. The first rule is to pass on this award to 5 deserving fellow bloggers so here is my list:

Rachelle Gardner whose blog on the writing profession as seen through the eyes of an agent is invaluable and one I read almost every day. Check her out at http://www.cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/ You can thank me later!

Another very helpful writing blog is http://www.kayedacus.com/ Kaye Dacus is a wonderful author who has just been published for the first time this past year, and already has three books out and another one soon to come. She is also a great editor. Right now she is doing a series on the "bad guys" in our books--those guys we love to hate, or is it hate to love?

Another great editor who has her first book (The Familiar Stranger) coming out the first of next month is Christina Berry. Check out her site at http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/

My next pick is a group of 5 authors who jointly do a blog at http://www.writespassage.blogspot.com/ These lovely women are: Tamera Alexander, Robin Lee Hatcher, Judith Miller, Tracie Peterson, and Kim Vogel Sawyer. They all write historical fiction, although some of them also write contemporary fiction, too.

Another group of four ladies compose the http://www.girlswriteout.blogspot.com/ site. They are Kristin Billerbeck, Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt. You'll enjoy the variety of views on this site. Plus you'll read about some of the funniest, heart-warming, chick-litty, scariest books out there--just not all in the same book!

Now, I am supposed to tell you something about me that many people don't know, so how about I took violin lessons in the second grade, I have travelled to 10 countries in Europe plus several other countries in the Western Hemisphere, and I can recite the alphabet backwards! Hope you'll check out these other sites and learn more about all these interesting authors.

"Don't Quit--Persevere."

Since perseverance is something God has been working on in my life for a few years now, the title of the preacher's sermon this morning really caught my attention. I believe God wants me to persevere in my writing, but no matter what God wants you to persevere in, the points of the sermon will apply to you, too, so I am sharing them.

He spoke of a man whom I had never heard of before (maybe I didn't listen too well in history class?)--William Lloyd Garrison. Mr. Garrison was so against slavery that he published an Abolitionist newspaper named The Liberator from 1831-1865. The minister said Mr. Garrison sold his bed and ate practically nothing in order to use his money on the publication. You can read parts of the publication online at http://www.theliberatorfiles.com/ He published 1,803 weekly issues of The Liberator. Even when his voice was in the minority in the United States. Now that's perseverance!

I'll close with the five qualities the minister mentioned as necessary to help us to persevere. We must have:
1. vision, 2. confidence, 3. discipline, 4. hope, and 5. gratitude to God! How do you stack up? I've still got some room to grow!

New contest, and last month's winner is...

Diana Brandmeyer! Deb Vogts debut novel Snow Melts in Spring will be on its way to her as soon as I receive her mailing info. For a glimpse at this month's contest offering, see my previous post on July 18th for info about Kaye Dacus's novel Menu for Romance. I know you will love this book and its engaging characters, so be sure to leave a post and contact info (must have US mailing addy) during the month of August. Everyone except Diana is eligible, so what are you waiting for?

Book Review--Menu for Romance by Kaye Dacus

I am happy to tell you about a book that will dish up some romance for you, served Louisiana style. Meredith Guidry is a party-planner extraordinaire, and Major O'Hara is a locally famous chef. They've worked together for years, but both refuse to give voice to their growing attraction to one another.

Meredith tries to date some other guys to get her mind off Major. He finally decides to tell her his family secret that has always kept him from commitment, but is involved in a car accident on the way. With cracked ribs and a broken leg, he has to admit he can't always take care of everything, while growing in admiration of Meredith's strength of character and heart.

Meredith and Major were well-rounded secondary characters in Ms. Dacus' first book Stand-In Groom. I'm glad they got a book with their own story, and I hope we will see many more books about this family and its various members in future books.

So go out and satisfy your romantic appetite by buying this second book by Kaye Dacus and enjoy a well-written, funny and endearing romance. Consider it a yummy dessert without calories!

The Importance of Writing Conferences

Last month I had the opportunity to attend the Write to Publish conference in Chicago for the first time, so I wanted to share some pictures from there and some thoughts on conferences in general with you. Please add your comments below and tell us about your favorite conference experiences!

The classes and meetings with editors and agents are all very helpful, but my two favorite parts of Christian conferences are the worship services and all the wonderful people to meet and fellowship with.

Marty Nystrom, who composed "As the Deer Panteth for the Water" and many other Bible-based praise songs, was our worship leader at WTP. He did a great job of focusing our minds and hearts on Christ and letting Him work through us instead of focusing on ourselves.

Mary DeMuth whose site you can check out at http://www.marydemuth.com/ was our keynote speaker each evening. She gave several examples of tough real-life experiences God brought her through and which she has shared in her writing, and encouraged us to "infuse truth in our writing" by going with Jesus into "that tunnel of healing" where "He will go with you and grieve with you and walk out hand in hand with you."

I am sharing some pictures of some of the great writing friends I met at WTP, some for the first time, but we felt like "kindred spirits" from the first moment. In the top picture I am with Lanita Boyd and Jill Orr, two of my new friends whom I spent a lot of time with. Lanita only lives about an hour from me, so she invited me to ride up to Chicago with her. We met Jill our first day there. She was another "newbie" to the conference, so Lanita kindly mentored both of us.

One of the favorite things Lanita, Jill and Marjean Brooks and I did was visit The Wade Center on the edge of the Wheaton campus. This stone and brick home surrounded by an English garden houses many of the works of C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien and four other authors. It also contains C.S. Lewis's desk where he wrote and a wardrobe from his home that was built by his own grandfather. The wardrobe is filled with fur coats like the one in "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" so I am sharing a picture of myself and Marjean ready to go inside and visit the land of Narnia. If you are in Chicago, this is a place you should check out for sure!

Another picture is of Millie Samuelson, my suite-mate (each dorm suite has two separate bedrooms with a shared bath in between) and a new friend Emily Downs. Emily and I both write fiction, so shared many classes together. I had met Millie at the last ACFW conference, so was glad to see her familiar face when I first arrived! Check out Millie's site at http://www.milliesbooks.org/ to learn more about her books and the various places she has lived such as China!

There were several ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) members at WTP also, and some of us met one evening for supper. From L to R we have Kenny Noble, Millie, Deb Read, Lisa Lickel and myself. Several of us were in the great fiction workshop taught by Jeff Gerke. Check out his brilliant ideas at http://www.wherethemapends.com/

Posting about the WTP conference has made me look forward to the ACFW conference in Denver in September. Hope to see many of you there. If you are not familiar with the BEST Christian fiction writers' organization and conference, hurry on over to http://www.acfw.com/ and join us!

Contest winner and new book contest and review--Snow Melts in Spring by Deborah Vogts

Congrats to Sharon Ball who wins a copy of Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills. I have another great book to offer this month. Anyone with a US mailing address who leaves a comment and a way to be contacted is eligible to win Deb Vogt's debut novel. The release date for Snow Melts in Spring is today, July 1.

I met Deborah Vogts several years ago at one of the first ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conferences. I am so happy for her success at landing super-agent Rachelle Gardner and having her first novel published by Zondervan. Congrats to Deb and Rachelle! You can check out more about both of these ladies and this book at www.cba-ramblings.blogspot.com

Deb loves the Flint Hills area of Kansas and has written a lovely story placed in this lovely setting. Deb also loves horses which play a main part in this story. Here's a snatch from the back cover blurb to whet your appetite for this book. One person will win it, and I hope the rest of you will buy or order it soon! Happy reading!

"Mattie Evans grew up in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Although her family has lost their ranch, she still calls this land home. A skilled young veterinarian, she struggles to gain the confidence of the local ranchers. Fortunately, her best friend and staunchest supporter is John McCray, owner of the Lightning M Ranch. They both love the ranch, and neither can imagine living anywhere but in the Flint Hills.
When Mattie is called in to save an injured horse, she finds herself unwillingly tossed into the middle of a family conflict. Secret pain, passions, and agendas play out against the beautiful landscapes as love leads to some unexpected conclusions about forgiveness and renewal."

Tourists in Venezia and Tuscany and Florence

It has been almost a month since I last posted some pictures from our Italy trip last month, so here are a few more. Hope you enjoy travelling vicariously with me!

In Venice we did a lot of touristy things--like feeding the pigeons in St. Mark's Square, taking a gondola ride on our 41st anniversary, and eating lots of gelato! We also took a water taxi to the Isle of Murano off the coast of Venice and watched an experienced glass blower turn melted sand into beautiful objects d'art.

After two days in Venice, we travelled down the road to Florence, another magnificent city filled with century-old treasures. We ate more gelato and toured the beautiful Santa Croce church seen here with the star of David on top. Inside are many frescoes and the tombs of several Italians such as Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Galileo and Rossini. We later saw Michelangelo's famous David and several renditions of it. We saw where the Medici families lived when they controlled Florence and Tuscany for over 300 years. I hope you can see the distinctive skyline of Florence in the picture behind me and my husband. Notice the church spires and bell tower. The dome-shaped one to the left of my head is the top of the Duomo.

On our way back to Rome, we spent several hours at a picturesque Tuscan village which was one of our favorite stops of the tour. San Gimignano is a real Renaissance village with watchtowers intact, known as the "medieval Manhattan of Tuscany." It even has a set of "twin towers" to prove it! I hope you can see the hand-carved stones in the ancient walls behind me and my husband eating...more gelato!

Back in Rome, our last night included a farewell Italian dinner, complete with opera singers and pasta at the Papa Rex Ristorante--a lovely ending to a lovely time. Arrivederci, Roma!

Books by Kim Sawyer--My Heart Remembers and Where the Heart Leads

With all my travels this year, I am waaay behind on my book reading. This past two weeks I have allowed myself the pleasure of reading the last two of my dear friend Kim Sawyer's books that I hadn't read yet. You can read more of Kim's journey to publishing on her website at www.kimvogelsawyer.com and can even order the books there.

I love all of her writing, but I have to say that these two stories really tugged on my heartstrings at all the characters had to go through to follow where God was leading their hearts. I know your heart will be blessed in reading them, too.

Besides being a great writer, Kim is also very prolific. She self-published 4 books in the Mountain Lake series, then in 2006 she had two books pubbed by major publishers-one by Barbour and one by Bethany House. In the past 3 years, she has had 9 more books plus a novella in an anthology and had 2 of her sets of books compiled into 3-in-ones. She is one busy lady!

If you want to see a picture of me with Kim, then scroll down to the April 25th, 2009 post. Now we only have 2 more months to wait until her next book comes out in August of this year. It is entitled Fields of Grace and I can't wait to read it! I hope you will check at your bookstore or library for any of of Kim's books you haven't read yet and use them to keep you enjoyably occupied while waiting for the next one to release!

Book Review--Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills

I just returned from the Write to Publish Writing Conference 5 days ago and all the aspects of great writing are still swirling through my head from the many wonderful teachers and the classes I attended .

I have to say that this book by DiAnn Mills is definitely great writing and then some--well written hero and heroine you immediately feel drawn to--with high morals, yet flawed like the rest of us; also well-rounded minor characters; superb description; exciting plot with escalating conflict and tension; and many unexpected twists and turns that will keep you reading long past your bedtime like I did!

Here is the back blurb description of the heroine: Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who lost all she treasured seven years ago when her entire team was killed in a covert mission. She blames their leader--Daniel Keary, a just-announced candidate for governor of her state--whom Paige believes betrayed them. Disillusioned and afraid for her life, she disappears and starts a new life as a small-town librarian."

If you read this book, I guarantee you'll never look at your librarian with the same eyes! And you'll be caught up in this book like a movie unfolding before your eyes. Come to think of it, this book would make a great movie!

DiAnn has graciously offered to mail a copy of Breach of Trust to our winner this month. Please leave a comment by June 30th to be eligible for the drawing on July 1. And leave your email addy or some way of contacting you if you win. Must have US mailing address.

And the winner is...

Lisa Lickel who will receive a copy of The 100 Most Important Bible Verses in honor of my 100th blog last month. I had 30 blog comments last month, so keep them coming.

This month's book to win is a Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills. Since I am packing and getting ready to leave for the Write to Publish conference in the morning, I will have to cut this short and post a review of the book after I return. I will tell you that I think it's one of the best DiAnn Mills' books ever, and I am a big DiAnn Mills' fan!

Arrivederci, Roma!
This month has held several celebrations including my 100th blog post (see May 1st post) and my 41st wedding anniversary on May 11th. It also held the second crashing in the past three months of my four year old computer. It would not turn on at all last week, but I am very thankful for a young neighbor who was able to save almost all my files and finally has my new computer up and running so I can post this.

The first night we arrived in Rome, we took a bus to see the Trevi Fountains and the Spanish Steps. My hubby took this picture of me, Kathy and Dave, and Louise, a new friend from Australia whom we met on the tour, in front of the crowded steps. We all are carrying roses and Dave even has one in his teeth! A street vendor "gave" them to us, then took some back when we didn't offer him as many Euros as he'd hoped!

Another picture above is of my hubby and me with two of our best friends, Kathy and Dave, who were celebrating their 25 anniversary on this trip, also. We are standing in the Colosseum where we could still smell the dried blood of those slaughtered in this arena almost two millenia ago. The Colosseum held up to 55,000 spectators at one time. I just finished reading A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers which contains several scenes of fighting in this same location. I highly recommend this book and any book by Francine Rivers, BTW. She is one of those very talented Christian writers who successfully writes both historicals and contemporary stories. She also has published several Bible studies that are great.

You can find the old mixed with the new on almost every corner of Rome. The triple arches are the Arch of Constantine. The picture of the hole in the top of a building with the sky shining through was taken inside the Pantheon. Our very knowledgeable guide, Salvatore, said this massive structure would not have been able to hold together without collapsing upon itself without the hole.

We also toured the Catacombs, but they didn't allow any pictures there. We were allowed to shoot photos inside the Vatican and Sistine Chapel as long as we didn't use flash, so my pictures taken there are not very clear.

We celebrated Mother's Day and our last night in Rome by eating with our friends at a local Italian restaurant. I ate delicious eggplant and some ravioli and a caramel dessert. The picture at the top is of my husband and me taken at that restaurant.

Next on to Venice, but that will have to wait for a few days. I'm off to Chicago on Tuesday, June 2nd for the Write to Publish Conference. Prayers are much appreciated, and perhaps I'll see some of my readers there! Let me know if you read this blog.

I'm on a roll...in wooden shoes!

I think there is a mixed metaphor hiding in my title somewhere! I'm on a blogging roll as I seldom blog two days in a row, but all your comments and congratulations on my 100th post have inspired me. Plus I wanted to pass along the info below about Robin Jones Gunn's latest Sisterchick adventure--Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes. (That's Robin in the photo above wearing the wooden shoes!)

The latest Sisterchick book will be in stores on May 5--that's next Tuesday, just in time for Mother's Day gifts. If either of my daughters are reading this, hint, hint!

Here's a summary from Robin's newsletter: "Summer and Noelle, two pen pals since 4th grade, meet for the first time in the land of tulips and windmills. An abnormal mammogram sends Summer on a quest to fulfill her lifelong wish before she begins the same struggle her mother fought against breast cancer. The story of these two Sisterchicks is brimming with hope and cheer and will bring encouragement for any woman who has faced a fearful future."

Since I have read many of Robin's books, I can tell you that reading one of her stories will encourage ANY woman, so buy it for yourself if you don't get it as a Mother's Day gift.

And in case I don't post again before Mother's Day, prayers for blessing on all women the world around. Even if you aren't a mother, or if, like me, your mother is living in your heart instead of on this earth, I'm sure you can find some woman who needs a word of encouragement and hope--and maybe a gift of a book! Hint, hint!

A Milestone--my 100th blog post!

Can you believe it? This is my 100th post since starting this blog in September of 2006! In honor of this milestone, the book I will be giving away this month is The 100 Most Important Bible Verses. I hope we will have lots of entries for this special collection. The inside back cover states "Let the truths of the 100 most important Bible verses change your life, forever."

Every one with a US mailing address who leaves a comment during the month of May is eligible for the June 1st drawing, except for Sharon Ball who is this month's winner of Stand In Groom by Kaye Dacus. So, celebrate with me by leaving a comment and you may be celebrating even more next month if you win!

Book Review--A Promise for Spring by Kim Sawyer

If you have been following my blog for very long, you've read several reviews of books by Kim Vogel Sawyer. Besides being a wonderful author, she is a dear friend, and I am always happy to have the privilege to read and review her books. But you will have to buy your own copy, as I don't use her books as giveaways, although I do share them with neighbors!

Kim has a soft, gentle voice and demeanor, and her books are soft and gentle reads with much emotion, and you become so involved with the characters that you feel like you want to sit down and talk with them even after you finish reading the book!

A Promise for Spring is no exception. I usually empathize with the heroines in novels, but in this story, I felt great compassion for both the heroine, Emmaline Bradford, and the hero, Geoffrey Garrett. The young couple had been promised to each other back in England, their home country. Neither knew it would be five long years before they would see each other again, or how much each would change during that time. It reminded me of when my husband was overseas in the Air Force and I was back in KY attending college. Although our time apart was a little less than one year, we still had many adjustments to make to each other and the changes that had taken place in our lives.

Imagine traveling half a world away to marry a person whom you haven't seen for five years. Emmaline and Geoffrey have both gone through huge changes in their relationship with each other and with God. They each need to renew their faith in Him and in each other before their new life together can flourish. I hope you will buy and read this book to find out if and how a "well-bred Englishwoman" will "become a wildflower bride."

Kids are kids all over the world

I recently returned from a mission trip to the Ukraine with the mission organization known as Goin' Fishing. GFM (see more info in previous blog, January 29, 2009) was started several years ago by a man very dear to my heart and the hearts of many others, including my family. Bro. Earl Mullins was the principal of Portland Christian School, my Alma mater, for many years. After he retired, he started GFM so he could "Go Fishin" for men! And he did, in many places around the world, with an emphasis on Russia. Since Bro. Earl's death in 2006, Paul Kitzmiller has led Goin' Fishing Ministries and the mission trips. He and his wife lived in Russia off and on for over three years.

Our team was composed of Bro. Paul, his wife Virginia, a lady from Sellersburg, IN, Libby McMahan, and my neighbor and friend, Joan Marsh. God truly blessed this trip with financial support and much prayer support. We thank all of those who shared those blessings with us so we could pass on the blessing to the Ukrainians, and receive a rich blessing ourselves.

We had many eye-opening experiences and met many fine Ukrainian Christians, but as a former elementary teacher and mother and grandmother, the best part for me was the interaction with the kids!

I have been given the opportunity to travel to several countries, and I can truly say that "kids are kids all over the world." The Ukrainian children were no exception. Their smiles lit up the rooms and our hearts.

Much of our work was with about thirty sixth and seventh grade students at the Rainbow Orphanage outside Donetsk. The children swarmed around us when we arrived, and met us at the door or on the front porch on following days. We divided into three classes. I taught the Bible lessons while Joan did skits that emphasized the theme of the lessons, and Libby aided the students in making crafts that also correlated with the Bible theme. At the end of each hour, the students rotated, while we teachers stayed in the same room and taught the same lesson three times each day. Kind of a mini-VBS!

Our overall theme for the week was God's love--using stories of God's creation, Adam and Eve's sin, and Jesus' birth, death, resurrection and ascension. Our team was pleasantly surprised at how much Bible knowledge the students already possessed, and we pray that as they remember the lessons we shared they will internalize and accept God's love and salvation into their own hearts.

On the last Saturday of our time there, the kids were treated to an outing at the Circus. Although we did miss seeing the circus through their eyes, due to the tickets being for the wrong date, we were very happy the circus manager made it possible for the kids to experience it, and we did get to hear about their favorite parts later when the children were brought to a Ukrainian church for a meal and treats. They also performed a concert for us, displaying their talents at singing popular songs and Scripture songs.

The one thing different about these children compared to American children is that when the meal was finished, the kids immediately stood and began clearing the dishes from the table, an example American kids should emulate! I even have the picture to prove it! (see first picture above.)

We met several children at the three churches we attended, including the young boy shown with his mother above. I also had the opportunity to speak to the 8th graders at the Christian Day School on the campus of Donetsk Christian university where we stayed. All of the Ukrainian children spoke much more English than I could speak Russian! The picture of me with a pretty young teen girl shows one of the students I met at the Christian school who came to tell me "good-by" or "Das Vadanya" on the day we left.

I miss the children and pray for them every day. I hope you will join me in prayer for these orphans and all those who work with them--orphanage employees and local church groups who visit and teach them weekly. And I encourage anyone who has the opportunity, to open your hearts to the possibility of taking a mission trip to the Ukraine or where ever God leads you.

Ann Gabhart wins Love Finds you in Valentine Nebraska by Irene Brand, will you be the next winner of Kaye Dacus's book Stand-In Groom?



Congrats to Ann G. I hope many of you will leave a comment this month to have a chance to win a copy of Kaye Dacus's heart-warming story Stand-In Groom, the first book of The Brides of Bonneterre series.



Although this is Kaye's debut novel, the writing is so great that it reminds me of Liz Curtis Higg's contemporary books with characters who seem like people you know, a plot with many turns and twists, and emotion-packed scenes filled with humor and pathos.



The main character, wedding planner Anne Hawthorne, is introduced to a man by her cousin. George Laurence and Anne share a mutual attraction--until Anne discovers he is the groom-to-be in a wedding she is slated to plan. But, things are not always as they seem. You'll enjoy the highs and lows of this roller-coaster journey as you travel the path to the altar with Anne and George and the other characters.

I hope you will read more about Kaye and her upcoming books at www.kayedacus.com. Leave a comment anytime this month to be eligible for the drawing of a copy of this book, or head on over to www.amazon.com or www.cbd.com if you want to enjoy the read even sooner!

Thanks to everyone who prayed for our Ukrainian mission trip. I am about recovered from my jet lag and hope to post some pics and some highlights of the trip soon, so check back next week.

Robin Grant wins again and new book contest

Our winner of Megan DiMaria's book Out of Her Hands is Robin Grant. Robin is one of my faithful few bloggees. She is the only person who will not be eligible for March's contest. Anyone else who has a USA mailing address and leaves a message on one of my posts during the month of March will be entered in the drawing to take place on April 1st or shortly thereafter. (If you scroll down to previous posts, you can read about the mission trip I will be taking to a Ukrainian orphanage March 19-31st, so depending on flights, jet lag, etc. I may be a few days late with the drawing. Also prayers for our team and all those we will meet with over there are much appreciated.)

The book you can win this month is Love Finds You in Valentine Nebraska by Irene Brand. It is autographed by Irene who is a very prolific writer of over forty-five books with over two million copies in print! Very impressive! I have met Irene, and she is as sweet as she is prolific!

Here is a blurb from her website www.irenebrand.com
"A thoroughly modern young woman is drawn into an ancient feud that has nothing to do with her--or so she thinks. When Kennedy Blaine inherits Circle Cross Ranch in Valentine, her first impulse is to sell it. Her second impulse is to travel to Valentine, a town that seems to have come right out of the pages of an old western, and visit the ranch. Kennedy finds herself charmed by the ranch--and by its attractive manager, Derek Sterling. She questions her decision to sell the Circle Cross, especially when her cousin, Smith Blaine, mysteriously conceals the identity of the person who wants to buy it.But when Kennedy decides to spend the summer in her ancestral home, she's subjected to a series of harassments. When Kennedy and Derek try to discover who's behind these offenses, they're drawn into a feud that just might divide the town--and place Kennedy's own life in danger."

While on her site, you can also see a YouTube video about the book and check out more about Irene and her many fine stories. So hurry on over there and discover a whole library of books to order. And leave a post here for a chance to win a copy of this one.

Book Review--Love Finds You in Miracle, KY by Andrea Boeshaar

As a native Kentuckian, I can assure you that Andrea Boeshaar has the mood of a small town in the Bluegrass state and its down-home folks and their friendliness shown very realistically in this book. As a retired elementary teacher, I can also tell you that the author does a wonderful job of portraying the heroine, Meg Jorgenson, as a caring, involved teacher. Meg moves from Chicago to Miracle to get a fresh start at life, and to renew her relationship with her grandmother. Meg grows very close to one of her students, and the student's father. It will take several miracles to work out God's will in the lives of these realistic characters. I hope you will read this book to find out how that happens. Finding Love in...followed by a name of an actual town in the United States is a new series by Summerside Press. This book was the first one I read in the series, and I enjoyed it so much I am now on my third! So hurry up and order this book. I bet you will enjoy it so much that you do the same!

Book review--Love Finds you in Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell

I just had to stay up late last night to finish Miralee Ferrell's latest book--Love Finds you in Last Chance, CA. This book is one of the first in a new series by Summerside Press. All the books start with "Love Finds you in... followed by the name of a real town in the USA. Miralee and her husband visited Last Chance and she describes it as "now a ghost town with only one small shack and a cemetery attesting to the thriving mining town that once existed."

Using that bare bones scene as a starting point, Miralee has written a fascinating fictional story set in 1877. The hero and heroine are both characters you will find yourself falling in love with. Add some quirky secondary characters and some missing cattle and gold, and you have a page-turner that will keep you up late reading to find out what happens next. I hope you will check out this book and this series of books for some great reading.

Book Review-- Out of Her Hands by Megan DiMaria

Megan DiMaria's second book lives up to the writing standard (4 1/2 stars Romantic Times magazine!) she set in her first novel, Searching for Spice. In Out of her Hands, the heroine we met and loved and identified with in Searching for Spice, Linda Revere, continues on her journey as a working mom, wife, and everywoman who continues on her journey to learn to trust God more.

With her best friend moving across country, the need to help her widowed father-in-law move on with his life, and her son set to marry an unbeliever, Linda's life often seems out of control until she remembers that it is all out of her hands anyway, and in the hands of the only One who can make sense of it all.

I hope there is a third book in this delightful series. Leave a comment anytime this month to be eligible to win a copy of this book in my monthly drawing. (See last post for requirements.) And if you haven't read Searching for Spice, be sure to get a copy of it. Happy Reading!

Have you heard about the ice storm in KY last week?

That's the reason my posting of the contest winner is so late this month. We were without electricity for 7 days. Then it stayed on for one day and went out again the next. Ever since it came back on the second time I have been experiencing computer woes. I had the son of friends here today and he got my internet explorer to work without error messages so far, but he still can't get my outlook express to open with all my emails.

Our winner of Longings of the Heart is Ginger. I have contacted her and will send the book as soon as I receive her home addy. This would be a good time to mention the contest rules for my monthly book drawing. You must leave an email or way for me to contact you for your addy if you are the winner. Also you must have a US address, and the same person cannot win two months in a row. Check back next week to find out more about this month's book--Out of Her hands by Megan DiMaria. Every time you leave a message each month, you will get an entry into the contest, so let me hear from you!

NEW Blog Launches: "Writer to Reader" ~ Where writers & readers connect by Peg Phifer

I am proud to announce a new blog recently started by Peg Phifer for both writers and readers. So, if you fit into either or both categories (doesn't everyone?) go to http://www.writer-to-reader.com Peg is setting up a schedule that will include postings of book reviews, contests, and interviews and more. I especially like the "Road Signs" segments which remind me of the old Burma Shave signs, except they all are pithy sayings about reading or writing. This site is a real treat. My only problem is that I could visit it for hours and not get any writing done! LOL I hope you'll mosey on over today.

Prayer requested for mission trip to Ukraine, Mar. 19-31, 2009

Dear Family & Friends, (I am interrupting my regular blog about books to share this information with you, my readers. And I plan to share more info and pictures when I return from this trip.)

Greetings! It is my prayer that this letter finds you and your family doing well. I am writing to make you aware of my intentions to participate in a mission trip to the Ukraine in March, 2009. Our team is planning to depart on March 19 to work in Donetsk, the second largest city in Ukraine, for about twelve days. During that time we plan to conduct a day camp with Bible lessons, crafts and drama at one of the local orphanages and visit several churches in the area.

To say I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of this mission team and serve the needs of the Ukrainian people is an understatement. I hope that you can share my excitement and join me in this ministry. I am asking for your support and prayers for this mission trip.

The trip is being funded entirely through donations and by those going on the mission trip. The trip itinerary and activities will be under the direction of Goin’ Fishing Ministries which is based in Louisville, Kentucky. My goal is to raise at least $2000 for this project. The money collected will be used to pay for expenses related to team travel and ministry to Ukrainians, especially orphans.

If you are able to assist financially, please mail a check to “Goin’ Fishing Ministries” (P O BOX 2474, Clarksville, IN 47131) along with a copy of this letter. On the memo line of the check, you may designate: “Ukraine trips” Do not include my name on the check if you intend for your gift to be tax deductible. You may attach a note or write my name on the flap of the envelope if you wish your support to be credited for my part of the trip expenses. On behalf of everyone taking this trip, I thank you for your prayers and financial support. I hope you will copy and post this letter with its heading on your frig as a reminder to cover us in prayer. May God bless you richly! Rose McCauley

And the winner is...

Robin Jones Grant. Robin is a frequent bloggee on my site, so I am pleased to announce that my hubby chose her again as the winner of the latest book drawing. Read the post for Dec. 21st to find out more about this month's book contest for Longings of the Heart by Bonnie Leon. It is an enjoyable book. Check back around the first of February for a winner. Everyone with a US mailing addy except Robin is eligible so leave a comment.

Merry Christmas to all my readers!

Thanks to all who have read and left comments on my blog posts this year. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Check back the first of January to see our latest winner and our new book contest.

Book Review--Longings of the Heart by Bonnie Leon

Have you ever wanted to take a trip to Australia? Well, you could watch the movie that is out by that name, or in the almost three hours it takes to view the movie, you could read and enjoy Longings of the Heart and enjoy a great story set there while learning about the history and scenery of Australia. And you won't even have to leave your nice warm house to drive to the theatre. (It's 5 degrees above zero here in KY as I type this!)

This book is the second in the author's Sydney Cove series. The first one is entitled To Love Anew, and they are both published by Revell. Here's some of the back cover copy to whet your appetite:

"Hannah and John have embraced the wondrous land of Australia as their own. As they venture into the unknown to start a sheep farm, they must rely on God and each other to scrape out a living and fulfill their dreams of having a family of their own. But life on the fledgling ranch is fraught with pitfalls and hidden danger. And the past is finally catching up with them.

When a mysterious woman shows up in town, Hannah is in danger of her own dark secrets being revealed. Can John and Hannah weather the storm? Or will the harsh realities of life tear them apart?"

I hope you will order this book from Revell or check for it at your local Christian bookstore so you can be swept away to the sunny shores of Australia. It's summertime down under!

Time for a new winner and new book review--A Taste of Murder by Virginia Smith

My fabulous hubby who does most of my book drawings has selected Karin as the winner of Rhapsody in Red, so the book will be in the mail as soon as she sends me her mailing info.

Anyone who posts this month will be eligible for a drawing on Jan. 1st for an autographed copy of A Taste of Murder by Virginia Smith. (see picture of Virginia and post on Nov. 2)

This is one of the five books I read this past month and I really enjoyed it. It is set in Owensboro, Ky which is just a couple hours' drive from where I live. Jasmine Delaney is a member of a musical ensemble which has been hired to play at a wedding in Owensboro during the Kentucky Bar-B-Q festival. Ginny Smith combines murder, a budding romance and lots of local color into an entertaining read which will keep you reading and turning pages. I was happy to read in her newsletter today that this book will be the first of a series of three, one highlighting each ensemble member. Check it out at www.VirginiaSmith.org and order some of her other books. Just remember to leave a post here this month if you wish to be entered in the drawing. The two rules are you must have a US mailing addy and I have to have some means of contacting you if you win. Happy reading!

Book Review--Rhapsody in Red by Donn Taylor

Well, this post is 28 days after my last one, but I did manage to keep my promise to post again this month. Barely! My husband and I returned this past Tuesday from a 10 day vacation--5 day cruise to Mexico and then a stay at Orange Beach, AL. I was without computer access the whole time, but did have plenty of time to read!

First I want to give my own personal review for Donn Taylor's book Rhapsody in Red. I will draw tomorrow, December 1st, then post the winner of this book. They are in for a real treat. Donn's writing and characters draw you in from the very start. There is a musical quality to his writing and a musical theme throughout the book that adds much to the storyline. I even suggest you play some of the classical pieces his hero, Preston Barkley, is hearing in his head, while you are reading this book, to heighten the mood and the effect of the words.

I don't want to give away much of the plot line other than the back cover blurb I quoted from in my last post. I will share that Donn is a master at working all the subplots together seamlessly into a whole that will keep you guessing who the murderer is because he introduces us to so many well-written red herrings that you may not figure out the villain until almost the very end like Professor Barkley. The last line of the book leads me to believe there will be a sequel, and I certainly hope so. Preston Barkley now seems like a friend with whom I want to stay in touch. So, hurry up and write more, Donn.

Contest Winner, New contest and Excuses, excuses...

The winner of Ann Gabhart's The Outsider is Diana. I know she will enjoy it muchly. I saw Ann a couple of weeks ago at her booksigning in Lexington, KY, and she said a sequel is in the works, so I am eagerly awaiting it! Ann is on the left in the red jacket and Virginia Smith who also signed books that evening is in the red jacket on the right. I'll post more about Virginia later on this month, so check back to read about her and one of her new books. The other two ladies are members of our Unity Christian Church book club, Ellen Whitaker and Thelma Taylor, who also attended the signing at Joseph-Beth with me.

This month's book contest is for Rhapsody in Red by Donn Taylor. Don is another ACFW member whom I have met at conferences, along with his lovely wife, Mildred. Although I am only about 1/4 way thru this book (see excuses below!), I can already tell you that I am very impressed. Not only has Donn hatched a plot that has me wanting to stay up past my bedtime to see what happens, he has also done it with the cadence and lyrical writing one would expect from the poet that he is! Here's a blurb from the back cover copy to whet your appetite and make you want to leave a post so you have a chance to win this book:

"Preston Barclay is a self-made recluse (and he likes it that way). Teaching college history allows him time to grieve the loss of his pianist wife and find relief from the musical hallucinations that have been playing in his head since her death. But when he and a headstrong colleague, Mara Thorn, discover the body of another instructor on campus, Press's monotonous solitude is destroyed. When the preliminary evidence singles out Press and Mara, they must take some chances (including trusting each other) to build their own defense--by bending the rules just a bit...Otherwise they both might end up unemployed, behind bars, or worse..." Sound exciting? Leave a post!

Now for the excuses part. I really hate to make excuses for not finishing this book sooner and for not blogging more this past month, but...I was taking two online classes, plus working on getting my final rewrites done before sending my two requested proposals off, plus had friends visit for nine days... So, although November looks to be a busy month also, I pledge to write at least one more time this month--once I get said proposals sent off and read Virginia's book so I can post a review of it. Hope you will check back and keep me accountable!

Book Contest Winner and new contest for The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart

This month's contest winner of the two Trish Cunningham mysteries by Candice Speare is Cecilia Dowdy. I hope she is ready to read because you won't want to stop these books once you get started. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Our next book drawing will be for a new book by a multi-published Kentucky author--Ann H. Gabhart. I met Ann at one of our Kentucky Writers' meetings and at the booksigning where I bought this book . This story centers around a place not too far from my home and Ann's home--Shakertown. In fact, she only lives 30 miles from Shaker Village and "has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Her thorough research provides a convincing and colorful backdrop for The Outsider"--back cover copy

This is a historical story of love and of decisions which will affect the characters throughout their lives.

I, too, have walked the paths of Shakertown and toured the buildings where the Shakers lived and worked. In fact, I have a funny story to tell about one of the times we visited there. My husband and I decided to spend the night for an anniversary trip one year. We stayed upstairs in one of the buildings. I awoke early in the morning and told my hubby he had to hurry and get up because I smelled smoke and thought the building was on fire. It turned out that the shop downstairs dyed the wool and I smelled the fires the workers were preparing for that job!

I am happy that Ann's publisher, Revell, has provided a book for me to use in this drawing so I can keep my own copy. All those who leave a blog comment with a US mailing addy and a way for me to contact you will be entered. (except for Cecilia. She'll have to wait a month to win again to give more people a chance.) Happy reading!

2008 ACFW Conference

Last weekend I attended the 7th annual ACFW conference held in Minneapolis, MN. I want to share a few of the highlights with you and some pics, too.

I again had the privilege of traveling from Kentucky with Ruth Seamands, who at 91 is the Mama of our group. We arrived on Wednesday, and I spent part of the afternoon helping ready the bags for the attendees. That night a group of us went to TGIF's for supper. Here are Ruth and I with Kim Sawyer (check out her site at http://www.kimvogelsawyer.com/) and Margie Vawter.

On Thursday morning I was honored to introduce Margie Lawson as our Early Bird speaker for the second year in a row. After taking her class last year at conference, I devoured all three of her online classes this past year, and rewrote my WIP using her techniques. I am already signed up for her October advanced class. If you have taken a Margie class before, you know how helpful this will be, so hurry on over to http://www.margielawson.com/ and sign up!

The third picture was taken at our awards' banquet. Mama Ruth in the middle is dressed in her sari, flanked by me and my wonderful roomie, Jennifer Johnson. Check out Jen and her books at http://www.jenniferjohnsonbooks.com/

The only bad part about conference is leaving and knowing that you won't see many of your new and old friends for another year. But, we have our ACFW loop to keep us in touch. If anyone is reading this who is interested in writing fiction, hurry on over to http://www.acfw.com/ and sign up for the best writing organization in the world!

So Long, Farewell, auf Weidersehen, Adieu...

In a day and a half I will be on my way to the airport to fly to Minneapolis for the annual American Christian Fiction Writers Conference, so this will be my last post until after I return.

I am so excited at the prospect of seeing old friends from past conferences and meeting new friends in person with whom I've only cyber-chatted. I also have a book critique scheduled and meetings with an editor and agent, not to mention all the great classes we'll have from early in the morning to the Late Night Chats. But my favorite part of conference is the times of Spirit-led worship. There is something very special about hearing 500 voices lifted in praise to our God. No matter what style of worship we are used to in our home churches, we all come together to praise Him. "Your Name is a strong and mighty tower, Your Name is a shelter like no other, Your Name--let the nations sing it louder, for nothing has the power to save like Your Name!"

Please pray for all of us travelling and attending the conference, and all those unable to attend. May we all learn to better use our talents for Him alone Who is worthy of our praise.

And the winner for last month's comments is...

Robin Johns Grant. As soon as I receive her mailing addy, Ramona will mail Robin an autographed copy of Sweet Forever. Congrats to Robin, and many thanks to Ramona! The rest of you need to go to http://www.heartsongpresents.com/ and order you a copy before they are all gone!

This month's winner will win 2 books by Candice Speare...

Murder in the Milkcase--Will Trish Cunningham's discovery sour her on milk forever?
AND
Band Room Bash--This murderer is playing for keeps.

These books are the first two in the Trish Cunningham murder series. And I can't wait for the next one! Trish is a mom, wife, stepmom and business partner who somehow manages to do all that and still get involved in her town's murders. Candice, another fellow ACFWer, writes about murder in a fun, unconventional way that will keep you reading while laughing and identifying with the characters. You can find out more about her at http://www.candicemillerspeare.com/ and if you don't want to wait a month for the drawing, you can order them now at http://www.heartsongmysteries.com/

Happy reading everyone!