Monday Musings on Christmas

I am definitely NOT a poet, but as I thought of G words to describe Christmas, several of the verses seemed to beg for a rhyme, so here are my thoughts as my gift to you this Christmas.

Christmas is...

Girls in angel white with silvery wings
Guys in bathrobes as shepherds and kings.

God in a manger with hay for a bed
Glorious angels proclaiming, "Peace on earth," they said.

Grace in human form, a newborn boy
That brought us all the hope of eternal life and joy.

Guests on camels from lands near and far
Travelling along as they followed the star,

Bearing gifts for the King they came to behold--
Frankincense, myrrh and costly gold.

The Greatest Gift of God's own Son...
The Gift that keeps giving on and on and on.

Monday Musings--December

Thanks to all who posted or emailed to let me know they liked this new format, so I plan to continue it for the forseeable future. Today I want to invite you to join me as we muse on:

December is...

winter solstice

white wonderland

wonderful winter sunrises and sunsets

wrapping paper and ribbon

wonder in the eyes of a child

walking in the snow

wreaths on windows and doors

weekends in your pajamas

welcoming scents of hot chocolate and cookies

warm woolen mittens

worship of the Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)

Can you think of more to add to this "w" list of winter things we might see or experience in December? Or perhaps you'd like to share your own list starting with other letters. PS I decided to share some pictures taken last winter of a beautiful sunrise and also awinter-wonderland ice-covered bush, both taken from my front porch last winter.

New Blog series--Monday Musings

Hi, I am piggybacking on an idea I got from Carole Brown's blog http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com She is posting a list every Monday called "Monday Morning Gratitudes." I really liked the thought and asked if I could do something similar. She replied that she knew several people who do it and invited me to join in. So, I hope you will check out her blog, and I hope you will check back in here on Mondays each week to help keep me accountable. My goal is two-fold: to make me more likely to post at least once a week and to give us a chance to share our musings with each other on a wide range of topics, so I hope you will add yours in a comment. And if you want to be entered in the monthly book drawing, leave your email addy in the comments.

Since we are in the midst of Hanukkah (Dec. 1-9 this year) I decided to do my first musing on that Jewish celebration.

Hanukkah is:

the 25th day of Kislev in the Jewish calendar...the Festival of Lights...the Feast of Dedication...Jesus participated in it(John 10: 22-24)...nightly lighting of the Menorah...foods like latkes...giving of gifts...playing games like spinning the dreidel...a time of celebration...

I hope this short musing helped you know a little more about Hanukkah. Can you see the similarities to our Christmas celebrations? What can you add to these musings about Hanukkah?

An early Merry Christmas present going out to Karen K...

who won a copy of A Door County Christmas by Eileen Key, Becky Melby, Rachael Phillips and Cynthia Ruchti--a wonderful read that is sure to get her in the Christmas mood! And for those of you who didn't win, put this book on your wish list or go buy it as an early present for yourself!

Everyone with a US mailing addy who leaves a comment in the month of December (except for Karen K.) will be eligible to win an ARC copy of Highland Blessings by Jennifer Hudson Taylor.

Here's the back cover blurb to give you an inkling of what it is about:
Scotland, 1473. Highland Warrior, Bryce MacPhearson kidnaps Akira MacKenzie on her wedding day to honor a promise he made to his dying father. When he forces Akira to wed him, hoping to end a half-century old feud between their clans, she struggles to overcome her anger and resentment. Yet her strength in the Lord becomes a witness to Bryce. But there is a traitor in their midst...and murder is the ultimate weapon.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

This book was provided to me by Abingdon Press to use as a giveaway for promotional purposes.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We all have so much to be thankful for. I am especially thankful for life and health after being in a car accident last week. I slid off a wet slick road thru someone's yard going sideways about 50 yards, only to stop when I hit a tree. The tree is still there, and I am still here, but the car is totalled. The guy at the garage said they call it a banana when one side is so bent in like that. My Bible and several other books were on the backseat, and they flew out the side window when the glass shattered and landed several feet away on the grass. My husband said that could have been me if I hadn't had my seatbelt on, so make sure you always wear one!

I am thankful to be a survivor, albeit with a skinned knee, bruises and sore ribs. My doctor says they might be cracked or bruised but they have to heal on their own either way. So, if you've ever had injured ribs, you know what I am going thru. Sitting or lying down aren't too painful--it's mostly the getting up and down that hurts! And the coughing and sneezing!

Sorry this is only the second time I've posted this month, but I do promise to do better next month. Besides the accident laying me low for a couple days, I have been furiously typing out the words for my first book contract. (See Wed., Sept. 22nd blog) I have a little over 15,000 words of the 20,000 word count for a novella. It isn't due til Feb. 1st but I want to get it finished early, let it sit a week or two, then go back and do rewrites before sending it to my crit partners and the other three ladies writing novellas for the anthology to read thru and make suggestions. If I haven't said this before in a blog, I believe it takes a village to write/re-write a book. That's one of the reasons I am so thankful for ACFW and all my writing friends.

Most of all I "Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ His Son!"

Winner and new book to win--A Door County Christmas

Linda Kish is the winner of The Narrow Path by Gail Sattler. She has a week from today to send me her mailing addy or I will have my hubby draw another number.

I usually read Christmas books the month of December, but read this one early so I could use it for this month's book drawing. That way whomever is chosen on Dec. 1st will receive this book in the mail early enough to add it to their own Christmas reading! And whoever wins is in for an early Christmas treat because the four authors in A Door County Christmas--Eileen Key, Becky Melby, Rachael Phillips, and Cynthia Ruchti--all had me laughing out loud at their wonderful stories.

I had read Cynthia Ruchti's first novel They Almost Always Come Home a few months ago and blogged about it, so I knew she wrote hilarious yet heartfelt stories. But since I had not read anything by the other authors, I had no idea I would get such enjoyment and laughter from all the stories in this anthology. I've only met Becky Melby once, but have been friends with Eileen, Rachael and Cynthia for several years. I know they all have a deep love for the Lord, and it is definitely and creatively expressed in these stories. This is Rachael's debut novella, but I am sure it won't be her last.

This was a free copy sent to me by one of the authors to promote, but I also bought my own copy, and I am so glad I did. These are stories I can enjoy reading many Christmases to come. So, leave a comment anytime this month to be eligible to win a copy. Or go on and order a copy so you will be sure you don't miss this fantastic book. Everyone with an American mailing addy can enter except last month's winner--Linda K. And it helps if you leave your email addy to make it easier to contact you. I had to have my husband pick numbers three times last month due to the winner not leaving an email addy and not responding to my blog post saying they had a week to contact me with mailing info. So, make it easy on us both by leaving the info. Thanks!

A Great Sophomore Novel by Deborah Vogts--Seeds of Summer

Sometimes an author writes a wonderful debut novel but the second novel doesn't quite measure up. That is definitely NOT the case with Deborah Vogts newest book, Seeds of Summer. I thoroughly enjoyed her first novel, Snow Melts in Spring, but Seeds of Summer kept me up past midnight wanting to find out what happened to the characters. All of the characters had foibles and failures, and that made them seem real to me and caused me to root for them.

The heroine is a former rodeo queen and the hero is the local pastor. They seem like an unlikely pair, but as you read, you find yourself rooting for them to get together. I don't want to tell the ending, but it is a happy one for almost everyone. Make sure you get this book and read it soon. Highly recommended!

Another story by Danielle Kinney

Some of my readers will remember me posting a story by my youngest granddaughter a few months ago. She is now 9 and has written another story. She has also written a very interesting play. Below is the new story I hope you will enjoy. And the picture is of her ready for school this morning. At breakfast I gave her my ACFW folder from the conference I attended last month. I asked her if she was an American, a Christian, and a Fiction Writer. She answered yes to all of the questions so I gave her the folder to write more stories in. When I said I wanted to take a picture of her with the folder she struck the pose you see here--pencil held high, tablet under arm. At first I wondered what she was doing until she told me she was the Statue of Writer-ty! What creativity! No wonder she is already on her way to publication. She told her mom she doesn't want to wait til she is 60 to get her first story pubbed.

My First Horse Camp

By Danielle Kinney

Chapter 1
It was night and I was in the race. Then I fell off my horse and I lost the race. Then I woke up, and I knew it was a dream but it was still night. So I went down stairs then my dad said we are going to the woods to camp out to celebrate my brother’s sixteenth birthday.

Chapter 2
I went to school the next morning. I told my friend I’m going to camp out for spring break. Then I went home so I can pack my things and go. We went to the woods and celebrated my brother’s birthday.

Chapter 3
After 2 days of the camping trip, I went to the woods and I saw a graveyard. But Emily was too scared so I was right next to her. Then I saw my mom’s grave. I cried for a minute, and then I went back. On the way back to the camp, Emily got lost! We all went to the woods to look for her but she was gone forever.

Chapter 4
Dr. Peter found my horse in the woods. He hates horses and he is greedy. He set a trap for Emily and pulled her legs in the rope. He tied her in a knot, and pulled her to a secret place on a hill in the woods. He tied her up on a tree on top of the hill. Then he set the tent on the ground and made a camp out too. Then he went to sleep.

Chapter 5
I went looking for Emily by myself. Then I saw Emily between two trees. 7 minutes later he woke up and pulled out a gun. Then I jumped in the way and pulled the rope on my horse’s neck. I got her out of the way just in time! I saved Emily’s life. Well Dr. Peter got arrested for 3 months. Then my dad got a new girlfriend at the big camp. 2 days later we went home. After that I was thinking about my dad because he has a new girl friend and maybe when I get a new mom I will be really really happy.

The End

Winner of goodness gracious green is...cheryl linn martin

I am waiting to hear from her. If I do not hear back by next Sunday night, I will have my husband pick another name.

My apologies for being a couple days late posting this month. My hubby and I just returned from a week in Florida yesterday afternoon. We came from temps in the high 80s to the low 40s. Brrr! No big trips planned for the rest of the year, so leave a post anytime in Oct. and check back on Nov. 1st to see who wins an ARC copy of The Narrow Path by Gail Sattler.

I just saw Gail in Indianapolis a couple weeks ago at the ACFW conference and her dark hair had streaks of red this year. Wonder what color it will be the next time I see her!?! You never know with Gail! She is also a mean bass guitar player who helps lead worship for our ACFW conferences.

Gail Sattler has written 21 novels, and 12 novellas, numerous giftbooks and cookbooks and short pieces in other anthologies. She is a member of a Mennonite Brethren church. In The Narrow Path her characters struggle to find a way to make peace in order to meet their goal of opening the doors of the hero's Old Order Mennonite church. This story deals with a universal question--Can two people from different worlds find love somewhere in the middle?

I hope you will want to read this story and find out. If you don't win, you can always order a copy from Abingdon Press or your local Christian bookstore or online.

This copy was provided by Abingdon Press for promotional/review purposes.

Waiting, patience, prayer...and receiving my first contract!

I have been writing for over nine years and joined ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) 8 years ago. My writing has steadily improved since then, but the elusive first contract had remained out of reach until Friday evening, September 17, 2010.

God has taught me many things over the past nine years, the main things being patience and learning to wait. When I awoke that morning and read my chapter in Jeremiah, there was a devotion by Catherine Marshall on the facing page, so I read it, too. It was entitled "Waiting" and here are a few snippets from it that spoke to me: "Waiting...is God's oft-repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us." She then goes on to give the example of a child who brings a broken toy to their father but gets impatient and snatches it back still in the broken state, then reminds us that if we leave the "toy" in His hands, "not only do we eventually get it back gloriously restored, but are also handed a surprising plus. We find for ourselves what the saints and mystics affirm, that during the dark waiting period when self-effort had ceased, a spurt of astonishing spiritual growth took place in us. Afterwards we have qualities like more patience, more love for the Lord and those around us, more ability to hear His voice, greater willingness to obey." Those qualities are ones I still desire more of, even if it means I have to wait again.

Now for the rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say. I told my roommate , Jennifer Johnson, about my devotion, then we attended a class, ate lunch, shopped at the mall, and went to the opening worship session at 3:30. The worship leader Rachel Hauck, chose the song "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller for us to sing at most of our sessions:
"I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting"

Are you getting the message with me? Wait with patience! And keep serving and worshipping while you are waiting!

Next our president, Cynthia Ruchti, read from Colossians chapter three and verse 12 was very familiar since it is posted on my bedroom mirror: "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." That last word jumped out at me and I leaned over to Jennifer and told her God was still telling me to wait and learn patience.

Then Becky Germany, editor at Barbour Publishing, took the stage and said she was ready to announce the 2 new authors who would receive their "first contract", something Barbour has done at each conference. When she announced the name of the first story as Nick's Christmas Carol, it sounded vaguely familiar but I still didn't realize it was a story I had written until she said my name! Then I went up on stage in front of over 600 people, amid cheers and shouts, and was handed an envelope with my name on it and a letter offering me a contract for my first fiction story! Jennifer took my picture but the flash didn't work so she motioned for me to go back up on the stage and she took it again. Then Donna Rich was announced, again amid cheers and shouts, as the recipient of a contract for a Heartsong book, also pubbed by Barbour.

Of course, I couldn't wait to call my husband and children and a couple friends, but the story doesn't end there. I got to attend the Barbour Banquet at PF Chang's that evening and kept receiving hugs and congratulations all weekend, but the best part was when one of my dear friends and prayer-partners, Connie Stevens who had received her first contract in 2009, told me that God had impressed on her heart to pray for the ones who would receive their first contract the following year. So, she prayed that prayer that whole year and didn't know she was praying for me (and Donna)!

Later that evening, I told Donna about the prayer cycle Connie began, and we both agreed to continue it by praying for the persons who will receive their first contract in 2011. Kind of paying it forward by praying the prayer that was prayed for us. So, the cycle continues, and I will continue praying and update you with who gets the new author contract next year. And I will also announce when my first book hits the shelves next September! Until then, let's all keep waiting patiently and praying and worshiping the One who deserves all our praise

Kaye Dacus does it again!



I was sad to read the last of the Brides of Bonneterre series that I enjoyed so much, so was eager to read Love Remains, book one in Kaye Dacus' new "Matchmakers" series. And I was not disappointed! The prologue sets up the story with a conversation between several grandmothers who want to have great-grandchildren. Then we are introduced to Zarah Mitchell who works for a commission on historical preservation and to a face from her past, Bobby Patterson who will be investigating fraud within the commission. As the question on the back of the book asks, "Can the historian learn to leave the past in the past?"



That alone is enough to set up tons of conflict, but the author takes it a step further when we find out the way our hero and heroine separated several years earlier and the lies they each believe about the other. Another delightful read from an author who gets better with each book! So hurry on over to http://www.barbourbooks.com/ and order this book and her other series if you haven't read them.



This book was a gift from the author and publisher for review purposes which I requested because I know how much I love Kaye Dacus' writing!

Book Review--Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein

My TBR pile is overflowing so I plan to do more book reports the rest of the year. This book which is subtitled "Do something bigger than yourself" is based on the true story of Austin Gutwein who watched a video from World Vision at the age of eight that changed his life and so many others. It chronicles what one child can do to make a difference in our world. One of the inspiring quotes in the book is what young William Pitt said to William Wilberforce in the movie Amazing Grace. "We're too young to realize that certain things are impossible! So we will do them anyway!" That is a good description of this story of Austin and the many other children who have already made a difference in our world. Each chapter ends with a Bible verse and a short devotional that challenges the reader to ask how he/she can make a difference. Very inspirational reading for adults and older children.

We interrupt our Alaskan saga for a very important announcement--

Karen K. is the winner of Alaska Twilight by Colleen Coble which will be in the mail as soon as I receive her addy.




And, if you would like to win an ARC (advance reader copy) of goodness gracious green by multi-pubbed author Judy Christie, leave a comment on any post this month. The other rules are you must have a US mailing address and you can't win two months in a row, so only Karen K. is ineligible.



This is the second book in the "Green" series so I am saving this one to read after I read the first one. I hate to read series books out of order! Here is the blurb from the back cover to whet your whistle: "Will Lois Barker put down roots in Green...or will small-town life be too tough?" I love books set in small towns so I am sure I will enjoy it! And you can check out more about this author and her other books at http://www.judychristie.com/

Alaskan Trip, Day 5 Wasilla--home of Sarah Palin and start of the Iditarod Trail

Now to continue our bear story...When we arrived at the lodge for breakfast the next morning, this sign was posted on the front door, so we had to tell our story of seeing the bears the evening before and take this picture as proof! Then we loaded up the bus again and toured Talkeetna on our way to Wasilla.

Outside Wasilla we went to do the Ididaride (no, that is not a typo!) The Ididaride is run by the Mitch Seavey family. Mitch has finished the Iditarod 16 times and won 4 times! His son gave our tour and told how the family used to fish, but when that source of income dried up, they came up with the idea of training their dogs during the summer months by using them to take tourists on rides pulled by teams of huskies! Quite a good idea. I said I wish someone could come up with something that good for tobacco farmers to do to replace lost income!

Our hotel in Wasilla was located on Lake Lucille only a few hundred feet from Sarah Palin's house so we walked there and took a picture of the now famous double-decker fence! Another activity-filled day.

Alaskan Trip, Day 4, Denali National Park

Early the next morning we had breakfast at the lodge then loaded a bus for our 7 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour. We had hoped to see Mt. McKinley, aka Denali, the highest point in the US, but every time we got close the clouds were too low. We did get pictures of several other mountains with snow-covered peaks, though.

Although we saw several kinds of wildlife from the bus--moose, sheep and bear, none were close enough to get without a high powered zoom which our camera does not have. But, we did enjoy the beautiful scenery. The picture of me pointing to a flower is of Alaskan fireweed which is used as a harbinger of winter, kind of like the wooly worm is used to predict a cold winter in Kentucky. In Alaska, they say when the reddish fireweed blooms all the way to the top of the stalk, summer is over, and winter is near. It still had a few inches to go when we were there in late July.

When we got back to the lodge, since it was still bright daylight we took another walk and actually saw two bears across the river from our cabin. We wanted to get closer for a better picture, but the park employees advised against it, so you will have to settle for this picture of one of the bears (the brown smudge) eating berries in the brush! (to be continued.)

Alaskan Saga, continued, Day 3

In the morning, our tour bus took us to Fairbanks University where we got to see their experimental gardens and took a hayride around the farming area of the campus. The Fairbanks area has 22 hours of daylight in July, (and only 2 hours of sunlight in January!) so although their growing season is only 3 months long, it is very intense, allowing them to grow cabbages that weigh over 100 pounds and the most beautiful flowers you could imagine!

Next we stopped and checked out the Pipeline. My husband is over six feet tall, and he had to stretch to reach the underbelly of the pipeline in this area, but about 100 yards from there, the pipe went underground. We were told that about half of the pipeline is buried underground. Here is some info I found online about it. The 800-mile-long Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is one of the world's largest pipeline systems. Starting in Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope, TAPS stretches through rugged and beautiful terrain to Valdez, the northernmost ice-free port in North America.

On our way to Denali National Park we stopped at North Pole, Alaska, so I had to have my picture taken with Santa to show the grandkids! Then we headed on down the highway and arrived at Denali just in time to see a very entertaining show about Alaskan history at the Cabin Night Theater. The delicious food was served roundhouse style. Afterwards, even though it was almost nine o'clock, it was still bright daylight so we settled into our cabin then walked to the lodge and back.

Book Review--A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

We interrupt this Alaskan saga to share a book by a wonderful debut author--Karen Witemeyer.

Karen presents us with a heroine and hero who are at odds with each other from the time they meet. J.T. Tucker is a livery owner who hates frippery. Hannah Richards is a dressmaker who ends up with the shop he hoped to buy.

They both discover surprising traits about the other. Hannah helps his sister catch a beau. J.T. helps many of the townspeople. What will it take for them to each see the real person inside the other?

I hope you will go to your Christian bookstore and buy or order this book to find out. It is such an enjoyable read. I received my copy from the publisher (Bethany House) for promotional purposes.

Alaskan Trip--Day 2
Our second full day in Alaska was spent at several working farms in the Delta Junction area, near Fairbanks. First we stopped at Rika's Road House State Park where we saw this cabin with a sod roof and toured the roadhouse, a common form of lodging for those travelling through Alaska in the days when cities and motels were far apart.

Our busy morning continued at Alpenglow Farms and Kennels where sheep and dog trainer Catherine Hadley showed how her collie could corral the sheep. After that we travelled to Misty Mountain Ranch where Scott Miller told us about raising elk and beef which was very interesting especially to the many beef farmers in our group. Next stop was lunch at the Buffalo Drive-In where we ate outside despite temperatures in the upper 50s.

After lunch we made one more stop--Kaspari Farms where Phil and Mary Kaspari showed us their yak ranch and Mary served us some great refreshments with the help of her grandson, part of the next generation of Alaskan farmers. Then back to our hotel (the Regency Fairbanks) for dinner. PS. pictures to be posted later. My dialup won't post this many pics without timing out and my air card isn't working tonight, but I want to go on and post this much.

They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti...
...will be finding a new home with Karen K. who is the winner of my monthly drawing. The drawing for this month will be for a gently used autographed copy of Colleen Coble's Alaska Twilight which just travelled over 6,000 miles with me to Alaska and back. To get you in the mood to read this book I will be posting some pics from our Alaskan adventure each week this month, so be sure to check often to see the pics, and the more times you post a comment, the more chances you have to win this great book! Rules are the same as usual--everyone with a US mailing addy who posts is eligible except for the previous winner--Karen K.

Our group of mostly farmers, retired farmers and retired teachers arrived in Fairbanks on the evening of the 20th of July. The next morning we boarded our tour bus for Chena Hot Springs, a resort and experimental farm about an hour out of Fairbanks owned and run by Mr. Bernie Karl, a man with more ideas than Einstein! We toured his hydroponics greenhouse and geothermal building, and also went to extreme temperatures when we toured the Ice Palace where it stays 20 degrees year around and then got in the hot springs which is scalding enough to burn at the edges, but very relaxing and soothing in the middle. My husband and the other farmers also enjoyed the old farm machinery around the place.

After leaving there, we drove back to Fairbanks for an Alaskan Salmon Bake and musical about life in the frontier of Alaska at Pioneer Park. We were joined for this meal by another Harrison County-grown young man, Nate Thornton, whom we have known since he was born and who is now serving in the Army there. We were also glad to see his wife--Stephanie, another HC girl. A great first day! Be sure to check back for this continuing saga.

Book Winner and July's book---They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

I only posted three times last month due to a family vacation (you'll hear more about that next week) and several other things going on in our family, but I do want to post the winner of the drawing for the June giveaway--Mary DeMuth. As soon as I receive her mailing address, the book Finding Jeena by Sharlene MacLaren will be on its way to her.

This month's drawing will be for an ARC copy of Cynthia Ruchti's debut novel--They Almost Always Come Home. This copy was provided by Abingdon Press for promotional purposes which is one of the reasons I do a monthly book drawing--to introduce authors and their books to readers who maybe haven't had the chance to "meet" them yet.

I am so happy to have the opportunity to help promote Cynthia Ruchti's book. Cynthia was one of the first people I met at my first ACFW conference in Kansas City in 2002. She is a delightful person, and I've enjoyed our contacts at the conference and also reading the Backyard Friends magazine which is an outgrowth of The Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast she has been involved in for many years. She also directed our ACFW choir several years and now serves as President of American Christian Fiction Writers. And she is very gifted and talented at all of these endeavors.

So, I can't wait to read this intriguing sounding novel. I have parts of three other books already started (not counting 2 Bible studies! Does anyone else do this?), so this book is number 4 in my TBR pile, and I plan to finish reading it before I have to mail it off to a blessed winner next month. To be entered in the drawing, just leave a comment on any post this month along with your email info so I can contact you if your named is picked. Everyone with an American email is eligible except last month's winner.

To whet your appetite to read this book like it did mine, I will share the first sentence of the back cover: "She would leave her husband...if she could find him." Want to read more? I do. Good thing tomorrow is my happy birthday so I plan to fore go most of my usual activities (except going out to eat with my hubby!) and try to finish at least one of the other books so I can start this one! Happy reading, everyone!