Mother's Day gift

Hi, happy spring! I love this time of the year. The tulips are in bloom and the grass is growing a nice vibrant green. Mother's Day is just around the corner. And I have a book coming out in May, a perfect gift for Mom.

DANGER IN THE KEYS

Boston homicide detective Angie Carlucci thought was getting a much-needed vacation. But her Florida Keys holiday is interrupted when she sees someone dump a body bag in the ocean. In the tangle between arms dealers and treasure hunters, she's the only witness--and the main target. Unless a certain boat captain can keep her safe...

A pretty cop complicating his mission--and endangering her cover--is the last thing federal agent Jason Bodwell needs. Yet the more Jason and Angie work together, the closer they grow. Jason's willing to risk his life to solve the case...

what will he risk for love?

Prom and Post Prom

It’s prom season, or rather SENIOR prom season in my house. I can’t believe it, but my daughter—my baby—is graduating high school in a month and this is the last go-round for prom. We went dress shopping a few weeks ago and I have officially declared prom a racket! Oh, yeah, you see prom dresses are now going for more money than I spent on my wedding dress. Even if we go the department store route (which my daughter whole-heartedly resisted) we’re looking at a small fortune. We found the perfect dress. It was quite literally made for my daughter, until I looked at the price. The sales consultant had to bring in smelling salts. When I firmly said no, my daughter chose to spend her own money. I’m praying there’s a lesson in all this for her. Time will tell.

If you’re interested in the types of dresses the girls are buying, and the accompanying prices, check out www.promgirl.com for fun. I mean…phew!!!

On a happier note, we have a lovely post prom tradition up here in Nebraska. It’s called Post Prom. The parents join together to put on a drug and alcohol free event in the school gym. This is a huge event, with an equally huge budget that requires a committee of fifty plus parents and donations from all over the city. The festivities begin at midnight and last until five a.m. Once the kids enter the facility they may not leave and no one is admitted after 1:30 a.m. Only juniors and seniors (and their dates) may attend and they don’t have to attend prom to come to post prom. Security is tight.

Post Prom is THE best part of prom, at least that’s what the kids say. Once they’re done with the fancy/official prom they change into jeans and shorts and head over to the school. Inside, we have food, entertainment, carnival games, casino games (with fake money), prizes, food, food, oh, and more food. I can’t think of a better to keep the kids off the streets (and out of hotel rooms). The best part of all, the kids love this event. And since it’s a tradition up here they have no idea prom night is supposed to be any different than this. Once we kick them out at 5 a.m. they all go to breakfast.

Guess who’s on the committee this year? Yep, me. I’m in charge of publicity and ticket sales. The theme this year is A Night at the Oscars. The decorations are amazing and I’m wondering why I accepted a writing deadline around the same time. I also have a book release this month. LOVING BELLA is the third book of my Charity House series. I pray God will provide me with the words for the book I’m writing, the energy to promote my latest release and the fortitude to get through this last prom season.

So, tell me. Anyone have similar prom traditions in your school districts? I forgot to mention that Post Prom is a tradition for the public schools up here. Gotta love the Midwest.

For my information about LOVING BELLA and my other upcoming releases, visit me at www.reneeryan.com

A House, a Car, and a Few Secrets

Ramona here, and a few weeks ago, I finished my next book for Love Inspired Suspense. I’m still a little giddy about that, and I can’t wait until its release next April. House of Secrets will be my fifth book for LIS, and in it, I get to celebrate one of my dream cars: a 1968 Corvette Roadster.

This emerald green beauty belongs to my heroine, June, and is almost as much of a character as she is. A gift from her late husband, the car represents some of the key elements in their relationship—sacrifice and endurance as well as a few unexpected quirks under the hood. And like all great mystery characters, it’s in for a few troubling times before the story is finished.

The “house” of the title also holds a few unexpected surprises. Based loosely on the Chenault House in Decatur, Alabama, the house was built in the early 1900s and renovated twice.

I had a lot of fun treating the house as if it were a jigsaw puzzle. Around every corner lies a new secret, a new piece of the puzzle, including one that opens the door on a murder almost 25 years old.

One of my joys as a writer is taking pieces and parts of my own world and turning them into fictional wonders. A small town I love becomes the birthplace of a hero. A trail I love to hike turns into a frightful murder scene. A beloved car becomes a idiosyncratic “character”. . . and future crime scene . . .

Ah, but I’ll save that “secret” for later. In the meantime, I’m working on another book, and I have to go bury a body in a basement of my favorite restaurant . . .

Researching the CDC

by Debby Giusti

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is hosting the 59th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference this week, and I was there today to soak up all the great information about the outbreaks they've investigated this year.

Stephen B. Thacker, the Deputy Director for Surveillance, welcomed all those attending at the beginning of the morning, and at 10:15 AM, CDC Director Tom Frieden escorted Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius into the ballroom. Ms. Sebelius commended the CDC on the great work they've done especially in regard to the H1N1 outbreak.

One year ago at EIS 2009, the scientists were discussing the first cases of a new virus first seen in California when news surfaced that Mexico had been hit with the same deadly disease. The CDC went to work, identified H1N1 and led our country's response to the crisis.

Although Ms. Sebelius' praise of the CDC was well-deserved, I was more interested in the four Secret Service agents protecting the HHS Secretary. Every suspense author loves a guy who carries a gun, and today I had a firsthand look at four members of our nation's finest security team, complete with communication earpieces and wrist radios.

My focus was directed to an especially burly guy, scanning the audience, until we locked eyes. He kept staring, and it wasn't because he thought I was cute so I turned my attention back to the podium. Ms. Sebelius wasn't nearly as intriguing, but I didn't want Mr. Secret Service to think I was up to no good. After all, I'm known to kill people daily...at least, on the written page.

I'm headed back to the conference tomorrow and hope to gather even more information that I'll use in future books. Deadly pathogens, foodborne outbreaks, pandemics...hmmm? I'm already thinking up new stories to write.

Happy reading! Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/
http://www.crossmyheartprayerteam.blogspot.com/

Visit me tomorrow at http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/ where I'll be talking about Laptop Ergonomics.

A Most Wonderful Weekend

Pamela Tracy here. I had the best weekend. Yup, the best. See, my local RWA chapter has a conference every two years. This past weekend was it: the Desert Dreams conference. This year I was co-chair of the speaker committee as well as co-chair of on-site registration. My partner was also my best friend Cathy McDavid who writes for Harlequin American. We started recruiting speakers more than a year ago. Since I'm president of the local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers, I asked my group what inspy author they'd like to hear. They voted on Robin Lee Hatcher.

Steeple Hill was represented. Besides myself, there was also Kim Watters and Glynna Kaye.

Friday Night, I hosted the inspirational table. I met two new authors. One was Pam who is interested in writing young adult. The author is Jean who writes Native American journey novels. I knew everyone else at the table. On the agenda that night was a costume parade (Only Jean dressed up. She was Mother Earth). Then, quite a few authors, editors, or agents told funny stories. One editor told about an wannabe author who sent a big box. Everyone near this editor watched as she opened the big box. Only to find another box. Five boxes later, there was a manuscript with a Barbie tied to it.

The proposal, by the way, neither involved Barbie or was purchased.

Saturday started to a slew of workshops. Besides workshops, I met with my agent Steve Laube who was taking appointments and giving a workshop. That night, after a massive booksigning, the ACFWer's, including those who hadn't attended the conference, met with Roblin Lee Hatcher for Q and A. She was very gracious and open.

Sunday, Brad Schrieber of the Chris Vogler camp spoke.

All in all, great conference.

What I learned: Urban Fantasy a bit glutted - mostly female protagonists purchased; e-book sales still only a single percentage of all books purchased; maybe the Kindle is a wiser choice than the Ipad; historicals are getting bigger (more demand); more and more pubishers are starting to pay in four parts instead of three; the biggest hindrance to my writing is me.

A New Day--Leann Harris

These last two months in Texas have been unusually wet. And cold. I thought for a while I lived in Seattle, because all of Feb and a good part of March it was overcast and rainy. I can't remember as rainy a year as this year.

Well, that miserable time brought the most beautiful flowers this month. I grow Irises and they are tall and blooming up a storm. And the bridal wreath and primroses. And everything is green and we are no longer under drought conditions.

Now why am I giving you a weather report? God showed me that out of all that darkness and rain came such beauty and renewal. So if you are going through a dark and rainy period in your life, know that God is watering those seeds in you that will bloom into beautiful flowers.

Swimming lessons

As a relatively new grandmother, I can't keep from sharing news of my sweet little granddaughter. I'm always anticipating the next time I get to see her because she lives much too far away. Right now it is seventeen days and counting. It is tough to have so much distance between us. Since we have a swimming pool, and her parents have a swimming pool, her mom and dad have enrolled her in a safety swimming course for toddlers. Her dad was a bit skeptical about whether, at sixteen months, she would even understand what the instructors were trying to teach her about staying afloat if she accidentally fell into the pool. But even though, she cried at her first lesson, her dad's now a believer after he saw her holding onto the bar at the side of the pool by herself.

Here is a photo of my granddaughter in our pool with her mother when they were visiting a year ago. She was already enjoying the pool.



I'm pleased that she is learning some pool safety, even at a young age. Of course, there is no substitute for adult vigilance and safety alarms when it comes to swimming pools and little kids, but it eases my mind that she would know what to do if she fell in. I still remember taking my two girls for swimming lessons when they were still babies because we had a swimming pool. I'm thankful that they learned to swim at a very early age.

When did you learn to swim?

An unexpected visitor

Pat Davids here.

I have to complain about this. Our quiet, sleepy neighborhood has become a mess. The city is repairing a main bridge on our end of town and all the traffic is being rerouted past our block. It's a sand street and I am living in a Kansas dust bowl as dump trucks and heavy equipment rumble past our house all day long raising clouds of choking gray dust. I wish it would rain.

Then yesterday, out of the dust, came a young visitor. She barely got out of the way of a speeding car.

She doesn't have a name. She has a collar but no tags and a tail that wags in spite of her thinness. You wouldn't believe how thirsty she was. I think she just got lost in all the confusion and changing traffic patterns. I don't recognize her from our neighborhood.

My yellow lab, Sadie, didn't care to have her home invaded, but I couldn't leave this poor girl out on her own. After some stiff-legged growls and a huff or two, they decided to be friends and chase each other around the yard.

How strange is it that when our lives seem all a mess and nothing is going right, God sends us a small reminder to be grateful for the little things. Like a bowl of water, a new friend and our own loving home.

I've been trying to think of a name for my visitor. I know I can't keep her. I've put up signs to direct her owner this way. I hope someone wants her. She's so sweet. Tomorrow, if no one claims her, she'll go to our no-kill shelter. Did you know black dog are hard to adopt out? Who could not want those pretty eyes and wagging tail. Perhaps her white markings will make her more acceptable.

I thought of Twinkle Toes for a name. She got those cute white feet. Or maybe Lucky Lady because the car missed her. Blacky just won't do. Okay writers and readers. I need a name for this girl. I'm not taking her to the shelter without one.

Taking Time to Say Thanks

Sandra Robbins here with the report of a wonderful experience I had this weekend. Some months ago I was invited by the Magnolia State Romance Writers Chapter to participate in a book signing that they were going to sponsor. As an author I'm always delighted to get a chance to meet people who love to read and sign my books for them. So last Friday I traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, for the book signing on Saturday.

This book signing, though, was different from any I'd done before. Participation was by invitation only, and authors had to have ties to Mississippi. Although I live in Tennessee, at one time my husband and I lived in Mississippi as we attended school at Mississippi State University and then lived for a time in Jackson. We've always felt a strong bond to the state and the people who live there.

Another difference about this event was that authors who participated were donating all proceeds from the sale of their books to the Mississippi Association for Adult and Community Education. As a former teacher and principal, adult literacy is a cause that I've supported for years. As an educator, I knew the staggering numbers of adults in America who can't read or have never finished high school. It was an honor to be a part of an endeavor to support the cause of literacy in Mississippi.

You may have seen the bumper sticker that says "If you can read this, thank a teacher." I'm thankful for my teachers who instilled the love of reading in me, and I thank God for them. If you haven't thanked one of your teachers or thanked one of your children's teachers lately, I hope you'll take time to do that. Nothing makes me feel better than for former students or parents to come up to me with big smiles on their faces and say, "Do you remember when..."

I guarantee you'll make a teacher's day if you take the time to say thanks.

Pine Pollen is Raining Down! by Missy Tippens

Missy Tippens, here.

Well, after Marty's post on Tuesday about spring cleaning, I thought I'd show you what we're dealing with in Georgia--which might just make Marty crazy! :)

First, this photo is looking off my deck. Gorgeous! But on the deck...check the next photo. That table is not supposed to be yellow. On Tuesday, the pine pollen (here, NE of Atlanta) started falling like crazy! You could see it thick and blowing in the air. Luckily, pine pollen is too large to be an allergen. But it sure is an irritant! :)

Oh, and check the last photo. That is our glass table that's supposed to be clear. It got an awful coating of pollen on Tuesday! Yes, I wrote a message for you. :)

I'd never seen pollen like this until I moved to Georgia. What about you? Do you get it this bad in the spring?

SPRING CLEANING by Marta Perry

What is it about the first warm days and the appearance of daffodils in the yard that makes my mind turn to housecleaning, of all things?! A young man's fancy may turn to love at this time of year, but for me, it's the urge to have my house clean, inside and out. It must be something in the Pennsylvania Dutch genes--that's all I can think. When I was a child, my mother treated spring cleaning as seriously as a spiritual ritual. Everyone had to help, and everyone got to share in the satisfaction. And in those days, with a coal furnace, the house got really dirty over the course of a long, cold winter!

Just now, with a book due May 1st and another due August 1st, I have plenty of excuses not to dive into spring cleaning. After all, houses don't get nearly as dirty now as they used to. But the urge wouldn't go away. As a sort of compromise, I started with my office. After all, a clean office will make my work go better, won't it?

I began with sorting out my storage closet. Oh, dear, oh, dear. There were things in there which hadn't seen the light of day in years. I became slightly side-tracked, reading through old magazine stories and wondering whether this or that old manuscript might be re-cycled into a new story. I discovered connection cords for printers long gone and several hundred feet of telephone cable. Wonder what I was saving that for?

Finally, buried in with office supply receipts from 1990 (Tip: you don't have to save records for the IRS for more than seven years, it seems.) I discovered a list I'd made sometime in my first few years of writing. Turns out that my first year of actually selling what I wrote was 19**, and in that year I wrote twelve short stories and sold six for the magnificent total of $185! Somehow, that hand-written sheet brought back all those feelings I had when I sold my very first story. Someone liked my writing enough to pay me for it! Real people would read and perhaps enjoy the story I had created! I was a writer!

Over the years, that excitement sometimes gets buried under deadlines and publicity opportunities and galleys to read and talks to give. But you know what? It's still there. It's just as exciting to sell a book now as it was when I sold that first little story to a children's Sunday School paper. I just need to be reminded of that once in awhile.

So now not only do I have a clean office, I have a renewed sense of purpose about my writing. That was certainly worth a few hours of hard labor, wasn't it? I'm diving into the last few chapters of the current work with energy to spare.

I wonder what I'll find when I start on the kitchen?

Have a great spring, everyone.

Hugs,
Marta

You Know You Need Therapy When ...

Camy here! And yes, I am admitting I probably need therapy.

Since January, I’ve been learning how to spin wool into yarn. Yes, going way old school! I decided to learn because a lot of knitters spin yarn, and I thought it sounded kind of neat, and I may as well try it.

Well I bought a drop spindle and loved learning how to use it! Spinning is incredibly soothing. Something about the feel of the wool and the physical motions of drafting and stuff is just really relaxing.

So then I started haunting Craigslist and found a used spinning wheel for really cheap. The picture above is what it looks like. It’s a Louet S15, basically a beginner’s wheel.

And here’s the yarn I made! You can see the varying degrees of ugliness. :) I am also experimenting with different drafting methods so that’s also why the second skein from the left is so incredibly uneven.

So why do I need therapy? Possibly from LOVING THIS NEW HOBBY WAY TOO MUCH THAN IS HEALTHY FOR ME! I stay up late spinning! I can’t wait to ply my yarn! I want to try all kinds of new types of spinning! I have even calculated that spinning my own yarn can sometimes be cheaper than buying it and I am seriously considering spinning my own yarn for a cardigan I want to knit!

Aaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuugggggghhhhhh!

I need serious help.

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Her novels Single Sashimi and Deadly Intent are out now. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels and ponders frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for giveaways!

The Story Behind Love Lessons

The Story Behind Love Lessons
By Margaret Daley

Steeple Hill asked me to write a three book series about homeschooling because I was a teacher for twenty-seven years. I said yes, then delved into the world of homeschooling. I have friends who homeschool their children and one worked with her grandchildren. I talked and interviewed tons of people who are doing it. I visited a school where homeschoolers come to take classes, especially elective ones like music, art and drama. I saw a friend’s room where she taught her children. Even as a teacher, I dealt with students who were learning at home because of medical or behavioral reasons.

I discovered there were many reasons why a parent decided to homeschool. In my series I show only three of those reasons. For this first book, I wanted to show a father involved in his child’s homeschooling. So many of the people I talked with were women, but sometimes both parents worked with their children in homeschooling. I personally never talked with a father who did, but I wanted to show it could work and does.

Although the books don’t go into depth about homeschooling because the stories are a romance first and foremost, I wanted to show some of the problems that arise when homeschooling as well as the rewards. Parents wrestle with different issues—some how to do it, others about their capability to teach effectively, even others motivating their children or managing their time to get everything in. It is time consuming—a job—an important one. Trying to give your child all the opportunities he needs to learn and socialize with others isn’t always easy with the resources in some communities. Online support has helped some parents as well as co-ops in their towns. A lot more curriculum has been developed in the past years to assist parents. It is becoming more recognized in some states, but parents do have to check the requirements in their state.

Have any of you homeschooled? Do you know someone who has? What are your feelings concerning homeschooling children? Pros? Cons?

Blurb for Love Lessons:

Homeschooling his daughter is new to devoted single father Ian Ferguson. To ensure his child gets a good education, the busy CPA hires a temporary tutor to help out during tax season. Twenty-three-year-old college student Alexa Michaels is too young--and too pretty--to be right for the job. Yet his daughter is coming out of her shell and learning. Still, Ian is traditional, and sweet Alexa--who graduated from the school of hard knocks--is challenging some of his old-school ways. Can this dad learn some valuable lessons about love, family and faith from the least likely teacher?

Love Lessons, out in April, is the first book in the Love Inspired series. Then comes The Heart of a Cowboy in July, and then finally A Daughter for Christmas in November is the last in the Happy Homeschooling Series.

Lisa Mondello here with a big hello.

If you have not visited the Craftie Ladies of Romance or the Craftie Ladies of Suspense lately, I'd like to invite you all to visit the blog so you can enjoy some wonderful short stories some Love Inspired Romance and Suspense authors have put together for you.

Over on the Craftie Ladies of Romance site An Easter Story is still being told. Each day a new chapter is written by a different author. It's a lot of fun and we love hearing what readers think about what has happened and what they think will happen next.

Over on the Craftie Ladies of Suspense blog we have 3 short stories posted. Check the archives for December for our Christmas story. In February we had Killer Chocolate: A Valentine Mystery. And in March we had a St. Patty's Day story. They were lots of fun to write and I know you'll enjoy reading them. Make sure you scroll back to the PART ONE post and read forward.

I hope you all have a happy and blessed Easter Sunday this weekend. Lisa Mondello

http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

Join us on FACEBOOK so you won't miss a single short story!

April Fools Day - Carolyne Aarsen

I don't like to play April Fool's jokes. Mostly because I can't usually think of anything that is funny enough and mostly because I can't top the one that my husband and I played on our children a number of years ago.

All the kids were still living at home and at the time we were full fledged ranchers with cows and horses and pastures and fences. It was a coolish Saturday morning. Snow still covered the fields up here and we had been warned by the children that there would be no getting them up early to do chores. It was Saturday and they were sleeping in. Saturdays at our home were sacrosanct. The kids would help us do the chores gladly enough, but on Saturday, helping didn't happen until after 11:00. And on the whole we were willing to comply. Waking up the kids before 11:00 took more time than I like to spend. They needed to be woken gently, carefully ushered in from their sleep to the day. And this needed to be done more than once for each child. It could take over an hour and each time I went to the room, it was with a feeling of trepidation. Much easier to poke a stick into a grizzly bear den than to wake a sleeping teenager before noon on a Saturday.

So the kids were sleeping. My husband had to get up early for some reason or another so I got up too. Ten minutes later he burst into the house yelling, "The cows are out. The cows are out."

This was akin to yelling 'fire' in a movie theatre. Cows out of the fences meant hours of work and required all the bodies available. Cows out of fences had sometimes taken up the entire day of herding, chasing and making them return home. The phrase "Until the Cows come home" means a whole lot more if you realize that cows don't. Come home that is.

Out kids knew that and within minutes our farm kids tumbled out of the room, tossing clothes on and waiting for orders. Four teenagers, at my husband's beck and call at 6:30 on a Saturday morning.

"April Fools", he cackled, slapping his leg and laughing out loud.

No one joined in the joke except me. Then to pile onto the injury he said, "Since you guys are up anyway, why don't you help me move some bales and feed the cows."

It took until noon before any of them could appreciate the joke . And I don't think we played a better=r one on them since.

How about you? What was your best April Fools Joke? Do you like playing them?

Do you ever question?

Dana Corbit here.

I've been thinking about this lately. I worry sometimes that I'm a bit of a fair-weather fan when it comes to my walk with God. Not that I turn my back on Him like Detroit Redwings fans do when the Wings aren't winning. But I find it much easier to celebrate God's miracles than I do to understand when bad things happen to good people or even God answers "no" to prayers. Okay, I admit it: I question sometimes. I ask why instead of trusting that God has a plan.

My toughest questions come when those bad things involve sweet little people, so I've been questioning a lot lately. In the last few months, three of my friends have had to watch in agony as their newborn grandchildren were hospitalized with critical illnesses. A fourth friend is at a loss on how to console her daughter after the young woman's son was stillborn. I praise God for healing the two babies that are home with their parents now, and I pray for that mourning mother and the other baby boy who still lingers, waiting for God's healing hands. But those questions keep coming. Why?

As I write my stories, I try to write characters who are imperfect Christians - people who believe and yet question sometimes, those who have a hard time letting go and letting God fill the driver's seat in their lives. Since I'm one of them, those people are pretty easy for me to write. :)

I found this Scripture to help give me confidence when I'm questioning. Hope it will help you as well.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." Matthew 6:33-34 (RSV)

Opening New Doors

Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at http://www.gailmartin.com/

Authors have many opportunities to step through new doors that open as their career grows. Naturally, I love writing and am enjoying my new series, Dreams Come True. But writing isn't the only thing that keeps some writers busy.

Coming from a teaching and counseling background (I still maintain my counseling license), I have stepped through two new doors as an author. The picture above was taken in Dallas two weeks ago when I was on staff of American Christian Writers. On Friday I taught four continuing classes on Writing Christian Fiction. I had appointments with writers and delivered the banquet keynote address. On Saturday, I presented two other workshops, kept more appointments with authors, and delivered the plenary address before serving on the staff panel for the end of conference.

I enjoy presenting new ideas and techniques to budding writers and even experienced one. Learning never stops, and we all benefit from hearing about new ways to approach our novels.

But another door that I love is presenting keynote addresses at churches and ladies events. Last weekend I spoke in Washington, Michigan to a wonderful group of women for their annual breakfast retreat. My address was two fold: a humorous look at a writer's journey followed by the more serious topic, Spring Cleaning Your Heart and Mind, appropriate for the season.

During this event, I had a book table where I giveaway prayer pads, calendars, pens, and a copy of one of my children's short stories with a lesson that reflected the message in my talk along with other giveaways. I also offer my books for purchase and autographing. These wonderful ladies nearly wiped out my display of books. What a blessing to have time to talk to these woman who love to read.

Before I say goodbye for now, don't forget to look for Bride in Training in stores in mid-June and available to direct maill readers much sooner. It's the final story in the Man's Best Friend Series. If you love dogs and romance, you'll enjoy this book.

Splinter faith and pre-order splendor

Okay so I know that title was kinda cheesy...but I'm headed out the door to visit my granny Veda in the hospital.

God literally breathed life back into her a couple days ago. The extended time we've been given with her is a precious gift and I want to go treasure her. Hold her hand. Hear her voice. Make her laugh with silly stuffed dogs that wiggle and giggle. She also has a little clacker rabbit that bounces across her bedside table and causes her to smile.

For more of that story, visit my personal writing blog here.

In other news, my next release is up for pre-order now. Wahoo! Steadfast Soldier is a June release...my goodness this year is flying by. Here are some links if you're interested.

Christianbook.com

Borders

Or you can Google it.

It will also hit store shelves around May 26-June 1 or so. For those of you who follow the Wings of Refuge Series, this is Chance's story.

I'd love to know what good trait or traits that one or more of your grandparents passed down to you or to one of your siblings or to your children.

I think I have my granny Veda's ornery sense of humor. So does my Aunt Linda, her middle daughter. My niece has her selfless generosity. My mother has her kindness and gentleness and her unconditional understanding. My sister and my aunt Anna (her olded daughter) have her tenacity. My children and some of my cousins, Joey and Jodi have her high cheekbones, courtesy of her American Indian heritage. And by marriage, my dad inherited her fishing skills. Unfortunately I did not. LOL!

And today, we all have her. Just her. Live. In person. Not yet only a memory. I can't begin to explain how overwhelmed with thankfulness I am to have been given more time.

If you've lost your grandparents, you are deep in my prayers today. May God bless you with many happy memories and with the hope of Heaven that Jesus gave us when He made a way for us to reunite with our loved ones. Heaven will be one enormous family reunion, yes, but I'm also glad to treasure time and their essence this side of eternity too.

If you don't live close to your grandparents or your parents, get offline right now and call 'em. LOL! Tell them you love them and languish in the sound of their voice. If they're close in proximity or geographically, get over there and hug them a little tighter and a little longer today. :-)

Thank you for supporting our blog with your readership.

Don't forget to share what good qualities you or your family members inherited from your grandparents. I'd love to hear it in the comment section.

Have a wonderful day.

Cheryl Wyatt

Please let it be spring--Lenora Worth

This weekend I went through three different kinds of weather. First, I got to sit on a balcony in Florida and enjoy a warm balmy breeze and a calm blue sea. Sea gulls and sandpipers stood in the sand, their feathers ruffling against the warm wind. A few early risers walked along the beach, bending now and then to search for perfect shells. Later that night, the wind picked up and the next morning, the sky was an unpredictable gray, the waters a bit more choppy and dark. A storm was rolling in off the gulf. By late afternoon, the wind roared across the beach, sending umbrellas flying and causing tourists to grab their towels to keep them warm. During the night, the storm hit, the sound of an angry, slashing rain warring with the crash of waves plummeting the coast. Sunday morning was cold and wet. On the trip home, we ran into snow flurries along the Interstate, and this after the first day of spring. The temperature was hovering in the high thirties. My vision of a calm sea and a warm sunshine seemed so far away. A beautiful day, a stormy night and a change in temperature that produced pretty flakes of falling snow. All in one weekend. Is it no wonder that Mother Nature is considered a woman? She has many moods and she is a constant surprise to us. I think this is a metaphor for how we stumble through life. Some days are calm and pleasant. Others are stormy and dark. Some days are chilly and amazing--how can each snowflake be so different and yet so beautiful when tossed together in a snow drift? The good news is that each day, regardless of the weather, is a chance to renew our souls and get through our own storms. I wonder, have you ever been caught in a real storm when you also had a storm of troubles in your life? How did you handle that situation?

Typical Reader

Stephanie Newton here.  I read something recently about the target audience for Christian radio broadcast.  They call her Becky.  She's a 30-something to 40-something suburban soccer mom with two kids and a minivan.  (Okay, I made up the part about the minivan, but I'm pretty sure that's part of the deal.)  I mentioned this to my husband and said that I was a little offended because I fit the description to a T.  His answer:  don't you love the Christian radio station you listen to?

Well, yes I do.  Apparently, they have me pegged.  And apparently, I should be more aware.  Once I started looking, I could see that even my grocery store is aiming for a target demographic.  A pastor who preaches to a church full of college students about what to do in retirement isn't going to have a full church very long.  He has a target demographic too.


Now, I know that there is so much more to me than suburban soccer mom of two.  I have interests and hobbies that are completely different than the soccer mom of two who lives next door to me, but I do think fundamentally, we might have more in common than we think.  Here at this blog, we are all different ages, but we have a love of the Lord and love of romance that brings us together.

That said, I'm curious about "us." Who are we?  Readers?  Writers?  Do we read romance?  Suspense?  Both?  Only Christian fiction, or a mix?  Leave a comment about yourself--in generic terms, if you like.  Suburban, urban, rural, grandmother, mother, teenager, student, mom.  Tell me what you're reading now.

I'll get us started on this very un-scientific poll.  At the end of the day, I'll give away a copy of Smoke Screen to a random commenter, so please leave your email address, if you'd like to win it.  Thanks!

Would you look at that.

Do I need to say more? A picture's worth a thousand words, right? So what's the story behind the photo.

My daughter called me in a panic one day, asking if her father was still at home. No. Why? Because her dog had jumped on the sofa intent on eating her lunch. She landed on the back of the arm that came down and the couch swallowed her. When I got to my daughter's house, the dog had slipped further down into the couch and I could only see her nose. She wasn't struggling, but simply gave me a pleading look. Help.

I laughed so hard I wasn't any help. Animal control came out and helped us pull the dog out. She was okay, didn't break any bones.

You'd think she learned her lesson, but you'd be wrong.

Do you use a pressure Cooker?

Camy here! I am writing today’s blog post because I must confess to loving my pressure cooker almost as much as my husband.

Yes, it’s a dirty little secret. If my pressure cooker gives up the ghost (which I know it will eventually due to the excessive use I deal to it), I will cry copious tears before going on Amazon.com to buy a new one.

Why, you ask, such emotion over a cooking pot?

My number one reason is: homemade chicken stock. If you have never had it before, you are missing out on one of the wonders of the culinary world. And the best part about it is that even though cookbooks tell you that you can only make homemade chicken stock with a stockpot and a whole chicken and 3-4 hours of your time, in reality, you can make stock in less than half an hour, and most of that half hour is waiting while it cooks.

I use a chicken carcass and/or chicken bones and/or chicken gizzards and throw them in the pressure cooker. (I usually freeze any bones/gizzards/carcasses I come across in my normal cooking life so they’re ready for whenever I need stock.) I follow with a carrot broken into chunks, a celery rib broken into chunks, and an onion coarsely chopped. I throw in a bay leaf and a teaspoon (I eyeball it) of thyme (you can use whatever herb strikes your fancy). I add water to the little line on the inside of the pressure cooker (very convenient), slide the lid in place, and put it on the stove on high heat.

When the rocker is going wild, I lower the hear to medium low and time it for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, I cool the pot by running it under the faucet for a minute or two, then I strain the contents into a bowl with a colander inside to collect the solids.

Solids go in the trash, stock goes in the fridge so the fat congeals on the top and I can scrape it off the next day. I use the stock or freeze it. I’ve sometimes used the stock the day I make it and don’t bother skimming the fat, but my husband scolds me when I do that.

I have made the most fantastic vegetable soups with this miracle stock. It makes kale and cabbage taste amazing.

My number two reason for loving my pressure cooker is: beans. I don’t even presoak them, I just throw them in the pressure cooker with water (to a special line for beans) and let it go to town for about 30 minutes.

I’ve made homemade, fat-free refried beans from dried pinto beans, and I will never go back to the canned stuff. Slather that yummy goodness on a tortilla and you’re in heaven. My cholesterol levels like it, too.

There are other uses for my pressure cooker, I know: pot roast, stew, sauces, chicken, rice. But my most common uses are the chicken stock and beans.

So have I inspired you? I kind of hope so. Life is too short to waste on canned stock when you could be enjoying an exceptionally yummy soup made with homemade stock. And it uses those gizzards/bones/carcasses you’d otherwise throw away.

So do you use a pressure cooker? If you do, what do you use it for?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Her novels Single Sashimi and Deadly Intent are out now. She runs the Story Sensei critique service, is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels and ponders frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for giveaways!

Spring has sprung (colds, that is)

By Barbara Phinney

Okay, there are many indications that spring has sprung. The male cats on our street have made their annual pilgramage to our barn cats. The sugar bush is open! And only during this time of year can the forecast call for ten degrees celius weather with a chance of snow.

I hve no idea how nature is going to pull that one off!

But we're also facing spring colds and my son came home sick from school yesterday, full of cold and determined to sleep the day away.

We need to air out the house, but the temps outside, not to mention the still-high snow drifts and cost of reheating the house, make it prohibitive.

But I woke up this morning with the idea of spraying that kid's room with Lysol. The heavy duty industrial strength, the stuff they usually reserve for massive biocontamination spreads on which the world hasn't seen since Dustin Hoffman donned a bio suit in the seventies.

I won't forget doorknobs, TV remotes, portable gaming systems, pens, pencils, erasers, and if I can pry his cell phone from his tight fingers, I'll decontaminate that, too.

And then the kid won't have germ to stand on when he wants to come home and sleep.

Writing a continuity

The Love Inspired Suspense continuity this year is Protecting the Witnesses about the Witness Protection Program. I am one of six authors in this series that runs from January to June. The first book was Marta Perry's Twin Targets out in January. Next came Killer Deadline by Debby Giusti in February. My book is the third one in the series with Cowboy Protector, out this month. After my book is Deadly Vows by Shirlee McCoy, the Fatal Secrets by Barbara Phinney and lastly, Risky Reunion by Lenora Worth.

I loved working with these authors. One of the reasons I enjoy doing continuity series is the authors I get to work with--all top notch. But also it is a challenge to make all the stories fit together. We had to work closely together to make sure our stories fit together into a whole picture. Each of us were responsible for certain continuity threads in our story that would link the books together. We formed a yahoo loop to discuss our series and work out the details. We ran scenes by the others, especially when their characters were in the scenes. I especially had to work with Shirlee (with the book after mine) about her hero and heroine as well as with Debby (with the book before mine) about her heroine.


Blurb for Cowboy Protector:

Two years ago, Hannah Williams left the Witness Protection Program—and she's been running ever since. To stay ahead of the mob, she changes her name and location constantly. So when she takes a job caring for a Montana rancher's sick daughter, she expects to leave soon. But little Misty Taylor tugs at Hannah's heartstrings—and so does her handsome father. Hannah knows Austin Taylor suspects she's keeping secrets. But how can she tell him the truth without endangering the pair she's come to love?

Giving God Our Dreams

Sandra Robbins here with some things that have been on my mind lately. About two years ago a middleaged woman with unruly hair and wearing an ordinary dress stepped onto the stage of Britain's Got Talent and told the startled judges that included Simon Cowell that she had a dream to be a professional singer. Everyone in the audience laughed at her, and the judges couldn't control the skepticim on their faces. A few minutes later Susan Boyle's voice soared as she sang I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables. And the rest is history. Susan's first album released before last Christmas and sold more in a single week than any other in history. She is known world wide and is in high demand as a performer.

On a much smaller scale, I, too, had a dream to write a book. I promised myself I would do it someday, but those somedays never came. Then one night I began to write, and six months later I'd written a book. That book never sold, but I learned so much from writing it. I wrote another, and then another. Then the day finally came that I received the call of a sale. Now with three books released and three more contracted, I can only give God the glory for working a miracle in my life.

God has planted dreams in all our hearts, and it's up to us to find out what He would have us do with them. All He asks is that we turn them over to Him. When we do, we have to watch for the blessings and opportunities He sends our way and take advantage of them.

Susan Boyle dreamed a dream, and so did I. Has God placed a dream in your heart? If He has, don't be afraid to let God take you where He wants you to go.

Hello everyone, Terri Reed here. Not sure what to blog about today. I find blogging rather hard at times. I mean what do I have to say that would be of interest to anyone? Yes, I write stories, so I obviously have lots to say but that's fiction. In fact, I'm working on my nineteenth book, which is due on March 30th, so maybe that's why I'm staring at the blank blog page with glassy eyes and absolutely no idea of what to say. Hmmmm. Let's see...
Spring is coming, though yesterday after a mostly sunny day it snowed last night.
This coming weekend we observe daylight savings time, which in the fall I am thankful for, gotta love an extra hour of sleep! But in the spring, we lose that extra hour we've become accustomed to. Ugh!
I watched part of the Oscars this last Sunday night. Only part because I forgot it was on. I was disappointed that in the memoriam they didn't honor Farrah Fawcett. I know, I know, she was more of a TV star than a movie star but still...
I thought Sandra Bullock's acceptance speech was very sweet and funny. I like her as an actress. I've heard that the Hurt Locker is a very well done story. One of these days I'll have to rent it. I did see Avatar, though not in 3D--I get motion sick easily. It was a fun and visually exciting movie. I enjoyed UP, though I did cry. I'm such a sap.
In two weeks the Public Library Association is having its convention here in Portland Oregon. I'll be signing in the Romance Writers of America booth on Friday the 26th, right after Christina Dodd http://www.christinadodd.com/(whom I'm a big fan of). Imagine masses of people in line for her that will all wander away when I sit down to sign. LOL.
My newest release coming up in May, COVERT PURSUIT, will be part of a promotional package that Harlequin will be sending out during May through September. I'm excited to see what they do with it.
Over at the Craftie Ladies of Suspense, http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/ we are doing a St. Patrick's Day continuing mystery. Starting Monday March 8th through the 18th, each day a Love Inspired Suspense Author will post a piece of the story. Its a fun endeavor and a bit challenging. We did a Valentine's Day mystery that was well received. And over at the Craftie Ladies of Romance, http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/we'll be doing an Easter Romance. Stop on by and check us out.
Well, as I said, I'm in the throes of a deadline so I best get back to it.
Have a blessed week everyone!

Thoughts of Spring

by Debby Giusti

Daffodils are blooming in my garden, and the sun is shining today. The weatherman predicts heavy rain and dropping temperatures in the afternoon, but this morning feels like spring. After a cold winter, the first warm days renew me and fill me with the promise of a new beginning. The worst of winter has passed, and the world is preparing to be reborn in glory.

Once again, I am reminded of Christ's message of salvation, which will be celebrated anew on Easter. That Paschal Mystery of birth, death and resurrection is as much a part of life as winter moving into spring. I must plant seeds to see them grow tall. I must be pruned in order to grow strong. I must look for the good that comes from every situation, no matter how difficult. In my writing life, I must begin anew with each manuscript, pulling together bits and pieces from my world to create characters that blossom into fully developed heroes, hopefully worthy of my readers' interest.

Today, I'm giving thanks for sunshine and flowers, for the words that fill my mind and beg to be written and, most especially, for a God who loves us all.

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

Visit me at http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/ to read The Irish Mystery, presented each day in segments by the Craftie Ladies of Suspense.

KILLER HEADLINE-Book Two in the Protecting the Witnesses Continuity Series-still available!

Four nominations; First win

Pamela Tracy here and hopefully the title took you to Oscar land. I did watch part of the Oscars last night. Not because I wanted to but because while I was in the shower the doorbell rang and company (not really, it was grandma and grandpa) came over. I don't think I've ever been someone who watched the Oscars, and the last few years, I truly have no need to watch. I don't get to the movies. The only one that won anything I'd seen was the movie Up. Yup, a cartoon, and even with it I only got to see maybe a half hour because my four-year-old got scared when there was a tornado followed by a dog-chasing scene. We had to leave the theator. But I digress.

Last night I watched the Oscars (with really wet hair) because hubby, grandma, and grandpa all wanted to. Mikey and I were hopelessly outvoted. And here's my take away. Everytime they announced the winner, they said something along the lines of "This is their eighth nomination and first win" or "This is their eighth nomination and third win."

I've always thought the acting business and the writing business were related. When I sold my first book, had their been an announcement, it would have sounded something like "This is her 32nd submission and first sale!" By the way, I'm not making up the number 32.

Once you've made that first sale, it doesn't end. With each book, there's always the Oscar hope (RITA, really) and the Razzie worry (A one! I got a one from RT!)

My biggest complaint (sigh) is no matter where I fall, I'll never be a size three in a dress made just for me. hehehe

So, what would your nod say? Fill in the blank. "This is her _____ submission and first sale!"

Coming March 16th -- Kansas Courtship By Victoria Bylin

Kansas Courtship comes out on Tuesday, March 16th. This is the third book in the Love Inspired Historical series called “After the Storm.” It's about a Kansas town recovering from a tornado in 1860. I had a blast working with Valerie Hansen and Renee Ryan. Val wrote High Plains Bride (Book #1) and Renee did Heartland Wedding (Book #2).

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Rising Storm . . .
Town founder Zeb Garrison is finally getting his wish--a qualified physician is coming to High Plains. Yet when Dr. N. Mitchell turns out to be the very pretty Nora Mitchell, Zeb is furious. The storm-torn town needs a doctor, but Zeb needs someone he can trust--not another woman who's deceived him. If Nora's going to change his mind, she'll have to work fast. All she has is a one-month trial to prove her worth . . . to High Plains and to Zeb.

I’m getting a lot of nice email from Book Club readers who’ve already received copies. Just about everyone agrees that lady doctors make great heroines. It took courage to work in a profession dominated by men and faith to travel west. Dr. Nora Mitchell has those traits.

So does the Zeb Garrison, the mill owner who founded the town. Researching his profession turned into a “date day” for my husband and me. We went to Colvin Mill, a working historic grist mill in northern Virginia. We got to see the millworks in action. It was amazing! We listened to the rush of the water in the traces, the clack of the gears and the whoosh of the millstones. We felt as if we’d stepped back in time.

I hope readers have that feeling with Kansas Courtship. One of the joys of writing for Love Inspired Historicals is taking the journey while enjoying a heartfelt romance. Enjoy!

Writing, Speaking, and Conferences, Oh My.

Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin at http://www.gailmartin.com/

I've always loved the Wizard of Oz. Nothing can replace the original movie with Judy Garland and all her amazing friends. Oh thing I love about the movie is the heartfelt feeling -- There's no place like home.

Home is my solace and place of comfort, but despite that I often find myself in an airport or on a highway heading off somewhere to present writing workshops and keynote addresses at conferences or church events. It has become a third career for me. Being an author has opened so many amazing doors.

Next week, I'll be flying to Dallas, Texas to be on staff of the American Christian Writers Conference. Coming from an education background, teaching has always been a love, but being able to combine teaching writing and teaching writing that uplifts my Lord is even a greater blessing to me. Usually the ACW Conference in Dallas is one of their biggest, but the economy has taken a bit out of the conferees this year, so the director has made a tremendous offer of lowering the cost on this conference. This year tuition at only $35 per day.That’s $70 for both days instead of the usual $250.This special does not include the Awards Banquet dinner.

The Dallas ACW Conference is March 12-13, 2010 (Friday and Saturday)
Holiday Inn Select
2645 LBJ FreewayDallas, TX 75234
(972) 243-3363
(at I-35 and I-635)
Sleeping Room Block: $84 for one or two people

This is an amazing savings and I'd love to see you there. You will have the opportunity to meet and take classes from three other workshop presenters who also teach non-fiction and article writing. You will have the opportunity for free appointments to take with the presenters and join them for meals. I hope to see you there.

What would I be doing if I were home? Easy. I'm working on the first novel of my newest series called Dreams Come True, stories that revolve around parents with children who overcome serious illness. The novels are emotion-packed, fun, and romantic. What could be better? The first novel, A DADDY IN HIS DREAMS, will be in stores March 2011.

Weather

Merrillee here, who is consumed with thinking about the weather. I live in "sunny" Florida, and so far our winter has been anything but sunny. Today I'm looking at another cloudy, gloomy day. I will have to admit that most of yesterday was sunny--one of the few I've seen this year.

When I was a kid we always used to say if March came in like a lamb, it would go out like a lion. Well, it came in like a lamb, so I'm wondering whether the end of March will go out like a lion with some not-so-nice weather. This time of year our temperatures should be near 70 degrees for a high, but we are hovering in the 50's. I like to walk outside, but I'm a fair weather walker. I hate to be cold on the outside and too hot underneath all my clothes.

We recently took a vacation to Arizona to see our daughter and her family. We thought we were going to enjoy some warm Arizona sun. NOT. Instead, we took our cloudy, gloomy Florida weather with us. We went to visit the Sonora Desert Museum, and I was almost too cold to enjoy it. Here are a few photos that I took.

Notice those big, black rain clouds in the background.


I wonder whether the mountain lion is wishing for a more sunny day. He has great camouflage, doesn't he?


Here are a couple of coyotes. I wonder what they do when it rains. At least the mountain lion has a cave for cover.

Despite the cold weather and the rain, I also saw this bright sign.


I hope, despite the dark clouds, that you can see the rainbow. It reminded me that God keeps his promises. No matter what is going on around us God is in charge. He brings the rain even to the desert. He also gave me a granddaughter who brings a smile to my face. Looking at her makes me forget all about the cloudy weather.


Despite bad weather, what makes you smile?

Mom, guess what?

Patricia Davids, here.
Prayers get answered all the time. I know that, but I'm still in shock because my long ago prayers have finally been answered.

The call started with that most benign of statements. "Mom, guess what?"

What? Good news, bad news?

"I'm getting married."

Stunned silence on my part. My daughter is getting married.

Oh, that's sweet. I can hear all the congrats and well wishes, thank you, but you don't understand. My daughter is getting married to the man she's lived with for 10 years. They have a nine-year old daughter. It was a second relationship for both of them and neither of them believed a piece of paper could make them more married than they already were.

I had honestly given up on them ever making it legal. I still can't believe it.

And they want a church wedding! You could have knocked me over with a feather.

I finally get to be the mother of the bride. I'm going to cry. I'm so happy for them and for me, and for my darling mother who has prayed for this day all along. This is a wonder of wonders.

I just had to share my good news with the world. I'd invite you all to the wedding, but I'm not sure there will be room in the church, so wherever you are on Sept 18th, stop and say a prayer for Kathy and Tony and their new life together in Christ.

Pat
still grinning