How Is Heroine Mercy Gabriel Different?

Though the artist has made my heroine, Mercy Gabriel, look like an Amish woman on the cover. She's really a Quaker. I have always been intrigued by the Quakers, another Plain group of religious dissidents who came to America for religious freedom just as the Amish were. There are still Society of Friends churches, but they don't wear the distinctive clothing they did in the past and they don't have the distinctive "Thee and thy" speech, called Plain Speech.

Here's the explanation I gave my editor so they would understand Quaker Plain Speech:

Loss of the thou/thee distinction in Quaker speech.

As the singular/plural or familiar/polite distinction died out in most of English, a change within the Quaker usage began to take hold. The accusative "thee" form began to supplant the nominative "thou". This change is said to have been most complete in America.

Interestingly, the change is parallel to the development in general English usage, where the accusative "you" eventually supplanted the nominative "ye".

Change of the inflection on the verb to third singular. As it finally evolved, much Quaker plain speech began to use the third person singular verb forms with "thee". So, instead of "thou art", "thou hast", we find "thee is", "thee has" I know of no research on this phenomenon. This, too, is said to be a peculiarly American phenomenon.

Okay, I know that reads like a grammar textbook. Here's the short form: the Quakers began in the mid-1600's in England. They did not stop using "Thee" and "Thou" which are so common in the King James Bible and begin using "you." However, as you can see, American Quakers or Friends had to be different! They dropped "Thou" and used "Thee" instead.

Do you know much about what made Quakers different besides their speech? Did you ever see the classic movie, Friendly Persuasion, with Gary Cooper about a Quaker family during the Civil War?

Drop by my blog and read what I wrote on Tuesday. I'm doing something different there!

Live Nativity Pageant

Our little town does its own version of the Nativity every year the first weekend of December. This year marked the 57 year, though there were two breaks in between. Once because there was no one to run it and another because the rain was so bad, it was dangerous for the actors, the animals, and the spectators.

My kids and I love to bundle up and trek out into the desert with our lawn chairs and mugs of hot chocolate. This year was no different. It was so peaceful and quiet -or as quiet as it could be with over 300 hundred people in attendance and the live animals, but there was such a sense of calm and peace and darkness, it's as if we were transported back into time. It's as if we were there to witness His birth. And that was the best gift of all. (although the year my son played the baby Jesus ranks pretty high up there, too)

Merry Christmas everyone. May your days be peaceful and stress free.

the days of less sunshine

Barbara Phinney here.
I've noticed the distinct lack of sun lately. I'm not talking about cloudy days here, but rather the much less daylight hours we're getting. I usually feel it this time of year, but with no one in the house this morning, I found I'd slept in way further than I had planned to.
I have a friend who has Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which is a prefect short form for it. I think we all have it to some degree.
But what to do about it? As a Christian busy in her own church, this time of year is hardly conducive to taking it easy. With concerts, and cantatas, and caroling and getting gift baskets to the shut ins, we're all doing something outside of the home, and I really feel like a lazy slob when I drive by those other homes that are already decked out for Christmas. Oh, to have room to put the tree away fully decorated! Then we could just whip it out!
I have presents bought, sure, but to get them wrapped. To me, that's like making a salad. All that piddly chopping, and arranging and tossing and stuff that is way slower than pouring frozen peas into a pot of boiling water.
See, the lack of sunshine is taking its toll on me.
But I have to look on the positive. I have a warm home, time to read great romances, and write. And I have to do things to combat any SAD that I may have.
What do you all do this time of year (pre Christmas) to keep from feeling blue?

Honolulu Marathon!

Camy here, and I am writing this from Hawaii right now! I’m here to run the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday, my first marathon ever! I ran the San Jose Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon back in October and that was fun, but this is twice as long and I hope I don’t poop out midway to the finish line.

I’ve been training for about 6 months using the Jeff Galloway Run-Walk-Run method and it’s made it so that I actually love running for the first time in my life. I did a “test” run a couple weeks ago where I took all day and ran 26 miles. OH MY GOSH my feet hurt after that but I finished all 26 miles! It also took me eight and a half hours and three potty breaks, and hopefully the marathon on Sunday will not take me so long (or as many potty breaks).

What is pathetic is that there are people who walk faster than I run.

Anyway, if you happen to think of it on Sunday, say a prayer for me!

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is her humorous contemporary romance novel, Single Sashimi, and her romantic suspense, Formula for Danger, released in September. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders dogs, knitting and spinning wool, running, Asiana, and other frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for giveways!

Click here to find out how you can join my Street Team—it’s free and there’s lots of chances to win prizes!

Sugar Plums for Christmas with Janet Tronstad

December is my favorite month of the year and it's all because of Christmas. I love Christmas music, heartwarming Christmas stories, and all of the foods that go with the season, including sugar plums. Each year I like to be working on a holiday story during December (I've done many Christmas stories set in my tiny town of Dry Creek, Montana). One of my favorite stories was 'Sugar Plums for Dry Creek' and that's because it had a little girl who loved ballet and a town that made her dreams of the Nutcracker Ballet come true. There is something dreamlike about ballet and little girls. This story is coming to life again this Christmas as a Love Inspired Classic. It puts me in the spirit of the holiday just seeing it again. What are some of your favorite Christmas activities? Or foods?

Carolyne Aarsen multitasks

This is what happens when I'm trying to do too many things at once. And because baking bread is one of those - do something - wait - do something more - events, I tend to get too carried away in the 'do something more' portion of the process. I'll get the dough started and then go back to the computer and get all caught up in my writing my story forgetting that yeast will have it's way and won't wait for me.
I've always said, baking bread is not a lot of work, but you need to be present in order to do a good job of it. I love baking bread. I've done it since I was first married and my husband said, in a plaintive tone, that he hoped I would learn to bake bread like his mother did. This fit in well with my own idea of 'living off the land' so I hied myself over to my mother-in-law's to learn the magical process. She pulled out her bread tub and started. "First you need some water, sugar and yeast." Now I"m not a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person, or writer for that matter, and I required precision. "How much of each?" I asked, pencil and paper in hand. She pursed her lips and then, "Enough water, not too much sugar and a bit of yeast." I frowned and scribbled these instructions down. Then she added the flour. "How much of that?" I asked. "A goodly amount," she replied, scooping up cups of flour with a tea cup that had lost it's handle but not it's usefulness. I realized this was not going to go well so I dutifully watched and learned, then went looking for a bread recipe with measurements and precision. However, over the following years, after baking bread week after week, (A dozen loaves at a time in my family's heyday), I've become a bit of a rebel. I measure out water, yeast, salt, eggs, oil but when it comes to the flour, I throw caution to the winds and put in "A goodly amount" until it looks like it should. Then I walk away and, sometimes, forget about it.
And then it takes over my kitchen.

A New Book from Marta Perry

What would happen if an Amish teenager were accused of murder?

The contrast between a peaceful, pastoral countryside dotted with barns and crisscrossed by horse-drawn buggies and the gritty, dark city streets of Law and Order popped into my imagination and wouldn’t let go. Who would defend this innocent-looking Amish boy? Imagine a big-city female attorney in a stylish power suit and Italian shoes trudging across a muddy pasture—there she was, the total fish out of water, my protagonist, Jessica Langdon.

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT proved to be one of the most interesting, as well as difficult, stories I’ve tried to write. Fortunately I have an attorney daughter-in-law who is only as far away as a quick e-mail. And I started with a treasure trove of knowledge about the Amish and their ways, garnered from a lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania. But juggling all of this: the mystery, the suspense, the romance, planting the seeds for the second book in the series...well, maybe I was a juggler with one too many balls in the air!

The result of my labors, MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT, is available now from HQN Books, so look for it at your nearest bookseller or online. Here’s the back cover copy:

MURDER IN PLAIN SIGHT by Marta Perry
HQN Books, December, 2010, 384 pages, $7.99
ISBN: 978-0-373-77472-2

Cover Blurb:

There are secrets buried in Amish country...

Did a sweet-faced Amish teenager brutally murder a young woman? To save her career, big-city lawyer Jessica Langdon is determined to defend him—against the community’s bitter and even violent outrage. Yet without an understanding of Amish culture, Jessica must rely on arrogant businessman Trey Morgan, who has ties to the Amish community...but believes in the boy’s guilt.

Jessica has threats coming from all sides: a local fanatic, stirred up by the biased publicity of the case; the dead girl’s boyfriend; even from the person she’s learned to trust the most, Trey Morgan. Just when Jessica fears she’s placed her trust in the wrong man, Trey saves her life. And now they must both reach into a dangerous past to protect everyone’s future—including their own.

Happy Reading!
Marta

Blue Herons and other surprises--Lenora Worth

The other day my husband called me downstairs, telling me to "walk slowly". Wondering what I was in trouble for this time, I did as he asked. When I got to the den, he told me to look out the window. We have two big bay windows on the back side of our house, one in the breakfast room and one in the den. I again followed his command. And I'm glad I did. There by the pool was a big beautiful bird. I mean, really big. It was a blue heron (except in my excitement I kept calling it a blue "herring.") I ran to get the camera and we managed to get several shots of the bird. He seemed to be aware of us and actually did a pose just for our picture. Then when my husband stood up by the French door the bird lifted up and flew into the trees. It was one of those moments where you wonder if you truly saw what you just saw. I'm glad we captured it with the camera because I don't think anyone would believe us. It's rare for such a bird to land inside a residential neighborhood. We wondered where the bird had come from and I hoped he'd find his way to a safe pond or bayou. The big bird might have been out of his element, but he handled the situation with grace and dignity.

But this got me to thinking about all the "blue herrings" in life. We all know about "red herrings" in our fiction, of course. Those are "planted" clues we use to distract the reader and our characters. But what is a "blue herring?" I think that term can be applied to the unexpected in our lives and our stories. Seeing this bird was very unexpected and for just a few precious moments, he visited our back yard and graced us with his quiet beauty. I believe God plants such moments in our lives just to remind us to "walk slowly" so we don't miss the little surprises around each turn. So the next time you witness something unique or different in your life, remember the blue heron. Sometimes we only get a few moments to see one of God's beautiful masterpieces. Those unexpected moments are our opportunity to slow down and appreciate all the beauty in life.

Happy Day After Thanksgiving

Like many of you, I enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner yesterday with family and friends. I over ate, consuming way more calories than I should. (If you’ve heard a rumor that calories consumed on Thanksgiving and Christmas don’t count, I have bad news for you. It’s not true.)

The hours of preparing the feast are behind us. Leftovers are properly stored. The good china and silverware hidden away. The oven is cool. The football game that entertained our menfolk is history, although I confess I watch football too.

And today, at last, is the day for my favorite meal of the year: 100% leftovers. (Well, there are some meals at special restaurants I particularly enjoy, but for dinner at home, this is the best.)
A few slices of turkey on a plate, a spoonful of stuffing and some yams, all covered with a dollop of gravy. Then into the microwave and ZAP. Add some homemade cranberry sauce on the side and dinner’s ready! What could be better than that? The cook’s reward for all of her hard work.
I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying the rest of the weekend. I know I plan to.

I’m also looking forward to the release of my very first Love Inspired, Montana Hearts, due in bookstores December 1st. It’s the story of a heart-transplant recipient who goes in search of the donor family to anonymously thank them. She falls love with the heart donor’s widowed husband. But does he love her for herself? Or because his late wife’s heart beats in her chest?
I think it’s the most emotional story I’ve ever written. I hope it will touch your heart.

Happy holidays!
Charlotte Carter
www.CharlotteCarter.com

Thanksgiving Blessings

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. You may be preparing a meal, baking a pie, or maybe waiting for family and friends to arrive at your home for the holiday. Or maybe you’re like me and will be traveling to be with your family. Whatever you’re doing to prepare for Thanksgiving, I’m guessing you’re thinking of what you are thankful for. Maybe you’ve had a great year and it’s not a struggle to list the many blessings in your life. Or maybe you’ve struggled with unemployment, foreclosure of your house, an illness, or even the loss of a family member or loved one.

Whatever has occurred in the past year there are always things to be thankful for and I hope if you’ve had a tough year you can find the positive. My year has been filled with wonderful blessings, but I’ve also had many years when I’ve had to dig extra deep to find those blessings. My father passed away near Thanksgiving so the holiday is difficult for me even when life is going well. But, I am thankful that he believed in Jesus as his savior and he is now in heaven with my mother and in the arms of our savior.

I am especially thankful that my family is healthy and happy. I have a wonderful church, Pastor and church family. I have had two books release in the year, Nipped in the Bud and High-Stakes Inheritance and have contracted two more to release in 2011 in the Love Inspired Suspense line. Most of all I am thankful that I have a Lord and Savior who has saved me.

So what about you? What are your holiday plans and what are you giving thanks for this year?

My Name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a Readaholic.

I went kicking and screaming, but eventally I broke down and purchased a Kindle. Yes, yes, I know. We've all heard the yeas and nays. So, before you all jump in, let me say:

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

I figured it out once. If I read a book a day and lived to be 103, I probably wouldn't make it through my TBA file (partly because I got really behind on my LIS book club).

Some of the books patiently waiting in my closet for their turn are so old that when the heroine needs help, she doesn't whip out her cell phone and punch in numbers. (I still have Harper Monograms waiting their turn and a few Loveswepts!) See, some of those books were written before Jane Q. Public could afford a cell phone or maybe before they existed as we know them.

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

But, I digress. I still very much want the print version. I purchased the Kindle because I can read it in the car without getting a headache. For some reason, I've never been able to read in the car for more than a minute before nausea followed by pounding headache. Then, my sister handed me her Kindle while we were driving from AZ to CA, and after reading for fifteen minutes, I wanted one.

My Kindle is my purse book.

The reason I'm blogging about the Kindle is because I uploaded my Bible so I'd have it with me everywhere. The Bible is better in print form. My fingers can fly over the little Kindle pad, but I have to go through about six functions if I want to change to a chapter and verse and keep up with whoever is teaching. With a print Bible, I just flip the page. I can underline easily, but keeping notes is tedious, and if I want to read them later, they're a bit hard to find. Plus, I'll never stumble on a chance margin note. I have to look for them.

My name is Pamela Tracy and I'm a readaholic.

Are you?

SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS - Researching A Small Town

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

Research is so important to even a contemporary novel. I enjoy writing stories that are set in real places and though the people are fictitious, the places and much of the information are real.


Last week my husband and I drove north to a small Michigan town called Harrisville. I'd found it on line and later realized I'd actually been there. But not for research. That makes all the difference.

This town has about 500 residents but it's a town that has many wonderful events throughout the year so it interested me as a setting for my Christmas novella which will be released as a duet book in November 2011. My story is ttitled SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS.

The first thing we did in town was stop for lunch at this great place called, Flour Garden. It's a bakery, small store and restaurant with really good food. You can see me standing in the entry way, anxious to have lunch. Manny, the owner, was so helpful.  Across the street from this restaurant is a large fur tree which they light up for Christmas.  He told me about the event in detail so I can include it in my novel. Already the streets were decorated with Christmas decorations.


My next visit was at Alcona Elementary School where I met the principal and a second grade teacher plus some other staff. They welcomed me and allowed us to take photographs and answered a multitude of questions. My heroine will work at this school.

I also visited the library and met the very nice librarian who told me about all the activities that they have there. I came home with brochures and great info. One thing they do at their Christmas In The Villiage event is to have Santa visit the library where the kids are read stories and have cookies and hot chocolate.

The town is on Lake Huron with a marina and a Harbor Park as well as a state park nearby. I viewed the homes and streets to get a feel for the community and visited the boutiques and shops in town where I also made some good connections.

I've learned after writing so many novels that accurancy pleases readers and makes me happy too.  I like my novels to feel real and so I try to be accurate.  I hope you enjoy the novella when it comes out Christmas 2011. 

Meanwhile, have a blessed Thanksgiving filled with love and blessings.

What Draws and Keeps You Reading Love Inspired?

Cheryl Wyatt here. The other day during church small group sharing time, our small group leader asked what it was that first drew us to the church. For me, it was the fact that the worship was so intimate. The lyrics sang directly to God rather than just about Him which taught me to focus more on Him. For some reason that got me thinking about what made me start reading Love Inspireds. Simply put, I know the reads are safe and will not compromise my faith. I love the story worlds and the small town feel of the books.

When I was an aspiring author, I frequented the eharlequin message boards www.steeplehill.com where I met and was mentored by author Margaret Daley (Pictured with me above). Margaret reaches out to so many authors amid her success and she has become one of my closest writer friends. She encourages and inspires me in so many ways. Her books were some of the first LIs that I read. Her hooky writing, sweet settings, spectacular plots and strong characters reeled me in.

I feel so blessed to be a part of a community of authors who so readily reach out to the up and coming authors. Many, many Love Inspired authors encouraged and cheered me along the journey. I'll bet several of them are among your favorites. People such as Margaret and Ginny Aiken. Marta Perry, Debra Clopton, Allie Pleiter and Lenora Worth. I could go on listing names for days. I feel blessed to be a part of the sisterhood that is LI.

So today I'm wondering what first drew you in to reading Love Inspireds? I would especially love to know what KEEPS you reading them?

Is it the clean, Christian content?
The authors' voices?
The small town feel?
The sense of community each book brings?
What else?

I'd really love to know! So post your thoughts in the comment section.

Thanks for sharing!

Sharing Life

Stephanie Newton here, thinking about heroes today.  Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.  For a while now, one of my 14 year old daughter’s heroes has been an Australian songwriter and singer by the name of Brooke Fraser. The first song my daughter learned to play on the guitar was one of Brooke’s songs that she wrote for Hillsong United. 

I think my thinker daughter is intrigued by a woman who reads, thinks goofy thoughts (sometimes really profound thoughts), writes these thoughts down into songs, and then sings them.  Beautifully.

So...once in a great while, if you’re really lucky, you get to meet one of your heroes.  Tonight we’re going to hear Brooke Fraser in concert.  Cool, huh?

My daughter is beside herself with excitement.  I’m pretty excited, too!  I'm posting a video so you can see her too!  Enjoy :)

Award winning author Stephanie Newton lives in Northwest Florida with her husband and two kids.  Her latest work, "Christmas Target," is available now in HOLIDAY HAVOC, a two-in-one Christmas book with Terri Reed.

Fishing for sympathy

Camy Tang here, and I'm shamelessly fishing for prayers/sympathy/offers to mail me chocolate chip cookies. I'm sick. Not horrifically sick, just a cold. But my head aches and I've got chills and I KNOW I'm sick when I'm not even hungry! I can't believe it!

Anyway, I was supposed to post today but got waylaid because of wanting to go crawl back into bed. Just wanted to let you all know. And if you could please pray for me, I'd really appreciate it! I'm a little stressed because my work is piling up while I'm out for the count. :(

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is her humorous contemporary romance novel, Single Sashimi, and her romantic suspense, Formula for Danger, released in September. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders dogs, knitting and spinning wool, running, Asiana, and other frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for giveways!

Click here to find out how you can join my Street Team—it’s free and there’s lots of chances to win prizes!

Breath of Heaven

Terri Reed here, I'm listening to my daughter practice a piece of music for her upcoming audition for her school's Christmas concert. She's singing Breath of Heaven. I believe Amy Grant is the orginal recording artist for this song. However, my daughter sings a few octives higher than Grant, so I can't really compare the two. Each are unique and beautiful in their own way. I could listen to my daughter sing for hours. In fact, I think it has been hours. Hours of practicing, working out the notes, playing with the tempo and adding riffs that aren't in the sheet music.
The song is so timeless and special. Told from the view point of Mary, the mother of Jesus, asking God for help and guidance, affirming God's goodness and graciousness. The tender words and haunting melody bring the focus of Christmas to the reason we, as followers of Christ, celebrate. The birth of our Lord Jesus.

May you find a breath of heaven as we enter into the busy holiday season.

And if you're looking for a stocking stuffer, don't forget Love Inspired books fit just right!

What Makes an Alpha Hero?

Hi there. I’m Renee Ryan and my latest release, DANGEROUS ALLIES, is a romantic spy thriller. The hero, Jack, is an American naval officer on loan to the British government. MI6 (the British equivalent of today’s CIA) sends him into Germany to photograph the blueprints of a Nazi secret weapon. The heroine is an exiled Russian princess and also the hero’s contact inside Germany.

Jack is an alpha hero through and through, which isn’t common in Inspirational Romance. So what makes a hero an alpha male? More specifically, what makes an alpha hero appealing?

Here’s my very unscientific list of character traits that make an alpha hero.

1. He has integrity. Seems straightforward, right? Not so much. Male integrity requires a strong sense of right and wrong deep within a man. He has to know who he is at the core. His yes should always mean yes, and his no should always mean no. An alpha male will always do the right thing, even if that means losing something valuable to him. He commits without compromising. Most important of all, he doesn’t intentionally hurt people to get what he wants. Rather, he refuses to make decisions that will have long-reaching, negative consequences to others.

2. He respects others people’s boundaries. Piggy-backing on my definition of integrity, a true alpha male respects others’ boundaries. He doesn’t force himself on others, especially not on women. He doesn’t insist people bend to his will just because it’s “his way or the highway.” He takes people’s word at face value. It’s not his place to read minds. This doesn’t mean there aren’t times when he knows best. But only in extreme moments of danger will he go against another’s wishes, which brings me to number three.

3. He protects those weaker than himself. In the case of protecting his loved ones and those weaker than himself, an alpha does what needs to be done. Immediately. No hesitation, no discussion. In times of danger, all bets are off. When another’s safety is the only factor at play he steps up. In other words, an alpha male protects his own, to the death if necessary. No one is getting past him. Not even the person he is protecting.

4. He likes women. Again, this is another area that seems straightforward but isn’t. An alpha male doesn’t just lust after women. He truly likes them. He enjoys their company. He revels in their differences, the sort of things that make females essentially female. He finds a woman’s femininity fascinating and alluring. He is charmed by her lilting voice and soft skin. He even gets a kick out of her shifting moods (most of the time). He recognizes that a successful man has a good woman walking beside him. And once he commits to that woman he stays committed.

So, there you have it, my list of alpha male characteristics. Thoughts? Additions?

A Character Surprise by Leann Harris

I've been working on a new proposal and had the plot and characters in mind. As I finished the first scene, a woman--a female Army veteran pushed her way into my story. She'd been injured while in Iraq and was at the equine therapy ranch for help.

Her appearance surprised me. She came out of nowhere. She didn't tell me her name or how she was injured. And I have no clue what she looks like or any of her background. Well, my female vet continues to want to pop up into the story. She's the first one who appears on scene. I keep ignoring her. Not yet, I tell her.

I know she'll make an appearance in the book because I won't be able to hold her off for the entire book. And she'll probably get her own story, but as I keep telling her, this isn't her book, so butt out.

Elections

Merrillee here, writing her blog the night before. When you read this tomorrow, maybe all of the election results will be in. Like many of you, I am glad this round of electioneering is over. What will I do when the phone rings and there isn't a robo call for a politician on the other end? I will probably find a phone solicitor on the other end.

Although I complain about the lengthy political season, and I don't always like political speeches, I have to admit that I am somewhat of a political junky. I like to see the election returns come in. I like to go to the polls and cast my ballot on election day. No early voting or absentee voting for me unless it is absolutely necessary. I treasure the opportunity to vote.

I believe my maternal grandfather sparked my interest in politics when I was a little girl. I was visiting him and my grandmother and got to stay up late and watch the Democrat National Convention the year John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were vying for their party's nomination for president. I guess that certainly dates me. I thought the roll call of states was fascinating. I don't think the conventions are nearly as interesting as they were back then. I wonder what my grandfather would think of politics now.

Everyone says that you shouldn't talk about religion or politics. I like to talk about both.

How about you? How do you like to vote?

Pat Davids on Romancing the Cowboy

A man alone on horseback on the wide, wind-swept plains as dawn is breaking in the east.

A cowboy.

This simple word conjures up feelings of strength, independence, romance...everything a hero should be, and often is, inside the covers of our books. Who doesn't love a guy who loves his horse? Who drives a beat up pick-up? Who wears those sexy chaps?

What is it about cowboys that makes us go, ahhh! Is it the horse? Is it the clothes? What makes a cowboy such a wonderful hero? I'm all ears. Tell me what you think?

Who is your favorite cowboy on the big screen or the little one? For me...John Wayne.

What's your favorite cowboy story? Love Inspired has a lot to pick from. We love cowboys.

I've given you some pictures of modern day cowboys to enjoy while you think. The man in the first picture is my brother Bob. Yup, my brother is a cowboy, and single.

These pictures were taken by my sister-in-law, Theresa, on this year's round-up out in the Flint Hills where my family has pastured cattle for four generations. I have some great memories of riding in the roundup as a kid. I come by my love of cowboys naturally.

Tell me why you love a cowboy hero as much as I do.

Janet Tronstad - Thinking Like An Old Monk

Hi, this is Janet Tronstad here. I recently forced my twelve-year-old nephew to go to the Hungtington Gardens here in Pasadena with me to see their copy of the Guttenberg Bible. It's one of the few in existence and I think it's awesome. He wasn't interested (:)), but I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Partly because I feel like we are at the same kind of crossroads in the evolution of books today. Our new ebooks are (maybe, somewhat) like the Guttenberg Press. And I feel like I'm one of the monks who might have looked up from a lifetime of painting the scrollwork in those ancient texts to protest that people would lose their reverence for books if they weren't done in the same way they had always been done. And the monks were right! No one would have ever taken one of those scrolls to the bathrub with them. The monks probably also pointed out that their books were more beautiful than the ones printed by machine -- and again they were right. The monks might have even wondered what they would do without their jobs since making the scrollwork was their life.

Change is almost always hard. You hear all kind of chatter about whether or not people are going to buy ebooks, but I want to know how you feel about the change. Nostalgic for the old? Fearful of the new? Dragging your feet in resistance? Jumping off the bridge in eagerness? Let's talk. And try, if you can, to put yourself in the mind of one of those old monks. Incredible to even think of laboring like they did to make books.

Double the fun

Hello from Carolyne Aarsen.
When I was in my baby-having years, I always wanted twins. I never thought of the challenges of shopping with two toddlers, washing two sets of dirty diapers (I didn't use disposable diapers), toilet training two children. I just imagined myself dressing them up! But I never got twins. So I inflicted my twin-yearning on my daughters by dressing them alike. they put up with it until they realized they had clothing options and then they each went their own sartorial way. However, I never got past the fascination with twins. But now, as a writer, I get to play out certain dreams and wishes. So in my book, coming out in November, I couldn't resist putting in a set of twin boys. Of course these twin boys have their own personalities. And they cause trouble for their exasperated uncle and guardian. But as the writer, I can just enjoy! I hope you can pick up Cowboy Daddy, the story of Kip Cosgrove, his twin nephews and Nicole Williams, the aunt who wants to take them away from the ranch and the only home they've known, to her wealthy father's home in the big city. And you can find out just how much fun I had writing about twins.

Autumn in the Country by Marta Perry

Here in the Pennsylvania countryside, autumn has definitely arrived, in spite of the fact that the thermometer has reached close to 70 degrees the past two days. The trees are at their peak of color now, and I fear one good storm will take the leaves off in a hurry. I decided I'd better get out and take some photos before that happens!

We have two streams that border our place--this is the larger one, Catawissa Creek. In the summer, this is our swimming hole, where the grandkids spend countless hours splashing, paddling, and catching minnows. Now the water is far too cold for that, but the color of the trees and the peaceful murmur of the stream make it well worth a visit anyway.

Fall has its rituals here. The county fair is over now, but people are still talking about it. Did you go to the fair? What did you like best? Caramel apples or apple dumplings or funnel cakes? It's a tradition to eat your way around the fair! Fair Week is followed by all the final fundraisers held at tiny country churches and fire halls throughout the county. If you don't enjoy a pumpkin festival, maybe you'd like to look for a craft sale or an apple butter sale. And of course on Friday nights the lights from the high school football stadium can be seen all over town--to say nothing of hearing the roar when our Panthers make a touchdown.

Maybe we enjoy fall so much because it brings with it a reminder of what follows. The leaves will fall, the temperatures will drop. Soon we're be watching for the first snowfall, and folks will go into their winter hibernation, not wanting to venture out to town when the roads are slick and darkness closes in so early.

Autumn is a bittersweet time of the year. Don't let it pass you by without taking the time to enjoy the activities, or just stop and stare at God's amazing handiwork and be thankful.

Blessings,

Marta

Hero Interview from A Daughter for Christmas by Margaret Daley

Hero Interview from A Daughter for Christmas by Margaret Daley:

1. Dr. Max Connors, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
I have a chance to be a father to a thirteen year old daughter I never knew I had. I'm excited and afraid at the same time.

2. What do you do for fun?
Read--mostly non fiction books about history and biographies.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Telling Rachel Howard her adopted daughter is my child--a child my ex-wife never told me she had when I was serving in the Middle East. I'm not looking forward to that, but I want to be a part of my daughter's life.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Not knowing how to be a good dad for Taylor. Suddenly I've got a teenage daughter and I didn't have the years before to get to know her and establish a relationship with her.

5. What do you want out of life?
Peace. As a doctor serving in the military in the Middle East, I've seen too much death.

6. What is the most important thing to you?
Getting to know my daughter.

7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
Non-fiction about history and biographies.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Since my ex-wife left me when I was overseas in the military, I've become very cautious of letting myself get too close to another.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
No. I didn't think it was fair to have one when I worked long hours in New York City at the hospital.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
That's hard for me to answer. There are so many historical periods I find fascinating. But I suppose if I had to pick it would be during the time when the United States became a new country. What an exciting time for us. Our founding fathers had such a vision. I would have liked to have been there and given them my two cents, especially in light of what is happening today.

Lessons in Driving

Merrillee here with a problem I would love to solve. In the area where I live, they have put in several traffic circles, also known as rotaries or roundabouts. They have caused all kinds of confusion. The roundabouts seem to bewilder many drivers who are unfamiliar with them. Even though the sign going into the circle says "Yield," people often stop. I have been behind some of these people and have to slam on my brakes, because there was no reason to stop. The driver should yield to any car already in the circle, but stopping isn't necessary when there are no cars in the rotary. Thankfully, our roundabouts are only one lane. I can't imagine the total chaos that might ensue if there were multiple lanes. Many days I would love to have a loud speaker mounted on my car, so I could give instructions on how to use the roundabout. Here are several photos of the roundabout that is still under construction near our home.


Notice the "YIELD" sign.


Another "YIELD" sign.



Have you had any experience with roundabouts? Is there anything that especially annoys you when driving?

A Gal Can Dream....

Kim Watters here. The other day I had the honor of attending a book talk and signing of my son’s favorite author, Rick Riordan. In case you haven’t heard of him, maybe Percy Jackson rings a bell? Of course if you don’t have kids, maybe you haven’t heard of the man who drew 1100 people for this event. Yes folks, that’s 1100 and that’s only the lucky ones that got in, many more were turned away.

The bookstore and Rick handled the signing very well. Books were given out when we checked in (my son got the book and I bought an extra ticket to get in) and everyone pretty much started reading them immediately, my son included. After Rick did his talk and read an excerpt, it was time for the book signing. People were grouped by letters in the alphabet and were called up one at a time. The rest of us in the audience were treated to cartoons while we waited. As a parent of a very impatient child, that was a very much appreciated so I didn’t have to listen to “Is it our turn yet?”

When our turn finally came we were met by several store employees as we got to the front of the line. The first checked our tickets to make sure no one snuck ahead, the second put the book flap in the right place, and the third wrote my son’s name on a sticky note so Rick would spell it right.
Finally at the front, another employee sat next to Rick and took the books and opened them so Rick could sign. Since each person could get a book signed, I carried one of Rick’s other books for my son, so that meant he signed 1100 books plus whatever stock the book store had left over. The whole time I kept thinking that Rick had to be getting writer’s cramp, but he still had a smile for everyone in line and even asked my son if he had any questions. What a guy. He made my son’s day.

As an author myself, I hope that I leave my readers with that kind good feeling when they walk away from my table with my latest book in their hands. Even if I have 1100 people there. A gal can dream, can’t she?

commit to be being committed

My church is doing r12. No, we're not insulating the attic, that's already been done. (And it saved us a bunch of money, but that's beside the point)
Nope, we're doing Romans 12, a spiritual journey of surrender, by Chip Ingram.
So you ask, what's that got to do with writing? After all, surrender to me conjures up non-action, compliance, sitting down and giving up. Certainly not characteristics of my heroines! (I really have to rein them in sometimes. They act like me with PMS!)
Why don't we, instead, change the word to Commitment. Committing yourself to God, for His best. That's what I'm doing. I'm committing myself. And part of that is to writing. I pretty much took the summer off, enjoyed the hot weather, participated in a mission trip to Bolivia, and grew vegetables. Now that fall is here, I am committing myself to writing. To trusting in God that He will guide my words and allow me to deliver books that speak to us about God and how to draw closer to Him.
By committing to trust God, I'm also committing to write more. To get more out to agents, editors, even get it to my printer every once in a while. It's going to take some trust, some work and more than a little prayer. I'm inherently lazy, I admit it.
Is there anything speaking to you about commitment? Is there anything you need to commit to, in order to trust God more? We don't need to be a Super Christian in matters of commitment. We can start in little ways, such as praying as we cook supper, or reading the Bible for five minutes on our break, or writing out a passage of scripture and tacking on the bathroom wall. Or turning off the TV for half an hour.
Are you willing to commit to something to help draw you closer to God? Even something small?

If It's Fall, Christmas Can't Be Far Away

Sandra Robbins here.

Everywhere I look in my hometown I see signs of fall. Displays of pumpkins, corn stalks, and chrysanthemums decorate yards up and down the streets, and the leaves are turning. My one disappointment is that we're not going to have the beautiful fall color on the trees that we usually do. That's because of the drought we've had in our part of the country. The leaves look dead, and it's not going to take much wind to knock them right off the trees.

The signs of the season aren't the only thing I love about this time of year, though. When the middle of October gets here, I know that Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't far off, and I get excited. This year, though, I have another reason to be excited about Christmas. I have a book releasing from Love Inspired Suspense in December.

I never dreamed when I wrote a suspense novel about a woman newspaper reporter's attempts to stop a vigilante who is hoping to spark an all-out war between rival gangs in a small town that it would turn into a Christmas novel. After the book had been contracted, my editor asked if I could incoroporate a Christmas theme in the book. Even though I was a little unsure how to do it, I agreed, and the book Confidential Source became Yuletide Defender.

I had a great time thinking up the mayhem that a purse-snatching Santa could inflict on my poor unsuspecting heroine with his scheme to track her every movement. In fact as I did research for this book, I became a little concerned about the technology that is available these days that can allow someone to invade the privacy of a person's life. Of course, justice does prevail and wrongs are righted by the time the last page is read.

In the spirit of the season, the story also shows how God's love can take away our doubts and fears. As the hero finds out, God can also heal the ache in a heart that's longed to be a part of a family that loves each other.

I'm really looking forward to this book's release. Yuletide Defender will be in stores on December 7. It is already available for pre-order at several online sites.

DREAMS COME TRUE Series - Gail Gaymer Martin

Blessings from Love Inspired novelist Gail Gaymer Martin at http://www.gailmartin.com/

Writing a series is exciting but difficult. The longest was my seven book Loving series that took place in a fictitious town, Loving, Michigan. I based the setting on a real tourist town, Grand Haven, and my characters visited numerous events and businesses there. I loved that series, but never again will I do one with involving seven novels. :  )

My last three book series was Man's Best Friend, based on 3 women involved in a dog shelter. I hope you enjoyed those novels: Dad In Training, Groom In Training and Bride in Training.

A true series occurs when one story is finished, these characters will continue into the next book now focused on another character or two who appeared in the previous novel. It's challenging and interesting but not without it's difficult moments.

The hardest part about writing a series is keeping information straight. What kind of car do they drive? Are the parents of the hero and heroine living and if so where do they live? Do they have siblings? What caused them to be single: death, never married, or divorced, and if it's divorced, how do we handle this as Christians? What church do they attend? Where do they work? And it goes on and on. The author must be on her toes to keep all the details accurate.


Now I'm working on another three book series, Dreams Come True. It's not a series I would have chosen, but my editor encouraged me to write creat this kind of series because she thought I could. They love my emotional stories so I guess that's a compliment. These stories are based on the same concept as Make A Wish Foundation, about parents with a child who has a very serious illness. I know it sounds depressing, but my job is to give the readers a wonderfully emotional story with good  times and diifcult moments but always a happy ending.

Each of these books can stand alone. The story has a satifying ending but leaves the doors open for another character to step into the spotlight. In fact it might be fun for readers to try and guess whose turn will be next. I've asked myself if readers enjoy reading books writing as a series or do they prefer single titles so they don't have to wonder what will happen next. I know some readers purchase the novels and then wait until they're all released so they can read them in a row. That's something I've never done.

I'd love to hear from you and your thoughts on series. Do you enjoy them? Do you wait until you have the whole series before reading them? 

Where Writers Go

Hey all!

Ever wonder where writers go to network and to learn and to catch up on industry stuff? Not to mention plot mayhem with other strange-minded writer friends? LOL!

I recently returned from the annual American Christian Fiction Writers' conference where I had the privilege of meeting Christian Fiction pioneer, Janette Oke (pictured above). During the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award by Carol Johnson, after whom ACFW's Carol Award was this year named, Janette exuded profound gratitude.

I am thankful for her obedience. I wonder, as she looked around the room, could she have imagined 40 years ago that her obedience to God in pressing on toward publication despite obstacles would have opened so many doors for the rest of us?

Have you seen Love Comes Softly, the movie based from her book? Janette joked onstage that it had been previously titled Love Sometimes Comes Softly. That made me laugh.

I felt amazed to just be in the same room with her and the other amazing authors. Every time I attend a conference I'm awed beyond belief at how, without fail, the more experienced writers encourage, mentor, prod and inspire those of us still relatively new on the scene.

I hope you enjoy these conference photos.

Here's my critique buddies, LIS Author Camy Tang and eHarlequin Board Hosty Dream. We are doing what we love best: hanging out, praying first, eating second, then plotting major mayhem during a delicious dinner and probably freaking out the wait staff at St Elmos in Indianapolis. LOL!



This is me and Dream in our five dollar dresses. Are we bargain divas or what?! LOL.




This is me with my author mentor, LI author Margaret Daley. She is an amazing friend with an enormous mentoring heart. I love her to pieces. She encourages and inspires me in so many ways.





I would love to hear which Christian Fiction Author most inspires you and why. Don't be shy! Have a blessed day and comment away!

Warmly,

Cheryl Wyatt

Reunions--Lenora Worth

Do you love reading reunion stories? I like to write these stories because they can be highly romantic. When a couple comes back together after many years, there is something special brewing. In fact, I'm working on a reunion book right now. Reunions have been on my mind since my husband and I attended his 35 year high school reunion a couple of weeks ago. He graduated a year after I did.

It was fun and a bit different to see the same faces with a little age on them. I told him on the way home it was like being back in high school, only everyone looked older--but the same. After a few minutes with old friends, the years melted away and no one even noticed the wrinkles. We retold the fun stories and remembered people who couldn't be there. We attended a football game and all decided the kids on the field looked a lot bigger than the boys we remembered back when we were in school.

That's the thing about reunions. Everyone is still the same--the same personalities, the same smiles and laughs, and the same characters. But those same "kids" now have children and grandchildren and walk around like real adults. We all made it this far. Let's hope my husband and I will be able to attend more reunions.

And I hope the reunions story I'm working on now turns out to be as fulfilling as the real thing. This is a story I actually started writing in high school and I'm finally going to be able to finish it. It's pure fiction, but it will be bittersweet to see it in print. Maybe because just like our friends, this story has matured and blossomed over the years but it is still forever young.

Do you have a reunion story that touched you or made you stop and remember?