Seekerville: RWA NATIONALS UPDATE

Seekerville: RWA NATIONALS UPDATE

Do You Know What a RITA is?

Hi, I think most of the other Love Inspired Authors are in Orlando, FL, at the annual Romance Writers of America Conference. Wish I was there too, but to a far-northerner visiting FL in July just seems wrong. Know what I mean?

Anyway, the highlight of the RWA Conference is the Golden Heart and RITA Award Ceremony which will take place this Saturday night, July 31, 2010.

If you're interested in knowing more about this award, here are two posts on my personal blog, Strong Women, Brave Stories. The first explains the RITA and the second gives the 8 finalists in the inspirational category. This year no Love Inspired Author has finaled, but that doesn't mean we haven't in the past!

http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com/2010/07/do-you-know-what-rita-is.html

http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com/2010/07/8-finalists-for-inspirational-category.html

Are you brave?

How brave are you? I, Barbara Phinney, am a big chicken. Everyone who knows me says that's not so, but let's not mistake extrovertism with bravery.

But I did the bravest thing I've done in a long time.

I gave my newest book, Silent Protector (Aug LIS) to Kelly Ripa. Yes, Kelly Ripa!!

You see, the Regis and Kelly Live! show went to Prince Edward Island last week, and I was fortunate enough to land tickets. So, with my daughter in tow, and two other friends, we scooted over the bridge and drove to Charlottetown.

I'd brought a copy of Silent Protector with me on a whim, and my friend urged me to go up to the stage to give it to her. She even went with me, but stopped at the band, One Republic, for autographs. I snagged Kelly's assistant and told him it was my book. He was impressed and took it for her.

I haven't sweated this much since I called my editor for the first time. And it wasn't because of the heat. Remember, I'm a chicken.

But taking a story I love, a story about trusting God, means I need to trust Him as well. I did that, sweaty palms and all.

In future posts, I hope to tell you how I was inspired to do this, but for now, on this sultry hot day, not long after Regis and Kelly have returned to New York, all I can say is that I did what everyone else on the Island does after an act of bravery. Or what every other sweltering writer wants to do after baring her soul in her book.

I headed for the Cows Ice Cream Parlour and ordered something with chocolate in it.

Enjoy your day!

Barbara Phinney

What Mistakes?

Ramona here, and this is one of my favorite pictures of me…a lot of memories crammed into one small square. It was taken by a good friend, Nancy, on the Isle of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast. I had been doing research for my first three Love Inspired Suspense books (they’re set in NH), and Nancy patiently squired me around as I took photos, tamped through the woods, and asked a million questions.

So the photo holds friendship, dreams, a fabulous trip . . . and a mistake.

Because this photo almost didn’t come to be. See the light spots at the bottom – this happened because I forgot I had film in the camera and opened it before I’d rewound the roll. I lost a lot of good shots with that mistake, but this one was deep enough in the roll that it only got a little extra exposure.

It was a mistake I never repeated with an SLR. I’ve switched to digital, but shots like this remind me that mistakes can still happen anytime, anywhere.

And that’s OK. We’re human, some days more than others. We make mistakes, even when we know better. But we can learn and grow from them, just as I never again opened an SLR without checking to see if the film had been rewound.

I also never hike without taking certain safeguards (after a broken ankle), scuba dive after partying too much (hypothermia), start a motorcycle I’ve never ridden before (there used to be a bush in that spot over there), or rock climb in a cast (don’t ask). I knew better – I just didn’t follow the instructions.

I know God has a sense of humor; He has to, watching us stumble around. After all, He gave us perfectly good instructions, which we often ignore. Thankfully, our Abba, Daddy, also gave us a way out. To learn, to grow, to Do Over.

Now, if we just keep that in mind while we’re making our mistakes…

Driving, driving, driving

Greetings from Renee Ryan. I'm in the middle of a cross-country move as I type this. I have the added pleasure of pulling a u-haul trailer behind my car. Hitching a ride with me are my eighteen year-old-daughter and her carsick cat. I'm driving from Lincoln, Nebraska to Savannah, Georgia. Unfortunately, this is the third time I've made this trip in a year. All because my husband and I wanted to make sure the above mentioned teenager had a chance to graduate from her extraordinary high school in the Midwest. It's been a long year.

The good news is that this move will bring me back to the south. Better yet, I get to live in the same house with husband once again. Did I mention this has been a looooong year? During the last twelve months without my husband by my side I kept wondering how military families do it. How do they survive the time apart? What a sacrifice the spouses and children make. Same goes for the soldiers. Talk about genuine heroes.

My next release, HOMECOMING HERO, has a military hero. An active-duty military hero, to be precise. Living in Savannah again, I'm excited to rekindle friendships, many of which are with soldiers and their spouses. I'm awed by all of them. I only had a taste of "time apart" from my husband. I always knew it was temporary, that we'd be together again soon. My heart goes out to the families who don't have that knowledge. God bless you all!!!!!!!

~Renee~

Big Island Fun

Aloha, Terri Reed here, just returned from a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. What fun! I've been to Maui, Oahu, Kauai but this was the first time on the big island. There was so much to see and do. Waterfalls galore, beautiful beaches, lava beds and sea turtles.

I went to the southern most point of the US, hiked a mile and a half along a dusty terrain to an amazing cove called green sand beach. In the picture you can't really tell the color of the sand, but up close you definitely see the green hue.

I explored a botanical garden and marvaled at all the interesting and fabulous plants.

I walked on the lava which looked like the top of brownies, slightly shiny with cracks and crevices.

Oh, and the best part was swimming with the sea turtle. I was playing in the water at Hapuna beach when along comes this turtle, motoring within arms length of me not the least bit concerned by the people in the water.

Change of Plans

Pamela Tracy here, middle name: listmaker.

1. Mikey's swim lessons dutifully written in my calendar.

2. Homework done for June's class, due in September.

3. What we're having for dinner all week thought out.

4. Fourth of July all planned out, subs found, etc.

My fourth didn't turn out like it was supposed to. See, we were supposed to go camping. I told everyone who asked, "What are we doing? Oh, we're going camping." "The fourth? Of course, we're going camping?" "That weekend, we're going camping."

I wrote it in my calendar. That means we're doing it. Right? Wrong.

After the extended family bailed, my little family wound up with no plans. That's okay, because I write in my calendar using a pencil. Going Camping got replaced with Going Exploring.

We drove up past Payson, Arizona, and turned down what my husband calls a control road. We spent the whole day exploring. We weren't alone. Apparently, the fourth is a killer Boy Scout weekend (Hmmm, I write suspense. Can I use this. YES!)We actually followed a caravan up to Camp Geronimo, but could only do a Uey. No trespassers, you see. We then headed for Washington Park. Where we got out and played. The local fire department, one truck, stopped and told us "No quads."

From there we went to a place called Whispering Pines. Imagine living in a tiny community in the woods!

My favorite moment was when we found a stream (everyone else had found it too) and got out to play. I took Mikey down to his undies and he and Daddy built dams. Me, I settled on a rock and finished reading Linda Goodnight's The Wedding Garden.

My calendar is a wonderful thing. It the cheap month-at-a-glance kind, roughly the size of a paperback, but only as thick as a poptart (I've been trying to think of what the thickness was, and my son just brought me a poptart. Talk about timing).

My calendar is a bit like the book I'm working on. It can be changed.

Hook: last minute change of plans.
Hero and heroine: Plumber, teacher
Comic relief: Five year old son.
There are black moments: Mikey fell in the creek.
Perfect ending: Happily Ever After.

Happy July, All.

Summer Food

Leann Harris here. My favorite thing about summer is not vacation or the long days or the brutal heat. What I love is the fruit. If it's a summer fruit, I'm there. Peaches are my favorite. Now, I'm not talking about those rocks you get in the store. No I'm talking about the peaches you buy on the back roads from farm stands. Several years ago, my son and I went to San Antonio for a convention. On the drive back home, we took a state highway out of Fredericksburg. Wonderful peach stands dotted the road. We stopped and bought some.

The smell of a ripe peach is amazing. The first contemporary book I wrote was set among the peach orchards in North Texas. The heroine couldn't smell fresh peaches without thinking of her high school sweetheart. They used to escape out into the orchard and kiss. I am told one of our most basic senses is the sense of smell. When I think of childhood memories, the thing that stands out is the smell attached to those memories.

So here's to peaches, cherries, watermelons, nectarines.
What is your favorite summer fruit?

Fan Mail

Merrillee here. One of the nicest things about being an author, for me at least, is getting fan mail. Readers often tell me how the story I wrote touched them or made them see one of God's truths more clearly. Others may say that the story related to their lives in some way or the story reminded them of a good time or sometimes even a difficult time in their lives that they got through with God's help. The story helped them remember how God works in our lives.

Recently, I received an e-mail from a soldier in Iraq. He told me he had read my February 2008 book, FOUR LITTLE BLESSINGS. How exciting to think that one of my books is halfway around the world and that the story brought a blessing to a soldier.



Since this book is the first in a series about three brothers, I decided that it would be nice if he could read the stories of the other two brothers, MOMMY'S HOMETOWN HERO and HOMECOMING BLESSINGS. When I e-mailed the soldier to tell him that I would be sending a package, he was excited. So I went to the post office and picked up one of those priority boxes. I've put in several other Love Inspired books as well as my own and some other goodies as well. I was really tempted to eat the Twizzlers myself, but I didn't. Here's the box almost ready for a trip to the post office.



What kind of goodies would you include in a care package for a soldier?

Autograph anyone?

Pat Davids here.
I'm getting ready for one of my least favorite activities. A book signing. The picture above is me in the red and the lovely Kim Vogel Sawyer in green at a book signing in Atlanta several years ago. That wasn't a bad signing. Steeple Hill gave away the books so people lined up to get them even if they didn't know the author from Adam or Eve. I may be smiling in the picture, but trust me, I am terrified.

Don't get me wrong. I love meeting readers and talking about my books, but I don't like sitting like a lump of coal in front of a bookstore trying to entice perfect strangers to come over and check out my book. That's hard enough, but autographing each copy is tough. I mean, what do I say to those perfect strangers?

I've got a few standard lines.
Blessings
Best wishes,
Happy reading.
Enjoy the story.
It was great meeting you.

After that, I'm kind of at a loss. I never know what to write and I'm scared to death that I'll spell the person's name wrong. I keep a pad handy and I have everyone spell their name. I don't care if it's Mary or Lisa, they have to spell it for me because it could be Merry or Lesa.

Misspelling someone's name is scary enough, but why is it that people from your past always walk just as their name flies out of your head? I'm so nervous when I'm signing that I can't remember my own name. The worst time was when I signed in my hometown and the mother of a grade school friend walked up. It was Dalene's mother. We chatted for as long as I could stall but finally I had to ask, "Who shall I make this to?"

The dreaded answer. "Just me."

Now, I was really stuck. I had to drop my head and say, "I can't make this out to Dalene's mother or Mrs. Phillips." She laughed and said she hadn't been Mrs. Phillips for years. I should make it out to Ruth.
Of course! Ruth! Why couldn't I think of that? It's such an easy name.

Wait, what is my name again? That's the other trouble with book signings. I use a pen name. Davids is not my legal name. Have you tried signing a fake name dozens of time? Sometimes I mess up. There are a lot of books out their with a signature of Patricia M. Davids. My middle initial is not M. My real last name is MacDonald. I usually catch myself was soon as I start the M but a few books are signed Patricia MacDonald Davids. My secret is out.

Okay, now I want to know what are some of your funny or awful book signing stories? Authors, what salutation do you use? Readers, what kind of personal note would you like an author to say in your book? I'm always looking for new material.
Have a blessed day.

Ruth Logan Herne in Woman's World Magazine!

Missy Tippens, here. I was at the grocery store last week and was so excited to finally see the July 5th issue of Woman's World Magazine. My friend and fellow Love Inspired author, Ruth Logan Herne, has her debut novel mentioned as one of the best beach reads for the summer! Her book, Winter's End is featured as the book to read if you you're looking for an inspirational love story. So I hope you'll check out the magazine issue--but even more, I hope you'll check out her wonderful story!

THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR by Marta Perry

My latest book from Steeple Hill Love Inspired, THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR, will be in stores next week, so I hope you'll look for it. This is the third book in my series about the Bodine family of South Carolina. Set in Charleston and the coastal islands, the series revolves around a Coast Guard family. Although each book stands on its own, I hope once you meet the Bodines, you'll want to come back for more.

I love writing about the South Carolina coast. One of my daughters lives on Isle of Palms, and her two little girls are really growing up to be island girls. They attend school at Sullivan's Island Elementary School, one of the few elementary schools in the country with a beach just beyond the playground! My husband and I spend three months each year on the South Carolina coast, and it's really become a second home for us. I was especially moved by the stories I learned about the Coast Guard as I researched these books. They truly are unsung heroes in all that they do to protect and serve.

In THE GUARDIAN'S HONOR, Coast Guard officer Adam Bodine finds his long-vanished great uncle. But the secretive elderly man has adopted some new kin...single mother Cathy Norwood and her disabled little boy. Adam is grateful when Cathy convinces his relative to reunite with the Bodines, until he learns why she's so eager. Though his heartstrings are tugged by their plight, he knows he doesn't deserve them in his life--not with his past, not unless one big extended family can teach Lieutenant Bodine something about love and honor.

Butterflies/Heart of a Cowboy

When I (Margaret Daley) was in Key West, my husband and I went to a butterfly reserve. I spent one of the best hours of my trip watching tons of beautiful butterflies flutter around. Some the only way I could get a picture of them was to take a video of their movements. They rarely lit upon anything for more than a second or two. Some I was able to get some nice still pictures.

When I look at all the different butterflies in this one place (a small number compared to how many are in this world), I am amazed at God's creation. The variety and colors were breathtaking. He really knows how to put on a good show. The delight I received from watching these beautiful creatures was priceless.


I have a July 2010 Love Inspired coming out called Heart of a Cowboy. It is the second book in my Helping Hands Homeschooling series. It should be in the stores right now.

Blurb for Heart of a Cowboy:

Ten years ago Jordan Masterson left her hometown heartbroken—and pregnant. Now, yearning for connection with her family, the single mother returns to Tallgrass, Oklahoma. But she's shocked to find her son's father—unaware he has a child—a vital part of the community. Zachary Rutgers owns the ranch that the local homeschoolers use for riding and recreation. Which means little Nicholas, Jordan and Zachary will be spending a lot of time together. Jordan must tell Zachary the truth about their son—and ask for answers herself. Hoping the heart of her cowboy will still be hers for the taking.

So much for multi-tasking!

Hello from Lisa Mondello. School is finally out. I had another child graduate from high school and two others finish the high school year on Monday. End of the school year means paperwork and lots of it! Not only do they bring home lots of "stuff" from school, we need to get paperwork ready for the next year.

This is why I love the fact that so much paper we used to push is going digital. I love that Harlequin is releasing all our books in ebook form. Now no matter how old the book is, you don't have to worry about it being out of print. If you discover a new author and want to go back and get her/his backlist, you can!

I was on the wave of the first ebook push years ago when my first books were published. I owned a Rocket ebook reader and loved it! (My tired eyes mostly loved being able to change the font size.) Now there are so many more ebook readers on the market. For those of you who love the feel of paper on your fingers as you read, I understand. One of the things I always wondered about is if the concept of physically visiting a bookstore would end if we eventually went all digital. I love going to the bookstore and spending time walking the aisles and just looking. It's much harder to browse on line and get that same experience.

But I do love technology and now that both the Nook and the Kindle have dropped their prices, I'm seriously thinking of taking the plunge and getting a new ebook reader. (Yes, my old Franklin still worked and I couldn't justify buying something new...until now.) Nook and Kindle aren't the only books on the market. Sony has several models and I just saw in Barnes and Noble an advertisement for another ebook reader. The name escapes me at the moment.

So tell me about your experiences with ebook readers. Have you given any a test drive? Do you own one? Which is your favorite and why?

Until next time, many blessings, Lisa Mondello

Fresh-Start Family Love Inspired Romance October 2010

http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/

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

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

Summer Has Arrived in the South

Sandra Robbins here reporting from Tennessee where the temperature is over 100 degrees.

This last week my family and I traveled to Long Island to attend the college graduation of my grandson who received a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. The weather on Long Island Sound was perfect, but it wasn't that way when we exited the Nashville airport on our return home.

Summer has swooped into the south, and temperatures are hitting the 100 mark. The heat index makes it seem even hotter. Now I'm longing for those cold days of winter when I couldn't wait for warmer weather to get here.

Isn't it strange how we humans are never satisfied? It it's hot, we want cold. If it's too rainy, we grumble, then become upset when the rains don't fall. I have to admit that I even wished for snow when I was a teacher so that we could get a day off from school, but I complained when a huge snowfall kept us out of school for days. That meant we'd have to go longer in the spring before school was dismissed for summer vacation.

I know that no one can do anything to change the weather, but I still find myself complaining when a change in temperature makes me uncomfortable. I wonder what God must think about us as He listens to us grumbling when we should be so thankful for the beautiful creation He's given us to inhabit.

The four seasons each give us something special to look forward to. Fall brings brilliant colors and cooler temperatures, winter gives us cold days and snow covered landscapes, and spring is an awakening of life that's been dormant for three months.

But what does summer bring us beside hot days? Some of the things it brings are fresh vegetables, cookouts, walking barefoot in the green grass, blooming flowers, and picnics. I'm going to remember that the next time I complain about the heat.

BRIDE IN TRAINING by Gail Gaymer Martin - July release

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

Authors are often asked, "Which of your novels is your favorite?" It's like asking a mother which is her favorite child. We birth these stories, nurse them into life, watching them grow, and finally we  step back and say I am finished -- although authors all confess they would probably edit their books forever if they didn't have a deadline.

Bride In Training was a joy to write. The characters were interesting as each struggles with personal issues that affect their lives, just as you and I have those times that we can't quite let go of our issues--times we made terrible mistakes, sinned, acted foolish, things we wish we could erase.

But the novel is not without laughs.  Nessie, the white Cairn terror on the cover is a handful, and I dredged up many  stories from my own dogs' lives and from other dogs I've known and wove them into the three books set in the Man's Best Friend Series.

Although this book is part of the Man's Best Friend series, it is also a stand alone. Each of the stories revolved around three women working in a dog shelter. Molly in book #1 Dad In Training taught obedience in a special program she created called Teacher's Pet -- a real organization here in Michigan -- and she was the one who set her mind to finding a building to open dog shelter. Her friend Steph (and her dog Fred, a border collie) was also in book #1 and longed for a place to relocate her Doggie Day Care. She had her own story in Book #2, Groom In Training.  Emily, a part time employee at the dog shelter, was also a dog walker and dog sitter and is the heroine in Book #3, Bride In Training where she fills the pages with laughter and tears.

Back Cover Blurb:
And Puppy Makes Three


Perfectionist Martin Davis's life is in turmoil. The lonely businessman's search for companionship led him to adopt a dog--a rather rambunctious terrier. And now Martin's at his wits' end. When dog trainer, Emily Ireland offers to help, Martin is grateful--and intrigued.

But he's wary of getting too close to the sweet, pretty Emily, especially when he learns of her scandalous past. Can Martin ever open his heart to the possibility that Emily just may be his perfect bride?
Bride In Training received 4 stars in the Romantic Times Book Reviews, and I was thrilled. So if you enjoy dogs, their antics and romance, I think you'll enjoy this series.


For an great review of BRIDE IN TRAINING, visit Carly Kendalls' review at
http://carlybirdshome.blogspot.com/2010/06/bride-in-training-by-gail-gaymer-martin.html

You can also find this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373876122?ie=UTF8&tag=novgaigaymar-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0373876122

I need a backhoe!

Today was a catch-up day for me, now that the  manuscript for my April book has been turned in, and the  copy edits on Winter Reunion (November)  are  taken care of.  The next time I see Reunion, it will be out in the stores, and I can't wait.  Doesn't Steeple Hill have gorgeous covers?! Their art department is just amazing, and I wonder what they'll come up with for all of the November books!  I think my June book, End Game, has an intriguing cover, with a spooky road leading off into the mountains.

I am thankful to have those deadlines met..but now,  you should see my office!  :)   Er....maybe not. I worked on it most of the day and haven't made much of a dent in all the papers and books and whatnot that seem to grow exponentially whenever my back is turned. Do you have a "junk drawer" in your desk, or in your kitchen? Multiply that by a hundred, and you'll be able to visualize my office!  It will be such a good feeling  when it's all back in order. How about you...are you totally organized and neat-as-a-pin, or do you ever get just a tad behind like this?! I'm hoping that someone, somewhere, will tell me that I'm not alone! :)

I  had a bit of an excuse this time, though--we were traveling a bit, recently.  My husband has wanted to go to Alaska for years, and started planning this trip way last fall.  I never knew there were so many mountain ranges up there, each more beautiful than the last.  I just had to share a couple photos.

What are your favorite destinations?  Where would you like to go next?
Best wishes to you for a wonderful summer!

Roxanne Rustand
http://roxannerustand.blogspot.com  "The all creatures great and small place"

The true about continuities--Lenora Worth

Hello. I can't believe I've finally caught up on work. And just in time for summer, too. I finished a manuscript and got it sent in, did revisions on another one, read over the final edits on yet another one and got proposals ready for (hopefully) a new contract. Now I'm about to start on a fun continuity with several other Love Inspired writers. When I first started writing continuities, they kind of drove me crazy--all the characters, all the stories, all the things the writers had to work through. But now, I enjoy writing continuities--six books in a series written by six different writers. I thought I'd share what I've learned (besides playing well with others.)

1. Even though continuity proposals are created and written by our editors, the writers still get to be part of the creative process. We sometimes go back to our editors with changes that we believe will work best for the story. And they are great about working with us to make this happen.

2. When six women get together and discuss a storyline, anything can happen. But for the most part, we all get along great and try to compromise to make the stories flow together. This has taught me all about brainstorming and the give-and-take of writing a series with others.

3. It's fun to take a story and run with it and make it your own. Coming up with our own characters and stories will always be a part of our job. But taking a skeleton character and bringing him alive is a big challenge, too. Especially when it involves mingling with other characters from other books.

4. The plots are diverse and wild sometimes, but that's part of the fun of being involved in a continuity. It's still challenging and demanding and it teaches us to think on our feet. Continuities aren't for everyone because they do have to come together rather quickly and you need to be very flexible. But ... I love a good challenge.

5. And last but not least, I've learned we have a wonderfully talented group of writers at Love Inspired. I've worked with writers who are legends in the business and I've worked with new writers who are eager to write more stories for Steeple Hill. And very rarely have I had any troubles. We might hash things out back and forth, but in the end we all respect and admire each other. When we get together once a year for our publisher's party, we always have the DJ play a very special song--We Are Family--by Sister Sledge. And we truly do feel like one big family of sisters who love writing inspirational romance and celebrating our faith.

And that, sisters, is the best kind of continuity--the one where we are all together in this for the long haul. What a blessing! (The picture above includes some of my fellow writers--Debbie Clopton, Kathy Springer, Margaret Daley,(me) and Winnie Griggs. I've written continuities with Kathy and Margaret! And I love Debbie and Winnie's books!)

Summer Reading List

For as long as I can remember, my family has taken a summer vacation to the beach.  My favorite thing about that vacation was that my dad and I would load up bags of books for a weeklong read-fest.  It was pure joy to have nothing to do but lie on the beach and read. 

These days I live at the beach, and while I'd like to say that life is one big reading vacation, unfortunately that's not the case.  But these long summer days bring back the memories of my days in the sand with a sack of books beside me and nothing to do but immerse myself in the lives of the characters and their adventures.

My thirteen year old daughter wants to go to Europe.  I might just have to find a way for her to visit between the pages of a book.  What about you?  What are you reading this summer?  Do you have any great beach reads on your list? 

Stephanie Newton lives in Northwest Florida with her husband and two kids.  Her newest book in the Emerald Coast 911 series releases in retail stores July 13.  Get a sneak peek at the first chapter of Flashpoint here.

Pride and Prejudice ... Aaaaaaahhhhh

Camy here, and I’m just up from a FIVE HOUR MARATHON of the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice!

I can’t say enough about how much I love this miniseries! It follows the book really well and the script is terrific and the actors are fantastic!

I watched the 2-hour movie version a few months ago, too, but didn’t like it as well as the 5-hour version. The actors were good but there were things about it that I didn’t quite like, which made the movie not as euphoric an experience for me as the 5-hour version.

So how about you? Have you seen both versions? Which one did you like better?

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!