Diana Lesire Brandmeyer's Blog- Home in My Heart

My Father’s House

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Welcome back Staci Stallings!

My Father’s House

Years ago my Saturday nights were planned long before we ever got to Friday. My friends and I would go to church, go out to eat with my parents and then go to my house for a long night of

whatever the game of the season was. We would stay up long into the night playing Michigan Rummy, Pictionary, Guesstures, or Scattergories. More than once a worried parent called to check up on a child and make sure they were at my folk’s place and not up town running around. They were always there around that kitchen table laughing and having a great time.

I don’t really remember how the tradition got started, or who the first friends I invited over were. However, over the years there were a long line of them. Theresa. Elaine. Kirsten. Lorelea. Michael. Damian. Mike. Eventually my younger sister’s friends joined us, and there were very few Saturday nights that our house wasn’t an all-out party.

Now mind you, my parents were always there. In fact, my mom seldom went to bed before everyone left as she was often the last challenger standing no matter what the game was. My dad, on the other hand, had to be up at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning to go out and milk cows. More than once, he rounded the corner, one eye half-opened to stare at us and ask what we were still doing awake.

We had a lot of good, honest fun in that house, and my friends never balked at going there instead of driving around looking for trouble. It was simply more fun than anything else we could be doing.

Recently I’ve been looking at my life and realizing that one of my goals is to point as many people to Heaven as I can through my writing and through my life. For awhile it bothered me that maybe I was saying in that goal that I thought I was the one through which they were going to get to Heaven. Of course that wasn’t my intent, but there was a nagging thought that maybe that’s how it would be interpreted.

It didn’t take a genius, but it did take some soul-searching, to realize where that thought came from—Satan, the number one instigator of doubts of all time. Max Lucado once said that “Satan doesn’t want to convince us, he just wants to confuse us,” and that was certainly true in this case.

It wasn’t until I thought back to my high school years and how much fun we had at my parents’ house that I finally put all the doubts aside. You see, I don’t think I’m the reason others end up going to Heaven—that is their choice and their business. However, I am the one who can invite them to come with me to my Father’s house. I figure we’ll all be better off in Heaven than out on the streets somewhere, so once again, my plan is to invite as many people as I can to join me for a joyous time in my Father’s house. It worked once, I hope it works again.

Staci Stallings, the author of this article, is a Contemporary Christian author and the founder of Grace & Faith Author Connection. Check out Staci's brand new release...

Houston firefighter, Jeff Taylor is a fireman's fireman. No situation is too dangerous to keep him sidelined if lives are on the line. However, when control freak Lisa Matheson falls for him, she quickly realizes she can't control Jeff or the death wish he seems to have...

To Protect & Serve

The Courage Series, Book 1

To save other's lives, they will risk their own

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Buy it on Barnes & Noble Nook:

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"To Protect and Serve will hold you prisoner to its pages until the final one is turned. Prepare to cry, laugh, wish, love and maybe even cry again as you become enveloped in the hopes and feelings of Lisa and Jeff."

-Cindy Reiger

In the doghouse?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

A friend sent this to me after he 'messed up' with his wife. I'd love to tell you what he did, but that wouldn't be nice. It did make me wonder about the times I might have sent my husband to the dog house and what he did to get out of it.

Sorry Ed. There my apology is out of the way first. :)

He hasn't given me a yucky gift since we've been together, but he does do the occasional thing that makes me point my finger.

1. Works to much
2. Doesn't spend enough time talking to me, but has time to talk to his best friend on the phone.
3. THE BIGGIE --Reads the newspaper while we eat dinner, one that I've prepared!

He's really close to going back to the doghouse for number 3, but number 1 keeps him out of it. I appreciate how hard he works so that I might continue writing.

So how does he get out of the doghouse? He's really good at making me laugh before he even gets through the doghouse door.

How about your spouse? How does he/she get out of that doghouse?

**** PV (you know who you are) fixing the bumper won't get you out of the doghouse. Try a gift certificate for a massage. WOOF!

Geocahing Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Topaz Treasure by Valerie Comer
Here's the book blurb: Join a geocaching adventure in the spectacular Lake of the Ozarks wilderness, with Lyssa, the reluctant volunteer whose former nemesis is now her chief sponsor; Madison, a city girl paired with an outdoorsy guy who gets on her very last nerve; cautious Reagan, who meets an equally cautious guy; and Hadley, who doesn’t know enough about guys to realize she’s met a womanizer. Will they find the treasure they’re looking for … or something else entirely? "Topaz Treasure" (first novella in Rainbow's End) by Valerie Comer Closet believer Lyssa Quinn steps out of her comfort zone to help coordinate the Rainbow’s End geocaching hunt her church is using as an outreach event. She’s not expecting her former humanities prof–young, handsome, anti-Christian Kirk Kennedy–to be at the Lake of the Ozarks at all, let along in a position to provide sponsorship to the treasure hunt. How can she trust someone who once shredded her best friend’s faith?
Topaz Treasure is one out of 4 fun stories in the Rainbow's End novel published by Barbour. I like novellas because of their length you can take them to read in the school car line or sports practices. Being theses stories are quick reads you feel like you had a little me time in your busy day.

Topaz Treasure is a story of holding on to false beliefs, and unwillingness to accept others can change. Lyssa's roommate was fearful that Lyssa would be hurt by Kirk, a known Christian mocker. Was she right? Not telling you! I don't do spoilers. The story is set in the Ozarks and made me feel like I was home. Comer got the setting correct, right down to Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Lyssa and Kirk's characters are well written as is the story. I do wish it could have been a novel so I could have stayed with the characters a bit longer. Topaz Treasure is a unique love story in that it centers around geocaching--hunting for treasure using a GPS. Intrigued by this hobby I'm hoping to take part of some of these myself. You can find out more about geocahing events here.

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local food movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, gardening and geocaching with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Connect with Valerie Comer!

Connect at:

· Website: http://valeriecomer.com

· Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer.author

· Twitter: http://twitter.com/valeriecomer

· Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

· Blog: http://valeriecomer.com/blog

· Blog: http://romancingamerica.com

Buy Rainbows End

AND oh how fun is this???? This is also a blog hop. The authors below are sharing reviews of books they like today as well. So grab a link and check out the new reads out there.

New Release Blog Tour!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:44:00 +0000

I'm still around but it's release month for A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee. I'm traveling around several blogs this month. There have been interviews, reviews and give-aways.

Yes! Give-aways!


A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee

Here are the places you can go and enter to win. So come and visit these links an leave me some comment love and maybe you'll be a winner!

Healing Hearts

Lena Nelson Dooley's blog

Margaret Daley's blog

The Sword an the Spirit

Starting May 19th

Through His Eyes

Why I write romances

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Blushing Bride at 100 Years Old - Touching Story! from untilweflyaway on GodTube.
What can you say after seeing that?
I love it when she says, "Marriage is what you make of it."

Don't Photoshop Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:41:00 +0000

Flipping through magazines while waiting for my hairstylist often makes me sad. I look at the photos of perfect bodies and hair and wonder why I can't achieve it, no matter how hard I try.

Conversations with my stylist are enlightening. The hair is seldom real, extensions are added along with tons of product to hold the hair in shape during a shoot.

Photoshop is ~~often~~ always used to make those bodies a bit tanner and thinner.

What message is being sent to young girls? Or even older women?
We aren't good enough as we are. Even Christian women who know in our hearts that God created us, we are beautiful and wonderfully made, still think what we look like now can't be what He desires.

So we tan, eat less, schedule another exercise class and maybe loose a few pounds.
Then we fall into a funk.

Why? Because we still don't look like the magazine ads, the commercials or our favorite star.

A friend of mine produced this video as a class project. It's worth watching and not just once. Show it to your daughters and your friends. Get into a discussion about what real people are supposed to look like.

Monkey Rides Pig

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Baby Monkey Riding Backwards on a Pig from kidsarecute on GodTube.

Some days my world seems twisted. Monkey on a pig fits this week.

8 Ways to Get Over a Bad Day

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:35:00 +0000

Sad Girl photographer: jim

8 Ways to Get Over a Bad Day

1. Play with a puppy
2. Get a pedicure
3. Blow bubbles with some kids
4. Call a good friend
5. Watch a funny movie
6. Eat your favorite comfort food--mine is Annie's Gluten free mac & cheese
7. Read a new book
8. Use that expensive bubble bath you've been saving.

Add to this list by leaving a suggestion in the comment box.

Mac and Cheese take over book club

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:19:00 +0000

This is the kind of book club I want to belong to. (Gluten free mac and cheese please)
We're all just kids at heart and want to have fun, right?

Tell me, what would make book club fun for you?

I'll Huff and I'll Puff

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I've been researching pigs this month and found this little movie to share with you.

Vortex Cannon - I'll Huff and I'll Puff from fritzpw on GodTube.

Hotel, RV or Tent?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:47:00 +0000

A group of Christian writers hang out at Take Flight on Facebook and Patty Wysong suggested we do a progressive interview. Writers love this sort of thing and we hope readers do as well. So the question I asked was, "Would you rather sleep in a hotel, RV or tent?" My answer is at the end.

5th wheel and Doge Truck

Yvonne Blake Hmmm... that's a hard one! (It depends on the weather and the company.) I'll have to say "tent" - hoping the conditions are all favorable.

Sharon Clements Srock I love being in the open, I hate sleeping on a cot. Never met a comfortable one. So I'd have to say RV, the comforts of home, but the ability to take it with you.

Joanne Sher I have been in an RV and a tent a total of three times - (the RV once). I love the IDEA of a tent, but I'm gonna have to go with the hotel. It doesn't have to be the Ritz or anything. No RV, cuz I have NO desire to even try to drive something like that (and hubby can't drive). And if he's with me, he'd have a HECK of a time getting up from the ground if we were in a tent. My link?

Sherri Wilson Johnson

Grew up with an RV. Can't wait to own one again one day so me and hubby and the Chihuahua can hit the road!

Valerie Friesen Comer My husband and I tented for years, with numerous camping trips every summer with our kids. Still, eventually, our bones got a little creakier and we switched to a camper. Last year we bought a little camping trailer and absolutely love it. It has all the comforts of home, but we can park it by a creek in the mountains and still enjoy the fresh air, the fishing, the berry picking, and just the peacefulness of nature soothing our souls.

Linda McQuinn Carlblom

RV for short one or two night trips. But hotels for anything longer. I'm a wimpy, spoiled brat at heart! LOL.

Sharon Hoover

RV but I want to say tent. :-/ An RV would allow me to move from place to place with my stuff soooo easily. But a tent is so much more open and relaxing!

Patty Sargent Wysong

When I was a little girl in Maine, my parents had a Shasta. We had such good times in that lil thing! When Dad retired, they were full-time RVers for several years and they had so much fun! They would come visit us, set up in our driveway, and still be home. When they were on the road Mom was the Post Card Queen and we got to travel vicariously through her post cards. So, I'd have to say RV. I like my comfort and the RV would give me comfort and freedom--and for a wimpy free spirit like me, that sounds like a slice of heaven. Where do I sign up?

Kristi Peifer

Tent camping is great, but my youngest, who is autistic, doesn't do well in a tent. I'm hoping when he's a bit older we'll get to try it again. Meanwhile, we have stayed in hotels. The enclosed space of a hotel room is comforting to him.

Janet Sketchley

Hotel, and since I'm wishing, a classy one. In a world without weirdos (wishing again) I'd choose a tent in a campground with trees and lots of water

Christina Rich

I'd say tent, but I'm liking some of those RVs I've seen on House Hunters (yep, a fan).

Audra Christensen Silva

Oh, good question. I'm an all three kinda gal. I love tent camping if it's a short stay, and the weather is reasonable. If it's a longer stay, I'd much prefer an RV especially with kids. Can we say baths? If the weather is just plain miserable, give me a hotel.

Diana Lesire Brandmeyer-- I'd go for the RV. We had one once and it's really nice to take your home with you. Pulling into the campground and knowing your room will be ready in a few minutes, your book is where you left it and there aren't any suitcases to move is delightful. I'd like to have one now since I must eat gluten free it would be wonderful to travel with my own kitchen.

There are a lot more questions and answers, just click a link and head off to see what others have on their blogs. Leave a comment and tell me your answer: Hotel, RV or Tent?

The Greatest of These is Love

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

And the Greatest of These is Love

All writers know the faith it takes to put words on paper. They’ve seen the faith required to search for the right word, the right phrase, the right nugget of truth that will mark their work as top-notch. Ultimately, they know the gut-wrenching faith it takes to turn their written baby over to someone who might reject it outright.

They know hope too. Even after they’ve been kicked to the curb by an agent who probably didn’t even read the first sentence of a query, hope prevails. After a few days of chocolate and Kleenexes, hope surges again. Maybe the next editor will love it, buy it, publish it, and send it to be included next to John Grisham’s on the front table of every bookstore in the country. Don’t deny it. You know that hope is real.

One element, however, sometimes gets lost when faith and hope begin to emerge in our writing journey. That element is love. Sure, we love it, or we wouldn’t stress ourselves out to learn how to do it better, to find someone to publish it, and to put ourselves on the chopping block of rejection time and again. It’s almost a given that we love it.

The problem is we forget that we love it. As a character who loves music in one of my books says, “You know me, I’d play for the squirrels if they’d listen.”

Too often the longer we write, the less we remember what we love about it. Our focus shifts from writing for love to writing so others will love what we’ve written.

When we write for the love of it, every frustrating moment is an exhilarating challenge. Shaping the ephemerally picturesque stories in our minds into something coherent and fluid is like no other experience. The very act of putting that last piece of our word puzzle into place has no equal.

Remember the journals you kept, the poems you wrote, the short stories that are still tucked away in some old notebook. You wrote those not to gain love but because they were burning a hole in your soul to be put on paper.

Then you began writing not for love but to gain love. You became convinced that you had to twist your writing to meet what others believe is marketable or publishable. And so you let your love for writing morph into wanting your writing to be loved… sometimes at all costs. You twisted yourself into a pretzel, learning perfect grammar, point of view, the “correct” way to write a marketable manuscript.

Learning and growing in your writing is one thing, but when that gets so tangled in the rules that you forget why you started in the first place, that is something altogether different. Love is the key to writing real. As the Bible says so eloquently: In the end three things shall last, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. –1 Corinthians 13:13 It’s a lesson every writer should take to heart. Copyright 2005, Staci Stallings

Thank you for that devotion, Staci. I needed to read that today, even if you have a published book it is easy to forget about the love when you start writing the next one.

Staci is giving away her ebook for two days! Don't miss it.

Staci Stallings Author Bio & Tag Deep in the Heart Staci Stallings, the author of this article, is a Contemporary Christian author and the founder of Grace & Faith Author Connection. Staci has a special surprise for you today and tomorrow only... FREE ON KINDLE TWO DAYS ONLY! April 18 & 19, Staci's novel:

Deep in the Heart "This is more than a romance. The author cuts straight to the heart of God–love. God is love. Even through unexpected tragedies. And we can overcome evil with good–by His love." --Betty Anne Bantz Can Keith defy the most powerful men in Texas to follow his heart? Available as a free download from Amazon!

BACON!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:30:00 +0000

If you're a vegetarian I'm sure you won't like this.

If you love BACON it's a great video.

Could you give up bacon? Not me.

Grilled Cheese Please

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Grilled Cheese Gluten-Free

It's here! April has arrived!
It's not about the spring flowers and blooming trees for me.
No! It's grilled cheese month! That means they are in season right? So one should eat them as often as possible in April.

Having to eat gluten-free was awful for a long time until I found a bread, Rudi's that made a delicious grilled delicacy.

I'm a purist with my grilled cheese sandwiches. Two piece of they yellow processed cheese is my all time favorite.

I have made them with Provolone and Havarti cheese or sandwiched bacon, or thinly sliced meatloaf slid between the cheese slices. They were good but not as good as the real grilled cheese sandwich.

The one that got me through breakups in high school, college study sessions (ugh math), and pregnancy!

So celebrate with me. How do you like your grilled cheese sandwich?

Fellow grilled cheese lovers please leave a note in the comment section.

The Do-It-All Mom? Who me?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Welcome Cara Putman. I've heard people call you the Do-It-All-Mom.Watching you at the ACFW conference taking care of all of us and your children with a smile on your face makes me think the name applies. How did you get that nick name?

My friend Nicole O’Dell has dubbed me the Do-It-All-Mom among a sea of really qualified columnists. Do-It-All-Mom? Me? It's a wee bit intimidating. Ya know?

So I've been thinking about it. Do I do it all?
Yes, I'm a mom to the four amazing kiddos in the picture. I am forever grateful that God has entrusted them to us.

Yes, I'm an attorney, but I'm definitely in a season of slowing that down. I stay involved in a couple areas, but I'm not doing litigation, my favorite area, because it doesn't fit with my life right now. A choice I'd make again -- even though I love litigation.

Yes, I'm a contract lecturer at a University and adjunct faculty at a community college. I LOVE teaching and am so grateful God opened these doors. Lest you think otherwise, remember this too is part time.

Yes, I'm a writer -- between the hours of nine and midnight most weeks...because that's when my kids sleep.

Yes, I'm a homeschool mama -- it's a joy and honestly frustrating. If I can be real, I love watching my kids learn. But there are times I long for them to join the school bus crowd. However, God has made it clear this is for us right now, so I do it willingly. Even if it means teaching algebra to the oldest and reading to the 3 year old. I don't know how one room school teachers did it.

Yes, I serve at our church. It's the least I can do for the body God has planted us in and for God. He's given me so much. I'm more than willing to tithe my time and talent for Him. Besides, I've long known I learn more when I teach.

Yes, I do a lot. But I hope you're getting a sense of season. There are ebbs and flows to each of these. I love my class at Purdue, but right now it's not a year round commitment. Maybe some day it will be. I love the law, but it's no where near full time right now. How do you balance it all in this do-it-all-right-now-life?

Cara, I had three sons and didn't home school. Most of the time I would have to say my nick name would have been Let-It-Slide-Mom. Thank you for a glimpse of how you balance everything.
And as Cara asked, " How do you balance it all in this do-it-all-right-now-life?

Here's my review of Cara's book.

A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island by Cara C. Putman

A delightful tale with surprising twists and turns. I've been to Mackinac Island and wondered
what it was like for residents. Did they dislike having the tourists? Did they really bike, walk or take
a horse drawn buggy taxi? Putman answered all of those questions for me.

A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island is what I call a nice bathtub read. The story is engaging and at times gets your heart rate up, but not so much that you
want to run while looking over your shoulder.

I enjoyed returning to Mackinac via the pages of this book.

Back Cover Copy

When Past and present Collide, God Still has a Plan

Attorney Alanna Stone vowed long ago to avoid Mackinac Island. although it may seem like the perfect place to heal, for Alanna it holds to many memories
of a painful past.

But an exhausting high-profile case and an urgent plea from her parents has brought Alanna home. Moving into the cabin next to Jonathan Covington doesn't help her. Jonathan may have been her first
love, but he was also her first lesson in betrayal. Now Alanna must protect her privacy and her heart.
Then secrets and a murder intersect, an she's thrust into controversy again as tragedy turns public opinion against her and potentially her family.

For years, Jonathan has stubbornly resisted the urging of his family and friends to date, believing he's already found the perfect woman. With Alanna's return, he begins to wonder if he's waited to long for someone
who isn't the right one after all.

Will Alanna and Jonathan be able to lay aside the past and let God heal their hearts?

If you want to know more about Cara check out her website.
Buy her book at Amazon. Barnes and Noble, or CBD.

Go ahead FAIL at Something

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:37:00 +0000

How many times have you tried something and failed and then tried again and succeed?
Oh let me count the rejection letters in my drawer--nope, that would take way to long. But I kept trying and soon I succeeded.

What about activities you've tried and failed at and then didn't try again and now regret?
Mine is acting. I tried out for one play, freaked out and didn't try out for another.

What things would you like to try but are afraid of failing?
What if you tried and succeeded?

How will you spend Easter?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:06:00 +0000

At our house Easter is more than a tradition. For our family it is about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Because He rose and I believe that He died for my sins I know I will be going to heaven when I die.

For over 20 years we have gone to the sunrise service at our church. This year the church youth are in charge. That means an exciting 'Wake You Up' service. There will be music and this year three of the young girls are doing a praise dance to I Can Only Imagine. I can't wait!

After the service we make our way to the basement for a pancake breakfast. I won't be able to eat because of being gluten free. I'm still going though because my kids (now grown) will be there too. It's a fun time as the people coming to the next more traditional service will also be trickling in for the breakfast. It's a good time to fellowship and show off our grown kids.

After that excitement we head to my mother-in-law's house where our blended family gets to hunt eggs with the younger children, eat an amazing lunch and then take a neighborhood walk.

How do you spend your Easter?

What's this about Lucky 7?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:30:00 +0000

This fun activity came to my through my WANA112 group, Mike Schulenberg invented it and Laird Sapir tagged me. I've watched it spin through the WANA112 group like an infection. We can't help ourselves. We want to share our writing--even if it is only 7 lines.

What is WANA112? Thought you would never ask. We're a group brought together under Kristen Lamb who taught us how to have each others backs in the social networking world.

Since most of the WANA112 group has been tagged I'm tagging friends in another group I belong to, Grace and Fiction, where I'm sure it will be just as infectious.

These are the rules:
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag 7 authors, and let them know

Here's mine from a WIP or work in progress in a book I have yet to title. AND I do mean work in progress, this is the messy, commas out of place, fresh writing.

***
Her nose wrinkled and he knew why. The pigs. Their smell clung to everything. He set Sara Beth on the floor.

She wailed.

“Shh! Just for bit, while I help this lady.” He got on his knees and collected a few coins. Sarah Beth crawled up his leg and onto his back. He must look ridiculous crawling on his knees in the mercantile with a toddler riding him like a horse.
***
I couldn't use page 77 as I'm not that far in this WIP. So if your name is below you've been tagged. It's okay if you don't use page 77, Laird said so.

AND NOW FOR THE TAGGED!
Liz Tolsma
Valerie Comer
Robin Bayne
Elaine Stock
Matt Patterson
Amy Douglas
Mary Capagna Findley

Cooking the Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Cooking the Books by Bonnie Calhoun

Sloane Templeton doesn't just step off the page. She flies off of it taking the reader on one quirky dangerous journey.

Filled with wacky characters Cooking the Books will have you holding your breath right along with Sloane when she discovers overcooked eggs. Her aunt is a wana-be-gourmet chef and Sloane does what she can to keep her aunt out of trouble, but she is on a first name basis with the fire and police departments.

Sloane has a sarcastic wit that leaves you grinning. Her choice in men had me screaming no not him he’s a creep, get away far far away!

Sloan is capable of handling the many frightening situations she finds herself involved in. Who knew going from a computer career to a bookstore her could be so dangerous?

Calhoun kept me out of my bed until I finished the last page. Part of the appeal of Cooking the Books for me was the glimpse of an inner city culture which is a 360 for this small-town Midwesterner.

Cooking the Books is filled with danger, humor and of course snarky remarks. Get this book you'll love it.

Back Cover Copy

After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink. She also "inherits" a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”

A lot! Sloane begins to receive cyber threats. While Sloane uses her computer forensic skills to uncover the source of the threats, it is discovered someone is out to kill her. Can her life get more crazy?

Get more information about Bonnie Calhoun

website: http://bonniescalhoun.com/books.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bscalhoun

Twitter @bonniecalhoun

Take me to a different dentist please!

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:17:00 +0000

The Carol Burnett Show was on of my favorites. Since it's National Doctor's day I thought a trip to the dentist was in order. Do you have a favorite Carol Burnett sketch?

Pecan Cookies Crisp Chewy and Gluten Free

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:33:00 +0000


Pecan Cookies Gluten Free

These yummy delights are in the Ladies' Home Journal March 2012--for people who can eat gluten. They looked so good I tampered with the recipe to come up with my version of Pecan Crispers that are gluten free.

Pecan Crispers Gluten Free

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup coconut oil softened (not liquid)
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs 2 cups Jules gluten free all purpose flour (if not using Jules add xantham gum)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans

Oven should be preheated to 350 degrees
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper

In a large mixing bowl beat butter, coconut oil, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix well.

In another mixing bowl whisk together the flours, salt and baking soda.
Stir into butter mixture.
Fold in pecans.

Spoon 1 1/2 inch balls of dough onto baking sheets and bake until golden. Check at 15 minutes, may need to add up to 5 more minutes depending on your oven.

When done, eat with hot tea, iced milk or coffee, and read a book.

Remounting the horse

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:57:00 +0000

Lady and Scout

Have you ever been tossed to the ground by a horse?

We had a horse named Lady who was a bit strong-willed. She seemed to sense my 'beginner' nerves and made use of that information. While going down hill she lowered her head and off I went. I can't explain how it happened only that I didn't want to get back on her back.

But I had to. You can't let a horse win or you'll go flying off that saddle every time.

The day I took that tumble I didn't expect it to become a blog post someday or even a life lesson.
Probably because the day I took the fall I was 17 and knew everything.

Since that day life has thrown me from the saddle many times. Sometimes it's not hard to get back on because it wasn't a big fall and the horse didn't run off so I had to catch it. Maybe that's the day the gluten free meal I made turned out like paste. ( Oh yeah, that was another drop in my life I hadn't expected no more regular people bread!)

Or maybe that fall is harder like losing your husband at 32.

That was a flattening fall. It took months to even to look up. Then despite my fear of being thrown again, I remarried.

So far so good--I haven't killed him with my gluten free cooking yet.

There is another kind of fall that I experience. After I finish a crocheting a scarf, making a quilt or writing a book it takes awhile to try another one. I have a new book coming out in May. A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee. I know those characters so well that I keep thinking about them. It's hard to take my attention away from Heaven and Travis and turn it onto new characters.

But like falling off the horse, I must get back on or in this case back in my writer's chair and make friends with those unwilling characters who only want to look pretty--much like Lady who only wanted to be in the pasture.

So many things require us to get back up and start anew.
What's the hardest project you've had to restart?

How do you list this on a resume?

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:36:00 +0000

Watch Christian Videos and Read the Online Bible at GodVine.com
Maybe these guys are trying out to work at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis?

Puppy Love

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:54:00 +0000

It's National Puppy Day!
Wouldn't it be delightful to have these guys over for a visit?
Do you have a puppy?

Cheesy Biscuits-Gluten Free

noreply@blogger.com (Diana Brandmeyer) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:54:00 +0000

Gluten-Free Cheesy Biscuits

The Pioneer Woman and Kait Nolan both have yummy looking bacon cheddar biscuit recipes. I wanted to try my own version but to be fair I started with their recipe and ended up with something different.

Cheesy Biscuits Gluten Free

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper.

What you need:
1 3/4 cup gluten free flour ( I use Jules flour)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
if not using Jules flour mix you need 1 tsp. xanthan gum
1tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 stick of butter
3/4 cup of butter milk ( I make my own by adding a little less than a tsp. of white vinegar to milk)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar
1 egg white
1 cup shredded Italian cheese

How to
In a large mixing bowl combine the flours,salt, Italian seasoning, baking soda, baking powder and xanstham gum (if using) and whisk

Cut the butter into tiny pieces, add to flour mixture. Now for the fun! Use your hands to mix the butter into the flour so you don't have large butter pieces
Add the cheese and mix

Add the buttermilk, water, egg white and apple cider vinegar to the flour mixture. Stir well.
Mound 12 biscuits on parchment paper (or you could use an oiled muffin pan)
Bake 20 min. then check with a toothpick to see if done. They may need up to 5 more minutes.