Living Our Faith Out Loud

Barbara Derksen talks about her new FindersKeepers mystery series

2013-05-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Meet Barbara Derksen, Prolific writer!

Barbara, how long did it take you to write your latest book?

I usually finish one mystery a year but I also did a devotional and a children’s book this past winter. I write mostly in the winter because we are on the road all summer for Christian Motorcyclists Association. Shadow Stalker was started last summer but completed over this long winter we’ve had.

Barbara, what three things do you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you first started?

My first mystery was written before I attended any writer’s conferences. I did not understand POV and that would have been very helpful. I also envisioned being discovered like other artists and now know that to be fallacy for most of the really good writers out there. I don’t know if I would have done things differently, but the knowledge would have caused me to think about my audience more. I read a book early on about marketing but I had no idea how many steps it takes to get a book seen by the buying public. Marketing is huge and that knowledge may have given me pause to reconsider writing … but maybe not.

What have you learned about writing and yourself since you started your most current project?

I‘ve learned to pace myself, to include in my characters’ lives what the Holy Spirit is teaching me spiritually, and how important it is to edit, edit, and edit some more.

Tell us a little about your books, especially your latest release.

I write devotionals with a target audience of bikers since that’s who we minister to all summer. Each one builds on the one before so all six can build spiritually into a person’s life in a major way. God is using them all across the country including men’s bible studies. Straight Pipes, Two-Up, Chrome, Chaps, Road Trip, and this year, More Than Bells, speak to anyone who wants to listen and, ‘ve been told, God meets them in the pages.

My children’s stories have come about because I have grandchildren. Building a subtle truth from God’s Word into their lives is my motivation and I meet many grandparents at biker rallies who want to take something home to their grand-kids. The stories are about animals with kids names who teach some of their characteristics to the readers but also talk of a Creator and pray and such.

My third genre is the mysteries. I began with a mystery but I pulled Mind Trap so I could rewrite now that I’ve learned so much about the craft. Then I wrote a four book series, Wilton/Strait Mystery Series. Vanished, Presumed Dead, Fear Not, and Silence take two people, virtual strangers who share the same church, on many adventures to solve mystery, find missing people, and point the authorities in the right direction to capture some evil people. Andrea Wilton and Brian Strait grow spiritually through the series and relationally as well.

My latest book, Shadow Stalker, is the first in a new series, the Finders Keepers Mystery Series. Shadow Stalker begins with a five year old girl, Melissa Rompart, who watches her parents’ death by the hands of a man who stalks her through life to kill her too. As an adult, Christine Finder, alias Melissa Rompart, has returned to her home country and city to embark on a search of her own with a sideline for tracking missing people. She teams up with Jeremy Goodman, a strong believer who shares how God leads in his life. Christine is a skeptic.

What marketing techniques have worked the best for you?

I’m not sure any one works better than any other. I use whatever I can to get my name out there, from interviews, live and on the internet, TV appearances, live radio, or social media. Meeting the public at book tables, signings, readings, etc. adds familiarity. Marketing takes time and work. Like a musical artist, we have to keep our name in front of people so anyway we accomplish that works.

Who in the profession would you most like to sit down with, and what would you ask?

I would like to find a publicity specialist to find out how they find the interviews, and other media events for their clients. I’d like to pick their brain about the files they’ve accumulated and what criteria they use to distinguish a good interview from a poor one. But moistly, I’d want enough money from my sales to hire one so I wouldn’t have to use valuable writing time to do the marketing.

About the book:

An ominous shadow hangs over her, as Christine Finder, alias Melissa Rompart, visits the brutal slaying of her parents most nights in a dream. The threat of discovery propels her to search for the whereabouts of the killer to see the man brought to justice. In the meantime, the killer stalks her mind while she operates Finder’s Keepers, an agency that searches for the people her clients hire her to find. Nathan Brent is only four years old and missing. Will she find him in time or will the killer find her first?

Google+

Shadow Stalkerpage on website (read excerpt and order)

About the author:

Watching the expressions on the faces of her readers, as well as answering questions about her characters, is what drives author and speaker, Barbara Ann Derksen to write yet another book and another. Her favorite genre is murder mystery but each book brings forth characters who rely on God as they solve the puzzle in their life.

Barbara’s devotionals are sought after each year when she publishes a new one that reflects what God has placed on her heart. From Straight Pipes, her first, to More Than Bells, Preparation for Prayer, the latest, Barbara’s devotions take people to the place where God can touch their heart and leave a lasting impression. When people stop by her table for the latest, they talk to her about using the devotions in their chapter meetings, or their personal devotions. Some men return at their pastor’s request because the books are used as launch pads for men’s bible study. Many copies have been passed on to new believers as discipling tools.

Born in Canada, Barbara lived in the US for 12 years. There her writing surfaced as she worked under contract as a journalist for six years with over 2500 articles published in newspapers and magazines during that time. Meeting and interviewing people, digging for the hidden gems in their lives, made those years informative as well as instructive. She began attending Colorado Christian Writer’s Conferences and each year, under the tutelage of great Christian writer’s like James Scott Bell, Angela Hunt, and others, she honed her skills.

Barbara has developed a speaking platform and has spoken across the US and in Manitoba, Canada for women’s groups and in church services on topics such as The Writing Experience, working in the ministry of Christian Motorcyclists Association, Love, Parenting, Time Management, and a host of others.

With 17 books to her credit, one currently inactive and awaiting revision, each one surpasses the last, according to her readers. They look forward to discovering the new characters in a new series Finders Keepers. Book One – Shadow Stalker – is now available.

Writing, however is simply a tool to be used in the ministry she shares with her husband. With his gift of music (he sings country gospel), Barbara and her husband operate CatchFire Ministries, a ministry to bikers through Christian Motorcyclists Association. They travel for four to five months every summer in the US and the rest of the time in Canada where they seek to inspire, encourage and invite people into a deeper ministry with Jesus Christ. They also minister at Veterans Homes and churches along the way and are about to begin a ministry to Juvenile offenders incarcerated at Manitoba Youth Center. The mysteries include a gospel message that opens her readers to the possibility of reading books written from a Christian World view and supply funds for CatchFire.

CrossReads Book Blast: Wacky Wishes by Susette Williams, Illustrated by Jack Foster - Enter to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

2013-05-16T00:15:00.000-07:00

Title: Wacky Wishes By Susette Williams Author, Jack Foster Illustrator

About the Book:

Tommy and Suzie find a wishing well and like children do, they begin making wishes. Imagine their surprise when their wishes start to come true! Are spacesuits the new dress code at school? What’s Tommy going to do with three heads? You’ve heard of, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.” When Tommy and Suzie's wishing gets out of hand, will they be able to wish away the mess they've created before their wishes run out?

Buy on Kindle
Susette Williams Author, Jack Foster IllustratorSusette Williams is a Best Selling Author. She loves writing various genres, both for children and adults. She usually can't resist the urge to let her ornery sense of humor shine through in one of her characters and has always believed that laughter helps you deal with the obstacles life puts in your way. Susette and her husband have six wonderful children, all with intriguing and different personalities, like the characters she creates in her novels. Jack Foster has illustrated over 25 children's books. He is a Sunday school teacher, art teacher and the father of five terrific children and eleven wonderful grand kids. He lives just outside of Chicago with his lovely wife, dog and cat. Check out his work at www.jacksillustrations.blogspot.com Follow Susette Williams Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $25 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Susette Williams Author, Jack Foster Illustrator! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Meet Linda Carroll-Bradd, author of The Ring That Binds

2013-05-15T00:38:00.000-07:00

The Ring That Binds

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

Linda, what do you love about this book?

I love the small personal feel to this story that contains fewer than ten characters.

Introduce us to the story and one character—any one.

In The Ring That Binds (a western historical novella that spent 7 weeks on Kindle Top 100 western romance list), a widowed seamstress Celina strives to earn enough money to provide a happy Christmas for her 4-year old daughter, Keena. Co-owner of the general store, Mikel Toussaint has his eye on Celina and wishes for the chance to make her life a bit easier. Mikel is an emigrant from the Basque region of Spain. He and his older brother, Danel, arrived about four years earlier than the story’s 1884 setting. Mikel is effusive, generous and not shy about the fact his English is sometimes rough. He loves little Keena and slips her treats whenever he can. The gesture he makes at the conclusion of the story brought tears to my eyes as I wrote it.

What one new thing did you learn during the research of this book?

I learned that Aspen, Colorado experienced a big silver mining strike in the early 1880s that boomed when the railroad reached the town in 1887 and provided the means to transport large quantities of the ore.

What’s your best marketing tip?

Join blog hops with themes or genres that match your book. Through the association with other authors writing similar stories, you reach a wider audience of potential readers.

BUY LINKS

Prism Book Group

Amazon

B&N

Smashwords

About the author:

As a child, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about characters having exciting adventures in places far away. Upon reaching a landmark birthday, she decided to write one of those romances she loved so much. Easier said than done. Perseverance paid out and twelve years later, she received her first call from a publisher and a confession story was published. Now Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor, and many have a tie to her previous home of Texas.

Linda currently lives in the southern California mountains with her husband of 34 years and their two spoiled dogs, Shiba Inu Keiko and terrier mix Phoenix.

For more information, find Linda here:

www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com

May: Women’s Healthcare Month

2013-05-13T01:42:00.000-07:00

A Stealth Attack

By Joanie Shawhan

Do you know the symptoms of one of the most insidious diseases assaulting women today? I thought I did. But despite my background in oncology nursing, I had missed a cardinal symptom of ovarian cancer—nausea. Over the course of several months, I had experienced a few episodes of queasiness, mistaking it for the flu. Fleeting thoughts of ovarian cancer even crept into my mind, but I brushed them away. This nausea is just too infrequent, I rationalized.

During the blackness of night, a late warning sign emerged. I rolled over on a firm grapefruit-sized mass in my abdomen. When I pressed on the growth, stabbing pain clutched my abdomen and sucked my breath away. I hope this is just a uterine fibroid.

My doctor agreed that a fibroid was the most probable diagnosis, but we needed to schedule an ultrasound. In the darkened room, the ultrasound technician shot me a glance. I knew something was wrong. After the scan, I tucked the films under my arm and strode into my doctor’s office. She examined the images, then spun around and faced me. Her verdict? Ovarian cancer—the size of a cantaloupe. While she rattled off the tests and surgery that still needed to be scheduled, I sat numb. Words spilled over her lips, but the syllables sounded foreign and distant. Is she talking to me?

After surgery, I endured the ravages of chemotherapy: baldness, crushing chest pain, nausea and brain fog. Fatigue siphoned my strength and left me winded.

My sister said, “We have to make this fun,” and she sent me my first installment of hats. Fun? Hats—yes. Chemotherapy—no.

But after a while, my hair grew back with perfect summer highlights. A spring returned to my step and the fog lifted off my mind. The anxiety that gripped my chest prior to each follow-up appointment has dissolved into what I now dub “a social visit.”

I won my race against cancer.

May is Women’s Health Care month:

Do you know the symptoms of ovarian cancer?

v Pain or pressure in the pelvis, abdomen or lower back

v Abdominal bloating or a sense of fullness

v Nausea, constipation, diarrhea, gas or indigestion

v Urinary frequency or urgency

v Fatigue

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor.

The life you save? Your own.

Joanie Shawhan Bio:

Joanie Shawhan is an ovarian cancer survivor and a registered nurse. She writes encouraging articles for women undergoing chemotherapy and is available for speaking engagements. Publishing credits include Coping with Cancer magazine and God Still Meets Needs. When not writing or attending book club, Joanie enjoys designing jewelry, knitting, and playing guitar. Website: http://joanieshawhan.com/.

Book Review: When Love Calls by Lorna Seilstad

2013-05-12T14:27:00.001-07:00

When Love Calls

By Lorna Seilstad

Historical romance

Revel, a division of Baker Publishing Group

May 2013

ISBN 9780800721817

Paper: 14.99

From the publisher:

Hannah Gregory is a good many things, but that list does not include following rules. So when she must apply for a job as a switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won’t be easy. Hello Girls must conduct themselves according to strict and often bewildering rules, which include absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training.

With historical details that bring to life the exciting first decade of the twentieth century, Lorna Seilstad weaves a charming tale of companionship that blossoms into sweet romance.

My review:

I enjoy Lorna’s stories. So far they’ve made the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth-century era come alive in America’s heartland—Iowa.

In this new book, When Love Calls, from the Gregory Sisters series, Seilstad explores the world of switchboard operators on the telephone exchange. I was especially interested since I had written about a similar character. Readers who enjoy history, particularly the plight of working women in the early twentieth century, will find much to appreciate about the depth of detail the author uses to effectively create dilemma for her wonderfully multi-layered characters.

Romances don’t leave much to the imagination, but the journey to the church aisle is often entertaining. From the moment attorney Lincoln Cole shows up at the recently orphaned Gregory girls’ farm to foreclose, the reader knows Hannah is in for a fight for her heart. Having given up law school in order to find work, independent and feisty Hannah sees an advertisement for switchboard operators, or Hello Girls, for the Iowa exchange, and applies for a highly-coveted training position. Not even the dire warning that less than half of them will graduate and only a handful will succeed on the switchboard, Hannah excels in the course, making friends and enemies along the way. Too practical to realize a farm neighbor has been harboring a secret crush, Hannah worries but ignores his warnings about the unrest caused by local union activities for laborer’s rights.

Lincoln Cole, son of a senator, is pushed toward his late father’s political aspirations. Those plans include associating with the right type of people and marriage with the right kind of society woman, not a common switchboard operator who associates with criminals. Lincoln realizes there is more to life when he meets Hannah and her younger sisters, a teenage potential hoyden, and the youngest, a dreamy schoolgirl who’s willing to help him plot Hannah’s romantic downfall.

When Love Callshit nice highs and lows for all characters during this time of change, of unrest and uncertainty. Told from multiple viewpoints, the story shows what family devotion, faith, love, and respect should look like.

Available May 2013 at your favorite book seller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Meet Mary Ball, author of Escape to Big Fork Lake

2013-05-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Meet some of my new friends from the Prism Book Group, starting with Mary Ball, author of Escape to Big Fork Lake

Mary, what do you love about Escape to Big Fork Lake?

I love that Samantha Blacker got a new start in life. How many of us have often fantasized about starting fresh somewhere else

Introduce us to the story and one character—any one:

Bad luck seems to follow Sam Blacker. She loses her job and faces daily struggles keeping her drunken neighbor away from her. When an unexpected inheritance gives her a chance for a new beginning, Sam, a city girl at heart, is hesitant. However, after a brutal attack she has no choice. Making a decision that will forever change her life she flees to the small fishing town of Big Fork Lake, Alabama and soon finds herself in the arms of Noah Frye. As Sam adjusts to small town life trouble lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching. Inescapable, Sam’s bad luck returns when she stumbles upon a murder and becomes the only suspect.

Exciting, Mary. What one new thing did you learn during the research of this book?

I discovered the beauty that lies in Alabama. (one city I haven't visited yet)

What’s your best marketing tip?

Stay away from blue eye shadow or use it sparely.

Me: Big grin! Thanks, Mary.

Will an inheritance bring new happiness or a trap for murder?

https://www.amazon.com/author/marylball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42b7wBUdHI

Mary L. Ball lives in the North Carolina. She writes novels and Christian articles. Her passion is weaving together Inspirational Romantic Suspense and Mysteries, which show the imperfect lives of everyday characters as they face hardships while discovering the real meaning of grace. When she’s not writing she enjoys family, the outdoors and fishing. You can visit me at http://MaryLouwrites.weebly.com Stop by and “like” her FB page.

May 6-10: National Teacher Appreciation Week

2013-05-06T01:31:00.000-07:00

May 6-10: National Teacher Appreciation Week

Just Icing on the Cake

By Hally Franz

Teachers deserve our appreciation. There are many ways my daughter’s school commemorates National Teacher Appreciation Week, held this year May 6-10. Parents serve themed, private, and, most importantly, long lunches to teachers and staff, while monitoring classrooms during these respites. Students bring in flowers to build a vibrant and bountiful spring bouquet. Kids supply treat bags with candy bars and microwave popcorn to satisfy afternoon blood sugar dips. You can brainstorm your own ways to show teachers appreciation this year.

It’s wonderful to close the school year with a celebration of teachers and their hard work, but perhaps we should view this week of pampering as icing on the cake, a final thank you that follows a year of appreciation and support for those educating our children each day. Here are some ways parents can show we value teachers throughout the school year.

Partner with Your Child’s Teacher

Fifty years ago, parents just naturally supported teachers. Children understood that parents held the same expectations for classroom behavior and academic performance as the teacher; there was solidarity between the two. When parents provide that support, it means a lot to a teacher, and it benefits kids. Not only do children clearly know what’s acceptable, they learn to respect authority figures.

Take the Initiative on Communication

We may have unrealistic expectations regarding communications from teachers. Fortunately, technology in many school districts makes it convenient to check grades, attendance and lunch accounts as often as we like. However, it may be more difficult to get that personal conversation or note from a teacher, especially at the secondary level. With the job of teachers becoming more difficult each year due to larger class sizes and/or increased state mandates, we should take time to address concerns or check-in on things ourselves. That lets the teacher know we’re attentive and, at the same time, we recognize the demands teachers face.

Words of Thanks Throughout the Year

When school programs or events occur during the year, teachers appreciate not only our attendance, but also our thanks for the extra time they’ve spent to spotlight our children. A bit of praise or a heartfelt compliment means a lot to these hard-working professionals.

Final Assessment

Most teachers are genuinely devoted to their students and the goal of educating. If we find that to be so, let’s give them our appreciation all year long, knowing that this special week in May will be yet another rewarding moment in a year of a job well done!

About the Author:

Hally Franz writes about her observations on family, faith, parenting and people. A former high school guidance counselor turned stay-at-home mom, Hally is a 4-H leader, and she serves as her church secretary and a Bible class teacher. She enjoys traveling with family and monthly book club meetings with pals.

April 7 is No Housework Day by Robin Steinweg

2013-04-17T01:22:00.000-07:00

Since I believe any day can be a no housework day, I offer this article.

April 7 is International No Housework Day

No Housework Day

By Robin Steinweg

I used to be queen of procrastination. I abdicated that throne.

Now you can call me Sisyphus.

That’s right—the mythological Greek who was forced to roll a boulder uphill all day, then watch it plunge back down at night—only to start again the next morning. And the next, and the next.

Anyone whose responsibilities include the daily round of family meals, dishes, laundry or floor-care could relate to Sisyphus. A recurring nightmare might go like this: a mountainous meatball lumbers down the stairs toward my kitchen, spraying a trail of spaghetti sauce, grated Parmesan and a few unruly noodles. It gains momentum. It lurches straight toward my freshly shined sink.

“Nooooooo!”

The meatball takes a deliberate turn. I hear its sneering tone as it threatens me, “I’ll roll over you. You’ll be flat as a sheet.” The meatball leans over me menacingly, looking strangely like my husband—

“Roll over, Honey. You’re dreaming. And you’ve got the flat sheet all to yourself.”

The average American woman scrubs her house for at least seventeen hours a week^*. That means if she lives to be eighty years old, she’ll have spent over eight years of her life cleaning house!

I’d like to slice a sliver out of that perennial pie. April 7 is International No Housework Day.

Put down your mop

Hang the broom

Watch dust bunnies gather in every room

Don’t let your youth just fade away

Take time to celebrate No Housework Day

Put off till later what needs to be done

Cooking and housework aren’t much fun

Take the day off. Augment your sorrow—

Every mess, every job will be there tomorrow

Dishes will litter each horizontal space

Oatmeal will harden at an alarming pace

Slog through the clutter? You’ll be confounded

As tasks pile up with interest compounded

Hm. That didn’t go quite like I thought it would.

It could be that the statistics of the average woman’s housecleaning would change in the wrong direction. I’ve heard that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If I take a day off, how many extra hours—days—months—will it take me to catch up?

Maybe I’ll be queen of procrastination one more time—

—and put off celebrating No Housework Day!

^*According to a 2008 study by the University of Michigan.

Robin Steinweg

Robin Steinweg finds life sweet in the middle of writing, teaching music students, caring for aging parents, adjusting to having adult children, and nudging life and home to a state of order. She, her husband and sons live near Madison, Wisconsin.

Lynn Dove's Love the Wounded book blast! Enter a Drawing!

2013-04-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

Title: Love the Wounded By Lynn Dove

About the Book:

Love the Wounded by Lynn Dove is the final and dramatic conclusion to her brilliant Wounded Trilogy series that has followed the lives of teenagers Jake, Leigh, Mike, Dylan and Tim as they come to terms with a series of tragedies and events that have made each of them question why God allows “bad things to happen to good people.” Leigh does not know who to choose…her heart tells her she will always love Jake, but he has changed so much since the death of their friend, Ronnie, and with his mother going through breast cancer, he has totally closed himself off from her emotionally. Now she is dating Dylan and try as she might to accept him for who he is, she can’t stop thinking about Jake!

Dylan has never gotten over the loss of his father and little sister, killed by a drunk driver when he was just a young boy. After a horrific accident that has put both Tim and his little brother, Evan in the hospital, everyone knows that not only is he being bullied at school; he cuts himself to cope with it all. But meeting Cassidy has given him the courage to stand up to the bullies and at the same time give her what she so desperately needs…a life-giving bone marrow transplant.

Jake’s mother keeps telling him that “God works all things out for good” but with all the things going on in his life and with his friends, he’s just not sure anymore. It is only after Mike is paralyzed in a car accident that Jake was partially responsible for that all the families and friends will be brought back together, not by coincidence, but by God’s design and then Jake will finally believe that God truly does Love the Wounded.

“A life of working with youth has inspired Lynn Dove, a Cochrane mother, to turn her experiences into a book trilogy…(the Wounded Trilogy) series that parallels the struggles of students…(and) covers the angst of some of the real serious issues that teenagers face today, particularly with bullying and gossip. ” -Rocky View Weekly-

Kindle | Paperback

Lynn DoveLynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy. Her blog, Journey Thoughts, won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011. She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013).

Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blogs: Journey Thoughts and Word Salt or on her website: www.shootthewounded.org

Follow Lynn Dove Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Lynn Dove! a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Review of Days of Vines and Roses by Linda Rondeau

2013-04-15T10:13:00.002-07:00

Days of Vines and Roses

By Linda Wood Rondeau

Helping Hands Press

c. March 2013

e-book

ASIN: B00BYHPRTM$4.99

From the publisher: A romance writer and her estranged publisher husband spend a summer together in their Connecticut estate. But when reconciliation seems possible, malignant forces within the home seem determined to keep them apart.

My review:

A lifetime of regrets in a marriage kept up for appearance's sake comes to the tipping point in its thirtieth year.

Sylvia and Henry Fitzgibbons have struggled along because they are comfortable in their Wednesday dates, their parasitic lifestyle and separate tents, so to speak. Sylvia, aka Lana Longstreet a somewhat over the top romance writer, has overstepped her bounds as a bread-winning wife and allowed her devil may care Lana personality trump her husband, Henry, who along with an army buddy partner, runs a successful publishing firm catering not only to Lana but others. Henry and Sylvia could have been divinely in tune but for their personal hangups and decided lack of confrontation, er, communication skills with each other. They are, of course, in love as well as lust with each, but can't figure out how to make the other aware of their feelings.

In true Lana form, Sylvia bought a mansion for herself early on in the marriage. She decamped there, outside of New York City, to write and mother their two children. Henry always hated the early American historic home, and claimed the feeling was mutual. Sylvia ignores the odd things that happen upon occasion and made fun of Henry for his fears. But the summer of the roses, the last-ditch effort Sylvia makes to try and salvage their marriage, forces them to face their...ghosts. Literally.

If Sylvia and Henry can't find the means to confront themselves, outside influences force them to decide whether they are stronger alone or together, and even better, three-stranded with the One God who above all else, keeps them in perfect peace.

Told in snippets from Sylvia and Henry's viewpoints, along with chapters from the novel Lana is currently writing, Days of Vines and Roses is an interesting read. From things that go bump in the night to facing the demons that make us who we are, and force us to confront the choices we've made and how those choices affect others, readers of contemporary fiction who like a forties-era feel to their heroes will find reasons to keep turning these pages.

YA Book Review: Stopped Cold by Gail Pallotta

2013-04-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Stopped Cold

Gail Pallotta

Front Porch Romance

c. April 10, 2013

ASIN: B00CBAT37I

e-book $2.99

Young Adult

From the publisher: Margaret McWhorter enjoys a laid-back Freshman year in high school flirting with Jimmy Willmore, swimming and hanging out with friends—until that day. Her brother, Sean, suffers a stroke from taking a steroid. Now he’s lying unconscious in a hospital. Margaret’s angry at her dad for pushing Sean to be a great quarterback, but a fire of hatred burns inside her to make the criminals pay.

My review:

Pallotta’s high school drama could take place anywhere. Pressure from all sides: parents, teachers, coaches, and peers take their toll, no matter the size or type of school. Margaret McWhorter and her brother Sean attend the exclusive Meriwether School, one which is targeted by drug-trafficking creeps who have infiltrated the very place that’s supposed to be a safe and supportive environment.

It’s not enough to be talented in the world of high school athletics. Margaret and Sean’s parents unwittingly push their son over the edge as new competition for Sean’s quarterback position comes in and takes over. Sean is pressured into taking steroids and body-building, and suffers a stroke and subsequent coma. Even though the pressure for Margaret, a champion swimmer, is eased by Sean’s condition and the resulting parental guilt, she can’t stop her own consuming desire for vengeance against those who hurt her brother.

But Margaret is only a freshman. She’s just learning about life in high school, what can she do to find the bad guys? And who are they? Who can she trust, besides her mother’s faith that God will make everything right? And Dad—he was the one who pushed Sean too much to begin with.

Detective Garrett, the one assigned to the case, is moving way too slow for Margaret’s taste. He won’t figure things out until someone else gets hurt, and Margaret isn’t about to let that happen. She finally confides in her best friend Emily, who agrees to keep her eyes and ears open around school and their fav hangout, The Grill. Life changes in many ways as Margaret is forced to learn who to trust and what to believe in. Emily is a Buddhist, and a boy Margaret secretly admires, Jimmy, wants to hang out and help find the people behind the drugs. Is Emily’s faith stronger than Mom’s? And what does Jimmy really want?

Find out in this great new read. Told in first person, follow Margaret’s journey to discover the depth of true character and faith not only in school and friends, but family.

Buy on Amazon

or AllRomanceBooks

Book Blast: My Treasures - Four Week Mini Bible Study by Heather Bixler

2013-04-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Book Blast: My Treasures - Four Week Mini Bible Study by Heather Bixler - $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Title: My Treasures - Four Week Mini Bible Study (Becoming Press Mini Bible Studies)
By Heather Bixler

About the Book:

There are plenty of Christian resources out there telling us how to manage our money. From budgeting, to couponing, to saving, to investing, (there are numerous) books, courses, and blogs available for all Christians to learn how to steward their money to better honor and glorify the Lord.

I think these resources are amazing and have often used them in my own life in order to become debt free and learn how to better manage my family's finances. But one burning question always entered into my mind as I began to budget, coupon, and bring down my debt – what's the point? My heart still struggled daily with greed and fear when it came to money.

In this four-week mini Bible Study, we are not going to examine how to manage our money. Instead we are going to examine our heart towards money. One thing I have learned when it comes to money is this, it's really not about HOW much money you have that will determine whether you are broke or rich, it's WHERE your heart is towards God and towards money.

If we want to be good stewards of our money and honor God with the resources He has given us, then we need to look at our heart, not JUST our budget.

Download on Kindle Heather Bixler

Heather is a Christian Stay at home homeschooling mom of three, married to a firefighter, and a writer. She is founder of www.CSAHM.com among other websites for Christian mothers, and women. Heather is passionate about sharing God's word in a practical and loving way.

Follow Heather Bixler Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Review: Trees of the Book by Kimberley Payne, fun family book

2013-03-31T14:08:00.001-07:00

Tressof the Book

by Kimberley Payne, illustrated by Esther Haug

From the Publisher:

Trees of the Book is a 26 page children's activity book, #1 in the Science & Faith Matters Series. It explores the trees discussed in the Bible in a way that is both fun and informative for children of the grade 2 - 3 level, or ages 7-9. With a colorful interior and 8.5" x 11" format for comfortable handling for children, it offers challenging activities, fun facts, opportunities for Bible study and presentation of stories connected to the trees.

Paperback: 28 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches

Publisher: byDesign Media (February 13, 2013)

ISBN: 978-1896213736

$9.95

Kimberley Payne shares information and activities from biblical accounts, from the oaks of Genesis to cedars and palms, and the mustard tree, to the less common fig, sycamore, and brooms.

Told in a fanciful first-person style as though the tree is telling its own story, Payne gives both the biblical passage where mention of the tree is made, and questions related to it. For example, the first story about the oak involves using the tree as a landmark. At the camp Abram set up near these mighty oaks, God made a special promise. Payne asks her readers to think about promises.

Following these passages and questions, Payne gives the scientific description of the species, including growth pattern, names, and other details.

Each chapter also has an activity, such as word search, fill-in-the-blank paragraph, match the facts, or a crossword.

Haug’s illustrations are charming and add depth and beauty to each chapter.

It’s hard to mix science and faith for many. In this book, readers don’t have to even enter a debate. God’s creation is wonderful and varied and awesome. Payne ends with a great glossary, answers and a fun list of further activities.

Highly recommended for fun and learning, Sunday School, family activities.

Meet Alan Calder, author of The Glorious Twelfth

2013-03-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

About the Book:

In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown speculates that the Holy Grail lies buried in the filled in crypt of Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh. This mysterious church was built by the Sinclairs in the first half of the fifteenth century, by which time the clan was well established in Caithness, where it still holds the Earldom. Caithness, then remote and inaccessible, would have provided a much better hiding place for the Grail than Rosslyn, especially after the Sinclairs began to build a series of heavily fortified castles round the Caithness coast. So did Dan Brown have the right family but the wrong hiding place?

The Glorious Twelfth opens as archaeologist Ben Harris finds a Celtic stone and evidence of a medieval shipwreck on the Noster estate of Sir Ranald Sinclair. Careless talk by Ben at a conference in Paris sparks off a robbery at Sir Ranald’s mausoleum, uncovering a treasure that has been hidden for centuries. The robbery follows the opening day of the grouse season, hence the title of the book. The chief villain, grail fanatic Russian Boris Zadarnov, also abducts Sir Ranald’s wayward daughter, Fran, who is already in love with Ben. American oilman Al Regan, a neighbour of Sir Ranald, leads a rescue party to Paris where Fran is freed and most of the treasure recovered, but the thieves escape with a ruby encrusted chalice.

For a series of misdemeanours, Ben is sacked from his university job. He finds consolation in the arms of Fran and moves north to continue treasure hunting, making the discovery of his life near one of the ancient Sinclair castles. Has he found the greatest archaeological prize in Christendom, the Holy Grail? Will he be able to protect it from the malevolent attention of the Russians?

The genre is mystery/suspense with a streak of romance running all the way through. The action takes place mainly in Caithness with forays to Edinburgh, France, Italy, Egypt and Poland.

Alan, what do you love about this book?

The Glorious Twelfth is set in my native Caithness where I was brought up and went to school. The most northerly Scottish mainland county has a particular atmosphere. It lies beyond the Highlands, the people a mix of Viking and Gael, the land littered with the stones of its prehistory, the geography dominated by the rugged cave infested cliffs of old red sandstone, the sky vast and the sea always brooding. It is a unique place and I hope that comes over. So the thing I love most about The Glorious Twelfth is that Caithness is the main character, providing an interesting and exciting stage for the cast to strut on.

Can you share something unique with readers they won’t find anyplace else about this book?

Readers might be interested in a bit more detail about the genesis of The Glorious Twelfth. Before I started writing I read The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, an intriguing book full of conspiracy theories that seem to have been at least partly the inspiration for Dan Brown’s , The Da Vinci Code. The most controversial aspect of the book is its reference to a ‘bloodline of Christ’ descending from a child that Mary Magdalene allegedly bore. Many famous European families were suggested as belonging to this line, including the Sinclairs, originally from Normandy and the Stuart dynasty. In addition, it is documented that the Sinclairs were early leaders of the Templar movement and builders of the mysterious Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh, fictional final resting place of the Holy Grail in The Da Vinci Code. However the Sinclairs also established themselves as Earls of Orkney, then Caithness in medieval times and became the dominant family, a position they still occupy today. The premise of The Glorious Twelfth is that the Sinclairs had much better hiding places for the Holy Grail in Caithness among the many castles and mausoleums they built. The story opens with an archaeologist on a summer dig in Caithness, starting to find clues…

Tell us one new thing you learned or were surprised to learn during your research

The thing that surprised me most was how all three books that I’ve written have their roots in the same medieval pot of history. They are contemporary stories that descend from medieval kings, aristocrats and saints.

What’s your best promotion tip?

I wish I had one but then again, it all depends what your objectives are. Why are you writing? It quickly dawns on the ebook writer that his/her work is being flung into a vast market populated by other scribblers, most of whom are screaming for attention. Many give their work away free, using all the communication methods facilitated by social networking and the internet. It’s a market that is vastly over served, so in competitive terms it’s difficult to evolve effective robust business models. I’ve read most of the advice around. The most logical but least practical is to develop relationships with loads of people who will then want to buy your book.

That advice reflects the reality that we are all involved in what I have coined ‘digital hand selling,’ where almost every sale requires an action on the part of the writer. In that scenario sales are proportional to promotional input. I’ve heard some say that 50% of a writer’s time should be spent on promotion. Saner counsel recommends one day a week. In a disturbing parallel with vanity publishing, many organisations will take money to promote your book, so we have vanity promotion as well. It remains to be seen whether paying someone to shout louder about your book will be cost effective. I’m not going down that road.

In the end you need to decide why you are writing but if you really do need to make a living go someplace else! I get tremendous satisfaction from researching, writing and knowing that my work is appreciated by many. At the same time writing has allowed me to develop the artistic side of my character, long supressed in the rigour of my former scientific life and the exigencies of management roles. For me, writing is a lifestyle choice, it’s what I do when I’m not fishing or…..

The book can be downloaded to e-readers from Amazon or the publisher’s website. You'll need an Amazon UK account to purchase the books from Amazon, but that's easy to do.

Buy The Glorious Twelfth

on the publisher site

on Amazon UK

About the Author:

Alan Calder is a Scottish born writer who divides his time between Yorkshire and his native Caithness. He is married to Jennifer and has two daughters and four grandchildren. He has BSc and PhD degrees in chemistry from the University of Aberdeen.

Writing novels and poetry follows a successful career in research and marketing with ICI/Zeneca. He also held several offices in the Royal Society of Chemistry including being President of the Industrial Division and served on a number of government committees. He chaired the Chemicals Sector of the UK Foresight project in the early 1990s and was made a CBE in 1996 for services to the chemical industry.

While working with ICI the family enjoyed a secondment to Paris and travelled extensively in France, developing a particular affection for the Vaucluse area of the southern Rhone valley and its wine villages. Many family holidays have been spent in that area and countless bottles of red wine imported. This led to our interest in vineyard walks and each year a group visits a European wine area for that purpose. Last year it was Tuscany (for the second time) and this year we’re planning Sicily; we seem to have exhausted France. On the other hand, France features in all my books and my third novel is set there.

Alan is a keen fisherman. He caught his first salmon as a boy on the Wick River in Caithness, a stream which he still fishes when there is water. Otherwise he fishes stocked rainbows in Yorkshire or salmon in the Thurso River, also in Caithness.

Without great forethought it turns out that all his novels gravitate to the suspense/mystery genre and while contemporary, have their roots firmly planted in history. His first book, The Stuart Agenda, published in 2011 describes a conspiracy to get a Stuart back on the throne of an independent Scotland.

Also by Alan Calder, The Stuart Agendapublished by Willowmoon

Kimberley Payne and her new Children's Activity Book

2013-03-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and author. She has taught workshops in a variety of settings including churches, retreats, schools and conferences. Her energetic and enthusiastic presentations motivate individuals to reach their goals.

Kimberley has volunteered as a teacher in many children's programs at her church, as a teacher's aide for students' reading in the classroom, and within the library at her children's school. She works as an Elementary School Secretary for the Catholic School Board. She combines her teaching experience and her love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science and faith.

Kimberley is an over-40, peri-menopausal mother of two teenagers. She is happily married and lives with her husband in a village east of Toronto, Canada.

You can visit her website at www.kimberleypayne.com

TREES OF THE BOOK

Explore the Bible and learn from God’s creation. This entertaining and educational book offers children loads of fun. At the same time they’ll be learning about the Bible.

Inside its pages you’ll find:

· Bible stories told from the viewpoint of the tree

· Fast facts to help identify the specific tree

· An activity to help reinforce the truth in the lesson

· Challenging questions to support each story

· Glossary and “People of the Bible” sections at the back of the book define words which are highlighted in bold

· Project suggestions to enhance your learning

This engaging and instructive book is a colourful introduction to trees, leaves and their corresponding Bible stories. It’s ideal for 7 to 9 year olds, for home or school use and classroom sharing in grades 2/3 to supplement the Life Sciences Curriculum on Plant Life.

What you love about your new book – I love the colours and entertaining nature of the book. Who knew that learning could be so much fun!

A new lesson you learned during the publication of this book – Edit, edit, edit. Although this isn’t new to me, I found it was something I couldn’t go over lightly.

Why people should buy it – It’s a creative way to learn more about the Bible and about God’s creation.

http://www.scienceandfaithmatters.wordpress.com

Book Blast: A Life of Gratitude - and $25 Amazon gift card giveaway

2013-03-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Title: A Life of Gratitude: 21 Days to Overcoming Self-Pity and Negativity By Shelley Hitz

About the Book:

During a season of transition in my life, I found myself overwhelmed with negative emotions like self-pity and a complaining spirit. It was as if a dark cloud had descended over me. I prayed and asked God for wisdom on how to overcome these negative emotions. As I did, I sensed Him leading me to do a 21 day gratitude challenge.

Over the course of the 21 days, God began to change me as I spent intentional time being grateful for all I had been given. I did this through writing in my journal each day and also sending a hand-written thank you note to someone different each day. This also led me to writing out 21 prayers of gratitude and compiling 21 stories of gratitude.

I want to share what I learned with you in the pages of this book which includes:

21 Days of Gratitude Challenge
21 Prayers of Gratitude
21 Stories of Gratitude

What to Expect On Each Day:

Read my personal stories, struggles and reflections.
Read one scripture and one quote about gratitude.
Apply one personal application step from the challenge.
Read one prayer of gratitude
Read one story of gratitude

Get Accountability and Encouragement

Along with the 21 day challenge, I also started a private Facebook group to provide accountability and encouragement for myself but also for others who decide to join me in the challenge. You will get access to this group as well. It has been amazing to see God at work in each of our lives.

Will you join me on this journey to gratitude?
KINDLE | PAPERBACK

Shelley Hitz

Shelley Hitz is an award-winning and international best-selling author. Her openness and vulnerability as she shares her own story of hope and healing through her books will inspire and encourage you.

Shelley has been ministering alongside her husband, CJ, since 1998. They currently travel and speak to teens and adults around the country. Shelley's main passion is to share God's truth and the freedom in Christ she has found with others. She does this through her books, websites and speaking engagements.

You can find more about Shelley at ShelleyHitz.com or invite her to speak at your event here: ChristianSpeakers.tv
Follow Shelley Hitz Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Tammy Hill's debut book, Knowing

2013-03-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Knowing: a series of gifts

By Tammy Hill

©June 2012

Charisma House

· ISBN-10: 1616389265

· ISBN-13: 978-1616389260

Paper 13.99

Kindle 9.39

Genre: YA, contemporary paranormal

From the publisher:

Ember Matthews has a gift...
Sixteen-year-old Ember Matthews is tired of being the person everyone else wants her to be. Although she is nervous about moving to a small town and leaving behind the comforts of her old life, Ember welcomes the opportunity to escape the mistakes and pain of her past. Ember truly wants to change, but when faced with temptation and peer pressure from some new friends, she finds herself slipping into the same old patterns. As she reconnects with God, Ember begins to realize that she is no ordinary teenager. She sees things that no one else sees, and knows things she has no business knowing. Will Ember learn to use her God-given gift, or will the burden of her calling be too much for her to carry?

My review:

Stick with this story! Sixteen-year-old Ember has a troubled history that’s only hinted at and frustrating nightmares that seem to have no basis. Through the first half of Knowing, the reader lives with Ember as she settles in a new town—her temptation to stay a “plastic,” to wow the boys and impress the new kids—the type of girl she wishes she left behind.

Getting the news her mom had divorced her stepdad and was moving them away from Atlanta, Georgia, is both a shock and a blessing. Ember has a close relationship to her mom, but is also a typical teenager with moodiness, and equal bouts of thoughtfulness and thoughtlessness. They move a few weeks before school starts and Ember gets acclimated to the new town quickly when she meets Cade, a young man who stops to help unload boxes. Cade and Ember become an immediate item, and Cade’s gal pal, Missy, and Ember hit it off as well. As Ember starts getting to know more kids and getting involved in church activities, the reader may wonder where all this is going…but hang on, Knowing is not your typical teen angst story.

Ember is endowed with a special gift, as the title implies, and choices to make. Those choices are engagingly revealed through the second half of the book.

Hill’s book flows very realistically with natural dialogue and believable characters, from the teenagers to the adults in all situations. I appreciated learning about both sides of the debate regarding the Spiritual Gifts, which are shared without judgment. Nicely done. Teens and their parents who are curious about or are involved in charismatic faith practices will find much to like about this book.

Lorilyn Roberts talks about shame, abuse, and purity

2013-03-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

Lorilyn Roberts shares about purity

"I felt a hand reach underneath my blue skirt."

Have you ever been violated? No one has the right to violate you physically ‑‑ not your father, your stepfather, a friend, a boyfriend, a teacher, even a doctor. Your body is the vessel of the Holy Spirit. It is holy. No one has the right to de file you to meet his own needs, whether it be for sex, power, or control.

If someone touches you inappropriately, you should report it. Don't let guilt keep you from doing the right thing. That's called false guilt.

Your body should be kept pure before God. Someday, as a young woman, you will probably get married, unless God has given you the gift of singleness. You will want to give a body to your husband that's pure, that's never been touched or looked upon or used. Not only does that mean sexually, but you should preserve your body and keep it from being harmed by illicit drugs and underaged drinking. You may not know it, but all these things will hurt you in more ways than you realize.

Along the same lines, don't go to websites you shouldn't go to. Don't look at pornography. All these things will give you a corrupted way of looking at sex and love. No longer with these things be beautiful, but there will be a sense of dirtiness and vulgar. What God created to be something beautiful between a man and a woman becomes perverted to the point of disgust. Guard your heart. If someone does something to you that makes you feel uncomfortable, that is God's way of speaking to you, warning you that a boundary has been crossed that is inappropriate. Don't sit idly by and allowing this kind of abuse to continue. . If you're young, it's against the law and the offender can go to jail. If you're not so young that it's against law, you're old enough to know you've been violated and seek help.

Shale's way of dealing with this is not the appropriate way to handle it. If you're like Shale and you don't have anyone to turn to, go on the web or look in the newspapers for crisis counseling centers in your area. Contact a church. Don't let yourself continue to be victimized. If you don't do something, it will continue and God has better plans for you than this. Remember, God loves you. Seek out a safe person you can talk to, but sometimes it's up to you to take that first step. Pray and ask God to show you what to do. God will never let you down.

Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Even if you have been violated, it's not too late to do something about it. With God is healing and redemption. Do something today and take that first step to get help.

Even if you feel embarrassed by the situation, don't let that keep you from reporting it. God doesn't want you to live in guilt or shame ‑‑ trust in him and get help.

"I'm fine." I smiled, pretending nothing had happened.

How many times are we offended by someone or something and we pretend that it didn't happen. Does that make the pain go away? Pretending that something bother us is trying to live in denial. It doesn't work. If we live in denial about something, we are limiting our future. How can God use us if we're living in denial? Denial about our past, what's happened to us, minimizing our hurts ‑‑ you can't help someone else if you have never dealt with your own hurts and pains. God is in the business of healing. He specializes in it. Allow him to come into your heart and bring you healing. Find someone you can share your pain with ‑‑ don't live in shame and humiliation. God has better plans for you.

Jesus went through the shame and humiliation of the cross so you wouldn't have to live in shame an humiliation. That was his burden to bear, not yours. Lay this burden at the base of the cross and rejoice that Jesus can carry this burden for you.

First Peter 5:7 says," Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Diana Brandmeyer's A Mind of Her Own

2013-03-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

A Mind of Her Own

By Diana Lesire Brandmeyer

Tyndale House Publishing

ISBN 978-1-4143-8103-9 (Apple); ISBN 978-1-4143-8102-2 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-4143-8101-5 (Mobi)

e-Book $6.39

From the back:

Who knew making dinner could change your life? Louisa Copeland certainly didn’t. But when the George Foreman grill fell out of the pantry onto her head, resulting in a bump and a mighty case of amnesia, Louisa’s life takes a turn for the unexpected. Who was this Collin fellow, claiming she was his wife? And whose kids are those? Her name couldn’t be Louisa. Why, she was the renowned romance writer Jazz Sweet, not a Midwestern mom of three. Struggling to put the pieces together of the life she’s told she had, Louisa/Jazz may realize that some memories are better left alone.

My review:

Brandmeyer’s tale of a woman who’s spent her entire life hiding in plain sight from a decades-long secret she couldn’t make anyone understand. When a fortuitous bump on the head gives Louisa Copeland’s inner drama queen an opportunity to come and play, the whole Copeland family: overworked husband Collin, children Tim, Joey and Madison, along with Louisa, learn how precious the bonds of love and faith should be.

Stay-at-home mom Louisa has another personality, Jazz Sweet, single romance writer, who’s been locked away. After her accident, Collin goes out of his way, not always graciously, to get his wife back, even when he finds Jazz a little more exciting than Louisa. Louisa, as Jazz, gets an opportunity to learn about her kids and husband, her life, from an objective point of view. She acts out the real hang-ups, pet peeves, and the child side of herself she never lets out to play, showing Collin that her life was not all perfect. When he finds and reads her journals, he finally understands what life has been like from his wife’s side. He becomes every wife’s dream husband, and when Louisa relives the trauma that set off her bout of amnesia, they work together to save their family.

Nicely done in the voices of Louisa, her alter-ego Jazz, and Collin, Brandmeyer never quite lets her characters get out of control, although you just know they’d like to. The children are typical big sister and little brothers annoying; Collins wants to make partner at the law firm, and Louisa is just lost, colorless, without intimate friends, virtually orphaned and completely without hope or faith at the start of the story. Jazz livens her up, and although she finds her faith she is still lost in her own life; a life that comes with a husband she doesn’t recall but is strangely attracted to, but a housewife’s role she has no interest in.

The ending comes a bit too neatly and quickly, but the journey there was a pleasant and intriguing ride. What would Jazz do next? And how would the neighbors and her family react? That was great fun. Who wouldn’t want the chance to fall in love all over again?

Staci Stallings' Successful book marketing strategy

2013-03-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

Keys to Creating a Successful Book Marketing Strategy

By Staci Stallings

Spirit Light Publishing

The Indie Author’s Ultimate Guide series

Quit panicking and start learning!

Staci Stallings had to learn marketing basics the hard way, and wants to help others get from Point A (publication-whoo-hoo!) to Point B (being read—the real goal of an author) with the least amount of stumbling in the dark.

How can you not love a gift like that?

This short 70-page e-book will become a baby author’s new BFF in short order. Set up like a workshop of fifteen-minute lessons, Keys promises only to teach an author, not automatic over-night success. In fact, Stallings warns several times that learning to market is a process, and a slow one at that. Building trust takes time and effort, but it can be done. I love Staci’s goal: not only should I become a better marketer, I will be able to turn around and share the strategy with others.

The pre-advice alone is valuable: Besides, put out a Great book and Get a great cover, Get some good reviews right away. I made the mistake of not doing this when I attempted my first-ever electronic short story: Get those reviews set up early, because you’re going to get blasted by people who have way too much time on their hands and vitriol in their veins. They will lie in their reviews and be as nasty as possible. Having a load of honestly good ones ready to go will help sales.

Stallings shares not only great easy tips, but examples of how to do this in each section, from creating an online presence, how to act online, building a great landing page, and keeping the momentum going. Each segment of pithy advice is concise and powerful. Each lesson has a goal, from think(about the covered concept; e.g., how to reel in your readers) to examine(the covered topic; e.g., the strengths and weaknesses of your current strategy to reach your audience), to put some effort into getting reviews. Stallings includes a list of review sites, and shows you how to use them to the optimum effect.

Even a little paid advertising can be useful. Realize that being an author means learning about a lot of things you might never have considered “writing,” such as working with technology. If you’re not much of a grammarian, you hire an editor; if you’re not a tekkie, hire someone who is.

Some advice I can live with:

Don’t talk about yourself

Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint

Don’t try to do it along

Finally, Stallings advises the reader not to sit around, whining in fear, but to take a step in the direction of your dreams.

Packed with illustrations and easy to follow examples, the lessons in Keys to Creating a Successful Book Marketing Strategy are sure to meet your needs somewhere, sometime. Keep this book handy; you’ll refer to it often.

A matching book, How to Prepare, Launch, and Run aSuccessful KDPSelect Free-Day Campaign, will prove helpful to the Indie author’s arsenal.

Review of The Ride of Her Life by Lorna Seilstad

2013-03-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Ride of Her Life

Lorna Seilstad

Revell

ISBN 10: 0800734475

e-book $5.38

Print $4.42 (currently offered as a bargain book on Amazon)

Third in a trilogy Lake Manawa Summers series

From the back:

She's planted firmly on solid ground.
He's ready to sweep her off her feet.

The only man pragmatic Lilly Hart needs in her life is a six-year-old. Widowed for three years, Lilly has decided to leave the home of her intrusive in-laws to stand on her own. However, her in-laws find her new life as a cook at Lake Manawa utterly unsuitable for their grandson. When an argument ensues, a handsome stranger—who designs roller coasters, of all things—intercedes on her behalf. But Lilly is not about to get involved with any man, especially this cocky gentleman. Little does she know she is about to begin the ride of her life.

My review:

I’d read the second book in the series for review and received this copy as a gift. This absolutely delightful story follows the progression of years of family fun and get-togethers at the Lake Manawa, Iowa, resort, around the twentieth century. Like the others, Seilstad presents a new delight of Americana: in this case, it’s the development of roller coasters.

Lilly had been raised in the house of a wealthy family who hired her mother as a cook. Lilly learned to be a ladies maid and a good cook, but when she and the son of another prominent family fell in love and married, she was caught in a strange place as not quite accepted by the high society, and discomfort in front of her former friend, whom she served as maid. This story takes place three years after Lilly is widowed, and raising her son on her own.

When the parents of her husband want to send her son away to boarding school, she takes him and sets off on a quest for independence. That quest is quickly challenged by a handsome roller coaster designer and builder. Through circumstances contrived and self-fulfilling, Lilly and her beau, Nick, along with Lilly’s delightful son, find and fight love.

Seilstad’s third book in the Lake Manawa Summers series is a spot-on charming historical story, with excellent research, that brings back a simpler time of life, when spending summers in a resort setting was all the rage, when roller coasters were the latest entertainment. Told from the point of view of both Lilly and Nick, with occasional narrations from their friends, The Ride of Her Life is a sweet, simple read that will take you away for a few very pleasant hours.

Reverend Michael Duncan shares about Shadows: Book of Aleth and his outlook on publishing

2013-02-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

Christian author and pastor, Michael Duncan has served the Lord and the church for nearly 25 years preaching and teaching God's Word. He has shared God’s message across the U.S. and beyond and is currently the pastor of his church in the Pacific Northwest and a co-host on the Alive in Christ radio network. He is also on the executive board of the Northwest Baptist Convention and a board member of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association. Given the opportunity, he may be found on the golf course! Michael has been married to his wonderful wife, Patty, for almost 20 years and they have three amazing children – all in their teens (which is the reason for the greying hair).

I have three novels in print, and two non-fiction books. All my books can be purchased through my website.

My latest novel is called Shadow Remnant.

(ISBN 9781480168268)

When truth is lost, liberty dies.

For a hundred years the United States has been gripped by martial law, with freedom and faith a forgotten memory. In the summer of 2132, Peter Sheridan learns this the hard way when he finds himself on the wrong side of the government–but the right side of freedom.

All he wants to do is escape the notorious education center and find his parents. But when he is shot and left for dead, he is rescued by a mysterious recluse and finds himself drawn into a world of chaos and intrigue.

Racing against time and the government to try and complete his father’s mission—Peter must reignite the call for freedom. To do so, he turns to the last hope for America, the mysterious group known as the Shadow Remnant.

Michael, What do you love about this book?

I think that this book (Shadow Remnant) is my favorite one I’ve written. It speaks to the nation today about the world that we might have tomorrow. It takes courage and determination to stand up for what is true, and often it is those who linger in obscurity that begin to make the most difference. It might be that just one voice is all it takes to turn a nation back to the truth.

What have you learned about writing and yourself since you started this book?

I learned that I am far more politically minded than I ever imagined. Being a political suspense/adventure book, Shadow Remnant became my effort to speak to a nation. I also learned that I am deeply troubled by the amoral direction our country is taking. The deeper I delved into writing the book, and the more I spoke with people around the nation, the more I realized that there is a fatigue in many conservative-minded people. Several I spoke with are at the point of simply giving up – not believing that their voice or vote makes a difference. I needed to write something that would encourage God-fearing, truth-believing people that it’s not too late.

Tell about your latest release.

You’re reading about it. J It is called, Shadow Remnant. The premise of the book – “When truth is lost, liberty dies.”

What three things do you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you first started?

I have learned that patience, being a virtue, is an absolute necessity in trying to get a book published. Editors, agents, and the like are so overwhelmed with work that to actually make it to the eyes of a publisher is a time-draining reality. I have also learned that “dull is dead.” That is to say, a story that plods along, says little and only barely scratches the surface of intrigue will never see the light of day in the market. Finally, I have learned that I like to write far more than I like to edit – so I am deeply grateful for the editors who have looked at my works and given them such deep attention.

What are the five best things writers can do to meet the challenges of the 21^st century?

Five best thing – here they are:

1. Hone your craft! If you’re a writer then, as much as it is possible with you, be the best—and get better.

2. Learn your audience. They are real people who read your words and you must reach them. Too many authors live in the analytics of sales—and forget that there are hearts to be touched not just books to be sold.

3. Find your audience. Now that you have learned about them – go and find them! They are out there, waiting to hear from you. Where do they hang out? Are they social insiders or outcasts? Find them.

4. Love your readers! You will never become a best-selling author without people buying your books. It is not you who is great. You didn’t make your audience… they made you. Be humble and know that your readers have loved you – so be grateful to them.

5. Remember reality. Yes, I said it… don’t live in your fictional worlds! Use your gift of writing to speak to the world at large, but you must not lose yourself. You have family, loved ones, spouses, children, parents… all who love you and still need you. Becoming an author can dominate a life, to the point of decimating that life. Walk away from the keyboard once in a while and walk hand-in-hand with real people.

Getting to know you:

What’s been a favorite work experience you’ve had so far in life?

Being the pastor of my church. I love to share God’s word with them and to see them grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

If you could do anything you want, what would it be?

I would be a pastor and an author (and be able to make a living at both J).

What’s the most exotic place you’ve traveled?

That would have to be South Korea. I spent a year there in the military (USAF) and traveled all over the country, hiking through the mountains and enjoying the hospitality of the Korean people.

What do you see outside the closest window right now?

Whitehorse Mountain – it stands at about 7,000 feet.

What do you tell people when they ask “and what do you do?”

I tell them that I’m the “Doctor Who” of the body of Christ.

Where’s your favorite place to grocery shop?

OOO... wrong question! I hate shopping – but if I MUST go, it would be Safeway.

What, to you, is worship?

The yielding up my life in obedience to Christ for the praise and glory of God.

Connect with Michael:

Rev. Michael Duncan,

Pastor: Mountain View Baptist Church

Owner: Literary Video Creations

Co-Host: Alive in Christ Radio Network

Author:

Shadows: Book of Aleth, Part One

Revelation: Book of Aleth, Part Two

Shadow Remnant

2013-02-17T00:41:00.000-08:00

When the Heart Heals

Sisters at Heart - #2

By Ann Shorey

978-0-8007-2073-5

$14.99

Paperback

352 pages

Pub Date: February 2013

Readers are invited to travel back to 1867, to the town of Noble Springs, Missouri, for an engrossing story of love's tentative first steps and fragile future in the face of opposition. With tenderness and grace, Ann Shorey tells the story of Rosemary, a sympathetic but strong woman determined to thrive in a world that doesn't always understand.

Courageous and unconventional, Rosemary Saxon served as a nurse during the Civil War, a service that has caused most women in town to regard her as unfeminine and downright vulgar. Although she would like to put her experiences as a nurse behind her, she must support herself. She takes a position with Dr. Elijah Stewart and a mutual attraction begins to develop. But when a sophisticated woman arrives in town claiming to be Elijah's fiancée, a heartbroken Rosemary decides to leave Noble Springs and start fresh. Can Elijah convince her of the mystery woman's deception before he loses her forever?

Ann Shorey is the author of Where Wildflowers Bloom, The Edge of Light, The Promise of Morning, and The Dawn of a Dream. She has also published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul. Ann and her husband make their home in southwestern Oregon.

My review:

A son and daughter born of a Southern mother return from serving with the Union Army during the Civil War, are shunned by their parents and must make their own way. They move a few hours from St. Louis, Missouri to Noble Springs. The second book of the Sisters at Heart series picks up after Rosemary Saxon’s brother Curt has married and moved to his wife’s home, leaving Rosemary alone in the small house. Rosemary may be on her way to spinsterhood, but she values her independence above all else. In an era where women are expected to work at home, or in gentle pursuits, perhaps with a family business, Rosemary can offer the only work she truly knows, that of nursing wounded soldiers, and preparing herbal remedies from her mother’s recipe files.

With Curt gone and a new doctor in town, Rosemary puts on her courage and visits Elijah Stewart, a doctor she’d worked with only a few weeks in St. Louis before he’d been shipped out to the front. He doesn’t remember her at first, but is convinced having a nurse involved in his practice is wholly unnecessary. Until he thinks about it, and decides perhaps someone like Rosemary in the office, greeting patients, keeping records and tidying up the place would work in their favor, never mind the fact that they’re attracted to one another. When he learns Rosemary takes in stray people, and has been mixing up and dishing out herbal remedies, he is naturally on his guard and disapproving, again, until he thinks about it.

Several issues hamper this couple’s courtship, including potential love interests on both sides who wreak havoc with everyone’s emotions, along with a mysterious stalker and vandal who accuses Rosemary of awful things, and Elijah’s father who would rather have his son in Chicago.

Shorey’s characters are unconventional, certainly; Rosemary teeters on the likeable scale, even after we get to know her. The author reminds readers people are people, and not always sweet and even-tempered and romantic. Noble Springs feels like a cozy community, but peopled with fallible souls who are quick to listen to gossip. Love triangles that don’t go anywhere, and a main character who is as quick to judge as the townspeople who hurt her don’t truly deflect from the story, which is, after all, about love and redemption. Rosemary learns forgiveness is a two-way street, and independence is good, but a soul mate to depend upon is better. Told from both Rosemary and Elijah’s viewpoints, the story is built across a number of entwining subplots of romance, mystery, and danger, the author leaves plenty of room to explore what’s sure to be another sequel.

“Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Wife "SOS"!

2013-02-14T00:44:00.000-08:00

Wives Saving Marriages
Attend The Wife S.O.S. Event
Online Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013
Noon - 4 PM Central Time
All from the comfort of your home!

Register to Win at Right.

This four hour live-cast webinar includes the four keynote speakers and worship leaders shown below, live Facebook and Twitter parties all afternoon, plus prize drawings each hour. Attend by webinar here or by phone at (206) 402-0100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE (206) 402-0100 end_of_the_skype_highlighting , Access Code 876918#. The event is 100% free and online. Register at right for the chance to win free prizes and invite every wife you know! Click on the ticket, poster or flier downloads at left.

Breaking the Marriage Code

Register to Win Lindsay's CD: My Song

Tap Into Pam & Bill's:!
The Marriage Code

Keynote Speaker, Pam Farrel, launches us with the keys to lasting love.

Lindsay Huggins leads us in worship as we launch into this awesome afternoon.

Order your own copy of The Marriage Code by Bill & Pam Farrel. Book and study guide. Available in paperback or audio.

Loving a Wayward Husband

Read Vicki's Book:
When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography

Keynote Speaker, Vicki Tiede, shares what wives can do if they find their husband is involved in pornography.

Enter into worship with with Pastor, Singer, Songwriter, Brenda Kilber.

To learn more, read the book, When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography by Vicki Tiede.

How to Change Your Marriage for the Good

Read Kathi's Book:
The Husband Project

Keynote Speaker, Kathi Lipp, shares a doable plan that will help you turn your marriage around in 21 days.

Enter into worship with Leann Albrecht with music from her recent release, Sreaming on the Inside.

To learn more, read the book, The Husband Project by Kathi Lipp.

Great Sex: God's Idea of Great Fun!

Read Shiela's Book:
The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex!

Keynote Speaker, Sheila Gregoire, shares humor, research and a fresh Godly perspective on this age-old topic.

A beautiful, powerful voice and messenger, encounter the Lord in worship with Jagee Melton.

To learn more, read the book, The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex by Sheila Gregoire.

The webinar box at left will get bigger and go live on February 14, 2013. You may listen here or call in at that time to (206) 402-0100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE (206) 402-0100 end_of_the_skype_highlighting , Code 876918#. The replay will be available!
Click the icon to join the Wife S.O.S. Facebook party page in advance and to invite your friends! The party goes live on the 14th.

The live Wife S.O.S. Twitter party will be hosted at Tweetchat, #WifeSOS.

In the

United States

, over 50% of first marriages end in divorce, 67% of second marriages end in divorce, and nearly 74% of third marriages end in divorce.^g

Statistics show that 2/3rds of divorces are initiated by women. And according to a New Woman’s Day and AOL Livingpoll, 75% of women surveyed have considered leaving their husbands at some point.

The economy is tough and CNN reports that financial pressures are the biggest stress on marriages in the past 60 years.

The demands of life are also taking a toll: According to one study, the average married couple spends just four minutes a day alone together.

One in three American marriages is “low sex” or “no sex.” While promiscuity is on the rise: Nearly 60% of married adults have had at least one affair and even if partners marry after an affair, over 75% of those marriages end in divorce.

A University of Chicago study by Dr. Linda Waite, proved that staying married, despite a tough situation, is the most likely way to be better off relationally, financially and personally after five years than divorcing. In fact, 2/3rds of the couples in the study who stayed together were happy, and even those who were still unhappy in their marriage, were no less happy than those who had opted for divorce during the 5 year study. The unhappy couples were traced for five years: 2/3rds of those who stayed together reported happy marriages at the end of five years.

Among those who rated their marriages the most unhappy, 8 out 10 who stayed together showed dramatic turnarounds including the happiest ratings of all in the study.

In addition, the study found that on average unhappily married adults who divorced were no happier than unhappily married adults who stayed married when rated on any of the 12 separate measures of psychological well being. Divorce did not typically reduce symptoms of depression, raise self esteem, or increase a sense of mastery... Even unhappy spouses who had divorced and remarried were no happier on average than those who stayed married.

References

^a Boswell, John. 1995. Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe. New York, NY: Random House.

^b Bride’s Book of Etiquette. 2002. New York, NY: Perigee Books.

^c Connolly, Katie. “Why So Few D.C. Residents Are Married.” Newsweek.com. October 20, 2009. Accessed: October 28, 2009.

^d Gottman, John M. and Julie Schwartz Gottman. 2006. 10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

^e Graff, E.J. 1999. What Is Marriage For: The Strange Social History of Our Most Intimate Institution. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

^f “Groom.” Online Etymological Dictionary. Accessed: October 27, 2009.

^g Harrar, Sari and Rita DeMaria. 2007. The 7 Stages of Marriage: Laughter, Intimacy, and Passion. Pleasantville, NY: Reader’s Digest Books.

^h Hein, Holly. Sexual Detours: Infidelity and Intimacy at the Crossroads. 2000. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.

ⁱ “Husband.” Online Etymological Dictionary. Accessed: October 27, 2009.

^j Mannes, George. “Is the Economy Ruining Your Marriage?” CNN.com. August 21, 2009. Accessed: October 27, 2009.

^k Moore, Matthew. “Divorce Damages Your Health—and Getting Remarried Barely Helps.” Telegraph.co.uk.July 27, 2009. Accessed: October 28, 2009.

^l Neal, Rome. “Signs of Divorce Ahead?: New Study Tries to Predict Which Marriages Will Last.” CBSNEWS.com. August 7, 2002. Accessed: October 29, 2009.

^m Squire, Susan. 2008. I Don’t: A Contrarian History of Marriage. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Press.

ⁿ “Where You Live May Affect When You Get Married.” CNN.com. October 20, 2009. Accessed: October 28, 2009.

^o “Wife.” Online Etymological Dictionary. Accessed: October 27, 2009.

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