I know Tiffany Hull from my days at Axis, the now-defunct Gen X ministry at Willow Creek. Her husband was my boss when I was the Axis administrator, and Tiffany sang with the band. I just reconnected with them of Facebook, and just found out Tiffany is this up-and-coming awesome singer/songwriter! (Not that I'm surprised.) Anyway, there's this big vote going on right now for bands to play at Lollapalooza, so go here and vote for Tiffany right now--the deadline for voting is tomorrow, June 22. There are four rounds and this is just the first--if she makes it to the next round I'll be sure to post so we can all go vote again. :)
Go Tiffany go!!!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Recording them for posterity...
Abby toppled off her training potty (which gets a lot more use as a stool than a potty), and said, "Whoa--that was scary."
Me: "Oh yeah?"
Abby: "Yeah--my tummy jumped!"
We walk into Dan's office the other morning and Abby points to the print he'd hung on the wall the night before after she was in bed (same picture shown on this t-shirt) and says, "Hey--that's Ron Paul!"
Abby and I had lunch with my mom the other day and Abby tried some of Mom's salad. When Dan asked her later what she had for lunch she said, "I had salad, but I didn't like it."
Dan: “No?”
Abby (leaning in close and whispering): “It was too juicy.”
Priceless. I love it.
Me: "Oh yeah?"
Abby: "Yeah--my tummy jumped!"
We walk into Dan's office the other morning and Abby points to the print he'd hung on the wall the night before after she was in bed (same picture shown on this t-shirt) and says, "Hey--that's Ron Paul!"
Abby and I had lunch with my mom the other day and Abby tried some of Mom's salad. When Dan asked her later what she had for lunch she said, "I had salad, but I didn't like it."
Dan: “No?”
Abby (leaning in close and whispering): “It was too juicy.”
Priceless. I love it.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Book tour: Copper Fire by Suzanne Fisher
Suzanne Woods Fisher’s just-released historical novel Copper Fire, is the sequel to the three-time award-winning Copper Star, a World War II love story inspired by true events. That wasn't her first writing gig, however. Fisher was a contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her work has appeared in Today’s Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, and Marriage Partnership. She has contributed to ten non-fiction books, including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs. A wife and mother, Fisher lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. The best thing about being a writer, she feels, is that all of life becomes material for writing. It’s all grit for the oyster.
Suzanne can be found at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
During the month of June, Suzanne is running a book-a-day-giveaway contest. To enter, scoot on over to her blog (www.suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com) to pop her an e-mail: Suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com
And now, for some random questions for our visiting author:
Q: Tell us about Copper Fire.
SWF: Copper Fire is the sequel to Copper Star, picking right up at the very end of World War II. On a summer day in 1945, my main character, Louisa, receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. She discovers that her cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau. Louisa is determined to go to Germany to get Elisabeth…and that’s where the story begins.
Q: Who was the naughtiest kid in your elementary school and what did he or she
do?
SWF: A boy named Hugo who had hair like Bozo the Clown. He argued with everybody, including teachers. He’s probably a brilliant diplomat by now. All of that experience with conflict resolution.
Q: How do you get yourself out of a funk?
SWF: I try to distract myself so that I can see the situation more objectively. I pray a lot, too, and find that I receive wonderful counseling advice that way. Free, too!
Q: What is your motto?
SWF: “Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say.” Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write (published in 1938), Graywolf Press
Q: Can you tell us what’s on your desk right now? What can readers look forward to?
SWF: In late August, Grit from the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers, will be released from Vintage Spirit. I wrote Grit with three other very talented authors.
And another piece of great news! I just received a contract from Revell/Baker for a non-fiction book called Amish Peace in an English Life. It won’t be out until 2010…but ‘everything Amish’ is filling up my head right now.
Thanks for letting me visit, Alison!
Find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
Copper Star (ISBN: 0-9793327-4-5) and Copper Fire (ISBN: 978-0-981-5592-0-9) are available at Amazon or other on-line booksellers, at Suzanne’s website, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore.
Suzanne can be found at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
During the month of June, Suzanne is running a book-a-day-giveaway contest. To enter, scoot on over to her blog (www.suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com) to pop her an e-mail: Suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com
And now, for some random questions for our visiting author:
Q: Tell us about Copper Fire.
SWF: Copper Fire is the sequel to Copper Star, picking right up at the very end of World War II. On a summer day in 1945, my main character, Louisa, receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. She discovers that her cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau. Louisa is determined to go to Germany to get Elisabeth…and that’s where the story begins.
Q: Who was the naughtiest kid in your elementary school and what did he or she
do?
SWF: A boy named Hugo who had hair like Bozo the Clown. He argued with everybody, including teachers. He’s probably a brilliant diplomat by now. All of that experience with conflict resolution.
Q: How do you get yourself out of a funk?
SWF: I try to distract myself so that I can see the situation more objectively. I pray a lot, too, and find that I receive wonderful counseling advice that way. Free, too!
Q: What is your motto?
SWF: “Everybody is talented, original and has something important to say.” Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write (published in 1938), Graywolf Press
Q: Can you tell us what’s on your desk right now? What can readers look forward to?
SWF: In late August, Grit from the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers, will be released from Vintage Spirit. I wrote Grit with three other very talented authors.
And another piece of great news! I just received a contract from Revell/Baker for a non-fiction book called Amish Peace in an English Life. It won’t be out until 2010…but ‘everything Amish’ is filling up my head right now.
Thanks for letting me visit, Alison!
Find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com
Copper Star (ISBN: 0-9793327-4-5) and Copper Fire (ISBN: 978-0-981-5592-0-9) are available at Amazon or other on-line booksellers, at Suzanne’s website, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Father's Day!
Happy Daddy Day to all the papas out there. Hope you got lots of hugs and breakfast in bed. Or whatever floats your boat. :)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
The newsletter launches tomorrow!
We have articles! We have inspiration! We have contests! Really, what else could you ask for in an author newsletter? Readers and writers alike will find something of interest and benefit in this bi-monthly offering. Sign up here on the blog (check out the right-hand margin) or on my website. You don't want to miss it!
Sunday, June 08, 2008
And......cut!
It's done! I can officially say I have authored three novels. This afternoon I wrote the last words on Reinventing Rachel, a book I started so long ago that I can't remember exactly when. It's the first of at least two books I'll be publishing with David C. Cook, and is set to release sometime next year. Final stats: 192 single-spaced pages in 12-point Lucida Grande font, 89,490 words.
It's been the most difficult book to write so far because of the lack of consistency in my writing schedule and other little things like having a baby. :) I'd sometimes go weeks between writing opportunities, which made it difficult to keep track of what was going on plot-wise and really messed with detail continuity. The major lesson learned from this book is that I must have a writing schedule that allows me to write at least every other day. Given that my next book is due in March and I've not even outlined it yet, I'm going to have to really keep to that schedule to get it done in time.
I'm trying something new with this book as well, in terms of my approach to the craft. I'm going to completely set this book aside, start working on my researching and outlining for the next project, and then come back to it around August to edit. With my last two books the editing was funky: With Worlds Collide I didn't know what I was doing, and I was more concerned with cutting words (they wanted me to slash forty thousand words! I managed twenty thousand and luckily they were okay with that) than with tightening story or working on word crafting. With Violette Between I scrapped the entire manuscript, save for one scene, three months before my deadline, so all I was concerned about was getting the thing written, and again, there was no time to actually work on the crafting. This time I have time to spare, and I want to use it wisely. I'm going to have a few pros read through it and look at specific areas I want to work on so I can get their feedback and suggestions, and then in August I'm going to go through the whole thing myself on paper, rather than on the computer, and make the changes they suggest as well as look for things I want to improve. I'm also going to take some time over the summer go to through Self-Editing for Fiction Writers so I can work on my editing skills. It's so much easier to work on someone else's stuff; I really need to work on looking at my own work with a critical editor's lens.
But for now, this week, I'm taking a break from writing entirely. Well, from writing books, anyway. I'm going to be collaborating with someone on an article that we can hopefully get in some local papers about the loss of choice women in Orange County are facing due to the closing of the only maternity ward in the county that allows midwives to deliver. We're hoping to get at least one local hospital to bring these midwives on, though ideally they'd get privileges at all the area hospitals. I'm also going to work on Penny Jane's journal. I'm keeping a journal for both girls, talking about their development, my thoughts on what it's like to be their mother, etc., and I haven't even started Penny's yet! I need to update Abby's as well. And I'm going to read a lot this week, too. My book club is reading My Antonia this month, and my friend Meg and I are reading through Desiring God by John Piper. I'm reading the introduction right now and it's fascinating. It's about "Christian Hedonism." If the rest of the book is anything like the intro, I'm going to love it. And I'm going to have lots of time to read, too--we're going to Ventura on Thursday and staying through Father's Day, which means Abby will be off frolicking in the garden and den with Greena and Par and I will be free to read to my heart's content! Throw in one last pass through a manuscript we're editing and I've got a pretty full week, but one I'm looking forward to because I'm doing it all without my book hanging over my head.
Woohoo!
It's been the most difficult book to write so far because of the lack of consistency in my writing schedule and other little things like having a baby. :) I'd sometimes go weeks between writing opportunities, which made it difficult to keep track of what was going on plot-wise and really messed with detail continuity. The major lesson learned from this book is that I must have a writing schedule that allows me to write at least every other day. Given that my next book is due in March and I've not even outlined it yet, I'm going to have to really keep to that schedule to get it done in time.
I'm trying something new with this book as well, in terms of my approach to the craft. I'm going to completely set this book aside, start working on my researching and outlining for the next project, and then come back to it around August to edit. With my last two books the editing was funky: With Worlds Collide I didn't know what I was doing, and I was more concerned with cutting words (they wanted me to slash forty thousand words! I managed twenty thousand and luckily they were okay with that) than with tightening story or working on word crafting. With Violette Between I scrapped the entire manuscript, save for one scene, three months before my deadline, so all I was concerned about was getting the thing written, and again, there was no time to actually work on the crafting. This time I have time to spare, and I want to use it wisely. I'm going to have a few pros read through it and look at specific areas I want to work on so I can get their feedback and suggestions, and then in August I'm going to go through the whole thing myself on paper, rather than on the computer, and make the changes they suggest as well as look for things I want to improve. I'm also going to take some time over the summer go to through Self-Editing for Fiction Writers so I can work on my editing skills. It's so much easier to work on someone else's stuff; I really need to work on looking at my own work with a critical editor's lens.
But for now, this week, I'm taking a break from writing entirely. Well, from writing books, anyway. I'm going to be collaborating with someone on an article that we can hopefully get in some local papers about the loss of choice women in Orange County are facing due to the closing of the only maternity ward in the county that allows midwives to deliver. We're hoping to get at least one local hospital to bring these midwives on, though ideally they'd get privileges at all the area hospitals. I'm also going to work on Penny Jane's journal. I'm keeping a journal for both girls, talking about their development, my thoughts on what it's like to be their mother, etc., and I haven't even started Penny's yet! I need to update Abby's as well. And I'm going to read a lot this week, too. My book club is reading My Antonia this month, and my friend Meg and I are reading through Desiring God by John Piper. I'm reading the introduction right now and it's fascinating. It's about "Christian Hedonism." If the rest of the book is anything like the intro, I'm going to love it. And I'm going to have lots of time to read, too--we're going to Ventura on Thursday and staying through Father's Day, which means Abby will be off frolicking in the garden and den with Greena and Par and I will be free to read to my heart's content! Throw in one last pass through a manuscript we're editing and I've got a pretty full week, but one I'm looking forward to because I'm doing it all without my book hanging over my head.
Woohoo!
Saturday, June 07, 2008
What she said
Lately Abby's been having this conversation on the phone, over and over: "Hello? Oh, hi...oh yeah?...*laugh* Great!...okay, buh-bye."
Me: Who are you talking to?
Abby: There's an angel on the phone!
Me: Oh really? What angel?
Abby: Mary's angel.
Me: Oh, what did he say?
Abby: Mary's having a baby.
Can you tell we've been reading her Jesus storybook a lot lately? :)
Other cute things she's said lately:
(upon realizing one of her socks had fallen off) "Lookit, Mommy, I have a sock and a foot! I take off the other one--I want to wear only feet."
Abby, with phone to her ear: Mommy?
Me: Yes?
Abby, holding up a finger: Wait a second, I'm on the phone.
(hugging her sippy cup) "It's okay, I gotcha baby, I gotcha," followed by little soft hums and pat-pats on the cup's "back." She mimics the tone I use with Penny Jane exactly.
Me: Who are you talking to?
Abby: There's an angel on the phone!
Me: Oh really? What angel?
Abby: Mary's angel.
Me: Oh, what did he say?
Abby: Mary's having a baby.
Can you tell we've been reading her Jesus storybook a lot lately? :)
Other cute things she's said lately:
(upon realizing one of her socks had fallen off) "Lookit, Mommy, I have a sock and a foot! I take off the other one--I want to wear only feet."
Abby, with phone to her ear: Mommy?
Me: Yes?
Abby, holding up a finger: Wait a second, I'm on the phone.
(hugging her sippy cup) "It's okay, I gotcha baby, I gotcha," followed by little soft hums and pat-pats on the cup's "back." She mimics the tone I use with Penny Jane exactly.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Do your part!
This is frightening.
Under proposed Assembly Bill 10942, NY surrenders its control of public health and makes every vaccination recomended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices mandatory. For the first time, vaccination of infants and toddlers becomes mandatory. Under this proposed law, there will be NO exemptions for any reason. Even if a child has previously had an adverse reaction to, or has a genetic disposition towards heightened sensitivity to, vaccines the child will not be exempted. These are the actions of a police state, and there's no reason why other states won't eventually follow suit.
We need to stick up for those children--AND our own. Regardless of what you think about the safety and necessity of vaccines, you need to realize that the state SHOULD NOT be able to force you to make decisions about your health and the health of your children. Your body and your child do not belong to the state. (Yet.)
Please click here to send a letter to NY legislators. You don't have to be a citizen of New York to tell them what you think. The bigger stink we make, the better--and the less likely other states will be to try to tangle with us.
Remember: just because your freedom isn't being attacked doesn't mean it won't be eventually. Fight for the citizens of New York, and when the time comes, maybe they'll return the favor.
Under proposed Assembly Bill 10942, NY surrenders its control of public health and makes every vaccination recomended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices mandatory. For the first time, vaccination of infants and toddlers becomes mandatory. Under this proposed law, there will be NO exemptions for any reason. Even if a child has previously had an adverse reaction to, or has a genetic disposition towards heightened sensitivity to, vaccines the child will not be exempted. These are the actions of a police state, and there's no reason why other states won't eventually follow suit.
We need to stick up for those children--AND our own. Regardless of what you think about the safety and necessity of vaccines, you need to realize that the state SHOULD NOT be able to force you to make decisions about your health and the health of your children. Your body and your child do not belong to the state. (Yet.)
Please click here to send a letter to NY legislators. You don't have to be a citizen of New York to tell them what you think. The bigger stink we make, the better--and the less likely other states will be to try to tangle with us.
Remember: just because your freedom isn't being attacked doesn't mean it won't be eventually. Fight for the citizens of New York, and when the time comes, maybe they'll return the favor.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Facebook, how I love thee
Good grief, I'm spending way too much time on Facebook. It is way too addicting. And since all my favorite blogs are starting to go offline (Haiku Mama, please don't leave me!) I have a wee bit of extra time to spend on things like sending pretend plants to my friends and getting my butt kicked at Scrabulous.
Actually, I haven't been spending nearly as much time on Facebook as I could be because I've been writing like the dickens trying to get this blasted book done. And I'm so close! I'm guessing 3-5 chapters left. Then I take a five minute break before jumping into the next book, or rather, into outlining the next book, since at this point I have lots of ideas in my head and absolutely nothing on paper.
I'm putting together the first newsletter--have you signed up yet??? I've gotten some pretty good entries for the "Name the Newsletter" contest, but if I don't have your idea yet, there's still time to submit it! The first issue launches Father's Day, so get your submission in by Saturday the 14th--let's say noon PST so I have time to agonize over which name to choose. Don't forget, winner gets prizes!
Actually, I haven't been spending nearly as much time on Facebook as I could be because I've been writing like the dickens trying to get this blasted book done. And I'm so close! I'm guessing 3-5 chapters left. Then I take a five minute break before jumping into the next book, or rather, into outlining the next book, since at this point I have lots of ideas in my head and absolutely nothing on paper.
I'm putting together the first newsletter--have you signed up yet??? I've gotten some pretty good entries for the "Name the Newsletter" contest, but if I don't have your idea yet, there's still time to submit it! The first issue launches Father's Day, so get your submission in by Saturday the 14th--let's say noon PST so I have time to agonize over which name to choose. Don't forget, winner gets prizes!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tag, I'm it!
Julie over at Joy's Hope (the WAHM I mentioned in my last blog) tagged me for this little survey. Haven't gotten one of these in a while!
What I was doing 10 years ago
Let's see, 1998. Well, if we get specific and say May of 1998, then I was packing up my gear down at U of Illinois in preparation for moving home for the summer. I'd just finished my second junior year (or first senior year--I was on the 5 year plan thanks to my stint abroad in Scotland the year before), ended a rebound relationship I had no business being in in the first place, and was preparing to start an internship with the Axis ministry at Willow Creek Church.
Five things on my to-do list today
Since I'm in La Jolla today and not home, I don't really have a to-do list--this is like a mini vacation. Were I at home, the list would be pretty mundane: get the dishes done, clear up the kitchen, figure out something decent for dinner, try to get some writing in, spend way too much time on the internet.
Snacks I enjoy
Oh man, this is just cruel to ask--it makes me think of all the things I can't have now that I'm dairy-free. Big ol' bowl of cereal, cheese puffs, chocolate...hold on while I mop up this drool...
Things I would do if I were a millionaire
Relocate. Bail some folks I know out of debt. Donate to a handful of ministries. That's probably it. A million bucks doesn't go as far as you'd think when you start to really calculate. If I were a MULTI-millionaire the list would be amended to say "a lot" instead of "a handful" of ministries.
I don't know how many people I'm supposed to tag, but I'll tag my hubsters, Meg, Kelli, and Kyle.
What I was doing 10 years ago
Let's see, 1998. Well, if we get specific and say May of 1998, then I was packing up my gear down at U of Illinois in preparation for moving home for the summer. I'd just finished my second junior year (or first senior year--I was on the 5 year plan thanks to my stint abroad in Scotland the year before), ended a rebound relationship I had no business being in in the first place, and was preparing to start an internship with the Axis ministry at Willow Creek Church.
Five things on my to-do list today
Since I'm in La Jolla today and not home, I don't really have a to-do list--this is like a mini vacation. Were I at home, the list would be pretty mundane: get the dishes done, clear up the kitchen, figure out something decent for dinner, try to get some writing in, spend way too much time on the internet.
Snacks I enjoy
Oh man, this is just cruel to ask--it makes me think of all the things I can't have now that I'm dairy-free. Big ol' bowl of cereal, cheese puffs, chocolate...hold on while I mop up this drool...
Things I would do if I were a millionaire
Relocate. Bail some folks I know out of debt. Donate to a handful of ministries. That's probably it. A million bucks doesn't go as far as you'd think when you start to really calculate. If I were a MULTI-millionaire the list would be amended to say "a lot" instead of "a handful" of ministries.
I don't know how many people I'm supposed to tag, but I'll tag my hubsters, Meg, Kelli, and Kyle.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The newsletter!
So I'm finally taking the leap and creating a newsletter. It's something I've been contemplating for a while, and since I've never been busier in my life than I am right now, it seemed logical to throw caution to the wind and pile one more spoonful of potato salad onto the overflowing buffet plate that is my life. Why not, right?
The first issue will come out this June, and at this point it will be a bi-monthly affair. Every issue will have a contest (with fun prizes!), an article, Q & A, book release and writing news, book reviews and recommendations, and the WAHMmy Corner, which will profile one or two Work At Home Moms who make awesome stuff that everyone should know about. I've developed a heart for WAHMs lately, not only because I am one and I know how hard it is to balance work and motherhood, but because I want those moms to be able to continue staying home with their babies, and the more customers they get, the more likely it is they'll be able to!
The first contest is starting now, before the first issue even releases. My newsletter needs a name! So sign up to receive it, then put on your thinking cap, get creative, and send me your idea. The winner will be announced in the first issue, and the prize is a signed copy of Worlds Collide and a movie pass pack!
Know of a WAHM who deserves international recognition? Have a question for the Q & A column? Email me! And don't forget to sign up--the form is in the sidebar!
The first issue will come out this June, and at this point it will be a bi-monthly affair. Every issue will have a contest (with fun prizes!), an article, Q & A, book release and writing news, book reviews and recommendations, and the WAHMmy Corner, which will profile one or two Work At Home Moms who make awesome stuff that everyone should know about. I've developed a heart for WAHMs lately, not only because I am one and I know how hard it is to balance work and motherhood, but because I want those moms to be able to continue staying home with their babies, and the more customers they get, the more likely it is they'll be able to!
The first contest is starting now, before the first issue even releases. My newsletter needs a name! So sign up to receive it, then put on your thinking cap, get creative, and send me your idea. The winner will be announced in the first issue, and the prize is a signed copy of Worlds Collide and a movie pass pack!
Know of a WAHM who deserves international recognition? Have a question for the Q & A column? Email me! And don't forget to sign up--the form is in the sidebar!
Monday, May 19, 2008
WAHMs rock! (edited to correct a url)
My foray into the world of cloth diapering has made me much more aware of just how many mamas are out there busting their butts to work from home so they can stay with their babies. I can't tell you how many hundreds of diaper brands there are out there, but only a small percentage of them are companies. The rest are moms who decided to make diapers the way they wanted them, and then started selling them to others who liked their approach and style. Discovering all these WAHMs (work at home moms) has made me want to buy from them whenever I can, be it for diapers, or nursing covers, or wet bags (for dirty cloth diapers), nursing pads, whatever. I know what a tremendous blessing it is for me to be able to stay home with our girls, and I want to help those moms however I can.
To that end, when I start my newsletter (yes, I'm starting a newsletter! More on that later!), I'm going to feature one or two WAHMs in each issue so you can show them a little love the next time you're in need of what they're making.
But until then, here's a WAHM I just learned of when my friend Marcela gave me one of her wares as a baby gift. I thought this was just one of the cutest ideas ever: it's a picnic pack for a baby!
This is what it looks like all folded up and velcro-d closed:
And when you open it up, it has pockets with all these goodies:
It has a bib (handmade in matching fabric), a pack of rice cereal, two jars of baby food, a spoon, and wet wipes to tackle the post-meal mess. How brilliant is that? And how adorable is that fabric?!
Julie is the mastermind behind this project, and her store is located at hallelulu.etsy.com. She's in the middle of restocking her supply, but she also has some other great products available at her other store, joyshope.etsy.com. Super cute and creative stuff, and fantastic gift ideas. She's going to be launching a new website this summer; I'll include it in my newsletter.
Do you know of a WAHM whose products deserve a wider audience? Leave a comment with their contact info and I'll consider them for a newsletter!
To that end, when I start my newsletter (yes, I'm starting a newsletter! More on that later!), I'm going to feature one or two WAHMs in each issue so you can show them a little love the next time you're in need of what they're making.
But until then, here's a WAHM I just learned of when my friend Marcela gave me one of her wares as a baby gift. I thought this was just one of the cutest ideas ever: it's a picnic pack for a baby!
This is what it looks like all folded up and velcro-d closed:
And when you open it up, it has pockets with all these goodies:
It has a bib (handmade in matching fabric), a pack of rice cereal, two jars of baby food, a spoon, and wet wipes to tackle the post-meal mess. How brilliant is that? And how adorable is that fabric?!
Julie is the mastermind behind this project, and her store is located at hallelulu.etsy.com. She's in the middle of restocking her supply, but she also has some other great products available at her other store, joyshope.etsy.com. Super cute and creative stuff, and fantastic gift ideas. She's going to be launching a new website this summer; I'll include it in my newsletter.
Do you know of a WAHM whose products deserve a wider audience? Leave a comment with their contact info and I'll consider them for a newsletter!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson
My homegirl Lisa has a new book out! She rocks! Go buy it! Here's the CFBA blurb for Embrace Me.
Lisa Samson is a Christy Award-winning author of 19 books, including the Women of the Faith Novel of the Year, Quaker Summer. Lisa has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks."
In Embrace Me, the latest novel by acclaimed author Lisa Samson, readers are privy to the realization that regardless of outward appearances…hideous, attractive, or even ordinary…people are all looking for the same things: love, forgiveness, and redemption.
This story explores a world that is neither comfortable nor safe, a world that people like Valentine know all too well. Masterfully crafted by Samson and populated by her most compelling cast of characters yet. It is a tale of forgiveness that extends into all spheres of life: forgiving others, forgiving oneself, forgiving the past.
She lives in Lexintgon, Kentucky, with her husband and three kids.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Biting and gentle, hard-edged and hopeful...a beautiful fable of love and power, hiding and seeking, woundedness and redemption.
When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattooed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.
Valentine, due to her own drastic self-disfigurement, has very few friends in this world, and it appears as if she may be destined to spend the rest of her life practically alone. But life gives her one good friend, Lella, whose own handicap puts her in the same freakish category as Valentine. As part of Roland's Wayfaring Marvel and Oddities Show, a traveling band of misfits, they seem to have found their niches in an often curiously cruel world.
Residing in a world where masks are mandatory, Valentine has a hard time removing hers, because of her disfigured face but more so because of her damaged soul. It is much easier for her to listen endlessly to different versions of a favorite song, Embraceable You, and escape reality. Yet, life has more in store for her when she meets Augustine, replete with the tattoos, dreadlocks, and his own secrets. With his arrival, Valentine's soul takes a turn.
Lisa Samson is a Christy Award-winning author of 19 books, including the Women of the Faith Novel of the Year, Quaker Summer. Lisa has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks."
In Embrace Me, the latest novel by acclaimed author Lisa Samson, readers are privy to the realization that regardless of outward appearances…hideous, attractive, or even ordinary…people are all looking for the same things: love, forgiveness, and redemption.
This story explores a world that is neither comfortable nor safe, a world that people like Valentine know all too well. Masterfully crafted by Samson and populated by her most compelling cast of characters yet. It is a tale of forgiveness that extends into all spheres of life: forgiving others, forgiving oneself, forgiving the past.
She lives in Lexintgon, Kentucky, with her husband and three kids.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Biting and gentle, hard-edged and hopeful...a beautiful fable of love and power, hiding and seeking, woundedness and redemption.
When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattooed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.
Valentine, due to her own drastic self-disfigurement, has very few friends in this world, and it appears as if she may be destined to spend the rest of her life practically alone. But life gives her one good friend, Lella, whose own handicap puts her in the same freakish category as Valentine. As part of Roland's Wayfaring Marvel and Oddities Show, a traveling band of misfits, they seem to have found their niches in an often curiously cruel world.
Residing in a world where masks are mandatory, Valentine has a hard time removing hers, because of her disfigured face but more so because of her damaged soul. It is much easier for her to listen endlessly to different versions of a favorite song, Embraceable You, and escape reality. Yet, life has more in store for her when she meets Augustine, replete with the tattoos, dreadlocks, and his own secrets. With his arrival, Valentine's soul takes a turn.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Sick.
Head colds SUCK. This one whammed me around 3 this afternoon after a few days of being a small, mildly irritating cold. Now I can barely hear, my head is all pressure-y, and my throat is chronically dry. I sang all Abby's lullabies an octave lower than usual and kept having to swallow back coughing spells.
Zicam, do your thing!!!!
Zicam, do your thing!!!!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Eight million things
Alright, so, eight million is a bit of an exaggeration, but that's what it feels like. It's been forever since I've had time to sit down and blog more than a brief note. Hopefully I'll remember everything I've been wanting to write about.
1. Abby prays on her own now at nap and bedtime. It's so cute the things she thinks to say thank you for. The other day she included outside, the swingset, the gardeners, and Jesus. Tonight when she was done she said, "Jesus loves me!" So sweet.
2. We went to the Jana Alayra concert last weekend.
If you have children between the ages of about 18 months and 8 years, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend her stuff. They're such great songs, super catchy, and the concert DVDs (at least the second one, I haven't seen the first) are really fun. She does all these hand motions to the songs, and Abby walks around doing them as best she can and singing in her monotone alto. Adorable. They perform all over the country; if they're ever in your area you totally have to go. Anyway...we got there super early so I could get in line for the first-come, first-served seating. The girls napped in the car and I wrote thank you notes and read. I was first in line, which was awesome, because we wanted to get close enough to let Abby feel like she was a part of the action without having to go down into the mosh pit of children, which of course she would never do. She was pretty overwhelmed by the whole experience; this was her pose for the majority of the concert:
though towards the end she did start doing some of the motions very small in front of her. I think she enjoyed it, though; at least, she says she did, so that's good.
3. Ron Paul is coming to San Diego on the 23rd! He's doing a book signing somewhere in Balboa Park. We're getting decked out (kids too!) in RP gear and going down to see him. I can't wait to meet him. I'm going to bring a copy of Violette Between for his wife. :)
4. I just found ShoutLife. If you're on it, send me a friend invite! I'm giving up on MySpace; it's too overwhelming for me. ShoutLife is a Christian version--or at least, a much more safe version, you don't have to be Christian to join, but they're strict on appropriateness of photos, etc. I can't believe how many friends requests I got on MySpace from totally skanked-out women. Hello!?
5. I'm in the home stretch for my current WIP. Chapter 18 is mere paragraphs from completion, and I think I'll have about 27 altogether, so that's less than 100 pages left to go! Woohoo! My chapters have come out surprisingly even in length, especially considering I don't plan the out ahead of time. They're all between 9 and 11 pages long. I'm over 70,000 words, so I'll be just over 100,000. Right on target! Way past when I'd hoped to complete it, though, but oh well. I've been putting a lot of thought into the next book, so as soon as I wrap up this one I should be able to jump in and start with it. No title yet, though, which is weird; typically titles come to me right away when I start thinking about a book. This one, though, hasn't offered up anything yet. It actually makes it a little harder for me to connect with it when I don't have a proper name for it. "Untitled" or "Current MS" just don't cut it.
6. My friend Meg recently made the jump to cloth diapers for her son, who is a few months younger than Abby. She has completely inspired me. As she points out in one of the first posts she wrote about her decision, the #2 landfill item is diapers. Every single one ever worn is still out there, not any more decomposed than it was when it was first thrown away. GROSS. So even though we're probably not that far from being potty trained (I HOPE), we're making the switch for Abby, too, and once I'm comfortable with the process, for Penelope Jane, too. I just bought my first diaper, which should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. Yay! But I'm not stopping there. I'm aiming to stop using paper towels, tissues, and disposable napkins as well. I'm actually going to get out my sewing machine, get it serviced (I don't know WHAT I'm doing wrong, but the thread keeps getting messed up in the bobbin case when I use it), and going to work making my own kitchen cloths, hankies, and napkins. I mean, why not, right? And while I'm at it I'm going to FINALLY get the curtains made for my office, and once Dan's done with class (less than two weeks left in the semester, yay!) we're going to put up the shelves we bought at IKEA an embarrassingly long time ago.
7. For some reason, over the last two or three weeks I've had a major energy shift. I finally reached my personal limit for being lazy, for procrastinating, for shying away from the mundane tasks I just couldn't be bothered with. I know I'm supposed to have less time and energy now that I have another baby, but it's just not true. I'm exercising, I'm cooking dinner, I'm going to the farmer's market again, I'm writing nearly every day, I'm planning an insane amount of sewing, I'm reading my Bible again...it's awesome, I'm so psyched.
8. We got our new swing set! Old, crappy, screws-jumping-out-of-it set:
New, stable, doesn't-give-you-splinters-or-move-when-you-swing set:
The little house at the bottom has much potential; I can just imagine the girls eating lunch out there on rainy days. Here's Abby in there with her buddy Bryson:
9. A couple weeks back on Dancing With The Stars, they had some of the Riverdance performers on doing a number in between announcements of who was in danger of getting kicked off. They also had two kid couples who were contestants in their junior championship. Abby FELL IN LOVE with Riverdance and those two couples. Most mornings we watch that five or six times before our usual Blue's Clues. And now when we watch it she dances around the living room. "Wow--the feet are so fast!" she says when they show the Riverdance people. For Mother's Day Dan bought me a two-disc Riverdance performance, so Abby and I started watching it this morning. I LOVE that show. I've seen it five times, I think--London, Edinburgh, Chicago, and twice here. I saw the London show the first week I moved out to the UK in college, and listened to the soundtrack the whole year I was there, so now whenever I hear it I'm thrown back to my funky little room in Maclay Hall up on Park Terrace in Kelvingrove Park. Ah, the memories! Anyway, I'm happy Abby is so into it; I'm really hoping she'll want to take dance lessons in a couple years. There's even a big Irish dance studio not far from here. Nana took Irish dance lessons as a child; maybe the talent will run in the family!
Well, I think that about catches me up, save for Penny Jane news which I'll post on the baby blog. I'll leave you with a pic of the ladies of the family, taken today in my mom's rose garden. Happy Mother's Day!
1. Abby prays on her own now at nap and bedtime. It's so cute the things she thinks to say thank you for. The other day she included outside, the swingset, the gardeners, and Jesus. Tonight when she was done she said, "Jesus loves me!" So sweet.
2. We went to the Jana Alayra concert last weekend.
If you have children between the ages of about 18 months and 8 years, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend her stuff. They're such great songs, super catchy, and the concert DVDs (at least the second one, I haven't seen the first) are really fun. She does all these hand motions to the songs, and Abby walks around doing them as best she can and singing in her monotone alto. Adorable. They perform all over the country; if they're ever in your area you totally have to go. Anyway...we got there super early so I could get in line for the first-come, first-served seating. The girls napped in the car and I wrote thank you notes and read. I was first in line, which was awesome, because we wanted to get close enough to let Abby feel like she was a part of the action without having to go down into the mosh pit of children, which of course she would never do. She was pretty overwhelmed by the whole experience; this was her pose for the majority of the concert:
though towards the end she did start doing some of the motions very small in front of her. I think she enjoyed it, though; at least, she says she did, so that's good.
3. Ron Paul is coming to San Diego on the 23rd! He's doing a book signing somewhere in Balboa Park. We're getting decked out (kids too!) in RP gear and going down to see him. I can't wait to meet him. I'm going to bring a copy of Violette Between for his wife. :)
4. I just found ShoutLife. If you're on it, send me a friend invite! I'm giving up on MySpace; it's too overwhelming for me. ShoutLife is a Christian version--or at least, a much more safe version, you don't have to be Christian to join, but they're strict on appropriateness of photos, etc. I can't believe how many friends requests I got on MySpace from totally skanked-out women. Hello!?
5. I'm in the home stretch for my current WIP. Chapter 18 is mere paragraphs from completion, and I think I'll have about 27 altogether, so that's less than 100 pages left to go! Woohoo! My chapters have come out surprisingly even in length, especially considering I don't plan the out ahead of time. They're all between 9 and 11 pages long. I'm over 70,000 words, so I'll be just over 100,000. Right on target! Way past when I'd hoped to complete it, though, but oh well. I've been putting a lot of thought into the next book, so as soon as I wrap up this one I should be able to jump in and start with it. No title yet, though, which is weird; typically titles come to me right away when I start thinking about a book. This one, though, hasn't offered up anything yet. It actually makes it a little harder for me to connect with it when I don't have a proper name for it. "Untitled" or "Current MS" just don't cut it.
6. My friend Meg recently made the jump to cloth diapers for her son, who is a few months younger than Abby. She has completely inspired me. As she points out in one of the first posts she wrote about her decision, the #2 landfill item is diapers. Every single one ever worn is still out there, not any more decomposed than it was when it was first thrown away. GROSS. So even though we're probably not that far from being potty trained (I HOPE), we're making the switch for Abby, too, and once I'm comfortable with the process, for Penelope Jane, too. I just bought my first diaper, which should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. Yay! But I'm not stopping there. I'm aiming to stop using paper towels, tissues, and disposable napkins as well. I'm actually going to get out my sewing machine, get it serviced (I don't know WHAT I'm doing wrong, but the thread keeps getting messed up in the bobbin case when I use it), and going to work making my own kitchen cloths, hankies, and napkins. I mean, why not, right? And while I'm at it I'm going to FINALLY get the curtains made for my office, and once Dan's done with class (less than two weeks left in the semester, yay!) we're going to put up the shelves we bought at IKEA an embarrassingly long time ago.
7. For some reason, over the last two or three weeks I've had a major energy shift. I finally reached my personal limit for being lazy, for procrastinating, for shying away from the mundane tasks I just couldn't be bothered with. I know I'm supposed to have less time and energy now that I have another baby, but it's just not true. I'm exercising, I'm cooking dinner, I'm going to the farmer's market again, I'm writing nearly every day, I'm planning an insane amount of sewing, I'm reading my Bible again...it's awesome, I'm so psyched.
8. We got our new swing set! Old, crappy, screws-jumping-out-of-it set:
New, stable, doesn't-give-you-splinters-or-move-when-you-swing set:
The little house at the bottom has much potential; I can just imagine the girls eating lunch out there on rainy days. Here's Abby in there with her buddy Bryson:
9. A couple weeks back on Dancing With The Stars, they had some of the Riverdance performers on doing a number in between announcements of who was in danger of getting kicked off. They also had two kid couples who were contestants in their junior championship. Abby FELL IN LOVE with Riverdance and those two couples. Most mornings we watch that five or six times before our usual Blue's Clues. And now when we watch it she dances around the living room. "Wow--the feet are so fast!" she says when they show the Riverdance people. For Mother's Day Dan bought me a two-disc Riverdance performance, so Abby and I started watching it this morning. I LOVE that show. I've seen it five times, I think--London, Edinburgh, Chicago, and twice here. I saw the London show the first week I moved out to the UK in college, and listened to the soundtrack the whole year I was there, so now whenever I hear it I'm thrown back to my funky little room in Maclay Hall up on Park Terrace in Kelvingrove Park. Ah, the memories! Anyway, I'm happy Abby is so into it; I'm really hoping she'll want to take dance lessons in a couple years. There's even a big Irish dance studio not far from here. Nana took Irish dance lessons as a child; maybe the talent will run in the family!
Well, I think that about catches me up, save for Penny Jane news which I'll post on the baby blog. I'll leave you with a pic of the ladies of the family, taken today in my mom's rose garden. Happy Mother's Day!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Oh what a night (Drama part III)
THIS is why I never throw anything away! Old computer to the rescue!
It's sad how slow my writing life has been over the last year, but it's also a really good thing, because I was able to recover pretty much everything in that corrupted Books file by retrieving the folder off my previous laptop. The only un-updated thing was my current MS, which I've been saving chapter by chapter on Google Documents and was also able to save through Word into the new folder.
So, as far as I can tell, disaster has been averted. Time for bed.
It's sad how slow my writing life has been over the last year, but it's also a really good thing, because I was able to recover pretty much everything in that corrupted Books file by retrieving the folder off my previous laptop. The only un-updated thing was my current MS, which I've been saving chapter by chapter on Google Documents and was also able to save through Word into the new folder.
So, as far as I can tell, disaster has been averted. Time for bed.
I am my own worst enemey (Drama part II)
"Oh good!" I said to myself. "I can just restore that Books folder with the one on my external drive! But it's been awhile since I backed everything up--better do that first." So I selected everything on my desktop, dragged it to the external drive, and let it do its thing.
A warning box came up that said, "A file already exists with this name." I clicked "replace," then clicked in the handy "apply to all" box, knowing much of what is on my desktop is already on the drive and not wanting to have to click "replace" a million times.
'Course, what does that mean I replaced? The uncorrupted Books file with the corrupted one.
Just how stupid can I get? Not sure; research is ongoing.
Unfortunately.
A warning box came up that said, "A file already exists with this name." I clicked "replace," then clicked in the handy "apply to all" box, knowing much of what is on my desktop is already on the drive and not wanting to have to click "replace" a million times.
'Course, what does that mean I replaced? The uncorrupted Books file with the corrupted one.
Just how stupid can I get? Not sure; research is ongoing.
Unfortunately.
Could it be...Satan?! (Drama part I)
Something is wrong with my Books folder on my desktop. It was fine, I was using it, all was well, and now...it won't open. At all. And if I try to open it through another program (like to upload a file from it, which is what I was trying to do when I first discovered this issue, and which is what I had just done when it was working), it shuts down that program. All my other folders are fine. Just the one that I need to build my career, the one with all my manuscripts and research and ideas. What the heck!?!?
At least I backed everything up. I certainly learned my lesson after the Great Hard Drive Crash and Burn of 2007. But still--why that one folder, out of the ten folders on the desktop? Coincidence? I don't think so...
At least I backed everything up. I certainly learned my lesson after the Great Hard Drive Crash and Burn of 2007. But still--why that one folder, out of the ten folders on the desktop? Coincidence? I don't think so...
Monday, May 05, 2008
A million things to blog about...
...but because I really want to exercise before I go to bed, I'm only going to mention this one.
Freerice.com
Had never heard of this before, and for a word freak like me it's heaven! Build your vocabulary and feed the hungry--if there's a better way to kill time, I don't know what it is. Try it out.
Freerice.com
Had never heard of this before, and for a word freak like me it's heaven! Build your vocabulary and feed the hungry--if there's a better way to kill time, I don't know what it is. Try it out.
Friday, May 02, 2008
God is so good
Last year there was a horrific accident on the I-5, just about 10 minutes from where we live. A semi truck barreled into the back of a minivan, killing all three of the family's young children. The community here really rallied around the family--every tree and lamppost and signpost had two pink ribbons and one blue one tied onto them in memory of Emma, Katie, and Kyle. It made it really hard for me to drive because I'd start crying every time I saw them. The anniversary of their death is this coming Sunday.
But guess what happened this past Wednesday?
The mother gave birth.
To triplets.
Two girls and a boy.
As far as I know these folks aren't Christians. To me, this is just an example of how God extends the most amazing and beautiful grace to people even when they don't choose to acknowledge him. Like a parent who can't help but continue to reach out to a rebellious child, God is continually trying to get our attention and show us, his sinful, selfish children, that he is real, and that he loves us so very much.
Welcome to the world, Ashley, Ellie, and Jake.
But guess what happened this past Wednesday?
The mother gave birth.
To triplets.
Two girls and a boy.
As far as I know these folks aren't Christians. To me, this is just an example of how God extends the most amazing and beautiful grace to people even when they don't choose to acknowledge him. Like a parent who can't help but continue to reach out to a rebellious child, God is continually trying to get our attention and show us, his sinful, selfish children, that he is real, and that he loves us so very much.
Welcome to the world, Ashley, Ellie, and Jake.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Abbyisms
The kid has been keeping us laughing lately with the things she comes up with:
At a restaurant:
Me: Abby, can I give you a hug?
Abby: No Mommy, I'm playing guitar on my straw.
During bath time:
Abby: [Rubber] ducky is hungry, Daddy.
Dan: Well I don't have any food for him. Do you?
Abby: Yes.
Dan: You do? What is it?
Abby: Applesauce.
Dan: Oh, where is it?
Abby: In my bebo*. (She puts the duck to her stomach; its bill firmly planted in her 'bebo.') Okay. He's eating now.
*That's 'bellybutton' for those of you who aren't familiar with Sandra Boynton's "The Bellybutton Book".
In the Chik-fil-A play area, where there are animals painted on the wall:
Abby: (pointing to the animals) Monkey says "cheep cheep".* Lion says "roar". Doggie says "woof woof". Kitty says "Hey-o!"
*Not really sure where "cheep cheep" came from, either.
And then, just now at bedtime, she melted my heart with her first spontaneous, original "thank you" to God. We have been spending a ton of time in the backyard the last few days because we got a new swingset and sandbox. So anyway, we pray at night by me saying a line and her repeating it. We say the same three thank you's every night, and then list individual things that happened that day. So after I did our three usual ones...:
Me: Thanks for the time with Gigi and Boppa.
Abby: Thanks for time with Boppa-Gigi.
Me: Thanks for the beautiful weather.
Abby: Thanks for boo-ful weather. And thanks for outside!
At a restaurant:
Me: Abby, can I give you a hug?
Abby: No Mommy, I'm playing guitar on my straw.
During bath time:
Abby: [Rubber] ducky is hungry, Daddy.
Dan: Well I don't have any food for him. Do you?
Abby: Yes.
Dan: You do? What is it?
Abby: Applesauce.
Dan: Oh, where is it?
Abby: In my bebo*. (She puts the duck to her stomach; its bill firmly planted in her 'bebo.') Okay. He's eating now.
*That's 'bellybutton' for those of you who aren't familiar with Sandra Boynton's "The Bellybutton Book".
In the Chik-fil-A play area, where there are animals painted on the wall:
Abby: (pointing to the animals) Monkey says "cheep cheep".* Lion says "roar". Doggie says "woof woof". Kitty says "Hey-o!"
*Not really sure where "cheep cheep" came from, either.
And then, just now at bedtime, she melted my heart with her first spontaneous, original "thank you" to God. We have been spending a ton of time in the backyard the last few days because we got a new swingset and sandbox. So anyway, we pray at night by me saying a line and her repeating it. We say the same three thank you's every night, and then list individual things that happened that day. So after I did our three usual ones...:
Me: Thanks for the time with Gigi and Boppa.
Abby: Thanks for time with Boppa-Gigi.
Me: Thanks for the beautiful weather.
Abby: Thanks for boo-ful weather. And thanks for outside!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
This is the way we write a book...
...write a book, write a book
This is the way we write a book
When baby wants to cuddle:
Yes, I managed to type with the baby sleeping on my chest. Man, do I love laptops and comfy couches.
And speaking of writing, I did. A lot! Every day but one this past week, in fact! That is the first time I've written consistently since I started this manuscript. Some days I only got a few sentences, other days whole pages, but I'm not so much concerned with quantity right now as I am with establishing the habit.
Also speaking of writing, the conference last weekend went very well. I had 17 students and their general consensus was that the class was helpful, so thank heavens for that. I ended up not hosting a table for lunch, but some of the folks from my class wanted to eat with me, so we found a half-filled table hosted by romance writer and fellow ACFW member, Cathy Hake, and crashed her party. After lunch I got to hang out some more with my agent, Chip, with whom Dan and I had dinner the night before. It was so great to finally meet the guy!
In other news, Abby has spent three nights in her own bed so far. That is, she's stayed in it until morning; the other nights since we got it, minus a few when she spent the whole night with us, she's lasted in there until 4 or 5 and then woken up weepy and come into bed with us. It's strange falling asleep without her snuggled up against me. Obviously it's nice to have the space, but I think I'm having a little separation anxiety. Not that it's going to last long. I'm sure PJ will end up with us in the next few months. Anyway, I keep meaning to take a picture of Abby's adorable bed nook but I keep forgetting. Hopefully this week.
This is the way we write a book
When baby wants to cuddle:
Yes, I managed to type with the baby sleeping on my chest. Man, do I love laptops and comfy couches.
And speaking of writing, I did. A lot! Every day but one this past week, in fact! That is the first time I've written consistently since I started this manuscript. Some days I only got a few sentences, other days whole pages, but I'm not so much concerned with quantity right now as I am with establishing the habit.
Also speaking of writing, the conference last weekend went very well. I had 17 students and their general consensus was that the class was helpful, so thank heavens for that. I ended up not hosting a table for lunch, but some of the folks from my class wanted to eat with me, so we found a half-filled table hosted by romance writer and fellow ACFW member, Cathy Hake, and crashed her party. After lunch I got to hang out some more with my agent, Chip, with whom Dan and I had dinner the night before. It was so great to finally meet the guy!
In other news, Abby has spent three nights in her own bed so far. That is, she's stayed in it until morning; the other nights since we got it, minus a few when she spent the whole night with us, she's lasted in there until 4 or 5 and then woken up weepy and come into bed with us. It's strange falling asleep without her snuggled up against me. Obviously it's nice to have the space, but I think I'm having a little separation anxiety. Not that it's going to last long. I'm sure PJ will end up with us in the next few months. Anyway, I keep meaning to take a picture of Abby's adorable bed nook but I keep forgetting. Hopefully this week.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Hey SoCal Writers!
If you're in SoCal and looking to polish your writing skills, please attend the OCCWF's annual day-long conference this Saturday! I'm teaching a fiction 101 class, my fantabulous agent (whom I'll finally get to meet in person!) will be teaching a class on branding (like, creating your professional brand, not marking cows) and lots of other great authors are teaching a variety of things. Meals are provided! It's a really great opportunity, especially if you've been considering giving writing a shot (either as a hobby or as a career) and are having trouble getting started. There are consultation times, too, where you can meet with some of the presenters one-on-one and get their advice and insights on your manuscript, and some of us are hosting a table at lunch. Come sit with me if you attend!
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Oh my gosh, I'm watching a reality show
So I caught the first episode of "Dancing With The Stars" a couple weeks ago, and I have to admit I was kinda hooked. Not enough to actually remember what day or time it's typically on--or to even bother expending the energy to figure out how to search the guide on our cable and set up a timer to record it--but enough to put it on when I happen to see it playing. I just tuned in and Kylie Minogue was singing "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and one of the couples was dancing to it. They were awesome! Kylie, however, sounded like she was doing karaoke. Her voice sounded so shaky--like she was nervous or something. Very weird.
Anyway, I love dance. And I love to dance. I was really big into swing dancing in college and really miss it. I love club dancing, I love just bopping around the living room when no one else is around. I've always wanted to take tap and ballroom dancing--maybe I'll try to do that in the next couple years. If nothing else it would be awesome exercise, and heaven knows I need more fun ways to exercise because otherwise I just don't do it.
Yesterday I went to the nutritionist, and the suite next to hers is a dance studio. We were a little early for the appointment so we were sitting in the car ("we" being my mom and the girls), and all these little girls in pink leotards and tights and black tap shoes were going in. So cute! It made me wonder if Abby or Penny will want to take dance classes. I didn't take a dance class until high school, and when I realized how much I loved it it made me sad I hadn't done it earlier. I don't want to push my kids into activities, but at the same time, I do want them to experience a lot of different things and make sure they've had the chance to dabble in lots of different areas. I pigeon-holed myself into music and writing pretty early on, and it wasn't until much later that I realized how much I loved art and theater and dance--all things I'd have pursued through classes and such had I known earlier that I enjoyed them and was actually not too bad at them.
Well they've moved on to the elimination portion of Dancing With the Stars, so I've shut it off--I may like watching the dancing, but I hate all the other "reality" crap. I was even muting it during the interviews and other random non-dancing things they insist on throwing into those shows. I did keep it on long enough to see that Marlee Matlin made it to the next show--I haven't seen her dance yet; isn't she deaf? Or is she only mute? Someone tell me...
Anyway, I love dance. And I love to dance. I was really big into swing dancing in college and really miss it. I love club dancing, I love just bopping around the living room when no one else is around. I've always wanted to take tap and ballroom dancing--maybe I'll try to do that in the next couple years. If nothing else it would be awesome exercise, and heaven knows I need more fun ways to exercise because otherwise I just don't do it.
Yesterday I went to the nutritionist, and the suite next to hers is a dance studio. We were a little early for the appointment so we were sitting in the car ("we" being my mom and the girls), and all these little girls in pink leotards and tights and black tap shoes were going in. So cute! It made me wonder if Abby or Penny will want to take dance classes. I didn't take a dance class until high school, and when I realized how much I loved it it made me sad I hadn't done it earlier. I don't want to push my kids into activities, but at the same time, I do want them to experience a lot of different things and make sure they've had the chance to dabble in lots of different areas. I pigeon-holed myself into music and writing pretty early on, and it wasn't until much later that I realized how much I loved art and theater and dance--all things I'd have pursued through classes and such had I known earlier that I enjoyed them and was actually not too bad at them.
Well they've moved on to the elimination portion of Dancing With the Stars, so I've shut it off--I may like watching the dancing, but I hate all the other "reality" crap. I was even muting it during the interviews and other random non-dancing things they insist on throwing into those shows. I did keep it on long enough to see that Marlee Matlin made it to the next show--I haven't seen her dance yet; isn't she deaf? Or is she only mute? Someone tell me...
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Betrayed by Jeanette Windler
CFBA's book of the week is Betrayed:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As the child of missionary parents, award-winning author and journalist Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural villages, jungles, and mountains of Colombia, now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Currently based in Lancaster, PA, Jeanette has lived in six countries and traveled in more than twenty. She has more than a dozen books in print, including political/suspense best-seller CrossFire and the Parker Twins series.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Fires smolder endlessly below the dangerous surface of Guatemala City’s municipal dump.
Deadlier fires seethe beneath the tenuous calm of a nation recovering from brutal civil war. Anthropologist Vicki Andrews is researching Guatemala’s “garbage people” when she stumbles across a human body. Curiosity turns to horror as she uncovers no stranger, but an American environmentalist—Vicki’s only sister, Holly.
With authorities dismissing the death as another street crime, Vicki begins tracing Holly’s last steps, a pilgrimage leading from slum squalor to the breathtaking and endangered cloud forests of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere. But every unraveled thread raises more questions. What betrayal connects Holly’s murder, the recent massacre of a Mayan village, and the long-ago deaths of Vicki’s own parents?
Nor is Vicki the only one demanding answers. Before her search reaches its startling end, the conflagration has spilled across international borders to threaten an American administration and the current war on terror. With no one turning out to be who they’d seemed, who can Vicki trust and who should she fear?
A politically relevant tale of international intrigue and God’s redemptive beauty and hope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As the child of missionary parents, award-winning author and journalist Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural villages, jungles, and mountains of Colombia, now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Currently based in Lancaster, PA, Jeanette has lived in six countries and traveled in more than twenty. She has more than a dozen books in print, including political/suspense best-seller CrossFire and the Parker Twins series.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Fires smolder endlessly below the dangerous surface of Guatemala City’s municipal dump.
Deadlier fires seethe beneath the tenuous calm of a nation recovering from brutal civil war. Anthropologist Vicki Andrews is researching Guatemala’s “garbage people” when she stumbles across a human body. Curiosity turns to horror as she uncovers no stranger, but an American environmentalist—Vicki’s only sister, Holly.
With authorities dismissing the death as another street crime, Vicki begins tracing Holly’s last steps, a pilgrimage leading from slum squalor to the breathtaking and endangered cloud forests of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere. But every unraveled thread raises more questions. What betrayal connects Holly’s murder, the recent massacre of a Mayan village, and the long-ago deaths of Vicki’s own parents?
Nor is Vicki the only one demanding answers. Before her search reaches its startling end, the conflagration has spilled across international borders to threaten an American administration and the current war on terror. With no one turning out to be who they’d seemed, who can Vicki trust and who should she fear?
A politically relevant tale of international intrigue and God’s redemptive beauty and hope.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
When I saw the email in my inbox yesterday that this book was our CFBA selection for the week, I totally got that Neil Diamond song stuck in my head. Between that and "Stand Up" from one of Abby's Veggie Tale videos, my brain has been singing nonstop. So anyway, here's the lowdown on Sweet Caroline and its author, Rachel Hauck.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism. As a member of Phi Mu sorority, I partied my way though the last few years of college.
But, the truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me.
After graduation, hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. And I did it without a laptop, a cell phone, an IPod or portable DVD player. Those were hard times.
But, I traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine. But, life on the road is difficult. Working twelve to fourteen hour days, one doesn't get to see many of the sites. In Ireland, our company's distributor drove me around at night so I could see something of Dublin.
I met Tony, my husband, in '87, at church, of all places. We got married in '92. Tony has been a pastor for twenty years. I've worked with him in eighteen of those twenty. Our heart is to see teens and adults passionate, radical and whole hearted for Jesus.
Tony and I don't have any children of our own, lots of kids-in-the-Lord and we love them all. However, we do have a very spoiled dog, and an even more spoiled cat.
I've always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, "You're a writer." I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.
In '93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ' 99, I took up the craft again.
With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.
Rachel has several other books that have been received with great praise, including Diva Nash Vegas and Lost In Nash Vegas
You can purchase copies of Rachel's books, signed personally for you,
at this site: Signed by the Author.com
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When a Southern waitress inherits the Lowcountry cafe where she works, she suddenly has to balance more than just her next food order.
Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing--the responsible, dependable thing--unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.
Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she's been waitressing falls right into Caroline's lap. While she's trying to determine the cafe's future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline's heart.
But when her first love, Mitch O'Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville, Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism. As a member of Phi Mu sorority, I partied my way though the last few years of college.
But, the truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me.
After graduation, hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. And I did it without a laptop, a cell phone, an IPod or portable DVD player. Those were hard times.
But, I traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine. But, life on the road is difficult. Working twelve to fourteen hour days, one doesn't get to see many of the sites. In Ireland, our company's distributor drove me around at night so I could see something of Dublin.
I met Tony, my husband, in '87, at church, of all places. We got married in '92. Tony has been a pastor for twenty years. I've worked with him in eighteen of those twenty. Our heart is to see teens and adults passionate, radical and whole hearted for Jesus.
Tony and I don't have any children of our own, lots of kids-in-the-Lord and we love them all. However, we do have a very spoiled dog, and an even more spoiled cat.
I've always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, "You're a writer." I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.
In '93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ' 99, I took up the craft again.
With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.
Rachel has several other books that have been received with great praise, including Diva Nash Vegas and Lost In Nash Vegas
You can purchase copies of Rachel's books, signed personally for you,
at this site: Signed by the Author.com
ABOUT THE BOOK:
When a Southern waitress inherits the Lowcountry cafe where she works, she suddenly has to balance more than just her next food order.
Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing--the responsible, dependable thing--unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.
Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she's been waitressing falls right into Caroline's lap. While she's trying to determine the cafe's future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline's heart.
But when her first love, Mitch O'Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville, Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Um...
It's funny how much press Ron Paul's getting now that he's dropped out of the race. Suddenly everyone that ignored him throughout the whole campaign is eagerly reporting how he's thrown in the towel.
Except he hasn't.
The mainstream media is just SO FREAKING STUPID sometimes!
Except he hasn't.
The mainstream media is just SO FREAKING STUPID sometimes!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Truffles by the Sea by Julie Carobini
THis week's blog tour book is Truffles by the Sea, the second book by fellow Californian Julie Carobini. She's an award-winning writer whose stories often spotlight her family, the sea, and God's timely work in the lives of those around her. She lives with her husband, Dan, and their three children in Ventura Beach, California.
She also likes to blog! Go leave her a comment at Waves of Grace.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
If you read, Julie's first book, Chocolate Beach, then you might remember Gaby as Bri’s dramatic, lovesick best friend. Unfortunately, things get worse—much worse—for her before they get…well, best not to give it away.
Sometimes all a girl has left is chocolate...
Gaby Flores has a penchant for drama and an unfortunate knack for dating Mr. So Wrong. After breaking off yet another relationship, watching her apartment building burn to the ground, and discovering that her dippy delivery guy has run off with most of her business, Gaby decides it’s time to turn things around.
So she moves to a tiny waterfront loft and takes on a new motto: “Be gullible no more!” With help from her friends, she works to rebuild her flower shop—and her life. But when legal troubles and quirky neighbors and two surprising romances enter her beachy world, Gaby’s motto and fledgling faith are put to the test.
Can a young woman prone to disaster in both work and love finally find happily ever after?
"Truffles by the Sea is delightful! Julie Carobini has a new fan in this reader, and she's earned a spot on my keeper shelf." --Kay James, RomanceReaderatHeart.com
"This book is a delight to read, and the author has us rooting for Gaby from page one. This girl's never-say-die attitude is incredible, and her life is filled with all kinds of foibles. This is chick lit with heart – about so much more than finding a man.... While keeping the light chick lit tone, this book satisfied while avoiding the tired old formulas. Just when I’m ready to give up on the genre, I stumble across an author who can write without relying on stereotypes." --Cara Putman, writerinterrupted.com
"I liked Julie Carobini's first novel, Chocolate Beach, but her sophomore release, Truffles By The Sea, greatly surpasses it. I thoroughly enjoyed Carobini's second book and felt her writing was much stronger throughout. The characters are deeper and yet funnier – a great combination.... It's a great read for a cold winter day – you can curl up with the book, a nice fire and pretend you're the one by the sea." --Jill Hart, RadiantLit.com
She also likes to blog! Go leave her a comment at Waves of Grace.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
If you read, Julie's first book, Chocolate Beach, then you might remember Gaby as Bri’s dramatic, lovesick best friend. Unfortunately, things get worse—much worse—for her before they get…well, best not to give it away.
Sometimes all a girl has left is chocolate...
Gaby Flores has a penchant for drama and an unfortunate knack for dating Mr. So Wrong. After breaking off yet another relationship, watching her apartment building burn to the ground, and discovering that her dippy delivery guy has run off with most of her business, Gaby decides it’s time to turn things around.
So she moves to a tiny waterfront loft and takes on a new motto: “Be gullible no more!” With help from her friends, she works to rebuild her flower shop—and her life. But when legal troubles and quirky neighbors and two surprising romances enter her beachy world, Gaby’s motto and fledgling faith are put to the test.
Can a young woman prone to disaster in both work and love finally find happily ever after?
"Truffles by the Sea is delightful! Julie Carobini has a new fan in this reader, and she's earned a spot on my keeper shelf." --Kay James, RomanceReaderatHeart.com
"This book is a delight to read, and the author has us rooting for Gaby from page one. This girl's never-say-die attitude is incredible, and her life is filled with all kinds of foibles. This is chick lit with heart – about so much more than finding a man.... While keeping the light chick lit tone, this book satisfied while avoiding the tired old formulas. Just when I’m ready to give up on the genre, I stumble across an author who can write without relying on stereotypes." --Cara Putman, writerinterrupted.com
"I liked Julie Carobini's first novel, Chocolate Beach, but her sophomore release, Truffles By The Sea, greatly surpasses it. I thoroughly enjoyed Carobini's second book and felt her writing was much stronger throughout. The characters are deeper and yet funnier – a great combination.... It's a great read for a cold winter day – you can curl up with the book, a nice fire and pretend you're the one by the sea." --Jill Hart, RadiantLit.com
Thursday, March 06, 2008
No, I'm sorry, you *don't* get to choose what's best for your child.
Yet another reason why our days in California may be numbered. An appellate court ruled yesterday that parents do not have a Constitutional right to homeschool their children, and that parents who do so may face criminal charges. This LA Times article gives the lowdown.
Now, technically, homeschooling has always been illegal in California. But the way the law is written, families can create their own private school, file as such with the state, and carry on their merry way. But it looks as though they may be trying to close that loophole.
Frankly, none of us should be surprised. We've allowed the government to step into so many areas of our lives, what on earth makes anyone think they won't step into this facet as well? Now, hopefully the backlash will be so powerful that the decision will be reversed--there's a huge number of families in California who homeschool--but even if it does, that doesn't solve the problem. Until citizens start standing up for their personal freedoms, start demanding that the Constitution be brought back as the basis for government, and start reminding the government that they are here to PROTECT our freedoms and not to take them over, this kind of thing is going to happen over and over and over, be it in regards to our health care, our health freedoms, our property rights...
Let me know if you see any deserted islands for sale. I think I'd like to relocate.
Now, technically, homeschooling has always been illegal in California. But the way the law is written, families can create their own private school, file as such with the state, and carry on their merry way. But it looks as though they may be trying to close that loophole.
Frankly, none of us should be surprised. We've allowed the government to step into so many areas of our lives, what on earth makes anyone think they won't step into this facet as well? Now, hopefully the backlash will be so powerful that the decision will be reversed--there's a huge number of families in California who homeschool--but even if it does, that doesn't solve the problem. Until citizens start standing up for their personal freedoms, start demanding that the Constitution be brought back as the basis for government, and start reminding the government that they are here to PROTECT our freedoms and not to take them over, this kind of thing is going to happen over and over and over, be it in regards to our health care, our health freedoms, our property rights...
Let me know if you see any deserted islands for sale. I think I'd like to relocate.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Blog Tour for Only Uni by Camy Tang!
I'm thrilled to be participating in the blog tour for one of Christian fiction's newest and most entertaining chick lit voices--Camy Tang. If you haven't yet picked up her first release, Sushi for One? I highly recommend it. Camy's blog is great, too, if you're like me and addicted to blogs. :) Her second novel, Only Uni is out now and SO much fun! I interviewed Camy over email--here's what she has to say about her new book....
Alison: So...what's uni?
Camy: Okay, I have to warn people, this is kind of gross:
Uni (oo-nee) is the Japanese name for the edible part of the Sea
Urchin. While colloquially referred to as the roe (eggs), uni is
actually the animal's gonads.
It's an actual sushi, and I think it tastes disgusting. But my dad
loves it. It's considered a delicacy, and you just have to develop a
taste for it, I guess.
However, when we named the book, it was a double entendre--uni as in
sushi, and uni as in "one." Most people don't know about what uni
sushi really is, so the marketing team thought it would be okay to
have it in the title.
Alison: I love the dynamic between the cousins, and their unique personalities.
Do you have a cousin network like that of your own?
Camy: Actually, no. But I have friends who are VERY close to their cousins,
and I'm close to several of my friends, so I just kind of
extrapolated. :) I also created characters who are a bit excessive in
their personalities--I don't know if I'd actually LIKE cousins as
intense as they are in real life!--and none of my friends have cousins
who are strong personalities like Lex, Trish, and Venus.
Alison: Without getting specific so as not to spoil anything, I have to say that
the twist at the end was awesome. Did you know all along that would happen,
or did it surprise you too?
Camy: It did surprise me, but the surprise was before I wrote the book. I
had finished Sushi for One, and I had a skeleton plot for Only Uni. As
I was plotting Only Uni out in more detail, a few things about Trish
changed, and it occurred to me that if A happens, then B might happen,
too. And so the twist at the end was born.
Alison: I really love Trish's character--probably because I see a lot of myself
in the poor girl. :) I know that there's always a few pieces of my own life
and personality in my main characters--is that usually true for you, too? In
what ways do you identify with Trish?
Camy: I identify with Trish in many ways. I had a hard time with my
singleness as a Christian woman, especially because no one seemed to
address the fact that women are sensual creatures as well as men.
Trish's boy-craziness was a lot like myself, and I knew a lot of other
Christian women would relate to that, as well. Trish's desire to
change is also part of my own growth--it's only been in the past few
years that I've come to understand my identity in Christ and be happy
in it.
Alison: PLEASE tell me we're going to hear more about Trish's story--I'm dying to know how her future is going to pan out! You carried the thread of "Sushi For One" main character Lex into this story, too, as part of the background of "Only Uni," so I assume we'll know the outcome of Trish's current situation through your next book. But do you see yourself writing any full-on sequels to any of the women's stories?
Camy: I'm not contracted for any other books beyond Venus's story in SINGLE
SASHIMI, which is out in August. HOWEVER, I'm dying to write Jenn's story, and I'm going to release it as a free ebook that my newsletter YahooGroup members can download (people can join my YahooGroup here.). People can read a short blurb about Jenn's story on my website.
As for sequels for any of the other cousins--who knows? I guess it
depends on how much interest there is in it.
Alison: Speaking of your next book, which of the cousins will have her story told next? Any sneak peeks you can give us into that story?
Camy: Venus's story is the next and (mostly) final novel in the series.
Here's the blurb:
Drake Yu. Why would Drake call her after … what, five years? Six?
Venus heard in his voice that resonance that was almost a growl, that
titanium-hard determination to get what he wanted. And he usually got
what he wanted. The voice said: "I want you to work for me."
Not this time… If it was a choice between Drake and McDonald's—she'd
choose french fries. She'd never work for him again. It would take an
act of God.
Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and
launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an
investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemesis, approaches
Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the
offer to become Chief Operating Officer tempts Venus to think the
unthinkable.
Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again …
except Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy
family with a coveted introduction to the most respected investor in
the game industry. It's also a short job—only a few months—so Venus
won't have to stand Drake's presence for very long.
But one wild youth group, a two-faced assistant, and Grandma's
determined match-making threaten to make them both fail—or go insane.
With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer,
Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful
transformation …
Thanks for having me here, Alison! I also want to tell people about a
huge website contest I've got going on--I'm giving away FIVE BOXES of
Christian fiction books! Only my newsletter YahooGroup members can
enter, so join today! Contest info is here.
There you have it, kids. Check out Camy's website, blog, contests, and, most importantly, BOOKS! I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by, Camy! Best of luck with your novels!
Alison: So...what's uni?
Camy: Okay, I have to warn people, this is kind of gross:
Uni (oo-nee) is the Japanese name for the edible part of the Sea
Urchin. While colloquially referred to as the roe (eggs), uni is
actually the animal's gonads.
It's an actual sushi, and I think it tastes disgusting. But my dad
loves it. It's considered a delicacy, and you just have to develop a
taste for it, I guess.
However, when we named the book, it was a double entendre--uni as in
sushi, and uni as in "one." Most people don't know about what uni
sushi really is, so the marketing team thought it would be okay to
have it in the title.
Alison: I love the dynamic between the cousins, and their unique personalities.
Do you have a cousin network like that of your own?
Camy: Actually, no. But I have friends who are VERY close to their cousins,
and I'm close to several of my friends, so I just kind of
extrapolated. :) I also created characters who are a bit excessive in
their personalities--I don't know if I'd actually LIKE cousins as
intense as they are in real life!--and none of my friends have cousins
who are strong personalities like Lex, Trish, and Venus.
Alison: Without getting specific so as not to spoil anything, I have to say that
the twist at the end was awesome. Did you know all along that would happen,
or did it surprise you too?
Camy: It did surprise me, but the surprise was before I wrote the book. I
had finished Sushi for One, and I had a skeleton plot for Only Uni. As
I was plotting Only Uni out in more detail, a few things about Trish
changed, and it occurred to me that if A happens, then B might happen,
too. And so the twist at the end was born.
Alison: I really love Trish's character--probably because I see a lot of myself
in the poor girl. :) I know that there's always a few pieces of my own life
and personality in my main characters--is that usually true for you, too? In
what ways do you identify with Trish?
Camy: I identify with Trish in many ways. I had a hard time with my
singleness as a Christian woman, especially because no one seemed to
address the fact that women are sensual creatures as well as men.
Trish's boy-craziness was a lot like myself, and I knew a lot of other
Christian women would relate to that, as well. Trish's desire to
change is also part of my own growth--it's only been in the past few
years that I've come to understand my identity in Christ and be happy
in it.
Alison: PLEASE tell me we're going to hear more about Trish's story--I'm dying to know how her future is going to pan out! You carried the thread of "Sushi For One" main character Lex into this story, too, as part of the background of "Only Uni," so I assume we'll know the outcome of Trish's current situation through your next book. But do you see yourself writing any full-on sequels to any of the women's stories?
Camy: I'm not contracted for any other books beyond Venus's story in SINGLE
SASHIMI, which is out in August. HOWEVER, I'm dying to write Jenn's story, and I'm going to release it as a free ebook that my newsletter YahooGroup members can download (people can join my YahooGroup here.). People can read a short blurb about Jenn's story on my website.
As for sequels for any of the other cousins--who knows? I guess it
depends on how much interest there is in it.
Alison: Speaking of your next book, which of the cousins will have her story told next? Any sneak peeks you can give us into that story?
Camy: Venus's story is the next and (mostly) final novel in the series.
Here's the blurb:
Drake Yu. Why would Drake call her after … what, five years? Six?
Venus heard in his voice that resonance that was almost a growl, that
titanium-hard determination to get what he wanted. And he usually got
what he wanted. The voice said: "I want you to work for me."
Not this time… If it was a choice between Drake and McDonald's—she'd
choose french fries. She'd never work for him again. It would take an
act of God.
Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and
launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an
investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemesis, approaches
Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the
offer to become Chief Operating Officer tempts Venus to think the
unthinkable.
Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again …
except Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy
family with a coveted introduction to the most respected investor in
the game industry. It's also a short job—only a few months—so Venus
won't have to stand Drake's presence for very long.
But one wild youth group, a two-faced assistant, and Grandma's
determined match-making threaten to make them both fail—or go insane.
With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer,
Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful
transformation …
Thanks for having me here, Alison! I also want to tell people about a
huge website contest I've got going on--I'm giving away FIVE BOXES of
Christian fiction books! Only my newsletter YahooGroup members can
enter, so join today! Contest info is here.
There you have it, kids. Check out Camy's website, blog, contests, and, most importantly, BOOKS! I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by, Camy! Best of luck with your novels!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith
That time of the week again--here's the latest CFBA book, Stuck in the Middle.
Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am.
Since then she has contracted eight novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill, August 2007) and her newest release, Stuck in the Middle(Revell, February 2008), book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister Series.
Her short fiction has been anthologized, and her articles have been published in a variety of Christian magazines. An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.”
Virginia is a speaker, and an avid Scuba diver. She and her husband Ted, divide their times between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.
That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.
Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.
"A gentle story of one young woman's season of growth, deftly blending the tangle of family relationships with gifts of whimsey and revelation. A joy to read."
~SHARON HINCK, author of Renovating Becky Miller and Symphony of Secrets~
"Virginia Smith has created a charming and humerous novel that celebrates small-town life, generations of women caring for each other, and the value of finding a deeper, more active faith."
~SHARON DUNN, author of the Bargain Hunters mysteries~
Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am.
Since then she has contracted eight novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom (Steeple Hill, August 2007) and her newest release, Stuck in the Middle(Revell, February 2008), book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister Series.
Her short fiction has been anthologized, and her articles have been published in a variety of Christian magazines. An energetic speaker, she loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.”
Virginia is a speaker, and an avid Scuba diver. She and her husband Ted, divide their times between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Joan Sanderson's life is stuck. Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is living at home with Mom and looking after her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement-or romance.
That is, until a hunky young doctor moves in next door. Suddenly Joan has a goal--to catch his eye and get a date. But it won't be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly with him and Joan is sure that she can't compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, maybe Joan can find her way out of this rut and into the life she's been hiding from.
Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, spiritual searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.
"A gentle story of one young woman's season of growth, deftly blending the tangle of family relationships with gifts of whimsey and revelation. A joy to read."
~SHARON HINCK, author of Renovating Becky Miller and Symphony of Secrets~
"Virginia Smith has created a charming and humerous novel that celebrates small-town life, generations of women caring for each other, and the value of finding a deeper, more active faith."
~SHARON DUNN, author of the Bargain Hunters mysteries~
Sunday, February 24, 2008
24 hours left to vote!
So for all you lurkers (and I know there are a lot of you--I have my ways!) this is just a reminder that your chance to win free fabulous books is just about over! Head over to the contest on my baby blog and cast your vote for our mystery baby's stats. No more votes will be accepted after I get up on Tuesday morning. (Which I guess means you have more than 24 hours, but whatever, you know what I mean.)
And you know what that means. THE BABY IS ALMOST HERE. Not soon enough, if you ask me and my bum leg. In preparation for The Big Day, Dan spend the entire day working on the bedroom--painting the one wall that still needed to be painted, cleaning out all the crap that was in there, setting the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper back up (which required moving our crazy-heavy beds all by his lonesome) and thus sacrificing any kind of bedside storage for himself since our bedroom is only about two feet wider than our bed and most of that space is required by the co-sleeper, which is on myside of the bed. Poor guy. Though if this kid is anything like Abby s/he won't be in the co-sleeper long, but will be snuggled with the rest of us in the "big bed" by mid-summer.
When Abby saw the co-sleeper, she of course wanted to get in. Got quite upset when we wouldn't let her sleep in there, in fact. Dan asked her if she wanted us to set up her own little bed at the foot of ours, and she said yes, but of course once we do it she'll probably freak out if we suggest she try actually sleeping in it. But we have the perfect place for it, and Ikea sells great little toddler beds that adjust in length as the child grows, so we may get one soon and just set it up in there for her to get used to. I know it's going to be a long, slow transition from our bed to hers, but I'm guessing she'll be in there by the time she's 4 or so. And no, I'm not saying that with laughter in my voice. Four is actually a pretty optimistic estimate.
So I've got 12 chapters done of the book and about 2.5 pages of chapter 13 done. There are three days this week that I might be able to write. If I wrote on all of them, that would get me, if I'm lucky, to the end of chapter 14. The week after that I have about 5 days, which could theoretically get me halfway through chapter 17. The week after that, possibly through chapter 20, if the week stays as clear as it currently is. That's assuming, of course, that the baby doesn't come until the week of the 16th, which is when I'm technically due, though I have felt for quite a while now that the baby would come early, like week 39. But if not, then that's about...I don't know...maybe 75% done? Maybe more, I'm not sure, I don't plot out by chapter--that's a method I might try with the next book, though. But point being, the book will not be done by the time the baby comes. I had high hopes, but who am I kidding?? But regardless, if I could get to chapter 20 by the time the baby came, I would be a very happy woman. Free books and chocolate to anyone who comes up with a successful way to keep me accountable.
And you know what that means. THE BABY IS ALMOST HERE. Not soon enough, if you ask me and my bum leg. In preparation for The Big Day, Dan spend the entire day working on the bedroom--painting the one wall that still needed to be painted, cleaning out all the crap that was in there, setting the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper back up (which required moving our crazy-heavy beds all by his lonesome) and thus sacrificing any kind of bedside storage for himself since our bedroom is only about two feet wider than our bed and most of that space is required by the co-sleeper, which is on myside of the bed. Poor guy. Though if this kid is anything like Abby s/he won't be in the co-sleeper long, but will be snuggled with the rest of us in the "big bed" by mid-summer.
When Abby saw the co-sleeper, she of course wanted to get in. Got quite upset when we wouldn't let her sleep in there, in fact. Dan asked her if she wanted us to set up her own little bed at the foot of ours, and she said yes, but of course once we do it she'll probably freak out if we suggest she try actually sleeping in it. But we have the perfect place for it, and Ikea sells great little toddler beds that adjust in length as the child grows, so we may get one soon and just set it up in there for her to get used to. I know it's going to be a long, slow transition from our bed to hers, but I'm guessing she'll be in there by the time she's 4 or so. And no, I'm not saying that with laughter in my voice. Four is actually a pretty optimistic estimate.
So I've got 12 chapters done of the book and about 2.5 pages of chapter 13 done. There are three days this week that I might be able to write. If I wrote on all of them, that would get me, if I'm lucky, to the end of chapter 14. The week after that I have about 5 days, which could theoretically get me halfway through chapter 17. The week after that, possibly through chapter 20, if the week stays as clear as it currently is. That's assuming, of course, that the baby doesn't come until the week of the 16th, which is when I'm technically due, though I have felt for quite a while now that the baby would come early, like week 39. But if not, then that's about...I don't know...maybe 75% done? Maybe more, I'm not sure, I don't plot out by chapter--that's a method I might try with the next book, though. But point being, the book will not be done by the time the baby comes. I had high hopes, but who am I kidding?? But regardless, if I could get to chapter 20 by the time the baby came, I would be a very happy woman. Free books and chocolate to anyone who comes up with a successful way to keep me accountable.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Adam by Ted Dekker
Ted Dekker is one of the most established names in the Christian fiction genre. Here's the blurb about him and his latest release, Adam.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.
After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.
Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), and Obsessed, with two more...Renegade, and Chaos to be released later this year.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.
FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.
Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.
Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psche.
"As always with a Ted Dekker thriller, the details of ADAM are stunning, pointing to meticulous research in a raft of areas: police and FBI methods, forensic medicine, psychological profiling-in short, all that accompanies a Federal hunt for a serial killer. But Dekker fully reveals his magic in the latter part of the book, when he subtly introduces his darker and more frightening theme. It's all too creepily convincing. We have to keep telling ourselves that this is fiction. At the same time, we can't help thinking that not only could it happen, but that it will happen if we're not careful."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ted is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.
After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.
Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. Dekker's body of work encompassing seven mysteries, three thrillers and ten fantasies includes Heaven's Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, Blink, Thr3e, The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White), and Obsessed, with two more...Renegade, and Chaos to be released later this year.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
He died once to stop the killer...now he's dying again to save his wife.
FBI behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has become famous for his well-articulated arguments that religion is one of society’s greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn’t know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as “Eve” is about to end abruptly with an unexpected death-his own.
Twenty minutes later Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by the loss of memory of the events immediately preceding his death.
Daniel becomes convinced that the only way to stop Eve is to recover those missing minutes during which he alone saw the killer’s face. And the only way to access them is to trigger his brain’s memory dump that occurs at the time of death by simulating his death again…and again. So begins a carefully researched psychological thriller which delves deep into the haunting realities of near-death experiences, demon possession, and the human psche.
"As always with a Ted Dekker thriller, the details of ADAM are stunning, pointing to meticulous research in a raft of areas: police and FBI methods, forensic medicine, psychological profiling-in short, all that accompanies a Federal hunt for a serial killer. But Dekker fully reveals his magic in the latter part of the book, when he subtly introduces his darker and more frightening theme. It's all too creepily convincing. We have to keep telling ourselves that this is fiction. At the same time, we can't help thinking that not only could it happen, but that it will happen if we're not careful."
Sunday, February 17, 2008
I take it back.
That whole Sleeping Beauty thing? Yeah, that's done. Nice while it lasted. Now I end my nights feeling mildly homicidal because she. will. not. go. to. sleep.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Things to do at 6AM when you've been up for an hour and a half and have a major sinus headache from the weather change and are completely wide awake
Blog, apparently. Except my head hurts too much for me to think of something interesting worth writing. Maybe sleeping upright on the couch will help my head.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sleeping Beauty
Back in the early 90's I saw an interview with a singer, can't remember who, who talked about how she couldn't sing at all as a kid. Then she had some major illness that affected her throat, and when she recovered--voila, she could sing! Well, Abby seems to have undergone a similar metamorphosis through her two week fever, though not with her voice--no no, now she SLEEPS!
Poor kid is just like her mama when it comes to sleeping: she's just not good at it. Takes forever to go to sleep, doesn't sleep well once she does. But for the last week, she's been telling me "no books" when I've taken her up for nap or bedtime, which is crazy since she usually demands that I read every single book in the bedroom before we turn off the light. "Take a nap" she'll say in a slow voice when I confirm, "Really, you don't want to read any books?" Phase two is the singing, which I've done for as much as 45 minutes in the past before she'd actually fall asleep. (Usually it would take about 10 or 15 minutes.) Lately she's been falling asleep halfway through my "set" of Jesus Loves Me, Away in the Manger, Silent Night, and Amazing Grace (1, 2, 3, and 4 verses respectively). Then, usually she sleeps for about 9 or 10 hours--but three nights ago it was 14, then 12 the night after that, and 11 last night. Oi! But the best part of it all: she's sleeping through the night! The irony of this, of course, is that I am awake for at least an hour every night thanks to pregnancy discomfort. It figures this would start just as I'm about to embark on midnight feedings again. *sigh* But regardless, I'm thrilled that she's finally doing it!
I don't know if it's going to last--it may just be that her poor body is trying to catch up from two weeks of illness. But regardless, it's been a nice change!
Poor kid is just like her mama when it comes to sleeping: she's just not good at it. Takes forever to go to sleep, doesn't sleep well once she does. But for the last week, she's been telling me "no books" when I've taken her up for nap or bedtime, which is crazy since she usually demands that I read every single book in the bedroom before we turn off the light. "Take a nap" she'll say in a slow voice when I confirm, "Really, you don't want to read any books?" Phase two is the singing, which I've done for as much as 45 minutes in the past before she'd actually fall asleep. (Usually it would take about 10 or 15 minutes.) Lately she's been falling asleep halfway through my "set" of Jesus Loves Me, Away in the Manger, Silent Night, and Amazing Grace (1, 2, 3, and 4 verses respectively). Then, usually she sleeps for about 9 or 10 hours--but three nights ago it was 14, then 12 the night after that, and 11 last night. Oi! But the best part of it all: she's sleeping through the night! The irony of this, of course, is that I am awake for at least an hour every night thanks to pregnancy discomfort. It figures this would start just as I'm about to embark on midnight feedings again. *sigh* But regardless, I'm thrilled that she's finally doing it!
I don't know if it's going to last--it may just be that her poor body is trying to catch up from two weeks of illness. But regardless, it's been a nice change!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Out of the woods!
FINALLY. The fever is basically gone, only returning when she sleeps (which is apparently common in little ones), and she's slowly perking up in spirits as well. Yesterday was rough, but today seems to be going much better--a decent breakfast, some cuddle time on the couch, and some honest-to-goodness imaginative play. Hallelujah! The cough is still there and still sounds horrific, but she doesn't cough often, so that's a relief. Today we may actually get back to a real schedule. I think I remember how our days used to go, before we spent them on the couch watching the same four episodes of Blues Clues over and over and over and over.
And, of course, we'll take a little outing to the fire house where our polling place is located. GO RON PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I watched a documentary on the government yesterday with Dan that scared the *$&# out of me and made me pray all the more that Dr. Paul gets elected. Yes, it's a long shot, but I don't think it's nearly as far of a shot as the media would like us to think. I think if more people saw that documentary (which I'll blog about more later) Ron Paul would win by a landslide.
But we're an apathetic people. So he probably won't. So sad. Know of any affordable deserted islands that are up for sale?
And, of course, we'll take a little outing to the fire house where our polling place is located. GO RON PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I watched a documentary on the government yesterday with Dan that scared the *$&# out of me and made me pray all the more that Dr. Paul gets elected. Yes, it's a long shot, but I don't think it's nearly as far of a shot as the media would like us to think. I think if more people saw that documentary (which I'll blog about more later) Ron Paul would win by a landslide.
But we're an apathetic people. So he probably won't. So sad. Know of any affordable deserted islands that are up for sale?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Update on Abby
Sadly, I don't have anything to report in terms of improvement, because really there hasn't been any. We get little flashes of hope now and then--"She actually ate an entire breakfast!" or "Her fever stayed down 4 hours after her Tylenol wore off!"--but she always goes back to her miserable, fevery, coughy sleeping-on-mommy self. Today was day 9. We've done a chest x-ray, a blood draw, and a urinalysis so far to determine the cause; at this point the x-ray and a couple blood tests are the only things that have come back, and they've all been negative, which is good since they would have shown scary things. The doctor really thinks it's just a horrific influenza, and said the fever could last 10 days. If that's the case, we should see some significant improvement by the weekend. We should also get the results of most of the other tests tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
FotF revisited
Focus on the Family finally added Ron Paul to their list of candidates. Thanks to those of you who brought their error to their attention!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Fever, I curse thee!
Abby is one sick little girl. I feel so bad for her! Today is day five of this awful fever that simply won't stop. Actually, I take that back--it does stop now and then; last night she was totally fever-free--but it always comes back. She woke up fine, but now, two hours later, is asleep on the couch and her temperature is 103.9.
Fevers are one of those things that really freak me out. I think because of all the books I've read set back in the 1800's when people died from them (supposedly) or became blind or deaf. Like Mary in the Little House on the Prairie books. But my head knows that it's not the fever that's to blame, it's whatever infection is in there that, back then, they didn't know about and couldn't see. All they saw was the fever, so that's what got blamed.
I have this awesome book called, "Raising a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor." The fever chapter is so interesting. Apparently the body will not allow its temperature to reach 106 if the cause is an infection or something viral. It will always cycle itself down. And under 106 fevers don't do damage--it's the ones above that which are caused by things like poisoning or heatstroke that can actually harm you. And, of course, it talks about how the fever is your body's way of killing off whatever you're sick with, so trying to reduce the fever just suppresses your immune system and keeps you sicker longer.
So I've been pretty good about resisting the urge to pump her with Tylenol or sponge her down, though I have caved a couple times. Yesterday she stopped eating or drinking, and that really worried me, so we gave her some Tylenol and she perked up in, like, ten minutes! I got some food in her, and a bunch of water, before her fever went up again and she was back to being miserable. Hopefully she won't do that to me again today. I can handle the fever; I can't handle the thought of her getting dehydrated.
So it looks like my birthday will be spent in the same manner as the last three days have been: on the couch with a hot little body curled up on my lap, or else wandering around the backyard with her in my arms. (every once in a while she'll say, "Outside!" I feel like we should have her in a robe on a deck chair with a quilt tucked around her legs. The Morrow Convalescent Home.) I'm going to need some serious chiropractic care after all this is over. And a massage. Mmmmm, massage...
Fevers are one of those things that really freak me out. I think because of all the books I've read set back in the 1800's when people died from them (supposedly) or became blind or deaf. Like Mary in the Little House on the Prairie books. But my head knows that it's not the fever that's to blame, it's whatever infection is in there that, back then, they didn't know about and couldn't see. All they saw was the fever, so that's what got blamed.
I have this awesome book called, "Raising a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor." The fever chapter is so interesting. Apparently the body will not allow its temperature to reach 106 if the cause is an infection or something viral. It will always cycle itself down. And under 106 fevers don't do damage--it's the ones above that which are caused by things like poisoning or heatstroke that can actually harm you. And, of course, it talks about how the fever is your body's way of killing off whatever you're sick with, so trying to reduce the fever just suppresses your immune system and keeps you sicker longer.
So I've been pretty good about resisting the urge to pump her with Tylenol or sponge her down, though I have caved a couple times. Yesterday she stopped eating or drinking, and that really worried me, so we gave her some Tylenol and she perked up in, like, ten minutes! I got some food in her, and a bunch of water, before her fever went up again and she was back to being miserable. Hopefully she won't do that to me again today. I can handle the fever; I can't handle the thought of her getting dehydrated.
So it looks like my birthday will be spent in the same manner as the last three days have been: on the couch with a hot little body curled up on my lap, or else wandering around the backyard with her in my arms. (every once in a while she'll say, "Outside!" I feel like we should have her in a robe on a deck chair with a quilt tucked around her legs. The Morrow Convalescent Home.) I'm going to need some serious chiropractic care after all this is over. And a massage. Mmmmm, massage...
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Shame on you, Focus on the Family!
There's no love lost between me and FotF, but had I been a supporter I would have withdrawn it over this. I (naively, I know) expect organizations like theirs to give us the side of the story that the mainstream media buries, but in this case they're just as bad. Check out their presidential candidate page and ask yourself who's missing. Is it "I don't salute the flag" Obama? Is it pro-abortion Clinton? No, it's pro-life, pro-family, pro-America, Christian Ron Paul. One of the few candidates who is most in line with FotF's beliefs, and he's not included.
I've no doubt they'd sound the battle cry and call for a boycott were Huckabee excluded from a secular voter's guide--but apparently they have no problem engaging in such deceitful behavior themselves. So sad.
I've no doubt they'd sound the battle cry and call for a boycott were Huckabee excluded from a secular voter's guide--but apparently they have no problem engaging in such deceitful behavior themselves. So sad.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Congratulations, baby!
Dan's blog was listed today as one of Wordpress's top 5 fastest growing blogs! Have you checked it out yet? He's got some fascinating stuff on there. If you're looking for something that will keep you up at night, check out his videos page--the documentaries there will get your mind spinning. And if you are one of the drifting Fred Thompson supporters, check out his post on the similarities between Fred and Ron Paul--you may just find yourself with a new candidate to support.
Fallen by Matthew Raley
This week's CFBA offering is Fallen by Matthew Raley.
Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. This is his first book.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.
Fallen is the story about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.
Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. This is his first book.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.
Fallen is the story about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.
spoke too soon
fever's back. 104.0. man, whatever this bug is, it sucks. i don't like it when my baby's burning up. :(
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Blast from the past
Last week one of my best friends from high school came to visit with her hubby and kids. Meg and I have kept up via email since going our separate ways after graduation. I sang at her wedding back in 2000, but have only seen her once since then, back in '01. So having her show up at my door with adorable Lucy (3yo) and precious Eddie (almost 2!) and her fun hubby Joel was a HUGE treat.
They were escaping the Minnesota tundra, and thankfully the rain we're having this week held off and allowed us a great day at the beach, the San Diego Zoo, and LegoLand. We played the Wii one night after the kids hit the sheets, and Meg and I got to compare parenting notes and talk books and writing and heaven only knows what else. And, bless their hearts, they withstood our zealous political rantings and even managed to appear interested at times. THAT is a good friend, I tell you what.
I think the best part for me, though, was seeing Abby make an honest-to-goodness friend. Well, two of them, really. I've never seen her play with other kids the way she played with Lu and Ed. I have to admit her introversion makes me sad sometimes, but it was so encouraging to see that she could indeed connect with other kids and have a good time--and be so into playing with them that she didn't mind when I left her in the care of Meg and Joel so I could take a shower. Typically she'd be in the bathroom with me and would freak out if I tried to leave her like that. But no, she happily ran around with them--and even TALKED to Joel a few times. Talk about personal growth! 'Course it's just our luck that she'd click with kids she probably won't see for years. *sigh* At least I know it *can* happen.
It's amazing to me that after so many years you can still click with someone. And man, thank you Lord for the Internet--instead of spending a week catching up on what our lives have been like for the last 7 years, we were able to just hang out and enjoy each other's company.
But now they're back to their St. Paul home, torn up as it is from renovations, and we're battling some wacky cough and fever combo that had Abby burning up at 105.8 yesterday afternoon. Thankfully she's doing much better now, even without Tylenol, and her appetite seems to have returned as she has just polished off a ton of sweet potato. Not my idea of comfort food, but hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
They were escaping the Minnesota tundra, and thankfully the rain we're having this week held off and allowed us a great day at the beach, the San Diego Zoo, and LegoLand. We played the Wii one night after the kids hit the sheets, and Meg and I got to compare parenting notes and talk books and writing and heaven only knows what else. And, bless their hearts, they withstood our zealous political rantings and even managed to appear interested at times. THAT is a good friend, I tell you what.
I think the best part for me, though, was seeing Abby make an honest-to-goodness friend. Well, two of them, really. I've never seen her play with other kids the way she played with Lu and Ed. I have to admit her introversion makes me sad sometimes, but it was so encouraging to see that she could indeed connect with other kids and have a good time--and be so into playing with them that she didn't mind when I left her in the care of Meg and Joel so I could take a shower. Typically she'd be in the bathroom with me and would freak out if I tried to leave her like that. But no, she happily ran around with them--and even TALKED to Joel a few times. Talk about personal growth! 'Course it's just our luck that she'd click with kids she probably won't see for years. *sigh* At least I know it *can* happen.
It's amazing to me that after so many years you can still click with someone. And man, thank you Lord for the Internet--instead of spending a week catching up on what our lives have been like for the last 7 years, we were able to just hang out and enjoy each other's company.
But now they're back to their St. Paul home, torn up as it is from renovations, and we're battling some wacky cough and fever combo that had Abby burning up at 105.8 yesterday afternoon. Thankfully she's doing much better now, even without Tylenol, and her appetite seems to have returned as she has just polished off a ton of sweet potato. Not my idea of comfort food, but hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Well that's scary.
H.R. 393: Universal National Service Act of 2007
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-393
"To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the favorable treatment afforded combat pay under the earned income tax credit, and for other purposes."
This bill was proposed to the House of Representatives this week. Feel like joining the army?
Yet another reason I'm voting for Ron Paul.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-393
"To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the favorable treatment afforded combat pay under the earned income tax credit, and for other purposes."
This bill was proposed to the House of Representatives this week. Feel like joining the army?
Yet another reason I'm voting for Ron Paul.
Christian Writers Market Guide by Sally Stuart
I've really been slacking on posting reviews for the CFBA. No excuse other than laziness, and for that I apologize. Anyway, this week's offering is the Christian Writers Market Guide. For those of you who are trying to break into the Christian writing market, this book is an invaluable resource. Check it out!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sally Stuart has been writing for the last 40+ years, and has been putting out the annual "Christian Writers' Market Guide" for the last 23 years. Her other writing includes several Christian education resources books, a children's picture book, a basic writing text, writing resources, and a western novel--plus hundreds of articles and marketing columns. She writes marketing columns for the "Christian Communicator," "Advanced Christian Writer," and the Oregon Christian Writers' Newsletter. She speaks and teaches at Christian Writers' Conferences nationwide. Sally is the mother of 3 and grandmother of 8. She and her husband, Norm, spend their free time vacationing on the Oregon coast.
Check out her blog!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The essential reference tool for the Christian writer, Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide is now in its 23rd annual edition!
Check out the section on Blogging on page 69...the CFBA is listed!
Writers’ Conference listings, Book Publishers, Magazine Publishers, and a Bookstore filled with the resources you need to be successful in this business. Get a Book Contract or Manuscript Evaluation, and check out the Writer’s Resource links. This book has all you need to connect to all these valuable helps for the beginning, intermediate, or professional writer.
To keep you up to date with the latest marketing news, visit Sally Stuart’s new marketing blog, Christian Writers’ Marketplace, at http://www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com/.
A new, updated version of the Christian Writers’ Market Guide is available about January 15 each year.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sally Stuart has been writing for the last 40+ years, and has been putting out the annual "Christian Writers' Market Guide" for the last 23 years. Her other writing includes several Christian education resources books, a children's picture book, a basic writing text, writing resources, and a western novel--plus hundreds of articles and marketing columns. She writes marketing columns for the "Christian Communicator," "Advanced Christian Writer," and the Oregon Christian Writers' Newsletter. She speaks and teaches at Christian Writers' Conferences nationwide. Sally is the mother of 3 and grandmother of 8. She and her husband, Norm, spend their free time vacationing on the Oregon coast.
Check out her blog!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The essential reference tool for the Christian writer, Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide is now in its 23rd annual edition!
Check out the section on Blogging on page 69...the CFBA is listed!
Writers’ Conference listings, Book Publishers, Magazine Publishers, and a Bookstore filled with the resources you need to be successful in this business. Get a Book Contract or Manuscript Evaluation, and check out the Writer’s Resource links. This book has all you need to connect to all these valuable helps for the beginning, intermediate, or professional writer.
To keep you up to date with the latest marketing news, visit Sally Stuart’s new marketing blog, Christian Writers’ Marketplace, at http://www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com/.
A new, updated version of the Christian Writers’ Market Guide is available about January 15 each year.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Not at all surprised
I found out something new about Ron Paul: he's a Christian! When I found the link to his statement of faith, my emotion was akin to learning that the guy you have a crush on has a crush on you too. I also felt vindicated, in a way--I was following my heart and my head and not jumping on the Huckabee bandwagon simply because of his faith, and lo and behold Dr. Paul's a Christian, too. Like I was being rewarded for having faith in him or something. Silly, I know, and totally not true, but that's just how it felt.
They're planning another online donation bomb on MLK Jr. Day for Ron Paul. If you haven't yet checked out his site and read up on his politics, I urge you to do it before that date so that you can donate to the war chest along with the rest of us if you decide to support him.
They're planning another online donation bomb on MLK Jr. Day for Ron Paul. If you haven't yet checked out his site and read up on his politics, I urge you to do it before that date so that you can donate to the war chest along with the rest of us if you decide to support him.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Check out the Morrow Baby Prediction Contest!
I did this when I was pregnant with Abby and it was fun seeing what everyone predicted. So we're gonna do it again! Head on over to my pregnancy blog and check out what the old wives' tales say we're having. There are prizes to be won! I'll stop taking entries on March 4, which is two weeks before my due date.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Circle of LIfe
Dan's brother Andrew called this morning to announce the arrival of baby Gavin. He's a week and a couple days early, but he gave his mom an easy time getting here, and he's very very cute. And then, a few minutes ago, Dan's mom called to announce the passing of his grandmother. We knew it was coming, but it still sucks, though as Dan said to his mom, there's comfort in knowing these things aren't arbitrary. Our days are all numbered, but not by cosmic chaos--by a God who holds all our days in his hands and brings us home when our work is done.
Welcome, Gavin. You've got cool parents, and your brother's gonna love you.
Goodbye, Estelle. See you later.
Welcome, Gavin. You've got cool parents, and your brother's gonna love you.
Goodbye, Estelle. See you later.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Not long now
In 6 weeks it will pretty much be determined who the GOP presidential candidate is going to be. Never in my life have I cared. Heck--never in my life did I know what the caucuses were for! Now I not only know what they're for but I'm pleading with folks in the caucus states to look into Ron Paul, especially if, like me, they've always found themselves choosing a candidate based on who they were voting against rather than for. That's how I've always voted. But not this year!
Today I'm adding a new sidebar item: the Ron Paul Fact of the Day. Seeing as I only find time to blog every now and then, chances are it won't be changed daily, but I am going to make an effort to change it as often as I can. When I talk to people about Dr. Paul it always comes out that they barely know who the guy is and know virtually nothing about his platform. I think more people would support him if they had a clue what he stands for. The Fact of the Day is my little way of trying to spread the word.
If you're a registered Republican and aren't sure yet who to vote for in your state's primary, please check out Ron Paul's issues page on his website.
Today I'm adding a new sidebar item: the Ron Paul Fact of the Day. Seeing as I only find time to blog every now and then, chances are it won't be changed daily, but I am going to make an effort to change it as often as I can. When I talk to people about Dr. Paul it always comes out that they barely know who the guy is and know virtually nothing about his platform. I think more people would support him if they had a clue what he stands for. The Fact of the Day is my little way of trying to spread the word.
If you're a registered Republican and aren't sure yet who to vote for in your state's primary, please check out Ron Paul's issues page on his website.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Today she is two.
Wow. Two years old. I have a two-year-old. This is weird.
Two years ago this very minute I was facing a c-section and so tired and anxious to meet my baby that I just didn't care. It feels like it was much more recent than that, though the scar has faded nearly completely and I'm finally okay with the fact that nothing went the way I wanted it to.
We came up to Ventura to celebrate Abby's birthday with Dan's parents since we couldn't come up for Christmas. "Greena" (Grandma) bought her a lovely (and yummy!) cake and a big 2 candle which she lit with what looked to me like a torch. Daddy helped Abby blow out the candle, and then we sang, which was a mistake. Apparently we sounded just awful, because Abby burst into tears, and that was all she wrote. We ate cake while she sobbed on my lap. Eventually she pulled herself together and said, "Want some!" We gave her her own piece; she dipped the fork in the frosting, tasted it, and said, "All done." Ahhh, that's my girl. I was much relieved.
She really cleaned up in the gift department. Yesterday we went to Adventures for Kids, an awesome children's bookstore here in Ventura, and bought her a shelf-ful of books. Then today she got her very own set of Lynx golf clubs. Pink. Full-on backpack bag with built in stand, a driver, a 7 iron, and a putter. She's shockingly good at putting. She actually grips the club right and everything. We got some wiffle golf balls--pink, of course--for her to practice with. And when we get home we're getting her a play kitchen. I really can't wait to see her play with that; I foresee lots of time spent with that. She loves her play food and play set of pots and pans.
The one shadow over the day is the news that Grandma Estelle, Dan's paternal grandmother, is not long for this world. Hospice started today and Dan's parents are going up to Visalia tomorrow to be with her for a while before she passes. Now comes the awkward and anxious days where every time the phone rings your stomach drops. Her Christmas present still sits on my kitchen counter; the photos for my Christmas cards are en route, and I was waiting until I could send a card with it before I sent it. Regrets, regrets.
So say a prayer for us in these coming days--for the funeral, for a peaceful passing, and for the patience and wisdom that is required when parenting a two-year-old.
Two years ago this very minute I was facing a c-section and so tired and anxious to meet my baby that I just didn't care. It feels like it was much more recent than that, though the scar has faded nearly completely and I'm finally okay with the fact that nothing went the way I wanted it to.
We came up to Ventura to celebrate Abby's birthday with Dan's parents since we couldn't come up for Christmas. "Greena" (Grandma) bought her a lovely (and yummy!) cake and a big 2 candle which she lit with what looked to me like a torch. Daddy helped Abby blow out the candle, and then we sang, which was a mistake. Apparently we sounded just awful, because Abby burst into tears, and that was all she wrote. We ate cake while she sobbed on my lap. Eventually she pulled herself together and said, "Want some!" We gave her her own piece; she dipped the fork in the frosting, tasted it, and said, "All done." Ahhh, that's my girl. I was much relieved.
She really cleaned up in the gift department. Yesterday we went to Adventures for Kids, an awesome children's bookstore here in Ventura, and bought her a shelf-ful of books. Then today she got her very own set of Lynx golf clubs. Pink. Full-on backpack bag with built in stand, a driver, a 7 iron, and a putter. She's shockingly good at putting. She actually grips the club right and everything. We got some wiffle golf balls--pink, of course--for her to practice with. And when we get home we're getting her a play kitchen. I really can't wait to see her play with that; I foresee lots of time spent with that. She loves her play food and play set of pots and pans.
The one shadow over the day is the news that Grandma Estelle, Dan's paternal grandmother, is not long for this world. Hospice started today and Dan's parents are going up to Visalia tomorrow to be with her for a while before she passes. Now comes the awkward and anxious days where every time the phone rings your stomach drops. Her Christmas present still sits on my kitchen counter; the photos for my Christmas cards are en route, and I was waiting until I could send a card with it before I sent it. Regrets, regrets.
So say a prayer for us in these coming days--for the funeral, for a peaceful passing, and for the patience and wisdom that is required when parenting a two-year-old.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Me and my girl (and guy)
My computer has this great little camera on it and a program called "Photo Booth." Abby accidentally launched it today, and boy did she have fun!
Monday, December 24, 2007
'Twas the night before Christmas...
...and all through the house was the scent of Crispex mix and the strains of the "Hallelujah Chorus." Once upon a time I sang first soprano on that song. It's hard for me to sing now, not just because I can't hit half the notes anymore, but because it reminds me that I'm getting older.
We put the presents under the tree after Abby went to bed tonight. I don't like being on this side of Christmas morning magic. Through it's been many, many years since I knew the truth about how those shiny boxes got under the tree, it's a whole 'nother reality to be the one to actually put them there. No clue if Abby will be all that wowed--after all, she saw me wrapping them--so I guess next year will be the start of the true shock and awe of an empty space being suddenly chock-full of goodies--not that we'll fill it with too much chock.
It's been a funky holiday season. Maui was fab, but it really threw off the season for me--for everyone, really; we've all been talking about it. The last few days since we've been home have been non-stop. I even had to brave the mall this morning to finish up on my gift-buying. We had all sorts of plans to walk the fun decked-out neighborhoods with Abby, our resident Christmas light glutton, but only managed to make it to one. I haven't watched "It's a Wonderful Life" yet, which is my most favorite holiday movie ever, and while I can watch it any time I want to, it's certainly not the same after the holiday is over. Sigh.
And for the first time since 1996, I didn't go to church on Christmas Eve. Church is just so darn hard with a toddler.
But now the rush is over. The presents are all wrapped and in bags to take to my parents' or Dan's parents' places, or else under the tree for Abby's first Christmas morning surprise. The kitchen is pretty much cleaned, my clothes and Abby's chosen for the morning, and NBC is showing my movie. My focus can finally come off the preparations and decorations and expectations and remember why it is December 25 is such a big deal.
A nervous father, a teen-aged mother, and a squalling baby feeling the weight of humanity on his tiny frame for the first time.
Happy birthday, Jesus.
We put the presents under the tree after Abby went to bed tonight. I don't like being on this side of Christmas morning magic. Through it's been many, many years since I knew the truth about how those shiny boxes got under the tree, it's a whole 'nother reality to be the one to actually put them there. No clue if Abby will be all that wowed--after all, she saw me wrapping them--so I guess next year will be the start of the true shock and awe of an empty space being suddenly chock-full of goodies--not that we'll fill it with too much chock.
It's been a funky holiday season. Maui was fab, but it really threw off the season for me--for everyone, really; we've all been talking about it. The last few days since we've been home have been non-stop. I even had to brave the mall this morning to finish up on my gift-buying. We had all sorts of plans to walk the fun decked-out neighborhoods with Abby, our resident Christmas light glutton, but only managed to make it to one. I haven't watched "It's a Wonderful Life" yet, which is my most favorite holiday movie ever, and while I can watch it any time I want to, it's certainly not the same after the holiday is over. Sigh.
And for the first time since 1996, I didn't go to church on Christmas Eve. Church is just so darn hard with a toddler.
But now the rush is over. The presents are all wrapped and in bags to take to my parents' or Dan's parents' places, or else under the tree for Abby's first Christmas morning surprise. The kitchen is pretty much cleaned, my clothes and Abby's chosen for the morning, and NBC is showing my movie. My focus can finally come off the preparations and decorations and expectations and remember why it is December 25 is such a big deal.
A nervous father, a teen-aged mother, and a squalling baby feeling the weight of humanity on his tiny frame for the first time.
Happy birthday, Jesus.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Magical Maui
Dan posted a great post about our trip to Maui. He did a much better job of conveying how wonderful the trip was--and included some pictures, too! Check it out!
Congratulations, Maaike!
Maaike and I met back in 1996 when we were both exchange students in Glasgow, Scotland. We became good friends and kept in touch over the years, even met up in Scotland twice to hang out (which is a much easier trip for her, as she lives in Amsterdam!), the second time being back in 2004 when she came with her sweet (and cute!) boyfriend, Jurgen. We both miscarried back in 2005, and both became unexpectedly pregnant soon afterwards--and had our babies within 2 days of each other! (Christmas Eve is Matthijs' 2nd birthday--happy birthday, buddy!) Then, we got to trade exciting news again earlier this year-we were both expecting #2! Our coordination was a bit off this time, though: Carlijn was born on December 6 and is ADORABLE! Congratulations, Maaike!! Check out the precious pics at Carlijn's website--I use Babelfish to translate the entries in the "dagboek;" though it isn't the most reliable translation at times, it gets the main point across at least!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Getting political
Frequent visitors may notice the new banner on the page. I've never been into politics, but the last year has really affected my views of government and my role in the system as a citizen. It's the first time I've paid any attention whatsoever to the presidential process before the parties had chosen their candidates. And wow. I really, really love this Ron Paul guy. I don't agree with him on every point, but he's pro-life, recognizes that the government has way too much power in the lives of private citizens, is a huge supporter of homechoolers and wants to restore parents' authority in their children's education, and he is a proponent of health freedom, which no other candidate even discusses. Those are the biggest points to me right now. So I did it. I signed up. I have officially joined a political campaign.
If you haven't done a lot of research yet into the candidates, I encourage you to start with Ron Paul. Like the Constitution? Like your freedom? Check him out.
If you haven't done a lot of research yet into the candidates, I encourage you to start with Ron Paul. Like the Constitution? Like your freedom? Check him out.
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