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.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
