New Reviews!

It has been a few days since I've posted. During the past few weeks I have read several books that I would like to give a review on. All of these books are Christian fiction and I can say that you would not go wrong with any of these books. They are in different genres but they were all enjoyable! I will review them in the order that I read them. The first one is:

Word Gets Around by Lisa Wingate

Lauren Eldridge we all should wiped the dust of Daily, Texas off her boots forever. Screenwriter Nate Heath thought he was out at second chances.

Life is never that predictable, though.

Cajoled by her father, Lara and is back in town helping train a skittish racehorse set to star in a Hollywood film. But the handsome screenwriter gives her more trouble than the horse. And Nate is realizing there's a spark of magic in the project - and in the eyes of the girl who is so good with horses.

Daily, Texas, has a way of offering hope, healing, and a little romance just when folks need it most.

LISA WINGATE is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books including Tending Roses, Drenched In Light, and A Thousand Voices. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in central Texas.

My Take: This was a cute book. It is told from the two main characters POV. Lauren Eldredge has moved away from her hometown of Daily, Texas. Lauren has ghosts that haunt her and they live in her hometown of Daily. She doesn't want to go back home and have to face these ghosts, but her father has called and asked her to come home. He has put some money into the backing of a movie to be shot in Daily. He needs Lauren's help to train the horse who is to star in the movie. Reluctantly, she does return to help her father in the process she faces the past which will lead to a new future.

The male character is Nathaniel Heath who has been blind sighted into working on the script. His good friend and the movie star who has started the project expects him to rewrite the script in a couple of weeks. He doesn't think that will work, but he doesn't want to tell the people of the community who have put time, effort and money behind the project. As he struggles with what to do he becomes interested in Lauren. Nate has secrets of his own which he will deal with while he is working on a script. Nate will also find peace in this project.

There are interesting bunch of characters that make up the community of Daily, and provide a lot of fun and adventure during the book. Please take a few minutes to go over to Lisa's website at: http://www.lisawingate.com/. I don't think you'll be sorry!

The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy. Still in mourning, she cuts herself off from any hope of happiness. A gifted carver holds the answer to both her past and the future in his hands-- but can Beth move beyond yesterday and embrace a second chance at love?

Cindy Woodsmall: is the author of When the Heart Cries, and the New York Times bestseller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish Families. A mother of three sons and two daughters in law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of more than 30 years.

My Take: This is a small hardback book. I wasn't sure how I would like reading a book about the Amish. I am so glad that I took the chance to go ahead and read this book. It is one of the sweetest stories I have ever read. This isn't about religion it is about the human spirit to heal after it has gone through a tragedy. Two young people, one with physical scars and one with emotional scars, come together (with a little help from Beth's aunt) and find healing and peace for their wounds. I encourage you to go to Cindy's website at: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/ and check out all of her books. This is a Christmas story and the perfect time to read to help get you in the Christmas spirit. This would also be a wonderful gift for yourself or a friend. By the way, I was privileged to meet Cindy at a writers meeting not too long ago. I feel blessed to have met her.

The Big 5-0h! by Sandra D. Bricker

Olivia Wallace can't remember a birthday that wasn't marked by illness, tragedy, or both. As she approaches the big 5-0, she's determined to change her streak of bad luck. With the help of her best friend, Liv escapes a snowy Ohio winter and runs away to the Florida sunshine.

Amidst a crazy cast of characters that include a dog with a lampshade collar, a rogue alligator, and a flirtatious octogenarian, God surprises her with the best birthday gift of all -- a second chance at love.

Sandra D. Bricker: For more than a decade, Sandra lived in Los Angeles and, while writing in every spare moment, worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of the daytime television's hottest stars. Since then she has written three novels for middle-grade readers and several romance novels, including unWANTED Husband,Change of Heart, Sins of the Past, Wish I Weren't Here, and Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas. Sandra lives in Tampa, Florida.

My Take: Several days ago I wrote a review of Sandra's book Love Finds You in Holiday Florida. It was the first time I had read any of Sandra's books. I had been asked by Sandra to read her book and give a review of it. I read the book and gave it a rave review. Anyone who is middle-aged can relate to the characters in this book. Now I want to rave again about a brand-new book that I believe will be out in March. This book was sooooo funny! The cast of characters will keep you laughing to the very end. Once again, if you are middle aged you will relate beautifully to the characters. Olivia runs away to Florida to escape the winter in Ohio and to find her new self. Once there she can't decide what to do about coming back - it wasn't suppose to be this hard. Of course there are some very handsome men that make her acquaintance which make it doubly hard to go back to Ohio. Sandra definitely gets a thumb up for her new book The Big 5-0h! Visit her website at: http://www.sandradbricker.com/ and check out all of her books, including inspirational books!

It is very late and my eyes are getting blurry. I hope I haven't made too many mistakes, but if I did please forgive me. The next time I review books they will be Christmas books. I've have several to read and this is the perfect time to get in the Christmas mood. Thank you for reading and following my blog!

HAPPY READING!

New Christmas Giveaway at Colletta's Kitchen Sink

Here is a new Christmas Giveaway over at Colletta's Kitchen Sink. Go over and check it out at:

http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/

Christmas Book Giveaway #3

This week I'll be giving away 2 Christmas books.

Forever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler

Christmas Dreams by Rebecca Germany, Mary Hawkins, Veda Boyd Jones and Melanie Panagiotopoulos

To enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas cookie (1 entry)

2. Be a follower and mention it in your comment (1 entry)

3. Blog about this giveway and let me know that you did (2 entries)

That makes a total of 4 entries possible for these drawings.

The drawings will be held on Tuesday, December 2 @ 12pm.

I can't wait to hear about those yummy cookies!

Kreative Blog Award!

I am once again proud to announce that I've been chosen for the Kreative Blog Award. I want to thank Edwina over at Musings of Edwina. Stop by and check out her blog at: http://www.musingsofedwina.blogspot.com/

I hope to pass this on to some other bloggers in the next few days! Thank you Edwina!

HAPPY READING!

Lee Smith's Book Blog Giveaway!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Christmas Giveaway

I love Christmas. It is getting to be about that time and in the true spirit of the season, I wanted to give away not just one book, but a couple books. In that spirit, I will give you all a little while to share the word and gather up names before I announce a winner, but not too long, because Christmas isn't too far away. :o) These are the books I am giving away

1. Saturdays with Stella by Allison Pittman ~ This book is subtitled How my Dog Taught me to Sit, Stay, and Come When God Calls. This isn't a novel - but more of a quirky, inspirational book. I think it sounds like such a neat book, especially for animal lovers.
2. A Leap of Faith by Lenora Worth ~ Big City gal Autumn Clancy comes home to take the reins of her Dad's company only to find someone else already doing that job. A very annoying and yet handsome someone. Campbell Dupree tries to charm her, but doesn't really know if God will deem him worthy enough to win her heart...
3. A Texas Legacy Christmas by DiAnn Mills ~ Zack Kahler is going home to Texas when he becomes the victim of one of twin orphaned pickpockets. He decides to take them with him, but can he manage them and the paper, plus recover from his broken heart? Chloe Weaver has always been the outcast. Only Zack ever treated her with any compassion. Now he's back and boarding at the house where she works. Can she hope to capture his heart or is it safer to look for romance with someone else? Maybe they all need a Christmas miracle.
4. A Carol for Christmas by Robin Lee Hatcher (hardcover) ~ What would you give up for love? Carol sacrifices her dream to sing. But was it worth it now that her marriage is crumbling?

None of these books have been read, they are all brand new, but one has a tiny bit of white on the cover where it looks like it was rubbed during shipping or on the shelf and very corners of two of the books are slightly bent from when they shipped to me - and it moved around in the box. You can see the tiny white line in the pic, and you can see all the books bottom corners - so you know they aren't in bad shape. I really hope you'll enjoy them.

So, there you go. If you want to enter, please leave a valid email address, but disguise it so the spammers don't bug you. If you become a follower, you get two entries, my existing followers get three, and extra one if you share about the contest on your blog and link back to me. Tell me all of this in your entry. I will announce the winners on the 30th of November.

I also want to let you all know about my friend Lori's giveaway. Hers is truly unique. You get to pick which book you want! You can read all about it on her blog, Some of My Favorite Things.

Let Your Garden Grow

I want to tell you about a book that I recently read called "Guarded Secrets" written by Leann Harris. This is a Love Inspired Suspense put out by Steeple Hill publishing company. I would like to start by reading the back cover.

At the time, Lilly Burkstrom brushed aside her ex husband's words. Then he dies -- "accidentally" -- in a convenience store robbery, and she starts to wonder. Turning to the police doesn't help. They don't see the binder closing in on her, not even when someone breaks into her house and her ex-husband's apartment. Only Detective Jonathan Littledeer understands her fears, having lost his own family. He is determined to keep the single mom safe. He's not going to let another "accident" claim Lilly or her daughter before he can bring the killers guarded secrets to light.

I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it highly. Lily who is a single mother has been working at her church for the past several years. The new Minister had decided to try to get the community involved, so he chose growing a community garden as the project. One of Lilly's jobs was to organize the harvesting of the garden and the delivery of the vegetables to those in the neighborhood that needed them. This brought the community closer together and was one of her pride and joys. She loved working in the garden and seeing others enjoy it also.

It was not but a few days after I finished reading the book and was sitting in the doctors office reading a People Magazine when I came across an article about a young lady, 11 years old, who started a project very similar to this. I was so excited to stumble across this article and see the relationship of how this could really work in reality. I am going to attach the article. I hope you enjoy the article and it prompts you to check into the book. You can go to Leann's website at www.leannharris.com .

· October 26, 2009

· Vol. 72

· No. 17

A Young Gardener Feeds the Poor

By Diane Herbst/Summerville

· Summerville, S.C.

Last year Katie Stagliano planted a cabbage seedling in her family's backyard. After it grew to an astonishing 40 lbs., Katie donated it to a homeless shelter. Two days later she returned to help serve some of the 275 meals (rounded out by ham and rice) made with her massive crucifer. "I've never felt so good in my life," says Katie, now a fifth grader. "I thought, 'Wow, with one cabbage I helped feed that many people? I could do much more.'"

So she started other gardens—in her subdivision, on donated land outside of town and on a field at her school. She then enlisted volunteers, from gardeners to her classmates, and a plant company donated seedlings. This year Katie and her crew have supplied soup kitchens with over 1,000 lbs. of squash, okra, cabbage and other crops. With the fall harvest, she'll add another 4,000 lbs. "We are amazed, thrilled," says Charlotte Carroll, 57, executive director of Palmetto House, a homeless shelter that gets twice-weekly deliveries from Katie. "It's easy to have a canned food drive, but it's unique a child would grow her own vegetables." Says Elois Mackey, 48, who lives at Palmetto with her two kids: "She shows that children can play a big part in helping people. The vegetables she brought were delicious."

KNOW A HERO? SEND SUGGESTIONS TO HEROESAMONGUS@PEOPLEMAG.COM

I want to thank Cathy Bryant over at Word Vessel Blog at http://wordvessel.blogspot.com/.

Cathy has been gracious enough to give me the honor of winning another blog award! Go on over and check out her blog. It is really something to see!

award on t

Whoever wins this award is asked to tell 10 honest things about themselves and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers. I'm not sure I can pass it on to 10, but I'll do as many as I can. OK - here goes my 10 things:

1. I am over 50 and under 60 years of age. That should give you a ballpark range.

2. I have short hair with a mind of its own.

3. I won a Steel Magnolia award in our community and along with 9 other steel magnolias we will be featured in a community magazine highlighting women.

4. This is the first time I've tried my hand a creating a blog. Not bad for a beginner?

5. I have fibromyalgia which limits my physical abilities.

6. I love to watch Nancy Grace.

7. I love to read - guess you already knew that one!

8. I have two beautiful grown daughters.

9. I live in the country.

10. My favorite genre is cozy mysteries.

HAPPY READING!

"Love Finds You in Holiday Florida"

Let me tell you about a book I have recently read called "Love Finds You In Holiday Florida" written by Sandra Bricker. This book is like a breath of fresh air and it takes place in a small town in Florida during the Christmas holidays. Who would not want to be taken away from the cold, dreary days of winter to a place that is warm and full of fun? This is the adventure that you will go on when you pick up this book and read it. It was a fun book and I believe you will not be disappointed when you have finished your adventure.

First, let me tell you a little bit about Sandra. Sandra is the author of 11 novels and co-author of two devotionals. The southern California native was an entertainment publicist for 15 years and now works as an editor in Tampa, Florida where she lives with Sophie, her collie mix. You can read more about Sandra at www.SandraDeeBricker.com.

And let me read you a little of what is written on back of the book. Cassie Constantine has no plans to stay in Florida. She's just here long enough to sell a vacation house she shared with her late husband, and then she'll hightail it back to her gracious Boston brownstone. But then Cassie gets more than she bargained for with house renovations and wacky neighbors. Then there's Richard Dillon, the stuffed shirt she's paired with on the dance floor, who seems involved in a mystery... and makes her heart beat faster than the rhythm of the quick step. But the biggest surprise of all? The has-it-all-together Cassie finds herself in the midst of a personal overhaul. Will she let loose long enough to find new love in Holiday?

Cassie is in her 50s and it was easy for me to relate to her and some of the other characters in this book. She's going through a lot of changes in her life and doesn't know quite what to do with them. She meets this handsome man that she falls for but hears rumors that he is behind a scheme to buy up all the houses in the neighborhood and build a golf course. Of course, this lends fodder for some conflicts between Cassie and this new man that has her thinking she might want to live in Florida after all. The cast of senior characters are very funny and will keep you laughing at their antics!

If your ready for a break from the winter doldrums then this is the book to read. What a great gift for a friend or maybe even for yourself!

HAPPY READING!

What Is An Influencer?

Let me take this opportunity to explain to you what an "influencer" is in the world of Christian fiction and books in general. And influencer is someone who reads a new book that is coming out by a particular author with the hope that the influencer will enjoy the book and give it a good review on several different venues to further the promotion of the book.

There are several ways to obtain a book. The author may ask for people who would like to do this for their new book and if so they will send you a free book for them to read and promote. Another way to obtain books is by winning them in a contest on book blogs, and these books are not necessarily expected to be promoted in any way. However, if the book is good I like to promote the book. If you have a blog and you can possibly qualify to get books directly from the publishers before they come out for the purpose of reading and reviewing them. I have not done this myself - but I would be willing to do so in the future.

A few weeks ago there was a lot of talk on the blogs about a new law saying you had to disclose that the books you reviewed were given to you for the sole purpose of reading, reviewing and promoting their book. Since that time I have heard that this does not apply to book blogs were books are reviewed. However, I've seen on several blogs a notice stating this fact. I have one myself at the bottom of my blog.

One reason you will probably never see a bad review on my blog is that if I do not like the book or think it is not well written I will not review it. There is no need to criticize another's work. There have been very few books that I have not enjoyed, but sometimes if you read a book from a different genre than you are used to reading you may give it a bad review simply because it is different and for this reason I would not want to dissuade a person from reading that book.

I have been reading since I was old enough to hold a book and read by myself. I love to read and of course I love to write and I am in the process of writing a cozy mystery in Christian fiction. I have a lot of work to do on the book so in the meantime I want to promote other authors in the Christian fiction world. It is hard for me to believe that after reading all these years I did not know about Christian fiction until I stumbled on it maybe six months ago. I knew right away this is how I wanted to rewrite my manuscript. I have been so excited about discovering Christian fiction that I have devoured as many books as I could. I want you and others to enjoy what I have enjoyed and help others discover Christian fiction. If I did not know it was available with all that I read I feel sure there are many others who are not aware of it. It is my goal to help make them aware. I hope you have enjoyed reading about the books I have read and some day pick up one of those books for yourself. As always, HAPPY READING!

One Lovely Blog Award!

Thank you so much Lee Smith at Butterfly Blessings Blogspot for giving me this beautiful award. It is my first award! Here is Lee's link http://leesmithwriting.blogspot.com. We are supposed to give the award to 15 other blogs who are just beginning. Like Lee I don't know if I can give out that many, but I will try my best. I will list the ones I pick!

1. Cat Mom at: http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com/

2. Edwina Cowgill at: http://musingsofedwina.blogspot.com/

3. Aine at: http://ainewillis.blogspot.com/2009/11/exactly-what-i-need.html

4. Jennifer at: http://jenlhall63.blogspot.com/

5. Colletta at: http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/

Here are the rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award": Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

A Great Give A Way!

Go on over to Vera's Luxury Reading Blog and check out her contest. I've copied her review on the book.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: "White Picket Fences" by Susan Meissner

Reviewed by Amanda S.

In White Picket Fences, Neil and Amanda Janvier feel obligated to take in the daughter of Amanda’s estranged brother. Tally was staying with her grandmother when she passed away suddenly, and Tally finds herself with nowhere to go since her dad is out of the country and hasn’t contacted her. What will it be like living with her Aunt Amanda? Will they force her to tell why her dad went to Europe, a secret she promised to keep?

Do I want to know the truth of what happened all those years ago? If I find out the truth, how will it change me?These are the questions that Chase Janvier is asking himself regarding an incident that happened when he was four years old. Not knowing what to do, Chase keeps his secret to himself. That is, until Tally shows up at their house. Tally can tell that something isn’t right about Chase after they start working together on a Holocaust project. They interview two Holocaust survivors in a nearby nursing home and Tally notices Chase reacting oddly to certain parts of the story they are being told.

Amanda also begins to notice some pretty dramatic changes in Chase that cause her to wonder if he really does remember what happened all those years ago. But if he remembered, he would tell them, wouldn’t he? Should she ask him about it? What kind of damage would she do if she brings it up and he really doesn’t remember? Clearly, though, something is wrong and Amanda just doesn’t know what to do or which direction to turn.

Will they all be able to handle the truth when all the secrets are revealed?

As always, Susan Meissner does a wonderful job weaving a tale of deception, secrets, and twisted paths. The characters in this story have a serious problem with trust…trust in each other and trust in God, which unnerved me throughout the story. When I first picked up this book, I was intrigued by the cover: a white picket fence with a cobweb near the top. It’s so easy for people to look like they have it all-together on the outside with their pretty houses and white picket fences. But on the inside, all families have secrets and cobwebs hiding from the real world.

I always enjoy reading books my Meissner, and White Picket Fences was no different. Her books always challenge a person to really take a hard look at themselves, deep inside, to discover their true character. She caused me to ask myself how I would handle the truth if some long-ago family secret was revealed to me? Would I let it weigh me down or would I allow it to cause me to grow as a person?

Amanda lives in Missouri with her engineering husband and two boys. In between homeschooling and keeping up with church activities she loves to read Christian Fiction, Women's Fiction, and any Chick-Lit. She never goes anywhere without a book to read!

This book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Follow this link:

http://www.luxuryreading.com/2009/11/blog-tour-and-giveaway-white-picket.html

November Releases

November Releases

1. A SILENT PURSUIT, by Lynette Eason from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Gina Santino has something someone desperately wants. Now, she's on the hunt to find it. Her deceased fiance's best friend, US Ranger, Ian Masterson is her only hope of staying alive while they race to be the first to discover the treasure her fiance left behind.

2. Chasing Shadows, by Terri Reed from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. An heiress turns to her former love, a cop, for help when she fears for her grandmother's life.

3. Close to Home, by Carolyn Aarsen from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. A reunion of old lovers brings up the shadows of past tragedy.

4. Fit To Be Tied, The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs, Book #2
, by Robin Lee Hatcher from Zondervan. Who says a woman can't do a man's job?

5. I'm So Sure, A Charmed Life, Book 2
, by Jenny B. Jones from Thomas Nelson. Its prom time and someone is trying to sabotage the queen contest. Can Bella solve the mystery in time AND keep it together as her life goes public on a wrestling reality show?

6. The Bartered Bride, by Erica Vetsch from Barbour Heartsong Presents. Tempests rage, in the board room, the ball room, and on treacherous Lake Superior as two hearts set sail on a collision course.


7. Together for the Holidays, Fostered by Love Series
, by Margaret Daley from Love Inspired. Can the true meaning of Christmas bring two loners together?

Recent Books I've Read

I want to give you a list of the recent books I have read. They are all great books and I think you would enjoy any of them. I will give the title and then read what is written on the back to give you a little insight into what the book is about.

"The Blue Enchantress" by M. L. Tyndall

Still grieving the loss of her mother -- and private tragedies of her own -- Hope Westcott plays the part of a dutiful admirals daughter. But longing for the love and acceptance she never felt at home,

hope plunges into Charles Towne society -- and an illicit affair with Lord Falkland.

For Capt. Nathaniel Mason, wealth means security, so he is determined to build his shipping business-- ignoring God's call on his life to become an impoverished Pastor. He also ignores his attraction to the frivolous, vain and Hope Westcott.

Hope's adventure seeking lands her in the hands of an unscrupulous ship captain who wants to sell her to the highest bidder. When Nathaniel sees Hope on the auction block, will he listen to God and sacrifice his ship, cargo, and security to save her?

From the Carolina coast to the Caribbean, through stormy seas and shipwreck, can Hope and Nathaniel put aside their painful pasts, listen to God's voice, and find true love and acceptance?

"Waiting for Daybreak" by Kathryn Cushman

Paige Woodward is out of options -- so when a dream opportunity arises at a brand new pharmacy, Paige chooses to keep quiet about her past to ensure she'll land the job. After all, she needs the money to pay for the treatment that can save her mother's life.

Clarissa Richardson feels alone. She wants desperately to honor the memory of her grandmother are running a successful pharmacy -- but that vision comes to a screeching halt when her grandfather hires Paige, the too perfect new girl who seems to be hiding something.

"Fools Rush In" by Janice Thompson

Bella Rossi's life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian turned Texan parents and over the family wedding planning business, Bella quickly books a Boot-Scootin' wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch -- she doesn't know a thing about country music. Where will she find a deejay on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his George Strait? And will Bella ever get to plan her wedding?

Fun, fresh, and full of surprises, this flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex highlights the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

I enjoyed all of these books thoroughly and you cannot go wrong with any of them. As always I wish you HAPPY READING!

Good News! Bad News!

I have mentioned several times about all of the contest that book blogs offer. What most of the blogs do is have an interview with the author of a new book that is coming out. Then there is a request for anyone who is interested in winning a copy of the book to leave a comment about the interview. There are a lot of blogs so therefore there are a lot of contest to enter. I have won several books and it is exciting to receive a book from the author and it is usually a signed copy. This has introduced me to many new authors that I had not read before.

One such contest was a little different than usual. This contest consisted of buying a book by the author who was Linore Rose Burkard. I had not read any of her books before but I decided that I would like to do this. Anyone who ordered one of her books from the Internet could enter the contest and the prize would be a critique of your manuscript. I entered the contest never believing that I would actually win. However, I was totally surprised when I received an e-mail from Linore telling me that I had won. Of course, I was so excited -then again I was a little concerned about the outcome. My manuscript is a very rough first draft and needs much work. Like my blog says I am in the caterpillar stage as a writer as well as my book is in the caterpillar stage.

Well, the good news is Linore seems to think that my manuscript has promise. The bad news is is going to take a lot of hard work. But as she explained this is what it takes for any new author to learn the craft of good writing. I would like to copy and paste the e-mail that she sent me. What a thrill to receive this critique from such a great author. You can look at the archives and read about the book that I bought and read, "The House In Grosvenor Square". This is one that you do not want to miss.

Dear Debbie

I apologize for the long wait for this. I am not finished, but I have the first four chapters edited, which I'm sending back for you to have a look. BUT WAIT~!
DO NOT look until you read this short note.
Deborah, you are a talented writer, and I think your strengths begin to shine when you moved the story to the present.
I did a line-by-line edit of the first few chapters, until I realized that you really meant this was a first draft--meaning you haven't quite settled upon
how the story will go, yet.
DO NOT be daunted by the amount of red and yellow markings I put in the manuscript. I assure you, this is totally normal for a new writer.
You are better than many new writers whose work I've seen, so be encouraged. Also, when I'm editing, I don't usually think to highlight the good stuff,
so just take my word for it when I say that I like your idea, and I think you can eventually polish this up into a saleable manuscript; but you do
have work ahead of you.
I am enjoying the story, and will continue with content editing today.
I hope some of what I write in my notes will be useful to you, and again, don't be discouraged if it seems I "picked on" a lot of stuff. I wouldn't have bothered
if the work didn't have merit.
All the best,
feel free to ask me any questions if there's something I wrote that you don't understand.

Thanks and blessings,
I see a definite future ahead for you as a writer, so long as you put in the time and effort that we all have to!
Hugs,
Linore

--

Linore Rose Burkard

Inspirational Romance for the Christian Soul

Before the Season Ends, Harvest House

The House in Grosvenor Square, Harvest House

The Country House Courtship, Harvest House (Jan. 2010)

Amy Wallace's Update

I just wanted to post the comment that Amy sent about the meeting this past Tuesday. In the post she gives us a little more detail about the pictures so I am just going to copy and paste what she had to say. I hope you enjoyed the pictures and my little story about my adventure.

Hi, Deborah!

It was such a treat to meet you at WORD! And thank you for braving truly yucky weather to come visit with us. Anytime you're able to come again, we would LOVE to have you!

The lady in the blue shirt is Lindi Peterson, WORD VP.

Our speaker that evening was Creston Mapes and he spoke on how to make a living at writing. A very informative and inspiring talk and discussion that followed.

If you all would like to learn more about WORD, please check out our website: www.acfwword.com. And if there are any questions I can answer for you, please let me know.

Cream of the Crop!

It seems like it has been forever since I have been able to post on my blog. A lot of things have happened this past week and I want to tell you about one of those. Let me start off by sharing my journey to the Southeast American Christian Fiction Writers meeting that took place in Buford, Georgia.

I knew it was a long way from where I live but I looked it up on Google driving directions and found out that it was about an hour and a half drive. I had been wanting to go ever since I found out that they met in the area. I've put it off for a while because it did not start until seven o'clock and I knew that would make it late when I got back. However, I decided to go ahead this past Tuesday, October 27 and take the plunge. I called Ane Mulligan to let her know that I would be coming and might be a little late. But it was cold and raining and dark and the traffic through Atlanta was terrible. It took me a total of three hours to get to the meeting. By the time I got there it was half over. But that was okay because I got to stay for the second half and the best part was meeting several authors and getting our picture taken together. The good thing about coming home so late was there wasn't any traffic and I made it home in an hour and a half.

I have posted three pictures from the night of the meeting. The top picture features Amy Wallace, Cindy Woodsmall, Ane Mulligan and Missy Tippins. The middle picture features Cindy Woodsmall and Ane Mulligan in conversation with the guest speaker. The bottom picture features Amy Wallace, Cindy Woodsmall, Yours Truly, Ane Mulligan, Missy Tippens and another member, but I am sorry that I don't remember her name. Maybe one of the other authors will see this post and tell me what her name is as well as the guest speaker so I can write them in.

How cool is that to be in the presence of so many wonderful writers. The drive to the meeting was well worth it to meet so many people that are so talented. This was an inspiration to me in and of itself. Something I won't soon forget. Maybe one day I too will have a published novel. I am going to list the links to their websites so you can go and check out their books. You won't be sorry. As always HAPPY READING!

http://www.amywallace.com/

http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/

http://www.anemulligan.com/Ane_Mulligan/Home.html

http://www.missytippens.com/