The Boys of Fall

As most of you know, I live in a very small Texas town. Here nothing excited us more during the fall is Friday night high school football. I grew up in Brownwood, TX where legendary coach Gordon Wood led the Lions to victory for years. He was an amazing man who I grew to know and love as a teenager. Anyway, high school football is a big deal around here. It doesn't matter if you have a kid on the team or not, the whole community heads out to the game and supports our team. Being in the stands for these games on a crisp autumn night is one of my favorite things.

Now that we live in Podunk, I've tried to get into the local football scene. Seems I spend most Friday nights listening to my beloved Lions play on the radio rather than heading down to the local stadium. I think it's part of being Brownwood born and  raised, I swear I bleed maroon. But, now my Thursdays are occupied by football too. You see, I have my own "boy of fall".

See number 41? That is my own little Warrior. And I have turned into that scary football mom. You know, the one who yells too loud and questions the refs calls. I love that Tris has such a love for football. It's something the two of us share. My husband cannot stand football. But, even he has started trying to learn and get into it. Who knew football could help a family reconnect? It has been a fantastic experience for all of us. Tris is working harder than he ever had in his life.

So, on Thursdays I'm the crazy proud Warrior football mom and on Fridays I'm the die hard Brownwood Lions fan glued to my radio.



Is football a big deal in your neck of the woods?

What I want and What I like.

I checked and this will be blog post number 53 for me. I looked at that number and was astounded that I have come up with 53 different things to blab about in a little over a month. Well, not really, because if you give me a topic, I'm pretty good at spouting off my opinion on almost anything. The amazing part was that I'm not pulling these topics from a book of pre-written ideas. I have, so far, depended solely on my own life (which rarely has a dull moment to offer) or the the news which, I have decided, is entirely full of idiots and stupidity. I have enjoyed every second of writing these posts and getting the amazing feedback from people through emails, Facebook, grocery store run ins, Twitter, and comments on my blog. Thank you all so much for keeping my fun little hobby just that.

When I first mentioned in a tweet that I thought I should blog and someone should pay me to do it, I was joking. Truth be told, I had no idea that anyone really did that and I was just spouting off and being silly in my newly frantic jobless state. I started the blog to have fun and to give me some way to get my opinions out in the world. Its frustrating to have all these ideas shuffling around in your head when you're at home with a preschooler and a toddler who can't talk politics, or the environment and only want to watch Mickey Mouse. As I mentioned before, I have an opinion on almost everything and those opinions need to come out!

So, thus far, I've told you about my semi-green lifestyle, my kids, my opinion on certain celebrity blunders, chickens and coffee. I could talk religion and politics and fashion and food too. Or maybe child birthing options or medical mysteries. You name it. I have also been toying with the idea of hosting an occasional giveaway. The thing is, I don't want to turn into a review or a giveaway only blog. I want to keep things fun to read and informative in a very non-informative way. I want to help people promo. things they made at home or tell you about things that I really and truly love. (Which I kind of do anyway.... see *pumpkin*) 

Here is where you all come in. If you are of the crafty nature like Amanda Rempe, which I am NOT, and you are interested in giving yourself some props or a kick off launch into the land of internets, let me know. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours or something along those lines. The world is full of blogs, and free stuff, and fun so I think we should all jump in and play together. Here's the thing, I don't want to only do promos, and I don't want to review stuff just to review it, so you have to be creative and you might have to be patient. I'm thinking once a week or once a month right now so I can keep spouting off my pointless mumbo-jumbo to you too. Also, if you have something that you're dying to know my opinion on, all you have to do is ask. I'm more than willing to banter back and forth with each and every one of you.

So, before I go for the day and attempt to clean my house, finish the laundry, turn on Mickey Mouse (again) and pack, I want to say THANK YOU one last time to each and every one of you and to NESSA for helping me get started and keep rolling. You all rock my socks. Mwah!

Disclaimer: I don't know this kid. Thank Google Images.

 

Read more from Megan over at Thoughts of an Oxymoron and be sure to come check out her column here next Tuesday!

Judgment Day by Wanda Dyson

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Judgment Day WaterBrook Press (September 21, 2010)

by Wanda Dyson





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wanda Dyson – "a shining example of what Christian fiction is becoming..." (Christian Fiction Review). She's been called a "natural" and a "master of pacing," but her fans know that whether it's police thrillers, suspense, or bringing a true story to life, Wanda knows how to take her readers on a journey they'll never forget.



Wanda is a multipublished suspense author, currently writing for Random House/Waterbrook. Her one attempt at a nonfiction book was picked for an exclusive release on Oprah. In addition to writing full time, she is also the appointment coordinator for the CCWC, Great Philadelphia Christian Writers, and ACFW conferences.



Wanda lives in Western Maryland on a 125 acre farm with a menagerie of animals and when she's not writing critically acclaimed suspense, or away at conferences, you can find her zipping across the fields on a 4-wheeler with Maya, her German Shepherd, or plodding along at a more leisurely pace on her horse, Nanza.



With the release of her newest hit, Judgment Day, Wanda is heading back to the keyboard to start on her next high-octane thriller, The Vigilante.





ABOUT THE BOOK

Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.



The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions.



Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find her deceased boyfriend, Dr. Guy Mandeville’s nurse, Cecelia Forbes unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Cecelia is dead, Suzanne has her blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancé–the man she betrayed in college.



Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won’t cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she’s destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.



Watch the book trailer:







If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of Judgment Day, go HERE.

Scarlett's Tomato-Butternut Squash Bisque

Fall seems to have come to Texas, finally. It got down right chilly last night! I love fall and all the flavors that are unique to the season. Scarlett has provided us with a recipe I am so eager to try now that it's "soup weather". Check out this mouth watering recipe and leave her some comment luv. Be sure to come back next week for another kitchen adventure with Scarlett. Until then, stop by Confessions of a Shieldmaiden and say hello. 

Ah, autumn. Ever since the leaves started falling and there was a hint of chill on the air, I have been more than ready for my autumn comfort foods. Pumpkin bread…heck, any bread at this point…hot coffee, spiced apple cider, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, stuffing, cornbread, chili… It’s time to break out the warm, rich, spicy comfort foods. A few weeks ago, when my comfort-food-craving was nearing an obsession, I started recipe hunting online. I found several recipes for butternut squash soup, each with numerous variations. I don’t know what it is about squash (maybe it’s that distant cousin of his, the pumpkin), but the instant the weather turns chilly, I crave the delicious orange goodness. I gathered thoughts and ideas from a dozen different recipes, and headed out to the store for ingredients.

It would definitely be more accurate to say that I headed out to the store for the FIRST time to look out for ingredients. I visited no less than three stores to get everything that I needed. Not because the ingredients were difficult to find, mind you, oh no. It’s simply because I lack that impulse in my brain that commands me to write anything down when it comes to cooking. For some reason, I believe that when I walk into a grocer, I’ll remember every mental note that I’ve made on the concoction I would like to create. And each and every time, I am proven wrong. Case in point, I wanted to use tomato paste in this recipe. I really did. But, after my third trip to the store, I realized that I still hadn’t picked up a can. I decided to get creative and located a can of tomato soup in the back of my cupboard, the closest acceptable substitute I had.

They say that guys can’t ask for directions. Me, I can’t write down a recipe, and I pay for it each and every time. You can tell me that I should write these things down, but I just…I can’t. It feels all…corporate to me. Like rules. I don’t do so well with rules, just ask my close circle of friends.

But I digress. Several trips to the store later, I stood in front of my countertop full of ingredients and set to work on what was sure to be a culinary adventure. And it was one, believe me.

For starters, I don’t know what the heck kind of onion I grabbed, I thought it was just a regular, small yellow onion, but shooooot…no sooner did I slice into this thing than my eyes reacted. Not just a LITTLE watering, oh no, but I’m talking swollen-shut-Titanic-worthy-waterworks. I went running into the living room, eyes shut and knife in hand, swearing at the top of my lungs.

“What happened?” I hear my roommate’s voice, edging on panic. “Did you cut yourself?”
“No! It’s the damn onion, I can’t see!” I cried.
“Well, go to the bathroom and wash your face or something.” She says matter-of-factly. The clicking of the keys tells me that she’s turned back to her laptop, abandoning me to my fate. Blindly, I stumble down the hallway, wishing for that nifty sonar thing that Daredevil can do. I have to pull my eyes open once because I can’t locate the soap, but afterwards I emerge from the bathroom, blinking but refreshed.

I returned to the cutting board, instantly feeling my eyes welling up again. I decide to trust my instincts and dice the rest of the onion with my eyes squinting shut, praying I don’t slice my fingers off in the process. (Because, you know, I plan to blog this, and missing fingers would slightly hamper that process). The instant they’re completed, off to the pan they go to simmer AWAY from my eyes. After another emergency trip to the bathroom to wash my face, I return to the kitchen to dice the red and orange pepper, which thankfully, offer no resistance to their demise like Sir Onion the Horrible.

Now, call me crazy, but I love the image of multiple colored foods blending together in a saucepan. Something about seeing a pile of diced veggies, getting ready to become something wonderful, makes me feel all wonderful inside. So, I pull the battery off the wall, load it in the camera and snap a few pictures before tackling my next big task: the butternut squash.

I’ll be honest here. I’ve never really become more than an acquaintance of butternut squash. Actually, I usually cook with the frozen orange rectangles.  I can halve it, butter it, sprinkle it with some brown sugar and roast it, too, but that’s about the extent of my butternut squash knowledge.  I was completely flying blind as I diced it up and added it to the pot with the tomatoes, soup and spices, but I figured, the finer I diced it, the quicker it would cook up, right?

 I should warn you that I’m not really one for measuring my spices. I add it until it tastes right, and I keep some spoons by the stove for this purpose. Nonetheless, I  carefully measured as I added, just for you. Don’t you feel special? I will say this; don’t be afraid to depart from my recipe. Want to add something special in there? Go for it! Be experimental and have fun with it. It’s just flavor, after all, why should we all enjoy the same?
I should probably also warn you that I am not one for leaving a simmering pot simmering unwatched. Nope, I am totally the peek-under-the-lid girl, and I kept checking on my soup repeatedly, stirring and inhaling, hoping to get a hint of the flavors I’d created.

Discovered something interesting when it came to blending, though. Okay, I inherited my blender from a neighbor whose roommate moved away and left it behind. It was brand new and in the box when I got it, and I haven’t used it since. It was pulled out from its hiding hole solely for this soup. Now, I’d been sort of winging it with the recipe. (As, you’ll see, I am wont to do) I had no clue how much soup was in the pot until I went to pour it in the blender to puree and nearly poured the steaming hot overflow all over my hands.

Oops.

Guess I made more than I was intending! I suppose it’s a good thing that I only used half of the squash and tomatoes that I was planning on using, huh? As it was, it took me two times in my 5 cup blender to puree the soup properly and put it back in the pan. I added the cream and then reached for the big bottle of Tabasco on the back of the stove.

So…I should probably explain my addiction to Tabasco at this point. You remember that TV show, Roswell, where the lead characters were aliens and drank Tabasco like it was cola, even putting it on strawberry shortcake. Well, that’s sort of how I am, except I’m not an alien (that I know of) and I don’t get to go around leaving wicked silver handprints everywhere. Yeah, I have a slight Tabasco problem – I will use it on anything and everything, and have every variety at my quick disposal. A ‘dash’ for me is about 1/8 c, which would send nearly anyone else into convulsions.  Nonetheless, I decided to start with a  sprinkle (to the common person) and go from there until it tasted right. I..um…I sort of went overboard. I was about 1/8 c in when it tasted perfect to me. It was about this point that I remembered that I had a roommate in the other room and an audience of readers who would NOT appreciate my level of commitment to capsaicin. Oops. Damage control time!

In an effort to cool my soup down to acceptable levels, I added an additional ½ cup of half and half. It did the trick, and I finished up my soup by adding some salt and pepper to bring out the flavors.
Hey, do you know the quickest way to find each and every cut and slice in your hand? I didn’t either…until I poured some sea salt into my hand (see? I TOLD you I’m not one for measuring!) to add to the pot. Whoa, Nellie! (Yes, I did just say that!) My eyes, having finally just recovered from their battles with onions earlier, immediately flooded with tears.

My soup finally completed (and my stomach rumbling in anticipation), I served it up in breadbowls, snapped a pretty picture, and handed a plate to my roommate. You know, she could have done me the courtesy of not looking so shocked when she took a spoonful, looked up, and went, “This is really good!” But, hey, it’s a compliment, and I’ll take what I can get.

So, here’s how it all washed out. Tallying up all of my ingredients (including vegetable stock, which I had to buy because I was out), I spent about $15. Now, if I’d planned a little better and not gone to the higher-end grocery, I could have kept it down to about $10. Overall, my recipe yielded about 10 cups of soup – not bad, right?

I’ll DEFINITELY consider this round a success!

Tomato-Butternut Squash Bisque
2T Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
1 small yellow pepper, diced
2 minced cloves of garlic (I used roasted garlic, but it’s your call)
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes (mine had basil in them, again, your call)
1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed tomato soup
3c butternut squash, diced
1 ½c half and half (2, by the time I finished my recipe)
2t basil
1t thyme
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
A few dashes of Tabasco (or another hot pepper sauce)

1) Saute onions, garlic, red and orange pepper in olive oil until onions are golden brown.
2) Add to stockpot with tomatoes, soup, butternut squash, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 30-35 minutes until butternut squash is tender when poked with a fork.
4) Puree the soup in a blender until smooth, then return to the pot.
5) Stir in half and half, bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat.
6) Add a few dashes of Tabasco, stir, then ladle into bowls.

Variations:
• Butter/Margarine can be used in place of the Olive Oil
• Non-fat half and half or soy milk can be used in place of half and half
• For a fun variation, serve in bread bowls or sugar pumpkins to make extra special

Welcome Scarlett, Our Newest Contributor!

I am super excited to introduce you to our newest contributor, my dear friend Scarlett. This special lady makes me laugh, makes me think, and comes up with recipes that make me drool. I know she is going to be a wonderful addition to the Ramblings team. Come by every Monday to check out her column here and be sure to drop by her blog, Confessions of a Shieldmaiden. Please give her a warm welcome!

About Scarlett: 
Scarlett is a 30-year-old single girl who loves dancing in the Seattle rain. By day, she’s a human resources and customer services rockstar for a large US outdoor retailer.  After hours, she’s a road-trip-taking, adventure seeking, music-addicted-dancing-queen and foodie-on-a-budget. Having traveled to every corner of the US, she’s developed a cooking repertoire steeped in many local flavors and cultural influences.  In true Seattle fashion, her primary addictions are caffeine and local music and can only rarely be seen without coffee in hand or iPod in her ears. Though she has no human children, she comes home every night to two cats and huge black dog who is a constant companion on her travels. Her outlook on life is to seize every opportunity, because once you step out your front door, you never know where the road is going to lead. Appreciate every moment, try everything once (including the food), never look back, and never say goodbye.

Once a week, Scarlett will be taking her love for experimenting in the kitchen and broadcasting it in her blog, hoping to share her passion and enthusiasm for scrumptious eats. Every week she’ll be taking a standard recipe to a new level, making it healthier, more cost effective, and deliciously possible to create in your own kitchen. She hopes you’ll step into her kitchen and share your own stories of culinary adventures (and MISadventures, too!) and help create a little kitchen magic. You can check out her blog at Confessions of a
Shieldmaiden.

The Secret of The Shroud by Pamela Ewen

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Secret of The Shroud B&H Books (September 1, 2010)

by Pamela Ewen





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Pamela’s first novel, Walk Back The Cat (Broadman & Holman. May, 2006) is the story of an embittered and powerful clergyman who learns an ancient secret, confronting him with truth and a choice that may destroy him.



She is also the best-selling author of the acclaimed non-fiction book Faith On Trial, published by Broadman & Holman in 1999, currently in its third printing.



Although it was written for non-lawyers, Faith On Trial was also chosen as a text for a course on law and religion at Yale Law School in the Spring of 2000, along with The Case For Christ by Lee Stroble. Continuing the apologetics begun in Faith On Trial, Pamela also appears with Gary Habermas, Josh McDowell, Darrell Bock, Lee Stroble, and others in the film Jesus: Fact or Fiction, a Campus Crusade for Christ production.



Her most recent novel, The Moon in the Mango Tree (B&H Publishing Group, May 2008) is currently available online and in bookstores everywhere. Set in the 1920’s and based on a true story, it is about a woman faced with making a choice between career and love, and her search for faith over the glittering decade. Pamela’s upcoming book, Dancing On Glass, which was recently short-listed as a finalist for the Faulkner/Wisdom creative writing novel award, will be released in the spring of 2011, and she is currently working on a sequel.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A frightened apostle in AD 33, a tragic child in the 1950s, and a slick, twenty-first century church leader are all linked by the secret of the Shroud of Turin, the purported burial cloth of Jesus-and by something more.



Wesley Bright, a corrupt, media-savvy clergyman, is out to destroy the Christian church of the God who abandoned him in his boyhood. Likable and entertaining, Bright keeps his motives well hidden. But as he seeks revenge, leading the church toward unknowing destruction, the mysterious Shroud of Turin stands in his way.



Strange characters and clues emerge like shadows limned in mist as the most recent discoveries on the Shroud connect the pieces of a fascinating puzzle. When Wesley learns the ancient secret, he’s forced to confront a terrible choice: keep the secret—and the power, wealth, and fame he’s won over the years—or expose it...and lose everything.



At stake is one thing: absolute truth.



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Secret of The Shroud, go HERE.

Love's First Bloom by Delia Parr

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Love's First Bloom

Bethany House; Original edition (September 1, 2010)

by Delia Parr





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey.









ABOUT THE BOOK

Ruth Livingstone's life changes drastically the day her father puts a young child in her arms and sends her to a small village in New Jersey under an assumed name. There Ruth pretends to be a widow and quietly secludes herself until her father is acquitted of a crime.



But with the emergence of the penny press, the imagination of the reading public is stirred, and her father's trial stands center stage. Asher Tripp is the brash newspaperman who determines that this case is the event he can use to redeem himself as a journalist.



Ruth finds solace tending a garden along the banks of the Toms River--a place where she can find a measure of peace in the midst of the sorrow that continues to build. It is also here that Asher Tripp finds a temporary residence, all in an attempt to discover if the lovely creature known as Widow Malloy is truly Ruth Livingstone, the woman every newspaper has been looking for.



Love begins to slowly bloom...but is the affection they share strong enough to withstand the secrets that separate them?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Love's First Bloom, go HERE.

In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

In Every Heartbeat Bethany House (September 1, 2010)

by Kim Vogel Sawyer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren.
ABOUT THE BOOK

As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a cherished dream.
Libby Conley hopes to become a famous journalist. Pete Leidig believes God has called him to study to become a minister. And Bennett Martin plans to pledge a fraternity, find a place to belong, and have as much fun as possible.
But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends' differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well. And when Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete's family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?
If you would like to read the first chapter of In Every Heartbeat, go HERE.

Be Afraid. Be very AFRAID!

Read more from Megan over at Thoughts of an Oxymoron and be sure to come check out her column here next Tuesday!

Its 2:30 p.m. and to me that is the perfect time to polish off the rest of the pot of coffee sitting, now cold, in the pot. Mix it with a little skim milk, some ice, and soon that afternoon nap time feeling is just a little less noticeable. Plus, its delicious and its really all I drink unless you count w(h)ine time starting promptly at 4:30. Its a daily ritual for me. I love the taste, the smell, and the little spark of energy I get which, admittedly, is a lot less than it used to be due to my fierce tolerance to that black elixir from heaven. (That's right, BLACK, no cream, no sugar, unless its iced and then just skim milk.)

So, here I sit with my iced coffee checking over the news and getting ready to share my somewhat off take on things when I stumble across this article.

Murder defense: Too much caffeine.

At first I just laughed it off. Careful kids, Mommy's all jacked up again. Its the coffee baby! *Twitch* That's only a little bit funny (OK maybe a lot funny) since I twitch like a Mexican Jumping Bean anyway. Maybe its the coffee, but I doubt it. After all, coffee doesn't make you twitch, it makes you kill people. Quickly too I'll bet.  It seems that in my the state just south of my own, Woody Will Smith (Yep, WOODY WILL *eye roll*) is claiming that he had too much coffee, cola, energy drinks and pills and not enough sleep. That this combination of exhaustion and drug induced energy caused him to go cuckoo and strangle his wife with an electric cord. I'm not sure if I'm buying that defense Woody Will. I know what its like to live on the edge of exhaustion, I have four kids. I also know what its like to live all jacked up on coffee. I do it every day and I like it that way. 

Now, I'm not saying that I don't ever feel like FrEaKiNg out on someone, but strangulation by electric cord hasn't ever even come CLOSE to happening, or strangulation by any other device, poisoning, stabbing or shooting. Somewhere in that mess of murderous options, there is this little thing called self control and rational thinking. The shrink in charge of Woody's psych eval. had this to say.

"This dissociative belief and intense paranoid delusions are the direct result of the ingestion of large amounts of caffeine and diet pills." 

This is good news/bad new folks. Lets start with the bad news so I can leave you with a happy ending.  Here it is. Willy Woody or whatever this guy's real name is will probably walk away from this murder and down the block to the rehab facility for his addiction to caffeine. His dead wife will still be dead, and if he's anywhere NEAR as lucky as Lindsay Lohan, he'll be out in 23 days. He'll be back at the Waffle house with a to-go cup in hand.  Now the good news. Every time I feel like I'm ready to lose it, I'm blaming the Folgers in my cup. 

You know whats coming next? People suing Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Folgers, and Dunkin' Donuts for making them murder people. *eye roll* Nice try Woody Watson. Nice try...

Autumn's Promise by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Autumn's Promise Avon Inspire (August 3, 2010)

by

Shelley Shepard Gray
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold twenty-six novels to numerous publishers. She has written a seven book contemporary series for Avalon books. She also published The Love Letter, a western for Avalon. Five Star Expressions published Suddenly, You in February of 2007. This novel is a historical western set in the mountains of Colorado.
Shelley has written nine novels for Harlequin American Romance. Cinderella Christmas, her first novel with them, reached number six on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list. Her second book with them, Simple Gifts won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice award for best Harlequin American Romance of 2006. The Mommy Bride, was chosen by Romantic Times Magazine as one of their TOP PICKS for May, 2008.
Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for Harper Collins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. HIDDEN and WANTED the first two novels of her ‘Sisters of the Heart’ series, were chosen to be Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/ Literary Guild Book Club. FORGIVEN, book 3, has received glowing reviews. Avon Inspire is releasing four novels by Shelley this year.
Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelors and masters degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two teenagers, and is an active member of her church.
ABOUT THE BOOK

Some promises are meant to be broken...
Until Robert Miller met Lilly Allen, his world had been dark. A widower after only two years of marriage, he'd been living in a haze, feeling that, at twenty-four, his life was already over.
But thanks to his friendship with Lilly, he now has new reasons to wake up each day. He knows his connection to her doesn't make sense. She's only nineteen, with a past the whole town talks about. Even more, she's not Amish, like Robert. A marriage between the two of them could never happen.
Lilly's heart is drawn to Robert, not to his faith. No matter how much she admires his quiet strength and dependability, she doesn't think she could ever give up her independence and reliance on the modern world. Is their love doomed before it even begins?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Autumn's Promise, go HERE.

More Than Words by Judith Miller

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

More than WordsBethany House; Original edition (September 1, 2010)

by

Judith Miller





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Most readers want to know how authors 'got started' writing. My first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I wanted to tell the story of a pioneer girl coming to Kansas and the faith that sustained her as she adjusted to a new life. When the book was completed, I tucked it away. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me. Having never met Tracie, I was totally unaware of her writing career, but God intervened. The rest is, as they say, history....



With a graciousness that continues to amaze me, Tracie agreed to read my story, directed me to a publisher, and gave me information on a Christian writers conference. Since that first encounter many years ago, I have been blessed with the publication of numerous books, novellas and a juvenile fiction book. Joyously, Tracie and I had the opportunity to develop a blessed friendship. In fact, we have co-authored several series together, including The Bells of Lowell, the Lights of Lowell and The Broadmoor Legacy. In addition, I have continued to write several solo series. Please check those out on the "My Books" page on my website.



God's design on the lives of His people never ceases to amaze me! Because I am eternally grateful for my own forgiveness and salvation, I strive to share God's desire to pull us from the mire of sin and set us free to live exciting lives for Him. Through His abundant grace and love, God gifts and equips each of us to share the story of salvation and eternal life. Won't you share His story using the special gifts He has given you?





ABOUT THE BOOK

Journey to the charming villages of the Amana Colonies, 1885



Gretchen Kohler is an Amana storekeeper's daughter with a secret passion for writing. But artistic pursuits are frowned upon in her conservative Amana village, so she confines her poems and stories to her journals, letting only close friends read them.



When a young reporter comes into her store, she believes she's found a kindred spirit. She shares a few of her stories with him--only to have her trust betrayed in the worst of ways, resulting in trouble for her entire community.



The scandal is made even worse by the fact that gypsies have camped nearby and seem to be preying upon the Amanans' compassionate, pacifist nature. Will Gretchen lose her job, her reputation, and the love of her childhood beau all because of one bad decision?



Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her novels, two of which have placed in the CBA top ten lists. In addition to her writing, Judy is a certified legal assistant. Judy makes her home in Topeka, Kansas.



If you would like to read the first chapter of More than Words, go HERE.

Immanuel's Veins by Ted Dekker

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Immanuel's Veins Thomas Nelson (September 7, 2010)

by Ted Dekker





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Ted Dekker is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.



Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were lumped in with ‘Christian Fiction’ a surprisingly large category. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Green, Black, Red, White and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, and Sinner.



Dekker was born to missionaries who lived among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia. Because his parents’ work often included extended periods of time away from their children, Dekker describes his early life in a culture to which he was a stranger as both fascinating and lonely. It is this unique upbringing that forced him to rely on his own imagination to create a world in which he belonged.



After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States to study philosophy and religion. Upon earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he entered the corporate world and proceeded to climb the proverbial ladder. But his personal drive left him restless and, after many successful years, he traded corporate life for wide range of entrepreneurial pursuits that included buying and selling businesses, healthcare services, and marketing.



In the early nineties while visiting a friend who had just written a book, Dekker decided to pursue a long held desire to be a novelist. Over the course of two years he wrote two full length novels before starting from scratch and rewriting both. Now fully enamored by the the process and the stories, he realized that storytelling was in his blood and a new obsession to explore truth through story gripped him anew.



He sold his business, moved his family to the mountains of Western Colorado and began writing full-time on his third novel. Two years and three novels later his first novel, Heaven’s Wager, was published.



Now, Dekker’s novels had sold over 3.4 million copies worldwide. Two of his novels, Thr3e and House, have been made into movies with more in production. Dekker resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Lee Ann and two of their daughters.



ABOUT THE BOOK

This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story.



It is a dangerous tale of times past. A torrid love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice.



Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover.



With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds.



Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow.



Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter.



But remember, not everyone is for this story.



If you'd like to read the first chapter of Immanuel's Veins, go HERE.



Watch the book trailer:

Wing Wings not Brittany

Read more from Megan over at Thoughts of an Oxymoron and be sure to come check out her column here next Tuesday!

Today I did the unthinkable. I took one very enthusiastic two year old girl chanting, "Poke, Wing Wings!" to the salon, held her in my lap and pierced her little ears. She had been trying to shove everything from Tic Tacs to real earrings down her ear chutes for weeks now so I decided that a little blunt force trauma was probably better than taking her to the ER to have a bean removed from her ear. I went down that road with Mr.4 last year and it wasn't pleasant. She took it like a champion and cried for maybe two minutes before asking for a sucker then checking them out in the mirror. We went to the root beer stand after the insertion of her new sparkles where she immediately showed the waitress her new wing-wings. She loves them!  Her dad is NOT thrilled. I'm banking on the fact that he will get used to it or just decide that he can not be around his adorable daughter whom he dotes over anymore.  The first seems far more likely. Plus, I assured him that she looks adorable and that she LOVES them!

See, my mom, my brother, and my husband, and I'm sure plenty of other people think that two is far too young to have your ears pierced. I disagree. Two year olds don't worry because haven't been told horror stories from their friends about the excruciating pain and trauma of having metal jabbed through your ear lobes. You get them excited, take them in for a quick poke then hand them a sucker. Its over. They don't want to change them and, in fact, often forget they are even there so they rarely touch them. I'm a fan, of course, I'll have to deal with daddy drama when I get home and he tells me that she looks like a little redneck baby. He already texted me to tell me that he'll be cutting the sleeves off his plaid shirts and taking her to the Wal Mart so they can fit it. *Eye roll* 

She looks sweet and she is jazzed about having them. I can't argue with something so simple. Its one heck of a lot simpler than trying to take your eight year old daughter shopping that doesn't make her look like Brittany Spears.  I am semi-happy to report that Miss 7 is a dress girl.  Its sweet and nice to know that she wants to look fancy. She and I have VERY different taste so she shops with my mom which is also a good thing because she has a thing for accessories. I'm a little to funky for her and that is saying a lot if you look at some of the trash that's out there for little girls. I've seen fishnet hose, shorts that may as well be bikini bottoms, shirts that just scream EWWW, etc., etc., etc., I am most certainly not a prude and I'm all about funkifying your wardrobe but YIKES.  And then there are these little gems...

I don't know what kind of sick puppy came up with the concept of a thong wearing baby doll, but they should be on the watch list. Once, my son's friend came home for their preschool gift exchange with a Bratz doll donning low rise jeans and a thong. Nice.  That went right in the trash. She got the traditional Barbie to make up for the lost present. Bratz have been outlawed at the Devito house ever since.

It comes down to this. I think little girls should be sweet and look funky and fun and adorable. I think there are ways to do that without turning them into attention seeking, under dressed (as in, you need more clothes on) brats. I can't put a t-shirt saying, "Its all about me" on my daughter and then tell her that its not all about her. I can't let her run around looking like a Bratz doll and then ask her to be a sweet seven year old. It bothers me to look around at how hard we push our kids to grow up. We want them to to school younger, wear make up earlier, wear your skirt shorter, make sure you're noticed all the time and still be sweet and innocent - but not too innocent. Its a brave new world and I'm all in favor of jumping in with both feet, just not at the expense of our kids and their already abbreviated childhood. Earrings are one thing, but stealing the innocence out from under them is entirely another.

So, how much is too much? What pushes your buttons? Where have you made exceptions?

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The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Bridge of Peace WaterBrook Press; Original edition (August 31, 2010) by Cindy Woodsmall
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author whose connection with the Amish community has been featured on ABC Nightline and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.
She was also a homeschool mom. As her children progressed in age, her desire to write grew stronger. After working through reservations whether this desire was something she should pursue, she began her writing journey. Her husband was her staunchest supporter.
Her first novel released in 2006 to much acclaim and became a best seller. Cindy was a 2007 ECPA award finalist, along with Karen Kingsbury, Angela Hunt, and Charles Martin.
Her second book, When the Morning Comes, hit numerous best-sellers lists across the US, including edging into the extended list of the New York Times, coming in at number thirty-four.
Her third book, When the Soul Mends, hit the New York Times best-sellers list, coming in at number thirteen, as well as making the USA Today’s best-sellers list.
Cindy continues to write and release best-selling works of fiction, and she’s also written a nonfiction work with an Old Order Amish friend, Miriam Flaud. The book is titled Plain Wisdom: An Invitation into an Amish Home and the Hearts of Two Women. It will release March 11, 2011.
Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity.
As an adult, Cindy became friends with a wonderful Old Order Amish family who opened their home to her. Although the two women, Miriam and Cindy, live seven hundred miles apart geographically, and a century apart by customs, when they come together they never lack for commonality, laughter, and dreams of what only God can accomplish through His children.
Cindy, her husband, their three sons and two daughters-in-law reside in Georgia.
ABOUT THE BOOK

Love alone isn’t enough to overcome some obstacles.

Lena Kauffman is a young Old Order Amish schoolteacher who has dealt all her life with attention raised by a noticeable birthmark on her cheek. Having learned to move past the stares and whispers, Lena channels her zest for living into her love of teaching. But tensions mount as she is challenged to work with a rebellious young man and deal with several crises at the schoolhouse that threaten her other students. Her lack of submission and use of ideas that don’t line up with the Old Ways strengthen the school board’s case as they begin to believe that Lena is behind all the trouble.
One member of the school board, Grey Graber, feels trapped by his own stifling circumstances. His wife, Elsie, has shut him out of her life, and he doesn’t know how long he can continue to live as if nothing is wrong. As the two finally come to a place of working toward a better marriage, tragedy befalls their family.
Lena and Grey have been life-long friends, but their relationship begins to crumble amidst unsettling deceptions, propelling each of them to finally face their own secrets. Can they both find a way past their losses and discover the strength to build a new bridge?
Win a "Trip To Amish Country"...contest opens August 31st -December 31st...go HERE to enter!
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Bridge of Peace, go HERE.

Big Mac::Diet Coke as Organic::Cheap

Read more from Megan over at Thoughts of an Oxymoron and be sure to come check out her column here next Tuesday!


Yesterday as I was playing on Twitter (www.twitter.com/thetameone) which I do pretty much every day while bouncing from mess to mess, I read a blog that the darling @TwilightTamara re-posted. I almost puked in my mouth. Not because I was surprised but because I started thinking about how I was going to have to fend off Mr. 4's constant pleading for the next 14 years. Its horrifying on so many levels, but first, let me explain.

 I read these two posts which echoed one another and reminded me why I used to avoid fast food much more than I do now. (12 Year Old McDonald's Hamburger Still Looking Good and Are McDonald's Hamburgers the Undead? ) To be certain, this is not a slam against McDonald's or any other fast food chain. I must admit that your Happy Meals are indeed happy and sometimes I absolutely crave a Chicken McNuggett. This is more a slam against myself and why I allow myself to be seduced by yummy fat filled, hormone injected and apparently nuclear war ready cheeseburgers. I'd like to blame the media, but I don't follow McDonald's on Twitter and I really don't watch much televisions, so that's not it. I'd like to say that its because its cheap and convenient, but that most likely not it either. Most likely, its because Mr.4 wants cheeseburgers at any given moment during the day. He wakes up. "Hey Gav, what do you want for breakfast buddy?"  "I want a breffast cheesegurger."

Lunch time! "Hey Gavi, what are you hungry for?" " I want a cheesegurger mommy.  And chocolate milk."

"I need to figure out what we should have for dinner guys." "Lets have cheesegurgers!!"

I like the irony of this picture. The bee movie is all about saving the bees for mankind.

Please understand that I do not indulge his every whim when it comes to cheeseburgers or anything else, but probably once a week, he has a cheeseburger for lunch or a breakfast cheeseburger (sausage biscuit). He is happy, I didn't have to make anything, and I'm out more money than if I would have done the Pizza Hut buffet.  I give it to him, make him get apples instead of french fries, or add green beans to the fries when we get home, and top it off with milk, not soda. I always feel like a piece of crap for a few minutes but make up for it with broccoli for dinner, unless, of course, it Friday and we order pizza. Always pizza on Friday!

Here I am, raising chickens and feebly attempting to freeze tomatoes and preserving my children's innards all at the same time.  I should take some of that energy and learn how to can something, right?  I used to buy organic milk. Its too expensive now. I used to buy organic vegetables. They are too expensive now. I used to go to the Farmer's Market every Saturday and I am going to start doing that again this Saturday. (Write that down and remind me Saturday morning please.) I wonder how I ever got to the point where the money was more important than what I was feeding my kids. Seriously, checkout the cheeseburgers...

Burger to the left, 2008. Burger to the right, 1996. Eww.

I'm not sure I can stomach that anymore, but how do I convince the hubs, let alone Mr. 4 that consuming anything that can survive in a purse for 12 years that it shouldn't be eaten. Obviously the adult should get it, but the four year old, I'm not so sure. Better yet, why is ANYONE allowed to produce, let alone serve, a food that could survive the holocaust? We laugh at Twinkies for having a 50 year shelf life and now we can add burgers to the list. I wonder what else is creeping in the stuff I'm shoving down my throat. And if they can make a burger that does that, why can't they make an eye cream that fights crows feet or make gray hairs stop growing? Its got to be some kind of preservative tactic doesn't it?

I am taking a stand as of today.( I mentioned before that I have somewhat of a conspiracy theorist and I'm sure you'll hear all about that the more you read.) I can't allow myself to regularly fall into the cheap and easy route on what is going in my family's mouths anymore. I can't raise free range chickens and organic tomatoes and eat McDonald's once or twice a week anymore. (Pizza on Fridays will remain. I will not give up my pizza on Fridays... I should, I know.) I can't keep buying hormone infused milk when there is a better option. I just need to remind myself what it will be like to live with a ten year old PMSing, over dramatic daughter as opposed to a twelve or thirteen year old PMSing, over dramatic daughter. That's two or three fewer years of drama, thank you very much! I need to get back to the good stuff.

If you were to make a change today in your diet, what would you start with? What grosses you out to the point that you can't consume it anymore? What is the hardest thing to give up?

Love Me Tender by Janice Hanna

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Love Me Tender Summerside Press (September 1, 2010)

by Janice Hanna





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna, She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, childrens books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).



She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Her online course, "Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer" has been helpful to many who want to earn a living with their writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.







ABOUT THE BOOK

As "Love Me Tender" plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family's restaurant, Sweet Sal's Soda Shoppe, when her father's health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad's place. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn't dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart - but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.





If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Me Tender, go HERE.

Mushy Mommy

I just read Fire and Mush, a fantastic post over on Megan's blog. You really should go check out what makes her fired up and what makes her mushy. The post got me to thinking about what makes me mushy. There was talk of books that turn us to goo and the book Love You Forever immediately came to mind. I first read this book in child development in high school. It made me cry then and has made me cry every time I've read it since then. It is truly a beautiful book.




What book turns you into a babbling pile of goo?