Sometimes it's good to look back...

I love Boston. Not the city, the group. One of my favorite songs is Don't Look Back. Totally a feel-good song. And, you know, the members of Boston aren't the only ones to offer this advice. Paul advises us in Philippians 3 to forget what's behind and press on. Of course, Paul was talking about our sins and basically telling us not to be weighed down by our past.

But there are times when it's good to remember. When looking back not only reminds us of all the ways God has blessed us, but also motivates us towards the future. And that's why I like to take a look back at the past year and praise God for the doors He has opened. Then, when I'm feeling sorry for myself, I can look at the list and slap myself for indulging in a pity party.

Here, on my writing blog, I won't go into all of the ways God has blessed me personally - although there are plenty! I'll simply list the highlights of 2009 that have to do with my writing journey.

Feel free to leave a comment, letting me know the highlights of your past year. I'd love to cheer with you!

1. My entry, Dead Weight, finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest

2. I was named the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner for Examiner.com

3. Three short stories were purchased by LIVE, which are scheduled for publication in 2010.

4. I attended my very first ACFW conference, thanks to my dad who offered to pay my way if I finaled in the Genesis contest (see #1)

5. My awesome, amazing, fabulous critique group was formed. Quick shout-out to Val, Nicole, Patricia, and Heidi! You ladies rock!

6. Tracy Ruckman handed the National Christian Writing Examiner torch over to me (thanks, Tracy!).

7. I took FIRST PLACE in the FaithWriters Page Turner contest. TOTALLY shocked and TOTALLY thrilled!

8. Found out I am a DOUBLE FINALIST in the Phoenix Rattler - Does your story have bite? contest. My entries are now being judged by agent Rachelle Gardner and Assistant Editor for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, Elizabeth Mazur. Winners will be announced in February.

9. Won tons of books. Have to mention here how much it PAYS OFF to enter those book giveaways! I've won at least three (maybe more) this year alone. Keep leaving those comments. You'll win sooner or later!

10. Became a core writer for Full Spirit magazine. A fabulous opportunity and total God-thing.

11. Submitted my first ever manuscript query, my first-ever proposal and my first ever full ms to agents. Still waiting on responses, but that's ok. I'm prepared for the worst but am definitely hoping for the best!

So there you have it. Looking back, I am amazed at how God has blessed me in 2009. Is it possible that 2010 will be even better? Stay tuned...

All I wanted for Christmas...

My husband and kids rock. They know me so well that they got everything I was wishing for this Christmas. Of course, the list I handed them as they headed out the door and to the mall helped, too.


In no particular order of favorites, here is a list of all my loot:

• A SNUGGIE! As mentioned on my "All I want for Christmas" post, this was definitely on the list. My husband thought the leopard print looked cheezy, though, so they opted for the blue, which happens to be my favorite color. I absolutely LOVE my Snuggie! What's cool is that my kids each got one, too. Here is a picture of the three of us all Snuggied up. Oh - and don't mind the boy. He really does love his Carolina Panthers Snuggie, just doesn't know quite how to express it.
• Perfume. I am almost out and this was perfect timing. Asked for a new scent this time...JLo Glo.
• Mini back massager. As someone with chronic neck problems (from all that sitting at the computer with poor posture), this was an awesome gift! And apparently, my oh-so-thoughtful daughter came up with the idea all on her own. Little did she consider that she would be the one most often asked to run it over my back. Doesn't seem fair, does it?
• Gift cards. I love gift cards because I adore shopping, especially when the money's not coming from my own wallet. This year, I get to shop at Penneys (my fave clothing store), see a few movies at Celebration Cinema (my fave pastime), and get to drink lots of lattes at Biggby (my fave indulgence). Oh -and I also get a 60-minute professional massage (making that appointment this week!)

See? What did I tell you? My family rocks!

But the most exciting gift I got this year came on Christmas Eve, first in the form of a phone message, informing me that my Women's Fiction entry in the Phoenix Rattler - Does Your Story Have Bite - contest made it through the first round and is now on its way to an agent for judging. If that wasn't great enough news, soon after, I received an email telling me that my other entry in the contest also made it through the first round.

So this year, I get to add DOUBLE FINALIST to my list of Christmas gifts. YIPPEE!

Winners will be announced sometime in February.

So, do tell! What did YOU get for Christmas this year?

Wrapping up The 12 Books of Christmas

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! Mine was wonderful, except that I ate WAY too much. Again. Big surprise. Oh well...the New Year is a week away and the losing will begin.

But, today we're not talking about losing. We're talking about WINNING! The 12 Books of Christmas was a big success, thanks to the authors for giving away their books and to you guys for leaving comments. Below, I've posted a list of the authors and the winners. If you did not win a book, don't despair! I promise, there will be more giveaways to get in on in the new year.

For now, though, join me in congratulating the final two winners in this giveaway event.

AN AMISH CHRISTMAS goes to...

SANDEE!

And The Glassblower goes to...

VICKI!

Congrats to both of these ladies!

THANK YOU to the authors who participated in this giveaway:

• Tracy Ruckman
• Lena Nelson Dooley
• Deb Raney
• Myra Johnson
• Lynette Sowell
• Shelley Adina
• Margaret Daley
• Allie Pleiter
• Lauralee Bliss
• Cindy Woodsmall
• Laurie Alice Eakes
• Barbara Cameron

And another shout-out to all the winners:

• Rose
• Cherie J
• Pamela James
• Coleene
• Debra
• Jo
• Micah
• Patricia
• Diane
• Charity
• Linda
• Jackie
• Sunny
• Vicki
• Sandee

NOTE: If you were a winner and have not yet received your book (and it's been at least two weeks since you won), please let me know and I'll contact the author. As we all know, the holidays are busy and sending out your book may have slipped through the crack. A gentle reminder never hurts. :-)

AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.

HAPPY READING!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

WISHING YOU A CHRISTMAS FILLED WITH THE JOY, PEACE, AND LOVE OF OUR SAVIOR!

The Gift(s) of Writing

Over on the ACFW loop, we're talking about the gifts we've given and received this year. Because I haven't really thought about what I would blog about today, and it's an appropriate and interesting topic, I thought I would steal it.

Shhhh...don't tell.

So I've been thinking about what gifts pertaining to writing I've received over the past year. Here are a few that come to mind:

3. Fabulous critique partners. My critique group came together several months ago and is definitely a gift from God. Each member brings a unique perspective and a sharp eye to different aspects of a story, such as grammar, flow, research issues, etc. So here's a shout out to Val, Nicole, Patricia, and Heidi! Your encouragment and help has been awesome. You ladies rock!

2. A break from writing. This may seem strange, but the one week I spent with extended family at the lake with no Internet access was exactly what I needed. Yes, I snuck into town a couple of times to catch up on some work, but being able to write during those quiet mornings by the lake, without the lure of email and Facebook, was truly a gift. It was wonderful to declutter my brain and focus on what I truly love to do - write.

1. My dad. The biggest writing related gift I received this year came from my dad. Last year (2008), he told me that if I finaled in the Genesis contest in 2009, he would pay my way to the conference in Denver. I finaled, and he paid. It means so much to me NOT because of the large chunk of change that I wouldn't have been able to come up with otherwise, and NOT because I was dying to go, although both of those are good reasons! But the fact that my dad knew how much it would mean to me and wanted to bless me in this way is priceless. His thoughtfulness can't be measured and I can't thank him enough.

As for the gifts I've GIVEN...that's a little tougher. I could mention the books I've given away on my blog, or the Amazon gift card on Black Friday, but I don't consider those as gifts as much as rewards to you guys for taking the time to humor me by reading my blog.

It might be the amount of time I've invested in my critique partners manuscripts, but they do the same for me, so it's not really a gift, but an even exchange.

I did pay the entire hotel bill at the FaithWriters conference for myself and my friend, who might not have been able to attend, otherwise. I guess that would qualify.

I do hope this blog has been a gift to those who read it. I try to include helpful information that aspiring writers can use to improve their craft and hone their skills, and I love to offer book reviews to alert you to great reads. And there are the giveaways, of course.

I have received a couple of emails recently from readers who don't always comment on my posts but wanted to tell me how much my blog has encouraged and blessed them. So I suppose I would count that as the best gift I've given this year.

But, honestly, knowing I've done some small part in encouraging fellow writers is truly humbling.

EACH ONE OF YOU is a gift to me.

SO THANK YOU!

Now I'll pass on the question to you: What have been the best writing-related gifts you've given and received this year?

The12 Books of Christmas final giveaways

Can you believe this is the last week of The 12 Books of Christmas? Wow!

To finish out this event, I've got not one, but TWO books to give away. So this week, you can double your chances of winning by leaving a comment on this post.

BOOK GIVEAWAY #1

The first book is An Amish Christmas, being given away by author, Barbara Cameron, whose story, One Child, is included in this best-selling novella. Barbara and two other authors, Beth Wiseman and Kathleen Fuller, were asked by Thomas Nelson to write this book, as well as another novella. An Amish Gathering, which now also available.

Here is a synopsis of the three novellas included in An Amish Christmas:


A Choice To Forgive by Beth Wiseman.
After Daniel disappeared that long-ago Christmas Eve, Lydia built a life with his brother. But now she's a widow and Daniel has reappeared, asking for forgiveness. But can she go back to her normal life with her long-lost love as her neighbor?

A Miracle for Miriam by Kathleen Fuller.
Seth is no longer the arrogant young man who shattered Miriam's confidence and broke her heart. But can he convince "plain" Miriam that she is truly beautiful to him?

One Child by Barbara Cameron.
The birth of one child forever changed the world two thousand years ago. On a snowy Christmas night in Lancaster County, another child changes the world for two very different couples.

Leave a comment on this blog post for your chance to win An Amish Christmas.
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Barbara shares a favorite Christmas recipe:


A favorite Christmas recipe which isn't Amish -- although they love cheese! -- is cheese fondue. We eat it on Christmas evening and have chocolate fondue for dessert. After all the turkey of Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, it's a welcome break to have something like cheese fondue on Christmas evening.

Cheese Fondue

1/2 lb Swiss cheese
1/2 lb Gruyere cheese
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove
1 cup white wine or apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Shred the cheese, combine it with cornstarch in a bowl. Peel the garlic and rub it around the inside of the fondue pot, then set it aside for other use. Place wine or apple juice, lemon juice, and mustard in a saucepan over moderate heat on the stove and gradually add cheeses until melted. Keep warm in a fondue pot over a candle or Sterno. Serve fondue with cubes of crusty French bread, and a selection of fresh vegetables such as baby carrots, broccoli, asparagus, whatever you like. Tart apple slices are good, too.

For the chocolate fondue, heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream slowly in saucepan and add 4 bars (3.5 oz each) of bittersweet chocolate broken into pieces and stirr, them remove from heat. You can add a tablespoon of Amaretto liqueur if you like. I like to set out fresh strawberries, pieces of apple, fresh pineapple spears, and best of all, Stella D'Oro almond biscotti to dip in the chocolate.

Barbara's favorite holiday memory:

My favorite Christmas memory? The night we came home from Christmas shopping in Daytona Beach, Florida, and it snowed -- for about ten minutes! It was just long enough for us to stand outside with our two little children and watch the flakes fall.
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Barbara Cameron is the author of eighteen fiction and non-fiction books, three nationally televised movies (HBO-Cinemax), as well as the first winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart.

Beth Wiseman is the author of the popular Daughters of the Promise Amish series for Thomas Nelson. Kathy Fuller is the author of the Hearts of Middlefield Amish series for Thomas Nelson. My new Amish series, Quilts of Lancaster County, will appear in September, 2010, for Abingdon Press. The three of them loved working on An Amish Christmas together and have become great friends and supporters. They -- and fellow author Amy Clipston who writes Amish stories for Zondervan -- blog about all things Amish on the www.AmishHearts.com and www.AmishLiving.com websites.

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BOOK GIVEAWAY #2

As a bonus giveaway, I will personally be mailing out an autographed copy of The Glassblower, by Laurie Alice Eakes. Here is a synopsis of this Heartsong Presents novel:



Now that Colin Grassick, a master glass-blower from Scotland, has arrived to help at the Jordan glassworks, Meg Jordan's dreams of teaching the poor, local children are coming true. Finally, someone will have time to make windows for the rural New Jersey schoolhouse, to keep out the cold - and vandals. To Joseph Pyle, the wealthy, arrogant man to whom Meg will soon be betrothed, the destruction of Meg's new windows is inconsequential - as his wife, she will be forbidden from teaching. Why would Meg's father insist she marry a man like Joseph and stay away from the endearing Colin? Meg will learn her fate by Christmas Eve...




Leave a comment on this blog post to be entered in this giveaway.
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Award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes does not remember a time when books did not play a part in her life; thus, no one was surprised when she decided to be a writer.

Her first hardcover was an October, 2006 Regency historical from Avalon Books and won the National Readers Choice Award for Best Regency, as well as being a finalist for Best First Book. She has also sold other books,
articles, short stories, and essays.

A graduate of the Seton Hill University Master of Arts Degree in Writing Popular Fiction, she is an experienced speaker, making presentations at local and national RWA conferences, as well as universities, schools, and libraries.

She lives in Virginia with her husband and assorted cats and dogs.

Learn more about Laurie and her books on her website: http://www.lauriealiceeakes.com/


Contest disclaimer: Void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents. Odds of winning depend on number of entrants. Only one book allowed per person throughout the duration of the event.

Congratulations to the winner of The Sound of Sleigh Bells

Thanks to everyone who left a comment to be entered in the drawing for The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall. Sounds like a great book, doesn't it?

OK...did my thing this morning and pulled out a name.

And the book goes to....

SUNNY!

Congratulations, Sunny! Hope you enjoy it!

Can you believe that next week is the final 12 Books of Christmas giveaway? Which means that next week is CHRISTMAS! WOW! Be sure to get in on the final drawing. Oh, wait. Did I say drawing? I meant drawingS. Yes, TWO books will be given away next week. So your chances of winning have just doubled. Don't forget to check back on Monday to read all about the two books up for grabs and the authors who wrote them.

Have a wonderful weekend!

All I want for Christmas (again)

So I wanted to write a post titled "All I want for Christmas" but I had that deja vu thing going on and figured I had probably blogged about this last year. So I checked back and, sure enough, there it was. You can read it HERE if you're interested. Below, you'll find my basic wish list from last year (minus last year's comments). A couple of these things I received in the past year, and a couple I'm still wishing for. But overall, the list hasn't changed.

1. An Agent. Working on this. In fact, two months ago, I submitted my first manuscript query to several agents. I got a proposal request and, subsequently, a full manuscript request out of it, with another agent still considering my query. I'm good with that. Hey, I won't likely have an agent by Christmas, but am hopeful to acquire one in 2010.

2. Time. Santa is playing games with me. Instead of giving me more time, it seems he took it away because I have less than ever! I'm not getting my hopes up on this one, but time is definitely staying on the list.

3. Butt glue. I did get a bit of butt glue this past year, but the jar is pretty much empty, so I'm wishing for more this year. Maybe Santa will package it up with a bundle of time. That would be cool.

4. My friend, Ginger, to take up reading. Well, I wouldn't say she "took up reading" but I think she may have read a couple books this past year, so it's progress. But I'll keep it on the list. One of these days, Ginger will ask me if I have any good books she can borrow. I just know it.

5. To attend the ACFW Conference. GOT THIS! Yay, Santa! (Actually, yay DAD, as he's the one who paid for me to go). My very first ACFW conference was every bit as awesome as I knew it would be. I plan on attending the conference in 2010, too. The best part is it's closer to home so I don't have to fly. Yippee!

6. A week by myself to write. Still waiting on this one. I'm thinking this one will probably be on my Christmas wish list for many more years. My family just can't live that long without me. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

7. A CONTRACT! Nope, not yet. But I've taken a few steps that have brought my closer to the possibility. I'm hopeful this will be the last year that Contract is on the list. Not that a new contract every year wouldn't be nice.

8. A Snuggie. This really does have to do with writing. It does! As someone who is always cold and walking around with my microwavable rice thingie around my neck, a Snuggie (The leopard print, to be specific) would be heavenly. I might not wear it to a football game, as the infomercials suggest, but I'd definitely put it on every time I sit down at my computer!

So there you have it. Except for addition #8, my wish list has remained pretty much unchanged.

What's on your wish list this year?

Let's Talk about Tweens and Teens

Got girls? More specifically, tweens or teens? Then I have a great resource for you.

Nicole O'Dell is one of my critique buddies. Nicole is my hero, not only because she is a mother of 6 (including 1-year-old TRIPLETS!) but because she is a published author who took the bull by the horns and acquired a multi-book publishing contract - without an agent! Now, I don't think I'd be brave enough to sign a contract without an agent, but I really admire Nicole for it. It's been working wonderfully for her and I'm proud to say I'm her crit buddy.

So anyway, Nicole has this series out for girls. And it's becoming more and more popular and gaining tons of attention. With good reason. First, the series is about real girls making real choices. Yes, the books are fiction. But the characters are faced with tough decisions that Christian girls encounter every day.

Second, the series is interactive. Which means that each story has two endings. The reader can then choose which choice they would make and see the consequences of it played out. There is even a "contract" at the end of each book for the girls to sign.

As I said, the whole concept is so cool!

This series is published by Barbour and so far, there are two books available: Truth or Dare and All that Glitters. The third and fourth books in the series, Magna and Making Waves, will be released in April, 2010.

Nicole has just launched her website (Nicoledoell.com) and blog (which already has 94 followers - Go, Nicole!). Visit her website to learn more about her, as well as the books she's writing. Her blog is titled Girl Talk and offers devotionals, advice, reviews, and giveaways. Here is her current blogging schedule:

Monday: Post to Parents
Tuesday: Girl Talk
Wednesday: Writer's Corner
Thursday: Thoughtful Thursday
Friday: Friday Fun

So if you have tween or teen girls, you'll want to alert them to Nicole's website and blog and, of course, her books!

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Nicole O’Dell lives in Illinois with her husband and six children, three of whom are triplets. With a heart for young girls and a special passion for the relationship between mothers and daughters as they approach the teen years, Nicole created the Scenarios: Interactive Fiction for Girls series to help girls develop sound decision making skills. Her writing also includes devotionals and Bible studies for women of all ages.

The 12 Books of Christmas - Cindy Woodsmall

This week, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Cindy Woodsmall, who is giving away a copy of her newly released Christmas novel, The Sound of Sleigh Bells. Be sure to leave a comment on this blog post to be automatically entered to win. The deadline to enter is midnight on Friday, December 17. Winner will be announced on Saturday.

Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people’s wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry.

Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

The Sound of Sleigh Bells is a heartwarming Christmas novella where lack and abundance inside an Amish community has power for good when it’s tucked inside love. Romantic Times gave The Sound of Sleigh Bells 4 ½ stars, saying ~ This is a wonderfully written, transformative story of two Amish families at Christmastime. It will bring sleigh-riding memories to life as readers vicariously join in this jolly and exciting holiday tradition.

To read the first chapter of The Sound of Sleigh Bells, click HERE.
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Cindy's favorite Christmas craft

From the time my boys were little, I loved doing craft times with them during the holidays. I’d pull out all sorts of items I’d picked up from yard sales or bought discounted throughout the year and let them create. The mess was well worth their excitement as they held up their “masterpieces.” As they grew older, their desire to do crafts began to fade, but I held on to my Christmastime tradition for as long as I could.

One Christmas craft they enjoyed for a long time was making dough ornaments. (I’ve shared the recipe below.) After the holidays, you can pack them away with the rest of the ornaments, and every year when you pull out that box of decorations, you’ll have a delightful trip down memory lane.

When my sons were teens, they no longer looked forward to Christmas craft time. Gathering teenagers together to make memories takes an extra bit of creative thinking. My solution to extending their joy of making something Christmassy was to use food as the craft time. I allowed them to decorate their own gingerbread-men ornaments—one year it was a demolition gingerbread man with a jackhammer in its hand. Other years I let them create gingerbread houses…then let them munch on their little homes as the holidays progressed.

Whatever your kids’ ages, be imaginative and free spirited in your holiday plans. They’ll love you for it…eventually.

Dough ornament recipe:

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
1½ cups warm water

Mix flour and salt. Slowly add warm water. Press dough to about an eighth of an inch thick and use cookie cutters. Add ornament hooks into the top before baking. Bake at 325º until cookies are hardened. Cool. Decorate using acrylic paints. You may wish to use shellac as a final coat to help preserve them. (If your kids are going to eat the decorations, use frosting instead of paint and skip the shellac.)
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Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author whose connection with the Amish has been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Plain Mennonite and Old Order Amish families.

Cindy is the mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, and she and her husband reside in Georgia. Visit her Web site at www.CindyWoodsmall.com.

**Contest disclaimer: Void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents. Odds of winning depend on number of entrants. Only one book allowed per person throughout the duration of the event.

Winner of Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire

Wow! Lots of entries this week. I love it! Did the usual...

put names in a bowl, closed eyes, drew name...

And the winner of Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire is...

JACKIE!

Woo-hoo! I have to say, I was happy to see Jackie's name, as she has entered almost every one (if not all) of these drawings so far. Congratulations, Jackie! Enjoy the book!

If you haven't walked away with a book yet, don't despair! There are two weeks left in the 12 Books of Christmas! Here's what you can look forward to:

Monday, the 14th - Cindy Woodsmall will be giving away her novel, The Sound of Sleigh Bells. I haven't read this but have heard it's wonderful!

Monday, the 21st - Barbara Cameron and fellow novella authors will be giving away a copy of their anthology, An Amish Christmas.

Be sure to check back and enter to win these fabulous Christmas books!

Writing Resources and Opportunties

Most of you know by now that in addition to the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner, I have recently been named the National Christian Writing Examiner.

I have a couple of features on my Christian Writing page that I think will be a benefit to you.

1. Journey to Publication. Interviews with now-published authors about their journey to publication. Each author has his or her own story and I hope that this encourages you in your own journey. So far, I have featured Maureen Lang, Leanna Ellis, Laurie Alice Eakes, Kassandra Elaine, and Carol Parsons. More interviews are to come and if you are a published author who would like to be included, let me know! I'd love to learn more about the path you took to publication and share it with other aspiring authors.

2. Featured Markets. Every few days, I post an article about a specific publication you may be interested in submitting to. I include a link to the writers guidelines so you can see exactly what and how to submit. Check out this link to view the markets already profiled.


As I am currently building content, I am looking for the following:

• News and information - if you are a published author and have news about your latest novel, a book trailer you'd like to share, or other information, I'd love to post it on my Christian Fiction Examiner page.
• Articles on writing - if you have written an article on any aspect of Christian writing, I'd love permission to post it on my National Christian Writing Examiner page.
• Fiction Author Fun Facts - this feature has gotten lots of great response. If you're a published author who wouldn't mind answering 10 random and fun questions, let me know. Here is the link to previous Author Fun Facts (all 30 of them!).

A bio and links to your website or blog will be included, which is a great opportunity for exposure. Please contact me, if interested. I look forward to promoting you and your book(s)!

By the way, being an Examiner for Examiner.com is fun! If you have a passion, or are knowledgeable about a specific subject, consider applying for a position with Examiner.com. Not only is this a wonderful platform, you can earn some nice cash, too! There are literally thousands of topics available on both the national and local level. If you'd like more details, visit this page: WRITE FOR EXAMINER.COM

Oh -and if you do sign up, I'd appreciate you using my name as the referrer. Examiner.com has an excellent referral program and I'd love the credit! Thanks!

In the meantime, check out the above links. I'd love your feedback on how I could improve my content or suggestions on specific articles you'd like to see.

I'm Dreaming of a Write Christmas

So the Christmas season is here and it's awesome. Love the decorating, the shopping, the lights, the music, the giving, the whole wonder of it all, centering around, of course, the birth of our Savior.

But there is one aspect of the season I don't particularly care for. And that is the lack of time I have to write. Basically, everything I love about Christmas takes away from my other love: writing. This lack of time is frustrating, and can get downright annoying. All I want for Christmas is the chance to plop my butt in the chair and type. And type. And type.

But, my type, type, type is replaced by the hype, hype, hype of the holidays.

Sigh...

But it's all good. I try to remind myself that the baking, shopping, wrapping, planning, decorating, and party-going will only last a few short weeks and then it will be back to a routine and productivity. And when I start to get whiny, I try to remember the reason for it all and readjust my focus.

Of course, when it snows, it blizzards (hey, we've got a blizzard warning starting this afternoon, so I know what I'm talking about). Not only is this week my busiest of the month, this past Sunday, I received an email from an agent who's had my proposal for a couple months. He wants to see my full manuscript! GREAT, right? RIGHT!

But now I need to find time to scramble and give it another quick read-through before submitting. Fortunately, this agent is very understanding and gracious and is allowing me some extra time to get it to him (because he is also up to his neck in snowdrifts of paperwork and holiday stuff - ok, maybe not snowdrifts, since he lives in a non-snowy climate). I am very grateful for this grace-period but still want to get it submitted as soon as possible.

So that brings me to a question for you. How do you find time to write during the busy Christmas season? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks for adding words to your manuscript while still accomplishing everything you need to do.

In the meantime, I'll be shopping. And wrapping. And decorating. And baking...

The 12 Books of Christmas - Lauralee Bliss

This week's Christmas book author is Lauralee Bliss, who has been a busy girl! TWO of Lauralee's stories have recently been released in time for the holidays. Lauralee's novel, Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, is the book she will be giving away this week! She also has a novella included in the anthology, A Blue and Gray Christmas. More on that book below.

But first, let's talk about the book YOU have the opportunity to win this week! Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire was awarded four stars by The Romantic Times! Here's a blurb:

Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire is what one reader calls - a "twist" on the mail order bride story, sort of like the mail order bride meets up with My Fair Lady. In it there’s an uneducated and penniless orphan whose well meaning friend answers an ad for a bride, and the unsuspecting suitor who has no idea what to make of the woman that arrives at the train station. Even if he feels he cannot marry her, he will provide for her. But both are in for a surprise and a change of heart and attitude - thus leading to the idea of the first Bethlehem - that the most precious gifts don’t always come as they're expected.



Want to learn more about this book? Check out the book trailer here:

LOVE FINDS YOU IN BETHLEHEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Leave a comment on this blog post to be entered in this giveaway.

Lauralee's other Christmas release is a novella, "Till Death Do Us Part" in the collection titled A Blue and Gray Christmas. Despite the Blue and Gray troops advancing on their hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Leah Woods and Seth Madison vow to wed at the dawn of the New Year. But when Seth disappears, Leah is left alone, clinging to whatever faith she can muster. This book is available at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Christianbook.com.

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Lauralee shares a favorite holiday recipe, which also happens to be a favorite holiday memory:

Ah memories - and what is Christmas without Christmas cookies? A fond memory we have as a family is decorating cookies with all kinds of colored sugar, sprinkles, and candies to create individual masterpieces. The recipe I use comes from one included with some Wilton cookie cutters I purchased some fifteen years ago. It makes the most delicious sugar cookies I've ever tasted, and we use it every year! I share this with you so you may also create your own cookie masterpeices in celebration of the holiday season. Enjoy!


Roll-Out Cookie Dough Recipe

1 cup butter (I use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Dough will be stiff. Blend in last of the flour by hand. Do not chill the dough. Divide dough into two balls. On floured surface, roll out to 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour, cut out cookies. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles, etc. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes. Dough can be tinted with paste food coloring if desired.
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Lauralee Bliss has always liked to dream big dreams. Part of that dream was writing, and her career began with small creative works as a teen just for fun. After several years of hard work, the dream of publishing was realized in 1997 with the publication of her first romance novel, Mountaintop, through Barbour Publishing. Since then she's had over fifteen books published, both historical and contemporary. Lauralee’s desire is that readers will come away with both an entertaining story and a lesson that ministers to the heart.

Along with the dream of writing and publishing, Lauralee has recognized another dream in her life, completing a hike of the entire Appalachian Trail. Lauralee is a wife of 20 years to husband Steve and mother to son Joshua, whom she homeschooled. Her other interests include traveling (of which she has been to 49 of the 50 states), gardening, and perusing a yard sale or two.

Visit Lauralee online on her website: http://www.lauraleebliss.com/ or her blog: www.blissfulwritingthoughts.blogspot.com/. Lauralee loves to hear from her readers! Email her at: blissful63@gmail.com

**Contest disclaimer: Void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents. Odds of winning depend on number of entrants. Only one book allowed per person throughout the duration of the event.

And we have a winner! Er, TWO winners!

So this was an exciting week! Not only because Allie Pleiter was giving away a copy of her book, Bluegrass Christmas, but also because of the other giveaway for my blog followers. The one where YOU got to choose which gift card you would like to receive.

This morning, first I wrote down the names of the entrants for Allie's book, put them in a bowl (the same one I'll later be using to make candy), closed my eyes and picked one out.

And Bluegrass Christmas goes to....

LINDA!

Congratulations, Linda! Thanks for entering! Your book will be on its way very soon. Enjoy!

And then I did the same thing for my gift card giveaway. I wish I could afford to give a gift card to all of you who entered. Each one of you is so appreciated! Maybe when I acquire that six-figure book deal...

But for now, sigh...just can't do it. So anyway, I wrote down the names, put them in the candy-making bowl, closed my eyes....

And the gift card goes to...

CHARITY!

Woo-Hoo!!!! Charity chose the Amazon.com gift card, which will be on its way to her inbox asap.

Again, THANK YOU to all of you faithrul followers who entered. And CONGRATULATIONS to Linda and Charity!

Remember to check back on Monday for the next 12 Books of Christmas giveaway. It's going to be a good one!

In the meantime, why not go back and check out all of the previous 12 Days of Christmas books, see which ones look fabulous (that would be ALL of them) and rush to your favorite Christian bookstore or Amazon.com to buy yourself an early Christmas present. Sounds like a plan to me!

Have a wonderful weekend!

The Book Stops Here - Review of The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson

Christmas miracles can come from unlikely sources.

Betty Kowalski isn't looking forward to the holidays. She just can't seem to find Christmas in her heart. Maybe it's because her husband is gone. Maybe it's because she's missing her children. Or maybe it has something to do with her obnoxious new neighbor, who seems to be tearing his house apart and rearranging it on the lawn.

But when a mangy dog appears at her doorstep, the stage is set for Betty to learn what Christmas is really all about.

Betty is a widow who lives a mundane life and is content to wallow in the fact that she'll soon be facing another lonely Christmas. But this year, any joy she might be able to muster up is replaced by disdain for her nasty backyard neighbor, Jack, whose yard is full of junk and who runs power tools in the middle of the night. She knows it isn't very Christianly of her to have such animosity for him, but she just can't help herself!

Then two surprises appear on her doorstep. A mangy mutt and, later, her step-granddaughter, Avery, who is trying to escape her overbearing mother.

Betty assumes the dog belongs to Jack and makes every attempt to return him. But when the dog continues to return and Avery becomes attached to him, Betty struggles with what to do.

In the end, both the dog and her granddaughter play a part in softening Betty's heart and turning her holidays into everything Christmas is supposed to be.

What a fun book! Maybe because she reminded me of my own grandmother, I couldn't help but fall in love with Betty from the very beginning. Her feelings and actions toward her neighbor were realistic and even understandable, although at the same time, I felt a pang of sympathy for Jack, despite his strange and erratic behavior.

Avery was a breath of fresh air. The only qualm I have with her is I kept thinking she was several younger than her character's age of 23. But her relationship with her grandmother was touching and she brought fun and a little adventure to the story. The other characters were done well, particularly the dog. If you're an animal lover, you will definitely be drawn to this lovable mutt that seemed to have been hand delivered by God to Betty's doorstep.

Overall, The Christmas Dog was an extremely enjoyable read. This was the first book by Melody Carlson that I've read, but it won't be the last.

Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.

The Book Stops Here - Review of The Unfinished Gift by Dan Walsh

Dan Walsh was one of the first people I met in Denver, at the ACFW conference, as I worked the registration desk along with him and his lovely wife. And now I'm part of the blog tour for his debut novel, The Unfinished Gift. What an honor! First, a brief synopsis of the book and then I'll offer my thoughts.

Can a gift from the past mend a broken heart?

Ian Collins is an old man without his son. Patrick Collins is a young boy without his father. On his Christmas list are only three items. He wants the army to find his father. He wants to leave his grandfather's house. And he wants the dusty wooden soldier in Grandfather's attic--the one he is forbidden to touch.

Set at Christmastime in 1943, The Unfinished Gift is the engaging story of a family in need of forgiveness. With simple grace, it reminds us of the small things that affect powerful change in our hearts--a young boy's prayers, a shoe box of love letters, and even a half-carved soldier, long forgotten. This nostalgic story of reconciliation will touch your heart.


My thoughts:

First let me say I am not a huge fan of any type of historical fiction. With that disclaimer, I'll go on to say that this book made me a fan. At least of author Dan Walsh and the way he presents the past.

Patrick Collins is a little boy who just lost his mother and whose father is off at war. The only sensible thing for Child Services to do is place Patrick with his grandfather, Ian. Unfortunately, Grandpa wants nothing to do with caring for a child. In fact, he's been estranged from his son, Patrick's father, for many years. Patrick does his best to please his grandfather but he can't seem to do anything right. What it comes down to is that Ian Collins is a stubborn old mule who needs some Christmas in his life.

Dan Walsh weaves his debut novel like a pro. The main characters are well crafted, the secondary characters bring life and laughter to the story, and the plot is engaging and heartwarming. Messages of forgiveness and love abound throughout and you'll find yourself wiping your eyes (at least, I did!) as you relate to the pain Patrick experiences as a boy all alone and the heartache that lies beneath his grandfather's leathery exterior.

Most of all, this story relays a message of hope. Hope for restored relationships. Hope for healed hearts and changed lives. So, in essence, this story encompasses what Christmas is all about.

The Unfinished Gift is definitely a book for your Christmas Keepsake Shelf. I am looking forward to the sequel, The Homecoming, which is scheduled for release in June, 2010.

Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book to review.




Dan Walsh is the senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Daytona Beach, Florida, a church he helped found 23 years ago. He is the author of The Unfinished Gift and lives with his family in the Daytona Beach area.

Visit his website at www.danwalshbooks.com

Breaking News...

We interrupt these scheduled blog posts to bring you a special announcement....

OK, let's be real. I'm posting this because I just have to share my wonderful news.

I WON THE FAITHWRITERS 2009 PAGE TURNER CONTEST!

'scuse me, a sec....

YAY! YIPPEE! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT! YEE-HAW!!!!!!!!!! WOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! HIP-HIP-HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

K, I'm back now.

Anyway, as I was saying, I WON! Of course, as anyone who enters a contest, I was hopeful. In 2007 I received a highly commended award for the first chapter of Mind over Madi. This year, with Dead Weight, I thought if I walked away with another highly commended, I'd be thrilled. But when I heard I won, it was the ultimate thrill of thrills. My prize package consists of free editing of the complete novel, free publicity and press releases if and when the book is released and $800 cash (just in time for Christmas!).

For those of you who may not know, the Page Turner contest is an annual contest exclusively created for FaithWriters 500 members. Each year, the focus switches from fiction to non-fiction. The winner of the 2007 fiction-focused Page Turner was soon-to-be-published, J.C. Lamont. Last year's non-fiction winner was Cori Smelker for her book about surrogacy. I am so honored to be among these awesome writers in the winners circle.

The two runners up this year are:

Shelley Ledfors for her entry, "Dominion" and Lisa Mikitarian for her entry, "Hundred Pocket Mirage." CONGRATS to Shelley and Lisa! Two years ago, I was one of those runners up. You may just see one of their names on top in 2011!

As for Dead Weight, my goal is to finish it by spring. I may share more about the plot of this book at a later time, but for now I'll just say it's a light mystery with a twenty-something protagonist who is a crime-show fanatic and food addict. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

I hope you don't mind that I posted on a non-blog day. As you can imagine, I am uber-excited and if I didn't share, I would probably combust or something.

All that said....

We now return to your regularly scheduled blog posts.