Monthly Archives: May 2008

Check Out This Editorial Interview!

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A little over a year ago, I blogged about shelving African-American titles in bookstores. I notice from my Google analytics stats, that people stumble across that old blog entry from time to time when they’re researching that subject on the internet. Well, the new editor for Harlequin’s Kimani (AA) line, Kelli Martin, gave a great interview on Tracy Montoya’s blog. She discusses shelving AA books in stores, as well as gives her impressions about the world of publishing for multicultural authors. So here are the links to part one and part two of the interview. Enjoy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Winners

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Below is a listing of the winners for my last book giveaway. I still haven’t heard back from one of the winners yet. Once I do, I’ll post her name, also.

One More Sunrise by Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson – Mrs. Carole Jarvis – Jonesboro, GA
Treasures Of The North by Tracie Peterson – Christy Hawkes Tremonton, Utah
The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher – Tonye Hickling – Clinton, NY
Listening To Her Heart by Joyce Livingston – A Heartsong Presents Title – Kennisha Hill Lewisville, TX
Margaret’s Quest by Muncy G. Chapman – An old Heartsong Presents Title – Cindi Hoppes – Edwardsville, Illinois
Murder On The Old Bunions by S. Dionne Moore – A recent Hearstong Presents Mystery – Ginnie Stokes – Norton, VA
My Soul Cries Out by Sherri L. Lewis – Maurice Gray – Wilmington, DE
Mercy, Mercy Me by Ronn Elmore – an old Walk Worthy Press title (this title kind of reminds me of an ABA title more so than CBA) Jo Legat – Palm Bay, FL

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Bygones by Kim Vogel Sawyer

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Bygones by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (April 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597894044
ISBN-13: 978-1597894043
From Amazon.com:
Widower Marie Koeppler and her grown daughter Beth reluctantly return to the Mennonite community Marie abandoned twenty-three years ago. Soon after their arrival in Sommerfeld, a series of mysterious thefts raises the community’s suspicions against the “”outsiders.”” Can Marie prove their innocence, or will she be forced to flee once more? Henry Braun thought he’d gotten his love for Marie out of his system, but soon begins to wonder if she’s stolen more than his heart. When it’s all said and done, can Henry and Marie let bygones be bygones, or has their love been doomed from the start?

I received this book for my birthday last year from my editor at Barbour.

I enjoyed this book. The author did a great job with developing characters you’ll remember for a long time. I even got upset and mad at some of the characters while I was reading the story. When Marie and her daughter, Beth return to Marie’s Mennonite community, she’s shunned by those who used to love her. When a series of robberies occur, the newcomers are accused of the crimes. Marie’s childhood sweetheart, Henry, wants to reconcile with her, however, Marie is torn about her feelings towards him, knowing she’ll be gone in three months. I did get kind of upset when I read that Marie had been voted out (ex-communicated) from her church by the higher ups twenty- three years ago when she left her Mennonite roots to marry a non-Mennonite truck driver that passes through her town. Her actions cause her father to shun her, and the entire community, with the exception of Henry, and her elderly Aunt Lisbeth, shunned her also after she left.

Henry Braun and Lisbeth share a close relationship: their love for Marie solidifies them and over the years, Marie writes to Aunt Lisbeth, telling her of her daughter’s “Kodak Moments”. Lisbeth reads these letters to Henry Braun. Henry is still hurt that Marie got married and left with the truck driver years ago, and he continues to love and pray for her over the years. When Lisbeth dies, she leaves her café to Marie’s daughter, Beth. However, in order for Beth to claim her inheritance, she must come and live in Sommerfield for three months before staking her claim on the café. Beth is determined to sell the business after her three months are up, eager to cash in on the selling price of the business. Marie returns with her daughter, helping to run the café during her three-month stay.

This book is the first in the Sommerfield series, and I’d be interested in reading the other titles in this series. My to-be-read pile is HUGE, so if/when I get around to purchasing these other titles, I’ll be sure to read them and post my thoughts.

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POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW:

On a personal note, this story stuck with me because, although Marie did renew her faith in God, she rejoined her old Mennonite church. I don’t think I could have re-joined the church which excommunicated me for falling in love with a non-Mennonite and marrying him. I’m not sure if this action is practiced within the Mennonite faith in general, or if it were only practiced at this particular congregation. It’s hard for me to comment further since I don’t know a whole lot about the Mennonite faith.


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Lemon Pound Cake!

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I made lemon pound cake yesterday! If you like pound cake, then you should really try this recipe! I can guarantee that you WON’T be disappointed. It’s one of my favorite cakes and I’ve been making it for years!

I’ve also copied and pasted the recipe below for those interested. The recipe is also in the link above!

OLD FASHIONED LEMON POUND CAKE

1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon

Grated rind of one lemon

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup evaporated milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar ½ cup at a time, creaming well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lemon extract, juice and rind. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir thoroughly after each addition. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. If cake is not done after 50-60 minutes, bake longer, until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes; remove from pans.

GLAZE:

Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Leave Your Email Address!

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I’ve FINALLY gotten around to drawing the names for the winners of my last book giveaway.

However the following novels are still up for grabs:

Listening To Her Heart by Joyce Livingston – A Heartsong Presents Title
What’s Cooking by Gail Sattler – An old Heartsong Presents Title
Margaret’s Quest by Muncy G. Chapman – An old Heartsong Presents Title

I had a hard time doing the drawing because hardly anybody left their email address!! I guess I need to stress that you need to leave an email addy each time I have a book giveaway! When you leave a comment through your blogger profile, chances are, the email address is NOT showing on your profile! Sometimes people have it set to show, but I’m finding a majority of the time when you access people’s blogger profiles, they don’t have an email address available, so then I’m stuck as to how to contact the winner.

After I get rid of these three books, I’ll contact the winners and do another book giveaway soon!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

What’s Cooking by Gail Sattler

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What’s Cooking by Gail Sattler
Publisher: Heartsong Presents

ISBN: 9781593105754

Binding: Mass Market

Pages: 176 pages

For those interested, I’m giving this book away.

From Heartsong Presents website:
When twenty-four-year-old Mitchell Farris signed up for an evening cooking class he wasn’t expecting to meet the woman of his dreams. Now, if he can just convince the teacher he’s the man of her dreams and that age doesn’t matter, he’ll be fine. Carolyn Rutherford is quickly approaching her thirty-third birthday and knows that the time to settle down is fast approaching, but with whom? She has a mental image of her ideal mate – and it’s not Mitchell Farris. Would the Lord call her to marry someone nine years her junior? Or will everyone just wonder what’s cooking? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents! ===============
This book was different because it had a conflict that I normally don’t see in many romance novels. The heroine is nine years older than the hero. Since Carolyn is nine years older than Mitch, and Mitch’s parents were teenagers when they had him, Carolyn ends up being closer to the age of Mitch’s parents than to Mitch.
Carolyn is 33 and Mitch is 24. Since she’s the high-school Home Ec teacher, some of Mitch’s friends are acquainted with Carolyn through their former high school years, which causes some conflict in the story.
Mitch meets Carolyn when he signs up for a cooking class. He’s desperate to learn adequate cooking skills because he wants to make food for the rehearsal dinner for his sister, who is going to wed Mitch’s best friend.
Mitch is immediately attracted to Carolyn, but their age difference makes them hesitant about pursuing a relationship. Carolyn is already involved with somebody who meets her criteria of a future mate. However, it takes her some time to admit that she’s in the wrong relationship.
I also love that the author talked about cooking and food, two of my favorite subjects!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Dairy Farm Pics

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A few days ago, I posted pics from the small family dairy farm that I visited in Cecil County Maryland. Here are the rest of the pics that I took. I wasn’t able to take more pics because I was too busy watching the farmer during the milking process, plus I asked him TONS of questions. I had a notebook with me, so I wrote down practically everything he said. Some people told me I should have had a video camera with me so that I could shoot the whole process and then I’d have his responses on film! I thought, not a bad idea! Maybe I’ll do that the next time I have a research trip, that is, if the person I’m interviewing doesn’t mind!

~Cecelia Dowdy~