Monthly Archives: August 2008

A Secular Title

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A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Mira (May 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778322955
ISBN-13: 978-0778322955
From Amazon.com
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Macomber revisits the cozy Seattle yarn store of 2004’s The Shop on Blossom Street in another heartfelt tale of crafts and camaraderie. After a slow beginning, this sequel clips along satisfyingly, as shop owner Lydia, a cancer survivor, and her no-nonsense sister, Margaret, meet three new and conveniently quite different friends and bond over the complications of life. Overweight, depressed teenager Courtney Pulanski has found herself plopped into a new town for her senior year, living with her grandma while her dad works in Brazil. Bethanne Hamlin, a recent divorcée, and Elise Beaumont, who’s been single for years, are both still suffering from their broken marriages. Serving as sounding boards and sources of endless support for each other, the women find friendship and, of course, resolution for their problems (the latter a little too easily). Readers will miss The Shop on Blossom Street’s spirited Jacqueline, who plays a minor role here, and a few things—like the character of Elise’s ex-husband, Maverick—strain credibility. But the author’s trademark warm treatment of the lives of women will satisfy her readers. Despite occasional draughts of treacle and a too-easy denouement, this should be another Macomber bestseller. (May)
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This is the first novel I’ve ever read by Debbie Macomber and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although this is not an inspirational title, it was sweet, for the most part, and I could see lovers of inspirational fiction enjoy this novel.
Courtney is still hurting over the death of her mother four years ago. When her father has to go out of the country to work, she is forced to move, spending her senior year in a new school. Her grandmother signs her up for a knitting class and she bonds with the older women.
Lydia has found comfort and solace by knitting. Knitting provided an outlet while fighting bouts of cancer. Now, cancer free, she wants to share her joy of knitting with others, so she opens a yarn shop. Her life changes when Brad, her current boyfriend, wants to give his relationship with his ex-wife another chance.
Bethanne’s husband has recently divorced her, and she’s left struggling to make a living for herself and her teenaged children. She discovers that she has untapped business skills which enable her to support herself, helping her to heal from her breakup.
Elise has yet to forgive her ex-husband for his gambling habit. Due to circumstances, the two abide together in their daughter’s home. After over thirty years of separation, they find that their attraction still sizzles.
All of these women find comfort with one another while knitting every week in Lydia’s shop, making socks for and sweaters for sweethearts as well as family members.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Some Of The Winners!

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Here are some of the winners for my last book giveaway:
Bygones by Kim Vogel Sawyer – Marla Alleman of Pierre Part, Louisiana

Tuesday Night At The Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas – Marla Alleman of Pierre Part, Louisiana and Martha Artyomenko of Kalispell, Mt

Ain’t No Mountain by Sharon Ewell Foster – Jenn Simpson of Ontario, Canada

The Visitation by Frank Peretti – Katherine Harms of Baltimore, MD


John’s Quest by Cecelia Dowdy – Bethany Goff of Chesaning, MI

I will probably be mailing the books off later this week.

I’ve already contacted the winners for the following novels, but have not received a response so far. If I don’t hear from the winners shortly, then I will choose other recipients:
The Ex Files and A Sin And A Shame
The Spinster Brides Of Cactus Corner
Married In A Month

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Prisoner’s Wife

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The Prisoner’s Wife by Susan Page Davis
Mass Market Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (June 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597894621
ISBN-13: 978-1597894623
Editorial Reviews
Note: The Prisoner’s Wife is now available in stores everywhere in the anthology, Maine Brides.

Product Description
Lucy lost Jack years ago. Jack Hunter’s father was a drunk and a criminal, and Lucy Hamblin’s father believed the apple lay near the tree. When her father forbade their love, Lucy buried her heart out of obedience, but she never stopped loving Jack. On a strange evening four years later, she’s summoned to the local jail. Jack has been accused of murder and has a request to make of Lucy. It appears Jack Hunter will hang in the morning, and to preserve his property and provide for the woman he loves, he asks Lucy to marry him. When his trial is postponed and ultimately dismissed, Jack has new worries: Lucy agreed to become a prisoner’s widow, not the wife of a man her father despised. Can Lucy and Jack accept he Lord’s miracle of preservation – of Jack’s life and reputation…and the love they believed they’d lost?
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I really enjoyed this historical Heartsong. The author did a great job of keeping the flow of the story, and she also had something exciting to happen in each chapter, forcing the reader to keep turning the pages. You really feel Jack’s pain spans several years. Lucy’s father never accepted that Jack would be good enough for his daughter, thwarting Jack’s plans to court her. However, when Jack is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, he marries Lucy, wanting her to gain the inheritance of all he’s acquired over the years. The plan takes a new twist, and when Jack is released, a strange series of thefts happen on the farm. Both Lucy’s and Jack’s faith is tested in this wonderful story!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Milk Money – The First Scene

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As mentioned yesterday, here is the first scene for Milk Money from my author galley. Enjoy!
Milk Money – A Barbour Heartsong Presents Title!
ISBN: 978-1-60260-255-7
Coming January 2009!

Chapter One (the first scene)

Dumbfounded, the accountant gazed at a cow giving birth. He dropped his briefcase when he saw the feet of the baby sticking out of the mother’s canal. A rope was looped around the legs of the young animal, and a brown-skinned woman pulled so hard that the muscles in her slender arms flexed. Her eyes squeezed shut while she grunted, reminding him of the noises people made when they bench-pressed weights.
She opened her eyes.

“Casey, hold on,” she cooed. When he watched the birth, his sour stomach worsened, and the bagel and cream cheese he’d managed to eat for breakfast felt like a dead weight in his belly. Her tears mingled with the sweat rolling down her face. She continued to pull and glanced in his direction. “Oh, thank God you came. Come and help me.”

A plethora of unfamiliar scents tingled his nose. He swallowed, losing his voice. What was he supposed to do? She continued to look at him, pulling on the rope periodically.

“I already left a message on your answering service that it was coming out backward.” Pushing the door open, he entered the room adjoining the barn, still hoping he wouldn’t throw up. She nodded toward the rope, still tugging. “With both of us pulling, maybe we’ll be able to get the calf out.”

“Okay.” He swallowed his nausea and pulled, mimicking the way he used to grunt when bench-pressing heavy weights. He followed her example, keeping tension on the rope and pulling each time the cow had a contraction. She grunted also, and their noises continued until the calf exited the birth canal minutes later. She dropped the rope, and he rushed behind her to look at the young animal. He touched the newborn,
awed by the birth. She glanced at him as she cleaned gunk off the calf ’s nose and mouth.

Her sigh filled the space when she noticed the animal was breathing. “Aren’t you going to examine the cow and calf?”

Before he could respond, a young man holding a large black plastic tote entered the pen. “This the Cooper farm?”

Confusion marred her face when she glanced at Frank. Then she focused on the new arrival. The newcomer rushed to the baby cow and began examining it. “I’m Dr. Lindsey’s son. I’m taking over my daddy’s practice this week since he’s on vacation. He told you that, didn’t he?”

She nodded, still looking confused. “I left a message on your answering service earlier.”

The vet grunted. “I was down the street at the horse farm helping out with another birth, so I couldn’t leave.”

“Are the cow and calf okay?”

“They both look fine.” He stopped his examination and looked at them. “I’m glad you had somebody helping you. You might not have gotten him out in time if you’d been pulling him on your own.” He pulled a tool out of his bag. “You have antibiotic on hand for the calf, right? If not, I’ve got some.”

The attractive woman nodded, her dark hair clinging to her sweaty neck as she promised the vet she would give the new calf the medicine. Frank watched, mesmerized by the whole process. A short time later, the newborn nursed from the mother. “Thank you, doctor,” said the woman, patting the man on the shoulder.

The doctor shook his head, placing his tools back into his bag. “Don’t thank me. You two got him out in time.” He told Emily he would send her the bill, and then he left the farm.

Emily glanced at Frank, as if taking in his khaki slacks and oxford shirt. Noticing his bloody hands, she beckoned him over to a room containing a sink and a large steel tank. After ripping off the long plastic gloves covering her hands and forearms
and dropping them into the trash can, she turned the water on, pumped out several squirts of soap, and washed. “I thought you were the vet,” she said, continuing to scrub her hands and forearms. “I’ve never met Dr. Lindsey’s son, so that’s why I
assumed you were him.” After rinsing, she pulled paper towels from a dispenser and gestured for Frank to use the sink.

Frank shrugged and walked to the sink, placing his hands under the running water. “Sorry. I helped you out, but I didn’t have any idea if I was doing it right. It’s probably good I showed up when I did. It looked like you’d been trying to help
that cow for a long time.”

She shook her head. “Cows are tough. They can be in labor for hours before giving birth. When you came, I’d just started pulling the calf out with the rope.” She continued to stare, frowning. “Well, if you’re not Dr. Lindsey’s son, then who are
you?”

He offered his recently washed hand, glad the nauseous feeling had evaporated from his stomach. “I’m Franklin Reese, Certified Public Accountant.”

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Comment About Book Giveaways…

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I just wanted to stress the importance of leaving your email addy when commenting for the book giveaways. I was trying to give the books away today, but had a hard time because a ton of people didn’t leave an email address where they could be reached. Also, even if you do have a blogger profile, your email addy is not always displayed for all viewers to see…I’ve already contacted some winners. Will contact the rest tomorrow.

I received the manuscript, Milk Money, from my publisher for final review. At this point, I’m not allowed to make any editorial changes, I can only point out things that are glaringly wrong (like misspellings for example) I will be posting the first scene from this novel on my blog within the next day or so.

~Cecelia Dowdy~