Since I’m in between deadlines right now (finished content edits October 1, and haven’t received copy edits back yet) I’ve been getting up early in the morning and working on the story I blogged about here.
I’ve also been reading some great books lately! I recently finished Dance Into Destiny by Sherri Lewis! I plan on blogging about that novel soon!
Hubby and I went to Annapolis last night. I wanted to research some places that I used in my next novel, Bittersweet Memories. I used a tourist book about Maryland and Virginia to get the information about the places I’d used, also, I found information about the places on the internet. I also called the restaurants while I was writing the book if I had specific questions. I’d meant to visit Annapolis sooner, while I was writing the book, however, I didn’t have time! Now that I’ve visited, I’ve seen that my descriptions were pretty accurate. When I’m in the copyediting stage, I’m still allowed to make changes, and there are a few things I will be changing slightly.
Here’s the pics:
I have a scene take place at the Annapolis Ice Cream Company. They make their own ice cream, and they bake their pies and cobblers and smash them into the homemade ice cream! We had Blackberry Cobber ice cream! Yum!
Another shot of the Annapolis Ice Cream Company.
Inside the Annapolis Ice Cream Company!
Decorated plastic spoons at the Ice Cream Company. They even had decorated spoons for sale. However, these spoons are NOT to be used for eating!
Ships on the marina.
I have one scene that takes place at The Rockfish.
I have one scene that takes place at Carrol’s Creek Cafe. Great food! Don’t let the name fool you, though. Carrol’s Creek is NOT a cafe-style place. It’s a pretty upscale restaurant, and the food is great!
People dining outside at Carrol’s Creek. This restaurant is located right beside the marina. You can watch the ships on the water while you dine!
Another shot of the Annapolis Ice Cream Company.
Hope you enjoyed my pics! We had a lovely time in Annapolis last night!
A Time To Dance by Karen Kingsbury
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 11, 2008) – (I believe this is the re-released version)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595546200
ISBN-13: 978-1595546203
From Amazon.com:
Product Description
They celebrated their love with a dance. But will it end in divorce?
John and Abby Reynolds were the perfect couple, sharing a love born of childhood friendship and deep family ties. They are envied by their friends, cherished by their children, admired by their peers. But John and Abbey are about to lose it all. On the verge of having an affair, John is no more the man Abby married than she is the long-ago girl of his dreams. They are strangers whose days of dancing seem gone forever.
They gather their three children to announce their plans, but before they can speak, their daughter makes an announcement of her own; she’s getting married in the summer.
Abby and John determine not to ruin their daughter’s season of happiness, but as the wedding nears they are haunted by questions. Is the decision they’ve made irreversible? Are there times when marriage–even the marriage between two people of faith–is truly beyond repair? And is it possible, alone in the moonlight on an old wooden pier, to once more find…a time to dance?
Discover the resiliency of boundless love, the power of commitment, and the amazing faithfulness of God in A Time to Dance.
==
Although I enjoyed this book, I liked Kingsbury’s A Moment Of Weakness and When Joy Came To Stay better.
John and Abby Reynolds have a perfect, storybook marriage. They have three kids and both of them are believers in Christ. However, when life gets in the way, and they start spending time apart, too weary to make time for each other, they start having marital problems. John’s coworker, Charlene, is anxious to start a relationship with him. John tries his best to resist, but when Abby spends more time holed up in her office writing, corresponding with her editor online, he feels that their relationship has taken a turn for the worse. John pacifies Charlene, stating that he and Abby will be getting a divorce, making the announcement after their daughter’s marriage. Charlene’s behavior was very irritating throughout the story, and I felt John should have made more of an effort to resist Charlene, especially when she’s bold enough to call his house!
Abby also makes matters worse when she entertains the idea of starting a relationship with her editor. She feels threatened by John’s feelings for Charlene, however, she is guilty of accusing John of things he’s never done.
The story gives lots of flashbacks with backstory as to how John and Charlene met, and when they fell in love. A Moment Of Weakness is a great example of how a couple can overcome problems as long as they trust in the Lord and honor Him.
~Cecelia Dowdy~
The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (October 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597895245
ISBN-13: 978-1597895248
From the back cover:
When a $25,000 night deposit mysteriously disappears from the Clark County Savings and Loan, Annie Peterson has reason to be concerned and to assume the role of amateur sleuth. Her husband’s job at the bank makes him a potential suspect, but knowing him to be a godly man, she can’t imagine it. Then again, there is that matter of the weddings to factor in. Twin daughters Brandi and Candy have just received proposals and two weddings are pending. Sure, Warren occasionally jokes about robbing the bank to pay for the ceremonies, but Annie knows him better than that. . .doesn’t she?
Just about the time Annie thinks she can wriggle Warren off the suspect hoook, he shows up with enough cash to cover the cost of both weddings.
Annie dives into the investigation, and the suspects pile up. One by one they fall, leaving her with only one logical choice. Who will it be: a somber-faced loan officer, a security guard with a shady past, a drifter with local ties – or the man she loves.==
This cozy mystery was a fun read. Especially as you see Annie sign up on the internet for a mystery-solvers course, she gathers advice on how to search for clues to solve her crime. She finds herself befriending the young security guard (a young single mother) at the bank, while suspecting her of stealing the $25,000 from the night deposit drop-off box. She also suspects her own husband since he shows up with $25,000 cash to pay for their twin daughters weddings, with no explanation as to where he obtained the funds.
Then there’s the saddened bank loan officer. His wife is dying and she needs urgent medical treatment. Would he do anything to save his wife’s life? She also suspects a caterer who handles money in a not-so-ordinary way, and the caterer’s troubled teen-aged son, who ran away from home, but returns to make amends with his family.
Annie’s sleuthing takes her back to the scene of the crime, and all the way to Amish territory. As the list of suspects gets longer, you’ll be drawn into the story, wanting to solve Annie’s case.
I’m giving away the following novels this month! You know the drill, if you want any of these titles, simply leave a comment with the name of the title(s) you’re interested in as well as your email address:
John’s Quest by Cecelia Dowdy
Here is the book summary from Heartsong Presents website:
It’s amazing how quickly life can change. Overnight, Monica Crawford finds her neatly organized world turned upside down. Her sister abandons her blind son, Scotty, leaving him on Monica’s doorstep. Caring for a handicapped child brings unexpected conflict-but unexpected joy as well. When John French volunteers to tutor Scotty, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Monica. But John and Monica are very different. She is a strong believer, determined to live her life for Christ. John is an agnostic who wants nothing to do with God.Will John see the light? Will Monica realize that sometimes letting go of a dream is the way to achieve it? Only in full surrender will either of them be happy- whether they end up together or alone.
I’m giving away these three Heartsongs as a set:
1.The Greatest Find by Paige Winship Dooly
2.
Seneca Shadows by LauraLee Bliss
From Heartsong Presents website:
Lucy Bland has lived a simple, peaceful life, far from the battlefields of World War II. But during the summer of 1943, military men come to train on her beloved Seneca Rocks. With their intrusion, her life changes abruptly – especially when the handsome U.S. Army Captain Nick Landers captures her heart. Captain Nick Landers, of the Mountain Training Group, has been assigned to Teach soldiers rock climbing techniques. Soon after he arrives in the backcountry of West Virginia, Nick discovers that overcoming internal obstacles is as challenging as scaling a jagged cliff face. With his next assignment, Nick must move on from Seneca Rocks and from Lucy. If he returns, will she be waiting? And will she still love him, even if he’s been changed by war?
3.
In Pursuit Of Peace by Jennifer Johnson
From Heartsong Presents website:
Lydia feels like a failure. With a multitude of jobs and college courses under her belt, Lydia knows it’s time to make something of her life. But everything she tries fails. As a new Christian, Lydia is intrigued with the idea that God has a specific plan for her, but it sure would be nice if He’d reveal it! Gideon Andrews, on the other hand, was living a nice, well-organized life. Then his mom moved in and a friend started pressuring him to marry his widowed daughter. But even that was manageable-until he met Lydia. Suddenly, his world turns upside down. He feels bound by duty and pity to Maria but cannot get the irresistible Lydia out of his heart and mind. Will Gideon learn the difference Between responsibility and love before it’s too late? Will Lydia realize that pleasing God is all she needs?
With This Child by Sally Carleen – please note that this is a sweet romance, it’s not an inspirational title. You’ll need to read the last paragraph of the above-referenced link to see a description of this title.
I’m giving away these two Heartsong Presents Mysteries as a set:
1.Fog Over Finny’s Nose by Dana Mentink
From the back cover:
For vermiculturist Ruth Budge the worm business is thriving…until a disembodied toe turns up on the golf course, and members of a strange cult begin to infiltrate the quiet seaside town of Finny, California.
Life is already crazy for forty-seven-year-old Ruth, juggling the needs of her worm farm, her new spouse, and a platoon of crippled seabirds bequeathed to her by her dead husband. Then there’s the insanity swirling around the first ever Finny Fog Festival and the discovery of a bizarre diary from one of the town’s seediest ancestors.
Things go from misty to murderous as a man plummets to his death from an exploding hot air ballooon. Is the craziness a byproduct of the festival or a decades-old curse unearthed in the antique diary? Ruth had better find out fast or her worms won’t be the only things six feet under.
2.Recipe For Murder by Lisa Harris
Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner
The Quest by Nancy Moser
Sanctuary by Molly Noble Bull
from Amazon.com
Product Description
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalms 91 1 By 1740 hatred and persecution that so blackened France in an earlier era has almost vanished from the land. Rachel Levin, a Jewess pretending to be a Christian and secretly engaged, feels safe. But when her fiance and her parents are murdered by a vicious French army captain, Rachel fears for her life. She flees her village with a young Huguenot, Pierre Dupre, and Rachel and Pierre take refuge in a church. Dressed as a nun and a monk, all goes well until the captain who killed her loved ones arrives. Captain Vallae is rich and powerful. He wants Rachel as his mistress, or he wants her dead. After the captain leaves, Rachel and Pierre agree to a marriage of convenience and manage to escape. Furious that Rachel refused his advances, Captain Vallae demands revenge. Will Rachel and Pierre reach Scotland in time? Or will the captain make good on his threat to end their lives on an English countryside?
Forbes posted this article recently. To sum it up, here are the five best-paid authors in the world:
1. J.K. Rowling
2. James Patterson
3. Stephen King
4. Tom Clancy
5. Danielle Steele
Just thought it was an interesting list.
Blue Heart Blessed by Susan Meissner
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736919171
ISBN-13: 978-0736919173
From Amazon.com
Product Description
In this moving new novel by critically acclaimed author Susan Meissner, readers will once again delight in the masterful storytelling that resulted in the author’s A Window to the World (2005) being named among the top ten Christian novels of the year by Booklist Magazine.
Left standing at the altar, Daisy Murien, a wounded but hopeful romantic, opens a secondhand wedding dress boutique, hoping to soothe her broken heart while giving doomed wedding dresses a second chance at love. Her predictable days take a sharp turn, though, when the retired Episcopal priest who blesses the tiny, blue satin heart she sews into each dress falls ill. When the priest’s brooding and recently divorced son arrives with plans to take his ailing father away, a contest of wills begins between two stubborn—and hurting—souls. While fighting to keep Father Laurent close by, Daisy finally begins to understand why she has routinely convinced potential buyers not to buy the one gown that started her business—her own: She doesn’t want to give up on the dream of a fairytale romance.
This compelling story is about the magnificence of unconditional love and God’s impeccable timing in bringing it about.==
I loved this book! I thought it was much better than the mystery I read by the same author entitled Sticks and Stones. It was a fairly quick read, and I could really sympathize with Daisy being nearly stood up at the altar by her ex. To heal her aching spirit, she opens up a bridal shop, selling used wedding gowns. Her store is set up in a renovated hotel, and the rooms have been converted into apartments. The tenants include Daisy’s widowed mother and Daisy’s widowed aunt, both whom assist her in running her shop. When the anniversary of Daisy’s breakup with her ex-fiancé looms, she finds herself feeling depressed, especially since she can’t find the courage to sell her wedding dress.
The tenants of her apartment complex are like an extended family to Daisy. Max, her magician childhood friend, is there help her through the rough times. Retired priest Father Laurent, another tenant, blesses the blue hearts that Daisy sews into the wedding dresses she sells at the shop. Since Daisy’s father is dead, she finds that Father Laurent is a sympathetic substitute father. She goes to him for advice, and he doles it out, in his loving, heartfelt manner.
When Father Laurent falls ill, Daisy’s world turns upside down when Ramsey, Father Laurent’s son, returns to care for his dad. Daisy finds herself smitten with the brooding man, and she wonders if they can ever settle their differences and learn to get along. Meanwhile Father Laurent continues to give advice: Daisy should not focus on earthly love, but on the heavenly love of Jesus.
Here are the winners for my September Book Giveway!
John’s Quest by Cecelia Dowdy – Lura Langenback of Cherokee Village, Arkansas
White As Snow by Janice A. Thompson and In Pursuit Of Peace by Jennifer Johnson – Ruth Curcuru of Kenner LA
Unforgivable by Tina Wainscott – Michele Pineda of Waterville, ME
Gunfight At Grace Gulch by Darlene Franklin and A Suspicion Of Strawberries by Lynette Sowell – J. Hebert of Hampton, NH
Farther Than I Meant To Go Longer Than I Meant To Stay by Tiffany L. Warren – K. Powers of Hoschton GA
Beach Dreams by Trish Perry – Carol Ezovski of San Jose, CA
The Whitney Chronicles by Judy Baer – Abi Buening of Grand Forks, ND
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down by Neta Jackson – Alyce Reese of Independence, OR
I will be posting the books for my October Book Giveaway sometime within the next few days.
I’ve been tagged by Robin Bayne to tell six book related things about myself.
1. I’m a book addict. I have more books in my house than I’ll probably ever read in my lifetime. In spite of this, I still purchase books every month!
2. As a child, Laura Ingalls Wilder was one of my favorite authors.
3. Currently, about 90% of the books I read each year are Christian Fiction titles.
4. While growing up, I obtained most of my reading material from the bookmobile that stopped through my neighborhood every two weeks.
5. I ALMOST NEVER read books more than once.
6. My love of writing stemmed from my love of books.
I’ll be participating in this event later this month. Feel free to come out and say hi if you get the chance. I’ll post a reminder later in the month!
(click on image to enlarge)
