Yearly Archives: 2011

Congratulations To The 2011 Christy Award Winners! :-)

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A heartfelt congrats goes to all of the 2011 Christy Award winners! Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think about them? I see many wonderfully fine authors on the list! You can view a full list of the nominees here.
~Cecelia Dowdy~

Contemporary Romance

Sworn to Protect
by DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House Publishers)

Contemporary Series, Sequels, and Novellas/
The Reluctant Prophet
by Nancy Rue (David C. Cook)

Contemporary Standalone/

Almost Heaven
by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House Publishers)

First Novel/

Heartless
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical/

While We’re Far Apart
by Lynn Austin (Bethany House Publishers,
a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance/

The Girl in the Gatehouse
by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Suspense/

The Bishop
by Steven James (Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Visionary/

To Darkness Fled
by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press)

Young Adult/

Motorcycles, Sushi, and One
Strange Book
by Nancy Rue (Zondervan)

The Blessed By Ann H. Gabhart

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The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart

This book is about Lacey – a motherless woman who came to live with a preacher and his wife as a youngster. After her father re-married, her new stepmother didn’t want her living with them. Lacey has a strange relationship with her new “parents” and as an adult, her and the preacher seldom speak, but she’s extremely close to Miss Mona, the preacher’s wife. Miss Mona is kind and she teaches Lacey a lot about faith and Christianity. Lacey’s life changes for the worse when Miss Mona dies, leaving 20-year-old Lacey and Rachel (an abandoned baby who was left in a box on their doorstep a few years ago). Now Lacey feels forced to marry the preacher – who’s old enough to be her grandfather, since the church ladies believe it’s sinful for her to be living with the preacher as an unmarried woman. When the preacher is sucked into the peaceful, cult-like Shaker community, Lacey and Rachel feel they must live with the Shakers, too.

Also, Isaac, another “worldly” person, is part of the Shaker community. His wife died and he feels guilty for her death. The Shakers take him in and he finds himself attracted to Lacey.

I enjoyed this book, but, as I said in previous reviews, the Shakers still left me with an unsettled feeling, with their strange unBiblical beliefs. One of the Shaker characters kept “seeing” angels and she danced with them in the field and her Shaker brothers/sisters were mesmerized and amazed by her “angelic” ability. I sensed that this book did portray an accurate picture of the Shaker way of life and showed how hard, almost impossible it would be to convert to their way of life. This is a great read if you want to find out more about the Shakers and about how difficult it is to fall in love amidst ones that feel marriage is a sin. I thought the characters were well-developed and the story was enjoyable.

The author also did an awesome job in showing the love between a mother and her child. The Shakers don’t believe in families – everybody is a brother and sister to one another. Families are separated – for a mother to be separated from her child…well, just kind of hard to deal with and Ann really did a great job showing these familial-bond emotions.

Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy of this novel.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Sunday Brunch! – Should Christians Practice Magic?

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Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos

Should Christians dabble with magic?

I know some think that magic is harmless, but, the Bible clearly speaks against sorcery, witchcraft and magic (I’ve noticed the Bible uses these terms somewhat interchangeably at times).
I wanted to talk about a man named Simon who’s mentioned in the book of Acts. He was a magician/sorcerer.

Everybody thought he was so great and people followed him – I’m even led to believe that some may have worshiped him. However, Philip came, proclaiming the word of God, Simon “believed” and was baptized. However, after Simon noted Peter and John laying their hands on the baptized, to give them the Holy Spirit, Simon offered them money, wanting them to show him how he could have that very same talent (bestowing of the Holy Spirit by the laying of his hands).

Peter blasted Simon for his disbelief about the gospel, telling him he needed to repent. Simon obviously didn’t accept the gospel with a believing and humble heart, he still had that magic rooted in him, and I don’t think he really let go of his love of sorcery.

I think sorcerers do have power, but that power doesn’t come from God. I don’t believe the Lord wants us to dabble with magic or sorcery.

I know some will argue and say a few card tricks are okay, but…I don’t know. Dabbling with any type of magic has always left me feeling a bit leery. Simon was great and people followed him, made me think: What, exactly, was Simon doing to gain such a following? I know he was doing magic, but, what exactly, did he do to gain that much power? Kind of scary when you think about it.

What do you think? Do you think it’s okay to dabble with harmless magic tricks, or do you think people should refuse to dabble at all? I’d be interested in hearing your responses.

I’ve copied and pasted the scripture from Acts that mentions Simon the Sorcerer. Also, I’ve been blogging about the early Christians and the book of Acts recently. You can see more posts about the early Christians here.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Acts 8:9-25 (NIV)

Simon the Sorcerer
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Upcoming Book Event In Baltimore – July 23, 2011

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The Women’s Ministry

Concord Baptist Church

Presents

Christian Fiction Author

Cecelia Dowdy

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Beginning @ 11:30 am

Book reading and signing

Light Reception

The featured book

Chesapeake Weddings

Books will be available for purchase for $8

________________________________________________________________________

Rhonda Yvette Parker, Event Chairperson

Minister Shayna Foster, Women’s Ministry Chair

Dr. Matthew L. Jones, Pastor

Concord Baptist Church

5204 Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21215

And these things we write, so that our joy may be complete. 1 John 1:4

Pen Pals! :-) – Have You Ever Had A Pen Pal?

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Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos

by Cecelia Dowdy

Does the title of this blog post bring back memories? Have you ever had pen pals? If so, do you remember their names and where they were from? How long did the writing relationship last?

Pen pals is a somehwat “archaic” term. The reason I say this is because with the advancement of the internet, I don’t think people write letters to one another anymore using pen, ink, envelope and stamp. When I was growing up, I believe my fascination with pen pals was one of the indications that I’d become a writer when I got older.

I recall reading the Archie Comic books and there was a list of people from which to choose pen pals listed in the book. Also, you could send in money to the comic book people and they’d mail you the address for a pen pal. I recall taping approximately 75 cents onto the order form and mailing it out to the comic book people. In return, I received pen pals.

I recall two of my pen pals quite well. One was named Karen G. (I won’t reveal the last name, but I remember it.) and she lived in Jacksonville, Florida. The other one was named Tammy K. and she lived in…Maine, Montana, Massachusetts? I only recall that Tammy’s home state started with a M. I exchanged pictures with both of them. Karen had short curly dark hair and Tammy had long brown straight hair. Sometimes, we’d exchange gifts. Tammy sent me a necklace once and it had a pendant in the shape of a chocolate ice cream cone! 🙂

I wrote to these girls for about a year or so? Then, the relationship just tapered off to nothing. The letters stopped suddenly and when I wrote, I finally received no response from either of them. I wonder where these ladies are today and if they even remember writing to me back in the seventies.

So, have you ever had pen pals? If so, do you remember their names and where they were from? How long did the writing relationship last?

Don’t forget to leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Congrats To Irene Hannon – RITA Award Winner

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Congrats to Irene Hannon for winning the RWA Rita Award in the Inspirational category! You can see a list of all of the Inspirational category nominees here. Here’s information about Irene’s winning title:

In Harm’s Way


by Irene Hannon

FBI special agent Nick Bradley has seen his share of kooks during his fifteen years with the Bureau. But Rachel Sutton is an enigma. She seems normal when she shows up at the FBI office in St. Louis–until she produces a tattered Raggedy Ann doll she found and tells him she thinks something is wrong because of a strange feeling of terror it gives her when she touches it. Nick dismisses her, only to stumble across a link between the doll and an abducted child, setting in motion a chain of events that uncovers startling connections–and puts Rachel’s life on the line.
Filled with palpable suspense and a touch of romance, In Harm’s Way is the final installment of the thrilling HEROES OF QUANTICO series.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Philip In Samaria – Acts 8:5-8

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Wow, so scary and amazing. Can you imagine Jesus giving you enough power to drive out evil spirits from the demon-possessed? Can you imagine being paralyzed and then healed? I wish I could’ve seen this happening. I’m sure sights of the healing and the exorcism of demons was something that one would always rmember. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you read this scripture?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

Chasing Sunsets By Eva Marie Everson

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Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson

This book was light and refreshing. Kimberly is recently divorced from her husband. Amid child-custody disputes, she finds herself alone for part of the summer. Kimberly’s father sends her to Cedar Key to find a new housekeeper to clean their summer home. This is the first time Kim has been to Cedar Key since the untimely death of her mother.

During her short visit, she become familiar with some of the locals:
1. Patsy – her elderly next door neighbor and Christian confidante
2. Kim meets a local photographer. Kim has given up photography years ago, and her visit to Cedar Key makes her long for her old hobby of shooting beautiful pictures.
3. Stephen – Kim’s high-school romance ended abruptly when Stephen got married to another woman, breaking things off with Kim. Now he’s back in the picture, divorced and the father of a college-aged daughter.
4. Rosa – Kim’s childhood best friend now treats Kim like a stranger. Kimberly has no idea why Rosa is giving her the cold shoulder – they were as close as two peas in a pod while growing up and now Rosa is a successful real estate agent. Kim wonders about Rosa’s frosty attitude.

Can Kim find it in her heart to forgive Stephen for the past? Also, can she open up her heart and learn to fall in love again?

I noticed the author always described what everybody was wearing using brand names and stuff. I’m not much into clothing and didn’t care much for reading about the brand names and color-schemes of sneakers and shirts and dresses. However, this didn’t take away from the story, and I can imagine that lots of other women would enjoy the detailed descriptions of everybody’s clothing.

Overall, I enjoyed this story as it shows how we can heal our past relationships and learn to lean on God for understanding. Kimberly learns that she can’t always control the actions of others, but needs to seek God’s will to make important decisions in her life.

Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing a free review copy of this novel.

~Cecelia Dowdy~
From the Back Cover
Sometimes you get a second chance at your first love

Kimberly Tucker’s life hasn’t turned out the way she thought it would. While her ex is living it up, she struggles to understand what went wrong. When her two sons end up spending five weeks of summer vacation with their father, Kim plans a respite at the family vacation home on tiny Cedar Key. As she revisits the long-forgotten past, she discovers that treasures in life are often buried, and sometimes you do get a second chance at love.

Let yourself get swept away to an island retreat of warm tropical breezes, sandy beaches, and the most glorious sunsets you can imagine.

Question From A Writer…

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I received the following questions from Tiara:
I have not actually written a book, but I have a wonderful idea in mind for a book. I love the Lord and Christian Fiction is definitely the way I would like to go. What must I do to get published. An associate of mine, recently sent her book to several different publishing companies. My only problem with that is, how do I know that a publishing company won’t steal my book and publish it as their own.

This question is somewhat open-ended. I’m not sure what types of companies where your friends are sending their work? I can only speak from my own experience. If you want to publish traditionally (meaning, submit your work to the large NY-type publishers) you’ll more than likely need a literary agent. Most traditional publishers won’t look at your work without having an agent. As far as length and content, you should be able to research the various Christian publishers online – go to their websites and look at their submission guidelines. This way, you’ll know about how long to make your stories via wordcount that’s given in the guidelines.

If you’re self-publishing (meaning you’re PAYING to have your work published) then I can’t advise about that because I’ve never done that before.

Your best bet would be to join ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). It’s a wonderful group with a wonderful writers’ loop. You can ask questions of other writers and you’ll be around like-minded individuals (both published and unpublished). ACFW is only good if you’re going the traditional route in publishing. Also, if going the traditional route, you’d need to decide whom would be the best publisher for your work. Who do you like to read? Which publisher out there, now, publishes the type of fiction that you’re writing? That’ll help you determine where your book will fit.

If you want to self-publish, then, I’m not sure which organization would work best on that front? If you do want to self-publish, I’d advise by starting out by doing an e-book first, because, from what I can gather from other authors, the e-book route doesn’t require a whole lot of money.

As far as stealing your work, that’s not something you should worry about. Your work is automatically copyrighted when you create it on your computer. If you should decide to self-publish and hire a company to print your books for you, then you’d need to register the copyright with the Library of Congress (I think. Again, this is not something that I normally do on my own.)

Also, you said you had a book idea but have not written it yet? You need to write the book! You should be working on this regularly. The above-mentioned advice is all moot unless you have your book written! So, start writing your book everyday and see how it goes from there. Hope you find my advice helpful!

Sincerely,
~Cecelia Dowdy~