Author Archives: Cecelia Dowdy

Merry Christmas! What Was The Best Christmas Gift You Ever Received?

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Merry Christmas! This is the season of giving!

What was your favorite Christmas gift?

I’ve been busy, purchasing Christmas gifts for my son. Made me wonder about favorite Christmas gifts! Take a moment to answer the following question: What was the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

I’m wishing everyone a safe and blessed Christmas! During Christmas, remember Christ’s amazing birth!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

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Yes, There Really Is A Santa Claus! :-)

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I’m talking about Saint Nicholas! For some reason, I’ve always been fascinated with why we celebrate Christmas. I’m not sure if it’s because I never celebrated as a child – or, some other reason!

Since it’s Christmas, I thought it’d be fun to share some Saint Nicholas facts.

1. Very little is known about the real Saint Nicholas.

2. He was born in Asia-Minor – which is now modern-day Turkey – in the third century.

3. He was the Bishop of Myra in the fourth century.

4. He attended the First Council of Nicaea.

5. Most stories about Saint Nicholas are legends – his being a secret gift-giver stemmed from the legend of his secretly leaving dowries for a poor widower’s daughters.

6. The beginning of Saint Nicholas becoming our modern-day Santa Claus happened in New York around 1804. Saint Nicolas became our modern-day Santa Claus via a series of New York events:

7. A man named John Pintard met with New York leaders to establish the New York Historical Society. The Historical Society members celebrated the early Dutch-roots heritage of New York by having an annual dinner on December 6th: Saint Nicholas Day.

8. Washington Irving, Pintard’s brother-in-law and a member of the Historical Society, wrote A History Of New York under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerboker. A History of New York mentioned Saint Nicholas several times, further popularizing him.

9. Clement Moore, another member of the Historical Society, had his poem, The Night Before Christmas, published anonymously in the New York Sentinel in 1823, further popularized Saint Nicholas’s character. ***An ongoing debate is the authorship of this poem – either Clement Moore or Henry Livingston was the author.

10. The popularity of this poem gave Saint Nicholas great influence on how we know him today. It was the first widely accepted reference to Saint Nicholas having reindeer and driving a sleigh.

***Prior to this most of Santa’s characteristics were believed to be derived from Odin, a Germanic God.  Odin traveled through the air on a six-legged horse as part of the ghostly Wild Hunt. Odin also had a long white beard, and he visited people, bearing gifts.

Also, The Night Before Christmas gave names to Saint Nicholas’s reindeer. This poem proved significant in developing the modern image of Nicholas’s physical appearance, too – he no longer appeared as a bishop, wearing bishop’s clothing. He now was a red-cheeked jolly man. In this poem, Saint Nicholas made his visit on Christmas Eve – moving his “day” from December 6th (Saint Nicholas Day) to December 24th.

11. Thomas Nast – A New Yorker who was a cartoonist and illustrator at Harper’s Weekly. His drawings had a vast influence on the popularity of Santa Claus. His drawings established the following Santa Claus traits:

Nast’s drawings established Santa as a toymaker living in the North Pole with his elves as assistants. He also established Santa receiving letters from kids as well as kids leaving snacks out for Santa to enjoy. He also showed Santa with his giant book with the names of children.

12. Francis Church, a journalist, answered an editorial letter from a little girl named Virginia O’Hanlon. She wanted to know if there was a Santa Claus and his response was printed in the New York Sun. It was reprinted and embraced by the public each year until The Sun went out of business.

13. Haddon Sundblom – an artist, drew drawings every year for Coca-Cola, further popularizing Santa Claus.

So, there you have it! Those are the main reasons why third-century-born Saint Nicholas became our modern-day Santa Claus!

Can you recommend any books about Christmas or Santa Claus traditions?

I’ve read a few over the years and the two that I enjoyed the most were:

Christmas – A Candid History

The Battle For Christmas

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

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Should Women Be Silent In The Church?

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1 Corinthians 14:34-35

34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

What is the meaning of that scripture?

If you take it literally, then a woman should not open her mouth when she enters a church. She cannot say “hello” or “How are you?” when she enters a church. This scripture also implies that women should not question anything in the church – but to glean the answers to their questions from their husbands at home.

I was taught that this scripture implied that women were not allowed to be clergymen – however, that’s not what the Apostle Paul says.

Were you ever shown this scripture as a child or as an adult – in Sunday school or Bible class? How was this scripture interpreted by your church/teacher/Bible person?

Share your thoughts!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

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An Amish Miracle

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An Amish Miracle by Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid, and Mary Ellis

Have you ever dealt with weight or body-image issues? Were you ever teased because of your weight?

In Always Beautiful, Becky Byler has always been fat, and she painfully recalls being teased by her peers. She stands in front of a rushing river, ready to dive in to take her own life, when, she suddenly prays to God for a miracle – she wants to be thin and beautiful. Her wish is granted, but, Becky’s life changes. Matt, a good-looking, well-liked young man in her community asks her out! Becky has admired Matt from afar, but, in the past, she’s kept to herself because she doesn’t want to face ridicule about her weight.

However, Becky’s best friend, Elam, is stunned about how much she’s changed. Why is she seeing Matt – after all Becky and Elam have always been best friends, and their friendship could easily turn into something more.

Out of the three stories in this collection, I enjoyed this one the most. I think it’s because it dealt with an overweight main character – I seldom see this in Christian fiction.

The second novella, Always His Providence, is about Rosa – a barren Amish widow woman. She’s desperately trying to make more money to pay the back taxes on her land – her deceased husband did not keep up with the tax payments and now Rosa could lose her farm. Adam, her next door neighbor and her husband’s best friend, vowed that he’d take care of Rosa after her husband died. Rosa’s husband, Uriah, saved Adam’s life and Adam feels indebted to Uriah’s widow, Rosa.

I enjoyed this story because I loved reading about the attraction between Adam and Rosa. Adam is scarred by the fire that took Uriah’s life. I also loved reading about Rosa’s chickens! Rosa sells eggs and the chickens’ egg-laying habits provide a unique twist to the story.

The first story, Always in My Heart, is about Hope. She’s blessed with several daughters, however, she wonders if her traumatic past is causing her to be son-less. Hope and her husband are almost desperate to have a male offspring, but, Hope keeps giving birth to girls. She thinks about that dark, traumatic night, and the decision she was forced to make afterwards. She’s never shared her experience with her husband, and she struggles, wondering what her husband would say if he knew. She also wonders if there’s anything she can do to ensure she has a male child in the future.

This story takes on an interesting twist as Hope receives a totally unexpected answer to her prayer. I liked this story, for the most part. Hope and her husband receive a totally unexpected interesting visitor which provides the story with a unique and interesting twist.

So, have you ever dealt with weight or body-image issues? Were you ever teased because of your weight? What did you do about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My romance collection is on sale for 99 cents each.

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311 Pelican Court – Book #3 – Cedar Cove Series by Debbie Macomber

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311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever been through a divorce? If you had children, how was custody handled?

This was book 3 in the famous Cedar Cove series. This novel focused on Zach and Rosie Cox. They get  a divorce and Judge Olivia makes an interesting custody agreement – instead of uprooting their children from their home, Zach and Rosie will need to share the house. Each parent must spend half of their week in the home, the other half in an apartment. This proves a weird arrangement and forces Zach and Rosie to re-think their marriage.

Zach and Rosie also have to deal with behavioral problems with their children.

Grace Sherman has a new love interest – Olivia’s brother (Will). She corresponds with Olivia’s brother over the internet, anxiously awaiting to meet him. She hears that he’s getting a divorce, so, possibly, she can begin dating him. A long-distance relationship, Grace finds herself anxious, addicted to her correspondence with Will. She also continues to sporadically date Cliff, an acquaintance who lives outside of town.

Mary Ellen struggles with single motherhood, locking Jon Bowman, the father of her baby, out of her life.

This series reminds me of a soap opera – a chaste soap opera. I enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to reading more novels in the Cedar Cove Series. I love the small town – the scenery and the characters are so realistic and they’re facing problems that many of us have suffered in our own lives.

Have you ever been through a divorce? If you had children, how was custody handled?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

An Amish Miracle Book Giveaway!

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***This giveaway is over!! Winner was announced on An Amish Miracle blog post!

I’m giving away a copy of An Amish Miracle (I’ll be reviewing this book within the next few days). You must follow the rules to enter!!

To enter you must:

1. LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES – The publisher won’t ship internationally!

2. Leave your email address when you comment – I need to be able to contact you if you win.

3. You must read Ruth Reid’s interview and comment about something in the interview! I’m doing this to ensure you’ve read the interview.

Interview with Ruth Reid – Author of the novella Always His Providence in An Amish Miracle story collection:

1.        You found your agent through Writers’ Digest magazine, and after you signed with her, you received a contract for your novel. Did you have any writer friends or were you a member of any writers’ organizations that helped you with your publication journey?

I connected with writing friends after I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers on the advice of my agent. I’m so thankful she told me about the group. ACFW is a great on-line community where you can get advice from seasoned authors as well as join critique groups and work chapter by chapter with fellow writers. Now, I not only have wonderful writing friends who share the love of storytelling, I have prayer partners, who have prayed me through some tough times.

2.        Do you have any advice to share with writers who wish to become published?

I’ll pass along my agent’s advice: Join a writing community either locally or on-line and get into a critique group. I would also add, write every day. In order to stay close to your characters, you need to spend time with them every day.

3.        Tell me about your typical writing day.

My writing day isn’t typical at all. I work the night shift seven days on, then have seven days off. My writing time might be during the day or in the middle of the night when my family is sleeping. A few things I do are set a word count goal and not stop writing unless I know where to start the following day. By knowing where to begin, I don’t spend much time staring at a blank screen, and by the time I have to figure out the next scene, I’m already warmed up.

4.        Your interest in the Amish grew from living near them in a Michigan community. Have you ever visited any other Amish communities?

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Lancaster County in PA and Holmes County in OH. One of my favorite memories from those visits was when I stayed in a garage apartment of an ex-Amish turned Mennonite family’s home.

5.        Do you think you might publish a non-Amish novel someday?

I’m willing to write whatever God lays on my heart. He blessed me by opening the door to write Amish, and I am so grateful!

6.        I noticed you purchased a dog after you graduated from pharmacy school. Do you currently have a pet?

We have two dogs. Zyvox is a lazy Weimaraner, and Lady Bird is a spastic Jack Russell.

Thanks much to Ruth Reid for letting me interview her on my blog!

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An Amish Miracle:

Always Beautiful by Beth Wiseman

Becky Byler is eighteen and overweight. She is overwhelmed by the embarrassment she feels when comparing herself to other girls her age. Having lost all hope, she considers taking her own life. As she stands before rushing water, unable to swim, Becky begs God for a miracle. In just several months, Becky sees her prayers answered as food and temptation lose their hold over her. She s finally pleased with how she looks, but does she like the person she has become? And has the man she has dreamed of been right beside her all along, loving her exactly as she is?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid

Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She s prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn t willing to request money from the community s widow fund. She s embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbor.

Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She s hidden this secret from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends her isn t a new baby but the fifteen-year-old boy she gave up years ago.

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204 Rosewood Lane – Cedar Cove Book #2

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204 Rosewood Lane PODCAST

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy sweet chaste novels such as 204 Rosewood Lane then you must read Rocky Road Dreams by Cecelia Dowdy. Rocky Road Dreams is about Kyle, a lawyer who is an alcoholic who recently fell off the wagon. He’s now back on the wagon, wanting to straighten out his messed up life. He rents a beach house for Christmas – right across the street from Melanie, a woman he’s known since he was a child. When he and Melanie were kids, he had a big crush on her – but Melanie was always smitten with Kyle’s identical twin brother Keith.

Can a Christmas road trip, some homemade candy, and some soul searching bring these two young lovebirds together? Rocky Road Dreams has a hint of mystery, too. This story will become a Christmas favorite that you’ll want to read each year for the holidays. Tell your friends by sharing this blog post or my clicking on the link at the end. Now, let’s discuss 204 Rosewood Lane.

204 Rosewood Lane – This is book #2 in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove Series.

Have you ever had a friend or loved one to be missing? What happened? Was he/she ever found?

This was a quick, fun read with an interesting cast of characters. The story of Grace Sherman is continued in this novel. Grace’s husband, Dan, has gone missing, after 35 years of marriage. Grace is convinced that Dan is having an affair – all of the evidence points to that fact. She wants to divorce him. However, she’s still legally married, and still emotionally attached to her husband. When Cliff, Grace’s new love interest, wants to date Grace, she hesitates, not sure if she’s ready to date.

To top it all off, her daughter Kelly is a new mom and her daughter Mary Ellen has been secretly dating. Mary Ellen’s quiet, single life is soon shattered when she meets a man to whom she’s attracted – Jon Bowman. Jon is a master chef and a great photographer.

You’ll also see Olivia, the judge from book one, and her love-interest, Jack. You’ll also get a glimpse of the lives of Olivia’s children. Plus, Olivia’s ex-husband is in the picture, too.

I enjoyed this book, but, it reads more like a script instead of a novel. There are a lot of characters, but, I had no problem keeping them straight in my mind.

Have you ever had a friend or loved one to be missing? What happened? Was he/she ever found?

The events in 204 Rosewood Lane are featured on The Hallmark Series Cedar Cove.

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy sweet chaste novels such as 204 Rosewood Lane then you must read Rocky Road Dreams by Cecelia Dowdy. Rocky Road Dreams is about Kyle, a lawyer who is an alcoholic who recently fell off the wagon. He’s now back on the wagon, wanting to straighten out his messed up life. He rents a beach house for Christmas – right across the street from Melanie, a woman he’s known since he was a child. When he and Melanie were kids, he had a big crush on her – but Melanie was always smitten with Kyle’s identical twin brother Keith.

Can a Christmas road trip, some homemade candy, and some soul searching bring these two young lovebirds together? Rocky Road Dreams has a hint of mystery, too. This story will become a Christmas favorite that you’ll want to read each year for the holidays. Tell your friends by sharing this blog post or my clicking on the link at the end.

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber – Book #1 – Cedar Cove Series

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16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

Do you/have you had a loved one in the military? How has the military affected your life?

16 Lighthouse Road is book #1 in the famous Cedar Cove series. Cedar Cove series is a secular series, and I chose to read these books because so many people have been gushing about how wonderful the Cedar Cove series is on the Hallmark Channel. I have not seen the TV series, though.

Cecilia and Ian Randall have not even been married for a year. During that time, they’ve been mostly separated because of Ian’s Navy duties. Cecilia gave birth their baby daughter, who died, and Ian was not there to help her through her grief. Due to no fault of his own, Ian didn’t know about the premature birth and death of their baby, but Cecilia blames him for not supporting her. Now, Cecilia wants to divorce him.

Judge Olivia Lockhart has been divorced for fifteen years, and she’s falling for Jack, the new newspaper editor. He’s funny and thoughtful, but, she finds that Jack is somewhat secretive. Olivia has a son who drowned several years ago and she still thinks about his all the time. She’s also worried about her 28-year-old daughter, Justine, who is dating a rich man who is ten years her senior.

There’s also Charlotte, Olivia’s mother. Charlotte is active in the senior citizen’s group and she befriends a kind, mysterious man named Tom. Tom has some shocking secrets about his past.

There’s Grace, Olivia’s best friend. Grace and her husband, Dan, are having marital problems. Why is Dan so distant? Does he no longer love her?

This was an interesting book with a large cast of characters. I noticed the military played a big role in the story. Military duties greatly affected Cecilia and Ian’s lives, making you wonder if the commanders in the military are fit to make familial decisions for their subordinates.

I enjoyed reading about all of the characters and I can understand why this was made into a series. The story was told by at least six points of view, which made it interesting. The few times I’ve read novels with this many POVs, I usually had a hard time keeping the people straight. But, I didn’t have that problem with this novel.

I enjoyed the Cedar Cove setting because it was refreshing. Cedar Cove is a small waterfront town and many of the inhabitants know one another. I enjoy reading small town stories where people care about one another.

Do you/have you had a loved one in the military? How has the military affected your life?

Like Cedar Cove? Read The Candy Beach Series! Fresh, chaste, emotional romance novels that you will always remember. On Kindle & KU!

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~Cecelia Dowdy~

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All I Want For Christmas Is You – A Secular Romance

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***Free secular Kindle book!

All I Want For Christmas by Lisa Mondello

Have you ever been abandoned by your family?

Lauren’s six-year-old daughter (Kristen) asks Santa for a Christmas present – a daddy. When the millionaire/mall-owner, Kyle – dressed as Santa, spots Lauren for the first time – he’s smitten. He attempts to assist stubborn, proud, Lauren when her car breaks down – but she refuses his help. After all, she’s been alone since her parents tossed her out of their home when she got pregnant in high school. Alone since then, she’s learned to make it on her own, and she doesn’t have the time or desire to get involved with Kyle. It doesn’t matter that Kyle is good-looking, thoughtful, and gets along great with her daughter.

Although Lauren resists his attention, Kyle doesn’t give up. Realizing that Lauren was abandoned as a teen, Kyle can relate to that feeling because he’s been abandoned too.

This book was heartwarming, and shows how two broken people attempt to overcome obstacles before they’re free to love one another.

Have you ever felt abandoned by your family? What happened? Did you ever resolve your differences?