I’m on vacation this week! I still plan on blogging if I feel like it!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Join me, as well as several other authors at a HUGE signing at the Mall of America!

ACFW booksigning
127 Christian novelists
Location: Best Buy and Sears Rotundas and connecting hallway, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
When: Saturday, September 20, 2008
1-3 p.m.
Participating Authors:
Tamera Alexander

Jennifer AlLee

A.K. Arenz

Diane Ashley

Karen Ball

Janet Lee Barton

James Scott Bell

Joseph Bentz

Terri Blackstock

Robin Caroll

Patricia PacJac Carroll

Jeanie Smith Cash

Eleanor Clark

Debra Clopton

Gloria Clover

Brandilyn Collins

Mary Connealy

Lyn Cote

Kathryn Cushman

Margaret Daley

KM Daughters

Susan Page Davis

Mary Davis

Janet Dean

Megan DiMaria

Brandt Dodson

Lena Nelson Dooley

Cecelia Dowdy

Sharon Dunn

Wanda Dyson

Lynette Eason

Meredith Efken

Leanna Ellis

Sharon Ewell Foster

Miralee Ferrell

Tina Ann Forkner

Darlene Franklin

Jonathan Friesen

Rhonda Gibson

Terri Gillespie

Debby Giusti

Beth Goddard

Cathy Gohlke

Rene Gutteridge

Cathy Marie Hake

Kelly Eileen Hake

Karen Harter

Rachel Hauck

Roxanne Henke

Cynthia Hickey

Patti Hill

Sharon Hinck

Joan Hochstetler

Steven Hunt

Angela Hunt

Denise Hunter

Annette Irby

Jennifer Johnson

Jenny B. Jones

Golden Keyes Parsons

Deb Kinnard

Julie Klassen

Kathleen Kovach

Harry Kraus

Patti Lacy

Maureen Lang

Jeanne Marie Leach

Tosca Lee

Julie Lessman

Michelle Levigne

Sherri L. Lewis

Elizabeth Ludwig

Christine Lynxwiler

Richard L. Mabry

Sharlene MacLaren

Gail Martin

Debby Mayne

Vickie McDonough

Andrew McGuire

Susan Meissner

Becky Melby

Dana Mentink

Amber Miller

Judith Miller

Sara Mills

Siri Mitchell

Nancy Moser

Janelle Mowery

Elizabeth Musser

Mark Mynheir

Jill Nelson

Mae Nunn

John Olson

Donita K. Paul

Trish Perry

Marta Perry

Allie Pleiter

Cara Putman

Deborah Raney

Sandra Robbins

Paul Robertson

John Robinson

Martha Rogers

Cynthia Ruchti

Gail Sattler

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Shelley Shephard Gray

Virginia Smith

Lynette Sowell

Candice Speare

Kathryn Springer

Denice Stewart

Sarah Anne Sumpolec

Michelle Sutton

Camy Tang

Donn Taylor

Janice Thompson

Cindy Thomson

Missy Tippens

Carrie Turansky

ML Tyndall

Amy Wallace

Susan May Warren

Linda Wichman

Beth Wiseman

Cheryl Wyatt

Kathleen Y’Barbo

Show up and support your favorite authors!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Linda Goodnight won the RWA’s Rita Award last night for her novel, A Touch Of Grace for the inspirational category!

Way to go, Linda! 🙂

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Popping in from the land of deadline to wish myself a Happy Birthday! Needless to say, I won’t be celebrating today since I’m still working on my novel, Bittersweet Memories, that’s due on August 1!

Hubby did take me on a DC cruiseship last Saturday night for dinner. The boat was the Odyssey, and we had a great, romantic time. The food was good, too.

Also, I’ve been receiving some private emails, and a few blog comments on my Dr. of Divinity entry that I posted last November. I believe some misread that post, so I’ll be posting part two on the same subject sometime after my deadline! I receive approximately 200 hits a month to that particular post, so a lot of people have been reading it.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Barbour/Heartsong Presents author Kristy Dykes passed away the day before yesterday after battling cancer. She was a wonderful author and we’ll all miss her.

Please visit her blog for further details:

Kristy’s Blog

If interested in seeing some titles authored by Kristy, see the link below:

Kristy’s Novels

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Huge congrats to the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Book Of The Year Contest! The winners will be announced at the 2008 ACFW Conference in Minneapolis!

ACFW’s 2008 Book of the Year Finalists:

Debut Author
Bayou Justice (Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll)
In Between (Jenny B. Jones)
Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
My Soul Cries Out (Sherri Lewis)
Petticoat Ranch (Mary Connealy)

Contemporary Novella (*six finalists due to a tie)
A Cloud Mountain Christmas (Robin Lee Hatcher)
Finally Home (Deb Raney in Missouri Memories anthology)
Mississippi Mud (DiAnn Mills in Sugar And Grits Anthology)
Moonlight & Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky in Big Apple Christmas anthology)
Remaking of Moe McKenna (Gloria Clover in the Race to the Altar anthology)
Sweet Dreams Drive (Robin Lee Hatcher)

Historical Novella
Beyond the Memories (DiAnn Mills in Mississippi Memories anthology)
Finishing Touches (Kelly Hake in Missouri Memories anthology)
Love Notes (Mary Davis in Love Letters anthology)
The Spinster & The Cowboy (Lena Nelson Dooley in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)
The Spinster & The Tycoon (Vickie McDonough in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)

Lits (*six finalists due to a tie)
Around the World in 80 Dates (Christa Banister)
One Little Secret (Allison Bottke)
Renovating Becky Miller (Sharon Hinck)
Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh)
Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
The Book of Jane (Dayton/Vanderbilt)

Long contemporary
Autumn Blue (Karen Harter)
Like Always (Robert Elmer)
Taming Rafe (Susan May Warren)
When the Nile Runs Red (DiAnn Mills)
Within This Circle (Deb Raney)

Long Historical (*seven finalists due to TWO ties)
Courting Trouble (Deeanne Gist)
Fancy Pants (Cathy Hake)
Lady of Milkweed Manor (Julie Klassen)
Remember Me (Maureen Lang)
Then Came Hope (Louise Gouge)
Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky)
Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer)

Mystery
Days And Hours (Susan Meissner)
Death of a Garage Sale Newbie (Sharon Dunn)
Gone With The Groom (Janice Thompson)
Sticks And Stones (Susan Meissner)
Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney)

Short Contemporary
Heart of the Family (Margaret Daley)
The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight)
The Perfect Blend (Allie Pleiter)
Wedded Bliss (Kathleen Y’Barbo)
When Love Comes Home (Arlene James)

Short Contemporary Suspense (*six finalists due to a tie)
Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper)
Her Christmas Protector (Terri Reed)
Nowhere to Hide (Debby Giusti)
Pursuit of Justice (Pamela Tracy)
See No Evil (Gayle Roper)
Vanished (Margaret Daley)

Short Historical (*six due to a tie)
A Time to Keep (Kelly Hake)
A Wealth Beyond Riches (Vickie McDonough)
Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman)
Corduroy Road to Love (Lynn Coleman)
Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
To Trust An Outlaw (Rhonda Gibson

Speculative
Demon: A Memoir (Tosca Lee)
DragonFire (Donita Paul)
The Restorer (Sharon Hinck)
The Restorer’s Son (Sharon Hinck)
Isle of Swords (Wayne Thomas Batson)

Suspense
Abomination (Colleen Coble)
Black Ice (Linda Hall)
Coral Moon (Brandilyn Collins)
Crimson Eve (Brandilyn Collins)
Ransomed Dreams (Amy Wallace)

Women’s Fiction
A Promise To Remember (Katie Cushman)
Bygones (Kim Sawyer)
Remember to Forget (Deb Raney)
The Oak Leaves (Maureen Lang)
Watercolored Pearls (Stacy Adams)

Young Adult
In Between (Jenny B. Jones)
On The Loose (Jenny B. Jones)
Sara Jane: Liberty’s Torch (Eleanor Clark
Sarah’s Long Ride (Susan P Davis)
Saving Sailor (Renee Riva)

~Cecelia Dowdy~

My posts over the next couple of weeks will be kind of spotty and sporadic since I’m on deadline again. Bittersweet Memories is due to my editor August 1. It’s coming along slowly but surely. Plus, I caught my son’s cold. I’ve been taking zinc, cold medicine, and vitamin C to get rid of this cold.

I read a nice Heartsong Presents historical called The Prisoner’s Wife by Susan Page Davis. I plan on blogging about that book soon.

Also, I’ve had another agent to show some interest in the story I blogged about here. I’d sent this agent a query, so, we’ll see what happens. Perhaps my story will get published after all…
~Cecelia Dowdy~

The first ACFW Conference I attended was back in 2006. I made a wealth of publishing contacts as well as new friends that year. The conference was truly awesome, and I looked forward to participating the following year.

The second ACFW Conference I attended was in 2007. That year, I made some key contacts with agents, and, hopefully, I’ll land the right agent soon. I also had a great dinner with my publisher, Barbour. Barbour is gracious enough to treat all of their authors to dinner on Friday night at the ACFW conference each year. This allows us to interact and mingle with other Barbour authors.

I’m looking forward to going to Minneapolis in September! This will be the first year that I’ll be participating in the booksigning!

If you’re curious about the entire ACFW Conference Blog Tour, I’ve copied and pasted the schedule for you below:

6/11/2008 Chip MacGregor http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/11/2008 Cara Putman http://carasmusings.blogspot.com
6/12/2008 Wanda Dyson http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
6/12/2008 Pamela James http://pammer.blogspot.com/
6/13/2008 Jennifer AlLee http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com
6/13/2008 Ane Mulligan http://anemulligan.blogspot.com
6/16/2008 Robin Miller http://robinswritingworld.blogspot.com/
6/16/2008 Christina Nelson http://christinanelson.blogspot.com
6/17/2008 Annette Irby www.annetteirby.blogspot.com
6/18/2008 Martha Rogers www.marthawrogers.com
6/18/2008 Sharon Hinck http://sharonwriting.blogspot.com
6/19/2008 Susan May Warren http://scribbles.susanmaywarren.com
6/20/2008 Camy Tang http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/
6/23/2008 Deb Raney www.deborahraney.com
6/23/2008 Ronie Kendig http://supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com
6/24/2008 Colleen Coble http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com
6/25/2008 Rachel Hauck http://www.rachelhauck.com/blog.htm
6/26/2008 Brandilyn Collins www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com
6/26/2008 Cathy West http://writersrest.blogspot.com
6/27/2008 Jill Elizabeth Nelson
http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/artisticblogger.shtml
6/28/2008 Eileen Watson http://eileenastels.blogspot.com/
6/30/2008 Lynette Sowell www.lynettesowell.com
6/30/2008 Sue Brower http://acfwconference.blogspot.com/
7/1/2008 Gina Conroy http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress/
7/2/2008 Lena Nelson Dooley http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com-
7/2/2008 Rachelle Gardner http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/
7/3/2008 Linda Fulkerson http://scrivenings.com
7/4/2008 Terry Burns http://www.terryburns.net/
7/4/2008 Rebeca Yeager http://acfwconference.blogspot.com
7/7/2008 Susan Downs http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/7/2008 Carla Stewart http://carlastewart.blogspot.com
7/9/2008 Rebecca Germany http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/9/2008 Leanna Ellis http://www.leannaellis.com/news.html
7/9/2008 Rose McCauley www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com
7/10/2008 Sharon Dunn
http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/faithchick/
7/11/2008 Pam Meyers http://pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com/
7/11/2008 JoAnne Simmons http://editcafe.blogspot.com/
7/14/2008 Celia Tomer www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com
7/14/2008 Janice Olson www.janiceolson.com
7/15/2008 Angie Bredenbach
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com
7/16/2008 Christina Berry http://authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com
7/17/2008 Roxanne Rustad http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
7/18/2008 Margaret Daley http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com;
http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com
7/22/2008 Pam Hillman
8/1/2008 Christa Allen www.cballan.wordpress.com
8/3/2008 Deborah Vogts http://www.deborahvogts.com
8/4/2008 Michelle Hutchinson
http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com
8/6/2008 Tiff Stockton http://www.ambermiller.com
8/28/2008 Gail Gaymer Martin www.gailmartin.blogspot.com

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Christy Award winners were announced last night. Congrats to all the winners:

Contemp stand alone: CHASING FIREFLIES by Charles Martin
Contemp. series: HOME TO HOLLY SPRINGS by Jan Karon
Historical: A PROPER PURSUIT by Lynn Austin
Lits: HALLIE’S HEART by Shelly Beach
Romance: REMEMBERED by Tammy Alexander
Suspense: THE CURE by Athol Diickson
Visionary: SCARLET by Stephen Lawhead
YA: HOLLYWOOD NOBODY by Lisa Samson
1st novel: THE STONES CRY OUT by Sibella Giorello

~Cecelia Dowdy~

After barbequing for most of the day, I took some time yesterday evening to watch the Twilight Zone Marathon on the Sci Fi Channel. I love watching this on the Fourth of July and on New Year’s Day. Each year, I’m able to catch an episode or two which I’ve never seen before! I do have episodes that are my favorites, also. I’ve even mentioned how much I like this show to a few acquaintances, and about how it’s good to be entertained with the show since a lot of the episodes are new to me. I’ve had people to say: “Don’t you remember when the Twilight Zone used to come on every week? You don’t remember that?”

Then I’ll reply, “No, I don’t remember that. I can honestly say this show ran before I was born.”

Do any of you enjoy this show? I’m not really into science fiction much, but I do like Twilight Zone. Also, it’s nice to watch because I’ll see stars that were famous in the seventies (I especially remember the seventies!) and eighties, who got their start on the Twilight Zone. One episode I was watching last night had Carol Burnett on it! She looked like she was in her twenties. This episode aired in 1962, I believe.

~Cecelia Dowdy~