Finalist!

I've always enjoyed reading historical novels. As a child I actually imagined living in the mid 1800s. My grandmother fed my imagination by supplying me with hoop skirts and costumes of the age. She also granted me endless hours typing on her electric typewriter. I fell in love with Gone With The Wind and imagined myself writing my own book one day.
I'm currently dabbling with Time Travel. I've renewed an old manuscript by adding the Time Travel element. I was curious to see how it would be received and I'm happy to report my manuscript The Bridge Between is a finalist in the Romance Through The Ages Contest!
The first round judges were kind and generous in their review of the manuscript. It takes time to read pages of someone else's work and give your honest opinion. I appreciate the feedback I received and have considered it as I move forward in completing the revision.
Check back for more updates. And until then, write on!

Celebrate, Celebrate!

Hello, 2016! 

I may be about 15 days late in greeting the new year via this blog, but I waited to write as I wanted my first post of the new year to be meaningful. 

And today we're celebrating.

About 8 years ago, I returned to my day job after taking a long maternity leave. I'm sure I've written about being a stay at home mom after my daughter was born. While I was glad to have a job to return to, I missed being at home with my child. But I held my head high, blessed to have an income when many others may not. I returned to work and was reunited with many old friends. I also met many new people. Employees come and go with my company as I'm sure they do with yours. We move from office to office and from state to state. Change is the norm. Embrace it, or be miserable. I like to be happy so I embrace.

Sherrie was one of the new people I met. She wasn't new to the company but was one of those folks who was mobile. Sherrie and I worked on the team I rejoined. Working in an office environment eight hours a day means you get to know your co-workers pretty well. One day i overheard Sherrie and another co-worker talking about books and I discovered that Sherrie, like me, enjoyed writing. We started up a conversation about our stories and quickly found common ground.

I asked Sherrie if she was serious about writing. When she replied that she was, I invited her to be my guest at Georgia Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America. 

Sherrie and I at Georgia Romance Writer's Moonlight & Magnolias  Conference, October 2015

Eight years later, following personal and career ups and downs, I'm thrilled to report that Sherrie has just signed with The Wild Rose Press! She received this wonderful news in December. What a wonderful Christmas present! I'm so thrilled for her. I'll be sure to invite Sherrie to talk more about her road to publication so stay tuned!

It's a wonderful thing to belong to an organization and a group of people who share your same interests. Be sure to encourage those you come in contact with. When you encourage others, it has a positive effect on you. When they celebrate, you share the joy. The opportunity to celebrate, be it for a friend or yourself is special and shouldn't be taken for granted. 

Are you celebrating anything you'd like to share?

It's been a while...

There's a song that starts out with these words it's been a while. I love the song. It's by a rock band and it's a ballad/rocker song...

Of course the name of the band has completely left my mind at the moment. If anyone knows the band I'm talking about, feel free to supply me the information.

For me, it has been a while since I've written on this blog. It's been about as long since I've written on a manuscript. 2012 proved to be a good year, full of changes and full of challenges for me. I believe it is the combination of these changes that caused me to lose my focus and to slip away from writing.

I miss writing. I have scenes in my head but when I come to the computer, nothing seems right. I keep telling myself that I can't edit a blank page, yet, the page remains blank...

As we go into the new year, I'm optimistic that my old self will return. That I'll rise early and write. That the issues I dealt with in 2012 will dissipate.

I've got a couple of goals that I'd like to meet as I face 2013... It's been a while since I've done any of these things, so I'm hoping by stating them publicly that it will help me reach my goals.

OK, Here they are....

1)  Cook a meal every Sunday.  (We eat out during the week waayyyy too much. I'm hoping Sunday will provide togetherness for my family, and leftovers for Monday.)

2) Walk every day during my lunch break.  (I think the extra activity will help clear my mind and help take off some of the extra pounds I'm carrying ;)

3) Write something, anything, every day.  Perhaps I'll blog here a day or so. Maybe I'll blog once a month on www.thefaithgirls.com. Perhaps I'll work on a new story.

Three goals.... That's what I'd like to accomplish in 2013. These are the habits I want to make new and make a part of my life. What about you? Are you setting goals, or trying to make changes?

Proof by Jordyn Redwood

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Proof Kregel Publications (June 1, 2012) by Jordyn Redwood
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jordyn Redwood has served patients and their families for nearly twenty years and currently works as a pediatric ER nurse. As a self-professed medical nerd and trauma junkie, she was drawn to the controlled chaotic environments of critical care and emergency nursing. Her love of teaching developed early and she was among the youngest CPR instructors for the American Red Cross at the age of seventeen. Since then, she has continued to teach advanced resuscitation classes to participants ranging from first responders to MD’s.

Her discovery that she also had a fondness for answering medical questions for authors led to the creation of Redwood’s Medical Edge at http://jordynredwood.com/. This blog is devoted to helping contemporary and historical authors write medically accurate fiction.

Jordyn lives in Colorado with her husband, two daughters, and one crazy hound dog. In her spare time she also enjoys reading her favorite authors, quilting, and cross-stitching.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Dr. Lilly Reeves is a young, accomplished ER physician with her whole life ahead of her. But that life instantly changes when she becomes the fifth victim of a serial rapist. Believing it's the only way to recover her reputation and secure peace for herself, Lilly sets out to find--and punish--her assailant. Sporting a mysterious tattoo and unusually colored eyes, the rapist should be easy to identify. He even leaves what police would consider solid evidence. But when Lilly believes she has found him, DNA testing clears him as a suspect. How can she prove he is guilty, if science says he is not?

Endorsements:

“Jordyn Redwood makes quite a splash with her debut novel. PROOF is a hard-edged mix of medical thriller and crime chiller that grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go until the end. This one will keep you up way past your bedtime.”
—Rick Acker, best-selling author of When the Devil Whistles

“From the very first chapter, the first page even, Jordyn Redwood pulls the reader into a story that won’t let go. PROOF is proof enough for me that Jordyn is the real deal: an author who knows how to weave a tight story, write descriptive, authentic prose, and deal with some pretty hefty issues. I’m a fan!”
—Mike Dellosso, author of Frantic and Rearview (a 7 Hours story)

“Debut novelist Jordyn Redwood has used her experience as an ER and ICU nurse to craft a blend of medical thriller and police procedural with twists and turns to keep fans of either genre turning pages.”
—Richard L. Mabry, MD, author of Lethal Remedy and the Prescription for Trouble series

“A rollercoaster of a story. Jordyn Redwood’s PROOF has everything you could want in a thriller—believable characters, a villain who makes your skin crawl, a touch of humor, and a twisting plot—all bound by fascinating medical and scientific details. What a fabulous debut!”
—Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of the Wings of Glory series

“Jordyn Redwood may be new on the scene, but she writes like a seasoned pro. PROOF is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time with well-drawn characters including a villain I despised and a hero and heroine I rooted for. I thought I would just take a peek at the first chapter and finish the story later. I thought wrong. I read late into the night, lost sleep, and put off my own writing to finish this book. I’m eagerly awaiting Jordyn’s second book and will be first in line to purchase it the day it releases.”
—Lynnette Eason, best-selling author of The Women of Justice series

“I love a great medical thriller and I’m glad to add another author to my list. Jordyn Redwood writes like the medical insider she is. A gripping tale laced with realism, sleep-robbing excitement, and something every reader loves: hope.”
—Harry Kraus, MD, best-selling author of The Six-Liter Club

“PROOF by Jordyn Redwood is a gripping medical thriller written with vivid detail from an author who knows her subject firsthand. A serial rapist is at large in the town—in the hospital, even? Can Lilly trust anyone? Even her closest friend? And just when you think you can relax, the stakes get even higher.”
—Donna Fletcher Crow, author of The Monastery Murders

“Jordyn Redwood’s debut novel is a page-turner with an ingenious premise and solid Christian values. A satisfying read.”
—Frank J. Edwards, Medical Director, Delphi Emergency Physicians,
author of the medical thriller Final Mercy

If you would like to read the first chapter of Proof, go HERE.

Over The Edge by Mary Connealy

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Over The Edge Bethany House (August 1, 2012) by Mary Connealy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Christy Award Finalist, a Carol Award Finalist and an IRCC Award finalist.

The Lassoed in Texas Series, Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist. These three books are now contained in one large volume called Lassoed in Texas Trilogy.

The Montana Marriages Series, Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose was a Carol Award Finalist.

Cowboy Christmas—the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.

The Sophie's Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.

She is also the author of; Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a 3-in-1 collection of cozy romantic mysteries and she's one of the three authors contributing to Alaska Brides with her Carol Award Winning historical romance Golden Days.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Seth Kincaid survived a fire in a cave, but he's never been the same. He was always a reckless youth, but now he's gone over the edge. He ran off to the Civil War and came back crazier than ever.

After the war, nearly dead from his injuries, it appears Seth got married. Oh, he's got a lot of excuses, but his wife isn't happy to find out Seth doesn't remember her. Callie has searched, prayed, and worried. Now she's come to the Kincaid family's ranch in Colorado to find her lost husband.

Callie isn't a long-suffering woman. Once she knows her husband is alive, she wants to kill him. She's not even close to forgiving him for abandoning her.

Then more trouble shows up in the form of a secret Seth's pa kept for years. The Kincaid brothers might lose their ranch if they can't sort things out. It's enough to drive a man insane--but somehow it's all making Seth see things more clearly. And now that he knows what he wants, no one better stand in his way.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Over The Edge, go HERE.

Serpent of Moses by Don Hoesel

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Serpent of Moses Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012) by Don Hoesel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier
in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from
Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief
Journal. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but lives in
Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. The
Serpent of Moses is his fourth novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Moses built and lifted up the brass serpent,
healing the afflicted Israelites of snakebites.

King Hezekiah called the serpent Nehushtan.
Long thought destroyed, it's been buried for
millennia, secreted under the region's shifting sands.

Now the Israeli government wants it back and they
will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Yet
they're not the only ones who covet the Nehushtan.

Archaeologist Jack Hawthorne travels to Libya intent
on recovering the sacred object, but one does not
cross the Mossad and expect to walk away without a
fight. Jack and his friends must find the priceless
"snake of brass upon a pole" before those who are
also hunting it find them...and silence them forever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of
Serpent of Moses, go HERE.

Nothing to Hide by J. Mark Bertrand

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Nothing to Hide Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)
by J. Mark Bertrand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years,
earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after
one hurricane too many he left for South Dakota. Mark has been arrested
for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served
on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an
honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.



ABOUT THE BOOK

A grisly homicide. An international threat.
The stakes have never been higher for
Detective Roland March.

The victim's head is missing, but what intrigues Detective Roland March
is the hand. The pointing finger must be a clue--but to what? According
to the FBI, the dead man was an undercover asset tracking the flow of
illegal arms to the Mexican cartels. To protect the operation, they want
March to play along with the cover story. With a little digging, though, he
discovers the Feds are lying. And they're not the only ones.

In an upside-down world of paranoia and conspiracy, March finds himself
dogged by injury and haunted by a tragic failure. Forced to take justice into
his own hands, his twisting investigation leads him into the very heart of
darkness, leaving March with nothing to lose--and nothing to hide.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing to Hide, go HERE.