Lost Melody by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Lost Melody Zondervan (October 25, 2011) by Lori Copeland and Virginia Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Lori lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. Lance and Lori are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995, after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has had over 100 books published.

Virginia Smith is the author of more than a dozen Christian novels and over fifty articles and short stories. Her books have been named finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Award, and ACFW's Carol Award.

A Certified Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church, Ginny's messages are always well-received by a variety of audiences in conferences, retreats and churches across the country. When she isn't writing or speaking, Ginny and her husband, Ted, enjoy exploring the extremes of nature – snow skiing in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, motorcycle riding on the curvy roads in central Kentucky, and scuba diving in the warm waters of Mexico and the Caribbean.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The beautiful piano sitting in the corner of Jill King's apartment begs to be played. For over a year, it has sat untouched, ever since a terrible accident shattered Jill's ambition of becoming a concert pianist. The ragged scar on her left hand is a cruel and constant reminder of the death of her dream. But another dream is about to come to life---an unexpected, horrifying dream that will present Jill with a responsibility she never wanted. And choices she never wanted to make. Hundreds of lives depend on Jill's willingness to warn her small, oceanside town in Nova Scotia of a nameless, looming disaster. But doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together. The fate of an entire community hangs in the balance as Jill wrestles with the cost of heeding one still, small voice.

If you would like to read a chapter excerpt of Lost Melody, go HERE.

Scentsy Launch Party!!!!

If you are reading this post, you have either already gotten up super early to take advantage of the great deals because it is Black Friday, or, you aren't going out to the malls or any retail establishments today because you refuse to fight the crowds!

Thank the Lord for the Internet! Great deals available here, too!

I'm at home today, planning to get some organizing done and hang out with my little guy as my daughter is with grandma.

I'm also celebrating the launch of my Scentsy business!

Yes, yes, I'm still writing.

Yes, I'm still working my 9-5 job.

But a while back I was introduced to Scentsy wickless candles.

The Scentsy system is where you have a warmer that is a beautiful piece of pottery as you see in the photo to the right. You plug the warmer into a near by electric socket which lights a low-watt bulb. At the top of the warmer is where you put your wax. The scented wax heats and as it heats, puts out the most magnificent aroma. There are over 80 scents to choose from. The variety of scents is from clean scents to woodsy to masculine scents.

I love candles, but with young children, accidents happen. Sometimes, we adults are accident prone. The thing I like about Scentsy wickless candles is that the wax doesn't get too hot to touch. Even while the warmer is plugged in and the scent is being produced, I can still dip my finger into the wax. It feels like warm bath water. So, if my child accidentally knocks the warmer over, he won't get burned.

 Also, using wickless candles doesn't blow black soot into your home like standard candles.

 This is a picture of Scentsy's Silent Night plug in. These are just darling! Great to plug in a bathroom, for example. But you can plug them anywhere!

I love this product because you have a nice scent for the room plus a night light.

I had to share some of our Christmas products with the Silent Night Plug in shown above and the Gingerbread Full Size Warmer as shown to the right.

These are a fun way to decorate your house. Also, they're great as gifts! With Christmas coming, you'll need to buy for family members, friends, teachers, coaches. Why not by them a Scentsy System!?

Scentsy has a product for everyone. On the left, this is our Anti-bacterial Fragrance Foam. Black Raspberry Vanilla is one of my favorites, and a part of my personal collection.

Scentsy also has scent circles - I like to put these in my car. I also have one hanging in my children's room. The circle comes in purple as shown above, and has been dipped in the fragrant wax. It doesn't overpower the room or the car.

Above, I'm showing you a Combine and Save pack. Scentsy has some great deals with Combine and Save which was one deal I took part in when I made my first purchases. Here, you will get a Premium Full Size Warmer, a Full Size Warmer and 6 Scentsy Bars of your choice. In this combination, you are saving $15!



My launch party is going on now, on my Scentsy website. I'd love it if you did some of your Christmas shopping through my Scentsy Website and here's a link to the Fall/Winter Scentsy Catalog.

Visit me at the FAITH Blog where I'm giving away a free gift!

Promise Brides by S. Dionne Moore

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Promise Brides Barbour Books (November 1, 2011) by S. Dionne Moore

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

S. Dionne Moore resides in South Central PA with her family. She is a weekly contributor to The Borrowed Book where she posts tips on the writing life, recipes, and teaches on various writing-related subjects. In addition to writing cozy mysteries, she pens historical romances that bring strong focus to locales within her region of Pennsylvania as a way of indulging her passion for history. In Fall of 2011 her first of three romances set in Wyoming, A Sheepherder's Song, will release.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where—it never comes without sacrifice. Theodore risks capture for Ellie, but will their hope for a future together be defeated? Can Marylu trust Chester, or is she asking for another broken heart? Will Alaina and Jack find common ground, or will flood waters destroy any possible future? Enjoy three romances from the historic state of Pennsylvania.

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

Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Christmas In Sugarcreek Avon Inspire (October 25, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page


ABOUT THE BOOK

Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season.

But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox.

Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations.

Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith.
As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning.
Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Christmas In Sugarcreek, go HERE.

What's Happenin' ???

Hey, everyone! Today I'll be on Lindi Peterson's blog doing an interview with her. Stop by to see me!

And tomorrow on FAITH, Cozy Mystery author Deborah Malone will be interviewed. Death in Dahlonega is her first book and we're giving away a copy! Come by and say hi to Debbie!

Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Long Trail Home Moody Publishers; New Edition edition (November 1, 2011) by Vickie McDonough

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vickie McDonough is an award-winning author of twenty-four books and novellas. Her books have won the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest, Texas Gold, the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a multi-year finalist in ACFW’s BOTY/Carol Awards. She was voted Third Favorite Author in the Heartsong Presents Annual Readers Contest in 2009. Vickie is the author of the fun and feisty Texas Boardinghouse Brides series from Barbour Publishing. She has also authored two books in the Texas Trails: A Morgan Family series, in which she partners with Susan Page Davis and Darlene Franklin to write a six-book series that spans fifty years of the Morgan family. Also, next year brings the release of a new series from Guidepost/Summerside: Pioneer Promises, set in 1870s Kansas.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Long Trail Home is third in a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. Although a series, each book can be read on its own.When Riley Morgan returns home after fighting in the War Between the States, he is excited to see his parents and fiancee again. But he soon learns that his parents are dead and the woman he loved is married. He takes a job at the Wilcox School for the blind just to get by. He keeps his heart closed off but a pretty blind woman, Annie, threatens to steal it. When a greedy man tries to close the school, Riley and Annie band together to fight him and fall in love.But when Riley learns the truth about Annie, he packs and prepares to leave the school that has become his home and the woman who has thawed his heart. Will he change his mind and find the love he craves' Or will stubbornness deprive him from the woman he needs' Through painful circumstances, Riley and Annie learn that the loving and sovereign hand of God cannot be thwarted.

If you would like to read the Prologue of Long Trail Home, go HERE.

Keep Me Accountable - A Celebration!!

I've written just over the 21,000 word count mark on my manuscript. some of my writing buddies - a shout out to S.L. Morgan and Ciara Knight are kicking some major booty on their manuscripts!  They're helping to keep me accountable as I chase after the same goal.

In other news, I'm thrilled to announce my BFF / crtique partner - Dianna Shuford - has finaled in the Finally A Bride Contest.  And the same week, learned she had a full manuscript request from another contest she entered. Woo-Hoo!!!  Congratulations, Di!!!!!

Shadowed In Silk by Christine Lindsay

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Shadowed In Silk WhiteFire Publishing (September 1, 2011) by Christine Lindsay

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Christine Lindsay writes historical Christian inspirational novels with strong love stories. She doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects such as the themes in her debut novel SHADOWED IN SILK which is set in India during a turbulent era. Christine’s long-time fascination with the British Raj was seeded from stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in India. SHADOWED IN SILK was the Gold winner of the 2009 ACFW Genesis for Historical.

The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home. It’s a special time in her life as she and her husband enjoy the empty nest, but also the noise and fun when the kids and grandkids come home. Like a lot of writers, her cat is her chief editor.


ABOUT THE BOOK

She was invisible to those who should have loved her.
After the Great War, Abby Fraser returns to India with her small son, where her husband is stationed with the British army. She has longed to go home to the land of glittering palaces and veiled women...but Nick has become a cruel stranger. It will take more than her American pluck to survive.

Major Geoff Richards, broken over the loss of so many of his men in the trenches of France, returns to his cavalry post in Amritsar. But his faith does little to help him understand the ruthlessness of his British peers toward the Indian people he loves. Nor does it explain how he is to protect Abby Fraser and her child from the husband who mistreats them.

Amid political unrest, inhospitable deserts, and Russian spies, tensions rise in India as the people cry for the freedom espoused by Gandhi. Caught between their own ideals and duty, Geoff and Abby stumble into sinister secrets . . . secrets that will thrust them out of the shadows and straight into the fire of revolution.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Shadowed In Silk, go HERE.

Watch the book video trailer:

Keep Me Accountable - A Dozen Days/NaNoWriMo

photo courtesy of http://www.bearcreekacres.com/blog/eggs

This is day 12 in one dozen days of Nanowrimo and I am at a little over 18,000 words.  Would you believe, I'm finding the "writing" part to be the hardest?  Am I not a writer? Isn't this what we live for?

I suppose, but I found plotting the story to be much easier.

This is tough. I'm trying to tell myself that nothing worth having is ever easy. I'm reminding myself that this is what published authors face... Deadlines. Writing from a proposal. Adhering to the main idea/premise.

I'm telling myself that one day I will have a contract and a "real" deadline will be looming for me and I will have to produce.

As always, this experience forces me to learn new things about myself and my processes.

For instance, I'm realizing I should have nailed the Goal-Motivation-Conflict for each character better before I started the draft. I am using Christopher Vogler's The Hero's Journey as a guide and it has helped me see the story's arc, but, I'm needing to revisit the whys and hows of my characters. It would be much easier to stop and do a GMC chart, but I'm forcing myself to write, write, write and worry about charts and graphs in the revision process that will start in December.

So, this has been all about me... how are you doing? What challenges have you faced this week?

Proof of Heaven by Mary Curran Hackett

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Proof of Heaven William Morrow Paperbacks (November 1, 2011) by Mary Curran Hackett

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Curran Hackett is the mother of two children, Brigid Claire and Colm Francis, and is married to Greg Hackett. She received an MA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska and a BA from the University Honors Program at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Danbury, CT, she has traveled extensively and lived in various places throughout the U.S., but her favorite place in the world is home with her kids, husband, and her stacks of books. Like her character Colm Magee, Mary suffers various heart and brain ailments, but thanks in part to her brother, a physician, as well as her own doctors, she now has a pacemaker and a heart that beats on its own at least most of the time. This is her first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A mother’s faith, a child’s courage, a doctor’s dedication—a moving and thought-provoking tale of hope, love, and family.

He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he’s sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born.
But the quest to find the dying boy’s missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.

A magnificent debut novel, Mary Curran Hackett’s Proof of Heaven is a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of the power of love and the monumental questions of life, death, and the afterlife.

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

Keep Me Accountable - One Week Down

It's been a busy week of writing as much as possible, keeping the story fresh on my mind and chatting with friends to keep me accountable. All in all, it's been a good week of progress! I've added a prologue this weekend, that may or may not see the light of day in the final draft... Nevertheless, the internal editor is OFF and the writing is commencing.

While Lindi advises her first draft is full of dialogue, I'm finding I have to "tell" the scene first. Unless the scene is already vivid in my mind, I cannot get the dialogue on paper until the characters actions are clear in my head. This is a good example of how each of us works differently.



A very long time ago, I finished a rough draft in 3 weeks. Another time, it took 6 weeks. I'm hoping to repeat the past this month and have at least 50K down by the end of November.



My current word count is 10,911. That's a great advance since I last posted!

Now it's your turn to check in!

Valley of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Valley of Dreams Bethany House (November 1, 2011) by Lauraine Snelling

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning and best selling author Lauraine Snelling began living her dream to be a writer with her first published book for young adult readers, Tragedy on the Toutle, in 1982. She has since continued writing more horse books for young girls, adding historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers to her repertoire. All told, she has up to sixty books published.

Shown in her contemporary romances and women’s fiction, a hallmark of Lauraine’s style is writing about real issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer within a compelling story. Her work has been translated into Norwegian, Danish, and German, and she has won the Silver Angel Award for An Untamed Land and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart for Song of Laughter.

As a most sought after speaker, Lauraine encourages others to find their gifts and live their lives with humor and joy. Her readers clamor for more books more often, and Lauraine would like to comply ... if only her paintbrushes and easel didn’t call quite so loudly.

Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a cockatiel named Bidley, and a watchdog Basset named Winston. They love to travel, most especially in their forty-foot motor coach, which they affectionately deem “a work in progress”.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Addy Lockwood's mother died when she was little, so Addy traveled with her father's Wild West Show and became an amazingly skillful trick rider, likened by some to the famous Annie Oakley. When her father died, she continued to work with the show, having nowhere else to go.

Now Addy has discovered that "Uncle" Jason, the show's manager, has driven the show into debt, and he's absconded with what little money was left. Devastated, Addy decides to try to find the hidden valley where here father had dreamed of putting down roots. She has only one clue. She needs to find three huge stones that look like fingers raised in a giant hand. With Chief, a Sioux Indian who's been with the show for twenty years, and Micah, the head wrangler, she leaves both the show and a bundle of heartache behind and begins a wild and daring adventure.

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

Coming This Week to FAITH Blog - Maria Sutton!

Maria Sutton is the author of The Night Sky. Please join me on The FAITH Girls blog, this Friday for a great interview and book giveaway!

About the Author:

 

Maria Sutton was born in the barracks of Germany’s former Wehrmacht command center, which had been converted to house Europe’s Displaced Persons after WWII. 

In 1951, Maria, along with her Mother, Step-father, and sister immigrated to America and she has lived in the greater Denver metro area since that time.  Her book, The Night Sky:  A Journey from Dachau to Denver and Back is the culmination of her 43-year search for her biological father, who disappeared shortly after her birth in war-torn Germany.  Without knowing the spelling or his name, nor his date and place of birth, Maria was able to find him – proving that with unwavering determination, anything is possible.

Maria graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting and has also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.  She has been employed by the U. S. government in several capacities throughout her Federal career, receiving many awards for her writing and investigative skills.

The above title is available from Johnson Books, an imprint of Big Earth Publishing.  Her memoir will be translated into several languages, including German, Polish, and Ukrainian.

Maria and her family reside in Golden, Colorado. 

Keep Me Accountable - Magic Writing

photo from http://www.kids-pages.com/folders/colpages/Fairy-Tales/page8.htm

Hey, all!  It's Day 3 for Nanowrimo and I'm going strong - as strong as can be squeaking by with about two hours writing time per day. My total word count is 3,550!  I already had Chapter 1 written, however when nano started, I started at Chapter 2. It's going great.

It is hard to turn off the internal editor. I'll admit, there's a lot of "telling" going on. I'm forcing myself to "tell" the scene if I'm not seeing it clearly in my head. I just need to get it down to get on to the next scene and multiply those words.

However, in turning off that internal editor, I'm finding the process has organic qualities. Even though, I used plotter methods and am following my scene cards, what is produced in those scenes, is like magic. When I began Chapter 2, I needed my hero and heroine to meet. It ended up another character I hadn't planned on appearing this early, made her debut and added a lot of fun to the scene.

And, more fun for me as the writer.

I'll look forward to hearing from you and your progress! Any magic happening?

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Lasting Impression Bethany House (November 1, 2011) by Tamera Alexander

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of Rekindled, Revealed and Remembered, the critically acclaimed Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Her second historical series, Timber Ridge Reflections (From a Distance, Beyond This Moment, and Within My Heart) continue her signature style of deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose which has earned her devoted readers—and multiple industry awards.

These awards include the 2009 and 2008 Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the 2010 and 2007 RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, the 2010 and 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2010 HOLT Medallion, the 2007 Bookseller’s Best Award, the 2007 National Reader's Choice Award, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction for 2006, among others.

Tamera's newest novel A Lasting Impression is the first of a brand new three-book Southern historical series, and the first two chapters are available for review. She's at work on her ninth novel which will release in fall 2012.

After living in Colorado for seventeen years, Tamera has returned to her Southern roots. She and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with Tamera's father, Doug, and with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

ABOUT THE BOOK

To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.

All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Set at Nashville's historical Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Lasting Impression, go HERE.

Keep Me Accountable: NANOWRIMO!!!

Today is November 1st and the first day of Nanowrimo. I will officially begin my push to write 50,000 words this month in just a couple of hours. If you are participating in this challenge, make me your writing buddy - I'm listed as christylashea.

I think I'm ready for this challenge. I've got a skeleton of scenes written to guide me through. If you've done Nano before and have any suggestions, please share!  We're all about helping each other reach our goals around here!




Now, I couldn't help share a couple of pictures from the last couple of weeks. Here, my daughter(6years) and son(22 months) share a nice treat during our recent trip to Jaemor Farms in Alto, Georgia. It's just beautiful up there.

Here, I'm trying to get a picture of their beautiful gardens and these apple trees. I bought a half a peck of the Red Delicious. They were huge and very sweet!