Buddy Walk 2009

Today my daughter Trinity (pictured above), her sister Stephanie and Steph's friend Nadia participated in the 2009 Buddy Walk. Here's a little about the walk, taken from the official Buddy Walk site:

The Buddy Walk® was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk® program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.

Over the past fourteen years, the Buddy Walk® program has grown from 17 walks to more than 280 expected in 2009 across the country and around the world. Last year alone, 250,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk®! They raised $10.5 million to benefit national education, research and advocacy initiatives, as well as local programs. These funds enable NDSS and local groups to offer services that support and enhance the quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

The Buddy Walk® is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. It is a wonderful, heart-warming event that celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome.


No one is happy to learn that their child has a disability. But over the years, I have met many wonderful people because of my daughter Trinity. I've met wise and wonderful parents, dedicated medical professionals, tireless therapists, and caring teachers and aides. I am very thankful for all of these people.

Some of the most important have been the teachers and therapists in the Birth to Three program. That's why I chose to highlight that program in my upcoming release from 5 Star Press, The Prodigal Father. In this story you will meet Risa, the almost three year old daughter of the heroine. Risa has Down syndrome and single mom Beth has come to depend on the support of the professionals that work with Risa through this program. When Risa turns three she will no longer be eligible for the program and Beth is feeling a lot of anxiety about the future. This is completely and totally based on how I felt when Trinity was at this point.

Luckily there is help beyond that program! The National Down Syndrome Society and events like Buddy Walk are proof of that.

Week Three ~ Our Cup Runneth Over Contest

Congratulations… Lynn Fowlston

She won, The Broken Path by Cami Checketts
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Want to join in the fun of the White Rose Author’s Fall promotion, Our Cup Runneth Over, but are not sure how? Look at the post dated September, 11th and you’ll find all the details there.

Here’s "week three" websites to peek at:
http://www.wendydavy.com/
www.diannemiley.com

Find the White Rose Mug on their sites, and e-mail the author’s name and what color their mug is to carolann.erhardt@gmail.com (with WRIB contest in the subject box) and you’ll be signed up to win either Night Waves or Lilacs for Laura. Not only that, but your name will be entered in the grand-prize drawing.

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Want to read a book by the author’s you learned about last week? Below you’ll find a small blurb for their featured book and how much it costs to purchase at whiterosepublishing.com.

Cami Checketts – The Broken Path

Involved in a debilitating accident at age six, Ethan Searle believes women eye him with a mixture of pity and disdain. He’s tried love before. He won’t again.Autumn Reader escaped her abusive marriage with her daughter, a stack of debt, and fear. Autumn’s precocious two-year old becomes enraptured by Ethan. Autumn is on the path to following her daughter’s example when her ex-husband reappears.

Purchase for $6.00


Janelle Ashley – Wildflowers in Bloom

Barton Remington has always thought of his best friend’s little sister as an untamed dirty-faced tomboy, but after a six year absence he returns home to find this little wildflower all grown up and much too appealing for her own good.
Poppy Mandelville is merely a merchant’s daughter, so when Barton returns from the war, and she discovers her childish infatuation has bloomed into love, she must put aside all hope of a match with the future Earl of Birmingham…or must she?
Purchase for $2.00

On behalf of all the participating authors, thank you for your support!

Free novella at White Rose Publishing

Last week my serialized novella, Once Upon a Collar, launched at the White Rose Publishing reader's yahoo group. This fun read is available FREE for anyone who joins the group! We've been having a great time over there reading the first chapter and answering discussion questions. Come join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WhiteRosePublishing/ and get in on the fun.

Emilie Bonner, the heroine of Once Upon a Collar, is an artist who creates special wedding cake toppers. She's less than happy when she's forced to create a topper with a groom dressed in red pants as a cartoon-inspired Prince Charming. Since she's a dog lover, I thought I'd share a mini-gallery of wedding cake toppers she might find more fun.

 

 

 

Aren't these a riot? I never knew such things existed until I wrote this novella. Shhh. Don't tell Emilie. She's supposed to be working on something more like this...

Once Upon a Collar, by Teri Wilson. Available for FREE from White Rose Publishing.

Whenever Emilie Bonner meets a man, she can’t help but imagine what he would look like on top of a wedding cake. Since she spends most of her waking hours designing wedding cake toppers, it’s somewhat of an occupational hazard. Somewhere along the way--perhaps after the first two hundred or so--hand-crafted bridegrooms, Emilie begins to doubt she’ll ever find her own happily-ever-after.

Then, after a mysterious encounter with a woman who could be an angel, Emilie meets a handsome stranger at the dog park. At first, it seems as though Matt, with his big dopey dog and irrepressible charm, is the Prince Charming she’s been waiting for. Not only is he a sweetheart, but he’d look great on top of a wedding cake.

Soon, however, she discovers something about him that changes everything and leaves her wondering…does God believe in fairy tales?

For more information, visit www.teriwilson.net.

Blessings, Teri

Week one ~ Author's and their books

Now that you are familiar with “week-one’s Our Cup Runneth Over Contest” author’s and their websites… I’d love to introduce their books to you.

I’ve listed the tiles and their back cover blurbs as well as the price below. All these stories are currently available to purchase at whiterosepublishing.com

Pamela Thibodeaux : Winter Madness

Sienna has survived what most succumb to--the death of a spouse and child--and she has maintained her faith despite her troubles.
William has never met anyone who actually lived out what they say they believe.
Is it true love between the faithful optimist and broody pessimist or simply winter madness?

Price: $2.00

E.A. West : Dreams Do Come True


Aspiring author Cassie Teague has been rejected…again. As she considers giving up her dream of getting published, a handsome editor walks into her life and makes her wonder if God has more in store for her than just writing.

Acquisitions editor David Jameson wants more than just Cassie’s book. But will office politics destroy his hope for the future?

Price: $2.00

(Dreams Do Come True and Fragile Dreams are two of the stories you’ll find in the grand-prize gift drawing.)

Karin Kogan : Fragile Dreams

The Civil war unleashes a bitter battle near Caroline's home--and in her heart. Parentless, and with a young brother to tend, Caroline blames God and the Yankees for her difficulties. Then, she finds a wounded Union soldier lying in her lawn, and her world is turned upside-down...
Shot and left for dead, Nate thanks God for the Confederate angel who takes him in and nurses him back to health, but dreams of taking her West with him after the war are dampened by her Southern alliances and hardened heart.
Will the war pull them apart, or can Nate's faith bind them together?

Price $4.50

Week Two ~ Our Cup Runneth Over Contest

Welcome to week two of Our Cup Runneth Over fall give away.

Thank you to all who participated last week. On behalf of our participating White Rose Authors, I’m pleased to announce the week one winner... congratulations, Tracey Dent! Tracey has won a copy of Winter Madness, by Pamela Thibodeaux. (It will be arriving in her in-box this evening.) If you didn’t succeed this time, don’t give up, there is still six more weeks for a chance to win an e-book of your own, plus you’re name is now entered for our grand prize drawing.

So, here’s the information you need for this week. Find the White Rose Mug on their sites, and e-mail the author’s name and what color their mug is to carolann.erhardt@gmail.com , and you’ll be signed up to win e-book and entered in the grand-prize drawing.

http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com
www.janelleashley.com

Make sure to check back here next Saturday to find out the winner for “week two” and new web-sites for “week three.” (If you’d like more information about this contest, please look at the post dated September, 11th.)

Perhaps this week’s winner will be YOU!

Week One~ Our Cup Runneth Over contest

Today's our kickoff of the Fall Our Cup Runneth Over scavenger hunt. Below, in the previous post, you'll find all the contest details you'll need to participate. (If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me, JoAnn, at jo.glenncarter@comcast.net)

http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com/


http://thewestcorner.blogspot.com/


http://www.karencogan.com/

One of the following e-books will be awarded as a prize for this week: Winter Madness, Dreams Do Come True, or Fragile Dreams.

Make sure you check back here next week for the new set of web sites~

List of participating Authors:

Pamela Thibodeaux, E.A. West, Karen Cogan, Cami Checketts, Janelle Ashley, Wendy Davy, Diane Miley, Sandy Wickersham-McWhorter, Teri Wilson, JoAnn Carter, Nicola Beaumont
Carla Rossi, Carol Ann Erhardt, Sharon Donovan, Cindy Green, and Vicki Caine

Our Cup Runneth Over contest details:

Each week, over the next seven weeks, you will have the chance to win free e-books courtesy of the White Rose Publishing authors.

How? By joining our scavenger hunt. Each Saturday two to three new author’s web-sites will be added to this blog. What your job is to locate the WHITE ROSE PUBLISHING cup hiding somewhere on their site. Jot down the author’s name and what color cup is on their web page and e-mail the correct answers to carolann.erhardt@gmail.com (Please place in the subject line WRiB Contest) Each Saturday, starting September 19th, a winner’s name will be drawn and your prize will be awarded.

But that’s not all, each time that you send in an entry—regardless if you win that week or not--your name goes into a larger kitty for the grand prize drawing October 31st! (That prize consists of: seven e-books, a box of White Rose Organic tea, your very own beautiful White Rose mug, and a little basket of Arbonne skin care products.)

Check back here tomorrow where the first two web-pages will be posted so you can start your hunt. There will also be a listing of the books which will be awarded.

Hope you can join us!

“Our Cup Runneth Over” Fall Celebration Give-Away

From September 13th to October 31st -- 16 authors are giving you the opportunity to win a free download of one of their titles. Stay tuned for the details…
(They will be posted right here on the Wild Rose in Bloom blog September 12th!)

A chance to win a short story

Hello, everyone,

As many of you know, we're blogging today at LASR. In honour of the fact that it's...well, Saturday...I'm offering a complimentary copy of Forever from Paris. This short story was published some time ago, and has received rave reviews (Yay!), but I finished the the book preview only recently. In order to be entered into the drawing for a copy of the story, all you have to do is view the preview and leave me a comment here about what you think of it. Does it make you want to read the story? Too long? Too short? You tell me. Say anything you'd like (OK, be courteous, but say anything you'd like nicely. LOL) At the end of the day, I'll pick a random winner. -- and remember to chat with all White Roses in Bloom today over at the Long and Short of It Yahoogroup.

Here's the link to the book page. Just click on view the preview from there.

God Bless,
Nicola