Friday, July 30, 2010

New Releases at White Rose Publishing

Today's release from White Rose Publishing is Moselle's Insurance by new White Rose author LoRee Peery:
Creative artist Moselle Carson gives new life to old items, but she can’t seem to renew her shattered ideal of love. When she returns to her hometown to help with a new family business, memories of a broken heart and small-town gossip chip away the tough exterior she’s erected over the years. Now she’s forced to decide whether she’ll rebuild the wall or trust that true love never dies when it is ordained by God.

Generous insurance agent and vulnerable firefighter, Eric Todd, remembers too well how he mistreated Moselle and then set her aside. Now he longs for true love and the second chance to become a husband and father. Can he learn to forgive himself and still keep the secret that may redeem him in her eyes?

(Special Offer! Purchase Moselle's Insurance on 30 July 2010 and get a $5 White Rose Publishing gift certificate FREE. http://bit.ly/dkImJv)


I missed last weeks release but I hope you won't, because it's from a much loved White Rose author. Here's In His Sight by Pamela S. Thibodeaux:

Grade school teacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has.   

 Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man.

 Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?



Happy Reading!


Monday, July 26, 2010

Pity Party Time

Wounded Heart
I've just had a really crummy week.

I was on vacation. Granted my husband and I weren't going anywhere. Two of our kids are grown and out on their own. The other two were both at camp for the week. We decided it was a great time to stay home and spend some time together. (Although why my husband thinks that cleaning the carpets was a good choice for a vacation activity I'll never know.)

Things didn't quite work out as planned. My oldest daughter fell and hurt herself and so I ended up spending my vacation in the emergency room and in doctor's offices and at work, covering her hours. (We both work at the local library.)

I kept telling myself I should be thankful that I was on vacation so I could be there for my daughter, but I wasn't feeling any gratitude. I told myself to thankful that her accident wasn't worse and that she is recovering. I did feel a spark of gratitude for that but mostly, I am sorry to admit...

I just felt sorry for myself.

I kept thinking of these verses from Psalm 109: But you O Sovereign Lord deal well with me for your name's sake; Out of the goodness of your love deliver me. For I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me.

I really, really did feel poor and needy and my heart was wounded. Not a good attitude to have but I couldn't seem to shake it. Finally I just gave myself permission to be upset. My vacation was ruined and I was exhausted from worrying. So I threw a little pity party. I allowed myself a few hours to boo-hoo and be crabby. It's no wonder those kinds of parties usually only have 1 guest!

It sounds silly but it really worked. Sometimes if you can't get over something, I guess you just have to go through it. Afterwards I started to think about how supportive my daughter's friends had been and how much stress they'd saved me from. A tiny seed of gratitude sprouted.

And you know what? My day got better from there. But you aren't surprised, are you?

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Why is romance so hard to keep alive?


I have a rather uncomfortable confession to make… I’ve just discovered I’m a NY Yankee hater. Oh, not for the typical reasons one might hate a baseball team, but rather because of how it seems to steal my husband away.

That’s why when I came to the verse in Teri Wilson’s latest release, Rodeo Redemption, the verse about “enjoying the wife of your youth” made me stop and think. God wants us to work on keeping the romance alive in our own marriages. However, life isn’t a work of fiction. Happily ever after is not guaranteed. It’s hard work!

For those who are married, I don’t know where you’re at in your marriage relationship--you may be on a hill top or in a valley--but one thing I do know…God does care. He doesn’t just want us to survive in our marriage, but to thrive.

Let’s take a few moments today to pray for our spouse, our family and for those who are struggling around us~

*That God would give us love when we feel less then loving
*That He would give us words to communicate rather than just “blow off steam”
*That we would have a soft heart and tenderness towards our spouse.
*That rather than focusing and finding flaws in our mate, we would remember and enjoy the wife/husband of our youth.

I hope as the sun sets tonight, that you'll able to thank God for your spouse--baseball lover and all. :)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Friday's Release Day Special offer!

Purchase In His Sight by Pamela S. Thibodeaux-- The latest release from White Rose Publishing-- and receive a FREE .pdf of THE INHERITANCE. Purchases must be made on 23July 2010 to be eligible, so hurry before time runs out. http://www.whiteros epublishing. com/In-His- Sight
--
Grade school teacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has.

Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man.

Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?

Monday, July 19, 2010

New from White Rose Publishing

White Rose Publishing is excited to bring you the first in the Rodeo Royalty series by award-winning author, Teri Wilson. Rodeo Redemption is the 2009 SARA Merritt Winner, and is sure to pull on your heartstrings and tickle your giggle-bone!

A Former Rodeo Queen

Josie Turner spends her days at the local dog grooming shop pampering the pooches of Angel Springs, Texas. When rodeo season rolls around again, the townfolk are excited about who their new Rodeo Queen might be. Josie, on the other hand, finds herself reminded all too often about a night she’d just as soon forget.

A Former Rodeo Cowboy

Luke Anderson lived for three things – riding, roping and rodeos. Until the day he met Josie Turner, the girl who gave his life meaning, and whose heart he was destined to break. Now, ten years later, he returns to Angel Springs to find the town hasn’t changed much, but the girl he left behind has become a stranger he hardly recognizes. What, he wonders, will she think of him, and the man he’s become?

A Rodeo Weekend

Determined to break through the wall Josie has erected around her heart, Luke must face his demons while at the same time helping Josie overcome hers. With the whole town cheering them on, can Luke mend Josie’s heart and can one rodeo weekend help them both find redemption?

Friday, July 16, 2010

A Prayer Answered

Hi everyone, I signed up to blog here long ago and never did because of my oldest son. I never thought my first post would be this story. Our lives have changed radically. It proves to me that God answers prayer, at the best time possible. Not all answers go smoothly when you get them, but some are worth the wait. Such is the case for my family.
On July 2nd, my oldest son and I were eating lunch at a local sushi restaurant, enjoying our machi rolls and clear soup tremendously. His phone rang at 1:16pm. He hit ignore without looking to see who it was and said, “I’m eating, they can wait.” Well, the phone rang again seconds later, so he answered. I watched the expression on his face change radically and heard a few indistinct words as he talked. When he hung up, his mouth hung open, his eyes were glazed over, and he didn’t say a word.
“Who was it?” I asked twice before stuffing a piece of California roll in my mouth.
“Uh, uh, it was OSU Medical Center (for those who don’t know-the Ohio State University Medical Center)…they have a kidney for me.”
My eyes welled up with joyful tears and I couldn’t say much either.
He made a statement that stopped me in my tracks, “If you’re going to get all hysterical and cry go to the restroom, but hurry up!”
How he expected me to NOT get hysterical and cry was beyond me and still is, but I didn’t do either because I knew we had a long drive ahead of us. We jammed in the rest of our meal, paid the bill, rushed home, he packed while I packed my laptop, phone and laptop cords, some clean clothes and toiletries, went on Mapquest, and called or e-mailed everyone I know! He was also e-mailing everyone he knew, which meant some overlap notifications.
After a nerve-wracking drive, during which he encouraged me to speed by saying something to the effect that the troopers “won’t give us a ticket because of where we’re going with the kidney only being viable for four hours and all,” we pulled up to the valet parking at OSU Medical Center at 3:00pm, hot, exhausted, and bewildered that it all was happening so fast.
Our family had waited for this day for almost five years,with one false start when a live donor backed out three years ago, but never really expected it would happen. With work and watching their diet, dialysis can keep a person alive for a long time, but it drains the will and the body to the point where some people become depressed recluses. I was seeing this in my son. Needless to say, we were overjoyed at the thought of that all ending. At 7:30am on July 3rd, they took him to surgery and he came to the recovery room at 9:00am. Shorter than many transplant surgeries and I’m glad, I was alone and don’t think I could have taken a longer operative time! His new kidney began working before they even had it fully hooked. The surgeon called it a “young kidney, eager to work.”
He came home on Thursday, July 8th and recovery is going well. There are new obstacles we didn’t know about that he has to face, such as the unexpectedly high cost of the anti-rejection drugs, taking his vital signs every four hours, having blood drawn two days a week, and going to the bathroom practically every hour because he has to drink three liters of water a day, losing weight, and getting his blood pressure down. He’s complaining about not getting any sleep at night due to going to the bathroom constantly, that will end in about three months as his bladder gets used to being used again. Gee-for me as his constant companion and best friend (not to mention being his mother) for the last five years, that sounds absolutely FABULOUS! Things will settle down after three months we’re told.
If you know someone who needs a kidney, don’t be afraid to help, donate now or mark it on your driver’s license and tell your family you want to be an organ donor. A young man from Columbus, Ohio, died a senseless death on July 3rd,  but the three or more people whose lives he saved or made better know it was the best gift and legacy he or anyone could ever give-LIFE-the young man and his family are heroes to me and my family. Please, be a hero to someone and encourage others to do so. Because of what my son went through, my brother-in-law has marked his driver’s license to be donor, three more lives will be saved someday!  
 
Sandy is the author of Cottonwood Place.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

White Rose Publishing's latest release...


This week Teri Wilson's book, Rodeo Redemption is released and there is a special "Release Day" offer! Purchase any edition of Rodeo Redemption by Teri Wilson--The latest release from White Rose Publishing-- and receive a FREE .pdf of Teri's award-winning, "Cup of Joe." Purchases must be made on 16 July 2010 to be eligible, so hurry before time runs out. http://bit.ly/ d4Tidv
A Former Rodeo Queen
Josie Turner spends her days at the local dog grooming shop pampering the pooches of Angel Springs, Texas. When rodeo season rolls around again, the townfolk are excited about who their new Rodeo Queen might be. Josie, on the other hand, finds herself reminded all too often about a night she’d just as soon forget.

A Former Rodeo Cowboy
Luke Anderson lived for three things – riding, roping and rodeos. Until the day he met Josie Turner, the girl who gave his life meaning, and whose heart he was destined to break. Now, ten years later, he returns to Angel Springs to find the town hasn’t changed much, but the girl he left behind has become a stranger he hardly recognizes. What, he wonders, will she think of him, and the man he’s become?

A Rodeo Weekend
Determined to break through the wall Josie has erected around her heart, Luke must face his demons while at the same time helping Josie overcome hers. With the whole town cheering them on, can Luke mend Josie’s heart and can one rodeo weekend help them both find redemption?

You can read an excerpt at:
http://www.whiterosepublishing.com/Rodeo-Redemption



Sunday, July 11, 2010

The Good Samaritan and Emily Post

I have been reading the original 1922 edition of Emily's Post's famous Etiquette as research for a story I want to set in the late teens, early twenties era. In the introduction by Richard Duffy, it states:

Many who scoff at a book of etiquette would be shocked to hear the least expression of levity touching the Ten Commandments. But the Commandments do not always prevent such virtuous scoffers from dealings with their neighbor of which no gentleman could be capable and retain his claim to the title. 

Interestingly, our readings at church this morning had to do with law. The Gospel reading was of the well known parable of The Good Samaritan. As you most likely know, Jesus told the story in response to a lawyer's question "Who is my neighbor?" While listening to the story I could not help but think of Emily Post and her explanations of manners.

In the chapter The Fundamentals of Good Behavior, Post explains:


All thoroughbred people are considerate of the feelings of others no matter what the station of the others may be. Thackeray's climber who "licks the boots of those above him and kicks the faces of those below him on the social ladder," is a, very good illustration of what a gentleman is not.
A gentleman never takes advantage of another's helplessness or ignorance, and assumes that no gentleman will take advantage of him.

And then farther on in the chapter:  All thoroughbred women, and men, are considerate of others less fortunately placed, especially of those in their employ. One of the tests by which to distinguish between the woman of breeding and the woman merely of wealth, is to notice the way she speaks to dependents...When you see a woman in silks and sables and diamonds speak to a little errand girl or a footman or a scullery maid as though they were the dirt under her feet, you may be sure of one thing; she hasn't come a very long way from the ground herself. 

While this is not a parallel to the parable, I think it's likely that Jesus would tend to agree with Emily.

Friday, July 9, 2010

New Release - A Time for Healing

A Time for Healing by Tamelia Tumlin
As an active church member, Jaci Sinclair believes the Christian message that forgiveness is open to all…all except her, that is. Years ago, Jaci made a life-changing mistake, and now she’s sure she doesn’t deserve the one thing she wants the most—a family of her own.  But when Hunter Grant walks into her life, her world is turned upside-down. Not only does he make her desire a family even more, he shines a lamp on the one thing she refuses to see.

Ex-FBI hostage negotiator, Hunter Grant, has lost the one thing he treasured the most—his family. Filled with bitterness and anger towards God, Hunter vows never to let anyone close to him again. He moves to Yellow Rose, Texas, trying to forget the tragic deaths of his wife and son—deaths he should have prevented. Wanting to lose himself in the sleepy little town, he is not prepared for the powerful feelings Jaci stirs within him. 

As Jaci’s and Hunter’s worlds collide, neither is prepared to face the demons that haunt their pasts and hinder their future together, but for everything there is a season…even a time for healing.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

What children teach us...


Children... I don't know if you have any children of your own or not, but it never ceases to amaze me how much I can learn from them. Here's a few examples. Last week I was caring for a boy who has sever disabilities. This fellow only has one arm, his vocabulary consists of about four words, he has health issues and... he has the most beautiful smile in the whole world. The look on his face when you play "peek-a-boo" with him--well, the only equivalent I can think of would be like me being offered a million dollar contract for a book. Such joy!

On the 4th of July, we headed over to a friends house for a BBQ. All the children we're splish-splashing in the pool. A mother came up to where I was standing and asked if the water was cold. She went on to explain that she won't get near a pool unless it's bath temperature. The kids however, didn't worry about the temperature, they are so resilient. When and why did we lose that?

Then this morning, my husband, one of my sons and I went jogging. Now you need to understand, here in Vermont, our summers are very short and heat is not something we need to deal with on a regular basis. But...yesterday my husband dug out our window unit air conditioner to deal with this "heat wave." Need I say more? OK...so back to today. I stepped one foot out of the house and saw the haze across the sky and thought to myself, This is NOT going to be fun. Off we go-- down around the bend, up a hill and wham... I felt like I was trying to stuff a brick wall into my lungs. The humidity was just too much! That's when I looked at my son next to me who turned and gave me a bright grin. "It's a little hot today, huh?"
I groaned, "I little?!"
Kids don't let things zap their energy.

There are so many other great lessons to learn as we watch the children around us, but even just these few made me stop and think of the passages in the Bible where it says how we need to embrace the simplicity of life to understand it.

Matthew 18:2-6; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17 (The Message)

Matthew 18:2-6
2-5For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me. 6-7"But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse―and it's doomsday to you if you do.
 
Mark 10:15
13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

Luke 18:17

15-17People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. "Let these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in."
 
Perhaps today you're feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders. I'd like to encourage you to remember the beauty in simple pleasures and joys that the Lord surrounds us with everyday. Today, lets look at things with the wonder, joy, energy, and resilience of a child--a child of God.

Joyfully,
JoAnn Carter

Encouraging faith though fiction
http://home.comcast.net/~jo.glenncarter/site/

Monday, July 5, 2010

Do you know about White Rose Publishing's free reads?

I love freebies, don't you? If you're thinking 'yes!' then I have good news for you. White Rose Publishing has a selection of free short reads on their website. Even better, new ones are still being added.

Just this week, "Second Chances" by Cindy K. Green was released.  Here's a bit about the story:
Ellie Westin has waited two years for cowhand Joe Cameron to make her his wife. When he returns from the latest cattle drive, he finds her engaged to another man and about ready to join a wagon train to the Nevada silver mines…unless God gives him a second chance to right his wrongs and ask her the question she’s been waiting so long to hear.

Sampling these free stories is a great way to find new authors you enjoy or to find out what White Rose Publishing is all about. And it's always a bonus to find a free story by an author you already know and love.

One of the free reads on the site is "Catching the Bouquet" which stars some of the characters from my Orchard Hill series. This is a great way to sample a series before you commit your money and time to it.

There's one other way to get free reads - join the White Rose Publishing yahoo group. There are several short stories as well as the serialized novella "Once Upon a Collar" by Teri Wilson,  posted there for members to enjoy.

So why are you still hanging around here? Go, find something you love in the free reads at White Rose Publishing. And once you start with the free reads, I invite you to come back and a leave a review in the comments.