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.

May God Bless 2010!

Hello everyone! Here's to a new year and a fresh start. Don't you love the opportunity for a new beginning each and every year? At the beginning of this year I started a new job, besides my writing. It's tough to find time for everything, but I get up early and write for an hour before getting ready for work. Well, most days. ;)

God has blessed me with a new home in a warmer climate, new opportunities at my new job, and a book release! Violets for Vanessa is now available from White Rose Publishing. (Where else?)

I'd also love to keep in touch with fellow writers and readers. Despite a hectic schedule, I enjoy emailing one-on-one but never seem to keep up with the social sites. Guess I'm hopelessly out of date! I do send an e-newsletter bi-monthly and would love to share it with anyone interested. Please sign up at my website: http://www.diannemiley.com/ -- and invite your friends as well.

Shameless promotion aside, I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous year. Most importantly, I pray the peace, joy, and love of our Lord Jesus Christ touches each of us personally as well as our nation and our world as a whole.

God Bless You Every One!

Dianne Miley

Cup of Joe...in print!

What a cute dog on that book cover!

Today was an exciting day around my house. I came home and found four huge boxes on my front porch. And guess what was in all of them?

Hot-off-the-presses copies of my new book Cup of Joe.

Cup of Joe will officially be released from White Rose Publishing on December 4. I have a book signing scheduled for December 12 at The Foundry coffee shop here in San Antonio. (Cup of Joe...coffee shop...get the connection? I'm clever that way!)

My son, Cameron, came over tonight so we had an impromptu photo shoot. Of course, I wanted my puppy, Bliss, in the photo since she bears a rather striking resemblance to the dog on the cover (what a shocking coincidence). My English Cocker Spaniel, Angel, wanted to climb in my lap so she could be in the picture, so we tried to get them both in. Boy, it's hard enough to get a decent looking picture of me, much less a good photo of all three of us.

Look at our sad attempts...

Um, Angel, what are you looking at?

Look at Angel's glowing eyes. What the heck? Halloween is over.

Oh well. Maybe next time!

Blessings, Teri

Teri Wilson ~ Romancing the pet lover's soul

http://www.teriwilson.net/

Week 7 ~ Our Cup Runneth Over

I’d like to give a huge thank you to Carol Ann Erhardt, our fall contest coordinator. Without her efforts, this would not have been possible. Thank you too, for all the other authors who have been working behind the scenes to make this contest a success!

Week six winner is…Joy Isley! She has won a copy of JOSHUA'S HOPE.

Week 7 websites to explore:

http://sharondonovan.blogspot.com/

http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/e-mail

e-mail the places you found them to Carol Ann @ carolann.erhardt@gmail.com (Please place in the subject line WRiB Contest.) to enter to win this weeks giveaway.


Featured books from week 6, Our Cup Runneth Over contest:

Carla Rossi
It Happened One Hurricane When Pittsburgh native Amber Kensington moves to the Texas Gulf coast to take a job, hurricane season is the last thing on her mind. That is until a massive storm named Ike appears, destined to make a direct hit just miles from her apartment. Evacuation is the answer, but what happens when your car won’t cooperate?
Alex Clarke has seen his share of tropical weather, but it never gets any easier. A childhood experience with lightning has left him fearful of storms. Still, his greatest desire is to participate in his church’s outreach program and assist hurricane victims. Now he’s discovered his new neighbor is stranded. Can he convince her to go with him? And can Amber and Alex find God’s comfort and healing despite the raging storm?

AVAILABLE for $2.00 @ whiterosepublishing.com

Carol Ann Erhardt
Joshua’s Hope : Hope Courtland escaped her marriage to save her life. Her only regret is leaving her four-year-old stepson, Joshua, behind. Though she wants custody, no attorney is willing to tackle her ex-husband in a custody battle. Hope's faith begins to falter. She learns that Joshua is paying the consequences for her freedom, and in an act of desperation, she kidnaps him. Suddenly, she becomes a suspect in her ex-husband's murder.
Zack Stone is content to be sheriff of Pine Cove, Tennessee, where the worst conflict he deals with is handing out speeding tickets. Though his faith is strong, he struggles with issues of forgiveness surrounding his wife's death. When he rescues Hope in a rainstorm, the last thing he expects is to find a woman who stirs his heart. Being a small town sheriff shouldn't involve kidnapping and murder, but Zack can't turn his back on Hope and the little boy she loves.

AVAILABLE for $6.00 @ whiterosepublishing.com

Finally, if you happen to be one of the folks who have won though out the previous weeks, would you consider leaving a comment or two about the book you read? I know it would mean a lot to the author(s)!

Night Waves Releases this Friday, July 24th!

Hello! I'm pleased to announce my newest inspirational romance, Night Waves, is due to be released Friday!!!

Here's the blurb:
Newspaper reporter, Cali Stevens, boldly walks into Sheriff Nick Justice's office, with one goal in mind: To find her best friend who disappeared while vacationing. When the no-nonsense sheriff refuses to give her details of the investigation, Cali takes matters into her own hands and starts her own investigation. She never intends to fall for the sheriff...or into the clutches of the Coral Isle's first serial kidnapper.
Coral Isle's recent abductions give Nick Justice enough to worry about without adding any complications into the mix, and his attraction to Cali Stevens is definitely a complication. When Nick encourages Cali to leave the island, she refuses. Now he must manage to find the missing women while keeping Cali and the rest of the women on Coral Isle safe.

I'd like to thank Nicola Martinez for her amazing talent in designing the cover, and for her wonderful help with editing. Thanks Nicola!!!

If you would like to enter to win a copy of Night Waves, simply contact me through my website at www.wendydavy.com, and I'll put your name in the drawing. I'll be giving away either a digital copy, or an autographed print copy (Winner's choice!) on July 24th.

Thanks,

Wendy Davy
www.wendydavy.com

A Day in a Writer's Life

Good morning! Today I thought I'd share a day in my writing life. I also run a small business with my husband but I'm caught up (for once!) and I'm dedicating the day totally to writing. I really need to since I have major revisions to do on my latest novel, Violets for Vanessa.

Here's my plan for the day. I got up about 6:15am. Threw on sweats and a t-shirt. LOVE working from home days! Watched the news with my husband and ate breakfast - my usual yogurt, berries, granola, and walnuts with a glass of OJ and a vitamin. Kissed hubby goodbye as he went off to work. Now writing my blog so you could read it first thing.

I will read my devotional "Our Daily Bread" and pray over my life and my writing. I'll undoubtedly do the dishes and straighten the house, maybe toss in a load of laundry. Then to work!

Today's revisions include making my hero more "heroic." I gave him some flaws so I could show his growth. Apparently I went a bit overboard on that! My editor wants him fixed and I agree with her. Chad James is getting an attitude adjustment today. In additon, my heroine isn't showing enough emotion. She's been sexually abused and is naturally shy and reserved. Although there's plenty of emotion brewing underneath, Vanessa Gallagher is keeping her feelings to herself - and not even sharing them with the reader! So she needs fixing too. I hope to start writing by 8:00. I'll make a cup of vanilla almond tea with honey and sip as I write.

I'll take a break around noon for lunch - a week-after-Easter egg salad sandwich and an apple. I'll probably check email and switch laundry from washer to dryer, maybe fold a load of clothes as I'll need a diversion for a bit. And call my daughter who's away at college. She's coming home this weekend and we need to confirm our plans. :)

Back to work and write the rest of the afternoon. Isn't this exciting? LOL Around 5:00 I'd like to take a walk outside. I'll need some fresh air by then! Pet our outside cat and feed her supper. I'll check to see if the daffodils are blooming yet. I live in a cold zone of northeast Ohio and spring lags behind a bit up here.

Time to make dinner, and yes, I cook. Today's menu is scallops (the frozen less-expensive kind) with pasta and vegetables. I'll slice some fresh strawberries too. Wow, this sounds like I'm such a healthy eater and truly I deviate waaaay too often. Did I mention the mini-cupcakes leftover from Easter or the box of chocolates on my buffet? Or that I ate McDonalds for lunch AND dinner on Tuesday????

The evening will probably consist of the excitement of television and a phone call to my son - also away at college and coming home this weekend. Next week is my husband's birthday and we're going to dinner on Sunday.

Well, that's my writing day. Like I said, this dedicated day is unusual. Yesterday I went to NewCastle, Pennsylvania on business in the morning and wrote in the afternoon. Tuesday morning I took care of paperwork, email, and made bookmarks, had lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in years, ran banking errands, etc., and then rushed home to change and get ready for a booksigning. I sold several copies of the first two books in The Crystal Falls Series, Lilacs for Laura and Roses for Rachel. Monday was business paperwork til 6:00pm, eat Easter leftovers, rake gravel and leaves in the yard for an hour and a half, and then work on revisions until late into the evening.

Every day is different - and that's what makes life interesting! (sometimes....)

God Bless YOUR Day!

:) Dianne Miley

http://www.diannemiley.com/
Lilacs for Laura; Roses for Rachel
Available from http://www.whiterosepublishing.com/


"'For I know the plans I have for you,' saith the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11

Interview with Writer Rhonda Clark

Allow me to introduce my friend Rhonda Clark. She is a freelance writer, blogger and novelist. She lives in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband and two children, where she is a stay-at-home mom. Her hobbies include spending time with her children, reading and volunteering at her church. Please sit back and enjoy getting to know Rhonda with me. (You know you wanted that second cup of coffee anyway.)

Q: Rhonda, you have an impressive bibliography of published articles. Can you tell us a little about your work?

A: Thanks, I’ve never thought of it as “impressive.” It’s just what God wants me to do. He has blessed me with a quirky way of seeing things. I can find Him and His teachings in places most others never would. I’m excited to be able to reach others with Christ’s message through my work.


Q: What other roles do you fill in life besides "writer?" How do you maintain the balance between them?

A: I’m a wife, and stay-at-home-mom of two. The three of them keep me busy with soccer, football, basketball, softball, and whatever else is going on in their lives. Around here, each day is a new adventure. Finding balance is sometimes tough, and I couldn’t do it without God’s blessings. He keeps me on track.



Q: What do you find rewarding about writing?

A: It’s a release for me, a cleansing process for my mind and emotions. I’m one of these people who has a mind that seldom stops, it’s always running. Writing allows me to exhaust my thoughts and my brain to the point of relaxation. What’s so very cool is I get to share God’s message of love and redemption while doing something for myself.



Q: Tell us about the podcast you've recently started with The Christian Pulse.

A: At The Christian Pulse we call it a pulsecast, and this is my newest adventure. The Inkwell debuted in March, and is a show dedicated to interviewing writers about their books. It airs the second week of every month with a contest that runs from the air date to the end of the month. We give away a copy of the book we’re discussing.I have some fantastic guest lined up, they include, Michelle Sutton, Rita Gerlach, Lena Nelson Dooley, and the wonderful Kara Lynn Russell. The next air date will be April 12 and I’ll be interviewing Marty Norman about her book, “Generation G.” This is a wonderful book about grandparenting in the 21st century. I’m nowhere close to being a grandmother, and I learned a few things. This also makes a great Mother’s Day gift.



Q: Are you working on any other projects right now that you'd like to share?

Beach Reads, where I review books, and talk writing. Each month I have a featured author. April will be Laura Lee Heinsohn. There will be a new post about her every week, with an opportunity to enter a chance to win her book, “Cracking the Parenting Code.” I’ll post a review later in the month. My newest blog is Within Your Skin. I’m on a journey to get healthy and thought others might like to join me. I’m going to look at eating plans, exercise plans, and healthy products. You’ll get to learn from my pitfalls and what I learn from the Scriptures. This blog is only a couple of weeks old, but it’s going to be a great encouragement for me and hopefully others.

My big project is my novel, “The Road To Bliss.” That’s the first time I’ve revealed the title to the public, so you’ve got a scoop. J It’s currently in rewrites, but I took some of the cut passages and turned them into short stories. I’m going to enter it in the Faithwriters.com Page Turner Contest. It’s currently in rewrites. I’ve turned a couple of the cut pieces into short stories, and plan to do this with other parts. You’ll get to know some of the characters and a little of their background before the book is published. The Tennessee Writer’s Alliance has published the first two in their online magazine Maypop. I’ll most likely being publishing all of the short stories through them. The Demon Road and The Runaway Road are available now.