Goodreads Book Giveaway
A funny little thing …
A funny little thing happened this morning.
But in order to tell you this story, I have to tell you what happened last night. Yesterday, about 3:30 the snow in Nashville started to fall (for the 5th or 6th time this winter). And it stuck. Soon calls were coming into the office that the roads were getting slick, so many people took off for home–myself included. But many, many Nashvillians don’t live a mile from their offices, and the slippery roads turned into up to 5 hour commutes for some. Yikes!
Last night, I was busy reading tweets about the terrible commute and making sure all my friends made it home safely, when I came upon my sweet friend Andrea Lucado’s hilarious tweet: all Nashville commuters deserve a day off tomorrow. I declare 2/10 National Stay Off the Roads and on Your Couch Day
So I retweeted my agreement of it.
And then this morning, I was watching the news, while working from home (because, let’s face it, the roads were a mess), and what did I see?
Yup! Andrea and I are famous! 🙂
(Thanks to Caroline Green for the picture!)
Making this snow day exponentially better–News 2. 🙂
Giveaway: A Tailor-made Bride
I recently read A Tailor-made Brideby Karen Witemeyer. In fact, I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it. (And trust me, I paid for it the next day.) But it was cute, and I really enjoyed it.
Here’s a bit about the book:
Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas’s new dressmaker. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected. Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man? When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?
Both the hero and heroine in this book are immensely likable–especially after we learn what’s turned Jericho off from frippery. Hannah is quite prone to accidents and Jericho to saving her. They’re quite fun, and while it felt like the second half was about thirty pages too long, it was a lot of fun–classic historical romance.
And lucky for you, I somehow wound up with two copies of this book, so I’m giving one away to you. Just leave me a comment on this post by Sunday at 11:59pm to be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner at random from comments made by then and send you your very own fun read!
Happy commenting! Good luck!
Have I told you about my new book?
Yeah, I didn’t think so. But I’m excited to tell you about it now. Please allow me to introduce Code of Justice, my third Love Inspired Suspense novel, available one month from today.
From the back cover:
“Follow the drugs.”
Her sister’s last words shake FBI agent Heather Sloan to the core. They also convince her that the helicopter crash only Heather survived wasn’t an accident. Sheriff’s deputy Jeremy Latham is assigned the case—he’s the one who can help Heather find the person responsible. Once she convinces him they should work together. As they dig for the truth, they learn to trust and care for each other. But will they lose it all when the killer targets Heather? She’s willing to risk her life to find her sister’s killer—but her code of justice could cost her the chance to win Jeremy’s love.
Read the first chapter here.
Why I LOVE this book:
I love my sister. I love her dearly. This week she called me because we hadn’t talked since I was back in Arizona over Christmas and New Year. We chatted for 2 hours and 14 minutes. I love that I don’t have to be anything but myself with her. We have an easy bond, and a lot of fun. She teases me, and I tease her right back. And I’m just plumb thankful to have her in my life.
But when I sat down to write Code of Justice, I imagined a heroine who had a similar bond with her sister. And then I turned it on its head. What if her sister had been taken from her? How would she react? What would she do? How far would she go?
I loved writing this story. It felt cruel to put Heather through so much pain, but as she struggles with vengance versus justice, I love her all the more. Her faults are so often my faults–stubbornness and diving in head-first without praying about the situation first. As she totters between anguish and a the hope of new-found love, I see my own life reflected in her story. Life isn’t usually all bad or all perfect. It teeters and totters. It sways and surprises us. I love that about Heather’s story. And I love that about my own life, too.
Just this week, I began receiving my first e-mails from readers. Apparently they’re falling in love with Heather, too, and my heart is nearly bursting. Thanks for the notes, friends. It’s always a joy to hear that one of my stories is being thoroughly enjoyed.
I’m honored to get to write these stories that I love.
Thanks for reading them.
Save the Date
Well, I’ve been doing a bit of reading lately. And I’ve got to confess. I ran into a couple of books that I just couldn’t seem to finish. They weren’t bad, per se. More like slow. And I just couldn’t get myself to that point where I couldn’t stop reading, so I gave up.
Yes, I recognize that I could be missing out on some exceptional literary works by doing that. I also realize that I only have so many hours in a day, and I want to really enjoy the ones I spend reading.
So imagine my joy, when I recently picked up a copy of the very, brand new (not really available everywhere until February) Save the Date by one Miss Jenny B. Jones.
First, a snippet from the back cover of the book, so my commentary may actually make sense. (Then again, it may not.)
You are cordially invited to the wedding of the year with the most unlikely bride and groom. Save the date…and say your prayers.
When funding for Lucy’s non-profit job is pulled, she is determined to find out why. Enter Alex Sinclair Enterprises–the primary donor to Lucy’s non-profit organizaiton.
Both Lucy and Alex have something the other desperately wants.
Alex has it all…except for the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancée in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy finds her heart–and her future–on the line.
Save the Date is a spunky romance that will have readers laughing out loud as this dubious pair try to save their careers, their dreams…and maybe even a date.
And now my comments. Read this book. Really. Seriously. Go find a copy of this book and read it. If you can’t afford it, tell me, and I’ll mail you my copy. It’s wonderfully funny (like when Lucy thinks that Alex looks like “man dessert” and I laughed so hard I snorted) and a thoroughly deep exploration of the lies we listen to about ourselves.
I loved so many things about this book–like the fact that the hero is a former football star and the way the heroine will do anything to save the home she runs for girls who have aged out of the foster care system. And don’t even get me started on Julian and Clare, who have just discovered Jesus and offer hillarious commentary on the Christian walk. Save the Date tugs at your heartstrings in all the right places and gives you hope and joy for the hard times.
There wasn’t a single slow page in the whole thing. I sailed through it in three days (or more accurately nights) and can’t wait for her next. Featuring a professional hockey player, perhaps? A girl can dream. 🙂
See ya next year, Christmas lights!
I took down my Christmas lights and tree and all my decorations this weekend, and if you’ve been following the blog, you’ll know why. If you haven’t, I’ll give you a hint. I finished writing the Christmas novella that’s due on Tuesday!!
Yuppers! The book is done, edited, and nearly ready to send off to my editor. And now I feel a little like this.
Join me in a little dance, if you will!
This video made me smile!
Okay, so I’ve never been to England. I’ve never seen the board guys on Oxford Street in London. But this short video is a story that makes everyone feel good. Enjoy!
Sign Language – a short film from Oscar Sharp on Vimeo.
Brandon Heath is Leaving Eden!
Well, it’s been a long wait–nearly a year and half. But Brandon Heath’s new album
, Leaving Eden, is finally available today.
Thanks to a friend of mine, I received a sneak preview of this album about 6 weeks ago. What does that mean for you? Well, it means I can recommend this album without reservation–because it’s still in my cd player, still playing through day after day.
A few highlights:
Track 1 – Leaving Eden
The title track kicks off this album perfectly. It’s an exploration of the things that make this world hard. Brandon sings about his neighbor forgetting her own name among other heart-breaking moments of life. But somehow, when he sings about “going home,” the hope in his voice is nearly tangible.
Track 2 – Your Love
The first single off the album has been getting some mega radio play. For good reason. This catchy song sums up the theme of entire LP. Check out the song here.
Track 4 – Only Water
I get chills every time Brandon hits the third verse of this song, as he begins singing about how Jesus was at a wedding that had run out of wine, speaking of the first miracle of Jesus recorded in the gospels. “They said he was just a man. That’s where it all began. It was only water.” A very chill song, that’s worth listening to time and again.
Track 5 – Stolen
As relaxed as Only Water is, Stolen is the opposite–an intense tune about the unrelenting love of God. The chorus is beyond catchy and is such a strong reminder that God pursues our hearts because he loves us and longs to be in relationship with us.
Well, those are my favorites on the record, but don’t miss As Long as I’m Here (the last song), the smooth Now More Than Ever, and the TobyMac sound-alike It’s No Good.
You can listen to samples at CBD.com or buy it there or at iTunes or wherever you like to get your music, if I’ve convinced you already. It’s well-worth the investment. Tell me if you do pick it up. I’d love to hear what you think!
Why I still have my Christmas tree up …
Yup. Nearly every one I know has long since taken down their Christmas lights, pulled their decorations of their tree, and replaced their red and green decorations with their year-round ones.
But not me. My miniature Christmas tree is right where I left it when I took for for Christmas vacation. My red and green wall hanging and quilt are in their places. And I my Christmas lights are often plugged in. Nearly half way through the month of January, I haven’t touched my Christmas stuff.
And I’m not taking it down any time too soon. (And not just because I’m lazy–which of course I have been since returning from vacation.)
It’s all because of a little thing, I like to call a deadline. Well, actually nearly everyone I know calls it a deadline. Yup, I have a manuscript due on February 1st. Moreover, it’s a manuscript for a Christmas novella (due out in September 2011). So I have to keep my yuletide spirit intact at least through the end of the month.
Turns out it’s harder to feel Christmasy in January than I thought it would be. So if you come for a visit, please don’t judge me for keeping my lights up.
How long do you keep your decorations up?
New Year’s Fun!
So I’m behind. Okay, really behind in sharing some fun from my trip home to Arizona to visit the family. One of the funnest parts of the trip was the trampoline my sister and her husband got for their kids. On New Year’s Eve, we all met at my sister’s house to celebrate. Mom and I were out shopping, so when we made it, the kids were already out on the trampoline with my brother. Check out a couple videos of them being adorable!