Wednesday, August 15, 2007
is introducing
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth White is the author of Fireworks and Fair Game, as well as the critically acclaimed Texas Gatekeepers serie from Love Inspired Suspense.
In her own words, she appreciate her most valued roles as wife and mom. Beth is also a second-grade Sunday school teacher, church orchestra member (She plays flute), and artist. She loves to read, crochet, sew, go on mission trips and avoid housework.
Beth lives in Mobile with her minister husband, and is currently on staff at First Baptist Church of North Mobile (fondly known as NoMo), in Saraland, Alabama.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ambition is on a collision course with a secret from the past.
Judge Laurel Kincade, a rising political star, is announcing her candidacy for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Her aristocratic Old South family, led by her judge grandfather, beams as she takes the podium. Then her eyes light on a reporter in the crowd…and suddenly her past becomes a threat to her future.
Journalist Cole McGaughan, religion reporter for the New York Daily Journal, has received an intriguing call from an old friend. Private investigator Matt Hogan has come across a tip…that Laurel's impeccable reputation might be a facade. Matt suggests that Cole dig up the dirt on the lovely judge in order to snag his dream job as one of the Journal's elite political reporters.
There's just one problem: Cole's history is entangles with Laurel's and he must decide if the story that could make his career is worth the price he'd have to pay.
A sensational scoop becomes a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Can Laurel and Cole find forgiveness and turn their hidden past into a hopeful future...while keeping their feelings off the record?
Monday, August 13, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
I had an absolutely fabulous time at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers conference. I saw a lot of old friend and made a lot of new ones. What a whirlwind! It will take me a month to decompress!
This is the fabulous energizer bunny Marlene Bagnall, our conference Director. My hat goes off to this wonderful woman and the job that she accomplishes every year!
This is a dear friend that I made last year, Dr. Ellen Zechman...LOL....I will never forget how she made Terry Whalin almost choke on his lunch last year, talking about the mirrors on the ceiling of her exam room!
My buddies! Wanda Dyson, the cool novelist on my left! She had a book featured on Oprah this spring. She's teaching me how to make a dynamite proposal! She has sold every book she ever wrote with JUST the proposal...including her first! On my left is my mirror self...Marjorie Vawter...WE both write for the same character, Sarah Wray, on Brandilyn Collin's, Scenes & Beans character blog! She's going to be my editor!
This adorable child...well 18 year-old young woman...is Hadassah Wilson! She is so absolutely cool! I just wanted to take her home with me! Her parents are below.
This is Mark and Kathi Wilson. They are the Conference Chaplains, and Kathi is a Psalmist, songwriter, and musician. Again these are people that you could talk to forever, and never run out of something to discuss...Love, love, love them!
This is my group of friends that I spent the most time with. From right to left...Frances Pasch, a dear and wonderful woman, who I pray for daily. Linda George...what a hoot, I miss her already! And Wayne Holmes...watch when shaving that mustache next time dude! LOL...it's a long story that Linda will never forget!!! :-)
Great new friend, member of my CFBA, and agent of Hartline Literary, Terry Burns! And he is never, ever without that famous hat!
Another new friend...Jeanette Windle...dynamic author of political thrillers, rep for Kregel Publications and missionary...she's been in over 30 countries!
This cutie was my roommate, Connie Willems. She's the editor of Discipleship Journal magazine....I bet she was glad to have the room to herself Saturday night after I left...LOL...at least she could get to sleep before 2 AM...LOL...I'm a night owl! She goes to sleep about the time I'm getting my second wind!
I can't say enough great things about this woman...Becky Spencer. She plays a mean piano...and sings too! She is a missionary to Swaziland in Africa, where the majority of the country is children orphaned by AIDS.
And this dolly is Joyce Moccero. What a hoot!! She is one of Marlene's right hands...yes, I say plural...Marlene needs them all!
This is Jonathan Friesen...LOL...I took the picture rather than stand next to him and look like a short, fat dwarf! He did an awesome devotion...You blew me away Jon! I didn't expect that you'd be that annointed!
This precious woman is Patricia Hickman. I can't share a lot about her work because it would put her in danger. But she works to free girls that have been kidnapped by sex slave traders.
This cute teenage looking girl is actually Shannon Hill, editor for WaterBrook. LOL...I had an appointment with her and was about to introduce myself, and she already knew who I was, because I have toured several of the books in her company catalog.
This bubbly person is Pam Perry. I met her last year, so we renewed a friendship. She's a very busy publicist!
My friend, mom of an autistic child, and Marlene's other right hand...tada! Pam Halter...way to go Pam!
This very special person is Gretchen Geyer....She's one of my CFBA members!! I was so blessed to get to meet her! I've got another member down below.
This is Chip MacGregor, agent extraordinaire! He's my friend Gina Holmes' agent...and the man that showed me the absolutely perfect first page for my novel! Thanks Chip!
This is my special new friend. I thought I was outgoing...Candy Abbott makes me look like an introvert!!! LOL!!
Yea! Another CFBA member...Mike Dellosa. He came to one of my workshops too! So he got to see how really crazy I am! :-)
And last, but by no means least...Mindy Starns Clark. She's a dynamite author of the Million Dollar Mystery series, and the Smart Chick myster series (helpful hints and homicides) and rep for Harvest house publishers...and she gave a very cool workshop that I'm going to use to flesh out the romantic thread in my novel!
The next couple of shots are from the main concorde for the conference. This leads into the Chatlos Chapel featured in several of the pictures.
And that's it...I'm back home *sigh* Now to decompress from all of this...until next year....What a rush! I have a video clip to put up, but I 've got to go play with Youtube to do that, so it will be sometime this week!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
LOL...I'm off to the Philadelphia conference...be back Saturday evening!
is introducing
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John grew up in Mississippi cotton country. After graduating from Mississippi State, he received an Air Force commission and has recently retired after flying twenty-eight years for a major airline. He lives in Texas with his wife, Nan.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
AND IF I DIE is the third book in the Black and White Chronicles. The first was Abiding Darkness (August, 2006), the second was Wedgewood Grey (February, 2007).In 1945, a spirit voice told Mr. A. J. Mason to “Be ready.”
In 1960, the spirit drew near and said the same words to the same man. “Be ready.”
On both occasions Mason ended up in bloody battles with the forces of evil. On both occasions, he saved the life of a young girl named Missy Parker. And on both occasions good people died.
It’s 1968.Missy Parker has been married to Dr. Patrick Patterson for nine years; they live in Denton, Texas. Missy plays tennis and golf; Pat is chairman of the philosophy department at North Texas State University.
Mose Washington, a black man Missy refers to as her almost-daddy, is hiding behind a new name—Mose Mann. Mose and the young black man who poses as his grandson have spent eight years successfully evading the FBI, a murderous congresswoman, and creatures from the demonic realm. They now live in Pilot Hill, Texas—fifteen miles from Pat and Missy. Mose is committing the autumn of his life to the pursuit of the knowledge of God and the protection of his “grandson”. His “grandson” is interested in honing his skills as a bull rider.
Close friends see portents of danger in events of the early summer and converge on Pilot Hill to warn the two black men that yet another confrontation with malevolent beings may be looming.
In the pre-dawn hours, on the second day of the North Texas Rodeo, the voice of an invisible being speaks to Missy Parker Patterson. The voice warns her that it is now she, not A. J. Mason, who has been chosen as the person who needs to “Be ready” . . . and Missy doesn’t want the job.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
I am so excited..Tomorrow I leave for Philadelphia!
Now what in the world do you suppose
cats, men and dogs have in common?
A lot! Really!
The Bad Stuff
All of them take up too much room on the bed.
All have irrational fears about vacuum cleaning.
None notice when you get a new hair do.
All refuse to help with the dishes.
All like dominance games.
None will tell you what's bothering them.
All are very direct about wanting to go out.
All are suspicious of the mailman.
The Good Stuff
All are trainable.
(takes a bit of effort though)
All are serious when they kiss you.
None care if you leave your clothes on the floor.
They all miss you when you are gone.
Time spent with them is never wasted.
They are all very intelligent.
(a little stretch here)
They all like attention.
(if you catch them in the right mood)
They all know how to relax.
Monday, August 06, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
Good Monday morning!! Posting will probably be sparce this week because I leave home on Wednesday morning to drive to Philadelphia where I am teaching two workshops at the Writers conference this week. I will try and groove on ya' from the conference, but I can't promise!
I would like to tell you about a very cool movement of sorts that I have joined. It's called Thumbs Up. See that cute little logo at the top of my left sidebar!!
This movement is accentuating an attitude of gratitude! That means...for example...Praise the Lord that I woke up today. Now don't laugh...I'm dead serious..uh, er...I mean, I'm NOT dead, serious.
At the age of 57, waking up is something I am seriously grateful for. I cock open one eye...and say, "Yep, I'm still here!" See my grandma went to bed one night, and never woke up again...it ruined the whole rest of her life.
I'm grateful that I'm getting an opportunity to teach two workshops at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference this week. This will be a great time of learning and networking. And I will also be showing off my manuscript! So pray for me!
I'm also grateful to Rodney for starting this movement. I pray that it catched on virally and inundates the internet. How cool would it be for everyone to express an attitude of gratitude at least once a week!
Here...have a funny. Let's mull over the facts of life!!
On the first day God created the cow...
God said, "You must go to field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer...for that I will give you a life span of sixty years."
The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life, you want me to live for sixty years...let me have twenty years and I'll give back the other forty."
God agreed.
On the second day, God created the dog...
God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past...I'll give you a life span of twenty years."
The dog said, "That's too long to be barking... give me ten years and I'll give back the other ten."
So God agreed.
On the third day God created the monkey... God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks, make them laugh... I'll give you a twenty year life span."
The monkey said, "How boring, monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so...dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too."
And God agreed again.
Now on the fourth day, God created man...God said, "Eat, sleep, play, have sex, enjoy...do nothing, just enjoy, enjoy... I'll give you twenty years."
Man said, "What...only twenty years? No way man, tell you what, I'll take my twenty...the forty cow gave back...the ten dog gave back and the ten monkey gave back... that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You've got a deal!"
So this is why...for the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, have sex, enjoy, and do nothing...
The next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family...
The next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain our grandchildren...
The last ten years we sit in front of the house and bark at everybody...
Life has now been explained!
Thought For The Day
Friday, August 03, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
Today is finally Friday. I'm taking all of next week off...Monday and Tuesday in preparation, and Wednesday thru Saturday I'll be at the Philadelphia conference listed above...If you're close by, come on over!! This funny story will carry you thru the weekend...
A priest, a Pentecostal preacher, and a rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of Northern Michigan University in Marquette. They would get together two or three times a week for coffee and to talk shop.
One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another, and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.
Seven days later, they all came together to discuss their experience.
Father Flannery, who had his arm in a sling, was on crutches, and had various bandages on his body and limbs, went first. "Well," he said, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him, I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and, Holy Mary Mother of God, he became as gentle as a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."
Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, had one arm and both legs in casts, and had an IV drip. In his best fire-and-brimstone oratory, he claimed, "WELL, brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I FOUND me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's HOLY WORD! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me. So I took HOLD of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, UP another and DOWN another until we came to a creek. So I quickly DUNKED him and BAPTIZED his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus."
The priest and the reverend both looked down at the rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IVs and monitors running in and out of him. He was in really bad shape. The Rabbi looked up and said, "Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start."
Have a great weekend!!!!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
by Bonnie Calhoun
Subject: RAISING HOGS
TO: Honorable Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C
Dear Sir,
I have been evacuated from New Orleans because the flood took my old trailer and beat up car. I thought I might go into business to supplement my welfare check.
My friend over at Wells, Iowa received a check for $1,000 from the Government for not raising hogs. Right now I'm getting extra help from the government and Red Cross while I'm displaced but when that stops I want to go into the "not-raising-hogs" business.
What I want to know is, in your opinion, what is the best kind of farm not to raise hogs on, and what is the best breed of hogs not to raise? I want to be sure that I approach this endeavor in keeping with all governmental policies. I would prefer not to raise razorbacks, but if that is not a good breed not to raise, then I will just as gladly not raise Yorkshires or Durocs. As I see it, the hardest part of this program will be in keeping an accurate inventory of how many hogs I haven't raised.
My friend, Peterson, is very happy about the future of the business. He has been raising hogs for twenty years or so, and the best he ever made on them was $422 in 1968, until this year when he got your check for $1000 for not raising hogs. If I get $1000 for not raising 50 hogs, will I get $2000 for not raising 100 hogs? I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4000 hogs not raised, which will mean about $80,000 the first year. Then I can afford an airplane.
Now another thing, these hogs I will not raise will not eat 100,000 bushels of corn. I understand that you also pay farmers for not raising corn and wheat. Will I qualify for payments for not raising wheat and corn not to feed the 4000 hogs I am not going to raise?
Also, I am considering the "not milking cows" business, so send me any information you have on that too. In view of these circumstances, you understand that I will be totally unemployed and plan to file for unemployment and food stamps.
Be assured you will have my vote in the coming election.
Patriotically Yours,
Ima Taker
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
is introducing
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin is the author of over fifty novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by Library Journal.
Winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, two RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Robin, who is also one of our CFBA members, lives in Boise, Idaho.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Discouraged and destitute, her dreams shattered, Roxy Burke is going home. But what lies beyond the front door?
Rejection...or a bright future?
A lot has changed since Roxy Burke escaped small town life to become a Nashville star. Her former boyfriend Wyatt has found Christ and plans to become a minister. Her sister Elena, who comforted Wyatt when Roxy ran away, is now his fiancee. Her father Jonathan, a successful businessman, is heartbroken over the estrangement of Roxy from the family.
Now Roxy...her inheritance from her grandmother squandered, her hopes of stardom dashed...finds her way home...not by choice but because it's her only option. Her father's love and forgiveness surprise her, but her very presence throws the contented Burke family into turmoil, filling Roxy with guilt and shame.
Elena is shocked to discover doubt and resentment in her heart after her father's easy acceptance of Roxy into the family circle. Wyatt wrestles with doubts about marrying Elena. And Roxy struggles to accept forgiveness. Isn't she more deserving of rejection? As the story of the prodigal plays out, each member of the Burke family must search for and accept God's grace.
It is AUGUST 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!
and their book:
BAD IDEA a novel (with coyotes)
(NavPress TH1NK Books, August 22, 2006)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(s):
Todd and Jedd Hafer previously teamed up to write Snickers from the Front Pew: Confessions of Two Preacher's Kids, which has now sold
more than fifty thousand units.Todd is editorial director for the inspirational book division at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jedd is director at The Children's Ark in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a home for troubled teens, and travels the country as a standup comedian.
Visit them at their website.
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Chapter 1
“We should totally drive!” Rhonda said, wagging a limp french fry for emphasis.
I clenched my teeth. I hate it when adults try to talk like teenagers. Rhonda does it all the time. Her efforts are particularly grating to me because she does, in fact, employ the teen vernacular, but always, always at least one season too late.
To read the rest, go HERE
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