Happy New Year!!

From me and mine to you and yours ;)

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!!

I'll be back after the holidays to my regular blogging schedule. Right now I'm in urgent get-rid-of-the-wrapping-paper-and-boxes-and-organize-the-presents-and-somehow-get-this-five-lbs-off-my-thighs mode ;)

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours...from me and mine :)

Have yourself a Lifetime Christmas...

So I totally succombed yesterday and watched a Lifetime Christmas movie. Usually I avoid these because they're SO predictable and corny and cheesy and all those other food words ;)

But this one was pretty cute. It starred Haylie Duff and was titled "All About Christmas Eve". The premise was Eve, a career-ladder climbing party planner, takes an assignment in Los Angeles for her shark-minded boss. If she pulls off this party, she gets the promotion she's always wanted. The story splits into two segments then, and shows what happens if she makes the plane, and what happens if she doesn't. Almost like a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

I bet it'd have been better as a book, actually.... ;)

Speaking of books...

Guess what? Got my cover art for my April 2013 Love Inspired release!! What do y'all think?

Scribble Chicks!

Visit me today on Scribble Chicks!

I'm only going to say this once more...

...and I'd love your comments/thoughts/opinions!

I posted this on FB the other day regarding the tragic news in Connecticut.

"I tried to say this on someone's picture but their privacy settings didn't allow it. So I'm coming here now. All these pics going around about the letter signed by God stating He isn't allowed in schools - this bothers me. At first I agreed and I still see the point - but its just not true. God hasn't forsaken government buildings. He IS still inside schools because the Holy Spirit resides inside the believers walking the halls. These pics to me give the unfortunate impression that God is either standing back with arms crossed in "I told you so" - inaccurate! Or worse, helpless. How in the world does anyone "allow" God to do anything? Also inaccurate impression. I think these pics are doing more harm than good. Personal opinion! It feels almost as if we're trying to make excuses for God by posting these things. He doesn't need our help in answering this. Its not our job to do that, we DON'T have answers. He does."

Within 24 hours after posting the above, it had 84 "likes". I had no idea so many people would agree with me, due to how many pictures I saw of that very thing I was "protesting". I had almost expected and braced for some backlash.

What do you think? Please be honest! :)

Silver linings

This past weekend Little Miss was sick - like, Velocity Care, 104 fever, vomiting, no appetite, coughing/congested/sneezing sick. And all I could think was "better this weekend than next, right before Christmas!"

There's always a silver lining, even in those "holding her hair back over the trashcan" moments :)

Hope your weekend was better than mine! ;)  Here's to a healthy, fun, pre-Christmas week!  What are your plans to celebrate the coming holiday?

A Time to Give...

I'm pleased to welcome author JILL WILLIAMSON here on my blog today. She's got a great post and an important announcement/cause you can contribute to if you'd like this holiday season.

Author Bio:

Jill Williamson is an author of all things weird. She grew up in Alaska with no electricity, an outhouse, and a lot of mosquitoes. Her Blood of Kings trilogy won two Christy Awards, and she recently released Replication, a science fiction teen novel from Zonderkidz. Jill lives in Oregon with her husband and two children and a whole lot of deer.

Guest post by Jill:

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s almost Christmas! I love Christmas. I wanted a Christmas wedding. I wanted to carry a bouquet of poinsettias, I wanted a Christmas tree where people could put the wedding gifts, I wanted hooded cloaks for me and my bridesmaids to wear, and I wanted to leave the reception in a one horse open sleigh.

Alas, I got married in June. But if I could travel back in time, I’d tell myself to do it anyway. Nothing better than Christmas in June, right?
Christmas makes me think of giving. I’m a writer. And writers have a unique opportunity in the giving department. Whenever a person opens one of our books, it’s like we’ve been invited into their home to speak to them. It’s precious. And humbling. Like Spiderman learns: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Writers are charged with doing our jobs well, and respecting the power we are given. And it’s a gift that publishers and readers give to us too. I’m thankful for that.
I recently learned that some dear friends of mine were trying to adopt a girl from Eastern Europe. Adoption is expensive, and until they raise over $40,000, little Sydney can’t come home. Just learning about their desire to adopt and the fact that they’ve been unable to have children of their own put tears in my eyes. I wanted to help. But I don’t have much extra money right now. Plus it’s Christmastime, and we wrecked our van hitting a cow. (We live in free range territory.) So what could I possibly give?

Sydney—soon to be—Haydon
Well, whoever said the only way to give was by donation?

So, I self-published an enovella, which means short ebook. It’s book length is 120 pages. Of course, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo will keep their cut, but 100% of my proceeds will go toward Sydney’s adoption!

Many things had to fall into place for this to happen, and many have given to Sydney’s cause already. Jeff Gerke gave me permission to do this project when Marcher Lord Press holds the rights to my storyworld. In doing so, he also gave up his right to make money off the story. Kirk DouPonce donated a cover, and teens from his church volunteered to model. Rebecca LuElla Miller, the freelance editor I hired, gave me a big discount on editing. As did Kerry Nietz on ebook design. My agent, Amanda Luedeke, waived her right to her 15%. And Chris Kolmorgen had an hour-long, (midnight for me, 2:00 a.m. for him) brainstorming session with me, helping with some last-minute content editing.

The result is Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5. This project is part of The Mission League series with Marcher Lord Press. It takes place after book one and before book two, but reads good on its own too. Here’s a little bit about the project:

Ever since I returned from Moscow, life is a full court press. Mission League field agents are everywhere. All the time. Watching. Waiting for me to fulfill a sixty-year-old prophecy. When some baddies try to guy-nap me, the field agents threaten to move me and Grandma Alice to some random hick town, to give us new fake identities until the prophecy is fulfilled.

Not going to happen.

I’ve got one chance to stay in Pilot Point. I have to prove to the agents that I can stay safe. Have to make this work. For basketball. For Kip. For Beth.

So, bring it, baddies. It’s game on.

100% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS ENOVELLA GO TOWARD THE ADOPTION OF LITTLE SYNDEY FROM EASTERN EUROPE. PLEASE, HELP BRING SYDNEY HOME.

Chokepoint is $2.99 and is available on Kindle, Nook, or Kobo. All the proceeds go to Sydney’s adoption.

Click here to view Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5 on Amazon Kindle

Click here to view Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5 on B&N Nook

Click here to view Chokepoint: Mini-Mission 1.5 on Kobo

And click here to visit Kevin and Wendy’s blog Haydon Family Growing’s On. to learn more about their adoption adventure.

How about you? Do you do something to give to a cause each year? What are some other ways you give? Please share in the comments! :)

Making a list...checking it...three times? Four?

What's on your Christmas list? How many people do you buy for each year? How do you draw the line in where to stop? Do you set budgets for each person on your list?

It seems each year the list gets longer and longer, and therefore demands more and more money - but I've discovered homemade gifts go a long way toward friend-gift-exchanges. I did a bunch of modge podge crafts this year and had SO much fun doing it! I'll post some pics after Christmas when it won't be a spoiled surprise ;)    It's fun to make and so personalized - perfect for a friend you care deeply about but can't drop another $10-40 bucks on this season.

I'm down to needing to purchase ONE more gift card, and then - I'm officially done shopping. YAY!!!

Now to wrap...

(not to be confused with rap. ha)

Scribble Chicks

Visit me today at SCRIBBLE CHICKS and come talk about fiction craft writing :)
Us CHICKS are there to answer any questions you have about publishing, the fiction industry, writing, etc.

http://www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com

See ya there!

Giveaway palooza

Want to win a free autographed copy of ADDISON BLAKELY, CONFESSIONS OF A PK? Just in time for Christmas? :)

Enter to win:

http://christiswrite.blogspot.com/2012/12/interview-giveaway-with-betsy-st-amant.html

PS - this chick is fabulous. I had such a fun time with Tessa. The girl gives a great interview and her blog is inspiring, sweet, and fun  :)

The question that strikes fear....

This time of year, fewer things strike fear into the hearts of women (other than the scale, of course) than the following question:

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?

Dun dummm dummmmm...

I haven't. Have you? (I'm staying off the scale, too! ha!)

Girls, God and the Good Life!

Visit me today at GIRLS, GOD and the GOOD LIFE :)

http://www.girlsgodgoodlife.blogspot.com

I have to know...

...what is your favorite Starbucks holiday drink?

Gingerbread Latte

White Chocolate Mocha

Peppermint Mocha

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Caramel Brulee Latte

Eggnog Latte

(and are there any on the above list I should avoid? LOL I haven't tried them all yet. I just love my white chocolate mocha so, so much... I think the Caramel Brulee is next)   :)

Christmas tunes

What's your favorite Christmas song?

My Little Miss would vote for Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, or I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas.

I'm actually quite fond of the latter myself ;)

And if the Alvin and the Chipmunks song comes on the Christmas radio station, I don't change it. hehe.

But my favorite remains O Holy Night. It's one of those best sung while driving in the car or in the shower, where you can belt it full out, alone, and make that joyful noise. Thank goodness that's all the Bible requests ;)  The lyrics never fail to make me teary, year and year again.

What song moves you at Christmas? Or is your favorite lighthearted, fun song to enjoy while driving to work or wrapping gifts or baking cookies?

Are your characters in a box?

Visit me today at SCRIBBLE CHICKS. Are your characters in a box?

www.scribblechicks.blogspot.com

Modge Podge palooza

So I recently got into Modge Podge (a clear, sealant type of glue that is awesome for craft projects!) and have been making Christmas gifts like Martha Stewart fresh out of prison. Oh wait. ;)  That's probably not funny. But it made me snort.

Anyway.

Do you make Christmas gifts? Or do you purchase everything? Or do you do a little of both? What do you make, if so? I'd love more ideas, not that I have time (or talent) to do them. My modge podge projects are doing pretty well and I'm still holding my breath every time I start painting that glue. Crafty, I am not. But I've been impressed at how fun and easy it is! :)

Have you ever modge podged? (I especially love that its a verb now. hehe)

Tis the season to bake

Since it's December now (well, it's the excuse, anyway) I'm totally thinking of Christmas cookies.

What are some of your favorite recipes for this time of year? Share share share! I'm hosting our Sunday School Christmas party this weekend and would love some fresh ideas. (that are easy. Remember, my middle name is not Martha Stewart. It's not even Mary Smith or anything even close to Martha. ha)

Or... do you just store buy before the big party and head out? ;)