CFBA - Word Gets Around

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Word Gets Around by Lisa Wingate - Bethany House (February 1, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Wingate lives in central Texas where she is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books. Her novel, Tending Roses, received dozens of five-star reviews, sold out ten printings for New York publisher, Penguin Putnam, and went on to become a national bestselling book. Tending Roses was a selection of the Readers Club of America, and is currently in its tenth printing.

The Tending Roses series continued with Good Hope Road, The Language of Sycamores, Drenched In Light, and A Thousand Voices. In 2003, Lisa’s Texas Hill Country series began with Texas Cooking, and continued with Lone Star Café, which was awarded a gold medal by RT BOOKCLUB magazine and was hailed by Publisher’s Weekly as “A charmingly nostalgic treat.” The series concluded with Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner.

Lisa is now working on a new set of small-town Texas novels for Bethany House Publishers. The series debuted with Talk of The Town and continued with Word Gets Around. A new series is also underway for Penguin Group NAL, beginning with A Month of Summer (July 2008), and continuing with The Summer Kitchen in July, 2009. Lisa’s works have been featured by the National Reader’s Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Doubleday Book Club, The Literary Guild, American Profiles, and have been chosen for the LORIES best Published Fiction Award.


ABOUT THE BOOK

When Romance Is In the Air, Word Gets Around

Lauren Eldridge thought she'd wiped the dust of Daily, Texas, off her boots forever. Screenwriter Nate Heath thought he was out of second chances. Life's never that predictable, though. Cajoled by her father, Lauren is back in town helping train a skittish race horse set to star in a Hollywood film. But the handsome screenwriter gives her more trouble than the horse. And Nate is realizing there's a spark of magic in the project--and in the eyes of the girl who is so good with horses. Daily, Texas, has a way of offering hope, healing, and a little romance just when folks need it most.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Word Gets Around, go HERE

What people are saying:

"Lisa Wingate writes engaging stories that strike the heart. God has gifted her with a marvelous talent and I, for one, am most grateful."
—Debbie Macomber, New York Times #1 bestselling author

MY REVIEW

This was SUCH a fun book to read! The author writes in first person, alternating between Nate and Lauren. Some of the characters just cracked me up and anybody that has a larger than life, smothering loving member similar to Aunt Netta will totally be able to relate.

Really there is something about cheering for underdogs and the project that only a handful of people believe in that can make a story very satisfying. And Lisa Wingate is an author that does this very well.

Actually this is the second book in the series and I have not read the first one. So if you see this book don't let that factor stop you from picking it up. Or better yet, get both books and read them in order. :)

Grief and Faith

Today is a day of reflection for me and probably always will be. Four years ago my daddy died of a heart attack and ironically today is the day to wear red to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Irony can be a strange thing. :)

Time has softened the gut-wrenching grief over losing him, but I don't miss him any less. I remember a few months after his death I headed to the internet to see if I could find out if the pain I felt was "normal" and really didn't find much. I have since learned that there really isn't a "normal" when it comes to grief as everybody responds differently.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

It does make me wonder how a person without faith could ever get through something so difficult. I know that he is without pain now and that is comforting. But I still miss him.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

So as you go about your day, remember to hug your loved ones extra tight. For our family and friends are so very important.

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And speaking of friends..... One of my absolute dearest BFF's is going with me to Oklahoma today as soon as I get off work. For years mom, daddy, mom-in-law and I would go to a super large craft show up there twice a year. After daddy died we haven't been back, but that changes this year. Mom, Jeanie and I are going to the craft show tomorrow and then out to dinner. J and I are setting off this afternoon for our version of Thelma and Louise as we drive up the Interstate.

This is truly a beautiful thing that she is doing by being with mom and I this weekend. So go and call or email a friend today and tell her how much you appreciate her!

Dancing B!

This baby girl just loves music and moving to music. It doesn't matter if it's Barney, the radio, symphony or simply grandma making noises she'll get up and start moving.

She's missing pants here because we learned that grandma has a little trouble with those fancy newfangled diapers. I had changed her earlier and we noticed that there was a wet spot on her jeans. Got her cleaned and the diaper changed and she wanted to get up a stretch a bit. And she's just so darling that of course I wanted her up. :) Really Miss B is a cutie patootie and I just adore being around - she makes me laugh!

"A house needs a grandma in it." - Louisa May Alcott

TWD: World Peace Cookies

This week's TWD recipe was chosen by Jessica at Cookbook Habit and if you click over to her blog you can find the complete recipe.  And you will want this recipe.

The recipe says that the dough will be crumbly and it really isn't kidding.  Kind of reminded me of a pile of dirt really, but at least it was dirt with fabulous little mini chocolate chips throughout.  The recipe gives you the option of the mini chocolate chips or chopping bittersweet chocolate.  I confess that I was lazy...

At this point in the recipe you roll the dough into two logs and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.  I made the dough yesterday and today sliced and baked two pans of cookies.  One of the best things about this recipe, says this empty nest grandma, is that it doesn't make a lot of cookies.  Because really, if you make chocolate cookies you're going to eat them and I so don't need them.

They come out the perfect texture - very lightly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  Truly the perfect chocolate cookie.

Love You Much Card

I really love this set and hope to get many more cards made before Valentine's Day.  And if not, well there's always next year!

This card was NOT my idea, but I cannot remember where I first saw it.  The bow is my idea though, does that count at all???  :)  I loved the simplicity of this card and that's why I set out to duplicate it.  And with all the glitter and the big pink organza bow it just screams out girly and bling to me!

Really it's a pretty simple card.  It's stamped in palette noir ink and colored with Copic markers.  Outline in glue and dump on the glitter (try not to get it everywhere - I dare ya!).  I also stamped the hearts twice and used dimensionals to get them to stick up a little higher.

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Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Matthew 19:14

It's always a conundrum trying to decide how much to share on a blog.  But I did want to mention how my cup is overflowing right now.  My daughter has a found a church that she absolutely loves.  They have an active group of people her age and she's just enjoying it and craving more.

On the phone last night we were discussing how God answers prayer on His time and how sometimes we get impatient waiting.  And when His time is right, things just open up and are absolutely perfect.

Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24

Truly there is nothing that can make a mother happier than to see her child happy in the Lord.

Brooklyn at Bass Pro Shop

Friday night after work we picked up baby girl and headed to Bass Pro Shop to let her run around.  The kids were going out with friends and we were basically killing time.  I'm here to tell you that this is THE place to take an 18 month old!  She had a blast and is turning in to quite the little magpie, copying everything that her "bapa" (grandpa) did.  In the photo above they were sitting in a camo atv and every button he pushed, her little finger followed.  When they got out Keith did a little dancey step and Miss B did the same thing.  All three of us laughed and it was a great moment.

One of her favorite places was the fly fishing room.  Not because of the great things there, but because it had the most awesome wooden floor that made great noises when she stomped on it. :)

She visited most every boat on the showroom floor, especially enjoying the pontoon boats.  They had them displayed so that we climbed a wooden ladder, then just walked down a wooden platform and could get on each boat.  She would step on a boat, open the little gate, let us in, close the gate, and then walk around.

And tents were grand fun as well!  I think we went in and out of every tent so many times that I felt like I could be the salesman.

They also have a wooden bridge that goes over a pond full of fish.  We thought that would be a fun thing for her to see, but really what she loved was the wooden floor to stomp on.  She went over the bridge, back and forth, probably five or six times.  We finally enticed her elsewhere, only to see her head back to the bridge and stand at the foot of it doing the sign for "more" - she wanted to walk the bridge again!  And really who are we to argue since this was indeed all about her.

About that time her Aunt Lynne' called and we went to meet her for dinner.  So nice to watch Miss B's face light up when she sees her aunt!

Very good times....