Still Fighting the Battle!!

I was wrong and so was the pharmacist....the rash that has continued to crop up since my last post is not related to the x-rays that were taken at all....in fact, that would be extremely rare and highly unlikely. The following Monday I went to the doctor and he felt fairly confident in his diagnosis, but sent me on to a dermatologist to be sure. Yep...Shingles, of all things!

In case you don't know, it looks similar to poison oak, but nastier. Thankfully it doesn't ooze...I'll try not to gross you out with any more description, LOL...and it doesn't itch. But it is accompanied by deep muscle ache from my neck to my wrist and periodic small shooting pains in my skin and under the surface in my muscles. Uncomfortable, but bearable.

However, the doctor informed me I need to slow down and quite frankly, I think the Lord is trying to tell me the same thing. WAY too much going on in my life...a fairly new business that my husband is getting off the ground, with ups and downs and stress....a book deadline looming, our house for sale with no showings or offers yet, moving back to the old house that didn't sell when we built the new one, (we've chosen to sell the new one) and trying to do the bulk of the move with my daughter and son in laws help while my hubby was gone on a business trip. I've taken on too much (along with a huge yard to keep up with and church volunteer work as well) in too short a time period, and my body is screaming that it's time to STOP.

So, I'm trying to listen, but it's SO hard! I want to unpack all the boxes sitting around, clean out the drawers so and put in new liners, go back up and finish packing and moving the piddly stuff still at the other house, then clean it so it can be ready for a potential showing. I want to transplant a bunch of roses that the deer will eat now that they're unattended, and move them to the old house, I want to finish writing my book and start my next one....but don't have the energy to do much of any of it right now. I'm tired. That will pass, but in the meantime, I'm going to rest. At least for a day or two!!!

It's Been A Rough Two Weeks...

I have to admit, I've experienced better. I hope I don't have to go through another two weeks like the last two, for many years to come.

First, I woke with a slightly stiff neck. You know the feeling...can't rotate it quite all the way to either side, but not bad enough to go see a doctor or chiropractor? Two days later it hadn't changed much, but hadn't gotten worse. I took a long walk on a gravel road and started on a slight downhill grade. My feet decided they didn't want to stay on the ground and my bottom hit the dirt...hard. I didn't realize I'd injured my neck, as my rear end was protesting too loudly, LOL!

But the next day, I hurt. The next day, I hurt worse, and I didn't sleep. Finally my daughter convinced me to see her chiropractor. Six visits and a couple of hundred dollars later I was sleeping better (in bed, instead of my recliner) and back to being sore rather than in serious pain. Then pain started flaring up again, only this time in my shoulder and neck. Sigh. Time to see a doctor and get x-rays.

Nothing out of line, nothing damaged, but he confirmed what the Chiropractor told me. I'd given myself a good case of whiplash when I fell and it would take time to heal.
Now I have another problem. My arm, back of my neck and hand...all on my left side, have broken out in large splotches...red, bumpy, with little water blisters. Looks exactly like poison oak, but it doesn't itch or hurt. Had a pharmacist look at it today (two of them in fact) and they concurred with what I'd guessed. Radiation burns. I didn't know for sure you could have that happen from having x-rays taken, but yes you can. I had six shots taken all in my next, shoulder and upper left arm...and I'm erupting in large rash/red spots from the base of my thumb to the back of my neck. Unsightly, but thankfully not overly painful.

I know God is working on my behalf. I had been asked to speak on Sunday morning at our church on the subject of prayer. I'd had a rough night and didn't sleep well, and woke with pain in my arm yet again.

I decided I'd taken enough from the enemy to last me a good long time, and it was time to say "NO more!". I prayed for a while, and told him to take his pain and get lost, in the mighty name of Jesus. The pain left, and I spoke at church. Several people told me they learned and were blessed, so Satan didn't win the victory he'd hoped to that day. Is the rash gone? No. Is the pain better? Much. I'm trusting that God is going to care for the rest and heal this quickly. I'm ready to be well again!

My New Book Cover--A Sneak Peek!!!

Love Finds You in Last Chance, California

I'm thrilled to be one of the first 5 authors releasing a book with Summerside Press, a brand new CBA publishing house. They're featuring a new romance line called "Love Finds You In..." each title ends with the name of a real town that existed at one time or still exists today.

Here's a short summary:

Two people trying to make it on their own must work together to save what they both love... It's 1877 and just before Alexia Travers’ father died, he mortgaged his land in exchange for gold to buy more horses. But when no gold is found, Alexia is left with a heavily encumbered ranch and no man to lean on. Not that she wants one: despite several offers, the feisty brunette has no interest in marriage. Instead, she dons men’s clothing and rides the range, determined to make the ranch a success on her own.

Justin Phillips arrives in the town of Last Chance, California, with a young son he cannot care for by himself. When he applies for a job on Travers Ranch, Alexia reluctantly accepts his help. Though the young woman can ride, shoot, rope, and break young colts, she is irritated to learn that Justin can do everything just a shade better!

When disaster threatens the Travers' Ranch, Alexia and Justin must work together to save someone they both love. Can these two independent people learn to depend on God…and each other?

Watch for Love Finds You In Last Chance, CA., February 2009!

From the Publisher:

This fall, Summerside Press™ will launch the LOVE FINDS YOU™ fiction line, which features inspirational romance novels set in actual cities and towns across the United States. Beginning in 2009, we will release 12 titles per year.

The LOVE FINDS YOU™ series gives readers a taste of local life across the United States. The novels—uniquely titled after actual American towns with quirky but intriguing names—inspire romance and fun. Each fictional story draws on the compelling history or the unique character of a real place. Stories center on romances kindled in small towns, old loves lost and found again on the high plains, and new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways.

Suzanne Woods Fisher---COPPER FIRE--A NOVEL

Suzanne Woods Fisher’s just-released historical novel Copper Fire, is the sequel to the three-time award-winning Copper Star, a World War II love story inspired by true events. Fisher was a contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her work has appeared in Today’s Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, and Marriage Partnership. She has contributed to ten non-fiction books, including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs. A wife and mother, Fisher lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. The best thing about being a writer, she feels, is that all of life becomes material for writing. It’s all grit for the oyster.

Suzanne can be found at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

During the month of June, Suzanne is running a book-a-day-giveaway contest. To enter, scoot on over to her blog (www.suzannewoodsfisher.blogspot.com) to pop her an e-mail: Suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com

Author Interview:

Welcome!

Q: Tell us about Copper Fire.

SWF: Copper Fire is the sequel to Copper Star, picking right up at the very end of World War II. On a summer day in 1945, my main character, Louisa, receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. She discovers that her cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau. Louisa is determined to go to Germany to get Elisabeth…and that’s where the story begins.

Q: What's your favorite place in the world?

SWF: Nantucket Island on an autumn day.

Q: What's your favorite possession?

SWF: My friend Gwen drew pencil sketches of my children that I have framed in the bedroom. I’ve hauled them all over the world (we lived in Hong Kong for four years).

Q: Finish this sentence: I wouldn¹t be caught dead…

SWF: In a bikini. Not after four kids! No, no, no.

Q: If you could change careers now without any consequences or financial loss,
what would you switch to?

SWF: I am passionate about writing, and I only make about a dime an hour. Still, though, a passion is a passion.

Q: Can you tell us what’s on your desk right now? What can readers look forward to?

SWF: In late August, Grit from the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers, will be released from Vintage Spirit. I wrote Grit with three other very talented authors.

And another piece of great news! I just received a contract from Revell/Baker for a non-fiction book called Amish Peace in an English Life. It won’t be out until 2010…but ‘everything Amish’ is filling up my head right now.

Thanks for letting me pop-in, Jamie!

Find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Copper Star (ISBN: 0-9793327-4-5) and Copper Fire (ISBN: 978-0-981-5592-0-9) are available at Amazon or other on-line booksellers, at Suzanne’s website, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore.

Our Research Trip to Last Chance

Last Chance 1862--Main Street-------Last Chance Today

Our research trip for my new book, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California.... A romance set in a mining town that's no longer there.

My husband Allen and I arrived at the Sacramento airport early on Thursday afternoon, June 5th, then drove up I-80 to Auburn, across to the small historic town of Foresthill, and on another 13 miles up into the Sierra Nevada mountains to a wonderful B&B/lodge called The Christmas Tree Vineyard Lodge. Our hostess was Claudia, the owner and manager of the lodge and she made us feel welcome and went out of her way to be a help to my research.

Prior to my arrival she contacted people in the local historical group and was given the name of Nolan Smith, an archaeologist who works for Tahoe National Forest as a ranger. He offered to ride with us up to the old town site of Last Chance, but first we spent 30 minutes or so in his office going over forest service maps of Placer county and particularly the area between Foresthill and Last Chance.

Before we even got out the door, he’d armed me with several books that have short bits of information on the old town, and urged me to keep them during our stay at the lodge. At his suggestion we’d rented an SUV with a higher wheel base as he hadn’t been into the old town site this spring and wasn’t sure what the road might be like.

We drove 24 miles at 25 mph and less, down a steep canyon on serpentine roads, then back up the other side to the top of a high ridge. We topped out on the ridge and began to go down the other side another nine miles on a gravel road, losing about 1,000′ in elevation until arriving in the vicinity of Last Chance. On the ridge to the east of town is a flat forested area well over a mile in length. According to historical records it used to be a flat, grassy glade with little or no trees, about two miles outside of town…a perfect setting for the ranch where Alexia lives.

Unfortunately, there isn’t even a foundation still standing where any buildings used to be, but we were able to see several leveled areas, with at least 3 that had surfaces dug into the bank. It was apparent a building had resided in those spots…and one area not far from a beautiful spring had the remnants of what could have been a split rail corral. A few of the posts still had square nails protruding from the sides. According to Nolan, those nails would be pre-1890’s—and could easily have been a corral where my blacksmith/livery kept the horses.

We also visited the few remaining tombstones in the cemetery up on a rise above the town site. Ethan Allen Grosch, the man who first discovered the Comstock lode, died in a tragic accident and was buried there in the 1850’s. His tombstone is clearly marked, along with several others both earlier and later.

I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to see the topography, the setting for the town and learn more detail about the time period and history my book takes place. Stay tuned for more updates as I happen to stumble upon them.

My book will release in February of 2009. Check back in a few days for a sneak peek at the cover and a brief summary of the story.

Someone Precious Is Gone Today

I lost my grandmother today, but I know she's in heaven with Jesus and with her husband who went ahead of her over 40 yrs ago. Grammie lived a full and very long life. She would have celebrated her 99th birthday in July.

She was so much more than my grandmother....she was a lover of children, a witty woman who didn't lose that sense of humor clear to the end. She was fiercely loyal to family and friends and known to everyone who loved her, as Grammie. She attended the small church in Lyle, Wa., for many years, where she and her husband moved (from Eastern Oregon) when just a few years before he passed away.

The picture at the top was taken just a few months ago with the kitty that resides at the home where she stayed. Her mind was sharp and she was still getting around in a wheelchair when a small stroke hit a couple of weeks ago. God was so merciful that He allowed her to slip into a gentle sleep in the small hours of this morning and she simply went on to be with Him.

I'm grateful for the many years I had with my grandmother....so many more than a lot of adults my age (I'm over 50 myself) ever get to experience. My grown kids knew her well, and she's seen great-grandchildren come into the world, as well. I'm celebrating her life today and cherishing the precious memories of a wonderful woman who loved me.

Rachel Hauck's Sweet Caroline Blog Tour Contest!!!

Helping Kick off Rachel's Tour---Sweet Caroline is a WINNER!

Rachel's website: www.rachelhauck.com

Buy the book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595543376?&camp=212361&creative=383841&linkCode=wss&tag=sprightly-20

Rachel's My Book Therapy ( a writing craft blog for writers): www.mybooktherapy.com

I'm so excited to be part of this blog tour. This is my first book of Rachel's that I've been privileged to help with, and the first title of hers that I've read, but it won't be the last. Here's the details for a contest that she's sponsoring--

Contest: The Sweet Life contest! Enter to win a Scrumptious Baking Basket from Rachel. The basket contains a Super Cool Apron, a Low country cook book signed by PAT CONROY, rolling pin, and a pie plate! All you have to do to enter is sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: http://rachelhauck.com/newsletter.htm

About the book:

Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing--the responsible, dependable thing--unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.

Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she's been waitressing falls right into Caroline's lap. While she's trying to determine the cafe's future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline's heart.

But when her first love, Mitch O'Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville, Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.

About Rachel:

I'm a forty-something, a child of the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's and '00's.

I roller skated through the '70's into the '80's with Farrah Fawcet hair and a three-speed orange Camero.

Born in Ohio, I lived several years in Oklahoma and Kentucky before my parents moved the family to Florida.

I graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism. As a member of Phi Mu sorority, I partied my way though the last few years of college.

But, the truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me.

After graduation, hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. And I did it without a laptop, a cell phone, an IPod or portable DVD player. Those were hard times.

But, I traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine. But, life on the road is difficult. Working twelve to fourteen hour days, one doesn't get to see many of the sites. In Ireland, our company's distributor drove me around at night so I could see something of Dublin.

I met Tony, my husband, in '87, at church, of all places. We got married in '92. Tony has been a pastor for twenty years. I've worked with him in eighteen of those twenty. Our heart is to see teens and adults passionate, radical and whole hearted for Jesus.

Tony and I don't have any children of our own, lots of kids-in-the-Lord and we love them all. However, we do have a very spoiled dog, and an even more spoiled cat.

I've always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, "You're a writer." I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.

In '93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ' 99, I took up the craft again.

With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.

And BONUS here's a recipe for Bubba's Buttery Biscuits!

3 cups self-rising flour
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing the tops
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the flour and chilled butter in a medium mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingertips until the butter pieces are a little larger than an English pea, but not larger than a lima bean. If you are using your fingers, work quickly so that the heat of your hands won't melt the butter.

Pour in all of the buttermilk and, using light pressure, fold the mixture a few times with a plastic spatula until it holds together. Do not over mix. In order to make light biscuits, it is important to work the dough as little as possible.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it quickly and gently 6 to 10 times or until it begins to be almost homogenized. There will be large pieces of butter throughout. Sprinkle a little flour under the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds, place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. I like the biscuits to be crispy and brown on the top and bottom, but not dry in the middle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter. Serve right away. (recipe from Louis Osteen)

Here is the blog tour schedule and link for Rachel Hauck’s Sweet Caroline:

http://www.rachelhauck.com/2008/05/welcome-to-sweet-life-blog-tour.html

And Last, here's the next 5 days of blog tour...if you visit some of the later dates, you'll find dates that come after these, so you can continue to read about Rachel. Some tours have different information, or an interview with Rachel, so be sure to check them out!

5/21

Linda at 2^nd Cup of Coffee

http://www.2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com/

Miralee at Coming Home

http://www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com

Melody at Kids, Cakes, Dishes, Laundry…In that order

http://www.kidscakesdisheslaundry.blogspot.com

Laura at Texas Okie

http://www.texasokie.blogspot.com

5/22

Tasra at Lessons From the Scrapbook Page

http://realwomenscrap.typepad.com/

Margaret at The Cappuccino Life

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cappuccinosmom/profile/

Jennifer at Snaphots

http://www.jennifersnapshot.blogspot.com

http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/5-minutes-for-books/

Deborah at Papcuts

http://papercuts.tscpl.org/

5/23

Jamie at Surviving the Chaos

www.survivingthechaos.blogspot.com

Dena at Mother Inferior

http://denadyer.typepad.com/

DeeDee at Fiddledeedee

http://fiddledeedee.net

AnneMarie at Not Just a Mom

http://afriedrick.blogspot.com/

5/24

Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms

jill@cwahm.com

http://radiantlit.com

http://blog.cwahm.com

Joy at the Five J’s

http://fivejs.wordpress.com

Laura at Lighthouse Academy

http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

Michelle at Edgy Inspirational Author

http://www.edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

5/25

Billie at Hearing the Music Amongst the Noise

http://www.lifelaughterchaos.blogspot.com/

Barb at A New Chelsea Morning

http://www.anewchelseamorning.blogspot.com

Amy My Friend Amy

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/

Tricia Goyers Book Three in Chronicles of the Spanish War Series....Contest!!

A Whisper of Freedom - Contest!

Tricia Goyer has a fun tour for her new book, A Whisper of Freedom. This is the third book in her Chronicles of the Spanish War series. As I've mentioned before, Tricia has become one of my favorite authors. She has a knack for creating such intriguing stories and characters that you forget where you are! She brings Spain to life in a vivid, realistic way in this series. If you like historical novels, this series is a must read, and this is one series that you need to read in order, so be sure to read A Valley of Betrayal and A Shadow of Treason first.

Each person posting a review of the book has been asked to answer several MEME questions (below). Check out the answers others gave on their blogs. The tour schedule and links can be found here.

Here are the MEME questions!

1. List three things you would do with a chest full of gold (assuming you got to keep it!)

Oh my goodness....do I pick totally unselfish things that will show what an amazing person I am, LOL! Or do I pick fun things that are completely self-centered? Hmm....maybe a little of both!

First, I'd get out of debt...I think that is very honoring to the Lord and would put our family in a position to be able to relax, have fun and do some things we've always wanted to do that we've never been able to do. Of course, I'd be giving a minimum of 10% to the Lord, but I'd love to then give an additional 10% to some of my favorite Christian charities.

Now, for the totally fun things! My hubby and I would love to travel. My idea of travel is jumping on a jet and heading to places unknown. He'd like that too, but he'd love to dump some serious money into our sailboat, finish it and hit the high seas. So...maybe a bit of both. Finish the boat, equip it with a super duper satellite system where I can have high speed internet and off-shore phone no matter where we are, so I can write, keep up with my editors, and still have a blast lying on the deck in the sun.

2. List three charities/missions/organizations you support (and why).

Children's International...just one 13 year old girl for now, because we like to spread things around a bit. We've also discovered a wonderful group headed by Ex-congress woman Linda Smith. Her organization helps rescue girls from slavery all over the world. The third is Covenant House, a Christian organization that rescues kids on the streets. We have a heart to help hurting kids and rescue them from abusive, life threatening situations...and each of these groups is also ministering to the kids spiritually, which is the most important thing.

3. List three ways you have volunteered your time/services.

I serve on staff at our small church, ministering to women individually as well as leading our intercessory prayer group. Our family recently volunteered to install a new tile floor in the foyer of our church and I did the grout/finish work.

4. List three things you keep "hidden" when company comes over.

How funny....I can't think of a single thing, LOL!

5. List the last three things you've lost.

Hmm....last week I thought I'd lost my purse, and I did for a short amount of time. I rushed to the bathroom at WalMart, leaving my dear husband to unload the cart. He left the cart in the parking lot and swung thru to pick me up. We headed for the exit and I reached for my purse...but it wasn't there. I panicked, as I knew I hadn't taken it to the restroom....and it HAD been in the cart. He was SURE it wasn't there, but we blasted back to WalMart with me praying the entire way, and found the cart. Empty. My heart dropped and I started imagining having to call every card company and trying to remember what would need to be canceled. I ran into the store praying that some honest person had found and turned it in. They DID! God is SOOOO good! Someone found it in the cart and brought it to the customer service booth, where it was waiting for me.

I lose my keys all the time, LOL! My daughter was giving me a hard time the other day that I can only find the back door key to our house right now, not the front door. She gave me her key that she'd carefully guarded, as I promised to return it to her...NOT. I forgot to copy and return it to her, and now I can't find her copy either! Sigh.

Right now I can't find a NetFlix movie that I packaged to mail, and a library book that's overdue. I think my house ate them!

6. List the last three things you've found.

LOL! My purse, my sunglasses....but haven't found my key yet!

Contest and give-away post info:

During the tour, you can enter to win one of FIVE signed copies of A Whisper of Freedom by signing up for Tricia's newsletter here!

May 14
Tabitha
http://123pizza.org/blog/

Leticia
http://leticiasworld.blogspot.com/



Beth
http://bethgoddard.blogspot.com/

Melodee
http://www.unretouchedphoto.com/

Miralee
http://www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com/

Lena
http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/

Laura
http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

Deborah
http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com/

Christy
http://christysbookblog.blogspot.com/

May 15
Lashaunda
http://sormagtours.blogspot.com/

Lori
http://laurelwreathsreflections.com/

Tara
http://pianogirl.wordpress.com/

Anita
http://theauthenticyou.blogspot.com/

Vicky
http://www.vickitalleymccollum.blogspot.com/

May 16
Gina
http://portraitofawriter.ginaconroy.com/

Christy
http://joyful1butterfly.blogspot.com/

Camy
http://camys-loft.blogspot.com/

Melissa
http://www.forstrose.blogspot.com/

Rel
http://www.relzreviewz.blogspot.com/

Kathie
http://takingastroll.blogspot.com/

Cara
http://carasmusings.blogspot.com/

Cee Cee
http://booksplurge.blogspot.com/

May 17
Crystal
http://christianbookscout.blogspot.com/

Deena
http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com/

Karen
http://www.sky-highview.blogspot.com/

Karla
http://karlascrazylife.blogspot.com/

Janis
http://www.janisrodgers.blogspot.com/

Ernie
http://ernsblog.blogspot.com/

May 18
Peg
http://www.peggyblannphifer.blogspot.com/

Audra
http://audrasilva.com/blog

Lynetta
http://www.lynetta.blogspot.com/

Revka
http://ourfamilyporch.blogspot.com/

Dee
http://christianfiction.blogspot.com/

Lauren
http://baseballsandbows.blogspot.com/

Dena
http://denadyer.typepad.com/

Martha
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Martha/


About the book: Battles heat up…not only those being waged by the soldiers on both sides fighting for Spain, but in the hearts and minds of the men and women who must sacrifice more than their dreams to save the lives of their loved ones.

In this meticulously researched novel, brave and idealistic Sophie, Philip, Jose, and Deion realize their only hope for freedom is escaping Spain's borders.

By continuing the story of this band of volunteers during the Spanish Civil War, A Whisper of Freedom proves that there are whispers of hope and liberty that resonate through even the darkest night.

We Have Our Winners!!!

I'm thrilled to be able to let you know that instead of giving away 3 books that my wonderful marketing director at Kregel has agreed to send out books to the SEVEN people who posted comments and offered creative ways to help influence others to buy my book.

So....here's the list of gals who posted great ideas and will be getting a book. Please send me your addresses and Kregel will get a book off to each of you.

Patty

Ausjenny

Donna Moore

Windy Cindy

Luv2Read

Bigguysmamma

Mimi

Win A Book AGAIN!!!

This is not typical for me, but I'm doing yet another book give-away to celebrate The Other Daughter being picked as the June book of the month selection for the ACFW book club.

But this contest has a twist....you MUST read the rules below and follow them, or you won't be entered.

I'm giving away THREE books this time, not one, but three. What must you do to win one? Just leave a comment you ask? Nope, Nada...not this time. You must leave a very creative comment along this line---

I'm giving these books away to pick up influencers. In other words, I need you to 'shout it from the roof-tops' if you enjoy the book, after you've read it. Please tell me in the comment section:

Why you want a book

What creative ideas you can offer that will help promote the book, after you've read it? (see a few suggestions below) Give me at least three, and more if you can.

Your email address disguised so the spam bots can't grab it...as in, miralee at gorge dot net

That's it....three simple rules....but all are critical and leaving out any of them will exclude you.

If I get only three comments, you'll all get a book. If I get multiple (as I hope and expect) then I'll pick the ones I feel will help influence the most. If there are a lot of you and I have a hard time deciding, it'll turn into a drawing. I'll keep this contest open for one week and post the winner a week from tomorrow, or May 12th. Thanks!

Now for the example I promised...you might offer to post a review on your blog or website, or drop glowing written reports off at your local bookstore and beg them to carry copies...Be creative, but don't get so crazy that it's not realistic. And above all, I'll be looking for follow through. I'll ask the winners to notify me after they've read the book and let me know what they DID do.