Posts Tagged ‘Lorna Seilstad’

Posted on April 18, 2012 - by Brenda Anderson

D.E.A.R. Day Dilemma

Dear Drop Everything And Read Day,

You have placed me in quite the dilemma. As you know, I love to read, and dropping everything to pick up a book is never a difficult task.

But …

The question is, on this very special day What should I read? Oh my, the plethora of good books out there puts me in quite the quandry.

First of all there are new books out by our very own Inkspirational Messages authors! (Congratulations Lorna & Shannon!!) So, do I read Lorna Seilstad’s fun new release, The Ride of Her Life? (For amusement park fanatics like me, note that sweet roller coaster.)

The only man pragmatic Lilly Hart needs in her life is a six year old. Widowed two years ago, Lilly leaves the shelter of her intrusive in-laws’ home to stand on her own and provide for her young son by working for the summer as a cook at Lake Manawa. However, her in-laws find that life utterly unsuitable for their grandson, and when a row ensues, a handsome stranger–who designs roller coasters, of all things–intercedes on her behalf. Still, Lilly is not about to get involved with any man, especially this cocky (though charismatic) gentleman. Little does she know she is about to begin the ride of her life.

Or do I pick up Shannon Vannatter’s heart-stopping release, Rodeo Hero? (Seriously, who can resist a cowboy?)

Kendra Maddox is a new Christian trying to live her new beliefs. Stetson Wright is a youth director/rodeo clown who believes true love waits. Can they overcome her promiscuous past and claim a future together?

And then there are the three books I just picked up from my local library. DiAnn Mills’ (one of The Best romantic suspense authors out there) The Chase sounds riveting.

To the FBI it’s a cold case. To Kariss Walker it’s a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it’s a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl’s missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the the partners into a witch’s brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss’s pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag?

Tom Pawlik’s Beckon will likely make me sleep with one eye open.

Some things weren’t meant to be discovered. Three people are each drawn to the small town of Beckon, Wyoming. A young anthropologist researches a Native American legend and makes a terrifying discovery. An ex-cop investigating her cousin’s disappearance finds herself in grave peril. And an aging businessman is lured by the promise of a miracle. One by one they discover the town’s ghastly secret. The only question is . . . will any of them make it out alive?

And if I feel like reading a tear-jerker, Legacy Road by Graham Garrison will encourage me to keep tissues handy.

Journalist Wes Watkins is on a roll. His career is taking off, he’s going back to school, and he’s about to propose to the love of his life, Emmy Stewart. When his stagey proposal flops, Wes’s world tilts. Emmy, a National Guard medic, is about to be deployed to Afghanistan. Wes’s mentor, Paul Gavin, persuades Wes to involve his estranged father, Ron, in a class Wes is taking on the Civil War; Ron, who had abandoned his family in favor of alcohol, has Civil War–era letters from a family ancestor. Wes naturally distrusts his father; Emmy has a secret in her past. When Wes finally reads a cache of letters Ron sent him as the younger man was growing up, other secrets emerge.

So many good books!

Oh, D.E.A.R. Day, how do I choose?

Well, I guess there’s only one good answer: Make every day Drop Everything and Read day! I’m in. How about you?

Sincerely,

Voracious Reader

Brenda Anderson

 

 

Posted on October 9, 2011 - by Lorna Seilstad

He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures

In our rush-rush-rush world, I’m one of the queens. In the morning, I prioritize what has to be done and organize my day accordingly.

Hubby needs clean clothes for a trip. Done.

Kids need healthy stuff for lunches. Done.

Editors need edits back today. Done.

Blog needs written. Done.

The show choir teacher needs a mom to come at 7 a.m. to measure kids for their costumes. Done.

And I know I’m not alone. All of us sheep tend to fill our days to the brim, often out of necessity. Two jobs. A family who needs help. A class that needs taught. A task that must be done. A child who needs a story.

If there was ever a group of people who needed to lie down in the cool grass of green pastures, it’s us modern day, wooly headed, stubborn sheep.

But David, the shepherd? He didn’t have to deal with PTA or publishing deadlines. He didn’t worry about how he’d pay his rent or how much partially hydrogenated vegetable oil his children were consuming.

Good grief. He didn’t even have children or a wife for that matter. Why did God have to make him lie down?

And notice David said “makes” and not “made.” It was an ongoing thing. It happened more than once. God knew David needed to stop.

In studying Psalm 23, I find “He makes me lie down in green pastures” to be a fascinating verse. Sheep don’t lie down easily because they are afraid. There is a lot of tension in a flock. There’s friction among the sheep, rivalry, competition, and an ever present fear of the unknown.

Sound familiar? And when you think about when you need a break most, when does it stem from? The actual tasks on your list or your weariness in dealing with the people? The constant push of the world or the push that comes from within to succeed? The fear of not measuring up or the fear or the fear of failure?

I think there’s a secret in this verse we often rush past. God WILL make you lie down. It’s for your own good, but He will make sure you step away for times of rest.

When my kids were little, I occasionally suffered from migraine headaches. One day, my husband said he wasn’t surprised when I got one. He said he’d noticed they came when I hadn’t had any time to myself. He started, jokingly, calling them ME-graines.

Amazingly, when I went to my bedroom and would lie down for several hours, the headaches would disappear. Hmmm. My green pasture was a king size bed.

Since then, I’ve learned to make sure I had that time away so I could avoid the ME-graine pain. However, God always has a unique way of “making me lie down” when I need the time away from the world and I’ve learned to thank him for the flu, for blizzards and snowdays, and even electrical outages. His creativity is never-ending.

What about you? When is the last time God “made you lie down in green pastures”? Were you surprised by the pasture He chose, His timing, or that He had to make you lie down in the first place?

 

Posted on September 27, 2011 - by Shannon Vannatter

Singing Praises of ACFW

I sing ACFW praises every chance I get. What an awesome organization. What an awesome conference. Put together by an awesome God. This year, I met Lynn Coleman, founder of ACFW. We chatted about how she wanted to start a Christian writing group to support and uplift one another, with no competition or jealousy. Like most things, ACFW started small as American Christian Romance Writers.

I discovered it by google in 2004. By 2005 when I attended the conference in Nashville, the name had changed to American Christian Fiction Writers. Though I’d been to numerous local conferences, writers’ group meetings, and workshops, ACFW made me realize I only knew the basics about writing.

ACFW goes deep in helping writers improve their craft. So deep, it boggles. I always get brain freeze and have to sort through what I learned when I get home. And yes, even though I’m published and an old hand at working with editors, I still learn from ACFW.

I had so many appointments, interviews, and meetings, I only got to go to four workshops this year. But I still learned. I’m not sure what yet, haven’t had time to sort it out. Oh, I did learn that the voice that tells me I’ll never get another book published when I don’t have a current contract or deadline, that’s the enemy and he tells all writers that. Now I know to ignore him and press on.

ACFW is also about having friends along for what can be a very solitary journey. I took the solo route until 2008. Though I’d been to the conference for 3 years, I stood on the fringes and wished I had someone to hug and cry over like all those other writers. In 2008, I met Linda from my local zone and rode with her to Minneapolis. I met my critique partners face to face, met their friends and Linda’s friends. We all went out to dinner together and had so much fun. The next year when I met them, I hugged and cried over them.

Lorna is my designated shoulder for phone calls or in person. Lorna and I have traversed our getting published journey together. When my husband is at work—I call Lorna and blubber over disappointments or triumphs in writing. When my husband isn’t at ACFW—he hasn’t been able to come since 2007—I blubber on Lorna over disappointments and triumphs. Lorna is getting soggy.

Linda is my designated roomie. We often dance in our room over triumphs. Dawn is my designated can’t find her writing friend. I once called her husband at home in Iowa trying to find her in the hotel so I could get the pie I left in her room. This time, I called a friend at home also named Dawn in my quest for Dawn’s room and went to the wrong room looking for Dawn.

Brenda, my other critter, is much better in person than in bobble-head form. We’ll look forward to seeing her in Dallas. Maybe we can wish her there. Kim and her sweet southern accent were missed this year, but Regina brought her husband. I wonder how many times did I say, “I love to hear him talk.” I also got to connect with Shari again. The only problem is there’s never enough time to spend with my writer friends.

ACFW is the highlight of my year. The knowledge to gain, the friends to hug, the contacts to be made. The kind of place where I can walk up to the keynote speaker–who is always way above the realm I live in–and thank them for what they said to inspire or encourage me. Knowing that all those writers sleep-walking through the conference totally get me. They hear voices too—not only their characters’, but God’s.

Posted on September 6, 2011 - by JerriLynn

Who Knew? A Little About Lorna Seilstad

I was most blessed to have our very own Lorna Seilstad take some time to answer some questions for me.  Lorna’s a sweet person, who works her tail end off to keep us in reading material.  She’s also responsible for my recently acquired taste for historical fiction. Read on to learn about her, her books, and her writing.

Jerri: Please tell us a little about yourself and your books.

Since most of you reading this know the basics about me, I’ll try to share something new. I grew up on a farm in Iowa. My dad worked for the railroad at night and farmed during the day. My mom, a former executive secretary, stayed at home after I was born. I have an older brother and sister and one younger brother.

My mom’s name was also Lorna. Even though they always called me “Lori”, she named me Lorna because she thought it sounded more professional in case I became a doctor or a writer. I answer to both names now.

My husband David and I have been married 21 years. He works for Iowa State University Extenion as a youth specialist. We have three children. A son who is a sophomore in college, a daughter who is a high school senior, and another daughter in the seventh grade.

My favorite things to drink are Ghiradelli double chocolate cocoa and Diet Mt. Dew. I’m addicted to Oreos, and I won’t let my daughters have a puppy right now. They ask constantly and even put little notes on my cell phone about it.

About my books:

Making Waves, the first book in the Lake Manawa Series, came out in Sept. 2010. A Great Catch, the second book, released just this May. The books are stand-alones, meaning they have a compelte story in each of them. They are linked by the location and some recurring characters.

Here’s the blurb for A Great Catch:

She wants to change the world.
He wants to change her mind.

It’s the beginning of a new century at Lake Manawa resort in Iowa, but some things never change. When Emily Graham’s meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it upon themselves to find her a husband among the resort guests, the spunky suffragist is determined to politely decline each and every suitor. She has neither the time nor the need for a man in her busy life.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and a pitcher for the Manawa Owls baseball team, intends to enjoy every minute of the summer before he is forced into the straitlaced business world of his father.

When their worlds collide, neither Emily nor Carter could have guessed what would come next. Will Carter strike out? Or will Emily cast her vote for a love that might cost her dreams?

The perfect summer novel, A Great Catch will enchant you with its breezy setting and endearing characters.

Endorsements

“A Great Catch weaves humor, history, romance, and spiritual truths into a delicious story that will delight readers’ hearts. What a fun, relaxing read! I’d like to remain at Lake Manawa forever.”–Laura Frantz, author of The Frontiersman’s Daughter and Courting Morrow Little

“A Great Catch is a grand slam! In a story as refreshing and invigorating as lemonade, Seilstad raises deep questions about a woman’s relationship with God, her dreams, and the people in her life–while making me laugh so loudly my kids came running to get in on the joke.”–Sarah Sundin, author of the Wings of Glory series

Jerri: What is your favorite bible verse? Why?

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I love this verse because Paul is trying so hard to help us understand the depth and breadth of God’s unshakable love.

Jerri: What inspired the Lake Manawa series?

My father grew up in the Lake Manawa area. When the park’s days came to a close, my grandfather purchased one of the bath houses for $300 and moved it to a lot on what was once the Midway. That was the house my dad grew up in until they moved to the farm where he now lives.

Jerri:  How much research went into the series, and what methods did you use for conducting and keeping up with your research?

Any historical takes a lot of research in order for the books to be accurate. I was blessed to be able to write about my own hometown so some of the sources were more accessible than they would be otherwise. Besides the trips I made down to the lake just for inspiration, I spent hours in front of the microfilm viewer reading the old newspapers for stories about Lake Manawa. I also consulted books and online sources. I found some wonderful old postcards which helped me picture the setting. Some of my most useful sources end up being old Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs.

Jerri:  How long did it take you to complete the first book in the series? Each subsequent book?

After the initial research is done, it takes me about nine months to write a book.

Jerri: Do you have a favorite character in the Lake Manawa series? Why?

You know, this is a hard question. It’s sort of like asking, “Which of your children do you like better?” I like each of them for a different reason. If I had to pick any favorites that weren’t heroes or heroines, I’d pick the aunts in A Great Catch. They were so much fun to write.

Jerri: Do your characters take on a life of their own as you’re writing?

Absolutely!  I always know quite a bit about the hero and heroine when I start, but I’m always surprised by some of the things that come out.

Jerri: What was the most interesting fact that you learned while researching the series?

I think one of the most interesting things I learned was something I didn’t include in the books. Ben Marks owned the hog farm/ gambling parlor. He and his wife were well respected citizens of the area. While he operated the gambling parlor, she ran the bordello upstairs.

One day, some of the ladies from the upper society came to call on her. They invited her to join them, but said she would have to give up her “occupation” of course.

She simply smiled and said, “Thank you for you kind offer, but I will have to decline. Now, if you ladies will wait here, you’re husbands will be down in a moment to escort you home.”

Can’t you just see the faces of those women?

Jerri: What are some of the challenges that you face as an author?

I think the biggest challenges involve balancing things—family, home, church, friends, business side of writing, promotion, research, and actually writing.

Jerri: How do you overcome those challenges?

I don’t know if I do overcome it. I try hard to keep my priorities straight, but it’s never easy. Then again, life seldom is easy for anyone. We all have to balance those things.

Jerri: What aspects of writing do you most enjoy?

My favorite part of writing is the storytelling. I love the creation part and when everything fits together. I also love the writing friends I’ve made along the journey.

Jerri: What is your goal or mission as a writer?

I want readers to be transported to another time and place, and experience God’s truth in a new way while being entertained. Story is first. Of course, I want readersto laugh a little along the way.

Jerri: What upcoming projects can we expect from you?

Next spring, the third book in the series is coming out called The Ride of Her Life. It’s Lilly’s story and involves a roller coaster designer.

I’m working on a new series tentatively called The Gregory Girls. It involves three sisters who vow to help each other achieve their dreams after their parents’ death. The oldest daughter becomes a “hello girl” or switchboard operator. She’s the main character in book one.

 

Posted on August 27, 2011 - by Brenda Anderson

Company’s Coming!

Oh my, company’s coming to Inkspirational Messages!

And, we’re giving away books too!

Does that mean you have to scrub the floors? Dust on top of the ceiling fan? Take a toothbrush to the grout?

Goodness, no. Just make yourself comfortable. Take your shoes off, pour yourself a cup of lemonade, grab some chocolate, and relax in your recliner.

Ah, that’s better, right?

Now, who’s stopping by, you ask?

Well, we’ll be catching up with our own Lorna Seilstad, Shannon Vannatter, Linda Fulkerson, and Shari Barr. We’re welcoming some old friends: Laura Frantz, Mary Connealy, and Kaye Dacus. We’re even meeting new friends: Sandra Orchard, Gina Holmes, and Jennifer Rogers Spinola.

So, please come on over these next two weeks and chat with us. We’d love to meet you too!

Oh, and don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about those free books. For those of you who stop by to chat, you’ll have an opportunity to win books by a couple of our guests: Deep Cover by Sandra Orchard, Love Remains by Kaye Dacus, and The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz. PLUS, we’re throwing in two additional books from the Love Inspired line: Marrying Miss Marshall by Lacy Williams and Hearts in Flight by Patty Smith Hall.

Now, there are a few small rules you need to follow if you want a chance to win the books, but no worries, they’re not too difficult:

Contest Rules:

Comment on our “Company’s Coming” topic dated August 29, 2011 through September 9, 2011. Every time you comment, your name will go into a drawing for the books. Contest closes Saturday, September 10, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be posted on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Winner must provide a mailing address in an email to Brenda AT brendaandersonbooks DOT com. Do not post your address anywhere on this blog.

Posted on June 8, 2011 - by Dawn Ford

Along for the Ride

It all started so innocently. A simple road trip a few years ago with Lorna Seilstad to meet up with a group of Midwestern writers. I was only along for the ride and helping a friend.  I ended up on a path to becoming a writer also.

From that fateful day we met the most amazing group of writers which just happened to include Judith Miller. Judith has become a mentor to both Lorna and me. She was the one who encouraged us to get involved with the ACFW. That September Lorna and I went to the conference in Minneapolis, scared out of our minds, but having each other to lean on in the sea of unknown faces. I remember hearing someone’s knees knocking the whole time. I’m pretty sure they were mine.

In Minneapolis we met Lorna’s online friend Marlene Garand. I fell in love with her humor and French Canadian accent. It was like a slumber party for the three of us as we shared one hotel room. Honest to goodness I had never had that much fun and learned so much at the same time. I realized how much I didn’t know, but the amount that I learned from the classes was overwhelming. My head was full to overflowing when we returned home.

Every year has been better than the year before at the ACFW conference. The sea of unfamiliar faces becomes less and less until now it is only a small pool of people I haven’t had a chance to get to know or see from the ACFW message boards. Many of my friends on Facebook are other writers who are also affiliated with the ACFW. The encouragement they share along the way is priceless.

One of the perks of becoming friends with these writers is that you get to travel their publishing journey with them. I get personally invested in their books as well. I find out about the book they are writing, what kinds of difficulties they experience along the way, and how they are able to overcome the obstacles in their own lives. It helps me to know that I am not the only one who struggles to get the words on paper and with finding time to fit it all in my crazy schedule.

As for the conference itself, you will never find more bang for your buck. The knowledge that is shared in the classes is equal to classes you would find on a college level. And if you consider how much college costs, it’s a bargain. One of the things that amazes me the most is how willing the ACFW authors are to share what they know. My friends at the Seekerville blog have a party everyday as they share volumes of information on the publishing world, contests, and how to/how not to get it done. I would never have known what BICHOK was before meeting these ladies.

When someone asks me about what they need to do to get started in writing, the first thing I tell them is to join a group such as the ACFW. Then I tell them to network with other writers in their area to learn the craft and find a critique group they can join that fits their needs.

No, I’m not published yet. But I always stress the word ‘yet’. I believe as I learn and grow it is just a matter of time before the words of incredible wisdom I hear during these conferences sinks down far enough to my fingertips and makes its way onto my page. So many other writer’s paths have been such a ‘God thing’ that I know if it is His will, it will happen. After all, I’m only along for the ride.

 

Posted on May 31, 2011 - by Brenda Anderson

Celebration Time!!!

We interrupt our daily blog category of News You CAN’T Use, to bring you News To Celebrate.

Yes sirree, this is news that’ll bring a teeth-gleaming smile to your lips–news that’ll leave you cheering and turning somersaults, so break out the balloons, the noise makers, and, of course, the chocolate.

And just what is this news, you ask? Well, let me tell you. It has to do with three of our own at Inkspirational Messages. Yes, you heard me right. Three of our very own Inkspers have given us reason to party.

And that reason is …?

<drum roll, please>

Three Inkspirational Messages writers have New Releases!!!

Woo Hoo!

Party time!

And now, without further adieu, let me tell you all about those wonderful new books.

Shannon Taylor Vannatter, the queen of writing love stories that make your pulse thump faster than a Lamborghini on a straightaway, has two stories to accelerate your heart rate. Yes, you heard me right. That’s TWO books so swoon-worthy you’ll forget Fabio ever existed.

First, you’ll want to pick up White Doves, released in stores in April and releasing at Christianbook.com come June. Here’s a teaser:

Laken Kroft left home eight years ago and never looked back. Who knew when she applied for the promotion to postmaster that she’d end up in Romance, Arkansas, and much too close to her parents: the town drunk and the local gossip maven?

Hayden Winters has his hands full raising his paraplegic nephew, Brady, and wrestling with his guilt over having caused the child’s injury. When the boy’s father, Laken’s brother, turn up and start talking custody, Laken’s influence is Hayden’s only hope. But whose side is she really on?

Will their mutual bond with their seven-year-old nephew draw them closer or rip them asunder? Will Laken accept Hayden “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” or be forced to turn her back on him and “Return to Sender?”

I’ll bet you can’t wait for the answer.

Once you’ve sniffled your way through Laken’s and Hayden’s romance, you won’t be able to resist moving on to White Pearls, released by Heartsong Presents in January, available at Amazon and in stores come July. You’ll want to keep your tissues handy when you read Shell’s and Ryler’s story.

Shell doesn’t have a good reputation, but no matter what everyone in Rose Bud, Arkansas, thinks of her, Shell Evans is back in town with a job to do. She’ll just have to stick it out and make the best of things. But why does Ryler have to be the landscaper on this project? She was just getting her heart back under control.

Ryler Grant has his own reasons for being in Rose Bud, and they certainly don’t include Shell. Spying on his birth family was going to be hard enough. He doesn’t have time to worry about a woman who dumped him … even if his heart says otherwise.

But God’s love can change the hardest heart. In the light of His presence, even the darkest past can be overcome. They may not know it, but the people of Rose Bud are about to change!

Ahhh. Warms you to your toes, doesn’t it? Just wait till you read the entire story.

Now, if you need a little break from all that heart-palpitating romance, how about a little travel and a whole bunch of mystery?

That’s precisely what Shari Barr brings you in her Camp Club Girls books as she follows inquisitive McKenzie from Montana to Oregon and now to Branson, Missouri. Need a story for that preteen or teenage (or even adult) girl in your life? Looking for an author who “gets” young girls? Well, then don’t look any further than our own Shari Barr.

In May, Shari’s third McKenzie story was released, McKenzie’s Branson Brainteaser. After reading this back cover copy, I know you’ll want to rush right down to your store and pick this one up:

Someone’s missing in Missouri!

McKenzie and Sydney meet in Branson, Missouri, where McKenzie has been recruited to help at the Dixie Stampede. While the girls take in the sights and sounds of Silver Dollar City, they become involved in a search for a teen girl’s long-lost uncle.

A thirteen-year old family feud…

A necklace carved with “SS”…

A familiar fairy statue…

The “Shara Smiles” Man…

With no other clue than a whittled necklace, how will the Camp Club Girls ever reunite this family?

I’ll bet your heart’s a-beatin’ for whole new reasons now, isn’t it? You just can’t wait to solve their mystery, can you?

Just like I’ll bet you can’t wait to get a hold of Lorna Seilstad’s new release, A Great Catch. But, just to warn you, remember that heart-tangoing romance I talked about above? The kind Shannon writes? Well, that heart’ll be getting a whole lot more exercise when your read A Great Catch.

Let me clue you in on what it’s about:

It’s the beginning of a new century at Lake Manawa resort in Iowa, but some things never change. When Emily Graham’s meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it upon themselves to find her a husband among the resort guests, the spunky suffragist is determined to politely decline each and every suitor. She has neither the time nor the need for a man in her busy life.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and a pitcher for the Manawa Owls baseball team, intends to enjoy every minute of the summer before he is forced into the straitlaced business world of his father.

When their worlds collide, neither Emily nor Carter could have guessed what would come next. Will Carter strike out? Or will Emily cast her vote for a love that might cost her dreams?

I forgot to warn you about needing tissues again (sorry), but when reading books by Lorna, also be prepared to chuckle, giggle, and laugh right out loud.

Now, don’t throw those noisemakers away quite yet. You see, we have a few more reasons to celebrate.

First, if you go to Lorna Seilstad’s website today (May 31, 2011) and sign up for her newsletter, you’ll be entered into a drawing for the A Great Catch Baseball Basket Giveaway that includes a $20 Amazon certificate (so you can buy more of Lorna’s and Shannon’s and Shari’s books). So, hurry on over to her website.

Go ahead, do it now, but come right back. We’ll wait.

<waiting … waiting … waiting>

You’re back? And you’re all signed up? Wonderful! Just in time for some more fun news.

Prepare yourself for more heart waltzing love stories from Romance Queen Shannon Vannatter. Yes, you heard me right. Shannon’s been contracted by Heartsong Presents for another three book series.

<Wild cheering>

This time with cowboys and rodeos.

<Be still my heart>

And let me whet that whistle just a little bit more with a blurb from Rodeo Dust, due to release to Heartsong Presents book club members in October, and on Amazon in April of 2012:

Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart.

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Whew.

All partied out? Well, you can set those noise makers down for now, but keep them close. Something tells me many more celebrations are not too far behind.

Posted on February 3, 2011 - by Lorna Seilstad

AWAKE to the Possibilities

Snooze. Snore. Catch some zzz’s.

We love our sleep. Sometimes my bed calls to me in the middle of the day, but I try to ignore it when inanimate objects talk to me.

Every year, I prepare the lessons for the teachers to use for the junior session of Bible camp. This year’s theme is “AWAKE”. 

In my preparations, I’ve been looking at verses in the Bible about falling asleep and about being awake. It has been a fascinating study. Take a look at these times that people were asleep.

1 Sam. 26:7

David sneaks into Saul’s camp and is able to put a spear into the dirt beside King Saul’s head while he is asleep.

Matt. 25:5

The bride and her bridal party fell asleep waiting for the bridegroom to arrive.

Acts 20:9

Eutychus fell asleep in a window during Paul’s sermon. (It was after midnight, afterall.)

Luke 22:45

The disciples fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus prays.

Just look at what these people missed because they weren’t awake at the right time. Saul could have been killed. The bride missed her bridegroom. Eutychus fell to the ground and died only to be raised to life by Paul. And the disciples missed the chance to support their Teacher, Lord, and Friend in the final hours before his death.

What do we miss because we are not awake to the possibilities around us? What do we miss when we are lulled into complacency?

It’s so easy to decide I’m only going to close my eyes for a little while. After all, life gets hard. Co-workers get irritating. The children don’t listen. Your spouse is on a roll about something, and you just want to make it all go away. Then, the next thing you know, you’re falling out a window or staring a spear that narrowly missed your head—figuratively, of course.

Rom. 13:11 in the Message translation says, “But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing!”

I love that. Be awake to what God is doing. Isn’t that a perfect wake up call? Stop. Take a serious look at your life. What is God working? Where do you see him taking you or using you?

Be awake to the possibilities. Is there any better way to get out of a rut?

P.S. Don’t forget that for each comment made during these two weeks, you’ll be entered for a box of Fannie May Chocolates. YUMMMMMM. Talk about possibilities–about 30 per box.

Posted on January 11, 2011 - by JerriLynn

Not Good at Waiting

I love series books.  I seriously dislike waiting on the next book in a series.  So, most of the time, I wait to read a series until the whole thing has been written.  But every now and then I get sucked into a series that’s not complete.

Like Tim LaHaye’s & Jerry B. Jenkins’ Left Behind series.  I never saw that coming.  I was pulled into the series because of an assignment that never panned out.  So, I read the first five books, back-to-back, over a weekend.  Then I had to wait.  And wait again. And again. Until the whole series came out.  The unfortunate part was that I never read the last three books in the series because other things caught my interest and I just haven’t gotten back to them.

More recently, I found myself getting caught up in the Discarded Heroes series by Ronie Kendig.  The first book, Nightshade, came out in July 2010, but the series didn’t hit my radar until just a couple of weeks ago, right before the release of Digitalis. I devoured both books in the same week, and mourned for two days because the next one, Wolfsbane,  won’t be out until July 2011.

I’m just not good with waiting.  I’m not particularly patient once I’ve built a world in my head and fallen in love with the characters who live there.  Like a spoiled child, I want more now! So most of the time, I wait. I guess for some weird reason, it’s easier to wait on the front end, rather than on the back end.  That, and with the schedule I keep these days, my reading time is limited, so I want to spend it well.

And it was well spent on The Discarded Heroes series…even if I’ll have to temper my impatience and wait.  Like I’ve learned to temper my impatience for Lorna Seilstad’s Lake Manawa series.  The second book in that series, A Great Catch, doesn’t come out until May 2011.  And Shannon Vannatter’s White Roses trilogy has had two releases, White Roses and White Doves.  But White Pearls doesn’t come out until July 2011.

I suppose all this waiting helps me to develop patience.  But I do miss my favorite characters and their worlds.  And I’m looking forward to later this year when I can rejoin them on their adventures.

Now, if you want to talk coffee (to go with those interesting characters and adventurous story lines), I got that one covered.  And I only have to wait as long as it takes for the coffee maker to finish; which come sometimes feel like an eternity, as well.

If Chickory is available in your area, try this: one part chickory, two parts freshly ground coffee.  Best coffee ever.  And you can have that while you’re waiting for your next fix in your favorite series.

Posted on January 2, 2011 - by Lorna Seilstad

Books are a Bubblin’ Over

Happy New Year to all our Inkspirational Messages friends!

Because we like to keep things lively and to challenge our reader’s minds, let’s start this year off with a puzzle.  The list below is a Top 10 list. What do you think it’s a Top 10 list for?

1. In bed
2. At the park
3. In a library
4. On a couch
5. In a tent
6. In a tree house
7. In the bathtub
8. At a friend’s house
9. In the car
10. By the pool

According to the blog, Literature Young Adult Fiction, the above is the Top 10 Places to Read a Book.  Did your favorite places make the list?

Now, you might be wondering what bubbles, books, and a top 10 list have in common. Let me add one more clue. Does the date January 8 mean anything to you?

It should. It’s National Bubble Bath Day and we’re celebrating it during the next two weeks. After all, reading in the bathtub did make the best places to read list. And what better way to celebrate, than to share the books we are looking forward to reading in 2011.

Oh, and did I mention that one lucky commenter during this series will receive a bubble bath gift pack? Every time you comment during the next two weeks, your name will be entered. You’ll get everything you need to relax in a bath with a good book except the water—and the tub, of course.

So, here are four books am I most looking forward to holding in my hands in 2011. (There are so many books I can’t wait to read, so I picked ones with a common thread—blue covers.)

The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz releases in August.  Yes, you will have to wait for eight months to hold what I’m sure will be another treasure in your hands. I can’t wait to curl up and lose myself in the world Laura creates.

Here’s the synopsis for this book:

“In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father’s place as scrivener. Before long, it’s clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realizes the colonel has grave secrets of his own–some of which have to do with her father’s sudden death. Can she ever truly love him?

Bathsheba: A Novel  is the third book in Jill Eileen Smith’s The Wives of King David series. I loved the other two and can’t wait to see how Jill handles this conflicting and emotional Biblical story.  I know that I haven’t seen David the same after the first two, and I’m sure book three will be just as enlightening.                                       

“This well-researched and beautifully crafted story will resonate in your heart and mind long after you’ve read the final page, “ said Judith Miller, author of the Daughters of Amana series, “With beauty and truth, Jill Eileen Smith will take you back in time to reveal the consequences of sin coupled with the depth of God’s grace and forgiveness. An excellent read with a message that transcends time.”

 Bathsheba releases in March.

 The Lady of Bolton Hill is the debut novel for author Elizabeth Camden which releases in June.  Elizabeth is a research librarian and an associate professor, so you know her research is going to excellent.

“Something that was very important for me is that both my characters be very passionate people, but who are still fiercely intelligent and sensible,” Elizabeth said at http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/2010/11/meet-elizabeth-camden.html. “Have you ever read a book where the conflict between the hero and heroine could be solved by a simple, honest conversation? There was no way I was going to let Daniel and Clara off the hook so easily! Although it is clear they are madly in love, they will be put through the wringer before they can get to a happy ending. I love a good turbulent story with love, betrayal, heartbreak, all punctuated with periods of soaring joy and utter delight. That is what I aimed for with The Lady of Bolton Hill. I’ll be curious to hear from folks if they think I got it in the ballpark.”

Since she used the term ballpark, that leads me to my selection. One more book I can’t wait to hold, and that’s a copy of my own A Great Catch.  This book was so much fun to write, and I hope readers will enjoy it as much as I did. It releases in May.

Here’s the back cover copy:

 “She wants to change the world. He wants to change her mind.

It is the beginning of a new century at Lake Manawa Resort in Iowa, but some things never change. When 22-year-old Emily Graham’s meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it upon themselves to find her a husband among the resort guests, the spunky suffragist is determined to politely decline each and every suitor. She has neither the time nor the need for a man in her busy life.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and pitcher for the Manawa Owls baseball team, intends to enjoy every minute of the summer at Lake Manawa, Iowa, before he is forced into the straitlaced business world of his father.

When Emily crashes into Carter at a roller skating rink, neither could guess what would come next. Will Carter strike out? Or will Emily cast her vote for a love that might cost her dreams?”

So, are you a bubble bath reader or do you prefer to read somewhere else? And which of these books will you be putting on your bubble bath reading list? Do any of the covers strike you as especially eye catching? Remember, leave a comment for a chance to enter.

P.S. It’s also National Hot Tea Month. Make sure you pour a cup to enjoy in your bath.