Posts Tagged ‘Rose Ross Zediker’

Posted on May 15, 2013 - by Brenda Anderson

Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful?

How many of you have ever watched the TLC show, What Not to Wear? I’m a little embarrassed to admit I thoroughly enjoy the show. What the co-hosts, Stacy and Clinton, do is surprise someone who has no fashion / make-up sense with a $5000 shopping spree and a make-over. (Someone like me who can’t fill a pinhead with her fashion and makeup knowledge. Seriously. Now if you want to talk baseball … Well, I digress.)

The catch is, their *victim* must turn over all the clothes in their closet. Now, while this show can be a bit humiliating for the person being targeted, it’s also often an eye-opener for them. It seems that that many of the people spotlighted share a singular issue: low self-esteem or poor body image. And they hide behind their clothes in one way or another.

They don’t see themselves as beautiful. The don’t see themselves as “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Part of the problem is, we live in an image-driven society where exterior “beauty” is lauded. The CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is on record saying that his clothing line intentionally excludes the not-good-looking, the uncool people: Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Explains Why He Hates Fat Chicks. It’s a disturbing article. I can proudly say I’ve never purchased a single item from A&F, and I never will.

Here’s another perspective from a Christian woman on body image: http://www.prodigalmagazine.com/my-wedding-night/. Can anyone else relate?

1 Samuel 16:7b says,

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Are you seeing what God is seeing?

Recently, Dove released an emotional and very telling video that demonstrated women’s self-image issues. I encourage you to take three minutes to watch this:

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How many of you see yourself in that video? I’m slowly raising my hand.

Psalm 139: 13-14 says,

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”

Do you know that full well?

From what or whom do you derive your value? Who do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you truly believe that you are fearfully and wonderfully made? Do you see a beautiful child of God? Are you seeing yourself through God’s eyes or the worlds’?

Personally, I’m working on it.

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If you struggle with self-image, if you have trouble seeing yourself through the eyes of God, here are a couple of reading suggestions:

INVISIBLE by Ginny Yttrup - LOVED this novel. It’s very relatable, so at times it’s not an easy read, but it’s a very important one.

MOM IN THE MIRROR: BODY IMAGE, BEAUTY, & LIFE AFTER PREGNANCY by  Dena Cabrera, Emily T. Wierenga, with a foreward by Emme.

Here’s a song by Jonny Diaz, More Beautiful You, that speaks to who you are in God’s eyes.

Other encouraging music:

Beautiful by Mercy Me

Mirror by Barlow Girl

Beautiful by Bethany Dillon

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HOW CAN YOU WIN A COPY OF WEDDING ON THE ROCKS?

Rose is generously offering not one but TWO copies of Wedding on the Rocks and TWO copies of her previous release Rose of Sharon to readers who comment during the next two weeks and let us know about their most unusual job or a beauty secret and/or mishap. That’s four chances to win a book every time you post here at Inkspirational Messages in the next two weeks.

Contest closes Friday, May 17 at midnight (central time). It is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only.

Posted on May 14, 2013 - by Stacy Monson

Rock Hound

My husband is a certified rock  hound. Okay, so maybe there isn’t a certification for that, but he’s definitely certifiable! While his interest doesn’t lie so much in archaeology, like Rose’s hero in her newest release, Wedding on the Rocks, he’s definitely crazy about rocks. We have rocks of all shapes and sizes in our yard – surrounding the fish pond, as stepping stones through the garden, decorative boulders, from every state we’ve ever set foot in. Big ones, small ones…you get the picture.

He’s retrieved all of the large boulders in our yard on his own. Seeing rocks piled in a farm field, he’ll go right up to the front door to inquire of the owners if they want to get rid of said rocks. Not too many say no! For the larger ones, he’ll roll them all the way to the van where he’s rigged a way to roll the boulder up a makeshift ramp and into the back. Just like God goes looking for us, finding us in unexpected places, left out in the field, seemingly unimportant.

But lest you think my husband is not the discriminating type, every boulder – indeed, every rock – has some unique characteristic, along with its own story. Just like us. We have our own unique characteristics and our own story in the making.

Of all our rocks, boulders, stones, pebbles and chunks, his favorite has always been the Lake Superior Agate. Before they’re cleaned, they’re actually quite ordinary-looking. But my rock hound can point one out in the midst of a pile of rubble. Somehow he sees the beauty within long before the rest of us can (like God sees our beauty buried beneath our ordinariness).

He’s been known to spot a potential agate and give it a lick to see if it’s actually what he thinks. (Well, he sorta spits on it and cleans it up that way.)

After collecting a bucketful, he puts them through a process that would take too long to explain here. They get washed and tumbled and smoothed until there isn’t a nick to be found. Just like God puts us through a process called life that washes us, tumbles us, and smooths us until we’re fit for heaven.

On a trip up north last summer, we stopped at what seemed to be a little roadside rock store. Imagine my surprise when we discovered several rooms of gorgeous “rocks” – some worth tens of thousands of dollars! The owner collects them from trips around the world, buys and sells them, makes them into jewelry or simply conversations pieces (if you can imagine talking about a $14,000 rock on your shelf!).

So while most of us will never pursue the life of an archaeologist, we can be our own kind of rock hound. In the ordinariness of life, we can search for and celebrate the hidden agates  – in a shared laugh with a friend, in the peacefulness of sunshine after rain, in the dirt-smudged face of a child, in the unexpected kindness of a stranger.

Now, does anyone need any agates??

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HOW CAN YOU WIN A COPY OF WEDDING ON THE ROCKS?

Rose is generously offering not one but TWO copies of Wedding on the Rocks and TWO copies of her previous release Rose of Sharon to readers who comment during the next two weeks and let us know about their most unusual job or a beauty secret and/or mishap. That’s four chances to win a book every time you post here at Inkspirational Messages in the next two weeks.

Contest closes Friday, May 17 at midnight (central time). It is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only.

Posted on May 8, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Not My Mother’s Makeup

In Wedding on the Rocks, my heroine, Jennifer is a beauty advice columnist for a teen magazine. I chose this profession because as a young girl I loved to read that section of Seventeen Magazine. Yep, the first pages I turned when the monthly magazine hit my mail box were the makeup and hair columns.

I spent my teenaged years in the hip 1970’s, where vibrant blue and green eye shadow and thick mascara laden eye lashes were the grooviest! I’d read about the popular brands, the differences between powder verses cream shadows, and how the shape of the mascara wand changed your eye lashes. I’d pursue the dime store finding just the right shades. (Anyone else remember blue and green mascara?)

However, for a long time I didn’t get to take those necessary beauty items home. You see, my mom, who grew up in the 1950’s thought lipstick was the makeup of choice and the first product a young girl should experiment with. And not just any lipstick but the cherry reds that she wore!

UG! Nobody wore that color but ‘old ladies’, I argued so she changed her mind and bought me….peony pink lipstick. Sigh….she just didn’t get that “the times they were a changing”.  After the lipstick lay unused on my dresser, she finally broke down and let me purchase some pale pink lip gloss.

I can’t remember the exact age I was, when I was finally allowed to purchase a tube of Maybelline Great Lash mascara but I do know that I bought it with birthday money.  

Lipstick was my mom’s go-to beauty product that she wouldn’t leave the house without. Mascara is mine. Enquiring minds want to know the first makeup product you were allowed to wear or what beauty product can you not leave home without?

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HOW CAN YOU WIN A COPY OF WEDDING ON THE ROCKS?

Rose is generously offering not one but TWO copies of Wedding on the Rocks AND TWO copies of her previous release Rose of Sharon to readers who comment during the next two weeks and let us know about their most unusual job or a beauty secret and/or mishap. That’s four chances to win a book every time you post here at Inkspirational Messages in the next two weeks.

Contest closes Friday, May 17 at midnight (central time). It is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only.

Posted on May 7, 2013 - by Shannon Vannatter

Beauty Tips – That I Can Do

Hello, my name is Shannon and I am a lifetime primper. I love makeup. I love big hair. Oh, if only the 80′s big hair would come back. And since Rose’s heroine from Wedding on the Rocks is a beauty advisor, I’m certain we would bond.

From the time I knew what makeup was, around nine years old, I wanted to wear it. And I do. I don’t go anywhere without it. Not even to the mail box and definitely not Walmart.

My love for makeup and big hair sent me to cosmetology school. Oh, was I in my element training to make women beautiful. It would be so glamorous. But, it wasn’t. I ended up with hair in my teeth, my bra, and embedded in the bottom of my foot. You haven’t felt pain until you’ve had a freshly clipped piece of hair stuck in your foot like a splinter. I worked as a hairdresser for ten years and hung up my non-glamorous scissors.

But I still love hair and makeup. Many moons ago, when I was 7 months pregnant and on bed rest with nothing else to do, I watched a Dr. Phil episode. He had a lady on there that never left the house without her makeup. I saw no problem with that. I decided she was insane when Dr. Phil talked her into taking her makeup off–ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!!!!!

I’ve compiled lots of tips over the years–from experience and cosmetology school and you’re getting them free. I usually share these when I’m the speaker at ladies’ retreats. So listen up:

Beauty Tip #1 – Moisturizer doesn’t work on a dry face. Steps: Cleanse your face. Pat water on. Let air dry and apply moisturizer.

Beauty Tip #2 – Always apply moisturizer every morning and every night. Dry skin causes wrinkles. Seal the moisturizer in with foundation.

Beauty Tip #3 – Dry skin = wrinkles. Tanning = dry skin. Don’t tan your face. If you tan the rest of your body and you end up pale-faced, use a bronzer.

Beauty Tip #4 – Eyeliner defines your eyes. Even if you don’t take the time for eyeshadow, line your eyes.

Beauty Tip #5 – Foundation seals moisturizer in. It doesn’t do any good to moisturize if you don’t seal it in.

Beauty Tip #6 – Get your hair trimmed every 6 weeks. Getting rid of split ends maintains a sleek look and keeps hair healthy.

Beauty Tip #7 – Translucent powder smooths and gives the illusion of perfection. After applying makeup, pat with loose translucent powder.

Beauty Tip #8 – Neutral brown or gray shadow looks good with any skin tone.

Beauty Tip #9 – Skin and hair fade as you age. If you color your gray, go about two shades lighter than your used-to-be natural color.

Beauty Tip #10 – Chlorine and sun dry skin and hair. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

Beauty Tip #11 – Never pull down on the delicate skin underneath the eye. Not to apply makeup or put in contacts. Causes bags.

Beauty Tip #12 – Bangs soften a long forehead.

Beauty Tip #13 – Hair parted down the middle draws attention to your nose. Which is fine, if you have a pretty one.

Beauty Tip #14 – If your jaw is square, wear your hair in a rounded style to soften angles.

Beauty Tip #15 – If your face is round, wear your hair in a blunt, squared style to soften.

Beauty Tip #16 – Test foundation on your wrist for color match.

Beauty Tip #16 – Test foundation on the inside of your wrist for color match.

Beauty Tip #17 – The secret to great eyeshadow: blending.

Beauty Tip #18 – The secret to great blush: blending.

Beauty Tip #19 – Get your eyebrows professionally waxed. Then pluck what grows back in.

Final Beauty Tip #20 – Embrace your age–whatever it is. If you feel good about yourself, you look good.

HOW CAN YOU WIN A COPY OF WEDDING ON THE ROCKS?

Rose is generously offering not one but TWO copies of Wedding on the Rocks AND TWO copies of her previous release Rose of Sharon to readers who comment during the next two weeks and let us know about their most unusual job or a beauty secret and/or mishap. That’s 4 chances to win a book every time you comment here at Inkspirational Messages in the next two weeks.

Contest closes Friday, May 17 at midnight (central time). It is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only.

Posted on April 24, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Like Night and Day

Although we share the same genetics, growing up my (older) sister and I were very different.

She liked hard rock (think Alice Cooper).  I liked soft rock (think the Carpenters).

She hated to sew.  I loved to sew.

She preferred watching soap operas. I preferred riding my bike.

She liked scary shows like Night Gallery. I liked anything BUT scary shows! (It was my writer’s imagination, I’m sure!)

She read mysteries. I read romances.

She stayed up late. I went to bed early.

She wore her hair long (and still does). I wore my hair short (and still do).

She loves summer time. I love winter time.

She ate salty snacks. I ate sweet snacks.

She helped Dad in the garden. I helped Mom cook the garden produce.

Yet we always had fun together going to movies, driving ‘the loop’(dated myself there didn’t I?), playing with Barbie’s and paper dolls, going to rodeos and concerts. The list could go on and on.

We still do have fun together and like all sisters, we also share secrets and memories and have a language all our own. It only takes a slight facial change in a crowd of people to know what the other sister is thinking!

This is the most recent picture I have of us saved to my computer. It was taken about two years ago beside a memorial barn quilt given to the town of Westfield, Iowa in honor of our mother, but it’s not the best because we are looking into the sun!

Do you have someone that you share a language all your own?

Now its your turn. Every time you share one of your sister stories in the next two weeks, you’ll be entered in the drawing for a copy of  When Love Calls for yourself and a matching copy for a sister. Contest closes at midnight, central time on Friday, May 3 and is open to those in the U.S. and Canada. Name chosen by Random.org.

Posted on April 10, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Short and Sweet

I thought I’d focus my spring reads on one April and two May releases from Heartsong Presents. Harlequin has done a wonderful job of breathing new life into this book club formerly published by Barbour, and have made these shorter books easier to obtain. They are shelved in select stores and sold through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. As a bonus all the Heartsongs are offered in print, Nook or Kindle versions and can be pre-ordered!

With Eyes of Love by Linda S. Glaz

She has the perfect live or so she thought

Barbara Richardson is living a charmed life. Perfect family, beautiful voice, wealthy fiancé. But when she realizes her soon-to-be husband only values her for her pretty face, her life is suddenly in turmoil. Then a handsome young man comes to her rescue when she’s stranded in a storm on Christmas Eve. And the world suddenly seems full of possibilities.

Unlike her former fiancé, Jackson Judge loves Barbara for everything she is, inside and out. But how could so lovely and talented a woman ever love a scarred monster like him? All he can see, shut away in his room, are his wounds from Pearl Harbor. Jackson finds himself questioning God’s plan, but Barbara knows real love looks deeper than beauty or scars. Eyes of love see straight to the heart.

Always Abby by Linda S. Glaz

Abby’s all grown up. She just needs Will to notice.

When WWII soldier Will Judge brings home an orphan boy from Europe, it turns his world upside down.His fiancée might be ready to marry him, but not to mother a war orphan. As Will struggles to figure out his next move, he turns to Abby, his childhood friend.

Since they were teenagers, Abby Richardson’s feelings for Will have always been more than friendly. Once she was willing to be his pen pal and his confidante, listening as he poured out his heart. But now Abby wants so much more: to be part of Will’s ready-made family. What will it take to open Will’s eyes—and his heart?

Wedding on the Rocks by Rose Ross Zediker

Jennifer Edwards is back home again?

When she traded small-town life for the bright lights of Chicago, Jennifer Edwards yearned to discover a world beyond Faith, South Dakota. So when her father’s illness calls her home to run their cattle ranch, she tells herself it’s temporary. Then why is she even thinking about a future with archaeology professor Brett Lange—the boy she left behind—whose life’s work is digging up the past?

Twelve years ago, Brett had a crush on Jennifer the size of the T. rex that put his hometown on the map. Now she’s a citified magazine editor who prefers designer duds to dungarees. Except that’s not the real Jennifer. Brett needs to make her see how a little faith can go a long way in uniting two perfectly in-sync hearts.

***Remember, every time you leave a comment during this Spring Reads series, you’ll be entered for a chance to win Lorna Seilstad’s May release of When Love Calls and a $10 Starbucks gift card.

Posted on March 27, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Laundry vs. Quitting Writing

 

Remember this next time you’re discouraged with your writing! Anything is better than doing more laundry, right?

Posted on March 13, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Preventative Measures

I’m going to make a U-turn today and instead of talking about what I do to cure writer’s block I’m going to talk about what I do to TRY to prevent writer’s block, especially while I’m working on the first draft of my manuscript. 

• I work from a loose chapter by chapter outline. That way I have some direction to go when I sit down to write thus avoiding the dreaded white page and flashing cursor.
• I stop writing when I hit my word count goal for the day. That usually leaves me in mid-scene so I can jump right into the story when I sit down to write the next day. Note: I don’t stop in the middle of a tense action scene. Those require a certain momentum that can’t always be recaptured.
• I jot down notes at the bottom of my manuscript before I close my file. These give me a good jumping off point for the next writing session. It may be a few words of where I was heading when I stopped mid-scene or it might be ideas for the characters reaction scene that follows.
• I take every possible precaution to keep my focus on my manuscript when I’m writing. I will admit that dirty dishes sitting on the counter or in the sink doesn’t bother me BUT if that bothers you, load that dishwasher before you sit down to write. By eliminating niggling irritants you can give your manuscript your complete focus. (Yes, sometimes your family is niggling irritants….no you can’t eliminate them!)
• I read but not in the genre I’m writing. I’m a huge proponent of knowing your market and your competition but while you’re writing a rough draft, it’s really easy to start comparing your first draft to that published book. THAT can cause a huge block. So when I’m working on an inspirational romance, I read cozy mysteries or non-fiction. Once my rough draft is finished, I go back to my first love, inspirational romance.

 These tips really help me make full use of my writing time. Does anyone else have any tips that pulls you back into your manuscript and keep your fingers flying across the keyboard?

Posted on February 27, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Everyday Prayers

Many times when people talk about the power of the prayer in their lives, it’s during a huge life changing event, like terminal illness, relationship problems or a new job. And like others, I’ve struggled with each of those events in my life and have stories of how my petitions were heard and answered by God. But today I want to talk about how simple everyday prayers have affected my life.

 Since I’ve always lived in the plains states and worked full time, I’ve had to drive in nasty weather, including white out conditions. From the moment my vehicles wheels start turning, I call out to God to help me and other travelers get to their destination without incident. I have always made it home safely and know that God heard my prayers.

Many times when I’ve have a bad morning, I’ll ask God to help the day get better. Then something will happen. I’ll hear an old song that brings back a happy memory. A stranger will smile and say ‘good morning’.  I’ll get an email or a text from a friend I haven’t heard from in a while. I don’t believe in happenstance so I know those things are sent from God. And sure enough my day gets better!

Do you realize when God answers even your smallest prayer? I will admit I didn’t always recognize those little things that are answers to my simple prayers but now I do, I never fail to thank Him for them.

Posted on February 13, 2013 - by Rose Ross Zediker

Lovable Heros

The first book hero that I ever fell in love with was Laurie in Little Women. I was so angry at Jo when she turned his affections away. I remember thinking what a mistake! And to be honest, I never did like Professor  Baer! Why? Because Louisa Mae Alcott made me fall in love with Laurie even if she didn’t let Jo return his love. Laurie appealed to me because he knew Jo’s foibles and strengths, yet he loved her in spite of them.

As I matured, so did my taste in fictional heroes. I picked up a copy of Aola Vandergriff’s, Daughters of the South Wind and absolutely fell in love with Dan Tallent. A tall, dark and handsome cowboy, he was just my type. This was back in the late 1970’s and he was not a politically correct hero. He wanted to save the day. He wanted a woman that took care of the home and hearth. But he fell in love with a strong willed woman who’d do anything to keep her and her sisters together and alive, so she sang in a saloon and wouldn’t give it up. These characters stood toe to toe for independence in an era that didn’t allow independence in woman.  The emotions Dan Tallent stirred in me were not the innocent first love feelings that Laurie had, but the fiery passion of complex adult love. The moment he realizes that he’ll love and fight for the heroine no matter what, made me adore him even more, and made me hope for a real-life hero just like him.

Now I tend to go for strong heroes who have a sense of humor. Detective Werner, in Annette Blair’s Vintage Magic cozy mystery series that is more of an antagonist to the heroine and hero, but does have a history with the heroine. They grew up together, not exactly friends but they know it each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Their banter is funny and he fights his attraction to heroine in every book. And I have to say, in every book, I hope she dumps her FBI boyfriend and dates Detective Werner, but so far, she hasn’t. However, I’ll keep reading this series in hope that the heroine sees the light and falls in love with Detective Werner just like I have!

Do you remember the first book hero that you fell in love with?