Making Work at Home Work

by Mary M. Byers

About the book:
Making Work at Home Work shows moms how to develop an entrepreneurial mind-set without sacrificing their families. It covers important topics such as developing a successful business philosophy, balancing time between work and family, setting realistic goals, and handling the challenges of being both "Mommy" and "CEO" while running a profitable home-based business.

In addition to including her own experiences, author Mary Byers profiles real moms with home-based businesses who offer their hard-won advice.

About Mary:
Mary M. Byers successfully juggles both a freelance corporate writing and speaking business and her responsibilities as a wife and mother of two school-aged children. She is the author of The Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for Your Family and How to Say No . . . And Live to Tell about It. Visit her website to learn more: www.marybyers.com or her blog www.makingworkathomework.com

Contest:
Contest! Win a copy of Making Work at Home Work (or another one of Mary’s books--your choice) AND a $25 Amazon gift certificate (for some WAHM essentials – Day Planner, bubble bath, funky file-folders, toddler DVDs)!

There are three ways to win:

Leave a comment on this post

Sign up for Mary’s quarterly newsletter where she offer tips and advice about all facets of a women's life: WAHM, mothering, women's issues. More info here! (http://www.marybyers.com/index.cfm?pID=569)

Join the Work at Home Blog Ring. More info here. (http://www.makingworkathomework.com/2009/04/new-making-work-at-home-work-blog-ring.html)


Link to buy the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Work-Home-Successfully-Business/dp/0800732758?&camp=sprightly-20

Schedule:
5/4
Christa at Christa Allan
http://cballan.wordpress.com

Martha at Our Family's Adventures
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Martha/

Katrina at Callapidder Days
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Wendi at Wendi's Book Corner
http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com

5/5
Becky at In the Pages…
http://inthepages.blogspot.com

Sunny at Life in the Estrogen Ocean
http://estrogen-ocean.blogspot.com/

Angie at God Uses Broken Vessels
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com

Mikki at The View From My Beach Chair
http://mybibleandacupofcoffee.blogspot.com/

5/6
Gina at Portrait of a Writer
http://portraitofawriter.ginaconroy.com

Heather at Mumblings of a Mommy Monk
http://mommymonk.blogspot.com/

Amy at The 160 Acre Woods
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Pam at Without Fear
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5/7
Tasra at Real Women Scrap
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Margaret at The Cappuccino Life
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Tanya at In The Dailies
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Scoti at Springs Writers
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5/8
DeeDee at FiddleDeeDee
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Kelly at Love Well
http://www.lovewell.blogspot.com

Laura at Lighthouse Academy
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Kaylea at My Scrappy Life
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5/9
Pamela at Pammer's Ramblins
http://pammer.blogspot.com/

Christy at Christy's Book Blog
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Michelle at Miss. Mouthy
http://missmouthy.com

Kate at A Simple Walk
http://asimplewalk.blogspot.com/

Donna at Write By Faith
http://writebyfaith.blogspot.com/

5/11
Lizzie at A Dusty Frame
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Mimi at Mimi's Pixie Corner
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Deena at A Peek at My Bookshelf
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Sarah at Real Life
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5/12
Karla at Modern Media Mom
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Janice at The Nearsighted Bookworm
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Kara at Ramblings-n-Writings
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Suzanne at There's No Place Like Home
http://clickingherheels.blogspot.com

5/13
Audra at Penning Prose
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Virginia at Ginny Smith
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Lynetta at Open Book
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Lauren at Reading Grounds
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5/14
Revka at Our Family Porch
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Christa at Life…One word at a time
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Susan at His Morning Glory
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Patty at Girlfriends in God
http://patty-girlfriendsingod.blogspot.com

Go Green!

Gardening Eden by Michael Abbate

Before the snake, the apple, and the Ten Commandments, God created a garden, placed humans in it, and told them to take care of it.

“Spiritual environmentalism” did not start out as an oxymoron—it was an invitation. Yet today, many believe God’s original job description for humankind has been replaced by other worthier pursuits. So when did this simple instruction become so controversial? How does one sort through all the mixed messages? Is making the world a healthier place for the next generation really a responsibility—or even possible?

Gardening Eden is a new understanding of how the spiritual dimensions of life can find expression and renewal through caring for our incredible planet. Empowering, simple, and never polemical, Michael Abbaté outlines the Bible’s clear spiritual benefits of caring for creation, exploring new motivations and inspired ideas, and revealing the power of our basic connection to all people and living things through the growing interest in spiritual environmentalism.

Green living is no longer a fad—simple lifestyle solutions are now available to everyone. Gardening Eden shows readers how this shift transforms not only our world, but their very souls as they’re drawn into deeper harmony with the Creator. This book invites them to discover the powerful spiritual satisfaction of heeding the call to save our world.

Author Bio:
A nationally recognized expert in “green” development strategies, Mike Abbaté is a founder of GreenWorks, an award-winning landscape architecture design firm. He frequently speaks to students and leaders about practical ways to minimize the impact of building and landscape design on natural resources. Abbaté’s work has been featured in national magazines such as Metropolis and Landscape Architecture and in many local newspapers and trade publications. He and his wife, Vicki, have two adult daughters and live near Portland , Oregon .

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307444998&ref=externallink_wbm_gardeningeden_sec_0309_01

Kathy Macias

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons?

Proverbs 31 Discoveries For Yielding To The Master Of The Seas

About the Book:
(Homeland, CA) - For all the Christian women in the world who dread reading Proverbs 31 and wonder who on earth could ever live up to that woman - this book is for you. Between dirty diapers, complaining children, housework, husbands and a multitude of other attention-grabbing detours women face, award-winning author and speaker, Kathi Macias finds a way to encourage and biblically instruct women of all ages and phases. Women everywhere are the glue that holds their families together. Keeping everything under control challenges even the most organized household CEO. Kathi uses humor, God's Word, as well as practical insight and instruction to lovingly encourage women to grow in this progression of grace. Readers will find How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded by Loose Cannons?: Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas, filled with scriptural explanations and journaling pages to process and write their personal feelings and prayers. With sections of the book focused on each step of the learning process to guide our ships to safe harbor, readers will be happily surprised to find the funny without the fluff. Kathi's words are the "spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down." Her vulnerable approach facilitates the teachings of Proverbs 31, making it easier for women to swallow. The truth of the scriptures is very much alive and well throughout the pages, yet the ease and charm of the author's words entice readers to press forward and embrace the plan for God's woman today.

About the Author:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 26 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women's clubs and retreats, and writers' conferences. She recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi "Easy Writer" Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend free time riding their Harley.


Blog Tour Interview:

I understand you sometimes refer to this book as "discipleship with a grin." What do you mean by that, and why did you choose a humor format for a discipleship book?

Actually, I chose a discipleship theme for a humor title. As much as I hate to admit it, the title came to me one day and I knew I had to do something with it--just too good to pass up! So the more I thought/prayed about it, the more I realized it described my life, both naturally and spiritually. I began to try to lay out my spiritual growth via humorous life stories, and found they produced a natural pattern. From there I developed the five stages of spiritual growth into five sections for the book, and I was off and running! Besides, I learned from a friend/mentor years ago that you can "shove a lot of truth down people's throat when their mouth is open laughing," so I figured, why not???

What are some of the funniest "loose cannons" stories included in your book?

One of my favorites is the story of my very first women's retreat as a brand new Christian back in the "Jesus freak" days of baptisms at the beach and praise-ins at the park. I shared a room with three ladies I had never met, one of whom ended up being my "bunk mate." She snored, she was quite a bit overweight (taking up much more than her side of the bed!), and she "leaked" because she was still weaning her youngest child. You'll have to read the story to see how that experience taught me a lot about "spiritual face plants."
Another favorite story is about the time I took my three sons (two pre-teens and one elementary school age at the time) to the community swimming pool. The older boys decided to use their younger brother as a human beach ball, and when they ignored my cries from the side of the pool to stop, I actually had the nerve to jump into the water and swim right up to them and order them to stop. Their level of humiliation at being seen in the pool with their mother was as close to social suicide as it gets. But we all survived and learned a lot in the process.

Your book is divided into five sections. Can you briefly explain what they are and what they have to do with discipleship and humor?

As I mentioned earlier, the five sections correspond with what I consider the five stages of spiritual growth: crawling (infants or "rugrats") on our knees; walking (toddlers who are still a bit shaky but exploring and learning); running (stronger, more mature believers who are beginning to make a difference in their world); flying or soaring (eagles with a solid foundation and maturity to share with others); resting (back on our knees and realizing that place of utter dependence on Him is really the best place to be after all). The discipleship correlation is, I believe, evident in these stages; the humor comes in simply because I'm one of those slow learners who needs God to "hit me upside the head" at times, and I haven't been bashful about explaining those times in the book.

What advice can you give to the young mom out there who is juggling two kids, a fulltime job outside the home, a husband, housework, pets and church?

Life happens in seasons! You CAN'T be all things to all people at all times. It simply doesn't work. And if you don't believe it, read about my many crash-and-burn episodes as I tried! The Proverbs 31 woman is a composite picture of many women from different walks and stages of life; when we get a grip on that, it releases us to enjoy the season we're in right now, even as we prepare for the next one.

How did raising your own children help prepare you for the parenting side of the proverbial woman? Any tips you'd like to share?

Relax and enjoy them! Yes, even the rugrats and teenagers, because "this too shall pass." There were times I thought I'd go bald from pulling out my own hair over the frustrations and failures of that season of my life, but now it's my grandchildren who are passing through those rugrat-to-teen stages, and hey, I still have my hair! You'll make it--and so will your kids--in spite of your frustrations and failures. And yes, I know there are too many of those to mention (or admit to). I'm the queen of mom-failures, and yet my kids never cease to bless me with words of love and praise. Do I deserve it? Probably not. But I love every minute of it!

Do you have a favorite part of the book or a favorite chapter?

Several, in fact, but one in particular: Chapter 26, "Back Home Again," contains the story of my precious father, a man who lived for 88 years denying God's existence and then finally turning to him in his last week of life. It's one of the more serious stories in the book, but even that one ends on a humorous note.

If the Proverbs 31 woman is alive today, what does she look like?

She looks like me--and you--and every woman whose heart longs to please God and to raise her children according to the Scriptures, even though she knows she's doing well just to make sure they all have their sack lunches before they leave for school in the morning. She's thin, overweight, short, tall, black, white, brown, red, yellow, and polka dot when she catches her kids' chicken pox. And she's absolutely beautiful!!!

Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

I want them to learn to relax and laugh and enjoy this voyage called "life," and to trust the Captain of our souls to take us home safely when our trip is over, rather than struggling to "man the oars" ourselves.

What makes your book different than other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

There are countless books written for "control freak" women who want to do it all and be it all--perfectly and completely at all times. This one, however, is not only written with a humorous tone, but it also takes the reader through what I call the five steps of spiritual growth: crawling, walking, running, flying--and back on our knees, totally dependent once again. I do this by exposing many of the sometimes humorous--and sometimes not so humorous--events in my own life as I progressed through the five stages.

Are there any authors that either influenced you personally or influenced your style of writing? Who are they and how did they influence you?

Brennan Manning, Henri J. M. Nouwen, and Max Lucado have to be right at the top of my favorite nonfiction authors list, simply because they call me back to the heart of worship, to a fresh appreciation of grace and a clarion call to rely totally upon God and not myself. I need those reminders on a regular basis. In addition, I love their writing styles. Their words "sing," and it is my goal to do the same with the words I write.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

Okay, now I have to 'fess up to how nearly one-dimensional I am. If I'm not writing, I'm...well, reading someone else's writing. That's at the top of my "what I like to do" list. However, I also spend time riding on the back of my husband's 2003 Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle. He's been riding HD's since 1970 and says he will never outgrow that youthful passion. On the road we are known as "Big Al" and "Easy Writer..."

Pammer here: I have to admit the humor Kathy weaves throughout makes this such a fun book to read. I think many women could benefit from this book. Because even though the SuperMom from the 80's is no longer a goal, we all still try to be everything to everybody. This book shows us to let go of that goal and let God be our everything. Then you quit seeing the world in a skewed way us women tend to look at the world. I recommend it to anyone who feels like they have too many irons in the fire, or too many plats spinning, or their head is spinning. :D

Where Did the Month Go

Now I know the NBA calls March the madness month, but for my family and I, April has been pretty hairy!

I have one sick kid, my youngest. We still don't know what's wrong with him, but he's taken anti-biotics and had x-rays of his lungs and still, something is wrong. Prayers would be appreciated. Typically teen, he tries to go about his regular schedule like nothing is different.

My oldest son graduated! Yay! I'm really proud of him. He starts college classes this fall (and has already been accepted). He's going to take a Vocational classes rather than a regular classroom setting (he's always been a hands-on type learner-to teach him to tell time I finally resorted to making him lay on the floor and use his arms as the arms of a clock. Then it stuck.)

And the merry-go-round spins faster and faster. . .but I'm attempting some kind of Time Management so I can get stuff done.

Hope everyone is having a great spring. The weather finally got warm here and has stayed warm. Yay! My tulips are beautiful and we are putting out our plants (my oldest planted them from seeds weeks ago) to help with our food bill this summer at least. Even when it's cloudy, like today, I love the feel of the weather right now. I could just sit on the front porch and soak it in. Except we all know I can't sit still that long, LOL!

I entered two contests and should know some results before too awful long. So I better get back to editing the rest of the book, huh?

Have a lovely weekend.

April Releases!

Here's a list composed by Lynette Eason:

1. A Claim of Her Own, by Stephanie Whitson from Bethany House. Newly arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota, Mattie O'Keefe must soon decide where true riches lie--and what's worth dying for.

2. A Gift of Grace, Kauffman Amish Bakery Series by Amy Clipston from Zondervan. When Rebecca Kaufman’s older sister, who left the Amish community when she was a teenager, dies in an automobile accident, Rebecca is left custody of her two modern non-Amish teenage nieces, Jessica and Lindsay.

3. Baby Baby, Book One of the Family Heirloom Series by Karen Weisner from Samhain Publishing. A Proverbs 31 wife wonders, does “submissive” mean giving up having anything of her own?

4. By Darkness Hid, book one in The Blood of Kings by Jill Williamson from Marcher Lord Press. Two people discover their ability to speak to, and hear, the minds of others: a squire serving an evil prince, and a maiden masquerading as a boy to avoid marriage.

5. Chef's Deadly Dish, Book three in the Cozy Crumb Series by Lisa Harris from Heartsong Presents: Mysteries. Determined to discover the truth, Pricilla Crumb, an unconventional busybody, follows one lead after another, dishing up laughter and surprises along the way.

6. Copper and Candles, Michigan Brides Book One by Amber Stockton from Heartsong Presents. Charity work brings them together, but their positions in society might drive them apart.

7. Homecoming Blessings, by Merrillee Whren from Steeple Hill. When businessman Peter Dalton has to work with the boss's missionary daughter Ashley Hiatt, he finds a new focus in life as well as love.

8. Peachtree Dreams , by Debby Mayne from Barbour Publishing. Three Georgia women face the challenge to believe in happily-ever-after endings.

9. Shepherd's Fall, Prodigal Recovery Series Book One by Wanda Dyson from Random House/Waterbrook. Nick Shepherd faces the hardest decision of his life--to save his daughter from a convicted killer, he may have to compromise his beliefs.

10. Stealing Home, by Allison Pittman from Multnomah. Four people, each harboring a secret passion, are brought together through providence, tragedy and love.

11. Texas Ra nger Dad, Mule Hollow Series by Debra Clopton from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Rose Vincent has made a life for herself and her son in Mule Hollow Texas but when Texas Ranger, Zane Cantrell comes to town bring her past with him everything she holds dear in life is threatened.

12. The Reluctant Cowgirl, McCord Sisters - Book 1 by Christine Lynxwiler from Barbour Publishing. When Crystal McCord’s New York dream crumbles, she thinks her parents’ Arkansas ranch might be a safe place to hide her heart. . .until she meets the cowboy next door.

Happy Reading!

Lynette

Clutter Free Christianity

When did the Christian life become so complicated?
Your greatest desire is to please God, but with each passing week, your spiritual to-do list grows longer. As you strive to fulfill a never-ending inventory of requirements for being a godly parent, spouse, voter, employee, and more, you feel increasingly disconnected from the God you’re trying to serve.
It’s time to cut through the clutter and get to the heart of what it means to please God. In this liberating look at the core principles of faith, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals the truth about what God really wants from you–and what He wants to do for you.
Through solid biblical teaching and practical insights, Dr. Jeffress points you toward a revitalized faith centered on becoming more like Jesus in action, attitude, and affection. You’ll learn how to partner with God in the process of spiritual transformation as you choose to follow Christ in forgiveness, obedience, trust, contentment, service, and prayer.
Through a renewed focus on experiencing the kingdom of God right now, you’ll find your to-do list shrinking and your spiritual life deepening. It all comes with embracing Clutter-Free Christianity.Includes a Bible study guide for personal growth and group discussion.

Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, one of the most historic churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. The author of sixteen books, he is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, live broadcasts of Dr. Jeffress’ weekly messages reach millions of listeners and viewers each week, while his daily sermon series airs on 1,100 television stations and cable systems nationwide. Dr. Jeffress and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two adult daughters.

Pammer here:

I enjoyed this book (I haven't quite finished it yet.) Dr. Jeffress has a way of putting things that makes you smile. I like the way he looks at things. I think if you want to get to the heart of your "calling" or if you have a "calling", this book is for you.

Curling Up With a Good Book

Hannah Grace

by Sharlene MacLaren

I wish I had the back cover copy, but I loaned the book to my oldest son's girlfriend was waiting to read it next. :)

This is the first of a new series called The Daughters of Jacob Kane. This one is about the oldest daughter. She works at the family mercantile and has her life all mapped out, including a impending proposal from her beau Dr. Ralston Van Huff (whom her youngest sister Abbie Ann calls Huffy).

Then Gabriel Devlin comes to town as the new sheriff. Only Hannah first met him in the mercantile with a shabby and bruised up kid (an orphan that had hidden in his wagon and stowed away from the last town he'd stopped in). She didn't know he was the sheriff and took him for an abusive father. When she went first thing the next morning to report this awful man to the new sheriff, was she ever surprised to see who the new sheriff was!

But then they joined forces to take care of the orphan whose name turned out to be Jesse.

The characters are wonderfully three dimensional, the whole town, I wonder how people can populate a town and a large cast and do it so well you feel like you know them when the book ends. The spritual journey was so real, it could have been any one of us. It wasn't overdone. The growth of both characters was woven into the plot seamlessly. The plot was fresh and unique and had some unexpected twists. The humor was great!

The only problem I had with this book was the fact that I couldn't get anything else done! All I wanted to do was read. (Okay, I carried the book around with me, reading in my spare moments, and inadvertantly lost it for a couple days! Panic ensued and I tore the house apart before I finally found it in my newly rearranged bedroom.)

Now I am more than ready to make another journey to Sandy Shores to see the Kane girls again. Now will the next story be about beautiful Maggie Rose or the irrepressible little sister Abbie Ann?

Foot on the Gas

The other night my husband and I were on our way back from his work.

On Wednesday nights I attend church close to his work (they have a large youth group that my younger son enjoys and a singing group that the older kids and myself enjoy). After church is over, my husband will take his lunch break (if he can) and have half priced hamburgers with a group from church. (We can't always afford ths but it's fun when we can.) After this, I ride home with Greg when he gets off work instead of the boys. It gives us a little extra time together and I get some quiet time (while he is working) to get some writing or critiquing done.

So I was driving the truck. I have a little trouble with my short legs and the gas pedal but usually do okay. My husband notices my struggle and reached over to set the cruise control.
ACK! I smacked at his hand. No, I hate cruise control.
He wanted to know why.

That was a good question. I think it's because I feel out of control. I have to trust the truck to d what I feel I should be in control of. If I control it, I can go faster or stop when I feel like it. When the cruise control is on I feel like I am careening down the street with absolutely no steering or . . .control.

I wonder if that is the reason I have trouble handing stuff to God? I feel out of control and actually have to trust something else to do what I feel I should be doing. (I am a doer. It's my nature.) What I need to do is learn to relax and realize that by not trusting God to run my cruise control, I'm actually limiting Him in the ways He can and wants to bless me AND I am not able to enjoy those blessings as much because my attention is split between control and enjoying. (Does that make any sense?) But if I let God set the cruise control and I busy myself with what He needs me to do, I will be able to experience life to its fullest the way He wants me to.

BTW, I do like cruise control now. The next hurdle? Learning to set it myself instead of hubby having to do it. :D

My Book Therapy

For you writerly types. Have you visited Susan May Warren, Sarah Sumpolec and Rachel Hauck's blog called My Book Therapy? You are missing out.

At the moment we are writing a book.

Here are a couple of links so you can see each "therapist".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGwA3Nwqkw8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WAZJHCGl0

And that's not all!

1. From the Inside…Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You

Blurb: Have you always wanted to write a novel, but didn’t know where to start? This book is for you. With proven techniques, easy to understand explanations and practical steps, From The Inside...Out will teach you how a story is structured then take you through the process of creating and marketing your novel. Topics include: Character-driven plotting, How to HOOK your reader, The elements and flow of SCENES, How to build STORYWORLD, Secrets to Sizzling Dialogue, Proven Self-Editing techniques, Synopsis and Query letter writing, How to manage your writing career ...and everything in between!

Link to buy the book: http://stores.lulu.com/mybooktherapy

2. Blog-A-Book!

Blurb: Write a book with My Book Therapy Voices in 2009!

Remember those games you used to play where your friend started the story, and you finished it? Or the “Choose your own ending” books? Ever wanted to be a part of the story process, giving input on the character’s decisions, learning how to write a book as you go? Me too!

Here at My Book Therapy, we love to write, and we love to teach writers how to find their voice. So, in 2009 we’ll be writing a book together! Starting in January, we’ll create characters, a plot, develop conflict, the black moment, the epiphany and finally…the happy ending. Then, week by week, you’ll be a part of the creation process, voting on the next step of our hero’s journey, watching the book take life, and learning the nuances of crafting a story. You’ll Blog-A-Book with the My Book Therapy authors and get tools to help you how to write your own novel.

And, at the end of the year, we’ll have a book we’ve all created, something that we’ll publish! And, best of all, the proceeds will go to support IJM, an organization that fights human trafficking around the world.

I’m really excited about our new project, and can’t wait to see what the collective mind put together.
So, Come and Blog-A-Book. Learn. Fellowship. Bless.

My Book Therapy…Discover the writer in you.

3. My Book Therapy Therapists and Services:

The site is: My Book Therapy www.mybooktherapy.com
The Therapists are: Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck and Sarah Sumpolec

March Releases

1. A Hundred Years of Happiness, 2nd in the Summer Meadows Mysteries by Nicole Seitz from Thomas Nelson. A generous story of family, war, loss and longing . . . of the ways we hide from those we love, and the ways that love finds us anyway.

2. A Silent Terror by Lynette Eason from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Someone wants Marianna Santino dead. Ethan O'Hara is willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her alive.

3. A Test of Faith, Mystery and the Minister's Wife #3 by Carol Cox from Guideposts. When everything falls apart, can faith hold them together?

4. Breach of Trust Call of Duty #1 by DiAnn Mills from Tyndale. Paige Rogers, former CIA agent, must choose between protecting the lives of loved ones or bringing a ruthless killer to justice.

5. Candy-Coated Secrets, 2nd in the Summer Meadows Mysteries by Cynthia Hickey from Barbour. Who would have thought escorting an elephant down Highway 64 could lead to murder?

6. Daisy Chain, Defiance, TX series, book one by Mary DeMuth from Zondervan. The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance haunts the small town of Defiance, Texas. Fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper searches for answers in this gritty and compelling story of love and sorrow, revealing God’s hand of redemption in impossible situations.

7. Daniel's Den by Brandt Dodson from Harvest House Publishers. Daniel and Laura become the objects in a game of cat and mouse where they learn just how big the cat can be - and that it's no game.

8. Fatal Illusions by Adam Blumer from Kregel Publications. An obsessive woman, a serial killer, and a sudden winter storm turn a sabbatical in the North Woods into a nightmare that the Thayer family may not escape alive.

9. If Tomorrow Never Comes by Marlo Schalesky from Waterbrook-Multnomah Publishers/Random House. Kinna and Jimmy Henley never planned on infertility stealing their dreams, crushing their love. But it did. Now, their last hope lies with a mysterious woman rescued from the sea.

10. Love Finds You in Humble Texas by Anita Higman from Summerside Press. Two sisters fall in love with the same man.

11. Michal: A Novel, The Wives of King David series Book 1 by Jill Eileen Smith from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A princess falls in love with her father's worst enemy - will it cost her everything?

12. Poisoned Secrets by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Maggie spent years searching for her birth mother, but when the past is revealed, the shocking disclosures could tear her life apart.

13.The Hand-Me-Down Family by Winnie Griggs from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historicals. For the sake of three orphaned children, two scarred individuals - one physically, one emotionally - try to work together to forge a new family.

14. The List by Sherri Lewis from Urban Christian. Four women on a quest to find Godly men based on a list.

15. Wind of the Spirit, The American Patriot Series, Book 3 by J. M. Hochstetler from Sheaf House Publishers. As the patriot cause falters, can her love bridge the miles that separate them--and the savage bonds that threaten to tear him forever from her arms?

16. Yesterday's Embers, The Clayburn Novels by Deborah Raney from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster. Newlyweds Doug and Mickey must find a way to untangle their knot of hasty choices without breaking the hearts of five precious children or their own in the process.

Happy reading ~
~ Jill ~
Jill Eileen Smith

Sir Bentley

This second installment in Chuck Black’s Knights of Arrethtrae series tells the tale of Sir Bentley, an honorable knight who abandons all to seek the truth of the Prince. Eirwyn, a mysterious young woman who brings food to the poor, teaches Bentley the power of compassion to overcome evil. Together, they save the people of Holbrook from poverty and despair.
Sir Bentley’s quest for the truth of the Prince finds him battling Shadow Warriors, a powerful lord, and a terrifying creature. Will greed destroy Holbrook? Or can Bentley and the mysterious Eirwyn restore prosperity to the kingdom through the compassion of the Prince? Intended for family read-alouds and Christian teens, this fantastic story will entertain and edify parents and kids alike.

Pammer here: I let my nephew read this book and he loved it! I too was drawn into the action and adventures of the people in Holbrook. I'd recommend this book to any young readers and even older readers with a quest for fantasy worlds. I'm definately placing my copy in the church library so that others can enjoy the story.

About the author:
Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the author of eight novels, including the popular Kingdom series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.

Book purchase link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601421257

and Holbrook Court Book 2


by Chuck Black

The Echo Within

by Robert Benson

The Echo Within is a profoundly affecting, honest look at the myriad ways we are drawn into our life’s best work.
Written out of his own lifelong search for and response to the calling voice of God, Robert Benson recounts his discovery of the meaning of vocation, work, and purpose through the ups and downs inherent in family life, professional choice, and spiritual experience. With clarity and insight, and in the elegant prose for which he is known, he gently invites and encourages readers to find such deep truths for their lives as well. In particular, he illuminates the way for readers to explore:

· ways to sense the Holy in our pursuits, both in the pursuits themselves and within ourselves.
· how to fall into our vocation and chart a course toward it at the same time.
· how to love the work we do, and the process of doing it.

For anyone beginning a new career or sensing a needed change in their life or wrestling with a transition suddenly thrust upon them, Robert Benson delivers wisdom, humor, and heart in what he’s learned about listening for The Echo Within—and how it can help us discover our calling.

Pammer here: I haven't finished this book completely yet, but so far it's really been helpful in how God calls us and the questions we tend to ask when we are uncertain of whether it is God's will or our desire that is calling.

You can purchase it at any of these links:

- www.Amazon.com
- www.ChristianBook.com
- www.FamilyChristian.com

What is Love?

I've been reviewing four books. And since my husband and I have watched Fireproof and are doing the Love Dare, these books were right on time. This year we have been focusing on making our marriage better. The books don't save marriages, God does. And as long as He's invited to the marriage, yours can be happy like ours. However, you both have to be willing to make some sacrifices and be willing to admit that your attitude may be wrong, and be willing to adjust it more in line with God's unconditional love.

Book: Love as a Way of Life Devotional
Author: Dr. Gary Chapman
Summary: In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.
Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.
The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.

Pammer here: I love this book. This takes you in little steps and opens your mind and heart to the truth of the unconditional and sacrificial nature of God's love. We are to love others as Christ did and this book breaks that command down into small manageable chunks. My kids are reading through it as well.

Book: I Do Again
Author: Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs
Summary: With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.
After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.
I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.

Pammer here: This was phenominal! This shows how the love of God can heal any wound that man can inflict. And how real love keeps loving even when it's rejected. I am still wowed by the power of their story and love their willingness to share to help other couples in trouble.

Book: For Couples Only Box Set
Author: Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn
Summary: Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.
Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you. [Part of me wanted to make this paragraph past tense—yielded and produced—because of the first paragraph, but that took away some of the immediacy of what the books offer. I’ll leave that up to you.]
So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

Pammer here: Get these books! They are beyond awsome and wonderful. The insight I gleaned from this little book opened a whole new world. I never knew how my husband thought and why some thing made him so mad or hurt him. I didn't realize how badly I'd hurt him through the years of our marriage. And in return he's been telling me what an eye-opener the book about women is for him. We highlighted the books for each other so our mate would know what was most important to us, but I loved most the response from my husband when I started changing how I did things to work better with how he is internally wired.

I have a set for the kids and their girlfriends reading the woman's books. I would recommend this to any couple.

Here are the links to purchase:

I Do Again: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074452
Love As A Way Of Life Devo: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307444694
For Couples Only: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601422482

Red Siren

by M. L. Tyndall

World's collide when a lady pirate meets a godly naval captain.

Faith Westcott abandoned her shallow faith when a series of tragedies struck her family. To save herself and her sisters from forced marriages, this fiery, born-to-the-manner redhead is a lady by day and a pirate by night. How long can she maintain this dual identity before she's caught red-handed?

God-fearing Dajon Waite, who scours the Carolina coast, expunging it of pirates, is a more-than-capable captain in the British Royal Navy. But when he is asked to take on the guardianship of Faith and her sisters, he's headed for deep water. Having vowed to avoid women, what will he do when he finds himself falling for Faith?

Sir Wilhelm Carteret has always gotten everything he desired, but Faith seems to be unaffected by his charms. When he devises a plot to rid himself of his competition, more than Captain Waite's reputation is at stake as alarming secrets are revealed.

Will Faith regain her trust in God only to find herself headed for the gallows? Will Dajon scuttle his good name-and neck-to save her?

Pammer here: Very intriguing book! I love this story (what I've read so far, not quite finished yet, but it wont' be long, lol.) I adore the conflict, how it is set up and the tangles these characters get caught up in. Not to mention the characters. What wonderfully well rounded people. I felt like I've made new friends. Faith and Dajon for all their faults, or maybe because of them are absolutely wonderful characters.

This is book one in the Charles Towne Belles.

Definately a must-read.