August Bits of This and That

I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I am still here. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of proposal writing and submitting, manuscript tightening, WIP writing, posting to the ACFW conference blog, and an allergic reaction that I never want to go through again!

Not allergic to busyness. But allergic to either my laundry soap or fabric softener. I don't want to know which one so I switched both to hypo-allergenic products. The kind that come in the white bottles.

In the flurry of proposal writing and sending last week, I broke out in a very itchy rash about an hour after I had put on newly washed clothing. By that time I was walking through Wal-Mart and could not scratch politely. Needless to say, it cut my shopping trip short and I made a beeline for home. By the time I arrived there I had a rash and hives wherever my clothing was touching me.

After two days of misery, thinking it would die down on it's own, I went to the doctor and got a cortisone shot, followed by a week's supply of Prednisone. Now you know it's bad when I agree to take Prednisone. My mom was on megadoses of that steroid a long time ago for the effects of emphysema and the side effects were awful. But when you're itching all over like I was, you'll try anything! At least my blood pressure was still good. That surprised me!

Now, five or six days later all is well. I take my last Prednisone tomorrow and I trust with everything washed and rewashed I will not go through that again.

But don't be surprised if my heroine ends up with something similar some day!

Meanwhile, keep an eye on this blog. In the days and weeks to come I'll be doing some giveaways like Julie Lessman's sequel to A Passion Most Pure and Christy Barrit's Suspicious Minds. That book is a hoot. So if you like mysteries and good humor, keep an eye out for that one in a few days.

And if you're in the Minneapolis area, be sure to mark your calendars for the ACFW Mega Book Signing at the Mall of America on September 20th from 1 to 3 in the Rotunda.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program!

Woo Hoo! I Got Second Place!

This past Wednesday the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of Romance Writers of America held their one-day mini conference in San Francisco and announced the winners of their Touched By Love writing contest for unpublished authors.

I received Second Place in the long contemporary category!!!

I've known for several months I was a finalist. All finalists had their entries judged by five published authors. Their scoresheets made the experience like getting five paid crits for the price of one entry fee. Wow!

The story I entered was Murder For Breakfast, the mystery-romance I have mentioned here countless times. The judges' comments were all very positive, but they also pointed out weaknesses they thought were there. Now I have to carefully consider their comments and where two or more point out similar things, decide what I can do to tweak and improve.

I'm currently working on my proposal for the Little Hope, Wisconsin story and need to wrap that up soon so my agent can send it off to the publisher. Then, before I get back to working on the Little Hope draft, I'll shift gears and work on MFB and doing those tweaks.

I am so grateful to God for this wonderful affirmation that I received. People keep saying I'm getting close to publishing, but the only one who knows that is God. If it is His will, it will happen. However, nothing will happen without me putting rubber to the road, nose to the grindstone, cowgirling it up, and whatever other cliche you can think of. You get the idea :-).

I've got a lot to do before the ACFW conference next month, but right now I just want to bask in the glow for just a minute.

Empty Store Fronts, Empty Pockets

I don't know how it is where you live, but in the past several months the commerical landscape around my neighborhood has changed a lot.

The Lone Star Restaurant was one of the first to go, followed quickly by Max and Erma's across the road. Then a couple weeks ago, Baker's Square hit the skids. Today I read in the paper that Bennigan's shut their doors yesterday without advanced notice to their employees. Those are just the restaurants. Bassett Furniture has been having a close-out sale for weeks now. I guess tomorrow is the last day before those doors shut for good. Standing in one of the neighborhood strip malls the other day, I looked around. Gone is the Country Sampler, Pier One, a discount beauty shop, a scrapbook store--and on and on it goes. The government may say we are not in a recession, but what I'm seeing says otherwise.

Aldi's, the low-cost grocer, is doing great as are Wal-Mart, Sam's and Costco. And I imagine the fast food restaurants are experiencing a surge. People still want to eat out but they will think twice before plunking down as much money as it takes to fill a tank with gas these days on a single meal. Gas has come down a little bit the past week or so, but I wonder how long that will last?It was a good ride these past years, but for now the economy has slowed to a crawl.

I'm still hoping for that elusive book contract and haven't given up. Even so, it's becoming harder to break into the market as publishers tighten their belts and are less willing to take a chance on an unproven author.

What keeps me going is that God never changes and he is the One who is in control no matter how much we try to manipulate things with tax incentive rebates, etc. He has authority over my life and this world. He promises to never leave me or forsake me. He promises to protect me. He promises me the greatest gift of all, far more valuable than a night out at a fancy restaurant or even a book contract.

He promises me eternity with him. I'll take that to the bank!

CFBA Tour - Painted Dresses by Patricia Hickman

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Painted Dresses
(WaterBrook Press - July 15, 2008)
by
Patricia Hickman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patricia Hickman is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction, whose work has been praised by critics and readers alike.

Patricia Hickman began writing many years ago after an invitation to join a writer's critique group. It was headed up by best-selling author Dr. Gilbert Morris, a pioneer in Christian fiction who has written many best selling titles. The group eventually came to be called the "Nubbing Chits". All four members of the original "Chits" have gone on to become award-winning and best selling novelists (good fruit, Gil!).

Patty signed her first multi-book contract with Bethany House Publishers. After she wrote several novels "for the market", she assessed her writer's life and decided she would follow the leanings of her heart. She says, "It had to be God leading me into the next work which wound up being my first break-out book, Katrina's Wings. I had never read a southern mainstream novel, yet I knew that one lived in my head, begging to be brought out and developed." She wanted to create deeper stories that broke away from convention and formula. From her own journey in life, she created a world based upon her hometown in the 70's, including Earthly Vows and Whisper Town from the Millwood Hollow Series.

Patty and her husband, Randy, have planted two churches in North Carolina. Her husband pastors Family Christian Center, located in Huntersville. The Hickmans have three children, two on earth and one in heaven. Their daughter, Jessi, was involved in a fatal automobile accident in 2001. Through her writing and speaking, Patty seeks to offer help, hope and encouragement to those who walk the daily road of loss and grief.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In this story of sisterhood and unexpected paths, Gaylen Syler-Boatwright flees her unraveling marriage to take refuge in a mountain cottage owned by her deceased aunt. Burdened with looking after her adult sister, Delia, she is shocked to find a trail of family secrets hidden within her aunt’s odd collection of framed, painted dresses. With Delia, who attracts trouble as a daily occupation, Gaylen embarks on a road trip that throws the unlikely pair together on a journey to painful understanding and delightful revelations.

Steeped in Hickman’s trademark humor, her spare writing voice, and the bittersweet pathos of the South, Painted Dresses powerfully captures a woman’s desperate longing to uncover a hidden, broken life and discover the liberty of living authentically, even when the things exposed are shrouded in shame.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

Buy it at Amazon!

ACFW 2008 Book of the Year Finalists Are Announced!

ACFW's Book of the Year awards have become a cherished honor for published authors. Today the finalists for this year's contest were announced. The winners will be announced at the awards banquet to be held the Saturday night of our conference in Minneapolis.

I've read some of these books, but not all. If you're looking for a good read you need to look no further than this list. There's something for everyone here.

Debut Author

• Bayou Justice (Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll)
• In Between (Jenny B Jones)
• Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
• My Soul Cries Out (Sherri Lewis)
• Petticoat Ranch (Mary Connealy)

Contemporary Novella (*six finalists due to a tie)

• A Cloud Mountain Christmas (Robin Lee Hatcher)
• Finally Home (Deb Raney in Missouri Memories anthology)
• Mississippi Mud (DiAnn Mills in Sugar And Grits Anthology)
• Moonlight & Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky in Big Apple Christmas anthology)
• Remaking of Moe McKenna (Gloria Clover in the Race to the Altar anthology)
• Sweet Dreams Drive (Robin Lee Hatcher)

Historical Novella

• Beyond the Memories (DiAnn Mills in Mississippi Memories anthology)
• Finishing Touches (Kelly Hake in Missouri Memories anthology)
• Love Notes (Mary Davis in Love Letters anthology)
• The Spinster & The Cowboy (Lena Nelson Dooley in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)
• The Spinster & The Tycoon (Vickie McDonough in Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner anthology)

Lits (*six finalists due to a tie)

• Around the World in 80 Dates (Christa Banister)
• One Little Secret (Bottke, Allison)
• Renovating Becky Miller (Sharon Hinck)
• Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh)
• Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
• The Book of Jane (Dayton/Vanderbilt)

Long contemporary

• Autumn Blue (Karen Harter)
• Like Always (Robert Elmer)
• Taming Rafe (Susan May Warren)
• When the Nile Runs Red (DiAnn Mills)
• Within This Circle (Deb Raney)

Long Historical (*seven finalists due to TWO ties)

• Courting Trouble (Deeanne Gist)
• Fancy Pants (Cathy Hake)
• Lady of Milkweed Manor (Julie Klassen)
• Remember Me (Maureen Lang)
• Then Came Hope (Louise Gouge)
• Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky)
• Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer)

Mystery

• Days And Hours (Susan Meissner)
• Death of a Garage Sale Newbie (Sharon Dunn)
• Gone With The Groom (Janice Thompson)
• Sticks And Stones (Susan Meissner)
• Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney)

Short Contemporary

• Heart of the Family (Margaret Daley)
• The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight)
• The Perfect Blend (Allie Pleiter)
• Wedded Bliss (Kathleen Y’Barbo)
• When Love Comes Home (Arlene James)

Short Contemporary Suspense (*six finalists due to a tie)

• Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper)
• Her Christmas Protector (Terri Reed)
• Nowhere to Hide (Debby Giusti)
• Pursuit of Justice (Pamela Tracy)
• See No Evil (Gayle Roper)
• Vanished (Margaret Daley)

Short Historical (*six due to a tie)

• A Time to Keep (Kelly Hake)
• A Wealth Beyond Riches (Vickie McDonough)
• Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman)
• Corduroy Road to Love (Lynn Coleman)
• Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
• To Trust An Outlaw (Rhonda Gibson

Speculative

• Demon: A Memoir (Tosca Lee)
• DragonFire (Donita Paul)
• The Restorer (Sharon Hinck)
• The Restorer’s Son (Sharon Hinck)
• Isle of Swords (Wayne Thomas Batson)

Suspense

• Abomination (Colleen Coble)
• Black Ice (Linda Hall)
• Coral Moon (Brandilyn Collins)
• Crimson Eve (Brandilyn Collins)
• Ransomed Dreams (Amy Wallace)

Women’s Fiction

• A Promise To Remember (Katie Cushman)
• Bygones (Kim Sawyer)
• Remember to Forget (Deb Raney)
• The Oak Leaves (Maureen Lang)
• Watercolored Pearls (Stacy Adams)

Young Adult

• In Between (Jenny B. Jones)
• On The Loose (Jenny B. Jones)
• Sara Jane: Liberty’s Torch (Eleanor Clark
• Sarah’s Long Ride (Susan P Davis)
• Saving Sailor (Renee Riva)