Spotlight on Michelle Stimpson and Trouble in My Way

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MICHELLE STIMPSON, a bestselling author, has penned several works, including Boaz Brown, Divas of Damascus Road (Essence® Bestseller), Breaking Bondage to Biscuits, and her young adult novel, Trouble In My Way. She also publishes short stories through her educational publishing company, Right Track Academic Support Services, LLC. Michelle serves in the Creative Tyme Ministry at her home church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, and is currently pursing her ministerial license. She ministers to women through her online newsletter: www.womengrowinginchrist.com. Michelle lives near Dallas with her husband and their two teenage children.

TROUBLE IN MY WAY
by Michelle Stimpson
Published by Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster)

THE GOOD STUFF
by Michelle Stimpson
Published by Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster)

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Trouble in My Way - It's all Karis's mom's fault.

If she hadn't snooped into Karis's diary, she never would have known about Karis's unauthorized activies. Now, Karis is grounded indefinitely with no modem, no iPOD...and no cell phone. There's just no way Karis can survive being cut off from the world. Add a "shiesty" potential stepmother, a dangerous relationship with a self-proclaimed bad boy, and the constant pressure to cover her sneaky tracks – the combination makes a perfect recipe for high drama. Will faith in God help Karis get through, or has she pushed grace, and her mother, too far?

The Good Stuff - Sonia and Kennard have the "perfect" life: they both have successful careers, beautiful twins, and a charming house. But despite the fact that Kennard is a faithful breadwinner, his emotional distance from the family makes Sonia believe that a good marriage must be more than in name only.

Adrian couldn't love her husband, Darryl, more if she tried. He's the one person who's shown her what real love means. But when it seems that Darryl's more interested in making money than making babies, Adrian wonders what marriage is for? And when a devastating secret from Darryl's past emerges, it seems that their vows may truly break.

The two women are heartbroken and on the verge of divorce when a common friend, Miss Erma, invites them to a prayer group. Between the prayers come stories of marriage - the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Sonia and Adrian discover that marriage is more than wedding dresses and happily ever after. It is compromise, sacrifice, and patience - the good stuff.

Buy Your Copy of Trouble in My Way and The Good Stuff today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

Trouble in My Way was inspired by my experiences as a teen. I've been keeping a diary since I was twelve, and the stuff recorded on those hundreds of pages is hilarious - to say the least. I remember feeling like my mother totally against me, my friendships were the most important thing in my life, and every cute boy held promise. I just wanted to share some of the lessons I learned the hard way with readers.

For The Good Stuff, I wanted to encourage husbands and wives to work through their issues rather than run at the first - or even the second - sign of trouble. This is somewhat of a testimony of what God did in my own 15-year marriage.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that are theirs and theirs alone?

I'm a little ashamed to admit that there's a "whole lotta" teenage-me in the main character of Trouble In My Way - Karis Reed. She's fun, she's naive, and she has a way of twisting everything to make herself look good. What separates her from me, however, is that Karis has the added issue of being the daughter of a single mother who doesn't want her Karis to make the same mistake of getting pregnant at 16.

The wives in The Good Stuff (Sonia and Adrian) are different from me because of their family dynamics (one is the mother of twins, the other has no children). But we have the same heart. We both wanted our families to "work" but wondered if it was worth all the work.

3. If one of your characters were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Karis would be sweet cream with nuts. She's mostly nice and sweet, but she's also crunchy sometimes.

Sonia would be Rocky Road because she a tough one.

4. Are there any themes in Trouble in My Way and The Good Stuff that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

Trouble In My Way is all about integrity. Karis is growing into the knowledge of what it means to be a godly young lady, and that's what I hope readers will take from this novel. One thing that kind of "jumped out" with this story as I wrote it was how Karis felt about being the big "oops!" in her mom's life. Though her mother loved Karis, she wasn't aware of how it made Karis feel when the mother referred to the pregnancy as a "mistake."

The theme of The Good Stuff has to be surrender. Marriage is tough, and it calls for a complete surrender to God's sovereignty. It calls for great faith in yourself, in your mate, and most importantly in God. Marriage is where 1 Corinthians 13 comes to life.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult parts for Trouble In My Way was the ending. I wasn't quite sure how to end it so that I could resolve a sub-plot between Karis and one of her best friends - Tamisha. Karis was dishonest about a romantic relationship, which caused tension in this friendship. I wasn't really sure about how I wanted it to end. I wrote 2 different endings and picked the one I thought worked best.

The toughest thing with The Good Stuff was how to totally "write" the miracle that God performed in these marriages. But when I looked back on things, I realized that the miracle was in the process of surrender. It wasn't a big one-time event, it came as they walked. This was something that I had to really work with because novels always have a climax. It was a tough thing.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

I'm working on a fun, light book that I believe will encourage newer Christians to keep growing in their walk with God. No publication date - just writing it now!

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Thank you, Michelle, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Trouble in My Way or the Good Stuff. Your choice.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

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Baby Update -- Week 30, 10 Weeks to Go!

Here we are. Week 30. That means, 3/4 of the way there with just 1/4 left to complete. If they measured pregnancy in quarters, I'd be starting my 4th. But they measure in trimesters instead, and I'm 3 weeks into that one. :)

Some of my not-so-fun symptoms are just intensifying this week. I wish I could slow down a bit and focus on myself, but I've got a book deadline this Friday and have to get finished. I've been feeling extra fatigued, I've joined the "sleeping shouldn’t be this tough when I'm this tired" club, and I'm experiencing a lot of back pain and general discomfort. Doctor tells me this is the time to cut down on the physical activities and focus more on getting proper sleep. I've had a few good nights, but I've found it depends on hubby and how he sleeps, since he likes to flop around like a fish out of water on the deck of a boat. I tried to duct tape thing, but it didn't work.

Oh and all that moodiness they say mommies-to-be get? Yeah, I haven't had any of those symptoms or syndromes. Hubby just says he loves that I'm so easygoing with this pregnancy. He's heard the horror stories. I'm sure there is increased adrenaline thanks indirectly to hormonal swings—but so far, nothing has made me any nore dramatic that I normally am and nothing has merited an adult temper tantrums. Shucks! *winks*

And now baby Stockton is asking for the floor...



The light is visible at the end of the tunnel! Me, the amazing growing baby has finally reached the single digits (in terms of weeks till birth)! Well, ok, so the count up there says 10 weeks, but I don't know if I'm going to stay in here that long. All that fine lanugo hair that has been growing all over my little monkey-like body is going to start falling off this week in preparation for my big day.

And I've heard daddy call me his little porker when mommy said I've grown a lot in the past month. Well this little porker is getting even cuter (as if that's even possible) with pudgier arms and legs this week thanks to the ever-growing layers of fat I'm accumuulating. That's right, all that baby fat that women love to pinch and coo about. Doesn't make any sense to me, but if it makes them smile, I guess it's all right.

My eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after I'm born, I'll keep my eyes closed for a good part of the day. When I do open them, I'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means I can only make out objects a few inches from her face. So, you'll have to get REAL close to me if you want me to see you.

In terms of numbers, I weigh around 3 pounds 12 ounces and I'm nearly 16 inches long. I haven't decided yet how much I'll weigh or how long I'll be when I finally decide to make an appearance, but I'm having fun in here kicking around, trying to stretch and getting the hiccups. Ok, those aren't fun, but mommy seems to like it when I get them. Yeah, let her have them for more than a few minutes and see how she feels.

Oh yeah, and the leakage, pain and fake contractions? That's just me getting mommy ready for the real deal! I'm 30 weeks old. Only 70 days to go!




Ha! Preparing me for the real deal. Actually, I haven't had any fake contractions, although I've heard from other mommies-to-be who have. Not too much discomfort either other than my hips and some minor sciatica when sleeping or lying on my side.

One thing I have noticed is I've been feeling clumsier than normal. Not only am I heavier (although I've only gained 7 pounds so far), but the concentration of weight in my pregnant belly is causing a shift in my center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, my ligaments are more lax, so my joints are looser, which I'm told is contributing to my balance being a bit off. And this relaxation can cause my feet to spread permanently, but so far, I haven't had any swelling or expansion. And since I already wear a 9-1/2 shoe, I don't need to shop for anything larger!

Other than that, I've got the normal worries about what my labor will be like or whether I'll be a good parent. But, I've also got a lot of support and plenty of encouragement. I haven't met a parent yet who has claimed to be "ready" or "skilled" at the time of baby's birth. Guess we'll just roll with the punches as they come.

That's about all for now.

Tune in next week for the latest. :) And if you want to receive an email each time I post an update, subscribe using the form over there at the top right. Thanks for coming along this journey with me.

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Spotlight on Ann Shorey and The Edge of Light

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ANN SHOREY has been writing for over fifteen years. She's been published in the Adams Media Cup of Comfort series, and had one of her stories included in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul. Ann has also written articles for various local and regional publications. After completing a narrative family history in 1998, she realized she had uncovered a treasure trove of inspiration, and turned to fiction as a way to put that inspiration to good use.

Ann teaches classes on historical research, story arc, and other fiction fundamentals at regional conferences. She works in Sutherlin, Oregon, where she lives with her husband, Richard. The Edge of Light is her first novel.

Ann may be contacted through her website at http://www.annshorey.com/.

She is currently running a contest through Valentine's Day (February 14th): Contact me through my website and answer this question: "Parts of The Edge of Light are true, but most is fiction. Name a scene you think might really have happened." I'll let you know whether you guessed correctly. Either way, your name will be entered in the drawing for a copy of the book plus a $10 Starbucks gift certificate.

THE EDGE OF LIGHT
by Ann Shorey
Published by Revell

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Edge of Light is Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove series.

It is the summer of 1838 in St. Lawrenceville, Missouri, and Molly McGarvie's life is about to change forever. When her beloved Samuel succumbs to cholera, Molly is heartbroken but resolves to take care of herself and her children. When Samuel's unscrupulous brother takes over the family business and leaves Molly to fend for herself, she know she must head out on her own. It is a dangerous journey, and along the way she must face the loss of another family member. Somehow she must find a way to make a living, restore her family, and fend off some overeager suitors.

Buy Your Copy of The Edge of Light today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. This is your debut novel. Congratulations! What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I wrote a family history based on ancestor's memoirs dating back to pre-Revolutionary times and continuing through the Oregon Trail years. All the memoirs were written by men, which got me to wondering what the women's lives were like. My novel, and the ones to follow, are inspired by my female ancestors. This is loosely based on the life of one of my great-great aunts.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that are theirs and theirs alone?

I was able to use my experiences of hunting and camping in a canvas field tent to draw on in imagining some of Molly McGarvie's experiences. The personality traits in my characters are theirs. I'm nowhere near as spunky as Molly is, nor am I as cranky as Aunt Ruby, I hope.

3. If one of your characters were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Molly would be Rocky Road. She has soft spots for her children, but if you bite too deep she's as firm as frozen almonds.

4. Are there any themes in The Edge of Light that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

I hope the reader sees that God gives to us exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask or think. When He gives us a word, we need to hold fast to His promises. That theme developed as I wrote--I didn't have a specific theme when I started.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I don't want to be a spoiler here. There is a scene in Chapter 7 involving one of her children that was terribly intense to write. My favorite, again not to be a spoiler, was the ending. I loved it.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

The next book in the series, tentatively entitled Toward the Sunrise, is due out in January 2010. The story focuses on Molly McGarvie's brother and his wife, Matthew and Ellie Craig. Matthew is the pastor of the church in Beldon Grove. When a stranger comes to their community he turns the townspeople against Matthew. What happens to them next is the storyline.

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Thank you, Ann, for being in the spotlight with us.

Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of The Edge of Light.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to anyone worldwide.

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CFBA Blog Tour - Susan May Warren and The Perfect Match

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Perfect Match
Tyndale House - January 1, 2009)
by Susan May Warren

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

SUSAN MAY WARREN grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. Her favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota is where she met her husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living.

The north woods easily became the foundation for her first series, The Deep Haven series, based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. Her first full-length book, Happily Ever After, became a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.

As an award winning author, Susan returned home in 2004, to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods and the beautiful town that she always dreamed of living in.

You can sample a chapter of each and every one of Susan's novels, on her website, HERE.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ellie Karlson is new to Deep Haven. As the town’s interim fire chief, she is determined to lead the local macho fire crew in spite of their misconceptions about her. But when someone begins setting deadly fires, Ellie faces the biggest challenge of her life. Especially when sparks fly with one of the volunteers on her crew: Pastor Dan Matthews. As Ellie battles to do her job and win the respect of her crew, she finds that there is one fire she can’t fight—the one Dan has set in her heart. (This book is the repackaged edition published in 2004)

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Perfect Match, go HERE.

Awards:

2004 American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year
A Romantic Times Magazine TOP PICK – 4½ stars

Review:

Romantic Times Magazine:
Vibrant characters and vivid language zoom this action-packed romance to the top of the charts. This is a one-sitting read –once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.

Buy your copy of The Perfect Match Today!

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Readers, leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of The Perfect Match.

If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post. Make sure you leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com/net) or that there's a way to contact you. Otherwise, you won't be entered. Wouldn't want you to miss out on winning a book. :)

And if you want to make certain you don't miss anything, check the box that says 'email follow-up comments to:' when you leave a comment and they'll be sent to the email address associated with your blogging account. That way you'll be notified of any comments and will know when I announce the winner.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

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Baby Update -- Week 29, 11 Weeks to Go!

Here we are. First post of the new year. It's week 29 and I've got 11 weeks to go on the full estimate. But as babies go, this little one could make an appearance in as little as 8 weeks or as many as 13. It all depends. I don't feel like I've grown much and this picture seems to make me look smaller than last week, but must be the sweater.

How's Mama doing? Let's see. Heartburn has become an almost constant companion, but it's manageable with Tums so far. Sciatica is something I had before pregnancy, but it hits anytime I lie on either side. Praise God for a body pillow that alleviates that. Just doesn't help when I'm on the couch. :) I've increased the trips to the bathroom, which means 2x in the middle of the night. Praying I won't increase much more at night, or I'll never get any sleep. I'm already waking every 1 to 1-1/2 hours as it is.

I do get headaches once in a while, but they're minor. And if I stand too quickly, I get a sharp pain for a few seconds, so I'm moving a bit slower these days. Hubby also tells me I have a "cute waddle." LOL! I can only imagine what I'll be like in March. The only other thing that bugs me a little is the blood vessels in my nose that expand at night when I sleep. At first, nose strips worked, but now they don't. Might have to switch to a saline nasal spray. I can still breathe, but it's tight and not comfortable.

Other than those minor things that are manageable, I'm doing great. Next appointment is this coming Thursday and then I start going every 2 weeks. We'll see how I'm progressing with results from the appointment.

And now for a few words from baby Stockton...



Ok, I heard mommy say something recently that is rather disturbing. I've been peeing into my amniotic sac for a little while now and mommy said I actually swallow it along with the rest of the amniotic fluid. Eww! That's just gross. Mommy says it's all right, though, that it's all sterile and is replaced several times throughout the day. But just thinking about that makes me cringe. What am I going to tell people when I'm older? That I drank my pee when I was growing in the womb? Icky! Although, if I'm doing this, then so did everyone else. Guess it's not so bad if everyone else had to endure it too!

Another not so fun experience is something called hiccups. I've just been doing my job practicing my breathing, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, these hiccups strike! Talk about feeling like an earthquake. It feels like when mommy presses on her tummy to get me to move, only I end up shaking much harder. I bet mommy can feel it too, since my kicks and punches are usually less regular.

On the good side, I have managed to accumulate enough baby fat to account for nearly 3.5% of my overall body weight. That's great compared to what I hear some folks have for a percentage. :) My bones, brain, organs and other parts account for the rest of what I weigh now, which is a just about 3 pounds. Yeah, I know, compared to you adults out there, it's not that much, but when you're little like me—it's a healthy accomplishment. Oh, and my spleen is now in charge of the building up of certain important blood components. I have no idea what they are, but it sounds like I need it.

I'm done for this week. Time to get some rest. I've been doing my jazzercise in here all morning. I bet mommy would like a break from all the kicks and punches. I can't help it, though. There is less and less room in here. Mommy helps though by sitting up straight. I heard the doctor say that good posture will help mommy's back pain, if you ask me, I think me being born will help that.




Ok, that's enough from the little one. It's me again, the mommy.

Last week, I mentioned that hubby and I did some nesting. On top of that, we also updated our baby registries and removed items we've already received. We did some minor browsing and swapped out some items, then discussed baby shower stuff with my sister-in-law, who is throwing one for me on March 1st out here.

Here are 2 pictures from our nesting experience. And here is one that resulted from my "playing" with Photoshop.

As you can see, the crib changed, since I couldn't get the bedding set to work with our crib, but it's a close resemblance. And the colors are obviously not blended, since it's a work of cut and paste. But, you can get the general idea, right? I fiddled a bit just to see what the ideas in my head might look like in an actual photo. Not bad...even if I do say so myself. :) Now, we just have to wait and see if we get all of the items we really want. If not, there are always gift cards.

Oh, and the blank space next to the closet and to the left of the crib will be where the baby's wooden name blocks will go, surrounded by animals from Noah's Ark. We don't know what we're having, so we can't buy the letters just yet. That will happen in a few weeks.

That's about all for now.

Tune in next week for the latest. :) And if you want to receive an email each time I post an update, subscribe using the form over there at the top right. Thanks for coming along this journey with me.

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