7 Weeks Down; 13 to Go!

One more week down, and now it's only 2 weeks until Stuart and I see each other again. Just 10 more work days and 2 weekends. 14 days. Coming down to the home stretch. This will be the first time we've seen each other since getting engaged. We're both excited and counting down the days. :)

At least I have the wedding planning to keep me busy during the week, but even that doesn't always fill the long, lonely hours. *sigh* Of course, Stuart recently got a cell phone with Verizon, so we can alleviate some of that by talking on the phone and not running up huge long-distance bills. We also have instant message too. It's difficult, but manageable.

Now, for the wedding plans. Here's what was accomplished this past week:

* scheduled an appointment with a possible event planner to oversee the day of the wedding and help with decorating the reception hall -- meeting with her this afternoon
* received a referral for a videographer to document the wedding along with the photographer we have
* brought home two dresses that were ready for pick-up, one bridesmaid and one matron of honor
* checked in with final bridesmaid about booking her flight and buying her dress
* had a meeting with my financial advisor to go over our respective budgets and what our combined income/bills would be once we married; sought advice on a few topics Stuart and I had discussed
* met with my matron of honor to plan the bridal shower and bachelorette party (yes, I'm involved in those; the time factor isn't allowing for too many surprises)
* placed the order for the invitations, napkins and keepsake bookmarks
* inquired with hotels and restaurants about blocking rooms for out-of-town guests and searching for a rehearsal dinner location (no luck yet)
* began preliminary inventory (DVD collection)
* asked a friend to come over tonight to help with sorting what I have, what I'm taking and what I'm leaving (will know more once I get back from visiting Stuart

I think that's all for now. Stuart and I have our first premarital counseling meeting this coming Wednesday. Should be interesting with him on the phone and me in the room with the pastor. I'll be the one getting scrutinized while he can make faces, give me the "eye" or do any number of things with no one seeing him. Ha! Just wait for the final session together a few days before the wedding. He'll be in the hot seat then. :)

Please keep us in prayer, that the Lord will continue to shine his favor on us and the plans and give us strength. Thanks!

CFBA Blog Tour -- Bonus -- The Heir by Paul Robertson

In place of Raelene Strattford's next journal/diary entry (the main character in my upcoming book), I'm featuring a bonus spotlight and opportunity for another FREE book. It isn't autographed, but still a great read!

Check out the CFBA blog for others featuring this book to increase your chances at winning.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

THE HEIR

(click the title to buy your copy)
Bethany House March, 2007
by Paul Robertson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For

The fortune wasn't supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father's business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man's life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer's hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father--but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered--and news emerges that his father's accident may be something more sinister--Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!

Is There Any Escape for The Heir?

All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer's life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father's corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.

The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason's. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.

THE HEIR is a Grisham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.

Endorsement:

"In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book--a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope." --T.L.HINES: author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On

* * * * *

Post a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of this book. And who knows, perhaps Paul will drop by for a visit. :)

Spotlight on Amy Wallace and....Ransomed Dreams

Who is Amy Wallace?

What a sweeping question. Wife, homeschool mom, writer, youth Bible study teacher, and chocoholic are some of the hats I wear. But getting to the heart of who I am can be summed up in a few short words: I’m a daughter of the King learning to live and love with laughter. My greatest passion in life is to know God and show others how He heals hearts and how to they can glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

Ransomed Dreams
ISBN: 159052747X
Order your copy today!
Publisher: Multnomah Fiction

Can Dreams Be Redeemed?

Gracie Lang is being watched by a man who will stop at nothing to hide the truth from her. Having lost the only man she ever loved and the children who were her world, Gracie embarks on a quest to find out what really happened. Then she meets Steven Kessler, a Crimes Against Children FBI agent, assigned to uncover an international plot to kidnap the British Ambassador's daughter. Steven awakens more than memories; he revives the possibility of a life Gracie desires. A life where healing and peace crowd out the nightmares. But his case and her past are dangerously connected. Suddenly, Gracie must decide if she's able - let alone willing - to pay the required ransom to redeem dreams and restore hope.

INTERVIEW

1. This is book 1 in your Defenders of Hope series, a set focusing on 3 FBI agents who "risk their lives and hearts serving in the Washington DC Crimes Against Children Unit." What gave you the inspiration for this story?

Ransomed Dreams started as a literal dream about a mom in trouble and an FBI agent's wounded heart. As I did the research and met with a Christian federal agent, one comment about an agent my advisor knew who had ended his life due to the diagnosis of cancer sparked the idea for book 2. But that story grew in depth as God allowed me to walk through some very close friends' cancer journeys. And book 3 grew out of a secret that came to the forefront in writing part of a secondary character's story in book 2.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced the characters of Gracie and Steven? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Gracie embodies my greatest fear and Steven and Gracie both personify my struggle with the issue of forgiveness. But it was fascinating to watch these characters become less and less about me and more about universal flesh and blood pain that people deal with and how they heal. Gracie's quest for answers became hers alone pretty early on in the writing, as did Steven’s compartmentalizing life into bite-sized pieces he could conquer.

3. What themes exist in Ransomed Dreams that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

The theme of forgiveness is an integral part Ransomed Dream's story, but there were other themes like the human desire to understand the painful why's of life and the message of hope and healing that are less overt but interwoven into the fabric of the novel. My prayer is that in seeing different ways the characters process the circumstances of their lives, readers will see forgiveness and healing "with skin on" so to speak and be drawn closer to the Lord in the midst of enjoying an action-packed story.

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

So many of the emotionally-charged scenes were difficult to write, the prologue especially. It didn't help that my family often ran errands in a blue van very similar to Gracie's and were late enough times that a well memorized prayer about not wanting to live Gracie’s life ran through my head.

My favorite parts to write were the scenes with Clint and Steven. I love their friendship and how they are both fiercely loyal and always ribbing each other. I also had a great time writing the epilogue. It was a perfect balance in payoff to the pain of the opening scenes.

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

Book 2 is due out in April of 2008. This story explores how an FBI agent and his oncologist wife handle the diagnosis of cancer and a serial killer who eludes capture. Everything is reduced to one all-important question: Can God be trusted?

Book 3, set for an April 2009 release, intertwines a woman's healing from sexual abuse with the FBI action plot centering on a racially motivated killer. The main question explored in this book is: What is justice?

I've already heard plenty of groans about the long wait for the rest of the series, but to help abate that some I have a few fun ways to pass the time:

* Check out the fun story-related quizzes updated monthly on my Defenders of Hope website.
* Subscribe to the DOH newsletter to receive an inside peek into the writing life, kid-friendly recipes, and special tips and website links for keeping kids safe. I plan to start talking about how I created the characters for the Defenders of Hope series and some of their backgrounds that don’t explicitly make it into the books.
* Join the Heart Chocolate community via the discussion boards. Please feel free to ask questions or just chat about the DOH books, writing, mommying, or anything else of interest. I hope you’ll join me there!

Thanks so much for allowing me to be in the spotlight here! It’s been fun visiting with you today.

* * * * *

Thank *you*, Amy. We're glad to have you here. Readers, don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of Amy's book. Winner announced next week here in the comments on this post.

6 Weeks Down! 14 to Go!

Stuart and I were talking the other day about how long it's seemed since we last saw each other. Hard to believe it's only been 6 weeks. We still have 3 more before my trip out there for 8 whole days. By God's strength, we'll make it. Not easy in the least being apart from the one you love and when you're planning a wedding, it's even harder. While there are certain aspects of a long-distance relationship that I feel are beneficial for a couple, I don't recommend it in the long run.

Anyway, this past week has been quite productive. We:

* found a DJ and hired him (was very impressed with his knowledge, samples and demonstration)
* got 2 more men measured for tuxes
* changed the tux style since the original one didn't look right; too baggy and not classy enough
* picked up 2 bridesmaid dresses
* selected the pattern for the flower girl's dress and learned that her grandmother would be sewing it
* FINALLY organized all my wedding papers and receipts and information into an "accordian" file for ease of access
* began entering information into my wedding planner guide
* began search for restaurant locations for a rehearsal dinner and ruled out a few; will search again this week
* put in a request for a block of rooms at a slightly upscale local hotel for the out-of-town wedding guests and family
* had an intitial pre-marital counseling meeting to set up the first meeting with Stuart and me both and laid out the tentative plan for the wedding

Now that all the major things are done, we're down to the nitty-gritty details. I know I better find something else to occupy my time, or I'm gonna start wondering why we pushed back the wedding date so far. *winks*

CFBA Blog Tour Spotlight

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:

A BIGGER LIFE

Navpress Publishing Group (January 15, 2007)
by Annette Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In 1997, Annette was working as a home health nurse. She traveled the back roads from house to house, caring for ill and injured, homebound people. Because of her unique position in the lives of relative strangers, she often found herself bearing solitary witness to intimate behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning. The desire to honor both a particular patient and a poignant scene involving the woman and her husband prompted Annette to write a fictionalized story, The Anniversary.

That first story appeared as a column in the Houston Chronicle newspaper and as an essay in Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Later it became a chapter in Annette’s first and best-selling book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, that has sold more than 100,000 copies

Since then, Annette has penned four more books of stories, two volumes on parenting, and the Coming Home to Ruby Prairie trilogy.

Annette and her husband Randy, a High School teacher and coach, make their home on a wooded lot in Quitman, Texas. They are the parents of two young adult children, Russell and Rachel, both out on their own. Wally, a grateful, rescued mutt provides warmth and entertainment and keeps the Smith’s empty nest from feeling too lonely.

In addition to writing, Annette continues to serve part-time as a registered nurse. She finds the people she works with and the patients she cares for provide great inspiration for her fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Joel Carpenter did not plan for his life to turn out like this. He never meant to be a single dad, working at a hair salon in Eden Plain, Texas. But after making a careless choice four years ago, his marriage was permanently shattered. Now at twenty-seven, he finds himself juggling custody of his preschool son with Kari, the ex-wife he still loves, and sharing Sunday dinners with a group of other single dads.

Joel regrets the choices that brought him to this place, but it's not until the worst happens that he learns how much he still has to give. In the midst of deep tragedy, he learns that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late!

A BIGGER LIFE is a story of love in the midst of heartache, and friendship in the midst of real, everyday life.

* * * * *

Post a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of this book. Also check out the comments at CFBA to see who else is featuring this book so you can increase your chances at winning.