Isabelle has been a fledgling entrepreneur her whole life. For as long as I can remember, she's had ideas of products to make or services to offer that she could make a little money from. And I've always been so proud of that and done whatever possible to nurture and help along her little ventures.
Now, she is officially on the up and up as an entrepreneur. She has a "shop" at school that is open every recess. She makes and sells jewelery, journals and decorations. She's doing quite well too. In fact, last night she had to make two journals that were back-ordered. Her prices are fair (very, VERY fair) and her quality of work is remarkable.
As a wise entrepreneur, Isabelle has realized that no business can become successful in a bubble. So she has teamed up with a friend who also runs a shop during recess. This friend's shop is a spa that offers massages, manicures and hairstyles. The two girls work in the same location and promote each others business. They also give each other 40 cents of every dollar they earn. Smart little girls, aren't they?
Eric and I really enjoy hearing the tales of our tiniest business owner. We're all in the same boat as business owners, so the three of us commiserate together. For all of us, it's been a learning and bonding experience. And that's definitely a finer thing!
My Thoughts: My husband and I are huge fans of 24. We love the suspense and action and the way the story lines come together. Well, as a 24 fan, I can honestly say Dead Reckoning did not disappoint! It was a fast-paced page turner that I thoroughly enjoyed. And I really admired the way Ronie Kendig wove elements of faith throughout the story. Such a nice twist to a speed-of-light plot.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!
This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake is consumed with passion for the water and inflamed at the injustices of life. When her first large-scale dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she flees for her life.
When she spots a man trailing her, the questions are, Who is he? And how is he always one step ahead? Is the man trailing her an enemy or a protector sent by her CIA father?
Reece Jaxon is a former Navy SEAL and now serves his country as a spy. His life is entangled by the beguiling Shiloh Blake as he hunts down the sources to a nuclear dead drop in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai, India. The only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is to join forces with Reece. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become involved in her father's web of intrigue and mystery? Will she reconcile with her past and with him? Will she allow God to help her throught this ordeal of danger, mistrust and uncertainty?
It's in the fifties today and the air carries that little hint of spring. I'm looking forward to spring, but more than that, I am ready for summer!
This winter has been a tough one. It seems to be our season of sick. The kids have been down more times than I care to count and we've all passed an endless variety of illnesses back and forth. It's enough to make me shout ENOUGH, bring on summer!
This winter has also seen us truly stretching the limits of our tiny little house. The kids are getting bigger. The house is not. And we're all feeling it.
Fortunately, things are looking up on the moving front. It's been two years since we listed our home for sale. But now we are in the process of having everything lined up so that by summertime, we will be in a new (bigger!) house. Moving is definitely in our very near future and we're more than ready.
Although I could do without the whole house-shopping process. We've made two offers already only to have them not pan out. It's hard to fall in love with a house, picture us living there and then find out it's not going to happen. Now we are playing the waiting came to see if we get approval from the bank short sale for the third house we have an offer on. Everything else is lined up and it's looking good. We're praying and trusting that God knows where he wants us. It's hard though!
So I am done with winter! I'm glad spring is around the corner. But it's summer that I'm really looking forward to. Hurry up already!
My Thoughts: Loved this book! The storyline was so unique and intriguing. As I read, I was simply enjoying the story for what it was. Once I finished though, I realized it had a wonderfully deep undertone while still being light and thoroughly enjoyable on the surface. Good stuff!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Leanna's sister recommended that she write, since she ‘wrote in her journal all the time.’ The idea took root and began to grow. So after five years of teaching, she quit and started writing, with no clue about the book business. Ignorance is bliss. If she’d known the odds against her, she might not have ever started writing.
For about three years, she wrote with a collaborator, but because she had so many ideas she began to write more stories on her own. She suffered numerous rejections. Deservedly so. But she was growing as a writer and learning. She went to as many conferences as she could manage. During that time, she met her future husband, fell in love and became engaged. She also began to final in contests and then actually began to win! The contests helped her get noticed by editors and agents. In March, the year Braveheart won the Best Picture Oscar, Victor/Victoria opened on Broadway, she sold her first book. It was her Cinderella year. She sold her book, got married and won RWA’s Golden Heart Award in Hawaii.
She wrote six books between her first baby’s birth and when the second baby turned one. Then she hit a wall. Not literally. But creatively. It’s not that she didn’t have any ideas, but her ideas didn’t fit the romance market. These new characters, random and weird as they were, began to take over the part of her brain that wasn’t domesticated. These stories were about all types of women, and so she began to let her writing grow in new and different ways.
Leanna Ellis sold more than 1.3 million romantic novels writing as Leanna Wilson, winning a Readers’ Choice award and the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award for her work. Elvis Takes a Back Seat is the first book published under her married name, marking a new creative direction in her writing. Like Francine Rivers before her, Leanna has left behind a successful career as an author of secular romances to write novels of faith that glorify God. A former schoolteacher, Leanna is now a homeschool mom and lives with her husband and children in Keller, Texas.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Bryn Seymour was nine years old when her mother died under mysterious circumstances on the same day Apollo 11 made its historic lunar landing. Forty years later—divorced, working as an obituary writer, and duly cynical—she meets Howard, a conspiracy theorist who knew her mom and believes a small Texas town may hold clues to what really fueled her demise. Seeking closure, Bryn goes along for this men-in-black ride. But upon meeting Howard’s son Sam, an outspoken Christian, she can’t decide whose beliefs are more pie-in-the-sky.
The gravity of life has pulled Bryn down for decades. But a perfect love could be her first step to soaring. It only happens once in a blue moon.
Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Two people in desperate circumstances. Life has left few choices for Elvira Kilmer. Her hopes for marriage and a family of her own have long since passed her by, and her arrival on Dillon's Island, nestled in the Susquehanna River, is not of her choosing, either.
She needs work. And Jackson Smith needs a housekeeper. Yet Ellie never imagined the widower would be so young...so handsome. Jackson, on the other hand, has never met anyone quite so...plain. But he quickly comes to realize that Ellie's presence may solve his own problems--both the rearing of his young boys and the scandal that surrounds his first marriage.
When Jackson offers her something quite out of the ordinary, will Ellie look beyond mere necessity and risk opening her heart?
Yet what options does she have? To marry would mean a home and stability. So despite the rumors circling Jackson and his first wife, Ellie accepts this unlikely proposal...
For anyone that's been reading this blog for awhile, you might remember back in May 2008 when Joy, Toni and I cross-blogged a month long series we dubbed "3 Moms, 3 Kitchens, 31 Days." Well, throughout March, you can read the newest version of the series on my other blog, Cooking During Stolen Moments.
The kids have gotten older, we've upped our monthly budget, and life has changed in some big ways. Hopefully it will be as much fun as last time!
Also make sure you follow along with Toni from The Happy Housewife and Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. Personally, I can't read enough about their kitchens, so I'm having fun reading along too.
Most readers want to know how authors 'got started' writing. My first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me.
With a graciousness that continues to amaze me, Tracie agreed to read my story, directed me to a publisher, and gave me information on a Christian writers conference. Since that first encounter many years ago, I have been blessed with the publication of numerous books, novellas and a juvenile fiction book. Joyously, Tracie and I had the opportunity to develop a blessed friendship. In fact, we have co-authored several series together, including The Bells of Lowell, the Lights of Lowell and The Broadmoor Legacy. In addition, I have continued to write several solo series.
Note: Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her novels, two of which have placed in the CBA top ten lists. In addition to her writing, Judy is a certified legal assistant. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Johanna Ilg has lived her entire life in Main Amana, one of the seven villages settled by devout Christians who believe in cooperative living, a simple lifestyle, and faithful service to God. Although she’s always longed to see the outside world, Johanna believes her future is rooted in Amana. But when she learns a troubling secret, the world she thought she knew is shattered. Is this truly where she belongs?
Berta Schumacher has lived a privileged life in Chicago, so when her parents decide they want a simpler life in Amana, Iowa, she resists. Under the strictures of the Amana villages, her rebellion reaches new heights. Will her heart ever be content among the plain people of Amana?
I freely admit to consistently using improper grammar in the following areas: 1. I like run-on sentences. 2. I have a tendency to end sentences with a pronoun. (I really do. I can't help it.) 3. I always seem to use passive voice in my sentences. (See?)
I've been trying to break this habit, unsuccessfully, for years, so now I just accept that as my writing style, and since I'm not writing for grades anymore, I embrace it. (Again, see?)
Hence, I invoke Blogger Artistic License for this blog!
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