A2Z-take 2 "D"

Delicious Desserts

I believe I have sweets on the brain. Last week I did cakes, this weeks Desserts.

My favorite dessert is...wow, there are too many to choose. I love raspberry cordials, and peanut butter cups, but then again chocolate chip cookies are pretty high on the list too. My favorite cookies are the fudge striped ones made by the elves. (I don't know how to make the cute little TM sign, so resorted to description instead.)


I dislike most icings, though I make one here at home that tastes a lot like marshmallows. I found it in my Betty Crocker cookbook. It's called White Mountain Frosting. You can find it here, but don't let the picture fool you, it is white, not chocolate. I attempted to make the chocolate version once. It didn't turn out well, but I probably did something wrong. I'm not an expert in the kitchen.

Brownies are yummy too. We've successfully added peanut butter, caramel, chocolate chips, and of course nuts. Some of those things came in a package, but we do occasionally make them from scratch.

A local restaurant serves this huge cookie with ice cream on top. Soooo good.

My mouth is watering as I write this blog. I hope yours is too. Misery loves company.  :)

What is your favorite dessert?

Blessings,
Ginger

To See the Sun review

What would you do if you are pregnant and you find out your husband has died in a car accident, and his best friend returned out of the blue after seven long years of silence? Take that and this snippet: "Her breath caught as he padded acrossed the deck toward her, his lean, muscular body no longer resembling the lanky boy she dated long ago. All man. Oh, yeah." Add in a little intrigue and you have the formula for an awesome inspirational romantic suspense.  The title? To See the Sun

Don't start this novel late in the evening unless you want a sleepless night. From page one all the way to the end of the book Ms. Phifer keeps you hooked. To stop would cause untold agony. Not really, but you get the idea. You might not get a good night's sleep anyway because you're thinking about what's going to happen next.

Excellent writing style and storytelling make To See the Sun an wonderful read.

Go to my blog for Friday to read an interview with author, Peggy Blann Phifer.

If you would like to purchase this book (or you can win a copy by commenting on Friday's blog - see link above) please click here.

Blessings,
Ginger

An Interview with Peggy Blann Phifer

Welcome Peggy Blann Phifer

Peggy Blann Phifer is an author and columnist, book reviewer and author interviewer, whose work has appeared on various Web sites and writer periodicals both in print and online. She is also an avid reader who loves to escape by diving between the covers of a good book. Peg enjoys handcrafts of all kinds and her home shows off some of her work, though most end up as gifts for friends and family. A retired executive assistant, Peg now makes her home in southern Nevada with husband of 25 years, Jim.

TO SEE THE SUN is her debut novel, released January 2012

Tell us about a typical day in your house.

My “house” consists of two adults, seven cats, and one dog. The days are typically monotonous.  My ‘bed cat” wakes me up around 5 AM with a whisker tickle to my face. If I ignore him too long, he climbs onto my pillow and starts to do the bread-making thing on my head. That usually does it.

Then it’s put on some coffee, let the dog out, feed and water the cats, and slip into my office with a hot cuppa to read my Jesus Calling for the day. By then hubby is up. He cleans out the litter boxes and then fixes us breakfast. After that I’m back in my office catching up with email, Facebook, Twitter, my blog, etc. Depending on how late we ate breakfast, I often skip lunch. Sometime between 1 and 2 PM I walk the dog, play with him a little bit when we get back, then it’s back to the writing stuff, then supper, then an hour or so of reading, then lights out. See? Boring.

Sounds wonderful to me. When did you first begin writing?

As a little girl with severe childhood asthma (back in the days there was little they could do for it) I’d spend some long days in bed to keep me from over exercising, after I did the day’s schoolwork sent home with my sister, I’d read. And read. And read. Then I decided I’d write my own books. Silly, little girl stuff, fantasies, mostly. All of which did not survive my childhood. Regretfully . . . or not.

I bet it would be a hoot to read what you wrote as a child. What is the coolest, wackiest, or riskiest thing you’ve ever done?

I’ll go with riskiest. When I started high school, there was no bus that came out as far into the country as we lived. So, I had to get up early-early to ride into town with my dad so he could drop me off at friend’s house until school started. Then I’d walk the 2-3 blocks to the school.

The scary, risky part came when school was out. I walked, usually alone, a few blocks from the school to the local library. That part was cool, and it fed my reading addiction. But then when it came time to meet up with my dad two hours later, at a busy intersection another 4-5 blocks, it was starting to get dark. In the winter months it WAS dark. Part of that walk skirted a public park. One day, as I passed the park, a hand reached out from a bush and grabbed my shoulder. I screamed. He ran. After that day dad made me stay at the library until he came to pick me up.

Wow that is scary. Tell us about your latest book.

My debut novel, TO SEE THE SUN is about a young woman whose husband dies suddenly, leaving her pregnant, facing life as a single mother. Here’s the back cover blurb:

Pregnant and widowed hadn’t been part of her “happily ever after” dream. And now, someone was trying to kill her . . .

Erin Macintyre never expected to be a widow and a new mother in the same year, anymore than she expected mysterious notes, threatening phone calls, and a strange homeless man who seems to know all about her. The thought of raising a child without a father is daunting enough—worse when you have no idea who might want to harm you. Put an old flame into the mix, and her life begins a tailspin into a world she never knew existed.

When P.I. Clay Buchanan, stumbles upon Erin at her husband's gravesite, he’s totally unprepared for her advanced pregnancy. Her venomous reaction at seeing him, however, was predictable. But Clay can’t let her distrust, or his guilt, get in the way—not when he has evidence that proves Erin’s life is in danger.

With few options left, Erin begrudgingly accepts Clay’s help . . . and it just might be her undoing.

What inspired you to write this story?

That’s a weird, long story. It started out in a totally different location with completely different characters, except for the female lead. She had numerous names through the long writing journey, but her inner personality remained solid. It wasn’t until I settled her in Las Vegas, my adopted home town that things began to take shape. But we still had a long way to go.

The inspiration for the finished manuscript, however, was a result of my big girl job. No matter what position I held through the 21 years I worked, I did a ton of phone work. And I got tired of fielding the inevitable question when I identified myself as “Peggy, from XYZ in Las Vegas. That annoying question? “Hey, Peg, won any money lately?” or different variations of the same theme: Gambling.

So I decided to write my story from a Christian worldview set right here in Las Vegas, to show readers that there was more to Vegas than “The Strip” and all the glitter and glitz the rest of the world envisions. Yes, it’s a romantic suspense, with some ugliness, but there are no gambling, casino, drinking scenes. And that is only mentioned in dialog.

I hope I’ve accomplished my goal.

Having read the book, I think you did. Can you give us the first page?

Friday, March 26, late afternoon

What a fantastic day. A bid won. A contract signed. The job of a lifetime that would put Stuart and Macintyre at the top of the construction heap, not just in Las Vegas, but all of southern Nevada.

Whistling, Justin Macintyre pressed the keyless remote of his Cadillac Escalade, tossed his

briefcase across the console to the passenger seat and slid behind the wheel. To top it all off, after seven long years, he and his wife, Erin, were going to have a baby. A baby!

He laughed aloud at the overwhelming joy of it. "Hey, world, I'm going to be a daddy!"

He shifted the SUV into gear and pulled out of the Mt. Charleston Lodge area onto Kyle Canyon

Road and headed down the mountain to the Las Vegas Valley below. Despite the successful day, Justin couldn't banish his worry over a recent discovery of some irregularities in the company's finances. Nothing concrete, and his Uncle Sebastian, S&M's CFO, assured him everything was fine. Nevertheless, Justin's uneasiness had prompted him to send what little proof he had to his long-time friend, Clay Buchanan, a private investigator in Texas.

Preoccupied with his thoughts, he vaguely registered the yellow and black blind curve warning sign. Too late he saw the stalled car across the center line. No time to stop! He spun the wheel to the right.

I'm going too fast! God, help me . . .!

###

Seconds passed and silence settled once more over the mountainside. A shadow emerged from behind a Joshua tree and stepped to the edge of the ravine. After a moment, the form walked to the car in the road and drove away.

So powerfully written. How can we find you on the internet?

Website: http://peggyblannphifer.com

Blog “Whispers in Purple" at http://whispersinpurple.blogspot.com

You can find her books at any of the following locations:

·         Amazon.com

·         Amazon Kindle

·         B&N (nook)

Thank you Peggy for joining me today and showing us a little of your life.

I'm excited to announce that Peggy is giving away a copy of her debut book TO SEE THE SUN to one lucky person who responds with a comment and answers this question: What is my favorite quote? You need to visit her website (http://peggyblannphifer.com) to find the answer. BE SURE you include your name and e-mail address (for your safety, write out the "dot" and "at") for notification should you win.

Contest ends one week from today. Open to Lower US only for a print copy; available as eBook everywhere else.

Come back Monday for my review of To See the Sun.

Blessings,

Ginger

Healthy Eating???

I guess I'm on a slippery slope.  Gained a pound or two in the last week, despite my efforts. I will keep working.

What kinds of things do you do when you gain instead of lose?

Wednesday Worship

I promised Esther, and so here it is. Better late than never. :)

Most of you know Esther's story, but if you don't, here it is briefly.

Esther, a young Jewish girl, is summoned to take part in a search for a new Queen for King Xerxes.  He liked her and chose her as his queen. Haman, his second in command, hated Mordecai, Esther's uncle and also a Jew. In order to get rid of (kill) Mordecai, Haman came up with a plan to rid the land of all of the Jews. He had the misfortune of not knowing that Esther was a Jew.

Mordecai asked Esther to intervene. She didn't want to, but he convinced her. After three days of prayer and fasting, Esther approached the king without him calling for her. (What oourage!) He could have had her killed right then, but he did not.

She invited him and Haman to dinner, twice. On the second day, she told the king of Haman's plan. He stalked off and Haman, finding himself in a difficult position, fell at her feet to beg for his life. Unfortunately for him, the king returned at just that moment and was enraged to find Haman accosting the Queen. Haman was hanged.

But the problem of the fate of the Jews still hung in the balance. Esther again went before the king without him calling for her. (Shew - to do it once took courage, but to do it a second time? Wow.) She begged for the lives of her people. The king shrugged his shoulders (basically-a little writer's exaggeration there) and told her there was nothing he could do to stop it. Mordecai, who had been promoted after Haman's death, had an idea. Together they worked out a way to save the Jews and get rid of a few thousand people that hated them.

Most of this is familiar, but did you know Esther was the king's wife for more than four years before she approached him?

I did a little research and historians and theologians cannot agree who Esther was really married to, nor do they know if she ever had any children. Apparently there were several Xerxes in that time. Some think she wasn't even married to one of them, but someone else altogether. I say the Bible is not wrong, they may just have the wrong time frame.

Also from Esther the celebration of Purim was instituted. The Jews feasted and celebrated after their triumph over their enemies.

What a courageous woman.

Blessings,
Ginger

A2Z Meme - "C"

Let's Eat Cake

 Over the years I have been called upon by my children to make special Cakes for their birthdays.

Some were better than others. A few of the better ones I couldn't find pictures of. How depressing. Anyway, here are a few of my creations.

BTW, the last picture is not cake.  :)  My second son is not fond of cake, so every year he asks for Peanut Butter Pie. The recipe I use follows.  I don't know where it came from originally, but it's good and EASY.

 

Peanut Butter Pie

Prepared pie crust, baked according to directions, and cooled.

Filling:

¾ cup confectioners sugar
½ cup peanut butter
2 cups milk
vanilla instant pudding (large)
Cool Whip

Mix sugar and peanut butter until lightly colored and it looks like sand and small pebbles.  Sprinkle all but 2 tbsp. in the bottom of baked pie shell.

Mix pudding with milk and let begin to thicken.  Pour over crumbs in shell. Top with Cool Whip, then sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

Refrigerate overnight or a couple of hours.

Enjoy.  :)

Monday Review - "Coming Undone" by Staci Stallings

I'll be honest; the first couple chapters of this book were hard for me. I didn't like Ben. However, once I got past his selfish attitude and saw it for what it was - a cover-up for his miserable life, I started enjoying the book.

I didn't want to put it down. I found myself coming back to it when I really should have been doing other things - like fixing dinner or writing this blog.  :o

Kudos to Ms. Stallings for touching on the subject of the loss of a loved one and all the pain that it involves - not only with the actual loss, but with all the details that go along with it. Unless you've been there, you have no idea. She dealt with it in a manner which suggests she herself has been there and if she hasn't, she deserves even more credit for writing about it so accurately.

Blurb:

Ben Warren has life all figured out. At 35, he's successful in his work, and free as a bird everywhere else. He has no desire to be tied down like some of his friends, and he sees no reason to change that. Then the unthinkable happens and causes him to rethink everything about everything.
Kathryn Walker can't figure out what she's doing wrong in the dating department. The rest of her life makes sense. She's compassionate, strong, honest, hard-working and still alone. She wonders if she is doomed to spend forever single. Little does she know that fate is taking a major turn in her life. In fact, she doesn't even see it happening until it has. Can she ever get past the fact that Mr. Right didn't show up in the way she thought he would?

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please click here and help support this blog.

Blessings,
Ginger

1/20 ramblings - breakfast

BREAKFAST

I should have used this for my B post earlier this week, but it didn't occur to me then.

We are having breakfast troubles. Cereal everyday for my family of nine is not cost effective. We save it for weekends. For years we have been eating bagels for breakfast, but now their prices are rising as well.

What other options are there that are easy enough for a seven year old to make, but filling enough for teenage boys?

My thoughts: premade waffles, instant oatmeal, and eggs - that's it. I'm clueluess.

HELP!  :)

Blessings,

Ginger

1/18 check in

I want to keep putting this picture up to remind myself that this road I'm on to healthier eating is a journey. It's not just for a day or even a week, but for the rest of my life.

I think I lost about two pounds this week. Again it's hard to say with my scale.

I've been eating okay, avoiding soda mostly and not eating a lot of sugary sweets. No snacks. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Smaller portions, especially carbs.

One thing I have been doing lately is making our macaroni and cheese instead of using the processed stuff. My children like it just as well and it has to be better for us without all the preservatives. Noodles and a simple cheese sauce (butter, flour, milk and cheese). It really doesn't take much more time, and just a little more effort. I feel good about making something yummy that is healthier.

What sorts of things do you make homemade that most people fix from a box?

Keep on keepin' on.  :)

Blessings,
Ginger

Wednesday Worship - Courage continued

Wednesday Worship

 

 

 

I decided just now to change the name of Wednesday's blog to Wednesday Worship. I think sharing with you, my readers and friends, my insight from the past week is a form of worship to God. I would be nothing without Him.

 

Today I want to continue our chat about courage. Last week I posted about Ruth. I started reading Esther, a book about another courageous woman of the Bible. I haven't completed the book, so I'll save my Esther insights for another time.

 

Yesterday I felt led to add sticky notes to my desktop. Each note has a verse about courage in a different color. My plan is to memorize these four Scriptures to encourage myself when fear invades my thoughts.

 

Acts 27:25(NLT)

So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.

Joshua 1:9(NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

1 Corinthians 16:13(NLT)

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous.[a] Be strong.

Psalm 27:14(NLT)

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.


What awesome verses God planted throughout the Bible to encourage us.

Do you have a verse that you have taped somewhere or that you've memorized that encourages you on the days your down? Would you share it with us?

Blessings,
Ginger

A2Z - the letter B

Well, it seems my A post flopped, so I won't be doing a B story. Bummer. 

The BIG day!

The Big day for us comes January 28th. What is the Big day? My Beautiful horses are going to be taken to a trainer for the month of February.

They are about six years old, registered Tennessee Walking mares. I've blogged about them before. They have some issues that I'm just not experienced enough to work out of them. So, on the last Saturday in January I will load them onto the trailer (hopefully - I would appreciate your prayers) and escort them five minutes down the road where they will receive life lessons for being good horses.

I pray that when they return at the end of February, they, and I, will be Better. I will also be in training as I will be at the very least watching for some of the hours as the trainer works with them.

I'm so excited.

What is the Biggest day you remember in your life?

Monday Ramblings

What happened to the last week?

It flew by me without me even knowing, I think. One day it was Monday, the next it was Friday or so it seemed.

I was running around like a chicken with its head chopped off. What a gruesome sight that is - and yes, I have seen it. Blech!

Everyday I wanted to get some writing and reading done, but it seemed as if my family and my animals conspired against me, not to mention my own body. I think I walked around in a fog for the majority of the week for some unknown reason. I couldn't seem to think straight and it took me longer than normal just to do mundane tasts.

I plan to do better this week, but will be out of the house 5 out of 5 days - such fun, NOT. I'm a homebody and would rather be home reading, writing or just about anything than have to DO something everyday. As I wait in doctor's and dentists offices, I plan to read, read, read.

Does your week look as busy as mine? How do you handle it?

Review: "Sisters of the Quilt" - Cindy Woodsmall

I love series books, but only when I can read them all together. "Sisters of the Quilt" by Cindy Woodsmall is the best of both-the complete trilogy in one book. Though I've read the complete series before, I enjoyed it just as well this time AND I didn't have to search for the next book.

"When the Heart Cries"
Rejection. The sad thing is these unfortunate circumstances happen every day in our world. A tragedy strikes and the people we love the most don't know how to deal with it and turn away. Nevertheless, God prevails, even when don't see or understand how he's working.

"When the Morning Comes"
Hope. A member leaves because of things said and not said, actions and inactions. The community realizes their wrong, but are helpless to correct it. Nevertheless, God prevails, and brings hope to the community and to the one who was rejected.

"When the Soul Mends"
Redemption. Hearts, and souls reunited. Wrongs forgiven. Love reignited.

It's the story of our Lord. He was rejected by the people. His death and resurrection brought hope and redemption.

Thank you Cindy Woodsmall for forcing me to see past the obvious, and into the heart of the matter.

If you're interested in purchasing this book, please click here and help support this blog.

Blessings,
Ginger

1/12/12

WEEK 2

Well, I think I lost one pound this week. Since our scale is not digital, it's sometimes hard to tell.

However, I FEEL better. I have been drinking 8+ cups of water per day, eating responsibly, and exercising. I'm also sleeping better.

What am I eating? Typically my day goes like this:

• breakfast: two eggs, fried with cooking spray, or used in an omelet with onions and meat (if I have some), or a smoothie - 1 cup of milk, 1 banana, 1/2 scoop of protein powder, and ice
• lunch: really I scrounge for food for lunch and try to make healthy choices
• dinner: whatever I'm feeding my family just smaller portions, especially the carb based items

I'm avoiding snacks and after dinner nibbling. If I feel a need for a little something sweet, I have it, but limit it to a LITTLE something. This is about a life-style change for me. It is NOT about dieting. Though my immediate goal is to lose  weight, I want to be able to maintain a healthy body once the weight is gone and to do that I need to eat properly all the time.

At the moment, I'm limiting my carbs, but not cutting them out completely. I'm seriously limiting my need for those sweet treats, but again not cutting them out. If I were to deprive myself then I would go on an eating binge and forfeit all I have been doing.

This is what will work for me, I think. I know cutting out all sugar, etc does NOT work for me. I've tried it before and was miserable.

Moderation, moderation, moderation.

What do your meals look like and how does it work for you?

Ruth

As I said last week, my word for this year is courage. In that vein I asked God to show me courageous people in the Bible.

God led me to Ruth. It's a pretty short book, only four chapters.

Chapter 1: Naomi decides it's time to go home, back to Bethlehem. From the way it reads, it seems both of her daughters-in-law started the journey with her, or at least planned to. But only Ruth refused to leave Naomi and return to her homeland. Do you think it was easy to decide to leave the only land she knew, Moab, and travel to a land where she knew no one and would probably be looked down upon?

Chapter 2: They were two widowed women with no means of supporting themselves. Ruth took a bold step and asked for permission to glean Boaz's fields. According to one commentary I read, the overseer of the fields rarely had the authority to grant such a request without the permission of the owner, but this one did. Somewhere in the backstory, the part we don't get to see, Boaz found out about Ruth's sacrifice for Naomi.

Chapter 3: So now she has caught Boaz's eye, but he's apparently many years her senior and would not approach her for consideration of marriage. It seems he has also caught her eye, at least to me. Again in the backstory, Ruth must discuss this with Naomi. Naomi gives her a plan. Go, keep an eye on Boaz, and when he lays down to rest on the threshing floor, lay at his feet. Again according to a commentary I read, this is basically a way of informing Boaz that she is agreeable to marriage.

Chapter 4: Boaz must be happy about her "proposal" because he did what was necessary to be able to make her his wife.

Where is the courage? I see so much throughout this small portion of Ruth's life. She had the courage to follow her MIL to Bethlehem. She had the courage to ask permission to provide for herself and Naomi. She had the courage to approach Boaz, who could have easily rejected her offer.

She took several steps of faith - faith not only in Naomi, but also in God.

What other people in the Bible do you know that were courageous?

Blessings,
Ginger

A2Z - take 2... the letter "A"

Patty Wysong, a wonderful lady I'm blessed to call my friend, has restarted her A2Z meme for the new year. Starting today we, her, I and a myriad of others, will be blogging subsequent letters of the alphabet. You can go to Patty's Blog to see her post and find others who link there. Grab a cup of your favorite warm drink, and enjoy.

Adam the Alligator grows up

 

Adam, the most awesome alligator alive, lived in Florida. After all, the Everglades were a mighty fine place to live. The warm water washed over his body as he lay on the beach sunning himself early one fine August morning. Afternoons grew too hot and Adam hated to be hot. It agitated him and made him angry enough to chase even old Albert, the oldest, largest alligator around.

One day Adam chased Albert, but the old alligator turned on him and bit Adam on the leg. Adam let out an anguished roar. "Why'd you do that? I was just havin' some fun."

"'Cuz I'm tired o' you young whippersnappers chasing me around. Leave me alone. I'm too old to fool with the likes of you."

Adam limped away, nursing his sore foot. He'd never seen Albert so angry. As he lay in the shadows of a grove of trees, Adam's friends came and teased him about getting hurt. Adam got angry, but his leg hurt too bad to do anything but hiss at his friends. At that moment he realized they weren't his friends at all. They laughed at him and teased him, but not one of them asked how he felt or if he needed a lump of meat to feel better.

A few days later, with his foot on the mend, Adam went in search of Albert. He crawled to Albert's side, far enough of away to not be a threat, but close enough to talk.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you Albert. I realize now how tough it is to be here without friends who care about you. Will you forgive me?"

"Sure kid. Nice to see you finally grew up and realized life is not all fun. Sometimes we have to do things we don't care for - like giving up friends that take advantage of us, or asking for forgiveness. Those are hard things to do. Now let me show you how I've lived as long as I have."

Albert, the old alligator, took Adam and showed him lots of tricks about catching prey and staying away from traps. He showered love on young Adam by investing time and effort into him.

Many years later, long after old Albert had eaten his last meal, Adam turned on a young whippersnapper alligator named Arnold. Several days later, Arnold came and apologized to old Adam and Adam in turn taught Arnold all the things he'd learned in his lifetime.

~~~

 

I hope you enjoyed my A post.

Would you leave a comment and tell me how God spoke to you through my story?

Thanks,

Ginger

"The Rose of Winslow Street" by Elizabeth Camden -- Review

Libby Sawyer and Michael Dobrescu are enemies...or are they? The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden is a delightful novel about the unlikely pair who meet when Michael moves into Libby's father's home with the claim that it is rightfully his.

I cried and I laughed. I think I even worried some as the fight between Libby's father and Michael comes to its climax with Libby square in the middle and faced with losing the fight on both sides. Ms. Camden did an excellent job of drawing me into the dilemmas of both the Sawyers and the Dobrescus, and especially Libby's heartbreaking choice.

A wonderfully written book that will delight your senses and take you to the year 1879 where a battle rages in the quiet town of Colden, Massachusettes for the heart of a woman and a house on Winslow Street.

Enjoy.

To purchase this book and help support this blog, please click here.

Blessings,
Ginger

"Deception" by Lillian Duncan - review

I struggle at times in trying to explain why I like a book. When I first read Lillian Duncan's Pursued, I knew I would like her as an author. She just confirmed it with Deception.

At the beginning of the book, Patti takes a phone call from a little girl who is frightened because her mommy isn't home. I almost put it down. This broke my heart. I cry through passages of books on a regular basis, but I don't voluntarily submit to heartbreaking situations. But...I'm so glad I kept reading. Ms. Duncan used the right amount of intrigued and romance to keep me interested throughout the novel.

Life changes drastically for Patti after that phone call. She'd forgotten the love she once had for her twin. A misunderstanding caused a rift that neither sister was willing to repair. But that one phone call from a scared little girl started a cycle of events that reminded her that family is more important than anything on earth. She responds by embarking on a journey to save her sister. It involves danger and a very handsome sergeant.

Two words to describe this work: Well done. If you like romantic suspense, you will LOVE Deception.

Please click here if you would like to purchase this book. By doing so you help support this blog.

Blessings,
Ginger

1/5 weight loss journey

I went looking for a picture to use as a "before" shot, but there weren't many to choose from.  Why? Because I HATE the way I look. Of course, if you live near me, you already know what I look like. But I get to deny it all I want, until I look in the mirror - which I avoid as much as possible - or I look at a photo.

The photo with me beside the horse is a bit more flattering, since it's only of my upper half. The one on the back of Coco, well let's just say, it's pushing my limits to post it. I obviously didn't dress up for the picture.

But today's blog is not about my fashion sense. It's about my goal to lose weight.

I'm NOT going on a diet, though I will be restricting my food intake more severely until the weight is lost. My goal is to CHANGE my eating habits. I can no longer have as many sweets, sodas, and sugary/carb filled treats and still not gain weight. Oh, to keep the metabolism of a 20 something.

A few days ago I ate less than 800 calories, for me to do that was not a big deal. Food for me is sustenance, not requirement. BUT I know it's not nutritionally sound to do eat so few calories. I adjusted my intake yesterday and came it right at 1200 calories. According to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ I can lose 1 1/2 to 2 pounds a week, if I maintain that amount of calories.

In addition to cutting back on my sugar intake, though I'll not give up my hot tea (16 oz. cup sweetened with 1 tsp. of sugar), I have increased my water intake. Shamefully, I wasn't drinking ANY water.

Two days ago I drank 100 oz of water, probably a bit overboard. I have a problem with moderation, apparently. Yesterday's total water was 60 oz.  According to the mayo clinic any other liquids also count toward total liquid intake. I only count water.

I don't know if this plan is going to work for me, but I'm going to try.

If you're interested in having an accountability group with me to eat healthier, share eating plans, and weight loss, plus struggles, please leave your e-mail, with @ and . spelled out (for your protection) and your preference of a yahoo group or facebook group.

under HIS wings and struggling to make his temple healthier,
Ginger

New Year's Resolutions - NOT!

Typically at this time of year many people make New Year's Resolutions. I have never been one to do this. The resolutions typically don't last much past January.

I have set for myself some goals this year. Something concrete that I can work toward. I have begun working, in small ways, toward all of them.

• Lose weight - I won't discuss here how much, but I will be posting here on Thursdays about my journey - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
• Finish my current WIP (work in progress) - a Scottish Historical. I have just over 10,000 words.
• Enter my completed MS (manuscript) in the Genesis contest - though it still needs a bit of editing.
• Enter either or both of the above into various other contests, as the Lord leads.

My word of the year: courage. I need courage to step out and enter ANY contest. No one has actually read the completed manuscript all the way through, except me.

So, here's to the new year and accomplishing all the goals that I've set.

What goals have you set for yourself this year?

Trembling under HIS wings,

Ginger

"Summer of Promise" by Amanda Cabot - review

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and you have a choice - ignore it and hope for a ball or swing and hope for a hit. Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot is a prime example. Writers write for the pleasure of writing, but each one has the hope that their manuscript is "good enough" to be a hit. This one is. I enjoyed reading about Abigail's impulsiveness, Ethan's growing feelings and frustrations, Oliver's crushes, and Puddles' antics. Ms. Cabot's writing took me to the Wyoming frontier with her descriptions of the heat, dust, and mud.

Take away from this book: a safe and predictable life is boring. Change is the spice of life.

Book blurb:

Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads West to Wyoming. The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day. 

When circumstances--and perhaps a bit of matchmaking--put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?

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Happy Reading