tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32009495689694598562024-03-12T23:31:39.915-05:00A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses."
Alphonse Kerr
Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.comBlogger357125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-67674226163704395872014-05-15T02:00:00.000-05:002014-05-15T02:00:04.035-05:00I Am MOVING......to my own website.<br />
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As of today, this site will no longer be updated.<br />
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If you subscribe via e-mail, please join me at my new site. I will still be doing book reviews, and Writer Wednesday and adding tidbits from our family life--tentatively being called Monday Musings, just at a new place.<br />
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It's not completed yet...still a work in progress, but please move with me to...<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_303540329"><br /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.gingersolomon.com/">www.gingersolomon.com</a></b></span></div>
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To get to the blog, click on the tab A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included. I plan to make my first post over there on Monday--writing from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference. </div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-8306685720517692002014-05-14T04:00:00.000-05:002014-05-14T04:00:04.537-05:00Writer Wednesday with Shannon Taylor Vannatter - Giveaway<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Help me welcome Shannon Taylor Vannatter.</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jnU_JUG5JSY/U3J8-yE4USI/AAAAAAAACIs/fagcneBJIZ0/s1600/Shannon+Vannatter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jnU_JUG5JSY/U3J8-yE4USI/AAAAAAAACIs/fagcneBJIZ0/s1600/Shannon+Vannatter.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home
mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you
count a few cows. Vannatter won the </span></strong><em>Inspirational Readers Choice Award</em><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> in the short contemporary
category, </span></strong><em>The 18<sup>th</sup>
Annual Heartsong Awards </em><strong><i><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3rd Favorite New Author </span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">and<i> #1 Contemporary Award</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Her nine titles are with Heartsong Presents and she’s contracted for six
more. Her books are available at christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com,
harlequin.com, and barbourbooks.com. Learn more about Shannon and her books at </span></strong><a href="http://shannonvannatter.com/"><strong><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">http://shannonvannatter.com</span></strong><strong><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: windowtext; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> and</span></strong></a> check out her real life romance
blog at <u>http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/</u>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Changing Careers -- in Real Life and in Fiction</span></b></div>
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by Shannon Taylor Vannatter</div>
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When I was in my thirties, I had a mid-life crisis. Not the
kind where I did anything crazy. But after working as a hairdresser for ten
years, a loan clerk at a bank for two years, and various corporate office
positions at a fragrance company for five years, I wondered if this was it. Had
I fulfilled my potential? Would I always work in some office for someone else? <o:p></o:p></div>
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During this time, it hit me, I wanted to be an interior
decorator. I’ve enjoyed decorating my house for years and several visitors have
told me I should go professional. But I didn’t want to move. I live in a tiny
community. Ten miles away is a city of 7,000, but this is rural Arkansas.
Interior decorators aren’t in high demand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Around that time, my friend moved to Memphis to be closer to
family and started her own interior decorating business. She racked up clients
fast and did pretty well. I envied her. But then we talked and she told me what
hard work it is and that she was halfway doing construction projects. She
didn’t stick with it long, but it helped me realize that interior decorating
was probably a lot like being a hairdresser. It seems glamorous, but it’s
really a lot of hard work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Over the next several months, I realized what I really
wanted to be was a writer. And a stay at home mom. Over the next two years, I
wrote five books and got over two hundred rejections. In 2001, my dream came
true, I had our son, quit my job, and concentrated on writing. I only completed
two more books in the next three years as my son was my main focus, but once he
started pre-school part time, my window of writing opportunity expanded.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, after 9 1/2 years, I got published. And I realized,
I can try whatever career I want to through my heroines. I’ve been: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<li>A florist</li>
<li>A postmaster</li>
<li>An apartment manager who dabbled in interior decorating</li>
<li>An advertising exec</li>
<li>A photographer</li>
<li>A stay at home mom/horse trainer</li>
<li>A publicist</li>
<li>A rodeo queen/blingy western clothing store owner</li>
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The heroine in my latest release, <i>Rodeo Song</i> is an interior
decorator who owns a decor store in the Fort Worth Stockyards.</div>
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I had so much fun as my heroine redecorated the hero’s
house—picking paint swatches, tile, and fabrics was right up my alley. I
googled Texas themed decor and took pictures of tile at Lowe’s. I giggled when
the Lowe’s employee asked if he could help me—imagining what he’d say if I told
him I’m trying to figure what kind of tile to put my hero’s house. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As my heroine railed against having to decorate with deer
antler curtain rods and animal hide, longing for silks and satins, I was right
there with her since our house is half and half. My son’s room, his bathroom,
and my husband’s office have rustic decor with antlers, fishing lures, and log
furniture. The rest of the house is flowery with moire curtains, pastels, and
wingback chairs. My husband is constantly wanting to redo the whole house
rustic style. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My next heroine works in the interior decorating store, but
she gets to fulfill her dream of being a clothing designer. Then I get to be a
school nurse, a veterinarian, own a jewelry store, be a wedding planner, and
own a bed & breakfast.</div>
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This writing thing is perfect for me. If I get tired of one
career, I just hop into the next one.</div>
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ME: Thank you for a great post, Shannon. I'd never thought of the possibilities of changing careers via fiction, most of my heroines are forced into marriage early on due to circumstances, but I will have to look into giving a few of my new ones great careers. BTW, you can come decorate my house any time you like. It could use all the help it could get because I am far from gifted in the decorating field. :) </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--sQKfGc16Fk/U3J_MPXRxkI/AAAAAAAACI4/IvnRo0SZ4pU/s1600/Rodeo+Song+large.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--sQKfGc16Fk/U3J_MPXRxkI/AAAAAAAACI4/IvnRo0SZ4pU/s1600/Rodeo+Song+large.png" height="320" width="202" /></a>More about Shannon's book, <i>Rodeo Song</i>:</div>
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<b>JENNA WENTWORTH FOUND THE MAN OF HER DREAMS </b><o:p></o:p><br />
But when silken-voiced Garrett Steele set out for stardom, he left Jenna—and
his cowboy past—far behind. A chance encounter at one of his concerts propels
him back into Jenna's life. But, once burned by love, Jenna must guard her
heart against the captivating singer. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Once upon a time, Garrett vowed he'd be a success, no matter what. But that
path shattered his soul. His reunion with Jenna makes him long for things he
once took for granted. Now he must show her that he's found what he was looking
for all along…right here in his hometown.<br />
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Rodeo Song is available at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FTQI6EC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FTQI6EC&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=4MNARCA6RBLITVOV%22%3ERodeo%20Song%20(Heartsong%20Presents)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00FTQI6EC%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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Shannon has graciously agreed to do a <b>giveaway</b> of one print copy of Rodeo Song. One winner will be drawn using Random Name Picker next Tuesday, announced on next Wednesday's Writer Wednesday. To enter this giveaway answer the following question in the comments. What career would you choose if money/time were no obstacle?<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger<br />
<o:p></o:p>Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-69109440198888895312014-05-07T04:00:00.000-05:002014-05-07T04:00:09.590-05:00Writer Wednesday with Amanda CabotToday I bring to you the wonderful, multi-published author Amanda Cabot.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FmQYm_Zoi0/U2k3TcjuN8I/AAAAAAAACIA/gELIu82hdy0/s1600/Amanda+Cabot+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_FmQYm_Zoi0/U2k3TcjuN8I/AAAAAAAACIA/gELIu82hdy0/s1600/Amanda+Cabot+.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></div>
From the age of seven, Amanda Cabot dreamed of becoming a published author, but it was only when she set herself the goal of selling a book by her thirtieth birthday that the dream came true. A former director of Information Technology, Amanda has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. She’s delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian historical romances. Her Texas Dreams trilogy received critical acclaim; Christmas Roses was a CBA bestseller; and a number of her books have been finalists for national awards, including ACFW’s Carol award. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Comfort in Unexpected Places</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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by Amanda Cabot</div>
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It was January of 2000, and the last thing I wanted to be
doing was driving from New Jersey to Western New York. Oh, it wasn’t the threat of bad weather that
made me so reluctant to be on the road.
It was what waited at the end. My
mother had developed Alzheimer’s, and as the oldest child, I had the
responsibility for some tough decisions.
The goal of this trip was to select an assisted living facility for
her. To say the least, I wasn’t looking
forward to anything about the visit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Halfway along the route was the Welcome to New York
visitor’s center on Interstate 81 near Binghamton. My husband and I had stopped there a number
of times over the years, but since we were only passing through, we’d never
gone into the small room filled with tourist information. This time, though, as I was riding down the
escalator, I noticed a carousel horse inside that room. Intrigued, I went over to it, looked at it
for a few seconds, then picked up a brochure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That was the beginning of what became a full-fledged case of
carousel fever. As I read about the six
carousels in the Binghamton area and how they had been commissioned by George
F. Johnson, my mind began to whirl.
Although I’d heard of Endicott-Johnson shoes, I hadn’t known that George
F., as he was referred to, had grown up poor.
When he made his fortune, he was determined to make life a little
happier for other children, and so when he donated the carousels, it was with
the stipulation that the towns could never charge for a ride.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That story both touched my heart and sparked my
imagination. I started thinking about a
poor boy staring through the iron fence that separated him from a carousel,
wishing he could ride it. I began to
imagine the men who carved those beautiful painted ponies and what their lives
had been like before they started carving carousel animals. My thoughts leapt forward to modern times,
and I pictured the men and women who painstakingly restored the antique horses
to their former glory. And, all the time
I was thinking about them, I wasn’t dwelling on the real reason for the trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I know it was no coincidence that although the carousel
horse had been in that room for years, that was the first time I saw it. We’ve heard so often that God’s timing is
perfect, and it was. He knew I needed
comfort on that particular trip, and He gave it to me. He also led me to a wonderful church-run
assisted living facility that was able to give my mother the 24/7 care she
needed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That chance encounter with a carousel horse is the reason
the hero of “One Little Word,” my novella in the <i>Sincerely Yours</i> novella collection, is a carousel carver. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Sincerely Yours<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i>A Novella Collection<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Jane Kirkpatrick, Amanda Cabot, Laurie Alice Eakes, and Ann
Shorey<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spWeiBgehrM/U2k3T6aYm7I/AAAAAAAACIE/pNYNjsbRE7Y/s1600/sincerely+yours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-spWeiBgehrM/U2k3T6aYm7I/AAAAAAAACIE/pNYNjsbRE7Y/s1600/sincerely+yours.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a><b>Four unexpected
letters. Four intrepid women. Four lives changed forever.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Spanning a century and a continent, these romantic novellas
will lead you on a journey through the landscape <o:p></o:p></div>
of love. Four young women find their lives altered after each
receives a letter that sets her on a new path. From a Hudson River steamboat to
a lush drawing room, from a carousel carver’s workshop to a remote hospital,
you’ll be swept into the lives of women who are making their way in the world
and finding love where they least expect it.<br />
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<b>Moonlight Promise </b><i>by Laurie Alice Eakes</i><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Camilla Renfrew is a highborn English lady fleeing false
accusations when she runs smack into love on a steamboat bound for the new Erie
Canal. But can this unexpected attraction survive the treacherous journey?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Lessons in Love </b><i>by Ann Shorey</i><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Marigold Montgomery Bentley writes marriage advice for <i>Kipler’s Home Weekly</i> even though she is
single<i>.</i> Everyone assumes from the
initials that “M. M.” is a man. When the editor asks to meet Mr. Bentley, can
Merrie come up with a ruse to keep her writing job?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>One Little Word </b><i>by Amanda Cabot</i><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Lorraine Caldwell will lose her family fortune to a reckless
cousin if she doesn’t marry quickly. When she learns her long lost brother is
alive, she hopes she’s found the answer to her problems. What she finds instead
is a mysterious carousel carver who turns her life upside down. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>A Saving Grace </b><i>by Jane Kirkpatrick<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Grace Hathaway must rescue a dear friend from a remote and notorious
clinic that promises healing but delivers only heartache. In a place laced with
deceit, where lives hang in the balance, whom can she trust to help her?<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find out more about Amanda at the following sites:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amandacabot.com/">www.amandacabot.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/">http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Cabot/110238182354449?v=wall">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Cabot/110238182354449?v=wall</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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My review of <a href="http://gingersolomon.blogspot.com/2014/05/friday-reviews-coffee-correspondence.html"><i>Sincerely Yours</i></a>.</div>
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<i>Sincerely Yours </i>is available at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HAJWS5Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HAJWS5Y&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=EMOUXFKOUX36IVE6%22%3ESincerely%20Yours:%20A%20Novella%20Collection%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HAJWS5Y%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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Thanks for joining me today, Amanda.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-77072258493007623452014-05-02T04:00:00.000-05:002014-05-02T04:00:07.721-05:00Friday Reviews - Coffee, Correspondence, and Coming HomeIt's been a few weeks since I've posted reviews, so here is a variety for your perusal.<br />
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<i>Murder Simply Brewed</i> was a great romantic suspense. Vannetta Chapman outdid herself by giving us not one but two romances. I enjoyed reading about Amber and Hannah as they grow in their unusual friendship, as they solve the Village mystery, and as they each fall in love (not with each other LOL).<br />
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You don't have to be a coffee drinker to enjoy the book. :)<br />
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Blurb:<br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Spring has arrived in Middlebury, Indiana, and Amber Wright can see profits in sight for her collection of Amish artisan shops—until she receives a call that Ethan Gray is dead. Hurrying over to A Simple Blend, she finds a single hole in the front window and Mr. Gray dead from an apparent heart attack. All the money is still in his register. Hannah Troyer takes over the shop’s duties, and she and Amber become fast friends as well as amateur sleuths. The police believe Gray’s death to be a by-product of vandalism, but Amber and Hannah aren’t so easily convinced.</span></blockquote>
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Old Testament clues that don’t add up, a neighbor who is pulled into the midst of the investigation, a town with secrets to hide, and blossoming romance—all will combine to push Amber and Hannah into unfamiliar roles in order to solve a mystery and bring peace to the Amish community.</span></blockquote>
Rating: 5 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="http://spring%20has%20arrived%20in%20middlebury%2C%20indiana%2C%20and%20amber%20wright%20can%20see%20profits%20in%20sight%20for%20her%20collection%20of%20amish%20artisan%20shops%E2%80%94until%20she%20receives%20a%20call%20that%20ethan%20gray%20is%20dead.%20hurrying%20over%20to%20a%20simple%20blend%2C%20she%20finds%20a%20single%20hole%20in%20the%20front%20window%20and%20mr.%20gray%20dead%20from%20an%20apparent%20heart%20attack.%20all%20the%20money%20is%20still%20in%20his%20register.%20hannah%20troyer%20takes%20over%20the%20shop%E2%80%99s%20duties%2C%20and%20she%20and%20amber%20become%20fast%20friends%20as%20well%20as%20amateur%20sleuths.%20the%20police%20believe%20gray%E2%80%99s%20death%20to%20be%20a%20by-product%20of%20vandalism%2C%20but%20amber%20and%20hannah%20aren%E2%80%99t%20so%20easily%20convinced.%20old%20testament%20clues%20that%20don%E2%80%99t%20add%20up%2C%20a%20neighbor%20who%20is%20pulled%20into%20the%20midst%20of%20the%20investigation%2C%20a%20town%20with%20secrets%20to%20hide%2C%20and%20blossoming%20romance%E2%80%94all%20will%20combine%20to%20push%20amber%20and%20hannah%20into%20unfamiliar%20roles%20in%20order%20to%20solve%20a%20mystery%20and%20bring%20peace%20to%20the%20amish%20community./">Amazon</a> and other fine retailers.<br />
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<i>Sincerely Yours</i> is a romance novella collection from four great writers-Jane Kirkpatrick, Amanda Cabot, Laurie Alice Eakes, and Ann Shorey. Within its pages you will find four love stories each instigated by a letter, which takes each heroine of a journey of a lifetime. Each reminds us that things are not always as they seem, and God ALWAYS has a plan. I especially loved the carousel horses.<br />
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Blurb:<br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">In this collection of brand-new historical novellas from four outstanding storytellers, four young women find their lives altered after each receives a letter that sets her on a new path toward a changed life--and perhaps lifelong love. From a Hudson River steamboat to a lush drawing room, from a carousel carver's workshop to a remote and controversial hospital, readers will love being swept into the lives of four young women who are making their way in the world and finding love where they least expect it.</span></blockquote>
Rating: 5 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HAJWS5Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HAJWS5Y&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=3ZJK56RNFSYWBFHF%22%3ESincerely%20Yours:%20A%20Novella%20Collection%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00HAJWS5Y%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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I've long enjoyed Mary Ellis's books, and <i>A Plain Man</i> is no different. Caleb's story is a touching story of a wayward son coming home. Except it's not an easy transition. With a little help from his sister's best friend, Josie, Caleb discovers some things about himself that threaten his future. I hate spoilers, so I won't tell you more; you'll have to read it to find out the good stuff.<br />
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<i>A Plain Man</i> is a quick look into the life of an Amish man who stepped away from his upbringing and has much to regret about his life. Upon returning to his roots, he is determined to do the right thing.<br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Bestselling author Mary Ellis offers an engaging new standalone Amish romance about a prodigal seeking to find his way home.</span><br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Though Caleb Beachy lived in the Englisch world for some years, he is a Plain man at heart. When he decides to return to the Amish lifestyle, he moves back home and goes to work for his father. Soon these two strong-willed men find themselves at odds. Caleb discovers there's more to embracing his faith and reconnecting with the community than merely driving a horse and buggy and giving up Levis.</span><br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Josie Yoder was just a girl when he left. All grown up now, she gives Caleb hope for the future. She soothes his frayed temper and is determined to remind him that while his faith may have wavered, God never left his side. Caleb is tempted to return Josie's feelings, but the choices he made while away are a heavy burden on his conscience. Will past mistakes end up destroying their fledgling romance? Or will she be able to break through the wall around his heart?</span><br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">A Plain Man is more than just a sweet romance centered in Amish beliefs. It's the ever-fresh story of a wounded heart finding joy, health, and healing in God's infinite grace. </span></blockquote>
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Rating: 5 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2YDBVQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I2YDBVQ&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=EFITXFQX3YVPP355%22%3EA%20Plain%20Man%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00I2YDBVQ%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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I hope you found something to read and enjoy.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger<br />
<br />Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-31652500718961202152014-04-30T07:43:00.000-05:002014-04-30T07:43:30.195-05:00Writer Wednesday with Deanna K. Klingel<span style="font-family: inherit;">Late again. The stomach bug hit me hard Monday and Tuesday. Today I am better, so here we are. Good thing it can't be transmitted cyberly. :)</span><br />
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Today A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included welcomes Deanna K. Klingel.<br />
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<span 19.5px="" line-height:=""><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deanna </span></span>finds inspiration in a lot of places, but much of the inspiration comes from looking out her studio window into the mountains of Western North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and her golden retriever, Buddy. They enjoy visiting around the southeast where their seven children live with their families. Deanna travels with her books while Dave and Buddy enjoy the dog park which Deanna operates in her community.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Writing Heroes</b></span></div>
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I’ll soon be starting my third nonfiction “hero” story for young readers. I’ll be interviewing a woman who worked with the French underground resistance as a teenager. My first hero story, <i>Bread Upon the Water</i> was about a Vietnamese boy who escaped as a boat person in order to follow his calling to the priesthood. <i>Rock and a Hard Place, A Lithuanian Love Story</i>, released in March. This is a true story of a boy and girl growing up in free and prosperous Lithuania in 1930s. When Russia invaded their beloved homeland both families began their arduous journeys across Eastern Europe as displaced persons. Life would never be the same.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p><br />
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I enjoy writing hero stories. These aren’t heroes with capes and magical powers; these aren’t the faces on the covers of <i>People Magazine</i>. These are real people, ordinary people who do extraordinary things in difficult situations. Putting one foot in front of the other, day after day, they do the best they can with what they have. Often their only tools are their faith and courage. These are very personal stories that involve more hours interviewing than actually writing. It’s intense. Sometimes it conjures up bad memories. All my subjects had bad dreams following some of their reliving of the memories. I don’t write these to exploit anyone, bring up bad memories or put anyone in an uncomfortable spotlight. Heroes are always private unassuming people who don’t enjoy the limelight. True heroes never seek fame. They have a true humility. My books honor their stories.<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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When these people agree to share their stories they give all of us and our grandchildren a wonderful gift of history that only they can give. It is my privilege as well as my pleasure to give their stories life, to share culture and important world history with our children and grandchildren. The publisher of <i>Rock and a Hard Place, A Lithuanian Love Story</i>, calls it an important book, one she says she’s honored to publish. It’s important because it’s not just a personal story, it’s world history, in small bites. It’s one of many stories that need to be told, written, heard, and read. Those who can tell these stories have been named by Tom Brokaw “The Greatest Generation.” Time is running out to get their stories told. <u1:p></u1:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Great spokesmen and spokeswomen have warned us for centuries if we don’t remember our history we are doomed to repeat it. If we don’t know our past, we can’t make a future. Sadly, the very week Rock and a Hard Place released, I could have retitled it: "Rock and a Hard Place, A Ukrainian Horror Story." Ladies and gentlemen, our grandchildren <i>must</i> learn their world history. I have learned so much from the wonderful heroes whose stories I’ve written. They all share many of the same qualities: faith, courage, patience, endurance and a selflessness.<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Historical events become personal when told by those who were part of the events. This true story, walking a narrow balance between history and romance, is the story of a boy, a girl, and the country they loved. What does the Russian invasion mean for Roman Catholic children? What does it mean for Lithuania? Follow their heroic travels as displaced persons into war torn Germany where their lives intersect in divine and mysterious ways.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Her books at Amazon:<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BRJ61S8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BRJ61S8&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=J6VV5QDTVJPQTVUT%22%3EBread%20Upon%20the%20Water%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00BRJ61S8%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Bread Upon the Water</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IVSF3LE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IVSF3LE&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20&linkId=NIX75TXJBYPATINF%22%3ERock%20And%20A%20Hard%20Place%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=abedofrosthoi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00IVSF3LE%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Rock and a Hard Place</a><br />
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Deanna can be found at her websit<span style="font-family: inherit;">e-<a href="http://www.booksbydeanna.com/" style="font-size: 12pt;">www.Booksbydeanna.com</a>, or Facebook-<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Booksbydeannacom">Books By Deanna</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deanna.klingel?fref=ts">Deanna K. Klingel</a></span><br />
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Thanks for joining us today, Deanna.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger</div>
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After a successful career in mathematics and computer
science, receiving grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and
being listed in <i>Who’s Who in Computer
Science</i> and <i>Two Thousand Notable
Americans</i>, James R. Callan turned to his first love—writing. He wrote a monthly column for a national
magazine for two years, and published four non-fiction books. He now concentrates on his favorite genre,
mysteries, with his sixth book releasing in Spring, 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can find James on the web:</div>
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Website: <a href="http://www.jamesrcallan.com/">www.jamesrcallan.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Blog: <a href="http://www.jamesrcallan.com/blog">www.jamesrcallan.com/blog</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Amazon Author page: <a href="http://amzn.to/1eeykvG">http://amzn.to/1eeykvG</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Twitter: @jamesrcallan<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Story Behind <i>A Ton of Gold</i></span></b></div>
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By James Callan</div>
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For several years, I had wanted to write a book where the protagonist was a researcher in computer science, particularly information retrieval. I had done some research in this area when working on a Ph.D. in mathematics many, many years ago. Also, I had a son who was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Melon University. A couple of ideas had formed, but none jumped up and said, “Write me.”</div>
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One night, a couple of years ago, I wanted something short and light to read before turning out the light and going to sleep. I grabbed a collection of old Texas folk tales, flipped through and selected one at random. Of course, it was interesting. Folk tales usually are. It told of a wagon load of precious metal being pushed into a lake to hide it from the pursuing Mexican Army. There was no mention of it ever being recovered.</div>
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This one played around in my mind and even as I went to sleep, it stayed with me. In the morning, I thought about it and dismissed it for what it was: a folk tale.</div>
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Over the next month, it kept coming back to me. And each time, I would remind myself it was a 178 year-old story and had no relevance today. But all parts of the mind do not always agree. And one part of my brain started asking the question: how could such an old story affect the lives of people today? </div>
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The two ideas of information retrieval and the old folk tale kept popping up in my mind and slowly began to weave around one another. Before long, the skeleton of a plot took shape, and I was ready to begin. </div>
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As I wrote, interesting characters presented themselves and demanded to be included in the story. Of course, I said yes, come right in and add your own flavor to this book. And in developing the back story for the protagonist, a very interesting subplot arose.</div>
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The end result was the 94,000 word mystery/suspense novel <i>A Ton of Gold</i>. The protagonist, Crystal Moore, is a researcher in information retrieval. The old folk tale comes to the attention of some greedy and not too bright thugs. This eventually leads to murder, arson and kidnapping. And in the midst of this, the man who almost destroyed Crystal emotionally is coming back. This time, he can ruin her career.</div>
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Crystal will need all the help she can get from a former bull rider, a street-wise friend, and Crystal’s feisty, seventy-five year-old grandmother.</div>
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Set between Dallas and the piney woods of east Texas, <i>A Ton of Gold</i> answers the question can old folk tales affecting people today. And the answer is a resounding YES. They certainly can. Just ask Crystal Moore.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISQCWGV_iOE/U1Z5PknD7aI/AAAAAAAACHM/W-_cwg1lGmc/s1600/Cover-A+Ton+of+Gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ISQCWGV_iOE/U1Z5PknD7aI/AAAAAAAACHM/W-_cwg1lGmc/s1600/Cover-A+Ton+of+Gold.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a>More about <i>A Ton of Gold</i> (a contemporary suspense novel):</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Can long forgotten, old folk
tales affect the lives of people today? In <b><i>A Ton of Gold</i></b>, one certainly
affected young, brilliant Crystal Moore.
Two people are killed, others threatened, a house burned and an office
fire-bombed – all because of an old folk tale, greed and ignorance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">On top of that, the man who
nearly destroyed Crystal emotionally is coming back. This time he can put an end to her
career. She’ll need all the help she can
get from a former bull rider, her streetwise housemate and her feisty 76
year-old grandmother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>A Ton of Gold</i> is available in paper and digital editions at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. </div>
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Amazon, paperback<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>http://amzn.to/UQrqsZ</div>
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Amazon, Kindle<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>http://amzn.to/12PeHJb</div>
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Barnes & Noble Nook<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>http://bit.ly/1kM7p1M</div>
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Another of James' books, <i>Character: The Heartbeat of the Novel,</i> can be found here: <a href="http://amzn.to/13ADvF3" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://amzn.to/13ADvF3</a></div>
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Thanks for joining us today, James, and telling us about why you wrote <i>A Ton of Gold</i>.</div>
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I'm not a prolific folk-tale reader, so tell me, my wonderful readers, what other folk-tales do you know that spark the imagination?</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-26036320165973587882014-04-16T08:34:00.001-05:002014-04-16T18:02:15.495-05:00Writer Wednesday with Mary Ellis<span style="font-family: inherit;">Running a little late this morning. I'm not sure why I forgot to get this done yesterday. I guess my mind is in too many places.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, please help me welcome Mary Ellis.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4Xi4ajtLE8/U06EF4bvD3I/AAAAAAAACGs/tUptCRMeUp4/s1600/Mary+Ellis+low+res+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q4Xi4ajtLE8/U06EF4bvD3I/AAAAAAAACGs/tUptCRMeUp4/s1600/Mary+Ellis+low+res+head.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mary Ellis has written twelve bestselling novels set in the Amish community. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. <b><i>Living in Harmony</i></b>, book one of her last series won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction. <b><i>Love Comes to Paradise</i></b> won the 2013 Lime Award. She is currently working on a three-book series of historical romances set during the Civil War for Harvest House Publishers. <b><i>The Quaker and the Rebel </i></b>released in January. Her current release is <b><i>A Plain Man</i></b>. She can be found on the web at: <a href="http://www.maryellis.net/">www.maryellis.net</a> (Where you can also sign up for her newsletter.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.maryeellis.wordpress.com/">www.maryeellis.wordpress.com</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>What I Learned About Newsletters</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">by Mary Ellis<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every author wants to know the best way to reach potential readers. After a dozen years in the business I have come to the conclusion, there isn’t <i>one</i> correct way. Each author must try a variety of ideas, and then return to those which have the best results. Many industry professionals feel newsletters are an effective way to reach your audience. This month my publisher, Harvest House, released my twelfth Amish romance, <b><i>A Plain Man.</i></b> Soon I will send out my spring newsletter to help spread the word. Recently I organized what I’ve learned about newsletters into one concise list from a variety of sources. Keep in mind some of these “rules” I personally abide by, some of which I sometimes follow, and some of which I flagrantly ignore. Decide for yourself what works for you and good luck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~ Newsletters should come out every two months<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~ The best day to send: first day of the month<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~80% should be content to benefit your audience, only 20% should be news about you (I don’t follow <i>that </i>exactly)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Each newsletter should contain:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->a feature article 500 words or less which should help, inspire, or entertain</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->an extra “value” section, such as frequently asked questions or recipes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->A brief bio with your value statement (what your books intend to accomplish other than entertain)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->An endorsement from a name that your targeted readers would recognize (I’ve never done this)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->A calendar of your upcoming speaking or book signing events (usually I just insert a link to the calendar page in my blog)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">6)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Your current featured release (now you get to talk about current book with blurb, cover, trailer, and if it’s on sale yet somewhere)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">7)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Contact info: your email, website, blog, Facebook, and other media links (but don’t go overboard with this)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">8)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Should have a professional layout such as a banner across the top</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">9)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Give them something for free (like an article you’ve written or chapter one of your book. (These would be links readers can click on)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">10)<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Mention your upcoming contest. (Twice a year I give away 10 signed copies of my current release to newsletter subscribers.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks it! Now you know everyone I know about newsletters. Give it a try and let me know what you think.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">More about A Plain Man:</span><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qlLq__IS6zI/U06EGv0DLLI/AAAAAAAACG4/-ujmPl-BIgA/s1600/A+Plain+Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qlLq__IS6zI/U06EGv0DLLI/AAAAAAAACG4/-ujmPl-BIgA/s1600/A+Plain+Man.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="207" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Though Caleb Beachy tried the <i>Englisch </i>world for some years, he is a Plain man at heart. But when he decides to return to the Amish lifestyle, he discovers there’s more to embracing his faith and reconnecting <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">with the community than merely driving a horse and buggy and giving up his Levis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Josie Yoder was just a girl when he left. All grown up now, she gives Caleb hope for the future and reminds him that while his faith may have wavered, God never left his side. But will past mistakes end up destroying their fledgling romance before it really has a chance to begin? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Delight in the story of a wounded heart finding joy, health, and healing in God’s infinite grace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I have this novel sitting in my to-be-read pile. Arrgghh, now I want to read it all the more.<br />
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Time where art thou? LOL<br />
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A Plain Man is available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I2YDBVQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I2YDBVQ&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Amazon</a> and other fine retailers.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger<br />
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<b>PS. Mary has graciously agreed to give away one copy of A Plain Man to one person who comments below. </b>
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</span></span> <span class="hwc" name="hotword"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kari Jobe has a new album out called "Majestic." On this album is a song entitled, "Forever." Our choir (The Rock FWC, Madison Campus) will be singing it for our Easter services (Friday @ 7pm, Saturday @ 4 and 6pm, and Sunday @ 9, 10:45, and 12:30). </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span class="hwc" name="hotword"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I like Kari Jobe. I think she's an awesome singer, but even better she's a great worshiper. This song has touched me a great deal as we've practiced it. </span></span><br />
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</span></span> <span class="hwc" name="hotword"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It seemed appropriate to post this during this week leading up to Easter. I pray you will read these lyrics and think about the true nature of our God, about how much Jesus gave up to save us, and how much He loves us all, no matter our sin, no matter our past, no matter how we feel about ourselves. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The moon and stars they wept<br />
The morning sun was dead<br />
The Savior of the world was fallen<br />
His body on the cross<br />
His blood poured out for us<br />
The weight of every curse was broken</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One final breath He gave<br />
As Heaven looked away<br />
The Son of God was laid in darkness<br />
A battle in the grave<br />
The war on death was waged<br />
The power of hell forever broken</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ground began to shake<br />
The stone was rolled away<br />
His perfect love could not be overcome<br />
Now death where is your sting<br />
Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Forever, He is glorified<br />
Forever, He is lifted high<br />
Forever, He is risen<br />
He is alive<br />
He is alive</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">© 2013 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP) / Worship Together Music (BMI) (Admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)</span></blockquote>
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Here is the video. It's long, but well-worth the 13 minutes of your day. Don't turn it off when the man gets up to speak. His words are powerful. He may not be singing, but his worship is just as poignant.<br />
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May God bless you today as you obey him, worship him, and give him the glory.
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Ginger<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="hwc" color:="" name="hotword"></span></span>Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-29434225581929560942014-04-09T04:00:00.000-05:002014-04-09T04:00:09.496-05:00Writer Wednesday with Alexis A. Goring<span style="font-family: inherit;">Join me in welcoming Alexis Goring to A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgYI9ShOyDQ/U0QXlzI2vII/AAAAAAAACGQ/YzpWcDv4JSo/s1600/Author+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgYI9ShOyDQ/U0QXlzI2vII/AAAAAAAACGQ/YzpWcDv4JSo/s1600/Author+photo.jpg" height="163" width="200" /></a><span 115="" 14.0pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" line-height:="" new="" quot="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alexis A. Goring is a college graduate with a degree in print journalism from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. Writing is her passion. She hopes that her stories will touch hearts, bring smiles to faces, and inspire minds to seek God whose love for humanity is unfailing.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Waiting and God’s Perfect Timing</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Written by Alexis A. Goring, author</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">They say good things come to those who wait.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">But what if you’ve been waiting for what feels like <i>forever</i> for a <i>dream</i> of your <i>heart</i> to come true?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Such is the case with Chandra McIntire, one of my main characters in the story <i>Love Unexpected </i>(story #1 in my novella <i>Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories</i>). Chandra is waiting on Mr. Right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">They also say you find love when you least expect it. And that is exactly what happened to Chandra when celebrity fitness trainer Sebastian Carter runs into her—literally—on the freeway. Granted, Sebastian and Chandra do not immediately fall in love—due to way they met, Chandra isn’t exactly seeing Sebastian as boyfriend material much less Mr. Right. But people around Chandra and Sebastian see the potential for a true love story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Now a few things about Chandra and Sebastian—prior to meeting each other, they are not looking for love, in fact even <i>after</i> meeting each other they have their reservations. Chandra is focused on her career and Sebastian is focused on well, himself. But just like in real life, God works in mysterious ways. Despite Chandra’s strong, “Independent Woman” front and Sebastian’s fun-loving bachelor-for-life mindset, the two characters realize that they need each other. Sebastian needs someone to be honest with him and challenge him to think of someone other than himself, and Chandra needs someone to fulfill the hope in her heart which is to be loved and pursued by a man who she is not only attracted to but who respects her and adores her completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Several things I’ve learned from my fictional characters Sebastian and Chandra:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">1)<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">True love can enter your life when you least expect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">2)<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sometimes God speaks through people who can see what you cannot see, so take note.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">3)<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">God has your best interest at heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">4)<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">God knows what and who is best for you in this life, so trust Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">5)<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">God is the best matchmaker!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11. </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">God is speaking in these words, “<span background-position:="" background-repeat:="" initial="">For I know the plans<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" initial="" line-height:="" new="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">I’d like to say that Sebastian and Chandra’s love story is a perfect example of how God has good plans for His children, always! It serves as a reminder that good things come to those who wait on the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" initial="" line-height:="" new="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">So what do you do while you’re “in the waiting”? Live in obedience to God’s will and trust that God is with you, working out His Master Plan. Ultimately, you learn to let God lead and rely on His <i>perfect timing</i> not just for discovering your true love but for everything! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" initial="" line-height:="" new="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">More about <i>Hope in My Heart</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">Hope in My Heart</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is a collection of short, heartwarming stories with characters in need of hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In “Love Unexpected,” a car crash brings commitment-wary Sebastian and career woman Chandra together. Neither is looking for romance, but those around them see the potential, and Sebastian and Chandra discover that sometimes love shows up unexpectedly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christmastime is the setting for the middle story, “The Best Gift.” Christina desires to lose ten pounds so she can fit into her dress for her sister’s wedding. Jordan wishes her mom would stop trying to marry her off. And Joshua hopes to be reunited with his ex-girlfriend but eventually learns that the best gift this Christmas will be the restoration of his relationship with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In “Peace and Love,” three characters living in a metropolitan area are desperately searching. Elle, a starving artist, aspires to become a paid professional. Eric, a divorce attorney, wants to resolve his issues concerning his parents’ divorce. Kristine anticipates finding her birth mom before she marries Derek. All characters pray their searches will conclude this holiday season and fill their hearts with peace and love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" initial="" line-height:="" new="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">You can find out more about Alexis here:</span></div>
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<span 115="" 14.0pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" line-height:="" new="" quot="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Official website,<span style="color: #666666;"> <a href="http://www.alexisagoring.com/">http://www.alexisagoring.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14.0pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" line-height:="" new="" quot="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Facebook, <span style="color: #666666;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring">https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span 115="" 14.0pt="" font-family:="" font-size:="" imes="" line-height:="" new="" quot="" roman="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter, @pennedbyalex<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span 19px="" 21.466665267944336px="" font-size:="" line-height:="" style="font-family: inherit;">And more about <i>Hope in My Heart</i> here:</span></div>
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-33627794348438257402014-04-04T04:00:00.000-05:002014-04-04T04:00:00.046-05:00Spring has sprung...I thinkSpring in north Alabama is a funny thing. It really can't make up it's mind. Tuesday and Wednesday the highs were in the upper 70s and low 80s. This coming weekend we'll be back in the 60s.<br />
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I'm ready to ditch the cold weather, but I don't really look forward to the heat of summer. A few sure signs of warmer weather are the flowers blooming, the clover growing, and my dog gets skinnier.<br />
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The Before picture.</div>
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The After picture (shaved and bathed).</div>
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See all the fur behind him, piled up next to the grass. It used to be on him. Isn't he such a cutie? He's about six years old now, even though he still looks like a puppy. He looks happier with all that fur off, don't you think? LOL</div>
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What signifies spring has sprung at your house?</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger</div>
Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-75419797770879141262014-04-02T04:00:00.000-05:002014-04-02T04:00:05.143-05:00Writer Wednesday - Susan J. Reinhardt<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Um3TkXMb3k/Uzq_7x6mcuI/AAAAAAAACFM/00qiEEx15T8/s1600/%23P3+-+I+LIKE+THIS+ONE!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3Um3TkXMb3k/Uzq_7x6mcuI/AAAAAAAACFM/00qiEEx15T8/s1600/%23P3+-+I+LIKE+THIS+ONE!.jpg" /></a>Susan J. Reinhardt's journey to publication began as a non-fiction writer. She's been published in The RevWriter Resource, Devotions Magazine, A Secret Place, Vista, Live, and numerous other compilations and periodicals. Her appreciation for using fiction techniques inspired her to use fiction as a vehicle for truth. Her novel, "The Moses Conspiracy," is tentatively scheduled for release in late February/early March.<br />
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A widow, stepmom, and active church member, Susan enjoys reading, couponing, gardening, and searching for small treasures in antique shops.<br />
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Susan is represented by Joyce Hart, of Hartline Literary Agency.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">When Seat-of-the-Pants Writing Stands Up and Shouts</span><o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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by Susan J. Reinhardt<o:p></o:p></div>
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"This story is about me."<o:p></o:p></div>
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I'd originally thought the couple from The Moses Conspiracy, Ellie and John Zimmerman, would once again take center stage in my second book. A reader commented on one of the social media sites that she liked Jim Kenneman, the Director of National Security, a lot. Her remark stuck in my head, but sometimes I'm a little dense. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I remember a time when I was out of work and kept saying, "I should get two part-time jobs and make one full-time job." After saying that as a joke umpteen times, it dawned on me that maybe, just maybe, God was trying to tell me something. One of those part-time positions became an excellent full-time job a year later.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thinking outside the box has never been my strong point. During one of my writing sessions, I kept focusing on the Zimmerman family and coming up dry. Thoughts and scenes involving Jim Kenneman teased my brain. Since subtle hints weren't cutting it, he finally tapped me on the shoulder and said, "This story is about me."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Talk about a "Duh" moment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Being a Seat-of-the-Pants writer has advantages and disadvantages. Writing a book is like a great adventure where I never know what's around the corner. Unfortunately, I can also end up going down rabbit trails that come to a dead end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It takes prayer and a quiet heart to pick up on the cues the Lord gives me regarding each book. At times, there's a sure knowledge I'm headed in the right direction. The Scent of Fear was an exercise in trusting God and listening for those random thoughts on what to write next. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When something keeps popping up and waving its hands at me, I've learned to take note and further explore where it will lead. Someday, thinking outside the box will become as normal as breathing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Writers: What kind of detours have you encountered when writing a novel?</div>
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Readers: What suggestions have you made to authors concerning their books?<br />
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More about <i>A Scent of Fear:</i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SeDuADJZeI/Uzq_8O_el-I/AAAAAAAACFY/n8jDWBrNLF4/s1600/The+Scent+of+Fear+New+Release+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8SeDuADJZeI/Uzq_8O_el-I/AAAAAAAACFY/n8jDWBrNLF4/s1600/The+Scent+of+Fear+New+Release+2.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a>The Zimmermans enjoy the tenuous peace in the wake of their
hair-raising year battling the New Patriots. Unexpected visitors once again
throw them into turmoil.</blockquote>
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Jim Kenneman, Director of National Security, masterminded
the plan to break up a hate group ravaging the Christian community. Now, his
enemies are out to eliminate him. Should he make a run for it or stick by his
tried-and-true negotiating skills?</blockquote>
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Monty Addison, a topnotch operative, carried out his assignment
in Bird-in-Hand. A plot to destroy his boss sends him on a mission. Without
agency sanction, it may cost him everything - his career, his family, and maybe
his life. </blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p>Dr. Abby Weaver strives to save infants and toddlers in
Holmes County, Ohio. When she meets two strangers, she can't get the tall,
handsome one out of her mind. Will their paths intersect again or will
dangerous times keep them apart?</blockquote>
Where to find Susan's books:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Scent-Fear-Susan-Reinhardt-ebook/dp/B00GTZEYKW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392681813&sr=8-1&keywords=the+scent+of+fear+by+susan+j.+reinhardt+kindle"> The Scent of Fear</a><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Moses-Conspiracy-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B00BV8ZQ0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392681885&sr=8-1&keywords=the+moses+conspiracy+by+susan+j.+reinhardt+kindle">The Moses Conspiracy</a></div>
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And to connect with Susan:</div>
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Blog: <a href="http://susanjreinhardt.blogspot.com/">ChristianWriter/Reader Connection </a> </div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSusanJReinhardt">Facebook Author Page</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012233.Susan_J_Reinhardt">Goodreads</a> </div>
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Twitter:
@susanjreinhardt</div>
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She's also on Google+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.</div>
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As a seat-of-the-pants writer, I also have "duh" moments. With the manuscript that I'm working on now (editing to send to an agent), at the very end it took a twist that I didn't expect at all. I thought two brothers were fighting over the same woman, but it turns out one of them was only pretending so the other one would marry again after a disastrous first marriage. </div>
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How about you? What is your answer to Susan's questions? If you've never made a suggestion, tell me what suggestion you would like to make (though you may never do so).</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-31378385979744081322014-03-28T04:00:00.000-05:002014-03-28T04:00:05.051-05:00Reviews: Dark Tide, Love Redeemed, & Her Whole Self<div class="tr_bq">
Three more books to review this week -- a little something for everyone. A romantic suspense. An Amish romance. And a contemporary romance.</div>
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Blurb:<br />
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Gina Evans knows her brother was murdered—even if the police won't believe her. After catching a quick glimpse of the evidence her brother had gathered, the same criminals are after her and her baby niece. And Gina's only hope is the man she left behind. Despite the painful memories, private investigator Derrick Justice won't fail Gina and her baby. Yet now, the woman he never stopped loving and the baby he's come to adore are in a killer's crosshairs. But can Derrick trap the cold-blooded murderer before he strikes again? </blockquote>
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The Justice Agency: Family and law enforcement go hand in hand.</blockquote>
My review:<br />
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I've read every single one of The Justice Agency Series books and have loved every one. Dark Tide is no different. Derrick and Gina's story touched my heart -- making it beat faster during those inevitable scary times and making it slow in awe as they worked out their feelings for one another.<br />
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I love happily-ever-afters, and this is one series I will miss. I have come to "know" the Justice brothers and sisters, and each story has touched me in a unique way.<br />
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5 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FBZCWLY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FBZCWLY&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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In the second book of the New Hope Amish series, acclaimed author Kelly Irvin spins a tale of romance, grief, and redemption deep in Amish country.</blockquote>
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Phoebe Christner is thrilled when the families of her close-knit Amish community decide to spend a week at the lake. She feels she's earned a break...and it doesn't hurt that Michael Daugherty will be coming along. They'll find ways to spend time together--she's certain of it--and their romance will have time to blossom.</blockquote>
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But when tragedy strikes, Phoebe and Michael are torn apart by their pain and the knowledge of their guilt. As they both cope with the loss of a loved one, they will come to discover that they are worthy not only of each other's love, but God's love.</blockquote>
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A tender novel of faith and family set in the heart of Amish country.</blockquote>
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My review:<br />
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This was a profoundly moving story about how to move on after tragedy. It made me cry, but it also made me smile. It was so real and emotional. I enjoyed it immensely.<br />
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4 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HVNUUEK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HVNUUEK&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Abandoned by the two most important people in her life - her fiance and best friend - Jen flounders as she picks up the pieces of her life. Desperation prompts her to reach out to an old classmate, who regrettably is a Christian. Is a night of free entertainment worth the cost of spending it with a group of hypocrites? The answer to that question surprises her almost as the next several upheavals in her life.</span></blockquote>
My review:<br />
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This story is a beautiful reminder that despite the bad things that we do, or that happen to us, God loves us unconditionally. Sometimes bad things happen for the good of others, sometimes due to another's sin, but either way God promises us in his word that it will all work out for our good.<br />
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jen's story and highly recommend this book.<br />
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4 roses<br />
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Available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IMG1UU8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IMG1UU8&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Amazon </a>and other fine retailers.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
GingerGinger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-63996595744131034682014-03-26T04:00:00.000-05:002014-03-26T04:00:00.647-05:00Writer Wednesday with Sandy NadeauHelp me welcome Sandy Nadeau to A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sandy Nadeau
loves to go on adventures, photograph them and equally loves to write about
them. She and her husband do a lot of four-wheeling in the back country of
Colorado and share those experiences with others by taking them up in the
mountains. With a background in writing a column about her community for a
local newspaper, she also has had several magazine articles published. She
loves to write novels about adventure, mystery, romance, but most importantly
sharing God’s love. She is currently a member of the American Christian Fiction
Writers and Vice President of the ACFW South Denver Chapter. Married for 37
years, she and her husband are loving life as grandparents to their nine month
old grandson. Travel is their favorite thing to do and they don’t get to do it
as often as they’d like. Adventure awaits around every corner, over every hill
and mountain.</span><strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Are You an Adventurous Person?</b></span></div>
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by Sandy Nadeau</div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Are you an adventurous person? I am. I love to go on adventures wherever and whenever I can. We do that quite often here in Colorado. Load up a cooler, and head for the hills. Webster’s has a few definitions of adventure: a dangerous situation or a hazardous undertaking; a stirring experience, taking a risk, excitement. We’ve fit the descriptions often. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">On a couple of occasions, we didn’t know how we were going to get out of a particular adventurous situation. One time we went four-wheeling in the spring up in the high country. Nobody was out in this area. No one knew where we’d gone. We were driving along forest service roads leading down into the pine forest. The road narrowed considerably, trees lined the trail tight, and the ground still held the snow of winter since shade covered the area. We found ourselves slipping down the hill hanging on for dear life. Finally coming to a stop, we took a deep breath and hoped we’d be able to back up since the snow level ahead of us was not passable. With the four-wheel locked in, my husband began the process of getting us out. It took a few tries, and not until we prayed aloud to be able to get out, did the tires stop spinning and we crawled backward to safety. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Another time, we had gone to Utah to pick up a trailer load full of used pews from a church. We’d volunteered for the task, to then deliver them to a sister church in Colorado. While on a mountain pass west of the Colorado border, we found ourselves in a blizzard. Our 10 year old daughter sat in the middle of us in the large pick-up truck that hauled the trailer full of old wooden pews. We headed onto a bridge that stood a hundred feet above the ground. Snow blew in every swirling direction, visibility was terrible and traffic crawled. Once on the bridge, the ice took over all control of the vehicle. We swerved one way; the trailer swerved the other way. As the cab headed toward the guardrail, all I could do was scream out, “Sweet Jesus, save us!” Quite suddenly, traction took hold, the vehicle and trailer straightened out in an instant. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">When faced with danger, with indecision, where do you turn for help? </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">In my book <i>Red Gold</i> (released March 21 from Harbourlight/Pelican Book Group), one of my characters, Jenny, is a young teen that finds herself in more trouble than she can deal with. The main character, Mandy, has to continually rescue this girl, but the dangers become all too real causing Mandy to rely only on her faith to get through the situations. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWX1GXcoME/UzIZ0XM7W-I/AAAAAAAACE0/77hHlrs-8cM/s1600/RedGold_w4950_680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8IWX1GXcoME/UzIZ0XM7W-I/AAAAAAAACE0/77hHlrs-8cM/s1600/RedGold_w4950_680.jpg" height="320" width="195" /></a><span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">The events that happen on the guest ranch in the Colorado mountains show the absolute need to these characters of their dependence on God. Nothing else, no one else can help. They must call upon the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” He’s always there, just ask!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">More about <i>Red Gold</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Mandy Phillips loves life with her husband running an adventure ranch in the Colorado mountains, but when Mr. Shonee, their crotchety old neighbor, tries to stop them from building a kid-size old west town their dreams of expansion are crushed. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Is Shonee just being a difficult neighbor, or is something more sinister going on? A discovery on the property of Colorado's state mineral leads to more mysteries for the ranch, and then a teenage guest finds herself thrust head first into danger. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">Mandy will have to rescue her, but who will rescue Mandy? Her faith in God is her only source to keep the guests safe, solve the mysteries surrounding her ranch, save her neighbor from himself, and discover the secrets of the Red Gold.</span></blockquote>
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You can find <i>Red Gold</i> at:<br />
<a href="http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34&products_id=540">Pelican Book Group</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J50N0A8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00J50N0A8&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Amazon</a><br />
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And you can find more about Sandy at:</div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.sandynadeau.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">www.SandyNadeau.blogspot.com</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facebook: Sandy Nadeau, author</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for joining us today, Sandy. I can't say as I'm all that adventurous, although a ride in the Colorado mountains (maybe in late Spring when there's no snow) sounds like fun. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How about you, readers, are you the adventurous type? If so, please share one of your adventures with us. Even if it's so I can live them vicariously through you. *SMILE*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Blessings,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ginger</span></div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-29930959079061487352014-03-19T04:00:00.000-05:002014-03-19T04:00:02.941-05:00Writer Wednesday - Christine Lindsay<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today on Writer Wednesday, help me welcome Christine Lindsay to A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christine Lindsay was born in Ireland, and is proud of the fact that she was once patted on the head by Prince Philip when she was a baby. Her great grandfather, and her grandfather—yes father and son—were both riveters on the building of the Titanic. Tongue in cheek, Christine states that as a family they accept no responsibility for the sinking of that great ship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was stories of her ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India that inspired her Multi-award-winning, historical series Twilight of the British Raj. Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and Christine is currently writing the final installment of that series called Veiled at Midnight to be released August 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine is also VP of Christian Authors’ Network. She makes her home in British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada with her husband and their grown up family. Her cat Scottie is chief editor on all Christine’s books.</span><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">THE SETTING CALLS TO MY SOUL</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">By </span><a href="http://www.christinelindsay.com/"><span lang="EN-CA">Christine Lindsay</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">When I saw the submission call from Pelican Books for their new Passport to Romance line, I jumped at the chance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CC2jyDZx19k/UyiEhaquyVI/AAAAAAAACEY/dWfU5iJCcOI/s1600/free+pastures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CC2jyDZx19k/UyiEhaquyVI/AAAAAAAACEY/dWfU5iJCcOI/s1600/free+pastures.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CC2jyDZx19k/UyiEhaquyVI/AAAAAAAACEY/dWfU5iJCcOI/s1600/free+pastures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">One of the cities in their list of proposed stories was Londonderry, N. Ireland, not far from where I was born in Belfast. Even though I am mainly a historical writer, I really, really wanted to write this contemporary romance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">The setting just reached out and grabbed me. I'd been to Londonderry, you see. I've been 'back home' to N. Ireland a few times, the last time was 2006. This was my opportunity to show my grown daughter, Lana, the beautiful emerald isle where I was born...where her ancestors came from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">The rolling hills around Londonderry lead south to County Tyrone where my mother's people come from. In fact a few of the family farms still exist there. It was my Aunt Maggie's charming farm and farmhouse that inspired so much of the setting for LONDONDERRY DREAMING. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">My aunt had a two-story house, the outside of warm, crushed gray stone. The main parlor was downstairs, and the sitting room just off the working kitchen, what they call the scullery. I remember the large Aga stove that sat in the sitting room, not the same as the new cooker in the scullery. The Aga was kept for warmth, and as a reminder of the past. Up a steep set of stairs you find three bedrooms under slanted eaves. Again, each room decorated with bureaus and wash stands from decades gone by. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">Pale mint green walls were enhanced by lace curtains fluttering in a warm summer breeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">Back downstairs, you step out of the scullery to the cobblestone courtyard leading to the barns. Each morning you'll be greeting by the chickens, a rooster, and an assortment of barn cats. My Aunt Maggie (who was my grandmother's sister) would give the cats the left-over morning porridge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQQ37QVu9uk/UyiEXr-DDpI/AAAAAAAACEA/bWEF-KQgvIQ/s1600/60.+The+green+hills+of+Northern+Ireland+at+Giants+Causeway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQQ37QVu9uk/UyiEXr-DDpI/AAAAAAAACEA/bWEF-KQgvIQ/s1600/60.+The+green+hills+of+Northern+Ireland+at+Giants+Causeway.jpg" height="123" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQQ37QVu9uk/UyiEXr-DDpI/AAAAAAAACEA/bWEF-KQgvIQ/s1600/60.+The+green+hills+of+Northern+Ireland+at+Giants+Causeway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">Leaving the house by the front door brought you to the large garden. A little farther on will be the narrow lane. I most often visited my birthplace in the summer, so my memories of the lane are of it filled with wild rose thickets and meadow sweet and other wild flowers. And the rolling green hills beyond are dotted by the new lambs. A fresh stream gives water to the sheep and the cows. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit;">These are just a few of the memories that go into my contemporary romance LONDONDERRY DREAMING. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6E5c9WTsd0c/UyiEaspO9dI/AAAAAAAACEI/W8JryzgxnJw/s1600/Largest+pic+LD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6E5c9WTsd0c/UyiEaspO9dI/AAAAAAAACEI/W8JryzgxnJw/s1600/Largest+pic+LD.jpg" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acclaimed New York artist, Naomi Boyd, and music therapist, Keith Wilson, loved one another five years ago, until her grandfather with his influence over Naomi separated them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That root of bitterness keeps them apart until a letter from Keith’s grandmother, Ruth, draws Naomi to Londonderry to find she’s too late. Ruth has passed on. After the death of his beloved grandmother, Keith has also come to Londonderry only to open the door to his past…Naomi...beautiful as ever, the girl who broke his heart.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A mysterious painting in Ruth’s attic brings up questions about their grandparents’ entwined past and their own broken romance. But more comfortable with the unspoken languages of art and music, Naomi and Keith find it difficult to share their old hurts and true feelings.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Will the majestic coastline of Northern Ireland inspire them to speak the words to bring peace to their grandparents’ memory and to rekindle love?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">For an enchanting jaunt to the Emerald Isle view this
minute long book trailer to </span><a href="http://youtu.be/U4epeI53Gjo" style="text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 115%;">Londonderry
Dreaming</span></i><span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">.</span></a></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">My review: </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Give me an inspirational romance to read and I'm all for it. Set it on the Emerald Isle and I fall in love, too. I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Londonderry Dreaming</i>. When I had to step away, I looked forward to the next moment I would have free to come back and read Keith and Naomi's story and "see" parts of Ireland. The book also reminds us that communication in any relationship is of the utmost importance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5 roses</span><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CONNECT WITH CHRISTINE:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA">Please drop
by Christine’s website </span><a href="http://www.christinelindsay.com/"><span lang="EN-CA">http://www.christinelindsay.com/</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> or follow her on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/CLindsayWriter"><span lang="EN-CA">Twitter</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> and
be her friend on </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/clindsaywriter"><span lang="EN-CA">Pinterest</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> , </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChristineLindsayAuthor"><span lang="EN-CA">Facebook </span></a><span lang="EN-CA"> and </span><span lang="EN-CA"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4767699.Christine_Lindsay">Goodreads</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">WHERE YOU CAN
PURCHASE <i>LONDONDERRY DREAMING</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Londonderry-Dreaming-Passport-Romance-Christine-ebook/dp/B00IK7MJWM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394905621&sr=1-1&keywords=londonderry+dreaming"><span lang="EN-CA">Amazon</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/londonderry-dreaming-christine-lindsay/1118718498?ean=2940148158769"><span lang="EN-CA">Barnes & Noble</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=529"><span lang="EN-CA">Pelican Book Group</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/londonderry-dreaming-ebook-christine-lindsay/9781611163452/pd/50917EB?product_redirect=1&Ntt=50917EB&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP"><span lang="EN-CA">ChristianBooks.com</span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And many
more places.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Question</b>: If you could travel anywhere that you've read about, where would you go? </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blessings,</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ginger</span></span></div>
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I will not have read the majority of the books by the guest authors, but as I have done in the past, I will try to make sure the books have a Christian worldview and are suitable for your grandma or 13 yo to read.<br />
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So without further ado, my first guests are the Writing Sisters, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">The Writing Sisters, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers were born into a writing family, and began critiquing manuscripts at an early age for their mother, Newbery winner Betsy Byars. They went on to become authors of more than thirty-five children’s novels. Their first book for adults is </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Shepherds-Song-Second-Chances/dp/1476738203"><span style="color: #1155cc;">The Shepherd’s Song</span></a><span style="color: #1a1a1a;">, Howard Books, March 2014.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Shepherd’s Song: Naming the Cast of Characters</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The Shepherd’s Song</i> has a cast of characters and all those many characters meant many names. Each name provided us with a challenge. Like choosing a name for a baby you want it to be just right. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Names are important. We want each name to be memorable and to fit the character. You tend to remember well-named characters, like Atticus Finch or Cruella Deville. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The main character of <i>The Shepherd’s Song</i>, started out with the name Candy McConnell. Although her name is now Kate McConnell in the book, we still refer to her as Candy. The name came with the first chapter, and there was never any second-guessing. For us the name implied good and sweet. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It wasn’t until later we began to realize that it might not appeal to some of our readers. Our editor helped us see that a name that has appeal to us might not have a broad appeal. The hunt was on. We used our favorite resources – One Hundred Names to Name Your Baby, our online search for the meaning of different names. We compiled lists. We typed different names into the manuscript and read it aloud. Finally we decided on Kate and it fit perfectly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes we try to show something about the character through the name. Marra means sorrow and was the perfect name for the young girl in the book fleeing from an abusive relationship in a tattoo parlor. Her abuser who is pursuing her was a challenge. We decided on Lobo, which means wolf. It seemed to capture his stalking nature. Both of these names helped the reader to understand the characters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some on the characters were named after people we both knew and liked – Chris, a friend of Laurie’s, or Cornelia, Betsy’s neighbor. Other names were chosen to reflect the nationality of the character, like Francois, the French art restorer, or Kioni, the Kenyan runner. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We can play with Biblical names. In one story a man wrestles with God at night under the stars. The perfect name: Jacob. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes a character seems like the type of person who would have a nickname. Tater was our favorite nickname in the book and became a soldier in the second story. Lou and Frankie showed the casual demeanor of the brothers in Italy while Roland, our business man, would never go by anything other than his given name.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we develop each character of the book the names become a part of who they are. As we write a name helps us to know our character better. If a character is well-named the same is true for the reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you have a favorite character name in fiction?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;">Follow the incredible journey of one piece of paper—a copy of Psalm 23—as it travels around the world, linking lives and hearts with its simple but beautiful message.</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures…</span></i><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Shortly before a tragic car accident, Kate McConnell wrote down the powerful words of Psalm 23 on a piece of paper for her wayward son. Just before she loses consciousness, Kate wonders if she’s done enough with her life and prays, “Please, let my life count.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Unbeknownst to Kate, her handwritten copy of Psalm 23 soon begins a remarkable journey around the world. From a lonely dry cleaning employee to a soldier wounded in Iraq, to a young Kurdish girl fleeing her country, to a Kenyan runner in the Rome Invitational marathon, this humble message forever changes the lives of twelve very different people. Eventually, Kate’s paper makes it back to its starting place, and she discovers the unexpected ways that God changes lives, even through the smallest gestures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">With beautiful prose evocative of master storyteller Andy Andrews’s <i>The Butterfly Effect</i>, this story will touch your heart and remind you of the ways God works through us to reach beyond what we can imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;">Want to know more about the Writing Sisters or The Shepherd's Song? Here are their links:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.writingsisters.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">www.WritingSisters.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/WritingSisters"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">www.facebook.com/WritingSisters</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Shepherds-Song-Second-Chances/dp/1476738203">The Shepherd’s Song</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I was privileged to be able to read this one, so here is my review:<br />
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To be honest I put off reading this novel because I wasn't sure what to expect. It's not a genre I normally read, but I must say it was wonderful.<br />
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Ms. Duffey and Ms. Myers take the twenty-third Psalm and transform it into something even more powerful and touching by the stories they tell. I warn you, you will cry -- some happy tears, some not so happy, but it was SO worth it.<br />
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I pray that I can touch the world for God half as much as Kate did. What a legacy.<br />
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5 roses<br />
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Now let's go back to their question: What's your favorite character name?<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger
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Blurb:<br />
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Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to establish her medical practice thanks to the wooing of her two older sisters who extolled the beauty of the land. She's certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her expertise and gentle bedside manner. However, she soon discovers the town and its older doctor may not welcome a new physician. Even more frustrating, the handsome young attorney next door may not be ready for the idea of a woman doctor. For his part, Jason Nordling has nothing against women, but he's promised himself that the woman he marries will be a full-time mother.</blockquote>
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Despite their firm principles, Elizabeth and Jason find that mutual attraction--and disdain from the community--is drawing them ever closer. And when the two find themselves working to save the life and tattered reputation of a local woman, they'll have to decide how far they're willing to go to find justice--and true love.</blockquote>
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Review:<br />
I loved this book from the beginning. The characters were real and invited me into their lives and one by one, I became invested in the outcome of their story. Elizabeth, the tough as nails doctor, soon becomes Elizabeth, the vulnerable woman. We watch her grow into her own as she suffers trials and tribulations that go along with being a woman doctor and starting a practice in Cheyenne, Wyoming.<br />
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5 Roses<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DY9FOQO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DY9FOQO&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20%22">With Autumn's Return</a><br />
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Blurb:<br />
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It wasn't Cassie Haddon's fault that she had managed to reach the age of twenty-five without possessing any useful skills. Until the war, she had always had servants to wait on her. Since then, she and her widowed mother had moved from place to place, relying on family to care for them. Now she's forced to find work to support them both. What isn't in her plans is falling for Jacob West, a local restaurateur and grocer. She needs a job and he needs help. But what they both need is love.</blockquote>
Review:<br />
I loved Cassie's growth into a woman with her own mind, and her willingness to learn new things in order to provide for herself and her ungrateful, overbearing mother.<br />
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I'm sad to say I didn't really care for this novel. It seemed slow to me at the beginning, and I had a hard time getting into the character's lives.<br />
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I did find the writing to be excellent. I didn't get stuck wondering what was going on, and while it won't be one of my most loved books, I did finish it, which is more than I can say for some other books I've read recently.<br />
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I found the end to be quite satisfying. I just love a good HEA (happily-ever-after).<br />
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4 Roses<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DY9FO00/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DY9FO00&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Love's Sweet Beginning</a><br />
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Blurb:<br />
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Working at home while raising kids and juggling a career and family responsibilities is no easy feat. Author and homeschooling mom Tricia Goyer shares her tips for finding balance among all your many hats as a mom.</blockquote>
Review:<br />
<span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small="">Ms. Goyer has definitely given me something to think about. My schedule is out of balance, and not in a good way. This is one book that I'll be reading over and over as a reminder that my husband and my children are far more important than clean windows or a little dust. God and I have a lot to discuss. *smile*</span><br />
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<span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small="">I highly recommend this book if you are a mom/dad and work from your house (or attempt to). While Ms. Goyer applies her theories to being a writer, the basic premise works for anyone.</span><br />
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</span> <span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small="">5 Roses</span><br />
<span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small=""><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HHDF788/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00HHDF788&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Balanced: Finding Center as a Work-at-Home Mom</a></span><br />
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</span> <span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small="">Enjoy and blessings,</span><br />
<span arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" verdana="" x-small="">Ginger</span>Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-65504131453668983242014-03-04T04:00:00.000-06:002014-03-04T04:00:00.019-06:00A Quaker, a dog and a bunch of matches<div class="tr_bq">
What do a Quaker, a dog, and a bunch of matches have in common? They are part of the next three books on my review list.</div>
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First the Quaker:<br />
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Emily Harrison's life has been turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempted to continue her parents' work as conductors in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm was sold in foreclosure. Now alone, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor's family in slave-holding Virginia. Perhaps she can continue her rescue efforts from there.</blockquote>
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Alexander Hunt is the doctor's handsome nephew. While he does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle's newest employee, he cannot take time to pursue Emily. Alex is not at all what he seems--rich, spoiled, and indolent. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a Quaker leader of Rebel partisans. A man of the shadows, he carries no firearm and wholeheartedly believes in Emily's antislavery convictions. </blockquote>
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The path before Alex and Emily is complicated and sometimes life threatening. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger to both of them. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they find faith in God amid the challenges they face and trust in the possibility for a bright future together?</blockquote>
Review:<br />
It took me a few chapters to get into the story, but once I connected with the characters, I enjoyed reading about the escapades of Emily and Alexander as they each did their part to help in the Civil War.<br />
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I'm not usually a fan of war era books, no matter the war, but this one was interesting. I don't know much about historical accuracy, but Ms. Ellis did an excellent job of keeping me enthralled in the goings on in the Bennington and Hunt households as they dealt with their heritage and the war the best they could.<br />
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4 Roses<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXEDB8K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GXEDB8K&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">The Quaker and the Rebel: 1 (Civil War Heroines Series)</a><br />
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Next is the matches. LOL<br />
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Blurb:<br />
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In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can't keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she's also giving each couple a little nudge toward love?</blockquote>
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<i>A Cowboy Unmatched</i></blockquote>
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Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?</blockquote>
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<i>An Unforeseen Match</i></blockquote>
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Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace's doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though--and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on.</blockquote>
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<i>No Match for Love</i></blockquote>
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Andrew can't fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more?</blockquote>
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<i>Meeting Her Match</i></blockquote>
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When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker's son how much she cares for him?</blockquote>
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Review:<br />
Four of my favorite authors in one book.<br />
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<i>A Cowboy Unmatched</i> by Karen Witemeyer - the last Archer brother. I am so sad to see the end of this serious, but it's finishing with a great story. My only complaint, which is not really a complaint at all - Neill didn't get a full-length novel to call his own. LOL I loved his interaction with Clara and his protective instinct.<br />
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<i>An Unforeseen Match</i> by Regina Jennings - I loved the play on words in the title. The story was heartwarming as Grace struggles with her reality and the need to rely on others. I, too, would struggle as I hate asking others for help.<br />
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<i>No Match for Love</i> by Carol Cox - Ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night...oh, sorry, it's not a ghost story, more like a comedy. I love the way Ms. Cox added a touch of suspense and intrigue to this romance.<br />
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<i>Meeting Her Match</i> by Mary Connealy - The helper finally gets the tables turned on her in a most unsuspecting way. After years of taking care of others in one capacity or another, this heroine (you have to peak within the pages to know her name) is shoved face first into her own romance, but she doesn't go without some struggles and a lot of misunderstandings. LOL<br />
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5 Roses - every single one of these stories deserves a 5<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DWA6996/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DWA6996&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Match Made in Texas, A: A Novella Collection</a><br />
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And finally, the dog. *smile*<br />
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Blurb:<br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">Former Navy handler Timbrel Hogan has more attitude than her Explosives Detection Dog, Beowulf, but she’s a tough woman who gets the job done. Green Beret Tony “Candyman” VanAllen likes a challenge and convincing the hard-hitting handler they belong together might just get him killed.</span><br />
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="">When tragedy strikes and Tony’s career is jeopardized, Timbrel must re-evaluate her priorities—and fast! A terrorist plots to unleash a weapon of mass destruction on American soil. Can Timbrel and Beowulf track the chemicals in time? Will Tony surrender everything to save the woman nobody believes in?</span></blockquote>
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Review:<br />
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I say this a lot when referring to Ms. Kendig's books, but it's worth repeating -- this was great. The main problem I had with Beowulf was that it ended. Not how it ended, but that it did. I wanted to keep reading, and reading, and reading. It's destined to be one of the better books released in 2014, well, until Raptor 6 releases because her books keep getting better and better.<br />
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5 Roses<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GT7AQDE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GT7AQDE&linkCode=as2&tag=abedofrosthoi-20">Beowulf: Explosives Detection Dog (A Breed Apart)</a><br />
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I hope you enjoy these books as much as I did.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
GingerGinger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-79134312932483450362014-02-27T07:47:00.000-06:002014-02-27T07:47:09.041-06:00A Winner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Congratulations to Jolene Hauck. She is the winner of my birthday giveaway - a copy of <i>One Choice</i>.<br />
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I hope you enjoy reading it, Jolene.<br />
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Thank you to all who participated.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger<br />
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<br />Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-35412808309587388082014-02-25T08:52:00.001-06:002014-02-25T08:52:42.171-06:00Loch Ness - Fun Facts by Aubrie DionneToday A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included welcomes Aubrie Dionne.<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happily Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Harper Impulse, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b>Five Fun Facts About Loch Ness</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the reasons why I decided to write a contemporary romance centered around Scotland’s Loch Ness was the mystery and the hushed atmosphere surrounding the lake. Quoting from the cab driver in the book, I thought it would “bring out the best in people and the worst.” If you read Love on Loch Ness, you’ll see what I mean…<o:p></o:p></div>
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1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Loch Ness is 755 ft (230 m) deep- three times as deep as the lake by my house, and the deepest loch in Scotland. It contains more freshwater than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. (That’s a very big space to hide if you’re a Loch Ness monster!)</blockquote>
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2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The first sighting of the Loch Ness monster was in 665 AD by the Abbot of Iona, describing how a saint triumphed over a “water beast” in the River Ness.</blockquote>
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3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Scientists have used a number of devices to sweep the lake, including echo scanners, searchlight sonar and sidescan sonar. In 1954, a boat using an echo-sounder obtained an image of a beast under the waters by Urquhart Castle.</blockquote>
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4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Urquhart Castle, the ruins beside the lake, is one of Scotland’s biggest castles with a bloody history in the 13<sup>th</sup>-17<sup>th</sup> centuries. It fell in English hands and was reclaimed and lost again and again. </blockquote>
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5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The movie “Loch Ness” with Ted Danson was filmed on location. It’s a great movie with a lot of the same sentiments in my book. </blockquote>
Book blurb:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="">Dr. Gail Phillips steps onto the shores of Loch Ness to disprove the Loch Ness monster theory for good so everyone can stop wasting their time. As a marine biologist with a background in archeology, she’s convinced all of the world’s myths such as Big Foot, the Tasmanian devil, and even Nessie are lies. Her father disappeared while following Yettie tracks in the Alps, and she doesn’t want to lose another mislead soul.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="" /><span 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="">Flynn Maloney comes from a family of fanatic cryptozoologists. As a native of Scotland, he believes in Nessie as strong as Gail believes in science. Despite his initial attraction for her, he’s joined her research team to prove her wrong. He wants to find Nessie for a special girl in his life, to show her dreams really can come true.</span><br 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="" /><br 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="" /><span 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="">As they conduct sonar studies and sweeps of the lake, their differing opinions are at odds with their budding attraction. Gail doesn’t believe in anything unscientific, such as romance, thinking the charming Flynn Maloney is full of baloney. Flynn can’t believe he’s falling for someone with no imagination or faith. To make matters worse, their videographer is covering his true identity. Together they must unravel his plan before he destroys everything they are working for. Will Gail force Flynn to question his faith, or will she discover more than she bargained for in the Scottish highlands?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" line-height:="">You can find <i>Love on Loch Ness</i> here:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Loch-Ness-Aubrie-Dionne-ebook/dp/B00I84OLKA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1391474490&sr=1-1">Amazon</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-on-loch-ness-aubrie-dionne/1118476871?ean=2940148323167">Barnes and Noble</a></span></div>
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Thanks for joining me today, Aubrie, and sharing your fun facts about Scotland's most famous loch.</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger</div>
Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-61255359336118498002014-02-19T05:00:00.000-06:002014-02-19T05:00:13.249-06:00A Giveaway for My BirthdayToday's my birthday and I feel like doing a giveaway. I'm going to give a PDF copy of <i>One Choice</i> to one lucky winner.<br />
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Here's the scoop on <i>One Choice</i> in case you missed it.<br />
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Cahri Michaels is American by birth, but Belikarian by choice. Being selected to participate in the Bridal March forces her to give up the independent life she’s created for herself. She’s not ready to be anyone’s wife, much less to a man she doesn’t know. </blockquote>
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Prince Josiah Vallis despises the century’s old tradition—the Bridal March—that is forcing him to choose a wife from fifty women. Why does it matter that he’s twenty-five and still single? </blockquote>
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When Cahri and Josiah meet, passion ignites. Will it spark a godly love that can see them through or will they be burned…. never to be the same?</blockquote>
I will draw the winning name next Thursday, 2/27/14, so you have a week to enter. This is my first try at using Rafflecopter, so please use the e-mail address on the left side if something isn't working properly.<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7ef78c0/" id="rc-7ef78c0" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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Blessings,<br />
Ginger<br />
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-3166796911555183472014-02-18T09:22:00.000-06:002014-02-18T09:24:20.145-06:00Horribly BehindDue to the holidays and my busy January, I am horribly behind on the reviews I promised to write. So for the next few weeks, I will be posting a few at a time until I can catch up. I apologize to the authors for not doing these on a timely basis.<br />
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What happens when the matchmaker finds a match for herself?Charlotte Rose Hill has been serving up country delicacies, uniquely blended teas, and matchmaking advice for her quirky but beloved customers for more than 10 years. But for her, marriage seems like an elusive butterfly, always out of reach. At 18, Charlotte fell in love with a young man, Sam Wilder, but his family convinced her to walk away from their relationship. She did, and then became engaged to another man, who later died before they were married. Now, more than a decade later, Charlotte finds that she still has feelings for her first love. Initially thrilled to learn that Sam has come home to Middlebury, Texas, Charlotte is devastated to learn that he’s brought someone with him: his fiancée. But all is not lost when the townsfolk decide to get involved. Will Charlotte and Sam find their way back to each other?</blockquote>
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<i>A Marriage in Middlebury</i> by Anita Higman was an interesting novel. I enjoyed the story and the writing was excellent and easy to follow. The characters came to life on the page. I wanted to know how Charlotte got her happily-ever-after, since she'd had a hand at providing it for several others. I loved Meredith's quirkiness. It made me smile.</div>
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4 roses</div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" font-size:="" line-height:="" style="font-family: inherit;">A woman meant to serve, a child in the dark, a man standing apart—can these three souls embrace a God with new plans for them?</span></span></blockquote>
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a group of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home. But when a fire breaks out in the kitchen leaving the house inhabitable, she must scramble to find shelter for all in her care, scattering her dear “family.”</span></blockquote>
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<span 14px="" 19.31999969482422px="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" georgia="" line-height:="" serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">With no other options, Christina is forced to approach Levi Jonnson, a reclusive mill owner, to take in a young blind boy named Tommy Kilgore. Levi agrees with reluctance but finds himself surprised by the bond that quickly grows between him and Tommy. As obstacles to repairing the farm pile up against Christina, she begins to question her leadership ability and wonders if she can fulfill the mission to which she's dedicated her life. And when an old adversary challenges Christina, will she find an unlikely ally—or more—in the aloof Levi? Can Levi reconcile with the rejection that led to his hermit-like existence and open his heart and life to something more, especially a relationship with a loving God?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>What Once Was Lost</i> by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a touching novel. It reminds us that sometimes we think we're doing a good thing for the right reason, but it's not always true. The characters were well-written, allowing me to identify with their struggles and, in the end, their triumphs. I enjoyed this novel a great deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4.9 roses</span><br />
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In a world of fast-paced living and fly-by-night interpersonal ethics, Eternity exposes the lies behind relationships based solely on physical attraction.</blockquote>
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Aaron Foster thought he had the perfect life until his fiancée walked out their door and then back in with his new roommate. In desperation, Aaron and his best friend, Harmony Jordan, devise The Plan, but when The Plan succeeds beyond their wildest expectations, it could spell heartache for them all.</blockquote>
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I enjoyed Eternity by Staci Stallings. It was realistic and heart-warming. Staci did a good job expressing the reality that heartbreak fades with time. My biggest complaint was the amount of errors, especially in the first few chapters. It's still a good enough story that after a while you forget to pay attention to them.<br />
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4 roses<br />
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I hope you enjoy these first few reviews. More to come next week.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
GingerGinger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-4137127941660415482014-02-12T05:00:00.000-06:002014-02-12T07:58:08.991-06:00I'm back. Did you miss me?Hello beautiful readers. I pray 2014 has been kind to you so far.<br />
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I took off the month of January to pray about this blog, and I'm glad I did. January wound up being a VERY eventful month for me.<br />
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I started the year off sick. It was just the after effects - cough, tiredness - from the flu, but it wasn't a fun way to start the year.<br />
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Then my grandfather died and I made an impromptu trip to West Virginia. I spent the week before making arrangements, and the week after was spent recovering from the 11 hour drive (one way).<br />
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A week later I made a trip to the ER for severe abdominal pain. I'm not normally a sick person, so it took me by surprise. After several hours, multiple tests, and a shot of morphine for the pain, the doctor discovered that I had gall stones. Since the pain had receded, I went home to rest and then call the doctor a few days later (I went in on a Saturday night and Monday was a holiday). That Wednesday, my gall bladder was removed. I'm fine now, thankfully. Still a little sore if move in just the right way, or lean against something, but nothing really life-altering.<br />
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So that was my January.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Anj8d3ujKiI/UuwW9I0d1-I/AAAAAAAACAw/X4Ralwf9vVA/s1600/OneChoice+500x750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Anj8d3ujKiI/UuwW9I0d1-I/AAAAAAAACAw/X4Ralwf9vVA/s1600/OneChoice+500x750.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>February started off with a bang, too. <i>One Choice </i>released on the fourth, and I have been busy guest posting all over the internet, and lining up other blogs to visit. Here's the schedule:<br />
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2/14 - <a href="http://caroletowriss.com/">http://caroletowriss.com/</a><br />
2/15 - http://www.inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com/<br />
2/17 - http://marylouwrites.weebly.com/<br />
2/17 - www.kickbackandread.com<br />
2/18 - http://creative-hodgepodge.blogspot.com/<br />
2/19 -<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.potofmanna.wordpress.com/">www.PotOfManna.wordpress.com</a></span><br />
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2/20 - http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/<br />
2/20 - http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.com/blog/<br />
2/25 - http://www.authoraubrie.net/<br />
2/26 - http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.com/<br />
2/27 - http://www.inspyromance.com/blog/<br />
2/27 - http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/<br />
2/28 - http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/<br />
3/13 - www.angeladmeyer.com<br />
3/26 - http://www.bridgemanfamily.com/hallee/category/readers-write/<br />
3/27 - http://delialatham.wordpress.com/<br />
4/18 - http://www.shannonvannatter.com/blog<br />
4/18 - www.JamesRCallan.com<br />
4/24 - http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com<br />
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As you can see, the next few months are busy, and that's just the expected stuff. :)<br />
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So, if you haven't read about One Choice on my FB page, or one of the various places I have already posted this month, you can go here: http://gingersolomon.blogspot.com/p/one-choice.html and get all the pertinent information about the book and where to buy it. ;)<br />
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Oh, and by the way, for those of you wondering, this blog will remain.<br />
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My proposed schedule is to do devotions, reviews, and guest posts once per week. I'd love your feedback. What would you like to see here?<br />
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Thanks for following me and reading my ramblings.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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<br />Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-68692481312375874772014-02-04T05:00:00.000-06:002014-02-04T05:00:13.994-06:00Surrender by Marji Laine - Guest Devotion<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZGmjgkQQUg/Ut2tr7vQLPI/AAAAAAAACAE/ePY3YJzcIkM/s1600/Marji+Laine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OZGmjgkQQUg/Ut2tr7vQLPI/AAAAAAAACAE/ePY3YJzcIkM/s1600/Marji+Laine.jpg" height="186" width="200" /></a>Marji is a homeschooling mom of 4 with the oldest working in
the mission field in Africa. She spends her days transporting to and from volleyball,
teaching writing classes at a local coop, and directing the children’s music
program at her church. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With decades of leading worship, directing and performing in
theatre productions, and script-writing, Marji took the plunge to creating
scintillating Christian romance and romantic suspense novels with a side of
Texas sassy. She invites readers to unravel their inspiration, seeking a deeper
knowledge of the Lord’s Great Mystery that invites us all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here's where you can find her online:</div>
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<a href="http://marjilaine.com/2013/06/19/heroine-archetype-crusader/">MarjiLaine.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/MarjiLaine" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/marjilaine/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MarjiLaine" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5972160-marji-laine">Goodreads</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Surrender</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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by Marji Laine</div>
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There is <i>such</i> a
beauty about a new surrender to the Lord. When a heart releases expectations
and desires, lifts up hands, and says, “Whatever You want, God.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Abraham did that when he took Isaac, his only son, to the
altar. Mary also as she faced shame and possible stoning after the angel told
her about the baby she would carry. Christ, Himself, surrendered to God’s will
in the garden of Gethsemane.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ps. 51:16-17 “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise
I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not
despise.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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In this verse, David relates that God doesn’t want the sin
offerings. He’d rather have hearts that are wholly His. Think about that for a
moment. It’s a reasonable request. Would you prefer to have a mate or a best
friend who is really good at apologizing?<o:p></o:p></div>
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“That man o’ mine done gone and gambled the house away, but
he brung me the purtiest little bouquet o’ flowers you ever did see.” Uh … no. Definitely
not the type of relationship God wants to have with us either. <o:p></o:p></div>
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1 Sam 15:22 clears this right up. “But Samuel replied:
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in
obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than
the fat of rams.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Obeying is surrender. The more we practice obeying the Lord,
the more that surrender to Him becomes part of our lives. For Him it is a love
song. We show adoration with our actions. Isn’t that the way we show love to
others in our lives?<o:p></o:p></div>
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But our surrender has monumental effects on us as well.
Living a life of obedience to God means we can be assured that we’re walking
our most abundant path. Seriously. If you blindfolded your daughter and took her
by the hand, would you ram her shins into the furniture? Our loving heavenly
Father doesn’t do that either. He coaxes us along the way that He’s set for us.
The one that will bring us the most joy and work the best for his plan on
earth.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K-0XWDf7s4U/Ut2t6q04K2I/AAAAAAAACAM/kYFNi8kL5Rc/s1600/A+Dozen+Apologies+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K-0XWDf7s4U/Ut2t6q04K2I/AAAAAAAACAM/kYFNi8kL5Rc/s1600/A+Dozen+Apologies+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a>The collaborative novella being released from Write
Integrity Press, A Dozen Apologies, deals with surrender. Mara has done some
pretty horrible things, but when she comes to know the Lord, she feels she must
do her best to make things right. Not an easy task considering the humiliations
she created. To read her story, find the posts on <a href="http://writeintegrity.com/">Write Integrity Press</a> and watch for the
notice of the free e-book. (WriteIntegrity.com)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Your Turn: How are you surrendering today?<div>
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Thanks for joining us today, Marji.</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-23528089744438265232014-01-31T15:44:00.000-06:002014-01-31T15:44:08.060-06:00I'm in Labor...LOL<br />
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I couldn't resist this title. Writers around the world call their novels their babies and I am no different. After months of waiting, the time is almost at hand.<br />
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Today is the beginning of my labor pains:<br />
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excitement - it's really happening<br />
anxiety - will anyone else like it?<br />
excitement - my name in print<br />
anxiety - am I really a writer?<br />
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Back and forth, just as though I were birthing a live child. I remember those moments when I worried if I would be a good mother or if I could make it through the pain of childbirth.<br />
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But this baby is coming forth Tuesday, February 4th, 2014. Mark the day on your calendar. :) I know I will.<br />
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And just for you - well, not really because I've shared this picture all over facebook and in e-mail - for your viewing pleasure.<br />
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Look, there it is with my name on the cover. Somebody pinch me. :)</div>
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Okay, so here's the deal. It will be available for purchase Tuesday, but I don't get any links until it goes live, so I can't send you there YET.</div>
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When I get them, I will POST them with the cover on the <span style="color: red;"><u>sidebar<b>.</b></u></span> (I'm having a guest blog that day and I do not wish to take away from her wonderful post.) You'll be able to click and it will take you to Amazon to purchase a digital copy (I hope).</div>
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Oh, and here's a quick blurb, so you know what the book is about. :)</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Cahri
Michaels is American by birth, but Belikarian by choice. Being selected to
participate the Bridal March forces her to give up the independent life she’s
created for herself. She’s not ready to be anyone’s wife, much less to a man
she doesn’t know.<br /><o:p><br /></o:p>Prince Josiah
Vallis despises the centuries old tradition—the Bridal March—that is forcing
him to choose a wife from fifty women. Why does it matter that he’s twenty-five
and still single?<br /><o:p><br /></o:p>When Cahri
and Josiah meet, sparks fly. Will it ignite a godly love that can see them
through or will they be burned, never to be the same?</blockquote>
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Blessings,<br />
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<br />Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200949568969459856.post-81293434345298547222014-01-22T05:00:00.000-06:002014-01-22T05:00:07.459-06:00 The Headmistress of Rosemere Giveaway and Facebook Party!Taking a break from my break :) to fulfill some promises to post. I hope your new year is going well.<br />
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<strong>Don't miss Sarah Ladd's latest Regency novel, <a href="http://sarahladd.com/" target="_blank"><em>The Headmistress of Rosemere</em></a>.</strong> <b>She </b><strong>is celebrating the release of book two in her Whispers on the Moors series with a fun "School" Your Desk Kindle Fire Giveaway and an Author Chat Facebook Party!</strong><br />
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<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ogn2wb8"><img alt="rosemere-400" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9724" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rosemere-400.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Between January 17–28, visit <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahLaddAuthor" target="_blank">Sarah Ladd's Facebook Page</a> to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win a Kindle Fire grand prize. Winners will be announced at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/716867025020149/" target="_blank">Facebook Author Chat party on January 28th</a>! (Don't have a Facebook account? <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/laddrosemere" target="_blank">Enter here</a>.)</strong><br />
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<strong>RSVP today for Sarah's </strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/716867025020149/" target="_blank"><strong><em>The Headmistress of Rosemere</em> Author Chat Party on Facebook</strong></a>. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your Regency trivia skills, announcing the winner of the "School" Your Desk Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at the next book in the Whispers on the Moors series!<br />
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<em><strong>So grab your copy of </strong></em><strong>The Headmistress of Rosemere</strong><em><strong> and hope to see you on the evening of January 28th! (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)</strong></em><br />
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<a href="http://litfusegroup.com/laddrosemere" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/emailbutton.png" /></a><a href="http://tinyurl.com/ogn2wb8" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/facebookbutton.png" /></a></center>
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DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/716867025020149/" target="_blank">RSVP TODAY</a>. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 28th!</h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My review: I found <i>The Headmistress of Rosemere</i> to be a sweet story with lots of conflict to keep the reader wondering what is going to happen next. I like that Patience doesn't really live up to her name.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The romance is secondary to the story, which made it seem a bit slow to me, but the excellent writing made it interesting enough to keep me reading.</span></div>
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Rating: 4 roses.</div>
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Blessings,</div>
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Ginger Solomonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16018993750020724697noreply@blogger.com0