I enjoy reading and writing Christian Western/Historical Fiction. In my heart I believe the reason for this is that my parents were born in the early 1900's. They and their parents lived much in the 'old timey' way. In fact, my mother and daddy both moved with their families in wagons from one state to another.
My Dad used to tell the story of being a toddler who fell asleep on the end of the wagon. He rolled into the soft tall grass and woke up just in time to see the top of the wagon disappearing over the rise in the ground. He cried and toddled until he caught up with his family.
I grew up with those kinds of stories. My imagination went wild when I was told different events that happened to friends and family. We also watched many television Westerns. That was also instrumental in the stories I write.
One day, I asked my elderly mother to tell me what a typical day was like for her or her mother when she was a child. The list of chores before school was astounding. People in those days had little or no idle time. I like to tell a little about the mundane chores and how they were so much of the daily life of people in those days. The act of priming the water pump or peeling potatoes or gathering eggs find their way within the pages of my books. I think it gives them a homey feeling.
I also love the books of Grace Livingston Hill and Hilda Stahl. The situations the characters found theirselves in were so entertaining. My mother loved for me to read these books aloud to her through the summer. It helped me with my reading skills and provided a great activity that we enjoyed together.
I hope the books I write resonate with readers. Every one of them have a piece of my heart in them.
Showing posts with label christian fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christian fiction. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Friday, December 17, 2010
Christmas Short Story
Merry Christmas!
This week I don't have an author interview for you. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all the kind words and actions that you have done for me. As you know, last Saturday Terry and I had the book launch party for Luke's Legacy. We were blessed by the family and friends who came and showed love and support. There were also many who emailed us and sent greetings and well-wishes. That meant so much to us also.
Sometimes Christmas can be a tough time. I know that when I get out the tree and decorations, I think of those who are not with us any more. I have wonderful memories. I am very thankful for that. In my family we are very expressive of love. We hug a lot and tell one another that we love each other. That has been a comfort for me because I know that the ones I love have heard it from my lips.
Terry wanted me to send out the short-story I wrote last year called, "A Job for Christmas". I told him that people could click on the link to my website, but he wanted it to show up on the email...so here it is:
A Job For Christmas
The reception room was crowded as the tenth applicant for the job burst through the door. “Sorry Ma’am I hope I am not late.” He said.
“Put your name on the list. Mr. James will get to you in order.” The hefty middle-aged receptionist answered as if she were a worn out recording.
The young man wrote his name carefully to be sure that it was legible. There was no use being looked over for a job because the interviewer couldn’t read his name. He finished the task and the woman spoke. “Fill these out also.”
“Thank you.” He said. He searched the room for a spot to land on. There were a couple of chairs available but briefcases were in them. The other job seekers in the room looked as depressed and tired as he was. An inner door opened and a middle-aged man came into the crowded room. He was obviously the mail room clerk. He searched each face and his eyes came to rest on the young man who was standing.
“No place to sit?” He asked.
The young man shrugged. “Apparently not.”
“Hey you there, move your stuff and let this kid sit. You know it will be a long wait.”
The man continued reading the latest copy of Forbes magazine as if he had not been addressed. A young woman moved her briefcase from the seat next to her and nodded to the young man.
“Thank you.” He said.
The mailroom clerk crossed the room to the young man. “I am Harold. I have been here since the company was founded.”
“My name is Steve. I feel like I have been looking for work since the day this company was founded.” He smiled.
The man with the Forbes magazine remarked. “They don’t hand out promotions much here or else you don’t have much talent.”
The others in the room chuckled in agreement.
“I hold the best position in the company.” He said. Smiling he peered into Steve’s eyes. “Good luck Steve. Young lady, you have a good heart.”
They watched the man as he went in through the same door he came out of. “Loser!” One man muttered.
“Steve, my name is Marsha. It looks like we are interviewing for the same position.”
Steve nodded. “Every interview is the same. There aren’t a whole lot of positions available.”
“That is true. Tell me about yourself. We apparently have a lot of time to kill.”
His eyes watered. “I have a wife and three kids. Hopefully I can get something going before Thanksgiving so that Christmas won’t be bad for them.”
“Have you been on the job hunt long?” She asked.
He said, “It feels like a long time. Actually, it is when you have a family counting on you. As of today I have been out of work for three months.”
One of the job seekers left his chair in search of the restroom. As he left another man remarked, “How long before they call on another one of us to talk with personnel? This is ridiculous!”
“Hey you, is the man that hires even here yet?” Another man asked the receptionist.
The receptionist shrugged.
“It isn’t her fault.” Marsha answered.
“All I know is that they better look at qualifications when they fill this job.” The Forbes magazine reader said.
“In this economy I am sure they will look at a lot more than qualifications.” Marsha answered. “What is your name?”
“Listen, this isn’t a coffee shop and I am not looking to make friends. We are in competition for the same job.”
“All right then.”She said.
Marsha turned back to Steve. “Tell me about your kids. Are they really young?”
His eyes lit up as he began, “I have two sons. One is twelve and the other is ten. Our little girl is four years old now. My wife is the best. She has been great through all this stress. They are everything to me.” He fumbled with the papers that he had completed.
The receptionist leaned forward. “Marsha Brown.”
“That’s me.” She stood and smoothed out the front of her jacket. “Good luck Steve.”
One of the men in the waiting room muttered. “We might as well go home. They always give the jobs to the chicks.”
Steve contemplated the words. Sometimes it seemed to be true. He thought about his wife and hoped with all his heart that he would come home with good news. Christmas would be brutal if he didn’t land a job soon. They were down to eating beans and cornbread most meals as well as spaghetti and ketchup sauce too. Aimee was a great cook and managed to stretch the pantry to keep them fed. Presents couldn’t happen without a job. Of course the grandparents would send things, but he wanted to provide for his children. He clasped his hands together as he rested his elbows on his knees. This waiting was a killer.
“Steve Clark.” The voice beaconed.
He stood to go and angry voices erupted. “No fair! I have been here twice as long as he has.”
“Do I have to call security and have all of you hauled off?” The receptionist asked.
As Steve entered the interview room he was greeted by Marsha. “Hi Steve, let me look at your application.”
The look of confusion on his face was amusing. She smiled as she looked through the neatly scripted papers. “You can learn a lot about people when they are waiting for a job interview. As far as my authority goes, I would say that you have the job. There will be a nice Christmas bonus and sign on bonus. Sally, my secretary will cut the check today. You can come in first thing tomorrow to start work. Now all we need is for you to speak with the founder of the company. He enjoys meeting each new member of the team and showing them their office.
As she finished speaking the mail room clerk walked into the room. “Follow me. So your name is Steve?”
Steve nodded. “Yes sir.”
They went through a long hallway that opened into a plethora of cubicles. “Your desk will be in the corner at the window until we get settled into our new building. I hope this is ok.”
“Yes, thank you.” Steve said. “You have been so kind. I would like to tell the boss that you are a first-rate man, Harold.”
The middle-aged man stuck out his hand for a handshake. Steve firmly clasped his hand, looked him in the eye and grinned at him. “Steve, I am the boss. My name is H.W. James. I am the founder of this company. We do our hires just a little differently here. We believe in the Bible verse that says, ‘When you have done this to the least of these, you have done it to me.’ You can tell a lot about a person’s character in how they speak to the lowest guy on the totem pole.”
“Thank you for the job Mr. James. I will do my best.”
“Just one thing, Steve, don’t tell anyone about our criteria for hiring.”
“It’s a deal.” Steve could hardly contain his excitement. There would be a family celebration tonight.
Written by
Elaine Littau
Author of Nan’s Journey, Elk’s Resolve, and Luke's Legacy
Chapters 1-6 of Gertie's Grace (I am thinking of changing the title to "The Eyes of a Stranger.) are on the website. Just go to http://elainelittau.com and click on the last item on the list on the left-hand side of the website.
For Home School/Private School/Public School
I have placed Chapter 1 of Nan's Journey on my website along with a Lesson Plan and Reading Comprehension questions. http://elainelittau.com
I am working on completing the work of doing Lesson Plans and questions for all the books I write. The links are free. The books are on the accelerated reading list for Perryton Jr. High School. It is for readers 13 and up. If you are a teacher or parent who needs this, just log in the lesson plans and questions are free.
Between the Books Chapters
For new chapters "Between the Books" go to http://elainelittau.com and click on the tab. I plan to write a new chapter per week (If possible) until Luke's Legacy is in my hands. All the chapters written are available on the website.
This week I don't have an author interview for you. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all the kind words and actions that you have done for me. As you know, last Saturday Terry and I had the book launch party for Luke's Legacy. We were blessed by the family and friends who came and showed love and support. There were also many who emailed us and sent greetings and well-wishes. That meant so much to us also.
Sometimes Christmas can be a tough time. I know that when I get out the tree and decorations, I think of those who are not with us any more. I have wonderful memories. I am very thankful for that. In my family we are very expressive of love. We hug a lot and tell one another that we love each other. That has been a comfort for me because I know that the ones I love have heard it from my lips.
Terry wanted me to send out the short-story I wrote last year called, "A Job for Christmas". I told him that people could click on the link to my website, but he wanted it to show up on the email...so here it is:
A Job For Christmas
The reception room was crowded as the tenth applicant for the job burst through the door. “Sorry Ma’am I hope I am not late.” He said.
“Put your name on the list. Mr. James will get to you in order.” The hefty middle-aged receptionist answered as if she were a worn out recording.
The young man wrote his name carefully to be sure that it was legible. There was no use being looked over for a job because the interviewer couldn’t read his name. He finished the task and the woman spoke. “Fill these out also.”
“Thank you.” He said. He searched the room for a spot to land on. There were a couple of chairs available but briefcases were in them. The other job seekers in the room looked as depressed and tired as he was. An inner door opened and a middle-aged man came into the crowded room. He was obviously the mail room clerk. He searched each face and his eyes came to rest on the young man who was standing.
“No place to sit?” He asked.
The young man shrugged. “Apparently not.”
“Hey you there, move your stuff and let this kid sit. You know it will be a long wait.”
The man continued reading the latest copy of Forbes magazine as if he had not been addressed. A young woman moved her briefcase from the seat next to her and nodded to the young man.
“Thank you.” He said.
The mailroom clerk crossed the room to the young man. “I am Harold. I have been here since the company was founded.”
“My name is Steve. I feel like I have been looking for work since the day this company was founded.” He smiled.
The man with the Forbes magazine remarked. “They don’t hand out promotions much here or else you don’t have much talent.”
The others in the room chuckled in agreement.
“I hold the best position in the company.” He said. Smiling he peered into Steve’s eyes. “Good luck Steve. Young lady, you have a good heart.”
They watched the man as he went in through the same door he came out of. “Loser!” One man muttered.
“Steve, my name is Marsha. It looks like we are interviewing for the same position.”
Steve nodded. “Every interview is the same. There aren’t a whole lot of positions available.”
“That is true. Tell me about yourself. We apparently have a lot of time to kill.”
His eyes watered. “I have a wife and three kids. Hopefully I can get something going before Thanksgiving so that Christmas won’t be bad for them.”
“Have you been on the job hunt long?” She asked.
He said, “It feels like a long time. Actually, it is when you have a family counting on you. As of today I have been out of work for three months.”
One of the job seekers left his chair in search of the restroom. As he left another man remarked, “How long before they call on another one of us to talk with personnel? This is ridiculous!”
“Hey you, is the man that hires even here yet?” Another man asked the receptionist.
The receptionist shrugged.
“It isn’t her fault.” Marsha answered.
“All I know is that they better look at qualifications when they fill this job.” The Forbes magazine reader said.
“In this economy I am sure they will look at a lot more than qualifications.” Marsha answered. “What is your name?”
“Listen, this isn’t a coffee shop and I am not looking to make friends. We are in competition for the same job.”
“All right then.”She said.
Marsha turned back to Steve. “Tell me about your kids. Are they really young?”
His eyes lit up as he began, “I have two sons. One is twelve and the other is ten. Our little girl is four years old now. My wife is the best. She has been great through all this stress. They are everything to me.” He fumbled with the papers that he had completed.
The receptionist leaned forward. “Marsha Brown.”
“That’s me.” She stood and smoothed out the front of her jacket. “Good luck Steve.”
One of the men in the waiting room muttered. “We might as well go home. They always give the jobs to the chicks.”
Steve contemplated the words. Sometimes it seemed to be true. He thought about his wife and hoped with all his heart that he would come home with good news. Christmas would be brutal if he didn’t land a job soon. They were down to eating beans and cornbread most meals as well as spaghetti and ketchup sauce too. Aimee was a great cook and managed to stretch the pantry to keep them fed. Presents couldn’t happen without a job. Of course the grandparents would send things, but he wanted to provide for his children. He clasped his hands together as he rested his elbows on his knees. This waiting was a killer.
“Steve Clark.” The voice beaconed.
He stood to go and angry voices erupted. “No fair! I have been here twice as long as he has.”
“Do I have to call security and have all of you hauled off?” The receptionist asked.
As Steve entered the interview room he was greeted by Marsha. “Hi Steve, let me look at your application.”
The look of confusion on his face was amusing. She smiled as she looked through the neatly scripted papers. “You can learn a lot about people when they are waiting for a job interview. As far as my authority goes, I would say that you have the job. There will be a nice Christmas bonus and sign on bonus. Sally, my secretary will cut the check today. You can come in first thing tomorrow to start work. Now all we need is for you to speak with the founder of the company. He enjoys meeting each new member of the team and showing them their office.
As she finished speaking the mail room clerk walked into the room. “Follow me. So your name is Steve?”
Steve nodded. “Yes sir.”
They went through a long hallway that opened into a plethora of cubicles. “Your desk will be in the corner at the window until we get settled into our new building. I hope this is ok.”
“Yes, thank you.” Steve said. “You have been so kind. I would like to tell the boss that you are a first-rate man, Harold.”
The middle-aged man stuck out his hand for a handshake. Steve firmly clasped his hand, looked him in the eye and grinned at him. “Steve, I am the boss. My name is H.W. James. I am the founder of this company. We do our hires just a little differently here. We believe in the Bible verse that says, ‘When you have done this to the least of these, you have done it to me.’ You can tell a lot about a person’s character in how they speak to the lowest guy on the totem pole.”
“Thank you for the job Mr. James. I will do my best.”
“Just one thing, Steve, don’t tell anyone about our criteria for hiring.”
“It’s a deal.” Steve could hardly contain his excitement. There would be a family celebration tonight.
Written by
Elaine Littau
Author of Nan’s Journey, Elk’s Resolve, and Luke's Legacy
Chapters 1-6 of Gertie's Grace (I am thinking of changing the title to "The Eyes of a Stranger.) are on the website. Just go to http://elainelittau.com and click on the last item on the list on the left-hand side of the website.
For Home School/Private School/Public School
I have placed Chapter 1 of Nan's Journey on my website along with a Lesson Plan and Reading Comprehension questions. http://elainelittau.com
I am working on completing the work of doing Lesson Plans and questions for all the books I write. The links are free. The books are on the accelerated reading list for Perryton Jr. High School. It is for readers 13 and up. If you are a teacher or parent who needs this, just log in the lesson plans and questions are free.
Between the Books Chapters
For new chapters "Between the Books" go to http://elainelittau.com and click on the tab. I plan to write a new chapter per week (If possible) until Luke's Legacy is in my hands. All the chapters written are available on the website.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Amanda Stephan author of The Price of Trust
I love meeting my fellow authors. This week we have Amanda Stephan.
1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
I am Amanda Stephan and the title of my book is The Price of Trust.
2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
This is my first book, I've written two others, and I'm currently working on my fourth novel. The third and fourth are a series. I have ideas for a children's book, and many more ideas for my fifth and sixth books!
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer? I've always loved to write. In school, if I was given an assignment involving writing, I always went above and beyond. In college, I completely aced my English class because the professor had us write about specific topics. I never got below an A+. She was an awesome teacher...
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I really don't know what I could say my strong points are in my writing methods. My readers have told me that after they were finished with my book, they felt as if they were a part of the story, or that I had written the book exclusively for them. I hope my writing style is fun and happy, yet poignant and thought provoking.
5. Are you a reader?
I like to read, but not when I'm writing. If I have a book I'm working on, I won't read another book because I don't want to get fuzzy on my ideas!
6. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have two other books I haven't submitted for publication yet, and am working on my fourth novel. The second book is about a single mother who is trying to raise her two beloved children to the best of her ability in a Godly manner. These children are constantly trying to entangle their mother in romantic affairs. My third book I'd have to say is my favorite so far. (That's only because I'm not finished with my 4th!) The third book is about a woman who is tricked into marrying a man she's not even interested in, and decides that love isn't a romantic fluffy feeling in the pit of her stomach, she chooses to see what God can do with her marriage. It's a romantic mystery with an introduction to a serial killer. The fourth is the continuation of that story, focusing on her, her husband, and the killer.
7. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
My largest obstacles are getting out of my comfort zone. I love to write, but I always feel silly so I tend to shy away from marketing my books. I'd love to just write and let someone else do all the other stuff!
8. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok)
The Price of Trust ~ Carly Richards is on the run. For the last two years, she's skipped from town to town, ducking her dangerous and well-informed ex-fiance every few weeks, never settling anywhere for long. With the death of her parents, Carly's vulnerability made her trust a man with an attractive facade. Now that same man has tracked her across the country, always nipping at her heels, preventing her from reaching out to anyone other than her God.
Now she's in Montana, and surely that is far enough away from Texas and her abusive past that she can rest. Without a car and money, she has little choice but to dig in and begin building back up her savings so she can run once more. Caught in the circumstances, the kind people around her begin to creep into her softening heart. God is at work, and she has to trust him to not only take care of her, but care for the people she is learning to love.
9. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here. Please stop by my site and leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you! http://www.thepriceoftrust.com
1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
I am Amanda Stephan and the title of my book is The Price of Trust.
2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
This is my first book, I've written two others, and I'm currently working on my fourth novel. The third and fourth are a series. I have ideas for a children's book, and many more ideas for my fifth and sixth books!
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer? I've always loved to write. In school, if I was given an assignment involving writing, I always went above and beyond. In college, I completely aced my English class because the professor had us write about specific topics. I never got below an A+. She was an awesome teacher...
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I really don't know what I could say my strong points are in my writing methods. My readers have told me that after they were finished with my book, they felt as if they were a part of the story, or that I had written the book exclusively for them. I hope my writing style is fun and happy, yet poignant and thought provoking.
5. Are you a reader?
I like to read, but not when I'm writing. If I have a book I'm working on, I won't read another book because I don't want to get fuzzy on my ideas!
6. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have two other books I haven't submitted for publication yet, and am working on my fourth novel. The second book is about a single mother who is trying to raise her two beloved children to the best of her ability in a Godly manner. These children are constantly trying to entangle their mother in romantic affairs. My third book I'd have to say is my favorite so far. (That's only because I'm not finished with my 4th!) The third book is about a woman who is tricked into marrying a man she's not even interested in, and decides that love isn't a romantic fluffy feeling in the pit of her stomach, she chooses to see what God can do with her marriage. It's a romantic mystery with an introduction to a serial killer. The fourth is the continuation of that story, focusing on her, her husband, and the killer.
7. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
My largest obstacles are getting out of my comfort zone. I love to write, but I always feel silly so I tend to shy away from marketing my books. I'd love to just write and let someone else do all the other stuff!
8. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok)
The Price of Trust ~ Carly Richards is on the run. For the last two years, she's skipped from town to town, ducking her dangerous and well-informed ex-fiance every few weeks, never settling anywhere for long. With the death of her parents, Carly's vulnerability made her trust a man with an attractive facade. Now that same man has tracked her across the country, always nipping at her heels, preventing her from reaching out to anyone other than her God.
Now she's in Montana, and surely that is far enough away from Texas and her abusive past that she can rest. Without a car and money, she has little choice but to dig in and begin building back up her savings so she can run once more. Caught in the circumstances, the kind people around her begin to creep into her softening heart. God is at work, and she has to trust him to not only take care of her, but care for the people she is learning to love.
9. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here. Please stop by my site and leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you! http://www.thepriceoftrust.com
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Moon Dance by Susan K. Earl
1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
Hi my name is Susan K. Earl and my recently released book is moon dance ~a novel.
2.What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
Imagination played a major role in my life, and I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t write down my thoughts, short stories, or poems. My mom was a songwriter, my dad told stories all the time, and many of my ancestors traveled from across the waters in Wales to somehow, eventually end up in Texas. I’ve heard tell that Wales is a lot like where I grew up, and I’ve read that one of the national pastimes there is storytelling and writing. I’ve always felt an affinity to the folks there and often felt that my yearning to write is deeply rooted in my ancestral past.
Moon Dance is my first attempt at writing a full-fledged novel. It was born one cold day in December 2007 when I was overcome by a desire to write a story about my Aunt Margaret. Let me go back just a bit in time. My sister, Vickie, and I had begun researching information on my aunt and uncle during the summer of 2007 because we both felt that Aunt Margaret should be inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, which is located in Ft. Worth. We gathered a fair amount of information, and then school started, so our plans were put on the back burner for a bit. During our summer research we uncovered quite a lot of information, including one of the deeds to the largest portion of my aunt and uncle’s ranch. This deed was for the purchase of 250 acres a few miles down the road from Hugo, Oklahoma, and just a hop, skip, and jump from the tiny community of Sawyer, Oklahoma. Margaret and Joe ran the ranch together for many years until my uncle had a heart attack and died while fighting a wildfire on their ranch. After this, my aunt ran the ranch on her own for almost twenty-five years. She was close to eighty when she finally decided to sell off her land and move into town. As Christmas break neared, a yearning filled me to tell my aunt’s story. So began a journey of love, more research, and many late nights working on my “project”
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
All my life. I have always written, journaled, and researched. I .wrote my first novel at age 15, but didn't try and get it published..,it was just something I had to do.
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I write from my heart. I write about things I know and strive to make them interesting to the reader. I put myself in the place of the reader and ask myself if it would be something that would reach out and capture readers attention.and would it capture the readers heart. I also taught writing at both the intermediate level and at the college level for many years.
5. Are you a reader?
I am an avid reader. I read all the time, for relaxation and to take journeys to places far away I've dreamed of, aqnd/or to enrich my own life. I encourage and try to instill in my students a love of readings because it is so vital to our lives. I read to them, I read with them, I show them how much the written word has affected our world in so many, many ways.In the words of Dr. Suess " Oh the Places You'll Go..."
6. What are you reading right now?
I must admit that during this time of the year I need books that take me away from everyday stresses and relax me, offer me a touch of humor and romance, so now I am rereading "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich. I love her kooky characters and my sister and I often refer to quirky moments in our lives as Stephanie Plum moments. I love all kinds of books and read my favorites over and over again. It seems every time I read a book, I get something new from it.
7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have begun a sequel to moon dance based on the same characters, but set during the early days of WWII.
8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
Time is my biggest obstacle right now. My job teaching 5th grade math consumes much of my time right now, so I look forward to some time off in July when I can get back back to writing full time.Once I get involved in the story I'm writing and get to know and understand my characters, the writing just seems to flow. If I get stuck on a part, I just start looking at the world around me and usually something triggers a train of thought and off I go again.
9. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok)
That day, that dreadful day began it all… It began like any other, just another carefree, lazy, May afternoon… Then without warning, as we rounded the corner, my heart commenced beating rapidly and just like that, I knew… I just knew something terrible had come to pass.Maggie didn’t notice being poor; her family managed to scrape by, even during the Depression. Times were hard for everyone she knew, but as long as she had her family, she felt contented. After a devastating accident, Maggie’s world is shattered.A Second Chance ‘Sometimes we just don’t understand why such things come to pass, but I don’t think God plans on bad things happenin’ to us. I believe he helps us through our troubles, and helps us realize that even in hard times, there’s been some good things happen this past year.’I fixed my eyes on him and whispered softly, ‘You’re my good thing, Joe.’While Maggie longs to find the love and trust she desires, Joe strolls into her heart. After the heartaches she’s endured, can Maggie believe there is happiness in store for her? Should she trust Joe, or will he abandon her as well? Moon Dance, by Susan K. Earl, is a captivating family saga portraying the heart and soul of hard-working small-town Texans during the Great Depression, bringing to life highly flavored, ‘deep in the heart of Texas’ characters readers will love—or love to hate. Let Moon Dance transport you to a simpler place in time; experience a tale that transcends generations and offers an outspoken story of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness.
10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
You can contact me through e-mail at moondance2010att.net or at my website http://susanearl.tatepublishing.net. Moon Dance is available on my website, on Amazon, Google or major bookstores online as both a soft copy book or a Kindle download. It is also available from most major booksellers
Hi my name is Susan K. Earl and my recently released book is moon dance ~a novel.
2.What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
Imagination played a major role in my life, and I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t write down my thoughts, short stories, or poems. My mom was a songwriter, my dad told stories all the time, and many of my ancestors traveled from across the waters in Wales to somehow, eventually end up in Texas. I’ve heard tell that Wales is a lot like where I grew up, and I’ve read that one of the national pastimes there is storytelling and writing. I’ve always felt an affinity to the folks there and often felt that my yearning to write is deeply rooted in my ancestral past.
Moon Dance is my first attempt at writing a full-fledged novel. It was born one cold day in December 2007 when I was overcome by a desire to write a story about my Aunt Margaret. Let me go back just a bit in time. My sister, Vickie, and I had begun researching information on my aunt and uncle during the summer of 2007 because we both felt that Aunt Margaret should be inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, which is located in Ft. Worth. We gathered a fair amount of information, and then school started, so our plans were put on the back burner for a bit. During our summer research we uncovered quite a lot of information, including one of the deeds to the largest portion of my aunt and uncle’s ranch. This deed was for the purchase of 250 acres a few miles down the road from Hugo, Oklahoma, and just a hop, skip, and jump from the tiny community of Sawyer, Oklahoma. Margaret and Joe ran the ranch together for many years until my uncle had a heart attack and died while fighting a wildfire on their ranch. After this, my aunt ran the ranch on her own for almost twenty-five years. She was close to eighty when she finally decided to sell off her land and move into town. As Christmas break neared, a yearning filled me to tell my aunt’s story. So began a journey of love, more research, and many late nights working on my “project”
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
All my life. I have always written, journaled, and researched. I .wrote my first novel at age 15, but didn't try and get it published..,it was just something I had to do.
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I write from my heart. I write about things I know and strive to make them interesting to the reader. I put myself in the place of the reader and ask myself if it would be something that would reach out and capture readers attention.and would it capture the readers heart. I also taught writing at both the intermediate level and at the college level for many years.
5. Are you a reader?
I am an avid reader. I read all the time, for relaxation and to take journeys to places far away I've dreamed of, aqnd/or to enrich my own life. I encourage and try to instill in my students a love of readings because it is so vital to our lives. I read to them, I read with them, I show them how much the written word has affected our world in so many, many ways.In the words of Dr. Suess " Oh the Places You'll Go..."
6. What are you reading right now?
I must admit that during this time of the year I need books that take me away from everyday stresses and relax me, offer me a touch of humor and romance, so now I am rereading "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich. I love her kooky characters and my sister and I often refer to quirky moments in our lives as Stephanie Plum moments. I love all kinds of books and read my favorites over and over again. It seems every time I read a book, I get something new from it.
7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have begun a sequel to moon dance based on the same characters, but set during the early days of WWII.
8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
Time is my biggest obstacle right now. My job teaching 5th grade math consumes much of my time right now, so I look forward to some time off in July when I can get back back to writing full time.Once I get involved in the story I'm writing and get to know and understand my characters, the writing just seems to flow. If I get stuck on a part, I just start looking at the world around me and usually something triggers a train of thought and off I go again.
9. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok)
That day, that dreadful day began it all… It began like any other, just another carefree, lazy, May afternoon… Then without warning, as we rounded the corner, my heart commenced beating rapidly and just like that, I knew… I just knew something terrible had come to pass.Maggie didn’t notice being poor; her family managed to scrape by, even during the Depression. Times were hard for everyone she knew, but as long as she had her family, she felt contented. After a devastating accident, Maggie’s world is shattered.A Second Chance ‘Sometimes we just don’t understand why such things come to pass, but I don’t think God plans on bad things happenin’ to us. I believe he helps us through our troubles, and helps us realize that even in hard times, there’s been some good things happen this past year.’I fixed my eyes on him and whispered softly, ‘You’re my good thing, Joe.’While Maggie longs to find the love and trust she desires, Joe strolls into her heart. After the heartaches she’s endured, can Maggie believe there is happiness in store for her? Should she trust Joe, or will he abandon her as well? Moon Dance, by Susan K. Earl, is a captivating family saga portraying the heart and soul of hard-working small-town Texans during the Great Depression, bringing to life highly flavored, ‘deep in the heart of Texas’ characters readers will love—or love to hate. Let Moon Dance transport you to a simpler place in time; experience a tale that transcends generations and offers an outspoken story of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness.
10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
You can contact me through e-mail at moondance2010att.net or at my website http://susanearl.tatepublishing.net. Moon Dance is available on my website, on Amazon, Google or major bookstores online as both a soft copy book or a Kindle download. It is also available from most major booksellers
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Voices of the Characters of Nan's Heritage Series - Fred
I am Fred Young. As a youngster I had a happy life. My mother and father were the best there was. I married young and married well. My wife, Claire, was everything a good wife should be. We added a baby girl to our family and all was well.
I went to Bible College and felt the call of God on my life. I was blessed to be accepted to the position of pastor at a small church in my hometown. Everything went well. Our church was growing and I knew that I was reaching the people God intended me to reach.
One Sunday everything changed. My wife and daughter joined me as we found our way to the top of a mountain near Silverton, Colorado. We built a cabin and raised chickens. I ran a trap line and we built a life there. Things happened there and I became bitter.
The bitterness changed me. I became a man that no one recognized from my former days. My life changed so I changed. There is no way that I will allow myself to go back to the man I used to be.
I went to Bible College and felt the call of God on my life. I was blessed to be accepted to the position of pastor at a small church in my hometown. Everything went well. Our church was growing and I knew that I was reaching the people God intended me to reach.
One Sunday everything changed. My wife and daughter joined me as we found our way to the top of a mountain near Silverton, Colorado. We built a cabin and raised chickens. I ran a trap line and we built a life there. Things happened there and I became bitter.
The bitterness changed me. I became a man that no one recognized from my former days. My life changed so I changed. There is no way that I will allow myself to go back to the man I used to be.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Second Chance-A Summers Saga Novel by Karina Harris
Second Chance by Karina Harris is a Christian Suspense Fiction published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises. It can be purchases online at Barnes and Nobel, Amazon, and Borders or any site that sells books.
The premise of ordinary people becoming operatives in the FBI and its connections in Portugal and other far away places is intriguing. For five years the children of the couple mourned the death of their parents. They grew up and started lives of their own. Everything changed when Special Agent Ian Martin recognized the couple in a surveillance video while working on another case.
The story is suspenseful, exciting, and romantic. Karina Harris' imagination and skill as a writer is very enjoyable. I look forward to more books from this writer.
Elaine Littau, author of Nan's Journey & Elk's Resolve
The premise of ordinary people becoming operatives in the FBI and its connections in Portugal and other far away places is intriguing. For five years the children of the couple mourned the death of their parents. They grew up and started lives of their own. Everything changed when Special Agent Ian Martin recognized the couple in a surveillance video while working on another case.
The story is suspenseful, exciting, and romantic. Karina Harris' imagination and skill as a writer is very enjoyable. I look forward to more books from this writer.
Elaine Littau, author of Nan's Journey & Elk's Resolve
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall
“The Sound of Sleigh Bells” by Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times Best-Selling Author of “When the Soul Mends” is an Amish tale of love and inspiration.
Maybe the reason I enjoy the Amish stories is that I am drawn to the old-time stories of the 1800s. It seems to be a close fit. The only thing is that I find myself having the same struggles with the setting as I did in childhood when I watched episodes of my beloved Roy Rogers when he and Dale rode up on their beautiful horses only to be met by the bad guys in a car. Maybe that is because I live in a part of the country where Amish communities do not live. I am not saying that I don’t respect their devotion. I do. It is just not something that I am accustomed to.
Cindy Woodsmall tells a great story that drew me in and held my attention. In fact, I had to make myself stop reading in the wee hours of the morning. It takes a good book to do that. The characters were believable and loveable. I was invested in them and how things turned out for them. I recommend this book. You can get this at http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307446534
Elaine Littau, author of “Nan’s Journey” and “Elk’s Resolve”
Maybe the reason I enjoy the Amish stories is that I am drawn to the old-time stories of the 1800s. It seems to be a close fit. The only thing is that I find myself having the same struggles with the setting as I did in childhood when I watched episodes of my beloved Roy Rogers when he and Dale rode up on their beautiful horses only to be met by the bad guys in a car. Maybe that is because I live in a part of the country where Amish communities do not live. I am not saying that I don’t respect their devotion. I do. It is just not something that I am accustomed to.
Cindy Woodsmall tells a great story that drew me in and held my attention. In fact, I had to make myself stop reading in the wee hours of the morning. It takes a good book to do that. The characters were believable and loveable. I was invested in them and how things turned out for them. I recommend this book. You can get this at http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307446534
Elaine Littau, author of “Nan’s Journey” and “Elk’s Resolve”
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Farraday Road" by Ace Collins
Farraday Road by Ace Collins is published by Zondervan. It is a fiction/Christian/suspense novel. When I got my box of books from Zondervan to read and review I looked through the titles and decided to begin with a fiction. My brain was too tired to learn from a Bible study book. I have to have a fresh mind to read instructional books else it is like a steel shield is held over my head to deflect any ideas that try to enter.
So much for that! I opened this book and was launched within the first pages into a murder on a muddy mountain road. It was supposed to be a double homicide, but the local attorney lived to solve the mystery of who his wife's killer was. The story line has as many twists and turns as an Arkansas mountain road. You have to stay on your toes to keep up. It was a good read and refreshing to my tired mind. (Notice I did not say feeble mind.)
You may purchase this book at http://ZONDERVAN.com
So much for that! I opened this book and was launched within the first pages into a murder on a muddy mountain road. It was supposed to be a double homicide, but the local attorney lived to solve the mystery of who his wife's killer was. The story line has as many twists and turns as an Arkansas mountain road. You have to stay on your toes to keep up. It was a good read and refreshing to my tired mind. (Notice I did not say feeble mind.)
You may purchase this book at http://ZONDERVAN.com
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Stray Affections by Charlene Ann Baumbich
“Stray Affections” by Charlene Ann Baumbich, author of the Dearest Dorothy Series, published by Waterbrook Press, is a delightful book that holds important lessons. One lesson that struck me was about the perspective of an adult verses that of a child. What seemed to young Cassandra Higgins to be acts of cruelty were actually steps for survival of her newly widowed mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski.
As an adult Cassandra steps out and attends a Collectors’ Convention alone without her best friend. She usually tended to hide in her friend’s shadow and be a follower. For the first time in years she is doing something on her own without her support system helping her decide what to do and think. Because of strange events that take place at the convention Cassandra blurts out a harsh retort to her mother’s scolding.
Cassandra’s uncharacteristic behavior starts the wheels in motion that bring about changes in the lives of many of her friends and family’s lives. She realizes that “Bad Betty” may actually have some good qualities and the things that happened in her childhood hurt her mother also. Cassandra and Betty had become stuck in the mind-set that they created about themselves. In a refreshing way both redefine themselves as the individuals they were meant to be. http://randomhouse.com
Elaine Littau, author of “Nan’s Journey” & “Elk’s Resolve”
As an adult Cassandra steps out and attends a Collectors’ Convention alone without her best friend. She usually tended to hide in her friend’s shadow and be a follower. For the first time in years she is doing something on her own without her support system helping her decide what to do and think. Because of strange events that take place at the convention Cassandra blurts out a harsh retort to her mother’s scolding.
Cassandra’s uncharacteristic behavior starts the wheels in motion that bring about changes in the lives of many of her friends and family’s lives. She realizes that “Bad Betty” may actually have some good qualities and the things that happened in her childhood hurt her mother also. Cassandra and Betty had become stuck in the mind-set that they created about themselves. In a refreshing way both redefine themselves as the individuals they were meant to be. http://randomhouse.com
Elaine Littau, author of “Nan’s Journey” & “Elk’s Resolve”
Friday, August 21, 2009
Fun in the Summer
This weekend I am going to Leatherman Park at Perryton to sell books on Perryton's Celebration Day, Saturday, Aug 22 from 11-5 p.m.
It has been so hot this summer I hope all goes well. It is so fun to talk to people who come by my table. I like to talk with the children who timidly tell me that they love to write stories. Some of them tell me a bit of their story. There are some great writers growing up around here.
Since I was 52 when my first book was published, I think that the fact gives people my age hope that no matter what your age, God can use you. Never let go of your dreams.
I am continuing with featuring Tate Publishing and Enterprise Authors. I have "met" most of them through facebook and the Tate Publishing fan page. In the following weeks you will have the opportunity so see the dedication and heart each person puts in their writing. This week I am interviewing Karina Harris.
1.What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
My name is Karina Harris. The title of my book is "Second Chance".
2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
I believe my readers would be interested to know that I grew up overseas. My parents were Baptist missionaries, and I spent much of my childhood and teen years in India and Thailand.
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
As a teenager, I enjoyed writing poetry and short stories. I also wrote several short stories in college, but never did anything with them. After I married, started a career in education, and had children, the writing stopped for several years. This past year I moved to a new teaching position that gave me more free time. My children had reached the age where constant supervision was not necessary. And I felt the call of writing again. I began this book in January, and had an offer from Tate publishing in March.
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I believe that characters are the key to a great story. So I spent quite a bit of time developing these characters before I ever started their story. I have been told that I have a gift in being able to describe things well, whether it be characters, scenery, or emotions in the book.
5. Are you a reader?
Yes!
6. What are you reading right now?
I just finished Julie Garwood's "Fire and Ice"; also an FBI romantic suspense.
7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have finished the second book in this saga and am working on the third. The second book is entitled "Third Time Around", and tells the story of Quinn and Emma. Quinn is the outgoing, photographer brother of Avalin (our heroine in "Second Chance"). He is put on assignment with Emma, who is professional to a fault. They don't exactly "hit it off" to begin with, but circumstances continue to put them together. A twist in the plot is that someone is after Emma, has threatened her...but nobody knows who or why.
8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
My biggest obstacle is that I don't know the end of the story when I begin it. That makes it wonderfully fun at times, because it unfolds much like a movie in my mind. There have been times, though, when I don't know where to go next with the story (like the "pause" button has been hit), and it is quite frustrating on those days!
9. Please put a description of each of your books here.
Second Chance:
Avalin Summers’s life changes forever when she is told her parents may not be dead.
In the romantic suspense novel Second Chance, Karina Harris weaves an intriguing tale of hope and uncertainty in the story of Avalin Summers, an art student who is fiercely loyal to her older brothers, Jaden and Quinn. When Jaden requests a family meeting at their childhood farm in Colorado, she doesn’t question him. But what she discovers is something she hasn’t dared to dream about for the past five years.
Agent Ian Martin has spent a year investigating the case of part-time FBI operatives John and Rosemary Summers and the suspicious conclusion to their last mission. Recent intelligence hints they may not have died in the European plane crash, but he needs the help of the Summers’s grown children, Jaden, Quinn, and twenty-one-year-old Avalin, to find out. At the family meeting, Ian presents evidence that suggests their parents may have escaped capture and fled to Portugal.
The siblings’ lives are turned upside down when they learn their parents were working as undercover agents. Hoping they are alive, Quinn and Avalin eagerly join Ian in his search. When they land in Lisbon, they are bombarded with even more uncertainties. Thrown together by circumstances fraught with danger, betrayal, and heartache, Ian and Avalin uncover something special in each other. As events unfold, Ian and Avalin begin to question their beliefs in their government, their families, and even God as they look for someone they can trust. Will they find love on their journey together? Will they discover the truth about the Summers’s parents before it’s too late? Find out in Second Chance.
Third Time Around
Harris brings us back to the Summers family in this gripping tale of suspense and romance. Quinn Summers has been assigned to Peru, as the photographer for a National Geographic expose on a Native Indian tribe. Expecting a short, two day stint, he encounters instead a situation which changes his life.
Emma McDonnell is a career driven journalist who has just received her big break. She has been given her first lead assignment for National Geographic, and she is determined to make it perfect. She's not about to let the overly confident, incredibly handsome replacement photographer, Quinn Summers get in her way.
Events conspire to bring them together, both professionally and personally. Quinn becomes determined to discover the cause of the fear he sees behind her eyes. Emma begins to wonder if perhaps Quinn is someone she should trust.
Just as their relationship begins to strengthen, trouble explodes as someone from Emma's past returns to haunt her. Who is it? What does he want? Will Quinn and Emma be able to discover the identity of the would-be kidnapper before its too late?
10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
My blog is: karinabharris.blogspot.com
My website is: www.karinabharris.vpweb.com
Once the release date is set, people will be able to order a book through this website via PayPal. They will receive a signed copy.
It has been so hot this summer I hope all goes well. It is so fun to talk to people who come by my table. I like to talk with the children who timidly tell me that they love to write stories. Some of them tell me a bit of their story. There are some great writers growing up around here.
Since I was 52 when my first book was published, I think that the fact gives people my age hope that no matter what your age, God can use you. Never let go of your dreams.
I am continuing with featuring Tate Publishing and Enterprise Authors. I have "met" most of them through facebook and the Tate Publishing fan page. In the following weeks you will have the opportunity so see the dedication and heart each person puts in their writing. This week I am interviewing Karina Harris.
1.What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
My name is Karina Harris. The title of my book is "Second Chance".
2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
I believe my readers would be interested to know that I grew up overseas. My parents were Baptist missionaries, and I spent much of my childhood and teen years in India and Thailand.
3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
As a teenager, I enjoyed writing poetry and short stories. I also wrote several short stories in college, but never did anything with them. After I married, started a career in education, and had children, the writing stopped for several years. This past year I moved to a new teaching position that gave me more free time. My children had reached the age where constant supervision was not necessary. And I felt the call of writing again. I began this book in January, and had an offer from Tate publishing in March.
4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I believe that characters are the key to a great story. So I spent quite a bit of time developing these characters before I ever started their story. I have been told that I have a gift in being able to describe things well, whether it be characters, scenery, or emotions in the book.
5. Are you a reader?
Yes!
6. What are you reading right now?
I just finished Julie Garwood's "Fire and Ice"; also an FBI romantic suspense.
7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
I have finished the second book in this saga and am working on the third. The second book is entitled "Third Time Around", and tells the story of Quinn and Emma. Quinn is the outgoing, photographer brother of Avalin (our heroine in "Second Chance"). He is put on assignment with Emma, who is professional to a fault. They don't exactly "hit it off" to begin with, but circumstances continue to put them together. A twist in the plot is that someone is after Emma, has threatened her...but nobody knows who or why.
8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
My biggest obstacle is that I don't know the end of the story when I begin it. That makes it wonderfully fun at times, because it unfolds much like a movie in my mind. There have been times, though, when I don't know where to go next with the story (like the "pause" button has been hit), and it is quite frustrating on those days!
9. Please put a description of each of your books here.
Second Chance:
Avalin Summers’s life changes forever when she is told her parents may not be dead.
In the romantic suspense novel Second Chance, Karina Harris weaves an intriguing tale of hope and uncertainty in the story of Avalin Summers, an art student who is fiercely loyal to her older brothers, Jaden and Quinn. When Jaden requests a family meeting at their childhood farm in Colorado, she doesn’t question him. But what she discovers is something she hasn’t dared to dream about for the past five years.
Agent Ian Martin has spent a year investigating the case of part-time FBI operatives John and Rosemary Summers and the suspicious conclusion to their last mission. Recent intelligence hints they may not have died in the European plane crash, but he needs the help of the Summers’s grown children, Jaden, Quinn, and twenty-one-year-old Avalin, to find out. At the family meeting, Ian presents evidence that suggests their parents may have escaped capture and fled to Portugal.
The siblings’ lives are turned upside down when they learn their parents were working as undercover agents. Hoping they are alive, Quinn and Avalin eagerly join Ian in his search. When they land in Lisbon, they are bombarded with even more uncertainties. Thrown together by circumstances fraught with danger, betrayal, and heartache, Ian and Avalin uncover something special in each other. As events unfold, Ian and Avalin begin to question their beliefs in their government, their families, and even God as they look for someone they can trust. Will they find love on their journey together? Will they discover the truth about the Summers’s parents before it’s too late? Find out in Second Chance.
Third Time Around
Harris brings us back to the Summers family in this gripping tale of suspense and romance. Quinn Summers has been assigned to Peru, as the photographer for a National Geographic expose on a Native Indian tribe. Expecting a short, two day stint, he encounters instead a situation which changes his life.
Emma McDonnell is a career driven journalist who has just received her big break. She has been given her first lead assignment for National Geographic, and she is determined to make it perfect. She's not about to let the overly confident, incredibly handsome replacement photographer, Quinn Summers get in her way.
Events conspire to bring them together, both professionally and personally. Quinn becomes determined to discover the cause of the fear he sees behind her eyes. Emma begins to wonder if perhaps Quinn is someone she should trust.
Just as their relationship begins to strengthen, trouble explodes as someone from Emma's past returns to haunt her. Who is it? What does he want? Will Quinn and Emma be able to discover the identity of the would-be kidnapper before its too late?
10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
My blog is: karinabharris.blogspot.com
My website is: www.karinabharris.vpweb.com
Once the release date is set, people will be able to order a book through this website via PayPal. They will receive a signed copy.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
When Love Blooms by Robin Lee Hatcher
Yesterday I finished reading "When Love Blooms" by Robin Lee Hatcher. The book is a beautiful story set in the 1800s. Emily ready to carve out a life of her own and takes a job as a governess to two young girls at a ranch located in the Stanley Basin of Idaho. She had spent the last several years tending to her sister and nieces and nephews and was well equipped to take on a nine-year-old and five-year-old as well as their ailing mother. She never expected much from their father."When Love Blooms" takes on issues of selflessness, neglect, and perseverance. I really enjoyed being introduced to the believable characters and situations. I look forward to reading more of Robin Lee Hatcher's books. This book is published by Zondervan, copyright 2008 and may be purchased at your favorite book stores.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Bitter Water by Sherri Smith
I met Sherri Smith on a cruise in January of 2009. As I opened the book I was face to face with the message of forgiveness. The main character of "Bitter Water" had to decide whether to be bitter or better. Once again I was struck with the realization that forgiveness is a choice and not an emotion. While forgiving may not remove the pain of the offense immediately, the results of forgiving is freedom. The characters were the kind of people you would meet anywhere in the world. They had challenges we all face and lived their lives much like we all do. After reading "Bitter Water" I felt that I knew them. You will enjoy meeting them too.
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Today's Wild Card author is:
and the book:
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
JOYCE MEYER is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than seventy inspirational books, including The Confident Woman, Look Great, Feel Great, and the entire Battlefield of the Mindfamily of books. She has also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life® radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $16.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446509396
ISBN-13: 978-0446509398
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Introduction
Everyone has them: those days where nothing seems to get done, except maybe what you’ve added to your already lengthy to-do list. Are you tired most of the time? Are you spent? Do you find yourself wish- ing for a better day—a simpler day? Too many things compete for your limited resources of attention, energy, and time. You may be suffocat- ing and not even know it. If you feel like this, you’re not alone.
Most people today live complicated lives that leave them frustrated and confused, weary and worn out. But I have good news: your life does not have to be that way. You can choose a life of simplicity, fruitfulness, fulfillment, peace, and joy. I want to warn you, however, unless you are determined not to, you will do what everyone else does. You will get sucked up in the system and spend your life wishing things were different, never realizing you are, in fact, the only one who can change things. Unless we are resolute and remain undaunted in our quest for simplicity, we are destined for complication and frustration.
I recall a time when I was complaining to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. How could anyone be expected to do all I had in front of me? Then the realization hit me that I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me. You can spend your lives wishing things were different, but wishing won’t change anything. Smart decision making and decisive action is what changes things. If you picked up this book looking for change, are you willing to make a decision and follow it up with action?
I wasted many years hoping life would change and things would calm down until I finally realized life itself doesn’t change; in fact, it has the potential to get worse. I understood my only real option was to change my approach to life. I had to say no to another day of rushing around and feeling frustrated. I didn’t want the doctor giving me another pre- scription to mask another symptom of the real problem—stress.
In my search for simplicity, I have come to believe life can never be simple unless I learn to approach all things simply. It is my attitude toward each event in life that determines how easy or complex each situation will be. Perhaps life is complicated because people are compli- cated. Is it possible that life is not complicated, but rather, individuals complicate life in the way they approach it?
I discovered it wasn’t really life or circumstances or other people as much as it was me that needed to change. My problem wasn’t the problem—I was the problem! When you spend your life in frustration trying to change the world and everyone in it, you fail to realize it could be you just need to change your approach to life. It can be very easy for someone to live an entire lifetime and never entertain the notion that the way they do things is the real problem.
Have you ever attempted to have friends over for what you initially intended to be a simple afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun, but somehow, it turned into a complicated nightmare? I remember those days vividly. I’d be at church on Sunday and, without much forethought, invite three couples over for the following Sunday to a barbecue. My initial thought was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, potato chips, and iced tea. My motive was fellowship and fun, but by the time the guests arrived, I didn’t even want them there. Fun was not going to happen, at least not for me. Why? I turned my simple get- together into a nightmare of preparation, expensive food, and fourteen people instead of the original six. My complicated approach to life and my complicated thought process convinced me hot dogs and hamburg- ers weren’t nice enough so I bought steaks we could not afford. My potato chips turned into a huge bowl of homemade potato salad. The simple baked beans became four side dishes I labored over.
Insecure and wanting to impress everyone, I had to spend the week cleaning and getting everything in the house to the point where I thought it would be impressive. Of course, the lawn chairs were old, so I bought new ones. I got angry at Dave because I thought he wasn’t help- ing me enough, and by the time our friends arrived, I resented them, wished they hadn’t come, and had a miserable day of pretending to be the happy hostess when in reality I was frustrated and miserable.
I could not figure out why I wasn’t able to enjoy much of anything in life until God revealed to me I was killing my joy with complication. For years, I prayed God would change the people and circumstances around me when, in reality, He wanted to change me and my approach to life. He wanted me to simplify so, ultimately, He could be glorified.
Let me share with you 100 ways to approach living that can simplify your life and, in turn, release and increase your joy. I believe they will dramatically improve the quality of your everyday experience if you incorporate them into the way you do things. Jesus said He came so we might have and enjoy our life in abundance (see John 10:10). His prin- ciples are simple. Faith is simple! Trusting God is simple! A childlike approach to Him is simple! The plan of salvation is simple!
Jesus offers us a “new way of living,” and I believe it is a simple, yet powerful way that enables us to enjoy everyday life. Are you ready to simplify your life? Are you ready to say good-bye to the complexities you’ve allowed to take over? Let’s get started.
Do One Thing at a Time
When we do things without truly focusing our minds on them, we immediately decrease our strength to do the work before us and do it well. By putting our hands to one thing and our mind to another, we divide the muscle behind our abilities and we make the task much more difficult. It’s like removing an egg yolk from the egg white—both can be used separately but the result isn’t as effective (or tasty) as it would be if we leave the egg whole. However, by directing all of our faculties to the one thing we are doing on a particular day, at that hour, at that moment, we find it much easier to do. The ability to concentrate and stay focused can only come from discipline.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing. Anxious people are always trying to live ahead of where they currently are. They spend today trying to figure out tomorrow and the result is the loss of simplicity. God expects us to trust Him with tomorrow just as He instructed the Israelites to do when they crossed the barren wil- derness, pressing toward the Promised Land.
Practice living one day at a time; give yourself—your thoughts, your conversation, your energies, every part of you—to the day at hand.
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Develop an ability to give yourself to what you are doing. You will sense an awareness enabling you to enjoy the current activity, instead of going through each day in a blur of activity and confusing thoughts which leave you drained and exhausted.
Do you fear you will not accomplish as much if you try to live this way? It’s true you may not do as much, but you will also enjoy what you do a whole lot more. One key to simplicity is realizing that quality is far superior to quantity.
Everyone has them: those days where nothing seems to get done, except maybe what you’ve added to your already lengthy to-do list. Are you tired most of the time? Are you spent? Do you find yourself wish- ing for a better day—a simpler day? Too many things compete for your limited resources of attention, energy, and time. You may be suffocat- ing and not even know it. If you feel like this, you’re not alone.
Most people today live complicated lives that leave them frustrated and confused, weary and worn out. But I have good news: your life does not have to be that way. You can choose a life of simplicity, fruitfulness, fulfillment, peace, and joy. I want to warn you, however, unless you are determined not to, you will do what everyone else does. You will get sucked up in the system and spend your life wishing things were different, never realizing you are, in fact, the only one who can change things. Unless we are resolute and remain undaunted in our quest for simplicity, we are destined for complication and frustration.
I recall a time when I was complaining to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. How could anyone be expected to do all I had in front of me? Then the realization hit me that I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me. You can spend your lives wishing things were different, but wishing won’t change anything. Smart decision making and decisive action is what changes things. If you picked up this book looking for change, are you willing to make a decision and follow it up with action?
I wasted many years hoping life would change and things would calm down until I finally realized life itself doesn’t change; in fact, it has the potential to get worse. I understood my only real option was to change my approach to life. I had to say no to another day of rushing around and feeling frustrated. I didn’t want the doctor giving me another pre- scription to mask another symptom of the real problem—stress.
In my search for simplicity, I have come to believe life can never be simple unless I learn to approach all things simply. It is my attitude toward each event in life that determines how easy or complex each situation will be. Perhaps life is complicated because people are compli- cated. Is it possible that life is not complicated, but rather, individuals complicate life in the way they approach it?
I discovered it wasn’t really life or circumstances or other people as much as it was me that needed to change. My problem wasn’t the problem—I was the problem! When you spend your life in frustration trying to change the world and everyone in it, you fail to realize it could be you just need to change your approach to life. It can be very easy for someone to live an entire lifetime and never entertain the notion that the way they do things is the real problem.
Have you ever attempted to have friends over for what you initially intended to be a simple afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun, but somehow, it turned into a complicated nightmare? I remember those days vividly. I’d be at church on Sunday and, without much forethought, invite three couples over for the following Sunday to a barbecue. My initial thought was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, potato chips, and iced tea. My motive was fellowship and fun, but by the time the guests arrived, I didn’t even want them there. Fun was not going to happen, at least not for me. Why? I turned my simple get- together into a nightmare of preparation, expensive food, and fourteen people instead of the original six. My complicated approach to life and my complicated thought process convinced me hot dogs and hamburg- ers weren’t nice enough so I bought steaks we could not afford. My potato chips turned into a huge bowl of homemade potato salad. The simple baked beans became four side dishes I labored over.
Insecure and wanting to impress everyone, I had to spend the week cleaning and getting everything in the house to the point where I thought it would be impressive. Of course, the lawn chairs were old, so I bought new ones. I got angry at Dave because I thought he wasn’t help- ing me enough, and by the time our friends arrived, I resented them, wished they hadn’t come, and had a miserable day of pretending to be the happy hostess when in reality I was frustrated and miserable.
I could not figure out why I wasn’t able to enjoy much of anything in life until God revealed to me I was killing my joy with complication. For years, I prayed God would change the people and circumstances around me when, in reality, He wanted to change me and my approach to life. He wanted me to simplify so, ultimately, He could be glorified.
Let me share with you 100 ways to approach living that can simplify your life and, in turn, release and increase your joy. I believe they will dramatically improve the quality of your everyday experience if you incorporate them into the way you do things. Jesus said He came so we might have and enjoy our life in abundance (see John 10:10). His prin- ciples are simple. Faith is simple! Trusting God is simple! A childlike approach to Him is simple! The plan of salvation is simple!
Jesus offers us a “new way of living,” and I believe it is a simple, yet powerful way that enables us to enjoy everyday life. Are you ready to simplify your life? Are you ready to say good-bye to the complexities you’ve allowed to take over? Let’s get started.
Do One Thing at a Time
The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything elseówe are the busiest people in the world.
ÓERIC HOFFER
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].
—Hebrews 12:2
When we do things without truly focusing our minds on them, we immediately decrease our strength to do the work before us and do it well. By putting our hands to one thing and our mind to another, we divide the muscle behind our abilities and we make the task much more difficult. It’s like removing an egg yolk from the egg white—both can be used separately but the result isn’t as effective (or tasty) as it would be if we leave the egg whole. However, by directing all of our faculties to the one thing we are doing on a particular day, at that hour, at that moment, we find it much easier to do. The ability to concentrate and stay focused can only come from discipline.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing. Anxious people are always trying to live ahead of where they currently are. They spend today trying to figure out tomorrow and the result is the loss of simplicity. God expects us to trust Him with tomorrow just as He instructed the Israelites to do when they crossed the barren wil- derness, pressing toward the Promised Land.
Practice living one day at a time; give yourself—your thoughts, your conversation, your energies, every part of you—to the day at hand.
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Develop an ability to give yourself to what you are doing. You will sense an awareness enabling you to enjoy the current activity, instead of going through each day in a blur of activity and confusing thoughts which leave you drained and exhausted.
Do you fear you will not accomplish as much if you try to live this way? It’s true you may not do as much, but you will also enjoy what you do a whole lot more. One key to simplicity is realizing that quality is far superior to quantity.
The Blog Tour for "Nan's Journey" Begins July 23
It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Today's Wild Card author is:
and his/her book:
Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Littau is a life-long resident of Perryton, TX. She met husband, Terry at the Apostolic Faith Bible College in Baxter Springs, Kansas in 1974. They married March 1, 1975 and reside on a small acreage near Perryton where they enjoy spending time with their family and friends. They raised three sons and now have three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren added to their family. They also enjoy visiting with their extended family located in Perryton, Clear Lake, Laverne, and Amarillo.
Author Elaine Littau is a busy woman who by profession is the church secretary for Harvest Time First Assembly of God Church in Perryton. Among other things she has led women’s groups and taught preschool, and was a mentor for the M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in her community. She has been active in Toastmasters and enjoys painting, crafts, and playing piano and organ. She was recently appointed to the Campus Education Improvement Committee for Wright Elementary in Perryton. She belongs to Christian Storytellers and Faith Writers writing groups.
“Nan’s Journey” was written over the course of several years. “A salvation message is at the core of the book.” Littau says. “If it weren’t for the Lord, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. I truly enjoy meeting new people.”
Littau is currently working on two other books that are continuations of “Nan’s Journey.” Book signings and speaking engagements are currently set up for venues in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon.
Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602478325
ISBN-13: 978-1602478329
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Chapter One
It was late. The moon had risen and the night symphony was in full force. Crickets chirped at their rivals, the frogs, and dominated the night chorus. Only one sound in the forest was foreign—a whimper from under the ferns. At the base of the largest pine in the woods was a small form crying, moaning, and whimpering. Black hair, matted and dirty, hung in long ropes down the front of the tiny girl. She had been in this spot for hours. At least that is what it felt like to her. Stretching, she cried out in pain. The blood-covered welts burst open to bleed again. Her back was wet with blood, and her dress was torn and useless.
Why had she dared to speak to the woman that she was obliged to call mother in that way? She knew that talking was not allowed from children before chores were finished. The accusations being made by “Ma” were totally false and she could not let Elmer take the blame for something she herself had forgotten to do. She shut her eyes tight against the memory, but it intruded anyway.
She had just gotten up to take the water off the stove to make up dishwater for the supper dishes. Ma had stepped outside the room to turn down her bed and prepare for sleep. When she reappeared in the kitchen, she realized that the wood supply next to the stove was low. Elmer was standing next to the table gathering the plates for washing. “Elmer, where is the wood you were supposed to bring up to the house?” Before he could answer, a hand had slapped him across his face. Getting back onto his feet and standing as tall as a five year old can stand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma, I was sick today, ‘member?”
“So, Elmer, you’re going to play up that headache trick again. Nan, didn’t your good for nothing Mama teach you people how to work, or are you just lazy?”
“Our Mama was good! Don’t you say mean things about her!” Nan yelled as her heart raced at the assault against her real Mama’s character.
“What about it, Elmer, are you like your weakling Mama or what?” Elmer’s eyes became very large and filled with tears. He could barely remember his real Mama, but when he did, he remembered soft kisses and sweet singing and a beautiful face. “I’m sorry; I’ll get the wood now.”
“No, Elmer, don’t. I promised you I’d do it today when your head was hurting, but I forgot. I’ll get it after I do these dishes.”
“Listen here, Nan, I’m the boss around here and Elmer will do what I say, when I say, and you will respect me.”
Nan’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look at me like that, little girl.”
Nan held her breath.
“Well, I guess you will be making a trip to the wood shed…with me!” Ma had grabbed her by the arm and jerked her along behind the shed. The strap was hanging there, waiting. Whippings were becoming more and more frequent. After Ma’s husband left, they had taken on a more cruel form. The last whipping was more like a beating. It took days for the marks to scab over and heal. Little Elmer had come in that night and brought some horse medicine from the barn and applied it to the oozing marks.
The next afternoon when the schoolteacher came over, Ma had already formulated a story. “Mrs. Dewey, we missed Nan and Elmer today at school. Are they sick?” Ma lied the first time in her life and said, “Well Miss Sergeant, since Mr. Dewey is going to be gone for another four weeks, I need more help around here to get things done. I’m holding the kids out until he gets back.” Week after week went by, and Mr. Dewey still hadn’t come home. Everyday Ma grew more and more angry. It became more and more impossible to please her. When she began hitting Elmer, it was too much. Nan had to do something— right or wrong; things couldn’t stay the way they were.
The coolness of the earth had settled into Nan’s bones. She stood silently for a minute and carefully crept up to the farmhouse. As she opened the door, she saw that Elmer was in the pallet at the foot of the stove next to her bedroll. Ma was asleep in her room. The door held open with a rock. Slowly she began peeling off the dress and the dried blood stuck to it. She reached for the old shirt she normally wore over her wounds and under her dress. She had washed it today. It had bloodstains on it, but it would keep her from ruining another dress. She retrieved the old work dress that she wore when chores were messier than usual; it was the only one left. She put it on swiftly and shook Elmer awake with her hand over his mouth. “Baby, we must leave. Do you understand? Stay quiet and I will get some stuff to take with us.”
She found large old handkerchief and began looking for food supplies. There was one sourdough biscuit and about a cup of cold brown beans. She located her tin cup and another rag. She would probably need that. Three matches were in the cup on the stove. She would just take two. Suddenly she heard a sound from Ma’s room. A scampering sound… just a rat. Ma turned over. Her breathing became deep and regular. For once Nan wished that Ma snored. She tied the handkerchief in a knot over the meager food supplies, grabbed their bedrolls, and slowly opened the door.
“Come on, Elmer. Can you carry this food? I’ll get your bedding. That’s a good boy. We must hurry!”
The cold air bit at their faces, but they walked bravely on.
“Elmer, we must go tonight so we can get as far away as we can before Ma wakes up and sees that we are gone.”
For the next half hour the pair walked in silence through the familiar woods past the graves on the hill. In one, a mother dearly loved, in another, an infant who had died the same day as his mother, and the third, a father that only Nan had memory of. Elmer was only two years old when Pa died in the logging accident. Nan snapped out of her reverie and urged Elmer on. Molasses, Pa’s good old workhorse, stood in the pasture. He skidded the logs Pa cut with his axe. His legs hadn’t healed quite right, but Mama hadn’t let Mr. Dewey kill him because he was all she had left of the husband of her youth. Molasses was a faithful friend to Nan and Elmer. He stood there and waited for them to mount him.
“Molasses, take us to…” Nan realized then that they had nowhere to go. Mrs. Dewey had said that they were ungrateful little imps who didn’t realize she and Mr. Dewey were taking care of them out of kindness, and they could easily be put into an orphanage. Nan didn’t know anything about orphanages except what Mrs. Dewey…uh, Ma had told her. “Molasses, just take us out of here.”
Why had she dared to speak to the woman that she was obliged to call mother in that way? She knew that talking was not allowed from children before chores were finished. The accusations being made by “Ma” were totally false and she could not let Elmer take the blame for something she herself had forgotten to do. She shut her eyes tight against the memory, but it intruded anyway.
She had just gotten up to take the water off the stove to make up dishwater for the supper dishes. Ma had stepped outside the room to turn down her bed and prepare for sleep. When she reappeared in the kitchen, she realized that the wood supply next to the stove was low. Elmer was standing next to the table gathering the plates for washing. “Elmer, where is the wood you were supposed to bring up to the house?” Before he could answer, a hand had slapped him across his face. Getting back onto his feet and standing as tall as a five year old can stand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma, I was sick today, ‘member?”
“So, Elmer, you’re going to play up that headache trick again. Nan, didn’t your good for nothing Mama teach you people how to work, or are you just lazy?”
“Our Mama was good! Don’t you say mean things about her!” Nan yelled as her heart raced at the assault against her real Mama’s character.
“What about it, Elmer, are you like your weakling Mama or what?” Elmer’s eyes became very large and filled with tears. He could barely remember his real Mama, but when he did, he remembered soft kisses and sweet singing and a beautiful face. “I’m sorry; I’ll get the wood now.”
“No, Elmer, don’t. I promised you I’d do it today when your head was hurting, but I forgot. I’ll get it after I do these dishes.”
“Listen here, Nan, I’m the boss around here and Elmer will do what I say, when I say, and you will respect me.”
Nan’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look at me like that, little girl.”
Nan held her breath.
“Well, I guess you will be making a trip to the wood shed…with me!” Ma had grabbed her by the arm and jerked her along behind the shed. The strap was hanging there, waiting. Whippings were becoming more and more frequent. After Ma’s husband left, they had taken on a more cruel form. The last whipping was more like a beating. It took days for the marks to scab over and heal. Little Elmer had come in that night and brought some horse medicine from the barn and applied it to the oozing marks.
The next afternoon when the schoolteacher came over, Ma had already formulated a story. “Mrs. Dewey, we missed Nan and Elmer today at school. Are they sick?” Ma lied the first time in her life and said, “Well Miss Sergeant, since Mr. Dewey is going to be gone for another four weeks, I need more help around here to get things done. I’m holding the kids out until he gets back.” Week after week went by, and Mr. Dewey still hadn’t come home. Everyday Ma grew more and more angry. It became more and more impossible to please her. When she began hitting Elmer, it was too much. Nan had to do something— right or wrong; things couldn’t stay the way they were.
The coolness of the earth had settled into Nan’s bones. She stood silently for a minute and carefully crept up to the farmhouse. As she opened the door, she saw that Elmer was in the pallet at the foot of the stove next to her bedroll. Ma was asleep in her room. The door held open with a rock. Slowly she began peeling off the dress and the dried blood stuck to it. She reached for the old shirt she normally wore over her wounds and under her dress. She had washed it today. It had bloodstains on it, but it would keep her from ruining another dress. She retrieved the old work dress that she wore when chores were messier than usual; it was the only one left. She put it on swiftly and shook Elmer awake with her hand over his mouth. “Baby, we must leave. Do you understand? Stay quiet and I will get some stuff to take with us.”
She found large old handkerchief and began looking for food supplies. There was one sourdough biscuit and about a cup of cold brown beans. She located her tin cup and another rag. She would probably need that. Three matches were in the cup on the stove. She would just take two. Suddenly she heard a sound from Ma’s room. A scampering sound… just a rat. Ma turned over. Her breathing became deep and regular. For once Nan wished that Ma snored. She tied the handkerchief in a knot over the meager food supplies, grabbed their bedrolls, and slowly opened the door.
“Come on, Elmer. Can you carry this food? I’ll get your bedding. That’s a good boy. We must hurry!”
The cold air bit at their faces, but they walked bravely on.
“Elmer, we must go tonight so we can get as far away as we can before Ma wakes up and sees that we are gone.”
For the next half hour the pair walked in silence through the familiar woods past the graves on the hill. In one, a mother dearly loved, in another, an infant who had died the same day as his mother, and the third, a father that only Nan had memory of. Elmer was only two years old when Pa died in the logging accident. Nan snapped out of her reverie and urged Elmer on. Molasses, Pa’s good old workhorse, stood in the pasture. He skidded the logs Pa cut with his axe. His legs hadn’t healed quite right, but Mama hadn’t let Mr. Dewey kill him because he was all she had left of the husband of her youth. Molasses was a faithful friend to Nan and Elmer. He stood there and waited for them to mount him.
“Molasses, take us to…” Nan realized then that they had nowhere to go. Mrs. Dewey had said that they were ungrateful little imps who didn’t realize she and Mr. Dewey were taking care of them out of kindness, and they could easily be put into an orphanage. Nan didn’t know anything about orphanages except what Mrs. Dewey…uh, Ma had told her. “Molasses, just take us out of here.”
Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Westminster CO
Great book signing in Colorado!
Mardel Bookstore in Littleton, CO
Booksigning - Elaine