Sailing along

Just checking in...

I’m on vacation with my family and we’re having a completely marvelous time. Last summer we booked a cruise for our entire family (including my parents and my brother and his family), but with mom’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgeries we weren’t sure it would come through. But the doctors delayed her chemo for two weeks and we set sail this past Sunday from Port Canaveral.

Right this minute we’re leaving the port of Labadee, Haiti after a day of parasailing and (sweaty hot) fun in the sun. I went parasailing with our son, and he and I had a blast…

Then my husband and our daughter took off…

And they had fun for about 20 seconds until the boat malfunctioned and they ended up going para-dunking instead! Once I knew they were okay I start snapping pics of the rescue. :) 

Here are a couple more pics. One of me and mom on the ship, then another of mom and dad outside the dining room. The pics are small but try clicking on them to make them larger (sometimes that works).

 

 

 

I just finished exercising (too much fabulous food on this ship) and I’m off to clean up and get ready for dinner and more fun family time. Tomorrow we go zip lining through the jungles of Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This is such a beautiful part of God's creation. I'm counting my blessings to be here experiencing it and to be sharing this time with my family. More pics next week once we return home...

Blessings on your week!

Latest In Christian Fiction

So many books...how to choose? 

Here are two websites that I hope will help with that wonderful but often frustrating dilemma. 

Latest in Christian Fiction is an extension of this blog where I list latest and upcoming releases, links for sample chapters and book trailers, and notes from authors. Sometimes there's even a giveaway or two, which is always fun! [A permanent link to Latest in Christian Fiction is in the right sidebar of this page.]

Then there's Chapter-a-Week, a yahoo group dedicated to delivering you just what it says, a chapter a week of an upcoming release straight to your Inbox. It's a "sample before you buy" opportunity, if you will. You can join that group by clicking here.

And speaking of newest releases, I just posted one by Linda Hall this morning--Shadows on the River. 

Check it out here.

A Novel Idea

Best-selling Christian fiction writers have teamed together to contribute articles on the craft of writing. A Novel Idea contains tips on brainstorming ideas and crafting and marketing a novel. It explains what makes a Christian novel “Christian” and offers tips on how to approach tough topics. Contributors include Jerry B. Jenkins, Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers and many other beloved authors. All proceeds will benefit MAI, an organization that teaches writing internationally to help provide literature that is culturally relevant.

All proceeds from sales of A Novel Idea will benefit MAI (Media Associates International), an international organization whose goal is to help fledgling writers and publishers produce Christian literature that is culturally relevant, and I'm thrilled to be part of this project!

Watch for its release in November! Or order now here.

Interview on Favorite Pastimes

Favorite PASTimes, a blog that focuses on historical fiction, is featuring an interview with moi this week. We're chatting about Beyond This Moment, plus there's an opportunity to win a copy of the book!

If interested, click to read Part I, and to read Part II.

All Graduated

The Alexander house was hoppin' this past week. Between our daughter's college graduation and family and friends coming in, and parties and cooking and more travel yesterday, etc... life was a total blur. But it was a wonderful blur. Lots of sweet moments tucked away in memory (and some captured digitally). Here are just a few...

Our daughter after graduating from Belmont (our son is soon to follow, only two short years away). That's my sweet mom, June, tucked in between me and my family.

Something funny... 

When Kelsey got back to her seat after receiving her diploma, she took a peek at it and realized that the Belmont Mansion (an 1850s antebellum mansion around which Belmont University was built) is upside down. Permanently! So she has to get a new diploma cover.

My mom, June, and Kelsey (mom's appetite is returning, a great thing!, and we stuffed her full of food this weekend. Kelsey kept track of what she ate. ;)

My dad, Doug, and Kels (they're laughing because my dad opted to stand on a stair so he would be taller than Kels, for a change)

We had wonderful week together and are looking forward to a family vacation in the next couple of weeks. We weren't sure mom would be able to make the trip with her recent cancer diagnosis, but she's able, so it's full steam ahead for us all! More on that next week...

Now off to catch up on life. But you know, as behind as I am now on so many fronts (in addition to missing the Bethany House historical authors retreat last week), I wouldn't change a thing about the past few days. 

I'm so blessed with my family. Are we perfect? Oh, LOL, soooooo far from it (just ask my kids, on second thought...don't! They'll tell the truth!). But we love each other without end and are here for each other, no matter what. And most importantly, we're walking this road hand-in-hand with the Lord. 

And that's something for which I'll be eternally grateful.

Colorado Venues

A friend from Colorado recently blessed me with his gift of photography and I'd like to share that giftedness with you. I often dwell on his pictures of Colorado (especially the mountain and lake scenes) for inspiration when I'm writing. Delmar has a real gift for capturing glimpses of God's beauty with a lens. 

Let's see if you agree...

Pelican Coup

Winter's Last Stand

Ugly Duckling No More

Spring Blossoms

To view more pictures, click here.

Thanks for sharing, Delmar.

Deb Raney's Spring Book Giveaway

Deborah Raney, a wonderfully gifted writer and (I'm honored to say) my writing critique partner, is having a giveaway on her blog--The Plot Thickens--a blog that showcases writers' gardens. 

 

Click here for details and to find out how you could win the books pictured above, all of which I've read. And I can say, you're in for a real treat!

I'm only wondering...is that cute little turquoise turtle part of the package? ;)

Do you enjoy watching book trailers?

If you do, then I encourage you to check out Christian Book Videos. 

Here's a little bit about them from their website:

CBV is dedicated to using book videos to promote Christian books that inspire, educate, and guide. By gathering all these videos onto one site, we’re helping publishers and authors to connect with their readers; and readers to find exciting new books with a minimum of hassle.

Enjoy!

Gaining perspective

Here's a passage I came across last week:

"Think with me here...everybody wants to be on the mountaintop, but if you'll remember, mountaintops are rocky and cold. There is no growth on the top of a mountain. Sure, the view is great, but what's a view for? A view just gives us a glimpse of our next destination--our next target. But to hit that target, we must come off the mountain, go through the valley, and begin to climb the next slope. It is in the valley that we slog through the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life's next peak."

This is an excerpt from The Noticer by Andy Andrews (thanks so much for the recommendation, Robin!), a wonderful book about perspective, and about seeing life and people and the challenges we face with eternal eyes. I read this passage right after posting last week about how God (as the "driver" in our lives) takes us places where we don't necessarily want to go--up hills and down through valleys--and this passage spoke straight to my heart.

I love it when God confirms His Word and His hand in our lives! 

When He leads us in a certain direction and then, as if His divine guidance weren't enough, He continues to whisper encouragements to keep on going, to keep trusting, that He's here with us, that He has a future and a hope for us, that we're never alone, that He saves every tear we shed, and that He'll never forsake us. 

At a friend's encouragement last Friday, I returned to Psalm 116 and read it "anew." Loved it, so I kept on reading. Then got to Psalm 121:1 and following, and paused, and heard that gentle whisper again.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber."

I lift my eyes to the hills in my life and know with certainty that my help comes from the Lord, and that (to paraphrase in a modern sense) He'll never fall asleep at the wheel. I'm safe in His care, no matter what lies ahead. And so are you if you're trusting in Him.