Friday, April 27, 2012

Arranged Marriage: the gift that keeps on giving...


Don't knock "arranged marriages." I'm just sayin...  

In celebration of her newest release, THE WEDDING DRESS, author and sweet friend Rachel Hauck is hosting several authors on her blog this week...in their wedding gowns. 



So step back almost 28 years with me and find out why I'm such a fan of arranged marriages! AND who was hiding in the backseat of our car as we left for the honeymoon!





Thursday, April 26, 2012

Pansies aren't pansies at all

Sometimes when I'm working on a story, and the clock is majorly ticking on a deadline, and I'm staring at the blinking cursor, not knowing where to go next, I'll take a break, step outside and look at these... And I'm reminded that the One who made these has no limits to his creativity. None. He IS The Creator. He could tell stories for all eternity and never tell the same one twice. 

Then I come back in, renewed. And with my mind set on things above instead of on things of this earth, I get back to work.

Does looking at God's creation help rejuvenate you too?




Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Dental Epiphanies


I was sitting in the dentist's chair yesterday and had an epiphany moment...

 This was a follow up appointment to a procedure I had done two weeks ago. She started to explain what she was going to be doing, step by step. And wild imagination that I have, (and not being good with needles), I asked her to please not describe anything. LOL. I said, "Just do it."

She looked at me as if thinking, "Really?" And I said, "I trust you completely. Bring it on!" Full well knowing that she knew what she was doing. She'd done this a thousand times before. I couldn't offer any additional "advice" to her in how to do her job better. I trusted her knowledge and expertise. Plus, I didn't want to faint dead on the floor! LOL. And as she continued on, I sat there and thought...

How long has it been since I've said that to my Lord and Savior? "I trust you completely." He holds the universe in his hands and yet how often do I want to "control" my own little world. He spoke the heavens and the earth and everything else into existence. Spoke it!! And yet how often I question his master plan in my life. He loves me so much that he gave his only Son to ransom me from sin, and yet I sometimes shy away from full surrender.

Oh, Lord, forgive me for not trusting you as I should. As I want to. And hear me loud and clear as I say, "I trust you completely. Bring it on!"

~Tammy

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Martha White's rolling over in her grave but....

Tuesdays is my day to blog over at Writes of Passage, a group blog with five other historical writers (Robin Lee Hatcher, Judith Miller, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Tracie Peterson, and Cathy Marie Hake). And I invite you to join me over there where we're talking gluten free, free books, and wedding dresses!






Saturday, April 21, 2012

Cocoa Crack

What exactly is Cocoa Crack, you may ask? Well, so did I when I first heard about it this week.

First… I'm making some dietary changes. I'm fine. I'm not sick. I'm not having any "issues" (other than needing to lose a few pounds), but I've decided to go "primal" and gluten free. At least for a while. But I'm already feeling so great, I'm guessing I won't go back. Author and buddy Colleen Coble is the one who first introduced the idea of going primal.

Here's an excerpt from Colleen's blog post that really caught my attention:


So how do you go primal? You can do it in small steps and in any order except for the first item. It's primary and should be done first.

1. Give up gluten. This is not negotiable. Read Wheat Belly by cardiologist Dr. William Davis. The wheat we have today is not the wheat of the Bible. It's incredibly damaging to our bodies. Do this for a month and see how much better you feel. If you want to bread something, use ground flax mixed with just a little rice flour. I made fried chicken (fried in coconut oil) last week, and my gourmet son actually asked me how I'd made it because it was so good.

2. Add good fats like real butter, coconut oil and olive oil. Repeat after me: Real fats are my friends. Eliminate fake fats from your fridge like margarine. Again this is non negotiable. Margarine is incredibly bad for you. My diet is about 65% fat (which includes the fats in meats.)

3. Begin adding more greens to your diet. Start with a green smoothie if you hate vegetables. Blend together berries with spinach for example. Set a goal of 3 cups a day, then 6.

4. Add colorful vegetables and fruit like carrots, beets, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli and berries. Choose veggies high in sulfur. The cabbage family is especially good for you. Try to get in 3 cups a day including the fruit.

5. Switch from potatoes to sweet potatoes topped with lots of real butter. Yum! I adore sweet potatoes with salmon!

6. Start cutting back on other grains like rice and corn and legumes. Save them for a special occasion. It's not that you can never have them, but you want to cut out the inflammation in your body the majority of the time. They are higher in carbs so they drive insulin levels and fat stores. I save my carbs for Mexican! :)

7. Begin purchasing quality grass fed beef, as much as you can afford. Many can't afford to use only grass fed beef but it's your best option when you can.

8. Start adding organ meats like liver and onions. I know, I know. But they are super good for you and you'll develop a taste for them. I adore liver and onions. :)

9. Start eating less chicken and more fish. You want to get your Omega 6 levels down and your Omega 3 levels up. As you do this, you'll start getting comments like, "Wow, you look great. Are you using a new skin moisturizer?"

10. Give up fake creamer in your coffee and go for straight heavy whipping cream. You'll never go back! Consider adding some cinnamon to that coffee too--it helps your insulin levels.

Read up on the science behind eating this way. www.MarksDailyApple.com is a good site with tons of information and recipes. His book is great too.

Just to give you a taste of how great primal eating can be, here's the recipe for what we in the hcg community call Cocoa Crack because it's sooo good! (The recipe is included below.)

My protagonist in Rosemary Cottage is very into health issues so you'll see her talking about these things too! :)

Tammy here again! Over the past year, our family has already made some pretty dramatic shifts in our eating due to my husband's blood sugar levels, but my personal diet has still been LARGELY made up of wheaty carbs. I just love them. Always have. But I'm tired of feeling tired. And sluggish. And puffy. Not attractive. So...we're goin' primal! 

Here's the recipe for Cocoa Crack. So easy. And so delicious!

Cocoa Crack

3T coconut oil
1 1/2 T cocoa
1 1/2 T xylitol or sweeten with KAL stevia to taste (will need VERY little stevia!)
2 T unsweetened coconut
walnuts or pecans



Melt the oil and mix in the cocoa and sweetener. Add the other ingredients...

 Pour onto wax paper and freeze. Only takes a few minutes to "set up."

Break off pieces to eat.

 It's terrific!

So, have you gone gluten free? Do you have any recipes you'd love to share? If so, please do! 

And if you're gluten free and love donuts... Oh my word, check this out!

Blessings on your weekend,
Tammy

Friday, April 20, 2012

Does Siri read the Bible?

As I was driving home recently, I heard a scripture read on the radio and I wanted to remember it, so I grabbed my iPhone and asked Siri to make a note of the book/chapter/verse. 

But um...I don't think Siri's familiar with the Old Testament...LOL!!




Thursday, April 19, 2012

Speaking at Belmont Auxiliary Partners, May 7th

I'm honored to be the guest speaker this year for the 2012 Spring Luncheon for the Belmont University Auxiliary Partners...



Belmont Auxiliary Partners was established in 1954 to promote interest in the University and to assist the administration, Board of Trustees, faculty and staff in providing scholarships for students.

The group meets twice annually, in the spring and fall, and I'm looking forward to being with them on Monday, May 7th to share about A Lasting Impression, the first Belmont Mansion novel, and about Adelicia Acklen, the born-before-her-time woman who built this magnificent antebellum home.

Event Details
Belmont Auxiliary Partners Luncheon*
Monday, May 7, 2012
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Cost for the luncheon is $40 ($20 of the cost to be donated to the Belmont Auxiliary Partners Endowed Scholarship and is tax deductible.) 
*There will be an additional opportunity to enter the drawing for a Belmont prize package once you arrive.


Must RSVP to belmontevent@belmont.edu by May 2, 2012, and include your name and phone number.

Hope to see you there!

Interview with WBCL

Earlier this week I spoke with Lynne Ford of WBCL.org about writing A Lasting Impression. We chatted for about 10 minutes and laughed a ton. I had a blast!

Click to listen to the interview. You'll see this screen:



Simply click on "Listen Now." My interview starts at the 43:45 mark.

Let me know if you listened! And thanks!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Are we connected on Facebook?

If we're not connected yet on Facebook, I'd sure love to be! I share daily updates on my FB page and post videos and contests there too. Hope to visit with you there soon!




Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tax Day Cometh, but Sonic to the rescue

Do you have your taxes done? If not, you'd better get started quick! Ours are done and submitted, and both Joe and I sighed with relief over having that behind us for another year. I've got some interesting facts to share about the IRS (well, as interesting as the IRS can be), but first...





Smitten...with three of my favorite writing buddies

Grab a cup of coffee and watch this quick video with the authors of Smitten... Denise Hunter, Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, and Diane Hunt. Fun!


Monday, April 16, 2012

2012 Christy Finalists Announced!

Exciting news! I just learned that A LASTING IMPRESSION, a Belmont Mansion novel is a 2012 Christy Award finalist for Best Historical Romance, along with Julie Klassen's THE MAID OF FAIRBOURNE HALL and Sandra Byrd's TO DIE FOR (which I already know is fabulous since I endorsed it!).

I'm honored beyond words to be listed with these two authors and friends. The Christy Award winners will be announced on July 16 in Orlando at the Christy Award Dinner held during the International Christian Retail Show.

Learn more about the Christy Awards that honors excellence in Christian fiction, and also the annual International Christian Retailing Show (ICRS).



View the full list of 2012 Christy finalists:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers) 

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) 

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig (Barbour Publishing)

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould (Harvest House Publishers) 
Dancing on Glass by Pam Ewen (B&H Publishing Group) 
The Touch by Randall Wallace (Tyndale House Publishers)



CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes (Tyndale House Publishers) 
Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) 
Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)

FIRST NOVEL
An Eye for Glory by Karl Bacon (Zondervan) 
Southern Fried Sushi by Jennifer Rogers Spinola (Barbour Publishing) 
Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL
Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman (Tyndale House Publishers) 
Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group) 
Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) 
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) 
To Die For by Sandra Byrd (Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)

SUSPENSE
Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins (B&H Publishing Group) 
Pattern of Wounds by Mark Bertrand (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group) 
The Queen by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

VISIONARY
The Chair by Jim Rubart (B&H Publishing Group) 
Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee (Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group USA) 
Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

YOUNG ADULT
How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn (Kregel Publications) 
Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan) 
Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (David C Cook)



Congratulations, everyone!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

My Sweet Aunt Lyda...

For those of you who have read Timber Ridge Reflections (From a Distance, Beyond This Moment, and Within My Heart), do you remember the characters of UNCLE BEN and AUNT LYDA MULLINS in those stories? Those characters were based on my "real" Uncle Ben and Aunt Lyda Mullins who were so precious to me.


Uncle Ben died years ago, and I just got a call earlier today that my sweet Aunt Lyda passed away this morning after a heart attack. She was 87. I went to see her about a month ago, took her a Chocolate Cream Pie (that was her favorite), and we had such a nice visit. I'm going to miss her so much but she was ready for Home, as she always told me as we visited. "I'm ready for what's comin' next, Tammy," she would always say. And...today, she's gotten her heart's desire. 


I spent many a summer with her and Uncle Ben on their farm in Dellrose, TN, which was quite an adventure for this born-and-bred Atlanta gal. I'm headed to Fayetteville, TN with my daughter tomorrow for the graveside service. Will be a sad day, but also one of great celebration.


Below is picture taken in 2009 not long before my sweet Mom passed away. She and Aunt Lyda and I would always get so tickled together. Great girl time. And just think...an eternity of that awaits. Bless you, Lord, for the promise––and guarantee––of our forever Home.



Who's that cookin' in the kitchen?

Just in case you missed it on Writes of Passage yesterday.... 

As I was sitting with Tricia Yearwood on her front porch a while back, I told her, "Honey, you're a fabulous cook! You really ought to have your own cooking show." She wasn't sure she could pull it off, but I assured her that she was a real live woman and that she could do it! So…we put our heads together and voila! Her very own cooking show premieres this Saturday!

Okay…all right…no, I don't know Tricia. But I've seen her in concert. Twice. LOL. Does that count? : )  I've loved her music for years and am really looking forward to watching her new show too. Here's the scoop on it, if you're interested! Oh, and she forgot to use the picture of me with her on the porch on that website (like she said she would). Bless her heart, she's so forgetful.

This past Saturday (for real), my daughter Kelsey and I attended the Viking Cooking School in Franklin and cooked food from The Help. It was such fun!

We made fried chicken, homemade mac n' cheese, biscuits, cornbread, and collard greens with bacon and onion. Delish! Oh, and we had Caramel Cake for dessert. No, we did not make Minnie's Pie! But we got a recipe for it. : )



And finally, may I have a drum roll please…

The winners of the books from last week's Writes of Passage post are:

Teri wins A Wedding Transpires by Cara Putman
and
Pam K. wins Echoes of Titanic by Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark
Ladies, if you'll click here and send me your snail mail, I'll get each of your books in the mail! 

Thanks to everyone for entering the giveaway on Writes of Passage. I read through your comments on that post again last night (about what you're "keeping to the side") and prayed for you. So glad we're in this together.

So tell me, do you watch cooking shows? I do! As you probably know, I'm a faithful follower of Southern Plate (Christy Jordan) and several other food blogs. I also love the Food Network.

I'd love to know…what's your favorite cooking show?

Blessings, friends,
Tammy

P.S. Jack's busy helping me write by "being quiet." Can't you tell?

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Blessings this Easter

Blessings on this fabulous day, friend! Not even death could hold Jesus. He rose triumphantly from the grave to live and reign forever, and invites you and me to join him. As the angels said to the women long ago, words that were spoken for us too, "He is not here. He is risen!"



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Share your passion for books!



Their virtual book club is launching soon!

Southern Plate strikes again!

Oh my goodness! Christy Jordan, I need to hug you, woman. Again! This Vanilla Chai mix is to die for, lady. If y'all haven't tried this delicious recipe, treat yourself this week. You'll never go back to "store bought." Mmmmm....


On my back deck…writing and sipping!

What are YOU doing this morning?

Tammy

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

ChristianAudio.com, Giveaways, and more...

Did you know that ChristianAudio.com offers a free download every month? And that they have sample chapters you can listen to before you buy? It's true. Check it out.

If you have a minute, join me over at Writes of Passage today where I'm giving away some brand new releases and sharing about manna, and a not so gentle "nudge" I felt in church this past weekend.

And last but not least, I'm giving away five copies of From a Distance this month. From a Distance is the first novel in the Timber Ridge Reflections series, and the 2009 Christy Award Winner* for Best Historical Romance. No strings attached. Just leave your information and you're entered! It's my way of saying "Thank you for reading." Sign up for the giveaway here on my website.

Grateful for you,
Tammy

* Never heard about the Christy Award? You can learn more about the Christy Award here!
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