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!

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!

Share your passion for books!

Check out this fabulous new site for Christian Fiction! 

Their virtual book club is launching soon!

Sarai by Jill Eileen Smith

Blessings on your Monday morning! I'm already well into my writing day, cranking out words, with my glass of sweet iced tea with lemon––*in a wine glass, of course*––beside me and with my Diet DP nearly drained. Hey, during allergy season I need all the liquids I can get!

To kick off our week, here's a new release from author and friend Jill Eileen Smith. Hope you enjoy!


Back tomorrow with pics from a trip I took last week,
Tammy

_______________________________

He promised her his heart. She promised him a son. But how long must they wait?

Sarai, the last child of her aged father, is beautiful, spoiled, and used to getting her own way. Even as a young girl, she is aware of the way men look at her, including her half brother Abram. When Abram finally requests Sarai’s hand, she asks one thing–that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even her father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if Sarai makes a promise in return–to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees.

But as the years stretch on and Sarai’s womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain–lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram’s patience last?

From PW (Publisher’s Weekly):

“Smith is at her best in handling the triangulated relationship between Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar…Smith breathes new imaginative life into a well-known sacred story.”

Here's a brief excerpt:

Ur, 2051 BC

Sarai glanced across the courtyard, catching Abram’s gaze. His half smile and the twinkle in his eye warmed her more than the wine she had tasted at the start of the ceremony. Music drifted around them as the bridal couple—their nephew Lot and his new wife, Melah—took their seats on the bench beneath the canopy and accepted rich foods from the hands of the servants.

“This whole wedding is a disgrace, you know.” Sarai’s sister-in-law Milcah stood at her elbow and leaned close to her ear. “Why her father agreed to the marriage after Lot had already humbled the girl . . . Though I suppose he didn’t have much choice. Who else would want her after she’d already given in to Lot’s charms?” Milcah batted at a fly, sending it away. “I can’t imagine why Lot couldn’t wait with such a one. It’s not as though she’s a beauty or a temptress. It seems like he could have done better.” The last words came out in a whisper as Milcah moved in close again.

Sarai turned from watching the bridal couple to meet Milcah’s pinched gaze. “If it is true that a babe is already on the way, it is better they marry.” She had wearied of the heated debate and shame Lot had brought down on her household, particularly on Abram.

“Abi Terah seems pleased with the arrangement.” Milcah touched Sarai’s shoulder and pointed toward their father. “Though his conditions did seem a little harsh toward Lot, while Melah came away already with child and married to a man who can never put her aside or take another. I might have given in to Nahor before our betrothal for such a promise.” She laughed at that, then shifted her ample bulk, bursting with child herself, to face Sarai once more.

To read the rest of the chapter, visit Jill’s website. For links to purchase the book online visit here, or visit your favorite local bookstore.

_______________________________

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of the the Wives of King David series. Her research into the lives of David's wives has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. She lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

The Awe Factor of God

If you haven't seen this, take three minutes and be reminded of how awesome our God is and that he's fully capable of handling anything that happens to you today. Or ever!

If you haven't read Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, I highly recommend it.

Read a sample of Crazy Love, and share a comment about how the video impacted you. For me, it reminded me once again of God's immense creativity, and majesty, and of his power to speak the world into existence. And that that same power resides in me today through the blood of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now, your turn! And have a great weekend!

Downfall Trailer

Check out the book (and trailer) for Terri Blackstock's upcoming release. Enjoy!

And there's a special price for the Downfall ebook if you buy it before the print edition releases! I've already bought mine. Just sayin'...

So tell me, do you like book trailers? Not like them? Or do you feel strongly both ways. ??  : )

Everybody gets Nobody for free

Creston Mapes's acclaimed book Nobody is FREE now on Kindle. Grab it quick and pass on the link to friends you think might enjoy it!

Read the first chapter, if you want.

Then download the full ebook for free!

Southern Writers One Stop Christmas Shopping Contest

Southern Writers Magazine is offering a One Stop Christmas Shopping Contest and a chance to win a Kindle!

More about Southern Writers:

Southern Writers nurtures and encourages authors on their writing journey and is the first magazine of its kind to equip writers not just with skill as a writer but empowers them to market and sell their books. Their informative and inspirational magazine has been heralded as a "writing conference in a magazine" and is an essential tool for any writer serious about publication and success as a writer.

Grab a glass of sweet tea and check out Southern Writers Suite T blog too!

Good luck and should you buy my book through the contest on their site, let me know and I'll happily send you a signed bookplate. 

Blessings on your week! 

Tammy

Comfort Foods, and Words of Comfort

Join me over at Writes of Passage today as we're chatting about comfort food and words of comfort! And tell me what yours are...

The CBD Fall Catalog has flown

And here it is...click to view. 

It should arrive on your doorstep anyday. IF you're signed up for it, that is. If not, why not sign up today!

Passing this along from Bethany House Publishers

The following is an opportunity for readers to review books from Bethany House Publishers. If you're interested in reviewing any of the books below, go here first:

www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers

Input your information, then wait for your email to come! Be sure and check all the genres/categories you want on that form (that the above link takes you to). 

It may take some time, but you'll receive an email similar to the one below where you can choose to review new releases (both fiction and non-fiction).

Historical Fiction Available for Review

Hello! Welcome to the latest Bethany House Book Reviewers Update--Historical Fiction Edition. In this list, we've got exciting new stories of romance and adventure from Beverly Lewis, debut author Anne Mateer, Jody Hedlund, Tracie Peterson, Judith Miller, and Kim Vogel Sawyer.

We only have limited quantities of each title, so only one book will be available to each reviewer. Please don't select multiple books--we can only send you one book per list! 

As usual, to request a review copy, just click the link under each book's description and we'll have a copy sent out to you (this can take up to 3-4 weeks). Post a review on your website and on a retailer's site (Amazon,ChristianBook.com, etc.), and email me to let us know about it! We'd appreciate it if you could post your review within a month of receipt of the book.

To avoid any conflicts of interest, be sure to note in your review that you recieved a free copy from us. I hope you enjoy the new releases!

Note: We can only send books to reviewers in the US and Canada. Requests will be accepted through September 13. Books will be mailed after this date.

Also - Help spread the word about this program! If you know anyone who would be interested in signing up to receive review copies of our books, direct them to www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers!

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The Mercy by Beverly Lewis The Rose Trilogy #3 In this stirring conclusion, romance, mystery, and family drama intertwine deep in the heart of Lancaster County's Amish country. Two Amish sisters yearning for new beginnings.Hen cares for her injured husband, uncertain what the future holds.Rose welcomes a second chance at love when she least expects it. Is she finally able to give her whole heart?

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Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma.While she waits for the end of the Great War, Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, sure that her glamorous and exciting life is about to start.But the Spanish flu epidemic changes Rebekah discovers she must choose between her desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

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The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund Priscilla White feels called to India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives there. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field. Left scrambling for options, Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership. But can it survive the hardships of journeying west?

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To Have and to Hold by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller Bridal Veil Island When Audrey Cunningham moved with her father to his ancestral home on Bridal Veil Island, Georgia, she hoped the beauty and remoteness of the place would keep him sober and close to God. But now wealthy investors are buying up land to build a grand resort on the secluded island--and they want the Cunninghams' property. And then Marshall Graham appears, a man associated with her father's drunken past. Can Audrey's hopes survive?

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A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer Clay Selby arrives in Alaska to set up a church and school among the natives. He is totally focused on this goal . . . until he meets a young, independent woman with the most striking blue eyes he’s ever seen. Yet, when he realizes befriending her might have dire consequences for his mission, can he ignore the stirrings of his heart?

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Remember, go to the link at the beginning and fill out your info first, then wait for your personal email with the review information to arrive! It may be that all slots for the above books have been filled. If that's the case, then you'll be signed up and ready to go for the next round.


Have fun reading, and sorry for any confusion. Let me know if you have questions!

Sehnsucht

Last Friday I struggled with something. I didn't quite know what it was. I wasn't unhappy, or sad. Not really. I just wasn't…"me," if that makes any sense. Then I read a passage in a book that my Bethany House editors had sent me for my birthday and it perfectly defined what I was feeling.

In her wonderful book Deeper into the Word, Keri Wyatt Kent writes, 

"C.S. Lewis wrote extensively on joy. His life was marked by what he labeled Sehnsucht––a longing for joy. It was the longing itself that brought joy, not the attaining. And it was that longing that led him to eventually renounce atheism and become one of the greatest Christian apologists of the twentieth century. In his wonderful book Surprised by Joy, he writes, 

' In a sense the central story of my life is about nothing else… It is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. '

Jesus told his disciples that they would find joy by staying intimately connected with him (see John 15). When Jesus told his disciples he would be leaving them but then returning (referring to his death and resurrection), he told them those events would cause them to grieve but then to rejoice. Sometimes the path to joy leads us first through disappointment or pain. Sometimes we find joy in the midst of the pain, in spite of it, because we experience the presence of God."

Me here again… I read that last line and it totally summed up what I was feeling. Even as I was experiencing the presence of God in my life, I had a deeper craving for more of His presence. A desire to live more fully "in the moment" with Him. And while it was encouraging in one sense, it left me with a longing––a kind of emptiness inside––that left me feeling out of sorts. Unfulfilled. And with good reason, I realized, as I more closely examined my feelings. Because (as the old song goes) this world is not my home. 

God fashioned us for so much more than just these few years on earth. Don't you feel that when you look at a sunrise? Or when you look out across a meadow bathed in the blue of coming twilight and you see, so vividly, the hand of the Creator, and you know without a doubt that the One who created what you're seeing, also created you, and also created an eternal Home for you and me. As fabulous as this world can be at times, it simply doesn't begin to measure up to God's plans for us.

 (Thanks to my friend Delmar Schroeder for these pictures of Colorado)

I highly recommend Deeper into the Word. It's a wonderful book (that could be used as a daily devotional) that enriches our understanding of words used in the New Testament and therefore God's message to us. 

On a completely different note... On Sunday night Joe and I saw The Doobie Brothers in concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. We had such a great time and the music was fabulous! But wow, when did the rest of the Doobie fans get to be so old? Sheesh... If you've never visited the Ryman, click to read the history of that wonderful historic old building. 

Praying you're sensing God's presence today, and that it leaves you Joyful and yet…Sehnsucht––longing for more.

Me and Joe at the Ryman

If a picture paints a thousand words...

Remember that great old song by Bread? Well if you do then you're old. ;)

As I'm writing this, it's late on Monday night/Tuesday morning, and I've got another thirty pages or so of A Lasting Impression to edit and cut and tighten and slash and put back together and rearrange and stress eat over before heading to bed, so I'm going to share some quick pics from recent life and hop back to writing.

Know what these are? Heaven-in-a-box!

A sweet friend sent me DeBrands Truffles recently with a note tucked inside that said "Just cause you're loved." Isn't that sweet? It meant so much to me.

After taking some pictures of the edible works of art, I cut them up and have been savoring them a little bit at a time. In fact, I "hid" them in the "foil and saran wrap" drawer and forgot about them until I went to post these pictures and then I thought, "Hey! I still have some bites of those left!"

Who says growing older doesn't have it's upsides?

Another sweet treat…

Last Tuesday, dear friend and writer Brandilyn Collins was in town, so Gayle DeSalles (another great buddy who lives local) and I met her for dinner at Stoney River. Such fun and so delicious. We laughed and talked and shared. I left filled up and re-energized! Brandilyn has a new book out, Over the Edge, and I've already started reading it. It's fabulous. Great plot! But it is making me a little itchy. Read the first chapter and find out why.

Skip ahead to Saturday (and speaking of Brandilyn's book)… I noticed Jack had a knot on his throat (embedded tick? Ack!), so I asked Kels to take him into the vet. He was due for his vaccinations so the vet administered those and then Jack proceeded to have an adverse reaction to them and spent Saturday and Sunday lethargic with fever, not eating and hardly even moving. Bless him…

I took him back to the vet yesterday morning and after an injection of anti-inflammatory meds (and a trip afterward with me to Sweet CeCes, froyo will cure anything), he's feeling some better again. Still not 100%, but getting there. I sure do love that little guy. 

Lastly, Kelsey came over this weekend and made these heavenly Itty Bitty Cinnamon Roll Bites she saw on Picky Palate. Oh gracious, gals! They are delish! And so tiny. Hardly any calories.  

Here's the recipe, and be sure to browse the site. Picky Palate has some great recipes. Just please, no salivating on the screen.

Okay, 1866 is calling. Blessings on your Tuesday, friends!

P.S. The truffles are officially gone. Now if I could just figure out why I'm not losing any weight.

How Great Thou Art, indeed!

Carl Boberg, a 26-year-old Swedish minister, wrote a poem in 1885 which he called "O Store Gud"––"O Mighty God." The words of the poem, literally translated into English, said:

When I the world consider / Which Thou hast made by Thine almighty Word

And how the webb of life Thou wisdom guideth / And all creation feedeth at Thy board.

Then doth my soul burst forth in song of praise / Oh, great God, Oh, great God!

Carol Boberg's poem was published and forgotten––or so he thought.

Several years later, he was surprised to hear it being sung to the tune of an old Swedish melody; but the poem and hymn did not achieve widespread fame.

Hearing this hymn in Russia, English missionary, Stuart Hine, was so moved he modified and expanded the words and made his own arrangement of the Swedish melody. He later said his first three verses were inspired, line upon line, by Russia's rugged Carpathian Mountains. The first verse was composed when he was caught in a thunderstorm in a Carpathian village, the second as he heard the birds sing near the Romanian border, and the third as he witnessed many of the Carpathian mountain-dwellers coming to Christ. The final verse was written after Dr. Hine returned to Great Britain.

Some time later, Dr. J. Edwin Orr heard "How Great Thou Art" being sung by Naga Tribespeople in Assam, in India, and decided to bring it back to America for use in his own meetings. And I'm so glad he did.

My daughter sent me this link last night, and I was so excited because I missed this performance when it was on TV the other night. But my Dad saw it and raved about how fabulous it was! And oh…he wasn't kidding!

As Your Word says in Isaiah 45:18, "I am the Lord, and there is no other." Truly Lord, how great Thou art! And thank you, Father, for gifting musicians like Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood and others to praise You in song and for giving us a taste of heaven while here on earth.

One last note, I'm taking my dad to the neurologist this morning. He's been suffering from repeated migraines and we're praying the doctor can shed some light on the cause––and provide some relief. I'd appreciate your prayers for that too.

Thanks, friends! 

P.S. Much of this information was gleaned from a wonderful book entitled Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. It contains the stories of 150 of the world's greatest hymns. Highly recommended!

The power of words

How many words have you spoken so far today? Can you count them? 35? 100? 400? What about yesterday? And the day before? Watch a great clip on the power of words.

And speaking of powerful words, check out the free Kindle version of THE MESSAGE NT with Psalms and Proverbs!

A "Royal" Thank You

Look what I got in the mail!! A feast for both the eyes and the tummy! I recently had the extreme pleasure of reading Sandra Byrd's TO DIE FOR for endorsement (just wait until you see the cover), and I'm thrilled to say I adored it! And I'm not the only one. Several others loved it too! 

Sandra, that sweet woman, sent me these as a thank you. And since her book is about Anne Boleyn as told through the eyes of her dearest friend, Meg Wyatt, you'll appreciate the significance of these gorgeous little treasures. Cookie Crowns!

 

 

 

Homemade sugar cookies, and so beautifully crafted! As delicious as they are lovely. Kudos to Alison's Sweet Themes who is the culinary genius who made them too. What a great gift idea!

Be sure and check out Sandra's book TO DIE FOR. It doesn't release until August, but it's worth the wait, my friends! Check out the cover and the summary…

To Die For, is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne's star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne's favor rises and falls, so does Meg's. And though she's pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it. 

Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history, her own calling to the Lord that she must follow, too, with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.

Though much of Meg's story is fictionalized, it is drawn from known facts. The Wyatt family and the Boleyn family were neighbors and friends, and perhaps even distant cousins. Meg's brother, Thomas Wyatt, wooed Anne Boleyn and ultimately came very close to the axe blade for it. Two Wyatt sisters attended Anne at her death, and at her death, she gave one of them her jeweled prayer book—Meg.

Deborah Raney, Winner 2011 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence

I'm so proud I'm about to burst! Deborah Raney, my oh-so-fabulous writing critique partner, has won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for her book, Almost Forever. And it's a well deserved honor! Here's a peek at Almost Forever:

Unearthing a lost memory may cause her to lose everything she holds dear… but could it also set her free?

Bryn Hennesey, a volunteer at the Grove Street Homeless Shelter, was there the night the shelter burned to the ground and five heroic firefighters died at the scene. Among them was her husband, Adam. Like the rest of the surviving spouses, Bryn must find a way to begin again. But Bryn must do so living with a horrible secret.…


Garrett Edmonds’s wife, Molly, was the only female firefighter to perish in the blaze. As her husband, it was his job to protect the woman he loved.… How can he go on in the face of such unbearable loss and guilt?


And what started the fire that destroyed the dreams and futures of so many? Investigators are stumped. But someone knows the answer….


Here's Deb on Facebook if you'd like to send congrats!

And be sure to check out the other wonderful authors who were finalists in the inspirational category:
COWBOY FOR KEEPS by Debra Clopton
A HOPE UNDAUNTED by Julie Lessman
THE PERFECT BLEND by Trish Perry
MOUNTAIN PERIL by Sandra Robbins
SHADES OF MORNING by Marlo Schalesky