Winner!!

Just a quick note to say my manuscript This Crazy Love I Never Expected took first place in the Faith, Hope and Love Chapter Touched By Love Contest.
Missy accepted my award for me in San Francisco.
Thanks!!!

RWA and Other Stuff

This week is the Romance Writers of America National Conference. I am not going to attend. Weddings and work are the priority right now. Working so we can pay for the wedding.
But my cp Missy Tippens is headed to San Francisco today. I know she'll have a great time and see lots of people she gets to see once a year. Conferences are good for a lot of things. Learning, socializing, getting away. Take your pick. Or pick them all.
This year Missy will have to do them all for me.
I'll miss being there, but not to worry. I will be attending the ACFW conference in September. All the F.A.I.T.H. girls will be there. I'm very excited to be together for the first time. All of us. And it's in Minnesota. I've never been there. Not that I'll get to see too much. Of course the book signing is at the Mall of America, so I hope to get a chance to walk around there a bit.
If you're reading this and you are going/or are at the RWA conference let us know how it's going. If you're reading this and are not attending, we'll live it through Missy. If you normally go let us know what you'll miss most about not being there in person.
For me it's attending the RITA/GH ceremony. I love to get all dressed up. And they do such a great job of presenting the awards. They always have something funny happening and/or a great skit to keep us entertained.

Left Behind

For the last month and probably the next two months I've been leaving my home on Tuesday mornings to head up to Oak Ridge Tennessee where I've been working. I'm not a traveling type of person normally when it comes to work, so I'm a little out of my element in all this. I love to travel, but with my hubby and or family. Not myself. My boss is there with me sometimes, but sometimes she's not.
I take my computer and try to make the best of the evenings and early mornings by writing, catching up on email and the blogs I like to viist.
Well, this week I get to the hotel Tuesday night and pull out my computer. I search the bag for the charger and realize I had left it in Atlanta. So I have less than 45 minutes of time on the computer for the whole week.
Bummer.
To top it off I have a spider bite and my leg is the size of a grapefruit. Very uncomfortable. I will not go into the details as they aren't very pretty.
So my week was spent watching a lot of reality TV. There are reality shows for everything. I mean everything.
I had no idea.
So from now on you bet I'm going to double check that bag to make sure I have all I need before I go.
What about you? Have you ever left something behind?

Green Beans or Corn?

We are having an intersting discussion on green beans and corn over at the F.A.I.T.H blog today. Check it out.

Alaska-Day 4-Hubbard Glacier

It's hard to imagine something this massive and beautiful.

These pictures don't do this glacier justice, but trust me when I say it was an amazing experience seeing this creation of God.

The picture with the people standing on the deck of the boat gives some semblence as to how massive this glacier is. We got really close to the glacier and the captain of the ship turned the ship in a circle for about 45 minutes so no matter where you were on the boat you got a really good view of the glacier.
We had absolutely beautiful weather. The sun was out. The temps were a little chilly, but nothing a sweatshirt and a hat oculdn't handle.
This was truly a dream vacation for me. Between the friends, family, scenery, weather and all other aspects I don't see how it could have been better.
Now my dream is to go back to Alaska. But not on a cruise. I couldn't nor do I want to replicate that dream, but I want to go landing. Rather seeing Alaska by land.
I'm looking at 2010 for another dream to come true, but we'll see.

PS..I'm checking the Juneau website every week to see what's going on and how expensive transportation is to the city.

Where is your dream vacation located? In the US? Over seas somewhere?

Alaska-Day Two-Icy Straight Point

The first stop we made was in Icy Straight Point. A very small town of about 876 people. There is one school all the kids go to. The town is very beautiful and scenic. Mountain and water combine for a great view no matter where you look.



There was a very cool nature trail that we walked. It wasn't very long, but it was beautiful and full of shades of green we just don't see here in the Southeast United State.



After being in Seattle and now Alaska I've decided I'm somewhat partial to the Northwest portion of the US. There is a crispness, clearness, I don't really know how to describe it, that envelopes me when I'm there. Maybe it's just because it's so different from where I am normally.

I'm already looking into another trip to Alaska. Not a cruise because we had such awesome weather and such a great time I know nothing could top it. But I would like to go back to Juneau and stay. Wait until I post some of those pics! Wow.

New Month, New Pics, New News!!

Well it's July. A new month!

I have news and pics. News first. My manuscript, This Crazy Love I Never Expected is a finalist in the TARA Writing Contest.

And now for some vacation details and and pics!
We went on a cruise to Alaska. We started in Seattle for a great visit with my brother, then made our way via Amtrak to Vancouver where we boarded a boat with 10 friends and family. We had fun! Alaska is THE PLACE TO BE in the summer. Fabulous weather.

Here is my hubby and his brother and his wife. We have just arrived on the boat and are waiting to set sail.


A view from the boat leaving Vancouver. Beautiful scenery.

Will post more later.

How Many Books Can You Read At A Time?

Do you like to read? I love it. I read a lot of different genres. And I've started doing something I've never done before.
I can read two or three books at a time. Yep. I can and I do.
Usually they are different type of books, and whatever I'm in the mood for I pick that one up. Then the next day I may pick up the other one. It's really a different type of thing for me. I never used to be able to do this. It would drive me crazy.

I'm also working on a writing a couple of books. But that's harder for me to switch back and forth. I'm basically working on one, but have started another one to enter in a contest. That story idea has really progressed, but I'm putting it aside until I finish the other story. If ideas come for the second story I'll jot them down in my trusty notebook and keep on plugging away until the finish of previous said wip.

What about you? Can you read two books at the same time? If you write, can you work on more than one story at a time?

Read Me Please!!!!

I had to share today's devotion. It's from Daily in His Presence by Andrew Murray.
June 5:
Faith
Don't be afraid, just believe. Mark 5:36

How simple, yet complex.

But it's true. We don't have to be afraid. We can just believe. Not that all of life is going to go well. Not that there won't be things that break our hearts. Not that you won't have a bad day, or a flat out mad day. But there is a hope. There is an underlying joy at the base of these not going well, breaking our heart, bad, mad days.
Jesus.
Don't be afraid, just believe.

Monday on F.A.I.T.H.

We're being creative over at F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. Come on over and be creative with us

Drive-Ins----Fun!!!

My daughter and her fiance went out with another couple last night. They went to the Drive-In. How fun!! I pretty much had forgotten about the venue. When I was in high-school we used to go all the time, but I honestly didn't know if they still existed.
I'm glad to find out they do.
With all the high gas prices and technology it's refreshing to know something of the past is still in existence, and that the younger generation is enjoying it.

What about you? Do you have a Drive-In around you? Have you been lately? Would you like to go?

F.A.I.T.H.

We're talking about how to stick with it Monday on F.A.I.T.H. Come and visit with us!!

TBL Finalist!!!!!!

I just received news that my manuscript This Crazy Love I Never Expected is a finalist in the Faith, Hope and Love chapter of RWA's annual Touched By Love contest.

I'm thrilled with this news. The winners will be announced at the Faith, Hope and Love one day conference in July. It's in San Francisco this year in conjunction with the RWA National Conference. I won't be able to attend, but I'll be anxiously awaiting a phone call to see where my manuscript placed.

Emotions on F.A.I.T.H.

We're talking about emotion over at F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. Come and visit and talk about your favorite characters and books.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers day!!!

Mothers are very special people. Today is the day we celebrate the women in our lives that have impacted us in a postive and loving way. Don't forget to tell those special women how important they are to you.

F.A.I.T.H.

We're talking about American Idol on F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. Come visit and check it out!

Missy's Sale

Just had to announce that my cp and friend Missy Tippens had sold another book to Steeple Hill!! I'm so thrilled for her. She reworked this book and they really liked it. Missy has great revision skills. I look at my work and think, "it's the only way this can happen." I need to learn from her.

Congratulations Missy!!!!

Today is our anniversary! Happy eight years.

I'm so blessed to have my very own hero.

Love you, Lenny!!

F.A.I.T.H. on Monday

Click on over to F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. We are talking about finding the true core of your writing. What your story is about at heart.
If you're a reader, you can post about what type of story you LOVE to read.

Plotting on F.A.I.T.H.

Check out F.A.I.T.H. on Monday. We're talking plotting over there. Or non-plotting.