Pride goeth before a fall

Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.12.2007

Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
My Monday book giveaway is Heart of the Amazon by Margaret Daley
My Thursday book giveaway is She’s All That by Kristin Billerbeck.
You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Heart of the Amazon and post the title for another book I'm giving away.

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God definitely has a sense of humor. I know now why He’s having me read Proverbs right at this particular time.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 (TNIV)

I pride myself on giving good directions. But don’t take my word for it, here’s the real proof—my husband tells me I’m good at giving directions when we’re driving in the car.

So I got a little full of myself.

Brandilyn Collins wanted to join us for a meeting of Bay Area Christian writers, so I e-mailed her directions. I was so proud of myself, because I gave details like how she should stay in the right lane on the exit ramp, go through X number of lights, and take the X left, blah blah blah.

I gave the wrong freeway number.

Just a minor detail. Yeah.

So multi-published, best-selling author Brandilyn Collins took two hours of driving to find my house for our meeting tonight.

I’m such a doofus. And since Brandilyn has a sense of humor, she forgave me. But she’s going to milk me for all it’s worth, you can count on that.

I will live this down when I’m, oh, fifty.

A Pagan’s Nightmare by Ray Blackston

Isn’t that the most hilarious cover? I acquired an ARC of this book but haven’t read it yet (no time). However, the back cover blurb sounds hilarious:

A tongue-in-cheek look at contemporary culture through the eyes of a screenwriter who pens a hit about the last unbeliever on Earth navigating a thoroughly Christian world.

An unwary "pagan" discovers he's one of the last remaining unbelievers in a world populated by Christians. Or so imagines Larry Hutch, a screenwriter with hopes of writing a hit movie. While struggling in his faith and dealing with personal crises, he imagines a strange new world where song lyrics are altered to conform to "Christian" standards (the Beatles belt out "I Wanna Hold Your Tithe") and French fries, newly labeled "McScriptures," are tools for evangelism. Larry's screenplay is a big hit with his agent, Ned, but Ned's Southern Baptist wife is less than amused. Both men's futures will be on the line when the world witnesses A PAGAN'S NIGHTMARE.

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is featuring this book this week, but I know I’ll be reading this soon . . . as soon as I have some time, anyway.

TMI:

Bible in 90 Days: day 42. Well, you know which book I’m in.

I’ve actually been convicted lately about my language—sometimes I use words that are acceptable in secular circles and some liberal Christian ones, but I’m starting to reevaluate if God really wants me saying some of them.

I’m also praying God will teach me to really love and cherish His word more. I think I don’t appreciate the Bible as much as I’d like to.

Writing: I posted another tip to cut a synopsis on my Story Sensei blog today. If you have any writing craft questions or things you’d like me to cover on my Story Sensei blog, just comment and let me know.

Diet: I wish embarrassment burned calories. I’d have lost a good five pounds last night.

I did not exercise, but I did keep my calorie count down by eating a very light breakfast and lunch, and not stuffing myself at the writer’s meeting last night. I also refused a second half of a cream puff my husband brought home from a special bakery in San Francisco (although that first half a cream puff was really good!).