Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.30.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is CONSIDER LILY by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt. My Thursday book giveaway is LOVE ONLINE by Kristin Billerbeck and Nancy Toback . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for CONSIDER LILY and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Haunted by a Question: Sorry, this is really long again. As before, some things I liked and some questions. Eve—What Happened? The authors say: “[Eve] brought strength to the world, but not a striving, sharp-edged strength. She was inviting, alluring, captivating.” I don’t know if I buy that. I don’t know if I really see how being inviting, alluring, or captivating is a strength. I understand how restfulness (restful inner beauty?) can be a strength, or solidity like a rock. To me, that’s strength. But being alluring? Captivating? Then they talk about “Why do so few wom

Captain's Log, Stardate 06.28.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIGGLE by Liz Curtis Higgs, Carolyn Zane, and Karen Ball. My Monday book giveaway is CONSIDER LILY by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt. You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIGGLE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. I'm a favorite blog! Tricia Goyer conducted a small blog survey, and she compiled a list of favorite blogs from the survey participants. Tricia also blogs at Gen X Parents and WriterQuotes (where I'm a contributor--every Monday is my Health and the Writer column). Novel Journey - Gina Holmes, Ane Mulligan, Jessica Dotta - author interviews blog Author Intrusion - Lisa Samson Faith in Fiction - Bethany House Fiction Acquisitions Editor Dave Long The Uprising - Lisa Koons Rhythms of Grace - Marilynn Griffith Ch

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.27.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIGGLE by Liz Curtis Higgs, Carolyn Zane, and Karen Ball. My Monday book giveaway is CONSIDER LILY by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt. You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIGGLE and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. How cool that I have three distinct things that came to me which all show off Girl Power. Kick-@$$ chicks: This is a neat article on two real-life, strong Asian women on SFGate.com. Blogging Chicks: I joined up! The blogroll is on my sidebar. RealBook.com: Helena Jeffrey posted a wonderful review of my blog ! Isn’t that nice of her? I didn’t even have to break out the homemade chocolate truffles as a bribe. You can read the review and comment on it here . And while you’re there, you can check out her reviews of other blogs. TMI

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.26.2006 I’ve got a double-shot headed your way with my guest bloggers today—Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt, co-authors of the books EMILY EVER AFTER and CONSIDER LILY! CONSIDER LILY Lily Traywick thinks she must have been adopted. It’s easier than believing she’s actually related to Joan and Roland Traywick, her power-couple parents who run Traywick’s of San Francisco, the most chi-chi department store on the west coast. While her parents party with Miuccia in Milan and Gabbanna in Paris, Lily hangs out at home in ratty jeans and an old t-shirt. She loves softball, guys, and Jesus, and she’s eager to make her own way in the world. Feeling that her life is on hold, she turns to her best friend Reagan, a fashionista who has it all, for a major life makeover. Lily is soon dressing in the latest must-have fashions and pursuing a writing career. She’s even dating the perfect guy. But does he love her for who she really is?And what about his friend fro

Captain's Log, Stardate 06.25.2006 Leave any prayer requests in the comments and I’ll be praying this week. You don’t have to be Christian to leave a prayer request. If you’d rather not advertise to everyone on the blogosphere, just leave an unspoken prayer request or email me. If I forgot your prayer request, email me. Not to be mean or anything, but if you don't email me or comment to update your prayer request, I'm only going to pray 3 Sundays. Thank you, Lord, for this Sabbath day. Be with all my church family attending Mount Hermon retreats this week. Bless their time. Speak to each of them and draw each life closer to you. Work powerfully among everyone, and bless the retreat staff. Keep everyone safe from spiritual warfare and rain your spirit to convict and empower. I lift up Brenda and Gail and the family to you. Give us a miracle, Lord. Ease Brenda’s pain, anyway you will. Help Heather finish her manuscript and help her to fight the spiritual warfare trying to kee

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.23.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is WAKING LAZARUS by TL Hines . My Thursday book giveaway is THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIGGLE by Liz Curtis Higgs, Carolyn Zane, and Karen Ball . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for WAKING LAZARUS and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. What Eve Alone Can Tell: WARNING: Today's post is kind of long. I liked some things in this chapter, but I also had questions about several things. I’m probably just impatient, and they’ll explain things in later chapters. I didn’t resonate with the first part about the allure of “hidden princesses.” Although I do like Xena, powerful Warrior Princess. I don’t particularly long for fairy-tale romance anymore, and I didn’t relate to the author’s assumption that I would feel shamed that my life doesn’t reflect these secret yearnings in my heart. I like how they de

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.22.2006 TMI: Diet: Yesterday, because I didn’t want to do aerobics on my injured quad muscle, I tried a new exercise program, Power Yoga . It’s a full, uninterrupted 25 minutes of yoga. I thought it might be kind of hard for me, but the instructor gives tips for people who aren’t as flexible, too, so that was nice. I felt so good afterward! The episode focused on forward folds, which stretches mostly the lower back and hamstrings. I actually felt taller afterward! The best part was that the stretches helped me improve flexibility in my surgery knee and my right hip, which have both been stiff. I just read in CHARACTERS, EMOTION AND VIEWPOINT by Nancy Kress that both low and high arousal states cramp creativity. In other words, if you’re not interested in your book (low arousal) or if you’re anxious or stressed (high arousal) that can prevent you from writing. Okay, that’s kind of a no-brainer. But I started thinking that maybe I can do some of

Captain's Log, Stardate 06.21.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is A SOUNDING BRASS by Shelley Bates . My Monday book giveaway is WAKING LAZARUS by TL Hines . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for A SOUNDING BRASS and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. I'd love to go to Italy: I've been watching a few movies now that I turned in my manuscript to my editor. I finally got to see Under the Tuscan Sun . Beautiful scenes, and very quirky characters. It was as funny as I thought it would be—a nice, light movie. Not a romance, more of a travel chick-lit. Certainly not slow-paced, yet interspersed with dramatic shots of Italy’s landscape. I loved the ending the best--when she looks around at the house and realizes what she's gotten for herself. It was a very poignant moment. And man, I want to look like Diane Lane when I’m inching toward 40. TM

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.20.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is A SOUNDING BRASS by Shelley Bates . My Monday book giveaway is WAKING LAZARUS by TL Hines . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for A SOUNDING BRASS and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Open for business! I had previously stopped doing manuscript critiques for my critique service, The Story Sensei, and just focused on high-level structural critiques based on synopses. Now I've opened up The Story Sensei to manuscript critiques again. Update: See my Story Sensei blog for updated prices. I have a limited-time special price of $1 per 100 words (computer word count), PARTIAL or FULL manuscript. I will identify any weaknesses in story structure, character arcs, writing style, and other aspects of a high-level critique. I will also analyze your manuscript for key writing and story elem

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.19.2006 The quirky and creepy Tony (T.L.) Hines (that’s a compliment, by the way) is here with me today! Tony's new thriller is  WAKING LAZARUS , which sounds totally awesome. Don’t believe me? Here’s the blurb: Jude Allman has died and come back to life three times, becoming a celebrity against his own wishes. When the world crushes in around this unlikely miracle man, this modern-day Lazarus, he escapes into the vastness of Montana. He changes his name and withdraws from the public eye, trying to forget all that came before. But the past, like Jude, won't stay buried. A prowling evil circles his adopted hometown of Red Lodge, Montana. Children are disappearing, and Jude may have the key to solving the crimes—hidden inside the mysteries of his own deaths. His days of hiding are over, and now he must face the questions that have haunted him for years. What if his resurrections aren't just accidents? What if there's a reason behind

Captain's Log, Stardate 06.18.2006 Leave any prayer requests in the comments and I’ll be praying this week. You don’t have to be Christian to leave a prayer request. If you’d rather not advertise to everyone on the blogosphere, just leave an unspoken prayer request or email me. If I forgot your prayer request, email me. Not to be mean or anything, but if you don't email me or comment to update your prayer request, I'm only going to pray 3 Sundays. Thank you, Lord, for each day. I lift up Brenda and Gail to you. Cover them with your glory and your power. Help Heather to finish her manuscript. Be with Pammer and her manuscript. Help Squirl finish her manuscript. I also pray for complete healing for her hip, for a good surgery, for a smooth and quick recovery. Bless Dineen’s new graphic design business, and also help her with her manuscript. I pray for justice for Robin and her family. Give her wisdom on her writing and remind her you are guiding her. Help Ronie with her new m

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.17.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is RV THERE YET? by Diann Hunt . My Thursday book giveaway is A SOUNDING BRASS by Shelley Bates . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for RV THERE YET? and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Blog Bible Study on CAPTIVATING : The guided journal is good, although it does bring up more questions for me than answers. The authors talk about Shame that inflicts women because we don’t measure up to what people or the church tells us we should be—godly women, patient, sweet, yada yada yada. The problem is, I don’t feel shame. I feel more rebellion. I don’t desire to be like that. I’m happy the way I am. I’m very happy not being a sweet person, serving in the church kitchen. I’m very happy being blunt and straightforward, telling people “no” if I don’t have time to help. I’m very happy being a little i

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.16.2006 TMI: Diet: I’ve been exercising this week! I’m so proud of myself. Let’s hope I can keep this up. There was an embarrassing moment today when I was hopping and jumping along with Denise Austin and then the doorbell rang. I try not to answer the door when I’m home alone, so I kept doing my aerobics. There’s a little crack in the kitchen window where whoever was at the door could have seen me bouncing around if they’d peer through. I hope he wasn’t a peeping tom. My brave dog came trotting into the foyer— late , mind you—and gave a half-hearted woof at the door. Oh my hero.

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.15.2006 RITA-winner Shelley Bates joins me today in the midst of her crazy preparations for her book tour! Shelley’s latest women's fiction novel is  A SOUNDING BRASS . Award-winning author Shelley Bates pens the story of a sheltered young woman torn between a magnetic leader and the man out to discredit him. Claire Montoya is drawn to handsome Luke Fisher, radio evangelist, and goes to work as his bookkeeper. Although she initially enjoys taking part in Luke's vision for the community, she begins to realize that certain things about this powerful personality don't add up. Complicating matters, investigator Ray Harper is hanging around the studio, asking disturbing questions--and making an impression of his own on young Claire. Who is right: the nationally known evangelist or the suspicious cop? And more important, to whom can Claire trust her heart? And now, here’s Shelley! Photo by: RobinRuth.com How did you come up with the story

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.14.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is A STITCH IN TIME by Allison Bottke . My Monday book giveaway is RV THERE YET? by Diann Hunt . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for A STITCH IN TIME and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Meme: Julie Carobini (BRAT!) tagged me. Accent: Hawaiian Pidgin English, but only when I’m talking to someone who also has an accent, like my parents. My husband can immediately tell when I’m talking to them on the phone. Best personality trait: I will usually say exactly how I feel. If I’m too busy to talk to you, I’ll tell you. If I’m tired, I’ll tell you. Chore I hate: Vacuuming, not because of the work, but because I hate the loud noises. Dad's name: Thomas Essential make-up/skin care products: Mary Kay Timewise 3-in-1 Cleaners—this stuff was MAGIC on my combination skin and acne. Favorite

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.13.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is A STITCH IN TIME by Allison Bottke . My Monday book giveaway is RV THERE YET? by Diann Hunt . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for A STITCH IN TIME and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. My new publisher: I just discovered a Zondervan blog . Yeah, I’m behind the times. There’s also a Zondervan MySpace —become a friend! TMI: Captivating: I started my Blog Bible Study with Heather and other new friends, and I’m liking it. It’s making me think about my femininity more than I have in a long time. I don’t usually think of myself as feminine because I’m usually pretty logical and pragmatic. I’ve instructed my husband not to give me cut flowers because they’ll just die and it’s a waste of money. Try to tell me that’s not the most unromantic thing ever! Sometimes I revel in my unromantic nat

Captain’s Log, Stardate 06.12.2006 I get to host lady-lit author Diann Hunt again for another wild and crazy adventure! Diann’s hot-off-the-presses novel is  RV THERE YET? Life's a journey. Midlife's an adventure. But two weeks in a RV with the hot-flash sisters could drive anyone over the hill. Dede signed on for this cross-country RV trip selflessly, for Millie and Lydia's sakes. Besides, she needed to get her mind off a love gone wrong and a demanding gourmet chocolates business. And it's for a good cause--sprucing up the old summer camp in Colorado to save it from closing. It will be a fun, memorable last hurrah before she turns fifty. Right? But Dede's more of a luxury hotel kind of girl. She likes mints on plumped pillows and room service. Bunking with friends in a motor home the size of a phone booth is not her style. And with the mysterious biker gang and a stalking ex-boyfriend, the RV seems to be shrinking. Still, with friends, a boutiful supp