Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.31.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is In Every Flower by Patti Hill . My Monday book giveaway is Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the In Every Flower and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Check out Christian Women Online (click on the button above) to see what other women are blogging about this quote: "Like the proud mother who is thrilled to receive a wilted bouquet of dandelions from her child, so God celebrates our feeble expressions of gratitude." ~ Richard Foster~ As some of you know, I lead worship for the youth group and for Sunday service once a month. I sang in colleg

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.28.2006 Hey guys, sorry this is late. Blogger was wigging out when I tried to post this earlier. Another card I made. I’m rather proud of this one. Don’t you hate it when . . . you schedule Billpay payment to your insurance company premium through your online banking like a good girl and it says the payment went through, but then it shows the money was never taken out of your checking account and you get a statement from the insurance company that you never paid your premium? I’m so peeved. I filed an inquiry with my bank’s Billpay. I haven’t been charged late fees yet, luckily. TMI: Bible in 90 Days: Day 5. Reading about how Joseph interpreted the pharaoh’s cup-bearer's dream and then how the dude went back to work and forgot about Joseph for two whole years made me think about the writer’s life. Often I would get some good news or a lucky break—an editor would show interest and request the full manuscript, or I’d win or final in a contest. It would gi

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is The Guy I’m Not Dating by Trish Perry . My Thursday book giveaway is In Every Flower by Patti Hill . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the The Guy I’m Not Dating and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Carnival of Christian Writers The Carnival of Christian Writers will debut at Writer…Interrupted on Monday, October 30! Here are the details: Christian writers share in the craft of writing fiction, non-fiction, publishing and anything else related to their faith and writing. Post must address the craft, call, process, struggle, etc. of writing. In the remarks section, please write a blurb about your post! Ex

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.26.2006 Today I’m joined by my friend Patti Hill ! Patti’s first novel, Like a Watered Garden , was a finalist in the prestigious Christy Awards! Patti's latest novel is  In Every Flower , book 3 of the Garden Gates series. Sometimes you get a second chance... Remarriage isn't the happily-ever-after Mibby McManus hoped for. Between conflicting work schedules, a rebellious teenage son, a mother-in-law who can't get enough of the Food Channel, and a cat-in-law bent on destruction, Mibby and her new husband, Larry, never seem to find enough time for each other. Then there's the part Mibby really didn't expect: the constant intrusion of memories. Just when she thinks she's gotten back on track, a phone call from California unsettles everything. It's time for Mibby to face her past or risk losing everything. And now, here’s Patti! What inspired your Garden Gate series idea? Like all potential writers, I'd heard o

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.25.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . My Monday book giveaway is The Guy I’m Not Dating by Trish Perry . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the Dark Hour and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Under pressure . . . Heather and I were discussing stress coping mechanisms last night. I try to be laid back. I think most of the time, I am. But when someone does something completely illogical (which impacts me negatively), that pushes my buttons and I fly off the handle. I think it’s because I’m a logical person. A + B = C. If you can give me a good reason why A + B = D, then I’m fine. But if you insist A + B =

Calm, Cool and Adjusted (Spa Girls book 3) by Kristin Billerbeck From the back cover: Silicon Valley chiropractor Poppy Clayton is as calm, cool and adjusted as they come . . . or is she? Known for her bad fashion sense, a love for all things natural and the inability to get a second date, Poppy is beginning to wonder if she might be misaligned herself. Especially since her best friends, Lilly and Morgan, seem to think so. After all, a “normal” woman doesn’t evaluate prospective dates on their liver function and their spiritual balance, does she? Poppy’s route to self discover will be an unnatural one involving a plastic surgeon (of all people!), a condemned house in Santa Cruz and a wedding date from the dark side. It’s enough to send a girl and her gal pals running for the spa! Camy here: This novel does a great job finishing off the Spa Girls series. Poppy is my favorite character of the three, and this book really gets into her head and reveals more of who she is beyond the health

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . My Monday book giveaway is The Guy I’m Not Dating by Trish Perry . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the Dark Hour and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Check out Christian Women Online (click on the button above) to see what other women are blogging about this quote: "Has someone seen the life I planned? It seems it's been misplaced I've looked in every corner It's lost without a trace..." ~ Beth Moore~ From the poem: "The Life I Planned" My life has changed SO much, yet it came back to my original life-dream, the one I put away so many yea

Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth From the back cover: Knowing something bad will happen if she misses, nine-year-old Mara keeps her appointments. And she’s never told a soul. But despite the fear and shame that ensnare her, she clings to the hope that she can break free. Mara doesn’t know her real name. She doesn’t even know who her parents are. But with the help of her best friend, Camilla, and the mysterious Radio Man, Denim, she determines to unveil the secrets that shroud her life. Caught in a maelstrom of lies and deceit, Mara picks her way through the wreckage of a lost childhood until the day something magical happens underneath the pecan tree. Written in beautiful prose and set against the backdrop of the quirky town of Burl, Texas, Watching the Tree Limbs takes us on a journey through a young girl’s self-discovery and reveals the lengths to which God will go to redeem His precious children. Camy here: This is an extremely well-written novel. One endorser likened it to

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . My Monday book giveaway is The Guy I’m Not Dating by Trish Perry . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the Dark Hour and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft My novel title! Thanks for participating in the poll! I heard back from the Z marketing director and she said they’ve decided to go with the overwhelming vote for . . . drumroll . . . Sushi For One? The question mark is deliberate. I’m not sure if I go for it or not--the question mark. One minute I'll love it, the next minute I'm questioning (LOL) it. But then again, it’s not my decision. (Yeah, all you people who

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.22.2006 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 e-mail me. If I forgot your prayer request, e-mail me. Not to be mean or anything, but if you don't e-mail me or comment to update your prayer request, I'm only going to pray 3 Sundays. Lord, bless your day today. Father, I pray for favor for Case with his sentencing judge. Please let everything turn out well for him and his family. Continue to uphold them in your righteous right hand. I pray for success for Robin in the elections. Thank you for Cheryl and Robin’s contracts! I pray for complete healing for Colleen’s mom. Please be with Jaen and her family and provide for them. Help Gail and Bob in everything that needs to be done, and comfort them. Be with Heather as she prepares for her trip. Show her clearly wha

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.20.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is Violette Between by Alison Strobel . My Thursday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Violette Between and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Plug your nose . . . I have never actually smelled stinky tofu, but I have heard a lot about it. It is quite infamous. If you ever get together with Chinese who are from China (usually Taiwan or Hong Kong) or Chinese Americans who have visited those places, they will ALL have stories to tell you if you mention chou dofu . Naturally, I needed to write this into a book. Maybe two books. I had to look up the Chinese

UPDATE: CONGRATS TO MY FRIEND ROBIN CYNCLAIR ROBIN CAROLL (just one R) (also known as Robin Miller, who will probably have to change her pen name) WHO WAS JUST CONTRACTED WITH STEEPLE HILL SUSPENSE!!! You go, girl!

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is Violette Between by Alison Strobel . My Thursday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Violette Between and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page ! Click to join Camys_Loft Look out November . . . I registered for NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month! I’ve known about NaNoWriMo for several years, but this is the first year I’ve actually registered for it. To be honest, this is also the first year my novel-writing-schedule has happened to be timed right so that I can participate. In other years, I was either at the end of a manuscript, or I wasn’t even in the preliminary stages of plotti

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.17.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt . My Monday book giveaway is Violette Between by Alison Strobel . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the Hot Flashes and Cold Cream and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! Check out Christian Women Online (click on the button above) to see what other women are blogging about this quote: "It doesn’t matter what is behind you as much as it matters who is beside you." ~ Ellen ~ "Laced with Grace " I’m rather torn about this quote. I do like it—it brings to mind the strength, prayers, and support of my husband, my parents, my friends on my writing journey. Where would I be without them, especially the past 12-14 mont

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Thursday book giveaway is Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt . My Monday book giveaway is Violette Between by Alison Strobel . You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the Hot Flashes and Cold Cream and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! Perfume and Cinderella dresses: I entered a contest put on by Vera Wang to celebrate her new fragrance, called Princess. (It was free, what can I say?) I just got a sample of the perfume today. It’s . . . okay. It doesn’t stand out for me. It might just be how my body chemicals react with the perfume. The contest is giving away this gorgeous Vera Wang gown. It’s targeted at teenagers, so the size of the dress is size four. Now I don’t know about you guys, but that’s ju

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.14.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . My Thursday book giveaway is Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winners for the Laura Jensen Walker books and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! Writers’ retreat: I’m the luckiest girl in the world. Why? Because today, me and Dineen Miller are going to a Marriott hotel to hole ourselves up and write. It’ll be an intense writing session until we check out Sunday morning. The doubly cool thing is that this Marriott hotel is supposedly just like the one in Dallas, where we stayed during the ACFW conference last month. Those beds were heavenly. So I’ll be back Su

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.13.2006 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . My Thursday book giveaway is Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winners for the Laura Jensen Walker books and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! Heroes: I’m a TV junkie, I admit it. I’m hooked on the new series called Heroes. (It’s like X-Men, but before they realized their powers and came together to become the X-Men. And without the funky costumes.) Okay, regardless of the X-Men type storyline, one of the heroines—a high school girl—is talking to a boy she likes, the quarterback of the football team. He’s sweet-talking her and being very flattering. She says

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . My Thursday book giveaway is Hot Flashes and Cold Cream by Diann Hunt . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Monday, I'll draw the winners for the Laura Jensen Walker books and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! Devos: I just got Joanna Weaver’s Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World . I’ve heard a lot of great things about this book, and I’ve also met Joanna, who is a wonderful person. I’m really looking forward to reading this. I admit, I root for Martha. (In fact, I wrote a short story based on the story of Lazarus’s death here .) I understand how busy-ness can take away from important spiritual things like devotional time, but I have to say that fr

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.11.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson . My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for The Wedding Caper and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! My Alphasmart, how I love thee! Let me count MORE ways... ** Taking notes during a writing workshop (although sometimes the key clacking annoys people—the newer Dana and Neo models don’t make as much noise). ** Not being tempted by the internet, e-mails, blogs, etc. ** Not being apprehensive about bringing it with me to youth group because even if someone runs into me or knocks my bag around, my Alphasmart is more durable than a laptop. ** Needing onl

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.10.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson . My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for The Wedding Caper and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! I’m still holding a poll for the title of my book! Go to this blog post to cast your vote! My Alphasmart, how I love thee! Let me count the ways... (Okay, so I wrote this a few months ago when I was being silly) ** Sitting in bed with a bedside lamp, taking advantage of the middle of the night brainstorm. ** Out in the backyard on a picnic blanket, while the dog runs and chases squirrels across the back fence. ** In front of the TV, taking notes while SportsCenter is playing (Those guys have the neatest metaphors! They’re more hip than the

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson . My Monday book giveaway is Thanks for the Mammogram! AND Reconstructing Natalie , both by Laura Jensen Walker . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for The Wedding Caper and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Pick my title! The Zondervan Marketing Department is torn about which title would be best for my debut novel. So you guys get to weigh in! Here are your choices: Solo Sushi Sushi for One Single Sushi Solo Sashimi Leave a comment about which you prefer and WHY. I’ll run this poll for a couple weeks to figure out which will be the title for my new book! TMI: Writing: I posted another "Health and the Writer" post at WriterQuotes , and an agent post at my Story Sensei blog . And in case you missed it, my review of The Guy I’m Not Dating by Trish Perry is

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.09.2006 Today I’m joined by my friend Laura Jensen Walker, chick-lit writer and breast cancer survivor! Laura's book,  Thanks for the Mammogram! Fighting Cancer with Faith, Hope, and a Healthy Dose of Laughter , was reissued in paperback last month, and she also wrote a chick-lit novel,  Reconstructing Natalie . And now, here’s Laura! Okay, everyone, it's October and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I want you all to check your breasts! Young or old, perky or not-so-perky, you need to know your breasts intimately so that should you ever find--God forbid--an unusual lump that's not the same as your normal fibrocystic lumps, you'll know to get it checked out RIGHT AWAY. Don't wait. Don't delay. That's what I did more than fourteen years ago and why I'm still here today. Except, I didn't know my breasts intimately--it was just a 'fluke' or an 'accident' that I 'happened' to brus

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.08.2006 Sorry, no Sunday Prayer today. I’m frantically working on my revisions. Please pray for me if you think about it. You can also pray through last week’s prayer list here .

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.06.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . My Thursday book giveaway is The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Monday, I'll draw the winner for Dark Hour and post the title for another book I'm giving away. TMI: My whole life is a big TMI. But I am making deliberate effort to take time outs for myself. I think I’m actually more productive when I do work, but I don’t have any proof. Writing: I was a lame-o and forgot to post my CAN blog post until just now. So go on over and read it. I also posted another agent post at my Story Sensei blog . And I posted a review of Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson below. Had a great time at the writers’ meeting last night. Kristin Billerbeck joined us for the first time. Captain Caffeine came home early and made decaf lattes for them all (he’s been practicing his espresso shot

Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson Book description: Art Stole Her Heart... Now, can she return the favor? If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, it's art. Her father, whose security company is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor. Integrity. Faith. So surely God will forgive her for despising the one man determined to destroy her father's good name? Special Agent Tony Lucano knows Hiram Jacobs is an art thief. But what he can't figure out is Desiree. Is she the innocent she claims, or a clever accomplice? Then Hiram is murdered. And along with his company, he leaves Desiree a hidden container—full of stolen paintings. But she can't admit her father was a thief! That would destroy their business, put people out of jobs, and embarrass international museums that have been displaying clever forgeries. No, she must find out why her honest father would turn criminal. And she must return the priceless art to the r

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . My Thursday book giveaway is The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on the blog posts above . On Monday, I'll draw the winner for Dark Hour and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Continued from part 3 : Genesis contest: Talk about nightmare. Actually, I seriously think there was spiritual warfare going on, because suddenly the Powerpoint program started making the pictures disappear. It had worked fine on my husband’s Mac laptop, my pastor’s PC laptop, and Dineen’s Mac laptop. But suddenly in the conference’s new PC laptop, it went haywire. Oh, did I mention this is about 30 minutes before the doors opened to let people into the banquet??? By the grace of God, I’d saved a copy on Dineen’s hard drive, and the hotel tech guy found a switch that would enable both the conference PC laptop and Dineen’s lapto

The Wedding Caper (Bridal Mayhem Mysteries, book 1) by Janice Thompson When a $25,000 night deposit mysteriously disappears from the Clark County Savings and Loan, Annie Peterson has reason to be concerned and to assume the role of amateur sleuth. Her husband's job at the bank makes him a potential suspect, but knowing him to be a godly man, she can't imagine it. Then again, there is that matter of the weddings to factor in. Twin daughters Brandi and Candy have just received proposals and two weddings are pending. Sure, Warren occasionally jokes about robbing the bank to pay for the ceremonies, but Annie knows him better than that . . . doesn't she? Just about the time Annie thinks she can wriggle Warren off the suspect hook, he mysteriously shows up with enough cash to cover the cost of both weddings. Annie dives into the investigation and the suspects pile up. One by one they fall, leaving her with only one logical choice. Who will it be – a somber-faced loan officer, a

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.04.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . You can still enter. Just post a comment on the blog post above. On Thursday, I'll post the title for another book I'm giving away. Continued from part 2 : I saw so many of my online friends, I know I couldn’t name them all. It was terrific to see old friends, like Angie Poole , Cynthia Hawkins, Pamela Dowd . It was very nice to finally meet Gina Conroy , and to see Gina Holmes , Ane Mulligan , Tracy Higley , Betsy St. Amant (she is just the cutest thing, she makes me sick), and my Hawaiian buddy Malia Spencer . I also saw the Girls Write Out chicks— Kristin Billerbeck , Colleen Coble , Diann Hunt , and Denise Hunter . I’d already met Kristin at Mount Hermon conference and proved I’m really not a stalker, and I attended the Early Bird session with Colleen and Deb Raney (Fabulous class! Terrific brainstorming!). I met Diann and Denise for the first time, and both

Captain’s Log, Stardate 10.03.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is Dark Hour by Ginger Garrett . You can still enter. Just post a comment on the blog post above. On Thursday, I'll post the title for another book I'm giving away. Continued from part 1 : Mary DeMuth gave a fabulous morning session for Advanced writers. It was both spiritual and practical, plus she’s a good speaker and teacher. Very open and honest, good points. If you haven’t gotten the MP3 for the conference yet, go get her four sessions. Big congrats to Cara Putman , who was awarded with a contract at the conference! I had the loveliest time talking with Serena Miller on Saturday morning. She needed some advice, and it made me feel so good to be able to help her out. But even more, she was such a calming presence as Kat (conference tech goddess) rushed by a few times to let me know about problems with the Powerpoint. Serena was true to her name—she helped me to feel calmer and less stressed, to