One Thousand Gifts-9

Captain’s Log, Stardate 11.26.2006

I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it.

201. Eatsmart Veggie Crisps—yummy and healthy and not very oily
202. Honey Mustard and Onion Nibblers—mmmmmmmmmm
203. my cute pink business cards, thanks to Dineen for designing them
204. my KitchenAid stand mixer—I seriously don’t know what I’d do without it, even though I don’t use it very often
205. my hand chopper from Pampered Chef—this was one of my favorite wedding gifts. It’s so useful and great design, easy to clean.
206. my stoneware 8x8 pan from Pampered Chef—it totally makes things easier for me to bake, especially since I tend to burn something every time I do. This gives me a little bit of fudge time on my baking.
207. cranberry juice, which keeps UTI away
208. colored pencils for marking my study Bible—doesn’t bleed like pens
209. pretty beaded book thong bookmarks—they’re just so pretty even though regular bookmarks are easy to use
210. little koa wood bowls for candy and knick-knacks
211. my pretty black and tan Dooney and Bourke tote bag, a gift from my mom who didn’t want it anymore
212. The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition—I love it when something is written so I know it has to be right.
213. Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain
214. Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins
215. Fiction 101 by Randy Ingermanson
216. Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
217. Characters, Emotion and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress
218. 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
219. French berry lemonade
220. ginger beer
221. alarm clocks, even though I hate them in the morning
222. homemade bread
223. my wonderful bread machine that lets me make homemade bread so easily
224. chicken soup with vegetables
225. garlic bread (lots and lots of garlic, and I don’t have to peel them if I use my handy garlic press)
226. that Chinese scallion bread that’s so yummy
227. Chinese scallion pancakes (different from the bread, just as yummy)
228. Chinese walnut honey prawns—total cholesterol bomb but oh so good
229. my exercise earphones that let me go running or walking with my iPod without my earbuds popping out of my head
230. my Griffin iTrip, that lets me play my iPod through my car FM radio, so I can listen to writing workshops on MP3 while I’m driving
231. the causes God has laid on my heart to care about—I don’t know why they affect me so strongly over other worthy causes, but I feel the Spirit tug at my soul
232. Zoe Children’s Homes, which rescue children at risk for child trafficking and the sex slave trade
233. The Agape Home in Thailand, which takes in children victims of trafficking who have been infected with the HIV virus (often AIDs patients believe raping a virgin (young) child will cure them of the disease)
234. NightLight program, which works to rescue prostitutes and sex slave victims in Bangkok
235. the free books at RWA conference—who doesn’t like free books?
236. the free books at ACFW conference—ditto
237. the free books from the ACFW Book of the Year contest—double dito
238. free books in general—triple ditto
239. the fact Robin’s going to be ACFW President next year—yay!
240. sugar-free dark chocolate hearts from Ethel M’s
241. those tough blue plastic bins from Costco that can store anything so easily and safely, including my thousands of books
242. Betty Neels books—such good characterization and plotting, always a good read
243. those foaming hand soap dispensers from Bath and Body Works
244. my cute bear-in-a-frog-costume stuffed animal
245. the giraffe note holder my uncle made for me
246. the koa wood geta Japanese sandal pen holder my other uncle made for me
247. notebooks—just love ’em, even though I don’t fill them up very much
248. my cute Japanese coin purse—clever design
249. iPod armband holder
250. cheap books from GoodWill and Salvation Army, where most of my library came from

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For seven days, from January 30th until February 5th, book 2 in the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series is only 99 cents. If you haven’t gotten it yet, be sure to snatch it up while it’s at this sale price. Here’s the back cover description: A Christian Historical Adventure set in Regency England with romance and a supernatural twist Part two in an epic-length serial novel A dire situation Mr. Solomon Drydale and his team are reeling. After only a single act of mayhem by underworld lord Apothecary Jack, one of their group is down and another is missing. An urgent plea Desperate, Sol acts on his forbidden knowledge of an agent for the Crown who is known only to the highest levels of government— le petit prince , master of disguises. He defies his superiors and asks the Prince for help. A hazardous hunt Now, the team must learn to work with a new member to save one of their own. But time is running out before Jack finds him and breaks him—and puts all of their lives at risk.

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Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Humorous Romantic Suspense: Year of the Dog (Warubozu Spa Chronicles series, Prequel novel) (Currently being posted monthly on my blog as a serial novel) Marisol Mutou, a professional dog trainer, finally has a chance to buy a facility for her business, but her world is upended when she must move in with her disapproving family, who have always made her feel inadequate. When she stumbles upon a three-year-old missing persons case, security expert Ashwin Keitou, whose car she accidentally rear-ended a few weeks earlier, is tasked with protecting her. However, danger begins to circle around them from people who want the past to remain there. Can they shed light on the secrets moving in the shadows? Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, n

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