Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.29.2006 Susan May Warren is one of the nicest writers I know, and today I get to interview her! Her latest book is from Steeple Hill Café, and it’s about a single chick who goes to Russia for a missions trip. EVERYTHING’S COMING UP JOSEY "I need you," the tall, good-looking missionary had said . . . but he'd been speaking to Josey's entire church at the time. Had she taken it too literally? Because she was no longer in Gull Lake, Minnesota. She was a missionary. In Russia. For a year. True, Josey had wanted to skip town when her sister married her ex, and her secret crush/best friend got engaged. But Russia? Yet after a few weeks the idea grew on her. She could speak enough words to buy fruit at the Moscow market, and the missionary role was feeling . . . right (although her bagel-thieving roommate tested her daily). Even the frosty Russian weather was no big deal for this Minnesota girl -- it was getting her love life to thaw tha...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.28.2006 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. Father, thank you for today, another day with you. Please be with those who are grieving, and help them heal. Please help Heather to make her June 1st deadline. Heal Pammer’s body from all its illnesses. Give her strength, energy, and good health to get done everything she needs to. I pray for complete success for Squirl’s surgery, and a smooth, fast recovery. Please be with her as she finishes her manuscript. Help Dineen keep plugging away at her manuscript, and not be distracted. I pray for justice for Robin and her family. Encourag...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.27.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Monday book giveaway is A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND by Kristin Billerbeck . My Thursday book giveaway is LIFE INTERRUPTED by Tricia Goyer . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Bikini shot: Snickers is very cute, but sometimes she’s dumber than dirt. Here she is lying out in the hot sun. Now if I had a permanent fur coat, I’d avoid sunbathing. Does she? Nope. And the thing on her nose is grass, because she had just rubbed her face in it, I guess because her nose was itchy. Okay, ’fess up. Any dumb animal stories?

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.24.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is ONCE UPON A CHOCOLATE KISS by Cheryl Wolverton . My Monday book giveaway is A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND by Kristin Billerbeck . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for ONCE UPON A CHOCOLATE KISS and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. What Zondervan needs from me: Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water... So here I was, thinking I’d never need to do a stupid one page synopsis ever again now that I’m contracted, right? Guess what they need by September 15th for the next book in the series: ** My current bio (no problem, I love talking about myself) ** A one or two-sentence summary (You mean like a pitch??? One of those 30-second things that I never thought I’d need to do again?) ** A completed Marketing Information Form (Okay, I just got this, and it’s a TON of stuff. A lot of...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.23.2006 Blog book giveaway: My Thursday book giveaway is ONCE UPON A CHOCOLATE KISS by Cheryl Wolverton . My Monday book giveaway is A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND by Kristin Billerbeck . You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for ONCE UPON A CHOCOLATE KISS and post the title for another book I'm giving away. Stay tuned. Unequally yoked: I have a lot of Christian friends married to non-believers, or who used to be non-believers. I can’t even fathom the kinds of issues they have to deal with on a daily basis. This new blog Spiritually Unequal Marriage is for encouragement and practical advice. It’s a totally awesome ministry. Even if you’re not in a spiritually unequal marriage, please go show your support and say a prayer. TMI: Writing: Several friends insisted I need to reward myself for finishing my manuscript, so I went to Safeway and bought four pounds of bing cherries. These...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 05.22.2006 Kristin Billerbeck is one of the funniest writers I know. Her books are always entertaining. If you haven’t read any of her chick-lits, buy them or ask for them at your library. And she’s guest blogging with me today! Today she’s guest blogging about her latest book, A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND . THREE FRIENDS. ONE SPA. AND AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF OVERSHARING! From the outside, Morgan Malliard has it all: diamonds at her disposal, a willowy figure, a doting daddy and all the elegance that money can buy. But money can’t buy happiness—or an identity to call her own—and Morgan is realizing her perfect life has no purpose other than spectacular grooming (which isn’t really a purpose at all . . . unless you’re a chimpanzee). Then a falling-out with her father drop-kicks Morgan into the real world, and she is suddenly forced to get an actual job, wear affordable shoes and cope with public transportation—not to mention deal with that mysterious hottie who ma...

Captain's Log, Stardate 05.21.2006 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 being with us this week. Please comfort and encourage all those who are grieving, Lord. Help Heather with her work, her writing, and her prayer life. Help her to make her June 1st deadline. Heal Pammer’s various sickies and hurts. Help her with her writing, help her to do what you desire from her life. I pray for complete success of Squirl’s surgery, and easy, smooth, quick healing. Please also be with her now as she writes her new ms. Help Dineen with her writing, to know her story and characters. Help her no...