Sunday, September 30, 2012

As We Forgive by June Foster

This is book 2 in the Bellewood Series, I have not read book one, but this book stands alone, and you don't feel you've missed much.  I would like to read book 1, and if there is a book 3, I would also enjoy reading that one.

Tim is a Youth Pastor who is spending a year at Bellewood, hoping to go into counselling.  But, he is required to spend this year, and get good reports on his work, before he can hope to move up.
A couple of the teens in his youth group are giving him a very hard time, and he is getting little support from the parents and not much more from the pastor.

Roxanne is a new convert, who has offered to help with some fundraising with the youth group.  She was running a bit late, because of her job at a beauty salon, so when she and Pastor Tim collided, he assumed she was one of the teens, who was too lazy to show up on time.  Imagine his surprise when he discovers she is there to help.

Johnny is a troublemaker, and he is trying his best to cause Pastor Tim to leave.  His brother, Chris, is also a young minister, and he and his family wanted Chris hired at Bellewood, and were very unhappy when he got passed over.

You now have the basics of this book.  Now for my opinion, It is very well written, and is a great book. I enjoyed it from the moment I started reading.  If you purchase this book, you will not be wasting money at all.  I'd give it 5 STARS

.http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=as+we+forgive+by+june+foster&rh=n%3

Here is a link to the book on AMAZON

I was given a Kindle edition of this book to read and review by LovenGod Promotions to read and review.  I am not required to give a favorable review.  All opinions expressed here are my own.  You can find LovenGod Promotions on Facebook.  

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Author Interview, and prize packages

Meet June Foster,  Author 




I had a chance to ask some interview questions about her new book that I am going to review in a few days.  I may not be very creative in asking questions, but Ms Foster is a very creative writer.
And down at the bottom of the page, you'll find a contest that you can enter for some very nice prizes.





Me:
How long were you writing, before you actually submitted something to a publisher? 

June:
I sat down at my Toshiba laptop to write my first story in January of 2010. The Lord continued to pour stories in my heart, and I read all the "how to" books I got my hands on. I wrote a book called Give Us Day and decided to make it a trilogy. I had an idea of what would happen in the next two books and also gave them titles using short phrases from The Lord's prayer. I submitted Give Us This Day to Gail Delaney at Desert Breeze in the summer. Then in September 2010, she sent me an email saying she wanted to publish all three books. I was so excited but at the same time knew I had two more books to write on a deadline. I have enjoyed every minute writing the Bellewood Trilogy.

Me:
How long did it take you, after you came up with the subject of 'AS WE FORGIVE', before you actually started writing it?

June:
Since I was on a deadline, I began writing it immediately after I turned in Give Us This Day. Within weeks, really.

Me:
Are any of the characters in 'AS WE FORGIVE" patterned after people you know, or are they all from your imagination?

June:
Yes, I know several people who struggle with anger issues because of serious childhood experiences. So Tim Garrett is really based on a combination of real-life people. Roxanne always strives to look perfect - her makeup and clothes just right. That's pretty much me. In the past, I thought people wouldn't like me if they saw the real me. Allowing God to teach me who I am in Christ has made all the difference.

Me:
What is your favorite part of writing?  Least Favorite?

June:
My favorite part of writing has got to be writing the first draft of dramatic, compelling scenes that seem to flow out on my computer. Really, I love most ever aspect of composing a novel. My least favorite is the marketing process. If I could just compose stories all day, I'd be so happy.
Book #3, Deliver Us, will be available April 1, 2013. I'm so excited about this book. I think it's my most favorite in the series. A Christian obstetrician must live with the knowledge she once aborted a baby before she gave her life to God. An ex-con who came to the Lord while in prison, can't tell the doctor he fathered her child even though they've fallen in love.

Blogtourprizepack-1-1.jpg

Saturday, September 15, 2012

No Foolin

This is Petey, our granddog.  He's visiting while daughter and grandson are on a
Cub Scout camping trip.
This is 
Huckleberry and Buddyboo
our two fur kids that live in the house.

Last night, Huckleberry kept going to the door, like he wanted
to go outside, but when I would open the door, he wouldn't go.
He never does this, so I couldn't figure out what his issue was.
Yes, it was showering a bit, but he still goes out on the porch, to see
if Flash has any food out there.
Flash
Then I look to his favorite spot in the living room, a couch cushion, where he always lays.  There, in his spot was Petey, curled up asleep.
He was trying to convince Petey he needed to go outside, so he would move from his spot...
Now don't try and tell me that he isn't smart.
and no, it didn't work.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Multiplication

Found this, and 3 others on Thursday, but the other 3 didn't make it.
Somehow they had gotten into the sun,.
This is Snowball, named for the first cat I ever remember having, I was around 2 1/2 or 3.
I thought I knew who his mom was, so offered him to her, and she took him.
But,
Then I find an orange and white on Friday and she took him too, even though he is at 
least a week, or more older than this one.
Today, I look out the kitchen window, and what do I see?
Another kitten, black and white, just a bit bigger than the orange and white.
No mother claimed him, so guess where he went....
Yes, right inside the carrier with the other two.
And yes, mom took him just as if he had been there
all the time
I took them out of the carrier for this photo, then
back in they went.
As you can see, Snowball is a little slower than the bigger ones
but he knows his way to the corner.
And he doesn't mind the snuggle pile one bit.
He manages to get right in the middle.

I hope I don't look out in the morning and find anymore.
We are over capacity as it is, hubby complains of the
dog and cat food we go through,
 but I am sure God will provide the funds for another bag, when this is gone.
If not, I'll ask for donations.





9/11/01

On 9/11/01, I was taking care of my first grandchild.  He was 17 months old, and had no interest in news programs, so we were watching Sesame Street or something similar.  
I had planned on going to town that day for a haircut, so I called his mother to see if she wanted to have lunch with us.  When she answered the phone, I asked the old standby question, "what are you doing?"  "Watching tv!" was her answer, and that kind of threw me, since she was an office manager at her workplace, and that wasn't part of her job description. 
She told me that a plane had hit one of the towers at the WTC, and I switched channels just in time to see the 2nd plane hit.  I said "Bin Laden"  that was my exact and full statement.  

I went on to town, and bought groceries, filled up the car, and had lunch with daughter.  Before getting out of town, the lines were beginning to form at all stations, as everyone realized the true impact of what had happened.  I talked to my other daughter, who worked at a Co-op, later in the day, and she said they had lines past closing time, thank goodness, they had already ordered extra fuel, so they didn't run out.

I was alone that night,as my husband was on a trip in his 18 wheeler.  We talked, and he wasn't sure when he would get home, he did say he was keeping his tanks full, and fuel had already begun to go up in price.   
My computer room at that time faced east, and I remember the eerie silence.  No planes, nothing, and I'm to the west, on flight path from a major airport, and a military base, planes cross here often. Then,either that night, or the next,  as I sat there, a plane crossed the sky, and that was even more scary than the silence, but as it got closer, I recognized the sound and was pretty sure it was a military plane. 

God bless the USA and all the families that lost members that day.  I pray that nothing like this ever happens again.

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

TAMING THE WIND by Tracie Peterson

Bethany House Publishers
324 pages

Carissa Lowe is a widow with a nearly 2 year old daugher, Gloria.  After the terrible marriage she has had, she no longer trusts her choices, and has no intention of marrying again.  She is visiting her sister, Laura, and husband, Brandon, on their horse ranch, while her parents are visiting relatives.
Tyler Atherton, lives on a ranch nearby, helping with their work, while trying to recover his father's ranch, that the government had seized, because he had fought for the Confederacy during the war.   He had helped save Carissa, when her husband had thrown her into the waters off Corpus Christi, during her marriage.

Gloria loves Tyler, even, as time goes on, starts calling him papa.  Carissa knows she needs a father,but after the fear of making another mistake, keeps her shackled to the past.

This is a very interesting book, showing that people can overcome their fears, as they move farther from the past.  It is part of a 3 book set, but I haven't read the others, and it didn't keep the book from standing on it's on.  You will enjoy it a lot.

Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over eighty novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Visit Tracie's Web site at www.traciepeterson.com and her blog at www.writespassage.blogspot.com

I received a copy of this book to read and review from Litfuse.  No other compensation  was given.  All opinions expressed here are my  own, I'm not required to give a positive review.

Monday, September 03, 2012

Hummingbird Haven

Walked out to let dogs have some yard time, and the Hummers were buzzing the feeder with the new nectar.
I grabbed the camera and stood just inside the glass door. 
One of the birds came to investigate what I was doing.


Got within 16 inches of my face.

I think they must like the new food better than what I've been making
Aren't they just about the most delicate looking things you ever saw.
I had cropped the photos and sent them to my album, but they hid, so I'll try tomorrow to put up the cropped ones, they show so much better.

Saturday, September 01, 2012

Just Catching Up

I know most of my posts lately have been book reviews, I'd gotten behind in posting some, and needed to get caught back up.  I've only got 3 books, right now, to review, of course the mail hasn't run yet, today.

Hurricane Isaac turned in to a tropical storm, then a tropical depression before he arrived here for his visit.  Living on a tree lined street, we did get power blinks a couple of times, but other than that, just rain, slow and gentle, most of the time.  Just what this drought parched land needed.

See how dry the soil is next to the polk berry stalk
btw, one of my dogs thinks he looks good stained in
the juice of these, and always has spots of color when these
are ripening.  For non southerners, no the berries aren't good to eat.


   He arrived on Thursday Afternoon, and before those bands left, we'd gotten about 2 inches of rain.  Last night, the back part passed over, and we probably got another inch.
Here are a couple of photos I took on Thursday, as he was making his way north and west.



During Isaac's stay, we had a blessed event take place.
My buddy, Kathy, became a grandmother for the first time, yesterday.
Meet Olivia Emilie
Are you a grandmother?  If so, do you remember the birth of that first 
grandchild?  Right now, my friend is floating on air. 
Olivia missed her birthday by less than 12 hrs. 
Dad, mom, and Olivia are doing well.

And now, for a shot you probably will wish I'd left on the Camera.
It is quite a shot and I'll let you guess what I was trying to get
a photo of, when this happened.
No, I didn't turn the photo upside down, this is just the way
I took it.
So now, guess what I was trying to get in the shot.