Visiting Author, Amanda Stephan

Tomorrow, Amanda is having a a huge party and you're invited!! She's launching her novel, Lonely Hearts, and from what I hear, there are some amazing prizes, and when I say "amazing," I mean it. You gotta come back tomorrow to learn how to enter!


In the meantime, I'll introduce you to Amanda and her novel.


About Lonely Hearts

One lonely mother. Two matchmaking kids. Three eligible bachelors and some very yummy apple pie!


When widow Becky Callis moves to a new town, she thought it would be easier to start over in a
place where she's not reminded of her dead husband. Her kids on the other hand, take it as a
chance to help their mother start over romantically. The only problem is, there seems to be quite
a few eligible bachelors they can choose from! They soon realize it's easier to find someone to
like their mother than it is to figure out which man is best for her.


Even though this handsome cowboy is younger than Becky, Scott makes his interest plain and
starts courting her almost immediately to the delight of both kids.


Jack and Becky have been friends since childhood. When they're reunited years after their lives
have taken very different paths, this lonely preacher begins to wonder if God has brought her
back into his life for a reason.


Pearce Morgan is a single parent raising his young daughter after his wife deserts them soon
after Emily's birth. Divorced and disillusioned, an unlikely friendship arises between him and
Becky when his shy daughter decides she loves Becky and her kids.
True love is harder than it looks!



About Amanda

Amanda Stephan is just a normal, everyday country girl. She resides near Columbia, TN with her husband and children, three cats, one dog, and multiple roosters that love to roost under their bedroom windows. She loves to laugh and have a good time, and loves to read a good book. 
     Out of love for her family and love for God, she finds writing to be an opportunity to share God's love for others in a fun and entertaining way. Her first novel, The Price of Trust, was published in May of 2010, her second novel, Lonely Hearts, is due for release at the end of October, 2011, and her Slade series was just picked up by TreasureLine Publishing. 
      If you were to ask her to share one thing about herself that most people don't know, she'd have so many to choose from that she'd probably hesitate for a moment. Not quite a recluse, she's rather camera shy, doesn't like to be in the spotlight, and absolutely LOVES to have her feet tickled. But she would say her most interesting accomplishment is that she laughs like Scooby Doo.


You can usually find Amanda lurking in several online places at once like her 
Facebook fan page  
her Facebook author page 
Twitter    
her website  
or her personal blog 

My New Cover Image!

HERE MY NEW COVER!!

ABOUT WARRING SPIRITS

(available 30 Nov)

In 1816 Georgia, escaped slaves control the land just beyond the American border in Las Floridas. Lost somewhere between white and black worlds, Milly follows hope to the only place that can offer her refuge—the place Georgians are calling Negro Fort. The first, sweet taste of freedom convinces Milly that surrender is not an option. Death would be more welcome.

Major Phillip Bailey has orders to subdue the uprising and return the runaways to their masters. Forced to fight alongside Creek warriors—the same who etched the scars into his mind and flesh—Phillip primes himself for battle.  But inside, a war already rages—return for the woman he thought lost to him or concede her to the enemy she loves; follow orders or follow his heart. 

Rockin' the Party at COTT!

*guest post by Delia Latham

It's been a bang-up bash all week at Clash of the Titles. We've been blog-hopping for treasure, and a couple gals found the loot!

LINDA won Game #1. She'll receive a 
$10 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate 

from Gail Pallotta.

CLAUDIA RIZZI won Game #2. She'll receive a 
$25 Partylite Gift Certificate 
from Michelle Massaro.

Congratulations to our game winners!

And the fun continues all the way through Nov. 4th. Our doors are open and we have a whole pile of party hats just waiting to be worn. Bring your votes and come on down!

In the midst of all the fun and games this week, we had four authors at swordspoint with TWO Clashes. All four entries were outstanding, and each possessed strong winning qualities. But, as in any race or competition, not everyone makes the finals.

We chose a single winner from each Clash. These two went head-to-head on Saturday…and only one will proceed to the finals and duke it out for the COTT Laurel Award.

This week's Clash WINNERS are:

Clash #3:

Erin Rainwater with her excerpt from 

The Arrow That Flieth by Day

Clash #4: 

Elaine Marie Cooper and her excerpt from 

The Road to Deer Run

CONGRATULATIONS, ladies!

These two went head-to-head on Saturday…with only one proceeding to the finals to duke it out for the COTT Laurel Award.

That one is....

Elaine Marie Cooper and her excerpt from 

The Road to Deer Run

Cyber-hugs and sincere thanks to Anne Patrick and Margaret Brownley! These were tough decisions and difficult votes to make. You're ALL winners!

More games and more exerpts are up for grabs this week, so don't miss out. Stop by COTT and play.

*Delia Latham is the author of the Solomon's Gate Series and a Blog Alliance Correspondent for COTT

Are You Smarter Than a Second Grade Writer? Part 2

Yesterday, we met Nancy, that darling seven year-old protagonist. (If you missed the introduction, you should run over there to meet her.) Nancy has some rather strong likes and dislikes which will get her into some hot water, and that's exactly where we want her. A story without conflict is no story at all.


Conflict can take many forms, but in a character driven plot, it often arises from within the character herself. A moral dilemma, an unquenchable yearning for the forbidden, a secret sin that must never be revealed--all conflicts with oodles of potential. But how to decide which conflict to assign which character?


During my volunteer hour last week, Mrs. S., my daughter's teacher, brought it down to a second grade level. She instructed the students to take one dislike from their character's arms or legs and create a problem with it. After carpet time, every kid in the class sat down and wrote out the basis for their fictional story--the problem.


Nancy hates television, so when her mommy tells her to take a break from her homework and watch TV, she has a problem. Nancy is being made to do something she dislikes. All sorts of great conflict can arise from a such a horrid situation. She could pitch a fit and be grounded from art at school (one of her "likes"). She could relax too much, fall asleep, then not be able to finish her homework. She could go cross-eyed, have to go to the doctor, and miss swimming with her friends (one of her likes).


You get the picture.


Use the characteristics you gave your protagonist to create or enhance the conflict in the story. 
If your hero has post traumatic stress disorder and becomes physically ill at the sight of gore, make him a commanding officer in the army, then plop him into a bloody battle. If your heroine is a runaway slave who can pass for white except for her African hair, put her in a bonnet and toss her into 1800s Georgia. (Sound intriguing? Warring Spirits, available 30 Nov)


I'm going back to school tomorrow to learn what I can from Mrs. S. about writing. And I'm dying to see what the kiddos have done with their stories! Who knew an author could learn so much in second grade writing? :-)


One thing's for sure, my daughter is learning how to create stories the right way. For an author, that's huge.
Thank you, Mrs. S.!


-- April W Gardner is the award-winning author of Wounded Spirits.

Are You Smarter Than a Second Grade Writer?

Meet Nancy, our protagonist.

Nancy is seven years old, has long blond hair, likes art, and is awaiting her next crisis to solve.

***

Once a week, I volunteer in my daughter's second grade class during their writing hour. It's just an hour, but it's one of the best of my week. The kids are precious, and the tiny part I do in guiding them toward better writing skills is selfishly rewarding.


Up to now, the kiddos have been writing personal accounts, but with the start of the second quarter, they're diving into fiction. Fun, fun!!


Last Thursday, during carpet time, Mrs. S. explained how to create a character and a problem that needs to be solved in the story. I sat entranced as she broke the process all the way down to a 2nd grade level. Ten minutes later, a classroom of seven and eight year-olds succeeded at something many adult writers fail to grasp.


The first order of business was to decide whether the character should be a girl or boy. Easy. 


Next, the features. Nancy was given blond hair, blue eyes, peach skin, and very large pink lips. 


The last step in creating Nancy was to give her a personality. As you'll notice, Nancy's body is full of words, my little girl's words. (Aren't they cute?) The ones in her arms and legs are all the things Nancy does not like. TV, for example. (She must be ill.) Outside her body are four things Nancy does like. Two of which are art and "to play with her 'frel'" (open to interpretation).


On her belly there are two words listed--kind and shy. These are her basic personality traits and should never contradict each other (i.e. kind and rude). 


My personal, authorly addendum to this--A kind character can have moments of rudeness, but the essence of who she is must remain solid. There's nothing more irritating than an inconsistent character. Do not mold your character around the plot. Mold the plot around your character! Develop her solid. Keep her solid.


For writers of historical fiction, such as myself, this can be tricky, especially, when stuck to a firm timeline or schedule of actual events. But we must make it work. There are no exceptions to this rule.


Whether you're a maniacal plotter or a seat-of-the-pantser, if you haven't taken the time to develop and record your heroine's physical features, likes and dislikes, and basic personality traits (at a minimum!), your story will suffer. Every second grader at my kids' school knows this. You should, too!


Creating Nancy was a blast, but it was only the beginning. There's no sense having the perfect character if there's not a compelling story to go along with her. But never fear, students, Mrs. S. has a formula for developing that too. 


Tune in tomorrow for part two in "Are You Smarter Than a Second Grade Writer?"


-- April W Gardner is the author of Wounded Spirits and the children's adventure novel, Lizzie and the Guernsey Gang.

Visiting Author, Lynn Rush

Are you ever struck with the urge to read something off-the-wall different? You all know that I'm a hard-core historical fan, but periodically, the need arises for a break from it all. A change of pace is frequently a good thing.
Of course, my "different" is most likely different from your "different." LOL That's what makes recommending books so much fun.


What's "off-the-wall different" for me, you ask? Anything paranormal. That's not to say I don't like that genre. I usually do. It the spice that flavors up my normal steady diet of historical romance.
Lynn Rush's Wasteland is a great example.

Now, I haven't read the book, so I can't endorse it. But when I read the blurb, it sounded so intriguing, I felt compelled to share it with you...just in case my "different" is your "normal." :-) Or in case you're like me and are craving a taste of the unfamiliar.

Book Blurb:

Bound by the blood contract his human mother signed four centuries ago, half-demon, David Sadler, must obey his demonic Master’s order to capture fifteen-year-old Jessica Hanks. But as he learns more about her, he realizes she may be the key to freedom from his demonic enslavement.

The only obstacle—Jessica’s distractingly beautiful Guardian, Rebeka Abbott. He must not give in to their steamy chemistry, or he will lose his humanity. But fresh off a quarter millennia of sensory deprivation as punishment for not retrieving his last target, he may not be able to resist temptation long enough to save what’s left of his human soul.

Here's what Rebecca Zanetti, author of FATED had to say about Wasteland.

WASTELAND is a fast paced, sexy, romantic tale with characters who instantly capture your attention…and your heart.  The hero is honorable and darkly tormented, while the heroine is idealistic and strong.  Lynn Rush has created a world of good and evil—where nothing is quite as it seems.  I lost myself in the story and truly enjoyed every minute of it.  

An excerpt from the book:

I brought my other hand to her face, the side with the mark, and curled my fingers around her neck, moving my thumb behind her ear. Her hands cuffed my wrists, but not to push me away. Instead her stare bore into mine like a freight train. The flashing lights of the club bounced a coral, teal, and violet rainbow over her shimmering skin.

The people surrounding us blurred into oblivion, and the music faded into a storm of muffled pitches and tones.

I concentrated on her shining lips and took in the warmth of her body so close to mine. I wanted only the sense of touch to be awake while I reveled in the silky texture of her skin. For so long I'd touched nothing. If I was going to break my rules, I would enjoy it.

Her hands glided from my wrists down my forearms and up my biceps, sending a ripple of desire through my soul. I could resist no longer. I brushed my lips against hers and tasted melon. She heaved a sharp breath and clamped her fingers around my shoulders, holding me in place.

Scents of lilac permeated me. My heart hammered, and my demon pounded, wanting out.

Wanting her.

I turned my head, severing our connection. Too intense. Must stay in control. She let out a whimper. I pressed my mouth to her cheek and tilted her head.

I almost wished I hadn't.

She bore the mark of a Guardian, immortal protectors of the humans.

I drank Beka in for three long breaths, knowing it may be my last chance to hold her close. Because if Beka truly was guarding Jessica Hanks I would more than likely have to kill her to get my Mark.

If, like me, you're already hooked, link up to one of the below locations to purchase your copy today.

Purchase the book:
Amazon:  http://amzn.to/pavzwE

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/pbigOg

All Romance Ebooks: http://bit.ly/nujjjp

You Tube Trailer:  http://youtu.be/k-KRE1yMiNk 

Meet Lynn Rush:

Catch the Rush: www.lynnrush.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynnRushWrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LynnRush

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/k6NAZa 

COTT Kicks Off Tournament of Champions

Guest post by Jennifer Slattery
Last week, Clash of the Titles launched their first annual Tournament of Champions with two clashes and four talented authors. In Clash one, CS Lakin, author of Someone to Blame, and Marianne Evans, author of Heart Crossing, went head-to-head in a nail-biting, literary duel. In Clash two, our very own Gail Pallotta, author of Love Turns the Tide, competed against Clare Revell, author of A Season for Miracles. All four excerpts rocked, and this was a tough call, but you, our faithful readers chose two Tournament of the Champions' finalists.

Those finalists were Marianne Evans and Gail Pallotta.

Exciting stuff, and yet, the games weren’t done. In the next round, COTT staff cast their votes, and once again, one writer rose to the top and will advance to the next round.
That author is…
Marianne Evans!
And here’s a glimpse of what a COTT champion excerpt looks like:
“Collin Edwards stood before the funeral assembly. Heat crawled up his body. He clutched the edges of the podium where he stood and cleared his throat. The gesture was in vain. His throat constricted so much it hurt. Before the altar, just to the right, rested a flag-draped casket.
He looked down, at a piece of paper upon which he had crafted the words to a eulogy…” (Read more of Excerpt B here.)
About the novel, Heart Crossing:
Collin Edwards, a former parishioner at Woodland Church, has renounced God without apology, his faith drained away in the face of a tragic loss.
Daveny Montgomery cares deeply about her relationship with God, and the community of Woodland . Lately though, she's been in a rut, longing for something to reignite her spiritual enthusiasm.
A beautification project at Woodland seems the answer for them both. Daveny spearheads the effort and Collin assists, but only with the renovations, and only because he wants to know Daveny better. Despite his deepening feelings for her, even stepping into the common areas of the church stirs tension and anger.
Can Daveny trust in Collin’s fledgling return to faith? And can Collin ever accept the fact that while he turned his back on God, God never turned his back on him?
We’d also like to congratulate our prize-winning readers:

 Jessica R Patch! She won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Elaine Cooper.

 LoRee Peery! She won a free bookmark design from Delia Latham.

 Larry Hammersley! He won a $10 Amazon Gift card from Author Anne Patrick.

Join us this week for more fun and prizes as four more authors jump into the ring hoping not only to advance to the next round, but ultimately reign as the Clash of the Titles’ champion of champions! Remember, every vote counts! Each vote gets your name thrown into the hat for our fab-tabulous grand prize give-away comprised of fourteen novels!

Visit our Tournament of Champions page for a complete list of prizes.

***
Jennifer Slattery is the marketing manager for Clash of the Titles. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the Christian Pulse, and Samie Sisters and has written for numerous other publications. She also works for Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, as a professional manuscript evaluator and publicist. You can find out more about her and her writing at her devotional blog, Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud. You can find out more about her critique and publicity services at Words That Keep.

COTT Tournament of Champs--IT HAS BEGUN!

IT HAS BEGUN!! 

Over the last year, there have been 

OVER FIFTY 

clashing author in twenty-four CLASHES, 

but only ONE can win the

LAUREL AWARD.

YOU decide which!


In the process, we invite you to repeatedly enter to win
THREE GIFTS A WEEK,
 including the GRAND PRIZE--
15 NOVELS


www.clashofthetitles.com

PROMO VIDEO CREATED BY COTT ASSISTANT EDITOR, MICHELLE MASSARO

Cheap and Easy DIY Project--Painting Light Fixtures

If you're tired of your old light fixtures (like me) but lacking the money to replace them (like me), there might be a cheap solution for you. Spray paint. 

Both my breakfast room and dining room lights were that cheapy-looking gold that was so popular in the 90s.

One coat of primer and two coast of "rubbed bronze" later...

And the breakfast room...

It also looks good on our kitchen cabinet knobs, although I spray painted them glossy 

black (with lacquer) to match the stove.

I'm considering painting the "gold" door knobs too, but wondering how they'll hold up under the constant wear and tear. Has anyone tried spray painting their door knobs? And if so, how did it turn out? 

Kimberley Payne's "Fit for Faith" John 3:16 Marketing Network Launch

Kimberley Payne, author and speaker, is launching her book Fit for Faith - 7 weeks to improved spiritual and physical health on Tuesday, October 11^th at Amazon.com.  You can help Kimberley achieve ‘best seller’ status by purchasing the book at Amazon.com TODAY!

About the book:

This book unites physical health and spiritual health through a 7-week program to lose weight and develop a deeper relationship with God. It is a reference on cardiovascular exercise, strength training, prayer, healthy eating, Bible study, flexibility exercise and journal writing.

About the Author:

Kimberley Payne is a motivational speaker and author. Her writings relate raising a family, pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and everyday experiences to building a relationship with God. Through her work, Kimberley hopes to inspire women to live happier, healthier lives that glorify God. Kimberley is a former personal trainer and has worked in the designing and counselling fields of weight control, stress management, self esteem improvement and wellness programs. She enjoys recreational activities with her husband and two children near Peterborough, Ontario. You can visit her WEBSITE.

Bonus!

Buy Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical on Tuesday, October 11^th and receive loads of FREE gifts from many generous supporters. http://kimberleypayne.wordpress.com/launch-gift-page/

Sample chapters, Bible studies, short stories, and children’s books from acclaimed, best selling and debut Christian authors.

All if you buy your copy of Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical health  at Amazon.com on October 11^th 2011! 

These free gifts are valid on Tuesday, October 11th  only.

Disclaimer:

This Best Seller book launch has been coordinated with the help of the John 3:16 Marketing Network and many other generous supporters. The free gifts are deliverable electronically over the Internet or by email by individual authors and supporters. They are not in any way associated with, nor deliverable by, Amazon.com 

Congrats to COTT Clash Winner Tanya Stowe!

* Guest post by Delia Latham

Divine gifts have been a topic of much dissension down through the ages. Some folks believe God bestows certain gifts on his children others firmly believe He does not—or at least that He might have long ago but He certainly doesn't today.

We're not here to argue the point.

That said it has been proven time and time again that certain people have specific abilities that others do not. Not learned skills which is the ability to do something because one has deliberately set out to master that particular challenge. I'm talking about inherent abilities that one naturally possesses usually from birth.

That's the kind of mind-boggling gift Tanya Stowe tackles in Tender Touch, the excerpt from which won the most recent COTT Clash. Lacy Butler is graced with the gift of healing…but she refuses to use itbecause it didn't save her mother. Pretty commonisn't it? We never seem to want the gifts God tries to bestow on usor we'll take the gift (Thank you very muchFather!)but we want to use it in our own wayfor our own purposes. Tanya does a fantastic job of bringing Lacy around from total abandonment of her gift of healing to an acceptance of God's will and God's way to use…GOD'S gift.

Here's a snippet from Tanya's Tender Touch excerpt:

The sudden comfort overwhelmed him. He wanted to close his eyes and slip away. But his blurry gaze focused on his rescuer as he unwrapped the muffler. He wanted…needed to see this man’s facethe man who had saved his life. He forced himself to watch as he pulled off the floppy gray hat.

 Royce blinked. His foggy mind was playing tricks on him. A longgolden braid fell from beneath the hat and lay across the man’s shoulder. He slipped off the coat and beneath was the slender shape of a woman.

 His man...his midnight visitor was a woman! Shock filled Royce’s mindand his head flopped senselessly sideways.

We asked Tanya if she learned anything about God's character through Tender Touch. Here's what she said: “Instead of learning something about God through this bookit is a reflection of something I learned about God from life. I’ve had some personal experience with faith healing and I wanted to write a story that reflected those truths. Of courseLacy’s gift is highly dramatizedbut the basics about how God heals are true.” (Read Tanya's interview)

Of her experience on COTTTanya says: "This was the most fun I had in an interview in a longlong time. COTT does such a good job. I really appreciate this opportunity."

Readers loved the Tender Touch excerptas well—and we loved their comments:

“I feel like I’m already hooked on reading the book.”

“… made me want to find out more about the mysterious midnight visitor man who turned out to be a woman. Both of these were great and it was hard to choose one. Can they both win?? !!!”

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run allbut one receiveth the prize?"

Currently we're in the middle of the exciting Tournament of Champions which will be in high gear from Oct. 10 through Nov. 4. Don't miss it! Past Clash champs duke it out for the final prize with each of them offering an excerpt that will hopefully have you panting for more. Head on over and see what it's all about.

* Delia Latham is a Christian wife mother grandmother sister and friend as well as an author of inspirational romance and women's fiction. She wears each hat with pride but treasures most of all her role as a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Congrats to Tanya and a huge thank you also to her very worthy opponent Shawn Grady.

Book Cover Reveal #2! Fighting Fear--Winning the War at Home

Fighting Fear is a devotional written for anyone whose life is touched by the military and its life-altering deployments. A military mom herself, author Edie Melson has complied real-life stories from a list of contributors. Including myself! Fighting Fear releases this Veteran's Day, November 11, 2011. It's a wonderful book, and I'm proud to have a small part in its production!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Saying goodbye to a loved one leaving for war is a gut-wrenching proposition. But for those left behind, their deployment marks the beginning of our battle. And yet, it is possible to find God’s peace in the midst of fear and conquer the terror that lurks in the darkness of doubt.  In Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home, parents, spouses and siblings recount their personal journey as God goes before His people during times of spiritual, physical and military warfare.  Learn the secret to living a peace-filled life when a loved one leaves for battle. Fight fear; win the war at home.

Book Cover Reveal! Lizzie and the Guernsey Gang

Giddy with excitement, I present you the cover art for my November 15 release,  

Lizzie and the Guernsey Gang.

Isn't it gorgeous?! The artist did a wonderful job. 

The cover couldn't be more perfect.

An island occupied by Nazis makes life hazardous, but for an adventurous nine-year-old girl bent on escape, it could be deadly.

Lizzie Browning loves nothing more than her tiny, island-home of Guernsey, but when German troops invade, she knows nothing will ever be the same again. For Lizzie, younger brother Andre, and cousin James, the time to escape is now, and they know just how to do it.

Phillip Seifert, the odd boy from down the street, has all the markings of a genuine Nazi-lover. Lizzie knows better than to trust him, but he somehow manages to weasel his way into James’ good graces. Phillip joins the gang in their audacious escape plan, and Lizzie can do little more than pray he doesn’t get them all shot. But Lizzie soon learns that God doesn’t always answer prayers in the way she expects. He might actually plan for them to live under Nazi rule…forever.

Tomorrow, I'll post the cover of the devotional I contributed to. It's entitled, Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home and was compiled by author Edie Melson. Stay tuned!

2011 Ocmulgee Indian Celebration

Last month, me and the fam attended the Ocmulgee Indian Celebration. Third summer here, and we finally made it out there. Shameful, huh? Especially for the author of the Creek Country Saga. Yep, shameful. It just hadn't worked out for us to be able to go in years past, but mark it down, we'll be making more of an effort in the future.


The celebration took place at the Ocmulgee National Park in Macon. It's the largest gathering of Native Americans in the Southeast, with over 200 in attendance. Crafts, dances, storytelling, music, warriors on horseback--it was every Native American novelist's dream. 

Choctaw Dancer

Hubby volunteered for four hours in the gift shop, using his large muscles to intimidate would-be shoplifters, while the kids re-visited the mounds with friends we bumped into (9,000 in attendance and we run into some of our best friends. Imagine that.) Meanwhile, I soaked in every detail of the music and dances. 

Muscogee man dressed in Yamasee War period clothing.

I chatted with one of the men from a Southeastern tribe (that, unfortunately, slips my mind) about his hunting shelter. He tours the country visiting schools and teaching kids accurate Native American culture. His bark shelter (pictured below) is similar to what my Wounded Spirits characters used when Jackson's troops swept through Creek Country sending them fleeing into the woods. I was giddy as a school girl to see it, although hopefully, I was successful in keeping it contained!

If you live in the area, you gotta go next year. Give me a shout, and we'll go together!

April W Gardner is the author of the award-winning novel, Wounded Spirits.

Spark Challenge--The Road Less Traveled

Trisha from House Honcho issued a Spark challenge.

Set the egg timer for 5 minutes and write, unedited, on the following topic:

Robert Frost wrote a poem titled The Road Not Taken.  Name a road you’ve always wanted to travel.  

I broke a rule, Trisha. I edited. Sorry. Couldn' t help it! But it was lots of fun. Thanks for the challenge!

*****

The other day, I put on my thirteen year-old Berkenstocks and sighed with contentment as the soles of my feet molded perfectly with the insides of the sandals. The Berks and I are old friends. Together, we’ve graced countless miles on more roads and in more countries than I can recall, and we’re as much in love now as the first day we met. Our memories are sweet, but if there was only one more road we could travel together, we’d pick the one that leads to the door of our “forever home.”

It’s a lovely, lonely road with only an old barn and a horse pasture to keep it company. Undulating fields span both sides. It’s more gravel than asphalt, and only the butterflies and bluebirds will be around to hear the crunch of the rocks beneath the car’s tires.

I’m not sure where the road can be found. What county. Not even sure about the state, but it’s out there somewhere, waiting for me. I’ll know my road when I see it, but if you come across it, stop and let it know the Berks and I are coming. As quickly as we can.

COTT Blog Alliance, Meet Our Partners--Joanne Troppello and Carrie Lewis

* Guest post by Gail Pallotta

MEET OUR PARTNERS

After an early morning workout Joanne Troppello sits at her computer near two big windows. Working from an office in her home in the northeast, she “loves getting plenty of sunshine.” She munches on her breakfast as she starts one of five weekly blogs. Her focus is “to connect authors and readers.”
This prolific writer also schedules giveaways and one-time events.  Past specialties include two internet festivities, The Royal Wedding and Summer Blog parties. On the books—a Christmas Blog Party. Get ready for the fun.
Joanne likes to spotlight newer, unknown authors in addition to networking with all authors.  Writers’ opportunities include Monday interviews and mid-week guest blogs. Two Fridays out of the month she does book reviews. The other two she interviews guests in her Reader’s Corner. One of her favorite things is hearing from readers. She says, “They are who we write for, and we want to write stories that appeal to them with characters that stay with them for a long time.” Joanne says her readers “really like commenting on blog postings and hearing back from authors.”
An author of two books, All Romance ebooks best seller Mr. Shipley’s Governess and Shadowed Remembrances, Joanne writes in the mystery and inspirational genres. When she isn’t at her computer, she loves spending time with her husband and family.
To discover lots of fun activities for writers and readers visit Joanne at http://joannetroppello.weebly.com/

                                             ***********************

Artist, writer and blogger Carrie Lewis paints portraits for her day job and in her leisure time. Her favorite subject is horses. Easels, paintings and portraits-in-progress abound throughout her Kansas home, including some in her office.
She’s written for as long as she can remember, finishing her first complete manuscript in eighth grade. She says, “I’ve been dividing my time between the studio and the writing desk, and God has seen fit to keep me at home.”
Saving Grace, Carrie’s WIP, “…is a cross between speculative fiction, suspense and Old Testament prophecy.” As far as the WIP and what Carrie normally writes, she says, “It’s so far outside the box....I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get back into that box.”
An active blogger, Carrie posts three times a week. Her topics include writing tips, reports on stories she’s working on, the way we write, and the things we write about. She recently started putting up a weekly writing prompt. It’s “been fun and uses images, colors, sounds, all sorts of things.” For her readers she hopes to share what she’s had to “learn the hard way so that those who follow might not have to learn the same way.” She wants to “encourage writers to heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit when deciding what to write, especially if the story they have to tell is outside what most of us think of as popular fiction.”
When we stop by Carrie’s blog, I imagine we’ll see some of her horse paintings as well as her writings! What a treat. Visit her at http://writing-well.carrie-lewis.com/

* A COTT Blog Alliance Correspondent, Gail Pallotta recently published her first romance, Love Turns the Tide. When she isn't writing she likes reading, swimming, and getting together with friends and family. Gail wants to write books of faith that show God's love.

***********************

           Get ready ...