Olympics

Is it just me or did the Olympics lack zing this year? Once upon a time, I was an avid Olympic watcher, logging dozens of hours during the course of a couple weeks. This year, there didn't seem to be anyone I really cared about enough to follow. Maybe because I was so bummed when Michelle Kwan bowed out with injury, but even the ice skating, normally my favorite, didn't draw me to the TV each night. I did, however, watch Sasha Cowan win silver, though I admit to being totally unAmerican because I was cheering for the Russian skater to take the gold!!

Do you think the difference this year was that there just weren't any "sympathy" stories as there have been in the past? No heroes that we could hang our hearts on?

Ice bound

We're iced in again today. Well, not actually. The roads are thawing and Gene has been to the bank and to feed the cows, but school was called off. We live in a mainly rural area with back roads that become treacherous during an ice storm. So today I'm just chillin'. Later, I'll put my nose to the grindstone and work on TOUCHED BY GRACE. It's started to flow pretty well and the characters are coming to life for me. I love it when that happens.

I'm also trying to learn Russian so that when the Lord opens the door, I can go to Ukraine and be able to communicate on some basic level. Ever heard anyone speak Russian with an Okie drawl? That should be interesting! Seriously, if you've ever studied a foreign language, how did it go? I'd love to hear your experiences.

Linda Goodnight

I'm reading the best book. It's called "The Battle Belongs to the Lord." You see, I'm a control freak. I always think I have to do everything myself. But lately, I've run up against something that I have no control over. In fact, I'm just pretty helpless to do anything at all. And it's an incredibly important situation that I believe God specifically called me to do. This book has helped me understand more and more how to really, truly cast my care upon the living God and let Him handle things. Do I have it down pat? Nope. But I want to. I think the most important thing I'm learning is to keep my focus on him instead of my problem. God is so much more able to handle the closed doors and troubling situations than I am.

Linda Goodnight

I just finished the AAs for my first book for the new Harlequin line. Originally, the line was called Romance! and was meant to be a merge of Silhouette and Harlquin Romance but now I'm hearing rumblings that the title is too confusing and may experience yet another change. Whatever they choose to call it, I can't wait for the debut series to hit the stands. It's the Valentine series and I was blessed to work with some of the industry's best traditional romance writers. My book, MARRIED UNDER THE MISTLETOE, is a very emotional story. When I reread it this weekend for the final edit before it goes to print, I became so excited to share it with my readers. It won't arrive until November so I'll be reminding you again. :-) You knew that, though, didn't you, you smart person?