FREE Books

Please come over to Tiffany Stockton's blog and read my interview with her. You can leave a comment for a chance at TWO free books. I hope you win!

NEW BOOK

I think I've forgotten to mention one of the two new books I have on the shelves right now. This one is mostly available at Christian bookstores or larger retail book stores that carry books from Christian publishers.

A BRIDE BY CHRISTMAS is a book of four novellas set on the American Prairie in the 1800's. I authored the story titled,"The Cossack Bride". For fun, we authors decided to make each heroine a particular ethnicity and toss in some Christmas traditions from their native cultures. We have a Cossack (Ukrainian-Russian), Dutch, English, and Irish. I hope you'll pick up a copy or order one and enjoy this taste of early American Christmas.


To order the Cossack bride from Christianbooks.com click the blue words.

To order from Amazon, click here.

FREE! Online novella

If you'd like to read some of my work FREE of charge, eharlequin is posting a short novella of mine. Just follow this link and enjoy! (And let me know what you think.)

Family Ever After

Life Lessons - Regrets

God's been trying to tell me something lately and I think my hard head is finally getting the message. I'm always saying, "One of these days I'm going to do this or that," and yet, I never get around to it. I'm talking about important things, not cleaning out my desk drawers. I mean spending time with people I love or people in need. Going places that I really, really want to see. Doing things I really, really want to do.

One day my dad and I were talking about my son who wanted to watch the NY Yankees play in Yankee Stadium before it closed, but decided he couldn't afford the expense. My dad said something that resonated loud and clear. He'd always wanted to do the same thing. He'd always wanted to go to a World Series, too. He'd always planned to travel and see Europe, etc. But he put it off, thinking he didn't want to spend the money or he didn't have time. And he never went. Now, at 81, he is severely hearing and visually impaired. He will never see or do or enjoy those things. He can't. The choice is no longer his to make. So he said to me, "Sis, you will never miss the money you spend on doing things you always wanted to do. You'll never miss the time it took. But someday, if you don't do those things, you'll look back and wish you had."

I've thought a lot about what my dad said. Then I turned on the radio and a country song was playing. I don't know the song or the singer, but the gist of the story was a man who'd reached his 102nd birthday telling people to love and do good and enjoy life because a hundred years goes by faster than you think.

We don't have the promise of a 100 years or even the promise of tomorrow. But we have today. So I'm starting today. I sent in my application for foster care. (It's been sitting on my desk for 3 months.) And I contacted an old friend that I've been wanting to get together with for YEARS. We email often and say things like, "We have to get together soon," but we never do. So now we are. For real.

So, that's my challenge to you today. Do something good that you've been putting off. And then let me know how it turned out.....

Peace and Grace!

Honoring 9-11 in America the Beautiful

Warning: This is a blatantly patriotic posting. I am so thankful to God that I was born in America and today I salute, not only the heroes of 9-11, but this nation as a whole.

Contrary to the gloom and doom media and all the self-serving political rhetoric, America is a fabulous land, full of opportunity and good people, and to me still the grandest, safest, most blessed land on the planet. We aren't going down the tubes. We aren't starving. We aren't going broke.

The media has perpetrated a great and negative lie about our situation, and too many people blindly listen. Look around--I mean, REALLY look around for yourself and see that we are so incredibly well off, so blessed, so fat and full and over-indulged. Maybe we're too spoiled and that's why we squeal so loudly when we have to tighten the belt a bit.

So today I fly Old Glory and remember the day America stood together, regardless of political and philosophical differences, unmindful of gas or grocery prices or the unemployment index, against the worst of enemies. We stood together and we prevailed together. And I pray that we can remember that powerful, powerful moment of unity and strive to always be one nation under God conceived in liberty.....

America is, indeed, beautiful.

GREAT NEIGHBORS and Good Party

When you live out in the country, your neighbors may live several miles away, but they're still neighbors. In fact, country folk make some of the best neighbors. They watch your place when you travel, help you fight grass fires, and are always ready to lend a helping hand or a shout of encouragement.

Yesterday, my neighbors gave me a shout of encouragement. Spider and Nadine, Julie and Dave, George and Mary, along with Nadine's Mom, Nelda put together a neighborhood gathering in my honor to celebrate my RITA Award. I don't know what I've done to deserve such a thing, but my heart was really touched. I was a little embarrassed, too, at the attention, but hey! who am I to spoil a terrific gathering of great friends.

We gathered at the old Fry Lake, a former church camp, now turned into a Christian marriage retreat by Dave and Julie. (Check out their website for photos and more information about the retreat.) It's a gorgeous area and I wish I'd taken some photos to share with you, but there are plenty on their website. Be sure and click on the 'more photos' button to see photos of our get-together. (I only wish I'd known there would be pictures--I would have dressed up!!)

Anyway, George and Mary have built a lovely new home, complete with a long back deck overlooking the lake. Talk about paradise in Oklahoma! Beautiful!

We had a delicious meal of Mary's roast beef and all the fixings, plus tasty desserts that included layered chocolate chip cookies that were to die for! I have to get that recipe from Nadine to share with you. Check out Nadine's art website. She's wonderful!!

All in all, it was a great afternoon of fellowship, tall tales, and lots of laughs. I am grateful for the blessing of good neighbors who aren't as backward and shy as I am and who drag me out of my writing cave once in a while!!

Thanks, good neighbors!