February 2006 Newsletter

BLUE MOUNTAIN BACKROADS

It's February already and here in the Ozarks we've hardly had winter. The temperature has bounced like a yo-yo from in the forties one day to the sixties the next. My jonquils are up at least three inches above the ground and shrubs are budding. My Christmas cactus has been a mass of rose pink blooms this winter and cardinals and blue jays at the feeder have added color to the side yard.

In the summer I look forward to winter evenings spent reading in front of the fireplace. Now that it's winter I'm looking forward to the first greening of spring. Apparently I'm never satisfied. But then if I were, I'd not have anything to look forward to. My tomato seeds have arrived in the mail and in another week I'll start them sprouting. I like to raise my own plants so I can try heirlooms not available in local greenhouses. There's nothing like a tomato sandwich. Slather both pieces of bread with mayonnaise; add thick slices of sun-ripened tomatoes and thin slices of onion. Messy, but wonderful. As a little girl in our church says, "Totally good."

WRITING NEWS OF THE MONTH

This is a different kind of news, but it's important, so y'all listen up. Janet Butler is running a reader's survey on her website, www.janet-w-butler.com, and she needs people to take part. It only takes a minute to answer the questions, and like me you may be surprised at how many books you buy and read. Janny is a book editor for a Catholic publishing house, which is reluctant to jump into the fiction market. She wants to compile enough information to present to her company and say, "See, there's a need out there we can fill." She hopes to receive enough responses from a WIDE variety of people to get some kind of pulse as to what is really going on in their fiction reading habits. She also hopes to counter the mainstream romance houses who insist they can't put enough erotic "romances" out there because all the public wants is hot, hotter, hottest.

So come on, all of you fiction readers take Janny's survey. Let's give her the information she needs to present our case to her publishing house. We need all the markets we can get. And who knows where God will lead her to use this information. We have to start somewhere, so let's step out in faith and take the survey. God will use the results. Janny asked me to tell you that you are welcome to pass the link to her website along to your mailing lists and e-loops as well and ask all of your writing and reading friends to take the survey. Get the word out to as many as we can. Thanks.

Kim Sawyer has a June release date for her book, Waiting for Summer's Return. Looking forward to that, Kim.

Christy Barrett has just sold Hazardous Duty, a chick-lit mystery to Kregel Publishers. The book will be released in the fall of 2006. Congratulations Christy. Sounds like a fun story.

Christian writer and speaker, Virginia Smith has recorded a CD!!! My Story, My Song contains ten selections that come from her heart as a sincere expression of worship. Enjoy some old favorites, such as "Blessed Assurance," "It is Well With My Soul," and "In The Garden," as well as newer selections like "Wonderful, Merciful Savior."

You won't be able to stop to yourself from singing along with Virginia's toe-tapping trio rendition of "There's Still Power in the Blood." Visit Ginny's website to find out more, or to order your own copy: http://www.virginiasmith.org/id12.html This would definitely make a great addition to your CD selection.

Nancy Jo Jenkins' first book Coldwater Revival will be released by River Oak in May. Great news, Nancy. Proud of you.

Cheryl Watt's manuscript Ominous Code won first place in the Unpublished Jasmine Contest in the inspirational category. This makes at least 3 first place wins and 3 second place wins for her in 2005. Way to go Cheryl. Keep it up. Cheryl is also doing a segment on contests on her blog. You can find it at www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

Michelle Hutchinson's inspirational romance manuscript, Healer of My Soul was a finalist in the Great Beginnings Contest for non-RWA members for their contemporary romance category. They didn't distinguish between secular and inspirational. Michelle placed in the top five. Great news, Michelle. Congratulations.

Cheryl and Mel Hodde, writing as Hannah Alexander, received a nice surprise. Their book, Last Resort, was named one of the top five novels in the Christian genre for the year 2005 in the Library Journal, a secular trade magazine. Now that's great news, Cheryl and Mel. Doing the happy dance for you.

Brenda Minton has a September release date for her book The Strongest Cord.

Diann Hunt has updated her website and added a newsletter signup. Check out her smart and sassy website and sign up for Laugh Lines at www.diannhunt.com

MaryLu Tyndall's manuscript The Redemption placed second in Vintage Romance Publishing's Inspirations Contest. Great, MaryLu! Proud of you. That's really good news.

Jill Eileen Smith has a new Spotlight on Authors section on her website, featuring an interview with a different author each month. Jill plans to focus on how God called that person into writing and how He has used that writing to draw them closer to Him. She also Spotlights featured author's books and provides links to their websites and places to where they can be purchased.

This month's featured author is the writing duo of Cheryl and Mel Hodde writing as Hannah Alexander. Upcoming Spotlights are B.J. Hoff, Tammy Alexander, Meredith Efken, Maureen Lang, Kathy Fuller, Cyndy Salzmann and more. Check out Jill's Spotlight on Authors at www.jilleileensmith.com

B.J. Hoff's new release, A Distant Music made Pick of the Week at christianbook.com with a nice interview. A Distant Music is also featured in the book review section of this newsletter.

Author's Choice Reviews has been updated with brand new reviews for adults and kids, fiction and non-fiction. See what your fellow authors are writing and find new books to read. Their audience is conservative Christian. They review fiction and non-fiction for all ages. Guidelines on website, hosted by Carolyn R. Scheidies Check it out http://crscheidies-ivil.tripod.com/bookreviews/

Kelsey Byers has a new blog, which is mostly about life infused with humor. You'll enjoy your visit with her at http://holymama.typepad.com/

Dorothy Clark's new book Lessons From the Heart has a March release date. Wonderful, Dorothy. Proud of you. Dorothy's book will be featured in the book review section of the March newsletter .

Virginia Smith, (Ginny) has a four star review in Romantic Times for her new Chick Lit book, Just As I Am. I've read the review and it's great. She has a March release date and her review will be in the book review section for my March newsletter. FOUR STARS!!! Way to go Ginny.

Ramona Cecil is having a great year. Her manuscript, Sweet Forever, was a finalist in the 2005 Noble Theme Contest. Her Larkspur was the first place winner in the 2005 Vintage Inspirations Contest, and her To Hear the Angels Sing, won first place in the ETWA contest. In addition she has a contract for Larkspur with Vintage Romance Publishing. The inspirational Indiana prairie romance is set in 1835. It will be released sometime this year. Great, Ramona, it just doesn't get any better.

WHACKY NEWS OF THE MONTH.
(News too weird to make up)

Ever wish you could drive in the lane reserved for cars carrying more than one passenger, even if you're the only one in your vehicle? Well here's a good example of what not to do. A California driver got a bright idea. Why not put a dummy in the passenger seat. Who'd know the difference? As it turned out, almost everyone who saw him knew. People were driving by waving and laughing. A traffic cop who often parks next to the carpool lane was standing on the rail of his car door, where he could look down into passing vehicles. He got a good look at the dummy, which was wearing a Miami Dolphins jacket and a baseball cap, but had no legs. The cop did what cops get paid to do. He pulled the car over. The driver looked at the cop, sighed, and said, "Well, that didn't help me very much did it?" Actually it got him a trip to court and a $351.00 citation for putting a kickboxing dummy in the passenger seat of his car and then driving in the car pool lane. It is rumored, (or maybe I made it up) that the judge asked, "Will the real dummy please stand up." Remember the rules. Only one dummy per car, and that includes the one behind the wheel.

WRITING TIP OF THE MONTH

BE SPECIFIC

You're a writer. That's why you're willing to spend hours alone with your computer, putting down the wonderful scenes floating around in your sub-conscience. Just think of the joy you're bringing to some reader who only wants to escape from reality in the pages of your book. But the reader will never see those sharp images you see unless you show them to her.

The heroine picks up a box from the table.

    Can you see it?

Well, it's a wooden box.

    Can you see it better now?

Now try this: Marcy picked up a small box made of walnut with a carved design of roses and ivy. Can you see it now?

Clara was so engrossed in her soaps she ruined dinner.

Now try this: Clara was engrossed in watching Tom try to convince Alice he would never cheat. Don't believe him, Alice. He's no good, girl. A pungent odor and a faint haze of smoke caught her attention. Dinner! She rushed to the kitchen. The green beans were reduced to an inch of carbon in the bottom of the pan. The roast had the color and texture of a chunk of charcoal. She sighed and reached for the phone. Pizza again.

Details make your story come alive. Which can you see best a blue suit, white shirt and red tie or a suit of crisp navy twill, a shirt as pure as the whitest snow bank and a red tie with black diagonal stripes?

When it comes to details, more is not necessarily better. Give the reader everything she needs to see what you want her to see and no more, but be specific in the details you do give. Don't say flowers grew along the fence. Name them. Roses, red as fresh blood drooped over the weathered boards.

Train yourself to notice the details. How would you describe your living room to someone who has never seen it? On my fireplace mantle I have a clock, a pair of candlesticks, a plant and a picture. Another picture hangs on the wall above the mantle. Can you see them?

Now try this. The clock is a Seth Thomas mantle clock and the plant is a variegated green and white philodendron in a small, rustic, dark brown basket. The candleholders are of maple and turned on a lathe like staircase spindles. The picture is Charlie's grandmother in an old fashioned dress with her white hair in braids on top of her head. Charlie, dressed in a white Buster Brown outfit, is standing beside her. The little boy on her lap is wearing a blue romper with straps over his bare arms, and the picture over the mantle shows a bowl of roses, red, pink, and white in a narrow, gold frame. Can you see it now?

Don't shortchange your reader by withholding details she needs to see what you're describing. Be specific.

NEED TO READ BOOKS OF THE MONTH

Pirate's Prize by Lena Nelson Dooley

Angelina de la Fuente Delgado has been visiting her grandparents in Barcelona Spain. Now she is on her way home to St. Augustine in Spanish Florida. Arturo de la Fuente, Angelina's father, has sent his favorite ship, the Estrella Angelina or Angelina Star to fetch her. Brian O'Doule, a dependable employee of Aurturo's company has been assigned the responsibility of escorting Angelina and her aunt, Tia Elena safely home.

Unfortunately, pirates attack the ship and the two women and Brian are taken captive. Etienne Badeau, the captain of the pirate ship wants to turn respectable. He owns a plantation in Florida, and he plans to marry Angelina in spite of her protests and settle down as a prominent landowner. Etienne's plantation is luxurious, a magnificient two story mansion with a broad veranda and a balcony the same width decorating the second story. Etienne gives Angelina gifts of beautiful dresses and jewels, but she refuses to wear them, knowing they have probably been stolen. The pirate captain is upset at her stubbornness and Etienne Badeau is not a man it is safe to anger. He is determined to force her to marry him, one way or another.

Brian, who loves Angelina, promises he will never let that happen. He manages to escape, but will he be able to return in time to save the woman he loves?

Lena Nelson Dooley's Pirate's Prize is set in 1805 when Pirates prowled our southernmost coastline. It is a tale of fear and greed, a story of courageous love and trust in a God big enough to take care of His own. It will make a good addition to your Need to Read list.

Fresh Brewed Love: A Collection of Novellas

 

"An Acquired Taste" by Susan Downs with Nan Toback

J.J. Taylor loves her job at Camden Corners Books. Now the owner's son, Branson Smythe, has opened a coffee café in the bookstore. J.J., whose real name is Java Jo, hates the whole coffee café scene, with good reason. Her parents were locked into the hippy, coffee house lifestyle and she still bears emotional scars from that upbringing. Her father, a musician, died while she was young and her mother is in a nursing home with ailments resulting from drug abuse, another reason J.J. hates the idea of a coffee café.

Branson has his own problems with an arrogant, overbearing father he can never please. Wanting to get a feel for how his coffee café is working, he pretends to be David Smith, using his middle name and a more common spelling of his last name, a musician hired for the opening of the coffee café. He never planned to fall in love with his prickly employee, J.J. Taylor.

In spite of her better judgment, J.J. is strongly attracted to David, but will their love be strong enough to survive when J.J. learns that David Smith is really Branson Smythe, her boss and the man who ruined her favorite bookstore by installing the hated coffee café? In "An Acquired Taste"  Susan and Nan have written a tender story about two people with real problems, struggling to find a way to stay together.

"The Perfect Blend" by Anita Higman

Kasey Morland wants to run her own business. She's bought several, one right after the other and they've all gone belly-up. The only thing worse than her business track record is her lack of success at finding the right man. Her good friend, Jacques thinks she needs to pray about it, but Kasey doesn't feel she should bother God. He has serious, important things to take care of, like war, famine and world affairs. She'll take care of the little stuff. Besides, she wants to remain in control.

Hamilton Wakefield is very satisfied with his life. His investments have paid off and now he's ready to buy his own business. Life is good and he's on his way up the corporate ladder—until he meets Kasey. Then smooth, polished, successful, Hamilton Wakefield can't do anything right.

Both Hamilton and Kasey are ambitious, over-achievers, too busy to stop and smell the roses, too busy to have fun, too busy to make friends—too busy for love. But on a moonlit, firefly studded night their carefully structured worlds start to crumble. Anita's "The Perfect Blend" is an amusing story of two overly confident people who learn the hard way just how much they need other.

"Breaking New Grounds" by Diann Mills

Kae and Gene Richards share the same last name, but they are just friends. Gene fell in love with Kae when they were teenagers, but she loved Paul, his brother. Gene stepped aside, although he knew he would always love her. Then Paul died in a car accident and Gene was there to help Kae through her grief and the task of rebuilding her life. As Kae's memories of Paul faded, she realized her feelings had shifted to Gene.

Gene Richards never stopped loving Kae. Now they are in their seventies and he's afraid he'll go to his grave with his love for her swelling in his heart. Finally he gets nerve enough to speak to her and Kae admits she loves him too. They are planning their wedding when Kae discovers she has diabetes. Shocked and afraid of becoming a burden, she breaks their engagement. Gene relies on faith and ingenuity to convince her their love is strong enough to endure in sickness and in health.

Diann's "Breaking New Grounds"is a delicate love story, stressing the beautiful truth that we're never too old to give and receive love.

"Coffee Scoop" by Kathleen Miller Y'Barbo

Carrie Collins has carried a grudge against big money, high profile, so-called ministers who make a habit of bilking the brethren out of their hard earned money. One such religious con man had cheated her mother into giving him her life savings. Carrie meets handsome Ryan Baxter, a seminary graduate with a Harvard MBA, who is head of a nonprofit organization that uses the proceeds from coffee grown on their Central American plantation to improving living conditions among the poor. She suspects he's just one more crook hiding behind a religious façade.

Ryan sees Carrie, a reporter for the Austin Times as an opportunity for free publicity for his Heavenly Beans Company. He invites her to come to Costa Rica and see the Heavenly Beans offices for herself.

Carrie's boss warns her about approaching the story with a preconceived opinion. Her mother is afraid she's trying to destroy a ministry the Lord has inspired. In the mean time, Carrie and Ryan exchange daily e-mail messages and she begins to suspect she's wrong about him. Once she sees Ryan again, all her doubts are swept aside. When Ryan asks her to marry him and stay in Costa Rica, Carrie knows there's only one answer she can give. After all, he promises her a lifetime supply of Heavenly Beans coffee.

In "Coffee Scoop", Kathleen has written a charming story of love and faith.

Put Fresh Brewed Love on your Need to Read List

A Distant Music by B.J. Hoff

In A Distant Music B.J. hooks the reader with the first sentence, when Maggie McCauley realizes she can pinpoint the day the music died in Skingle Creek. From the moment I met Maggie, I knew her. Her problems were my problems. Her life became my life. I grieved when she grieved. I applauded her courage and wished I could be as brave. A Distant Music will make you smile, it will make you cry, and it will leave you with a greater appreciation of God's wonderful gift of hope and the difference it makes in our lives.

Skingle Creek, Kentucky is a coal dust town where the struggle to survive sucks the life from old and young alike. A place where children as young as nine go into the mines to work and no one has enough to eat. Someone has stolen the teacher, Mr. Stuart's, silver flute and the music died, not just for the beloved teacher, but also for his students. Although he's never been well, Mr. Stuart seems to be fading away before their eyes.

Maggie decides something must be done. She starts a collection among the other students and their parents to buy a new flute. People who have nothing dig a little deeper and contribute. Just as their goal seems within reach other, more pressing needs in the community takes the collection money and Maggie learns a hard lesson. Life doesn't always work out the way we plan.

In a town marked by anger and despair, where the struggle to survive comes ahead of everything, even a sick child, can Maggie bring the music back to Skingle Creek. . .this time to stay? With the help of her best friend, Summer, who is dying of a wasting disease, Maggie conceives a plan, one that will involve the entire community. As they work together to surprise the teacher, the inhabitants of Skingle Creek come together as never before. It's almost like God has put his arms around the town. But will it be enough to save Mr. Stuart?

A Distant Music is a song of hope, a reminder of God's love and grace and the promise that if we do His will, He will indeed put a new song in our hearts. This one is definitely a must for your Need to Read list.

Any author featured in the book review section of this newsletter has permission to reprint, publish, or use the reviews printed here. You also have permission to use my name if you wish.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

If you won't climb the mountain you can't see the view.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

LAYERED TACO SALAD

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups shredded lettuce

2 medium tomatoes chopped

2 small cans sliced black olives

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (for a spicier taste, use pepper cheese)

Layer in glass bowl. Mix 1 6oz carton avocado dip ½ cup dairy sour cream 1 4 oz can chopped chili peppers, drained 1 Tablespoon milk 1 clove garlic chopped (I use chopped garlic from the produce department) ½ tsp chili powder Mix and spread over top of salad. Chill up to 24 hours Just before serving, toss with 2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Barbara

Blue Mountain Editorial Service

www.barbarawarrenbluemountainedit.com

 

 

But they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk, and not faint.

    - Isaiah 40:31 KJV

 

 

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