Scribbles

THE DESIRES OF HER HEART TEXAS: Star of Destiny By Lyn Cote

THE DESIRES OF HER HEART (Avon Inspire, on-sale: Feb 10, 2009, ISBN: 9780061373411, price: $12.99) is a beautiful historical romance between a woman forced to make a new life on the Texas frontier and the scout who leads their wagon train through the uncharted territory. Set in 1821, Dorritt Mott who is against slavery is a woman ahead of her time. When events make it impossible for her family, including an overbearing stepfather and a spoiled half-sister, to remain in New Orleans, they head to Texas to join Stephen Austin’s first angloamericano settlement and recoup their fortune in the Spanish colony of Texas.

Quinn, a social outcast as the half-breed son of a Cherokee mother and an American father, has made a name for himself as a scout and a man not to be taken lightly.

When the New Orleans lady and the frontiersman meet, they become unlikely allies as they travel the wilds of Texas. But will their trek be in vain? Mexico has broken with the Spanish Crown that had granted Austin land.

And both armies plus marauding Comanche roam the pine forest and prairie of Texas. And though they are unaware of it, there is a closer danger, a man who is plotting destruction and who will try to make Dorritt and Quinn pawns in his scheme. As their romance blossoms, can Dorritt help Quinn put his trust in the God? The Creator who has promised that those that delight in Him shall be given the desires of their hearts? What will it take for Quinn to believe that promise?

In the vein of the great sweeping historical sagas of Tracie Peterson, Lyn Cote’s Texas: Star of Destiny series will grab readers from the very first page.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: LYN COTE is an award-winning author of both contemporary and historical inspirational romance. She speaks at state, regional and national writer’s conferences and is an active member of RWA and the American Christian Fiction Writers. Most recently, Chloe, the first novel in Lyn’s “Women of Ivy Manor” series published by FaithWords was a 2006 Rita Award finalist for Best Inspirational as well as a finalist for the Holt Medallion and the National Readers Choice Contest. She is also one the top-selling authors in Harlequin’s Love Inspired category line. Born in El Paso, Texas, Lyn and her husband now live in Wisconsin.

"After gambling away his family's estate, Kilbride decides to pack up and move the family to the new Texas territory, where land is free for the taking. But 25-year-old Dorritt knows her stepfather doesn't have the sense or character to lead them there; instead, she relies on their wagon train's rugged scout to guide them. Dorritt trusts Quinn until she discovers his prior business dealings with Kilbride. Dorritt, who wants to be free of her stepfather so she can live her own dreams, discovers, though, that her dreams may include a man after all. In her new series launch, the RITA Award–winning author (Blessed Assurance, "Women of Ivy Manor" series) demonstrates her skill at creating strong female protagonists in compelling stories that will captivate historical romance readers." Library Journal

Rachel and I are being interviewed today!

Come join us at 11:30 EST as we chat with Jill from The CWAHM Network: Encouragement and Inspiration for Entrepreneurs!

Rachel and I will be discussing the new My Book Therapy book, From the Inside Out and talking about the Blog-A-Book book we're writing (by the way...chapter 1 is up!) and My Book Therapy services.

We'll also be talking about what it's like to work together...it'll be fun! Please join us: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/bc/cwahm and tell your friends!

the LOVE To Write blog tour!

My Book Therapy is going on tour!

Follow along on the LOVE TO WRITE blog tour to read more about Book Therapy Sessions, the Therapists' writing tips and tricks, From the Inside...Out book!

Oh...and check out the AWESOME contest...details on the blogs!!!

 

From the Inside...Out: Discover, Create and Publish the novel in You!

I'm so excited to announce that....I wrote a writing book!!
 
From the Inside....Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!

I've been wanting to do this for a few years now, a response to so many of the basic, but essential questions that participants in my beginning writer's workshops ask.  How you do you plot?  How you develop characters?  How you do you pitch a book?  What goes into a scene?  How do I craft a black moment?

And can you help me do it?

Yes!  And, it doesn't have to be overwhelming!  I believe that writing a book doesn't have to be agonizing, that it can come from your heart, and still be put inside a framework of proven storytelling.  And this book, my method of looking inside for your plot and characters, teaches you how.

Here's a little promo that tells you more...  
 

Prarie Hills!

Read an excerpt below and then enter to win a copy of your own!
 
To win a copy, jump on over to my contest page and leave comment with a memory of a grandparent, or someone who modeled true love for you...What was the memory, and what did it teach you? I'll be giving away 5 copies of Prarie Hills! Winners announced in the next newsletter.
 
"Where ya from, Blondie?" Brad said it but it could have been anyone's voice.

"Deutschland." The cowboy lifted his chin slightly.

"Dutch land," Gordy screamed. "Where's that?"

 "I think it's near England.'

"It's next to Norway."

"Isn't that where they make those wooden shoes?"
 
Lilly felt as if she'd been slugged. No, it's our enemy, the people who were trying to kill your sons and husbands. They had a German right here in their midst.

Brad took the confusion and turned it into violence. He cursed and shoved the German with his stick. Lilly held in a horrified scream as Gordy pounded on the German's back and Brad landed a blow onto the German's chest. He sagged slightly, lost his hat. Brad trampled it and slammed his fist into the German's stomach. He grunted. Lilly winced. A broken bottle suddenly appeared in Allen's grip. The wiry Craffey sneered at the German and slashed wildly.
 
Lilly's breath caught when the German threw Gordy off his back then caught Brad's stick above his head. He wrenched it from Brad's grasp while dodging Allen's jagged weapon.
 
Why didn't the German attack? Throw a punch to defend himself? Lilly teetered at the edge of the boardwalk, horrified yet transfixed.
 
The Caffrey's came at him time and again, yet he stood his ground. No quarter given, but none taken.
Allen hurled the bottle at the German and it ripped a gash along the side of his face.
 
Lilly bit her trembling lip and fought with herself. She should help him. Not one had moved to his defense. Shame tasted like bile in her throat. What kind of town had Mobridge turned into when a group of Christians let a man be beaten? What had he done but be a foreigner in a suffering town?
Then again, he wasn't any foreigner. He was German. He deserved to be beaten.
 
Her sense of justice grabbed her and screamed logic. This German was not part of the Central powers, the German/Austrian force that started the Great War. He might be an unwelcome presence in their town -- but he hadn't caused the death of their South Dakota cowboys. And Lilly could not let the Craffey boys cause his death.
 
She dropped the basket and ran headlong into the fight.

Want to know what happens next? Buy a copy for yourself by following the link below!
 
Prairie Hills: Letters from the Enemy/Treasure in the Hills/The Dreams of Hannah Williams (Heartsong Novella Collection)

Like a fragrance...

I was a fortunate child.  I had one of those childhoods where my mother stayed home and gave us frosted graham crackers for a treat after school, and a huge backyard big enough for a neighborhood game of kick-the-can, and a dad who called me his cowgirl and snuggled on the sofa with me as we watched Gunsmoke.  (Marshall Dillon was probably my first love). 

But best of all, every summer, usually around the Fourth of July, my family headed to Mobridge, South Dakota where we stayed for a week, fishing and swimming in the Missouri River, hiking to the soda fountain (alone!) in town, and attending the annual Independence Day Rodeo.  Why Mobridge? Because my grandparents lived there, in a delightful yellow house in the middle of town, with an attic full of ancient clothing and whispered secrets in the rafters, a storm door we could slide down, and lots of homemade chocolate chip cookies.  But the best part were my grandparents...grandmother and POPS.  I actually didn't know his real name (Henry) until I was a teenager, because my grandpa, whose grey-striped railroad hats lined the walls along the steps to the basement was always, simply, Pops.  I don't think I ever saw Pops angry.  He had enormous hands, which he used to catch me when I'd jump in his arms.  And wave good-bye as we'd pull away, hanging our heads out of the station wagon window.  But mostly I remember those hands holding my grandmother's during the twilight years of his life.  He died of lung cancer way, way too early, leaving a giant hole in the fabric our family.  But the love he left behind stayed with me, like a fragrance, and I couldn't wipe the image of my grandparents sitting on my parents' sofa, nearly fifty years married, still holding hands. 

And romance novelist imagination picked up from there.  Back in the days when, attempting to be a writer, their story - or at least the one I imagined - stirred in my heart, and it seemed to be the right one to try and write, first.  So, after penning an epic 200K novel that I would never sell, I attempted something shorter....the love story of my grandparents, called Letters to the Enemy.  Of course, my version isn't their actual story - theirs has much less tumult.  And, I wanted to set it in Mobridge, during the first World War.  But the essence is theirs...a strong woman, a brave man, and love that blessed many generations.  Four revisions later, Barbour bought it, and put it out as a Heartsong novel. To my joy and delight, they've repackaged it into a three story collection, called Prairie Hills, just hitting the shelves now.

Of all my books, this is the one I wish my grandmother has been alive to read.  Hey, maybe she will someday, from the bookshelves of Heaven!  For now, I'm thrilled to introduce it again to you all, my reader friends.  I hope you enjoy it!

I'll post an excerpt later this week!

God Bless, and thank you for your encouragement and support!

In His Grace,
Susan May Warren

And the winners of The Perfect Match are...

(chosen at random from everyone who entered!)

Eve H.

Leann S.

Kasey P.

Laura E.

Mary C.

Send your mailing address to amy@susanmaywarren.com and she'll mail your book right out.

and a few more Valentine's Day stories!

As you know, The Perfect Match has been re-released THIS MONTH!  
 
I've been running a contest the last few weeks for a chance to win a copy of The Perfect match! I have LOVED reading about your "hottest" (best, sweetest, most memorable!) Valentine's Day date!

I'm posting your toasty dates on Scribbles for the next few days to set the mood for Valentine's Day and, who knows, maybe you'll get a few new ideas. (wink, wink) 

Here we go... 

B.R.: For me the sweetest Valentine's Day was in I think the 1980's. The church we attended at that time had a Sweetheart Banquet and one of the games at the banquet was where each person wrote a valentine poem about their spouse or date, then the pastor read each one and everybody had to guess who had written it. My husband wrote the sweetest poem and I still have it today in my collectibles.  My husband and I have been married for over thirty years and every year we give each other a card, and Mike either takes me out to eat or sends me flowers.  I have every card he has ever given me, but the most special one was the one he wrote at that Sweetheart Banquet.

J.S.: The past two years have been memorable Valentine's Days I won't forget.  I had a knee replace in 2007 and we went to dinner as usual. But my husband had to push me in a wheelchair. Again in 2008 I was celebrating Valentine's Day in a wheelchair due to ankle fusion. We always go out the weekend before Valentine's Day because of my husband only being off on Friday and Sat.  My husband was so sweet taking me out and having to load and unload the wheelchair so much. Not only that he spent 8 months this last time making sure I could get to church to teach my class of boys and helped me work in the church Nursery in a wheelchair. I couldn't ask for a greater guy. 

S.M.: My most memorable Valentine's Day was a few years ago during a terrible ice storm. It was awful, we couldn't even get out of our driveway the ice was so thick and hard. So obviously my husband and I couldn't make it to the Italian restaurant down the street from us where we usually go every year. He saw how disappointed I was and called the restaurant to order take out and walked all the way there in the freezing icy weather to bring back dinner, even wine! He then set the table just like how they would at the restaurant and served me himself.  Definitely the most romantic dinner I've ever had!

K.P.: My most memorable Valentine's Day would be when my husband had a friend drop a note off to me at my office and it said to just meet him after work down at the dock where we keep out boat. So, when I got off work I met him at the boat and we took off up the river. When we got to a little cove he anchored and got out paper plates, cups and napkins. He'd gotten take out for us from a local restaurant that he'd had warming in the small oven we have on the boat. He had a bottle of wine, so we sat out on the back deck and ate, listening to music and just enjoying the quiet time together. He also had dessert covered with some strawberry cheesecake which is my favorite. We watched the sun set and then went down into the cabin for the night. Thankfully he'd already pre-arranged with my boss so that I wasn't expected in the office the next morning. It truly was a wonderful night though.

C.F.: My most memorable valentines day was on Feb 14th, 1990. My husband and I awaiting the arrival of our first child. durring the morning it began to snow, at about noon we began our treck to the hospital. And boy was I ready,(I was 3 weeks late!) My baby, it seems really didn't want to leave the comfort of the womb. after shaking hands with his doctor several times, without being born. We ended up in surgery, and at 8pm my gift from God, my son Logan was born. 

L.S.: For our first Valentine's Day my husband got me a kitten. She was a beautiful littlee white kitten with black spots and in honor of valentines day I named her lovebug. She loved both me and my husband until she passed on. 

V.G.: WOW...I met this man the week before Valentine's. It was a nonstop whirlwind. Dancing, Parties, Flowers and treats. On Valentine's he carried me sking in the mountains. We had a romantic Valentine's dinner in a chalet.

I.J.: The sweetest Valentine's Day I can remember is when my dear Beau Love of the time, took me to dinner and a movie. I thought surely that was all for this special day. After he brought me home, he presented me with the cutest, most adoreable stuffed Valentine's teddy bear that plays music.

Hope your day is filled with Love in one form or another!

More Valentine's date stories!

As you know, The Perfect Match has been re-released THIS MONTH!  
 
I've been running a contest the last few weeks for a chance to win a copy of The Perfect match! I have LOVED reading about your "hottest" (best, sweetest, most memorable!) Valentine's Day date!

I'm posting your toasty dates on Scribbles for the next few days to set the mood for Valentine's Day and, who knows, maybe you'll get a few new ideas. (wink, wink) 

Here we go...

L.E.: My husband and I had been dating for about 6 months and I knew that I loved him with all of my heart. I was a senior in high school and he was a junior in college. On Christmas Eve he told me that he had joined the Air Force. My heart sank as it was during the Vietnam era. He went to boot camp in January and I wrote him everyday missing not only the person I loved but also my best friend. He came home in February and told me his first assignment was Vietnam. I thought my heart would break. It was February 14th and he asked if I would like to go skiing before he had to leave to go back to his staion before going overseas. My heart was not in it but I said yes. We were halfway up the mountain on the lift when it suddenly stopped. My name came over the loudspeaker and I was told to look down. All of a sudden there were huge spotlights and in thousands and thousands of candy cinnamon hearts were the words "will you marry me?" Everyone cheered and I said yes. I waited that year for him, worrying every day and night but finally the day came when he came home. That was 38 years 5 children, 2 grandchildren ago and he is still my best friend and the love of my life!

K.C.: It's late. Very late. I'm working the graveyard shift on security at my Bible school outside of Seattle, WA. I'm tired and really just want to go to bed. I have a date the next day. My FIRST date with a really cute guy, and I'd rather be sleeping so that I can have a decent day the next day without being overly tired for my date. I walk the halls late that night, or early that morning, as the case happens to be, checking all the doors and making sure everything is locked and secured as it should be.I start down a long corridor of classrooms.  At the end of the hallway I see light peeking out of a door. As I get closer I start muttering to myself about the person who left the light on, and in a classroom that isn't normally used at that.  I reach the room and discover the door is locked, which only make me more ticked at the person thinking, "How can a person go out a door, lock it, and NOT realize the light is still on?" Peering in the window as I unlock the door, I see an arrangement of flowers on the desk.

"What?! 

Who would leave their flowers in this room?" 

Now we need to remember that it is well after my normal bedtime and all the synapses in my brain are not quite functioning properly. I walk closer to the flowers and I suddenly know, "These flowers weren't left by some dippy, forgetful person; they were left by a very clever and creative guy and they were left there for me."  I am now completely awake and energized, touched beyond all belief, and totally giddy. I also now think that the cute guy I'm having a date with later today is the best guy on the planet!I grab my flowers and race back to my dorm, remembering to shut off the light and lock the door of the classroom on my way out.  :o) 

I burst into my friend's room and exuberantly share with my bestest friend how wonderful my new guy is. I must tell you, she is not nearly as excited as I am.  HA! Must be the hour.

The rest of the night passes quickly as I float through the halls on a cloud of love in anticipation of my first date later that day. After crashing at 6:30am, once my shift is done, I sleep until noon. My afternoon is spent "annoying" my girlfriend as I gush about my flowers, the creativity of getting them, and dreaming about my upcoming date and what I should wear, where we might go, and how wonderful I'm sure it will be. Being the great friend that she is, she listens, smiles, laughs, and outfits me with her clothes.I'm picked up by my cute, and oh so creative, guy.  We drive into Seattle for a quiet dinner and a moonlit ferry boat ride. 

WOW!!  How romantic is that?!?!  I'm completely smitten and have visions of years to come dancing through my head. This has been the best Valentine's Day I have EVER had!

Two years and 3 months later I marry that cute, creative guy.  We have now been married 18 and a half years.  There have been other romantic and creative dates over the years, but none stick out in my memory quite like that first one.  It is definitely my most memorable Valentine's Day date.

C.Z.: My BEST Valentine's Day date was with three girlfriends who also didn't have a special someone to share it with. We ate heart shape pasta salad, fudge, and went throught the list of crazy boyfriends and our crazy dating memories! We also shared our favorite bible verses to help us when we are feeling a bit lonely. I still have the bible verses from that evening handy! It was soooo much fun and it helped us all not to get down on ourselves because we didn?t have a special guy in our lives!

A.J.: I got a "friendship" ring and married the guy 10 months later and we're celebrating our 57th anniversary this year.

M.M.: When I was in the 3rd grade in Frisco City, AL, I was taken to my Uncle's house to spend the night on Valentine's Eve.  When I got up on Valentine's Day, I had a wonderful gift - a baby brother!

K.R.: For Valentine's day one year my honey had my mom wrap a whole box of malted milkballs for me. I love them, but was really surprised that he was giving them to me for a gift! When I opened the beautifully wrapped box of malted milkballs, I found a smaller box with them--and inside of it was a diamond engagement ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was 40 years ago next month! We married June 7, 1969, but we often celebrate our engagement day--Valentine's--more than we do our wedding day. I truly love him more today than I did 40 years ago. BTW: We had just started daing in December of the year before. Love at first sight! It's true!

okay...more tomorrow!

Evidence of Murder by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Publisher: Steeple Hill

Release Date: February 2009

ISBN: 0373443277

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The photographs Samantha Reid uncovers in her new store are shocking. Horrifying. And dangerous. This new evidence could reopen a decade-old multiple homicide case that someone wants desperately to keep closed. And when the evidence comes out, a reluctant Samantha is drawn straight into the spotlight. Then she meets Ryan Davidson, the last surviving member of the murdered family. In spite of herself, she’s drawn in by his need to find the truth. Together, they work to unravel the mystery, while the killer works to keep the secrets buried—forever.

AUTHOR BIO

By day, I'm a manager at my local health care complex. By night, I morph into a wild and crazy writer, itching to share with my readers stories full of adventure seasoned with humor, romance, and faith. My husband and I have been married for over 27 years now, and we enjoy life in rural Minnesota, where we raised four children and now have a grandbaby due any day.
 

Visit Jill’s website at http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com

You can get this book directly from your local bookstore, or online here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0373443277/jillelizabeth-20 


Monthly Contest, Video Trailer, Audio Recording: http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com --