Powerful Prayful Monday 12/28

This is the last Powerful Prayful Monday of 2009. Wow. I am not sure I even had a blog this time a year ago and this one didn't get off the ground until this past spring. Slowly it has grown as I found my way. Of all the things I have posted, I am most happy with my prayful Mondays. I hope each of you continue to join me in the 2010 as we support and pray for each other.

Please continue to list your prayer requests and praises here so I can continue to pray for you as I hope those reading this blog will as well.

Happy New Year.

Powerful Prayful Monday 12/21/09

I love most Christmas movies. Sappy, funny, traditional, crazy, Santa or religious. For the past few weeks I’ve been recording shows and watching them in my spare time. However, a few of my favorites have been missed and one in particular has not been aired in a few years. I have even looked for it to buy but have not been able to find it in stock or available anywhere. The movie: Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Clause. There have been several versions of this story made, mostly of the cartoon variety. Those are not the ones I want to see. I want to watch the 1991 version with Ed Asner, Charles Bronson and Richard Thomas. It is my favorite and I have seen it far too little. Out of all the Christmas stories told, this one has to be my favorite, second only to the original story, and reason for Christmas. When I cannot see Virginia I must find the article online so I can read the editorial. If you are unfamiliar with this story, you can find it here: www.newseum.org/yesvirginia.

This was first published in 1897. Can you even begin to imagine that anything you write would be remembered over hundred years from now? Do you think Francis Church had any idea that his editorial would still appear in newspapers today? Or that movies would be made of this story? Is there a movie you like to see every year, or something you must read?

As this is Powerful Prayful Monday, I would like you to unload those burdens, turn them over to God and if you need some help, list them here so we can pray for you and with you. We are also here to share in the celebrations of praises and thanksgiving. My hope and prayer for your is that as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child in just a few days, you capture that feeling of hope and love and keep it in your heart for the year to come.

Have a wonderfully blessed Christmas.

Congrats Frugal Mom

Congratulations, FRUGAL MOM!!!! You have won Sherrie Hansen's book Stormy Weather. E-mail me your name and address at amydetrempe (at) gmail (.) com so you can get your book.

Spotlight on: Sherrie Hansen

Spotlight on: Sherrie Hansen
Author of: Night and Day and Stormy Weather
Publisher: Second Wind Publishing
Night & Day: ISBN-10: 1935171283 ISBN-13: 978-1935171287
Stormy Weather: ISBN-10: 1935171461 ISBN-13: 978-1935171461
Release Dates: March 2009 and November 2009
Genre: Romance
Available from Second Wind Publishing and Amazon, locally at gift shops and grocery stores in Saint Ansgar, Osage, and Mason City, IA, Blooming Prairie, Austin, and Albert Lea, MN


Night and Day: It's midnight in Minnesota and Jensen Marie Christiansen is dreaming of a rosy future. It's daybreak in Denmark and Anders Westerlund is waking up to a world full of stark realities. When parchment paper and faded ink meet computer screens and fax machines, the old-fashioned magic of a great-grandmother's letters sets the stage for a steamy Internet romance... and the unraveling of a hundred year-old mystery. Night & Day... Will fantasy become reality, or will oceans and time keep a second pair of lovers apart?

Stormy Weather: An ill wind is brewing up a storm and as usual, Rachael Jones is in the middle of the fray. If the local banker succeeds in bulldozing the Victorian houses she's trying to save, she's in for yet another rough time before the skies clear. The only bright spots on the horizon are her friendship with Luke... and her secret rendezvous with Mac...Is Rachael meant to weather the storm with Luke, who touches her heart and soul so intimately, or with Mac, who knows each sweet secret of her body?

AMY: Thank you for joining me. What else would you like to share with us regarding your book?

SHERRIE: I recently bought a plaque that says "Home is where your story begins." This really resonated with me, as my books are have small town settings and are very centered in family dynamics. Many of the conflicts in both of my books arise when out of differing sets of expectations between family members, and discrepancies between what the characters were raised to expect from life, and the realities of what life has brought them. In many romance novels, parents and siblings seem to be conveniently dead or vacationing in Europe... not so in my books!

AMY: Were there any surprises that came about while you were writing Stormy Weather, or did you story stick with the plan you had set?

SHERRIE: One of the main characters, Mac, came to life in a way that really surprised me. You'll have to read the book to find out what happened to his wife, Laura, and daughter, Maggie, but I will say that his experiences gave Mac a rich personality, and a wisdom about the ways of the world that he wouldn't have had otherwise.

AMY: What inspired you to write this book or these particular characters?

SHERRIE: Stormy Weather is the first of a trilogy about three sisters. Rachael is the oldest child, as am I. Like me, Rae is not afraid to speak her mind or stand up for what she believes, and as a result, she is always "upsetting the applecart", as her Grandma would have said. When stormy weather interferes with her plans, she thinks God is "out to get her" or punishing her for being headstrong and going her own way. Rae is convinced she's met the man of her dreams (Luke), so when providence brings another man into her life, one who thinks he is perfect for her (Mac), a lot of stormy weather ensues. A few of the key characters and situations are lifted from personal experiences (I'll never tell which ones...), and the rest is a fancy of my wild imagination... what might have happened if...

AMY: Tell the readers about your writing journey and how you ended up with your publisher.

SHERRIE: I've been writing for about 16 years, and have 7 rough drafts / manuscripts completed. I've been a member of Romance Writers of America, and have been honing my craft in an online writing workshop called Jenny's Cherry Writers (now just Cherry Writers since author Jennifer Crusie no longer participates) for almost that long. I was "discovered" after entering a writing contest at Gather.com, when a publisher saw and liked the first chapter of Night and Day, and wanted to publish my book.

AMY: If there is one piece of advice you could give an unagented / unpublished author, what would it be?

SHERRIE: Never give up. Keep working on your craft, learning from other authors, reading quality work, attending writing conferences and classes, and most of all, writing. Write your heart out, then rewrite, and rewrite, until you get it right. Don't be afraid to put your work out there.

AMY: Besides Stormy Weather, which we highlighted here, have you published other books or are there some that are yet to be released?

SHERRIE: I've included information about my first book, Night and Day. My next two books, which follow Stormy Weather, will be Waterlily, and Merry-Go-Round. Waterlily was written soon after my 20 year class reunion, and I'm hoping it will be released the summer of 2010, when my 35 year class reunion will be held.

AMY: How can we find you on the internet (facebook, twitter, myspace, blog, website addresses)
SHERRY:
Website: www.BlueBelleBooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1244516892
Gather: http://sherrieh.gather.com/
Wordpress Blog: http://sherriehansen.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SherrieHansen
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2870454.Sherrie_Hansen

AMY: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

SHERRY: My books have a few steamy scenes, but I think they will also appeal to Christian readers who struggle with issues of faith and the changing nature of the family. I'm a pastor's wife, and have written a Christian inspirational called Love Notes that I hope will be published one day.

AMY: Is there anything you would like to ask the readers?

SHERRY: I would love to hear your thoughts after reading either Night and Day or Stormy Weather!

AMY: Sherrie has been generous enough give away an autographed copy of Stormy Weather. I am sorry but this is limited to U.S. residents only, due to the cost of postage. If you would like a chance to win the book, simply comment and leave your e-mail address. A winner will be picked and announced Saturday night. Good luck.

Powerful Prayful Monday 12/14

Preparations for Christmas are almost complete. Most of the shopping is done and next weekend, my children and I will make dozens of cookies and candy, a family tradition.

This time of year can get crazy and cause you to lose focus on the real purpose of the day, the celebration of the birth of Christ, and our salvation. Even when I try to keep the season stress free, I still have twice as many things going on, which is why I have not read one single blog in a week. For that I apologize and I know I probably missed some entertaining and interesting posts. And, there is a very good chance I will do little reading of blogs until after the holidays.

But, one thing that I am never too busy for, ever, is prayer. Though it hasn’t been that long since I began Prayful Mondays, it has become a part of me, a part of my day. Everyone who lists a prayer request or offers up a praise is remembered in my prayers. I think this may be a new tradition I carry on. Not only for a certain holiday, but every day. So, please continue to list your requests or praises and I will continue to include you in my chats to God. Have a blessed day

Congrats

Congratulations to Catherine Gayle. Jerrica picked your name to win an autographed copy of A Gentleman Never Tells. Send me an e-mail at amydetrempe@gmail.com with your address and I will pass it onto Jerrica.

Spotlight on: Jerrica Knight-Catania

Author of: A Gentleman Never Tells
Publisher: Second Wind
ISBN: 9781935171409
Release Date: Nov. 20, 2009
Genre: Regency Romance
Available from Second Wind Publishing and Amazon

Benjamin Wetherby, Earl of Glastonbury and heir to the Marquessate of Eastleigh, has just received an urgent letter from home. His father is dying and he must return to England at once. Benjamin is a man bound by honor and duty, to both his country and his family. So, despite his reservations, he leaves his life in New York City behind so he may find a wife and assume his role as the Marquess of Eastleigh.

Miss Phoebe Blake is finally out of mourning for her father, and just in time. She and her mother could be days away from being carted off to debtors' prison, so Phoebe returns to society with the intent and determination to secure a rich husband.

Sparks fly when Benjamin and Phoebe meet, and it appears they have both found just what they are looking for. But will a dark secret keep them from finding their happily ever after?

AMY: Thank you for joining me, Jerrica. Were there any surprises that came about while you were writing A Gentleman Never Tells, or did you story stick with the plan you had set?

JERRICA: The most surprising thing was how this book actually came about. I had spent about 2 years (off and on) working on it, entered it in contests, submitted it with no luck, etc…so I knew it had flaws and every revision seemed to create different flaws. I won 3rd place in Second Wind’s short story romance contest this past January, which led to them asking me for a full. Now, I could have given them one of my other 3 books, but I cared about these characters too much, plus they were the first in the series. So what did I do? I told Second Wind to give me a few weeks and I started over from scratch. Same characters, totally different story.

AMY: What inspired you to write this book or these particular characters in the first place, before you gave them a new story?

JERRICA: I was first inspired to start writing after I left my career as a professional musical theater actress and started reading Regency Romance. Julia Quinn was the first one I read, and I fell in love with the genre. I read a quote by Nora Roberts on Julia’s website one night: “I can fix a bad page, but I can’t do anything with a blank page.” Hm…maybe I should try my hand at this, I thought. And that began my love affair with romance writing, and the love affair between Phoebe and Benjamin!

AMY: Tell us about your writing journey and how you ended up with your publisher.

JERRICA: Like many of the Second Wind authors, I was also a part of Gather.com’s First Chapters Romance contest where I “met”, or at least read stories from, many of those who would become influential parts of that publishing house. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, Amy, that it was your prodding sometime later, that got me to enter their romance anthology contest, in which I took 3rd place. From there, I was asked to submit a full manuscript, it was accepted, and voila! I’m a published author now!

AMY: If there is one piece of advice you could give an unagented / unpublished author, what would it be?

JERRICA: Keep writing! And don’t let excuses get in your way. Janet Evanovich says she doesn’t believe in writer’s block, and I have to agree. I know that when I say I have “writer’s block”, I really mean: “I’m allowing myself to be distracted by everything around me.”
And realize that this is a business. If you think it’s all about talent and sheer love for writing, well, you might be in for a rude awakening. Rejection is par for the course, but it doesn’t mean you’re not a good writer; it just means you haven’t found the right agent/editor yet. Persistence is a must! Self-belief is a must! Understanding that self-promotion is also part of the business will make your life much easier when you finally get that contract…especially if you’re looking to make money!

AMY: Besides A Gentleman Never Tells, which we highlighted here, have you published other books or are there some that are yet to be released?

JERRICA: Second Wind has accepted book two in the series, so hopefully we’ll be moving forward soon on that project. Otherwise, I have gotten into the confessions market and have my first short story coming out in the January issue of True Love Magazine (there are no bylines, but my story is called Vegas Vacation.)

I would also love to plug my Christmas short story, Christmas Warms the Harts. It involves secondary characters from A Gentleman Never Tells, and 50% of the net sales from the story will go to the Wish Upon a Hero Foundation. It can be purchased directly from the front page of my website, www.jerricasplace.com

AMY: How can we find you on the internet (facebook, twitter, myspace, blog, website addresses)
You can friend and/or fan me on Facebook: Jerrica Knight-Catania
Twitter: princessjewel78
Website: www.jerricasplace.com
Blog: http://romancingthebook.wordpress.com

AMY: Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

JERRICA: Yes! I’m about to have my first baby! In addition to welcoming A Gentleman Never Tells into the publishing world, we’ll be welcoming Baby Bella into the actual world!

AMY: Congrats on both new arrivals! Is there anything you would like to ask the readers?

JERRICA: As I enter the self-promotion part of my life as a writer, I would love to know what makes you, as a reader, buy a book? I do a lot of promo through Facebook and Twitter, but I’d love to know what kind of posts in those forums would make you click through and actually buy the book.

AMY: Great question. I would like to know that too. Readers, are there any questions you would like to ask Jerrica.

Jerrica has been generous enough give away an autographed copy of A Gentleman Never Tells. I am sorry but this is limited to U.S. residents only, due to the cost of postage. If you would like a chance to win the book, simply comment and leave your e-mail address. A winner will be picked and announced Saturday night. Good luck.

Father Does Know Best / Powerful Prayful Monday 12/7

I was given a reminder in church a few weeks ago. It isn’t my will, but God’s. We all know this to be true, but how hard is it to live by? As a writer, it is not easy to be patient and wait for the right timing or read through rejection letters. Not to mention that little panic when you wonder if you are meant to be published. I know I used to wonder if I was fulfilling my needs in writing and afraid that wasn’t God’s plan at all. Were my stories only for me? But why give me these great characters and setting if nobody else is supposed to read about them?

The publishing day and my dream came true. But, there were times I really lacked patience, as well as suffered from self-doubt, among other emotions, in waiting to get there. I will admit that I still struggle with what I perceive my needs to be instead of accepting what God wants for me. I don’t think I am alone. I believe we are all a bit like children, or teenagers, in accepting that Father does know best, especially when it is something we really want or think we need.

Do you struggle with patience or not content with where you writing career is? Do you wonder what God’s plan is for you as a writer? Or, could it be something else in your life where the teenager in you wants to argue with what Father knows is best?

On a side note, I am happy to report that my thoughts did not turn to my novel during the sermon. Okay, maybe it did for a small fraction second. The verse Ecclesiastes 7:20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sin, plays in so well with the verse that set me going a few weeks ago, Matthew 5:48. I jotted it down real quick so I didn’t forget to look it up again, and focused back on the sermon. I am making progress.

I was blessed once again to be able to pray for my fellow bloggers last week and I hope everyone received the answer from God they were hoping for and if not, that you were at least granted peace with the decision He made for you, as He does know what is best for you. I would like to continue praying and ask that you once again list your prayer requests. Thank you.

Winner of Nora's Soul

Margay picked the winner of Nora's Soul: DEB PAYTON.

Deb, send me your mailing address to amydetrempe@gmail.com and I will pass it on to Margay so she can send you the book. Congrats!!!!

Spotlight on: Margay Leah Justice

Author of: Nora's Soul
Publisher: Second Wind Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1935171218
Released: November 3, 2008
Genre: Romance (Paranormal)
Available from Second Wind Publishing and Amazon


When angels of light and dark collide on earth…
Once he held a favored position in the heavens. But one moment of weakness casts Dante out and now he is cursed to walk the earth, collecting the souls of vulnerable women to buy his way into hell.
All hell breaks loose…
But standing in his way is Peter, an angel of light. Peter is everything Dante is not. Pure, above reproach. And determined to prevent Dante from achieving his goals. Peter will stop at nothing to protect the souls in his charge, even if it means achieving the impossible – leading Dante back onto the right path.
And no one is safe from the fall-out.
Nora Kendall believed in angels. Once. But then she lost her brother to cancer despite all of her prayers – and she lost her faith in all things angelic. Now, she is a lost soul who wanders through life like a sleepwalker, playing it safe and leaving the risk-taking to others.
Kyle Cameron is one of those risks. Burned by a bad marriage, his only concern now is providing a stable life for his children, who are left motherless by the unexpected death of his wife. This means working overtime to grow his architectural firm into a viable business – and leaving the care of his children to the care of someone he trusts. Despite his past connection with Nora, Kyle isn’t certain that she’s the right person for the job. He also doesn’t want to reconnect with her and repeat history.
But fate – and the machinations of two angels – has other ideas.

Nora’s Soul, by Margay Leah Justice, available now at Amazon.com
http://margayleahjustice.com
http://www.amazon.com/Noras-Soul-Margay-Justice/dp/1935171216/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_3

AMY: Thank you for joining me. What else would you like to share with us regarding your book?

MARGAY: Thank you for having me! Nora's Soul is the first in a series set in the world of angels of light and dark. It was supposed to be a stand-alone book, but a certain character (Dante) chose to let me know that his story was not finished. Let me just tell you this: He has a lot to say!

AMY: Were there any surprises that came about while you were writing Nora's Soul, or did you story stick with the plan you had set?

MARGAY: Oh, there were many surprises! I think the biggest one was the revelation that Dante wasn't exactly who I thought he was in the beginning. At first, I thought he was a devil and I wrote him as such, but after I was done, he kept coming to me with more of his story and I soon realized that he wasn't a devil at all. So although the basic idea remained the same, several key aspects changed.

AMY: What inspired you to write this book or these particular characters?

MARGAY: I know it might sound trite, but it literally came to me in a dream - well, two dreams, to be precise, that I had back to back in the same night. One was a dream about a woman - we'll call her Nora - who was dancing the night away in a nightclub with this devilishly handsome man who, when she finally broke away from him, showed his true colors behind her back. The second dream was with the same woman moving into a garage apartment as she prepared to take care of twins. Separately, the dreams probably wouldn't have made an impression on me, but together like that, they made me wonder. Who was this woman and how could she go from being so wild and unfettered in the dance club to so prim and proper in the garage apartment? I had to know the answer and as I began to jot things down, the story just unfolded and practically wrote itself!

AMY: Tell the readers about your writing journey and how you ended up with your publisher.

MARGAY: I have gone the route of trying to get an agent, a big New York publisher, etc., but when it wasn't happening, I looked into contests as a way of getting my writing out there and came upon one sponsored by Gather.com. During the process, I became friends with a group of writers and we ended up forming a critique group so we could keep up with each other and continue to read what the others had written. Somewhere along the way, someone threw out the suggestion that we should form our own publishing company so we could publish all of our books. Well, one of the members took that idea and ran with it and Second Wind Publishing was born. The next thing I knew, Mike was sending me an email requesting my full manuscript. That is how I became published!

AMY: If there is one piece of advice you could give an unagented / unpublished author, what would it be?

MARGAY: You have to absolutely love what you are doing, love what you are writing, because you are going to be spending a lot of time with it from the point of conception until long after publishing it (there is all that promoting you have to do, after all). So my advice would be: First, make sure you are going into this for all the right reasons. If you're only writing to become a mega star or rich, you're doing it for the wrong reason. You should write because you can't imagine not doing it. Write for yourself first, then see if anyone else wants to read it. Second, instead of the old adage "Write what you know," I would say "Write what you want to read." Write the story that excites you and makes you want to get to the end - and then mourn the fact that you did. As for the what you know part, that's where research comes in. And third, if you're serious about taking this on, have confidence in yourself and persevere. Success doesn't come overnight and if you don't believe in yourself, who will?

AMY: Besides Nora's Soul, which we highlighted here, have you published other books or are there some that are yet to be released?

MARGAY: I don't have any others published yet, but I am waiting on word about some. I'd prefer not to say more until I get confirmations.

AMY: How can we find you on the internet (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, blog, website addresses)

MARGAY: The Jane Austen Society Pages: http://textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=1347
http://margayleahjustice.com/
http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/margay1122
http://twitter.com/Margay
http://www.facebook.com/MargayLeahJustice
http://secondwindpub.wordpress.com/

AMY: Is there anything you would like to ask the readers?

MARGAY: I would love to know what draws them to the books they choose to read.

AMY: Margay Leah Justice has been generous enough give away an autographed copy of Nora's Soul. I am sorry but this is limited to U.S. residents only, due to the cost of postage. If you would like a chance to win the book, simply comment and leave your e-mail address. A winner will be picked and announced Saturday night. Good luck.

New Meaning to Black Friday

As I have mentioned, stories I write take place either during the American Revolution, French Revolution or Regency Period. Long before things like electricity or gas stoves. I always figured that had I lived back then I would have been a maid in household, or some middle to lower class person – no big deal. A friend once mention that had I lived in an even earlier time period I probably would have been a wench in a tavern. I am not quite sure what she meant by that, but she assumed she would be right there with me.

Well, the day after Thanksgiving I soon learned I would not like being a maid during the 1700s or early 1800s. You see, my water heater went out – giving a whole new meaning to “Black Friday” for me. This was also the day I decided to kick off my baking. As my husband had to work overtime, dinner was not an issue because he was going to bring something home during his 3 hour break in shifts. He knows what a pain it is to stop in the middle of baking cookies, bars and candies to cook dinner. (He really wanted to make sure I got the pecan bars done)

However, as soon as I went to wash to first set of measuring cups, mixing bowls, beaters and such I realized there was no hot water. Thus, I began heating water on the stove. This continued through the weekend whenever I needed to do the dishes or someone needed a bath. He tried to get the pilot light lit while he was home but it wasn’t happening. Given he was gone far more than he was home this weekend, I didn’t expect him to get to the water heater before Monday. I also learned that the whole hauling water thing is not me.

So, while being the lord or lady, or even the middle class, back in 1810 may seem romantic, it was far from that for the maid. I am so glad I lived in 2009.

If you had been born in a different era, what do you think you would have been - Poor, middle class, lord or lady? If you were of the servant class what job would you have really disliked more than you do now? And, if you could pick era(with the exception of now) when would you have lived?