Heading for the hills!

Hi everyone! I'm getting on a plane tomorrow and heading for the Appalacians for a family reunion!!! Yes, all the way from California...ugg, long flight, but I'm planning on working on Veil of Pearls while I'm in the air.  Anyway, I will have my computer but I probably won't be spending alot of time online, so if I don't comment on your comments, don't be offended!

I do have regular posts all set to go, so it will be like I'm here anyway. I'm returning on Monday August 8th. 
I rarely get to see my family so this is a great chance to catch up with my Mom, Sister, Brother and his wife and their three kids.  I'll try and post some pictures next Friday, time permitting.

So, have a great week, everyone!!!

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Last chance to win a copy of Surrender the Dawn!

Congratulations to last week's winners:   Ashly and Nicole!!!
And thank you all for entering and for your fun comments.   Now to the answer to last week's quiz:

Cassandra searched for a glimpse of his eyes in the darkness, but the shadows denied her. How could he joke about such a disgusting habit?

“Wondering how I managed to fend off three men?” Luke asked.
A. Her heart fluttered. "Indeed, it was quite impressive."
B. “Two.” She lifted her chin. “I took care of one of them.”
C. "No. I wonder why you bothered at all." Sorrow gripped her that this handsome man was such a rogue.
D. "I've already thanked you for your trouble. Now, I must be on my way."

The answer was B. Many of you got it right!! Some chose D which could possibly have fit her personality as well. However, I'm thinking I need to make the quiz a bit harder!  So, this week you must guess what Luke would say in the following conversation (And no cheating if you've already read the book!)

This is roughly halfway through the book.

They turned down Pleasant Street, lined with quaint homes and decorative flower gardens. The smell of wild bergamot and fresh apple pie drifted over her nose.

He was a gambler, yet she trusted him with her investment.

Turning down the path in front of her house, Mr. Heaton stopped at the bottom of the porch stairs. Cassandra stepped up on the first tread and spun to face him. She was nearly level in height with him—nearly. The lantern light sparkled in his eyes as he placed a boot atop the step and released her arm.

He was a womanizer; then why did she feel her heart yearning for his affection?

 He turned to leave.

“Thank you once again for your rescue, Mr. Heaton.”

He faced her. A sad grin hovered over his lips. “My pleasure.”

“So, you’ll be leaving tomorrow?” She longed to keep him here. And hated herself for it.

“Riding out to the ship first thing in the morning.”

“How long will you be?” Cassandra asked then realized the absurdity of the question. She laughed. “Of course you don’t know that.”

He gave her a quizzical look. “Will you miss me?”

“Don’t be absurd.” Cringing at the dishonest twang in her voice, she stared off toward the bay. “I’m simply anxious for you to catch another prize.”


“Ah.” He scratched the stubble on his chin and gave her one of his beguiling grins. “Of course.”

Cassandra tapped her foot. “Oh, bother, Mr. Heaton. You can wipe that grin off your face, Not every woman in town pines for your affections.”

“No.” The sorrow in his voice nearly broke through the shield she’d erected around her heart. “Not every woman.”


What was she doing? Allowing this rake to charm his way into her graces. Steeling herself against his further attempts, Cassandra pursed her lips. “Mr. Crane informed me of your ignoble activities.”

“Which ones?” He jerked the hair from his face and chuckled. Moonlight drifted over a scar on his right earlobe.

“You may make sport of it all you wish, Mr. Heaton, but I hardly consider gambling, drinking, and fighting suitable pursuits for a successful privateer, much less a gentleman.”

“Well, Miss Channing, you knew what you were getting when you hired me.” One brow cocked, he gave her a pointed gaze. “Besides, I’m hurting no one.” His eyes lowered to her lips. He swallowed.

Heat swirled in her belly. “I am not so sure, Mr. Heaton.”

“Why are you so interested in what I do at night, Miss Channing? Care to join me?”

“Of course not! I’m sure you have no need of me with all your trollops to entertain you.”

Propping his hand on the post, he drew close until she could feel his warm breath on her cheek.

And he said what?

A. “If I were a more astute man, I’d say you were jealous.”
B.  "None of them compare to you."
C. "I never tire of female attention."
D. "Entertain? Bah! They merely pass the time."

Told you it would be harder!! Anyway, leave a comment with your guess and I'll enter you for next week's drawing!! 
Thanks everyone! Have a great weekend!!

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Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book changed my life. It's a huge book that wasn't always easy to read, but whenever I picked it up, I had a hard time breaking away from it. I've never really had a human hero before. Now, I do. Bonhoeffer was a man who stood up to a regime he saw as pure evil earlier than most. He was a man who stood up to the traditional conventional "Christian" church of the time. Often he was hated, ostracized, misunderstood, shunned, laughed at and scoffed. But he wouldn't relent on his positions. Well educated, cultured, kind-hearted and very intelligent, he used his God-given gifts to benefit those around him while he fought hypocrisy in the church and evil in the government of Germany. He was a man of principle. A man of vision and purpose. A man who said that man's ultimate responsibility is to do the will of God. Even after he was arrested by the Gestapo, he spent his time ministering to others in prison. I learned a lot about Hitler's rise in Germany and how the people could have allowed it. Unfortunately, it mimics some of what I see in my own country today. When faced with his own death, Bonhoeffer said that to him it was the beginning of life. The doctor at the concentration camp where Bonhoeffer was executed said this: I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God. Do you want to be challenged to live a life of meaning? Read this book.



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Wordless Wednesday!



The glories of God's creation!



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The path of most resistence

Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:24
But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:14

I love reading the Amplified version because it gives such depth to the words we have read for years. Yea, yea, you may say, I know all about the narrow door, but did you realize that the word strive in the greek means contest? It is also used in other Scriptures to mean a fight, struggle, a wrestling. 
That would indicate to me that the door is not an easy one to enter. Apparently, it takes an effort, a struggle, even a fight to get in. That seems rather contrary to our present Christian "say a prayer, believe in Jesus," and you're in, mentality.

But what really struck me was that after you get in, the path is straitened and compressed. In the greek the term can mean: hard, crushed, persecuted, tormented, suffering.  Hmm. Doesn't sound like a great altar call to me! 

Let's face it, we humans much perfer the path of least resistance, the easy road, the happy road. Sign up for a fight, for suffering? No way! Life is hard enough without adding extra problems. Yet, that is exactly what Jesus tells us we will face.  He told us we would have trouble in this world. He told His disciples they shouldn't be surprised when they were persecuted like He was.

Then why do we complain and whine when life doesn't go our way? Why do we think God is after us, or mad at us, has abandoned us, or worse, think God isn't good? He warned us!  Yes, bad things will happen. We will feel pressured, crushed, persecuted. Yes, we will suffer. But I've lived long enough with the Lord now to know that along with the problems and the burdens come great blessings! 

Just a couple of big examples from my own life:
I grew up without a father. Even worse, he was alive but wanted nothing to do with me. It caused me to have  deep-seated insecurities that caused other problems. But it was that longing for unconditional love that brought me to God!

My husband lost his job and our income was sliced to less than half. But God used my husband's unemployment to open his eyes to the truth of the gospel.

I spent fifteen years in a job I hated. It was pure drugery for me. Yet without it, when my husband got laid off, we would have lost our house. Also, it was during those 15 years that God taught me perserverence and discipline which greatly aid me now as a writer. At the time, however, I thought God must hate me to keep me here in this job!

But the greatest blessing of all was that I felt. . .no, I knew that God was with me. And the faith and intimacy that grew out of that tender walk with Him was well worth all the problems!

Feeling pressured today? Got a truckload of problems? Persecuted? Weary? Feeling crushed? Congratulations, you may just be on the right path!!

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Another chance to win a free copy of Surrender the Dawn!

At:  http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/feature-and-giveaway-of-marylu-tyndalls-surrender-the-dawn/

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Surrender the Dawn - week 4

Winners of last week's drawing are: Lifedance and LadydragonKeeper!!   Congrats Ladies!

Now, for one of my favorite parts of my pre-release book party! If you've been with me the entire month, then you've had a chance to get an in-depth look at both the heroine, Cassandra, and the hero, Luke, and you have some idea of the storyline. In other words, you should know these characters pretty well.

Today, I'm going to take an excerpt from the book, and you have to guess what's the next thing Cassandra  would say, based on what you know about her.  Next week, we'll do Luke.

Here we go:  Luke has just rescued Cassandra from some theives

Sheaving his sword, Mr. Heaton collected his pistol from the ground, slid it inside his coat, and slapped his hands together as if this sort of thing happened every day. He started toward Cassandra. Her heart vaulted into her throat. Perhaps she was no safer with him than she had been with the scoundrels who’d assaulted her. He was the town rogue, after all. A drunkard and a ruffian. He halted, towering over her by at least a foot, and she resisted the urge to take a step back. He smelled of wood and rum. Recognition flickered in his eyes and something else—pleasant surprise? “Are you harmed, Miss Channing?”


“No, Mr. Heaton.” She gripped her reticule. “I thank you, sir, for coming to my aid.”

He glanced at the man lying in a heap in the dirt. “I’ve never seen a woman defend herself with a brick.” His lopsided grin sent an odd jolt through her heart.

“It does not always require a man’s strength to defeat a foe.”

“Indeed.” He chuckled. “Then perhaps I should have left you to your own devices. No doubt you could have pummeled them all unconscious.”

Cassandra narrowed her gaze. “Perhaps I could have.”

“Nevertheless, miss, you shouldn’t walk about town at night without benefit of an escort.”

“Lately, there are many things I’m told I should not do.”

He swayed slightly on his feet and the smell of rum once again stung her nose. “Indeed. I suffer from the same malady.”

“I doubt our situations are comparable.” She glanced at the dark frame of a schooner tied at the dock. “How did you come to my rescue so suddenly? I did not see anyone else about.”

“I was working on my ship when I spotted you across the street.”

His ship. But she’d heard no one would hire him as a captain. “A privateer?”

Mr. Heaton gazed at the vessel bobbing in harbor and sighed. “Alas, she could be one day.” He gestured toward her reticule. “What is it you have in your reticule that would lure such rats from their holes?”

She eyed him suspiciously, wishing she could see the details of his face more clearly. “Nothing of import.” She gripped it tighter. “I had business at the Merchants Coffee House.” A chill prickled her skin. Surely this man wouldn’t attempt to rob her after he’d defended her so admirably. She took a step back. “I thank you again, Mr. Heaton, but I really must be on my way.”

“Allow me to escort you home.” Closing the distance between them once again, he proffered his elbow. His massive chest spanned her vision even as his body heat cloaked her in warmth. Her breath quickened.

“There is no need.” Turning, she waved him off. “I’m sure there are no more ruffians afoot.” Except you, perhaps.

Mr. Heaton fell in step beside her. “Nevertheless, I would never forgive myself should any harm come to you, especially carrying such a fortune.”

Shock halted her. “What did you say?”

One dark brow rose. “They wouldn’t accept your money, would they?”

Cassandra flattened her lips.

Mr. Heaton scratched the stubble on his chin. “I was aware of the proceedings at the coffee shop tonight, miss. I would have been there myself looking for investors if I’d thought anyone in town would take a chance on me as captain.” Sorrow weighed his voice.

Cassandra took in this news and allowed it to stir excitement within her. If only for a moment. But no. Even if he would take her money, Mr. Heaton was not a man to be trusted. She clutched her reticule closer and started on her way.

Clearing his throat, he walked beside her. “You have nothing to fear from me, Miss Channing. I am no thief. A gambler, perhaps, even a libertine, but no thief.” He stumbled, but quickly leveled his steps.

Cassandra shook her head. How on earth had he managed to wield his sword so skillfully in his condition? She stopped and faced him. “You are drunk, sir.”

“Ah, yes.” He gave her a rakish grin. “How could I forget? Apparently, I’m also a sot.”

Cassandra searched for a glimpse of his eyes in the darkness, but the shadows denied her. How could he joke about such a disgusting habit?

“Wondering how I managed to fend off three men?” Luke asked.

       A. Her heart fluttered. "Indeed, it was quite impressive."

B. “Two.” She lifted her chin. “I took care of one of them.”

C. "No. I wonder why you bothered at all." Sorrow gripped her that this handsome man was such a rogue.

D. "I've already thanked you for your trouble. Now, I must be on my way."

Okay, so which answer fits best with Cassandra's personality? Leave your guess in a comment and I'll enter you to win a free copy of Surrender the Dawn!  You don't have to be right to be entered.  And if you're feeling creative, you can make up something you think she would say!

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Wordless Wednesday!

Ahoy mates! We surrender!

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You've been given the Kingdom!

I have a huge problem with worry. It's a problem that has passed down through most of my family. My grandmother, my mother, me, and now my kids.  It's been such an enormous problem that many of my family are on anti-anxiety and/or sleep medications.  Sometimes I suffer from tightness in my chest or panic attacks.  The interesting thing is that many "creative" types suffer from the same problems. Anyway, I only bring it up because it is one of the biggest obstacles I've had to overcome. And believe me, I'm still in the battle!

Whether your'e a calm person by nature or not, let's face it, life can be very stressfull.  God understands our propensity to stress and worry. That's why He address anxiety so much in His Word. I encourage you to read over Luke 12. I call it the Worry chapter.

It's the chapter where Jesus talks about how much God cares for the birds and feeds them...of how the flowers are clothed finer than the greatest king in all his glory. And if God is concerned with birds and flowers, how much more will He provide for us?  Earlier in this same chapter, God declares that the hairs on your head are numbered. Can you imagine keeping track of that?

He then says that worrying doesn't solve anything and not to be worried about all these things--that your Father in Heaven knows you need them.  I actually think he's talking about much more than food and clothes.. he's talking about all those things of life that concern us; our kids, health, money, jobs, relationships etc..

Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also Luke 12:31

Then I came across this verse
Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!

Wow, where did that come from? Here Jesus is talking about not worrying and putting God first.. and He makes this statement about the Father giving you the kingdom. What kingdom? And why would he mention this in context with worry. So, I got to thinking about it.

A kingdom is a realm or province governed by a king. The king takes care of his people. He makes decisions for their good, defends them, provides protection, gives them opportunities to work and produce, solves disputes and provides care they cannot. If the king is a good king, the people are happy and carefree. If not.. well, you just have to look at some of the past eartly kingdoms.  Of course Jesus was talking about the Kingdom of God.  In fact, He spoke often of the Kingdom of God.  He said more than once that the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is upon them. Literally, because of His presence and His sacrifice. Right now it is a Kingdom we can't see with our eyes. Some day (and soon!) it will be a physical Kingdom on Earth.

But back to my point. By the fact of our repentence and belief in Jesus, we have all become a part of this Kingdom. But here, Jesus is saying you've been given the Kingdom. God has given you a kingdom! Not just any Kingdom but His Kingdom on earth. When someone is given Kingdom, what do they do?  They rule, right? Yes God is still the King but we are His rulers here on earth. In other words, we are all in government service.. some as abassadors, some are in the military (front lines of spiritual battle!), some teachers, some artists.. we rule through the gifts and talents and opportunities He has given us.

And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth Rev 5:10

So what does this have to do with worry? If we work for the all-powerful King of the Kingdom, we are under his protection. Not only that, we have access to the throne room to ask Him for whatever we need. Would a king allow his rulers to starve? Would a king allow his rulers to not have everything they need to rule? No! Otherwise he'd be a bad king. And we already know God can not be anything but good. Does that mean He'll give us everything we want? No. It does mean He'll give us everything we need. So why worry?

I think that's what Jesus was trying to get across. You can almost hear the frustration in His voice. Why are you worried, little flock?!!!!  Seek God. Be loyal to the King, and He will take care of you.

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Surrender the Dawn month - week three!

First to buisness. The winners of last week's drawing are:   Jackie S. and Sarah!
Congratulations, Ladies!!!!!  
But don't give up. Two more people have a chance to win again this week. Just read the post, leave a comment with your email and I'll enter you!

Now, the past two weeks we've looked in-depth at the heroine, Cassandra, and the hero, Luke. This week, I'm posting the wonderful video trailer of the book. If you watch it, it should give you an overview of the story. Here it is:








So, what did you like about the trailer. What did you dislike?  I didn't make it so it won't hurt my feelings. I'm very grateful for my publisher who had it made for me!  Also, did it make you want to read the book? Or did it turn you off? and why?  Give me your thoughts and I'll enter you to win a free book!

Tune in the next 2 weeks when we'll be playing guess what that character will say next!

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A free online writers conference for writers under 20 years of age!

I know some of you are under 20. (Ah... those were the days.. a far memory for me!)  But if you're under 20 and you are an aspiring writer, here's a free online conference that you might want to check out.  I'll be one of the presenters, along with several other great authors. Just click on this link for more information: http://nextgenwriters.com/

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Wordless Wednesdays!

Ahoy there! I found this gorgeous Tall ship painting online.  I used to oil paint and if I ever have time to get back into it, I hope to paint some ships. We shall see.

Hope everyone's week is going great! Don't forget to come back on Friday for another 2-book giveaway!

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Why do we have such a hard time trusting God?

I know so many believers who seem to fall apart under trial. When things don't go their way, their first response is "How could God let this happen?" Then they whine and complain and feel sorry for themselves.  I know other believers who have been praying for something very important to them for a long while and they get weary and start to lose hope and faith that their prayers will ever get answered. 
I'm not picking on these people. I've been one of them!

Lately God has shown me that one of the main reasons for lack of trust in His children is because they don't know Him. They just don't know His character and more importantly, they don't know how Good He is. So, I thought I'd expound on the goodness of God in the hopes that it would help you (and me) rest more easily as we trust in Him.

First of all, consider creation. God didn't have to make the world so beautiful for us to survive here. He didn't have to create flowers and herbs and mountains, oceans (my personal favorite), white beaches and turquoise waters! He didn't have to create waterfalls and glaciers and prairies, and adorable animals. Also, He didn't have to create such a wide variety of food that tastes good. But He did.

Friendship, love, marriage, laughter, the ability to work, skills, music, story, family--these are all things God created on this earth for our enjoyment and fulfillment. God has good plans for us. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope  Jeremiah 29:11

As I read through the Scriptures, it just astounds me at how forgiving and loving God is. Take the Israelites, for example. How often did they turn away from Him. How often did they worship other gods? Or complain and grumble? Each time God forgave them. The moment they turned back to them, He was there bailing them out, blessing them with abundance.

God is the source of every good thing: Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow (James 1:17).

God does not withhold anything that is good from His children: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).


God won't allow anything to happen to His children that is NOT good: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ephesians 1:3-4


The goodness of God is evident in that He sent His only beloved Son to be rejected of men, suffer, and die on a cross so that mankind could be reconciled to God. He didn't have to do this. He owed us nothing. We are the ones who rejected Him, who like rebellious children, ran away to do our own thing.

God's goodness is the summation of His entire character. He is not only good. He is the essence of good. His mercy, grace, faithfulness, kindness, righteouness, power, justice, even His wrath.. it is all good. And perfect and holy.  God can not be anything but good. It would go against His nature.
So the next time it appears your prayers aren't gettting answered or something horrible happens to you, no matter how hard it is, believe that God is allowing it for your good. He's delaying the answer to your prayer or perhaps working on it or perhaps the answer is no because God knows it would be bad for you if He answered yes.
 And that bad situation, He's using for your good! You may not see it or understand it. But I can guarantee that if you believe in God's goodness, you'll have much more peace, no matter what happens to you. Just trust Him. Trust that God is good. And you'll make God happy in the process.

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Surrender the Dawn Month - week 2!

First, Congratulations to HeatherAndCourtney and Sapphire, whose names I drew out of my hubby's hat yesterday to win a free copy of Surrender the Dawn!!!!   HeatherAndCourtney need to send me their email address...please... or I'll be forced to pick another name. Thanks to all who entered! I've still got 8 more books to give away so don't quit now. :-)

For those of you just tuning in, each Friday in July, I will post something about my upcoming release, Surrender the Dawn, to whet your appetites for the story.  All you have to do to enter the contest to win a free copy (I'm giving away TWO each Friday) is read through the post and leave a comment. Don't forget to leave your email address too. 

Now, last week we learned all about the heroine of hte story, Cassandra Channing. (If you didn't get a chance to read about her, please check out last week's post!)

This week, we will learn about the hero (my personal favorite), Luke Heaton.


LUKE HEATON

At 26, with black hair, blue eyes, a tall, muscular frame, and a grin that can melt any woman’s heart, Luke Heaton is the quintessential ruggedly handsome town rogue. His reputation as a drinker, gambler, womanizer and all around loser is well known among the citizens of Baltimore. But Luke has hit an all-time low. Recently, his best friend and captain, Noah Brenin, fired him as first mate from his privateer for being drunk on duty. Now, feeling even more like a failure and with no way to make money to feed his gambling habit, Luke spends his time in a hopeless effort to fix a broken-down ship he won in a card game. His dream is to become a privateer like Noah, to redeem his bad reputation, and be a better role-model for his crippled brother. A brother he keeps a secret even from his closest friends. A brother Luke has raised since he was a babe and a savage fire claimed the lives of their missionary parents. Unable to rescue them from the fire, Luke carries around enormous guilt, which only feeds his insecurities and traps him in a cycle of mediocrity. Without the money to fix up his ship, Luke believes he will never break from that trap. That is, until Cassandra Channing walks into his life.
  
Strengths: Courageous, Spontaneous, Intelligent, Charming, Loyal to family, Kindhearted
Weaknesses: Immoral, Rash, Insecure, Hot-tempered, Fighter

Inspiration: I simply adore the wounded bad-boy hero. And Luke is the perfect example of one. Nothing has gone right for him since his parents died at the hand of the Indians they ministered to. Though Luke tried to save them, he blames his own cowardice for not dashing into the burning house and dragging them out. Honoring a promise to his mother, Luke has cared for his younger brother John since he was one year old. A task made all the more difficult due to John’s disease, Rickets, which has crippled the lad. Angry and disgusted with himself, Luke drowns his pain both in the bottle and in the arms of any woman who’ll have him. Though he doesn’t blame God, Luke no longer believes He exists. Luke is a character beaten up by life. Bad things have happened to him and he’s rejected the only One who can help him, missing the path God laid out for him. In Luke’s life, I wanted to show how unbelief coupled with a bitter, wounded heart can cause you to miss God’s perfect will for your life and lead you down a path cluttered with more pain and heartache.

So, what are your thoughts on Luke? Do you know anyone like him? What about him do you find heroic? What about him would make you run the other way?  Do you like the "Bad Boy" hero or do you prefer the chilvalrous gentlemanly hero?

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Whale watching pics!!

Hubby and I went to the coast for our 19th anniversary this last weekend and went out on a  whale watching cruise! 

First off, let me say that it was quite an experience!! The northern California coast is very cold and the water is very choppy. We were on a small boat and the swells were 6 feet high so we got tossed around quite a bit.

Here's a picture of the marina at Monterey Bay



Here's a fishing boat with some sea lions in front of it as we were heading out....

Local birds catching some sun!

Now, we are heading out to sea.....  see the land in the distance

And further out, you can still see the shadow of land in the distance.

And even further out (We sailed out for over an hour!) No land in sight!

We finally spot a whale!

Yea.. .see the whale's tale!!  It was very hard to get pictures because the boat was rocking so much! We also saw a school of dolphins!!!  They were my favorite. They bow-rode the ship, which means they gathered on either side of the bow and kept up with the ship's speed, swimming along and leaping out of the sea. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of them.. but it was so COOL!

The happy couple!!

The ship's wake





Heading back now... we found this buoy inhabited by Sea Lions!



Finally back on land!! The beaches in California are gorgeous! But notice no one is actually in the water. That's because it's FREEZING!


We had a wonderful time!

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Happy Fourth of July!!

I hope you take time out today to pause and remember the cost of freedom. I hope you'll think about how great America is and what she stands for. I hope you'll take the time to remember the ideals and values and warnings of our forefathers. How they created a nation of small government based on Biblilcal principles and a reverence for God. How they valued individual liberty above all else.  I hope you'll remember because I see our liberties being stripped from us more and more each day and it breaks my heart.

Observe this quote from John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration:

"He who makes a people virtuous, makes them invincible. Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy (depravity) and corruption of manners makes a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual. . .What follows from this? That he is the best friend to American Liberty who is the most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not (would not hesitate) to call him an enemy to his country. . . God grant that in America, true religion and civil liberty may be inseperable and that the unjust attempts to destroy the one may in the issue tend to support the establishment of both."

Enjoy your Hot dogs and your BBQ and fireworks, but somewhere in the middle, please pray for America!

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Anniversary Whale Watching!

Yes, you heard it here first!  It's the new fad for your 19th Wedding Anniversary.  Forget the gold, the silver, the bronze.. or whatever you're supposed to get...  my hubby is taking me on a whale watching cruise off the coast of California.  Yea!!  Just being out at sea will be a thrill for me! 

Anyway, why am I telling you this? Because I'll be offline from Saturday through most of Monday, so if I don't comment here or answer your question, I'm not being rude. K?

In the meantime, I hope all of you have a great weekend celebrating American Independence and Freedom!
And I'll try and get some great pictures of whales!

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Welcome to Surrender the Dawn Month!!

This is my way of celebrating my newest release (Coming to a book store near you in August!!)
This is how it works. Every Friday in July, I will post something about the book, it's characters, it's plot, and even some excerpts in which you can guess what the characters will say next!! It's so much fun!! 

In addition, each Friday, I'll be giving away two free copies for a total of 8 copies for the entire month!! 

All you need to do is leave a comment about the posting for that day and be sure and leave your email address so I can get in touch with you. So, let's get started!!!

Today, we're going to learn about the heroine of the story:

CASSANDRA CHANNING


Brief Description: Though Cassandra stands barely over five feet, she more than makes up for her petite frame by her fiery, independent spirit. Her flashing emerald eyes and red hair only hint at the temper and rebellion simmering within. A rebellion that began in her childhood when, unhappy in their marriage, her parents allowed Cassandra to run wild. Now, with her father long dead and her brothers off fighting in the war, Cassandra is left to support a self-centered, irritable mother, two younger sisters who are following in her rebellious footsteps, a bevy of servants, and a lovable, clumsy dog. Feeling abandoned by her father and brothers, Cassandra blames God and decides that He, too, has left her to her own devices. But Cassandra is a fighter. She is loyal to family and country and refuses to see her loved ones tossed on the street. Against all protocol, and desperate to save her family, she hires the only privateer willing to partner with a woman, the town rogue, Luke Heaton, a gambler, drinker, and womanizer.

Strengths: Independent, smart, capable, fighter, loyal, kind
Weaknesses: Quick-tempered, impatient, rash, stubborn, rebellious

Quirks: You’ll often hear the phrase, “Oh, bother” from Cassandra when she hears bad news. Also, she taps her shoe on the ground when she is frustrated or annoyed.

Inspiration: I love Cassandra. She possesses the kind of courage and tenacity I wish I had. When she makes up her mind to do something, nothing stands in her way! Although this can be a great quality, lurking beneath it are the shadows of rebellion and unbelief. You see, God doesn’t want us to have to go it alone. He doesn’t want us to forge ahead without Him, determined to make our own way. When things get tough, He longs for us to turn to Him, seek Him, ask Him what to do, and then trust Him. I’ve met countless people who, when tragedy strikes, decide God has either left them or He isn’t real at all. In reality, we live in a fallen world. People make choices that hurt other people. God does not intervene in man’s will. Therefore, bad things happen. And people get hurt and die. There’s so much behind the curtain of this physical world that we cannot see. That’s why God asks us to trust Him. When we do, He can turn bad things out for our good. When we don’t, well.... you’ll see the trouble Cassandra causes for herself!

So, what do you like about Cassandra? What do you dislike? Do you have anything in common with her? Know anyone like her?

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