Hooray for the Buffet of Ways to Get Your Hands on a Book! by Judy Christie

It's my great pleasure to welcome author Judy Christie back to the blog!


When I was in elementary school, a bookmobile rolled up every so often and parked on the side street. A few at a time, students entered the cool bus of books. I vividly recall the wonder of a new collection of volumes from which to choose.

When I got my driver’s license, the first place I headed was the Cedar Grove Branch Library. Tons of great reading entered my mind from those shelves.

In my second novel, Goodness Gracious Green, the town’s little newspaper organizes a used book sale. I had such a great time writing that scene because I love book sales. As I wrote, I could see books being dropped off in cardboard boxes and lined up on tables.

These days there is a lot of talk (and even arguing) about where people get their books and in what form. While some debate hardback versus paperback, others discuss electronic readers – and the pros and cons of the “page-turning” experience. Some readers champion independent bookstores, while many like the convenience of online book shopping or large retail chains.

I confess: I like them all! The many ways to pick up a book don’t compete, but complement one another. I stroll through my local library, spend hours in used bookstores, and enjoy books on my Kindle. On vacation, I scour tourist information to discover new bookstores. If I have business in a city, I explore the public library.

The buffet of options for where to get books is as wonderful as a great potluck supper at church, where the choices are so good that I take a little of everything – leaving extra room for my favorites.

How about you? Do you have a favorite place to pick up a book? Have you ever stumbled on a wonderful read in an unexpected spot? I’d love to hear about your encounters with books. Leave a comment below. We’ll draw a winner at random and send you a signed copy of either Gone to Green, first in the series, or Goodness Gracious Green, your choice!

Happy Reading!

Judy Christie

ABOUT THE BOOK

Goodness Gracious Green is the second in The Green Series, about charming and uncertain journalist Lois Barker who is trying to settle into her second year in the small southern town of Green. The year has scarcely been rung in before Lois is wrung out, but in the midst of challenges, Lois’s journey explodes with possibilities. The Glory of Green, book 3 in the series, will be out in February 2011. I can scarcely wait for you to see what happens next!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Christie (that’s me) is the author of The Green Series, about the town of Green and the many interesting folks who live there – and how they change a big-city journalist who moves to town. I’m a frequent retreat and workshop leader who loves to help people hurry less and worry less and have written a series of nonfiction books on how to slow down and enjoy each day more. A former journalist, my husband and I live in Louisiana, where I have fun exploring flea markets and used bookstores, wandering through the park and sitting in the porch swing. For more information or to contact me, see www.judychristie.com. I also love Facebook friends and look forward to visiting with you.

Just for Fun - Any Woman Could Tell You Who'd Win This Race

By now, you've probably already seen clips from this horse race that took place last Sunday. But here's the whole race. The names of the horses that come in first and second are awesome, but there are some other pretty good ones in there, too. Makes the whole race pretty unique. And kudos to the announcer for holding it together!

CFBA Presents MASQUERADE by Nancy Moser

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducing

Masquerade(Bethany House - August 1, 2010)by

Nancy Moser



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane(Jane Austen) and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novel is Masquerade. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at http://www.nancymoser.com/ and http://www.sistercircles.com/.



ABOUT THE BOOK

They risk it all for adventure and romance, but find that love only flourishes in truth...

1886, New York City: Charlotte Gleason, a rich heiress from England, escapes a family crisis by traveling to America in order to marry the even wealthier Conrad Tremaine.

She soon decides that an arranged marriage is not for her and persuades her maid, Dora, to take her place. She wants a chance at "real life," even if it means giving up financial security. For Charlotte, it's a risk she's willing to take. What begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl wanting adventure becomes a test of survival amid poverty beyond Charlotte's blackest nightmares.

As for Dora, it's the chance of a lifetime. She lives a fairy tale complete with gowns, jewels, and lavish mansions--yet is tormented by guilt from the possibility of discovery and the presence of another love that will not die. Is this what her heart truly longs for?

Will their masquerade be discovered? Will one of them have second thoughts? There is no guarantee the switch will work. It's a risk. It's the chance of a lifetime.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Masquerade, go HERE.

View the book trailer:




THOUGHTS FROM JEN

Nancy Moser inspires me not just because she's a talented writer (which she is) but because she's been able to master the art of engrossing storytelling across multiple genres. Whether they're set in the past, the present, or the future, her novels never fail to deliver.

In Masquerade, Moser takes us from England to America in 1886. She spins a tale of two young women who decide to live life on their own unconventional terms. In a Prince-and-the-Pauper-style twist, Charlotte and Dora trade places, never expecting the challenges they'll face.

For the most part, the story moves along at a fast pace and held my interest throughout. My only disappointment was that aspects of the end seemed a little too neat and easy. But that's a very tiny disappointment. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Masquerade and highly recommend it.

Just for Fun - So Darth Vadar walks onto the subway...

This video is from a group called Improv Everywhere. Can you imagine being on the subway and having this happen? Bet it would have you smiling all day!

A New Blog for Women in Ministry

Some of the most gratifying feedback I've gotten on my novel, The Pastor's Wife, has been from women in ministry. Wives and daughters of pastors have let me know how they related to Maura's struggles and how difficult it sometimes is to live in the pastoral family fishbowl.

Their emails got me thinking... wouldn't it be great to have a place for those women? I wanted to create a  place for them to be ministered to. To share their challenges and joys. To ask questions and get answers. And so, The Pastor's Wife Speaks was born.

The Pastor's Wife Speaks is a safe haven for women who live their lives on the front lines of ministry. Rather than have one person claim to know all the answers, the blog is moderated by my fictional character, Maura Sullivan Shepherd. Maura and I have invited many different ministry women to come and share their own experiences.

To celebrate the launch, I'm doing surprise giveaways every Saturday in August. To be eligible to win, you only need to comment on a post or sign up as a blog follower.

I hope you'll stop by the blog and say hi. It would also be great if you'd share the blog address with your own pastor's wife and any other women you think it would bless:  http://thepastorswifespeaks.blogspot.com/

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

I promised I was going to share what's been going on with me and why I was away from the blog for awhile. Here we go...

First off, I got distracted by life. There were lots of writing commitments and then my mom came out for a one week visit. We had lots of fun, but the blog fell by the wayside. Which just proved to me that I have to pre-schedule more stuff.

Last week I was gone for health reasons. After waking up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and a numb left arm, I went to the emergency room and was then admitted to the hospital for tests. The good news is that the doctors found nothing wrong with my heart. More good news is that I was given a new medication which has brought my heart rate and blood pressure into normal parameters and I've felt great this last week.

Looking back now, I probably wasn't in any danger of dying. But at the time, I felt like I was. That kind of scare makes you do a lot of thinking. About the things you still want to do. And about what you're willing to give up to stay healthy. I realized that eating everything I want is less important than being healthy and alive. So I've completely revamped my lifestyle. I've pretty much said goodbye to caffeine, salt, and fat. I've embraced fruits and veggies. And I'm slowly working exercise into my list of things to do.

From a career standpoint, I'm working hard to stay on task and not get stressed out about things I have no control over. I'm making good progress writing the new book, and I just launched a new blog for women in ministry (more on that tomorrow).

God has blessed me with a great life, and I'm going to live it to the fullest!


How about you? Have you ever had this kind of life changing, epiphany moment? What did you change? Did it stick? 

A Thought for Sunday: How Deep Are Your Roots?

Greeting, All! Yep, I've been absent for a bit. Tomorrow, I'll fill you in. But today, I'd like to share a devotion I wrote over at Inkwell Inspirations last month. Enjoy and be blessed!

How Deep Are Your Roots?

When my husband and I decided to move our family to Las Vegas, we knew a lot of things about the weather. We knew it was pretty hot in the summer (112, anyone?) We knew it got pretty cool in the winter (we've had snow twice since we moved here). But what we didn't know was how incredibly windy it can get.

Maybe it's because Vegas is essentially one big valley, but the wind can swoop through with surprising velocity. Earlier this year, we had one of our wild and crazy storms. The kind with winds up to sixty miles an hour. The kind that makes the window blinds shake and shimmy, even though none of the windows are open. That's the kind of wind that almost always does damage. 

Because of the lack of water in the desert, tree roots remain fairly shallow. So when a wind comes up, there's not a whole lot to hang on to. Of course, the news reports that night were full of images of downed trees. Imagine my surprise when I walked out of my apartment the next morning to find a huge tree uprooted right outside my window. Thankfully, it fell in an open space and missed the building (angels working overtime, perhaps). But when I saw the roots, I ran back inside and grabbed my camera. This was just too good to miss.

As you can see, there's some kind of landscape material draped over the roots. That started out under the gravel as a weed deterrent. But now, take a look at the roots themselves. Those are pretty shallow roots for a tree that tall.

Remember that song, "Deep and Wide"? It's about a river, but the phrase applies to roots, too. When roots run deep and wide, the tree is anchored. When storms come, as storms always do, the tree has a foundation to stand against them.

With all this talk about roots and water and storms, I'm sure you can see where I'm going. We feed our spirits when we dig deep into God's Word, spend time with Him in prayer, and join in community worship. All these things extend our root system. They ground us, give us stability. And when the storms of life come, we may be battered and bruised, but by golly, we still stand.

When I was in my early twenties, I went through a nasty period of backsliding. Seriously bad stuff. But even when I was at my lowest, I knew God was there. (I kept pushing Him away, you see, and you can't push away somebody who doesn't exist.) Despite the way I was living at the time, years of praying and studying the Bible and singing in the church choir just wouldn't go away. My foundation was solid, even though I was building a house of cards on top of it. And when the house fell down, the foundation remained, ready and waiting for the Master Builder to put up something solid and lasting. Which He has.

Okay, I am now officially guilty of that writerly sin of mixing metaphors. But you get the point. And just in case, here's a word from Jesus to cement the whole thing:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)

How about you? Is your foundation strong? Are your roots deep? Have you gone through a time in your life when storms battered you, but you came out the other side? I think we all have. God bless you today as you live for Him and stand tall!

Photo credits:

Fallen tree - Jennifer AlLee

Palm tree - Morguefile - http://mrg.bz/tUQx6r