tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17317663202219162482024-03-13T21:42:54.725-07:00Musings on This, That, and the Other ThingJennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.comBlogger527125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-62140494795073326002014-09-05T14:38:00.002-07:002014-09-05T14:38:52.877-07:00LAST FAMILY STANDING - Chapter 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht6YXt2i4UiCx1Z_Mhmt5ieCEjDQzHDWUBXzC8ZyoDsonUbhDgsRMnWfNhfJSP9svFtO2ndvUZR9SXurJ8Pja_pmOlxrhL2ziC1WhBjr038PPTUSiK1-pEAZL9xSwy-PpVHIqvreWNXEB/s1600/Last+Family+Standing+-+Final+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht6YXt2i4UiCx1Z_Mhmt5ieCEjDQzHDWUBXzC8ZyoDsonUbhDgsRMnWfNhfJSP9svFtO2ndvUZR9SXurJ8Pja_pmOlxrhL2ziC1WhBjr038PPTUSiK1-pEAZL9xSwy-PpVHIqvreWNXEB/s1600/Last+Family+Standing+-+Final+Cover.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
<i>Following is the first chapter from my new novel, <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426768095/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426768095&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkId=DCALJXV7QPVSN7F7">Last Family Standing</a></b>, available September 15th from Abingdon Press. Enjoy!</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>CHAPTER 1</b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Your daughter’s on television.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“What?” I just about drop the spoon
I’m using to stir my custard mixture. Is this a joke? A wrong number? I pull my
cell phone away from my ear and read the ID on the screen. Nope. That’s Jules’s
name, right under the picture of her wearing a red, white, and blue stovepipe
hat at last year’s July 4<sup>th</sup> picnic. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Monica? Are you there?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Her voice calls through the
speaker, and I slowly put the phone back to my ear. “Yeah. I’m here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Did you hear what I said?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I close my eyes and shake my head,
as if that will bring some clarity to my mind. It doesn’t work. “I heard, but.
. . are you sure?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Absolutely. I recorded it to the
DVR so you can see for yourself.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Leave it to Jules to think of the
practical answer to my questions. “I’ll be right there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ll leave the porch light on.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As we end the call, I look down at
the spoon I’m still holding, motionless in the sauce pan. Instead of creamy
custard, I now have something more akin to runny scrambled eggs. It’s ruined.
Being a chef, I don’t usually make such stupid mistakes, but I’m more than a
little shell-shocked from the bomb that just fell on me.. I turn off the flame,
pour the contents down the disposal, then drop the pot and spoon into the sink
with a clatter. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Running upstairs to grab my shoes,
scenes from the past flash through my memory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The hospital. All those white
walls. The antiseptic smell. The rhythmic <i>squeak-click-click-squeak</i>
of the gurney. The turtle-shaped water spot on the delivery room ceiling. The
sharp cry of lungs being filled with oxygen for the first time. When I turned
my head away, one nurse said to the other, “She’s not keeping it. We’re
supposed to give the baby right to the adoptive
parents.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
That had been my idea. Don’t give
the baby to me. Why should I hold something that’s not mine to keep? I thought
it would be easier that way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Still, twenty-five years later, I
do believe I made the right decision for my daughter. As I stuff my feet into
my sneakers, I still think it was the right thing to do. For everyone. Even so,
my knees feel slightly wobbly as I trot back down the stairs. My hand shakes as
I grab my house keys. And when I call to my dog, Ranger, my voice shakes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ve got to go out.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
He lifts his shaggy brown head from
the couch and looks my way, no doubt thinking he can stop me with a longing
look from his big, soulful eyes. But I dash right past him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Sorry, buddy. No walk tonight.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
As I pull the front door closed
behind me, a velvety breeze rubs across my cheeks, my bare arms, and my
shorts-clad legs. I’ve lived in the Las Vegas valley long enough to know that
100-degree weather during the day often results in the most wonderful
night-time conditions. Everyone else on the block knows it, too, and it looks
like most of them are taking advantage of it tonight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Mr. Williams raises his hand in
greeting as he approaches, and I wave back. His dog, a black and white Great
Dane named Caesar, tugs him along, straining at the leash. It’s obvious who’s
walking whom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Where’s Ranger?” Mr. Williams
asks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I motion behind me. “Hanging out at
home. I’m heading over to see Jules.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The wind picks up and a gust lifts
his silver comb-over and drops it on the other side of his head. Smoothing it
back in place with one hand, he nods. “Have fun, then. See you –” The rest of
his words are blown away as Caesar propels him down the block. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I’m thankful for the wind. It provides
an excuse to keep my head down. Hands stuffed in my pockets, shoulders curled
forward, ponytail swinging wildly, I speed walk the three-house distance to
Jules’s without having to interact with anyone else. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Just as she promised, the porch
light is on and I open the front door without knocking. Inside the foyer, I
kick off my shoes and call out, “It’s me!” I’m immediately swarmed by tweenager
John, and eight-year-old twins Jerrod and Justin.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Hey Aunt Monica!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Did you bring something yummy?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Where’s Ranger?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Opening my arms wide, I try to hug
them all at once. “Sorry, boys. Only me tonight.” It’s pretty rare for me to
come over here without some kind of food offering for the rug rats. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Guys, give Aunt Monica some breathing
room.” Jules leans her five-foot-nine-inch frame over the boys, bracing one
hand on Jerrod’s head, and plants a kiss on my cheek. Then she looks back down
at her sons. “Head upstairs. Now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The three grumble in unison, but
they don’t argue. It makes me wonder what Jules said to them before I got here.
Did she tell them we needed to have a big-person talk? Or did she warn them
there might be crying? The threat of experiencing female emotion would be
enough to scare them away for at least the rest of the night. Possibly till
puberty.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Jules links her arm through mine
and pulls me through the house. We pass the room they use as an office, and a
voice calls out. “Hey, Monica.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Hey, Jackson,” I call back to her
husband. Apparently, he’s also been warned about the high likelihood of
hysterics.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“You want a drink?” She asks as we
walk through the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“What have you got?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Everything we need for killer root
beer floats.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Ooh, the hard stuff.” I shake my
head. “Maybe later.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
When we get to the family room, my
eyes immediately fly to the flat screen TV mounted on the wall, but it’s not
even on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“In a second.” Jules pats my back.
“First, you need some details. Let’s sit down.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We settle on the worn, chocolate
brown sectional. I was with her when she picked it out. Chocolate was my
suggestion, because I thought it would hide stains. She angles toward me and
puts one hand flat on the seat cushion, right next to a big, dark spot of
something. As it turns out, the antics of three young boys can’t be hidden, no
matter how hard you try. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We look at each other, and I
realize that for once my strong, take-charge friend is at a loss for words. So
I get us started. “What was she doing on TV?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Jules tucks a piece of blond hair
behind her ear, but her hairstyle is so short, it just looks like she’s
stroking the top of her ear. “You know that reality show I watch? Last Family
Standing?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I nod. “Yeah. It’s the one with the
hot-but-snarky host.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
She sighs, but her mouth quirks up
into a grin. “Why is that the only thing you remember about the show?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Because I only watched it once,
just to please her. And since I didn’t know who any of the contestants were or
what was going on, all I had to concentrate on was the host. Who was pretty
memorable. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“The basics are simple,” Jules
says. “The season starts out with eight teams made up of two family members.
All the teams are dumped in a remote location and have to rough it while they
compete against each other until only two family teams are left. Then the
audience votes to decide the winner.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I hold my palm out to her. “Forgive
me if I’m not fascinated, but what difference does it make? What does this have
to do with my daughter?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Tonight was the season finale, and
at the end, they introduce some of the contestants for the next season. She was
one of them.” Jules looks down for a second, rubbing her finger along the edge
of the cushion stain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Now that I’ve had some time to
process the news, questions begin to bubble up in my brain. “How do you know
it’s her? You don’t even know what she looks like. Heck, <i>I</i> don’t even know what she looks like.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“She looks a lot like you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
I immediately picture a younger
version of myself: dark auburn hair, blue eyes, and an upper lip that I’ve
always thought was a bit too thin. Does she feel the same way? Does she ever
look into the mirror and give it a pouty smile, making her lips as prominent as
possible?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
What am I doing? I shake my head,
banishing the daydream and pulling my focus back to reality. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“But that could be a coincidence. I
have one of those faces, you know? People are always asking if they know me
from somewhere.” I sigh. That’s it. That has to be it. “It’s just a mistake.
She must be someone else’s –”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“She has your picture.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
The blood in my veins immediately
converts to ice water. “My picture? Are you sure?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Jules offers up a gentle smile.
“Yes. It’s your graduation photo. And it has your first name and the date
written on the back.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
My spine seems to have lost the
ability to hold me upright. My shoulders slump and I plop back against the
cushions. I don’t understand any of this. I chose the birth parents from a book
full of hopefuls, and we even met once. But I never gave them my name, or a photo,
or anything that would tie us together. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“Hey,” Jules grabs my hand and
squeezes it between both of hers. “Are you okay?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
“No.” Only a handful of people know
about this chapter of my life. Looking into the concerned eyes of my best
friend, I’m glad she’s one of them. “I’m about as un-okay as you can get.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
She understands. The consummate
nurturer, Jules also understands the importance of what we want to do versus
what we need to do. She leans over and snatches the remote from the coffee
table. “You ready?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Can I ever be ready for this? Half
an hour ago I was living a happy, uncomplicated life. My biggest worries were
wondering if I should take Ranger to the vet for a teeth cleaning, and keeping
the eggs from curdling in my custard. Now, I’m a woman with a past. A past
that’s about to come to life before my eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i>God
help me. Please help me. I’m so not ready.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Without waiting for me to answer,
Jules pushes a few buttons, bringing the TV screen to life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Ready or not, here she comes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-36468025030014518622013-10-17T14:36:00.001-07:002013-10-17T14:37:46.785-07:00Chatting on the Radio<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08ZDjnMcx5dqYzuWI31sF5KXh1uBPBRb2ui4AcaJEthQNL61OGDhUMcI0bGJ8kVXvOeSmBsT2yzaF1yEbyWBRGtCznNEoNfNQU2ZZi25XKKTM6NOcUt5za4nJyg3dqpYkww3-2bfCNyb1/s1600/VanishingAct_Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08ZDjnMcx5dqYzuWI31sF5KXh1uBPBRb2ui4AcaJEthQNL61OGDhUMcI0bGJ8kVXvOeSmBsT2yzaF1yEbyWBRGtCznNEoNfNQU2ZZi25XKKTM6NOcUt5za4nJyg3dqpYkww3-2bfCNyb1/s320/VanishingAct_Final.jpg" width="207" /></a><strong>On Thursday, October 17</strong>, Lisa Karon Richardson and I are guests on Shirley Mitchell's internet radio program, <a href="http://www.agingoutsidethebox.net/index.html">Aging Outside the Box</a>.
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<br />
To join us live at 7PM Eastern time, follow this link: <a href="http://revmedianetwork.com/AOTB/live.html">http://revmedianetwork.com/AOTB/live.html</a>
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We'll be talking about the second book in our historical <em>Charm & Deceit series</em>: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603749063/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1603749063&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20"><strong>Vanishing Act</strong></a>. I hope you'll join us.Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-78116321145999964872013-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:002013-10-10T00:00:03.487-07:00Mistletoe Memories Treasure Hunt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes the owner of the old house on Schooley's Mountain finds things stored in the attic. It's your job to collect those items as you travel to each blog on the Mistletoe Memories Treasure Hunt. Read the post about the featured novella and see what the unique giveaways are. You will find the item on the antique post card further down the page.
Giveaways are available on each post and the grand prize is the lovely 12.5" x 18" Christmas banner pictured at the left.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8uJ3517m2iYT3SU97OF9VF6he3PbaEhAVzJqm168mKFvRi228guEgdv6QP43bQ6oCF2qWU7a24WqV8PDvlPHl4fHp_9IXwe_DvpnDIASPtnB5t26U26HYYcxDuu8IIf7631FC1OAJ5pZ/s1600/mm+-+mistletoememories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8uJ3517m2iYT3SU97OF9VF6he3PbaEhAVzJqm168mKFvRi228guEgdv6QP43bQ6oCF2qWU7a24WqV8PDvlPHl4fHp_9IXwe_DvpnDIASPtnB5t26U26HYYcxDuu8IIf7631FC1OAJ5pZ/s200/mm+-+mistletoememories.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF5N9FY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EF5N9FY&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20">Mistletoe Memories</a></strong>
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Barbour Publishing, September 2013
<br />
by Jennifer AlLee, Carla Olson Gade, Gina Welborn, and Lisa Karon Richardson
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<em><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. </strong>~Hebrews 3:4
</span></em></div>
<br />
One of America’s earliest summer resorts began atop the majestically wooded Schooley’s Mountain where the mecca of chalybeate springs (or “magic water”) drew visitors from near and far. Eventually the magic water disappeared, but the memories remained. Folks who live there tell the stories they heard from their grandparents who heard them from their grandparents. The four stories in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF5N9FY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EF5N9FY&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20">MISTLETOE MEMORIES</a> cover the almost 200 years after the house was built and center around a house that became a refuge that became an orphanage that became a home. <br />
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<em><strong>Comfort and Joy</strong> by Jennifer AlLee</em>
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When funding dries up a month before Christmas, Joy Benucci declares she'll do everything in her power to keep Comfort House, a transitional home for foster kids, operating. Even if she has to turn to modern-day Scrooge Evan Lancaster to do it.
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<br />
<strong>My favorite character:</strong>
I love Joy! She is spunky and determined, but she's spent so much of her time helping others that she's really ignored her own needs. Watching her figure out how to deal Evan - the handsome lawyer who just happens to be the one handing over the eviction notice - is all kinds of fun!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BBexbFIpNCYewjlxVIfo_bfSEhhwiW9GGVtGS8yRMzovKX-MimV83-IGmjtjhMGDZn5pE3FTf370s5ClDxRCYtl6nrNcxBzpiv2hHe_gtEeOnMElSsoTtgyUxMZMQGWklr8Px8H_UQdw/s1600/MM+-+ornament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BBexbFIpNCYewjlxVIfo_bfSEhhwiW9GGVtGS8yRMzovKX-MimV83-IGmjtjhMGDZn5pE3FTf370s5ClDxRCYtl6nrNcxBzpiv2hHe_gtEeOnMElSsoTtgyUxMZMQGWklr8Px8H_UQdw/s1600/MM+-+ornament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BBexbFIpNCYewjlxVIfo_bfSEhhwiW9GGVtGS8yRMzovKX-MimV83-IGmjtjhMGDZn5pE3FTf370s5ClDxRCYtl6nrNcxBzpiv2hHe_gtEeOnMElSsoTtgyUxMZMQGWklr8Px8H_UQdw/s200/MM+-+ornament.jpg" /></strong></a><br />
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<strong>Giveaway:</strong>
My special gift is an ornament for your Christmas tree that is also a picture frame. This way, you can memorialize your own mistletoe memory and relive it year after year.
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<strong>Treasure Hunt:</strong>
Post the answer to the question from your previous stop on the Mistletoe Memories Treasure Hunt (unless you started here). Answer the question below and bring your answer to the next blog and post it in the comment area. If this is your first stop you will return here and post an answer after visiting the third stop. Then you will be eligible for the giveaway on this page.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVQf_zQvLjzILlp_1hyphenhyphen4Qkezb5QyJoEo79bADHz9a-pjvBVhOq5zMZuEpaPZGWq4RWWY2in6QH7WDbYHjIl_6NlVd458Ze5bRuqxtB2OCX2yi81Jayp50hY7LSC64aGH69B9HFdGOjXDI/s1600/MM+-+$(KGrHqRHJBQFHm(hR16dBR87huwIGQ~~60_12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVQf_zQvLjzILlp_1hyphenhyphen4Qkezb5QyJoEo79bADHz9a-pjvBVhOq5zMZuEpaPZGWq4RWWY2in6QH7WDbYHjIl_6NlVd458Ze5bRuqxtB2OCX2yi81Jayp50hY7LSC64aGH69B9HFdGOjXDI/s320/MM+-+$(KGrHqRHJBQFHm(hR16dBR87huwIGQ~~60_12.JPG" /></a></div>
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<strong>Question:</strong>
The orphanage children will be happy to find this to play with in the snow. What is the toy?
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Now please visit <a href="http://www.carlaolsongade.com/">Carla Olson Gade</a>, author of <em>'Tis the Season</em>, the first novella in <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF5N9FY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EF5N9FY&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20">Mistletoe Memories</a></strong> to find the next treasure!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnwYMBLlh27RBCysquPRkqzzkQaRG002hucut1Ru7BhDhuNg6QGmsRvQfLt0FR1sfGK5ievOd1-DUCAN4L6Bf7XKTRyHuzBrMLvM37fpki9msntpzusL2Yxua4KkBb-_BR3dXDljfSUrt/s1600/mm+-+Kissing-Ball.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnwYMBLlh27RBCysquPRkqzzkQaRG002hucut1Ru7BhDhuNg6QGmsRvQfLt0FR1sfGK5ievOd1-DUCAN4L6Bf7XKTRyHuzBrMLvM37fpki9msntpzusL2Yxua4KkBb-_BR3dXDljfSUrt/s200/mm+-+Kissing-Ball.png" /></a></div>
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<em><strong>Feel free to share a favorite Christmas memory when you comment.
Do you have a mistletoe memory?</strong></em>
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Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-62156010303357684152013-09-19T04:15:00.001-07:002013-09-19T04:15:13.123-07:00New Bloggy AttitudeYou'd think that keeping up a blog would be easy for me. After all, I'm a writer. I write 80K word novels for a living. What's so hard about writing the occasional 250 word blog post?<br />
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As it turns out... all kinds of things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQFQ3l3aqvN1KUbecN4YdqsS_wfhhbXSila2qIW93sxLSK7W7llJj-B0sb3T40Pqvox-Whx_s5voGC7W9PCa9Qu0fhapbM8KKbP_hNxW3jRms2worZc8zQ7JlSrkCHqvLG6CYgWlLcTOu/s1600/2013-03-27+12.13.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQFQ3l3aqvN1KUbecN4YdqsS_wfhhbXSila2qIW93sxLSK7W7llJj-B0sb3T40Pqvox-Whx_s5voGC7W9PCa9Qu0fhapbM8KKbP_hNxW3jRms2worZc8zQ7JlSrkCHqvLG6CYgWlLcTOu/s320/2013-03-27+12.13.52.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I saw this on the back of a car, and thought it was hysterical.<br />My apologies for the slightly crude nature of the joke,<br />but some days, this is exactly how I feel!</td></tr>
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Blogging is deceptive. It seems like it should be easy-peezy, but when you commit to a blog, it brings an unexpected pressure. What will I write about? What will my theme be? What if I don't have anything meaningful to say? What if people don't like it? Why isn't anyone leaving comments???<br />
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Obviously, the pressure to deliver got to be too much for me, which is why this is the first time I've posted since back in May. But tonight (at 4AM Pacific Time) I had a mini-epiphany.<br />
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I don't need to be scintillating.<br />
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Amazing, huh? All this pressure to deliver... It all came from me. So you know what? I'm releasing myself. I'm still going to blog, but I'm giving myself permission to use this particular piece of cyber real estate to be free. I might write about my latest attempt to lose weight, or the new TV season, or my new novel, or how frustrating it is when you get to the post office with your items all ready to go and the person ahead of you is carrying an open, unlabeled box with items still hanging out of it. But the point is, I'm just going to be me. <br />
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So, if you want posts that are a little more hefty in the "meaningful content" department, visit <a href="http://www.inkwellinspirations.com/">Inkwell Inspirations</a> where I blog with 11 other amazing women. But, if you just want to hang out and experience my ramblings, come here. It'll be like joining me for coffee and gabbing about whatever comes to mind. Of course, I don't drink coffee, so imagine that I've got an iced tea.<br />
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Ahhh... I feel better already!Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-22249050383504998182013-05-01T21:38:00.000-07:002013-05-01T21:38:38.803-07:00On the Radio<span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">On Thursday, May 2nd, Lisa and I will be doing a radio interview about our new release from Whitaker House, <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603747427/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1603747427&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20">Diamond in the Rough</a></strong>. All the info is in the blurb below. We'd love to have you join us!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">May 2, 2013</span>... <span style="color: #000099;">6PM-CST</span>... "<a href="http://www.agingoutsidethebox.net/May2013.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #073763;">Gambling On A Chance</span></a>" with our "<span style="color: #ff6666;">Guests</span>" <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.jenniferallee.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Jennifer AlLee</span></a> <span style="color: black;">and</span> <a href="http://www.lisakaronrichardson.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Lisa Karon Richardson</span></a></span>, Writers and Co-Authors of "<a href="http://www.agingoutsidethebox.net/WhitakerHouse.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Diamonds In The Rough</span></a>" on "<a href="http://www.agingoutsidethebox.net/"><span style="color: red;">Aging</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: #ff6666;">Outside</span><span style="color: #993399;"> </span><span style="color: #993399;">the Box</span></a><span style="color: black;">®</span>" Syndicated <span style="color: #3366ff;">Radio</span> <span style="color: #000099;">Show</span> with<span style="color: #000099;"> </span><span style="color: black;">National Author, Writer, Speaker, Syndicated Columnist</span> and <a href="http://agingoutsidethebox.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Celebrity</span><span style="color: #3366ff;"> Radio</span><span style="color: #000099;"> Talk Show Host</span></a>, <span style="color: #cc9933;">Shirley W. Mitchell</span>, as they discuss "<span style="color: #073763;">Gambling On A Chance</span>" with... Starting New Adventures, Diamonds In The Rough and The Fascination of Historical Romance. Join us "<a href="http://www.agingoutsidethebox.net/ListenLive.html"><span style="color: #ff6600;">LIVE</span><span style="color: black;"> on</span> <span style="color: #3366ff;">AIR</span></a>" every<span style="color: #ff6600;"> Thursday</span> Night at 2PM-HIST, 3PM-AKST, 4PM-PST, 5PM-MST, 6PM-CST, 7PM-EST and 8PM-AST. Be the <span style="color: #cc0000;">3rd</span>, <span style="color: #cc0000;">7th</span>, or <span style="color: #cc0000;">13th</span> <span style="color: blue;">E-Mail</span> on the Show and receive a <span style="color: red;">FREE</span> Copy of <span style="color: #cc0000;">Jennifer's</span> and <span style="color: #cc0000;">Lisa's</span> book, "<span style="color: #b45f06;">Diamonds In The Rough</span>"!
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-59916200322281202692013-04-03T12:03:00.001-07:002013-04-03T12:03:37.442-07:00If only it was down about an inch...My son spotted this when we were in Target:<br />
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Another example of why you need to be careful where you put the price tag :+]Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-37178863571143690702013-03-22T20:58:00.003-07:002013-03-22T20:59:51.506-07:00The CFBA presents WINGS OF GLASS by Gina Holmes<div align="center">
<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/1600/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/320/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 130%;">This week, the</span></center>
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<a href="http://www.christianfictionblogalliance.com/"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Christian Fiction Blog Alliance</span></a></center>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">is introducing</span></center>
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<span style="color: #993300; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414366418">Wings of Glass</a></span></center>
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Tyndale House Publishers (March 1, 2013)
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by</center>
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<span style="color: #006600; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://ginaholmes.com/">Gina Holmes</a></span></center>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 100%;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-z3Vnd5Y_62Gx6P5Jal9CYUsWedVcJYmYITv1sqdJV7DNp4JO-iPJw4btzbth7WK3Y6KgJvIAlbqEPDOeLPL3KoAKRTCxWo7iqg6xqk8wwQzUyluDIPdBUhnOG4tvXfGJ7kpAryEYiZps/s1600/ginaholmes%5B3%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-z3Vnd5Y_62Gx6P5Jal9CYUsWedVcJYmYITv1sqdJV7DNp4JO-iPJw4btzbth7WK3Y6KgJvIAlbqEPDOeLPL3KoAKRTCxWo7iqg6xqk8wwQzUyluDIPdBUhnOG4tvXfGJ7kpAryEYiZps/s200/ginaholmes%5B3%5D.JPG" width="141" /></a></div>
Gina Holmes began her career in 1998, penning articles and short stories. In 2005 she founded the influential literary blog, Novel Journey now called Novel Rocket and she is also the founder of Inspire The Fire.
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Her debut, <i>Crossing Oceans</i>, was a Christy and Gold Medallion finalist and winner of the Carol Award, INSPY, and RWA’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice, as well as being a CBA, ECPA, Amazon and PW Religion bestseller. Her sophomore novel, <em>Dry as Rain</em>, was also named a Christy finalist. Her upcoming novel, <i>Wings of Glass</i> will releases this month. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her family in southern Virginia. She works too hard, laughs too loud, and longs to see others heal from their past and discover their God-given purpose.
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<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-size: 100%;">ABOUT THE BOOK</span></b> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfw-I0K8nBRD9oWCMZ3DoO2I9kjshpxx6UsmJ5QZknVjRQX1qc2d52ZhNHTFeMFTXmGNy2bl402E2WZ-nJRsbXqlvVKWqdDXqv_JGB2WDWmeyqjkznp7UbelwdELXu1Fgu9v7YnZCQE54/s1600/WingsOfGlass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfw-I0K8nBRD9oWCMZ3DoO2I9kjshpxx6UsmJ5QZknVjRQX1qc2d52ZhNHTFeMFTXmGNy2bl402E2WZ-nJRsbXqlvVKWqdDXqv_JGB2WDWmeyqjkznp7UbelwdELXu1Fgu9v7YnZCQE54/s1600/WingsOfGlass.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
From the bestselling author of <em>Crossing Oceans</em> comes a heart-rending yet uplifting story of friendship and redemption. On the cusp of womanhood, Penny is swept off her feet by a handsome farmhand with a confident swagger. Though Trent Taylor seems like Prince Charming and offers an escape from her one-stop-sign-town, Penny’s happily ever after lasts no longer than their breakneck courtship. Before the ink even dries on their marriage certificate, he hits her for the first time. It isn’t the last, yet the bruises that can’t be seen are the most painful of all.
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When Trent is injured in a welding accident and his paycheck stops, he has no choice but to finally allow Penny to take a job cleaning houses. Here she meets two women from very different worlds who will teach her to live and laugh again, and lend her their backbones just long enough for her to grow her own.
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If you would like to read the first chapter of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414366418">Wings of Glass</a>, go <a href="http://thestorybeginnings.blogspot.com/2013/03/wings-of-glass-by-gina-holmes.html">HERE</a>.
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<strong><span style="color: #990000;">JEN'S THOUGHTS</span></strong><br />
Gina Holmes has become one of my must-read authors. In other words, when she writes a book, I MUST read it. Holmes has a way of tackling hard issues that makes them accessible without shying away from cold, hard reality. <em>Wings of Glass</em> is no exception. With characters that live and breath on the page, she makes us think about the true nature of love, how we respond when that love is twisted, and shines a light on the hope that awaits us all. Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-72240331016207964382013-02-25T10:16:00.000-08:002013-02-25T10:16:31.013-08:00Faces in the FoodYes, I fell down on the job. While I am still thankful, I wasn't able to live up to my desire to post something every day. So... we'll just go back to business as usual, with me trying to post as often as possible, and trying not to beat myself up too bad when I fail. LOL<br />
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Today, I'm thankful for the faces in my food. My mom laughed when I whipped out my camera and took a picture of this tart, but the expression made me smile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1y7WrWMcVfX1dffPXw8XsY0hlKeNmveIcwEzGA34WU1b4GmDnCR-6hgj2lSDa3LcdddnEBBOid9b5-tP3voP_GE918Cyj9pUfjIVJif7YOhLx7VLvME6QxEvZvBMe-ngWaAB01zqNlk-E/s1600/2013-02-01+13.26.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1y7WrWMcVfX1dffPXw8XsY0hlKeNmveIcwEzGA34WU1b4GmDnCR-6hgj2lSDa3LcdddnEBBOid9b5-tP3voP_GE918Cyj9pUfjIVJif7YOhLx7VLvME6QxEvZvBMe-ngWaAB01zqNlk-E/s320/2013-02-01+13.26.03.jpg" /></a></div>
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-67777952899107136942013-02-20T20:48:00.000-08:002013-02-20T20:48:43.481-08:00CFBA presents FOR LOVE OF ELI by Loree Lough<div align="center">
<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/1600/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5500/1432/320/CFBAreviewer_gif.0.gif" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
<center>
<span style="font-size: 130%;">This week, the</span></center>
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<a href="http://www.christianfictionblogalliance.com/"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Christian Fiction Blog Alliance</span></a></center>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">is introducing</span></center>
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<span style="color: #993300; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1426752504">For Love of Eli</a></span></center>
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Abingdon Press (February 1, 2013)</center>
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by</center>
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<span style="color: #006600; font-size: 130%;"><a href="http://www.loreelough.com/">Loree Lough</a></span></center>
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: 100%;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30t1PC042agyLfPpEYOkzMXbP96D11kttaiOXupNrhYkapP207GJopyoW_e2On3OLg68s5Znub6aLcrL1KdZRuIpnHdjZ6LCacuTu_ObYqjBBzcgtBZx3R5AgJznreMs4R5pxB9CgxWwL/s1600/LoreeLough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30t1PC042agyLfPpEYOkzMXbP96D11kttaiOXupNrhYkapP207GJopyoW_e2On3OLg68s5Znub6aLcrL1KdZRuIpnHdjZ6LCacuTu_ObYqjBBzcgtBZx3R5AgJznreMs4R5pxB9CgxWwL/s1600/LoreeLough.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>
With more than FOUR MILLION copies of her books in circulation, Loree has 98 books (fiction and non-fiction for kids and adults; four novels optioned for movies; more books slated for release between now and 2014), 68 short stories, over 2,500+ articles in print, and over 19,000 letters from fans!<br />
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Loree loves sharing learned-the-hard-way lessons about the craft and the industry, and her comedic approach makes her a favorite (and frequent) guest of writers' organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, college and high school writing programs both here and abroad.<br />
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A writer who believes in "giving back," Loree dedicates a portion of her income to Soldiers' Angels, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and other worthwhile organizations.<br />
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She splits her time between a tiny home in the Baltimore suburbs and an even tinier cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, and shares both with her real-life hero Larry, who rarely complains, even when she adds yet another item to her vast collection of "wolf stuff." <br />
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: 100%;">ABOUT THE BOOK</span></b> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVX0rHUXpaSJrbdL_-IS9h-xi0mVKKofODp0nNxBUHHuqhG31l6-LBdEGVf8g8FLcwYT5hcU6-CP-zZPCoYOtkEPjVJEKmh2Q2eYYGqy5BEN_tQxoWxgnYkKakWOF8kieKje9wc_SZ6Lnh/s1600/For+Love+of+Eli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVX0rHUXpaSJrbdL_-IS9h-xi0mVKKofODp0nNxBUHHuqhG31l6-LBdEGVf8g8FLcwYT5hcU6-CP-zZPCoYOtkEPjVJEKmh2Q2eYYGqy5BEN_tQxoWxgnYkKakWOF8kieKje9wc_SZ6Lnh/s1600/For+Love+of+Eli.JPG" width="132" /></a></div>
When unspeakable tragedy leaves young Eli an orphan, two families are devastated. But Taylor, Eli’s aunt and legal guardian, vows to help him remember his parents by creating a Memory Quilt. As she begins piecing together the moments of his parents' lives, the story of the young family emerges and Taylor and Eli begin to heal. But Eli’s uncle Reece is slow to let go of the past and still blames Taylor’s brother for his sister’s death. So, although he has long been attracted to Taylor, Reece keeps a safe distance away. Can their shared love for Eli pave the way to forgiveness or will Taylor and Reece be separated by pain?<br />
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If you would like to read a first chapter excerpt of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1426752504">For Love of Eli</a>, go <a href="http://thestorybeginnings.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-eli-by-loree-lough.html">HERE</a>.Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-50085558366568000252013-01-18T20:33:00.000-08:002013-01-18T20:33:48.245-08:00YOT Day 18 - Puppies<strong><em>PUPPIES!</em></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW526oceVrXTiNDrvZt3YnEo1s-sOaCc7uPQJbAdH_IF25uuiCa9mJv8h1Sfx-Z9rUVkGTDw5gwa5VjTB51EaNSe_8c8JyfYlqEIM5onWxsVJZ_PZBcK6gCMDc7FDwkMaJcFH3-fT3urmT/s1600/Puppy+1+-+morguefile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW526oceVrXTiNDrvZt3YnEo1s-sOaCc7uPQJbAdH_IF25uuiCa9mJv8h1Sfx-Z9rUVkGTDw5gwa5VjTB51EaNSe_8c8JyfYlqEIM5onWxsVJZ_PZBcK6gCMDc7FDwkMaJcFH3-fT3urmT/s200/Puppy+1+-+morguefile.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cute!<br />
Image via <a href="http://mrg.bz/4Iu66C">Morguefile.com</a></td></tr>
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How can you NOT be thankful for puppies? God sure knew what he was doing when he made baby animals so dang cute... those big eyes, soft fur, the way they gamble about. <br />
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I love dogs. If it weren't for the fact that they need to be taken care of and cleaned up after, I'd have a couple of my own. But for now, I just enjoy the puppies and dogs of others. Here are a few extra-adorable ones to brighten your day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZVXcFnCxe8GBiO7U3JXdn-hJddlOU1uj8ZrZXcCsLbt4n-YBiQAgDTHjI7iubGGovd8IfH_vOheAEH72skvwjky2BRlfp-IzbQaNXmnkA4wQyhURL7MFVE0z_EAp29Ly49IPzn7JNm1J/s1600/Puppies+in+dogpile+-+morguefile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZVXcFnCxe8GBiO7U3JXdn-hJddlOU1uj8ZrZXcCsLbt4n-YBiQAgDTHjI7iubGGovd8IfH_vOheAEH72skvwjky2BRlfp-IzbQaNXmnkA4wQyhURL7MFVE0z_EAp29Ly49IPzn7JNm1J/s200/Puppies+in+dogpile+-+morguefile.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A puppy dog pile<br />Image via <a href="http://mrg.bz/iloNoy">Morguefile.com</a></td></tr>
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Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-50765947181882594822013-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:002013-01-17T14:53:10.765-08:00YOT Day 17 - GraceFor those of you keeping score... I'm sure you've noticed I've missed a few days here on the blog. That doesn't mean I haven't been thankful, just that I've been super busy. So today, I'm especially thankful for grace.<br />
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Grace is that wonderful, undeserved gift of forgiveness and clemency. It's what lets me know that God loves me, no matter how many times I screw up. And it lets me know that my friends won't hold some missed blog days against me ;)<br />
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May every day be grace-filled!Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-83847195929414567282013-01-09T09:04:00.002-08:002013-01-09T09:04:40.049-08:00YOT Day 9 - Free Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqteNz9ZHCqrHnKFHnsOWfiX1cmJcpEEExJRmDDySHodv5lL6ObpDnMgluVRDmLibB7IdI6YH9wfKWySXHyHOW2uxaMnijg2y7DbBx_kDl6sTb5rAD2aFjAhGpQh80-L4ToilrewyQN6z5/s1600/The+Pastors+Wife+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqteNz9ZHCqrHnKFHnsOWfiX1cmJcpEEExJRmDDySHodv5lL6ObpDnMgluVRDmLibB7IdI6YH9wfKWySXHyHOW2uxaMnijg2y7DbBx_kDl6sTb5rAD2aFjAhGpQh80-L4ToilrewyQN6z5/s200/The+Pastors+Wife+Cover.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
Today, I'm thankful that my publisher, Abingdon Press, has made several novels available for free on Kindle... and my novel, <strong>The Pastor's Wife</strong>, is one of them. Here are the books that are free today and tomorrow (1/9 & 1/10):<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SZ478S/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005SZ478S" target="_blank">A Time for Peace</a> by Barbara Cameron <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004R1QCAU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004R1QCAU" target="_blank">Delivered with Love</a> by Sherry Kyle
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00711WFVS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00711WFVS" target="_blank">The Dog That Talked to God</a> by Jim Kraus <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHNIHA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004GHNIHA" target="_blank">The Pastor's Wife</a> by Jennifer AlLee
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GHNIIE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004GHNIIE" target="_blank">The Call of Zulina</a> by Kay Marshall Strom <br />
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Enjoy!Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-6663657106189040272013-01-05T00:30:00.000-08:002013-01-05T00:30:02.126-08:00YOT Day 5 - Street Fairs and Forever Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_QQ6gSPO1oWACbLNv8aF6-eAEKc0nHjla-Z0DbYnRNy9qlx6aiwIvc0mFN1vM_7y-df1-l8QX7-lOl8JtBPl2v1LcapOgDNtHjolvUaqbPPNolFYaj94MUM5SSzVThvQoInyyJwEV9op/s1600/DSCN1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_QQ6gSPO1oWACbLNv8aF6-eAEKc0nHjla-Z0DbYnRNy9qlx6aiwIvc0mFN1vM_7y-df1-l8QX7-lOl8JtBPl2v1LcapOgDNtHjolvUaqbPPNolFYaj94MUM5SSzVThvQoInyyJwEV9op/s200/DSCN1237.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
At the beginning of December, I went back to my old neighborhood in Monrovia, CA. One of the reasons was to hang out with my friends, Diane & Kathy Daw. We have been friends for many, many years (about 23 years, I think). We've written, directed, and performed bunches of plays together. We've laughed until we cried. We've broken bread (among other things). We've talked for hours. And no matter how much time goes by, when we get together, it's like no time has gone by at all. I'm very thankful for these ladies. God blessed me with friends that have always made me feel like the third sister.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWZM4CGiyku71kMWGYDe8Xzk-JH-4Xul6EQP1w6h1jivUm6GAUzexNAz-rieAPFEbcQHzULSpddtuKwfzQ1yxETgh2ie30J5CupPlMjE7FRGhdv4oaGTOvUfuWFQo1EMw9uiQzr2EsE4W/s1600/DSCN1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWZM4CGiyku71kMWGYDe8Xzk-JH-4Xul6EQP1w6h1jivUm6GAUzexNAz-rieAPFEbcQHzULSpddtuKwfzQ1yxETgh2ie30J5CupPlMjE7FRGhdv4oaGTOvUfuWFQo1EMw9uiQzr2EsE4W/s200/DSCN1217.JPG" width="200" /></a>The other reason was to visit the Old Town Street Fair. The Street Fair was featured in my book, <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426752490/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426752490" target="_blank">A Wild Goose Chase Christmas</a></strong>, so it was pretty cool to find these quilt-like boxes of berries.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdpkwxlGKhawcs6xLqI2mWSLmbtSbHaEfB2KE08-xkyAUE7T6syMURgBBvFYic6YSIuArJR8hK3OG0f2fqb4meGCKVqclF-b6B5S8CwiAZrwwSJEuYntuXm8i1rhV7E5kqrMpgRDMbnlq/s1600/DSCN1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdpkwxlGKhawcs6xLqI2mWSLmbtSbHaEfB2KE08-xkyAUE7T6syMURgBBvFYic6YSIuArJR8hK3OG0f2fqb4meGCKVqclF-b6B5S8CwiAZrwwSJEuYntuXm8i1rhV7E5kqrMpgRDMbnlq/s200/DSCN1221.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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My inner-editor was able to come out and play when I saw this sign. Do you think these were Brazilian deer?<br />
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What a blessing to share good times with good friends!<br />
<br />Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-430976101079141892013-01-04T00:30:00.000-08:002013-01-04T00:30:02.801-08:00YOT Day 4 - Festive Decorations<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZpVqweCEJ94c14FM0JYvOCc-tllNhlvBChqrGCncNHmoGvvAYkO2lXjCdH3_oJGVZq8rPrZwFiqRGH85t6ZludaT6lH591Ho7juC9NpqhaOvb95y7fRQyf4RvRNX55PdH77r4kxPgdtw/s1600/2005-06-23+06.06.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZpVqweCEJ94c14FM0JYvOCc-tllNhlvBChqrGCncNHmoGvvAYkO2lXjCdH3_oJGVZq8rPrZwFiqRGH85t6ZludaT6lH591Ho7juC9NpqhaOvb95y7fRQyf4RvRNX55PdH77r4kxPgdtw/s200/2005-06-23+06.06.03.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom, me, and a very friendly<br />
polar bear.</td></tr>
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My mother and I went to the Bellagio Conservatory yesterday to see the Christmas display before they took it down. This is one of my favorite places in Vegas. It's beautiful, and it's free. And it gave me an opportunity to bless someone.<br />
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Shortly after we walked in, I saw a family taking turns taking pictures of each other. It was one of those situations where the group picture is always missing someone, because they were the photographer. So I asked if they'd like a picture of all of them together. They were so surprised at the offer, and so happy. And after I took the photo, one of the gals asked if she could take a picture of my mom & I for us. It was a definite "reap what you sow" moment.<br />
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Thanks, God, for a lovely day amongst the beautiful Christmas decorations! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMV0AmLCbaROxEwZu-g2iBHoXRGx1HygZGvywpWrbD8uGN9_5dhq89Z1x_33QAIPz_JNBFSBnahGYFgF3bj_lCBSAKx-n3nsCZVftPwjVy3q_yPDc05FPFfbgs5j7DLVdwuLET6BQZB5Z/s1600/2005-06-23+06.04.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMV0AmLCbaROxEwZu-g2iBHoXRGx1HygZGvywpWrbD8uGN9_5dhq89Z1x_33QAIPz_JNBFSBnahGYFgF3bj_lCBSAKx-n3nsCZVftPwjVy3q_yPDc05FPFfbgs5j7DLVdwuLET6BQZB5Z/s200/2005-06-23+06.04.28.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKySxnuHU9cZvYoBKrXIb7-2lUY4gHMguOXPLFcG_Y_bBH9Xq_OdVr45AdBn4PRZpgVN0IzuId_5wz6-m6Pior5Sz-O03Vwi7wWDlGxcuCdY_i7_T53HXVNjTkKuawqmvKagx-8RH6RIi/s1600/2005-06-23+06.08.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKySxnuHU9cZvYoBKrXIb7-2lUY4gHMguOXPLFcG_Y_bBH9Xq_OdVr45AdBn4PRZpgVN0IzuId_5wz6-m6Pior5Sz-O03Vwi7wWDlGxcuCdY_i7_T53HXVNjTkKuawqmvKagx-8RH6RIi/s200/2005-06-23+06.08.59.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-2412462095443347362013-01-03T17:53:00.002-08:002013-01-03T18:03:24.569-08:00YOT Day 3 - Affirmation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVXts66NH1w7RTbyIV7qep7g5Xsw9xZku8WzLAjyAqo4s_EFFQTr5lnuGCqwvNqwIUNj6_o5G_Eslj4VotaU1JFHftRw4H8-XrMyagNpmD5yYrk8hOGAazPkQnJbeusNLioVklgzvqUPT/s1600/Wild+Goose+Chase+Cover+Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVXts66NH1w7RTbyIV7qep7g5Xsw9xZku8WzLAjyAqo4s_EFFQTr5lnuGCqwvNqwIUNj6_o5G_Eslj4VotaU1JFHftRw4H8-XrMyagNpmD5yYrk8hOGAazPkQnJbeusNLioVklgzvqUPT/s320/Wild+Goose+Chase+Cover+Final.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Today has been kind of a tough day. But God blessed me with some awesome news in my in-box. My latest novel, <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426752490/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=autsitforjena-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426752490" target="_blank">A Wild Goose Chase Christmas</a></strong>, squeaked onto the <a href="http://christianbookexpo.com/bestseller/fiction.php?id=0113" target="_blank">ECPA Best Seller List</a>. It's number 19, but that's okay... it's there!<br />
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So, thank you Lord, for affirmation coming at the time when I really, really needed it.<br />
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Oh, and in case you're wondering, this isn't just a Christmas book. It's to be enjoyed year round!Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-3773451739653560542013-01-02T20:47:00.000-08:002013-01-02T20:47:27.590-08:00YOT Day 2 - Sugar-free Jell-oToday, I am thankful for sugar-free Jell-o. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginEYTEFk53UkB2FvevLO8cRvFE3wT8nRpyf4LR8sd0UrnK5YfZ3h7QJoVM2LYQIOF283zSFHzV6ohc_BmAPBIJ2hyREE2jqoljguP4SdkYq_upONTEHYESeIe8y9rEgsTPyx7z8Q3eMAu/s1600/Jello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginEYTEFk53UkB2FvevLO8cRvFE3wT8nRpyf4LR8sd0UrnK5YfZ3h7QJoVM2LYQIOF283zSFHzV6ohc_BmAPBIJ2hyREE2jqoljguP4SdkYq_upONTEHYESeIe8y9rEgsTPyx7z8Q3eMAu/s320/Jello.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
You see, I'm doing this low-carb diet. And it's working really well (especially now that it finally clicked that I must exercise at the same time... much more effective). Anyway, low-carb is a fairly easy plan for me to follow, but sometimes, a gal needs something that feels like a treat. And today, it's sugar-free Jell-o.<br />
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My current fave flavors are strawberry and lemon-lime. <br />
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Mmmmm Mmmm....Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-25087272505044758872013-01-01T09:15:00.000-08:002013-01-01T09:15:49.843-08:00YOT Day 1 - Happy New Year!Like just about everyone else, I was thinking about the start of a new year and the symbolism that holds. New beginnings. Fresh starts. And then I thought about what I want to focus on this year. The answer came pretty quickly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBs7uft0qyFjVscirq6VC_hbZToLWoMP1-XsuMvALlgEATUX2MALdqqKiHlkmyFFRsRm6FlUtBauMX2Xq-9VOIhRiiPgYXrXHaTpM7GaQJ_jxlKvTJ1F65YGvWqtk4xw1AcamkeU5XMzd/s1600/footprints+in+snow+-+iStock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBs7uft0qyFjVscirq6VC_hbZToLWoMP1-XsuMvALlgEATUX2MALdqqKiHlkmyFFRsRm6FlUtBauMX2Xq-9VOIhRiiPgYXrXHaTpM7GaQJ_jxlKvTJ1F65YGvWqtk4xw1AcamkeU5XMzd/s320/footprints+in+snow+-+iStock.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where will you go this year?</td></tr>
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Thankfulness.<br />
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If you're like me, there are some days when you're anything but thankful. I know I can be grouchy and selfish, and then I fail to see all the blessings God has given me. So, in order to live in a spirit of thankfulness, I've decided that each day I'll post something I'm thankful for. <br />
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Today, I'm thankful that the Mayans were wrong! LOL... seriously, <strong>I'm thankful for today</strong>, the first day of a new year. To all of you, I wish blessings abounding and a year that gets better and better every day.<br />
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Now...the challenge will be to see if I can keep this up all year. So far so good... Day One of the Year of Thanksgiving (YOT) is accomplished!Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-75764312919306003492012-12-22T15:15:00.002-08:002012-12-22T15:15:52.495-08:00My First Santa Photo<br />
My mom came across my first picture with Santa... it was 1965, which makes me a year and a half old. I don't look too secure with the old gentleman. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRfOfR3XRb4LgBoSwYmEAuT-S-4A6YnhMSgVs3JHQTYGLmCCX8NemCEnTcB2wR3Q-Mkpah-5139WNEMxbk77xe3lbpYsO62trodosTElX95cqfIh01TPKQQOtBY1B7Ti5cXR-ILXnSn8z/s1600/Jen+with+Santa+-+1965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRfOfR3XRb4LgBoSwYmEAuT-S-4A6YnhMSgVs3JHQTYGLmCCX8NemCEnTcB2wR3Q-Mkpah-5139WNEMxbk77xe3lbpYsO62trodosTElX95cqfIh01TPKQQOtBY1B7Ti5cXR-ILXnSn8z/s320/Jen+with+Santa+-+1965.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Wishing you and your family a very merry, </em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>very secure Christmas!</em></strong></span></div>
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-10853821115911210702012-11-06T14:07:00.001-08:002012-11-06T14:07:30.462-08:00All the Signs Point to Voting DayThis morning I accompanied my 19-year-old son to the polling place for his first time participating in the electoral process. "Whatever happens over the next four years," I told him, "you're now partially responsible. Congratulations." <br />
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I had to laugh at the entry to the voting machines. There was absolutely no doubt we were in the right place.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3DsfVUKe49h6q18XPt7grdGb2E96IXEBw3LJAxDhj9bNOUBOBOHUiC-E93oV5F8GuU8RUOjL-1_af5xrJB_8qiTXG4Fqg8S3xnIc6JXYDxFSuetY108DCzsjDecLpWaIzzLqrXc9BsoM/s1600/2012-11-06+08.58.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3DsfVUKe49h6q18XPt7grdGb2E96IXEBw3LJAxDhj9bNOUBOBOHUiC-E93oV5F8GuU8RUOjL-1_af5xrJB_8qiTXG4Fqg8S3xnIc6JXYDxFSuetY108DCzsjDecLpWaIzzLqrXc9BsoM/s320/2012-11-06+08.58.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-16231995721195366852012-10-31T17:17:00.001-07:002012-10-31T17:17:44.777-07:0050,000 Words in 30 Days<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjacvdqsM1ZfqvNirSa4U0cvhXNDJQHSWWCd0Pq0vaF-P3AzUujsmKfhkSIlLQtW0RMY08Yb6nuo6HN9Blh6xhvR9e2Pc3z1kkRinOmtegjtCtyvtUdJoV6FFyvOKSHVRGxCRJxQlLOMTT/s1600/Na+No+Participant-180x180-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjacvdqsM1ZfqvNirSa4U0cvhXNDJQHSWWCd0Pq0vaF-P3AzUujsmKfhkSIlLQtW0RMY08Yb6nuo6HN9Blh6xhvR9e2Pc3z1kkRinOmtegjtCtyvtUdJoV6FFyvOKSHVRGxCRJxQlLOMTT/s320/Na+No+Participant-180x180-2.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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November is National Novel Writing Month, a time when thousands of writers dedicate themselves to writing a 50,000 (or more) word manuscript in just 30 days. Since I have a book to write, from scratch, that's due April 1st, I figured this would be a great way to jump start it. I'll let you know how things progress.Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-54065268458774220562012-10-29T12:53:00.001-07:002012-10-29T12:53:57.790-07:00The Case of the Disappearing Neck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGZWsoE2Knv1eoSY_YauErZInygGqi2tCJ1GfFGxg5r_fHtFuJ3WuvcYe_CBqWPZcGRmld-RuxXW21VrOQfglEY91oOjho2S_Xj2dKJwTOxDLNZSCepqj3nfrvxsiDRLZ-u5UGJdSfExz/s1600/model+with+odd+neck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGZWsoE2Knv1eoSY_YauErZInygGqi2tCJ1GfFGxg5r_fHtFuJ3WuvcYe_CBqWPZcGRmld-RuxXW21VrOQfglEY91oOjho2S_Xj2dKJwTOxDLNZSCepqj3nfrvxsiDRLZ-u5UGJdSfExz/s320/model+with+odd+neck.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
I came across this add for a clothing line sold at a mid-scale department store. It caught my attention, but for all the wrong reasons. What happened to this poor gal's neck? Is this a case of over-enthusiastic airbrushing? Photoshop fail? It looks like a strong wind could snap her head clean off. Makes you wonder who approved this photo to go to print. Hmmm...Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-41425891330733039592012-10-23T22:09:00.001-07:002012-10-23T22:09:35.504-07:00Quilts of Love: All the Covers in One PlaceCounting down till the release of my next book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1426752490/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1426752490&linkCode=as2&tag=autsitforjena-20">A Wild Goose Chase Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=autsitforjena-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1426752490" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
. Check out this video from Abingdon Press. Didn't they do a great job with the covers?
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SlOhIRjNinU" width="560"></iframe>Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-73745317726772561272012-10-10T08:49:00.001-07:002012-10-10T08:49:58.159-07:00Christina Aguilera... and friend<div style="text-align: center;">
This cracks me up... how did Alfred Hitchcock </div>
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sneak into this picture with Christina Aguilera?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mENL1_nv5glts8wHh88mgAw21rmGurmEYFxrX4BX2EbAPrrWv_Zf8H-kJkIBOCxpyZ77-i5BII9UrEWY30W3-zUrOSWI7zK0n_UbRqu0C_wIKwtN0kxKyHnmpirA5ot6y5Fnh2mqDjhd/s1600/christina-aguilera+and+shadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mENL1_nv5glts8wHh88mgAw21rmGurmEYFxrX4BX2EbAPrrWv_Zf8H-kJkIBOCxpyZ77-i5BII9UrEWY30W3-zUrOSWI7zK0n_UbRqu0C_wIKwtN0kxKyHnmpirA5ot6y5Fnh2mqDjhd/s320/christina-aguilera+and+shadow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And now, for extra fun, who out there knows </div>
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what I'm talking about?</div>
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-79224213253124530552012-10-06T19:58:00.000-07:002012-10-06T19:58:13.291-07:00Coming or Going? You decide...<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
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<strong>My son and I were in Target the other day, and we saw this...</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPm8IhzYr6R50WTCghs3ULXyzjhKZOkmLkGTfWuC0y4x2JN5QNmzlxLcv7NcOt9nvGeJV4WLMfdRaFtOJ6M6Ht6dB0_1GaWFiQrtxNAy6gugHxN42p9V3RN8-HQpvHokRrXbDT1CjRgg2/s1600/2012-09-07+16.38.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPm8IhzYr6R50WTCghs3ULXyzjhKZOkmLkGTfWuC0y4x2JN5QNmzlxLcv7NcOt9nvGeJV4WLMfdRaFtOJ6M6Ht6dB0_1GaWFiQrtxNAy6gugHxN42p9V3RN8-HQpvHokRrXbDT1CjRgg2/s400/2012-09-07+16.38.22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
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<strong>Is it any wonder people get confused?</strong></div>
Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731766320221916248.post-29056213614995240612012-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:002012-08-08T08:17:04.847-07:00Free Christian Fiction - August 8, 2012Here are some new ebooks you can get for free. You never know how long the freebies will last on Kindle... but as of right now, these are all FREE! Even if you already have the paper version, grab the e-version and give the authors a boost. We LOVE that. Oh, and here's a hint... when it's free on Kindle, it's often free on other e-reader platforms. So check them out on the one you use. You may get a nice surprise.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=autsitforjena-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B005BOXICM" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
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These books are still out there for free... YAY!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=autsitforjena-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B001GMANO4" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=autsitforjena-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B001GQ2BC2" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=autsitforjena-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B005EM2NXG" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=autsitforjena-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B003F77BU2" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Jennifer AlLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18178922554247015759noreply@blogger.com1