How Bad do You Want this Tuxedo?

Earlier this week I took my son to Tuxedo Junction to rent his prom attire. This particular mannequin disturbed me... is it a representation of what the groom looks like after the wedding? Or does the rental cost an arm, a leg, and half a head? You be the judge...

A New Voice for the Aflac Duck

I don't generally care about corporate mascots, but this time, it's different. Maybe it's because the duck is so cute. Maybe it's because he's always so earnest. Whatever the reason, I'm pretty happy that the duck's got a new voice.

Interview & Book Giveaway with Author Missy Tippens

It's my pleasure to welcome Love Inspired author Missy Tippens to the blog! Pull up a chair, grab a cool, refreshing beverage, and let's chat with Missy...

Q: Do you plot out your story ahead of time, or do you think it up as you go?
A:  Yes, I’m a plotter! I write pages of brainstorming notes, fill out quite a few charts, use index cards (actual paper ones but also some within a computer program), and use other computer programs to help like The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson.

Q:  Do you treat yourself to something special when a project is completed?
A:  I usually do. It’s such a relief to send off a manuscript. I always feel like celebrating. I sometimes go for a pedicure or go shopping. Other times I’ll take my family out to eat because they’re usually sick of frozen pizza by that time! :)

Q;  What’s your favorite part of the writing business? What’s your least favorite?
A:  Favorite: It’s a tie between working in my pajamas and the wonderful reader letters. :)
Least favorite: The fact that nothing is guaranteed and that a lot about the process is out of my control. I’m a control freak, so it’s hard to let go and trust God for the rest.

Q:  After becoming a published author, what surprised you the most?
A:  The amount of work that goes into the whole process—revisions before selling, art fact sheets, revisions after selling, several rounds of edits, promoting, website maintenance, blogs, signings, learning about contracts. Also, I’ve learned how much work editors do! They’re amazing.

Q:  If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
A:  I’d probably still be teaching. A couple of years ago, I was an adjunct at the local technical college. I really loved doing that.

Q:  What does your family think about your crazy career?
A:  They love it. They’re proud of me and get excited with each sale and each release. My husband is reading my recent release right now to see how different it is from the first draft he read. My children even helped me with my last book signing. Of course, I rewarded them with an i-Tunes card, so I imagine they’ll help again! :)

Q:  What’s the one far out sci-fi technology you’d most like to see become a household item?
A:  I saw this really cool technology using photovoltaic glass by Corning. I can’t even begin to describe it! You just need to watch this You Tube video. :)
http://bit.ly/ejStPY

Thanks for having me on your blog, Jen! I’ve had fun.

I’d love to give away a copy of A Family for Faith today! Please leave a comment to be entered. I’d love to hear what far out technology you’d most like in your house.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Missy Tippens is a pastor’s wife and mom of three who lives near Atlanta. After ten years of pursuing her dream, she made her first sale of a full-length novel to Love Inspired in 2007. She still pinches herself to see if it really happened! Her novels have been finalists in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Contest, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Bookseller's Best Award. Her most recent release from Love Inspired is A Family for Faith. The next, A House Full of Hope, will be out in February 2012.

You can find Missy at http://www.missytippens.com/.

ABOUT THE BOOK – A Family for Faith
When Faith Hagin sees widower cop Gabe Reynolds every day in her coffee shop, she can’t help but feel for the struggling single dad. She’s raised a teenager of her own—and sadly, knows what not to do. But thanks to his matchmaking preteen daughter, Chelsea, the whole town’s praying for Gabe to find a wife!

Even though Faith thinks she’s content being just friends, spending time with him and Chelsea starts to feel like a fresh start at having a family. And their love may be the answer to everyone’s prayers.


WIN THE BOOK
If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of A Family for Faith, just leave a comment on this blog (and answer Missy's question for fun!) I’ll pick a winner at random on Friday, April 29th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!

Just for Fun: New Lady Gaga Parody from Weird Al

I confess... I follow Weird Al on Twitter. Today, he put a link up to his blog with the story of this song. Apparently, Al was told by Gaga's manager that she did not approve of the song, so he wouldn't use it on his new album. But then he heard back from the manager with an apology. Seems he rejected the song without letting Gaga hear it, and when she did, she loved it. So now Al gets to use it on his new album.

Thought you might enjoy hearing it. (BTW, as of this posting, he still hadn't updated the disclaimer at the beginning of the video, but he added a comment saying she's given her approval.)

Have fun!

On The Road Again...

The blogging road, that is.

Actually, I'm back to blogging because I just got off another road... The Mother Road. That's the name of my next book. It doesn't come out until April of next year, but it had to be turned in by April first of this year. Needless to say, it took up a great deal of my time over the last month.

I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things. Thanks for coming back after my long absence. Now I've got a question for you... When it comes to fiction, what's your favorite thing to read? Is there a certain genre you can't get enough of? Is there one you're sick of? Is there a topic you really want to read about but can't find? Please share!

CFBA presents A HEART MOST WORTHY by Siri Mitchell

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingA Heart Most Worthy(Bethany House - March 1, 2011)bySiri Mitchell


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart (October 2008), Love's Pursuit (June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty (Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.

Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."



ABOUT THE BOOK

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.

Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.

Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.


JEN'S THOUGHTS

Thanks to a looming deadline, my reading time has been severely restricted. Basically, I only read at bedtime, which means I end up falling asleep in the middle of a sentence. (Not because the book is boring, but because I'm exhausted.) For this reason, and this reason alone, I haven't finished reading A Heart Most Worthy. And it's killing me.

I want nothing more than to snuggle into the couch and read and read and read this wonderful book. It's the first book I've read by Siri Mitchell, but it certainly won't be the last. Her characters are so fully realized, so alive, I feel like they're waiting for me to come join them again. What a treat it is!

Another cool thing about this book is the use of an omniscient narrator. It's a device not often used in modern novels. In fact, authors are usually advised against it. But Mitchell handles it so well, I can't imagine the story being told any other way. Bravo on creating a book so engrossing and entertaining. Now, if I only had time to finish it...

Just for Fun: Tom Hanks Spoofs "Toddlers & Tiaras"

Yes, it's been a while since I posted something new. This is because I'm on a tight deadline, and of course, everything else that could happen, did. But I started seeing this video pop up all over the place and it's so funny, I have to share it on the off chance you haven't seen it yet.

Let me be very clear... this is a SPOOF video of the TLC show Toddlers & Tiaras made by Tom Hanks and his daughter, Sophie. It aired when he was on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and is one of the funniest videos I've seen. Enjoy the laugh, and the surprise cameos at the end.