Addicted to Reading and GIVEAWAY

Posted on April 7, 2016 by bethrachg

by Elizabeth Goddard

Are you addicted to reading? Looking for that next fix (book)?

If you’re like me, when you finish a good book you’re  sad it’s over and wished you hadn’t finished the book, but then again you were reading fast and furious to get that satisfying ending so you could experience the thrill of it.

Still. . . it’s over. Maybe you should read it again. I’ve done that before. I once finished a book at 4 am. and the ending was so good, so satisfying, I went back and read it again right after I finished even though it was the early morning hours.

If you don’t want to read it again and you need something new and fresh, how do you choose? Where do you escape to? What characters do you spend the next ten or so hours with between the pages of a good book?

When you’re looking for that next book to read, do you look through your TBR pile and then go buy a new one anyway? Ha! I am guilty.

Do you pick your book by:

  1. Cover
  2. Setting
  3. Genre
  4. Author
  5. Back cover copy/Premise
  6. Recommendation
  7. All of the above

I admit that it’s all of the above for me. I might see a gorgeous cover that intrigues me enough to buy the book. I’m especially partial to settings, in my own writing, at least. An exotic setting inspires me to write. Alaska has been a popular setting for readers and reality show watchers.

As for genre, I usually read romantic suspense or thrillers these days (since that’s what I’m writing) and I have my favorite authors. Recently, a friend recommended a new author to me and I fell in love with her books so will likely read almost everything she writes.

Do you have several titles going at the same time? Perhaps you read something every day from a non-fiction self-help book, your daily Bible readings and a devotional, something for work, and something for pleasure–which can be an addiction.

Currently, I’m addicted to books by  James Rollins and Susanna Kearsley. I’ve already read every book by Kristen Heitzmann and several other authors.

How about you?

I’m giving away a copy of my newest release, TAILSPIN. Tell me how you find the books to feed your addiction in the comments section to enter the drawing!

Blessings!

Beth

—

goddard-LR-new-4 (2) blackandwhiteElizabeth Goddard is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than twenty-five romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time. She currently makes her home in Minnesota with her husband and children.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com
You can connect with Elizabeth at Facebook or Twitter.

About Tailspin:

DIVING INTO DANGERTailspin

Nothing can stop Sylvie Masters from scuba diving to find her mother’s down
ed plane—except possibly the hit man determined to keep the truth from surfacing. When brave bush pilot Will Pierson comes to her rescue, she knows she can still reach her goal, but she needs his help. Will wants answers about the crash, too, especially since his mother was the missing plane’s pilot. He’ll be the hero Sylvie needs, but can he ever trust her? Sylvie is shrouded in secrets that keep leading her back to Mountain Cove. Secrets someone will kill for. Will may protect her, yet no one can persuade her to end her search…not even a killer.

Mountain Cove: In the Alaskan wilderness, love and danger collide.

 

 

 

Posted in Elizabeth Goddard, Honored Alumni, Kristen Heitzmann, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Faceless Book Covers by Julie Arduini

Posted on April 6, 2016 by juliearduini

With the re packaging and re release of my first novel, Entrusted, I’ve spent weeks researching images and learning cover design. I’m not quite ready to reveal the covers for my Surrendering Time series (formerly the Adirondack Surrender Romance,) but I noticed a couple things.

  • I am now looking at movie posters, traffic signs, restaurant menus and basically anything with pictures and text through the eyes of what I’m learning. I can spot a bad photoshopped head thrown on a body or if fonts are too clunky. It’s almost like a Sci-Fi movie. I’m in so deep with what I’ve seen while training that I can’t go back when it comes to looking at things.

 

  • Covers are changing, at least with romances. I’ve always depended on a cover to show me the characters. As a reader, I enjoy looking to see how accurate my imagination is to what is on the cover. That’s not always the case these days.
pexels-photo-large

This picture from pexels is an example of what a book cover could look like under the new trend of not showing faces.

Here is what I’m noticing with romance covers:

  • One character is displayed instead of two. Sometimes the character isn’t even visible. They are far off so you can’t see facial features, or, their back is turned to the reader.

 

  • If both the hero and heroine are visible, it’s not their full body. The placement is such that heads aren’t there, or, heads are turned. You might notice the man has stubble and dark hair, but you don’t see the eyes.

 

I’ve read that this is the new trend to allow readers to use their imaginations. When characters are displayed, it takes away the “romance” of wondering what they look like. Each reader has a different concept of what the character should look like, so those kind of covers work.

I confess, I’d rather see the characters up close, features visible. That said, I do have people on my covers, and I’m curious if the hundreds and hundreds of pictures I’ve looked at match what readers have pictured in their minds. In my research I read that the cover doesn’t have to be 100% accurate when it comes to details, but interesting and close enough to get them to want to know more.

So, how about you? What kind of cover do you like? Characters on covers? Characters far off? Facing the reader? Not facing the reader? Not on the cover at all? I’d love to hear what you think.

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Why Values and Morals are Important–Part 3 by Vicki Hinze

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Vicki Hinze

Vicki Hinze, Why Values and Morals are Important, Part 3, Vicki Hinze

Why Values and Morals are Important

Part 3 

By

Vicki Hinze

 SPECIAL-#3-MORAL

 

NOTE: This is Part 3 of a 6-part series of posts. If you haven’t yet read Part 1 or Part 2, you can read them now: Part 1   Part 2

 

We talked first about why we need morals and values and learned they’re important to us and others our whole lives. Then we talked about how we treat ourselves and others so they know we appreciate them and they are important to us. Today, let’s talk about what happens when we hurt others, about responsibility, and about respect. All these things make a big difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

 

Have you ever been hanging out with a friend and having a good time and then a third person comes along, and suddenly the other two friends are shutting you out? They’re acting like you aren’t even there? They talk to each other, but not to you?

 

 

 

HURTINGOTHERSThat probably surprised you. You didn’t know what to think. And then you were upset. You felt like an outsider and as if you didn’t belong. They ignored you and that made you sad, or even angry. But what their actions really did was hurt your feelings.

 

When you exclude others, it makes them feel as if they don’t matter. As if you don’t care what they say or do or think. You’re telling them without using words that they are not important to you. And when anyone treats anyone else that way, it hurts.

 

Now if someone has done this to you, you probably weren’t eager to be around them. In fact, you might have avoided them because being around them reminded you that they had hurt you. And when something hurts us, we’re afraid of being hurt again. We want to avoid that—so we avoid those who hurt us, usually by staying away from them.

 

RESPONSIBILITYThink of this as a hot stove. If the stove is hot and you touch it, it burns you. That hurts and every time you see the stove, you remember how getting burned felt. You don’t want to touch a hot stove again. You know that if you do touch it, it’s going to hurt. So you’re more careful. Well, when someone hurts you, in a lot of ways it’s like touching the hot stove.

 

That’s not to say you should be angry or treat others unkindly. It is saying you remember the hurt and don’t want to hurt again. And that’s why you try hard to never hurt others. Because to cause someone else pain means you’re making that person feel a lot of bad things that you don’t want to feel, and we know we should treat others as we would have them treat us.

 

If you want others to be kind, then be kind. If you want them to be thoughtful, then be thoughtful. It’s never a good idea to deliberately hurt anyone. We all have feelings and ideas and we all want to be welcome and enjoy the company of others. To have friends, we must be friends. And friends never deliberately hurt friends or anyone else.

 

Sometimes we hurt others without meaning to hurt them. We are human. We make mistakes. And sometimes those mistakes cause pain. We don’t intend to cause them pain; we’re not being mean. But the thing is, whether or not we hurt others on purpose, they still hurt. They still feel the pain. And that makes it our responsibility to make amends. When we hurt others, even accidentally, we have to accept the blame that is ours, do what we can to repair the damage we’ve caused, and apologize for the harm done.

 

We admit what we’ve done wrong to the person we hurt. We tell them we’re sorry. And we try to fix whatever we broke. The reason we should try hard to not hurt people isn’t just that we don’t want to cause them pain, but because there are things that are very hard to fix. There are also things that once they’re broken, they are broken and can’t be fixed. Fortunately for us, many things can be fixed. And the important part is the person we hurt knows we’re doing all we can to fix what we broke.

 

For a moment, let’s say someone hurt you and what is broken can’t be fixed. That doesn’t mean you can’t forgive the person anyway. When you do forgive them, that’s called grace. And it’s an honorable thing to do—to forgive. Because you feel better and the other person does, too.

 

The thing about grace is this: At some time, we all need it. We say something or do something that hurts someone we had no wish to hurt. Maybe someone we love and would do anything not to hurt. We all need the grace of forgiveness. So we all need to be willing to grant others grace and forgive them. If we do, maybe then, when we need forgiving, they’ll forgive us, too.

 

That’s being responsible. It’s being caring and compassionate, too. We all have to be accountable for what we say and do. When we’re wrong, we should admit it. And when we goof up and hurt someone, we need to accept that we’ve hurt them, apologize and do what we can fix the problems we created.

 

 

RESPECTWhen we do these things we are showing our respect for the other person and for their feelings. We are also showing that we respect ourselves and our responsibilities.

 

When we make mistakes—and we all do make them—we admit them and try our best to make things right. That is the very best we can do, and most appreciate the qualities it takes to do them. It inspires others to respect us because we have earned their respect. And it proves to others that we respect them because we have proven it by our actions and deeds. That’s called having character.

 

Character is proving you have values and morals by the way you conduct yourself. By the way you behave. It shows others that you have thought about things like honesty and responsibility, respect and compassion, and those values mean a great deal to you. They are important.

 

So that’s why we try hard not to hurt others. When we do, we also hurt ourselves. So we take responsibility for what we say and do, we apologize and try to fix the problems we create, and that shows we respect the other person and we are worthy of the other person’s respect.

 

In three weeks, I hope you’ll join me for Part 4 of Why Morals and Values are Important. We’ll talk about patience and kindness and loyalty then. That will give you time to think about hurting others, responsibility and respect and to talk all this over with your mom and dad and see what they think.

 

If you missed Part 1 and Part 2, you can still read them. Here are the links to those articles: Part 1   Part 2

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Book Release: TAILSPIN!

Posted on April 2, 2016 by bethrachg

Hey friends,Tailspin

Wanted to share with you that TAILSPIN, the fifth installment in the Mountain Cove series is now available for purchase. (Kindle version. Print available April 5th). I’m so excited about this book and had great fun writing it.  If you’d love to read a story set in Alaska about a bush pilot hero and a scuba diving heroine, a story filled with action, adventure, suspense and romance–then TAILSPIN is for you!

Here are what some reviewers have said:

“Wow, what a ride! . . . Could NOT put this one down for a moment . . .”

“She had me hooked right from the start. . .”

“This story is full of spine tingling suspense interlaced with a romance.”

And the back cover blurb:

DIVING INTO DANGER

Nothing can stop Sylvie Masters from scuba diving to find her mother’s downed plane—except possibly the hit man determined to keep the truth from surfacing. When brave bush pilot Will Pierson comes to her rescue, she knows she can still reach her goal, but she needs his help. Will wants answers about the crash, too, especially since his mother was the missing plane’s pilot. He’ll be the hero Sylvie needs, but can he ever trust her? Sylvie is shrouded in secrets that keep leading her back to Mountain Cove. Secrets someone will kill for. Will may protect her, yet no one can persuade her to end her search…not even a killer.

Mountain Cove: In the Alaskan wilderness, love and danger collide.

Following quickly on the tail of TAILSPIN is the last book in the Mountain Cove series: DECEPTION. So get your copy of Tailspin today!

 

Blessings!

Beth

—

goddard-LR-new-4 (2) blackandwhite

With over half a million in book sales, Elizabeth Goddard is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than twenty-five romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time. She currently makes her home in Minnesota with her husband and children.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com
You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor
or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

 

 

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Celebration Blitz Giveaway!

Posted on March 31, 2016 by tararandel

Now thru April 4, enter to win a $20 Walmart gift card celebrating the Harlequin Heartwarming books available at select Walmart locations.

Just follow this link and join in the fun! http://ift.tt/1ZIN670

If you love wholesome, emotional, romantic stories, Heartwarming is the line for you.

And while we’re celebrating, here’s a sneak preview of my June 2016 Heartwarming cover.

9780373367931

Tara Randel is an award-winning,USA TODAY bestselling author of eleven novels. She is currently working on new stories for Harlequin Heartwarming, as well books in a new series, Amish Inn Mysteries. Her next Heartwarming, part of The Business of Weddings series, will be released in June 2016. Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at Tara Randel Books

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Medical Inside Scoop by Hannah Alexander

Posted on March 29, 2016 by alexanderhodde

Have you ever watched Person of Interest, a television show about how we’re all being watched? Until recently I thought it was just a fun suspense show with lots of action. Now I’m becoming a conspiracy theorist–blame the novelist in me. But it’s no longer as fun as it once was.

We Americans have to get insurance, right? If we don’t, we’re fined when we pay taxes. My husband and I are members of Samaritan Ministries, which is a healthcare sharing group that is growing very quickly, and so far is an acceptable alternative to buying insurance, so we don’t get fined at tax time. For us, it’s also much cheaper. Christians who attend church at least three times a month and live a clean and healthy lifestyle can join this group and help other Christians pay their medical bills. We pray for one another and it’s a very encouraging set-up. Thousands are joining, more every year as people find they can’t afford regular insurance–including one that yanked $1300.00 out of the bank account of a friend of mine against her wishes last week.

We’ve discovered a recent development taking place with some insurance companies that has disturbed us here at the clinic. We’ve begun to receive messages from the companies about the patients who are not “being compliant,” meaning they aren’t taking the medications the doctor has prescribed for them–of course, the insurance companies know everything about their patients. Now, at first I thought that just meant they were tattling so the doctor would be aware in case there’s a problem–we do need to know if our patients aren’t taking their blood pressure meds, etc., so we can perhaps prescribe something they’re more likely to utilize.

Now we’re concerned that those patients might lose their coverage if they continue to “disobey” the doctor. We have no intention of firing a patient for such a thing, but since the insurance companies are keeping track, if there’s a bad outcome for that patient, whether or not it is related to the drug they failed to have filled at the pharmacy,  the insurance companies might well reject treatment for that bad outcome.

This disturbs me. Of course we need to know if a patient needs further help but it’s just a little creepy to know that if I had regular insurance, my insurance company might tattle on me if a doctor prescribes a medication I don’t want, and gets me into trouble, either with the doctor, or with the insurance company, itself.

So remember that you are being watched….

 

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The Information Dump by Julie Arduini

Posted on March 23, 2016 by juliearduini

I wear a few hats. I’m a wife and a mom who juggles life as an author and speaker. Beyond writing, I facilitate a critique group and participate in another. I’m active in ministry work, this season has me lending a hand with youth ministry. Even in my downtime I’ve confessed here that I watch TV shows and movies thinking about what I would have done differently. In all these things I observe not only my own actions, but others.

In the last two weeks it has been the NCIS franchise that reminded me something central about relationships, both in real life and in writing.

A healthy relationship is going to take time when it comes time to sharing.

When I critique, one thing I’m on the lookout for is a lot of “information dump.” I’m a reader first, and I’m constantly thinking of the reader when I critique. I don’t want them cheated out of getting to know the very best about a character, even if that character isn’t a good person. When I see too much information thrown at the reader at once, I’ll suggest they consider sprinkling this information throughout the story. It can be done with dialogue or conflict within the story.

NCIS is a master with this. The flagship show is over 12 years old. It’s an ensemble cast and they each have their own quirks, histories, and traits that make them fan favorites.

SPOILER ALERT—If you didn’t watch the 3/14 NCIS episode or the 3/20 NCIS LA episode, be warned. I’m going to share plot details…

Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a complicated man and after all these years, we’re still learning about him. Would we have loved him as much if he had a rare moment of glib chat with Duckie and shared everything about him? His military life? His marriages? His grief over the murders of his first wife and daughter? All in one conversation? I don’t think so.

Last week Gibbs dropped a hint that he was having trouble sleeping. We saw scenes of him with a counselor and a vet suffering from PTSD. With sprinkles here and there, and keeping in mind there have been 12 years worth of these, the episode ended by showing something only us and Gibbs knew—he was trying to sleep in the same bed he shared with his first wife, something he had not been able to do. I loved it. It was a major reveal 12 years in the making. It made me think it could be why he spends so much time in the basement working on the boat. Is the upstairs too hard for him? Too many memories?

The same happened this week with NCIS LA. “G” Callan and his background have been a huge mystery since the show started. An episode here, a clue there, we learned tidbits about him, but not too much. This season the door for his life pushed a little more. Without shouting it, we watched G finally find his biological dad. But the biggest mystery was still out there.

What does “G” stand for?

This week we got our answer. The show is around 7 years old, and we finally learned the lead protagonist’s name. Grecia Callan. Talk about sprinkles. But you know what, so worth the wait.

It reminds me of high school. Girls tell their friends about a boy asking them out. They’ve not only said yes, they’ve shared every detail about their lives right down to the colors they want for the wedding. Information dump? Um, yeah. And usually the guy is out of there before she can book the chapel.

trash-310219_960_720

When it comes to relationships, don’t dump your information. Sprinkle!

 

I’m going to be married 20 years in August. I’m still learning things about my husband. I’m grateful I didn’t find everything out right away. There are rich experiences that deepen my perspective when I find something new out about him.

I think that goes for relationships in general. Fiction ones. TV. Dating. Marriage. Resist the urge to information dump. The relationship is worth it!

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Pray in Both Fear and Love

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Camy Tang/Camille Elliot

I would like to say that I am good at praying or that I am a prayer warrior, but I’m not really. For the past few years I’ve been working on really praying for someone if I say I’ll pray for them, but as for praying regularly, I’m still not as disciplined as I’d like to be.

At church today, the pastor’s message really spoke to me about my prayer life. Strangely (or perhaps not so strangely), the conversation between Abraham and the angel/God before he destroys Sodom is a good example for me for prayer.

Abraham has a very humble attitude in Genesis 18:27. Abraham was actually pretty close to God—the Lord had promised so much to him and had spoken directly to him on several occasions. But here, Abraham is very respectful despite his close relationship. He’s mindful of God’s judgment—after all, the Lord is about to wipe out the city of Sodom laid out in front of them. He doesn’t doubt God’s power or His right to exercise judgment.

There are so many verses in the Bible that talk about “fear of the Lord,” but I think here is a good example of what that actually looks like. Just because Jesus calls Himself my friend, I too often forget that He is the Lord of all the earth, and I am dust and ashes. I need to more often remember that God is my Creator. I am nothing compared to His power and existence. A solid dose of humility every so often is a good thing. When I pray, sure He is my friend, but he also is my God.

For Abraham, it was an honor to speak to the Lord (Genesis 18.31). This is something I don’t even think about, and yet I should. The act of coming to God in prayer is only possible because of the blood of Jesus. I think if I remembered this more often, I’d have a better attitude when I pray.

Abraham appeals to God’s powerful sense of justice for the righteous, which is even at the expense of His judgment on the wicked (Genesis 18:25). He would let all those wicked people live for the sake of letting ten righteous people live. His mercy is nothing like the mercy of human beings. We talk about war and killing in terms of collateral damage, but I think God is far more merciful than we are to each other.

God’s mercy is something I forget when I’m feeling particularly guilty about something I’ve done. God really is very merciful, more merciful than I am to other people. Sure, I did something wrong, and I have to face consequences, but God’s love for me also knows no bounds.

God is also pretty patient—He wasn’t angered by Abraham’s repetitive petitions (Genesis 18:30). (Which is good because I tend to repeat myself a lot.)

The main thing I got out of this passage is that my attitude when I pray needs shaping up. To pray in fear of the Lord, but also to pray trusting in His love for me and in Jesus’ sacrifice for me. I’m hoping to put this into practice this week—pray for me!!! 🙂

marblecross_bderksen_pickmonkeyblueRelated to that, how can I pray for you? I created a form for you to fill out your prayer requests to protect your privacy. Please let me know how I can pray for you!

Posted in Camy Tang, Uncategorized | Tagged | 2 Comments

GET UP AND DANCE! By Hannah Alexander

Posted on March 15, 2016 by alexanderhodde

 

Hiking Trail

Hiking Trail

I just read a depressing article in one of our medical journals. Then it made me angry, because it’s so unfair. And then I decided to spread the “cheer.” According to the Endocrinology Advisor (It’s an online thing) modern day workers are becoming so sedentary that if we sit still for more than ten minutes at a time we’re increasing our chances of diabetes and worse–metabolic syndrome, which affects most organs in our bodies.

That’s the bad news, and it’s really bad, because diabetes runs in my family and I’ve lost a lot of beloved relatives to this horrible disease. The good news is that if you live near a sidewalk, a walking/biking trail like the one shown here, or even if you have some music you can dance to, if you’ll get up and utilize any kind of exercise option, you’re increasing your chances of a longer and healthier life.

But really, if you sit for ten minutes you’re increasing your chances of diabetes? How crazy is that? And then I read the fine print–it was medical gobbledygook so I didn’t pick up on it at first, but that’s for extremely obese people and their chances of developing diabetes. Well, that’s not quite as encouraging as it could be, because it’s easy to become obese in our world today.

So I thought about the word “sedentary.” That means remaining perfectly still, right? I have an old high school buddy who, during class, could not sit still. He was always jiggling his leg, moving, tapping a pencil. I never gave it any thought at the time, but he always had a lot of nervous energy. Now, decades later, he’s still slender. He never had trouble with weight. I think it’s because he was always moving even when he was trying to sit still. Who knew hyperactivity could be healthy?

Here at the clinic I encourage the staff to get outside in the sunshine and at least walk around the building. Even around the block. It doesn’t take much time at all, and that little bit of movement helps keep them healthy.

When you watch television do you sit still? I used to utilize that time to work out on the exercise bike or the elliptical machine. I don’t anymore since I’m so tired when I get home at night. I just sit. But it’s time to get up and at least dance when the theme song comes on the tube. I can do that, right? We can all move a little more each day. I even rock in my rocking chair. That’s movement. It also helps with pain. Did you know that? Walking or other kinds of movement can help with pain, and the older you get the more you’ll see that.

So next time you find yourself sitting for a long period of time at home or at work, get up and move. Even dance. Make it a fast dance. If you can, get outside for some vitamin D and walk around for a few minutes a few times a day. It’ll not only help you feel better in the short term, but also in the long run.

 

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Why Values and Morals are Important–Part 2 by Vicki Hinze

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Vicki Hinze

Vicki Hinze, Why Values and Morals are Important, Part 2

Why Values and Morals are Important Part 2 

Screen Shot 2016-03-14 at 10.28.09 AM

NOTE:  This is Part 2 of the six part series. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here.

What we say and do defines us. When we meet someone, they make an impression on on us. That impression can be positive or negative, good or bad. We like others and we want them to like us, too. That’s pretty much the way of things for those who live in a community. Your family and friends and others close to you are your community.

 

Last time, we talked about why we need values and morals, how seriously they impact us and our lives. We learned forever is a long time, too.

 

This time, let’s talk about others a little bit more. Because how we treat others tells them and us how much we value them. Have you ever had something special to you? Something important? If so, you know what I mean. You take care of it. You protect it. You treat it with respect. You’re careful not to break or harm it. You cherish it.

 

And that’s how we should treat ourselves and others. We should respect ourselves and those in our community. People, pets, and things. All things deserve respect.

 

CARECare.   When you treat anything well, you prove you respect it and yourself. While you are a very important person in the world, others are also important. Everything isn’t all about you or them. It’s all about everyone and everything.

 

We all have gifts—things we’re good at—but none of us are good at everything. If we help each other with what we’re good at and they help us with what they’re good at, then we’re all better off. The Bible tells us to seek wise counselors. That means to ask others who are good at things for their advice and opinions, for their help, so that whatever you’re doing, you have good advice so you can do it well. That is a wonderful reason to care about yourself and about others. And if someone asks you for help, try to help them. Share what you know so they can do their best. Helping each other is respecting each other and what either of you are trying to do. That’s being loving and kind and good.

 

PROMISESPromises. You don’t have to make promises, but if you do make them, then you must keep them. If you do, then others know they can depend on you to do what you say you’re going to do.

 

If you don’t keep your promises, then others know not to count on you to do anything you say because you might not. They just don’t know whether or not you will.

 

That means, they have doubt. When someone makes you a promise and they don’t keep it, you know how it makes you feel, and the next time they make you a promise, you’re just not sure they’ll keep it. You have doubt. That makes it best to be slow to make promises, but when you do make them, keep them.

 

CHEATINGCheating. Some people cheat to win. That’s always a bad idea because, from the moment you cheat, you lose. You know you were dishonest. You know you did the wrong thing. And you never know if you hadn’t cheated, if you would have won.

 

By cheating, you might get what you wanted, but you won’t ever enjoy it because you’ll always know you were unfair in the way you got it. How you win is more important than winning.

 

Cheating is telling yourself you couldn’t get what what you wanted the right way. It’s saying you’re not good enough or smart enough or wise enough to win by doing the right thing.

 

You don’t know if any of that is true, but it’s how you will feel. And none of that makes you feel good about yourself. None of that respects the wonderful person you are and can be. And all of it is unfair to you and to others.

 

When you win the right way, by doing the right things, you can be happy about winning. You know you were good enough, smart enough, and wise enough to win fairly. You never have to feel guilty or fear someone finding out you cheated. When someone cheats, sooner or later, everyone always finds out. No one likes it, including you!

 

Winning or losing isn’t anywhere near as important as making an honest attempt to do something worth doing. The effort matters. How you play the game or pass the test or win whatever you’re doing is important. And it isn’t just important today, it is important forever. You can always feel good about any honest effort.

 

So never cheat. When you do, the one you hurt most is yourself. Be fair in all you do. If you win, you can be happy and celebrate your victory. If you don’t, you can be proud of your honest effort and being fair. That’s called acting with integrity. And integrity is important your whole life. It’s always best never to cheat. It’s always best to act with integrity.

 

Now we know why it’s important to care for ourselves, our things and for others. To be slow to make promises but, if we do make them, to keep them. And we know why cheating is never a good idea because it hurts us more than it hurts others.

 

I hope you’ll join me again in three weeks for Why Values and Morals are Important, Part 3. I’m waiting for three weeks so you have time to think about all we’ve discussed, and so you can talk it over with Mom and Dad and see what they think about Caring, Promises and Cheating.

 

If you missed Part 1—it’s about Truth, Trust, and Honesty–you can read it here.

 

 

 

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WE ARE SAMARIA by Kristen Heitzmann

Posted on March 4, 2016 by kristenheitzmann

woman at well

We all know the know the story of the woman at the well. Jesus is traveling and meets this Samaritan woman who has come to draw water in the noon heat when all the other women, who might have insulted and criticized her, have finished and gone home. He asks her for a drink, baffling because she knows, in his eyes, she isn’t worthy of doing that. She is a pagan-Jewish half-breed with a poor reputation. And here is Jesus not only speaking, but wanting to share her drinking vessel. Can’t you see her looking over her shoulder like, um, has the sun gone to your head? Jesus has a penchant for seeking outcasts, lost sheep, strays. Here he is, the moment the apostles are out of sight, doing it again.

On another level the woman represents the idolatrous nation of Samaria. These people began as God’s people, then started valuing (worshiping) other things (gods.) As a nation, we have eagerly sought things that wound and offend God’s goodness—and called it compassion, until it’s no longer kind to speak the truth. In fact it seems truth can’t even be heard over the din.

Jesus sent the woman to find her husband, using the word baal which also means god. He’s saying show me the god that matters to you right now. She says she doesn’t have one. He tells her she’s had many, but the one she’s with now isn’t her husband. Jesus is the one she has in that moment, and he’s not her husband/God but longs to be. Overwhelmed by this gift, she runs to get others and bring them to him.

This is always our call, to be refreshed in the presence of the Lord and share that refreshment. How easy it is in this political time to be overwhelmed, even desolate in the moral collapse of our culture. God’s chastisement was over Samaria, as I can’t help thinking it is over America. A nation founded under God that becomes idolatrous/adulterous cannot stand. A parent whose grown children choose wayward paths may reach the point of surrendering them to their choices. A spouse weary of betrayal will surrender the unfaithful one. And God’s word says when things reach a point of no return He will give us over to our own desires.

And yet…

Here is Jesus at the well bringing living waters of redemption. Even to a condemned nation, he reaches out, says come to me if you’re weary, if you’re dealing with something too difficult to bear, if fear and astonishment over what you see and hear keep you awake at night. Forget those other gods and sit with me. Let’s talk awhile. I know everything about you and you’re still precious to me, still carved in Abba God’s palm. Refresh me from this earthly well, and I will refresh you forever.

 

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He Is With Me by Tara Randel

Posted on March 3, 2016 by tararandel

February was a grueling month for me. I had to finish a book, which is due tomorrow! So all my time and energy has gone into the finished product.

Still, even though I’m focused on writing, I have the privilege of knowing the Lord is by my side. I would never even consider this career if I didn’t know God would “never leave me nor forsake me.” I’d say my hours spent writing are solitary, but that isn’t necessarily correct. I know the presence of God is in the room as I type away on my keyboard.

That said, we sang a new song (new to me, anyway) in church Sunday morning. The lyrics immediately touched my spirit and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. The song is, Here Now Madness by Hillsong United. Here is a sample of some of the lyrics:

Your ways are higher, your thoughts are wilder…

Here now, all I know is I know You are here now…

Let your voice be all I hear…

I don’t need to question God’s presence. I know He is always with me. How awesome to have that assurance, that no matter the struggles or joys I experience in life, God is there. I can depend on him. He is in control.

I pray that you also have that blessed assurance and I hope the song touches you like it did me.

To really appreciate the song, check it out on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWi4ahGSI34

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Like It? Tell Someone! by Hannah Alexander

Posted on March 1, 2016 by alexanderhodde

Necessary measures 3D

 

I had to ask myself a very pointed question a couple of days ago. How many books have I read in the past year? How many of those books have I reviewed online? I realized I’ve read and enjoyed a lot more novels than I’ve taken the time to review for the sake of the author. Being a novelist, myself, I know how important it is for those authors to receive reviews–hopefully good ones, but I don’t need five stars for every review. Honesty is important for those seeking a good read.

The thing is, I seldom complete a novel I don’t really enjoy, so the only ones that get reviews from me are the ones I absolutely love. Since I put all my reviews on Amazon, because that’s where I get most of my kindle novels, I like to give the highest rating. After all, if I’m coaxed to read all the way through a book, it’s worth the read.

I encourage you to share with other readers if you happen to find a book that has kept you engaged to the end.

In this brave new world of independent publishing, you might be able to find a lot of excellent novels written by excellent writers who are no longer traditionally published. I encourage you to seek out a few. I will always read the sample pages on Amazon–or on the website of the novelist–to see if the book is well written with good editing before I purchase. You can usually get a good idea about the capabilities of the author within that amount of time. If it drags on without grabbing your interest, you will probably be bored by the story even though others may have loved it. If there are a lot of typos in the sample pages (and I’ve found typos in my own work–who hasn’t?) it means you’ll probably find them all the way through the book. If that kind of thing bothers you then you might want to pass on it.

Reviewing a book doesn’t mean you have to actually “write a book report” the way you had to in school, although you can, and many people do write long reports. Don’t let the challenge daunt you. Simply give the book a starred rating, state what you liked about the book, why you liked it, how it affected you. Please try not to give away any surprise endings, but giving a brief description of the book will help other readers know if that’s a book they might like to read. It also helps the writer sell more books–you can’t imagine how helpful that can be to a novelist who depends on reviews on Amazon or Goodreads or other sites to make an income from all her long hours of work.

Now that I’ve made myself feel guilty, I’m going to log a few more reviews for the novels I’ve read recently. I hope you do the same.

 

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Historical Romance Writers: An Act-Fast Opportunity by Vicki Hinze

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Vicki Hinze

Vicki Hinze, Act Fast Opportunity

As writers, one of the most difficult challenges is pairing up with the right editor for our work. Once we find the right editor, then we have to figure out a way to actually get that editor to read our work. And when they agree to, it often takes months to get a response. That can be a challenging process.

But right now, for writers of historical romance suitable for Love Inspired Historical, there is an opportunity for authors to crunch the time table substantially.  I don’t typically recommend specific contests, but this one is an exception.  It’s a potential fast-track–but authors will have to move it to make the March 2nd deadline.

If you’ve been trying to break into the market, this publisher routinely purchases new authors. I’ve worked with this publisher for years and with Love Inspired on the contemporary side. I recommend this contest and consider it a great opportunity.  Here are the details from guest, Love Inspired Historical’s Elizabeth Mazar:

If you’ve got an inspirational historical romance—or even just a great idea for one—then this might be your chance to get signed as an author for Love Inspired Historical! We’ve launched our latest pitch contest, which we’re calling Manuscript Matchmakers—an opportunity to find the perfect editor match for your story. Details on how to enter are available at http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/9096-Manuscript-Matchmakers and here are some reasons why this contest might be perfect for you:

  1. Opportunity: We’re always eager to find new voices, and our pitch contests in the past hold an impressive record for the number of new authors we’ve acquired. (Check out our success stories here: http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/9100-Success-Stories.) Read through what our authors have to say, and you’ll see the same message repeated again and again: when we say we’re looking to buy new authors, we really mean it! We want to work with you to get your book ready for a place in our line-up.
  2. Information: If you visit our forum at http://community.harlequin.com/forumdisplay.php/110-Manuscript-Matchmakers, you’ll see that we’ve set up several different forum “threads” with lots of useful info—obviously we’ve got details about the contest itself, but we’ve also included insight into what we like to see in Love Inspired Historical, and how to polish your writing overall. We’re monitoring the threads carefully, and we’re happy to answer questions. If nothing else, this is a terrific chance to learn more about our program, and get some editorial tips.
  3. Community: One of the fun parts of every pitch contest is seeing the way everyone comes together. The different entrants get to know each other, current authors with the Love Inspired franchise drop by to give encouragement and advice, and the editors are always happy to chime in. If you find yourself needing a critique partner to bounce ideas off, an expert to give you some perspective, or just a cheerleader to boost your spirits as you work toward a deadline, you’ll find whatever you need on the forum.
  4. Deadlines: This doesn’t sound like a benefit, does it? Nobody likes deadlines. But the truth is, there’s nothing like a deadline to push you to really sit down and write, with no excuses. Lots of authors we’ve acquired from past contests have said that they’d tried writing before, but could never get a manuscript finished—until the deadlines from our contests gave them that extra push to power through to THE END.

That first deadline is coming up. If you’re interested in participating, we need your entry by no later than March 2. So check out the information today, see if this contest is right for you, and then join in the fun!

 

 

 

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The Presidential Election Will be Won By…By Julie Arduini

Posted on February 24, 2016 by juliearduini

You’re leaning in, aren’t you? You want to know what name I’m going to type to reveal the winning candidate for this year’s election.

Well, I don’t know.

But I do believe with all my heart this:

The election will be won by intercession.

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We need to be on our knees for this election./pixabay image

Over the weekend I watched my Facebook feed take a depressing turn when South Carolina residents realized the winner of their primary was Donald Trump. The updates I saw were along the lines of “I’ve lost hope” and “I give up.”

 

That concerns me. One of the greatest works Christ has done in my life is turn me from a very negative thinker and talker to an encourager. I don’t just believe in God, I believe God. In the years that I’ve chosen to believe Him, He’s given me strategies to use in prayer and as I stand in the gap for others.

I think the “be on your knees” strategy for this election comes from heaven. Even if I’m wrong, what harm is there in praying for the election? Our country needs prayers from God’s kids.

This was what I shared earlier this week as my update:

I challenge you, if you don’t like the current state of politics, or where you think it is headed, or even if you are content, to pray. I completely believe that the presidential election will be won through intercession.

And if you aren’t sure prayer changes things—I’m someone that was told I most likely couldn’t have children.

I have two.

We were told by professionals that our baby would never grow in intellect if she even survived her first year.

She’s in the 6th grade… in regular class.

I fought for those things with prayer and time where I was so overwhelmed by tears that I believe they became prayers only God could understand.

So, I’m throwing down the challenge. I don’t want to debate or argue. I’m just a normal wife and mom that believes this election is historic. It isn’t about fancy words you wouldn’t use when talking to your friends, nor is it bragging about being in a quiet place for hours on end. He knows your heart. My best prayer times were folding laundry, driving, or when I was up in the middle of the night. God’s not a far away meanie anymore than Jesus is uncaring to what’s near and dear to you. You are talking to the One who created you, and Jesus is a friend. I talk to Him as I would my friends at Panera.

I didn’t give up when man and numbers told me things weren’t going to change. Neither should you. 🙂

I’m not a Bible master, but I know enough that God can change things in a blink of an eye. I know Ananias and Sapphira met with a pretty quick demise after their deceit. Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:33 immediately lived out fulfillment of what was proclaimed over him. He went from palace to the field just like that.

Am I calling for anyone’s destruction or harm? I’m not. But I am saying this isn’t time to give up hope. I believe with all my heart God can change destinies in an instant. We could be watching the 6 o’clock news one night that has the election all but decided, and by 11, it could all change.

But there’s a responsibility we have.

Don’t give up.

Do keep praying.

And believe God no matter what the headline reads.

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