BIG BIG Booksigning

I suppose it only makes sense that the biggest mall in America would have the biggest book signing in my memory. 

If you live near the Mall of America (outside Minneapolis, MN), you should know that one month from today, on September 20, from 1-3 p.m., more than 100 Christian authors will be signing books near the Best Buy and Sears rotundas, with yours truly among them. Wow.  I hope I don't get lost on my way to the ladies' room! 

Joining in the fun will be: 

Tamera Alexander

Jennifer AlLee

A.K. Arenz

Diane Ashley

Karen Ball

Janet Lee Barton

James Scott Bell

Joseph Bentz

Terri Blackstock

Robin Caroll

Patricia PacJac Carroll

Jeanie Smith Cash

Eleanor Clark

Debra Clopton

Gloria Clover

Brandilyn Collins

Mary Connealy

Lyn Cote

Kathryn Cushman

Margaret Daley

KM Daughters

Susan Page Davis

Mary Davis

Janet Dean

Megan DiMaria

Brandt Dodson

Lena Nelson Dooley

Cecelia Dowdy

Sharon Dunn

Wanda Dyson

Lynette Eason

Meredith Efken

Leanna Ellis

Sharon Ewell Foster

Miralee Ferrell

Tina Ann Forkner

Darlene Franklin

Jonathan Friesen

Rhonda Gibson

Terri Gillespie

Debby Giusti

Beth Goddard

Cathy Gohlke

Rene Gutteridge

Cathy Marie Hake

Kelly Eileen Hake

Karen Harter

Rachel Hauck

Roxanne Henke

Cynthia Hickey

Patti Hill

Sharon Hinck

Joan Hochstetler

Steven Hunt

Angela Hunt

Denise Hunter

Jennifer Johnson

Jenny B. Jones

Golden Keyes Parsons

Deb Kinnard

Julie Klassen

Kathleen Kovach

Harry Kraus

Patti Lacy

Maureen Lang

Jeanne Marie Leach

Tosca Lee

Julie Lessman

Michelle Levigne

Sherri L. Lewis

Elizabeth Ludwig

Christine Lynxwiler

Richard L. Mabry

Sharlene MacLaren

Gail Martin

Debby Mayne

Vickie McDonough

Andrew McGuire

Susan Meissner

Becky Melby

Dana Mentink

Amber Miller

Judith Miller

Sara Mills

Siri Mitchell

Nancy Moser

Janelle Mowery

Elizabeth Musser

Mark Mynheir

Jill Nelson

Mae Nunn

John Olson

Donita K. Paul

Trish Perry

Marta Perry

Allie Pleiter

Cara Putman

Deborah Raney

Sandra Robbins

Paul Robertson

John Robinson

Martha Rogers

Cynthia Ruchti

Gail Sattler

Kim Vogel Sawyer

Shelley Shephard Gray

Virginia Smith

Lynette Sowell

Candice Speare

Kathryn Springer

Denice Stewart

Sarah Anne Sumpolec

Michelle Sutton

Camy Tang

Donn Taylor

Janice Thompson

Cindy Thomson

Missy Tippens

Carrie Turansky

ML Tyndall

Amy Wallace

Susan May Warren

 So if you live in the area, please come to see us!  (I'm hoping the authors don't outnumber the readers! LOL--for sure the women outnumber the men! )

~~Angie 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

In more ways than one!  

Seems like we've gone a while without a new release, right?  I've had my head down, working furiously on the WIP, and while I've been busy, other books have been lining up and preparing for their grand entrances.  There are now four, FOUR new releases available for pre-order on Amazon.com, if you want to receive them hot off the press.  

Coming in October! The DVD edition of The Note, starring Genie Francis. Order the DVD here! From the novel by Angela Hunt, The Note first aired on the Hallmark Channel in December 2007. Now this stirring movie is available for you to own for your own enjoyment. The DVD contains the movie, plus feature interviews with Genie Francis and Angela Hunt. In the interview, Angela explains the meaning behind the novel’s allegorical symbols. You won’t want to miss this one!  Order the novel here!     Coming in November 2008: The Face. From Mira. Available for preorder! Born to parents who died shortly after her birth, twenty-year-old genius Sarah Sims has been hidden in a secure CIA facility where she works to help her handlers achieve their goals. Yet her days of anonymity are limited because her aunt has discovered her existence and is determined to lead Sarah out of exile. But before she can leave the only world she’s ever known, Sarah needs what most people take for granted . . . a functioning face and the skills to use it. Will she remain in her secluded fortress or summon the courage to follow her heart? “The Face is an amazing book. Impeccably researched, tenderly written, it is a fascinating character study wed to a compelling thriller. Angela Hunt always delivers something special, but this book is beyond special. It’s simply wonderful.” --Kathryn Mackel, author of Vanished In The Face, Angela Hunt has crafted an extraordinary tale that’s impossible to put down! The meticulously researched story line could have been lifted from today’s futuristic, high-tech headlines, and the undercurrent of international espionage will keep you turning pages. But long after you’ve finished The Face, you’ll be thinking—not only about the characters Hunt brings to life so skillfully, but the questions the story raises and the truths it underlines. The Face speaks profoundly to our inherent need for love and acceptance, as well as to the value we place on physical beauty. With each succeeding book—thanks to her masterful storytelling and thought-provoking plots-- Angela Hunt’s stock as a contemporary writer of real importance continues to rise. —Cindy Swanson, radio personality and online book reviewer   Coming in December 2008: Dreamers, the first of a trilogy about Joseph in ancient Egypt. From Steeple Hill. Available for preorder!  Brothers, the second book, will follow in February 2009 and Journey, the third and final book, will follow in April 2009.

Coming in Spring 2009--She’s in a Better Place, the final installment of the Fairlawn series. From Tyndale House. Pre order this book now!  In the third book of the Fairlawn series, Jennifer Graham is now running the Fairlawn Funeral Home. Her work takes on a new dimension when Gerald Huffman, her assistant and mentor, reveals that he has a serious illness. When she learns that he and his daughter haven’t spoken in years, Jen decides to help them reconcile . . . but things don’t go exactly as she planned. Once again, the mortuary is a setting for lessons of laughter, love, and life. That's it for now!  Head back down, nose to the grindstone . . .  ~~Angie

Hurricane Alert

Despite what I wrote in The Elevator, we're pretty ho-hum about hurricanes around here.  That doesn't mean we don't respect them--we do.  But all of them seem to skirt the tiny little peninsula where my family and 924,000 other people live.  (We're the most densely populated county in Florida.)  

Still, when a hurricane approaches from the south, we prick up our ears.  Tropical storm Fay is headed our way, but we're not doing anything until tomorrow morning.  Then we'll get up, check the maps, and either go about our business or start battening down the hatches.  My family won't evacuate--first, we're not in an evac zone; second, our house has hurricane shutters; and third, I'm not leaving my dogs.  

The map you see here is the latest on the storm, and it's supposed to come ashore south of us.  We'll see.  

Now--I've never really thought it made much sense to pray for a hurricane not to strike me--after all, if it doesn't strike me, it'll strike someone else, and how selfish is that?  So I'm praying that the storm gentles as it comes ashore, and that people get smart and do what they're supposed to do to prepare.  

And now, back to our regularly scheduled blogging . . . 

~~Angie

A capella Flight

A friend sent me this video, knowing that I love a capella (without instruments) music.  This is incredible, so enjoy!  Zzzzzzz, Zzzzzzt.  

~~Angie 

Drum roll, please!

We pause from our regularly-scheduled blogging about inane events to tell you about a new reading/writing venture: 

 

 

New Indie Publisher Specializes in Christian Fantasy and SF

 

Colorado Springs, CO – August 2008 – The creative force behind WhereTheMapEnds.com, one of the Web’s premier sources of interviews and content related to Christian fantasy and science fiction, is pleased to announce the creation of a new independent publishing company, Marcher Lord Press.

Marcher Lord Press immediately becomes the leading indie publisher of Christian speculative fiction.

The Marcher Lord Press Web site (www.marcherlordpress.com) went live onOctober 1, 2007, and the company’s first original novels will release on October 1, 2008.

After more than 13 years working in the Christian publishing industry as a published novelist and professional editor on staff with three Christian publishing companies, Marcher Lord Press founder Jeff Gerke has created his own publishing venture to specialize in the kind of Christian fiction he says is lacking in the current marketplace.

“I’ve always loved Christian speculative fiction,” Gerke says. “Christian fantasy, science fiction, time travel, supernatural thrillers, the works. My own first novels were near-future technothrillers. But I was always frustrated that these novels seemed to get short shrift in the industry. So I decided to do something about it.”

The first lineup of Marcher Lord Press titles includes Hero, Second Class, a comic fantasy in the tradition of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, by first-time novelist Mitchell Bonds; The Personifid Invasion, a futuristic spiritual warfare thriller by R. E. Bartlett; and Summa Elvetica by Theodore Beale, an exploration of what would happen if something very much like the Catholic church existed in a fantasy world and decided to explore whether or not elves have souls.

Going forward, Marcher Lord Press will release six original novels a year in two release cycles: April and October. Marcher Lord Press will then begin augmenting its original releases with the re-release of Christian speculative novels that have gone out of print—all with new covers and bonus content like lost chapters or original short stories by the author.

“I’m shooting for a specific readership,” Gerke says. “I like to call them ‘Christian who love Battlestar Galactica’ or ‘Christians who love Heroes’ or—my favorite—‘Christians who would go to Comic-CON if given the chance.’ I want to give them the kind of fiction that is currently all but absent in today’s publishing climate.” 

Indeed, a trip to Comic-CON 2009 in San Diego is the grand prize in the drawing to be held on Launch Day, October 1.

The name of the company comes from the marcher lords of European history. A marcher lord maintained the boundary with an enemy nation, such as the English lords who held the boundaries with Scotland or Wales. Marcher lords guarded against invasion and looked for opportunity to expand the borders of the home country.

Jeff Gerke has been in the Christian publishing industry since 1994. He has written six Christian novels—under the pen name Jefferson Scott (seewww.jeffersonscott.com)—and has served on the editorial staffs of three Christian publishing companies: Multnomah Publishers, Strang Communications, and NavPress.

While at Strang, Jeff spearheaded the launch of Realms, the first-ever imprint of speculative fiction in the Christian publishing industry. After leaving Realms, Jeff headed up the fiction line for NavPress. Jeff is now a freelance book doctor, editor, and writer working from his home in Colorado Springs.

Jeff operates www.WhereTheMapEnds.com, one of the premier Web sites for content, interviews, craftsmanship, and inside information about the Christian publishing industry and Christian speculative fiction in particular. He also operates The Anomaly (http://wherethemapends.proboards58.com/index.cgi), a forums site for original Christian speculative fiction.

Jeff and Marcher Lord Press may be reached at 719/266-8874 or through the contact information found at http://www.marcherlordpress.com/Contact_MLP.htm.

~~Angie

Urban Legend Amalgamation

My friend Lynda from Missouri sent me this clever compilation of all those urban legend emails.  So, with a tip of the hat to her and whoever wrote it, here it is!  

Summary of My Last Year on the Computer

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about
poison in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a
wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for
the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick
girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for
the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once
I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are
sending me for participating in their special e-mail
program.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually
horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I
smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca-Cola because
it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to
watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl into my back
seat when I'm pumping gas.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who
make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under
God" on their cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it
causes cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water
in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face,
disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I
could be nicked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug
me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they
are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't
support our American troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to
dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls
to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I
now have their recipe.

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because
a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to
cause me instant death when it bites my bum.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00
in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a
molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in
the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on
your head at 5:00PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12
camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy
hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to
a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's
second husband's cousin's beautician...

Have a wonderful day....

Oh, by the way.....A South American scientist from
Argentina, after a lengthy study, has discovered that people
with insufficient brain activity read blogs with their
hand on the mouse.

Don't bother taking it off now; it's too late.

~~Angie 

Who Needs a Keyboard? (I do!)

 I'm trying something new this morning. I ordered a copy of MacSpeech dictate, a dictation program that allows you to speak into a headset and watch your words appear on the screen or in the document. I promise, this is exactly how the program responded after about 10 minutes of training. It can't quite seem to figure out how to spell my name, but I think it's doing a pretty good job.

Did you read the story about the little Chinese girl who was not allowed to appear at the opening ceremonies even though she actually sang the song to honor the motherland? Chinese officials thought she wasn't attractive enough, so they had another little girl lips sink and smile for the camera. What sort of message does this send to children? At six, they are not pretty enough? That's so sad.

(MacSpeech needs to learn how to spell lip-synch -- oh my, you got it right this time!)

My husband and I are enjoying connecting with old friends on face book. Amazing, how connected the Internet has made us. My husband doesn't even know how to turn the computer on, but he's enjoying the face spoke experience.

I'm working hard on the work in progress, and beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Can't wait.

MacSpeech has done pretty well. I'm impressed.

NG

And she

Eight NG IE

A in GE high in

LOL.  ANGIE.  

Ron Benrey's latest book

Yesterday I discovered a treat in my mailbox: a copy of Ron Benrey's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Christian Mysteries.  No, this is not a book on how to write a Christian mystery, but a book on how to learn about some puzzling Scriptures and ancient beliefs  involved in the Christian faith  . . . like the Trinity.  How can one God be comprised of three distinct persons?  

Other topics Ron covers are the incarnation and the atonement, the virgin birth, Jesus' dual nature, the healings and miracles of Christ, the unforgivable sin, and the existence of pain in the world--how can a good God allow suffering? 

I was honored to serve as a "technical editor" on this project, meaning that I read--and enjoyed--every word.  I found much to ponder and praise within these pages.  Ron has a deliciously wry sense of humor and he writes very simply of complex ideas.  I promise you'll enjoy this book, and it will help you learn how to defend and explain your faith to others. 

You can read more about it here.  

~~Angie 

Brilliant Film Clips

Novelist Nancy Moser sent me the results of a gig where film folks took clips from existing movies and made new trailers--but they had to change the genre. Shining was the winner. These things are amazing, so congratulations to the winners!

P.S. Notice how the music changes the mood. That's why it's so important to add verbal "mood music" to a scene!

The Shining Alternate Trailer
West Side Story

~~Angie

Later Gator

Yes, I was about to kiss a gator.  

We do have gators all over the place down here, but I didn't just scoop this one up.  :-)  He was featured in a booth at the bookseller's convention, so I was able to hold him--and that was a first for me! 

Actually, the gator was both heavier and calmer than I expected.  Very heavy! Harry Kraus tried to hold him right after I handed him off, and the gator became quite agitated.  (Harry thought it was because he was nervous on account of having a close encounter with a croc out in Africa. I have no such memories.) 

Anyway, just wanted to share my gator picture.  :-)  As to what else is going on, I am hard at work on the final draft of my WIP, which has yet another new title:  as of today, it's called THE INTRUDER.  I'm working at a 25 page-per-day clip and still adding new scenes . . . 

I've never had a WIP go through so many titles--first it was GHOST, then THE SHADOW, then LET THE DARK COME, and now, THE INTRUDER.  At some point, one of these has to stick.  My editor and I like the last one because it "matches" THE ELEVATOR and THE FACE.  

~~Angie 

The Grammar Gavel

Yes, I am fully aware of the irony involved in posting yesterday about Facebook and posting two days prior about life-wasters.  :-/  I think I'm going to have to make a point of only checking my facebook page once a week . . . or I could very well waste a lot of time.  It is wonderful to hear from old college friends and kids from our ministry who are now grown with families of their own, and it's a special treat to hear from my former high school students who are now nearly as old as I am!  (I was only four years older than most of them when I taught, and these days four years is nothing.)  :-) 

Yesterday on the plane I read something which will undoubtedly bring you great joy.  I had always suspected this truth, but it was nice to read it in print.  Here goes:  When someone asks, "How are you?", you are perfectly correct to respond, "I'm good, thanks."  

I responded this way not too long ago and was corrected for my grammar--a statement with which I did not argue because life's simply too short to argue about such things.  But I knew I was right, because which "I am well," is a fine answer, it usually pertain to one's health, and I haven't been sick, so that's not an issue.  So "I'm good," works not only for how I'm doing, but how I'm behaving (I hope).  :-) 

Why?  Because "am" is a linking verb, and it's fine to use adjectives after a linking verb.  

So--the next time you're asked, "How are you?", you can answer, I'm good, I am good, and/or I feel good and be perfectly in the right.  If you answer "I am well," that means you're in good health, and if you say, "I feel well," you are saying that your feeler is exceptionally well-tuned.  

(Why the grammar lesson?  I picked up--actually, I downloaded--a Kindle copy of The Grammar Girls Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing and found it irresistible.  My favorite line:  "It's a grammar rumble, people."  LOL!  Love the attitude.  

~~Angie 

Facebook

Photo:  not a particularly unusual animal.  A mad cat.  :-)

I've been a little reluctant to join the mass of social networking sites, mainly because I don't have room for much more on my plate.  But I did join Facebook, and I've been delighted to find several old friends from college and high school--as well as dozens of former middle schoolers who came through my husband's ministry. 

I had so many of my hubby's kids contact me that I set up a Facebook account for him--even though he rarely uses the computer.  I figured it was time he joined the twenty-first century.  To my amazement, he sprouted friends overnight.  Now, if I can only teach him to use the Internet . . . 

So if you're on Facebook, be sure to look me up.  :-)  We can be facebook friends.  

~~Angie 

Birth Verse

I don't know how scientific this is, but it's kinda fun.  Go to www.birthverse.com, enter your birthday, and discover what someone thinks your "birth verse" should be.   Mine is

Proverbs 12:20 NIV There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.

LOL!  I'm not sure whether the "plot evil" applies to me (though I've done plenty of that in my books), yet I hope I "promote peace" in my personal life. It's a lovely verse. 

What's yours? 

~~Angie 

News Flash!

Photo: Robin Miller and Wanda Dyson in Orlando.  :-)

Good news!  I just found THE NOTE DVD on Amazon.com.  (This link's for you, Mom.)  :-)  It's available for pre-order now, and it will be released on October 7th.  This is the DVD of the movie that has extra features, including interviews with Genie Francis and yours truly.  :-)  

So you can preorder it here.

~~Angie, still in Philly 

Time is Life, Life is Time

I've discovered in my fifty years that life is filled with activities that can suck you in like the Mafia. The evil one would love to distract us from from doing what is best with doing what is harmful, neutral, or merely good. The trick is learning to discern which activities are life-fillers and which are life-drainers. What may be an "LF" for me may be an "LD" for you, and vice versa. But here are some specific examples from my experience.

Life-drainer: accepting a position on my neighborhood's board of directors.
Life-filler: starting a neighborhood book club (where we frequently discuss spiritual themes).

Life-drainer: working seven days a week.
Life-filler: taking a Sabbath and keeping it holy.

Life-drainer: bad books, bad movies, bad TV.
Life-filler: good books, good movies, great TV.

Life-drainer: trying to exercise someone else's spiritual gift.
Life-filler: exercising mine.

Life-drainer: joining a fitness club.
Life-filler: hitting the treadmill every morning while watching good TV.

Life-drainer: trying to be all things to all people.
Life-filler: finding my God-ordained niche and filling it.

Miscellaneous life-drainers: purposeless meetings, trying to maintain fake nails, window shopping, foolish arguments, email chain letters and urban myths.

Miscellaneous life-fillers: any time spent encouraging children, a good hair cut, time spent with my hubby, shopping with a purpose, riveting debates with friends who speak the truth in love, going back to school to keep learning.

In order to fill your creative well, you have to let LIFE drop into it. In order to maintain your spiritual life, you have to feed it daily. God has placed you in a specific place, time, and situation for a reason . . . and you need to examine the elements of your life and make sure you're using your time in the best way possible.

"For what is your life?" James asked. "It is only a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."

Life is time. We have a finite amount in our accounts. We need to spend it wisely and in the light of God's eternal purposes.

How will you spend your 24 hours today? 

~~Angie

BOM: Questions and Answers

Today's animal is kind of cute, isn't it?  It's a tapir. 

The second cute creature is, no kidding, a Dumbo Octopus.  So named because of his big ears. :-)

Nancy Rue and I are preparing to teach two sessions of "Nangie" here in Philly.  Should be fun! 

~~Angie 

BOM: Results and Reader Reaction

Today's interesting (!) animal: the star-nosed mole. Yikes! 

THEN COMES MARRIAGE got decent reviews and we've received nice comments--especially from those who buy the book to give to sons and daughters as those sons and daughters prepare for marriage. I think one of the key themes of the book is that you can't expect your spouse to read your mind--you have to communicate and say the things that are on your heart. 

I think the market didn't quite know what to do with our little book. It wasn't the usual Bill Myers book, nor was it the usual Angela Hunt book.  It wasn't quite a novel.  A little hybrid novella, certainly, but still a book that I hold dear.  

Bill and I talked about writing a sequel in which Kurt and Heather go through pregnancy and delivery together--and she has the baby while stuck in a car on a ferris wheel!  LOL!  Who knows, maybe we still will write it . . . one day.  

Okay . . . any questions at all?  Ask what you will, and I'll respond tomorrow.  

If this is Wednesday, I'm flying to Philly . . . for the Philadelphia Christian Writer's Conference.  I'm also probably working on the plane.  :-(

~~Angie 

BOM: The Editing

Today's interesting animal: the proboscis monkey.  Poor thing!  What happens when he gets a cold?  

Dave Lambert edited "Then Comes Marriage" and as always, he did a great job. I do remember trying hard to strike a balance between story and lesson--both Bill and I are teachers at heart, and when you're writing a novella, you don't have many words to spare. We wanted to say things that would teach, but we had to be careful that we didn't do it at the expense of the story. 

In any case, I hope we succeeded. We had a particularly good time recording the book for the audio version--Bill read the man chapters and I read the woman chapters.  I had never done an audio book before, so I wasn't sure if I should simply read it or "act it out," as it were.  And how does one DO that?  Do you make funny voices for funny characters?  How far do you deepen your voice for a male character?  

So . . . I made Bill go first.  And tried to rise to the level of his expertise (he's very expert. He regularly plays voices on some Focus on the Family radio programs, plus he's been the voice of Jesus in a Zondervan Bible.  Not that I'd be intimidated or anything, but . . . Jesus?  Oh, my.) 

In any case, it was fun to play off a partner, especially when writing is usually such a solitary occupation.  That why I urge people to listen to this one--I think it's a lot more fun than just reading it.  

The hardest part about reading an audio book is breath control.  That's right.  I found myself going back to my voice lessons and consciously concentrating on expanding the ol' diaphragm until I had said all the words I'd written in my sentence (and I began to wonder why in the world I choose to write such LOOOOOONG sentences.) In any case, being a singer came in handy, even without singing a word.

P.S.  We had a wonderful time at book club last night.  We read REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers, and in the middle of the discussion, I asked, "What question would you like to ask the author?"  When Julie mentioned her question, I jumped up and said, "Well, let's go ask her!"  

Tee hee.  It had been pre-arranged, but nobody knew that Francine was waiting on our call except me and Francine.  :-)  So we all crowded into my little office and chatted with her for a little while.  What fun!  

Next month we're reading THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY,  book that looks to be a real treasure! 

Tomorrow: Results and Reader Reaction 

~~Angie 

BOM: The Writing

Today's lovely animal:  the sun bear.  (But this is how I feel on Monday mornings.)  :-) 

Since "Then Comes Marriage" is a novella, the writing wasn't that intensive.  Bill and I agreed upon a loose outline before we began, then I wrote my "woman" chapters.  I sent them to Bill and he wrote his "man" chapters. 

I still laugh when I remember what happened next.  One of my strengths is the picky stuff--cleaning up grammar, punctuation, etc., so I promptly applied my editorial skills to Bill's copy . . . and received a very nice email reminding me that I should just let his participles dangle.  LOL!  

I agreed.  Let the editor do his job; mine was just to represent the picky female perspective.  So we both polished our respective chapters and sent them in.  And I had to admit that a lot of the charm of the story was the very different approach we had to the writing.  :-) 

And isn't there a lesson in that?  How many times do we marry a man because he has strengths we lack . . . and then we try to make him over to be like us!  It never works, thank goodness. 

~~Angie 

BOM: The Research

Today's unique animal--the frill-necked lizard.  

LOL! Researching "Then Comes Marriage" wasn't all that complicated--in fact, though I can't speak for Bill, at least one of "Heather's" escapades in the story came straight from my experience of Life. Hint: has to do with Christmas and ESPN. I just sat down, opened a vein of experience, and let it flow!

And I have no idea how many of "Kurt's" stories were fictional, though I'd love to think some of them were based in reality. I didn't have the nerve to ask him! :-)

Whew. I am pushing toward the end of my third draft of LET THE DARK COME, the legal thriller I've been working on all summer.  There are still a few pieces missing, so I need to back up and take a fresh look.  I've taken several "breaks" in the writing for trips, etc., and that's made me feel a little . . . disjointed.  So I'll keep at it!  

My book club meets tomorrow night, and this month we're reading REDEEMING LOVE.  I read it many years ago, so last night I picked it up after dinner and finished it again at about 11:30--sobbing like a baby.  I know how that book affects me; I want to see how it affects the other ladies.  :-)

~~Angie

BOM: How the Idea Germinated

Today's peculiar creature:  the pygmy marmoset. :-) 

The idea for "Then Comes Marriage" hit me while I was doing housework--making the bed, as I recall.  I was thinking about my husband and about how we are ENTIRELY two different people--in fact, if you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality types, I'm an INTJ while my hubby is an ESFP, and you can't get more opposite than that. 

So I was thinking that it might be fun to write a book with alternating chapters--sort of a "he said/she said" type thing.  Then I realized that it wouldn't work if a female writer slipped out of her skin to write the opposite gender's part, because then you'd get a woman's approximation of what a man thinks, and not a true representation! 

So then I thought of my pal, Bill Myers.  Bill's an INFJ, which isn't quite my opposite in personality, but I was looking for opposite gender.  :-)  Bill's books are truly wonderful, if you haven't read 'em--in fact, they're a lot like mine in that he likes to take a high concept and run with it.  (Must be the IN and J that we have in common. )

Anyway, I ran the idea by Bill--opposite takes on a couple's first year of marriage?--and he agreed to write it with me if we could find a publisher.  So we wrote up a proposal and sent it off to Zondervan, which agreed that it was a dandy idea. 

 

BTW, if you decide to look for his book (hint: try Amazon.com), you might consider checking out the audio version for several reasons.  First, it comes on a tape with one of Terri Blackstock's novellas, so you'd get two for the price of one.  Second, Bill and I actually read the book ourselves in alternating chapters (a real "he said, she said"), so it's kind of fun.  And funny. You can check it out here.  

P.S.  I had a real treat yesterday--in the mail, I received a DVD copy of the interview recorded for the DVD release of THE NOTE, scheduled for sometime this fall.  The interview will be a ten minute feature on the movie DVD, and I was so pleased that my intentions and purposes really came through in the interview.  The interviewer caught up with me at Glen Eyrie, so we had those lovely mountains and the castle as a backdrop--amazing!  :-)  Be sure to check it out when the DVD releases.  

Tomorrow:  the research

~~Angie

Book of the Month: Then Comes Marriage

Today's Book of the Month (can you believe it's August?) is a repeat because I wanted to celebrate the Kindle-ization of this title.  THEN COMES MARRIAGE is now available for the Kindle!  

Romantic Times, Feb. 2001
"Filled with plenty of insight, THEN COMES MARRIAGE is a touching and entertaining read." 

Library Journal, 2-2001
"Capture(s) the nuances between male and female points of view as they explore the opinions shaping a marriage." 

Book Description
This humorous novella looks at a young couple who reaches their first anniversary to discover that marriage is not what they anticipated. They are forced to take a close and sobering look at their own behavior, at their marriage--and what marriage is really all about. A light-hearted AND serious look at the roller coaster ride of marriage. 

From the Back Cover
This idea of a romantic gift is a truck? Excuse me if I’m not thrilled to pieces. It’s been exactly one year since Heather and Kurt Stone exchanged wedding vows. A photo collage? For crying out loud! She knew I was hoping for golf clubs!

They’d planned to celebrate. Instead, they’re fighting. Not about the gifts they got—those are just added proof of what’s become apparent with time: how little each person understands the other. How could this perfect match turn out so wrong?

As a furious Heather unloads her marital woes to her mother, a bewildered and resentful Kurt heads for the racquetball court to vent his frustration. Now the real issue emerges: Kurt is a man and Heather is a woman. How can two people wired so differently ever hope to become one flesh?

Or could the strength of their union lie in their very differences?

Best-selling authors Bill Myers and Angela Hunt spin a warm, humorous, and insightful tale of young matrimony. From both a man’s and a woman’s point of view, here is the rose of marital bliss, complete with thorns. As Heather and Kurt individually revisit the befores and afters of their wedding, they strengthen their commitment and begin to redefine their love in wiser, less selfish terms.

Their awakening to the realities of marriage and their coming to terms with each other’s uniqueness are the story of every husband and wife. Lovingly crafted, Then Comes Marriage is a delightful novella filled with fond memories for seasoned couples, and wisdom and encouragement for newlyweds. 

Tomorrow: How the idea germinated

~~Angie

Computer Game for Typists

Okay, so you know how all the young kids are experts  at those games where they're shooting at things?  Now you can be an expert, too, and blow stuff up.  

I love this new time-waster by Crazy Monkey.  And when I played, I made it to the #12 spot!  

If you can type, you can win.  :-)

~~Angie 

What’s so Inspirational About Fiction?

Today's creature: the Emperor Tamarin.  :-) 

Ouch.  That's the first word that came to mind when I opened my eyes this morning.  You see, this is camp week, so I had envisioned getting up early and getting to work every day, making great strides on the WIP, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. 

Instead I found myself dealing with the installation of my new granite countertops.  What can go wrong will go wrong, and it did. Monday they couldn't put on the island piece because they needed an electrician to unhook the cooktop.  My neighbor, God bless him, is an electrician, so he came over Monday afternoon and unhooked the cooktop.  In the mean time, Babe needed to go to the vet, and as I hauled her into the car, I pulled something in my back.  Ouch. 

Yesterday the men showed up to finish the installation, plus the plumbers, but though the plumbing went swimingly, the cutting out of the cooktop resulted in several CRACKS.  Oh, yeah.  Trouble in River City.  So then the service guy had to come out and he spent most of the day patching and repairing the cracks.  Seems that this particular beautiful stone, all the way from Australia, is prone to fissures and cracks.  (And there's a metaphor in that statement.) 

I find it hard to work with men in the kitchen and dogs barking, so how much did I get done yesterday?  Zip.  I did, however, run to home depot and buy quarter round molding, which I painted, cut, and glued into place to cover the 1/2 inch gap between the new counter and the old tiled backsplash.  No, I don't know how to miter corners, but I can use a caulking gun and I have enough clutter that I doubt anyone will look at my corners.  

Anyway--this morning I could hardly move.  But today I will sit in this chair and work hard.  Because I'm too stiff to do anything else.  

On to the topic at hand--Some folks have a little trouble understanding that you can be as moved toward God by reading a faith-filled novel as you can from hearing a sermon. (After all, Jesus used stories to reach His audience.) So some friends of mine shared quotes from letters they're received--proof that fiction can and does change lives.

Enjoy.

“My entire soul was stirred by the challenges Fire of Heaven raised to me. It called me back to my first love with God, to holiness, to faith and worship like no book has done in some time.”
About Bill Myers’ suspense/thriller Fire of Heaven

“My first grade teacher read it to me and that is when I accepted the Lord.”
About Dave & Neta Jackson’s juvenile historical fiction Abandoned on the Wild Frontier

“Because of your book, I now believe.”
About Nancy Moser’s contemporary fiction The Invitation

“I would like to tell you how much I have enjoyed the books Dreamers, Brothers, and Journey. I could not put them down. I had almost given up my faith in God until my grandma had given me these books to read, which helped restore my faith in God and our relationship.
About Angela Elwell Hunt’s historical fiction Legacies of the Ancient River

“The religious themes in Star Wars sent me on an investigation that moved me eventually in the direction of Jesus Christ. From Pantheism to Christianity––what a track! It illustrates how Christ can use the world and some of its relativism to identify Himself to the unknowing.”
About Kathy Tyers’ science fiction Star Wars spin-off novels

“The Lord spoke to my heart anew and I believe that I realize more than I ever have how very important it is to listen to that 'still small voice' and to put my life in the hands of my Lord and Savior.”
About Deborah Raney’s contemporary fiction Beneath a Southern Sky

“I wish I had heard of you sooner because this book touched me like no other. It seemed like God was saying those very words to my heart. I know without doubt that He was speaking to me. I know that this trying time will soon be over…”
About Robin Lee Hatcher’s women’s fiction The Shepherd’s Voice

“Your book, Beyond the River, has really done something wonderful to me. Before my mom and I read it, I didn’t know what a great effect it would have on my life if I accepted Jesus into my heart. After I read the book, I accepted Him.”
About Robert Elmer’s youth historical fiction Beyond the River

“My life has been in absolute shambles for two years…Through my despair I wandered through a bookstore…your books have helped me to remember the trials we all go through and if you put faith in God, it will somehow work out…they have given me so much hope, I can’t even put into words.”
About Stephanie Grace Whitson’s historical fiction series Prairie Winds & Keepsake Legacies

“I was expecting to read some fluff…I was pleasantly surprised to find delightful reading coupled with deep theology and bedrock truths about our Father!”
About every good author’s INSPIRATIONAL FICTION


"You don't always have to chop with the sword of Truth.
You can point with it, too."
~ Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

~~Angie 

Crybabies

I seem to be on a dog video jag here . . . 

My cousin sent me this video of a dog and a crying baby--and I love how the baby stops crying once the dog starts!  :-)  Tee hee.  So cute, and it only lasts about a minute, so enjoy! 

~~Angie, back at work

Let Them Eat Cake, by Sandra Byrd

Hello!  Today I'd like to introduce you to my friend Sandra's latest book--good enough to eat! 

Let Them Eat Cake

By Sandra Byrd

 

 

…Chick-lit never tasted so good! LET THEM EAT CAKE is one of those rare chick-lit novels that integrates faith elements without being preachy, and includes plenty of romance without it being the only point of the protagonist's existence… Five star review, faithfulreader.com

 

 

Book Summary

Lexi Stuart is at a critical crossroads. She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends.

When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye–but even may not be who he seems to be!

So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting–an order Lexi has flubbed– she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future–très bon!

 

Let Them Eat Cake was a Christy Award finalist for 2008

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073278

 

www.sandrabyrd.com

 

Bio:

Best-selling author Sandra Byrd married the country boy who accepted her dare to eat escargot, and lives with him and their two children in Seattle, Washington. She’s published nearly three dozen books in the Christian market including her latest series, French Twist, which includes Let Them Eat Cake (2007) and Bon Appétit (September, 2008). Most of her other books are for the Young Adult market, and she’s published a book for new moms, Heartbeats.

 

Many of Sandra’s shorter works appear in periodical markets such as Relevant, Clubhouse Magazine, Pockets, Decision, and Guideposts. For the past seven years Sandra has shared her secrets with the many students she mentors through the Christian Writer’s Guild. Before turning to full-time writing, Sandra was an acquisitions editor in the ABA market.
 

Sandra’s first submission – and rejection – was at age 12.

 Boyfriend Bait Beef Stroganoff

 

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, well trimmed, meat cut bite-sized pieces (about 1” square)
4 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups canned beef broth

3 tsp corn starch
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Over medium high heat, gently sauté beef tenderloin in 2 tablespoons of butter for about 2 minutes, till just seared on all side. You’ll still be able to see red. Remove from pan and set aside in a rimmed dish or baking sheet so you collect the juices.

 

Over medium high heat, sauté shallots and mushrooms in remaining butter until soft and wilted, about 5 minutes.  Mix corn starch into cold beef broth, whisk to blend. Pour into pan, and stir together with shallots and mushrooms till thickened, two or three minutes.

 

Add sour cream and mustard, stir to blend. Add beef and juices from dish; stir over medium just till warmed through. Sauce will coat but not be overly thick. Serve immediately over noodles or white rice, salt to taste. 

 

The Amazing Skidboot

Home again, and sorting through 300 emails.  Note for future reference:  it does no good to arrive at an airport at 4 a.m. for a six a.m. flight if the ticket counters don't open until five. 

I think I need a nap. 

My friend Sharon sent me the following movie--and and it made me laugh and cry.  (These days I cry at everything.  I think it's hormones.)  :-/  

Anyway, take a moment to enjoy this video clip--and be amazed.  

~~Angie 

Let the Little Children Come

Today's photo: the white-faced Saki monkey. 

Yesterday I blogged about animals, and how my heart goes out to them . . .  and a few minutes ago I felt almost ashamed of that post.  Because Lori, one of this blog's readers, sent me a link to an article about a girl named Katie--a nineteen year old girl who decided a few years ago to be the arms and heart of Jesus in Africa.  Katie has a blog, too, and you can read it here.  

I'm not saying it's wrong to care about animals.  Far from it.  But how can we care less about little children who are dying from starvation and malaria? Humans are created in the image of God, and I am often amazed at my own ability to watch movies where people are blown up all over the place without eliciting so much as a whimper from me . . . but show me a suffering dog, even a fictional dog, and I go to pieces. 

I'm sure the answer lies in desensitization, in the simple fact that we hear so much bad news about people that our hearts are hardened to it.  But I cannot claim to care for animals unless I care about people, especially babies (and unborn babies) and small children.  

I hope you'll take some time today to peruse Katie's blog and ask the Lord what you might be able to do to help this young girl.  Thanks.  

~~Angie 

Update on Christian the Lion Story

Today's photo:  a tarsier. 

Mocha with Linda sent me this link, which contains an update to the Christian the Lion story.  I don't know why even reading this news story makes me cry like a baby.  Randy Alcorn says it's because the relationship between Christian and those young men is the relationship we'll have with animals on the new earth--maybe our hearts sense that this is the way it's supposed to be. 

Last night I was watching Animal Cops and there was a story about a man who adopted a shelter dog and then trained the animal to be a therapy dog--you know, one of those dogs who has good manners and can visit hospitals, nursing homes, etc.  Anyway, the camera showed this sweet dog, so eager to please, visiting with an elderly woman.  Without being told, the dog placed his paw in her lap and instead of smiling (his usual expression), he simply looked at her with this sweet and sympathetic expression on his face . . . I lost it.  Good thing I have a box of tissues by my bed.  

I am fascinated by the relationship between man and beast.  God gave us dominion over the animals and we lived together in harmony until the Fall, then God killed some animals to clothe Adam and Eve.  A picture of the sacrifice of Christ--and a picture of the many millions of sacrifices animals would make for man in the years to come. They serve us, they feed us, they keep us company . . . and they suffer in silence. 

I think that's what moves me most.  

Want still more details on Christian the lion?  Read a good article (and see adorable pictures) here.  

~~Angie 

Flying the Friendly Skies

If this is Thursday--and I hope it is--I'm leaving this morning for Missouri and the conference for young writers.  It's fitting, then, that my friend Lynda sent the following video for our viewing pleasure. 

That'll be five dollars, please.  :-) 

~~Angie 

Chuck Norris on Language

I love this quote: " I genuinely believe we can do better. I believe we must do better. We need to leave a better legacy of decency, civility and respect for future generations. I believe we need to give them our best, and our best must be more than justifying the use of derogatory language based upon cultural or racial relativity or even freedom of speech. If we're going to reverse negative trends among our youth, it's going to begin with us establishing a better model for them of how we treat and speak about others."  --Chuck Norris 

A few days ago I blogged about profanity.  Robin Lee Hatcher recently alerted me to this column by Chuck Norris (yes, the karate/Texas Ranger Chuck Norris) that's worth checking out.  

Yes, words have power.  And we should use them carefully.  

I've been working hard on the WIP, organizing another collaborative project with 200 novelists, and putting together a proposal for a devotional.  No wonder I'm still working at 9 p.m.!  

Today's photo:  a dog, not a living mop.  The Komondor is a purebred dog who happens to look like he wears dreadlocks.  :-)  Don't see many of those around!  

~~Angie