Suspended in the Stars UPDATE + GIVEAWAY

I announced some big news yesterday about the Limited Edition Hardcovers for my Kickstarter campaign plus there's an awesome giveaway running. 

Lindsay Harrel Q & A | Guest Post

I've had the pleasure of meeting Lindsay a few times and she is just the sweetest! I'm excited to partner with her today to offer a fun Q & A as well as a giveaway. We'll be talking about her latest release, The Secrets of Paper and Ink, a time slip (modern day & historical).

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck | Blog Tour

A woman who's on shaky ground in her job as a New York city cop. A struggling sports agent starting over. An inherited house and the story of its origins.

All of these details woven together by the skill of master story teller Rachel Hauck!

Jaime Jo Wright | Author Chat

Professional coffee drinker & ECPA/Publisher's Weekly best-selling author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing spirited romantic suspense stained with the shadows of history. Coffee fuels her snarky personality. She lives in Neverland with her Cap’n Hook who stole her heart and will not give it back, their little fairy Tinkerbell, and a very mischievous Peter Pan. The foursome embark on scores of adventure that only make her fall more wildly in love with romance and intrigue. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimejowright.com

Real Love Moments by Dana Mentink | Guest Post

Real Love? Where are my chocolates and roses?

Ah romance novels! Don’tcha love them? I do actually, and I write them, too, but sometimes they can be a tad on the unrealistic side. Why is that exactly? In my opinion, it’s because we want our romance novels to be realistic enough to be believable, but sometimes real love isn’t all that flashy when you get right down do it.

DiAnn Mills | Spread the Christmas Joy

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child

Christmas makes children out of all of us. Actually, writers are kids who failed to get the memo that it was time to color between the lines. We write and worship during this season with the same enthusiasm as a child.

I remember the Christmas I was three years old. The vivid accounting could not possibly be true—or could it?

As a lively three-year-old, I often woke during the night for a drink of orange juice. My parents soon learned to keep a small glass in the refrigerator.

On Christmas Eve, I woke to make the trek to the refrigerator for my OJ. The lights from the tree lit a pathway across the living room to the kitchen causing the darkness not to be so ominous. I remembered Santa was coming and quickly drank my juice then set the empty glass back inside the fridge.

On the way to my snug and warm bed, I passed by the Christmas tree. Oh, how I loved the twinkling lights, mesmerized by their quiet beauty. Still do. They remind me of the star that guided the wise men to the baby Jesus. I paused in front of a large window to gaze up at the starlit sky. To my amazement, Santa in his red and gold sleigh led by eight reindeer flew high above me.

My little heart pounded, and I raced back to bed for fear Santa would stop at my house and find me awake. The next morning, I scrambled from my bed to make sure he’d brought my toys. To my joy, the toys I’d dreamed about were under the tree.

A child’s imagination for a future writer? Or a magical happening to a wee child?

This Christmas explore the season filled with wonder. Take time to journal what this special day means to you. Perhaps it will be a birth of renewed commitment to God and the special gift of writing that He’s given you.

Be blessed!

____________

-->DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Author Roadmap with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.            

*Giveaway* 

DiAnn has graciously offered up a copy of Deadly Encounter.

All giveaways run until January 2nd and winners will be announced shortly after. Use the image to the left to share on social media and don't forget the hashtag: #SpreadTheChristmasJoy16

           

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Realm Makers 2016 Reacp

Have you ever walked into a place and felt a sense of "rightness" about it? As if you were meant to be there? Accepted and understood?

That is the Realm Makers Conference for me!

This year's conference was hosted on the Villanova University campus which is stunning with all of its stone buildings and lush greenery (you can see that in the pictures to the side). The keynote speaker was none other than Thomas Locke (also known as Davis Bunn) and he was fantastic! If you've been following my blog for any length of time you'll know that I've read the first two books in his fantasy series: Emmisary and Merchant Of Alyss, so getting to hear him speak at a speculative fiction conference was amazing. He had deep points that I will take to heart as I continue on in my writing journey.   

In addition to all of the wonderful and amazing classes and speakers present at Realm Makers, it was just a whole lot of fun. I've got a post coming about this later in the week, but being around a bunch of people who are nerdy like you are is pretty amazing.

Attending a conference like this is the perfect chance to catch up with friends you've connected with online for the last year and to bring that friendship into the "real world". It's also a great time for talking about the characters that usually exist only in our heads, discussing wild ideas, and sharing our successes, failures, joys, and fears. I always come back from a conference like this enthusiastic to to continue on in my own writing projects after hearing of the struggles my fellow writers have had. I realize: "I'm not alone" and if they can do it, so can I!

Three things to put into practice: 

1) Treating your book as a product
This was a point that Thomas Locke made and it really hit home for me. As a writer who hopes and prays to become a published author one day, I am quick to realize that I get very attached to my books. They are, after all, like children to me. Thomas pointed out that the reality is, if you've got a publisher looking to publish your manuscript there will be changes made, but that is only because they will be made to make your book better and in the interest of selling it. It becomes a product at that point.

It could sound like a very stringent way to look at a book, but the more hands that hold the book mean the more people you are able to reach with the message of your book. Though my writing is an extension of reaching others as well as entertaining them, my writing is also a business and I think it will help me to have more of a detached attitude at certain points.

2) Forging a discipline around my creative process
Thomas Locke spoke a lot about disciplines a writer should have and they all resonated with me, but this part was especially impactful. He explained how the first draft of your work is very much a "free" creative process but the moment you move to the second draft things change. You must approach it with discipline and realize the editing process will be critical and is not about you it's about making the book better.

3) Where possible, adapt to the outside world
This last point  also hit me deeply. Thomas spoke of the change in the market and where our books can (and will in some cases) go. He encouraged us to adapt to the outside world. He wasn't saying for us to become like the world, but to find our place in it as spec writers. I loved what his guidance was. He said, "You must find your way though prayer". It's so true! A lot of the writers I know and those that I met aspire to reach the world through their writing. Some will do that in the CBA and others will do this in the general market, but either way they must be guided by the Lord. His perspective was very encouraging to me!

Final takeaways:

*There are others out there who understand the mix of "nerd" and "normal" that I am. Those people are fun, accepting, and just a whole lot of fun!

*Realm Makers is the only place a Tardis would be caught taking headshot photos of a Jedi... 

*The Lord has created us Speculative Fiction writers with a unique way to look at the world. We may tell stories differently than others - using magic, time travel, spaceships, or zombies - but these differences are beautiful. I personally love the fact that I enjoy writing Romantic Suspense and YA Science Fiction!

*The friendships I've forged through Realm Makers are cherished, full of quirkiness, and so vital to who I am as a writer and as a Christian!
*I seriously need to figure out my world structure for this new SciFi I'm working on...Thanks Kathy Tyers!

*The Doctor, River Song, and a Weeping Angel can co-exist as roommates!

*When all else fails, the answer is 42 ;-)

>>>If you went to Realm Makers - what were some of your favorite memories?

For those of you who didn't get to join the Realm Makers fun, I brought a piece of it back for you! I'm offering a copy of Firebird by Kathy Tyers to one winner with a U.S. Address. Enter below:
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Dani Pettrey, Vannetta Chapman & Celesta Thiessen | New Novel News

Cold Shot
by Dani Pettrey

February 2, 2016
Bethany House
Purchase: Cold Shot

In college, Griffin McCray and his three best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore Police Department, Declan Grey would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would study to become a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now years later, Griffin has left the police and his friendships behind. Still trying to forget a case that went bad when he was a SWAT team sniper, he's living a quiet life as a park ranger at Gettysburg. Quiet until skeletal remains are uncovered near Little Round Top--and they aren't Civil War-era.

Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott discovers evidence pointing to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Grey steps in to take over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of crime, danger, and murder.

Get to know Dani...

Favorite season? Summer. If I could live at the beach year round in flip-flops, shorts and a tank top I’d be thrilled.

What’s one thing you must have/do in the morning?
Coffee. Never start a day without it.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? 
This is a tough one, but I’m going to say a Mediterranean cruise that my family took with my mom before she went to Heaven. It was awesome sharing it with her. We visited Monaco, Barcelona, Rome, Pisa, and Naples. The area is gorgeous. My absolute favorite spot was Positano, Italy. It’s breathtaking. 

Joshua's Mission
by Vannetta Chapman

February 1, 2016
Harvest House Publishers
Purchase: Joshua's Mission

Joshua Kline travels from his farm in Oklahoma to offer aid to an Englisch town on the gulf coast of Texas after a category 4 hurricane has ravaged the area. What will Joshua find when he arrives in Texas? A budding romance? A call from God? A possible healing of his relationship with his brother? Joshua’s Mission is a story of love, forgiveness, and the grace of God that carries us through even the worst situations.

Enter to win a copy of Joshua's Mission on Vannetta's interview from last Wednesday! (find it here)
 
Get to know Vannetta...

Who is your favorite secondary character? 
In Joshua’s Mission, that would have to be Quitz, a loveable black Labrador.

What are you reading right now? 
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows. It is absolutely lovely.

Favorite dessert? 
Chocolate. Anything chocolate. I would give up entire meals in order to have chocolate. :) 

http://vannettachapman.com
https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman
https://www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks
http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman/
https://instagram.com/vannettachapman/

The Coder & The Fixer
by Celesta Thiessen

February 1, 2016
Indie Published
Purchase: The Coder & The Fixer

Two 700-year-old spaceships, a Jesus-follower, and a killer all need help to survive.

Nidal is the coder on the Faithful. He’s brilliant, ruthless and faithless. For him, it was join the Brotherhood or watch his mother die. Now, as part of the Brotherhood, he has taken down ship after ship. The flagship, carrying the president, is their last target.

Azalea is the fixer on the flagship, Reliance. Her creative genius and her faith have kept them operational and one step ahead of the Brotherhood. But, when the Brotherhood hijacks the ship, Azalea must bind herself to the foreign coder in order to save all that remains of humankind.
Get to know Celesta...

Would you rather go to the future or go to the past?
I think I’d rather go into the future. The past we already know about, it’s history. But the future is undiscovered. I’m interested to see what new inventions and technology there will be in the future.

Unless I went back into the past when Jesus was here on earth. That would be something else. When he looked at me would he know me? Would he know that I was from the future?

Who is your favorite secondary character?
My favorite secondary character in The Coder & The Fixer is Linx. I think we really get to know him and love him over the course of the story. Linx is brilliant, funny and devoted. He’s always there for the main character, Azalea, especially when she needs him most. Linx is a true hero.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?
I would love to be a super hero with the gift of ‘glimpse of truth’. When I see someone, I would see their deepest need. I would also see what would fulfill that need. When I would touch someone they’d see a glimpse of truth, for just an instant - they could see the course of action that will lead them to fulfillment. Then that person could chose to ignore that glimpse or to act on it. Hmm…Maybe I should write a story about that?

::WINNER::

I had Sandra Ardoin on the blog last week and we have a winner for her giveaway!

Congrats to...

Kim Amundsen

Contact me and we'll get you your book :)

Deb Kastner | Spread the Christmas Joy

Loving Sacrifices

Hello! Deb Kastner here with “He knows when you’ve been sleeping, he knows when you’re awake. He knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. Oh, you better watch out…”

I have nothing against Christmas carols. Ask anyone in my family who gets tired of me belting out Christmas tunes and cranking Christmas albums. I’m the one in the church choir who gets excited when Christmas music starts trickling out into our folders in October.

But this little ditty, not so much. First of all, raise your hand if you think having some “jolly old elf” always watching you is kind of creepy. Am I right?

Second, although really this should be first, we know Who watches over us, awake and asleep. Ultimately God is the One to whom we’re accountable for our thoughts, words and actions.

And yet hundreds of thousands of parents over the years have used this very song to hold over the heads of their children. For at least a couple of weeks a year, kids strive to be good and think twice before acting, lest they end up on Santa’s “naughty list.”

But is that what we ought to be teaching our children? “You be good or you won’t get…”

My church has started a new tradition that I absolutely love. At the beginning of Advent they handed each child a bundle of hay. Did you sneeze when you read that? Bless you.

Whenever one of my grandchildren performs an act of mercy or an act of loving sacrifice, they collect one straw. For the time being, we’ve been spreading the straws throughout our nativity set. On Christmas eve, the children will bundle up the straws they’ve earned and place them in the manger of the church nativity scene. By their kind acts, they are making a soft place for Baby Jesus to lay.

Now that’s a tradition I can get behind. Sacrificial love to please the Lord. If it requires me to take Benedryl from now until Christmas, it’s a small price to pay, to see the glow and delight of my grandchildren’s faces as they offer up their gift to Jesus.

As for me? I’ll be in the choir loft, joyfully belting out Christmas hymns. Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

__________________________________

~~Love Courageously~~

Award-winning author Deb Kastner writes contemporary inspirational romances containing sigh-worthy heroes and strong heroines facing obstacles that draw them closer to each other and the Lord.

Deb has written over 25 published novels and has over a million books in print. Awards include first place in the Beacon contest and three Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nominations. She has presented numerous writing workshops in Colorado and is involved in leadership roles in American Christian Fiction Writers at both the state and local levels.

She lives on Colorado’s beautiful Front Range with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She has three grown daughters and two wonderful grandchildren. Spoiling the grandkids is her favorite hobby, but she also enjoys movies, music, and singing in the church choir.

http://www.debkastnerbooks.com

The Cowboy's Yuletide Reunion 

When Sarah Kendrick meets her high school sweetheart again, she's ashamed to show Marcus Ender how far she's fallen. But when they're snowed in on her ranch, and he returns holiday joy to her family, Sarah could have a merry Christmas…if she'll say yes.

The Cowboy's Christmas Gift by Arlene James

An injury forces rodeo rider Matt Ender home to his family's ranch—where he clashes with his grandmother's pretty business partner.

Former cowgirl Neely Spence has no time for love. Can they open their hearts and find family this Christmas?

Cathy Elliott | Spread the Christmas Joy

A Turn-about Christmas

I didn’t want to celebrate Christmas that year. Earlier in May, my eleven-year-old son, Chris, had been killed in a tragic accident. An unspeakable sorrow colored everything. Though lovely ones surrounded me on my painful journey and God Himself carried me often, the last thing I wanted do in December was deck the halls or make merry. But one look at my little nine-year-old Heidi, her eyes shining with Christmas lights, said I must.

But how?

Knowing I couldn’t bear to experience our old traditions without Chris, my folks offered an idea. Why not pack up the car and travel north to spend the holiday with my brother and family on Whidbey Island, Washington? To do something different? Make a new memory? Though I didn’t grasp it at the time, they’d suffered, too. We all needed a change.

I feigned sleep in the backseat to disguise my weeping. How could anything ever be right again? But all seemed a bit righter when my brother welcomed us into their beautiful home, cheerfully decorated in anticipation of the big day. Ever the perfect hostess, my sister-in-law prepared a tasty turkey with cornbread stuffing so delicious, I bought the cookbook. My family pampered me with kindness and I rested in their loving embrace. Daughter Heidi had a blast with her cousins. It was good to hear them racing through the house, shrieking and giggling. Almost normal. Still, I sort of sleepwalked through it all, a huge lump in my throat.

After we had opened gifts and had dinner, etc., my folks announced a surprise. They wanted to do a little extra to make merry, so they handed out envelopes to each kid and grandkid. Inside, we found cash. Each child (like me) received $100 and each grandchild $50. The plan? To go to the day-after-Christmas sales as a family and spend the unexpected money on ourselves. What? An excitement infected us. Even me. And I was shocked to find myself thinking about something beyond getting through Christmas.

We did go shopping the next day, all together, the kids darting into Macy’s toy section first. I bought a very cool coat. I think I had to put a little money with it, maybe $25, but it was on sale and a great buy. Something I wouldn’t have bought on my own. How I loved that coat! Each time I slipped into its furry luxury, it felt like a warm hug from Mother and Daddy. I got hugs all winter long.

It’s been a long while since I’ve thought of that Christmas. In the midst of a heartbreaking year, Christmas turned out to be a light unto my path. A rescue. It took becoming a devoted grandmother to realize how much my parents own hearts must have shattered after their beloved grandson’s early departure. In spite of their sadness, they thought of me, and of their other kids, as always. They reached out past their pain to help us create a happy Christmas memory.

Now that the folks have both joined my son in heaven, I remember that particular Christmas as one of the sweetest. Daddy and Mother’s wisdom and thoughtful generosity blessed us all and we made very merry, indeed.

Merry Christmas, everyone. 

________________________________

Author and speaker, Cathy Elliott, nourishes her night-owl habit by creating cozy mysteries and more on her trusty laptop in Northern California. In addition to various articles and anthology contributions, she has authored three novels: A Vase of Mistaken Identity, Medals in the Attic, and her latest mystery - A Stitch in Crime.

Website & Occasional Blog: www.cathyelliottbooks.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10212726-cathy-elliott
Facebook: Author Cathy Elliott cathyelliottbooks.com
Twitter: @CathyElliott10 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cathyelliott10/

A Stitch in Crime

Thea James thought working as co-chair for Larkindale’s first quilt show extravaganza would be a natural extension of her antique business. But while organizing the busy week’s premiere events would make anyone frayed, she doesn’t expect a complete unraveling!
At the opening soirée, local matriarch Mary-Alice Wentworth is knocked unconscious and robbed of her diamond brooch. Soon a rare quilt—the main attraction and a rumored key to great riches—goes missing. Those who signed up to help Thea are strangely no help at all. What more could possibly happen?

Amid a cast of colorful characters and a tight schedule of garden galas, tea parties, and televised socials, everything is falling apart at the seams – and nothing is quite what it seems. Can Thea sew everything back together?

"...Fans of inspirational fiction will enjoy the funny, feel-good whodunit."

Publishers Weekly Review - November 7, 2014

“…There is mystery and laughter, and Elliott’s characters are strong, confident and determined to make their mark….Fans will want to add this gem to their keeper shelf.” RT 4-Star Review November 12, 2014

Sarah Sundin | Spread the Christmas Joy

A Simple Christmas

I come from a small family—my first and only cousin was born my freshman year of college. We lived in California, and our grandparents lived in Ohio and Connecticut, so it was just the four of us every year.

Christmas was never spectacular for us, but it was quietly magical. Through simple traditions, my parents made the celebration meaningful and delightful.

We always attended the church’s Christmas pageant. We always put out the crèche and played carols. We always set up the same decorations, carefully placing the tinsel on the tree one strand at a time.

Since my sister and I are only fifteen months apart, we often received the same or similar gifts. So we’d sort the gifts by type, and Martha and I would open the twin gifts back to back, simultaneously, trying to open at the same rate. And no spoilers were allowed!

We also had odd, unique family traditions. We always went to the shopping center on Christmas Eve to buy family gifts—yes, we’re procrastinators. And my dad always, ALWAYS found a parking spot right in front of the Broadway department store. Sadly, this parking-spot-opening gene was not passed on to the next generation.

Today, Christmas is often a blur of frenzied, over-the-top decorating and baking and gift-buying and gift-wrapping and crafts. We add on more and more every year and Christmas becomes a time of chaos, stress, guilt, and debt.

But it doesn’t have to be.

Christmas is about the wonder of God Himself coming to earth as a tiny baby, God among us. 

As the angels told the shepherds in Luke chapter 2: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord…. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

The last few years, I’ve been returning to the simple traditions, the ones that bring peace and joy to my family and friends. And I’ve been stripping away the activities that only bring guilt and stress. In the process, I’ve rediscovered the wonder of the season.

What can you do to simplify your Christmas?

___________________________

Sarah Sundin is the author of seven historical novels, including Through Waters Deep (Revell, August 2015). Her novella in Where Treetops Glisten was a 2015 Carol Award finalist. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school. http://www.sarahsundin.com.

Through Deep Waters

In 1941, as America teeters on the brink of World War II, Mary Stirling works at the Boston Navy Yard and renews an old friendship with naval officer Ensign Jim Avery. Jim’s destroyer escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic, but problems on his ship point to a saboteur at the shipyard. As Mary works to find the culprit and Jim battles U-boats, could their friendship blossom into something more? Or could the dangers they face keep them apart?

Jan Elder | Spread the Christmas Joy

A Pony for Christmas?

I was extremely blessed to grow up in a Christian home and Christmas was always a special time for my family. It wasn’t just packages, presents, ribbons, and bows. Mom, especially, really focused on what Christmas was all about—the birth of the Christ child, Jesus the Savior of the world. Every Christmas Eve, we celebrated “the reason for the season” by reading from the second chapter of Luke. Then we’d each open one present and mosey off to bed to await the joy of Christmas morning.

When Christmas morning arrived with all of its holiday excitement, my brother, sister, mom, dad, and I would open our gifts, one at a time, each person in turn displaying their bounty for everyone to admire. My dear mom would then fix us a super-duper pancake breakfast including sausage, scrambled eggs, and toast. If one of us had received a game for Christmas, we might spend the rest of the afternoon playing around the dining room table. Pretty boring, huh? But for a family of introverts, celebrating with quiet contentment made us all smile.

Sometime during Christmas day, my mother—an author in her own right—would assemble all of us in the living room for a short story or poetry reading. The composition was usually something my mother had written herself or perhaps a story that had meant a lot to her when she was growing up.

When I was around twelve, I clearly remember her reading one story in particular. It was called A Miserable, Merry Christmas, a short snippet from the autobiography of Lincoln Steffens. My mother had read it as a little girl and typed it up for us. To summarize, there once was a little boy who desperately wanted a pony for Christmas. In fact, he wanted it so badly, he asked his father not to get him anything if he couldn’t have a pony. He woke up on Christmas day, and indeed, there was nothing in his stocking, nothing under the tree, nothing at all for him amidst the pile of presents his sisters received.

After watching his sisters open their gifts (and they did have the decency to feel his pain) he retired to the stable to weep. Finally, he aimlessly wandered to the front porch steps to watch the world go by and steep in his own profound sorrow. Oh how he had wanted that pony, and oh how miserable he was without it!

As he perched on the cold porch steps a man strolled by leading—you guessed it—the most wonderful pony he’d ever seen. The beautiful prancing creature sported a black mane and tail and a white star graced his noble forehead. But the man walked on by…just sauntered down the road, out of the little boy’s life, pony trailing behind.

Well, as you can imagine, that was it for the melancholy kid. His heartbreak knew no bounds. He had counted on his father to give him what he wanted most and his father had let him down.

As his heart broke into jagged little pieces, he hears someone call him. “Say, kid,” it said, “do you know a boy named Lennie Steffens?” Oh the joy that flooded his soul! The precious pony was for him, and he came complete with a boy-sized saddle, currycombs, and plenty of hay back at the barn. That young lad had received even more than he’d asked for…more than he could ask or think.

The story has stuck with me after all these years and it makes me think of one of my favorite verses, Ephesians 3:20. The Living Bible translation says, “Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.

God wants to give His children good gifts, but often I think He’s too slow or I question if He understands exactly what I need. I want things when I want them, not in God’s time. As I’ve grown older, I try to be a more patient and have more faith that God will give me what I truly need if I seek his kingdom first. He knows what’s best for me. This last year has been a rough one; sickness, a heart attack, a death in the family, but like the boy in the story, there have been many times when my cup has overflowed with his goodness.

This Christmas season, thank you God for the gift of your son. I really need nothing more than more of You for Christmas. Any other present is just gravy.

____________________

Jan Elder is a Christian romance writer with a zeal for telling stories other women can relate to. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story.

Besides writing romance, she enjoys the occasional hazelnut cappuccino while watching Turner Classic Movies. Always an avid reader, she devours books voraciously, both Christian and secular. She was born a cat-lover, and all novels present and future will include a feline in some way or another.

Happily married for twelve years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a tuxedo cat), and Shu-Shu (a tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor.

Connect with Jan at:
http://janelderauthor.com
https://www.facebook.com/janice.elder.author
https://twitter.com/JanElderAuthor
 

A Semi-Precious Christmas

On a bright, crisp December morning, jewelry store manager, Peridot Keaton-Jones, arrives at work expecting to find her beloved uncle, Marty. Instead, she’s greeted by the muzzle of a gun pressed to her temple. When thugs assault her, threaten her life, and steal thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, Peri can only pray her uncle is late for the first time in his life.

Christopher Lane is a TV news cameraman in the right place at the right time. He witnesses the heist, calls the police, and offers help when Peri needs it most. She can't deny her attraction, but is he really her hero, or is he just after a story? And with Christmas right around the corner, can Peri and Chris avert a holiday disaster?