Delia Latham's Blog, page 37

COTT: Olympia Finalists Announced

Today brings Clash of the Titles to the end of Round Two of our first annual Olympia Award.




The Olympia is a literary contest dedicated to Christian fiction and offered only to unpublished writers. In Round Two, the first 3,000 words of entrants’ manuscripts were read and scored by non-industry readers. 




A hearty THANK YOU to each of these women who set aside a portion of their time for this contest. Without them, the Olympia would not be.




Of all our submissions, only the top three scores move on to Round Three. 




Those scores go to manuscripts belonging to:




Bethany Kaczmarek

Laura McClellan

Elaine Manders




Our warmest congratulations to these three authors!




During Round Three, their manuscript excerpts will be read and scored by the following generous individuals:




DEBORAH RANEY--award-winning author

AMANDA LUEDEKE--literary Agent of Macgregor Literary

STEVE HUTSON--literary Agent of WordWise Media




The winner will be announced 

Friday, March 01, 2013.




Best wishes to our finalists!




The remainder of the contest's entrants can expect to receive their scores by Friday, January 25.



In the meantime, stop by COTT and vote for your favorite book this week: www.clashofthetitles.com

Heart's Haven Authors Talk It Up

Heart's Haven authors love to talk about our books, and how they came to be. Cheryl Malandrinos has given us an opportunity to do just that on The Book Connection, starting with a couple of guest posts from Marianne Evans (OPERATION BREATHLESS, Book 2, Heart's Haven) and Tanya Stowe (LEAP OF FAITH, Book 3, Heart's Haven.) Mary Manners and I will follow with interviews. 



Marianne's Article



Tanya's Article



Do come by and chat with us!

COTT: Shattered Silence

Today, we bring you Shattered Silence
by Margaret Daley. Replete with murder and racial tension, at
its core this is a story exploring something everybody can relate with--bullying. And Margaret is here to tell us in her own words exactly why she wrote this.



  Shattered Silence by Margaret Daley:

A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders. 





While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn’t what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana’s faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?

***
Why I Wrote Shattered Silence

By Margaret Daley



I taught middle and high school for twenty-seven years, and I consoled many kids over those years that were being bullied. It broke my heart. The students I taught were children with special needs. Other kids sometimes made fun of them or had them do things then laugh at them. I do not tolerate bullying then and now. That's why I wrote Shattered Silence.



As an aside, I started a peer-tutoring program at the high school where I taught. Over the years I had a lot of popular kids take the class (top academic teens, cheerleaders, football players) and help out students who needed a peer tutor. One of those students went on to play pro football and another one became Miss Oklahoma. What was a wonderful benefit for my students with special needs was they developed friendships with their peer tutors. Those same peer tutors were the ones who stepped in and stopped other kids from making fun of my students.



I wanted to show different situations where a person was bullied (abused) by another. One storyline is centered around a high school student. The two other subplots concern the workplace and an abusive marriage. When someone is bullied, it leaves a lasting mark on that person. I've talked with many adults who can distinctively remember the circumstances around a bullying incident they were in the middle of.



It isn't always the outcasts or overweight kid or geek that are bullied. I have a friend whose daughter is beautiful and smart and was a cheerleader for her high school. Her last semester of high school was done at home through online courses because there were girls at the school that bullied her and made her life miserable. She became physically ill.



For her and the thousands of people who are bullied all over the world I wrote Shattered Silence. I didn't just present the situation of being bullied but offered a few suggestions for improving the situation.



Spread the word: Stop bullies. There are three groups involved in a bullying situation: the bully (or bullies), the person bullied and the spectators. The spectators are the ones in the triangle that can step in and change the situation. Speak up.


***


                     



Margaret Daley, an award-winning author
of eighty-three books, has been married for over forty years and is a
firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s
writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her
three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about
Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.



Buy the book!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Christianbooks.com



*guest post by Michelle Massaro

Book Spotlight: Texas Wildflowers by Anita Higman

"A romance assortment of petits
fours,
and as dreamy sweet."





—Harold Wolf








From the Back of the
Book:




The four McBride
sisters risk their hearts for love in the islands, canyons, mountains and bayous
of Texas.


Deserted at the
altar, a devastated Rosy McBride heads back to Galveston Island and begins
working at her mother’s scrapbooking business. Will spending time with Larson
Brookfield help mend her broken heart, or will she merely wind up pasting
away?

 

Christian counselor
Lily McBride relies on her quirky common sense and God’s wisdom to help her
clients. Will she be successful at her new career or break the most solemn of
counselor/patient vows by falling for the handsome, eccentric, and impossibly
irresistible Rubin McCall while hiking the Palo Dura Canyon?

 

In the mountain town
of Alpine, Violet McBride owns Romantic Images, a business that teaches people
how to live romantically. Will Morgan Jones, a geek she meets online, show her
the real meaning of romance and the art of love?

 

Heather McBride’s
picture-perfect life has unraveled in the bayou. Will the free-spirited Evan
Finch not only reawaken her artistic passion but also give her the courage to
fall in love—without her day-planner?

 

Will God help give
these women the pluck to love the least likely of soul mates?

 

Read Chapter One!



 



 



Author Anita Higman





An Interview with
Anita:

 

Tell us a bit
about Texas Wildflowers.

Texas
Wildflowers is a 4-in-1 novella collection through Barbour Publishing. Each
novella is set in an exotic location in Texas. They are lighthearted romances,
and they’re all tied together with the four McBride sisters.

 

Which of the
four novellas was the most fun to write?

They were each fun to
write in their own way, but my favorite character was Lily, the counselor, in
Forget Me Not Lily. She was quirky and fun, relatable and loveable. At
least that’s what I hope readers will feel.

 

All these
novellas are set in Texas. Are the towns and parks real?

Yes, in fact one of
the novellas is set in Big Bend National Park, where my husband and I went on
vacation. So, when you read about the characters on certain trails, they’re
real, and we hiked them!


Did you have
a favorite book when you were a child?I loved fairytales.
Cinderella was my favorite.


Do you have a
vacation spot you’d love to visit?

I’m dreaming of
Ireland. My husband and I plan to travel there next summer. Can’t wait! Then I’m
going to use the emerald isle as a setting in one of my novels.


What are 5
things that your readers might not know about you?

While I was in college
I tried working in a pillow factory. I was terrible at it. I got so weary with
the repetition I started yakking with the woman next to me. We got reprimanded
over and over until I quit. I discovered one thing from that college job—talking
is something I excel at.

I once won a
hog-calling contest at a banquet. I was not embarrassed, but I should have been.


I have a bird phobia,
and yet I love birds! (That is, from a distance.) My house is filled with the
fake kind—prints on the walls, statues, and general bird doodads. Go figure.


I keep some
interesting treasures near me when I write—a wooden jewelry box my son made me
when he was in school, a candle from the 1960s, a hat once owned by a famous
mystery writer, the inner parts of a music box, a birthday card that plays The
Twilight Zone theme song, and an old family toy helicopter that says, “Going
up.”

Thirty-four years ago
I rappelled off a cliff alongside the man I was dating. We kissed in mid-air
while dangling off that cliff. I ended up marrying that man, and we've
celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary!


What awards
have you won?

I’ve won two book
awards. One of my co-authored books entitled, A Tribute to Early Texas,
won a San Antonio Conservation Society Citation as well as a Westerners
International Book Award. Also, I was given three honors by readers: I was a
Favorite New Author in the 15th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards, and
my co-authored novel, Castles in the Air, was a Favorite Contemporary
Romance in the 16th Annual Heartsong Presents Awards. My most recent
award is a 2011 RWA Readers Choice Award (first place) for my novella, Once
Upon a Christmas Eve.

 

When readers
finish the last page of Texas Wildflowers, what do you want them to
come away with?

I would love for them
to be inspired, challenged, and entertained. If I accomplished even one of those
things I would feel my writing time wasn’t wasted.

 

Where can
your readers connect with you online?

Please drop by my
website at www.anitahigman.com, or visit
my Reader Page on Facebook and chat with me there at http://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorAnitaHigman.






About the
Author:

Bestselling and
award-winning author, Anita Higman, has thirty-two books published (several
coauthored) for adults and children. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of
the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication,
psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her
friends. Please visit her online at www.anitahigman.com.



Giveaway:

Every blog that gets
comments from at least 10 different commenters (besides the author and the blog
tour host) will offer a free book to one of the commenters. Be sure to tell your
friends to come read this blog and leave a comment! Share on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in or wherever you hang out!

Happy New Year!

So here we are. Survived the "end of the world" on Dec. 21. Made it to 2013. 



Now what?



Now, we thank God for bringing us to this wonderful new year, and do our best to make it everything HE intends it to be for us.



How?



By basing every decision on biblical principles. By thinking of others more than ourselves. By starting off each day with a conversation with God, and taking HIS roadmap into the new day with us.



In short, we make 2013 bright and beautiful by taking every step, every decision, every inch of the way in short, deliberate, God-directed increments. It's a guaranteed success plan!



I've started the year off by joining an online Bible study group, focusing on the book of Proverbs. I'm excited! If you'd like to join us, we'd love to have you. Here's your personal invitation/link to the Proverbs Study Group:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Proverb...  (Or simply click on the link in the sidebar). 



Whatever you do, whatever your goals, I wish you amazing success and happiness in 2013!

COTT: November New Releases Winner!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM CLASH OF THE TITLES!!

May your days be merry, bright, and filled
with Christ's love.



***



The winner of  the Clash of the Titles
November New Releases Clash is:









Southern Fried Christmas by Marian Merritt.




A hearty congratulations to Marian!




PURCHASE THE BOOK ON AMAZON

PURCHASE THE BOOK ON B & N




Her novel takes the honors but it went up against some formidable competitors:




Betrayal on the Border by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Take the Trophy and Run by Gail Sattler

The Q Manifesto by Alan Schleimer

A Bride Sews with Love in Needles, CA by Erica Vetsch




Thanks to all for showing up and playing
with COTT this week.




About Southern Fried Christmas:




Love: purer than Colorado snow, 

deeper than a Louisiana bayou.




The Colorado Rockies have always been home to journalist Kelly Shepherd, but after the death of her father, and facing her first Christmas alone, she accepts an assignment that leads her deep into Louisiana’s Cajun country.




Since his wife’s death, Denny Labouve has focused his attention on his ten-year-old daughter and the family business, but Kelly sparks the dying embers of his heart even as a Christmas cold front moves through his beloved Cajun country.




Will Denny and Kelly be able to trust God to bridge the span between the Colorado Rockies and the Louisiana bayou?




What our readers said about Marian's book:



* Such a FUN cover - and a Cajun hero...be still my heart! :)




* Wowsers, you're really making me pick between southern fried and saving the world?


* They all sound like fun, but the cajun interest won my attention! Good choice of setting Marian.




What reviewers are saying about the book:




"Marian Merritt is a ‘new to me’ author that has landed straight onto my ‘to buy list’ for subsequent releases. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author who has a beautiful way of capturing scene, setting, and dialogue. I felt like I was in N’Orleans for Christmas when I read her novella, Southern Fried Christmas (how awesome is that title?!?). Love lost, love found, and starting life anew form the backdrop of the story – and it’s one I highly recommend."




--Marianne Evans author of Devotion,
Finding Home, Hearts Key, Hearts Communion,
Hearts Surrender, and Hearts Crossing,
and a previous COTT champ


Get to know Marian better through this fun interview on Inkwell Inspirations:



INTERVIEW



About Marian:







Marian Pellegrin Merritt grew up in a rural community south of New Orleans, Louisiana. Her love for the written word began while sitting on her grandparent’s front porch swing reading books.



Her desire to write about the south keeps her grounded in her roots and the hope that one day she can do for someone what many of the authors of her childhood did for her.



She has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama.



She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and hones her writing skills by attending writer’s conferences and reading many books on the craft of writing.



Southern Fried Christmas is Marian’s debut novella. She writes from her NW Colorado home that she shares with her husband and a Labradoodle, named Chili. To learn more about Marian and get recipes from her book, visit her website at: www.marianmerritt.com and follow her blog at: www.marianmerritt.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas from the Heart's Haven gang

A back-to-basics Christmas

For various reasons -- none of them probably quite good enough -- we decided to forego a Christmas tree this year. I own a stocking hanger stand which accomodates multiple stockings, and even has a cute little star on top. We placed it atop an occasional table, hung the stockings on it, and turned out a pretty little "stocking tree." With the addition of a few favorite ornaments (mostly cardinals, my favorite!) and all the gifts stacked around it, the purpose is served nicely...and it's actually quite pretty. Even the grandchildren like our inventive "Christmas corner."





Our Stocking Tree.
Note Obie's bow on the clock... :)

My 14-year-old grandson had fun helping put it all together, and even claimed a couple of my ornaments that he remembers always being on my tree. "These are mine when I turn 18, Nanny. OK?" Well, of course it's OK! I love knowing we've made memories Blake will take with him into adulthood and carry on with his own family.



Obie, my youngest, will be 31 next month (Ugh. That makes me...well, not a spring chicken!). He's living with us temporarily, and helped a LOT getting everything decorated. We strung the Christmas cards on ribbon ropes over the fireplace and found fun places to hang a few more ornaments that I couldn't bear to leave packed away just because we didn't have a tree. I discovered some beautiful Christmas-themed ribbon stashed away in a box jumbled with a variety of holiday things, and Obie twisted it into a pretty spiral that now graces the arch between kitchen and living room, as well as the soffit over the kitchen sink. He even watched a YouTube video and learned how to make lovely bows with the ribbon -- yet another benefit of our DIY Christmas. :)



I sat in my recliner last night and looked around at our inexpensive, from-the-heart Christmas decor...and smiled, because it made me happy. It certainly won't win any Good Housekeeping awards, but we did it together, with a lot of laughter and fun and genuine Christmas spirit.



A lot of LOVE.



Jesus Himself is love...and He is the reason for the season. So, when you think about it, I guess we're doing Christmas just right in 2012. :)



Merry Christmas to all...and to all a bright, happy, and successful New Year!

Author Interview and Giveaway: Jo Huddleston

Today on Living the Write Life, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome Jo Huddleston, and talk about her debut novel, That Summer. Jo is giving away a book to someone who leaves a valid comment on this post. As always, my personal requirement is that you do my guest the courtesy of actually reading her interview and leaving a comment that applies if you want to be entered. I'm sorry, friends...I love that you've stopped by, and getting free books is fun, but "Please enter me" is NOT a valid comment. Thank you for understanding...and I know you'll be blessed by Jo's sweet spirit! Don't forget to leave contact information so we can let you know if you're the winner  :)



 









Welcome to Living the Write Life, Jo! Congratulations on your new release. I hope you're enjoying your blog tour.

 

We live in a college town,
which made it convenient for our children to earn college degrees. We love
living in the South and vacationing on the seashore of the Gulf of Mexico. We
lost a 14-year old cocker spaniel. I won’t get another pet because the
pain of loss is too great.




I can certainly understand that. Loss of a loved one - whether human or pet - is a crushing experience. I'm so sorry for your loss, Jo!

 

So let's talk about the other end of our feelings. :) What three fun or unique things can you tell us about
yourself that we don’t know?




I chew my ice cream. I fear
being in the dark. In high school I played varsity basketball.




You chew your ice cream. Hmmm... lol  Please describe yourself with three words.




Positive, hopeful,
enthusiastic.




All nice, positive traits. I knew you were a special person! What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

 

Being with my children and
grandchildren, spending time at the beach, and of course reading.




Family is awesome! How did you become involved in writing?



I minored in English in
college and reading the literature in classes whetted my appetite for the
written word. After that I became a voracious reader. When I retired from
working, I sent a few short stories out. When the swift rejections arrived, I
decided maybe I needed to know more about writing than just reading it. After
reading writing craft books and magazines, my first article was accepted. I was
hooked. Three years later my first two books released.




"Hooked," huh? That's a nice word to camouflage what we writers really are...addicted! lol  Where do you write, Jo? Do you have a dedicated
office or a corner or nook in a room?



I have a corner of a room anchored with
a desk, laptop, printer and stacks of papers.




That works! Do you always know the title of your books
before you write them?  

 

In my mind I do. I plot my book in my
mind. I choose a title that describes or summarizes that story. None of my
titles have been changed by a publisher—yet.

 

That's great! None of mine have either...yet. I know it's bound to happen someday.

 

Now, we want to hear about That Summer.

 

That
Summer is the first book in
The Caney Creek Series. The book is an inspirational Southern historical novel
set in the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee. The Great Depression brings
devastation to all, but love’s triangle survives.




To escape his poppa’s
physical abuse and their dirt-poor farm life, Jim flees to an imagined
prosperous city life where he can make his own choices, ignoring God patiently
knocking on his heart’s door. Settled in town, Jim strays from God and the way
of faith his momma taught him. He meets a girl and loses his heart … and meets
another girl and loses his willpower. Jim wrestles with social and moradl
dilemmas as he makes a choice beside Caney Creek that will alter the lives of
five people.




Well, it sounds amazing! Can you relate the book cover with your story?

 

That Summer is Book #1 in The Caney Creek Series. The top half of
the cover shows a beautiful, peaceful creek that is as important as a character
in the entire series. The lower half of the cover has a photo of a snazzy car
from the 1929. You'll have to read the book to learn why the car is
significant.




Oh, a little teaser - how fun! What takeaway value
do you hope your readers receive after reading this book?

 

That Summer is the story of God’s forgiveness so readers
will understand that no matter how far they may stray from Him, His forgiveness
is available. The book’s message is that God does not abandon His children, but
rather they let go of God. The reader will discover that God is always close,
waiting on the other side of their heart’s door; waiting for the straying one
to love Him and depend on Him.



Beautiful. I love it! Where did you get the
idea for your book?

 

All of my
ancestors and I were raised in the East Tennessee Appalachian Mountains area. I
listened to their entertaining stories, especially at family reunions, about
their times past. As my ancestors began to pass away, I felt that their stories
should not be forgotten. That Summer is NOT a true story. It is a
story of many stories with a good bit of embellishment from me.




That's the best kind of fiction, in my opinion. A story built on and around a conglomeration of lives and experiences. Did you have to do
any research for this book?

 

Yes. Thank
goodness for the internet where I found factual details to include in my book.




I do thank God for the internet - every day! How long have you
been writing? When did you sell your first book?

 

I began
writing in 1990, sold my first article in 1991, and sold my first book at a
writers’ conference in 1993.




What advice would you give to writers who have
been writing a few years but still haven’t interested an agent or publisher in
their novel?

 

Pray about every step you take on your
writing journey. Strengthen that fruit of the Spirit—patience—for you will need
it. Writing for publication is many times a waiting time. Be patient and never
give up if you believe God has given you the talent to write for his glory.




Very well said. What are you working
on now?

 

That Summer has just released. I’m
writing on book two in the Caney Creek Series. Publisher plans are for book two
to release in April 2013 and book three to release in September 2013.




What advice would you give to writers just
starting out?

 

Read all you can about the craft of
writing. Find a writers’ conference near enough to be affordable for you to
attend. Soak in all you can in the workshops and from the speakers, editors,
and publishers even at meal times. Be prepared for rejection. They won’t be
rejecting you but what you wrote. Margaret Mitchell received over twenty-five
rejections for Gone With the Wind!
They told her nobody wanted to read about the Civil War.




Where can readers find you online?

 

My website/blog

Facebook

ShoutLife




And last but certainly not least...where can we find That Summer?


Amazon, Barnes & Noble,
and CBD. If your local bookstore doesn't have the book, they can order it for you if
you give them this information: ISBN 13: 978-1-9392190-3-9.
For the month of December only, my
publisher is offering my book at the discounted price of $9.99 if you use this link .

 

About this author:

 

JO HUDDLESTON is a
multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. She is a member
of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the Literary Hall of Fame
at Lincoln Memorial University (TN). She holds a M.Ed. degree from Mississippi State
University. Meet Jo at www.johuddleston.com. While there sign up for her newsletter and read her blog.

November's Newest! Last Clash of 2012

Clash of the Titles makes things easy for book lovers everywhere--including Christmas shopping! This week, they present five of Christian fiction's hottest new titles. Surely, one of them will be the perfect gift for Grandma or Auntie Martha. Or maybe even... for yourself!

 

Introducing, November's New Releases clashing novels...

 

Don't forget to vote for the one that most catches your interest!

 






Former army communications specialist Maddie Jerrard may not remember the details of the deadly mission on the Texas-Mexico border, but she knows she's not the one responsible for betraying her unit to the massive ambush that left only her and investigative journalist Chris Mason alive. Logic says the culprit must be the only other survivor—Chris—but with a killer targeting them both, taking a chance on trusting each other may be the only way to make it through alive.


 

 

The Colorado Rockies have always been home to journalist Kelly Shepherd, but after the death of her father, and facing her first Christmas alone, she accepts an assignment that leads her deep into Louisiana’s Cajun country.




Since his wife’s death, Denny Labouve has focused his attention on his ten-year-old daughter and the family business, but Kelly sparks the dying embers of his heart even as a Christmas cold front moves through his beloved Cajun country.















 Every year Amber Weathersby loans the Bloomfield Garden Club her garden gnome to display their prized trophy in the contest winner's garden. When Gnorman is gnomenapped, Amber chases the gnome around town trying to win the trophy, while Stan chases Amber, trying to win her heart.


The world plunges into chaos when an ancient manuscript is discovered that reveals the Gospels were an orchestrated fiction. When a retired Dead Sea Scrolls expert gets in over his head investigating the scroll, his agnostic son continues the quest for the truth and uncovers evidence of a grand plot that will tip the balance of world power.

 

 

As Harvey Girl Meghan Thorson waits on doughboys at the El Garces Hotel in Needles, California, she meets Caleb McBride, a local horse breeder whom the townsfolk have branded a coward and profiteer. Will threads of love unite this couple, or will pride keep them forever apart?




 

 

 

 

 

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.