Camy Tang's Blog, page 164

Low carb/running update

Captain's Log, Stardate 09.29.2010



So those of you unfortunate lucky enough to hear all about my low carb diet last month are probably clamoring for an update, yes?



So after a month of going gluten free and low carb, I broke my gluten fast earlier in September and am now (relatively) normal carb.



Technically, according to the program booklet that comes with the supplements I'm taking—which I'm still taking, by the way—I should have slowly increased my carbs earlier this month, but because I had been running about 20 miles per week last month and I was feeling really tired, my nurse/counselor suggested I increase my carbs earlier than the program booklet said to.



I did some research and found out that most running articles suggest an extra intake of about 50-100g of carbs for every hour of running each day. I was running about 5-7 hours a week, so I calculated that translated into about 150-170g carbs per day. I'm trying to keep to that, although I admit it doesn't always happen. For me, low carb is very hard, to say the least!



I'm also a bit confused by my carb cravings. I've had some bad calorie days lately, due mostly to these fanatical carb cravings reminiscent of before I started these supplements and the modified diet. I was a bit scared that the insulin resistance had come back, because I was craving chips like a fiend.



But the weird thing is that after gorging on chips the past 3 days, today, the carb cravings are gone. Completely. It reminds me of what happened on day 17 of my modified diet where I had this intense carb craving and wasn't trusting my body, but Captain Caffeine reasoned that maybe I should listen to my body since I had been on the low carb diet for 2 weeks and the "fake" cravings (insulin resistance cravings) had been absent for most of that time. So I gave in to the carb craving and the next day the craving was gone.



It's so weird to be in this place where I might actually be able to trust my body. Strange.



So do the supplements work? I think so. My hormone-induced migraines are much reduced, and as mentioned above, my carb cravings seem normal as opposed to out of whack. I have lots of energy and I'm not sleeping as many hours as I had previously needed to sleep to feel refreshed. Want to try them? It's WomenToWomen.com. What's nice is that you can call their health advisor/counselor person with any questions you might have.



Anyway, my running has been fine and I feel fine (not tired and pretty full of energy), so I think my carb count of 150-170g/day has been good for me.



I'm still training for the Honolulu Marathon! I started doing the e-coaching from Jeff Galloway to get extra help with my training, and it's been really great. I can ask all kinds of stupid questions or questions specific to my training. For example, he suggested I run at noon on one of my shorter runs during the week to help prepare me for the heat. He said if I do that, it'll still feel hot in Hawaii, but I'll be okay (as opposed to collapsing from heat stroke, I guess).



This coming Sunday I run in the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon! It's actually "only" 13 miles and I'm scheduled to run 20 that day, so Jeff told me to run an extra 6 miles after the half marathon! Isn't that crazy? And I totally don't mind! Aren't I crazy???? (Don't answer that.)



Have I lost weight? Um … a little. It's not melting off my body, despite the 20+ miles a week that I've been running.



However, the jeans I took with me to the American Christian Fiction Writers conference a couple weeks ago were so loose by the end of the trip that I could take them off without unbuttoning or unzipping them (yeah, and I was around Cheryl Wyatt's husband at the conference—good thing he didn't know or I'd have been a practical joke temptation he couldn't resist). And I didn't realize until I saw myself in the hotel room mirror, but the khakis I brought with me were actually a bit baggy. Last year they were a tiny bit snug, so I know I've lost at least a little weight.



I had a depressing shopping trip to TJ Maxx because I tried out tons of different pairs of jeans, but size 8 was too tight and size 10 was too big (I'm not yet in single digits yet!!!). So, I just bought a new pair of jeans and a new pair of khakis from Victoria's Secret—their stuff makes my butt not look quite so wide, plus they go by the measurement scale listed on their website and their sizes and fits are very consistent. Also, no vanity sizing at VS—I'm a "sung" fit into a VS size 10. I bought stuff on sale since I'm hopeful I'll continue to shrink and these'll be too big for me in a few months!



To justify the cost, I demonstrated to Captain Caffeine the jeans that I can pull down without unbuttoning or unzipping. He was pretty quick to tell me to buy new jeans. :)

Street Team book list excerpt - Judgment Day by Wanda Dyson

Camy here: Wanda has a wonderful gift for telling gripping stories! Plus she's a really great person, too! Pick up this book--you won't regret it!



This week, the



Christian Fiction Blog Alliance



is introducing



Judgment Day WaterBrook Press (September 21, 2010)



by Wanda Dyson





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Wanda Dyson – "a shining example of what Christian fiction is becoming..." (Christian Fiction Review). She's been called a "natural" and a "master of pacing," but her fans know that whether it's police thrillers, suspense, or bringing a true story to life, Wanda knows how to take her readers on a journey they'll never forget.



Wanda is a multipublished suspense author, currently writing for Random House/Waterbrook. Her one attempt at a nonfiction book was picked for an exclusive release on Oprah. In addition to writing full time, she is also the appointment coordinator for the CCWC, Great Philadelphia Christian Writers, and ACFW conferences.



Wanda lives in Western Maryland on a 125 acre farm with a menagerie of animals and when she's not writing critically acclaimed suspense, or away at conferences, you can find her zipping across the fields on a 4-wheeler with Maya, her German Shepherd, or plodding along at a more leisurely pace on her horse, Nanza.



With the release of her newest hit, Judgment Day, Wanda is heading back to the keyboard to start on her next high-octane thriller, The Vigilante.





ABOUT THE BOOK



Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.



The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions.



Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find an entrepreneur she is investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Sterling is dead, she has his blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancé–the man she betrayed in college.



Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won't cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she's destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.



Watch the book trailer:







Excerpt of chapter one:



Prologue





Baltimore, Md



Running away from home had sounded like the best idea ever when she was planning it, but now that sixteen-year-old Britney Abbott was tired, hungry, and out of money, it felt more like the biggest mistake of her life. She climbed down off the bus, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and wondered where she was going to sleep for the night.



If only her mother hadn't married that jerk. He was so strict. According to Ronnie, Britney couldn't date, couldn't stay over at a friend's for the night, and she had to be in the house no later than seven every evening. None of her friends had to live like that.



Last Saturday night her mom and Ronnie went out to dinner, leaving her home alone with the usual litany of instructions: You cannot have anyone over. You will do your homework. You will be in bed by ten. You will not spend the evening on the phone with your friends. And you will not—I repeat not—leave this house; I am going to call and if you aren't here to answer the phone, you will be grounded for a month.



Fifteen minutes after they left, Ronnie-the-Predictable called. She answered the phone. An hour and a half later, she was gone.



She looked around at the crowds dispersing in several directions. The smell of diesel fuel overwhelmed her empty stomach and it growled in protest. Everything looked the way she felt—worn-out, dirty, and depressed.



"Hey, you okay?" A girl stood against the wall near the exit from the bus station. Torn jeans, pink T-shirt, high top sneakers, leather jacket, and numerous rings and studs from ear to nose to lip.



"Yeah, I'm cool."



"You look hungry. I was just going over to Mickey D's. You wanna come?"



"No money."



"It's okay. I think I can buy you a hamburger and some fries."



Britney was hungry enough to be tempted and wary enough to wonder why the girl would make such an offer. "Me?"



"Yeah." The girl walked over. "My name's Kathi. I came to Washington about five months ago. A friend of mine was supposed to be on the bus but either her parents caught her trying to run away or she changed her mind."



"You're a runaway?"



Kathi laughed as she shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket. "Look around, girl. There are lots of us. We come to DC to get away. Some stay, some move on to Chicago or New York."



Britney felt relieved to know she wasn't alone. "Okay. I'll take a hamburger. Thanks."



Kathi linked her arm in Britney's and led her down the street toward the Golden Arches. "What's your name?"



"Britney."



"Well, let's get you something to eat and then you can crash at my place."



They chatted as they ate their food and drank their sodas, and with each passing minute, Britney liked Kathi more. She might look a little tough, but Britney supposed that living on the streets, you had to be. Her appearance aside, Kathi seemed friendly and generous.



They were about a block past McDonald's when a woozy feeling interrupted their conversation. When she stumbled, Kathi steadied her. "You okay?"



"Just lightheaded."



"Tired more than likely. It's not far to my place."



But Britney's body felt heavier with each step. She struggled to stay awake. She had never felt this way before in her entire life. Not even after staying up for two straight days studying for a math test.



"I don't feel so good."



"We're almost there," Kathi told her. "Just down this way."



Britney didn't like the dark alley or the dark van parked there with the motor running, but she couldn't find the strength to resist Kathi's pull on her arm.



As they passed the van, the side door opened and a man stepped out. "Too bad she's such a looker."



"Yeah, well," Kathi replied. "You get what I can find."



The man picked up Britney and tossed her into the van. Britney tried to call out, tried to resist, but she could no longer control her arms or legs. She could only lay there and let the fear grow and build until the scream inside felt like an explosion in her head.



The man duct-taped her arms and legs. Then he placed a piece over her mouth. "Don't worry, kid. This will be over real soon."





Chapter 1



Outside Washington DC



Suzanne Kidwell shoved her tape recorder in the cop's face, smiling up at him as if he were the hero in her own personal story. "We have two girls missing now and both were students at Longview High. Are you looking at the faculty and staff at the school?"



The officer puffed a bit, squaring his shoulders and thrusting out his chest as he hiked up his utility belt. "You have to understand that we haven't finished our investigation, but I can tell you that we found pornography on the principal's computer. I'd say we're just hours away from arresting him."



She lightly traced a glossy red nail down his forearm. "I knew I came to the right man. You have that air of authority and competence. And I'll bet you were the one who sent those detectives in the right direction, too."



He dropped his head in one of those "aw shucks, ma'am" moves. "Well, I did tell them that he had been arrested about ten years ago for assault."



"And they made a man like that the principal. What is this world coming to?" Before he could comment, she hit him with another. "Has he told you yet what he did with the girls?"



"Not yet. He's still insisting he's innocent, but it's just a matter of time before we get a confession out of him."



"Thank you so much, Officer. You're a hero. Those girls would be dead without you."



He blushed hard as she hurried off, lobbing him another dazzling smile as she calculated her timetable. It was nearly four and she had to be ready and on the air at six, scooping every other network in the city.



###



At the station, she ran up the stairs to the second floor and jogged down to Frank's office. "Is he in?" she asked his secretary.



"Sure. Go on in."



If there was a dark spot anywhere in her job at all, it was Frank Dawson. The man delighted in hassling her. Professional jealousy, no doubt. She knocked on his doorjamb. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"



Like Frank, the room was heavy on shine and light on substance. Awards and diplomas covered all the walls. Pictures of Frank with politicians, presidents, and the wealthy, beautiful, and powerful were displayed prominently on all the bookshelves. His desk dominated the center of the room, covered in paperwork, tapes, and files.



"Sure."



Suzanne took a deep breath, clutched her notes, and strode into his office. "You know the two local girls that went missing recently?"



He glanced up at the clock, a subtle reminder that she should be getting dressed and into makeup. "I think so."



"Well, I've been doing some digging and they have a suspect."



"And this is your business exactly why?"



"Because I scooped everyone else. I talked to one of the officers working the case and he told me that they have a suspect, they're interrogating him now, and they expect to announce his arrest momentarily."



"And what does this have to do with me?"



She stared at him for a long moment. "I want to go on the air with this late breaking news."



He scratched his chin. "Your show is already scheduled, Suzanne. Corruption in the horse industry."



"I know that, and I can still do that. I just need five minutes at the end of the show to cover this. We've got the scoop! How can we not run with it?"



Waving a hand, he said, "Fine. Go with it. I sure hope you have all the facts."



"I have them straight from the mouth of the police. How much more do you want?"



"Fine. Do it."



Grinning, she rushed back down to wardrobe and makeup in record time, entering the studio with mere minutes to spare.



Suzanne looked over at one of the assistants. "Where's my microphone?"



As someone rushed to get her mic'ed up, the director walked in. "We have a job to do people; let's get to it. We're on the air in two."



She straightened her jacket as the assistant adjusted the small microphone clipped to her lapel. "It's fine. Move."



The cameraman finished the countdown with his fingers. Three…two…one. She fixed her expression.



"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." Suzanne turned slightly. "I'm Suzanne Kidwell. And this is Judgment Day."



Suzanne took a deep breath while the station ran the introduction, taking a moment to straighten the notes in front of her and sip her water.



When the director pointed at her, she launched into the ongoing corruption and abuses endangering horse owners.



The camera shifted for a close-up. "And before I close tonight, I want to give you a late-breaking report. Just like you, I've been horrified by the tragic disappearance of teens here in the tri-state area. But what made me truly sit up and take notice was that within the last two weeks, two young girls—seventeen-year-old Jennifer Link, and sixteen-year-old Britney Abbott—were reported as runaways. Same neighborhood, same school, both runaways?



"Now maybe that could happen, but I was skeptical. I did some digging. And I'm happy to report that the police have arrested Peter Fryer, the principal of Longview High School."



Suzanne changed her expression from a touch of sorrow mixed with concern to outrage. "I spoke to the lead officer and he told me that evidence against the principal included child pornography on Fryer's computer. In spite of being arrested ten years ago for assault, Peter Fryer was hired on as the principal of Longview just four years ago. He is still denying any involvement, but the police assured me they have their man. I will keep you posted."



She angled her body. "As long as people out there that you trust are betraying that trust, they will face their Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell. Good night, America. I'll see you next week."



As soon as she got the signal that she was clear, she pulled off her mic and stood up, grabbing her water as left the studio.



She rushed down the hall and when she reached her office, she sank down into her chair and kicked off her shoes. She barely had time to curl her toes in the carpet before her phone rang.



She picked it up. "Great job, Suzanne." It was Frank.



"Thanks, boss. I knew you'd be happy."



"The phones are ringing off the hook. The other stations are scrambling to catch up to us."



Smiling, she leaned back. "They'll be eating our dust for a while now."



"You'll stay on this?"



"All the way to conviction."

Formula for Danger - the book that never was

Captain's Log, Stardate 09.27.2010



I'm over at the Girls, God, and the Good Life blog today with a Formula for Danger bonus post:

Camy here! My latest release is Formula for Danger, a romantic suspense starring dermatologist researcher Rachel Grant and set in the beautiful vineyards of Sonoma, California. But did you know this was almost a very different story?

Click here to read the rest of the post!

Street Team book list excerpt - The Secret of the Shroud by Pamela Ewen

The Secret of The Shroud

B&H Books (September 1, 2010)

by

Pamela Ewen



A frightened apostle in AD 33, a tragic child in the 1950s, and a slick, twenty-first century church leader are all linked by the secret of the Shroud of Turin, the purported burial cloth of Jesus-and by something more.



Wesley Bright, a corrupt, media-savvy clergyman, is out to destroy the Christian church of the God who abandoned him in his boyhood. Likable and entertaining, Bright keeps his motives well hidden. B...

Street Team book list excerpt - In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This week, the



Christian Fiction Blog Alliance



is introducing



In Every Heartbeat Bethany House (September 1, 2010)



by Kim Vogel Sawyer





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice a...

A Hope Undaunted giveaway

It's a Giveaway Extravaganza! Kindle Giveaway, Facebook Party and Book Bomb - OH MY!



Visit the Roaring 20's with Julie Lessman in the Technology and Romance KINDLE Giveaway! Julie's latest series has just 'shimmied' it's way onto the scene with book 1 in The Winds of Change series, A Hope Undaunted! 

Find out more about the book, Julie here.



Enter The Technology and Romance KINDLE Giveaway!





One Grand Prize winner will receive a KINDLE preloaded with Julie Lessman's latest title. The ...

A Friend in the Storm giveaway

Cheryl Ricker is hosting this great contest over at her website during the blog tour for A Friend in the Storm, Zondervan's latest innovative gift book of quotes, Scripture and poetry that leads to lasting hope!



Since this book covers matters of the heart, Cheryl wants to hear from YOUR heart! In the midst of any type of loss, grief or crisis, A Friend in the Storm takes you on a healing journey where you experience Christ's love in a fresh, memorable way. Now she invites you to submit an or...

Blog and excerpt - IMMANUEL'S VEINS by Ted Dekker

Camy here: I'm really mad because I wanted to read this book before posting about it and just haven't had time! I've met Ted and chatted with him a couple times, and he's a very fun guy. It's also refreshingly normal--LOL I guess I had expected a best-selling author to be different somehow, but he's very down to earth.



We're supposed to answer the question, "What is sacrificial love?" My first (and obvious) answer is Jesus. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's...

Formula for Danger giveaway - deadline on Wednesday!

My Street Team Formula for Danger giveaway ends on Wednesday!



Street Team members, this is your last chance to post pictures on my Facebook page! Get your friends to "like" your photo for more votes! The 5 people with the most votes on their photos gets a copy of Formula for Danger!



There are also some photos on my Facebook wall as well as in the Photos, so be sure to see all the photos and vote!

Street Team giveaway - Christmas wall hanging!

Captain's Log, Stardate 09.13.2010



To celebrate the release of Formula for Danger this month, I'm giving away another cool prize exclusively for my Street Team members! This is in ADDITION to the Formula for Danger giveaway, and the 3 free books and soap/books giveaway I posted about last week!



My mom does hand-embroidered Christmas stockings, ornaments, and decorations, and she gave me a beautiful wall hanging (value: $300) to offer as a prize this month! (You can see more of her fantastic...