Jennifer Shirk's Blog, page 34

For Fun Friday

IN THE NEWS: Man hit by lightning dies 48 years after his father died the same way. Read more HERE. (What are the odds?)

Well, the hubby is playing hooky from work this afternoon (he can do that since he's the boss) and we're heading to the beach!

I deserve the break too. I've been really working hard on my edits this week. Really hard. So hard I feel like my eyes are going crossed.

So if you haven't seen me around much on the blogosphere... um, that's why. :-)

Before I go back to my edits this morning, I'll leave you with a funny I saw in our local paper this week:



Have a great weekend!

On Writing Princess Romances by Harlequin author Melissa McClone

Happy Monday! My friend Melissa McClone has a new Harlequin Romance book out this month called NOT-SO-PERFECT PRINCESS and is on a book tour now!
I'm thrilled that she's stopped here today to talk a little about the recent subject of her book: princesses in romances.


So please welcome, Melissa!

A little bit about her: Melissa McClone writes for Harlequin Romance. Her November '10 release Christmas Magic on the Mountain is a RITA® Finalist in the Contemporary Series Category. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but quit her job to write romance novels. Writing happily ever afters is a lot more fun than analyzing jet engine performance. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, four cats and a dog named Chaos.


I'm so happy to be back at Me, My Muse, and I. I had a lot of fun here during my visit in February! If I was a new-to-you author then or am a new-to-you now, a look at my new release Not-So-Perfect Princess and my February one Expecting Royal Twins! might lead you to assume I write a lot of princess books. In fact as this virtual book tour was being set up, my gracious host today, Jennifer, told the organizers, "… she does a lot of themes with princesses, maybe she could talk about that and why."

Given the popularity of royal romances, I'm happy I've been able to write three of them. One for Silhouette Romance and two for Harlequin Romance. All three stories feature prince heroes, but only the most recent two had princess heroines. The stories are standalone, but one character makes an appearance in all three books—Princess Julianna of Aliestle. I've been dying to write her story for years now!

It all started when I wrote a manuscript called If The Ring Fits … It was a Golden Heart Finalist in 1998. (I'd sold another book to the Silhouette Yours Truly line in late 1997 but due to the rules at that time I could remain in the contest.) The hero was a prince, but the heroine was a klutzy American. I love rags-to-riches stories, but I wanted to flip it. I made my heroine wealthy and tired of the privileged life. Her ideal Prince Charming wasn't a prince, but a cowboy. She didn't want to live in a castle, but a ranch.

To counter my so-not-ready-to-be-a-princess heroine, I created a secondary character who was the perfect European princess, the kind of woman my hero should marry (except for the fact he fell in love with the klutz!) From the minute Princess Julianna appeared I knew she should have her own story. My critique partner at the time even said Jules would be the perfect Sleeping Beauty heroine. I agreed.

I eventually sold If the Ring Fits … to Silhouette Romance. It was released in early 2000. I kept telling myself I wanted to write Jule's story. By then I had already sold a third book. I had an almost two year old and was expecting another child in a couple of months. My editor suggested I write something else, so I wrote about my klutzy American's cousin. I kept telling myself someday I'd write Jule's book!

Someday took over a decade! My love of reading royalty-themed books made me want to write another. By this time Silhouette Romance had merged with Harlequin Romance so I developed a brand new story, what eventually would become Expecting Royal Twins!

I wanted to add a twist to this royalty story so I had my princess, Isabella aka Izzy, not know she was royalty (something that has been done many times in the past) but I also gave her a non-traditional occupation—a car mechanic who dreamed of working on a NASCAR pit crew. The last thing Izzy wanted to be was a princess, married to a crown prince and forced to wear gowns, heels and a tiara!

I needed a foil to Izzy. Someone who could be a mentor and a friend, a fairy godmother so to speak. I knew the perfect person…princess…Julianna. I asked my editor if I could resurrect Jules from my old Silhouette Romance. As soon as I received the okay, I couldn't stop myself from brainstorming about Jules' own story.

As the days and weeks passed, I knew I needed to ask my editor if I could write her tale next, but part of me was worried. It had taken ten years for me to write a second royalty-themed story. Would it be another ten years before I got the chance?

Imagine my surprise when my editor asked if I wanted to participate in the Once Upon a Kiss miniseries where each story is loosely based on a fairytale. I knew right away I wanted to write Princess Julianna's story and use Sleeping Beauty. My editor agreed. I actually screamed when I read her email!

In Not-So-Perfect Princess , Julianna strives to be the most dutiful, perfect princess she can be. Not easy when she's from an archaic country with outdated views of gender equality. But she believes she can make a difference to her countrywomen by doing what's required of her—marrying a crown prince she doesn't love. But to do that, she'll have to sacrifice her own dreams and keep sleepwalking through life. Not the best existence even if you get to wear a tiara! Unless a handsome prince can awaken her!

I don't know when I'll get the chance to write another princess story. My next heroine who'll be out in my November '11 release is a paramedic and volunteer mountain rescuer. But I hope it's not another ten years! I think princesses make really great romance heroines because from the time I was a little girl I've wanted to be a princess. But since my Prince Charming came without a royal pedigree and a castle, writing about a princess is the next best thing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks so much, Melissa! I LOVE princess themed romances!

Here's a little more about Melissa's book:



While the Princess was sleeping…

Dutiful Princess Julianna has a secret—she's actually happiest makeup free, sailing with the sea breeze in her hair. Her attraction to rebel prince Alejandro is instant—but her intended is his brother, the proper but dull Enrique!

For the first time, Julianna's irresistibly tempted. Before long, she's spending her nights sailing with gorgeous Alejandro while the rest of the palace believes she's sleeping. Soon she'll have to choose—remain the perfect princess, or follow her heart and stop sleepwalking her way through life.…




**CONTEST**MELISSA WILL BE GIVING AWAY a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a random commenter from her tour; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE.

I love that Melissa's book has a Sleeping Beauty theme instead of the classic Cinderella theme (although I'm a sucker for both)!



Have you written or read a fairy tale themed book? Do you like them?

Do you have a favorite fairy tale themed book? What fairy tale would you like seen done?

More This and That

IN THE NEWS: Wife Chops Off Husband's Penis, Throws in Garbage Disposal. Read more HERE. (Oh. My. Gosh. Crazy nuts.)

Hey, all!
I found another summer drink in addition to my pineapple chili margaritas I usually make. It's called a Stoli Doli.

(Yes, I apparently like pineapple drinks)

Well, I took a fresh pineapple and sliced it up, layered it in my ice tea jug and then poured vodka over the pineapple pieces. You need to let it sit for at least a few days but no more than a week to let the pineapple infuse into the vodka. Then take a shaker and fill it with ice, put some pineapple vodka in it, and a just a little bit of actual pineapple juice and a splash of orange juice. Shake it up and serve in a martini glass. They are SO good!

You're welcome. :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In other this and thats...
I forgot to mention what my kiddo said to me the first time I called home when I was in NYC for RWA Nationals.

Me: "Hi, sweetie!"
Kiddo: "Mommy, all I hear is party party party! When are you going to workshops?!"
Me: (laughing) "The parties are at night. All day I'm in workshops. Honest."
Kiddo: (still sounding petulant) "Oh."

I have to admit I had to wonder just what my hubby was telling our daughter while I was away. LOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And lastly, my author friend, Melissa McClone will be on my blog this Monday for her blog tour. Melissa writes for Harlequin Romance and has a new book out:
Not So Perfect Princess.

Melissa will be giving way a $20 Amazon gift certificate to one commenter at the end of the tour. She will also be giving away, at each stop, a set of three trading cards from this book to one commenter. So stop by if you have the chance!!

**FYI: I picked up her trading cards at RWA Nationals and they are lovely! I use them as bookmarks.

Whew! That's it for me.

Have a great weekend!!

I'm Not Here...

Hey, all!

I know this isn't my usual blogging day, but I'm over at Carol Kilgore's blog: Under the Tiki Hut talking about SETTINGS.

Stop by if you have the chance!

RWA Pics! (finally)

Yay, I'm finally caught up on emails (and laundry)!
So now for some RWA poop:

My first night in town I met with some Liberty State Fiction Writers. We ate at Becco on 46th st. (Honestly, if I didn't want to make a good impression, I would have totally licked the plate) It was THAT good. It was so awesome getting to know authors I already knew as well as meeting new writers. So much fun!

Wednesday morning I was able to make the Samhain author breakfast (which was AWESOME) and sat down right next to head editor Heather Osborn, who I had a lovely chat with. While I was there, I saw Sourcebooks editor Leah Hultenschmidt walk in with literary agent Kristin Nelson (they must have been invited) but didn't have the nerve to say anything to them.

Yeah, I'm a weenie.
Speaking of acting like a weenie...

After breakfast, I met up with my roommate. The two of us where alone waiting for an elevator when a woman comes up and stands there with us. I'm looking at this woman, thinking, Hmm, how do I know her?

Then I look at her name tag and I see it's SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS . (um, just my all-time favorite author. No biggie) :-)

Well, she turns to us and my friend starts talking to her (TALKING TO HER!) while I say NOTHING (nothing!!!!), standing there in an upright coma.

So finally my friend turns to me with a smile and says, "Jennifer, do you know who this is?"

I'm like, "Of course, I know who this is! She's only like my favorite author ever!"

So Susan is like, "Well, next time you could show some enthusiasm." (Which totally cracked us up since I basically stared at her like a deer in headlights)

Fortunately I remembered I had my camera with me and asked for a picture, but then our elevator came. So we all got in and Susan says, "I'd like to see you try to get that picture now."

<---Not one to back down from a challenge, I snapped this picture. LOL


But then she was totally gracious and kind and allowed me to take a proper picture after we got out of the elevator. (LOVE her!!)

Wednesday night I had THREE parties set to attend.

The first one was the Avalon author party which was at Avalon Books on Madison Ave. A bunch of us authors took a cab over together.

This is me with author Carolyn Brown, author Julie Stone and on the right end, my editor Lia Brown.













My book, GEORGIE ON HIS MIND (green cover) on Avalon's shelf. --->






Julie Stone and I had such a good time, we decided to grab dinner together after the party, so I ended up blowing off my roommates and one of the parties. (sorry, ladies) Dinner was yummo and Julie's company was fun so it was worth it. :-)

But I did end up shooting over to the Harlequin Pajama Party for a tiny bit and met in person some of the authors and writing friends I've known online there. It's funny to meet authors and have them say, "I already know you. We're Facebook friends." LOL

Here I am with Harlequin Romance author (and P90x Twitter buddy) Donna Alward.

Whew! That was all the FUN bits. Well, most of them, anyway.
More to come I'm sure. :-)

On Writing and Research with Author Terri Reed

Hey, all! Love Inspired Suspense author, Terri Reed has a new book out this month entitled The Innocent Witness .

When I read the blurb and noticed she had an autistic character in her book, I asked her to come and talk about how that character came about.

So please welcome, Terri Reed!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for inviting me here today. You asked what prompted me to write about an autistic child and the research involved. As I was developing the plot for The Innocent Witness I needed a plausible reason why my heroine's son couldn't tell what he saw the night of his father's murder. Many possibilities came to mind, but I chose autism for many reasons. I have limited personal knowledge of the disorder to draw upon. During my childhood, my best friend's little sister was autistic. She was able to communicate with sound, but not words and displayed several of the repeated behaviors seen in many cases. I loved her as if she were my own sister. My current neighbor has an adult autistic son who loves to sit on the porch in the summer and drink his soda while the kids in the neighborhood play.
I know it's been a hard road for his parents; they've had pressure from family members to put him in a home since their son's diagnosis. I admire their commitment and devotion to their son.
And more recently, a dear friend's son has been diagnosed with high functioning autism. In order to be a support to her, I did some research of my own and was surprised to learn the autism spectrum disorder is very broad with no definitive cause or cure. I also learned the symptoms can vary dramatically per individual and that the disorder can't be put into a neat little box. But the medical community is constantly making advances in treatments and there is support available.
There are many websites dedicated to this topic, blogs by parents of autistic children and personal stories by high functioning autistic individuals. Autism has also been very prevalent in the media with celebrities coming forward to talk about their autistic children as well as television shows featuring autistic characters. All of which helped me to gain a better understanding of the disorder and filled me with compassion for those living with autism. Writing a story with an autistic child stretched me both as a writer and as a person.

Thanks, Terri!

Author bio: Award winning, multi published author Terri Reed discovered the wonderful world of fiction at an early age and declared she would one day write a book. Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children, and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing tennis.
You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280 or visit her online at http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com/
or email her at terrireed@sterling.net or leave comments on http://ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/
or http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/



BLURB: Faith sustained Vivian Grant through her horrible childhood and loveless marriage, but how much more can she take? Her husband has been killed. Her autistic son is the only witness. And someone is twisting the evidence to place the blame on her. Viv has no one to trust—and danger is closing in.

A failed protection detail cost former Secret Service agent Anthony Carlucci his job—and his self-confidence. He's not going to fail anyone under his care again. Anthony will risk anything to keep Viv and her son safe…including his heart.

Available in print and Kindle.







**NOTE**
Terri is on blog tour right now and will be giving away a $25 Visa gift card to one randomly drawn commenter on her tour. To see where else she is blogging, please go HERE. The more you comment, the better your chance of winning.

Good luck!

PrayerWalk by Janet Holm McHenry

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!




Today's Wild Card author is:



Janet Holm McHenry

and the book:

PrayerWalk: Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength, and Discipline

WaterBrook Press; 1st edition (March 20, 2001)

***Special thanks to Laura Tucker, WaterBrook Multnomah Publicity for sending me a review copy.***



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Janet Holm McHenry is the author of numerous books, including Daily PrayerWalk and PrayerStreaming. A high-school English, journalism, and creative writing teacher, she is the mother of four adult children. Janet has been prayerwalking for more than thirteen years and is the leader of her church's prayer ministry. Find out more about the author at www.janetmchenry.com.


Visit the author's website.




SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Ask any busy, overworked woman what her goals are for this year, and spiritual, mental and physical health are likely to be at the top of her list. Yet physical health and spiritual growth often take a backseat to the urgent demands of grocery shopping and bill paying, time with family and friends and long hours at the office. Thirteen years ago author Janet Holm McHenry suffered from depression, weight gain and exhaustion. Then she began a prayerwalk routine that not only transformed her life but also profoundly impacted the lives of those around her. Learn about the simple practice that changed her life in PrayerWalk: Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength & Discipline. This tenth-anniversary edition includes an epilogue letter from the author, a 30-day prayer and fitness challenge, a guide to organizing a community prayerwalk and a Bible study and discussion guide. Perfect for the overwhelmed mom, the business woman on the go, or anyone wanting physical and spiritual renewal, PrayerWalk includes heartfelt, genuine glimpses into the author's journey as well as practical advice on everything from walking shoes and stretches to how and what to pray and finding a prayerwalk partner.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press; 1st edition (March 20, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781578563760
ISBN-13: 978-1578563760
ASIN: 1578563763

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:




Introduction

"You know I'm an ordinary Christian woman, God. But I'd like to become more disciplined, to have a consistent daily prayer time. I'd like to lose some weight and to be a little more fit. And…and…oh, this sounds crazy after everything I've just said, but I'd like to be content with my life."

This was my prayer two years ago. All of those requests and more have been realized in my life, all because of one thing: prayer-walking. Virtually overnight I changed from a woman who couldn't get out of bed to—Okay, I'm going to be brutally honest with you, dear reader. I am still an ordinary Christian woman. I probably look like the person in your high school class who was voted Most Likely to Become Your Kids' English Teacher, thirty years later. That's because that's exactly who I am! Let's just say you won't find my face and body on the cover of an exercise video. But God has truly changed me, and I am convinced it's because I now spend an hour or more five days a week praying as I walk. I call it prayerwalking—spending time with God in adoration and intercession as I walk the streets and highways of my community.

Stop right now! I know what you're thinking: I don't have a free hour for prayer and exercise. Hey, I don't either. It's true. If you were to examine my life, you'd see I don't have the time. I work fulltime—teaching English, no less, which most secondary teachers agree is the most demanding position because of the mountains of writing assignments to grade. Craig and I have four children, with one still young enough to need Mommy's nearly constant attention. All have been active in sports, lessons, and other activities. I have a part-time business as a writer, I teach Sunday school, and I have very little housekeeping help. But I am making time for prayerwalking—an hour or more daily—because God has used it to transform me. I wrote this book to tell you, from my heart, how and why I started prayerwalking and the reasons I believe that if you make time for prayerwalking, God will change you as well.

Besides reading my personal story, you'll learn how you can pray more like Christ—our Personal Trainer in prayerwalking—and how prayerwalking can energize your prayer life. Prayerwalking has changed how I view my time and priorities, and I'll help you find time in your life for this new discipline. I'll also show you why walking while you pray is a good idea, and I'll provide a wealth of walking tips that can help prevent soreness before you head off on your own.

Join me as I share my story.
Chapter One: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

Oh, that d word: discipline. I've never liked it, personally. We have met on occasion—with diets, short runs on exercise programs, and a prayer journal attempt or two. But life interfered with our acquaintance, and routines always fell by the wayside. Discipline implied torture, restriction, sameness. I mean, remember piano scales? Up and down, up and down. You never got anywhere, it appeared to me. Discipline simply stifled my spontaneity. Why, if I were committed to various routines of discipline, I couldn't visit a friend or take my daughter shopping or watch the ducks flying the wrong way.

I Was a Mess

Just two years ago I was falling apart. I bit my fingernails to their nubs with worry about finances (we had two kids in college). My weight was taxing my back, and my knees were giving way as I walked down stairs. I was force-feeding my soul with a few daily devotionals, but my prayer life was about zilch. Each night I gulped down a couple of St. John's Wort tablets to combat depression. I ate too much, I was tired all the time, and I felt as if I were a few days behind on every list of my life—from my load of essays at school to my laundry at home. I was an undisciplined mess.

I knew what I needed. I needed to exercise to get my strength back again. Could I exercise in the morning? I didn't really have time—I usually shut off the alarm around six each morning, exhausted, and turned over for an extra half-hour of rest, then rushed through my morning routine and headed to school an hour later. How could I give up even more sleep for exercise? With kids' sports schedules and lessons, faculty meetings, and few consistent baby-sitters, regular exercise after I taught school all day was impossible. There had been spells in my life when I was more active—aerobics and weightlifting classes, swimming laps at the pool. But classes always end, and our community pool is only open during the summer months. Besides, I didn't want to leave my kids once I was home from work.

I also needed to pray—at length—to give over the worries of my life to God. A book I read many years ago that still pierces me is Could You Not Tarry One Hour? by Larry Lea. Tarry an hour? It seemed like a Grand Canyon leap of time in my going-going-gone schedule. However, seeking God, interceding for others, and staying in his presence were becoming the deepest desires of my heart. I truly wanted to strengthen my relationship with the Lord of the universe by spending more alone time with him—without the phone ringing, without the kids interrupting, without the washing machine calling my name.

I've read over thirty books on prayer. Every single one recommends praying in the early morning hours. I had tried that over the years—getting up earlier than the family and creating my own prayer closet of sorts. Minutes into the routine, my head was usually flopping. You have probably guessed that I'm not a morning person. Actually, I'm not a night person either. I tell my high school students that most days I have one good hour—lunch hour (which is really only forty minutes for me)—and that afterward I'm ready for a nap. It's true!

However, I did stick to an early morning routine once. I thought of praying while I exercised, and for several months I propped my Bible on my NordicTrack and prayed through the Bible in the wee hours. That actually worked until my knees began to trouble me. Then the routine and I went our separate ways. My NordicTrack is now a great clothesline and keeps watch (wash?) in my office over my usually messy desk.

Two in One

I needed a workable plan, a resolution. I believe in New Year's resolutions, but my new year starts in September, when I return to teaching. All summer long I sleep a little later and mosey through my household chores and writing tasks. It's a leisurely pace. When school starts, I begin living by ringing bells again, so it makes sense to make my resolutions then.

When Labor Day passed that year, I felt pulled to become the woman of discipline I had never been. My past history could not have been a solid résumé for my success: Every day of my life seemingly had begun a new diet or a new exercise routine or a new prayer practice. Somehow my resolve that Sunday night in September felt different. I would do it this time. I would get up an hour earlier and tarry with God. Well, maybe tarry was not quite the right word because I had decided to spend my hour prayer-walking. I would walk for an hour, praying at the same time— meeting two sincere desires of my heart with one activity.

I loved the idea of doing two things at once. As a working mom, I always make multitasking a personal objective. Every morning I read the newspaper literally upside down as I lean over and blow dry my hair. I open my mail on the way home from the post office. I grade papers while listening to my daughter read at night. Although I may not be a model of organization, I love efficiency! Prayerwalking seemed a perfect solution to the two largest missing links in my life.

I had never before considered walking alone in the dark, early morning hours. The problem isn't that it's unsafe. In our town of just over a thousand people in a mountain valley in Cal i fornia, many not only leave their homes unlocked but keep their car keys in their ignitions. No, I'd not considered walking on Main Street because it didn't have sidewalks and because huge logging trucks sweep through on their way to the lumber mill. However, a few days before I made my resolution, brand-new sidewalks sculpted of brick and cement and brand-new lighting made our few blocks of downtown look like a fairy tale town. Elsewhere people walk in their local mall before opening hours. We have no mall in our town, but I decided that our half-dozen blocks of twinkly-lit Main Street would be my mall—my prayerwalking course.

Beating "The List"

At 5:20 the next morning I woke up moments before the alarm, turned it off, and rolled over. The List began speaking to me. "You're too tired; give yourself a few more minutes in bed." "It's probably too cold; why don't you walk this afternoon when the sun is out?" "Remember all those dogs? They're waiting for you!" "Bogeymen hide in the bushes!" "Your knee hurts; you'd better wait until you're in better shape." The List battered me for a few minutes until I remembered: I had not only made a physical-fitness resolution; I had also made a spiritual-fitness resolution.

Right then I realized that discipline involved another d word: decision. I could decide to be disciplined. I soon discovered that the decision to become disciplined had to be made daily (yet another d word.). Every single day I prayerwalked would be another decision, another step, toward discipline. That first day was no easier, no harder than any other. It was just a decision: Would I be a disciplined woman, for my own benefit, for the benefit of my family, and for the glory of God? I could not fix the physical and emotional pains of my life, but I could decide to meet God each morning while I walked.

After all, he wanted to be my Personal Trainer for becoming a woman of prayer, strength, and discipline. Some people have walking buddies. Others, like Oprah, pay someone to cheer them through a workout. I knew that in this new calling, prayerwalking, the Lord would be waiting at 5:30 on the front steps of my house, ready to hear my praise and petitions and to guide my steps—not only for the next hour but for the whole day ahead. How could I stay in bed when God was waiting for me? I got up! The first victory was won!

During my first months of prayerwalking I was too afraid I'd wimp out and jump back into bed if I undressed, so I pulled on lined nylon pants and a heavy sweatshirt right over my pajamas. As it grew colder, I added a coat, a double-layered knit hat, a woolen scarf, and gloves. Frost is our mountain manna about nine months of the year, and I've never liked being cold. I look pretty funny when I walk, but it's no fashion show at that hour, and I stay warm. Yes, it took a friend of mine several months to realize it was I walking early in the morning—he thought I was a guy with all the heavy clothes on.

I started out slowly. Although my enthusiasm was high, I knew that if I overdid my first days, I could risk injury and discouragement. I strolled down Main Street, then picked up the pace a bit. That first day I walked a mile and a half in a half-hour. I increased the distance over the next weeks until I was consistently walking three miles in an hour. (Now I walk five miles in less than an hour and a half—fives times a week.)

Changed!

I had thought that I'd be alone with God that early morning hour. At first I devoted the entire hour to prayers for my husband, Craig, and for our four children, Rebekah and Justin, both away at college, and Joshua and Bethany, who are still at home. But one morning a couple of weeks into my prayerwalking changed all that. As I approached Toddler Towers, our local day-care center, two cars drove up from opposite directions and parked, almost in sync. In one I recognized my friend Cheryl, ready to open the home-awayfrom-home for a couple dozen little ones. Emerging from the other, a young father swept up his curly-haired little girl, still in jammies and holding her blankie, and handed his sleepy package to Cheryl. I was okay until the bundle said, "Bye, Daddy. Love you." When I heard those words, the immenseness of my prayer job hit me. My prayerwalk was not just for my family and myself, but also for the many others I would encounter on Main Street. I began to cry—bawl is a better word. I cried and prayed for all the little children and their mommies and daddies, as well as the day-care workers who would mother and teach the children that day.

On subsequent days my Personal Trainer opened my eyes to other needs along my path, and I added new prayers. As I passed my church, just a half-block off Main Street, I prayed for our board members, who were desperately seeking direction. I prayed for the other two churches in town, which had their own struggles. I prayed for the owners of the businesses I passed each day, the principals and teachers at our three schools, the commuters leaving early for hour-away Reno, and the men heading for the day shift at the lumber mill. I added the city council members and the county supervisors and other government workers. Soon I discovered a sober truth: I didn't have enough time to pray for all the needs.

The experience was not only sobering but had another effect.

One morning about two months after I began prayerwalking, my younger son, Joshua, then thirteen, came into the kitchen and said, "What are you doing, Mom?"

I looked down at the counter and back at him. Maybe he didn't have his contacts in. "Making peanut butter sandwiches?"

"No, Mom," he said accusingly, "you were singing." He walked away, shaking his head.

He was right. I was singing. I, the one whose usual morning words were only Get up…I said get up…Get up or you'll be late— and other variations on the same theme—was singing. God had been filling my soul while I prayerwalked, and I couldn't hold it in anymore. It occurred to me that my entire countenance—in fact, my entire outlook on life—had changed. Prayerwalking an hour each weekday had transformed my life—in just a couple of short months.

On an ordinary morning I made the decision to prayerwalk. On an ordinary morning you could do the same and thus change your life in similarly dramatic ways. Walk with me. Walk with me over city streets, small town paths, and country roads. Let me show you how one daily decision can make a difference for our world. Walk with me through joys and sorrows, through hopes and fears, through laughter and tears. Let me show you how talking with God each day will be better than extra sleep. Decide to seek a healthier lifestyle, and let me prove that "discipline" can actually feel good. Join me and our Personal Trainer…and prayerwalk your way to physical and spiritual strength.

-----

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Acknowledgments

Introduction
Part 1 Becoming a Woman of Strength and Discipline

1. If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

2. Spiritual Endorphins

3. Making Time

4. Why Walk?

5. Reducing Aches and Pains

6. PrayerWalk Partners
Part 2 Becoming a Woman of Prayer

7. Prayer Tips from My Personal Trainer

8. "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

9. Take a Walk with Me

10. Eyes Wide Open

11. A Sacrifice of Tears

12. Faces of Answered Prayer
Epilogue: Looking Back, Moving Forward

Study Guide

Resources on Walking

Thirty-Day PrayWalk Challenge

Appendix: How to Organize a Community PrayerWalk Event

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Notes Excerpted from PrayerWalk by Janet Holm McHenry, Copyright © 2001 by Janet Holm McHenry. Excerpted by permission of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

***Note*** review to come soon!!

Happy Fourth!!!

Hey, all!!



I'm finally back from NYC and the RWA Conference! WOW, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say...

it was THE BEST CONFERENCE EVAH!!!

So much to talk about but so little time because of the holiday, so it'll have to wait. (Plus, I haven't quite unpacked or downloaded my pictures yet)

Gosh, I have so much to say! Things I can't wait to share:


*my office was painted red while I was away and I LOVE it.

*I got to meet Susan Elizabeth Phillips in person.

*I've become a new fan of Sourcebooks

*Author Melissa McClone will be on my blog Friday with a giveaway

*I'm feeling SO refreshed and recharged and ready to create a business plan for my writing.

*I've come away with a new perspective on social media

*I know there's more but I can't think...

Anyhew, I've missed you all! My Internet was acting up this weekend so this is the first chance I've had to check in. Today I'm hitting the beach and taking one of my MANY free books I took home from the conference.

Did I miss anything while I was away? Please share and give me some gossip. :-)

Free Online Conference This Week!

Not Going to the Conference? No problem.

Attend Romance Divas' Annual Not Going to Conference Conference June 28-July 1
The Romance Divas annual virtual conference features workshops, publisher spotlights, pitch-your-book opportunities, fabulous door prize giveaways and more.

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And nobody says you can't wear fabulous shoes while you're recharging your writer batteries from home.

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This is a fabulous conference! In fact, if I wasn't going to the live conference, I would SO be there. Lots of great giveaways and workshops for almost ANY genre of writer. All you have to do is sign into the forum and you're good to go.

I'm taking care of last minute details before my trip today and making sure the hubby and kiddo will be set before I leave. I'll try to make a few online visits this morning and when I can.

But if I don't talk to you today, have a great week and see you when I get back!

Getting Ready for New York City!

Well, all this week I've been getting myself ready for the RWA National Convention that is next week in New York City!

I've been to writer's conventions before but this is my first National one, so I already know I'm going to be constant mental overload. But who cares? I'll look good at least!

Toenails are painted.

Hair is trimmed. (Although not colored and now I'm mad at myself for not coloring it because my roots are taunting me.)

Nevertheless I'm really excited about the Avalon Books party I was invited to on Wednesday night. Since Avalon is located in NYC, they're having the party there so I'll get see what my publishing house actually looks like and meet my editor in person! Exciting!
I'm wearing this cute black dress that I got at Marshall's for $12.
Ooops. I probably shouldn't admit that but my girlfriend was quite upset at my find because she bought a similar dress at Anthroplogie for at least six times the price.

And check out these shoes I'm wearing with my dress:

I'm already 5'8 so don't ask me why I decided to buy 4 1/2 inch heels.

But...what the heck. You only break your neck once. LOL

I volunteered to help out with registration on Wednesday morning. So of course that means I miss the Samhain breakfast. (figures) And then I decided to be extra nice and volunteer to help out with editor/agent appointments Thursday afternoon and as a result I'm missing the ONE workshop I really really really...REALLY wanted to go to. (Again, figures) But that's okay. I'll live.

I guess...

Anyhew, I skimmed the workshop schedule a few times and already have a good idea of what I plan on taking (although I'll probably change my mind a few times from now until then).

So if you'll be at the RWA convention, be on the look out for the amazon wearing the animal print shoes and stop me to say HI (or catch me if I start to look wobbly). :)

Have you ever been to Nationals? What's your favorite writer's convention?