Tamera Alexander's Blog, page 45

Sehnsucht

Last Friday I struggled with something. I didn't quite know what it was. I wasn't unhappy, or sad. Not really. I just wasn't…"me," if that makes any sense. Then I read a passage in a book that my Bethany House editors had sent me for my birthday and it perfectly defined what I was feeling.
In her wonderful book Deeper into the Word, Keri Wyatt Kent writes, 
"C.S. Lewis wrote extensively on joy.

June's Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cake

Remember this cake from a post a couple of weeks ago?


Dianne requested the recipe, as did a few others via email, so here you go! I originally posted it last year (in my sweet mother's handwriting as seen below) but it's been a while, and this recipe is definitely worth posting again. Enjoy!

Win a basket full of homemade Amish items!

Look what I happened upon on CBD.com today...



To celebrate the release of A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher (a writing buddy I recently had the pleasure of meeting at ICRS in Atlanta), CBD is giving away a gift basket full of homemade Amish items. 
To get details on this giveaway, simply visit this website and enter for a chance to win!
Items included in the gift basket:

New Fall Fiction from Bethany House

(click on image to enlarge)
Adding them to my TBR stack right now! Well, all except for one...

So far, 50 is fabulous!

Thank you to everyone for your sweet bday wishes over on Facebook yesterday. I had a wonderful day. Went to see the movie Crazy, Stupid Love, which I enjoyed. [No spoilers coming, I promise.] So many parts of the movie had me laughing out loud, then others tearing up, then others, admittedly, shaking my head at what Hollywood considers humorous or promotes as acceptable behavior. But all in all

The Sacrifice of Time

The August 2nd selection in Jesus Calling (by Sarah Young) reads, 

BRING ME THE SACRIFICE of your time: a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few of My children take time to sit quietly in My Presence. But for those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. I, the One from whom all blessings flow, am also blessed by our time together. This is a deep mystery; do not

Annual Brainstorming Retreat

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm back from my annual brainstorming retreat in Idaho but am still flying high on the shared laughter and love. I consider myself doubly blessed to be included in this group of talented writers and altogether fabulous women. This is our ninth summer to meet together––hard to believe it's been that long––and I think this year might have been the best retreat yet.

"Ma'am, would you step to the side?"

That's what I heard recently as my daughter and I went through airport security on our way to NYC. Then a kind and mannerly TSA screener escorted me to the dreaded glass booth where she instructed me to step on the rubber mat and put my feet exactly on the printed footprints.
Meanwhile, Kelsey was snapping pictures with her camera, laughing hysterically and loving every minute of it!


No matter

Isn't he the cutest thing!

Read more about sweet little Louie here, at Kevin and Amanda's blog. LOVE her blog! Kelsey and I "stalked her" in NYC a couple of weeks ago by visiting some of the bakeries she visited and eating some of the treats she recommended. Good move! Delish!

I'm cleaning off my book shelves and have some books I'm giving away...


 If you're interested in being included in the drawing, click here for

ICRS Atlanta 2011, Part II

Just downloaded the last of my pictures and thought I'd share while catching up on office work. It's great to be home––there's no place like it––but I really did love being with my writing buddies amidst all else.

I met a new buddy this trip, Suzanne Woods Fisher, who writes Amish fiction. She and I happened to meet in the lobby on Tuesday morning as I was grabbing a latte, and I'm so glad we