Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 77

Mukkove Johnson - author of Christmas is About Jesus & Book Giveaway!

[image error] Join me as we welcome author, Mukkove Johnson, author of






Thank you for being with us today, Mukkove!

[image error]

What the book is about:



Many parents struggle with keeping their children focused on God during the Christmas season in a world that is not. Mukkove Johnson's Advent devotional, Christmas Is About Jesus, puts Christ into every symbol of Christmas, from candy canes to carols. Learn as a family with a different symbol every day from December first to Christmas Eve.



How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I was young. I remember being the editor of "The Pengie Press" the class newspaper in sixth grade. I think I was also the only one who enjoyed our daily journaling assignments. I still regret forgetting my journal in my desk the last day of school.



How do you come up with characters?

The objects and people I chose for the devotions are all commonly seen at Christmas time. I wanted to influence what my children would think about when they were bombarded by the commercialism of Christmas in America. I also tried to relate many of the objects to names of Jesus. The people are all real people who played an important role in Christmas, but we see them so often they can become objects and decorations rather than real people.



Tell us about your latest book.  

My latest book is also my first. Christmas is About Jesus: An Advent Devotional is my first published work. The purpose is to give families a tool to help them implement the instructions in Deuteronomy 6 of instructing their children throughout the day. For each day of December there is a short devotional, a verse, and an illustration about a common element of the Christmas season and how it can remind us Christmas is about Jesus.



What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?  

The accomplishment I am most proud of would have to be raising my children. I realize I may seem to be jumping the gun since they are still young. They are fine young people though. I am frequently complimented on their behavior, work ethic and service. We all have a long way to go, but as I have realized them seeing me work on myself and our relationship is far more powerful than me having it all together. By modeling growth I am equipping them to overcome the challenges they will face.



Favorite scripture and/or quote: 

  Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:

I can rest knowing it is God who is ultimately finishing the work and changing me for His glory.



What one thing would you like to tell the world about yourself?

My name creates a great curiosity so I'll fill everyone in. My father (18 years older than my mother) heard my name in a movie when he was a young man. He decided it would be the name of his daughter. Some 20 years later I was born. My mother, on her way to being an elementary teacher, spelled phonetically the name he said. Most everyone loves my name, but has never heard of it. We have decided that Dad misheard the name. I have always loved it regardless.  One thing about a possibly made up name is there is no meaning. Meanings of names and words are important to me. Each of my children has names with meanings. A few years ago, after the terrible tsunami in Sri Lanka I did an internet search and found that in the Tamil language (in Sri Lanka) my name is the word for a swimming, diving fisherman. It fits me well. And now you know.



You can find Mukkove Johnson at these places:

www.KovesCove.com,

www.authorsden.com/mukkovejohnson

Facebook fan page:
Twitter: MukkoveJohnson 



 Leave a comment below for your chance to win an autographed copy of Christmas is About Jesus ~ drawing will be held December 10th!

The Price of Trust - Sneak Peek!

Chapter 1



One more mile. Please, Lord, take me just one more mile, Carly prayed,



trying to coax the wheezing junker to the next town. Without realizing



it, she was rocking back and forth to encourage the old car to



keep up the speed. It wasn't working. Going slower and slower, she



was afraid that she was going to stall out on the exit ramp. She didn't



stop praying until she reached the dingy service station that was next



to the ramp. The car stalled as she pulled into a parking space.



Thank you so much, Lord. Thank you so much. She prayed with a



sigh of relief. Now will you please take me to where you want me to go? I



don't know anyone, and I have to be careful with the little money I've got



left. Please let me know what you want me to do, she prayed under her



breath as she got out of the wreck that belonged to her.



A man in dirty overalls came out, wiping his hands on an old



grease rag.



"Excuse me, but I noticed your car. Is there anything I can do for



you?" he asked, looking her up and down warily.



She was used to stares. Especially in little towns like this one.



Newcomers were rare, and most places she'd been, they didn't trust



new people right away but looked at them with suspicion. She gave



him her best smile and decided to be as comfortable with him as



possible.



"Well, I'm not so sure what you can do to fix that old junk, but



maybe you could possibly point me to the nearest place to find something



to eat, and then I'll decide what to do with it. Will it be okay



where it's at for now?"



"Yeah, it'll be okay there for now. But you'll have to take care of



it later. The owner doesn't like people just leaving their stuff lying



around. There's a diner across the street," the mechanic said, turning



around and walking back into the garage.



Nice fellow. Not talkative, but not rude. That was a change from



the last place she'd been. She'd been to so many she was a little tired



of new places. She wished and prayed that maybe she could stay here



longer than the last place. She wanted to belong somewhere. Stop



running. Just stay and be happy. But it didn't seem likely to happen



any time soon. She sighed.



"Thanks," she called after him. She turned, and crossed the



street to the diner. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door



and walked in. Everyone turned to stare at her. Whew! What a way



to make people nervous! She smiled bravely and seated herself at the



counter.



"May I help ya?" a waitress asked with a drawl.



"Well, I'd like a bowl of soup and water please. And could you



tell me if there's a junkyard around here? I've got a donation for



them," she said, smiling sardonically.



The waitress proved to be more talkative and friendly than the



mechanic.



"Well, we've got two junkyards, but they're run by the same family,



so you won't get much from them. They're pretty stingy when it



comes to paying for junk cars. Or anything for that matter. You new



in town?" the waitress asked while pouring her water. It always made



her nervous when people asked questions. They always wanted to



know more than she could or would tell them.



"Yeah, I just arrived. Do you know of anyone that's looking for



some help?" she asked, trying to curb the waitress's curiosity.



"Hey there, Sandy! Could I have another cup of coffee over here,



or are you going to jaw away the day and let your customers die of



thirst?" a man in a booth called out good-naturedly, waving his coffee



cup in the air.



"Aw, come on George! I'll get to ya! When have I ever let ya



down?" Sandy answered. George guffawed in return. "I'm not too



sure about any jobs around here. Are you lookin' for anything special?"



Sandy called to her while pouring George's coffee. Carly turned



red. She wasn't used to small town people who weren't too worried



about keeping things private. "George, ya know anyone that's lookin'



for some help?" Sandy asked loud enough for everyone to hear.



George smirked. "Well, depends on what she's looking for. I



hear them junkyard people are looking for someone to work in their



'office.'"



"I wouldn't send her to those people! They're mean! They just



ain't right. In fact … " Sandy trailed off as the door swung open and



the diner bell tinkled. A bulky man walked in. Carly looked at him as



he came in and sat two stools down from her. He was really big with



black hair, a belly that hung over his waistband, scruff on his chin,



and a mean hard look in his eyes.



"Sandy!" the new man barked needlessly. A silence had fallen



over the diner as soon as he walked in. Carly noticed that a few



customers were leaving, quickly paying their bills and leaving their



tips strewn on their tables. God had blessed Carly with an uncanny



ability to figure out people, and most of the time, she could tell if



they were to be trusted, if they were honest, or if she should stay away



from them. Sometimes she made a mistake, but it wasn't very often.



She didn't trust or like this man sitting by her at all, so she quickly ate



her soup, hoping that he would continue to ignore her.



"Yes, Bob. May I help ya?" Sandy asked very quietly and not as



friendly as she had been with the other customers. Carly could tell



that many people were afraid of this man. She wondered who he was



and where he figured in this little town.



"Give me my usual." And that was it. No please. No thank you.



Nothing. Just rudeness. Without looking at her, he asked, "Is that



your piece of junk sitting at my garage?"



Carly assumed, correctly, that he was talking to her.



"Yes, sir. I was just going to get in touch with the junkyard, and



I'll have it taken off your property," Carly stammered, turning red.



"Well then you'll be talking to me, seeing as I'm the owner of



the junkyard." He sneered meanly. "What do ya want?" he asked as



Sandy brought his food, and he began to eat noisily.



Lord, please help me, she prayed silently, disgusted with this man



and his manners. "Well, how much will you give me for it?" she asked



bravely.



"I'll give ya fifty bucks for it, and that's it," he said, dribbling food



out of the corners of his mouth.



Repulsed, Carly replied, "That's fine. Thank you. I just have to



get my stuff out of it."



He looked at her for the first time. "If you mean the radio or



anything that is part of the car, you better leave it," he warned, his



eyes hard on her.



"No, I just meant my clothes and stuff like that," Carly stuttered,



astounded at his rudeness.



"You're new in town, aren't ya? I would have recognized that hair



anywhere," he said, laughing at Carly's red hair. Carly had always



been a little oversensitive about her hair. The kids in her schools had



always made fun of it, and this man making fun of her didn't endear



him to her either. She held her head higher and looked at him defiantly.



She wasn't going to let this guy get the best of her.



"I'll go empty my car right now," Carly answered, leaving her



money on the counter for Sandy to pick up. He laughed at her as she



walked out the door.

The Price of Trust - Preview

 

Chapter 1

One more mile. Please, Lord, take me just one more mile, Carly prayed,

trying to coax the wheezing junker to the next town. Without realizing

it, she was rocking back and forth to encourage the old car to

keep up the speed. It wasn't working. Going slower and slower, she

was afraid that she was going to stall out on the exit ramp. She didn't

stop praying until she reached the dingy service station that was next

to the ramp. The car stalled as she pulled into a parking space.

Thank you so much, Lord. Thank you so much. She prayed with a

sigh of relief. Now will you please take me to where you want me to go? I

don't know anyone, and I have to be careful with the little money I've got

left. Please let me know what you want me to do, she prayed under her

breath as she got out of the wreck that belonged to her.

A man in dirty overalls came out, wiping his hands on an old

grease rag.

"Excuse me, but I noticed your car. Is there anything I can do for

you?" he asked, looking her up and down warily.

She was used to stares. Especially in little towns like this one.

Newcomers were rare, and most places she'd been, they didn't trust

new people right away but looked at them with suspicion. She gave

him her best smile and decided to be as comfortable with him as

possible.

"Well, I'm not so sure what you can do to fix that old junk, but

maybe you could possibly point me to the nearest place to find something

to eat, and then I'll decide what to do with it. Will it be okay

where it's at for now?"

"Yeah, it'll be okay there for now. But you'll have to take care of

it later. The owner doesn't like people just leaving their stuff lying

around. There's a diner across the street," the mechanic said, turning

around and walking back into the garage.

Nice fellow. Not talkative, but not rude. That was a change from

the last place she'd been. She'd been to so many she was a little tired

of new places. She wished and prayed that maybe she could stay here

longer than the last place. She wanted to belong somewhere. Stop

running. Just stay and be happy. But it didn't seem likely to happen

any time soon. She sighed.

"Thanks," she called after him. She turned, and crossed the

street to the diner. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door

and walked in. Everyone turned to stare at her. Whew! What a way

to make people nervous! She smiled bravely and seated herself at the

counter.

"May I help ya?" a waitress asked with a drawl.

"Well, I'd like a bowl of soup and water please. And could you

tell me if there's a junkyard around here? I've got a donation for

them," she said, smiling sardonically.

The waitress proved to be more talkative and friendly than the

mechanic.

"Well, we've got two junkyards, but they're run by the same family,

so you won't get much from them. They're pretty stingy when it

comes to paying for junk cars. Or anything for that matter. You new

in town?" the waitress asked while pouring her water. It always made

her nervous when people asked questions. They always wanted to

know more than she could or would tell them.

"Yeah, I just arrived. Do you know of anyone that's looking for

some help?" she asked, trying to curb the waitress's curiosity.

"Hey there, Sandy! Could I have another cup of coffee over here,

or are you going to jaw away the day and let your customers die of

thirst?" a man in a booth called out good-naturedly, waving his coffee

cup in the air.

"Aw, come on George! I'll get to ya! When have I ever let ya

down?" Sandy answered. George guffawed in return. "I'm not too

sure about any jobs around here. Are you lookin' for anything special?"

Sandy called to her while pouring George's coffee. Carly turned

red. She wasn't used to small town people who weren't too worried

about keeping things private. "George, ya know anyone that's lookin'

for some help?" Sandy asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

George smirked. "Well, depends on what she's looking for. I

hear them junkyard people are looking for someone to work in their

'office.'"

"I wouldn't send her to those people! They're mean! They just

ain't right. In fact … " Sandy trailed off as the door swung open and

the diner bell tinkled. A bulky man walked in. Carly looked at him as

he came in and sat two stools down from her. He was really big with

black hair, a belly that hung over his waistband, scruff on his chin,

and a mean hard look in his eyes.

"Sandy!" the new man barked needlessly. A silence had fallen

over the diner as soon as he walked in. Carly noticed that a few

customers were leaving, quickly paying their bills and leaving their

tips strewn on their tables. God had blessed Carly with an uncanny

ability to figure out people, and most of the time, she could tell if

they were to be trusted, if they were honest, or if she should stay away

from them. Sometimes she made a mistake, but it wasn't very often.

She didn't trust or like this man sitting by her at all, so she quickly ate

her soup, hoping that he would continue to ignore her.

"Yes, Bob. May I help ya?" Sandy asked very quietly and not as

friendly as she had been with the other customers. Carly could tell

that many people were afraid of this man. She wondered who he was

and where he figured in this little town.

"Give me my usual." And that was it. No please. No thank you.

Nothing. Just rudeness. Without looking at her, he asked, "Is that

your piece of junk sitting at my garage?"

Carly assumed, correctly, that he was talking to her.

"Yes, sir. I was just going to get in touch with the junkyard, and

I'll have it taken off your property," Carly stammered, turning red.

"Well then you'll be talking to me, seeing as I'm the owner of

the junkyard." He sneered meanly. "What do ya want?" he asked as

Sandy brought his food, and he began to eat noisily.

Lord, please help me, she prayed silently, disgusted with this man

and his manners. "Well, how much will you give me for it?" she asked

bravely.

"I'll give ya fifty bucks for it, and that's it," he said, dribbling food

out of the corners of his mouth.

Repulsed, Carly replied, "That's fine. Thank you. I just have to

get my stuff out of it."

He looked at her for the first time. "If you mean the radio or

anything that is part of the car, you better leave it," he warned, his

eyes hard on her.

"No, I just meant my clothes and stuff like that," Carly stuttered,

astounded at his rudeness.

"You're new in town, aren't ya? I would have recognized that hair

anywhere," he said, laughing at Carly's red hair. Carly had always

been a little oversensitive about her hair. The kids in her schools had

always made fun of it, and this man making fun of her didn't endear

him to her either. She held her head higher and looked at him defiantly.

She wasn't going to let this guy get the best of her.

"I'll go empty my car right now," Carly answered, leaving her

money on the counter for Sandy to pick up. He laughed at her as she

walked out the door.

Donna Winters Book Winner!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!



Jenifer Brady (buddycheckabby@yahoo.com) is the lucky winner of Fayette - A Time to Leave!

Congratulations Jenifer!



Thanks to all who left a comment! Stay tuned, we have another guest author - Mukkove Johnson - meet her here tomorrow! 

Black Friday Sale & Donna Winters Book Winner!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!



Jenifer Brady (buddycheckabby@yahoo.com) is the lucky winner of Fayette - A Time to Leave!

Congratulations Jenifer!



Thanks to all who left a comment! Stay tuned, we have another guest author - Mukkove Johnson - meet her here tomorrow! 





BLACK FRIDAY SALE!



Welcome to Black Friday! Do you have someone on your list that loves to read Christian romance? Or, do you have a loved one that just loves to listen to audio books? This is your lucky day ~~



Today, until 9pm, save 40% off msrp of The Price of Trust! Just $15 + shipping will get you an autographed book AND a FREE audiobook download!

Hurry! Offer ends at 9pm tonight!










Black Friday Sale
Autographed Novel $15.00

Donna Winters Book Giveaway Winner!

Jenifer Brady (buddycheckabby@yahoo.com) is the lucky winner of Fayette - A Time to Leave!





Congratulations Jenifer!







Thanks to all who left a comment! Stay tuned, we have another guest author - Mukkrove Johnson - meet her here tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving

May each of us take time today to thank God for the blessings He's given to us!

Here's a card for you:
DaySpring E-Cards

Remember!!
Our GIVEAWAY for Donna Winters autographed book, Fayette-A Time to Leave ENDS tomorrow! Nov. 26, 2010! Leave a comment below for your chance to win!
Amanda Stephan AuthorThe Price of TrustRead Now - http://bit.ly/biojAlTwitter - @amandastephan

Giveaway Reminder! Ends November 26th!

Donna Winters giveaway/interview going on now! Find more about her here: http://greatlakesromances.com/about.html



Leave a comment (with a way to contact you) at the end of the post for a chance to win an autographed copy of Fayette - A Time to Leave which is set in Michigan.Drawing held November 26th!    About the Book:

At age fourteen, Violet Harrigan encounters dual tragedies: the death of her father, and the resulting need to move several miles north from her Sac Bay home to Fayette, Michigan.  The situation is more than she can bear.  But a true friend sticks closer than a brother.  Guy Legard visits Violet faithfully.  Months turn into years, and the seed of friendship blossoms into love.  Then Guy disappears into the woods for several long months and Violet turns her attention to a suave and debonair newcomer, Reggie Vanderveen.  Will he steal her away to a new life of excitement in Boston, or can Guy rekindle the flame of enduring love?

 

November News and Events!

Have books. Will Travel....

I mean it. If you live in the Nashville/Columbia/Chapel Hill/Lewisburg areas, and would like to purchase some books, email me and we'll set up a time to meet halfway to save you shipping.



Have a book club? Here's a reduced price list for multiple purchases:



1 book - $17.99 + $3.99 shipping

2-3 books - $17.00 ea + $6.00 shipping (total shipping, not per book)

4-5 books - $16.50 ea + $5.75 shipping (total shipping)

6-7 books - $16.00 ea + $5.50 shipping (total shipping)

8-9 books - $15.50 ea + $5.25 shipping (total shipping)

10 books - $15.00 ea + Free shipping



I ship Priority Flat Rate Box to be sure it gets to its destination. Media mail gives me nightmares...

If you'd like to do this, please send me an email, tell me how many books you'd like, and I'll send you a revised paypal invoice. Paying by check? Here's my snail mail:

Amanda Stephan

P.O. Box 521

Chapel Hill, TN 37034



November News:

November 20th - you can meet me at the Christmas Village, 570 West Church St., Lewisburg, TN. This is a great place for Christmas shopping!



November 26th - Donna Winters autographed book giveaway - Leave a comment below to enter to win Fayette - A Time to Travel



November 27th - meet author Mukkove Johnson and enter to win her Christmas book, Christmas is About Jesus. Giveaway will be held December 10th.



Whew! That's just for November! Looking forward to meeting authors - Kelly Hagen, Roseanna White, Candance Lawson, Kathie Truitt....oh yeah! You'll definitely want to STAY TUNED!

Meet Author Donna Winters & Enter for Your Chance to Win an autographed copy of Fayette - A Time to Leave

 About the book:



BOOK BLURBAt age fourteen, Violet Harrigan encounters dual tragedies: the death of her father, and the resulting need to move several miles north from her Sac Bay home to Fayette, Michigan.  The situation is more than she can bear.  But a true friend sticks closer than a brother.  Guy Legard visits Violet faithfully.  Months turn into years, and the seed of friendship blossoms into love.  Then Guy disappears into the woods for several long months and Violet turns her attention to a suave and debonair newcomer, Reggie Vanderveen.  Will he steal her away to a new life of excitement in Boston, or can Guy rekindle the flame of enduring love?

 









Good morning, Donna! We're glad you stopped by today!

 



  Q.  How long have you been writing?



  A.Going on three decades.  I began writing in April 1982 and my first book was released by Thomas Nelson on February 14, 1985.  I never anticipated being a writer.  In college, I majored in music education, and then taught for about half a year before I married, moved away, and became employed in a different field of work. Then, in the early 1980's, news of a phenomenal boom in the romance genre sparked my interest in writing so I gave it a try. No regrets!



Q.   Tell us how you come up with characters.



A.Since I write historical romances, my characters spring from my research.  They are a composite of true history and my imagination.  Sometimes the short stories published in newspapers of the late 1800's or early 1900's provide character ideas. I have a microfilm reader and many reels of newspapers.  I can easily get lost in the dramas of those old newspapers during a morning's research session.

Q. Of the books you've written, which is your favorite and why?



A. All are favorites, but I'd like to tell you which one was the most fun to write.  The fun actually arose from a deeply disappointing circumstance: the sudden death of my writing friend and mentor, Hilda Stahl in the early 1990's.  She wrote dozens of Christian fiction titles that were popular throughout the 1980's and the first half of the 1990's.  She was a fabulous storyteller and could spin a tale as easily and quickly as most of us can pour a cup of tea.  When she passed away, I was in the process of developing my story, Bridget of Cat's Head Point, about a late 1890's Michigan island girl who moves to the mainland for employment at a summer resort. Whenever I got stuck and didn't know what to do, I would ask myself the question, "What would Hilda do?" Immediately, an answer would come to mind as if Hilda's spirit was sitting on my shoulder and whispering in my ear.  That story took more unexpected turns and twists than I could ever have thought of without Hilda's guidance.  In fact, the heroine did not end up with the hero I had planned for her, but with another suitor that I had intended as competition for the hero.  The heroine, Bridget, had a mind of her own, and she knew better than I did who was right for her in the end!

 Q. Tell us about your latest book.



A. My latest book, Fayette-A Time to Leave, is the third title in a trilogy about a company town that smelted pig iron from 1867-1891 on the shores of Lake Michigan.  The location is now a Historic State Park next door to my home. After twenty-four years of pig iron production, the company had depleted its supply of standing timber which fueled the furnaces. At the same time, the market price of pig iron had declined so that the location was unprofitable.  Many families were forced to relocate and find other means of survival. This is the story I tell through my fictional characters.

Q.  What are your favorite books and why?



A. My favorite books are old ones from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  They really give you the zeitgeist or spirit of the times.  I especially love the Christian fiction because of the gentle romances and the triumph of good over evil.  Often the story will include a very dark character that sees the light and transforms—kind of like our happily-ever-after endings of today.

Well, Donna, it's been great to have you on here. Thank you so much!

Contact information: 

Visit my website at http://www.greatlakesromances.com and enter the book giveaways that take place every two weeks. 

Visit my blog at http://greatlakesromances.blogspot.com

Email me at bigwaterpub@gmail.com



Remember, leave a comment below for your chance to win an autographed copy of Fayette - A Time to Leave - (be sure to leave your email address please!)

Winner will be announced November 26th!