Suzanne Elizabeth Anderson's Blog, page 11

Christmas Book Giveaway : So Many Books, So Many Ways to Win!

Mrs. Tuesday's Departure is FREEthru Sunday, December 15th
Goodreads.com Giveawaythru December 20th


Love in a Time of War : 5 Copies Available at Free Book FridayDecember 13 - 20th
Goodreads.com Giveaway


 Goodreads Giveaway : thru Dec. 19th



Goodreads giveway



Goodreads giveaway


Hope you'll enter them all!
Merry Christmas!

Unplug and Enjoy the Peace

The other morning we lost power in our house due to high winds that preceded an approaching snow storm.

At first, I was so flummoxed, I didn't know what to do with myself.  I usually spend mornings going through email and then getting down to writing.

Since I couldn't do either, I went back to bed.

At first, I just lay there and enjoyed the sound of the wind gusts blasting the house. Then I focused on the silence...we rarely have moments of silence in the house, there's always a TV or music wafting through the airwaves.

The silence led me into ten or fifteen minutes of meditation. Then prayer.

Then I opened my eyes and looked at the books I had on my nightstand. I am very well intentioned. Every night I think I'm going to read before falling asleep, instead, I usually end staring at my ipad.

Well, on this power black out morning, my ipad wasn't working because the wifi in the house was down. So I actually picked up a book. Yes, one of those with real paper.

And I read.

Then I realized this pleasure I'd been missing. How incredibly enjoyable it was to get lost in the pages of a book without the half-mind distraction of background noise. To really be present in the story and the experience of just reading.

It was also very restful.

The experience made me realize that I need to add more of this into my life. More unplugged time, more time for reading and silence.

What about you? Do you have dedicated time where you unplug from the Internet and TV and noise?

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

I hope today will find you spending the day with family and friends. 
And I hope you will spare a moment to say thanks for all blessings you've experienced in the past year. I'll be joining you.
God bless you!
Suzanne

BEAUTIFUL PRE-MADE EBOOK COVERS FROM THE COVER COLLECTION - Guest Post

Note from Suzanne: I met Debbie, from TheCoverCollection.com, one evening when I was wandering the Internet looking at pre-made book covers. As I've mentioned before, pre-made book covers can be amatuerish as they are inexpensive, or as professional and very expensive. Rarely do price and professionalism intersect in a good way. Which is why I was so surprised when I found The Cover Collection and the incredible gallery of pre-made book covers Debbie has created, and their very reasonable price. 









Debbie created the new cover for Mrs. Tuesday's Departure and a cover for Trusting God with Your Dream. I've asked Debbie to do a guest post today so that I can share more about her approach to creating beautiful book covers. By the way, not only does she offer beautiful pre-made book covers, her customer service is unmatched, she isn't happy until you're completely satisfied with the end-result.












The Cover Collection website
opened in July of this year, and I quickly realized there's a huge stigma attached to pre-made ebook
covers. I spoke to authors who'd previously searched  for premades and found blurred images, rushed
designs and were unable to find a cover they’d be happy with. My aim was to
provide pre-made covers that didn't  fit that stereotype.







I design for  thrillers, sci-fi, horror, romance and
children's books. Here are some examples from each of the genres.


































I always send customers multiple draft
options to choose from. They may spot something on one of the drafts that I
didn't include on the original design. If they like it, I'll edit it in. I
prefer to work this way as it gives people more choice, and ultimately a cover
that works for them. I don't ever want someone to "make do" with a
design. I want them to love it! 







I offer unlimited revisions on all my ebook
covers. I don't want someone to purchase a cover and because they're only
allowed 3 or 4 revisions, they end up with a design that's not quite right for
them. There are no additional charges, and you only receive your final
design when you're 100% happy with it. 
Once all design concepts have been agreed, I usually have the completed
cover back to you the same day.







There are currently around 300 ebook covers
on the website, and new ones are added every few days. Here are some of the
latest designs:






























CHOOSING
A BOOK COVER DESIGNER




A lot of authors tell me it's hard to pick
a cover designer, as there are so many to choose from. If you're undecided
about which one to use, it helps to find out more about them. Don't just take
their word for it (and that includes me!)






See what other people are
saying about them on Twitter, Facebook, forums, blog posts etc.
Ask to see links to other work
they've produced.
Contact other people who've
dealt with them to ask about their experience.









Once you've checked out a few different
designers, you should have a better idea as to whether they're the type of
person you could work with. Don't ever take anyone at face value. Your book cover is too important to leave
things to chance.







RECENT
ADDITIONS

I've recently introduced the option of a 3D
graphic for your cover. It  can help an
author’s book to stand out during promotions or when featuring the novel on
their website or blog.















3D BANNER PIC




In the next few days I'll be introducing a
page on the website which will feature covers I've recently designed for
customers, and a link to where their
book can be purchased.  It's just my
way of saying thanks for choosing me for your cover and to help to promote the
author's work.




If you'd like to know more about me or want
to know when new cover designs are added, the best way is to follow me on
Twitter or Facebook. I usually post new designs there when they're uploaded.
Alternatively you can sign up for the Newsletter via the website.







Check out TheCoverCollection.com today!

Don't Be Afraid - You're Not Alone

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
    I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
    When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
    it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
    all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
    That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
    trade the creation just for you.5-7 “So don’t be afraid: I’m with you.
    I’ll round up all your scattered children,
    pull them in from east and west.
I’ll send orders north and south:
    ‘Send them back.
Return my sons from distant lands,
    my daughters from faraway places.
I want them back, every last one who bears my name,
    every man, woman, and child
Whom I created for my glory,
    yes, personally formed and made each one.’”
Isaiah 43: 1 - 7

Writerly Wednesday: A Peek from my Novel-in-Progress: Chapter 15 Giverny: Money’s Water Garden

Giverny is the setting for a pivotal scene in my novel in progress.




It occurs in Chapter 15.

Help Me Choose a Book Cover: Take a Look at These Two Covers and Tell Me "Pink" or "Blue"

Blue





Pink







THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Slower Cooker Italian Wedding Soup ~ Minestrone MashUp : Stunningly Delicious

We made this soup on a recent snowy day...it was the perfect light dinner to have in front of the fireplace.








Ingredients:



Soup:

1 quart chicken stock

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 14 oz can of kidney beans

1 13 oz can of garbanzo (chickpeas) beans

2 carrots rough diced

2 celery stalks rough diced



1 cup small tube pasta

1 small bag frozen chopped spinach or fresh Swiss Chard chiffonade



Meatballs:

8 oz ground sausage

1 egg white

3 Tablespoons breadcrumbs

1 Tablespoon Italian seasonings



Directions:



1. Put first six ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for two hours, or low on four hours.



2. Turn slow cooker to High, add pasta and spinach



3. Form 1 inch mini-meatballs and add to soup, cook on high for 45 minutes.



4. Serve soup with a grating of parmesan cheese on top and rustic bread on the side.



Enjoy!

Week-Ending: The Illustrated Devotional - Psalm 112

 Psalm 112




What about the man who trusts in God

and is committed to His will and purposes?




He is a man who is rich indeed

Even amid the circumstances of poverty,

the wealth and blessing of God

are within his reach.




He is a man with purpose and meaning in his life.

Even amid the disorder and void

of this temporal existence,

he is aware of God's concern and love for him.




He is a man who walks unafraid.

The threats of violence or prophecies of doom

do not detract from his validity

nor alter his course.




He is a man who relates to his fellow beings.

He identifies with them

in their sorrows and complaints

and share with them his life and his gifts.




He is the man who is truly happy 

and through whom our God is working out

His purposes in this world today.







I'm currently reading Your Beautiful Purpose:Discovering and Enjoying What God Can Do Through You by Susie Larson. It's an amazing book that I believe will speak to anyone who is thinking about their life's purpose, dealing with fear of failure as they undertake that purpose, or what to do when you face obstacles along the way. 




In other words, it's a timely book for me. And perhaps you, too?




At the end of each chapter, Susie presents questions and Bible readings for reflection. Today, one of the Bible readings was focused on Psalm 112.




I've included that psalm above...taken from a very interesting translation that I found in our local thrift store. It comes from a book titled: Psalms/Now by Leslie F. Brandt, it was published in 1973 and is Brandt's personal translation of the Psalms. Since I love reading the Psalms, I was particularly drawn to the plain-spoken, intimate language. 




In the study questions for this psalm, Susie asks us to look at the actions God is calling us to fulfill. I've highlighted and enlarged those qualities above.




What is striking to me, is that when you go back and read the highlighted sentences, you find the keys to a happier, more productive life.




Not only is this a source of reassurance, it's a wonderful example of how God speaks to us through His Word...no, not by magic, just by a closer reading.




Have a great weekend.

World's Best Quiche Lorraine : Trust Me

Honestly, this is the absolute BEST Quiche Lorraine I've ever made or tasted. 

Really. Truly. Trust. Me.







Ingredients:




1 pre-made frozen pie crust (or your own from-scratch pie crust)




4 eggs




2 cups whole milk




2 cups grated gruyere cheese




4 or 5 pieces cooked bacon




Suggested seasonings: salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, nutmeg







Directions:




1. Preheat oven to 400F....bake frozen piecrust for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool. Reduce oven temp to 350 F.




2. While the pie crust is baking...



Cook bacon and pat dry on paper towels 
Grate gruyere cheese - the cheese is the key to the wonderful taste of this quiche
Whisk together milk, eggs, and seasonings (to taste)







3. Scatter half of crumbled bacon on bottom of pie crust. Add shredded cheese. Carefully pour egg/milk mixture into pie crust, filling to top. Scatter remaining bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika.




4. Bake at 350F for 35 - 45 minutes, checking often during the last 10 minutes. Center will be slightly jiggly, firm not soupy. Take out of oven and allow to set/cool to warm temp.




5. Enjoy!