Peering Through Life's Window

A Warm Welcome to Sandra Ardoin Sandra will give away an e-book of A Reluctant Melody . To enter to win leave an e-mail address and a comment below. Sandra shares her favorite Bible verses and a favorite recipe. She says, "I have two favorite verses (technically, three). Together, they remind me of the power, compassion, and mercy of God." The first is Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (KJV) Also, Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (KJV) A Favorite Recipe: My mom used to make this regularly. In fact, she made it for my wedding reception twenty-eight years ago. I can’t say where she got the recipe, but when I was young, we lived near Chicago where Italian Bee

          A Warm Welcome to Paula Mosher Wallace   Paula will give away a print book and a t-shirt. To enter to win leave a comment and an e-mail address below. (U.S. residents only)                 About Bloom in the Dark Have you ever experienced a hurt that didn't qualify for a sympathy card? Did embarrassment or shame keep you from getting help or support? Do you have a loved one who's been abused? Many women face trauma and abuse. In these pages, you will read 30 stories, poems, and letters that tell these testimonies. Without sugarcoating her situation, each woman shares her pain, how she made it through, and how God met her. Our journeys to healing are different. Your story may not be reflected in the pages of this book, but you will see that you are not alone. We can all reach out to the same God who helped each of these women. Christ will meet you, carry you, hold you, and heal you, too! Warning: best when read with tissues

A Warm Welcome to Nancy Mehl   Nancy will give away a print copy of her new book, Rising Darkness . To enter to win leave a comment and an e-mail address below Hi Nancy, first, tell us a little about yourself. I was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. Two years ago, my husband and I moved to Missouri to be near our son, daughter-in-law, and our precious grandson. I’ve worked in a lot of areas, including Christian radio and banking. But most of my working life was spent doing social work. I loved it! I’ve been married 43 years this month, and I have a 36 year-old son, Danny. He’s been married for 4 years and has a 2 year-old son named Aidan. Aidan is such a blessing. We just can’t get enough of him! Since my husband Norman and I have no more children at home, we spend a lot of time parenting our puggle, Watson. Watson is part pug, part beagle. It seems he got the most rambunctious qualities of each breed. LOL! When I’m not writing, or watching Doctor Who , I spend tim

A Warm Welcome to Candee Fick   Candee will give away either a mobi or pdf file of Catch of a Lifetime First, tell us a little about yourself . I’ve been married to a high school football coach for almost 20 years and we have three kids, including a recently-turned-adult daughter with special needs, a high school senior, and the “baby” in middle school. I’m a former chemistry teacher and cross country coach who now works from home summarizing work histories in asbestos cases. In my free time, I savor the escape of fiction through both reading and writing! Lots of writers loved to read when they were young. Were you an avid reader as a child? If so, what did you read? I learned to read at age four and haven’t been far from a book since. Some of my early favorites were the Little House on the Prairie series, Chronicles of Narnia, The Borrowers , Black Stallion, Jannette Oke’s Love Comes Softly, and Watership Down. Let's talk about your writing. Why do you wri

A Warm Welcome to Lynn Lovegreen Lynn will give away an ebook copy of Gold Nuggets . To enter to win leave a comment and an e-mail address. Also, be sure to check out her fun quiz at the end of the interview. Hi Lynn, first, tell us a little about yourself. I was lucky enough to grow up in Alaska, and still live there. I’m a retired teacher who now writes full-time. I write young adult historical romance, and Prism Book Group publishes my Gold Rush series. Lots of writers loved to read as children. How about you? Were you an avid reader as a child? If so, what did you read? Yes—mine was a reading household, and I read anything I could get my hands on. I read a lot of children’s books (favorite picture book: The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, favorite chapter book author: E. B. White). I enjoyed strong young ladies, like the Little House, Anne , and Nancy Drew books. But I also waded into my mother’s poetry and Shakespeare books early on, and read both young adul

  A Warm Welcome to Christine Lindsay     Christine will give away an e-book of all three novels in her series. To enter to win them leave a comment and an e-mail address below.    A MOST DISREPUTABLE PAST—by Christine Lindsay I’ll come clean with you. I’m one of those people with a “past”. Yes, today I stand on stages and share the gospel message of Jesus Christ with hundreds of women at a time. But, like Mary Magdalene I’m a woman with a past—a past that makes me blush. A past that I don’t share the details of—details I don’t want my children to know about—I’d cringe embarrassment and shame.  But the most important reason I don’t blurt out all my shameful past is because I don’t have to. Years ago when I put my faith in Jesus Christ I became a new woman—a woman worthy of wearing white when I walked up the aisle to marry my husband. There was nothing in my disreputable past that could not be washed away by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Still though, I m

A Warm Welcome to Bill Garrison Bill will give away EITHER a print copy OR an e-book of The Day She Died . To enter to win leave a comment and an e-mail address below. Hi Bill. First, tell us a little about yourself. I’m married with three children and live in Oklahoma City. I’m a CPA and work in healthcare but my real love is great stories. I don’t want to be mindlessly entertained; I want to be moved emotionally. I spend my weekends going to basketball, football, soccer, and volleyball games and love every minute. Lots of writers were young readers. What about you? If so, what did you read? I was an avid reader. I remember winning a most read books contest in 2nd grade and getting a free book. In sixth grade, my parents gave me a bunch of books for Christmas, and I remember being disappointed because I wanted toys. Ahh, sorry about the toys, but congratulations on the contest. Let's talk about your writing. Why do you write? I really enjoy telling a story and cre

Book Release Celebration for Mystery/Adventure Novel and Book Give- Away May 23 – June 1  To win a mystery/adventure novel with a touch of romance, leave a comment at http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com/ . But that's not all! You may also be eligible to win two free e-books as part of this contest. Montezuma’s Treasure and Family Secrets are Themes for Mystery Novel Mysterious events, the search for Montezuma’s treasure, a good-looking rogue, and family secrets! How important is it to learn about the past? Will it make a difference in one’s life and the choices we make? To April, it makes a big difference. Knowing about her parentage changes her perspective of life. With a blend of mystery, adventure, humor, and sweet romance, Linda Weaver Clarke creates a story based upon the adventures of a married couple and their three daughters in “Montezuma Intrigue.” When a leather parchment of Montezuma’s map is found in great-grandfather Evans’ old chest, April and the tw

Christine will be giving away a download of her new book, Shadowed in Silk . To enter to win leave a comment with an email address. SECRET PRINCESS India’s evening air caresses like warm silk. A small mountain of kid-sized sandals sits close to a wooden beam holding up the makeshift roof. Voices of hundreds of children fill this tiny Christian church in the center of the bustling city in the south of India. The children sit on rugs, thick blankets, and bamboo matting on a floor of deep, clean sand. Counselors and specially chosen kids from the congregation lead in dance sequences. The Indian style music, heavy with the beat of tom toms, and each willow-like hand gesture and foot movement holds traces of ancient India. It was at a camp setting like this one that a young girl by the name of Priat first heard about Jesus Christ. Like many of the children in this camp setting, Priat came from a low-caste Indian family, the Dalits. In years past this group of p

On Monday, May 2nd, relax have a cup of coffee and join me at Coffee Time Romance. I'll have an interview and blog about Love Turns the Tide. Read free excerpts. It's http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts . I'll be giving away a free download of Love Turns the Tide. See you then!

WRITER MOM “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” (Psalm 127:3) The offer made my mouth water. Imagine a conference promising a free critique by a professional editor. It was the stuff of a starving writer’s dreams. My dilemma: as a stay-at-home mom, I rarely spent more than a few hours away from my eight-month old son. An editor willing to evaluate my manuscript over a casual dinner beckoned to me. However, the thought of leaving my son for an entire day gave my heart a painful thud. As always, my husband supported my desire to write. He urged and eventually cajoled me to attend the seminar. I expected to miss my baby, but never anticipated just how badly. As I prepared to leave that morning, hubby walked me to the car holding our son. A quick kiss goodbye and my guys turned toward the house. Our son’s questioning gaze over his father’s shoulder almost convinced me to stay home. At the conference, though the speaker interested me, thoughts

LISA LICKEL WRITES ABOUT G OOD WORKS GIVING UP SOMETHING AND GRACE Lisa's giving away a copy of her Barbour mystery, The Gold Standard Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. --Joel 2:12-13 It's Lent, traditionally a time of mourning, of self-contemplation and self-deprivation. Most of the people in my circle don't pay it any more mind than Advent. My husband I moved about a year and a half ago to worship with a new congregation after spending our whole married lives with one body of believers. We are learning different ways of celebrating our Lord and Savior, and it is good. We are also able to share some of the meaningful traditions from our former congregation; one of which is to gather during this time as a smaller group. Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn and he will heal us; he has struck down and he will bind

DEVOTIONAL AND BOOK GIVEAWAY Excerpt from TRANQUIL MOMENTS, SPIRITUAL REFRESHMENT FROM the ISLAND OF MAUI by Eileen Rife Son Blockers “Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your loving kindness.” –Psalm 31:16 Sitting on the sand outside our motel in LaHaina, I apply more sunscreen, smoothing it over my arms and legs, covering every exposed area to block the sun’s harmful UV rays. I want the glorious benefits of the sun’s warmth and light, but I realize, in this marred world that too much exposure may come with a price: detriment to long-term health. Indeed, the tainted earth and heavens groan with longing for their redemption, freedom from the effects of sin, just as I long for release from this imperfect body in which I dwell. A curse fell on the world like a wet blanket, snuffing out the laughter and joy at God’s creation party. And so we both wait—creation and I—for the final, freeing touch of the Son’s hand. In the meantime, I want nothing to block Him from my view.