Head in the Clouds winner!

And the winner of Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer is:
 Doreen! (priviesandprims@...)

Marnie Swedberg ~ Interview!

Feeling Loved: Connecting with God in the Minutes You Have

By Marnie Swedberg,
Mentor to Super Busy Women

Why do we love romance, secret rendezvous and the feelings that come when being pursued by someone wonderful? Why do we want our lover to be “bigger than life”?

Romantic feelings are God’s idea. In fact, every high and every low are little gifts from God. He is standing at your heart’s door, knocking, and asking, “May I come in and talk to you about this from my perspective?”

God is the ultimate friend, lover and provider and our feelings and emotions are His “teaser,” like a movie preview, meant to arouse our curiosity for “the real thing” or “the rest of the story.”

About the Book:

Feeling Loved provides a pathway from complacency to connectivity, and from interest to intimacy with God. In this book you will learn how to identify if you are mad at God, and what to do about it anytime you are. You will learn the one phrase you must know to turn everyday difficulties into God-connection opportunities. You will learn how to share inside jokes with God every time you see an airplane, helicopter, merry-go-round, waterslide and more. You will gain the keys to relating to God in your own style, based on the personality God gave you.

Feeling Loved is a quick, two-hour read or a leisurely ten week group study, containing ten chapters full of stories from my own life and journey toward intimacy with God, plus a section of Scriptures prayers. As you move through the book, you will meet God as the Master Storyteller, but more importantly, as your own personal History Maker. Because, incredible as it seems, He has His sights set on your heart!

The demands of life make it tough for is to find time to connect with God in a meaningful way. Statistics show that 81% of adults are unhappy with their work-life balance and only 3% cite the enjoyment of their relationship with God as their greatest source of spiritual fulfillment.

How about you? Is God your most exciting friend? Are you tight with Him? Do you want to feel more of God’s love? Do you know how to get from here to there?

About the Author:

Spiritual mentor to super busy women from around the world, Marnie Swedberg was described by one regional newspaper headline as the, "Wonder Woman of the North Country." She hosts mega websites where thousands of authors, speakers, business owners, managers and leaders can access the tools they need to maximize efforts, reduce stress and expand their sphere of influence.

In addition, Swedberg is a business owner who manages the family's restaurant plus assists with the family’s retail store and espresso café. She is the author of eleven books and ebooks, a public speaker and consultant for religious, business and government organizations, and has been interviewed on radio and TV talk/news dozens of times.

In her new book, Feeling Loved, Marnie shares her relaxed and doable approach to growing closer to God in the minutes you have.

FREE Stuff for You!
Visit the Feeling Loved book release party this week, November 8-11, 2010, during National Pursuit of Happiness Week at http://www.Marnie.com/FeelingLoved.php.

When you register to win one of the free books being given away, you will also gain instant access to three free gifts: 1) Marnie’s copyrighted Personality Type Test, 2) Marnie’s Two-Hour Time Management Course for Super Busy Women (an online, instant access audio including PDF workbook), plus 3) Marnie’s Scripture Memorization Tool, which is designed to help “slow learners” memorize Bible verses quickly.

Be sure to visit http://www.Marnie.com/FeelingLoved.php today!

~~~~~

This Friday, I'm posting a new giveaway as usual but this week the extra entries will be a little UNusual.

*The entries earned here will be put toward winning TOO RICH FOR A BRIDE*

To get the *4* extra entries, comment on THIS post saying something about Marnie Swedberg, her speeking, and/or her writing.

Here are some ideas of things you could talk about:

-Which book of her's is your favorite?
-Why do you like her books?
-What do you like about Marnie herself?
-If you have never read her books, why do you want to?
-Are any of her books on your To-Be-Read list? Which ones?
-Why does the subject of time management appeal to you personally?
-Do you read non-fiction? Would you read this book?

Just some ideas! Please don't make your comments just a sentence. We want to encourage the author! :D

Sunday Funnies!

Here is a hilarious video! I love to quote it. LOL :) Let me know what you guys think! Like, dislike, whatever! Just let me know your thoughts. :)

I've been interviewed again!

Please stop by and leave a comment if you get a chance!

http://parchmentgirl.com/2010/10/26/featured-book-blogger-carman/

Kate's blog is AWESOME! =D

Karen Witemeyer ~ Interview + Giveaway!

*You can earn up to 6 entries in this giveaway. Read below for details*

Today author Karen Witemeyer is telling us about her new book, Head in the Clouds (October 2010). She has offered an autographed copy of her book to one lucky commenter. She will also be stopping by throughout the week to answer your questions! So if you have anything you want to ask her, you can include it in your comment for entering the contest. If you are only leaving a question in the comment and not entering the giveaway please say so.

Welcome, Karen! Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a deacon's wife and an incurable romantic who believes this world needs more happily-ever-afters. So, in order to help meet that need, I combine my fascination for bygone eras with my passion for helping women mature in Christ to craft historical romance novels full of love and laughter. I'm also an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bake a mean apple cobbler. I live in Abilene, TX with my hunky, computer nerd husband and three children who are kind enough to put up with Mom's imaginary friends.

Tell us about your salvation experience.
I grew up in a Christian family, so my faith developed rather organically. I was baptized into Christ when I was ten years old, but it was six years later, when my father died unexpectedly, that my personal faith really solidified. There's something about going through trials that refines us for eternity in a way everyday living cannot.

Are you:

A spontaneous writer or a scheduled writer?
I guess I fall somewhere in between. I'm scheduled in that I have consistent writing goals, such as completing one polished chapter a week. However, I have to be flexible because I work full-time and am a mother to three school-age kids. Interruptions happen all the time, so I have to be able to turn the creativity off and on at a moment's notice.

Stubborn, or compliant?
It depends who you ask. LOL I am definitely a follow-the-rules kind of girl, so in that sense, I am very compliant. But if you ask my husband about my tendency to keep doing things the old, comfortable way when there are new, faster ways to get them done, he would definitely vote for stubborn.

Organized or completely chaotic?
I am definitely organized. Clutter stresses me out. I don't need everything spotless, but I have to have things tidy and organized. I know exactly where to find my research books, my web links are categorized for easy access, and all of my writing files are organized into folders and sub-folders and more sub-folders.

How do you handle disasters/BIG problems? Do you have a funny or interesting story showcasing how you handle them?
I tend to be very task-oriented. Give me a task, I work it till it's done, then move on to the next one. When things go wrong, however, emotions get thrown into the mix, and that can get rather messy. Not too long ago, I was working on a marketing questionnaire that my publisher asked me to complete. I had spent several hours crafting just the right answers only to have everything disappear from the computer when I accidentally closed the wrong window. Panic set in as I tried everything I could think of to get it back. Then desperation hit. I begged my computer savvy husband to work his magic, but there was nothing he could do. Then I became distraught. Tears pooled in my eyes followed by anger over the injustice of the situation. Four hours of work down the drain. Finally, I came to a point of acceptance, realizing I had no option but to recreate the entire document. This is where the task-orientation came back into play. I shoved aside the distracting emotions that threatened to draw me back into a pity party, and worked the problem. In an hour and a half the project was complete. And properly saved this time!

In your opinion, what is your best trait? What is your worst?
I would say that my best trait is my optimism. Hope, and joy, love and laughter – these are the things that give my life meaning and make everything else bearable. I make it a point to spend my energy cultivating these blessings and letting the more discouraging aspects of life go.

My worst trait? Ummm…I am a horrible mingler. Small talk strangles me. So if you see me at a writing conference or book event and I stare at you with a blank look, please take pity instead of taking offense. I'm probably inwardly scrambling for something intelligent to say and not coming up with much. Help from a friendly source is always appreciated.

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
This may not be all that surprising since I write historical romance, but I adore old Hollywood musicals. Singing in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Sound of Music, The Harvey Girls, Summer Stock, My Fair Lady … I could go on and on. This summer I joined Netflix just so that I could introduce my 12 year old daughter to several of these classics. I've had so much fun revisiting these favorites, and she seems to like them, too. Hooray!

If you compared your writing style to any other Christian Fiction author, who would it be? Also, how would you rate the romance in your books?
My books are similar in style to Deeanne Gist with a little Cathy Marie Hake and Tamera Alexander mixed in. I would rate the level of romance in my books as PG. There is physical attraction, romantic thoughts, and kissing in my stories but the romantic love always grows out of a friendship, mutual respect, and common value system between the characters to form a foundation for a love that is deep, lasting, and true.

What are you working on now or going to write next?
I'm currently working on the rewrites for my next novel called To Win Her Heart which is supposed to release early summer, 2011. It is set in Texas in the late 1880s and asks the question – what happens after the prodigal son returns? So many times, we focus on the wonderful homecoming the lost son received from his father, but have you ever asked what life was like for him after the celebration was over? How did he relate to his bitter older brother or the servants and townspeople who were only too aware of his past arrogance and wild living?

In my story, I play on those very questions. My hero is a man recently released from prison who has returned to his faith roots and rededicated his life to the Lord. The heroine is a woman who has been disappointed by men in the past and has little tolerance of those who don't meet her high standards. In an effort to make a clean start, Levi hides his past and Eden believes she has finally found a man of honor and integrity. But when the truth about his prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back her affections?

How can readers get in contact with you?
I love to hear from readers. You can find me online at www.karenwitemeyer.com. I have monthly contests, a free Bible study download based on the life of Rahab, and vignettes that give you a deeper look into the background of my characters for both Head in the Clouds and A Tailor-Made Bride.

You can also find me on Facebook or email me directly at karen@karenwitemeyer.com.

Book blurb:

When a recovering romantic goes to work for a handsome ranch owner, her heart’s not the only thing in danger.

Adelaide Proctor is a young woman with her head in the clouds, longing for a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a staid governess position on a central Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her romantic yearnings behind.

When Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, he never expected to become a father overnight. And five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon--and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions. He has a ranch to run, a shearing to oversee, and a suspicious fence-cutting to investigate.

When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the child--and her inheritance--Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes. And soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?

Who would you pick to play the lead roles if this book was made into a movie?

I chose Hugh Jackman for Gideon, because really – who didn’t love him in Kate & Leopold? His dimples aren't quite as pronounced as Gideon's but with his Aussie background, I bet he can manage an enchanting British accent.

For Adelaide, I selected Alyssa Milano. I needed someone petite to match Adelaide's stature, and I thought Alyssa could carry off the "girl next door" look that I always imagined for my heroine.

Do you have a link to a place to read the first chapter or an excerpt of this book?
You can read the prologue and first chapter on my website at:
http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/excerpt_head.html

~~~~~

*USA or Canadian residents only, please*

Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of Head in the Clouds!

TO ENTER:

*Leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win). The comment is mandatory. You will not be entered unless you leave a comment AND your email address.

*If you leave a comment you will be entered unless you specify that you would not like to be entered.

*Here are the ways to get entries:

(First entry) The mandatory comment saying you would like to be entered with your email address.

+1 Become one of my followers OR subscribe to my blog by email.

Read and leave a comment on one or more of my recent book reviews.
+2 Don't Look Back
+2 Head in the Clouds

**You can earn a total of 6 entries if you do all of the above entry options. Make sure to tell me in your entry comment on this post which of the things you did to get extra entries.**

*The contest will run from today (November 5) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (November 11). I will announce the winner that night. The winner is always randomly drawn. I will contact the winner either directly after choosing him/her or on Friday the 12th, and then that person will have one week to reply. If the winner doesn't reply within that time period, I will pick a new winner.

Good luck! Thanks for visiting.

Emily's Chance winner!

And the winner of Emily's Chance by Sharon Gillenwater is:
apple blossom! (ABreading4fun@...)

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer ~ 5 stars + Favorite!

Head in the Clouds

Karen Witemeyer

Bethany House

About the book:

When a recovering romantic goes to work for a handsome ranch owner, her heart's not the only thing in danger!

Adelaide Proctor longs to find a real-life storybook hero to claim as her own. But when a husband-hunting debacle leaves her humiliated, she interviews for a governess position on a remote Texas sheep ranch and vows to leave her silly romantic yearnings behind.

Gideon Westcott left his privileged life in England to make a name for himself in America's wool industry, never expecting to end up with a child. To his dismay, five-year-old Isabella hasn't uttered a word since she lost her mother. The unconventionality of the new governess concerns Gideon—and intrigues him at the same time. But he can't afford distractions.

When Isabella's uncle comes to claim the girl—and her inheritance—Gideon and Adelaide must work together to protect Isabella from the man's evil schemes. Soon neither can deny their growing attraction. But after so many heartbreaks, will Adelaide be willing to get her head out of the clouds and put her heart on the line?

My review:
This book had me hooked. From the first page to the last, I could barely put it down! Karen has a funny, witty writing style and does a great job of fleshing out the story and characters. I truly enjoyed reading every page. It also had more than a little adventure which was awesome! Suspenseful, with villains and plots, I kept waiting to see what would happen next. And it the heroine is an avid reader which was even better! I could totally relate to her. ;) This is a book that you need to read as soon as possible in my opinion!

Don't Look Back by Lynette Eason ~ 3 stars

Don't Look Back

Lynette Eason

Women of Justice series #2

Revell Publishing

About the book:

One man lives to see her dead--the other is fighting to keep her alive.

Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself--though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself believe that she can have a close relationship with a man, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact--her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those years ago.

Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love?

My review:
This book was fast-paced and I didn’t want to put it down. It definitely kept my attention as far as the plot and action went. As far as the romance department it wasn’t great, but romance isn’t the primary category/direction for this series, so I wasn’t expecting it to be really romantic.


However, there were some things that bothered me. Such as the fact that I was able to figure out who the “bad guy” was almost as soon as they introduced the person into the story. (But, in the very end there was a twist that surprised me, and I liked that.) I don’t know if most people will be able to figure it out, or if it was just obvious to me.

There were also times when I was a little confused about small things. It seemed like some more information might have been introduced to make things clearer. But, these were small, scene related issues, not big things like the over all plot.

Sometimes, it was a little far-fetched when the characters would do something that seemed obviously stupid to me, and I’m not even a cop. SPOILERS>> Like when they said that the stalker was probably someone that Jamie worked with, but they never looked into that idea. Or when they thought that he was in the building and they left Jamie alone with only one agent to protect her! (If they thought that he was in the building, why would they go outside to look at his car rather than sending someone to check for them?) Little things like that made it less realistic to me. <<

I liked Jamie and how determined she was to move on from her past. She was a good heroine. I also liked the little twist about why her parents were acting strange. Wasn’t expecting that and how it played into the plot in the end.

In all, I didn’t dislike the book, but I didn’t love it. I think it will go over pretty well with fans of the Christian suspense genre, though.

Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.