#postRWA2019

Whew! I meant to upload this on Monday but I've been wiped out from my recent trip to NYC!
Every summer Romance Writer of America has its annual conference. Each year it is in a different city and a different part of the country. This year NYC. The hotel was smack dab in the middle of Times Square.

For four solid days I attended workshops, networked with fellow authors, editors and agents and had a blast. There was the Harlequin party, the RITA celebration, book signings, lunches, gatherings and searching Times Square for a K-9 officer.

Harlequin party with Susanne Dietze, me and Sharee Stover

Me and Lenora Worth with a handsome officer. But we couldn't find a dog!

At the RITA celebration with author Leah Vale

I won the grand prize at the READ BLISS party

At the Harlequin Party with the lovely Teri Wilson

Love Inspired editor Melissa Endlich loving on Chase, my signing mascot

The Love Inspired Authors and editors gathered for a meet and greet. Can you pick out your favorite authors? 

A fun way to end the week

The 2019 continuity authors with our editors. Maggie K. Black, Emily Rodmell, Shirlee McCoy, me, Lenora Worth, Laura Scott and Tina James.

At the Harlequin signing with Dana R. Lynn

Author Katy Lee and me with Times Square in the background

The Harlequin authors. I'm way in the back. Such a lovely group.

Something Good to Eat

Patricia Davids here with something good.

Crab-filled crescent wontons

I like to cook good things for my friends and family.

I LOVE to cook things that are good and EASY.

This appetizer fits the bill. Picture and recipe are from the Betty Crocker website, my go to place for all things delicious if what I'm looking for isn't in the 1974 dog-eared copy of my own Better Crocker Cookbook that I received as a wedding gift in 1974. http://www.bettycrocker.com/ I seriously love that book. And the man.

Crab-filled crescent wontons

Ingredients

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup chopped cooked crabmeat

1 tablespoon chopped green onion (1 medium)

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 egg white, beaten

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Unroll dough on work surface (if using crescent rolls, pinch seams to seal); cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares.

In small bowl, mix cream cheese, crabmeat, onion and red pepper. Spoon about 1 teaspoon crab mixture 1/2 inch from 1 corner of 1 square.

Starting with same corner, fold dough over filling and tuck end tightly underneath filling; continue rolling to within 1/2 inch of opposite corner. Lightly brush exposed corner with egg white.

Roll moistened corner of dough over roll; press to seal. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white. Repeat with remaining squares and filling.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

The ladies of Love Inspired who blog here have recently talked about adding recipes once in awhile to change things up. I like the idea. Dear Readers, what do you think?  After all, what we write is for you, our books, our blogs and our Facebook posts are all aimed at making you feel like you know us.

Happy cooking and Happy Reading.

My next book, The Wish, will be in stores May 1st.

Pat

Where Do You Read? by Angel Moore

Reading Christian romance is one of my favorite ways to relax. I escape into a place someone created for my enjoyment. The journey through a previously unknown world unfolds on the stage in the theater of my mind.

I love to curl up in the corner of the couch with a diet soda or cold water and get lost in a good story.

My favorite time of day to read is late afternoon when I’m home alone without distractions. My absolute favorite place to read is in a hammock or beach chair on a cruise in the Caribbean.

Another place I love to read is on a cruise ship balcony.

Yep. I love that.

Let’s be honest, though. Most of life isn’t spent on vacation. Reading is my vacation for the normal days. More often than not, the closest water is a hot bath at home after everyone else in the family is asleep.

On those normal days, I find myself following a heartbroken character as she seeks God and peace. Knowing she'll find a handsome husband by the end of the book makes it all the more interesting.

I’ll read in the car. I’ll read in a waiting room. I’ll read with my mom when I visit her. She’s a fast reader, turning three pages for every one that I read. That means she passes her books to me quicker.

When I find myself at home alone overnight, I love to lay across the bed and read until I can’t stay awake another minute. Why do authors write those lines that make you turn the page? Don’t they know I have to work tomorrow?

This is not my bedroom, but it is my quilt. I love the peaceful colors. The green reminds me of the Caribbean, and it’s the only way I could sneak some pink into the master bedroom.

Where do you love to read? Share in the comments here. If you’d like to share a pic of the setting, drop by www.facebook.com/AngelMooreBooks and post it in the comments on my post about this blog.

I love writing stories of faith and hope, and I am grateful to you for reading them.

May God bless you.

Angel

Find my books, the latest news, and links to connect on social media at www.angelmoorebooks.com.

Look for Husband by Arrangement in March of 2018.

Tuesday Routines

by Jill Kemerer

I'm blessed to be the manager of our household. I stepped into this role years ago, and one of the first things I learned was I needed a system. It took me a long time to find the system that works for me. I'm not afraid to change it if it's no longer working. Let's face it, we all go through seasons of life where we're stretched thin financially and/or with too many things to do and not enough time.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Honestly, I often feel as if I have too many things to do and not enough time. I often wonder will I ever get it all done? I can't answer for you, but for me--no, I will never get it all done! I've accepted that!

Since today is Tuesday, I thought I'd share my Tuesday routine. First of all, I wake up and smile because Monday IS OVER. Yes! Since I loathe Mondays, I decided to jam all my big chores and errands into them so I can look forward to the rest of the week. Mondays mean making a meal list, grocery shopping, paying bills and doing laundry. Blech. But Tuesdays? Tuesdays I'm excited to work!

After waking up early and slipping into some workout clothes, I head downstairs to brew coffee and possibly load the dishwasher if we failed to do this the night before (confession time: we usually have dishes in the sink in the morning). Then it's an easy breakfast, Bible study and prayer. At 9am, I either do a 25 minute exercise DVD or I take a brisk 30 minute walk. When I'm finished, I change, fix my hair and throw on some makeup.

The next hour is usually spent on business/marketing things like creating my work to-do list for the day, checking email, posting to Facebook, Twitter, G+, etc... When that's finished, I either work (write, plot or edit) for an hour or take an early lunch. After lunch, I'm back in my office to tackle my most pressing to-do items.

At 3pm I usually take a break to talk to my kids when they get home from school. In the summer, I just grab a snack and keep working. If it's baseball season and my son has a game, I start making dinner at 3:30. Yes, it's ridiculous, but we won't be home until after 8pm, and I'm not cooking that late! Tonight we have game and it's an hour away, so I won't be cooking at all. We'll have Subway instead.

If there's nothing on the schedule, I tend to work until 5 or 5:30pm. Sometimes I get caught up in a project and work later, especially if I'm on deadline. The only work I do in the evenings is writing and scheduling blog posts or finding pins on Pinterest for my plotting boards, and I don't do that every night. It's important for me to have time for my family or to just chill out and read or watch television.

I love being blessed to work from home. The ability to make my own schedule? So, so fabulous! And Tuesdays are one of my favorite days of the week because I have a clear schedule to do what I love best--write!

Do you have a routine? Do you love Tuesdays?

Thanks for stopping by!

Jill Kemerer writes Christian romance novels with love, humor and faith for Harlequin Love Inspired. Jill loves coffee, M&Ms, fluffy animals, magazines and her hilarious family. Visit her website, jillkemerer.com, and connect with Jill on Facebook, Twitter and sign up for her Newsletter.

The Sweethearts of Truffle Manor - Chapter Four

Valentine Serial 2016

The Sweethearts of Truffle Manor

Chapter Four

JillKemerer

The audacity of that man! And what did he mean, he owned the house? Adette pivoted, only to hiss in pain. She crumpled to the bottom step of the once grand staircase.

            “Chambermaid…weakest play…what does he know? The lunatic…” she muttered, fumbling with her skirts to uncover her ankle. Didn’t look swollen.

            “Let’s see what you've got.” He pocketed the ring and knelt before her, taking her foot into his hands and removing her shoe. He had a tender touch for such a large, muscular man. The pain vanished as his fingers caressed her ankle. “Doesn’t seem broken. You probably just twisted it.”

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

            “So you’re a doctor now, too.” She flipped her skirt over her pretty red shoe. Whoever this guy was, he didn’t seem to be a criminal. And it wasn’t his fault she’d spent the past three hours in a panic over her grandmother…and her life.

            Bit parts in off-off Broadway plays had been her only acting accomplishments in five years. Dare she admit, even to herself, she was disillusioned with the city? That she craved a less cutthroat life? Here in Rose Lake? Maybe even on Candy Lane.

            Those baby blues twinkled as she clutched the rail and hauled herself to her feet, keeping her weight off the troublesome foot.

            “Since you clearly are not putting your degree to use here tonight.” She channeled her inner queen, a role she'd mastered last summer in Kingdom of the Wretched Koalas. A dubious choice on her part, but he didn't have to know that. "What are you doing in Truffle Manor?”

            He leaned close, his face inches from her. Her heartbeat accelerated so quickly she almost brought her hand to her chest. 

            “Something isn’t adding up.” He tapped his chin. “If you are who you claim to be, you’d know why I’m here. Which makes me wonder…You must have been in a big hurry if you didn’t even change your costume after your starring performance. Why didn’t you go straight to Nougat Peak to visit your beloved grandmother?”

Blast from the Past - Guess the Author

It's that time again, when we glimpse into the past of one of our Craftie Ladies. The first reader to correctly guess this month's author will receive a copy of said author's latest Love Inspired release. 

Ready?

Here's your clue.

This is a picture of my son and me deep sea fishing in the Gulf on my stepfather's boat. Every summer Shaun and I would go to see Tony and my mother. A highlight of our vacation was always going out on the boat, fishing and spending time on the beach at Ship or Horn Island. My son still talks about those fishing trips. He loves to fish now and I think it is because of those times in Biloxi. Both Tony and my mother are dead, but I have such fond memories of time spent with them. Seeing this picture brings those memories to the foreground.

Yes, you may have seen this photo before. However, since we had no correct guesses, we're bringing it back. Do you know who this is? Watch for more clues throughout the day, then leave your guess in the comments to be entered in the contest.

Good luck!

Blast from the Past and A New Craftie Lady

Today we're starting a new monthly feature called Blast from the Past. In it, you will have the opportunity to see another side of your favorite Love Inspired authors. Photos and memories from back in the day. 

Today, we're going to get started by introducing you to a new Craftie Lady.

Please join me in welcoming Lisa Jordan

Lisa has written four books for Love Inspired, Lakeside Reunion, Lakeside Family, Lakeside Sweethearts and her January 2015 release, Lakeside Redemption.

Don't you just love that cover? Such a tranquil setting.

Okay, Lisa, time to tell us a little bit about yourself and share your blast from the past.

Thank you, Mindy. I'm excited to be a part of the Craftie Ladies to help spread the word about Love Inspired novels.

So here’s a photo of me in third grade at Christmas time. I was very excited about the Barbie bathtub I had received. I was a girly girl who loved Barbies, dolls, and the pretty dresses my mom made for me. I grew up down the road from my grandparents’ dairy farm, so my preteen years were spent swimming in the creek, sleeping in the hay barn, and feeding all sort of barnyard animals with my very large extended family. My cousins were my constant companions. Maybe that’s why I’ve always been drawn to young children. I spend my days caring for Little Darlings in my family child care program. However, I’ve always been a happily ever after girl, so, by night, I write contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. My husband and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by renewing our vows in front of family and friends. Our two boys are growing into fine young men. In my free time, I enjoy paper crafting, reading, Netflix binging, and snuggling with my Chihuahua mix Penny. 

So cute. 

We're glad to have you with us, Lisa.

Heart, home, and faith have always been important to award-winning author Lisa Jordan. So writing stories that promise hope and happily ever after come naturally. She's been married to her real-life hero for over twenty-five years, and they have two grown sons. By day, Lisa is an early childhood educator, and by night, she writes contemporary Christian romances for Love Inspired. She is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such. Additionally, she serves as the My Book Therapy Voices Community Hostess. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her family, papercrafting, Netflix binging, and snuggling with her dog Penny. Learn more about her at www.lisajordanbooks.com. 

Tea anyone?

Terri Reed here.  Most of my cohorts on this blog are at the ACFW's conference this weekend.  I so wish I was too but September is always busy with the beginning of school and all that entails.  So, I'm home enjoying a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest.  Mild temps, sunny, not a cloud in the sky.  A perfect Saturday.

Yesterday was a different story, it rained!  I was praising God for the raining.  We need it.  Though personally, I love the rain.

Rainy weather is writing weather!  I love to listen to the pitter patter of rain hitting the window as I type away at my keyboard.

 Rainy weather is also tea weather.  I love tea.  Black, green, herbal, fruity, vanilla, Earl Grey, Irish or English Breakfast.  Teas of all types.  A few weeks ago I was in England and had tea at Highclere Castle.

English Breakfast with a flapjack, an oat cake with golden honey.   It was tasty.  And nothing like the flapjacks we have here in the US.
Are you a tea toteler?  What is your favorite tea?  I'm always looking for new flavors to try.


In just over a week my new book releases!  Didn't the art department do a fabulous job!  That's Chicago in the background.  I was so excited when I saw this because it matched my vision for the cover so closely.

Do No Harm

As a trauma surgeon, Dr. Brenda Storm saves lives every day. But someone wants her dead.  It starts with the anonymous delivery of poisoned cupcakes.  Now the hospital has hired a bodyguard to protect her 24/7.  At first, Brenda doesn’t think too-handsome Kyle Martin is the right man for the job.  Then she discovers his harrowing background—and that Kyle will do anything to keep her safe.  With every attempt on her life, she’s more drawn to the strong and silent man who risks his life for hers.  But their growing feelings could put them both in harm’s way.

Excitment is in the air!

Rhonda Gibson, that's me, is going to the American Christian Fiction Writer's conference this year as ... drum roll.... a Love Inspired author!! 

Going to the American Christian Fiction Writer's Conference (ACFW) is an event that I look forward to every year. This year I think I am more excited than ever before.

Why?

1. Because I will get to spend some time with my new Love Inspired family! I can't wait to meet so many of the craftie ladies for the first time in person!!!!! Big Squeal!!!!

2. I am also looking forward to seeing Margaret Daley again. She has been a real inspiration to me as I worked toward becoming an LIH author. I've know Margaret for years and I always feel it is a blessing to get to spend time with her.

3. My good buddy, Janet Lee Barton will be there and she and I will get to attend the Love Inspired party together as newbies, I'm way excited about that!

And last but far from least, I get to spend time with my editor, Tina James. I met Tina a few years ago at an ACFW conference and she encouraged me to submit to her. I'm so grateful she sees potential in me. Thanks, Tina.

So, if you are going to the ACFW conference what are you looking forward to?

And Father Makes Three Interview

How exciting to have Elizabeth Randall the heroine from And Father Makes Three written by Kim Watters a July 2012 release from Love Inspired Romance .

1.     Elizabeth, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

Interesting? What a question. I don’t think I’m that interesting at all. I mean I always had my head in a book in school, still do at times. Did the fast-track, graduated from college at twenty, med school as few years later, and became a doctor way before any of my classmates. I’ve been working ever since. So, no. Nothing interesting about me. Now my daughter on the other hand…..

2.     What do you do for fun?

Fun? Well, I went to dinner and a movie with my friends the other night. Aside from that, Jordan and I like to ice skating in the summer time to cool off and go to the park in the winter. 

3.     What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Calling the adoption attorney to make sure Jordan’s adoption was legal. I’m afraid that there might have been some mistake and that she doesn’t really belong to me.

4.     What are you afraid of most in life?

Losing my daughter Jordan. She has leukemia and I’m trying to find a compatible bone marrow donor for her.

5.     What is the most important thing to you?

My love for God, and being able to use my hands to serve Him as a pediatric emergency room doctor. And without wanting to sound redundant, my daughter.

6.     Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

Lately I haven’t had much time since my daughter is so sick. But when I do have some time I tend to read and medical journals, non-fiction and biographies.

7.     If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Wow. You’re just full of great questions today. I need to learn to relax, have fun, and be a bit more spontaneous, I guess.

8.     Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

We don’t have a pet; we don’t really have time for one, especially since I’m living at the hospital right now while Jordan is there. I know Jordan wants a dog or a cat, but until we can get her healthy, I can’t think about much else right now.

9.     If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I think I’d go back to my childhood. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry to grow up. Maybe I’d actually enjoy it a bit more a make some friends my own age instead of being a total bookworm and kind of lonely.

A Secret Worth Dying For Clue #5

To see the beginning of the mystery and follow clues 1-4 visit: http://community.harlequin.com/showthread.php/336-Love-Inspired-Suspense-Mystery-Beach-Party

Solve the mystery and win a $50 dollar gift card

Ask Elnora--About Beaches and Girlfriends??? Lenora Worth

Elnora loves to take long, meandering trips with girlfriends. It's hard to explain to non-girlfriend types (such as men) why women love to travel in packs and explore strange and exotic places (like the shoe department aisle). Men find adventure in hunting out in the woods. Women find adventure in hunting in housewares. Men like to go to ball games and cheer on their favorite teams. Women will go with them and check out what all the other women are wearing. Who won, anyway? (That rule doesn't apply at little league games. Women at these events turn into banshees--screaming and clapping and harrassing innocent umpires. But I digress.) I wasn't always a pack-traveling girl. I grew up the youngest of seven, so I kind of enjoyed my alone time. I had three older sisters and a lot of drama to deal with. I had three older brothers, too. Another kind of drama. I'd watch from the fringes and listen and wonder above the fray about what was out there on that long county line road. I had a yearning to go to faraway places and see different people. I never knew how much fun that could be until I started traveling with other women. Beach trips with church friends, road trips to conferences with writerly friends. The first group laughs and gossips and shops (even at gas stations, of course.) The second group plots and plans and obsesses over the next story line, on planes and in cars and even in trams taking them to planes and cars. Both groups have a dynamite that calls to Elnora's restless traveling soul. Both groups fascinate me and challenge me and make me laugh and sometimes, make me cry. But that got me to thinking--What is it about beach trips and plane rides and women traveling in packs? Why do we have so much fun with our friends? When I think about what I do for a living, I'm always amazed and blessed to realize that because of this fun job I get to travel in my mind to faraway places and I get to travel in reality with some fabulous friends who "get" me. My writer friends understand the parts of me that my "civilian" friends might not get. My "civilian" friends support my efforts and read my books and buy them for their friends, even when they might not get that part of me. It's an amazing process, this making of friends. It takes a lifetime and pours it all into a few precious minutes. Sometimes you meet someone and things just click. That's what friendship is all about. So, my darlings, my worldly friends, my Friday girls who cheer me and chat with me--what is it about beaches and girlfriends and traveling that calls to women the world over? Let's discuss. And then please read below this picture--Elnora has an exciting announcement about something new we are planning, beginning next Friday! Okay, starting next Friday (the third Friday of the month) we will have a new feature here on the Craftie Ladies blog. It will be "Ask Elnora--About Writing." I, along with all the other way-talented Love Inspired Writers here, will answer your questions about writing a book. That's right. Anything you want to know--if we can't answer it, we will take it to one of our hardworking editors and hopefully they will be able to help. Want to know about developing characters, come see us on the Third Friday of the Month and we will discuss characters. Have a question already? Send it to Elnora through my website at www.lenoraworth.com. I will bring it here and we will discuss. But only on the Third Friday of the Month. Anything you'd like to discuss--characters, plot, scene and sequel, revisions and edits, setting and pacing, synopsis writing and sagging middles. We've seen it all, hear it all and cried about all of it! We'lll figure things out together. If you're a reader and not a writer, don't panic. We'd like to hear from you, too. Your encouragement and suggestions will help all of us! So now I have Beaching Girlfriends, Writer Girlfriends and Blogging Girlfriends. Let's add Third Friday Friends Who Must Write to that list. It will be like a long, lovely road trip where we all get to find The End. So ... back to Beaches and Girlfriends? Let's discuss!