Look to the Sky

Mindy Obenhaus here, and I don't know about you, but I'm a sky watcher. 

To me, the sky is like God's canvas where He paints some glorious works.

There's your basic blue sky with the occasional puffy cloud.

This one is a classic and never goes out of style.

Then there's the eerie night sky with storm clouds rolling in.

As foreboding as it is beautiful.

Oh, but after the storm, God does some of His best, if not most intriguing, work.

There's nothing like a brilliant sunrise to start your day off right.

While a moonlit night invites you to sit back and reflect on the day gone by.

But some of my most favorite skies are when God breaks open His heavenly color palette and paints a masterpiece for all of us to enjoy, blending purples, pinks, oranges and whatever other colors He chooses.

Are you a sky watcher? Do you revel in the paintings done by The Master's hand?

Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and kids. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com.

What Goes into a Cover?

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Have you ever read a good book with a bad cover?

I can only speak for Love Inspired books, but bringing a cover to fruition takes teamwork. First, the author has a idea of what he/she wants. Actually we have to come up with three different ideas and then we have to convey those ideas to our editor via photographs and whatever means necessary. Once the editor narrows things down, they teleconference with Harlequin's art and marketing department to determine which cover concept will most appeal to readers.

After that, it's all up to the art department. If people are on the cover, a photo shoot is scheduled.

For my June 2016 release, Falling for the Hometown Hero, I wanted to incorporate one of the scenes in the book that takes place at Cascade Falls in Ouray, Colorado. I supplied my editor with pictures and a brief description of how I envisioned the scene. That my hero and heroine were sitting on a large boulder near the falls.

Cascade Falls, Ouray, Colorado



Cascade Falls, Ouray, Colorado

And after the art department worked their magic, they came up with this.

They captured the essence of what I saw in my mind to a tee. Right down to my hero's straightened left leg.

Now it's your turn, do you judge a book by its cover?

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Yes, you've probably heard those words a thousand times but, in this instance, it really is true. So today I thought we'd have a little fun and put you all to the task of captioning the following picture. 

Just for the record, that is not a real gun. Rather an air soft gun that one of my sons left on my desk when he finished watching television. Still, I was a little surprised at the scene when I walked into my office the next morning and thought it made for an interesting picture.

I can't wait to what y'all come up with.

Ready... GO!

'Tis the Season

I'm not trying to freak anybody out, but...

I'm sure you've seen the displays going up in the stores.

Believe it or not, there are only 80 more days until Christmas.

Some people think October is too early to be putting out Christmas stuff, but I disagree. I like that it gets me thinking about the holidays. I have a lot of people to buy for at Christmas, so I like to start my shopping early. 

In a perfect world, I wouldn't even set foot in a store those last two weeks leading up to Christmas. I'd forgo all the grinches out there and spend my days watching Christmas movies, baking and savoring the season.

This is the time of year when traditions come out in full force. One of my favorite traditions takes place almost as soon as Halloween is over.

Pumpkin bread. 

Lots and lots of pumpkin bread. I make a huge batch that yields me a lot of small loaves. I wrap them up and freeze them to give as gifts throughout November and December. 

So how do you feel about getting a head start on the holidays? Do you like to plan ahead or would prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving?

FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: A Father's Second Chance by Mindy Obenhaus

Repairing Her Heart 

Businesswoman Celeste Thompson has one goal: to make her restaurant and hotel a success. She doesn't need any distractions, even from handsome contractor Gage Purcell and his two adorable little girls. Besides, single dad Gage is just biding his time before a big job at the mines comes through. But as Celeste's project springs to life, their arguments transform into attraction. Gage isn't looking for romance, especially not with another career-driven woman like his ex-wife. But openhearted Celeste is more than just another work-consumed client. She might just be his happily-ever-after. 

Interview:

How exciting to have Celeste Thompson the heroine from A Father’s Second Chance written by Mindy Obenhaus an August release from Love Inspired Romance .

                                       

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

I doubt there’s all that much about me that people would find real interesting, however I did give up a very lucrative job in Ft. Worth, Texas to reopen my grandmother’s restaurant in the tiny town of Ouray, Colorado.

2.  What do you do for fun?

Cook. Yes, it’s what I do for a living, but only because I love it so much.

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

There aren’t a lot of things that I procrastinate on. I tend to be a woman of action.

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

Being abandoned by someone that I love.

5.  What is the most important thing to you?

Family and faith

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

Cookbooks, naturally. And the Bible. Being so busy at the diner, there’s not room for anything else.

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

I’m very untrusting when it comes to matters of the heart. I wish I could learn to open up more.

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

I do not have a pet. And please don’t count that bear that was in my garage.

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

I would go back to the day my father left and beg him to stay.

Guilty Pleasures

Mindy Obenhaus here, and today we're talking about guilty pleasures. Everybody's got at least one. Maybe it's something chocolaty or, perhaps, a favorite book that you've read over and over.

Some guilty pleasures are really more like well-known facts, while others we keep quietly to ourselves.

Today, though, I'm throwing open the doors and sharing a few of my guilty pleasures. Those things that I probably shouldn't be indulging in, but on occasion, I just can't resist.

You know, everyone needs a little sugar sometimes. Like when I'm driving alone in my car and there are no children around to tell me the error of my ways.   

Ha! I bet that's not what you were thinking. ;)

Chocolate.
But not just any chocolate. This is Mouse's Chocolate and it is, by far, the best chocolate I have ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth. Luckily, you can only find Mouse's Chocolate in Ouray, Colorado. Since I happen to be in Texas, this is definitely one guilty pleasure I don't often get to indulge in.

This next guilty pleasure is one that I probably spend a little too much time indulging in. Meaning that, if I'm not careful, it can quickly become a time-sucker, so I have to treat it more as a reward.

For those of you who may not be familiar with this, it is a game one can play on their phone or tablet. Some may think it's childish, but I don't care. It challenges me and that's why I like it.

Dancing.

Whether on the dance floor, in my car or in my kitchen, when I hear music, I just gotta move. 

Okay, enough about me. Now let's see if you're willing to take a turn in the hot-seat.

Tell us about one of your guilty pleasures.

It took Mindy Obenhaus forty years to figure out what she wanted to do when she grew up. But once God called her to write, she never looked back. She’s passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. Mindy lives in Texas with her husband and kids. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Find more at www.MindyObenhaus.com.

Christmas Traditions

Ready or not, the holidays are here, filled with the scents, sounds and traditions that make this special season like no other.

Here at the Obenhaus' home, the tree is up and decorated...

And the stockings have been hung with the greatest of care...

(I must remember to pick up another candle.)

Oh, but that's just the beginning. Soon, cherished events will take place, like our town's annual Christmas parade, my friend, Drenda's cookie/ornament swap, and so many other things, culminating in a blessed Christmas Eve church service.

Recipes that only appear this time of year are being dusted off and ingredients bought.

Andy Williams, Perry Como and Bing Crosby echo from my radio.

One of our favorite traditions is to give each child an ornament that will often reflect something that's happened in their lives that year. It's a tradition that my mom started when our oldest daughter was born and one I've carried on not only with my kids, but with my grandkids. 

In recent years, I've started purchasing an ornament whenever we go on a vacation, so every Christmas, as I hang them on the tree, I'm filled with memories of where we were and what we did.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without those amazing aromas. 

At our house, I always have Christmas Scent simmering on the stove.

The kids walk in and say, "It smells like Christmas."

It's also a great gift idea, so if you're interested, you can find the recipe in my journal at  mindyobenhaus.com. 

Now it's your turn. What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: RESCUING THE TEXAN'S HEART BY MINDY OBENHAUS

Melting His Heart 

Cash Coble is desperate for a change. After working in the family business for ten years, he's stressed out and overworked. When he heads to Colorado to visit his ailing grandfather, he finds his mood lifted by the beautiful woman living next door. After a troubled past, ice climber Taryn Purcell isn't looking for love. Especially not with a charming Texan who's consumed by work. But there's something about Cash that captures her heart. Never one to back down from a challenge, Taryn promises to show Cash how to carve out a happy life—one that includes her.

INTERVIEW:

How exciting to have Taryn Purcell the heroine from Rescuing the Texan’s Heart written by Mindy Obenhaus, a September 2014 release from Love Inspired Romance.

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

I’m a mountain guide, meaning that I take people on climbing expeditions. Ouray, Colorado, where I live, is surrounded by thirteen and fourteen thousand foot peaks, so there is plenty of adventure to be had. However, the thing that people would probably find most interesting is that I am an avid ice climber.

2.  What do you do for fun?

            Because I get to do what I love, my job is always fun. When I’m not climbing, though, I enjoy anything I can do outdoors. I also love to bake.

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

            Just about anything that involves opening up to someone. There are a few flaws in my past that I prefer to keep hidden. Even my parents don’t know the truth about the time I spent in Texas.

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

            Losing my heart to someone and then having them throw it back at me.

5.  What is the most important thing to you?

            Family.

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

            I don’t have a lot of time to read, but my best friend, Blakely, has given me a few of those romance novels she reads. Honestly, I was surprised how good they were. Not corny, like I expected.

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

            I wish that I were more open to the possibility of falling in love. But you know the old saying, once bitten, twice shy.

           

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

            Scout is more than my pet, she’s my baby. I found her as a pup, someone had abandoned her by a dumpster. I fell in love with her the moment I laid eyes on her and we’ve been together ever since. She’s my closest confidant. I can tell her anything and she loves me anyway.

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

            Back to that fateful day in the student union at the University of North Texas. This time, I would turn around and walk right out the door, instead of allowing myself to fall for that smooth-talking jerk. Then again, I was every bit as shallow as he was. Without the heartache, I’d still be just as wretched as he was. And I wouldn’t know Jesus. Yes, life can be hard, but if we learn from our experiences, it’s all worth it.

My Favorite Place

I've had the good fortune to live in and travel to many different places in my life. Some that sound very exotic, like St. Lucia and Iceland. Others that are more homegrown, like Michigan, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. But of all the places I've been, the one I love the most is Ouray, Colorado. True, my books are set there, but every time I visit this town, I fall in love all over again.

Why?

Let me start by giving you a little perspective. I'm currently a suburbanite living on the flatlands of Texas. I'm surrounded by highways and virtually every parcel of land is being bulldozed in order to build more homes or businesses. Old buildings aren't restored, they're torn down to make way for something more modern. 

But Ouray... 

Everywhere I look, there are mountains. And I don't mean in the distance. In Ouray, they are up-close and personal. Stand anywhere in town and you are enveloped by thirteen and fourteen thousand foot peaks. Trees perch on minuscule outcroppings, planted by the hand of God.

In Ouray, seventy percent of the town's Victorian buildings are still in use.

They revel in their history. No bulldozing going on here.

In Ouray, I can feel as though I'm on top of the world.

And marvel in alpenglow, when God paints barren gray rock the most incredible shade of red/orange/pink.

In my book, Ouray is like no place else on earth.

Do you have favorite place? I'd love to hear about it.

Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and two of her five children. Her debut novel, The Doctor’s Family Reunion, is a finalist in ACFW’s 2014 Carol Awards and her second book, Rescuing the Texan’s Heart, is a September 2014 release. When she’s not writing, Mindy enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her grandkids. You can learn more about Mindy and Ouray at www.mindyobenhaus.com.

Carol Award Finalist: Mindy Obenhaus

A ripple in the crowd, a murmur, then a cheer.  Here at the Craftie Ladies, we salute our authors who rise to the top and prove that Christian fiction rocks!  

                     Today, we're talking to Mindy Obenhaus 

 

Her book  

THE DOCTOR'S FAMILY REUNION

is a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers award. 

 What inspired you to write the finaling book?

I’d have to say my setting. Ouray, Colorado is not only beautiful, it’s the Jeeping capital of the world. This tiny town of 900 swells to over 2000 people during the summer months with a lot of seasonal workers, many of them college kids. And we were all young once, right?

How many times have you entered the Carol Awards?

This is my first year to enter. Interestingly enough, I was ACFW’s Carol Award coordinator for the past four years. But when I got my first contract and was eligible to enter, I had to step down from that position.

What does an average writing day look like for you?

More glamorous than you can imagine. It starts at five AM with a trip to gym, followed by a quick shower and running our only non-driving child to school. That’s often followed by a Walmart run to stock up on more food for these growing boys, and any other errands that need to be done. After some quiet time with the Lord, I settle into my office, check emails and blogs before I pull up my WIP. From there on, it’s a little writing, followed by a little bit of procrastination and banging my head against the wall, possibly some housework (only in the most dire of procrastination modes), then, before I know it, my men are all home, uttering those annoying words, “I’m hungry.”

What can we expect to see next?

My second book, Rescuing the Texan’s Heart, is a September Love Inspired release and takes place in Ouray, as well. I’ve also contracted with Love Inspired for two more books, though release dates have yet to be determined.

Tell us about the finaling book.

Family means everything to Dr. Trent Lockridge. Growing up without a father, he always yearned for a family of his own. One long-ago  summer in Ouray, Colorado, he thought  he might build a future with beautiful  Blakely Daniels. But when he abruptly fled town, he broke her heart and left behind more than memories. Years later, Trent is shocked—and overjoyed—to learn he's a father. He'd like to earn back Blakely's love and trust— but it won't be easy. And the clock is ticking. He's got only a few weeks to prove that, this time.

Thanks for stopping by Mindy!