Wildcats in the House

Title: WILDCATS IN THE HOUSE
Authors: Steve Russo and Gabi Russo
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
August 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0456-2
Genre: Inspirational/nonfiction

High School Musical is a wildly popular movie among the tweener set, with it’s energetic dances and toe-tapping tunes. And most viewers had their favorite characters in the movie.

However, Mr. Russo maintains that there is more than just dances and songs to learn from the movie. It addresses such valuable lessons as peer pressure, being yourself, acceptance, and teamwork. It also shows you what the Bible has to say about each of these situations.

I have never seen the movie High School Musical, but it is on my tweener daughter’s wish list with Netflix. I did enjoy reading WILDCATS IN THE HOUSE although the movie references were not important to me, but the applications in each lesson were truly valuable. For instance, in the first chapter, Take a Chance, the authors talk about how people are always afraid to try something new, and they illustrate it by telling how Troy and Gabriella (stars of the movie) meet, how they took a chance, and it led to a good thing. The authors say that you have to try something to know whether you like it or not, which is true, whether it be from unusual foods, to situations you may find yourself in. Sometimes, you have to go outside your comfort zone. At the end of each chapter also gives suggestions on how the reader can utilize the information they read in each chapter.

I think WILDCATS IN THE HOUSE is excellent reading for tweeners, but they might want to see the movie High School Musical first so they can understand all the references to the movie. The message is clear: Don’t be afraid to be the person God created you to be. $10.99. 139 pages.

The Prince Charming List

Title: THE PRINCE CHARMING LIST
Author: Kathryn Springer
Publisher: Steeple Hill Café
July 2008
ISBN: 978-0-373-78622-0
Genre: Inspirational/chick lit

Heather Lowell moved to Prichett, Wisconsin, to run her birthmom’s beauty shop, while Bernice is one her honeymoon. But life in Prichett isn’t as quiet as Heather imagined. Between Ian Dexter remodeling her apartment, and Jared Ward in town making a sculpture of the town’s famous cow, there are plenty of disruptions in Heather’s life.

When Heather was young, she’d made a list of everything she dreamed her Mr. Right would be, and one of the men seems to be everything on Heather’s list—except for one very important point. The other man seems to be everything not on Heather’s list, except for that same important point.

Will either man be the one God has intended for Heather? What will Heather decide to do with her life? Stay in Prichett, or venture out into the great unknown?

THE PRINCE CHARMING LIST is a really cute chick lit that grabbed my attention on page one and held it until the end. I really loved Heather, and her efforts to make it in a small town she was unfamiliar with, even though she was concerned that some of the residents might have her picture tacked up on a wall and was using it as a dartboard.

The setting and the faith message was an important part of this story, and both were woven in seamlessly. Heather was a real character, one I’d love to turn loose on my hair. Both Dex and Jared seemed like fun heroes and I was anxious to see which Heather would choose. Don’t miss THE PRINCE CHARMING LIST. It is the third book in the Prichett series, but you don’t have to read Front Porch Princess or Picket Fence Promises first. THE PRINCE CHARMING LIST easily stands alone. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $6.99. 336 pages.

My Life, Unscripted

Title: MY LIFE, UNSCRIPTED
Author: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
2007
ISBN: 978-1-4003-1052-4
Genre: Inspirational/youth/Christian Living

It’s your life—and you’re the star. But why does it sometimes feel like your starring in a bad movie? You don’t have to be the victim in every drama—you can write your own script.

Tricia Goyer takes screen plays and shows you scenes from different scenes, both made up and real. She talks about the different scenes, and asks questions, leaving plenty of room to fill in your thoughts and opinions. Then she ends each chapter with a Bible study, where she lists several Bible references and asks a final question about the verses and how they relate to life.

Topics include (but aren’t limited to):

Ø Life isn’t TV Land (the real deal)
Ø Character Sketches (all about you)
Ø Hero’s Journey (popularity: getting it, keeping it—for real)
Ø Decision (preparing for peer pressure)
Ø Admission (what does beauty cost?)
Ø The Critic (the harshest judge)
Ø The Worst Horror Movie Ever (facing your fears)
Ø Discussion questions

MY LIFE, UNSCRIPTED is easy reading, and encouraging as you read about some of the mistakes that the author made in life, and how she managed to rise above them. You also read comments by other teens, and their thoughts on what is being discussed. I highly recommend this book for teens everywhere, especially teen girls. It will help them make it through the sometimes traumatic teen years and some of the decisions they will be forced to make. $12.99. 218 pages.

Keeping His Pants On...Until He Gets Home

Title: KEEPING HIS PANTS ON…UNTIL HE GETS HOME
Author: Joyce S. Oglesby
Publisher: ACW Press
March 2008
ISBN: 978-1934668-00-9
Genre: Inspirational/relationships/nonfiction

KEEPING HIS PANTS ON…UNTIL HE GETS HOME has a controversial cover, but inside the covers is anything but controversial. Who doesn’t want to affair proof their marriage? Most women want to know that their husband will be 100% faithful to them and true to their marriage vows. If only it were as simple as a vaccine, administered on the wedding day.

Pastor’s wife Joyce Oglesby says that the demands of today’s woman can distract her from fulfilling her husband’s sexual needs. Loosing focus of this responsibility has caused many women to face the maladies of matrimony, because you are too tired, too stressed, too mad, too sad, too depressed, or whatever.

Ms. Oglesby helps us to learn how to get past the dangers of boredom and staleness and how to insert passion into an unfulfilled relationship, removing husband’s from outside temptation.

Top 10 Ways to Affair-Proof Your Marriage
1. Lose your inhibitions
2. Be creative and spontaneous
3. Be available for quick intimate moments
4. Don't compare
5. Praise him'
6. Be available for intimacy especially during times of adversity.
7. Don't stop caring
8. Look as good asyou can!
9. Don't keep score
10. Keep your mouth shut about your sex life.
Remember When and Why
Before you marry, take time to undertake this small task:Make a list in rank and order of what you love the most aboutyour future husband. Think back to what you were first attracted to and fast forward to today. After the wedding, place this list in a private placefor you to refer to often. The list will be a great reminder of his attributes you love the most. This list will be a great motivator and will serveas a sedative at times as well, to spur you on to placin' a lovin' on your man. These are the reasons you chose him as a lifetime mate. You certainlywant the world to know you made a wise choice.

KEEPING HIS PANTS ON…UNTIL HE GETS HOME was a bit uncomfortable reading at times, as I was raised by parents who didn’t talk about sex. I still feel that is a bit taboo, so reading a book dedicated solely to this issue did cause some embarrassment. However, it is a topic that needs to be discussed among married couples as sexual drives diminishes over time, and with all the demands on a woman’s time, months or even years go by between sexual encounters.

Intercourse is a gift God has given to married couples, and we need to learn how to enjoy it, how to reach out to your husband sexually and be there when ever he wants it, no matter what our mood. Ms. Oglesby also suggests keeping a supply of sexy pajamas on hand to stimulate your man’s sexual drive. KEEPING HIS PANTS ON…UNTIL HE GETS HOME is a must read for every wife who hopes to affair proof their marriage. $24.95. 160 pages.

A Contest for Romantics:We are pleased to announce a special contest created. On July 5, 2008 we will have a grand prize drawing for a special gift basket which will include: Keeping His Pants on Until He Gets Home Book, 12 Pillow Talk Love Notes, 2 Glasses, 1 bottle of sparkling apple-cranberry, 1 Beanpod Candles melter, Beach Walk wax soy beads, Bird of Paradise wax soy beads, and 9 tea lights.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

Title: HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD
Author: Joanna Weaver
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
June 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7403-7
Genre: Inspirational/Christian living

Every Christian woman is familiar with the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible, how Martha busied herself trying to serve our Lord, and anticipate His every need. Mary, on the other hand, drew nearer and nearer to the Lord in order to hear His every word. Martha wasn’t pleased by this, but when she complained, the Lord said that Mary has chosen the most important thing.

We all long to be like Mary, spending hours basking in God’s presence but how can we do this when we have jobs to do, houses to run, children to care for, and schooling to help with? Quiet time is next to impossible. And a prayer closet? How is that possible when we have no privacy at all, every step is trailed by children?

In this book, Joanna Weaver shows us that we can draw nearer to our Lord. With personal stories, short easy to read chapters, and a study guide, she teaches us how we can balance work with worship, a shows us a simple plan for a half-day of prayer.

I enjoyed reading HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD and really learned a lot from reading it. Like Martha I long to bask at Jesus’ feet, but life keeps me busy, so my relationship with Jesus sometimes took a back seat.

I didn’t have a lot of time to read in this book, but each chapter has breaks, so if I got interrupted while reading I could pick the book up later and finish. I made a goal of reading and thinking about one chapter a day, and I was able to meet that. There is also plenty of space in the book to write our thoughts, etc. HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD is easy to read, and well-written. I highly recommend this book for church libraries, pastors, and personal libraries. Ms. Weaver will help change your life. Study guides included. $19.99 hardcover. 246 pages.

***


Contests:
She'll be giving away 7 copies of Having a Mary Heart. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on Joanna's blog tour post http://joannaweaver.blogspot.com/2008/06/having-mary-heart-gift-edition.html



She is also giving away 7 copies of With This Ring, her latest release. To enter that contest, simply leave a comment on Joanna's blog tour post (http://joannaweaver.blogspot.com/2008/06/having-mary-heart-gift-edition.html)

telling her which chapter of Having a Mary Heart was your favorite and why.

Easy and fun!

About Joanna:

Joanna Weaver was voted the Most Promising New Writer of 1997 at the Mount Herman Writer’s Conference. She has authored Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World and written for publications such as Focus on the Family, Home Life, Aspire, and The Evangel. A pastor’s wife for more than eighteen years, she and her husband have counseled many couples, both those approaching their wedding and those struggling in marriage. The Weavers live in Montana and have taught young married classes and spoken on the topic of marriage throughout the northwestern United States.

About Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World:An invitation for every woman who’s ever felt she isn’t godly enough, isn’t loving enough, isn’t doing enough.The life of a woman today isn’t really all that different from that of Mary and Martha in theNew Testament. Like Mary, you long to sit at the Lord’s feet…but the daily demands of a busy world just won’t leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve him…yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy. Then comes Jesus, into the midst of your busy life, to extend the same invitation he issued long ago to the two sisters from Bethany. Tenderly, he invites you to choose “the better part”–a joyful life of intimacy with him that flows naturally into loving service.With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story, Joanna Weaver shows how all of us–Marys and Marthas alike–can draw closer to our Lord: deepening our devotion, strengthening our service, and doing both with less stress and greater joy.

Joanna's blog: http://joannaweaver.blogspot.com

Joanna's website: www.joannaweaverbooks.com (Coming Soon)

Buy the book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400074037?&camp=212361&creative=383841&linkCode=wss&tag=sprightly-20

Where my Heart Belongs

Title: WHERE MY HEART BELONGS
Author: Tracie Peterson
Publisher: Bethany House
October 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0361-9
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction

Kathy Halbert is stunned beyond belief when she opens her front door to find her sister, Amy, standing there. Amy had claimed her inheritance twelve years earlier and left home and no one ever heard from her. Kathy believed Amy was dead. Amy’s leaving caused a ripple-effect of bad luck on the Halbert family—their mother died from a broken heart, the father was dying of cancer, and Kathy had to give up all her dreams and her engagement, plus all her savings to pay for her parents’ medical bills and keep the farm running.

Amy’s appearance is an answer to prayer for her father, but Kathy suffers from the return of the prodigal… Jealousy eats at her, and she almost hates her sister for coming back. As the two sisters communicate in broken bits and pieces, they learn that each other’s lives have not been all rosy. Will they be able to heal their severed relationship?

WHERE MY HEART BELONGS is another winner by bestseller Tracie Peterson. I could relate to both Amy and Kathy, and my heart broke by some of their situations. I almost cried in places.

The characters were realistic, the setting true to rural Kansas, and an important part of the story. The faith message is expertly woven in and isn’t preachy. Ms. Peterson addresses some tough issues in this story, but it handles it well. Parts of the story felt a bit contrived to me, and other parts seemed to be beaten to death and I got tired of reading it over and over. But overall, the story was good, and I enjoyed WHERE MY HEART BELONGS. $13.99. 330 pages.

Top Tips for Girls

Title: TOP TOPS FOR GIRLS
Author: Kate Reardon
Publisher: Three Rivers Press (Crown Publishing)
June 2008
ISBN: 978-9-307-40669-9
Genre: reference

In today’s world, where Home Ec isn’t taught in schools, and families live separated by many miles, women turn toward magazines and TV personalities to teach us how to live better, cook, look, and organize. Kate Reardon has made it simple in her TOP TIPS FOR GIRLS book that will give us hundreds of tips on all aspects of our lives from gardening, cooking, packing, cleaning, and many more.

Some of the topics include:

Ø How to get children to eat vegetables
Ø How to dump your date
Ø How to shampoo a dog
Ø How to clean diamonds
Ø How to improve your skin
Ø How to peel an onion without crying

Written by readers who visited Ms. Reardon’s website, the book is full of advice ranging from “why didn’t I think of that” common sense, to hilarious solutions that will make you laugh out loud.

TOP TIPS FOR GIRLS is definitely a book you’ll want to keep handy for reference – it will make real life easier. $13.95. 228 pages.

Along Came a Cowboy

Title: ALONG CAME A COWBOY
Author: Christine Lynxwiler
Publisher: Barbour Books
May 2008
Genre: Inspirational/chick lit


Chiropractor, Rachel Donovan’s life has been forever changed by a cowboy—and sixteen years later; she is still struggling to get past the experience. Unfortunately, her past just shows up when her fifteen year old niece, Jennifer, is picked up for hitchhiking and brought to Rachel’s house. Jenn has learned she was adopted and isn’t taking the news very well. She wants to find her birth mother.

Ex-rodeo star Jack Westwood has been in love with Rachel ever since he began to notice girls. Now that she’s back in town, he’s determined to get past Rachel’s cold exterior to the feisty woman who hides inside. But Rachel is determined to stay as far away from cowboys as possible.

With Rachel’s past staring her in her face and a cowboy trying to woo her, Rachel has lots of issues to deal with. Can she forgive herself and allow God to mend her hurts?

I totally loved Along Came A Cowboy, and it is easily one of the top ten books I’ve read in 2008. Written in first person, I was easily able to identify with Rachel, and I fell in love with Jack early in the story. He is a wonderful hero.

Set in a make-believe town in rural Arkansas near the real towns of Cherokee Village and Batesville, I was easily able to envision the setting as I am very familiar with that area of the state. The story is true to the southern rural mentality of the residents, with the townfolk friendly and involved in every area of their neighbors’ lives.

Along Came a Cowboy is second in the Pinky Promise Sisterhood series, and even though it easily stands alone, it sent me looking for book one in the series. Ms. Lynxwiler did a stellar job on this book. Don’t miss Along Came a Cowboy. A perfect read for a hot summer day. $14.95. 303 pages.

A Proper Pursuit

Title: A PROPER PURSUIT
Author: Lynn Austin
Publisher: Bethany House
September 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7642-2891-9
Genre: Inspirational/historical

Violet Rose Hayes is horrified when she returns home from a woman’s finishing school to discover that her father is engaged and has divorced her mother—a woman Violet has assumed ill in a hospital all her life. Upset about the lies her father has fed her, she arranges to visit her grandmother in Chicago, under the guise of visiting the 1893 World Fair, but in reality, she wants to search for her mother, dreaming of reuniting her parents, and thus breaking up the engagement between her father and the totally unsuitable woman he decided to marry.

But searching for her mother isn’t as easy as Violet imagined. Her maiden aunt, Mattie, wants Violet involved in the Suffrage Movement, while Violet’s aunt Agatha is determined to find Violet a high-society husband. Even her grandmother, and her simplistic Aunt Bertie seem to have a different agenda for Violet. She is left more confused than ever, and wonders why in all her “finishing” schooling, was she never taught how to handle this type of situation? And now, which path—and which man—will be the right choice for her?

A PROPER PURSUIT is a fun historical. Violet is a young innocent, taught how to properly behave in public, but totally unprepared for the curveballs life throws. She is a dreamer and a romantic, her daydreams often keeping her amused while she deals with twenty-minute talks about the weather, or puts up with yet another boorish suitor.

Violet didn’t come from a Christian environment, but rather a religious one, so the faith message doesn’t really start until after she arrives at her grandmother’s house. Violet and all the secondary characters at real, and I felt like I got to know all of them. I thoroughly enjoyed A PROPER PURSUIT and highly recommend this book. 432 pages. $13.99.

Finding Marie

Title: FINDING MARIE
Author: Susan Page Davis
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
September 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7369-2083-4
Genre: Inspirational/suspense

Marie Belanger doesn’t know anything about what her Navy Lieutenant husband, Pierre, does when he serves his country, but she is dreaming of a stateside posting and starting a family. But when the Navy dependents are shipped out ahead of their spouses, Marie plans on visiting their families in Maine.

When Marie’s seatmate on the flight to the states, a woman Marie barely knows, is murdered, Marie is horrified that someone seems to be stalking her. Is it the murderer, hoping to silence Marie for witnessing the murder? Or does the flashdrive that somehow ended up in Marie’s purse have something to do with the pursuit? All Marie knows is that she is being forced to flee for her life.

Pierre is horrified to learn that his wife never arrived in Maine—and that she never even boarded the connecting flight. When a friend contacts him saying that Marie is in danger and is headed to the police, Pierre arranges to follow Marie’s path and hope they find her before the bad guys do. Yet hard as he tries, he is always one step behind their enemy, who is just one step behind Marie.

FINDING MARIE is the sequel to Frasier Island, but FINDING MARIE easily stands alone. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and tried to figure out how her enemies always seemed to know exactly where she was and where she was going. I hoped she’d be able to find her way home, or her husband would find her before the bad guys did.

The faith message is expertly woven into FINDING MARIE and the characters are realistic. I don’t have any complaints about this high action book. It grabbed my attention on page one and held it all the way through. FINDING MARIE is an excellent book. Don’t miss this one. $13.99. 392 pages.

Skizzer

Title: SKIZZER
Author: A. J. Kiesling
Publisher: Revell Books
January 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3140-3
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction

Claire Trowling’s sister, Becca, has disappeared, and on her way to visit her Aunt Jess, Claire decides to take a side-trip to the now abandoned house of their childhood, knowing that if Becca left any clues about her whereabouts, it would be at this location. She dug up an old box the girls had hidden when they were young, and discovered that Becca had indeed been there, as left a rather cryptic note in the box which leaves more questions than it answers.

Then Becca’s husband, Rainey, discovers a rare necklace. When a mysterious stack of letters is found, Claire must discover the secrets of her families past if she is to find her sister.

SKIZZER is the debut novel by A. J. Kiesling, and it is definitely a good story. Set in multiple decades, the book goes back and forth between modern and the not-too-far-distant past. The setting is transcontinental, as Claire hunts for answers.

Even thought the book is written in first person, I didn’t connect with Claire the way I would have liked, thought it was interesting reliving her childhood with her, and being “with” her as she searched for Becca. I hoped that she would find Becca and that everything would be okay. Suspenseful, and intriquing, SKIZZER is not a book to be missed. $12.99. 248 pages.

Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret - and contest

Entry deadline is June 14, so hurry!


Hollywood Screenwriter Takes On Real Life
"I thought my life was over."

Hollywood's Dirty Little Secret
by Misty Taggart
I was living my dream. To be a Hollywood writer was everything I had wanted since I was a very young child. There was never a time in my life when I didn't know absolutely what I wanted to do. And there I was, a member of the WGA, a working Hollywood screenwriter. It was glorious. My life was so exciting! Each day was an adventure full of running to studios, pitching stories, writing and rewriting. Location shoots and lunching with Hollywood insiders.

I was so very fortunate to meet William Hanna of Hanna/Barbera fame. He told me he liked my "drive" ... my passion. It reminded him of his own. Bill quickly became my mentor and very good friend. He believed in me and my talent so much that it was this famous and very generous man who made it possible for me to be one of the first women to ever write for animation. Until then, it had been a closed boys club ... and yet, there I was writing dog dialogue for Scooby Doo in my own office at Hanna/Barbera Productions! How incredible it was to be sitting in the many recording sessions with all the big name voice-over talent.
I was so proud as I watched my talented husband, Joe, appearing on Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and Three's Company. Our friends were all in the business. We were surrounded by lights, cameras and action, all the things I had dreamed of and worked so hard to attain. It was an exciting time in my life. The strange thing was, I thought it would go on forever.

But under all the glamour and the fun, if you are in this industry very long you will find Hollywood's dirty little secret. What is that? Well ... Hollywood will not allow you to grow older! They simply won't allow it! They don't say it ... but it is made very clear. Opportunities to pitch stories stop coming your way. Meetings are difficult, if not impossible to get. It is heartbreaking and irreversible. You are on your way out! It is as though the "Hollywood Powers-That-Be" believe a human brain stops working, in any cognitive fashion, when you near the BIG 50! (A testimony to that thinking can be had by simply watching current TV.) I laugh when I think that just perhaps their skewed thinking has come back to bite them in the behind!
When it was clear that my life as a Hollywood Screenwriter was over, I was truly devastated. I felt my whole life finished. Depression and fears set in--stealing any joy I had left. Hollywood had done a good job on me. I bought all of the lies. And those lies almost killed me.
I was convinced my dream had been stolen. I was too old to ever have other dreams or to truly enjoy my life ever again. Going on living that way, wasn't an option.
But I was so very wrong! God simply had new dreams for me in this season of my life. But I didn't come to this discovery easily. It's taken time and the willingness to work with my own Life Coach. No, she didn't do it for me, but she listened to me ... gave me new ways to look at my life. Things I hadn't thought about in my devastated, crisis state. She asked the hard questions and I found answers. It was an amazing process.
Could it be that I was getting excited about life again? Together, my coach and I made a PLAN OF ACTION that fit me perfectly. I began slowly but surely to move toward a new dream.
My life coach shared her knowledge, giving me many incredible and solid life tools to deal head on with my depression and feelings of worthlessness. My faith became stronger and I was empowered to see the possibilities God was offering to me. And, with her encouragement, I had the desire to reach out and grab them! Wasn't this what Bill Hanna had loved about me? My drive! My enthusiasm? I realized I was the only one who had given up on me. God had done His part, as always .. now it took action on my part.
Would I give up on the rest of my life, brokenhearted over the past? Or would I find new vistas to conquer? I had a choice to make and I chose LIFE! I chose TODAY and all of my tomorrows. I looked at my life and all of the many trials and victories. I longed to share that with other women. To let them know they could achieve their dreams. It all became so clear! I began the study necessary for me to become a Certified Christian Life Coach. With my faithful readers, like you, at Ordinary Woman/Extraordinary God, who had been with me for so long, I began my practice.

Now, I want YOU all to experience the POSSIBILITIES for your lives! Don't give up! The definition of life is CHANGE. Helping other women walk through transitions using what I had been through myself became my passion ... My life is once again filled with excitement and I get up each day with true joy. I look forward to the day.
God had not taken dreams away, but given me new ones.This is why I'm so passionate about Life Coaching. I've been where you are! Let's do this together.
Don't you want a Life Coach who has been in those stuck and dark places ... a coach who knows how it feels to be frozen in place by fear and hopelessness? Give it a 4-week try! You will be amazed at what you will accomplish.
See: http://www.ordinarywoman.com/TASTEYOURNEWLIFE.html For more about Misty's Life Coaching, go to:
http://www.possibilitiesbootcamp.com/


GRAND PRIZE DRAWING!

Misty is making this new 1-month Life Coaching experience available to you for free, if you are the grand prize winner of this blog tour drawing. Did I say free? I meant to say FREE! $75 value. Great opportunity. Don't miss out! Leave your comment here to be entered in this great contest.

And for those of you who don't win, here's another freebie for you:
INTRODUCTING MONDAYS WITH MISTY!Start your week off with inspiration & a coaching tip of the week!
Listen as Misty gives 2 - Live 10-min Laser Coaching Sessions. Each Monday! 10am (Pacific) - 11am (MNT) - Noon (Central) - 1pm (Eastern) To join us on this Free call or to receive a Free Laser Session with Misty on the call CLICK HERE to SEND an Email!
You will receive a return email with the Dial-In number and Access Code! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MISTY? CONTACT HER PUBLICIST, KATHY CARLTON WILLIS, TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW OR SPECIAL EVENT.

Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear

Title: DEATH OF A SIX-FOOT TEDDY BEAR
Author: Sharon Dunn
Publishers: Multnomah Books
January 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59052-690-3
Genre: Inspirational/cozy mystery

Ginger and her husband, Earl, are attending an Inventor’s Expo in Calamity, Nevada, where Ginger and her Bargain Hunting friends are planning on hitting the world’s largest garage sales going on at the same time. But when they get to Calamity, everything is going wrong. The hotel owner has everyone angry at him for broken air conditioning, over booking the hotel with the Expo and a Squirrel Lovers convention, and not only that, but he won’t let Earl have a booth at the Expo because he was getting more money from someone else for Earl’s place.

When the hotel owner turns up dead, no one is really surprised, because he had a lot of enemies. But what is surprising is the way that he died—death by squirrel. Ginger was heard threatening the hotel owner, so that places her as number one suspect for his murder.

When the hotel turns out the crime hotspot with jewelry thefts, a kidnapped squirrel, and a murder, Ginger sets out to solve the crime. She knows she didn’t do it—but who did? And how are the different crimes related?

I was looking forward to reading DEATH OF A SIX-FOOT TEDDY BEAR ever since I read the first book in the Bargain Hunters series, Death of a Garage Sale Newbie. DEATH OF A SIX-FOOT TEDDY BEAR is laugh-out-loud funny at times, and other times unbelievably contrived.

The faith message is expertly woven in, and the setting played an important part in the story. Ginger and her cast of secondary characters were all very well developed with their own distinct personalities. I enjoyed reading DEATH OF A SIX-FOOT TEDDY BEAR and am looking forward to more books by this talented author. $12.99. 290 pages.

Sandhill Dreams

Title: SANDHILL DREAMS
Author: Cara C. Putman
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
June 2008
ISBN: 978-1-60260-010-2
Genre: Inspirational/historical romance

Lainie Garner wanted to be a nurse forever. She completed her training, hoping that she’d be able to go overseas to serve the U.S. soldiers and do her part in the war effort, but a terrible disease kept her stateside. So, she looks for a job in Fort Robinson, Nebraska, hoping to free a man to fight.

Tom Hamilton wanted to work with the horses at Fort Robinson, but instead finds his military assignment is working with war dogs. Tom has been afraid of dogs since he was attacked as a child, so he dreads every day.

Lainie has trouble finding a job in Fort Robinson, but finally she lands one in the clerical office for the war dogs. She is able to see Tom, and as their friendship grows, she discovers they both wonder why God seems to have denied them both their dreams. Could it be that God has a plan for their lives all along?

SANDHILLS DREAM is a really cute historical romance set in the Nebraska prairies. World War II is my favorite historical time period to read about, so I enjoyed reading this different take on things that happened during the war. The faith message is expertly woven in and isn’t preachy, and the setting plays an important part in the story.

Lainie is a realistic character and the reader instantly feels for her. I don’t feel I got to know Tom as well as I did Lainie, but it is still obvious that he is a gentleman, and while he wanted to jump to her aid several times his hands were tied as an enlisted man. Don’t miss SANDHILL DREAMS by this talented new author. $4.95. 170 pages.

The Bride Wore Coveralls

Title: THE BRIDE WORE COVERALLS
Author: Debra Ullrick
Publisher: Heartsong Presents
June 2008
ISBN: 978-1-60260-031-7
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary romance

Camara Cole wants to win the mud-bog racing championship—and she’s worked hard to overcome deep prejudice against her unfortunate gender. She’s a tough girl, prepared to do whatever it takes to win in this male dominated world, hopefully both a title and respect.

Chase Lamar has been a mud-bog racer for as long as Camara, and before he became a Christian, he was also the biggest bully in the circuit, taunting Camara, and also “fixing” her truck so she’d lose the races. But now, Chase wants to help Camara. He reaches out to her, and in spite of her deep seated hatred towards him, Chase begins to have feelings toward her.

When Camara’s truck is sabotaged, Camara naturally blames Chase. He claims his innocents, but more and more evidence points his direction. What will it take for Chase to prove his innocence to Camara, and win her love and trust?

THE BRIDE WORE COVERALLS starts out with the hero and heroine deep-seated enemies. Camara hates Chase for everything he’s ever done to her, and Chase has been raised hating Camara—in fact, his father loses his temper whenever Chase is even caught talking with her.

Camara wasn’t real likeable at first, while Chase turned into a true romance book hero—even tempered and loving. I wondered for a while how he could even be attracted to Camara. But as the pages turned, Camara began softening and became a much more likeable character. I hoped they would be able to overcome their hostile past. This is not your typical romance. $4.95.170 pages.