07 April 2016

The Natural History of Us: Review, Excerpt and Exclusive Recipe!!

Rachel Harris' THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US is already getting swoons from readers everywhere! We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. Known for her sweet romances, Rachel's THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US, is no different! Check out everything we have for you on this amazing title and then go grab your copy today. Justin and Peyton’s story is sure to put a smile on your face and keep you turning pages long into the night!

About THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US:

One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who's forever owned his heart.

Justin Carter has a secret. He's not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy...and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she'd ever forgive him.

Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she's done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she'll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.

For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate's given him a shot at redemption, he's determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton...well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.

My Thoughts:

I'm a sucker for second-chance-at-love stories, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Justin and Peyton used to be in love, once upon a time back in freshman year. And they still are. But it's a secret. So secret that they haven't even told each other. But now they're partners for a school project, and Justin finally has a chance to make up for his freshman-year mistakes and win Peyton back.

Justin won me over from the very first chapter, and even though I totally understood why Peyton didn't trust him with her heart, I was absolutely cheering for them to reconcile. Which is saying a lot, if you know me. I've never been a fan of "the bad boy" as a love interest (give me the nice guy any day!) so I'll admit that I wasn't 100% certain I'd be able to love this match-up. But Rachel Harris is a master of character development, and it was obvious right from the start that Justin wasn't really the player everyone at Fairfield Academy thought he was. But his secret nice guy status was obvious in a way that didn't have me rolling my eyes or feeling like he was a cliche. And I could honestly cheer for this not-a-bad-boy-at-all to win back his true love.

At the same time, I wanted to be best friends with Peyton. I could totally relate to her side of the story too, and I absolutely understood why she wouldn't want to trust Justin's intentions after all this time. As much as I wanted them to get together again, I never felt like the conflict was drawn out artificially.

I loved the first book in this series (THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING), and I swooned over THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US. I just wish I could fast forward through time, because I don't want to wait to read more about the kids from Fairfield Academy!

Order THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US Today!

Amazon **Barnes and Noble ** Kobo ** IndieBound

Add to your Goodreads

Trust me. You want this book! Here's an excerpt to prove it:

Dropping my arm, Aly slides over to the goods. “Justin put me in charge of all things snackage this weekend since it’s my thing, and I want you both to give me your honest opinion.” She selects two giant squares and sets them each on a napkin. “Tell me if they’re too bold or too much.”

“I feel like those two words will never apply to chocolate anything,” I confess and accept the gift of fudgy goodness.

The brownie is moist, that’s obvious just from looking at it, and when I lift it to my mouth my fingers sink into the soft texture. My taste buds prep themselves for a happy dance. Then the rich scent of cocoa hits my senses and I close my eyes in bliss.

“Holy crap!”

A surprising burst of orange hits my tongue and I moan, taking another bite, hoping my sprung-open eyes tell Aly everything she needs to know, because I refuse to stop eating for something as silly as words. Seriously. Roll out a sleeping bag, call it a day, I’m good to go camping in the kitchen.

“You like it?”

I exaggerate a head nod, and Aly bounces on her sneakers. “Really? See, normally, I’m a brownie purist. Cookies, cupcakes, tarts; I go wild with those, but brownies are my religion. But the other day I saw a recipe on Pinterest and it sparked my imagination.” She raises an eyebrow and says, “That site is addictive… for realz.”

“They’re incredible,” I mumble, mouth filled with orange-flavored chocolate. “What’s in here? How did you get it to taste like this? I swear it looks like a normal brownie.”

Aly leans in with wide eyes. “The secret is orange marmalade. Fun, right?”

I nod my agreement and gather every possible crumb, pressing my fingertip into the moist morsels and licking without shame. I consider tonguing my napkin, too, but decide that may be too weird, so instead I break the edge off Cade’s remaining sliver and smile around my bite. He laughs and hands the whole thing over, blowing me a kiss.

He’s good people.

Aly watches our exchange with happy yet curious eyes, and I can’t help wondering how much she knows. She and Justin parted as friends, surprising since other than me, I never knew him to have friends who are girls.

“These are delicious,” Cade tells her, and she smiles in gratitude.

“Thanks. When you have a wicked sweet tooth, you learn how to bake pretty quickly.”

I was beyond honored when Rachel asked me to be Aly's kitchen stunt double - to create not just one, but TWO fabulous brownie recipes for Aly to bake in this chapter of THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US. And they really are as delicious as Peyton describes them. Here is the recipe for the Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies, so you can make them yourself. (It's a perfect treat to serve when your book club reads THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US!)

Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies: Aly's recipe from THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US

You can order a signed and/or personalized copy of THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US now through April 8^th HERE! (That's TOMORROW!! Don't miss out!)

And if you haven't read it yet, go grab a copy of Rachel Harris’s

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING!

You don't have to read the first book in order to enjoy THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US, but if you haven't already read THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING, you absolutely should. I loved that one too! I absolutely want to be best friends with Aly, and I'm so glad she was back for THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US! And if you liked the brownie recipe from THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US, check out the Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles recipe I created for THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING!

About Rachel Harris: New York Times bestselling author Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Vibrant settings, witty banter, and strong relationships are a staple in each of her books…and kissing. Lots of kissing. An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict and homeschool mom, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and watching way too much Food Network with her husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website Facebook Twitter Newsletter Signup Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rachel Harris’s THE NATURAL HISTORY OF US– Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

March 28^th

For the Love of Books & Alcohol – Excerpt

A Leisure Moment – Review

SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews – Excerpt

Home.Love.Books. – Review

My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt

Swoony Boys Podcast – Review & Excerpt

JOJO THE BOOKAHOLIC – Excerpt

March 29^th

A Crave For Books – Review

Becky on Books – Review & Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

Girl with a Pen and a Dream – Excerpt

Lovin' Los Libros – Review & Excerpt

I Read Indie – Excerpt

The Phantom Paragrapher – Review

March 30^th

Bookish Things & More – Review & Excerpt

Stuck In Books – Review & Excerpt

Reading Adventurously – Review & Excerpt

Typical Distractions – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

March 31^st

Dazzled by Books – Review & Excerpt

Kindle and Me – Review & Excerpt

The Cover Contessa – Review & Excerpt

Book Groupies – Excerpt

We All Make Mistakes in Books – Review & Excerpt

The Bibliophile Confessions – Review & Excerpt

Ticket To Anywhere – Review & Excerpt

April 1^st

Bookaholics Reading Haven – Review & Excerpt

Books Eater – Review & Excerpt

SprinkleofBooks – Excerpt

Melena's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review & Excerpt

Gaga Over Books – Review & Excerpt

My fictional escape – Review & Excerpt

April 2^nd

Collector of book boyfriends – Excerpt

Caitlin Audet – Excerpt

Andi's ABCs – Review

My Slanted Bookish Ramblings – Review

A Dream Within A Dream – Excerpt

Defiantly Deviant – Review

Book Briefs – Review

April 3^rd

The Romance Reviews – Review

Cheyanne Young – Review & Excerpt

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Review

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review & Excerpt

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Blogging For The Love Of Authors And Their Books – Review & Excerpt

April 4^th

The bookworms obsession blog – Review

Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous – Review & Excerpt

Addicted to Books – Review & Excerpt

Bookish Escapes – Review & Excerpt

Adventures of a Book Junkie – Review & Excerpt

The Bookish Thought – Review

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

April 5^th

Book it – Review & Excerpt

Julie Antonovich Reece – Excerpt

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous – Review & Excerpt

YA Book Madness – Excerpt

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

A Full Bookshelf – Review

April 6^th

Books and Boys Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Reading Is My Bliss – Review

Behind Closed Covers – Review & Excerpt

Jackie's Book World – Review

The Procrastinator's Corner – Review & Excerpt

KatyaRath – Review

The book slayer77 – Review

April 7^th

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Excerpt

The Lovely Books – Review

thebookdragon – Review & Excerpt

Aira Reads – Review

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

Love & Life & Learning – Review & Excerpt

April 8^th

Alpha Book Club – Excerpt

Crawling Over the Pages – Review

Three chicks and their books – Review & Excerpt

Reviews By Rah – Review & Excerpt

All For Love of the Word – Excerpt

Library of a Book Witch – Review & Excerpt

The Bookmark Blog – Review & Excerpt

27 March 2016

Lime & Coconut Cream Pie

This Lime and Coconut Cream Pie is a variation of the Strawberry Cream Pie I made for Pi Day. With the green-tinted coconut, and a "nest" full of jellybean eggs, it's a perfect Easter treat. :)

You will need:

1 pie crust (recipe below ... or store-bought is fine)
1/2 c. coconut, tinted green
2 c. non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 pkg. lime Jello

jelly beans

Bake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, until lightly golden brown. Sprinkle half of the coconut on the bottom of the crust.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together yogurt and Jello. Pour on top of coconut and spread evenly.

Arrange remaining coconut on top. Create a "nest" in the center of the pie and fill with jellybean "eggs." Chill for 4-6 hours, until set.

Pie Crust Recipe

You will need:

1 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. oil

1-3 Tbsp. VERY cold water

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Drizzle in oil and stir with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, just until dough comes together. Press into a ball, then roll out and place in pie tin. (I find it easiest if I roll the dough between two sheets of waxed paper, because it doesn't stick to my countertops, and it's super-easy to transfer to the pie tin this way.)

14 March 2016

Super-Simple Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe

Happy Pi Day, everyone!

This holiday is a big deal in our house. Because we love pie, in all its wondrous varieties! Today, for breakfast we had walnut biscuit "pies." (I tried doing a pecan pie-like filling inside a biscuit crust, and they actually turned out to be more like muffins ... but they were still delicious.) The kids were all disappointed that the school cafeterias didn't offer pie as an option ... But we made up for it at dinner with TWO beef pot pies. (Yum!)

But my favorite part of every Pi Day is creating new and delicious pie recipes. And this year's recipe is the easiest one ever! Only four ingredients, and less than twenty minutes prep time, but it tastes good enough to make people believe you slaved for hours.

Super-Simple Strawberry Cream Pie

You will need:
1 pie crust (recipe below ... or store-bought is fine)
1/2 lb. strawberries (or more, if you want an extra berry burst)
2 c. non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 pkg. strawberry Jello

Bake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, until lightly golden brown. Slice strawberries and arrange approximately half of the berry slices on the bottom of the crust.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together yogurt and Jello. Pour on top of strawberries and spread evenly.

Arrange remaining strawberry slices on top. Chill for 4-6 hours, until set.

Pie Crust Recipe

You will need:

1 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. oil

1-3 Tbsp. VERY cold water

16 January 2016

Confessions of a Semi-Absent Friend (It's Not You. It's Me.)

As you know, 2015 was a a really difficult year for me.

The holidays (from Halloween, clear 'til the New Year) were especially hard, and I really struggled to capture the spirit of joy that usually comes so easily for me. For the first time, I experienced the seasonal depression that hits so many during the holidays. And though I tried to keep up the cheerful attitude I'm generally known for, I'll admit that I spent many hours hiding in quiet corners to cry so I wouldn't bring anyone else at the party down.

But the thing is, I don't think I was really fooling anyone. Though I tried to keep up a carefully-cultivated mask, though I wore a plastered-on smile and forced a chipper tone into my voice when answering the unavoidable "how are you?"-type questions, I know my recent aloofness has caused some hurt feelings.

And I want to apologize for being a semi-absent friend.

"When you cannot do what you have always done, then you only do what matters most." This quote by Elder Robert D. Hales has become my mantra in recent months. I've had to remind myself daily that I'm not a bad person just because I have to say no to things I've said yes to in the past. Still, I've been saying "no" so much more than I want to. And I've heard enough quiet murmurings to know that some of my friends and family are starting to think they aren't in my "what matters most" category.

So at the risk of sounding like I'm having a prolonged pity party, I wanted to explain why I've been absent lately. Why I'm not on Twitter or Facebook or this blog cheering your successes and mourning your losses with you. Why I've not attended so many social engagements, even when I said I'd really try to be there. Why I'm no longer the one jumping to volunteer when I see a friend in need, even when I desperately want to be there for you. And why I might quietly slip away from a conversation just when you start thinking that everything is back to normal.

It's not you. I promise.

It's me.

And I know that's the world's most unhelpful cliche, but it's the total and honest truth.

I want you to know that I'm not sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I'm not sinking into a deep depression or wallowing in a pool of self-pity and resentment. And even though I might break down in uncontrollable fits of private sobs more often than I want to admit these days, I really will be okay. And I'm getting better, but it will take some time to replenish my natural well.

As you know, I'm a certified optimist. I can find the good in any situation, the positive spin on even the most negative circumstances. And even though circumstances have been HARD for the past eight months, I can see so many wonderful blessings that have come from our struggles. And truly, even though I don't know how I have the strength to get out of bed some days, the Lord has blessed me with the strength to keep putting one foot in front of another, and we've found a way to do all of the truly essential things.

But here's the thing: Things are more difficult right now than they've ever been. And although I can still look at each and every trial and find the good hidden there, I'm exhausted. I simply don't have the energy to project that positive spin for an audience.

I'm not sure when we'll be able to go home again. Work has come to a screeching halt on our house, as we wait for reports from the structural engineer (so that the rebuild can be done safely and securely, and we don't accidentally end up with nothing more than a pile of rubbish where our home used to be). We have no more money to pay for work to continue. The funds we've raised, the loan we were able to acquire, and the small amount we had in our savings have all gone to pay for the mold removal. We're hoping to be able to get a new loan to refinance our house and be able to pay for the rebuilding, but the bank can't process the paperwork until they have the report, and we won't know if we even qualify for the loan until they process that paperwork.

And yes, I know that I have been so richly blessed in so many ways. I'm still beyond overwhelmed by the generosity you showed in our gofundme campaign. And yes, I have faith that somehow, in some way, things will work out.

I don't know how.

And to be honest, I'm terrified. And feeling more than a little bit lost. But the natural optimist in me keeps pointing out the blessings, and that keeps me from collapsing under the weight of it all.

The thing is, my little cup of gratitude, overflowing as it may be, isn't big enough to fill my well right now. And I just don't have enough optimism to share.

So when you ask me for an update on my house, and the only news I've had to report for months is that work has stopped and I don't know when or if we'll be able to afford the next step ... Or when you ask me if I'm going to make cookies for everyone in the neighborhood this year (as I used to do every year at Christmas), just hours after I was crying in the grocery store because I wasn't sure I'd have enough money to feed my family that week ... Or when you invite my children to join you for an afternoon of fun and it's only $10 per person, but that's $40 more than I have in the budget ...

Yes, I will still see the blessings there. I will still see the silver linings in every cloud and the rainbows shining after every storm.

I will be excruciatingly grateful for the most amazing contractors in the world, who have gone out of their way to personally let me know that I'm not alone, and that they will do everything in their power to make sure we WILL find a way to rebuild our home.

I will blink back a few tears of joy over the fact that everything on my grocery list was on sale and each item carried extra gas reward bonus points

enough to allow me to fill my tank for only fourteen cents per gallon.

I will thank the Lord that you love my children enough to want to include them in the fun times, and that you recognize how desperately we need some fun right now.

But I don't always have the energy to keep smiling.

I don't even have the strength to explain to you that you didn't make me cry, and that I didn't mean to burst into a sobbing mess just because you showed me the beautiful kitchen you just finished remodeling.

And I'm struggling so hard just to keep my own head above water that even though I see you struggling too, and I desperately want to lift you, I know that we'll both go under if you're relying on me.

But I'm not really absent. I'm still here, quietly cheering for you on the sidelines. I pray for you. I think of you.

And little by little, I'm filling my well. One tiny drop at a time. Until someday soon, I hope, I'll be ready to step out of the shadows and reflect the sunshine I see in our lives every single day.

Please be patient with me until then.

And please know that I love you.

*hugs*

26 December 2015

Merry Christmas!

As you probably know, this has been a tough year for us, and I've been struggling with finding the Christmas spirit in a way that I've never struggled before. So I'm especially grateful for friends who love me enough to reach out and let me know they care.

Two weeks ago, we came home from a visit to see the Washington DC Temple Festival of Lights,

and there was a small package on our doorstep. Inside was a small, ceramic lamb. No note. No explanation. Just a lamb. As my children wondered what it could mean, I felt the first flutterings of the Spirit I'd been missing.

That lamb looked like it must belong to a nativity set. Maybe someone who knew I collect nativities was giving us an extra-special "Twelve Days of Christmas." I immediately felt pangs of guilt for my selfishness in hoping that I would continue to get a new piece to the set each night. Because wishing for presents for yourself isn't what Christmas is all about. Still, I couldn't help hoping that the gifts would continue, and I found myself watching for the next piece each night.

They came.

Piece by piece, the nativity arrived from our anonymous givers.

And when a friend handed me a small package at church with the instruction that I should open it on Christmas morning, I was pretty sure I knew who my Secret Santa was. I quietly tucked the gift under the tree without saying anything to my children, to preserve the mystery for them. But for me, it meant so much more each night when I received the next piece of the nativity, because I was loved not by a faceless stranger, but by a family full of some of the most amazing people I know.

We kept the growing nativity in the middle of the dining room table, where I could see it several times a day. And each time I passed by, I thought of the hugs and smiles I receive each time I see these sweet children. The words of comfort and encouragement from my friend (their mother). I thought about the scrumptious Christmas cinnamon rolls they made for us.

I thought about how these children go out of their way nearly every day to make sure my kids know they have friends. And the way the father came rushing to our rescue with tools in hand two nights before Christmas, when the boys in my cub scout troop locked our cat in the basement room, for which we had no key. (We couldn't pick the lock, and I had to call an emergency locksmith in the end anyway, but the $250 emergency lockout fee was a little easier to swallow when we'd already exhausted everything we could do on our own.) Each piece of the nativity reminded me that I wasn't alone.

Sure enough, the final piece (the Christ child) was in the package we unwrapped Christmas morning. Along with a note and the story that inspired their gift.

I'll admit, I'm still struggling more than usual. This gift, as amazing as it was, didn't magically cure everything. (This isn't a Hallmark Channel movie, after all.) But I do know that I'm not alone.

No matter what happens, no matter how difficult things may be ... even if we can't get the loans we need and never do get back to our home ... I have friends by my side to help me through.

And somehow, I will be all right.

26 November 2015

Happy Thanksgiving! plus a new recipe: Peanut Butter Custard Pie

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! (And for my non-US friends who may not celebrate the day: Happy Thursday.) I am so thankful for all of you! Far beyond words. Thank you for your love and support. And just thank you for being you.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. A whole day set aside for spending time with family and friends. And for being grateful for what you already have. ... And, of course, for eating delicious food.

My favorite part of the feast is the pie. I have fond memories of making pies with my mom when I was a little girl, and how my favorite tradition is making pies with my own kids. Every year, I try to invent a new pie recipe. This year it's a peanut butter custard.

You will need:

1 c. Peanut butter

1/3 c. Agave syrup

1 can evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

Chocolate chips

1 9-inch pie crust (or 12-18 mini pie shells*)

Place pie crust in baking dish. Cover bottom of crust with chocolate chips. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350° for about 40 more minutes, until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream or drizzled with melted chocolate.

* for mini pies, if you don't have mini pie tins, you can fill muffin tins halfway with aluminum foil, then line the muffin tins with foil to make 12 shallow pie tins

30 October 2015

Crockpot Gourmet Recipe: Stuffed Pumpkin

It's fall! And that means pumpkins! As you've probably guessed, I love pumpkin. I've already posted several pumpkin-based recipes on my site. (spaghetti sauce, chili, pumpkin custard) But one of our favorite fall meals is Stuffed Pumpkin. You can stuff the pumpkin with a variety of different fillings. This one, with cranberries and turkey, is like Thanksgiving dinner in a single dish.

You will need:

One pumpkin (about 7-8 inches in diameter, or whatever size will fit into your crock pot)

2 pound ground turkey

Two onions chopped

2 tablespoons garlic

half cup Craisins

quarter pound mushrooms chopped

Half cup oats*

1 tablespoon each oregano and basil

Cut the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Brown the ground turkey. Add the onions and sauté until slightly tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until mushrooms are tender and onions start to caramelize.

Pack as much of the filling into the pumpkin as you can, pushing it down with a spoon to really smash it in. (You will probably have some leftover filling. The amount depends on how big your pumpkin is. Extra filling makes a great topping for baked potatoes or omelets ... Or you can do as I did and just eat while you wait for the pumpkin to cook.)

Replace the top of the pumpkin. Place in a crock pot, and cook on low for 6-8 hours until pumpkin is soft.

This is a complete meal. You don't even need side dishes!

* If you need your dish to be gluten-free, make sure you use certified gluten-free oats. Oats are a naturally gluten-free grain, but they are often grown and processed so that they are not safe for those with gluten allergies.

31 August 2015

"Win" or "Lose," Pitch Wars Might Change Your Life

When entering online writing contests like Pitch Wars, it's important to remember that, whether you make it to the next level or not, simply taking that step forward to bravely enter might be the catalyst that changes your life forever.

I've written about this subject many times before. Many times. Like here, here, here, and here. And here. I've talked about how I got my agent after NOT getting picked in a contest. And how my debut novel, TWELVE STEPS, was both inspired by a contest rejection AND how success in a contest ultimately led to publication.

You might think that I've already exhausted the subject, and I couldn't possibly have anything more to say. Unless, of course, you've ever met me. Because then you'll know that I'm constantly looking for new insights and lessons to learn from the trials I go through.

Three years ago at this time, I was a Pitch Wars hopeful, biting my nails to oblivion while I nervously waited for the mentor picks to be announced. In case you haven't read the blog posts I linked to above, I wasn't picked for the contest. And I was devastated. I wanted to give up on writing altogether.

But my amazing new writing friends ... all the people I met in the contest trenches ... wouldn't let me give up. So instead of packing away my story pencils, I wrote something new. (And that manuscript went on to become my debut novel.)

Last year, and the year before, I participated in Pitch Wars on the other side of the glass, as a mentor. And I got to meet a TON of amazing writers. My fellow mentors. My mentees. Writers who submitted their manuscripts to me, who I wanted to choose but couldn't. Writers who chatted with me on the Twitter #PitchWars hashtag. I've met my best writing friends in the contest trenches.

But you already knew all of that, didn't you? I've told these stories hundreds of times, so why bother writing yet another post to rehash the same old tales?

Because when I tell you that participating in Pitch Wars might change your life, I'm not just talking about your writing career.

If you read my blog regularly or follow me on Twitter, you probably know that last April, I was thrilled to hear that the Air Force was sending us back to Maryland, back "home," back to the area where the climate is best suited to help with my health issues. And you probably know that in May, I was devastated to discover that my home had been destroyed by water and mold. And you probably even saw one or both of the auctions that friends in the publishing community put together to help raise funds for the repairs, when the insurance company refused to pay.

You've probably seen my repeated posts, thanking people for their help and support, and counting the many, many blessings that have come from this particular trial. I honestly don't know I could get through each day without the support I see from my friends.

And here's the thing, folks: The majority of those people helping me and supporting me and carrying me through the trials when I literally can't walk another step on my own? Guess where we met? Yep. Through Pitch Wars and other, similar, online contests. Even the friend of a friend I mentioned last Friday ... the one who helped me find a temporary place to live so my family and I won't be homeless while we're trying to repair our house. You guessed it. The mutual friend connecting us was one of the writers I met in this amazing community.

When I say that Pitch Wars changed my life, I mean it. Yes, the experience made me a better writer. Yes, I credit much of my publishing success to the lessons I learned from both successes and failures in the contest trenches. But publishing success is only a part of what makes Pitch Wars great. The real value in these online contests is the connection you make with other writers.

The friendships you forge here may be the relationships that carry you through when the stress of real life pushes you down. That's the true value of Pitch Wars.

For other perspectives on how Pitch Wars changes lives, check out the stories and advice in this blog hop with messages from last year's Pitch Wars mentees.

28 August 2015

Adventures in a Real-Life Hallmark Movie

You know that scene in all those Hallmark Channel movies, when the whole town comes together to save the main character from whatever drama she's facing? Yeah, I feel like I've been living in that scene for the past several months, as we struggle to get our home fixed. I've been living on the verge of a total meltdown every day, yet every time I hit that place where I simply can't do it anymore on my own, someone steps forward to carry my burden for me. Between the overwhelming auctions put together by so many amazing publishing people and the donations on our gofundme page, I spent a lot of this summer crying happy tears. I still can't believe how much support we're getting from all of you wonderful folks!

We've officially moved back to Maryland now, but we're still waiting for work to begin in restoring our house. We're facing what I think will be the last hurdle before we can get a loan to pay for the renovations, and I'm trying to stay positive, even though the silence is killing me with every day we wait. (We have to get an official appraisal saying what the house will be worth after repairs ... but so far we've had two appraisals scheduled, and though both were warned about the damage, they didn't take the warnings seriously. Both appraisers backed out as soon as they saw the true extent of the mold damage. If you're the praying type, please send up a prayer for us, as we have a third appraiser scheduled to go in today. If the appraisal comes back with a value high enough to justify the loan we need, we'll be able to get work started!)

Still, I'm a firm believer that every trial brings great blessings. And every challenge, no matter how devastating it may seem, is just another building block in the foundation of greatness.

This belief has certainly been strengthened since we arrived in Maryland.

We arrived with cheerful thoughts and high hopes a little over a week ago. We didn't know where we were going to live while waiting for our home to be fixed or how we were going to get through the next few weeks or months, but we were confident that it would all work out somehow. (I'd hoped, when I discovered the damage in May, that we'd be able to get the work completed over the summer and be ready to move in by the time we arrived. Sadly, that was not the case. Instead, we spent all summer trying to find a way to pay for the repairs.)

Turns out, finding affordable (or even super-expensive) temporary housing (a place that doesn't require a long-term lease) for six people and two cats isn't as easy as you might think. We found several apartments that offered short-term leases and welcomed our two cats ... but they had a four person limit. Then, we found one place that would allow all six of us, but only one of our cats. And one place that had room for all of us (cats included), but wouldn't be available until mid-October! Each possibility we explored started with a surge of hopefulness, leading to total despair when my hopes were crushed. When we reached the end of the list (after calling or visiting every apartment complex we could find in the area, and even begging a local realtor for leads) with no results, I sat in my car and cried. My only options were to give up one or more of my family members in exchange for a place to live ... or to remain homeless for a couple of months. None of those options were acceptable, but I didn't know what else to do.

So I went online and sent out a call for help to all of my friends in the area. Minutes later, a friend of a friend saw my plea. And she had a friend who was getting ready to put her home up for rent at the beginning of September. A friend who was willing to speed up the process so we could move in right away. A friend who had room for our whole family AND our cats. ... And her friend has become, in only a few short days, not only my landlord but someone I can truly call a friend as well.

I'm still hovering on the edge of tears every single day, and I feel like I'm walking an unmarked path through woods so dark I can't see farther than my next step at any given moment. But I will keep walking, keep moving forward. Because though the journey is difficult and sometimes truly terrifying, there are so many wonderful blessings to be found along the way. And I have discovered the best traveling companions to get me through. Thank you all for being a part of my journey! I love and appreciate you more than words can possibly express.

31 July 2015

Final Hours in the Auction to Save our House!

Once again, I'm overflowing with gratitude for the support and encouragement we've had regarding our efforts to save our house. The second auction, hosted by Emily Moore, has another great group of items available, and the auction actually had to be extended because the item donations kept coming in even after the bidding had started!

There are only a few hours left in the auction (it runs until noon pacific time - 3pm eastern today - Friday 31 July), so I thought I'd post a quick list to make it even easier to find the perfect item for you.

Here are all the awesome items up for bid …

Critiques by Agents:

Auction Item #30 - A Query Letter Critique by Literary Agent Julia A. Webber

Auction Item #31 - A Query Letter Critique by Literary Agent Julia A. Webber

Auction Item #19 - Query + 1^st 5 Pages Critique by Agent Jessica Sinsheimer

Auction Item #24 - Phone Consultation on choice of item with Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary

Signed Books:

Auction Item #22 - ARC Copy of BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER by Isabel Bandeira

Auction Item #32 - ARC Copy of novel BLUE BIRDS by Caroline Starr Rose
Auction Item #33 - Copy of picture book DOWN IN THE WETLANDS by Caroline Starr Rose

Auction Item #28 - Signed Copy of WHAT THE TOWN KNEW by Emily McKeon

Query Critiques:

Auction Item #3 - Query Critique by The Query Helper

Auction Item #10 - Query Critique by Dakota Shain Byrd

Auction Item #11 - Query Critique by Dakota Shain Byrd