Greetings all! I had the privledge of interview a women who is impacting lives around the world, Christina DiMari. She wrote Ocean Star: A Memoir, and her most recently released, You’re Designed to Shine: Six Sessions for Girls Ages 8 to 88 and You’re Designed to Shine Leader Guide.

This woman has a passion for mentoring and has created a workbook solely for the benefit of mentors and mentorees in hopes that the mentorees will soon become mentors themselves. Is she paying it forward or what - WOW!

I shared with Christina that soon, I’ll be starting a mentorship program and I am using her workbook “You’re Designed to Shine.” The girls will be entering a six week program and hopefully I’ll be able to minister to these young ladies more effectively by utilizing the tools provided in the Leadership Guide.

To learn more about Christina DiMari please visit her site - www.oceanstardream.com

]]> http://booksalatte.com/2008/11/18/youre-designed-to-shine/feed/ 00:01:01 Greetings all! I had the privledge of interview a women who is impacting lives around the world, Christina DiMari. She wrote Ocean Star: A Memoir, ... Greetings all! I had the privledge of interview a women who is impacting lives around the world, Christina DiMari. She wrote Ocean Star: A Memoir, and her most recently released, You're Designed to Shine: Six Sessions for Girls Ages 8 to 88 and You're Designed to Shine Leader Guide. This woman has a passion for mentoring and has created a workbook solely for the benefit of mentors and mentorees in hopes that the mentorees will soon become mentors themselves. Is she paying it forward or what - WOW! I shared with Christina that soon, I'll be starting a mentorship program and I am using her workbook "You're Designed to Shine." The girls will be entering a six week program and hopefully I'll be able to minister to these young ladies more effectively by utilizing the tools provided in the Leadership Guide. To learn more about Christina DiMari please visit her site - www.oceanstardream.com Cafe,au,Lait,(Non-Fiction),,Today,with,Takiela,Podcast takielabynum@gmail.com no No http://booksalatte.com/2008/11/17/my-mothers-wish/ http://booksalatte.com/2008/11/17/my-mothers-wish/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:08:37 +0000 admin http://booksalatte.com/?p=512

A grandfather’s song turns a diner into hallowed ground, like a church. A contrary girl with a gypsy heart feels the tug of home. A mother, far away, confronts impossible expectations. And a truck driver named Jedidah keeps his foot on the gas to sweep you into an unforgettable story of belonging and grace.

Readers looking for a meaningful, powerful read on a winter’s evening or with the family will love the rich 1960s nostalgia captured in the Midwest of Jedidiah’s and Ellee’s story; the peace found when family strife boils over, and the gentle reminders of the influence and effect every life has on another.

My Mother’s Wish is an unforgettable, powerful tale that ends on a memorable Christmastime note, but will be cherished and reread year-round for its bold message of grand hopes, impossible expectations, and the gift of grace that comes in between.

Jerry Camery-Hoggatt, Ph.D., is professor of New Testament at Vanguard University, in Costa Mesa, California. A professional storyteller, he is the author of the highly-acclaimed Christmas stories When Mother Was Eleven-Foot-Four (in trade adult and children’s picture book editions) and Givers of Gifts; plus Irony in Mark’s Gospel and Grapevine: A Spirituality of Gossip. His passion is theology and storytelling, which he believes are meant to go together. Jerry and his wife, Shaleen, are the parents of three children.

Ladies and gentlemen we have an awesome guest on the show today. She is the racial reconciliation “rectifier” a.k.a. Linda Leigh Hargrove. The Lord has given this woman a great ministry and the courage to reach out to an area that seems to be “taboo” - especially among the church.

Linda has written two novels that deal with her passion, which is racial reconciliation. When this began, she and her husband spoke on topics dealing with such issues. Linda began to pray for the Lord to raise someone up that would deal with this “hushed” subject and guess what? You got it, the Lord sent her! What an amazing story she has to share with the world!

When Linda began this ministry she realized that their were many who didn’t quite “get it.” They didn’t understand her ministry. This concerned her and she wanted the Lord to show her how she could demonstrate this issue to the world around her. Well, being the prayer answering God that He is, He birthed in her the book entitled, “The Making of Isaac Hunt” and the second book in this series is the recently released, “Loving Cee Cee Johnson,” and the third book is soon to come. WOW!

To learn more about Linda Leigh Hargrove please visit www.llhargrove.com and also visit 17 Seeds where more topics regarding her passion are posted.

Now, tune in as we discover more about Linda Leigh Hargrove.

Greetings ladies and gentlemen. I had the privilege of interviewing two sisters with a unique story to tell. I was absolutely amazed with the way the Lord has orchestrated theirs lives so that He receives the glory. This is an intriguing story indeed. I invite you all to listen in as they share how their journey to publication was a spiritual awakening for them as well.

For more information regarding the K.M. Dauthers please visit www.kmdaughters.com

The 2008 election is shaping up to be one of the most important political contests in American history. In fact, Dr. D. James Kennedy believes it will be a watershed moment that could impact our very survival as a nation under God.

Values voters—people whose political views and votes are based on their faith in God—are being targeted as never before. As the campaign season moves forward, the significant players will debate terrorism, radical Islam, nuclear threats, global warming, social issues, gay marriage, immigration, education, health care, and many other essential issues that can create sharp ideological divisions.

Into this overwhelmingly complex political situation, Dr. Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe bring a clear, compelling, and nonpartisan exploration of what God’s Word has to say on these critical matters. How Would Jesus Vote? isn’t intended to tell readers which candidates to support; rather it offers a Christ-centered understanding of the world to help readers draw their own political conclusions.

Author Bio:
Jerry Newcombe is senior producer for Coral Ridge Ministries television and has produced or coproduced more than fifty documentaries. The host of two weekly radio shows, he has also been a guest on numerous television and radio talk shows. He is the author or coauthor of more than fifteen books.

Dr. D. James Kennedy is one of the most trusted and recognized Christian leaders of our time. The senior minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he is the featured preacher on television’s “The Coral Ridge Hour” and radio’s “Truths That Transform”, syndicated on over one thousand stations throughout the U.S. The founder and president of Evangelism Explosion International and chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary, he is the author of more than sixty books, including the bestselling What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

Post a comment for your chance to win a FREE copy of Bon Appetit!

In this second book in the French Twist series, readers join Lexi Stuart in a crème de la crème adventure!

Deciding to leave her familiar home in Seattle and her could-be boyfriend Dan, Lexi moves to a quaint village in France to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef.  Life among the French initially proves to be less than easy as Lexi is challenged by her coworkers, missing her friends, and failing to master the perfect baguette.

Determined to find her place, Lexi settles into the culture and life becomes la perfection. She finds a church, meets a new friend, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine—as well as Celine’s attractive, widowed father, Philippe. Even Patricia, the gruff pastry cook, shows a softer side as she mentors Lexi in the art of baking.

Fast, fun, and packed with French culture, foodie appeal, and unique recipes readers will love accompanying Lexi on her journey in Bon Appetit as she tries to choose between two countries, two men and the faith to lean on God while savoring the surprises life brings!

When you are starting to write or get writer’s block, the smartest idea is to write about what you know about.  Otherwise, you are going to be doing a lot of research.  While research is something you may want to consider in the future, novices should begin with writing about what they already have experienced or know best.  It helps you to improve your writing skills, while not worrying so much about the subject as you begin to improve your craft.

Get to know your best writing self.  Do you write best alone or with others in the room?  Can you concentrate with music and television blaring in the background or do you need dead silence.  I write best when it’s quiet, but my husband writes more words an hour with his favorite inspirational music playing softly in the background.  Not me! If I hear a song while I’m writing, I am thinking about the words of the song, not the words on my computer.

A lot of people have asked me about my writing process. I always tell them, “writer’s write.” Most people talk about writing and don’t actually write; but to complete a book you need to write, write, write. As my daughter says,  “a book is a lot of words!”  Writing is not easy nor for the faint of heart.

I believe God gives the heart and vision for the story or article. It also takes talents and gifts, but you can’t pull off an article or book without determination and discipline. You write one word at a time just like you play the piano one note at a time. You can do it, if you put your mind to it and overlook other distractions.

Practical Ideas to become the next Pulitzer Prize Winner:

Treat writing as special as you do reading.  I act as though my writing time is very important. Give yourself big challenges in the writing area, perhaps you are asking too little of yourself. Do you only believe you can do what you have already done or do you truly believe you can do more?  You need to believe you can climb some higher mountains than what you did the last time up the slopes.

Give yourself a reward for each writing completion each week or each month.  Sometimes I let stay at the pool for an extra hour in the sauna or buy a coffee mug that looks like a Hemingway mug.

Make lots of great stories available to yourself in a variety of ways. Do everything from checking out from the library old Fibber McGee radio shows to buying tickets to that community playhouse you always drive by.  Tell stories to your children each night to keep expanding your creativity, vocabulary, and fun quotient.

Always edit your work the next day, never the same day. A fresh perspective always helps. Keep reading books about writing so you learn all the tools you need for writing, not just the mechanics of writing. For example, you also need to be an expert on other things, like your audience and how to understand the genre.

It is a writer’s joy to fan the flames of the written word within themselves and others.  Do you have a mentor in the writing field and are you mentoring new or young writers?  Both keep you honest and fresh.

Cheryl Moeller
Stand up comic, syndicated humor columnist, and author
Check out some writing samples or buy books at www.momlaughs.blogspot.com

THE SHACK’ NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING
AUTHOR JOINS ABUNGA.COM ONLINE CHAT:
William Paul Young to Answer Readers’ Questions on Oct. 22

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 16, 2008 – Abunga.com, the family-friendly bookstore, is hosting a free online chat with William Paul Young, author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, “The Shack,” on Oct. 22 as a part of the weekly “Authors at Abunga” chat series.

“This novel has created a big buzz among readers,” said Abunga.com Chairman Lee Martin. “Our online chat will give people the chance to ask their questions directly to Mr. Young and learn his thoughts and inspiration behind the story.”

Young, a Canadian-born son of missionaries, wrote the novel as a personal story for his six children, and never intended it to be for public consumption. Since its debut on the market, “The Shack” has sky-rocketed to success, landing in the No. 1 spot on several trade paperback fiction best-seller lists.

The fictional redemptive story revolves around Mackenzie Allen Phillips, whose daughter is tragically abducted during a family vacation. Shortly after, evidence of her murder is found in an abandoned shack.

Four years later Phillips receives a note, supposedly from “God,” inviting him back to the shack. Accepting the offer, even against his better judgment, Phillips experiences an unexpected encounter that will forever change his life. For more information, visit http://Abunga.com/FeaturedAuthorYoung.

The Abunga.com online chat will take place from 2-3 p.m. EDT on Oct. 22 at http://Abunga.com/AuthorsAtAbunga. Questions are currently being accepted at the “Authors at Abunga” Web page and will also be taken during the chat. An archive of the chat will be available at Abunga.com on the following day for those unable to attend.

“Many people may not have the opportunity to attend an event with Mr. Young and hear him speak about his book,” Martin said. “But the Abunga.com online chat format allows anyone with Internet access the opportunity to join in, and we hope people will take advantage of this.”

Abunga.com is an online bookstore founded to provide families a protected shopping environment. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., Abunga.com offers safety with more than 2 million family-friendly titles; savings through distributor-direct prices; and support to nonprofit organizations by donating 5 percent of each transaction to a customer-selected charity. For more information, visit www.Abunga.com.

Today we have a special treat for the online listeners. Out guest is a PK (pastor’s kid), PW (pastor’s wife), mother of six, a teacher (she homeschools), and a comedian. She wears many different hats, including that of a speaker and author. Whew! Lastly, I’d like to add that above all these things she is a child of God. She has taken the time out of her BUSY schedule to share and enlighten us. The person whom I am referring to is none other than Cheryl Moeller. Listen in as we get to find out more about her!

To learn more about what’s happening with Cheryl visit her blog Mom Laughs.

Eager to ease the financial burden of her family, Cassandra Stover is thrilled when she is hired to be a compain to Mrs. Jameston, a wealthy society women. Cassie finds herself living a life she’d never imagined - and growing close to the elderly woman who treats her like a daughter.

Her new position is tarnished only by Mrs. Jameston’s son. As Sebastian’s resentment and cruely toward his mother mount, Cassie begins to harbor concerns for her employer’s safty…and ultimately her own. When Sebastian is suspected of fraud insurance investigator Mark Langford solicits Cassie’s help to uncover the truth. But what begins as a game of pretense is quickly complicated by matters of the heart.

Tracie Peterson is the author of over seventy novel, both historal and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her best selling Heirs of Montana and Alaskan Quest series.