Add this book under your tree!!

BOO, HUMBUG!

Summary:

Readers have come to love the eccentric characters from Skary, Indiana, in Rene Gutteridge’s popular Boo! series. Now, in Boo, Humbug! they’re back – and they’re stirring up a large amount of holiday havoc!It’s Christmastime in Skary, and the town is planning an original production of A Christmas Carol with a horror spin.

As showtime approaches, things go very awry for director Lois Stepaphanopolis. She panics when she discovers that her marketing director loathes Christmas and that the audience has been promised not Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but the real Christmas story. Can the actors pull off the improv of all improvs and convince their community to embrace the true meaning of the Christmas season? Boo, Humbug! offers readers a delightful glimpse into small town, community life with heartwarming humor and winsome characters. And in the end, the true meaning of Christmas shines out bright and clear, in a decidedly un-Skary way.

My review: When I first saw that Boo, Humbug! was coming out, I screamed. Literally. Rene's BOO series are one of my favorite series of all time. Not only is Rene a talented author, she's hilarious! Rene brings romantic comedy to an entirely new level of fun. The townsmembers of Skary will live in your heart long after you close the book. They're fresh, real, vibrant...I feel honored to have been a short part of their lives! =)

Boo, Humbug! was charmingly witty and the perfect wrap-up to a delightful series. I read this book in one evening while curled up on the couch with a blanket, a Diet Coke, and a whole warm case of Christmas fuzzies. If you haven't met Wolfe, Ainsley, Melb, Oliver, Marty, and the whole gang - what in Skary are you waiting for??? =)

Even better - take it a step further, and grace someone's Christmas tree with a whole pile of BOO books...Boo, Boo Who, Boo Hiss, and now, finally - Boo, Humbug!

Author Bio:

Rene Gutteridge is the author of 10 novels, including the Boo series, the Storm series, The Occupational Hazards series and My Life as a Doormat, a Women of Faith selection for 2006. She has been published over 30 times as a playwright, and holds a degree in screenwriting, graduating magna cum laude from Oklahoma State University . Rene is married to Sean, a musician, and they have two young children. They make their home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma .

To purchase your own copy of holiday fun, click here!

Or better yet, I'm doing a giveaway of THREE copies of this fantastic story! To enter the drawing, simply leave a comment on this blog or on the same review blog on http://www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com/ with your favorite Christmas tradition!

*Drawing will be held Friday, November 9th.*

Wednesday Wonders ... aware of the Lord

Genesis chapter 28 tells of Jacob leaving his family to travel to Paddan Aram in search of a wife. One night during that journey, he dreamed of a staircase resting on earth and stretching up to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. The Lord stood above the staircase, and spoke to Jacob: He confirmed that He was the God of Abraham and Isaac and that He would go with Jacob and watch over him. “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you,” God said (Genesis 28:15b).

The next verse says that when Jacob awoke, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”

How many times are we the same way? I’m often guilty of zooming through my days without paying as close attention to things as I should. I’m too worried about getting the kids on the bus ... running all my errands ... figuring out a way past writer’s block ... knocking out a deadline.

So today, for Wednesday Wonders, let’s look beneath the surface. In what ways is God around you, even when you’re not aware of it?

Here are a few from my corner of the world:

-- The leaves on the maple trees in our neighborhood as they change from green to goldish to flaming red

-- When my children wake up on their own in happy moods instead of grumpy because I’ve had to pull them from sweet dreams

-- The breeze that whispers against my face

-- The increase in my productivity when I ask Him to guide my writing

-- That extra ounce of patience that miraculously surfaces when I’m at the end of my rope

-- The song on the radio that has exactly the message I need to hear

God is all around us every day, in big and small ways. Take time to look for Him in places you might not ordinarily think of Him being – and you’ll find Him there.


Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with your presence even when we don’t realize it. Open our eyes and hearts in new ways to see you all around us – wherever we are and whatever we’re doing. Help us be aware of your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Time to Win...A Time to be Humbled

Let's face it: when we enter a contest, we're in it to win. And when we final, or actually win, we can't wait to tell the world how God has once again confirmed our calling in life. Because...hello... winning a writing contest is definitely confirmation that God wants us to write.

But wait a minute.

What about those who don't win? Or don't final? Are they receiving confirmation too? Confirmation from God that they should throw in the towel, send their WIP's to the recycle bin and sell their ninety-four writing reference books on eBay?

I don't think so.

And I'm not just saying that because I just found out I placed fourth out of four finalists in a recent chick lit contest. Trust me - for about an hour after I got the news, I seriously considered the aforementioned options. I honestly thought I had a chance at taking first place. And when I learned I didn't, I was devastated.

But, as a few beloved friends reminded me, contests are subjective. And judges are human too (which I was really relieved to hear because if a four-legged animal scored my entry dead last, it may just have pushed me over the edge).

After entertaining thoughts of quitting for good, I have decided to keep plugging away at my manuscript. For two reasons.

One: I like the story. Yes, it needs work. It needs revision. But I like my style and my voice. I really think it has a place...somewhere...in Christian publishing. In fact, the judging agent requested the full manuscript (which brings me to a whole other topic of WAY differing opinions from two judges reading the same manuscript. That's for another day). But I am trying to keep reminding myself that there are other people besides my mom and me who really do like my story.

Two: God wants me to. And I don't say that glibly. I truly believe writing is one of my callings in life and I am determined to follow it. Regardless of how my manuscript placed in this contest. (And in case you're wondering, yes, I really am thankful I finalled at all, even though it doesn't seem like it at the moment).

The thing I'm taking away from this experience is not only a tougher skin - which is mandatory in this business. I'm also developing a more tender heart. Tender to what God is trying to teach me. Maybe it's something technical about my writing itself. Maybe it's just to simply trust that He knows what's best for me. And winning wouldn't be it this time.

There is a time to win and a time to be humbled. And neither affects our God-given purpose.

Yes, winning would have been nice. But God has a purpose for my writing, regardless. And my heart confirms it.

So what about you? Has winning (or not winning) a contest changed your perspective? If you came in dead last, would you still believe God has a purpose for your writing or would you be tempted to give up on your dream?

Mission Impossible - When the story just won't end...

I'm just now coming up for air on the other side of a huge revision project. My agent suggested some changes that I immediately agreed would make my suspense story stronger. I set myself a deadline and got to work...

What day is it, again? J/k. =P

At first, I found it difficult to find the balance needed between disciplining myself to work and meeting my goals, and at the same time keeping myself distant enough from it to enjoy life in the meantime! For example, one Saturday I couldn't decide if I would attend my friend's family fall party as I had the past several years in a row because of these revisions. I hemmed and hawwed and finally decided to keep my commitment to my friend. I worked on the revisions that morning, and went with her in the afternoon. The time away from my computer was very refreshing and the time with my friend priceless. The next day I was fresh and ready to start again!

So it was a bit of a struggle, and a seemingly endless project. Incorporating one idea inspired another, which brought to mind a NEW motivation and a NEW conflict and a NEW layer...and on and on it went until I was afraid this MS would be 1,000,000 words!

But this past week, as I continued to make change after change, and "played dominos with my WIP" (you know, because one scene-change affects another which affects another, like a domino effect?) I realized that I was making it much harder than it needed to be. Yes, discipline was necessary and without it, I would have never met my goals as I did. But instead of locking myself in my office and denying all forms of Diet Coke until I reached a certain word count, I branched out a little.

For instance, one recent afternoon I went with my husband, sister, and my parents to the zoo in a Texas town about 2 hours away. My sweet father brought along his lap top, so guess who revised during the drive there and back? =) I found I was able participate in the family fun and jokes in the car, as well as make progress on my chapters.

Better yet, the change of scenery really inspired my creativity!

So don't make your mission more impossible than it needs to be! If you find yourself facing a huge project or deadline (from yourself or from someone else!) set goals, but don't forget to also set time to play. Reward yourself, but don't deny yourself. Try something new if you get stuck and see if that unlocks the gate of creativity!

And just remember, NOTHING is impossible with our Lord. No deadline, no revision, no story that seems to never end is too difficult for our God to help us with. He's there, waiting to guide us and give us the right words if we simply remember to ask.

Rest Is Play

I love the idea that rest is play. Laughter is playful rest. It relaxes you, rejuvinates you, and lowers all the stress triggers.

I watch funny movies, go hiking, play games with my family. I'll also go to live theater, read a book, or do synchronized swimming. Okay, I have to admit that blogging is play for me too, lol. Recently, my kids taught me how to folf. (Up in Montana, there are several mountain frisbie golf courses. We call it folfing.)



Have you tried archery? It's amazing for creating a single-minded focus. It's me and the bullseye. I can't think of anything else. I kid you not, after archery, I feel like I've had a good night's sleep. Like my son says when he rock climbs, "All my worries fall away because it is me and the rock." (As long as it's his worries and not him falling.)

Some play is active and some is passive. There's purpose in both.

How do you play? What refreshes you? (Sometime I'll post about the benefits of getting a therapeutic massage.)

If you don't play regularly (not talking about being lazy here) what could you do today to experience rest through joyful release of tension? How will you let your cares fall away?

Wishing you a wonderful playday,
Angie

Writing wish list

There’s been talk this week over on the ACFW email loop about ways we can use our writing and creativity to make gifts for people on our Christmas lists. For today’s Friday Free for All, why don’t we turn the question around? Now let’s think about …

What kind of writing-related gift would you like someone to give you this year? A laptop? Alphasmart? Stock in Mead because of all those little notebooks you carry everywhere? Some people – like my mom – are industrious enough to already be asking for wish-list ideas. What are you going to tell them?

My answer will have to be the same as last year: a weekend away to write. Now I’m not talking about any ordinary weekend when I also pack for my husband and kids. I’m talking about a weekend when I go away by myself to write. The “by myself” part is the key for me – time alone, away from the everyday distractions of laundry, cooking, chauffeuring, phone calls, “real” work, and everything else that fills my days. No matter how well-intentioned my family might be when I set aside time to write, something always comes up that needs Mama’s attention. That would be why so much of my writing happens in the middle of the night, when everyone else is asleep and I can finally have some uninterrupted time … until my daughter begins sleepwalking. Sigh.

So last Christmas I asked for a weekend away. I didn’t get it until February, but that was OK – I knew it was coming, and I planned for and prayed about it for weeks! I left on Friday after taking our daughter from preschool to my parents’ house. Then I headed to a bed and breakfast about an hour away. I worked on my WIP, wrote copy for a new website I wanted to launch for girls, planned out talks for a half-day women’s retreat I was leading later that month. I spent time on Bible study homework, I prayed, I relaxed, I talked to and listened for God. It was one of the most rewarding and refreshing times I’ve ever had. I returned home Sunday afternoon with a real sense of accomplishment and with joy.

Now it’s your turn. Whether you want to share something realistic or shoot beyond the stars, what would you love to find at Christmas that would help your writing? Dream on, and enjoy this beautiful day God has blessed you with!

Upcoming News and Reviews

Happy November 1st! Can you believe it's holiday season again? Okay, so I can. Something about the wind and rain brought on by the tropical storm has me playing Christmas music and making soup. And yes, it did turn out fairly decent. (Patting myself on the back.)
Anyway. Since I was so busy making soup and trying to figure out my blogger password, there's no interview for the day. But we do have several authors lined up that we're excited about--Deb Raney, Tosca Lee, Susan May Warren, Sharon Hinck, Christy Barritt... As we get this blog up and running, is there anyone YOU want to hear from, or any books you'd like for us to review? Let us know, and we'll see what we can arrange. Meanwhile, have a blest day!