Influence...

On Tuesday I spent a fun and TOTALLY exhausting day speaking to six public high school classrooms about writing. The teacher called and invited me a couple of weeks ago after he noticed my niece, Heather, reading one of my books.

"What you reading?" the teacher had asked.

"One of my aunt's books."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's an author."

"Does she live around here?"

"Yeah, in town."

"Do you think she'd be willing to come in a speak to our classes?"

"Sure, I'll ask."

So, there I was talking to teens all day long about how I write, why I write, when I write ... and their favorite question ... answering about how much money I make. (They were highly disappointed to find out I wasn't a millionaire, living in a big house, with fancy cars!)

This was just another object lesson I've had lately about a topic I've been thinking about ... influence. About the people who take time to listen to my thoughts--through books, through blogs, through speaking and even in my everyday life. I have a voice, opinions and beliefs. I have something to say and--by gosh--there are people who really want to listen.

Before arriving in the high school classes the teacher had warned me. Many of the teens had respect issues. Many of them talked out of turn. Many had a lot of problems in their lives. Be prepared. I have to say that though standing in front of teens for all that time was tiring, they were great. They listened, they asked appropriate questions, and they truly seemed interested in what I had to say. Maybe it was because they knew I volunteered to take time out of my day to be there and share with them?

This morning a verse came to mind during my morning devotions, "Whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done to me," Matthew 25:45. In our society teens could be considered the least of these. They look weird. They dress weird. They think differently. They have no respect for authority. Or so we believe. But hasn't the same thing been said of every generation ... including mine and yours?

Tuesday, between classes, I had a chance to sit down and chat with a multi-pierced girl. She was formerly from California, too. We talked about Montana, the weather, and about going to a new school. She was interesting and kind. If I had more time I would have enjoyed taking her out for coffee just to hear her heart.

That night, after all the classes were over, after I shuttled my daughter to guitar lessons/basketball practice, after I had touched base with my friend Kristen on the phone, and after I'd taken my 13-year-old Christmas shopping at the only place he could afford (The $1 Store), I was pushing my cart mindlessly through Target on my way to get milk (and something that I could throw into the oven for dinner) when a voice broke through my fog.

"Hi!" It was a teenage boy with a big wave. "Remember me? I met you at school today."

I did remember him ... a face in a classroom out of six classrooms, yet also a cool kid I'm sure I would also enjoy getting to know if I had a chance.

So, what did all of this have to do with anything? INFLUENCE ... and taking the time to be one and give some.

You never know what difference you'll make to a friendly boy, a multi-pierced girl, and everyone in between.

1 Corinthians 16:8 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” ... Or make it known at your local high school.

Generation NeXt Marriage

My new book Generation NeXt Marriage arrived Monday night! The box arrived the same time as our small group was arriving for Bible study, so I had a whole group here to celebrate with me!

If you'd be interested in blogging about it, spreading the word to your friends, church, or small group, let me know. I'd love send you a FREE copy. (Email: bookmarketing@triciagoyer.com)

Book Description
Do you still find yourself humming the love songs of the 80s and 90s?

Do you still believe that every marriage should be between soul mates?

But...do you wonder how you can succeed at love and marriage when the generation you grew up in didn’t?


Marriage isn’t what it used to be–it can be better than ever.

If you are a Gen Xer, your marriage has challenges and potentials that no other generation has known. A Gen Xer herself, Tricia Goyer offers realistic help to achieve the God-honoring marriage you long for. She includes…

•Ways to protect your marriage despite the broken relationships modeled in your youth

•Stories, suggestions, and confessions from fellow Gen Xers facing the “What now?” question of real-life marriage

•Advice from the ultimate marriage survival guide: the Bible

•Stats, quizzes, sidebars, and study questions related to this “relationally challenged” time in history

•Practical helps for negotiating kids, work, sex, money, and dirty laundry–sometimes all in the same evening

If you are part of a generation of adults who don’t want to bow to their culture or live and love like their parents did . . . this book is for you.

Here are what a few people had to say:

“Where do Gen Xers find the priceless principles to make a marriage work? Most didn’t get them in the homes they grew up in, and they didn’t get them from the TV or movies they watched or music lyrics they listened to. But Tricia Goyer, an Xer herself, offers real help and real hope for the Gen X marriage and insightful truths for all who work or minister to those in the Gen X age group.”
–Pam Farrel, best-selling author of Men Are Like Waffles–Women Are Like Spaghetti, Red-Hot Monogamy, and The First Five Years

“Generation NeXt Marriage is a much-needed marriage manual for a generation ready to make the most of marriage. Thoughtful, interactive, well researched, and exceptionally relevant for couples who want to thrive in their marriages, this book is a must for beginning and continuing young couples.”
–Elisa Morgan, CEO, MOPS International and publisher, FullFill magazine

“Tricia Goyer refuses to play the ‘blame game.’ This extraordinary Gen Xer, raised in a blended family, steps up to the plate and speaks to ALL generations…but especially to her own. She is gifted and blunt. She shares that it’s time to really LIVE and LOVE YOUR HUSBAND GOD'S WAY…and tells the reader just how to do that. Tricia is young enough to be my daughter and wise enough to be my mentor. This book is GenXcellent!”
–Nancy Cobb, author of How to Get Your Husband to Listen to You

read more here

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1:


Before we got married, John and I spent hours and hours talking. We discussed our growing-up years, our hopes and dreams, our likes and dislikes. We literally spent every free moment together. I thought I knew him pretty well. After four months of dating we were engaged, and we married five months later. I’d found the man for me. For life.

Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, I had expectations of what life would be like after we were married. Very unrealistic expectations, I soon discovered. For example, I’d visited John’s apartment on many occasions, and I could tell he was a neat freak. His bed was always made. The dishes were washed and put away. He did his own laundry and ironed his own clothes. What a guy! I was just the opposite. In fact, one thing my mother repeatedly told me when I was growing up was, “I’d hate to see what your house will be like when I’m not around to pick up after you.” Cool, I thought. John will do all the housecleaning…this will work out perfectly.

Okay, let’s stop right here. I’ll wait while you finish laughing.

You see, John had his own expectations. Great, John thought. Once we get married Trish will be around, so I won’t have to do all the housecleaning.

As you can imagine, we both had unrealistic expectations. And we were both hugely disappointed! Now, if those had been the only expectations we had for each other, then married
life would have been fairly manageable. But they weren’t. In fact, our expectations were just one drop in the tidal wave. Our differing thoughts on issues like money, child-rearing, sex, and our extended families soon created waves, as deepseated emotions, past experiences, and firm opinions stirred the sandy beaches of our honeymoon paradise.

Ohmigosh! Who is this person I married? I wondered, my chin set and my arms firmly crossed over my chest. When did he get so opinionated and stubborn?

Read the rest here!

Time Management: Marketing and Speaking

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc. Just a few quick tips that worked for me...

Marketing:

1. I’ve hired a nearly-fulltime assistant to help with marketing. She posts to my blogs, formats my newsletters, sends out packages, etc.

2. I fit my radio interviews, etc. into my calendar. I also schedule in things like email interviews, mailing signed books, etc. I don’t have specific days, but rather specific slots to meet the need.

Speaking:

1. I used to speak two times a month. Now I limit that to four times a year. It takes me days to prepare, days to travel, days to “get back into life.” At this season in my life I need to give time to my family first. This is out-of-town stuff. This doesn’t count in local engagements, which I will take if they fit.

And the winner is...

Last week's winner of A Valley of Betrayal and A Shadow of Treason is...

Linda S.!

Congratulations Linda!

Time Management 101: The Schedule!

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc. Scroll down the blog to see the previous tips!

Well...back to the grind! I'm getting myself back on track by thinking of what lays ahead for December. Which of course found me staring at my calendar... I have to say the living by a schedule helps me to organize my time and keep on track ... BUT it helps to remember that the schedule is created to help me ... and I am not a slave to the schedule. Every day, ever hour, my plans may change. I also try to be open to what God desires to do in the world around me--and how He's asking me to get involved.

"Any task that comes from the Maker of the universe is important," writes Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God. "Don't use human standards to measure the important or value of the task God gives."

I love that! If I feel God's leading to take one of my kids to lunch for a heart-to-heart talk, or to call a friend, or to escape away to my room to commune with Him THAT is the most important task in the universe."

I don't know about you, but even more important about managing my time is walking in step with my God. Hmmm ... maybe next months blogs should be on how I do that? What do you think????

Thankful

The turkey is in the oven, and in a few hours the family and friends will arrive. All 35 of them! Most of them are my husband John's family--parents, brothers, a sister, and all their spouses and kids. Also coming are friends who are far from their family and their four kids. Oh, yes, and my own family, my husband, my three kids, and Kayleigh--one of the teenage moms I've adopted as my own and her husband Nate and three kids.

This morning I was thinking back ... back to the Thanksgiving not too many years ago when I was a pregnant teen. I'd dropped out of school, my boyfriend had dropped me, my high school friends went on with the own lives, and I felt so very alone.

Yet, it was during that pregnancy that I made a decision--to give my life to Christ. To let Him fix up what I've screwed up.

Fast forward to today--a beautiful family, friends, a home to welcome them into ... these are wonderful things to be thankful for.

But mostly I'm thankful for Jesus. For being forgiven of my sins, for hope in eternity in heaven, in peace today ... and tomorrow ... because He lives inside me.

It was the best decision I every made--a decision I'm thankful for every day.

Did you know...

Thanksgiving:

1623–July 30, Governor Bradford ordered a day of prayer for their withering harvest. Rain soon fell and the crops were saved.

1777—General George Washington proposed a national holiday that would combine harvest home with a more formal day of giving thanks.

1789—The year of his inauguration, President Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation—but it lacked popular support.

1798—President John Adams designated May 9, 1798 as a time for “solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer.”

1815—President James Madison restored the observance of Thanksgiving on April 13.

1827–Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale begins petitioning presidents and government officials to make Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

1861–First Pilgrim celebration

1863–President Lincoln issued two Thanksgiving proclamations—August 6 & the last Thursday of November.

1864--Thanksgiving has been celebrated on the last Thursday of November since this time.

1941–In December, a Congressional Joint Resolution specified that the holiday be permanently set on the fourth Thursday in November.

Time Management 101: Deadlines

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.


Deadlines:

1. My family used to MOAN during deadline month. They basically never saw Mom. For the last few books I’ve been trying spread out the deadlines. I schedule in daily writing times for every project through the months, and I do my best to meet those goals. If I can accomplish this it’s not as stressful in the last month before deadline.

2. I also work in magazine deadlines. (Again looking at my schedule, I figure about eight hours per article on average, and make space.) If I’m asked to write an article, I realistically look at my schedule. If I can’t do it, I decline.

3. I occasionally will go away with a friend to write for a few days. Next week I’ll be going for four days. I get a TON of writing done if that’s all I have to focus on.

4. I work on a weekly schedule, but daily I ask myself, “What is the most important thing I need to accomplish today?” And I do that first. I then rearrange my daily schedule according to my “most important stuff,” because there are ALWAYS things that come up. I like my electronic calendar because I just click and drag to move stuff around.

5. I also “schedule in” ideas … book ideas, article ideas, marketing ideas. I create a “slot” on my calendar and plug those in. It gets them off my mind until I’m ready for them.

6. If I feel the Holy Spirit laying something heavy on my heart … I will ignore my schedule and follow that leading. In fact, most of my book proposals come from this. If I feel something strong on my heart I ask myself, “Will I be disobedient if I don’t follow this leading, at this time?” If I feel “yes,” then I’ll work on it … even if I had the day scheduled for something else. If I feel “no,” then I’ll jot a note to myself and keep going with what I had planned.

And winner is...

Happy Monday Friends!

Last week's winner of a copy of A Whisper of Freedom and A Shadow of Treason is

Susan Stitch!

Congratulations Susan!


Tell your friends to sign-up for my newsletter...there will be a new winner each week!

An exciting video you don't want to miss!

All in a day's work ... I'm watching videos on YouTube as research for my next novel Sweet September. Who knew there were videos about soybean harvest!

Welcome to the Scavenger Hunt!

Playing is easy. Get the list of clues—questions you need to answer. Visit the authors’ below, and read the Q&A with Miralee Ferrell. You’ll find the answers you need! Once you have them all, just email the answer to the Christian Review of Books!

Everyone with the right answers will be entered to win a signed copy of Miralee Ferrell’s The Other Daughter.

Need the list of clues for the Scavenger Hunt?
Go to www.ChristianReviewofBooks.com


Tell us a little about your first novel.

My premiere novel is The Other Daughter—the story of David and Susanne Carson, a couple with an already fragile marriage that’s rocked to its foundation when a young teenaged girl appears at the door, claiming to be David’s daughter. It’s women’s contemporary fiction that’s set in the North West, and is being published by Kregel Publications, a well known Christian publishing house.


Visit these other authors’ sites for the rest of the clues!

www.roseannamwhite.com
www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com
www.roseannamwhite.com/christybarritt.htm
www.roseannamwhite.com/deborahpiccurelli.htm
www.roseannamwhite.com/mollynoblebull.htm
www.susanmeissner.blogspot.com
www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com

Have all the answers? Then email the list to review@christianreviewofbooks.com with a subject line of “Hunt Answers.”

Time Management 101: Friends and Family

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

I realize the "life" doesn't begin "after this deadline" or "this book release" or "when my books sell X number." Life is happening today. So I can either live in a mess ... setting myself up for failure, or live successfully. I chose the latter. I’m striving to live a sustainable life. I don’t want to burn myself out.

I’ve given myself permission to set a schedule that works for me. I use Microsoft Outlook, and I schedule in EVERYTHING. From waking up and having morning quiet time, to straightening the house, to making dinner, to working on a book proposal—it’s all on the calendar. This works for me because it helps me to be realistic with my daily goals. In I have a day packed with other things, I can’t write 2,000 words … and I don’t stress myself out thinking I should. I also like to check things off a list.

Now for actual stuff. I'll start with what I think is most important and work through the list from there.

Family/Friends:

1 -4 here!


5. I multi-task. I read galleys or research books as I exercise on my recumbent bike. I read magazines while I blow dry my hair. I take my notebook computer into the kitchen and answer emails as I wait for the water to boil or wait for the chicken to bake.


6. I take my kids out to lunch once a month for one-on-one time. I don’t talk on the cell-phone or listen to the radio when I’m driving them around—instead I use that time to connect. We hang out nearly every night. We watch TV together, go over homework, or talk. I rarely schedule evening events beyond Wednesday church and Monday small group.


7. My husband and I go on a date once a week, and we read our Bible and pray together every morning.


8. I have lunch with friends about once a week. I just started this within the last few months, and I need it.

Interview with Rachel Olsen from Proverbs 31 Ministries!

Time Management 101!

Rachel Olsen from Proverbs 31 has agreed to answer a few questions on this subject!

1. Rachel, THANK YOU so much for joining me. Can you tell me a little about yourself?

My pleasure, Tricia. I am a wife of 15 years, a mother of two, a national women's speaker, a university teacher, and senior editor of an online daily devotional and a devotional book called God's Purpose for Every Woman. All that to say, basically, I'm a word-geek!

2. I know that as a mom, writer, speaker, editor, teacher -- we must be filled up before we can pour out? How do you do this "filling up" in your ordinary daily life?

The main way that I fill up spiritually is by regularly taking time to connect with God through His Word and prayer. Sounds like a "pat answer," but it is true. In fact, in October I wrote some about how I do that on my blog. Another thing that also does it for me is to immerse myself in the beauty of His creation - like walking at the nearby beach or through the woods - with my thoughts on Him and all I'm grateful for.

Creatively, I have to get away from my computer long enough to live my life and engage with the people around me. To go to the park with my kids, to strike up a conversation with a stranger at the bakery, to volunteer to help out in my church; or just to people-watch at a café or coffee shop. All this helps fuels my mind for writing. If I'm too busy writing to live my life, something is out of alignment.

3. There are a lot of people who talk about writing and/or speaking -- How did you get started? What encouragement do you have for others?

Well, the short version is that one day I heard a radio show by Proverbs 31 Ministries. Afterward, I went to their website and discovered they were holding a conference called She Speaks the very next day for aspiring speakers and writers. It was calling my name. So I talked with my husband and we prayed, and then I called the ministry. The next morning I was on the road to attend that conference, and it forever altered the course of my life.

The longer version of that story would include details like a bachelors' degree in journalism, and a master's in communication. Also, I'd been freelancing for a couple of years, and had a monthly column in a local paper here. I'd been teaching public speaking at the university and doing a little speaking whenever the opportunity presented itself. And most significantly, I've prayed a lot for God to use me. He had seared a verse into my heart during one of those prayer times that I now see as my "calling." Jeremiah 15:19: "If you repent, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak worthy and not worthless words, you will be my spokesman."

Now, every year at the She Speaks conference I get to hear various women's stories of how God has placed them on their path to becoming His spokesman - and each one is unique! So I would say to others: Don't get sidetracked by comparing your path to another writer/speaker's. Move out in faith, but never force it. Follow Him with a pure heart, and bathe each step in prayer for His will and not yours to be done.

4. What is one organizational tip that helps you to balance your life?

Gulp -- organization is not my strong suit. A good filing system on my laptop and in my email program is essential. I also have to have physical file folders in my desk because I'm forever jotting thoughts down on napkins or tearing articles out of the newspaper, and I need a place to corral those scraps. I bought a minivan that has this cool voice recorder built into the driver's side sun visor so that I can capture any ideas I get while driving. But as far as bringing balance to my overall life, that would be maintaining a growing relationship with God. When I let my connection with Him grow weak, my clarity grows dim. You only asked for one thing, but I got sidetracked -- told you organization is not my thing!

5. You mentioned that you are the editor for Proverbs 31 Ministries' online devotional Encouragement for Today which reaches 180,000+ people. Tell me about that and how can my readers sign up?

These devotions for women were launched by the team of speakers and writers at P31 a few years ago and they have been wildly popular. It's absolutely free to subscribe, and each day's devotion is emailed to you every morning, Monday through Friday. The topics mostly deal with a woman's relationship with God, but can also cover marriage and parenting issues, friendship and mentoring issues, and money and ministry issues. I like to say, "Just try it for a week and if you don't like it, hit unsubscribe!" We get emails all the time - every single week - telling us that these devotions have changed lives, saved marriages, taught people to pray, or ushered them closer to God.

To subscribe, click Encouragement for Today. If you like them, be sure and drop me a note as it encourages me to see how God works through my writing and through the words of the team at P31. It's such an honor to be able to string together letters to form words, and words to form sentences, and all the while God infuses them with His power and purpose to affect lives for His glory! See, I told you I'm just a word-geek -- who has fallen in love with God.

Thank you for having me, Tricia. Blessings on your family and ministry! ~ Rachel

Kindness...

A few weeks ago, one of my pastors preached on kindness, and it really got me thinking. In the midst of a busy day--busy schedule--sometimes it's easier to pretend to care, or to give, or to serve.

Yet there are times when God calls us to do just that. Kindness is in HIS plan.

Tell me of a time you've been kind lately ...

Did you plan it, or did it just happen?

Time Management 101: How do I do it all?

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

"How do you do it all?" Is the #1 question I get.

I have to start by saying that I've worked through many of these things in the last year with my life coach Judy Baer. She helps me "think through" trouble areas of my life and find a solution ... what a concept!

I realize the "life" doesn't begin "after this deadline" or "this book release" or "when my books sell X number." Life is happening today. So I can either live in a mess ... setting myself up for failure, or live successfully. I chose the latter. I’m striving to live a sustainable life. I don’t want to burn myself out.

I’ve given myself permission to set a schedule that works for me. I use Microsoft Outlook, and I schedule in EVERYTHING. From waking up and having morning quiet time, to straightening the house, to making dinner, to working on a book proposal—it’s all on the calendar. This works for me because it helps me to be realistic with my daily goals. In I have a day packed with other things, I can’t write 2,000 words … and I don’t stress myself out thinking I should. I also like to check things off a list.

Now for actual stuff. I'll start with what I think is most important and work through the list from there.

Family/Friends:

1. Like many on the list I balance writing and mothering. Actually, I homeschool, too. This is what I do:

2. I schedule quiet time, devotions with husband, church on Sundays and Wednesdays and small group at our house. The spiritual foundation comes first.

3. I hire someone to do deep cleaning four hours a week. Also, my kids have all their own chores. I’ve done this since they were small. Currently, my daughter (15) has kitchen duty. My 13-year-old son gathers/puts away laundry, sets/clears table, etc. My 18-year-old son sweeps/mops the floors and taxis his siblings around and does occasional chores for me. I spend about an hour a day “keeping everything up.”

4. I set a do-able homeschool schedule. Every Monday I co-op with my friends for about four hours, and we each teach from our strengths. I teach writing, my friends teach other subjects. I also spend only about 30 minutes a day going over my kids school work with them. They work in the same room as I write. I help in small spurts as needed.

5. I have one day a week for errands. This is also the same day I take my grandma to lunch/dinner. (She lives with us.) This is also the day for SLS … or as Mary says, “Stupid Little Stuff.” I plan that stuff on this day since I’m already out.

more on Thursday!

Amazing...

The text under the photo says..."Pearl Harbor survivor Houston James of Dallas embraced Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Graunke Jr. during a Veteran's Day commemoration in Dallas yesterday. Graunke lost a hand, a leg and an eye when he defused a bomb in Iraq last year. This week's images of U.S. troops in Fallujah deepened the day's significance for many who attended tributes held in San Diego and across the nation." Associated Press

Veteran's Day--Don't Let the Stories Die!

Veteran's Day is a time to remember:

In 2000, I got my idea for what came to be my first historical novel, From Dust and Ashes. Wanting to know more about the 23 men who liberated Mauthausen concentration camp, I contacted the 11th Armored Division who put me in touch with six of the veterans. These men then invited me to attend the 59th reunion of their division. I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought they'd point me to a good research book or allow me to interview them over the phone.

I felt SO unworthy to meet with these men. I knew very little about WWII, and I didn't want my inexperience to show. Not to mention the $1000+ for airfare, hotels, rental car for a book I didn't have a contract to write.

I urged a friend to go with me, and I've been so thankful we went. The men were caring and opened their hearts to me. They shared stories with me that they hadn't shared with anyone before. They laughed. They cried. They took my hands and thanked me for caring about their story. They hugged me and kissed my cheeks.

When it came to writing my novel, I wasn't writing about fictional characters. I was writing pieces of Charlie's story, bits of Arthur's experiences. The memories that made LeRoy cry made it into my book. The snapshots that Tarmo carried around in his mind for 60 years transformed into scenes in my novel (and the novels to follow!).

I get many letters from readers who say that my novels come to life on the pages--that's because the men's experiences came to life to me as I looked into their eyes and saw glimpses of young heroes. Also, the following year I went to Europe and walked the streets of the SS housing with a man who'd been nine-years-old when the camp opened near his home. Again, I "saw" the story in his eyes as he shared--this time from someone on the outside.

There was an added benefit to this diligent research that I didn't expect. After my second novel Night Song came out I received a letter from a veteran. He made a list of twenty minor research points that I'd gotten right, and then he asked, "One thing I didn't understand was the faith element of this story. Can you tell me more about your faith in God?"

YES!

Because I had done the research, I'd was able to share about my Jesus with a veteran who has since passed away.

One more fun thing I didn't expect. One of the men I met at the reunion was Pete. Pete was a medic--the one medic I met. Years later I received a letter from a reader who had read From Dust and Ashes. She was a survivor of Mauthausen--actually, she was born there. When she was 3-weeks-old she was close to death. When the gates were open a medic spent a full day lancing and cleaning infected boils on her skin, saving her life. She asked me if I knew any medics. I knew one, and I passed on his phone number. It turns out Pete was the one who saved her life! They have since met on numerous occasions.

If I hadn't gone to that reunion I wouldn't have met Pete, and I wouldn't have been able to connect him with Hana--what a God thing!

Of course, I do have regrets concerning research, too. In my most recent series on the Spanish Civil War I received a letter from a SCW veteran who said he was willing to help me with research. The letter got put into my "very important" pile on my desk and weeks and months passed. I pulled it out again, and I planned on calling him when I heard from someone else that this man had passed away. That has happened more than once with men who offered to be interviewed, and I'm always regretful of the "one more story" I missed. After all, once gone they are gone for good.

If you have a veteran in your life ... today is the perfect day to reach out--to listen to his or her story. Don't let the stories die, when you have a chance to make a difference.

Below are photos of a few of the men I've interviewed.

To read some of their stories, go to:

http://www.triciagoyer.com/ww2stories/

To see more photos (including real photos from the liberation of Mauthausen) go to:

http://www.triciagoyer.com/dustandashes/

To watch my NEW video about my WWII Liberators Series, go click here.

Deadfall by Robert Liparulo

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is touring Robert Liparulo's latest book, Deadfall!

About the author: Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

Robert's first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Bob has sold the film rights to his second book, GERM. And he is writing the screenplay for a yet-to-be-written political thriller, which sold to Phoenix Pictures, for Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, The Guardian) to direct!He is currently working on his fourth novel.

About the book: Deep in the isolated Northwest Territories, four friends are on the trip of a lifetime. Dropped by helicopter into the Canadian wilderness, Hutch, Terry, Phil, and David are looking to escape the events of a tumultuous year for two weeks of hunting, fishing, and camping.

Armed with only a bow and arrow and the basics for survival, they've chosen a place far from civilization, a retreat from their turbulent lives. But they quickly discover that another group has targeted the remote region and the secluded hamlet of Fiddler Falls for a more menacing purpose: to field test the ultimate weapon.With more than a week before the helicopter rendezvous and no satellite phone, Hutch, a skilled bow-hunter and outdoor-survivalist must help his friend elude their seemingly inescapable foes, as well as decide whether to run for their lives...or risk everything to help the townspeople who are being held hostage and terrorized.

An intense novel of character forged in the midst of struggle, survival, and sacrifice. Deadfall is highly-aclaimed author Robert Liparulo's latest rivetingly smart thriller.

Get Downloads and EXCERPTS at http://www.liparulo.com/

"DEADFALL is drop-dead great!"-In The Library Reviews

"What if Mad Max, Rambo, and the Wild Bunch showed up-all packing Star Wars type weapons? You'd have Robert Liparulo's thrilling new adventure Deadfall."-Katherine Neville, best selling author of The Eight

"A brilliantly crafted thriller with flawless execution. I loved it!"-Michael Palmer, best selling author of The Fifth Vial"

In Deadfall, Robert Liparulo gives us a fresh fast paced novel that instills a well founded fear of the villians and an admiration for the people who refuse to be victims. It truly deserves the name thriller.-Thomas Perry, best selling author of The Butcher's Boy and Silence

"Another brilliantly conceived premise from Robert Liparulo. Deadfall will leave you looking over your shoulder and begging for more." -DAve Dun, best selling author of The Black Silent

A NOTE from Bob: I’d like to give away five signed copies of Deadfall to readers of CFBA blogs during my tour. All they have to do is sign up for my e-mailing list (they won’t be inundated!) by going to my website (www.robertliparulo.com) and going to the “Mailing List” page. Or email me with “CFBA giveaway” in the subject line.

And a second NOTE from Bob: I wanted to let you know that I’m holding a contest on my site:

*one winner a week till the end of the year for a signed Deadfall

**one winner a week till the end of the year for an unabridged audio MP3-CD of Deadfall

***and on Dec. 31, I’m giving away an iPod Nano, pre-loaded with an unabridged audio recording of Deadfall

Winners are selected from my e-mailing list—sign up at my site. If a winner has already purchased what he/she wins, I will reimburse them for the purchase price (or give them another—whichever they choose), so they don’t need to wait to see if they win before buying Deadfall.

Time Management 101: Rene Gutteridge

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

Today Rene Gutteridge here to share her thoughts on managing your time!

The Hard Work of Rest

I wouldn't call myself a work-aholic. Maybe I am and don't know it. Denial is the first sign of, well, everything bad. But I don't work 24/7 and I don't constantly think about work. So....why does it feel like I do?

I began examining these things recently. It seemed there were never enough hours in the day. Even while sacrificing sleep and Oprah, I couldn't find enough time to do everything. Even while multi-tasking myself to death, I never felt anything was ever completed. By the time I finished the week's laundry, a new week started and I was back to doing laundry again. It baffled me because I can be very plan-oriented when I want to be. For instance, when I know I'm about to enter into a long conversation with someone by phone, I think, "This'll be the perfect time to sort laundry."

But I realized not too long ago that I was getting to an almost frenzied state of multi-tasking. This occurred to me one day during a live radio interview. I was discussing my book and the interviewer was talking about how much she liked it. We were having a very pleasant conversation when suddenly I reached for my mouse to check my e-mail. As I scanned the messages, my mind came to a screeching halt. What am I doing?? Checking my e-mail during a live radio interview? Was I nuts?

Yes, I concluded. I am nuts. And that's what started me down the path back to sanity. With God's help, I began unlocking some interesting perspective. Why, for instance, no matter how hard I work, nothing ever gets done?

The Lord revealed to me that I have no beginning and end because I have no rest. Rest, with a capital R, started me on a journey. Before then, I would've said that yes, I get plenty of rest. I sit down and watch t.v. I read at night. I'll drink Dr. Pepper at 3 p.m.

But what I realized is that my life was one, constant motion. Work began to be play and play became work. I enjoy writing a lot, so working on a Saturday or Sunday didn't seem like work. But writing is my job and no matter how much I like it, I need to take a step away from it.
I also began to redefine rest. For some people, like my husband for instance, rest is sitting on a couch all day long and watching sporting event after sporting event. He can also sit on a couch and stare at a wall, perfectly content.

I can't sit on the couch at all. Drives me nuts. I have to be doing something, like filing or sorting school work or paying bills or doing my stretches.

But what I realized is that rest is different for everyone. This weekend I spent two days cleaning out my garage and completely reorganizing it. This is rest to me. Why? Because it's not mentally taxing. I spend all week working my brain to death, so when I can pour myself into something physical, that's a nice break for me. For someone who works in a physically demanding job, spending the weekend working on a book is a nice break.

What became important to me is for things to start and end. I now take a lunch break, where I sit down for fifteen minutes away from my computer. Before I would eat lunch while checking my e-mail or doing some editing.
At 3:30 p.m, when I pick my kids up from school, work ends and doesn't begin until the next morning.

I've committed myself to not work on the weekend. I don't do any writing or editing, and do very limited e-mailing. Friday work ends. Monday work begins. A beginning and an end.
I don't check my e-mail before bed time. Bed time is the beginning of nightly rest. In the morning, nightly rest ends and work begins.

For some people, this may seem very obvious, but for me, it comes about only by discipline. For years and years I have poured myself into writing, with great pleasure. But it took its toll, and now I must re-learn the basics of living a healthy, balanced life. And it's no easy task for me. It's the hard work of learning to rest again!

Rene Gutteridge

http://www.faithchicks.com/

What life really looks like...

The life of an author must be full of exciting opportunities and writing-filled days ... well, sort of. There are amazing opportunities, but I have chosen to take time for things that matter--things I'd regret missing.

Such as:
Weekly lunches with my Grandma.

A good cup of coffee

And my 15-year-old girl/woman

Time Management 101: Get a puppy!

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

Before I get into the meat of "how I do it all" I just wanted to add this to last week's tip...

IF you really, really want to get a lot of writing done, get a dog to lays on your feet.

In January, we got a new puppy--1/2 Scottie, 1/2 Pomeranian. He was tiny and cute, but he is everything you hear about the challenges of terriers. He gets in the trash. He JUST got house broken within the last few weeks. He is very active. He runs down the street when I let him out, and he's just starting to come back when I call.

Despite this, he has one good quality. Jake lays on my feet as I write, and I LOVE it. He's warm (necessary for cold Montana days), cuddly, and it's sooooo sweet. So, sometimes when I feel like getting up and doing anything else besides writing, I don't. I work a little longer. I sit here and get stuff done, because Jake is so comfortable, and I can't disrupt the pup!

Informed Consent by Sandi Glahn

Meet Sandi: Sandra Glahn, ThM, teaches in the media arts program at Dallas Theological Seminary, where she edits the award-winning magazine Kindred Spirit. The author of six books and co-author of seven others, she is pursuing a PhD in Aesthetic Studies (Arts and Humanities) at the University of Texas at Dallas . She recently released her first solo medical suspense novel, Informed Consent (Cook). She is the co-author of three other such novels, which include the Christy Award finalist, Lethal Harvest.

Can you tell us a little about what Informed Consent is about?

Jeremy Cramer, the next Einstein of research, is a medical resident specializing in infectious diseases. While working on a way to revive water submersion victims, he makes surprising discoveries, while also living with massive guilt over incidental infections that occur (which he could have prevented). Even as his marriage teeters, his career continues to skyrocket. Then, with a few twists along the way, he finds everything he has fought for threatened by the most personal, most heart-wrenching, choices of all.

I love exploring bioethics, and this book allowed me to consider end-of-life issues, patient rights, a compassionate response to HIV-AIDS…lots of edutainment.

Sounds interesting. How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?

The story had a thousand or more “what if” moments. I’m pursuing a PhD in Aesthetic Studies, and I worked on the setting, characters, a lot of the plot, as well as my narrative voice during three novel-writing classes taught by a novelist who writes fiction reviews for Publishers Weekly. And I got some great feedback from fellow students who don’t believe in Christ about ways to address faith issues more naturally. I also took a Dante class, which influenced my choice to give my characters five of the seven deadly sins. (I’m saving the other two for a future work.)

But the elements in the plot designed to keep readers up at night came through a brainstorming session with medical doctor, William Cutrer, with whom I’ve coauthored three medical novels.

Take us through your process of writing a novel briefly—from conception to revision.

Once I have a germ idea, I come up with the beginning, middle, and end. Then I figure out the in-between points. Next, I create the main characters. I have four pages of questions I answer for each. About thirty percent of novel-crafting for me is the pre-writing imaginative work on the plot and character sketches. Then I choose a setting. I ask myself how I can use setting to communicate something. Where was Jezebel when she stole the vineyard? In Jezreel. Where was she years later when dogs ate her? Jezreel. The setting tells more than a place. It says something about the character of God. So I try to choose a setting that communicates on a deeper level. All the time I’m making these choices, I deliberate about the best way to tell the story. First-person? Third-person? Who will be the main POV character? Why?After that I craft a proposal. It starts with a one-paragraph synopsis. While my agent shops it around, I develop the summary into a chapter-by-chapter outline. And then I make a file for each chapter and start dumping in ideas.When my agent has some success, he calls.

Here’s what happens from there…Editorial person really likes it
He or she takes it to the marketing meeting
I wait forever for that meeting to happen
Marketing approves it
I wait for them to agree on an offer
They issue an offer
I reel from the shock of how low it is
I negotiate
I wait for them to draw up the contract
I receive and sign the contract
I write the book
I send the book to the publisher.
They send the first half of the advance
I spend it all in one place
I wait for them to edit it
I wait a while longer for them to edit it
They send back the manuscript with lots of changes needed immediately
I edit it again
I wait
And wait
They send a galley proof, which they need back immediately
I edit it yet again
I watch helplessly as the release date gets delayed--again
I wait forever for my progeny to arrive in the mail
Finally, I hold my masterpiece in my hands

I find a typo

Ha, ha...so true, so true! What is your favorite thing about writing?

I love it when the muse flows and I lose myself in the world of my characters. Three hours later I’ll look at the clock and marvel at how time has flown. It’s like going to a good movie and seeing a story you don’t want to end.

Least favorite?

I loathe the page-proof stage, where I get the stack of questions or suggested changes from the publisher. I don’t mind the feedback—it’s always been great. But actually making the changes…talk about tedium.

How did you get started in the writing world?

After I graduated from college, I worked for a 700-employee financial services company where my boss thought I had some writing talent. I got my start twenty years ago working as the editor of employee publications. When the company sold, everybody got laid off. I mourned over leaving a job I loved, but it was the best thing ever for my career. Suddenly I had 700 business contacts all over Dallas.I started a free-lance writing business, and one of my first clients was the music producer for Barney and Friends. Another client was Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). I edited (and still edit) their magazine, Kindred Spirit. I dabbled in some classes in DTS’s media arts program, and I learned about Joseph Campbell and myth and about Hebrew narrative and Gospel storytelling. I figured if I could tell better stories, I’d write more engaging non-fiction. I had no aspirations ever to write a book, certainly not a novel!

How do you get ideas for stories?

Television, Wired Magazine, headlines, internet, overheard conversations, personal angst. You name it.

Favorite dessert?

Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Chocolate gets better with age (mine). (So does Advil, but it’s not a dessert.)

Ha, ha! Thanks Sandra!

You can learn more about Sandra at her blog and websites:
http://aspire2.blogspot.com/
http://www.aspire2.com/index.html

http://www.aspire2.com/books%20fiction.htm

For November...

I always get TONS of requests on info on how I do everything, so ... in November on Tuesday and Thursdays I'm going to have Time Management 101 with tips for balancing family, hubby, life, job, friends, house, etc.

I'll be sharing advice from my friends and a few things I've done that have WORKED...like this:

Last year, I connected with Judy Baer to be my life-coach. Beyond my salvation, it was the best thing I've done for my peace of mind. Judy helps me "think through" the schedules, priorities, etc. instead of just "doing life."

One thing I've discovered is I'M IN CHARGE OF MY SCHEDULE. Breaking news!
I actually use my calendar to schedule in exercise, paying bills, making dinner *gasp*, and having lunch with friends. I make the space/time work for me, instead of being a slave to the calendar. I will NEVER have everything done. So I can either enjoy life ... or work myself to an early grave.

Before, I was setting myself up for failure, exhaustion, and no time to enjoy my family and friends. Now, I schedule in lunch dates, small group, and group Bible Study FIRST.

The work gets done, my family is happy, my home is peaceful, and I feel content. I fill up in order to be poured out, and everyone benefits.

Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter

This week on CFBA Denise Hunter's latest book, Surrender Bay is on tour!

About Denise: Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped.Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

In addition to Surrender Bay, the second Nantucket book releases in April 2008. The title is The Convenient Groom and features Kate Lawrence, a relationship advice columnist, whose groom dumps her on her wedding day. Denise is currently at work on the third Nantucket book (Oct 2008) which is untitled so far.

About Surrender Bay: When Sam's estranged step-father dies, she inherits his ocean-front cottage in Nantucket--not because he kindly bequeathed it to her, but because he neglected to ever create a will. Sam returns to the island she left 11 years ago with her daughter Caden to fix up the house and sell it, but she isn't counting on is the fact that Landon Reed still lives two doors down from her childhood home.

As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she really left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart? Or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?

"I've always thought Denise Hunter was an amazing writer but this wonderful story sets her firmly at the forefront of compelling love stories. How Landon breaks down Samantha's determination that she is unworthy of love kept me glued to the pages. An amazing