On My Kindle - To The Moon and Back by Kathi Macias

Rachel Beckwith cares for her disabled husband, but has a harder and harder time with the simple tasks of life. She becomes more reclusive with every passing day, afraid to venture outside for fear of becoming lost.

Her husband, Pete, blames Rachel for his condition. Bitterness and resentment mark his every interaction with her. He can't understand why she's become so inept at keeping house or taking care of him.

Author Kathi Macias does a masterful job at portraying this family and the challenges they go through dealing with Alzheimer's Disease. Her tender treatment of the relationship dynamics and the hope infused through relationship with the Lord and the community make this especially heart warming.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Alzheimer's and dementia are  a growing problem in this country as the population ages. The story promotes both understanding and encouragement for those who act as caregivers.

Five Stars!

Disclaimer: I picked up this book on a free promotional day. Neither the author nor the publisher paid me for a favorable review. All opinions expressed, as always, are mine and  mine alone.

Writers:  Have you ever considered/used a character in your stories with a disability? Please share.

Readers: How do you feel about books that deal with real-life i

On My Nightstand - A Husband's Christmas Prayer by Kathi Macias

Pastor Paul his wife, Diana, and their two small children move to Desert Sands. They'd always felt called to pioneer a church, but Diana has misgivings.

Torn between his love for the small congregation and his family, Pastor Paul doesn't know how to heal the rift in his marriage. Will his efforts produce results in time for a joyous Christmas celebration or will it be marred by their growing difficulties?

Kathi Macias beautifully crafts a story, highlighting the challenges and rewards of ministry. This sweet family struggles in their own Christian walk even as they reach out to others. It shows the desire on the part of both husband and wife to work through their problems with the help of God.

I'm giving this heartwarming Christmas story five stars.

Disclaimer:  I received this book from the author for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are mine, and I did not receive any payment.

Writers:  Have you written any Christmas novels/stories? Please share.

Readers:  Do you enjoy reading Christmas novels/stories? Why?

Marketing/Voting/Tiny Baby/Confidence/Devo

1.  Katherine Grubb guest posts on Chip MacGregor.com about four no-fail ways to market your book and grow in confidence.

2.  With election season in full swing, U.S. voters are inundated with candidates seeking our support. Kathi Macias wrote an insightful blog post on the subject. I hope you'll check it out.

3.  Imagine giving birth to a baby at 25 weeks gestation. This little one was given no chance to survive, but she surprised everyone. The pictures are amazing. Read this heartwarming story of Naomi.

4. Gail Elaine Kittleson guest posts at The Write Conversation. She talks about finding the confidence to write.

5.  Dena Netherton wrote a devotional on Five Ways To Avoid Regret.

Writers:  How long did it take you to gain enough confidence to submit your work? Please share.

Readers:  Was there ever a time in your life where everyone declared there was no hope that a certain situation would turn out okay? Please share if you are able. I'll start. After my husband died, it looked like my job prospects were dim at best. Through much prayer and obedience to that still, small voice of the Lord, I eventually landed a great part-time position that went full-time two years later.

Photo Credit: Anonymous/Unknown

On My Nightstand - Last Chance for Justice by Kathi Macias

A recently widowed woman, an attentive daughter, and a mystery combine into a story that will touch your heart. The relationship between Lynn Myers and her daughter, Rachel, reminded me so much of my mother and me.

Kathi got the details and emotions right. The grieving had me nodding my head and saying, "I remember feeling that way." She also accurately depicted the enormous stress of making life-altering decisions after the death of a spouse.

The two women go back to Lynn's hometown where she re-connects with her roots. Rachel meets two handsome men, who both want to pursue a future with her. In the midst of these scenarios, a mystery unfolds. They're intrigued, and it soon becomes a passion to right an old wrong.

This book is the first in a series by multiple authors, each one a stand-alone novel. I enjoyed it and recommend this book for those, who appreciate character-driven fiction with a light mystery.

Writers:  If you write fiction, do you gravitate toward character-driven or plot-driven stories?

Readers:  Which type do you prefer? Do you like stories where the characters and relationships are paramount or where the plot gets the focus?

Disclaimer:  The author provided this book for my honest review. I received no payment for this recommendation/review, and all opinions expressed are completely mine.

BIG NEWS!

Yay! I'm doing the Snoopy dance!

Joyce Hart, at Hartline Literary, is now representing me. I'm thrilled to be associated with such a great agency.

But...it doesn't end there! I've also signed with Trestle Press/Helping Hands Press to publish my book as an ebook. They're really nice folks and have welcomed me with open arms. I hope you'll "Like" them on Facebook.

A great big thank you to my friend, Kathi Macias, for introducing me to this publisher. She's a great author with a big heart. :)

More details will follow in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned.

Guest Post & Giveaway - Author Kathi Macias

Kathi Macias and I met at a writers conference last year. She's become a good friend and mentor. When I asked her to guest post for my 4th Blogoversary, she not only agreed but offered to do a giveaway. The details are at the bottom of this post. Here's Kathi!

THE TRAIN-OF-THOUGHT WRITING METHOD:

Practical User-Friendly Help for Beginning Writers

By Kathi Macias

             It is said that writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. I absolutely agree, and I’m sure most successful writers would echo my sentiments. Inspiration is the easy part.

            Over the years I have spoken with and taught beginning writers from all around the world, in all sorts of settings. I have helped them review, edit, and rewrite their work, and I have found one common thread among those would-be writers who eventually become published authors: They are willing to devote themselves to the not-so-easy part of writing—the 90 percent perspiration.

            As I worked with these many writers I discovered what I consider to be the simplest and most practical writing method available: the train-of-thought method. This excellent, well known writing method did not originate with me (though I’ve tweaked it a bit), but it seems no one had ever taken the time to put the method into book form. I therefore decided to do so myself, personalizing each chapter with my own experience.

            This is not a book about proper grammar or punctuation, or how best to choose the voice or set the scene for your great American novel. There are already countless books covering those subjects, if that’s what you’re seeking. But if you want to know how best to take your thoughts and dreams and put them into a clear, compelling, readable manuscript, then this is the book for you. Having personally seen the train-of-thought writing method help so many new writers learn to organize, write, and polish their ideas into successful manuscripts, I offer this book to those who would do the same. May it direct and encourage you as you enter into the 90 percent perspiration phase of your writing career—the serious phase through which true writers are formed.

***Direct order link (available in soft cover and Kindle):

http://www.amazon.com/Train---Thought-Writing-Method-User-friendly/dp/142083259X/ref=sr_1_16?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336148432&sr=1-16

www.kathimacias.com

www.boldfiction.com

www.thetitus2women.com

http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com

Giveaway Details:

1. The contest is open to Followers of Christian Writer/Reader Connection.

2. Only U.S. residents are eligible to enter the drawing.

3. One entry per person by commenting on this post.

4. Deadline: Saturday, May 12, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be announced on Sunday, May 13, 2012. If the winner doesn't contact me by Saturday, May 19, 2012, another person will be drawn from the entries. Instructions will be given on the blog on how to contact me.

5. Once I have the winner's name and snail mail address, I'll forward them to Kathi Macias, who will send out the book.

Question for writers: How do you organize your thoughts when writing a manuscript?

Question for readers: When you write something for school, a letter, or some other correspondence, do you put them in some kind of order prior to the actual writing? How?

Winners of Kathi Macias' Books

Congratulations to:             CHATTY CRONE

                                         SUSAN PANZICA

You've each won a Kathi Macias book! I've also emailed you. Please send me your snail mail address, and I'll get the books out to you ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. In a few weeks we'll be doing another for my third blogoversary.

While you're here, I hope you'll take a minute to check out my Resurrection Day post below. :)

200 Followers & Giveaway!

It's official! Christian/Writer Reader Connection now has 201 Followers.

To celebrate this momentus occasion and thank you, I'm giving away Kathi Macias' excellent books, "No Greater Love," and "Red Ink."<p>
Here are the details:

1. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and void where prohibited by law.

2. All entrants must be Followers of Christian Writer/Reader Connection or become Followers.

3. To enter, leave a comment on this post along with your email. Comments without emails will not be entered in the giveaway.

4. Want an extra entry? In addition to leaving a comment and your email, you can announce the giveaway on your blog. Please leave a comment on this post with a link.

4. Deadline: Saturday, 4/23/11, at midnight. Winners will be notified via email and announced on the blog Sunday, 4/24/11.

5. Disclaimer: Neither the author nor the publisher provided these books. I did not receive any payment to sponsor this giveaway.