From Finance to Fiction

Made To Crave DVD series by Lysa TerKeurst

2011-02-17T13:40:00.001-08:00

Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food

The participant’s guide and DVD arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago as part of Lysa Terkeust’s blog tour. “Catchy title,” I thought as I placed it in my “review pile” – which is quickly becoming an avalanche waiting to happen. At that point, I wandered into the kitchen between writing projects and clicked open a can of Diet Coke (I love that clicking swoosh sound, don’t you?) And then I opened my pantry door to scour the shelves for a snack, a bag of Baked Doritos stuffed inside a wicker basket. For those that know me from high school and college, you may recall that my favorite snack was Doritos with French Onion Dip – always in ready supply in my dorm room. At that time in my life, I was able to indulge and not even gain a single digit on the scale. Oh how I miss that incredible metabolic rate of my youth!

Now, after stepping on the scale today, I decided that maybe I should take a peek at that Made to Crave book that came in the mail. I even signed up for the 21 day Challenge. The book and DVD participant’s Guide do not include recipes and daily menu guides, but they do provide heaping servings of “meaty” wisdom and questions to help us create our own life recipes for healthy eating and healthy living by turning to God instead of food.

Lysa writes: “When it comes to healthy eating, most people try to fix their how-to first. What’s missing is the want-to. Fixing our want-to provides the foundation that enables us to make lasting changes. What is creating the most desperation in our healthy eating journey? That’s what we need to fix first.”

I am a foodie, and as host of Kitchen Chat, I love food. Yet, I will be the first to confess that I have used and continue to use junk food as a quick fix treatment, i.e. large doses of chocolate bars for those crabby days, crunchy bags of chips for those stressful days and gallons of caffeinated diet drinks for those “How-am-I–going-to-get-everything-done-while-I’m-feeling-so–tired” days.

Lysa writes, “We are not to flee food. We need food. But we are to flee the control food can have over our lives.”

God is the Master Chef of comfort food. I look forward to taking the first steps on this Made to Crave journey. Will you join me?

Find out a little more about the book from Lysa herself:

Out of the Ballpark

2011-02-14T14:48:00.000-08:00

Grab some Crackerjacks and head to the “ballpark” for Chicago Children’s Theatre World Premiere of Dan Gutman’s Jackie and Me. This inspiring story about Jackie Robinson reminds us that there’s a hero in all of us.

You will learn how Jackie Robinson broke through racial barriers in baseball during 1947. Enduring personal threats and indignant treatment, Jackie Robinson didn’t retaliate. Instead, he perfected his game and paved the way for other African American ball players to join him in the Major League. He was the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Jackie Robinson was a Civil Rights hero and also a loving father. His daughter, Sharon Robinson shares life lessons from her famous father in several books she wrote. On a Jackie Robinson baseball card reproduction that is available at the play, Sharon highlights the Nine Values of her father: Courage, Determination, Teamwork, Persistence, Integrity, Citizenship, Justice, Commitment and Excellence.

The impact and influence of Jackie Robinson’s life continues its legacy. Former Cubs player, Doug Glanville was at the play to celebrate and recognize his hero’s life. His son’s middle name is Robinson. Doug touts some impressive stats as a batter and an outfielder. In game 3 of the 2003 NL Championship series, he hit the game-winning triple in the 11th inning for the Chicago Cubs. He accumulated 1100 hits and a 293-game errorless streak. This Ivy League academic wrote an inspiring book The Game From Where I Stand which is available in paperback on March 29th. He also is a baseball analyst for ESPN.

Celebrate National Black History Month and see “Jackie and Me” in Chicago. Kids 15 years and younger can write a 500 word essay about “How Does the Jackie Robinson Story Inspire You.” One Grand Prize Winner will get four box seat tickets to the Cubs vs. Padres Game and four box seat tickets to the White Sox vs. Angels game along with four tickets to “Jackie and Me” along with some other great prizes. For details visit www.chicagchildrenstheatre.org and click on “Jackie and Me” for essay contest information.

5 Tips for a Lasting Marriage

2011-02-10T09:21:00.001-08:00

On February 16th, Dave and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. How did so many years fly by in such a short time? Years that have been blessed with joyful milestones such as the birth of our two daughters, my husband’s Congressional campaign, my first published books and many other celebrations. And years that have been marked with sorrow such as the death of my parents, the death of Dave’s mother, and the death of my brother, Randy. However, Dave and I have journeyed through the ebbs and flows of life together for twenty years.

What advice would I offer to newlyweds or others in the process of life’s journey with a spouse? I am not a marriage expert. Believe me, I have made more than my share of mistakes. However, I can share from my heart the five key tips for a lasting marriage that have worked for me:

• Friendship: Dave is my best friend and confidant. Love and chemistry of course are essential, but a genuine friendship is the lifeboat which will help navigate any turbulent waters. I love Dave and am still deeply in love with him, but I also like him. He’s the first one I want to call and share any news. As best friends, we want the best for each other.

• Acceptance: From day one, Dave knew about my being “domestically challenged” i.e. I keep an organized mess in the house. Laundry is clean but remains in a big stack in the laundry room. Meals sometime leave a lot to be desired, i.e. I am not Julia Child. And a lot of papers still need to be filed. Dave doesn’t deride me for this shortcoming, but rather he helps me sort through the piles and fully accepts me as me.

• Encouragement: Marriage is a life partnership, and it’s important to encourage each other to find and pursue his/her God-given purposes. Dave fully supported my difficult decision to leave the corporate banking world and stay home with our girls. Although he married a New York City banker, I am now an inspirational writer. Dave encourages me when I get those frustrating rejections from publishers, and he takes care of our girls when I travel to writing conferences to pitch another book. I, too, fully supported him in his decision to quit his job in 2005 and run for U.S. Congress. He is such an amazing and talented man!

• Communication: My mother’s favorite verse for relationships was always Ephesians 4:15: “Speak the truth in love” It’s not what you say, but how you say it. I confess…. Sometimes I “speak the truth in love” at a higher decibel level than I should, but I speak it. Dave’s mom wrote some poignant advice that I saved from my bridal shower: “Remember, cherish every moment together and always talk over differences.” And try to not go to bed angry with each other. Also, communicate with each other during the day or by email. That way, you can leave a sweet message when the pot roast isn’t in the process of burning, and the dog hasn’t jumped on the kitchen table trying to gobble up the appetizers.

• Connection: Connect with each other as a couple. So often our name tags of “Mom” remain on all day and night. That is an extremely important name tag to wear, but it’s important to put on that name tag of “Wife” and spend time with your husband. Go on a date. It’s fun to reconnect as a couple. Remember, at one point it was just the two of you and after the kids are gone, it will be the two of you again. Make sure you preserve, foster and grow connecting points with each other. Also, connect with yourself. Put that name tag on that says “You” and explore and nurture your separate identity and interests. And most important --- Connect with God as a couple and individually. His love is what ultimately binds our marriage. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

What are your tips about marriage?

Reflections on Reagan

2011-02-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

No matter where one falls on the political spectrum, I think everyone can agree that President Reagan was a great encourager who left a lasting legacy of patriotism in the United States of America. I will never forget the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of actually meeting him.

President Reagan has always been my husband’s hero. As a young teen, Dave volunteered in Illinois for Reagan’s Presidential Campaign. In honor of his hero, Dave and I named our oldest daughter, Melissa Reagan McSweeney. When Melissa was two months old, Dave and I flew from New York to California to briefly meet with former President Reagan for a photo opportunity. As a new mom, I was nervous about the long trip and about meeting a U.S. President. However, President Reagan immediately put me at ease with his gracious demeanor. He apologized for not being in a suit to greet us, but he was scheduled for a round of golf.

President Reagan was genuinely pleased to meet Melissa, and my sweet baby didn’t even squirm or cry. Sitting behind his desk, President Reagan signed Melissa’s baby book! He commented, “I must date this to make it an official document. President Reagan showed Dave and me the photos lining his bookshelves and reminisced about horseback riding alongside Queen Elizabeth. His eyes sparkled whenever he spoke about his wife, Nancy. President Reagan enjoyed speaking with Dave about world events and even invited us to sit down on a sofa for an extended visit. An aide entered the room to remind him of his schedule, but President Reagan remained seated and continued to share his childhood stories about growing up in Illinois. Pleased that both he and Dave had grown up in the Land of Lincoln, President Reagan reminisced about being a lifeguard in Dixon. After this incredible meeting, President Reagan walked us outside his office and gently touched Melissa’s cheek. “Goodbye, my little baby,” the 40th President said with a smile.

This life moment will be what I recall and treasure on President Reagan’s 100th birthday

Update from Blizzard 2011 - We survived!

2011-02-02T12:13:00.001-08:00

My daughter took this from our kitchen window:

Blizzard Wizard

2011-02-01T09:51:00.001-08:00

Facing up to two feet of snow in Chicagoland, the epicenter of what is being tagged as an historic blizzard, I am getting prepared for the storm by putting together a blizzard box. Reaching out to Twitter and Facebook friends, I asked for the “best advice” on how to become a blizzard wizard.

First, I must say that I have a deeper appreciation for those pioneers and forefathers who braved blizzards without grocery stores, hardware store, internet resources and portable butane heaters. Hats off to you!

Here are some great tips from everyone across the country:
•    One high school friend said “Move to the South!” Great advice. I miss those warm winter days in Birmingham. It’s 57 degrees – a very warm Spring day in Chicago.

•    Put extra food in a laundry basket. It’s portable and located in one place. One dear friend of mine actually has supplies on hand to make her own wheat bread! I plan to video tape a Kitchen Chat session in which she teaches me how to grind wheat! And don’t forget food for your pets in that basket, too.

•    Change the batteries in your flashlights and make sure you have plenty on hand.

•    Diane said to pop popcorn and put it in plastic containers.

•    Pamela Cools wrote a great article about facing power outages: http://twitpic.com/3vgsz1

•    Make sure you have all of your prescription meds at hand.

•    Here’s a great one from my brother: Before a power outage from blizzard, choose a “warming room.” Take advantage of the time before losing power and turn up the heat so that room will be toasty – even consider putting a space heater (with proper precautions of course) in that room to make it even warmer before losing electricity. Keep provisions in that room, i.e. your blizzard box.

•    Louise said that LL Bean and others have an all in one which includes a cell phone charger, radio and flashlight. And that M & Ms would be a must for her blizzard box.

•    Remember to create some fun memories with your family and friends! This can be great together time.

What would you put in your blizzard box?

And the winners are ...

2010-12-31T08:24:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let you know who the winners are for the last few giveaways:

Jane Seymour book, Among Angels : Cecil

Dawyn Meehan book, You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (And OTHER LIES About Pregnancy and Childbirth): Alana

Please send my assistant Amy (amy@pearlgirls.info) your mailing addresses and we'll get those sent right out!

Imua!

2010-12-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

A great Hawaiian saying is “Imua!” which means to move forward with confidence and courage. It’s a great word for the upcoming new year as we explore new opportunities and perhaps face fears.

This week, I put into practice “imua” by facing my fear of ziplining. Yes, I stepped off a wooden platform to soar across 1800 feet of the world’s fifth largest caldera located in Kauai. Encouraged by my teenage daughters, I faced my fear of not being in control of my destiny and took a leap of faith.

The excellent guides, Mitch and Chris of Outfitters Kauai prepared us well for our ultimate “black diamond” zipline adventure. We did several practice runs on what I thought were “big ziplines” but little did I know what was really awaiting. The guides constantly reminded us that the most important lesson we all needed to learn to be safe was to “trust our gear.”

True wisdom that I needed to hear. For too long in life, I have “held on tightly” when what I should have done was to “let go and let God.” He provides “the gear” that we need to sustain us through the difficult moments of life as we soar across jungles.

So I guess my advice would be this: “Face your fear and trust God’s gear.” IMUA!!

What fear do you need to face this year? What have you been holding on too tightly? What does “imua” mean to you?

The Maestro of Music Shares His Grace Notes on Life: Wayne Messmer

2010-12-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

Wayne Messmer greeted my friend and me with a song when we met during a business lunch. He approached the table at Wildfire in Schaumburg and sang, “When the moon meets the sky like a big apple pie that’s…” He pretended to hold a microphone and encouraged me to sing in response and so I did: “Amore.” I would like to publicly extend an apology for those diners who had to endure my off pitch musical response.

Interactive encouragement is a true trademark of this incredible music man. A famous personality in Chicago, Wayne has sung the national anthem for all of the professional sports teams in the area. He has also taken his distinguished voice to the airwaves with his own weekly radio show, Homelife on WIND AM 560 each Saturday morning from 8-9. But most of all, Wayne is a survivor and a “thriver” from an act of violence which temporarily took away his passion: Singing. A teenager shot him in the throat in a senseless act of violence which as Wayne describes on this video “stole his voice.” Silence can be deafening, especially when the voice of Wayne Messmer is quiet. Through hard work and by God’s grace, Wayne found his voice again and is able to communicate his love for life through the songs in his heart.

I asked Wayne for tips on how to make the holidays special this year. He said that the holidays can be a reflective time on the past, remembering people who are no longer with us or regretting things we didn’t do or say. Wayne encourages us instead to embrace the present moment and to make a point to find opportunities and create memorable moments with those who are still in our lives. As Wayne knows firsthand, tomorrow is not always a guarantee. Today is a gift, so as Wayne reminds us, “Take a breath of life.” Celebrate and make your moments great.

And for more additional information about Wayne Messmer, consider purchasing his autobiography, The Voice of Victory and tune in on Saturday mornings on WIND AM560 for Homelife with Wayne Messmer.

Per the wisdom of Wayne to make memorable moments during Christmas, I am trying to overcome my fear and embrace the opportunity to go ziplining with my family. How do you plan to create memorable moments during the holidays with the ones you love? I would love to hear your stories!

Diapers and Wings and win a copy of You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (And OTHER LIES About Pregnancy and Childbirth)

2010-12-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the Season for giving……. a Baby Shower! Popular blogger and author, Dawn Meehan helped host a baby shower for Wings as she launched her latest book: You’ll Lose the Baby Weight (And OTHER LIES About Pregnancy and Childbirth) . Here’s a quick Flip Clip of Dawn discussing her new book.

For those of you who may not know about Wings (women in need growing stronger), it’s a great charity based in the suburbs of Chicago. As full disclosure, I am on the Leadership Advisory Board. This non-profit provides a much needed Safe House in the suburbs along with transitional homes and programs to help women who are fleeing from domestic violence to get a new start in life. There are some babies in the Safe House now so they need diapers, formula and other items. Many of the attendees for this latest event brought along some great donations for the Baby Shower. As you think about ways to give during this holiday season, please keep Wings in mind. Donations don’t even have to be monetary. If you are cleaning your closet as a New Year’s resolution, please think about donating your clothes to Wings which will either give the items directly to those in the Safe House and transitional homes or generate revenue by selling the items at the Wings retail stores. Also, please consider doing some of your Christmas shopping at the resale stores. Great gifts at much lower prices. Click here for the locations.

Beth Engelman, (aka mommy-on-a-shoestring and a supporter of Wings), wrote a great column for Pioneer Press/SunTimes Media about crafting with a purpose for the holiday season. She gives instructions on how to decorate onesies with a stamp pad. She donated some beautiful onesies to the babies in the Safe House.

Please share your stories about the most memorable baby shower you attended. Any tips on home made gifts? Are you a Dawn Meehan fan? Leave a comment and you will be entered to win an autographed copy of Dawn’s book!

Not Exactly an Angel

2010-12-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

Guest blog by Patricia Crisafulli

The line at the bank was long and the tellers were few. With a tight schedule, I felt my impatience rise along with my indignity. Everywhere I looked young bankers strolled to and fro talking to each other. Didn’t they see the line? Didn’t they understand the concept of customer service?

As I waited my turn with two customers ahead of me, I was joined by a tiny older woman, white haired and stooped shouldered. She looked around through large soft eyes magnified by her glasses, no doubt wondering how long she would have to stand there. When another elderly woman, well dressed with a smart hat, joined the end of the line, I thought for sure someone would notice. Then came Mr. Tall and Strapping, as I labeled him, who took his place behind Mrs. Soft Eyes and Mrs. Hat. He and I exchanged a knowing glance; we were comrades in indignation. Into the bank strolled a jolly older gentleman, walking stiffly with a cane. He stood behind Mr. Tall and Strapping.

By now my normally low blood pressure was spiking. All I needed was to catch the eye of one of these bankers to deliver a withering stare from my arsenal of dirty looks. Or, if the chipper fellow who greeted customers at the door with a “Happy Holidays” would just wander my way I’d give him a piece of my mind.

As my thoughts roiled, I could not see the opportunity that I was being given, especially as we approach the celebration of Christ’s birth, to demonstrate religion as St. James described it, looking after orphans and widows in their distress. (James 1:27, NIV) Although I could not attest to the marital status of Mrs. Soft Eyes, Mrs. Hat, and Mr. Cane, metaphorically speaking here was my chance to show a little Christianity in action. Instead, I was too interested in finding fault with someone else (the speck in their eyes, as opposed to the log in mine).

When my turn finally came to make my deposit, my anger had cooled a few degrees; after all, the young woman at the teller window was not at fault. Yet I couldn’t resist pointing out that there were several older people in line, including a gentleman with a cane. She smiled graciously at me and asked me if I wanted to let them go ahead of me.

“Yes,” I said sheepishly, “that’s what I will do.”

I ushered Mrs. Soft Eyes to the teller and let Mrs. Hat ahead of me, too. Mr. Tall and Strapping told Mr. Cane to go to the head of the line.

In that moment I was given a gift, a chance to demonstrate my better self not only to the other customers but to myself. Yet, if it had not been for the teller who made the suggestion to me, I would have stayed with my angry indignation. Through her thoughtfulness she instructed me, reminding me of St. Paul’s words to Timothy to “correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. “ (2 Timothy 4:2 NIV)

As she left the teller window, Mrs. Hat turned and blew me a kiss as if I were some kind of “angel” who had come to her rescue. I felt completely unworthy to receive such a gift. Then again, aren’t we all if not for grace? It moves and inspires, and brings us up to all we are capable of being.

Patricia Crisafulli is a professional writer and published author, and founder of www.FaithHopeandFiction.com.

The Heart of Rachael Ray: Recipes and Rescues

2010-12-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

What a delight to meet Rachael Ray at Barnes & Noble Oak Brook. She was in Chicagoland to promote her latest book Look and Cook!

Before she signed books, Rachael hugged dogs. Rescue dogs from Chicago Canine Rescue. Rachael loves dogs, and she got lots of smooches from the pooches.

The dog featured in this Flip clip was brought to the rescue shelter with a head injury that required 150 stitches. Thanks to the caring staff at Chicago Canine Rescue, this dog now thrives and is looking for a home.

At this event, Rachael presented a check for $7500 to Chicago Canine Rescue as part of her recent announcement to donate over $750,000 to animal shelters across the country with proceeds from her pet food line Rachael Ray Nutrish™. Yes, you can now give your precious pups a selection of canine cuisine from Rachael Ray and even get recipes online for your pets! Throughout her latest book tour for Look & Cook, Rachael recognizes a local shelter at each venue and encourages fans to adopt a pet! For more information about organizations that help animals in need, visit her website Rachael’s Rescue. There is also a picture of Rachael with her beloved Pit Bull Isaboo on the website.

Rachael also has a heart for recipes. In her latest book Look & Cook, Rachael offers a multimedia experience in the kitchen. You can look at over 600 pictures to make sure the dish looks like it is supposed to at each stage. And you can connect to a video via Rachael’s website to “look & cook” along with her as she prepares some selected recipes from the book. I can’t wait to prepare Sliced Chicken with Apples, Pears and Camembert featured on page 189 of Look & Cook. Yum!

So during this holiday season, put Look & Cook on your shopping list. And please consider adopting a dog from a local shelter. A dog’s kiss reminds us that unconditional love is truly a gift from the soul.

What is your favorite Rachael Ray recipe? Have you adopted any rescue dogs? Please share your stories.

Among Angels

2010-12-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, my brother, Randy passed away On December 2nd. A week before he died, Randy was fishing and took a lovely picture of clouds with his cell phone. The photograph, however, captured a remarkable image: Angels in the sky! My heart likes to think that perhaps these heavenly hosts in the clouds had gathered to safely lead my brother home.

Angels were on my mind when I attended Jane Seymour’s book signing event at Barnes & Noble Oak Brook on December 5th. Over 200 people were lined up to greet Jane and purchase an autographed copy of her latest book, Among Angels (Guideposts, 2010). This lovely gift book features Jane’s beautiful paintings with inspiring quotes and stories about ministering angels and even everyday “angels” we encounter through our friends and family. This books makes a delightful hostess and holiday gift. A few remaining signed copies are available at Barnes & Noble Oak Brook.

Jane Seymour is a genuine and gracious soul. She gave me a hug from her heart when she learned about the death of my brother. Jane is one of those women who seem to have it all. She’s an actress, an artist, an author, a mother, a philanthropist, and even a jewelry designer. She was given much, and in return she gives so much to others. At age 40, Jane was nearly bankrupt when she attended a charity event to help abused children. With limited money remaining, she bid on painting lessons in the silent auction and won. The artist came to her home to teach her to paint with watercolors and noticed a finger painting that Jane had done with her children. He remarked that she had real talent. Painting became a healing process for Jane. Three of her paintings were even shown at The Guggenheim. I first met Jane in person at Wentworth Gallery Woodfield when I purchased a copy of her painting “Peace” which depicts two sisters dancing with a white billowy sheet on the beach. The young girls remind me of my own daughters, and the painting provides daily inspiration in my writing alcove. Jane has a unique gift to transform an empty canvas with the fullness of life, reflecting the intangible in the tangible, the inexplicable in the explicable, and complexity in its utmost simplicity.

Jane has a heart for charity and listened with interest when I told her about Pearl Girls and how the proceeds benefit a Safe House for Wings and build wells for school children in Uganda. She even signed my painting: “To Margaret McSweeney and her love of sisterhood.” Proceeds from her painting also benefit charities. At the book signing, Jane announced the plans to establish Open Hearts Foundation, a non-profit which will help other charities. Her late mother would always tell her “If your heart is open, love will always find its way in.” Jane has designed a successful Open Hearts jewelry line with Kay Jewelers.

Jane’s heart is also full of love for her family, and she is a proud mother. At the book signing, she promoted her teenage son, Johnny Keach who is in a band called PT5 which stands for Plead the Fifth. And of course Jane provides a link to a free music download on her website. The band has a great sound! And as a mother, I will always treasure the moment when Jane spent several minutes with my youngest daughter, Katie to encourage her and provide advice about fashion design. Jane has such an open heart!

One of my favorite quotes in Jane’s latest book, Among Angels is on page 91 in her book:

“Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering to fly.”

Thank you to all the “angels” in my life who have lifted me to my feet during the difficult times in my life. Who have the angels been in your life? Leave a comment and you might win an autographed copy of Jane Seymour’s Among Angels.

A Sampling of Serendipity

2010-12-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite places to visit in New York is the restaurant Serendipity a block away from Bloomingdale’s. And of course one of my favorite movies, Serendipity featured this special restaurant. Serendipity is like Disney World for your taste buds- truly one of the happiest places in the world and hosted by one of the nicest people you will ever meet, Stephen Bruce. He is one of the three original founders of this delightfully eccentric gathering place which is best known for its frrrozen hot chocolate.

And if you watch Serendipity during the holidays, look for Stephen’s cameo appearance. He is the one holding the scarf when John Cusack returns to the restaurant.

Stephen personally answers the phone and writes down the reservations. A humble and gracious gentleman, Stephen does not boast about his famous friends and accomplishments, so let me do that for him. He was very close friends with Andy Warhol who was a frequent diner at Serendipity. Stephen even designed Warhol’s first apartment in Manhattan, and Andy did over twenty drawings of Stephen while sitting at a table in Serendipity. The world famous James Beard taught Stephen how to make omelets, and that dish is still a delicious feature on the Serendipity menu. Over the years famous politicians, artists, musicians, and celebrities have enjoyed the food and fellowship at Serendipity, Enjoy listening to my podcast interview with Stephen on Kitchen Chat for more inside “scoop.”

And check out Stephen’s fabulous books with recipes and ideas for entertaining – a must for everyone’s kitchen.

A Cup of Cheer

2010-12-06T12:15:00.000-08:00

As we prepare for the hectic schedule of the holiday season, please remember to take a few quiet moments and share a cup of cheer with a special friend or family member.

Recently, I met my dear friend, Tricia Crisafulli, an accomplished author and businesswoman at Tea Lula, our favorite gathering place in Park Ridge.

What a lovely venue to reflect upon life and memories, hopes and dreams. Tricia has been an inspiration to me through the years as I continue to rewrite my first novel, and I encourage her as she finishes her first novel. As businesswomen, we are both venturing into a new world of fiction.

Tricia, however, has taken giant steps. She launched a wonderful ezine called Faith, Hope and Fiction. Reflective of her generous spirit, Tricia mentors writers who would like to be published on this website. I encourage you to take a moment to read the uplifting stories to fill your hearts with joy during this holiday season. Perhaps you can find a cozy spot and sip some hot tea while you are inspired.

What are your favorite gathering places with friends and family?

My Brother’s Death

2010-12-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

My brother Randy just died. He was only 53 and had a heart attack on his back porch while feeding his cat. He loved animals.

I head to Alabama today for his funeral. What a juxtaposition of life that in the past two weeks, I have attended a wedding (my niece’s) and a funeral (my brother, Randy).

My grief is really raw right now as the initial shock wears off and the reality of finality seeps through the crevices of my consciousness. I cannot sleep. As a Christian, I know that death is only the beginning of an eternal life with God, but as a sister - the pain of death is intense tonight. I mourn the loss of our shared childhood. I mourn the loss of his presence in my life. I just plain mourn.

“Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

Tonight during this really difficult moment, I feel God’s hug from heaven in my heart. I know that He will provide the strength I need to bury my brother, Randy on Saturday. I know that God will provide a peace in my heart as I mourn this beloved sibling. I know that my brother, Randy will spend his first Christmas in Heaven rejoicing with my parents. But in the meantime, I will miss him as I mourn.

Are you mourning? Do you need some extra prayer? Please let me know. You are not alone. God loves you and He is there for you.

Cheerleaders Help Feed the World

2010-12-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

Before Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of going to Aurora, Illinois to help the Barrington High School cheerleaders prepare and pack powdered vegetable mix at one of the Feed My Starving Children facilities. My daughter, Katie is on the Junior Varsity squad, and the coaches needed an extra mom to drive. What an experience! Feed My Starving Children really provides a hands-on opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of children around the world. Each day over 18,000 children die from starvation! A bag of FMSC vegetable mix that costs only 19 cents will serve a child nutritious meals for six days. As you can see from this “Flip Clip”, the girls had a great time with this project.

Coach Meehan (Varsity) and Coach Milne (JV) were thrilled that the cheerleaders put so much enthusiastic effort into such a worthwhile endeavor. Listen to their comments about the importance of volunteer work. They both have a heart for charity.

Learn how you can make a difference in the world, too. Plan a party or celebration and bring along some friends to Feed My Starving Children.

You, too, Can Make It Better!

2010-12-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

This week I enjoyed a delightful lunch with Susan Noyes, the founder of MakeItBetter.net – an online community catering to women as well as a magazine for the suburbs of Chicago. With the purchase of North Shore Magazine’s assets, MakeItBetter.net has further broadened its leading presence in the Chicago suburbs. The premise of the name is derived from Susan’s philosophy that women can make things better – especially when we work together. From the school rooms to the board rooms, women have unique gifts and talents to truly make a difference.

I especially appreciate Susan’s heart for charity. Through MakeItBetter.net, Susan has raised over a half million dollars for charities! The online magazine promotes auctions and donates $5 to a charity for each new subscription. And here’s the best part. The subscription is free, and the subscriber gets to choose from a list of charities where she would like for that money to go. And you get free access to some great articles and ideas about a broad variety of topics.

It’s worth “clicking” into. And here’s my quick Flip Clip with Susan and the Laura, the Editor in Chief of MakeItBetter.net

The “Turkey Necks” of Life

2010-11-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

I hope you shared a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and counted your blessings with the five kernels of corn. My oldest brother and youngest niece drove from the Deep South to join my family for this traditional gathering. My homemade pecan pie was a real hit, and my turkey turned out to be quite moist and delicious – despite the unexpected surprise while prepping the bird at my friend, Chrissie’s house. You can enjoy the comedy in the kitchen ...

Yes, I was somehow the lucky one to pull out a turkey neck while washing the bird. Typically the giblets and neck are neatly packaged in a tidy, white plastic bag. I have decided to share my unscripted humiliation in the kitchen and view this moment as a unique lesson. Each of us has our own “turkey neck” days, right? The messy moments of life aren’t always tucked neatly away in a disposable plastic bag. Life can surprise us with something we don’t quite like the feel of or something we don’t know quite how to handle – like a turkey neck! At first I had Chrissie deal with my problem as she so graciously finished pulling the turkey neck out and placed it in the sink for me. But at the end of the video clip, I pick up that turkey neck on my own and throw it away. I faced my fear of dealing with something that I didn’t expect.

What have some of your “turkey neck” moments of life been? Would you mind sharing them with me?

My brother, Claude brings the turkey to the kitchen counter to carve.

Flip Clips: Lauraine Snelling's 'story' Cookbook

2010-11-29T07:16:00.000-08:00

Lauraine discusses recipes from her beloved Red River cookbook. Yum!

Share Your Blessings (and WIN a book!)

2010-11-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

123rf.com

Each Thanksgiving, my father would leave five kernels of corn by our plates. The backdrop for this family gathering was always a formal, Southern celebration held in the dining room with the Royal Copenhagen china and silver. The week before the festivities, I would sit in the kitchen and help my parents polish each silver fork, knife and spoon until they sparkled. My dad would whistle as he prepared the homemade cornbread in my grandmother’s cast iron griddle for the dressing while my mother baked the pecan pie and basted the turkey.

After each Thanksgiving dinner, my dad would tell us the story of the Pilgrims and how they faced starvation during that first winter. Each Pilgrim was allotted only five kernels of corn for a daily sustenance. As a very young girl, I confess that I enjoyed flicking these kernels of corn towards my brothers’ plates. But as I got older, I better understood the solemnity of this tradition. Each of us would take turns lifting the kernels by our plate and counting aloud five blessings – somehow these five kernels became three kernels as the years passed. Perhaps with two sons and a squirming daughter, my parents decided to shorten this tradition to keep our attention. However, this tangible act of giving thanks and counting our blessings was a lesson from childhood that I still remember.

Even today, this is special family tradition that I keep in an effort to remind my daughters to count their blessings, too. For simplicity sake, I use three “unpopped” popcorn kernels or frozen corn. I don’t always get around to polishing the silver, but I do try to make Thanksgiving dinner a time of remembrance and gratitude to God for all that He has done. Perhaps you can add this special touch of thanks at your table, too. Let me know how it goes. Happy Thanksgiving!

Win a coy of the Pearl Girls book - leave a comment and share your 'kernal' blessing here.

We'll give away three copies of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace.

Contest ends 11/28.

Creative Chaos

2010-11-22T11:36:00.001-08:00

countryliving.com

Have you ever noticed that when you start an organization project or even a writing project that you create chaos? As I was continuing to de-clutter my life last night, I seemed to create more of a mess with my attempt at organization. But I didn’t get overwhelmed. I persevered – separating the tangled cords of cellphones, cameras, and any other digital device into separate baskets, along with notebooks and papers and photographs. The final result was accessible shelves. A masterpiece.

As I rewrite my novel in an attempt to streamline the story, I am once again creating initial chaos. But as I untangle the plot and better understand what motivates each character, I can then clean the clutter. So when the reader opens the book, the shelves, or rather the pages will be accessible and easy to read.

What needs to be uncluttered in your home? In your writing? What are you doing about it?

Charity Chat: Healthy Home 2010

2010-11-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

When their precious daughter, Colette was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor and passed away, Nancy and Jim Chuda looked in vain for any clues to the cause of her condition. Much to their surprise, they found that there was very little scientific research on the link between the growing incidence of childhood cancer and environmental toxins. These grieving parents became a voice for the nation and the world by founding the non-profit, Healthy Child Healthy World to educate parents about important things to do to keep their family safe from environmental toxins.

The recent construction of Healthy Home 2010 by Dior Builders in Palatine, Illinois is a culmination of over 16 years of scientific research and the collaboration of experts in a variety of areas to build a “Healthy Home” as a tangible means of educating the public about keeping families safe from environmental toxins. We spend at least 90% of our lives inside a home or building, so the quality of the environment can be essential to our good health.

This week Beth Engelman (aka Mommy on a Shoestring) and I had the opportunity to tour the stunning designer showcase, Healthy Home 2010. Victoria DiIorio shared some insight into this wonderful project built by Dior Builders along with Cambria, Kohler, Holiday Kitchens, Susan Fredman Design Group, Greenguard and many other fine partners.

Beth and I learned about the five steps to have a healthy home:
•    Avoid Pesticide;
•    Use Non-Toxic Products;
•    Clean up Indoor Air;
•    Eat Healthy;
•    Be Wise with Plastics

The first step is essential and easy to apply. Take off your shoes before you enter your home and track in pesticides and other potential environmental hazards. Beth and I wore “slippers” to tour the Healthy Home 2010. For additional details on these steps, please go here.

How fascinating to learn about the intricate process of building and sustaining a “healthy home.” Much of the insulation was made from cotton and denim, including some recycled jeans! Almost all products were sourced locally. Chef George Economos from Whole Foods in Palatine discussed the importance of the kitchen in a healthy home and shared a great recipe for Classic Butternut Squash Soup. Here is my video interview with him

In addition, I spoke with Penny Bonda, the Green Guru of America, about how her book and how she helped advise on ensuring that the interior decorating of Healthy Home 2010 is also environmentally safe. Please enjoy that interview here:

You can purchase admission online to tour Healthy Home 2010. All proceeds from the admission price go in full to Healthy Child Healthy World and to a local charity, Infant Welfare Society. Tours are open to the public until November 21st.

Inside Guideposts Books

2010-11-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

I just discovered wonderful blog posts by editors of Guideposts Books. Inside Guideposts Books provides a great insight into not only what books they are working on but also why they connected with certain stories. The website also provides video trailers with author interviews. It’s a great place to visit.

Beth Adams, a Senior Editor at Guideposts Books and I spoke on the phone today. We met years ago at ICRS in Denver. I asked her about Guideposts’ recent acquisition of Ellie Claire Gifts and its subsidiary Summerside Press.

Beth admires the success of Ellie Claire and Summerside Press and is thrilled to be working on the same team. She said with a chuckle, “For years I’ve been jealous of them and now I don’t have to be jealous anymore.”
Also on the Guideposts site, you can download for free the ebook Positive Thinking 2010: Rediscover The Power of Positive Thinking

Mise en Place

2010-11-16T07:16:00.002-08:00

(Ranger Mike Designs)

I love the phrase “mise en place” – a culinary term, yet also a life lesson: “Everything in place.” Technically it means that before you prepare a dish, you have all the ingredients, bowls, and appliances you will need in one space.

As I conquer adult AD/HD, that culinary phrase takes on a whole new meaning. I plan to apply “mise en place” on a daily basis – starting with my kitchen. Last night was productive. I tackled an extremely cluttered pantry that had cans of soup which had expired in 2008! How empowering to clear that mess and put everything in order. I can now open the pantry and see what items need to be replenished.

I have begun the process of preparing for my Thanksgiving Dinner.

Here’s what’s on my menu, what’s on yours?

Appetizer: Baked brie with apricots
Entrée: Turkey, homemade cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole,
Dessert: Traditional Southern Pecan Pie

Do you have any special tips for “mise en place” for your meal preparation?

A Cluttered Life

2010-11-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

image: greenhousearts.com

Last week I was officially diagnosed with something that I had suspected for awhile: Adult AD/HD – not the hyperactivity type, but the “inattentive” type. As I discussed my childhood with the doctor, I realized that my whole life I have had to work extra hard to stay focused and organized. In debating whether or not to share this information, I decided that perhaps my candor and transparency might help someone else who is going through the frustration of trying to balance the challenges.

Just because someone has AD/HD does not mean that he/she is not intelligent or able to succeed. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from college and earned a master’s degree in international business; I lived in Brazil and even worked my way up to become a vice president at a very large New York City bank. In retrospect, I realize that I always had to work a bit harder to stay focused – As a student, I would constantly misplace notes and papers from class, and as an adult, I constantly misplace the keys and my children’s papers from school. So right now, I would like to say a special “thank you” to all my friends from elementary school, high school, college and graduate school who shared their notes. In addition, I would like to say a special “thank you “to other moms who have faxed over school papers and cheerleading forms I have lost. Thank you for your patience, understanding and support.

As I approach the second half of my life (I will be 49 in March), I look forward to having more focus and a greater productivity – both personally and professionally. I even plan to “declutter” my closets along with my characters. Yes, as I rewrite my first novel yet again, I plan to simplify and streamline the story. I will tackle head-on the clutter in my life that holds me back. A friend of mine mentioned to me about how her friend filled up a glass jar with pieces of paper of things that needed to get done around the house. Then, each weekend, her friend would pick a piece of paper from the jar and focus on that project. Will you join me for this challenge, too?

What would you like to “declutter” in your life? What projects would you write down on those pieces of paper to put in the jar? What does your jar look like? Are you going to decorate it? Where will you keep the jar? Please send pictures along with your progress. Together we can leave behind a cluttered life.

Cooking with the Bible

2010-11-12T07:21:00.000-08:00

Friday's are a “pinch” of faith here on From Finance to Fiction!

Since mid-September, the women’s Bible study group at Lutheran Church of the Atonement has been reading the Bible from cover to cover in 90 days! The discipline of this Zondervan study is to read 12 pages a day. I confess that I am still a week behind in my reading, but I am determined to catch up.

Throughout the pages of The Old Testament, I have not only been amazed by God’s relationship with humankind, but also I have been intrigued by the types of food mentioned in the Bible. How delighted I was when I found this wonderful website and book called Cooking With The Bible. The recipes come along with the Bible reference and story.

Here’s the recipe from Cooking with The Bible for Raisin Cakes – the dish Abigail made to appease David after her husband had insulted him.

Raisin Cake
•    1 ½ cups raisins
•    2 cups water
•    1 cup white granulated sugar
•    1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
•    ¾ cup butter
•    3 eggs
•    2 tsp. vanilla extract
•    1 ½ cups oatmeal
•    1 tsp. baking soda
•    ½ tsp. salt
•    1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
•    2 tsp. ground cinnamon
•    1 ½ tsp. ground allspice
•    1 tsp. ground nutmeg
•    2 tsp. baking powder
•    ½ cup chopped walnuts
•    whipped cream or vanilla butter cream
•    frosting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10″ tube pan or a 10″ square pan.

In a large pot, boil the raisins in enough water to cover (about 2 cups). Add the sugar and vinegar and stir. Set aside and let cool for about 10–12 minutes. To the same pot, add the butter, eggs, vanilla, and all the remaining dry ingredients. Mix well, then pour batter into pan. Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream or a vanilla butter cream frosting.

Yield: 8–12 servings

Charity Chat

2010-11-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

Charity Chat

If you live in the Chicago area, please take the time to visit the Healthy Home 2010 in Palatine presented by Healthy Child Healthy World.

This beautiful designer showcase built by the distinguished Dior Builders in collaboration with design industry leaders and indoor air quality experts sets a new benchmark for stylish green living with a focus on healthier indoor air quality. And here’s another great reason to visit the showcase: The $20 admission ticket will benefit Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, the local charity partner for Healthy Home 2010.

In 2011, the Infant Welfare Society will celebrate 100 years of delivering critical health care and wellness services to infants, women and children. Last year Infant Welfare Society served more than 12,000 patients. For more information or to support Infant Welfare Society, please visit www.infantwelfaresociety.org

On a personal note, I was a chapter president of Infant Welfare Society many years ago. It’s a great organization, and Dior Builders is a wonderful company. So enjoy a breath of fresh air as you support a great charity by visiting Healthy Home 2010 from November 6 – November 21st.

Flip Clips: Linda Evans Shepherd

2010-11-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

In this recent interview we learn all about Linda's Potlock Club series and the great recipes found in those books!

Grab Your Cape!

2010-11-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Superman has made us all realize that change needs to happen within our educational system. However, this paradigm shift in education will take time. So what can be done immediately while a longer term plan is put into place? The answer: Grab your cape and become a superhero!

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama during the late 1960s and 1970s, I learned the importance of education. My mother was an English teacher at a local high school, and my father was then Dean of the Music School at Samford University. My mother always taught me that “Education levels the playing field.” That is why she would take an hour each week to sit down at the kitchen table with Flora, our African American cleaning lady, and teach her how to read and write. Years later when Flora died from cancer, her sisters told my mother that a highlight of Flora’s life was learning how to read and write during those hours spent at the kitchen table with my mother. Flora no longer had to sign her name with an “x” and she could read what she was signing. Even in her seventies, my mother still volunteered at local high schools and tutored at-risk students. She also designed remedial English programs to help struggling students understand the basic concepts of grammar.

My father also “grabbed a cape.” He invested in the lives of students by setting aside and raising “seed money” to help educate students that otherwise couldn’t afford that opportunity. In 1985, my parents flew to Rio de Janeiro to spend Christmas with me. At that time I was earning a Master’s Degree in International Business at The University of South Caroline and was assigned to work at an international company in Rio as an intern. My father was president of Palm Beach Atlantic University (then college). During brunch, my father started a conversation with Edson who was waiting tables. Edson had grown up in a favela, or rather one of the shanty towns made of cardboard houses on the hills of Rio. A few days later, my dad offered Edson a full scholarship to Palm Beach Atlantic University. However, my father told Edson that he must pay his own way to get to Florida. My father knew the importance of a student personally investing in his/her own future to ensure commitment. After a few years, Edson raised enough money to get to Florida and not only attended undergraduate school at PBAU but also earned an MBA there. After a successful career, Edson returned to Rio where he now helps educate children living in the favelas. Education truly levels the playing field and empowers children with hope for a future. Learn more about that here.

What can an individual do right now? Volunteer! Check in with your local schools and offer your expertise. Turn education into an action verb. Grab your superhero cape! Make a difference. In the process, you will change the nation one student at a time.

Please share how you have “grabbed a cape” to make a difference.

Flip Clips: Exotic foods with Robin Jones Gunn!

2010-11-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

During my agent's author retreat last week, I was able to catch Robin for a quick interview! Such fun!

Bread Crumbs of Grace

2010-11-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday evening, I went to my very first Steven Curtis Chapman concert at Harvest Bible Church in Elgin. It was a night that I will always remember. Not only did Steven Curtis Chapman sing, but it was also a family event. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Steven sang Cinderella and Heaven is the Face of a Little Girl.

The unforgettable moment of the evening was listening to Mary Beth Chapman share her heartache after the loss of their five year old daughter, Maria. With candor and raw emotion, she spoke about her “freefall of faith” and how “bread crumbs of grace” helped her find her way through the darkness. I cannot imagine the deep abyss that must swallow one’s life after the loss of a child. My heart weeps with mothers and fathers who have experienced that despair. Mary Beth Chapman’s book Choosing to See captures the journey of struggle and hope that she and her family experienced firsthand after Maria’s death. I couldn’t put that book down, and a lot of laundry went unwashed this weekend because of that. I highly recommend that you read this book, especially if you are going through a difficult time right now.

Read the rest of the post at the Pearl Girls blog.

Kitchen Chat Relaunch!

2010-09-08T09:33:00.001-07:00

I'm whipping up something new in the kitchen over at Kitchen Chat! The show will be on a brief hiatus until February while my 'kitchen' gets a new location and a remodel. Excuse our mess during construction. :) If you are looking for one of the podcasts or a recipe - those will be returning shortly as we get everything transferred over to the new location. Stay tuned for the new location and updated information.

In the meantime - enjoy a few of the past Kitchen Chat recipes:

Andy Andrews: Andy’s Smoked Fish Surprise.

Smoked Fish Salad
Start with your favorite white flesh fish. Squeeze lemon juice over fish, sprinkle with black pepper and brown sugar. Smoke fish on hickory wood on Low heat approx 200 – 250 degrees until done. Cool fish then crumble by hand

Assemble:
Mix mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish into crumbled fish to desired consistency
Mix with a big fork for best results.
Salt to taste
Serve on Sociable Crackers

Suzanne Woods Fisher: Whoopie Pies

4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup cocoa
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup thick sour milk
1 cup hot water

Cream together sugar, salt, shortening, vanilla and eggs. Sift together flour, soda and cocoa. Add this to the first mixture alternately with water and sour milk. Add slightly more flour if milk is not thick. Drop by teaspoons. Bake in hot oven at 350 until done.

Once cool fill with whip cream or your favorite frosting or filling.

Dallas Jenkins: Foolproof Steak

Pour some garlic salt and Lowry's seasoning on one side of the steak while you're heating up your frying pan, which should have been lightly coated with some olive oil, at very high heat. Once it's very hot, put the steak on, seasoned side down. Give it a minute or two, then pour the same seasonings on the exposed side before turning it over. Give it another minute or two--this sears both sides, which will trap the juices in. Then cook on low heat, turning the meat over every few minutes, until you have it where you want it.

Carl Raymond: CHICKEN BREASTS AND WILD MUSHROOMS IN MADEIRA SAUCE

Serves 4

3 tbsp butter, divided

4 chicken breast halves

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb wild mushrooms such as shiitakes, chanterelles or cremini, sliced

Juice from ½ lemon

2 tbsp chopped shallots

¾ c Madeira wine

¾ c heavy cream

¾ c shredded Gruyere cheese

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet. When butter has melted and stopped foaming, add the chicken and sauté 5-6 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a 7” x 11” baking dish. Add a bit of wine to the skillet and scrape up any carmelized juices on the bottom of the pan. Add the liquid to the baking dish. Brush the mushrooms to remove any dirt, slice (remove stems if using shiitakes), and toss with lemon juice. Add the butter to the skillet, stir in the shallots and sauté on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms, increase to medium-high heat and sauté about 5 minutes until they begin to brown. Pour in the remaining wine and add the cream. Continue to cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Mix in ½ c of the cheese and stir until melted. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top. Sprinkle lightly with chopped fresh thyme if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken has cooked through and sauce is bubbly.

TOMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Editors Beth Adams and Ginger Kolbaba

2010-08-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's Kitchen Chat - Be sure to tune in on Friday at 11:00AM Central! To listen, follow the link and click on the player in the upper right hand corner.

I'm thrilled about our guests this week - two amazing women who are both editors and authors. Best of both worlds I'd say! The first half hour we'll hear from Beth Adams who is an Editor with Guideposts. The second half of the show will feature Ginger Kolbaba, who is an editor for Kyria.com. All you aspiring authors (myself included!) have your questions ready. Call into the show (1-877-864-4869), tweet them (@mcsweeney) or leave them on the segment post.

About Beth: Beth Adams is a senior editor at Guideposts Books. She works on primarily on inspirational fiction. She hails from California, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

About Ginger: Ginger Kolbaba is editor and manager of discipleship and women’s resources, including the newly launched Kyria.com, and Marriage Partnership.com, an award-winning publication and website of Christianity Today International, both with more than 2.5 million unique visitors annually. She is also a freelance book editor for several major publishing houses and a former editor of the award-winning publication Today’s Christian Woman.

Also an accomplished author, Ginger has written more than 300 articles and has written or contributed to more than 16 books, including the best-seller Refined by Fire, which received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly and was nominated for a Gold Medallion award. Her most recent novel series, Secrets from Lulu’s Café, includes Desperate Pastors’ Wives, A Matter of Wife and Death, and Katt’s in the Cradle.

Ginger also teaches and speaks across the country. She’s been quoted in Newsweek and the Chicago Sun-Times and has appeared on national venues such as CNN’s Nancy Grace and Court TV’s Catherine Crier Live, as well as Chicago’s top rated talk radio station WLS, Family Life Radio, and Moody Radio’s Midday Connection.

She is a graduate of Anderson University (Anderson, Indiana), and worked as a professional actress and singer before making the transition to more sane and solitary roles behind a computer.

When she isn’t chained to her computer, Ginger enjoys spending time with her husband motorcycling through the countryside, visiting Yellowstone National Park, walking her Doberman, reading good books, and talking theory with her friends about the television series Lost. She believes one of her greatest accomplishments would be dusting off her piano and treadmill and using them both—at least once this year.

Visit her at www.GingerKolbaba.com.

About Ginger's latest book: Four pastors' wives. All desperate for something.

Is it possible that their desperation will lead to hope?

Mimi, Lisa, Jennifer, and Felicia all live in the fishbowl of Red River, Ohio. Everyone expects something from them. Gourmet casseroles. Perfect husbands. Well-behaved children. They expect even more of themselves.

The constant demands and always-ringing phones are enough to drive any sane woman crazy. Add to all that the condescending Katherine Fleming Katt -- self-promoting pastor's wife of the town's largest church -- who loves to flaunt her superior position. In the midst of such chaos, will each woman find the one thing she longs for?

When the unflappable Kitty Katt starts showing up at odd places, the four friends get suspicious. Is Kitty hiding something? What secrets lie behind her "perfect" exterior? But even more significant than unraveling Kitty Katt's secrets is finding answers for themselves.

Win an on-line membership to Kyria.com and a copy of Desperate Pastors' Wives, the first novel in the Lulu's Cafe series. Leave a comment {HERE} and don't forget to include your email address.

For so long I have lived my life in fear...

2010-08-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

My Lesson from a Horse Whisperer

On Kitchen Chat a few weeks ago I interviewed Dr. Lew Sterrett, an internationally acclaimed horse whisperer. Little did I know that this show would transform my life. As someone who is afraid of horses, I did not miss the irony that I was interviewing a horse whisperer. When I was ten years old and went to a church camp, I rode a tall horse for the very first time. This horse trotted away. The saddle was not completely tightened and it slid down the side of this large animal. I fell off. Like a heavy tumbleweed, I rolled through the dusty dirt among the gravelly rocks.

So what did Dr. Lew Sterrett say that changed my life perspective? In the last segment of the show, I asked him to please help me get over my fear of horses. He “whispered” me through my fear by saying that it wasn’t the horse’s fault. The people that worked at the barn should have been more careful. However, he said that my real fear wasn’t horses, but rather the fear of being out of control. His words hit me straight in the heart.

During my whole life, I have had this need to be able to control my environment so nothing bad will happen to me or my family. I even keep my dogs on a short leash, fearful that if they venture too far they will be attacked by the coyotes that live in the woods behind our house. For so long I have lived my life in fear. In essence, I am filtering my faith, i.e. limiting God. Ouch!

So what does this have to do with writing my first novel? Everything! My theme throughout this book is “to let go and let grow.” However, how can I authentically write about this if I myself haven’t been able to let go of my own fear? While editing my manuscript, I realized how fearful and reserved my main character is. She has to be in control. Perhaps I have held back my characters from being who they really are, too. I have kept their emotions reined in (please pardon the equestrian pun).

During these next few weeks before ACFW, I plan to rework the pages not only of my novel, but also of my life. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement along the way.

What fears keep you reined in?

Dr. Lew Sterrett’s insights into applying the principles and techniques of building trust with a horse are applicable to all relationships. You can listen to my interview with this horse whisperer for free here.

This week on Kitchen Chat: Dr. Lew Sterrett

2010-07-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's Kitchen Chat - Be sure to tune in on Friday at 11:00AM Central! To listen, follow the link and click on the player in the upper right hand corner.

Not just for horse lovers! Join me on Thursday as I interview Dr. Lew Sterrett - a fascinating man who has been a positive influence in the lives of many through his Miracle Mountain Ranch.
ABOUT THE BOOK!
Distributed by Kregel Publications: A champion trainer and true horse whisperer, Dr. Lew Sterrett has used patience and a firm but gentle hand to earn the trust of more than 3,500 horses. In this book, Lew tells the stories of his work with these horses and the lessons each one has taught him.
Sometimes heartbreaking and often uplifting, Lew has condensed his lifetime of learning into messages for the Christian life. Today, Lew shares these messages with more than 50,000 people each year through horse training presentations at Miracle Mountain Ranch and nationally through his Sermon on the Mount Ministry.
The author's engaging style and adroit mixture of well-tested anecdotes and thoughtful instruction make this a winning read-and not just for horse lovers. Read an excerpt!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lew Sterrett (Ph. D) had little idea that his boyhood interest in horses would open doors internationally for speaking and training. During his years in 4-H, he savored many opportunities to train and show horses and earn national recognition. As a student leader at Penn State University he benefited from many mentoring relationships from which he received valuable training, experience and honors. This foundation provided a basis for an extensive horse career with a unique emphasis on training youth and community leaders.

Lew has served as the Executive Director of Miracle Mountain Ranch Missions, Inc. (MMRM) since 1977. MMRM, located in northwestern Pennsylvania, is home for a summer youth camp, and a leadership training center for youth, adult, and family groups. He has also promoted safety in public riding programs, serving as President of the Certified Horse Association for 7 years. A licensed pastor, certified Youth, Marriage and Family Counselor, he earned his PhD from North Tennessee Seminary in 2007. For more about Lew and Miracle Mountain Ranch visit his website.

Win a copy of Lew's book by leaving a comment {HERE}. We'll randomly select one winner. The winner will be notified by email, please be sure to include your email address.

Friday on Kitchen Chat: Kristen Jane Anderson

2010-07-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share my guest with you this week - she's an AMAZING woman who has radically reoriented her life to be a source of encouragement to those who have lost all hope. Kristen has shared her story on Oprah, the 700 Club, and all across the country. Her Reaching You Ministries is a vital outreach to those considering suicide. Don't miss this show!

About Kristin: Kristen Jane Anderson has been featured on Oprah and is a popular speaker at colleges, women's and youth events, churches, and suicide prevention outreaches. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute and the founder of Reaching You Ministries, Kristen seeks to help those who are hurting, hopeless, lost, suicidal and depressed.

About Life, In Spite of Me: Co-written with Tricia Goyer After her fatal choice… extraordinary hope.

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook on life. Once a happy child, Kristen’s world darkened after three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a depression that didn't seem to have a bottom.

One January night, the seventeen-year-old made a decision: She no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited—for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.

Amazingly, Kristen survived her suicide attempt… but the 33 freight cars that ran over her severed her legs. Now she not only had to deal with depression; she also had to face the physical pain and life without legs.

But Kristen's story didn't end there. After her darkest days Kristen discovered a real purpose for living. Now, in her compelling book Life, In Spite of Me, Kristen shares her journey from despair to hope.

Includes letters from Kristen that share messages she wishes someone would have told her—when she was depressed and struggling with loss, shame from sexual abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

To win a copy of Kristin's book leave a comment {HERE} along with your email address. One name will be drawn at random to receive Life, In Spite of Me. The winner will be announced here and be notified via email.

About Reaching You Ministries: Depression and Suicide are an epidemic in our culture today.

These are the Sad Facts:

19 million American struggle with depression and two out of three people with depression never seek help.

More than 800,000 people attempt suicide every year in America and more than 32,000 of them die. That's 89 lives lost every day!

8 out of 10 teenagers think about suicide, 1 of those 8 tries. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for those aged 24-34.

Our Mission:

Our mission is to reach the hurting, the hopeless, the lost, the suicidal and the depressed with the life transforming hope and leadership offered to us in Christ.

Our History:

In 2003 Kristen Jane Anderson was asked to share the story of her transformation with the high school youth group in her church. More speaking requests soon followed. In response to the many reaching out to Kristen who were struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, Kristen started Reaching You Ministries in December of 2004. Quickly, Reaching You grew beyond Kristen's wildest dreams. God opened doors for us to reach and help thousands with the love, hope, healing, and leadership of Christ through Kristen's story. With the publication of her book “Life, In Spite Of Me” in May of 2010, Kristen is praying that Reaching You's impact will be bigger than ever before, that lives would be saved, and that God's goodness would be made known to many. Find out more at www.reachingyouministries.com

Robin Jones Gunn interview rescheduled

2010-07-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know that Robin's interview is being rescheduled. The server is down at Toginet and they are not broadcasting today.

Thanks for understanding and have a great weekend!

This week on Kitchen Chat: Robin Jones Gunn

2010-07-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Don't miss Kitchen Chat this week - beloved author Robin Jones Gunn will be on the show sharing about her latest book and the writing life. Robin is also a Pearl Girl, don't miss her essay in Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace. Robin is such an encourager, she has been such a gift to me on my writing journey.

Robin Jones Gunn is a best-selling, Award Winning Author, and International Speaker
Over the past two decades Robin has written 70 books including the popular Christy Miller Series for teens and the Sisterchicks® Series for women. Combined sales of all her titles have reached over 4 million with translations in seven different languages. Robin has won numerous awards for her work including three Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and finalist for the Gold Medallion.

As a sought after speaker, Robin has appeared in public auditoriums from Helsinki to Hawaii and Brazil to Belfast. She serves on the Board for Jerry Jenkins’ Christian Writers’ Guild and for Media Associates International. Married for over 34 years, Robin and her husband live near Portland, Oregon and have a married son and a grown daughter. For more about Robin and her books please visit, http://www.robingunn.com

Robin will be giving away a copy of her latest book, Under a Maui Moon. To enter to win, simply leave a comment {HERE}. We'll select one name at random to win. The winner will be notified via email so be sure to leave your email address too.

About Under a Maui Moon: Fans of the Sisterchicks® books will love this new destination novel written for midlife women.

Carissa doesn't know who she is anymore. She and her husband, Richard, are recent empty nesters; Richard is spending more and more time at work counseling his volatile clients and less time at home with his wife; his clients are starting to show up at the house at night causing Carissa to feel scared in her own home; and to top it all off, Carissa's boss informs her that she's been “let go.” She wonders where God is in all of this since He doesn't seem to be around to protect her—and she's already stopped trusting her husband.

In the midst of her world tilting off center, she's offered time at a hideaway on Maui. Hiding seems like the best way to respond to life's overload, and the thought of being alone sounds like just the right balm to soothe her wounded heart.

The languid Hawaiian sun, white beaches, and warm-hearted people bring respite, but meeting handsome Kai causes Carissa to toy with the idea of being romantically involved with him. Then, under a Maui moon, she looks to God for guidance and hope for the future. That's when she discovers His hand still is on her life, and that love is closer than she ever realized.

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Pat Williams, Robert Beeson, & Stephen Kendrick

2010-07-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's Kitchen Chat - Be sure to tune in on Friday at 11:00AM Central! To listen, follow the link and click on the player in the upper right hand corner.

We've got an exciting lineup today! A few weeks ago I attended the International Christian Retail Show in St. Louis, Missouri where I had the privilege of interviewing several wonderful authors - three of which will are being featured today.

Pat Williams: Professional Sports Team, Orlando Magic Co-Founder --Pat Wiliams, senior vice president and cofounder of the Orlando Magic, author of The Leadership Wisdom of Solomon (Oct. 2010). Williams' book applies King Solomon’s ancient insights to the high-speed world in which we live. He is the best-selling author of more than 55 books, and a sought-after motivational speaker, and the senior vice president and cofounder of the Orlando Magic. Pat and his wife, Ruth, are parents to nineteen children. For more about Pat, visit his website: http://www.patwilliamsmotivate.com/

About The Leadership Wisdom of Solomon: King Solomon transformed the tiny tribal nation of Israel into an economic and military superpower. His brilliance as an international financier made Israel the wealthiest nation of the ancient world. He led Israel into its Golden Age.

And he did it with integrity.

King Solomon left us twenty-eight profound leadership strategies—as valid today as when the proverbs were written. The same extraordinary wisdom that transformed Solomon's world can revolutionize every aspect of leadership for any CEO, manager, pastor, coach, military strategist, or government leader.

In The Leadership Wisdom of Solomon, Pat Williams, senior vice president of the NBA's Orlando Magic, applies Solomon's ancient insights to the high-speed world in which we live. The study sections promote discussion and prompt immediate action.
Robert Beeson: Robert Beeson grew up in South Africa a son of missionaries. He returned to the USA as a teen and lauched Christian record label Essential Records in Southern California in 1992. After selling the rock/alternative music label to Brentwood Music/Zomba Records (which eventually became Provident Label Group, a unit of SONY) a few years later, he relocated to Nashville where he served as the label president, developing artists as diverse as Jars of Clay, Third Day, Caedmon’s Call, Bebo Norman and FFH. Beeson was promoted to Sr. VP of A&R for Provident Label Group in 2003, where he oversaw the careers of Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith and Leeland, among others. Though all was going exceptionally well, he eventually decided to step down and create a music/multimedia ministry geared specifically towards the tween marketplace - and in 2008, iShine was born. More about Robert here! http://robertbeeson.com/?page_id=153

ABOUT ISHINE:
iShine is a faith-based entertainment company that develops products and properties specifically for the tween market. iShine impacts tweens through music (iShine Records), television (iShine KNECT), concerts (iShine Live tour), the web (iShineLive.com) and additional resources for parents and tweens. Since 2008, iShine has taken it’s tour nationwide, launched 16 CD/DVD releases and they just completed production on season two of the Saturday morning TV series iShine KNECT, which reaches an estimated 1 million viewers each week on TBN. The iShine Records (Provident/Sony Distribution) roster includes singer/actor Luke Benward (How to Eat Fried Worms, Because of Winn-Dixie), The Rubyz, Mission Six, Kylie Jean, Paige Armstrong and Jasmine – winner of Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing! iShine has partnered with The Salvation Army, Make a Wish Foundation, American Heritage Girls, World Vision and more. For more information, visit www.ishinelive.com.

Learn more about Robert’s vision for the next generation by watching the short but powerful video “Am I Your Child?” here: http://robertbeeson.com/?page_id=136.

Stephen Kendrick: Stephen Kendrick is a senior associate pastor of preaching at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. He helped establish Sherwood Pictures in 2003 and has served as co-writer and producer for each of its films: Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. Stephen has spoken about his work on ABC World News Tonight and CNN and in The Washington Post and American Profile magazine among others. Currently earning a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, he lives in Albany with his wife and three children.

About The Love Dare: In the movie FIREPROOF, a couple dares to rescue their choking marriage from the flames of divorce and temptation using The Love Dare book as a guide. Now you can take the experience of the film one step further with your own copy of The Love Dare book. This daily devotional steers you through the fiery challenge of developing a strong, committed marriage in a world that threatens to burn it to the ground.

The Love Dare personally leads you through daily devotionals, records your thoughts and experiences, and ends each day daring you to perform a simple act of love for your spouse. This 40-Day journey equips you to melt hardened, separated hearts into an enduring love that can withstand the flames of fear, pride and temptation. The Love Dare book will help you reinforce and enrich your marriage, earn back a love you thought was lost, and hear more about the One who not only designed unconditional, sacrificial love—He illustrated it.

In a world that attacks, devalues, and redefines relationships every day, learn how to rescue and protect your marriage from the firestorm. http://thelovedarebook.com/

The Weight of Shadows.

2010-07-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

The title intrigued me. The Weight of Shadows. A profound description of how the heaviness of one’s past can remain a burden in the present.

I met the author, Alison Strobel last year at ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Conference. We sat at the same table, and I shared with her a copy of my compilation Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. We talked about how the proceeds from my book goes to Wings www.wingsprogram.com to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs. Alison then told me about Weight of Shadows and how it addresses the pain of domestic violence. Here is a poignant trailer about this compelling book: http://www.alisonstrobel.com/trailers

As you turn the pages, you will immediately be drawn into the story and stay up late to read each word. This gripping novel explores how the choices we make—and the courage we find to forgive—can touch the lives of others forever.

Leave a comment on this blog post, and you will be entered to possibly win a copy of The Weight of Shadows. Also, on July 18th, Alison will choose one commenter from the blog tour to either receive either autographed copies of her first three books or a gift card to a favorite bookstore.

Visit her website: www.alisonstrobel.com for more exciting details about her books and ebooks.

Have a great 4th of July!

Friday on Kitchen Chat: Jennifer Degler and Madeline Robison

2010-06-30T11:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome to this week's Kitchen Chat - we're thrilled to be interviewing two fascinating people. Be sure to tune in on Friday at 11:00AM Central!

Don't miss this diverse show on Friday. Jennifer is the author of No More Christian Nice Girl and Madeline is the founder of Madeline Hymns and a child ambassador for World Vision.

About Jennifer: Jennifer Degler, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and life coach with degrees in clinical psychology and business administration. A frequent speaker at women's events and marriage retreats, Jennifer is known for her entertaining and engaging presentations that make audiences laugh while they learn. Her extensive background in theater and teaching, coupled with her quick wit and willingness to "get real" with audiences, make her a dynamic speaker. She also maintains a counseling practice in Lexington, Kentucky, seeing adults, children, and couples for psychotherapy. She has served as the Ethics Chair for the Kentucky Psychological Association and is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.

Jennifer is the founder of Creating Christian Change, a life coaching enterprise that works with clients across the United States helping them to create lives they love. She has been interviewed by Psychotherapy Finances, the Lexington Herald-Leader, and local NBC and CBS affiliates as an expert in life coaching and mental health issues. Jennifer and her husband, Jeff, live in Lexington, Kentucky, with their two teenage children. For more about Jennifer and her work, please visit her website: http://www.creatingchristianchange.com

About No More Christian Nice Girl: When passivity and false niceness don't bring the abundant life Jesus promised, some Christian women try even harder to hide behind a fragile façade of pleasant perfection. Paul Coughlin and Jennifer Degler give women the empowering message that they have options far beyond simply acting nice or being mean--if they will emulate the real Jesus Christ and face their fears of conflict, rejection, and criticism. Brimming with enlightening information, thought-provoking questionnaires, real-life stories, and biblically based teaching from both the male author of the pioneering No More Christian Nice Guy and a female clinical psychologist, this book will motivate women to allow God to transform them into authentic, powerful women of loving faith.

From the Back Cover

Be the Strong, Confident, and Caring Woman You Were Meant to Be Tired of doing all you can for others while your relationships remain stuck in neutral--or headed in reverse? Paul Coughlin and psychologist Jennifer Degler show how being nice can harm you and drain the life out of your relationships. They explore the keys to fulfillment at home, work, church, and even in the bedroom. You'll discover that emulating the real Jesus is the key to transforming from a Christian Nice Girl into an authentic, powerful woman of loving faith.

"What's wrong with being nice? Paul Coughlin and Jennifer Degler make a strong case that women need to be bold and assertive rather than people pleasers who try to do too much. I recommend this book to you." --Dr. Kevin Leman, Author of The Birth Order Book and Have a New Kid by Friday

"This refreshingly practical book is a must for any woman who yearns to move from the entanglements of being nice to the freedom of being real." --Georgia Shaffer, PA Licensed Psychologist, Certified Life Coach, and Author of Taking Out Your Emotional Trash

"As a Christian counselor, I see many women paying the high price of being too nice: depression, anxiety, stress-related physical ailments, as well as difficult and destructive relationship patterns. Finally there is a book I can recommend that gives women the reasons why nice isn't always good and the tools to help them stop." Leslie Vernick, Licensed Counselor, Speaker, and Author of The Emotionally Destructive Relationship and Lord, I Just Want to Be Happy.

About Madeline: Madeline Robison is a singer, writer, and public speaker. She is the founder and owner of Madeline Hymns Music, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to use the power of hymns to minister to believers and to fund charitable, life-saving projects world-wide through established, respected Christian humanitarian organizations. She is also a wife and a stay-at-home mother of four who is actively involved in her church and community.For more about Madeline, please visit her website: http://www.madelinehymns.org

About her music project: Hymns are sung prayers, and they have gripped me and caught my attention since early childhood. From Christmas songs that remind us of the majesty and mystery and origin of the season to perennial favorites for children like “Jesus Loves Me,” many of the best-loved Christian songs are actually hymns. It brings me pleasure beyond words that this CD will be placing into the ears of its listeners the beauty, praise, and vulnerability of these hymns … AND that with the sale of each CD, we will be funding clean water wells in Africa (as we partner with World Vision) and the freeing of young girls from brothels in India (as we partner with International Justice Mission).

Friday on Kitchen Chat; Stacey Kannenberg and James Janega

2010-06-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's Kitchen Chat - we're thrilled to be interviewing two fascinating people. Be sure to tune in on Friday at 11:00AM Central!

About our guests:

Stacey Kannenberg: Stacey Kannenberg is an author, publisher, motivator, consultant, spokesperson and MOM. As the "Get Ready to Learn Mom", Stacey is a nationally renowned education expert and award winning author with an expertise in children’s education, and “Mom-entrepreneurship”. She is the co-author of the award winning and state approved, Let's Get Ready series with Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! Stacey is the Founder/CEO of two publishing companies: Cedar Valley Publishing and Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited, an imprint of Cedar Valley Publishing. Stacey will be releasing the highly anticipated Spanish/English Bilingual Edition of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! in April.

Stacey is a media favorite with numerous television appearances along with hundreds of radio, magazine and newspaper stories to her credit from Radio Disney to Toy Tips Magazine to the Dallas Daily News. During Back to School, she was featured in 22 Parenting Magazines from Indy Parent to Houston Parent to OC Parent to Metro Parent as well as numerous television shows from FOX 6 News to Milwaukee’s Morning Blend to WEAUTV to the WB’s Daily Buzz.

Stacey is a frequent presenter at Early Learning and Head Start Conferences where she holds workshops for teachers and educators entitled: Empowering Parents 101. Stacey is a favorite

presenter at schools where she helps parents, kids and teachers get ready for Kindergarten. She also presents at Book Publishing Conferences with her sessions on Book Publishing 101 & Book Marketing 101. Stacey also presents Empowering Mom 101 and Mom-entrepreneurship to mom groups, playgroups, MOPS and book clubs.

Stacey is a successful blogger and many of her blog posts have lead to television segments. An October blog post entitled: Tips on Getting Kids Ready for Kindergarten lead to a national segment on Better TV/Parents TV. Another October blog post on Let’s Get Ready For Parent Teacher Conferences lead to a Milwaukee’s Morning Blend and Fox 6 News television segments. A November blog post entitled, Let’s Get Ready For Cold and Flu Season: Tips to Motivate Your Kids to Wash Those Hands, was quoted in an AP story and lead to a television segment on Milwaukee’s Morning Blend that was later syndicated and picked up by the Meredith’s National Television show, Better TV/Parents TV. Stacey’s blog success was highlighted in a Milwaukee Journal Story in January.

Stacey is a Principal in Mom Central Consulting were she helps brands reach mom through a viral grassroots approach. Some of her clients include: PBS’s Word World, Frooze, Cranium Bloom, Mamasource, Cozi, Airborne, Kellogg’s, General Mills, East Side Entrees Breakfast Breaks, Scholastic Bob Books, Imbee and Mattel Barbie, We Believe in Girls.

Stacey is wife to Michael and Mom to Heidi, 8 and Megan, 6. More about Stacey here.

James Janega: James is the manager for Trib Nation - the blog for the Chicago Tribune. Good stuff! James in a talented journalist and an amazing individual. James Janega is a staff reporter in the Chicagoland section of the Chicago Tribune. He has reported from the Gulf Coast, the Midwest and the Middle East. He lives with his family in Chicago.

Follow him on twitter here.

Friday on Kitchen Chat: Authors Deb Kalmbach and Kristin Andress!

2010-06-16T10:24:00.000-07:00

I love that here on Kitchen Chat I am privileged to interview such a diverse group of people. Friday I have two authors who both write non-fiction, but on very different topics. The first half hour will feature author Deb Kalmbach who writes about living with an alcoholic spouse. We'll hear her touching story and how she found the grace to love her husband through his illness and how her husband was able to stop drinking. Neat story. The second half hour will feature Kristin Andress. Kristin is an amazing women with a super successful business (she lists Graham Stedman as one of her clients) and hear all about her new book, Imagine Being: In a Life You Love. Don't miss these terrific ladies, Friday at 11:00am.

About Deb: Deb is the author of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So-Perfect Marriage (co-authored with Heather Kopp) and the author of a book for children, Corey’s Dad Drinks Too Much. She has been a contributor to many books, including The New Women’s Devotional Bible and Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace. She has written for Focus on the Family, Christian Parenting Today, and many other publications.

Deb married Randy Kalmbach at 19. They thought all they needed was love—and the possessions they could fit in their metallic blue VW bug! What they didn’t realize was how much it would take to live with adversity, disappointment and heartache. They never imagined their journey taking them into the depths of addiction with Randy battling alcoholism for almost 30 years before he experienced the miracle of sobriety.

Deb isn’t just theorizing when she gives hope and practical solutions to those who struggle with difficult relationships. Her own brokenness has given her great compassion and insight for others who are hurting. With her vibrant and engaging manner, she speaks profoundly about God’s faithfulness and how to embrace a God-honoring life in the midst of almost unbearable circumstances. Deb and Randy are grateful beyond words for their almost 40 years of “not-so-perfect” marriage. (They celebrate their 40th anniversary next month!) For more about Deb, please visit her website: www.debkalmbach.com

They make their home in rural Washington state with their two lively Jack Russell Terriers, Kramer and Kosmo (yep - they even have their own blog!). Their grown sons, Chris and Jeremy, and a daughter-in-law, Jen, live on the Seattle side of the North Cascades Mountains.

About Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So-Perfect Marriage: A recent study indicates that Christian marriages don't fail as often as secular marriages -- they fail more! Debbie Kalmbach, the wife of a recovering alcoholic, understands the longing to leave but offers Christian wives solid reasons to stay in a difficult marriage. This is not a "how to save your marriage" but more a guidebook for wives on how to save their ability to love, to honor their commitment to their husbands, and to maintain their faith in God while in marriages that may never live up to their dreams. Debbie tackles tough questions such as "Why won't he go to counseling?" "Can I change him?" and "What do I do when I don't feel in love anymore?" with a warm, compassionate approach sure to encourage and inspire every struggling wife.

Purchase a copy of Because I Said Forever here.

Check out the DELISH recipe Deb provided here! Chocolate Revel Bars.

About Kristin: A bit about Kristin Andress: Kristin is the CEO of Andress Consulting, based in Solana Beach, California. Andress Consulting has been in business since 2002 and brings to clients the value proposition of exploring their ideas, passions, or visions—and exploding them to the possibilities. Kristin consults with authors, businesses, and entrepreneurs to create business, marketing, and promotional strategies; and craft key messages and the collateral to describe and position the person, product, or service offerings. She specializes in getting into the fabric of her clients’ lives, work, or businesses, and simplifies what is seemingly complex. In doing so, her clients become laser-focused and clear, which leads to creating the connections with complementary businesses, media, and distribution avenues required to generate scale.

Prior to launching Andress Consulting, Kristin enjoyed a ten-year career with Arthur Andersen, serving as Director of Tax and Legal–Performance and Learning. She led global operations of a fifty-two person team in the United States and had coordination oversight of twenty-five people in Cambridge, England, and Asia/Pacific, with responsibility for a multi-million dollar budget.

Kristin holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Communication/Human Relations from Western Illinois University and a master’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Kristin enjoyed growing up in the small town of Pittsfield, Illinois, and regularly returns to visit family. Short stays are coupled with the niggling need to rub in her return to the ocean air and golf courses of Solana Beach, California, where she resides. Kristin can be reached at Kristin@ImagineBeing.com.

For more info, please visit the Imagine Being website: www.imaginebeing.com

About Imagine Being: So, how is life going for you? Is it going in the direction you imagined it would? Are your dreams in motion or have they left you feeling incomplete? Have you reached the point where you are taking inventory of what you have and have not achieved? Do you imagine being more content or happier with your life? If so, this is the book for you! Top business consultant Kristin Andress and internationally recognized executive coach Jaqui Jeanes-Lowry have compiled the proven principles for creating and living a life you love. In Imagine Being, they explain how to strengthen the areas within you that give power to your dreams, and show you how to harness that power to design a future of your choice. What will make you happy? Sometimes all we need is a little help in understanding that we are the creators of our catalysts . . . as well as our chaos. What if you had access to the tools for identifying the opportunities available to you and the skills necessary for mastering the setbacks? Well now you do! Imagine Being offers all you need to start fulfilling your intentions and navigating through life's ups and downs to create the life you imagine. You'll find guidance for:

* Defining who you are and where you want to be
* Living a life with purpose and on purpose
* Developing an unshakable belief system
* Using your personal power to achieve goals
* Creating a life by design rather than by chance
* Being a light and contribution in the lives of others

So, are you ready to imagine being?

Buy a copy of Kristin's SUPER helpful book, Imagine Being!

And don't miss Kristin's recipe: Poor Man's Lobster

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Kathleen Schmidt

2010-06-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Better known as @bookgirl96 - I'm an avid follower of Kathleen's funny quips, odd news bits and publishing advice and you should be too. Join us on Kitchen Chat, Friday at 11:00 am central, for the inside sccop on the publishing, publicity and Kathleen's story.

Kathleen Schmidt has worked in publishing for 15 years and joined Shreve Williams Public Relations as the director of publicity and digital media in 2010. She started her career in publicity at Carol Publishing in 1995 and in 1998 joined Penguin Group (USA), where she worked until 2006. As director of publicity for Dutton and Gotham Books she managed publicity campaigns for such authors as Eric Jerome Dickey, John Jakes, John Lescroart, and Diane Johnson.

In 2006 Schmidt joined Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster as vice president, director of publicity. During her tenure there she oversaw the publicity campaigns for bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner and the international bestseller, The Secret. She also helped launch the careers of Diane Setterfield, whose novel The Thirteenth Tale was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, and Kate Morton, whose novels The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden were both New York Times bestsellers. In 2009 Kathleen had the honor of working on The Time of My Life, a memoir by the late Patrick Swayze and his wife Lisa Niemi.

Kathleen is a graduate of Rutgers University-Newark, and lives in Northern New Jersey.

Follow her on twitter: http://twitter.com/Bookgirl96

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Friday on Kitchen Chat: Stephen Bruce

2010-06-03T08:11:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited for Friday's guest. I had the extreme honor of interviewing Mr. Bruce in person last year. What a delight! You won't want to miss Kitchen Chat this week! Be sure to call in with your questions 1-877-864-4869. Or leave them them HERE!

About Stephen: Stephen Bruce, owner/founder of Serendipity 3 restaurant/general store. Serendipity 3 has been providing a sweet escape to a loyal following of New Yorkers and celebrities for almost 56 years. Known for their famous, oxymoronic drink, Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, Serendipity and Stephen Bruce continue to entice generation after generation. He studied at the New York School of Interior Design but met his future business partners in dance class. For over five decades Serendipity 3 has been a factory and showroom for his fashion designs, pieces of which are part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute collection. Fifty-three years after starting Serendipity, Bruce is still a welcoming presence in the restaurant each day.

Wow - look at this amazing menu! http://www.serendipity3.com/food.htm

And he'll be sharing a wonderful recipe with us - stay tuned!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Lis Wiehl

2010-05-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

We're thrilled to have Lis Wiehl on the show this week - just a fascinating woman! Be sure to call in with your questions 1-877-864-4869. Or leave them them HERE!

Lis will be chatting about her latest book, Hand of Fate.

Hand of Fate is a Triple Threat Novel - and follows on the super successful heals of Face of Betrayal. When the host of a popular radio talk show is murdered, the suspects almost outnumber his millions of listeners.

Outspoken radio talk show host Jim Fate dies tragically when poisonous gas fills the studio while his polarizing show, “The Hand of Fate,” is on air.

In the ensuing panic, police evacuate downtown Portland--and the triple threat of FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges, crime reporter Cassidy Shaw and Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce begin piecing together the madness, motive, and the mystery of what just happened. And this time it’s personal since one of the women was secretly dating the host and has access to his home...as well as possible evidence.

In the days following Fate’s murder, these three colleagues and friends must confront a betrayal within the team while unearthing the not-so-public life of Jim Fate. Together, they must uncover the stunning truth of who killed him, how close the killer really is, and the twisted motive for this cold-blooded murder.

About Lis:

Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers and highly regarded commentators. Currently, hafshe is the legal analyst and reporter on the Fox News Channel and Bill O’Reilly’s sparring partner in the weekly “Is It Legal?” segment on The O’Reilly Factor. Prior to that she was O’Reilly’s co-host on the nationally syndicated show The Radio Factor. She is also a Professor of Law at New York Law School. Her column “Lis on Law” appears weekly on FoxNews.com.

Prior to joining Fox News Channel in New York City, Wiehl served as a legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR’s All Things Considered. Before that, Wiehl served as a Federal Prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s office.

Wiehl earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and her Master of Arts in Literature from the University of Queensland.

Wiehl is also the author of The 51% Minority, which won the 2008 award for Books for a Better Life in the motivational category, and Winning Every Time.

She lives with her husband, CBS CBS Early Show analyst, Mickey Sherman, and two children in New York. For more about Lis, please visit her website at http://www.liswiehlbooks.com/.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

It's American Idol Week on Kitchen Chat!!!

2010-05-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to interviewing American Idols this week on Kitchen Chat! Be sure to tune in tomorrow at 11:00 am Central for all the inside scoop and to find out what the pat Idols are up to now!

Our first guest will be Carole MacIntyre!

Carole MacIntyre, mother of Season 8 Idol, Scott McIntyre, was born in Colorado and grew up in Redondo Beach, California. She was raised in an airline family and from an early age loved to travel. She has also lived in Toronto, Canada and now resides in Scottsdale Arizona. A graduate of Biola University in Southern California, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, minor in Bible, she also attended California State University Long Beach for a minor in Computer Science and Community College in Southern California. She was an exchange student in Japan, and later spent 6 months with the Christian organization Youth with a Mission in Hawaii. She has been married to her dear husband for 28 years. (Both she and her husband were contestants on Family Feud before they were married which, when they both found out about this coincidence, is what sealed the deal and they decided they should definitely get married!).

Carole has three children, (two are special-needs/ blind), all of whom she home educated in the US and Canada for 19 years from Kindergarten through High School. Both her two eldest sons graduated from University Summa cum Laude at 19 years old with Bachelor’s degrees; the eldest son in Piano Performance, and her second son in Musical Theatre and Economics. Recently her youngest 18 yr old daughter moved to Southern California, and attends Biola University on scholarship in Vocal Performance, while her 21 yr old son Todd relocated to Japan and is working as a lead singer/actor for Tokyo Disney. Her eldest, Scott received his masters degree from the Royal College of Music in London England, as a Marshall Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar for the UK, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and USA Today All Academic First team 2005. Carole enjoys lecturing and performing for organizations in the US and Canada including Home-School organizations, the Mayo Clinic, Braille Institute of Los Angeles, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, The Ontario Provincial Ministry of Education, colleges, churches, and charities. She and her husband and daughter have testified in front of the Arizona House and Senate Education Committees with regards to Homeschooling Disabled Children.

Carole recently assisted her son Scott as sighted guide throughout his year and a half long American Idol journey, living in a BelAire mansion and out of a suitcase for over 6 months - even sleeping on the guys tour bus as they travelled through 52 cities on tour. She has been interviewed on the “Today” show in NYC and danced on the American Idol Stage for the Tour Finale. Additionally, she has traveled as alto in the US, Canada and Japan with the "MacIntyre Family Singers" with performance highlights being ticketed concerts at the Kennedy Center in Wash. DC and Tokyo Billboard Live! in Japan. She is a licensed Realtor in the state of Arizona and works in promotion and management with Scott’s music Career and the release of his new album "Heartstrings" announced on American Idol. Carole’s heart is to share her wealth of practical knowledge and encourage parents in their progression of raising their children.
www.twitter.com/idolmom.

Tune in for Jessica Sierra during the second half of our show:
Known for her jaw-dropping performances on the TV phenomenon _American Idol _(FOX), singer/songwriter Jessica Sierra tenacity. After departing _Idol_, Sierra was riddled with constant media attention and controversy. Nearly swallowed up by the severe public scrutiny that followed, it was Sierra's heartfelt passion for music and undeniable strength that enabled her to find her true voice. With the upcoming release of her new single, "Enough," Sierra will once again share her incredible talents with fans and critics alike. Drawing upon the many ups and downs Sierra has experienced in her life, the single stands as an emotional declaration of power and resilience, and paves the way for her highly-anticipated album (Summer 2010).

Since the age of three, Tampa, FL native Jessica Sierra has had an undeniable talent and passion for singing. She began to realize her dreams at only 17 years-old, stunning the audience of CBS' _Star Search_ with her vocal range. Re-emerging three years later, Sierra became one of the stars on Season 4 of _American Idol_. Described by judge Simon Cowell as one of the strongest female vocalists in the competition, she finished in the Top Ten. Following the show, Sierra sang on the 44-city, sold-out arena tour with fellow _American Idol_ contestants, including Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis and Carrie Underwood. Singing all over the world in unique places such as Kazakhstan, Sierra has had many memorable moments including performing for the U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Her popular single, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," is featured on the certified-Gold-album, "The American Idol Showstoppers."

After run-ins with the law, the media quickly targeted Sierra as the "bad girl," of Hollywood. Realizing that millions of fans looked to her as a role model, Sierra knew she had to take action. In 2008, Sierra joined Dr. Drew Pinsky for VH-1's _Celebrity Rehab_, where she underwent the grueling healing process with other troubled celebs. With the help of Dr. Drew, Sierra made a full recovery and triumphantly returned to her music. After her treatment, she released her "Deepest Secrets" EP featuring the hit single, "Unbroken."

With two years of sobriety under her belt and the birth of her first child, Kayden, in December of 2009, Jessica Sierra is a new woman. Volunteering at the Santa Anita Family Services Center in Monrovia, CA, Sierra works as a mentor for children motivating them to stay away from the path she once traveled. Currently living in Los Angeles, Sierra continues to embody the spirit of a courageous winner, soaring above her mistakes to new heights of success.

AND Carole has shared a yummy recipe for Dolmates with us. I'm making my shopping list right now! Check it out {HERE}.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

This week on Kitchen Chat: Jill Hart and Mary Byers

2010-05-12T07:59:00.001-07:00

I'm excited to introduce you to our guests this week: The Work at Home Gals! Both Jill Hart and Mary Byers have successfully navigated the Work At Home waters. We'll be talking about business strategies, what worked for them, what didn't work and of course FOOD! Busy moms on the go are desperate to find recipes for good food, fast! So don't miss the show on Friday, May 14th.

About The Work at Home Gals: Most Businesses Fail Within the First Five Years

Here’s a simple secret that can make YOURS a success!

For your business to succeed you need to find a specific need and fill it. Successful business owners are very focused and many (if not all) have a mentor they can turn to with questions and challenges.

If you work from home—or want to—the Work at Home Girls can be your mentors. Together, Jill Hart and Mary Byers have over 20 years combined experience running a business from home. One is a techie (Jill, founder of Christian Work at Home Moms and author of So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom) and the other is a wordsmith (Mary, freelance editor and author of five books, including Making Work at Home Work). They’ve teamed up to share what they wish mentors had shared with them when they started their businesses over a decade ago. Check out the 'Gals' webinars at the website.

About Jill Hart: Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, and co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-At-Home Mom. Jill is the co-host of the live internet radio show, “The CWAHM Network,” and the publisher of RadiantLit.com.

Jill has published many articles on sites like DrLaura.com and MomLogic.com. She is a contributing author in Laundry Tales, The Business Mom Guide Book, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and Faith Deployed.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies. She resides in Nebraska with her husband and their two children. For more about Jill visit her website: www.cwahm.com

About Mary Byers: Mary M. Byers successfully juggles both a freelance writing and speaking business and her responsibilities as a wife and mother of two school-aged children.

She is the author of Making Work at Home Work, The Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for Your Family and How to Say No . . . And Live to Tell about It.

She is also a columnist for two professional trade journals and edits two others. Byers lives in Chatham, Illinois. Learn more about Mary at her website: www.marybyers.com

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Guest Blogger ... Beth Pattillo

2010-05-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

4 Things I Learned from Jane Seymour or My Night of Glamour

at the Morgan Library and Museum

On February 8, I had the chance to experience every author’s dream. My publisher, Guideposts Books, hosted a fabulous launch party in New York City for my newest book, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart. The evening event – a cocktail reception and reading – surpassed all my wildest expectations. (Watch a video montage of the event here: http://bit.ly/cqO8s0.)

When Carl Raymond, the marketing director, told me the guest of honor for the night would be Jane Seymour, I did my best not to faint. I do confess that I cried a little. Can you think of a more iconic figure when it comes to romance than Ms. Seymour?

Now, I live in Nashville, and I routinely see famous people at Starbucks, the grocery store, soccer games, etc. But this was my first up-close-and-personal moment with a genuine star. I decided before the evening even started that I was going to watch and learn from Jane Seymour. She has been an actress, artist, and mother (among other things) over a long span of time. I wanted to know the secret to her continued success. What I observed is good advice for writers but also for anyone who wants to present themselves in a positive light.

So here’s what I learned from my evening observing Jane Seymour:

Be gracious. Jane Seymour engaged everyone who was introduced to her. She paid attention to them. She smiled. She was patient with their questions and especially with me, in my moment of fangirl delirium, when I told her that one of the best moments of my life was having the huge movie theatre to myself during a screening of “Somewhere in Time.”

Be prepared. Ms. Seymour knew she would be asked a lot of Jane Austen-related questions, since she was helping to promote my book. She had ready answers for interviewers and party-goers who wanted to know when she first read Jane Austen (“at school”) and what she had in common with the great author (they were both one-time residents of Bath). Her reading of the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice left everyone wanting more.

Be polished. I expected that Jane Seymour would look like a million bucks, and I wasn’t wrong. I was especially impressed by her off-white dress with a short-sleeved jacket. I assumed it was a designer outfit until I was back in Nashville, shopping at Macy’s, and saw it on the rack there. It was a moderately priced dress from Jones New York, one of my favorite brands. So that’s proof that looking polished doesn’t have to have an extravagant price tag!

Be yourself. Ms. Seymour was at her most charming when she was showing us photos of her paintings on her iPod Touch. Like most artists (and writers!), she was both proud of her work and a little vulnerable when it came to others’ response to it. One of the things I most admire her is that she pursues the things she loves with lots of energy. Like most of us, she juggles a lot of roles.

So I’m back home now, trying to be gracious, prepared, polished, and myself with sometimes mixed results. But an amazing event like this book launch was not only a celebration – it was a great learning experience. I hope I have the opportunity for more!

________________________________________

Beth Pattillo currently resides in Nashville, Tenn., with her husband and two children. Her passion for all-things Jane Austen began when she studied abroad for a semester at the University of London, Westfield College. She has made regular trips across the pond for the past 20 years, the most recent of which took her on a pilgrimage through Hampshire, where she visited many of the sites featured in her popular book, Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Pattillo is also the author of The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society (WaterBrook Press, 2008), Earth to Betsy (WaterBrook, 2006) and Heavens to Betsy (WaterBrook, 2005), for which she was awarded the RWA RITA (Romance Writer’s Association) award for Best Inspirational Romance.

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Dallas Woodburn

2010-05-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for you to meet our guest tomorrow! At the ripe old age of 22 she has dedicated her life to making a difference in the lives of others! She is so inspiring. She has created an orgainization called Write On Books which is dedicated to encouraging kids to discover joy, confidence, and a means of self-expression and connection to others through reading and writing endeavors.

Dallas is a 2009 summa cum laude graduate of the University of Southern California with a B.A. in Creative Writing and a minor in Entrepreneurship. She published her first book, There's a Huge Pimple On My Nose, when she was ten years old, and has been hooked on writing ever since. She is the author of a second story collection, 3 a.m., and has signed with a New York literary agent to represent her first novel manuscript.

Dallas Woodburn, 22, is the author of two award-winning collections of short stories and a forthcoming novel. Her short fiction has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in numerous literary journals including Monkeybicycle, The Newport Review, and flashquake. She has also written articles and essays for Family Circle, Writer's Digest, Motherwords, The Los Angeles Times, and eight Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Dallas is the founder of Write On! For Literacy, an organization that encourages kids to discover confidence, joy, self-expression and connection to others through reading and writing. She teaches writing workshops, holds essay contests, and organizes an annual Holiday Book Drive that has donated more than 11,000 new books to underprivileged youth. Her latest endeavor is starting a publishing company, Write On! Books, that publishes anthologies of short stories, essays, and poetry written entirely by young writers. The first anthology, Dancing With The Pen, features more than sixty young writers from all across the U.S. and is scheduled to be released this summer. Learn more at www.writeonbooks.org and http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com/

Dallas has shared this scumptuous cookie recipe with us!

Magic Cookie Bars

1 stick melted butter
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 cup chocolate chips
1 and 1/3 cup coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 9x13 inch pan, pour the melted butter to cover the bottom. Crush graham crackers in a plastic baggie, then pour into the pan in a thin, even layer. Add a layer of chocolate chips, a layer of pecans, and then a layer of coconut. Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk evenly onto the coconut. Bake for 25 minutes. When cool, cut into bars.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Guest Blogger ... Bonnie St. John

2010-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here in my cabin in the Catskills mulling over the the kinds of questions I am asked as I travel around the country. There are several that keep coming up, but the one I get most often goes like this: "I'm interested in writing a book and speaking. Can you give me some advice?"

This question keeps coming up from a variety of people I know - senior executives, business owners, government officials, non-profit executives, college professionals, and even a major magazine editor! Just in the last two weeks, I've been approached by senior leaders in pharma, finance, government, and insurance. They all want me to help them crack the code for doing what I do - either as a new career or just to enhance their current stature. I always want to answer this question, but I know it takes more than a brief discussion at a cocktail party or even an hour long meeting. If you're serious about this, you need to know how to position your message, how to get an agent, how to write an effective book proposal, develop a marketing plan etc. All the stuff I wish I had known when I got started!

So for the last two summers, I have gathered a small group of my friends and actually sat down with them to go through all this in practical ways that have been really helpful for them. While I do one-to-one coaching on this, the group dynamic (with a few talented people) actually spurs individual creativity. As I sit here, gazing out over the lush springtime blossoms on the mountains, it occurred to me that this would be a great place to come together for this kind of discussion. So, I was wondering if you wanted to join me up here this summer to swing on the porch, walk in the woods, and sit by a campfire while we delve into the lessons I've learned in my 15+ years of doing this. If you do, just email me to let me know--I'll get in touch with you so we can make a plan. Even if you don't think a trip to the Catskills will work into your summer schedule, I might be able to link you in virtually so you don't miss the discussion. Let's talk!

The book I'm currently writing with Darcy is coming along even better than we ever imagined. Since I last sent you an update, we've met with Hillary Clinton, fashion designer Eileen Fisher, Deloitte Chairman Sharon Allen, and Condoleezza Rice. The insights we've gotten into their lives have taught us life-changing lessons about becoming a leader, dealing with high-profile
pressure, and the importance of having women in leadership roles. We grow and enjoy life so much through writing--it's why I want my friends to be able to do it, too! Last week, for example, we got to hang out with EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson backstage in the green room as she was about to appear on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for Earth Day. Lisa is a
fascinating person to talk to and Jon Stewart, who burst in on us, was hysterically funny even off camera (big surprise!).

By the way, in April I also got to go to the White House with the Vancouver Olympians and Paralympians--I hugged the President and Michelle as well as Joe and Jill Biden. Life sure is amazing sometimes!

Don't forget to email me (bonnie AT bonniestjohn DOT com) if you want to find out more about joining me this summer (literally or virtually) to talk books and speaking. I need to get an idea of the dates that work for you and what you most want to know. I have to keep the group very small so that I can give personalized support and advice, so please let me know as soon as you can if you want to be included.

Cheers,

Bonnie

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Nancy Woodruff

2010-04-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Join me on Friday as I chat with my friend and fabulous author, Nancy Woodruff. Nancy's book, My Wife's Affair, has just been released by Amy Einhorn, a division of Penguin Group, USA.

About My Wife's Affair:
A smart, sexy novel about a woman's search for her former self on the London stage Georgie and Peter, very much in love, move to London with their three children. Once there, Georgie's dormant acting career takes off and she wins the role of Dora Jordan in a one-woman show. Dora Jordan was the most famous comic actress of the eighteenth century (she had thirteen illegitimate children, including ten by the future king of England). As Georgie rehearses for her part, she becomes increasingly drawn to Dora Jordan, who she sees as a working mother with struggles exactly like her own. And when Georgie can no longer fight her attraction to the playwright, she begins an affair with tragic results. Narrated by Peter, a failed-writer-turned-businessman, My Wife's Affair is about infidelity, passion, duty, and about finally getting what you want and then wanting still more.

About Nancy:

Nancy Woodruff received her MFA from Columbia University where she won the Henfield/Transatlantic Review Award. She taught writing at Columbia and SUNY Purchase before moving in 1997 to London, where she taught for eight years at Richmond, the American International University. In addition to My Wife's Affair, she is also the author of Someone Else's Child. She currently teaches at New York University and lives in Brooklyn with her husband, sons, and daughter. For more info, please visit Nancy's website: http://www.nancywoodruff.com/

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Tricia Goyer

2010-04-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow on Kitchen Chat to hear from my friend and amazing do-it-all girl, Tricia Goyer! Tricia has written over 24 books (both fiction and non-fiction), mentors writers and teen girls (she helped start a crisis pregnancy center in her community!), is a homeschool mom, and just adopted a baby girl! Wow. We should have plenty to talk about Thursday!

About Tricia Goyer:Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-four books including Songbird Under a German t.goyerMoon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information, please visit www.triciagoyer.com!

About her most recent release:

Life, In Spite of Me
Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice
Written by Kristen Jane Anderson
As told to Tricia Goyer

She wanted to die. God had other plans.

Why does my life have to be so painful?
What’s wrong with me?
It’s not going to get better.
It could all be over soon, and then I won’t hurt anymore.

Kristen Anderson thought she had the picture-perfect life until strokes of gray dimmed her outlook: three friends and her grandmother died within two years. Still reeling from these losses, she was raped by a friend she thought she could trust. She soon spiraled into a seemingly bottomless depression.

Life, In Spite of MeOne January night, the seventeen-year-old decided she no longer wanted to deal with the emotional pain that smothered her. She lay down on a set of cold railroad tracks and waited for a freight train to send her to heaven…and peace.

But Kristen's story doesn’t end there.

In Life, In Spite of Me this remarkably joyful young woman shares the miracle of her survival, the agonizing aftermath of her failed suicide attempt, and the hope that has completely transformed her life, giving her a powerful purpose for living.

Her gripping story of finding joy against all odds provides a vivid and unforgettable reminder that life is a gift to be treasured.

Includes notes of encouragement Kristen wishes she had received when she was struggling most.Read an excerpt and watch the video trailer here!

“Life, In Spite of Me is a remarkable story of life beyond despair and hope that triumphs over tragedy.”
—Louie Giglio, pastor, Passion City Church/The Passion Movement

“Suicide is a liar and a thief. It promises peace to those who are escaping but delivers unimaginable pain and rejection to those left behind. Kristen Jane Anderson’s riveting story unmasks the thief and gives hope a face.”
—Dr. Dennis Rainey, president, FamilyLife Ministries

“When I first met Kristen, I was overwhelmed with her smile, and then I saw her wheelchair. It was a defining moment for me. I had not heard her story or why she’d ended up at Moody. But it was her smile—and it is still her smile—that dismantles me. Kristen has something. It is something otherworldly. She had every reason to die, but now she has every reason to live. I hope you’ll read her story, see her smile, and know why she lives.”
—Michael Easley, former president, Moody Bible Institute

Tricia also shared a wonderful Taco Soup Recipe on Kitchen Chat, so click HERE to get it!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Allison Bottke

2010-04-15T06:26:00.000-07:00

Join us on Friday as we chat with the amazing Allison Bottke on everything from setting boudaries with the people in your life to weightloss. Allsion lost over a 120 pounds and has KEPT it off. Wow.

Have a questions for Allison? Leave it here or call into the show: 1-877-864-4869

About Allison: Allison Bottke is a bestselling inspirational author and speaker. Her international outreach includes over 24 published non-fiction and fiction books, including the acclaimed God Allows U-Turns compilation book series. Allison’s story is one of triumph over tragedy on many levels, and she unashamedly shares her testimony of a changed life…a life highlighted over the years by Guideposts Magazine, The 700 Club, Praise the Lord, and CBN.com. Her non-fiction book, Setting Boundaries with your Adult Children, is being heralded as a landmark resource for parents and grandparents. Since releasing, it has hit the #1 spot several times on Amazon.com in the Parenting category. Setting Boundaries with Your Aging Parents just released last week on April 5. You can visit her on www.AllisonBottke.com or www.SettingBoundaries.com

About Allison's latest release: Setting Boundaries with Your Aging Parents

This important book from the author of Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children (more than 40,000 sold) will help adult children who long for a better relationship with their parents but feel trapped in a never-ending cycle of chaos, crisis, or drama.

With keen insight and a passion to empower adult children, Allison charts a trustworthy roadmap through the often unfamiliar territory of setting boundaries with parents while maintaining personal balance and avoiding burnout. Through the use of professional advice, true stories, and scriptural truth, readers learn how to apply the “6 Steps to SANITY”:

S-STOP your own negative behavior
A-ASSEMBLE a support group
N-NIP excuses in the bud
I-IMPLEMENT rules and boundaries
T-TRUST your instincts
Y-YIELD everything to God

Win a copy of Allison's Setting Boundaries with your Aging Parents! Leave a comment here along with your email.

Want a yummy Sugar-Free Cheesecake recipe? Find Allison's HERE!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Mary DeMuth

2010-04-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Join me tomorrow as I interview author and fellow Pearl Girl, Mary DeMuth! She'll be answering your questions on Kitchen Chat. Call in 1-877-864-4869 or send your questions via twitter!

Mary is a GREAT writer with a passion for helping others both heal from their past hurts and achieve their dreams. Mary will be sharing with us about her latest release, Thin Places. She is giving a copy away so go HERE and leave a comment/question for Mary to be entered to win it.

Her past books include Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, Watching the Tree Limbs, Wishing on Dandelions, Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture and the first two books in the Defiance Texas Trilogy: Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn.

Mary lives with her husband Patrick and their three children in Texas. Find out more at www.marydemuth.com.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Agent Jenny Bent

2010-04-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this week's Kitchen Chat guest, Jenny Bent. Jenny has some fascinating insight into the publishing industry as well as some great stories of her own. So pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee, and join us for a chat!
About Jenny: In a career spanning 15 years, I have made a practice of making bestsellers - either by spotting new talent or developing careers for multi-published authors. My list is varied and includes commercial fiction and nonfiction, literary fiction and memoir. All the books I represent speak to the heart in some way: they are linked by genuine emotion, inspiration and great writing and story-telling.

I was born in New York City but grew up in Harrisonburg Virginia in a house full of books where I spent many lazy afternoons reading in a sunny window seat. I went on to England to get a BA/MA with first class honors from Cambridge University. After graduation I worked in magazines, bookselling and agenting, most recently at Trident Media Group, before founding THE BENT AGENCY in 2009. I now live in Brooklyn in an apartment full of books and while there are not quite so many lazy reading afternoons, I manage to fit one in now and then.
One of Jenny's clients, Beth Patillo was on the show a few weeks ago. Check out her podcast here!

Kitchen Chat: Chatting with Author Beth Pattillo 02-12-2010

Have a question for Jenny? Leave it here on the segment post or call in 1-877-864-4869!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Have an Authentic Voice

2010-03-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Last week I interviewed Carl Raymond on Kitchen Chat. Carl is the Director of Marketing for Guideposts Books and an excellent chef who is graciously guiding me around some of my culinary challenges for my work-in-process novel. On the show, Carl shared an essential ingredient for any bestseller: Have an authentic voice.

That is so true, isn’t it? As readers, we can always tell if the author of a fiction or non-fiction book has a passion and connection with what he/she is writing. It’s an intangible quality that cannot be processed --- like a scrumptious strawberry on a hot summer day. The story that grips our heart or the page turning plot of a book---those are the ingredients that entice us to stay up until three in the morning with imaginary characters that seem so real. What are you reading that is keeping you up late at night?

Also, for more advice for writers and great cooking tips for chefs, download Carl Raymond’s podcast free from Kitchen Chat.
Kitchen Chat with Carl Raymond 03-19-2010

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Dallas Jenkins!

2010-03-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Join me on Friday as I chat with the ever fascinating Dallas Jenkins from Jenkins Entertainment!
Jenkins Entertainment was formed by Jerry B. Jenkins and his son Dallas in February of 2000. Within a year, they had completed shooting on their first feature, the $2 million independent film, Hometown Legend. After a limited theatrical run, the film was distributed to VHS/DVD by Warner Brothers in August of 2002 and has thus far sold over 300,000 units. After a brief run on Country Music Television, it recently aired as the Sunday Night Feature on ABC Family and is being distributed all over the world. It was named by Movieguide as one of the Top Ten Family Films of 2002.

In 2004 and 2005, Jenkins Entertainment completed two short films: Cliché (in which every line, scene, and character is a movie cliché), and Midnight Clear (based on Jerry’s short story), both of which Jerry executive produced and Dallas directed. In 2007 they produced, and Dallas directed, the feature film Midnight Clear, based on the short. It won several festival awards and was released by Lionsgate in December 2007. They recently completed their latest feature, What If…, scheduled to be released in fall 2010.

ABOUT DALLAS JENKINS

Dallas Jenkins produced the independent feature Hometown Legend at the age of 25 and supervised every aspect of the production, from completion of the script to distribution by Warner Brothers. Dallas made his directing debut with the short film Cliché, which FilmThreat.com called “Fast and funny...ingenious,” and his next short film, Midnight Clear, starring Stephen Baldwin, won a Crystal Heart Award from the Heartland Film Festival and was the opening night selection of the San Diego Film Festival. He is the co-executive producer of Though None Go With Me, a Hallmark Channel feature that aired in April 2006. In 2007 he directed and produced Midnight Clear, based on the short, which won awards in festivals all over the country, including the Cinequest Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize for “Best First Feature,” and the “Audience Favorite” award at the Kansas Int’l Film Festival,. It was released by Lionsgate in December 2007. He recently completed directing his latest feature What If…, scheduled for release in fall of 2010.
Dallas shares his foolproof steak recipe with us! YUM!
Don't miss it!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

TOMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Carl Raymond

2010-03-18T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled about this week's guest - Carl is an amazing man who wears many hats. In some circles he's known Carlas Chef Carl and in other circles he's best known for his publishing expertize with Guideposts as the director of Marketing.

Carl's culinary passions began years ago combining his New England roots with interests in world cuisine. After spending a year living and studying in France, he returned to the United States and continued his studies in language and culture. He has studied at the French Culinary Institute and holds a diploma with highest honors in culinary arts from New York’s Institute of Culinary Education. Through extensive travel in Europe, notably France and Italy, Carl refined his passion and deepened his knowledge of regional cooking of southern France, Provence, Burgundy, Italy and Greece. He has studied Italian cuisine with such luminaries as Guiliano Bugialli, Anna Teresa Callen and Giulano Hazan. Additional studies have included coursework in food journalism with Alan Richman and food styling with Delores Custer. One of Carl's passions is the cuisine of India and he has taken class with Suvir Saran and has studied privately with Julie Sahni.

Carl has spent the major part of his career in the world of food media including both publishing and television. As former Publishing Director for adult readers at DK Publishing/Penguin he created a US based food and wine publishing program acquiring and launching such titles are MORIMOTO: THE NEW ART OF JAPANESE COOKING which was nominated for the prestigious James Beard and IACP awards. In addition, he published such acclaimed titles as THE ETHNIC PARIS COOKBOOK, IN THE KENNEDY KITCHEN, and SPAIN AND THE WORLD TABLE with the Culinary Institute of America among others. He has worked as a culinary researcher for After Five productions, producers of Emeril Lagasse television. In addition, he has worked as a recipe tester with the Food Network and has written and developed recipes for Rodale's PREVENTION magazine.

He lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side and continues to follow his culinary passions around the world. He is fluent in French and Italian and is currently at work on his own series of books. You can find out more by visiting his culinary blog.

Please call in with your questions during the show: 1-877-864-4869

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Tomorrow on Kitchen Chat: Susan May Warren!

2010-03-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Join me as I chat with the oh-so-talented author Susan May Warren. We'll hear some surprises from her past as well as some funny stuff from the present. Susan will also be sharing about her latest releases Sons of Thunder, book one in her Brothers in Arms collection and Double Trouble, book two in her PJ Sugar series.
Susan is not only a writer, but she mentors writer's too. She's joined forces with Rachel Hauck and Sarah Anne Sumpolec to create a story-crafting service, My Book Therapy. If you haven't been to one of My Book Therapy's reatreats - sign up TODAY! The next one is in Seattle for all you northwesterners. Also, be sure to sign up for the Voices eZine - so many useful articles and tips.

Have a question for Susan - call in to the show: 1-877-864-4869

Here is the official bio for Susan: Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com
Don't miss the contest Susan is running for Sons of Thunder - visit the SHARE page at the Brothers In Arms website and share a bit of your family history for your chance to win a Memory Prize Pack (a hardback photo memory book, a 6-month membership to Netflix, and more)!

Win a copy of Double Trouble and Sons of Thunder by leaving a comment on Susan's segment post here (along with your email address!)

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Need your help ... !

2010-03-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

for a new project! I'm putting together a proposal for my next project. (Details will be forthcoming!) The topic is loss/grief. If you would be willing to answer a few short questions please email Amy Lathrop amy@pearlgirls.info and she will send you a brief description and a few questions!

I would be so grateful if you would share your thoughts, experiences, input on this difficult topic.

Thank you.

TOMMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Julie Papievis

2010-03-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

Join me this week as I chat with my dear friend and co-author Julie Papievis! She'll be answering your questions on Kitchen Chat this Friday. Call in 1-877-864-4869 or send your questions via twitter! Also, leave a comment on Julie's segment post here to win a copy of Julie's book.

I co-wrote Julie's story, Go Back and Be Happy in 2008. Her story is AMAZING! In Julie Papievis' words: On May 10, 1993 my life was changed forever because someone ran a red light. Featured on Lifetime's "Beyond Chance", CNN, Woman's Day Magazine, and top ranked WB's WGN News, my story is gaining national attention. After a life-threatening car accident, I suffered a severe brain stem injury and medically died, rating a "3", the lowest number possible on the Glascow Coma Scale.

According to medical experts, 96% of the people with such a severe injury either die or remain permanently comatose. The few who survive typically face a non-functional life. I completely beat the odds even though I remained in a coma for over a month. Paralyzed and unconscious, I was transferred to the locked brain injury wing of a rehabilitation facility, where I awakened with vivid memories of my near death experience. During "death" I saw my grandmothers in heaven. They instructed me to "Go back and be happy" and assured me that my body would heal.

Although medical experts said I would never walk again, or be able to take care of myself, I didn't listen. I believed the words of my grandmothers. Through extensive therapy, I relearned how to stand, walk, and swallow. However, I faced the daunting challenge of facing the able-bodied world as a disabled person. After overcoming paralysis and battling severe depression, I embraced my gift of recovery as a true miracle. In 1999, I ran in a 5K race near Chicago on Mother's Day! In February 2007, I completed my first triathlon. I have become an advocate for other survivors looking for hope and guidance.

I hope my story of faith and determination offers an inspirational and practical approach to dealing with sudden changes in life. Like an oyster, I transformed the unexpected "grit" in my life into a precious pearl. Visit the Julie's website.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

TOMMORROW on Kitchen Chat: Author Suzanne Woods Fisher

2010-02-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

Join us on Friday as we chat with the author who has grown up around the Amish all her life. Her book The Choice was #8 on the CBA Best Seller List last week. Wow! The Choice is book one in a fresh fiction series and explores what happens when one young Amish woman must make the choice of a lifetime…

With a vibrant style and authentic understanding of the Amish way of life, author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman who is faced with a choice that will impact the rest of her life.

Curious about the Amish and their lifestyle? Call in with your questions 1-877-864-4869 on Friday between 11-12 am CST!

Suzanne Woods Fisher has straddled the world between the Amish and the English all her life: Many of her relatives are of a strict religious sect like the Amish, known as the Dunkard Brethren Church. Because of Fisher’s ties to the Amish, she has made every effort to keep her storytelling authentic, showcasing the Amish’s strong communities, their simple life-style and their willingness to put each other first. She is also the author of the nonfiction collection of stories about the Amish that came out in October, Amish Peace. Want more? Suzanne is in the process of launching her own radio show, Amish Wisdom. The debut show will be March 11th - mark your calendars!

About The Choice: In her fiction debut, The Choice, Fisher paints a moving picture of the decision Carrie must make as she comes of age: to follow the man she loves and leave the Amish community, or stay and marry another man. Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement—and secrets that have been held too long.

Official Blurb: Combined with Fisher's exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in the Lancaster County series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God—no matter what choices your past may hold.

One moment, Carrie Weaver is planning to elope with Lancaster Barnstormer Solomon Riehl, leaving their Amish community behind. The next, she is staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now Carrie faces a choice. An opportunity. But will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?

Sound intriguing?

Win a signed copy of The Choice! Just leave a comment at Kitchen Chat!

Oh, and I'm super excited about the recipe Suzanne is sharing with us! Whoopie!

WHOOPIE PIES

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

The Bookends of My Life

2010-02-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

Finance and literature are the two bookends of my life. I am a former New York City banker and a present day author. Recently I attended an event at The Morgan Library and Museum – “a must see” in Manhattan. Adjacent to the former residence of J.P. Morgan is the majestic Italian Renaissance palazzo with Pierpont Morgan’s library and personal office.

This historic place was where Pierpont ended the Panic of 1907. Behind closed doors in that office, Pierpont urged his fellow bankers to provide liquidity to the banking system. In the elaborate, three story library, Pierpont stored his priceless collection of manuscripts and Bibles. One of the few remaining Guttenberg Bibles is on display. How fitting that behind the collection of Bibles is a hidden staircase that leads to the different levels of the library. (A subtle life lesson that many hidden truths can be found if we just take a look at the Bible.)

The event I attended was a book launch party for Beth Pattillo, author of Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (Guideposts Books) was a lovely event. Jane Seymour read excerpts from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and Beth read from her new release. For those with inquiring minds, Yes. Jane Seymour is gracious and beautiful. She is a talented artist, too. I have one of her paintings. In addition, she has launched her Open Hearts jewelry line at Kay Jewelers.

Since this is also a blog about food, I of course must mention the scrumptious hors d’oeuvres menu that Carl Raymond, head of marketing for Guideposts Books and chef extraordinaire custom designed for the guests:

Parmesan Cheese Straws
Braised Beef Short Ribs Miniature Popover
Chicken and Pineapple Sate with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake with Remoulade Sauce
Parmesan Frico Wafer with Whipped Mascarpone Cheese and Carmelized Pears
Lobster Bouchees with Champagne Sauce
Lion of Lamb on Toast with Rosemary Mustard

I encourage you to get a copy of Beth Patillo’s new book, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart. This is the second in her Jane Austen series. The first book was Jane Austen Ruined My Life (Guideposts). Beth is an accomplished woman. Not only did she earn a Divinity degree, but she also knits and has written 10 novels. Here are her tips for aspiring writers:

1) Keep writing. Make it a daily practice, even if it’s just 100 words a day. Writers write.
2) Find support and other writers who can help guide you.
3) Network and learn everything you can about writing and getting published. Attend writers’ conferences and research through the internet.

Beth also stresses perseverance. It took her seven years to get her first novel published. Encouraging words to keep me pursuing my dream of publishing my first novel. If you want to listen to my full interview with Beth on my internet radio show Kitchen Chat, here is the link:
Kitchen Chat 02-12-2010

Also, enjoy her recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup. Bon Appetit!

By the way, what are the bookends of your life?

This week on Kitchen Chat: Marc Klaas from Klaas Kids Foundation

2010-02-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

Join us this week on Kitchen Chat as I speak with the founder of KlaasKids Foundation, Marc Klaas, about what parents can do to keep their children safe. Marc's speaks from experience, his story is heartbreaking. On Oct 1, 1993 Marc's twelve-year-old daughter Polly, was kidnapped and murdered. Since then Marc and his family have worked tirelessly to prevent other children and families from becoming victims. Marc will also be sharing about KlaasKids work against domestic citizen sex trafficking and a 5-year initiative that KlaasKids and Flying J Truck Stops has in front of the FCC that would, for the first time provide America’s trucking community with the ability to watch broadcast quality television from the cab of their trucks during mandated truck stops. Please tune in for this vital show.

Marc gave up his lucrative rental car franchise to pursue an aggressive child safety agenda. In announcing the formation of the non-profit KlaasKids Foundation in September, 1994 Mr. Klaas said, “We can give meaning to Polly’s death and create a legacy in her name that will be protective of children for generations to come by pursuing the singular mission of stopping crimes against children.” On June 8, 2001 Mr. Klaas co-founded BeyondMissing, Inc., a federally funded California public benefit non-profit corporation.

Marc will also being sharing his famous Fish Taco recipe with us! Yum.

Please call in with your questions during the show: 1-877-864-4869

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

This week on Kitchen Chat: Beth Patillo!

2010-02-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

I'm so thrilled to have Beth on the show this week! I was fortunate to attend the launch party for her latest novel, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart in New York this week! It was fabulous! Wow - Beth is lovely and a talented writer!

About Beth's latest book:
Claire Prescott is an unemployed office manager from Kansas City who leaves behind her nice, if somewhat neglectful, boyfriend to attend a Jane Austen seminar in Oxford, England. There, she discovers the original manuscript for Pride and Prejudice titled First Impressions. Rumored to have been destroyed centuries ago, it reveals Austen’s secret struggle to find the right leading man for Elizabeth Bennet. Was she really supposed to end up with Mr. Darcy after all?

As Claire pieces together Austen’s original story, she crosses paths with a dashing stranger—her own Mr. Darcy—who causes her to question the direction of her current relationship. But Neil’s unexpected arrival in Oxford complicates Claire’s quest to find her leading man, and she realizes that a true hero can appear in the most unexpected places. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is a lively mixture of humor, romance and intrigue perfect for the Jane Austen fanatic to the hopeless romantic.

About Beth:
BETH PATTILLO currently resides in Nashville, Tenn., with her husband and two children. Her passion for all-things Jane Austen began when she studied abroad for a semester at the University of London, Westfield College. She has made regular trips across the pond for the past 20 years, the most recent of which took her on a pilgrimage through Hampshire, where she visited many of the sites featured in her popular book, Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Pattillo is also the author of The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society (WaterBrook Press, 2008), Earth to Betsy (WaterBrook, 2006) and Heavens to Betsy (WaterBrook, 2005), for which she was awarded the RWA RITA (Romance Writer’s Association) award for Best Inspirational Romance.

Win a copy of Beth's book by leaving a comment and your email address here!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

This week on Kitchen Chat: The gals from Wings!

2010-02-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Listen in tomorrow as I interview Rita and Rebecca from Wings. Wings is one of the charities supported by the work of Pearl Girls. We'll hear how Wings helps women and children in the community and what they hope to accomplish in 2010.

Please visit the Wings website for more information about their services and programs.

Their Mission

The mission of WINGS is to provide a continuum of integrated services in an effort to end domestic violence and homelessness one family at a time.

What They Do

WINGS helps homeless and abused women and children by offering integrated services that meet their needs for shelter, education, guidance and support. We provide safe, secure living environments, through transitional housing and emergency shelter, in residential neighborhoods that allow women to go to school, work, and care for themselves and their children.

WINGS is a 501(c)(3) publicly supported organization.

Who They Help

Our residents are women and children who are victims of domestic violence and need temporary safe shelter or who become homeless due to other extreme hardships and circumstances. Most of them come from the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago’s Cook and Lake Counties, the city of Chicago and surrounding areas.

WINGS receives an average of 200 calls per month from women of all ethnic backgrounds and ages and touches the lives of hundreds of families with direct services, information and referrals.

Rita will be sharing her recipe for a delicious Apple Walnut Cake!

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

What’s Hot and What’s Not

2010-02-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

It’s a new year with new opportunities, so it’s time to brush off that work in process and get serious about finishing your novel. I’m saying that to myself as well as to you. Thank you for your continued support of my ongoing attempt to polish my novel into its finest form that will enable my agent, Janet Kobobel Grant, to send it out into the publishing world.

Speaking of Janet Kobobel Grant, I would like to introduce her to you. She has been a very patient literary agent, and I am so humbled and honored to be one of her clients. She has an impressive resume that includes writing her own books, managing her own imprint at Zondervan, serving as a managing editor for Focus on the Family Books and founding her literary agency, Books & Such. For those of you who are looking for an agent, she has some excellent insight and tips for this important process. Here is the link: http://www.booksandsuch.biz/choosing-an-agent/

In order to succeed in any industry, one must have an excellent product to fit consumers’ demands. With that in mind, I asked Janet in a recent phone conversation about “what’s hot and what’s not” in the fashion – oops - I mean the publishing industry. Since she represents clients in the general market and the CBA market, I asked her about both areas, and I was surprised by some of her responses.

“What’s Hot”

In the general market, Romance remains Very Hot – with the double entendre being understood and underlined. The claim that romance is recession proof has held true during this economic downturn. As a banker, I always look at the numbers, and according to the Romance Writers Association website, sales in the romance genre market for 2008 were around $1.37 billion, and 74.8 million people read at least one romance fiction novel during 2008. Here’s the link for more statistics: http://www.rwanational.org/cs/the_romance_genre /romance_literature_statistics

In the CBA market (Christian Booksellers), romance novels are selling very well in addition to Amish fiction. Janet thinks that the continued popularity of the Amish storylines reflects the hunger for simpler times and lifestyle. Readers seek a quiet place with buggies rather than a highway zooming with SUVs. Those who enjoyed Jan Karon’s Mitford series would find Amish novels appealing because of that same escapist dynamic.

“What’s Not Hot”

Now this one was surprising: Suspense, especially romantic suspense. Readers are looking for tranquility. Except for those established authors with an existing readership base, publishing houses are not proactively soliciting suspense. Yet isn’t it interesting that the suspense-based movies continue to garner large audiences. According to Janet, the readers want to escape in print to someplace safe and simple, i.e. those Amish buggies.

Some interesting side notes from Janet regarding a variety of topics. Literary fiction continues to be difficult to place unless a manuscript has fine writing with commercial appeal. Many book clubs select the literary novels as long as the pacing and plotline are written in a relatable way. Another interesting trend is that readers continue to look for bargain prices and tend to purchase a series of three books that are combined in one volume.

For those editors reading this blog, Janet brought up a very interesting point. Debbie Macomber’s books are flying off the shelves. (She has sold over 60 million books during her career.) Debbie is a delightful person who so graciously wrote an essay for my non-fiction book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit Experiencing Grace. Debbie is a talented writer whose tagline is “wherever you are, Debbie Macomber calls you home.” Readers are seeking solace and searching for “home,” so why aren’t the editors proactively growing that genre and looking for more “Debbie Macomber” writers to “call readers home”? Something to think about….Looks like a consumer demand without enough product.

Thank you, Janet, for your generous time in filling in the blanks for “what’s hot and what’s not” in the publishing industry at this time. I encourage all of you to keep writing, and as Roy Yamagucci, the famous Hawaiian chef likes to say, “Imua!” That means move forward with courage. Write with courage! And please keep in touch along the way!

_____________________________________

Here is Janet’s favorite recipe:

Herb and Goat Cheese Souffle

• Minced fresh thyme

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 5 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 1 large garlic clove, minced

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 6 large egg yolks

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

• 6 egg yoks

• 1 cup crumbled chilled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)

• 1/2 cup (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 2 ounces)

• 6 large egg whites

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Generously butter one 10-cup soufflé dish or four 1-cup soufflé dishes; sprinkle with minced thyme to coat. (If using 1- cup dishes, place all 6 on rimmed baking sheet.) Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and minced garlic. Cook without browning until mixture begins to bubble, whisking constantly, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in whole milk, then white wine. Cook until smooth, thick and beginning to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix egg yolks and salt in small bowl. Add egg yolk mixture all at once to sauce; whisk quickly to blend. Mix in 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 teaspoon rosemary. Fold in cold goat cheese and Gruyère cheese (cheeses do not need to melt).

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into lukewarm soufflé base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Transfer soufflé mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle with ground black pepper.

Place soufflé in oven; reduce heat to 375°F. Bake soufflé until puffed, golden and gently set in center, about 35 minutes for large soufflé (or 25 minutes for small soufflé). Serve immediately.

(photo courtesy of The Errant Aesthete)

Guest hosting on Living Inspired - tomorrow!

2010-01-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

Margaret will be a guest host on Tricia Goyer's weekly radio program, Living Inspired tomorrow. Margaret will be interviewing Brittney Thomas.

For those of you who don't know who Brittney is, let me fill you in:

After surviving one of the nation’s first and deadliest school shootings, Brittney developed an untamed passion for social justice issues across the globe.

It was in Cambodia while working in water purification and health education programs that Brittney was first exposed to the underground world of human trafficking. Upon returning to the states to continue her education, Brittney soon discovered that modern-day slavery was happening right in her own backyard…and from there the rest is history! Brittney received her Masters in Public Health, became a member of the Lexington, KY Human Trafficking Task Force and soon found herself as the state director for the “Not For Sale Campaign”.

Brittney has been a guest speaker at awareness events and educational seminars on issues regarding school violence and human trafficking. To learn more about Brittney visit her blog, Lopsi ded Halos!

Brittney shares her story in Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiecing Grace. Margaret will be giving away a copy of the book. Please leave a comment on the show post here: http://toginet.com/shows/livinginspired/articles/193 to win!

Tune into Living Inspired on Thursday at 1:00 pm CST - live!

This week on Kitchen Chat: Holley Gerth!

2010-01-19T04:51:00.000-08:00

This week on Kitchen Chat I'll be interviewing Holley Gerth!

Holley is an amazing and kind-hearted woman, I'm thrilled to be sharing her many talents with you all! And be sure to check out the recipe box - Holley has shared her Éclair Cake with us - yummy!

Here's just a bit about the amazing Holley!

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer and an editorial director for DaySpring with over ten years of experience in the publishing industry. She recently launched an innovative site for Christian women called (in)courage, www.incourage.me, that had almost 60,000 unique visitors in the first month. Gerth is the author of over 2,000 cards, as well as several devotionals, articles, journals, and children’s books. She has a master’s degree in counseling and is passionate about bringing hope to the hearts of women. She loves deeply, as her husband Mark knows, and lives courageously. She believes that’s why she’s here on this earth…and she recently wrote her first devotional book, Rain on Me.

You can find more information on online at Heart to Heart with Holley at
http://holley.dayspring.com.

Join Margaret every Friday at 11:00 CST for Kitchen Chat!

Come Join me for Kitchen Chat today with guest Bonnie St. John!

2010-01-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

TODAY, I'm excited to introduce you to my dear and ever inspirational friend, Bonnie St. John. Bonnie is also a fellow Pearl Girl and will be helping launch my internet radio program, Kitchen Chat with Margaret McSweeney.

I hope you will join me to hear what she has to say about living life, with JOY! Listen today, January 15th, from 11am to 12pm CST.

Bonnie St. John is an author, inspirational speaker, executive coach, TV personality, mother, and seeker of wisdom. Bonnie has suffered through many of the difficulties most discussed today: abuse, divorce, disability, and struggles related to gender or race. Despite these challenges, she has relentlessly sought ways to stay positive and live joyfully no matter what life dishes out. Her deep sense of peace and joy in life has inspired millions of people to want to know what she has learned about finding joy in a crazy world.Her message of falling down and getting up—in life, at an Olympic ski race, or in business—has been sought after by CEOs, recognized in the White House, celebrated on a Starbucks Cup and honored with a doctoral degree for her lifetime commitment to motivating people. More than hope, Bonnie provides practical tips, step-by-step directions, and presents the very latest in social research in an easy-to-use way. "Everyone has the God-given capacity to live joyfully—it doesn't depend on your circumstances. But it does require that you make the choice to identify your joys in life and take action to reach them."

Simply meeting Bonnie has been a life transforming experience for many people. "If a one-legged, African-American girl from San Diego with no money and no snow can go to the Olympics as a ski racer..." people think to themselves, "surely I can follow my dream and find the joy in my life."

Check out her website at www.bonniestjohn.com and then tune in TODAY to hear what she has to say on Kitchen Chat!

Win a copy of Bonnie's book Live Your Joy during the show - leave a comment here!

Exploring the World from the Kitchen Counter!

2010-01-09T02:32:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to announce my new radio show, Kitchen Chat with Margaret McSweeney!

People say that the kitchen is the heart of the home. I would go a step further, I think the kitchen is the heart of the world. Join me each Friday from my kitchen counter as I chat with authors, chefs, doctors, bankers, publishers, artists and many other interesting people with interesting insights. Each guest will bring along a favorite recipe, and we will talk about everything - even the kitchen sink.

Come join me on Friday, January 15th from 11am to 12pm CST.

Our guest will be the ever inspirational, Bonnie St. John!

Check out her website at www.bonniestjohn.com and then tune in Friday to hear what she has to say on Kitchen Chat!

Beyond the Book

2009-12-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to thank everyone for the encouragement as I finished my five year journey to write, rewrite and yet rewrite again my first novel. Last week, I typed the final sentence. This process has been humbling, empowering, enjoyable and frustrating – just like cooking! Yes, I completed a book about cooking and through the pages, I have actually learned how to cook. Here’s a fun picture of my cooking class at Astor Center in New York with Chef Carl Raymond.

So now what? It’s time to think beyond the book. Actually, I started thinking beyond the book when I turned on the computer. I often visualized a reader turning the crispy pages of my story. That helped me remember for whom I was writing this story and how that might impact promoting it. I don’t know where my novel will find a home, but I do know one thing….The real journey has just begun!!

As a former banker, I always consulted the experts on what I didn’t understand. For this “excerpt from an expert” I contacted Kathleen Schmidt, Vice President and Director of Publicity for Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. We connected via twitter. (Social media is another topic for a future blog post). I think as writers, we should be aware of what goes into the publicity process. Below you will find some answers:

1) Kathleen, you have promoted a variety of books - including the Patrick Swayze memoir and Jodi Picoult's Handle with Care. Is there a distinct difference in how you promote fiction vs. non fiction?

It really depends on the book. There is, of course, an inherent difference between promoting fiction and non-fiction. But then you need to look at the genre. Celebrity memoirs are in a category by themselves. Narrative non-fiction is very topic-driven, so the news cycles play a role in how effectively you are able to promote those titles(ie, political books). Someone like Jodi--she has a huge readership which continues to grow because mothers AND their teenage daughters read her books.

The real challenge is how to break out a new author--someone with a great voice and the ability to tell a wonderful story. Where do you get attention for them in a world where review pages have diminished and there are so many forms of entertainment for the consumer? I don't have all the answers, but what I can say is that if the book is great, and you can get people to read it, that is half the battle.

The publishing industry is in a transitional period right now. The one thing we do know is this: the act of reading is not going away. Books may be published in different formats, but people will still read them. The question is--what kind of stories do people want to read?

2) Recognizing the importance of the bottom line to maximize book sales, especially in today's environment, what can the author do to supplement the publisher's promotional efforts?

That is a loaded question. I don't think it is wise for any author to finish a book and then wash their hands clean of the process. The publisher/author relationship is a partnership. We never set out for a book to fail. That's very important to remember.

I'm not a big advocate of doing anything without a plan. For instance, if an author creates a book trailer--they should never do it without a solid plan for promoting it. Same thing for an author website. You can never take the "build it and they will come" stance.

It is hard to be specific here because it truly depends on the book. However, supplementing advertising and marketing is never a bad idea. Just make sure everyone involved is in agreement on the messaging.

3) I noticed that Atria books is partnering with the Pajama Mommy Community. Is this a growing trend in publicity for books?

We have worked with Pajama Mommy, and we are open to working with online communities in general. We've continued to maintain strong relationships with bloggers, and we are on Twitter. The growing trend is that publicists will keep interacting with the consumer.

4) Does the increase of e-books directly impact the methods of promoting?

Not really. Pretty much all of our books are available as e-books. Right now, e-books are a matter of preference with the consumer. Some people like them, some don't. Just as some people prefer a hardcover over a paperback, etc.

5) Do you like to cook? What is one of your favorite recipes that is easy to prepare after a long day at the office?

I like to cook, but I don't do it very often. I have a busy schedule, and two little ones at home(my son is 5, my daughter is 22 months). My husband is actually the chef in our house most of the time. Since we both work full time, we end up ordering take-out quite a bit. That said, one of my specialties are homemade meatballs with red sauce(or, gravy as we Italians call it). My mother would make this every Sunday, and I learned by just watching her. It's become a tradition in my house--I make it once a month.

I love to bake, though, and my Christmas cookies are always in demand by family members!

Frank and Fiction!

2009-11-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Blueprint for Fiction

Last week I chaperoned my oldest daughter’s school field trip to Oak Park to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio. Having lived in the Chicago area for over sixteen years, I still had not visited that landmark. I welcomed the opportunity to check that off my “To See and Do” list. Of course I had heard of Frank Lloyd Wright but had never really learned about him.

As a result of this visit, I have great respect for this extraordinary architect who left us with a legacy of not only how to build extraordinary houses but how to build a great novel. So here are some tips you can apply to your writing:

1) Make your novel organic. FLW’s approach to building a home was that it must feel organic to the landscape. Natural, not forced. As a child growing up in Wisconsin, he learned to admire and love nature. When he built his home and studio, there was a large willow tree on the property between the two buildings. Instead of cutting it down, FLW made holes in the studio to accommodate the branches so they could grow inside. As novelists, we should allow our stories, characters and settings to feel organic to the reader.

2) Incorporate that which influences you. As a child, FLW loved to play with Froebel blocks. The geometric shapes are seen throughout the homes and structures he built. As an adult, he loved Japan. The tour guide even mentioned that he would ride horses in his kimono. Attached to the walls of the barreled ceiling family room, FLW designed stylized lotus flower lights. He hated clutter which blocked the flow of a room. With that in mind, he suspended the large portion of his grand piano through a wall and over a back staircase so the family room would have more space. Are there areas in our writing that we can de-clutter? What influences you? Do you include what you love in your books? What influences your characters? How do you incorporate those influences into the organic flow of your novel?

3) Create a “path of discovery”. FLW wanted clients to understand and discover him. He was a non-conformist, not a cookie cutter architect. His studio was not easily accessible even though it faced Chicago Avenue. Clients would have to find the entrance to the loggia which displayed four key symbols of his life and work: The Tree of Life, The Book of Knowledge, Wisdom and Fertility of Creativity. Two commissioned sculptures bookend the roof of the loggia. These sculptures represent man breaking thru bonds of convention. As novelists, we should also include a path of discovery in our own writing. We don’t have to conform to formulaic writing. We too can break the molds of convention with different techniques. Be an innovator. FLW created the first drafting table that tilted! His back and shoulders were getting too tired from constantly bending over the flat table. He found a need and innovated a solution.

4) “Truth is Life”. Those are the words carved onto FLW’s living room fireplace tucked within an inglenook. That was his personal creed – I guess a pre-curser to “keeping it real.” As novelists, we should incorporate this mantra and make the characters true to themselves and to those around them. He incorporated this unhidden truth within his structures. In his octagonal shaped studio, he exposes the chains and balls which hold the octagonal walls in place. He wasn’t afraid to expose truth even when it might not be considered beautiful.

5) Leave a lasting mark. FLW wanted to have a motto in every room, but his wife, Catherine allowed him only one, and that was on the fireplace. He of course had a motto in his studio. Here is what it says: “Ye’ve left a glimmer still to cheer the man – the artifex that holds in spite o knocks and scale o friction waste and slip and by that light now mark my word we’ll build the perfect ship.” Frank Lloyd Wright left an indelible mark with the homes and buildings that he designed. As novelists, we too have the opportunity to “build the perfect ship” and leave a mark in the hearts and minds of our readers.

In recognition of Frank Lloyd Wright’s love of Japan, let’s feature a delicious recipe that perhaps he might have enjoyed.

Seared Tuna with Japanese Salsa

Recipe courtesy Sushi Katsu-Ya

* Cook Time: 5 min
* Level: Easy
* Yield:4 servings

Prep Total: 20 min

Sauce:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tomato, finely chopped

8 cilantro sprigs, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

4 (6-ounce) fresh tuna fillets

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 avocados, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Add the chopped tomato, cilantro and onion. Season the tuna very well with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, sear the tuna for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from heat and slice the tuna into 1/4-inch slices. To serve, neatly arrange the tuna slices and avocado slices on a plate and drizzle the sauce over the tuna.

I'm guest blogging at Michael Hyatt today!

2009-10-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

12 Strategies for Leadership Success

My father, the late Dr. Claude H. Rhea, Jr., executed and exemplified lessons on leadership throughout his short life of sixty-two years. He was a strategic visionary, a 32-year colon cancer survivor, a member of the prestigious Royal Society of the Arts, an accomplished international lyric tenor who recorded five albums (one with the Concert Orchestra of London), a published author (including his autobiography, a cook book and two song books for children), a Dean of a Music School and a President of a College.

These are his life lessons for leadership:

1. Creed. Create a mission statement for your life and your job. Each professional and personal project you undertake should fall under the tenets of your creed and belief system. An important part of my dad’s creed was to make faith an action verb and to honor God in all that he did.

2. Heed. Surround yourself with people that can provide insight and wisdom, even if you disagree with them. You should always understand all sides of an issue before making key decisions. Connect with others and network.

READ THE REST HERE!

The Significance of Insignificant Details

2009-10-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

It’s the smallest of details that can make our stories seem real. As a reader, I want the details to blend with the story, not stand out in a glaring way that will disrupt or contradict my knowledge of a time period or venue. As a writer, I want to cultivate the trust of my readers so they will not get tangled in a web of details, but rather relax in the backdrop of factual fiction.

Research is the key ingredient for preparing a delicious tale – whether it’s contemporary or historical. Research is not dull or dry, it’s vibrant and versatile! While writing and rewriting my first novel, a contemporary women’s fiction piece, I have applied what I learned in banking: Gather the facts!

Before closing a deal, bankers have the opportunity to conduct what is called due diligence on a company and the transaction. This can involve visiting the factories or distribution points, meeting with management, speaking with their clients and reviewing even more financial statements. I always loved this part of the process and even walked through numerous industrial factories wearing a hard hat. There is something invigorating about seeing in person what you have studied on paper. That is the experience we as writers need to deliver to our readers.

But what if my novel is set in a different country, and I can’t travel there? That’s okay. It’s still doable. Google. Email. Telephone. I’ve done it all. Today, for example, I am rewriting a section in my novel in which my main character visits London and dines at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, a traditional British restaurant. I remember dining there with my parents as a young girl, but of course much has changed since then. After researching online, I telephoned the maitre d’ and asked him specific questions. “What does the menu look like? Is it laminated or paper?” And the list goes on.

There is also another wonderful resource that a lot of people are not aware of: The New York Public Library. Here is a link to that website: http://nypl.org Look under the heading Ask NYPL. The library provides online chat services to answer your question in addition to email and telephone inquiries. Some research is fee based so you will need to discuss this with one of the helpful librarians as to the scope of your project.

Tricia Goyer, a dear friend and author of many historical and contemporary novels is one of the real experts I know on research. I will feature her expertise on research in an upcoming blog. Meanwhile, enjoy a recipe from Amy Lathrop as you get ready for the holidays.

Take-away Tidbit:

Crescent Rolls

1 T. yeast
¾ c. warm water
1 t. sugar
Set aside for action –
Meanwhile, beat:
2 eggs

Add:
1 c. warm milk
1 c. warm water
1 t. salt
¼ c. sugar
½ c. oil

Add yeast mixture. Stir in flour. Knead on floured board. Place in greased bowl. Cover. Let rise for 1 hour. Divide into 2. Roll to about ¼ - ½ inch thick, about 15 inch circle. Butter heavily with nearly melted butter and cut like pizza. Roll up from large end to small end, let rise for 1 hour.

CAN BURN EASILY!!! Bake at 400 for 15 min. Enjoy!

“The failure of incomplete success of a recipe oftentimes depends upon some little detail that has been misunderstood or overlooked in the preparation.”
A Book for A Cook, The Pillsbury Co. (1905)

(photo courtesy of Warwick)

And the winner is ...

2009-10-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sara J Henry!

Congrats Sara - you won Donald Maass' Writing the Breakout Novel. Look for an email in your in-box!

Thomas Nelson's Appetite for Fiction

2009-10-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

I will forever be grateful to Thomas Nelson for publishing my first book, A Mother’s Heart Knows in 2005.

As a former banker, I have been impressed with the management and business performance of this company. Under the leadership of Michael Hyatt, Thomas Nelson continues to succeed and meet consumer demands in this changing industry. “Thomas Nelson reports that it has claimed the largest market share percentage of fiction in the Christian retail channel through June--more than 20%, according to the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Pubtrack data.” (Christian Retailing, August 27, 2009).

Allen Arnold, SVP and Publisher of Fiction at Thomas Nelson, actually takes the time to meet with writers at the ACFW conference to provide professional insight into this challenging business. I admire that. Ami McConnell, Senior Acquisitions Editor, is part of the Thomas Nelson Fiction team. My literary agent, Janet Kobobel Grant, founder of Books & Such, said the following: “Ami is one of the finest fiction editors I know. She makes authors dig deeper to find rich veins of writing. One of my clients, after receiving a critique on her contracted manuscript from Ami phoned me and said, ‘Do I have to do any of this?’ I replied, ‘No. But if you want to be a better writer, what Ami has laid out for you will make an immense difference. If you don't want to grow, don't follow her suggestions.’ The author took the challenge and wrote one of her very best books as a result.

In a previous email, Ami recommended two excellent writing sources:
• Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft

• The Hero's 2 Journeys

Here is my recent Q & A with Ami:

Q: First of all, congratulations on your success in being a key leader in the Christian fiction publishing industry. What is Thomas Nelson interested in acquiring for its fiction line in the upcoming years?

A: Thanks! We are thrilled with what we’ve been able to achieve in the past few years. We’re always looking for a GREAT story, but in terms of genres, we’re looking to acquire more romance titles (including historical and contemporary) and general Christian fiction titles.

Q: If you cook, what is your favorite recipe? If you don't cook, what is your favorite take out?

A: I’m a terrible cook, but I’m gradually becoming a pretty good baker. My family raves about my chocolate chip pumpkin bread.

Take Away Tidbit:

Here is the recipe from Ami McConnell:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 ½ cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
Bag chocolate chips

Combine oil, eggs, pumpkin, mixing well. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake in 2 large loaf pans or several small loaf pans at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Bread should slightly pull away from sides of pan when done. Let cool completely in pans before removing.

Enjoy!

Just Write! (and I found it!)

2009-10-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Although you might be solely working on writing fiction, keep an open mind to opportunities that come your way for other writing projects. I’ve discovered that writing is like exercising (if only typing on a keyboard could burn as many calories as running on a tread mill). When you cross train (weight lifting, cardio, stretching) your body optimizes the metabolism. When you “cross write” your mind sharpens its focus on writing fiction with well researched facts and writing non-fiction with the flowing prose of a novel.

This past week, my dear friend Vicky Wauterlek, founder of Hands of Hope asked me to write an article for the newsletter to share the story of Ariik, a Lost Boy of Sudan. First of all, I must say this was an incredible blessing in my life to actually have the opportunity to interview Ariik and hear firsthand his heartwarming and heart wrenching story. Mere words on a page can never accurately capture the life experiences of such a brave young man. However, I hope that my article can at least provide a peephole into what Ariik’s life was like as one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Read the article here.

Take-away Tidbit
This week, as we step deeper into the forest of fall, perhaps you might wish to sample the harvest. You might remember that in my last post I lamented the loss of Waterbrook/Multnomah's (a division of Random House) Ken Petersen's Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe ... well, I'm happy to report that I found it!

Enjoy!

(Oh, and I'll be announcing the winner of the signed Donald Maass book, Writing the Breakout Novel on Monday, October 12! You still have time to enter to win!)

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

18 whole graham crackers, broken into large pieces

6 Tbs sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

12 Tbs unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp salt

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin, (see prep below)

1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, three 8 oz. packages, cut into 1-inch chunks, softened

1 Tbs vanilla extract

1 Tbs lemon juice, fresh squeezed

5 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

Cream Topping

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp rum extract, (or to taste)

Instructions

FOR THE CRUST

(Note: This crumb crust recipe below is likely more than you will need, but this amount makes it easier to work with along the sides.)

1. Adjust oven to middle rack, preheat to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with non-stick (butter) cooking spray.

2. In food processor, pulse crackers, sugar, and spices until finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl and drizzle butter over. Mix with spatula, until evenly moistened.

3. Turn crumbs into spring form pan, and press evenly into bottom and sides. TIP: Use slightly smaller bowl or ramekin, inverted, to press crumb crust evenly and firmly.

4. Pre-bake until fragrant and browned, about 10 minutes. Caution: Watch this carefully so it does not brown too much or burn. Cool on wire rack.

FOR THE PUMPKIN

(Note: It's important to remove as much excess moisture from the pumpkin as possible. This procedure prevents the cheesecake from becoming soggy):

1. Line baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in even layer. Cover pumpkin layer with a second triple-layer of towels. Press firmly until towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom layer of towels on one side and fold pumpkin in half. Peel back towels.

2. Repeat.

3. Flip pumpkin onto baking sheet, discarding towels.

FOR THE SPRING FORM PAN BATH

(Note: Using a bath keeps the top crust of a cheesecake from cracking, adding moisture into the oven during baking):

1. Boil 4 quarts of water as you make the filling (below).

2. Set spring form pan on double-layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. Wrap bottom and sides with foil. Make sure the wrap is tight and won't leak water into the pan. Set wrapped spring form pan in roasting pan.

3. After filling is prepared (see below), pour into spring form pan.

4. CAREFULLY pour boiling water into the roasting pan, filling it until water comes halfway up the sides of the spring form pan. CAUTION: Be careful not to splash water into the filling in the spring form pan. (I've done it!)

FOR THE FILLING:

1. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in a small bowl.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until softened. NOTE: You can do this in a mixer, but the danger is to over-beat throughout this process, which can curdle and lump the cheese. I prefer hand mixing. You don't need to mix much.

3. Add about one-third of sugar mixture. Mix until combined, about 1 minute. Repeat twice until all of sugar mixtures in combined. Scrape sides of bowl.

4. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until combined, about 45 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl.

5. Add 3 eggs and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.

6. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl.

7. Add heavy cream and beat until smooth, about 45 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides and give a final stir.

FOR BAKING:

1. Pour filling into spring form pan, and prepare the bath (above).

2. Set roasting pan containing the spring form pan and bath in center of oven. CAUTION: The pan is heavy and the water is hot. Bake about 1 and 1/2 hours. Cake should be slightly wobbly in center when you remove it from oven--145-150 degrees temp in center of cake.

3. Run paring knife around sides of pan.

4. Allow spring form pan to rest in roasting pan and cool until water is warm, about 45 minutes. Remove spring form pan from water bath. Discard foil. Set on wire rack. Cool until barely warm--2 to 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

THE CREAM TOPPING:

(Optional, but good)

1. In bowl of standing mixer, whisk heavy cream, sour cream, brown sugar, and salt until combined. Add rum extract, whip until fluffy and doubled in volume.

2. Spoon generously onto servings of the pumpkin cheesecake.

Ken Petersen's thoughts on the Future of Fiction

2009-09-30T04:05:00.000-07:00

Ken Petersen is one of the most brilliant and strategic visionary leaders in publishing that I have ever met. Previously at Tyndale, Ken had the foresight to acquire the Left Behind series written by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Now as Publisher for Waterbrook Multnomah - a division of Random House, Ken brings his expertise to that company as well.

When I told him about my new fiction blog, Ken graciously agreed to take the time from his hectic schedule to answer a question that I could post. Here is the Q & A with Ken:

Q: As publisher for Waterbrook Multnomah, what trends do you see continuing, beginning or ending for strategic acquisitions as it pertains to fiction? And is there hope for a first time novelist to be acquired?

A: My answer to your questions about fiction has to be short. But I can say that my sense of things is that after a couple decades of growth CBA fiction has found its level of readership and is likely to stay there. Consequently (the bad news is) that fiction as a category is not likely to grow much more overall. The good news is that it may grow some in specific genres. My theory all along has been that CBA fiction has progressed chronologically through the various genres: Starting with “biblical fiction” in the early 80s to prairie fiction (Jeanette Oke) in the late 80s to romance fiction in the early 90s; then apocalyptic (Left Behind) and contemporary suspense (Dee Henderson) around the same time; recently Amish fiction, some relational romance (Kingsbury), and even futuristic/sci-fi. So the trend continues to be branching Christian themes into new genres. And now the new territory seems to be ”genre fusion”—pairing of romance and suspense, or bringing in vampires to a romance story with a Christian message or application. So some advice might be to look at genres that haven’t yet been tapped or combination of genres and styles that yield a new kind of fiction experience.

As for new and first-time authors, I know that we at WaterBrook still publish first-timers. I think actually it’s easier for an unknown author to break into fiction than non-fiction. More depends on sample chapters of a fiction author’s writing—an unknown, with a great read—can get published no problem…

So, my fellow writers and aspiring novelists, there is hope!

On a personal note, as I was putting the hand grenade to my fifth draft of my first novel and feeling a little discouraged, I found a precious handwritten note from my late mother stuffed in some files. I had just sent her a copy of a non-fiction manuscript that was about to be published. Here is what she wrote: “You write beautifully. Your prose flows smoothly and accurately. You’re honoring God with this gift of writing He has given you. Your writing will now be published! Your future is limitless! I’m very proud of you!” What refreshing words to renew my strength to yet again face another day of re-writes. I want to encourage you, too, dear writer. Don’t be discouraged. Keep clicking those keys and write the story that is in your heart.

Take-away tidbit:
Confession time: I misplaced Ken Petersen’s recipe for his pumpkin cheesecake. I know it’s stacked in a pile somewhere. I will need to ask him for another copy. Meanwhile, I thought it would be appropriate to share one of my mother’s recipes today. Her name was Carolyn Rhea, and she was a wonderful author. Here is an easy dish she would prepare while she was busy trying to meet a deadline for her own books when I was growing up. She had to write on the typewriter!

Potato Surprise

32 oz pkg of hash browns completely thawed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz size sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

The Secret to a Breakout Novel

2009-09-21T05:57:00.000-07:00

Ironically, I experienced my first “stranger than fiction” moment at a fiction writers’ conference last week. ACFW. In the middle of these courses in Denver, I received emails and recorded messages from the police in my Chicago suburb and from the superintendent of the school district. An armed convict had escaped, carjacked a Jetta by gunpoint, robbed a bank nearby and was fleeing in the suburbs. The schools were on a soft lockdown. Wow! And that was real life!

I’m glad to report that the armed and dangerous convict was caught, and suburbia has settled back into its comfortable and mundane normalcy. But what an important lesson to illustrate the secret to a breakout novel that Donald Maass shared at the ACFW conference in Denver: Tension.

His course literally has now changed the course of my writing. Yes, I returned home and began to completely rewrite and overhaul my novel, but I now have a mandated direction. He signed my copy of his bestselling book, Writing the Breakout Novel with the following inscription: “For Margaret. Tension on every page! Donald Maass.” That’s it! Tension on every page! An excerpt from an expert!

And for those readers of my From Finance to Fiction blog, I would like to give you a chance to win a signed copy of Donald Maass’s book. I purchased an extra one at the conference. Please post a comment and share your “stranger than fiction” moment. I look forward to hearing from you. And by the way, Donald Maass is holding on very tightly to his tomato sauce recipe. Please share your recipes with me. I’m always looking forward to a delicious dish that isn’t too time consuming.

Here’s a peek into some upcoming blog posts. Debbie Macomber’s advice to writers. Ken Petersen’s thoughts on what is next in CBA fiction, along with his recipe for pumpkin cheesecake.

Take away Tip:
Sample some figs this autumn season Cut them in half and spread a little cream cheese or goat cheese on them and enjoy! A delicious antioxidant. They also are scrumptious baked.

Grab a white flag and get ready to surrender!

2009-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

That doesn’t mean give up on that novel. It means give into it. Nancy Woodruff, a dear friend and an incredibly talented novelist who teaches writing part time at NYU, emailed me today with some excellent advice that I’d like to share. Maybe I can call these insights Excerpts from Experts.

Nancy has been such an encouragement to me through my many rounds of rejections. Nancy’s new novel, My Wife’s Affair will be released on April 15, 2010 by Amy Einhorn Books, a Penguin imprint. This is the same publisher that launched The Help– a fabulous book. When I asked Nancy how she applies what she teaches to her students at NYU to her own writing, she answered:

“Although I write mostly fiction and my students write mostly nonfiction (including personal essays and memoir), I always tell them that the writing process is the same for both. You always need to surrender to the material as it comes to you, to "write it out" first without worrying about the final product. You have to acknowledge that much of what you write on a first draft is not going to be very good or perhaps not useable at all. The important thing is to get a first draft! Then you can go through cutting and adding and changing and shaping for as long as you need to until the piece pleases you.”

What great advice. Surrender to the material. I have often battled my thoughts and my words – fearful to click the computer keys - knowing that the dialogue and the details will not be perfect. Instead, I should just battle my fears and “surrender to the material.” Have you faced the same dilemma in your writing? What holds you back?

I also asked Nancy about her biggest challenge in writing her newest novel. Here is what she said:

“My biggest challenge in writing My Wife's Affair was the long path I had to follow before publication. The book took less than two years to write initially, but with feedback from friends and potential agents and editors, I rewrote it for years. Very often it seemed the book would never see the light of day, but the truth was, once someone believed in it and sent it out, it was accepted almost immediately. What I have learned from all this is that you have to trust your material and stick with it as long as it takes. Don't give up!”

Amen to that! Believe in yourself and the story that is in you. And as Nancy says, “Don’t give up!”

Take Away Tidbit

My assistant Amy is a total foodie (and former caterer). She's offered to share a few time saving tips with me because she knows that being a writer is just one of the many things I do. My writing comes after my responsibilities as a wife and mother. One way she suggested I carve out a few extra moments in my day is to plan each weeks meals in advance. That way I'm prepared each day and know exactly what I need to do. Far too often I find myself staring at the empty fridge at 5:00 and asking myself, "what could I possibly through together for dinner"? I love that planning my meals in advance takes the stress out of dinner time. I just look at my list and it tells me what to do.

Amy also suggests buying a few prepared foods, "While I would LOVE to make our dinners from scratch every night, I've learned how time saving it is to just pick up a roast chicken to serve with my Quinoa salad and asparagus, rather than to make everything myself." Another idea Amy suggests for family night is picking up a pizza or two and serving it with a homemade Cesar Salad. Another quick dinner idea her family loves is flank steak (on the grill, 8 minutes a side - done!) with a selection of deli salads from a quality market.

What about you? What are your time saving tips for mealtime?

Oh, and enjoy this scrumptious Quinoa Salad recipe Amy gave me!

Quinoa, Black Bean and Corn Salad

1 Cup Quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans
1 1/2 Tbl red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked corn
1 medium sized green pepper
2 pickled jalapeños, seeded/minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 Cup Quinoa prepared with 2 cups chicken stock (follow directions on Quinoa box)

While Quinoa is cooking toss beans with vinegar and salt & pepper to taste.

Transfer cooked Quinoa to bowl to cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapenos and cilantro - toss well.

Make dressing:
Whisk together lime juice, salt, cumin and add oil in a stream while whisking.

Pour dressing over Quinoa mixture and stir well. Adding salt/pepper to taste.

Serve room temp.

(recipe adapted from epicurious.com)

And here’s the pitch…..

2009-09-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Baseball season and writers’ conferences share that in common. The pitch! As I prepare for the ACFW Conference in Denver next week, I am doing a lot of practice pitches in anticipation of having a few moments with some editors. So if you catch me in the carpool line talking to myself, I assure you that I am not crazy – I am just polishing my pitch. The proverbial “elevator pitch” - describing the manuscript in thirty seconds or less. Bottom line, here is my really, really fast pitch: My novel is Eat Pray Love meets Steel Magnolias.

Hopefully that introduction of tying in a best selling book and a beloved movie will encourage a “swing” by an editor to learn a little bit more. I also plan to bring along a “one pager” with a brief synopsis and overview of characters.

In addition, I am thrilled to be signed up for Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel course.

I am frantically clicking the computer keys in an effort to rewrite my manuscript. That’s the one drawback for first time novelists – Before a publisher will purchase your novel, you have to have it finished. So if I’m not practicing the “pitch” in the carpool line, I am practicing dialogue between my characters.

Some good news for you aspiring and established novelists. According to Donald Maass, you don’t have to have or build a “platform” for your fiction. In a recent email, he responded to my question:

“There really is no “platform” for fiction. The best promotion for novelists is bringing out great novels on a regular basis. Everything else is secondary.”

Return your power tools to the shed. You don’t have to build Noah’s ark! Instead, craft your words and write great stories.

Take-away Tidbit:

I asked Donald Maass about his favorite food to cook. Here’s what he said:

“I make the best tomato sauce in America, bar none, bring on the challengers!"

Okay, readers. Let the games begin! Please provide your best tomato sauce recipes. I will see if Mr. Maass will provide his recipe at the conference next week. As an incentive, I’ll purchase an extra copy of his Writing the Breakout Novel and send it to the winner. Bon Appetit!

Life Changing Moments

2009-09-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

In April 2005, my husband came home from work and said, “Honey, I think I’m going to quit my job and run for U.S. Congress.” That was a life changing moment. After winning a heated primary, he came very close to unseating the incumbent in the general election. I’m so proud of him.

After several years, I am still processing this incredible experience, full of campaign events with many high profile leaders, including President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Cheney, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John McCain, and even Mike Ditka. I invite you to put any partisanship aside as I share some personal moments from the campaign trail. I promise to tie all of this into writing a novel.

It’s funny what I recall and learned during this 18 month campaign – many lessons involved high heels. In the summer of 2005, my family and I walked in countless Fourth of July parades. Trust me. Never wear high heels on a parade route. Also, never wear high heel sandals when you’re walking through a kitchen with the Secret Service. I slipped on some cooking oil or something that had fallen onto the floor. I went gliding toward a near wipe-out.

On a serious side note, I will always treasure a true moment of history. A dear friend of mine is Lisa Jefferson, the operator who took the phone call from Todd Beamer on the United flight 93 on September 11th. She wrote an incredible book entitled, Called. I was surprised when I heard that Mayor Giuliani and Lisa Jefferson - both heroes on that fateful day, had never met each other. When Giuliani came to Chicago to campaign for my husband, I invited Lisa Jefferson to the event. In a private moment, I introduced these two wonderful people.

Perhaps in other blogs, I will share additional highlights and lowlights from the campaign trail – if you’re interested. But for now I want to focus on novels and life changing moments. My novel opens with the following scene: My 33 year old character receives a letter from her birth grandmother asking to meet with her. The challenge I, and all of us writers, face is how to present emotional drama without being too dramatic or maudlin. Maybe the answer is to insert the “high heel” factor. Something uncomfortable that the character is enduring or discovering can still provide some levity. (However, I vow that I will never subject any of my characters to my own humiliation of sliding across a greasy kitchen floor.)

What have some of your life changing moments been, and how have you applied those experiences to your own writing?

Take-away Tidbits:
This past week, I heard a tip from a wonderful suspense novelist. Colleen Coble recommends getting the DVD The Hero’s 2 Journeys by Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler. This DVD presents the two journeys a hero must take: Physical and Emotional and provides instructive writing techniques. Colleen heard Michael Hauge at a seminar and said this DVD changed how she looks at story.

Lessons from the Produce Aisle.

2009-09-01T04:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am about to make an embarrassing confession. I am 47 years old (that’s not the embarrassing part), and until yesterday, I had no idea how to select good fruit. Growing up, I never went grocery shopping with my mother. And also, I never quite learned how to cook. My dad was the ultimate “foodie” and hosted several gourmet club dinners at our home. I know firsthand that there is no such thing as a “cooking gene.” My local fire department knows that too after my salmon fiasco. (That’s another story)….

Yesterday, I met Frank, the delightful produce manager at my grocery store. I put on my reading glasses to get a closer look at the pluots. Overcome by curiosity, I just had to ask, “What are these things?” He leaned against the mop and smiled. “Those are sweeter than the plumbs.” He then showed me the different varieties – the dinosaur egg type and the deep purple ones which reminded me of a smurf’s hairdo, only smooth and pointy.

Frank has worked in produce for 45 years at the same grocery store chain, and I was so happy that he took the time to share his knowledge. “Have you seen the grapes yet? They’re on special and are really good.” I walked around the colorful assortment of fruit on the table. “Here, try this one.” He pulled a grape out of the plastic bag. At first I looked around for a veggie and fruit spray to “wash” the grape, but then realized I was with a seasoned professional. I plopped the grape in my mouth. It was delicious. “Always sample a grape before you buy the bag.” Frank reassured me. “It’s okay. And also you can take some grapes from one bag and put them into another.” I was shocked. I never would have thought of this. These fruits are not considered “pre-packaged” so it’s not like you’re opening a bag of chips to mix it with another bag.

We then went to the apricot section. “Choose one that has a blush to it. That means there is more sugar content and it will be sweeter.” He then lifted a plump peach that was next to the apricots. “See, you can see where there was a leaf that covered most of this peach from the sun. Only a small part of it is pink.” He was right. The leaf had left a large tan line as if wearing a one piece instead of a bikini while ripening on the tree.

What a great lesson in faith! If we are covered in the fig leaves of our humanity, trying to hide ourselves from the Son, we will not get pink. The sweetness of God’s grace will not fully ripen. Our faith will be more tart. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Galations 5:22

Let’s choose to be pink!

Exciting News!

2009-08-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Julie Papievis, my co-author on Go Back and Be Happy, will be featured on CBN sharing her amazing story on Tuesday, September 1st. To see what time and channel the show is on in your area go here!

The show will be posted to Julie's web site, www.gobackandbehappy.com Tuesday afternoon for viewing if you miss it :)

The dreaded “R” word.

2009-08-28T04:05:00.000-07:00

The dreaded “R” word. Rejected! It’s so hard not to take that word personally, isn’t it? Rejection can either be the end or it can be the beginning. We have a choice. Just throw the manuscript in the shredder or log into that computer and start the “rewrites.”

My novel has been rejected a few times now, but I’m not giving up. The common thread has been that the editors like the characters and the story, but it’s my writing. OUCH! Okay, so I was trained as a banker, not as a novelist. My learning curve is steep, so I have donned hiking boots and am approaching this challenge with one of my key strengths I had as a banker: Analyzing. Also, I have consulted with the experts.

First, I looked at some best selling fiction authors and their books and asked myself: What makes these books different from the others in the market? The style of writing? The sentence structure? The subject matter? The characters? I compared these findings with my own manuscript and started the re-writes. In addition, I started reading more books about improving my own writing. Two books that helped me the most include: Plot & Structure Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers form start to finish by James Scott Bell (He is a wonderful person who has inspired many writers). The other book is Writing Fiction A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French. This book was recommended by a senior editor at one of the publishing houses that rejected my novel. This second book is really serious and just like the senior editor promised, it takes your writing to a higher level. However, the $75 list price makes it a real investment in your writing career, and the exercises do take time. But it’s worth it. I feel that my manuscript is now (hopefully) publish worthy.

So what did I learn from my own analysis of best selling fiction? I noticed that Karen Kingsbury typically doesn’t include “said” in her character dialogue. She instead has some kind of action tagged to the conversation that keeps the story moving forward. And of course her characters and stories are always compelling. After reading both of the “how to” books on writing fiction, I realized that the beginning of my book needed to start at a later point with a greater moment of conflict. That change has made a real difference in my novel.

I also consulted the experts, including a dear friend of mine, best selling author, Robin Jones Gunn. She gave me some great advice. “Put more of ‘your voice’ in the story. Dig deep from that well of your own experience and emotion and put that into the novel.” In reading some of my existing passages, I sounded more like a banker instead of a novelist – reporting the facts, not letting the characters express the raw emotion of their unique situations.

Bottom line, don’t give up! I’m saying this myself and to you. If there is a story that is bubbling inside your heart, write it! As my dad wrote in my first Writers’ Marketplace book many decades ago, “Write. Write. Write. Polish. Polish. Polish. Publish. Publish. Publish.”

Take-away Tidbit:
1) An excerpt from Writing Fiction quoting Lorrrie Moore: “..the proper relationship of a writer to his or her own life is similar to a cook with a cupboard. What the cook makes from the cupboard is not the same thing as what’s in the cupboard.”

2) An excerpt from Plot & Structure “Deepening is to the novel as spice is to food. This chord of fiction is generally not a full scene. It is, instead, what you add to the mix to deepen the reader’s understanding of character or setting. Make it fresh, drop it in strategically, and the flavor will be exquisite.”

From Finance to Fiction

2009-08-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Writing a novel is more difficult than being a New York City banker. I know this first hand. For seven years, I worked in the corporate finance area of one of the largest banks in New York. As a young woman from Alabama, I ended up in the fast paced lane near Wall Street. I loved it there, and I loved the man I met there. We got married and our first daughter was born at Mount Sinai Hospital during one of the hottest summers New York City ever had.

We moved our young family to the Chicago area. My plans were to return part time to the world of finance, but this option was not available. I did some consulting work for the bank where I worked, but after the many bank mergers and another new baby, the door closed. So what to do next?

People always say that you will end up doing what you loved to do in third grade. Miss Cook, my third grade teacher at Brookwood Forest Elementary School pulled me aside when I was nine years old and told me, “One day you will write books.” I loved to write. In high school, I was on the newspaper staff and was even voted Most Creative in Writing during my senior year. (On a side note, it’s the same high school that Courteney Cox and Natalie Holloway attended). In college I was the editor for the editorial section of the paper. But the lure of international business enticed me to earn a master’s degree in international business at The University of South Carolina. I learned Portuguese and did an internship in the treasury department at IBM Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. Right after graduate school, I got a job in New York.

As an unemployed new mom in the Chicago suburbs, I applied for a free lance position at the local newspaper. Soon, I had my own neighborhood column. I heard about Write to Publish on a local radio station and attended my first writers’ conference. I met a wonderful acquisitions editor from Thomas Nelson and sold my first book – a gift book called A Mother’s Heart Knows. My entry into the publishing world officially began. In a separate blog, I will write about how I found my first literary agent. It was through a wrong phone number!

Five years ago, I discovered a passion to write a novel. It wasn’t an epiphany, just a subtle realization.

I was at a cooking class and thought that this would be the perfect setting for a novel. So it began….. And yes, five years later, I am still working on it (the cooking and the writing). It’s the most challenging yet invigorating endeavor I have ever undertaken. A love hate relationship. Conflict. All wonderful ingredients for a story and a blog. This blog will be like putting a meal in a slow cooker. I want to fill the posts with some bits of my life, encompassing finance, food, faith and of course fiction. Also, I want to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and recipes with me. Thank you, and let the journey begin!

Take-out Tidbits
1) For aspiring writers, sign up for a local writers’ conference. It’s a great way to dip your pen into the publishing world and meet with editors and learn more writing skills.

2) For aspiring cooks, remember to add fresh herbs to the pan last. If they’re added too soon, the herbs will lose flavor.

3) Collect your pennies that fall into the sofa cushions and under the car seats. Put the coins into a mason jar. Each month deposit it into a savings account for yourself or your kids. You’ll be amazed how quickly the account adds up!