What If Eve Had Not Tasted The Fruit?

Genesis 3:1-6
The Temptation and Fall of Man
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

What would our world have been like if Eve had resisted, and not eaten the fruit? What would our world have been like if Adam refused to eat the fruit, in spite of Eve doing so? Would we be living in a Garden-Of-Eden-like planet full of beautiful scenery and trees heavy with luscious, mouth-watering fruit? Would it be a natural place with no buildings or concrete, just pure natural perfection? What are your answers to those questions? This inquiring mind wants to know!

I think our earth would be just like the Garden of Eden if both had resisted eating the fruit. If only Adam resisted...well, it's hard to tell what God would have done! Would Eve have been banished out of the garden, by herself, if Adam had obeyed God? But, if Adam and Eve had both resisted and had children while living in the Garden...well...the serpent could have tempted the offspring, I guess, then there's no telling what would have happened! Tough question to ponder, but it would make a great discussion!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Surrender The Wind By Rita Gerlach

Surrender The Wind by Rita Gerlach

No, I haven't had the pleasure of reading this book, but it does sound like a good, interesting historical novel. If you've read this book, leave a comment about your thoughts. If it's on your to-be-read pile, then stop by once you've read it and let me know your thoughts. If you don't have this book, I encourage you to give it a try!


When an American patriot of the Revolution inherits his grandfather’s estate in faraway England, he inherits more than an isolated manor house. He discovers Juleah’s love and a plot that leads to kidnapping, murder, and betrayal, in this stirring tale of fidelity and forgiveness. ~

Here are a few quotes about Surrender The Wind:

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From author Marylu Tyndall ~ Ms. Gerlach's historic research is evident throughout the story, and her attention to detail and literary descriptions of scenes placed me right in the middle of the action.

If a writer wishes to write a historical novel, research is a vital, essential part of developing a great story. When I began Surrender the Wind, I read numerous accountants of the Battle of Yorktown where the book opens in the prologue. I researched uniforms, dress, weaponry, food, and culture.

As the book moves forward into Chapter 1, the reader is taken to England, to a crumbling manor house in Devonshire. The historical research from this point on had to be in the details. I wanted my reader to see in their mind the scene, outdoors and indoors. Everything from a tallow candle in the socket of a brass candlestick, to the blue and white pitcher and bowl on the heroine’s washing table, adds strong visual imagery. My editor told me once that a place can become a character in a book. I feel that is true for Ten Width Manor. It's walls hold secrets of lives past and present in the story. Because it is the ancestral home of the Braxtons, Ten Width has a stronghold on those living in it.

Then there are the historical cultural markings in a book that make up the characters. Dress. Etiquette. Traditional family life. I studied 18th century wills and marriage customs, the fashions of the period, and how the classes interacted with each other.


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From author Linda Clare ~ The American Revolutionary period comes to life as Gerlach explores themes of patriotism with a faith element.

In America today there is a resurgence of patriotism. We are returning to our roots, our Constitution, and faith. In the 18th century faith played a major role in the lives of people in both the Colonies and United Kingdom. In Surrender the Wind, I bring faith into the story as a lifestyle. It is delicately woven into the characters' personalities. One thing I did not want to do is write a ‘religious novel’. My goal was to write a novel where readers would become immersed into the characters by relating to the struggles they faced which bring about spiritual breakthroughs.


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From Annette Temple ~ A Well-Watered Garden Blog' This book is one of the most romantic books I've ever read. The passion and love that is poetically described between Seth and Juleah was rousing.

I am so grateful to Annette for this comment. She helped me realize that I achieved my goal. Most of us ladies want a bit of romance in our stories, don’t we? We want a hero that is tough with the world, but tender with his lady. And a heroine that is strong in the face of tribulation, but swept away by the love of a man. Romance in a novel, in my opinion, is the most intriguing when what is written is just enough to leave the rest up to the reader’s imagination. In Christian fiction a writer brings out romance deftly, love that goes beyond the material, but deeper into the heart and spirit of the characters.

I’ll close here with a romantic excerpt from Surrender the Wind . It is Seth and Juleah’s wedding night. I hope you will consider reading my novel, and keep an eye out for the release of book 1 in a new series, Daughters of the Potomac, coming out in May, 2012, entitled ‘Before the Scarlet Dawn’.


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In his bedchamber, which they now shared, Juleah slipped on her silk nightdress. Thin white ribbons laced the front. She sat at the dressing table brushing her hair. Tinted with the golden splendor of the candles, she smoothed it over her shoulder and ran her fingers down its length. Excitement filled her, tripped over her skin along with desire. She glanced around the room. How masculine it appeared. A fresh coat of paint would improve its appearance, and white curtains over the windows would bring it warmth and light.

She set the candlestick on the table next to their bed. The brass clock on the mantelpiece chimed out the hour. She paused to listen to the musical sound it made, while she pulled down the coverlet. The door drifted open. Seth came inside, shut it, and proceeded to pull off his waistcoat.

“Ah, have you seen the moon?” She opened the drapes wide to let the moonlight pour in. It bathed the room soft blue. “Is it not lovely, Seth?”

He joined her at the window. Wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist, he stood close behind her. His breath brushed against her neck and she sighed.

He whispered in her ear. “Doubt thou the stars are fire. Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar. But never doubt I love.”

It pleased her that he, a Virginian rebel, had memorized the beauty of Shakespeare’s verses. Melting with longing, she turned to him. He took her into his arms. She reached up and pushed back a lock of hair that fell over his brow. “I will never doubt your love, not for anything in the world.”

He brought his lips to hers and she strained against him. Love rose within each heart. He lifted her, and her feet dangled above the floor. Holding her, he kissed her, turned with Juleah toward their bed, and took his bride away from the window.



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Read Chapter One: http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/displayImage.aspx?pcid=1173111

Rita’s Website: http://www.ritagerlach.com/index.html

Surrender the Wind is available wherever books are sold. Kindle additions available from Amazon.com

Cokesbury Bookstore is having an amazing sale. http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=783958

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Rejected!

I just received this rejection yesterday from a large publishing house. I think, when I get a rejection from now on, I'm going to post what the rejection says on this blog. Why? So that other authors and aspiring authors can see the reasons for rejection. Also, for those who haven't started submitting yet, they can see what a real rejection looks like. I've placed my comments in caps and brackets. Here's what the letter said:

Dear Cecelia,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read [NAME OF MANUSCRIPT INSERTED HERE] I really enjoyed this project. Unfortunately, however, the general feeling was that the initial print numbers would be too small for our list. So, therefore, I have to pass.

It was a pleasure meeting you at the Faith and Fiction Retreat in Atlanta. I'm so sorry this didn't work out for us but I wish you the very best in finding a good home for your work.

Best-
[EDITOR'S NAME HERE]

I'd submitted this manuscript on June 20 and I think this editor was nice to respond within three months. I'm glad she gave me a compliment. Although rejections stink, it makes me feel good when an editor for a large publishing house has something nice to say about my work.

I keep a spreadsheet with all of my submissions so that I can track them. I have more than one manuscript floating around out there now since I want to find a home for my books! After I receive the rejection, I keep it in a file and I remove the line from my spreadsheet since I'm no longer tracking that submission. I also try to keep track of where I've submitted a project so that I don't make the major mistake of submitting a manuscript someplace twice!

Do you keep track of your submissions? What do you do to keep track of your manuscripts? If you have an agent, does your agent keep a similiar spreadsheet to track the status of your manuscripts?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Baltimore Book Festival

I'll be doing a reading from Chesapeake Weddings at the Baltimore Book Festival tomorrow (Saturday, September 25). My reading starts at 6:45 PM. If you come to this event, be sure to stop and say hello. I'll be in the Maryland Romance Writers booth!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Hope Undaunted By Julie Lessman

A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

Back Cover: The 1920's are drawing to a close and feisty Katie O'Connor, is the epitome of the new woman--smart and sassy, with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend, Jack, fits all of her criteria for a husband--good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and head-over-heels in love with her. But, when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Cluny McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face to face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?

Julie Lessman's books have opened up a whole new world in the genre of Christian fiction! Although A Hope Undaunted is novel #1 in the Winds of Change Series, it's an extension of Lessman's Daughters of Boston Series. Spoiled Katie O'Connor, the youngest member of the O'Conner clan, gives her father grief when she refuses to follow his house rules. For example, she stays out with her rich friends, breaking her curfew. As a punishment, she has to volunteer at the Boston Children's Aid Society for the entire summer and not have any contact with her rich friends or her upper-class boyfriend, Jack during her time of confinement. She's shocked when she discovers her new boss is none other than Cluny McGee, her nemesis - a street rat from her childhood. Both Cluny (now called Luke) and Katie have troubling, hurtful memories from their short time together as kids, and they find it hard to accept the sizzling attraction that grows between them as they work together over the summer.

This book has rich, emotional scenes between the O'Connor family and it was a treat to re-visit the characters from the Daughters of Boston Series. It's hard to give too many details without giving spoilers, but I wanted to mention that although Katie is spoiled and somewhat of a brat at the beginning of the book, she changes drastically by the end of the story. The adventures of Katie, Betty (an office worker at Boston Children's Aid Society and Luke's friend from the streets), Luke and Parker (Luke's best friend), give you a glimpse of office life during the 1920's. Also, you get to see a glimpse of history as the story shows how the beginning of the Great Depression affects the characters. So many things happened in this book that I wasn't expecting. It's not predictable at all and when you read it, you'll find a few surprises and the story is packed with emotional moments among the main and secondary characters. I also noticed that there were a few people in the book that had faced traumas in their lives (either they were disabled, sick, or disfigured in some way) but they still had faith in God, in spite of the hard knocks they'd endured in their troubled lives.

I noticed that a lot of the family scenes happened during meal time and I just wanted to pull up a chair and get my plate and eat with the O'Connors while reading this book - the characters and the situations seemed so real to me, that I felt like I was right there, part of the story. Lemonade was mentioned a lot, and I wanted to pluck a few lemons from the counter and squeeze myself a glass along with the characters, and have a relaxing time with the O'Connors.

You can read this book as a standalone if you wish, but, I think if you haven't read this author's books, you should read the Daughters of Boston Series so that you'll get a chance to see how Katie's sisters found love and romance.

This book was a treat to read, and if you enjoyed the Daughters of Boston Series, then I can guarantee that you'll enjoy this title.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Rejected! :-(

Hands down, this has got to be the quickest rejection I've ever received in my whole writing career! The project that I mentioned at the end of this blog post was submitted on September 11, 2010. I received the snail mail rejection in the mail today! Oh well, I'm not upset or anything like that. It was one of those, what I call, shots in the dark - I didn't really think they'd take it, but it's a completed manuscript, sitting on my shelf, collecting dust...

~Cecelia Dowdy~

ACFW Conference 2010

I'm too tired to blog about the conference. If you have any specific questions, leave them in the comments and I'll respond in another blog post. As I stated earlier, I'm a terrible reporter. I just don't feel like typing up all of the wonderful details about the conference since I'm too tired and lazy right now and I've got to finish reading books that I agreed to review for blog tours, plus, I have some proposals that I need to polish and submit as a result of the meetings I had with editors and agents at the conference. As I've said on this blog before, if you want to get commercially published within the Christian market then ACFW is the place to be! All those industry professionals and writers under one roof! I had an awesome time and it was great networking, socializing and worshipping with other writers! I had a great time! Here's some pics that other conferees took! I had my camera with me but failed to take any pictures. When I go to these events, I rarely take photos. I'm so busy having fun that I never take the time to take pics!
Me with local ACFW member Terri Haynes! Her entry was a finalist in the Genesis Contest!
Me with author Julie Lessman - the author of hot, spicy Christian romance. Her books are fantastic! I've reviewed her Daughters of Boston Series on this blog!
Me socializing with someone named Kathy. I met her at author Michelle Sutton's chocolate party. If memory serves me correctly, she told me about her experiences self-publishing her book.
Me talking to author Gail Sattler. Her recent release, The Narrow Path, sounds quite interesting since the heroine is new-order Mennonite and the hero is old-order Mennonite. When I find the time, I'll probably read her book.

Me, with a goofy, cheesy smile! I think I was winding down at this point, about ready to head back to my room to go to bed! I'd had my fill of chocolate by this time!

Me, sitting next to a woman named Cassandra at the awards banquet. I had NO IDEA this picture was being taken!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

September 17, 2010 - Day 1 For ACFW

I arrived in Indianapolis yesterday and shared a ride with another ACFW member to the hotel. So far, the hotel has been somewhat nice, but I've noticed that I have to wait a LONG TIME for elevators and when you get on an elevator, it's usually filled to capacity. I've run into LOTS of authors and I'm not sure if I can even attempt to list them all here. I did have a lot of conversations last night and my throat hurts from talking so much. I had lunch with ACFW member Dani Pettrey and my roommate Chandra Smith . Lunch was great. There was a chef making pasta to order and I'd never had that before, and it was tasty. I ran into author Tracie Peterson during lunch and it was great to see her! I hadn't seen her in YEARS! She was instrumental in helping me to land my first and third book contract!

After lunch, I had a long chat with author Ramona Cecil about her historicals. We also talked a lot about writing for Barbour. I was then approached by author Jennifer Rogers Spinola and we chatted for awhile and I gave her a copy of Chesapeake Weddings.

Praise and worship was awesome! I also was glad to see my former critique partner, Rose McCauley receive her first publishing contract for a Christmas historical novella!!! :-) The novella is being published by Barbour Publishing! Yea! :-)

I talked to authors Pat Simmons and I spoke with Vanessa Miller about her novel, Long Time Coming. It's an emotional read that'll bring tears to your eyes and I plan on posting a review later this year, closer to the released date of the novel.

I went to my room for a few minutes and by the time I got to dinner, most of the over six hundred people attending this conference were already seated! I found a seat in the back next to Jim Rubart, author of Rooms. Author Jenny Jones and Abington editor Barbara Scott were also at the table. I was able to talk to Barbara Scott about my writing and I was glad that I was able to do that.

After dinner, I attended two late night chats. One was for Summerside Press. Apparently, you need an agent to submit to them. It doesn't appear that you can submit to them via conference appointment unless you have an agent. I do enjoy their books and I've reviewed a number of their titles on this blog. They're still looking for unique settings for their Love Finds You Line and they've added a few lines to their house, too, and the two editors talked about that for a bit. I think these books have lovely covers, too!

After the Summerside Press chat, I went to the Steeple Hill chat and afterwards spoke with editor Tina Columbo James. If you're looking to submit someplace and you're unagented and unpublished, I think SH would be a great place to submit, especially since they take unagented submissions and I've noticed they have a habit of granting contracts to new authors.

During both the Summerside Press and Steeple Hill chats I had long conversations with a number of authors, but my fingers and getting a bit tired from typing and breakfast is coming up soon, and I don't feel like trying to recall all the names of whom I spoke with after the chats! I know I talked to author Ginny Aiken for awhile and Merrilee Wren and Lynette Sowell.

Author Michelle Sutton's chocolate party was great! I talked to a bunch of people here, too, including author Laurie Alice Eakes, Gail Sattler, Lena Nelson Dooley and a bunch of others! I saw Julie Lesssman, author of the hot and steamy inspirational Daughters of Boston series, and that was a treat!

I hope to post another blog entry later today or tomorrow! I did bring my camera with me, but, so far, I haven't taken any pics! But, others have taken pics of me, so, when I can get ahold of some, I'll post on the blog!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Indianapolis, Here I Come!

I'm leaving for the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in about an hour! It'll be good to see old friends and to make some new connections!

I also wanted to share a positive review about Chesapeake Weddings that was recently posted on Amazon.com:
Weddings For Everyone; Spoiler Alert
Cecelia Dowdy wrote a collection of three short stories in the Christian fiction genre based on the lives of three women in unrelated situations, but whose life path ended up crossing at a later point. Monica was forced to take in her blind nephew when her younger and irresponsible estranged sister decides that she wants to chase her dream of traveling the world with her new fiancé under the premise that she wanted to travel the world. After the death of her father, Emily thinks that her biggest challenge is managing an entire dairy farm all alone, but soon finds that she has to fight for the survival of her livelihood once some secrets are exposed that she was never told. Karen had her entire life turned upside down when her fiancé ran off with the church secretary and a large chunk of embezzled funds, leaving her to wonder if her life with the man she was about to marry was a farce.

The title of the book gave the reader the proper expectation for all of the short stories, so there was little opportunity for shock and surprise. This was the first time that I read a book from the 'Romancing America' series, but it seems that there are a series of books that highlight a different state in the country and focus the setting of the story on that particular region. To whet your appetite, the author speaks at length about all of the various food selections in that area to the point that while reading, I often wanted the pleasure to taste the dishes myself.

Another impressive point of this story was the obvious research that the author conducted to make her characters' areas of expertise believable. In Monica's story, the gentleman that she ended up falling in love with was an agnostic scientist who was able to tutor her blind nephew. In that story, she was able to convey the language of someone who had that background. Emily's life was based on a dairy farm with an eventual CPA beau that had a drinking problem, and she was able to make the reader feel as if they were actually in a farm setting with all of the proper lingo. Karen fell in love with the man who lived next door to her mother who was a plumber and who had a heart for ministry.

I recommend this for the reader who needs something to just sit back and relax with on a lazy day. It is not a difficult read that requires much active thought. But, I definitely recommend that the serious dieter pass this read by, the temptation is entirely too great with all of the wonderful description of fresh seafood from the Chesapeake.

The book was provided by the author for review purposes.

Shica Robinson
APOOO BookClub

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Tenwek Hospital

A good friend of ours, Ron Johnson, is out with a group of people in Kenya doing missionary work at Tenwek Hospital and the surrounding area. We receive daily emails from his group about their experiences and the emails bring both laughter and tears to our eyes as we read about babies dying and AIDs orphans who receive their first pair of shoes. If you feel led, keep this hospital and this ministry bathed in prayer.

My novel collection, Chesapeake Weddings, received a favorable review in The Examiner.

I'll be heading to ACFW tomorrow morning. If you're coming and you see me, stop and say hello, also let me know if you read my blog! I've often met my blog readers at conferences. I'll try and report on what I see and hear at the conference, but, as in past years, I find I do a terrible job at reporting. By the time I get back to my room, I just feel like going to sleep! I usually end up staying awake much later than normal, socializing!

Also, I forgot to mention, about a week ago I submitted one of my old, rejected manuscripts to another publisher. This particular publisher markets their novels primarily to libraries and the pay isn't much, but, the reject is just sitting there, gathering dust, so I might as well try and make a few dollars from my weeks worth of labor! :-) I'll keep you posted about that!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Making Waves By Lorna Seilstad

Making Waves by Lorna Seilstad

From the Back Cover
Sun, summer, and a scrumptious sailing instructor. What more could a girl want?
When spunky Marguerite Westing discovers that her family will spend the summer of 1895 at Lake Manawa, Iowa, she couldn't be more thrilled. It's the perfect way to escape her agonizingly boring suitor, Roger Gordon. It's also where she stumbles upon two new loves: sailing, and sailing instructor Trip Andrews.

But this summer of fun turns to turmoil as her father's secrets threaten to ruin the family forever. Will free-spirited Marguerite marry Roger to save her father's name and fortune? Or will she follow her heart--even if it means hurting the family she loves?

Full of sharp wit and blossoming romance, Making Waves will whisk you away to a breezy lakeside summer holiday.

"You'll set sail on a wonderful adventure in Lorna Seilstad's new series. Her quick wit and captivating characters are mixed into a little-known slice of history that will keep you turning the pages and wishing for more when the story ends. Fortunately, there's another book to follow. I can't wait!"--Judith Miller, author, Somewhere to Belong

"Lorna Seilstad pulled me into the world she created around Lake Manawa with the lake breeze, the sailboats, and the leisure of summer days. But the love story and the characters were what made the book great. This needs to be everyone's first choice for a vacation read, or if you just want to open the pages of a book and be transported from your recliner to the beach."--Mary Connealy, author, Doctor in Petticoats and Wrangler in Petticoats

Lorna Seilstad is a history buff, antique collector, and freelance graphic designer. A former high school English and journalism teacher, she has won several online writing awards and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in and draws her setting from Iowa. This is her first novel.
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I'll be honest with you, I signed up for this blog tour because I LOVED the cover! I was not familiar with this author and I just discovered before posting my review that it's her first book. Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing a review copy.

But it is a nice, pleasant read that I'm sure most historical book lovers would enjoy! Marguerite cannot stand her beau Roger. He's boring, a terrible conversationalist, and he's so puffed up with pride that he only enjoys the sound of his own voice. If she's forced to marry Roger, Marguerite knows that she will die!

Adventurous Marguerite loves a challenge and although she knows her parents will object, she finagles a way to take sailing lessons using her little brother Mark as an accomplice.

However, her plan soon turns into a disaster that places her life in danger. Her numerous lies are catching up with her and she needs to seek the Lord's wisdom about her future. She's smitten with her sailing instructor, Trip Andrews, however, her mother, and later her father, feel that Roger is the best mate for her.

Meanwhile, handsome and dimpled Trip Andrews struggles to live up to his stern father's expectations. He also finds himself falling for beautiful socialite Marguerite. However, her constant lies, which suddenly place her life in danger, causes a deep rift in their relationship. Trip doesn't do business with liars. He's also haunted by a past event involving his mother, are all women like his mom - willing do desert him?

As the story unfolds you'll find that Marguerite's family is riddled with secrets that greatly affect their lives. I learned a lot about vacationing on the lake and the scenery proved to be beautiful! I wanted to spend a nice, pleasant day on Lake Manawa myself! Making Waves is a nice mix of romance, inspiration and a small dose of suspense that I found enjoyable!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Wedding Anniversary And Conference

We celebrated seven years of marriage today! We celebrated by pulling out our wedding video and watching it yesterday. Our son didn't recognize a lot of the people in the video since, well, you know how it goes. Sometimes the only times you see some friends and family is at weddings and funerals. Some of the people are good friends of ours, too and these people are unfamiliar to our son! :-(

Maybe we'll show him the wedding video every year and make more of an effort to hook up with our friends and family members!

I'm heading out to ACFW within the next few days. I'm too tired to be excited. I'm sure the giddiness of being around all those great, wonderful people will kick in once I get there! There's so much going on in my mind that my head feels cluttered!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Strawberry Jam!

I made jam for the first time recently and if you're my friend on Facebook, you may already know about my adventures in jam making! Here's the recipe I used, followed with a commentary about all that happened when I made this jam!

Strawberry Jam

8 cups of strawberries (about 4 pints), crushed
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix all ingredients in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring frequently. Boil uncovered, stirring frequently, until translucent and jam is thick, about 25 minutes. Quickly skim off foam. Immediately pour jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rim of jars. Seal as directed on jars.

I got about 7 half pints of jam from this recipe. I didn't crush the berries, I just sliced them. I made the mistake of using the JAM setting on my bread machine instead of using the dutch oven since I don't have a dutch oven. The jam setting didn't cook the mixture enough. When I poured it into the hot, sterilized jars, it was watery - like strawberry water. I went ahead and sealed the jars anyway, thinking it would thicken later. Several hours later, it was still watery. I figured that it didn't cook long enough on the JAM setting on the bread machine, even though it went through the whole cycle for JAM on the bread machine. Feeling upset about all the wasted time and effort, I opened the sealed jars and poured the strawberry water into a big pot and cooked it until it thickened on the stove. I stirred frequently and it took about 25 minutes for it to thicken. I then re-sterilized the jars and poured the thicken jam into the jars and resealed them. I then placed the sealed jars into hot water so that they could re-seal.

I called my mom and she informed me that since I'd already sealed the strawberry water earlier, I couldn't re-use the lids since the seal was now broken. By this time, it was nine o'clock at night and I wasn't going out to buy new lids. I ended up leaving the jars out to cool, with the lids on and the next day I placed them into the refrigerator, just to be safe.

The day after Labor Day, once we'd returned from work, I opened a jar of jam and found that it had sealed! :-)

I made some toast and we spread butter and jelly on the toast and IT WAS GOOD! Our five-year-old son stated: "Mmmm! Mommy, this is good!"

It was so delicious and we ate a whole jar within a couple of days! :-)

Do any of you can regularly? I do have a question if you do? You know the lids for the jars? Are you supposed to sterilze both parts of the lids before you place them onto the filled jars? I'd think if you sterilized that middle part of the lid, the one with the seal, that it being in the boiling water would break the seal before you screwed it on the lid?

I plan on doing this again, but not anytime soon! I'll probably do it in the spring or summer. I'll probably make peach preserves next! Doesn't that sound yummy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Bittersweet Memories - A Review

See this link for a wonderful review of Bittersweet Memories, the third book in my Chesapeake Weddings collection!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Love Finds You In Homestead Iowa

Love Finds You In Homestead Iowa by Melanie Dobson
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press (March 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935416669

Times are hard in 1894. Desperate for work, former banker Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west from Chicago with his four-year-old daughter, Cassie. When a life-threatening illness strands the pair in Homestead, Iowa, the local Amana villagers welcome the father and daughter into their peaceful society. Liesel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and the Homestead elders offer Jacob work. But Jacob’s growing interest in Liesel complicates his position in the Amanas. Will he fight to stay in the only place that feels like home, even if it means giving up the woman he loves? Or will Liesel leave her beloved community to face the outside world with Jacob and Cassie at her side?

I really enjoyed this book. I'd never heard of the Amanas until I read this novel. Jacob has fallen on hard times and he's desperate to find a way to care for his ill daughter, Cassie. When he hops on a train and then randomly gets off at the Amanas, he finds someone who can help his daughter to heal from a dreadful disease. However, although Jacob's physical health is in danger, his spiritual health is a bit weak, too. He finds himself smitten with Liesel, one of the Amana people. When the couple are quarantined together, they talk and Liesel discovers that she has deeper feelings for Jacob than she has for her fiancé (who happens to to be the baker in their community). However, Liesel can't fall in love and be with an outsider, and try as hard as she can, she just can't shake these deep feelings she's developing for Jacob and his young daughter Cassie.

There was also a slightly suspenseful side story involving stolen money and Jacob's old employer at the bank that I found intriguing.

I especially liked the fact that I learned a lot about the Amanas! They're a Plain sect of people that no longer exist. They lived apart from the world and were pretty self-sufficient. They didn't get paid for their labors. All of their work went back into the community and from what I understand, they would get ration coupons to purchase personal goods from the general store. Land, homes, buildings, etc. were all owned by the Society and there were only some personal items that each person might own. This way of life sounded a bit stifling, but I thought it was intriguing, too. I felt more comfortable reading about the Amanas than the Shakers. I found the Amanas sect was more Biblically based than the Shakers and I could actually imagine myself living among them for awhile...unlike the Shakers!

If you want to learn something new and you like intriguing, emotionally-charged stories, then this book is for you!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Discovery Channel Gunman

My sister works at the Discovery Channel in Silver Spring and I was worried, shocked, and horrified and I found out about an armed man, James Lee, had entered the building and had fired a few shots and took hostages. It also appeared that he was strapped with bombs. My sister called me quietly from her office, leaving me a voicemail stating that they were in lockdown. My heart was beating hard and I was sweating hard as I prayed and called people that I knew. I was relieved when she called me about ten minutes later and said that they'd exited the building.

I'm glad the whole situation is over. It was just a bit too close to home for me! :-(

~Cecelia Dowdy~