tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86303812024-03-21T02:26:14.114-04:00Cecelia's Christian Fiction BlogA fun place to discuss Christian novels, the Bible, and writing-related topics. Although my focus is Christian fiction, I'll still talk about an occasional secular fiction title or an inspirational non-fiction book.Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.comBlogger1161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-25495158946626908582013-07-26T00:03:00.001-04:002013-07-26T00:03:00.790-04:00Childhood Favorites - From The Blog Archives<b>What are your favorite childhood stories? Which books really resonated with you?</b><br />
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If you know me very well, you'll know that I LOVE READING! It's one of the few things in my life that has been constant from early childhood until now. When I think about my time as a kid, I think about some of my favorite books. I've listed A FEW of them here, but, as I think about it, I'm sure there are others:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZSbKV3X_5bLi9yvo6LPZgadFVbnE2mf9pwfGmfYw8XAvVQxgYPsWPvtkJN0npEnohm6D8ERZjk_6_zFguUPtCxpAnebGeJ5xlcy_3PNQkZDBb5MGuFhNZYhiQtCkZ9wKY5R8mw/s1600/dick+and+jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="192" width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZSbKV3X_5bLi9yvo6LPZgadFVbnE2mf9pwfGmfYw8XAvVQxgYPsWPvtkJN0npEnohm6D8ERZjk_6_zFguUPtCxpAnebGeJ5xlcy_3PNQkZDBb5MGuFhNZYhiQtCkZ9wKY5R8mw/s200/dick+and+jane.jpg" /></a></div>1. The Dick And Jane Series - Actually, I don't consider this one a "favorite" but, these books kind of stay in my mind because these are the books that were used to teach me to read. I just remember the joy of being able to string words together and to actually read an entire book aloud!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI4WPxL2x_A-S9HfHZQrV1W44lKx62Htibw1NYF537tTRsLg-_1X_p8EmynecmJ2ptogbiMyY9NmMh0f5OVWXmTuNGPKgYMVpJiKIH1XaTFz_Ce_bMwO_r8ijZRwIaz6vGEMq0Q/s1600/little+house+on+the+prairie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="190" width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI4WPxL2x_A-S9HfHZQrV1W44lKx62Htibw1NYF537tTRsLg-_1X_p8EmynecmJ2ptogbiMyY9NmMh0f5OVWXmTuNGPKgYMVpJiKIH1XaTFz_Ce_bMwO_r8ijZRwIaz6vGEMq0Q/s200/little+house+on+the+prairie.jpg" /></a></div>2. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Series - I read these books over and over again. I really enjoyed seeing these characters through the pages of these novels! The family went through lots of trouble in the wilderness and Laura had lots of struggles with her nemesis, Nelly Olsen. There was also a popular TV series on in the seventies that was based upon the characters in the Little House books. I watched most of the episodes of Michael Landon's series, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UaC1YXA4PMCMbFubT381yqFJe_nsgIvg7azQbLPz-M4TtBo_KSaX6k_9E9ibkryYMLa5FFD2pEWzm1TMigBbIOv4Jb8YDaaPAm1la6trGmdsHF8xXjn2l7UCwKR1kmkMzBnOyw/s1600/the+boxcar+children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UaC1YXA4PMCMbFubT381yqFJe_nsgIvg7azQbLPz-M4TtBo_KSaX6k_9E9ibkryYMLa5FFD2pEWzm1TMigBbIOv4Jb8YDaaPAm1la6trGmdsHF8xXjn2l7UCwKR1kmkMzBnOyw/s200/the+boxcar+children.jpg" /></a></div>3. The Boxcar Children - A group of four orphaned children hide out in an abandoned boxcar to escape the care of their "evil" grandfather. The rest of the series focuses on their being raised by their grandpa and the adventures they faced. I read this entire series a couple of times I believe when I was around nine or ten?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsOvTIR6UuYJcfW7nFn1X5bfx5tdkyhbkEdMvf3wdYQMzhHI6ADvtl3IwRGJKgzMpM-onErRRK_poRuyuXeQqwKwZqGz1x3W_kc0undWBwZGBC0i4SCyv8tcObXlMgPG0hOq7NA/s1600/nancy+drew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="163" width="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsOvTIR6UuYJcfW7nFn1X5bfx5tdkyhbkEdMvf3wdYQMzhHI6ADvtl3IwRGJKgzMpM-onErRRK_poRuyuXeQqwKwZqGz1x3W_kc0undWBwZGBC0i4SCyv8tcObXlMgPG0hOq7NA/s200/nancy+drew.jpg" /></a></div>4. The Nancy Drew Mysteries - the originals. I read the original Nancy Drew mysteries when I was in the fifth grade. I was mesmerized by this courageous, smart, 18-year-old woman who solved mysteries and...she didn't accept payment for her services. Her mother died when she was three and she was raised by her lawyer father, Carson Drew and her housekeeper, Hannah Gruen (sp?).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPFMQX_GqI5wa9eRGkCwKXSeNk5I9B4TKeyQ1vA9hD5a-CclmIpNZ8V0b6Qt37zqrZt1xmuMETQDCXyDIZAqDS_2tx97_xpnBZP1FJxV0i3L0YU9f7Li7wuwO5JQlnKXK6-Sq4A/s1600/heidi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="192" width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPFMQX_GqI5wa9eRGkCwKXSeNk5I9B4TKeyQ1vA9hD5a-CclmIpNZ8V0b6Qt37zqrZt1xmuMETQDCXyDIZAqDS_2tx97_xpnBZP1FJxV0i3L0YU9f7Li7wuwO5JQlnKXK6-Sq4A/s200/heidi.jpg" /></a></div>5. Heidi<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiirWT4Apf-dCqMvieOVPVbRT2P3JkgPLEr4x6eLKyrKJiUmGoLrm96WqBpgPFjCX8ClcNdN2gcEn1jDnBpj10t39-Z-T6WsBx1CTTrI3Zb0JFc_MT6MutwL9x158vwOhYP-yTQ/s1600/the+secret+garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="188" width="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWiirWT4Apf-dCqMvieOVPVbRT2P3JkgPLEr4x6eLKyrKJiUmGoLrm96WqBpgPFjCX8ClcNdN2gcEn1jDnBpj10t39-Z-T6WsBx1CTTrI3Zb0JFc_MT6MutwL9x158vwOhYP-yTQ/s200/the+secret+garden.jpg" /></a></div>6. The Secret Garden<br />
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I recall reading Heidi twice and I believe I read The Secret Garden more than once. Both of these stories involved ill children, struggling to get well. In Heidi, she lives in the mountains with her grandfather, the Alm (sp?) Uncle and there's a shepherd boy named Peter in this story too. Heidi loves to read and I recall her reading to a blind woman in the story. I believe this book took place in the Swiss Alps. Also, there was a little girl in a wheelchair, but I can't remember her name. My memories of The Secret Garden are a bit sketchy, but I recall the garden served as a solace to a sick child as the youngster struggled to get better. I believe there was a boy named Dicken? in The Secret Garden?<br />
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<b>So, what are your favorite childhood stories? Why were they your favorites? Have you read any of the stories that I've listed above?<br />
</b><br />
<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a><br />
</b><br />
</i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-39320345864347821822013-04-26T00:03:00.001-04:002013-04-26T00:03:00.906-04:00Do Men Read Romance Novels? - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYjSC_cMmIfnXEWCn38eRyAyRu4iroLV5puCxxHRzJ8ZDaZIssCtvkxeXlZcW0XjqJsm_9tXsVgULOVMYXxiXIz3nC0sd0PNHY9wdNbw8TKXDNCNfoVrTGNBpVHNUmrtnV6giYA/s1600/firstmates3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYjSC_cMmIfnXEWCn38eRyAyRu4iroLV5puCxxHRzJ8ZDaZIssCtvkxeXlZcW0XjqJsm_9tXsVgULOVMYXxiXIz3nC0sd0PNHY9wdNbw8TKXDNCNfoVrTGNBpVHNUmrtnV6giYA/s200/firstmates3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Over the last couple of weeks, I've received correspondence from two men about my Love Inspired title, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Mates-ebook/dp/B004R1QARU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316796377&sr=8-2">First Mates</a>. Both men said that they enjoyed the story and they wanted to know if I had other titles available. One of the men is thirty years old and the other is in his seventies. This recent correspondence gave me the idea for the topic of this blog post.<br />
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<b>Do you know any men who read romance novels?<br />
</b><br />
When I think of romance novel readers, I picture women of various ages engrossed in the pages of romance paperback novels. I realize this view may be a bit out-dated so I'd like the opinions of others. If you know of any male romance readers, tell us about them. <b>What do men find appealing about a romance novel? If you are a man who reads romance, please respond and tell us why you read it.<br />
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</b>Leave your responses in the comments! :-)<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/"><strong><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></strong></a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-13265843732570712702013-03-29T00:03:00.001-04:002013-03-29T00:03:01.241-04:00Simple Pleasures! - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp3WvmhfIWQ08OhsF9a6DNMHAGU8n9vt4nLDqVD4RYDlwWopD1sPpC9UZQ6Kg3D5CeW_8XSDhy1pO0RGiKyz1g4d7T_j0tu9OBhgA194BGcVYFajmUCy6aCGZVj2rja8oRVOTAg/s1600/lemon+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp3WvmhfIWQ08OhsF9a6DNMHAGU8n9vt4nLDqVD4RYDlwWopD1sPpC9UZQ6Kg3D5CeW_8XSDhy1pO0RGiKyz1g4d7T_j0tu9OBhgA194BGcVYFajmUCy6aCGZVj2rja8oRVOTAg/s320/lemon+tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What's your favorite dessert?</strong><br />
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When I write my stories, I notice that I habitually tap into the senses of smell and taste - especially taste! I've had a number of readers to say that they get hungry while reading my stories. I love writing about different foods, but I'm very passionate about sweets. I love eating them, describing them, making others crave a nice piece of buttery pound cake, or a dense slice of cherry-coated cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes with you today. I've had at least two people tell me that this is the best pound cake they've ever eaten. It's simple and it's oh-so-good! When you bite into this pound cake, the tart lemon glaze is a stark contrast to the buttery lemony pound cake, and it'll just make you close your eyes and enjoy bite after bite! :-)<br />
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If you try this pound cake, let me know if you enjoyed it. I know I shared this recipe with one of my former co-workers and she said when she made it, it didn't taste as good as mine...not sure why? <br />
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<strong>So, what's your favorite dessert? Leave a comment and feel free to share the recipe with us!</strong><br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></em></strong><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span comic="" sans="" style="color: black; font-size: large;">OLD FASHIONED LEMON POUND CAKE<br />
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1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)<br />
3 cups sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 teaspoon lemon extract<br />
Fresh lemon juice from one lemon (I use one of those bulb-shaped, cheap plastic juicers that people use for orange juice in order to juice my lemon. You get more juice that way. Be sure to remove any seeds. )<br />
Grated lemon rind from one lemon<br />
6 large eggs<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
½ cup evaporated milk<br />
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Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar ½ cup at a time, creaming well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lemon extract, juice and rind. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir thoroughly after each addition. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. If cake is not done after 70-80 minutes, bake longer, until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes; remove from pan.<br />
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GLAZE:<br />
Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice (or use a a juicer - mentioned above) of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span comic="" sans="" style="color: black; font-size: large;">Enjoy! :-)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-20515222585314745772013-02-22T00:03:00.002-05:002013-02-22T00:03:00.447-05:00African-American Books - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCaS-E2gKBC2DIKQEAGgQyfDsnjY9XPOyTrA39mxPF9-u_1vLOO1N8KKvX7ZboSiRUpI7zzVoUcvbdFUH7eGXFko1pzDb4JoOmwQ0b82Xfz8_aB_L1yzTxsUxFxSX6-QbExuCVQ/s1600/chesapeake_weddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCaS-E2gKBC2DIKQEAGgQyfDsnjY9XPOyTrA39mxPF9-u_1vLOO1N8KKvX7ZboSiRUpI7zzVoUcvbdFUH7eGXFko1pzDb4JoOmwQ0b82Xfz8_aB_L1yzTxsUxFxSX6-QbExuCVQ/s400/chesapeake_weddings.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>Do you read books by African-American (AA) authors?</b><br />
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Many African-Americans will only read books by AA authors. Also, most bookstores have a separate section for AA books. <br />
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While I was growing up, there were few AA authors, so I read ANY NOVEL that I could find, the race of the author didn't matter to me! I was joyous when the publishing scene exploded with lots of AA books (I was an adult by this time.)<br />
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<b>My question to all of you is, if you are NOT African-American, do you mind reading African-American fiction? Do you feel that AA books are only written for other African-Americans? If you go to a bookstore, and see the AA section, would you go to that section and browse, or do you feel that those books are only for AA readers? <br />
</b><br />
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<b>And if you are AA, do you ONLY read books by AA authors, or do you read books by people of all races?</b> Over the years, I've met several African-Americans who tell me that they'll only read AA authors.<br />
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I'll start by responding to my own question. I'll read a novel as long as it's well-written and enjoyable. I don't care if the author or characters are AA or not, I'm gonna read the book regardless. If I don't like it, I won't finish reading it! <br />
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I doubt that God would want us to separate our reading tastes like this. I'd think he'd want us to be open-minded and read books by authors of all races.<br />
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Leave your responses in the comments! :-)<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b></i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-47515133008864438352013-02-13T00:05:00.002-05:002013-02-13T00:05:00.974-05:00Love Letters - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9peZZZ2_rnRJ5b8VSyOLQkz0jmujTNBKvVXygl989-BIamT0ZJPdjRmpKQW75ir8CsFA6S8d93wPFGcTkqCNTMMcOKO6Ubq_qvsd2XEPfktGeubDA2KUo0C1s4ZuYRIuh1mvaw/s1600/love+letters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9peZZZ2_rnRJ5b8VSyOLQkz0jmujTNBKvVXygl989-BIamT0ZJPdjRmpKQW75ir8CsFA6S8d93wPFGcTkqCNTMMcOKO6Ubq_qvsd2XEPfktGeubDA2KUo0C1s4ZuYRIuh1mvaw/s400/love+letters.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>by <a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/">Cecelia Dowdy</a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This is a repeat of an old blog post! I thought I'd re-post since Valentine's Day is tomorrow! </span></b><br />
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<b>Do you remember your very first love letter?</b> <br />
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My blog post about <a href="http://www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2011/07/pen-pals-writers-rest-blog-post.html">my childhood pen pals </a>made me think about other forms of written communication from my childhood, mainly, my first love letter. <br />
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The first time I received a love letter was when I was in the sixth grade and I was eleven years old. I sat at my assigned desk during math class. When I was about to leave, I looked down and saw a piece of notebook paper under my seat. I picked it up and was shocked to see the words from a secret admirer...my secret admirer! I don't remember what the note said, BUT, I do remember that this person had taken a piece of masking tape and attached a nickel to the note as a gift for me! <br />
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Believe it or not, I never did find out who wrote me that letter! I recall being kind of upset that he'd only left me a nickel...it was the seventies and there wasn't much that you could purchase at the store for five cents! I recall wishing he'd left me a dollar instead!<br />
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After that, I don't really recall writing love letters very much, but, I remember my female friends in high school and college writing letters and secret notes to guys that they had a crush on. The only time I remember exchanging love letters was with my husband and it was via email. We met through an online dating service and while we dated we sent several emails to each other. As a matter of fact, we still exchange emails! :-)<br />
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<b>So do you remember writing or receiving your first love letter? Who was it from? To whom did you address your first love letter?</b><br />
Leave your response in the comments!<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-68527425492584403382013-01-04T00:03:00.003-05:002013-01-04T00:03:01.153-05:00Food In The Church - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDyrwCaaRJNDK_mtf31Tnk9pX0gsHw3CGB6rnqqu3kC63uJ5lJLUDY0qcmkGJRWyWb8s1XtoFTf0JQRBgoW9TxoPtC5GL559o1CTZng8_7hczb3HSnMi67FQNdTKy1P0ZLljQfg/s1600/chocolate+brownies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDyrwCaaRJNDK_mtf31Tnk9pX0gsHw3CGB6rnqqu3kC63uJ5lJLUDY0qcmkGJRWyWb8s1XtoFTf0JQRBgoW9TxoPtC5GL559o1CTZng8_7hczb3HSnMi67FQNdTKy1P0ZLljQfg/s400/chocolate+brownies.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<b>Do you remember the events at your church (both past and present) that involved food? If so, what were your favorite dishes?<br />
</b><br />
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Growing up, I don't really recall having many events in my congregation that involved us enjoying food. I grew up a Jehovah's Witness and at the congregation where my family attended, I only remember a couple of picnics with hot dogs and hamburgers - there may have been other JW food events, and it's possible that it's escaped my memory, that was so long ago. These JW events were never at the place of worship, but usually at a park.<br />
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Later, as an adult, I initially joined an AME church and they served us spaghetti on the day that they hosted the new member class. I recall, I thought the spaghetti was just okay and the church ladies prepared it in the church kitchen in the basement. The AME church also sponsored an annual picnic every fall. I only attended this picnic one time and it was catered. The food was just okay. I recall eating a hamburger, hot dog, and baked beans.<br />
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Later on, right before we got married, my husband and I joined a Baptist church - we still attend this church. The only food event that our church sponsors each year, which we attend, is their annual picnic. Like the AME church mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Baptist church picnic is catered. We didn't enjoy the food much this year - the burgers were underdone. I hate seeing pink meat in my burger.<br />
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What's the point of this blog post? Well, over the years when I've had conversations with people, they'll sometimes reminisce about church/pot luck suppers sponsored by their church. They'll also recall certain dishes prepared by the parishioners that were their favorites. Usually it was a favorite dessert (pie, cake or cookies), or a favorite casserole dish. I've never had this kind of experience within the church and I wondered if any of you blog readers have? I enjoy talking about food and as you know, I've also shared recipes on this blog.<br />
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<b>So, do you remember any favorite church events, past or present, that involved food? What kind of event was it? What were your favorite dishes? Were any of these events catered, or did the parishioners provide the food?<br />
</b><br />
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Leave your responses in the comments!<br />
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<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b></i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-86434313508141314912012-12-21T00:05:00.002-05:002012-12-21T00:05:01.087-05:00Family Christmas Traditions - From The Blog Archives!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr92IqNAf6Mpqa1FL7j7BkP0fiSbm6FA_egRXBzcNtwItTkDLRIyy41LEdK44BnZ-L_SZ78ihLaCAY12IK9uPR61LaPdKi3iJN5dBRNKwBW_ExZrHXc3gxwdtTEgNGDK1B_s_8sQ/s1600/christmas_snow_presents.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr92IqNAf6Mpqa1FL7j7BkP0fiSbm6FA_egRXBzcNtwItTkDLRIyy41LEdK44BnZ-L_SZ78ihLaCAY12IK9uPR61LaPdKi3iJN5dBRNKwBW_ExZrHXc3gxwdtTEgNGDK1B_s_8sQ/s200/christmas_snow_presents.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548883694333222754" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFkmwz2sFggRtimkJiW2aRXUmlZT-QF9qZ1MvWUrRt0zSV-xI4GhI3pcSCf7G0HzFZb_Q07iOv-t3Bwi7GR6WnvHgpBg2uyOSEnWLZuwhSV9A3E-3jQNc-exnjexXCfLAt0hYdA/s1600/CHRISTMAS+TREE.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFkmwz2sFggRtimkJiW2aRXUmlZT-QF9qZ1MvWUrRt0zSV-xI4GhI3pcSCf7G0HzFZb_Q07iOv-t3Bwi7GR6WnvHgpBg2uyOSEnWLZuwhSV9A3E-3jQNc-exnjexXCfLAt0hYdA/s200/CHRISTMAS+TREE.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548883692080287714" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-zP_QpRTqTYqHIk8fXyPxLxJ3YqY9FCrvbmp6uVLv41uQN12p8qyho2yd0Z1stelz7Ixy3BTrYYD2BQBdU5JqcuEaQSet9vbHHI293_wnbR243R1-IAo-M4f_ka2QwSscgDTJw/s1600/cookies.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-zP_QpRTqTYqHIk8fXyPxLxJ3YqY9FCrvbmp6uVLv41uQN12p8qyho2yd0Z1stelz7Ixy3BTrYYD2BQBdU5JqcuEaQSet9vbHHI293_wnbR243R1-IAo-M4f_ka2QwSscgDTJw/s200/cookies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548883688702596386" /></a><br />
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<strong>Christmas Traditions should be kept fun and simple.</strong> <br />
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To celebrate Christmas with my family each year, we bake several kinds of cookies. Every weekend, I make a different type. Last weekend it was chocolate chip. This coming weekend with be peanut butter. The weekend after that will probably be oatmeal raisin and rolled sugar cookies. I've always loved baking and I have a major sweet tooth, so doing these activities with my son is fun, relaxing, soothing, and delicious!<br />
<br />
As the years go by, we'll probably add more to our Christmas traditions. For example, my son is now five, and this is the first year he's asked for a Christmas tree. I was raised in a religion that didn't allow Christmas celebrations, and as an adult, I've never felt compelled to purchase a tree for my home. My husband never really wanted a tree either. When we went shopping for a fake tree at Kmart last Saturday, I suddenly felt overwhelmed from the crowds, long lines, and tall trees - trees that I did not want to bring into my home. The trees just seemed so big to me! So, we rushed home and I ordered a small 4 1/2 foot tree online. The tree even comes with lights! The tree arrived in the mail yesterday, and we'll assemble it within the next few days. I'm sure this will become another yearly Christmas tradition in our home - putting up the tree!<br />
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<strong>What are your favorite family Christmas traditions? Do you add traditions as the years go by? As you get older, do you stop certain Christmas traditions?</strong> <br />
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Merry Christmas! :-)<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-33015075604950830752012-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:002012-08-01T00:00:02.844-04:00Booksigning Event In Manassas, VA - August 4, 2012<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoS5LfSh6fOEKxXZhJeEx8ZxZ9VuhEW8bZKqY9r6sI9sV_W1VW3APMCe3BgcAnpEq3ZBU6bOeHRFsqvuqcUqviR-KYhJp4zx7L5LmSBJmt3ttSep_Xq-IsdA-E5U90VVS9hvL/s1600/FestivalFlyer--2012(Horn).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpoS5LfSh6fOEKxXZhJeEx8ZxZ9VuhEW8bZKqY9r6sI9sV_W1VW3APMCe3BgcAnpEq3ZBU6bOeHRFsqvuqcUqviR-KYhJp4zx7L5LmSBJmt3ttSep_Xq-IsdA-E5U90VVS9hvL/s320/FestivalFlyer--2012(Horn).jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I'll be signing copies of <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/chesapeake-weddings-three-in-one-collections/cecelia-dowdy/9781602608023/pd/608021?product_redirect=1&Ntt=608021&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">Chesapeake Weddings</a> on August 4, 2012 <br />
from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm at the following location:<br />
Manassas African-American Heritage Festival<br />
Grace
Metz Middle School<br />
9950 Wellington Road<br />
Manassas, VA<br />
More information about this event is available <a href="http://maahf.com/">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></span>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-25108878429266822132012-07-09T00:13:00.002-04:002012-07-09T00:13:00.260-04:00Pen Pals - From The Blog Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8pI_fleH1jY0Ixdm5upqri80JMN6u8q5NcgbhLyj0xgWO9ukJGkLB-UisQXtIyyW_Xw1vGk4VDaSiSy7rU4F3tVLFH2JBEJ7zqzbVuQU-2BlXR1naxmuf4Vpl_1rt-HDqLbBQ/s1600/coffee+pen+roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo8pI_fleH1jY0Ixdm5upqri80JMN6u8q5NcgbhLyj0xgWO9ukJGkLB-UisQXtIyyW_Xw1vGk4VDaSiSy7rU4F3tVLFH2JBEJ7zqzbVuQU-2BlXR1naxmuf4Vpl_1rt-HDqLbBQ/s400/coffee+pen+roses.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Hot_drinks_g184-_Cup_Of_Coffee_With_Red_Roses_p31199.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos</span></a><br />
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by <a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com">Cecelia Dowdy</a><br />
<br />
<b>Note, this is a repeat of an old blog post.<br />
</b><br />
<b>Does the title of this blog post bring back memories?</b> <b>Have you ever had pen pals? If so, do you remember their names and where they were from? How long did the writing relationship last?<br />
</b><br />
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Pen pals is a somehwat "archaic" term. The reason I say this is because with the advancement of the internet, I don't think people write letters to one another anymore using pen, ink, envelope and stamp. When I was growing up, I believe my fascination with pen pals was one of the indications that I'd become a writer when I got older.<br />
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I recall reading the Archie Comic books and there was a list of people from which to choose pen pals listed in the book. Also, you could send in money to the comic book people and they'd mail you the address for a pen pal. I recall taping approximately 75 cents onto the order form and mailing it out to the comic book people. In return, I received pen pals. <br />
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I recall two of my pen pals quite well. One was named Karen G. (I won't reveal the last name, but I remember it.) and she lived in Jacksonville, Florida. The other one was named Tammy K. and she lived in...Maine, Montana, Massachusetts? I only recall that Tammy's home state started with a M. I exchanged pictures with both of them. Karen had short curly dark hair and Tammy had long brown straight hair. Sometimes, we'd exchange gifts. Tammy sent me a necklace once and it had a pendant in the shape of a chocolate ice cream cone! :-)<br />
<br />
I wrote to these girls for about a year or so? Then, the relationship just tapered off to nothing. The letters stopped suddenly and when I wrote, I finally received no response from either of them. I wonder where these ladies are today and if they even remember writing to me back in the seventies.<br />
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<b>So, have you ever had pen pals? If so, do you remember their names and where they were from? How long did the writing relationship last?<br />
</b><br />
Don't forget to leave a comment!<br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a><br />
</b><br />
</i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-41440345410143717402012-06-24T00:08:00.003-04:002012-06-24T00:08:00.255-04:00Sunday Brunch - From The Blog Archives - Clothing Filled With God's Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI6kX7ATNdY8zkzHb_Z8tr9wUL2kpIpGFYNuGdYFyPcccmJ7eI7nChalbp-_EcjBQt94hdLhpI8akpAKljqTyVMqP2POmADiJBiwrSujq8TEfxiHsmF4hZx7PzHCdFWbFIoh7/s1600/SUNDAY+BRUNCH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="292" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAI6kX7ATNdY8zkzHb_Z8tr9wUL2kpIpGFYNuGdYFyPcccmJ7eI7nChalbp-_EcjBQt94hdLhpI8akpAKljqTyVMqP2POmADiJBiwrSujq8TEfxiHsmF4hZx7PzHCdFWbFIoh7/s400/SUNDAY+BRUNCH.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SjIfQ2XKvmgwIfq6HdF_ekelkTPfbqEBgQAJfBxhQamolIfd5Vt69QxCZHx9fgjIYPtJiUPhwyS9zYSuzsTbpV8tm45a-C13dQ9eCDkTrqPAvr5K38ptwYuz8RrN4Bkcu73PCQ/s1600/church.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2SjIfQ2XKvmgwIfq6HdF_ekelkTPfbqEBgQAJfBxhQamolIfd5Vt69QxCZHx9fgjIYPtJiUPhwyS9zYSuzsTbpV8tm45a-C13dQ9eCDkTrqPAvr5K38ptwYuz8RrN4Bkcu73PCQ/s400/church.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Religious_buildings_g294-Church_p20774.html">Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos</a><br />
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<i><b>***This is a repeat of an old blog post!</b><br />
</i><b>Do you think the early Christians had deeper faith than the present-day Christians?</b><br />
<br />
I've been talking about the early Christians. The church was so much different back then - at least different from the churches of which I've been a member. The miracles that happened within the early church were truly amazing. I'd like to take this moment and share some scriptures that show clothing filled with God's spirit. I blogged about this first scripture years ago, but, thought it'd be good to talk about again since this scripture pertains to the early Christians, mainly, the Apostle Paul:<br />
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Acts 19:11-12 <br />
<i><b>11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.</b></i> <br />
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That's so cool, awesome and totally amazing! Can you imagine, an apron or handkerchief that had touched Paul could be taken to a sick person and the item could cure his/her illness and drive out evil spirits! Man....like, wow!!!<br />
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Paul's miraculous miracles, stored in clothing items that he touched....<br />
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Wow!<br />
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I was talking to my husband about this last night and he reminded me of the following scripture - when the bleeding woman touched Jesus clothing and was healed:<br />
Luke 8:43-48<br />
<i><b>43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. <br />
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” <br />
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”<br />
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. <br />
48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” </b></i><br />
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I would like to witness something like this happening myself. Yes, I do realize that it's still possible for this to happen today, people can get healed, but, I wish I could travel in a time machine and go back to the days of Jesus and the Apostle Paul and witness these healings as descibed in the above-mentioned scriptures.<br />
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So, <b>do you think the early Christians had deeper faith than the present-day Christians?</b><br />
<br />
Leave a comment.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU4LB41uwO0b99bZDTHllaVfT4J1iNo7cSNuwllJdbjo-0TCh_D86VjAwLi4aro8xkON-BPqLn08vW9W4B01sSpfDdkN4e4Retb-y1It4e7ONQytp1SMew0DMKQyode7npjjPJg/s1600/chesapeake_weddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU4LB41uwO0b99bZDTHllaVfT4J1iNo7cSNuwllJdbjo-0TCh_D86VjAwLi4aro8xkON-BPqLn08vW9W4B01sSpfDdkN4e4Retb-y1It4e7ONQytp1SMew0DMKQyode7npjjPJg/s200/chesapeake_weddings.jpg" /></a></div>I'd also like to mention that my novel collection, Chesapeake Weddings, is still available for <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/chesapeake-weddings-three-in-one-collections/cecelia-dowdy/9781602608023/pd/608021?item_code=WW&netp_id=636756&event=ESRCN&view=details">a low price of $2.79 on Christianbook.com.<br />
</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCM6MLFhyphenhyphen1J_waq5nPf5RMuQBahKd5G0G8lSG5oQW_zyVmKmgxhEyAPp3GG2NAVEpzsR9hI_w44DlWpRnd1fz5TLkAw0iMWtYvLcoYGJYqbh2e3kcng4rxpinOT79IqIzVXBrUg/s1600/firstmates3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCM6MLFhyphenhyphen1J_waq5nPf5RMuQBahKd5G0G8lSG5oQW_zyVmKmgxhEyAPp3GG2NAVEpzsR9hI_w44DlWpRnd1fz5TLkAw0iMWtYvLcoYGJYqbh2e3kcng4rxpinOT79IqIzVXBrUg/s200/firstmates3.jpg" /></a></div>Also, my novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Mates-ebook/dp/B004R1QARU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1300232033&sr=8-3">First Mates, is available on Kindle as well as other e-readers for the low price of $3.99.<br />
</a><br />
<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a><br />
</b><br />
</i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-59658843714204606532012-06-15T00:00:00.000-04:002012-06-15T00:00:04.880-04:00Love Finds You In Carmel-By-The Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPL5AS6quFHwv_Qvp5aDZ_vZgYLRNOJrCWpfaG6-ub3r1dtexm9tI2s08_XjwQb3C_zbyC9qK14wKytTb7QvM2REgO3814fjjXixJ9SFntgZDOnoSK8ZEtzlRpq7fvAiQ0zfH/s1600/love+finds+in+you+carmel+by+the+sea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPL5AS6quFHwv_Qvp5aDZ_vZgYLRNOJrCWpfaG6-ub3r1dtexm9tI2s08_XjwQb3C_zbyC9qK14wKytTb7QvM2REgO3814fjjXixJ9SFntgZDOnoSK8ZEtzlRpq7fvAiQ0zfH/s320/love+finds+in+you+carmel+by+the+sea.JPG" width="201" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-finds-you-in-carmel-by-the-sea-california-sandra-d-bricker/1101127509?ean=9781609360276" target="_blank">Love Finds You In Carmel-By-The-Sea by Sandra D. Bricker</a><br />
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Annie needs a job. She's recently moved in with her grandmother, a retired film star, who lives in the California town of Carmel By The Sea. When she finds a job as a private investigator's assistant, she meets Nick, who will be running the PI office since her boss, Deke, is having surgery. Nick is a cop and when he literally runs into Annie at the movie theater, he finds himself attracted to her.<br />
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Annie has a friend named Evan - Evan is kind of like an old, comfortable shoe. They've been dating for years, but, their relationship has not moved forward. Annie has a hard time deciding what she wants to do. She knows that Evan has always been there for her as a friend, and she enjoys his company, yet, she finds it hard to admit to herself that she's attracted to Nick. She doesn't have the courage to enter into a real relationship that's based upon love. Annie's and Nick's feelings intensify as they work together each day. You also see Annie doing some PI work, investigating supposedly cheating spouses and boyfriends for her clients.<br />
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Annie feels somewhat intimidated by her perfect little brother. Her parents dote about her sibling because he's done everything right - he has a high-powered job, a perfect wife, and a baby on the way. Why can't Annie get her act together and find a perfect job and a perfect husband? Most of Annie's friends and relatives don't understand why she wants to be a PI assistant.<br />
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This book was light and refreshing. I'm not a huge fan of old movies, but, if you are, I'm sure you'll enjoy the references to the old-time flicks. Annie even meets Doris Day, which proves to be a highlight for her. If you like light, sweet, funny romances, then you should give this book a try. The story proved to be charming and entertaining.<br />
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As an aside, I just wanted to point out that I visited Carmel several years ago and I enjoyed the quaint town. I have a vaguely good memory of my trip to Carmel and I felt this author did a great job with depicting the setting.<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank"><i><b>~Cecelia Dowdy~</b></i></a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-52198284425829971252012-06-08T07:08:00.000-04:002012-06-08T07:08:25.821-04:00Promises To Keep - From The Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0YbaLNuYwbPGT2aft2jJAKVXa-rQIJGH6S7xBgsuLgR8WnvVfJ5Id7u7POSYKr68p08K0SRW-dyR5l-4Jf-5es20tAe6PIQTbNydWTiU9nf33h-GweCWQu-T7XmjkmdfGzqs/s1600/promises+to+keep+jane+peart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0YbaLNuYwbPGT2aft2jJAKVXa-rQIJGH6S7xBgsuLgR8WnvVfJ5Id7u7POSYKr68p08K0SRW-dyR5l-4Jf-5es20tAe6PIQTbNydWTiU9nf33h-GweCWQu-T7XmjkmdfGzqs/s320/promises+to+keep+jane+peart.JPG" width="201" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Promises-to-Keep-ebook/dp/B0056I1CW6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2" target="_blank">Promises To Keep by the late Jane Peart</a><br />
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<b>Can you think of a book that creates a strong, vivid response from you? If so, please leave a comment with the title of an emotionally-charging novel(s). </b><br />
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<i>***Note, as a reminder, I'm still working on my writing project. Until I'm finished, I'll be posting old stuff from the archives. Feel free to leave a comment! I love hearing from blog readers!</i><br />
<br />
I read this book several years ago and I recall that the story stirred up lots of deep vivid emotions for me. I encourage all to download a copy onto their Nook, Kindle, or other e-reader.<br />
<br />
When Valerie's husband is imprisoned for a white-collar crime, she feels
as if her world is falling apart. She must now learn to support
herself, plus raise her young daughter alone. Garth, her handsome next
door neighbor, is smitten with her, and he offers her love and comfort.
She feels torn about accepting Garth's love when her husband is still in
prison. She is also struggling in dealing with her daughter's gradual
hearing loss.<br />
When her husband gets out of prison, she has to make a
choice, should she take her husband back, for better or worse, or should
she pursue a future with Garth.<br />
<br />
This book was highly emotional,
and I was anxious to see what choices Valerie made when faces with big,
life-altering decisions. I highly recommend this book for those who want
to read an emotional tale.<br />
<br />
<b>So, can you think of a book that stirs strong, vivid emotions for you? If so,
please leave a comment with the title of the emotionally-charging novel. </b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-19337451311198517292012-05-30T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-30T00:00:04.383-04:00The Shepherd's Voice - From The Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8iCo4robzSF6Zxl3f_AQtMBESdysh5Qi2WH9bWRcRvcaqdw0VTOjec7DhUZYwlkkzlZbJ4NgZcgGrvx-5ixebJ7avzQpX7q0zW8DrlgDSQnbt3eG71DHKsrSreWBXDmks7z6/s1600/the+shepherd%27s+voice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8iCo4robzSF6Zxl3f_AQtMBESdysh5Qi2WH9bWRcRvcaqdw0VTOjec7DhUZYwlkkzlZbJ4NgZcgGrvx-5ixebJ7avzQpX7q0zW8DrlgDSQnbt3eG71DHKsrSreWBXDmks7z6/s320/the+shepherd%27s+voice.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Shepherds-Voice-Novel-ebook/dp/B0053GB4YC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337998333&sr=1-1" target="_blank">The Shepherd's Voice by Robin Lee Hatcher</a> - From the archives - this is a repeat of an old book review. I read this novel several years ago and recall really enjoying this story by Robin Lee Hatcher. I encourage you to give this book a try! Download it onto your e-reader today!<br />
<br />
Convicted for a crime he didn't commit, Gabe Talmadge returns to his
hometown of Ransom, seeking the love denied to him by his father Hudson
Talmadge. Instead of finding the love of his forsaken father, he finds
the love of Akira Macauley, owner of the sheep farm, Dundreggan. Gabe
also discovers the love of another father, his Heavenly Father. Akira
teaches Gabe about love and faith, and he realizes his biggest mistake
was forsaking the Lord, several years ago. When he's again mistakenly
arrested for a crime he didn't commit, his faith in God is tested, and
he learns that it's imperative to always lean on the Lord.
<br />
<br />
<b>Have you ever read any novels by Robin Lee Hatcher? If so, which one was your favorite?</b><br />
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<b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-46403527034045454742012-05-28T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-28T00:00:08.130-04:00The Ride Of Her Life By Lorna Seilstad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIC_GWOGG2Hnn5NCjyHBk_XNk9OTazWSiOGwM7E-JEKgYmc5fCFS5k1BtNpHdR_OaqxGHWVC9UKZn0zGkAPO0umcftfwerjqTWd1mb0H_k2zVaAYWRbeuqpuzLHGHkLOUeU6TG/s1600/the+ride+of+her+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIC_GWOGG2Hnn5NCjyHBk_XNk9OTazWSiOGwM7E-JEKgYmc5fCFS5k1BtNpHdR_OaqxGHWVC9UKZn0zGkAPO0umcftfwerjqTWd1mb0H_k2zVaAYWRbeuqpuzLHGHkLOUeU6TG/s320/the+ride+of+her+life.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ride-Her-Life-The-Summers/dp/0800734475/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337854525&sr=8-2" target="_blank">The Ride Of Her Life by Lorna Seilstad</a><br />
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Lilly is a widowed mother who is financially struggling to raise her son (Levi) alone. Ben, her deceased husband, was a well-to-do lawyer from an upscale family. Ben's parents are determined to take their grandson (Levi) away from Lilly. They even call the sheriff to help them get custody because Lilly is living in a tent at Lake Manawa with her son since she can't afford her own house. Lilly makes other living arrangements, but, she's determined to purchase a home of her own - it's her dream to have her own house. <br />
<br />
Lilly works hard at Thornton's Lunch Counter, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day for Nick (the crew leader) and his rollercoaster crew. Nick hates that Lilly's in-laws are trying to take her son away to send him to boarding school, so, he's determined to help Lilly in any way that he can. He even becomes a father figure to Levi. Levi is a classic boy who enjoys climbing trees, chasing frogs and having pet snakes. However, Lilly finds herself wondering what'll happen when the summer comes to an end and Nick's roller coaster crew leaves when the construction of the roller coaster is done? Will Levi be crushed because Nick, his father-figure friend, will be leaving Lake Manawa? Lilly doesn't want her son to get his feelings hurt, however, Levi is not the only person that Lilly wonders about. <br />
<br />
Lilly finds herself becoming smitten with Nick. She enjoys his company a little too much. However, she's hesitant on starting another relationship with a man since she's still struggling to raise her son alone after the death of her husband. Does she really need to get emotionally involved with another man right now? Will Nick be dependable?<br />
<br />
Nick suffers from his own scars. He's spent part of his childhood in an orphanage and he's lost his little brother. Plus, he had a broken engagement. It's kind of hard for him to trust others, too. He's out to prove his worth by making sure his roller coaster project is a success. He works hard to complete the roller coaster in time for the summer season. However, it appears that someone is out to sabotage his project and he's determined to defeat whomever is trying to make him fail.<br />
<br />
This story was refreshing and I found it interesting that the author showed a roller coaster being built during a historical time. I also liked the setting. Lake Manawa is a vivid, pleasant place to spend the summer. I also enjoyed reading about Lilly cooking food for Nick's crew. I loved reading about the different meals she prepared and I also liked how she taught Eugenia, her kitchen assistant, how to cook. I enjoy reading stories that are set in a kitchen because food is one of my favorite subjects to read about in a novel! Overall, this was a good, intriguing, and slightly-suspenseful read.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-17211193589324931212012-05-26T08:36:00.000-04:002012-05-26T08:40:27.410-04:00Booksigning Event - August 4, 2012 - Manassas, VA<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sand; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<br />
I'll be signing copies of <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/chesapeake-weddings-three-in-one-collections/cecelia-dowdy/9781602608023/pd/608021?product_redirect=1&Ntt=608021&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP">Chesapeake Weddings</a> on August 4, 2012 <br />
from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm at the following location:<br />
Manassas African-American Heritage Festival<br />
Grace
Metz Middle School<br />
9950 Wellington Road<br />
Manassas, VA<br />
More information about this event is available <a href="http://maahf.com/">here</a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></span>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-7355850245292432942012-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-20T00:00:02.374-04:00Sunday Brunch! Locusts And Wild Honey? From The Blog Archives<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ8JvVqao-WX_Dg84me00q98GjYjF_vQz7nHVZfsMboLK08HuxTLL0o6YD8XrtMP6-Ra-jmGjUk3mVplmkUgjFzmBpcfpCeRSVYqEO0F1-nMATSj7BkOtUjvEB9HTqnDRO0S7/s1600/locust.jpg"></a><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578041156055723730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ8JvVqao-WX_Dg84me00q98GjYjF_vQz7nHVZfsMboLK08HuxTLL0o6YD8XrtMP6-Ra-jmGjUk3mVplmkUgjFzmBpcfpCeRSVYqEO0F1-nMATSj7BkOtUjvEB9HTqnDRO0S7/s400/locust.jpg" style="display: block; height: 272px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Locust photo courtesy of </span><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Insects_Spiders_and__g70-Locust_p379.html"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Free Digital Photos.</span></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span><br />
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<strong>***This is a repeat of an old blog post.</strong><br />
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<em><strong>Matthew 3:4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.</strong></em><br />
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Locusts and wild honey? I've always wondered about this. I wish there were more details. John The Baptist wandered around the wilderness dressed in a garment made with camel's hair, preaching the gospel and he ate locusts and wild honey? I'm wondering if the locusts were alive when he ate them, or if he cooked them over a fire before eating? <strong><span style="font-size: large;">How does one eat a locust?</span> </strong>I'm wondering how easy it was to gather the locusts and wild honey for his meals?<strong> <span style="font-size: large;">If you have any knowledge about this, feel free to share.</span> </strong>It just doesn't sound like an appetizing diet to me. I'm thinking he had other things to eat, but it appears that he may have eaten the locusts and wild honey quite frequently?<br />
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<strong>Share your thoughts with a comment!</strong> I hope everybody has a blessed Sunday!<br />
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<em><strong><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/"><em><strong>~Cecelia Dowdy~</strong></em></a></strong></em>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-2694676694502376662012-05-18T07:38:00.002-04:002012-05-20T11:12:47.145-04:00Blogging Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Most of the blog posts that you'll see over the next month will be pre-scheduled repeats from old blog posts.</span></strong> I have a project that I'm trying to finish up, so I have to focus on my writing for awhile. <br />
<br />
I do have one book review that I've agreed to do, but, other than that, I won't have time for regular blog posts for several weeks. <br />
<br />
<strong>Are you enjoying this spring weather?</strong> Our household has been suffering from allergies this year - more than usual! I've also planted seeds earlier in the season and I've seen my pretty flowers popping out of the ground!<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></strong></a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-73380726624461883882012-05-15T06:35:00.000-04:002012-05-15T06:57:43.429-04:00How Much Should You Get Paid To Write A Novel?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">How much should you get paid to write a novel?</span></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://stevelaube.com/goodbye-to-traditional-publishing/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SteveLaube+%28Steve+Laube%29" target="_blank">Read this insightful blog post by Steve Laube.</a> Steve has also linked to the following articles. You should read these, too, if you want to know a bit about the financial gain from writing novels:<br />
<a href="http://www.wilsonwriter.com/html/realities.html" target="_blank">Eric Wilson's blog post</a> -Eric only made an average of $22,500 per year for ten years, which is not a lot of money and he's made the NY Times Bestseller List. <br />
<a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2012/05/harlequin-fail.html" target="_blank">Ann Von Peterson</a> - She states she will never sign another contract with Harlequin. Read the blog post to find out why.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">So, how much do you feel an author should get paid to write a novel? Leave a comment!</span></strong><br />
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<strong><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank"><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></a></strong>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-48711800442739350672012-05-08T00:30:00.000-04:002012-05-08T00:30:03.997-04:00Predator By Terri Blackstock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/predator-terri-blackstock/1100036636?ean=9780310250661" target="_blank">Predator by Terri Blackstock</a><br />
Krista Carmichael wants to capture her sister's murderer. Krista's fourteen-year-old sister, Ella, was murdered by one of her friends on Grapevyne (a fictional site that's similar to Facebook). She sets up a fake identity, posing as a teen, so that she can hopefully befriend the man who killed her sister. Meanwhile, her father, David, seeks revenge in his own way. He starts targeting male members at his church, wondering if some of the men in his congregation could've been Ella's killer. <br />
<br />
Krista finally targets Ryan Atkins, the person who invented Grapevyne. Can't he make changes to ensure his site is safe for teens? Ryan suffers from fallout when Krista makes these demands, meanwhile, the killer is still on the loose, targeting other girls to kill.<br />
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This was a simple read that you could probably finish in a day or so. As with Terri Blackstock's usual suspenseful style, there are times when you may get scared while reading the story. It was kind of hard for me to read this book because of the subject matter. It bothered me (a little bit) that it dealt with the death of a young teen. I guess I felt that way because I have a child, and I'd hate to see what the grief would do to me if something happened to him. Krista's and David's grief was very raw and fresh. It was extremely difficult for them to deal with their loss.<br />
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Overall, a good book. If you enjoy Blackstock's writing, then you'll enjoy this story.<br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-38617578364748502462012-05-05T00:00:00.000-04:002012-05-05T00:00:05.392-04:00Saturday Matinee! Revolutionary Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Can you imagine packing up your family and relocating to Paris - without having a job? Would you do it?</strong></div>
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That's what April suggests to her husband Frank. Frank loves Paris, and has dreamed returning to that European city. Frank hates his office job, so April suggests they pack up their two children, sell their house, Frank can quit his job, and they can relocate to Paris. April offers to work while Frank "finds himself" by discovering what he wants to do once they move.</div>
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I had a hard time getting into this movie. I thought it was kind of slow - slow and a bit confusing. Granted, I was sick with a temperature while I watched it, so, maybe that affected my opinion. There were some flashbacks, and I was kind of confused when I saw that April was an actress at the beginning of the movie. Then, I'm assuming it flashes back in time to April and Frank meeting at a party. April's acting career is not mentioned again, which is odd. (Unless, I missed their mentioning it.)</div>
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April and Frank are not a happy couple. They argue all the time, but, it's hard to pinpoint their source of discontent. They have two children and live in a quaint home on Revolutionary Road. They're living the American Dream, and others think highly of April and Frank Wheeler. They even become friends with their real estate agent and her adult psychotic son - a son who has the ability to accurately guess people's problems and emotions.<br />
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This movie reminded me of a foreign film. I've noticed that foreign films don't always make a lot of sense. I know that Frank and April are not happy, but, it's hard to figure out why. Frank is disgruntled with his job, so he finds solace with a girl in the typing pool. April is a suburban housewife who takes care of the house. Her love for Frank has dwindled - she also finds brief solace in the arms of her next door neighbor. It appears this movie is about lost dreams? I felt there should have been an event....or SOMETHING to explain why this couple is so unhappy.</div>
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I was also confused about the ending. April and Frank have a HUGE ARGUMENT, and then, the next morning, April is acting like the perfect wife, making Frank's breakfast, as if the events of the previous night never happened. Weird...</div>
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<strong><em>When I saw April acting totally different than she had the night before, I thought..."Ahh, she's scitzophrenic." I figured she had a split personality and that would explain the whole reason of discontent within their marriage - she was really TWO personalities. That was a totally wrong assumption!</em></strong></div>
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Another thing I noticed, which was also a bit weird - Frank and April's children are not shown very much. You see them breiefly, maybe, two times?</div>
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I'm thinking that if I read the book, some of the loose threads in the story could be explained? Such a tragic story, tragic and sad. I doubt I'll watch this movie again.<br />
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I felt that the author of the book/movie was trying to get his point across that the American Dream is not all that it's cracked up to be. I wish I could've written a better movie review, but, this is the best that I could do considering I felt the movie was very incomplete. I only watched Revolutionary Road because I loved Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in <a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2011/10/saturday-matinee-titanic-movie.html">Titanic</a>. I was very disappointed in Revolutionary Road. This movie was a far cry from <a href="http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2011/10/saturday-matinee-titanic-movie.html">Titanic</a>.<br />
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<strong>Have you seen Revolutionary Road or read the book? If so, what'd you think about it?</strong></div>
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<strong><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/"><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></a></strong></div>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-71418228513258422032012-05-02T07:33:00.000-04:002012-05-02T07:33:26.413-04:00Belong To Me - A Secular Title<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/belong-to-me-marisa-de-los-santos/1100053999?ean=9780061983856" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Vs9dw6aZYaRdmX11VVvrSWhyphenhyphenCvg9qdEK33BZ-O5clv1yhVEawjXx3D9uoo-G3URgkuCox5Mw3Vq305Guy9PMslpEWCeoIy5x11h1oQ3Id3uSHiVtZH9ReAOTwlJmjUSFd1mf/s320/belong+to+me.JPG" width="198" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/belong-to-me-marisa-de-los-santos/1100053999?ean=9780061983856" target="_blank">Belong To Me by Marisa de los Santos</a><br />
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<em>Please note that this is a secular title.</em><br />
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<strong>If you didn't know your biological father, would you search for him so that you could meet him? That's one of the story threads in this book.</strong><br />
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I enjoyed reading this book, to a certain extent. I'm not sure if this is classified as literary fiction. It was written in a way that I'm not used to reading. <br />
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Cornelia and her husband Teo relocate from the city to a small town. She's currently not working and her husband is a doctor - an extremely good-looking doctor - a fact that the female neighbors notice immediately. I had a hard time liking some of the characters in their new town. It appeared that they were concerned about liking/disliking people at the drop of a hat - some of their conceptions based upon the way a person looked or dressed. For example, Piper, one of Cornelia's neighbors, initially doesn't like Cornelia because of her short, petite stature and her choice of dress for a welcome-to-the neighborhood party. Also, the neighborhood women seemed to have too much time on their hands - none of them worked full-time, and it appeared they were more concerned about appearances and who was doing/saying what in their neighborhood moreso than running their household and raising their children, or minding their own business.<br />
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You also have Elizabeth, Piper's best friend who is dying of cancer. Piper takes care of Elizabeth, placing her own health and family on the back burner so that she can minister to her friend. When you see Piper caring for her friend, she doesn't seem to be so cold-hearted, which endeared me to the story a little bit.<br />
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Cornelia and Teo are childless, a fact that bothers Cornelia. They "mentor" a thirteen-year-old girl, Clare, who is like a daughter to them. Cornelia is also befriended by Lake, the mother of a thirteen-year-old genius boy named Dev. Lake has also recently moved to the area so that Dev can attend a school for highly-intelligent children.<br />
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As the story unfolds, you discover Lake's real reason for moving to the area. You also see a deep friendship form between Dev and Clare. Dev has always wondered about his father, so Dev and Clare "play detective" and search for Dev's dad, hoping to clear up Dev's questions about his parentage.<br />
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Dev also befriends two kids at his new school, one of his new friends, a girl named Lyssa, has serious mental and emotional problems and he supports her during her difficult times. Dev is also befriended by his school mate Aiden, and they go into business together raking leaves.<br />
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This book was not written in a simple, straight-forward manner - which is why I had mixed feelings about the writing style. The story would often go off on a tangent, giving paragraphs of background detail, before getting to the point at hand. I found this style a bit bothersome since I'm not used to reading books written like this. The story itself was mesmerizing, however, it does have a little bit of graphic language. <br />
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<strong>So, if you didn't know your biological father, would you search for him so that you could meet him, like Dev did in this book?</strong><br />
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<strong>Have you read this book, if so, what'd you think about it?</strong><br />
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/" target="_blank">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-31758523966208736512012-04-28T14:50:00.001-04:002012-04-28T14:50:35.240-04:00Saturday Matinee - Legally Blonde!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Have you seen this movie? If so, did you think it was funny?</strong><br />
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<a href="http://video.barnesandnoble.com/DVD/Legally-Blonde/Reese-Witherspoon/e/27616868268">Legally Blonde</a> is a funny movie and I really enjoyed seeing it again! I saw it in the theater when it first came out several years ago, and I happened to catch it on Oxygen channel last Sunday. Elle is a vibrant, blonde, fun-loving, and popular president of her sorority. She gives great advice about fashion and makeup to her sorority sisters, plus, she's a fashion major with a 4.0 GPA. Her and her sorority sisters are eagerly anticipating Elle's rich, handsome boyfriend, Warner, will propose to her soon. However, Elle is devestated when Warner breaks up with her - after all, she's not the best girlfriend material because she's not serious or smart enough to be a part of his family. <br />
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Warner is headed off to Harvard Law School and Elle is determined to get into that same school to win him back! She comically goes through the admission process and passes her LSAT and is admitted into Harvard!<br />
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Her entrance onto the campus is so comical - it's so funny to see the reactions of her fellow students. A series of events happens once she's in her classes, plus, she's upset to discover that Warner is now engaged to a frigid, cold-hearted woman named Vivian. Can Elle still win him back? <br />
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This movie was laugh-out-loud funny in so many ways. I think I liked it so much becaus the character of Elle was so striking. You have the contrast of the flighty, rich, pampered blonde trying to fit in with the serious, studious grad school crowd. Also, Elle is very compassionate. She befriends her nail technician, helping her to re-gain custody of her dog. You also see Elle in the courtroom, helping to win the murder case of one of her sorority sisters. <br />
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Legally Blonde was a treat to watch, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend that you watch it.<br />
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<strong>So, have you seen this movie before? If so, what do you remember about it?</strong><br />
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<strong><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/"><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></a></strong>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-48551730834235129712012-04-21T07:54:00.000-04:002012-04-21T07:57:15.957-04:00Question From A Writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Alexis wrote to ask the following question:<br />
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<strong>I'm a writer too trying to break into it full-time. Any advice?</strong></div>
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Thanks for writing Alexis. Your email mentioned that you're a member of ACFW, so, you're off to a good start by being a member of that organization. As far as writing full-time, that's hard to do. Most writers (including myself) have full-time jobs, or, they have another income to depend on (like the income of a spouse, or, perhaps they're getting retirement income.) I work full-time as a financial analyst, so, if I were forced to live off my writing income, I'd be in the poor house!</div>
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I recall <a href="http://chipmacgregor.typepad.com/">literary agent Chip Macgregor has blogged</a> about quitting your full-time job for your writing career. I believe he said you should have a number of future contracts in place, also, you should have at least six months worth of income in the bank that'll be enough to pay all of your bills.</div>
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You might want to consider going to the ACFW conference in the fall. I know it's kind of pricey, but, I feel it's well worth the money if you want to break into the Christian fiction market!</div>
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<a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/"><strong><em>~Cecelia Dowdy~</em></strong></a></div>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-83586428068478076042012-04-18T07:04:00.001-04:002012-04-18T09:34:55.882-04:00A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xL2RfJ05fvnvwfPPuqYZwKqY51LMLpbO3Eov8tWxPWCjcnVQuJUxxqlBV9gu1RAJIYxT_Mgm852oVb0-PD2W2gqqFjOqij9HrZ47EbHt09DLcmZXMwpvG4TmRre-Ljwy64sE/s1600/a+time+to+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xL2RfJ05fvnvwfPPuqYZwKqY51LMLpbO3Eov8tWxPWCjcnVQuJUxxqlBV9gu1RAJIYxT_Mgm852oVb0-PD2W2gqqFjOqij9HrZ47EbHt09DLcmZXMwpvG4TmRre-Ljwy64sE/s400/a+time+to+love.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quilts-Lancaster-County-Series-ebook/dp/B004A8ZWOW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334744680&sr=8-1">A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron</a> <br />
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This book is about Jenny, a news correspondent who covers stories in war-torn countries. She also focuses on how these wars affect children. She has a soft spot for kids and it's safe to say that the children are her main cause in her news career. When she's seriously injured from the fallout of a bomb, she returns to her grandmother's Amish home to recuperate. She also "meets" Matthew, an Amish man with whom she shared a budding romance as a teen. Matthew's wife has died from cancer and he's raising his three children with the help of Hannah, his sister. <br />
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Matthew and Jenny grow closer as she heals from her accident. However, there is an elder/bishop in Amish territory who objects to the budding romance. Jenny has to convince the elders that she's in the area to heal and not to cause any trouble. This is a sweet, enjoyable romance that doesn't have a heavy plot. If you want something sweet and breezy to read, then I recommend this book. <br />
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<b>Have you read this book? If so, what'd you think about it?</b><br />
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<b> </b> <i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b></i> <br />
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SPOILER: <br />
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I was reading an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) so, it's possible these issues were cleared up in the final version of the story: A few things happened in the story which puzzled me, but I didn't want to write these things in my review because I didn't want to spoil the plot for anyone. <b>These things in no way make this a bad book, and I'm recommending the book as a good read, but these are just a few things that I felt I should mention.</b> <br />
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I felt that there were a couple of holes in the story. Matthew encourages Jenny to write her thoughts in a journal since she's no longer able to help the children through her news correspondence. Jenny enjoys writing in the journal since it's therapeutic for her and she also purchases a journal for one of Matthew's children. When Phoebe, Jenny's grandmother, overhears Matthew and Jenny talk about the journal writing, she clearly gets very upset, but, it's never explained why she's so upset.<br />
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When Jenny talks to her grandmother about the journals, she mentions Anne Frank (the famous Holocaust diary author). <i>It appears her grandmother has never heard of Anne Frank, which I think is odd.</i> Although the Amish live separately, they're still in America and I know they do have an educational system up to the eighth grade. I'd think they'd learn about US history and such in school? It appeared that the Amish were more separated and far removed in this book than in other books I've read. <br />
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For example, Jenny appears to believe that her grandmother's never been on an elevator - I'd think that most Amish may have been on an elevator in a public building (like a hospital or a visit to the doctor.) Her grandmother explains she's been on one, but I thought it was unbelievable for Jenny to think of her grandmother and the rest of the Amish as living in a totally separate world - I believe the Amish mix with the English more than what this story portrays. Also, her grandmother is puzzled by the term "microwave". Again, although she doesn't own a microwave, I'd think that the Amish mix with the English enough to know about cell phones, microwaves, etc. although they don't own these things. <br />
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Also, Jenny marries Matthew and becomes Amish. However, prior to this, she was a famous news correspondent and she lived in the world using her laptop computer, phone, modern conveniences and other electronic gadgets and she was on TV. There was NO discussion about her giving up her former way of life - NONE. I'd think to make the story more believable, there'd be some discussion about what Jenny would be giving up - her career, her electronic stuff, but this is not mentioned at all. I'd think there'd be some struggle for Jenny as she converts to Matthew's world, but I did not see this struggle portrayed in this story.<br />
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<b>In spite of these few things, this is still a sweet, gentle read that is very enjoyable!</b>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8630381.post-6453245827661459012012-04-16T21:32:00.003-04:002012-04-17T06:27:25.209-04:00Christy Award Nominees!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E5ateP1GcWk-nizhXgfWoWWe5WK8XHNgSSttbJC4kRpGI0p52NK7FQSVygcbbAsXslhrlxJQPIk_o3rzgAkUoiM1AJPTW0YMfxr0s5El-IcdgIAaddpwM8s0_Pr6SfTfxWU3/s1600/christy+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E5ateP1GcWk-nizhXgfWoWWe5WK8XHNgSSttbJC4kRpGI0p52NK7FQSVygcbbAsXslhrlxJQPIk_o3rzgAkUoiM1AJPTW0YMfxr0s5El-IcdgIAaddpwM8s0_Pr6SfTfxWU3/s400/christy+award.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Congratulations to the 2012 Christy Award nominees! Looks like an awesome lineup of books! <b>Have you read any of these books? If so, which ones have you read?</b><br />
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CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28qVs7qffN0JdP9R8bbziuYqjGOz0xGQpCvLvPuhYHOaV80s_IMt29b3E9pfU4P0i-bB8MeU8fsPupNjPLAuFa0hJFm7HrEKmBRKr6P8Z-5MB9GGHe2Z0gMgr8a7MsMSurFR7/s1600/larkspur+cove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28qVs7qffN0JdP9R8bbziuYqjGOz0xGQpCvLvPuhYHOaV80s_IMt29b3E9pfU4P0i-bB8MeU8fsPupNjPLAuFa0hJFm7HrEKmBRKr6P8Z-5MB9GGHe2Z0gMgr8a7MsMSurFR7/s200/larkspur+cove.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing<br />
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CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRPRydjQSbBd-9QSgUmpkGNclRYU7oMw58QL7hFjnoKt8QQm89WPWeC9vA0tljmL26WP6ihZdUByqXb8by6K-65WmW0gSvavs_yjs0UgZxaV92AFvc7EJqV36CZagy_7BiZEe/s1600/dancing+on+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRPRydjQSbBd-9QSgUmpkGNclRYU7oMw58QL7hFjnoKt8QQm89WPWeC9vA0tljmL26WP6ihZdUByqXb8by6K-65WmW0gSvavs_yjs0UgZxaV92AFvc7EJqV36CZagy_7BiZEe/s200/dancing+on+glass.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen (B&H Publishing Group)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5k1k8gktKGoCGg3dwqmKIFc6tHDYoBIOmwEeRLr09sIwHHYyJt4pWL5-kW0uGKd7z3zajjabc1xvAkciAudV56d-_ah_gmbLP8xKsiFyXM36EfJ8SkPFSYdnxRQ5lcVupZD1d/s1600/the+touch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5k1k8gktKGoCGg3dwqmKIFc6tHDYoBIOmwEeRLr09sIwHHYyJt4pWL5-kW0uGKd7z3zajjabc1xvAkciAudV56d-_ah_gmbLP8xKsiFyXM36EfJ8SkPFSYdnxRQ5lcVupZD1d/s200/the+touch.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>The Touch by Randall Wallace (Tyndale House Publishers)<br />
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CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaT8G_djRtDozATHsOXSngEXUII41PylOMpTPXXj2ALjB-P3QDnDkPVmW2v10YlOvom9xbBkMf-M1ukNxnAs6I_iUI25CAhyphenhyphen_8C4naYTgHSRyJn_cxrGu_XnNBVHVHZFYh23o/s1600/dry+as+rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaT8G_djRtDozATHsOXSngEXUII41PylOMpTPXXj2ALjB-P3QDnDkPVmW2v10YlOvom9xbBkMf-M1ukNxnAs6I_iUI25CAhyphenhyphen_8C4naYTgHSRyJn_cxrGu_XnNBVHVHZFYh23o/s200/dry+as+rain.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes (Tyndale House Publishers)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjlqXnCJigTuZgj3gEr2F3QSYCCk9airhDzsLKOvo3bNQFSZcyBEP9pbURJJhacLIjLmbS0iGuUmaEKW3A6mp_kbH4mkSNlJMU3iF0eZeQKiZmp2uM25T6O8-QW-N7jvla3b-/s1600/promises+to+keep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjlqXnCJigTuZgj3gEr2F3QSYCCk9airhDzsLKOvo3bNQFSZcyBEP9pbURJJhacLIjLmbS0iGuUmaEKW3A6mp_kbH4mkSNlJMU3iF0eZeQKiZmp2uM25T6O8-QW-N7jvla3b-/s200/promises+to+keep.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51gDXmo2CFdv7ZwyXzVSXc2v-QzxwQcZp4y-yiNrg01J47YzXX3srbnCwjzWu2eRRlOAwEth-Qs-tgi9D_X74m2ZLZX4UeT-VeHLfj5mD8RkGws91CDRAb4cZiSsNgQ-YYQd_/s1600/words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51gDXmo2CFdv7ZwyXzVSXc2v-QzxwQcZp4y-yiNrg01J47YzXX3srbnCwjzWu2eRRlOAwEth-Qs-tgi9D_X74m2ZLZX4UeT-VeHLfj5mD8RkGws91CDRAb4cZiSsNgQ-YYQd_/s200/words.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)<br />
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FIRST NOVEL<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7kD3APPMPKdior5hRKLF02KVxZdxp0cPN5j5vCKme1W9KwLbqiNx91bTyf_LvtMgsHEaAYBaNX-qX8u-_L5QUEB9XfrGAx6e6Be28I4PYLp74qDZh2e-PTTE3VTvE81N9uRI/s1600/an+eye+for+glory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7kD3APPMPKdior5hRKLF02KVxZdxp0cPN5j5vCKme1W9KwLbqiNx91bTyf_LvtMgsHEaAYBaNX-qX8u-_L5QUEB9XfrGAx6e6Be28I4PYLp74qDZh2e-PTTE3VTvE81N9uRI/s200/an+eye+for+glory.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>An Eye for Glory by Karl Bacon (Zondervan)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqniR6optRQGWhVmxEyXVH44kb4P1JGOSdpnCo-5DfYVe3g_Y3-EW7fiSMzKu3nSxN52pZtLa7TxuOPXF6YuHS6hByYp9npDfAKbPH1DnkuipHNlCcaH8l4hrCa3oFcBAIp2qO/s1600/words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqniR6optRQGWhVmxEyXVH44kb4P1JGOSdpnCo-5DfYVe3g_Y3-EW7fiSMzKu3nSxN52pZtLa7TxuOPXF6YuHS6hByYp9npDfAKbPH1DnkuipHNlCcaH8l4hrCa3oFcBAIp2qO/s200/words.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)<br />
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HISTORICAL<br />
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HISTORICAL ROMANCE<br />
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Publishing Group)<br />
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SUSPENSE<br />
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VISIONARY<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu2mBa_hHQ8fA8xWFhmdqWAizGw5U-TMpzRyjKk7A7DEhCrYodWaZwPA-eR9oUWlXZg2AMHh9l4FbQXukcpkiReafVDuw_a7Xz91RavA6uLD8o3mCUqfkUr6mjhd4FCHZ5OHn/s1600/the+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLu2mBa_hHQ8fA8xWFhmdqWAizGw5U-TMpzRyjKk7A7DEhCrYodWaZwPA-eR9oUWlXZg2AMHh9l4FbQXukcpkiReafVDuw_a7Xz91RavA6uLD8o3mCUqfkUr6mjhd4FCHZ5OHn/s200/the+chair.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>The Chair by Jim Rubart (B&H Publishing Group)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnjqRC7CEjqhkMYgIGeRh7ntY8_21oeqYkTEztMXXNZc7y_hke4kbW_K22014A5fTC9bDcgHyrbivoL3sQi_safidd_k_ctkZyu0ZvWWaCcuPnUs7dWk1lQEdX7B5XKxSnhMh/s1600/veiled+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnjqRC7CEjqhkMYgIGeRh7ntY8_21oeqYkTEztMXXNZc7y_hke4kbW_K22014A5fTC9bDcgHyrbivoL3sQi_safidd_k_ctkZyu0ZvWWaCcuPnUs7dWk1lQEdX7B5XKxSnhMh/s200/veiled+rose.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House, a division of Baker<br />
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YOUNG ADULT<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhybjtD8MZreYZnywaSHWybwzAsnJUOpAx8Wr89Fm6qS2ay8naGOrILZ_gke7CRzmvKv0Wqf50aZqYeA8cfflYMHa8NboiqY49WwmMKNRCdCtFFNqpvubv5eK0Am8YCxfxfeTV/s1600/how+huge+the+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhybjtD8MZreYZnywaSHWybwzAsnJUOpAx8Wr89Fm6qS2ay8naGOrILZ_gke7CRzmvKv0Wqf50aZqYeA8cfflYMHa8NboiqY49WwmMKNRCdCtFFNqpvubv5eK0Am8YCxfxfeTV/s200/how+huge+the+night.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn (Kregel Publications)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPpxdLo3mQ3T3Us0arh3N30x9URqBOnauAZcyOavVB56IgMvz3LJd59lfP6tm9SjJ4YqZ5wjJHBZfRpQrT2Y_MS4EMb6Ko-jnTGsu3a3oGpnrnDP4j8Zk5thN09X8aWKZ8sYf/s1600/the+merchants+daughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPpxdLo3mQ3T3Us0arh3N30x9URqBOnauAZcyOavVB56IgMvz3LJd59lfP6tm9SjJ4YqZ5wjJHBZfRpQrT2Y_MS4EMb6Ko-jnTGsu3a3oGpnrnDP4j8Zk5thN09X8aWKZ8sYf/s200/the+merchants+daughter.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU2oyUPTeI7WRT0j4C59TZmLHQLmz94oo-zoaT__FdzrtkOWJZPbdWmNxO4TpHMmg-QzlykjtHcleHl_JWWZMDXOKH9si2Vndor2o8sb7n0XNID_J6CYtKgK_9iagtmMb8U_L/s1600/waterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU2oyUPTeI7WRT0j4C59TZmLHQLmz94oo-zoaT__FdzrtkOWJZPbdWmNxO4TpHMmg-QzlykjtHcleHl_JWWZMDXOKH9si2Vndor2o8sb7n0XNID_J6CYtKgK_9iagtmMb8U_L/s200/waterfall.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (David C Cook) <br />
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<b>Have you read any of these books? If so, which ones have you read?</b><br />
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Leave a comment and join me in congratulating these wonderful authors! <br />
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<i><b><a href="http://ceceliadowdy.com/">~Cecelia Dowdy~</a></b></i>Cecelia Dowdyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173806883218875753noreply@blogger.com20