One thing I love about my job is meeting up with other authors - book junkies, I like to call them. Many times we don't actually get to meet in person, but enjoy "getting to know each other" via the world wide web. Alice J. Wisler is one such individual. From her website:
Alice J. Wisler has always enjoyed writing and sold her first short story to the David C. Cook Publishing Company in 1988. Since then she has been published by The Upper Room, ByLine Magazine, Standard Publishing's Devotions,The Canadian Writer's Journal, Sydney's Child, Carolina Parent, Inscriptions, The Writing Parent, Alive Now, BackHome Magazine, The Urban Hiker, Personal Journaling, Bereavement Magazine, The Food Writer, Carolina Woman, The Christian Communicator, We Need Not Walk Alone,
and many North Carolina newspapers. Her contribution to the books, Feminine Writes (National Association of Women Writers, 2003), and Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul, Daily Inspirations (2005), deal with writing through the heartache of grief. Alice was also a columnist at the How To Make A Family site.
Whew - this woman has been busy!
I'm celebrating with Alice this month, as she and her publisher (Bethany House) release her first novel, Rain Song. A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of interviewiing Alice about the arrival of her new "baby.":
Congrats again, Alice! I look forward to getting a copy of Rainsong at my local bookstore asap!
Okay, my friends keep teasing me that they think I'm getting some kind of a monetary kickback for everyone I bring to the movie, Fireproof.
Not so! I am just so excited to endorse a well-made, godly film centered on marriage. Here are some recent online articles:
Visit FireprooftheMovie.com
There are several things I love about summer: sleeping in, barbeques, sunshine, vacationing, a significant decrease in recycling (no more school papers!) and finally (finally!) having time to sit down with a good book. Kimberly Stuart specializes in one of my favorite genres - romantic comedies. A native of Iowa, Kimberly is a fellow book junkie and library lurker extraordinaire. She's fairly new to the publishing game, but she's certainly making a splash! Her first novel, Balancing Act, released in 2006 by NavPress Publishing, followed by Bottom Line in 2007. I'm thrilled to introduce her new book, Act Two: A Novel in Perfect Pitch.
I fell in love with Sadie from the first moment we met, over a Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino. Extra whip. Kimberly's use of dialogue hit me square in the middle of my funny bone, and I'm happy to report the occurrence of several genuine LOL moments. Sadie is believable, flawed, issue-laden (no surprise there; if this isn't chick lit, it's pert near close), yet likeable. Even the periphery characters are fun to hang around (they tend to be a bit stand-offish). Without invoking any spoiler alerts, I offer an appreciative nod to Sadie's romantic love interest, even at her (ahem) advanced age. This one's definitely a keeper and I'll just have to tell my friends to get themselves their own copy, I just may re-read mine over another Java Chip . . . . To learn more about Kimberly, her family, and her marvelous reading habits (I really like this girl), check out her website: kimberlystuart.com.
Amy! Congrats! You're going to love it :-) Please contact me via e-mail so I can get your snail mail address:
jenn at jenndoucette dot com
Thanks to my other participants . . . better luck next time!
LEAVE IT TO CHANCE, BY SHERRI SAND
Last year I met author Sherri Sand at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference. In fact, we shared a shuttle back to the airport after the conference (I think we may have shared car sickness as well). Besides the fact that Sherri is a wonderful person, a great judge of humor (she laughed at all my corny jokes!), and a fellow wife/mom - she's also a fantastic writer. Her first novel, Leave it to Chance, released this month from David C. Cook and I've already had the privilege of reading it. Straight from her website, here's a sneak peek:
After three long years of single motherhood, Sierra Montgomery can finally stand on her own two feet—until a gift horse threatens her finances, her family, and her budding relationship with a handsome landscaper
Leave it to Chance is a well-written romantic comedy written from a Christian worldview. Sherri's characters are far from perfect, and she tackles subjects like divorce, remarriage, and the deadbeat dad syndrome with grace, gentleness, and--at times--good humor. I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed her well-placed comedic missteps throughout the story. I give Sherri's book four and 1/2 stars (out of 5) and look forward to her next novel. For more information about Sherri, check out her website as well as the interview below.
How did you come up with the characters in your book?
They came to me. When I saw Sierra, I knew she was a mom who deeply loved her kids and wanted the best for them. Elise was so fun to write with her over-the-top ways. When she drove up to Sierra’s and pushed her ooga horn, I knew I was going to love her. And Sid is such a dear and reminds me so much of my father-in-law, Art. And Ross, how could you not love him?
Do you have a horse?
No, but I love horses, and desperately wanted one as a child. I did end up with a little Shetland pony named Sundance that I would gallop through the mint fields around our house. I spent countless hours sprawled across him backwards reading books. One time he’d apparently had enough of the dead weight on his back and he lay down. It was a shocking end to my reading time.
Did the theme of forgiveness / unforgiveness that Sierra deals with come from your own life?
In a way it did, though I didn’t consciously implement it into the novel. Just like most of us living in this fallen world, there have been a couple significant events in my life that I had difficulty forgiving. I finally realized that if I waited until I felt like forgiving, it would never happen. And I desperately needed to forgive. The bitterness was choking the life out of me. So with God’s help and through His grace I made the choice to forgive and forgive and forgive. I wish I could say that there was instant peace and joy. Though I think that can happen for people when they forgive, I’d lived in unforgiveness for so long that I had to continually make a choice to forgive until the freedom came. And when that freedom came, it was a wow moment for me!
In the story, Sierra has three young kids, you have four children. How successful are you at trusting God with their lives?
It’s been an ongoing process for me. Maybe because I’m a writer and have such a vivid imagination, I can always come up with the most gut-wrenching conclusions to the most innocuous circumstances involving my kids. That makes it hard to let go and trust. But how much control do we actually have over every day life? I had to learn that before we can trust God with ourselves or our children, we have to get to know him first. It’s only in knowing God and His character that trust can develop. And when we truly know the God of the universe, we can trust him with everything.
Ross worked hard in his landscaping business in an attempt to prove his value. Do you struggle with that?
It’s difficult not to get caught up in that. Our world is performance driven. How often do we praise others without attributing it to something they’ve done? Even with our children, we praise how well they unloaded the dishwasher or drew a picture or minded us. It’s difficult to find the words to value people for who they are, apart from anything they do. For most of my life, performance colored my relationship with God. I could not wrap my mind around the concept that He loved me despite less than perfect behaviors. Recently I glimpsed His grace from a new angle. Sin does create anger, but God’s anger was satisfied at the cross. So rather than His anger at our sinfulness, we have His pleasure in us. That has done wonders with my ability to be myself with Him, to honestly let His light shine on all parts of me—the good and the unsightly. When you bring your faults to God and discover He isn’t angry, you can fully experience His compassion and love.
Last but not least - the BOOK GIVEAWAY! Send me an e-mail or reply to this blog and I'll add your name to the drawing. One lucky winner will win a brand new copy of Sherri's book, one month from today: June 28th. Good luck!

If you haven't noticed the heat being cranked up on the Intelligent Design versus Darwin's Theory of Evolution subject, you may want to consider moving out of that cave you're living in. I say that in all sincerity, since I'm a former cave-dweller myself and have had to take drastic steps to force myself beyond the bubble of motherhood that continually envelopes me.
Nuff said.
Ben Stein's movie, EXPELLED, has been getting more than a little publicity--much of it downright nasty. Here's a sampling of a Review from the far far far left:
John Derbyshire, NRO columnist
And a counter-review from the Discovery Institute titled:
John Derbyshire on "Expelled," or How to Review a Movie without Really Trying, by Martin Cothran
While both are worth the time and effort of a solid read-through, be sure to make time for the second one from the Discovery Institute. If you skew right in the political spectrum and are even slightly tired of being mocked and ridiculed by the left, you'll thoroughly enjoy Cothran's piece. Personally, I find it to be a breath of fresh air much appreciated from the stuffiness of my cave.
MAY 1ST, 2008 Fossil Hunter Release Date!
I'm so excited to tell you about a book launching today (May 1st) titled, FOSSIL HUNTER. It's an Indiana Jones type thriller from my Christy award winning good friend, John Olson. Wanna help him? Then take a couple minutes to do the following:
1. Go to Amazon and check out the book.
2. If it looks good, go to John's site and buy FOSSIL HUNTER today. (He gets an extra kick if you buy it on Amazon through his Web site).
3. If you like the book, send an e-mail to your friends telling them about it, and cc: John on your e-mail (johno at litany dot com).Everyone who copies him will get a free, slightly strange gift. (Trust me, coming from John this is a good thing.) The best, most creative e-mail (as judged by John's impartial wife) will receive an brand spankin' new ipod Touches. (Clarification: The e-mail won't get the ipod, the writer of the e-mail will get it.)
Note: John's book is being co-promoted alongside Expelled, a fascinating examination of how intelligent design has been swept under the rug and stomped on in academic circles. It stars Ben Stein and is at the theatres right now. Since John incorporates intelligent design as part of his book, Expelled is helping promote FOSSIL HUNTER and vice versa.
**If John's book and Expelled do well, they'll make FOSSIL HUNTER into a movie. Whoo hoo!!
Thanks for listening - John's a great guy, wonderful writer, and, well. . . . a genius.
Ben Stein's movie, EXPELLED - No Intelligence Allowed, is a must see, regardless of your worldview or political stance. It’s classic water cooler fodder, guaranteed to raise hackles, concerns, and eyebrows of both Christian fundamentalists, hard core atheists, and everyone in between.
But it’s just science, right?Wrong.Were this to be a purely scientific question, based on facts, indisputable data, and measurable results, there wouldn’t be the public outcry or the ugliness being played out in the media and cyberspace.I give this movie 5 big huge honkin stars. I loved it. Ben Stein has made a great film, with an important premise: “What if?”As in: What if we didn’t evolve from a crystal? What if Someone had a purpose for our existence? What if denying the possibility of Intelligent Design has resulted in a worldwide de-evolution of our morals, mores, values, and ethics? What if Charles Darwin missed the mark?What if?
I’m not afraid to question my beliefs from time to time. God can handle my questions. What I don’t understand is why evolutionists are so intimidated by the questioning process.Maybe because the question isn’t just scientific. Perhaps it’s a Spiritual question after all.**My very good friend, John B. Olson's novel, Fossil Hunter, is being released in tandem with the movie, EXPELLED. From the back cover:
In the desolate Iraqi desert, a lone shepherd stumbles across a whale fossil. Initial analysis indicates that it could be a new speciesa discovery that could shed light on the evolution debate.
Paleontologist Dr. Katie James is asked to lead an expedition to recover the rest of the fossil before her archrival, Nick Murad, can find it first.
But while shes there, Katie also uncovers the unexpecteda human fossil so controversial shes forced to collaborate with Nick to analyze the find before it can be destroyed by a fundamentalist faction of the Iraqi government. Their initial results fly in the face of current scientific theory, and it seems the whole world turns against them, including those they thought they could trust most.
Then the fossil disappears, sending Nick and Katie on a chase that could cost them their reputations, their careerseven their lives.
Fossil Hunter is part of the Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed campaign. Look for the feature-length documentaryhosted by Ben Stein and produced by Premise Media Corporationavailable now on DVD. Visit www.expelledthemovie.com for more information.

Q: Your characters are so fun and quirky! How did you come up with four completely different personalities?
A: I have to admit I used archetypes. I absolutely love the book 45 MASTER CHARACTERS by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. I also read a book, PSYCHOLOGY FOR SCREENWRITERS by William Indick, which explains why archetypes are so effective. Psychologically, our brains are geared to understand archetypes, which is why they resonate with us. I took four archetypes and stuck them a bit on their heads to make them unusual, but essentially they're four archetypes from Schmidt's book.
****Camy Tang is the loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick lit. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away five boxes of books and 25 copies of her latest release, ONLY UNI.


