Her birth was shrouded in mystery and tragedy.
Her destiny is beyond comprehension.
Her pursuers long to see her broken.
She fights to soar.
A father's love for his daughter…a decision that would change both their lives forever. But who is she really─and why must she now run for her life?
Caitlin's body has made her an outcast, a freak, and the target of vicious bounty hunters. As she begins a perilous journey, she is forced to seek answers for her father's betrayal in the only things she can carry with her─a letter he passes her before forcing her to run, and their shared memories together.
Being hunted forces Caitlyn to partner with two equally lonely companions, one longing to escape the horror of factory life in Appalachia and the others, an unexpected fugitive. Together the three will fight to reach a mysterious group that might be friend or foe, where Caitlyn hopes to uncover the secrets of her past...and the destiny she must fulfill.
In the rough, shadowy hills of Appalachia, a nation carved from the United States following years of government infighting, Caitlyn and her companions are the prey in a terrifying hunt. They must outwit the relentless bounty hunters, skirt an oppressive, ever-watchful society, and find passage over the walls of Appalachia to reveal the dark secrets behind Caitlyn’s existence–and understand her father’s betrayal.
Prepare yourself to experience a chilling America of the very near future, as you discover the unforgettable secret of the Broken Angel.
In this engrossing, lightning-paced story with a post-apocalyptic edge, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer weaves a heroic, harrowing journey through the path of a treacherous culture only one or two steps removed from our own.
If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE.
Sigmund Brouwer is the author of eighteen best-selling novels for children and adults. His newest book is Fuse of Armageddon and his novel The Last Disciple was featured in Time magazine and on ABC’s Good Morning America. A champion of literacy, he teaches writing workshops for students in schools from the Arctic Circle to inner city Los Angeles. Sigmund is married to Christian recording artist Cindy Morgan, and they and their two daughters divide their time between homes in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada and Nashville, Tennessee.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer
Girl Talk - Comfort versus Fashion
Sorry, girls. I just couldn't wait until Thursday for this week's Girl Talk. And, boy, do we need to talk!
If you find that your fashion has gone the way of the lovely lady in lavender lounging on the above pictured leather sofa, please pay attention!
I'm all for comfort. Yes, I have even chosen comfort over fashion. Yes, I do spend most of my days in the comfort of lounge pants and long sleeve tees. Though I myself like to curl up on the sofa with a good book and a cozy blanket, I refuse to don a blanket with sleeves...pink as it may be!
If and when the weather man forecasts the next Ice Age...then will I consider tossing fashion to the wind and purchasing a new wardrobe of Slankets...blankets with sleeves.
For now ladies, " Rug up!" As my Aussie husband tells me when I'm feelin' frigid. Heed these tips for avoiding the slinky Slanket look!
1. Keep your feet warm.
2. Keep your chest warm.
3. Layer it on!
4. Leg Warmers
This is more like what I had in mind for keeping your legs warm.
Positive Chicks has a fabulous selection of positive and fun apparel for women.
When Ezekiel is not traveling with me, he is a great little heater...curled up on my lap and purring. (Ha! Ha! No, Zekie does not travel with me.) A pet is a much better alternative to a blanket with sleeves. Please, ladies, adopt a pet before adorning yourself in such attire!
Enjoy!
Parents With Style Contest
Everyone loves a contest! Parents With Style is hosting a goodie! You could win a gift basket full of:
Accessories
Wet Wipes Designer case
Luxuries Childs blanket
Smart Mom Jewelry
Belly Bars
Walk O Long
Drip Stik
Plus, many other great prizes.
Prize: Gift Basket full of goodies
Contest open to U.S. Residents
Ends midnight May 30th
Monday, May 19, 2008
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson
Biting and gentle, hard-edged and hopeful...a beautiful fable of love and power, hiding and seeking, woundedness and redemption.
When a "lizard woman," a self-mutilating preacher, a tattooed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist find themselves in the same North Carolina town one winter, their lives are edging precariously close to disaster...and improbably close to grace.
Valentine, due to her own drastic self-disfigurement, ahs very few friends in this world and, it appears as if she may be destined to spend the rest of her life practically alone. But life gives her one good friend, Lella, whose own handicap puts her in the same freakish category as Valentine. As part of Roland's Wayfaring Marvel and Oddities Show, a traveling band of misfits, they seem to have found their niches in an often curiously cruel world.
Residing in a world where masks are mandatory, Valentine has a hard time removing hers, because of her disfigured face but more so because of her damaged soul. It is much easier for her to listen endlessly to different versions of a favorite song, Embraceable You, and escape reality. Yet, life has more in store for her when she meets Augustine, replete with the tattoos, dreadlocks, and his own secrets. With his arrival, Valentine's soul takes a turn.
If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE
Lisa Samson is a Christy Award-winning author of 19 books, including the Women of the Faith Novel of the Year, Quaker Summer. Lisa has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks."
In Embrace Me, the latest novel by acclaimed author Lisa Samson, readers are privy to the realization that regardless of outward appearances…hideous, attractive, or even ordinary…persons are all looking for the same things: love, forgiveness, and redemption.
This story explores a world that is neither comfortable nor safe, a world that people like Valentine know all too well. Masterfully crafted by Samson and populated by her most compelling cast of characters yet. It is a tale of forgiveness that extends into all spheres of life: forgiving others, forgiving oneself, forgiving the past.
She lives in Lexinton, Kentucky, with her husband and three kids.
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
31 Days of Crafting Fun - Flower Style
Looking for something crafty to do? Head on over to Pink Paper Peppermints for some flower type crafty fun! My bloggy friend, Melissa, is hosting 31 days of Crafty Flowers.
I have been enjoying each creative idea just itching to get crafting. I'm tangled up in yarn these days knitting a few new items for Comfort Joy Designs. *teaser* Photos to come.
Spring and flowers go hand in hand. Here's a look at the first 10 projects:
Ribbon Geraniums
Repurposed Magnet Flowers
Ric Rac Flowers
Water Color Button Garden
Daisy Chains
Feelin' crafty? Have some flower fun with Melissa today at Pink Paper Peppermints! And, show off your fabulous creations! Post your flower creations and leave me a comment with your link. We want to see your wonderful work!
Enjoy!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Meme for Treasure (Chocolate Gold)
Tricia Goyer, name sound familiar? Author of Generation NeXt Marriage. Is hosting a contest at her blog, It's Real Life. I'm entering...you should, too! Just answer this MEME on your blog and leave a comment on Tricia's blog letting her know you are participating.
1. List three things you would do with a chest full of gold (assuming you got to keep it!)
- Swim in it
- Divide 10% of it up evenly with all my missionary friends
- Travel
- New Tribes Mission - I was a NTM missionary teacher.
- Pine Ridge Bible Camp and Conference Center - As a teen, I worked at this camp.
- Mission Network News - Very informative of worldwide mission events.
- missionary teacher with NTM
- camp counselor
- event coordinator/planner
- unfolded laundry
- unmade beds
- piles of unfiled papers
- my mother's recipe for Apple Pinwheel Bread
- I'm always finding earrings without matches...where is the missing pair?
- I'm always losing track of the time...how long have I been online this morning?
- needle threader...didn't even know it was lost
- a lone sock...didn't even know it was separated from its mate
- this MEME
Enjoy!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Girl Talk Thursday - Field Trip with Mommie Daze
"Nothing has been invented yet that will do a better job than heels at making a good pair of legs look great, or great ones look fabulous." - Stuart WeitzmanMommie Daze has posted shoes she saw at the High Heel Shoe Museum. Here I will post my favorites . . . whether I wish I owned a pair of my own . . . or whether they are just so outrageous! Join in the fun of this field trip with us! Visit the High Heel Shoe Museum and post your favorite shoes. We'd love to see which ones you love or loathe. Without any further ado, here are some of my finds of shoe fun and fancy.
Not only did I find these amazing high heel shoes on this field trip, I also learned how to walk in high heels. The High Heel Shoe Museum has 20 fabulous tips for every girl on how to walk in her high heels. Here are the top three that I found the most helpful:- The larger your feet are, the higher a heel you will be likely to be able to wear. (Good news for me, since I have long, narrow feet which resemble skis...so my friends have told me! But, Mama always said, "The bigger your feet, the better understanding you have!")
- When wearing heels and dealing with stairs, always use the handrail, and make sure to have the entire shoe land on each stair, even if you have to turn your feet slightly sideways. (The image I get from this makes me giggle.)
- To appear graceful while walking in heels, you will want to keep your feet pointed as straight ahead as possible, and each step should be placed in front of you like you are continually stepping on a single line painted on the floor ahead of you. The famous models catwalk or runway strut takes this a bit further, and each step actually crosses slightly over past the line on the floor to the opposite side. This helps create the sexy hip sway that catwalk models are known for. This does take some practice. (Good to know...for being catwalk ready!)
Enjoy!he larger your feet are, the higher a heel you will be likely to be able to wear.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Healing Promises by Amy Wallace
Facing a new threat.
When FBI Agent Clint Rollins takes a bullet during a standoff, it might just save his life. But not even the ugly things he’s seen during his years working in the Crimes Against Children Unit could prepare him for the overwhelming powerlessness of hospital tests revealing an unexpected diagnosis. If only Sara weren’t retreating into doctor mode…he needs his wife now more than ever.
Frozen in fear.
Sara Rollins is an oncologist with a mission–beating cancer when she can, easing her patients’ suffering at the very least. Now the life of her tall Texan husband is at stake. She never let the odds steal her hope before, but in this case, the question of God’s healing promises is personal. Can she hold on to the truth she claimed to believe?
Faith under fire.
As Clint continues to track down a serial kidnapper despite his illness, former investigations haunt his nightmares, pushing him beyond solving the case into risking his life and career. Clint struggles to believe God is still the God of miracles. Especially when he needs not one, but two. Everything in his life is reduced to one all-important question: Can God be trusted?
If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE
Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams, a homeschool mom, and a self-confessed chocoholic. She is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and a contributing author of several books, including God Answers Moms’ Prayers and Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The Succulent Wife
Memorial Day shopping is coming up on us. Are you ready? I've decided to do my part by helping you find some great bargains! Let's go shopping!
Today, I'm taking you to The Succulent Wife. A great online shop. Have you heard of it? Oh, yes. Perhaps, you have noticed the button in my side bar. Will this be your first time visiting The Succulent Wife? Well, now, don't be shy...speak up! Hey, there's a first time for everything.
Let me tell you why I chose The Succulent Wife as our first stop for our online Memorial Day shopping trip...customers get free shipping on priority items for all orders over $50 this Memorial Day...and I've got the code YOU need!
Nine Paper Roses Flower Gift Boxes - $6.95 each
Quixo Strategy Game - $29.00
Here's the code you need:
Simply enter the code "MemDayAF" from now until May 21.
I hope you enjoyed our little shopping trip today. I know I did. It is a pleasure shopping with you! Let's do this again real soon!
I'd like to know what it is you like to shop for...please leave a comment telling me what deals and bargains you are looking for...this information will help me plan our next shopping trip! Until next time...
Enjoy!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Quote The Walls
Oh, how I love Quote The Walls! Are you familiar with this great home decor company? Their quotes warm any home!
Here are three of my favorites:
I can just picture them in my home. "Bless This Home And All Who Enter" would be in my living room greeting my guests and welcoming my family. "A pinch of patience...a dash of kindness...a spoonful of laughter and a heap of love" would be in my kitchen seasoning each dish. "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" is perfect for the bedroom...and a good rule for life!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The Warriors by Mark Andrew Olsen
A failed recon mission deep in the tunnels of Afghanistan has provoked a demonic onslaught that had been brewing for centuries. The mission's sole survivor is reformed black ops assassin Dylan Hatfield, and he once again teams up with Abby Sherman, now at the helm of the Watchers, an ancient spiritual force. Uncovering and preventing a secret wave of death whispered across cyberspace and threatening to be unleash against civilization will require another level of spiritual power and expertise--the Warriors.
Journeying across the Alps of Europe through the multilayered history of warfare in the unseen world, Dylan and Abby uncover an age-old stone engraving that rouses the church's Warriors to action, placing them dead center in one of the fiercest spiritual battles of their time!
And once again they are reminded: This is all part of a vast and perpetual war, a war beyond all human conflicts, one that has engulfed heaven and earth since before the dawn of history....
Abby Sherman is headed back to Israel, where a Watcher, the Sentinel of Jerusalem, lies dying. In her last breaths the old woman tells Abby of an ancient document prophesying humanity's full-scale entry into the ongoing conflict between armies of heaven and fallen angels.
Dylan Hatfield has decided to answer a summons from his old boss and join a secret operation, its mission to reconnoiter the Afghani tunnel complex from which Osama bin Laden escaped in 2001. What he discovers sears his very soul and likely will end his life.
Abby learns of the peril facing Dylan, and she sends out a call for intercession on his behalf. Her frantic email message sets in motion a series of harrowing events, propelling the two on a new mission and quest--one where the stakes are the lives of millions!
The Warriors is packed with high-octane action, featuring exotic international locales, with characters in a clash against spiritual "principalities and powers" with eternal consequences, The Warriors is a story that will enthrall, enlighten, and engage its readers.
If that piques your interest, you can read the first chapter HERE
"Olsen, one of the better writers in this subgenre, delivers powerful, action-packed plots that delve into mystical paranormal worlds."
~Library Journal, Feb. 2008
"Olsen delivers an entertaining thriller likely to be enjoyed especially by fans of the spiritual warfare genre."
~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. His last novel was the supernatural thriller The Watchers.The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a Professional Writing graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Girl Talk Thursday - Allure, Marie Claire, Lucky
Hey, girls! We all love make-up, lotions, perfumes, hair products, clothes, shoes, and jewelry, right? Of course, right!
Don't miss out on any of these great online giveaways, contests, and sweeps:
Allure - Bookmark this link for June 1 -5. Enter to win:
June 1 - Pat McGrath's 2008 Fall Favorites
June 2 - Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Triple Smoothing Body Lotion
June 3 - Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller
June 4 - FHI Heat Paddle Brush
June 5 - Clinique Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy Blush
Marie Claire - Bookmark this link to enter to win everyday in May! (Girls, this happens every month...you'll definitely want to be bookmarking this!)
May 1 - Capricorne Villas
May 2 - E.L.F. Make-Up Travel2Go
May 3 - Healing Garden's Mother's Day Gift Set
May 4 - A set of 4 flavors of Binaca Breath Spray
May 5 - Victoria Secret's Beauty Shampoo and Conditioner
May 6 - Elizabeth Grant's Skincare Biocollasis Eye Cream
May 7 - SensiClear Acne Treatment System
May 8 - Goody Three Brush System
May 9 - Anti-aging, relaxation, and moisturizing benefits
May 10 - Ionic Hair Dryers
May 11 - Bonnebell Bronzers
May 12 - Chemistry Salon Lab's Hair Care System
May 13 - Bamboo Brush Set from Sally Beauty
May 14 - Big Waves products from Charles Worthington London
May 15 - Nailtiques products
May 16 - Babyliss Professional Hair Setter
May 17 - Too Faced Bronzer
May 18 - Ouidad hair care products
May 19 - At-Home Pedicare Set
May 20 - VMV's Summer Skincare Package
May 21 - Elizabeth Grant Lip Plumper
May 22 - Flat Iron from Sally Beauty
May 23 - Y.E. S. Young Essential Skincare
May 24 - PedEgg
May 25 - Elizabeth Grant's Skincare Caviar Eye Pads
May 26 - SkinMilk Body products
May 27 - Anti-aging, relaxation, moisturizing products
May 28 - Lubriderm Moisterizers
May 29 - Products for pampering Hot Mamas!
May 30 - Victoria Secret's Hair Gel and Shine Serum
May 31 - L.A. Looks Hair Gels
Lucky - Enter online for these amazing May 2008 issue contests and giveaways!
$100 Bath & Body Works Shopping Spree
Vaction for 2 to Venice, Italy
$2,000 Chicdowntown.com Shopping Sprees
Avon prize packs worth $99
Timex watch worth $120
Enter online for these amazing June 2008 issue contests and giveaways!
Win the cover look! (clothes, make-up, and accessories)
$250 Old Navy Shopping Sprees
Trip for two to Tahiti and Bora Bora
Clean Ultimate Collections Perfume
$400 Shumaq Shopping Spree
Enjoy!
Bean Sprout Babies Giveaway...More Prize Pictures!
Have you entered the giveaway? If not, why? What are you waiting for? The prizes are spectacular! Pictured above are just some of the goodies to be won: a handmade lingerie garment bag with floral embroidery by Juliette Rose, a beautifully frangrant and hydrating hand cream by Adrienne Vittadini, and a necklace and earring set done in the prettiest green tones.
Visit www.beansproutbabies.com. Sign up for the newsletter. Have a friend sign up for 2 entries! Winner will be drawn May 29th!
Hurry and enter today!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Introducing Bean Sprout Babies & Giveaway!
Bean Sprout Babies is a unique baby boutique offering both gifts for Mommy and Baby.Darling Divalicious Diaper Bags
Metro Cairo Chocolate Tote BagLovely Baby Blankets
Velvet and Sateen BlankeeFabulous Baby Shower Gifts
Baby is Brewing Coffee-Kit with Heart Scoop
WIN this beautiful box full of goodies including: jewelry, spa products, delectable treats from "The Cookie Girl", candle, and more!To enter visit Bean Sprout Babies and sign up for the NEWSLETTER and have a friend enter, too. You will be entered in the drawing twice.
Remember this is a Diva worthy gift box! Though hosted by Bean Sprout Babies, a unique children's gift boutique, this gift box is not for babies...this gift box is for Divas!
Hurry...tell a friend or two and enter today!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones
Sometimes there’s a fine line between comedy and tragedy—and Katie Parker is walking it.
School is winding down for the summer but Katie Parker is having a bad day. After leaving the drive-in, where her imploding love life was the main attraction, Katie arrives home to a big surprise on the Scott's front porch.
Her mother, Bobbie Ann Parker, a former convict and recovering addict, wants to take Katie away from her family, friends, and church. Now Katie's life will be changed by a series of dramatic choices as she struggles to understand what family and home really means.
Katie is forced to walk away from In Between, leaving behind a family who loves her, a town drive-in to save, and a boyfriend who suddenly can’t take his eyes off his ex. When the life her mother promised begins to sink faster than one of Maxine’s stuffed bras, Katie knows she needs to rely on God to keep it together.
But where is he in all this? Can Katie survive a chaotic life with her mother—and one without the Scotts? And if God is there, will he come through before it’s too late?
A Katie Parker Production series offers teen girls real-world fiction balanced by hope and humor. The The Big Picture helps us realize that the difficult chapters in our journey are only part of God's big story for our lives.
You can read the first chapter HERE
"A heroine to love. Jones just gets better with every book, and The Big Picture is her best one yet."
~BARBARA WARREN, author of The Gathering Storm
"Such inspiration in a package of fun and faith!"
~EVA MARIE EVERSON, author of the Potluck Club series
Jenny B. Jones is the author of A Katie Parker Production series. The other books in the series are In Between and On The Loose. Though now an adult, she still relates to the trauma and drama of teen life. She is thrilled to see her writing dreams come true, as her previous claim to fame was singing the Star Spangled Banner at a mule-jumping championship. (The mules were greatly inspired.)
Jenny resides in Arkansas, where, as a teacher, she hangs out with teens on a regular basis.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Girl Talk Thursday - Cat Walk Dreams
Okay...okay...I know it is not Thursday. Either I'm early or I'm late for Girl Talk Thursday ...I'm settling for both since I missed posting last week due to being taken captive by the 900+ Bloggy Giveaways. I couldn't resist the curiosity to see what everyone was giving away...and just to see if I could indeed make it to them ALL! Thus...here I am today both late and early with Girl Talk Thursday. Thank you for understanding.
On to the Girl Talk...Ladies, have you ever had your own Miss America dreams? Super Model aspirations? Cover Girl hopes? If you are like me, you have. The fall after graduating from High School I entered the Miss Greater Grand Rapids Pageant. I was so excited. As a little girl, I either wanted to grow up to be Miss America or Barbie. (Ha! Yes, I laugh at that childhood whimsy myself.) I was thrilled to be competing for a crown...to win a beauty pageant title! I quickly learned how to walk in heels and turn on a dime flashing a rapturous smile over my shoulder to the judges. I even coated my teeth with Vaseline to ensure that smile would stick!
Well, I didn't win the coveted title of Miss Greater Grand Rapids. However, I was invited to compete in Miss Petite America twice, I hung up my rhinestone evening gown, and packed away my flaming baton. These years later, after college, four years of teaching missionary kids, and marriage to a wonderful Aussie man, that cat walk dream still calls to me. I still think it would be exciting to be spotted by an agency for a modeling career. Or, cast as Hollywood's next Bond girl or perhaps the fourth Charlie's Angel...oh, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Halle Berry, and Cameron Diaz are not available?! A girl can dream, right?
If you are still dreaming of struttin' your stuff on the cat walk, head on over to Look of the Year and enter this worldwide Beauty Contest. Winner receives $10,000! Hey, you never know...you might just be discovered...this could be you big break...go for it, girl!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Bloggy Giveaways - Delightful Daisy Coasters
Lovingly stitched by hand...a Comfort Joy Designs original.1. Leave a comment to be entered in this giveaway.
2. Be sure to include a way for me to contact you if you win; email or blog address.
3. Open to everyone in the world.
4. I will draw a winner April 26th.
You can meet my sister-in-law at Mommie Daze.
And learn more about me at A Cup of Joy, where you can enter the bloggy giveaway I am hosting there (Cozy Country Star of your choice). Before you leave A Cup of Joy, enter the "My Favorite Mom" spa basket contest, and enter to win a signed copy of A Mother's Heart Knows by Margaret McSweeney.
Now, go enter the hundreds of other giveaways!
Enjoy!
