I’ve fallen a bit behind on my carnival inclusion updates!  If you haven’t been by to read these collections of blog posts, please drop by!

June Carnival of Children’s Literature – Fathers in Children’s Books, June 23rd

Carnival of Family Life: Father’s Day Edition June 16

What are some of your favourite blog carnivals to participate in or to read?  Let me know in the comments so that I can drop by and visit them!

My most memorable, lengthy, and geographically distant vacation was a 3 week trip I took to Norway to visit my father and step-mom while they were living in Norway before I was married.  I’ve also taken trips to British Columbia and visited a few of the North-Western United States on our honeymoon drive around.  I’ve never been to the Eastern coast of North America on either side of the border, but I’d love to go.  There are so many things to do in New York for example.  I’d love to take one of the New York City tours, like the helicopter tours offered by  Trusted Tours & Attractions with my husband – he is fascinated by small flying machines.

My husband, Larry has been to the east side of the U.S. on a trip he took to Boston. While he was there he enjoyed watching the sculling, taking in the historic sites and visiting the learning institutions there. I think he missed out on many of the exciting things to do in Boston such as visiting the New England Aquarium.

Trusted Tours and Attractions offers online travel guides, as well as discounted tickets to the best sightseeing tours in 23 cities across America.   Sign up for the Trusted Travels eNewsletter and enter to win a handheld GPS before June 30th, 2008.

I’m delighted to say that I was interviewed at Notes From My Nest for the week of June 23rd – July 2nd.  Please stop by and join us for coffee in the “Coffee With” feature.  You can learn more about my impetus for starting a blog, my family etc.

While you are there you can also enter a contest for a handmade, designer handbag from Pink Lemonade Designs if you are a U.S. resident.

Enjoy!

Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! are two educational activity books for young children published by Cedar Valley Publishing. Developed by Mom of two, Stacy Kannenberg; these workbooks are printed on heavy duty “plasticized” paper that is designed for use with dry erase markers. The books are a small size for children, and are very rugged and stand up well to repeated use from small children. My daughters (5 and 2) put both books through their paces and are quite delighted with them. They are designed for parents to work through with their children in preparation for the stated school grade, either Kindergarten or First Grade. Both books cover core required academic subjects for the grade that the child will be entering, because of this they also make an excellent core curriculum for the early grades that homeschoolers can supplement with additional practice activitities, read alouds, Bible and other options. They can also be used for remedial work for children who are having a difficult time mastering core academic concepts in their current grade, or the grade they have just completed.

These books are already award-winners; both Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! books won the Adding Wisdom Award from Parent-to Parent.  Both books are also winners of the 2008 Best You Can Be Award for Books in Education.  The books are also approved for purchase by a variety of State educational purchasing departments for use within public schools.

Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten!  appeals to a wide variety of pre-schoolers and those just starting their educational journey (recommended ages 2 – 6). My two year old likes to watch while her older sister and I go through the practice activities together. She also loves the dry erase feature, and grabs the markers and draws/colours in the workbooks. This is my 5 year old’s favourite summer time learning book – it is compact and easy to take for travel while covering a wide variety of topics and skills. We currently have it with us as we wait in the city at my grandparents home for our new baby to arrive. K and I have gone through the book a few times together, and this morning she was working on it with her Grandma. It is simple for adults to understand how to work through the practice activities with their children, just open it up, grab a marker and you are ready to go, no preparation required.

For us it is a wonderful combination of skill levels and subjects - 30 pages of bright and colourful educational activities for youngsters.  K knows enough of the material to feel confident in her abilities, but there is enough new and advanced material to challenge her, without her feeling threatened. The illustrations are bright and engaging and feature a multi-cultural cast of children, as well as the teacher. Note for Canadians – there is a section that involves American currency, but it is fairly easy to pull out your change purse to show your children Canadian money during this portion of the book.  Two lists, Early Childhood Skills and Parent and Caregiver Tips provide parents with a firm understanding of the academic and “soft” skills required for a successful year of Kindergarten.

Let’s Get Ready for First Grade! shares the same design and features of Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten! while covering core academic subjects at a more advanced level (recommended ages 5 – 8).  Much of the material presented in this title is too advanced for my oldest at age 5, but there are sections that she really enjoys (anything to do with the solar system is a big hit for her!).  There are again some sections that are written particularly for the US audience, including the section on money and government, but again, it is simple to substitute Canadian content while working through the book. 40 pages of rich educational content presented in the same bright and interactive style as the first title.  The sample story given does include the tooth fairy, which I was disappointed to see as our family doesn’t participate in this myth.  Aside from this, this title is an excellent academic foundation, building more advanced reading, beginner writing skills, simple math etc. on which to build the foundation for a first grade curriculum if so desired.  It can also be used for preparatory work over the summer, or review work as well.

Both titles are engaging for young children, and they find it hard to resist the hands-on interactivity paired with the bright and lively illustrations.

The most affordable place to order these titles is from the publisher directly.  You can click here to order from Cedar Valley.

They are also available from Amazon if you are already purchasing from their site:

Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten!

Let’s Get Ready for First Grade!

10% of the profits of both books will be donated to literacy programs.

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book’s FIRST chapter! I read this book aloud to my children, and we’ve finished it, here is the review!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

and her book:

Sydney Clair’s Season of Change

Authentic (March 1, 2008)

Pam Davis is an author and motivational speaker who views her charge as bringing the timeworn truths of Scripture to life. Pams candid teaching style not only enlightens but also entertains, leaving her audiences with a refreshed desire for the living Word of God. She lives with her husband, Steven, and three children in Fort Worth, Texas.

Visit her at her website.

Product Details:

Reading level: Ages 4-8
List Price: $7.99
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Authentic (March 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934068500
ISBN-13: 978-1934068502

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Chapter One

But she could already hear Penny moving about the room they shared, packing last-minute items and singing to herself. Sydney Clair pulled the pillow over her head.

It sounded like she was taking everything.

“Not the dancing clowns!” Sydney Clair removed the pillow when she heard the music box.

Penny smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not taking the dancing clowns.”

Sydney Clair thought her sister was the prettiest girl ever. She blinked back tears, but Penny still saw them.

“I’m only a twenty-minute bus ride away, Clair-Bear. You can come visit anytime.”

Clair-Bear. It was a nickname her sister had given her when she was just a baby. She’d loved it when she was little.

Sydney wasn’t a very common name amongst her friends’ Susies, Vickys, and Lucys. Mother had named her Sydney in honor of her grandfather who passed away shortly before Sydney Clair was born. Now Sydney Clair appreciated the name more—and liked the uniqueness of it—but “Clair-Bear” still had a special place in her heart. Though, with Penny leaving, who would call her that now? And who would braid her hair for school? Who could she talk to about what was happening in her favorite book series? Who would walk down to the Dairy Queen with her for Dilly Bars?

Who would be her sister?

The family’s Plymouth station wagon meandered its way onto the University of Texas campus. Sydney Clair could tell Penny was practically bursting with excitement. She stared out the window, pointing to every statue and building on campus. “That’s Hogg Memorial Auditorium. That’s Austin Tower. You can see the whole campus from the top of it.”

Sydney Clair didn’t even pretend to be interested. But her dad slowed down the car and stretched to see the Tower. “Can you read the inscription?” he asked.

“And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” quoted Penny. “Isn’t that a Bible verse?”

Mother nodded. “John 8:32, I believe.”

“Ding, ding, ding,” Mr. Wilcox chimed. “Your mother wins the prize.”

“And what might that prize be?” Mother asked teasingly.

“Uh . . . I’ll make dinner tonight,” Mr. Wilcox said.

“That means we’re having peanut butter and jelly,” Sydney Clair interjected from the back seat.

“Or corn chips and soda pop,” said her mother, laughing.

Mr. Wilcox pretended to pout. “You have no confidence at all in my cooking abilities.”

“I’m just remembering when you made me that birthday cake while we were dating.”

“Uh, oh. Don’t bring that up . . . ” Mr. Wilcox said.

“What was wrong with it, Mother?” Penny asked.

Mother turned her head to look at the girls. “He decided to frost it before he put it in the oven.” She began to laugh. “When he took it out, the whole top was charred black.”

“I didn’t know you were supposed to bake the cake first and then decorate it,” Dad said with a grin on his face. “And, bless her heart, your mother ate it anyway.”

“What you lacked in culinary skills, you more than made up for in charm,” Mother told him.

“I’m voting that Mother keeps her job of doing the cooking,” said Sydney Clair.

Sydney Clair tried to imagine her mother and dad before they were married. She knew they must have laughed a lot—because even now they were always joking about something.

Her dad pulled into a parking spot and shut off the engine in front of Penny’s dormitory.

“Here we are,” said Mr. Wilcox. “Bradshaw Hall.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?” said Penny.

“It’s very stately,” Mrs. Wilcox agreed, opening her car door.

All Sydney Clair saw was a boring brick building. She stepped out into the hot, dusty Austin summer, already feeling the start of sweat on her temples. Not only was her sister abandoning her to go to college, but she’d have to spend the next few hours carrying boxes up and down stairs.

“What’s going on over there?” Mrs. Wilcox asked. Sydney Clair looked in the direction she was pointing toward and saw a swarm of college students marching around in a circle waving signs. Some seemed to have relinquished themselves to the heat and sat lounging in small circles on the grass.

“They’re protesting bleached toilet paper,” said Penny. “Leah told me all about it. Companies whiten toilet paper with chemicals that can ruin our environment. It needs to be stopped.”

Leah was Penny’s best friend and an expert in everything.

“We should get started,” Mr. Wilcox said. He lifted a large box out of the back of the station wagon.

Sydney Clair kept watching the protesters. A young man, whose hair hung down to his waist and wore a colorful headband, seemed to be in charge. He shouted from the steps of a building, waving his sign high in the air. Like the others, he wore frayed blue jeans, and his feet were bare. “The land has taken good care of us—we need to take good care of it!”

The other protesters shouted back in agreement. “Right on, man!” “That’s right!” “Protect our planet!”

Sydney Clair’s dad broke into her thoughts. “If I’d have worn my hair like that, your grandmother would’ve never let me out of the house.”

Sydney Clair lost count of the number of times she climbed the three flights of stairs to Penny’s new room.

She still didn’t understand why Penny was so excited about college. The room they shared at home was twice the size of this one. She felt her eyes moisten thinking about sleeping in the room all by herself.

As Sydney Clair reached the third floor for the umpteenth time, Penny’s squealing voice caught her attention. “It’s so great to finally meet you!”

Sydney Clair turned into Penny’s dorm room and plopped down the avocado green beanbag she’d been carrying.
A red-haired girl. who wore a peasant blouse and a denim skirt, sat cross-legged on the bed next to her sister.

“Sydney Clair, this is Moonbeam,” Penny said. “My roommate.”

Sydney Clair quickly shoved aside the thought that she used to be Penny’s roommate. “Hi,” she mustered. She wondered what Moonbeam’s parents had named her brothers and sisters. Star? Planet? Galaxy? Were they astronomers?

“Peace,” Moonbeam said, holding up two fingers in a V-shape.

“What are your sisters and brothers named?” asked Sydney Clair.

“What kind of question is that?” Penny said.

“It’s cool,” said Moonbeam. “I have two brothers, named Jack and Harry.”

“Those names are pretty normal,” said Sydney Clair. “Why isn’t yours?”

Penny glared at her. “Sydney Clair!” she scolded.

“No sweat. Little Daisy here is curious,” said Moonbeam. “My parents named me Shirley. But I chose Moonbeam. It seemed to fit my personality better—y’know, who I really am. I shine in the midst of dark ideas.”

Penny nodded in agreement, but Sydney Clair thought it was just plain weird. Why was Moonbeam calling her Daisy? She liked the names Shirley and Sydney Clair better but thought it best not to say.

“You have to listen to this record,” Moonbeam was saying. “Have you heard of Jefferson Airplane?”

“No, but I really like the Beatles. And Peter, Paul, and Mary,” Penny said. Moonbeam nodded approvingly. “Their song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ is far-out.”

Sydney Clair noticed a guitar case in the corner. “Do you play the guitar?”

“I’m learning,” said Moonbeam. “Maybe someday it’ll be the group Peter, Paul, and Moonbeam.”

Sydney Clair didn’t think so, but she kept her mouth shut.

Another girl burst into the room. “Guess what, Moonbeam! We have a colored girl on the floor.”

Moonbeam quickly introduced Sydney Clair and Penny to Beth. “What room is she in?”

“Two doors down.”

“Didn’t the University of Texas open up to colored students several years ago?” asked Penny.

“Sure,” said Beth. “But this is my third year here, and I’ve never lived on the same floor as one before.”

Sydney Clair wondered what was taking her parents so long. She didn’t really like college life. But she knew she felt bad for the colored girl living two doors down. She hadn’t been exposed to a lot of colored people in her life. There weren’t any Negro families in her neighborhood. Only a handful of colored kids went to her school and they pretty much stuck to themselves.

“Well, I don’t have a problem with it,” stated Moonbeam.

“I do. And my mother certainly will when she finds out. She’s from Alabama, and things are different there,” said Beth. She started talking about some town named Birmingham and how the town residents set buses on fire that Freedom Riders were riding.

Sydney Clair wondered who Freedom Riders were. The whole thing sounded scary.

A knocking sound came from the hallway.

“Come in,” called Moonbeam.

A petite colored girl swung open the door. She wore a white blouse and plaid skirt. “Sorry to bother you. Can you tell me how to get to the library?”

Moonbeam started giving directions, but Sydney Clair noticed that Beth turned away and stared out the window.

Outside her car window, Sydney Clair watched the pink sunset fade into the Texas plain. It had been a long day, and she was tired.

“I hear some larger companies are coming into town. There will be some good-paying jobs opening up,” Mother was telling Dad.

Mother often talked about “larger corporations” these days, but Dad never seemed as interested. “And all those good-paying jobs will require a suit and tie,” he said.

“I think you’d look very handsome in a tie,” Mrs. Wilcox said.

Sydney Clair was still thinking about the university they’d
just left. The whole place seemed crazy and loud and chaotic.
Even as they’d pulled out of the parking lot, girls wearing flower wreaths in their hair waved signs saying, “Bring our GIs home!” She remembered the young man with the long hair. Yep . . . college was a far cry from the white picket fences of their quiet neighborhood, where walking to the Piggly Wiggly for candy was enough for excitement.

“Don’t you like the name Shirley better than Moonbeam?” she asked her parents.

Mr. Wilcox chuckled as he drove. “College students have their own way of doing things.”

“Especially in this day and age,” said Mrs. Wilcox. “I hope Penny does okay there.”

“She’ll be fine.” Mr. Wilcox patted his wife’s hand. “We’ve raised her well.”

“Do you think she’ll change?” Sydney Clair wondered aloud.

“In some ways,” her dad said. “She’s growing up. She’ll be learning new things, meeting new people.”

“I mean really change. Will she still be our Penny?”

“She’ll always be our Penny,” her mother said.

Sydney Clair was still missing her sister as she and her mother washed the dishes that evening. The sounds of The Dick Van Dyke Show wafted in from the next room where her dad sat in his easy chair with the newspaper. Her mother had made Sydney Clair’s favorite dinner—roast beef with mashed potatoes—but it hadn’t cheered her up much. She kept thinking of Penny at college.

“There’s only three of everything,” she said. “Three plates, three forks.” She handed her mother a sudsy glass to rinse. “Three glasses.”

“I guess things change,” Mrs. Wilcox said. “They’ll always change. Someday you’ll go off to college and move away from home.”

“Maybe I’ll just move into the playhouse,” said Sydney Clair. Her dad had built her a new playhouse over the summer. It was better than any playhouse she’d ever seen, and her friends Vicky and Ann had agreed. It had shutters that opened and closed, a little kitchen with a sink that held water, and even electricity for the light that hung over the table. Mrs. Wilcox often brought cookies or snacks to Sydney Clair and her friends, who regularly hosted tea parties from the playhouse. Inside the playhouse or out on the lawn in front—it didn’t matter. Mrs. Wilcox would often say, “You need to eat more than just tea and crumpets,” which were usually Kool-Aid and corn chips. But with Sydney Clair’s imagination, they were never just tea and crumpets. They were exotic concoctions from far off lands. Sydney Clair cherished her playhouse. Because it never changed, she thought.

Her mother chuckled. “Someday you’ll even outgrow the playhouse.”

Sydney Clair couldn’t imagine that.

Mr. Wilcox walked into the kitchen, carrying the newspaper. “Did you see this article, dear?” He handed Mrs. Wilcox the newspaper, and they started talking about some race riots that had taken place in California.

“Do you know there’s a colored girl that lives on Penny’s floor?” Sydney Clair said.

Mrs. Wilcox nodded. “Yes, and I hope your sister will make sure she feels welcome.”

“Knowing Penny, she’ll do just that,” said Mr. Wilcox. “Can I help you finish the dishes?”

“As always, your timing is perfect,” said Mother. “We just finished.”

“And I missed it,” Mr. Wilcox feigned disappointment.

“Someday we’ll have to get one of those new automatic dishwashers they have out now. We’d be done doing dishes in no time,” said Sydney Clair.

“I thought you were my automatic dishwasher, Sydney Clair.” Her mother smiled.

“I think she might need a tune-up,” Dad said. “She’s slowing down a little.”

“Maybe she needs some chocolate cake to get her going again,” Mother suggested.

Sydney Clair’s spirits lifted a bit. “We have chocolate cake for dessert?”

“We do,” Mrs. Wilcox said, her eyes twinkling. “And because I love you so much, I baked the cake before I frosted it.”

“Wow, what an interesting idea,” said Sydney Clair.

“I can tell when I’m being made fun of,” Mr. Wilcox said. “But I’m still sticking around for chocolate cake.”

Sydney Clair chewed on the end of her pencil while she stared at her calendar. Bo, the family’s golden retriever, brushed past Sydney Clair’s bare legs and curled up on a rug in the middle of the floor. Every day, Sydney Clair would write either “good day” or “bad day” to describe how the day had gone. All day, she’d planned that this would be a “bad day.” She mindlessly scratched behind Bo’s ears.

Boy, I’m really going to miss Penny,” she said. Penny’s bare bed, now stripped of its pink sheets, made the room look so empty.

Bo looked up at her with big brown eyes, as if he understood Sydney Clair’s sadness.

“At least I still have you to keep me company,” Sydney Clair told him.

Bo answered by putting his head on his paws.

Sydney Clair penciled “bad day” on the calendar. But then she thought about joking around with her parents, having chocolate cake, and talking to her mom about going shopping for school. I guess it wasn’t all bad, she thought. Sydney Clair jotted “mostly” in front of “bad day.”

“What do you think, Bo?” she asked.

The dog perked up and seemed to smile back in agreement.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW!

Well, I’m feeling ready to have a baby!  This will be my first birth as a follower of Jesus Christ, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to lean on Him throughout this labour.  My ultrasound due date is June 25th, and I’m feeling pretty ripe!  I have my baby clothes hauled out of storage, they still need to be washed.  With DH’s help we have re-organized the bedroom to be ready for baby (God bless my sweet husband’s heart!).  There are still storage tubs in the living room, but I am SO SO tired, they may still be there when baby comes!  I slept until 10 a.m. this morning, which is SO unusual for me, then napped again this afternoon.  Having lots of crampy braxton hicks for the past few days, but they started a couple of weeks ago, so I’m hoping we might have a baby soon!  Baby dreams the past few nights .  Please pray for my labour if you feel led!

Training Loving Hearts is hosting a giveaway for 5 passes to the Heart of the Matter Online Homeschooling Conference.

This giveaway is open for between now and July 9, 2008 at 12:59am EST.

Here are a few details about the online conference:

On July 30th through August 3rd, they will be hosting Heart of the Matter Online’s first annual Virtual Homeschool Conference! They will be providing the attendees with motivational speakers, video tutorials, free products, question and answer sessions, and a vendor hall – all ONLINE! Just log on and listen live during that time or log in at your convenience and download the audios

The line up of homeschooling speakers is awesome! Many that I’ve never heard speak before, including Jeannie Fulbright, Linda Lacour Hobar, Robin Sampson, Todd Wilson and Gina Conroy. Oh, who could resist!  I know you’ll want to enter .

Mother Hen of A  Ship Full O’ Pirates is hosting a giveaway this month (June 2008) for a set of the entire Reclaiming the Culture DVD’s from Vision Forum.  In case you haven’t heard of Vision Forum yet, they offer an extensive selection of products of interest to Christian’s who are homeschooling and into family vision/reformation.  I have really appreciated and been inspired by their focus on biblical family life.

You can enter here by leaving a comment with your favourite Vision Forum product (or most desired one), and can earn additional entries by promoting the contest on your blog (hmm, guess what I’m doing?).  And, the best part, is this contest is open to US AND Canadian residents, woohoo!  I know this DVD series will be a blessing for whoever wins it!

My oldest daughter is 5 years old, and she was SO excited when the cool t-shirt she had picked out from Huddy Buddy arrived in the mail. We had spent some time perusing the Huddy Buddy website looking for just the perfect shirt to review.

Huddy Buddy was founded in 2007, a few years after an entrepreneurial couple became parents to Hudson in 2003. They discovered the lack of unique, casual clothing for their son, and Hudson’s Dad turned to designing his own. After “Huddy’s Buddy” (his little sister) arrived, the unique girly-tee designs were added.

We had a hard time choosing from amongst all of the hip tshirts. We eventually decided on the Big Sister tshirt for her! We picked size 6, short sleeved – it looks like an 8 might have been a wee bit better for her. It is just the right shade of pink, and she definitely loves pink! And what with a new baby sister arriving in a week or so, it’s ideal for her! She already has one little sister, so we’re safe there, even if the ultrasound prediction turns out to be wrong! Of course I’m biased – but I think she looks adorable in it!

Not only do they offer a line of onesies and tshirts for boys, girls, sibling sets and twins featuring snazzy sayings and retro designs in sizes 3 – 6 months to size 8; but all of their clothing is 100% cotton and made in the USA – no ethical concerns with these tees! Huddy Buddy is based in Canada!  How neat is that – I love Canadian companies!  I found their shipping speeds in Canada to be very prompt!  They also send many t-shirts to the US.

For the smaller sizes, the designs are available as cool onesies, and the larger sizes are hip tshirts – short and log sleeved. They now have co-ordinating leggings and pants available as well.

Our daughter couldn’t wait to get her shirt on, and as you can see, managed to spill a bit of juice on it before we could snap a photo. K can be a bit sensitive to textures, seams, tags etc. but has never complained about this shirt. The cotton is both soft and comfy while being thick enough to be durable. Our 2 year old is looking forward to the day when she gets this shirt ‘handed down’ to her, she’s due to be an official big sister in a week or so, and I think this tee will still be going strong when she is big enough for it!

Some of the sweetest designs were the sibling tee sets for twins – too bad we don’t have any though! the big brother and big sister tees are a clever way to tell your husband you are expecting – just pop a tee or onesie onto your youngest and wait to see his reaction!

When you stop by the Huddy Buddy website , you might want to make sure there are no children peeking over your shoulder. If my daughters are any indication, they will find these unique designs irresistible.

It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book’s FIRST chapter! This is a truly excellent title. Please read my review for details!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

and her book:

She Always Wore Red

Tyndale House Publishers (April 23, 2008)

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With over three million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.

Now that her two children have reached their twenties, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards–one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.

Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.

Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.

Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her doctorate in 2008. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.

Visit her at her website.

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Chapter One

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