Wreader Fun

The boys are heading off to their last day of school this morning. This is how the little guy came home from school last week. Used to be just the girls wore paint on their face. Heh. On Thursday, I picked up Jessie after her final exam and drove her out to the Circle Square Ranch where she's counselling for most of the summer. And so today is my last day of quiet until July 26th when they all head off on different adventures. That's a month away! If I want quiet there's always the RV out there under the apple trees. It's just that we've been having problems with our riding lawn mower and the grass is high between the house and the RV. Not over the knee high, but anything higher than the ankles could be hiding ticks. And if you've read my earlier posts, you know ticks freak me out. But this year, I can go into our converted garage . . . er . . . Rec Centre and get away from all the electronic noise in the house. I tried it out last night when Nelson and the boys...

The Prodigal’s Return by Lynn Bulock Love Inspired #144, July 01 This is a great book. I like the fact it explores the relationship between a father and his daughter, God and His people, and cops and their kids. There are so many levels to this story and it all works well together. Laurel Harrison has been living in California but she wants an excuse to return home to Missouri. She finds the perfect opportunity when her father, the local sheriff, falls ill. No sooner does she get to town when she starts getting tickets from her father’s deputy who seems to be missing tact when it comes to certain citizens in town – like the sheriff’s daughter. Deputy Tripp Jordan doesn’t believe in playing favorites to anyone. If you’re illegally parked, you get a ticket. If you speed, you get a ticket. It doesn’t matter if you’re the mayor or the sheriff’s daughter. Tripp has a rule book and he abides by it. Of course the problems start when his teenage daughter comes to live with him because that’s a...

A Soldier’s Reunion (Wings of Refuge Book 4) by Cheryl Wyatt Love Inspired #496, Jun 09 This is an excellent book by an author who knows all the ins and outs of military life. Cheryl Wyatt easily weaves the jobs of pararescue jumpers with civilian life and gives us a glimpse of the hardships these brave men face when it seems they must choose between love and career. The book starts with a heart-stopping rescue attempt by the civilian heroine after a major bridge collapse and delves into the world of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which many believe only soldiers suffer. The author, a former RN, shows otherwise. This book is rife with romantic tension. Mandy Manchester’s world centers around her chosen career in the medical field after being dumped by the man she’d hinged all her dreams on 10 yrs earlier. She puts her skills to good use when the bridge she’s driving on collapses and she watches in terror as numerous cars slide off the broken bridge and plunge into the dark river. Her c...

Ready-Made Family (Wings of Refuge Book 3) by Cheryl Wyatt Love Inspired #490, Apr 09 This was another great book about the pararescue jumpers of Refuge, Illinois. I’m enjoying the series by Cheryl Wyatt who integrates racial differences in her stories as easily as personalities and careers. In this book, she not only introduced the bigotry that can occur between whites and Asians due to the Vietnam war, but also racism between so-called average and handicapped people, in this case, Mosaic Down’s Syndrome. Pararescue jumper Ben Dillinger is in a parking lot minding his own business when a little girl begs him to help rescue her mother from their crashed vehicle. As the mother recuperates in the hospital, Ben learns she is ‘between jobs and homes’ and finds himself falling for her. He wants to help her get a job so she and her daughter will stay in Refuge and he can get to know them better. As he sees it, his biggest problem is his inability to admit he has a brother with special needs ...

The Preacher’s Wife by Cheryl St John Love Inspired Historical June 09 Cheryl St John has written a great book for her first Love Inspired novel. After writing many Harlequin Historicals which have a higher level of sensuality, the author still conveyed the emotions and conflict necessary to an entertaining book. She picked her characters and their traits well and I really enjoyed reading this book. Badgered by her late husband’s mother, Josie Randolph makes the weekly trek to his graveyard although she longs to put the past behind and start a new life. Josie is a nurturer. With inherited wealth, she doesn’t need a job to maintain her lifestyle so she volunteers at the parsonage, keeping house and taking care of the injured pastor. A widower, the lonely pastor proposes to Josie. A marriage based on friendship seems to be what they both need. Yet, Josie hesitates. Enroute his new post, Samuel Hart has just faced an unbearable hardship. He lost his wife and his daughters lost their moth...

My long anticipated Family Reunion weekend is over. Everyone left. The house is quiet. Time to reflect… Friday afternoon, soon after the kids came home from school, a strang e car came down the driveway with Ontario license plates. My dad, whom I hadn’t seen in about 15 yrs, and his new wife had arrived. Strong, emotional hugs. Good hugs. Hubby led the way to our partially renovated garage, now christened the Rec Centre, which he’d cleaned and furnished. Fabric covered the windows, a radio sat on a small dinette table. Even a rug beside the bed. I was quite impressed. Grandpa and Grandma (G&G) deemed it suitable and moved right in. Since they are avid golfers, we enjoyed a round of Golf later on that evening as we introduced them to the Wii game system. Saturday dawned hot and muggy. Two more vehicles arrived in time for lunch: my sister and her hubby in the one with Manitoba plates, and their daughter from 2 hrs west of us, in the other. Everyone was now here. The kids went to wor...

It's a gorgeous day here in SE Saskatchewan 20C/70F already at 8:15 am with a forecast high of 30C/86F. My dad and stepmom have settled in to the semi-converted garage and seem to like it. Nelson set up a nice bedroom area including kitchen table and chairs, radio, and even the PS2 gaming system. Looks more like a room under renovations rather than a coverted garage. I'm hosting Christine Rimmer, a favourite author of mine, over at the Prairie Chicks . She's talking about Plot Groups and giving away a free book so pop over and leave a comment. Have a great weekend!

A Passion Denied (The Daughters of Boston Book 3) by Julie Lessman 2009 Revell Books How does she do it? Every time I read a book by Julie Lessman, I think there’s no way she can top it—and then she does it with the next one and it goes straight to my Top 10 list, again. I am a fan for life and will buy anything this author writes. Just like the title states, this book delves into the life of denied passion. Denied on the part of the heroine because the man she loves treats her like a child. Denied on the part of the hero because he refuses to acknowledge his love for the heroine. Denied in the lives of 3 other couples we’ve met in previous books as they face the challenging life called matrimony. Elizabeth O’Connor, previously known as Beth, is the younger sister to Faith in Book 1 and Charity in Book 2. Beth was the quiet sister. Unimposing, well-mannered, serene. She’s now an adult and in an effort to seem more modern and vivacious, she’s changed her name to Lizzie. She’s also sport...

A Passion Redeemed (The Daughters of Boston Book 2) by Julie Lessman 2008 Revell Books Wow! Julie Lessman has written another emotional gut-wrenching story that brings fictional people explosively to life. This is not a book about a ‘goody-two-shoes’ waiting for the man God has promised her. No, in this book, Charity O’Connor decides who she wants and goes after him. And if she has to use all her feminine charms and tell some lies in the process, well so be it because she’s determined to get what she wants. We first met Charity in the first Daughters of Boston series when she interfered between her sister and the love of her life. Due to circumstances in her childhood with her sister and father, Charity wears this ‘nobody loves me’ persona. She’s grown to take what she can get because she thinks she won’t get anything otherwise. This mentality rules her life. She seems so selfish when she’s not as can be seen with her relationship with her grandmother and great-grandma. It’s just that...

Do you want to see a sample of my writing? I was chosen to write chapter 7 in eharlequin's Pass the Plot with Harlequin Historical author Joanne Rock. We were given certain words and phrases to use and the writer who used them the most wins the Pass the Plot title. So, I've been busy writing and my Chap 7 went online last night at http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/write-stuff/pass-plot-joanne-rock You don't need to be a member to read it. Just click over and read. And then if you wish, come on back and tell me what you really think. Since it's been posted, I've picked up a couple things I'd change. (Like using the word anguish twice and close together.) *sigh*

Yes, for the first time ever, I'm at 3 places at once! Yay! First, it's my regular day to post at http://www.prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com/ . We're discussing genres, sub-genres and even chick/hen lit too and want to know what's the current situation with it. If you know, please respond either here or there. The questions I'm asking there are: Have I listed them all? Is the genre of your work in progress (wip) or manuscript (ms) listed here? Do you believe you can change genres half way through and add in the missing element without starting from the beginning? Second, I have a post online at http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/2009/06/anita-mae-draper-on-idb-datamaster.html . So, if you have a few mins, (yeah, right, eh) maybe meander over there for a look-see. Thanks. Have a great day!

Last Saturday, my 2nd child graduated from high school. This was her special night. Here she is in our van as she waits for her escort to meet us. Jessie and her friend and escort, Nick Yoner enjoying their meal. From left to right: Nick Draper, Jessica Draper, Nick Yoner, Grandma Draper, Anita Mae Draper with JJ in front, Nelson Draper. Jessie dancing with her Dad Noelle Bonk took this photo at Tim Horton's where they all went in the wee hours of the morning. That's a long way for coffee! My poor baby had such a long day.

Today is my daughter's graduation. Jessica is wearing a princess dress only a doting father would buy for his daughter. I'll post pictures when I have them. And I'd love to tell you more but I have a very big day starting with going into the city to pick my mother-in-law. So have a good weekend and I'll talk to you soon.

You know, I loved going on the writing retreat last week and I'd like to go next year, but if you want to know what it was like when I got home after being away, check out my post at Prairie Chicks Write Romance. The mail 'Rules' feature I'm talking about is one of those things I've seen in Outlook, but didn't have time to check out. I mean, who wants to read up on rules, eh? Really. Anyway, on top of all the stuff I need to do before my daughter's graduation this Sat, now I have homework. It's okay though, even as a kid, I liked homework. :) Do you/have you ever liked homework?

It’s already June the 2nd! Do you realize in 3 wks the days are going to start getting shorter again? Yikes! Writing-wise: May has been a month of decisions. I wanted to register for the American Christian Fiction Writers conference to be held in Sept in Denver this year. Before I could do that, I needed to choose the workshops I wanted to attend. I also needed to pick the editors and agents I wanted to pitch my manuscript to but I need something new to show them. Alternately, I could pitch my old stuff to new editors but I’d rather pitch to those who’ve asked me to show them something else. So, I’m back to working on Translucent Trust , the suspense I started during Book in a Week this past January. And, to make sure I get it right, I’ve signed up at http://rosescoloredglasses.com/ for an online Plotting Bootcamp course. Yes, I’ll get to my homework as soon as I post this to my blog. I spent the last few days of May at a writing retreat where I worked on revisions to Marry Me, Ma’am ...