Quote for the Day

"You can't copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling."
Billie Holiday

Gone

He was a whisper on the world. Blink and he was gone. Footprints and fingerprints erased. Memories so few, tossed into a book of photos that no one wants to see.

She cries in the corner at night. When no one is listening, when the wind blows. Sometimes she hears his voice on the wind, calling her name.

His ancestors disappeared. Father, mother, brother. In an instant the entire family was dust on the Midwestern prairie. Forever gone. Forever mourned.

And then.

Forgotten.

In a book of photos that no one wants to see.

The Danger of Multi-tasking

If you'd like to see how multi-tasking can lead to dual identities, then check out the recent interview over at Where the Map Ends.

Jeff Gerke is interviewing himself.

Sounds like something an alien would do. Or a publisher.

2008 ACFW Book of the Year Winners

Below is the list of winners from the recent ACFW Conference. Congratulations to all! And a special cyber hug to pals, Sharon Hinck and Camy Tang! Way to go, girls!

Debut Author
Sushi for One? (Camy Tang) – Zondervan, Sue Brower

Contemporary Novella
Finally Home (Deborah Raney) – Barbour Publishing, Susan Downs

Historical Novella
Love Notes in Love Letters Anthology (Mary Davis) – Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany

Lits
Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh) – Multnomah Books, Julee Schwarzburg

Long Contemporary
Within This Circle (Deborah Raney) – Steeple Hill Books, Krista Stroever

Long Historical
Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky) RiverOak, editors Jeff Dunn/Jon Woodhams
Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer) Bethany House, editor Charlene Patterson

Mystery
Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney) – Thomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic

Short Contemporary
The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight) – Steeple Hill Love Inspired, Allison Lyons

Short Contemporary Suspense
Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper) – Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, Krista Stroever

Short Historical
Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman) & Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
–Barbour/Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons

Speculative
The Restorer’s Son (Sharon Hinck) – NavPress, Reagan Reed

Suspense
Black Ice (Linda Hall) – WaterBrook Press, Traci DePree

Women’s Fiction
Remember to Forget (Deborah Raney) – Howard Books/Simon & Schuster, Philis Boultinghouse

Young Adult
In Between (Jenny B. Jones) — NavPress, Jamie Chavez

Fantasy Fiction Tour

Question: What do the following authors have in common?

Wayne Thomas Batson, Sharon Hinck, Christopher Hopper, Bryan Davis, Donita K. Paul, Eric Reinhold, L.B. Graham, and Jonathon Rogers.

This may seem like an easy answer.

They all write Christian fantasy fiction, you say.

Well, yes, you got that right. They do. In fact, between them, they’ve written 37 fantasy novels. They’ve written about other worlds, alternate realities, talking dragons and more. They’ve written ground-breaking stories in one of today’s fastest growing genres.

But, wait. There’s more.

This group of eight authors will be touring the West Coast from Oct. 4-12.

Below is a list of events that will be taking place in the Los Angeles area. And note, blog readers, the last event on this list will take place at my church. I’m helping to set up this event, so you’ll be hearing more about it as we draw nearer.

If you like reading or writing fantasy fiction, then these events are just what the Alien Doctor ordered. In fact, aliens from alternate universes are going to be jealous when they find out that THE HUMANS IN CHARGE decided to hold all this stuff on earth. And on the West Coast, no less.

Bring your tin foil. There are sure to be repercussions.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9th
St. Genevieve High School
9:00am - 11:00am
13967 Roscoe Blvd
Panorama City, CA 91402
(818) 894-6417
www.valiantspirit.com

Bethany Christian School
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Attn: Amber Ryan
93 N Baldwin Ave, Ste B,
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
Phone is 626-355-3527 ext 1652

Valley Book & Bible
5:00pm – 7:00pm
6502 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Toll Free: 800-421-8906

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10th
Village Christian Schools
8:50am - 1:00pm
8930 Village Ave.
Sun Valley, CA 91352
(818) 767-8382
Co-hosted by Barnes & Noble Burbank Store
818-558-1383

West Covina Christian School
2:00pm - 4:00pm
763 N. Sunset Ave.W
West Covina, CA 91730
626-962-7089
Co-hosted by Barnes & Noble Glendora Store
909-592-2968

Calvary Chapel Huntington Beach
7:00pm - 9:00pm
7800 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 891-9495

The New Kid On the Blog Block

She's sweet. She's sassy. And, oh yeah. She's also me.

My other blog. So cool. All about publishing. All about life in the tsunami lane.

Check it out.

Publishing Tsunami.

Tips on riding the literary waves. Without wiping out.

The Shadow of the Almighty

This is the best example of Psalm 91 that I've seen in a long time.

Shhh . . . they're watching

I love being stalked by a Googlebot.

Don't you?

Music Video of the Week: Morphine

Morphine. I just discovered this band--I'm know. I'm a bit late.

But I'm in love.

Woof

Can't respond to e-mail

I can't respond to e-mails.
Something has crashed on my computer . . .
and my mouse is missing.

Meow.

On the Richter Scale

Nice use of color and contrast. Theme and storyline, definitely a 10. Overall composition, excellent.

Ouch factor: a raging 10.0 on the Richter Scale.

No reason at all

It was just cute. That's why.

The cell phone you gotta get

The debate over which cell phone offers the best service came to a screeching halt today when ePhone revealed its latest update.

Once the glowing orb is grafted onto your vocal cords—a process that ePhone promises is quick and painless—you'll be able to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

And that includes Pluto. Even if it isn't really a planet.

We come in peace

"We come in peace," Sir Argyle Bluefeather claimed during a recent CNN interview. With fingers poised in the V for Victory sign, our sources believe that Bluefeather plans to enter the presidential race as an independent.

His platform?

Something to do with lifting the ban on illegal aliens.