Where's Cara? Mackinac Island

 This weekend my family made the drive to Mackinac Island. We made the trip so that I could sign A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island at the Island Bookstore.

The last time we visited the island, it was so I could do some research for A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island. That time, while my family visited the Fort, I spent time with the police chief. My kids were just grateful he didn't throw me in jail for asking the questions I did!

I absolutely love the island. It is a place that the moment we step on the ferry to transport us across the lake, I begin to relax. And then we arrive! It's truly like stepping back in time. Quaint. Slow-paced. Relaxing. Love it!

Can you name the long building?

After returning, it's easy to remember the charm of Mackinac Island and why I set a book there. Look for more photos later this week. But until then, where do you like to get away? Is there a place that is a peaceful escape?

My oldest posed this photo :-)

Return to Mackinac Island with Love Finds You on Mackinac Island

Today I'm headed to Mackinac Island for a booksigning Saturday. This week, in anticipation of returning to the island, I read Melanie Dobson's historical Love Finds You on Mackinac Island. I loved stepping onto the island as it existed in 1894, a nice dovetail to my contemporary A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island.

Elena Bissette is playing on the stage of the Gilded Age. She knows she has to marry someone wealthy enough to save her family from a destitute future. But all she longs for is to marry someone who will love her for who she really is, not who society demands she pretend to be. On the island she has a sanctuary that is invaded by a man who seems to love everything she does. The question is can he love her and if he does can she marry him at her family's jeopardy? Chester Darrington is the most sought after bachelor on the island, but he has no interest in another society girl. All he cares about are the inventions he might be able to sell to the masses. When they collide can they dig past the misunderstandings and find love? 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of being true to ourselves while balancing that with playing the roles expected of us. Melanie describes the Island in beautiful detail, transporting the reader to its peaceful borders.  The characters left me longing for just a few more pages with them. It was a beautiful story that will join my keeper collection of books. 

Rare Earth Review

This week, the  Christian Fiction Blog Alliance  is introducing  Rare Earth  Bethany House Publishers (July 1, 2012)  by  Davis Bunn

As I showed y'all last week, this was one of the books waiting for me when we returned from Germany. It also quickly climbed to the top of the stack because I'd read the first book, Lion of Babylon, and remembered it being a book I couldn't put down. This one quickly followed with pacing that slowly built to a pace that I literally couldn't put down. Mark Royce is back as the reluctant hero who wants to improve the world. He has the skills to go into situations no one else would want. And he is a hero that reminds me of David in the Bible: a heart for God, few assets, and a scraggly group.  Can they do what it takes? There is also the hint of a romantic thread, too. This book is great for those who love an international thriller...and it will give you a heart for the African people as you read. I loved it and can't wait for the next installment!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.


Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.

A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.  

ABOUT THE BOOK

Marc Royce stares out of the helicopter, a sense of foreboding rising with the volcanic cloud. Below, the Rift Valley slashes across Africa like a scar. Decades of conflicts, droughts, and natural disasters have left their mark.


Dispatched to audit a relief organization, Royce is thrust into the squalor and chaos of Kenyan refugee camps. But his true mission focuses on the area's reserves of once-obscure minerals now indispensable to high-tech industries. These strategic elements--called rare earth--have inflamed tensions on the world's stage and stoked tribal rivalries. As Royce prepares to report back to Washington, he seizes on a bold and risky venture for restoring justice to this troubled land.

But this time, Royce may have gone too far.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rare Earth, go HERE.

A Glimpse into Where I Create

Here's a glance into the area where I work when I'm writing -- and not hanging out at Panera. Believe it or not, for someone who craves clean, organized space, this is about as good as it gets for my desk. Between ACFW, writing, homeschool co-op and teaching, I have a lot of projects to juggle in a small space. Last week I collected a large diaper box of books to take to our church library. I should have taken before photos to show what a difference that made. Ah well!

Book Explosion at the Putmans & Giveaway

It's the end of the week and I'm still coming off jet lag so I thought it was time for one more fun post.

Here are the first three books I read.

When we got back from Germany, here is one category of things that waited for me. I was like a kid at Christmas! (And you cannot imagine how many books I said no to!) Needless to say, I've been reading like crazy since I got home. It feels soooo good to read a real, physical, pages-in-my-hand book rather than on my iPad.

Now I'm reading Rare Earth and the Mackinac Island book is next.

Pleased to Present the Carol Award Finalists for Christian fiction

So excited to bring you this list of Carol Award finalists. I won a long time ago in short historical... and it is always fun to see who makes the list each year. If you're looking for a summer reading list, here you go. The ones I've read (about half) are fantastic!

Winners will be announced during ACFW’s annual conference gala in September in Dallas.

Debut Novel:
Fairer Than Morning  by Rosslyn Elliott (Thomas Nelson – Ami McConnell, Editor)
The Loom by Shella Gillus (Guideposts – Beth Adams, Editor)
Give the Lady a Ride by Linda W. Yezak (Sky Sail [Port Yonder Press] – Chila Woychik, Editor)

Few more photos...Humor me?

As I write this, I have photos on the brain. Since our trip to Germany was a once in a lifetime, I got a new camera. As a result, I have 1800 photos I'm sorting, tagging, and getting ready to do something with. That doesn't count the ones my husband and kids took. So here are a few. While we're at it, anyone have tips on sorting photos? 

Boom! Bang! Firepower!

My kiddos

A few photos from Germany

Today we're jet-lagged and our eight-week adventure is over. I hope you'll humor me if I share a few photos from last week. These are from a city park in Hannover, Germany, our homebase for the last eight weeks.


I was writing a guide to Hannover for GISMA and uncovered more information about a park we'd heard about.  The Stadtpark was built in 1951 and took a bit to find. It's tucked behind the "old" stadthaus (town hall) and we had to actually walk through to find it because we weren't sure where to go.


Once inside, we found a beautiful green space filled with flowers, water, and benches for sitting and enjoying. You could sit in the sun or under the shade of large trees. All the green space is one thing I will miss about Hannover. Lafayette doesn't do that well.

Do You Trust God with Your Secret Dreams

Today I'm going to direct you to an article I wrote for MTL(More to Life), an online magazine. It'll give you a glimpse into my family's summer adventure...one that ends as we board the plane for home in the morning.

And as you read, consider your secret desires. Is God big enough? Involved enough in your life to make them happen. I'll say again, I don't know why He said yes to this dream...but I'm going to keep asking because I don't want to miss the purpose. And I know there is always a purpose, even if it's simply to say yes.

What's your dream?

Need Summer Reading? Interview with Author Krista McGee & Giveaway

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to my new friend, Krista McGee. When we stopped at Thomas Nelson in March, one of the books they handed my daughter was Starring Me. She inhaled the book, with lots of giggles. So I decided I, too, must read it. It was a fun read as I ran on the treadmill. Enough about that though. I'm delighted the publisher is willing to give one reader a copy of this book! Read through to the end for how to possible get one copy of the book. Here's more from Krista...

1) Starring Me has a clever setting with a reality show, but there’s much more to it. How did you get the idea for Starring Me?


This series of books is loosely based on biblical characters. First Date was based on Esther, and in that book, I began with the Esther story and crafted Addy's story around it. With Starring Me, I had my character, Kara, and looked for a biblical story that could parallel hers. I have always loved the romance of Rebekah and Isaac, and I thought that could fit. Because Kara loves acting, I knew I'd have to place her in a situation where she'd have the opportunity to pursue that love, while also being unknowingly pursued by a boy. Isaac was the long-awaited child of Abraham and Sarah, so having him be the somewhat overly-protected only child of older parents worked for my "Isaac"-- Chad Beacon. The "mediator" is the Beacon's assistant, Flora, a quirky character who feels from the start Kara is "the one." And so the stage was set!


2) How did you get the idea for Starring Me?

Exercise: I think I can, I think I can

I don’t know about you, but I often have grandiose dreams about the exercise goals I can accomplish. Then reality sets in and I have to acknowledge I am a mother of four – two of whom are small. And I don’t have a gym membership.

Even so, physical fitness is important to me. When I don’t find a way to wedge it into my days, I get grouchy, stressed, and depending on the day ansty. If I’ve established any sort of exercise routine, my body lets me know that it appreciates the chance to let off steam. So what’s a homeschooling mom to do?

Over the years, I’ve had to get creative.

• o   For a wonderful season, I met twice a week with a neighbor to do Body Pump while her girls napped. We’d turn her basement into our personal gym and push our bodies while connecting and fellowshipping. Then she moved. I still haven’t recovered!

• o   I’ve trained for the Indianapolis 500 mini-marathon. There is nothing like knowing you will run 13.1 miles the first weekend in May to make this girl get on the treadmill or outdoors to run the miles necessary to not fall on my face. After the first year, I’ve made it my goal to run a little faster each time. I’ve taken years off when I was pregnant or had a small infant (my husband makes such crazy requests!), but it’s a great way to push my body and fitness levels at a time of year I just want to curl up with a good book. Did I mention I’ve learned how to read while running?

• o   I’ve invested in exercise DVDs. Because gyms don’t work for me at this season, I decided last year to take a small fraction of a gym membership and buy an assortment of workout DVDs. That’s meant some Jillian Michaels, a couple Denise Austin, and a few Turbo Jam. The result is that I have an assortment to choose from: everything from Jazzercise to yoga or Pilates. If I only have 25 minutes, I have a video for that. If I don’t want to sweat, I have a video for that. What I don’t have is an excuse not to exercise.

• o   Now that my children are getting older, I’ve incorporated family walks and bike rides into our schedule.  I could do more with this, but it’s another way to model a lifestyle of fitness.

How do you find time to exercise? Any tips you can share? 

Celebrating Freedom

Happy Fourth of July! I don't know about you but every day, I am so grateful to be from the United States. There are things I don't agree with (Mandatory health care), but I am always thankful that I was born and live in the United States of America. As you celebrate with family, friends and fun, I wanted to share some thoughts on freedom. What's your favorite quote or verse: 

Webster's 1828 Dictionary definition of the word, "freedom":

  

1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious.

   

Quotes:

All we have of freedom, all we use or know, this our fathers bought for us long and long ago. ~Rudyard Kipling, The Old Issue, 1899

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail? ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, vol. 9 (Poems) [1909]

  

For Fun: Coloring Pages:

http://biblekidsfunzone.com/onlinestore/adUSAfunpack.html

http://www.patrioticcoloringpages.com/4th-of-july/index.html

http://www.friendsacrossamerica.com/colorpagesamerica.html

Scriptures on Freedom:

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Galatians 5:13,14).

"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king" (1 Peter 2:15-17).

E-Books: Still not convinced..

Within about a week in May I purchased a refurbished iPad2 and found myself with an iPhone (courtesy of my husband). I dutifully loaded them with the Kindle app and books determined to give reading on them a try. I love to have books with me everywhere, but when I had a Kindle, I really didn't use it. For some reason it just didn't click as an enjoyable reading experience for me.

The iPad is great for reading if I'm sitting up (on a train, in a car, waiting somewhere, etc.), but I'm finding it a bit cumbersome for reading in bed or reading while I'm working around the house...my husband laughs when he catches me reading as I blow-dry my hair. The iPhone works better in those settings, but I find I am constantly advancing the page because I read FAST. But the smaller size makes it surprisingly easy to read while on the go or in bed.

Do you have an e-reader? Do you like it? Why or why not? I still think my preference will remain a physical book. There's just something about holding it that I love. Though one of the books I read recently on a reader, I'm likely to purchase in physical form. Doesn't hurt that it's by one of my favorite authors, Randy Singer.

Learning New Skills: German Anyone?

Don't ask me why...but I must have been bored because in January I decided to learn some German. This from the girl who at one time didn't want to learn any languages then took ten credits of Spanish and twenty credits of French in college...don't ask!

The kids and I have been working on it together. After lots of research we selected the Rosetta Stone program. I like it, but the immersion system wouldn't work for everyone. The "linguist" in me has also struggled a bit because they don't explain any of the rules for why the pronouns and verb endings change. It's driving me nuts. So I went looking for a book that would help me understand some of those rules. I think I've found it in The Everything Learning German Book. I haven't gotten more than a few chapters in, but I can already tell that it has the why behind the do-it-this-way.

My 8 and 11 year olds have been able to work with Rosetta Stone...it is effective, just not ideal if you want to learn survival language skills for a trip to the country. But if you just want to use it as a foreign language, then the program is probably perfect.

The other thing I've learned or has been reinforced about me is that I am not an audio learner. I'd bought several CD series. As long as I was listening to them  in the car, I could say the words. The moment I stepped out of the car, anything I'd just heard disappeared.

Maybe between Rosetta Stone and The Everything Learning German Book, I'll actually be able to communicate beyond Danke and Bitte.

What new skills have you decided to tackle?

What are you reading right now?

I'm often sharing books I've read or am reading with you. Last week I read Randy Singer's Directed Verdict (Amazing legal thriller!), Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore (A YA This Present Darkness), The Girl in the Glass by the amazing Susan Meissner (FANTASTIC!!!!! and preorder it now for its September release), and First Date by Krista McGee (very fun YA with a chic lit voice.

I'm almost done reading Tracey Bateman's Widow of Saunder's Creek (an intriguing romance/ghost story with strong spiritual overtones). But now I'm looking for my next book. It's summer time and the pages are flying fast and furious. So today I want to know what are you reading? Do you like it? If so why? Is this an author you like to read?

Have I Disappeared?

What a question to ask, right?

Have I disappeared?

Am I living my life in a way that when people look at me they don't really see me? Instead, they see fruit in my life that points them straight to my Savior? That what they do see of me is offered as a sacrifice to for my King's glory?

I'm in a place right now where I am literally asking this question on a daily basis. Now I need to sit and see what the Holy Spirit wants to tell me.

What do I need to do to disappear? My heart's cry mirrors Moses': "Let me know Your ways that I may know You." Exodus 33:13. That as I know Him, I reflect Him and only Him to those around me. What if I'm the only Christ follower they ever meet? Is there anything about me that is contagious? Attractive?

What's God showing or asking of you?

Blog Hop Recipe: Summer Fettuccine

Today, I'm participating in a blog hop that requested summer recipes. I don't know about you, but summer gets nuts! So here's a recipe you can throw together quickly and one the whole family can enjoy. You because it's simple and healthy. Your kids because it tastes so good.

This is a simple, fast, and oh so tasty pasta dish for a summer evening. I made it last night and the kids inhaled it. Anytime I can find something like that I consider it a victory!

8 oz fettuccine cooked according to package instructions

cherry tomatoes cut in half
one yellow squash cut in thin slices
one zucchini cut in thin slices
2 chicken breasts cut in bite sized pieces

Saute the veggies and chicken in one T olive oil with seasoning (I used a pesto seasoning).

When chicken is cooked pour the mixture over the cooked fettuccine and serve. Yummy!

Looking for a Writer's Conference? Come to ACFW

In a couple weeks I'll start one of my favorite times of the year, running first time orientation for the ACFW conference. A few years ago we realized that approximately a third of our attendees any given year were first timers. I'll never forget my first time at conference in 2005.

I went with a fellow writer from Indiana -- a gal I'd met once or twice -- yet, we became fast friends in the six hour drive to Nashville. I met Tracie Peterson for the first time looking like a drowned cat -- boy, would I like a photo of that first impression! That first conference launched my writing career...introducing me to editors, agents and other writers. Finding out that I wasn't crazy for thinking a bit differently from others.

Summer Getting Long Already?

Sometimes family togetherness can get a bit smothering...so what's a family to do?

I wish I had a bullet-proof plan. I don't. But here are a few things I do...sometimes with more success than others.

1) Pray. God longs for our families to be places of peace. Which means our enemy wants the exact opposite. So be sure to pray for extra patience and grace. Need to stop and do that myself!

2) Mix things up. Have you gone to the pool six days in a row and it's become blase? Then go to a park. Have a craft day. Come up with something different you can do and ask the kids for their ideas.

3) Remember you're building memories. And often the things that drive us nuts aren't even a tiny memory in a couple years.

Praying you'll have peace in your houses. Do you have any tips to add? I'd love them!

4 Tips for Traveling with Kids

School is out so that means it's time to travel as a family. No matter how big or small your family is, any time you had children to the mix, it adds to the packing joys. And the traveling angst. So here are a few ideas that help our family as we're on the go.

1. If you are stopping on the way, pack one bag with everything you'll need for that night. That way you don't have to unpack the entire car. This has really streamlined our travel -- especially with all the kiddos in tow. Shove pajamas, toothbrushes, a change of clothes for each child (and parents) in a smaller bag and keep it accessible. Then when you roll into the hotel in the late hours, you only have one bag to grab along with the sleeping kids.
2. Try to plan activities for the car ride. Our family is a big fan of listening to audio cds. That means for car trips, we'll often hit the library before we leave and load up on audio books. We've listened to Madeline L'Engle read the Wrinkle in Time. Laughed at the antics of the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society. And Eric and the kids could listen to Adventures in Odyssey over and over. All of these are great ways to help the miles roll away. We've avoided videos because I'd rather have the kids read or use their imaginations with the help of an audio book.
3. Have a flight coming up? Those can be especially challenging for the younger kids. This is a great time to pull out new books and toys. A friend introduced us to wikki sticks -- a lifesaver for long flights. These wax sticks can be used over and over and provide lots of creative activities. 
4. Once your there, plan activities for all ages. Sometimes that means we can't do something I'd love because it's not right for the 18 month old. Other times we plan something the 11 year old loves. But make sure the activities are a mix. And be aware that little kids won't enjoy museums unless they're hands-on, so maybe save the art lectures until they are older.

What do you do to make travel work with your kids? 

Like Supernatural Fiction? Meet author Shannon Dittemore

Today, I'm delighted to introduce you to a new-to-me author who could become a fun friend. Shannon Dittemore's debut novel releases May 29...just in time for summer reading. And the publisher has agreed to giveaway a copy of this book, so be sure to leave a comment here or on the teen blog with a way to contact you.  My daughter received this book when we were on vacation and loved it! That was enough for me to know I needed to get to know Shannon. So let's learn more...
    
1) Angel Eyes has a supernatural setting — it always fascinates me when authors can think that way. How did you get the idea for Angel Eyes?

I've always been fascinated with spiritual beings. When I was a teen, our church had a performing arts team and I always seemed to land the role of Satan. Whether Satan was biting the dust or getting knocked out in the Champion (thank you, Carman!) I apparently had the whole demonic thing down. I'm the daughter of a preacher and the wife of another one, so the supernatural is something I've grown up knowing about, learning about, believing   in from a young age. To turn my imagination loose on those ideas was very natural.

2) Is there any part of Brielle that might be borrowed from you?
The fear, certainly. I dealt with fear for a time. It's been a journey and I'm so grateful for God's help through it, but I understand what it is to be frozen by anxiety and terror. I've learned that being fearless isn't the absence of fear, but the refusal to let it govern your actions. I don't have it all down, but God's gracious and He's teaching me.

Brielle also references Neverland from time to time. I'm rather fascinated with Peter Pan myself.

3) What was the hardest thing about writing Angel Eyes?
Time. I'm certainly not alone in this, but finding the time with two young children at home is difficult. It's another thing God's helping me with.



4) Can you give people a teaser?
Sure! Angel Eyes is about a girl who returns to her small hometown after tragedy has struck. She has all the potential in the world, but grief and fear have taken over and she feels frozen, unable to move forward. Enter the boy next door. Jake's got a few secrets of his own, and there's something about his hands--his blazing hands--that has Brielle paying attention. Jake gives Brielle a gift that opens her eyes in more than one way and that's when all hell breaks loose. Literally.   



5) Will we get to see Brielle and her friends in another book?
I'm happy to report that Angel Eyes is the first in a trilogy of books. The second book is called Broken Wings and will be out next February. The third book is still untitled and I'm not entirely sure when it'll be released.



6) Why write for this audience? What draws you to teenagers?
This one's hard to answer. I'm not entirely sure why I write for teenagers. Maybe because I am still a teen at heart. Everything's still very raw, very real, and very important at that age. I like that. I think I live like that. Sometimes, like in the lives of teenagers, that makes things much more complicated than they need to be, but it's the way I'm wired. God helps me here too. Feeling is very important for teens and as a first class emoter, I understand entirely.



7) What do you hope readers will take away from Angel Eyes?
That they are not alone. That even when life throws craziness at you and when you stumble into dark places, you haven't been abandoned. If readers come away with something close to that, I've done my job.
Okay, where can readers connect with you? 

I'm everywhere, I think! I even have an Angel Eyes board on Pinterest.

My website and blog: http://shannondittemore.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ShannonDittemore
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/ShanDittyPinterest: http://pinterest.com/shanditty/

Summer Reading Suggestions

It's the time to grab books and head to the pool. Last week, I read two books in very different genres. Bonnie Calhoun's novel Cooking the Books is a very enjoyable debut novel in the P.I. genre. Lena Nelson Dooley's Maggie's Journey is an engaging historical romance.

Sloane Templeton's life is chaos in Cooking the Books. Her mom's died, she's running a business she doesn't want, and she longs to get back to computer forensics. Instead, she's trying to avoid a bad, old boyfriend while maintaining a relationship with the Greek doctor down the street. She's got her aunt's cooking to avoid, her colleague's group of shooting old timers, and thugs all around.

Bonnie Calhoun's debut novel sings with personality. Sloane's voice is strong and sassy with an edge of sarcasm. She's trying to find herself in her new reality while staying alive. There are moments of poignancy laced with sheer lunacy. This book is perfect for people who enjoy first-person detective novels where the mystery involves a non-professional. Sloane has the skills she needs to solve the murder, but doesn't realize it. The book is a romp with a thread of serious undertones. The faith element is woven in carefully, adding to the story without distracting from the action.

With Maggie's Journey, Lena Nelson Dooley has crafted an engaging first book in a story of triplets separated at birth. Maggie Caine is approaching her 18th birthday, living under the stress of a mother who can't seem to accept her. Then as she explores the attic she stumbles upon a possible reason for the desire to change her. Her world shifts with all she knows or thought she knows about herself changed in a moment. Then her parents let her go on a long desired trip to visit her grandmother in Little Rock -- a woman who shares her love of designing dresses.

This book is well-crafted. The longer I read the more I cared about Maggie, her mother, and the other characters. The angst between Maggie and her mom was so strong at the beginning I had to read past it. Once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The love triangle has an interesting angle that adds to the fun in the middle of the book.

At the end, this is a charming story about coming home and the journey to know who we really are. Thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Pressing the "Hot Buttons"

Today I'm delighted to turn over my blog to my good writing bud Nicole O'Dell. I love her heart for tweens and teens. And my daughter adores her writing. Today she's here to share a bit about a new series of books I'm excited to see...these books explore Hot Button issues. The ones we as parents can't ignore and the ones our young people will confront. Here's Nicole: 

What are Hot Buttons?

Well, in the broader sense, the phrase Hot Buttons means a lot of different things, anything really, that can get a rise out people. Something that charges them up and receives an intense reaction. For the purposes of Choose NOW Ministries, I've defined hot buttons as those tough issues that teenagers face--the things parents are often more afraid of and most hesitant to talk about. Some examples include:

• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Sex
• Friendships
• Racism
• Internet Activity
• Faith Matters
• Divorce
• Dating
• Bullying
• Occult
• and more

Why press the Hot Buttons?

Why not just leave it alone and let the kids figure it out? We can pray for them and trust it all to work out in the end. In some ways it does work itself out, true. Circumstances happen, pressure hits, relationships change. . .and your teens gets to figure it all out. In the heat of the moment. On their own. Hopefully they'll make the right choice, but it's really hard to know what will happen when the prep work isn't done. Take an issue like dating--we talk about the boundaries. We set rules for curfew and other things. We even make sure we apprrove of the date and talk about saying no to sexual advances. Right? And that's great. It really is. But there's something missing. Our teens need to know what to do and what not to do, and what we expect of them, but they also need to understand why that's going to be difficult for them. How does the body respond in ways that make it tough to say no? What will the feelings be like that make it difficult to leave the room or douse the proverbial flames? You see, if we don't hit those truth head on before they become an issue, our teens will think it's a secret, it's specific to them, and we really don't know what we're asking them to say no to. But, if we press those hot buttons in advance, if we have the difficult conversations, then our teens will enter those pressure-filled situations armed with understanding and equipped with the words to say to stay true to their commitments. With every hot button issue, someone is feeding your tweens and teens information--do you really want that someone to be anyone other than you?  

How do I press the Hot Buttons?

Now that you've made the decision to be proactive about helping your tweens and teens battle peer pressure, I love to share the principles behind the Hot Buttons book series and the method of communicating with your teens it prescribes. Each book is topical based on a single Hot Button issue and its surrounding sub-topics. For example, the Hot Buttons Internet Edition deals with social networking, pornography, predators, cyber bullying, and more. The goal isn't to convince parents to keep their kids off the net, but rather to arm them with the tools they need to navigate it in a safe and healthy way. Same with the Dating Edition. It covers early relationships, physical boundaries, date rape, and more. Instead of just handing down rules, parents need to walk their teens through the details and equip them with the understanding of what's out and how to rise above the peer pressure.  

How does Hot Buttons work?

Each book is designed the same way. The first few chapters discuss the hows and whys of tackling hot buttons early and effectively. Part two dives into the topics with statistics and information that every parent should know. Next are the application portions of the book. This is when you put into practice the principles we discuss early on. Strategic Scenarios (up to 15 per book) allow you to walk your teens through a fictional situation and then offer options, choices, as to how they think they'd respond.

Here's an example of the way a Strategic Scenario works:

You really like this one guy at school. You have for a long time, actually. Problem is, your BFF likes him too. And you have to admit, she’s liked him longer, but he seems to prefer you. You just don’t know what to do about it. You don’t want to hurt your friend, but you have to take care of yourself first, right?

Finally, he asks you out. Now it’s decision time. What do you do?

Present the following choices to your teenager:

1. He obviously like you best and telling him no isn’t going to make him like your BFF. You might as well go out with him and deal with her later. What’s she going to do about it anyway?
2. You’ll go out with him, but only secretly. Hopefully she'll never find out.
3. You thank him, and tell him you need a day or two to think about it. Time to have a heart-to-heart with your friend. If she’s okay with it, you’re in!
4. No, too much is at stake. Your BFF will tell you she’s fine with it, but you know it will break her heart. Then what? It wouldn’t be the same again. Plus, you’re supposed to be the Christian; you need to put her first.

Now let your teen make a choice between the responses without feeling judged or directed. You want the response to be as honest as possible.

Here are some discussion points you can use to lead the conversation after the choice is made:

• BFs come and go; BFF last a lifetime
• What would Jesus do?
• How would you feel in your BFF’s shoes?
• Talk about this sort of thing ahead of time. Don’t wait until it’s a real issue. Clear the air.
• Loyalty and honestly are qualities of Christ.
• A year from now, when you look back on the situation, which choice will make you proud?

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12, NIV)

The final chapters of each Hot Buttons book will lead you and your family through confession and forgiveness and then help you walk into the future with a clean slate, armed with the tools you all need to face those hot buttons. If you're a parent of teens, or you know one, I hope you'll visit www.hotbuttonsite.com to read more Hot Buttons posts each week. Also, the first two Hot Buttons books: Dating and Internet, release on 6/1. Following soon after on 10/1 are the Sexuality and Drug editions.   Nicole O'Dell, founder of Choose NOW Ministries and host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, is a youth culture expert who writes and speaks to preteens, teenagers, and parents on preparing for life's tough choices. The mother of six, including toddler triplets, she’s author of YA fiction, including the popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the Diamond Estates Series, and non-fiction for teens including Girl Talk, 2/1/12, based on the popular advice column she writes with her two daughters. Hot Buttons, O’Dell’s non-fiction series for parents pre-empts peer pressure by tackling tough issues. Visit www.nicoleodell.com.  

Summer Plans? 4 low-cost ideas to try with your kids

Summer is officially upon most of us. The calendar has turned to June and that means school is out for most of us. It also means we need to fill the suddenly empty days. Whether you homeschool or not, here are a few ideas to get you started. Then let me know what ideas you can pass on to the rest of us!

1. Become a tourist in your own back yard. With just a little digging, I bet you'll find some museums that you've never explored. I can think of an art museum in our hometown that the kids and I haven't visited. Then we've got the local university which I just learned has an Amelia Earhart collection. I'm sure there are lots of other resources like that in your hometown, too. With just a little searching we can created lots of inexpensive outing and day trips for our families.

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

At our house right now, my tweens are racing through Andrew Klavan's books. Here's what my daughter says:

Crazy Dangerous is a well-written thriller. Sam is a regular boy who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances. He just wants to be a normal kid, but not pushed around anymore. Jennifer is a school mate with some type of mental illness. She talks crazy and hallucinates. This shouldn't impact Sam but it does because the thugs that are trying to mess up Sam's life are messing with Jennifer, too. Sam has a strong desire to protect Jennifer and stop whatever she's facing.

This was the first Andrew Klavan book I read. I enjoyed it so much, that I've now raced through the Homelanders series. The author's books are great because they are action-packed. They are impossible to put-down. And are perfect for kids who like to read stories about heroic struggles.

My 8.5 year old son likes his books because they are action-packed and heroic. The kid is in trouble the whole way through the book. My husband enjoyed the series because it captured all the angst of the teen years but equipped the main character for the struggles he would face.

Scavenger Hunt Stop #3

    The first ever Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt has ended and the grand prize winner, who will collect 23 new Christian novels with a value of over $250, is Elisabeth Scherer!
     The winner of my drawing for a copy of After All is Shondra Brown! Your book is on the way, Shondra! Thanks to all who entered!
     It's too late to enter the contest, but there's still time to make the loop to discover 23 new or upcoming novels from some of your favorite Christian fiction authors!

Welcome to the first ever Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! Make the loop to discover 23 new or upcoming novels, and write down the clue at each stop. When you know what the clues say, fill out the Rafflecopter form by June 4, 2012 (midnight EST) at www.LisaBergren.com, and you could be in the running for the grand prize of 23 new, autographed books (if you live in the USA; unsigned if international). Note: if you're the winner, you must email the complete statement within 24 hours of notification in order to claim the Grand Prize...so don't miss a stop! Be ready with your answer if you're the lucky winner! No need to email it unless you receive the good word on June 5, 2012.

Today it is my delight to host the beautiful and brilliant Angela Hunt as part of the Christian fiction scavenger hunt. She is the author of more than 100 (yes, you read that right!) books and has more than 4 million in print. Wow! She is also one of the warmest and most welcoming people I know. Her book Five Miles South of Peculiar releases June 5. Here's a bit about the story:


If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going.

Three Tips for Creating Compelling Characters

I don’t know about you, but characters often make or break a story for me.  As a writer, I try to remember what makes some characters and their stories more compelling for me than others.  Here are a few tips I try to keep in mind as I write based on the characters that I love to read about again and again.

1)   Give your characters a few quirks.

Quirks are those things that we all have – whether we acknowledge them – that make us unique. It might be a penchant for constantly getting into trouble ala Anne of Green Gables, the girl who made lots of mistakes but tried to only make the same ones once. Or it might be a foilable like fighting the need to control EVERYTHING in our lives. 

2)   Put those characters into a situation that will force them to do the one thing they promised to never do.

In A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, the heroine Alanna Stone has promised never to return

Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Coming May 31st!

Do you love Christian fiction? I mean really LOVE it?

Then you have to join the Christian fiction scavenger hunt that is coming on May 31st. I'd list all the authors who are participating here, but there are 23 of us. Here are just a few of them:

Lisa Tawn Bergren
Colleen Coble
Rachel Hauck
Jenny B Jones
Sharon Hinck
Angela Hunt
Me :-)
Carol Cox

See that pile of books on the left?

Three Tips when writing about something you've never done

Last spring when my writing bud Nicole O’Dell asked me if I wanted to be part of a novella collection with her, my initial reaction was “of course!” Nicole is so prolific and accomplished I couldn’t imagine not writing with her. And if it also meant I could help a Valerie Comer, a debut author, get her first contract, then my enthusiasm for the project only went up.

Then they told me the topic for Rainbow's End.

Geo-caching? It sounds fun, but I’ve never tried it. Never been to the Ozarks either.

Still, I wanted to be part, so I put on my research hat. Here are some tips to help you when you find yourself in a similar position.