Write A List Post: Day 2 For The 31 Day Challenge

Hmm, a list. Would you like to see my grocery list for the week? personal, but not very fun or educational. Ok, I don’t do educational on my site.
I supposed I’ve done lists before. I didn’t define the post as a List Post, but it must be. They have headings and occasionally bullets! Don’t bullets or numbers make something a list automatically?
I think for today, I will give you a list of my favorite inspirational websites. How’s that for a list? Let’s try it on for size!
(in)courage has a great group of women who put their lives and their faith out there for us to relate to and be encouraged by.



Nora has some of the best Christian author interviews! I enjoy reading each one and she doesn’t ask your typical questions! =) She also asks who her characters would be portrayed by if their book was made into a movie. You’ll like who they pick!

Cathy Bryant is such an encouraging woman! You can absolutely tell her heart in each of her posts. She is a debut author, who’s first book, Texas Roads, is probably in my top 5 books this year so far!


Jennifer is the one who told me about Windows Live Writer. I loved how her posts looked, especially her photos. She adores her children and loves her husband. Her faith comes through with shining colors!



Veronica at A Quiet Heart shares her faith no holds barred! She’s a pastor’s wife and God is at the center of her site! She also has great photos.


And lastly, Faithful Feet is a pretty new site. One that I’m connected with. I contribute every other week. It’s so wonderful to be part of a group of believers who have a heart to share their faith!

Inaugural Year of the Carol Awards

Formerly known as the Book of the Year award given by the ACFW here are the nominees in each category (red = I’ve read & blue = TBR pile):
Debut Author
Talking to the Dead - Bonnie Grove (David C. Cook Publishing, Nicci Hubert - Editor)
The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn - Liz Johnson (Steeple Hill, Elizabeth Mazer - Editor)
Eternity Falls - Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
Michal - Jill Eileen Smith (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont - Editor)
The Unfinished Gift - Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)
Contemporary Novella - 6 Finalists due to a tie
One Child - Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
When Winter Comes - Barbara Cameron (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
A Mule Hollow Match - Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
The Great Christmas Bowl - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)
A Change of Heart - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
A Choice to Forgive - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann- Editor)
Historical Novella
Home Again - Victoria Bylin (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)
A Breed Apart - Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
Beloved Enemy - Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
Christmas Bells for Dry Creek - Janet Tronstad (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
A Shelter in the Storm - Carrie Turansky (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
Long Contemporary - 6 Finalists due to a tie
The Familiar Stranger - Christina Berry (Moody Publishers, Paul Santhouse - Editor)
A Widow's Hope - Mary Ellis (Harvest House Publishers, Betty Fletcher - Editor)
The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow - Joyce Magnin (Abingdon Press, Barbara Scott - Editor)
White Picket Fences - Susan Meissner (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
If Tomorrow Never Comes - Marlo Schalesky (Multnomah, Julee Schwarzburg - Editor)
Nothing But Trouble - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)
Long Contemporary Romance
Critical Care - Candace Calvert (Tyndale House, Jan Stob/Lorie Popp - Editors)
Seaside Letters - Denise Hunter (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell/Jessica Alvarez - Editors)
Just Between You and Me - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
Plain Promise - Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann - Editor)
The Hope of Refuge - Cindy Woodsmall (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
Mystery
The Case of the Mystified M.D. - A.K. Arenz (Sheaf House, Joan M. Shoup - Editor)
Under the Cajun Moon - Mindy Starns Clark (Harvest House Publishers, Kim Moore - Editor)
A String of Murders - Darlene Franklin (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)
Polly Dent Loses Grip - S. Dionne Moore (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)
Pushing up Daisies - Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Heartsong Mysteries, Susan Downs - Editor)
Long Historical
A Bride in the Bargain - Deeanne Gist (Bethany House, David Long/Julie Klassen - Editors)
Fit To Be Tied - Robin Lee Hatcher (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Leslie Peterson - Editors)
Look to the East - Maureen Lang (Tyndale House, Stephanie Broene - Editor)
Love's Pursuit - Siri Mitchell (Bethany House, Dave & Sarah Long - Editors)
Stealing Home - Allison Pittman (Multnomah, Alice Crider - Editor)
Long Historical Romance - 8 Finalists due to a tie
Paper Roses - Amanda Cabot (Revell, Vicki Crumpton - Editor)
Cowboy Christmas - Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
Montana Rose - Mary Connealy (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)
The Frontiersman's Daughter - Laura Frantz (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)
The Believer - Ann Gabhart (Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont - Editor)
A Passion Denied - Julie Lessman (Revell, Lonnie Hall DuPont - Editor)
Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas - Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna (Summerside Press, Rachel Meisel - Editor)
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper - Kathleen Y’Barbo (Waterbrook Press, Jessica Barnes - Editor)
Short Contemporary
His Cowgirl Bride - Debra Clopton (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
Autumn Rains - Myra Johnson (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
A Wagonload of Trouble - Vickie McDonough (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
A Texas Ranger's Family - Mae Nunn (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
Dreaming of Home - Glynna Sirpless writing as Glynna Kaye (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
Short Contemporary Suspense - 6 Finalists due to a tie
Evidence of Murder - Jill Elizabeth Nelson (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)
Final Warning - Sandra Robbins (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
Murder at Eagle Summit - Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
Scent of Murder - Virginia Smith (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever/Tina James - Editors)
Double Take - Jenness Walker (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)
Code of Honor - Lenora Worth (Steeple Hill, Patience Smith/Tina James - Editors)
Short Historical
Her Patchwork Family - Lyn Cote (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)
The Glassblower - Laurie Alice Eakes (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
The Outlaw's Lady - Laurie Kingery (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)
All That Glitters - Lynette Sowell (Heartsong Presents, JoAnne Simmons - Editor)
The Unfinished Gift - Dan Walsh (Revell, Andrea Doering)
Speculative (includes Science Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory) - 6 Finalists due to a tie
Eternity Falls - Kirk Outerbridge (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
The Word Reclaimed - Steve Rzasa (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
Starfire - Stuart Vaughn Stockton (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
The Muse - Fred Warren (Splashdown Books, Grace Bridges - Editor)
By Darkness Hid - Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)
Suspense/Thriller
Intervention - Terri Blackstock (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Dave Lambert - Editors)
Lonestar Secrets - Colleen Coble (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell - Editor)
Exposure - Brandilyn Collins (Zondervan, Rachelle Gardner/Sue Brower - Editors)
Salty Like Blood - Harry Kraus (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert - Editor)
Breach of Trust - DiAnn Mills (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)
Women’s Fiction - 7 Finalists due to a tie
Sweet Waters - Julie Carobini (B&H Publishing, Karen Ball - Editor)
Leaving Yesterday - Kathryn Cushman (Bethany House, Dave Long - Editor)
Sweet By and By - Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck (Thomas Nelson, Ami McConnell - Editor)
Never the Bride - Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)
Yesterday's Embers - Deborah Raney (Howard/Simon & Schuster, David Lambert - Editor)
Above All Things - Deborah Raney (Steeple Hill, Krista Stroever - Editor)
The Summer Kitchen - Lisa Wingate (New American Library/Penguin, Ellen Edwards - Editor)
Young Adult
Who Made You a Princess? - Shelley Adina (Hachette FaithWords, Anne Goldsmith Horch - Editor)
Always Watching - Brandilyn & Amberly Collins (Zondervan, Barbara Scott - Editor)
I'm So Sure - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
So Not Happening - Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic/Jamie Chavez - Editors)
Unsigned Hype - Booker T. Mattison (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)

31 Days To A Better Blog by SITS

ProBlogger and the ladies at SITS BlogFrog have encouraged bloggers to do themselves and their readers a favor by making their blogs better! It’s called “31 Days to Build Better Blog (#31DBBB) Summer Challenge”! I’m all for that!

Our first task is to create an Elevator Pitch. I had NO clue what that was. Thankfully, Amy at The Family Trifecta gave a great definition so I’m going with that! I’ll get to the Pitch in a moment. I want to give you the back story on Woven by Words.

Woven by Words didn’t start off as a traditional blog. I started this blog pretty late in the game, February 2008. I created it to do Christian book reviews. I didn’t really expect to talk about my family or add anything else.

Then came Fall of ‘09 and I started seeing all these other sites! I was astonished at what was out in the blogosphere that I was ignorant to. I wanted to add more content to my site, get more personal and do more fun things. As you can see, I’m still feeling my way through.

Going about that task was harder than I expected. I have no idea how people who work outside the home full time manage to keep up their blogs. I work part time and find it nearly impossible and I don’t add as much content as most other sites!

In the past year WbW has definitely evolved (yes, I just used the word “evolve). How to define my site has become somewhat gray to me. It’s become more personal and I’ve already separated out my reviews into Marvelous Mom Reviews.
So for my Woven by Word’s Elevator Pitch I’d have to say the following:

“To share my faith and family life (it’s ups and downs). What life is like as a single parent. To inform you of the latest Christian product releases.”
Ding!

That is my short answer.

Is that what you expect when you visit this site? Is there more you’d like to see?
After discussing why I separated my Product Reviews from my Christian site with Rachael at Empowering Mommy, she said basically, “It’s your blog! You can do whatever YOU want with it. If people don’t want to read about your faith and family, they don’t have to come back.” I agree, but I’m can be a people pleaser. I don’t want to make anyone mad. Silly, I know.

 

What do you think? Any opinions? Come on, everyone has an opinion. Just be nice, k?

Shades of Morning by Marlo Schalesky

Shades of Morning
by Marlo Schalesky
Multnomah Books
ISBN-13: 978-1601420251

Summary:
Marnie Wittier has life just where she wants it. Quiet. Peaceful. No drama. A long way away from her past. In the privacy of her home, she fills a box with slips of paper, scribbled with her regrets, sins, and sorrows. But that’s nobody else’s business. Her bookstore/coffee shop patrons, her employees, her friends from church—they all think she’s the very model of compassion and kindness.

Then Marnie’s past creeps into her present when her estranged sister dies and makes Marnie guardian of her fifteen-year-old son—a boy Marnie never knew existed. And when Emmit arrives, she discovers he has Down syndrome—and that she’s woefully unprepared to care for him. What’s worse, she has to deal with Taylor Cole, her sister’s attorney, a man Marnie once loved—and abandoned. As Emmit (and Taylor) work their way into her heart, Marnie begins to heal. But when pieces of her dismal past surface again, she must at last face the scripts of paper in her box, all the regrets and sorrows. Can she do it? Or will she run again?

My Review

I absolutely love Marlo Schalesky. Each of her books have had a different spin on life and they grab me from the start. Same went with Shades of Morning.

Her characters have depth and are compelling. Marlo’s writing makes us care about the characters and keep us turning each page to learn what will happen to them.

Marnie keeps everyone at arms length and without the insight from the author, we’d never know how life has really treated her. She sees herself as not deserving of anything good.

Taylor has regrets and lost love. Now he has to give up a child that he loves because he doesn’t belong to him. This brings him back into the life of Marnie.

Ok, I don’t want to give anything away, BUT I always forget that Marlo’s books have a twist to them! As I came to the end of the book, it was becoming clear to me that I wasn’t very observant! If you’ve read any of her books, you know what I’m talking about.

In her last book, I “knew” in the middle of the book what was going on. I was so excited when I got to page 207 in Shades of Morning because “knew” once again what the twist was. Yah, no I didn’t!

If you’re looking for a great summer read, Shades of Morning should be one for the TBR pile!

Author Bio:
Marlo Schalesky is the author of several books, including Beyond the Night and Empty Womb, Aching Heart. A graduate of Stanford University, Marlo also has a masters of theology with an emphasis in biblical studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Married over twenty years, she lives with her husband, Bryan, and their five children in California.

Feel Good Friday ~ 5 Good Things

Thank you Erika at The Girl Next Door Grows Up for Feel Good Friday! Click here to learn how it all began and to see her prompts for each Friday.

Wow, I actually have 5 GREAT things to write about this week.

1) Today’s my birthday, it’s my birthday (sing it with me) and I’m going swimming with the boys at a friend’s house. Then later, some very dear friends from out of state will be visiting overnight!

2) I got to meet 6 other bloggers on Wednesday when we participated in Do Good Day.

3) Rachael from Empowering Mommy stayed overnight before our trip to the Science Museum for Do Good Day. Her Gracie was an absolute doll and my boys were so good with her. Gabriel didn’t enjoy the lengthy van rides, but he did really good!

4) My boys came home from Canada safe and sound. You know when you’re not around to take care of your kid and pray that someone is watching out for them? Well, Grandpa Ed really took care of my boys, especially Doodle. I was very thankful and told him so!

5) My Smooch was well taken care of in India by her one of her Team members and the hospital she was at in India. Can’t wait to hear from her to see how the mission trip is going!