Welcome and thank you for sharing your time with me. Those of you who signed up for my newsletter since last month, thank you for subscribing.
 This month in Guest Gab I interview Jenny B. Jones, author of Just Between You and Me. Our Writing Wisdom tips come from Liz Nakazawa, Book Marketing Coach. In What Am I Reading? I announce the winner of last month's book, I have another book you could win and one of you and I each review a book we've read. In Book Buzzings I highlight a novel by Anita Higman and also give you an update on my novel. Check Inspirational Insights to read my thoughts on family holidays.
Share this newsletter with you friends and if you have any comments or suggestions about this newsletter, please email me.
You can take a look at earlier newsletters by clicking the Archive box on my website. Always remember: I value your presence here and the time you share with me.
|
| Quality Quote |
|
|
|
"It wasn't about the surroundings, be they fine or
makeshift. It was about being together. It was about spilled milk, deaf
grandparents, sibling rivalry, and the trials of everyday life, which were overcome
or overlooked because, beneath it all, love made the little irritations seem
like blessings." --Catherine Anderson, My
Sunshine.
|
 Book Buzzings |
| Yours and Mine |
Send me your five favorite books and their authors and I'll list them here. Use your first name or full name; whatever you prefer.
----------
Update on my novel, Caney Creek: I wrote here last month that two people--a literary agent and a dear writer-friend--gave me some tips on improving my manuscript. I've reworked about half of the manuscript and will let you know when I'll be contacting agents again. One agent I had contacted earlier is now considering my novel.
----------
On November 25th I have a devotion scheduled to appear on ChristianDevotions.us. Hope you go to that site on the 25th and then visit it often.
----------
This month I highlight Love Finds You in Humble, Texas by Anita Higman. Below is information about her book.
Title: Love Finds You in Humble, Texas
Author: Anita Higman
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Summerside Press
Release date: February 2009
Available at Amazon.com
The Abernathy sisters. One is bright, one is
beautiful, but both are in love with the same man. One sister will let go
of love, and like a kite string untethering in the wind, the choice will
undo each of their lives. What will it take to heal their hearts, to make
a way for love to find them...in a place called Humble, Texas?
Back to Top
|
Guest Gab |
Interview with Jenny B. Jones
Author of Just Between You and Me
|
This month I'm talking with Jenny B. Jones, author of Just  Between You and Me, from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Jenny is a successful author of young adult (YA) books and this new book is for adults. Jenny has given me a copy of her book for my drawing this month. You can visit with Jenny at her website and blog
JO: Welcome, Jenny. Thank you for talking with us. Please tell us a little about yourself.
JENNY: Here it is Twitter style:
I write, teach, buy shoes, read People mag, luv 2 laugh, have a mentally chall.
cat named Miller.
JO: What do you
enjoying doing when you're not writing?
JENNY: I am a movie fanatic--I go all the time. I enjoy traveling. I went to Scotland and Ireland just this past summer.
Obviously I love to read, but I don't get to nearly enough. Just finished
reading The Help and the YA novel Graceling. I loved The Help. I adore plays,
musicals, and avoiding exercise and housework.
JO: Where do you
write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?
JENNY: I am blessed
to have an office in my house. A few years ago I got a wild hair to paint it in
big vertical stripes of cream, brown, and pink. It got a little out of hand, so
I had to call my engineer stepdad to help. He measured it off so it was
perfectly repeating and equal and all that mathematical accuracy business. That
beast took me six months to complete. Never again! Makes me glad wall paper is
making a comeback.
JO: In Just Between You and Me Maggie Montgomery loves to rappel off cliffs or go skydiving. Nothing frightens her. The only thing scarier than living on the edge is stepping off it.
Jenny, what takeaway value do you hope readers
receive after reading your novel?
JENNY:
Just Between You and
Me hits on a variety of fear issues and troubles. There are family issues,
joblessness, fear of not being able to pay your bills, fear of rejection, fear
of relationships. And this isn't overkill--this is reality. This is how many of
us live each day-with all this anxiety on our shoulders. I think the book sends
out the message that God knows we fear. When we're going through something and
having a little (or big) meltdown, he doesn't look down and say, "Wow. I didn't
see that coming from her." But a believer has the hope of Christ. So we press
on and just keep going.
I think fear
paralyzes us to just stop--or stay in our comfort zone. But God wants us to come
just a few yard lines more where he waits with his arms full of these abundant
blessings. The big stuff. And I want a big life. Don't we all? Don't we all
want the big life God has for us? But as long as we're playing it safe--like
Maggie Montgomery in the book does--that's not going to happen.
JO:
Where did you get
the idea for Just Between You and Me?
JENNY: For
this particular book, my editor at Thomas Nelson came to me with an idea to
write a novel that ministered to people concerning the idea of fear. We felt
that it was a timely topic. She said, "You know, some people will never pick up
a nonfiction book about it. Fiction might be the only way they get the
message." That just really stuck with me. And we put our heads together and
came up with Just Between You and Me. The book has only been out a couple of months, but
so far we are already getting emails about it hitting home for readers--from a
woman who works in a drug rehab facility to a woman whose husband lost his job.
It's very cool to see God working through fiction.
The actual story line of Just Between You and Me just came
to me as I was watching "Confessions of a
Shopaholic." I was really struggling for a storyline and very time pressed.
And as I began tuning out during the movie, pieces of the plot for Just Between
You and Me started coming together. The
movie and my book have nothing in common. Except a red-headed leading
lady.
JO: How
long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?
JENNY: I have been writing all my life, but didn't get
serious about it until 2005. It's a very long story of amazing God moments and
"coincidences" but God swung the door open wide when I went to my first ACFW (America Christian Fiction Writers) conference that same year. I just went to hang out, but God moved in a huge
way, and that next spring I had my first contract for my first YA series. It's
been a great ride ever since.
JO: How do you find time to write?
JENNY: Before
this school year I wrote in the evenings and weekends. For the first time ever,
I am teaching part time, so in theory, I come home at noon, eat, write, eat a
snack, write, eat another snack, and finish up in time to watch the evening
news and work out. In reality I get home, eat, get on Facebook and Twitter, eat
a snack, more Twittering, eat another snack, check blogs, write some blogs,
check Facebook, eat a snack, and write 'til bedtime. But that's gotta change.
It wears me out. All that Twittering. Er, I mean writing.
JO: What are you
working on now?
JENNY: I'm currently writing my next contemporary romantic comedy about a couple
who have to pretend to be engaged because they both have something to gain. And
of course, they can't stand each other. . . at least in the beginning. (A moment
of prophecy tells me they will be kissing in the end.)
And
then this month, my next young adult novel hits the shelves. I'm So Sure, the
second in A Charmed Life series, is about a sixteen year old Manhattan
socialite who has to move to a small town in Oklahoma when her parents get
divorced. Bella Kirkwood works on the school newspaper where she clashes with
her editor Luke, who is also conveniently cute, and she finds herself in a Nancy
Drew situation and becomes an amateur sleuth when someone begins threatening
the prom queen contestants. So it's up to Bella to save the prom--and her own life.
JO: Please tell our readers where they can get
Just Between You and Me.
JENNY: You can get a copy
of Just Between You and Me anywhere books are sold. And in some places other
things are sold--like toilet paper.
JO: Where can our
readers find you?
JENNY: I would love for
readers to stop by my website and blog We have a lot of fun
on there and do giveaways as well.
JO: Thank you, Jenny, for this interesting and fun interview. Also, thank you for giving me a copy of Just Between You and Me, which I will give away to one of my subscribers.
Back to Top
|
| What Am I Reading? |
|
In each issue of A GOOD READ I will tell you about what I'm reading or have just read. Let me know what you've read that really impressed you, tell why in about 100 words and I'll include it here. Giving your name is optional. ----------Linda Wagner emailed me her impression after reading A Slow  Burn by Mary DeMuth. Her comments are below. Thanks, Linda. Hi Jo, I just read A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth. The book is about the guttural feelings of a mother who has lost her daughter to a kidnapping/murder. It plunges into the depths of every feeling of guilt, remorse, sadness, hopelessness, self-destruction, and eventual hope. It tangles through mysterious happenings that set her on edge, all the while wondering who took her daughter and why, and is he after her. It's the second book of a triology, the third book coming out in 2010. Linda Wagner ----------
 The winner of last month's copy of The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry is Jeane...arp@... Congratulations! I'll email you with details about receiving your book. If you didn't win this month, see below for news about another giveaway. ----------
This month, on November 25th, I'll draw a winner from all current subscribers for a copy of Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones.
----------
 I've read Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King, Hyperion, paperback, January 2007, 560 pages. The girls of this book still rumble around in my head and I
expect they will stay there always. Six college friends who are now approaching
age 50 have met twice annually since their college graduation. This is a story
of strong, lasting female friendships. The six girls are each unique yet they
have the commonality of being held together by the ties of friendship. The book
is Southern fiction about Southern ladies, but anyone who has experienced a
strong friendship can identify with this story. King brings the reader to
laughter and tears and excels at development of characters and great
storytelling. Same Sweet Girls is one of a few books I've read that I'll
probably never forget the story or the characters. A good read.
Back to Top
|
| Writing Wisdom |
Book Sheet
by Liz Nakazawa
Book Marketing Strategies and Coaching
Although author websites are often informative, librarians and
bookstore owners are too busy to take the time to go into a multiple-page
site. Instead, consider drafting a one-page "book sheet" that
describes your book and which can be sent by e-mail to potential buyers. Some
of the components of a persuasive book sheet include: a small photo of the
cover, a brief description of the book, your bio and contact and ISBN
information. After making a brief initial contact by phone, follow up with
your book sheet and another phone call. It is a great and proven way to
generate sales!
You may reach Liz at her website or email.
Back to Top
|
|
|
Clean Chuckle |
|
Here
are some nuggets from children's prayers:
 Dear God,
Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?
Norma
Dear God,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't You just
keep the ones you have now?
Jane
Dear God,
Who draws the lines around the countries?
Nan
Dear God,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay?
Neil
|
|
| Inspirational Insight |
Family Holidays
by Jo Huddleston
Over the river and through the . . .
Maybe you're a family of one or two; maybe an extended
family of many. Some friends are as close as family and their companionship
blesses us just like family. I've been an only child all my life, but my
extended family numbered in the dozens. My daddy had eleven siblings and by the
time they had children and
grandchildren a family gathering was a crowded bunch of people.
Some of us may not be around much family or any family for
the holidays. And this month brings a holiday that certainly qualifies as one for
family gatherings: Thanksgiving. Some big crowds will have the traditional turkey
and trimmings; some small crowds will not. So, if you're one in a small, small
group, toss that frozen turkey dinner into the microwave and enjoy. Or lasagna
or tacos or mac and cheese-whatever your favorite is and have an enjoyable
Thanksgiving.
Whatever your dinner plans may be, please don't forget the "thanks"
in the word Thanksgiving. I'm glad I have Someone to thank for all the good in
my life. "Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give
thanks to Him and praise His name" (Psalm 100:4).
©
2009 Jo Huddleston. All rights reserved.
| |
