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February 2015
In This Issue

Welcome and thank you for sharing your time with me. To those who signed up for my newsletter since last time, thank you for subscribing. 

 

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Thanks to all who have been reading my blogs and thanks to those who leave a comment. To learn about my two blogs please click the Blogs tab at the top of the page. Clicking any of those tabs will take you to my website pages. I love to hear from my readers and I'll personally respond. Click the Contact tab above and send me a message. 

 

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You can take a look at earlier newsletters here. Always remember: I value your presence here and the time you share with me.

 

 

 

Quality Quote
Quality

"The difference between perseverance and obstinancy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't."

 

--Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman (1813-1887)

 


Book Buzzings
Book

This month I highlight Chilled in Chattanooga by Deborah Malone and Entrusted by Julie Arduini . Below is information about these books. (Disclaimer: I may not have read these recent releases yet; just letting you know about them.)

  

 

Title: Chilled in Chattanooga

Author: Deborah Malone

Genre: Mystery/Cozy  

Publisher: Lamp Post   

Release date: November 2014  

Deborah's website

Book available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

 

Who would have guessed that Trixie would not only uncover a body in the deep freeze, but also end up a prime suspect in the murder case?   

 

 

 

Title: Entrusted

Author: Julie Arduini

Genre: Romance/Contemporary 

 Publisher: Write Integrity Press

Release date: November 2014 

Julie's website 

Book available at Amazon and  Barnes and Noble  

 

A city-girl plows into an Adirondack village and produces change for the grocer.  

 

All 3 novels in my Caney Creek Series now available


  
Guest Gab
Guest

On the Threshold

by Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Tarabochia

 

 

Mother/daughter writing team Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Tarabochia bring a voice of authenticity to their award-winning novel, On the Threshold, as they have experienced some of the same issues faced by these characters. They like to say they were separated at birth but share one brain, which allows them to write in a seamless stream. Both live in NW Oregon and love spending time together. Sherrie is the Women's Ministry Director at her church, and enjoys sharing life with her two children, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Christina is the busy mother of five (four of whom are teenagers!) and runs an editing business. In addition, both women work together in their publishing company, Ashberry Lane. (More about that later in the interview.)

 


Welcome, Christina and Sherrie. If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be?

 

Because Christina had her tonsils removed this week, I'll speak for both of us! I know the right answer is always Jesus, but since He's off limits for this question, I'm going to say someone who may be a bit unexpected.  I love to have fun, and have always enjoyed the slightly insane take on life the late humorist Erma Bombeck offered. I know I'm dating myself here, but back in the mid to late '70s she had a lot of funny books that were best-sellers. Titles such as If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits? and The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank. I think Erma and I would have had a great time visiting and laughing over a perfectly barbecued steak. And now that I think about it, I realize that I really am speaking for Christina here, because during the years we were missionaries to Nigeria when Christina was a young girl, I read Erma Bombeck's books to the family as we were traveling. (Along with books by James Harriot, the English vet who wrote the All Creatures Great and Small series.) When we returned to the states after three years and went through debriefing by our mission board, 8-year-old Christina was asked who her favorite authors were. She responded, "Erma Bombeck and James Harriot," which the psychologist found amusing for one so young!

 

Please tell us a little about your novel, On the Threshold.

 

Suzanne-a mother with a long-held secret. Tony-a police officer with something to prove. Beth-a daughter with a storybook future. When all they love is lost, what's worth living for?

Suzanne Corbin and her daughter, Beth Harris, live a seemingly easy life. Suzanne has distanced herself from her past, replacing pain with fulfillment as a wife and mother, while Beth savors her husband's love and anticipates the birth of their child. But all that is about to change.

Like a sandcastle buffeted by ocean waves, Suzanne's fa�ade crumbles when her perfect life is swept away. Tragedy strikes and police officer Tony Barnett intersects with the lives of both women as he tries to discover the truth. Left adrift and drowning in guilt long ignored, Suzanne spirals downward into paralyzing depression. Beth, dealing with her own grief, must face the challenge of forgiveness. Can these two women learn to trust each other again? Will they find the power of God's grace in their lives?

 

What takeaway value do you want your readers to have?

 

The themes of love, forgiveness, and the unfailing grace of God are woven through the characters in this book. Your readers are well aware that difficult, sometimes tragic things are part of life, whether or not someone is a believer. On the Threshold provides a reminder of the importance of family, the need to be open with each other, and the power of God's relentless pursuit. We've heard that women have been encouraged to mend frayed relationships with their mothers after reading our book.  

 

Where can readers find you online?

 

We would love for your readers to stop by www.ashberrylane.com and sign up for our newsletter. It's a great way to know about new releases from Ashberry Lane Publishing, as well as get to know our authors.

 

Where can readers purchase On the Threshold?

 

It is available as both a print book and an e-book.

Kindle  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLOAHK6

 

Nook  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-the-threshold-sherrie-ashcraft/1115298008?ean=2940016468075&itm=1&

usri=on+the+threshold%2c+ashcraft

 

Smashwords  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/311829

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/on-the-threshold/id645210529?mt=11&uo=4

 

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/on-the-threshold-10

 

Any parting comment?

Our writing career has changed over the past two years, as we've seen the Lord lead us to form Ashberry Lane Publishing, a small but traditional publishing house. We never expected to do this, but it's been such a joyful challenge to work together to make the dreams of other as-yet-undiscovered writers come true. We publish fiction for Middle Grade on up. You can find information about what we're looking for on our website at www.ashberrylane.com on the For Writers page.  

 

 

Christina and Sherrie, thank you for visiting with my readers and me. On February 25 will draw from among current subscribers to my newsletter for the winner of a copy of On the Thresholdwhich you graciously offered.    

 





What Am I Reading?
What

I recently read Stranger on My Land by Sandra Merville Hart, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, 2014, 92 pages. This is a beautiful story amid the horrors and bloodshed of the Civil War. A Southern young woman discovers a wounded Union soldier and helps him to her family's hiding place. Against her aunt's protests, Carrie feeds the soldier and hopes she can help him to regain his strength. Can Carrie, whose father is a Confederate soldier fighting in Virginia, really be attracted to a wounded Yankee soldier? Vivid descriptions of the waging war at Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Strong characterizations. A Good Read.

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If you enjoy this newsletter pass it on to someone else who might also enjoy it: at the end of this email just click "Forward Email."

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To select winners in my book drawings from active subscribers of this newsletter I use Random.org. If you're a winner, the rules are simple: I'll email winners asking for their mailing address and get the book out to them. For print copies - U.S. mailing addresses only. (See Disclaimers for complete details.)

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The December newsletter winner of a copy of A Father's Prayer by Linda Wood Rondeau is Ann K. Congratulations!


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On February 25 I'll draw a winner from current subscribers for a copy of On the Threshhold by Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Berry Tarabochia. 

 

  

 

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Clean Chuckle
Clean

 

A couple lived near the ocean and used to walk the beach a lot. One summer they noticed a girl who was at the beach pretty much every day. She wasn't unusual, nor was the travel bag she carried, except for one thing; She would approach people who were sitting on the beach, glance around, then speak to them.

 

Generally, the people would respond negatively and she would wander off, but occasionally someone would nod and there would be a quick exchange of money for something she carried in her bag. The couple assumed she was selling drugs and debated calling the cops, but since they didn't know for sure they just continued to watch her.

 

After a couple of weeks the wife asked, "Honey, have you ever noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and other electronic devices?"

 

He hadn't and said so.

 

Then she said, "Tomorrow I want you to get a towel and our big radio and go lie out on the beach. Then we can find out what she's really doing."

 

Well, the plan went off without a hitch, and the wife was almost hopping up and down with anticipation when she saw the girl talk to her husband and then leave. The man walked up the beach and met his wife at the road.

 

"Well, is she selling drugs?" she asked excitedly.

 

No, she's not." he said, enjoying this probably more than he should have.  

 

"Well, what is it, then?" his wife fairly shrieked.

 

The man grinned and said. "Her name is Sally and she's a battery salesperson."

 

"Batteries?" cried the wife.

 

"Yes" he replied. 

"Sally sells C cells by the Seashore."

 

 

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Inspirational Insight
Inspirational

Will or Won't 

by Jo Huddleston

 

 

"The difference between perseverance and obstinancy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't."

--Henry Ward Beecher, American clergyman (1813-1887)

 

 

Do you have more will or more won't?

 

A key ingredient to having more will is motivation. Motivation can originate from without us or germinate from within us. Either way, what motivation we have must be nurtured and grown to maturity within ourselves.

 

When that motivation to do something reaches its full strength we can then use it to spur us to act or react. We all have dreams, big and little. We can sit under a shade tree and dream all day, but we will never come close to achieving our dream unless we respond to motivation.

 

Dreams are good and most great things result from first dreaming. But realizing dreams will take more than imagination. Will you determine to strive for more will than more won't in 2015 so that you can reap your dreams? Will you nurture motivation from wherever it may come?

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

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