October 04, 2008
Bustles and Spurs
 I'm participating in a new "group" blog with authors who write western-ish inspirationals. We will be exploring a broad base of topics related to the old west.
I will be posting something on the 4th of every month and today (Oct. 4) is my first post. I discuss the proper etiquette for taking your gal out on a walk in 1898. It's called "Manners Make the Man."
The guidelines I've posted are from the same etiquette book I used when writing the TROUBLE books, except for those, I learned the proper etiquette for bicycle riding.
Mosey on over to hear more. We're at www.bustlesandspurs.com.
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by Deeanne on 10/04/2008
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September 29, 2008
The Song That Never Ends
 Oh, girls. I feel like I've been running and running and never getting anywhere. Have you ever felt like that before? Between the two kids that graduated this year, the one that got married, the travel that took up so much of the summer, and the hurricane ... I am FINALLY at a point where I am ready to turn in my manuscript for A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN (my June 2009 release).
My original deadline was September 1st, but my editor graciously let me take an extra month--praise the Lord!! Anyway, I finished it in August, then took a month to polish it all up and now I can't WAIT for you to read it! I am giving it a final polishing today and tomorrow, then I'll overnight it to Bethany House so it is there on my editors desk on October 1. Hurray!
Problem is, I'm now behind a month on my research for the historical that is due NEXT September 1st! So, as soon as I mail this manuscript off, I will write a chapter for the collaboration I'm doing with Mark Bertrand (we're collaborating on a romantic suspense and it's my turn to write a chapter). Then, I will be heading off to the location of my 2010 historical--South Carolina.
I'll be gone from Oct 7 to 17. Since my sister is my new official "plotting partner" (she helped me plot A Bride in the Bargain), she is going to go with me on my research trip. It will be the first time I've taken someone with me since I researched A Bride Most Begrudging (my mom went with me on that one). This isn't the same sister I saw in San Francisco. That was the middle sister. This one is the oldest sister. (I'm sure she'll appreciate me telling you that. ;D )
I'm so excited to have her come with me--especially since she is going to move to England for six months starting October 27th!! Anyway, we will take pictures and I will share them with you, but for now, I need to finish polishing the one I'm turning in on Wednesday.
Needless to say, I feel like the Song That Never Ends. Ha!
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by Deeanne on 09/29/2008
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September 24, 2008
Home Again
I returned home from my travels for the first time since the hurricane and was shocked at how many trees our community lost--not to mention the damage to homes. And I'm not just talking about a limb here and there, but trees. Big, giant beautiful trees. Some lost their footing at the roots, some snapped in two and formed an inverted V.
This isn't a photo I took, but it gives you an idea of what thinks are looking like. My best friend had a GIGANTIC oak fall across THREE LOTS. It decimated their pool, but they were so thankful it fell in that particular direction. Had it fallen any other way--and I mean any other way--it would have sliced a house(s) in two and casulties would have certainly resulted.
We have power now, but didn't have cable or internet. So, I've been checking email up at our neighborhood coffee shop. It was packed with folks working on their laptops and talking on their phones. Many of them still don't have power and they live only a few blocks over from us.
On the radio yesterday a woman called in who'd lost her ten-year-old to Ike. My heart simply broke. Another gal was supposed to marry a fellow in the Navy and he was only on leave that weekend. From what I understand, the community pulled together and donated enough stuff for the two of them to say their vows and have a small celebration before he had to report back. Since power is just now being restored, many of us are seeing the full reaches of Ike for the first time.
Our cable and internet were restored last night, so I'm back up and running. Blessings to you and please continue to pray for those folks who have suffered losses in the hurricane.
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by Deeanne on 09/24/2008
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September 17, 2008
Meijer
In conjunction with Meijer Stores and Levy Entertainment, I'll be doing book signings in nine Meijer stores starting Friday. I'll be in the following Michigan towns: Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Canton, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak and Monroe. Click here for a full schedule.
The Meijer "Read This!" Author Tour 2008 includes 25 authors--mostly romance--and runs from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21. I hope to see you there!
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by Deeanne on 09/17/2008
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September 15, 2008
We're Okay
 The power is out. Trees are down. Grocery store shelves are empty. Gas pumps are sold out. School and work are cancelled. But our family is safe and the house survived. (We didn't lose any trees in our yard.)
I'm only able to get online because I'm not in Houston. I'm in Minnesota visiting my publisher, but will be home next week. So, if I don't blog for a while, it's because we don't have power. I'll let you know as soon as we're back up and running!
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by Deeanne on 09/15/2008
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September 08, 2008
New Doo
My 20 yo son (the newlywed) cut his hair! He had been saying he was getting tired of it, so he just went to a salon and told them he wanted to donate his hair to Locks of Love--a nonprofit that donates hairpieces to children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. You have to have at least 10 inches to donate. He had 18 inches!!
Here's the BEFORE and AFTER.
 
And here are the newlyweds. :)
He said it took him three minutes to shower. LOL.
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by Deeanne on 09/08/2008
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September 01, 2008
Only in Texas
 Our grocery store has two aisles devoted to international foods. To make it easy for shoppers, they have placed the flags of the country above the foodstuffs from that country. When you walk down those aisles you'll find food from Britain, Italy, India, Asia, South America, Middle East, Caribbean and ... wait. Whose country flag is this on the INTERNATIONAL aisle of the store?
Who else, but Texas' Lone Star Flag. Underneath are ingredients for making what we refer to around here as Tex-Mex. It's not authentic Mexican food (that's under the flag of Mexico), it's our own special version.
Still, I got a chuckle out of having our big, grand STATE flag soaring with the others as if we still hadn't quite come to terms with the fact that we aren't our own seperate country.
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by Deeanne on 09/01/2008
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August 25, 2008
Flown the Coop
Greg and I are now, officially, empty nesters. We drove our youngest daughter up to college last week and moved her in. It was an all day affair that she had prepared for in advance with many hours of planning and shopping. On the drive up, God gave her a rainbow. Pretty cool, huh?
Here's the Before and After shots of her dorm room.
 
  She is attending the same university as her older sister, so Big Sis helped us move in. Because the built-in chest of drawers is right next to the closet, we had to shut her inside while she hung up her little sister's clothes. We'd be talking away and all of a sudden, a comment from the closet would be thrown out. It would crack us all up.
This daughter (the one we are moving in) is the one that has done some modeling. One of the things she loves to do is tear pages out of high-fashion magazines and make collages out of them. Her room at home is literally wallpapered with these collages. There's not an empty spot on the walls. So, she came to move-in day with a file folder full of tear-sheets and made a collage with them. She had no plan. Just flipped through the pictures and up they went. How she manages to make it all come out perfectly at the edges is nothing short of an art. Here's a pic of her directing Dad and Big Sis on where to tape what while she held the rest of it down.
We started at 7:00am and didn't finish until 9:00pm. Dad and I were exhausted, but pleased our little girl was all settled in.
She did pot-luck on a roommate and it looks like the Lord was gracious. Her new roommate is sweet, soft-spoken and loves the Lord. Praise God!
Meanwhile, it's awfully quiet around here. I love it during the day because I get so much more writing done when it is totally silent. But the evenings are a little too quiet for Greg and I. I'm sure we'll adjust, though the puppies are not happy with this new arrangement at all!
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by Deeanne on 08/25/2008
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August 14, 2008
Lifetime TV
 A bunch of us are having a big discussion about Edgy Inspirational over at Lifetime TV's online romance community. But we need YOU to make the day super fun! Please stop by to swap comments with me, the host, Michelle Buonfiglio, and other romance fans.
You must register to comment in the “comment section,” and be sure not to leave any spaces in your UserName. (Registration isn’t a sales tool, it’s to make sure you’re experience at myLifetime.com is free from annoying, aggressive commenters.)
I met Michelle Buonfiglio back in 2005 when BRIDE first came out. Since that time we have kept in close contact and see each other at the conventions we both attend. (The above is a pic of Michelle and I at the RITA award ceremony in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago.)
Here's a clip from an interview Michelle did with me where we discuss Christian Romance:
Here's another one about Edgy Inspirational Romance ***SPOILER ALERT*** If you haven't read COURTING TROUBLE, don't watch this video. We openly discuss how it ends!:
And last, here's a personal introduction to Michelle:
So, come on over to myLifetime.com and let's talk romance! See you there!
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by Deeanne on 08/14/2008
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August 04, 2008
Gotta Have It!
 While in San Francisco last week, my sister and brother-in-law (who live in the area) took me to Half Moon Bay (about 20 miles south of the city). What fun it was to see them and what a GREAT town. We walked the streets, visited the shops, spent lots of time in bookstores, ate a yummy lunch and drove back to the city via the coast with the top down on the convertible.
My favorite store that we visited was called Gotta Have It. It was filled with collectibles and all kinds of unusual merchandise. It's got so much stuff that you could go a million times and still see something you missed the last visit.
These are some of the things that I saw and said, "Oh, I Gotta Have It!":
A sign for our upstairs bathroom.
A door-hanger for my office when I'm on deadline and having to crunch out chapters.
And my favorite, two pairs of Crazy Glasses and Crazy Girls!:
Next week, I'll show you pics from the actual conference, which will include pics of the RITA winner for Best Inspirational 2008, pics of Susan May Warren, and pics of our very own Chat Room member, Evelyn!
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by Deeanne on 08/04/2008
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