I'm Blogging Today at Author Roxanne Rustand's Blog

All Creatures Great and Small.

Drop by the following link

http://roxannerustand.blogspot.com/2009/10/author-lyn-cote-her-four-felines.html

and read about my sweet cats and see a few photos of them.

Hope it's not snowing where you are. It is in northern Wisconsin!--Lyn

Author Allie Pleiter, Knitter & Mom

My guest today is a writer who exudes joie de vie, Allie Pleiter. Here's Allie:

"More than anything, it’s our choices that define us. So many times I’m awed by Christ’s choices--to stop and listen to one person when the whole world was clamoring for His attention, to stay put when I would have skittered around inefficiently, to confront when I would have hid, to be kind when I would have resorted to harsh words. By His actions, Christ teaches me that choices are not the same thing as circumstances.

My circumstances this past year have included some serious medical challenges for my son--and by inclusion, our entire family. Now, medical challenges make me break out in hives (pun intended). I’m a control freak--maybe that’s why I write those types of characters so vividly--and medicine is not the native habitat of control freaks. Let’s simply say God’s been working on my character. This, if you haven’t already experienced it, is not fun. I can’t control fevers, or test results, or long waits or the whole “we’ll just have to wait and see” that has been our journey--and quite frankly, it’s making me nuts.

I choose, however, to try and embrace it as much as I can. I make friends with the providers and staff my son and I come across. I learn their names and call them by name whenever I can. I count blessings. I hunt down silver linings. I knit soft fuzzy things while in waiting rooms. I celebrate every tiny goal I can get my hands on. In our house, a blood draw gets you a trip to Dairy Queen, period. Even if it’s dinnertime.

Shallow? Maybe. I’m aware that most of what I do to cope wouldn’t qualify as much more than a parlor trick. But I’ve found that if you pile up enough of those tiny blessings, you plant the seeds of courage and strength. You install the counterbalance to fear and invite the fragrance of grace. For I believe that grace is grown and given, never earned or stuffed into place.

In BLUEGRASS CHRISTMAS, Mary Thorpe learns that grace means trusting others with who we really are--weaknesses and all. She thinks her new neighbors will run her out of Middleburg once they know her secret. Yet, as a new believer, she’s still learning how God’s grace smoothes over the friction between us and builds opportunity where we would normally see disaster. The Prince of Peace can always redeem Christmas, even when we’ve made a royal mess of things.

Perhaps most especially when we’ve made a royal mess of things."

Come visit me at alliepleiter.com or to my knitting blog at destiKNITions.blogspot.com.

AUTHOR BIO:

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction. The enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie spends her days writing books, doing laundry, running carpools, and finding new ways to avoid housework. She grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University, spent fifteen years in the field of professional fundraising, and currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The “dare from a friend” to begin writing nine years ago has given rise to a career spanning two parenting books, eight novels including the multi-nominated MY SO-CALLED LOVE LIFE, and various national speaking engagements on faith, women’s issues, and writing.

BACK COVER COPY:

BLUEGRASS CHRISTMAS

#4 In the KENTUCKY CORNERS Series

ISBN 13# 978-0-373-87556-6

An Old Fashioned Christmas...

That’s what led new believer Mary Thorpe to start over in quaint Middleburg, Kentucky. As director of the church’s Christmas pageant, Mary’s job is to bring the townspeople together, to remind them what the season is really about. But everyone is all riled up over one very handsome man: the man daring to run against Middleburg’s popular long-standing mayor. Mac MacCarthy wants change. Mary wants things to stay as they are. Is there a happy medium? Both Mac and Mary are in for one very big Christmas surprise.

Thanks, Allie!

Book Monday--Author Michael Angley, His Mom & His Book

My guest today is Author Mike Angley who has an interesting family story to share and he is especially proud of his award-winning book CHILD FINDER. Here's Mike:

"This story would not have been possible without the intervention of a rambunctious mutt named Howdy, but let me save this prequel for the end. It’s priceless.

My mother, Jean Angley, grew up as Jean Marie Davis in the coal-mining region of northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA). Born during the Great Depression, and the youngest of 13 children in her Welsh-American family, it would seem misfortune was in her cards. But I think that’s also what made her the bravest, strongest woman I’ve ever known.

My dad was from a large, Irish-American-Catholic family, and after working as a coal miner in the 1940s, he and his new bride moved to New Jersey where he pursued a job in a leather tanning factory. When my mom was pregnant with me in 1959, already the mother of four other young children, one of whom was still an infant, my dad suffered a stroke. The only good thing it seemed about living in the Projects in Newark, NJ, was its proximity to New York City…and Columbia Presbyterian hospital. My dad was rushed across the Hudson River and into the operating room.

Brain surgery in the 1950s was nowhere near as refined as it is today. Back then, most people died on the table. The surgeon told my mother as much. I can only imagine her fear, the mother of four, with number five on the way, facing the loss of her husband and the sole breadwinner who had no life insurance.

I’ve heard tales that my dad was the very first person in the history of medicine to have survived this particular operation. But he was not out of the woods yet. He was in a coma for three months, and when he finally came out of it, he was permanently paralyzed on the right half of his body. All the while my dad was in the hospital, my mother made the trip back and forth between Newark and NYC by bus, visiting with him and praying for him. Throughout all this she not only had to care for her four children, she also gave birth to me. It was tough, and while I was too young to even be aware of what she endured, I often think about how she must have struggled through it all.

My dad pulled through and continued to work hard every day of his life until his death in 1985 from Black Lung Disease that he developed during his coal mining days. Although my parents never finished high school, all five of their children have college degrees. Today, my mom remains my heroine…a tough old gal with a great spirit and endless love.

The Prequel: One day in the late 1940s, my future mom and future dad were walking toward each other across the Breslau Bridge in the Wyoming Valley region of NEPA. They hadn’t yet met, but that was about to change because of a dog named Howdy. As my dad walked Howdy, he clutched the simple rope leash around the dog’s neck to keep the energetic pooch under control. Somehow, Howdy broke loose, and my dad gave chase. He ran frantically after his dog, gradually approaching my mother, and screaming at the top of his lungs, “Howdy! Howdy! Howdy!” My mom had no idea he was calling his dog; she thought to herself, “Well, this has to be the friendliest boy I’ve ever seen.” She grabbed Howdy, met her soon-to-be husband, and never left his side until the day he died."

Mike Angley, Special Agent (ret)

Colonel, USAF (ret)

Author of the Child Finder Trilogy

www.childfinder.us

Mike Angley is the award-winning author of the Child Finder Trilogy. He retired from the Air Force in 2007 following a 25-year career as a Special Agent with the Office of Special Investigations (OSI).

His debut novel, Child Finder, received the Silver Medal for Fiction in the 2009 Military Writers Society of America’s Annual Awards program. When it debuted in June, the esteemed Library Journal placed it on its Summer Reads list and called it a “compelling debut novel,” and a “real find.”

If you would like to read a sample of the first few pages of Child Finder, please click here. hapter b

The Child Finder Trilogy…

…inspired by real-life experiences… follow the paranormal adventures of an Air Force Special Agent as the government exploits his psychic abilities to rescue abducted children. Major Patrick O’Donnell, an Air Force Special Agent assigned to the Pentagon, begins experiencing haunting nightmares about children who have been abducted and murdered—before their bodies are found. It quickly becomes apparent that he has a special psychic gift that the government is all too eager to exploit.

He is drawn into a TOP SECRET black world community overseen by the FBI that leverages his skills to solve child abductions. Soon Pat discovers that this black world has an even darker underbelly when those close to him begin to die mysteriously.

Rescuing abducted children is a noble pursuit, but it comes at great cost. Pat must battle dark, murderous forces within his own trusted inner circle, as well as unimaginable evil that threatens his family. Before his journey ends Agent O’Donnell will learn explosive government information that will rock his understanding of life, the universe, and his own faith. Perhaps some secrets are best kept hidden . . .

Your trilogy sounds exciting, Mike. Thanks so much for sharing your family story and your new book with us!--Lyn

Winners of Finally Home-Finally Found & Paging Project Journal!

In September my Love Inspired Classic Finally Home-Finally Found was released. To celebrate its rebirth, I am giving away an autographed copy to these ladies who left comments during September:
April,
PtClayton,
Wilma,
and
Joye.
I have email addresses for 3 of these. JOYE, I TRIED TO EMAIL YOU BUT IT CAME BACK TO ME. SO PLEASE EMAIL ME--ASAP!

It really helps when you leave a comment if you would leave your email address. Substitute a period with the word "dot" and @ as "at" so that Spammers can't pick up your email.

BTW, Project Journal, please contact me at l (dot)cote (at) juno.com . You have won the September drawing on Craftie Ladies of Romance blog.

Lyn & Friends for a Great Fall Weekend

This past weekend my friend Author Roxanne Rustand visited me along with another friend who was a longtime food columnist who now is a photographer. AND WE HAD FUN!

We went shopping in Eagle River WI, which included garage-saling. When we stopped at one house, I spied a crabapple tree. The boughs were drooping nearly to the ground they bore such a rich crop. I asked and they gave me permission to pick a bag of this specialty fruit. The next day I rinsed them and cooked them down to juice. Then next day I made the juice into 9 jars of my ABSOLUTELY favorite jelly. And I'm not giving it away--since most people don't love it as much as I do!

And here's a photo of me and my daughter's cat, Tricksy. Roxanne is a petlover extraordinare and her blog is the "All creatures great and small place" at
http://roxannerustand.blogspot.com/


Good friends are one of God's greatest gifts. And pets are a close second. Soon I'll be guesting on Roxanne's blog. I'll give you a heads up. Yesterday, my dh and I drove up to the Kewana Peninsula in Upper Michigan. The colors weren't at peak but very close and the low mountains there made for beautiful panoramic views. It was a long day. We left at 7 a.m. and didn't return till after 8 p.m. But what a glorious day! This was our celebration of our wedding anniversary on Monday. A great gift for both of us.
What are your favorite autumn activities and pleasures?

Author Anna Schmidt & Women for Women

My guest today is a longtime friend, Anna Schmidt who writes for Love Inspired, both contemporary and historical. Today she has something great to tell us about! Here's Anna:

Hi all! I'm delighted to be guesting on Lyn's blog. Two things come to mind as we approach the holidays: Number 1- For several years I've supported women struggling to survive through an organization called Women for Women International (www.womenforwomen.org). My current sisters include a woman in Kosovo and another in Iraq. Through my sponsorship they receive education and training in skills ranging from making a living to raising a family. In return I receive these fabulous letters telling me of the progress they have made and introducing me to their families. Let me know if you want more info!

Like Miss Nola (the heroine of AN UNEXPECTED SUITOR) these women have often taken on sole responsibility for making sure their family members are cared for and like Miss Nola they sometimes have to learn that caring for themselves may be the first step to achieving that goal! Number 2 is a far less noble holiday note -- I hope you'll stop by my website and check out my 'cranberry recipe/memory contest!!! Off to make a deadline that's looming. Will check back later! Anna

Book Monday-Author Cheryl Wyatt & Soldier Daddy

My guest today on Book Monday is Author Cheryl Wyatt. Here's Cheryl:

"My fifth book, Soldier Daddy, is in stores now. It can also be ordered online. Please pass the word!

About the book
U.S. Air Force commander Aaron Petrowski leads pararescue teams, yet can't find one nanny for his three-year-old twins?
The widowed father is returning to duty, but not without the best care for his beloved boys. So when Sarah Graham applies,
the young woman surprises everyone by passing inspection. Until Aaron discovers Sarah has a secret tied to a tragedy in his past.
He can't keep her in his employ—or in his heart. Until his brave little soldier boys teach him a thing or two about love.


About the Author
Born Valentines Day on a naval base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance.
Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's
Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers.


On my website, I'm also hosting a new contest and providing recipes from my Wings of Refuge series to my newsletter subscribers. My newsletter goes out next week. So be sure to visit my Web site and sign up for it if you want news and goodies exclusive to my quarterly newsletter subscribers." --Cheryl

Thanks, Cheryl. She also has a charming blog, named Squirrel's Treehouse.

BTW, my husband and I are celebrating our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary today!--Lyn