Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Dead Reckoning


I'm very excited to share news about my friend and fellow Texas author Ronie Kendig's first novel. Dead Reckoning is an espionage thriller that will keep you turning pages. Here's the scoop on her book:

When Shiloh Blake’s first large-scale underwater archeological dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she is forced to flee for her life into the streets of Mumbai, India. Is the man trailing her an enemy, or is he sent by her CIA father to protect her? Whoever he is, the only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is to join forces with former Navy SEAL Reece Jaxon.

About Ronie


Ronie Kendig has a BS in Psychology and is a wife, mother of four, and avid writer. Her novels include Dead Reckoning (March 2010, Abingdon Press) and Nightshade (July 2010, Barbour Publishing), Book#1 in The Discarded Heroes series. She speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com.

Read the first three chapters here: http://issuu.com/abingdonpress/docs/dead_reckoning

Early Buzz About Dead Reckoning:

"Ronie Kendig surpasses all debut expectations. This story is well-researched, fast-paced, and centered around memorable characters; in fact, I may even have a crush on Shiloh Blake. From exotic locales to romantic tensions, Dead Reckoning gives us everything we hope for in a modern thriller." --Eric Wilson, NY Times bestselling author of Fireproof and Valley of Bones

If you're looking for a thrilling read, check it out! Even guys will love it (see above).

Monday, February 15, 2010

Never Say Never...Again

Okay, I knew there was something vital I needed to include with my post about Lisa's book. . .Lisa has been sharing about her book on several different blogs and web sites. To thank everyone for reading about Never Say Never, she's doing a grand prize basket giveaway. See below:

Donetta and Imagene's Texas Road Trip Basket (approximate total value over $150)

Take a Texas road trip, without ever leaving home!

Featuring:

The Daily Texas Series by Lisa Wingate:
Talk Of the Town
Word Gets Around
Never Say Never

The Blue Sky Hills Series by Lisa Wingate:
A Month of Summer
The Summer Kitchen
Beyond Summer (a special advance copy not available in stores until July 2010)

Road Trip Snacks (Straight from Texas, of course!)

Wrap it all up with a fuzzy, fleecy Texas throw blanket for those cold nights on the road
(or curled up with your books!)

Isn't that an awesome prize? Six books, a comfy blankie, and snacks! So leave a comment and your e-mail address (name @ xxxxxxx dot com format) by February 18, either here, or at the original post below... http://myslicesoflife.blogspot.com/2010/02/lisa-wingate-never-say-never_12.html, (commenting more than once won't increase your chances of winning). Doesn't cost you a thing to enter your name, and I'll choose one name from a hat be submitted for the grand prize drawing after the 19th.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Lisa Wingate: Never Say Never

Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence.

And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the winds blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme.


Lisa lives in central Texas where she is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books. Her novel, Tending Roses, received dozens of five-star reviews, sold out thirteen printings for New York publisher, Penguin Putnam, and went on to become a national bestselling book. Tending Roses was a selection of the Readers Club of America, and is currently in its fourteenth printing.

The
Tending Roses series continued with Good Hope Road, the Language of Sycamores, Drenched in Light, and A Thousand Voices. In 2003, Lisa's Texas Hill Country series began with Texas Cooking, and continued with Lone Star Cafe', which was awarded a gold metal by RT Bookclub magazine and was hailed by Publisher's Weekly as "A charmingly nostalgic treat." The series concluded with Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner.


Last Sunday I had the chance to meet Lisa. I learned she was having a book signing in Clifton, so CJ and I hopped in the car and cruised up there to see her. As always when meeting a fellow writer, I enjoyed hearing about her current projects and how she juggles her schedule.

Never Say Never has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. Her vivid characters made me smile and cheer for them. If you live in Central Texas, you'll enjoy seeing local places mentioned in her book. Hmm..., exactly where is Daily, Texas, anyway? If you've never picked up one of Lisa's books, I highly recommend you do so.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

A Sweet Nothing

On Sunday, we went out to eat. This is a big deal, since CJ and I now try every day to make good choices about what to eat. Frequent small meals, balance our protein and carbs, watch the fats, blah, blah, blah.

But Sunday is our day to have a "free" day and have one or two of those items that normally aren't allowed on our menu, or in our house.

So of course I chose the stuffed avocado dinner, and thought about how delicious that avocado would be, filled with fajita meat then battered and deep fried. Hey, when you're going to splurge, make it count, right?

A few moments after ordering, our waiter returned to the table and stood by my elbow. "Ma'am, you ordered the stuffed avocado? I'm so sorry, but, we're out." He handed me a menu.

Disappointed, I put on a happy face and made another choice. A while later, when the waiter brought our meals, he set my plate in front of me. Next to my tortilla wrap, sat this lovely tomato rose.

The waiter said, "The cook felt bad that you had to order something else, so he made this for you."

My first thought was, "How sweet, and how thoughtful." We weren't in an upscale restaurant, although the food is usually very good. This was a chain restaurant. Generally at chain restaurants, employees don't deviate from the norm. But this chef took a few seconds from his food prep to think of his customer (me) who didn't get what she originally wanted (that yummy stuffed avocado). Maybe to some people, this is nothing. But to me, it was a very sweet nothing.

Thoughtfulness is a trait we don't see very often, and it often surprises us when we find it. It's about thinking of someone else before ourselves, even in a small matter. Like a customer having to change an order. What would happen in the world, if we all find opportunities to give sweet nothings to someone else? Because a sweet nothing does mean something, to the one who receives our gift.

Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4