Monday, March 31, 2014

TRUE FORGIVENESS, EASIER SAID THAN DONE---by Guest Sharon Srock



True forgiveness is often easier said than done. Oh, the words are simple to say. “You’re Forgiven.” “Apology accepted.” “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” For the minor bruises of everyday life, they work. But simple words don’t heal soul deep hurts. The cliché of time healing all wounds doesn’t work either. In fact, time and distance can make forgivness much harder. 

I understand the indifference that  masquerades as forgiveness. My father left his family when I was twelve. He left three confused children and one very bitter wife behind. For the next six or seven years what contact I had with my father was tainted by the negative opinions of my mother. Dad’s overtures at a relationship were spotty, probably due to the reception he received from me when he made the effort.

Over time I began to believe that I’d done the Christian thing and forgiven him, even though I didn’t care if I saw him, and didn’t have a lot to say to him when I did. You see, I’d allowed the indifference of time and distance to layer over the hurt, like a lava dome over a volcano. I was actually grateful for what I called God given indifference.

It took a confrontation with my sister to drive home the fact that I had not extended forgiveness to my father.

During a visit with my dad, he asked me to contact my sister to extend an olive branch on his behalf. A few days later I spoke to my sister and relayed our father’s message. The bitterness that broke through in her own life convicted me of the unforgivness lingering in my own. I was heartbroken to see some of my own attitudes reflected in her words.

Forgivness wasn’t an easy road, but when I finally opened my heart to God’s healing touch, I was able to move beyond the hurt and rebuild a relationship with my father before he passed away. Knowing that he went to be with the Lord with my love in his heart, instead of anger and bitterness has been a source if immeasurable comfort since he’s been gone. The only regret I have is that I didn’t allow it to happen sooner.

Forgivness is the greatest gift God offers us. Forgiving others allows us to accept that gift in full measure.

 

Pam’s divorce broke her heart. The cruelty of her ex-husband broke her spirit. A bottle of sleeping pills almost took her life. Four years later the scars of Alan Archer’s emotional abuse are beginning to fade under the love of her new husband. When Alan returns to Garfield, Pam must learn that buried secrets and carefully cultivated indifference do not equal forgiveness.

Alan Archer has returned to Garfield with a new wife and a terminal heart condition. His mission? To leave a Christian legacy for his children and to gain Pam’s forgiveness for the sins of his past.

Two hearts hang in the balance waiting for the delicate touch of God’s healing hands.

ABOUT SHARON SROCK:


Author Sharon Srock went from science fiction to Christian fiction at slightly less than warp speed. Twenty five years ago, she cut her writer's teeth on Star Trek fiction. Today, she writes inspirational stories that focus on ordinary women using their faith to accomplish extraordinary things. Sharon lives in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma with her husband and three very large dogs. Her books include: The Women of Valley View: Callie and The Women of Valley View: Terri, both of which are currently available. The Women of Valley View: Pam will release 11 April 2014. 


Connect with her at www.sharonsrock.com.
Please visit her AMAZON page to find current info on her books: 

Free PDF: MEET THE WOME OF VALLEY VIEW:

Free Novella: FOR MERCIE’S SAKE




 

 

Saturday, March 29, 2014

WINNERS OF THE CAN SPRING HUNT & MY PERSONAL GIVEAWAY


Ta-dah !!!! The Catch Us If You CAN Spring Scavenger Hunt is officially finished. The Grand Prize winners will be announced soon.


But for my own personal Giveaway, my husband David pulled the names out of the hat. 

 

WINNER OF PAPERBACK SET OF SHADOWED IN SILK AND CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT  Goes to Charity Lyman


 











WINNER OF THE EBOOK SET OF SHADOWED IN SILK AND CAPTURED BY
MOONLIGHT Goes to Kristen Mayfield







WINNER OF EBOOK LONDONDERRY DREAMING 

Goes to Connie Brown






SECOND WINNER OF LONDONDERRY DREAMING
 Goes to Susan Poll 




Thank you everyone for such a great time. I had a blast, and will be doing this again next year for sure. In the meantime, I've made some new friends, and I hope a few of you have found out a little bit about my books.

Have a great spring everyone. And stayed tuned to this blog. Follow me, or send me a comment so you can sign up for my quarterly newsletter.

You never know when I'll be giving something away again. 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

CATCH US IF YOU CAN: SPRING SCAVENGER HUNT


You have reached Stop 29 of the Catch Us if You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt! Christine Lindsay’s Blog.

Christine here: Before we start, in addition to the CAN Hunt giveaways, I am doing a Giveaway of my own.
See the end of this post for more details,

but these are the books I'm giving away on my individual giveaway for this blog only.

And now . . . Catch-us-if-you-can . . . . Stop # 29


 
If you have come to Stop 29 first, you can go back to the beginning of the hunt by Clicking here on START

Here are the CAN Hunt’s official guidelines:


WELCOME, to the Catch Us if You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt! We hope you enjoy meeting Christian Author Network members as you chase down clues for the chance to win our grand prize: $200 in gift cards from CBD, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, plus 30 free books, one from each participating CAN author!

·  2nd and 3rd Prizes: $50 Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or CBD gift certificate!

·  Catch us on this hunt beginning at Noon on Friday, 03/21/14 and ending at Midnight on Thursday, 03/27/14. No need to hurry as you search for clues—you have almost an entire week! If you need help at any time during the hunt, check in here:  http://illuminatingthewordthroughfiction.blogspot.ca/2014/03/resource-page-for-catch-us-if-you-can.html

 Enjoy 29 stops, each featuring a different CAN author!

·  Gather the clues from each post, beginning at STOP # 1 and ending at Stop #30. Follow the directions and fill out the Rafflecopter form. Be ready to provide the complete clue in sentence form, gathered from all 30 stops, within 2 days of email notification or another winner will be randomly drawn. There is no need to email/submit the clue, unless you are notified by 03/29/14.

Sorry, due to international regulations and postage costs, prizes will be awarded to US Residents only. Individual contests within the hunt may vary, so please read rules presented with each giveaway.

Christine Lindsay here:  

Welcome, Hunters! I'm pleased to introduce R.J. Larson at this stop. Kacy Barnett-Gramckow has been a CAN member since the organization was founded. Kacy is the author of The Genesis Trilogy for Moody Publishers, and Dawnlight, from Elk Lake Publishers. Kacy also writes Biblical fantasy as R. J. Larson. She and her husband live in Colorado. Visit the effervescent Kacy at her website Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest, and Goodreads and become a fan.


I Don’t Know Who I am:

When I started my writing career, I knew that my name, Kacy Barnett-Gramckow presented a authorly hurdle. 

As a child, I’d always had to spell ‘Kacy’ because as simple as my name is, Kacy has endless variations, and even my own relatives forget its proper spelling. Later, when I married my adorable husband, I added ‘Gramckow’ to the mix, guaranteeing serious name confusion for my writing future. 

When Moody Publishers signed me on to write The Genesis Trilogy, the Moody editors—brave souls!—took on my full name, Kacy Barnett-Gramckow, for The Heavens Before, a Biblical novel based on the Genesis account of Noah’s Flood. 

Later, however, when I wrote my Biblical fantasy Prophet, which is inspired by the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Bethany House Publishers asked me to consider a pen name. Not because Kacy Barnett-Gramckow is the emcee-stumping moniker that it is, but because Bethany House wanted to separate my Biblical fantasy novels from my usual Biblical fiction. 
 
After much deliberation, I combined two beloved family names and signed on with Bethany House as Biblical fantasy author, R. J. Larson. 

This spring, I face a new naming challenge: Elk Lake Publishers requested my Biblical speculative fiction manuscript, Dawnlight, based on Matthew 27:52-53.  Elk Lake asked, “Who do you want to be?”

I said, “We don’t know…” 

Right now, the cover for Dawnlight is in the planning stages, and I’m truly stumped. I don’t know who I am for this one. 


What do you think?    . . .  Kacy or R. J.?


Christine Lindsay here again:  Thank you, Kacy, and thank you, Readers/Hunters. Ready to continue?

THE SCAVENGER HUNT CAN-DOs: 

Before you go, write down this STOP # 29 and the CLUE [hunt]

But before you go, the six books I will be giving away for my personal Giveaway will be:


1 set in Paperback of Books One and Two of my series Twilight of the British Raj. This includes Multi-Award-Winning SHADOWED IN SILK and Book 2 CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT

1 set in Ebook format of the same two books as above. SHADOWED IN SILK and Book 2 CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT


2 Ebook copies of LONDONDERRY DREAMING = 6 books in all.

How do you enter your name in the hat to win these books from my personal blog giveaway?

Follow me on the link Pinterest and I'll put your name in the hat for the draw. 

Follow me on Twitter, and I'll put your name in again. 

Send me an email with your name, email address, and snail mail address to christine.lindsay.writer@gmail.com that you would like to receive my quarterly newsletters, and I'll put your name in the hat again. 

NOW . . . PROCEED TO THE END OF THIS SCAVENGER HUNT by clicking HERE




Saturday, March 15, 2014

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BLOG PARTY to win Christine Lindsay's books



To celebrate the entire weekend for St. Patrick instead of just March 17 I am having a blog party where visitors will have a chance to win one of my novels in Ebook format. 

In honor of the fact that I was born in Ireland, and that my latest novel is set in Ireland, I want to give away Kindle copies of SHADOWED IN SILK, CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT, and new contemporary romance LONDONDERRY DREAMING.

My Irish Blog Party starts NOW, Saturday March 15 and ends Monday, March 17 midnight PST.


10 questions are below.  Super easy. I even tell you where the answers are found. With each correct answer, or comment, your name will be put into the hat. We plan to pull out---hopefully your name---and not a rabbit. 
  



The more correct answers, or follows, the more your name goes into the hat, and if my husband pulls your name out, you get to choose which of the following Ebooks you’d like from the list below:
Dave and Zoey.

DO NOT PUT YOUR ANSWERS IN THE COMMENT SECTION---that'll only give it all away.

My husband Dave, will pick 10 names out of the hat.  Our sheltie dog, Zoey, will help.

Send your answers in an email to christine.lindsay.writer@gmail.com

Please put your answer like this --- question # 1 -- answer



THE PRIZES TO WIN:





SHADOWED IN SILK Book 1 of series Twilight of the British Raj, winner of 2 awards, finalist in a third. Prize will be given in Ebook format. (Although it is available for purchase in paperback)




CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT Book 2 of the same series, nominated for 2 awards this year. Outcome of these contest still to come. Prize will be given in Ebook format, but the book is available for purchase in paperback. 




  

LONDONDERRY DREAMING just released February 2014, Prize in Ebook format. (This book only available as Ebook.



  





And now for the questions: 

  1. Go to HOME page of my website www.christinelindsay.com and listen to all three of my book trailers. Leave a comment on Youtube for those trailers.
  2. Who patted me on the head when I was a baby? on the ABOUT page of www.christinelindsay.com
  3. for next questions go to BOOK Page of my website www.christinelindsay.com Is LONDONDERRY DREAMING available for purchase on Amazon, and for how much?Tricky question--click on the front cover for the answer.
  4. In the free first chapter of LONDONDERRY DREAMING, what is the name of the river that NOAMI can see from Ruth’s front door?
  5. How much does CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT cost as an Ebook on Amazon?
  6. In the free first chapter of CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT, what is in the burlap bags that Laine and Eshana carry into the women’s section of the temple?
  7. What kind of rifle is Abby using for shooting practice?
  8. Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/CLindsayWriter
  9. Follow me on Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/clindsaywriter/
  10. Or if you prefer Facebook, become my friend https://www.facebook.com/ChristineLindsayWriter 

I really hope this will be fun. On Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, I will be putting out some fun Irish stuff all weekend, Irish jokes, blessings, stories, recipes, so come on in and join the party. I'll also be asking you to share your favorite Irish song, writer, etc. 

Lots of hugs to all, and have a lovely St. Patrick's Day. And remember this is what he wrote. 



Christ be with me.

Christ be within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ to comfort me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all who love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
By St. Patrick, a 5th Century Cleric.