CFBA Featured Book

Phil is reading Pirate Hunter right now. He's a little less than halfway through so he doesn't really have an opinion yet, but he's still reading...so that says something. Morrisey has delivered in the past, Phil's read everything of his so far. So hopefully this one will measure up.



Pirate Hunter by Tom Morrisey




If you would like to read the first chapter of Pirate Hunter, go here.

I'm Editor-in-Chief!!

Did you hear the good news?

You can watch it here (1:04 of 2:00 minutes) or I can just tell you...

I am now Editor-in-Chief of The Midnight Diner!!

If you're interested in submitting, read Relief Fiction Editor, Chris Fisher's, series: What Happens in This Story, I Know What Happens, but Who Really Cares, and Is This the Best I Can Do? If you're going to be lazy and read just one, then let it be the last one.

After you read Chris' superb advice--Follow the guidelines:

Third Edition of The Midnight Diner Submissions are Open!

The Midnight Diner is a hardboiled genre anthology with a Christian slant. No ABA restrictions on God, no CBA restrictions on reality. Didactic preachy works are dismissed unceremoniously; we're looking for high quality works that are uncompromising in craft, content, and quality.

Submissions for the third edition of The Midnight Diner are now open at the Relief Writer's Network. Here's what we're looking for; please read carefully. Submissions that are completely out of gamut will be subject to ridicule and immediate rejection.

1. Unpublished Short Fiction up to 10,000 words. Simultaneous submissions okay, but you need to pull your submission ASAP if it gets accepted elsewhere.

2. Submissions are only accepted via the Online Submission System at the Relief Writers Network. www.reliefjournal.com Absolutely NO email or snail mail read or even remotely considered unless your name is Stephen King and you wrote The Stand. Anne Rice, Neil Gaiman, and F. Paul Wilson are also exceptions. Everybody else, get with the program. There's a big button at the top of this website that says Submit Your Writing. If you email me asking where the link is, expect severe sarcasm.

3. Categories for Submisisons are:
Category Examples (for clarification only)

Horror - Stephen King, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz, Peter Straub

UFO/Aliens - X-Files, Fringe, Coast To Coast AM

Conspiracy Millennium - X-Files, Fringe, Coast To Coast AM

Hardboiled - Detective/Crime Raymond Chandler, Janet Evanovich, F. Paul Wilson

That One That Happens in Diner - All categories - just has to happen in a diner

Jesus Vs. Cthulhu - No posers. If you're submitting in this category, you had better be familiar with Lovecraft or Derleth's work, and the piece should reflect it.

Paranormal/Archetypal Exploration Neil Gaiman, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton

Weird Western- Cowboys and Indians meet something weird

Weird War - In honor of all our soldiers in all branches of the armed forces

Monster Stories - Dracula, Frankenstein, Godzilla, Buffy - yes, you can submit your
Christian vampire story here

Adventure - Indiana Jones, Dan Brown

Shatner On A Plane - Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Night Gallery

Note: Combinations of Genres are encouraged. For example, a hardboiled detective investigating a paranormal crime, or a monster story that has a Twilight Zone twist. You may and probably should select multiple categories when submitting your work.

4. Compensation: Three Editor's Choice awards will be selected. Prize money for Editor's Choice is a hundred bucks. All categories are eligible. Everybody else gets their names up on Amazon, a contributor's copy, bragging rights, and the possibility of being on the Diner staff for the next edition. Approximately 21 stories will be selected for publication.

5. No hardcore sci-fi. I don't want to read stories that I have to learn a new vocabulary or solar system for. I don't want to read about what happened after the fourth war for Alpha Centuari, Beta Centauri, or any other Centauri. Besides, you can't fit a starship into a Diner. Other places are more suited for these genres, i.e. the incredible site at raygunrevivial.com for Sci-fi helmed by Diner-approved editor Johne Cook.

6. No sword-and-sorcery fantasy. Do you know what happens when you let ogres and trolls in Diners? You will be billed for any messes they make.

7. Know what we've published in the last edition. The Diner is available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and of course on the Relief store.

8. Spiritual warfare is allowed, but should have an original twist. Absolutely no shining swords - you can poke somebody's eye with one of those in a diner, and we don't have the insurance for that sort of thing.

9. The Diner is not for children, or the faint of heart. Jesus dressed up as Thor, a whore who moonlights as an exorcist, a bouncer at a strip club, and more offbeat characters were regulars in the first edition of the Diner. This is not Guideposts or your Sunday School quarterly. Pansy sanitized work will be unceremoniously dismissed. Do not send me work where gangbangers say things like, "Golly gee, Beav, what ever are we going to do with this swell crack?"

10. Submissions will tentatively close December 1, 2009. Do not send queries. Submit your work.

11. Release Date for the third edition of Coach's Midnight Diner is April 2010. The Third Edition will be available in print, soft cover and perfect bound in a 7"ishx10"ish trim size at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and several other venues. It will also be available in Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader format.

Sit down, order some coffee, and let's see what you've got. Give me your best shot.

Your Midnight Waitress,
Michelle Pendergrass
Editor-In-Chief | Coach's Midnight Diner

CFBA Featured Books

The Firstborn by Conlan Brown

If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of The Firstborn, go here.


















Scream by Diner Alumni Mike Dellosso

If you would like to read the first chapter of Scream, go here.

The Fall

Why is it that when I hear sermons about The Fall, when I read about The Fall, and when I've done Bible studies that include something about The fall, why is it that they all act as if God didn't know it was going to happen?

God created everything, God knows all, He's known me since the creation of time, universe, earth, and so on--but really? He didn't know Adam and Eve would sin?

I can't get on that train.

I've never heard someone express opinions about the fall that say God created the universe knowing full well the first people would sin and He did it anyway with His divine plan in mind anyway. Nope. I hear them say, God created everything perfect for us and we screwed it up so then He had to come up with the Jesus plan.

Ok, so they don't say it quite as sarcastically as I, but is my point being made?

Quit acting as if God had to change His plans because we did something that surprised Him.

CFBA Featured Book

I haven't read this one, however, I did get to read Deanne's first book and can say the girl has a great style. I've got the second waiting for my attention and I do intend to read all of them even though (as you'll notice) they're not my usual genre. Deanne's that good.



A Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist




If you would like to read the first chapter of A Bride In The Bargain, go here.

CFBA Featured Book

I haven't read this one with all the moving and everything, but I thought some readers might enjoy this.

Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Ghostwriter click here.

Wordless Wednesday

One Room Down Baby!!

One room is done!! We just need to drywall a little above a door, get some trim for the ceiling and that's that!! This has been a LONG time coming!

Way Before:

The Surprise Under the Floor:

After:

Before:

After:

Lookie What I Won!

**This giveaway is still open for entries. I'll decide sometime after the 15th when it will close.**

Rhonda at Mimi's Toes sent me these gorgeous gardening gloves. I won them from her very first blog giveaway! (I stole this picture from her because I'm too tired to take my own right now.) I'm sure she won't mind!

Thank you my kindred Mimi!




And guess what else she sent? A second pair!! That's right! So guess who gets a chance to win those?

YOU.

Because I love you.

And because Rhonda and I have totally bonded over these gloves and what they symbolize in my life. If you don't know, you can read about my BFF Jill and her lost battle with breast cancer. She's haunting me, though. She said she would and she's been around more the past few weeks than I can even count. (Right Ro?)



So here's to you Jill, even if you hate the pink ribbon. I kinda hate it too, but it reminds me of things I shouldn't forget. (Like you'd let me forget you, ha!)

So leave a comment, share your breast cancer story, or just say Hi! and next week this time, I'll pick a winner!

Giveaway--Business Cards TIME'S UP!

The winners are Jenny 867-5309 and Kris!!!!!!



Congrats!

Uprinting.com recently contacted me asking if I'd like to host a giveaway for 2 people to each win 500 free business cards. That's free without strings attached.

Are you going to the Blogher conference in Chicago? You'll need these! Even if you aren't going to any conferences and don't think you need business cards, think about this. Recently my friend Toni and I met up with Steph from Adventures in Babywearing and her mom at a local meet-up of a national event, Mom's Nite Out. Toni wrote a tremendous post on the evening so give her some love, here's the link.

While we were there Kim from What's That Smell? handed me her cute little card, as did Natalie Cline from Once Upon A Cline Both of these ladies had way cute cards with their name, website, email and Twitter address. Another card I was give that night has name, email, and phone number.

Without those, I would have never remembered their blogs or Twitter addresses.

Think outside the box, these don't have to be tradtional boring cards. So while we say that Uprint does business card printing, understand you may design your own card with whatever infmormation your little heart desires!


How to enter: Leave a comment here telling me how you'd use 500 free business cards.



Want a second entry? Write a post (just a little one!) on your blog linking to this post and also linking back to www.uprinting.com. Leave a second comment here when you're finished and you get another entry!


Deadline: Thursday May 21st 4pm Central.

Thanks and good luck!!





Technical stuff: Shipping of prizes is free only in the US and Canada. All other locations get free product, but must pay shipping.

Thanks Uprinting.com for the giveaway swag!

Wordless Wednesday

2009 Scripture Art Number 9

Beth Moore posted on her blog asking if anyone wanted to join

her in memorizing Scripture, two a month, in 2009.

You can see all of my posts here.

* * *

This post is a little over due. I was supposed to put it up on the 1st, but I was in Missouri and since I've been back all kinds of chaos has ensued.

However, it was finished and I am working on the one that's due in 3 short days. I'll be out of town (again) so I'll post that one when I get back.

My next verse is the final in this series of verses, Jeremiah 29:13

You will seek Me
and find Me
when you search for Me
with all of your heart.

Tackle It Tuesday--Surprise Under the Floor

,

You can see all of my Tackles here.

* * *

It was supposed to be an easy job. Rip up the carpet, lay the new oak laminate floor. Done in four or five hours.

Uh huh.

Sure.

"Honey, does it look like the floor's bowing there by the window? Where's your level?"

"Yep, it's bowed alright. I bet I can just take up that top sheet and replace it."

Uh huh.

Sure.

This is Phil showing Sam, our friend building the dormers, what we found under the floor.


This. This is what we found. Termite damage that the previous owner just left. Freaking left! Well, maybe he "tried" to fix it but it's quite obvious he is a moron of the highest order! Keep scrolling down.
Yeah. This is NOT how you sister up the boards. I keep staring at Phil's cute bum, but look at the THREE different pieces of wood there that were somehow supposed to support the floor joist.

See those new boards, the one my wonderful husband installed? They go from good wood to good wood. THAT'S the right way. (Or in this case, from good wood to wall!)

Patches is supervising.

There's Phil under the floor. And Patches making sure he does it right.

So this moron guy who used to own the house also used shims to level the floor and used scrap wood as cross members. Lord help us.

Oh and wait!! I forgot, they used tar paper under the multiple layers of linoleum.

Our Grandbaby!!

Duane, Jess, and Aiden Lee
Born 8:53 April 27, 2009
8lbs 8oz
22.5in

That's a proud daddy if I ever saw one!
And Pawpaw Phil. (I think he cried more than me. Maybe.)
I'll try to ignore my double chin.
But it's bigger than the baby's head.

Uncle Zane.
Wow.

The next day. Spit shined and adorable.
And already missing a sock.

Aiden and Mimi. Now that's a perfect fit.

He's there in Missouri.
We're 550 miles away.
I don't think I can survive this way.
Look at him.

Our grandbaby!

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Skywatch Friday

Mallory Square, Key West, Florida

See other Skywatch participants here.

CFBA Featured Book

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Elisha's Bones by Don Hoesel.


If you would like to read the first chapter go here.

FRO--Always the Eccentric

The purpose of Sincerely ‘Fro Me to You (every Thursday) is to link up a post about something from your past. You can reach back all the way to your childhood and bravely post pictures of your ‘fro (don’t act like you didn’t have a bad hair style. I know you did) or post something from last year and tell us about it.

* * *

As Marcy says: "Public humiliation is the new extreme sport!"




Goodness. I don't want to know how many people were trying to stifle their chuckles this day.

I obviously didn't get enough use out of my First Holy Communion dress considering I thought it a brilliant idea to wear it to school. Probably for awards day.

I must point out the casual dress of the other students in line with me. T-shirts and jeans.




Yes. That's me. Always the eccentric.

Wordless Wednesday

Painting Revelation

Painting Revelation by Debby Topliff

When asked to review this DVD, I jumped on it. I mean, with my focus on Visual Prayers and my Art Scripture Journal how could I resist taking the time to study another artist's work?

And wow. I liked this.

Debby Topliff was intimidated by the book of Revelation and issued herself a challenge--to study it. She came away with notes and drawings--and put paint to canvas. A 5-foot by 7-foot canvas to be exact. (OH what fun that would be!!)


Her DVD, Painting Revelation is broken into easy to watch sections that can be done as weekly studies or watched all at once (as Zane and I did.) Debby narrates the DVD and starts in her woodsy yard talking about what the Bible says and then moves to zooming in on the portion of her painting while she explains her interpretation.

This is such an incredible experience.

As I've been doing my Scripture Journal and Visual Prayers, I've been basically doodling, drawing or painting or whatever I feel led to do. I haven't ever set out to do something, interpret something. So this process was very interesting to me.

In addition to what I've already talked about, there is bonus material...


Resources included:

• Study: Download the 6-week study guide with worksheets, charts, visual key, Scripture references, and easy-to-use leader’s guide — for personal or group use.

• Fellowship: Watch the DVD with your small group, youth group, or retreat and choose from the discussion questions to explore topics you’re interested in.

• Teaching: Show the DVD in segments to present an overview and set the context for preaching and teaching on Revelation.

• Worship: Project images from the DVD to enhance singing and praise.

• Family: Share the DVD with your children to introduce them to the book of Revelation.

You can preview the DVD here. You should. It's beautiful! (and it's only 3 minutes!)


I'm so glad I had the opportunity to review this.

Tackle It Tuesday--more remodeling

,

You can see all of my Tackles here.

* * *

Are you sick of the construction photos yet? You should be. I am.

I'm trying to be happy about all this change, but it's tiring and I'm so done with the packing thing. Then there's the banging upstairs and the cold and the dirt. Plus, I can't go braless when people are here. That's probably why I'm cranky.

So we're at the point where it really doesn't look like much has happened. But it has. There's shingles on the outside. There's a window in place. The wiring's done. The yucky red carpet is gone. That's the upstairs.

The bathroom downstairs is gutted and rewired and framed up and ready for the old tub and sink to be yanked out. We have to get the new shower, sink, and toilet upstairs working before we can do that though.

Hole in the roof.

Framed up

Yeah! A window!

View from new bathroom window
Boarded up and no more carpet!
Phil ran all the electricity!

So close yet so far from finished

And...the downstairs bathroom.
Trashed.

Of course, none of that is my work. I've been stuck in packing hell.

Menu Plan Monday--April 20

Starting March 2nd, We're going to give this a shot. I used to be so good at planning meals and something happened--and then I found out by way of a food journal, my system doesn't tolerate MSG--so I'm making thing from scratch to avoid the nasty stuff!

And since we're moving soon, I also would like to need to empty out the abundance from my freezer and pantry. I'm going to try to GOING to spend less than $15 a week for my grocery budget in April and probably the first two weeks of May. WISH ME LUCK! LOL

* * *

Not so good this week. Spent double the budget. Sure, that's only $30 instead of $15 but it was well worth it to get some fresh fruits and veggies and the makings for potato salad and carrot raisin salad. Recipes below! My friend, Toni, made the carrot raisin salad for lunch one Creative Day and I've been craving it--so I found a recipe and tweaked it.

Our grandbaby might be coming Wednesday. Jess has an ultrasound and the doctor will decide if she want to induce on Wednesday or the following Monday. I'm going to plan the week just in case.

We rented a condo with a full kitchen down by Jess so I'll need to make a plan for the week we're with her. My parents stay here to watch the dogs so I'll need to pull some food from the deep freeze to the kitchen freezer for them.

I can't believe this is all happening so soon!!

Monday--ham and beans from the freezer, fresh cornbread

Tuesday--Haluski (Polish comfort food--noodles and cabbage with butter!)

Wednesday--Beef stir fry (with leftover steak from last week)

Thursday--Leftovers

Friday--Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, carrot raisin salad

Saturday--Grilled pork chops

Sunday--If the baby's not induced Wednesday, we'll be leaving early in the morning today!



Michelle's Potato Salad

• About 10-13 medium russet potatoes, skins on, diced small
  
• 5 hard-boiled eggs, diced really tiny
  
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise (real Mayo!! Not Miracle Whip)
  
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  
• 1 large chopped sweet onion
• 3 large celery ribs
• 1 large chopped dill pickle
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (optional)

1. Wash and chop potatoes, boil until tender (but not falling apart!) then rinse in cold water for about 5 minutes. Shake excess water away and dump back in pot.



2. While the potatoes are boiling, you can boil your eggs. Unless you thought ahead and boiled them previously. Or have leftover Easter eggs. Of course, if you're reading this and it is July--please don't use your leftover Easter eggs.

I use my handy-dandy Pampered Chef egg slicer. I put it in. Slice. Take it out and turn it. Slice. Then one more time I turn it and slice again. It makes a mess, but it's way less messier than chopping them on a cutting board.

3. Chop everything else (or use your food processor. I don't like to dirty a ton of dishes, so the potatoes and everything else go back into the pot and I mix it in there. Then I move it to a storage bowl with a lid and stick it in the fridge.

Voila! You have MSG and preservative free Potato Salad! It tastes better after it sits in the fridge for a few hours!

* * *

Carrot Raisin Salad

• 4 cups shredded carrots
• 2 diced celery ribs
  
• 1 cup raisins (I like the Golden ones!)
  
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise (Real Mayo--not Miracle Whip)
  
• 2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

This is pretty straight forward. Shred your carrots and celery, add everything...



And mix. You're done! It tastes better after it sits in the fridge for a few hours!

Skywatch Friday

Mallory Square, Key West, Florida

CFBA Featured Book

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker.


If you would like to read the first chapter go here.

2009 Scripture Art Number 8

Beth Moore posted on her blog asking if anyone wanted to join

her in memorizing Scripture, two a month, in 2009.

You can see all of my posts here.

* * *

Here's the final version of Scripture Art Number 7.
Jeremiah 29:11

The next Scripture I'm working on is Jeremiah 29:12

You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.