Working Successfully with Screwed-Up People

Title: WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH SCREWED-UP PEOPLE
Author: Elizabeth B. Brown
Publisher: Revell
May 2012
ISBN: 978-0800720117
Genre: Self-help/business

Are crazy co-workers stressing you out? Here’s the solution.

Let’s face it. Some people don’t listen, don’t care, and won’t compromise. And you probably work with them. The incomprehensible supervisor. The person who talks more than works. The customer who isn’t always right.

The good news is, it doesn’t take two people to change a relationship—it takes one. You.
In WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH SCREWED-UP PEOPLE, Ms. Brown will show you how to be unflappable, imperturbable, and unflustered in every situation.

WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH SCREWED-UP PEOPLE is a must read for every working person, whether they are a work-at-home parent or whether they go out in the rat race every day. I enjoyed reading this book, Ms. Brown’s writing style drew me in and held my interest, and I learned some things… such as, my husband is very much a rule-follower. It is set in stone. I am more of a rules are guidelines type person, and love to say, the rules apply to everyone but me. My husband’s rigidness drives me crazy sometimes, the same way my more relaxed approach to everything affects him. Opposites attract, right?

In a work place, you have to somehow manage to work eight hours a day that people that don’t share your values. You might be more dedicated to work, and earning the paycheck, while someone else might be more of the “I’m here to take up space and chat” mindset. Or maybe the way you solve problems differ. If you have any work relationship problems, then you have to read WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH SCREWED-UP PEOPLE. It will be the help you need. And you’ll learn a lot about personality types as well. $12.99. 260 pages.

Always There

Title: ALWAYS THERE
Editor: Susan Besze Wallace
Authors: multi, including Kathi Lipp, Kari Wyatt Kent, Renee Swope etal
Publisher: Revell
April 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2116-9
Genre: Inspirational/women’s devotional

God is with you…
…in the excitement of first steps, first words, and the first day of school.
…when you are frustrated, overwhelmed, or alone.
…in the middle of the night and the middle of the unpleasant.
…in your most important relationships.

God is there in every busy, exhausting, and exhilarating moment of being a mom.

ALWAYS THERE is a devotional for busy moms of preschoolers. It has a short verse, a story to go along with it, and a reflection for you to ponder as you go about your day. Ideal for moms on the go, it doesn’t take much time, and will center your mind on God. This isn’t a devotional for a deep feeding of the word, but more of a stolen moment snack.

Some of the stories made me cry, remembering the terror and joy of that first pregnancy… the fear when you realize your preschooler has vanished into a crowd and you don’t know where to start looking… watching a baby morph into an adult… and other life events, including the acute pain of miscarriage.

I have five children (not counting three miscarriages) and while some of my children are now considered adults, I still can relate to the stories told in this book. Children are a blessing of the Lord, but some of the confusion, pain, disappointment that accompany them doesn’t always seem holy. ALWAYS THERE reminds us that even in moments when you feel alone, God is ALWAYS THERE. Recommended for new moms and mothers of preschoolers. $12.99. 196 pages.

Interview with Lisa Bergren

An interview with Lisa T. Bergren, Author of Glamorous Illusions

Glamorous Illusions, the first release in Lisa Bergren’s new Grand Tour series, is a beautiful exploration of the covenant connection between God the Father and His children. Through the story of Cora Kensington, Bergren takes her audience on a European adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awareness, and self-discovery.

A person often identifies themself by their family, profession, or circumstances. However, as Christians, what would happen if we began to better understand our true identity in Christ? It is this spiritual journey that author Bergren guides readers through in Glamorous Illusions.

Q: Why do you think it is so difficult for us as Christians to remember our first, true identity?

We’re so absorbed in how our contemporary culture identifies us—by looks, career, family, wealth, faith—that we forget that our primary identity is a child of God. That no matter where we work or what we accomplish, no matter what happens and who is in our life (or isn’t), our core identity makes us valuable, treasured, cherished, forgiven, free and mighty. We are stronger than we could ever believe, through him, here to do his good work. But we buy in to the false identities our world gives us—which leaves us feeling consistently weak and wanting and wimpy.

I get it. I really do. But if we could just seize that core identity and hold on to it, I believe we’d be as Catherine of Siena said “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire.” There’s a whole lot of untapped potential within each of us…and it’s tied to our understanding of our truest identity. Cora Diehl Kensington, my main character, is on an inner journey to discover that just as surely as she is on an outer journey through Europe.

Q: Before you begin a new series, how much time do you devote to research of a time period or location?

I like to be reading and researching a good six months before I begin writing. Research gives me context, as well as potential plot points to incorporate.

Q: Why do you think “Downtown Abbey” is so hot among the American audience? How does your Grand Tour series relate to that craze?

At its core, I think “Downtown Abbey” is a story about community, made up of many different personalities. There are two subsets to that community, obviously, between the servants and their wealthy employers. But those two circles intersect and they’re really all one. And many of their issues are the same—the quest to face sins and errors of the past, seek forgiveness, rise in status (or put it in its proper place), and find true love. These are all themes that relate to us in America, regardless of where and how we live. They’re universal themes. And they appear in my book too. Add to that the European settings and I think it’s inevitable that there will be some comparisons.

Q: At one time, a world tour was a popular custom for young adults in Europe as a part of their education. Do you think young adults today would benefit from travel and seeing what other cultures are like?

I’m a huge champion for world travel for all. Given our current economic woes, that dream feels pretty distant for many Americans, but you can catch a glimpse of other culture, right here in the US too. Sometimes it only takes a day’s drive to feel something “foreign.” Sometimes it’s only an hour away! But the point is this—we get so absorbed in our little microcosm of life that we begin to think that our world is like everyone else’s. Or we have a hard time caring for anyone outside of our little bubble. Exploration, outside The Bubble, helps us identify differences and commonalities among all of God’s people, and sows seeds of understanding and grace.

Q: We’re introduced to Cora’s travel companions who have struggles of their own. What are some of the inner conflicts they face?

They all have principal vices and sins that they are struggling with. Pride, greed, lust, laziness, anger… I like that at first, Cora uses those sins to dismiss each of them. She uses them as a sort of barrier that she can justify. But as they travel together, she finds she herself struggles with a measure of each of those sins too. She is not immune. She is not perfect. And discovering that allows her to extend grace to each of them, which also encourages growth and healing.

Q: As an author, you have written books in several different genres, including children’s books. What has drawn you to historical women's fiction in your past few series?

I love that it provides such a rich backdrop to my story. It immediately feels like my tale has more depth and intrigue with a historical tapestry behind it. In this time period, the world is on the brink of so much—World War I, the right to vote for women, Prohibition—but at that moment, it’s rather innocent. Full of hope and promise, but with whispers of warning in the air that change was coming…

Learn more about the author and her books at lisatawnbergren.com.

Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T. Bergren ~ David C Cook ~ June 1, 2012 ~ ISBN: 978-1-4347-6430-0

Interview with Staci Stallings

What kind of research did you do for To Protect & Serve?

This one I actually went to a fire station to interview the fire fighters (rough job, I know! ;). That was quite fun. They showed me everything on the truck, walked me through how they would go about fighting different types of fires, and showed me all of their turnout gear.

How did you come up with the plot for To Protect & Serve,

God did. I had no intention of writing this one. I was working on a different story, and when I write, I make a soundtrack and I get pictures from the 'net of my characters. One of the characters in the other book was a guy in a 90's boy band. A friend of mine had recently gotten interested in how I write the books, and so I was showing her all of this. She promptly "fell in love" with one of the other guys in the band!

Then she wouldn't leave me alone saying she wanted me to write his story. Finally, one day, kind of sarcastically, I asked, "Fine. God, if I was going to write his story, what would it be?" And "To Protect & Serve" fell into my lap.

Share a brief blurb about the book.

Houston firefighter, Jeff Taylor is a fireman's fireman. No situation is too dangerous to keep him sidelined if lives are on the line. However, when control freak Lisa Matheson falls for him, she quickly realizes she can't control Jeff or the death wish he seems to have...

What role have your life experiences played in the characters and/or the situations you develop in your books?

I think prior to God getting hold of me and convincing me to relax, I was a lot like Lisa--goal-oriented, success-minded, and focused on all of the wrong things. I hope I was a little more flexible than she is, but probably not by much. I really love how she has to finally confront how little control she really has over things. For me, in my life, that was a real turning point, and I think it is for her as well.

Do you see parallels or do you try to avoid using your own personal life as a source of inspiration?

I don't do either. I don't purposely put them in, and I don't purposely leave them out. Sometimes as I'm writing, I see the parallels. Sometimes I just have to write because none of it is in my experience. I can't explain that other than to say I know that God knows where we're going with each story, and I trust Him implicitly to get me there.

What are your own favorite authors? Genres?

John Grisham really opened the floodgates for how to not be constrained in writing. I love his stories because you're in New York with one character and then you're in Atlanta with someone else, and then you're in France... And as you're reading, you're constantly processing the pieces he's showing you. I always say now the first several chapters of every one of my books is just me throwing the pieces on the table. Then I start putting them together. Grisham taught me that.

How has your passion for reading impacted your writing?

When I was teaching high school English, I had to read A LOT. Many things we read were not things I would have chosen on my own--A Tale of Two Cities, A Farewell to Arms, A Doll House. However, I am so thankful for that experience because it broadened my horizons as to what is out there, the thinking of these other authors, their perspectives of the world and of life.

Now I read mostly non-fiction Christian books, and they are the same way. They open up doors in my mind that show me how people are, why they are that way, and how to help them learn to change. I think all of that experience shapes my writing into something deeper and more profound than just telling a good story.

Describe how you write a book – with your other responsibilities, does it tend to be something you work into your every day, or do you have to “set apart” time to write with open, undesignated blocks of time?

Well, I've now written 31 full-length novels, and no two of them have been written the same way. My "process" is however God decides He wants me to do this one. Some I know a lot of the plot going in; some I know next to nothing. Some I write in a month, some it literally takes years. And I never know which will be which.

What I've finally learned is to just relax and let God be God. He is very good at ordering my days which would be utter chaos without Him. I have 3 kids, a husband, a house, and 2 businesses. I do all of the financial stuff for both businesses. I write, edit, publish, and market all of my own books. I also edit for a couple of friends. I'm on Twitter and Facebook. I have my own author's group, "Grace & Faith Authors." I have four active blogs, and I'm redesigning my website. At the moment, I have 16 ebooks out and 7 in-print. I'm working on 3 more in-prints, and four new ebooks. So as you can see, without God, this would never work. With Him, somehow I get all of that done and still have time to write when He lays it on my heart to do so.
What provides your inspirations during that time – i.e. do you go out in nature, do you seek to be in a busy place with people or in a quiet library, etc.?

Again, this is all God. I have gotten inspiration from church, from books, from conversations with friends. It's come via the Internet, the television and the radio; through songs and movies. I have just learned that God speaks to us in a myriad of ways. The question is, are we listening?

How have social networking sites, even including email, etc. impacted your writing? Do you find the internet to be a helpful or harmful resource in research, advertising, reviewing, etc. your books?

In July of 2011, I sold 2 books. The beginning of August that year, I bought a book about ebooks and Internet marketing. By the end of that month, I had 8 ebooks for sale, I was on Twitter and Facebook. I floundered around on those for another two months. Then on October 26, 2011, I read one tweet that changed my life. It was by another author, Karen Baney, and in it she talked about cross-promoting with several other authors. That idea really resonated with me, so I contacted her.

Within 24 hours, Grace & Faith Author Connection was born. Over the next five months, as a growing team we learned how to USE the social media, and now, just six months later, I'm an Amazon #1 Best Selling author. So, yes, I would say the social media has been a very, very helpful resource.

Do you use these tools such as facebook as a means of observing the behavior of others which could be the basis of a character, or are you of the ‘old school’ that relies more on personal relationships and “human” touches?

I love the personal relationship aspect of both Facebook and Twitter. I really wish I had more time to utilize them that way as I have met some wonderful people on both. Right now, however, I use them more for marketing and connecting with others to market than anything.

What is one time that you really went out of your comfort zone --like me going to interview the firemen?

Interview with Cynthia Hickey and GIVEAWAY!

Why do you write the kind of books you do?
I write cozy mystery, romantic suspense, and historical romance. I write, because I love to read. I’ll read, and devour, almost any genre except Science Fiction. I especially love writing books clean enough for my younger family members to read, and books that glorify God.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
There are so many special days, thank you, Lord. The birth of my daughter, the adoption of my children, the day I married my husband.

How has being published changed your life?
I never knew a writer’s life was so busy! A well-known author once told me that you are always working on at least three books: The one you’re writing, the one you’re editing, the one you’re marketing. If you add in the one you’re researching, you could be working on at least four books.

What are you reading right now?
Right now, I’m reading a future release of Robin Carroll’s for endorsement.

What is your current work in progress?
I am currently working on the fourth and final book in my cozy mystery series. This one is titled, Maui Macadamia Madness.

What would be your dream vacation?
A trip to Ireland and Scotland to visit the land of my ancestors.

How do you choose your settings for each book?
Most of my stories take place in Arkansas. I spent most of my childhood there and still call it home. Although I use fictional names for my towns, they are modeled after the small towns that dot the great Ozark state.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
Probably, Janet Evanovich. I love the humor in her mysteries and would like to dig inside her head.
What three things about you would surprise readers?
I’ve been on the news twice, I have seven children and five grandchildren, I run into a burning house to grab my laptop and photos

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I love to crochet and make movie montages from the hundreds of photos I take every year.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
I tend to be easily distracted. Sitting in the chair and writing, even if I end up rewriting, helps me overcome this.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Never, never, never give up, and keep learning the craft.

Tell us about the book.
I have two recently released on Amazon’s ebook:

A Love for Delicious
Married less than a week, Delicious (Delly) Williams, watches her new husband die, leaving her to raise his five children under the age of thirteen. He also left her a deed to property in Oregon. His dying wish; for Delly to get the deed and the children to his brother in order for them to be protected. Zeke Williams wants to marry Delly in order to keep her safe. Another marriage is the last thing Delly wants. Can these two come together and forge a love and a new life in an untamed land?

Ruth’s Redemption
The Civil War took everything from Ruth Stallings except for her grandmother and sisters. Now without a home or funds, they take the White River as far as it will go and end up in Painted Bluff, Arkansas, a town populated mostly by men out looking for a wife. Sheriff John Powell wants nothing to do with the pretty women or the trouble they bring. Especially when a gang of marauders show up looking for Ruth. Can Ruth and John overcome their differences and find love?

What do you want readers to take away from the book?
That we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

What one question would you like us to ask your readers?

Which book would you choose to win and why?

Tell us about the giveaway you’re offering.
I will offer one lucky winner their choice of either a Kindle copy of A Love for Delicious or Ruth’s Redemption.

The winner will need to approve Cynthia’s email address in order to retrieve the free copy. If you do not have a Kindle, she can send you a .doc file.

A Love Forbidden

Title: A LOVE FORBIDDEN
Author: Kathleen Morgan
Publisher: Revell
May 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1971-5
Genre: Inspirational/historical

Shiloh Wainwright fell in love with a young man who worked on her father’s ranch when she was a young girl. But he was a “half-breed” and after being falsely accused of attacking the boss’ older daughter, he was whipped and sent away. Now, Shiloh is a grown woman and she has a love for Indians. This takes her to an Indian Agency in Colorado. Shiloh hopes to improve the lives of Ute Indian children.

But, her new job isn’t all sunshine and roses. Shiloh soon finds herself caught in the cross-fire between the Utes, their Indian agent, and the US government. Her unexpected encounter with her family’s former employee, Jesse Blackwater, only complicates matters.

As tensions spiral, will Jesse and Shiloh find love? Or will the catastrophic uprising tear them apart?

A LOVE FORBIDDEN is the latest by award winning author, Kathleen Morgan. I was drawn into the story from the very first pages, though my heart broke for Jesse. I had to find out what happened and hoped that Jesse and Shiloh would find a way to be together.

Ms. Morgan is definitely a talented author, and one that I can recommend if you like historical fiction. She takes characters that should be impossible to find common ground, and throws them together. The resulting story is a page-turner. Loosely based on real events—my favorite type of historical. $14.99. 310 pages.

Wish You Were Here / giveaway / Q&A with Beth Vogt

BTitle: WISH YOU WERE HERE
Author: Beth K. Vogt
Publisher: Howard Books
May 2012
ISBN: 978-1451659863
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary romance

Allison Denman is getting married in five days, to Seth Rayner, an up-and-coming architect in his father’s firm. But when Seth’s brother, Daniel, comes to help Allison move some boxes, they accidentally kiss. And suddenly, Allison comes face-to-face with the fact that she’s marrying the wrong guy—for all the wrong reasons.

Allison isn’t sure how to tell Seth, so in true run-away-bride fashion, she waits until their in front of the church, with all the gathered family and friends, then she turns and runs, stealing her best friend’s car, and a mountain cabin, she goes into hiding while she tries to figure out what to do next.

Seth isn’t exactly willing to let her go, and Daniel is torn…help his brother win back his high school sweetheart, or admit that he broke a major man-code and fell in love with his brother’s ex-fiancée? And what are they to do when Allison wants nothing to do with either of them?

WISH YOU WERE HERE is an absolutely wonderful contemporary romance (whoooo hooo! One of my two favorite genres.) and it is stellar. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Allison and Daniel both and wondered when they would both finally stop dancing around the issue and address it head on.

If you are looking for a wonderful contemporary romance, then WISH YOU WERE HERE is a book to consider. Discussion questions and an interview with the author are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 320 pages.

About Beth:


Beth K. Vogt provides her readers with a happily ever after woven through with humor, reality, and God's lavish grace. She's a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force physician (now in solo practice) who said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four who said she'd never have kids. Beth has discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." She writes contemporary romance because she believes there's more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. Beth earned a journalism degree from San Jose State University and met her husband Rob when he knocked her down at a karate studio. They've been married for 31 years. They have four children, ranging in ages from 28, 25, 23 and - thanks to a funny thing happening on their way to the empty nest-a 10-year-old. The Vogt Team, which now includes a "daughter-in-love" and "son-in-love," enjoys hiking and camping in Colorado. Read more about Beth at her website:http://bethvogt.com

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/aQTEk
Blog Tour Schedule
http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13480251

Celebrate with Beth by entering her Wish You Were Here Giveaway!


One "happy" winner will receive:
A brand new iPad with Wi-Fi (The must-have, do-everything gadget!)
Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon worthy.)
$15 iTunes Gift Card (Music, books, apps, & more.)
Hurry, the giveaway ends on 6/4/12. The winner will be announced 6/6/12 on Beth's Website!

Just click one of the icons on the sidebar to enter. Tell your friends about Beth's giveaway on FACEBOOKor TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

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An interview with Beth K. Vogt, Author of Wish You Were Here

When Allison Denman kisses her fiancé’s brother just days before her wedding, she’s not sure which is the mistake—the kiss or the wedding. It won’t be easy, but Allison is determined to find out. In her debut novel Wish You Were Here, Beth K. Vogt provides readers with a happily ever after woven through with humor, reality, and God’s lavish grace.

Vogt has had experience with her plans and God’s plans not lining up as expected. She is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction, but God had other plans for her. She decided to begin writing contemporary romance because she believes there’s more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us.


Q: You said you would never write a novel. What changed your mind?

I hit a season of burnout as a nonfiction writer and editor. I told my husband I was not going to write – ever, ever, ever again. He came home to find me at my computer and asked, “What are you doing?” When I confessed I was writing, he asked what happened to my never-going-to-write-again vow. I told him that I was having fun writing fiction and, that since no one would ever see what I was writing, this didn’t count. That “just for fun” story became Wish You Were Here, my debut novel.

Q: How did the story come to you?

The catalyst for Wish You Were Here was a fiction assignment from the Christian Writers Guild Apprentice course. I took Jerry B. Jenkins’ Guild course to scrape all the rust off my writing ability when I was trying to get back on the writing road after motherhood detoured me for a few years. For the assignment I had to write one scene from three different points of view (POVs.) I’d written a wedding scene from the view of the bride, the best man, and the wedding photographer. The story is the answer to the questions: How did the bride get here and what happens next?

Q: In the story Allison’s father considered her to be a mistake. In what way?

Ah… that’s all part of the story. Did Allison’s father really think she was a mistake? Or did he think he’d made a mistake? Sometimes our perceptions of a situation can be mistaken.

Q: How do things that others say about us, especially our parents, impact us in a way that affects us the rest of our lives.

Scripture tells us that words can either kill or give life (Proverbs 18:21.) Parents represent a person’s first idea of “home” or “safety” – and it’s from our family we first develop an idea of who we are. So the words our parents speak to us are so, so crucial to our development. As parents, we have the powerful ability to speak a blessing over our child – and yet, sometimes we tragically miss that opportunity.

Q: No one is perfect, but do you believe there is such thing as someone “perfect for me”?
The greater challenge is: Am I willing to learn how to love someone in such a way that I become perfect for them – despite my imperfections? My husband and I have been married over 30 years. We are not the same people we were when we said “I do.” But the changes we’ve made – the way we’ve submitted to one another and forgiven one another, the way my husband has loved me sacrificially, the way I’ve tried to respect and love him no matter what – all this has made us perfect for one another.