There's an interview of 22 authors, including yours truly, over at TitleTrakk. Check it out:

Wishing y'all a merry Christmas! Spend some time adoring Him, our Redeemer, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

Until 2010...

Blessings,

Leanna

FictionFinder.com: Finding Christian fiction the easy way
ACFW launches new free online resource to search for titles
PALM BAY, Fla. — With over 500,000 books published each year, it is harder than ever to find a new book that’s just right. A simple Amazon search in the Christian literature and fiction category yields more than 17,000 results. Consumers wading through the exhaustive, seemingly endless list of choices now have a more manageable resource to help them purchase their next book.

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), the nation’s leading Christian fiction writers’ organization, is launching FictionFinder.com, a new free resource for retailers, readers, media and other Christian fiction fans to search for authors and books. The search engine allows users to sort by author, title, genre, topic, publication date, and target audience.

Cynthia Ruchti, president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), believes this trusted, easy-to-use resource is a significant development in the search for Christian fiction authors and new titles.

”The idea rose from a roundtable discussion between the ACFW leadership team and Christian booksellers looking for a better way to connect their customers with great Christian fiction,” says Ruchti. “ACFW responded by rolling up our sleeves and creating a comprehensive database to serve readers, booksellers, publishers, authors, book club coordinators, librarians and others on the hunt for information and inspiration.”

The site also allows readers to learn about the nature of the content of each book. Each title is rated for action, conflict, humor, mystery, romance, spirituality and suspense, in addition to more sensitive issues like language, sensuality and violence. Users can also post reviews to the site and learn more about soon-to-be-released titles.

The database is the first of its kind and is not limited to books written by ACFW members. The organization is also working with publishers to ensure Christian novels by other authors are incorporated as well.

ACFW’s presence as the voice of Christian fiction and its industry prowess has long been recognized, and its authors are a mainstay on bestseller lists. FictionFinder.com is the organization’s latest effort to make finding the best in Christian fiction as easy as possible for fans around the world.

Quick facts about fictionfinder.com:
* Book information pages include facts about the publisher, main themes, setting and the author’s other titles.
* A special “similar books” section offers other titles the user may be interested in reading.
* Users can create an account with their preferences, making it easier to find new favorites.

With nearly 2,000 members and 19 chapters in 14 states nationwide, ACFW seeks to promote Christian Fiction through developing the skills of its authors, educating them in the market, and serving as an advocate in the industry. Founded in 2000 under the banner of American Christian Romance writers, in 2004 the organization was renamed American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) to reflect its dedication to Christian fiction writers of all genres.

ACFW is headquartered in Palm Bay, Florida. Their advisory and operating boards work to give writers the tools they need to develop their craft, grow ACFW’s extensive publishing knowledge and secure relationships with industry professionals. To learn more about ACFW and their authors, please visit www.acfw.com.

As a kid, I remember my dad telling me he got nuts and oranges in his stockings. To me, that was filler stuff. I wanted the good stuff. I wanted toys! And I've spent my time as 'Santa' buying fun things for my kids…dvd's, games, cd's candy, etc… It's much easier to buy stuff for my little girl as she loves all things girlie: lotions and lipgloss. But buying stocking stuffers the other day, I started to think about our lives are like stockings. What do we put into our lives… good things? Or bad things? Recently I had a discussion with a friend who was telling me that R rated movies…even things that might lean toward the X variety don't bother her. And a little question popped into my head -- shouldn't it? I aimed that question right at myself and some things I had allowed in my life came to mind. It was the Holy Spirit pointing out things to me that I needed to get rid of. Things that on the surface seemed fun and just entertainment but in reality weren't such good things. I removed those things from my life and it has felt soooooooooooo good! It's so easy to allow worldly things into our lives, things that on the surface seem fun, maybe even innocent, but it makes our hearts callus to evil, deception and wickedness. Phil 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." If we measured our movies and TV shows and music and books and all the entertainment we deem necessary in our lives up against this verse…oh might our eyes be opened! I think it would also remind us what this season is all about: not stockings or presents, not frolicking with friends or gorging on too many candies or cookies. It's all about the One who sacrificed His life for us--Jesus Christ.If we fill up our lives with Jesus, and things that are lovely and pure and noble and excellent, then those things will flow out of us.

When I was a little girl, I remember the mail at Christmas bringing lots and lots of Christmas cards. And I loved reading and folks my parents knew and seeing the pictures. My mother was very good at correspondence so they received a lot of Christmas cards. This year, it seems Christmas cards are few and far between. I keep hearing that from everybody. My little Santa pocket decoration that holds our cards is usually filled to the brim. Not quite yet this year. But I'm still hopeful. And yet, I'm a bit to blame myself. I haven't sent mine out yet either. My poor excuse is that I can't figure out my Excel file with all my addresses to make labels. And I'm sorry, but I'm too lazy to hand write all those addresses. Hopefully I'll get the labels made this weekend and start an assembly line with my kids stuffing envelopes, pasting labels and stamps. I've even written a Christmas letter this year. So I need to get that printed. I know some people don't like reading letters but I love it! It's like having a cup of coffee with friends that live far away. Our lives get so crazy and we lose track so easily. I love reading what my friends are doing and what their kids are up to. I love seeing their pictures every year and feel like that proverbial aunt pinching the cheek and saying, "My how they've grown!" But sometimes those Christmas letters are hard to read. I remember when a friend wrote that her 16 year old son had passed away that year. I didn't know. And I was so glad she'd managed to write about it and send it out. Because I wanted to know my friend was hurting so I could pray for her. So I could write her. So I could grieve with her. This year, I'll be writing about the loss of my father and my husband's grandmother. Some years are like that.

So, what do you think? Do you like Christmas cards? Christmas letters? Or do you think we're killing our planet with all the wasted paper?

This is a MUST HAVE at our house for Christmas.

Ritz crackers
Smooth peanut butter
White almond bark
Dark almond bark

Thinly spread half of crackers with peanut butter. Top with remaining crackers to make sandwiches. Melt white almond bark over hot water. Dip cracker sandwiches in melted bark a bit over halfway. Carefully lay cookie on waxed paper. When cookies are dry and can be handled, melt chocolate bark in another pan over hot water (or microwave). Dip cracker sandwiches in this to finish covering crackers. Result: Cookies are half black and half white and totally delicious! You can also sprinkle with decorative sugars. If you have any left over almond bark, spoon in nuts or pretzels. Yum!

My son is a fencer. A serious fencer. Fencing is a mental game. My husband recently handed him The Art of War and told him to read it for strategy. So my eleven year old has been devouring it. In the mean time, here comes a book for writers--The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell. Now writing is definitely a battle in so many ways. You battle with yourself, with rejection and insecurity, not to mention the publishing world. This is a book for all levels of writers. It's really fabulous! So buy it for the writer in your life and stick it in their stocking or under the tree.

In my quiet time this week, I was starting to read Exodus. I came upon this section and it's given me quite a lot of pause this week.

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live." 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?"

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."

20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Valuing the sanctity of life and fearing God. Have we lost that in our society today? Our founding fathers weren't all Christians but the fear of the Lord was very much a part of their mentality as they structured the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. How much of that plays into our governmental debate these days?

Last night I visited a local book club. They had read Ruby's Slippers. It was fun to visit with these wonderful women! it was also fun to revisit the characters from Ruby's Slippers. One of the readers had never watched the movie, Wizard of Oz, but she still enjoyed the book. I was glad to hear that.

Today I'm blogging about high concept again over at CAN! (Christian Authors Network). Come join me! http://canblog.typepad.com/

Jelly Center Cookies

½ cup cornstarch
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 cup sifted flour
¾ cup softened butter
red jam or jelly

Sift cornstarch and flour with sugar and blend in butter until soft dough forms. Shape in to 1 inch balls. Place 1 ½ inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with back of spoon. Make an indentation in center. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until set. They will not be brown. Fill centers with jam or jelly. Balls can be rolled in finely chopped nuts. Makes 3 dozen.

These are my favorite!

Her Patchwork Family by Lyn Cote
2nd in Gabriel Sisters series—"In the wake of the Civil War, three
women combat injustice and find true love."
Love Inspired Historical
ISBN 978-0373828258

Christmas is for Families…
And Felicity Gabriel intends to build a family right away! When she
inherits a mansion, she decides to turn it into a home for orphans.
But her first charges test her resolve. One child is a thief,
suspicious of her kindness. The other is the local judge's traumatized
daughter. Broken by war, Judge Tyrone Hawkins is devastated when his
little girl runs from him to Felicity. But Felicity's courage despite
the town's scorn for her orphanage and her caring way with his
daughter restore his lost faith. Now he wonders if they all can find
the family they seek…just in time for Christmas.

A thought to ponder on today:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!

Romans 11:33-36

Tis the season for a good, scrumptious recipe. This one is easy and fabulous!

Sinfully Simple Fudge

1 box powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 stick butter
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine sugar, cocoa, and butter. Microwave 1 minute on high. Remove and add milk, vanilla, and nuts. Mix well, but don’t beat. Spoon onto waxed paper lined dish. Refrigerate two hours.

Enjoy!

MONTEREY MEMORIES - Three novels by Gail Gaymer Martin set in the beautiful Monterey area in the central coast of California. The Barbour anthology includes the novels And Baby Makes Five, Garlic and Roses and Butterfly Trees.

Book Description
Walk the streets and countryside of Monterey, California, with three couples who are surprised by love in the midst of their busy lives. Chad helps Felisa when she goes into labor in his lettuce field. Juli meets Alan while volunteering at a soup kitchen. Ross takes an overdue vacation at Alissa’s bed-and-breakfast. Can busy people slow down enough to realize the love God has brought into their lives?



Reviews from AMAZON



Monterey Memories, an anthology, is a must buy. I truly love this book. In each of the three novels, set in the central coast of California, Gail writes of God's love with such ease and weaves His love throughout each story.

We see how faith and growth in the Word affects every aspect of the characters lives. Everyday normal people with trials and decisions, which we too, can identify. From trust, or acceptance to forgiveness, each of the story's characters learn to lean on God through their faith.

I'm adding this book to my gift list for friends and family. Who wouldn't want to find this warm, engrossing book in their stocking at Christmas? Or simply a gift to share.
REviewer: Carolyn J. Devaney



Gail's Bio:

Multi-award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of forty-three novels with three million books in print. Her novels have received seven national awards and was presented the Favorite Heartsong Presents Author Award for 2008. She writes for Steeple Hill, Barbour Publishing, and is the author of Writing the Christian Romance from Writers Digest. Gail is a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers and a popular keynote speaker and workshop presenter at conferences across the U.S. www.gailmartin.com.