Jerri Kelley! Congrats! Please send me your snail mail address and I'll pop the ARC of Forsaken in the mail to you. Thanks everyone for playing!

Labels: Forsaken, winner of book

Have you ever had that feeling? You're a mile from Gramma's house and you can't wait to get there? Or the flight attendants are securing the cabin for landing and you're on your dream vacation? Or you're closing on that house you've always wanted and the movers are coming? Or you're ten months pregnant and you're waiting for that first labor pain so you can actually hold that sweet baby in your arms? There's much angst and excitement and nervousness in the anticipation of these events.

Well, I've been waiting a long time for this 'baby' to arrive. It's not a visit or a trip or a move or a real baby, but to writers we often refer to our books as our babies because we tend them with such care and devotion as a mother tends to her baby. And so, my baby is ALMOST here! Just a few weeks until August 1st when it officially releases! And just like packing for a trip or moving or preparing for the arrival of a baby, there is much to do.

Today, I've posted an excerpt on my website! I hope you'll take a look. This is not the usual first chapter of the book. But I hope you will enjoy it. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a different excerpt on my e-newsletter. So here ya go:

http://leannaellis.com/books.html

Just go to the book page on my website (www.leannaellis.com) and click on Plain Fear: Forsaken. You'll see the button to click on the left in red.

Labels: Amish, Amish fiction, excerpt, Plain Fear: Forsaken, Vampire/Amish, vampires

I'm running a contest this month for folks on my e-newsletter to win a copy of Dorothy Love's new book: Beyond All Measure. Comment on the picture of Sawyer and what you think he's reading for a chance to win. I will draw a name June 7th!

Labels: Beyond All Measure, contest, Dorothy Love, e-newsletter

Thirteen years ago, I gave birth to my baby boy. It was a long, scary pregnancy, with lots of visits to the doctor, way too many sonograms, and all sorts of prayers tossed heavenward. Thankfully, all the fears were ungrounded, and he was born perfectly healthy. But then two weeks after his birth, we were sitting in the pediatric cardiologists office. Let me just say, I haven't experienced anything worse than that. It's not like your baby is born with a crooked nose or one ear higher than the other. We're talking HEART issues! And my husband and I were SCARED. Believe me, we hit our knees and prayed and prayed and prayed. Now I know many other parents who have had to face worse situations than this, and thankfully my son's issue resolved itself and his heart was healed. And my heart was changed. God really used that time in my life to change me, and I am so grateful. What a blessing it has been to watch my son grow and mature. He is turning into quite a man, and I am so proud of him and so blessed that God placed him in my care even temporarily. May God continue to bless my son and guide him in His will.

Labels: birthday, blessings, boys, heart