This post has been reposted where it belonged in the first place:

http://wendsdayschild.blogspot.com/2008/08/scatterbrain-todays-post.html

All the comments have been posted there, too.

Anne Bradshaw is sponsoring a contest over on her blog:

Not Entirely British

I've heard some absolutely fabulous things about the book she is reviewing and giving away. I'm hoping to win - so all of you go here and read the review, but leave the prize for me, 'kay?

In one short month, cheerful army nurse Maddie Bright has become the darling of Prairie Springs, Texas. And if former Apache helicopter pilot Jake Hopkins isn't careful, she just might conquer his heart.


Those of you who know me at all probably know that romance is not, generally, my cup of tea. I'll be the first to tell you that the usual reasons are as follows: smut (meaning things I wouldn't let someone do in my living room), and stupidity (meaning the characters).

So when I had the chance to review a Christian romance, I figured at least one of those reasons would be gone. What the heck?

Happily, Brenda Coulter has two for two! Not only is there no smut, her characters are real - they're not just stupid for the sake of keeping the romantic suspense. And so I am more than glad to write an absolutely glowing review for her book "At His Command"!

Opening lines are something of a enigma for writers - and the first line of At His Command is an absolute prize winner.

"Texas attorney Jake Hopkins was severely allergic to two things: peanuts and a sweet young Army nurse named Madeline Bright. "

and the explanation in the next paragraph is just as good:

"All he had to do was clap eyes on the chestnut-haired, blue-eyed beauty and his pulse raced, his throat closed up, and his brain stalled out. Since that was pretty much what happened whenever Jake got too close to a peanut, he figured the evidence spoke for itself."

I have a standing rule to never disclose spoilers, so I don't intend to give much detail, but I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The long and short of it is that I would highly recommend this book, and here's why:

It is clean - no smut - but there is a really great kiss! It is a romance, after all!

It is religious - but not preachy. It shows the simplicity of living the faith one believes as a straight-forward part of life, without trying to explain why or convice anyone. I, personally, loved that!

The characters are real - stubborn, faulty, and true to life.

They're the sort of people you'd like to sit behind in church.

At His Command by Brenda Coulter
(ISBN 0373-874960, Large print ISBN 0370-813740)
Available for a limited time at Wal-Mart and many other stores beginning August 26, 2008

To read an excerpt, visit http://brendacoulter.com/

Several years ago, when I first was toying with the idea of being a writer, I came across an online writers group. It wasn't the typical sort that you find, where you post your pet project and have people tell you how wonderful it is without being much help.

It was unique, truly different than anything I had seen before, or have seen since.

This writers group gave it's members an assigned topic to write on every month, and guidelines to follow. Instead of hashing over something you had already done, it gave you a prompt to write something completely new. It was an amazingly effective motivation.

Once posted, the other members in the group (never more than ten to a group) would give feedback, which by the guidelines established in the rules must be constructive - not just 'oh, that's great'. And each member is expected to give feedback to each of the others in their group, which weeded out those who might come in just to post and get a pat on the back, then never come back. In fact, it was here that I found the friends who helped me finish my very first novel.

Recently, I went back to the group. I missed it terribly, and found myself in a blah zone, and needed the motivation. Much to my dismay, the site is now all but defunct. Only a handful of die-hards even bother to go there anymore, and anyone who would apply is ignored. The administrator can't seem to be found, and the site address is set to expire shortly. I could have cried.

That group was such a fantastic tool, resource, and guide for me all those years ago that I can't stand the idea of it disappearing into the netherworld. So I am borrowing the basic structure, and dedicating a new site to the one that went before.

Introducing:

Think I'm onto something here, maybe?