My review of The Guy I'm Not Dating by Trish Perry

At first, I didn't get the meaning of the title, but after I finished the book, it made total sense to me. The title fit the theme perfectly!

Kara Richardson is a personal trainer at a gym. Gabe Paolino is a new deli owner in town. Both are Christians and drawn to each other. But they have a problem. Kara was burned in a prior relationship and promised herself she will stop dating men and be friends first. Then if the Lord leads...

Gabe is a fairly new Christian who attracts women like bees to honey, but he’s only interested in one woman, Kara. The concept of not dating intrigues him so much he buys the book Kara references. Then he decides he likes the idea and they resolve to be friends. Friends who see each other A LOT. Friends who travel together with several teens, two hilarious old ladies, and one conceited woman who won’t leave Gabe alone. Friends who share their hopes and dreams and discuss matters of the heart.

The laugh-out-loud adventures of Gabe and Kara, who are so incredibly attracted to each other, lead to some pretty tense, but poignant moments in this novel. So many times I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for one of them to grab the other. LOL! Great romance here, but also very clean! Well done!

An innocent desire to know each other more drives a lot of Gabe and Kara’s behavior, but it tortures Kara that she’s so attracted to him. However, she realizes there are traits Gabe has that have nothing to do with his looks, but have made him totally endearing to her. Like putting other people's needs before his own. That speaks volumes to Kara. Gabe is truly the ultimate hero. I loved him!

In case the reader missed that point about beauty not being as attractive as character, the author portrays it again in Tiffany, who is completely into herself and thinks of no one else's needs...ever. The author shows how being Christ-like can attract people to Christ, though in this story not every soul is saved. But that's real life.

The elderly women, Addie and Lurlene, added a lot of charm to this novel. I guess when you’re as old as dirt you can tell it like it is, and those old ladies had some real zingers... especially with Tiffany, the character most readers would love to hate. And sweet Addie was practically senile, making for some very humorous situations.

In this novel there were some very touching and insightful moments that I think every Christian should experience. And the ability the author had to make you care about the characters was truly amazing! This book was not only fun (though it was hilarious), but it also caused me to think differently. I’m very impressed with the underlying theme in The Guy I’m Not Dating, and I highly recommend it. The Guy I'm Not Dating is published by Harvest House and was released in August 2006.

I was right about Freefall...

It was only my exhaustion from the trip. So when I was on the plane trying to read the story I was so tuckered out that I lost interest in the plot for a short while. Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann is an awesome read and I'm soaking up every page. Fantastic tension. Those of you who know me know that I totally love a romantic story with lots of believable tension between the hero and heroine. Yowsa! Freefall has it all...including some edge, and it's coming out in November 2006. To add, The Guy I'm Not Dating by Trish Perry also has fantastic tension between characters and features a woman you just want to strangle. Poor Kara is really tested in her ability to be gracious. Tee hee. Great stuff!!! I love it!

My review of The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell...

Now that the ACFW e-zine has made it's official debut, I'm posting my review on The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell. It's the same review, so if you've read the e-zine you don't need to read further. Otherwise, enjoy!

Jackie Harrison, an ultra-conservative-environmentalist-geek-civilian-employee of the military, and blogger on the sly, is one quirky lady. Her ordered world is flawless until an attractive, single, Lieutenant Colonel invades her personal space—literally. A cubicle wall is all that divides their offices, hence the title of Jackie’s anonymous blog. Jackie uses her TCND blog to express her private thoughts without fear of discovery—until her posts appear on television.

Dedicated to pulling Jackie from her comfort zone, Lt. Col. “Joe” Gallagher discovers his officemate’s unresolved issues. Abandonment caused Jackie to insulate her feelings to avoid pain. Undeterred, Joe stirs her heart until she can’t see straight, and when the proverbial calm follows the storm, Jackie has some tough choices to make.

Cubicle is an enchanting tale and the characterization is flawless. Jackie’s hang-up about straw usage is hilarious. Joe’s dimpled charm makes him endearing. The setting grabbed me. I experienced Manitou’s unique traditions, it’s frigid weather, and the Air Force “culture.”

The ending was to-die-for-perfect, and had me smiling and zipping through the TCND blog posts one more time. A joyride I’ll not soon forget, Cubicle explores an important question: What if God has more planned for your life than you do?

What I'm reading this final week in September 2006...

I picked up a few new books to add to the ones I'd already started before conference. I'm reading Beetle Bunker by Robert Elmer, Calm, Cool, and Adjusted by Kristin Billerbeck, Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann, The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist, and The Guy I'm Not Dating by Trish Perry.If I were to rate them at this moment in regards to them holding my interest I'd have to say that Calm, Cool and Adjusted is now right up there with The Guy I'm Not Dating, which is my fav right now. I just started Billerbeck's book today at lunch. Boy, that sucker is going to be a fun read. Love Kristin's dry humor and her ability to create believable conflicts. I am also totally digging the wry humor and amazing attraction between the characters in Trish's book, plus the message is fantastic! I haven't peeked at The Measure of a Lady in a week, but it was very interesting when I started. I need to crack it open again. I'm also very much enjoying Beetle Bunker. However, my interest in Freefall has waned a bit and I'm only halfway through the book. Maybe from exhaustion because I tried reading it on the plane back home? I dunno. I'll crack it open again. Oh, and tonight is the first night of the Bible study I'm leading at church using Tracie Peterson et als' book I Can't Do it All. It's so funny because I'm feeling pretty swamped right now. So I'll be preachin' to the choir folks. Hmmm...maybe the study is more for me than anyone else. Imagine that!

I created a Slide Show of the ACFW conference in Dallas 2006! Check it out!

Here are some snapshots from the chocolate party...

I know, I should've taken a picture of the huge table full of goodies. Instead I have a few pics courtesy of Gina Conroy taken during the second wave of guests. Here they are...


Here is a picture of me with Gina Conroy. Isn't she cute!



Here is a picture of me with a group of chocoholics...Tiff, Meredith, Vicki, Heather, me and I forgot the other gal's name. Aw, nuts...



This is Randy I. giving me bunny ears. The stinker!

I'm back from Dallas and loaded down with...

chocolate, books, and cool silent auction stuff. I won a bunch of chocolate bath salts, body butter, lotions, shower scrub, etc. All chocolate scented. Very cool. I now have a zillion more books to read (slight exaggeration) and three more came in the mail while I was gone. The chocolate party I hosted was great. When one group of about 30 left, another group came after the late night chats. It was a blessed time as well. Unfortunately most people didn't take their chocolate with them when they left so I had two huge bags and one box of goodies leftover. Needless to say I was passing out candy for two days. We had specialty chocolates imported by attenders from France, South Africa, Bermuda, Hawaii, Seattle, California, Illinois, and they also brought lots of Lindt Swiss chocolates (my favorites) to boot. T'was heavenly, I'm telling you. I hardly got any sleep, however, so that wasn't so hot, but otherwise I had a blast. Harvest House requested a proposal after I pitched to Kim Moore. I have one ready, but just need to update it. The food was great, the fellowship was fantastic, and I'm very glad I went. Give me a few days and I'll post a book review and some cool pictures of popular authors from the conference (many were taken with me in the pictures.) I plan to post the majority of them on my website, but if you check both places you won't miss anything. Ciao!

Off to Dallas for the ACFW conference

I've got everything I need! If I get a chance to check my mail, I'll definitely do it. Otherwise you won't hear from me until Sunday night or Monday. TTFN Ta ta for now.

My review of Together for Good by Melanie Dobson

Together for Good is an awesome read. It has a great plot with several unique twists and subplots. Instead of the same-old same-old, this time the story focuses on a woman who wanted a child and the birthmother reclaimed the child before relinquishing her rights. Now twenty years later, Abby needs to know if her almost-son was safe and doing well.

The author created loveable characters who felt like real people to me. And the guys were hunks! Amazingly well-written for a debut novel, IMHO. All around, I'm impressed. The character emotion and grief issues felt real. Plus, to top it all off, the author obviously did her research and got her facts straight about adoption. Whoo hoo! I hate it when an author is clueless about the subject matter and they guess at how the system works.

In addition, I felt like I was in the Puget Sound during the story. I love slipping into another time and place. Honestly, the scenery and sailing felt very real to me. Now I want to visit Washington and Puget Sound. I loved the snorkeling scenes and the wildlife sightings. Wonderful description of the orcas, too. Plus, this story had an environmental issue as part of the plot, so awareness about the harmful effects of pollution came across. Very cool.

The ending was a bit of a tear jerker, but it perfectly illustrated the scripture from Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.

I had a warm fuzzy along with my clogged throat when I reached the end of the story. the kind that makes you want to sigh with satisfaction. The story didn't have a tidy, unrealistic ending, but one that glorified God! I loved this book and highly recommend it! Oh, and it was very romantic even without a lot of physical contact. Very well done!

Together for Good was published by Kregel and was released in June 2006.

The first story I'd ever written...

Okay guys and gals... To read the first chapter of the very first story I'd ever written, go to my website. You'll enjoy it, I promise. The current title is The Shy Captain. It's a modern day western set in Tombstone! Past titles were The Shady Lady and For the Love of James. To find the chapter go to my WIPs page. Enjoy!!!

Here is the link... www.michellesutton.net

What I'm reading this weekend before conference...

I'm trying to read as many books as possible before conference. Ones that I plan to get autographed I'm packing in my suitcase to take with me. My husband says he can't imagine me buying anything at the bookstore in Dallas when I have so many books already. He has a good point there. So the likelihood of me parting with any cash at the bookstore is slim to none, unfortunately. I still have a few books I bought back in Denver that I haven't read yet. Sigh.

The lovely Melanie Dobson will be rooming with Malia and I, so Together for Good is top of my list and I'm halfway done with the novel. They are just now getting to Washington and Abby is going to the adoption agency where all of her heartache began. I can't wait to find out what happens next. I just started The Guy I'm Not Dating because I totally dig Trish Perry and waited what seemed like forever for that puppy to arrive in the mail. Chapter one was hilarious. On to two soon...

I also started The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist. I couldn't help myself. I love her stuff. And the beginning reminded me of the scene in Redeeming Love when Angel arrived in San Francisco back in the gold rush days. I hope to read What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson soon. Maybe I'll read that one on the plane. :) It's so hard deciding what to read when I have so many wonderful choices! Stay tuned and I'll keep you appraised of my latest interests.

My review of The Recital by Robert Elmer

The Recital is a lower key story than I usually read, but very touching and sweet. The more I got to know the characters the more I liked them. The hero in the story was a tender hearted farmer and the heroine was a big city musician who was in her element teaching students at Gaylord in Chicago. The story started out pretty hilarious with the heroine, Joan, burning a meal for her sweetheart. Then came marriage and a move. I enjoyed experiencing the adjustments the older couple had to make as newleyweds. Some parts were sweet, yet flirtatious and fun. Other sections of the story were sentimental and spirited, especially their sparring on occasion. Overall, I grew to care about the characters so much that I got all choked up at the end. What a gripping story. It made me think about life, love, and enjoying the moment. I'm glad I stuck with this novel and highly recommend it. The Recital was published by Waterbrook Press and came out in June 2006.

My review of Candy Bombers by Robert Elmer

Candy Bombers is a fantastic story for kids and young teens. It highlights some real events that happened in post WWII Germany. What a great way to teach kids history, especially the positive side.

I've read a lot of WWII era stories and never once heard of the man who dropped candy over Berlin (and in particular the communist side) as a kind gesture to the people in a war-torn land to show that Americans really did want to help them. That's such a neat story. Candy Bombers is loaded with intrigue and in some places contains really great tension. The story has villains and some scary scenes, but nothing young teens couldn't handle. After all, most kids watch more violence on television. The values shown in this story make it worth reading, IMHO. Especially now that communism is not nearly as well-known as it had been during my youth.

I enjoyed Candy Bombers immensely and highly recommend The Wall series by Robert Elmer, of which Candy Bombers is the first book. The series is published by Zondervan.

My review of Wishing on Dandelions by Mary DeMuth

From the publisher:When Miss Peach arrives to take over the only place Maranatha's ever called home---leaving trails of fabric swatches and cloying perfume in her wake---it rouses Maranatha's issues with trust. Can the 17-year-old, whose childhood was bruised by abandonment and abuse, sort out the confusing layers of love for friends, family, boyfriends---and God?

My review:

Wishing on Dandelions is another amazing work of art by the author, Mary DeMuth. The prose is beautiful, the story is riveting, and I loved the entire novel. The characters are so real. Some parts were so funny they had me rolling and other parts had me on the edge of my seat. I loved Watching the Tree Limbs, but I think I love Wishing on Dandelions even more. I love how the author shows true Christianity in her stories through the love that is shown to Maranatha by the people who care about her.

I also loved the honest portrayal of merely religious people and their stifling ways. They are often the people who stunt the growth of new and struggling believers. Oh, and the tension between Maranatha and the two Charlies was fantastic, and the racism issue very realistic. Plus, the reluctance Maranatha exhibited in regards to helping put the "bad guy" in jail is very typical of abuse victims. They are SO afraid. Totally believeable.

Georgeanne and the uncle are so classic--as is their relationship. I loved watching them grow emotionally by occasionally popping from behind their protective walls to show affection to Maranatha the only way they knew how. And I loved Camilla's quirky poem ministry to Maranatha. Great stuff! You have to read the story to get my meaning there. The long and short of this review is...I don't want the series to end. I want to see Maranatha get married and deal once again with the issues that will arise when she makes those sacred vows and bears children. I hope the publisher agrees! Highly recommended!

Wishing on Dandelions was published by NavPress and released September 2006.

My review of Georgia on Her Mind by Rachel Hauck

Georgia on Her Mind is a totally inspirational title. Not the title itself, but the story behind it. I love it when a book makes me sigh at the end and say to myself, "Now THAT was a great story." Georgia on Her Mind made me do just that.

I did get a bit frustrated with Macy a few times, but she just did what most of us do...ask for advice and then do something different anyway. And the appearances thing really rang true for me. I'd climbed the government ladder to become the youngest supervisor for the State at 28 (in my division) only to decide to spend more time with my family and less time at work when I was 30, so that year I felt like I'd taken a zillion steps back in my career. But I'm still glad I listened to God. The joy we find in life is not measured by our status or the value of our possessions. To me, Georgia on Her Mind is a fantastic illustration of that lesson.

Not only was this story laugh-out-loud funny in many places, but I found it quite touching and insightful as well. Sometimes God hooks us up with the most unlikely people that we would never choose to be friends with. Then we find out the person is searching for Him. How exciting it is to lead someone to Christ. It's one of the most satisfying things in a Christian's life, to know that they introduced someone to a peace that surpasses all understanding, to mind-boggling joy and agape love.

That's what Georgia on Her Mind did for me. It made me want to love people enough to take the time for them and truly listen to what they are saying so I can be sensitive to what God wants me to do. Of all of the chick lit I've read in the past few years I think this has impacted me the most spiritually. I highly recommend this debut novel!

Georgia on Her Mind was published by Steeple Hill and released in August 2006.

What I'm reading this 2nd week in September...

First of all, I have to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying Georgia on Her Mind by Rachel Hauck. My instincts were right on. I love it! Only two chapters left and I'll post a review. I started Candy Bombers by Robert Elmer and I'm half-done. It's fiction for 8-12 year olds and I like it because it's about post WWII Germany. Great idea! I'm also reading Together for Good by Melanie Dobson. I'm 1/3 of the way through. I can't wait to find out how the heroine is going to connect with her past. Very interesting premise. And the whale related stuff in Puget Sound is also great reading. I'm still reading The Recital by Robert Elmer. The hero and heroine have just moved to the big city. I'm a little over half finished with that one. I think the next historical I'm going to start is The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist. Looks good and I only peeked at the first page. Oh, and I almost forgot! I started Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann yesterday. It isn't coming out until November but I've got an unedited galley. :) I love Kristen's stories.

Chapter 1 of When Love Collides posted!

For those of you who read the prologue and wanted more... I've posted the first chapter of When Love Collides on my website. I hope you enjoy it. I may post chapter 2 next week. We'll see what happens. A number of people read my prologue and wanted to see what happened next, so I figured why not share? This story is currently not at a publishing house, so there is no conflict of interests. Oh, and did I mention that this is the chapter that finaled in the Great Beginnings contest that you see posted under my signature in my emails. Enjoy! My website address is... www.michellesutton.net

My bright-eyed fuzzy-headed niece Katie!

Isn't she just beyond cute!!!

The Floodgates have opened!

Here is a list of the books that arrived at my house just in the past two weeks (to be reviewed) and several of them I had no idea were coming. I know for a fact that at least six more books are on their way. GAH! I love reading, so I'll take a few deep breaths...

Lucky by Staci Stallings (I'm so looking forward to reading anything she writes)
Through Every Storm by Shar MacLaren (The cover is gorgeous and I'm looking forward to cracking this one open, too.)
The Wedding Caper by Janice Thompson (again, I wanted this one...still waiting for Hurricaine, though)
The Guy I'm Not Dating by Trish Perry (all I can say is, Whoo hoo! This is my kind of story!)
The Jade Bracelet by Wilma Wall (Never heard of her and didn't know about this one, but the story looks good!)
Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turner (I own three of her books and have yet to read one. I guess this will be my first. I didn't know this was coming.)
Mozart's Sister by Nancy Moser (Now this was a nice surprise. I've been wanting to read this one and God must've known because He sent it to me. Whoo hoo! Now if He'd also send me Letter Perfect by Cathy Marie Hake I'll be floating on a cloud!)
Marta's Promise by Jeanne Dennis and Sheila Seifert (another surprise, but it looks good so I'll still read it.)
3 book series for kids by Robert Elmer - Candy Bombers, Beetle Bunker, and Smuggler's Treasure. (They look fantastic and I love WWII fiction!)
Did I mention I still have three books I need to finish (that I'd started already) and 30 waiting. But God is good! I can do this!!!

SO exciting!

You all are a great bunch! I had more people sign my guestbook than I'd even asked to check it out. Almost 60 messages in less than 8 hours. Now that's great for sales, eh? It's also nice to know that I have so many friends. Now if I can just sell a book...

Guestbook added!

I've been playing with my new website as you all know. I just added a guestbook this morning. Can you guys be sweethearts and sign it with a nice message for me? Thanks! The addy is.... www.michellesutton.net

My review of When the Heart Cries by Cindy Woodsmall

When the Heart Cries is a great title for this book because it sums up the gist of the story in one phrase. What happened to Hannah was a shame, but the reaction to what happened to her was even worse, which is often the case with abuse victims. I felt for Hannah, but not at first. I didn't know her well enough when the trauma occurred to feel connected to her, but as I read on I grew attached to the poor young lady. How awful it must be to be expected to be so compliant in so many ways or risk being shunned. On the brighter side...

That first kiss....WOW! Great writing there. Major kudos to Cindy! I was caught up in the action. I'm a really big fan of well-written kissing scenes. You want me to love a book? Put some tension between the couple and great kissing and you'll get big points from me. :) And the pain she felt when Paul didn't wait to listen to what happened to her just about ripped my heart in two. Great emotion there.

Overall, I'd say the author did a tremendous job illustrating how culture influences so many things. And the sprinkling in of Pennsylvania Dutch words and other Amish items like the buggies gave the story an authentic feel. Makes me want to visit Lancaster County again. The last time I'd toured the Amish homesteads was about 26 years ago, but I still remember them.

Without giving away the storyline, I'll just say that the ending was gripping, yet still provides hope. Some of Hannah's Amish friends exemplified true Christianity as demonstrated by their heart for her, and by their compassion. You know the scripture and song...They'll know we are Christians by our love. When the Heart Cries is a wonderful portrayal of this truth! When the story ended I was a bit sad because I wanted to read more, but overall, I felt more hope and excitement about the next book in the series. I can't wait to see what God does in Hannah's heart during the interim.

When the Heart Cries was published by Waterbrook Press and released September 2006.

My review of DragonKnight by Donita K. Paul...

DragonKnight is um...interesting. Let me clarify. It has incredibly imaginative characters, strange incidences, bizarre creatures, and adventure up the wazoo! My kids are diehard fans of Ms. Paul and have devoured each book the moment they came in the mail. I can see why. Though I'm not a fantasy enthusiast, I can appreciate their position because DragonKnight is truly an intriguing tale. Those quiss scared the bejeebers out of me and whenever they attacked the gore was PG-rated and very realistic. I also loved NRae and Jue Seeno and their special talents. My only regret is that I hadn't read the first two books in the series first, but my kids had warned me to start from the beginning. Other than that, DragonKnight was a fun ride, and very reader-friendly for a fantasy novel. DragonKnight was published by Waterbrook Press and I recommend it.

About gaining five pounds...

With fear and trepidation I approached the scales today convinced that the lobster, crab legs, Mexican food, desserts, etc. that I indulged in over the long weekend packed on the pounds. I mean what normal person eats out like twelve or more times in a row? (Actually, that will be the case for me again in Dallas. Uh-oh.) Well, here's the drum roll....And please, don't hate me, but..... I weight the same. HUH? I'm not complaining. Really I'm not. I asked for a miracle and well, that counts in my book. :)

My favorite picture of hubby and me on vacation...

Okay, so my hair was a bit windblown and my eyes a little bit bleary-looking. I didn't say it was perfect, just the best one. Hehehehe

My review of The Good Nearby by Nancy Moser

The following has the same content as the review which will be posted on the Christian Book Preview site, so this review is officially "as seen on the Christian Book Preview site." However, this version is the unedited longer review.



The Good Nearby is loaded with conflict and intriguing characters. Margery wants to be treated with respect and loved by her husband. But her greatest longing is to have a child. She believes that is her purpose in life--what she was born to do. Angie wants to be unconditionally loved by her husband, whose need to control her at times is suffocating and maddening. She longs for peace. To be free to make her own choices. Gladys is losing her sight. She desperately needs to give and receive love, but she has always been strong and self-sufficient. For her, to soften and let someone into her heart is perceived as weak, something she refuses to be.

Gennifer is a successful attorney with a health condition so shameful to her that she won't even tell her husband or daughter. Her emotional withdrawal pushes her husband toward another woman, and her daughter toward a female mentor, thus sending Gennifer's core relationships into a crisis mode. But for Gennifer to admit her need for support is too painful, so she holds back and suffers alone, until God grabs ahold of her heart.

Talia's husband is going to die if he doesn't get a heart transplant. So not only does Talia have to take care of her two-year-old and her husband, but she has to keep the house in order, cook, work full-time to pay the bills, and to top all that...she's seven months pregnant. She longs for rest; to feel desired and wanted. Her boss distracts her when he pays her the kind of attention her husband used to lavish on her. She longs for her Christian husband to be well, to take back control of the finances, and to have a love life again. But she refuses to ask God to help her until she feels him slipping away.

And finally there is Gigi, the lost and abandoned child who is a very quirky character--and I loved her. She's obsessed with the number 96 and thinks anything connected with that number is lucky. She also is entralled with the idea of death because her grandmother tought her about faith, and her grandmother said she looked forward to dying because she would be with the Lord. Gigi is told by her grandmother before her death that Gigi will be the good nearby if she lets God work in her life. As Gigi grows up she struggles to survive emotionally, and forgets some of the things she learned as a young girl from her grandmother, the only person who had genuinely loved her. God brings those memories back as she goes through hard times. He redeems her pain for His glory.

The Good Nearby moved me to tears...of joy. It's the most fantastic redemption story I've ever read besides the Bible. It's also the best illustration I've seen of how God takes our pain and makes beauty from the ashes of our lives. Gigi's character is written in the first person. The reader sees the world through Gigi's eyes. The other characters are written in the third person so you know what they are thinking, but the way it's done is so amazing and powerful that it's hard to explain.

Experiencing The Good Nearby is like examining a tapestry from the back side. You see some attractive places, but you also find a lot of knots and stuff that doesn't resemble anything upon close examination. Just like the lives of the characters in this story. They are real, messed up people whom I could identify with. Not everyone is strong. In fact, many of us are dysfunctional and weak at times. The author beautifully illustrates their struggles in a way that makes you want to encourage them rather than slap them senseless. You see their history and exactly what led them to the place they were at in life. You also see what "had" to happen in their lives for God to reach their hearts. And of course, not everyone is reached. But that's real life.

As mentioned above, The Good Nearby is like examining a tapestry from the wrong side. Only at the end of the story the author flips it around and you see the beautiful work that God created as He moved in the characters' lives. For me, the experience was breathtaking. I found it absolutely amazing how the author transformed things at the end of the story. I'm convinced that God's hand is in this story. And just when I thought the loose ends came together with perfection, the author entwined a few more.

As a social worker I've seen miracles like this happen in real life, so none of it seemed contrived or unrealistic to me. In fact, this story blessed me so much I felt like I was coming out of my skin when I finished. I found it very difficult to explain to others, however, because there are so many characters with different problems that my listeners got lost in the details. So I just told people, "You just have to read the book. It'll change the way you see things and your heart will be forever changed." As I'm typing this review my eyes are filling with tears because I can feel the Holy Spirit moving. I give The Good Nearby my highest recommendation. The story was published by Tyndale and will be released in October 2006.

I'm baaaaack!

Well, it was lovely the first day, nice the second, and poured rain like crazy the rest of the time. The roads were flooded and the works. Something about a hurricaine? LOL! Anyway, we had a blast. I got some great pictures of all kinds of stuff. We saw a ghost town, toured an astronaut museum, checked out Old Mesilla--which is famous for Billy the Kid, and explored other places not as thrilling--like the mall (where I bought some great undies! A-hem.) New Mexico is almost as purty as Arizona. As soon as I figure out how to download the pictures I took, I'll post some. Oh, and I think I gained over 5 pounds. We ate like royalty and it shows on my thighs. LOL!