Hello Again

Jasmine saleHi. You probably thought I forgot all about you. I know it’s been ages. I’m sorry. Let’s recap:

My novel launch went spectacular. Huge THANKS to Alexa Mason from Portland Rescue Mission and Sally Faddis from Door to Grace for coming and speaking about their ministry outreach programs for hurting women and children. It’s incredible what those two groups are doing to get women and children off the streets and love them for Christ.April Reading

 

We had a great turnout, ate lots of cookies, drank some wonderful coffee and tea and were safe and cozy away from the storm raging outside. I mean, what could be better than a good book and yummy treats? I know! If you were able to attend, thanks so much for being there sharing in a huge pinnacle moment for me. You made it extra special.

Snacks

 

Well, then came the crash. My physical crash. It took a full week to really recover from the excitement and tension of the event–thanks chronic illness! And then the family got head colds. Now I have a head cold. You see the pattern? So, really, I didn’t forget you, I’ve just been bogged down.

Now you’re thinking, but what about the contest? Who won? Without further delay:

CONGRATULATIONS to Jessica G. for winning the autographed copy of Jasmine!  WHOOP.  (I actually let her know via FB right after the contest ended–but I feel it’s important to make a public announcement!). Thanks to everyone who shared about my novel launch and the paperback release. I couldn’t have done that without you! You were great!

Amazing and humbling reviews are coming in for Jasmine. If you’ll permit, I’m going to share a few here, and then I’ll let you go. Thanks again for all the support and love. You really are the best!

What readers are saying about Jasmine:

“Jasmine is an incredibly well-written tale – one of those stories that makes me feel as though I truly know the characters.”

“Authentic.”

“Couldn’t put it down.”

“A beautiful story of rescue and redemption.”

“Jasmine is a deep, poignant story which provides hope and help for any who’ve suffered from abuse.”

“Jasmine was a raw look at the life of a survivor.”

“A captivating read with passages that melt your heart with the pain of Jasmine’s past and the struggle to find normalcy when her life has suffered from the deviant behavior of others.”

 

Have you read Jasmine? I’d really appreciate a review at your favorite online retailer or Goodreads. Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing, and thanks for all your encouragement!

 

 

 

 

You’re Invited: Jasmine Book Launch and Contest!

Jasmine 3D1Jasmine is officially released to paperback….TODAY! I’m super excited! Are you excited?? You can order your copy from your favorite online retailer below:

Amazon HERE

BooksAMillion HERE

Barnes & Noble HERE 

AND

Please  join me in person on September 22, 2013 for my book launch and signing party. I’ll also be selling books on site at that time. Part of the proceeds from my book sales will be donated to Portland Rescue Mission’s Shepherd’s Door and Door To Grace. Both ministries reach out to hurting homeless women and children. Two representatives from these wonderful ministries will be joining me and giving short talks.

Jasmine Novel Launch Party

September 22, 2013 From 3 p.m to 5 p.m

Newberg Christian Church
2315 Villa Rd
Newberg OR 97132 directions and map HERE

Will you help me spread the word that Jasmine is available in paperback? Please share, share, share on your Facebook, Twitter, G+, Blog, email, phone, text…um..word of mouth…tie little notes to your cat’s collar, carrier pigeon….um…oh, I know! Enter the contest below to win an autographed paperback copy of Jasmine. Make sure to leave me a comment on a creative/silly/wacky way YOU would promote my novel. You never know, I might just try it!

See you at my novel launch!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tea and Sympathy

OCWI’m sitting at my desk with a pot of tea planning for next week. The 12th to be exact. I’m heading off again to the Oregon Christian Writers summer conference. If you’re an aspiring author, or love writing and just don’t know how to channel  your passions better, take my advice: go to a writing conference. Where else in the world can you meet people that live in their heads like you do? That imagine deaths, births, marriages of fictional people and cry over them like you do? No one thinks you’re strange there!

Not only that, but there are classes to help you improve, meal times to increase your network, people to mentor, and chance encounters (or in my world, God-directed encounters) with other writers who will make you better, build you up, pray for you (if you attend Christian events) and be there when you’re experiencing personal doubts and crisis (read free counseling).

This year will be a bit different for me. This year I get to take my books with me. My wonderful editor Roseanna at WhiteFire Publishing has worked doubly hard to send me a box of advanced copies to take and put in the book store at the conference. If you’ve never been, this is a room set aside for all the published authors to share their wares. And this year, I get to, too. (Can you hear the yippee?).

I remember my first conference, some seven years ago, and walking into that room and seeing everyone’s novels and non-fiction books. From historical to how-to, they’re all there, many by authors I’d read  and several new ones. At the time, I was the librarian for my church, so I had a field day buying up local authors (Oregon seems to be a fertile land for Christian authors) and then taking them home with me for the library. I did that for many years, in fact. Such fun!

FYI the bookstore will be open for an autograph party on August 14th at the Jantzen Beach Red Lion from 4:45-5:45 if you want to drop by!

I’ll be posting about the conference on my Twitter feed and to my Facebook page. I’ll try to take photos and be diligent!

Meanwhile, could you do me a favor? If you’ve had a chance to read Jasmine in e-book or were one of the lucky few that pre-ordered the paperback and got it early (by Amazon error earlier this week!), would you stop by the Amazon site (or your favorite online retailer) and leave a review? I’d really appreciate it! It helps more than you know.

Writing…Roseanna

20043I was having a tough time coming up with a blog title for this post. I usually use song titles, but this one’s tough. As my editor’s name is Roseanna, and this relates to her blog, I think I can get away with that one. What do you think?

I’ve never had trouble selling things. Well…I had to believe in the product, but then I could sell it. I worked in sales through high school, through college and even after college when I was doing design. I would get very enthusiastic about whatever it was and that seemed to pour over and make others excited, too.

One thing I am not very good at, though, is chatting myself up. I think most people have a problem with that. It just feels awkward. So, thankfully today, I don’t have to chat myself up–my lovely editor has done it for me. If you’d be so kind to pop over to Roseanna White’s blog and read her review of Jasmine, I’d so appreciate it. Click right HERE.

She’s also running a contest of giveaways that you can enter very easily. It helps her, and it helps me 🙂 PLEASE leave a comment on her blog so she knows you’ve been there! And if you’ve had the chance to read Jasmine, or plan to when it comes out in paperback, let her know!

Thanks you guys! You’re the best.

Is there a song title you’d like to see me use? Leave me some suggestions in the comments below!

 

You Win!

SONY DSCIt’s been an exciting week with reviews for Jasmine coming in (almost all five stars) and the contest. Thanks to everyone who entered. We have THREE winners 🙂 Congratulations to Pat, Muriel and Pauline! WHOOOT! I’ve sent you an email to connect further and I’ll get your prizes of a free e-book copy of Jasmine and the Jars of Clay album, Good Monsters, to you.

Here are some highlights on what readers are saying about Jasmine:

“Jasmine is an amazing and heart-wrenching tale of hurt and healing.”

” I give Jasmine 5 stars.”

“This book was hard to put down, and brought me to tears several times.”

“This book had me on the edge of my seat.”

Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews and sharing with your friends about Jasmine.  If you’ve read it, would you please review? If you’re on Goodreads, please add Jasmine to your shelf to read and let folks know what you thought.  If you haven’t had a chance yet, and your e-book reader is nagging you for some new material, please hop here and click the link directly for your favorite device. AND if you like to read the paperback version, don’t worry, September 15th is just around the corner.

Thanks again for sharing! I’m counting on all of you to help me get the word out. The support you’ve given me has been tremendous. You guys are the best.