Scribble and Scrambles - Double Trouble

Lily and Lola...



At 45 lbs. each, lounging post-surgery on a queen size bed.

Did I mention they are still growing?

Just in their 6th month of life. Used to be their human could carry one under each arm. Ha. Now they drag her.

I think this might be my shortest post ever. But you know what they say about pictures.

Yes. That.

Serials and Scenarios - Deadfall

Robert Liparulo's latest, Deadfall, is a power-packed read. He returns to the Dregs on Friday. In the meantime click on the book cover or here to find out more about Robert and Deadfall.

Read the special offer at the end of this post!

My Review:

If you aren't already watching Robert Liparulo's climb to the the inner circle of big gun contenders in Christian fiction, you really need to. Robert Liparulo will become one of the names that defines thriller.

Deadfall starts with a bang and ends with a well-deserved sigh. Every chapter in between is a tension driven page-turner full of twists, realistically rendered impossibilities and narrow escapes. Not only is the book driven, its full of characters that grab at the heart of the reader. Evil has faces and heart -- misguided, but painted like a real, living, breathing human being with subtle nuances, dysfunction and a definition of justice and humanity.

Technology that could be real, could be in existence right now or will be in just a matter of time is terrifying in its potential misuse, just as Liparulo demonstrated with biology in Germ. There is no preaching in Deadfall. Just a sense of evil's destruction paired with a fragment of hope and a hint of God's hand.

Those who can't handle thrillers need to leave this one alone. Blood and guts are present but not overdone and certainly not gratuitous. Fans of Monster by Peretti will likely love Deadfall. Lovers of sport, video games, fiction with twists and turns, Dekker fans, hunters and those who love the stories of overcomers and against-all-odds tales should find much to like in Deadfall.

It won't be long before Liparulo joins Dekker and Peretti.

A NOTE from Bob:

I’d like to give away five signed copies of Deadfall to readers of CFBA blogs during my tour.

All they have to do is sign up for my e-mailing list (they won’t be inundated!) by going to my website (www.robertliparulo.com) and going to the “Mailing List” page. Or email me with “CFBA giveaway” in the subject line.

And a second NOTE from Bob:

I wanted to let you know that I’m holding a contest on my site:

**one winner a week till the end of the year for a signed Deadfall

**one winner a week till the end of the year for an unabridged audio MP3-CD of Deadfall

***and on Dec. 31, I’m giving away an iPod Nano, pre-loaded with an unabridged audio recording of Deadfall

Winners are selected from my e-mailing list—sign up at my site. If a winner has already purchased what he/she wins, I will reimburse them for the purchase price (or give them another—whichever they choose), so they don’t need to wait to see if they win before buying Deadfall.

Scribbles and Scrambles - Vessels and Vanity

I hopped over to Novel Journey to catch my friend Janet's Sunday devotional and discovered it talked to me where I'm at today.

How often I look at others and envy what they have. But how often am I willing to walk in their shoes? Or live in their life?

I tend to want to pick and choose from the grocery store of life with the option to discard the consequences of those choices like a banana peel. Kind of "have it my way....always." Belly up to the deli counter, load up on summer sausage and ask for the cholesterol on the side, thank you very much.

Janet shared a story nearly as old as time. Cain and Abel. Not that I'd ever want to murder someone for their talent or attitude or success, but occasionally I've toyed with the green-eyed monster when he whispers sweet nothings in my ear.

My aunt sent me a couple of links about Paul Potts. If you haven't seen this here's your chance. Watch the faces of the judges and audience as the video progresses.

Is there anything more wondrous than raw material or an imperfect vessel in the hands of God? Is there anything more amazing than the God of the universe attaching talents, gifts and good works to earthen vessels here today and gone tomorrow?

So, who are we to question God's choice of who will receive what? Who am I to envy the success or talent of another when I don't necessarily tend to my own path. Maybe I should plant gardens along my road instead of eyeing the beautiful patches belonging to my fellow sojourners.

Thank You, Lord for Your incredible patience and wisdom. Help us to discover who You want us to be, and what You've given us to complete, and help us find the joy and the peace in the journey.

Scribbles and Scrambles - NO!

What's in a word?

One of my personal favorites is a short one. To the point. Concise. Oops -- I've become redundant.

One syllable. Easily learned by toddlers and a staple for two-year-olds.

A cinch to interpret unless you have no access to body language or voice inflection.

But there is a problem with this word.

Kind of like the teensy, tiny systemic meltdowns that we all experience during cold and virus season. One not-visible-with-the-naked-eye germ can stomp us for days.

One well-timed "no" can destroy my day.

And just like bacteria can dig in deep and become resistant to antibiotics and actually become life-threatening...my attitude toward the word "no" can become a life-ruiner.

Suffering from any forms of no-itis?

Scribble and Scrambles - Crunchy Leaves and Spastic Animals

Thought I'd drop in with some animal related blogging.

How can I not? The distraction of eight pounding paws through crunchy autumn leaves is a little distracting.

Okay, so this picture is NOT Lily or Lola. If I attempted to find the digital camera and capture images of Lily and Lola flying, leaping, and galloping it would look a lot like this -.-*-, (-.-?.

I'll have to post some good pictures soon. They were taken a few hours after their "unmentionables" surgery, so far the only time we've been able to actually snap more than a lucky shot of one animal with a background blur for company or the normal double blur with random flying body parts.

But for now, I'll have to share the 45 lb "twins" favorite activities. Number one would have to be Feral Will interaction. All three animals are fascinated with each other. I.E. The puppies are supposed to be minding their master, and Feral sneaks behind said master and torments them. Think Tom and Jerry but with more chasing. Is Feral the 5 lb kitten concerned? Oh no. His favorite activity is clinging with all twenty talons and however many teeth he can sink into their loose skin and taking a little ride.

Number two...for Lily especially, is vertical jumping. Lily can gain four feet of air with just a little hop. I experienced this first hand last night when she bounced up, landed exactly in the middle of my stomach, and bounded to the other side of the couch while chasing Feral. I did mention she weighs 45 lbs, right?

Number three...that old standby, two identical toys or bones, two dogs, and the fight for the "best toy."

Hope you all have a little fun this weekend. Maybe a little chasing, some leaping or at least the best toy.

Serials and Scenarios - Surrender Bay

My final book of the crazy book reading blogging week. Whew!

Click on the cover as per usual.

Visit author Denise Hunter here or here.

My Review:

Had I been given the opportunity to pass on Surrender Bay, I likely would have. I've not read Denise Hunter before, but the romance/love story angle wouldn't have appealed to me. Not that I'm against romance and love. But sometimes , well, I tend to like stories that are more than just escapism.

But Surrender Bay replaced another book that I had signed up for. So I read it.

And what I found surprised me. There is a complete lack of Christian lingo in Surrender Bay. Sam, the heroine isn't very heroic at all. As a matter of fact I wanted to throttle her a few times. Landon, as hunky as he came across, should've cut his losses a dozen or so years earlier and moved on. In my book, anyway.

What Denise Hunter has done is paint a picture of screwed up people, their consequences, victimization and slimy pits and she has added undeserved love also known as grace. This is a story of grace and all it overlooks.

Who should pick up this novel? Romance lovers, yeah. Looking for a well plotted tense love story? Sure. Wanting to discover a story published in the CBA that lays life out in all its messiness? Seeking edgy Christian Fiction that includes alcohol abuse, drunkeness and sexual situations? Need a story that shares a portion of God's good heart with just a hint that it's all about God? Then you need to check further into this story.

Serials and Scenarios -Boo Humbug

Looking for a new, fun Christmas tradition?

Here's an idea.

Click on the cover to visit the Amazon site for additional reviews and info.

My Review:

Families who love to laugh together, lovers of things off kilter, and fans of fun might want to check into adding Boo Humbug to the Christmas traditions list.

My Christmas is not complete until we've laughed through A Christmas Story ("You'll shoot your eye out!") or Christmas Vacation ("Squirrel!"). If either of those movies appeals to you, keep reading.

The small town of Skary, Indiana is the setting of a slap-dash, sleep-deprived vision of Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol. Nearly everything that can go wrong does. Humor and a surprising amount of tears keep the story whipping along at a brisk holiday bustle. A sweet twist toward the end brings it back home and evokes the warm fuzzies that every classic Christmas feel good movie/book produces.

This charming tale is a reminiscent of my favorite moments of Christmas cheer like, A Christmas Story, Skipping Christmas and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Anyone who is a fan of any of these beloved Christmas mainstays might want to look into adding Boo Humbug to their library.

As for me, my first Boo book will not be my last. If these characters are this charming during Christmas madness, they'll be a delight to get to know a little better during a "normal" day in Skary.