Serials and Scenarios ~ My Book Therapy

So, you all know I need lots of therapy. Maybe I'll start here.


Writers/novelists pay attention. Susan May Warren and Rachel Hauck have collaborated on a how-to book. (I've read most of Rachel's stuff and I want to pick up whatever she's laying down.) They are also writing a novel with input from readers. Go here to chime in.

You have a chance to do the same:

Want to win a copy of From the Inside…Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You for your very own? Leave a comment here and tell us what kind of novel you have in YOU.

AND

Do you already have your novel down on the page? Does it need a little THERAPY? Enter to win 10% off a Book Therapy Session (that’s a savings of $30+) by leaving a comment here telling us a brief synopsis of your story!

Click on the video about their My Book Therapy for more info. And here for even more info.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Colleen Coble

Wednesday we got a peek at Colleen Coble's new release, Cry in the Night. Make sure you scroll down and click to read the first chapter if you haven't yet. And visit Colleen's website and the Amazon page for more info. Now. Colleen was kind enough to come and play at the Dregs.

Thanks, Colleen, I love your crayon answer. : )



Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?

Bree from the Rock Harbor books has a lot of me in her. Okay, I don’t have a search dog (but I love dogs) and I’m not short with red hair, but I love pistachios and the wilderness. I’ve got a lot of Native American blood and I’m drawn to places that are still just a little untamed.


If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

I would change the title of Anathema. People don’t know how to say it or what it means and it caused more confusion instead of illuminating what the book is really about.


What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day? Which one do you aspire to be?

Yellow. I’m an optimist and nearly always look on the bright side. Even on a bad day I’m likely only to tinge a bit to gold. LOL It drives some people crazy but I can’t help it. I’m always aware that God is in control.



If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene.

I write my favorite genre—romantic mysteries with a strong dollop of romance. I’m blessed to be living my dream of writing what I love to read. I love everything about the writing life—from the promotion to the actual writing.



What period of history intrigues you the most?

Funny you should ask that because the next book I’m going to be working on is a historical novel. I asked my publisher a couple of years ago if I could write my typical novel in a historical setting and my editor recently gave me the go-ahead. I’m still tossing ideas around but I’m particularly drawn to turn of the century novels.


What makes you feel alive?


I am energized by being around other people.


Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.


Book: The Stand by Stephen King. I’ve read it at least 30 times.

Person: My husband Dave. I hate to go anywhere without him!

Food: DeBrand mocha truffles


Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.

Australia! I’ve dreamed of going there since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted to see its vast spaces and the Great Barrier Reef.



Favorite book setting and why?

Hawaii is magical place where I feel totally one with God. Maybe because it’s so gorgeous and serene.


What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?

I’d spend it making sure my family and friends know how much I love them. And I’d hold my baby granddaughter every minute!



Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?

The ability to fly so I could zip out to see my daughter in Arizona once a week!



Societal pet peeve…sound off.

I can’t stand the whole political correctness thing. I live in a small town in the Midwest where we don’t hold to such nonsense. LOL I just recently learned the gal who brings my food isn’t a waitress but a food server, according to the politically correct. Hey, SHE calls herself a waitress in my small town. I mean, it’s just getting ridiculous!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Chia Saga Continues

To continue the saga of life changes and chia seed. (Kim read my comment on Tuesday's post for Chia info.) (And this is a really bad picture of my Wii Mii stretching while those around her sleep. Hee Hee.)

I mentioned that I was asked to help our physician's assistant with a healthy lifestyle "curriculum." And I was chosen because I have Word on my work station and happen to be there more often than the other gal who has it.

The PA brought loads of material, some books, magazines, doctor recommendations and website addresses to my desk and we condensed the information into the whats and whys of healthy choices.

Most of them are common sense no-brainers. I.E. most fast food = bad choice. Exercise, even simple walking, is good. The more good choices that are made the better for your overall health. Simple enough. Our average patient age is probably fifty. We have loads of Medicare and a nice mix of twenty-somethings. But since we are internal medicine we tend to attract those with more than one chronic condition and more adult type issues like Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. Some of our patients carry both of these conditions and high cholesterol. And since all three are managed by medication, many are looking at five and six meds. It makes sense then to do what we can to encourage patients to drop ten or twenty pounds and make better choices. Many of the health woes can be treated with diet and exercise and people can then weed some meds out of their life. Win. Win.

So as the PA and I are digging, we get caught up in the whole nutrition and Mediterranean diet and low glycemic index foods lists and the fact that many conditions benefit from eating healthy fats, whole grains, rainbow colored veggies and fruit.

Having been aware of food and the bazillion diet options I had heard of both of these types of eating plans. But the problem for me was the switch over to healthy from junk. How does one completely change the way they shop, think and eat? And what will the rest of the family do when confronted with a lack of Ho-Ho's, soda, white bread and greasy pizza?

More later.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Colleen Coble's A Cry in the Night

Come back on Friday for a Q and A with Colleen.







Book Details:

The highly anticipated novel that delivers what romantic suspense fans have long awaited-the return to Rock Harbor.

Bree Nichols gets the shock of her life when her husband-presumed dead-reappears.

Bree Nichols and her search and rescue dog Samson discover a crying infant in the densely forested woods outside of Rock Harbor, Michigan. Against objections from her husband, Kade, who knows she'll become attached, Bree takes the baby in. Quickly she begins a search for the mother-presumably the woman reported missing just days earlier.

While teams scour the forests, Bree ferrets out clues about the missing woman. But she soon discovers something more shocking: Bree's former husband-long presumed dead in a plane crash-resurfaces. Is he really who he says he is? And should she trust him again after all these years?

An engaging, romantic suspense novel from critically-acclaimed author Colleen Coble.

If you would like to read the first chapter of , go HERE.


My Review:


Bree has moved on, or has she?

Now married to Kade, Bree has discovered that Davy doesn't quite need her like she needs him to. And her frustrating baby alarm is sounding loud and clear. Into that challenging stew Coble adds many edge of the seat moments with Windingos, strangers, murder and facts that don't quite add up.

Colleen Coble tells a great story, one that made an impression, since I remembered so much about Bree and Davy months, and countless books since reading about their struggles.

I did struggle with a few moments of disbelief that refused to be suspended. Fans of Coble and those who want closure to Bree Matthews first marriage will want to get their hands on a copy of Cry in the Night.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Slap Me if You Must

Somebody may need to stop me. I made another batch of chia muffins. This time they were chocolate/oatmeal, and again, delicious.

I'm not kidding.

They tasted like a blend of cake, brownie and protein bars. See picture. (Yes, I did find the camera. Ha. You thought you were off the hook.)

My chia obsession started in July. The physician's assistant asked me to help her come up with a healthy eating plan for our patients. I was the no-brainer choice. Why? Because I'm one of the only few who have Word on my work station and the only one who works every day. Yes. A high honor indeed.

While the PA and I discussed the requirements of a healthier life a longing bubbled up inside of me.

I swore off dieting years ago. Something happens to even the Princess of Pollyanna optimism when repeated failure slaps said optimist upside the head.

There is not enough room in a month of blog posts to detail the bizarre diets I've tried. And my kids reminisce with great relish about the Richard Simmon's Sweatin' to the Oldies video workout parties.

Even now I hesitate to share anything about the changes we've made in our family. Like if I say it out loud something inside my brain is going to switch back and I'm going to face another failure.

But now that I've outed myself about the chia obsession, I'm going to randomly share some other details. Because what I've discovered and the changes we've made have made our lives very interesting indeed.

I will be posting those muffin recipes. This one is nearly perfect but with the addition of the cocoa the texture changed and the muffin stuck a little too much to the paper. Having no clue what I'm actually doing here I'm going to have to experiment again.

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Yes, Virginia, Chia Muffins Are Delicious

After the whole Chia lesson last Monday I'll bet you thought I
had moved on.

No such luck.

I must report that Chia muffins are delish.

I'd post a picture of said muffins but a) can't find the stupid camera b) they are all gone c) I'm going to make more so eventually you'll see one.

These little buggars were moist, tasty and nutrition packed.

Think old fashioned oatmeal, hardly any sugar or fat, whole grain flour blend, flax seed, bananas and nuts.

My Sunday school class was very excited. I asked if the muffins were good. I heard "not good. DELICIOUS." Did I mention that they are healthy? Fifth and sixth graders also love the unique characteristic of the gel blobs that get stuck in the teeth and swell up and make themselves known up to half an hour. Hey, for fiber and complex protein sources, you make exceptions. : )

Once I tweak the recipe a little more and make sure I've got good ingredient ratios and try it with other fruit etc I will post it for all of you chia lover wannabes.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Random Facts

Six Random Things About Me That Nobody Really Wants to Know.

According to this article anyway.

Oh Well. You've been warned.



1) I own a cat that thinks it's a small dog.

2) I don't get football. I live in Nebraska Cornhusker Country and I just don't get the game.

3) My kids are growing older at an alarming rate but I still feel eighteen.

4) I wrote a romance novel when my twenty-two-year-old was a baby. I typed it, edited it, revised it and threw it away. It was a spy romance set in Africa. I don't remember the plot. I do remember that it was b-a-d.

5) I teach fifth and sixth grade Sunday School. I have issues with following curriculum to the letter so we are being very creative. I do have a passion for them. I want to help them grow more fascinated with God instead of becoming inoculated against passion by spouting the top three Sunday School answers to get the questions right. In case you don't know the top three, here they are. 1) God 2) Jesus 3) Bible.

6) I really love my husband. Sometimes I'm amazed how much. Seriously, I think he's the greatest guy on the planet.