Fiction Faith & Foodies

Fiction Faith & Foodies: December 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Make 'em or not?


New Year's Resolutions. 

We've all made them. 
Diet. Start exercising. Eat more healthy. Spend more time with the family. Work less. Work more. Read my Bible more. Start saving. Pay off some debt. 
The list could go on indefinitely. 

I'm not sure at what point I started asking myself "why?" 
If there's something in my life that needs to change, why wait until the New Year? 
Why not now?

Nobody is guaranteed another sunrise. 
Or even another hour. 
Why wait to make changes in your life? 
Start today!

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

It's not all about Santa...

it's about Jesus, God's love for us...
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests." ~Luke 2:4-14 NIV


Do you think Mary, being a virgin, asked "why me?"  
And Joseph? 
Knowing Mary was pregnant ~ and the babe wasn't his ~ suffered humiliation and scorn. Yet he obeyed God and took Mary as his wife. They offered their very lives in obedience to God.
The angels offered their praise.

What about you?
What will you offer God today?
God, I give You all that I am. Use me for Your glory. In Your precious Son's name. Amen.



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Thursday, December 22, 2011

A Christmas Poem ~ written by a Marine

A dear friend forwarded this Christmas Poem to me. This poem was written by a Marine (anonymously) with the following request: "PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men, women, and Canadian Forces for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed."

Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
'SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

That was awesome, wasn't it? Thank you, Anonymous Marine, for sharing this Christmas Poem. Thank you to all military men and women serving our country in different spots all over the world. May God bless you and bring you home soon! Merry Christmas!

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

No strings attached...


Don’t you just love this time of the year?

Kids bundling up to play in the snow, then racing inside with rosy cheeks, flushed with excitement. Christmas music playing softly on the radio. Pumpkin pies baking in the oven, the scents of ginger and cinnamon drifting through the house. Whispers and giggles as children point out colorfully wrapped presents under a gigantic pine tree loaded with pinecones and sentimental ornaments. Snuggling in front of the fireplace with hubby while you cheer for football teams or watch your favorite movie. Loading up the car for road trips to visit family members you haven’t seen in awhile. Squirting whipped cream on a tall mug of hot chocolate for a late afternoon yummy. Watching the glow of a thousand candles light up a sanctuary, and songs of praise reaching toward heaven.

Christmas is a highlight of my year. Sure, it’s crazy busy with buying and wrapping gifts, attending school and church programs, making the rounds at holiday parties, school exams, visiting relatives. But, during this hectic season, I make a conscious effort to slow down, to thank God for the “ultimate” gift given to me.

What’s the ultimate gift? A chance for a fresh start. A giant eraser to wipe away the grunge. Paint bright enough to cover black walls. Spring-cleaning from the ceiling to the floor and all those dusty blinds in between.   

It’s a gift given to you by a loving Father. No strings attached. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9, NIV)

Wow! Merry Christmas!

What about you? What’s your favorite time of the year and why?

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011


Big Things Come in Small Packages
by Dawn Kinzer

As a little girl, I learned one Christmas that special things don’t always come in big packages. Like the Christ child, they can arrive in what may at first look small and plain.

Relatives gathered to celebrate Christmas at my aunt and uncle’s large Wisconsin farmhouse. Later in the day, while the adults sat back and enjoyed their coffee, thirteen children were called together to play “Bingo." We were shown a display of prizes wrapped in boxes of various sizes. Sensitive to feelings, my aunt made sure there were enough for each child to win one.

Younger than most of my cousins, and quiet by nature, I was still just as excited as the rest about the prospect of being able to choose from the pile of colorful packages.

But as we played, one child after another won the game before I managed to get my circular pieces in the required straight line. Packages were eliminated from the pile, and as the supply dwindled, my heart began to sink as the larger boxes disappeared.

It seemed to take forever, but I finally shouted, “Bingo!”

It was my turn to pick from the remaining few packages. I tried to guess what could be hidden inside each one. I made my decision and reached for a large gift, wrapped in bright red paper. There had to be something wonderful inside.

“Big things come in small packages,” my aunt whispered in my ear. She pointed to a gift, barely noticeable, wrapped in plain white tissue paper.

I trusted her and picked the smaller gift. I carefully unfolded the delicate tissue and discovered the silver ring hidden inside. The setting held a round, cut piece of glass that reflected all the colors of the rainbow. The ring had to be inexpensive, but to me it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. In my eyes and heart, I held a treasure in the palm of my hand.

In our pursuit for what we think may be better, it’s so easy to overlook anything that might appear insignificant. But what are we missing? What are the blessings, or everyday gifts, that we take for granted?

I don’t ever want to lose appreciation for a cool breeze blowing through the window on a hot afternoon, a comfortable bed after a tiring day, or a beautiful sunrise reminding me of God’s presence.

Wonderful, exciting, beautiful . . . and even life-changing things can be found in small packages. After all . . . didn’t the greatest gift bestowed upon us come in the gift of a small baby by the name of Jesus? And He gave the biggest gift of all. He gave us the gift of eternal life.

This Christmas, may you find great blessings in the small things.
  
Dawn Kinzer is a writer and freelance editor. Her writing has been published in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Backyard Friends, and The One Year Life Verse Devotional, and featured on the radio ministry, The Heartbeat of the Home.
To learn more about Dawn and her work, please visit:
Website and blog www.dawnkinzer.com


She co-hosts and writes for the blog, Seriously Write. Learn more at her editing site: www.FaithfullyWriteEditing.com

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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley

Back Cover copy:

Maggie's Journey grabs you on page one with characters and events that reflect real-life joys and heartaches that change the characters forever. Make room on your "keepers" shelf! —Loree Lough, best-selling author of 80 award-winning books, including From Ashes to Honor.

A girl who’s been lied to her whole life…

Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she was adopted. The daughter of wealthy merchants in Seattle, she feels betrayed both by her real parents and by the ones who raised her.

Maggie desires a place where she belongs. But her mother’s constant criticism and reminders that she doesn't fit the mold of a young woman of their social standing have already created tension in their home. With the discovery of the family secret, all sense of her identity is lost.

When Maggie asks to visit her grandmother in Arkansas, her father agrees on the condition that she take her Aunt Georgia as a chaperone and his young partner, Charles Stanton, as protection on the journey. Will she discover who she really is and, more importantly, what truly matters most in life?

My review:

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not really a big historical reader, but I just finished Maggie’s Journey, the first book in the McKenna’s Daughters Series by Lena Nelson Dooley, and I think I’m changing my tune.  

Never having read a book by Lena Nelson Dooley, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Maggie’s Journey focuses on a woman’s search to find her identity after she discovers that her birth parents gave her away, and the serious emotional struggles between a mother and daughter.

From the first page, Ms. Dooley creates the stage with the setting. You could feel yourself suffering through the long journey on the Oregon Trail, enduring the train ride, or touring a magnificent clothing-design mansion. I enjoyed the historical tidbits offered throughout the book.
And the characters jumped right off the pages. I rooted for Maggie as she searched for answers and attempted to be the person she was meant to be, rather than the customary woman of society. Other times, I wanted to scold Florence, but the author molded her from the beginning in such a way that I understood her motivation.  
The real romance in this book wasn’t between the main characters, but rather with Joshua and Florence, Maggie’s parents. I admired Joshua, a man of honor and passion, who demonstrated unconditional love for his wife in the toughest of circumstances.  
I’ll look forward to Lena Nelson Dooley’s next book in the McKenna’s Daughters Series, Mary’s Blessing, coming in May. Congrats, Lena Nelson Dooley! Five stars for an impeccably written story!
Disclosure: I received this book from the author for a fair and honest review.
Author Bio: Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 675,000 books in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writershttp://www.acfw.com/ and president of the local chapter, DFW Ready Writers. She’s also a member of Christian Authors Network, CROWN Fiction Marketing, and Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.

Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not the same year. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat, with fifteen signing their first book contract after her mentoring. Three of her books have been awarded the Carol Award silver pins from American Christian Fiction Writers and she has received the ACFW Mentor of the Year award at their national conference. The high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially people whose lives have been changed by her books. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.
Her 2010 release was Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, from Summerside Press which recently won the Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing Western literature. Lena is currently under two 3-book contracts with Charisma House/Realms. The first book released in October 2011. It’s Maggie’s Journey, book one of her McKenna’s Daughters series. 
In addition to her writing, Lena is a frequent speaker at women’s groups, writers groups, and at both regional and national conferences. She has spoken in six states and internationally. 
Lena has an active web presence on Shoutlife, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and with her internationally connected blog where she interviews other authors and promotes their books.


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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

White Christmas by Tanya Stowe

After his very public break-up from his fiancé, Chad Fletcher is convinced that a healthy marriage and his rising political career won’t mix. Christmas at his Aunt Nell’s home in White, Arizona is a great way to start fresh. 

Political watch dog Tessa Conway plans to spend her Christmas vacation enjoying her grandparents’ ranch before they must sell it. So she is not pleased with Grandma Sophie and Aunt Nell’s efforts to throw her and Chad together during White’s Christmas celebrations. 

Chad begins to believe Tessa may be the perfect antidote to his unhealthy relationships of the past. But when he decides to take support from a company with questionable ethics, his perfect bubble is burst. Fearing Chad is not the Godly man she believed him to be, Tessa ends their budding romance. Will Chad find the strength and courage to do what’s right even if it costs him his career?

Here's an excerpt:

Now he remembered her. She always wore her hair tied back in a bun and secured with combs. She’d been so business-like, so informed and capable. Her curls and her embarrassment over the nickname made her human and real.

“Your secret is safe with me,” he said, laughter still in his tone. “I won’t remind you or rub it in. Especially after all the nice things you said about my work. I want to keep you on my side. In fact, I’m thinking of asking you to be my campaign manager.”

Suddenly, the laughter left her eyes and she gazed up in all seriousness. “Will there be a campaign? Is that why you refused another term in the assembly so you can run for Senator Rizzi’s seat when he retires next year?”

Chad caught his breath, wondering how he’d let that happen. He never spoke out of turn or let information slip. But they’d been talking like old friends and it just happened. What was it about this young woman that made him so comfortable? Before he could gather his thoughts and come up with a reason, she held up her hand.

“Don’t answer that,” she said, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry I even asked it. That’s none of my business and I don’t know why I said it. I--I just feel like I know you.”

Chad smiled, thinking how her words echoed his feelings. “We do. We’ve even worked together.”

Tessa opened her eyes and stared at him. A slow, sweet smile spread over her lips and made her blue eyes sparkle. He thought it just might be the prettiest smile he’d ever seen.

That’s when the alarm bells started going off.

Suddenly, he noticed that it had gotten dark and Aunt Nell still hadn’t shown up. He looked around. “Well, it was nice talking to you.”

He stopped short of saying Tessa. The name had taken on new meaning for him…untamed strawberry curls and a sweet smile. Now, it sounded far too personal.

“My aunt’s waiting for me, so I’d better get back,” he said rather shortly.

She nodded. “My grandmother’s waiting, too.”

Her tone sounded disappointed and those blue eyes that had sparkled all night lost some of their shimmer. She gestured across the street. He turned and saw Aunt Nell sitting on a park bench. Beside her was another little white-haired lady. They both smiled and waved.

“Wait a minute,” he said beneath his breath. “You’re not-”

He turned back around.

Tessa smiled and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Sophie’s granddaughter.”


Tanya Stowe has written for the real estate industry, television, publicity firms and national publications. Her first novel, a time-travel adventure, Time's Embrace, was released in the United States in 1993 and internationally released in 1995. Tanya has held eclectic positions, doing market research, arts education at a performing arts center and for the American Cancer Society. Most recently, Tanya contributed to a collection of women's survival stories titled, Triumph! The Beautiful Face of Courage and collaborated on her first full-length play, a Christmas musical titled, The Night Before Christmas.

Tanya has been married to her high school sweetheart for thirty-seven years which is a romance story in itself. They live in California on the edge of the Mojave Desert where they help their four children raise their seventeen grandchildren. She says they're building a dynasty of Christian soldiers and improving the world, one baby at a time!

Visit Tanya at www.TanyaStowe.com and www.creativewritingforces.blogspot.com

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Monday, December 12, 2011

EMPTY NESTERS’ CHRISTMAS by Carol Ann Erhardt


From Thanksgiving through the New Year, my heart sings with happiness. Hubby and I are empty nesters, but that doesn’t dampen my spirit and love for these precious family holidays. Memories abound of the years our children were still at home, the special joy at seeing their faces light up like the Christmas tree we’d decorate together. So many fun and heartwarming events happened in the house which is now vacant of the pitter patter of tiny feet…well, with the exception of the cats.

Our animals made many of our memories that we laugh about when we get together for our annual Christmas get together. For instance, our cat named Caesar once tackled our thawing pork roast while we were at the Candlelight Service at church one year. We came home to find him kicking and biting at the hunk of meat, rolling around on the floor having a good old time! And then there was our dog, Lady, who sniffed out the bag of candy corn sent to the kids by their grandmother. After demolishing the candy, the dog then ripped open several other packages to see if she could find anything else good to eat. Luckily I did get up early enough to rewrap the packages before the girls awakened. I also remember a cat named Linus who climbed our undecorated Christmas tree while we were out. He spread out on the branch as if he belonged there. Now we have three cats named Charlotte, Wilbur, and Templeton. We are constantly trying to keep them from destroying the artificial tree. How they manage to climb into the skinny tree without claws continues to amaze me. And leap! Wilbur once leaped straight up and snatched a beautiful bird perched on one of the top branches. One year I put silk and velvet poinsettias in the tree…those were doomed from the start. And I finally tossed the red cardinals I loved so much. They looked so beautiful on the green branches, and evidently very enticing to our cats. Currently our tree looks really nice. Our family get together is on December 17. I can only hope that it looks half as nice by that date! We’ll gather with the family to share food, laughter, and hugs.

On Christmas Eve, we’ll all go to Candlelight Worship service and hubby and I will come home to sit by the lit tree and reminisce. This year we are so blessed to have Christmas fall on Sunday when we can go to our church and celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Yes, we are empty nesters, but we have a home filled loving memories and new ones yet to be made.

Carol Ann Erhardt is an inspirational romance writer. TRAPPED is the title of her newest release and is the first novel in the Havens Creek series. The novel explores the issues around forgiveness  and trust. Learn more about Carol Ann and her available books by visiting her website at www.CarolAnnErhardt.com

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Friday, December 9, 2011

Still fighting the crowded stores?

Settle back in your chair, sip your coffee, click, click, and wait for the gift to arrive. Here's a gift idea~

Stop stressing over crowded lines. Order your autographed copies of Journey's End here. Only $10 plus shipping. Check out the purchase links to the right (note separate links for US/Canadian readers and UK readers due to shipping cost). A couple clicks and you're done.

A brutal murder…A devastated life rebuilt…Where one journey ends, another begins…
Devastated after the brutal murder of her husband, Chelsea Hammond vows never to love another lawman. Intent on rebuilding her shattered life, she turns her focus to helping troubled teens. But when an angry father bent on retaliation, threatens her, Chelsea must turn to the one man she never thought to trust: Deputy U.S. Marshal Trey Colten.

Trey wants only to protect Chelsea, but she blames him for her husband’s death. Trey can relate. He blames himself, also. As danger lurks, Trey begs Chelsea to heed his warnings. He let down one Hammond. He won’t let down another—especially one who now holds his heart.

When Chelsea is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear and trust Trey with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Where one journey ends, another begins…

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

A Holiday Recipe contributed by Dawn Kinzer


Cranberry Bars


Ingredients

2 eggs (beaten)
½ cup butter  (softened)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chopped nuts
2 cups cranberries  (fresh or frozen)


Steps
1) Beat together eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla.
2) Add flour and baking powder and mix well.
3) Fold in nuts and cranberries.
4) Spread into greased 9x12 cake pan.
5) Bake 350 degrees 40-45 minutes. Cool.

Can top with powder sugar glaze or lightly sifted powder sprinkled on top.


Dawn Kinzer is a writer and freelance editor. Her writing has been published in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine, Backyard Friends, and The One Year Life Verse Devotional, and featured on the radio ministry, The Heartbeat of the Home.

To learn more about Dawn and her work, please visit:
Website and blog www.dawnkinzer.com

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Monday, December 5, 2011

SURFING ROUGH SEAS by Sandra Ardoin

I’m no Gidget. I’ve never surfed and never had a notion to do so. But life can be like surfing—you catch the wave, ride the tube, and your amped. Dude! Then, the wave collapses and you’re locked in, eating it.

For two months, we had illness and hospitalization in our extended family. Thankfully, surgery took away the immediate danger, but a complication left my father-in-law to recuperate in the hospital for many more days than any of us (including the doctor) had planned. It has been a hectic and worrisome time. He came home the day before Thanksgiving and we were stoked. Until…

My daughter and I got out on Black Friday—no, not in the wee hours of the morning. I’m past the age of finding midnight shopping an adventure to be experienced—but we were gone all day and into the evening. We had a great time looking for the right clothing that would “class-up” her wardrobe. We ate a nice lunch and she got her Starbucks fix. We bought various items, including the gorgeous dress that pleased her—at a price that pleased me. We talked and laughed. Cowabunga! Until…

She lost her cell phone—her only-owned-for-four-months cell phone. I won’t go into the details other than to say it was our last stop and we wiped out.

Have you experienced times like these? The waves are cranking and so are you. Then, BAM! You take a pounding and ding your board—or worse.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Great words to remember at all times, but especially when life gets gnarly. Right now, I’m in the lull, waiting for the next wave. Where are you?

Sandra Ardoin loves history and fiction, so how could she help but put the two together? Her work has been published in various forms, but fiction allows her to share the stories that run through her imagination. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Contact Sandra through her website at www.sandraardoin.com. Follow her on Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.

(Thanks to the website http://www.surfing-waves.com/surf_talk.htm for the surfing terms.)

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