Friday Five

Friday Five two weeks in a row! I know, it's shocking. And I've even got a post for next week just about finished up too!

I've been reading so many fun things on the interwebs lately. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

I discovered a new blog a couple of weeks ago —The Jaime Wright Reports. I was fascinated by her series last week on death in novels. I especially liked her post about killing off the hero in your novel. As an avid reader who doesn't really desire to become a fiction writer, I love that her posts give me insights into the books that I enjoy so much!

12 Encouraging Words for Pastors. What a great article! I'd say that most (if not all) of these apply to the rest of us too. Maybe this will prompt you with ways to pray for or encourage your pastor.

This article on the Huffington Post was hilarious and perfectly timed with the obsession about the Olympics. Jane Austen's "take" on the women's pole vaulting competition was my favorite. Very creative!

You know I just love a good deal and what's better than free?! Bethany House is compiling all of their ebook freebies and specials in one place so we'll know ahead of time what to watch for. Make sure to check often because some of the deals only last a day. My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade is going to be an e-freebie on August 8, so be sure to grab it. I LOVED that book!

Did you know that Dennis Rodman is publishing a children's book?! Are you as scared as I am about that??? Let me just say I would strongly advise parental perusal before purchasing for your kids. :) Apparently if you have enough money, anyone can publish a book. (This is not a knock on the many, many, many talented authors or would-be authors out there!) Oh, and here's a (hopefully) facetious sneak peek!

Friday Five

Happy Friday! I've been reading lots of fun things around the blogosphere lately and thought I'd share a few with you today. Isn't that just what you need . . . more reading material for the weekend?!

Katie over at Legacy of a Writer has lots of fun things going on right now. A book swap . . .  not sure if anyone still has swaps left to make but you never know! A jewelry giveaway featuring jewelry made by Christy at Southern Sassy Things. Love her etsy site! And she just posted a giveaway hop where you can win up to three books! Check it all out. :)

Anybody read My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade? Okay . . . I loved it. I literally gushed in my review. Becky is hosting a Q&A on Goodreads through August 8. Stop by and ask her all of your burning questions about the book and anything else you can think of.

Huge fan of Jamie Carie and thought Sarah Forgrave did a great job with her recent interview of Jamie. There *may* be a giveaway still going on if you stop by early in the weekend. :)

Tricia Goyer and her family are going to the Czech Republic as part of a mission team on July 31-August 14. She posted ways to pray each day they are gone on her blog earlier today. Will you join me in praying for them?

And finally, next month I am participating in the Review Copy Cleanup hosted by Nyx Book Reviews and Books, Biscuits, and Tea. Basically, my stack of review books is a bit overwhelming and I'm going to do my absolute best to make a huge dent in that stack during the month of August. Can anyone relate? Feel free to join in if you wish!

Friday Five

It's been quite a while since I've posted a Friday Five, but there were just SO many great posts circulating this week that I wanted to share! Enjoy!

1. If you don't read Jody Hedlund's blog, you should! She writes an incredibly thoughtful blog that has given me a lot of insight into the life of a write, the publishing process, and lots of issues related to writing, publicity, etc. Earlier this week, Jody posted 20 Easy Ways Readers Can Help Promote a Book. Loved her ideas!

2. My friend Jenny re-posted a fantastic post about Responding in Tragedy. Speaking from experience, she shares a few things NOT to say and a few things TO say instead. Great timing in light of the horrific fires in Colorado, but I think you'll find these helpful anytime you're not sure what to say.

3. Tricia Goyer is posting a series called 30 Free and Fun Things to Do This Summer. She's only posted 4 so far, so I'm assuming we have 26 creative ideas to look forward to. Whether you have kids or are looking for something new to do with friends or your spouse, these are some great suggestions!

4. Since I've been blogging and sharing my love for books with all of you, I've enjoyed learning more about the process of writing and publishing ... you know, all that stuff that has to happen to a book before I get it in my hands to read. I enjoyed Olivia Newport's post about how a book gets its title.

5. I also loved this post from Faith in Fiction about cover designs. They discussed the idea of motion in covers, which I've never really thought about. So much to think about!

Those are just a few of the incredible posts I've stumbled across. Have you read anything interesting this week? Grab the button and write your own Friday Five or let me know in the comments!

Friday Five

It's been a while since I've posted a Friday Five and it appears that Kate at Kate's Library is not really doing this anymore, so I'm dropping her button and creating one of my own. Feel free to post your own Friday Five and link up through the comments if you like. (I really don't like those linky lists, so I'm not doing one.)

What is Friday Five? Basically, it's just me linking up to five (or so) awesome things I've found on the web lately. May be bookish, may not be. These are just things that I enjoyed and wanted to pass them along to you.

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1. To celebrate the release of her latest novel The Wedding Dress, Rachel Hauck asked several friends to write about their weddings, how they met their husbands, etc. and is sharing them on her blog. What a great way to celebrate marriage . . . and a new book release!


2. The Gypsy Mama posted a super-creative list of 100 Mother's Day Gifts I'd Totally Give Myself. I'm not a mother, but I thought this was a fantastic gift! Most (all?) of these ideas are fairly inexpensive and will take nothing more than a bit of creativity on your part. And what mom doesn't love those kinds of gifts?!


3. Tricia Goyer shares why she's involved in ministering to teen moms. I loved getting to hear her heart, and also appreciated the grace with which she responded to a critical email.


4. Sandra Bricker might be one of the funniest authors I've ever read! I enjoy reading her blog when she has time to post. She recently shared about her weight loss journey and some really practical and easy things she's doing to lose weight and keep it off. I was so encouraged by this post and am looking forward to trying these delicious recipes!


5. Thanks to Keli Gwyn for pointing me in the direction of this comprehensive list of upcoming books to be released this summer. Do you think we could somehow manage to add more hours to the day so I could read all of these awesome books?!

Friday Five #3

It's been a few weeks since I've linked up with Kate at Kate's Library for Friday Five. Hope you enjoy this little blog-hop!

If you want to play along, make your list, link up with Kate, and let the original posters know that you linked to them. The "rules" are all here.

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1. I finished reading Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart this week (which I loved and will be reviewing soon!). Katt Scribbles hosted Ann for a three-part interview this week. I really enjoyed getting to know Ann better through these great interviews . . . part one, part two, and part three!

2. Jody Hedlund posted about the process of choosing the cover of her upcoming release Unending Devotion. It was fascinating . . . I had no idea so much went into choosing a cover! I'll spill the beans here . . . I totally judge a book by its cover, so I'm thankful for all the hard work that goes into choosing a good one!

3. Casey at Operation Encourage a Writer featured fellow blogger Katie (from Legacy of a Writer) this week. I enjoyed getting to know Katie a bit better through the post!

4. In honor of yesterday being Read in the Bathtub Day (which I used to do every night growing up but haven't done since moving to college), I give you this guest post by Linda Gilden on Finding Hope Through Fiction.

Well, that's it for me. I guess today is technically Friday Four. :)

Friday Five #2

I'm linking up with Kate at Kate's Library for Friday Five again today.  I've had fun putting together this week's links. I see so many awesome blog posts, articles, fun things, etc. and now I have a place to share them with you. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

If you want to play along, make your list, link up with Kate, and let the original posters know that you linked to them. The "rules" are all here.

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1. My friend Lanie Beth wrote a GREAT blog the other day about why we don't need to know everything and how important it is to trust the Lord in spite of not knowing. Man. She has a way with words. I'm thankful that she uses her gifts to honor the Lord.

2. What a great interview with Rachel Hauck! She has published quite a few books, including the Songbird series which was co-authored by country superstar Sara Evans. I love what she says about addressing heavy, weighty issues so that she can show that there is hope in God.

3. New Year's resolutions anyone? I found this Bible reading plan the other day to help us shirkers and slackers read through the entire Bible in one year. Pretty cool, huh?

4. Katie over at Legacy of a Writer is having a really fun blogaversary party. Make sure you check out this giveaway for a copy of Jody Hedlund's The Doctor's Wife. I can't wait to read this one!

5. I had the privilege of being interviewed by Crystal @ Just Another Book Lovin' Girl earlier this week. Check it out . . . maybe you'll learn something about me. :)

Well, I think that's it for me. Have any fun links you want to share with me?

Friday Five #1

I'm linking up with Kate at Kate's Library for Friday Five today. I may not do this every week, but when I have some fun links to share with you, I will! Essentially, I'll make a list of 5 (or however many I can come up with) links that I think you might enjoy. They may be bookish or they may be about who knows what.

If you want to play along, make your list, link up with Kate, and let the original posters know that you linked to them. The "rules" are all here.

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1. I found this list last year and loved it. It's perfect for helping you reflect on your year and learn a little about yourself in the process. Overall my year was pretty excellent and I had fun remembering some of the best (and more challenging) things about 2011.

2. Okay, okay. Two articles by the same author. Whatever. I'm doing it anyway. I loved the idea that we need to give ourselves grace when we set out to change our lives. It's really not about perfection, but about excellence. Go ahead. Read it for yourself.

3. I love Beth Moore's blog. What a wonderful community of Siestas! Beth wrote a beautiful post about letting go and moving from the house she raised her family in. I tend to hold on to things a bit more tightly than I should, so this was a good word for me.

4. Saw this article on Twitter today. Harvard has done research showing that people become friends on Facebook because of similar interests in things like music and movies . . . but not books. The research also showed that people's opinions and preferences (of things like music, movies, and books) aren't really influenced by a friend's opinion or recommendation. So far, this hasn't really been my experience, so I'm not sure how true this is. (Look at me challenging the researchers at Harvard!) What do you think?

5. And to leave you with something totally random and ridiculous. My friend Chad does Hypothetical Wednesdays from time to time. They are always ridiculous, so enjoy!

Well . . . I think that's about it. Hope you guys enjoyed Friday Five. Have a great weekend!