Busy Week Ahead

This week is going to be a busy one for us.  My daughter has another speech and debate tournament, so I'll be away from blogging this week.  I hope the weather will actually be spring-like and you will be able to spend a little time outdoors and enjoy it.    

May your week be blessed!

Susan

And the winner of KATY'S NEW WORLD is........

.......RHONDA!  Congratulations! We hope you enjoy the book.  Please e-mail me (see my profile) with your mailing address so we can send the book to you.   

Blessings,

Susie and Emily

KATY'S NEW WORLD Book Review & Give-Away

Welcome!  My daughter, Emily, will be sharing her very first review as my first guest blogger!  Very exciting!
Emily loves to read and is in the 8th grade.
Take it away, Emily.......

Katy’s New World        
Publisher:  Zondervan            
Mennonite Fiction              Copyright 2010
ISBN 978-0-310-71924-3   (Soft cover)

 I was excited about the release of Katy’s New World, the first in the Katy Lambright Series, by Kim Vogel Sawyer.  It sounded like an excellent book and I wasn’t disappointed! The book is not only well written, but is totally engaging. I didn’t want to put the book down after I started reading it.   I give this book “a two-thumbs up“ and recommend it highly.

In Katy’s New World Katy struggles to keep her roots as a Mennonite and yet fit in with her new friends at school. Life is full of ups in downs as Katy learns about the “outside” world and struggles to keep old and new friendships alike.    

More about the Book

After the deacons of her Old Order Mennonite church approve her request to extend her education past her community’s ninth grade norm, Katy Lambright starts her sophomore year in public high school.  Unsure of what to expect and mindful of the deacons’ warning of becoming too worldly, Katy begins her journey into higher education. Immediately, starting with her ride on the bus, Katy realizes that school as she knew it is about to change in a drastic way.  Her safe, secure world seems so far away.  

 Katy is overwhelmed at the size of her new school and the number of students. They outnumber the population of her entire Mennonite community.  At home everyone knows each other.  Here, she knows no one. 

  

But on her first day at the orientation for new students, Katy is assigned Shelby Nuss, her escort for the first week to help her settle in.  They quickly become friends and soon Katy invites Shelby to spend the night at her home.  Wanting to include her lifelong best friend, Annika, in the fun, she invites her to join them. As the visit that Katy hoped would be a success ends in disaster, she starts to realize that her two worlds are planets apart. On top of all of this, some of her extended family is against the idea of her extending her education, especially in the outside world.    After all, she’d heard the whispers of her fellowship, “Would she be her mother’s daughter through and through?”

Along the way Katy learns that Jewel, a girl that never seems to be nice, is coming to live with Shelby and her family as a foster child. Jewel seems resentful and bitter. Can Katy reach out to her or will her effort to reach out end in disaster also?

Throughout the book, Katy struggles and tries to overcome the obstacles that land in her path at nearly every turn.  To make matters worse, she makes a huge mistake that could cost her the dreams she’s had for so long. Can Katy balance both worlds, or must she pick one? Will she lose all that is dear to her? Can she decide where she belongs?   

  

About the author

Kim Vogel Sawyer, is a best-selling, award-winning author and inspirational speaker.  She makes her home in Kansas with her husband.  Please visit Kim’s Katy Lambright website at www.katylambrightseries.com .  You can also visit Kim at her main website www.kimvogelsawyer.com.


If you leave a comment on this blog post, you will be automatically entered in my give-away of Katy's New World.  If you're a follower of my mom's blog and leave a comment, as a thank you for following, I'll enter your name twice.  I will draw a name on March 19th, so be sure and check back to see who is the winner.
 

I hope you'll enjoy this book as much as I did.

Emily

  

And the Winner of SOMEWHERE TO BELONG is.......

....Sally!   Congratulations!  It's a great book and I know you'll enjoy it!
Please e-mail me privately with your snail mail address so I can send you the book.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog and also to those who left comments.  I'll be having a new book give-away soon.  

Happy Reading!
Susie

Who Knew....

...that hitting the send button for my first writing contest entry would be so difficult?   Whew!  I did it though.  Yay!   Maybe the next time will be easier.  Fear of making it over a "hurdle" made me think of track hurdles.  And I'm telling you, they were never my strong suit.  In fact, I never made it over one.  I'd run up to it wanting, even willing myself, to jump over it -- and screeeeech!  I'd come to a halt.  I simply had a fear of jumping over it.  I really think my fear was of falling or tripping over the thing.  I never have managed to overcome that fear of track hurdles.  But I've never really found that I've had a need for that particular skill in my adult life.  If I'm running for my life and need to suddenly leap in a single bound over an obstacle in my way, I'm thinking God will give me an adrenelin rush and the strength in my legs to make that happen.  Otherwise, I'm not too worried about accomplishing the track hurdles.

However,a writer needs to overcome the fear of submitting something.  So, I'm thrilled to have overcome the fear of submitting my first entry in a contest.  I'm still working on my book -- two books actually -- but the piece I submitted is a devotional.  The opportunity came up and I figured I needed to just go for it. I don't know how it will fare in the contest and that's not the ultimate issue really;  I just know that I learned SO much from the whole process.  This piece changed dramatically from where it started.  I basically had to "kill the little darling" and work it over.  I learned that I was using progressive tense way more than I should have been and it needed some real tightening up.  So I did that.  It's just a "less than 500 words" devotional, but I truly learned a great deal in the editing and revising process of it. Sure it was hard work, but it was also fun!   It just plain feels good to have worked hard on something and met a goal that you set for yourself.   Regardless of the contest results, I'm still pumped about even entering it. Isn't learning fun?  

So, friends, have you overcome an obstacle or learned something you're excited about lately?      

Yum-a-licious Breakfast Biscuits

Want some really yummy biscuits that are absolutely delicious leftover cold?  These are a great make ahead breakfast or addition to breakfast for your family or company. Come to think of it, they don't have to be just for breakfast -- they're yum-o at any time -- meal or snack.  I don't have a picture as I haven't made these in a while; they're not exactly weight watchin' friendly.  But they are delicious!

This recipe is if you're grinding your own wheat, but you can substitute regular store-bought white flour as well, if you'd like.  I'd use the 2 1/2 C. measurement if you use store-bought white flour. 

CREAM CHEESE BREAKFAST BISCUITS

 from Bread Beckers

http://www.breakbeckers.com/recipes 

2 C. flour (hard white, or if you would like to use Soft White use 2 1/2 cups)

1 T. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

3 ounces cream cheese 

1/2 stick butter

2/3 C. milk 

Mix together dry ingredients, cut in cream cheese and butter.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in milk.  Mix together to form a ball.  Turn out onto floured service and knewad 10-12 times.  Roll out to 1/2 inch thick and cut into rounds.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees.  

*** For a more tender biscuit place rounds on a cookie sheet with sides touching.  

I've always gotten compliments from my family and other recipients of these delectable treats.  It's not me, mind you, it's just a really good recipe for a really good biscuit.  Give them a try!  I don't think you'll regret it.  

Happy baking!  

Susan  

Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller ............. Book Review and Give-Away

Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller, 2010, (Soft back cover), Daughters of Amana Series Novel

Fiction  - Amana Colonies, Iowa   Publisher:  Bethany House,  Copyright 2010,  ISBN 978-0-7642-0642-9

If you've never read a Judith Miller novel, you've missed a great read.  Judy has yet again woven a story that once you pick up her book, you’re hooked.  You won’t want to put it down until you’ve consumed the whole thing!     Remember the coffee commercial … good to the last drop?  Well, this book is MORE than good!  It’s soooooo good!  Once again, her history is impeccably researched, her story extremely well-written, and her descriptions make you feel as if the book is literally unfolding before your very eyes and you’re there.  Once you start this book, you’ll want to read continuously until the very last drop. Oops… I mean page. 

I’ve never been to nor was I familiar with the Amana Colonies in Iowa, but since reading this book, these historical communities and museums have been added to my “places to visit wish list.”   I’ve had a wonderful experience in Amana so far; it makes me want to actually walk where people of the time and place Judy created her story around lived.  

 I really enjoy historical fiction, especially during the 1800’s and early 1900’s, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.   Even if historical fiction is not the first shelf you seek out at the bookstore, you will enjoy this book.   Don’t think for a moment that a story about a place and time of a plain people with a simple lifestyle,  routine ways, cooperative living, and faithful service to God will be less than exciting or predictable.  Au contraire!  Get ready for some wonderful “I did NOT see that coming” moments.

Somewhere to Belong is the first in Judy’s Daughters of Amana series and I can’t wait to read the second.  Alas, it’s not scheduled to release until September of 2010.  But I’ll be waiting.   In the meantime, get your hands on this book and be prepared to sit a spell because you will be enthralled.   And don’t forget to mark your calendars so you can be sure and be first in line to get the second of her books in the Daughters of Amana series entitled More Than Words.  

One last note, every time a Judith Miller book comes into our house, my 14 year old daughter is eyeing it like a lion eyes fresh meat.  But it was MY turn to read Judy’s book first this time.   Once I finished it, I handed it to her and said, “You can read it now.”  Swoop!  It was out of my hand in a heartbeat.  She’s devouring it and saying, “This is soooooooo good.”  My response?  “I KNOW!” 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Despite living her entire twenty-one years in Main Amana, Johanna Ilg has always been intrigued by and wanted to see the outside world.  However, she has continued to stay in Amana believing that Amana is where she must belong.   That is, until a secret is revealed that changes everything about the world she thought she knew.  Where does she truly belong?  She must confront her family and find out the answers to her questions.  Will she break her mother’s heart to seek these answers? 

Intertwined, is a story of the newest member of Main Amana, Berta Schumacher, a worldly girl with parents who desire a simpler life in Amana, for reasons she can’t fathom.  Berta does not share this desire to live such a life as her family and she makes that clear as she openly rebels against the ways of Amana and its people.   Will her heart ever soften to the ways of these plain people or will she continue to live a life of rebellion and discontent?     

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her novels, many of her novels have appeared on the CBA bestseller lists.  Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, KS.   Please visit Judy’s website to find out more about her and her books.  www.judithmccoymiller.com

### 

 Everyone who leaves a comment on this blog post will be automatically entered in my give-away of Somewhere to Belong.  If you're a follower of my blog and leave a comment, as a thank you for following, your name will be entered twice.  I will draw a name on March 10th, so be sure and check back to see who will receive a copy of this fabulous book. 

Blessings and Happy Reading! 

Susan