RITA Dress!

I've had several people ask if I've gotten my dress for the RITA Awards Ceremony and the answer is YES!! My sister and I went shopping together and when we saw it, we both knew it was the one! But it was a little big, so I thought I would have to keep looking. Then the sales woman showed me how it could be altered (she was a really good sales woman! LOL) and I decided to go for it! The beading is just gorgeous. Let me know what you think!

What is your favorite dress that you've ever bought (wedding dresses don't count:)? What was the occasion? I would love to hear your stories!!

Introducing Terri Garey with her RITA Nominated book - DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY

This interview had me cracking up and tearing up! Terri is such a sweetheart! Enjoy! To be a part of the drawing for a free copy, just comment on the interview:)

How did you get started in the publishing business?

I decided back in 2001 that if I was truly going to succeed as a novelist, I needed to educate myself about the industry. I got on the Internet and discovered Romance Writers of America—they were having a conference in New Orleans that year, and it seemed like the perfect place to start. (The Garden District, the Cajun cuisine, Jackson Square… all of it dear to this Southern girl’s heart.) So, not knowing a soul, not knowing a query from a question mark, a synopsis from a synonym or “category” from cat food J, I registered, got on a plane and went to every workshop I possibly could, soaking it all up like a sponge.
And I’ll be honest with you—it was baffling. It was overwhelming. It was more scary than the tour I took one afternoon of the local cemeteries and voodoo shops. J So much to learn, so much to sift through. But it was also inspiring – I met so many women who were excited and enthused and interested in what they were doing. I remember seeing all the women in their beautiful dresses heading toward the RITA and Golden Heart Awards ceremony, and thinking how very special it must feel to be nominated for an award like that. It truly is a dream come true to be one of those women seven years later!

Any surprises? Biggest challenge so far?

I’d have to say that the biggest surprise for me was learning how little control an author has over the actual “marketing” of their book once it’s been sold. The cover, the title, the release date, the back cover copy—all the things that you envision as you’re writing it become subject to the decisions made by your publisher and their team of experts. My publisher, Avon HarperCollins, has been absolutely wonderful about allowing me input in all those areas, but the ultimate decisions are always up to them.
The biggest challenge? I’d say coming to the realization that once you’ve finished that book, you really need to get busy on the next one! We focus so hard on getting published—I think in order to truly succeed, you have to realize that as an author, your job is never really done. The book may be done, but your job as a storyteller isn’t. There are people out there who are clamoring for more stories!

What is the best part of being a novelist?

You mean besides hanging out with Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp? Fielding movie offers? Dodging the paparazzi? J The best part of being a novelist (besides making my own schedule and making up stories like the fairy tale above), is knowing that there are people out there who are reading and enjoying my work. The emails I get from readers, the fun I have knowing I’ve made people laugh and taken them out of their daily routine, if only for a little while, is by far the best part for me.

What’s the average day in the writer’s life look like for you? Are you scheduled and organized or are you more the “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” type?

I’m an “early-to-bed-early-to-rise” type who finds herself much more creative and productive in the morning than in the afternoon. I don’t have a set schedule, but after breakfast with my husband, I take a power walk with the dog and then sit down to work at my desk. I take a short break for lunch (usually reading while I eat), and then I’m back to work. I’m still there at 5:00, but I have a harder time focusing in the late afternoon, so lots of times I find myself blog surfing, answering emails or shopping online by then. (Don’t tell my editor!)

What are your inspirations for your stories? Any tips and tricks for someone who is stuck?

I get inspired by great settings or quirky things and/or people I see on the news. I’m a big believer in the “real life is stranger than fiction” example. I find music is a great way to get my mind going, but I absolutely can’t have music playing while I write—I need quiet for that. I also do a very small collage at the start of each book, with pictures and phrases that represent what I’m “going for” in that particular story. I keep it by my monitor until the manuscript is finished.

Have you had a mentor, critique group or teacher that has helped you get where you are today? Have you been a mentor to someone else?

I’ve never had a mentor, but I’ve had a couple of really wonderful authors who encouraged me along the way, particularly NYT best-selling romantic suspense author Mariah Stewart. We were total strangers when we met at a conference in NJ, but she’d read my work in a contest. She took the time to sit down and give me some excellent career advice, which led (by a bit of a roundabout route) to me signing with my agent. I strongly believe that having a great literary agent is a necessity in this business.

As for critique partners, I have to give a tremendous amount of credit to my very first critique partner, Sheila Raye, who hounded and nagged me through the first full draft of DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, my RITA finaling book. I don’t think I could’ve done it without her. That was four years ago, but since my editor is now the ultimate “critiquer” of my work, Sheila has gone on to critique for others. I’ve tried to “pay it forward” by acting as judge in writing contests, and try to be as encouraging and informative as possible to anyone who’s interested in writing.

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a RITA award? How did you feel when you got the call? And what do you think the RITA means for the romance novel genre?

It’s truly a dream come true, which started back in New Orleans in 2001. Getting that phone call was one of the most exciting moments of my life—getting a second call fifteen minutes later was indescribable! I actually thought there’d been a mistake, and they’d notified me twice in error! It wasn’t until the very nice lady from RWA explained to me calmly that I’d finaled in two different categories (Best First Book and Best Paranormal Romance), that it sunk in. (Well, actually, it took another few minutes after I’d hung up to sink in… I think I was numb at that point!)

What are you wearing to the RITA Awards Ceremony in San Francisco? (LOL) Do you have the dress picked out? Any stories?

Ah, yes, the dress. *sigh* I absolutely adore it. Full length, bronze/gold satin with banding and a teeny bit of bling at the bodice, with a cute little bolero jacket. I’d gone shopping and narrowed it down to two choices, then called a dear friend and begged her to come down and help me choose. When I stepped out of the dressing room expecting only her, there were five women standing there waiting for an empty dressing room—total strangers all—who oohed and aahed and had very definite opinions on which dressed looked the best! LOL It was unanimous for the bronze/gold satin!

Are you preparing a speech in case you win?

No speech. Just a short list of people to thank.

Congratulations on your RITA nomination. Any last thoughts?

Thank you, and congratulations to you, as well! This has been such an exciting journey, and it really is true what they say about just being honored to be nominated—win or lose, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!

To read more about Terri go to http://www.tgarey.com/

Thanks Terri!!

Next Up in our RITA Nominated Interviews!

Introducing Deanna Raybourn - Author of Silent in the Grave!

How did you get started in the publishing business?

Slowly. I wrote my first novel when I was 23. I did not sell Silent in the Grave until I was 37. In between were six or seven other novels that live quietly in a box in the attic, and we won’t even talk about how many rejection letters I got. But when MIRA bought Grave they bought two sequels as well, so overnight I went from being a girl who couldn’t get a second look from the publishing industry to a writer with a multibook deal. It was terrifying and wonderful, and I still haven’t quite recovered.

Any surprises? Biggest challenge so far?

My biggest fear as a writer was having to write a book I’d already been paid for. I was terrified. But when my agent sold Silent in the Grave, she might have accidentally given the impression I was a teeny bit further along with the sequel than I actually was. I had a very short time to finish it, and for six weeks after I signed the contract, I was paralyzed with fear. Then I looked at the calendar and nearly infarcted on the spot. I sat down and wrote like a demon for the next few months. After that I had to learn how to revise because I had never revised anything in my entire life, not a paper, not a book, not a paragraph. My editor was very tough, and incredibly good. She pushed me just far enough to get my best and not so far that I curled up fetal under the bed. Writing the third book was infinitely easier and more enjoyable!

What is the best part of being a novelist?

Readers! I love hearing from people who have been immersed in the world I’ve created and didn’t want to leave. The most touching response I have received was from a young woman who was flying home for a funeral and found my second book in the airport bookstore. She read it on the flight and said that for a few hours she forgot why she was traveling. That is hugely gratifying. To know that you can make someone’s day a little bit better, whether they are sick or bored or grieving or stressed out, means that what we do matters. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that when you’re sitting alone in front of the computer in your nightgown!


What’s the average day in the writer’s life look like for you? Are you scheduled and organized or are you more the “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” type?

I am an organized pantser. My methods are hugely idiosyncratic. What works for me probably wouldn’t work for anyone else. When I start a book, I know precisely where I’m going—just not how I’m going to get there. I have a very general outline scrawled on huge pieces of art paper and taped to the wall. I work my way from point to point. I start at about nine in the morning because that’s when my energy is highest and when the house is quiet. I work for two or three hours, no more. I have a page minimum when I first start a book, then a page maximum toward the end. Those guidelines force me to keep my pacing even. Otherwise I would rush toward the payoff at the end! When I’m through writing for the day, I still spend a lot of time thinking about the book, and often I find I “see” a scene the next morning when I’m drifting between sleeping and waking. It’s always the scene I’m getting ready to write, so often when I work it’s like taking dictation from myself. For me, the time I spend not writing, when I’m just noodling over the book in my head, is just as important as the time I am physically at the computer, pounding the keyboard. I also write every day when I’m working through a draft—no exceptions. I will take several weeks off between drafts, but when I am fully engaged in a book, I don’t want to be away from it.


What are your inspirations for your stories? Any tips and tricks for someone who is stuck?

Inspiration comes from a snippet of something I’m reading—a biography or a journal, an obscure fact, a forgotten mystery. Then I start playing the “what if” game and change everything, twisting and turning until I have something approaching a plot. From there I might think about the sort of people who would be involved in a situation like the one I’ve created, or a setting which would be unusual or provocative. As far as being stuck, the best tip is not to let yourself get there in the first place, and I don’t mean that to sound flippant. The most effective way to deal with block is preventive. I work every day, at the same time, for the same length of time. I always end a scene or a chapter with some sort of hook that will make the reader excited about turning the page, but it also helps to keep me excited about writing the next page. People talk a lot about inspiration and the muse, but in my experience, discipline counts for just as much.


Have you had a mentor, critique group or teacher that has helped you get where you are today? Have you been a mentor to someone else?

I don’t use critique groups, ever. They are divine for some people, but I just don’t work that way. My editor has been a tremendous mentor for me—and still is! I am learning incredible things from her, and over the course of three books I can already see how she is shaping my fiction to be the best it can be. I would love to put together a workshop to share what I’ve learned about the process so far. I’m thinking Morocco in 2009!


What does it mean to you to be nominated for a RITA award? How did you feel when you got the call? And what do you think the RITA means for the romance novel genre?

I was hugely thrilled and very honored to be nominated for two RITA Awards. When I got the call that I was nominated for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements, I was delighted. About an hour later I got the second call, and I thought they had made a mistake! I thought it was just a repeat of the first call until she said, “Best First Novel”, and then I about hollered down the house. I made her repeat it to me—I just could not believe I was nominated in two categories. It is just such a gracious welcome by the RWA family. My books tiptoe down the line of what a romance novel traditionally is, so to be nominated felt like RWA was saying, “We like you anyway!” It was a complete Sally Field moment.


What are you wearing to the RITA Awards Ceremony in San Francisco? (LOL) Do you have the dress picked out? Any stories?

You will have to wait and see! (That sounds like I’m trying to create suspense, but really I just haven’t shopped yet!) They just did a gorgeous cover shoot for the mass market release of Silent in the Sanctuary and if I could get my hands on the black corset dress they commissioned for it, I would wear that!


Are you preparing a speech in case you win?

No. If I win, my hands will be shaking so hard, I would tear the paper before I got to read it. I prefer the heartfelt, off-the-cuff speeches anyway.


Congratulations on your RITA nomination. Any last thoughts?

Thanks for having me!

Read more about Deanna at her awesome blog! http://deannaraybourn.typepad.com/

Let the Fun Begin!!

As I mentioned in my newsletter, I will be doing an interview with the RITA Nominees in the First Books Catagory! If you would like to win a copy of their book, just comment on the interview and you will be automatically entered to win! Be sure and leave your email (you can cloak it like this jamiecarie @ comcast.net. I'll know to leave out the spaces!)

I've read the answers and I can tell you that these authors are inspiring and lovely - inside and out! Enjoy the fun!!
And our first nominee is . . . (drumroll please:)



Double RITA Nominated Helen Brenna with TREASURE!!






How did you get started in the publishing business?

I’ve always been a romance reader, but NEVER dreamed of writing one. I’d just quit my job to stay home full-time for a few years with my then two year old daughter. (YIKES, she’s now 19 and in college!!) She was taking two hour daily naps, and I was bored. Finished a LaVryle Spencer novel one day and thought, “I could do that!”

Any surprises? Biggest challenge so far?

It was much, much harder than I expected, especially for someone like me with no writing background. I’m an accountant, geesh.
The biggest challenge has been tackling my fear. I’m full of it. There’s always something new to worry about. What if I write another book and it doesn’t sell? What if I finally get published and I get a bad review? What if readers don’t like my books? What if the publisher doesn’t buy another book? I could go on and on.

What is the best part of being a novelist?

Getting to write the books I’d like to read.

What’s the average day in the writer’s life look like for you? Are you scheduled and organized or are you more the “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” type?

I’m fairly scheduled. Get up early with the hopes of getting my work done first. Doesn’t always happen, but I try. I’ve got 4 books coming out in 2009, so I have to be disciplined.

What are your inspirations for your stories? Any tips and tricks for someone who is stuck?

I’ve had writer’s block before, and I’ve been stuck with a book. There’s a big difference. With writer’s block, I couldn’t string a sentence together to save my soul. In those situations, I think a writer needs to cut herself some slack and recharge. If you’re simply stuck, you just have to writer through it. Get something down every day and trust the clouds will clear.

Have you had a mentor, critique group or teacher that has helped you get where you are today? Have you been a mentor to someone else?

I’ve had a lot of help! Two different critique groups and a study group and a couple of people within those groups who have held my hand a lot, not only helping me become a better writer, but also helping me keep the faith. It’s so easy to become disheartened in this business.
I’ve done workshops at our local chapter and offered critiques as fundraisers for our local group, so I hope I’ve helped a little.

What does it mean to you to be nominated for a RITA award? How did you feel when you got the call? And what do you think the RITA means for the romance novel genre?

Wow. Wow.
TREASURE was a double nominee, so I was beside myself. I was in Colorado on a ski trip with my family and found out through emails. When I saw the first email, I was ecstatic. With the second one, I started crying. Sobbing, actually. Made quite a fool out of myself.

What are you wearing to the RITA Awards Ceremony in San Francisco? (LOL) Do you have the dress picked out? Any stories?

No clue yet. I get freaked out just thinking about it!

Are you preparing a speech in case you win?

You know, I go back and forth on this. But, in the end, yeah, I’ll prepare a speech, just in case. I think I’d be a basket case if I don’t put together something. I’ll still be incredibly nervous, but at least I’ll be able to calm myself a bit knowing I’m prepared.

Congratulations on your RITA nomination. Any last thoughts?

I wish everyone the best of luck! And I mean that. This best first book category has some very stiff competition and as a series author, I’m proud to have been nominated! I’ll be cheering loudly no matter who wins!

June 2008 - NEWSLETTER

SNOW ANGEL WINS FORWARD MAGAZINE AWARD FOR BEST ROMANCE
Wow! Snow Angel wins another award! I'm so blown away at how well this Alaskan love story is doing. The press release reads: ForeWord magazine has announced the winners of its tenth annual Book of the Year Awards. At a ceremony at BookExpo America in Los Angeles, 212 winners in 60 categories were honored. These books, representing the best work from independent publishers in 2007, were selected by a panel of librarian and bookseller judges. Snow Angel by Jamie Carie, released by B&H Publishing Group, August 2007, was named ForeWord Book of the Year in the Romance Category. The other 210 winners were selected by dozens of ForeWord readers from across the country, who are experts in the subject matter of the books they judged, and who make purchasing decisions daily for their collections or bookstores. The complete list of ForeWord's Book of the Year Award winners, searchable by title, author, publisher, and category, is available at ForeWord's Web site (www.forewordmagazine.com/botya).


CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to our April, May, and June winners for a copy of The Duchess and the Dragon. And the winners are:
Chris Swanson
Anna Campbell
Pam Dudley
(Remember, all you have to do to be automatically entered in each month's drawing is subscribe to this newsletter! So please pass along the word!)



NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT
With my son's high school graduation behind me, I have been busy working on the final edits for my fourth book, as yet untitled, but I'm calling it Red Like Scarlett (isn't that a cool title?). I have learned so much about the differences between the American Revolution vs. the French Revolution. We are a blessed people to have had men like George Washington and others lead America into what truly is a promise land. This Fourth of July is going to be particularly special to me because of my research this past year.

I am also really excited about the RWA Conference and the RITA Award Ceremony in San Francisco - August 2nd!! If you haven't heard, (I posted it everywhere - LOL) Snow Angel has been nominated for a RITA Award (this is BIG, like the Oscars of the romance biz!!) in the First Books category. I about dropped to the floor in a dead faint when I received the call. PTL!!! God's plans for this book keep blowing my mind! I'm going dress shopping (yes, I get to wear a full-length gown!!) next week. It is such an honor to be nominated!

Duchess reaches number 4 in Amazon's Books>Romance>Religious category.You can also purchase it at CBD, LifeWay and your local bookstores!


















Winner of USA Book News Best Books of 2007 in the Religious: Fiction and Literary Category!

Snow Angel wins Gold for Best Romance of 2007!












NEWS:

RITA Nominees Band Together: I am proud to introduce my fellow authors in the First Book Category for the RITA! There is some amazing talent here and such lovely women. In the time leading up to the awards ceremony, I will be interviewing each author on my blog to find out all about them. We will be having drawings for free books and other goodies. Just drop by and comment on the interview with your name and email address and you will be added to the drawing! Here is a sneak peak of the authors and their nominated books:


Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri GareyHarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books(978-0-06-113615-3)Erika Tsang, editor





Graffiti Girl by Kelly ParraSimon & Schuster, MTV Books/Pocket(141653461X)Jennifer Heddle, editor






Prime Time by Hank Phillippi RyanHarlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT(9780373881352)Ann Leslie Tuttle, editor







Prom Dates From Hell by Rosemary Clement-MooreRandom House Publishing, Delacorte Press(978-0-385-73412-7)Krista Marino, editor







Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA(978-0-7783-2410-2)Valerie Gray, editor








Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee BL Publishing, Solaris(978 1 84416 469 1)Mark Newton, editor






Treasure by Helen BrennaHarlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance(0373714033)Johanna Raisanen, editor

---

Favorite Fan Email for this month is . . . "Jamie, I just finished Snow Angel and it was one of the best books I have read in all my 63 years. I laughed and cried with and at the characters through out the book. From the minute I picked it up I couldn't lay it down until I finished it. I am anxiously awaiting your next one. Sincerely, Barbara Smotherman from Tennessee" Thank you so much Barbara!

New and improved website! Visit www.jamiecarie.com/ and let me know what you think!

Wind Dancer - I just heard that my publisher, B&H, is working on an awesome book trailer for my third book, Wind Dancer (January 2009). Check back on my website in a few weeks where I should have the final cover and new book trailer. I'm so excited about this third book!!

Sign up for this newsletter! Just go to http://www.jamiecarie.com/ and click on the "Newsletter" button to sign up! If you enjoy my books, please tell your family and friends! Thanks so much!!!

Hip
Hip
Hoorah

My son, Jordan, graduated from high school on Saturday. I can hardly believe how fast the time has flown by. Sometimes it seems that he went to bed my little boy and woke up this towering young man.
We had a graduation party for him and made him a video from birth until now. While Tony and I worked on it we became keenly aware of all the changes and events of his life. We weren't perfect parents, we have some proud moments and some regrets, but overall we can see the hand of God over his life.














Deann (Tony's mom) and Jordan


Tony wrote this to Jordan at the end of the video:
Jordan,

Today, four simple words describe
my thoughts for you.

"You are the man!"

We love you, congratulate you, and look
forward to seeing you through at least the
next four years of college.

In your time at college the most important
thing you will ever memorize is this:

(Inserted his cell phone number here)

I will always be there for you and wish you
the best.

Here are some photos of the big day!

Uncle Roger and Jordan















Grandma Great Flo and Jordan

From Left to Right - Donna and Jim (my parents), Tony, Jan and Jerry (Tony's dad and step-mom), Tony's Grandma Flo, Me, Deann (Tony's mom), Aunt Pat and Uncle Roger (Tony's aunt and uncle).

Next Book - Wind Dancer!!

Okay, I've been asked several times about when my next book is coming out, and I'm thrilled to announce that I just recieved a draft (it's not finished yet) of the cover for my third book - Wind Dancer!

The book will be out in stores January 1, 2009. Seems like a ways away, but time does fly, doesn't it?

I'm really excited about this next book as it is set in my hometown of Vincennes, Indiana during the Revolutionary War time period. Vincennes boasts a massive, granite memorial to George Rogers Clark who secured the forts in Vincennes, Cahokia and Kaskaskia for the Americans. If you like the movie, The Last of the Mohicans, I think you will love Wind Dancer!

Let me know what you think of the cover so far!

In the Shadow of His Wings

Today I read the first negative review of my work. It struck me as a blow. Like some stranger had passed by and proclaimed my child ugly, unworthy to be born.

I suppose I have been spoiled thus far in my journey as an author, as it was the first to wound me so. I found myself questioning everything, even my heart’s cry to proclaim the love of God as I pour all I have into these stories.

As I read the words I wanted to explain, to bend and weave my own magic to change a mind and seduce a heart. But no. That wasn't right.

Instead I soaked in the pain and felt it and breathed it and knew it. Suddenly, in the car to pick up my son from school, I remembered and prayed:

Lord, you are God over my emotions. You are the one that feeds
me and knows my deepest heart. I lay this at Your feet.

I cast off my burden of fear and rejection and left it to Him to do with as He willed. Whether to change me or still me. My eyes were on Him.

Later in the day, I received an email from a woman who had recently read one of my books. Her words were like the balm of Gilead:

Dear Jamie,

Since I know you receive so many letters telling you how much Snow Angel was enjoyed, I find myself at a loss to know how to express myself differently and sincerely to a person who is a natural at expressing emotion...... But, I'll try....... I have been an avid reader since I could read at about age 4, so you can imagine that if I had kept a list of read books, it would be very long. I tried it once, but in 7th grade when my notebook held a list of 200 books for the school year, I discontinued the practice. Having said that, my interests cover a wide range. But this book, this Noah and Elizabeth,..and Jane.....your ability to express emotion and stay pure without becoming bogged down in just words......is wonderful. I must say that at 65, being a romantic at heart, I have read a lot of quality romances.....but this one was not only beautiful, but exciting, informative (Alaska, goldrush)and full of suspense. I could hardly put it down! All that with a lovely Christian ribbon running through it. I read with a 10x magnifier, and have had to do that for a lot of years now..and have been in the talking book program for about 30 years.but readers read,...and in your case, writers write! Thank you so very much for writing Snow Angel. (Would you consider a sequel to Noah & Elizabeth's life in Alaska? I can just imagine Jane and Ben resettling there, close to the Wesleys..........)

Very Sincerely, Sue Bridges Niles, Mi

How eloquent, how dear to my heart, how timely her email was. It was, to me, a gift from God and a message that renewed my strength. I know I will never please everyone, but the woman in me wants to. Her words, coming from a woman who has read so much, probably seen so much, and like me, is a true romantic at heart, meant more to me than she could ever know.

All For His glory and hiding in the shadow of His wings . . . as I am nothing,

Jamie

The Making of the
Romance Novel Cover

Romance novel covers have changed so much since I began reading them in the late 1970's. Remember the bodice ripper covers? Fabio? Brunette Fabio? I was embarrassed to take them out in public! Then, the pub houses got smart and realized that more people would risk the stigma of reading a good romance if the covers didn't look so trashy. But enough women must have decried the lack of eye candy and, for a while, they came to a compromise. The outside cover now held a flower or a ring or some benign article from the story. (Remember the peek-a-boo cutouts? Ha!) But open the cover and there for your viewing enjoyment was Fabio, shirtless and brandishing a sword! Ah, the good old days.

Now covers seem to run the gauntlet of sweet to steamy. Of course, B&H and the lovely Diana Lawrence are doing a superb job with my books! I can't wait to see what my third book's cover, just titled WIND DANCER, will look like!

To learn more about the process check out this video on creating romance novel covers by Better.TV http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=507869917&lid=1328166604&tid=1493152359

TO KISS A SPY by Jane Feather is one of my favs. What's your favorite cover of all time?

Bizarre Celebrity Couples!!

I dreamed last night that Barbara Walters was dating Ponch from the 1970's show, CHIPS! LOL! I had just watched Barbara's special on living to be 150 so I know where she came from, but Eric Estrada? Haven't (honestly, I promise) thought of him in years! I did have a serious crush on him as a teenager, but was shocked to find him in my dreams. He is still pretty good looking . . . maybe Barb should give him a call!

Help me out here. What is the wackiest celebrity couple you can come up with?

American Idol . . .

I am thankful for American Idol this season because it has introduced me to the song "Hallelujah" sang by Jason Castro. Oh, my. Have your heard it? Have you seen these lyrics also sang by greats like Jeff Buckley and John Hiatt? No? Let me share my joy:

Well I heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do ya?
Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth,
the minor fall and the major lift
And the baffled king composing
Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah...
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya
And she tied you to her kitchen chair
She broke your throne and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah...
(Yeah but) Baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, (You know)
I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
and love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah...
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do ya
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah...
Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelu...
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelu...
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah

Jeff Buckly died in an accidental drowning. But his version of this song lives on. Wikipedia says of him, "On March 7, 2008, Buckley’s version of the Leonard Cohan song, “Hallelujah”, went to No. 1 on the iTunes chart, selling 178,000 downloads for the week, after being performed by Jason Castro on the seventh season of the television series American Idol. The song debuted at #1 ..., giving Buckley his first #1 on any Billboard chart.

Leonard Cohan's version goes like this:

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like thisThe fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied youTo a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even thoughIt all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Personally, I LOVE Jason Castro's version. I voted for him last week and plan to contine voting for him. If this is his only great song performance ever . . . it is enough for me.

This song will carry its own legacy. It is simply . . . brilliant.

Next Big News!

Snow Angel has been nominated by Romance Writers of America® as a RITA® finalist in the First Books category!! The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in San Francisco on August 1st. I’m so thrilled and honored to be included in this group of talented writers!! To view the list of 2008 RITA finalists, visit www.rwanational.org/cs/2008_rita_finalists.

It was a long tough road to publication of this story. Being nominated validates my belief that God has great plans for this book! I'm so glad He wouldn't let me give up when the going got tough. (If you haven't heard my story on this, here is an interview describing it on Novel Journey - http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/2007/08/author-interview-jamie-carrie.html)

And here is my praise to the Lord!

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations. (NIV)

Be blessed by our great God!!

Jamie Carie

Lots of Upcoming News!!!

Let's get this party started with my new book trailer for The Duchess and the Dragon!!! I hope you like it as much as I do!!! Without further ado!! (Oh, that rhymed:-).

Presidential Elections - 2008

Psalm 2

"Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
Let us break their chains, they say
and throw off their fetters.
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
"I have installed by King
on Zion, my holy hill.
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery."
Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (NIV)

Wow. This scripture makes me think of the upcoming elections. How God is really in control, has given His son, Jesus, rulership over us but He still cautions us to be wise, serve him with fear and kiss the Son (give homage to Him). I'm glad He added that line at the end!

I've been so busy lately that I haven't really prayed very much about the upcoming presidential election. (To be honest I don't like any of the candidates;). I plan to remedy that though. It's important to take up our role as citizens and prayerfully vote. I know God is in ultimate control of this earth, but I forgot that I have a role and responsibility to do my part.

Any thoughts?

It's Here!

I was shocked and thrilled to get two boxes of my new book, The Duchess and the Dragon, from the UPS truck yesterday! The cover is absolutely gorgeous!!

I will be giving away three copies this month to celebrate. If you would like a chance to win an early copy (it hits bookstore shelves April 1st) just go to my website http://www.jamiecarie.com/ and sign up for my newsletter. (If you are already signed up for the newsletter, you will automatically be included in the drawing.:) It's that simple!

Lauraine Snelling wrote this endorsement for the back cover: "Enthralling. The Duchess and the Dragon brought me to tears, to joy, and finally the delight of having just read an absorbing-till-the-last-line novel." WOW! Thanks Lauraine!

Snow Angel Finalist in ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Awards!!!

I learned yesterday that Snow Angel is a finalist in the Romance category for Book of the Year!! I'm so excited and blessed that this story is being noticed by such prestigious awards. It's funny - it took me so long to get published that I never really imagined what could happen after the book came out! PTL!! God is so good!!

Here is the description of the award and the list of finalist from http://www.forewordmagazine.com/

ForeWord Magazine announces the finalists in the tenth annual Book of the Year Awards. These books represent some of the best work coming from today's independent press community.
Nearly 1,600 books were entered in 61 categories. These were narrowed to 658 finalists, from 350 publishers.
The winners will be determined by a panel of librarians and booksellers, selected from our readership. ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards program was designed to discover distinctive books across a number of genres.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, as well as Editor's Choice Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction will be announced at a special program at BookExpo America at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on May 29. The winners of the two Editor's Choice Prizes will be awarded $1,500 each. The ceremony is open to all BEA attendees.

Friend, Leanna Ellis, On The Harvest Show!

My writing buddy, Leanna Ellis http://www.leannaellis.com/ has written a wonderful novel, Elvis Takes a Backseat and will be interviewed today on The Harvest Show. If you would like to see the interview online, go to http://www.harvest-tv.com/ and click on today's date - March 3rd. She is such a warm, lovely person, I know the interview will be great.

Here's the blurb for her book:

A young widow, determined to fulfill her husband’s last request, hauls a three foot bust of Elvis strapped in the back seat of a vintage Cadillac from Texas to Memphis to return it to its rightful owner. The road trip with her eccentric aunt, who knew the King of Rock n’ Roll, and a temperamental teen, who’s hiding her pregnancy, hits roadblocks and detours as the three women uncover pieces of their own past along with the bust’s mysterious history. The discoveries change the course of their lives forever.

Happy reading!!

Jamie

My Favorite Online Preacher

Introducing - Dan Backens!!

I found this WONDERFUL preacher out of Virginia Beach, Virgina who has a church (actually several in the area) called New Life Providence Chruch. Boy, can he preach it! I am subscribed to his podcast and listen every week. I can hardly wait for Monday so that I can hear his Sunday sermon. He has been preaching on being "People of the Book" and it has been a wonderful series!! I thought I would give all you faithful readers a treat and blog the link to his podcast - it's free!!

http://newlifeprovidence.com/sermons.asp

He calls his people "Charismatics with a brain!" He's absolutely hilarious and dead-on accurate! I LOVE him!! (His preaching that is:). Give it a try - it's well worth the forty minutes!

Celebrity Hair!!

Have you ever wondered what you would look like with Jennifer Lopez locks or Jessica Alba's do? Well now you can find out!! I found this really fun, incredibly easy website where you can download a photo of yourself and then choose hairstyles from hundreds of celebs to try. You can even change the color and add highlights! So if you like Katherine Heigl's elegant up-sweep, but look terrible as a platinum blond (like I did) you can change it to red, a rich brown or even black if you want to.

The site comes from InStyle Magazine's website. Here it is: www.instyle.com/hair

I liked one style so much that I recently had my bangs cut short (scary, but I'm getting used to it and everyone loves it)!

Have fun!

Do You Scrapbook?

I am an on-again, off-again scrapbooker. Last Christmas, I made albums for several relatives and vowed - never - ever - to - scrapbook - again! But now that it has been over a year since I dabbled in double sided sticky tape, die-cuts and silly stickers, I feel almost ready to take the plunge again. To help me get into the scrapping mood, I read a wonderfully fun book about four sisters who scrapbook together by Rebeca Seitz. It's called Sisters, Ink.







Sisters, Ink kicks off with “Big City Sister” Tandy’s forced leave of absence from the Orlando law firm of Meyers, Briggs, and Stratton due to an ethical issue that she believes could comprise herself, as well as her firm and her client’s case.

Tandy makes the best of her “vacation” and heads home to the tiny town of Stars Hill, Tennessee for a long-overdue reunion with her adopted sisters – Joy, the baby; Meg – the steady one; and Kendra, the artist. Yet, when she arrives, it’s more than the sisters she encounters. Former high school love Clay Kelner is back in town as well, several years of Marine Corps service behind him. Now the owner of the local diner, Clay’s hard to ignore – despite Tandy’s commitment to do so.

With Daddy’s country wisdom and the sisters’ advice spilled out over the scrapping table in Momma’s scrapping studio, Tandy’s life is a whirlwind of emotion and reconciliation. All she wanted was a short trip home. What she gets instead is anything but.

Seitz explains that as the series continues, each of the four sisters will take center stage. “By dedicating each novel in the series to one sister as the main storyline, I hope to give readers the opportunity to really know each character. Since all four were adopted, they each come from different social and ethnic backgrounds. Yet, they have found a commonality as siblings and as women that draws them together.” Each character in Seitz’s novels will go on to share their scrapping personalities and ideas with readers at http://www.sistersink.net/.

So, if you are interested in scrapbooking, women's friendships and just plain fun, pick up Sisters Ink!