Thursday, October 31, 2013

Day 31 of Inspiring Quotations

I hope you have enjoyed my 31 Days series of inspiring quotations. I have enjoyed sharing them with you!


October 31:


"No one is useless in this world who lightens the load of another."

Charles Dickens
author

_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Day 30 of Inspiring Quotations


October 30:

"If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people."

Virginia Woolf, author


_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Day 29 of Inspiring Quotations


October 29:


"Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time." 

T.S. Eliot
poet


_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Day 28 of Inspiring Quotations


October 28:

"Learn the lines and don't bump into the furniture."
Noel Coward
actor and playwright
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Day 27 of Inspiring Quotations


October 27:

"No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow."

Alice Walker, author

_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Day 26 of Inspiring Quotations


October 26:

"It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.

Eleanor Roosevelt
First Lady, writer, speaker
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Day 25 of Inspiring Quotations


October 25:

"Life is short, but it is wide."

Rebecca Wells, author

_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Day 24 of Inspiring Quotations


October 24:

In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.

Anne Frank
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Day 23 of Inspiring Quotations


October 23:

"There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is a miracle."

Albert Einstein
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Day 22 of Inspiring Quotations


October 22:

"The last of human freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

Viktor Frankl
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Day 21 of Inspiring Quotations


October 21:
"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery."
Jane Austen
Author
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

CFBA: Greetings From the Flipside

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Greetings from the Flipside
B&H Books (October 15, 2013)
by
Rene Gutteridge


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rene is the author of seventeen novels. She also has extensive experience writing comedy sketches, and worked for five years as the director of drama for a church. She has a degree specializing in Screenwriting, for which she earned the Excellence in Mass Communication Award, and graduated magna cum laude.

She is married to Sean, a musician and worship leader, and has two children. They reside in Oklahoma, where Rene writes full time and enjoys instructing in college classrooms and writers conferences.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hope Landon has been rewriting other people's greeting cards since she was six years old -- there's always a funnier caption. She's all set to chase those creative dreams with her musician fiance in New York City until he leaves Hope at the altar, deciding he must not really love this girl if he can't write a song for her. That may give her something to write about . . .

Hope disappears alone on what was supposed to be the couple's month long honeymoon. Upon returning she learns of her funeral -- everyone in her life concluded Hope must have killed herself after being jilted. Needing a fresh start more than ever, she heads for the Big Apple only to discover it's not that easy to rent a place when you've been declared dead.

Taking shelter at the YWCA, Hope soon lands a job at a Christian inspirational greeting card company as an assistant to Jake, a guy who shut down his organization's humor department. She has lost her faith in love; he needs to find something or someone that will make him laugh.

Is there anything in the cards for these two? Find out in the truly original Greetings from the Flipside by authors Rene Gutteridge (Boo) and Cheryl McKay (screenplay for The Ultimate Gift).

If you would like to read the first chapter of >Greetings from the Flipside, go HERE.

No review on this book, as I have not yet received my review copy. I'm really looking forward to reading it, though!
My review is here!


Day 20 of Inspiring Quotations


October 20:
"If you're not looking forward, you're looking backward
and you're going to smack into something really hard." 

Uma Thurman, actress
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Class Reunion Series Review - CFBA

You can see the CFBA review of book 1 here. I enjoyed the whole series. I ended up reading them all in a row and really enjoyed the maturing of the characters through the three reunions. I related to bits and pieces of each character. I hope you give the series a try!


ABOUT THE BOOKS


Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth—and she may be surprised at what she discovers.

As Priscilla Slater’s 15-year class reunion approaches, she decides to attend out of curiosity… and to flaunt her latest achievement—taking her business to a national level with the possibility of a TV show. As if getting ready for the event and putting up with the pranks of her former classmates isn’t enough, Priscilla’s hometown visit is further complicated by her parents’ separation. With the once-solid sanctuary of her home broken at the foundation, there’s only one thing Priscilla’s parents can agree on: no matter what sort of accolades their daughter receives as a hair stylist, she’s not living up to her potential. Eager to escape the painful reality of her childhood home, Priscilla bolts as soon as a call from New York brings good news: her offer to purchase one of the best salons in the country is likely to come through. But returning to New York means returning to Tim, Priscilla’s best friend and business pal who has been impatiently suggesting their relationship should be more than a friendship. Despite her recent achievements, will Priscilla learn that success doesn’t always result in popularity—or love?

Priscilla Slater shows up at her 20-year reunion as a national celebrity. Her hair salon dynasty has skyrocketed, and to top it off, she has her own line of hair products. She has become a huge success with the “Ms. Prissy Big Hair” line that lets women with the thinnest of locks get the coveted “big hair” look so popular in the South. Her classmates have finally come to terms with adulthood, but they’re handling it with the grace of a Southern woman wearing white after Labor Day. It’s just downright awkward! Asserting the maturity that her classmates have often lacked, Priscilla holds her head high. But she can’t ignore everything. When she catches her mother in the arms of her former high school principal, Priscilla can’t get out of town fast enough. Eager to get back to her more comfortable life, Priscilla runs head on into an ultimatum: Tim tells her they’re not getting any younger—as if she has to be reminded.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Pretty is as Pretty Does (bk 1), go HERE

JOIN THE PARTY! Now that all three books have released, let’s party! (Yes, really!) Join our online class reunion the week of October 7, 2013 on Debby Mayne’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/136447929891169/ Stop by to answer questions about the books, respond to fun polls, join in fun activities to help you reminisce your high school days, and win great prizes. Tell your friends and meet us there!


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Day 19 of Inspiring Quotations


October 19:
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher
_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Day 18 of Inspiring Quotations


October 18:

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

Dolly Parton, singer/songwriter

_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

In case of emergency, please call me


October 17:

For a military wife new to the area, this is one issue that is SUCH a concern. It may not seem like a huge deal, but it really can be.

Offer to be her emergency contact person.

You'd be surprised at how often paperwork of various kinds asks for an emergency contact that is not family. I think you'd also be very surprised at how much your offer to do this means to her.



Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 17 of Inspiring Quotations


October 17:

"Nobody has ever measured, even the poets, how much a heart can hold."

Zelda Fitzgerald
writer and wife of author F. Scott Fitzgerald



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Vehicular Care


October 16:

This would be a great way to help a friend or family  - or if you're really ambitious, make it a church project for all military families, single ladies, etc.

Offer to change her oil.

Or, you can offer to pay for her oil change with a nice little gift certificate or something, too.

Or, you can offer to watch her kids so she can go get the oil changed and grab a coffee and some quiet time in the process.

Sometimes it's the things that seem little to some people, but are a huge monster deal to someone who's already feeling overwhelmed.



Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 16 of Inspiring Quotations


October 16:

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

Helen Keller
writer and activist



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

3 Ways to Encourage with Dinner


October 13, 14, and 15:

Dinner plans when the military service member is away can often be hit-or-miss for a busy spouse, especially when she's doing it all with the kids' schedules, working part-time or full-time, or both!

Here are three unobtrusive ways to help your military spouse friend out with her dinner plans.

1. Invite her over, old-school. (If she already started her dinner, have her bring it over like a potluck.)
2. Make dinner and take it over to her house.
3. Give her a gift card to her favorite restaurant so she can go out on a day she doesn't feel like cooking.

Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Unspoken by Dee Henderson

I received a NetGalley ebook from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review. (UPDATE: I also ended up getting a paperback copy of this book later on in the mail, that I will pass along for someone to enjoy. Thank you to Bethany House.)



Publisher's Synopsis: 

Charlotte Graham is at the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago history. 

The task force of FBI and local cops found her two abductors, killed them, rescued her, but it took four very long years. The fact she was found less than three miles from her home, had been there the entire time, haunts them. She's changed her identity, found a profession she loves, and rebuilt her life. 

She's never said a word--to the cops, to her doctors, to family--about those four years.

A family legacy has brought her back to Chicago where a reporter is writing a book about the kidnapping. The cops who worked the case are cooperating with him. Her options are limited: Hope the reporter doesn't find the full truth, or break her silence about what happened. And her silence is what has protected her family for years. 

Bryce Bishop doesn't know her past, he only knows she has coins to sell from her grandfather's estate--and that the FBI director for the Chicago office made the introduction. The more he gets to know Charlotte, the more interested he becomes, an interest encouraged by those closest to her. But nothing else is working in his favor--she's decided she is single for life, she struggles with her faith, and she's willing to forego a huge inheritance to keep her privacy. She's not giving him much of an opening to work with.

Charlotte wants to trust him. She needs to tell him what happened. Because a crime cops thought was solved, has only opened another chapter...


Review: 


Once again, the NetGalley for Kindle has deleted all the double-f's (so the characters go o to the o ice, and there is a lot of stu on the desk. You get the idea). I have reported it to NetGalley, so hopefully this won't continue to be a problem as it has been for other titles from Bethany House and Revell.

That annoying slowdown aside, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book. 

The beginning of the book gets really bogged down with the coin stuff. We could have had half of the discussion and about a third of Charlotte's leading Bishop on and on (and on and on!), but I know why she kept it all. It was to build Charlotte's trust in Bryce.

Trust is key in Henderson's novels.

The really good "Dee Henderson"-y stuff is in the second half of the book.

While I don't think the main romantic relationship is realistic per se, it works within the context of the previous Henderson novel Full Disclosure (suspension of disbelief for Dee's world, if you will). Plus, in typical Henderson fashion, she intertwines details of the previous book with the current book, building upon the story and weaving in the plot threads. That part of her writing, I love.

I waffled between 3 and 4 stars, and landed on 4 in the end because the book kept me reading, and I really did care enough to figure out what happened to Charlotte.

www.deehenderson.com is the author's website for more information.

Day 15 of Inspiring Quotations


October 15:

"The quality of my life is determined by one thing: my attitude toward it."

Nicole Johnson
speaker, dramatist, author



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Day 14 of Inspiring Quotations


October 14:

"Happiness is not a station to arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

Margaret Lee Runbeck



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

We Get It


October 12:

If you are not a military spouse but have a friend who is, you may have come across a few of those venting blogs. You know the ones. "I hate it when my civilian friend says her husband's business trip is just like my husband's deployment." On the other side of the coin, it's more like this: "My friend's husband is in a war zone and I don't know what to say. I mean, my husband only had to go to Austin, not Afghanistan."

Let me share something with you from my perspective. It's okay to talk to your friend. Because the truth of the matter is this:

Gone is gone.

When the husband is gone, things are not the same. Your heart is in another location, and it makes life harder when the one you share that life with is not at home.

It's okay to talk about it, but it's not okay to make assumptions. You know what they say about the word assume :)


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 13 of Inspiring Quotations


October 13:

"Life is change.
Growth is optional.
Choose wisely."
Karen Kaiser Clark



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Day 12 of Inspiring Quotations


October 12:

"You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

Eleanor Roosevelt
First Lady, writer, speaker



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Prayer for Patience


October 11:

One way to encourage a military wife friend in your life is to pray for her to have an extra measure of patience. Patience is a tough commodity for your military wife friend, one that is needed often. We military families, who often seem to live by the saying "Hurry up and wait," tend to do a lot of waiting: We wait for news about our husband's promotions, his next school assignment, his next TDY (like a business trip), his next deployment, his next duty station (will we move? where? when?), and the list could go on and on.

Patience would be a welcome commodity in the life of any military wife.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Galatians 5:22-23, (NLT)


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 11 of Inspiring Quotations


October 11:

"We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right."

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
minister, writer and activist



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Leaf and Snow Corollary


October 10:

The corollary to yesterday's post about yard work:

It's autumn, so that means if you live near any trees at all, leaves likely cover the bulk of your yard. Another way to help a military wife whose husband is gone would be to rake the leaves in her yard.

During winter, helping with snow shoveling really, really helps too.



Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 10 of Inspiring Quotations


October 10:

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."

Victor Hugo
author



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

Yard Work


October 9:

When I asked friends about how best to encourage a military wife whose husband is away for any length of time, the #1 answer was:

MOW THE YARD

You'll give her the biggest blessing with one of the hardest tasks if you mow and trim the yard. If you're a gardener, offer to help weed the flower beds too.


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 9 of Inspiring Quotations


October 9:

"There is no perfect time to write. There's only now."
Barbara Kingsolver, author



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Please don't say it


October 8

I read a lot of military spouse information online, so oftentimes I'm not sure what content makes it out of the mil-spouse bubble and what doesn't. But one of the least helpful things I've ever heard or read is this:

You chose this life. You knew what you were getting into when you married a __________ {soldier/sailor/airman/marine/coast guard/reservist/guard member}.

Friends, this is not helpful. At all. Because there are many of us who did not marry a military service member. Then there are others of us who got married with stars in our eyes and love in our hearts, and we didn't have any clue what was in our futures.

Just like everyone else.

So the next time you hear a military wife friend express frustration over something with her husband's job, or worries aloud about whether or not her husband's next paycheck will be coming, extend to her a bit of grace. Don't say that least helpful thing; instead, offer to pray with her about her concerns.

Proverbs 16:9 says, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow.


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 8 of Inspiring Quotations


October 8:

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

Helen Keller
writer and activist



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Monday, October 07, 2013

Let's talk about pets, baby...


October 7

There are many reasons why military families travel. Sometimes there is an opportunity for a pre-deployment or post-deployment vacation together, or an opportunity to visit their extended families. Sometimes the family needs to travel for an emergency of one kind or another. And sometimes, like anyone else, they want to take a special trip for a special occasion. It's not always feasible to take their furry, feathered, or finned friends with them, and kenneling is sometimes difficult to find and expensive, too.

Enter the world of pet-sitting. Dogs and cats and hamsters and fish need attention when their families travel, especially around the holidays. If you're willing and able, offer to watch a military family's pet while they travel. Better yet, if you have older children, ask them to do this. The military family will appreciate having their pet pampered while they're away, and it will cost them a fraction of the cost of a professional kennel.



Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 7 of Inspiring Quotations


October 7:

"It's better to write something crappy than to not write."

Mike Myers
Comedian and writer



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Sunday, October 06, 2013

Get to know a military wife


October 6 (Happy birthday to Chaplain Hubby!)

Today's tip goes out to those of you in the civilian world who may not have wanted to take the time to get to know any military wives in your church or community. You might be intimidated by her camouflage diaper bag at church, or her air of confidence. You may think, "Well, she's a military wife. She's probably leaving soon anyway, and she has one of those family groups on the military installation that she probably belongs to. She doesn't need me. I don't even understand half of what those letters mean that she said in Sunday school!" If she's a Guard or reserve spouse, you don't even know what that means! It's too confusing.

While all of those things might be true, I'd like to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and get to know a military spouse. You might find a kindred spirit. You might find a prayer or accountability partner. Or you might not--but you made an effort, and that will not go unnoticed by her, or by our Father in heaven.

"Even though we might be leaving soon, we are still worth the time it takes to get to know us." (The credit for this goes to my friend Melissa.)


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 6 of Inspiring Quotations


October 6:

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."
Corrie ten Boom
author, speaker, Holocaust survivor



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Saturday, October 05, 2013

Give her a book


October 5:

If you just read the best book ever, loan it to your military wife friend. She may not have time to get to the bookstore or library, or she might not have the funds to buy the book herself. Share the literary love!

If it's a great book you love and don't want to part with, buy her her own copy and either give it to her with a note - or, if you want to be all ninja-stealth, you can have it sent to her from the major online retailer of your choice anonymously as a gift. (I've done this before--it's really fun.)


Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

Link to all the posts in this series

Link to my other #31Days series of Inspiring Quotations

Day 5 of Inspiring Quotations


October 5:

"Helping one another is part of the religion of our sisterhood."
Louisa May Alcott, author



_____
Part of The Nester's #31Days - click to find more fabulousness

To read all the posts in this series, click here.

Friday, October 04, 2013

CFBA presents the Class Reunion Series

Scroll down for my review:


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Pretty is as Pretty Does (bk 1)
Bless Her Heart (bk 2)
Tickled Pink (bk 3)
(Abingdon Press, 2012)
by
Debby Mayne


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Debby Mayne is a best-selling author who has published more than 25 books and novellas, 400 short stories and articles, and devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor, and a copy editor and proofreader. Her novel, Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from RT Book Review, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July. She and her husband Wally have two grown daughters, and live in Palm Harbor, Florida.

 ABOUT THE BOOKS

Priscilla Slater goes to her ten-year high school reunion with equal parts dread and eager anticipation. Even though she’s a successful owner of a chain of hair salons and no longer has the mousy brown hair, crooked teeth, and discount-store wardrobe, she still feels like the ugly duckling. But when she arrives at the reunion, Priscilla soon realizes that her old classmates aren’t exactly as she remembers them. With humor and a just a touch of sassiness, Priscilla finds herself facing her own truth—and she may be surprised at what she discovers.

As Priscilla Slater’s 15-year class reunion approaches, she decides to attend out of curiosity… and to flaunt her latest achievement—taking her business to a national level with the possibility of a TV show. As if getting ready for the event and putting up with the pranks of her former classmates isn’t enough, Priscilla’s hometown visit is further complicated by her parents’ separation. With the once-solid sanctuary of her home broken at the foundation, there’s only one thing Priscilla’s parents can agree on: no matter what sort of accolades their daughter receives as a hair stylist, she’s not living up to her potential. Eager to escape the painful reality of her childhood home, Priscilla bolts as soon as a call from New York brings good news: her offer to purchase one of the best salons in the country is likely to come through. But returning to New York means returning to Tim, Priscilla’s best friend and business pal who has been impatiently suggesting their relationship should be more than a friendship. Despite her recent achievements, will Priscilla learn that success doesn’t always result in popularity—or love?

Priscilla Slater shows up at her 20-year reunion as a national celebrity. Her hair salon dynasty has skyrocketed, and to top it off, she has her own line of hair products. She has become a huge success with the “Ms. Prissy Big Hair” line that lets women with the thinnest of locks get the coveted “big hair” look so popular in the South. Her classmates have finally come to terms with adulthood, but they’re handling it with the grace of a Southern woman wearing white after Labor Day. It’s just downright awkward! Asserting the maturity that her classmates have often lacked, Priscilla holds her head high. But she can’t ignore everything. When she catches her mother in the arms of her former high school principal, Priscilla can’t get out of town fast enough. Eager to get back to her more comfortable life, Priscilla runs head on into an ultimatum: Tim tells her they’re not getting any younger—as if she has to be reminded.

If you would like to read an excerpt from Pretty is as Pretty Does (bk 1), go HERE

JOIN THE PARTY! Now that all three books have released, let’s party! (Yes, really!) Join our online class reunion the week of October 7, 2013 on Debby Mayne’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/136447929891169/ Stop by to answer questions about the books, respond to fun polls, join in fun activities to help you reminisce your high school days, and win great prizes. Tell your friends and meet us there!

PATTIE'S REVIEW of Book 1:


I got this trilogy last week, and I didn't have time to read all three. I finished book one last night, and started book two immediately afterward.

It took me a while to get into Pretty Is as Pretty Does, and I'm not really sure why. Maybe because it's Southern women, and I'm most certainly not Southern (I live in Alaska, have lived in North Dakota, and I'm from Missouri!). But about halfway through, it kicked in for me and now I'm full steam ahead to finish the three books.

The characters are real, and the spiritual awakening is gradual. No lightbulb moments of spiritual awakening, no dramatic conversions, just real women living real lives.

I hope you take some time to read the excerpt and decide to read the books!