Country at Heart

It's kind of like winning the lottery or maybe winning the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes. Not that I would know how either of those feel like, but it finally arrived . . . my contract with Zondervan!

They have contracted me for three books of my Seasons of the Tallgrass series. The first book, Snow Melts in Spring is set to release in May 2009. How exciting is that! I am thrilled to be working with them on this project and understand that my first edits will be coming soon. Yahoo! It has been a long and winding road, but I am finally going to be published. A big THANK YOU to my agent Rachelle Gardner at Wordserve Literary, for working out all the details. I'll post more news in August, but until then, please celebrate with me!!!!

I thought I'd share with you a picture from my rose garden. This is actually a plant handed down to me from my great-grandma Cora, which makes it a special treasure, but it also has the most fragrant perfume.

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

Miss Rodeo America 2008

My current book that I'm writing has a main character who is a former Miss Rodeo Kansas queen. This has been a fun project to research, especially when I learned that the 2008 Miss Rodeo America (MRA) is from Kansas! How cool is that? Amy and her advisors have been very helpful in answering the many questions I have about MRA. I wanted to thank them for their time and assistance and also share with you a few tidbits I've learned. You may visit the MRA site http://www.missrodeo.com/ for even more information.

Kansas cowgirl Amy Wilson is the 2008 Miss Rodeo America. She captured the coveted crown at the conclusion of a weeklong competition featuring 27 contestants from across the country at the 53rd Annual Miss Rodeo America Pageant, held at The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas in December. Amy is the first cowgirl from Kansas to win the title since Diana Putnam Friend held the title of Miss Rodeo America 1980.

A statuesque beauty at 5’8”, Miss Wilson has blonde hair, blue eyes and an all-American smile. She is the 21-year-old daughter of Lonnie and Lori Wilson, and the sister of five siblings including Kayla, Brenda, Sally, Dana and Brent. They are residents of Colby, KS.

"The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the LORD." Proverbs 21:31

Recommended Reading

Here are a few more titles for your summer reading. To enter this month's book give-away, please sign my guestbook at the bottom of this site. Three winners will be selected on July 31 and announced here in August. Until then, happy reading!

Congratulations to June winners:
Carol Russel, Melissa(ForestRose), and Ginny

Love Starts With Elle, by Rachel Hauck

Elle's living the dream-but is it her dream or his? Elle loves life in Beaufort, South Carolina-lazy summer days on the sand bar, coastal bonfires, and dinners with friends sharing a lifetime of memories. And she's found her niche as the owner of a successful art gallery too. Life is good.

Then the dynamic pastor of her small town church sweeps her off her feet. She's never known a man like Jeremiah-one who breathes in confidence and exhales all doubt. When he proposes in the setting sunlight, Elle hands him her heart on a silver platter. But Jeremiah's just accepted a large pastorate in a different state. If she's serious about their relationship, Elle will take "the call," too, leaving behind the people and place she loves so dearly. Elle's friendship with her new tenant, widower Heath McCord, and his young daughter make things even more complicated. Is love transferrable across the miles? And can you take it with you when you go?

Wind River, by Tom Morrisey

YOU CAN'T OUTRUN YOUR PAST. Desperate to forget what happened to him in Iraq, Tyler Perkins flees to the emptiness of Wyoming. He's here to escape and also to fulfill a long-ago promise by accompanying his 86-year-old friend Soren Andeman on a fly-fishing trip—once more for old time's sake.

But their trek to an idyllic trout lake soon becomes something more deeply harrowing—a journey that uncovers long-held lies, deadly crimes, and the buried secrets of the past. Ty barely has time to contemplate the question of what constitutes justice when nature unleashes her own revenge. Trapped in a race back to safety, he must face his own guilt-ridden past or risk being consumed. Powerfully imagined by the acclaimed author of In High Places, Wind River is an engaging wilderness adventure that explores the power of confession, the beauty of forgiveness, and the freedom of truth unveiled.

The Falcon & the Sparrow, by Marylu Tyndall

The intrigue and passion of The Falcon and the Sparrow will leave you breathless. Follow the trail of Dominique Dawson, a reluctant spy who is forced to betray England or never see her brother again. As she takes a position as the governess of a Rear Admiral's son, her real mission is to gather intelligence information for Napoleon. Chase Randal, irresistibly drawn to his son's new governess, reluctantly allows the attraction to grow. Is there a future for the spy and the rear admiral? Or will Dominique's deception crush any prospect of a lasting happiness? www.barbourbooks.com

Symphony in the Flint Hills

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25

Here is a video clip I found on Youtube from this year's concert. Enjoy!

More Flint Hills

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

This is a new recipe I tried and it is awesome, especially when served with enchiladas.

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1 (8.75 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/3 cup salsa
Salt & pepper to taste

In in a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. In the large pot, mix into rice the sour cream, 1/2 cup cheese, corn, salsa and seasonings. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Yum.

More Recipes

Saving Grace

"Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Eph. 5:1-2

Eight years ago, I formed and managed a group of youth singers who called themselves "Saving Grace." We were together for five years. During that time, we learned a host of contemporary praise songs along with a few gospel hymns, and we traveled around southeast Kansas singing and glorifying God with our music. Some of the places we attended were various churches, community events, and even the Kansas State Fair where we performed three different times. In those years, we managed to purchase our own singing equipment and our last year together we recorded a music CD of our favorite songs. We also ate a lot of pizza and had some fun roadtrips.

I watched these girls grow from gangly teens to beautiful, God-honoring women. This last month, we had a reunion concert at a local church. It was a lot of fun getting together again, and amazing enough, the music and words came back to everyone with little effort. Pictured here are group members: Maggie, Stevi, Abbey, Andi and Sara. (Kerri & Samantha were unable to join us.) Thank you girls, and may God grant you happiness in His care all the days of your lives. Let's do this again soon!