***Book Giveaway – See Contest Rules Below*** I’ll confess my bias right up front as I give this shameless shout-out for Lorna Seilstad‘s newest release, WHEN LOVE CALLS (Revell). Lorna and I have been critique partners (and friends) since 2008, so I’ve sat in the front row cheering section since before the birth of her first novel Making Waves (Lake …
To Be, Or Not To Be
I’ve noticed a puzzling trend in fiction lately: the elimination of the linking verb “to be” within a sentence. A recent example I discovered is, “The piano needs tuned.” Huh? Wouldn’t it be better to say, “The piano needs to be tuned.” or “The piano needs tuning.” Since I’m not a grammar expert, I asked my grammar queen friend about …
Meeting Tracie Peterson
Prolific, award-winning author Tracie Peterson was in town last night promoting her latest release, THE ICECUTTER’S DAUGHTER–the first in a three book series based in Minnesota (Land of Shining Water series). For an entire week now, she’s been braving our inhospitable Minnesota spring, while touring the state. Her last events are today (Grand Forks, ND at 11:30 and Moorhead, MN …
Discovering Gold at the Local Bookseller
While out and about yesterday, I happened to stop in our local bookstore and was very surprised and happy to find new releases I’ve been waiting months to read. It’s almost like finding gold. 🙂 (I also helped myself to a little shelf-rearranging to make sure the covers were displayed, not just the spine.) WHEN LOVE CALLS, Gregory Sisters Series …
Talking With Ginny Yttrup
Last week I posted a review of Ginny Yttrup’s powerful new release, INVISIBLE (https://brendaandersonbooks.com/2013/03/26/wanting-to-be-invisible/). If you haven’t had the opportunity to pick up this book, I encourage you to do so. It won’t leave you unchanged. I’m blessed to have Ginny Yttrup stop by today for an interview, giving us more insight into the writing of Invisible. Ginny, thank you …
O Sacred Head …
Text: Anonymous; trans. by Paul Gerhardt and James W. Alexander Music: Hans L. Hassler, 1564-1612; harm. by J.S. Bach, 1685-1750 O sacred Head, now wounded With grief and shame weighed down Now scornfully surounded With thorns, Thine only crown How art Thou pale with anguish With sore abuse and scorn! How does that visage languish Which once was bright as morn! What …
Springtime
Spring is here. Honest! Even though we Minnesotan’s and upper Midwesterners aren’t seeing a lot of evidence right now. Several blankets of snow still coat the grass, the temperatures are hovering in the single digits, and the winds are howling like they do in January. Yet, the calendar tells us spring is here. Just in case you doubt, here’s a …
Graduation Party Checklist
March is here, which means spring is coming, and so is the last day of school. The very last day of high school for my middle child! Yikes! And that means, I better get hustling on that graduation party! I’ve been preparing for it all year–In order to stretch the costs over months, whenever I go to Sam’s Club, I …
Home Improvement Project
I’ve been frequenting the home improvement stores lately, hoping to get a glimpse of one of those DIY Network House Crashers crews. Well, maybe not for that exact purpose, but running into them would have been a very nice perk. After all, we have a kitchen and two baths that they could do wonders with. Besides, Matt Muenster of Bath Crashers is …
First Sign of Spring
I live in Minnesota which is known for its cold and snowy winters. This winter has been rather mild–most of the storms have tracked south of the Twin Cities, and we’ve had very few days below zero. Right now our temperature is 30 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s practically balmy for a Minnesota February. And–people think I’m nuts–but I much prefer below …