WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?

Our granddaughter, Alexis Joy, "Lexi", is almost one-year-old already, but it seems like only a couple of months ago we welcomed her into the world! Wow, time is a real stinker, isn't it -- especially when you get old like me -- and every second counts. ~grins~

Anyway, her party was last night, so I think I'll share a few pics with you. (Feel free to click on the image to enlarge it.)

Okay, here goes...

These first couple shots show a very solemn "princess". She wasn't having anything to do with all that attention - until later when the cake and presents arrived. You'll see her pretty amazing "castle" cake, and, oh, the INCREDIBLE dollhouse Cecil built for her (which she won't even play with for a few years!!!). It came with well over a 1000 pieces and took him several weeks to build.















FAMILY IS EVERYTHING! MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU AND YOURS TODAY AND ALWAYS!

BOYS WILL BE BOYS!

You find out some interesting things when you have sons/grandsons. Here are just a few items of interest:

1.) A king-size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.

2! .) If you spray hairspray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

3.) A 3-year-old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

4.) If you hook a dog leash to a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape.. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.

5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a base ball a long way.

6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words, "Uh-oh", it's already too late.

8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9.) A six-year old boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man says they can only do it in the movies.

10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year-old boy.

11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.

12.) Super glue is FOREVER.

13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool, you still can't walk on water.

14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15.) VCR's do not eject 'PB & J' sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

20.) The fire department in my town has a 5-minute response time.

21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

24.) 80% of women will pass this on to almost all their friends, whether they have boys or not.

25.) 80% of men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and the brake fluid.

H O U S E B O A T S
R O C K!!!(No pun intended.)

We had an absolutely FABULOUS vacay drifting across the beautiful Dale Hollow Lake in Northern Tennessee and parts of Southern Kentucky with dear friends.

As we sailed along at about 5-10 MPH we every so often saw a sign that said "You are now entering Tennessee." Up around a bend, we'd see another one reading, "You are now entering Kentucky."













What does a person do on a houseboat, you ask? PLENTY! Well, here's a list of some of the many things we partook in:

*Reading
*Napping
*Lounging on the upper deck
*Tying up to a tree along the bank and swimming or floating under a hot sun and cloudless sky (Water temps remained in the 80s.)
*Napping
*Fishing - if that's your thing
*Riding the water slide into the clean, refreshing lake
*Playing card/board games
*Napping
*Watching videos on the big screen TV
*Eating in the big kitchen/dining room or enjoying meals at one of the many restaurants around the lake
*Enjoying the beauty of untouched, unpolluted nature (no residents on the 700+ miles of beautiful shoreline)
*Napping
*LAUGHING and RELAXING. We did plenty of both!

Above are some pics of the three other couples who went with Cecil and me, all precious friends who we know a little bit better now after having lived together in such close quarters for the past week.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SORT OF VACATION...especially if you want to get away for a good time of refreshment and renewal.


Despite having a wonderful vacation, it's always great to come home, too! I love you all!

Sending warm, squishy hugs...

LOOK AT MY BOAT!



Well, okay, it's not exactly mine, but Cecil and I and three other couples are renting it all next week, leaving for Tennessee at 5 a.m. Monday so we can be ON THE BOAT by 2 p.m., soaking up rays, reading, relaxing, laughing, playing silly games, watching DVD's and, of course, EATING!!!!!

Now, here's the baaaaad news - I won't have ANY internet connection! The first few days of the trip will be dealing with my withdrawal. I'm sure it will be painful. teehee But then by the second or third day I'll be going - "What internet? Honey, will you please get me another bowl of ice cream, as I can't get out of this lounge chair?"

At any rate, DON'T FORGET TO GO TO MY PREVIOUS BLOG AND THROW YOUR NAME IN THE HAT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN MY LATEST RELEASE, MAGGIE ROSE. The drawing will take place when I return from my vacay! Feel free to leave comments here, and I'll see them through Sunday night and then after I return.

Take care, God bless, and I love you all!!!!!

MR. UPS GUY JUST DELIVERED MY BABY!!!

What I mean to say is, he just plopped a carton containing hot-off-the-press copies of Maggie Rose on my front porch! Want to try to win a copy? I'll tell you how in a second...but first...

Here's the back cover blurb:

1904...New York City

Maggie Rose, the spunky, friendly, twenty-year-old middle daughter of Michigan resident Jacob Kane, feels compelled to leave her beloved hometown of Sandy Shores to pursue what she believes in her heart are God's plans for her life -- in New York City.

Maggie Rose adjusts to her new life at Sheltering Arms Refuge, an orphanage that also transports homeless children to towns across the United States to match them with compatible families. Most of the children have painful pasts that make Maggie aghast, but she marvels at their resiliency. As she gets to know each child, her heart blossoms with new depths of love and compassion.

When a newspaper reporter comes to stay at the orphanage in order to gather research for an article, Maggie is struck by his handsome face--and concerned by his lack of faith. She can't deny their mutual affections, though. Will she win the struggle to maintain her focus on God and remain attuned to His guidance?

Simply make a comment below telling me why you enjoy reading historical fiction, and I'll enter your name in my proverbial "hat". Enter twice if you like!

This drawing will continue through June 20, as I will be away from my computer the entire week of June 14-19. Going on vacay!

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS, DARLING FRIENDS. REMEMBER, THE DRAWING TAKES PLACEJUNE 20!!!!!

NOW, for another peek at MAGGIE ROSE, my EIGHTH BABY!

A TORNADO HAS HIT! (sort of...)

Okay, my darling friends, take a look at this picture:



This is my kitchen island, and this morning it did not look like this. Tonight, however, is another story. And here is the story's title:

MY DAUGHTERS ARE HAVING A GARAGE SALE!

Okay, so today after dinner, Kendra and Krista were sitting at my table making plans for their upcoming sale. I am not in on the planning, nor did I ever ask to be. I do NOT have time for a garage sale. I was standing at the sink, one ear to their chit-chat, when Kendy said, "Mom, what do you have to contribute to the sale?"

"Uh, nothing," I said. "I don't have time."

"I'll help you," she so generously offered. But see, that means I have to get involved. Ugh.

"Well...I guess I have some stuff." Why did I have to go and say that? I have stuff all right. Too much!

That's when the idea hit. "Tell you what, if you guys want to go through my closets and cupboards and organize and do all the pricing, etc., etc., you can have the proceeds."

Whoa! You never saw anything like it. Quick as lightning, cupboard doors started flying open. They see dollar signs. "What is this?" Krissi asked, bringing out the ugliest, oblong, glass serving dish you have ever seen in your life.

"That? Well, that's a wedding gift." (Um, I got married in December 1975.)

"I've never seen it before," she said.

"That's because I've never used it." Garage sale.

(Giggles and laughs proceed.) "Mom, why do you still have an olive green crockpot?" Kendy asked. (See it in the picture?)

"Because--because, you never know when I might need it, and because, well, it was a wedding gift." I actually received 5 of them, as that was the year they invented crockpots. Garage sale. (Think anyone will buy it?)

"Mom, why do you have 8 bazillion glass platters?"

"Well, for all my entertaining!" I said. You have to know my small-group dinners never require fancy glass platters. Half a dozen of them are going to the sale.

More giggles and laughs. (I think my daughters are making fun of me.) "Mom, do you really need all these coffee pots?" "Why do you have 257 bottles of vitamins, all expired?" (trash basket) "What an ugly vase. Look at all these vases. Why do you need all these vases?"

"Well, for all the flowers your dad keeps bringing me." That really got a laugh. I should have said, "For those bunches of flowers I buy at the grocery store." About 10 vases went to the sale.

And so it went -- mirrors, clocks, radios, bedside stands, mismatched dishware, lamps, shelves, coffee pots, tablecloths--and on and on. I really didn't have to lift a finger, either, just hold my grandbaby while they made fun of my stuff. haha.

Here's the sad part. All that stuff you see has to sit in my kitchen till Friday when they haul it all away to their block sale. Ugh.

Why did I hoard it all these years? It's just STUFF. I must remind myself after they take it away NOT to replace it with MORE stuff! Otherwise, in five years we'll be going down this road again.

At least I have clean cupboards and closets now. And I didn't have to do a thing but take a little verbal abuse. Haha. Good thing I can take it.

I love you all! Have a happy week!

I AM ONE BUSY MAMA - UR, GRANDMA!

I have only had a minute here, a minute there to check in with my online friends that I wonder if any of you remembers me! Well, I'm here to tell you I truly am alive; I just have been busier than a bee in basket! I have writing deadlines I'm determined to meet, which means daily word-count goals to fulfill. I also just returned from a 5-day trip to Pittsburgh in which I visited my publishing house and had several appointments. In fact, here's a couple of pics to prove I was there. Ha-ha. Don't go away. There's more under the pictures!

Here I am just getting ready to walk through the door!


This poster greeted us when we walked into Whitaker House's main lobby! We felt very welcomed!


These are a few of the people who work in the graphics department. They design my lovely book covers! It was so fun meeting them.


Okay, that was our trip to Pittsburgh. I have many more pics of the beautiful city, but at the risk of boring you to death, I will not post them.

What else have I been doing? Well, baby-sitting my one-year-old grandson for one thing. I have him once a week, and let me tell you watching him is like watching a wildfire spread across a forest. During every waking minute he NEVER stops or even slows down. He is CONSTANTLY investigating, looking for something to get into, and always a step ahead of me! Here're a couple pics of him just being, well, him. I don't want to be one of those grandmas who never shuts up about the cute things her grandkids say and do, but I just have to say this one thing, he's FUNNY and ADORABLE! (Okay, so that was two.)

Seems like Gavin always has a skinned-up nose. Here he is with "Papa"!


Yes, I let him splash in the dirty bird bath. Bad grandma!


What can I say? He's a boy. He loves the sprinkler!


Oh, the joys of living in one-year-old skin!


So, there you have it. On top of these things I am writing like a fiend, trying to meet my daily writing goals so I can finish by my December deadline. December sounds like a long way off -- unless you're writing a novel! Then it's like TOMORROW!

I'm looking forward to my 8th release, which should be arriving on my doorstep most any day. Maggie Rose is the second in my Daughters of Jacob Kane series. If you haven't read number one, Hannah Grace, run out and get a copy so you can finish it before Maggie Rose hits shelves. Abbie Ann, third and final in the series, comes out in spring of '10! And then it's onto my next series!!!! Whew!

Next month, we're off to the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in Denver where I'll be signing hot-off-the-press copies of "Maggie"!

Sooo, that's my life in a nutshell, and let me just say God is GOOD and FAITHFUL to His own. Stay the course, my precious friends.

And let me also say this--if you read this clear to the end, BRAVO! You are to be GREATLY commended.

I love you tons!!!!

I AM A TECHNO DUHHHHHHD!

See, here's the thing, I know enough to get by on the computer, but I also know enough to do a lot of damage. Sometimes I am apt to just push a button here, a button there (because I think I've reached a level of smartness), only to discover I can't get back to the place I started, which is the beginning! Can I get an Amen? I have literally stared at this computer for heart-stopping minutes, praying that God would lend guidance to the situation, particularly when something very important--like, say, a MANUSCRIPT of all things--has disappeared from my screen and I can't figure out where it went. YOW, it's enough to make my heart go into spasms.

And here's something else. I don't know how I got that handy-dandy little feature up there in the right hand corner of my screen that says "FOLLOWERS". (I think I remember one day saying to myself, "What's a widget? That's a very cute word. I think I'll click on it." And so I did, and look what popped up. In fact, I looked today and realized I HAVE 16 FOLLOWERS. I love this nice, lovely feature---however it got there---but I have one little question, and here it is: People, why are you following me? I don't know anything, and I truly haven't said much of anything worth reading. Still, I think it's awfully cool, so don't stop on my account! And by the way, I recently discovered I have lurkers reading my blog who don't know how to leave comments. COME ON, PEOPLE, IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE A BLOG, YOU CAN LEAVE ME A COMMENT. Just click on 'comments' and start writing in the box. If you don't have an account create one--or I think you can just click on 'ANONYMOUS'.

I have friends who can do all kinds of things with their computers--like build beautiful websites, which take up their whole screen. How come my blog page is so skinny? It's the only skinny thing about me--my blog. Other people can make their blogs stretch wide across the screen. Also, I can't make my photos go where I want them to go. They just go straight to the top of my page and refuse to move. Some people arrange their pics in all sizes and places on their page. What's up with that?

And on this topic of technology - yes, that is what I'm sputtering about, what is with cell phones these days? I thought they invented them to talk on. Why must we now treat them as typewriters, ur...what's a typewriter? Pardon me. Why must we treat them as computers and type on their midget-sized keys? My daughter will say, "Mom, I texted you a message," to which I'll say, "Why didn't you CALL me? It's a P-H-O-N-E!"

Today, for hubby's birthday, my kids got him a universal remote for our big screen TV. (Yes, we have one of those honkers, but it's very hard to turn on because it requires lots of remotes.) Now, supposedly we can toss them all aside and just rely on this ONE remote. By the way, Cecil ain't no genius when it comes to things technical; although, he's better than me by a long stretch. Whereas it used to take him 10 minutes to finally get the DVD rolling once he went through all the directions, now he/we should be able to hit play within a minute. Or two. Hmmm.

The kids say, "Mom, even YOU will be able to watch a movie with this remote." Thank you...I think.

We'll see. I'm sure I'll figure out a way to screw it up.

I LOVE YOU ALL -- AND SO DOES OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!!!!!

I'M JAZZED, SIKED, AND STOKED!!!!!!





Like the lingo in my title? haha. It's very out of character for me - since I AM an oldster, but I thought I'd try it out on you anyway.

All that to say this: I AM TRULY PRAISING MY LORD AND SAVIOR, as two of my books, Long Journey Home and Through Every Storm, have been translated into Spanish for a fall/Christmas season release. Wal*Mart intends to place them in areas with concentrated Hispanic populations.

So...if you happen to know any Spanish-speaking individuals who struggle to read English Christian fiction these books are now available at Amazon(dot)com for pre-order. You can also go to ChristianBook(dot)com.

As with all my books, my constant prayer is that God will use my meager words to help spread His love, hope, and redemptive message.

The cover designs are the same (I'll show them to you in their English versions), but the titles are in Spanish! Long Journey Home is Un Largo Camino a Casa and Through Every Storm is En Medio de la Tormenta. Cool, eh? Oh, I just thought of another word, and here it is: I'M GEEKED!!!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

GAVIN AND I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT -- but we're still alive!!!!!

OKAY, Y'ALL...NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, I AM A MAJOR KLUTZ!

I'd like to blame my age, but I've always lacked in the coordination department. Well, today I'm sporting a black eye to prove my inability to walk in a straight line. Ha!

And here is the UGLY, and I mean UGLY, photo of it (and me), taken with my computer lens. Even without a black eye, these computer cameras are for the birds! Does it make any difference to you that I didn't have on a particle of makeup? It does to me, and I'll show you why in a second.





Now for the story of what happened:

I was chasing my one-year-old grandson Gavin yesterday playing..."I'm gonna get you!...". I mean what grandma doesn't play that game, right? Anyway, when I scooped him up we tripped, ur, I tripped. (Looking back, I believe I actually stepped out of my stupid, loose sandal, turning my ankle.) All I really know is one second we were playing in the driveway, and the next, we were lying flat out, he screaming from the goose egg he'd acquired when his head met the pavement, and me moaning when the left side of my face scraped the pitted driveway. I also have a bruised up arm, elbow, and leg, which you won't get the pleasure of seeing. I know, I know, you're deeply disappointed by that. All in all, though, I'm a mess! I'm throwing away those sandals, too! Dumb things. It's all their fault. (By the way, Gavin is fine. His goose egg amounted to nothing more than a couple of scratch marks today. I think I fared worse because I was instinctively trying to protect him, so I took the brunt - as any grandma would.)

Now, here's the cool thing: I took one look in the mirror this morning and groaned, "I'm not going anywhere today! Even Cecil looked at me and in that pathetic tone of his and said, "Oooooh, Babe."

Well, I dragged out my cosmetic bag, of which I have some very dandy, somewhat expensive, makeup called Bare Escentuals. Ever hear of it? Everything is in powder form, and the foundation is, well, almost magical. (This sounds like a commercial.) Granted it's rather caked on the "strawberry" mark I got across my cheek and under my eye, so you'll see the white powerdy glow, but...look at my transformation. I might even go out in public today!



I didn't touch up the photo. What you see where that white sheen is is a thick layer of powder foundation.

In fact, I'll take another photo with my computer screen, so you can really see the comparison in black and white.



You all ought to run out to your nearest Bare Escentuals store -- or look online. (Ebay has it!) This stuff works.

P.S. Sorry, men. I should have warned you this was for women only. But wait! MOTHER'S DAY IS COMING!!!!!!

Hugs and love...
Shar

When you look at the black and whites taken from the computer lens it is like looking in a mirror; the color pic was taken with my digital, thereby reversing the image. In other words, we're used to looking at snapshots and looking at, say a right cheek when we're actually looking at a left cheek. Your brain makes the reversal for you. In the three shots of me, you're actually looking at my left cheek (on my FACE, people!!!) in all three photos, even though it seems as if I turned my face another direction. Make sense?

Another P.S. I just realized this could win some sort of award for being the STUPIDEST BLOG IN BLOGWORLD!

CONFESSIONS OF A NERDLING - PART 6

NOT for the squeamish! Let me just say there is an image of a snake on this page, so if you have a phobia of them like I do of mice, do NOT scroll down. Now...onto my nerdish, ridiculous, childish story...

I have NO idea how I happened to turn out to become a reasonably mature person other than I am 60, so it's probably time, but after some of the silly things I did as a kid--and still am inclined to do to this day--it's all very questionable. One of the joys of my life is to make people laugh, even at my expense, so I'm inclined to tell about the stupid things I've done and do because I know it will garner a giggle from someone.

Okay -- Cindy and I were walking home from school, and I'd guess we were in about fourth and second grades. We often walked home in lieu of riding the bus, and in those days a kid didn't have to bring a note from home to obtain permission. You simply set off walking instead of jumping on the bus. Can you imagine the school system allowing that today? As I recall, it was a hot day, so it was probably mid-May as we trudged along on the one-mile walk.

I was quite the daredevil as a kid, but something happened to that side of me because now I am the most UNcourageous, UNadventurous, scaredy-cattish person alive! Back in the day, though, there wasn't much I wouldn't try at least once.

We have a lot of blue racer snakes in Michigan, especially in wooded areas. I saw a lot of them growing up, and they never bothered me, even though they could grow to several feet long. Usually in the spring you'd find them coming out of hibernation, all curled up under a big shade tree secluded by dry, brown leaves.

EXCEPT for that dead one we found along the road on our way home.



Apparently, he wasn't in his 'racing' mode yet because he never made it across the road before a car smooshed one end of him. Well, Cindy and I bent over the thing to investigate whether he was truly dead. When we determined he was, we picked him up, He felt warm from lying in the sun--and, well, a little limp. We decided to carry him home, even though he was a little heavy. We argued a little bit about who got to carry him, so to be fair we worked it out that we'd count off 50 steps and then we'd hand him over. This worked for about a half-mile. (Our goal, by the way, was to take him home to our mothers and scare them. Is that not naughty?) When we reached our dirt road, we heard an approaching car. We moved off to the side, but then the car screeched to a halt, sending dust everywhere. Oops! It was my dad. He rolled down the window speedy quick. I can still hear him to this day.

"What in the WORLD are you doing?" he asked in a croaky voice. His scowl stretched across his face, and my dad didn't often scowl. "Put that thing down and get in the car immediately. And don't touch the seats. That thing is probably full of germs!"

We only had a tenth of a mile to go, but it was a long tenth, as we sat speechless in the backseat, our dead pet snake tossed in the ditch. When my dad pulled into the driveway he killed the engine and turned around to face us, but Cindy jumped out fast as a wink. "Bye!" she hollered, disappearing like smoke in the wind.

My dad stared at me for a second then chuckled and shook his head. "Don't--go picking up anymore dead snakes, okay?"

"Okay."

"Go."

I jumped out of the car and made a beeline for the kitchen sink to wash my hands. I can still imagine him sitting in his car watching me from behind the wheel. He probably muttered some prayer that went sort of like this: "Lord, please help that girl make it into adulthood."

UPDATE!!! Do you LIKE the mole or HATE it? DECISION MADE!

Okay, all you wonderful blog world friends who have been kind enough to cast your votes for or against the mole on my character's face. (Some will remember my post of Wednesday, 4/15 saying I got a glance at my "tentative" book cover design, and my character had a mole on her face I wasn't expecting to see.)

Well, this whole thing has had me going for a few days. I asked a ton of people (here on my blog, over at SHOUTLIFE, and also at FACEBOOK) what they thought, and the "vote" went straight down the middle, those in favor of it saying it made her more "relatable", less than picture perfect, and those against it saying it distracted them and they just plain didn't care for it.

Here's the verdict: I think I'm inclined to say I don't want it -- NOT because I don't find it attractive, but more because I never mentioned anything about her having it in "Hannah Grace" or "Maggie Rose", the previous two books in the series. It seems like if she had a mole, it'd be a somewhat significant thing to mention, especially since Hannah seemed to be the one who felt the most inferior looks-wise when comparing herself to her sisters.

So there you have it. I am NOT against facial moles -- well, unless they bounce and have hairs coming out of them. Then I'm not fond of them at all.

I AM fond of all of you, though!

WARM Hugs...
Shar

And now if you look at the cover I have posted above, you'll see how she looks WITHOUT the mole!

CONFESSIONS OF A NERDLING - PART 5



TWISTED TRUTHS

You know how when you're a kid you'll hear a portion of a truth (or maybe not even a portion) and consider it the WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? Kind of like if you drink water from a bathroom faucet, some of the pee might actually get into the faucet, so NEVER drink water from that room. (It took years before I dared risk it.)

Or then there's this one: Once, while sitting in the elementary lunch room, one of my friends told me that someone opened a pint-sized milk jar (back then, we had little glass bottles with lids we had to peel off) and found a dead mouse at the bottom. From that day forward I refused to take milk for lunch. I brought a thermos from home every day! No way would I put myself through the torture of finding a dead rodent in the bottom of my milk bottle.

Oh, and the old adage that swallowing watermelon seeds will actually cause you to grow a giant watermelon in your fertile belly. This one I more doubted than believed (I wasn't entirely stupid), but it didn't stop me from standing in front of my mother's big mirror every now and then to check my belly for a mysterious bulge.

I also heard that while riding in a car in a thunderstorm, if lightning should strike your car you'd be safe because of the rubber tires. (Is this true by the way? Willie would know.) You know, rubber is not a conductor of electricity. Soooo...

One afternoon, Cindy and I set out for our mile walk from school when dark, wearisome clouds started gathering. In the distance, the sky lit with a jagged flash of lightning followed by a low rumble of thunder. Another soon followed, and then another. With every second, the storm drew nearer.

Cindy could be quite the crybaby. It was often my job to ease her fears. Today was no exception. "We're going to die!" she wailed.

"No, we're not. Look. There’s an old tire over in that guy's yard." We always passed junky little houses on our walk home, houses with yards cluttered with dead cars, rusted wash machines, old refrigerators, pieces of sink parts, old tools, you name it. My brothers often stopped and sorted through stuff, looking for "treasures". I considered the tire a treasure. After all, it could save our lives. I ran to get it.

Standing the heavy, dirty thing upright, I rolled it out of the yard. It never occurred to me I might be stealing it since it did have a big slice across its middle. It still rolled, though, which was the important thing.

"Look, Cindy, we're safe now. We have our very own tire. No lightning can get us now, 'cause lightning won't touch rubber. I learned that from Mrs. Saxton. (She was my very smart, very old fourth grade teacher with the strange odor.)

That brought a smile to her face and a quick sigh of relief. I felt proud.

All the way home we let the drenching rain soak through to our skin, while bolts of lightning pointed their sharp fingers straight at us, and the thunder rumbled through our bones.

We did not care. We had our rubber tire between us, which we both kept a hand on, as we rolled it up the street toward home.

DO YOU 'LIKE' THE MOLE OR 'HATE' IT? (I NEED YOUR VOTES!)

Okay, my darling blog world friends, this is a TENTATIVE book cover for Abbie Ann, book three in my DAUGHTERS OF JACOB KANE series. (You'll notice the words iStockPhoto across the bottom. Ignore that. Also, it's a bit bleary, but that will all be fixed later after they purchase the images.)

I think Abbie is beautiful, but the mole above her mouth threw me for a loop. Graphics can easily remove it if I don't like it, but I'm going to consider your votes as to whether I should keep it there or not. So....what do you think? Yes or No?
Send in your votes. If you want, you can also tell me your reasons for either liking or disliking it.

Isn't this fun? You have a chance to get in on the ground floor of book-cover designing and make your vote count! Yippee-Skippy.

I love you all!