"The choices we make change
the story of our life." ©

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

 

A Day at CBA in Denver

Good Morning Bloggers!

It’s a little after 6:00 AM here in sunny southern Minnesota. It was 52 degrees this morning at 5:00 AM when I got up – too weird! Considering it’s been in the 100’s the past several days. Don’t get me started on weather, but something pretty weird is going on these days, don’t you think?

I tried on and off all day yesterday to post photos on my blog – to no avail. My dear friend, author, teacher, editor, and tech wizard W. Terry Whalin also tried for me – and while he was able to see the photos on his end, I’m afraid most of my readers could only see empty photo boxes. Sigh. And I have such a lovely photo of Lissa Halls Johnson and Brandilyn Collins in her green sequin dress (different from the one she refers to in her blog posting) and another great pic with Liz Curtis Higgs. Shucks. Maybe I can get things to work later today. I’ll keep trying. Any feedback from fellow bloggers about this photo posting issue? Feel free to send comments.

In the mean time, I promised more updates from my week at CBA/ICRS in Denver from July 7-13. It was a whirlwind of activity and appointments.

Bethany House hosted the first book signing for my debut novel (A Stitch in Time) at their booth on Wednesday, July 12. I was seriously stressing all week that no one would show up. Believe me; I’ve been to more than my share of book signings where helpful volunteers are pulling people into line off the floor so I’m not standing there looking like a blonde joke.

Well, I was joyfully stunned! We had a non-stop line and I think I signed about 200 books. I know we handed out every book we had. With the help of Bethany House publicist Linda White, and my dear friend and author Sharen Watson, I praise God that we were able to get my debut novel into the hands of book buyers and bookstore managers from all points of the country.

There would be no photo record of this occasion were it not for author, speaker and friend Tracy Klehn. If you can see the photos she sent to me, I’d like you to pay attention to the close-up. See the book poster on the wall behind me? I am always amazed at how God works. While I know that God is at the helm of any success I might be having with my writing career, I also have a lot of His children here on earth to thank for where I am today.

One of those special people is best selling novelist Tracie Peterson. A couple years back I took her fiction class intensive at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. The novel in progress I used as my class project was A Stitch in Time. It was in a very rough form but her encouragement and her teaching helped me get to where I am today. I’m not sure A Stitch in Time would be published were it not for her support. I love this woman not only as a writer and as a friend, but as a true sister in Christ.

If you’ve not had the opportunity to read her new Alaskan Quest series make sure to pick them up soon. I read Summer of the Midnight Sun (#1) in one sitting and as soon as I meet my August 1st deadline for my next novel, I plan to sit on a beach somewhere (or maybe just in my back pasture with the cows,) and read #2 in the series, Under the Northern Lights. Whispers of Winter, the third book in the series, is the cover you see on the poster that appears over my shoulder in the photo. (That is, if you can even see a photo.) J I think it releases next month.

I cannot believe I share the same publisher as Tracie Peterson. God is so good and I am praising His name for His transformational power. Since my first u-turn back in 1989 I have walked a journey filled with twists and turns. Many of us can relate. Yet through it all I rest in assurance that God is in control. His control and the way He orchestrates His plans was evident throughout my week at CBA. This poster of Tracie's newest book directly behind me was but one God-cidence in a week of head-shaking awe.

Check back tomorrow when I share highlights of other authors who were in attendance at CBA. I stood in a lot of author book signing lines to greet my brothers and sisters in the Lord who are working on the frontlines of literature today to bring the message of faith into homes around the world.

Have a blessed day!

And that’s what’s on my mind today.
Allison
Comments:
Allison,
Don't know if this will help or not with the pics, but I've learned on blogger that I have to download the pics first before putting in the text. And, after awhile, it tells me it is downloading pics but no code shows for the download when finished--I think my limit is 3-4 (depending on size) before it starts doing that. Also, cutting out the text to start over won't work on explorer. I have to totally delete the post and go off the internet to start over again. That's why I always write in Word first and then copy and paste the text into blogger after I have my pictures in order.
Wish I could see all your pictures but having fun imagining them in my head--way too much fun ;-)
Abundant blessings,
Jenny Cary
 
There are a lot of great authors at CBA (ICR). I'm looking forward to reading your book.
Blessings
 
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