The Emotion Thesaurus (Second Edition) Available Now

Hi guys! 

Today I'm helping authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi launch their new book, The Emotion Thesaurus (Second Edition)!

You might know about The Emotion Thesaurus or even have it on your shelf. But chances are, you may not have known a second edition was in the works. Becca and Angela decided to keep it a surprise and only recently announced the book was releasing!

Your Favorite Book Is Now Bigger & Better

The Emotion Thesaurus is known for its powerful lists that help writers show (rather than tell) character emotion through body language, thoughts, visceral sensations, dialogue cues, and behavior. 

This second edition gives writers more of what they love: more emotions (55 more to be exact!) more teaching content, and more writing tips.

Here are three of the new entries: Euphoria, Vindicated, and Schadenfreude. This book is almost twice the size of the original, so it's almost two books in one.

Anyway, if you'd like to check into it, Goodreads has some reviews up, and you can find more information here. 

One More Thing...Want to Attend a FREE Writing Conference?

a writing retreat? A workshop? Or even have your yearly membership to a professional writer's organization suddenly paid for? 

OF COURSE YOU DO!

Angela and Becca have a giveaway on right now to celebrate their release, and one lucky winner will get their choice of the above, up to a $500 US value. There are some conditions so check that out, but this is the giveaway of a lifetime, so hurry over to enter. And good luck!

"Surprised by Oxford" by Carolyn Weber

Title: Surprised by Joy
        A Memoir
Author: Carolyn Weber
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: 2011
ISBN-10: 0849946115











I requested "Surprised by Oxford" as I wanted to know more about Oxford and its history before visiting it. The author, Carolyn Weber, is Canadian and I found it very interesting to see the town through her eyes. "Surprised by Oxford" is a treasure trove of interesting information studded with literary quotations. Did you know there are signs of fish carved in the pavements by Christians during pagan times? That's just one piece of trivia I learned. I loved reading about the nooklike bookstores, the adverts for shows and plays stuck up on the glass in the bright red phone booths . . .

But this book is so much more than just a book about Oxford. It's the story of an agnostic student from Canada and her journey through the academic liturgical year to a relationship with a loving God as she becomes a Christian. She writes about her experiences and intellectual struggles with a refreshing transparency and honesty that had me laughing and crying by turn.

It's also the story of her developing romance and all its ups and downs with TDH (Tall, Dark and Handsome) who became her husband.

Although this book is often very down-to-earth, it also includes intellectual philosophical discussions and lectures which I sometimes found myself skipping over as some were abstract and hard to follow, others did not make sense to me.

I highly recommend this fascinating memoir, it's a long read, but a really good one.

Thank you to BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson for a free electronic review copy. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

Book Review: Strength Renewed: Meditations for Your Journey through Breast Cancer by Shirley Corder

Book Title: Strength Renewed: Meditations for Your Journey through Breast Cancer
Author: Shirley Corder
Publisher: Revell
Date: October 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8007-2023-0










"Strength Renewed" consists of 90 devotions which follow Shirley Corder's cancer journey chronologically, but they can be read in any order as each one stands alone. Shirley's upbeat personality, laced with her lovely sense of humour, shines through this beautifully written book. She comes alongside her readers as she chats with honesty and transparency about the roller coaster ride of having cancer, her treatment, recovery and personal relationships. Her faith in God is evident throughout the book.

The meditations can be read on several different levels. Whether you want encouragment from the Bible, down-to-earth tips, words of hope, a short prayer or a connection with someone who really knows what the cancer valley is like because they've been there, you'll find it in this book. Shirley has included three questions in each devotion for those who wish to explore the cancer journey in more depth.

Shirley's prayer in the introduction is that "this book will strengthen your faith." My brush with cancer was many years ago, but I found much in "Strength Renewed" to strengthen my faith today.

I strongly recommend "Strength Renewed". It's an outstanding resource for anyone with cancer and for their companions on the journey through the cancer valley.

Shirley Corder is a registered nurse and a breast cancer survivor who has a passion for helping others as they go through treatment. She is a contributing author to several books, including four Guideposts anthologies, and has published many devotions. She lives in South Africa. Her website can be found at http://www.riseandsoar.com/http://www.riseandsoar.com/

Book Review: The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

Book Title: The Baker's Wife
Author: Erin Healy
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Date: October, 2011
ISBN-10: 1595547525
ISBN-13: 978-1595547521












A lie-based scandal forces Audrey Bofinger and her pastor husband Geoff  to leave their church. One of their ministries is baking breads—think  rosemary-potato loaves—to give away, so “Rise and Shine”, a failing bakery, becomes their new workplace, as well as being a healing place for their family wounds.

Early one morning Audrey and her son Ed drive to the bakery through heavy fog. They crash into a motor scooter, which turns out to belong to Julie Mansfield. Julie’s blood is found at the accident site, but her body has disappeared without a trace.

What happened to Julie’s body? Where is it? This mystery lured me through the book and kept me wondering and turning the pages to the end.

Julie’s husband, Jack Mansfield, a police detective and also the man responsible for forcing Audrey and Geoff out of their church, blames Audrey for Julie’s disappearance. He's a self-righteous man who twists scripture to suit his purposes and believes that God owes him for living a good life. He has no compassion whatsoever. He’s vindictive and seeks justice at all costs.

Jack is a complete contrast to Audrey, who is the embodiment of compassion. She’s gifted with empathy, so much so that she experiences the pain and suffering of other people. She hears voices audible only to her and feels the weight of an unseen arm turning her in the direction she should go to bring comfort to someone. Jack and Audrey show two different responses to hardship and suffering.

This supernatural element of Audrey’s empathy made me feel a little uncomfortable, but it was not overdone and did not detract from my reading experience.

I loved the symbolism of bread and the bakery. Bread, like Geoff and Audrey’s ministry, is life-giving and sustaining.

If you like Christian fiction with well developed characters, deep themes, mystery and suspense, then this is just the book for you.

I highly recommend this intriguing book and give it a four star rating.


Thank you to BookSneeze and Thomas Nelson for a free review copy. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

Book Review: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus by Joyce Magnin

Book title: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus
Author: Joyce Magnin
Publisher: Zondervan
Date: 2012
ISBN: 978-0-310-33355-5











On Christmas Eve, 72-year-old widow Harriet Beamer falls while hanging her favorite ornament on the Christmas tree. She bets her daughter-in-law, Prudence, that her ankle isn't broken. But it is. To honor her bet, Harriet has to sell her comfortable house in Philadelphia and travel across the country to California to live with her son, Henry, and Prudence. However she's one feisty lady and decides to send Humphrey, her beloved basset hound ahead, while she makes her way there via the scenic route on public transportation. This makes for a delightful and often amusing read as we follow Harriet's adventures which range from stopping a thief in his tracks to dancing the cancan on the stage in Dodge City. We meet many marvelous characters along the way including David Prancing Elk and a snake-handling preacher


The thing that I really loved about this book is that it's about several other journeys. There's Harriet's journey to independence--all her life she has just let things happen to her, but now she's making her own choices and making things happen. She's an avid collector of shakers, so she starts by fulfilling a lifelong ambition to visit the Salt and Pepper Museum in Tennessee. As Harriet moves along and throws off her old ways, we see her discard her dresses and leather shoes for denim jeans and sneakers.


There's her journey into modern technology as she buys a Droid phone with GPS, which she calls Amelia, so she can find her way.


But the heart of the book is her spiritual journey. She yearns to feel God's pleasure in her and what she's doing again. She wants to know if she's still useful. Does God have a purpose for her or has she used up all her purpose?


This light-hearted book is an enjoyable read which will keep you turning the pages. I hope that Joyce Magnin will write a sequel.


I give this book a five star rating.


Thank you to Shelton Interactive and Zondervan for giving me an Advanced Reading Copy of "Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus" in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book Review: Stained Glass Hearts by Patsy Clairmont

Book title: Stained Glass Hearts
Author: Patsy Clairmont
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10: 0849948266
ISBN-13: 978-0849948268

Patsy Clairmont had fallen to pieces. She was emotionally and physically bed-bound, agoraphobic and dependent on drugs when God intervened and gave her a command of three words.Yes, just three simple words, but she obeyed them and her life changed. In Stained Glass Hearts- Seeing Life From a Broke nPerspective Patsy relates anecdotes and stories which show how God healed and pieced her together again.

The book is written in a light amusing voice, which makes it easy to read, but under the humorous surface there are depths of deep truths readers can apply to their own lives. Patsy does not hesitate to share her failures as well as her successes.

A feature which I really loved was the Art Gallery at the end of each chapter in which Patsy points readers to a world of wonder and healing found in books, scriptures, music, poetry, YouTube videos, prayers, and paintings. This feature would have been even better if links to the examples were given in the text.

God's light shines through the pages (or eReader screen!) as though they too were made of stained glass. Patsy shows that just as a craftsman makes a beautiful window from shards of colored glass, so God can take the hurting jagged pieces of broken hearts and fit them together with His grace and redemption to form beautiful masterpieces of lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written and interesting book and recommend it to anyone in the process of healing from some hurt, or wanting an uplifting read. I'll reread it, a chapter at a time, to refresh my mind with its wisdom, humorous insights and practical suggestions. I plan to take the time to follow some of the suggestions Patsy makes in the Art Gallery sections and discover the world of wonder in different art forms.

I give Stained Glass Hearts a five star rating.

Thank you to BookSneeze for a free review copy. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

The 11 Secrets of Getting Published

Title: The 11 Secrets of Getting Published                 Author: Mary DeMuth Available at Amazon  Mary DeMuth, one of my favourite authors, follows her own advice as she shares her secrets which will help writers improve their skills and have a better chance of being published.This is her "gift to the future. You never know the impact Jesus will make through another writer."  Written in an informal chatty style, this book is packed full with hard-won and practical advice valuable to writers--published and pre-published--of any genre. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to the author for giving me an electronic copy of "The 11 Secrets of Getting Published" in exchange for my unbiased opinion. The 11 Reasons Why Writers Should Buy this Book 1 This book lives up to its title—it gives valuable insights and principles which can help writers get published. 2 This is no airy-fairy book, but one written by a popular author from her own hard-won experience 3 It will benefit writers of fiction and non-fiction. 4 The information in it is pertinent for published and pre-published writers. 5 It's written in a chatty style so that the information is easy to read and absorb. 6 The author isn't afraid to talk about her own mistakes so that writers can learn from them. 7 The advice given in this book is practical eg Mary gives instructions how to make an em dash, which font to use . . . 8 It covers a wide range of subjects including the craft of writing, finding your voice, formatting, the publishing industry, agents, critiques, queries, proposals and marketing. 9 Mary encourages writers to consider their readers. "Use your words too, to encourage others. Don't simply write for publication, but seek to write words to others that will bless them." 10 She encourages writers to give back wherever they can "Consider that helping other people become better writers is a gift you give to the future. You never know the impact Jesus will make through another writer." 11 There are three bonus sections at the end with more advice.

"Downfall" Starts with a Bang

Book title: Downfall
Author: Terri Blackstock
Publisher: Zondervan
Date: February, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-310-20586-5












"Downfall" concludes the Intervention Christian suspense series by Terri Blackstock. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, but readers will connect more deeply with the characters if they read the other two books first.

The book literally starts with a bang as a homemade bomb explodes under Emily Covington's car. Is this a repercussion from her past? Emily, drug-free now for two years, is working hard to rebuild her family's trust and complete her studies, but the Avenger is after her. I found myself rooting for her as she plunges deeper and deeper into trouble as she attempts to prevent a murder.

Lance, her brother, is also caught up in the aftermath of Emily's addictions. He's a social misfit at his new school, and puts himself at risk to protect April, his only friend there.

I listened to interviews with Terri Blackstock and discovered that she relates strongly to Barbara, Emily's mother, as her own daughter was a drug addict for several years. She knows what it is like to fight for your child as she goes in and out of rehab in an effort to break free. She knows what it's like to learn to trust your child again. She knows what it's like to live with the fear of a relapse. I admire Blackstock's courage in drawing on her personal experience to write "Downfall" and that of her daughter in giving her blessing to the book.

"Downfall" is not just a compelling mystery which keeps you guessing to the end, it's a message of hope for drug addicts and their families—addiction can be broken with God's help.

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Be warned though—if you start reading it, you'll get caught in the I'll-just-read-one-more-chapter-trap as I did! The short enthralling chapters captured me and I read the whole book quickly in a few sittings.

Thank you to Shelton Interactive for giving me an Advanced Reading Copy of "Downfall" in exchange for my unbiased review.

Shadow in Serenity- A Roller Coaster of a Read

Book title: Shadow in Serenity
Author: Terri Blackstock
Publisher: Zondervan
Date: 2011
IBSN: 978-0-310-33231-2












 "Shadow in Serenity" by Terri Blackstock is a roller coaster of a read—it twists and turns through loops as you race along the words to find out what happens next. What else would you expect from the fascinating premise of a conman trying to deceive an ex-con artist who grew up in the craziness of a traveling carnival?

Charming Logan Brisco arrives in Serenity well prepared to relieve the unsuspecting inhabitants of their hard earned savings. He promises them an amusement park to revive their failing economy, but Carny Sullivan sees through him immediately. After all, her parents trained her to be a con artist and she knows all the tricks of the trade. The kindness of the Serenity folk has allowed her to build a happy secure life for her son, and she is determined to expose Logan and his destructive scheme in order to protect the town. But Logan endears himself to the town and no one believes her.

I enjoyed this book and a Ferris Wheel of questions filled my mind so that I had to keep reading. Would Logan change? Would he develop a conscience? Would he believe and trust in God? How could he be sure that God believed in him? Could a person have too much baggage to change? Would he destroy Serenity?

And what about Carny, the Harley-riding widow who flew planes for a living? Would she be able to stop Logan? Would she trust Logan? Should she trust him? Was he deceiving her?

These questions were answered at the end of the book in a most satisfying conclusion.

I highly recommend this well-written book. Although light hearted on the surface, it's underpinned by a strong Christian message.

Thank you to Shelton Interactive for a free review copy. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed above are my own.

Book Review: Plain Proposal by Beth Wiseman

Book title: Plain Proposal
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 987-1-59554-850-4

Beth Wiseman transported me to a charming Old Order Amish community in her horse drawn buggy aka Plain Promise, her new novel. I enjoyed every minute of my stay there. The people I met intrigued me and drew me into their lives. They told me their secrets, their hopes and their fears. I laughed, worried and cried with them.

Who are these folk? Well there's Miriam Raber, who's in love with Saul. But folk say he's been in trouble and there are rumors that he's leaving the community. Will he ask Miriam to go with him? And will she go if he does? And what about Jesse, the perfect suitor for Miriam's hand? He's showing great interest in Miriam.

Then there's Shelby, Miriam's Englisch (non-Amish) cousin. Her parents send her to stay with Miriam's family as a punishment when she gets caught up in the wrong crowd and shoplifts and does drugs. She's lost her connection with God and feels rejected and without hope. Rebecca, Miriam's mother, fears Shelby will be a bad influence on Miriam. There's Aaron, Miriam's brothers, Saul's family, the bishop . . . well you'll have to read the book to meet them all.

I loved the way Beth brought these characters and their relationships to life, all stitched together with a silken spiritual thread.

In her acknowledgments, the author thanks God for His Hand on her writing and hopes that her story both entertains and draws people closer to Him. Plain Proposal fulfils both these hopes and I strongly recommend this book which I give a five star rating.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>

Book review: Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Book title: Save the Date
Author: Jenny B. Jones
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 9781595545398







When the heroine of a book smells like pancakes and looks like "a displaced nursery rhyme character" as does Lucy, the heroine of Save the Date, you know that you are in for a fun read. And this book is indeed a light frothy read that will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. It has several satisfying twists and turns.

Lucy runs Saving Grace, a residential home for young women who have nowhere to live. She is forced to accept a role as Alex's fiancée as it's the condition for he makes for her to receive much-needed funds for her home. Alex is running for congress and needs Lucy to be his fiancée and bring in more votes for him.

Underneath the frivolity of this novel there are deeper layers, one being the social dilemma of no formal care for foster children once they reach the age of eighteen. These children are abandoned and left to face life's challenges with no home or resources. They often end up on the streets or in prison.

Jenny Jones skilfully weaves spiritual threads throughout the book as Lucy and Alex deal with issues and insecurities which stem from their childhoods and teen years. We see their faith in God grow as their fake engagement places them in tight spots and dilemmas.

I wish Ms Jones had given readers more insight into the daily life of Saving Grace. The only girl we get to know is newcomer Marinell, whose little brother is desperately ill.  I hope the author will write a book telling Marinell's story.

I enjoyed Save the Date and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Banana Leaf Characters

Ten enchanting little folk live in my study. They sway above me as I work on my computer and they are very dear to me.

Who are they?

They are the characters on a mobile my husband bought me last year when we spent a weekend on a wild life farm. Artists crafted them in Kenya using simple materials on hand—things like leaves from banana trees, banana skins and sisal twine. The tools the artists used to dry, twist, twirl and fashion these materials into these endearing folk are readily available—the sun, and their own hands, knives, and scissors.

Today I'll chat about some of the resources around me which I use to create my characters.

Dressing to face the world
A Kenyan craftsman dressed this lady in strands of  bright pink fiber from a broom. The result is a colorful character to say the least.

I take note of people's apparel when I dress my characters.

Zephaniah, one of my favorites, came into being when I noticed a tall man swathed in a length of red patterned fabric (probably a tablecloth someone had discarded) and wearing a khaki military style hat rummaging in dustbins  for second hand objects and scraps of food.
Zephaniah is a foreigner in South Africa trying to survive on other people's trash, and throughout the book he appears in various weird and wonderful outfits.

Speaking of characters
Wouldn't you love to know what these two are saying to each other? Eavesdrop for a moment and see if you can overhear their conversation.

It's always fun to listen to snippets of conversation and work them into my writing. For example, I once heard someone say, "Oh that's a good area—a  lawyer was murdered there." Now there's a gem I can use.

Body Language
Hands on her hips shows this character is really uptight- perhaps she's telling off her neighbor in no uncertain terms. Don't rely on dialog to show your characters' personalities and thoughts, show them in their actions as well.

People around me, whether or not I know them, are a huge resource as they communicate with body language all the time. I have only to observe them and I pick up a myriad of details that I can use in my writing. The lady in front of me in the line glances frequently at her watch and drums her fingers on the top of her purse, the couple behind her raise their eyebrows as a nearby child misbehaves  . . .

Hobbies and Occupations
I imagine that our next character is on her way to work. Perhaps her job is to help old people in a care facility. Or perhaps she runs the local library or . . .

There is so much fascinating material to be found in  the careers and hobbies of people around us. A few weeks ago, I was privileged to accompany an occupational therapist friend  to work for a day. The material I gathered as I watched the therapists work, and from conversations with their clients, helped me develop my characters and make them 3D instead of stereotypes. Caroline, one of my characters, took on the endearing trait of asking her clients to give her a "high five" each time they made the tiniest step of progress. This gesture acknowledges their achievement, boosts their morale and exercises important sets of muscles.

At Home

This character holds her brush ready to attack the dust bunnies gathered under her furniture. My own home and those of my friends provide more material for my writing as they help me describe settings for the action in my story to take place. I take note of the mirror outside the front door of my friend's house--not only does it reflect me as I approach the door, but it shows a movement in the shrubs behind me. Perhaps someone up to no good is lurking behind me or one of my characters as she visits her friend.

Burdens

As this banana leaf character trudges along, she carries a burden on her shoulders. And real people also carry burdens and secrets which we may not be able to see with our physical eyes, but which determine their behavior and affect their relationships. My characters come alive for me as I write about how they deal with the issues in their lives. I love to see how a character changes through the course of a story, especially when it affords me an opportunity to show how God works in lives. Ideas for burdens and secrets for my characters are readily found in human interest stories in newspapers and magazines, on the internet and TV programs.

  

Imagination

I watch this little banana leaf person swing gently on her banana skin and wonder what she's thinking. Perhaps she's dreaming and imagining what it would be like to go on a cruise around the world, fly in a glider, or . . .

My imagination is the always-with-me-tool which I use when I write, otherwise my words are just words, and not stories. My imagination asks and answers questions like "What if Megan can no longer use her hands to shoot photos?" or "What if Ellie's foster child is taken away from her care?"

My Stories
The Kenyan craftsmen made excellent use of the materials available to them, I pray that I will use the resources around me to weave stories as pleasing to my readers as my mobile is to me.

Book review: Dining with Joy by Rachel Hauck

Book Title: Dining with Joy

Author: Rachel Hauck

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 9781595543394

I'm the girl who messed up her stove by leaving potatoes to boil and boil and boil … So right away I related to Joy Ballard, a popular cooking show host with a secret—she cannot cook.

The book opens as a new agent secures a prime time slot for Joy's show on a national network. Luke Redmond, who moved to the lowcountry to regroup after declaring bankruptcy, enters the scene. He can cook and becomes Joy's co-host. Joy sees him as her "kind, selfless knight in a white chef coat" and, on impulse, acts accordingly. This leads to interesting developments.

 Joy has a card in her truck with Jesus' words "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me."  She yearns to find God's will and follow it, but she cannot do this as she's living a lie.

Circumstances threaten to reveal her secret while it becomes ever more imperative that she keep it. Will Luke find out? Will her viewers discover she can't cook? How will she resolve her dilemma?

If I had to liken this book to a dish, I'd choose a salad—it's light, enjoyable and delicious. Joy and Luke's lives are the fresh crisp ingredients seasoned by their mutual attraction to each other. Characters such as Mama and Miss Jeanne add the color. The spiritual thread is the dressing which gives the salad its delectable flavour.

Did I enjoy this dish? Yes.

Would I recommend it to fellow diners? I would.

Would I like to taste other dishes from Rachel Hauck's  kitchen? Yes, I would.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Meet Cathy Liggett, author of "Beaded Hope" - Part 2

Welcome back to the second half of my interview with Cathy Liggett.  The first part can be read here.

Mama Penny and Jaleela, two of the South African ladies in Beaded Hope, are very strong characters. Are they based on real people?

Yes and no. :)

A man I met before we left for South Africa told me he thought the people were the very best thing about the country. After visiting Mamelodi myself and meeting the people there, I couldn’t have agreed more. That’s why in every South African character depicted in the book—most especially Jaleela—I  tried to portray the strong faith, warmth, and congeniality of the South African people we were delighted to meet.

Cathy and her husband, Mark, in South Africa with some of the children they met.

But one character—Mama Penny—was not totally fictional. She was inspired by a woman named Mama Peggy, who, as you’ll see on the Beaded Hope Website, is called “the Matriarch of Mamelodi.” I don’t know how the woman can possibly do all she does. She’s well educated and could be doing many other things with her life. But instead she has dedicated herself to the people of Mamelodi and has her helping hands in everything—hands that never seem to stop moving.

Also, for anyone who has read the book, you may be wondering about Mighty too. Yes, there is a “real” Mighty. In fact, once again if you go to Beaded Hope Website you’ll see some of the South African Beaded Hope ladies there, Mighty included. But the “real” Mighty is a mother who has a daughter close in age to the fictitious Mighty. I just loved that name so much and couldn’t find anything in the Thesaurus I liked better. So I asked Mighty’s permission to use her name and, luckily, she was thrilled. 

I wondered if there was a “real” Mighty.

How did you weave in a spiritual thread to make it relevant to your readers without being preachy?

Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything intentional that I did. I really feel like there was such a blessed spirit that exuded from the South African people I met that it spilled over into the writing of this story.

Did you have any particular Bible verses running through your mind as you wrote this book?

I had a list of about eight verses that seemed to resonate with the theme of the book and capture the spirit of the South African ladies as well. Two verses from that list ended up making their way into the book. There was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which came to Gabby’s mind in Chapter 29. Also, Hebrews 11:1 was used in the opening pages of the book. My editor and I took a “vote” and decided that familiar yet awesome scripture,“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” fit the book perfectly, especially in regard to Jaleela’s faith. 

What do you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I’ve tried to write a meaningful book, but at the same time, I’ve tried to inject the pages with smiles and some laughable scenes too. So while I hope there are certain things readers will experience in the book, a joyful sigh at the end is sure one of them!

I don't know what readers will glean from the book, but I can tell you what I've learned on this Beaded Hope journey. That is:

• that women half-way around the world, living in the most deplorable conditions, still have the same desires at heart that I do—happy, well-fed children who know God and are hopeful with dreams for their futures.

• and that often when you think you’ve been sent some place to minister to others, don’t be surprised when you are the one who is ministered to.

• that God’s timing really is worth waiting for! And no matter how little our knowledge, no matter how imperfect our hearts, He continues to pursue us to join Him in His work, just because He loves us so. (Lucky us!)

I’d love to know what happened to Gabby , Cassandra, Heidi and Katie after their return to Ohio. Is there going to be a sequel to Beaded Hope? 

Well, I guess only time will tell. I do have their stories swirling around in my head if the opportunity for sequels presents itself.

Tell us about your current book/project.

My current WIP is another women’s fiction set in the U.S. around Lake Michigan. Right now I’m calling it “Always the Wedding Planner” so we’ll have to see what happens with that.

If you were given an all expenses paid holiday anywhere in the world to research a novel, where would you choose to go? Why would choose this location?

Oh, gosh. My husband always says I have a hard time making decisions and he is so right. I can’t seem to choose just one! I would love to go to Ireland. And to Jerusalem. Australia. Italy. And even some places in the U.S. too! Some places seem spiritual. Some romantic. Some historical. An archeological dig anywhere would be fun too!

Does anyone out there have a specific place anywhere in the world where they’d like to visit?

Thank you for chatting to us today, Cathy, we’ve enjoyed reading about your experiences and writing. 

Meet Cathy Liggett, author of "Beaded Hope"

Greetings from South Africa. Today it's my pleasure to introduce Cathy Liggett.


Cathy Liggett has been a Midwest, Ohio, girl all her life – except for those 5 years when her one true love married her and whisked her off to live in New York City. Once the couple began a family, however, hometown ties tugged and they moved back to Ohio to raise their two children. Some twenty-plus years later they still make their home in the aptly-named Cincinnati suburb of Loveland. A Communications major and former advertising copywriter, Cathy feels blessed just thinking about the places the writing journey has taken her and all the wonderful acquaintances she’s made along the way.

Hello, Cathy, welcome to our blog.

Hi, Ruth Ann.  It’s so sweet of you to invite me!

Please tell us about your book, Beaded Hope, and what inspired you to write it.

Beaded Hope is a story about the power of faith and friendship. It’s about three American women—who are strangers to each other when they embark on a mission trip from Columbus, Ohio to Mamelodi, South Africa, each for their own self-serving reasons. Gabby is a Director of Children’s Ministries at her church and is running from a devastating loss—she can’t conceive a child. Cassandra is single, childless a bit older and is trying desperately to save her news anchor career by bringing back a great story. Heidi is a young widow who is hoping the trip will help bridge the gap that has separated her from her stepdaughter. What none of the American women expect is how profoundly their lives will be changed by the women they meet in SA, women who combat disease and poverty daily, yet still manage to embrace life with joy.

I was inspired to write the book after meeting a lady named Jennifer Davis about five years ago at my work. I work part-time at a hospital as a registrar and one day Jennifer sat down across from me at the registration desk, sporting a red beaded pin on her jean jacket. I couldn’t help but ask where she’d gotten the pretty piece of jewelry. After introducing herself, Jennifer told me the pin was crafted by a woman in South Africa and said she’d just started a nonprofit called Beaded Hope to help South African women provide for their families by selling their beaded jewelry in the United States.

I was thrilled to buy a pin from her that day, but I never really expected to see her again. It seemed, however, that God had a different plan. Jennifer and I kept “accidentally” crossing paths until finally it seemed too coincidental to ignore and we made plans to meet and chat. As Jennifer shared her photos and journal entries from her earlier trips to South Africa, I felt pressed to write about the people she spoke of. I'd published some romances prior to that and figured this would be a sweeping romance, covering two continents. But it just didn’t work in that genre. The book (I realized after many revisions) had to be more than romance. It had to be all about women bonding with one another through their struggles, dreams, hopes, and faith.

Have you always wanted to go on a mission trip to South Africa?

Jennifer will tell you that she always wanted to go to South Africa since she was a little girl. But I can honestly say traveling to Africa was never really a thought in my head. In fact, I’d already had a couple of rejections for Beaded Hope  by the time she called me out-of-the-blue, February 2008 and I’d put the project on the backburner.

When Jennifer called she said she knew it was last minute, but she was making a trip back to Mamelodi, SA at the beginning of March and felt drawn to invite me to go. At that time, my husband and I were planning a trip to Destin, Florida. Something drivable and restful—and more affordable. Africa seemed too extravagant.

But Jennifer also said in order to get decent airfares to SA we needed to make the reservations by that Friday—in just a couple of days. However, we could still cancel the reservations on the following Monday without a penalty if we felt we needed too.

With that option in mind, crazily we said yes, deciding we’d talk about it more over the weekend, figure out our finances and so on. So I called and made the reservations Friday morning and on Friday afternoon two things happened. Our daughter came home from college with a check for tuition we’d apparently overpaid. And in the mail not two hours later, we got an unexpected royalty check from my husband’s business. Together, those two checks equaled our airfares.

After that we didn’t question our going again. The fact is, though I longed to sell the idea of this book years before, I believe God knew I had to go to Mamelodi and meet face-to-face and hug-to-hug the women Jennifer held so close to her heart. My limited imagination would’ve never been able to depict the warmth, irresistibility and spirit of these ladies otherwise. 

Do you have any funny or interesting South African experiences you would like to share with our readers? Have any of these found their way into your book?

I didn’t have any funny incident that made its way into the book, but I did learn something interesting (the scary way!!). I learned what’s big and gray and wet behind the ears!

I became privy to that tidbit of knowledge when we went on safari in the Pilanesburg during our trip to South Africa.  We were so lucky to be able to take the “real” Mama Peggy and Mighty with us. They’d never done such a thing before, so it was a first experience for all of us.

It was bright and sunny when we got to the park that afternoon. After getting something to eat and letting the monkeys that populated the grounds entertain us for a while, we prepared for our safari that evening. By the time we set out, however, the clouds were rolling in. And, by the time we got to the furthest point along the dirt path, rain teemed down. Since the caravan (which held about 12-15 people I’d say) was canvas topped and had canvas sides, we were drenched and freezing in our shorts and spring parkas. Kindly, the driver high-tailed us back to the lodge and gave us a raincheck—good for the 6 a.m. safari the next morning.

It was our first night in a bed that felt like anything comparable to home. Even so, we climbed out of that comfortable spot (a bit reluctantly, I admit) at around 5 a.m. and set out in the van in the darkness once again.

It was truly breathtaking to see the sun rise over the African grassland and hills, and to see the animals in their natural state as well. Lion cubs with their moms rose up out of the tall grasses, stretching …giraffes dipped their necks to breakfast on leafy tree limbs … impalas slowly made their way to waterholes for morning drinks. Oh, and the birds we saw were incredibly beautiful! I love the cardinals, orioles and bluejays in my backyard in Ohio—but what a treat it was to see a European Roller—a bird many of you are probably acquainted with. Its colors are so magnificent!

Anyway, I’m not sure why but about halfway through the safari, the driver stopped the van and turned off the engine. I think he wanted us to look around and see some of the animals in the distance. My husband and I, along with a South African man with a huge camera, and a South African family (mom and son in one seat, and dad and daughter in a seat across the aisle), occupied the last two rows of the van which, again, was completely open, no windows, and had only canvas that ran around the sides.

Turning around to look out the back, our rear rows did see an elephant in the distance. An elephant that kept getting closer and closer and closer… The man with the camera had been on many a safari and knew the elephant was a young male and could tell from the seeping coming from his ears (just to let you know how close the creature had gotten!) that he was a young male during mating season and could be very easily agitated.

Oh, and the elephant was! Noticeably perturbed, he came about twenty yards from the van and kept ducking and raising his head, like he was trying to tell us that we really needed to be moving along. We thought he was completely right!! We began calling up to the driver to start the van! Please! But … the driver was preoccupied and talking, and no one at the front of the van seemed to hear us.

As we sat there, the elephant moved closer. Ducking his head some more, he didn’t look at all happy with us. We yelled to the driver again. By this time, he seemed to hear us, but wasn’t comprehending the situation at all. Oh, but the young male elephant was! He saw we weren’t moving, so he started to! He began to stomp determinedly down the path toward the van.

All of us in the back seats screamed at the driver some more. My husband (I’m guessing in an act of chivalry) pushed me out of the seat and into the aisle, away from the open back area. And, I’m telling you in all honesty, by the time the driver got the van moving, the elephant was a foot from the van, his head lowered and looking ready to charge. I can truly feel my pulse quickening right now, just remembering it!

I learned that when you drive away from a beast like that, you’re supposed to zigzag so they have a hard time catching you. Luckily, that’s what the driver did. He started the engine and gunned it out of there, zigzagging away from the young male who only ran after us for a little ways. The South Africans, who knew better than we did, had much to say to the driver when we got back to our lodging, and it wasn’t nice. The driver should’ve never cut the engine, they told us. What if when he went to turn on the van, it wouldn’t start again?

Whew! I’m just so very thankful it did! 

What a frightening experience!

Mama Penny and Jaleela, two of the South African ladies, are very strong characters. Are they based on real people?

Please come back tomorrow to read Cathy's answer.