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Hi, Kathleen and Mollie! Welcome! Thanks for stopping by today and chatting.

Kathleen, what is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

I like both dogs and cats, but I have to say that dogs are my favorite because they’re more affectionate (at least our dogs are!).

How many pets do you have today?

Four dogs and one cat.

Have you ever rescued an animal? No

Do you ever incorporate animals into your novels?

Yes. The first book in my tween (ages 9-12) series, Mysteries of Middlefield, features a stray dog that makes himself at home among the Amish, visiting their houses and being there for the kids when they need him. The dog will play a role in all of the books.

What was your favorite character animal?

Stuart Little, the mouse who could do everything.

I loved Stuart Little too! Has one of your own pets been the inspiration for a pet/character in a novel?

Not yet, but when I write a pet I use qualities and quirks from our pets.

What is the funniest thing you’ve seen one of your animals do?

There’s so many, but the most recent was our Yorkie puppy, Bella, who was entranced by a commercial for dog toys. Every time she heard the squeak her ears perked up and she stared at the TV screen. I think she wants one of those toys!

I think so too! Is there a secret that only your pet knows?

Yes, but you’ll have to bribe them with treats before they’ll spill. ;)

LOL! What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

We make them stay on their leashes. They would love to run wild.

What is your pet peeve about your pet?

Sometimes there’s a little too much barking going on.

Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us! Now, I’d love to ask your pet, Mollie, a few questions. Don’t forget to give your sweet pet a treat afterwards. ☺

Hi, Mollie! What would be the title of your autobiography?

To Know Me is To Love Me

That’s a great title! If you were to write a novel, would your friend, Kathleen, inspire one of the characters?

I’m a little ADD, so I’m not sure I could write a novel. How about a game of fetch instead?

That’s a good idea. What’s your favorite movie?

Hotel for Dogs. They were living the life!

I haven’t seen that movie! I’ll have to check it out. What musical instrument would you like to play?

The kazoo, as long as it’s bacon flavored.

Oh, yes, my dogs love bacon flavored things too. What do you think about cats? Dogs?

Dogs rock! Cats, not so much.

I can understand that. Where do you sleep at night?

In my comfy crate in Zoie and Sydney’s room.

What do you do when your friend, Kathleen, is writing?

Run around with the other dogs, chew bones, jump in her lap and plop myself on her hands while she’s typing. I do the last thing especially when she’s on deadline.

I’m sure she appreciates that! Now, what is your idea of bliss?

Unlimited rawhide bones and no leashes!

What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

Sitting in her lap so she can pet me.

I bet she loves that! Thank you so much for being with us today! You take care of your friend, Kathleen, now, ya hear?

This is one of my fav recipes and I've been craving this lately. Must be the time of year. After all Easter is around the corner. Nobody made this better than my grandmother. Must have been all the love she poured into it. Enjoy!

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
½ cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten together
2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
½ to 1 cup pecans
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream sugar and oil until fluffy. Add eggs; cream well. Sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture. Fold in carrots and nuts. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Makes 4 layers in heavily oiled and floured pans.

Icing:

1 box powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
½ stick butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Blend all together and spread on cool cake.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you seen your friend's kids making straight A's on their report cards and thought, "Why not my kids?" Have you ever looked at someone else's house and wondered why can't I have that too? Have you ever looked at your neighbor's husband and wondered why doesn't mine take out the trash? Or why doesn't my yard look like theirs? Or why don't my kids behave as well? Or why can't I have a spiffy car like the red convertible that just passed me on the road? It's easy to do: the comparison game. And it's dangerous. Writers do it this way: how come that writer made the NY Times list? Or got such a great cover? Or deal? We've all compared. I have, I'm ashamed to admit. And it can be extremely harmful.

Even the apostles compared. Which one is most loved? Who's going to sit next to Jesus in heaven? Peter said in John 21, "Lord, what about him?" Peter wanted to know if John was going to suffer a horrible death as Jesus just predicted Peter would. Jesus answered, "what is that to you? You must follow me."

Here's what comparisons do. They cause us to either feel inferior…or superior. Neither is good. Neither is productive. Comparing our circumstances to others can also stoke the fire of anger in us. It can make us ask: does God not love me as much as He loves my friend or neighbor or whoever it is driving that spiffy convertible?

Here's what James 3:16 tells us: "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." Ouch.

It's very much like when Peter jumped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. A miracle indeed! But then Peter took his eyes off Jesus and saw the waves and felt the wind. And that's what happens when we start comparing. Our eyes are on everything else around us BUT Jesus. "Follow me!" Jesus said. And that is the key.

Hi, y'all! Spring is here…Once in a Blue Moon is on book store shelves…and it's time for a contest! B&H Publishing is offering a cool contest, so I hope you'll check it out!

http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/25914?preview_key=60601efeee2549879a22d563dc08af12

Welcome, Beth Goddard and Dekker! So glad to have you both here.


Hi, Elizabeth! Thanks for dropping by today! This is my first author interview! So I guess you could say you're my guinea pig. But I do appreciate you playing along! I hope readers will enjoy seeing a different side of their favorite authors! So, Elizabeth, what is your favorite kind of a pet? Dog, cat, guinea pig? And why?

I love animals—but I’m severely allergic to them. Hence, I must take five different allergy medications in order to exist with our pets. Not my choice, mind you—my husband is an animal fanatic. I’ve often wondered—why did God put me, a person allergic to animals, with this man? But, allergies don’t change the fact that I love pets and I think my favorite pets are dogs. The reason? I think of the movie “UP” where Doug (the main dog character) says, “I just met you and I love you.” Is there anything better than that?

I’m allergic to cats, and I have a cat, so I totally understand! How many pets do you have today?

Five! A female hamster named Oliver, a dwarf hamster named Lulu, a cockatiel that was first named Balthier but then HE laid an egg so my son renamed her Fran, a quaker/parrot named Pickles and then our new puppy named Dekker (yes after Ted). We recently lost our Jack Russell named Captain Jack Sparrow because of his patched eye.

Oh, so sorry about losing Capt. Jack Sparrow. Love the names of your pets! And Dekker is adorable! Have you ever rescued an animal?

Turtles off the street.

Do you ever incorporate animals into your novels?

Sometimes. My mystery romance—THE CAMERA NEVER LIES—releases in December and Murphy is a Jack Russell who actually plays a role in solving the mystery. The character, Polly, named him Murphy after Murphy’s law—you can figure out why. ☺

What was your favorite character animal? I love Murphy, though he’s really in the background—not even physically present in the story—my character thinks about him a lot because she misses him.

Has one of your own pets been the inspiration for a pet/character in a novel?

Jack, the JRT who recently died, was the inspiration for Murphy. Years ago I watched “Wishbone” with the kids and fell in love with him. Finally we got our own Jack Russell but he turned out to be much more cantankerous than Wishbone.

What is the funniest thing you’ve seen one of your animals do?

My daughter used to sing “opera”—just playing around of course—and our cockatiel would literally open her beak at the right moments, making it appear like she was singing the opera. Also, my daughter was able to get Jack to say I love you. Uh huh, it’s true.

Wow! Those are great stories! Is there a secret that only our pet knows?

Perhaps. But let’s keep it that way. LOL

I completely understand! What is your pet’s pet peeve about you?

Pickles the parrot is jealous of me because he loves Dan. I can’t sit near Dan or talk to him, if Pickles is out or he will bite me. Yikes! But let’s talk about Dekker too. He’s a fairly new puppy and has only been with us a few weeks now. I think his pet peeve is that while I’m eating my bacon for breakfast, I won’t let him on the sofa next to me.

Poor Dekker! So deprived. I bet my Hilo Monster could teach him a few nifty tricks to get that bacon. What is your pet peeve about your pet?

My pet peeve is the reverse of the above—I hate that he has to be next to me while I’m eating breakfast, or any meal for that matter. I don’t particular like having him stare at me while I’m eating.

It’s the old guilt-trip at work. Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us, Elizabeth! Now, I’d love to ask Dekker a few questions. Hi, Dekker! Down! Really come on, get DOWN! Now, what would be the title of your autobiography?

WHERE’D THAT MESS COME FROM?

I bet that’s a common one that my pets could relate to. You should write it! Now, if you were to write a novel, would your friend, Elizabeth, inspire one of the characters?

I don’t know about friends, but Pickles the parrot would end up my favorite chew-toy.

LOL! What’s your favorite movie?

UP. . .

Oh, that’s a good one! What musical instrument would you like to play?

Juice harp

I would definitely like to see that, Dekker! What do you think about cats? Dogs?

Cats--I haven’t met one that I didn’t like—translate, I haven’t met one yet. I’ve only met two dogs—the one next door named Chloe and she doesn’t like me, and the one behind the mirror—he’s really something and I like him a lot.

Dekker, you are so cute! Where do you sleep at night?

In the bedroom with the boys, inside my comfy crate with all my blankets and pillows.

That sounds nice and cozy. What do you do when your friend is writing?

I keep jumping on the funny black box that she has in her lap instead of me.

Good going! The Hilo Monster would be proud of you! What is your idea of bliss?

Laying on my back and having my belly scratched.

Nothing better than that! What is your friend’s idea of bliss?

She loves to eat chocolate and it’s so rare and special, that she won’t share it with me.

I think she’s trying to protect you. Thank you, Dekker and Elizabeth, for being with us today! You take care of your friend now, ya hear?

Elizabeth has a new book out called Disarming Andi! Here’s a little info about it:

Disarming Andi

Vance Young inherits a missile launch site—a relic from the cold war buried beneath the plains of North Dakota—from his great-uncle, a man he never knew. An astronomy fanatic, Vance needs free access to the night skies, so he doesn’t consider staying in the underground dwelling until he meets the woman responsible for remodeling it into a lavish home.
Upon meeting the late Vance Erickson’s namesake, Andi Nielsen may have just gotten her second chance to discover what her grandfather hid inside the old missile base decades before when he served as a missileer. Is she prepared to detonate her growing feelings for the new owner in order to find the hidden treasure? When Vance remotely discovers a cybercrime involving his classified software, can he solve the crime and keep the woman he loves safe?

You can learn more about Elizabeth at bethgoddard.com.

Come back next Wednesday for another author/pet interview!

Labels: author, Dekker, Elizabeth Goddard, fiction, inspirational, interview

Ever watch an old western movie where the wagon train forms a circle as the Indians ride over the ridge, whooping and hollering, as they charge the wagon train and encircle it? Even though we don't live in times like that, we can feel surrounded and attacked from all sides. Have you felt like that lately? I certainly have. One day last week as a matter of fact. I won't go into all the details because they really aren't important but I could really relate to the book of Jeremiah when Jerusalem was surrounded and under attack. Jeremiah, the prophet, was even thrown into a cistern. I felt like I was up to my own chin in the muck and mire last week. But the king had Jeremiah brought to him and asked him what was about to happen. Jeremiah said, "Please be obedient to the Lord." Isn't that all God asks of us? Be obedient. So when my wagon was surrounded and I was under attack from all sides, I just needed to be obedient to the Lord. If you're feeling surrounded lately, remember to surrender only to God. Surrender your desires, your hopes, your trust to Him.

There's so much noise in our society these days. I mean noise in the sense of distractions. Cell phones, texting, music (whether yours are the car next to yours), iPods or equivalent type of devices, television, radio, Hilo Monster barking, etc... To just sit and listen to the birds twittering is almost a rare thing. It's one reason I'm looking forward to going to the Mt. Hermon conference in California in a couple of weeks. Surrounded by redwoods, I'm going to be looking for a little peace and quiet. Thinking about this made me think how our society is inundated with noise, but not just noise, but advice and 'do this, don't do that,' 'go this way!' Between the Democrats and Republicans screeching at us, who do you listen to? Who is telling the truth? And I don't just mean politics. I mean, any advice that you're given: how do you know it's truth?

Some of us hear our dads in our heads giving us advice that they spoke to us as a child. Maybe even some of us hear an angry tone, maybe a parent or a teacher telling us 'you aren't capable of doing that!' Some of us hear our moms telling us there's only one way to cook green beans. Maybe we hear an angry sibling telling us we're worthless. Whatever! We carry around in our heads all the advice we've been given over the years--the good and the bad. And it affects us.

So what do you do with the voices in your head? Philippians 4:8 it. That's what. "Finally, brothers (or sisters!), whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." So let's say you have in your head someone saying, 'You'll never amount to much.' Weigh that against Phil. 4:8. Is that true? NO! Because the bible tells us that you are loved! Loved so much that God sent His son to save you. The bible says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you.' Does that sound like 'never amounting to much?' No! So weigh those voices against the truth of the Word of God.

But sometimes it takes 'be still, and know that I am God' to hear the truth. Sometimes we need to get away, to be quiet, to find a peaceful environment (which is often early in the morning at my house when even the Hilo Monster is sleepy and not trying to chew everything in sight) to be still and let the Word wash over us, seep into us and flush out the lies and fill us with the truth which will quiet all the noise in our every day lives.

I'm being interviewed at Roseanna's blog today. Hope you'll check it out. She's giving away a free book of Once in a Blue Moon!

http://roseannamwhite.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-friend-leanna-interview-giveaway.html

Hey, y'all! I'm being interviewed here today with a book giveaway: http://musingsofedwina.blogspot.com

Hope you'll stop by and say hello!

Also, I'm on the radio this morning 10am Central (if you miss it you can find it at this site afterward), if you want to listen in to Christian Work At Home Moms, then go here: http://toginet.com/shows/christianworkathomemoms

As many of you know, I'm a big animal lover. I have three dogs and a cat, which all keep me very busy. Starting next week, I'm going to be interviewing some author friends (one a week) and their pets! I'm really excited about this! The interviews I've received so far have been tons of fun! Can't wait to share! So be sure and check back here every Wednesday for those fun interviews, which I hope will not only spotlight some of God's little critters but also some really talented authors in a whole new light.

Above, my little black puppy is Muffet. She's been gone 4 years now, and I miss her still. What a sweetheart she was! Then there's a picture of Belle watching our labradoodle puppy takeover Belle's bed.

Belle is my sweet llasa. She was a gift to me from my husband the first year we were married. She is now 14.5 years old. But she has bladder stones. Poor baby! So she is having surgery today to remove them. Please pray that all goes well and that she heals quickly.

I've been visiting several blogs and author websites this week! I hope you'll stop by and say hello!

http://robinlee.typepad.com/new_in_christian_fiction/2010/03/once-in-a-blue-moon-by-leanna-ellis.html

http://bethsquill.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/once-in-a-blue-moon-by-leanna-ellis/


http://marloschalesky.blogspot.com/2010/03/once-in-blue-moon-by-leanna-ellis.html

http://roxannerustand.blogspot.com


http://debiraney.blogspot.com/2006/09/recommended-authors.html

http://strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com

In Marfa, everyone looks for the lights. Orbs that hover near the horizon. Scientists have not found an explanation for them. They are a mystery. And so, of course, when we traveled to Marfa, we searched for those lights. There's this little roadside stop that was built especially for searching for those Marfa lights. But alas, it was too cloudy, too hazy and we didn't see any. At first, we were disappointed. The kids were ready to see aliens. Even though none have been spotted. Where do they get their ideas? But as the weekend progressed, we were struck by the friendly people, the beauty of the area, the sheer vastness.

It made me think today about how sometimes we are searching so hard for something, trying to see it, trying to achieve it, that we miss the beauty of the landscape, the splendor of a setting sun, the majesty of the mountains in the background, the simplicity and friendliness of a genuine smile. It's good to focus but not to the exclusion of everything else in our life. So take a moment, breathe deep, look around, find something of beauty and allow God to speak to your heart.

In Marfa, everyone looks for the lights. Orbs that hover near the horizon. Scientists have not found an explanation for them. They are a mystery. And so, of course, when we traveled to Marfa, we searched for those lights. There's this little roadside stop that was built especially for searching for those Marfa lights. But alas, it was too cloudy, too hazy and we didn't see any. At first, we were disappointed. The kids were ready to see aliens. Even though none have been spotted. Where do they get their ideas? But as the weekend progressed, we were struck by the friendly people, the beauty of the area, the sheer vastness.

It made me think today about how sometimes we are searching so hard for something, trying to see it, trying to achieve it, that we miss the beauty of the landscape, the splendor of a setting sun, the majesty of the mountains in the background, the simplicity and friendliness of a genuine smile. It's good to focus but not to the exclusion of everything else in our life. So take a moment, breathe deep, look around, find something of beauty and allow God to speak to your heart.

I'm being interviewed today at Borrowed Book Blog. Hope you'll come by and say hello and join in for a chance to win a free book!

http://theborrowedbook.blogspot.com/

I'm being interviewed over on Borrowed Book blog today. Come say hello and join in for a chance to win a free book! http://theborrowedbook.blogspot.com/

Marfa is a unique and interesting little town where we went to research Once in a Blue Moon. The Hotel Pasiano is a historical landmark. It's where the cast and crew for the movie Giant stayed. In the downstairs lobby, they have a whole room dedicated to James Dean and the cast of Giant. The movie is even on the television for viewing. Marfa is a happening place! We happened to be there during the Marfa Lights Festival! There were games and jumpy houses for the kids, even a mechanical bull…and of course food galore!

It's launch day for Once in a Blue Moon! I'm so happy this book is now available! I love this book and hope you will too! Over the weekend I received a couple of reviews on it, so I thought I would share them here!


http://andrealschultz.blogspot.com/2010/02/once-in-blue-moon-by-leanna-ellis-book.html

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/onceinabluemoonByLeannaEllis.html

Also, I'm running a couple of contests through my e-newsletter, so if you have not yet signed up there's still time!