Life Savers from Stacy Gooch-Anderson

The first book I read by Stacy Gooch-Anderson was The Santa Letters--which I reviewed here. Since The Santa Letters touched me so deeply, when Stacy contacted me for a review of Life is Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive, I eagerly accepted.

While I am getting closer to it in the TBR pile, I've glanced through a few of the entries and was floored to realize what a great sense of humor Stacy has. In Life is Tough, Stacy shares 28 life lessons that changed her perspective and helped her grow in character. This is truly a book of "A Mother's Life Lessons Learned Through Laughter".

And to that end, Stacy is providing us with one of her Life Savers. I had to choose this one, because anyone who knows me, knows that I am the most impatient person on the face of the planet.

How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you are on

If patience is a virtue, then I am most definitely NOT a virtuous woman!

Patience is a very hard thing for me. I tend to want things and answers now and not a minute later than instantly. But this is not always the way it works. Matter of fact, as I’m coming to find out, it rarely works this way. I guess God keeps giving me those lessons on patience hoping that one day I will learn its virtues.

Apparently I’m a slow learner because they keep coming at regular intervals and with increasing frequency. Like the other day, the sun had finally made an appearance after hiding for the better part of the fall and winter. The temperatures were up and so I thought a nice walk would be in order. I grabbed my walking shoes and a water bottle and headed off.

I forgot one small detail though; one shouldn’t take a blood pressure pill with a diuretic right before heading out where bathrooms are few and far between. I hadn’t been gone long when my fast pace and pumping heart kicked that medication into overdrive and sent me frantically looking for a public restroom along the route.

I whizzed (no pun intended) down the hill to a local gas station where I knew there were clean restrooms. Just as I reached for the door, a sweet older lady smiled at me and then slipped in and locked the door after sweetly telling me, “I’ll only be a minute”.

I stood there with my mouth gaping and my legs crossed. I didn’t dare move for fear that any mild movement would certainly turn me into a leaky faucet. I stood immobilized praying that she would finish up her business and get the heck outta Dodge so the new sheriff could claim her potty in peace and overwhelming relief.

I think she must’ve taken a bath in the bowl.

I must admit however, that old people have a way of really putting things into perspective. When she finally did emerge, she smiled again – a bit broader as she watched me inch into the restroom with crossed legs – and gave me a bit of old- timer’s wisdom. This nugget has become today’s “Life Saver”;

“How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you are on. Praise be to the Good Lord who allowed me enough agility to beat you to the bathroom door. The old plumbing ain’t what it used to be and they would’ve needed a mop and a ten gallon bucket if I’d been the one waiting out here."

Easy for her to say. Her minute was filled with the relief of dry Depends and a happy bladder. I looked back over my shoulder at her as she headed out to her car with a slightly more jovial step in her jaunt. I smiled.

It was nice to know that even when age does get the best of you, patience still isn’t a virtue but you can somehow manage to deal with the infirmity with a quick wit and a smile that makes others glad they had the ability to wait.

You can visit Stacy online at www.stacyganderson.com

Life Is Tough: I Doubt I'll Make It Out Alive is available at Amazon.com

The Depth of My Soul by Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

The Depth of My Soul is a book of poetry focusing on injustices such as wars, corruption, war crimes, religious fundamentalism, child abuse, other types of abuse, torture, dictatorship, relationship problems etc. When the author wrote this book, he was inspired by the news on CNN and other media. The goal of this book is to share his approach with readers about the problems the world faces.

Balthazar would love to hear from you. You can visit his website at www.ganymedeweb.com.

After reading this synopsis, it seemed interesting that a poet would use CNN and other media as a basis for his work. This is the topic I asked Balthazar to discuss in his guest article today.

Balthazar's Turn:

News as Inspiration
by Balthazar Rodrigue Nzomono-Balenda

News is relevant because it provides me with information to research about different themes, which are the desires of my heart. I watch news everyday on CNN, BBC, TV5 Monde every single day, 365 days a year. When I get news on my fingertips, I keep myself up to date about several events, which are taking place around the world. I use the news as the inspiration because I want to share my approach about these events.

Very often I get inspiration from CNN anchors, such as Christiane Amanpour for her programs about the 3 monotheist religions and the war crimes our politicians ignore because of certain interests. I watch coverage about wars, genocides, religious conflicts, political problems, immigration, dictatorship, xenophobia, financial crisis, natural disasters etc.

It’s not just about being inspired, but the idea of using this inspiration in an effective way to reach out to my readers when I write a book. I must admit that I am not interested in everything I hear on the news. I choose themes that are an inspiration to me. Besides watching the news, I go on the internet and research different themes that I want to use for my books. Sometimes, I am frustrated about the events that I watch on the news i.e. politicians in our part of the world talk about freedom and justice, but work with dictators for their interests. I find it very sick, and it makes so angry that I have trillions of questions in my mind about them. I usually grumble about their approach to dictators who torture their people, who ignore their citizens living in poverty dying of different kinds of diseases and illnesses. It got me nowhere, and I was the one who was suffering. That’s why I decided to approach these problems by expressing myself through the most powerful too, which sometimes makes no sense. That’s poetry. Writing books about the problems we face in our societies, is an opportunity for me to share my views with my readers and learn from them as well.

Book Review: How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? by Kathi Macias

Have you struggled to live up to the expectations of the good woman described in Proverbs 31? You're certainly not alone. That's why every Christian woman who desires to follow the example of the good woman must read How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas by Kathi Macias.

Follow Kathi's journey and struggle with Proverbs 31 as she discusses the natural progression of growing in grace. From our Christian infancy, through our toddling years, learning to run, and then finally knowing the comfort and peace of being back on our knees and totally dependent upon and surrendered to God, and knowing He will bring us safely home; Kathi shares her personal stories with humor and genuine compassion for her fellow Christians.

I willingly admit that I love Kathi's work. When I read Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World, I knew I would be a fan of Kathi Macias for life. And when I heard that she had a new book coming out, I didn't waste any time in letting Kathi know that I wanted to review it.

While very different in tone and style than Beyond Me, Kathi has perfectly captured the many struggles Christian women deal with when they consider and try to follow the example of the good woman from Proverbs 31; how overwhelming it can be and how often we try to take control when God is truly steering the ship. By choosing to tell this story in a funny and lighthearted way, the reader is eager to journey along with Kathi to see what she learned next and how to apply it to her own life.

At the end of most of the chapters is a section called "Making it Personal", which asks the reader questions that relate to the point Kathi has just discussed. She had something similar in Beyond Me. While I found them to very helpful in Beyond Me, they were distracting to me in this book because I wanted to keep going with this funny and lighthearted story that was subtlety teaching me what I needed to know. I ended up skipping them until I completed the book and then went back to review them once I was done.

Also included at the end of most chapters were Bible verses that referred back to the lesson, including one of my favorites: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."--Philippians 4:13.

The cover art for this book is wonderful. The side of a ship with a woman--who could be any Christian woman--looking out through the porthole--is a brilliant idea. The humorous Foreward is provided by Martha Bolton, Emmy-nominated songwriter and author of Didn't My Skin Used to Fit and Cooking With Hot Flashes, and a touching Afterword is written by Rhonda Rhea, author of High Heels in High Places, Purse-suit of Holiness, and Whatever Blings Are Lovely.

One last thing that truly made this a special book is the chapter that Kathi dedicates to her father, Hans. The reader finds a tribute to a beloved father from the daughter who prayed for him to accept Christ as his Savior; and who in his final moments, as he sang a song from his childhood, taught her so much about "resting and trusting in God's goodness for His children." Even as I type this, I can feel the tightening in my throat and the tears swimming in my eyes.

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? will make the perfect Mother's Day or birthday gift for the Christian woman in your life. For every Christian woman who has aspired to be the Proverbs 31 good woman, Kathi Macias has brought hope.


Title: How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1-59669-204-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-59669-204-6
SRP: $13.99

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? by Kathi Macias--Book Review

Have you struggled to live up to the expectations of the good woman described in Proverbs 31? You're certainly not alone. That's why every Christian woman who desires to follow the example of the good woman must read How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas by Kathi Macias.

Follow Kathi's journey and struggle with Proverbs 31 as she discusses the natural progression of growing in grace. From our Christian infancy, through our toddling years, learning to run, and then finally knowing the comfort and peace of being back on our knees and totally dependent upon and surrendered to God, and knowing He will bring us safely home; Kathi shares her personal stories with humor and genuine compassion for her fellow Christians.

I willingly admit that I love Kathi's work. When I read Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World--which I reviewed here--I knew I would be a fan of Kathi Macias for life. And when I heard that she had a new book coming out, I didn't waste any time in letting Kathi know that I wanted to review it.

While very different in tone and style than Beyond Me, Kathi has perfectly captured the many struggles Christian women deal with when they consider and try to follow the example of the good woman from Proverbs 31; how overwhelming it can be and how often we try to take control when God is truly steering the ship. By choosing to tell this story in a funny and lighthearted way, the reader is eager to journey along with Kathi to see what she learned next and how to apply it to her own life.

At the end of most of the chapters is a section called "Making it Personal", which asks the reader questions that relate to the point Kathi has just discussed. She had something similiar in Beyond Me; but while I found them to very helpful in Beyond Me, they were distracting to me in this book because I wanted to keep going with this funny and lighthearted story that was subtlety teaching me what I needed to know. I ended up skipping them until I completed the book and then went back to review them once I was done.

Also included at the end of most chapters were Bible verses that referred back to the lesson, including one of my favorites: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."--Philippians 4:13.

The cover art for this book is wonderful. The side of a ship with a woman--who could be any Christian woman--looking out through the porthole--is a brilliant idea. The humorous Foreward is provided by Martha Bolton, Emmy-nominated songwriter and author of Didn't My Skin Used to Fit and Cooking With Hot Flashes, and a touching Afterword is written by Rhonda Rhea, author of High Heels in High Places, Purse-suit of Holiness, and Whatever Blings Are Lovely.

One last thing that truly made this a special book is the chapter that Kathi dedicates to her father, Hans. The reader finds a tribute to a beloved father from the daughter who prayed for him to accept Christ as his Savior; and who in his final moments, as he sang a song from his childhood, taught her so much about "resting and trusting in God's goodness for His children." Even as I type this, I can feel the tightening in my throat and the tears swimming in my eyes.

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? will make the perfect Mother's Day or birthday gift for the Christian woman in your life. For every Christian woman who has aspired to be the Proverbs 31 good woman, Kathi Macias has brought hope.


Title: How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons? - Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas
Author: Kathi Macias
Publisher: New Hope Publishers
ISBN-10: 1-59669-204-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-59669-204-6
SRP: $13.99 (U.S.)

Alan Kennedy-Shaffer and The Obama Revolution

The first book to be written by a campaign staffer and offering rare insider glimpses, The Obama Revolution explores how a generation of believers and the politics of hope won the presidency for Barack Obama and changed the world.

The Obama Revolution carefully examines what Obama plans to do as president, how Obama clinched the Democratic nomination and won the general election, and why Obama’s evocative rhetoric inspired millions of Americans to create a political revolution that toppled the status quo and changed the face of American politics forever.

Drawing on both first-hand campaign experience and scholarly analysis, the author delivers everything from personal stories of grass-roots organizing and grueling all-nighters to candid assessments of the Obama campaign’s strengths and weaknesses. Insightful and powerfully written The Obama Revolution offers an enlightening, annotated, documented overview of Obama’s path to the White House and what it means to every American.

Learn how Obama used policies of change, strategic vision, and the rhetoric of hope to transform the campaign into a political movement. Discover how field organizers (most under 30), using cell phones and the Internet, mobilized and energized a whole new generation of voters. Follow the author as he registers voters, spreads the word and is touched by the people he meets.

Anyone wondering whether America's flame still burns brightly needs to read this book and be inspired by the hope, the promise, and the ardor of Barack Obama and “Generation Change”—the future of America—as they work hand-in-hand to fulfill the legacy of change that is the Obama Revolution.

Today's guest blogger is Alan Kennedy-Shaffer, who served as a regional field director for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party in Virginia. Educated at Yale University and William & Mary Law School, Kennedy-Shaffer is the author of Denial and Deception: A Study of the Bush Administration’s Rhetorical Case for Invading Iraq. Kennedy-Shaffer’s writings have also appeared in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Washington Post, the Patriot-News, the Daily Press, and the Virginia Gazette. Alan lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

You can visit his website at www.alankennedy-shaffer.com.

Alan's turn:

The Grassroots Revolution
By Alan Kennedy-Shaffer

With talk of tea parties and taxes dominating the Rush Limbaugh Republican agenda, the time has come to bring Barack Obama’s grassroots revolution back into the spotlight. From Minnesota to Missouri, longtime Republicans and apathetic Independents joined diehard Democrats in an extraordinary campaign that brought Americans together in a way not seen in decades. From Harrisburg to Hampton, organizers fanned out across long ignored neighborhoods, recruited thousands of volunteers, and mobilized millions of voters, sparking a movement for change.

The Obama Revolution, the first book published about Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign by a former staffer, provides an in-the-trenches look at how the 44th President of the United States came from behind to win the presidency and sparked a movement that has changed the face of American politics forever. The energy of a citizenry invigorated by the opportunity to steer the ship of state cannot be adequately measured, but it must not be ignored. In the months leading up to Obama’s election last fall, something stirred in the American psyched. Consider this excerpt:

There may seem to be little in common between the young children who scampered after me in the housing projects on Allison Hill, eager for Obama stickers, and the Democrats in Westmoreland County who turned out in droves for rural action meetings. But below the surface, they all hope for a brighter future for their children and they share a belief that America can—and will—change. . . . Empowered to serve as the backbone of Obama’s well organized, well funded, quintessentially grassroots presidential campaign, young people left their jobs, their schools, and their homes, in order to recruit and mobilize an army of volunteers committed to positive change.

This brief passage in The Obama Revolution begins to tell the story of the grassroots revolution that turned a long shot candidacy into a transformative presidency. How Obama became president matters because it says more about the American people than it does about Obama. What made Obama’s campaign different was our ability to reach across the aisle, across neighborhoods, and across the street, to voters from all walks of life. To me, it was electrifying when I rang the doorbell and a young child saw my Obama sticker, ran back inside, and yelled to his mother, “Barack Obama’s at the door!”

Sometimes powerful, sometimes poignant, always hopeful, The Obama Revolution includes encounters with Barack Obama, insight into why thousands of organizers left their jobs, their schools, and their families to join the most organized presidential campaign in American history. It is the story of how thousands of organizers spurred millions of Americans to register to vote and recruited millions of volunteers. At once meticulously researched and motivational, The Obama Revolution tells the story of a generation of young people—most under 30—who dropped everything to get involved.

Although we will never agree on everything, we must continue to hope that the change we fought so hard for at every door, on every call, and in every neighborhood, will have a fighting chance of coming to America. Our grassroots revolution goes beyond tea parties promoted by Fox News and ranking Republicans, and beyond knee-jerk animosity toward the taxes that pay for our highways, our schools, our parks, and our national security. Our revolution is about the ability of Americans young and old, black and white, gay and straight, to unite behind the change that we still believe in.

Alan Kennedy-Shaffer is the author, most recently, of “The Obama Revolution.”

David S. Brody and Cabal of the Westford Knight

While trying to help an elderly couple save their home, attorney Cameron Thorne is thrust into a bloody tug-of-war involving secret societies, treasure hunters and keepers of the secrets of the Jesus bloodline. Joined by Amanda, a beautiful British researcher with secrets of her own, Cam races around New England with only two choices, unravel the 600-year-old mysteries encoded in the ancient Templar artifacts or die trying.

David S. Brody's Cabal of the Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower has been called, "A wonderful mixture of The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure".

When I wandered out to David's website and began reading about his other books: Unlawful Deeds, Blood of the Tribe, and The Wrong Abraham, I noticed that all his books are set in New England and Massachusetts usually is at least part of the setting.

Not surprising since David lives in Massachusetts with his wife, novelist Kimberly Scott, and his two daughters; but since I also live in Massachusetts and appreciate the history of the area, I asked David to talk to us today about the settings for his novels and why he chose those locations for his stories. Here's what he had to say.

David's turn:


Unlawful Deeds was set mostly in Boston’s Financial District and Back Bay, with some scenes also on the North Shore. Then I moved down to Cape Cod for Blood of the Tribe. In The Wrong Abraham the action is set on Beacon Hill and the Waterfront area, plus at Fenway Park. With Cabal of the Westford Knight I explore artifacts and sites in Newport, Rhode Island, along the Maine coast, in southern New Hampshire, and of course in and around Westford, Massachusetts, where the story is centered. The great thing about writing books set in New England is that there is so much variety of settings within a small geographic area—lakes and mountains, craggy coastlines, beaches, farmland, urban areas, etc. Plus there is all this history and great architecture. I think readers like to read about places they’ve been to or visited, which is another advantage to writing stories set in the Boston area. It seems like half the people in the U.S. have spent time in Boston at one time or another—either walking the Freedom Trail or catching a Red Sox game at Fenway Park or visiting a friend in college. And they all seem to come away with sharp, vivid memories—it’s not one of those cities that looks like any other American city. I try to tap into that, which I think allows the readers to picture themselves along with the characters in the story. Hopefully that enhances the story and the reading experience.

About the author:

David S. Brody is a Boston Globe bestselling author named “Best Local Author” by the Boston Phoenix newspaper. He is a Director at Large of the New England Antiquities Research Association (NEARA). A real estate attorney, he resides in Westford, Massachusetts with his wife, novelist Kimberly Scott, and their two daughters. He coaches youth sports and Special Olympics and plays in adult hockey and softball leagues.

You can visit David online at www.davidbrodybooks.com and at http://westfordknight.blogspot.com/, where you'll find information about the artifacts found in Cabal of the Westford Knight.

J.W. Nicklaus on The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between

J.W. Nicklaus is the author of the short story collection, The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between. This book has a stunning cover, and you have to check out the superb video trailer produced to promote this book, which you'll find at the end of this post.

J.W. is our guest blogger today, and he is going to share all about the challenges of putting together a short story collection and getting it published, along with sharing which story out of the collection is his favorite.

About the book:

A collection of short stories, each a splinter's reflection of the human condition, firmly centered upon our oft tenuous, sometimes tensile bond with Hope, and careening flirtation with Love.

Fifteen stories: From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to an orphaned child who delivers a present of her own during a war-torn Christmas. These stories are gentle reminders to each of us of what it is to be human, and certainly of our affinity for the slightest glint of Hope.

About the author:

J.W. Nicklaus resides in a place not entirely fit for human habitation about five months of the year. No pets to speak of, only the apparitions from which all romantics suffer.

An Arizona native, he’s been from one coast to the other, and a few places in between. College brought an AA in Journalism with a minor in Photography, and a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications. His work experience has run the gamut from Creative Director for a small advertising firm in Tucson to a litigation support bureau in Phoenix (and assuredly some awkward stuff in the mix).

Snow has been featured prominently in his stories, perhaps because of the seasonless cli-mate he lives in. Nature was meant to be enjoyed and experienced, not hidden from the senses. So to that end, he hopes someday to live amongst those who are able to live through four true seasons, and not just blast furnace and warm.

He enjoys the occasional Arizona Diamondbacks game with his son, as well as watching him grow up. The experience of being a single dad has taught him far more about himself than he ever thought possible.

Within the expanse of every waking moment, he hopes his guardian angel keeps its arms open wide and heart ever watchful, for there but for one true Hope goes She.

For more about J.W. visit www.avomnia.com.

J.W.'s turn:

Alice sat with her cube-mate Chris in the company cafeteria, morning coffee in hand. She stared over his shoulder at the steam rising from the breakfast entrees on the food line. For his part, Chris sat fixated, as he usually did, watching female patrons come and go, so he took no notice whatsoever of her unusual disengagement. She snapped out of her reverie when he turned slightly to gawk at a skirted Amazon who strode past.

“Doesn’t it ever get old?” she asked.

“What?” he replied without turning to face her.

“Every morning, you do the same thing . . .”

Chris causally turned towards her. “What, this?” he gestured at the cafeteria proper.

Alice rolled her eyes, “You know what I mean.” She nudged her glasses up a bit for a nuanced dramatic punch.

“Oh, please. We’re hard wired for it. I can’t help it. Man Law says I must look,” he grinned, “it’s out of my hands. Really.” For the first time he took notice of her removed demeanor. “What’s up with you this morning, I mean normally you couldn’t care less.”

Alice cocked her head slightly, as if trying to let some thought gently slide to fill the lighter part of her brain. She pointed to the food line where the kitchen staff were doling out eggs and cinnamon buns. “Why do you suppose they put the hot items first, then the breads and rolls, and the juice and stuff last?” she asked.

Chris craned his head around to look, as if he really needed to. He and Alice had sat at the same table, almost every morning, for the last two years. “You’d think they’d be reversed, right? The hot stuff sits and cools while they go through the rest of the line . . .”

“Exactly!” she declared, animatedly cutting him off. “There should be some logic to it, don’t you think?” Chris leaned back in his chair and nodded.

“And what about songs,” she continued, “what about the order of songs on an album or in a mix you put together?”
Chris sat up immediately. “Music is a very emotional thing for people. Not so much logic to the order as feeling—am I right?” Chris’ facial expression politely begged for confirmation of his theory.

Alice raised her cup and took a long sip, allowing the moment to sink in for both of them.

I was asked to say a bit about the challenges of putting a short story collection together, and as I mulled it over it occurred to me that one of the most difficult things to do is not simply getting the words ‘down’, but getting the right words in the right order—much like the order of foods in a cafeteria. Even within that construct there is a sliding scale of subjectivity, because what I might feel is proper may not feel right to someone else. But if done with care the wrinkles are largely ironed out and the reader avoids those potentially nasty mental stumbles. If the reader stumbles once then the author may be forgiven, but too many times and the reader is lost for good. That’s no small feat.

The next idea that came to me was choosing the order of the stories. A short story, by its very nature, has quick impact and needs to evoke some reaction from the reader in a very small amount of space. A really good short story has the same effect as finishing a good book—you’re mildly saddened to reach the end. A little like leaving an old friend. Now here’s the tricky part: Stringing the stories together in some appropriate order so the emotional cycle for the reader is gentle and not jarring. Some of us will read short stories with great ardor, and others will read one and savor it for a bit, perhaps returning minutes or hours later to taste the next one. It’s always a much more pleasant experience if the reader gets smoothly transitioned from one story to the next, and like songs on an album, the order of them can make a difference.

I’ve tried to accomplish that with my stories in The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between. I think Emissary is the right way to start the book, and the emotions shift a little one way or the other from story to story until the last fictional tale, Winter Rose. It ends on a warm, caring note. I have a hard time choosing a favorite story because they all mean something different to me; each of them is woven from a slightly different inspirational thread. Some are very much from and for the heart, while others were just fun to write.

If I absolutely had to pick a favorite then I suppose I’d lean towards Requiem For Linny. It’s the second of fifteen stories, but it was a challenge to inhabit the world of Buck, its main character. He’s a man profoundly wounded by the passing of his beloved wife, and as such it was very interesting to write from the perspective of someone who has loved, and lost, that much. Perhaps it’s the most personal of the stories, from any kind of autobiographical standpoint. For me Requiem highlights all that it means to be human . . .and that in itself is a challenge we all face.