Out and Around the Web

I’ve been featured on several Websites over the past few weeks and wanted to share some of the links with you.  I know I’ve been, uh, rather absent from my blog over the last several months, but I have the best intentions to start being more consistent in my posting here.  So, as a start to that, some fresh reading:

Watch Over Me is She Reads (www.shereads.org) March book club pick.  If you leave a comment or sign up for the She Reads newsletter, you’ll have a chance to not only win a copy of Watch Over Me, but also a beautiful handmade pottery vase (if you’ve read the novel, you know one of the main characters is a potter).

If you don’t know about She Reads, check it out.  From its website:

She Reads exists to honor Christ by connecting readers with novels that:

• inspire through excellent writing
• explore deep issues of faith
• initiate change in the reader’s life

Each quarter, the She Reads book club will offer three current titles as featured selections. Readers have vast differences in taste and for this reason diverse genres and authors will be chosen, with a total of twelve books per year.

Why should I join She Reads?

Readers who join She Reads receive a number of benefits, including:

• Connection with other readers on the She Reads blog who are passionate about great fiction and uplifting stories.
• Information via the She Reads newsletter that will keep readers up to date on their favorite authors, and books, with a few surprises thrown in for fun.
• Reviews of newly released titles written by a variety of readers, writers, and industry professionals.
• Options to create a She Reads book club or bring an existing club under the She Reads umbrella.
• Relationships developed within the intimate setting of a regular book club meeting.
• Fun planned study guides with activities and interesting facts developed specifically for the She Reads book club.
• Online Community for those who can’t participate in a monthly meeting (or don’t live near an existing club), via the She Reads blog and Facebook group.
• Pre-selected novels they can trust and appreciate – an important aspect in today’s economy where every buying decision requires a second thought.
• Access to authors they love through print interviews, meet and greets, conference calls, etc. Each selected author will participate in two conference calls with the first 100 guests (per call) who sign up. This will be a free service and a chance for readers to have their questions answered by the authors themselves!
• Free books from time to time via contests, giveaways, and publisher promotions.

Who is running this thing anyway?

On a large scale, She Reads is an offshoot of Proverbs 31 Ministries, helping bring God’s peace, perspective, and purpose to today’s busy woman. As an organization, Proverbs provides leadership and technical support.

On a daily basis, She Reads is run by Marybeth Whalen (Director) and Ariel Lawhon (Assistant Director), pictured below.

Keep checking back all through the month of March, as there will be other goodies – recipes, interviews, etc. – posted regarding Watch Over Me and my writing.

Speaking of Proverbs 31 Ministries, yesterday it featured a devotion I wrote.  Encouragement For Today, the daily online devotional ministry of Proverbs 31, “reaches approximately over 300,000 people all over the world every day at no charge through email. These inspirational messages written by our team of speakers and writers draw women (and men) into the powerful and relevant truth of God’s Word.”  You can sign up to receive Encouragement For Today through email.

The devotion I wrote, “Too Many Eyes,” focuses on who we were made to be in Christ, and how God has created each one of with unique gifts and talents (and quirkiness!) that fit exactly into His plans for us and those around us.

On Valentine’s Day, She Reads posted the story of how two fiction authors “just happened” to fall in love and get married.  Well, one of those authors happens to be me.  The other is my wonderful husband of almost 5 months, Chris Coppernoll.  I know, some of you are saying, “I didn’t even know there was a wedding!”  There just didn’t seem a way to announce it without fanfare – and those who know me in real life know I’m not much for fanfare.  But, it *is* a great story, if anyone is interested.

If you want to learn more about Chris’ latest novel, Screen Play, She Reads also featured it in its Worth Reading section.