Hi Lisa,

On the Rafflecopter above, it says I'm logged in. Is there something specific I need to do to validate that? I entered my email address in the box now - I had just posted that I knew what the message was, but I went back now and edited it to leave my email address. Not sure what else I need to do?

Hi Lisa,

This has been fun - reminded me of childhood days!

My email: beckydwriter(at)gmail(dot)com

Tweeted, FB-liked, signed up for your newsletter, too!

Blessings,
Becky

Hi Lisa - Just signed up for your newsletter, too!

Hi Lisa - Love this whole Scavenger Hunt thing! Such a great way to spread the word and get people fired up about these new releases and new authors!

Robin - always enjoy your books. Always. I, too, hunt down photos of my characters and keep a file of characters for each book. I don't know if it helps me write about them their personalities, but it does help when I'm describing them - I even look for real "flaws" - crooked ears, unibrows, buck teeth. Love it.

As far as your cover model - You spoiled me with Hugh Jackman's image - now I'll see HJ when I read your book, regardless of how handsome your guy is on the front!!!! :-)
On to the next

Hi ladies,

I think being a mom is one of the most difficult and most rewarding jobs there is. It amazes me that the human race hasn't died out long before, isn't it!!! But I think even harder, in today's society, is being a Proverbs 31 wife. I love my husband and I love my marriage, but when things get tough, the world would have us believe that the best thing to do is quit, walk away, stop choosing to love. NOT TRUE. But just because I know it isn't true, just because he knows it isn't true, doesn't make it easy. After 24 years, we're in it for the long haul, but we have to proactively invest every day, every hour, every minute, in making our marriage the wonderful and rewarding treasure it is.

Blessings,
Becky

Jeannie,

This is a link to an article that's being posted around the internet and I wanted to share it with you since you are a therapist and are attempting to present this in a clinical way.
http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-artic...

This is one of the points Dannah Gresh makes that directly relates to your debate:
"The Bible has said for thousands of years that lust is hurtful and harmful. Guess what? Biopsychologists and others are studying the effects of lust, pornography, and erotica on the brain and the body. They are finding that the Bible was, in fact, right. Over time, your body becomes conditioned to self-stimulation and gratification. It’s not just a preference. It’s physiological. The lust cuts a literal pathway in your brain tissue that’s kind of like a rut. A rut you better be prepared to get stuck in."

I had no intention of adding to what I said earlier - you replied to my comment like this: "I hope that people don't take away from my post that I'm trying to justify having read it." However, your responses to most of the reader comments AGAINST reading the book actually indites you as one who IS absolutely justifying it. Not once did you DISCOURAGE your followers from reading this book. You did not give one reason why people should NOT read it, only reasons why it IS okay, even beneficial, to read it.

So as a Christian therapist, why are you surprised by the back lash? Those who are willing to PUBLICLY stand firm on this subject are calling it what it is: indulgence in sin. Of course there's a "poignant story" under the sex! That's the tool the devil gives us to justify reading it! Why? Because he knows we need a reason to justify sin in our lives.

Jeannie, in response to the backlash, maybe you should consider saying a few things AGAINST this book, AGAINST the psychological damage that it will cause, AGAINST the blows it will inflict on people's relationships with Christ. I think this is a great opportunity for you to do something wild for the Kingdom. Surprise us debaters with the other side of the coin. The world is doing everything it can to justify gratuitous sex - lets take a stand against it and promote sex the way God intended it to be. I totally believe in you and your heart and covering this whole debate in prayer.

Jeannie,

This is not condemnation, nor is it pointing fingers, not is is censorious, nor is it judgement. This is what I believe in my heart to be truth.

I'm posting a whole series on the concept of "inspirational fiction" and wrote yesterday about the blurry line of sex. Granted, this book isn't labeled "Inspirational Fiction" but the fact that so many believers ARE reading it and ARE claiming that it's got worth, and ARE trying to come up with good reasons to justify reading it (think PLAYBOY - because of the articles...), I feel like some of my thoughts apply to this.

In fact, these aren't my thoughts, they're Charles H. Spurgeon's. This is one of his devotionals that I based my recent post on:

“Only you must not go very far away.” Exodus 8:28 “‘Yes,’ says the world, ‘be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little friendship with the world, the odd journey to Vanity Fair. What’s the good of denouncing this empty lifestyle when it is so fashionable and everybody does it?”

Spurgeon goes on to say, “Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise and talks of ‘moderation.’ According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced.“

My take? You see, the truth is that carnality, the “odd journey to Vanity Fair,” (the reading of 50 Shades of Grey, or even the attempt to find a good reason to justify reading it) is IN REALITY the fulfillment of a lie. Gratuitous sex only brings shallow and short-lived satisfaction, not deep fulfillment. Beauty and physical charm are delightful, but not measures of the quality of love. It is UNREALISTIC to believe that giving in to lust and giving up self-control is beneficial for any relationship – it is purely self-gratification and only leads to division. Indulgence brings dissatisfaction, not peace.

This book is a lie and too many people are looking for ways to turn it into truth. It is NOT good for your sex life. It is NOT good writing. It is NOT one woman's road to self-discovery. It is NOT a fairytale. It is a lie.

Readers, beware of this VERY DANGEROUS journey to Vanity Fair. You will not come back unscathed.

Joyness,

Ooooooh. I see that I'm not alone when it comes to launching into touchy subjects. Thanks for your very insightful comment on my Malarkey or Ministry and I look forward to hearing more from you as I delve deeper. I responded more to you on my site.

I do not go to a movie (or watch or read anything anymore, for that matter) without looking for an agenda, a hidden message, or an underlying moral, and it sounds like you're like that as well. Here's my one thought that charges out at me from your words because it resounds so loudly in me: Our childrens' future IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY! I used to think that if I don't advocate for my children, no one will... but now I've come to the terrifying conclusion that if I don't advocate for my children, MOST ASSUREDLY SOMEONE ELSE WILL.

Kudos to you for being bold.
My recent post On Writing: Ministry or Malarky?

Jordyn,

I just watched your trailer for PROOF! Sounds soooo exciting!

I'm a fan of the original Diana Gabaldon Outlander series (not the spin-offs) and have learned so much from her stories. She even wrote The Outlander Companion - her research collection because so many of her fans wanted to know her information. I love it when an author is actually an authority on something, not necessarily because they're highly skilled/trained (although I know that Jordan is!), but also because they make a REAL effort to learn their stuff and get it right.

Kudos to you both - Jordyn for writing a daring tale and Jeannie for promoting this book. Very excited to read it!

I named our little plot of land "Pendra Loweth" which is an old Welsh phrase meaning something like "Valley of the Gardens" (not an exact translation). Our property is narrow and deep with the house, garage/shop, and garden on top of a hill, a second level with a shade house/greenhouse (still under renovation), goat barn and chicken coop, and the third level, down in the little valley at the back (more like a big dip in the terrain), is the pasture for the horse and our buck.

I love naming our homes - it makes them feel more, well, more like part of the family.

Great post.
My recent post The Front Line