>Some great news today. I’ve invited my friend, critique partner, and romance aficionado, Myra Johnson, to visit the cafe and tell us about her new book. Hint: It’s very timely and if you read all the way to the end, we also have a very sweet deal for you. Welcome, Myra. Hi, Carla! Thanks for inviting me to join you …
>MY WRITING JOURNEY – Waiting on the Lord
> Today I’m once again blogging at SERIOUSLY WRITEJoin my friends Dawn Kinzer and Annette Irby and me as I share my writing journey and what “Waiting on the Lord” means to me.
>A Chat with Canadian Friend, Koala Bear Writer
> I’m also chatting today with a special friend and lovely writer from Canada. THE KOALA BEAR WRITER She asked about my “getting the call” and wanted a sneak peek at Chasing Lilacs.Please stop by her blog and say hi!
>TEN TIPS FOR ENGAGING YOUR READERS
> I’m blogging today atSeriously Write.Join Annette Irby, Dawn Kinzer, and me today as I share Ten Tips for Engaging Your Readers. See you there!
>CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – Pasta Jambalaya
>In honor of the New Orleans Saints first ever appearance in the Super Bowl, this week’s special is a tribute to all things Cajun! You might cook this hearty dish the day before or after church on Sunday and reheat during half-time of the big game. Dish up in earthenware bowls and have plenty of hot French bread on hand. …
>CHASING LILACS and Other Fun Stuff
>It’s been a while since I’ve talked about the release of my upcoming book, Chasing Lilacs. The truth is, I’m not all that comfortable tooting my own horn. I don’t want people—meaning you, my readers—to grow weary of it before it even hits the shelves. And yet, it’s never far from my mind, so please rejoice with me on these …
>CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – National Pie Day
>Saturday, January 23, is National Pie Day.National Pie Day? Well, why not? There’s no better comfort food. What’s Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, President’s Day without cherry pie, the Fourth of July without . . . uh, well watermelon? Okay, so not all holidays have a pie associated with them, but every holiday is more special with pie. Some tips from …
>TAKING THE PLUNGE: PLATFORM ANYONE?
>Remember when you were a kid splashing in the kiddie pool looking over at the ten-year-olds jumping off the side, laughing and having the time of their lives? Two summers later, there you are, heart pounding, plunging into water that’s two feet over your head. You sign up for swimming lessons, learn the strokes, and hang around the pool afterward, …
>CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – Bierox
>My first introduction to this tasty meat-filled pastry was from my mother-in-law (who I’ve mentioned before was an amazing cook). It is said to be a German dish, and the area Mennonite women did make bierox, but actually, it was more like the “community” specialty. My mother-in-law took them hot (wrapped in foil) to the field during wheat harvest. Students …
>WHEN THE UNEXPECTED STRIKES
>Like most people across America, we had great expectations of a Christmas season spent with family—watching the delight in the kids’ eyes when they opened the gifts they’d wished fervently for, overeating at numerous family gatherings, reflecting anew on the holiness of Jesus’ birth. And according to our plan, we dropped our little dachshund, Zelda, off to be boarded two …