Managing TV Time for Your Kids

Is there any parent living in a civilized country who doesn't struggle with this? If so, I'd love to meet him or her. At my house, my five year old will often ask to watch a show or two when he first wakes up in the morning. Then he'll ask to watch another a couple hours later, and then another a while after that. Of course I have times where I actually want him to watch TV (like while I'm typing this blog post), because he leaves me alone and lets me get my work done. And to top off the daily TV marathon in our household, I like for him to watch TV before bed, because it seems to calm him down, get him still, and numb his brain a touch.

So for a while, my son was watching about 3 hours of TV per day. And in my opinion (and the opinions of child psychologists) that's an hour too much. You see, I want my kid to have an imagination. I want him to think up his own games and play by himself at times. And I don't want him so used to watching TV that he looses the ability to entertain himself.

Thus I came up with a solution to our "TV Time Troubles". And horror of all horrors, I actually stole this idea from my mom, who did this with me and my siblings when we were younger.

Now I can hear all your voices collectively asking me, "What did you do? What did you do?"

I made tickets. That's right, tickets. I took some card stock, cut out four rectangles, and wrote "TV Ticket: redeemable for 1/2 hour of TV per day" on the strips. Now I give these tickets to my son every morning. When asks to watch TV, I pretty much say yes, but I remind him that when the tickets are gone, they're gone.

I've been using this system for about a week, and it's working well. My son no longer throws a fit when I tell him he can't watch anymore TV, because he has a tangible way of understanding when he's watched enough (he's out of tickets).

So as much as I may not want to admit my mother was right, in this instance, I believe she was.

But like anything, the tickets system isn't perfect. Here's a couple of warnings:

The first day or two we used tickets, my son watched his TV earlier in the day. This soon ended, though, when he realized that he didn't have any tickets left for before bedtime. Now he's spacing out his ticket usage more evenly.

I also had to drop the idea of asking him to watch TV when it was convenient for me. I just leave the choice up to him. Yes, this makes for a bit of a sacrifice on my part, but on the flip side, my son is learning to make his own decisions about television. And it's not too hard for me to adjust to his schedule and do computer work when HE decides to watch TV.

So there you have it, a fun method to manage your children's TV time. Now I'm curious about the rest of you. What do you use to manage your kid's TV usage? And how many of you find yourselves using some of the techniques your parents once used with you?

In Honor of Memorial Day

I want to personally thank all the men and women who have given of their time, labor, and lives in the service of the United States of America. Please know that I'm saying a special prayer of gratitude to those soldiers who have died defending our great country, and for those family members who have given up their loved ones.

Here's a special prayer I found online at http://www.usmemorialday.org/. It beautifully sums up my thoughts, and I invite you to visit the rest of the site for further information.

By Rev. Dick Kozelka (ret)
First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN.

Eternal God,
Creator of years, of centuries,
Lord of whatever is beyond time,
Maker of all species and master of all history --
How shall we speak to you
from our smallness and inconsequence?
Except that you have called us to worship you
in spirit and in truth;
You have dignified us with loves and loyalties;
You have lifted us up with your lovingkindnesses.
Therefore we are bold to come before you without groveling
[though we sometimes feel that low]
and without fear
[though we are often anxious].
We sing with spirit and pray with courage
because you have dignified us;
You have redeemed us from the aimlessness
of things' going meaninglessly well.
God, lift the hearts of those
for whom this holiday is not just diversion,
but painful memory and continued deprivation.
Bless those whose dear ones have died
needlessly, wastefully [as it seems]
in accident or misadventure.
We remember with compassion those who have died
serving their countries
in the futility of combat.
There is none of us but must come to bereavement and separation,
when all the answers we are offered
fail the question death asks of each of us.
We believe that you will provide for us
as others have been provided with the fulfillment of
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Book Spotlight--Historical Romance Novels for May (Part 2)

Hi Everyone!

Continuing on with the books I introduced you to on Monday, I want to share the next two Love Inspired Historical books with you. First is The Marshal's Promise by Rhonda Gibson. Here's more about the book:

Mail-order bride Rebecca Ramsey arrives in the New Mexico territory full of dreams—but they're shattered when she discovers her intended husband has been killed. If it weren't for U.S. marshal Seth Billings's housekeeping job offer, she'd have nowhere to go. Rebecca loves tending to Seth's home, but the strong and silent lawman is harder to figure out. What secret is he hiding?

Caring for Jesse Cole's would-be bride is the least Seth can do. If it weren't for him, the young man would still be alive. Seth had promised to look after Rebecca—and to keep her safe from Jesse's enemies. Now if only he can keep his heart safe, as well….

Now I have to admit, I LOVE this book cover. It is by far my favorite cover out this month, and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it has to do with the ominous sky in the background. Or maybe it's because just a man is on the cover--a rather attractive, dangerous looking man at that. What is it about dangerous looking men that make women swoon? I have no idea, but if any of you figure it out, be sure to let me know.

The last book for this month is called Homefront Hero, and it's written by Allie Pleiter. Allie is a long time Love Inspired Historical author who has attracted many readers with her adventurous novels. In fact, she's one of the first Love Inspired Historical authors I remember reading. Here's more about her newest novel:

Dashing and valiantly wounded, Captain John Gallows could have stepped straight out of an army recruitment poster. Leanne Sample can't help being impressed—although the lovely Red Cross nurse tries to hide it. She knows better than to get attached to the daring captain who is only home to heal and help rally support for the war's final push. As soon as he's well enough, he'll rush back to Europe, back to war—and far away from South Carolina and Leanne. But when an epidemic strikes close to home, John comes to realize what it truly means to be a hero—Leanne's hero.

So there you have it, all four of May's releases from Love Inspired Historical. If you've got a few extra hours set aside for reading over Memorial Day, I'd encourage you to pick up one of these books. And here's a link to Part 1 of the post, if you missed the first two novels I highlighted on Monday.

Wishing you all a lovely Memorial Day weekend,


Naomi Rawlings

Book Spotlight--Historical Romance Novels for May (Part 1)

Hi Everyone!

I'm running a bit behind in my book introductions for this month, but I want to tell you about the books releasing from my publisher, Love Inspired Historical, in May (you know, before May turns into June and I have more books to tell you about).

The first book is The Homesteader's Sweetheart by Lacy Williams. This novel is on the top of my list, as the snippets and scenes I've seen look terribly interesting. Furthermore, this is only Lacy's second novel, and she's a young mom with two kids under 5. Sounds a little like "yours  truly," as she's just starting her writing career and has a couple little ones running around at home, doesn't it? So without further ado, here's more about the book:

To escape a dreaded arranged marriage, Penny Castlerock will face anything--even life on her grandfather's farm. But it isn't the rustic lifestyle that's got the Philadelphia socialite tied in knots. It's the handsome homesteader and his eight adopted children next door....

With seven boys and a girl to raise, transplanted farmer Jonas White could sure use some help. He just didn't expect it to come from the high-spirited, copper-haired beauty he's always admired from afar. But surely working the land is no life for a woman like Penny. Yet a threat to Jonas's farm just might show him how perfect Penny is for him after all. 

Seven boys! Can you imagine? Wow! Makes me want to read the book just because I know I'll have to laugh through half of it. In fact, I read an extra scene where one of the boys in this story is plotting to help his daddy and the prim Miss Castlerock fall in love. It looked super fun. Also, Lacy's book has gotten some great reviews from places like the Romantic Times.

Next I want to introduce you to Mistaken Bride by Renee Ryan. Mistaken Bride is book two in the Irish Brides Series that I introduced you to last month. If you read book one (The Wedding Journey by Cheryl St. John) you might want to check this one out as well.

When William Black's mail-order bride fails to appear at the Boston docks, he's relieved when beautiful, vibrant Bridget Murphy steps in. However, she has a surprise in store. She will be a temporary nanny to his young twins…but she will not marry without love.

Faith Glen, Massachusetts, is worlds away from the poverty Bridget knew in Ireland. And William Black couldn't be more different from her faithless ex-fiancé. Yet that integrity Bridget so admires binds William to a promise that could keep them apart forever. In this new land of opportunity, does she dare to wish for a happy ending?

Got to love it when Mail Order Bride A is supposed to arrive, but Mail Order Bride B shows up instead!

So there you have it, two great books from Love Inspired Historical this month. We'll look at the next two books on Thursday. Now I'm curious about you. Have any of you read either of these books? Does one catch your eye? Let me know your thoughts!

Pizza Fest--What's the Weirdest Pizza You've Ever Eaten?

Have any of you tried an unusual pizza lately? Maybe it's just me, but when I think of pizza, it usually involves a thick crust, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. I mean, can a pizza be a pizza without tomato sauce and pepperoni?

Evidently, it can.

Our local playgroup took a trip to see a children's play earlier this week, and we also scheduled a tour of Papa Murphy's Pizzeria. Did you know Papa Murphy's has a Herb Chicken Mediterranean Pizza? This pizza is really more like a flat bread than a pizza. It has olive oil and salt instead of sauce, then mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, baby spinach leaves, and sun-dried tomatoes.

It's delicious! More than delicious, really. I couldn't believe how good it tasted. Plus I was feeding my kids spinach and tomatoes. What mom doesn't love that? We'll definitely be ordering more of those the next time we find ourselves near a Papa Murphy's. (Sadly, the closest Papa Murphy's is over an hour away). But in the meantime, I'm going to try out a homemade version. I even have it in my mind to try and make our own sun-dried tomatoes from our garden this year.

So now I'm curious about you. Share either the best pizza you've ever eaten, or the weirdest. I'm anxious to see what kind of answers everyone comes up with.

Mother's Day Traditions

"Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I'm happy I have a mom
As super as you."

This is the poem that appeared in the  homemade card my five year old gave me for Mother's Day yesterday. Isn't it sweet?

I love Mother's Day, both memories of what I used to do for my mother when I was growing up, and the things my husband and children now do for me. It's fun to watch a holiday like Mother's Day come full circle so that the daughter is now the mother.

So now I'm curious about the rest of you. Does anyone have a great Mother's Day tradition to share? A unique surprise you got one year? I'd love to trade some stories.

For us, every year our church does a Mother's Day potluck where the men have to make the food, set up for potluck, and clean up the kitchen afterwards. It's a fun day and an especially nice change of pace for me (since I'm usually in charge of running the potlucks and cleaning up).

How about the rest of you?

Do Not Disturb the Family Peace

As I sat down at my computer to write a blog post for this site, I heard a ruckus upstairs. Sounds of screaming that didn’t sound quite so happy. With four children between the ages of 3 and 9, one gets used to a certain amount of loudness, but my mother’s radar detected something different in these sounds.

I followed the source to my girls’ room, where the 9-year-old was attempting to drag the 7-year-old out of the room because she “wanted her room to herself.” Never mind that the room was both of theirs, she wanted to be alone. I separated the pair for a cooling off period, thinking that a 9-year-old was a little too young to pull a Greta Garbo.

Sibling conflict can be overwhelming, especially when you have a mix of ages and genders. Most of the time, my children do play well together with a minimum of fuss. But it’s inevitable that conflict will raise its ugly head at times.

The way you as a parent handle sibling clashes can help—or hinder—how your children interact with each other. Here’s how we handle sibling clashes.

We decided that we would not play referee. It was not our job to intervene when the wailing started out of sight. We would not judge who was right and who was wrong. No assigning roles of victim or villain for us. If we happened to actually see the wrongdoing, that was another thing. But we would not participate after the fact in their disagreements. We would give kisses, but would not encourage tattling.

To enforce this, we created a chart and stuck it to the refrigerator. Titled “Do Not Disturb the Family Peace,” the chart outlined what would earn every child a ticket:

1. Keep it down. (Do not become too boisterous or noisy.)
2. No hurting each other. (Do not hit, punch, push or otherwise maim your siblings.)
3. No tattling. (Do not become a snitch on your siblings.)

Clipped to the fridge beside this chart are three tickets, pieces of laminated paper. For each infraction, the entire group loses one ticket. If all three tickets are lost, the entire group goes directly to their rooms for the rest of the day and directly to bed after supper.

This eliminates the problem of trying to figure out what happened. It doesn’t really matter who was at fault, does it? What this system is doing is putting the resolution of conflict onto the children, where it belongs.

When I heard my two girls going at it, I simply walked in, said they were disturbing the family peace and directed one to get a ticket. No arguing, no drama. Then I walked out.

So far, in the two months we’ve had this system in place, they have yet to lose all three tickets. And if they do, I’ll enjoy a nice day without kids underfoot, and a more relaxing evening with my husband.

Now, would it be terrible of me to wish they would lose all three tickets one day….?

Sarah Hamaker is a freelance writer and editor, and author of Hired@Home, a guide to unlocking women’s work-from-home potential now available on Kindle. Her stories have appeared in previous Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband and four children. Visit her online at www.sarahhamaker.com, where she blogs about working from home.

The Mom Wars--One Mom's Take

Hi Everyone,

Have the rest of you been watching all the political commentary on the "Mom Wars" recently? I wouldn't say I've been paying close attention, as I figure politicians will always find a way to argue with each other, just as they'll always find a way to tax either you or your neighbor, but as I maintain a blog written for stay-at-home and work-at-home mom's I thought I'd weigh in.

This whole war was apparently reignited in mid April, when CNN commentator Hilary Rosen said Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life."

Ouch! Um, perhaps the commentator didn't know that Ann Romney has FIVE (yes five, count them if you wish) boys. Not only that, but all five of these boys appear to be nice, hardworking, upstanding citizens. All of them are married. And four of them are now raising their own children.

Politics aside, the Romney family creates a nice family image, a image that  that I hope to one day emulate. And as a mom who feels suicidal some days as I try to raise only two boys, I have to wonder how on earth Ann Romney managed five of them. But I can guarantee you this:

Raising five boys was hard work for Ann Romney. And raising one child is hard work for any mother.

Perhaps Ann Romney had more money than I do as she raised her boys. Well, actually, there's no perhaps about it. I KNOW her hubby made (and still makes) more money in one year than probably will over his entire lifetime. And while it's nice to dream about buying a big house and adding a chef and maid to our household so that I don't have to cook or clean, cooking and cleaning don't comprise the bulk of raising children.

Teaching and instructing your children is far more important than what your family eats for dinner on any given night, or how how much dust is laying on top of your window moldings. 

Teaching your children to be hard workers is a difficult task for any parent. Teaching your children to pick up after themselves, to be courteous to others, to consider others' opinions and needs, to value family, etc, is all hard work for parents. And imparting those values and that high level of morality is, in my opinion, the most important part of parenting. And (contrary to political commentator Hilary Rosen's beliefs) it involves a lot of hard work. For any parent. Regardless of whether you happen to be Michelle Obama or Ann Romney. Regardless of your work schedules and household income.

Because as a parent, as a mom, YOU (and if you have a husband, him as well) have more impact and control over your children than anyone else. You will affect and shape your children in a way no one else can.

So now I'm curious about the rest of you. Do you feel that people like Ann Romney and Michelle Obama can relate to your struggles as a mother? Or do you feel that the amount of wealth in which Ann was and Michelle is able to raise her children disqualifies either of them from being an example of an average mom? When you look at a family like the Romneys, with their children fully grown and now raising children of their own, do you hope to follow their examples as far as raising children is concerned, or do you have different goals and hopes for your children twenty years down the road?

Top TenThings Never to Tell a Stay At Home Mom

10. All day with your kids? I can't even imagine.

9. I'm jealous. I wish my husband made enough money I didn't have to work either.

8. No wonder your child is so clingy.

7. You spent all that money on a college degree, and now you're not even using it?

6. I couldn’t do that. I need to have a life.

5. Wow. I thought your house would be cleaner than this.

4. Does your husband give you an allowance from his paycheck?

3. Oh how wonderful you get to sleep in everyday.

2. What do you mean you don't cook dinner every night?

1. You're just a mom? You mean you don't have a real job?


*** I can't take full credit for this list I compiled ideas from numerous other places around the web, added a few of my own thoughts, and rearranged the order.

So Moms, now I'm curious. What's the worst thing you've ever heard about staying at home?

A Day in the Life of a Writer

With Sanctuary for a Lady having been released for about a month now, I keep fielding questions and hearing comments about what being a big, famous, published author must be like. So I thought I'd give you all a glimpse of my glamorous author's life.

1. It's not glamorous.
2. I'm not famous.
3. I'm not big. In fact I barely  reach 5'1.

I still scrub my own toilets and clean up my dog's vomit. I still play with my kids and help pick up their messes. And book contracts or not, I'm still interrupted from my computer activities. For example, since I've started writing this particular blog post, I think stepped away from the computer to tend to the kids four times. (Heaven forbid my husband who is currently sprawled across the couch get up and find spoons so my boys can eat some yogurt.)

While I might be able to endure distractions during writing a blog post, I can't handle distractions while writing scenes for my novel. So to find distraction-free writing time, I get up at 5:00 am to write. Then I get the kids around for the day, do housework, play, fix breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner (my husband helps cook dinner certain days), and clean it all up.

On top of that, I try to sneak time for a second writing session while my youngest is taking his nap. Then I have emails to answer, blog posts to write, blog interviews to fill out, Facebook and GoodReads to swing by and chat on, and books to package, address and take to the post office.

I usually fall into bed around 8:00pm each night, completely exhausted. But I still take about an hour to read, so that I get some sort of break from the crazy, constant, motion of my life.

Would I trade my life? No. I love writing, I enjoy staying in contact with my writing friends and readers, I long to be a good mom to my children and wonderful wife to my husband. But these obligations keeps me very busy, working 14 hours most days.

Which is why I've decided to write only two blog posts per week rather than three. I enjoy each of you readers and look forward to connecting with you through my blog. The topics of mothering and balancing our other obligations are very dear to my heart, and this blog provides an opportunity for me to express that. But at the same time, as I look down the long road of blogging and realize that I'll be doing this for years to come (along with writing novels), three posts a week seems too much for me. Two posts appears a lot more sustainable over the next few years. And so I'll be switching to a Monday and Thursday blog schedule. Thank you all for understanding.

So, now that you know a little about my life, what's involved in being an author and mother, I'm curious about yours. Do you find yourself juggling multiple responsibilities? Are you the type to add too much to your plate, or not enough? How do you decide when to pull back or keep going?

Thanks so much for joining me today, and I'll be back again on Thursday.

Naomi

Reviews of Sanctuary for a Lady--What Are People Saying?

Sanctuary for a Lady has been available online for nearly four weeks already, and has made its way to store shelves as well by this point. So now that people are reading the book, what are they saying about this unique little romance novel set during the French Revolution? Let's take a look:

Roseanna White, Author of Love Finds You in Annapolis Maryland and Jewel of Persia:

"WOW. I don't know how else to begin this review. Sanctuary for a Lady combined all the elements I love most in a story--high stakes, fascinating history, sincere faith, and such intense sparks flying between the main characters that I thought they might ignite the rain-sodden countryside of Revolutionary France!"

Read Roseanna's full review of Sanctuary for a Lady.

Alexandra George, Book Reviewer who lives in Greece (how cool is that???):

"The story takes place in the French Revolution, and the two main characters, the hero and the heroine of the novel, that is, are on the opposite sides of the mob. She is an aristocrat, he is one of the poor, misused peasants, with big dreams of revenge and justice. This, in itself, was very interesting to read, since I have read quite a few historical novels on French Revolution, but never one that showed both sides at the same time. Usually it's just the aristocrats or the people. But this book shows both sides and lets you decide which one is justified in its actions and which one is not. And, on top of that, it has them falling in love with each other. Talk about star-crossed lovers..."

Read Alexandra's full review of Sanctuary for a Lady (and several of her other wonderful reviews).

Faye Oygard, Book Reviewer:

"In this story I saw glimpses of the Good Samaritan, in the form of the handsome farmer, Michel, who was something of a brooding hero with a heart of gold. And when Michel and Isabelle were together, sparks flew! Both of the main characters where so well developed. Isabelle with her stubborn determination, yet her sense of guilt over past events, made her a compelling character that was complex, yet easy for the reader understand. With both Michel and Isabelle, I think what made them so real and relatable, was how it was easy to see how where they both had been in the past translated into the present."

Read Faye's full review of Sanctuary for a Lady.

Kav, Book Reviewer:

"It boggles this reader's mind that this is a debut novel. Rawlings writes like a seasoned pro. With the tight plot, impeccable characterization and enough emotional angst to water-log the Kleenex company, this is a romance lover's dream. Seriously good . . .

"This is a stomach-churning, knuckle-whitening read from cover to cover. I was an emotional wreck all the way through, between shouting warnings, chiding stubbornness and wanting to throw something at someone (including the author) occasionally! LOL. But I survived to tell the tale -- to dream about the tale -- to carry on the tale -- to dream up a new tale based on this one...well, let's just say the story is still with me and I'm praying it's not long before Rawlings' next book is out!"

Read Kav's full review of Sanctuary for a Lady.

Debra Marvin, Writer, Blogger, and Book Reviewer:

"Sanctuary for a Lady is a well-written story with lovely prose, interesting characters (Michel’s mother proves to be a pivotal secondary character and Naomi handled her health issue well), and just the right amount, for me, of serious events peppering the plot. This was a life or death situation throughout, with life or death decisions weighing each event. Michel's and Isabelle’s character growth, including the spiritual, kept this from being overshadowed by a very sad period in history--the author wove spiritual lessons on forgiveness with a light but edifying touch. While I happily point out these factors, I don’t feel it is the least bit too dark or preachy, certainly not for any fans of Love Inspired. The Guillotine could not be left out of the story but did not make any actual appearance! But love does. Selfless love."

Read Debra's full review of Sanctuary for a Lady.

****

So there you have it. This is just a glimpse of things being said around the internet. If you're interested if learning what others think, stop by Amazon's reader review page for Sanctuary for a Lady.

There are several giveaways of Sanctuary for a Lady that end this weekend. Be sure to enter yourself for a chance to win, if you haven't done so already.

Memoirs of a Dream Blog with fellow Love Inspired Historical Author Noelle Marchand

Sword and the Spirit Blog with Debbie Lynne Costello

Meet and Greet on Sarah Forgrave's Blog

You all have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you on Monday!

Book Spotlight--Historical Romance Novels for April (Part 2)

Now that we've spent the pat week meeting Author Jessica Nelson and looking at her debut novel, Love on the Range, I decided to swing back to some of the other Love Inspired Historical novels out this month and highlight those. The Wedding Journey is a novel that takes place at sea, aboard a ship heading from Ireland to the United States, written by well-loved Author Cheryl St. John. Here's a little more about it:

The mysterious inheritance is the answer to a prayer. Now Irish lass Maeve Murphy and her sisters can come to America! She's sure happiness awaits her, even if it won't—can't—come from widowed ship doctor Flynn Gallagher. Yes, he made her his assistant, but she's not foolish enough to fall for the man all the eligible, wealthy female passengers admire.

Flynn Gallagher may have his pick of ladies, but only one cares as he does for the sick and poor. Flynn vowed never to marry another woman who could break his heart. With Maeve, has his heart found safe harbor at last?

Doesn't that novel sound great? I must admit, I recently read another novel set aboard a ship, Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes, and I ended up LOVING it. So I'm more than happy to head back to sea as I read another story.

The last novel I'm featuring this month is called Brides of the West. It's a novella collection, comprised of three shorter stories written by familiar Love Inspired Historical authors. Take a look:


Josie's Wedding Dress by Victoria Bylin
Desperate for someone to help her save her ranch, Josie Bright makes a deal with Ty Dormer. Now the man who'd left her waiting at the altar is making her hope for things she had long stopped wishing for.

Last Minute Bride by Janet Dean
Elise Langley was stung to the quick when her would-be suitor suddenly left town. But when David Wellman returns and they are thrown together organizing their friends' wedding, can she open her heart again?

Her Ideal Husband by Pamela Nissen
As a girl, Lydia Townsend hoped to marry Jebediah Gentry—until his rejection spoiled her dreams. When family duty brings her home, it's Jeb's chance to show Lydia that now is the time for her wedding dreams to come true.

So there you have it, the Love Inspired Historical releases for the month of April. If you missed the highlight of the first two novels (which includes Sanctuary for a Lady by Yours Truly), take a look at this post. 

Now I'm curious how many of these novels you've read. Any? None? One or two? Let me know what you thought in the comment section below.

Review of Love on the Range by Jessica Nelson

To conclude our week with Author Jessica Nelson, I thought I'd add my own review of her novel. I finished Love on the Range on Wednesday evening, and I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Here's why:

Gracelyn Riley has lofty ambitions for her life. She wants to become a newspaper journalist, but even more, she wants to interview the dazzling FBI agent Striker, who's adventurous tales keep appearing in the Boston newspapers. When she heads to Oregon to stay with her uncle during the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918, she sees this as her perfect chance to find, interview, and declare her love for the mysterious Striker.

There's only one problem: her uncle won't let her do any investigating on Striker. Her uncle's strictness would of course be because he already knows who Striker is and is trying to protect Striker. So Gracie wiles away the fall season, choring and trying to investigate, and realizing that she's falling in love with the handsome ranch hand, Trevor Cruz.

Who also happens to be Striker.

I enjoyed this novel. It's has a determined heroine and equally determined hero, and boy does that determination lead to some sparks along the way. A cast of interesting minor characters also make the story rather delightful, and it has an ending that I didn't completely inspect. All in all, if you're looking for a fun western with a touch of adventure and a lot of spunk, then you've found a great book in Love on the Range.

Quick Dinner Recipe from Author Jessica Nelson

Since Author Jessica Nelson is visiting Making Home Work this week, I asked her to share a favorite recipe. She came back with a rather interesting response. Enjoy!

*****

"My favorite recipe involves a tablespoon of peanut butter, a cup of chocolate chips, a spoon, a bowl, and a microwave. *wink*

But…for dinner, fresh broccoli with ranch dressing and cheese quesadillas works well. Put some cheese, any kind, in a soft flour tortilla. Fold it over and melt it in the microwave. Tada, a quesadilla!"

*****

Well, that's what I call a simple dinner recipe. And look at that, Jessica even included dessert! If you haven't stopped by the interview with Jessica Nelson, be sure to do so. She's giving away a copy of her novel, Love on the Range, to one lucky commenter. You have until midnight on Saturday to enter. In the meantime, here's a little more about author Jessica Nelson:

Jessica Nelson, in keeping with her romantic inclinations, married two days after she graduated high school. She believes romance happens every day, and thinks the greatest, most intense romance comes from a God who woos people to himself with passionate tenderness. When Jessica is not chasing her three beautiful, wild little boys around the living room, she can be found staring into space as she plots her next story. Or she might be daydreaming about a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. Or thinking about what kind of chocolate she should have for dinner that night. She could be thinking of any number of things, really. One thing is for certain, she is blessed with a wonderful family and a lovely life.

Interview and Giveaway with Author Jessica Nelson

Today I'm excited to introduce a very special guest to you! Jessica Nelson is the debut author of Love on the Range, a book releasing this month right along with my debut novel Sanctuary for a Lady. Jessica has graciously agreed to give a copy of her book away this week, so make sure to leave a comment with your email address below to be entered into the giveaway.

Needless to say, there are a lot of fun things about having another author debut with me, one of which is getting to interview each other on our blogs. Here's what Jessica had to say:

Tell me a bit about your family. How many children do you have, and if they still live at home, how old are they?

I have three little boys, ages 7,5, and 4.

Why did you choose to work from home rather than find a job elsewhere?

I quit banking to stay home when I had my first child. Then I took up writing. Now I do work at a bank twice a week but the rest of the time I’m home. I decided to stay home because 1. I was able to and 2. My kids are only little once and I wanted to be there for that. Thankfully that was possible.

How fortunate you were able to do that and stay home with your kids most of the time. You must really love that! And wouldn't you know it, I took up writing after I had my first child as well. What is the most challenging aspect of working from home while raising children?

Finding time to write without interruptions and without being exhausted.

Ah, I hear you there. Did you ever get your children involved with your home business? What advice would you give mothers thinking about having their children help with their business?

They’re involved with chores. That’s their business. Actually, I think it’s a great idea for kids to be involved and have a stake in how the family survives and thrives.

I'm grinning here. Love the idea of giving my boys more chores. Not to give myself less work so much as to teach them responsibility. If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?

Yep, I would. I can’t see that I’d do anything differently.

It's always nice to look back and have no regrets, isn't it? Is it worth it? What keeps you home instead of having an outside career?

Yes, it is. I’m with my kids a lot and know them so well. I’m one of the biggest “voices” in their lives and I think that’s great. I enjoy being with them, talking to them, taking them places…

Thanks for your time being with us today, Jessica. This is such a special month for you, and I'm so glad you could take time to be on Making Home Work. If you're interested in being entered in the giveaway for Love on the Range, leave a comment with your email address below. The giveaway ends at midnight on Saturday, April 21. Jessica will be back with us on Wednesday, sharing a favorite recipe with us. Until then, here's a little more about Love on the Range:

Any other socialite would view being packed off to a remote Oregon ranch as a punishment. But Gracelyn Riley knows that this is her opportunity to become a real reporter. If she can make her name through an interview with the elusive hero known as Striker, then she'll never have to depend on anyone ever again.

Rancher Trevor Cruz can't believe his secret identity is being endangered by an overly chatty city girl. But if there's one thing he knows, it's that Gracie's pretty little snooping nose is bound to get her in trouble. So he'll use her determination to find "Striker" to keep an eye on her…and stick close by her side.