Mailbox Monday March 22, 2010

This Meme starts with Marcia at The Printed Page
These are books I got in the last two weeks.


I won A Fiery Secret by Diane Craver at a contest at her blog. Thank you Diane!

While investigative reporter Catherine Steel looks for Mr. Right, she tries to learn if someone murdered the janitor from her old high school.
Catherine Steel is an investigative reporter for a newspaper in Ohio. To supplement her income so that she can buy clothes and gifts for her small godchild, she writes fluff pieces for women’s magazines. Two recent articles are: “What To Wear to Get Noticed” and “Catherine’s Ten Simple Dating Rules.”
When Jake Michaels fills a sports editor’s spot on the paper, Catherine wonders if he is man enough to fulfill her fantasy. And does she want him to be the one? After all, he broke her heart ten years ago in high school when he failed to show up for their prom date. And now that he’s back in town, he wants to date her. Catherine refuses to go out with him but he keeps asking. Should she give Jake another chance?
When it appears the high school janitor, Max, was murdered, Catherine is determined to learn the truth about his death. Catherine’s list of suspects for Max’s death include: the school secretary with her intense dislike of Max, the charismatic mayor, the mayor’s unbalanced girlfriend, the angry school principal, and a strange math teacher.

I won Love Engineered by Jenna Dawlish at a contest hosted by Joyce DiPastina. Thank you Jenna and Joyce!

Description Courtesy of Goodreads:

“It's 1855 and Louise Thomas, owner of a large estate in Devon is ready to fall in love, but only if she can find a man who will put up with her thirst for knowledge in the engineering and scientific world.

Charles Lucas is one of the country's top Engineer's, tipped to be the new Brunel. He is too busy with his work for love - especially with a member of the gentry. When he meets Louise, she interests and intrigues him like no woman before. But he must make some serious decisions when he hears disturbing rumours about her.”

Handsome and enigmatic Charles Lucas – the new Brunel – is too busy for love, but when he meets Louise Thomas, she intrigues him like no woman before.

Louise is ready for love, but can she ever find a man to whom she can entrust her heart and her secret passion…

I am a member of WRDF Reader's Club. This is the second book I received! Thank you Lynda at  Writers and Readers of Distinctive Fiction!
The Bodyguard and the Snitch by Christy Tillery French
This is book 4 of a series and I like to read series in order so I may have to get the others!

Bodyguard Natasha Chamberlain risks more than her life when she guards a defense attorney targeted by the mafia. Protection specialist Natasha Chamberlain thinks guarding a defense attorney from a disgruntled client should be a fairly normal job, but when she learns he's been targeted by the mafia, she's ready to call it quits. However, the attorney holds her to their contract and Natasha finds her own life placed in danger along with her bodyguard cohorts, Pit and Bigun.

Natasha's fiancé Jonce Striker is fit to be tied when he learns this, which only confirms to him that the bodyguard field is too dangerous for his love. After Natasha is shot trying to protect her client, Striker delivers the final ultimatum: leave the bodyguard field or lose him. Natasha makes her choice but will she live to regret it?

I won Happy Hour by Michele Scott at a Writerspace Chat.  Ms. Scott was fun to chat with even if those chats get so fast it is hard to follow.  Thank you Writerspace and Michele!

Four friends working in Napa Valley, Sundays are for fellowship, good food and wine. Jamie is editor-in-chief at "Wine Lover's Magazine," and a single mother. Before her husband died, she lived a fairy tale life. Guilt from his death keeps her from moving forward. Kat is a sommelier, and co-owner of a restaurant with her chef husband Christian. Although deeply in love they deal with a myriad of issues, including ex-spouses, Kat's teenage sons and her new age mother Venus. Danielle is a vintner who finds herself entrenched in both an identity and family crises when her eldest daughter returns home from college with a bombshell of a secret. Alyssa is an artist and gallery owner. When a tragic past event catches up with her, she must face the skeleton in her closet and rely on her friends to see her through her darkest hours. These women discover that friendship is the right prescription to get through the hard times as well as for enjoying the wonderful moments together.

Sunday Words of Encouragment March 21, 2010

Our Pastor gave a splendid message today entitled "The Temple of Protection." In short he reminded us that God not only builds a wall of fire to protect us, He is in the Wall of Fire. Our safety is not found in the absence of danger (financial, physical or spiritual danger), but our safety, in all times of trouble, is found in the presence of God.

This song with ballet dance too is for Spring!!
Even though we still have rain and snow, there is hope in Spring. Enjoy!

A Verse for today:

Zechariah 2:5  NIV (Speaking of the City of Jerusalem)

And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.'

Today I praised and acknowledged that God has all things under His control.

Happy Spring! The Garden Blooms!

I always thought Spring started March 21st but the calendar says March 20.

Happy Spring everyone.

I missed my Monthly Garden Bloom Posts on the 15th the past three months due to extreme business.  I decided to post the pictures here so you can get a feel for our nice North Florida weather.  It has been a bit colder than usual this year!
January 15 pictures:

The Chrysanthiums were surviving

as were this red berry plant - not sure what it is called.

The geranium and kalanchoe

outside my office bit the dust 

between the lack of water and

the freezing temperatures.

February 12 it snowed!

Finally in March, with lots of rain, 

the flowers are beginning to bloom again!

I hope it starts to warm up for everyone and that you have a beautiful Spring!

Winner of 256 Followers Contest!

 A BIG CONGRATULATIONS 

goes to LUCKY #8

I will e-mail Mark at his gmail and hope he gets it. :o)
Thanks again to all my followers!  Big group hug!

LiveVideo Cliparts

Another Challenge! Read Your Name Challenge

This is being hosted here by Victoria of  Phantom Inkheart.

The rules are pretty simple and I can certainly manage this one.  Of course one of these days I need to get posts set up for each of the challenges I am doing this year....yes in my spare (choke) time!

Using your first name, or blogger name, or your pets name, or even your favorite literary character's name; whichever you like, choose books with first title letters that spell out your name. (Audio books and eBooks are also okay.) Such as my name: Martha. the first book's title would start with the letter M, then the next book title begins with A, etc.  For fun I will use MarthaE.
Easy Peasy!

Since I am currently reading/listening to and enjoying Marriage and Other Acts of Charity I wonder if that can count as M or if I should start with a new book that starts with M.  What do you think?