Blogaversary Celebration Day One: Author, Janet Dean
Here's Janet!!!!!
I’m thrilled to be a part of your blogaversary celebration, Renee!!! Even if black and gold aren’t my favorite team’s colors, I feel right at home. You and I share the love of reading and history and God. Thanks for this exciting opportunity to connect with your readers and chat about my February release, The Substitute Bride, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical.
The Substitute Bride was a fun story to write—with a mail-order bride, disgruntled groom and a small town filled with quirky characters. Here’s a peek:
They Struck a Bargain for Marriage Fleeing an arranged marriage, debutante Elizabeth Manning exchanges places with a mail-order bride bound for New Harmony, Iowa. Life on the frontier can’t be worse than forced wedlock to pay her father’s gambling debts. But Ted Logan’s rustic lifestyle and rambunctious children prove to be more of a challenge than Elizabeth expects. She doesn’t know how to be a mother or a wife. She doesn’t even know how to tell Ted the truth about her past—especially as her feelings for him grow. Little does she know, Ted’s hiding secrets of his own. When their pasts collide, there’s more than one heart at stake.
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Why was Ted disgruntled?
When he and Elizabeth are about to speak their vows, the bride suggests one teeny change—the name on the marriage license. A clear sign trouble lies ahead for this couple.
As a homemaker and mother, Elizabeth Manning is definitely a “fish out of water.” Poor Ted. Yet no matter how inept she is, Elizabeth perseveres. She manages to find unique ways to handle the children and her new and very challenging life on the farm. I admire her spirit and fortitude—the same attributes that enabled women to survive the challenges of the West.
In my quest for information to write this story I read Hearts West: True Stories of Mail-Order Brides on the Frontier. Hearts West makes fascinating reading. I recommend it to anyone interested in mail-order bride stories. Author Chris Enss relates stories of men and women who wed often sight unseen until the ceremony. My husband and I dated for over two years, and we had some surprises. All good, of course. LOL Can you imagine the surprises in store for couples who may have exchanged a few letters or a picture and never met until the wedding day?
Why did these women leave behind everything and everyone they knew to take the amazing step of marrying a stranger? Some were motivated by the fear of spinster-hood. Others desperately needed life’s necessities and hoped marriage would give them a better life.
Looking for a spouse, men and women in the mid to late 1800s placed ads in publications like The Matrimonial News. Arranged marriages may sound odd to us, but a high percentage of marriages are still arranged today, a norm for many cultures. The accounts in Hearts West prove these mail-order bride matches varied from wedded bliss to divorce. But for those that flourished, these wives not only made a home for their husbands and children, but also drove the creation of churches, schools and libraries bringing civilization to the frontier.
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In this excerpt from The Substitute Bride, Ted helps Elizabeth make biscuits and the two do battle with the dough. The silliness turns romantic and they share their first kiss. For the first time, Ted and Elizabeth’s marriage of convenience looks as if it might stand a chance for happiness.
Ted found Elizabeth in the kitchen, putting on an apron over his pants that she still wore from gathering eggs that morning. “Planning on making those delicious biscuits of yours?”
Her mouth gaped. “You want biscuits?”
No point in admitting the thought put a knot in his stomach. “I’m hungry for a batch.” He gave her his most innocent look. “Want some help?”
“And you want to help?” She cocked her head at him, a smile tugging at her lips. “In the middle of your work day?”
With one field to plant with corn, he should hitch up King and Queen, but his suggestion appeared to cheer her. “If you don’t mind.”
She examined his palms. “Only if you wash those hands.”
Well, at least she was touching him. A good sign peace had been restored. He headed for the sink. “Yes, ma’am.”
Suspicion clouded her dazzling blue eyes, as if she didn’t believe a word he said, Elizabeth handed him an apron. He didn’t hanker to wear it but no point in making a fuss and take a chance of ruining the harmony between them.
She reached for a crock then opened the door that hid the flour bin. “Measure out two cupfuls of flour.” She handed him a knife. “Use this to level it.”
He fumbled with the cup and knife.
“Do it like this,” she said, showing him how, then handing the knife back to him. “Add another cup of flour.”
With her standing so near, he could barely absorb her directions, but somehow managed to dump the flour into the bowl. He could tell she enjoyed bossing him by the sparkle in her eye and the smile playing around her lips. Well, fine with him. She looked...happy. Why hadn’t he tried harder to give her joy?
Why had he expected her to fall into his arms? With the planting and all the chores to do, he’d neglected his wife. Hadn’t taken the time to have fun. Well, he wouldn’t make that mistake again.
She thrust a spoon at him. “Add four teaspoons of baking powder.”
And so it went with her giving orders and him following directions until he was wrist high in dough, his hands a mucky mess. He shot her a grin.
“This is fun, kind of like playing in the mud. Care to join me.”
She rolled up her sleeves and dove in, squishing the dough between her fingers.
“A nice way to take out your frustrations,” Ted said.
“Why do you think I’ve gotten so good at biscuits?”
He chuckled. Within minutes, they were battling with their fingers over territory in the bowl. When she tried to shove him out of the way, he raised dough-globbed fingers at her in a sinister pose sending her into fits of laughter.
Next thing Ted knew, Elizabeth streaked a doughy finger across his cheek then stepped back grinning at him. Well, he couldn’t let that go without a fight. He grabbed her wrist. She ducked and tried to pull away, but he managed to draw a pretty decent circle on each of her cheeks.
She retaliated with a batter-smeared mustache above his lip. “You look ever so handsome,” she teased.
“You’d look mighty good with one yourself.” She scrambled out of reach, but he lunged for her wrist, twisted her around and smeared the dough above her lip. “Now your face matches those pants you’re wearing.”
Things went downhill from there, giggling and making a mess even Tippy wouldn’t touch.
Capturing his bride in the circle of his arms, Ted lowered his head and planted a gooey kiss on her lips. Amazingly she kissed him back, dissipating the humor like shadows on a cloudy day. Leaving them both breathing deep and staring into one another’s eyes with the beat of Ted’s heart thumping in his ears.
“I had no idea you were so fond of biscuits, Mr. Logan.”
“From now on, I’ll take my biscuits raw.”
Copyright 2010, Janet Dean, The Substitute Bride, Steeple Hill Publishers
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt from The Substitute Bride. Thanks again, Renee, for allowing me to celebrate with you today!
Blessings,
Janet
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About Janet:
Janet Dean credits her father, an art and social studies teacher, for giving her a love of the past and of story telling. He shared wonderful folksy stories of real people passed down to him from his father. Janet first wrote fiction around the age of twelve, penning and illustrating little romances. None of those early stories survive, but Janet’s love of history and writing did.
Janet married her college sweetheart and taught first grade before leaving to raise two daughters. She is thankful to be married to a right-brained man, whose idea of creativity is a spreadsheet.
Fascinated by history and the role of strong women in our nation's past, Janet brings both together in her faith-based love stories. After seriously seeking publication for nine years, Janet sold her debut book, Courting Miss Adelaide to Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical. Janet is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and Faith, Hope & Love.
Whenever Janet can snatch a few moments away from writing books, she enjoys rubber stamping greeting cards, knitting and an occasional round of golf.
Janet’s web site: http://www.janetdean.net/
Personal blog: http://www.janetdean.blogspot.com/
Group blog: http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/
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~For a chance to win a signed copy of The Substitute Bride, share a funny wedding story. Or tell us about your ancestors’ marriage of convenience. Or perhaps share a cooking mishap. If none of those fit, just say hello.
~You MUST leave an email address in your comment so I can contact you for your mailing address if you win! (example: steelergirl83[at]gmail[dot]com )
~U.S. residents only please!
~Contest open until March 21, 2010 at 11:59PM EST.
~One winner will be chosen, their name posted on this blog, and they will be notified by email on March 22, 2010 and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.
Don't forget to GO HERE to enter to win The Yellow House by Particia Falvey and Beguiled by Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand!
WooHoo. Renee you sure know how to start a party right!LOL What a great post and excerpt! I can't wait to read one of Janet's books! As for a cooking mishap (which, for me, are many), I'd say would be the time I tried to make blueberry muffins. I had accidently read the recipe wrong and put 3/4 cups baking soda (instead of 3/4 T.) in the bowl. After about 3 mins. of "baking" in the oven, the batter started violently foaming and mushrooming over the egde of the pan. It looked like a science experiment gone terribly wrong. Since then, I haven't attempted to make muffins. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the chance to win one of Janen't books. I would love to enter this giveaway, Renee!
So far, the party is going great. All we need now is cake and some Mt.Dew.....maybe.LOL;)
Love Y'all,
Ashley
This sounds like a fun book! :D
ReplyDeleteFunny wedding story: When hubby and I got married, his friends decorated my car at the reception. Hubby and his best friend had been known to do a bit of toilet-papering, and his friend did quite a number on the car. It was filled--to the roof--with toilet paper. They had unrolled rolls and rolls of it and stuffed the car full. But not only that, they filled the trunk as well, and stuck small pieces inside the cracks in the seats, under the visors, under the seats, in the glove compartment, in the spare tire compartment, under the floor mats...pretty much everywhere you could imagine. We found bits of toilet paper for almost two years *after* we got married. LOL
srfbluemama[at]gmail[dot]com
Country Music Legend Loretta Lynn became well-known for her cooking, and she was a spokesperson for "Crisco" for many years. However, her early attemps at cooking were hardly successful. While growing up, Lynn helped her mother take care of her siblings, and that is how she began singing. "I'd sit on the porch swing and rock them babies and sing at the top of my voice," she recalled in her autobiography. She got an education in a one-room schoolhouse, and met her husband there at a pie social one night when she was 13. He had already served in World War II, and was dressed in his uniform. He bid a whopping $5 for her pie, which she baked with salt instead of sugar by accident. Despite the mix-up, he walked her home and asked for a kiss, and she fell in love immediately. Oliver Vanetta Lynn was nicknamed "Mooney" because he once ran moonshine, but Lynn called him "Doo" because of his other nickname, "Doolittle," which he had since age two. "Nobody knows why—maybe because he was always a little feller," she noted in Coal Miner's Daughter. She pointed out that it was not because he was a layabout; she wrote that he worked hard running their ranch and managing her career and touring schedule. The pair married on January 10, 1948, a few weeks before Lynn turned 14.
ReplyDeleteTo most of us today, Loretta's eary life and very young marriage are hard to imagine. She and "Doo" had a tumultuous, tragedy-filled, terrific, true love story. They remained married for almost 50 years, until he passed away in 1996. I have always thought that the both the song and the film, "Coal Miner's Daughter", are very beautiful! Most impressive is that Sissy Spacek did her own signing in the film. She and Loretta immediately bonded and formed a deep, lasting friendship.
US Resident, Follower, Subscriber
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
Hi Ashley, I'm chuckling at your muffin massacre! I recommend a mix. :-) Thanks for your interest in The Substitute Bride!
ReplyDeleteOh, I brought cake! A chocolate and white sheet cake decorated with The Substitute Bride cover. Chocolate is on Elizabeth's right.
Janet
Wow, Katy!!! Payback time. LOL What fun!!! I love wedding stories. Thanks for sharing yours!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Virginia, thanks for sharing those fascinating tidbits of Loretta Lynn's life. Imagine her husband's surprise when he took a bit of that salty $5.00 pie! :-) I haven't seen The Coal Miner's Daughter, but now I must.
ReplyDeleteJanet
SUPER CONGRATS, Renee, on your blogaversary and WHOO-HOO, Janet, I LOVE that scene from Substitute Bride, girl!!
ReplyDeleteDon't enter me in the contest because I am already blessed to have my very own signed copy of The Substitute Bride.
BUT ... whoever is lucky enough to win Janet's book will absolutely LOVE this delicious mail-order bride tale that has enough romantic heat to bake biscuits and then some!!
Hugs,
Julie
Wow, Janet, you got this Packer girl to come over to the Steeler site...My great-grandfather really did order his bride from Norway. But my wedding story is that my oldest son decided getting married up north in Wisconsin on December 1 was a good idea. Yes, we had the first major blizzard of the season...woke up to 8" snow and had to dig everyone out of the neat camp we stayed at.
ReplyDeleteLisa Lickel - lickels-at-netzero-dot-com
lisalickel.com
Meander Scar: a story of coming home, now available
I would love to read Janet's book...please enter me. My wedding story is not funny, but different...we were married almost 53 years ago on the Bride & Groom TV Show!
ReplyDeletejackie.smith(at)dishmail(dot)net
LOL, Ashley, that is TOO funny! I don't have any cooking mishaps- yet- to share, but I can say that I love that biscuit scene. :) I would love to read this book- thank you! And congrats Renee, how neat is that to be going at this for a year??
ReplyDeletecaseymh18(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi, Janet. Enjoyed meeting you at ACFW a couple years back.
ReplyDeleteMy wedding story is that my huband left the ring in Texas (the wedding was in California). He arranged to have his best man pick it up on his way out of town, but the extra time caused him to miss his flight. He caught a later one but had to speed the 150 from LA to my hometown and as he pulled into the church parking lot, a cop followed him in. Everything worked out in the end. The wedding took place, I had a ring and was none the wiser until after the ceremony. While we posed for pictures, my husband told me what had happened and my jaw dropped. (I was a stressed cookie that day, anyway). My friends and family in the audience apparently already knew for they starting laughing at the look of horror on my face and immediately knew he'd just confessed. Thankfully we weathered that first storm, and after nearly 18 years, we're still laughing and loving our way through life.
~Karen Witemeyer
kwitemeyer[at]hotmail[dot]com
Congrats, Janet, on one year!!! I worked beside Patricia at last year's IBAM and LOVED her Irish wit and charm!
ReplyDeleteShould be a wonderful read!!!
I'll get my own copy and cajole Patricia into signing it!!!
Hahaha wow! I'm going to have to have Janet on here more often, she came up with great questions to ask for this giveaway!
ReplyDelete@ Ashley- Girl you can bring the cake to the party...just don't make it okay? Just kidding! Thank you for making me laugh today! ;-)
@ Katy- Hmmmm wow I bet you never had to buy toilet paper that whole first year :-P
@Virginia- Wow that's a pretty romantic story about Loretta Lynn! I'm with Janet...gonna have to look for that one!
@Julie- Thank you Julie and I'm with you this is one of my fave scenes from The Substitute Bride and definitely one of my faves!
@Lisa- Haha glad to have you here even though you're a Packers Girl!
@ Jackie- Wow that must have been something to get married on TV!!! Cool!
@ Casey- Thank you for visiting today! It's definitely fun celebrating one year!
@ Karen- Oh my! He forgot the ring that is too funny...I'll bet you just died but it's great to hear that you've been happily married for 18 years.
@ Patti- Thank you for visiting today! :-)
XOXO~ Renee
a great posting....my wedding story belongs to my grandparents...an arranged marriage some 80 years ago...my grandmother traveled from europe to marry my grandfather in the USA.
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Good morning, Julie. I'm tickled that you, a writer whose books ooze romantic tension, thought The Substitute Bride has enough romantic heat to bake biscuits! Wow! May I use that quote? :-) I love your books!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Janet
The Substitute Bride sounds wonderful.Please enter me in the giveaway.augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com.Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa, glad this Colt's fan lured you over. :-)
ReplyDeleteHow fun that your great grandfather ordered his bride from Norway! Your great grandmother was a brave young lady to go all that way to marry a stranger.
Glad nothing, not even a blizzard, put a stop to your son's nuptials. I'm shivering just thinking about camping and shoveling in that eight inches of snow.
Janet
Wow, Jackie!!! A televised bride and groom!! That had to add to the pre-ceremony nerves. :-)Mega congratulations on your almost 53 years!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Casey, for your kind words for the biscuit scene and your interest in The Substitute Bride.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Karen! Good to see you here. What a fun wedding story! I'm relieved you didn't have to exchange your vows inside a jail. LOL Sounds like there's never a dull moment as you two are laughing and loving your way through life. :-)
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Patti, the credit for the one year blogging here at Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot goes to Renee. I'm delighted to be her guest. Thanks for stopping in!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Waving to Renee!
ReplyDeleteJanet
*Waving Back* Janet :-P
ReplyDeleteXOXO~ Renee
Thanks, KarenK, for sharing your grandparents' arranged marriage! Again I'm amazed at the courage of the bride to travel so far from family and all she knew to marry a stranger. Aren't you glad she did!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Congratulations on your one year anniversary here.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all the comments made here concerning funny things that happened.
I have had so many cooking mishaps. When we got married,I didn't know how to cook. My mother was a very simple cook who didn't make too many different meals so I never did much cooking. It was hilarious seeing me trying to figure out recipes and somehow I would always improvise since would never have all the right ingredients to put in.
The Substitute Bride sounds like a great book and I would love to get entered in the drawing.
Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com
Congratulations, Renee. Love your blog and enjoyed the except of Substitue Bride. Looks like a fun read!
ReplyDeleteSo fun to meet Janet and learn more about her here. Also enjoyed the comments so much! As a mail-order bride fan myself I can't wait to read the books here. I just love the cover of her book! Please exempt me from the drawing - just wanted to say hi and to thank Renee for a wonderful blogaversary week!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any funny stories to tell. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt.
Your book sounds so interesting. Would love to have it.
csdsksds[at]gmail[dot]com
Hey Janet,
ReplyDeleteYou bet you can use that quote, sweetie!! Go for it! :)
Hugs,
Julie
What an awesome scene, Janet! I'd love to be entered for a drawing for this book, it sounds sooo cute!
ReplyDeleteHere's my funny wedding story (although it didn't seem so funny at the time): I thought I had everything sorted out for our wedding day. The most romantic location (a castle in Scotland!), the most perfect dress (champagne-colored and strapless, which laced down the back), and of course, the most charming man. But the morning of the wedding, as my sister-in-law was helping me into my dress, I realized I had forgotten a pretty important thing - the modesty panel, which would protect everyone from seeing my underwear through the laced up back of the dress! Luckily, one of my best friend's from high school had packed an off-white tanktop for the trip. We stuffed it behind the lacing so my underwear was hidden - and we pulled it off without a hitch! No one found out about it until after the wedding!
Here's a picture of the back of my dress on the evening of my wedding - with the tanktop tucked behind the lacing! http://image65.webshots.com/765/2/54/82/2237254820103909609fcvLll_ph.jpg.
rachel(85137)(at)gmail(.com)
-Rachel
whola.. Contrags to Renee for first Ann of blogspot. I was cracking up laugh heard and read funny stories from everyone comments. cute stories ..
ReplyDeleteJanet, I read your book, Love it.. Especially this book cover feel like I am in there !
I don't need to be in this contest because I already have a book. It would be nice to have autograph label on it. ..
Good job doing blog Renee
@ Jo- I know what you mean! My mom isn't that creative in the kitchen (sorry mom) but everything she makes is delicious but that means that I don't know how to make a whole lot of stuff LOL!
ReplyDelete@ Brenda- Wow lots of author visits today! Soo cool! If you get a chance to read The Substitute Bride I know you will love it!
And readers if you love a sweet romance her series (written under pen name Maggie Brendan) Heart of the West is the way to go! I've read both on this series and the 3rd, A Love of Her Own releases this summer!
@ Laura- Yep I'm a huge fan of mail order bride books too!
@ Denise- Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed the great comments about weddings and cooking disasters LOL!
@ Rachel- How did I know you would share that story? ;-) Married in a castle to your Prince Charming, *sigh* that is sooo romantic tank top and all!
XOXO~ Renee
@ Terri- Thank you so much for the congratulatory wishes! I'm so glad so many wonderful people are turning out to help me celebrate! You guys are part of what makes blogging fun!
ReplyDeleteXOXO~ Renee
CONGRATULATIONS, Renee!!!!! It doesn't seem like it's already been a whole year. :D You do a wonderful job with your blog posts and reviews...keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteJanet was an excellent choice to include in your Celebration! Please don't enter me in the giveaway though, my sister collects all of the LI and HP books, so I can borrow hers.
Have fun!
{{hugs}}
Jo, sounds like you will sympathize with Elizabeth's struggles in the kitchen. :-) I've had cooking mishaps too. Once I had company and the gravy was so lumpy I had to put it through a sieve. What a mess! My solution. Never make gravy again. :-) Actually years later I learned how to make turkey gravy after watching my mom. But once a year is enough for me.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Brenda, thanks for stopping by Renee's Blogaversary!! And for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Laura! Thanks! I've loved all of my covers. Steeple Hill's art department does a great job designing them.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to stopping back each day to get to know you and all the wonderful authors Renee is hosting this week!
Janet
Hi Denise, thanks for your interest in The Substitute Bride!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Julie, wish I had your quote on my cover!!
ReplyDeleteBut my Web site will be a great second. Thanks!
Janet
Rachel, your wedding sounds so romantic, the stuff of dreams!! You handled the one hitch with aplomb! And some help from a friend. I tried to check out your dress but couldn't get to it.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Terri, thanks for your lovely words about The Substitute Bride! If it's autographed, I'll be happy to send you a sticker if you'll send your address through my Web site. wwwdotjanetdeandotnet
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Lori, I'm tickled you'll get to read The Substitute Bride. Thank your sister for me!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Congrats on one year, Renee!! :)
ReplyDeleteHow about a funny engagement story: I was about to go out of town for the weekend and on the night before I left my then boyfriend said that we needed to talk. He says something about how everything has been going so good but that something has to change. The way he was going on it sounded like he was breaking up with me. I was sitting there thinking, "Why couldn't he wait until I got back to do this??" After he let me think the worst for a few he then got down on his knee and proposed. And yes, he meant to do that..lol..he loves to play jokes on people.
Congrats again!
sundaisy920 at gmail dot com
Happy celebration day one! This book looks so cute and I love the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteMy funny wedding story is actually about my in-laws and it happened after their wedding. Some of their friends decided to "decorate" the inside of my in-laws house by doing silly things like removing all the knobs on the drawers, taking off labels of canned goods in the pantry and putting rice in the pockets of all the clothes in the closet. But the best, we that they tied bells inside the box spring of their bed, so that whenever the bed "shook," bells would start ringing. :) Funny, but I'm glad it didn't happen to me and my hubby.
We got married in the middle of a college year, so we had a short honeymoon. Took in a rodeo. Can you believe we bought a dustpan with a handle and have yet today!!! Back to school on Monday morn!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie! Your boyfriend/husband sure put your through the ringer getting that ring. LOL Cute story!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Sarah! I'm delighted you enjoyed the excerpt from The Substitute Bride.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! Glad our friends didn't play those tricks on us after our wedding. There's a name for that but I can't think of it.
Janet
Hi Carmen! You newlyweds really splurged with that dustpan. LOL I'm glad you still have it. Did you elope? Or had the wedding planned?
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I married while I was still in college, but in the summer so we had a honeymoon.
Not sure if we bought anything though. Money was tight. Not too tight for a dustpan. Why didn't we think of that? :-)
Janet
Hi Janet, I've seen your book but I haven't had the chance to read it yet. It sounds like a fun read, I love stories of the old west, especially from Heartsong Presents. Best of luck to you with this book.
ReplyDeleteWith warm regards, Debby Lee
Hi Debby Lee. Thanks for your good wishes! If you'd like to be included in the drawing, don't forget to leave your e-mail address.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Well gee whiz! I go away for a bit and I come back to 50 comments! Wow!
ReplyDelete@ Lori- Hey girl one of my very first followers and Blogger BFF! You will definitely love this book but IDK if your sister will want to give it up ;-)
@ Angie- Wow you probably went from being really sad to elated! Your poor nerves!
@ Sara- Wow talk about embarassing bells on the bed oh my!
@ Carmen- I've never been to a rodeo but the dustpan seems like it was a good investment if it's still around...the question is does the hubby use it? LOL!
@ Debby Lee- Hi thanks for stopping by! :-)
XOXO~ Renee
Hi. I can't wait to read this book.
ReplyDeletekiss417(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi Samantha! Thanks for your interest in The Substitute Bride!
ReplyDeleteJanet
I loved The Substitute Bride, Janet. I loved your hero and heroine together.
ReplyDeleteYou made me care about them
Renee, thanks for inviting us over. What a lovely blog you have. So comfy and cozy. Are there any more scones left?
ReplyDeleteOh and there's Janet, mingling like a superstar.
I have her book in my TBR pile. What I like best about Janet is her sly sense of humor and it comes out in her writing.
May I sit in that big velvet chair or is it reseerved???
Love your blog, Renee!
ReplyDeleteJanet, love your excerpt! So fun! I can't imagine being a mail order bride. The gals didn't know their hubbies and ended up in some cabin far from town. YIKES!!!
Renee, great place you have here! Warm, friendly and very cozy. A blog to be very proud of!!
ReplyDeleteJanet, you are such a social butterfly! You and Renee make a fine pair of hostesses : )
All of Janet's characters reach out and snag my heart. The Substitute Bride is now at the top of my TBR pile. I can't wait to dive in!
Wow all you Seekerville ladies must be night owls LOL! Thank you for taking the time to visit Janet and lil ol' me today! I appreciate all the compliments on my blog! It means soooo much!
ReplyDeleteXOXO~ Renee
What a scorcher of a scene! Another one to add to my wishlist. :o)
ReplyDeleteLet's see, a funny story ... I was so sick after having my second baby that I couldn't do hardly anything for a while. I made everything, and my husband who had lived on his own for something like 12 years was like a helpless babe. When I told him I just couldn't manage dinner right then and he'd have to fend for himself he went into the kitchen and decided to make a grilled sandwich. Ten minutes later I had one less pan, spatula and loaf of bread.
You see he left the heat on and the spatula in the pan, so it melted the rubber spatula he used to flip his sandwich. When he realized what happened (because I smelled burning rubber) he quickly moved the pan. Only he set it on the bread bag ~ which promptly melted to the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
I haven't let him cook since. The one time I thought about it I was again sick and he brought me the can of tomato soup and asked me how to cook it. lol. I think my son rescued him that time, but not before we teased him a bit.
leesmithwriting{at}yahoo{dot}com
It looks like this blogaversary is off to a great start! I just wanted to drop in and say 'hello'!
ReplyDeleteI heard mention of cake. Where there is cake, therefore is Cerella. ;) It was great to read some excerpts and get to know Janet!
Cerella D. Sechrist
www.cerelladsechrist.com
What a fun excerpt! Count me in for The Substitute Bride.
ReplyDeleteworthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com
I must say that none of those fit, unless I can count our honeymoon.
ReplyDeleteWe went to the hotels restaurant, way before closing, and the workers got upset, guess they wanted to go home early, and said they would have to open up some canned corn to feed us.Not very exquisite. Then early in the morning a drunk came banging on our hotel door. This didn't make for a great honeymoon.
moma3homeschool(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Mary, how nice to see you here! Thanks for your kind words for The Substitute Bride. I love your books!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is looking for a fast-paced fun read, you'll want to get your hands on one of Mary's books.
Janet
Tina, That velvet chair right next to Renee's is reserved for the Queen of Seekerville. That's you! And soon you'll have your own book on the shelves!!! Wahoo!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Debby! it's more fun writing about mail-order brides than actually being one. :-) You'd fit the mold of one of your Love Inspired Suspense heroines far better. Loved Killer Headline!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Thanks Audra! Can't wait to read your debut! How long till I can get my hands on it??????
ReplyDeleteJanet
LOL Lee! I loved your husband's cooking fiasco story!! What a fun scene that would make in a romance.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Cerella! Nice to get to know you this week! You and I like our sweets. :-)
ReplyDeleteJanet
Thanks for your interest, Merry! You're in.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Joyful, with a honeymoon dinner of canned corn and a drunken wake up call, I'm sure it wasn't easy to stay Joyful. :-0 Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hello! I'd love to win, thanks!
ReplyDeleteseizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com
@ Lee- oh gosh thanks for making my day today with that funny story! It could have been worse though, he could have burned the house down.
ReplyDelete@ Cerella- Hahaha I know I'm a cake girl too! I live in near this awesome little bakery where they make cakes from scratch and the white cake is TO DIE FOR! Every Sunday I get a snowball from them...yum!
@ Merry- Thank you for stopping by! I think you will love The Substitute Bride!
@ Joyful- Wow that was some honeymoon, I can't imagine the poor drunk guy waking you up the next day!
@ Janet- I'm with you I love Mary's books and I can't wait to get my hands on Tina's and Audra's books!
XOXO~ Renee
Hi Judy! Thank you for taking time out to visit today! I hope you get a chance to read Janet's books!
ReplyDeleteXOXO~ Renee
Hi Judy, Love your enthusiasm! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJanet
I'm late to the party (busy week!) but just wanted to stop in and say hi to Janet and congratulate Renee on your "blogaversary"! And I already have a copy of The Substitute Bride and loved the story! Janet does such great research, and her characters really come alive on the page! Elizabeth and Ted are so relatable.
ReplyDeleteCooking mishap? How about the time I tried to make my very first pumpkin pie out of a real pumpkin and didn't realize you had to discard the strings and seeds first???
Hi Myra! I'm glad you stopped by to celebrate with us!
ReplyDeleteI've never tried to make a "homemade" pumpkin pie before but my Gram has and they sure are good...I don't know how they would taste if she included the strings and seeds! :-P
XOXO~ Renee
wow.. 74 posts here .. I missed those comments after three days .. whooo hooo.. great guests visitation.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Myra, for your kind words for The Substitute Bride!
ReplyDeleteLove your pumpkin pie fiasco!!! Are you and Elizabeth related? LOL
Hugs, Janet
Hi Terrie, your autograph sticker is on the way!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Wow, lots of great stories! I seem to have trouble on the cooking side of life...hehe one time I made choc chip cookies and, well, lets just say i left out over half the amount of flour called for! Needless to say, the cookies melted into a greasy mess. I would love to win this book--it looks awesome!
ReplyDeletedjkeoppel(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks Janet....::))
ReplyDeleteLOL Donna, that had to be a huge disappointment! My mouth would've been so ready for chocolate chip cookies!
ReplyDeleteJanet
OK - I don't have any really funny wedding stories, but I was trying to think back to my wedding in 1973. A couple of things came to mind. One was at that time I was wearing hard plastic contacts and it slipped out of place and I couldn't do anything about it until after the vows. Also, we had borrowed my brother-in-laws car and it broke down before we could get out of town. We never learned if it was rigged or not.
ReplyDeleteDeborah M.
debbiejeanm[at]gmail[dot]com
Please enter me in this one to I can't wait to read It!:)
ReplyDeleteLindsey
lindseypa89(at)yahoo(dot)com