Family Day in Ontario & Winner

Congratulations to the winner of Devotions for a Sacred Marriage goes to Jessica Nelson. Please send me your snail mail address so I can get this book out to you.

We are enjoying a long weekend here in Ontario. Today is Family Day. Yesterday we started celebrating early by going out to see a movie, Paul Blart Mall Cop. What a hoot! All five us enjoyed it thoroughly--not bad considering we range from ages 11 to 43. It gave us all a great laugh, mindless night out.

Today I've got the wondrous task of playing Sing-It on the Wii with my family as one of our family events for the day. I keep telling them that I'll flap my lips, even use my vocal cords, but calling what comes out of me singing is a very long stretch. I am NOT a singer. I'm sure my scores will be horrendous. Honestly, I think they're putting me up to this to humble me a little more. Either that, or they didn't get enough laughs last night at the theatre.

We'll follow the Wii games with a fruit and chocolate fondue, dinner, and a sitting of a taped Mentalist and NCIS. Popcorn will probably be a part of this as well.

So what do you guys do with your families for bonding time?

Blessings,

Eileen

A Valentine's Day Giveaway

I've been thinking about the arrival of Valentine's Day 2009 and wondering how I can celebrate this occasion with my blog readers. My husband, Phil, and I started working our way through this fabulous devotional that Phil happened by during one of his Amazon.ca hunts. We started the year-long weekly devotions the first week in January this year, but I think it would be equally appropriate to begin such a worthwhile endeavor on Valentine's Day, too.

Gary Thomas's Devotions for a Sacred Marriage is a little hard-cover book that includes a year's worth of weekly devotions for couples. Each devotion is appreciatively concisely written (one to three pages maximum) and delves into thought-provoking, God-enriching, and marriage-sanctifying topics such as: The God-Centered Spouse, Growing Old Together, The Gift of Fear, Soul Mate or Sole Mate?,..., and Oasis of Sanity to name a few of the fifty-two weeks topics presented in this devotional treasure.

If you are interested in winning a copy of this couples devotional book, please leave a comment with your e-mail address (please use spaces or brackets to discourage cyber misuse) in any of my posts from now until Feb. 14, 2009 and please include the phrase "Valentine draw" near your e-mail address so I know you're interested in the drawing.

You may enter multiple times, but only once per post. But you must include "Valentine Draw" and your augmented e-mail address in each comment you wish to use as your entry/entries, or a ballot will not be created. This may seem finicky, but I want to be certain that only people really wishing to win this awesome devotional are entered into the drawing. It's too valuable to be shelved!

I ordered two extra copies today, one for my niece whose wedding is coming up, and one for this drawing. Amazon says they are in stock, so I should receive the copies in plenty of time for the drawing.

Good luck to everyone!

Blessings,

Eileen

Book Giveaway today!

As I wait to make the draw at noon, I wanted to direct any Steeple Hill lovers over to Seekerville's post today. An informative, warm interview with Senior editor, Melissa Endlich, is posted, along with some great pictures.

This is a great opportunity to learn more of what Steeple Hill lines are looking for in an author and story. And Melissa is interacting within the comment section, too. So, if you have questions, you may just be lucky enough to get them answered.



WINNER DRAWN: Congratulations, Carrie T., you won a copy of Patti Lacy's An Irishwoman's Tale.

Blessings,

Eileen

43 days left this year to reflect and celebrate our Saviour's birth.

Winner of May's CATY Giveaway and June's CATY Announced

We have a winner for May's CATY Giveaway of a $15.00 (Canadian funds, transferable) Starbucks card. Remember, CATY stands for Commenter Appreciation Thank You.

My youngest daughter drew one of Cindi's entries from a total of seventy possible ballots. Congratulations, Cindi, I hope you enjoy a visit or two to Starbucks on me.

I was amazed to discover that I had such a great number of comments entered during the month of May--Thank you all very much for supporting my blog! Since I've only been operating this blog for less than three months, I think that's a pretty cool number of participants.

For the month of June, I will again offer a $15.00 (Canadian funds, transferable) Starbucks Card as my CATY Giveaway. So comment as often as you like in whatever posting you like for a ballot to be entered into the drawing. The more ballots you get, the greater the chance you have to win.

Blessings,

Eileen

Announcing My May CATY Giveaway

Hi, Everyone:

I've finally decided what this months giveaway will be.

Since receiving comments is great encouragement for me, I want to show my appreciation to all you wonderful visitors who take a moment to drop a comment in any of my posts by offering my own personal giveaway on a regular basis. This CATY (Commenter Appreciation Thank You) drawing is separate and above any Author giveaways that I also host in my Authors-Helping-Writers Interview posts.

In the past I've given away two copies of Daily Devotions for Writers as my CATY gift. For the month of May's commenters I will be drawing for a $15.00 (In Can. funds, transferable to U.S. funds) STARBUCKS CARD on June 1st, 2008.

All those who have already entered a comment in any of my May posts, including the Authors-Helping-Writers Posts in which I have also hosted book giveaways through, have been automatically entered into my CATY drawing for this month. For every comment submitted in any of my upcoming May posts another entry will be put in the drawing. This is my way of Thanking you all for supporting this blog. I will send this card out internationally if one of my faraway commenters should happen to win--hopefully you'll be travelling at some point to use it!

Good luck to you all and may the lucky winner enjoy a cup or two of Java and a treat on me at their nearest Starbucks!

Blessings,

Eileen

April Daily Devotions for Writers Contest Winner

I'm excited to announce the second April winner of Daily Devotions for Writers. Georgiana Daniels won the earlybird drawing and today the winner is Melanie Dickerson.

Congratulations, Melanie! Please e-mail me at eileenastels [at] rogers [dot] com with your snail mail address so that I can send this beautiful devotional your way.

Blessings to Everyone!

Eileen

Special Announcement :Winner of the Early Bird Draw

My youngest daughter drew the lucky winner right after Church this afternoon.

Congratulations goes out to Georgiana Daniels!

I would like to thank everyone who has participated in my blog thus far and I do hope that you are gaining some writing tips and inspiration from my posts. Remember, even if you didn't win this early bird drawing, you are still eligible to win a copy of Daily Devotions for Writers during the April 30th drawing.

Georgiana, if you would be so kind as to send me your snail mail address, I will send out your copy of Daily Devotions for Writers a.s.a.p. You may e-mail your address to eileenastels[at]rogers[dot]com and please put "Winner of Early Bird Draw" in the subject line.

Blessings and good luck to everyone for the final draw that will take place on April 30, 2008.

Eileen

My First Official Writing Blog Contest -- April 2008

I've ordered several copies of the newly published Daily Devotions for Writers. This is a 365-day inspirational book which includes stories, daily verses, and daily prayers from exactly 200 writers nationwide.

I am one of the many contributers of this book's daily devotions. How fitting that my entry is actually in the April selection, too. Fits nicely with my first writer's blog contest in which I will give away two of these books to the lucky winners of my two drawings. The early bird draw will take place on April 20th, as that is where my entry is in the book, and then the final draw for April's contest will be made on the last day of the month. For each comment left during the month of April, a ballot will be put into the drawing.

If, by chance, I don't actually receive my order by April 20th, I promise to send it out as soon as the shipment does arrive. *** They've arrived, so no extra wait is required!

It is my hope and prayer that this collection of devotions will give a pick-me-up to all Christian writers, and if it should be opened by a non-Christian writer, may it lead the way to discovering Him.

Many thanks to Patricia Lorenz and the team from The Writing Academy for seeing this project to fruition. I'm excitedly awaiting the arrival of mine and the daily inspiration it will provide for years to come.

Blessings,

Eileen

*** P.S. I just received my copies today. So there will be no need for waiting, after all. It's a beautiful book and the devotions I've scanned so far really are inspiring. Here is the back cover blurb: "This book provides 366 true stories about the highs, lows, struggles, and joys of writing. This daily pick-me-up is a must-have for those who write professionally, for themselves, or for their families. The page-a-day readings include a short prayer and an inspirational quote. Daily Devotions for Writers takes you by the hand every day and shares real-life experiences to keep you writing. This friendly guide makes a perfect gift for yourself--or any writer in your life!"
This P.S. was added on April 16, 2008.