Smalltown U.S.A. Goes to Nashville

I grew up in Alexandria, Indiana, a small farming community that was once made famous as it was chosen for a brochure during World War II that depicted what life was like in Smalltown, U.S.A. This booklet featured photographs of my brother-in-law as a small child on his family's farm.

I've been to that farm many times. It sits right next to the house where my sister raised her family. Today, the old homestead and farm are owned by Jack & June Martin. I've known June since I was a kid. She used to sing gospel music in the church my mother took me to, and her younger sister Mary Ann was a friend of mine in school. June had the voice of an angel, and I loved to listen to her sing.

All that family history and knowing how beautiful June could sing, made it a natural choice for me to buy a CD, songs unheard, by her daughter Joey Martin when I heard about it in 2005. I was not disappointed! This CD is my absolute country favorite. It's downloaded on my computer and my iPod. I keep the CD in the car where I can listen on my commute.

Like her mother, Joey, too, has the voice of an angel.

Today I discovered that Joey and her songwriter-husband Rory are contestants on "Can You Duet," the country music contest from American Idol producers on CMT. Soon America will know how great Joey can sing, too!

If you've got time, in between voting for David Archuleta, I'm here to invite you to send a few votes Joey's way too.

If you'd like more information about Joey and Rory, visit their website JOEY AND RORY
(You can even download a copy of Joey's solo CD while you're there.)
or YOU CAN DUET.

Updating

Today I've been a busy bee.

I've updated all of my blogs, made sure everything I needed to do for my graduate classes was done, and folded a ton of laundry. I also wrote both of my newspaper columns, something I've been on a two month vacation from because of all the graduate assignments I had to get done.

Of course, I still have lots to do before the day is done. There are two manuscripts sitting on my computer that I need to finish editing for clients, three chapters of one of my own novels to polish and get submitted to the editor who requested them, and a screenplay to continue work on.

The likelihood of getting everything finished before sleep and exhaustion overtakes me? Slim to none.

Tonight my husband is taking me out to dinner. The momentous occasion is that tomorrow is my birthday.

On Monday, I'll be back at work, trying my best to get everything done. Yesterday was midterm at the school where I teach, Friday I walk in graduation for my Master's degree, and fewer than twenty school days until summer vacation.

And this bee can't wait until she has more days of the week to spend in her hive, getting her personal writing goals done!

It's Not on the Test

As my classes were frustrated this morning while the school computer system froze during the state U-PASS tests, I checked my email and found this little ditty from a friend of mine. If you are a teacher, you'll probably appreciate the sentiment.

Click on this link to to watch IT'S NOT ON THE TEST

Coming Soon! Season of Salvation: The Movie

Lu Ann Staheli is currently under contract to write the film adaptation of Seasons of Salvation, a novel by Dennis Mangrum. With principal photography to begin early in June, producers plan to release the film in time for the 2008 Christmas season.

“The students piled the packages high on the porch, rapped quickly on the door, and then secreted themselves nearby. Finally, a sleepy-eyed little boy opened the door and stared wide-eyed at the mountain of Christmas presents. Santa's sleigh crashed right here on my porch! In this heartwarming, feel-good story based on an actual event, distrust, abandonment, and lack of hope give way to love and service in an early morning seminary class full of problem kids who help their teacher pay an overdue debt of gratitude.”

Farworld: The Blog Tour

My friend, and a member of my writer's critique group, J. Scott Savage has a new YA fantasy novel, Farworld: Water, that will be released September 5, 2008, from Shadow Mountain.

As part of the promotion for this introductory book in a great new series, Scott and his publisher are preparing to send the ARC (advance reader's copy) of the book to bloggers who would be interested in reading it and writing a review on their blog.

I've already read Farworld: Water in manuscript form and loved it. Participating in this blog tour will allow you to get a copy and read it too. Plus, Shadow Mountain is willing to send along a second copy for you to give to one of your blog readers!

If you're interested, visit the instructions on Scott's blog at: http://jscottsavage.blogspot.com/2008/04/marketing-part-ivthe-blog-tour.html

Be sure to tell him I sent you, and we'll both see you in FARWORLD.

If you want to know more about J.Scott Savage, you can read more from his blog at:

http://jscottsavage.blogspot.com, read his entries on http://sixldswriters.blogspot.com/ or listen to the podcast interview I did with him in The Author's Corner at http://luannslibrary.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Author%27s%20Corner