Gone With The Posts Blogaversary last day

CAUTION: LOUD MUSIC. TURN THE VOLUME ON COMPUTER DOWN, UNLESS YOU LIKE BLARING LOUD MUSIC, LIKE ME.

"Scarlett: What are you doing?

"Scarlett: Oh, Rhett! *Scarlett watches Rhett walk to the door*
Scarlett: Rhett! *runs down the stairs after Rhett*
Scarlett: Rhett, Rhett! *catches him as he's walking out the front door*
Scarlett: Rhett... if you go, where shall I go, what shall I do?
Rhett Butler: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a dime. *Rhett walks off into the fog*"

*sniffle, sniffle*
Well, we’ve come to the last day of my 1 year blogaversary party. *sniffles* Thank you guys so much for all the great comments that were left! I’m sorry if I haven’t replied to Y’all’s comments yet , but I’ve been sick all week…and perhaps a wee bit lazy. But, I just wanted to let ya know that they really made me day.
Anyhow…

The fun is not over yet. Today I brought some pecan pie, Sweet potato pie, peach iced tea, and Coca Cola (a southern staple) here for Y’all as we enjoy the last mystery interview and a few other fun things.( sorry if the pictures aren't positioned right)  Now grab y’all some grub and let me welcome today’s mystery author. Drums roll please….Julie Lessman!! This is my first interview with Mrs. Lessman, and I am so excited she’s here. She is the author of four books, The Daughters of Boston Series and her new series, Winds of Change. So, without further ado…please help me give a warm welcome to, Julie Lessman!

Q1. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Oh my, I think I would like to be an editor for a big Christian publishing house!! I LOVE to edit and I LOVE to encourage aspiring writers, so I think that would be the perfect fit, reading all those wonderful books that make it out of the slush pile, and blessing new writers in the process. That or an exclusive caterer for small, intimate dinner parties where I could blow the guest away with culinary creations that now only taste good, but look great as well. Presentation and ambiance is KEY with me in anything, especially dinner parties!!

Me: I think you would make the perfect editor, though being a caterer would be a fun challenge. My mom is a caterer and I always help her by busing tables, but it’s the cleaning up afterwards that’s not fun.

Q2. If you could live/go anywhere, where would it be and what would you do there?
 If I could “live” anywhere, it would be on a secluded beach in front of a moody stretch of ocean. If I could “go” anywhere, it would be to Ireland, England, France, Tahiti … and Boston, of course! 

Me: Those places all sound so good. Might I tag along, when you go? We can smuggle me in a large carry-on, if I scrunch up my legs real tight. LOL

Q3. If you were planning your “dream” party, what would it be like?
Well, my husband has a subscription to Architecture Digest Magazine, and OH-MY-GOODNESS, the lavish getaway bungalows you see in that book are sooooo what I could see as my setting for an intimate dinner party with just a few close friends (6-8 max). It would begin with an exquisitely set candle-lit table nestled in a spacious gazebo perched at the edge of a sprawling lawn overlooking the ocean while a warm breeze rustles the palms. Crystal, china, calla lilies and an orange sun sinking into an inky-blue horizon while impeccably dressed waiters serve a seven-course meal that lasts for hours. Gourmet menu, fine wine and good friends to laugh and pray with throughout a magical evening that would end with a bonfire on the beach. Sigh. Where do I sign up???

Me: LOL. Your guest will think they dies and gone to party heaven. ;)

Q4. If you were hosting a party, what favorite (living or deceased) author(s) would you love to invite? Grin … you have to ask??? Margaret Mitchell, of course, then Harper Lee, Francine Rivers, John Grisham and the ultimate “Author” of Romance, Jesus Christ.

Me: So many great and diverse authors. That would some party.

Q5. You’re stuck on a deserted island with one other person and a box of party supplies filled with a helium tank, balloons, noise makers, Care Bear themed paper goods and a giant inflatable bounce house; who would you want to be stuck with and what party supply do you think would be the most useful?
Uh, I’m a romance writer who writes about passion … what do YOU think??? My husband with the giant inflatable bounce house, of course!! 

Me: Hahaha. I guess that was sort of a stupid question on my part. I’m just going to blame it on the flu meds I was on. LOL;)

Last, but never least...

Q6. Do you have a favorite verse from the Bible about celebration and joy that you’d like to share, or a verse that still speaks to your heart no matter how many times you read it?
YES!! Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


I love this Scripture, particularly the first two sentences, because it underscores a deep-rooted belief of mine that we are to praise God in the midst of ALL things, good and bad. It’s easy to praise God when things are going good, but the true test of our faith comes when things are not so good. When a believer praises God in the midst of pain and trial, I believe it not only deepens his or her faith and trust, but it releases God’s power and blessing in his or her life in that particular situation and beyond. And quite frankly, I take great pleasure in rubbing it in satan’s face (I NEVER capitalize that name!) that God and only God is to be praised because the devil tries SO hard to get us to curse God and die, just like he did with Job. But when I am able to grit my teeth and praise God instead, I actually feel like I’m spitting in the devil’s eye, which, to be honest, feels REALLY good!!


One time when I was a new Christian, I was barefoot and moving really fast in my bedroom and rammed my toe (I have VERY sensitive toes!!) into the steel leg of my bed. The pain was SO excruciating, that a once-familiar curse word sprang to my lips and at the last minute, instead of screaming it out like I would have before I came to Christ, I forced the following words out through gritted teeth as I fell on the bed:


“Praise God, praise God, praise God!”


I said it over and over again until I was laughing so hard that tears came to my eyes. It was a WONDERFUL feeling, and I almost felt like God was laughing with me for the simple victory He gave me over the devil. God showed me that day in that very simple way that we need to take great pleasure in our obedience to Him because He equates obedience with love (John 14:15 — "If you love me, you will obey what I command”), so to me, it’s one of the easiest and most simple ways we can tell God we love Him AND spit in the devil’s eye at the same time! ;)
Me: What encouraging verses and so true. My whole family is going through some hard times now, and you’ve reminded me that I need to praise God now more than ever.

Julie has the tag line “Passion With A Purpose” and Boy is that true! Her books have equal parts passions and romance with a mega dose of God’s love and precepts mix tighter to make to some of my favorite books. I recommend them to everyone I meet, even to a Wal-Mart greeter if I got the chance.

To learn more about Julie Lessman and her books, you can go to:

Her Website

Her Journal Jots

Her Facebook Fan Page

There is plenty of Iced tea and pie left, tough it seems someone has taken all the Coke. Hmm… who could be the Coke Caper ?!?! Well, since Mrs.Lessman is a huge fan of GWTW, I thought we could test our knowledge of the infamous book/movie. How much do you know about Gone With The Wind? Click on that link and let’s find out.

I just did it and I got 18 out of the 20 questions right. WOO HOO! After watching the movie enough times to be legal and that jazz, I’m just glad I hadn’t fried my brain. So what did y’all get? Leave a comment and let me know. Are you a GWTW Fanatic or is the notion of reading/watching it, gone with the wind?

Oh, you didn’t think I forgot about the giveaway, right?
Well, Mrs.Lessman is SOOO sweet, and she has offered to give away not just one, but two books.
The winner of the giveaway will receive a signed copy of Julie’s book and a "surprise" top CBA book.
It’s simple to enter . Just leave a comment with your valid e-mail address. That’s it, just remember you must  have a valid U.S mailing address, as well.

As a recap, all Gone With The Posts blogaversary party giveaways are still open and will be so until next Saturday. That’s one week left to enter, so scoot your boot and  leave a comment with your email address to enter.
This is the link to GWTP day 1
Here is the link to GWTP day 2

Alright Y’all, it’s been a great year, and I’m so glad I got into blogging and I got to meet you guys. I hope we’ll have another year of fun to come and that y’all have a blessed Saturday!
Love Ya,
Ashley

Gone With The Posts Blogaversary Party day 2

CAUTION: LOUD MUSIC. TURN THE VOLUME ON COMPUTER DOWN,  UNLESS YOU LIKE BLARING LOUD MUSIC, LIKE ME. 

"Scarlett: Atlanta!?

Mammy: Savannah would be better for ya. You just get in trouble in Atlanta.

Scarlett: What trouble are you talking about?

Mammy: You know what trouble I's talkin' 'bout. Mr. Ashley be comin' to Atlanta when he gets his leave, and you sattin' there waitin' for him, just like a spider.

Scarlett: You go pack my things like Mother said"

 Welcome to day 2 of my GWTP Blogaversary celebration! I hope you got a chance to read yesterday’s post, but just in case you didn’t, you can click HERE and catch up on all the fun. And I forgot about it yesterday, but since I just can’t part with my copy of LFYI Hershey, I’m going to give away a copy of Within My Heart, Timber Ridge Reflections Bk. 3 by Tamara Alexander to one lucky commenter. Scroll down to giveaway rules, to see how to enter.

Before we go on to all the fun stuff and the mystery guest, I’d love to thank all my blogging friends once again. You guys make this the best place to be, and Y’all’s blogs always life me up with encouragement and humility at how awesome God is to us. Sometimes, I forget that, but then I go to one of my friend’s blog, and I am once again reminded of His unwavering love and protection. Even if it didn’t seem that way at the time. Thank you all. *sniffle, sniffle*

Well, now that I’m all choked up, grab one of them there fruity drinks and a heaping  plate of fresh fruit, cause we're hitting the high seas today and you might want to grab the refreshments while their here.Don't want to be gettin' scurvy. LOL

But, what do the High seas and Gone With The Wind have in common? Well, maybe it’s because their both today’s GWTP party theme or maybe it's because today I had the privilege (with much begging on my part, since I did this on short notice) to interview the best pirate adventure/romance writer on both sides of the Rio Grande. Let’s give her a great pirate welcome, Ms. Marylu Tyndall! Arrgh!

Q1. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
An artist. Probably an oil painter. I used to paint seascapes and landscapes before I got published. Honestly, I really miss it.

Me: Sounds very peaceful and tranquil. I wish I had an inch of talent with a brush, but God never did bless in that way.

Q2. If you could live/go anywhere, where would it be and what would you do there?

 If I could visit anywhere, it would be Israel, the Holy land. I’d love to walk where Jesus walked and see all the places I’ve read so much about in the Bible. If I could live anywhere, it would be on an island in the Caribbean. Any island, as long as it had fresh water, a gorgeous white sand beach, and it was mine!

Me: Visiting Israel is #4 on my bucket list; and the Caribbean would be the perfect place to live. I’ve only been there once, but it was so much fun.

Q3. If you were planning your “dream” party, what would it be like?

I would definitely rent an old historic tall ship (maybe a pirate ship), hire a captain and crew to sail her and then invite all my family and friends to join me in a cruise around the Caribbean. We would stop at all the islands, eat fresh crab, drink fruity drinks with umbrellas in them, and then sail some more until we ran out of horizon. (yes, I know I’m a bit extreme!)

Me: Hmmm….I’ll book my ticket on that heavenly sounding cruise, of course that’s only if I’m invited. LOL

Q4. If you were hosting a party, what favorite (living or deceased) author(s) would you love to invite? Can I invite two?

Jane Austen and Raphael Sabatini. Both deceased and in my opining two of the best authors ever

Me: Jan Austen seems to be the one author everyone chooses, honestly *checks surroundings, just in case there is a mob of Jan Austen lovers nearby*, I don’t very much care for her books *sound of angry mob leaps out of bushes from behind*….Oh snap! *runs for cover*

Q5. You’re stuck on a deserted island with one other person and a box of party supplies filled with a helium tank, balloons, noise makers, Care Bear themed paper goods and a giant inflatable bounce house; who would you want to be stuck with and what party supply do you think would be the most useful?

A deserted island? Well, it would have to be Captain Jack Sparrow, of course, and hands down, we would have the most fun with the helium tank! But the most useful item would be the inflatable house. After we had fun with the helium, Jack and I could make a small raft and row out to sea to be rescued! Not that I would really want to be rescued.

Me: Hahaha, I’m not sure I would either. But wouldn’t your Husband have something to say about it? ;)

Last, but never least...

Q6. Do you have a favorite verse from the Bible about celebration and joy that you’d like to share, or a verse that still speaks to your heart no matter how many times you read it?

Yes! Psalm 103 ( “1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies….” ) has always been my personal favorite to read when I’m feeling down. It’s all about how great and loving and merciful God is and how He always keeps His promises, and forgives all our sins and never leaves us!

Thank you Mrs. Tyndall for doing the interview with me, it was tons of fun reading your responses. And I really hope Y’all enjoyed it too. 

If you would like to know more about Marylu or her books (which are GREAT) you can go to:

Her blog

Her website

 And when I say Mrs. Tyndall’s books are great, I’m not just shamelessly promoting them. Her books are truly that good. And if you like pirates too, well me-oh-my! You have been missing out. In fact, as a special surprise I’m going to be giving away Ms. Tyndall’s one of her first books, The Redemption.

 
Here is the back cover:

Lady Charlisse Bristol sets off on a voyage in search of a father

she never knew, only to find herself shipwrecked on a deserted
island. Near starvation, she is rescued by a band of pirates and
their fierce captain, Edmund Merrick. Will Charlisse win her
struggle against the seductive lure of this pirate captain? While
battling his attraction to this winsome lady, Edmund offers to help
Charlisse on her quest-until he discovers her father is none other
than Edward the Terror, the cruelest pirate on the Caribbean.


It is a great book, and a great one to start off your Marylu Tyndall high seas collection.

Here are the giveaway rules:

*You must be a U.S resident (sorry my Canadian friends, shipping just way too much).

*You must have a valid e-mail address and you must put it in your comment for me to count the entry.

*The contest(s) goes Friday to Friday. The winner will be announced on next Saturday.

*you must leave one comment , per post, if you wish to enter all the giveaways.

Now it's time for today's quiz (I've been on this quiz "kick" all week, and for some reason I can't help but post another one). Are you a true Southerner at heart, or do you have that Yankee grit in ya? 

Again,  I'd love  to see what you  got.  Cause of course, if you get Northern, well, I'm sorry, it was nice knowing ya! jk/jk

I just took it and I'm not sure how accurate it is, because it said I'm only 40% Southern! Can you believe that? Why, I've been in the south my whole life and the best I can show for it, is 40%? what is this world coming too?!?!?!? ...;)

 I hope you get a chance to enter and there will be more giveaways tomorrow, as well as one more mystery guest. Who could it be? Hmmm…guesses? Anyone? LOL There is plenty of fruit left, but maybe someone could whip up a few sfogliatellas --> (another name for them is Lobster Tails ), which are lobster shape tails of puff pastry with a creamy, almost ice cream like filling, that make them downright addictive! Any takers? ;)

Have a perfectly blessed Friday, my friends!

Love Y’all,

Ashley

Happy Birthday To Me, er... My Blog!

This is a great cake I found on Google. Kudos to the artist who made. It rocks!

Hey Y'all,
Today is my one year blogaversary!!!! WOO HOO!! But, don't worry. You couldn't have thought You  I could have a blogaversary and not throw a party, right? I am a true party girl and I'm always looking for a reasons to throw together a shindig, literally. Next week, Thursday thru Saturday, I'll be hosting My first Blogaversary party, complete with author interviews (you'll just have to come to see who they'll be) giveaways, and flash back to some of my favorite Blogging memories. I hope Y'all will be able to come, cause I'm going to say it right here, right now, that you, my fellow bloggers, are what make blogging fun and exciting. I love Y'all and I pray you have a restfull Saturday and God-filled Sunday!
Love Ya,
 Ashley;)

Another great cake I found thank to Senior Google! Scarlett looks just as gorgeous even when she made out of gumpaste.