SANE FITNESS: It really is

Note from Christa: Those of you who know me would not be surprised to read that I’d think anything called “Sane Fitness” would be an oxymoron. After all, I’m the woman who practically has to wear a helmet to avoid a head injury during aerobics.  I also question the sanity of those who actually buy those special shoes to wear on spin bikes. I mean, really, why pedal that vigorously only to stay in the same place?

Anyway…I read about these cards from Sane Fitness and thought…this might actually work! Practically Christa-proof. Plus, the explanations are easy to follow, there’s a picture for each, and they’re color-coded. And…the almost best part…the cards attach to a lanyard that keeps them altogether, and I can hang it nearby to check on what I’m doing.

If your idea of exercising is readjusting your driver’s seat, go to this website. Now. You can sign up for a free newsletter plus download samples of the cards. Oh, and if you’re a mommy-to-be, there’s a set of cards for you two too!

Have your previous attempts to incorporate fitness and a healthy diet into your busy lifestyle ended up just driving you crazy- adding to your stress level, instead of reducing it, and making you feel guilty?

If your answer is yes, then you are not alone.  According to the National Eating Disorder Information Center 70% of women are currently dieting and 40% are continually gaining and losing weight. It has been proven that healthy eating and exercise adds energy and efficiency to your life.  You can actually get more done in a given day and feel physically better at the same time.

With all the demands of the workplace and your home life, SANE FITNESS can put some much needed sanity into your daily routine.  SANE FITNESS introduces – a fitness trainer in a box!

The SANE FITNESS QuickStart Deck is a card set that offers a steady-as-you-go, reasonable way to incorporate regular exercise and good eating into your jam-packed days.  The QuickStart Deck is the perfect travel item for those business trips and vacations!   SANE FITNESS was created for the woman-on-the-go who wants to stay feeling fabulous all day long and into the evening as well!

Although it can be difficult to find time to work out and stay faithful to a healthy diet while traveling, it’s not impossible!

Many women know that the secret to juggling the many priorities in their lives — work, family, housework, community, and…well… shopping — is always easier when we take excellent care our ourselves. But with everything else going on, how can we find the time to exercise and eat right?

The answer is in the question: if exercise becomes a habit, we actually find more time. There are no great secrets to getting fit by exercising — lift weights, break a sweat, eat healthy food — but putting it all together is a big challenge. How do you continue with a routine that energizes you, motivates you, and doesn’t get boring?

The Sane Fitness Cards are designed to provide simple instruction that help you exercise correctly everytime. Do the right exercises on the right days to get the most out of each and every workout.

About SANE FITNESS

SANE FITNESS was invented by a wife and business woman for women just like her, who never seem to have enough hours in the day to focus on herself, but understands the importance of looking great, especially on the big day!

Cardio – Indoors and Outdoors
The SANE FITNESS QuickStart Deck stresses the importance of getting your heart rate up before beginning your SANE FITNESS weight lifting exercises. “Getting your heart rate up for about 20 minutes can help burn the extra calories from constantly eating out on vacation,” says Beverley. Here are a few easy ways to spend 20 minutes of quality cardio:

• If your hotel lacks a gym, 20 minutes of continuous swimming in the pool will burn about 250 calories.
• Use the stairs -spend 20 minutes going from top to bottom. Walking will burn about 100 calories, while running can burn as much as double that amount. Another smart idea is to skip the escalator in the airport. Adding in extra stair stepping throughout the day will burn calories gained while snacking on the go.
• Walk everywhere -the best way to stay in shape while away from home is to stay active. Take a scenic stroll instead of using the bus or subway. Walk as much as possible and not only will you shed unwanted pounds but you’ll keep your fitness levels up – so you don’t have to start from scratch when you get home.

Get Creative with Weight Training
The SANE FITNESS QuickStart Deck program is based on a weight training regimen to tighten and tone muscles and to increase your metabolism. Most hotels, resorts and cruise lines have fitness rooms with free weights, but when you don’t have your full weight rack handy, there’s plenty of ways to get around the “I don’t have my equipment” excuse:

• Fill up two 16-ounce water bottles to serve as one-pound dumbbells.
• Jumbo-sized shampoo and conditioners can weigh up to 3 pounds each – just make sure you have an equal amount in both sides!
• Bring a resistance band in your bag. Most of them take up almost no room, and resistance can be adjusted to meet your weight needs.

The SANE FITNESS TM Experts
SANE FITNESS was not invented by a diet guru who preaches endless hours in the gym and a diet consisting of no sugar, no carbohydrates and basically…no fun!  Instead, Sane Fitness was invented by Beverley Caen– a wife, mother and business woman– for women just like her, who never seems to have enough hours in the day to focus on themselves.  Beverley Caen is the perfect example of an overextended working mother and wife who has found a way to make fitness and healthy eating a part of her everyday life. With a little help from fitness expert John Cruz, this Wall Street career woman and mother of three, developed an exercise program that could fit into any busy woman’s schedule.

John Cruz, fitness expert, is a native of Colombia, South America. His background in soccer and martial arts eventually turned into a profound interest for the human body and its adaptations to exercise. For the last twelve years he has been devoted to helping others understand the life-long benefits of a fitness lifestyle as a professional trainer in New York City. Since 1998, John has been one of the top trainers of the exclusive Equinox Fitness Club. He is also a “trainer of trainers” constantly giving workshops to other trainers on the science and methodology behind safe, efficient and successful training. He holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Brooklyn College and an impressive array of recognized certifications that illustrate he is well equipped to work with anyone, from those with medical issues to elite athletes.

LOVE STORIES WITH A TWIST: Tomorrow Never Comes

They say you should reach for your dreams. This time, they’re wrong…

Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea… Everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.

Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…

When Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s plan.

Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand?

Marlo Schalesky is the award winning author of seven books, including her latest novel, If Tomorrow Never Comes, which combines a love story with a surprise ending twist to create a new type of novel that she hopes will impact readers at their deepest levels.

Marlo’s other books include Beyond the Night, Veil of Fire, a novel about finding hope in the fires of life, Empty Womb, Aching Heart- Hope and Help for Those Struggling with Infertility, and Cry Freedom.

She’s had over 600 articles published in various Christian magazines, including Focus on the Family, Today’s Christian Woman, Decision, Moody Magazine, and Discipleship Journal. She has contributed to Dr. Dobson’s Night Light Devotional for Couples, Tyndale’s Book of Devotions for Kids #3, and Discipleship Journal’s 101 Small Group Ideas.

She is a speaker and a regular columnist for Power for Living.

Marlo is also a California native, a small business owner, and a graduate of Stanford University (with a B.S. in Chemistry!). In addition, she has earned her Masters in Theology, with an emphasis in Biblical Studies, from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Marlo lives with her husband and five young children in a log home in Central California.

When she’s not changing diapers, doing laundry, or writing books, Marlo loves Starbucks white mochas, reading the New Testament in Greek, and speaking to groups about finding the deep places of God in the disappointments of life.

Take a step into your future: Meet Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp

Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp author of Step Into Your Future: A Businesswoman’s Path to Profits shows how to make success a process.

“What specific incident inspired you to gather together this information and put together a book?
→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp: Let’s face it, being a Small Business Owner is HARD. You don’t have time to focus. You’re stressed and you rush around. You’re all over the place; catching planes, picking up kids and completing proposals and contracts. And it seems like you’re doing this all at once. You’re lost in the trees and blind to the forest.

→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp: The heart of success is figuring out what gets you the best results. You hear about business planning techniques that can help you focus on getting the business results you want. But you procrastinate in implementing them. I know this because I have been there too. It is overwhelming when you need to be the plumber, the accountant, the salesman and the person who delivers the goods.  It is hard to make the time to work “on” the business and not work “in” the business.  More planning advice is available at www.StepIntoYourFuture.com/teleseminar/

“What’s the story behind the book’s title?”
→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp:  I feel so good when I work with other business owners to help them understand how to tame the things that steal your time. The great thing is that when you focus and produce results, you get to share your story of your products and services with everybody. You meet people who help you connect with others. You play a bigger game. People will recognize your name. You enjoy life. Your sphere of influence grows. You get more opportunities to create alliances with people that you now only dream about.

“What specific inspiration changed your life … and why do you feel it had such a ‘mind-shifting’ impact on you?”
→ Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp:   I believe in easy; an easy way to see what you need to do and came up with a quick process that allowed me to identify steps that accelerated my success.

As you read Step Into Your Future: Your Path to Profits you’ll discover a powerful map that will guide you on your road to business success.  Here are some of things you get to take away from this business planning book:

Chapter One- What’s Your Dream Business?
Chapter Two- Catch Your Business Vision on Paper
Chapter Three- What Makes Your Business Stand Out from the Crowd?
Chapter Four- Call Out Your Business Reason for Being on Paper
Chapter Five- The Truth About Your Time
Chapter Six- Create a Moneymaking System
Chapter Seven- State What You Want
Chapter Eight- Plan Your Business Results
Chapter Nine- Key Steps to Constructing Your Moneymaking Plan
Chapter Ten. Remove Your Obstacles

Summary
Most of our success is based on connecting your business with your purpose and passion. Many advisors are needed for the making of war according to Proverbs. Business is brutal. Get an advisor, visit Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp at www.StepIntoYourFuture.com/teleseminar/ to start walking in your path to your future.

Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp, MBA, is one of the most dynamic speakers on business success. Audiences call her brilliant and inspiring as she shares her personal journey on becoming a successful small business owner. She has advice for women that no one else has, on how to take your business to the next level.

Rosemary is an expert on the mindset needed for business change. She is the founder of Business Success Plan group and inspires small business owners, professional services consultants and other women leaders to create personal business plans. She makes it easy for business owners to define and execute success plans. Her book on Step Into Your Future: A Businesswoman’s Guide to Success sets the standard for realigning to current market needs.

Rosemary Regier-Hossenlopp, consultant, author, and workshop leader is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA). She received her B.S. from Oregon State University and M.B.A. from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California.

Secrets for Success from the life of Jesus: THE GREATEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED

In The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Steven K. Scott guides readers in a step-by-step application of the life-changing principles, skills, and methods that Jesus used throughout his earthly life. Although believers may spend a lifetime learning from Jesus’ teachings, it’s easy to overlook the powerful lessons demonstrated in His life. But when these incomparable lessons are learned and put to use, they enable ordinary people to achieve extraordinary success and happiness.

As you look at Jesus’ life, you will learn how to:

• Find new meanings that will raise your life to new heights.
• Develop missions that will produce greater creativity and productivity.
• Communicate messages that will move the minds and hearts of your listeners.
• Act in a manner that attracts others, increases your value, and heightens your self-esteem.
• Adopt a method that accelerates extraordinary success.
• Discover your incredible worth.
• Give and receive a type of love that is truer than any you have experienced before.

No matter what a person’s area of expertise and in what setting a person influences others, living by the principles of Jesus’ life on earth produces extraordinary success, unprecedented achievements, personal fulfillment, and blessings for others.

In The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, Steven K. Scott reveals the hidden treasures to be found in Christ’s life as a human. When you learn from Jesus’ life on earth, your own life will be propelled to a whole new level of achievement, happiness, and success.

Let the Greatest Man who ever lived turn your purpose-driven life into a purpose-accomplished life!

Steven K. Scott is the best-selling author of The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, The Greatest Words Ever Spoken, and Mentored by a Millionaire. After failing in nine jobs, he started reading a chapter of Proverbs every day-and the wisdom of Scripture changed his life. Scott and his business partners have built more than a dozen multimillion-dollar companies from scratch, achieving billions of dollars in sales. He is the co-founder of Max International, Total Gym Fitness, and The American Telecast Corporation. He is a popular international speaker on the subjects of personal and professional achievement and the application of biblical wisdom to every area of life. Steve Scott flunked out of nine jobs in his first six years after college. His income was less than half of the national average. He was told by more than one boss that he would never succeed in his chosen field. And yet, on job number ten, Steve co-founded the American Telecast Corporation (ATC), and its group of consumer-goods companies. With his partners he created more than a dozen multi-million dollar companies from scratch, becoming a multi-millionaire himself and creating more than 40 other millionaires along the way. He has generated sales of more than 2 billion dollars, making him one of the most successful marketing entrepreneurs in the history of direct response television marketing.

Steve has written, produced and directed countless award-winning television productions and commercials featuring celebrities such a Cher, Jane Fonda, Kathy Lee Gifford, Charlton Heston, Tom Selleck, Chuck Norris, Michael Landon and more than 70 other world-renowned celebrities. In addition to his two books published by Simon & Schuster, Steve has co-authored two, million copy best-sellers with relationships expert, Dr. Gary Smalley, and co-produced more than 20 best-selling videos.

Steve is a popular national speaker on the subjects of personal and professional achievement, and corporate productivity.

LISTERINE Total Care: Don’t leave home without it

One of our most important jobs as Moms is to make sure that everyone in our family takes care of themselves. In the midst of this, we often completely overlook our own healthy habits. Case in point: oral health care.

Teeth brushing? Well, of course. At least twice a day. Flossing? Getting much better at this since my dental hygienist almost put in time-out after one visit. Mouthwash- not so much.

Then I read, because of this Mom Central Blog Tour, about someone who got detailed oral health information from a friend at LISTERINE® who got to look at her own mouth cells under a microscope. She said that she’s “a total mouthwash convert! Who knew what lingered there?!”

With our ever growing to-do lists it can be so easy to neglect our personal oral health, but with 92% of adults ages 20 to 64 experiencing dental decay in our permanent teeth at some point in our lives, proper oral care routines and preventive dental care visits prove more essential than ever for achieving a cleaner, healthier mouth.

We need to take notes from what we tell our kids – by doing simple things regularly including brushing, flossing and rinsing twice daily and visiting your dentist twice a year for preventative care, you can avoid bigger problems down the line that require painful oral procedures and may cost thousands of dollars. An alarming recent survey by Cigna indicates that 41 percent of Americans are taking worse care of their health because of the economy.

LISTERINE® TOTAL CARE, Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash, now available, is the only fluoride mouthwash that contains six benefits in one:

· Helping to prevent cavities
· Restoring enamel
· Strengthening teeth
· Killing bad breath germs
· Freshening breath
· Fighting unsightly plaque above the gum line

Climb a mountain, build a relationship

The true story of how a father and his teen daughter connected through an ice axe and well-worn running shoes.

One day after reading a book about a wilderness adventurer, David Pierce’s fifteen-year-old daughter Chera announced that she wanted to climb a mountain. What David heard behind that wish was a bold declaration: “I’m growing up, Dad—what are you going to do about it?” A few weeks later they bought matching backpacks.

Over a three-year period they climbed five mountains and ran in two marathons. Together they suffered sore muscles, bitter cold, sprung knees, shin splints, and broken spirits. But they also reveled in blazing sunsets, glissaded on a glacier, and celebrated numerous victories great and small. And in the process, they built an unshakable father-daughter bond that will stand the tests of time.

In Don’t Let Me Go, David Pierce—the husband of popular Christian comedienne Chonda Pierce—offers a down-to-earth, funny-yet-serious book for parents with the same universal appeal as Bob Carlisle’s heart-tugging song, “Butterfly Kisses,” only with well-worn running shoes and an ice axe.

FROM DAVID PIERCE:

Don’t Let Me Go is a story of a three-year journey that my teenage daughter Chera and I took climbing mountains and running marathons—mountains and valleys—both literally and metaphorically.

Although this story is filled with humorous moments—like when we meet Chad, who admits to being s a “bit clumsy with an ice ax” —there are also moments of disappointment (we fail our first evaluation at Mt. Rainier) and great redemption (we limp across the finish line of our second marathon). When the story begins, we are novices, both as father and daughter and as mountain climbers. But during the course of this journey, the growth of our relationship closely parallels that of our mountaineering. Although this is a book about pain and perseverance, disappointment and victory, it is mostly what a father learns about his daughter—by watching her character, both in the valleys and on the mountaintops.

Born in Nashville, TN, David currently lives in Murfreesboro, TN with his wife Chonda. Their daughter Chera recently married and their son Zachary attends a nearby university.

Education
David received his undergraduate degree in communications/journalism in 1982 and Masters of Arts Degree in English at Middle Tennessee State University in 2000.

Teaching
David is an adjunct English professor at Middle Tennessee State University. He was the guest writer-in-resident at Taylor University in Ft. Wayne, IN in 2004 and again in 2007, where he taught a two-week course in crime writing. He also works as a writing mentor with the continuing education curriculum at MTSU known as The Writer’s Loft.

Writing
David has had nearly a dozen short stories published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. He has collaborated with his wife Chonda on two children’s books published by Zonderkidz: Tales from the Ark (2001) and Tales from the Manger (2004).

Is your Neosporin expired?

When Mom Central and Johnson’s offered an opportunity to blog about Neosporin, I eagerly volunteered. Having moved three times in two years, I had to examine the contents of our bathroom cabinets more than I truly cared. It’s amazing the number of ten-year-old prescriptions, half bottles of cold medicine in what I hoped was it’s original color, and tubes of ointment that were barely recognizable. Shameful. But, and unfortunately, I’m not alone.

It turns out that 40% of homes have an expired topical antibiotic in the medicine cabinet, an important issue as some products may lose their effectiveness once they reach their expiration date. The folks at NEOSPORIN® invite you to investigate your first aid supplies and share just how old your tubes of NEOSPORIN® are. We bet you might be surprised at some of the dates, so check the expiration date on your tubes. Neosporin is as essential for those boo-boos as bandages and Mommy kisses.


Did You Know:

• 46% of people treat wounds to soothe them and relieve pain.
• Painful wounds including splinters, shaving cuts, blisters, hang nails, ripped cuticles, paper cuts and burns account for nearly 40% of wound types that people sustain.
• Even minor cuts and scrapes can become contaminated with dirt and germs, which may cause infection.

Product Description:
From the #1 doctor recommended brand, NEOSPORIN® + Pain Relief First Aid Antibiotic/Pain Relieving Ointment and Cream help prevent infection and provide temporary relief of pain or discomfort in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.

Product Benefits:

• Helps prevent infection in minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
• Soothes painful cuts.
• Soothes the pain of burns.
• Suitable for ages 2 and up.
• Available nationwide in food and drug stores, and mass merchandisers for $4.77 – $9.07.
• Available sizes – Plus Pain Ointment: 1/2 ounce tube, 1 ounce tube; Plus Pain Cream: 1/2 ounce tube, 1 ounce tube.

For more information visit www.neosporin.com

Struggling to recover from a broken marriage and disappointed dreams, Paulette Harper gropes for meaning and understanding, and through her searching, God reveals Hims elf to her in ways she never before imagined possible. By sharing her struggles with transparency, she illustrates how a heart attitude of surrender allows God to use a broken vessel for His ultimate plans of glory.  That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored is a heart-wrenching account of one woman’s true story of determination, loss and triumph.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulette Harper is an emerging Christian Author making her debut with her first inspirational book That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored, a compelling story of deception, heart-ache and ultimate victory. In 10 chapters she masterfully uncovers the hidden obstacles she faced as the “first lady” and how she eventually broke through those barriers.

A native of Pittsburg, Ca, Paulette travels as an Inspirational speaker and licensed minister teaching people how to overcome life’s unexpected experiences by delivering a strong message of hope.

Beyond her writing ability she has a passion to lead people to a clear and precise understanding of how life challenges can become one’s ultimate source of victory by sharing solid, biblical principles that will enable people to find a way out of every trial so they can reach their God given potential.

Daisy Chain by Mary DeMuth

DAISY CHAIN: Mary DeMuth’s amazing coming-of-age novel

Note from Christa: I’ve read Mary’s novels before Daisy Chain, so I was prepared to be captured by the world and characters she creates in her stories. But this one.  This one is beyond captivating; it’s hauntingly powerful, achingly  sad, and profoundly hopeful.  Defiance and its people live in your heart long after you close the book.  Don’t deprive yourself of this experience.

The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance from a small Texas town in 1973 spins three lives out of control-Jed, whose guilt over not protecting his friend Daisy strangles him; Emory Chance, who blames her own choices for her daughter’s demise; and Ouisie Pepper, who is plagued by headaches while pierced by the shattered pieces of a family in crisis.
In this first book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper has a sickening secret: He’s convinced it’s his fault his best friend Daisy went missing. Jed’s pain sends him on a quest for answers to mysteries woven through the fabric of his own life and the lives of the families of Defiance, Texas. When he finally confronts the terrible truths he’s been denying all his life, Jed must choose between rebellion and love, anger and freedom.

Daisy Chain is an achingly beautiful southern coming-of-age story crafted by a bright new literary talent. It offers a haunting yet hopeful backdrop for human depravity and beauty, for terrible secrets and God’s surprising redemption.

Mary DeMuth
Mary DeMuth is an expert in the field of Pioneer Parenting. She helps Christian parents plow fresh spiritual ground, especially those seeking to break destructive family patterns. Her message guides parents who don’t want to duplicate the home where they were raised or didn’t have positive parenting role models growing up.

An accomplished writer, Mary’s parenting books include Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God.  Her real-to-life novels inspire people to turn trials into triumphs: Watching the Tree Limbs (2007 Christy Award finalist, ACFW Book of the Year 2nd Place) and Wishing on Dandelions (2007 Retailer’s Choice Award finalist).

Mary is a frequent speaker at women’s retreats and parenting seminars, addressing audiences in both Europe and the United States. National media regularly seek Mary’s candid ability to connect with their listeners. Her radio appearances include FamilyLife Today, Moody Midday Connection, and U.S.A. Radio network. She also has articles published in Marriage Partnership, In Touch, and HomeLife.

As pioneer parents, Mary and her husband Patrick live in Texas with their three children. They recently returned from breaking new spiritual ground in Southern France where they planted a church.

Learn more about Mary at http://blog.myfamilysecrets.org/.

About the Author:

Tell me a little bit about your background and your family.
You can read my testimony on my website (www.marydemuth.com). I came from a difficult upbringing, but Jesus saw fit to find me at fifteen. He has utterly changed my life.

I’ve been married 18 years to my husband Patrick (who’s been told he looks like George Clooney on more than one occasion). Interesting side note: I’ve been told I look like Laura Dern, and we share the EXACT same birthday. Twins separated at birth? Possibly. If you’re reading this and you’re chums with Laura, could you probe a bit?

George (er, Patrick) and I have three kids: Sophie, Aidan and Julia. Sophie’s learning to drive-and what’s interesting is that I’m not worried about it. She’s a careful driver. My son Aidan is thirteen. He’s passionate about finding water for a small village in Ghana. We got to go on the trip of a lifetime to meet the village of Sankpem last summer. Our daughter Julia is ten and is deeply kindhearted, beautiful inside and out. We also have an overly needy (farting) dog and a fat & fuzzy (sometimes cranky) cat.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Hobbies?
I love to cook and garden and sew and decorate and take pictures. I’m really quite a homebody. I also keep in shape by training for small triathlons, emphasis on small.

What has God been teaching you lately?
To learn how to embrace subtlety. I’m a loud, in your face, writer. I’m learning to create nuance. This, of course, translates into my everyday life too.

Alas, the other thing is pretty convoluted and deep, but it has to do with learning to trust God’s love for me, even if some people in my life act in enemy-like ways. (I’m sure none of you have ever struggled with this.) In other words, what do you do when some voices say unkind and untrue things? Used to be I took those words like morsels into my heart and chewed on them until the poison saturated me. Now I’m learning to weigh the words briefly, then place them in Jesus’ hands. It’s a discipline to do that. The tricky part comes when I act as my enemy, hurling insults at myself. It’s all about giving every word to Jesus and choosing to believe His words about me. I am dearly loved. Wow.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
This may sound strange, but I wanted to be a doctor. But even then, the writer in me came out because I liked the cadence of my maiden name with the title doctor. Mary Walker, Medical Doctor.

Where are you headed next?
I hope I see that I get to continue this writing dream-writing for the sheer joy of it, and also receiving compensation (a nice writerly dream!). I also pray that if things take off, I’ll keep my head on straight and constantly strive to point to the truly Famous One, Jesus.

I sense that more public speaking is in the future as well.

How did you get involved in writing?
I’ve been writing since college when the bug hit me. I wrote my first short story about a missionary going to Russia (when it was firmly encased behind the iron curtain) and having to do all these clandestine things to share the gospel. I’m embarrassed to write this, but the piece started with these four words: Thump, thump, thump, thump (representing the protagonist’s heartbeat, of course).

I’ve been actively writing since 1992 when my daughter Sophie was born. I created a newsletter that helped moms manage their homes. I bought my first computer from the proceeds. I also designed and edited church newsletters, wrote homeschooling curriculum, and even wrote a script for an ultrasound training video. Soon after, short stories started flying out of me. When we moved from East Texas to Dallas for my husband to go to Dallas Seminary, I decided to get serious. I met my friend Sandra Glahn then, a professor at the seminary and a published writer. She shepherded me through the query-letter-writing process and has been an incredible cheerleader.

In 2002, I wrote my first novel. In 2003, I signed with an agent, then signed two nonfiction books. Since then, I’ve had five books published (those included), Daisy Chain being my sixth book. The first novel I wrote is yet to be published.

How do you find time to write?
I make time to write. I give myself word count goals every day. While my children are at school, I work full time. Lately I’ve been writing and promoting like a crazy woman, pulling 10-12 hour shifts. Even so, it’s a priority for me to have a sit-down dinner with my family every night. It helps that I love to cook.

What do you enjoy most about the writing process?
I love the initial flurry of words on the page where I’m uninhibited. I love fleshing out a story as it comes to me. I see my novels on the movie screen of my mind, which may account for the visual nature of my narratives.

What was the most difficult aspect of the writing process?

I am not in love with rejection.I also don’t cherish rewriting. But it’s a necessary and important evil.

What would you say to someone who wants to become a published author?
Here’s the analogy you need to memorize and internalize: Beginning the publishing journey is like wearing a sweatshirt and toting a sack lunch at the base of Mount Everest, thinking, Hmm, this should be a breeze!

In addition: know you are called. Know you have talent. Know you’re full of tenacity. All three things will help you succeed along the journey.

Another idea is hang out at The Writing Spa and its corresponding blog WannabePublished. I tackle nearly every question a new writer would have. I offer weekly free critiques and I have guest authors cameo there. I evaluate the saleabilty of a book idea. Hop on by at http://www.thewritingspa.com.

Where did you get the idea for the book?
I had a friend who shared a difficult story with me. He grew up in a Christian home. His father was in leadership in the Christian community. From the outside, all looked perfect. But behind closed doors, life was very, very hard. I wanted to expose that kind of abuse. That’s why the idea of family secrets plays heavily into all three books of the Defiance, Texas trilogy.

What are the major themes of the book?
The importance (and elusiveness) of authenticity.
The devastation of maintaining and keeping family secrets.
Redemption comes from surprising people.
Feeling guilty doesn’t always equal reality.
True friendship involves sacrifice.

What kind of research did you have to do for the book?
Having lived in East Texas for two years, I absorbed a lot of the geography and colloquialisms of the area. A lot of my research happened as I wrote. I also researched battered wives and police procedure (Thanks Officer Woodruff).

With which character do you identify most and why?
In high school, I was a lot like Hixon, living on the margins of life in some ways because I was so flat-out in love with Jesus. I wanted to share Him everywhere, and my speech was peppered with Jesusisms. But like Hixon, I also had another side to me, one I hid. Learning to be honest with myself and others about my own shortcomings-and, oh, they are aplenty-has made me a better Christ-follower in the long run. It’s not about appearing holy. It’s about being holy from the inside out. The only route to that kind of abundance is honest, excruciating disclosure with trusted friends and the God who sees it all.

What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
I liken this book to an Oprah book, but with hope. Yes, there is darkness and meanness abounding in this world, but God’s light has a way of fully penetrating that darkness. I hope Daisy Chain cradles the reader through its deep, scary journey clear through to the end because redemption will shine brighter in the midst of darkness. That’s my own personal testimony, so it can’t help but leak out on the page.

My hope is that folks will see the need to share their family secrets in order to be set free. (A cool place to share your family secrets anonymously is http://blog.myfamilysecrets.org). I also want people to see that the Body of Christ is probably much different looking than they first thought. Some appear holy. Others, in distressing disguises, actually are.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Daisy Chain on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310278368

Mary DeMuth’s Website: http://blog.myfamilysecrets.org/

Mary DeMuth’s Blog: http://relevantblog.blogspot.com

Mary DeMuth’s Facebook Profile: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-DeMuth/33200616570

Follow Mary DeMuth on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mdemuth

Here’s the first page of the book:

It had been thirty roller-coaster years since Daisy Marie Chance forced fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper to fall in love with her. He’d obliged her, dizzied at the thought ever since. It had been that long before Jed could walk through the ruins of Crooked Creek Church, a butterfly flitting a prophecy he never could believe, even today. It was Daisy’s singsong words that gave the butterfly its bewitching manner, those same words that strangled him with newfound love. For years, he wished he’d had an Instamatic camera to capture the moment he fell for Daisy, but then entropy would’ve had its way, fading and creasing Daisy’s face until she’d have looked like an overloved newspaper recipe, wrinkled and unreadable.Thing was, he could always read Daisy’s face. Even then. She’d looked at him square in the eyes that day in 1977, in the exact same spot he stood now, and declared, “Your family ain’t normal, Jed.” And because lies came easy to him, he’d thought, of course my family’s normal. Anyone with eyes could see that. Daisy said a lot of words, being a thirteen-year-old girl and all, but these didn’t make much sense.

Thirty years later they did. They screamed the truth through the empty field where the church used to creak in the wind.

For a hesitant moment, enshrined in the ruins of his childhood, Jed was fourteen again. Filled to the brim with testosterone and pestered by an orange and black tormenter and Daisy’s oh-so-true words.

“Your family ain’t normal, Jed.”

He watched the butterfly loop above the organ, never landing, like it had a thing against church music. Or maybe dust.

He sat on a rickety pew.

“Jed?”

He clasped his hands around his ears, hoping Daisy’s words would run away. He hummed “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

She put her nose right in front of his. He felt her breathing, smelled her Juicy Fruit breath. “You in there?”

He swatted the air between them, hoping she’d disappear. “Yeah. Quit bothering me.” He looked at his watch. Six fifteen. Time to go.

“But your face.” Daisy sat down a Bible’s throw away.

Jed touched his swollen eye. “Yeah? So? What about it?”

“It looks like it hurts.” Daisy scooted closer. She reached her arm his direction.

He inched away.

Here are the blogs featuring Daisy Chain
5 Minutes for Books
A Peek at My Bookshelf
A Spacious Place
Actual Unretouched Photo
Along the Way
Amy Storms
Ashley Weis
Aspire2 Blog
Awesome God . . . Ordinary Girl
blah-blah-blog
Blame it on the Loud Mouth Gene
Blog Tour Spot
Bluebonnet in the Snow
Book Nook Club
BookingIt
Bookworm’s Nook
Bound to His Heart
Callapidder Days
Camy’s Loft
Canadian Prairie Writer
Carla’s Writing Cafe
CommuniKate
Cyndy Salzmann
Declaring His Marvelous Work
dreamers of the day
Edgewise
Faith Fuel
Faith of a Single Mom
Fictionary
Five Bazillion and One
Giving Up on Perfect
Heading Home
Healthy Spirituality
Home-Steeped Hope
i don’t believe in grammar
it wasn’t me
Janell Rardon’s Blog
Just Pure Lovely
J’s Spot
Kindred Heart Writers
Krellfish
Leap of Faith
Life is one daily adventure
Lift My Noise
Lighthouse Academy
Literary Discoveries
Literary Fangirl
L’Chaim
Margaret Daley
Mari’s Morning Room
My Life Message
Paper Bridges
Partners in Prayer for Our Prodigal
Pix-N-Pens
Positive Moms
Prayerfully Penned
Rachel Hauck
Refresh My Soul
Reviews by Donna
Sarah Winfrey
Scraps and Snippets
See Ya On the Net
Simplifying Motherhood
Sips ‘n Cups Cafe
Sky-High View
The Gospel Writer
The Journey of Writer Danica Favorite
The March to Freedom
The Serial Writings of Robin Shope
The View From Here
The Writing Road
Whosoever Will Outreach Ministry
Wild Words . . . Photos and Fine Art
Wisdom Walk
Word Vessel
Write by Faith