To All The Nanoers Out There

Yes, I will be doing Nano this year--National Novel Writing Month. You can still sign up if you want to join the insanity http://www.nanowrimo.org/. In order to win, you have to write 50,000 words between November 1 and November 30. I don't know that I'll win, but I'll be pushing myself to write as much as I can during November. I'll be working on my YA paranormal. If you want to buddy with me (I'm still not sure what that means) my user name is super original: rebeccatalley.

This is dedicated to all who take on the NaNoWriMo challenge:



Good luck to all of us!

"The Upside of Down" Cover is Here!

What do you think of my new book cover?

Here's the back cover copy:

“Hmmm,” the doctor muttered.
Natalie wrinkled her forehead, almost afraid to ask, and said, “What does that mean?”
“You do know you’re pregnant, right?”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Excuse me?”
“You’re pregnant.”
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. “I’m what?”


Natalie Drake certainly has her hands full raising a large family, dealing with her difficult mother, and maintaining a relationship with her rebellious teenager. Just when things seem to be going smoothly, she finds out another unexpected surprise—she’s going to have a baby. Faced with so many challenges, Natalie must learn to trust in a plan that isn’t what she imagined and discover that every situation has an upside.

Beloved author Rebecca Talley carefully creates this touching and heartfelt story that is sure to inspire you. With true-to-life characters and situations, The Upside of Down will reignite your faith and remind you of the importance of family.

I'm not sure I'm "beloved" but what do you think? Does this make you want to read it? Would the cover intrigue you enough to pick it up?

I'll be having a contest for those who pre-order the book. I'll let you know when I have all the details set.

Thanks for visiting and thanks for supporting me!!

Writing Your Family History

Have you ever wanted to write your family history but didn't know where to start? Visit Linda Weaver Clarke's Website for information on how to bring your ancestors to life and write that family history.

Save the Child by Margaret Turley

From the back cover:

"You are not going to pour poison straight into her heart!" Nancy's determination to protect her daughter from the chemotherapy doctors insist she needs is fueled by boundless fury. She has seen cancer patients successfully treated with naturopathy. She wants the right to do this for Sharon, her eight year old child suffering from Leukemia.



Robert knows in his heart that chemotherapy is Sharon's only chance to survive. He follows his law professor's advice and forces himself to defend Nancy in public. As Sharon's parents they have to appear united. His work, law school and family demand more than twenty-four hours a day of him, and more than he is capable of giving.


Abby, at age fifteen, craves independence but needs understanding. No longer receiving the attention she deserves from her distracted parents, she seeks adventure on-line, with a stranger. The result sends her to the same hospital as her sister in a coma.


Five year old Ben misses his sisters. He blames his mother for making Grandma go away and his father for leaving him with strangers. Jack, the family dog provides his only comfort.


Phyllis, widow of a physician, can not condone her daughter's irrational actions. But love and concern for her grandchildren pull her back to care for Benjamin amidst the raging battle.


Cancer is the enemy. Love is the remedy and Grandma is the angel who glues the family picture back together again.

Margaret says:

While I was traveling to work one day the news broadcast a story about a mother who was refusing chemotherapy treatment for her son. Because I am a nurse I asked myself why would a mother decide against the best that medicine could offer for her offspring. The story unfolded over the next few weeks. The doctors insisted the boy had a virulent cancer that needed immediate attention. Even when threatened with jail and loss of custody the parents were unrelenting in their premise that they felt their child did not have cancer, and they did not want him to receive chemotherapy. After they were charged with kidnapping their own child because they crossed state lines a judge listened to the parents and halted the medical community and government forces.


What the parents wanted was an independent, out-of-state medical work-up for their son. The judge allowed them to seek this consultation. The result was that the child was discovered to be free of cancer. I sighed with relief. The judge saved this boy from the horrible side-effects of chemotherapy which include nausea, pain, sores, compromised immune systems, sterility, major organ damage, secondary cancers, and even death.

One of the most important roles of a nurse is to be a patient advocate. During my thirty-four-year career I have observed more than one situation where a patient and/or their family are not listened to. This can cause grave problems and errors, not the least of which being patients and families enduring proceedures they do not understand or agree with. It is my hope that the medical community and the law can expeditiously come together to serve the best interest for the child and family.

In the United States parents do not have the right to make medical decisions for their children from the time they are born until they reach the age of majority. Doctors and hospitals need to respect the different backgrounds, cultures, religious beliefs, and preferences approaches to healthcare that individuals and families have. In Save the Child I have explored a few of these options. Thank you.
 
You can purchase Save the Child at Amazon.

Temple Blessings

I am in Albuquerque, NM today. This morning I was blessed to attend the temple. I love to go to the temple. I love to just sit there and absorb the peace, especially since the world outside seems to becoming more and more tumultuous each day.

I have been trying to do some family history. I was really happy to find  a lot of information through the new Family Search program. I found one of my family lines. This program makes it easy to list any temple ordinances that still need to be done.

This morning I took my blue and pick slips of paper to the temple, and handed the blue ones to my husband. I took my stack, most of the names bearing my maiden name, to prepare to do initiatories. I waited for a few minutes before it was my turn.

When I entered the room to begin the ordinances, I could hardly read the first name. The Spirit was so strong that my eyes immediately filled with tears. It was overpowering. So much so that the women in the room also began to cry. One of the sweet women could barely utter the words to the ordinance. We all shed many tears in the temple this morning and I couldn't help but feel the presence of my family members.

I have been a proxy for the deceased many, many times before, but there's something different when I am there representing a member of my own family, even if that ancestor was born more than 100 years before me. Today, I was privileged to represent my great-great-grandmother. What a blessing to serve her--I wish I could have known her in mortality.

I kept thinking about the scripture in Malachi 4:6, "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Today my heart was turned to my ancestors and I believe their hearts were turned to me.

What a wonderful blessing we have to be able to do temple work for those who can no longer do it for themselves. Of course, those on the other side of the veil still have their free agency to accept or not accept the work we do for them, but I feel sure my ancestors were rejoicing in what happened today and I'm just so grateful I could be a part of it.

Defensive Tactics by Steve Westover

From the back cover:

Paul Stephens has it all--a wonderful job at the FBI, a new girlfriend, and a great apartment. Even when Jimmy, a friend from his past, unexpectedly ends up on his couch, Paul has no worries.

But when arresting a corrupt judge puts his girlfriend's life in danger, Paul and Jimmy will do anything to save her. How far will Paul go to protect the ones he love? Filled with suspense and action, Defensive Tactics shows just how much the bonds of friendship can endure.



I enjoyed reading this book. I'm not a big fan of omniscient point of view, I prefer to stay in one person's head, but Westover did a good job of creating an interesting and suspenseful story. I think he created some great characters.

I loved that Emily didn't lower her standards to do her job. She was still able to do what needed to be done, but she did it with modesty and class. I really liked her personality and loved how ingenious she was with the oil and water--you'll have to read the book to see what I mean.

I also really liked Jimmy. He was such a flake, but a likeable flake. I felt sorry for him and all that he lost, but I was glad when he realized he could find happiness and joy again. No matter what trials we endure in this life, we can still find peace and joy. I loved the talk Jimmy had with the bishop and how clearly the bishop explained what he needed to do to be happy again.

Paul is the rock. He is constant and solid--great traits in a character and in real life. I'm glad that . . . . sorry, no spoilers.

Westover did a great job characterizing the bad guys, too. The judge is slimy, slimy, slimy--I'd like to slap him.

I'd recommend this book.

To learn more about Steve Westover check out his blog.

Although I received this book as a review copy, it did not influence my review--my opinion, as always, is my own.

Abortion Survivor

What a powerful message. View both parts for the full effect and while you watch it, please consider that 90% of all pregnancies diagnosed with Down syndrome are terminated simply because the child isn't "perfect." Listen to this woman's words. She is my hero!