3 Fun Facts with Joanne

I have no idea how to edit out my bloopers so you get it all :] The video maker and I were not getting along and I am technologically handicapped.

Thank you for watching!

Adventures in Country Living: Raising Chickens

So these are our lovely ladies. They are a great group of chickens and there's nothin' like fresh eggs.

The yolks are a deep orange that make the yummiest fried eggs, rich quiches and are a blessing to have on hand when throwing together a cake or batch of brownies. What? No eggs in the fridge? Time to trek out to the coop! And I must admit, I'm the #1 go to person on our street for "Do you have an egg to spare?" :D

As you can see they're a hodgepodge of different breeds. We started out with a quad of beautiful Rhode Island Reds.

And then we got a dog.

Turns out chickens and ADD Labrador teenagers (who know how to dig) don't mesh well. I'm pretty sure he meant well but no, they weren't moving toys. So the Labrador went to a neighbor (thanks Kelly). And she posted this picture on Facebook a few days later...

"If I don't make eye contact, they can't see me"

This would have been our backyard.
And those feathers would not have been a pillow.

So fortunately now, Zak has a home that is chicken-free with a super loving family, and a BFF named Kaya to play with all day long.

Keeping chickens is incredibly easy. All they need is a little shelter from varmints, food, water and room to roam when the weather is nice. Ours love walking the yard and eating grass and worms. This makes for happier chickens. I used to run a country store with my mother-in-law. We had a sign out front for "Happy Chicken Eggs." They sold as quick as we could put them into cartons. There's nothing like a farm fresh egg and the experience is all the more enjoyable knowing they come from happy chickens :) 


My favorite way to eat eggs is fried with crumbled goat cheese on top. SO good! How about you?

Book Contract: How It All Happened

I write Appalachian romance. And if you read last weeks post, know that I recently signed a three book contract for the Cadence of Grace Series with WaterBrook Press. Yippee!

The first book in the series, Be Still My Soul, drops readers in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the turn of the last century at a time when honor and duty walked the same path as hope and faith. It's my prayer that this love story will touch hearts and encourage readers.

When I originally sent out queries, I knew this series was going to be a tough sell to agents. If I managed to get an agent, I knew it would be an even tougher sell to a publisher. Which is why I am throwing confetti in the air in honor of my fabulous agent, Sandra Bishop (MacGregor Literary). The woman is a rock star and not only saw potential in my story, but had enough faith in it to sign me on and pitch it to publishers.

When she informed me that WaterBrook Press was considering my proposal, I was over the moon. I've long admired their taste in fiction and am a huge fan of titles from authors like Liz Curtis Higgs, Susan Meissner and Kristen Heitzmann. The journey continued for months and months as my proposal went farther down the conveyor belt, constantly under the scrutiny of publishing pros. I was prepared that most likely, nothing would come of it. If by some miracle anything did, they just might want one...maybe two books. But all three?

As the waiting continued, I checked my email every day, chewed my fingernails down to stubs, and wore holes in my jeans for all the time I spent talking to God about it.

Then one day, I got The Call. Hearing my agent's voice on the other line with that mysterious-happy-restrained tone, my heart went into over drive. When she broke the good news that all three books had been chosen for publication, I wanted to cry. I think I might have. I immediately called my husband and of course my mom and I know I did the happy dance. I was REALLY pregnant then and let's just say...no that wasn't an earthquake you felt. :] That was one happy author!

Photo credit: Cold Mountain, 2003

A Dream Come True ~ 3 Book Contract!

I'm so excited!! 

Today is the day I can finally announce my big news!! Yep, that's a book contract! And it has a line for my name! And lines for other people's names. Really important book publishing people!!

With the help of my incredible agent, I've signed a 3 book contract with WaterBrook Press!

*SQUEAL!*

I am so grateful to my agent, Sandra Bishop and the amazing team at WaterBrook Press for believing in this project!

The wait is officially over. I am fidgety with excitment about getting this series into the hands of readers. This story is so near and dear to my heart. God has played the HUGEST role in leading the way as I navigated toward this moment and I am SOOO thankful. My family has been incredibly supportive over the years and I owe my husband a big fat kiss for all of his faith in me.

A huge, wiggly hug to all the readers who have been so supportive and enthusiastic about this Blue Ridge Mountain love story, a massive thanks to all the critiquers who've been invaluable in molding my writing over the years, and a hug to all my blog followers and commenters, you guys mean so much to me!! Hats off to you all!

Next week I'll share more about how it all happened. And I can't wait to share more about the series and introduce you to the first title, Be Still My Soul, which is set to release in the fall of 2012!

Time to celebrate! I think tonight just might be a date night :D