Book Review: White Picket Fences (and a giveaway!)

Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing copies of this book to review and give away!

Today I am reviewing White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner for Waterbrook Multnomah.

About the book:
When her black sheep brother disappears, Amanda Janvier eagerly takes in her sixteen year-old niece Tally. The girl is practically an orphan: motherless, and living with a father who raises Tally wherever he lands– in a Buick, a pizza joint, a horse farm–and regularly takes off on wild schemes. Amanda envisions that she, her husband Neil, and their two teenagers can offer the girl stability and a shot at a “normal” life, even though their own storybook lives are about to crumble.

Seventeen-year-old Chase Janvier hasn’t seen his cousin in years, and other than a vague curiosity about her strange life, he doesn’t expect her arrival will affect him much–or interfere with his growing, disturbing interest in a long-ago house fire that plagues his dreams unbeknownst to anyone else.

Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.

Will Tally’s presence blow apart their carefully-constructed world, knocking down the illusion of the white picket fence and reveal a hidden past that could destroy them all–or can she help them find the truth without losing each other?

About the author:
Susan Meissner cannot remember a time when she wasn't driven to put her thoughts down on paper. Her novels include The Shape of Mercy, winner of the Christian Book Award for Fiction, and Blue Heart Blessed. Susan and her husband, a pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, make their home in Southern California. They are the parents of four grown children.



My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book! It was gripping and sucked me in quickly. It was not overtly Christian, similar to several of the Christian fiction novels I've been reading lately. World War II and the Holocaust have always been a special interest of mine, and I was immediately drawn to the history of the novel. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character and each character subplot is incredibly intriguing. There is a great deal of suspense, mystery, and emotion wrapped into this book. Meissner does an excellent job going behind the picket fences and exposing the true issues people - even Christians - try to mask behind the image of perfection. I look forward to picking up Meissner's critically acclaimed book, The Shape of Mercy, to read next.

The best part:
Waterbrook Multnomah provided an extra copy for me to give away! If you would like a copy of this book, please leave me a comment on this post. Please make sure your email address is linked to your comment or either leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you (and please leave it as yourname @ yourdomain .com so you don't get a bunch of spammers). I will close the comments at 12 noon on Thursday, November 12, and will draw a winner then. I'll post the name of the winner Friday morning!

To read the first chapter, click here.

White Picket Fences can be purchased as a hard copy, audio book, or e-book from Random House.

MM&M Part 18: The Dress Debacle

Hi everyone!

Last week I was distracted by the impending Saints (8-0!!!! WHO DAT?!?!) game. This week I'm a little distracted by Ida. Even though she is not slated to hit us but instead hit the poor folks in Pensacola, we're supposed to get gallons of rain and our streets flood at just a drizzle. The last time we had a really hard rain there was 2 feet of water in the street in front of our apartment.

I have prepared appropriately by wearing capris, flip flops, a dark shirt (ya'll know what I'm getting at here) and my hair is officially not fixed at all today because what is the point when you are walking around in rain and 20 mph winds?

Or maybe I just felt lazy today. *grins*

Anyway, if you want my whole MM&M collection, go here. Now let's get started!

***

December 2002

I had my dress. Is there really ever a more exciting moment in a young woman's life than the day she has her wedding dress physically in her hands? I mean, it's the stuff dreams are made of, right?

Also, B and I had set a date. We knew we would need some time for preparations but at the same time wanted to get married as soon as possible. So we settled for February 15th, 2003.

When we announced the date, a lot of people were like, "Just get married on Friday (Valentine's Day) and it will just be THE MOST ROMANTIC THING EVER!"

But the rebel in me said no, because I staunchly refused to have anything to do with a commercial, consumer-driven holiday.

What I didn't realize at the time is that small act of defiance cost me the ability to have beautiful, fresh flowers available for my wedding. Because there is not a single fresh red rose to be found in the entire state of Louisiana the day after Valentine's Day (unless, of course, you count the roses sitting in vases on dining room tables in homes). And guess who chose beautiful red roses as her floral decor for her wedding? I shot myself in the flowered foot. But you live, you learn.

Since my dress was taken care of, I moved on to the search for bridesmaids dresses. And I was determined to be the BEST BRIDE EVER when it came to picking dresses for my girls.

See, I knew the curse of the bridesmaid dress all too well. I had/have always been, ahem, well-endowed, and I know the horror that is the strapless bra, especially when trying to wear it under an ill-fitting dress.

(And yes, I did mention my dress was strapless. But because it was a fitted, corset-style top, it picked up the slack where the strapless bra left off. I can honestly say it's the only strapless dress I've ever looked good in, and I think that's exactly how it should be.)

As far as body types, my bridesmaids ran the gamut. Lily was thin and lean. My future sister in law was petite but extremely curvy (also well versed with horrors of the strapless bra). Brookie had a fuller chest but tiny hips. Nell was the opposite.

I spent many hours searching the internet and scratching my head trying to find a dress that would be flattering on them all.

Finally one day I found it. A simple, red, empire-waist, A-line dress (with thick enough shoulder straps that my SIL and Brookie could wear a normal bra). And it was at David's Bridal, which equaled inexpensive, so it was a win-win situation.

December 14, 2002

B and I had planned the big "Meet the Families" dinner that evening in his city. Since I had finally chosen a bridesmaid dress, my family decided to head over early to his city and check out the David's Bridal there. My future SIL agreed to drive over and meet us there and be the dress model.

We got to David's Bridal, found the dress, and E went into the dressing room. She came back out a few minutes later looking absolutely stunning in the apple-red dress that went perfect with her dark hair and blue eyes. "That's it!" I cried as she spun a few times before going back inside to change.

When she had changed back into her regular clothes, I took the dress up to the counter, patting myself on the back with imaginary hands for succeeding in being THE BEST BRIDE EVER - at least when it came to bridesmaids dresses. The sales clerk took the dress and asked for my wedding date.

"February 15, 2003," I announced happily. I'm pretty sure I also grinned like an idiot.

Her pen froze over the ledger she was writing in. She lifted her eyes to mine. "You're joking, right? You mean 2004, right?"

"No," I said, shaking my head vigorously. "2003. As in two months from now."

Her cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I don't think I can order these dresses for you. Our turnaround time is two months for orders. I cannot guarantee that the dresses will be in by the day of your wedding."

I wanted to cry.

In fact, I did cry.

Though I'm sure tears are nothing new to the employees of David's Bridal, for some reason this super-sweet sales lady took pity on me. She picked up the phone, made several calls, and was able to set up a rush account for me. With the authority of her manager, she was able to guarantee the dresses would be in by February 8th. One week before the wedding.

"Now," she said briskly, when all the details had been ironed out. "Where are the rest of your bridesmaids? We need to get them measured and their sizes entered into the order ASAP."

I hung my head. "I only have one here. Two are an hour away, one is in Baton Rouge, and one is in Fort Worth."

She sighed heavily, wishing (I'm sure) she had not had the misfortune to wait on me. She drew a deep breath and squared her shoulders. I like to imagine she was building herself up for the challenge. "You need to call every single one of them right now. The two who are an hour away - get them over here now. Call the ones in Baton Rouge and Fort Worth and tell them to get to their local David's Bridal store as soon as possible and get measured. We have to have their sizes today to guarantee the dresses. By Monday it will be too late." She slid a piece of paper with my order number on it across the counter. "Tell them to give this number to whoever assists them and tell them the sizes have to be put in immediately!"

I grabbed my phone and dashed outside while she turned to record E's measurements and size. First I dialed Brookie and Nell and begged them to make the drive over. Needless to say, I no longer felt like the best bride ever. I was definitely leaning more towards worst bride ever. They agreed to ride together for the hour drive and would be there before closing to get measured. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Next I called Lily, my maid of honor, asking her if she knew where the Baton Rouge David's Bridal was and could she please, please, please head over there rightthisinstant and get measured for the dress? Lily, who will forever reign as BEST MAID OF HONOR EVER, closed our call with an enthusiastic, "I'm on it!!!" and within half an hour was calling me as she walked out of David's Bridal, measurements taken and size recorded.

Last was my cousin, who lived in Fort Worth. She was a junior bridesmaid and therefore would not wear the exact same dress as the maids, but hers still needed to be ordered that day nonetheless. Can I just say this was the call I hated to make the most? At 15 she wasn't quite old enough to drive herself, and her mother - my aunt - had just been brought home with hospice care to live out the rest of her days with cancer. I felt like the worst person ever taking her away from her mother over a stupid dress when they had such little time left together. But my uncle drove her over, got her fitted, and the size recorded within the hour.

So now I only had to wait for Brookie and Nell. The store closed at 6. Finally - finally - they strolled in together at about 5:45. I was beyond having an aneurysm. The attendants tackled them as soon as they crossed the store threshold. In a flurry of tape they were measured, sized, and all five dresses were ordered. I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The uber-awesome sales lady was on the phone again, barking orders to make sure Lily's dress would be shipped to the Baton Rouge store and my cousin's dress would be shipped to Fort Worth. With tears in my eyes, I hugged her as we left the store. As soon as I got home that night, I emailed David's Bridal to let them know about their awesome employee.

After we left David's Bridal, we headed to a local Italian restaurant so my folks could officially meet B's folks. We had a great, relaxing, warm dinner - the perfect end to an incredibly stressful day.

So I let go of the notion of being the BEST BRIDE EVER. With only two months to go, it was time to make sure I would be the BEST WIFE EVER. And hopefully I could do so without an epic fail similar to what happened with the bridesmaids dresses...

Tune in November 16 for Part 19!

Because pictures tell it better than words.

And yes, I found face stickers.

Obviously.

WHO DAT?!?!?! 7-0!!!! Geaux Saints! We are Miami-bound!

Jochebed

I lift the palmfuls of water to my face, feeling the cool relief as the water trickles down my cheeks and neck. The sun glares down from the sky, scorching everything in its path.

Beside me, he coos softly. I adjust the linen cloth over his face, just enough to keep him covered but open enough to hopefully coax in a breeze. “Shh,” I whisper, rocking the straw basket slightly.

Along the river Aaron and Miriam splash and play, laughing giddily. My throat closes as I look at my two beautiful children, so full of life. My hand comes to rest involuntarily on the small basket beside me. Will I be able to see this one grow and splash in the water?

Fear - cold, gripping, paralyzing fear - overtakes me right there in the rushes on the riverbanks, and all of the sudden the sun and its furious rays are no longer an issue for me. What if we get caught? Surely the Egyptians will put us to death.

There is stirring coming from the basket, and I know another coo is coming. It is time to go.

I call to Aaron and Miriam, and they slowly and begrudgingly drag themselves out of the water. I gather the basket into my arms, making sure it looks like nothing more than a container of linens, and we depart for home.

The kids bicker and argue behind me as we walk, but my mind is elsewhere. The fear has pushed me into the recesses of my memories. Back to the day of his birth, when we made the decision whether to become murderers, or be the ones murdered...


To continue reading, please head over to the November issue of Exemplify Magazine.

Um, wow. Ya'll take your donuts seriously.

OK, let me clarify.

It's not the donuts, per se, that I don't like. I have yet to meet a piece of fried dough I don't devour. In fact, I'm sure it's part of Newton's Law somewhere that if a carb is deep-fried, it will by force of nature find its way to my mouth. No, I enjoy a good piece of fried carbohydrate.

It's the glaze.

I can't stand donut glaze.

Occasionally I'll eat a chocolate covered. I'll eat a bavarian-cream filled as long as the sugar glaze isn't on top. And you all know how I feel about the beignet (all fried dough & powdered sugar, NO GLAZE).

So that's it. I hope I haven't alienated anybody. I'm not anti-donut, just anti-glaze.

And speaking of donuts...



1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?
Um, I'd sit there. For at least a good five minutes. If you don't believe me, read my track record from yesterday. Cops tend to gravitate towards me, even when I'm not at fault (ahem, getting rear-ended on I-10 and me getting the ticket rearing it's ugly head again.)

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?
Absolutely not! Last night was my "early night" and I went to bed at 9. Holla!

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email her)
Email email email! In fact, I will even go to someone's blog and find their email address (if it's not linked) just so I can talk to them one-on-one. If I can't find their email, I'll go comment on their blog, but that's a distant second.

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:
Robin Hood, first. Then Aladdin. But if we're including Pixar movies, then add Monsters Inc, too.

5. Do you recycle?
No. *hangs head* I did when we lived in our old city. We don't have the space in our apartment or facilities to do it on campus, which is kind of a shame because I believe Christians should be good stewards of everything, not just money (here comes the hate mail). I do recycle Walmart bags and use CFL bulbs and stuff like that. I try to do a small part.

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?
Chance, because I am completely lousy at strategy.

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?
A while back I had a recurring nightmare about Marilyn Manson. I'm 100% convinced it was demonic and God delivered me from it.

8. What did you learn from your first real job?
That people who are supposed to be your friends will sell you down the river in a heartbeat if it means a promotion and new title for them.

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?
Both. I borrow when I can and I buy books cheap (Sam's has awesome prices on paperbacks).

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?
Capris. And now I wear them just about every single day (including today).

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?
December. I am not organized enough to do it all year, and the one year I tried to do it throughout the year, I forgot about everything I'd already bought until after Christmas.

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?
Monday night at the Saints game. Specifically the first interception Sharper picked off. I started jumping up and down and cheering and clapping. My sunglasses were hooked on the front of my jersey and they flew off when I started jumping and hit the lady in the row below me on the head. She was nice enough to return them, and even high-fived me afterwards.

For more Random Dozen, click the button at the top to visit Lid!

Have You Ever?

I saw this over at Mocha with Linda's and thought it looked like fun.

Also: I'm typing this on Monday because I'm pretty sure I'll be so tired on Tuesday that coherent thoughts will be a thing of fantasy.


1. Been pulled over?
Yes. Too many stinkin' times. There was the time I got rear-ended on I-10 and I got the ticket (improper lane usage, my foot). There was the time I got pulled over, at night, in NOLA, in a really scary neighborhood, just so the cop could tell me to get my headlight fixed or he would write me up. Most recently, over an illegal left turn.

(I am a law-abiding citizen. I really am. But there has been a time or four I've gone a smidge over the speed limit. And every time I've gotten pulled over/ticketed while living in NOLA, it's had nothing to do with speeding and more to do with stupidity - mine or the other driver's.)

2. Dyed your hair?
Is grass green?

3. Pulled an all-nighter?
A handful of times in college. Most recently at a lock-in for the youth at church.

4. Fallen down in public?
I have feet, therefore I fall. Often.

5. Broken a bone?
Yes, I was 11 year old and I split my the bone in my arm in two just under the shoulder joint.

6. Had braces?
Yes. Blecch.

7. Built something out of wood?
Negative. Unless popsicle sticks count.

8. Been to Disneyland?
Nope, just Disney World.

9. Eaten a Krispy Kreme donut?
I don't like donuts, but I have had a Krispy Kreme.

10. Screamed during a scary movie?
When I used to watch them, yes.

11. Been to a professional sporting event?
WHO DAT, bay-bee! Also: a Hornets game.

12. Slept till noon?
Yes, and I still would if I didn't have a child.

13. Been arrested?
Nope!

14. Opened Christmas presents early?
Yes. I'm horrible. I can't stand the suspense.

15. Rolled down a hill?
Yep. A levee, too (on the Atchafalaya, not in NOLA. NOLA levees are concrete and un-rollable).

16. Toilet papered someone’s house?
Many times! when I was young & stupid

17. Laughed so hard you cried?
At least once a week!

18. Gotten seasick?
One time, on the cruise we took for our 1-year anniversary.

19. Shared a sucker with your dog?
My dog just got hit by a car, but when he was alive, EEWWW, no!!!

20. Been in an accident?
See #1. Also once in college, where I permanently messed up my jaw. Always wear your seatbelts, people.

21. Ridden in a limo?
Prom, freshman year of high school.

22. Had a pet fish?
Yes. Then my cat killed it.

23. Been ice skating?
I debated it one time while at the Galleria in Dallas, but my final decision was no. Because my answer to #4 would have been multiplied 100-fold on ice.

24. Locked your keys in the car?
One time in college. Thankfully I went to college in my hometown and my dad had a set of keys to my car, so he was able to come unlock it for me.

25. Ridden a horse?
A handful of times. Not really my cup of tea. But I do like petting horses on their noses (muzzles?). They're so pretty!



So tell me: Have YOU ever?

MM&M: Break

Hi everyone!

Well, I'm a bad blogger.

Usually I compose my MM&M posts on Sunday. But that didn't happen yesterday. We had church and then were treated to a leisurely, fabulous lunch by our fabulous pastor and his fabulous wife. Then I had to do the pointless stuff, like, you know, housework and cooking dinner for my family.

My MM&M post did not happen. *Sigh*

And I thought about trying to whip one out this morning, but that's pretty much impossible, because right now I really only have one thing on my mind.

The Saints!!!

Tonight I am heading to the Dome to watch my boys in black & gold make some dirty-bird gumbo out of those Falcons.

I am decked out in full gear: (faux) Drew Brees jersey (faux because seriously? we're on a seminary budget and can't afford an $80 regulation jersey), fleur-de-lis jewelry, and I am bound and determined to find some face stickers before the end of the day. If I can't find some, I might just use mascara to scrawl out WHO DAT on my cheeks.

It's serious bidness, ya'll.

My husband chose not to get a jersey, opting instead for a regular Saints t-shirt because he has a firm belief in not tying himself down to one player.

And I'm like, "One player"? Drew Brees isn't a player, he is an institution. And I'm still not 100% convinced he's human.

But B and I agreed to disagree. Because differences are what keep a marriage interesting.

What do you know, this did (kind of) turn into an MM&M post. *smiles*

Anyway, I'm putting up the MckLinky because I still want to read your stories. They will give me something good to read over the next few days while I wait for my voice to return.

So please link up and I'll be back next week with the drama over the bridesmaids dresses.

Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gone beat dem Saints?!?

Oops! What I meant to say was...

Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gone tell dey love story?!?