A NEW PROJECT...

I've received quite a few e-mails from readers asking what's coming next. So here's an update:

Unfortunately, my CURL UP AND DYE series has been put off for a while. It will be published - but won't come out until 2011. It will be released as a three-in-1 compilation - just like COZY IN KANSAS. If you liked COZY IN KANSAS, I think you'll like this series, too. It's been a lot of fun to write.

The reason CURL UP AND DYE has been delayed is so I can write a brand new series! Titled THE HARMONY SERIES, it will contain three books. These will be full length, individual titles. Right now, I'm writing the first novel - SIMPLE SECRETS.

SIMPLE SECRETS introduces Gracie Temple, a young graphic designer living and working in the big city. However, an unexpected phone call turns her world upside down. An uncle she's never met has died and left his estate to her. Now her father wants her to go to Harmony, Kansas, settle his estranged brother's estate, and rescue family heirlooms before they're lost. After some thought, Gracie takes two weeks off to travel to the Mennonite town of Harmony. Not long after she arrives, she discovers a long buried secret that threatens to destroy her family. In a desperate quest for the truth, Gracie finds that not all is as it appears in Harmony. Her search will uncover threads of secrecy winding through the small town. She will be helped by Sam Goodrich, a good-looking farmboy who isn't her type at all. Or is he?

I'm having so much fun writing this series! I hope you'll love it as much as I do.

If you'd like to be added to my newsletter list, please contact me at: nancymehlbooks@hotmail.com. A couple of months before the release of SIMPLE SECRETS, I'll notify you with more information.

DO DOGS GO TO HEAVEN?

I recently found the following poem online. At this time in my life, it holds great meaning to me. I am printing it with permission from its author, Dan Atcheson. His beautiful poem was written for his wonderful friend which happened to be a bulldog. I've removed the word "bully" from the poem and inserted "Eddie." I hope Dan won't mind.

Eddie was a wonderful Jack Russell terrier with a personality that shown through everything he did. He loved his toys and would sing "Happy Birthday" right along with the rest of the family. My son, Danny, was the last person who had the privilege of being serenaded by Eddie.

He always wanted to touch you. He slept on the bed - sometimes right next to you - and sometimes farther away. But he always had at least one paw reaching out to let you know know he was there - and to make sure you were also there for him.

He had a way of staring at you as if he could see into your soul. He slept at my feet while I wrote and followed me wherever I went. But a few weeks ago, he went somewhere ahead of me - not the way he usually does things. And I couldn't follow him. But I am counting on God to keep him safe until I get to where he is.

In December, my son bought me the strangest gift. A small ornament. At the time, I thought it was a little odd. Not the kind of thing he would normally buy. Too corny for his tastes. But he told me after Eddie was gone that God told him to buy it for me - five months before we had a clue that Eddie was sick.

It's an angel holding a small dog. God was reaching out to comfort me months before I would need it.

I don't know why we couldn't save Eddie. We did everything we could think of. We prayed, we confessed, we believed, and we took him to specialists. But for some reason I can't yet fathom, we lost him anyway.

I hope someday I will understand why he left us so early, but for now, my only hope is that nothing we love is ever really lost. I have to believe that Eddie is waiting for me in the way Dan's poem so beautifully expresses.

I love you, Eddie. I wouldn't trade a second of the time we had together for all the money in the world. The last thing I said to you was "See you in the morning."

And I believe I will.

Do Dogs Go to Heaven?

My little Eddie passed away, no more to breathe a sound.
I held him for the last time, then entombed him in the ground.
Day and night I wept so much, in tears I thought I'd drown.
I searched my soul for comfort, but no peace therein was found.

In great despair, I hit my knees and then began to pray.
"Father will I ever see, my dog again someday?"
I raised my eyes and saw an angel standing near a gate.
I sensed an inner peace I'd never felt before that day.

The angel smiled and said to me, "Oh woman of little faith!
God sees every bird that falls; He knows your Eddie's fate.
I have met your little dog, I saw him pass my way.
Your precious dog is still alive; he just walked through this gate.

Paradise is lovelier than you can comprehend.
No pain or grief, no tears or fears, and life will have no end.
God gave to man His only Son, to cover all his sins.
So why would God withhold from you, your pure and loving friend?”

The angel took me by the hand and said, "Now come with me.
A glimpse of paradise I'll give to you so you can see."
Through the gate and o'er the Rainbow Bridge we did proceed.
Through green valleys filled with flowers, rolling hills and trees.

“Wow, so this is paradise!” The place was filled with joy.
I saw my Eddie playing there, with dogs and cats and toys.
He also had some doggie treats, and food that he enjoyed.
He'd made a lot of new friends there, including girls and boys.

Then I saw a child come near, and hug my little mate.
She said to him, "I love you so," and kissed him on the face.
The angel said, "The child just crossed the Rainbow Bridge today.
Now she needs a little friend, to love and help her play.

God’s love for her would be enough, in that make no mistake.
But in His love, He knew full well, the child would want a mate.
This is why God called your dog unto this splendid place.
God’s entrusted her with him, ‘til you pass through the gate."

I pleaded, “May I hug them both?!” The angel answered, “No!
You’d violate a sacred site, and now it’s time to go.”
He led me back across the Bridge and through the gate to home.
He left me there with new-found hope and peace within my soul.

If someone ever asks what happens to a dog that dies,
Just give a gentle smile of joy and look them in the eye.
Take their hand and comfort them and tell them not to cry.
For dogs don’t die, they simply cross a bridge to paradise.

Dan Atcheson

THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN ASKING, THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS IS FINALLY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!

This is the last Ivy Towers book in the series. Sorry about the delay. "Circumstances beyond our control" and all that. (S)

If you would like an autographed bookmark (I have them from all four books in the series), drop me a line (nancymehlbooks@hotmail.com), include your address, and I will mail it (them) to you. (You can have more than one if you wish - even a set of all four!) Also, I have book plates that I'm happy to autograph and send to you.

Thanks for your patience. Sometimes Santa Claus comes later than we'd like!

SHE'S BACK...

Wow. I really got behind on this blog. I'm going to try to do better. (Couldn't do much worse!)

Recent news: I just signed to do a new series for my COZY IN KANSAS publisher, Barbour. (A great group of folks, by the way!) This series will take place in a fictional Mennonite town. And yes, there will be some "mystery" in it! Stay tuned for more information.

Also, I will be starting a newsletter in the next few months. Several people have asked to receive it. If you're interested, would you please contact me at nancymehlbooks@hotmail.com? Let me know you want to receive the newsletter once I get it going. I will add you to my list.

Sales of COZY IN KANSAS have been wonderful. Thanks to all of you who bought a copy. There is one last book in the series. THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS is currently available on Barbour's Web site. Hopefully, it will be available soon on Amazon. For some reason, it hasn't been. Barbour is working with Amazon to fix the problem. If you want to order if from Barbour, you can do so here: THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS

Now...several readers have asked about additional books. Sorry, but for now, our adventures with Ivy are over. But I thought you might like to read an epilogue I wrote for THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS. Because of a space problem, I wasn't able to include it in the book. But...here it is. Hope you enjoy it. (If you haven't read THERE GOES SANTA CLAUS, there are a few references you won't understand.)

EPILOGUE

Journal Entry

I realized today that it’s been ten years since I started this journal. I began it on Christmas day, right after I told Amos I was pregnant with our first child. Goodness, ten years has certainly passed quickly. So many things have changed since then.

Hope and Zach spent that Christmas with us. But they were married before the next holiday. Now he is the assistant pastor at Faith Community. Ephraim says he will be retiring soon. I know Zach is his choice for a replacement. He won’t have any trouble being selected. Everyone loves him and Hope so much. Inez is certainly enjoying her role as grandmother to their two boys. I’m so glad things worked out for them.

Of course, one of the strangest things is the match up between Barney and Bertha. After Delbert was locked up, Bertha set out to change her life. Being under Delbert’s thumb had made her insecure and unhappy. Now she’s much more confident and interesting. Being happy has changed her on the outside, too. Funny how joy can affect us inside and out, isn’t it? Bertha is actually a rather attractive person now.

Isaac and Alma are quite content in their new profession. I know Dewey would be happy to know that they took over the store and are doing a great job of running it.

That Christmas ten years ago was Dewey’s last. He passed away the following April. I held his hand in the hospital as he crossed over. I’ll never forget how he suddenly opened his eyes, looked past me and said, “Why, there you are. I’ve been looking for you.” Then he drifted away. I’m convinced he saw Bitty holding out her hand to guide him home. I miss him terribly, but I know he is where he really wanted to be.

Ruby Bird has been gone about three years. Bert and Bonnie run the Redbird Café. It’s still the only restaurant in town. But we have a gas station now. Barney opened one a couple of years ago. He named it “Barney’s Gas and Go.”

Amos has been the sheriff of Stevens County for almost five years, and he is the most popular sheriff the county ever had. He loves his job and his deputies all respect him.

Pal is still with us, but he has certainly slowed down. He was so sad when we lost Miss Skiffins that we had to get him another cat. It wasn’t hard. Someone dumped off a batch of kittens near the road to town. They’ve all been adopted by Winter Break families, including our Miss Skiffins, Too. They are curled up together next to the fireplace sound asleep. I can hear her purring from here, and Pal has a silly smile on his face.

Well, it’s about time to get dinner ready. The kids are getting on their costumes for the play. Aaron and Mickey are playing angels. We named our boys after our fathers. We lost Aaron last year. Amos misses him, but we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that he had found the Lord before he died. My parents live in Wichita. They completed their mission in China and came back to the states to start a missionary training school. Now they send others out to the mission field armed with the years of experience they gained from their own ventures. They’re staying with us over the holidays. I can hear them arguing upstairs. My mother is telling my father that he needs to change his shirt so he doesn’t look like a bum. Some things never change.

Bitty, our daughter, is in the choir. She has a voice like an angel and will be singing a solo tonight. I can hardly wait.

The bookstore is doing very well. With three children, it’s nice to have someone who is so helpful and knowledgeable. Benjie took Isaac’s job when he and Alma reopened the store. I’ve offered him a full time job, and I think he’s going to take it.

Marion and Cecil have both passed away. I got the chance to ask Marion about the tapestry she painted and left here. All she would say is that she prayed over it and asked God to make it special. He certainly answered that prayer. It’s almost as if it changes along with the citizens of Winter Break. I could swear that Dewey used to stand behind Bitty as she sits on a bench waving at Amos and me skating on the lake. But now, he’s sitting beside her. And Emily and I have started to notice that the young man and woman who are skating near us on the ice look a lot like my Bitty and her son Charlie. They’re holding hands and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes. I wonder…

Well, gotta go. Time to get to the church. Tomorrow will be a busy day with all the guests that are coming. I’ll wait until after they leave to give Amos the news. Four children. That’s a nice, round number, don’t you think?

A NEW BEGINNING

Although none of us can completely change ourselves overnight, sometimes the beginning of a new year is a chance to set some new priorities. I encourage you to give God a chance to show you HIS plan this year. Many of us try to figure out what path sounds good to us and then ask God to bless it. And He might do it. He is a good God - a God of blessings. But has it occurred to you that He may actually have a plan of his own? Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God does have His own ideas about our lives. Please believe that no plan of yours will ever give you the kind of peace and satisfaction that finding God's will for your life will bring.

How about this for a New Year's prayer? "God, this year please show me Your plan for my life. I want to follow Your way - not my own. I lay it all down. My plans, my desires, my thoughts and my visions. Please fill me with your vision and help me to find the destiny you have for me."

If you mean it, I promise that your life will never be the same.

To all of you who've written to tell me you enjoy my books - thank you from the bottom of my heart. It means more than you know. Sometimes readers think authors don't want to be bothered. You're wrong. Bother us. We love it. This past year, I've received some of the sweetest e-mails and letters from people who've enjoyed one of my books. I treasure every one. You've blessed me abundantly, and I pray many, many blessings back to you.

May 2009 be a year of manifestation in your lives. I pray you will see God move in those areas you've been believing for - whether it's the salvation of a loved one, the healing of a relationship, a financial turn around, finding a spouse, having a child, or simply learning to love yourself. You know, you can't love others the right way unless you learn to love yourself. And you can't love yourself unless you find out how much God loves you. We all need to quit being afraid of God and realize that He's given everything to bring us into a relationship with Him. Those who come to Him through Christ become His sons and daughters. I hope this year you will begin to realize just what that means - that God isn't mad at you. He loves you unconditionally, as a perfect and loving Father. There is nothing to fear when you find your way into your Father's arms.

I can hear a few of you saying..."Uh, oh. She's getting preachy!" LOL! Well, you're right. I think our time is growing shorter. I'm less interested in selling books and much more interested in letting people know that without God - you have nothing. Nothing that will mean anything in the long run. With God, you have everything. (Smile)

So, here's to a new year. Bring it on, God! I trust you!

Nancy

COZY IN KANSAS IS HERE!

COZY IN KANSAS is here! It is available online on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and ChristianBook.com. It should also be in stores now!

For readers who enjoy my Ivy Towers series, COZY IN KANSAS gives you three stories in one book. COZY IN KANSAS contains: IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, BYE, BYE BERTIE and FOR WHOM THE WEDDING BELL TOLLS.

The last book in this series has been sent to Heartsong Mysteries book club members.

Remember, books make great Christmas gifts. They keep giving and giving.

Nancy

TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!

I've been tagged.

This evening I learned that this means I must share six things about myself that people don't know.

Hmmmmm. Here goes:

1. I actually helped to catch a murderer. Actually, a pair of murderers. Short story: A friend of mine worked as an apartment manager. The owner of the property was murdered. I was on the phone one night with my friend when she told me about a couple who were moving out of the apartments. Something felt wrong to me about it so I told my friend to hang up the phone and call the police. Although she didn't want to do it at first, she finally decided to call. The police came and checked out the couples' trailer. Lo and behold, they found some of the owner's property. Oh...and the murder weapon!

2. I hate the color orange. No idea why.

3. I have perfect pitch.

4. I have a secret longing to play the banjo.

5. I love bluegrass music. And Rich Mullins. And The Lettermen. And Marty Robbins. And Secret Garden. (I'm very eclectic...)

6. And finally....I detest Lima beans!

Is that enough information for you, Aston??? LOL!