Ginger Garrett

I can’t believe how fast the year is already flying past! I’ve got final line edits due for the Jezebel novel, plus I am beginning to draft the outline for the next women’s novel. I finished my middle grade novel this past year and am in final edits for that.

I’m still busy mentoring middle school students who want to be writers, and working on some new volunteer projects as well.

I will be updating the site soon with some publishing news and fun stuff, including some giveaways of incredible jewelry as we get ready for the release of REIGN: THE CHRONICLES OF QUEEN JEZEBEL.

See you soon!

Jaclyn M. wins two poolside-approved paperback versions of In The Shadow of Lions. These are the new mass market size, which is a smaller, thicker version of the original.

As we get closer to the release of the next novel (in which many questions will be answered!) you’ll want to be sure you’re signed up on the mailing list. I have a “Build Your Own Knight” kit to give away, so you can produce your very own knight in shining armor.  Alas, this one will be of no use in taking out the trash, which so many modern knights do, but he is still pretty to look at. And speaking for myself, sometimes that’s half the battle!

And on a personal note: I just returned today from my first official adventure since surgery to repair a torn ankle tendon. It was glorious! I have learned so much from this surgery, including how to appreciate the gift of walking, and how to slide down the stairs on your rear end, without picking up too much speed, or carpet burns. Most important to the technique is to finish your coffee before sliding down the stairs with your mug. Trust me.

A publicist sent me a copy of the new book, Slob Proof! Real-Life Design Solutions by Debbie Wiener. The book is geared towards women who have real households: kids, dogs, messes, dirt.

Debbie has some of the best tips in this book you’ll ever find: what paint to use (it’s an industrial strength paint available at Sherwin Williams), what to tell the store when you buy a new couch, where you should never use full-length curtains, and more. Plus she includes pallettes of her favorite paint colors so you can take the book straight to the paint store and order away.

It’s a  design book, true, but for me, it’s a book about making choices that will save time, money and aggravation later. It just hit the market, and you can ask your library to order a copy. Libraries are very responsive to our requests and will often let you be the first person to check it out.

Here are a few gems I picked up:

1. Use outdoor fabric like Sunbrella for kitchen chairs and benches. It’s stain proof and rugged. And it beats covering your chairs with plastic seat covers.

2. You can touch up nicked and chipped white wood trimming with liquid white-out.

3. Never use a neutral color for flooring: it will show smudges, dirt and stains. One  homeowner coordinated colors with her dog’s fur, so shedding hairs wouldn’t be as noticeable.

4. Think of the most frequent spills and stains in your house, and coordinate colors to provide camoflauge for them. (This one cracked me up but makes sense. I spill coffee on the stairs, so I should be looking for a stair runner with a dark brown pattern. My dogs insist on removing food from their bowls and carrying it to the den for consumption, so I just get a family rug with reds and browns.)

It’s a great book that makes keeping house an easier job. It has nothing to do with history, women’s issues, or spirituality, but then….cleanliness is next to godliness, right?

I am waiting on our graphics department to send me the file for Angels Among Us: In The Shadow of Lions Book Club Discussion Guide.  I will have it posted this week, but in the meantime, you can check out the YouTube video of the guide by clicking on the link below. I walk readers through how to recreate an authentic medieval feast, using modern, easy grocery items and recipes. It’s a fun, educational night that will help readers connect with the women of this era.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbq4uB_8T_s

And here are the details on getting a free book:

1. Send me an email telling me how many members your book club has, plus the name and address of the group leader.

The leader will receive a free copy of In The Shadow of Lions plus a book club discussion guide. I’m trying to get free DVDs included with this, too.

If your club would like me to call when you meet to discuss, just let me know when you’ll meet and what number I should call. I’d love to chat!

So those are the details you need. The downloadable versions will be posted this week, but there’s no need to wait if you want to register for a free book now.

Yes, I know it’s June but only by a few days!

The monthly winner is a reader named Linda who will receive an autographed copy of Beauty Secrets of the Bible and an Apple Brightening Peel from MyChelle Dermaceuticals.

More news on giveaways is coming soon! (Here’s a hint: if you’re not already part of a bookclub, start one now. You’ll want to ask four of your closest friends, or more, to join you. Bible study groups who like fiction count, too! More details coming soon!)

Want a sneak peek of the new novel In The Shadow of Lions?

Visit this site below and watch an interview with me! If you watch the video and post a comment, you’ll be entered for a private advanced reader copy of the novel. (be sure to send me an email and let me know which comment is yours!)

In The Shadow of Lions releases on September 1 of this year, but advanced reader copies, always reserved exclusively for media and critics, will be sent out early in the summer. I promise to steal one for a lucky reader!

http://www.youtube.com/GingerGarrettAuthor

Vickie from Tennessee wins our monthly drawing! Vickie will receive a signed copy of Beauty Secrets of the Bible and a full size bar of Pangea Organics soap, scented with Pyrenees Lavender and Cardamom. (heavenly!)

To be eligible for our monthly drawing, just sign up for our newsletter. There’s always fun stuff, sneak peeks and more. Once you’ve signed up, you’re eligible for the drawing every month. There’s nothing else you need to do.

Every month, I give away beauty treats, new products, books and more! December’s winner is Sarah from Dakota.

Sarah wins a set of luxury hand-made soaps from Auromere. The fragrances include Himalayan Rose, made from Damascus and Indian roses, and Lavender-Neem. Both use coconut oil as a base, with no chemicals, dyes or harsh ingredients. Perfect for winter-chapped skin that needs a little TLC!

If you sign up for our quarterly newsletter, you’ll be automatically registered to win every month. There’s nothing else you need to do.

Plus, soon I’ll be sending out sneak previews for my new series of novels about the most powerful women in history, and the legends of the angels who protected them. The first novel, IN THE SHADOW OF LIONS, is in final edits right now and special advance reader copies will start shipping in July.