News Flash
 

Daley’s News

Buried Secrets, Love Inspired Suspense, October 2007

Daley's News

Winter 2007

Merry Christmas!!!

This is a time to get with family and friends and share our love of Christ.  What does Christmas mean to you?

Daley's News
Autumn 2007

School is back in session and I have some good classes this year. This year I'm also teaching besides English 11 a writing course for students with disabilities who want to go to college. Freshman English is a killer for a lot of students. We are writing different types of essays and some creative stories. It's a great class with students who are really interested in learning.

I just returned from the American Christian Fiction Writers' conference in Dallas. I had a great time. The worship services were wonderful and so inspiring. I came back home renewed. Now that's my kind of conference.

I have received two honors for my books in the past few months. At ACFW they announced their Book of the Year Contest winners and my Love Inspired Suspense, Hearts on the Line, won in the short suspense category. I was actually speechless at the ceremony and could think of little to say. Also in July, Faith, Hope, Love, a chapter of Romance Writers of America, announced their winners, and When Dreams Come True won the short contemporary category. I was thrilled with both awards!

Recently I sold four more books to Steeple Hill-two Love Inspired and two Love Inspired Suspense books. This should keep me busy writing through 2008. I will have Hawke Lonechief's story out next October in a book called Forsaken Canyon. He is the tribal police chief in Buried Secrets.

I have two books out this fall-Buried Secrets in October. It is a Love Inspired Suspense and is the twin brother's story (from Heart of the Amazon). He has his own adventure and boy does he!

Buried Secrets
Hidden treasure?
Fresh from her grandfather's funeral, Maggie Somers was shocked to find his home-all she had left of him-ransacked. What wasn't so shocking was that a Collier stood among the wreckage. Maggie had grown up hearing all about the Collier clan-liars and thieves who couldn't be trusted. Yet Zach Collier asked Maggie to have faith in him, to put their feud and their families' to rest. His grandfather had also recently passed away. Zach was sure the man-like Maggie's grandfather-had been murdered for something hidden among his possessions. Something Zach and Maggie had to uncover before they became targets.

In December I have the second book in the Fostered by Love series that started with Once Upon a Family in April. Heart of the Family is Jacob's story.

Heart of the Family
A Christmas Conundrum
Women, Dr. Jacob Hartman knew, were a mystery. Take the first time he met social worker Hannah Smith at the Stone Refuge home for foster children. The woman stared him down as if he'd come at her with castor oil. Why? His past was full of heavy-duty heartache, but he was positive they'd never met. And as a former foster child himself, Jacob was deeply touched by how much she cared about the kids at the home, how loving she was-to everyone but him. Which was where, he figured, the mistletoe came in!
Fostered by Love: A family guided them to faith, but only love could heal their hearts.

This recipe is a great dessert for large groups. I hate to admit I can pig out on it.

Oreo Cake
1 cup flour
1 stick of butter
2 cups crushed Oreos
Melt butter then mix together and press in bottom of pan. Then put in oven and bake at 350 degrees until light brown.
1 8 ounces cream cheese
2 8 ounces Cool Whip
1 cup powdered sugar
Mix together and spread over crust.
3 cups of milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding (small box)
1 package instant chocolate fudge pudding (small box)
Mix together and pour on top. Then put another carton of Cool Whip on top and crush Oreo cookies over the Cool Whip and chill.

Tip for writers:
When I edit a manuscript, I layer my story, which means I go back in and expand the story. I put in more emotion, more description and more of the five senses. While writing my first draft, I'm mainly concern with get my story down and having it make sense. Does the plot work? Is my conflict developed? Are the characters' motivation and goals developed and fully explored?

After I finish the first draft, I worry about the small details. Do I overuse a certain word? Is a person sitting when he should be standing? What am I missing? Editing can be a great way to fine tune your story.

Visit my web site and sign my guest book for a chance to win a free autograph book in a monthly drawing. Also, on my blog I usual feature different author every week and there is a drawing for one of their books at the end of the week. The links to my web site and blog are at the bottom.

My web site: http://www.margaretdaleycom
My blog:  http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com

May God bless you,
Margaret Daley
Buried Secrets, Love Inspired Suspense, October 2007
Family for Keeps/Sadie's Hero, Love Inspired Classic, August 2007
Vanished, Love Inspired Suspense, May 2007
Once Upon a Family, Love Inspired, April 2007 (First in the Fostering by Love series)

Daley’s News

Summer 2007

It’s summer and I’m working as hard as I do during the school year. All through the school year I kept putting off projects and housework that needed to be done. I’m now spring cleaning and trying to declutter my house. I’m a pack rat so this isn’t an easy job for me to do, but when things keep piling up, it’s time to get rid of some of them. I have actually done pretty well. I even did some housecleaning in my classroom before leaving for the summer.

So what does summer mean to you? To me it means a little breathing room and hopefully more time to spend with my family. This summer in August my son’s first child will be born. I can’t wait to greet my new granddaughter.  May the Lord watch over you and keep you safe this summer, especially when you are traveling.

Also, in August I have my first Love Inspired Classic coming out. It is the re-release of Sadie’s Hero and Family for Keeps (in one book). The other big news is that I have been selected to participate in the Love Inspired continuity series for 2008 called Homecoming Heroes. My book will be number 5 and out in November 2008.  My hero is an ex-soldier turned rancher and my heroine is a social worker. The series is set in Prairie Springs, Texas, centered around a fictitious Fort Bonnell (modeled after Fort Hood).

You can still get my spring books: So Dark the Night (Love Inspired Suspense, March 2007), Once Upon a Family (Love Inspired, April 2007), and Vanished (Love Inspired Suspense, May 2007). Coming in the fall I will have another Love Inspired Suspense book out in October called Buried Secrets.

My recipe is one I’ve made in the summer, especially when it’s too hot to heat up something to eat. What’s nice about this recipe is that it stays in the refrigerator well for several days. It actually gets better if it sits overnight in the refrigerator.

Bean and Cabbage Salad

1 can of drained red kidney beans

1 can of drained garbanzo beans

½ head of cabbage, cut into cube pieces

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

Oil and vinegar  (1/4 to 1/2 cup of each—mix to your preference)

Place beans, cabbage, onion and green pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Pour a mixture of oil and vinegar over the mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then toss lightly. Cover and chill for at least 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Writing Tip:

Some writer friends and I had a discussion about how we write a book. Some people have to plot the whole story before they start while others just write (usually called writing by the seat of the pants). I lean more toward writing by the seat of the pants. I find when I plot too much I lose the enthusiasm of my story. I like for my characters to show me what will happen, especially the more I know them. To me that is the fun part of writing, seeing what my characters have planned. I do have to plan more for a romantic suspense story because of the suspense element, but I still leave a lot of surprise for myself as I write.

Whatever way you write a story, the main thing is that you need to know your characters whether you plot thoroughly or you write by the seat of the pants.  If you don’t, it will be harder even if you have a well-plotted story. The key is the characters. Your plot is simply what happens to those characters, so make them have good goals, motivations and conflicts.

Visit my web site and sign my guest book for a chance to win a free autograph book in a monthly drawing. Also, on my blog I usual feature different author every week and there is a drawing for one of their books at the end of the week. The links to my web site and blog are at the bottom.

My web site: http://www.margaretdaley.com

My blog: http://margaretdaley.blogspot.com/

May God bless you,

Margaret Daley

Vanished, Love Inspired Suspense, May 2007

Once Upon a Family, Love Inspired, April 2007 (First in the Fostering by Love series)

So Dark the Night, Love Inspired Suspense, March 2007

Heart of the Amazon, Love Inspired Suspense, January 2007

Tidings of Joy, Love Inspired, October 2006 

Daley’s News

Spring 2007

I am so glad that spring has come to Oklahoma after having a harsh, cold winter. We had one week where I was stuck in the house because of several inches of ice that fell. The temperature didn’t get above freezing so it took a while to melt. I got a good case of cabin fever. I am a warm weather gal.

Rev. Colin Fitzpatrick would never forget the moment he saw Emma’s lovely face just seconds before she ran out in front of his car. She’d been fleeing something—or someone—but she was his responsibility now.  But with the killers desperate to find Emma, it would take divine intervention to keep them both alive.

FBI agent Madison Spencer found herself working with J.T. again, on a case painfully different from their previous one. She could only watch as he struggled to remain coldly professional while his heart was in anguish. And what of her own heart? Romance should be the furthest thing from their minds. All she could do was hope—and pray—for them all.

Breakfast Casserole

In a separate bowl beat the eggs. Add melted butter and milk. Pour over the ingredients in the casserole dish.  Cover with more ham if you like (optional). Cover and refrigerator overnight. Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. If the middle shakes, it may need to cook longer.

This is a great recipe for a brunch or when you have to take a breakfast item for a group function. You can expand the recipe by using one loaf of bread cubed and 12 eggs with half a cup additional milk. Bake for 50 minutes and you also may want to add more ham and cheese to the dish.

Tidbits from a seasoned writer:

1. Listen to your inner voice when you are writing a story. I have found it is usually dead on.

2. Join a writer’s group if possible in your town or online. Fellow writers can help you with information and suggestions. Also, it’s nice to know you aren’t the only one struggling with a particular problem.

3. Remember this business is subjective. One person’s opinion is just that—her opinion.

4. Brainstorming is fun. If you do it with a friend, think outside as well as inside the box. Let your mind go and think of all the possibilities in a situation or storyline.

5. Write what you love. Don’t try to fit into a genre if you don’t care for it. It will show in your writing.

6. Don’t force a story. Step back and let your subconscious work on it. I’ve often awakened in the morning with a solution to a plot problem.

7. Read what you want to write. Know the market.

8. Above everything else, have fun. When the fun goes out of writing, it can show in your story.

For more tips visit my blog or web site. The links are below.

May God bless each and everyone of you,

Margaret Daley

SO DARK THE NIGHT, Love Inspired Suspense, March 2007

http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest for a chance to win an autographed book

Daley’s News
Spring 2006

     I heard an explanation of why time flies as you get older (which I think it does) and it made sense. When you are six, one year is a sixth of your life, so it seems like a long time when a year goes by. But when you are forty, one year is a fortieth of it, so the older you become the faster the years go by. I can’t believe it is spring already. Part of the reason is because we didn’t have much of a winter here. We had two light snows and our January set a record for the warmest one so far. All our trees and flowers are coming out weeks early. There was even a day in February that it reached 92! That is a summer temperature.
     Another year of school will be completed in two months. I’m really looking forward to the summer and some time to write full-time. But mostly I’m looking forward to my son getting married. He is engaged to a wonderful woman who has two little adorable girls, 3 and 5. They have set an August date.
     This next twelve months will also be exciting for me in my writing career. I will have my first Love Inspired Suspense out in June 2006--Hearts on the Line. I’ve seen the cover, and it is gorgeous. The last book in my Ladies of Sweetwater Lake series will be coming out in October 2006--Tidings of Joy. This one is Tanya’s story. Then I will have two more Love Inspired Suspense books out in early 2007. Heart of the Amazon will be in January and So Dark the Night in March.
     This month I have the fourth book in the Sweetwater series out. Dancing Word reviewer, Vickie McDonough, says, “When Dreams Come True is a true emotional ride--I thoroughly enjoyed When Dreams Come True. Your heart will ache for Zoey, Dane, and the children. Margaret Daley does a superb job making her characters come alive. There is a faith message that shows God is in control, even when bad things happen to good people. Toss in a little mystery or two, and you have a compelling story of a second chance at love.”
     At the Steeple Hill’s web site on eHarlequin my book, When Dreams Come True, is one of the books being discussed during March. If you have read it--and even if you haven’t yet--please stop by and say hi. I have a link to the site in this newsletter.

eHarlequin.com Community - When Dreams Come True by Margaret Daley
Recipe:
     My recipe for this newsletter is Spaghetti Pie. A friend gave me this one after I had it at a luncheon. It was great! It is a wonderful dish to take to a potluck dinner or for a party.

Spaghetti Pie

10-12 ounces spaghetti, cooked
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 large (24 ounce) carton of cottage cheese
1 onion--chopped
2 cans tomato soup
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
1 package spaghetti sauce mix
1 large can mushrooms (optional)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
garlic salt to taste

Brown 1 1/2 lb. ground beef and onion. Drain fat. Add soups, ketchup, spaghetti sauce mix, mushrooms, sugar and garlic salt. Simmer briefly. Cook spaghetti. Drain. Mix eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter into cooked spaghetti. Place into a greased 9x13 casserole dish. Pour cottage cheese on top. Add the meat mixture on top of the cottage cheese. Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Top with mozzarella and return to oven to melt. Serves 12.

Writer’s tip:
     I attended a workshop about opening hooks last weekend. It made me stop and think about what attracts me to a book. Why do I keep reading a story? The opening is so important to a story. If you start with too much back story, you will lose your reader. In today’s market you need to grab your reader. You don’t have a lot of time to set up your characters before you plunge them into conflict.
     Not only is the opening hook important, but the end of each of your chapters. You want your reader to keep turning the page and not to put your book down at the end of a chapter. In a romantic suspense that is an easier task then in a regular romance. I often leave my characters hanging in a romantic suspense--once literally at a waterfall. In a regular romance like my Love Inspired books I like to end some chapters in the middle of an important part of a scene.
     Look at the opening hooks of books that you love. Analyze what you liked about that hook. Why did you read further?
    

May God bless each and everyone of you,
Margaret Daley
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE, Love Inspired, March 2006
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, Love Inspired, October 2005
http://www.margaretdaley--enter my monthly contest for a chance to win an autographed book

Daley News
Winter 2005


Dear Readers,

I can’t believe the holidays are here again! Wasn’t it just a few months ago we were celebrating Christmas? Oh, well, it really is true that time flies, especially as you get older. I put up early (we’re talking the first of November) my Christmas village that I have been collecting for years because my husband thinks it should be up for at least two months. On Thanksgiving after we have stuffed ourselves with turkey and stuffing, we decorate the house with all the decorations, again collected over the years. So many of them have a special meaning to me. Some my son made for me when he
was young. I love those!

This is such a good time to reflect on the past year. What went right. What went wrong. With the New Year nearing and those pesky little resolutions we’re supposed to make, I always figure I need to count my blessings then come up with ways to change those things that didn’t quite work out like I thought they should. I’ll tell you a little secret. I gave up on making a New Year resolution years ago. Never worked for me. Besides, trying to make things better in your life shouldn’t be a one time a year project. I’m an on going one.

As Christmas approaches, we need to remember why we celebrate this time of year.
The birth of Christ changed everything for us. God sent us His only son to bear our
sins and lead us to the Lord. “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) What a gift!
So as you are wrapping your presents, remember that precious gift the Lord gave us.

This March, 2006 my next book in the Ladies of Sweetwater Lake series will be out. WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE is Zoey’s story. In October, 2006 Tanya’s story, TIDINGS OF JOY, will be out. This book will be the last one in the series. If you visit my web site (www.margaretdaley.com), you can read the first chapter of WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE. Here is a link to it.

When her DEA agent husband’s plane went down, Zoey Witherspoon thought her life was over. But with two kids to care for, and another on the way, she moved back home to Sweetwater to be closer to friends and family. Two years later, her world was turned upside down: her husband was alive! Amnesia-stricken Dane wasn’t exactly the same
person he’d been, but neither was Zoey. She refused to return to the fractured marriage they’d shared--workaholic Dane had never been around--yet moving forward was a scary prospect. Would a second chance at happiness make all her dreams come true?

Then coming in June, I will have my first Love Inspired Suspense called HEARTS ON THE LINE, the last book in the Faith at the Crossroads Series. It will start in January with Valerie Hansen’s Her Brother’s Keeper. I am excited about the romantic suspense line offered by Love Inspired. I am writing my fourth Love Inspired Suspense right now and having to do a lot of research concerning child abductions, a parent’s worst nightmare.

Also on my web site is a link to my blog. My students in high school talked about writing in their blogs so I had to try it. This is from a person who never kept a journal. It has been an interesting year doing my blog. Check it out. Here is a link to my blog.

A bit of good news was GOLD IN THE FIRE (the first book of the Ladies of Sweetwater Lake) was a finalist in the contemporary romance category in the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Best Book of the Year contest this fall. I came in second and I’m pretty pleased with that!
    
Some of my past Love Inspired books are:
THE POWER OF LOVE, March 2002
A FAMILY FOR KEEPS, August 2002
SADIE’S HERO, November 2002
THE COURAGE TO DREAM, April 2003
WHAT THE HEART KNOWS, January 2004
A FAMILY FOR TORY, March 2004
GOLD IN THE FIRE, October 2004
A MOTHER FOR CINDY, January 2005
LIGHT IN THE STORM, April 2005
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, October 2005

My recipe is a delicious cake that is perfect for large gatherings and for the
holidays. I hope you enjoy.

Pumpkin Pie Cake                           
1 large can (29 oz.) or 2 (16 oz.) cans of pumpkin
1 (13 oz.) can of evaporated milk
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on pumpkin amount)

Beat together above ingredients.  Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 1 box yellow cake mix over top. Dribble 1 1/2 to 2 sticks melted butter or margarine over the top. Top with lots of chopped pecans. Bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees until crispy.  Serve hot or cold. Top with cool whip.

Writer’s Tip: I’ve said this before but it is important enough to repeat. Networking can be so vital to a writer. Not only in helping a writer get published but also in researching a subject. Through a speaker at one of our local RWA chapter meetings I was given a name of a woman police captain who is in homicide and a hostage negotiator. My heroine in my June Love Inspired Suspense is a homicide detective who is on the hostage negotiating team in my book. To get a woman’s perspective of the job was invaluable, not to mention the information concerning the job itself. Another networking opportunity led me to a former FBI agent who has helped me in researching child abductions for my fourth Love Inspired Suspense. The information she directed me to was great and detailed. It will add a richness to my story that I don’t know I would have found on my own. So as a writer keep your eyes and ears open for an opportunity to network whether it’s to promote your writing or to gather information for a book.

May God bless each and everyone of you and have a merry Christmas,
Margaret Daley
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, Love Inspired, October 2005
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE, Love Inspired, March 2006
http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest to win a free autographed book

Daley News
Spring 2005


Dear Readers,
Spring is bursting out all over! I love spring. It is my favorite season and I am so glad it has arrived. I know we will still have some cold days but the trees are blooming and the flowers are coming out. Color is back in the landscape. I have had a busy three months since my last newsletter. I’m working on the fourth book I’ve been contracted to write. I have one more after this. This book is the fourth one in the Ladies of Sweetwater Series--Zoey’s story. It will be out next April 2006 and is called When Dreams Come True. After this book I will be working on Hearts on the Line, the 6th book in the Love Inspired Suspense continuity. It will start next January and end with my book in June 2006. My heroine is a homicide detective who is on the hostage negotiation team. I’ve enjoyed researching this book.

This is a special religious season, too. Lent and Easter is the most important time during the year for Christians. We are reminded why Christ did for us. He gave us the most precious gift. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) It can’t get any better than that!
    
My third book in the Sweetwater series is coming out in April 2005. It is called Light in the Storm and is Beth’s story.
    
Freedom! After raising her three siblings, high school teacher Beth Coleman was finally, at thirty-eight, responsible for herself alone. With her nurturing nature, she'd loved caring for her family, but now she could travel, see the world. Her only decision? Where to do. Yet as Beth pondered South America as her first stop, a troubled teen walked into her classroom, and with her, a single dad--a handsome, kind, caring man to boot. Though Beth tried to deny it, Samuel Morgan and his ready-made family began to win her heart. South America awaited, but so did Samuel...and the new family she wondered if she was willing to risk losing.
    
"Margaret Daley tells the heartwarming tale of love winning out over doubt in Light in the Storm (4 stars). Readers will root for Samuel and Beth to discover their true feelings for each other." Romantic Times, reviewed by Melissa Parcel
    
Gold in the Fire was named the Best Love Inspired 2004 for the Cataromance web site. A Family for Tory is a finalist in the inspirational category for the Laurie. I won’t know if it won until the end of April. On May 21st I will be speaking and signing my book at the Oklahoma Book Festival in Oklahoma City.

Some of my past Love Inspired books are:
THE POWER OF LOVE, March 2002
A FAMILY FOR KEEPS, August 2002
SADIE’S HERO, November 2002
THE COURAGE TO DREAM, April 2003
WHAT THE HEART KNOWS, January 2004
A FAMILY FOR TORY, March 2004
GOLD IN THE FIRE, October 2004
A MOTHER FOR CINDY, January 2005

My writing tip is to be true to your heart. Don’t write something unless you care about it. It will show in your work. If the type of book isn’t what you enjoy then don’t write it just because that type is selling right now. The same with your characters. You need to care about them in order to get that across to your readers. I once tried to write in a genre that I wasn’t really into and found I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t enjoying myself and it showed in the writing. If I can’t connect with the story, how would I expect my readers to? Be true to yourself and good luck with your writing project.

My recipe for the spring is full of antioxidants to help fight cancer. I’m on a health kick this month and hope you enjoy this. One serving is about 40 calories.

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw

4 cups of chopped coleslaw
1 red (you can use yellow or green) bell pepper, chopped
1 batch of green onions, chopped
1 can of cooked corn
1/2 cup of white vinegar
1/3 cup Splenda (no calorie sweetener)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss all the ingredients together and refrigerate for a few hours, then serve. This recipe keeps well for several days.

May God bless each and everyone of you,
Margaret Daley
LIGHT IN THE STORM, Love Inspired, April 2005
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, Love Inspired, October 2005
http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest to win a free autograph book

Daley News
Winter 2004

Dear Readers:

I can’t believe the year is almost over and the holidays are here again.  I dragged out all my boxes of decorations I’ve accumulated over the years and just finished putting them up.  What is so special about this is the memories associated with a certain ornament or holiday decoration.  So many of them my son made for me through the years and I will always cherish those.

My students at school keep reminding me what the holiday season is all about.  I am so blessed to be able to teach students with special needs and to see how they approach life’s difficulties.  Teaching high school students I believe has kept me young at heart (now if only I was that way in body).

This has been an exciting year for me.  I sold five books to Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired line as well as Love Inspired Suspense.  Starting in July 2005 Love Inspired will add two books a month that are romantic suspense.  I have several romantic suspense books coming out in the year 2006.

My next book is a January 2005 release (I still can’t get over how fast 2004 flew by) from Love Inspired called A MOTHER FOR CINDY.  It is the second book in my Ladies of Sweetwater Lake series.  This story is about Jesse Bradshaw and Nick Blackburn.

Young widow Jesse Bradshaw was content to be a loving mother to her son, a devoted granddaughter, a doll maker and the keeper of a gaggle of pets.  She couldn’t imagine having anything more in her already crowded life--until jaded Nick Blackburn and his daughter moved next door.  Cindy needed a mother’s love, something the wealthy businessman couldn’t provide for his precious child.  Jesse tried to use her matchmaking skills to find a suitable wife for the workaholic widower, but what would she do when she realized she was Nick’s perfect match?

My recipe for the holidays is something that you can take to a party and looks festive as well as delicious tasting.

Strawberry Surprise
2 cups pretzels
3/4 cup butter melted
1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
12 ounces Cool Whip
6 ounces strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
16 ounces frozen strawberries

Make crust: Crush the pretzels in a plastic bag.  Combine pretzels, butter and 1 tablespoon sugar.  Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees.
Layer one: Whip together cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and Cool Whip. After crust has cooled, put first layer down.
Layer two: Melt jello in boiling water.  Put frozen strawberries into jello. Set for no more than 10 minutes then pour on top of layer one.
Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.

And speaking of the holidays, I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful one and may 2005 bring you and your family happiness and prosperity.  At this time of year I think of this verse from 1 John.  “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  This is the beauty and power of Christmas--the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May we keep Him in our hearts and minds throughout the coming year.

My tip for writers receiving this newsletter is read Debra Dixon’s book called Goals, Motivation and Conflict.  It is very interesting and sums up well how to weave those elements into your writing.  Your characters need goals, motivations and conflicts to propel your plot forward.   When you have those elements in place plotting your book is so much easier.  It took me a while to realize how important the characters are to a book.  If you know your characters well, your plot will flow.


May God bless each and everyone of you,
Margaret Daley
A MOTHER FOR CINDY, Love Inspired, January 2005
LIGHT IN THE STORM, Love Inspired, April 2005
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, Love Inspired, October 2005
http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest to win a free autograph book

Daley News
Fall 2004

Dear Readers:

I am back at school teaching English to students with learning disabilities.  This is a new teaching assignment for me and I am really enjoying my high school students.  There are some challenges, but then what job doesn’t challenge us from time to time.

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe summer. Maybe some of you, like me, are looking forward to the cooler weather.  My idea of perfect weather is anywhere between 72-78 degrees with a light breeze and sunshine.  I have to admit, though, this summer in Oklahoma has been much milder than in years past.

We have been fortunate with our weather whereas the people living in Florida have had to deal with four hurricanes which has got to be a record for a season.  As I’m writing this they are facing Jeanne and the destruction it will bring to their state. Please Lord watch over the people in the path of the hurricanes and protect them and deliver them to safety.  Be with them in their time of need and guide them with your love.  Help them to rebuild and put their lives back together.

This fall I have an October book for Love Inspired called GOLD IN THE FIRE.  It has the best cover I have gotten to date. If you get a chance visit my web site (www.margaretdaley.com) and take a look at it.  The cover reflects the book’s subject matter well. GOLD IN THE FIRE is the first book in the Ladies of Sweetwater Lake Series (Like a wedding ring, this circle of friends is never ending).

As a firefighter, Joshua Markham in GOLD IN THE FIRE, was used to taking risks.  So when unexplained fires started disrupting the quiet town of Sweetwater, he was prepared to stop them--whatever it took.

What he wasn’t prepared for was Darcy O’Brien, the beautiful woman he found trying to save horses as her family’s barn smoldered.  After a recent relationship filled with heartache, Joshua wasn’t ready for the protective feelings Darcy and her young son evoked in him. 

Joshua wasn’t willing to take risks when it came to love.  But he was a man of faith.  Could it be mere coincidence that he’d pulled this remarkable woman from a burning barn...and into his life?

Some of my past Love Inspired books are:
THE POWER OF LOVE, March 2002
A FAMILY FOR KEEPS, August 2002
SADIE’S HERO, November 2002
THE COURAGE TO DREAM, April 2003
WHAT THE HEART KNOWS, January 2004
A FAMILY FOR TORY, March 2004

My tip for writers is to focus on knowing your main characters well.  In order to make a character three dimensional you must get inside his head and tap into his emotions, then convey them to the reader.  And I don’t just mean broad feelings but the small ones as well.  The reader needs to see your character’s reactions and feelings throughout the book in scene after scene.

Here is the recipe I really enjoy as the weather gets colder.  In Oklahoma it hasn’t gotten very cool yet, but a person can only wish.  What I love about this recipe is that you can freeze part of it for use later.  It will make a big batch of soup that can last over several meals.

Taco Soup
Two pounds of ground round (extra lean is the best)
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans of stewed tomatoes, plus the liquid
2 cans pinto beans, plus the liquid
1 can of kidney beans, plus the liquid
1 can yellow hominy, plus the liquid
1 4 ounce can green chiles, chopped
2 packages of taco seasoning (some people only use 1)
1 package Ranch style dressing mix
1 cup water or more as desired

Brown the meat and onion together.  Drain any fat.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for thirty minutes.  Serve with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips on top.
    
May God bless each and everyone of you,
Margaret Daley
GOLD IN THE FIRE, Love Inspired, October 2004
A MOTHER FOR CINDY, Love Inspired, January 2005
LIGHT IN THE STORM, Love Inspired, April 2005
THE CINDERELLA PLAN, Love Inspired, October 2005
http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest to win a free autograph book

These verses from Psalm 95 are appropriate as we head into fall and Thanksgiving:
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.  For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Daley News
Summer 2004

Dear Readers:

     School is out for me until the middle of August.  I hope to accomplish a lot of writing this summer while I am not teaching special education at a local high school.  I recently sold four books.  The first one is the fourth book in a continuity series called Tiny Blessings for Love Inspired.  My book is called THE CINDERELLA PLAN coming out in October 2005.  It takes place over a one month period.  Guess which month?  You’re right--October.  It is about what can happen when matchmaking teens conspire.
     Besides THE CINDERELLA PLAN, I have sold three more books.  One is the fourth book in my Love Inspired’s Ladies of Sweetwater Series that starts this fall with GOLD IN THE FIRE, October 2004.  The fourth book is titled WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE.  That’s my title.  I often don’t get to keep my title for the book so I’m not sure what it will be called when it is finally published in spring 2006.
     My second and third books are coming out in Steeple Hill’s new Romantic Suspense line that starts next July 2005.  I don’t have dates yet for when these books will be published.   Steeple Hill hasn’t even announced yet what the line will be called.  I’ve heard it being called Valor but nothing definite at the time of writing this newsletter.  Valor is the working title for the line by the editors, but from what is being said, it will not be the title of the line.  Any thoughts on Steeple Hill Mystery or Steeple Hill Suspense? 
     As we head into summer and time of vacations, I want to offer a prayer for each of you.  Dear Lord, watch over us as we travel.  Protect us from harm and from overextending ourselves when we should slow down and take life easy.  Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all you have done for us and will continue to do in the future.  Amen
     Remember in these fast, hectic times to stop and smell the roses as the cliché goes.  God made a beautiful world out there for us to enjoy.  Don’t let stress take over your life and keep you from fully enjoying life.  I’m learning that the hard way.  It’s so easy to fill our lives with stuff that “has” to be done.
     My tip for writers who are receiving this newsletter:
Please don’t give up.  Persistence is so important in this business of writing.  When I had sold over twenty books, I hit a dry spell that lasted over eight years.  I didn’t sell a book but I kept writing.  I was given a second chance and just recently sold my 43rd book.
     Some of the following are titles of my Love Inspired books that were changed:
FAMILY TO KEEP was titled THROUGH THE TEARS OF LAUGHTER.
COURAGE TO DREAM was titled MAGNOLIA BLOSSOM.
A MOTHER FOR CINDY was titled PERFECT MATCH.
GOLD IN THE FIRE was titled MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.    
WHAT THE HEART KNOWS was titled HEART OF THE MATTER.    
SADIE’S HERO was titled A MATTER OF FAITH.

Here is a recipe I love to make during the summer months because I don’t have to use a stove and heat up the kitchen on those hot days.

Bean Salad
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of green beans
1 can of chick peas
several stalks of celery-diced
1 red onion-diced
Mix all the ingredients together then put oil and vinegar in to taste (the mixture should be what you like--I usually have more vinegar to oil).  Season with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash.
With this recipe you can substitute different beans or spices.  This salad is better if it sits a day in the refrigerator and it last for a while.

May God bless each and everyone of you,
Margaret Daley
A FAMILY FOR TORY, Love Inspired, March 2004
GOLD IN THE FIRE, Love Inspired, October 2004
A MOTHER FOR CINDY, Love Inspired, January 2005
LIGHT IN THE STORM, Love Inspired, April 2005
http://www.margaretdaley.com--enter my monthly contest to win a free autograph book

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  Romans 15:13
 

I am with you always,

to the very end of the age. 

Matthew 28:20

Hosting and Web Design -- by Kim Cox

Background and web graphics -- Shirley's Creations

All rights reserved ©  2008  Margaret Daley