Frozen Cookies. Your Turn . . .

Sunday, Jan. 29th, noon Pacific time~ BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Edie, Pegg, Bethany, Jen, Wendy, and Kelly!!  Yes, I doubled the winners because y'all left so many wonderful comments (confessions!). Thank you and do continue to stop by--we'll be having more of this fun!

Hi. My name is Candace . . . and I have a gingerbread habit. 
Seriously. I always suspected it. From way back, when I first empathized with that fox in that Gingerbread Man story. A warm-from-the-oven spice cookie (riding on your back as you cross a river), who wouldn't be tempted? Totally understandable. Especially with that cookie's smug teasing: "Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me . . ."

Yeah well. Fox couldn't resist. And me either.  I make 'em, frost them, personalize them for guests. Which all falls quite legitimately under the heading of Holiday Festivities. Innocent, generous, possibly even admirable. But . . . (cue the musical dark interlude)

Digging around in the depths of the garage freezer to find the zip lock with the last spice man hints at a serious gingerbread habit. If a person actually "hid" it there herself, furthers the suspicion. That she found it and ate it still frozen: proof.

There, I've greeted the new year with a clean slate. (And ziplock). Phew, what a relief. I feel better already.
So . . . I thought I'd extend that same good feeling to YOU as well.
C'mon, let's have some silly fun:

What was your holiday 2011 goody temptation?

You know you had one . . . right? Chocolate? Peppermint mochas? Pumpkin cheesecake?


Share it here, now. And . . .

I'll put your name in a drawing for a book giveaway: A signed and personalized copy of any one of my Mercy Hospital books (Critical Care, Disaster Status, Code Triage) OR a copy of Chicken Soup Best Stories of Faith OR a "surprise" inspirational fiction novel of my choice (from my grab bag of great authors). You don't need to specify your choice now, we'll do that after the drawing.

I'll randomly draw the three winning names on Sunday, January 29th. Be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you if your name is drawn.

(As a recovering gingerbread addict), I look forward to hearing your comments.

Meanwhile, back to a new year regime of exercise, lower carbs . . . the occasional cinnamon laced coffee. No gingerbread man on my back. No sir.
Til at least a week after Thanksgiving.

New Year, New Book: Chapter One Trauma Plan

Happy New Year friends!  It's that time of year when we make plans, promises, set goals and feel encouraged by the opportunity to start fresh. As an author, 2012 is especially exciting: this year the first book in my new medical drama series releases. Trauma Plan is already available for pre-order via various online sources and should begin shipping May 1st. (Local bookstores should also start receiving orders in May).

As you can imagine, I'm pretty excited to share this story with you at long last. And completely honored by these early reviews:



“ . . . heart stopping . . . and heart melting . . . A great read and one for your keeper shelf.”
--Lynette Eason, award winning, best selling author of the Women of Justice series

“ . . . grab your parachute and take a dive into an amazing story packed with solid characters, including Calvert’s Rx for great fiction—a heart-throb hero!!”
--Ronie Kendig, author of the Discarded Hero series

“Trauma Plan is a novel that will grip your heart and keep you turning pages.”
--Richard L. Mabry, MD
--Author of Lethal Remedy and the Prescription for Trouble series

To get you up to speed, here's the back cover blurb: 


Sidelined by injuries from a vicious assault, nurse chaplain Riley Hale is determined to return to ER duties. But how can she show she’s competent when the hospital won’t let her attempt even simple tasks? Determined to prove herself, Riley volunteers at a controversial urban free clinic despite her fears about the maverick doctor in charge. 


Dr. Jack Travis defends his clinic like he’s commander of the Alamo. He’ll fight the community’s efforts to shut its doors, even if he must use Riley Hale’s influential family name to make it happen. 


As Riley strives to regain her skills, Jack finds that she shares his compassion—and stirs his lonely heart. 


Riley senses that beneath Jack’s rough exterior is a man she can believe in. But when clinic protests escalate and questions surface about his past, Jack goes into battle mode, and Riley wonders if it’s dangerous to trust him with her heart.


And now (drum roll implied) I'm delighted to offer right here, right now:

Chapter One:  Trauma Plan 

I hope you enjoy the read. Let me know what you think.  Once again, Happy New Year, friends!

A Picture is Worth . . .

A thousand words--isn't that the old saying: "A picture is worth a thousand words?" When you consider that I've probably teased you a hundreds of times about unveiling the cover for my upcoming book--the cover model hunt, a sigh-worthy Chicago photo shoot, the first cover art draft  . . .
Well, that in itself could qualify for a thousand words!.

So here it is: the official cover for TRAUMA PLAN, the first book in my new Grace Medical series--three novels, three exciting journeys, set in amazing Texas locales. The artist (and photographer), Tyndale House art director Stephen Vosloo, depicts our maverick physician hero, Dr. Jack Travis, in sharp contrast against an almost ephemeral image of heroine nurse-chaplain Riley Hale. At the lower border is the San Antonio skyline. The title is a bold cutout in red, with author name "chalked" in white. I think the whole composition makes a bold statement, supporting the back cover blurb:


Sidelined by injuries from a vicious assault, nurse chaplain Riley Hale is determined to return to ER duties. But how can she show she’s competent when the hospital won’t let her attempt even simple tasks? Determined to prove herself, Riley volunteers at a controversial urban free clinic despite her fears about the maverick doctor in charge. 
Dr. Jack Travis defends his clinic like he’s commander of the Alamo. He’ll fight the community’s efforts to shut its doors, even if he must use Riley Hale’s influential family name to make it happen. 
As Riley strives to regain her skills, Jack finds that she shares his compassion—and stirs his lonely heart. Riley senses that beneath Jack’s rough exterior is a man she can believe in. But when clinic protests escalate and questions surface about his past, Jack goes into battle mode, and Riley wonders if it’s dangerous to trust him with her heart.

Lest you think that the saying "worth a thousand words," means this cover allowed me to skimp on prose . . . no such shortcut there. This book may indeed be the longest I've written--packed with non-stop action, heart-tugging emotion, humor, great romance . . . all set against the colorful backdrop of San Antonio at Fiesta time. Though it's already available for pre-order, Trauma Plan is officially scheduled for release (on or perhaps slightly before) May 1st.  I can hardly wait to share! 


Here's what early reviews are saying about this book:


"Candace Calvert has crafted another gut grabbing medical thriller. Trauma Plan kept me engrossed from beginning to end as I immersed myself in the characters' lives, felt their pain and rejoiced in their victories. The faith message was clear, the medical traumas heart stopping and the romance heart melting. I loved everything about the story, especially little Hobo and his two wheeled cart. A great read and one for your keeper shelf." - Lynette Eason, award winning, best-selling author of the Women of Justice series 

 "Spine-tingling suspense  and a power-packed shot of adrenaline heat up Candace Calvert’s TRAUMA PLAN. Calvert’s tight writing and well-developed characters made for a story I could not stop reading. TRAUMA PLAN doesn’t disappoint, so grab your parachute and take a dive into an amazing story packed with solid characters, including Calvert’s Rx for great fiction—a heart-throb hero!!" ~~Ronie Kendig, author of the Discarded Hero series.

 "Candace Calvert paints an exciting story on a canvas she knows very well, the world of medicine and the people who inhabit it. Trauma Plan is a novel that will grip your heart and keep you turning pages."
--Richard L. Mabry, MD
--Author of the Prescription For Trouble series

I'm still pinching myself at the honor of having endorsements from those talented authors!


So, what do you think of the new cover: worth a thousand words?

Book Me . . .

Okay, I love this--it's from a post on Facebook, showing (in lighted glory) a holiday tree made from a stack of books. Sort of a virtual depiction of a book lover singing, "All I want for Christmas is . . . a box of books, crate of books, all I want . . ."  You get it.  I can relate, for sure. When I shared it on Facebook, the responses were similar--including one clever mention of trying to create a tree from Kindle downloads. 

And then I thought of this photo:

It was sent to me by a reader, showing a vintage 60's (ouch on "vintage," since I was most certainly a reader then) headboard bookcase. In the center book shelf cubby is my trio of Mercy Hospital books--that made me offer a vintage smile, for sure.

It all made me wonder . . . How big is YOUR stack of books? To be read, already read, destined for re-reading, signed by author, awaiting gift wrap? If you took them all, pulled them from cubbies, shelves, closets, under your bed (c'mon, there's one there, right?) and piled them up, would they be tall enough to string with lights for a tree? For the Rockefeller Center tree? 

And what do you do with your books after they've been read? Share them? Re-sell them? Donate them?

My mother was a voracious reader, at least one book a day. She had a room in her house that was off the kitchen, behind the basement door. It was once a watch repair workshop (my Dad's), but ended up a book room. Tidy shelves at first, then piles, then . . . very tall stacks. Avalanche worthy. Mom could have made a Christmas tree of books. With some left over to build a sleigh and big chair for Santa. Her collection was just shy of a "Hoarder's" episode--s book  lover's edition, but without that weird "Eeeeep" sound effect . . . you know the one.

My personal stack of books isn't tree worthy, as I tend to give them away--share them, forget to whom. And before we moved cross country I donated a carload for the local library's fundraiser. My office shelves do have duplicate copies of my own books, waiting to be sent to reviewers or blog giveaway winners. 

Here they are, in all their cover-hero glory: my Mercy Hospital series. In the photo, too, are bookmarks, a signed bookplate, and a handwritten letter--ready to send to a reader to include with a gift.

I wanted to remind you now--before it gets any closer to Christmas--that I am more than happy to send a free personalized book plate, bookmarks, and a letter for any Mercy Hospital book you're giving as a gift. As a reader just told me, it helps to make the gift even more special. Just let me know via e-mail: candace@candacecalvert.com, and I'll get that right out to you.

So, back to that pressing question . . . is your personal stack of books tree-worthy? What's your number estimate? Should we say . . . "Eeeeep"?

Turkey Dressing . . . By Any Other Name

I couldn't resist this photo--I'd look worried, too, if someone attached a red felt turkey wattle to my chin. But this little guy reminded me of Jonah, the yodeling therapy dog in Disaster Status. And his predicament leads nicely into the gist of my holiday post: Turkey Dressing vs. Turkey Stuffing. A minor difference in wording. And probably more of a family custom when choosing which name you give to that traditional and buttery-sagey, delectable Thanksgiving side dish. Whether it be made of bread, cornbread, or . . . ?

Which let me to a little research on the whole Dressing vs. Stuffing issue. Here's some rather strange things that I discovered, thanks to Wikipedia:

Names for stuffing include 'farce' (~1390) 'stuffing' (1538), 'forcemeat'(1688), and (after 1880) the word was changed to 'dressing' in Victorian English. And . . .


It is not known when stuffings were first used. The earliest documentary evidence is a Roman cookbook which contains recipes for stuffed chicken, hare, pig, and dormouse (!) Most of these consisted of vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts, and spelt (an old cereal), and frequently contain chopped liver, brains, and other organ meat (eew, sorry about that). And . . .

It is sometimes claimed that medieval chefs sometimes stuffed animals with other animals--and we are not just talking "Turducken" here. More like a ram stuffed with small bird. And (deep breath): There was reportedly a recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with birds stuffed with carp stuffed with eggs. I needed to sit down and hug a bottle of Tums just thinking about that! No. Thank. You.

So, back to the original two questions: 'Dressing' or 'Stuffing'--which do you call it?
And: Bread or Cornbread? Which do you prefer?

For my part, my family always called it 'Dressing,' and it was made from torn day old bread (I still remember  sitting with an old washpan and a loaf of Rainbow Bread the night before. Tearing, tearing . . .). Added to it would be butter-simmered onion and celery and some poultry seasoning. No oysters. Ever. No giblets either--the cats got those.

This year I'm making 'cornbread stuffing' (cornbread 'dressing' doesn't sound right), a recipe from Emeril Lagasse via Martha Stewart Living. It includes green onion, sweet red peppers, and crispy bacon.

I'm looking forward to the fun of preparing the meal, the scents wafting through the house . . . and especially to having family here--including our two tiny grand daughters. Blessings, for sure. And while I'm counting God's blessings and feeling grateful, I'll be thinking of YOU all, too. Your encouragement, support, and friendship have been a beautiful part of this year.

To celebrate that blessing, I'd like to do another book giveaway. Right here, right now:  Five signed and personalized copies of my current ECPA bestseller, CODE TRIAGE. If you win, keep it for yourself or gift it to someone who'd like an exciting, inspiring story of hope. One less gift to buy!

So, for your chance at one of five free books, leave a comment below telling me whether you call it 'stuffing' or 'dressing,'  and whether you prefer bread or cornbread as the main ingredient. Simple as that.
You MUST include your e-mail for contact. I'll do a random drawing on Tuesday November 29th and notify the lucky winners by e-mail.

Good luck and have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving, friends!

Give Me a Minute . . . Wouldya?

Friday, November 4th 8:25 AM (Pacific) Just for fun, I've randomly selected four names from those who have commented on this post: ANDREA, EDWINA, NICHOLE, LYN. If you'll contact me candace(at)candacecalvert(dot)com I'd like to offer you your choice of one the Mercy Hospital books. Critical Care, Disaster Status, or Code Triage. Signed and personalized as you wish, for yourself or for a gift to someone else. Just let me know. And thank you all for stopping by my blog--love seeing you here!Yesterday I was typing furiously on my newest work in progress, RESCUE TEAM ( second book in the upcoming Grace Medical series). Hubby was salmon fishing with a pal, which meant I'd have all day to work alone. Correction: it would be me and my fictional folks. It was a day that I needed to especially concentrate. You see, the story was at that delicate, pivotal point: prelude to a first kiss. Something an author wants to get just right. No broccoli on the teeth, no interruptions by whiny, needy secondary characters, no unplanned call for CPR--it could happen, I write medical drama. Anyway, things were going well. Got the destined couple past a day tour of Austin, let the heroine play a little air-guitar, fed them both some great, trendy SoCo Trailer Food (foodie-author must have yummy imaginary eats), then sent them to coffee on a deck overlooking Lake Austin. So far, so good. Then a slow dance. Even better. Got past a raccoon interruption (still better than CPR), then--at last-- they're taking a moonlit walk along the water. Banter turns from humorous to heartfelt, their eyes meet, the heroine holds her breath, and . . . I type these words:

His eyes searched hers for a moment, as if he were considering what to say.

And I sit there. Shift in my chair. Read them again. Sit there. Until the humor of it dawns on me: He's pausing . . . while I consider what he's going to say.

It struck me as so funny that I laughed out loud--and immediately Tweeted it. (This is what people must do when they work alongside only fictional people.) Characters staring at each other on the page, considering what to say. Hilarious. Profound.

Someone Tweeted back: "I'll never read those words the same way again."

Which, of course proved I'd written a cliche. But it also made me think that there are plenty of writers who do the same thing: wait for the words to come. Leave our characters mute in mid-sentence--stalled before a kiss--while we . . . consider our words . . . that will become their words.

And it made me wonder: Where (in what geographical location, what situation) do your best ideas, snappy comebacks, flashes of unexpected brilliance come? Shower? Dreams? While walking? Driving? Duct taping yourself to the desk chair, sweating it out? What works for you?

Do. Tell. I'd love to know.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering: our hero didn't say anything after all. Just kissed her. I guess he considered if he had to wait for me, it wasn't going to happen.

Scrubbing In: Dr. Richard Mabry

Sunday October 23rd, 1:35 PM Pacific time: CONGRATULATIONS to JUDY GANN! You will be receiving a signed copy of Dr. Richard Mabry's Lethal Remedy. And a big thank you to all who stopped by the blog to read my interview. We both hope you'll "scrub in" with our medical adventures.

This week it is my pleasure to host wonderful medical suspense author, Dr. Richard Mabry. It is always such a delight when he "scrubs in" here at RX: Hope, and I feel so honored to know that we share a readership. A physician and nurse teaming up in fiction much the way we did in the medical world! Most of you know the good doctor already, but for those who have yet to be introduced, here is a some background:

Richard L. Mabry, M.D., is a retired physician and medical school professor who achieved worldwide recognition as a writer, speaker, and teacher before turning his talents to non-medical writing after his retirement. He is the author of one non-fiction book, and his inspirational pieces have appeared in numerous periodicals. Most currently, he is the author of contemporary Christian fiction aptly tagged, "Medical Suspense with Heart." He and his wife, Kay, live in North Texas.

And not only has Dr. Mabry agreed to let me put him on the spot with some questions, but he will also be offering a chance at a signed copy of his newest book! I'll give details in a bit.

Right now, let's get started:

Candace Calvert: Welcome! Lethal Remedy, your newest release, marks your fourth fiction work. In what ways do you feel that you’ve grown and “stretched” as a writer during this time? What has most helped with that growth?

Richard Mabry: Until we get that first contract, we writers tend to agonize over every word, sentence, and paragraph. Once we reach the point where an agent and/or editor validates our work, we can obsess less over technique and concentrate on putting the words together to convey a story that draws in the reader. And once we’re writing on deadline, our concentration seems to be magnified.

Most writers will tell you that they don’t really know for sure how they reached their present level. For me, it involved putting into practice what I read and heard from others about the craft, writing four unsuccessful novels along the way. And I’m still learning.

CC: Christian fiction authors often experience special moments when a reader connects quite personally (sometimes unexpectedly) with the hopeful message offered by a story. Will you share a few words about a reader-connection that particularly encouraged you as an author?

RM: One of the toughest times for an author is when we fear no one will ever have the opportunity to read our words again, because no publisher will print them. I was “between engagements” (as the actors put it) when I received this email:

“Your books are fantastic! I'm enjoying them so much. I bought the 4th one today. There's only one problem, they're so good I read them too fast - and then they're over. Keep making them good, though.”

Not only that, but my novels led her to the non-fiction book I wrote, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse:

“Do you know where I can find the book you wrote about your wife dying? I lost my husband in 2002, but it still hurts today. Aren't we glad we know we'll see them in Heaven.”

So in one email she validated my fiction writing and showed me that my non-fiction book was still accomplishing God’s purpose. How much better could it get?

CC: Beautiful, and you're so right, Richard. That is the best.

CC: Let’s try something to tie together two of your passions: writing and golf:

CC: A caddy is invaluable to a golfer—advice, expertise, psychological support: Who’s your literary caddy?

RM: I have two: my wife, Kay, and my agent, Rachelle Gardner. Kay is my first reader. She is both my severest critic and my biggest fan, and I couldn’t function without her. Rachelle is a steadying influence in my writing life, offering suggestions about my writing, helping me make professional decisions, and in general encouraging me.

CC: Even professional golfers have challenging rounds, missed putts, bunker shots. Name an experience in your writing journey where you felt “deep in the rough.”

RM: The most significant instance was when I quit writing! There’s a bunker on the course at St. Andrews that’s so deep and hard to get out of that they call it “Hell.” That’s where I found myself. I was discouraged by continued rejections and responses of “not quite there” and “not right for us.” I even tried my hand at writing a cozy mystery (which was a big mistake). So I gave up. But God didn’t, since He led me to a new agent and a new direction in my life, and I was able to get back onto the fairway.

CC: And your readers are grateful you did! What writing experience has been a literary “Eagle”?

I actually had a second novel finished shortly after signing the contract for my first one. My agent submitted a proposal for that one, and wound up getting a two-book contract, Both the publisher and I felt that the third book would end the series, but when my agent circulated the proposal for my next one, Abingdon Press decided to give me a contract for that as well. That was my “eagle”—not anticipated, but certainly welcome.

CC: What single literary achievement would feel like a “Hole in One”?

RM: After my fourth novel from Abingdon, Diagnosis Death, I wasn’t under contract for any more books. Frankly, it was tough for me to write under those circumstances, because I became increasingly convinced that no one would ever publish more of my novels. But when Rachelle pitched my next book to a number of publishers, there was significant interest, culminating in a contract for three more books. (More about that in a minute).

CC: Which points us to the fact that you have two awesome reasons to celebrate. First, the recent release of Lethal Remedy. Tell us a little about this fourth and final medical suspense in your “Prescription for Trouble” series.

RM: Here’s the back cover copy:

Dr. Sara Miles’ patient is on the threshold of death from an overwhelming, highly resistant infection with Staphylococcus luciferus, simply known to doctors as “the killer.” Only an experimental antibiotic, developed and administered by Sara’s ex-husband, Dr. Jack Ingersoll, can save the girl's life.

Dr. John Ramsey is seeking to put his life together after the death of his wife by joining the medical school faculty. But his decision could prove to be costly, even fatal.

Potentially lethal late effects from the experimental drug send Sara and her colleague, Dr. Rip Pearson, on a hunt for hidden critical data that will let them reverse the changes before it’s too late.

CC: And (drum roll!) you’ve recently announced some very exciting news that has readers shouting for joy. Will you please share it again here?

RM: I’ve signed with the wonderful folks at Thomas Nelson Company for three novels of medical suspense. The first will be published in the spring of 2013, with the others following at about nine month intervals. As you can imagine, I’m terribly excited. I was privileged to meet with many members of the Thomas Nelson team at the recent American Christian Fiction Writers conference, and I’m looking forward to this relationship.

CC: Awesome! Can you give us just a hint of a storyline, setting, or characters?

RM: Dr. Matt Newman thought he was leaving his life in private practice for a better one in academic medicine. His kidnappers have no such plans for him. They just want him dead. Bound, in the trunk of his car, Matt’s only thought is escape. He does so, but at a price: a head injury that lands him in the ICU, where he awakens to find he’s charged with murder.

Sandra Murray is a fiery, redheaded lawyer who swore she was done with doctors, but the call from Matt presented a challenge she couldn’t turn down. She decided to give it one more chance.

Matt’s career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. Can he and Sandra uncover the truth before the kidnappers finish the job they started?

CC : Sounds exciting! Knowing your readers will suffer withdrawal symptoms during the hiatus between series, will you offer updates (possibly snippets?) during this time? Where can readers find you in cyberspace?

RM: I’m toying with the idea of an occasional short story to be posted on my blog, if I can snatch the time from my “real” writing to get them done. Of course, there’s my blog where I post twice a week. They can also keep up with me on Twitter and my Facebook fan page .

CC : Great, thank you. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us, Dr. Mabry?

RM: I appreciate the opportunity to visit here. I’m delighted that Christian fiction is no longer a derogatory term. Thanks to you for helping popularize medical fiction. I look forward to reading more of your novels in the future, and hope your readers will enjoy mine.

Candace: And I feel exactly the same way, Richard--thank you for sharing all this with my readers!

And, speaking of sharing: For your chance at a signed copy of Lethal Remedy, leave a comment below. Be sure to include an e-mail address. I will select a winner via a random drawing on Sunday, October 23rd. Good luck to you all!