Hugs and Howdies: CBE

On Saturday, hubby and I tossed a suitcase into the Murano, programmed the GPS and drove north to Dallas--for a whirlwind day at Christian Book Expo. Because we had little time, my goals were simple: get a feel for this first-time event, pop in and say hello at my publisher's booth (Tyndale House) and try to see a few of the author friends I "rub elbows" with almost daily online, but rarely see in person. Simple goal, short day, but entirely enjoyable. And with several great moments. Like:

Hugs and laughs with the lovely, talented (and really funny!) B&H author, Leanna Ellis. That's us in the photo above. She's just signed a copy of her newest release, Ruby's Slippers. Another warm, funny, and thoughtful women's fiction novel set in her native Texas. I've thoroughly enjoyed her first two, Elvis Takes a Back Seat, and Lookin' Back Texas (set in infamous Luckenback, a town not far from where I live), and can't wait to get started on this one!
Here's the description:

Dottie Meyers, 35, is a real-life Dorothy Gale living with her little black dog on a small farm in Kansas that’s about to be hit by a tornado. Knocked unconscious by the storm, she awakes three months later at a recovery facility in California where her father, last seen when she was four, has left her a mysterious pair of ruby slippers.

But unlike The Wizard of Oz, this isn’t a dream, and the yellow brick road journey that Dottie and three friends are about to take from Los Angeles to Seattle in search of her dad will show the realities of a broken childhood. More importantly, everything connected to those sparkling red shoes will prove to Dottie that there’s only one true wonder worker behind the so-called curtain who can heal her wounds and prepare the heart for love.

Besides living in Texas and loving the color red, Le and I have at least a couple of other things in common: we share the same amazing literary agent, Natasha Kern, and we both began our writing careers in the mainstream market before following our hearts to write inspirational fiction. As a matter of fact, Leanna will be giving a workshop at the Romance Writers of America national convention in Washington D.C. this year for other writers who feel they may want to follow this writing path--I have a feeling it will be well attended!

Another highlights of my day at CBE, was seeing and having a quick chat with the gracious and amazing Colleen Coble who signed her newest release, Cry in the Night. I'm hoping to be able to post a picture here of her as well--my camera died and a friend took one, so stay tuned. Plus (more than serendipity), while I was visiting with Colleen, who should be there but one of my very favorite bloggers and CBA reviewers, Linda of Mocha with Linda! Another giddy hugfest, and a wonderful opportunity to sit down and chat--and have an impromptu interview as well. A delightful ending to my whirlwind day at CBE.

Hugs, Howdies, great books, good folks--the GPS knew right where to go!