Summer Reading

Colorado Springs, CO— Fiction lovers don’t need to budget to travel this summer with Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s eight full-length, historical novels by beloved Christian authors (WaterBrook, June 2, 2009). At the low cost of only $5.99, these well-read “get-aways” provide quality entertainment at a price that any reader can afford.

Full-length historical novels offered include:
The Captain’s Bride(ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45806-3) by Lisa Tawn Bergren, book one in Northern Lights series. Experience an epic saga of perseverance and passion, faith and fidelity in a sea adventure from the gentle hills of Bergen, Norway, to rocky coast of Camden, Maine.

Tommorrow’s Treasure(ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45808-7)by Linda Lee Chaikin, book one in East of the Sun series. Family secrets and a passion for a man of a higher social class draw Evy Varley into a dangerous mystery and disturbing questions about her past.

The Silver Sword(ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45809-4)by Angela Elwell Hunt, book one in The Heirs of Cahira O’ Connor series. The auburn-haired O’Conner women push against social limits. Their tale is one of peril, courage, vengeance, love and sacrifice.

The Veil (ISBN-13: 978-0-307-45807-0) by Diane Noble. Hannah McClary dares to question the truth behind the shroud of secrecy that cloaks a nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints. Soon she and Lucas Knight, the young man she loves, find themselves fighting for their lives.
Under the Distant Sky (ISBN-13: 978-1-60142-245-3) by Al and Joanna Lacy, book one in Hannah of Fort Bridger. Join Hannah and Solomon Cooper as they journey by wagon train to a new life on the frontier. Will they overcome tragedy and great opposition as they strive to live their dream?
A Promise for Breanna (ISBN-13: 978-1-60142-244-6) by Al & Joanna Lacy, book one in Angel of Mercy series. Suspense, danger, romance and spiritual truth each play a part in this heroine’s life as she faces the man who once broke her heart and led her to mistrust men.

Maire (ISBN-13: 978-1-60142-256-0) by Linda Windsor, book one in Fires of Gleannmara. Maire, Warrior Queen of Gleannmara, finds her fierce heart gentled by a reformed mercenary, a Christian, who’s taken hostage during a raid.

A Gathering of Finches (ISBN-13: 978-1-60142-247-7) by Jane Kirkpatrick. A turn-of-the-century Oregon coastal couples’ life is seen through the eyes of the wife, her sister, and her Indian maid who discover reasons why money and possessions can’t buy happiness, forgiveness or relieve consequences of choices.

Waterbrook summer release of value line books will also include a 99 Ways (July 2009) and Non-fiction series (September 2009).

I had the opportunity to read a couple of these books. I just finished The Silver Sword and have started A Gathering of Finches. Once I opened The Silver Sword, I couldn't put it down. This book came to work with me, I read it while cooking dinner, in the evening while my husband was watching TV. It tells the story of a woman, Anika, who becomes a Knight and works to help a Reformer, Jan Hus in the 1400s. It wove bits of history into the story. Fortunately the rest of the series is also out and you can follow this family's interesting linage.

Office Wars -The Out of Office Notice

It’s been a while since my last Office Wars post. Mostly that is due to work going well and people not doing silly thing, but today I found something that just made me giggle. Due to us office workers getting an extra day off on Friday (for Independence Day on Saturday), many people decided to extend their 3 day weekend into a 4 or 5 day weekend. That was smart planning on their part, maybe next summer I will try that.

However, one thing these people did not consider is their "Out of Office" notice. It is immediately fired back to anyone who dares send them an e-mail while they are gone. At our company it is standard practice to put your backup's name in the notice in case anyone has something urgent.

In our department each morning we send out a Daily Progress Report. Since my supervisor is out today I send the e-mail. I immediately received 4 out of office replies. As I clicked on them I noticed a trend...

"Hi, this is Kara*, I will be out of the office July 1-10, Please contact Danny for any urgent issues..."

Next it is Danny's Out of Office Notice: "Greetings, I will be traveling from July 6 - July 10, please contact Jerry for any immediate needs."

And Jerry's Out of Office Notice. "I will be gone on July 6th and 7th, for assistance please contact Danny (Really? Did you not know he was going to be gone?) or Jennifer."

Thankfully, Jennifer is in the office, but I really, really want to send a e-mail to Kara, then forward it to Danny, then to Jerry, and finally to Jennifer. Whew, I think by the time I finished forwarding it would no longer be urgent. It would be next week.

*Names have been changed to protect my privacy. I don't want you e-mailing my boss.