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We have a twenty-acre parcel for sale nearby! We're a family-friendly neighborhood with plenty of elbow room and gorgeous views. The land has lots of pasture as well as some old-growth trees surrounding a half-acre pond. Click on the link for photos and information. (http://windermere.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Listing.ListingDetail&ListingID=19379810)

My husband, a budding and (I think) talented humor writer, now has a humor blog. Hop on over for your daily chuckle! (http://humorium.blogspot.com/)

Hey, we finally got some stock ahead and re-opened our business website! Come see us at (https://www.donlewisdesigns.com/)

I am delighted to announce that Tawra Kellam, one of the founders of LivingOnADime.com, will be reprinting my articles on running a home craft business.  These articles originally appeared in Countryside Magazine.

I’ve become a huge Paul Potts fan. To find out who he is and why I find him incredible, view these two YouTube links: (http://youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA/) and (http://youtube.com/watch?v=rDB9zwlXrB8/)

On Friday, December 21, I received staggering news. My husband and I had just dragged ourselves in from the woods after a rough session of chaining up logs and pulling them up to the house with the tractor (firewood, y'know). In checking for phone messages, I heard my agent's voice on the answering machine. "I have a Christmas present," she said. "Call me."

I did right away, of course. And the first words out of her mouth were, "Are you sitting down?"

It seems that the publisher Thomas Nelson has bought my book "Life 101."

Don and I are flying. We keep wandering around the house muttering, "I can't believe it...I can't believe it...I can't believe it."

God is good!

UPDATE 1/28/08: "Life 101" has been tentatively re-titled "The Living More Simply Devotional." Rather than the original one hundred and one tips, it will be expanded to a daily reading, meaning I have to cough up with 365 brilliant suggestions. Talk about challenging! I'm writing like crazy and having the time of my life. Besides, it's been a rough winter with tons of snow and we are marooned regularly, so it gives me something to do...like that was a problem, right?

UPDATE 3/5/08: On January 10, I had a conference call with my editor at Thomas Nelson and my agent in which we verbally finalized the format of the book The Living More Simply Devotional. Essentially we decided on a year’s worth of daily readings divided into twelve categories (one for every month). This meant that I had to expand the original manuscript from 101 tips (and 35,000 words) to 365 tips (at around 90,000 words).

Well, I did it. I wrote and wrote and wrote, and my husband and I edited and edited and edited. And finally on Wednesday, Feb 27, I had the pleasure (and the relief!) of emailing the completed manuscript to my editor, a month ahead of schedule. Phew. Step one done!

Well, if I thought my job was over, I was wrong. NoooOOOooo. Next, I needed to put together a promotional video clip of two or three minutes for a conference the Thomas Nelson people will be attending in April. Our local high school filmed the clip as part of a class project (thank you!) and the TN folks will add the book cover, music, or whatever other stuff they deem necessary. I hate, absolute hate, how I look on camera, so this was a major step outside my comfort zone.

The book cover has been designed. I can’t post it here yet but it’s real purty. I’ll post it as soon as I have permission.

And hey, for anyone reading this, I’d love your help! I’ll only have a short window of opportunity to promote the book, and I’ll be competing with every other book out there. What are your thoughts about where I should promote it? I was thinking, for example, the Home School Legal Defense Association, perhaps World Net Daily, etc. Where else? What are some ideas? Also, would you like me to add your email address to a list of contacts for when the book is finally released this upcoming fall? For all this, please drop me a line at patrice@patricelewis.com

I’m hoping to put together a blog soon as well. It will probably be part of a separate webpage, one dedicated to the book itself, and linked to this page. Stand by!

UPDATE 4/4/08: Take a look at my beautiful book cover! It's at the very bottom of the "My Life" page. Let me hear your thoughts about it! You can email me at patrice@patricelewis.com

Remember, our business webpage is open again - check it out at (https://www.donlewisdesigns.com/)

HEARTBREAKING UPDATE 4/28/08: I received a call from my agent this morning. She was nearly in tears. It seems that the publisher Thomas Nelson has cancelled the contract for my upcoming book The Living More Simply Devotional.

Apparently the publisher is undergoing a financial and structural reorganization and HALVING the number of book they're going to print this year, from 700 to 350. As a new author, I got cut. I'm not alone - there are 350 other authors stumbling about in shock. My wonderful editor at TN, Debbie Wickwire, was extremely unhappy about the decision, but unfortunately it's out of her hands.

Right now my agent and I are regrouping and planning on another round of submissions. I won't pretend this isn't a blow. But where God closes a door, He opens a window. Our job now is to find that window.

UPDATE 5/5/08: My agent is sending the proposal for the Simplicity book to various publishers, and has already received strong interest from one of them (keep those fingers crossed!). Meanwhile, one nice thing that happened this week is I had an article accepted for publication by no less than WorldNetDaily.com, one of my favorite internet news sites. It's titled, oddly enough, "Toilet Cleaning as Performance Art." Come see at (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63220) and be sure to leave a Digg comment at the bottom!

UPDATE 5/13/08: My agent has received some additional interest from two more publishers for the Simplicity book. Cross those fingers, toes, and eyelashes! And I had the honor of having a second article accepted by WorldNetDaily.com: (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63861) Be sure to leave a Digg comment at the bottom!

UPDATE 5/17/08: Unbelievable, folks! WorldNetDaily.com has actually offered me a regular Saturday column entitled Real America. To say I'm blown away is an understatement! They wrote up the nicest introduction - come take a look: (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64492)

This is my official debut column, though I have the two previous articles as well: (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=64480)