Hi Friends, I hope you’re having a great week. It’s so hard to believe we’re into February. In fact, next week is the most romantic holiday of all—Valentine’s Day. To celebrate, I’ve joined forces with some awesome romance author friends to do a special LOVING WELL giveaway.

Today I’ll be sharing about Loving Kids Well. These can be your own children, your grandchildren, your nieces and nephews, or simply kids you interact with on a regular basis. Children are a blessing from the Lord and they deserved to be loved and cherished. Here are 8 Ways to Love Kids Well:

• Spend Time With Them—The number one way you can show kids you love them is by investing in their lives. We’re all so busy these days. Take time to give your child or the children in your life undivided attention.

• Listen—Kids love to talk and are very open about what’s important to them. Give them the opportunity to share and really listen to what they are saying.

• Figure Out Their Love Language—Every child has a different love language. Figure out what your child’s is and show them love in that way. See this link for more information: http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Features/Web/2010/jan/love-language.aspx

• Have Fun—Life can be busy, but it’s important to give kids time to be kids. Put on music and dance around together. Stare at clouds and see what find shapes you can find. Bake a cake. Laugh.

• Encourage—Everyone needs encouragement. Kids are no different. Find ways to encourage them each day. Leave a note for them saying they’re special in their lunch box, on the bathroom mirror in shaving cream, or on a post-it note by their bed.

• Exhibit Qualities You Want Them To Learn—Kids learn best by example. Teach your kids the Fruits of the Spirit by exhibiting them in your life. Be loving, kind, joyful, patient, faithful and gentle with them.

• Appreciate That God Made Them Unique—God made us all unique. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing your child to others, even siblings. God created each of us in our mother’s womb. He knit us together. Let your child/grandchild/niece know you’re so thankful for the special and unique person God created them to be.

• Share Jesus With Them—The most important way you can love your child well is to share Jesus with him or her. Spend time in pray, read God’s Word, tell them how much Jesus loves them.

Be sure to visit each of the Valentine’s Giveaway blog stops and you’ll be able to collect a word on each page that will add up to a ‘secret sentence’ by the final stop.  Enter the sentence into the entry box at the final stop and be entered to win a special prize.

My word is SHE.

 Upcoming Blog Hop Stops:

Feb 6th visit Rachel Hauck by clicking here

Feb 8th visit Lisa Wingate by clicking here

Feb 9th visit Katie Ganshert by clicking here

Feb 10th visit Susan May Warren by clicking here

Feb 13th visit Becky Wade by clicking here

To enter the giveaway, simply complete the form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hoping everyone is getting ready to celebrate Christmas! I'm so grateful for the birth of my Savior and the Lord's blessings in my life and that includes all of you. Yes, you! I'm so grateful for my readers. You are amazing, and in the spirit of spreading the love this Christmas, I'm giving away a copy of any of my books (winner's choice) each day this week--Monday, December 16th through Friday, December 20th.

Here's how it will work. Each day I'll post here and on my Facebook Page about the giveaway. Leave a comment either place and you'll automatically be entered. The following day's post will contain the winner's name and the winner can contact me with his or her choice of book (Submerged, Shattered or Stranded).

A special recipe, a McKenna family favorite or mine, will accompany each post, so get ready for some fun treats and prizes! Thanks again for your amazing support. Here's a recipe to get you started:

Want to learn a little about my family Christmas traditions and get a glimpse at the McKennas'? Check out my guest post on the Bethany House Fiction Blog.

A special thank you to all who voted for one of the Alaskan Courage Men in the Fiction Hero Features contest. I'm pleased to announce Landon Grainger won Hero of the Year with Gage McKenna coming in a pretty close second. Thank you for taking the time to vote.

If you haven't heard, Shattered is up for Book of the Year and this blog is up for Blog of the Year--both at www.bookfun.org if you'd like to vote (just scroll down and look on the lefthand side).

Thanks again for your support. I pray you all have a very Merry Christmas! Be sure to drop by here or my FB Author Page everyday this week for a chance to win.

Blessings,

I'm celebrating Shattered's release with some fun events, interviews and giveaways. Thank YOU so much for your support, and for sharing Shattered with your friends and family. It's because of YOU that Shattered has made the CBA, ECPA and LifeWay Bestseller lists this month!!!!

• Facebook Author Chat Party

• Guess the Name of Book #4 Contest

One person who guesses correctly will win an Alaskan Courage Prize Pack, which includes:

Autographed copies of Submerged and Shattered Submerged and Shattered custom travel mugs Submerged and Shattered keepsake bookmarks Submerged tote bag Bag of Moose Munch (Piper McKenna's favorite snack) 1lb. Caribou Coffee (Another McKenna family favorite) Chocolate covered espresso beans (to start your day off right) And a $10 Starbucks giftcard (a Dani favorite :) )

Winners will be announced during my FB Party on March 14th. You can submit a new guess each day! Open Internationally!

Can't wait to hear your guesses.

• Goodreads Giveaway

Shattered (Alaskan Courage, # 2) by Dani Pettrey (Goodreads Author)

Release date: Feb 01, 2013

Piper McKenna couldn’t be more thrilled that her prodigal brother, Reef, has returned to Yancey, Alaska, after five years. But her happiness is short-…more

Enter to win

Giveaway dates: Mar 06-Mar 28, 2013

5 copies available

Countries available: US and CA

• Recent Interviews

Sherri Wilson Johnson's Blog PLUS Giveaway of Shattered and Submerged!

Christian Novels Blog

Novel Crossings

I'm so appreciative to Sherri, Abbi, and C.J. for hosting me!

• Local Events

If you are in the Maryland area, I have two upcoming book signings and would love the chance to meet you. You can find more details on the News Page of my website.

March 24, 2013 – 2-4 PM EST -Local Author Day at the Bel Air Public Library | 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave, Bel Air, MD 21014

April 5, 2013, 5-7 PM - Booksigning at Fenwick Books |  41655A Fenwick Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650

• Fun Extras

In case you haven't already checked them out, there are a lot of new extras on my FUN Page including:

Submerged and Shattered's Playlists

Shattered Pinterest Board

Shattered Snow Cam

Book Club Packets (full of yummy McKenna recipes).

Plus, a video interview!

Hope you'll drop by and dive into the McKenna's world.

Thank you again for all your support and encouragement!

Blessings,

Thank you to everyone who joined me on Bethany House's Book Banter last night. I had an amazing time getting to chat with you all! Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to banter with me. If you asked a question that didn't get answered, please feel free to either ask it in the comments section below or on my FB Page and I will be more than happy to answer it :)

And now.....the winners of last night's Book Banter:

Misty Wilson

Teresa Lampkin Snyder

Musa Polat

Jeanene Boucher

Melanie De Jong

Cassie Dupre

Mandy Wadsworth

Tina StClair Rice

To get your complimentary copy of Shattered, simply email your mailing address to noelle.buss@bethanyhouse.com and she'll get your copy in the mail. Hope you'll enjoy Shattered if you haven't read it yet, and if you have, feel free to use the book as a giveaway (if you have a blog) or simply share it with a friend or family member you think will enjoy it.

If your name is not listed, there's still a chance to win a copy of Shattered. Visit me on Coffee Cups & Camisoles today for another chance to win.

Thank you again for joining me last night! It was a joy getting to know you.

Blessings,

I'm guest blogging today over on Cathy West's A Blog About Books! Chatting about why I love writing adventurous characters.

Blessings,

Hi all, I hope this post finds you well. I'm guest blogging today on A Fictional Life about my love of words. Hope you'll drop by and say hi. You could win a copy of Submerged!

Blessings,

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. I was going to feature another favorite adventure athlete today, but I've been pleasantly reminded this week about the power of movies and the inspiration they offer writers. The topic has popped up multiple times so I've decided to plunge in. My family has been going through a very difficult time with my mother's rapidly failing health. I was chatting friend and author advocate extraordinaire Kelli Standish about how to refuel as an author during difficult periods in our lives.

Every author is unique, but I shared how I find movies to be a fabulous source of inspiration. Kelli and I discussed our favorites and she made some excellent recommendations that I've added to my Netflix Queue. The same topic was discussed on one of my author loops a few days earlier and we too shared our favorite romantic movies and I garnered several to add to my Queue. It seems I'm not the only writer who finds movies inspiring. For me, it's not so much a particular theme or time period, but rather the beauty of a good story well told.

I adore books and read voraciously and while movies could never replace them in my heart, there  is something to be said about the ability to sit down and watch an entire story unfold in a matter of a couple of hours. Even seeing our favorite books played out on the big screen is a ton of fun (when it is done right). I adore watching the various renditions of Jane Austen's classics and Bronte's Jane Eyre (FYI: the most recent version with Micheal Fassbender  is fabulous!).

I also find there is a great connection between movies and books. My stories play out like movies in my mind as I write, and I humbly hope that will transfer to my readers' enjoyment and to their deep connection with my characters. Earlier this week, author Jody Hedlund blogged about this very thing in her post How to Make Your Book Play Out Like a Movie.  A reader contacted Jody saying how the scenes of The Doctor's Lady played out like a movie in her head. I'm not surprised as Jody is a fabulous storyteller and I cannot think of a greater compliment. I humbly hope the same can be said of my stories some day.

I'd like to leave you with a few movies I adore. Hope you'll enjoy them too!

Favorite Adventure Movies:

• National Treasure  and National Treasure: Book of Secrets
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• The Mummy
• Romancing the Stone
• Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
• Fool's Gold
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Favorite Inspirational Movies:

• Soul Surfer
• Facing the Giants
• Amazing Grace
• The Ultimate Gift

Favorite Romance Movies:

• The Notebook (tissues required)
• Pride and Prejudice (the BBC version with Colin Firth and the movie with Keira Knightly)
• Sense and Sensibility (movie with Kate Winslet)
• Emma (movie with Gwyneth Paltrow)
• Leap Year
• The Proposal
• North and South (BBC version based on Elizabeth Gaskell's novel with Richard Armitage)
• Jane Eyre (movie with Michael Fassbender)
• A Walk to Remember (tissues required)

May all your adventures be blessed!