Excerpt from Ty Carson

I don't think I've done any excerpts from the Ty Carson series yet, so here's one from book one. Graveyard Bend. If you're not familiar with the basic plot of the book, Ty Carson visits Graveyard Bend, (a town) to spend the summer with his grandpa. When he arrives, his grandpa is dead, and he's convinced it was murder. Ty and some friends end up staying at his grandpa's farm, and Ty sees something out the window, he goes to check it out, and this scene takes place.

. . .“What if it is another body?” I whispered tightening my grip on the baseball bat.

Sebastian shrugged. “No one is missing. There can’t be a body if no one’s missing.”

We were getting close to the straw pile, when I stopped. “You still want to argue that it’s not a body?”

Sebastian grabbed my elbow. “Is that an arm sticking out of the straw?”

I shook my head. “Yeah, but don’t worry, it can’t be a body. No one’s missing remember? It’s probably just a random arm that someone lost.”

Sebastian turned around and waved his arms to Wally. “We’ve got to get Uncle Wyatt over here.”

I nodded. “Yeah, let’s see who it is.”

The body was dressed in a suit coat. A large gash crossed his head and dry blood clotted in his hair.

“At least they won’t have to change him for his funeral,” Sebastian whispered. “He’s already got his suit on.”

“Do you recognize him?”

Sebastian shook his head. “No, but I can’t see his face.”

I shined my flashlight on him, but his face was turned away.

I leaned forward and reached out my hand.

“What are you doing?” Sebastian hissed. “You can’t touch a dead body!”

“Why not? A real detective would.” I touched his chin and twisted his head towards us.

“I’ve never seen him before,” Sebastian whispered. “But he couldn’t have been dead for real long if his head turned that easily. Rigor mortise probably hasn’t even set in yet.”

I stared at the body. When I had touched his face, it had been warm. I reached for the body’s wrist. “Sebastian! He’s still alive!”

Sebastian dropped to his knees beside me. “Are you sure?”

“He’s got a pulse. That means his heart’s beating. If his heart’s beating, that means that his brain is still giving signals. That generally means that a body is still alive.”

“Cut out the dramatics,” Sebastian said. “This man’s hurt. We’ve got to get him to a hospital!”. . . 

ND Homeschool Convention

I had a WONDERFUL time at the ND Homeschool convention. People have been asking me how it went. It went GREAT!!!! I mean how could my sisters and I go on a trip and not have fun???

Not only did they do all the driving, my amazing sisters also helped with set-up and take-down, and they did the 'sales handling' so that I had time to visit with people. So, did I make many sales? Did I pay for my booth? Well, no, but it was still totally worth it. I got to meet a lot of really awesome people, including a young woman who recognized me from one of the online interviews I had.

The days were a lot of fun, and then at night, we went back to our hotel and had fun together, so it felt like a vacation!

I was excited to carry Bethany's book on my table as well as a journal she designed! 

My vendor was on the end of one of the rows which I enjoyed, although I also enjoyed my neighbors and had fun getting to know them.

I always enjoy a visit from family!

So, if you've never been to a Homeschool convention, you may not be sure exactly what goes on at one. Well, in a nutshell, a homeschool convention, is an event where you meet LOTS of fellow homeschool families from your state or surrounding area, you get to attend all kinds of fun workshops and sessions, and you get to buy all kinds of awesome books!

For the sessions and workshops, they get in a lot of well-known speakers. Topics range from a-z with some for beginning homeschool families, others for more seasoned families, and some for those of us who aren't exactly in either category any more. At this last convention I attended, the speakers were people like Chuck Black, author, who spoke on Developing Discernment in your child, and more, Davis and Rachael Carman from Apologia ministries, who spoke on soaring above survival while homeschooling and more, and Jake MacAulay, CEO of the Institute of the Constitution who spoke on Faith, values, the constitution, and more, to name a few.

At the SD Homeschool convention, which I'm planning on attending, the keynote speaker is Israel Wayne. So no matter what kind of speakers you like, you'll probably find at least a few that you'll enjoy hearing.

The vendor hall, is full of booths that sell the products you love. Vendors like Lamplighter, Brinkman Adventures, Chuck Black, and dozens more. 

So, basically, if you're a homeschooler, you will LOVE the conventions!

18 Excuses for NOT Having a Valentine Date.

         As a single young woman, I do, on occasion, have people ask me if I have a boyfriend. And the answer is, no, not yet. I'm waiting for God to bring the right man into my life, and until then, I'm serving God where He's placed me.
         But people still ask. If you're a single young woman of marriageable age, you've probably had some sweet older woman say something like . . . "I have a grandson you should meet!" Or "Why don't you have a date yet?"
         As a joke, I put together a list of 18 excuses for not having a date. Some of them could be true . . . other ones are just funny! But either way, I hope you enjoy this list.
 
1. His great-great-great-great grandfather died at the Alamo . . . before getting married. So, my date never had a chance to be born.

2. He rebelled against God, and now he’s in jail.

3. He was aborted.

4. He’s overseas in the military.

5. My date became a missionary to Iraq, and was beheaded for his faith.

6. His family didn’t want to let God give them all the children they were supposed to have, so they quit with four kids. He would have been number five.

7. He married the wrong girl.

8. God wanted me to be an old-maid.

9. He’s in a university getting his doctorate.

10. He’s fighting cancer and doesn’t have time to think about girls.

11. He’s looking for a Miss-America type perfect girl . . . which obviously isn’t me.

12. He’s too busy playing video games to realize that real life still exists.

13. His grandma hasn’t met me yet.

14. He thought I’d say no, so he didn’t ask, went into depression, and now he’s on drugs.

15. He’s waiting till he has a house and job.

16. He’s afraid of my dad. :)

17. He thinks my family is crazy.

18. He hasn’t learned English yet.

Ty Carson Release!

  Although I won't personally be selling any of the Ty Carson series until the North Dakota Home School convention (Feb. 15-17) the first two books are NOW AVAILABLE for purchase online as kindle books, or as paperbacks!

    GRAVEYARD BEND

Book one in the Ty Carson series.

Recommended for ages 10-16.

         There's nothing like spending the summer with a grandpa that you don't remember ever meeting . . . Especially when he's murdered the day you arrive.

         It's been ten years since Ty Carson's policeman dad was killed in the small town of Graveyard Bend and he hasn't been back since. . . until now.

        Stuck at the boys' home, fourteen-year-old Ty Carson searches for clues to the alleged murder. Can a baseball game, a figure dressed in black, and an old gun collection be the things that he needs to find friendship and bring him closer to God?

TRAFFIC AT GRAVEYARD BEND

Book two in the Ty Carson series.

      There's nothing like getting new neighbors . . . Especially when people disappear on their property.

      After a summer at the boys' home, fourteen-year-old Ty Carson can't imagine feeling at home anywhere else. Things seemed perfect . . . until the new neighbors arrived. 

      Can a new kid, threats against the home, the new neighbors, and his mom's absence help Ty learn to trust God? When Uncle Wyatt leaves, can Ty and the gang do the right thing? Or is losing the home inevitable? With a gun in his hand, and fear in his heart, Ty has to make a decision, but will it be the right one?

  So, now, you're probably wondering about book three. Due to some major re-writing I had to do, I'm thinking it will probably not be released until sometime in March, or April. I'll keep you posted. Until next time, this is Priscilla J. Krahn reminding you not to forget how good God is.