ND Re-cap, and Cheesecake

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to be at the ND homeschool convention. Like always, it was a lot of fun, it went very well, and I look forward to next year.

Dad and Mom came with us this year, and it was fun to have them in on my set-up process.

I also had the opportunity to do a workshop titled, "A Writer in the House?" Thank you to everyone who came! We had a fun group! 

Then, I came home, and made a caramel chocolate swirl cheesecake.

I've been doing some experiments with cheesecake recipes lately, and this is my latest creation.

A Writer in the House?

This weekend, I'll be at the North Dakota Homeschool convention, and in addition to my book table with a few new items, I'll be doing a workshop titled, A Writer in the House?
        Do you, or one of your students love to write? How can you help them achieve their dreams with a realistic outlook? Can you help a writer achieve publishing? If your students hate writing, should you still make them take writing courses? 'Writer in the House' covers all of these questions and more, giving you the knowledge to best help your writer go from unsure writer, to confident author.
   
    So, if you're a writer, the parent of a writer, or the sibling of a writer, this workshop is for you! I'd love to see you there!

Coming Soon . . . Freedom's Captive

The official release date for my first historical fiction book, Freedom's Captive, is March 1st!!! It will be available as a print book, or kindle book on Amazon, as well as available at the ND homeschool convention March 5-7 for $12. For all you locals, I'm still working on getting a book signing lined up for April where I'll have it available for sale! 

A father’s debt . . .
    A brother’s failure . . .
        And the wrong sister . . .

     Lord DeWilt already had everything. Everything but his name. And he’s back for that. On the run, and fighting painful memories, James Wakefield doesn’t know where to turn. Is it possible that freedom can offer peace?
     George Wakefield knows the life of cultured England, but in the wilderness of the Americas, finding answers to DeWilt’s pursuit seems impossible.
       Can years of deceit and pain bring the Wakefield brothers together? Or will it just distance them more? Can they find freedom in Christ while captives? Can God’s freedom shine in even the darkest of nights?
Can two brothers be united after years of betrayal?

Today in Warroad . . .

If you're in the Warroad area today, be sure to stop in!

SD re-cap

So, we had another awesome year at the SD homeschool convention!!! I didn't get a lot of pictures at the actual convention, but below, was our trip in a nutshell.

On the way to Sioux Falls, we drive by this Terry Redlin Art Center. I've driven by dozens of times, but never stopped, so this time, we stopped and had a great time! I wish we'd have had more time there.

I'm so blessed to have had these two with me!

I'd never been to Cracker Barrel, and since it was Jess's birthday, we met some cousins and went out for supper. Another great memory!

We're quite a pair!

And we had a coffee shop run . . . :):):) THANK YOU, Josh!

One night, after the convention, we went out in the rain to visit the falls.

It was neat to see it in the spring when it was running higher.

And what good is rain if you don't go jump in some puddles?

Another Thank You to my awesome team, for EVERYTHING they did and put up with. (Also, thank you for the pics!)

And that was my last convention for this year. From here on out, it's a mad rush of all the little things that add up over the summer to make a pile of work for the corn maze, farm, wedding planning, ministries, and anything else that comes our way.

What are my favorite three things about conventions?

1. Spending time with friends! I've had some really great, and much needed conversations with friends during conventions.

2. Visiting with other people. I'm an introvert when it comes to strangers, so the first initial greetings are hard for me, but once we get past that, I really enjoy the talking to people. I've heard some pretty cool stories through talking with attendees.

3. Interacting with other vendors. In a lot of ways, all of us vendors are like a big family. It's fun to get to know people, where they're fun, and getting to see them at multiple conventions. Sharing scissors, and comparing notes is a highlight!

South Dakota, Here I Come!

  This weekend is the South Dakota Homeschool Convention and I'm looking forward to another great year!

2019 TRF Re-cap

So, the Thief River Falls Home Sport and Family Show finished up and I had a lot of fun! Thank you to everyone who stopped by! 

In one of the small towns between TRF and home, there's this airplane. It used to belong to the aviation department of a local college, but now, it's sitting, abandoned, and mostly gutted. So, we stopped to explore.

The wings have been cut off, but you can still climb them for a picture!

But it's scary sitting there when you're flying!

It was a slight challenge to maneuver over a pile of seats covered in bird and mouse evidence, but it was totally worth it to get into the tail of the plane!

THANK YOU, Jess, for the adventure!!!!! (even though I'm still awkwardly holding that pen.)

And we drove by this lonely soldier and thought we'd better give him some company! Yes, that's fresh snow. April blizzards freeze your gizzards as they say . . . or is it April showers bring snow plowers? Who knows, but it makes driving exciting! :) 

Next show? May 10-11 at the South Dakota Homeschool Convention! 

In Thief River Falls This Weekend!

  Saturday, April 13th from 10am - 6pm and Sunday, April 14th from 11am-5pm, I'll be at the Thief River Falls Home Sport and Family Show with a vendor booth! If you're in the area, stop by and say hello! I'd love to see you!

Last year, I was located in the Huck Olson Arena, and will be there again this year. If you haven't gotten my newest release, The Fudged Up Murder, now would be a great time to stop by and get it! 

ND Convention

I had a WONDERFUL time at the ND homeschool convention! A huge thank you to my sisters for all their help, and to all the AMAZING people who stopped by and made the convention a million times better for me!

Part of the reason my sisters came with me, is because one of my sisters will be getting married this year. It was a great 'sisters' trip' and it reminded me just how special sisters are! If you have sisters, take the time to appreciate them. You have no idea how long you'll have them for.

Off to ND

Well, it's here again!! The 2019 ND Homeschool Convention. Looking forward to seeing some of you there over the next few days!

   If you happen to be in the area, be sure to stop by. There will be many workshops by people like Chuck Black, Sarah Young, and more, as well as an awesome vendor hall with many family favorite booths.

  If you think of it, you can pray for safety traveling for us, and all the other people attending the convention.

Book Signing! + $1 Off Coffee Coupons!

Saturday, December 1st, from 10-12:30, I'll be at Caribou Coffee in Warroad, MN doing a book signing! The FIRST twenty people to stop by, will receive a $1 off coupon for the drink of their choice! :) :)
     
   So, you may be wondering . . . WHAT is a book signing? Do I have to buy a book? What do you even do at one?

       Well, at my book signings, I have a book display table, and I do sell books, and people are free to buy books, or bring books of mine that they have at home, and I will sign them, but you DO NOT HAVE to buy a book!!!! So, if you don't have any of my books, and you're NOT planning on buying one, should you still come? ABSOLUTELY!!! Stop in at Caribou, get a coffee or just stop in and say 'hi!' Pick up a bookmark, get a $1 off coupon, and sample some of the Martin sisters' cookie dough fudge. If for any reason you're in town that day, I'd love to see you!

   ALSO - There's only a few days left to get your name in the drawing for a signed copy of The Fudged Up Murder. 

    REMINDER of ways to get your name in the drawing! (You can get your name in the drawing over 50 times!)
 
    1. For EVERY book you review on Amazon, or Goodreads, you'll get your name in the drawing TWICE... (If you do all of my books on both places, that's a total of 36 entries!)
   
     2. Comment on ANY post on this blog before the drawing on Thanksgiving Day and get your name in the drawing.

     3. Comment which of my book characters is your favorite and why, and get your name in the drawing THREE times!

     4. Share the Giveaway post on Facebook, Google+, or any other social media, and get your name in the drawing.

Last Week

I had a lot of fun going out with a friend, and then spending the afternoon with our church ladies at the Mother's Day Tea.

Sunday evening some of our church's young people did a music recital, and I had the opportunity to play. At first, I didn't want to, but I'm glad I did. With MANY people around me who are better on the piano, I don't very often play in front of people and I always get SO nervous. The crazy thing is, I don't even know why I'm nervous! I mean the worst thing that could happen, is that I could mess up, burst into tears and fall off the piano bench, but no matter how traumatic it could be, I'd probably look back at it and laugh. 

Anyways, Hosanna told me I was nervous because I haven't done it very much, and if I'd do it more, I would stop being nervous. While I'm sure that's true about my piano playing, I find it's ESPECIALLY true for sharing the gospel. When we haven't been sharing the gospel, we tend to get nervous about approaching people, but if we do it more, and rely on God for strength, it gets easier.

I always find it funny looking at pictures of me from when I was playing piano because I make the most ridiculous faces while I play! Sometimes I look mad, sometimes I look like I'm about to cry, and other times I look nearly asleep. This is actually one of the least embarrassing faces I've ever made while playing piano.

After the recital, Grandpa spoke a few words about doing things for the glory of God. Sometimes we think we have to wait till we're good at something in order to do it for God's glory, but even when we're not very 'accomplished' at a thing, God can still be glorified, if we choose to give Him the glory.

This weekend, I'll be attending the SD Homeschool convention, and if you think of it, I'd appreciate prayer for safe travels, and that we'd be able to be a blessing to the people we come in contact with.

TRF Re-cap

  This last weekend, I was in Thief River Falls, MN at the Home, Sport, and Family show. It went pretty well, and I'm VERY thankful for all the friends and family who stopped by!

As you can see from the picture, my book table was right by a car dealership booth. In all, there was around 150 different companies represented, so it was to date, the biggest show I'd ever attended with my own vendor. A HUGE THANK YOU to the AMAZING friends who helped me set up and run my booth! I wanted to get a picture of us together, but I forgot. After setting up, we had a great time shopping in TRF, and visiting some stores I'd never been in.

So, my next vendor booth is coming up May 11-12 in Sioux Falls, SD, at the SECHE Homeschool convention. If you're planning on attending, make sure you sign up before April 27th, because after that, the registration fee goes up.

   A note on the SD Homeschool Convention - Israel Wayne and Patrick Nurre will be the key note speakers.

On another note, we had a great winter of skating and ice hockey, and although I didn't get to go as much as I would have liked, I'm still very thankful for all the people who lined up days to get a group together.

I found a few pictures from our family get-away in March that I thought I'd share as well. This is at the home of a missionary that we had the opportunity to fellowship with. Mom actually traveled with this missionary to France for a summer when she was younger, so she enjoyed catching up again. It was REALLY neat hearing his stories. If you ever get a chance to listen to older people sharing the things God has done in their lives, make sure you take advantage of that! It's amazing how encouraging it can be to listen to them share of God's goodness in their lives.

On our trip, we also did a fair amount of shopping and when we girls were done shopping, but Mom and Dad weren't, we did what we always do! Try out the cool chairs and couches! :) 

And on another note yet, I'm in grave remorse over the fact that I FORGOT my cousin/brother's birthday! :( :( :( :(  So, here is my "Happy Birthday!" to Josh, WAY late. :( Sorry, Bro! Thanks for being so understanding! :) :) :)

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!

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.

Win a $10 Caribou Coffee Card!

  Do you want the chance to win a $10 Caribou Coffee Card? There's two ways you can get your name entered into the drawing!
    1. Come to the book signing for Mission of a Lifetime on Saturday and purchase your own copy of the book!
    2. Share this post! You'll notice at the bottom of this post there are different social media options. Pick one and share this post to get your name in the drawing! (Be sure to leave a comment telling me where you shared it!)

   BOOK SIGNING

EVERYONE welcome!

Saturday, Sept. 2nd from 10:00 - 12:00 noon! Stop in whenever you can and get a $1 off coupon for a Caribou drink!

25% OFF!

    MISSION OF A LIFETIME is 25% off at CBD right now!

Also, people have been asking me, "Where can I get Mission of a Lifetime?". So I've put together a list of links with some of the places that it's available.

    And remember, it's 25% off from CBD! (That's the third link  down.)

 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mission-of-a-l…/1125969015…

https://www.amazon.com/…/dp/162020584X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0…

https://www.christianbook.com/…/pr…/9781620205846/pd/205846…

Book Signing!

Writing Workshop Photos

      THANK YOU, Everyone who made it out to the workshop today!!! I realize the weather wasn't perfect, but I'm glad you all made it! For those of you who couldn't make it, we missed you!!!! For five hours, we studied the art of writing fiction, and everyone of the students wrote at least part of a story while they were there! We went through the INCH BY INCH - WRITING'S A CINCH Workbook and although we didn't cover everything, we had fun!!!

We had some fun slides to help learn the things we were talking about.

As I said above, everyone wrote part of a story, and they all did a GREAT job! I REALLY enjoyed hearing them read their stories and how they all have such great imaginations!!!!