be*************@ms*.com/service.svc/s/GetAttachmentThumbnail?id=AQMkADAwATIwMTAwAC0wMTgyLWMwZTItMDACLTAwCgBGAAADaBPY%2BNzmFEuabxXBC36lpQAHAKvwEWoKZR1HrWNHfQpdxHEAAAIBDAAAAKvwEWoKZR1HrWNHfQpdxHEAAADn4fCXAAAAARIAEAAnpop5tlXVSJ4%2FAA%2Ffltuu&thumbnailType=2&X-OWA-CANARY=GZqSbKMb_kmJyjDCABLnwVDUuLob5NQYBF_6x5xt1wzl1r4xyZRVzaItsnc5t_NsjvB25hzDcd0.&token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsIng1dCI6ImVuaDlCSnJWUFU1aWpWMXFqWmpWLWZMMmJjbyJ9.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.DrlcUELHqo65pNM2g6C_DXs2f48EdBsCGjSZimn86deuDBO9VqGZxr6eQFyG7ZGsp-1HMc-QR1j4xrZeUA8X7uUfLH9e6H3Ee2WskJUtOqJdkSNHPQxn4gHtPwMnBdTfJt9VbDhm2vRH2JEBDrmiIrGWwptAtf1e85V2RpVEnyz8BxakFkmL_Gh77jM_Av3NHpz1huwV4yROd_bDiPFwuVLvBrceI3NGA9nLhdQQUwDd22qyILjV97Z4Uj4aFjd8TzAETgDufAeDkMerSnAkDkkV4HFYORFzS26I8Y_KM3olkEq9MujJ0emVH6CiFJMBBsfGuOijuOIPmoDK8GRb7Q&owa=outlook.live.com&isc=1″ alt=”Lena Nelson Dooley Show” width=”177″ height=”112″ /> Lena Nelson Dooley Show
Especially for You: Unexpected Blessings from God by Lena Nelson Dooley
My latest novel, A Heart’s Gift, became a finalist in the Faith, Hope, and Love Readers Choice Award in the Long Historical category. I had entered that contest, formerly the Inspirational Christian Readers Choice award, several times, but I never finaled before. I praised the Lord for giving me this special gift. Anytime I win an award, I know it comes from Him. I didn’t expect to win, because the other two books finalists were from Bethany Publishing. Most Christian fiction writers want to be published by Bethany. And my book is an agent-assisted independently published book.
I knew the week of the Romance Writers of America national conference would be in late July. I didn’t check to see what days. I guess I assumed it would be like the American Christian Fiction Writers conference, Thursday through Sunday.
On Thursday morning of that week, I received a call from the contest coordinator. When I heard who it was, I had the quick thought. She must need to ask me a question.
Then she said, “I don’t know if you’ve heard about the winners from last night.”
I felt like a bell went off in my head and this thought chased it. They don’t call the losers.
Quickly, I asked her, “You’re not calling me to tell me I won, are you?”
She assured me she was, and I burst out crying. The rest of that day, I was either laughing or crying. Another very special blessing from God.
We’ve put both the print edition and the Kindle edition of the book on a special sale until September 1.
Have you ever had something extra special happen to you unexpectedly? Please tell us about it.