Guest Post and Giveaway!

Hey, all!
I just wanted to thank EVERY SINGLE PERSON who stopped by on my long winded blog tour these last two weeks. I so appreciate the support--especially when I wasn't even around the last week!!

Yes, clever me. I wasn't home. Or near a computer.

I was in Puerto Rico tanning, and enjoying Easter break, and eating mofongo, and getting weird sunburns--like on my knuckles. It was nice to know that even though I wasn't around, my tour was still on autopilot.

So THANK YOU!!

But enough about me and my sunburn.
Now it's time to introduce one of the sweetest bloggers I have known for...I don't know...quite a few years. And now I'm happy to say she has her very first book out now, and I thought it'd be fun to have her stop by.

Without further ado, here is a bit about Love Inspired author Jessica Nelson:

Jessica Nelson, in keeping with her romantic inclinations, married two days after she graduated high school. She believes romance happens every day, and thinks the greatest, most intense romance comes from a God who woos people to himself with passionate tenderness. When Jessica is not chasing her three beautiful, wild little boys around the living room, she can be found staring into space as she plots her next story. Or she might be daydreaming about a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. Or thinking about what kind of chocolate she should have for dinner that night. She could be thinking of any number of things, really. One thing is for certain, she is blessed with a wonderful family and a lovely life.

Please welcome Jessica!

When a Girl’s Name is Just All Wrong

"A rose called by any other name would smell as sweet”

I’m not sure Romeo was in his right mind when he gave Juliet that line.

The heroine in my book Love On The Range was originally named Prudence. Prue for short. Problem was, she was also a bit unlikable. Preachy, blabbering. There’s a balance between annoying and quirky, talkative and talk-your-ear-off. I did my best with poor Prue, but after several revisions (before and after contract), my editor suggested I might want to think about a name change to counteract my character’s rather rigid viewpoint of life, and her tendency to tell everyone in earshot her opinions. In the end I decided on Gracelyn, Gracie for short.

It felt softer and more…graceful. The change worked. 

Names can have a huge impact without us realizing it.

Do you like your name? What kind of image does your name give you? What is your favorite character’s name and does he or she live up to it?


Thanks, Jessica! Great post!
I totally feel a name makes a character and can influence personality!

Here's a bit about Jessica's new book Love on the Range:

Any other socialite would view being packed off to a remote
Oregon ranch as a punishment. But Gracelyn Riley knows
that this is her opportunity to become a real reporter. If she
can make her name through an interview with the elusive hero
known as Striker, then she’ll never have to depend on anyone
ever again.


Rancher Trevor Cruz can’t believe his secret identity is being
endangered by an overly chatty city girl. But if there’s one thing
he knows, it’s that Gracie’s pretty little snooping nose is bound
to get her in trouble. So he’ll use her determination to find
“Striker” to keep an eye on her…and stick close by her side.

GIVEAWAY: Jessica is very generous in offering a free copy of her new book to some lucky commenter. Contest will run from now until Thursday, April 19, 2012 11:59 PM EST. I will announce the winner this Friday!


To learn more about Jessica and her books, check out

Website: http://www.jessicanelson.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaNelson

Thanks and good luck!