Fools Rush In

Looking for the perfect romantic comedy for your Christian reading group? Look no further than Fools Rush In, where Tex-Mex meets Italian for a boot scoot'n good time!


Here's a synopsis:


Bella Rossi may be nearing thirty, but her life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch—she knows nothing about country music because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban?

When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed.

Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding? Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

Here's what several readers had to say about the book:

REVIEWER: Carly
Carlybird’s Home
http://carlybirdshome.blogspot.com/

Do you need a laugh? I mean a really good laugh? Then you need to read Fools Rush In. This has got to be one of the funniest books I have ever read, perhaps even the funniest. The concept of these two very different cultures coming together is priceless. The author has obviously spent a lot of time with very large Italian families because she knows all of their funny little nuances, and I love that.

The characters in this story are so delightful and I loved all the different personalities that just seemed to blend well together without feeling contrived. I especially liked Guido; he was a great source of humor and hope. The story was fun and fast paced, but still had a good flow to it. It never felt rushed nor did it drag at any point.

At the heart of this very funny book is Bella, a young woman who has a lot of fears and insecurities. As she embarks on the challenge of running her family’s wedding planning business, she must learn to trust God for everything. That is a simple truth that we all need to hear as much as possible. I am so glad that Fools Rush In is the first in the Weddings by Bella series. I hope the author is hard at work on the next book because I am so excited to read it. Fools Rush In was such a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know what to expect, but I have to say, this book is a delight. I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. It will make you laugh and make you think. You will be glad you read it. I know I am.


From Author Trish Perry:

Mamma mia, let's escape! Let's fall in love! Let's eat chicken parmesan, fettuccini alfredo, and Bubba's down-home barbeque without gaining a pound. It's all possible when we hang out with Bella Rossi in Fools Rush In. Janice Thompson's first installment in the Weddings by Bella series is a fun, welcome distraction from life's boredom and stress. You'll fall for Bella's DJ even faster than she does. And you'll root for the Rossi and Neeley families as they break down cultural barriers and rush toward each other, arms wide open. No fools, they! - Trish Perry (http://www.trishperry.com/)

From Ane Mulligan, editor, Novel Journey
“Janice Thompson is a master storyteller who draws her readers into the tale along with the characters. From page one of Fools Rush In, I felt as if I were Bella’s best friend, sitting down with her over cups of Italian cappuccino while she told me the latest happenings in her zany family. One of my top picks for 2009, Fools Rush In earns a permanent place in my library.”

Janice Thompson lives in the Houston area and is thrilled to speak to local reading groups and/or women's groups. She can be reached at booksbyjanice@aol.com. You will find a copy of the book's discussion questions here: http://www.bakerbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/FoolsRushInDiscussionQuestions.pdf


MORE INFO ABOUT THE BOOK:

E-Blast:http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/thompson_eblast/

Book Trailer (YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TufSwOeXuoU

To read the first two chapters of the book online:http://www.revellbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780800733421.pdf

Romantic Times Spotlight:http://www.rtbookreviews.com/stage/authors_spotprev.php?id=605

Janice's Website: http://www.blogger.com/www.janiceathompson

Buy Fools Rush in at amazon.com here

Thanks so much for your interest! Have a boot scoot'n day, y'all!


FOOLS RUSH IN
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800733428

Come Chat With Me. . .

I have an interview up on Shirley Kiger Connolly's fun blog A Pen for Your Thoughts. If you stop by and say hello, you'll have a chance to win two books.

In celebration of the upcoming October release of Emmy's Equal, the last installment of the Texas Fortunes series, I'm offering a copy of Diamond Duo and Chasing Charity, books one and two of the series, to be given away.

Hope to see you there.

MTCAN Report

I met so many people and had so much fun at MTCAN! The organizers of the event did such a fabulous job for us that now I feel like a VIP--a Very Impressed Person. I got to schmooze and rub shoulders with the likes of Elizabeth Ludwig, Janelle Mowery, Charlotte Holt, Janice Thompson, Kathleen Y'Barbo, Martha Rogers, Linda Kozar, and Sharen Watson. Great company and great friends!

The combined ministries of Cec Muphey, Gail Gaymer Martin, Cyndy Salzmann and Kathy Ide, as well as the musical entertainment--Darla Reid, Brenda White, Gail Martin, Karen Slagle and Julie Zick blessed those assembled. Christian Comedianne Karen Mayer Cunningham was a hoot!

Despite a smaller than expected crowd due to inclement weather, the event still managed to raise over $1450 for Grace~Full, a single parent ministry. Not bad!

I see great things ahead for MTCAN, and I've put this event on my calendar for next year. I hope you'll do the same.

The shadowy blur in the background (behind the great display my daughter Tracy set up) is me.

Oh My Ears and Whiskers How Late It's Getting!

I'm late, I'm late for
A very important date.
No time to say hello, good-bye,
I'm late, I'm late, I'm late.
--A quote from The White Rabbit in Lewis Carroll's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Yeah, me and the bunny. Always late. Somehow I missed the memo. This great video promoting Meet The Christian Author Night has been available for me to post for days. Since I just now found it, I'm just now posting. It's too important not to. After all, like Alice herself said, "What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?"

You'll find plenty of books, pictures, and conversations July 31st 6:30-9:00 pm at Meet The Christian Author Night hosted by WoodsEdge Community Church, The Woodlands, Texas.

You'd be mad as a hatter to miss it!

SNEAK PREVIEW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxWwdSVpHgM

Of Meese and Men

Found this piece tucked into my Interesting Tidbit folder and decided to share. I wish I could locate the unknown author so I could tell him (her?) how clever he is. If anyone can shed light on the origin, please enlighten me.

Asylum for the Verbally Insane
Author unknown

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in
eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England . We take English for
granted, but if we explore its paradoxes, we find
that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings
are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't
groce and hammers don't ham. Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make
amends but not one amend. If you have a bunch of odds and ends and
get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian
eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all
the folks who grew up speaking English should be committed to an
asylum for the verbally insane.

In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a
recital? We ship by truck but send cargo by ship. We have noses that
run and feet that smell. And how can a slim chance and a fat chance
be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your
house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by
filling it out, and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

So if Father is Pop, how come Mother isn't Mop?

And that is just the beginning--even though this is the end.

Through the Fire

Today I'm featuring Shawn Grady's debut novel Through the Fire. Check out the great reviews this books has inspired:

Don't know about you, but I'm convinced! I'll be picking this one up. To learn more about Shawn and watch his book trailer, go to: shawngradybooks.com.

Debut. . .Emmy's Equal Final Cover!

I'm so proud of the fantastic job Barbour Publishing has done on all three covers of my Texas Fortunes series. Don't you love the color schemes and the great Texas logo? Of course, it doesn't hurt to feature gorgeous models. :)


Emmy's Equal releases next October.

Tooting My Own Horn!

Romantic Times Magazine gave Chasing Charity a 4 1/2 star review! Can't begin to say how thrilled I am. My thanks to Keli Gwyn, the gracious host of Romance Writers on the Journey, (http://romancewritersonthejourney.wordpress.com/ ) for being the first to tell me.

Most of all, thank you God!

Toot-toot!