Two weeks and counting to The Cross Gardener

Exactly two weeks to go until the release of The Cross Gardener. So why not give away another Advance Reading Copy?

In TCG, the Shenandoah County Fair plays a prominent role. In the comments below, tell us your very first memory of visiting a County Fair, Carnival, Disney park, etc.

I'll pick a random winner tomorrow. Good luck!

A third trailer for The Cross Gardener, my new favorite!

New Trailer for The Cross Gardener

Big thanks to my good friend, Aaron "Al" Lee, for another lovely book trailer.

Click here to watch it on YouTube.

Photo Caption Contest

Write a funny caption for the photo below. Author of the funniest caption will win a free advance copy of The Cross Gardener three weeks before it goes on sale.

Captions will be judged by a panel of prestigious judges. (Jason, Kodi and Pilgrim.)

Winner announced Wednesday. Good luck!

SnOw SNOW snow!!!!

Everything outside is white, white, white. It is absolutely incredible! So here is a small tribute to the snow.

Snow can be pretty...



It can be heavy...



It can be confusing... why is the snow hanging off the car like that?



but most of all snow can be FUN FUN FUN...



Pilgrim is loving it... he loves it even more when Papa J plays with him.



He really loves it when he flattens Papa J in the snow...



but his favorite by far is dive bombing off the deck... and frankly when this is coming at you... SNOW CAN BE SCARY!!!

The winner of Jason's Snowmageddon Super Bowl Snow Prediction Contest is...

The measurements are in, the numbers crunched, the highly scientific yardstick analysis complete. Under my watchful eye, my trusty assistant Jadi measured three spots in the front yard, and the average was:

26.0 inches!

That means our winner is shaunnab18, who guessed 25.9. Honorable mention goes to MarySue, Patty, IndianaRaven and Michleatherman, all were very close as well.

Congrats to our winner! Please drop me a note and I'll get your address for your box of goodies.

And stay tuned for another contest, perhaps sooner than you think...

Introducing Jason's Snowmageddon Super Bowl Snow Prediction Contest

Let's just consider this morning's Snow Prediction Contest the Pro Bowl, the warm-up act that's fun to watch, but pales in comparison to the Super Bowl.

Introducing Jason's Snowmageddon Super Bowl Snow Prediction Contest:

In the comments below, predict the total snowfall total as of 8:00 PM, EST. (Latest NWS warning predicts the snow ends by 8:00.)

Once again, I will measure three places in my front yard and take the average. Entries are due by 5:00 PM, EST.

If I'm going to call it Jason's Snowmageddon Super Bowl Snow Prediction Contest, I better have a pretty fantastic prize, right?

How about the biggest box of goodies I've ever given away? Closest to actual total (without going over) will receive:

-The James Miracle (hardcover)
-Christmas Jars (hardcover)
-Christmas Jars Reunion (hardcover)
-Penny's Christmas Jar Miracle (hardcover)
-The Wednesday Letters (hardcover)
-Recovering Charles (hardcover)
-The Cross Gardener (advance copy)
-The Cross Gardener (audio CD's)
-A Christmas Jar for Santa (limited edition Christmas card)
-Christmas Jar bookmarks
-Christmas Jar wraps

Winner will be announced here on the blog shortly after 8:00 PM. We'll figure out a tie-breaker if we need one.

Good luck!

The winner of the 10:00 AM "Predict the Snow" contest is...

The first measurements are complete! With so much wind and drifting, I decided to measure in three places across the front yard and take the average. The total as of 10:00 AM (EST) is 19.5 inches.

And the winner is: MTeacress! He or she guessed 19.3, the closest without going over, and has won a copy of The Cross Gardener on audio CD. Congrats!

And now for our next contest...

Predict the snow totals, win The Cross Gardener on audio

Snowmageddon is here! One of the biggest storms in the history of the Shenandoah Valley is upon us. Since we had so much fun with our last snow prediction contest, it would be a complete travesty to let an even bigger storm come and go without an even bigger contest!

Here's the scoop:

In the comments below, predict how much snow I will have in my front yard at 10:00 AM tomorrow (Saturday) morning. (entries due by 8:00 AM, EST). Closest to the actual total (without going over) wins a free copy of The Cross Gardener on CD three weeks before it goes on sale.

Entries must include at least first name and last initial, plus your snow prediction.

Winner will be revealed at 10:00 AM, then a second contest will be announced.

Good luck!

16 years and I finally get the hint...

So as the story goes, for as long as I have been married to Jason, he would always ask for a go-kart on his birthday, for Christmas, for Easter, for Valentine's Day, for Father's Day and if that wasn't enough, he would write it on the grocery list every chance he got. Twice in the past two years he thought he was getting one... only to be disappointed by no go-kart under the tree...

Well this birthday proved to be the right time for me to shock his socks off.

I'm not sure who is more excited, Kason or Jason...



I think maybe I need to turn the throttle down on this little blue devil.



Jadi is being taught how to properly handle a go-kart... I think she keep yelling "slow down Dad."



"Now Dad this is the safe way to drive the go-kart." Notice she is going so slow that even Kason can outrun her... LOL



I'm just counting my blessings that it's not a real car... I have a few more years before that happens.



She keep her speed in check... good girl!



A very happy man!!!



"Faster Dad faster!!!"



Okay now that's my baby in there... slow down a bit...



All in all they had a great time and I am sure we will be getting lots of go-kart riding in in the next few days.

One month to release... tick tock...

It's hard to believe that after so long, the release of The Cross Gardener is actually in sight! It will finally be available everywhere books are sold one month from today.

I've enjoyed writing my first six books, but I must admit that this one means more to me than any other. It's the most personal, and I truly hope the story and message will resonate with you.

To celebrate the one-month countdown, let's give away a paperback Advance Reader's Copy. In the comments below, tell me the very first novel you remember reading. Catcher in the Rye? To Kill A Mocking Bird? Huck Finn? Something else?

I'll randomly select from among the comments 24-hours from now. Winner gets a free book a month before the rest of the world. Good luck!

*****

Can't wait? Pre-order right now from our friends at Amazon or BN.com

http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Gardener-Jason-F-Wright/dp/0425233286/

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Cross-Gardener/Jason-F-Wright/e/9780425233283/

You Can Keep Him, by Matt Birch

I can't wait for Matt's book to be published. I've read most of it, and I can tell you it will make you laugh, cry, and want to be a better person.

Check out the first trailer:

Taking a moment to vent about AT&T's terrible service

Yes, I know I'm on deadline. Yes, I know I am supposed to be in hibernation. Yes, I have to get this off my chest.

I've been with AT&T for approximately 10 years. I have spent, very conservatively speaking, at least $25,000 with them through the years on phones and service. Now with four phones on my plan, my bill averages $270 a month.

I won't get into how terrible their coverage is. You've certainly seen the Verizon ads poking fun at AT&T's coverage. "There's a map for that."

Obviously they struck a nerve because AT&T now has their own ads touting the speed of their 3G network. Newsflash AT&T: Speed is great if you just happen to be standing next to a cell tower having a sandwich, but does you little good if you have no signal at all.

AT&T's argument is like saying: "Look at us! We make the fastest sports cars on the planet, but they don't always start! But zooooooom, when they do, baby watch out!"

Back to venting. A few weeks ago I added a line to my account for a "family phone", a phone available to the kids but tightly controlled by Mom and Dad. They have access to it when they babysit, when we're gone, field trips, etc.

If only it worked.

Within two weeks the phone was dead. No problem, right? Just take it back? Sure, if you have the original box. When I went to AT&T, I was told they couldn't replace it without every stitch of the original packaging, even though I was well within the 30-day return window.

My options?

1. Purchase a replacement model for $299. (That's the price you pay when you're not activating service, which is where wireless carriers make their real profits. Phones are just a means to a contract.)

2. Roll the dice and purchase a used phone with no warranty on eBay from some guy in a "Finding Nemo" bathroom logging on from his mother's half-finished basement.

3. Pay an early termination fee of $175.

4. Throw the dead phone in the Shenandoah River and pay for the service, without actually using it, until the contract expires. Then renew my contract and get a phone at the "new customer" discount.

So I tried calling. What did AT&T say?

"No box, no replacement. No box, no canceling. No box, no soup for you."

Frustrated, I sent an admittedly "aggressive" e-mail through their web site. To their credit, a polite woman called from customer service, reiterated their policy, but made an enticing offer to keep me from leaving. AT&T would credit my account for up to $40 if I replaced the dead phone with one of their cheapo pre-paid models available at finer convenience stores everywhere.

I wonder if she'd also cover my Big Gulp.

Whew. I feel better already. Now it's back to comparison shopping at Verizon and Sprint.

Deadlines, cabins and hotels, oh my!

Well it's that time again. A deadline is racing toward me at 1,000 miles-per-hour and I'm steadying myself for impact.

When I signed with Penguin/Berkley, we decided to try two novels in 2010. The first, THE CROSS GARDENER, will be released nationally on March 2. The second should hit stores in the fall, presumably late August or early September.

The first, which I'm very proud of, has been polished and in production since August. The second is -- well -- um -- well -- much of the second is still lodged in my noggin.

If you've followed me or the blog in the past, you know that I work best under the pressure of deadlines. With the exception of CHRISTMAS JARS, every manuscript has been a very late bloomer. Such will (hopefully) be the case (gulp) with the new one.

Since March of last year, I will have written CHRISTMAS JARS REUNION, PENNY'S CHRISTMAS JAR MIRACLE, THE CROSS GARDENER, spent the fall on the road promoting the first two, and finished my fall 2010 release.

I need a nap.

But, sadly, no nap. Unless writing hibernation counts.

As of Monday (1/4) I've said goodbye to e-mail, Facebook, and showering until the latest manuscript is in. I'll spend time at a dear friend's cabin in the mountains of West Virginia, long days at my office in Woodstock, and, if history is any guide, a few nights at a local hotel in protective custody.

This might all sound a little strange. But, actually, with few exceptions, most writers operate this way. Everyone works a little differently, but many of my full-time author chums plug away slowly day-by-day until the agent or editor start pressing, and then they go into Hulk Hogan lockdown mode until the last page is written.

And now it's my turn. I'll try to come up for air as time permits, but it's time to generate high daily word counts and purple prose.

If you've emailed, called, or Tweeted me this week, rest assured I'm not ignoring you. Unless you're you-know-who, in which case I'm absolutely ignoring you and considering a restraining order.

Stay warm. Read a good book. And, as my mother used to say, remember who you are and what you stand for.

Christmas Jar Story: 'I didn't think anyone really cared about me'

Charlotte Court House, Virginia:

I received a Christmas jar, this past Christmas eve. I haven't stopped crying since. My life had been until I lost everything. My family, my husband and my home were gone. I lived in my car for at least 6 months. My job was cut from full time to less than part time. Depression overcame me. What did i have to live for? I decided to remain strong in character and faith. I dragged myself back to church and in turn received many new friends and blessings from them. Still times were tough, hard to make ends meet. I decided that with God's love I would continue to be strong and do the best I could. The Christmas spirit was not in me but I continued to be steadfast in Christ's love. He never turned from me. He never left. He continued to pour out His love, grace and mercy upon me but I was blind.

Christmas Eve morning I woke early. I was going through the "routine" of morning tea and depression when I looked outside. The sun was just coming up and it was then I saw a sitting on the hood of my car ...a gift....a present for me? I didn't think anyone really cared about me. Most were wrapped up in their own lives preparing for their families and their celebrations together. I grabbed my shoes and ran outside. What a blessing ...a jar filled with money. It must be a mistake!!! Inside was a novel about the Christmas Jar. It explained it all.

Tears welled and then streamed down my face. This jar was meant for me !!!! My faith in mankind was truly restored.My God is so good!!! I will keep the jar going to restore others faith. Truly, my life has changed.

Christmas Jar Story: 'Bless you back'

As I've said, I have received more CJ stories than I have time to post. Hope to slowly catch up.

Houston, TX:

Christmas Eve 2009:

Discovered a mason jar filled with coins in the back of my work truck. No note or anything, just www.ChristmasJars.com written on the lid.

To the person who blessed me with this, thank you very much. Everybody knows times are getting tough lately, and my wife and I appreciate your kindness and generosity very much.

Bless you back.

Christmas Jar Story: 'We lost our home friday night to fire''

Every Christmas Jar story is special, but this one really stands out, doesn't it? To whomever gave this jar, I add my thanks to Dan and Jody's.

Dayton, Ohio

Hello, My name is Dan and my wife is Jody. We lost our home friday night to fire it was so devastating to us because we have five children who lost everything they had, we just had triplets and when we were sitting there watching our house burn to the ground all I could think about is what are we going to do then we started getting calls one right after the other with total strangers wanting to help, while we were staying at a friends house someone left a christmas jar on there back step in the middle of the night along with your book, you cant imagine the warm feelings that this made me feel, its amazing the way the community has took us in and made this so much easier.

thank you

Dan & Jody

Christmas Jars on Fox & Friends

In case you missed it. Lori and Jack did an amazing job!

Christmas Jar Story: 'God answered both of our prayers'

Merry Christmas! Inspirational stories are coming in faster than we can post them. Eventually all will be available online, but in the meantime, read this standout that came in overnight. It brought tears to my eyes all three times I read it. I bet your experience is the same.

Fairfax, VA

To the beautiful mother with three young boys. I wanted you to know that I prayed to be guided to you. And God answered my prayer. I tucked my kids in bed before I left. I listened for promptings from the Spirit as I pulled away from my house and went to a nearby grocery store. It was Christmas eve and it was late in the evening. The grocery store had closed hours ago. It was cold and dark and the ground was covered in heavy snow. I saw a few people walking home after working all day. But they weren't the ones I was sent to find. I kept driving and found myself at a K-Mart that was about to close. I waited in the parking lot for almost 30 minutes watching for someone. I even thought I had found the right family when I saw a young couple with a child park their car and walk into the store.

I waited for the prompting to give them our jar that we had carefully filled week by week.

But the prompting was to wait, they were not the family I was looking for.
Then you came out of the store with your three boys. You hadn't bought anything. Your boys were quick to get to the car and you pulled away before I could get across the parking lot to talk to you. So I followed your van as you drove away. I would never do that, except that the Spirit prompted me to follow. You drove less than a half mile to the nearest bank. (The same one that I went to earlier in the week to get a few extra bills that went in the jar.) It was very late at this point and I worried that you would panic when you saw me waiting in my van while you visited the ATM. I tried to stand in the light as you came out. I noticed that you only withdrew a single bill from the ATM.

It took a lot of courage for me to speak up and ask if you would accept our gift. I'm not an extroverted type. You looked at me cautiously. I tried to explain how my kids had entrusted me to deliver the jar on Christmas eve. They had all gone to bed and I could not return home before finishing my duty of love.

As I held out the jar, you looked at me again and then reached up and received it. And then you gave me a great big hug. My heart was overjoyed and I cried. And then your beautiful boys climbed out of the van to run over and thank me with pure joy that only a child can share. And I cried again as I made my way back home.

Thank you so much for receiving our gift. I am so grateful to have witnessed the awesome power of God in the lives of both of our families this evening. God answered both of our prayers.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Jar Story: Two back-to-back stories that make you smile

These two stories came in exactly five minutes apart. I hope both the giver and receiver read these and smile as big as I did.

What's the real miracle? That the recipient will never know who her angel is... That's the beauty of the Christmas Jars tradition. It doesn't always have to be anonymous, but it sure it special when it is.

Oregon:

I just had the true & pure pleasure of giving away my 1st ever Christmas jar! I am so excited & cannot start next year's jar too soon! I cannot give details because I know my recipient will be looking for me!!!

I waited for the intended victim (hehe) to leave her business to go to the bank & when she went in, I quickly placed her jar on her business' doorstep...she would have to move it to even get back in! It was simple, in a plastic bag, nothing to give away the precious contents.

I had not heard of this idea until I saw it on Glen Beck a few weeks ago & I immediately knew who was to get one from me. She is such a wonderful lady, she started a business this year, and it has been awfully slow, I know she is struggling just to pay her rent. She has no family nearby, but many of us love her & treasure her friendship. God spoke to me so clearly that He wanted to bless her this way! Thank you for the miracle I have in MY heart today because of this idea!




Oregon:

I arrived at my shop this morning and went to the bank to make a small deposit, when I came back to open the door I found this jar of change on the porch. I went next door to Out West Designs to ask if they had seen anyone? Nancy said no.

When I explained what had happened I started to cry. I am crying now because this is such a wonderful gift and I never in a million years would have expected anyone to do this for me.

I am the one doing this kind of thing.

Whoever you are I thank you with the bottom of my heat for feeling I am worthy of this. You have made my year and now the new year to come in. Again thank you and blessings be with you and yours forever.