MaryAnn Diorio Books

FEBRUARY 2021 Newsletter
www.maryanndiorio.com

A WORD IN DUE SEASON

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

Dear Friends,

A lot has happened in our country and in our world since my last newsletter. A lot has also been happening in the spirit realm where our Lord is at work in each of our individual lives and in the lives of the people of our nation.

These are trying times. Times of serious introspection, re-ordering of priorities, and focus on what really matters in life. What about you? Are you focusing on what really matters?

If you're like me, you've let go of some activities--either because of personal choice or because of situations beyond your control. While on the one hand, life is much more complicated, on the other hand, it has become much simpler.

There's a lot to be said for the simple life. It is a life that is unencumbered by trivia, distractions, and fruitless pursuits. It is a life focused on the most important things--like God, country, family. Things like love, forgiveness, respect. Things like helping one's neighbor and standing up for truth and freedom.

What about you? Have you simplified your life? If not, perhaps 2021 is the year to do so.

Love and Blessings and Happy Valentine's Day!

MaryAnn

ON THE HOMEFRONT . . . 

The Diorio Homefront has been pretty quiet and close to normal during the past several months, praise the Lord!  My daughter Lia and son-in-law Peter continue homeschooling their six children. My daughter Gina, like many of you, has been working from home. 

My husband and I enjoy taking walks in our neighborhood on nice days and watching good movies. One of our favorite pastimes is spending time with our grandchildren.

February Giveaway

This month you can be eligible to win several free books and other valuable prizes in my BookBub Inspirational Giveaway! To enter, simply follow me on BookBub by clicking the "Follow Me" link on the image below.

The contest will go live at 10:00am Eastern time and run until February 10th.

Here is the link for details:
https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/february-2021/inspirational-fiction-nonfiction/

Don't miss this opportunity to win one or more free books. Enter now before your forget! :) 

Penelope Pumpernickel: A Big Success!

Penelope Pumpernickel: Precocious Problem-Solver has captured the hearts of young readers with its humor, adventure, and character-building stories.

This is the first book in my Penelope Pumpernickel Series of Chapter Books for 6-10-year-olds. These books are especially suitable for beginning or reluctant readers.

BOOK 1: Penelope Pumpernickel: Precocious Problem-Solver

Join eight-year-old Penelope Pumpernickel and her BFF (Best-Friend-Forever) Tilly Mendoza, as they find themselves embroiled in the mischievous antics of classmate and class clown, Grandville Ungerleider, new boy in their Homeschool Consortium.

Your child will laugh at Penelope's adventures and cheer her on as she overcomes challenge after challenge.

Penelope Pumpernickel: Precocious Problem-Solver will make a great gift for that special child in your life who is learning to read and looking for an exciting story. You can purchase Penelope Pumpernickel: Precocious Problem-Solver at my online bookstore at https://www.maryanndiorio.com/book-table.

BOOK 2: Penelope Pumpernickel: Dynamic Detective will be released in June of this year, Lord willing. Stay tuned!

IN-THE-WORKS

Miracle in Milan

Lord willing, Miracle in Milan will be released in June of this year. This exciting novel of romance and intrigue, set in beautiful Milan, Italy, will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Here is a synopsis of the story:

When a young American widow falls in love and then finds herself blackmailed by a woman who loves the same man, the widow must prove her innocence in order to save her life and that of the man she loves.  

Stay tuned for a great, upcoming beach read! :)

Penelope Pumpernickel: Dynamic Detective

I've finished writing this second book in The Penelope Pumpernickel Series of Chapter Books for Six-to-Ten-Year-Olds. After a final edit, it will go to my amazing illustrator, Ken Raney, husband of popular inspirational author Deb Raney. 

Check out Ken's delightful illustrations in Book 1 of the series, titled Penelope Pumpernickel: Precocious Problem-Solver.

If you have a special child in your life who is just learning to read or who is a reluctant reader, the humorous, adventurous, and exciting Penelope Pumpernickel books will make a cherished addition to his or her library.

The Dixie Randolph Series for Middle-Grade Readers

__I am currently writing Book 1 of The Dixie Randolph Series of Middle-Grade Books for 7-12-year-olds. It is titled Dixie Randolph and the Mystery of Seabury Beach.

I plan to write six books for this series, Lord willing.

The Captain and Mrs. Vye: A Novella
 
I am having great fun writing this novella. Lord willing, I plan to release it as a Christmas special sometime in November. 

Set in charming, historic Cape May, New Jersey,  this historical romance will warm your heart and delight your sense of humor as you follow the unlikely love story between a tough and rugged whaling ship captain and the gentile, lady inn-keeper who captures his heart. Get ready for a stormy, adventure-packed ride on the high seas of love! 

One of my favorite things about writing this story is that I get to go to Cape May whenever I need to. For those of you who don't know, I live about an hour and a half from this charming seaside town at the tip of the New Jersey peninsula. 

Here is a picture of my hubby and me taken by our daughter Lia on a visit to Cape May Point, the very beautiful place where the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware Bay converge:

Email Address Change:

Please note my new email address: drm@maryanndiorio.com.

My old addresses of drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com and maryann@maryanndiorio.com will be forwarded to this new address in case you inadvertently send an email to one of the old addresses.

Please make note of this address change in your address book. Thank you!

Special Phone Number for Diorio Champions Only!

As a special service to you because of your faithful support, I am making available a special private phone number at which you can send me your prayer requests at any time.

Please note that this is a Google number that accepts only voice mail. We will not be able to chat, but we will be able to text back and forth.  

The private phone number is: 856-492-1175. Please keep this number in a safe place, and please DO NOT share it with others. It is for my Champions only! Thanks!

WHERE IS MARYANN THIS MONTH? . . .

My favorite hangout is my private Facebook Group called The Diorio Champions. In my humble opinion, it is the most exciting group on Facebook and is open only to subscribers to my newsletter.

That means YOU!

If you want to share in fun, fellowship, and faith with dozens of other Champions, join our private group now.

You'll also be eligible for free stories, discounts on my books, and a wealth of daily inspiration to feed your soul.

To join, just click on the link below:

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/x5i2r2

THE RECIPE RACK

MaryAnn's Marvelous Meatloaf

(from the Kitchen of MaryAnn Diorio)

Photo by Wolfgang Eckert, Pixabay

INGREDIENTS:

__1-lb. ground beef
__1 egg, beaten
__1/2 cup chopped onion
__1 garlic clove, minced
__3/4 cup Italian-flavored breadcrumbs
     (Save 1/4 cup for topping.)
__2 Tablespoons Ketchup
__Salt & Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

__OIl bottom and sides of rectangular baking pan.
__Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl.
__Shape into a loaf.
__Place in a rectangular baking pan
__Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of Italian breadcrumbs.

For added flavor, top with two or three cooked bacon slices.

Bake in 350-degree oven for about one hour, or until done. 

Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable and salad.

Serves 6.

Let's stay in touch . . . 

I love to stay in touch with my readers. You can follow me on one or more of the venues listed below. Just click on the icon.

"You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You."

__Isaiah 26: 3 NKJV

Disclaimer: Amazon.com Required Disclosure: MaryAnn Diorio is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

MaryAnn Diorio Books 
"Heart-Mending Books for the Young and the Young-at-Heart"
info@maryanndiorio.com |www.maryanndiorio.com

Click here to have my Author Newsletter delivered to your Inbox.
Click here to listen to my podcast series, A Moment with MaryAnn.
Click here to listen to my podcast series for writers, Write Your Heart Out! 
Click here to watch my YouTube series, You Were Made for Greatness!

FULL DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from the sale of my books and other qualifying purchases.