Wednesday, April 27, 2011

5 Easy Questions with Ralene Burke!

Every Wednesday, I ask a writer the same five easy questions. In an effort to support and promote fellow wordsmiths, I feature authors who write a variety of genres, from sweet inspirational to mainstream thrillers. The writers themselves may be aspiring, published, or a best-selling author--all have made an impact on my life.


Thank you for joining me in welcoming...Ralene Burke!!
 
 
 
Ralene and I met online a few years ago, and I was drawn to the fellow stay-at-home-mom's encouraging blog, her goal-oriented approach to writing, and her funny comments. Ralene writes inspirational suspense novels. I know it's only a matter of time before I can find Ralene's books on store shelves!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Let's get to it!

1. Beverage of choice?

Diet Coke. I'm addicted, it's sad really. I should drink something better like water, but well, I don't like water.

2. Any pets?

I'm allergic to just about everything under the sun, so we don't tempt fate by keeping animals around the house. Though, I've told hubby that we can get the girls some fish for Easter--as long as he takes care of them. :)

3. Dream vacation?

Italy. I've always been in love with the architecture, the history, the culture.

4. What are you listening to right now?

My girls are watching some cartoon on TV that I don't remeber ever seeing, and I'm listening to the sound of my sweet son's breathing thru the baby monitor.

5. What's for dinner?

That's up for grabs right now as I forgot to set something out last night. Hubby and I are on a diet...determined to lose weight before the unit ball in August. Go team!

Thanks, Ralene, for being my guest today! And your answer to what you're listening to now is, hand's down, the best--is there anything sweeter than the sound of a sleeping baby? I don't think so! I love Diet Coke too. And regular Coke. Bad me! My sister used to live in Italy and I've always wanted to get there. Maybe someday? Thanks again!

So, what's your weather like today? Sun and warmth appreciated!

Born a military brat, it is no surprise that Ralene married an Army soldier almost 8 years ago. Today, boring is an unrecognizable term in her vocabulary. With two feisty daughters and a baby boy, her days as a stay-at-home mom are full of fun, love, and never-ending energy (at least on the part of the kids). She also aspires to be a published author and spends many of her evenings plugged into her laptop, cranking out stories of suspense and Faith Without Limits. Each night, though, she takes the time to thank her Lord and Savior, not just for the blessings of a wonderful family and a passion for the ministry He's given her, but for the precious gift of life--something she knows not to take for granted. 

To learn more about Ralene and her writing, head to Ralene's website, check out her blog, Faith, Hope, and Suspense, be friends with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.


Have a fantastic Wednesday!

17 comments:

  1. Italy would be a dream vacation to explore. Good luck on your losing weight in time and hugs! :O)

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  2. Good morning!

    You know, Diane, I think we should head to the tropical paradise Ralene calls home and all go to Italy together. I have good ideas, yes? :)

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. Ralene, it's great to connect with you here at Jill's! I constantly forget to set something out to thaw for dinner. My hub thinks I do it on purpose...maybe I do! The weather is crazy bad. Worst storms in ages. But I'm wearing my rain boots, so it's all good!

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  4. Great interview! Italy is wonderful and I love listening to my three year old snore at naptime. LOL
    Also, glad to hear I'm not the only one who decides dinner at the last moment.

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  5. How fun! I love Diet Coke, too. :)

    I love chatting with RaleneB via twitter.

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  6. Awww, "the sound of my sweet son's breathing thru the baby monitor." That has to be one of the best answers ever!

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  7. Ralene,

    I don't like water all that much either (even though I say good things about it in my post today).

    Thinking of you and your son.

    Just give me a Coke any day. I always order my coffee drinks by saying, "Give me the fat." Whipped cream, etc. Bring it!
    ~ Wendy

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  8. My 17 year old daughter has been to Italy and now off to New Zealand and Spain. I haven't been across the ocean! I love how we can live through our kids even if it is just feeling peaceful listening to their sleeping breathing. Nice to get to know you Ralene!

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  9. Weather on the outside here is chilly and gloomy, but I just use it as an excuse to drink more coffee, LOL.

    So nice to learn more about Ralene! As a fellow SAHM, I often hear those same sounds in my house.

    Hope you have a great day, ladies!

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  10. So with you on the Diet Coke love, Ralene!

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  11. It's nice to learn more about you, Ralene. I popped over to your FB page and see that your little guy has been in the hospital. I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he's home soon, on his way to a full recovery, and warming your heart with his breathing on your baby monitor.

    I visited Italy briefly when my hubby and I lived in Germany. I climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa before they closed it. There are no gratings at the openings, so I clung to the inside wall. The youth group I was helping chaperone visited Rome in a whirlwind three-hour bus tour. The Colosseum is HUGE. And I got chills when one of the other adults on the trip pointed out the building where Paul was under house arrest.

    I hope you get to visit Italy someday, Ralene. You'll love it. I don't recommend driving there, though. I've never seen traffic like I saw in Rome. It was something else. =)

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  12. I see we have some Diet Coke, regular Coke, and Italy lovers here! (I often forget to thaw things out too. I DID remember to throw shrimp in the fridge last night though. :)

    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  13. I'm not much of a Coke fan, but I would love to go Italy and drink lots of wine!! And eat really fantastic food and soak up the sun. I was going to put in my Italian garden today (romas, basil, etc), but then the weather turned icy. Typical New Mexico in the spring. Thanks for sharing this interview.

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  14. Nice to meet you, Ralene! You almost made me miss the baby sounds over the monitor... almost. ;-)

    Jill, there's plenty of sun and warmth here in San Diego today. Blue skies, highs in the 80's! Yahoo!

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  15. First, Jill, thank you for having me here. It was a pleasure to "visit" with you. I'm all for having a bunch of ladies over!

    Diane-Yeah, the baby weight from my 3rd child has been stubborn. lol...

    Jessica-My new habit is to plan my menus for the week to avoid "forgetting". :)

    Jessica-Isn't a snoring child the best thing ever?

    Erica-I love chatting with you too! Esp inspired by your 1k1hr dedication.

    Em-Musing-Thank you! One of my fav sounds ever! :)

    Wendy-I'm trying to make myself drink more water--it's not working. lol... Thank you for the prayers for my son!

    Lynn--I would love to travel someday. Maybe when the kids are out of the house?

    Sarah-Weather here started out nice and gloomy too. Looks like it might clear up, though. yay!

    Katie-DC lovers unite!

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  16. Keli-Thank you for the prayers. He's doing wonderful and should hopefully go home today. I do hope that I get to go to Italy one day. I should start a savings fund for it now. lol...

    Jill-Oh the food...you're making me want Italy even more. :) We planted our herbs and roma tomatoes a few weeks ago--of course we don't have to deal with ice/snow/cold here in HI.

    Lindsay-Nice to meet you too. Yeah, it's one of those sweet memories, but not necessarily sweet enough to make you want to do it again. lol...

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  17. Happy to meet you, Ralene! I'm with you on the allergy thing. If I come within twenty feet of a feline, my sinuses go ballistic.

    It is 70 degrees in Oklahoma, and very cludy. We needed the rain, though.

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