June 2009 e-newsletter

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Mark 6:41
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven and blessed them. When God sends His blessings, it's always more than enough.

God is blessing us,
A few days ago I saw something I hadn't seen in a long time--several motorists driving new cars. My head snapped. What? That's an encouraging sign.
In St. Louis, our Ford Motors plant was shut down years ago. Recently, two Chrysler plants will face the same fate, so we're slowly bouncing back even if there are people ahead of us in the line of blessings.

When is the last time you visited www.patsimmons.net? Well, check it out, because my site has a new look. Let me know what you think.

Congrats to graduates, including Hilary Morgan and my niece Amber Cole who graduated from eighth grade. Of course, I have pictures of me with my brother, niece, and mother.

Guilty of Love (Book I), September 2007
Not Guilty of Love (Book II), September 2009
Still Guilty (Book III), April 2010
Free from Guilt (Book IV)
Talk to Me, November 2008
Watch out for the Carmen Sisters series:

Four months away until Not Guilty of Love is released.
Here's the June excerpt: patsimmonsexcerpts.blogspot.com.
Save $$ by pre-ordering copies of Not Guilty of Love at www.amazon.com.

HATS OFF TO MONIQUE BRUNER WITH DELTA REVIEWERS.
She along with Sisters Sippin' Tea of Tulsa and two other bookclubs hosted the African-American Literacy Expo. To see photos, click on Tulsa, OK.

Monique is also participating in the MrsOklahomaplusamerica2009.blog.com.
She will advance to the next level in Louisiana. Check out the pageant and see how you can help her.

Can you believe gasoline for $.25 on Route 66? You have to see this Click Route 66.

Get your Guilty Series T-shirt. Check out my two models: Simi and Kerry are wearing black cotton T-shirts with white lettering that says, Not Guilty, Guilty, Still Guilty, Of Love.
The cost is $8, which includes shipping. E-mail me: patLsimmons@yahoo.com.

I've posted three items on my blog for June from my e-mails:
Schools
Electronically locking cars
Fact or Fiction: Man murders wife & buries family alive.
patsimmons.blog.com.

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April 2009 Newsletter

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. God can do a whole lot of damage with the little we have!
Last week, the Lord steered me in a different direction for the April newsletter. Regardless of my woes earlier this month, only share good news. Okay, here I go!
Good news!
I'm looking forward to seeing 400 fellow authors and 800 readers at the 26th annual RT BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION in Orlando later this month. I'll take plenty of pictures. Visit www.rtconvention.com.
Good news!
If you're in St. Louis, pick up free copies of St. Louis Woman Magazine at newsstands inside local grocery stores. I'm featured on page 43.
Good news!
I'm doing my part to stimulate the economy by giving away 20 Guilty of Love ceramic mugs. To get your gift, e-mail me at patLsimmons@yahoo.com with your address, and I'll pay the cost of shipping. Limit one mug per person please.
Good news!Libraries are swamped with readers checking out books. Usage has tripled while sales at major book stores have plummeted across the country. During April, take a friend to the library. When you check out copies of Talk to Me and Guilty of Love, and e-mail me a copy of the library receipt, I'll enter you into a drawing to receive one of ten free autograph copy of my upcoming novel, Not Guilty of Love, August 2009.
Good news?
How often does a victim of identity theft have an opportunity to pull up the alleged criminal's address on the internet using Google Earth? I did. My alter ego lives in a non-descriptive, brick two family flat. A public trash receptacle in front on the corner serves as a landmark. The building is mingled with other one family and four family flats on a tree-lined street. Worn bed sheets are bad imitations of window treatments.
My impersonator opened a cell phone account at Sprint for Christmas Eve--the family plan of course--and a Walmart charge to start off the new year. So far, I sigh because haven't received a bill as they occupants enjoy hundred channels of programming on their satellite TV Dish Network. The good news is I haven't gotten a bill for that.
Good News!You don't have to wait for my monthly newsletter to get my latest updates. Follow me on twitter.com/patsimmons.
GREAT NEWS!JESUS rose from the dead.
Happy Resurrection Day, enjoy your Easter, and Be Blessed always.
Guilty of Love (Book I), September 2007
Not Guilty of Love (Book II), September 2009
Still Guilty (Book III), April 2010
Free from Guilt (Book IV)
Talk to Me, November 2008
Watch out for the Carmen Sisters series, coming soon
Good news!Book II: Not Guilty of Love cover.
April's excerpt: patsimmonsexcerpts.blogspot.com
Save $$ and pre-order copies of Not Guilty of Love at www.amazon.com
Good News!I received an e-mail from a reader in the Netherlands, saying how much she enjoyed Talk to Me.
If you liked Mackenzie and Noel's story, please post a review on amazon. I need 10 more reviews.
Thanks in advance!
Good News!You can share this newsletter with a friend. I'm joined by two fellow St. Louis authors, Rich and Essence bestselling author Brenda Hampton.
Visit www.patsimmons.net

March 2009 Newsletter

3 John 1:2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Yep, it's official. Not March Madness, but my eligibility for an AARP card. Yikes!
Many thanks for the birthday wishes and the singing telegrams.
Actually, they were from my family and close friends. My husband and I had planned to enroll in a ballroom dancing class to celebrate, but for some reason, the instructor never called us back. Maybe the word got out that I used to be--past tense--a dancing machine as a teenager.
Moving on, I'm praying that God is meeting your needs according to His riches in glory. God has an abundance of blessings, just ask Him.
Hats off to Oklahoma. Monique Brunner outdid herself with this year's "Urban League Young Professionals' Celebration of African-American Authors". Monique set up TV interviews for the authors with the BJ Williams, host, of Read About It with the Metropolitan Public Library System. As soon as I get that video, I'll post it on youtube or my website. Check out the pictures at photos.patsimmons.net.
With twenty authors participating, Monique had several spots set up throughout a spacious independent bookstore. The event brought in $1500 in book sales and 150 visitors! There were so many genres for readers to chose, but how about a Black Western series? You heard right. Meet author Sean Chandler. And to answer the question that I know one of my church members, Terry Green, is asking, no, I don't have any cousins in Oklahoma---yet.
Here's three SCAMS you must know about.
Visit patsimmons.blog.com.
Guilty of Love (Book I), September 2007
Not Guilty of Love (Book II), September 2009
Still Guilty (Book III), April 2010
Free from Guilt (Book IV)
Talk to Me, November 2008
Watch for the Carmen Sisters series, coming soon
Since I don't have the cover yet for Not Guilty of Love (September 2009), here's a grade school picture of me instead. Read the March excerpt of Not Guilty of Love. It's Book II of the Guilty series.
If you haven't read the February excerpt, you better catch up.

Please vote for Talk to Me as the best Christian Fiction of 2008, the best book cover of 2008, and yours truly as the best author of 2008.It's the Reader's Choice Award.

Connie and Richard, the owners of Not Just A Bookstore, are like Dairy Queen. They treat you right. Here's two of their March events at the store:
Saturday, March 7, 2009, 2:00-4:00 p.m.St. Louis author, Brian Irons, will sign his book "I Did Not Know." It's based on a true story about his life, and how he became confined to a wheel chair due to the mistakes he made along the way in his sports career.

Saturday, March 14, 2009, 2:00-5:00 p.m.A new St. Louis author to the published industry, Danette Brown, will sign copies of "Emotions through Poetry".For more information, call 314-361-9955.
Forward this newsletter to a friend, or they can visit www.patsimmons.net and sign up on the contact page. Here's me with Pat, a Deaf Interpreter from Normal, Illinois.

Identity Thieves Love Gadgets

REPOSTED FROM
Identity Thieves Love Your Gadgets, Too!
How to Protect Your Personal Gadgets and Your Identity
By Jerri Ledford, About.com

Identity theft, like all crimes, grows and ebbs in cycles. And like all crimes, certain factors can influence the growth of or lack of growth of any crime. For identity theft, one of the factors currently contributing to the growth of the crime and the ease with which a criminal can commit identity theft is your gadgets.
Electronic gadgets have grown in popularity to the point that it seems like everyone ones more than one. Cell phones, iPods and MP3 players, and even GPS units can put you at risk. They’re everywhere. Everyone uses them—both criminals and victims.
Identity Thieves Use All Available Technology
Criminals can use gadgets, like a cell phone with picture of video capabilities to capture credit card numbers, bank card numbers and pins, and even to gather enough bits and pieces of your personal information to gain access to other information that’s needed to complete stealing your identity.
Think about it. A criminal with a camera phone can snap a shot of your license plate, and with a little research that criminal can have your name and address. That leads them to your mailbox where they can pick and choose the information they want to collect about you—bank statements, credit card statements, investment information, even purely personal communications.
But did you know that those same criminals can use your own gadgets against you? Think about the phone numbers you have programmed into your cell phone. Is “Home” one of them? Did you know that a phone number is enough for an identity thief to find out where you live. And that’s assuming you don’t have that programmed into your phone as well.
What about your spouse’s phone number? If it’s programmed into your phone as “Hubby” or “Sweetheart” you could be putting yourself at risk. All it takes is for a criminal to steal your purse while your cell phone is in it. Then they not only have your bank card, but they also have access to your spouse. It takes just seconds to compose a text message to your spouse claiming to have forgotten your pin number, and just a few seconds more to clear out your bank account when your spouse texts back the pin.
And here’s one more scenario for you. Do you have a GPS system in your car? If you do, you probably keep it mounted on the dash or stored in a glove compartment when you’re not in the car. Is your home address programmed into the GPS? Bad idea.
A criminal—either an identity thief or just a thief—can break into your car and steal your GPS system that will lead them straight to your house. If they do that while you’re in a movie or at a function that takes more than a few minutes, they can have the GPS system lead them to your house and steal whatever they want in the time you’re gone. Since they know where you are, and probably have a good idea of what you’re doing, they’ll know how much time they have to get in and out.
Protecting Your Gadgets and Yourself
So what are you to do? We’ve all become so reliant on our gadgets that we can’t imagine life without them. And if you’re not willing to give them up, then you need to learn some new habits. Here are five tips to help you keep your gadgets and your identity safe.
Stay Generic: When you’re programming names, numbers, and addresses into your gadget try to keep them generic as possible. Include only as much information as you must have, and never use monikers like “Hubby,” “Sweetheart,” “Best Friend,” or “Mom and Dad.”
Skip the Owner Information: Owner information on a gadget is a gold mine for identity thieves. And the truth is, it’s very rarely used to return a lost gadget. So, don’t use it. If you happen to be one of those people that just has to include the owner information, be sure you lock the device when it’s not in use and use a lock pin or combination that’s not easily guessed.
Carry Devices Separately: If you’re a woman and you carry your devices in your purse and your purse is stolen or lost, then whoever ends up with it not only has access to all the information in the purse, but they also have access to all the information on the devices that are there. In many cases, that could be a considerable amount of information—enough to steal your identity.
Educate Your Kids: Kids today have as many devices as their parents do. And those devices contain just as much information. Teach your kids about the dangers of identity theft. Remind them to limit the amount of personal information on the devices they carry, and to keep the devices on their persons at all times. Even high school kids can commit identity theft.
Remain Aware in Public Places: When you’re in public, always know what’s going on around you. At the bank, shield account and pin numbers from the view of nearby patrons. Avoid using your phone to pay bills or access accounts in public places, and never give out account or pin numbers over the phone if you’re in public. Remember there’s someone standing just off to the site waiting to picture or record the information that you’re sharing.

February 2009

3 John 1:2Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Greetings and Happy Valentine's Day,
A special shoutout to Texas!Woww, what an author's delight to be treated to southern hospitality by book store managers and to have the help from family and friends to make each book signing a success.
My husband and I appreciate cousins Helen Forniss in Dallas and the Wades in Houston for feeding and housing us at their "B&B" To see pictures of them and other family and friends, visit photos.patsimmons.net.
***Congratulations Mr. President for making United States and world History. If you attended the D.C. inauguration, a local inauguration ball, or a private party, I want to see your pictures. Email me at patLsimmons@yahoo.com and I might post them on my web photo album.
Guilty of Love (Book I), September 2007
Not Guilty of Love (Book II), September 2009
Still Guilty (Book III), April 2010
Free from Guilt (Book IV)
Talk to Me, November 2008
Watch for the Carmen Sisters series, coming soon
The cover for Not Guilty of Love (September 2009) is coming soon.
It's Book II of the Guilty series.To read the first excerpt click here, and it's not too late to pick up copies of Book I: Guilty of Love.

Listen to my podcast as I read an excerpt from Talk to Me. sormaggoodies.blogspot.com
Harris Communications is adding Talk to Me to its spring catalog and online store.
This is the premiere catalog, featuring all types of products for Hearing-impaired, Deaf, and sign language enthusiasts.
Copies should be available online at their store in a few weeks. www.harriscomm.com

If you enjoy this e-newsletter, forward it to friends or have them sign up at www.patsimmons.net.

January 2009 e-Newsletter

3 John 1:2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

As I begin 2009, I'm so thankful for my spiritual and materialistic blessings. God has been good to me and my family. I'm especially thankful to have my son Jared. If you don't know Jared's story, click on the June newsletter.
A shout out to my cousins Cheryl & Thomas Strickland. Cheryl turned the holiday party to a book signing and her guests graciously supported me. Thank you Cheryl. I love you!! Check out my December pictures at photos.patsimmons.net.

Because of your support, Guilty of Love has developed into a four book series:
Guilty of Love (Book I), September 2007
Not Guilty of Love (Book II), September 2009
Still Guilty (Book III), April 2010
Free from Guilt (Book IV)
Talk to Me, November 2008

It's not too late to pick up copies of Guilty of Love; a favorite among teenagers, grandma, and men. Although I don't have a cover for the second book in the series, here's the synopsis:
Malcolm Jamieson and Hallison Dinkins have the charisma, the chemistry and the commitment of an everlasting love until God shatters their foundation.
Malcolm isn't the man who got away, but the one God instructs Hallison to give away if she’s serious about her walk with Him.
Malcolm becomes suspicious with his fiancée's sudden religious conversion. It doesn’t take long for him to find one hypocrite: gun-toting widow, Mrs. Beatrice Tilley Beacon aka Grandma BB.
She professes the same salvation on Sunday, but seeks revenge on Monday to settle an old score. Malcolm issues Hallison an ultimatum, “Fine, if we’re meant to be, we’ll find our way back to each other. If not, there is a stronger love that awaits us.”
Unbeknownst to him, God gives Malcolm exactly what he didn’t ask for—a woman not after God’s own heart, Lisa Nixon.
Talk about a tango with the devil’s cousin. God’s purpose isn’t always revealed upfront.

Talk to Me receives ...
Top ranking in the "Books That Change Lives 2008 Literary Hallmark."
I am humbled by this mention. Once again, thanks to everyone for your support. To see the list, click on the link http://www.edcmagazine.blogspot.com./
Special thanks to fellow author and friend, Linda Beed, who hosts an informative blog. She not only reviewed Talk to Me, but in lieu of interviewing me, she wrote her own thoughts about me. Bless you girl. Please visit her blog at LindaBeed.blogspot.com.
You may have seen this, but for those who haven't, enjoy.
Go to http://www.youtube.com./Type in fatherhood and cheerleader.

If you enjoyed this e-newsletter, please pass it on, or refer a friend to http://www.patsimmons.net/to sign up. Here's one of my friends, Connie Creek, co-owner of Not Just A Bookstore, 314-361-9955.

December 2, 2008

On November, 4, 2008, the nation made history. I had anticipated a long night, but President-elect Obama's victory was swift. I'm prayerful that Mr. Obama will finish the course God has called him to do.
I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving filled with food, fellowship, and love. As an author, I am blessed to have the support my bookclub, Glory Girls St. Louis.
They were present at my first 2008 St. Louis signing and the romance party. If only every author had this type of encouragement.
Also during November, Talk to Me hit two bestseller's categories on amazon for a day: African-American and Christian romance. The excitement was short-lived, but I'll take it. Yahoo!!I enjoyed four interviews in November.
**The Renee Bobb show. Since I had mixed up my interview date, I was at a noisy, public location---the YMCA--for a book event. Kudos to the host, Renee Bobb, who went on with the show despite the distraction. Listeners could hear cover model, Fred Williams, in the background, barking out orders like a drill sergrant while instructing his kick-boxing class. Shake your head and listen on The Renee Bobb Show.
**Next, I was a guest on Minister Celeste Kelley 's Write the Vision Show on WHPR 88.1 FM in Highland Park, Michigan. She has been in my corner since Guilty of Love was released last year. www.blogtalkradio.com/write-the-vision.
**I enjoyed a tele-conference call with Missy and the Reader's Paradise Bookclub from Chicago. It was enlightening and encouraging to hear what readers interpret from my characters and stories.
**I finished up the month with an interview with Tyora "Ty" Moody. Besides my writing career, we talked about my favorite subject--genealogy.
Visit www.writtenvoicespodcast.com.Or go to my website WWW.PATSIMMONS.NET.INTERVIEWS_REVIEWS.HTML

Attention: I need your help in setting up my 2009 tour schedule for January/February. It's a toss up between the Houston/Dallas area and Birmingham/Mobile/Montgomery area. If anybody has e-mail addresses for bookclubs in those cities, please pass it on. Their support would determine a successful signing at their local bookstores.Email at patLsimmons@yahoo.com. In the subject line, type Texas or Alabama.

SPECIAL THANKS TO "TEAM SIMMONS"This is a group of special people who diligently travel and assist me at my book signings. They are responsible for making sure my sales are the best they can be: Kerry Simmons, Fred Williams, A.J., and Mr. & Mrs. Sturdivant.May God bless them for all they do!Check out the pictures from the November's events, including the four in Chicago at photos.patsimmons.net
Another review on Talk to Me: A very good read with an atypical leading man, November 20, 2008 Mackenzie and Noel's story is largely satisfying with the many twists and turns you expect of a good story. This is a pleasing Christian fiction novel with a fair balance of scripture, romance and story telling. I like the fact that parts are told from Noel's perspective and parts from Mackenzie's voice. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all with this story that has intriguingly different aspects from a run of the mill story - starting with an atypical, yet highly inviting male lead. Reviewed by BMAR.Read more at www.patsimmons.net/INTERVIEWS_Reviews/html
December Book signings
Monday, December 15, 4-6 pm
Ferguson Municipal Public Library
(Home of characters Parke & Cheney)
35 N. Florissant, Rd, Ferguson, MO
314-521-4820
Saturday, December 13, 2-4 pm
Books-a-Million
St. Louis Mills
Hazelwood, MO
314-227-5263
Friday, December 19, 6-8 pm
Main Street Books
307 South Main Street
In historic St. Charles, MO
636-949-0105

What do you get when you mix chocolate-covered strawberries and a saxophonist?
Pat's Christian Romance Party!
Check out the pictures from Not Just A Bookstore at photos.patsimmons.net.
Also meet Mary L. Wilson, Author of "Ghetto Luv, & Still Ghetto...S
aturday December 6, 2008 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m at Not Just A Bookstore.
For other events, contact Richard or Connie 314-361-9955 or visitwww.notjustabookstore.net.

This month's inspirational poem was a personal letter to God.Submitted by Melissa Hubbard, one of my bookclub members. The author is unknown.
Thank you God.
If you enjoyed this e-newsletter, please share it with friends or tell them to visit my site www.patsimmons.net and sign up.

Until Next time, Be Blessed Always