Robin Shope at ShoutLife.com

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Starting in June, on my blog The Serial Writings of Robin Shope (see left hand column for the hot link), I will be posting a chapter a week of a narrative. I hope you enjoy it.

For immediate release:

April 8, 2009

Salty Earth Pictures to Produce Robin Shope's Novel

Salty Earth Pictures and Robin Shope are pleased to announce that plans to produce a Feature motion picture based on Shope's novel "The Christmas Edition" is underway. Ms. Shope, an author now living in Dallas, Texas, has written a series of novels that are set in Wisconsin, known as The Turtle Creek Edition series. Salty Earth Pictures, located in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, producing, and distributing entertainment that challenges minds, lightens hearts, and strengthens souls.

"Ms. Shope's faith based novels take place right out our front door, making them a perfect fit for Salty Earth Pictures," said studio President Steven F. Zambo. He added, "It is our goal to produce a feature based on Robin's "Christmas Edition" in a manner much like the successful "Facing the Giants" film was produced." The film will be shot for a relatively low budget, by Hollywood standards, but will rely on volunteers and passionate individuals and supporters to bring the film to the screen. When asked about the movie of her book Shope commented, "Being born and raised in Delavan, Wisconsin, I couldn't think of a more perfect setting for a book and now the movie." Wisconsites may remember Robin Shope as Robin Jansen. She is a 1968 graduate of D-DHS and also graduated from UWWhitewater.

Without revealing too much of the story, the movie will be based on a struggling family owned business in a small Wisconsin town. It focuses on relationships, secrets, trust, faith, and the hope Christmas and it's message provides.

Much work needs to be done before the camera will roll. "Scripting, casting, financing, music and locations are all issues we will be facing in the next several months. But, it is our prayer that we will be in production late this year with a planned distribution for Christmas 2010," said Zambo. Salty Earth Pictures' studio is located in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and will be the primary location for production. The studio has over 30,000 square feet of production space.

Marketing an independent film is no small task. Zambo says, "We are going to use the electronic tools out there to build and keep interest." Periodic video update will be available on Salty Earth Pictures' Youtube Channel. Also, both Shope and Salty Earth Pictures will be using their group pages on Facebook to build audience interest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMZJGPrYsW0

"The finished movie is only a part of the product," says, Zambo. "We feel the journey getting there will also be exciting and entertaining. We want to share the entire experience!"

Coming soon to a bookstore near you is Wildcard. Turn on the news any night and you will hear frightening news reports about what Washington is doing. Where does it start? With law makers. However, it begins before then, at the ballot box. This book is about fiddling with voter ballots. Its been done before but not on such a grand scale. Forget hanging chads and acorn. I am talking something so small that it will go unnoticed, until its too late. Blurb: What would happen if someone secured a microchip that could be manipulated to give his or her candidate the edge to win the next presidential election? Not enough votes for a landslide, but just enough to put their candidate over the top in a decisive win. The Wildcards are a group of maverick agents who want to take over the outcome of the next election for President of the United States. During Ivy Dillon's last week as a Washington Intern, she and Ms. Geneen Waters, the secretary to the President of the United States, overhear a conversation about voting machines and missing software. Months later Ms. Waters body is found floating in the Potomac River. FBI Special Agent Ian Serby, who swears he will give his life to protect her, takes Ivy into protective custody. Ian is smart, sexy and seems to have a hidden agenda all his own. Will Ivy follow her heart and believe what Ian tells her about trying to stop the Wildcards or is he actually a member of the Wildcards?

Thank you Texas Legislature! I received a commendation from the Texas State Legislature with an official seal, recognizing my recent book publications. Included is recognition of my work with troubled teens in the juvenile justice system. It is a really neat long, formal document. Impressive. Gee, for me? No, its not framed and on the wall. It's still inside the folder it arrived in, and slipped between books on my shelf. But how cool is that?

I have been married a l-o-n-g time and I am so blessed to have Rick beside me, walking me through life. Rick loves to refer to me as 'Paperback Writer."

Yes, I am a Paperback Writer. I write stories about Christian people who struggle with their faith, but still depend on God. Emotionally driven stories with a strong romance and a strong Christian principle. When a reader picks up one of my books I don't want to fail them. I want them to be awed, moved to laughter or tears or both in the span of a few chapters. I want them to talk to their friends about my book, that they've found a keeper of an author in me because all my books are a must-read and how they can't wait for the sequel or the next new release.

Wildcard: release date late April 2009
It's Ivy Dillon's last week as a Washington Intern. All she wants to do now is return home to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin and fill out applications as a political speech writer. On her last day at the White House, Ivy and the secretary to the United States, Geneen Waters, overhears a conversation. That night Ivy returns to a ransacked apartment. Frantically, she runs from door to door for help and the man who opens his door to assist her is the same stranger she met the night before at a theater party. The man calls for the police and waits with her, calming her nerves until they arrive. Later the same evening, they share Chinese take-out. All night, the kind stranger remains on Ivy's mind. In the morning, she goes to his apartment to thank him again for his help. When she knocks, no one answers. The door is unlocked. She turns the knob slowly and walks inside to an empty apartment. Only a fortune cookie remains. She breaks it open and reads what it says....'Bad luck never walks alone.'

The Valentine Edition; released January 2009
The last place in the world Jodi Williams wanted to live was Turtle Creek, Wisconsin, but when her stepdad refused to put in a good word for her at the Chicago paper, she had no other choice than to accept the first job offer that came her way. Josh Thomas was Turtle Creek's veterinarian, but he also happened to be single and quite handsome. His life was pretty peaceful until a pretty, young stranger came to his clinic with a dog that had been hit by a car. While his first reaction was to care for the injured animal, he couldn't help a few glances at this unique young woman.That day was one of quite a few new beginnings. Jodi came to the aid of an injured animal, earning her the respect of a handsome man, she started a new job as a reporter for The Turtle Creek Newspaper, and she gained the wrath of the vet's receptionist. Della had her sights set on Joshua, and she wasn't about to let anyone come between her and the man of her dreams.

The Valentine Edition releases January 2009 and is the second book in the series. But you do not need to read the first book, The Christmas Edition, in order to enjoy the second book. Although part of The Turtle Creek Series, each book can stand on their own.The Christmas Edition is the first book in The Turtle Creek Edition series. They are contemporary romance.

Print ISBN 13: 9781601544841

Digital Release Date: Feb. 2009
Digital Price: 6.00

Print Release Date: Jan. 16, 2009
Print Price: 12.99

Order it now by clicking on the book cover to the left. Can also be ordered from any bookstore Print ISBN 13: 9781601543301

The Christmas Edition; released December 2008
Lucy Collins has given up on Christmas since the painful break-up with her fiance. Things only get worse when a large newspaper is about to come to town and threatens the livelihood of their family run business, The Turtle Creek Newspaper. At the staff Christmas party, she makes a wish and what seems like the answer to her prayer walks in the front door to apply for the editor position, which they are hoping will bring new life to the paper. Not only is Joe McNamara a genius when it comes to the written word, but he is also gifted with ideas about keeping the newspaper afloat. However, Joe has a secret of his own that he is keeping from Lucy. If she finds it out, then what looks like a promising relationship will unravel, but it's Christmas time, the season of rebirth and miracles. Will the spirit of celebration be enough to heal two hearts? Or will the reality of deception make this the worst Christmas of all?

A little bit about me...
I am the Special Education Coordinator at the Denton County Juvenile Justice System for at risk kids by day. By night I am a romance and mystery writer. My husband Rick and I are former missionaries and once pastored a country church for six years in Illinois. We have been married for over thirty years and have two grown children, Kimberly and Matthew. I love listening to oral family histories and discovered that we are all story tellers of one kind or another. My daddy told my mother and my older sis terrible stories about the war and how they effected him. I learned at an early age that people had layers to them. I grew up in Chicago, the daughter of a nightclub owner who found God on his death bed. My mother was a Godly woman who passed along to us her faith in Jesus. When we came of age we accepted Him as our Saviour. And now I have passed my faith to my children and they have made it their own. This is a big world and there is a story around every corner just waiting to be told. I happen to like telling those stories. I hope you like reading them.

Let me introduce you to my 'editor'...Lexie is displayed in the first picture below reading my latest WIP. She gives two paws up when it's good enough to submi