Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops is a challenge to not let life’s ups and downs cause you to flop, instead, flip it and become a success! Jane Jenkins Herlong shares wisdom from biblical women like Eve, Martha, Naomi, and others, along with that of modern-day Women of Wisdom. Jane is a speaker, author, singer, and comedienne extraordinaire! You will love getting to know her and watching her video. One lucky person will win a print copy of Rhinestones when it releases September 26th. Leave a comment and sign in on the Rafflecopter to increase your chances to win!

 

Fabulous Fridays

Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops

Welcome, Jane! Please share something about yourself, and how you began writing and speaking.

I was thrown into speaking from serving as Miss South Carolina (Miss America Program) then, after serving for one year, I got married and moved to a small town without much opportunity for me.  Although I had a college degree and attended graduate school, I decided to create musical, motivational programs for school-aged children.  It was such fun and very rewarding to share my message with young people. This led to joining the National Speakers Association where I learned about writing and a more professional approach to speaking.  I became a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional which is the highest earned designation from the National Speakers Association) and a recently inducted into the CPAE-Speaker Hall of Fame (highest honor voted on by NSA).  

How did you come up with the idea for Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops?

Life is full of flip-flops; how we handle these issues is what life is all about. We should look to iconic biblical women for instruction and WOW (modern day women of wisdom).

What audience will be most interested in Rhinestones?

This book will appeal to women of all ages. We all struggle with issues like “Deceived” Eve, “Domestic Diva” Martha, “Whiney” Naomi, and “Salty” Mrs. Lot, and the list continues!

Tell us something about your first book, Bury Me with My Pearls On?

The book was written in honor of my mother and uses various pearls as an analogy for successful living. AND it is FUNNY! It did great on Amazon and won a Gold Illumination Award and Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year for biographies. 

You have had quite an amazing career from being a former Miss South Carolina to a professional singer, recording artist and published author. How will the average housewife relate to what you have to say?

I, too am an average homemaker and mom who had a desire to help others through my humor, self-help speeches and books. I just kept working on my desire to make a difference and never gave up. I just continue learning and sharing.

What is the most exciting part of being able to interact with your readers?

When the readers communicate with me and share their appreciation for my words and humor.

How would you like to inspire your readers?

To be accountable and go deeper into living successfully as a  Christian. To fight fear and handle their flip-flops with greater success.

Do you have a favorite or signature Bible verse?

2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now?

Patience and trust.

Please share the first page of .

Free PDF of the first chapter of Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops  & a song by Jane!

http://www.janeherlong.com/wp-content/uploads/Rhinestone-PDF-Give-Away-with-SONG.pdf

Chapter 1

I Did Not Want to Hear This…Period!

Daddy had just tied the Minx, our little boat, at the dock on Abbapoola Creek. My heart was filled with a combination of summer memories and sadness as Momma and Daddy told us to wave good-bye to my favorite beach, Bird Key. Fall was in the air in the Lowcountry; change was coming.

Back at home, I sat on my bed fighting the tears; the summer fun at Bird Key beach was over. My thoughts were interrupted with, “Jane, I need to talk with you!” Momma’s voice had a tone of urgency.

I sat at the yellow table in the little cabin kitchen and watched the hands on our kitchen clock. When is my mother going to be finished with this “important talk”? I wondered. My twelve-year-old mind only heard only the words, “once a month”…“body changing…” Finally, she Mama said, “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I lied.

“Okay, do you have any questions?”

“Yes. When does Daddy do this?”

The crease between Momma’s Mama’s eyebrows deepened—a sure sign I had stretched her patience to its limit. She said, “Daddy does not do this. He shaves.” But women shave too.

“What do you call this thing?” I asked.

“It is your period,” Momma replied.

Now that I have experienced this event and all the highly charged emotions that go with it, I think the name “period” needs to be changed to “exclamation.” Girls should be told, “Once a month, you will experience your exclamation point”—sounds much more appropriate to me.

After that conversation with Momma, I was so confused that I told my BFF the next day all the details I thought I knew.

“So how do you protect your clothes?” she asked when I finished.

Before I share my brilliant answer, let me remind you that back then only one feminine protection product was marketed: Kotex. “Momma says you wear a Q-tip.”

My conversation with Momma introduced me to “the curse” and the word cycle. No more training wheels, skateboards, or pink bicycles with white banana seats. My childhood innocence was moving quickly into womanhood. I did not like it one bit; it was my first major life flip-flop.

The reality is that our lives are one gigantic wheel of change. Once we turn out “normal”—or as close to whatever normal is—our lives transition into light speed with marriage and children, followed by more interesting changes.

Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops: Life Choices to Sparkle and Shine shows women how to thrive in the midst of life’s changes. Prudent women search for living examples, or WOW (women of wisdom), as a how-to manual. Iconic women of the Bible also give us instruction. Here is a partial list of remarkable ladies who have had “life -flips”: No-Fear Esther, Domestic Diva Martha, Salty Mrs. Lot, Deceived Eve, Whiny Naomi, and You-Go-Girl Ruth. Coupled with some modern-day ladies, these women provide insights with their personal flip-flops as they walked the sands of time.

I have learned from many WOW in my life. Do you surround yourself with great friends who teach you about handling stress, sickness, marriage, children, aging, and other things? I have my long list of girlfriends who give me sound advice whether I like it or not.

So strap on your sandals, Y-shaped, strap, or thong (for your feet, that is) and let’s walk the journey of womanhood. I can guarantee that you will get sand between your toes on this wonderful, terrifying, and exhilarating trip. We’ll climb mountains, cruise into the plains, and plummet into some valleys as we search for our eternal heavenly summer. The unknown route of your journey can be rewarding and fulfilling if you pack your suitcase with humor and sound teaching. It’s all about learning how to keep the sparkle and shine on our God-given talents as we experience life’s inevitable flip-flops.

Book Blurb:

Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops offers the message Jane lives by: prove people wrong and laugh while living your dreams.

Has your life ever flipped? The challenge is to not become a flop! Strap on your sandals and let Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops deliver joy and laughter in the midst of everyday mess-ups.

Professional Southern humorist and award-winning author Jane Jenkins Herlong uses humor, wisdom, and life stories from iconic biblical women to guide you through the inevitable blunders of life.

Learn from the flip-flops of Deceived Eve, Domestic Diva Martha and Whiny Naomi. Laugh and be inspired by honest (ouch) stories delivered with Jane’s sparkling sense of humor. Add in some “rhinestoned” advice from modern Women of Wisdom (WOW). And you will learn how to keep the sparkle and shine on your God-given talents even as you experience life’s inevitable flops!

About the Author:

Combining humor, truth and her award-winning singing, Jane adds pizzazz to her presentations with life skills helping audiences work smart, laugh often and live their dreams. She is also a SiriusXM Humorist, Amazon Best-Selling/award-winning author and professional singer.

A recent inductee into the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame, Jane is one of the 232 men and women to be awarded this honor including former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Colin L. Powell. Jane also has achieved the distinction of Certified Speaker Professional by the National Speakers Association.

Jane’s keen sense of humor evolved from being labeled Dyslexic and constantly told, “You can’t do that!” Jane changed the word NO to NEXT and the rest is what dreams are made of. Audiences learn the healing power of humor when handling negative people and circumstances for more productive, positive living. Jane delivers a simple message that she lives every day…“prove people wrong and laugh while living your dreams.”

In addition, she is a professional singer, songwriter and recording artist. Jane’s latest book, “Bury Me with My Pearls” is an Amazon Best-Seller and was awarded the Gold Medal in the Illumination Book Awards.

Her award-winning singing and humor is featured on Sirius XM Radio and Pandora Internet Radio along with Jeff Foxworthy, Ray Romano and Jerry Seinfeld. She criss-crosses the country sharing her “down-home principles delivered with uptown humor.” Jane has also spoken in New Zealand and Germany and is fluent in four languages: English, Southern, Northern and Lowcountry Gullah (gul-la).

With a sense of humor and smart work, Jane traveled from the rows of her family farm to the runway of the Miss America Pageant all the way to performing at Radio City Music Hall. She graduated from college with the highest honors voted by her peers and continued on to graduate school. Her successes continued to pile up from there.

Today, Jane travels around the world featured at speaking events in New Zealand and Germany as well as several venues around the United States. Jane has also had the pleasure of sharing the stage with several noteworthy people such as General Colin Powell, Rudolph Giuliani and the late Charlton Heston.

Many describe Jane Jenkins Herlong as “entertaining, inspirational, motivational and a talented singer. This video has clips of Jane’s recent speech for an audience of 20,000.

Simon & Shuster Publishing House says of Jane: Jane Jenkins Herlong’s blend of Southern humor and folksy wisdom is just priceless. She deserves to be right up there with Anita Renfroe and Chonda Pierce- in some ways, she’s even better. The more suburban and bland our culture gets, the more precious genuine Southern culture like this becomes.

Connect with Jane:

Website: www.janeherlong.com

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/janejenkinsherlong

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/janeherl1/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+JaneJenkinsHerlong

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7389906.Jane_Jenkins_Herlong

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Janeherlong

Facebook Pages: https://www.facebook.com/jane.herlong

https://www.facebook.com/Jane-Jenkins-Herlongs-Funny-Stuff-153543734688100/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/537206039679836/

SiriusXM Comedy- 97

YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSk4YCkHlD5ja1hebYZhIQ

 

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