Nancy B. Kennedy

Cracker Barrel restaurants are now carrying Miracles & Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Military Chaplains in their stores!

I made an unplanned visit to the Cracker Barrel store nearest to where I live, Clinton, NJ, on Saturday, April 28. Even though we created quite a disruption in the store, the Cracker Barrel staff welcomed me warmly. While we were there, a customer bought two copies of the book, which I was privileged to sign. One was for a friend of the buyer's, a Marine who earned a Purple Heart. I love to hear the stories of who the books are going to. Thank you for your friendly welcome, Cracker Barrel!

I've since made a visit to the Hamilton, NJ, Cracker Barrel, which is also close to me. On Father's Day, while we were in Maryland for our son's baseball tournament, we made a sweep up Route 95, stopping at Cracker Barrels along the way, including Elkton, MD, and Mount Holly, NJ. I can see why people love to go to Cracker Barrel -- the people who work there are always friendly and welcoming.

I've been invited to speak about Miracles and Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Military Chaplains at Deerfield Presbyterian Church in South Jersey at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 18.

Deerfield is a historic church founded in 1737 whose present building dates from 1771. Its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth C. Larter, is a long-time family friend. He has a special interest in military history and in ministering to military members. The church recently erected a memorial to those who have served in the military since the American Revolution, both in peacetime and in war.

The event will take place at the Christian Education Building across the street from the church at 530 Old Deerfield Pike, Deerfield Street, NJ 08313. For more information, contact Peggy Barricknan at the church office by phone at 856-455-1222 or by e-mail at dpcoffice@​comcast.net. The book will be available for $10 at the event (30 percent off list price).

Join us for the first of the Hopewell Public Library's Wednesday Night Out series for 2012. On January 4, I will be speaking about my new book, How We Did It: Weight Loss Choices that Will Work for You (Leafwood, December 2011). The event is at 7 p.m. at the Hopewell Train Station, 4 Railroad Place, Hopewell, NJ. For more information, contact the library at (609) 466-1625.

P.S. We had a great evening! See photos to the left. Thank you for another invitation to speak, Anne!

Enter to win a free copy of How We Did It: Weight Loss Choices that Will Work for You at Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center (Princeton, NJ). Drop your business card into the bowl on the welcome desk. Five winners will be chosen! The fitness center is in the Princeton North Shopping Center at the intersection of Rts. 206N and 518.

Princeton Fitness & Wellness (Princeton, NJ) is hosting a book signing of How We Did It: Weight Loss Choices that Will Work for You. I will be signing from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Join me for wine and cheese at this Member Appreciation event. The fitness center is in the Princeton North Shopping Center at the intersection of Rts. 206N and 518.

Princeton Fitness & Wellness (Princeton, NJ) is hosting a book signing of How We Did It: Weight Loss Choices that Will Work for You. I will be at the gym from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m. Join me there for light refreshments. It's Member Appreciation Week at PFW. The fitness center is in the Princeton North Shopping Center, intersection of Rts. 206N and 518).

The Hopewell Public Library in Hopewell, NJ, invited me to talk about Miracles and Moments of Grace for its Wednesday Night Out series at the Train Station in the borough, where I live.

One of the chaplains whose story appears in the book, Navy Chaplain (Cmdr) Brad Hoffman, joined me for the book talk and signing. In the book, Chaplain Hoffman tells of being called up on 9/​11 to serve at the Pentagon.

To the left are photos from the event. It was a great turnout of long-time friends and neighbors, as well as many new friends. The air conditioning wasn't doing the job on the 90+ night, but Chaplain Hoffman took care of it. Guess they're used to getting the job done in the Navy!

Thank you for hosting me, Anne. It's an exhilarating thing for an author to be surrounded by everyone who has been cheering her on for all the years of seemingling fruitless writing!

For more photos, head to MMG's facebook page. Thanks for being my photographer, Vicki!

The library of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, invited me to speak about MMG. The audience was warm and welcoming, and the library staff went all out to make the event a success -- they even made cookies!

I was joined at the event by one of the chaplains in Miracles and Moments of Grace, Army Chaplain (Col.) Barbara Sherer, who told her story of finding a surprising item amid the ashes of a dining tent fire in Kuwait.

The Library of Congress's Veterans History Project invited me to join their celebration of The Four Chaplains, four inter-faith military chaplains who heroically lost their lives on the USAT Dorchester during World War II. It was held in conjunction with the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.

At the event, I met up with two of the chaplains in Miracles and Moments of Grace, retired Navy Chaplain (Captain) Arnold Resnicoff and Air Force Chaplain (Captain) Christopher Reeder and his wife, Jennifer. Thank you for inviting me, Jason Steinheuer of the Veterans History Project.