d. “Please, Mom? I’ll do all the dishes for a year.”
9. After school, while your teacher is out of the room, you accidentally break her glass paperweight. No one sees it happen. You:
a. Say nothing unless she asks about it.
b. Apologize and offer to pay for the paperweight.
c. Deny breaking it if asked.
10. Walking along the beach, you find a wallet containing $500. There’s no ID, only a name inside. What do you do?
a. Hit the nearest mega-mall and shop till you drop.
b. Exhaust every possible lead until you find the owner.
c. Attempt to find the owner. Keep the money if you fail.
Scoring:
Give yourself two points for each “b” answer, one point for each “d” answer, and zip for each “a” or “c” answer. Subtract one point for each time you answered “b” only because you knew it was the correct response, not because that’s what you’d actually do. Be honest.
20 points:
Hey, you’re “perfectly fabulous stuff.“ It appears that you take God’s Word seriously and are growing stronger in your faith. Great job.
16—19 points:
For the most part, you’re tops on truthfulness, not to mention a girl who can be trusted. Work on the rough edges and keep trying.
10—15 points:
Oops! You’re in desperate need of some truth training. Crack open your Bible and take a hard look at Ephesians 4 and 5.
0—9 points:
Talk to Jesus about your untruthful tendencies. Ask Him to help you be a girl of honesty and integrity. Once you get on the right track, retake the test. You ought to see a major improvement.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to all who have helped to make the Holly’s Heart series a successful reality. I’m forever grateful to Charette Barta and Sharon Madison, who believed in Holly-Heart from her earliest beginnings, as well as to my superb editor, Rochelle Glöege, whose suggestions and encouragement are so valuable to me.
Big hugs to my terrific teen consultants—Mindie, Amy, Kirsten, Anastasia, Jonathan, Kristin, Aleya, Shanna, Andrea, Mindie, Janie, and Julie. With their fantastic ideas and input, they made the Holly’s Heart series even more fun to create!
Hurrah for my SCBWI critique group, as well as reviewer Barbara Birch, my witty sis, who dreamed up the idea of Holly and friends being snowbound at school.
Three cheers for my husband, Dave, whose thoughtful comments, loving support, and super sandwiches made this series possible.
Thanks also to Kristie Frutchey, who shared information on the American Field Service, an international exchange student program; to Lynn Sanders and Linda Marsh, of Aaron Animal Clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for answering my questions about sick cats; to Bob Billingsley for his knowledge of the classic Thunderbird sports car; to Kathy Torley, who answered my medical questions about angioplasty; and to Janet Turner, my travel agent, who helped answer airport security questions. Your expert advice was a huge help!
And finally, my deep appreciation to my many fans who think Holly really does live somewhere in Colorado. I’ve enjoyed every minute spent writing Holly’s Heart just for you!
From Bev…to You
I’m thrilled that you’ve chosen to read Holly’s Heart. As my first young-adult protagonist, Holly Meredith remains dear to my heart, and I laughed and cried with her as I wrote every one of these books.
Holly-Heart and I have quite a lot in common. While growing up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, I wrote zillions of secret lists and journal entries (and still do!). I also enjoy my many e-pals, and sending snail mail letters and notes to encourage family and friends has always been one of my favorite things to do. And I know all about the importance of having a true-blue best friend. Mine was Sandi Kline, and while we didn’t have Loyalty Papers, we did write secret-coded messages to each other. Once, we even hid a few under the carpet of the seventh step leading to the sanctuary of my dad’s church!
Thanks to my books, I’ve had the opportunity to develop friendships with people of all ages, from the grade-schoolers who love my picture books to the teens and senior adults who enjoy my novels. Through the years, some of you have even written to confide in me or share some of the difficulties you’ve faced. Growing up can definitely be tough sometimes. I’ve always found hope in the words of Psalm 139, which describes the amazing love of our Creator-God. It’s comforting to know that the same God who formed us in our mother’s womb, who knows the number of individual hairs we’re washing and blow-drying each day, also sees the fears and concerns of our lives. Our heavenly Father sees and understands. What an enormous blessing that is!
To learn more about my writing, sign up for my e-newsletter, or contact me, visit my Web site, www.beverlylewis.com.
Only Girls Allowed:
More Fun Reads From
Beverly Lewis
Meet Merry Hanson, a fifteen-year-old girl who happens to live in Amish country—only she isn’t Amish. When strange things seem to be happening there, it’s up to Merry to get to the bottom of it. Like when her friend’s mom mysteriously disappears.
Whether she’s solving mysteries, learning the ways of the Amish, helping friends, or just trying to stay out of trouble, you won’t want to miss a single adventure with Merry.
SUMMERHILL SECRETS: Volume 1
Whispers Down the Lane, Secret in the Willows, Catch a Falling Star, Night of the Fireflies, A Cry in the Dark
SUMMERHILL SECRETS: Volume 2
House of Secrets, Echoes in the Wind, Hide Behind the Moon, Windows on the Hill, Shadows Beyond the Gate
Join Olivia Hudson, Jenna Song, Heather Bock, and Miranda Garcia as they follow their dreams of competing in the Olympics. From figure skating to gymnastics to skiing, cheer on your new friends as they go through life’s challenges and triumphs.
GIRLS ONLY
Dreams on Ice, Only the Best, A Perfect Match, Reach for the Stars, Follow the Dream, Better Than Best, Star Status
Holly's Heart Collection Two Page 49