Seasons of Humility

Psalm 121

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

~ Psalm 121 ~

(Pictures taken on the Corban University campus on a walk with my dear friend, Hannah.)

Cover Candy

2012-02-04T00:00:00.002-08:00

Confession: I love book covers! That doesn't mean that a beautiful book cover makes up for a not-so-good story, or that a rather unattractive book cover can't house a great story. But covers can really catch the reader's eye, and it's nice to look at the bright colors or the lovely image as the book sits on a desk or on the shelf. Book covers are a part of the package deal, and as a reader I myself admit to being swayed by the appearance of covers. (I know we're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but there are people who do a great job at creating beautiful art to surround a story, and I think their work is valuable, too!)

All that to say, I have some great cover candy to share with you today! Perhaps you've already seen these - perhaps not. But let's take a moment to appreciate the lovely treats, and maybe in the process I can introduce you to the authors and their books!

Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (October 2012)

I loved Heartless and Veiled Rose, and I've already pre-ordered Moonblood, which releases in April! Not only are the covers gorgeous and intriguing, but Anne is a talented author who writes fascinating and powerful fantasy!

Bees in the Butterfly Garden by Maureen Lang (July 2012)

I love how different this book sounds! An interesting premise, and such a sweet, inviting cover!

The Phantom Island Series
(Windchaser, Windfall, and Watercrossing)

Windchaser and Windfall are already available, and Watercrossing is coming soon! These are YA books, and the covers look so fanciful with beautiful colors! (I'm a big fan of purple, and I love blue, too!) Be looking for my reviews of the first two books over at The Borrowed Book in the coming weeks!

Thoughts, anyone? Do these covers catch your eye? What others cover candy have you seen out there recently?

Revell Blog Tour: Summer of Promise

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads west to Fort Laramie, Wyoming. The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.

When circumstances--and perhaps a bit of matchmaking--put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?"

My Rating

Fall/Spring

My Review

With a sprinkling of suspense and a dash of romantic tension, Summer of Promise is an enjoyable read. The story flows at a steady pace and includes some fun elements ranging from peril to a puppy. However, the peril isn't very terrifying, and the puppy's role is a bit overstated for my taste.

The stagecoach situation stands out in the summary, hinting that the book begins with a bang and takes off running. However, the unstated promise isn't quite fulfilled in my mind, as the occupants of the stagecoach have very little time to actually fear anything, and there are relatively few moments of excitement throughout the book. There are certainly some interesting twists, and the setting itself in that specific time period is rather unique. But it seemed at times like the characters were trying too hard without really winning me over.

That being said, this is a good story with a sweet writing style. I wasn't completely satisfied with how everything was done in the book, but it does include some tender romance and some good examples of healing and finding beauty in unexpected places.

*With thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

“Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Welcome, February!

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love new beginnings! A new month means that I get to flip to the next picture on the calendar, and I get to use a different number in writing dates on homework assignments or checks. Looking ahead, a new month stretches enticingly before me with events and holidays and little memorable moments, like the ones L.M. Montgomery might have loved:

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."

But I admit that my eagerness in entering a new month or a new year shouldn't replace or dominate my eagerness for a new day and a new moment. I mess up, and if I look at things only in the macro, I'll miss God's grace in the micro. That is, I don't want my sins or my mistakes to "taint" the new month to the point that I feel as if I have to wait for a new week or a new month to roll along and bring a new start - while in the meantime I think, "I've already wasted this day, so it can't hurt to continue making poor choices until I can press reset on a new cycle."

Each moment is a gift, and yet I don't act like it. I want to be thankful for the new moments as well as the new months - for God's overwhelming, overcoming grace that helps me say, "Through Him I can start again right now." It's a constant struggle, but I think that in that struggle there is a lot to learn about humility and trusting in God, if we turn to Him with open hearts.

As Philippians 3:12-14 says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

So I say, "Welcome, February!" But, through God's never-failing grace may I also say, "Welcome, every moment of my life that God has given me!"

So True! ~ Quotes to Brighten Your Sunday

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Goodreads is a great site for a variety of reasons, from digitally organizing your book collection to commenting on and "liking" what your friends are reading. But another plus is that you can keep track of great quotes you read, or stumble upon quotes that really resonate with you. Here are a few that I've spotted and/or added that might make you nod your head and smile:

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?"
~ Henry Ward Beecher

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
~ Dr. Seuss

"I don't think God is ever done speaking into our lives. Even when we don't want to hear it. Even when our hearts are cold."
~ Susan May Warren (Baby, It's Cold Outside)

"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you."
~ Mortimer Jerome Adler

"A broken heart in real life isn't half as dreadful as it is in books. It's a good deal like a bad tooth, though you won't think THAT a very romantic simile. It takes spells of aching and gives you a sleepless night now and then, but between times it lets you enjoy life and dreams and echoes and peanut candy as if there were nothing the matter with it."
~ L.M. Montgomery

"A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment."
~ Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)

"There's a light in a woman's eyes that speaks louder than words."
~ Arthur Conan Doyle (The Hound of the Baskervilles)

"Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness."
~ C.S. Lewis

Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour: Chasing Mona Lisa

2012-01-28T12:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book:

"It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more HERE."

My Rating

Spring

My Review

Chasing Mona Lisa is an intriguing fictional race through a part of WWII history. The various perspectives ("good" guys and "bad" guys) add to the suspense and mystery, and the details and language keep the story interesting for historical-fiction lovers. Goyer and Yorkey really know how to tag-team it!

The secondary characters really shine, especially since Gabi and Eric - while enjoyable characters - are a little hard to fall in love with without having read The Swiss Courier. They drive into the story as people whom the reader should already be invested in. That doesn't mean they don't eventually draw the new reader into the action - they just don't seem quite as deep without knowing their background. As for a couple of those secondary characters, France holds their hearts, and thus the outcome of the story has a very big impact on their futures.

Chasing Mona Lisa really is a wild ride. Some of the twists and turns seem a bit unbelievable, especially since some of the characters didn't really strike me as having brilliant foresight. But if you enjoy a good, unique WWII story, Chasing Mona Lisa is a fun ticket to the past!

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity Blog tour.*

About the Authors

"Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. For more about Tricia and her other books visit www.triciagoyer.com

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. For more about Mike and his other books visit www.mikeyorkey.com"

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour Schedule: Check out all of the other reviews scheduled by clicking HERE.

Contest:

Win an iTouch SPY Pack in the Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway from @triciagoyer @mikeyorkey!

Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the due are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)

Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)

Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)

Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)

Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. The winner will be announced at the Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away their books and a Book Club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)

So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (do you know how to pick a lock?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Learning

2012-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

"All life lessons are not learned at college, she thought. Life teaches them everywhere.”
~ Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery ~

If you're wondering where I've been, I guess you could say I've been learning. For some reason I haven't had as much energy and enthusiasm for blogging lately. School (and all that it entails) has been keeping me busy, and I think I might have a touch of senioritis. Graduation is just around the corner, but there's so much to do and remember in the meantime!

It's hard to balance everything. I want to be creative with my school projects and get back to my own writing, as well...and planning blog posts has unfortunately taken a back seat. I have so much to learn - whether it's in the form of book knowledge for my classes, or learning to trust in God in all things, including when I feel uninspired or overwhelmed.

All this to say - I'm still here. I'm so grateful for your friendship, and I hope to have some more posts besides book reviews to share with you sometime (although there should still be plenty of those!). We'll see where God leads.

Thanks for reading my rambling! May we all keep on growing and learning...

"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

~Proverbs 1:5-7

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
~Romans 15:4

A Bit of Beauty

2012-01-25T00:00:00.001-08:00

Hmmm... I haven't posted for a while. So what is a girl to do?

Why, look at what's on her desk, of course!

This lovely figurine (entitled "Beautiful Belle") was a Christmas gift from my parents. Belle is such a sweet heroine - a bookworm, a dreamer, and fiercely loyal to those whom she loves. The gentle colors, the flowery design, and the flowers themselves (reminders of the Beast and the lessons he had to learn about loving beyond appearances) are gorgeous, are they not?

I simply love the Jim Shore figurines. They make such great gifts - a way to share a bit of beauty with someone in your life. (You can generally find them in Hallmark stores, or you can scroll through all the delightful options on the Jim Shore website. Might I just make a quick note that "Someday is Today" - with Snow White and her Prince - is absolutely stunning?)

I think Belle would approve of the books, don't you?

Hope these pictures bring a bit of beauty to your day!

The Books That Were on Fire: My Thoughts on "The Hunger Games" Trilogy

2012-01-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

What makes "The Hunger Games" series so intriguing and engrossing? I've connected elements of the trilogy to C.S. Lewis' sermon "The Weight of Glory" for a class paper. I've found the series to be a thought-provoking example for parts of the ethics and war lecture given recently in my American Military History class. I've discussed various plot twists and themes with a friend in my dorm.

Really, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay are on fire with intense action, ideas, and emotions!

If you missed it before, you can find my thoughts on the first book (The Hunger Games) HERE. The following thoughts are on the series as a whole, and they do include major spoilers. If you're really interested in the series and haven't yet read it, I recommend waiting to read this until after you've done so. But if you have read the books, I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments section!

My Thoughts on "The Hunger Games" Trilogy

When discussing this series the other day, my friend asked me if I thought it was possible to love a book but not love it at the same time, or something to that effect. When it comes to "The Hunger Games" trilogy, my answer is, "Oh, yeah!"

I love it. The non-stop action...the tension...the head-on collision with serious, meaningful questions... It's a well-written story that "works on many levels" (as a certain penguin from Madagascar 2 might say, if you don't mind the movie reference!). Horrific, terrifying, and yet completely captivating - that pretty much sums it up.

At the same time, I don't love it. The books are set in a future built on the author's own imagination. Whether all of the assumptions put forth in the book reflect the author's worldview is a call I can't make. But I can tell you that there are indeed assumptions that should be treated with careful reflection by every reader.

As far as I could tell, there were no references to religion throughout the series. Some might say that there is no place for religion in the dystopian world of Panem. And I suppose that is the point. Panem seems to have arisen from an evolutionary viewpoint, with the idea that in the future human beings will have moved past their need for "fantastical myths" and "delusions." It is a place where survival of the fittest is very much the order of the day. The silence created by the absence of any mention of any form of life after death or any type of religious beliefs speaks louder than any words on the subject.

Consider Katniss' thoughts after the assassination of President Coin:

"I no longer feel any allegiance to these monsters called human beings, despite being one myself. I think that Peeta was onto something about us destroying one another and letting some decent species take over. Because something is significantly wrong with a creature that sacrifices its children's lives to settle its differences.... The truth is, it benefits no one to live in a world where these things happen." (p. 377, Mockingjay)

Certainly, at first glance "The Hunger Games" series seems to promise absolutely no happiness at all. But at the end of Mockingjay, Katniss and Peeta and some of the others attempt to keep the legacies of those who died alive. Peeta tries to hold onto his love for Katniss. Katniss tries to hold onto "every act of goodness [she's] seen someone do." But even Katniss' admission that "there are much worse games to play" doesn't erase the fact that if there is no life after death, all of it is for naught (quotes from Mockingjay, p. 390).

Why is it all for naught? Consider C.S. Lewis' words in his sermon "The Weight of Glory":

"...even if all the happiness they promised could come to man on earth, yet still each generation would lose it by death, including the last generation of all, and the whole story would be nothing, not even a story, for ever and ever."

Lewis is talking about those who seek a sort of "heaven on earth," but I think it works just as well for the "hell on earth with what little bits of heaven we can preserve" picture presented in "The Hunger Games" series. But the thing is, if I am correct in assuming that the dead in this series are thought to simply cease to exist, than there is no point in holding onto any "bits of heaven." As Lewis says (in the same sermon) in regards to avoiding death:

"...as if we could believe that any social or biological development on this planet will delay the senility of the sun or reverse the second law of thermodynamics. Do what they will, then, we remain conscious of a desire which no natural happiness will satisfy."

So here's where I come back to loving the series again. The books show the complete and utter dissatisfaction that humans ultimately have with this world as an end in and of itself. We long for more - legacies that will not fade; total freedom that exists in truth; justice and yet mercy; a safe place to call home forever.

Remember the song that makes an appearance at Rue's death in The Hunger Games and in the epilogue of Mockingjay? It's a song that speaks of hope, safety, and especially love. "Here is the place where I love you." It's what we ache for, a love that doesn't cease when someone leaves this world. A love that isn't bound by time and location.

Here are some of Jesus' words to His disciples (and we, too, are His disciples if we are saved through His grace, by faith):

"If ye were of the world,
the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you
out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you....

And ye now therefore have
sorrow: but I will see you again,
and your heart shall rejoice,
and your joy no man taketh
from you....

These things I have spoken
unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye
shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome
the world."

~ John 15:19 and 16:22, 33 ~

That love exists. A Love beyond this world. A Love that has overcome the world. A Love that gives joy, which can never be taken away.

But assurance in eternal life does not mean that we just give up. Not at all! What I really love about "The Hunger Games" trilogy is Katniss' constant battle. She never stops fighting. She never stops trying to hold onto good. We may not be in Katniss' shoes exactly, but consider these verses from Ephesians:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (6:12-13)

And from Romans:

"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (12:9)

"The Hunger Games" trilogy has a lot to say about good and evil, war (like militarism vs. just war theory, etc.), and where the world is headed. But whether or not I agree with everything it says, if it forces me to think critically and examine (and grow) in my faith, then I think it's a powerful story with a lot to offer. In that way The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay really seem to be the books that were - and are - on fire.

(You can find C.S. Lewis' sermon "The Weight of Glory" HERE. Movie poster image 1 and image 2 from Moviefone.com. Book cover images from the author's website.)

Litfuse Publicity Tour: The Shadow of Your Smile

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book:

"A beautiful blanket of snow may cover the quaint town of Deep Haven each winter, but it can’t quite hide the wreckage of Noelle and Eli Hueston’s marriage.

After twenty-five years, they’re contemplating divorce . . . just as soon as their youngest son graduates from high school. But then an accident erases part of Noelle's memory. Though her other injuries are minor, she doesn’t remember Eli, their children, or the tragedy that has ripped their family apart. What’s more, Noelle is shocked that her life has turned out nothing like she dreamed it would. As she tries to regain her memory and slowly steps into her role as a wife and mother, Eli helps her readjust to daily life with sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-heartwarming results. But can she fall in love again with a man she can’t remember?

Will their secrets destroy them . . . or has erasing the past given them a chance for a future?"

Read the story behind the story HERE.

My Rating

Spring

My Review

A new season has come to Deep Haven. In Warren's previous novel set in Deep Haven, My Foolish Heart, the serious elements of the story were balanced with fun and warmth. But The Shadow of Your Smile is very much a "winter" story, in more ways than one. The atmosphere is colder and darker, and yet the season of prolonged icy feelings and potential danger allows for the contemplation some difficult questions and a budding hope that another season is on its way.

Because of the weather and tone differences, Deep Haven looks quite a bit different in this story than in My Foolish Heart. But this allows the book to really stand on its own, exploring the complex and painful lives of a new cast of characters. Hidden secrets and sorrows... Faults and forgiveness... New love and renewed love. The characters experience a lot of hurting, but they also learn that God's healing touch is not as unattainable as it sometimes seems.

The Shadow of Your Smile has cold hands but a warm heart, as the saying goes. The characters and situations are sometimes very frustrating to read about, and while Warren's writing is lovely, some of the twists and turns are not always so. But buried underneath the snow is life that is waiting to be found again.

*With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity Blogging tour.*

About the Author

"Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com."

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour Schedule: Check out all of the other reviews scheduled by clicking HERE.

Contest:

Come Back to Deep Haven and Win a $200 Visa Card from @SusanMayWarren!

Sometimes love requires a little forgetting ... Come back to Deep Haven and find out what's been happening in your favorite quaint hamlet. If you're new to the Deep Haven series - this is the perfect book to start with - each book in the series is a stand alone story.

Susan is celebrating the release of The Shadow of Your Smile by giving away a prize pack worth over $200 from 1/9-1/28.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A $200 Visa Gift Card (Use that to rekindle a little romance, treat yourself to a spa day, snap up those shoes you’ve been eyeing, or purchase a few great books!)

The entire set of Deep Haven Books

The winner will be announced on 1/30/12 on Susan’s blog, Scribbles! Just click one of the icons below to enter and tell your friends about Susan's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Beauty in This Season

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..."

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."

~ Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11 ~

(I took these photos yesterday on the Corban University nature trail. Yes, we had snow in my neck of the woods, and it was beautiful while it lasted!)

Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour: The Keeper

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book:

"Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?"

My Rating

Spring/Summer

My Review

Fisher's writing is a pleasure to read as she effortlessly combines the quirky with the authentic. Her stories are creative but not too far out there to also be familiar and comforting. Stoney Ridge is a great place to visit through Fisher's book. And The Keeper is a great addition to Fisher's Amish novels, with sweet sibling relationships and a honey of a romance!

The traveling bee keeper, Roamin' Roman (love his name!), is an interesting character who speaks about the great freedom of his wandering profession but falls unwittingly in love with the Lapp family in general, their farm, and eventually a particular Lapp sister. The Lapp sisters are great girls who are each unique and each in need of some hard lessons. These characters and more get a chance to share their perspectives throughout the book, and while it seems a bit random at times, the various scenes ultimately come together to show the story of a family and community learning about love and faith in complicated, difficult, and "real" circumstances.

The Keeper has a generally gentle pace that travels through some sweet places but also some surprising situations. The emphasis on fondness, family, and forgiveness is very sweet indeed. Sadie's and Mary Kate's stories (especially M.K.'s relationship with Jimmy Fisher!) promise to be great additions to the "Stoney Ridge Seasons" series in the future!

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity Blogging tour.*

About the Author

"Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com."

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour Schedule: Check out all of the other reviews scheduled by clicking HERE.

Contest:

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi

A $25 gift certificate to iTunes

A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

My Review of First Date

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book:

"Addy Davidson is the last girl in the country who wants to be on the new reality TV show to win a date to prom with the President’s son. She’s focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn’t even audition for it.

But she got selected anyway.

So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show… right before she realizes that the President’s son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.

Addy’s totally out of her comfort zone—but that may be right where God can show her the most about who she is . . . and who she was meant to be."

My Rating

Fall/Spring

My Review

Clever and fun, First Date takes elements of the story of Esther and gives them a modern, YA twist. Addy feels she can never live up to the legacy of her missionary parents - nor is she sure that she wants to. When she is thrust into the world of reality T.V., she makes sure everyone knows that she doesn't want to be there. But then new friendships, new opportunities, and the reminders found in her mother's journal help Addy to strive to make a difference in a hectic, dog-eat-dog world that is so very different from the quiet life she enjoys with her Uncle Mike.

While the book doesn't come across as entirely believable in its contemporary premise, readers familiar with the book of Esther from the Bible should enjoy making connections between the two stories. The fictional re-telling is creative, and the different competitions and surprises keep the plot interesting. Some parts are a bit hard to swallow, either because they're frustrating (like when the people from the girls' hometowns seem to "worship" the girls, in a way) or they're too "perfect." But Addy's growth throughout the novel, especially as seen in her attitude at the end, is admirable.

First Date is a sweet story for girls who are looking forward to prom (or those who remember the anticipation and angst of prom), complete with day-dream-worthy romance and some good lessons to ponder.

*With thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing through the Booksneeze program for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

My Thoughts on The Hunger Games

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wow! There is a lot going on in this book - both moving and disturbing. To help me sort my thoughts on it, I'm not going to keep my "review" spoiler-free. So if you haven't yet read the book but you plan to someday, this is my warning that the following post will give away major plot twists. For those of you who have read the book, I'd love to make this a discussion and hear your thoughts on the book, too!

My Thoughts (with spoilers):

I consider myself a rather sensitive person, so The Hunger Games is a bit out of my normal reading fare with its violence and cruelty and other disturbing elements. The book left me with a foggy feeling and numerous ideas swarming around in my mind, forcing me to take the time to try and dissect all those thoughts. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing!

The premise of this book is extremely intriguing, and the writing is very engaging. The heroine is excellent for a story told in first-person, as she is loyal to family, strong, spunky, and yet conflicted - basically, she's "the girl who was on fire" in more ways than one. She's on fire for her family and those she loves. She's on fire for survival and freedom. And she's on fire with emotions and uncertainties that threaten to consume her.

And speaking of "the girl who was on fire," those costume and setting descriptions are fabulous! They sparkle and paint a terrifying and yet irresistible word picture. There is a great balance between the recognizable and the futuristic, especially in the arena. From the tracker jackers to the mockingjays, and from the cameras everywhere to the amazing, super-expensive medicines, there seems to be just the right touch of inventiveness and possible future technology. The whole world of the story is so clever and creative!

That cleverness bleeds into the plot, forcing Katniss to hide her emotions from the unseen cameras even while dealing with extreme pain and duress. In this case survival isn't just about physical endurance and strength - it's about making yourself look like a winner even when you feel like you can't make even one more step. That definitely adds a whole new level to the games...

...not to mention the love story. I'm probably just as confused as Katniss when it comes to Peeta and Gale. Peeta really seems to have a great heart, but appearances are certainly deceiving in this book. I think it's safe to say that he really does care for Katniss, and his loyalty to her is quite endearing. But I can't help but get snagged on the scene with the girl who started the fire not far from where Katniss was sleeping. While it doesn't seem clear who first attempted to kill the girl, it is suggested that Peeta is the one who finishes her off. It is noted that Peeta joined the group to save Katniss in a round-about way, and he is almost killed by Cato later on when he demonstrates his devotion to her. Yet...if he didn't have a crush on Katniss, would Peeta have joined the group anyway? Or would he have gone solo? And would he have as little remorse for killing Katniss as he seems to have for sharing the responsibility in killing that girl? I'd also like to know if he ever gave a second thought to young Rue in the arena. I could ask "What if?" all day, but I guess I'm just curious about this baker's son who shows such tenderness and care to Katniss, as well as jealousy for her feelings toward Gale. I admire him in some ways, and I think he can be very sweet. But he's a puzzle.

While I do really like some of those scenes between Peeta and Katniss, my favorite part of the book is the interaction between Rue and Katniss in the arena. This is the part that really shows that love and beauty remain despite the horrific circumstances. Even though Rue and Katniss are supposed to be enemies, they bond and work together. I suppose a similar argument for Katniss' attachment to Rue in comparison with Peeta's attachment to Katniss can be made, because there's always the question of whether or not Katniss would still care about Rue if Rue didn't remind Katniss of her sister. But there's hope in Rue's innocence, her trust, and her passion for music. That mockingjay pin that Katniss wears is like a symbol of a free spirit that man couldn't destroy - of something beautiful like music coming out of something that was used for evil purposes. The song Katniss sings to Rue...the flowers she surrounds her with in her death...the bread that District 11 gave in gratefulness to Katniss - all of that provides a powerful image. Even the muttations that come in later - probably my least favorite part of the book - couldn't be made of or destroy the souls, only the bodies.

I know The Hunger Games isn't Christian fiction, and I realize that there is more that could be dissected in terms of political and social agendas (perhaps commentary on class divisions or the source of power in a nation). But these are some of the thoughts of a girl who believes that God is more powerful than man and that there is always hope in Him who works for the good of those who love Him. I am deeply thankful that God has not abandoned us, and no matter what the present or the future look like, He will never leave me.

Well, I have Catching Fire and Mockingjay yet to read, so we'll see what I think of the series as a whole! And again, please feel free to share your thoughts here, as well! (Although I'd appreciate it if you don't mention books two or three just yet!)

(Cover image from the author's website.)

My Review of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Click HERE to read the book description and learn more about the author!

MY RATING

Summer

MY REVIEW

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a delight! The story initially plunges the reader into a swift river - and it doesn't take long for the current to change, transforming Miss Margaret Macy into Nora, the maid of Fairbourne Hall. While the pace lessens off and on, the intrigue continues and historical details, as well as some back story, flow expertly throughout the pages.

And let's not forget the romance! When the heroine finds herself in the home of a spurned suitor and a would-be love interest, some sparks are inevitable. The love story is great, complete with some wonderful kissing scenes! Twists and turns, secrets and surprises - all add to the romantic tension that builds steadily and ever so sweetly.

Mixed in with the clever plot and the enjoyable romance is well-written characterization. Margaret learns a lot during her tenure of service, and her growth is quite visible and realistically rendered. Her character really blossoms, and it's beautiful to see her embrace her work and come to understand and truly serve others. The whole book is beautiful!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

My Review of The Rose of Winslow Street (CFBA)

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Rose of Winslow Street Bethany House (January 1, 2012)
by Elizabeth Camden
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The last thing Libby Sawyer and her father expected upon their return from their summer home was to find strangers inhabiting a house that had been in their family for decades. Widower Michael Dobrescu brought his family from Romania to the town of Colden, Massachusetts with a singular purpose: to claim the house willed to him long ago. Since neither party has any intention of giving up their claim, a fierce legal battle ensues between the two families.

When important documents go missing from the house, Libby suspects Michael is the culprit. Determined to discover the truth behind the stolen papers, Libby investigates, only to find more layers of mystery surrounding Michael and his family. Despite their rivalry, Libby finds herself developing feelings for this man with the mysterious past.

As a decision about the house looms in the courts, Libby must weigh the risks of choosing to remain loyal to her family or give her heart to a man whose intentions and affections are less than certain.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Rose of Winslow Street, go HERE.

MY RATING

Summer

MY REVIEW

From the synopsis, The Rose of Winslow Street sounds like a story about a pushy man who claims ownership of a house belonging to a rich girl, leading to a battle in court and then happily ever after. But while that may describe some of the bare bones of the book, from the very get-go the plot is much more complex and extraordinary than that!

Michael Dobrescu takes family very seriously, and he'll do anything to provide for his own. But when the path to protecting his family takes him to the house on Winslow Street, it cuts off the professor who labored for years to improve the house - as well as the professor's big-hearted daughter. Emotions run high, secrets run deep, and tension - romantic and otherwise - simmers just below the surface in this well-written, engaging, and very unique historical romance with Romanian flair.

Camden caught my attention with her debut, The Lady of Bolton Hill, but she captured my imagination with The Rose of Winslow Street. Full of resiliency, rejuvenation, and roses, this book has it all - including a difficult-to-top, romantic gift and that happily ever after previously mentioned. Stunning!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall (CFBA Tour)

2012-01-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Maid of Fairbourne Hall Bethany House (January 1, 2012) by Julie Klassen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now writes full time. Two of her books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.

She graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. Julie and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, go HERE

PARTIAL REVIEW

Doesn't the synopsis of the book make you wonder how a lady in 1815 London ends up working as a housemaid in the home of a former suitor and a passing love interest? As I write this, I'm only about 1/4 of the way through the book, but already I'm awed at how Klassen has made this story twist and turn in such a way as to turn Margaret's position on it's head! Engaging and intriguing, so far The Maid of Fairbourne Hall has the makings of a great story! I'm eager to read more - so be looking for my full review to come soon!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Looking Ahead to 2012

2011-12-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

I love the start of a new month and a new year! In the words of Anne of Green Gables:

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Yes, it is very nice indeed! And what's nicer still is to know that God's grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9), even when I fail.

Before I talk more about 2012, I thought I would share a few pictures from Christmas 2011:

Aren't these pajamas fabulous?? A reader/writer's delight! Love 'em! (Thank you, Mom and Dad!)

Oh, nothing beats my grandma's Texas cake! And isn't this one just beautiful? A wonderful Christmas Eve treat!

Muffin Man had such a fun time with the wrapping paper and boxes!

Here comes 2012!

Now, ready or not, 2012 is upon us. Last year in my Countdown to 2011 I wrote separate posts to talk about my blog plans and my New Year's resolutions.

Today, I'm avoiding the specific.

Thinking about this coming year is sometimes scary. I'll be graduating from college in May - and before you ask me what I plan on doing, the answer is that I'm not sure. It feels like 2012 will be full of uncertainty.

But the truth is, no matter what day or month or year it is, there will always be uncertainty, because we just don't know what tomorrow will bring:

"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
~ James 4:13-15

I take comfort in God's sovereignty, as well as His love for me. He has a plan (Jeremiah 29:11), and in all things He is working for the ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

So, without knowing right now how busy I might be or where God will lead me in the coming year, I don't want to commit to hosting certain blog events or posting a set amount of times a week. I'm hoping to write more devotional posts and maybe do some themed weeks - and of course more books reviews! We'll see how it goes, one day at a time. =)

I really appreciate your friendship, and I hope you'll enjoy the ride this year, wherever we end up!

As for resolutions, while I'm hoping to get back to more writing and exercising, I think the one resolution I really want to make is to trust God. I don't have to be afraid of 2012 and what it might bring, for I have hope in God, and the future is bright indeed through an eternal perspective. I hope the new blog design for winter 2012 conveys excitement for the journey and peace in God's guidance. (The main picture is one I took at Fort Humboldt here in Northern California.)

So, 2012 - I'm ready when you are!

Favorites of 2011

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I haven't been around here as much lately... I think I'm going to blame it on Christmas-break laziness. ;) I just haven't had as much energy for blogging lately, but I've been enjoying the time with my family. I am hoping, though, that the new year will bring a new beginning for my blog - hopefully with some more new posts!

But looking ahead to 2012 is for tomorrow. Today I'm looking back on 2011, remembering some of my favorites!

Favorite Books

These are my favorite Christian fiction books published in 2011. I chose 11 for 2011 - but don't let the ranking fool you, as these are all great books!

#11 Torrent

Such a fun time-travel series - full of romance and adventure! Love the quote from this third installment that encompasses the titles of the books in this series (Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent):

"My eyes shifted to the trickling river. Come spring, it would be ten times as wide and just as deep. On and on it went, rushing toward the distant horizon. Like time. Like life. Sometimes gently falling from one pool into the other, other times fast and cascading, and still other times narrowing into a funnel, a torrent of knots and waves."

#10 Blue Skies Tomorrow

Sundin's writing is so engaging, full of great imagery. Love the characters - American heroes from WWII!

#9 A Wedding Invitation

Wisler's writing strikes a chord with me - especially with the heroine in this book! Unique style and great descriptions make this a sweet, meaningful read.

#8 Undercurrent

After devouring Griep's first book (Gallimore) a while back, it came as no surprise that I fell in love with this book, too! Another time-travel book, this one has vikings, exciting romance, and a message about sacrificial love. Awesome!

#7 The Search

Fisher's writing is so down-to-earth, but also surprising and lovely! This one is my favorite of hers so far, but I do have The Keeper to review soon, so we'll see how it goes... =)

#6 The Colonel's Lady

The story is just as beautiful as the cover! Great historical romance.

#5 A Lasting Impression

Just like The Colonel's Lady - an historical romance that is as lovely as its cover! Very well-done! (In my opinion, it's hard to go wrong with a Laura Frantz or Tamera Alexander book - they're both such talented authors!)

#4 Spring for Susannah

Most of the books on this list are by authors whose work I've loved for a while - so it's not much of a surprise that their more recent works blessed me. But Spring for Susannah was an unexpected treat from a new author - something fresh, different, and oh-so wonderful!

#3 Surrender the Night

Tyndall writes such thrilling sea-faring romance - but how wonderful to discover that she writes great romance on land, too! This is my favorite of the "Surrender to Destiny" series - full of romance, danger, and (of course!) destiny. Loved it!

#2 Yesterday's Tomorrow

When my blogging friend Renee raved about this book, I knew I wanted to read it - and it certainly didn't disappoint! This is a bold, moving look at the Vietnam War with a unique romance story.

#1 There You'll Find Me

Another sweet, sweet surprise! (Well, not a surprise in the sense that others have been praising Jones' work for a while, but a surprise in the sense of how much I loved it!) This book is just so well-written - humorous, romantic, but with a slow-building seriousness and a powerful ending.

Favorite Blog Posts

While I'm discussing favorites, I thought I'd share with you 11 of my favorite posts that I wrote in 2011. I'd love to hear if you have any favorites!

Sunday by the Sea (How to Train Your Dragon)

Season of Love Blog Party with MaryLu Tyndall (And just hosting the Season of Love Blog Party in general!)

Book Discussion: Courting Morrow Little

Campfire: Third Evening (And all of the Camp Humility posts! I love "going to camp" with you!)

My Review of Plain Fear: Forsaken (This review was a bit challenging and yet interesting to write!)

A Magical Vacation (Gotta love Disneyland!)

Friends, Crafts, and a Mystery! (So fun to share pics of me and Casey meeting in real life!)

Sherlock Double Feature: A Study in Scarlet (and Pink)

The Polar Express: A Journey of Faith

Moved by a Movie: Brother Bear

Love's Christmas Journey

Blogging has been such a blessing to me, and I'm so glad to know all of you because of it!

Last year I also had a post for my favorite movies of 2010, but I decided to skip that this year. I'd love to hear about your favorites of 2011, though - books, blog posts, or movies!

My Review of Love Finds You in Folly Beach

2011-12-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Summerside Press:

"First impressions, thank goodness, really can’t be trusted!

When marine biologist Holly Leonard agrees to help Parker Brant write a book on giant sea turtles, she expects a charming and charismatic charter boat captain—not the strait-laced, all-business dud who greets her.

For his part, Parker is surprised to find that Dr. Leonard is not the matronly grandmother he expected but a blue-eyed beauty who’s lively, fun— and a total klutz. Unfortunately, the harder Holly tries to shed her “Holly Folly” nickname, the clumsier she becomes.

Holly has breezed into Parker’s well-ordered world like a hurricane—but will he welcome the disruption?"

My Rating: Spring

My Review:

Love Finds You in Folly Beach, South Carolina is your ticket to fun in the sun this winter! Holly Leonard may be a scientist, but she's not the lab-coat-wearing, stereotypical scientist. She's a marine biologist with a chipper attitude and a penchant for falling and tripping - which Parker Brant finds absolutely irresistible. It's rather enjoyable to read about a former military man with a heaping dose of "un-chipper" in his life who can't help falling in love with a kind girl who can't help falling!

Right away this book charmed me with chuckles and cheer. Unfortunately, as the story continued I found that I didn't always understand the characters. There seemed to be some inside jokes and mutual feelings among the characters that didn't always translate well. However, while being a bit frustrating in that sense, this book still has a lot to offer in terms of sweetness, setting descriptions, and lessons on love. And there are enough laughs to go around, even without "getting" everything.

With its combination of humor and more somber emotions, Love Finds You in Folly Beach is a bit reminiscent of Lough's Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska. But with a very different (much warmer!) setting and some unique plot twists, this book stands out as a great addition to the "Love Finds You" series.

*With thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

One Last Contentment Reading Challenge Post!

2011-12-26T13:06:00.000-08:00

The year 2011 is coming to an end. So before we begin the countdown to 2012, let's wrap up the Contentment Reading Challenge 2011! The winner of her choice of a Kindle e-book copy of one of the books in the "Legacy of the King's Pirates" series by MaryLu Tyndall is...

Katie!

Congratulations, Katie! (Since you said you wanted a copy of The Restitution, I'll get that e-mailed out to you ASAP!)

And yes, that means that this series is now available through Kindle!!

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the challenge! And don't forget to sign up for the Contentment Reading Challenge 2012 over at Katie's blog if you want to join in the re-reading fun!

Something Sweet

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

The holiday season - filled with sweets of all kinds! Fudge, candy canes, frosted sugar cookies, and even graham-cracker houses, such as the one below:

I made this graham cracker house (actually a church, in this case) at a friend's home the weekend before finals. Friendship is such a sweet gift, and spending some time with dear friends decorating graham cracker houses, watching It's a Wonderful Life, eating delicious food, going to church together on Sunday, and more was a very special treat! With all the stress of the last couple weeks of the semester, the laugh-a-lot, talk-a-ton weekend among friends was just what I needed.

One of the sweetest things about this season is the emphasis on relationships. We send cards to friends and relatives. We plan parties with co-workers or fellow students. We dream of the joy of spending Christmas day with family, because "there's no place like home for the holidays."

And we celebrate the sweetest gift of all time at Christmas. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, came to Earth as a human baby in order to live among us and ultimately offer us reconciliation and salvation through His death and resurrection. There is no greater friend than the one true God of all!

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
~ Matthew 1:23

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you my friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
~John 15:13-15

Dear friends, may you hold close the blessing of something sweet this Christmas - not just the sugary desserts, but the relationships you have with friends, family, and most of all God.

Have a very merry Christmas!

Contentment Reading Challenge: December (Giveaway and News!)

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Contentment Reading Challenge 2011 is coming to an end - but don't worry! Our dear friend Katie from Legacy of a Writer is hosting the Contentment Reading Challenge 2012. So if you didn't re-read as much as you would like this year, or if you would just enjoy challenging yourself to continue to re-read this next year, I do hope you'll go visit Katie! Here's a look at the blog button for 2012:

Didn't Katie do a lovely job?

I re-read a grand total of 3 fiction books in 2011. I didn't even make it to the first level of my own challenge! *Blush* But I did read a lot of wonderful new books and kept busy with reading for school and such.

I think, if anything, this challenge has reminded me of how much I have to be grateful for and how very much I have yet to learn about contentment. It's a humbling reality, and I know I still have a long way to go. I have been blessed with an abundant reading supply, and yet I'm constantly thinking about what's next. I need to enjoy what I'm reading right now and be thankful for the stories that have blessed me in the past - and maybe re-visit more of those dear friends!

Well, those 3 fiction books I re-read were the 3 books in MaryLu Tyndall's debut series - "Legacy of the King's Pirates." They enchanted me the first time I read them, and it was great to be swept away by them again! You can read my review of the third book, The Restitution, on the Radiant Lit site.

This series is going to be back in print and released in e-book format soon, as well! So to thank those of you who joined me in participating in the Contentment Reading Challenge this past year, I'm holding a giveaway of winner's choice of 1 of these 3 e-books - just for you! And if you're not already convinced that this is a series you'll want to read, check out this new trailer for the first book, The Redemption:

Such a fun trailer, and I love the music!

So if you participated in the Contentment Reading Challenge 2011, fill out the form below and enter for a chance to win a Kindle copy of your choice of The Redemption, The Reliance, or The Restitution!

*A winner has been chosen, so this form has been deleted.*

Thank you for joining me on this journey! Hope you enjoyed the experience!

Note: The winner might have to wait for a few weeks or so to receive the prize until the books officially release through Kindle. If for some reason the books don't release through Kindle as soon as I hope, I will e-mail the winner a $10 Amazon.com gift card instead. But...let's just hope those Kindle books release soon, because it's a wonderful series! =)

My Review of To Die For

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Looking for a great gift for a Tudor-era, historical-fiction lover?

Here's a description of the book from Howard Books:

"To Die For, is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne's star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne's favor rises and falls, so does Meg's. And though she's pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it.

Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history, her own calling to the Lord that she must follow, too, with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.

Though much of Meg's story is fictionalized, it is drawn from known facts. The Wyatt family and the Boleyn family were neighbors and friends, and perhaps even distant cousins. Meg's brother, Thomas Wyatt, wooed Anne Boleyn and ultimately came very close to the axe blade for it. Two Wyatt sisters attended Anne at her death, and at her death, she gave one of them her jeweled prayer book—Meg."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

A unique and thought-provoking perspective, engaging characters, and steady pacing - all woven together with pieces of history - make To Die For a well-written and meaningful story. This is wonderful historical fiction, dressed in just the right combination of color and spunk and practicality.

The name of Henry VIII has quite a few negative connotations. But this take on the rather infamous story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn is engaging and even creates some sympathy for some seemingly unsympathetic characters. It's classic and yet new - an age-old fabric displayed in a trendy design.

False appearances and fanciful desires war with the realities of selfishness and unrequited love. Danger wears a charming mask. And through it all God's perfect timing is the necessary thread that binds this tale of romance, faith, and consequences together into one grand showpiece. To Die For is full of pain and grief as patience wears thin and masks are ripped away - but it delivers a satisfying story that has much to offer fans of historical fiction. A lovely, albeit tragic, read!

*With thanks to author Sandra Byrd and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Monday for the Military

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Cheryl Wyatt was our guest for last week's "Monday for the Military" post, and today I have the pleasure of announcing the winner of a copy of Steadfast Soldier and a Christmas gift basket put together by Cheryl...

Christy!

Congratulations!!

And thank you, Cheryl, for your generosity!

To all of our military men and women, wherever you are this holiday season, may you have a blessed Christmas surrounded by God's love and hope.

P.S. Readers, if you want to share some Christmas cheer with our soldiers, check out the Cup of Joe for a Joe program - it's wonderful! You can give a military member a cup of coffee and a note to remind them that they're not forgotten this holiday season.

INSPYs: 2011 Winners Announced!

2011-12-16T00:00:00.001-08:00

What a neat experience to be a part of the INSPY judging process this year as a judge in the Romance category! We are blessed with so many wonderful authors and inspiring stories out there that share God's love and truth in creative and engaging ways.

The winners for the 2011 INS PY awards were recently announced, and you'll find the list of them (with Amazon.com links) below. If you're looking for a good read for you or a friend, perhaps this list of winners will help!

Creative Nonfiction: Passport Through Darkness

General Fiction: City of Tranquil Light

Literature for Young People: Saint Training

Mystery/Thriller: The Bishop

Romance: Yesterday's Tomorrow

(You can read my review of this powerful book HERE!)

Speculative Fiction: The Falling Away

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to my fellow judges and the INSPY advisory board!

The Christmas Singing

2011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Cindy Woodsmall has a beautiful, meaningful writing style, and I have really enjoyed the books I've read by her (When the Soul Mends and the "Ada's House" series). Here are links to a couple of my reviews:

When the Soul Mends (Sisters of the Quilt, Book 3)

The Harvest of Grace (Ada's House, Book 3)

I haven't had the pleasure of reading The Christmas Singing, but from what I've read of Woodsmall's work, I'm sure it's a great Amish story. =) If you'd like to buy this book (and any other title on the Waterbrook Multnomah website) for a friend or relative (or yourself!) for Christmas, you can get 30% off and free shipping if you use the promo code CHRISTMAS11 at checkout! (Coupon expires December 20, 2011.)

Want to learn more about The Christmas Singing? You can read the first chapter HERE, and you can watch the neat trailer below!

*With thanks to Blogging for Books for this special offer!*

My Review of Freedom's Stand

2011-12-13T00:00:00.001-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Tyndale:

"Jamil renounced a life of jihad when he encountered the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, but villagers and authorities in the hills of Afghanistan respond with skepticism . . . and even violence.
Relief worker Amy Mallory is shocked by the changes in her organization—changes with dire implications for the women and children under her care. And concern for her former assistant, Jamil, weighs heavily on her heart.

Former Special Forces veteran Steve Wilson faces off against the riots and corruption of Kabul’s upcoming election. He's looking for something that will give his life purpose but is confident that he won’t find it in Afghanistan.

All three are searching for love and freedom in a country where political and religious injustice runs rampant. But when religious freedom becomes a matter of life and death, they discover that the cost of following Jesus may require the ultimate sacrifice."

My Review:

It took me a really long time to finally sit down and finish this book - but despite its length and complexities it eventually drew me in and brought me to tears as events unfolded. Detailed, imaginative, painfully authentic, and ultimately inspiring, Freedom's Stand is a book worth wrestling through and stepping outside of one's genre comfort zone if necessary in order to read it.

Without having read Veiled Freedom and being sadly remiss in keeping up with global news, this sequel can be a bit tough to wade through at times, from the terminology to the slow but simmering build-up of events. However, action really starts picking up in the second half of the book, and danger and faith mix in a powerful ending that is both moving and challenging.

Windle's characters run deep and offer both familiarity in their flaws and encouragement in their faith. Suspense and intrigue and romance make this a great story from many angles. Freedom's Stand is surprising in its plot, horrifying in its grittiness, and yet hopeful in its depiction of love and freedom.

*With thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Monday for the Military: Meet Cheryl Wyatt

2011-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Cheryl Wyatt has written 7 romance books for the "Love Inspired" line - all with a military theme. Today she is here to talk about her books and her connection with, and admiration for, the United States military.

Welcome, Cheryl!

Amber: Thank you for joining us today! To start, could you share a little bit about yourself?

Cheryl: In addition to being a Christian fiction writer, I am a Registered Nurse, mom to fantastic kids and wife to a super cute and funny rocker dude who is heavily involved in the music industry. Life is very adventurous. The most important thing I could say about me is that I love Jesus with all of my heart, realize my writing talent comes from God and strive to write as worship. I am a worshipper at heart. I also have a heart for orphans. I’m kind of tom-boyish in that I like guns, target practice, motorcycles, watercraft and anything that makes me laugh. I have a funny bone and my house is inhabited by practical jokesters. =)

Amber: Awesome! On your website you mention that you were born on a Naval base on Valentine’s Day. Could you share some more about the military influence in your life and what inspired you to write Inspirational Military Romance for the “Love Inspired” line? (There’s a lot of inspiration going on in this question, LOL!)

Cheryl: LOL! My dad was in the Marines when I was born and he served in Vietnam. I was born at Balboa near Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. We moved away when I was a baby so I don’t remember it, but got to know the area from my parents’ stories and from pictures. Because my dad was a veteran, we were raised with a strong respect for those serving in the military and their families. Dad didn’t used to talk a lot about Vietnam, so my curiosity caused me to begin researching at a very young age. That quest turned into a passion to honor veterans and their families with my stories.

Amber: What do you admire most about the U.S. military?

Cheryl: Its strength and motivation. That they take up for people in other countries who are oppressed by wicked and cruel leadership. The willingness of service members to put themselves in harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe and free. That they’d be willing to risk their lives with no inclination to do it just to be called a hero.

Amber: Do you have any other military-themed books in the works?

Cheryl: I think every book I have has at least one person who is or was in the military, so yeah. Pretty much that’s a huge part of my brand as a writer I think and where my strongest writing is at this point. I have a new series coming out with Love Inspired, beginning July 1 of this year that features a former combat trauma team who come back from deployment to open a civilian trauma center in a small town in great need of it. The series is called Eagle Point Emergency and the first book is called The Doctor’s Devotion. It’s related to my last series (Wings of Refuge) in that Eagle Point is one town over from Refuge, where the PJs (Pararescue Jumpers) featured in those books are stationed. I am very excited about the new series and am having fun writing it.

Amber: Exciting to hear about your upcoming series! How can we pray for you and other authors?

Cheryl: Pray for people to be drawn to our books. Pray for book sales. For the words to have impact and to directly reflect God’s heart. Pray for the book industry in general, especially the Christian market. That it will thrive in the economy. Pray for direction with stories. Thank you so much! I’ve never had that question in all of the interviews I’ve done and it means a lot to now that people are praying. I pray for my readers a lot and consider them tremendous blessings. It’s an honor to be able to write and I’m thankful for my publisher and my agent. And the fact that God is allowing me to do this. Thanks so much for interviewing me, Amber!

Amber: It's wonderful to host you, Cheryl! May God bless you and direct you in your writing career!

~ ~ ~

Readers, Cheryl has generously offered to give away a copy of Steadfast Soldier and a special Christmas goodie basket put together by Cheryl herself!! How awesome is that??

Here are the rules for this drawing:

You must leave a comment for Cheryl along with your e-mail address.

You must have a U.S. mailing address.

The winner will be announced next Monday.

You can check out Cheryl's website HERE and view her books on the Harlequin site HERE.

"Love Finds You" Blog Party Winners!

2011-12-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

Acknowledgements:

Thank you so very much to all of the authors (Roseanna, Miralee, Robin, Melanie, and Loree) for your generosity in terms of time and prizes!! I hope this week celebrating the "Love Finds You" series was an encouragement to all of you!

And thank you to all of my readers and new friends for making this week a success! I appreciate your comments and your excitement regarding the party and the book series!!

We have winners!!!

$15 Amazon.com gift card + 2 copies of Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland = Ariel!
Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland = Geschumann (Gloria)!
Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming = Ali!
Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii = steveandcami!
Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania = Jackie S!
Love Finds You in Folly Beach, South Carolina = Casey and Katie McCurdy!

Winners will be e-mailed and will have 1 week to respond (or another winner will be chosen). Congratulations!!

Hope you all enjoyed the "Love Finds You" blog party!!

Love Finds You With Understanding

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Loree won me over with one of her previous "Love Finds You" books - Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska - and now I am quite eager to read her latest! (You can read my review of LFY in North Pole HERE.) Want to learn more about Love Finds You in Folly Beach, South Carolina and find out how you can win a copy for you or a friend? Read on!

Amber: What do you love most about writing for the “Love Finds You” series as compared to other books you’ve written?

Loree: Though I've always made a practice of visiting the places where my stories take place, the settings for the Love Finds You series have all been so fun and exciting! And because Summerside prefers to deliver lighthearted, uplifting novels to their loyal fans, I get to have as much fun as the readers do!

Amber: Have you visited the setting of your latest “Love Finds You” book? If so, what was your favorite part of the trip?

Loree: It's a tossup between the Folly Beach fishing pier and the crazy little boat that washed ashore during Hurricane Hugo (where locals and tourists alike paint all sorts of messages on the hull). On second thought, maybe the Morris Island Lighthouse. Or the fantastic restaurants. Hmm…I'm thinking I'll have to get back to you on that!

Amber: Sounds like there's a lot to love about Folly Beach!

Have you learned anything about love and humility while working on your latest “Love Finds You” book that you could share with us?

Loree: Absolutely! As Holly (the heroine) learned that she's lovable, despite her slightly-klutzy tendencies, I learned that my own eccentricities are more tolerable than I'd once thought. And, as Parker (the hero) grapples with his mom's dishonesty, I learned that even parents have feet of clay…and need forgiveness and understanding.

Amber: What would a Christmas party in the town and era of your latest “Love Finds You” book look like? (Any details about food, decorations, traditions, etc., would be wonderful!)

Loree: First, there'd be lots of colorful lights on the cottage terraces and vacation house balconies that overlook the Atlantic. And because the weather is (mostly) beautiful, even in December, the Christmas banquet would take place on the deck, so that the guests could gobble up crab cakes and fish gumbo along with the traditional ham dinner and sides…and so that we could put up our feet while eating our pecan pie, watching the waves crash onto shore all around the historic Morris Island Lighthouse!

Amber: Count me in! Thanks so much for joining us today, Loree! Can't wait to read this book!

Giveaway!!!

Here are the rules for today's giveaway of a signed copy of Love Finds You in Folly Beach, South Carolina to 2 winners! Please read carefully.

Leave a comment for Loree along with your e-mail address.

You must have a U.S. mailing address in order to be eligible for this drawing.

All winners this week will be announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011. (That's soon, so don't delay - enter today!!)

(Folly Beach pictures from the Folly Beach website. You can learn more about Loree at her website!)

Love Finds You in the Christmas Spirit

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season! From Melanie's research trip to the title and cover of her latest "Love Finds You" book, this particular interview is filled with Christmas cheer. Enjoy the theme and read on to learn about a great gift opportunity (for you or a friend)!

Amber: What do you love most about writing for the “Love Finds You” series as compared to other books you’ve written?

Melanie: First of all, I love working with the Summerside team! They’ve been such an encouragement to me, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed partnering with them. Second, I love researching small towns across the country and then creating a fictional story from their history and heritage. Right now I’m writing my fifth Love Finds You novel (Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan).

Amber: Have you visited the setting of your latest “Love Finds You” book? If so, what was your favorite part of the trip?

Melanie: I always visit the towns where my Love Finds You books are set. Sometimes I think my novel writing is really an excuse to travel and explore because I really (really!) enjoy researching these towns. In my first Love Finds You novel (Liberty, Indiana), I crawled around in all sorts of secret spaces that were once hiding places on the Underground Railroad. For the Amana novels (Love Finds You in Homestead and Amana, Iowa), I explored the picturesque Amana Colonies for almost a week. Then for my latest novel (Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania), I took a night tour last year of the beautiful Christmas lights in Nazareth while learning about its Moravian heritage.

Amber: Those sound like some great trips!

Have you learned anything about love and humility while working on your latest “Love Finds You” book that you could share with us?

Melanie: Those two themes are woven throughout Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania because the story is about a married couple selected by Lot to be husband and wife. Even as he marries Susanna, Christian Boehler loves another woman in his heart, and he often fails Susanna in the first year of their marriage. The story is about choosing forgiveness over anger and replacing bitterness with both love and grace.

Amber: What would a Christmas party in the town and era of your latest “Love Finds You” book look like? (Any details about food, decorations, traditions, etc., would be wonderful!)

Melanie: Oh, it would have been a grand celebration! The Moravian people embraced the Christmas season and the depth of its meaning--so much so that their two major settlements in Pennsylvania were named Bethlehem and Nazareth. On Christmas Eve, the sanctuary would have glowed from the tallow candles they held as they feasted together on spicy sugar cakes and black coffee and worshipped God in song: “Good news from heav’n the angels bring…All my heart this night rejoices.”

Thanks, Amber! It’s a pleasure to celebrate with you.

Amber: It's a pleasure to host you, Melanie! Thank you for your wonderful responses and helping us get in the Christmas mood!

Giveaway!!!

Here are the rules for today's giveaway of a signed copy of Love Finds You in Nazareth, Pennsylvania! Please read carefully.

Leave a comment for Melanie along with your e-mail address.

This drawing is open to readers everywhere! (International giveaway!)

All winners this week will be announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011.

(Learn more about Melanie at her website!)

Love Finds You in Beautiful Places

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

I had the great pleasure of hearing Robin Jones Gunn speak at our school's Woman to Woman Conference last February - and let me tell you, Robin has a lot of wonderful things to say! So grab a cinnamon roll and some tropical fruit to enjoy while you take in this lovely interview - and Robin's beautiful pictures of Hawaii!

Amber: What do you love most about writing for the “Love Finds You” series as compared to other books you’ve written?

Robin: My favorite part of the “Love Finds You” format is the summary at the beginning of the book that gives the history of the location. I loved digging a little deeper into the beginnings of the Sunset Beach area.

One of the best things about writing destination novels is having a chance to visit amazing places and then crafting a story in that setting. I’ve done this sort of onsite research for most of the novels I’ve written over the past ten years.

What made “Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii” even more delightful was that I was writing about my home state. I live on a different island so I had to bring the characters to my corner of Hawaii first and then send them on to the North Shore on Oahu so they could meet at Sunset Beach. As I was writing I felt as if I was sharing my favorite parts of this beautiful paradise with the characters but more importantly with the readers.

Amber: Have you visited the setting of your latest “Love Finds You” book?

Robin: Oops! I think I jumped ahead in my last answer and covered most of this answer.

I will add that my favorite part of the trip to the North Shore was that my husband came with me and he had a video camera going so we could capture some of the majesty of the big waves and the pristine beaches. I even drew a big heart in the sand at Sunset Beach and looked up at the camera and said something like, “Will love find you at Sunset Beach?”

It was a fun day and we thought we had a lot of great footage. But when we got home and played it back the wild Kona winds dominated every scene. None of the audio came through and in the end we decided none of the video was usable.

I do have some photos that came out and we were able to use those at the back of the book. I’ll add some of them here as well.

Would I visit there in the future? Absolutely. Anytime.

Amber: Oh, that's a bummer about the video! But it sounds like a wonderful time all the same. =) And the pictures are great!

Have you learned anything about love and humility while working on your latest “Love Finds You” book that you could share with us?

Robin: Love and humility do tend to go hand in hand, don’t they? I felt both of these while working on this book.

I’ll tell you about the love first. My husband and I spent our honeymoon on Oahu 34 years ago and that was the first time we visited the North Shore together. Returning to Sunset Beach with him to gather insights for this book made me realize how quickly the years have gone and what a gift it is to be able to journey through life with a man who loves God and loves me. We walked hand in hand on Sunset Beach and remembered all the tender ways that the Lord has provided for us and protected us all these years.

The humility part came for me in the rewrites on this book. I tried something new in that I wrote one chapter from Sierra’s point of view and the next chapter from Jordan’s point of view. It was fun at first but then it became more complicated as the story and the characters became more entwined. I had to learn as I was writing what worked and what didn’t work.

Being challenged as a writer is always a good thing. I’ve been doing this for over 25 years and I want to learn and grow as a storyteller. But I’ll tell you, rewriting many times over is a humbling thing no matter how many books you’ve had published.

Amber: Love your response!

What would a Christmas party in the town and era of your latest “Love Finds You” book look like? (Any details about food, decorations, traditions, etc., would be wonderful!)

Robin: In Hawaii we say, “Mele Kalikimaka!” and we celebrate the way most families and friends do. We set up Christmas trees, we gather at parties for lots of food and we worship together at church on Christmas Eve. Local tradition says that Santa arrives in an outrigger canoe wearing an Aloha shirt and bringing gifts wrapped in banana leaves.

Last year my husband and I sat outside eating papaya and cinnamon rolls for breakfast at seven o’clock on Christmas morning. One of our neighbors came around the corner with their two toddlers in a red wagon. The dad was wearing a Santa hat, T-shirt, shorts and flip flops. The kids were in their bathing suits and the mom was in a sleeveless shift with a big beach bag over her shoulder. They were singing Christmas carols and were heading down to the blue Pacific for Christmas breakfast on the beach. Now, that’s a little different than the way most people in the U.S. and Canada spend their Christmas morning.

At Sunset Beach the surfers head for the water on Christmas morning because winter is when the big waves roll in. A big Christmas feast would include fresh fish, kalua pork, rice, poi, lomi lomi, teriyaki chicken, chow fun noodles, haupia and of course, sweet potato pie.

One of my favorite parts of Christmas in Hawaii is all the white twinkle lights strung in the palm trees and the candle light service at the 160 year old church where the carols are sung in Hawaiian. It’s a sweet reminder that Jesus is the light of the world and His light reaches all the way to these remote islands tethered here in the middle of the deep blue sea.

Amber: Sounds simply lovely! Thank you so much for sharing with us today!

One final note from Robin: I’d love to connect with you! On Facebook my page is Robin Jones Gunn. On Twitter it’s simply RobinGunn. You are warmly welcome to visit my Online Shop at shop.robingunn.com where you’ll find copies of all 75 of my books, including “Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii”. If you place a first-time order in the Shop, enter the code WELCOME at check out and you’ll receive a 20% discount on your entire order! Gotta’ love those coupons!

Giveaway!!!

Here are the rules for today's giveaway of a gift package - Kona coffee and a signed copy of Love Finds You in Sunset Beach, Hawaii! Please read carefully.

Leave a comment for Robin along with your e-mail address.

You must have a U.S. mailing address in order to be eligible for this drawing.

All winners this week will be announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011. (Please note the new announcement date! Winners will be announced Sunday afternoon or evening instead of Saturday morning.)

Love Finds You in the Simple Pleasures

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Miralee is no stranger to Seasons of Humility - she was also a guest at the first "Love Finds You" blog party last year in 2010! Back then you readers got to ask Miralee your questions. (You can read that post HERE.) Today, I have a few questions of my own that Miralee has kindly answered! And keep reading to learn more about the giveaway, as well!

Amber: What do you love most about writing for the “Love Finds You” series as compared to other books you’ve written?

Miralee: Because the LFY books are set in real locations, it’s important the reader is able to visualize the setting, so I’d have to say, researching and depicting the setting. I love traveling to the places I write about (when possible) and helping the reader not only see the area in their mind, but get a glimpse into the past, as all mine are historical.

Amber: Have you visited the setting of your latest “Love Finds You” book? If not, what most intrigues you about the place – and would you want to visit there in the future?

Miralee: I’ve gotten to visit three of the four locations for my books, but didn’t have a chance to with Sundance, WY. The book was contracted at the last minute, after they had an unexpected opening, and I had three weeks to finalize and turn in the contract, so no time to visit Sundance. I did do a lot of research about the area and the history, and would love to visit there someday—especially since anything Western fascinates me, and that was the hangout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid!

Amber: I completely understand - anything Western fascinates me, too! Sundance sounds like an intriguing setting!

Have you learned anything about love and humility while working on your latest “Love Finds You” book that you could share with us?

Miralee: That’s actually a theme I try to weave into many of my books. My hero, Travis, had to learn a lesson about humility when he hired a ‘man’ as a varmint tracker/hunter and found out she was a woman. He made a snap judgment, as he was convinced a woman could never do a man’s job. Writing themes like this causes the author to often have to check their own heart, and I do find myself considering whether I judge people unfairly at times, and thinking about the acceptance and love we all have in Christ.

Amber: What would a Christmas party in the town and era of your latest “Love Finds You” book look like? (Any details about food, decorations, traditions, etc., would be wonderful!)

Miralee: It would be simple, as the people are all hard-working ranchers, store owners, etc., in an area and era where life was hard and ‘extras’ were few, but the emphasis would’ve been on family. There would have been a church service on Christmas eve at the church, with lots of singing, a peppermint stick for the children, and enough hugs and love to fill everyone’s heart. On Christmas morning simple, handmade gifts would appear under the tree (decorated with handmade items), and a meal would be shared, often with neighbors if they didn’t live too far away. Venison or possibly wild turkey or a slab of beef would be roasted, pies and cookies baked, along with vegetables that had been canned in the fall. Houses probably weren’t decorated, but family and faith were celebrated, with the focus on Jesus’ birth.

Amber: Sign me up - sounds like a sweet Christmas celebration! Thank you for helping us celebrate the holiday season and the LFY series today!

Giveaway!!!

Here are the rules for today's giveaway of a signed copy of Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming! Please read carefully.

Leave a comment for Miralee along with your e-mail address.

You must have a U.S. mailing address in order to be eligible for this drawing.

All winners this week will be announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011.

(Sundance pictures from the The City of Sundance, Wyoming website. Learn more about Miralee at her website!)

Love Finds You With a Spark of Independence

2011-12-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

Roseanna White's Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland is lovely inside and out! The book explores the ramifications and meaning of independence, set not long after the American Revolution and U.S. independence from Britain. And, as part of the LFY series, you can bet on some sweet romance to go along with that spark of independence. ;) You can read my review of the book HERE.

Read on to learn more about the author and her book - followed by details on how you can get your hands on a copy!

Amber: What do you love most about writing for the “Love Finds You” series as compared to other books you’ve written?

Roseanna: While setting is always important to me, it takes on new importance in the LFY books. I’m a historical writer, so I have a lot of fun finding what sets a place apart, especially during the time period it’s most known for, and bringing that to life. And I love that within the confines of the Love Finds You vision we have a lot of freedom in determining how and why a story revolves around a place.

Amber: Have you visited the setting of your latest “Love Finds You” book? If so, what was your favorite part of the trip?

Roseanna: I actually went to college in Annapolis, at St. John’s College, which was only a year away from being commissioned at the point of my story and was at the time King William’s School, where my hero and heroine’s brother attended, and where the heroine’s host is a teacher. =)

But though I lived in Annapolis for nearly 6 years, I never played tourist—instead I growled at the tourists who did crazy things like stop without warning in the middle of the sidewalk to take a picture. So naturally, when writing this book a friend and I had a blast playing tourist one Saturday and doing crazy things like stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures. =) It was so much fun to see the town we knew so well through new eyes. And the most fun of all was when we started at the State House and plotted then followed the path Lark (my heroine) would have taken when she’s running away from Emerson (hero) at one particularly exciting part of the story.

Amber: I love that part!! Sounds like you had a blast. =)

Have you learned anything about love and humility while working on your latest “Love Finds You” book that you could share with us?

Roseanna: Oh my, this entire book was a big lesson in the Lord’s love for me and my own need for humility. I wrote it in a rush, praying every single time I sat down at my laptop that the Lord would somehow deliver the words I needed. When I finished and sent it to my editor for consideration, I had no idea if it was good enough. I’m usually pretty confident about my work, but with Annapolis I felt completely at a loss. Would this be the book the Lord used to open a door to a big publisher (my two previous novels are small press), or would it be one He used to show me something completely different?

Even after I got The Call, I still looked at this book and said, “Really, Lord? Seriously?? It’s happening???” LOL Every step of this path with Summerside has been a blessing, one that has shown me in funny, amazing ways that the Lord had this in mind all along, all those years I sat hoping and praying over other manuscripts. Do I understand why now, why this book? No—but I trust that it’s all part of His purpose, and amazed at His love for me—and how this manifestation of it didn’t come until I surrendered every last dream and ambition to Him.

Amber: Your trust and humility are inspiring - I think especially to those of us who are still waiting on God's plan and timing regarding our writing. =)

What would a Christmas party in the town and era of your latest “Love Finds You” book look like? (Any details about food, decorations, traditions, etc., would be wonderful!)

Roseanna: Oh, this is an especially fun question because I actually have Christmas in the story! =) Though New England at the time had strict rules about not celebrating Christmas, my characters would have belonged to the Church of England and would have enjoyed traditional English celebrations, all with a New World flavor.

One tradition of the day that most of us have only passing knowledge of is wassailing. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the poor made up large batches of a milky drink called wassail (which isn’t known for being very tasty, LOL), which they would take around to the rich folk. The wealthy were pretty much obligated to buy this beverage, and did so with the idea that this was equivalent to alms without offending the pride of the less fortunate.

Also during this late Colonial/early Federal era, people often published in the newspaper when they were having parties, and total strangers would show up and expect a meal. Craziness! That came to an end right around the time of my story, LOL.

Decorations would consist of greenery and mistletoe, and the meals were a feast of local delicacies. In Annapolis, they would have enjoyed Maryland ham, a variety of seafood, treats that often featured sugar and fruit imported from the Caribbean . . .

Gifts would have been exchanged, and children especially would be unsurprised by what they received then. Toys, hair ribbons, books, new clothes . . . in Annapolis, my heroine Lark is away from home on Christmas and so very touched when a new friend gives her a leatherbound diary.

Amber: That was a great scene! Thank you for sharing all those tantalizing details, and thank you so much for being with us here today!

Giveaway!!!

Here are the rules for today's giveaway of a copy of Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland! Please read carefully.

Leave a comment for Roseanna along with your e-mail address.

You must have a U.S. mailing address in order to be eligible for this drawing.

All winners this week will be announced on Sunday, December 11, 2011.

But wait - there's more!

Anyone who leaves a comment will also be entered into the Great ANNAPOLIS Giveaway, as well! (Check out the link to see what the prize is - it's fabulous!!) So what are you waiting for? Join in the fun! =)

(St. John's College photo from the school's website. Learn more about Roseanna at her website!)

The "Love Finds You" Blog Party is Here!!!

2011-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome, one and all, to the 2nd annual "Love Finds You" blog party!! Today we're gathering around the virtual Christmas tree to start the festivities off right with the traditional pickle ornament hunt! But before we do, grab a mug of hot cocoa while I attend to a few formalities. =)

The "Love Finds You" Series

Let's begin with a quick re-cap (or introduction) to the "Love Finds You" series (published by Summerside Press). I'm going to share my explanation from last year's party:

Now, I realize that some of you may not be as familiar with this series as I am. The "Love Finds You" series is a collection of Christian romance stories set in various places (mainly in the United States) with unique town names and history. The stories range from historical to contemporary and are just as diverse as the towns themselves. The "Love Finds You" series is fun and inspirational, reminding readers that "Love Finds You" wherever God plans it to!

So here we are once again to celebrate this wonderful series and share some Christmas cheer! (If you'd like to read the great interviews from last year, click HERE and scroll down until you get to the 2010 posts.)

The Party Plan

If you haven't yet seen the party page, click HERE or click the button in the sidebar. There you'll find the party schedule and a list of this week's giveaways. As each post goes up, I'll include the links to them on that page, so if you ever feel lost with what's going on during the party, just head over there! Or feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me with any of your questions. =)

The Main Prize Package

As you'll see on the party page, there are going to be some great giveaways this week - starting with today's prize package!

You have the chance to win a $15 Amazon.com gift card and 2 copies (one for you and one for a friend) of Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland!

Here are the rules for this particular drawing (please read them carefully!) -

You must leave a comment on this post saying which country you are from. If you are from the U.S. or Canada, you are eligible for all parts of this package. If you are from any other country, you are only eligible for the Amazon.com gift card (so if you win, another person will be chosen for the books). Hope that makes sense!

You can gain 2 extra entries by taking the party button and putting it on your blog to help me spread the word. If you've already done so, no need to tell me again as I'll check back on the comments from the original post. However, you still must leave a comment here to be entered in the drawing!!

You can gain extra extra entries by participating in today's activity, so read on!

The Great Pickle Hunt

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, hunting for pickle ornaments is nothing new for you! But for all our new visitors, here's an advertisement from The German Way that will tell you a little bit about the pickle-hunting tradition (click on the image to enlarge):

Basically a green pickle ornament is hidden among the branches of the Christmas tree, and the first to find it receives a gift. (My sister and I enjoy this tradition at Christmastime!) Today 5 pickle ornament images have been hidden in various places on this blog. Each pickle is worth 3 extra entries in today's drawing.

Here are the official rules:

When you find a pickle image, just leave a comment saying where you found it (you can either describe the post/page or include the URL).

You aren't limited to finding just one pickle image, so you can claim all 15 extra entries if you find all five pickles. However, if you want to be nice and not hog all the pickle claims, then I'm sure others will thank you. ;)

I might be a little slow in checking in, but just know that once all five pickles are found, the game is over. (I'll eventually add the names of those who find the pickles to this post once the pickles have all been found.) If people are having a hard time finding the pickles, I might offer a hint or two later on.

Also, please note: the pickle images from the rules post for last December's game and last July's game do NOT count. You will find them (as well as today's post) HERE, which is a link to the posts with the label "Pickle Ornament Tradition." Any other pickle images count, though! ;)

Finally, below is what the pickle image you're hunting for looks like. (But this is NOT one of the five I've hidden; this picture is just an example!)

*All 5 pickles have been found by Melanie, Bluerose, Casey, and Christy! Thank you to everyone who participated!*

In Conclusion...

I know this is a lot to take in! Please let me know if you have any questions, and remember that a lot of the information you need to know for this week is available on the party page. Have fun, and don't forget to come back tomorrow to meet Roseanna White and learn more about Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland!

My Review of Love Finds You in Annapolis

2011-12-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Summerside Press:

"In 1784 peace has been declared, but war still rages in the heart of Lark Benton.

Never did Lark think she’d want to escape Emerson Fielding, the man she’s loved all her life, but then he betrays her with her cousin. She flees to Annapolis, Maryland, the country’s capital, and throws herself into a new circle of friends who force her to examine all she believes.

Emerson follows, determined to reclaim his bride. Surprised when she refuses to return with him, he realizes that in this new country he has come to call his own, duty is no longer enough. He must learn to open his heart and soul to something greater... before he loses all he should have been fighting to hold."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

Lark is a young woman living in the newly independent United States who is tired of being stifled and ignored. So when the man she's long planned on marrying is found in a compromising situation, Lark finally flies away to test her own wings and find her own voice. When her fiancee eventually finds her again, will he see the treasure he took for granted and be given a second chance at loving Lark for who she really is?

As lovely and sophisticated as the cover, this story is a treat for lovers of historical romance! The pace is mostly gentle, and while not overly emotional, the plot is intellectually stimulating and quite sweet. The tension between Lark and Emerson make for some really engaging scenes as the story unfolds. The characters are charming, and White does a great job of taking a rather irritating man and making him into a sympathetic hero to cheer on in his daunting task of reclaiming his bride-to-be. And Wiley is just wonderful - all that a girl could ask for in an older brother. He has great hero potential for his own story!

Misunderstandings and a yearning for independence mark this well-constructed book, making Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland a meaningful and enjoyable read.

*With thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Love Will Find You

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

At least in the pages of the "Love Finds You" book series!

This is a friendly reminder that Sunday (December 4th) marks the beginning of the "Love Finds You" blog party taking place right here at this very blog! There will be some really fun interviews and giveaways to get you in the Christmas spirit, so I do hope to see you there. And don't forget (if you haven't already!) to check out the par ty page to see the schedule and learn how to gain extra entries in the main prize package drawing!

While we're on this "Love Finds You" theme, there are new covers up on the Goodreads site for a couple of February 2012 LFY releases. Care to see them? They're quite lovely!

I'm eager to see what else is in store for this series in 2012! And I'm also quite eager to show you what's in store for next week! Soon, very soon... ;)

My Review of There You'll Find Me

2011-11-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen year old. She’s witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming audition at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother.

She decides to travel to Ireland following his travel journal. It’s the place he felt most alive – and she desperately needs to feel alive again. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane. Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She’s the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide.

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down – the loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to new – and dangerous – vices.

Then she comes across something that changes her perspective irrevocably. Is it enough to convince her that everything she’s been looking for has been with her all along?"

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

Wow!! The charm of Ireland, the angst of young adulthood, and the beautiful craziness of life come together to make this an engaging, moving read! Jenny B. Jones has a winning and creative writing style that somehow combines humor and sincerity in a way that keeps the pages turning and the journey going. And this is one journey that I'm so very glad I took!

There You'll Find Me features quite a cast of quirky characters, many of whom charm the reader's heart despite their unique first impressions. Even though the hero seems a bit too good to be true and the mean girl seems a bit too awful to stand, the story is wonderfully told. It's heartbreaking to witness the events unfold, and yet there's enough sweet surprises and fun scenes to make it an ultimately enjoyable read.

This novel comes disguised as a diversionary YA book, but in reality it digs deep and refuses to shy away from painful questions and situations. Brimming with emotion and overflowing with hope, this book stole my heart. Is there a list for new Jenny B. Jones fans? Because if there is, well...there you'll find me.

*With thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing through the Booksneeze program for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

My Review of The Harvest of Grace

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Waterbrook Multnomah:

"Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever?

Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed’s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron’s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life.

Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture— a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

The "Ada's House" series features some powerful stories full of healing and hope and love. The Harvest of Grace is a wonderful, fitting conclusion to the Amish trilogy. While Woodsmall catches all readers up-to-date at the beginning of this book (making it possible to read this novel as a stand-alone if desired), the series really shines as a whole - with all three books coming together to look at the gem of God's love and the love between people from various angles.

Sylvia is a new character introduced in this book - a stubborn farmer determined to escape her past and prove herself by saving the Blanks' farm where she now works. Aaron is a familiar face, but in this installment the reader gets a closer look at his motivations, including his desire for acceptance. Both are hurting souls that are seeking a harvest of grace.

Other familiar friends from The Hope of Refuge (Book 1) and The Bridge of Peace (Book 2) share the spotlight in this gentle story full of flawed characters and raw pain. The romance is sweet and the lessons on honest, forgiving love are even sweeter. Woodsmall has done it again!

*With thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Would you consider ranking my review? Thank you!

Thanksgiving Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-27T18:58:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Leah, who won my gently used copy of A Heart Most Worthy! You have until next weekend to respond to my e-mail so I can get the book out to you. =) Enjoy!

More giveaways to come during the "Love Finds You" blog party starting next Sunday!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2011-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

...at least on my blog, anyway!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm so grateful for your friendship, your encouraging comments, and your willingness to take time out of your busy lives to visit and read my posts. Thank you for being my friends!

And now we are heading toward the next holiday - Christmas!! I'm sorry if I'm a little too early for some of you... Hope you don't mind my enthusiasm!

The Scrappin' Blogs website has so many lovely blog backgrounds to choose from, and I love this one with its gentle backdrop and cheery splash of color. The main picture is from last winter at my school (I think this was in February, featuring a very rare dusting of snow). I really am blessed to have such a beautiful view! May the picture remind you of the peace to be found on His path for our lives no matter the season or weather.

P.S. Don't forget that the "Love Finds You" blog party starts on December 4th! Just a little over a week to go!!

A Marriage Carol (CFBA Tour)

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Marriage Carol Moody Publishers (September 1, 2011) by Chris Fabry and Gary Chapman
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

CHRIS FABRY is a graduate of W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and Moody bible Institute's Advanced Studies Program. Chris can be heard daily on Love Worth Finding, featuring the teaching of the late Dr. Adrian Rogers. He received the 2008 "Talk Personality of the Year" Award from the National Religious Broadcasters. He has published more than 60 books since 1995, many of them fiction for younger readers. Chris collaborated with Jerry B. Jenkins and Dr. Tim LaHaye on the children's series Left Behind: The Kids. His two novels for adults, Dogwood and June Bug, are published by Tyndale House Publishers. Chris is married to his wife Andrea and they have five daughters and four sons.

GARY CHAPMAN is the author of the bestselling Five Love Languages series and the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars, and his radio program airs on more than 400 stations.

ABOUT THE BOOK

On Christmas Eve twenty years earlier, Marlee and Jacob were married in a snowstorm. This Christmas Eve, they are ready to quit, divorce is imminent. Their relationship is as icy as the road they’re traveling and as blocked with troubles as the piling snow. They take a shortcut to get to the lawyer’s office, on a slippery, no-fault path. She thinks they need to stay on the main road. He disagrees. They fight. Story of their lives and they slam into a bank of snow , spinning, drifting, falling, out of control. Just like their lives. Reluctantly, freezing cold, hungry, scared, she trudges up the hill. Paul is nowhere to be found. Her ears frozen, fingers and hands red, she comes to a house on the hillside, built like a Bed and Breakfast, a green wreath on the red door and the door-knocker is in the shape of a wedding ring.

The red door opens and the first thing she notices is the fire in the room, blazing hot, a warm, inviting, friendly place and the voice of an old man welcomes her in. There are three golden pots on the hearth, shining, glimmering things. The old man claims that they are used to restore marriages. She laughs—and begins a journey through her past, present, and future that will test how she views her lifelong love. There are two futures available. Which will she choose?

If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of A Marriage Carol, go HERE.

The Jar: A Short Story (Part 3)

2011-11-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to read the first and second parts of the story, click HERE and then HERE. And please join me after the conclusion to learn more about the facts behind the fiction!

The Jar
By Amber Stokes

Continued...

Alice brought her jar of pennies to church that wondrous Sunday when Randy came back. She stayed after church much longer than she usually did, because everyone else wanted to thank Randy for his service and ask him about his experiences. If you and I were there, we would have been able to tell them that Randy really didn’t want to talk about his time in Vietnam. At least not yet.

Finally, Alice was able to approach Randy, tug on his sleeve, and hand him the penny jar. I wish I could tell you that he looked at that jar of pennies and other coins and simply knew how much they were really worth. As it was, he did give Alice a hug and a pained smile. He said, “Thank you,” and, “I missed you.” And then he turned to talk with another person.

Dear Alice, though, wasn’t offended. She had done her part to tell him as best she could that he was remembered and valued. And with all of her life experience, she knew that he would get her message in time. She was right. (I’ve heard Alice usually was.)

For many years that jar sat on Randy’s desk. Alice passed away; Randy got married and started his own family. While he didn’t think of the penny jar very often, he smiled when it caught his eye. He thought of Alice’s hugs and her pockets full of candy.

Randy would never know all the heart that went into that jar of pennies. And as much as I like to pretend I know such things, I really can’t fully comprehend it either. But forty years after he was drafted (I’ll wait if you’d like to do the math)…Randy’s oldest son surprised his father with a trip to Washington D.C. Randy brought the penny jar with him. The whole family went, and as they visited the war memorials, Randy was finally ready to share some of his stories.

I walked with him that sunny, humid summer day to the Vietnam War memorial. It looked like the wall of a trench, covered with names. Grandpa Randy found the names of some of his Army buddies. I cried when I saw silent tears fall down his stoic face. And then he asked me to hand him the penny jar, the one I had been holding ever since we left the hotel. The yellow ribbon was a bit tattered, but it was still there. The pennies were gone, though. Grandpa said that he was saving them in another jar, to share with someone else someday. His knee gave a satisfying pop as he knelt down to place the jar on the ground beneath that multitude of names.

I wouldn’t say the jar was empty, though, despite the missing pennies. If you had seen the light in Grandpa’s eyes and the way the sunlight filled the jar, I think you would have seen what I saw - hope.

The End

Fact vs. Fiction

As I've previously mentioned, this short story is fictional, but inspired by some real elements. As a young girl, I used to attend First Covenant Church, where an older man named Jim Worthen and his wife Evelyn sat in the pew behind my grandparents. Mr. Worthen would bring me candy, and he and his wife always had a smile and a kind word for me. They were so very sweet, and their presence in my life brightened my Sundays.

And then one day Mr. Worthen passed away. And eventually Mrs. Worthen asked me to come and visit her. She gave me a jar filled with pennies and a few other coins, telling me that Mr. Worthen had been filling it and saving it for me.

It was a gesture that touched my heart - to think that he had been saving up those pennies especially for me! And that jar of pennies still sits in my room back at home, a beautiful reminder of the power of kindness and thoughtfulness. I certainly couldn't comprehend when I was younger, and I still can't today, just how much heart went into that simple gift.

As for the other parts of this story, my own grandpa served in the Korean War, and my daddy served in the Vietnam War. I had the opportunity to see both of those war memorials a couple of summers ago, and it was certainly a moving experience. Below are some pictures I took of the Vietnam War memorial:

While "The Jar" is definitely a work of fiction, and I claim sole responsibility for any mathematical or historical errors, I hope it's foundation in real life will inspire you.

Writing this story for Thanksgiving, I'm reminded of how much I have to be thankful for...

The brave military men and women who sacrifice so much for our freedom.

Family and friends who surround me with love.

The simple but profound gift of a jar of pennies.

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? And is there a gift that has blessed you, with a story behind it that will bless others?

The Jar: A Short Story (Part 2)

2011-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

If you missed Part 1 of "The Jar," click HERE. The conclusion will be posted tomorrow!

The Jar
By Amber Stokes

Continued...

What is a medium-sized jar that once held rutabagas good for after said vegetables have been removed? Alice was just as unsure as you and I for a time, but a few days after Randy had left on his way to Vietnam, Alice was given some change from the grocers. Just some pennies and a couple of dimes. Instead of putting them back in her purse, she put them in her pocket. And when she got back to her trailer, she approached the jar glistening on the windowsill, twisted the lid off of it with a satisfying pop, and dropped the coins into it. Clang, clang, clang. Why, it was almost like music!

A new note, a new drop of copper or silver, was added to the jar each week. Sometimes it was change from the grocers. Sometimes it was a penny she had found on the sidewalk in front of Gottschalks. Once it was a quarter she found in her couch.

By 1975, the jar was as full as it could be and Alice was 87 years old. And then one Sunday, she heard Randy’s parents tell the congregation that he would be home soon. He might even be in church the following Sunday!

So Alice went home and searched all about her trailer for what she was certain must still be there somewhere. Back too many years ago to count, she wore a yellow ribbon. I never did learn the details, but I’ve heard that she might have used it in her hair on her first date with the man she married. Whatever its original use, that yellow ribbon now had a new purpose, just like the jar, if only she could… Aha! She found it in the top drawer of her nightstand, tucked inside a book of Robert Frost poetry.

As you might have already guessed, she replaced the lid on the penny jar and tied the yellow ribbon beneath the lid. When she saw him next Sunday, she wanted him to know that she had been thinking of him all those days and weeks and months and years – those moments – when he had been in Vietnam.

To Be Continued...

The Jar: A Short Story (Part 1)

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been given a gift that you were grateful for in the moment, but you more fully appreciated as time went by?

That's what the following short story is about. As my parents would say (quoting the movie Christmas Vacation), "It's the gift that keeps on giving all year long." And while that quote is taken from a humorous context, I think some seemingly simple gifts really do keep on giving and giving and giving. It is my hope that this story is another way for a gift given to me once upon a time to be poured out to you, dear readers.

While this short story I wrote is fictional, it's inspired by some elements of my own life. I'll let you know what's fact and fiction after I conclude this three-part short story on Wednesday. For now, I'll just share my brief dedication:

In memory of Jim Worthen. Only the Lord knows how much of your heart went into that jar of pennies, but I'll be forever grateful for the kindness you showed me.

The Jar
By Amber Stokes

If you and I were there to see the jar when it sat on the shelf in the cellar, neither of us would come to the conclusion that it would one day be a symbol of hope. After all, one does not normally equate canned rutabaga with anything beautiful – or anything much at all. But once the rutabagas were removed, and the jar was washed inside and out, you might have seen a glimmer of its destiny in the way the sunlight poured through it as it dried on the kitchen windowsill.

The jar was left there to dry after the announcement that Randy was drafted. As soon as Alice came back from church that Sunday, she knew she needed the jar for something more important than rutabagas. (Mind you, some people might consider rutabagas important. But Alice was not one of those people.) If we looked closely, we would have seen a few tears reflecting the sunlight as they traversed her weathered and wrinkled face that Sunday afternoon. Randy reminded her so much of the grandson she had lost during the Korean War. That was almost twenty years earlier, back in 1952.

After her only grandson’s passing, Alice had started bringing candy to church in the pockets of her large purple coat with the lacy trim. Randy and his family sat in the pew in front of her. Sometimes the only smile she could find in those weeks and months after losing Mark was when she saw Randy’s smile as she held out the candy in her small palm.

Of course, Randy was a young man by this time in 1971. He didn’t need candy anymore. And as much as he appreciated Alice’s kindness through his growing-up years, he had been a bit preoccupied at church that day. He forgot to give Alice a hug like he always did after the service.

But don’t worry – Alice was not the kind of woman to hold such a thing against a young man consumed with thoughts of war and leaving home and horrors he couldn’t even imagine yet. Instead, she had returned to her little trailer and prepared the jar for its new purpose.

To Be Continued...

What's In Store This Week? (With Giveaway!)

2011-11-20T13:22:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'm going to start a three-part post in honor of Thanksgiving week. It's a short story called "The Jar" that I wrote in three installments. While it is a work of fiction, it's inspired by a few real elements from my own life, and it's dedicated to someone whose kindness I'm very grateful for. I hope you are blessed by the story!

With all of the homework and reading and blogging I've been doing this month, I really haven't done much of anything for my nano-NaNoWriMo project. And while I'm disappointed in myself for even making the challenge and not putting forth more effort to follow through on it, I'm hoping the Civil War poem, this short story, and possibly another short story for the BB (still not for sure on that one, so mum's the word!) will inspire and encourage you!

Now, one book I recently finished reading inspired me to try a unique voice for my short story, so I thought I would give that book away today to share the love:

If you'd like a chance to win my gently used copy of A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell, here's what you need to know:

Leave a comment with your e-mail address saying you'd like to be entered.

(Optional) Answer the following questions: Do you prefer reading stories from a first-person or third-person perspective? And what are your thoughts on omniscient narrators?

You must have a U.S. mailing address (due to shipping costs).

The winner will be announced on Monday, November 28th.

Want to know more about my giveaway policies? Scroll down to the very bottom of the blog!

See you tomorrow!

My Review of The Doctor's Lady

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Bethany House:

"Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.

Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

The Doctor's Lady is about a long, difficult journey to Oregon Country and to the realization of God's powerful work through "unlikely" people and in "unlikely" circumstances. Rooted in the true story of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, this fictional retelling blossoms into a grand piece in its own right. It's hopeful, heart-pounding, and humbling!

Eli and Priscilla deal with romantic tension with a capital "T" as their journey brings them closer together but their stubbornness and misunderstandings keep them apart. Gentleness, sweetness, anxiety, suffering, trouble, and revelations abound throughout the plot, made all the more meaningful by some complex and admirable secondary characters. Details from research add a painful and yet engaging dimension to the story.

A beautiful, thoroughly engrossing book, this is one journey fans of historical romance (especially those with a fascination of the American West) won't want to miss!

*With thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Book Trailer:

My Review of Remembering Christmas

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a description of the book from Revell:

"Can one Christmas change a life forever?

Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls begging him to come home after his stepfather has an aneurysm, Rick is more than a little reluctant. What was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and dealing with the homeless guy who keeps hanging around the store. The one bright spot is the lovely and intriguing young woman who works at his side each day.

As Christmas nears, Rick's old life beckons, the hurts from his past loom large, and the decisions he makes will determine more than just where he spends Christmas Eve.

With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story that will have you remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas."

My Rating: Spring

My Review:

Remembering Christmas is a life-affirming, hopeful Christmas story. The hero, Rick, is introduced as a frustrating, inconsiderate, self-centered man - whose attitudes and actions aren't so unfamiliar after all. He learns some valuable lessons about compassion and understanding as Walsh twists all the characters' lives into one lovely braid of a book.

For some, the holiday season is spent in hospital halls or out on the streets, homeless. And yet hope remains, and God is at work even in the suffering - perhaps especially so. Remembering Christmas gives the reader glimpses at people in very different places in life, and it shows the privilege of sharing the cheer of Christmas with others. With some romance, some good old-fashioned home-style Christmas, and a transformed heart, this is a sweet book to read at Christmastime or anytime you want to remember Christmas!

*With thanks to Revell Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Civil War Heart

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

When given the chance at our dorm meeting last night to do some contemplating and writing, I found myself thinking about an instance I had learned about a while ago in my Civil War Era class. It was at the Battle of Stones River in late 1862. The authors of our main textbook put it well, so I'll let them set the scene for you:

"After many delays caused by cavalry raids in their rear, Rosecrans's 42,000 troops marched from Nashville the day after Christmas to confront Bragg's 36,000-strong Army of Tennessee at Murfreesboro. They found the Confederates drawn up astride Stones River, a shallow stream a mile northwest of town. On the night of December 30, the two armies bivouacked only a few hundred yards apart. Their bands engaged in a musical battle in the still winter air, one side blaring out 'Dixie' in challenge to the other's 'Yankee Doodle,' and so on. Finally, one band began to play 'Home, Sweet Home.' Others took it up until all the bands in both armies were playing and thousands of soldiers, Yankees and Rebels together, sang the familiar words. Perhaps some of them wondered at the tragic irony of a war in which they could sing together one night and butcher each other on the morrow."

(Ordeal by Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction, 4th ed. by James M. McPherson and James K. Hogue, p. 332)

What a bitter-sweet, heart-breaking moment in history! Around 620,000 men died during the Civil War. Destruction and death were part of the results of the country's divide.

The following is a poem I wrote that was inspired by that "battle of the bands." Perhaps you're in a place like me, where you're desperately trying to grab hold of the future - symbolized by the North and progress. Or perhaps you're clinging tight to the past and all its pain or former "glory" - symbolized by the South. This poem isn't polished or perfect by any means. But I thought I would share it with you now anyway.

As C.S. Lewis noted, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” We all long for a forever Home, and nothing here on earth can satisfy that desire.

So may that night in the middle of the Civil War remind us of the beauty in an eternity far beyond and yet very near our everyday lives.

Civil War Heart

By Amber Stokes

Look away, dear brother, look away.
Sing sweet "Dixie" beneath the stars -
Not so far above the frosty, bitter ground
Where the old ways have brought you
To this moment when heartfelt discord
Chases sweet melodies away. Away.

Not so fine and dandy, dear brother,
When all you glimpse of progress -
Future - is fight and struggle, endless
Grasping at blood-soaked dirt
Where you must sleep another night
Beneath stars you never can reach.

Let those songs fade away. Away.
Tonight hold close thoughts of home,
Sweet home.
Beyond North.
Beyond South.
Beyond mere survival.
Where harmony reveals a candle
In the window not so far away.

(Ordeal by Fire cover image from Amazon.com. Stones River image from CivilWar.org - with more pictures and information on that site.)

What We Can Learn from the Evil Stepsisters

2011-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I kicked off my new weekly series at The Borrowed Book blog entitled "Where the Past Meets the Present." If you missed our discussion last week about Iago and creating well-rounded villains, you can catch up here:

Where the Past Meets the Present: The Villain

This week continues the series with a discussion of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (specifically our school's current production, which is fabulous!). Come join the fun!

Where the Past Meets the Present: Stepsisters

In the future, if you want to check out what's going on with this series, just click the button in the sidebar, just above my "Seasons of Humility" button!

Let's see what we can learn . . . where the past meets the present!

What I Wish Romance Writers Knew About the Military (Guest Post)

2011-11-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

In honor of Veterans' Day, today's guest is Vince Mooney, who has some wonderful advice to share with anyone interested in writing military romance (or anyone who just wants to learn more about how the military works!).

Meet Vince: "Born in Long Island, New York, have lived in New Jersey, Connecticut, Arizona, California, and Oklahoma. Lived three years in Italy and Germany while in USAF.(Air Police: K-9 section). Now live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Married after whirlwind romance to same wife for over 30 years. Currently run my own real estate school in Oklahoma. Like to study foreign languages for a few months just to see how they work. Also like Latin and giving speeches. I’ve taught Philosophy, Advertising, Property Management, and many real estate subjects at the University, Community College, and Technical School level. Now writing non-fiction book on the Romance genre. I was trained to be a philosopher and history teacher but have worked mostly in advertising, marketing, and real estate."

You can learn more about Vince at his blog Philosophy of Romance.

Welcome, Vince!

What I Wish Romance Writers Knew About the Military

It can be very difficult for me to read a military romance because there are sometimes enough mistakes to repeatedly pull me out of the story. This does not have to be the case. I’ve read many military romances by Maureen Child with complete satisfaction. She must have a very good military fact checker. But then, even a good military fact checker will usually only catch mistakes. He won’t suggest the kind of additions that should also be in the story if it is to be true to life.

Below are ten suggestions for writing better military romances as seen from a veteran’s point of view. One caveat: veterans were in the service at different times. Things change. Ranks change. The writer should check everything out first to make sure her facts are true for the same time period she is writing about. (Ranks may have been different during WWII, for example.)

1. Get the ranks right. I read one romance where the author thought a sergeant major outranked a Captain. She had the Captain jump up and salute the sergeant. This just destroys the writer’s credibility.

Here is where you can check ranks.

2. Get the time-in-grade right. Make sure the character has a rank that is appropriate for his age and/or time in the military. I’ve seen heroes with ranks so low for their time in the service that they must have been real screw-up’s who were busted a few times. This was not the author’s intention. (I couldn’t help thinking: what a loser that hero must be.)

Here is where you can get an idea of Army time-in-grade requirements before being promoted to the next rank.

You can find other sites for Navy and Air Force. Remember: some services do not have some ranks. I only saw one Warrant Office my whole time in the Air Force. I don’t believe there are any left.

3. Put military ‘annoyances’ into the story. I’ve read a whole series of military romances where you would swear the Airman had civilian jobs. They’d go to work like they were going to a civilian office. They would take days off or afternoons off as they needed for their personal reasons. That’s not military life.

I’d like to see some things like: having to go to commander’s call once a month (this is a major meeting of the troops often in a movie theater where films are shown and the concerns of the commander are given.) If this meeting was from 9 am to 12 pm and you just worked the 11 pm to 8 am shift, you still had to go. (Make sure they are still doing this at the time your story takes place. Make sure they call it Commander’s Call in the service you are writing about. They may do it on the internet at this point.)

Troops also have to take their exercise tests each year (this could be more often now). Another ‘hot issue’ that comes up a few times a year is who is going to be promoted and how will they react? (I’ve seen airman who were so mad they were not promoted that they went around kicking holes in the walls.) I don’t think I’ve ever seen troops looking at the posted promotion lists in a romance. This is a big deal. If your story spans a full year, this would have come up in real life.

There are also medical exams and shots to take as well as qualifying on the rifle range. There are inspections and sometimes the Inspector General flies in to check the post out. These inspections are supposed to be a surprise but we always knew when it was going to happen. Air Police pretty much knew what was going on.

Don’t forget the dreaded alerts. These are mission exercises where a war situation is simulated. The whole base would be called out to battle stations. You could be asleep in the middle of the night after having worked the 4 pm to 11 pm shift and you still had to get up and put in at least another 8 hours. Alerts are a major annoyance at any time. If you were just leaving the base to start your 30-day leave they can be a disaster. Even the officers would tell the troops: “If you are off duty, get off of the base. Go somewhere. Don’t stick around here.”

4. Consider describing the colorful patches on the uniform of your hero or heroine.

For example, if you have an Air Force Pararescue member, check out what the patch looks like here.

Soldiers and airman are proud of their units. I was in the Air Police K-9 corps and we had a patch we were very proud of.

See some here.

5. Have some saluting going on every once in a while to give the story a military flavor. I’ve read military romances where I don’t believe there was even one salute in the whole story.

6. Have some complaining going on in the background. This is just normal. “There’s the right way and there’s the Army way.”

7. Remember: personnel rotate every few years. Don’t have people on the post who have had the same military position for ten years. Troops are rotated every few years so they can get a fresh start every so often. Even a bad commander, who you can’t stand, may be gone in a year or two or you might be going to a new base in a few months yourself. This rotation makes it easier to put up with things that you would otherwise consider to be intolerable if you knew things would never change.

8. Troops who vote will often use absentee ballots.

9. There is usually some talk about getting out of the service or re-upping. “He’s a lifer” is often said about a career solider. Use a little slang like, RHIP: rank has its privilege. This is used quite often.

10. Talk about benefits and education. There are bonuses to re-up and money to pay for part of college tuition. Your hero could be going to college in the military. It could be a reason why he will not leave the service.

Use only a little of the above suggestions.

In no way would I suggest that the above is a checklist a writer must compete when writing a military story. Most romance readers are woman and most women have not been in the military. A writer does not have to do any of things I recommend above. I realize that the romance is the central focus of the story. However, if some of the above items are included in the story, then the story will seem more real and the reader will get an insight into military life that she did not have before reading the story.

One more thing: being late to work is being AWOL. Don’t have your service people coming late to work like it wasn’t a big deal. This does drive me crazy.

Vince
USAF, TAC 17th AF
1963 to 1967 K-9

Amber's Parting Comments: Thank you so much for the helpful information, Vince! And thank you for your service to our country. May we honor our military men and women this day and every day for the sacrifices they make or have made on our behalf.

Take a Back Road

2011-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

I wrote the poem that served as the inspiration for the title of this blog on a train trip I took my first semester of college. I was feeling quite stressed at the time with studies, being in the school musical, and uncertainties regarding God's plans for my life - so I up and decided to take a round trip one-day train ride. The destination didn't matter; I just wanted to go somewhere where it would be just me and God. It was a wonderful experience for me (if a bit more spontaneous of me than normal!), and I cherish that memory.

Do you ever just feel the need to "take a back road" (or a train ride)? If you enjoy a bit of Country music, here's a song for you:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

~ Matthew 11:28-30

"And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone."
~ Matthew 14:22-23

(Music video from Youtube.com: "Take a Back Road" by Rodney Atkins. If you would like to read the poem that inspired the title of this blog, click HERE.)

My Review of Valley of Dreams (CFBA Tour)

2011-11-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Valley of Dreams Bethany House (November 1, 2011) by Lauraine Snelling
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning and best selling author Lauraine Snelling began living her dream to be a writer with her first published book for young adult readers, Tragedy on the Toutle, in 1982. She has since continued writing more horse books for young girls, adding historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers to her repertoire. All told, she has up to sixty books published.

Shown in her contemporary romances and women’s fiction, a hallmark of Lauraine’s style is writing about real issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer within a compelling story. Her work has been translated into Norwegian, Danish, and German, and she has won the Silver Angel Award for An Untamed Land and a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart for Song of Laughter.

As a most sought after speaker, Lauraine encourages others to find their gifts and live their lives with humor and joy. Her readers clamor for more books more often, and Lauraine would like to comply ... if only her paintbrushes and easel didn’t call quite so loudly.

Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a cockatiel named Bidley, and a watchdog Basset named Winston. They love to travel, most especially in their forty-foot motor coach, which they affectionately deem “a work in progress”.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Addy Lockwood's mother died when she was little, so Addy traveled with her father's Wild West Show and became an amazingly skillful trick rider, likened by some to the famous Annie Oakley. When her father died, she continued to work with the show, having nowhere else to go.

Now Addy has discovered that "Uncle" Jason, the show's manager, has driven the show into debt, and he's absconded with what little money was left. Devastated, Addy decides to try to find the hidden valley where here father had dreamed of putting down roots. She has only one clue. She needs to find three huge stones that look like fingers raised in a giant hand. With Chief, a Sioux Indian who's been with the show for twenty years, and Micah, the head wrangler, she leaves both the show and a bundle of heartache behind and begins a wild and daring adventure.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Valley of Dreams, go HERE.

My Rating: Fall

My Review:

Valley of Dreams has a very interesting premise, and the uniqueness of the setting and characters is commendable. Fans of all things American West should find this to be an enjoyable excursion.

Since this is the first book in a series, it's nice to have this introduction and insight into Cassie's story, as well as the Engstroms' lives. However, Valley of Dreams seems almost like a very long prologue rather than a story of its own. Cassie's character does grow a little bit, but overall the book feels like it's providing back story rather than the actual meat of the plot. The way the book ends (with some mystery and a bit of suspense) suggests that the second book, Whispers in the Wind (scheduled to release August 2012), will probably be where the more in-depth action and drama really starts, although this is not guaranteed.

The entirety of the book is mostly "rising action" or "building tension," as the reader is introduced to two groups, Cassie's troupe and the Engstrom family, waiting for their lives to finally cross. Some of the secondary characters, like Chief and Micah, have real potential, but come across a little flat - although there's a hint at the end that there's more to the ever-quiet and to-the-point Chief than meets the eye. The various reverends and their wives are all very similar with little to distinguish one from the other, and even the apparent hero and heroine didn't completely charm me. The "pets" are a nice addition, though - adding some sweetness with their intriguing names and their gentle presence.

This story includes quite a few details about daily life in the Dakotas at the turn of the century, which is nice but doesn't always move the plot forward. The ending does ultimately stir up the reader's curiosity, and if one is willing to invest a little time in this first book, it seems like this will be a sweet and clever series overall.

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Love's Christmas Journey

2011-11-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

About the Movie:

"While still mourning the loss of her husband and daughter, recently widowed Ellie King (Natalie Hall) visits her brother Aaron Davis (Greg Vaughan) and his children for Christmas. Ellie does her best to enjoy the holidays, even making new friends with Mrs. Thompson (JoBeth Williams), a local shop keeper, and handsome admirer Deputy Strode (Dylan Bruce). Settling in nicely with her brother's family, Ellie also meets Erik (Bobby Campo), a young man abandoned by his outlaw father whom Aaron has taken in as one of his own. When Aaron travels out of town to purchase adjacent land for farming, Ellie agrees to watch his children, but the season’s festivities are threatened when Aaron goes missing."

My Review:

Love's Christmas Journey is a new two-part, four-hour journey Love Comes Softly fans won't want to miss! While the two new prequels that aired back in September and October on Hallmark Channel (Love Begins and Love's Everlasting Courage) were sweet, they really were lacking a certain depth and quality that made the first few movies of the series great. With the last two additions being rather disappointing, I wasn't expecting too much with this latest, much longer movie. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised!

As more movies kept being added on to the series, I thought it was sad not to learn more about Missy's brothers (introduced in Love Comes Softly and Love's Enduring Promise). They simply seemed to vanish, even when Clark and Marty (Missy's father and stepmother) still came back off and on throughout the first six movies. I was so excited to learn that Love's Christmas Journey brought back Aaron (Missy's younger stepbrother)! And not only Aaron, but a yet-to-be-introduced younger sister named Ellie, who has a heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful story of her own.

There are so many wonderful surprises in this movie! The length definitely helps to give the characters more time to face challenges and grow. The overall quality is much better than the prequels (as well as the seventh and eighth movies), despite a little bit of lingering romantic (etc.) corniness, which can be cute, albeit awkward, sometimes! (And speaking of awkward, there's one falling scene near the beginning that is pretty out-of-the-blue, providing a laugh-out-loud moment.)

Yes, there is a bit of cheesy acting, which isn't so bad in a feel-good Christmas movie. But overall the acting is very good! I love that Sean Astin (of Lord of the Rings fame - Samwise Gamgee!) is the mayor!! And I knew a certain man in town looked familiar... Mr. Cunningham is none other than the actor (Stephen Bridgewater) who played Mr. Taylorson in Love's Long Journey and Love's Abiding Joy! How fun is that??

This movie packs an emotional punch, then wraps up the hurting in a great big group hug and a pretty red bow. And I enjoyed every minute! There's some Wild West-fighting tension that made me cringe and cry out, some adorable children scenes, and some romantic moments that made me go "Awww!" and smile. Love Comes Softly fans will recognize much of the background music, as well as a few references to Clark and Marty. With themes of justice, generosity, and hope, this is a great Christmas romantic Western to watch with your girl friends or family this season.

Movie Trailer:

Want to learn more about the movie and the whole Love Comes Softly movie series? Visit the Hallmark Channel website!

My Review of A Lasting Impression

2011-11-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a description of the book from Bethany House:

"From Christy and RITA Award-winning author Tamera Alexander comes a novel about the difference between knowing who you are--and knowing who you want to become.

Claire Laurent's greatest aspiration is to paint something that will bring her acclaim. Yet her father insists she work as a copyist. A forger. When she's forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville only a year after the War Between the States has ended, her path collides with attorney Sutton Monroe. She considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But after he later refuses to come to her aid, Claire fears she's sorely misjudged the man. Finding herself among the elite of Nashville's society, Claire believes her dream to create a lasting impression in the world of art is within reach--but only if her fraudulent past remains hidden.

The Federal Army has destroyed Sutton's home and confiscated his land, and threatens to destroy his family's honor. His determination to reclaim what belongs to him and to right a grievous wrong reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined--as well as the woman he loves.

Set at Nashville's historic Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, A Lasting Impression is a sweeping love story about a nation mending after war, the redemption of those wounded, and the courage of a man and woman to see themselves--and each other--for who they really are."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

Tamera Alexander paints vivid and detailed images with her words, and A Lasting Impression is an exquisite showcase of her talent. Although sometimes the specifics of her stories become vague in memory over time, the reader is left with beautiful, emotion-filled impressions that endure. This particular story is quiet grand in scope - a much different setting than her previous novels, set in a luxurious world of art and parties and finery. And yet Alexander shows that no matter the setting - be it the wilds of Colorado or the wilds of the gossip-hungry social elite - suffering is a part of the human condition.

Back story and historical background are woven in throughout the story in an engaging way, making the characters all the more authentic. Alexander explores various impressions and misjudgments throughout the pages, and she keeps the tension going right up to the very end. All of her characters have something to add to the story, and together they make up an oftentimes frustrating, but also wonderful, cast!

From cover to cover this is a gorgeous novel, encouraging the reader to look beyond first impressions and reach out to the hearts of others with forgiveness and compassion. The romance is sweet and yet powerful, and the lessons on truth and a new beginning in Christ are inspiring. This is another Tamera Alexander masterpiece that shines!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Click HERE to read my original post for the CFBA blog tour, which includes information about the author.

A Lasting Impression (CFBA Tour)

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Lasting Impression Bethany House (November 1, 2011) by Tamera Alexander
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tamera Alexander is the best-selling author of Rekindled, Revealed and Remembered, the critically acclaimed Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Her second historical series, Timber Ridge Reflections (From a Distance, Beyond This Moment, and Within My Heart) continue her signature style of deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose which has earned her devoted readers—and multiple industry awards.

These awards include the 2009 and 2008 Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the 2010 and 2007 RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, the 2010 and 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2010 HOLT Medallion, the 2007 Bookseller’s Best Award, the 2007 National Reader's Choice Award, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction for 2006, among others.

Tamera's newest novel A Lasting Impression is the first of a brand new three-book Southern historical series, and the first two chapters are available for review. She's at work on her ninth novel which will release in fall 2012.

After living in Colorado for seventeen years, Tamera has returned to her Southern roots. She and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with Tamera's father, Doug, and with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious--and precocious--silky terrier.

ABOUT THE BOOK

To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. When her fraud of a father deals her an unexpected hand, Claire is forced to flee from New Orleans to Nashville, only a year after the War Between the States has ended. Claire's path collides with that of Sutton Monroe, and she considers him a godsend for not turning her in to the authorities. But when they meet again and he refuses to come to her aid, she realizes she's sorely misjudged the man. Trading an unwanted destiny for an unknown future, Claire finds herself in the middle of Nashville's elite society and believes her dream of creating a lasting impression in the world of art may finally be within reach.

All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Set at Nashville's historical Belmont Mansion, a stunning antebellum manor built by Mrs. Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America in the 1860s, A Lasting Impression showcases the deep, poignant, unforgettable characters that set Tamera's stories apart and provides an inspiring love story that will capture readers' hearts and leave them eager for more.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Lasting Impression, go HERE.

My Thoughts So Far:

I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book, and I'm loving it! Tamera Alexander's writing is so detailed and beautiful, and this story is emotion-packed and engaging. I'm hoping to finish this today/tonight and have a full review posted tomorrow. Eager to find out how Alexander brings everything together!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Self-Worth: A Cautionary Tale

2011-11-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

How do you define your self-worth?

The answer is a simple one for a Christian, in theory: God. He's the One whose love and grace gives us worth and our lives meaning.

And yet as we talked about self-worth and self-esteem in my Personality Theory class today, I realized that I don't always live that way. We read and discussed an article about the various contingencies of self-worth (i.e.: finding our value through different avenues). This includes everything from academics to our appearance. When we determine our value through those factors, then we tend to interpret our successes and our failures as adding to or detracting from our worth as a person.

This can also include writing. The article mentioned that if we find our self-worth through a certain avenue and then we are criticized in it, we shut down and do our best to avoid the criticism or make excuses. Why? Because when we find our self-worth in something besides God, then any perceived "failure" on our parts will make us feel like we have little value.

And I am guilty of acting in this way. I really strongly dislike criticism and do my best to avoid it or ignore it. But you want to know something? Authors are supposed to thrive on criticism and editing!

I react in revulsion. If I ask for a critique, what I'm really asking for is validation and a pat on the back. I just want others to tell me that I'm brilliant and I'm definitely heading in the right direction. It's sad, but true. And I'm the same way with academics - I often put a lot more emphasis on grades than on actual learning.

But if we really truly believe that our worth is found in God alone - in His unconditional love and His purpose for our lives - then criticism isn't something to fear. We don't have to be in competition with others or be the very best at something in order to have value.

Does that mean we simply don't try to succeed, though? Not at all! Yet success is redefined when we strive for an eternal perspective. And no matter whether we fail or succeed, God is at work, He should be glorified, and we should be at rest knowing that His love never changes. If He wants me to write a book, then I should weigh advice, give it my all, and forget comparing myself to others (in their writing speed, awards, publication, etc.).

And one more thing: the article addresses an "antidote" for all the issues surrounding the self-esteem issue. The antidote is to focus on others and to be a part of something bigger than yourself. And that's just what loving and serving God is - being a part of God's eternal plan as He calls us to love and serve others and to give Him the glory. Isn't it wondrous to know your worth is in the hands of a God who lovingly created you and has a purpose for your life?

From God's Word:

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

~ I Samuel 16:7

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
~ Romans 12:3

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
~ Colossians 3:17

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."
~ Psalm 139:14

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
~ Ecclesiastes 12:13

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”
~Matthew 6:20

"And the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

~ Matthew 13:45-46

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

~I Corinthians 6:19-20

Tell Me About Yourself - Blog Award!

2011-11-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Katie from Legacy of a Writer, for passing on the "Tell Me About Yourself" award to my blog! Katie's blog is lovely with lots of fun things going on all the time, so be sure to visit her if you haven't already!

Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Give the award to 15 other bloggers.

And here are 7 things you may or may not know about me...

I am a family girl - I just love spending time with my family! We have such fun on our family vacations or simply watching I Love Lucy or Bonanza episodes together. =)
I love to read! (Surprising, right??)
I just joined Twitter recently (@SeasonsHumility).
I have a tabby cat named Mr. Murphy who lives at my grandparents' house. He's a sweetie! (Especially compared to my sister's cat, Muffin Man...although we still love him!)
Speaking of pets: growing up I had a Persian cat (for a short time), hamsters, and Beta fish. (I think I had gold fish for a very short time, too... But that was before I can remember!)
I didn't learn how to ride a bicycle until I was 11. *Blush*
I love chocolate!! (I think I have the "chocoholic" gene passed down from my mom...)

OK, enough about me! ;) I'm going to pare down the number in the third rule to 5 instead of 15 (not that I couldn't go on and on, though, about all the great blogs out there!), so here are the 5 blogs I'm passing this award on to:

Beth's Thoughts

Southern Sassy Things

Doorkeeper

Labor Not in Vain

Hutt-Write Voice

Congratulations, ladies! You all have great blogs, and I appreciate your friendship - as well as the friendship of all my blogging buddies!!

I think this is a fun award to pass along so we can all learn fun, random facts about each other. =)

P.S. If you haven't seen the update page yet, I recently added the tentative schedule to the Love Finds You Blog Party page if you're interested in seeing some of the fun we have in store! Can't wait to party with ya'll!!

Contentment Reading Challenge: November (Book Swap!)

2011-11-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

We've got about 2 months left to finish up this challenge for 2011, and only one more monthly update after this! I'll have to cook up something special for the occasion. ;) I haven't re-read any books since the last update, so let's just move right along to today's activity... (But feel free to chime in with any of your own totals from the past month!)

Today, back by popular demand (again!), let's welcome another round of the Contentment Reading Challenge Book Swap! To save me a bit of time, as well as to make sure we're all on the same page, I'm just going to repeat the book swap guidelines from the last two swaps (in March and in June).

Here are some guidelines:

You don't have to be a participant in the Contentment Reading Challenge in order to get involved in the book swap.

If you are participating in the challenge and you end up getting a book through the book swap, feel free to count it to your total if you would like. It can be a re-read or a first-time read. You don't have to count it, though, if you only want to count re-reads. I'm just giving you permission if you'd like to. ;)

There are no guarantees that everyone will get to participate. It's all up to you whether or not you end up connecting with another reader and finding some commonalities in your lists. (I'll explain that in just a moment.)

If you choose to participate in the book swap, you will have to pay your own shipping to send your book(s) to another person. (This probably means that most of the "swappers" will be U.S. residents, but if a couple of people from another, same country find each other here, then that would be great!)

So, now I'll tell you how this is actually going to work! You'll need to put together two lists:

A list of books you are willing to send (swap) to another person.
A list of books you are interested in receiving through the swap, whether books you don't have that you want to re-read, or books you've never read before.

In the comments section post your two lists along with your e-mail address. If you see someone whose list matches up to yours in some way, someone you want to trade/swap with (etc.), then contact that person by e-mail and set up a swap! Or wait and see if anyone contacts you.

To get us started (and to give you an example), I'm just going to post my two lists here:

Books Available for Swapping:

A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer
I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp (non-fiction) *Taken*
To Have and to Hold by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott
A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Hello, Hollywood! by Janice Thompson
Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis
Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist (ARC)
Out of Control by Mary Connealy

Books I'm Interested In:

Doctor in Petticoats, Montana Rose, or Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy
How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler *Taken*
The Jewel of His Heart by Maggie Brendan
Moon Over Tokyo or The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell
Nothing But Trouble or Double Trouble by Susan May Warren

If you're interested in swapping with me, e-mail me at: stokes.a@suddenlink.net

I'm willing to be flexible, so feel free to just let me know if one of my books sounds good to you, and we can go from there. =) And go ahead and post your lists and see if there's anyone you want to swap with!

Note: If you don't have a U.S. mailing address, be sure to let others know that in your comment. There might be someone from your country willing to swap with you! (As for me personally, I can only swap with those in the U.S. due to shipping costs.)

Nano-NaNoWriMo

2011-11-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's time.

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Thinking realistically, I know it wouldn't be practical for me to fully participate in the challenge to write a 50,000-words novel in a month, especially since I have papers to write, other homework to complete, and books to review all month long.

But I like the carpe diem aspect of this challenge - "seizing the day" and refusing to put off writing goals in spite of a never-ending to-do list. So I've decided to have a nano-NaNoWriMo challenge for myself.

According to Dictionary.com, one definition of nano is -

"a combining form with the meaning 'very small, minute,' used in the formation of compound words (nanoplankton)..."

So my NaNoWriMo challenge is a "very small" one (as compared to writing 50,000 words): I'm going to edit my first manuscript. I'll be doing some writing and tweaking, and I'll be working on a novel, so I'll pretend it still counts. ;) I'm not going to be official about this or anything. I've just been putting off editing for so long that I want to use this month's theme as inspiration for finally going back to my first manuscript. If I don't get around to finishing the edits, I give myself permission to be merciful. I just want to be heading in the right direction.

How about you? Anyone out there taking on the full NaNoWriMo challenge? Anyone want to join me in doing a "nano" version of the challenge?

Hallowe'en Party

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Even though this episode of Poirot first aired during the summer, I think this is a good time to share my thoughts! It's a Halloween-themed mystery...

Series XI, "Hallowe'en Party"

Synopsis from the PBS Masterpiece website: "I saw a murder once...I did! I did!" boasts a clumsy, disliked girl at a Halloween party. For this, she is ridiculed and dismissed. But before the party's end, she is dead, snuffed out in an apple-bobbing tub. Party guest Ariadne Oliver — never again to consume another apple — summons her old friend Hercule Poirot for help and the gallant sleuth is only too happy to oblige. With the dubious help of the grisly old village witch and the wildly speculative mystery writer Oliver, Poirot must investigate old sins and discover the connections between a years-old stabbing, a Russian au pair, and a forgery to unmask a dangerous killer, all before another corpse surfaces. Adapted by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) and based on the novel by Agatha Christie, Hallowe'en Party stars David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, Zoë Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver, and Deborah Findlay (Cranford).

My Review:

Hallowe'en Party is a creepy murder story, replete with relationship issues and tragedies. If you're looking for a fun-but-scary movie to watch this Halloween, this approximately 90 min.-long episode is probably not the ticket. However, if you're looking for an intriguing murder mystery with some serious overtones, then perhaps you should give this a try for Halloween or any other time of the year!

David Suchet plays the part of Hercule Poirot marvelously. Extremely intelligent and a touch proud, he is also understanding and gentle, with remarkable insight into motivations. It's a pleasure to watch him put all the pieces together and ultimately share his Halloween story of a puzzle solved, which begins (of course!) with the line, "It was a dark and stormy night..."

What is unique about this Halloween-themed movie is that Poirot views horrific or macabre stories at Halloween as missing the point. He claims that Halloween is a time to honor the dead and light a candle for them, rather than glorify the gruesome. Whatever our thoughts on Halloween, it's refreshing to watch a movie that steps away from the idea that gory deaths are entertaining, and rather reminds the viewer that violence and suffering are issues to be contemplated with much gravity and not "mockery," as Poirot puts it.

So while the Halloween theme of the movie may make you want to grab some candy, Poirot also gives the viewer some food for thought to chew on when all is said and done.

In Other Halloween News...

I'm off to a Halloween party with friends this evening, dressed up as Elizabeth Swann from Pirates of the Caribbean (in a Disney dress, not her pirate regalia - a little bit of "fancy" can be fun!). May you all stay safe and have an enjoyable Halloween night with friends and/or family! If you're wearing a costume or going trick-or-treating (etc.), I'd love to hear about your plans!

Twitter and a Creative Endeavor

2011-10-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it. After reading Bluerose's recent Twitter/Facebook post, I decided I'd try my hand at tweeting! I've actually been tweeting for The Borrowed Book on the days when I post on that blog, but now I've created two of my own accounts.

Two, you ask?

Yes, two.

I created an account for me as a writer/blogger/etc. So for my friends here at Seasons of Humility, if you have a Twitter account, I'd love to connect with you! You can find me HERE.

What's the second account for? That's the "creative endeavor" mentioned in this post's title. One of my new favorite authors, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, has recently started a blog for her cat Minerva Louise called Chronicles of the Evil One. If you are a cat-lover, you will love this blog! Too funny!

I loved the idea of having a plain-old fun blog that would also serve as creative writing practice. I even created a new blog just to mess around with the idea (and then promptly deleted it...). But when I started messing around with Twitter, I thought, Why not create a plain-old fun Twitter account with that same purpose in mind? Then I won't have to come up with full blog posts...

So that's what I did!

Some of you may recognize the cat below from a previous post:

This is my windowsill kitty. Ain't he sweet? And he's very low-maintenance, being stuffed and all...

You have no idea how many girls have come by my room the 2+ years I've been here at Corban University, asking me about my cat and telling me how they thought he was real. Well, he's quite the popular attraction here in the Balyo dorm! So I've given him his own Twitter account, where he can share his observations on college life from his strategic position overlooking the back parking lot and various walkways. You can find The Dorm Cat HERE. Hopefully he'll bring a smile to your face! =)

See you on Twitter! (And I hope you don't mind all these links, LOL!)

Fall Friday: More Fun to Come!

2011-10-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that fall is just flying by like a leaf on the wind, there's still some fall fun in store in the blogosphere! Here's a peek at some upcoming attractions:

Book Swap!

Only two more Contentment Reading Challenge update posts left! We've had two book swaps this year, and I've enjoyed hearing the positive responses to these events. So how 'bout one more go-around? Stop by on Wednesday (November 2nd) next week for another book swap! Start preparing your lists - one for books you're willing to swap and another one for books you're looking for - and I'll see you then!

The New and Improved BB

Just to recap, I post weekly on a blog called The Borrowed Book. It's an awesome place for writers and readers alike to gather and find writing tips, book spotlights and other book news, author interviews, giveaways, and more! I'd really, really love to see more visitors over there, especially as we're working on some new features and a new look. Interaction is what makes blogging so much fun, and it would mean a lot to me if you'd pop in every now and again to see what we've got going on!

Author Elizabeth Ludwig's new feature is called "Field Trip Fridays." She is uber talented, and her videos are both informative and interesting. Check out her first Field Trip Friday post and see if you don't agree with me!

As for me, I post on Mondays, and my new feature is called "Where the Past Meets the Present." I even made a nifty button to celebrate! ;)

These posts will include anything from comparison posts between classics and modern books (or reviews of classics), to intriguing historical facts-sharing that writers can incorporate in their stories, to writing advice garnered from reading classic literature. The ambiguous title allows me a little wiggle room, which I hope will translate into more creative posts that will be helpful and enjoyable to readers and writers alike! I'll also continue to post some books reviews/spotlights off and on, as well. So come on over and visit us at the BB!

My Review of Out of Control

2011-10-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a description of the book from Bethany House:

"Rafe Kincaid controls everything in his life... until he meets Julia.

Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys studying the fossils and formations in the magnificent cave near her father's house. The cave seems plenty safe--until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to climb out.

Rafe Kincaid is a man used to being in control--of himself, his brothers, and his family's ranch. The last thing he expects is to find a woman trapped in the cavern on his land--or to be forced to kiss her!

Rafe is more intrigued by Julia than any woman he's ever known. But when their developing relationship threatens a reconciliation with his brothers, will Rafe have to choose between his family and this new love that could heal his troubled heart and secure his happiness?"

My Rating: Fall/Spring

My Review:

Mary Connealy is the queen of sassy, stubborn heroines and protective, equally stubborn heroes - which makes her books just plain fun to read! Romantic tension abounds and is often "out of control" when it comes to Rafe and Julia. But it's not just the sparks that are "out of control," because Connealy throws a hidden family, quirky brothers, and fossil-hunting into the mix. Not to mention a really creepy villain and constant misunderstandings between the hero and heroine... You just have to approach a Connealy book with the expectation that if things aren't "out of control" by the end of the first chapter, you're probably not reading a Connealy book!

For entertainment value and a book that's difficult to put down, Out of Control is the image on the "Wanted" poster - and your reward for that discovery is paid in fast-paced chapters and humorous scenes. The emphasis on the hot and cold imagery (especially for Rafe) is neat, as is the cavernous setting (where Julia get's so easily side-tracked, much to Rafe's chagrin!). As far as depth, however, I was left with more uncertainty than inspiration. Perhaps there was a bit too much that seemed "out of control," with little solid foundation left for pervading meaning amid all the hullabaloo.

All in all, though, if you're looking for a smile and a laugh you should have no problems finding it in the caves in Out of Control. The book is one fun and crazy ride!

*With thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Book Trailer:

My Review of Asenath

2011-10-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Two Destinies...One Journey of Love

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace…and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master’s wife and thrown into prison.

Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?"

My Review:

Patricio brings something unique to the current biblical fiction banquet - a focus on an often over-looked and very unfamiliar character. Asenath was the woman who became Joseph's wife, and little is said about her in the Bible. Patricio takes the limited references to Asenath and creates a detailed story that gives a new perspective on the account of a man sold into slavery by his own brothers and ultimately used by God in a powerful way to save many people.

While the book is intriguing, it didn't fully capture me. This is an historical novel, yet it feels very much like a modern one in the way the characters act, what they say, and how certain situations are portrayed. The writing is a bit stilted and not completely engaging. And as a warning to sensitive readers, there are a couple of swear words, some violence, and some references to sexuality (nothing too explicit, though).

That being said, Asenath still holds the reader's attention with interesting relationships and events throughout the book. It's thought-provoking to see the familiar story of Joseph through the eyes of the woman he married. While Joseph is an integral part of the story, as the title suggests this book is really about Asenath and the sorrow, pain, and love that shaped her life in this one fictional account. Patricio has crafted a creative debut novel topped off with a sweet ending that could serve as a good catalyst for further discussion/contemplation of Joseph's and Asenath's lives.

*With thanks to the author for providing me with an advance PDF copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: Since this was an Advance Reading Copy, some changes might have been made to the final edition which would not be taken into consideration in this review.

Book Trailer:

Litfuse Blog Tour: Baby, It's Cold Outside

2011-10-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a description of the book:

"Hope finds the hopeless when a storm hits.

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.

Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

Where do you go when it's cold outside - when the winds of despair rage and the snow of uncertainty and doubt piles up? Susan May Warren paints a beautiful portrait of hope in the concept of the Storm House. Weaving warm and freezing imagery throughout the book, Warren slowly, gently creates a story full of the simple but astounding truth of God's love as especially celebrated at Christmastime.

Warren's books thrive on emotional intensity, and Baby, It's Cold Outside is further proof of her skill. Her characters are flawed and needy - just the kind of people who could use a Christmas miracle to shake their hearts out of a cold coma. From sweet little Arnie with his big imagination, to two couples in need of a second chance at love, all brought together by a blizzard, the stage is set for a comforting yet unique Christmas story. Add in a few tissues for those heartwarming gusts of emotion, and the package is complete!

If you're looking for a story full of love to get you into the holiday mood, this book is it! The song references along with the contrasting blizzard/cozy-home descriptions had me listening to Christmas music despite the fact that it's not even Halloween at the time I'm writing this - a testament to the fact that you should reserve some time to stay inside with this book this winter, when oh, Baby, It's Cold Outside!

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity Blogging tour.*

About the Author:

"Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com."

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour Schedule: Check out all of the other review scheduled by clicking HERE.

Contest:

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One festive winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire

Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Monday for the Military: Moving Quote

2011-10-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

“I hold the door to the post office open for a weathered man in a wheelchair. He is gracious, thanking me. One leg is missing, and just as I notice this, I see the sticker on the back of his chair: VIETNAM VETS.

My thoughts jumble as an ache brews in my heart. I think of war and how it destroys, divides, and damages. I see the faces of those in the refugee camp and those who found their names on The List and are now in America. I want to tell this wounded soldier that I am sorry for his loss and for the abandonment he may have felt upon his return. I want to say other things, but right now I'm just honored to hold the door for him.”

~ From A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler

Click HERE to read my review of this wonderful book!

Coming Soon: 2nd Annual LFY Blog Party!

2011-10-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

October is swiftly racing by, and soon November will be upon us. After that it will be December - time for Christmas preparations and, of course, the "Love Finds You" Blog Party! I'm very excited to be hosting this event again, as we had such a blast last year!

Did you miss last year's festivities? Or perhaps you'd like a chance to reminisce? Click HERE to read the party posts from December 2010 (be sure to scroll down)!

As of right now I have five wonderful guests lined up for this event, and there will be fun and prizes galore! Want to find out who two of the guests are? Take a look at the blog button I created for the party:

The background is a bit obscure, but if you look at the Summerside Press website I think you should be able to figure out who's book it is...and she's going to be one of our guests!

Now click on this blog button in the sidebar (not the one in the post). One of our guests' lovely covers is gracing the party page! (Note that the party page will be updated with more specific information in the coming weeks.)

Want to help spread the word? Just grab the button in the sidebar (using the code below the button) and share it on your own blog! If you leave a comment here letting me know that you've done this, you can have 2 extra entries in the main prize package drawing to be announced on December 4th!

Hope to see you there!

Fall Friday: Oregon Shakespeare Festival

2011-10-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland with my Shakespeare class, and we had an absolute blast! I loved it so much - from chatting in the car during the 4-5 hour drive (one way), to seeing two superb plays, to enjoying the sunshine and lovely fall colors in the quaint town of Ashland!

Since we did get to see nature's beautiful fall display, I thought it would be fitting to share some of my pictures from the trip with you today:

Walking down an Ashland street - what a gorgeous view!

Off to the park!

A pretty pond complete with ducks!

Pretty pond = photo opp! Short people in front - meaning that's me in the black. ;)

The courtyard in front of two of the theatres, I believe. We got to see a play in the Angus Bowmer theatre, and another one in the New Theatre. It would be so neat to see a play on the Elizabethan (outdoor) stage, but alas, summer is over!

Plays of the day - Friday, October 14th!

Thursday night we saw Measure for Measure (one of Shakespeare's darker comedies). It was a modern version that still used the Shakespearean script - complete with fabulous props/sets, Latin American music, and great acting! On Friday we saw Julius Caesar, which was powerful and quite intense! I'm glad I didn't see either of these when I was younger, as both included some mature themes. But the acting and the whole productions - wow!!

Hope ya'll are enjoying the fall! ;)

My Review of Wonderland Creek (CFBA Tour)

2011-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Wonderland Creek Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Lynn Austin
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn's novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and mystery--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

Once upon a time a friend gave me the opportunity to visit The World's Fair in Chicago, as well as experience some quirky intrigue and sweet romance, by letting me borrow her copy of A Proper Pursuit. When the opportunity arrived to read Wonderland Creek, I dived in and discovered another great story that let me meander Kentucky trails during the Great Depression and find all sorts of crazy adventures.

Both of my experiences with Lynn Austin's work have been quite enjoyable! Wonderland Creek is a book that holds up a mirror and gives you a chance to examine your own book-worm lifestyle (if you're anything like the heroine and me) - but be careful! When you step through the mirror you might just discover an unusual world where you shouldn't be too quick to judge or too quick to assume you know all there is to know. Sweet surprises are in store when Alice visits Wonderland...Creek, that is!

Wonderland Creek explores the joys of life and loving as the heroine discovers that living life can be more exciting than reading about it (believe it or not!). Don't worry, though - the blessings of books are also shown throughout the story. This book doesn't shy away from some serious questions about the realities of hardships, and yet it remains fun and unique in what seems to be traditional Austin style. Go ahead and visit Wonderland Creek - I think you'll be glad you did!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

My Review of Love on the Line (CFBA Tour)

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Love on the Line Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Deeanne Gist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small engineering firm--all from the comforts of home.

Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.

After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.

Eight months later, she sold A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers. Since that debut, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, three RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.

Her latest releases, Beguiled, Maid To Match, and Love on the Line are now available.

Gist lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-eight years and their border collie. They have four grown children. Click here to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love on the Line, go HERE.

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

Looking for a wonderfully entertaining historical romance that you won't want to put down? Say "hello" to Love on the Line! From a heroine with a big heart for birds to a hero with a nest full of secrets, Gist has written an intriguing story with some edgy romance and some historical fun that will have you flying through the pages.

Georgie's career as a switchboard operator is interesting to read about and makes for some humorous scenes involving the gossipy townsfolk, as well as some cute scenes between the hero and heroine as they search for ways to really communicate with each other. While the hero's career isn't quite as unusual in Christian historical romance, the historical background to the story overall (as discussed in the author's note at the end of the book) is indeed unique.

Love on the Line is a clever, engaging book - a real treat for historical romance fans!

*With thanks to Bethany House through CFBA for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: Since this was an Advanced Reader Edition, some changes might have been made to the final edition which would not be taken into consideration in this review.