The Community and the Whale

My last Sunday by the Sea post featured a whale in the Klamath River in Northern California. By the time I had the privilege of seeing her swimming below the bridge, her baby had already returned to the ocean. Many people were excited to see the mama whale and observe her majestic presence in the river. From locals to students from Humboldt State University, the whale brought lots of people to the bridge to marvel and to learn.

Sad to say, the mama whale never rejoined her baby out at sea. She passed away a couple of days ago.

I'd like to share a couple of quotes from an article in the Times-Standard here, as they fit this week's theme of community so well and show the positive side to this story:

"It brought a lot of laughs, smiles and a lot of conversation... She kind of liked it here. And, it appeared she liked people.”

"It brought many agencies and entities and concerned people together to work together to learn the abilities of each other and to know each other... We learned a little more about the science of whales, and the scientists learned a little bit more about the tradition of whales.”

~ Yurok Tribal Chairman Thomas O'Rourke Sr. ~

The Yurok tribe will be burying the whale "above the river near where she died."

If you're interested in learning more about the whale's story, please read the article on the newspaper's website. I got my information (and these quotes) from this article, although I had heard about the whale's death earlier from a friend.

Revell Blog Tour: The Colonel's Lady

Here's a description of the book from Revell:

"Can love survive the secrets kept buried within a tormented heart?

Roxanna Rowan may be a genteel Virginia woman, but she is determined to brave the wilds of the untamed frontier to reach a remote Kentucky fort. Eager to reunite with her father, who serves under Colonel Cassius McLinn, Roxanna is devastated to find that her father has been killed on a campaign.

Penniless and out of options, Roxanna is forced to remain at the fort. As she spends more and more time with the fiery Colonel McLinn, the fort is abuzz with intrigue and innuendo. Can Roxanna truly know who the colonel is--and what he's done?

Immerse yourself in this powerful story of love, faith, and forgiveness set in the tumultuous world of the frontier in 1779."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

The Colonel's Lady is another wonderful showcase of Laura's exquisite and exceptional writing. The story is draped in all shades of blue - from the deep and sorrowful blue of winter to the brilliant blue of the hero's and heroine's eyes, and even to the gorgeous dress on the front cover. Powerful and poignant emotions are explored within these pages, and conflict is found at every turn.

From the moment Roxanna meets Colonel McLinn, secrets become inevitable. The Colonel is guilt-ridden and at war with his own sense of duty. Roxanna is falling in love, but the Colonel embodies everything she cannot hope for, nor understand. And they're not the only ones with secrets in the prison that is Fort Endeavor...

With grand imagery, a well-crafted plot, and an endearing example of the lengths to which true love will go, The Colonel's Lady does not disappoint. Although long-time fans of Laura's work might still be smitten with a certain hero of Courting Morrow Little fame, Colonel McLinn is a charming, handsome hero in his own right and his (and Roxanna's) story is an engaging one full of romance and spiritual growth. A delightful historical romance not to be missed!

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

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

A Note About Community: Not all communities are large. I think a wedded couple can be considered a type of community. And as The Colonel's Lady shows, the best romance is actually "a threefold cord" (Ecclesiastes 4:12) - the man, the woman, and God. A blessed community, indeed!

~ Remember, today is the last day to enter the community contest! Entries will be accepted until 10:00 PM (PST). ~

My Review of Spring for Susannah

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

"When Susannah goes to Dakota territory as a mail-order bride she finds something she never dreamed she would—true love.

With no prospects for marriage and her parents recently deceased, Susannah Underhill agrees to go west to the Dakota territory to marry her minister’s homesteading brother, Jesse. But Susannah is painfully shy, doesn’t see herself as worthy of love from either a husband or from God, and lives in constant fear that Jesse is going to ship her back to Detroit.

In spite of her petite size and the fact that Susannah doesn’t look like she could survive on the prairie, Jesse quickly discovers that his new wife is a greater blessing than he even hoped for. The years she spent as her father’s veterinary assistant allow her to save Jesse’s ox and twin calves and to help neighboring farmers with their animals.

But Susannah’s feelings of unworthiness are deeply rooted, and she can’t believe that Jesse’s praise—or the tenderness and love he shows—could possibly last. The thawing of her heart seems almost as distant as Spring in the midst of the winter blanketing the Dakota prairie."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

From the moment Susannah Underhill steps off the train into the vast prairie-land of the Dakota territory, the reader embarks on an inspiring journey with Richmond's beloved and fascinating characters. Written with a sweet and open sense of honesty, Spring for Susannah is the story of a timid woman who has to learn to use everything she's been given to survive, and the man who loves her enough to encourage her to grow into the confident woman she can be.

Jesse Mason is a man who longs for companionship. He can't seem to stop talking and singing, giving him an unusual but irresistible charm. His experiences in the Civil War still haunt him, but he's still a man with vision and lots of love to share. His short prayers at the beginning of each chapter are heartfelt, and I love that Richmond offers the readers this endearing and authentic glimpse into his character.

His bride, Susannah, has a shy personality that clashes with Jesse's outgoing ways. Until Susannah finally starts to break free and live wholeheartedly - with a heart that "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Spring for Susannah is a story full of history, romance, and vitality. Alternately harsh and beautiful, this book celebrates God-given perseverance and hope. A lovely and meaningful debut!

*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.*

A Note About Community: In the time and setting of this story, people were scarce. But the characters that did call this part of the Dakota territory home formed a tight community - most especially Jesse, Susannah, and their homesteader neighbors Ivar, Marta, and their baby girl, Sara. I loved our hero and heroine's Norwegian neighbors and how they all had church services together, sharing a message, singing hymns, etc.

Here's a great quote from the book to illustrate the importance of community to the story:

"Last winter I tried to talk Jesse into leaving. Not anymore. I've grown to cherish the freedom, the openness of this land, the wall I plastered, the trees I planted. I can see God using me. Homesteading, building a community with people I care about..." (p. 321)

We Belong Together

Dear Blogging Friends,

What was my life like before March 2010? I probably spent a lot less time on the computer... ;) But seriously, I absolutely LOVE our blogging community!! Interacting with all of you has been a huge blessing in my life, and I'm so grateful to God for the dear friends I have made through blogging.

Thank you for taking the time to leave your comments, to send me e-mails, to pray for me, to cheer me on in my writing, and encourage me to seek God's will for my life. I pray that you have been as blessed by this blog as me!

The more I get to know all of you and spend time with you, the more I'm convinced that "we belong together" as a community of book-lovers and God-followers. I hope you agree. =)

Lots of Love,
Amber



P.S. If you missed it yesterday, click HERE to learn more about this week's community contest!

P.P.S. I'm over at The Borrowed Book blog today talking about various forms of writing and sharing one of the poems I recently composed. I would love to see you over there and hear your thoughts on poetry and the like!

(Video from YouTube.com.)

A Week of Community - Contest Rules!

Blogging is all about community. We follow bloggers that have similar interests as us, leave comments to join in discussion and encourage one another, and form friendships based on our commonalities. I love blogging!

So this week we're going to celebrate community in its various forms, from our blogging friends, to church groups and family. And to kick off the week, I invite you to enter a contest that will remind us of what we have to be thankful for in our relationships! (Please read carefully!)

The Community Contest

Basically, the premise of this contest is to create something - be it a photograph, a poem, a short story, a drawing, etc. - that in some way demonstrates and celebrates community. Here are the rules:

• You have between now and Wednesday night (August 17th) at 10:00 PM (PST) to e-mail me your entries at amberstokes@corban.edu. If your entry is not a written entry, just e-mail me a picture of it (or the photograph itself, if that's what you're entering).
  

• Your entries will be judged on two criteria: quality (ie: image quality, grammar, etc.) and theme (how well the entry incorporates the idea of community). It doesn't matter when you created your entry, as long as it's your own original work. Only one entry per person.
  

• One winner will receive a $10 Amazon.com gift card. The top 3 entries (or more, depending on the number of entries) will be posted here on this blog on Saturday, August 20th (either as images or as written pieces).

Who will be judging your entries? Let's meet our celebrity judges!

Laura Frantz

"Laura Frantz credits her grandmother as being the catalyst for her fascination with Kentucky history. Frantz's family followed Daniel Boone into Kentucky in the late eighteenth century and settled in Madison County, where her family still resides. Frantz is the author of The Frontiersman's Daughter and Courting Morrow Little and currently lives in the misty woods of Washington with her husband and two sons."

KC Frantzen

"KC taught fifth grade, worked for an oilfield supply company, a pharmaceutical company, then embarked on several entrepreneurial endeavors. She volunteers with a variety of projects, including the Joni & Friends Wounded Warrior Getaway.

KC and her husband enjoy traveling just about anywhere, which helps formulate ideas for her stories. The family lives in the Tennessee hills - two humans, two Arabian horses and several rescued dogs, including May."

Note: KC has a busy week ahead of her, so she might not be able to judge. But if she has the time, she and May are happy to be on board!

Brenda Stokes

That's right - I've recruited my mom as a celebrity judge! ;) Fisher-woman extraordinaire and an absolutely amazing mother, my mom has graciously agreed to help judge this contest.

One Last Note (Or Two):

Remember, I need your entries by Wednesday night at 10:00 PM in order to give our wonderful judges enough time to judge the entries. Yes, there is a prize, but most of all I'd love to have this be a fun way for us to creatively remind each other of the blessed joys of community in its various forms!

Bonus!

When you e-mail your entry to the contest, let me know if you'd like your name added to a bonus drawing for Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs. The winner will be determined using Random.org's "List Randomizer," so this drawing has nothing to do with whether you win the contest or not. U.S. residents only, please!

(With thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of Mine is the Night to give away to one of my readers!)

I know this is a lot to take in, so feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section! And be sure to return throughout the week for community-themed posts and book reviews!

Winners and Other News

The last "Monday for the Military" post included a double giveaway of the military devotional Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two winners are:

Eva & Amanda

Congratulations, ladies! Be on the lookout for my e-mail!

Thank you again to the publisher for providing the books and to those of you who stopped by and/or entered the drawing!

And in other news...

• If you're interested in seeing some of the upcoming "Monday for the Military" features, click HERE. We have some great guests, interviews, giveaways, and reviews lined up!

• Tomorrow marks the beginning of "A Week of Community." There will be some community-themed posts, book reviews, and a really cool contest, so don't miss all the fun!

• After that we have the End of Summer Bash!! Remember that if you take the button in the sidebar and post it on your blog, then leave a comment HERE, you'll have 2 extra entries in the drawing of your choice that week!

Contentment Reading Challenge: August

I am pleased to say that I actually re-read a couple of books this past month! ;) My total for the challenge so far is...3. But it's better than nothing, and I still have four more months to go!

Back in February I re-read The Redemption, the first book in the "Legacy of the King's Pirates" series by MaryLu Tyndall. In the past few weeks I re-read the other two books in the series - The Reliance and The Restitution. This whole series is just wonderful, and so powerful! I highly recommend it!

Now, MaryLu is this month's featured author over at Radiant Lit, and my reviews of The Reliance and The Restitution should be posting sometime soon! If you have a moment be sure to head on over there. And while you're there you can check out:

• Renee's review of The Falcon and the Sparrow
• Renee's bio, Katie's bio, and my bio on the reviewers page

So, how are you all doing on this challenge? I'd love to hear what you've been re-reading!