Love Finds You in the Wild West!

Today's guest is Elizabeth Ludwig, author of Love Finds You in Calico, California! I just love the history of the Wild West, and California is my home state, so needless to say I'm excited to be talking about both today!

Enjoy this interview with Elizabeth, and read on to see how ya can wrangle yerself a copy of her book! ;)


Amber: What, in your opinion, is the best part about writing a book for the “Love Finds You” series?

Elizabeth: For me, researching the site for Love Finds You in Calico, California was the best part. I love that these stories are set in real places—where real people lived and walked. I think it adds a touch of whimsy to the stories, makes people feel more in touch with the characters.

Amber: I agree with what you said about the series--I love that they are set in real places! Could you share a couple of fun facts you learned while doing research about the place where your “Love Finds You” book is set?

Elizabeth: I discovered Calico, California quite by accident, while on vacation with my family. While there, I got to tour the Maggie Mine—the setting for the final, climatic scene of my book. The emotions I felt—the feeling of suffocating darkness and the weight of the mountain overhead—are translated to my heroine, Abigail Watts.

Visitors are still allowed to tour the Maggie Mine, so be sure to stop by if you’re ever in California!

Amber: If you were planning a party in the town where your book is set, what would it be like? Please describe some of the details of the party planning, such as the guest list, catering, decorations, etc.

Elizabeth: It would definitely by a costume party! I’d require all of my guests to dress in period clothing and speak the Wild West lingo. It might even be fun to make it a Murder Mystery party, where all of the guests are suspects and their job is to figure out who the murderer is by the time dinner is over. LOL!

No getting lost in the mine, however…that would be too much for my poor nerves.

Amber: Love it! Murder Mystery Parties are so much fun, and combined with the Wild West--awesome! Do you have any thoughts on love and humility in general that you would like to share with us?

Elizabeth: Sure!

I had surgery recently. It was very unexpected and SO scary! Fortunately, my dear husband took very good care of me. Every night, he walked me to our room and gently helped me to bed. Because I couldn’t lie back on my own, he’d slip his arms around me and slowly lower me down. So sweet! Then, when I was ready to get up, he’d come and lift me to the floor.

Now, this is just one way he took care of me. I would fill up an entire page if told you about the meals he cooked, the dishes he washed, and everything else he did. Still, his care for me while I was sick showed me much more than his words ever could how much he loves me. As for me? Well, I fell in love with him all over again!

I think that’s why I write Christian fiction—because I want to translate to readers that this is the kind of love that lasts a lifetime…not the superficial physical attraction so many other books talk about. Most of all, this selfless love is the very thing that our Savior demonstrates toward us. What better kind of love could there be?

Amber: Oh, that is so sweet and beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing about your real life love story and how humility plays such an important role. I'm so glad you could join us for the "Love Finds You" blog party!


Readers, as some of you may recall this past summer I returned to a mining town called Virginia City, Nevada, for another visit. (I've been there several time now and love it!) Let's make this a real Wild West party today, and join me through these pictures from my trip on a stagecoach ride!

Take a seat and hold on to your Stetson hat--it's going to be a bumpy ride!

And we're off! Just look at those sagebrush-covered hills and that silver-blue sky: bliss!

(Just a note before you watch the video: It might get a little loud, so I recommend turning the volume down unless you really want the full effect! ;) And in case you're curious, that's my mom up there with the stagecoach driver!)

Was that fun or what?! If you would like to learn more about these stagecoach rides and TNT Stagelines, click HERE.

And now that we've settled back down again (although probably still a bit jostled on the inside!), here's your chance to win Love Finds You in Calico, California! (Note that this giveaway is for U.S. residents only.)

Just leave a comment for Elizabeth with your valid e-mail address for your first entry. And if you would like 2 extra entries, tell us what your favorite Western show is. My favorite is Bonanza, which is set in Virginia City, Nevada!

Thank you again to Elizabeth for her generosity in giving away a copy of her book and for taking the time to join us!

Yee-haw!

Love Finds You Immersed in Chocolate!

You guessed it! Today's guest is Cerella Sechrist, author of Love Finds You in Hershey, Pennsylvania! I have had the privilege of hosting Cerella here several times, and she is such a joy. I am thrilled to have her back again!

Cerella graciously agreed to answer my questions and offer an autographed, personalized copy of her book, so read on for some more party fun!


Amber: What, in your opinion, is the best part about writing a book for the “Love Finds You” series?

Cerella: I absolutely adore that the "Love Finds You" books are themed around small towns or uniquely named ones. It’s such a great grounding theme to build a variety of stories from! Plus, since this was my debut novel, I was more than thrilled to be joining such an established series with other authors I’ve admired for so many years. I was definitely blessed with that, and I’m always so proud to tell people about Summerside and "Love Finds You!"

Amber: Could you share a couple of fun facts you learned while doing research about the place where your “Love Finds You” book is set?

Cerella: I grew up less than an hour from my book’s setting of Hershey, and I’d been there several times throughout my life. But it was fun to start exploring it from a character’s perspective, especially one like Sadie.

An interesting bit of trivia –
Milton Hershey’s life has an interesting history with his journey from a candy apprentice to chocolate magnate. One fun fact I picked up was that Hershey and his wife, Catherine, were slated to sail on the fated RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage on their return from a trip to Europe in 1912. Fortunately for them, his wife fell ill, and they were forced to cancel the trip and remain in Europe a little while longer for her to recuperate. Unfortunately, his wife eventually succumbed to the illnesses that plagued her, and she died while she was still relatively young. He never remarried, which is rather romantic.

Amber: How interesting and romantic/tragic! Thank you for sharing!

If you were planning a party in the town where your book is set, what would it be like? Please describe some of the details of the party planning, such as the guest list, catering, decorations, etc.

Cerella: Well, since this is my fantasy party, I think we’d have to break it down into TWO parties.

The first one would be held at the Hershey Theatre, which is extremely elegant and stunning in its replication of European architecture (Dmitri and Sadie attend a movie there in the book.) The theatre is also a venue for weddings, and it’s unbelievably beautiful. So we could have a fancy party there first with an entirely chocolate-themed menu (because we ARE in Hershey, after all.) I’d fly in the Top Chef: Just Desserts competitors to create the food, and I’d demand that everything from appetizers to entrees be themed with chocolate.

And since this first party would be fancier, why not take it over the top and dress up? I’d suggest themed “costumes” in the style of the Titanic-era since, after all, Hershey and his wife very nearly sailed with that ship. The Hershey Theatre atmosphere fits right in with that setting so it’s perfect!

After we finished our Titanic-chocolate party, we’d move on to the Hershey Story Museum and crowd into Café Zooka so we could sample the Origins of Chocolate tasting (which is a set of six chocolate beverages from different countries – it’s like wine tasting with chocolate!) And then we’d commence with a “make your own dessert” party, decorating cupcakes and ice cream sundaes with some of the Hershey company’s best known candies: Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Pieces, Jolly Ranchers, Good ‘n Plenty, York Peppermint Patties, Twizzlers, Kit Kat, Almond Joy and Mounds.

And Amber, because I know how much you love a good chocolate-covered strawberry, I figure we’ll throw some of those in, too, for everyone to decorate and eat. =D

Amber: Cerella, could you please, please, please have this party? That sounds absolutely delightful!!! You described it so well, too--it was easy to picture it all! Definitely the mark of a writer. =)

BTW, thank you for thinking of me with the chocolate-covered strawberries! ;)

Do you have any thoughts on love and humility in general that you would like to share with us?

Cerella: I love when the two go hand-in-hand! I think that’s part of the world’s continued love for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice – that Darcy learned humility, all out of a growing love for Elizabeth. After all, Thomas Moore said it best when he remarked, “Humility, that low, sweet root, from which all heavenly virtues shoot.”

Thanks for allowing me to celebrate on "Seasons of Humility," and here’s hoping Love Finds You all year round! =)

Amber: Thank you so much for joining us today, Cerella! It's always a treat to host you, and your responses are fabulous!


Readers, what is a party without dancing? Picture us at that gorgeous Titanic-chocolate-themed party Cerella planned, dressed in all our gorgeous costumes and dancing the night away!

Here's my dad, me, and my sister at the Jazz Festival in our home county last spring:

So much fun! Dancing has been such a gift in my life--from dancing with my daddy, to dancing at Prom, to just having a dance party by myself in my room! Love it!

Want to join me? Click HERE to listen to a great dancing song all about love finding you (and how you know if it has!). Feel free to dance along!

If you want a quick break from all the excitement, leave a comment below with your valid e-mail address for a chance to win an autographed, personalized copy of Love Finds You in Hershey, Pennsylvania! (This drawing is for U.S. residents only.)

And while we're at it, let us know your favorite Hershey product (your candy of choice to put on top of those cupcakes and sundaes Cerella was talking about), and you can get 2 extra entries in today's drawing!

Let's dance!

Love Finds You at Christmastime!

Today our guest is Anita Higman, co-author (with Irene Brand) of Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe! Anita has been busy working on a deadline (and we as readers certainly don't want to interrupt the authors writing these great books!), but she kindly agreed to share this interview she and Irene put together, answering questions about their book.

Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe is two stories in one, with one novella written by Anita Higman and the other written by Irene Brand. The novellas are connected to each other, as well!

Enjoy the interview! (And remember to keep reading for information about today's giveaways!)


Was it difficult to connect your two stories?

Anita: Not at all. We had a brainstorming session by phone and by email and figured it out. Irene’s historical novella, An Appalachian Christmas, is tied to my contemporary novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve. They are connected through the passing of a mistletoe ball through the generations. It was a delight to work with Irene. She’s very easy to get along with. In fact, we’ve become long-distant friends.

Irene: It wasn’t difficult. Actually, this may have been the easier part of the writing project. After we’d each read the other’s manuscript, I provided Anita with the information necessary for continuity, and she did the same for me. It was easy to insert the other story line into my novella

Do you think you’d consider working on another project together?

Anita: Yes, in fact we’ve been chatting about working on another project together.

Irene: It would appeal to me. Although our writing styles aren’t the same, still the differences seem to improve the book.

How did you come up with the idea for your story?

Anita: My novels are more character driven, and so my characters tend to move the story along. The idea for Once Upon a Christmas Eve may have started with my interest in the fairy archetype. I loved the movies Cold Comfort Farm and Chocolat for that very reason. There was something enchanting about those two heroines as they whirled around, fixing people’s lives. I gave my main character, Holly Goodnight, some similar fanciful qualities.

Irene: My husband and I spent a few days in Owsley County, Kentucky, where my novella is located. After we met the local people, visited the site where the action would be, and learned about the local history, the story was easy to develop.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

Anita: That no matter how impossible circumstances look, God can work all things for good.

Irene: That even when a romance seems hopeless, true love can overcome any barrier.

What are your five favorite things about Christmas?

Anita: The birth of Christ, of course. But then I love the music, the scents, the special foods, and family time together.

Irene: Local church activities, music, baking and visiting shut-ins with goodies, Christmas dinner with extended family, holiday movies on TV.

Where can readers find you online?

Anita: I would love for folks to drop by my website at www.anitahigman.com.

Irene: www.irenebrand.com

Anita: Thank you for inviting us to your blog! Irene and I hope your Christmas is filled with the love of Christ and all things bright and beautiful!


Amber: Thank you, Anita, for joining us for the "Love Finds You" Blog Party!

Readers, Anita has generously offered to give away 2 copies of Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe to two lucky winners! Isn't that cover lovely? And this is such a timely giveaway! To enter, leave a comment for Anita with your e-mail address. (This giveaway is for U.S. residents only.)

Remember that all winners will be announced on Friday, December 10.

Now, would you like a way to get extra entries and have some fun? I hope so!

This time of year is full of food...fudge, cookies, pie, candy, etc. And there are plenty of dessert auctions and social events where such food can be shared among friends. So, as a group of friends gathered here--is anybody up for another recipe exchange? (Since we can't actually share the desserts with each other, recipes will have to do!)

The picture above is of me and my grandparents (my grandma is right beside me in the picture) last year at my sister's school's Christmas play, where they also had a dessert auction. I got to come home early from college for Christmas break, and only my parents knew about it, so I got to surprise the rest of my family, including my grandparents! While they were looking at the desserts, I walked right up behind them and gave them a hug. It was so special! (With lots of happy tears!)

But anyway, just picture all of us around a table like this, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the wonderful Christmas desserts everyone has brought to share! Help us picture these desserts (and help us make them on our own!) by sharing your recipe, and you'll get 3 extra entries in today's drawing for Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe!

Dig in!

"Love Finds You" Blog Party Giveaways!

Welcome to the first day of the "Love Finds You" Blog Party!!! I am so excited to be the hostess of this party, and I'm so happy to celebrate this fantastic series with all of you!

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!

To start this party right, I have some great giveaways to announce! Every party has to have some sort of door prize, and this blog party is no exception.

The door prize is a "Christmas Tree of Truffles" gift from Harry & David! Click HERE to take a closer look at the truffles and what flavors this box includes. I just have to give away chocolate! ;)

All you need to do to enter the drawing for the door prize is leave a comment with your valid e-mail address. That's it!

And there is also a grand prize package!!! Here's what the prize package includes:

A copy of Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas,

a bracelet from Bug's Beads (made by my dear blogging friend, Casey),

and a $10 Amazon.com gift card!!!

Here's how you can enter the drawing for the grand prize package:

• First entry: Leave a comment saying where love "found" you (if you are already engaged/married). If you're single, either let us know where love "found" your parents, grandparents, best friend, etc. OR tell us what your favorite "Love Finds You" book is!
  

• One extra entry: Become a follower or let me know if you are already a follower.

• Two extra entries: Grab the button for this party (located in the sidebar under "You're Invited!") and share it on your blog. (Also, remind me again if you've already done this!)
  

• Three extra entries: Write a post about this party and include a link to this blog.

There are plenty of ways to enter! For the extra entries, please let me know which ones you have done (and maybe include a link to your blog if you share about the party). Thank you so much for helping me spread the word!

A couple of notes about the giveaways:

• Thank you so much to Casey from Writing for Christ for contributing the book and the bracelet to the prize package! I am so grateful for your kindness and generosity!

• Today's giveaways are for United States residents only. I apologize to our international guests. However, feel free to comment and join in the fun no matter where you're from! The more the merrier!

• All this week's winners will be randomly chosen Thursday night (9:00 p.m. PST) and announced on Friday.

Again, welcome to the "Love Finds You" blog party!!! Remember--there's much more to come, including author interviews, more giveaways, and lots of entertainment!

Setting the Mood with a Pre-Party Activity!

Tomorrow is the official first day of the "Love Finds You" Blog Party here at "Seasons of Humility!" The excitement is building!!! Are you ready to party?

To help kick-start the festivities and celebrate the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to share a Christmas tradition with you. It involves a pickle ornament and extra gifts, so read on to find out more!

The advertisement below featured on The German Way website gives a brief description of this Christmas tradition:

The basic idea is that the parents hide a pickle ornament in the tree, and whoever finds the green ornament among the branches and other ornaments receives an extra gift! In our family, though, we have more than one pickle ornament, so my sister and I both have a chance to win a prize. It makes the game a little less stressful that way, I'm sure. ;) Plus, my grandparents hide pickle ornaments for us in their tree, too, so I think it's safe to say we've been rather spoiled!

Anyway, would you like to try your hand at pickle hunting? I've hidden three pickle ornament images here on the blog somewhere. They could be on one of my pages, older posts, or right under your nose! But just to clarify--they are only on this blog. You won't find them in any links that take you away from "Seasons of Humility."

What is the extra gift you're aiming for? Whoever finds a pickle image first and tells me in the comment section where it was found gets 5 extra entries in the drawing for the grand prize package (to be described tomorrow on the first day of the party)! That means that if you happen to have extra time and somehow find all three of the pickle images before anyone else, you could get up to 15 extra entries in the drawing!!! Or there could be one person with 10 extra entries and another with 5 extra entries. Or three different people could end up with 5 extra entries each. You get the idea!

Believe me--the grand prize package is going to be awesome! So don't miss out on this chance to gain extra entries in the drawing! Plus, it's always fun to be the first to find something. ;) Don't forget that in order to get the extra entries you must say where you found the pickle ornament image on my blog (you can say what page/post or you can give the URL). Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions (or if you are in need of some hints...), as well. There are three images, so that means there are three chances to win! Here's what the image looks like (but note that this is not one of the three images you are supposed to find--this is just an example):


Happy pickle hunting! And remember to stop by tomorrow to join me for the first day of the "Love Finds You" Blog Party!!!

*All three of the pickles have now been found. Congratulations to Bluerose and Casey! Thank you for joining in the fun!*

Tangled

It was with great excitement and eagerness that I went to the movies with two of my friends this past evening. The excitement continued to build, even as we went to the wrong theater (which wasn't showing Tangled!) and had to backtrack a short distance to the right one. We made it just in time to watch a couple of previews and dive right into the movie!

From the start of the movie I found myself intrigued by the creative twist on the traditional Rapunzel story--how Rapunzel came to be in the tower, her story. In traditional Disney fashion there was some sweet magic involved, then evil tried to take over and hide that sweetness selfishly away.

Throughout the first half of the movie, I was pleased with how humorous it was! I laughed frequently and enjoyed the cleverness of the characters and some of the absurd situations they found themselves in. Without trying to give too much away, I do have to say there was one scene involving Rapunzel's angst that was absolutely too funny! Alternately overjoyed and "in the depths of the despair" (as Anne of Green Gables would say), it was hilarious watching her reactions to her new-found freedom, as well as watching Flynn's reactions to her. Love it!

Many of the secondary characters were rather quirky, which was great but perhaps a bit overdone in parts. I loved Rapunzel's pet chameleon, Pascal, because he was just too cute! The horse was certainly interesting with it's dog-like behaviors, and one of my friends noted later how it was similar to Bullseye's behaviors in the Toy Story movies, although the horse in Tangled is even more dog-like.

The romance was so sweet in this movie! I enjoyed watching it develop and seeing how caring and giving it became. One of my favorite scenes involved hundreds of lanterns and a boat. I won't say anymore than that! Well, except I will add that the animation, especially in that scene, was beautiful! And their discussion of dreams--what happens once they're fulfilled--is one I think many can relate to with a smile.

This movie was fun and it did have some surprises. On the other hand, while it was unique in some ways, it was rather similar to other Disney movies. Don't get me wrong--I love happily ever-afters! But this movie wasn't as powerful as many of the Disney Pixar, and some of the Dreamworks movies, are. I didn't cry during this movie like I did both times I saw Toy Story 3 in theaters. I wasn't quite as thrilled by it as I was by How to Train Your Dragon (which I watched recently and loved!). But it was still good, and I'm glad that I went to see it!

*This review has been posted on Corban University's online newspaper, Hilltop News! Check it out HERE!*

(Poster image from IMDb.com.)

LitFuse Publicity Blog Tour: Nightingale

Here's a description of the book:

"Esther Lange doesn’t love her fiancé—she’s trapped in an engagement after a mistaken night of passion.

Still, she grieves him when he’s lost in battle, the letters sent to her by the medic at his side giving her a strange comfort, so much that she strikes up a correspondence with Peter Hess, an Iowa farmboy. Or is he? Peter Hess is not who he seems. Indeed, he’s hiding a secret, something that could cost them both their lives, especially when the past comes back to life. A bittersweet love song of the home front war between duty and the heart...a battle where only one will survive.

Don’t miss book 1 in this stand-alone collection, Sons of Thunder."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

Susan May Warren writes with a compassionate heart and powerful insight! After reading the first book in the "Brothers in Arms" collection, Sons of Thunder, I could hardly resist reading the second book, Nightingale. Warren is a very talented author, and her research shines through her almost tangible word pictures.

Nightingale does differ considerably from Sons of Thunder, in that the latter is full of action and movement, and the former is more about thoughts and emotions. Both are gripping in their own right, but I found that Nightingale was not as hard to put down as Sons of Thunder was. However, that being said, I was still quite moved by the story, with even the very first scene stirring me deeply.

Once I got almost half-way through I became more engrossed in the story, and I was thankful for the opportunity to see Peter's perspective. Throughout the second half of the book especially, I found there to be plenty of twists and turns, and I had no idea how Warren was going to resolve all the problems that came up! But somehow she did. And while the break between Part II and Part III was a little bit abrupt for me, the rest of the story flowed very well. The romance was sweet, although there was a lot of heartbreak throughout the book.

I do kind of wish that Esther's faith was established a bit more. Peter's encouragement was wonderful, but I would have liked it to be a little more clear that Esther was already a believer, in which case Peter's words would be truly applicable. Some of what she said in her pain made it unclear as to whether or not she truly believed in Jesus and His grace, although I'm almost positive that it was assumed she had already been saved before. (If I simply missed something in this point and am making a big deal out of nothing, please forgive my ignorance.)

Overall, I was touched by this book and the message of always "holding on," knowing that God never leaves us. This book is brimming with history, intrigue, and emotion!

*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 the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year.

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

Contest: Click on the button in the sidebar to go to the contest website! But hurry-- the contest ends soon!

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