"It Was a Dark and Stormy Night..."

Hello from Washington D.C.! It's been quite an experience just getting here, and I confess that I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. I'm so thankful for my blog and my followers, because I need something familiar to cling to right now!

The flight from L.A. to D.C. was fun, in that I enjoyed reading, blogging, and listening to/watching a movie on my iPod. I have to say, though, that I cannot wait to have real food again tomorrow! =) I haven't had much to eat today, so breakfast sounds really, really good right now!

Anyway, as we began our descent, we left blue skies to be surrounded by dark clouds. Hence, the title of this post. It doesn't seem to be raining now, but it sure was humid when we got outside! Now I know what all ya'll were talking about with the hot weather on the East Coast!

Upon landing our ride didn't show up (as far as we could tell). So we ended up having to take a taxi, which left me feeling a bit . . . well . . . frightened. The taxi driver was nice, no question. But my dad had a hard time understanding him at first, and I was simply hoping we would end up at the right hotel. But here we are at Arlington Court Suites--God was watching over us!

My aunt Timmy and her son, Mel, met us in the lobby, and we enjoyed catching up with each other. It's been quite a while since I've seen any of my dad's family, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them tomorrow!

Now, following are some pictures of our suite. My dad and I have quite a lot of room. Take a look!

This is my bedroom. There's also a T.V., closet, etc., but not much standing room in order to get a good picture! My dad has another bedroom that looks similar to this one.


Here's our kitchen! I wish we had some home-cooked food to go with it . . .


And here we have a nice little dining room table. Too cute!


Here's my daddy! After we were done visiting with Aunt Timmy and Mel, we quickly settled in with our laptops! =)

And here I am! This spot is where I'm sitting right now, comfy-cozy in my sweats, writing this post. Yay for blogging!

Now you know what our accommodations are like. Hopefully, tomorrow I will have more exciting pictures for you, rather than pictures of our hotel room! ;) Hope you enjoyed the tour anyway!

Posting in the Air!

Hello from the air above the United States! Isn't it amazing that they have Internet access up here? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a blogger, so I simply had to take it!

The day started early for us, but thankfully nothing too eventful has happened. =) I took a few notes on our first flight to make sure I could share how beautiful it was! Here they are, with some changes/additions:

• The ocean looked so close! When you're flying above a city, you can see how high up you are because all the buildings and roads look so small. But the sea is just endless blue! We were only over the ocean for a short time, though, before we turned and headed East to Redding.
• The horizon was fuzzy pink at the edges.
• The fog was like cotton pulled and stretched into valleys and towns. It was a nice change to see the fog from above instead of being beneath it!
• I could see hills of gold and shadow, and also distant blue, light-shrouded peaks. Gorgeous! I could have started singing the song from Oklahoma! ("Oh, what a beautiful morning...")!
• Looking out at the engine reminded me of Madagascar 2. I was happy, though, that no crazy, little critter was standing there, ready to be blown off!
  
• The ride was loud!!! I think I forgot how loud those smaller planes can be.

Anyway, we made it to L.A. safely, and now we're on our way to D.C.! A Passion Denied is keeping me company today. =) Talk to you soon--from our nation's capital!

Preparing for D.C.

Well, it's almost time! Tomorrow morning, my dad and I will be heading to the Arcata/Eureka airport (which is actually located in McKinleyville, interestingly enough!) to take a flight to L.A. From there, we'll be headed out to Washington D.C.!

This will be my first time on the East Coast, unless you count the time I landed at the Atlanta, Georgia airport on my way to Israel. =) In any case, I can tell you that I'm excited to see our nation's capital!

Now, I haven't yet explained why exactly I'm going to Washington D.C. with my dad. I could try to explain it to you, but I think this article will better answer your questions. It's a short piece, so I hope you don't mind taking a look at it--that way everything else I'm about to explain will make much more sense!

OK, now that you've read the article (hopefully!), Pvt. Robert L. Crane was my great-uncle (and my dad's uncle). Therefore, my dad was invited to go to the service, and he was allowed to bring one more person along (which is me!). Some of my other family members will be there; I haven't seen many of them in years. So it will be great to catch up with them!

While we'll only be in D.C. for a short time, we're also hoping to see some of the sights. I'm bringing my laptop with me, along with my camera, so I hope to share some of what we see and do with my readers!

It should be a memorable experience, and I'm happy to be able to share it with all of you! Thank you for taking the time to "travel" with me!

Beautiful Oregon

Looking back over the pictures my parents took during our vacation to Sunriver, Oregon, I feel immeasurably blessed. I would love to share some of these memories with you. May they remind you of the joys of family and the loveliness of God's creation!

This first picture is of the view from Cardinal Landing Bridge--a footbridge that sees traffic from pedestrians, bikes, and horses! Isn't the scenery gorgeous? I love the view from being on the bridge, but I also love the view of the bridge itself from a glider! The different views remind me of differing perspectives in life. God can see infinitely more than we can from where we are in one specific point in time and place--and He can see how this one point in our lives fits in with all of eternity. What a great comfort!

This next picture is from our glider ride. My dad and I went on a glider ride several years ago, and it was so much fun to go again! The people at Sunriver Soaring are so fun and sweet, and we had a blast! Although, I must warn you--this time I kind of wished I hadn't eaten breakfast right before I went. I held it together, but it was a close call for sure! However, overall it was thrilling, and I love the view of the mountains. (And you can see the reflection of our pilot in this picture!)

My mom and I had our own wonderful experience, canoeing on Sparks Lake, bordered by Mt. Bachelor, the South Sister, and Broken Top. We canoed with a great group at night, and when we stopped on the shore to enjoy a campfire and hot chocolate from a thermos, we were overjoyed to see the clouds start to move away, leaving us with a breathtaking view of the stars! It was a peaceful, majestic experience, and I love the name of the tour group: Wanderlust. I think the beauty of what God has made and the adventurous spirit He sets within us gives me a case of "wanderlust" sometimes, as well!

The next few pictures show some of the other fun things we did as a family: walking with my grandpa (and sitting with my dad and grandpa!), riding our bicycles, and eating at the Trout House for breakfast (yum, yum!).




And I simply have to include this video! We went to the High Desert Museum, and there were some people at the Settlers' Cabin that were dressed in period costume and talking about what life was like in the high desert back in 1880. Anyway, I got to learn how to play a game from back then, but I guess I got a bit carried away... Watch the following clip to see what I mean!



That poor young man. He was a good sport about it, though!

I could go on and on about the blessings God gave me through this trip! I hope that God might bless you through my memories, as well. Here's one last picture of us in the home we rented. What a wonderful vacation!


(Thank you to my parents for these pictures, this video, and for a grand vacation! I love you!)

My Review of Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long

Here's the description of the book from Thomas Nelson: "When Sarah realizes that she has fallen in love with an Englisch doctor, she must choose between her family and her forbidden love.

Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, shy Sarah King is happiest when working in her vibrant Amish kitchen garden, but new family responsibilities lead her into the confusing world of the Englisch.

Sarah finds her life turned around when she encounters the community’s new Englisch veterinarian, Grant Williams. His blue-gold eyes and his obvious concern for her people attract her immediately. Sarah seeks solace and direction from the Lord as she creates a quilt pattern which details her struggle between two worlds.

The Lord is guiding Sarah to follow His will, but will she listen?"

My Rating: Fall/Spring

My Review:

Sarah is a shy, kind Amish girl whose biggest challenge at the beginning of the novel is finding the courage to run her family’s stand, where they sell produce, baked goods, and handcrafted items. But when a handsome Englisch veterinarian becomes her closest neighbor, Sarah’s life becomes more complicated—but also more vibrant.

For most of the book, I found myself really enjoying the story However, I had two issues with the book, namely the romance and the ending. In reference to the romance, I felt that Grant might have been too forward and forceful, especially because Sarah is Amish and her world is more strict and set apart than Grant’s world. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the romance. By no means! I just wasn’t sure if Grant was being fair to Sarah at first.

As for the ending, I’ll just say that I found it to be a bit unbelievable. I’m not sure what exactly I wanted, but I don’t think I was completely satisfied with what came about. The realistic elements of the story seemed to be somewhat lost at the end.

Besides those two issues, I loved the symbolism and beautiful imagery of Sarah’s garden and her quilt! I found this to be a pleasurable, rather quick read, and I look forward to the next book in this series!

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

"A Hot Summer Day" with Julie Lessman

I hope everyone brought some lemonade, sunglasses, and sunscreen--along with a warm welcome for author Julie Lessman!

It is my great pleasure to have Julie join us today! I "met" Julie a little over a year ago, when she was visiting various blogs and promoting her books. We ended up becoming friends after I told her my story about reading her first book, A Passion Most Pure, little by little when I would go to Borders. Eventually, my dad bought me the book, which I finished (not in Borders!) and absolutely enjoyed! I ended up earning the nickname "Borders Girl" from Julie. =)

This just goes to show you how sweet Julie is! We recently discussed A Passion Most Pure on this blog, and I was once again blown away by Julie's kindness. She took the time to address each one of us who commented personally, and she contributed to our discussion in great ways!

All this to say that Julie is not only a fabulous author, but also a fantastic friend! Here's some more information about her:

"Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of 'Passion With a Purpose' underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as 'Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction' at http://www.borders.com/online/store/ListView_best2009favefiction. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law and is the author of The Daughters of Boston series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com."

And now, here's Julie!

Amber: What is your favorite summer activity?

Julie: Gosh, Amber, there are SO many—boating, biking, the Muny Opera outdoor theatre or just sitting on my back deck in the woods writing books. BUT … I would have to say my “favorite” summer activity would be laying out in the sun. I love the smell of Hawaiian Tropics coconut suntan lotion while sprawling in a chaise lounge and reading a book or listening to oldies. Of course, this would be ideal by a pool or a beach, but since we live in the woods without either, I have to drag my chaise to the only spot with sun—my driveway! Rest assured that because I am an “oldie,” I have the good sense to strategically park our cars so that neither the neighbors nor passing vehicles are seriously traumatized. =)

Amber: In A Hope Undaunted, Katie must spend a summer with her childhood nemesis. Could you share a summer scene with them that will make us swoon?

Julie: Well, I don’t know if it’s a bonafide “swoon” scene since there is no kissing involved, but here’s part of a summer scene where the gang from the Boston Childen’s Aid Society are celebrating Betty Galetti’s birthday. Keep in mind it’s the era of prohibition, so alcohol is illegal, but women often wore flasks of alcohol strapped to their thighs, which is the case with Bobbie Sue, Betty’s friend. Luke orders “near beer” for everyone, a nonalcoholic beer, but unbeknownst to him, Bobbie Sue secretly pours alcohol in Katie’s drink, making her tipsy. This starts out in Katie’s point of view, then switches to Luke’s:

“Katie, wait up!”

“Oh-oh,” Betty said with a quick glance over her shoulder. “We got trouble.” She pressed her lips to Katie’s ear. “Let me do the talking, you hear?”

Luke huffed to a stop, hands on his knees while Parker trailed behind with a grim look in his eyes. “Betty, Bobbie Sue—Parker’s going to walk you back to the house while I take Katie home. I need to speak with her father.”

Betty and Parker exchanged glances. Pursing her lips, Betty tightened her hold on Katie’s arm. “Her parents are at a wedding tonight, Luke, so no need. Besides, Katie wants to show me something, so we’ll walk her home.”

Luke tucked an arm around Betty’s shoulder. “Sorry, Galetti, I promised her father I’d get her home safe and sound.” He patted her cheek, then tugged on Katie’s arm. “Come on, Katie Rose.”

Katie stumbled against him, nose flat against his rock-hard chest. The smell of musk and soap teased her senses, forcing the blood to warm beneath her skin. She closed her eyes and emitted a soft, little moan, wishing she could stay there forever.

He clutched her with a chuckle. “The near beer set you on your ear, Katie Rose?”

“Luke, I told you, we can walk her home,” Betty attempted to peel her from Luke’s chest, but Katie only released a languid sigh, curling her arms around his waist.

Instantly, his muscles tensed beneath her hold. “Katie?”

She slowly lifted her head and blinked, lost in the hard chiseled line of his jaw, the dangerous cleft in his chin and those blue eyes that always pierced right through her.

Like now.

He held her at arm’s length, scanning her face with fatal accuracy. His eyes darkened to pewter in the lamplight. “Are you drunk?”

“She’s just feeling the effects of that one drink,” Betty said quickly. She tugged her from Luke’s hold, causing Katie to wobble on her heels. “I’m taking her home, now.”

Luke yanked her back. “Get your hands off her. I want to see her walk.”

He let go of her arm, and Katie swore the group of them were running in circles. She closed her eyes, but the spinning got worse, forcing the food in her stomach to rise.

“Katie!” Her eyes popped open at Luke’s command. “Walk to me—now!”

She stared, incensed at his order and wishing he’d just stand still, for pity’s sake. Her chin jutted up as she propped hands to her hips, ignoring the fact she was swaying as much as he was. “I don like your attitude, Mcgee. Why don you walk ta me?”

Bobbie Sue snorted.

Luke’s jaw hardened, defying his gentle tone. “Katie, will you please walk over here?”

“Musch better,” she said with satisfaction and proceeded to sashay to where he stood, focusing hard on each step she took. A smile sprouted on her lips as she approached … until a ridiculous cobblestone tripped her up and sent her flying into his arms. Inhaling deeply, she was intoxicated by the scent of him and looked up with a silly grin. “They really need to fix that.”

Suddenly she was airborne, swooped up in his arms with cheek pressed hard to his chest. She sighed and let her head drop back in contentment. “Mmm … this is nice.”

A swear word sizzled the air.

“So help me, somebody’s going to pay for this.” Luke seared Betty with a glare. “Did you give her more booze?”

Betty hunched her shoulders. “Not all that much. She’s just a lightweight.”

He swore again. “She’s eighteen, Galetti, and my responsibility. For pity’s sake, she can barely walk.” He seared Parker with a look. “And you? You let them do this?”

Parker shoved his hands in his pockets, the slump of his shoulders clear evidence of his guilt. “I wasn’t there, Luke, because I left to pay the bill. But the bottom line is she did it to herself. Nobody forced her to drink it, unless it was you with all your bullying.” He sighed. “You should know by now you can’t tell Katie what to do.”

“Nope.” A soft giggle bubbled from Katie’s throat, followed by a hiccup.

Luke hoisted her roughly to his chest, blistering all of them with a look that signaled his good humor was long since spent. “You better start praying right now, Parker, that I beat her parents home, or you and I, ol’ buddy, will be licking Carmichael’s boots for a long time to come. That is, if he doesn’t give us the boot first.” He spun on his heel and started to jog toward Donovan Street, grateful he was in shape from the gym. He glanced down at Katie with her eyes closed and a dreamy smile on her lips, and he was tempted to dump her sorry, little carcass on the front porch where her father would find her. Confinement for the next three years—that’s what the little brat needed.

“Luke, we’re sorry!” Betty called, but he ignored it, too furious at himself for talking Patrick O’Connor into allowing Katie to come along. The man had clearly been hesitant, unwilling to break with his daughter’s confinement, but Luke had convinced him she’d earned it. He swore under his breath. He had no one to blame but himself.

A wobbly giggle floated up and he glanced down, his heart softening at the look of innocence on her face as she bounced in his arms. And suddenly, he couldn’t help it—a smile pulled at his lips when she spoke, her words disrupted by every stride he took. “Ar-re … y-you … swe-aring … un-der … y-your … bre-ath, … Lu-ke Mc-Gee?”

“You bet I am. You have that effect on me,” he said, breathing hard and fast.

Her sweet face bunched in a frown. “O-oh, … tha-at’s n-not … g-good, … is it?”

He grinned. “No, ma’am, it’s not.” He slowed as he rounded the corner of Donovan Street, squinting hard to see if her father’s Model T was parked at the curb.

Thank you, God! The street was empty in front of their house, and all was dark except for their porch light. He reached their front walk, huffing like he’d just run the Boston Marathon, then butted Katie with his knee and opened the gate. Her soft giggle rose like a caress. He glanced down, and her eyes met his with a gentle smile. “Thanks,” she whispered, drawing his gaze to her mouth. He swallowed hard, suddenly painfully aware of her body in his arms. With a nervous exhale, he propped her next to the door.

Get her inside, McGee, and into her bed.

The thought took his mind in the wrong direction, unleashing a throb of heat so strong, shame crawled up the back of his neck. “Do you have a key?” he asked hoarsely, his voice little more than a croak.

Amber: Wow! What a scene! I am definitely quite eager to get my hands on this book! To get a better idea of Katie's character, could you tell us what her favorite part about summer would be?

Julie: Going out with her boyfriend Jack and her friends to picture shows, Robinson’s for a soda or just attending a women’s rights rally.

Amber: My rating system on this blog is a seasonal one--with "Summer" being the highest rating. Do you have any advice on writing a savory, "Summer" rating-worthy book?

Julie: My number one piece of advice would be that whatever you write, make sure it’s from the heart and a true passion. If you love women’s fiction, write women’s fiction. If you love mysteries, write mysteries. If you like literary novels, write literary novels.

For years, I was a businesswoman and professional writer who looked down my nose at romance books because I didn’t consider them “literature.” I wouldn’t allow myself to even read a romance, much less write one, but after I turned 50, I felt like God set me free from my snobbery. It’s as if he said, “Julie, romance is your passion—write it for me.” So I did.

As far as more practical advice for writing a “rating-worthy” book for the Christian market and getting it published, here is the list of things that I did, which I think is pretty consistent with a lot of published writers:

1.) Join ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers at http://www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com/), FHL (Faith, Hope & Love at http://www.faithhopelove-rwa.org/) and RWA (Romance Writers of America at http://www.rwanational.org/), both to get connected with other like-minded writers and to learn a lot about your craft.

2.) Take a fiction-writing class or attend a writing seminar or conference.

3.) Join a critique group (you can do that through ACFW).

4.) Purchase and study writing books such as Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King or Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas, AND invest in a great thesaurus such as The Synonym Finder by Rodale Press (my writer’s bible!!).

5.) Enter contests for invaluable feedback, growth, confidence, networking opportunities and to get your name out there.

6.) Frequent websites/blogs that deal with writing, such as The Seekers (http://seekerville.blogspot.com/), a group blog that I belong to whose theme is “On the road to publication. Writing, contests, publication and everything in between.”

7.) Go for an agent first, publisher second.

8.) Then pray your heart out and put it in God’s hands.

Thanks, Amber, for this wonderful opportunity to visit with you and your readers! Anybody who leaves a comment will be entered in a giveaway to receive a signed copy of the book of their choice from “The Daughters of Boston” series OR my latest release, A Hope Undaunted, due out September 1^st. God bless!

Hugs,

Julie

Amber: Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Julie! What a wonderful way to spend a summer day! Don't you agree, readers?

Be sure and leave a comment with your valid e-mail address for a chance to win one of Julie's books! The drawing will be open from July 9 through July 23, with a winner announced on July 24. Here's to a hot summer day!

My Review of A Proper Pursuit

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

"It seems a perfect backdrop for what Violet Hayes longs to experience: a little mystery, a little romance.

To be honest, it is more than a little mystery. She schemed her way to Chicago to discover the mother she barely remembered. As for romance--well, with the help of her grandmother and three great aunts, that is coming along nicely as well--perhaps too well. Each of her relatives--including her saintly grandmother--seems to have a separate agenda for her.

In the course of a summer, Violet's world will open wide before her eyes. But in the wake of discovery, she must find a way to determine which path--and which man--will ultimately be the right lifetime choice for her."

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:

This book surprised me--in a good way! When I first started the book, I confess that I thought it wouldn't be very deep, and it took me a while to really get into it. But about a quarter of the way through, my thoughts really changed.

Violet Hayes, the main character, annoyed me at the beginning, and I felt that the other characters were interesting, but maybe a bit too quirky. However, Violet really grows during her trip to Chicago, and I began to feel closer to her, as well as the other characters. I also became more and more intrigued by the romance, which picks up with greater speed as the book progresses.

The points made in this book are great ones, such as marrying for love and not being too quick to judge. (Perhaps I should learn that lesson for the next time I pick up a book!) I loved the history in the book, especially the descriptions of the The World's Fair.

If you're like me, it might take a little while to really get into the story, but don't give up! This is a sweet book that encourages the reader to be who God wants them to be, and to not give up on love. This is a fun story that made me laugh out loud, but it is also a touching story that is very enjoyable!

*With thanks to my dear college friend, Hannah Dawley, for letting me borrow the book for the summer!*