Monday for the Military: Meet Ronie Kendig

Although I have not had the pleasure yet of reading any of author Ronie Kendig's books, I have heard a lot of good things about them! Ronie writes Christian fiction and has had two books published in a military suspense series entitled "The Discarded Heroes" (Nightshade and Digitalis). Please give a warm welcome to Ronie Kendig!

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

Ronie: Thanks so much for having me, Amber! I’m delighted to visit with y’all. About me? Well, I have been married for twenty years (yes, to the same man LOL) to my hero, an Army veteran, and we have four children, ranging in age from 17 to 11. I was born in Germany to American military parents, and experienced the typical Army brat life—including attending five schools in four years. Oy!

Amber: What inspired you to write a military suspense series?

Ronie: As you can probably guess, my upbringing. I was always around the military and had a tremendous respect for them. My husband’s father is also retired military, so I’ve just been around it pretty much my whole life. When I started reading articles about our soldiers coming home with issues, the idea took hold.

Amber: What do you admire most about the military?

Ronie: I truly believe that God places within our troops a “warrior” spirit. Just as some people are called to be pastors, some teachers, some writers (*grins*), I believe some are called to live a warrior’s life. It’s not an easy one, it’s often not fun, but it’s a part of them. They are our defenders, our front lines literally, and I have a strong awareness that because of their sacrifices, I am free and living in a free country. They’re away from their families for extended periods of time, facing things I cannot even imagine.

Amber: As an acclaimed publish author, is there anything you have learned about humility that you can share with us?

Ronie: One only needs to enter a bookstore to gain a sense of humility. =) There are thousands of authors and millions of books. God has anchored me to Himself, and when I get a little too big for my leash at times, He reels me back in. If you want to stay humble, pray and ask God to help you. I guarantee you that’s one prayer He’ll answer. =)


Amber: What’s next in your writing career?

Ronie: I have just finished the line edits on Wolfsbane, Discarded Heroes #3, and I’m already about ¼ of the way through Firethorn, book #4. I also have a novella for a collection with three other authors that will release next April, and I’ve just signed a 3-book deal with my publisher for a series on retired military war dogs and their handlers. I am extremely grateful to the Lord for letting me do what I love—write!

Amber: Wow! Congratulations on signing that contract and having so many new projects to work on! So, how can we pray for you and other authors?

Ronie: I would appreciate prayers that I ever stay humble in heart because the day I look to myself and others more than the Lord is that I am miserable and failing. Some days, this is very easy (to stay humble), and other days, I can feel the ego inflating.

Amber: Thank you again for joining us, Ronie! It's been wonderful getting to know you.

Readers, you can find out more about Ronie and her books by checking out her website HERE!

Sunday by the Sea

"O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." ~ Psalm 42:6-8

We often speak of the waves of God's love and grace, of the goodness and mercy that wash over us. But it is likely that we, as believers, have also felt waves of uncertainty crash over us, as well. Consider what the author of Ecclesiastes ponders:

• "There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 8:14)

We want to know why disasters happen. We want to know why one person seems to suffer so much more than someone else. We want to know why God causes us pain.

I am reminded of the viking Stoick in the movie How to Train Your Dragon. He wanted so desperately to find the dragons' nest--the place where all the dragons returned to with their food (the vikings' sheep, the fish, etc.). In his quest to find the dragons' nest, he lost many of the village's ships (and most likely many human lives, as well). He always got lost and turned around, and his missions failed. But still, he fixated on the goal of finding that nest.

Stoick didn't understand the dragons. He didn't know what he was getting into by trying to find the nest.

But his son, Hiccup, realized that the dragons are far different than what they had seemed. In fact, some of them made wonderful friends. And he eventually discovered the nest because only a dragon could find it.

When his son inadvertently shared this information, Stoick forced Hiccup's dragon to lead him to the nest--an island with a dragon larger and more dangerous than they could ever have imagined (the "queen" of the "hive"). It is only with the help of other dragons that they had any hope of victory.

Now, in regards to knowing why God does what He does, I am not saying that we can manipulate Him to help us find the answer. And I am not saying that the answer is horrible and dangerous.

What I am saying is that I think we often don't realize how completely incapable we are of discovering the answer. In our quest for it, we get lost and disoriented. Ecclesiastes 8:17 says:

• "Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it."

From our earthly perspective, the answer seems like it really must be terrifying, more so than some gigantic dragon that can stomp ships, fly, and breathe fire. For how could such a loving God let us suffer in seemingly unnecessary ways?

But the truth is, that is just our perspective. I do not wish to seem callous and say that you should never ponder why God is allowing you to suffer and grieve. In fact, I believe with all my heart that we should speak honestly to God, as the authors of the Psalms did. We can tell Him how we perceive things to be; He cares and knows how much we are hurting. But realize that the "dragons" that seem so repulsive to you may not really be what they appear to be. Only God can see the whole lay of the land from His perspective far above. We are "earth-bound" and in no position to see how everything fits together.

Sometimes we get glimpses. Like riding on a dragon friend, we get an opportunity to fly above and look back, seeing just a small part of how God is working in our lives. Those moments--when we realize that a certain pain-filled path led us to an amazing place--are gentle reminders to our tender hearts that God does have a purpose. We can trust Him. He's the only One who can get us home, and He's the only One who can guide us through this journey and into the next.

So don't be overwhelmed by those waves. Day and night, may we pray and rest in His lovingkindness. May we remember that God does have a purpose. And therefore, we do have hope.

(Note: The movie picture is from IMDb.com.)

Revell Blog Tour: My Review of Fatal Judgment

Here's a description of the book from Revell:

"U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels. His feelings toward the coldhearted workaholic haven't warmed in the five years since she drove her husband--and Jake's best friend--to despair . . . and possible suicide.

As the danger mounts and Jake gets to know Liz better, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. And when it becomes clear that an unknown enemy may want her dead, the stakes are raised. Because now both her life--and his heart--are in danger.

Full of suspense and romance, Fatal Judgment launches a thrilling series featuring three siblings bound by blood and a passion for justice."

My Review:

To be honest, it is with embarrassment that I write this review. I confess to not having read all the way through Fatal Judgment, and not through any fault on the book's part. I read almost 100 pages before I fell into temptation and skipped ahead. It is a very bad habit of mind, and I do it far more often than I would like to admit. In some cases, I can just skip a little ahead at a time, and I still feel like there's surprise waiting later while being satisfied in knowing that romance is around the bend.

But in this case, the whole story revolves around one specific situation, and by skipping ahead in search of more action, I ended up reading the climatic scene. And because of that, I lost my inspiration to go back and fully read the scenes leading up to that climax.

And now I must make a second embarrassing confession: I'm not a huge fan of romantic suspense. Knowing this, I realize that it was not the wisest decision to request to review such a book, especially when I have so much else on my plate anyway.

I will say, though, that from what I read this book is well-written and contains a lot of romantic tension. I didn't really feel like there was a lot of action, in that most of the story came from interactions between Jake and Liz while Jake was trying to keep Liz protected (ie: sequestered away from the rest of the world). However, in the parts I read leading up to that intense climax, there was enough tension and romantic conflict to keep the story flowing.

I don't know if I'm qualified to say much more than that. I apologize for not having a more thorough review.

*With thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My sincerest apologies to the publisher for not being more responsible in my book choice and in my reading of the book.*

Note: Because I didn't finish the book, and because I think that there are others out there who would really enjoy a good romantic suspense, I would like to pass my copy on to one of my readers. So, if you would like a chance to win this book, please say so in your comment and include your e-mail address. You must have a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. I will announce the winner on Thursday, February 3rd.

Changes

Nature is still in the middle of the winter season, but here on "Seasons of Humility," a new season is coming. OK, maybe it's not that drastic! ;) But I thought I would still let you know about some new changes.


I am now going to be a contributor on The Borrowed Book blog! I don't think that will really affect this blog, but I had to let you know because I'm very excited!!! I'll be over there posting about a life in the day of a hopeful author and college student (with occasional reviews!) on most Mondays, but I'll still be posting the "Mondays for the Military" posts here, as well. *The introduction post goes up on Tuesday, February 1st. * My first post will be going up on Monday, February 7th, so after stopping by here for the first day of the Season of Love Blog Party, I'd love if you'd come and say hello!

Also, as you can see by the slighter shorter "Pages" list, I've deleted the "Sightseeing by the Seasons" page. I won't say that you'll never hear anything more about this feature, because I don't know what the future holds. But for now, I think I have my hands full with "Mondays for the Military," the "Contentment Reading Challenge," blog parties, regular posts, etc. I think I was trying to force a new feature that just wasn't something my heart was completely into. So unless something happens to change my mind, I'm going to just let this feature go.

But don't worry! I haven't forgotten all those who entered the giveaway I had in regards to that feature! I think what I'm going to do is keep all those entries and extend them to one of my upcoming giveaways. For those of you who entered, please let me know whether you think that's fair or not.

And one more thing while I'm on the topic of this blog: what would you like to see more of here? Are you craving more movie reviews? Would you like to have some book discussions like we did last year? Do you want some more themed weeks? Of course, we have the Valentine's Day blog party coming up, as well as my blogoversary in March, but I still want to hear what it is you, as readers, want. Thank you for your suppport!

LitFuse Publicity Blog Tour: The Search

Here's a description of the book:

"Fifteen years ago, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She couldn't have known that her choice would impact so many.

Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her large and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that she is there to work the farm--and work hard. The labor is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Beautifully written, The Search is a skillfully woven story that takes readers through unexpected twists and turns on the long country road toward truth. Fans both old and new will find themselves immersed in this heartwarming--and surprising--tale of young love, forgiveness, and coming to grips with the past."

My Rating: Summer

My Review:

What a beautiful, colorful book! From the descriptions of the rainbow of roses and pastries, to the descriptions of the rainbow of emotions found in the human spectrum, this book enchanted me and moved me.

What a vast assortment of characters! And I loved them all so much! Fifteen-year-old Bess and her grandmother made me laugh out loud on several occasions, and the first half of the book was full of funny moments among sweet settings. The story flowed effortlessly into more serious tones in the second half of the book, and I was deeply touched by the honesty with which Fisher wrote. The characters struggled. They grappled with difficult truths and decisions. And the ending left me with a bittersweet happiness.

The second book in the "Lancaster Country Secrets" series, The Waiting, was good and intriguing, but this third book, The Search, satisfied me so much more. A thoroughly enjoyable read with an openness that is both tender and heart-rending, I highly recommend The Search!

*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:

In no particular order, Suzanne Woods Fisher is a wife, mother, writer, lifelong student of the Bible, raiser of puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, a gardener and a cook...the latter two with sporadic results.

Suzanne has loved to write since she was a young teen. After college, she started to write for magazines and became a contributing editor for Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her family moved to Hong Kong for four years, just as the internet was developing, and she continued to write articles in a 44-story high-rise apartment, sending manuscripts 7,000 miles away with a click of a key.

After returning from Hong Kong, Suzanne decided to give her first novel a try. For four and a half months, she worked on an antediluvian computer in a cramped laundry room. She didn't even tell her husband what she was up to. When the novel was completed, she told her family at dinner one night that she had written a book. "That's why there's no food in this house!" said her slightly insensitive sons.

Undaunted...Suzanne found a small royalty publisher for that book and wrote three more (all earned multiple awards). With help from an agent, she now has numerous books under contract with Revell. Also look for Suzanne's Amish non-fiction, Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, a non-fiction book of stories and examples about the Old Order Amish, as well as Amish Proverbs, and coming in Spring of 2011, look for Amish Values for Your Family. The Choice and The Waiting are the previous books in the Lancaster County Secrets Collection.

Writing, for Suzanne, is a way to express a love of God and His word. With every book or article, she hopes readers get a sense of what faith really looks like in the daily grind. She hopes they realize that life can be hard, but God is good, and never to confuse the two.

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 Information:

Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search, is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500 and includes:

• A brand new iPad (16KB with Wi-Fi)


• Signed copies of all three Lancaster Country Secrets books (The Choice, The Waiting, & The Search

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form/s, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 3rd at Suzanne's Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party. (Did you know The Search takes place on a rose farm?)

Facebook Party:

Join Suzanne for the Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party on February 3rd! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Search iPad Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Search, giving away copies of all three books and HEAPS of other readerly prizes! Including roses delivered to your door for three months for you AND a friend! Be sure to join us on Thursday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page.

And the Murderer Was...

First of all, thank you to everyone who played the Who Dunnit? game over a week ago! It was fun to see who your guesses were, and I hope you enjoyed seeing some pictures from my last Murder Mystery Party.

So, who was it that murdered poor ol' Bubba? (Don't read on if you ever plan on using this particular kit--the "Honky Tonk Homicide" one--because then you'll know the answer and have no reason to play!)

The murderer was...

...my godmother! (AKA The Televangelist)

Casey guessed correctly, so she won! I'm sending her an e-book that's been on her wish-list. Congratulations, Casey!

Thank you again to everyone who joined in the fun!

Monday for the Military

I have recently sent off interview questions to a couple of different authors regarding military books (one co-wrote a devotional, and another writes Christian fiction about the military). I'm sorry that I don't have anyone to feature today, but I thought I'd at least give you an update and remind you about the "Mondays for the Military" page.

On this feature's page, you will find a list with links to past interviews, a list of possible upcoming interviews/reviews, and some links to simple ways you can show the troops you care. Also, I have enabled the comments on this page, so I would love to hear from you! I especially would appreciate hearing from you if you know of someone who you think should be featured for a "Monday for the Military" post. Anyone who is in the military, who is a veteran, who supports the military in some way, etc.--we'd love to meet them and pray for them!

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm regarding "Mondays for the Military!"