What Once Was Lost by Kim Vogel Sawyer ~ Review

“What Once Was Lost” is a sweet prairie historical. I’m not sure I would necessarily classify it as romance, because there wasn’t much of such added to this novel, but there was plenty of character discovery and growth.

           

I will say I was disappointed in the lack of romance across the whole of this book. Not because I can only read and enjoy a historical romance, but because I have come to expect it and felt the story was more “single minded” in the way of the struggles based around saving the poor farm.  

            

However, that being said, the cast of characters are a good bunch. With four points of view throughout the story the reader has more than just the hero and heroine’s struggles to read about. It gives a broader depth to the story and I definitely appreciated that about it. Christine is a tenacious character. She doesn’t give up easily, maybe even when she should. Levi is one of those characters that has a crusty and hard exterior, but a good and soft heart. I really loved him as the hero. Tommy is precious and Cora was probably my favorite in watching her learn to love the Lord and forgive her past.  

            

Overall, a good story with good characters, but one I’d have liked to have seen more romance between the main characters.

           

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.

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More about the novel....

A woman meant to serve, a child in the dark, a man standing apart—can these three souls embrace a God with new plans for them?

On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a group of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home. But when a fire breaks out in the kitchen leaving the house inhabitable, she must scramble to find shelter for all in her care, scattering her dear “family.”

With no other options, Christina is forced to approach Levi Jonnson, a reclusive mill owner, to take in a young blind boy named Tommy Kilgore. Levi agrees with reluctance but finds himself surprised by the bond that quickly grows between him and Tommy. As obstacles to repairing the farm pile up against Christina, she begins to question her leadership ability and wonders if she can fulfill the mission to which she's dedicated her life. And when an old adversary challenges Christina, will she find an unlikely ally—or more—in the aloof Levi? Can Levi reconcile with the rejection that led to his hermit-like existence and open his heart and life to something more, especially a relationship with a loving God?

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Your email address will not be spammed and the ratings help me on the publishers website. Thank you! :-)

Cover Candy Love

It's that time of year when new covers start popping up around the internet left and right. I'm not really sure this is fair to be honest. I mean, it can only make the wait for a great book all that much harder, don't you think??

You might have already seen these covers around the internet, but some are too good to not share one more time. Sit and drool away, dear readers. Maybe it will make the novels get here that much quicker. ;-)

I love the look of Lori's cover here. Almost a bit primal and wild and yet elegant. Hints strongly for what must surely be between the covers.

I've not read anything by Victoria Bylin before and didn't know she had signed a contract with Bethany House, but I'm excited for this title. I love a good contemporary romance!

We ALL know how much I ADORE Becky Wade and this cover is so incredibly perfect, don't you think? Plus Becky had posted on her Facebook page that the couple on the cover are actually a couple in real life. Love that.

A bunch of these "Year of Weddings" novella collection covers have been revealed lately, but my favorite so far is Meg's. The flowers are so beautiful. It makes the homeless romantic in me *very* happy. :)

AND check out the rest of the covers below...LOVE Beth Vogt's cover! But I must say a year is way too long to expect me to wait. ;-)

Can't deny my love for a good Kim Vogel Sawyer book! She is the Janette Oke of this generation!

Kristy's debut novel cover has to be one of the best Thomas Nelson has released this year! I think it will perfectly capture Kristy's story and writing style from what I've heard of her story and her presence online. Keeping my eye on this one!

I LOVE, LOVE the title of Betsy's trade length and doesn't it look adorable?! Makes me think of Laura Jensen Walker's books

Rachel Hauck's books only keep getting better and more fun in concept and plot, I mean who really doesn't love reading a story about a princess?? I've got this one on preorder already. :)

Squee! I love it when covers have "real" people on them and Melissa's cover is so stinkin' cute. Makes me think more fall than spring though...the waiting is the worst part of this process, me thinks. ;-)

I think this cover might be my favorite of all of Dani's covers. There is something about the dramatic blues and greens plus the characters over the cliff. Oh what adventures will this book hold?? ;-)

So 'fess up! Which one was your favorite? I'm still eagerly waiting the release of other covers by Karen Witemeyer, Lorna Seilstad, Laura Frantz, and oh so many more! 

Giveaway! Severed Trust by Margaret Daley!

Welcome to Writing for Christ Margaret Daley, it is great to have you here! Do you have an interesting fact about yourself the average reader probably doesn’t know?

I love to cheer and encourage people. I think that began when I was a cheerleader in junior and high school.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

I love to read and write romantic suspense—also what I call adventure.

Do you have a nugget of writing advice that has completely changed how you view writing?

Your characters are the foundation of any story. If they aren't well developed and strong, your plot will fall flat.

5 things you love?

God

My husband

My son

My granddaughters

My friends

What novel have you recently read that has stood out to you that both teens and adults will find enjoyment in?

Chasing Christmas by Steven Hunt—I thought of The Shack meets A Christmas Carol. Beautiful message.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

My website: http://www.margaretdaley.com

My blog: http://www.margaretdaley.com/margarets-blog/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/margaretdaley

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margaretdaleybooks

Thank you for being with us today!

Blurb for Severed Trust (4th book in Men of the Texas Rangers Series) by Margaret Daley:

The day Sadie Thompson finds her high school student, Lexie, asleep in class and can't wake her is the day she realizes how entrenched a prescription drug ring is in her school. As Sadie is pulled into doing something about the growing problem, she becomes involved with Ethan Stone—a Texas Ranger who suspects the drug ring reaches far beyond the high school. Helping Lexie recover from the overdose, Sadie feels she is making a difference—until the 16-year-old's best friend dies from the apparent mixing of various prescription drugs. Lexie doesn't think her friend took her own life, but her relationship with her Uncle Ethan is precarious and she doesn’t know if either he or Sadie will help her discover the truth.

Readers, enter to win Margaret's book here!

Please leave an email address! If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win.

For extra entries:

~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.

Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on November 8th

Attn Readers! If you're struggling to leave a comment on my blog, please email your comment entries (in ONE email) and I will submit it for you. But PLEASE only do this after you've failed to leave a comment. My email is: caseym.writer(@)gmail.com 

Make That a FUN Author Interview! My Guest? Courtney Walsh!!

Sometimes we just gotta let loose. Have a little fun.  Thus I had this crazy idea…and I’m pretty excited about it. Hope you love it and if you have suggestions for questions, leave them in the comments! :- )

The Basics:

Name: Courtney Walsh

Home State (completely with address so we can stalk you): hahaha Illinois

Occupation: full-time writer (but I’m also a director for musicals for a youth theatre based in Chicago.)

Height: 5’6”

Hair Color: sandy blondish. Unless I don’t highlight it, then it’s gotten more like a weird dark nondescript color.

Goin’ Deeper:

Celebrity crush: Hands down Robert Downey Jr. Please pause while I swoon.

#1 favorite pastime: Couch dates with my husband (wherein we fall asleep watching TV. My life is beyond exciting.)

 

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Best book of your childhood: Anne of Green Gables or To Kill a Mockingbird

Go to comfort food: Does Dr. Pepper count? If not, then I’d probably say some sort of homemade vegetable soup.

Worst job you ever had: Hmm…right out of high school I worked at a local center for people with special needs. The reason it was the worst job was because I had to be there at like, 6 a.m. I am NOT a morning person. I lasted a week!

In Ten Words or Less:

Happiest moment of your life: Hearing my first child’s heartbeat for the first time. I can’t describe it, but it literally took my breath away. I’ve had so many others

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though…I am surrounded by such wonderful people. My husband makes me happy daily. Except when he leaves his wet towel on the floor.

One thing on your bucket list: Ha. We just talked about this. I want to take a dance class as an adult. But I also want to work up the courage to fly over water and go to Italy. I want to get a makeover by a professional stylist. I want to see whales in the wild. I want to photograph a bald eagle. There are so many more… :-)  

Quirkiest aspect that annoys your spouse/friends: My husband says I’m a “clucker.” I cluck my tongue when I’m thinking. I didn’t even notice it until he pointed it out!!

Greatest dream: To see my kids grow up, be happy and serve the Lord. And also to see one of my books turned into a movie.

Biggest fear: I have a fear of life passing me by. I’m not always the most observant, and I hate that feeling of “it goes so quickly.” I want to look back and think “that really doesn’t feel like yesterday.” Because I’ve lived each moment so fully. I fear there’s no way to actually do that though…

I LOVE Courtney's books and she's just as sweet in p

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erson. (Example: when I played the fan girl moment while she signed my novel at ACFW 2012)

I definitely recommend her titles, especially her debut which was up for an ACFW Carol Award this year!

Leave a comment, join the chat...what's the quirkiest aspect that annoys YOUR spouse or friends?  ;-) 

A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears ~ Review

Since I was old enough to read Christian fiction, mail order bride stories have been one of my first loves. Fostered through Al and Joanna Lacy and Janette Oke, if it said “mail order bride” it didn’t take me too long to think about reading it and the same still holds true to this day. But could you image ordering three brides…and all of them picking a different spouse? Oh I cringed for the hero for such is his lot.

         

   Julia is an interesting and at times, confusing character. Her angst goes deep and needed much tender love, which Everett learns to give to her, however she at times confused me. A façade that seemed happy and cheerful when viewed from other characters, but timid and fearful when we saw the world from her eyes. The extremes were so distant I had a hard time reconciling the two, though it became a smoother transition the further I read.

          

  I think what I missed the most in this particular title was the lack of a subplot. I would have loved to see more depth added by weaving in another character’s story.

          

  Otherwise, the story is a sweet and simple love tangle about characters the reader quickly grows to care for.

            This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review. 

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More about the novel...

A Tender Tale of Love on the Prairie Perfect for CBA Readers 

Although Everett Cline can hardly keep up with the demands of his homestead, he won't humiliate himself by looking for a helpmate ever again--not after being jilted by three mail-order brides. When a well-meaning neighbor goes behind his back to bring yet another mail-order bride to town, he has good reason to doubt it will work, especially after getting a glimpse at the woman in question. She's the prettiest woman he's ever seen, and it's just not possible she's there to marry a simple homesteader like him. 

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. Having finally worked up the courage to leave her life in Massachusetts, she's determined to find a place where people will value her for more than her looks. Having run out of all other options, Julia resorts to a mail-order marriage in far-away Kansas. 

Everett is skeptical a cultured woman like Julia could be happy in a life on the plains, while Julia, deeply wounded by a past relationship, is skittish at the idea of marriage at all. When, despite their hesitations, they agree to a marriage in name only, neither one is prepared for the feelings that soon arise to complicate their arrangement. Can two people accustomed to keeping their distance let the barricades around their hearts down long enough to fall in love?

Giveaway! Shades of Mercy by Anita Lustrea and Caryn Rivadeneira!

Welcome to Writing for Christ Caryn Rivadeneira and Anita Lustrea, it is great to have you here! Do you have an interesting fact about yourself the average reader probably doesn’t know?

Anita: I was really athletic in high school. I lettered in LaCrosse and Field Hockey and loved watching most other sports. I enjoyed sports so much that for a couple of years while I was in high school I wanted to head into sports journalism in college to become a sportscaster. I gave up that idea when I realized how few women were welcomed into that field (back then). I still love watching sports of all kinds!

Caryn: That my name is pronounced car-in, like “put the car in the garage.” And my last name is best pronounced with Robert DeNiro in mind. Different letters, but same cadence

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

Anita: I love reading fiction that has a bit of mystery in it. I want to be guessing and wondering as I read. I've always written non-fiction. I've helped compile and contribute to and edit 3 books that are devotionals. The latest is Tending the Soul. And I've written a Memoir type of book weaving my story with the stories of listeners to my radio talk show, Midday Connection. That book is called What Women Tell Me: Finding

Freedom From the Secrets We Keep.

Shades of Mercy is my first foray into fiction and I'm finding fiction writing to be a lovely adventure. I'm fascinated with how fiction writers describe the writing process. It seems to be  different from author to author. I've been amazed at how characters have a mind of their own and how differently a story can end up from where you thought it would go because of where certain characters take you.

Caryn: Right now I’m on a huge mystery kick, as well as reading some middle-grade fiction. Both are so fun. I’ve made a career out of being a non-fiction writer—lots of essays and interview and narrative non-fiction books—but writing this first novel opened my eyes to the possibility that fiction holds. I’m eager to write more fiction. I’m hooked.

Do you have a nugget of writing advice that has completely changed how you view writing?

Anita: I'm not sure if it's completely changed how I view writing, but the biggest piece of advice I've received and that I tell myself over and over that has helped me in the writing process is that writing is a discipline. Inspiration may never strike, or may strike now and then, but if you wait for it your book will never get written. I may never 'feel' like sitting down to write. I tell myself, "Just write. Get in your writing chair and start typing!"

Caryn: Toni Morrison says—to paraphrase—write the book you want to read. I love that. I write to figure out what I think, to see what God has done, and to understand life a little better. Writing for “myself” sounds so selfish, but in many ways, it’s sunk my writing deeper into the Spirit of God and into a broade

r audience.

5 things you love?

Anita:

1. Reading

2. Autumn

3. Aroostook County, Maine

4. An unhurried cup of Irish Breakfast Tea in the morning (after water has boiled, tea has steeped for 5-6 minutes and honey and milk are added)

5. Solitude

(Not necessarily in that order)

Caryn:

My family

My dog

My neighbors/community

Reading

Libraries

What novel have you recently read that has stood out to you that both teens and adults will find enjoyment in?

Anita: I recently read Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown and loved it. It is a very different kind of novel. One that follows 4 women on their spiritual journeys. Might be a bit beyond teens. I also recently re-read a favorite of mine, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. It is written for a younger audience, but great for all ages. It grabbed my heart! I end up sobbing every time I read it! Want a good cry? Then grab a copy!

Caryn: Just finished Gary Schmidt’s OKAY FOR NOW. Rocked my world.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

Anita: www.anitalustrea.com

www.middayconnection.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/anitalustrea

Twitter: @anitalustrea

Caryn: Website: www.carynrivadeneira.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Caryn-Dahlstrand-Rivadeneira

Facebook: Caryn Rivadeneira

Twitter: @carynrivadeneir 

Thank you for being with us today!

Readers, enter to win Caryn and Anita's book here!

Please leave an email address! If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win.

For extra entries:

~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.

Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on October 25th

Attn Readers! If you're struggling to leave a comment on my blog, please email your comment entries (in ONE email) and I will submit it for you. But PLEASE only do this after you've failed to leave a comment. My email is: caseym.writer(@)gmail.com 

Romance on the Brain

I write it, you can't really blame me for thinking about it, can you?

Put a guy and a girl in the same room together or on the same page and I'll dream up a story to make the heart flutter. It's part of my DNA. But it can also be a bit of a curse. Between the wedding pictures on Pinterest and the sweet romance novels crowding my bookshelves, it can become so easy to over-focused on what every girl ultimately wants: to fall in love, marry Prince Charming and live happily ever after.

Photo credit

None of these things are wrong, don't get me wrong, but when the fairy tale because an obsessive pursuit, that's when things need to be reevaluated. When any frog could be "the" Prince--even the ones that have played around in the mud a little too much, a pause needs to be made. 

Being a hopeless romantic is fun. The world tends to always have a rosy glow about it, but when rosy becomes deceiving, passion for finding our one true love needs to take a backseat.  

Maybe this has been you: you're introduced to a cute, tall (hello, he has to be taller than you, right??), intelligent young man. You're mind starts spinning all kinds of scenarios and suddenly between the first and second conversation you've got the wedding planned. The flowers picked out. Where you're going to spend your honeymoon and what you'll name your children. Yep, been there, lived that. 

Marriage is the biggest decision of our lives, the most important interview we will ever have. While it's fun to dream about the wedding colors and where it might be held, it shouldn't consume our present.

Romance might not be right around the corner for you and me. We might still be one, two, five years from finding Mr. Right. However, the One, True Romancer of our souls is waiting for us to pick ourselves out of the self pity that often comes from being a hopeless romantic and discover that our opportunity to fall in love with Prince Charming is right in front of us. Right now. 

Maybe we're not in a "relationship" right now because God wants to teach us something. And maybe it's not patience or perseverance or waiting on His timing. Maybe He is waiting for us to fall in love with Him. Girls, we can't hang all our hopes and dreams on finding that one man. Our hearts can be deceived and manipulated by feelings. That "one man" is not our salvation because our Savior has already come and is waiting to return. 

Sure, it's hard to watch our peers falling in love and getting married. It's hard to see the wedding plans continue and the babies being born. This is not a time to gripe and complain to God. This is a time to celebrate our singleness. 

Yes, celebrate. 

Where is God going to take you, teach you, lead you during this time? We'll spend less time single then married and while finding that perfect man is at the top of all of our bucket lists, would you rather wait for the perfect man or settle for the first one that seems to fill the hole in your dreams? 

Fascinating Historical Romance ~ Rebellious Heart by Jody Hedlund ~ Review

“Rebellious Heart” is a new passionate historical hitting store (and personal) book shelves now and I think many readers are going to be swept away in this dramatic retelling of life several hundred years ago.

           

Sometimes it can be hard to read about experiences from a different period, romanticized or not, because of the accuracy the author puts behind the words. To know that such horrible things could and would happen to people during such a time makes it difficult, but also fascinating.

           

Talk about a love story! Susanna and Ben certainly cross more than a few lines for the expected and acceptable of their society standings of their day and in more ways than just their romance. But oh boy, the attraction and sizzle on the page when they were even in the same room together. Talk about great tension!

           

I didn’t find this one title my favorite, and I can’t really put my finger as to why to be honest. The story was good, the characters well fleshed out, and plenty of action to fill the 360 pages. Maybe it was the slightly disturbing history, maybe it was the combination of a deadline I needed to reach - either way, I still give high marks to the book and encourage historical reader fans to pick it up.

           

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.

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More about the novel...

In 1763 Massachusetts, Susanna Smith has grown up with everything she's ever wanted, except one thing: an education. Because she's a female, higher learning has been closed to her, but her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. She's determined to put her status to good use, reaching out to the poor and deprived. And she knows when she marries well, she will be able to continue her work with the less fortunate. 

Ben Ross grew up a farmer's son and has nothing to his name but his Harvard education. A poor country lawyer, he doesn't see how he'll be able to fulfill his promise to make his father proud of him. When family friends introduce him to the Smith family, he's drawn to quick-witted Susanna but knows her family expects her to marry well. When Susanna's decision to help an innocent woman no matter the cost crosses with Ben's growing disillusionment with their British rulers, the two find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice.

Giveaway! When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell!

Welcome to Writing for Christ Julie Cantrell, it is great to have you here! Do you have an interesting fact about yourself the average reader probably doesn’t know?

Thanks for inviting me to join you today. I’m honored.

So, let’s jump right in. Interesting fact about moi? Hmm...I’m not very interesting, but I have had a wonderfully strange life, so it’s hard to choose just one quirky little-known tidbit. But, how about this...When I was in college, I went to the doctor about a funny little spot on my arm. He removed a bb, as in a bullet from a bb gun! I guess I’ll never know for sure how it got inside my arm in the first place, but the doctor felt certain that someone had once used me for target practice, perhaps when I was younger. There’s got to be a book to follow that story, don’t you think?

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

I read a wide variety of books, but I’m particularly drawn to literary fiction, biographies, and memoirs. Some of my favorite authors include Jeannette Walls, Barbara Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, Chris Cleave, Sue Monk Kidd, Elizabeth Gilbert, Wally Lamb, and Ann Patchett (in no particular order). But I’ve got tons more. I better stop before I get carried away.

Do you have a nugget of writing advice that has completely changed how you view writing?

Wow, that’s a great question. One little nugget that changed my entire wriInto the Free, I had already written a first draft but I still needed to learn how to shape the plot. I learned by reading Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. That probably affected my writing more than anything else. It’s actually written for screenwriting, but I found it easily tweaked to fit a novel. My friend and fellow author Katie Anderson loaned it to me, and I have since purchased my own copy. It’s actually one of a three-set series by Snyder.

ting world? Hmm...Well, keep in mind that I never studied writing, so I had to learn everything from scratch. When I decided to publish

5 things you love?

My family – nothing matters more and nothing brings me more joy

True friends - the kind who show up/step up/speak up when you need them most

Music – a good song can soothe my soul and stir my creative spirit in ways nothing else can

Nature – I am happiest when I am surrounded by animals, trees, water, and wind

Stories – literature, oral storytelling, film, or works of art make me feel connected and inspired

What novel have you recently read that has stood out to you that both teens and adults will find enjoyment in?

Wreath by Judy Christie. But I also love her newest release, Sweet Olive. In fact, everything by Judy is safe to recommend, endearingly sweet (just like Judy), and inspirational in an authentic way that feels real and never contrived. I admire Judy as a writer but even more as a person. She’s just one of those saintly spirits, a Mother Teresa, and Wreath is an especially good mother/daughter read for mothers of tweens/teens.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

I blog with a group of five southern, inspirational authors: Lisa Wingate, Beth Webb Hart, Rachel Hauck, and Shellie Rushing Tomlinson. You can join us on our virtual front porch by visiting: http://www.southernbelleviewdaily.com/ Each week we tackle a new topic, and we love for readers to join our discussions.

You can learn more about my books, events, research, and farm by visiting: www.juliecantrell.com

I also join more than 70 WordServe authors who blog about all sorts of writing related topics at http://wordservewatercooler.com/ This blogsite was selected as one of the top blogs about writing by Writer’s Digest.

Thank you for being with us today!

Thanks so much for letting me join the fun. I greatly appreciate your interest in my stories, and I’d love to hear what you all think of Into the Free and When Mountains Move.

Readers, enter to win Julie's book here!

Please leave an email address! If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win.

For extra entries:

~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.

Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on October 18th

Attn Readers! If you're struggling to leave a comment on my blog, please email your comment entries (in ONE email) and I will submit it for you. But PLEASE only do this after you've failed to leave a comment. My email is: caseym.writer(@)gmail.com