Giveaway! An Amish Family Christmas by Murray Pura!

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

*As a young man I served in the military Reserves. My infantry regiment was The Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Members of my regiment have served in the present conflict in Afghanistan.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

*I like historical fiction the most. I write that the most and read it the most. Even with inspirational and romantic elements added in it remains my favorite genre.

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

*Go with every decent opportunity even if no money is involved or you’re being asked to write in a genre you’re not used to. I never thought I’d try Amish fiction but it has opened a lot of doors for me. I published with many groups who had no money to offer me but every story I published gained me more of an audience and readership.

5 things you love?

*Dogs and cats and horses and wild animals like deer and elk and cougar and wolves.

*Wilderness hiking and wilderness camping.

*Nordic or cross-country skiing.

*A book, a fire, a comfortable chair, a pipe.

*The family in one room and doing a game or watching a show together.

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

Yes, Bruce Olson’s Bruchko which, even though it’s a true story, reads like a fast-paced novel. I highly recommend it.  

Places for readers to learn more about you?

www.murraypura.com   (my website)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4120927.Murray_Pura   (Goodreads author page)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Murray-Pura-Writing/125082457581805?ref=hl   (Facebook author page)

Thank you for being with us today!

Thanks for inviting me!

Readers, enter to win Murray'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 January 10th

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 

A Reflection of 2013

Alley Cat Retreat
Iowo May, 2013

2013 is a breath away from being finished and the fresh start of 2014 is directly around the corner. Days from now we’ll have to remember to write “14” on the end of our dates. And if you write the date as many times in a day as I do, this can prove to be a lesson in perseverance. ;-)

I have thought in the last couple of days what this year has brought. It hasn’t been the easiest year, but that isn’t said to inspire sympathy, because that’s not why I’m writing this post. There have been emotional struggles and ecstatic highs. There have been moments of pure joy and moments of heart-breaking despair. 

Colorado Springs October, 2013

I have traveled more in 2013 alone than I have in all of my 22 years. I met new friends, took on the job of ACFW Carol Coordinator (yes there is a part of me acknowledges that I am insane), was introduced to Duck Dynasty and Chick Fil-A, went from part time to full time work and learned to stand stronger in who God has created me to be. An image of Him.

ACFW Indianapolis
September, 2013

2013 probably would not go down as a “banner” year for me. But that’s only if you look at the “bad” things that happened. And no year is going to be completely, 100% trouble free. When you pull out all the dross and look at the golden syrup that is left, you’d fine that I’m a stronger, more capable, more secure person than I was from this seat one year ago.

God has a great way of growing and changing us, doesn’t He? We only see in the minute. We don’t see the big picture, and it gets so hard to trust where He has us when we’re stuck in the middle of what we perceive as darkness. Until we have the chance to step back, like at the end of a year or a struggle or a celebration, and see that He was carrying

us every single step of the way.

I think God gives us new years and ends of those years to look forward…and back. To see that one set of footprints in the sand and Him saying, “See? That’s where I was carrying you.” It’s a chance to either focus on everything bad that happened or celebrate and praise for every good thing. Because there were many good, good things that happened in 2013. Even good things that only seemed to be filled with struggles and heartbreak while I was in the middle of it all.

Garden of the Gods
Colorado Springs
October, 2013

And now I’m facing 2014 and I’m excited. I’m excited to see what God is going to do in the next 365 days. Because if He shows off even a tiny bit like He did in 2013, I’m in for another year of growth and probably a few struggles. But that’s life. And that’s okay.

 As an FYI for my devoted blog readers, I will not be blogging for the first two weeks of January. Beyond the scheduled giveaway and required book review, you won’t be seeing much of me as I’m hard at work in the first few weeks of the Carol Awards. :- )

My one word for 2014: Dream
Photo Credit

Giveaway! Warning Signs by Katy Lee!

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

Thank you, Casey, for having me at your virtual home! I love missions work, and am planning a missions trip this year to Alaska.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

I love romance. When I sat down to write, the villains kept popping up, so I accepted the fact that I was a suspense writer, too.

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

Trust God. He will provide all knowledge in the moment I need it. I can set out on a subject matter I know virtually nothing about and know He will show up. For

example, I have a book releasing in September with deep sea divers. I’ve never dived before and worried I wouldn’t be able to write the diving scenes correctly. I also checked prices for training and couldn’t afford the expense. But I trusted God and wrote the story, knowing He would provide the information in the moment I needed it. When I reached the scenes my characters had to gear up and dive, God showed up. Opportunity after opportunity presented itself to me. I met a diver at a dinner party and talked his ear off. I received an email from a scuba store (I don’t know how they got my email) advertising for a four hour intro class at an amazing discount.

So, like I said, my advice, trust God.

5 things you love?

Chocolate Tea…all the taste, none of the calories.

Travel…there’s a world out there to experience.

Homeschooling…or, as my kids call it because we travel, Worldschooling.

Knitting…check out my sock monkeys!

Reading…with writing I don’t have the opportunity to do much of this anymore, but I’m making a New

Year’s resolution to read more.

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

Well, like I said, I don’t get to read much for personal enjoyment, but I do get to read with my children as part of their schooling. The two books we recently read together were The Trapp Family Singers and The Book Thief. Can you tell we’re studying World War II?  Both books were beautifully written.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

As an Inspirational Romantic Suspense author, Katy Lee writes higher-purpose stories in high-speed worlds. Through her writing, ministries, and teaching, she dedicates her life to sharing tales of love, from the “greatest love story ever told” to those sweet romantic stories of falling in love. Katy and her husband are born New Englanders and love to travel with their three adventuresome children.  You can connect with Katy anytime at her website, www.KatyLeeBooks.com. There you will find her Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads links to connect with her.

Thank you for being with us today!

Readers, enter to win Katy'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 January 3rd

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 

Novels: The Best of the Best in 2013

I'm going to come right out and say it:

This year I was VERY picky about the 5 stars I handed out.

Usually I'm not so reserved. I fall in love with the story and a handfuls of stars are thrown the novel's way. But this year...I'm not sure what it was. I read plenty of books that agreed with me, but very few I fell in love with. 

For example, I enjoyed Jolina Petersheim's debut release The Outcast. An extremely original Amish story. Fresh and well written. 

Denise Hildreth Jones' Secrets Over Sweet Tea was a great Southern women's fiction with strong characters and good story telling ability. I'll be reading more of her work for sure.

And despite many reviews to the contrary I really liked Rene Gutteridge and Cheryl McKay's Greetings from the Flipside.

But I was hard pressed to be wowed this year. Goodreads informed me this evening that I read 100 books in 2013.

And I did find 10...yes EXACTLY TEN that simply wowed me. That when I put down the book, I wished I didn't have to.

#10

I have not fallen for very many Love Finds You titles...but Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss hit this one out of the park. A beautiful blend of love stories... I was wowed by this title!

#9

I just read this title a couple weeks ago. It's a novella, so maybe it shouldn't be included on this list, but I'm putting it on here anyway. ;-) Such a small word count...such a great romantic impact and that's hard to do.

#8

Sarah Sundin continues to get better and better with every one of her novels, but I think this one is my favorite-- hands down by her. It's a perfect symphony of historical details and romantic tension all against the war-torn Italian countryside. Way-good.

#7

I am having to wait waaaay too long for the third book in this series, let me just say that right now! Elizabeth Ludwig has written an amazing cast of characters in this series and I won't be requesting the third one to review. I've already pre-ordered it. :-)

#6

Candace Calvert blends a great balance of romance and medical tension in this latest title. I love that her books are fast-paced with moments of perfect sweetness. Her characters always live and breathe for me on the page and this one even more so!

#5

What can I say? It's Laura Frantz. Enough said. Truly.

#4

Deeanne Gist puts soo much research into her novels and it truly shows. I love that she takes the reader by the hand and guides them through a world we will never know or see outside a book. And she makes it come alive. 

#3

Katie Ganshert is a MUST for my keeper shelf. The way this woman sees the world is so unique and perfect for her voice. For all contemporary fiction fans, this book--and author-- is a must-must-must read. You will not be disappointed. It was edged out of my number 2 slot just barely.

#2

Oh. My. First let me say kudos to the Bethany House design team, because putting a hero on the cover of a romance novel is pure genius. ;-) But also let me say this book blew. Me. Away. And I know I wasn't the only one. This one will be very, very hard for Jody to beat to replace my favorite of her books!

#1

The best book I read in all of 2013 I actually read in 2012...before it was formally released and I just barely contained my ecstatic emotions on the blogosphere until it was actually 2013 to release my review. I did not expect to so thoroughly fall in love with this title like I did. I did not expect to be so completely blown away by the characterization, the voice, everything. I knew, of course, I would enjoy the story. But I was wowed. Just about a month or so ago, I read the book again. This time the completed and polished version. And I read it slower, about a chapter a day. I feel deeper...harder. This my friends, is a title worth so much more than a handful of stars. 

So much more.

So there you have it. My list of 10 not-to-be missed reads from 2013.

What would you add or subtract from the list?

What were YOUR fabulous reads of 2013??

Not a Cliche Romance ~ Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay ~ Review

“Dear Mr. Knightly” is more than just the surface romance I expected. It was a very serious story with a heroine my heart craved to learn more about, to dig within her person and plumb her depths. This is certainly one of those books with so many layers and human emotional tangles that it could be read several times over.

            

More women’s fiction that romance, there is still a generous dose of love story hidden within Samantha’s telling. I loved her and Alex together on the page. She truly personifies every little girl’s dream of prince charming and happily ever after, without all the cliché responses that I expected in a book based around a Jane Austen quoting heroine.

           

Even among all the layers that make the book worth going back for another read, I thought at times there were way too many twists hidden in the dialogue. I was often caught off guard by the subtleties and undercurrents and while there is nothing wrong with that, I thought it happened too often for my ability to catch the intricaties and not just be confused.

          

  Overall, I thought it a lovely story, one I would read again. There is a great deal of hope given to the single reader, waiting for her Prince Charming. If it could happen for Sam, there is a deeper faith that anything could happen here in real life…

           

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

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More about the novel...

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

Giveaway! Once Upon a Winter's Heart by Melody Carlson!

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

It seems like my life is an open book, but I’m sure there’s a lot the “average reader “doesn’t know.  I’ll share a few things. Although I speak to groups and can come across as an extrovert, I’m really an introvert and tend to be a bit of a hermit—sometimes (other than walking) I don’t leave my house for days at a time. I live in the woods with deer, squirrels, rabbits, birds, raccoons etc. for “neighbors.” I’ve been happily married for more than 35 years—which still surprises me because it seems like it wasn’t that long ago we got married.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

With both reading and writing, fiction remains my favorite, but I tend to bounce around the genres a lot. I enjoy suspense or historical sometimes, but if I had to just pick one genre, it would probably be contemporary women’s stories.

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

Something I incorporated into my writing style long ago (when the demands of live and kids and a fulltime job made it nearly impossible to spend very much time writing) was to write very quickly. I learned to just plow through the story with minimal self-editing. Then I’d go back after the project was finished and edit. It’s much easier to edit a fully executed story than one that it’s in process.

5 things you love?

By “things” I assume you don’t mean people or God or even pets.... So I’ll limit myself to “things.” I love a nice walk in the woods, a crackling fireplace, a fresh brewed cup of coffee, a captivating book, an old movie.

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

I didn’t read it recently, but because I was just recommending it yesterday, it’s fresh in my mind. The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

My website is melodycarlson.com

Thank you for being with us today! 

Readers, enter to win Melody'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 December 27th

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 

Hindsight is Always 20-20

Photo Credit

Right?

Like the fact that the job I’m in has never been an easy one or one I’ve absolutely loved, but looking over my shoulder to where I started, I can see where I have changed and matured in the position I’m in.

Or the fact that the last week I have spent fighting the need to wait and the struggle against patience and am now crawling out of that hole I found myself in and realizing this is my ground of proving.

Why can’t a time of proving ever be easy? Why does it so often have to include tears and claw marks and despair when all we want is to get to the other side of this battle and see the horizon on the opposite of the storm clouds?

The solution is, that none of the tears or despair or claw marks, have to be part of the problem if your heart is fallow ground, ready for the planting of the solution.

I’m a bottler. I bottle my emotions. I bottle my thoughts and keep them to myself. But not just from other friends and family, but I do the same from God.

Okay, stop laughing. Yes, I know good and well that God already knows what is going on in my heart, but when I try to keep it from Him, all I get is a soul full of heartache. But when I keep my heart and my thoughts and my prayers aligned with where I am right now and when I express my emotions to a Creator who loves me, I find a settling in my spirit that was never there when I tried to keep it all to myself.

Human bottling is only for the tears that God keeps on a shelf—not a single one is forgotten. I like to think He does the same for our dreams and desires. Bottling is not for the emotions that fester and wound our spirit. Those aren’t going to go away on their own and hanging onto them is only a handhold for the devil to swing from.

Hindsight is perfect. It’s that crystal clear vision I wish we could have now instead of the murky depths I so often feel as though I’m looking in to. So what I learned this week? It’s not the secreting that protects my heart: it’s the unveiling to the Lover of my heart. There is nothing quite so purifying as baring it all to the One who loves me most.

Classic Storytelling ~ Shadowed by Grace by Cara C. Putman ~ Review

While I never have truly studied WWII, I have been fascinated by the novels written during that period. There is a certain “romance” if you will and base a novel on foreign soil and you have the makings for a captivating and sweeping story, because what reader doesn’t like to be transported to another world entirely when they sit down to read?

            

“Shadowed by Grace” in and of itself is a unique plot line. The main characters aren’t your typical soldiers, but they are fighting to protect something so important to society. I loved the tidbits of history sprinkled throughout the story and the telling of what happened to these pieces of art to protect them from being stolen and carried away, not to be found for years to come-if ever.

            

The landscape is rich in texture and setting. I rode in the back of that army jeep just as much as our hero did. Rachel is a compelling heroine with a story to tell and the romance of the book took me on a thrilling ride. This has such a strong feel of those old classic movies with Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn as our main characters and I found myself living a piece of their lives through the pages of the story.

            

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the author for a pre-release copy.

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More about the title and author...

Shadowed by Grace is the first in a stirring new series of stand-alone historical suspense novels by acclaimed author Cara C. Putman. Desperate to save her dying mother, Rachel accepts her newspaper’s assignment to travel to Italy to captures images dangerously close to the front lines of WWII. Her real motive – to find the father she never knew -- an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive. It’s an unlikely situation for love and faith to flourish, but soon Rachel not only finds herself, but also her long-lost earthly father, and ultimately, the man her Heavenly father created to cherish and provide for her.

Giveaway! The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman!

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

I absolutely adore reading. I’ve always loved reading, well before I decided to be a writer. As a child, I was sick a lot so I read a lot. It continues to this day. Currently I’m on a reading roll—devouring 1-2 books a week, and usually these are LONG books. I read all genres and everything from New York Times bestsellers to Christian fiction to the classics. I love a good story!

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

That’s a hard question for me, as I’ll read anything that appeals to me. So I do read nonfiction occasionally even though my first love would be fiction. I like books with strong male/female characters. I don’t mean the “alpha male” that everyone speaks of. In fact, I love a good reluctant hero, someone who is drawn into the heart of a story even though he’d rather remain on the fringe. As far as what I write—all my published books

have been Amish/Christian fiction. I write both romances and mysteries—but warning: my romances can be mysterious and my mysteries can be romantic.

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

This is going to sound strange, but it’s taken me years to embrace the fact that I’m in control of the “camera” … or the lense through which we see a story. I can back it up and start earlier. I can fast forward and start later. I can jump forward and skip time. I can draw a scene out or make it pass quickly. No wonder I have so  much fun when I’m writing. I’m in charge

5 things you love?

My family

Chocolate

A good book

Friends

My Lord

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

The Dog That Talked to God by Jim Kraus (He also wrote The Cat That God Sent.) This was an excellent story, very well written with characters I was rooting for from the beginning. I loved, loved, loved the story and can highly recommend it.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

webpage--www.vannettachapman.com

facebook -- www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks

twitter -- @VannettaChapman                            

pinterest -- pinterest.com/vannettachapman

Thank you for being with us today!

Thank you! And Merry Christmas to you and your readers.

Readers, enter to win Vannetta'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 December 20th

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 

One Question Friday

Photo credit

It's been so long since we talked. Like really talked on my blog. Conversation has been a bit slow and that's okay...it's the nature of life and this time of year. So I wanted to keep it short today and invite you to sit down. Enjoy a steaming mug of hot cocoa or coffee (whichever your vise might be). Pull up a fuzzy blanket (because with below zero temperatures around here, you're going to need it), settle by the crackling fire and share with me. 

So I have a question. It requires a simple answer. And maybe, just maybe, we'll have the chance to catch up and chat before the next rush of responsibility hit like a snow storm in December--anticipated, but not always welcomed. ;-)

What do you dream for yourself?

Beyond the eternal.

Beyond paying off that stack of bills or finishing the kitchen remodel, what do you dream for yourself?

I don't know yet, but dream might be my one word for 2014, the theme God is whispering over my heart. It niggled at me when I was visiting in Colorado Springs a month or so ago and now it's back. So I want to know the answer for you.

Or maybe, you're still discovering the dream...like I am.

Snuggle up, I'm pulling cinnamon rolls out right now, so find a mug and a plate and let's chat... 

So Satisfying ~ Love's Awakening by Laura Frantz ~ Review

I love words that take you by the hand and lead you deeper into the story-what reader doesn’t? “Love’s Awakening” is one such title I have been hording until just the right reading moment and that moment presented itself to me…and it was so worth the wait.

            I didn’t expect anything less than what I received between the gorgeous covers of this historical romance. Characters that brim with spice and spunk and a determination to do what is right in the eyes of God. History is rich in filling between the cracks of the character’s lives, but in a way that does that detract from the story at all but only adds to the fullness of every minute spent within the story.

         

   Ellie and Jack’s love story is no conventional one…fall in love with your father’s enemy? The town’s professed villain? And yet their attraction is so pure…and so passionate. Jack is such a noble hero with the burden of the world on his shoulders which I wanted desperately to see released. And for Ellie to come truly into all her character’s potential.

            There is never just one layer to a story like this. Too many between characters, story world and secondary contributors to mention in one simple review and I can’t begin to do the book justice. I can promise it is fully worth the read. 

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More about the novel...

The path to true love lies somewhere between two feuding families 

In the spring of 1822, Ellie Ballantyne leaves finishing s

chool and returns to the family home in Pittsburg only to find that her parents are away on a long journey and her siblings don't seem to want her to stay. Determined to stand her ground and find her place in the world, Ellie fills her time by opening a day school for young ladies.

But when one of her students turns out to be an incorrigible young member of the Turlock family, Ellie knows she must walk a fine line. Slaveholders and whiskey magnates, the Turlocks are envious of the powerful Ballantynes and suspicious of their abolitionist leanings. As Ellie becomes increasingly entangled with the rival clan--particularly the handsome Jack Turlock--she finds herself falling in love with an impossible future. Will she betray her family and side with the enemy?

Masterful storyteller Laura Frantz continues to unfold the stirring saga of the Ballantyne family in this majestic tale of love and loyalty. This is the Ballantyne Legacy.