Yummy! ~ The Icing on the Cake by Janice Thompson ~ Review

Dab a bit of icing on that cake…it’s done! The loveable Rossi family can’t get any bigger or more loveable…or can they? Maybe they need to add another lovely member for one of their long-time single young men, hmmm?

            For all the fans of the “Bella books”, we’ve ALL been waiting for Armamdo’s love story. The bad boy of the Rossi clan? Oh yeah. I won’t say too much for fear of giving away the entire plot of the story, but know this: for old and new fans of Thompson’s loveable clan they are sure to find the perfect match in Scarlett and Armando’s love story.

            I love surrounding a fun, first-person book around food. Probably because anything Italian and then sweet involved with more than a dollop of romance just makes for a yummy, enjoyable escape. The novel is perfect on all these counts. It’s sweet and tender with Thompson’s brand of humor that keeps the pages flippin’ beneath the fingers.

            I giggled and sighed through the story, more than a bit glad I got to spend so much time with Bella and her family and get to know Scarlett – and oh Scarlett has a story to tell, a sure favorite for contemporary romantic comedy readers. Talk about beloved characters!

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

            **Available August 2013 from Revell, a division of Baker publishers**

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More about the novel...

Scarlet Lindsey’s aunt Wilhelmina may be Texas’s most popular cake baker extraordinaire, but she’s

also getting on in years. When Scarlet decides to take on the role of cake decorator at her cranky aunt’s bidding, it’s just the beginning of a series of misunderstandings and mishaps that will lead her to compete in a cake challenge on national television-and might even lead her to finding true love.

Fan favorite Janice Thompson is back with more wit, more weddings, and more of what her readers love best-bridal business drama. Bella and the gang are all here and readers will fall in love with the newest quirky characters straight from the creative mind of a fantastic storyteller.

Giveaway! The Icing on the Cake by Janice Thompson!

Welcome back to Writing for Christ Janice Thompson, I am excited to have you here for a second time. :-)

What has changed in your writing life since you were last here?

Where do I start? So many things have happened in my personal life and writing life. Over the past six months I’ve welcomed two new granddaughters into the fold and said goodbye to be my best friend, who was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer on Valentine’s Day. It’s been a season of traumatic ups and downs. In the middle of it all, I kept writing, of course. That’s what writers do. In my case, I did my best to keep my funny bone oiled, (though it seemed impossible at times). God graced me through. I can honestly say that the book I just turned in was the funniest I’ve written in years!

What recent read stood out to you as truly spectacular?

I loved Anita Higman’s upcoming book, Marriage in Middlebury. Here’s my endorsement of the story: “An exquisite love story! Marriage in Middlebury offers rea

ders the perfect blend of sweet and savory with a variety of humorous twists and intriguing turns throughout. This beautifully written tale touched me in deep places while lifting my spirits every step of the way. Highly recommended!”

Do you have favorite authors?

I love the lightweights (funny girls) like Kristin Billerbeck and Robin Jones Gunn, but I also love a novel with depth. One of my favorites is Linda Nichols At the Scent of Water. Wow…just…wow. What an amazing story.

What do you find the most enjoyable part of writing or connecting with readers?

I love hearing from my readers. Most of them stay connected with me on facebook. I have an author page there (Janice Hanna Thompson Readers Page) and I also have a private group that I call my “Dream Team.” “Dreamers” are folks who hang out with me on a more personal/regular basis. I go to them with prayer requests and they’re the first to hear when I need help naming characters, etc. What a precious group!

What do you find the most ideal atmosphere for writing? Do you ever get those surroundings? :-)

Ideally, I would be sitting at the water’s edge writing, writing, writing. I’m reminded of a time when our family went on vacation in Laguna Beach, CA. The house we stayed in was located at the top of the cliffs. When our bedroom window opened we could hear the waters of the Pacific rush against the cliffs below. Wow! I’ve never experienced such a remarkable writing environment. I could revisit that place every day and have spectacular results, I believe! Unfortunately, I don’t live in California, so that’s not realistic. I have created a lovely office in my home where I sit to write. I also seem to write well in public places (Starbuck’s, Panera’s, etc.) Maybe it’s the smell of food. :-)

Okay, something fun for those writers out there: In what point of your writing career did you surprise yourself by writing the most words ever in the shortest amount of time?

Back in 2010 I was given the opportunity to write Love Finds You in Poetry Texas for Summerside. Only one problem—they needed it ASAP. I’d already written the first few chapters, but the crux of the book was written in a ten-day period. (You just haven’t lived until you’ve spilled out 10 – 15,000 words in a day! I still love that story and am so grateful that it unveiled itself to me in such a miraculous way. My most recent book for Revell came at a rapid pace, too. 

Thanks for being here again! It has been a joy and we wish the very best with your novels.

Thanks for having me! Always a pleasure! 

Readers, here is your chance to enter to win Janice's book!

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 August 30th

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 of Sundin's Best! ~ On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin ~ Review

I fell in love with this story. From the sweeping Italian countryside, to the romance blooming in the hearts of the main characters, to the brilliance of a World War II backdrop, “On Distant Shores” is one of those sagas that reads like a movie: bright and vibrant in the mind’s eye.

           

While a tumultuous time of war and horror, I have always enjoyed a well-written WWII novel. There is something about the era, the romance and the driving force behind the character’s action, while romanticized, is also incredibly compelling. Descriptions take you smack-dab into the middle of a WWII pharmacists’ world. I understood the thrills and frustrations and fears of being a nurse aboard an aircraft in the middle of enemy air. When done right, it is so spectacular; and this book was definitely done right!

           

I loved how I was truly taken into the heart of these characters. You know their fears, joys and struggles and visibly watch them change upon the page. Everything that is a part of who they are affects their daily lives in a symbiotic dance that is so much fun for a reader.

            

I loved every bit of reading this book and it didn’t last nearly long enough. A perfect summer historical that took me across the ocean and through the air into the beautiful Italian countryside and even more compelling main characters.

           

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

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More about the novel...

Lt. Georgiana Taylor has everything she could want. A comfortable boyfriend back home, a loving family, and a challenging job as a flight nurse. But in July 1943, Georgie’s cozy life gets decidedly more complicated when she meets pharmacist Sgt. John Hutchinson. Hutch resents the lack of respect he gets as a noncommissioned serviceman and hates how the war keeps him from his fiancée. While Georgie and Hutch share a love of the starry night skies over Sicily, their lives back home are falling apart. Can they weather the hurt and betrayal? Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile connection they’ve made?

"With her signature attention to detail and her talent for bringing characters together, Sarah Sundin pens another exciting tale in her series featuring WWII flight nurses. Fans new and old will find in On Distant Shores the perfect combination of emotion, action, and romance.

*~*~*CONTEST INFO!*~*~*

Sarah Sundin is celebrating the release of her latest novel, On Distant Shores, with a Romantic Weekend Getaway giveaway!

  One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (good for a perfect couple's getaway)
• With Every Letter and On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 2nd. Winner will be announced September 3rd at the "On Distant Shores" Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Weekend Getaway, and giving away a ton of books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving party goers an exclusive look at the next book in the Wings of the Nightingale series.

So grab your copy of On Distant Shores and join Sarah on the evening of September 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 3rd!

Giveaway! Dark Road Home by Elizabeth Ludwig!

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

Interesting? Well, here’s a fun one…sometimes, when I’m visualizing a scene in my head, I talk to myself so I can hear what the dialogue will sound like. It’s not usually a problem, unless I’m driving, in which case, I simply act like I’m on the phone. LOL!

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

Historicals are definitely my favorite to both read AND write. Favorite authors include Francine Rivers and Tamera Alexander, although sometimes, I’ll get on a YA kick and then I like to read Elisabeth Stengl or Jill Williamson.

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

I have tried to learn something from every manuscript I’ve ever written, whether they were published or not. From my historicals, I’ve learned how important it is to research every detail of my story, from the fabrics women wore to the building materials that were in use.

With my mysteries, I learned the techniques for creating tension and planting clues. I guess the bottom line is this…never stop learning. No matter what genre you’re in, be teachable, because more than anything else, writing is a job. Only those who are willing to work the hardest will be successful.

5 things you love?

Number one is definitely my Lord. A close second is my family. Everything else follows in quick succession…dachshunds, chocolate, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, although not necessarily in that order. J

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

Let’s see…I just finished reading and reviewing The Blue Door by Christa Kinde which was very good. This was Christa’s debut novel, and I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed a new YA author so much. I also enjoyed Dani Pettrey’s book called Submerged. Both of these books had an element of suspense in them which I suppose is why I liked them! My favorite soon-to-be-released book, however, is a biblical fiction by Stephanie Landsem called The Well. A must read, in my humble opinion.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

I have a website at www.elizabethludwig.com and a blog at www.theborrowedbook.blogspot.com, but my favorite place to connect is still on facebook. I hope you’ll stop by!

Thank you for being with us today!

Thanks so much for having me, Casey.

Readers, here is your chance to enter to win Elizabeth's book!

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 August 23rd

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 

Something Wonderfully Fun Has Happened!

Photo Credit

I was eagerly looking forward to this day.

Counting down, eyeing the numbers, subtracting, adding. Waiting, waiting for that moment...

It was a handful of posts away. I could feel it. That moment of realizing...

Then I (embarrassed)...forgot. 

I visited my blogger dashboard one morning and! Oh! Oh! 

The moment had not already passed, but I was already cruising down the road with this landmark in my rear view mirror.

But I couldn't let it completely slip away. So I'm sharing with you today. Grinning. Dancing. Can't BELIEVE I made it this far. 

It's blown me away.

Friday, July 26, 2013 marked my ONE THOUSANDTH blog post.

1,000 posts. 

ONE THOUSAND.

That's a LOT of words.

That's a lot of blog posts.

That's a lot you guys have read and commented and tweeted and pinned and loved on for over three years. 

That's something else.

I'm celebrating. And I want to share the celebration with you!

Do you have a favorite post of mine? I know to actually find the post might be a challenge, so if you'd leave a comment about the post, I'd LOVE, LOVE that! 

Regardless, leave a comment, 'cause I'm giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

ONE THOUSAND POSTS, people. I think I'm a little bit of insane. :D

Darkly Mysterious and Romantic ~ Dark Road Home by Elizabeth Ludwig ~ Review

Something about a dark Irish rogue and his bonny lass on the streets of New York in the 19^th century, had me turning pages in bulk in not much more than one sitting.

          

  Book two in the “Edge of Freedom” series had me as strongly captivated as the first title. Definitely a sequential series with strong and vibrant characters, I was literally sucked into the underworld of Irish mobs, cloak and dagger danger and a romance to patter the heartbeat.

            

Eoghan and Ana are strong characters on the page. Maybe it’s their Irish heritage. Or their determination to protect their own and their fierce devotion to what they believe to be right…it’s probably all three. Along with captivating dialogue and vivid descriptions that burn across the pages as brightly as Ana’s childhood nightmares.

           

I loved that I got to see into our villain’s mind - that the reader always knows he’s just around the counter, waiting, waiting…and the reader is trusted with the intelligence level of the story as much twists and writhes its way through the story making a bit of a complicated tapestry.

         

   The story definitely isn’t over yet and I’ll be waiting with baited breath for book number three; I can’t imagine it being anything less than stellar as “Dark Road Home” has proven to be.

            

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

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More about the novel...

Ana Kavanagh’s only memories of home are of fire and pain. As a girl she was the only survivor

of a terrible blaze, and years later she still struggles with her anger at God for letting it happen.

At a nearby parish she meets and finds a kindred spirit in Eoghan Hamilton, who is struggling with his own anger–his sister, Cara, betrayed him by falling in love with one of his enemies. Cast aside by everyone, Eoghan longs to rejoin the Fenians, a shadowy organization pushing for change back in Ireland. But gaining their trust requires doing some favors–all of which seem to lead back to Ana. Who is she and who is searching for her? 

As dark secrets from Ana’s past begin to come to light, Eoghan must choose which road to follow–and where to finally place his trust.

Giveaway! On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin!

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

I took ballet lessons for ten years while growing up, including pointe-work (“on your toes”). My teacher was very traditional and didn’t allow us to use lamb’s wool or anything to cushion our toes—it “didn’t allow you to feel the floor.” I finally got rid of the scars on my toes from all the blisters. However, she was a fabulous teacher and taught us so much—not just ballet, but discipline and respect and perseverance.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?

I love to write historical fiction, but I read other genres too. Historicals, women’s fiction, contemporary romance…I also like some thrillers and fantasy.

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

The best writing advice I received early on was about truly writing from the character’s point of view. Learning to see what my character sees, hear what she hears, feel what she feels, think what she thinks—and to infuse every word with my character’s voice, even the narration and description. This revolutionized my writing.

5 things you love?

My kids’ laughter, crisp autumn days, gumdrops, the redwoods, and caffeine.

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

That’s the nice thing about Christian fiction—so much is appropriate for both teens and adults. My teen daughter and I fight over the new books as they come in. We don’t always share the same taste, but we enjoy many of the same authors. I’m currently reading Karen Barnett’s Mistaken, set in the 1920s, and I’m sure teens will like it too—romance, danger…two handsome men for the heroine to choose between.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

I love to visit with readers. You can find me at…

Website: http://www.sarahsundin.com

Blog: http://www.sarahsundin.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthor

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sarahsundin

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sarahsundin

Thank you for being with us today! 

Readers, here is your chance to enter to win Sarah's book!

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 August 16th

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