Jill Elizabeth Nelson writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith, earning her the tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. Jill speaks regularly at conferences, writer’s groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. When teaching classes for writers, she delights in bringing the Ahah! moment to her students as they make a new skill their own. Jill and her husband live in rural Minnesota where they raised four children and are currently enjoying their first grandchild.
Dear Reader:
I’m excited to “meet” you through the pages of my books. I write what I like to read-- tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith; hence, my tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. If this sounds right up your alley, pull up a seat and let me tell you about my latest release, Calculated Revenge.
Calculated Revenge begins when a young school teacher finds on the playground a backpack that belonged to her kid sister--victim of a murderous abductor eighteen years ago. Now she must team up with a reluctant investigator to stop this killer before her own daughter meets the same fate.
It’s been eighteen years since Laney Thompson’s sister was abducted and killed, but Laney’s pain and haunting guilt has never faded. Now the murderer is back, taunting Laney with mementos of her sister and threatening Laney’s young daughter. School principal Noah Ryder is her best hope for protecting her daughter—if she can convince the former investigator to take the case. As the threats escalate and clues lead to shocking secrets from the past, Laney’s survival—and that of her daughter—depends on the rusty gifts and skills Noah wants only to forget.
What do you think, dear Reader? Will you brave the deep waters of this tale of danger, abduction, and betrayal? My heroine is honest, sincere, sensitive, and caring. She’s also fiesty and can be touchy and a bit blind in defense of her family. My hero is strong, honorable, protective, and determined, but ultra-cautious about relationships. They both wrestle with guilt over past tragedies. I hope their struggles with issues of faith and forgiveness in the face of tragedy will strike a resonant chord in your heart.
My web site contains excerpts, links to purchase books, my speaking schedule, a monthly contest to win an autographed copy of my latest release, and an opportunity to sign up for my quarterly newsletter. Pop on by at http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/. I have a readers’ group on Facebook where we chat about all sorts of things, book-wise. I’m also on Twitter and Shoutlife. Oh, and I have a blog on my web site, too. I give away lots of books there that are not my own.
Calculated Revenge released in April. My next book releases in October:
Legacy of Lies finds a cop’s widow scrambling to defend her family’s honor after the bones of a long-ago kidnap victim are found in her grandparents’ back yard. In order to unearth the truth, she must defy her hometown’s powerful founding family and team up with the last man on the planet for whom she’d like to feel attraction—another cop.
Blessings, dear Reader, in all your adventures within the pages of a good book.
Jill
Enter to win a free copy of Calculated Revenge by leaving a comment to this post, including your contact information. A link to detailed rules for Book Readers Central book giveaway drawings is located in this blog's footnotes. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Wednesday, July 21st. The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday, July 23rd.
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When Chris meets Larry, an HIV-positive homeless homosexual, he reacts as most of us would: do just enough to ease his conscience and then pretend he doesn’t exist. When Chris feels God leading him to do more, he and his bible study group welcome James into their midst.
Stumbling Souls by Chris Plekenpol is well written and thought provoking. The people in this book are very relatable. Chris does a great job of putting his story on paper and even shares when he doesn’t feel like doing what God asks of him. He uses Scripture in a strong way to reinforce the truth of his message. This is a book I feel comfortable recommending all to read for personal growth.
Note: A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for purposes of review.
An Interview With the Author
Q: Stumbling Souls tells of the lessons you learned about faith after having met James, a homeless man off the street who attended the newcomers’ meeting at your church one day. Why did you reach out to him? When you saw him walking away from church that day, why did you call after him?
A: For any disciple, there comes a time when learning Christ must become living Christ. As much as I was enjoying learning and being at seminary, the greatness of my seminary experience was complete only when the miraculous intangibles of God’s character became real in me. That day something awakened deep inside of me—maybe in the place where a small filling of the Holy Spirit resides. I couldn’t take my eyes off the figure walking away, and something inside me stirred. I tried to quell the desire to stop him and find out about his life. And before I knew it, my legs started walking after this stranger who had no idea of the welling up of something in my soul.
Q: How did you know God was leading you to reach out to James and serve him in the radical manner that you did?
A: One of the ways God really revealed his leading to me was through the encouragement of others, both friends and strangers. I began blogging about James and one reader contacted me and said he would like to help financially. He literally tracked me down to tell me in order to give something to help James. Not only did he give something for James. He personally encouraged me. There were moments like those when God intervened and let me know he was watching. No, they don’t come every day, but they serve as reminders that he wants me to live by faith.
Q: As readers make their way through Stumbling Souls, they will find themselves rooting for James, wanting him to change and turn his life around, and impatient when it doesn’t happen quickly and he seems to take some wrong turns. Why did you not give up on him?
A: I knew, as I said, that God was calling me to live by faith, but of course that was, at times, so difficult because I wanted to see results. I wanted to see life change, and when that didn’t happen, I got frustrated. But in one of those moments of discouragement this thought hit me. I don’t serve James because of James; I serve James because of God. So James’ actions don’t matter. If James never gets on his feet and I do an exercise in futility, it doesn’t matter, because my God told me to always remember the poor. So here I am doing it. Here I am living this thing called faith.
Q: “Is Love Enough?” is the subtitle of Stumbling Souls. But isn’t that exactly what we’re called by God to do, to love others?
A: Yes, we are. We are called to love and to serve. But I’ve found that our human love isn’t perfect. Selfishness and pride leave much to be desired, and, therefore, our love is never enough. I don’t have the ability to love unconditionally outside of Christ. That is why the only love that will ever be enough is the love of God. He gave his only Son to die on a cross for the sins of the world, and then he gets involved in the mess of ministry, of our working out our salvation with fear and trembling, by using flawed people to piece together another person’s redemption so that only he gets the glory.
Q: How do you believe God changed you through this experience?
A: I went from a Christian ideologue to a person who has an understanding of life on the streets and an understanding of how Christ makes believers righteous on the basis of grace, by means of faith. Through this process I really saw my own growth and I hope that those who read this story will see that too, the way that God used James to change me. I can’t help but notice the difference. I have more compassion. I have a deeper love for the lost. I have a better grasp at how rotten I can be in my own sufficiency. There wasn’t just one stumbling soul in this book; my sins were pretty apparent, and God is still working on my selfishness and pride. I know that with God all things are possible.
Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions which reach over 350,000 people each day. She served as general editor of For The Write Reason and The Reason We Speak. She and her husband Curt co-authored Learning To Live Financially Free and her first novel, The Mailbox will be released in June 2010. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries' fiction division. Marybeth speaks regularly to women's groups and enjoys sharing stories from her daily adventures as a wife, mom, writer, and, most importantly, a follower of God. You can find her online at http://www.marybethwhalen.com/.
The Interview
BRC: How would you describe your book?
My novel, The Mailbox can best be described as the perfect summer read. Set on a beach in NC and revolving around a real landmark with folklore and mystery surrounding it, it is a story of first love and second chances.
BRC: What message do you hope it conveys?
That God loves us, pursues us, and always has surprises waiting if we are ready to risk.
BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The challenge of actually writing a novel, start to finish. And feeling like I spent a lot of time at the beach while I wrote it-- I may not have actually been there, but I felt like I was!
BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?
The edits. It was grueling to do some things my editor asked of me that I totally didn't think I could do. She stretched me... and ended up creating a book that I am proud of.
BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?
I came that way-- I have always loved writing, making up stories.
BRC: Tell us about your writing process.
I create an outline for the story, scene by scene. Then each day when I sit down to write, I just look at that outline to find where I am and write whatever comes next. I write 1000 words a day on average.
BRC: What are you working on now?
My second novel will come out next June. And I am thinking about my third...
BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?
Contemporary Women's Fiction, both secular and Christian
BRC: Where can readers buy your book?
I would love it if they would buy it from Proverbs 31, the ministry I work with!http://www.proverbs31.org/. But you can find it most anywhere-- or ask for it at your local bookstore.
How many brides does one man need? This question serves as the tagline for Vickie McDonough's new release, The Anonymous Bride, book one in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series.
Luke Davis returns as the new town marshall to his childhood home of Lookout, Texas to discover that the woman who betrayed him by marrying someone else is now a widow. Rachel asks Luke to forgive and forget, but old hurts take time to heal. Can Luke and Rachel put the past behind them and start over or is it too late?
Enter three mail-order brides, all of them expecting to marry Luke. One of them hides a deadly secret.
Vickie McDonough provides a lively Western Romance set in Texas, an ever-popular setting. I found it easy to get lost in the pages of this book. I appreciated the masterful characterizations.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for purposes of review.
A two-time ACFW Genesis winner, Carla Stewart is a Guideposts Writers Workshop alumna and has been published in Guideposts, Angels on Earth, and several regional magazines and anthologies. Her debut novel, Chasing Lilacs, releases in June 2010 with FaithWords. Carla enjoys a good cup of coffee, weekend getaways with her husband, and the antics of their six grandchildren.
Dear Reader
Hi there. My name is Carla Stewart and I’m so happy to be here today to share a little about my writing journey and to introduce you to my first book, Chasing Lilacs.
I’m a wife, mom to four boys, and Mimi to six terrific grandkids (only one girl in the bunch). I believe in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. Nine years ago, I hung up my nurse’s cap and strapped myself to a chair in front of the computer, eager to pursue my lifelong dream of writing a novel. It’s been a circuitous journey with a lot of bumps along the way, but I’m very excited that finally, my debut novel, Chasing Lilacs, is about to become a reality. June 17 to be exact.
The idea for the story sprang from childhood curiosity—the occasional whisper about someone who’d had a nervous breakdown or shock treatments. The term “nerve problems” frequently cropped up with no explanation of what that meant. Not only were these taboo topics for conversation in the 1950s, I later learned that the ailments themselves were often misunderstood and not always treated properly. As a writer, I wanted to explore what it might have been like for an adolescent girl from that era to have a mother with these problems.
The setting is similar to the one where I grew up in the Texas Panhandle: a close-knit petroleum camp where neighbors helped one another and kept an eye on everyone’s kids. The theme of community was a natural outcropping of that. It was a more carefree time, almost magical, and I hope I’ve portrayed some of that feeling—Elvis on the radio, poodle hair cuts, endless hot summers, Grapette in a bottle.
Even in the best of times, though, tragedy can strike and faith can be tested. As my young protagonist, Sammie, struggles with her own identity and her mom’s “nerve” problems, she has to decide who to trust to help her through the storm. When grief comes, she learns that God’s healing often comes through the embrace a loving community.
One final thing that I hope all of my readers find in Chasing Lilacs is that small part of themselves that longs for childhood, for simpler times. A final sigh that, as the book ends on a positive note, you’ll be glad you’ve taken a step back into another era.
I’ve just turned in a second novel to my publisher, FaithWords. It, too, has a nostalgic thread and showcases the power of friendship—this time between two women, an aging jazz singer and a young paralegal who is in an abusive relationship. I’m in the process of researching a third novel, but it’s too early to share about it since I’ve not discovered the heart of the story myself.
My heart’s desire is to write the kind of novels I love to read. Some of my recent favorites are The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and anything by Lisa Samson. Two all time favorites are The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.
I’ve enjoyed being here and am always excited when I can connect with other book lovers. You can find me here:
Chasing Lilacs is available for pre-order now at: Amazon CBD
CHASING LILACS (FaithWords, June, 2010)
It’s the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother’s “nerve” problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.
As her life careens out of control, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious boy from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there’s the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.
Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.
“A remarkable debut novel. Carla Stewart cleverly captures the stark simplicity of a young girl’s voice with all the masterful qualities of powerful prose. Unforgettable.” —Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy
“Chasing Lilacs is the kind of coming of age story that sticks to you beyond the last page. Unforgettable characters, surprising plot twists, and a setting so southern you’ll fall in love with Texas. Carla Stewart is a new talent to watch!” —Mary E. DeMuth, author of Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn
Geoffrey Hindley covers the mechanations, psychology, rules, art and finally -- the horror -- of medieval siege warfare in MEDIEVAL SIEGES & SIEGECRAFT. The writing, although sometimes cumbersome, is not dry. Geoffrey's passion for his subject comes through and the text is enlivened with examples and quotes taken straight out of history. Even those who dislike reading about war may find interest in the story of an earl's son forced to swim across a lake in his nightshirt, the woman whose husband refused to take her back after her captives released her, and the invaders who dressed in female garb and followed the town's women from a well located at the edge of town back through the gates.
A chapter covers the various tools of war and provided interesting information. For instance, siege towers were huge and might reach a height of 60 feet. One gigantuan siege tower even capsized the boat meant to transport it. Of interest, too, were the various incindiary weapons, especially Greek fire, which I'll use as an example of the detail in this book. A secret formula of combustibles perfected by the Byzantines ignited upon contact with water. It was used primarily in naval warfare (although it did show up in castle sieges). It burned with ferocity, even as one account claims, beneath the water. One eyewitness account of a lighted barrel catapulted toward a besieging army describes it as a fireball with a long tail that lit up the night as if it were day and roared like a dragon. Not surprisingly, its deployment ended more than one siege. The formula for Greek fire has been lost in the mists of time. While some believe it contained naphtha or petroleum in some form, and also oils and resins, no one today knows for certain what was in it.
The book covers both the strengths and vulnerabilities of castles and names the measures taken by miners and masonry sappers to topple towers and bring down walls. We learn of the formalities, the trickery employed and, yes, even the chivalry found in medieval warfare. Sadly, too, we learn of man's inhumanity to man. A chapter discusses the surprising role of women in medieval warfare. Another chapter deals with the problem of logistics.
Illustrations scatter throughout the book, and a more-organized section of photographs enliven the center pages. Color illustrations and photographs would be preferable than black-and-white, however the scope and execution of this amazing resource redeems this flaw.
I recommend this book for adults who enjoy reading nonfiction historicals written in a personable style.
Kathleen Y’Barbo first discovered her love of books when, at the age of four, she stumbled upon her grandmoher’s set of World Book Encyclopedias. Letters became words, and words became stories of far-away places and interesting people.
As she grew up, Kathleen learned that her love of story could carry her off to places far beyond her small Texas Gulf Coast town. Soon she hit the road for real, earning a degree in Marketing from Texas A&M before setting off to such exotic destinations as Jakarta, Tokyo, Bali, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Eventually, the road led back to Texas and a career in writing. Within a decade, Kathleen became a best-selling author of more than thirty award-winning novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than 950,000 copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad. Soon Kathleen will be adding nonfiction books to her credits as well.
Kathleen is a member of the Authors Guild, Advance Writers and Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Words For the Journey Christian Writers Guild, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, as well as a certification in Paralegal Studies. A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has a daughter and three sons.
Dear Reader,
I’ve been a fan of all things western for as long as I can recall. However, my fascination with John Henry “Doc” Holliday began in 2007 when longtime friend and fellow Waterbrook author Tracey Bateman convinced me to slip away from the International Christian Retail Show and take a taxi down to Peachtree Street and the Margaret Mitchell House.
There, in the front parlor of the historic home, I first heard the details of the story behind the story of Gone With the Wind. The tale of Ashley and Melanie becomes all the more poignant when set against the backdrop of the truth of the real-life family members that Margaret Mitchell used as models. The character of Ashley Wilkes was inspired by Doc, her cousin by marriage, while Melanie was based on Margaret’s third cousin (and Doc’s first cousin) Mattie “Sister Melanie” Holliday.
Because the church refused marriage to first cousins, Doc and Mattie’s love was not to be. Doc went out West, some say as much to heal his heart after the loss of Mattie as to heal the lungs that had been scarred by the disease that ravaged them. Word eventually reached Doc that Mattie had joined a convent. Throughout the remainder of Doc’s life, he wrote letters to Mattie. Upon Mattie’s death, those letters were burned by a family member so no record of what Doc and Melanie shared remains.
It is in this void of information that I set Anna’s story. While I made every attempt to check every
detail against the known history of the outlaw dentist, there are also gaps in time where Doc is unaccounted for. In addition, there are instances where only a second (or possibly third) man could have committed the crimes for which Doc Holliday was accused.
Like Anna Finch, I hope you find Doc Holliday unforgettable.
I'm excited to tell you that up next in the Women of the West series is the tale of Charlotte Beck. Readers came to know Charlotte as Daniel Beck's darling daughter and Gennie Cooper's worst nightmare in The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper, currently a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA competition. She's tamed her wild ways a bit for her appearance in Anna Finch and the Hired Gun, but can she keep her penchant for petty larceny under control? Here's a teaser for Charlotte's story, title TBA:
From pampered princess to bartered bride, Charlotte Beck’s plan to relieve her best friend Augusta "Gussie" Miller of the duty to wed is a smashing success. Unfortunately, now Lord Evan Hambly, second son of the Earl of Farnsworth and the jilted groom, is insisting Charlotte join him in a mutually beneficial ruse that will allow Charlotte her freedom while bolstering the Viscout Hambly's family fortunes. Their marriage of convenience soon becomes quite inconvenient when the starry-eyed astronomer falls in love with the bride who has stolen not only his heart but his pocket watch.
Did I mention there are connections to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, a mysterious comet, and Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West Show? So sit back and read Anna Finch and the Hired Gun knowing the adventure will continue next year when Charlotte's tale debuts in June 2011. A bit of insider knowledge: I've been informed by my editor that the phrase Marriage of Inconvenience may be included in the title.
Until then, happy trails, readers! I'll see you out west!
Sarah Oakley and her young siblings flee from their outlaw uncle and hope to find a better life. Things go from bad to worse, however, when Sarah is arrested as an outlaw herself. The men of the wild west town of Medora, North Dakota want to lynch her, that is unless one of them doesn't up and marry her first. Enter Quinn McFarland, a handsome rancher who needs a wife, if only to stop his grandmother from sending for any more mail order brides for him. While marriage to Quinn might solve Sarah's immediate problems, she can't help longing for true love.
The plot for this light historical romance delivered no surprises and suffered at times from believability. However, the colorful characters, authentic details and accomplished writing engage the reader throughout the story.
I recommend this book for women who enjoy historical romance.
In 1998, Gina Holmes began her career penning articles and short stories. In 2005 she founded the influential literary blog, Novel Journey. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her husband and children in Southern Virginia. Her debut novel, Crossing Oceans released April/May 2010 with Tyndale House Publishers. To learn more about her, visit: http://www.ginaholmes.com/ or http://www.noveljourney.blogspot.com/
A Conversation with the Author
Your blog, www.noveljourney.blogspot.com, grew out of your own journey to become a published author. How many books had you written before Crossing Oceans? How long has your “novel journey” taken?
Thanks for mentioning Novel Journey. It has been a labor of love, not just for me, but for the whole Novel Journey team. It’s a great place for readers to discover new authors and for writers to connect and learn. And unlike most things in life, it’s a completely free resource. It really is the Novel Journey team’s desire to spread the word about the tremendous choices and talent available today in the realm of Christian fiction, so forgive us if we unashamedly plug it. We’d love the whole world to discover the great Christian novelists there are to choose from—Francine Rivers, Charles Martin, Lisa Samson, Claudia Mair Burney, Frank Peretti, and on and on.
But to answer the question you actually asked, I’ve written four books that haven’t been published before this one, Crossing Oceans, was contracted.
I’ve been writing toward the goal of publication for something like ten years. I’ve had lots of rejections and near misses along the way, but I’m so grateful for all of it. Crossing Oceans is my best piece of writing to date and a story I’m so very proud to debut with.
How much of Jenny did you draw from yourself?
Friends could probably be more objective in answering this question than I am. The honest answer would be maybe a little, maybe a lot. Each of the characters is drawn from parts of me, the good guys and the bad. I’ve got enough attributes and flaws to go around! Mostly the characters are their own creation though. They borrow a little from me, a little from others, and each takes on their own persona as well. It’s a combination.
Probably the one who’s most based on myself is Bella. She’s the glue that brings the two families together. I’ve always been a mediator type of person. I think most middle children probably are. However, I was more like Eeyore as a child than Isabella’s sunshiny self.
As you reviewed novels and talked to a lot of novelists who have had varying degrees of commercial success, was there ever a “dark night of the soul” where you decided this just wasn’t what you thought it was going to be, just wasn’t worth pursuing?
Not worth pursuing? No way! There are so many worthy stories to tell, and it’s my burning desire to do that. Not to say that I didn’t have fleeting moments of despair along the way, particularly when I came close to getting a contract, only to see it fall through at the last minute. But those moments really were fleeting, and I knew God’s timing would be perfect … and it was.
You have written several as-yet-unpublished novels, all of them in a completely different genre—thriller/suspense. Crossing Oceans is quite a departure. Do you prefer or find your voice more easily in one or the other?
I grew up reading suspense, so naturally that’s what I thought I should write. I did okay with it and got some recognition in a contest and came close to getting contracted, but ultimately none of those suspense novels ever sold. Then I started reading some really amazing novels outside the suspense genre, and it was like another world opened up to me. It was no longer a thriller I longed to write, but a story that would change lives the way the books I read had changed mine. When I started Crossing Oceans, I presented it along with a suspense novel I was working on to my agent, Chip MacGregor. I asked which one he thought suited me better. He told me both were good, but that Crossing Oceans seemed more like my true voice, or something to that effect. It turned out to be a turning point and absolutely the right advice. I’m now writing what comes naturally and absolutely loving it. Chip’s a genius.
How did the idea for Crossing Oceans come to you?
I’m not exactly sure where the idea came from, but when I write, I’m usually working out something in my personal life, past or present. Often it’s not until the story is done that I figure out exactly what. I think with Crossing Oceans it probably was my relationship with my parents. They divorced when I was a baby. For the first years of my life, I was with my mother, and then when I was in second grade, I went to live with my father. I know what it’s like to be torn, like Isabella, between two families who don’t always like each other but who all love the child they share. Then again, maybe I wasn’t working out anything! Maybe I just fell asleep watching something about a dying mother, and woke up thinking I had a brilliant idea.
King Solomon wrote, “My child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). What’s your perspective on the flood of new books you see each season?
Honestly, I’d rather see two books released that are fantastic than a hundred that are just okay. There are great books that often don’t get the attention they deserve because they’re buried in an avalanche of new releases. Of course, tastes in literature are as different as in clothing, food, and anything else. One of my dearest friends has raved about books I thought were just okay and vice versa. So, who’s to say which two books are the great ones?
Do you ever find your Christian worldview a challenge to convey in your writing or as you communicate with other novelists in the industry?
It’s not difficult to convey in my writing, I don’t think. At least not today. Hey, I’m a sinner. I wish I wasn’t and I try not to be, but I always seem to fall short. It’s the same for my characters. The thing with me, and them, is we get back up, dust ourselves off, and try to do better next time. My faith, in all its imperfection, isn’t lip service. It’s who I am. What I believe. That comes out in my conversations, my choice of clothing, music, friends, and in my writing. It’s very natural for me.
As far as other novelists go, I guess it’s not a challenge. I’m a Christian and not everyone’s going to agree with what I do, or what I write, or what I believe, and that doesn’t matter. My mother said when I turned forty that I would stop caring so much what people thought and really start being who I am. I’m almost there and, as usual, she was right. I would say that in my personal life, everyone who truly knows me is well aware that I’m a Christian. I don’t hide it in my professional life either.
Finish this sentence: “I will know that I have totally arrived as a novelist when . . .”
I don’t think any of us ever “totally arrive” at anything. I’m a good mom, but have I arrived as a mother? No, I’m still learning and growing and trying to do better. It’s the same with being a novelist. If I win a Pulitzer, that would be great—okay, really, really, really great!—but that still won’t mean I’ve arrived. I’d still need to be learning and trying my best to improve with each book. I think once people start telling themselves they’ve “arrived”, they start getting lazy and proud. Ultimately they become less than what they could have been had they remained hungry to improve. Only when I’m entering heaven’s gates will I finally allow myself to say, “Now, you’ve arrived!”
Author Julie Klassen loves both Jane Austen and Jane Ayre -- and it shows. Her new release, THE SILENT GOVERNESS, creates a world redolent with mystery and drawing-room intrique that hearkens back to the gothic romances of yore. The story opens as young Olivia Keene flees through a forest which is anything but safe. Circumstances thrust her into life at Brightwell Court and into the hands of inegmatic Lord Bradley. The plot unfolds in layers, like an onion, each deeper and more complex than the last. Nothing is as it seems and yet, in the end, we discover each riddle has an obvious answer.
This book is well plotted and written in an engaging style. Although I did find several plot points and aspects of characterization less than believable, such a compelling story made it easy to overlook a few minor flaws.
I recommend THE SILENT GOVERNESS for women who enjoy historical romance.
Cynthia Ruchti writes stories of hope that glows in the dark. She writes and produces The Heartbeat of the Home, a syndicated drama/devotional radio broadcast, and is editor for the ministry's Backyard Friends magazine. She also serves as current president of American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia married her childhood sweetheart, who tells her his own tales of wilderness adventures.
BRC: How would you describe your book? The tagline for the book is “She’d leave her husband…if she could find him.”
When Libby’s husband Greg doesn’t return from a two-week canoe trip to the Canadian wilderness, the authorities write off his disappearance as an unhappy husband’s escape from an oatmeal marriage and mind-numbing career. Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn’t died and if Greg hadn’t been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness-savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband’s disappearance. What the trio discovers in the wilderness search upends Libby’s assumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.
It’s my prayer that this fictional adventure story and emotional journey will reveal its own hope-laden clues for those struggling to survive or longing to exit what they believe are uninspiring marriages. How can a woman survive a season or a lifetime when she finds it difficult to like the man she loves?
BRC: What message do you hope your book conveys?
THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME will resonate with women who thought they’d never consider divorce but can’t stomach the pain and distance that mark their marriage relationship. From the newly married to the long married, women readers will identify with unmet expectations and the discovery—both unnerving and endearing—that their husband is not at all who they thought. And neither are they. They’re stronger, more culpable, more courageous, and more vulnerable than they knew.
Also key to the story is the unfolding of a deeper faith (If God is here in my pain, why haven’t I felt Him) and the power of female friendships as evidenced through Libby’s relationship with her comforter-but-truth-teller friend, Jenika.
BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I’m hard-pressed to think of any part of this process that I didn’t enjoy. Hard work? Definitely. But laced with joy all along the way.
BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?
It was good for me but unnerving to have to confront attitudes in my own heart in order to write Libby’s story with authenticity and empathy. I grew. Growing pains are no more comfortable at this age than when I was ten.
BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?
My journey toward a lifetime of writing began by reading books that stirred me, changed me, convinced me that imagination is a gift from an imaginative Creator. As a child, I read when I should have been sleeping…and still do. I couldn’t wait for the BookMobile (library on wheels) to pull up in front of the post office in our small town and open its arms to me. Somewhere between the pages of a book, my heart warmed to the idea that one day I too might tell stories that made readers stay up past their bedtimes.
BRC: Tell us about your writing process.
I’m a “snatch” writer and a “cranny” writer. A file of ideas for future projects bulges with 80 or more one-liners, Scripture verses that could spawn a novel, or intriguing concepts. For me, a novel often begins with a snippet of conversation, a snatch of a phrase, a title, a single word. It’s fleshed out in crannies of time bolstered with occasional glorious longer stretches. After writing myself into corners, I’ve now changed my tactic to include a little more preplanning and a rough outline. My characters and storylines sometimes rebel against the constraints of the outline, and usually win. Discovering where they wanted to go is half the fun of writing.
BRC: What are you working on now?
One of the stories I ache to tell pierced my heart in a single, poignant moment. I still have difficulty talking about it without a catch in my throat. During a sweet time of communion with a wafer in one hand and a miniature cup of grape juice in the other, I heard those familiar words of Scripture read yet again: “On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took the cup and—”
Not just any night. Not on a night following a breakthrough moment when His disciples finally understood what He’d been telling them. No.
Jesus declared His love in unprecedented extravagance on the night He was betrayed.
The thought took my breath away. I haven’t regained it. The storyteller in me asked what that extravagance might look like in a marriage. I’m working now to finish the story ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED. Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and takes a tiny heartbeat with her?
Another project waiting to connect with readers is ALL MY BELONGINGS. The main character’s father killed people as his community service project. No wonder she changed her name and her path. His reputation threatens to undermine her attempts to find a place to belong and a legacy worth repeating. ALL MY BELONGINGS explores the difference between what we want to believe and what we do believe regarding end of life issues. What do we do if that gap is wider than we thought?
BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?
My bookshelves—don’t ask how many!—hold a wide variety of genres. The collection expands faster than a good yeast dough. I’m a mood reader, grabbing a light comedy one day and a literarily rich work the next. Although I appreciate well-written nonfiction, I gravitate toward an emotionally engaging contemporary women’s fiction story.
They can also connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, and Shoutlife.
Book giveaway drawing: Enter for a chance to win a free copy of THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME by leaving a comment on this post. Entrants will be accepted until this Wednesday at midnight, US/Pacific time. The winner will be announced on this blog on Friday. For more detailed rules, click on the link in the right sidebar of this blog.
This book's premise is that a man needs to be allowed freedom to be wild at heart, to be the warrior God wants him to be -- even if becoming that warrior means dealing with the pain of the past.
This book is aimed mostly at men. While I enjoyed reading WILD AT HEART, I was at times frustrated because as a woman I cannot relate to everything the author talks about. It does make an excellent read for today's Christian man. A man who is not saved or who is just saved would not understand its full message.
I have already recommended WILD AT HEART to many. It is a good choice for a church library and for the personal libraries of Christian men and boys.
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for purposes of review.
Author Gail Sattler lives in Vancouver, BC, where you don’t have to shovel rain, with her husband, sons, dogs, lizard (who is quite cuddly for a reptile), and bass guitar.
BRC: Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started writing.
I say on my blog that I’m a wife, mom, writer, musician, dog owner, and lizard lover. I haven’t written a story about my lizard yet, but my first published book was inspired by my first dog, who has now gone to that great doghouse in the sky. I’d sent a photo of my dog to the art department at Barbour so they would get the dog right for the cover, and they ended up giving me the original artwork. The dog is perfect except for some reddy-brownish color on her beard (it’s a Schnauzer), which was not in the photo. My husband laughed at that, and said it was okay, the dog had obviously got into the spaghetti (my dog’s favorite meal) and it would just wash off. That painting is framed and still hanging above my writing computer. Spaghetti sauce and all.
BRC: That’s funny. I’m sure many authors have stories about the cover art of their books that readers would love to hear. Do you have any interesting stories to tell us about the cover of your new book, The Narrow Path?
I’m glad you asked, because there is a very interesting story behind the cover of this one. Because of the Mennonite characters my editor wanted something featuring the hat worn by the hero, which in turn made me want to see the hero wearing the hat. But because of the modern heroine, the cover wouldn’t be a true representation of the book just to show the Old Order hero. So I wanted to show both. However, they needed two models, and they’d run out of time for their deadline. But that problem was solved when two people who work in the office at Abingdon posed for the cover.
BRC: That’s different. It obviously worked, the cover is quite intriguing. How did they make that work?
Michael and Christa were really good sports. The whole office helped, too. Everyone helped to collect all the accessories we needed as mentioned in the book – they had the hat, but needed suspenders and a leather-bound Bible for Ted. We needed a red cell phone for Miranda, as that phone plays into the story, and someone in the office actually owned a red cell phone. Together, they got everything needed that was specifically mentioned in the book - the red t-shirt, red nail polish and lipstick, and even red earrings for “Miranda”, except with Christa’s long hair, you can’t see them in the pose they used for the cover. And then there was more accessories to hunt and find, for the book trailer.
BRC: You mean there’s more? Tell us about the book trailer. It is very special that the people on the cover are the same people who are in the book trailer. Not many authors can say they have their hero and heroine from the cover in their book trailer, but I do. Again, Michael and Christa graciously posed for the photos in the book trailer, and again, the ladies in the office gathered the accessories needed – again including the red cell phone, but also the iPod, mints, lipgloss, and Abingdon provided the program disk for her Bible, which she has installed on her cell phone. Someone even had a red purse, which was an added surprise. I just love that purse! I want one of those. Then they took everything outside and took the photo in someone’s car, because the scene was to portray the way Miranda spreads everything out in her car, when she’s back at home in Seattle, sitting in traffic. Aside from those, everything in the book trailer is directly or indirectly somewhere in the book.
BRC: Readers can view that book trailer, below. It’s been great having you visit with us.
Hold your horses, Pardner! Don't start this book at bedtime or you might just sacrifice a night's sleep. With page-turning action, pithy dialogue and a fine sense of the ridiculous, ex-cavalry soldier Avery John Creede fights for right (and dear life) as he faces danger head-on. A beautiful blonde girl in a yellow dress, appropriately nicknamed "Sunny," enters the picture with gun in hand and turns Avery's life upside down, although his heart belongs to well-bred Carla. And then there's Ace, green but learning fast from his Uncle Creede. While other less stout-hearted folk flee, they stand together against the Rinkman gang.
Stephen Bly's stunning writing style brings the Old West to life. With deft skill, he sustains a fast pace but doesn't sacrifice characterizations or setting. My only mild quibble with this book is that the humor, while standing on its own merits, sometimes does cross the line of believability to set up "gags." I'm not a regular reader of Classic Westerns, however, so I don't know what's acceptable within the genre.
I highly recommend "Creede of Old Montana" to those who enjoy Western fiction and even to those who might not normally read them. In this world today, we need more heroes. Stephen Bly helps us find them. And that's worth losing a little sleep over.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for purposes of review.
Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Deborah developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.
BRC: How would you describe your book?
Seeds of Summer is the second book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. It’s a heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.
BRC: What message do you hope it conveys?
I’d like readers to remember how important family relations are and that we can get through our difficulties if we remember to love and forgive each other. I also hope to give my readers a taste of the Flint Hills and of how God’s beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.
BRC: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I really enjoyed writing Natalie’s story and trying to get her through the difficult family problems she had to face. She is a very strong character with an interesting twist in her story—she’s a former Miss Rodeo Kansas AND the first runner up Miss Rodeo America. I don’t want to give away any of the plot line, but I can say that much of my research involved studying the rodeo queen pageants.
BRC: What did you dislike most about writing this book?
For the longest time, I didn’t know how to end my story. Then about a month before my deadline, it came to me like a clanging cymbal. Also, there were a few plot twists created by my secondary characters—Libby and Tom—who never wanted to go in the direction I’d outlined for them. I don’t want to give away the story, so you’ll have to read the book to find out. J
BRC: What inspired you to become a writer?
I wanted to write books since high school and studied English and journalism in college, but it wasn’t until 2002 that I began taking serious steps to get to the goal. Basically, I felt God prompting me to use the gift I’d been given or it might be taken away from me. So, I jumped in with both feet. I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization). I also joined a critique group, started reading writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences. I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference in 2005. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her, and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that in May 2008.
BRC: Tell us about your writing process.
When I begin a new book, I like to start off with my characters. I will interview them and create character worksheets for them. It’s a fun process and really helps me to get to know them. After that, I’ll start working on a plot outline, which may be very vague at the beginning. From there, I’ll form a short and long synopsis of the story that will be used for marketing. Once all of these steps are done, I’ll start writing. The plot might change, and the characters may go through transitions along the way, but it’s always fun to see how the story progresses and eventually ends.
BRC: What books do you enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading contemporary and historical Christian fiction, particularly those with a western, country or small town setting.
BRC: Where can readers buy your book?
Readers may find my Seasons of the Tallgrass series books in all fine bookstores as well as at their favorite online store. Seeds of Summer will be released the end of May but is available for preorder at the following links:
Plus, Country magazine (Reiman Publications) interviewed me for their April/May issue, which was an incredible blessing and honor, as I’ve been a huge fan of their publications for years. If you go to their site, you can read a sample from the first chapter of Seeds of Summer as well as enter your chance to win one of my books. This drawing ends May 31. - http://www.country-magazine.com/
BRC: Thanks for stopping by today and letting us get to know you.
Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Janalyn. I’ve enjoyed this time together and look forward to getting to know your readers!
