A note from Holly: I feel honored to write this review. Because I won a copy of White Doves through a Book Readers Central giveaway sponsored by Janalyn Voigt, I met her online and formed a friendship. I thank Janalyn for inviting me to guest post monthly reviews. I am grateful that our friendship has deepened.
My Review:
White Doves author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, explains how the post office in Romance, Arkansas came to be the inspiration for the second novel in her Romance Trilogy. The post office creates a unique hand-stamped postmark each year to use from February 1– 15. People often send wedding invitations and Valentine’s cards to the town to be re-mailed bearing the romantic postmark.Such local flavor is the perfect setting for a romance between a postmaster and a mail-carrier. Ms. Vannatter playfully sprinkles her book with plays on words such as “mail,” “male,” and “Priority Male.”
Laken Kroft, new postmistress in town, doesn’t know what hit her when mail-carrier, Hayden Winters introduces himself. The story revolves around their relationship, however surprises abound when new characters are introduced and their presence brings twists to the plot. My favorite character, Brady, a boy in a wheelchair from a terrible accident, oozes forgiveness to those who have abandoned him.His healing influence is a touching thread throughout the story. The author’s sensitive voice to handicapped accessibility is commendable.
Vannatter, a pastor’s wife, stay-at-home mom, writer, finds time to teach fiction writing workshops and speak at church conferences.Her short stories have appeared in various periodicals.A unique hobby of Vannatter’s is collecting seashells which she calls “proof of God’s intricate creation.”
This Christian romance novel is recommended for anyone whose heart has been captured by someone who has not yet found God. This Heartsong Presents book will be released April 2011.
Thank you to the author and Heartsong Presents for providing a review copy. The opinions expressed in this review are unbiased and wholly my own.
Book Giveaway Drawing! Read the details later in this post.
Dana Mentink
Dana Mentink lives in California where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Her family includes two girls (affectionately nicknamed Yogi and Boo Boo.) Papa Bear works for the fire department and he met Dana doing a dinner theater production of The Velveteen Rabbit. Ironically, their parts were husband and wife.
Dana is a 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her October release, Betrayal in the Badlands, has been nominated for a 2010 Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award.
She spent her college years competing in speech and debate tournaments all around the country. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching Sunday school and working in second/third grade combination class. Mostly, she loves to be home with her family, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle and a quirky parakeet.
Howdy, all.
I’m Dana Mentink, a harried mom of two who writes inspirational romantic suspense for Harlequin’s Steeple Hill line. My newest book, Turbulence, is on bookshelves this month. Though I started out as a mystery writer, these days I write mostly suspense. I enjoy fast-paced, action-packed books which have a thread of mystery and intrigue running through them. My books are Christian fiction, which means they also have a faith element.
My newest release is about a woman who has suffered the tragic loss of her young nieces in an accident that leaves her father on the brink of death. In the process of delivering a prototype mechanical heart to him, her plane crashes into a snowy mountainside. One of the other survivors is Dr. Paul Ford, her former fiancé and the man she blames for the death of her nieces. Sticky situation, no? To make matters worse, someone is determined to make sure the little band of survivors doesn’t make it off that mountain alive.
My favorite character is Maddie Lambert, because she is stubborn, deeply wounded and angry at the world. It’s a great starting place for character growth, not to mention a lovely stewpot for tension and conflict! I got the idea for the story after I read about the Berlin Heart which is a prototype mechanical heart not yet approved for use in the U.S. If it’s eventually approved, it might save the lives of many people waiting for donor hearts.
My next few books are going to be about treasure hunting I think. What could be more fun in a story than a little romance, a smidge of treasure and a whole lot of suspense?
Frequently people ask me to recommend books on writing. Anyone who is interested in writing professionally should check out Donald Maas’s book , The Fire In Fiction. Also Stephen King’s book on writing is really inspirational. Fictionally speaking, one of the finest suspense writers I’ve ever read is Harlan Coben, though he’s not a Christian fiction writer. That man can fool me every time!
Book Giveaway Drawing: Dana Mentink will give away a free copy of Turbulence to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).
I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Saturday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.
**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when products are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.
Secrets of the Midnight Sun covers with sensitivity the delicate subject of inappropriate touching of a child by a parent. Young Freddie, a tomboy, keeps her father's invasive overtures to herself. She fears him but also longs for a father's love and a normal family life. When circumstance intrude, Freddie has to choose whether to speak out or keep her secret. The choice she makes changes everything.
This book provides a realistic look into the mindset of an abused child. The author does a great job of developing the characters of Freddie and a middle grade world. I had a harder time getting into the mindset of Freddie's mother, who struck me as June Cleaver in a bad marriage. As a former child sexual assault crisis counselor, I know that mother-blaming is normal in cases of incest. The need to compensate for this may be why Freddie's mother comes across as a little too nurturing. This is really a quibble, since the book taken as a whole is well-plotted, well-written and inspired.
Because I believe children should retain their innocence as long as possible, I don't recommend this book to middle graders indiscriminately. But, where questions exist, perhaps raised by a friend's experience or even by a child's own abuse, this book is entirely appropriate. I do think adults would benefit from reading this page-turning book which demystifies a heartbreaking subject.
Congratulations go to Barb Shelton, who won a free copy of Secrets Under the Midnight Sun by Elisa Maria Crites.
My thanks to everyone who stopped by Book Readers Central this week. To keep up with upcoming interviews, book giveaway drawings and book reviews, be sure and sign up for this blog's feed or posts by email.
Book Giveaway Drawing! Read the details later in this post.
Elisa Maria Crites is a mom to three and a grandmother to nine terrific kids. She lives in Alaska in a large household, including five kids, three dogs, two cats, two guinea pigs, three birds, and a dust bunny in the hall tree. While not at her day job or writing, she enjoys travel, bicycling, going to the gym, cooking, quilting, reading, music and friends.
BRC: What brings you to Book Readers Central?
I am happy to be here today to share a bit about my book, Secrets Under the Midnight Sun.
BRC: It's great to visit with you. Tell us, why do you write?
I have been a teller of stories all my life. I enjoyed essay assignments in school and took a creative writing course in the late 80’s at the university. In the 90’s I entered some essays in the fair and took ribbons on them, but had never thought of myself as a writer, because typically other people didn’t see my writing. Yet, stories kept coming. About five years ago I took several trips and on each trip the person next to me would chat a bit then ask: “Are you a writer?”“What do you write?” “Do you write children’s books? Why don’t you?”
And finally, “I feel in my heart that you are a writer.” That particular encounter ended with the lady giving me her card and a twenty dollar bill to cover the cost of sending my first book to her.
“I’m not a writer,” I insisted as I pushed the money back towards her.
She folded my fingers around the bill. “Well then, you better get started. I’m not a young woman, you know.”
Why do I write? Hmmm, the Lord works in mysterious ways. I think I’ve gotten a directive.
BRC: It would seem so!
How would you describe your newest release?
Secrets Under the Midnight Sun is a coming of age story set in Alaska in 1967. Twelve-year-old Fredricka, (Freddie) longs for the love of a father. She faces things that girls her age now might face, bullies at school and her brother being in the military when she'd rather he be at home. She also faces some unusual obstacles, such as when she flees her home as a flood takes over the city. But her biggest challenge in life is in her home.
BRC: What do you hope the reader takes away after reading your book?
My desire is that my reader who may be walking in Freddie’s shoes will seek help for her situation. I’ve included a contact at the end of the book for that help. I realize that many of my readers are adults and I hope if they relate to Freddie, that they will find healing, and if they sympathize with her, their hearts will be sensitive to children around them who may need help. Most of all, I hope that those who read it will become a voice for the voiceless. The greatest compliment I’ve gotten is from my readers who have contacted me to tell me how deeply they care about Freddie.
BRC: Which is your favorite character from your book?
Freddie has to be my favorite. She’s spirited, funny, and loving. As I got to know her I found her irresistible. Even in her circumstances, she wants to please God.
BRC: Do you have a funny or touching story that relates to your book?
Freddie loves to tease her friend, Karl by being obnoxious, but around his mom she behaves herself. At one point Karl calls Freddie and while on the phone she crams her mouth full of cereal to talk to him. When writing this scene, I went to my pantry and crammed my mouth full of Cheerios over and over, while speaking so I could write how it sounded. (Of course I kept spitting them out rather than swallowing.) One of the kids asked me what I was doing in the pantry and I told them, “research”.
While writing the scene about the talent show, David making an appearance completely took me by surprise. I was so moved at his adoration of Freddie, and the way her heart soared when she saw him that I wept.
BRC: Tell us about your writing process.
Typically an idea comes to me and I mull it around for a few days to see if it’s just an idea, or has the potential to become an entire book. I get a lot of ideas, but don’t have time to follow up on all of them. I need to know if it interests me enough to be ‘married’ to it for months and years while it develops.
BRC: What will you write next?
I’m working on another YA story now which is still in the mulling process. This one also will be set in Alaska.
BRC: Which books do you recommend to readers?
There are so many good reads available. My blog is new and I’ll be mentioning what I’m reading on there. For YA readers, a good resource is www.novelteen.com where YA appropriate books are reviewed. Actually, many adults enjoy YA books, so anyone can check out the reviews for clean reads and I hope you will.
Book Giveaway Drawing: Elisa Maria Crites will give away a free copy of Secrets Under the Midnight Sun to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win. Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).
I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Friday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.
**Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when products are purchased through links from Book Readers Central.
Stories and poems from a genuine cowboy poet grace the pages of On the Road Home, by Terry Burns. Ranging from joyful to somber, these vignettes stay with you and, yes, can even change your thinking. At the least, they provoke thought.
With deep insights into subjects like what makes for a good marriage, longevity, happiness and spiritual health, this book resonates with truth. Terry's unique brand of common sense combined with compassion and good humor are just the prescription for a world of ills. Pick this book up and you'll put it down again the better for having read it.
I highly recommend On the Road Home by Terry Burns to adult and teen readers. This book is teen approved because of its practical wisdom.
Award-winning author, Lena Nelson Dooley, has more than 650,000 books in print. She is a member of ACFW and president of the local chapter.
Lena loves James, her children, grandchildren, and great grandson. She loves chocolate, cherries, chocolate-covered cherries, and spending time with friends. Travel is always on her horizon. Cruising, Galveston, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Mexico. One day it will be Hawaii and Australia, but probably not at the same time. Helping other authors become published really floats her boat. And the high point of her day is receiving feedback from her readers, especially her fans. And she loves chocolate, especially dark chocolate.
BRC: Welcome, Lena. I'm with you on the dark chocolate, by the way.
Thank you, Janalyn for inviting me to this wonderful site. I'd love to connect with readers here.
BRC: Great! What type of books do you write?
I have quite a back list consisting of both historical and contemporary stories. Some are novella collections, some are short novels, and one is a long novel.
BRC: That does sound interesting. Tell me, why do you write?
BRC: Interesting! Thanks for that glimpse into your faith. How would you describe your newest release?
Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, is my Heroine-in-peril, Mail-order-bride gone awry story. It's a story of unmerited forgiveness, and understanding the love God has for us.
BRC: Which is your favorite character from your book?
This book is peopled with interesting characters, but I think my favorite is Jeremiah Denison, the hero, or maybe it's Maddy Mercer, the heroine, or . . .
BRC: I can see how it might be hard to choose. Do you have a funny or touching story that relates to your book?
I'm what's called a seat-of-the-pants writer. And because I am, God often leads my writing in a direction that I hadn't even imagined. That happened with this book, and it became a much stronger story for the changes.
BRC: Intriguing. Tell us about your writing process.
I let a story percolate or stew in my head for a while before I start putting it down on paper. A lot of the story develops during this time. But then when I start writing, I start at the beginning and write straight to the end.
BRC: What will you write next?
Since this book released, I've signed a three-book contract with another publisher. I have written the first book in the McKenna's Daughters series, and I'm working on the second book right now.
BRC: Which books do you recommend to readers?
This depends entirely on what the person likes to read. Pirate's Prize is good for people who like adventure and pirates. If the reader likes mysteries, I suggest Double Deception or Wild Prairie Roses. For romantic suspense, Cranberry Hearts. Historical romance, Minnesota Brothers and of course, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico.
BRC: Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Say, wWhere can readers find you online?
Gretchen Kohler likes to write in her journal. She never imagines her words will travel further than her home in the Amana Colonies, at least not until a traveling salesman takes an interest in her writing. With a jealous childhood sweetheart, a wandering grandmother, a younger brother drawn to visiting gypsies, and a father changed for the worse since her mother's death, Gretchen has her hands full. She finds it difficult to bear the weight of a guilty conscience, too. Should she confess her secrets and risk losing her job, her reputation and the respect of the man she loves?
More Than Words by Judith Miller, book two in the Daughters of Amana series, delivers a sweet and entertaining love story for those who enjoy reading about life in communal colonies.
Congratulations to Carol, who won the giveaway drawing for a free copy of Holly Weiss's Crestmont. Thanks to all who visited with us on Book Readers Central this week. Stop by again soon for more great interviews, fun giveaways and informative book reviews.
Book Giveaway Drawing! Read the details later in this post.
Holly Weiss is a vocal instructor, retired professional singer and a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She holds a Masters in Music from Northwestern University. A polio survivor, she lives in upstate New York with her husband and is an advocate for Eradicate Polio Now. Crestmont is her first novel.
Hello, my name is Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont, a historical fiction novel set at a bustling summer inn during the 1920s. Thank you, Janalyn, for inviting me to do this interview. I’m honored to be here.
Perhaps you have heard the saying, “Barn burned down, now I can see the moon.” Many people have asked me why I turned from singing to writing. I was a professional singer whose career was decimated by the effects of post polio syndrome. Having lost my primary means of creative expression, I asked myself, “What do we do when we no longer can do what we find fulfilling? “The back cover of Crestmont says, “Discover with Gracie that sometimes we must trade loss for happiness,” and that was my experience.
A quote that had been simmering inside me for 25 years came to mind:
“Another opportunity is given you as a favor—
and as a burden.
The question is not:
Why did it happen this way? or
Where is it going to lead you? or
What is the price you will have to pay?
It is simply:
How are you going to make use of it?”
Those wise words were written by Dag Hammarskjöld, who, in addition to being Secretary General of the United Nations for two terms, was a deeply spiritual, reverent man. How would I make use of this impasse before me? I knew that when God closes a door, He opens a window. Violinist Itzhak Perlman said, “Sometimes it is the artist’s task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left.” So, I waited with an open heart.
Bing! On a lark in November of 2006, my husband and I stayed at the Crestmont Inn in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania. Formerly a dormitory for staff built in 1926, our accommodations were refurbished into luxury suites. I began to think of what life would have been like for staff there during the 1920s. A light switch turned on in my head for an idea for the book, Crestmont.
A wonderful experience in writing opened before me. Researching the history of the Crestmont Inn enriched me. My music inspired me to imbue my main character, Gracie, with the desire to sing. A Native American legend says that the Great Spirit flooded Eagles Mere Lake out of anger. I gave that a different twist, wanting to set the tone of grace around which Crestmont is built. In my novel, he cried tears of forgiveness. The eagles joined their tears with his, both mingling together to gently fill the lake called Eagles Tears or Eagles Mere.
Writing was a natural progression from singing. Every song requires a different persona—a unique character the singer develops to make the song real. Inventing characters for Crestmont was an adventure I was well-prepared for after thirty years of creating them in song.
Many people have said that Crestmont is a vacation within a book. That would have pleased William Warner, who built the inn in 1899 for those pummeled by the stress of everyday life. Here’s a bit about the plot:
“A dream, after all, needn’t be fueled by particulars, only by desire.”
So notes main character, Gracie Antes, who is determined to take control of her life. Gracie leaves her unhappy home in 1925 to pursue her dream of a singing career. On her way to the big city, she accepts a job as a housemaid at the bustling Crestmont Inn. Once there, Gracie finds a life-changing encounter with opera singer Rosa Ponselle, family she never imagined could be hers, and a man with a mysterious past. Relive the 1920s with a colorful cast of characters. Discover with Gracie that sometimes we must trade loss for happiness.
I miss singing, but I am grateful for the years of ministry through song. People used to tell me, “We can see your faith on your face as you sing.” I pray they can see a reflection of Christ in my writing. My life, although filled with physical challenges, has become a re-composition full of unique harmony. God faithfully and creatively led me from the voice of a singer to that of an author. And now, although my barn had burned down, I can see the moon. In my next novel, I hope to explore my experience of One Voice Led to Another.
*Janalyn Voigt is an Amazon Associate and benefits when products are purchased on Amazon through links from Book Readers Central.
Book Giveaway Drawing: Holly Weiss will give away a free soft-cover copy of Crestmont to a reader of this blog. To enter, leave a comment to this post. If you are a follower of Book Readers Central and tell me so in a separate comment, I'll give you an extra chance to win.
Please include a valid email address in an anti-spam format (example: youremailhandle[at]gmail[dot]com]) or your entry will become invalid. Entries will be accepted until this Thursday at midnight (Pacific Time/US).
I'll announce the winner on Book Readers Central on Friday. The winner must respond within two weeks of notification. Detailed rules of giveaways on Book Reader's Central are located in the footer of this blog.
Published by National Geographic, Soul of a Lion reveals the care given to injured, orphaned or otherwise challenged animals in the Harnas Wildlife foundation in Namibia, Africa. A contrast to Gorillas in the Mist and The Cry of the Kalahari” where the animals were sought out in their natural habitat and studied, this book paints a discerning, enjoyable, but not romanticized picture of the plethora of species and individual personalities of the protectorates.
The strength of this refuge is Marieta van der Merwe, proprietor, or more appropriately called “protector” overseeing the feeding, medical and rehabilitative care of 400 unwanted, mistreated or misunderstood animals. Merwe bottle-feeds a baby baboon while conducting planning meetings with her staff of volunteers, family and Bush people. Her personal tragedies, losing her mother at age 12, Congo fever later in life, and the death of a loved one in an airplane crash, are interwoven into the narrative.
The heroes, however, are the animals, inhabiting naturalized enclosures with comforting habitats away from prying eyes of the public: Elsa, the lion cub who napped on the family couch, Grace, a baby baboon fed with an eyedropper, and Gumbi, the hyena, filmed for “Animal Planet’ who considers ostrich eggs a delicacy. Marieta’s garden is a frolicking playground for baby leopard, Missy Jo and Houdini, the baby baboon.
If author Bennett’s writing style rambles a bit, perhaps that is simply reflective of the constant distractions and challenges of unexpected victims arriving at the refuge’s doorstep. Compassion and dedication to preserving the lives of those who can’t protect themselves is the key here.
I learned some interesting facts as I read: Harnas, the foundation’s name, was the term for protective armor worn by medieval knights. Actress Angela Jolie, Harnas’s official patron, has been photographed with a 23-year old cheetah living on campus. Lastly, a portion of the proceeds from your purchase of this book benefits the animals nurtured at the Wildlife Foundation. Visit www.harnas.org for information on how to volunteer, adopt, visit or provide support.
