Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Rachel Blanchard

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome, Rachel Blanchard

I’m thrilled to be hosting first time visitor Rachel Blanchard to my blog. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.

How did you learn how to write?

I’ve always loved creative writing assignments in school. After following my favorite authors online, I realized that by reading articles, signing up for workshop classes, and checking out books from the library, I could teach myself to write a novel. With every book that I write, I better learn to work out its issues to craft the best possible story.

How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?

I have written four books. I don’t think I can choose a favorite! But I can say what I like the most about each. My first, First in My Heart, reminds me about coming to Florida, growing up, and falling in love. My second, Finding My Heart, I published right before I went through a hard time in my life. I had no idea that the words from the ending would come back to comfort me. Even if no one else read the story, it was worth it because God used it to speak truth to my heart. My third, Cassia’s Calling, was just plain fun, from researching different aspects of the medieval period to exploring different plot twists. My fourth book, The Rancher’s Reason, was the easiest to write, and an unexpected blessing. It’s just as wonderful to remember the stage of life I was in during each book. They’ve become like beautiful time capsules on my shelf!

What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book?

The most important aspect to iron out for me is character. Who is the hero and heroine? What are they like? What are they struggling with? The story conflicts come pretty naturally from there. I like to have the starting and final image in mind, and then fill out the plot beats in-between to ensure that character development occurs naturally and in an exciting way. I try to jot down notes about whose POV the scene would work best in, as well as basic details about the setting and secondary characters. Of course, outlines must be flexible, as through the process of writing, you discover that what you originally planned might have to be modified for coherence or believability. I always tell other writers, getting started is the most important, and you can always edit later!

How did publishing your first book change your writing?

Initially, I set the intention that, as long as a few friends and family enjoyed the book, I would be satisfied! I was honestly taken aback at how vulnerable I felt after publishing my first book. The imposter syndrome kicked in greatly, and I was thankful that other authors I admired shared that they go through the same thing. I also felt proud that I had put in the work to achieve a goal, a journey that I could share with my children as they grow. I’ve learned that the beauty is in the process of improving with every book rather than in external statistics. Publishing has taught me to be confident in what my readers like and who I am instead of worrying about pleasing everyone, and to make wiser decisions regarding how to best plan my time.

What was the best money you spent as a writer?

The best money I spend is having an editor give me holistic feedback about my early draft. When you spend so much time within the manuscript, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture, and how the reader might be reacting differently to your characters and events.

How does/did your job prepare you for being a novelist?

I am an English teacher, so I constantly am exposed to classic authors in different genres: Shakespeare, Orwell, Steinbeck, and so on. The vocabulary they use to make us feel, the way they delicately weave in symbolism to change minds and hearts are such that it is impossible not to become smarter simply by continued exposure. I knew some about stylistic choices and how to break down a plot as an English major but becoming a writer has multiplied my knowledge and appreciation of pacing and other literary techniques.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

I am listening to Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder as I do the chores and reading an early reader copy of To Win a Crown by Rachel Hauck on my Kindle.

What is your next project?

I am in the early brainstorming stage with another fantasy story with Christian elements, not medieval this time, but possibly more dystopian-flavored. I am also considering trying a contemporary retelling. I find new stories tend to take on a mind of their own, so I am excited to see what I will discover next!

About The Rancher’s Reason:

Succumbing to her younger sister’s pleas for more school volunteer hours, chorus teacher and single

mom Willow Hutchins does the one thing she swore she’d never do—steps foot on the Missouri ranch run by her high school sweetheart, Ace Sterling. As Ace invests in her sister, Willow is roped into using her creative talents to save Ace’s ranch from financial disaster. But the more time they spend together, the more danger Willow is in of Ace discovering her biggest secret. He’s the father of her three-year-old daughter.

Ace wonders if he can keep his passion project alive after repeated sabotage attempts from a local developer, plus an ever-growing pile of bills. Even more confusing is the woman who once pushed him away entering his life again. Can he trust himself to be near to Willow, for the horses’ sake? Or will Ace’s last remaining dream burn up in smoke?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4qYTOYU  

Social Links:
Website: https://www.rachelblanchardwriter.com/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4t40QOb
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21726418.Rachel_Blanchard
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/rachelblanchardwriter/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/rachelblanchardwriter?_rdr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelblanchardwr?_t=ZT-90WQJnapljZ&_r=1
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rachel-blanchard

Photo Credits:

Author photo and book image: Courtesy Rachel Blanchard

Question Marks: Pixabay/Alexas_Fotos

Classroom: Pixabay/Kohji Asakawa

Wartime Wednesday: The Humble White Potato

Wartime Wednesday: 

The Humble White Potato

French fries, mashed, hash browns, home fries, scalloped…just a few of the ways the potato is eaten here in the United States. According to Wikipedia and several other sources, the potato is native to the Americas, and the Spanish are the ones who introduced the fleshy tuber to Europe where it would quickly become a dietary staple.

Part of the nightshade family Solanaceae, potatoes are related to peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, paprika, and chili powder. Intriguingly, white potatoes and sweet potatoes are not related; they come from two different plant families.

During World War II, potatoes were eaten by everyone from civilians to soldiers and European- and American-based POWs. Research indicates that the British people consumed about four-and-a-half pounds per week. Spuds contain high levels of vitamins C and B6, potassium (more than bananas) and magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants, yet are low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol making them a nutritious and healthy food option.

As a root vegetable, they are easily grown and easily stored. They are also quite cheap. In the United

States, potatoes also became an essential part of citizens’ diets, and victory gardens were filled with potato plants, and the potato processing industry expanded as a result. In Britain, the Women’s Land Army cleared thousands of acres to plant (literally) tons of potatoes to feed the masses as well as the military. According to an article on historyhit.com, by the end of the war production had doubled since1939.

The Soviet people and her troops were starving by 1943, so authorities encouraged the population to plant potatoes. The Nazis promoted potatoes in Germany through radio, newspapers, and training courses (of all things!), resulting in an increase of annual consumption from twelve million tons to thirty-two million tons. Sadly, a large percentage of potatoes were exported from the Netherlands to Germany during the winter of 1944-1945 cause severe famine among the Dutch people.

Because of strict rationing, Norway, Belgium and other countries under German occupation added potatoes as a main food source. With an extensive fishing industry Norway was able to increase its dependency of fish such as cod, herring, and salmon. Likewise, neutral Sweden increased potato production to prevent food shortages.

When all was said and done, the humble white potato may have saved millions of lives.

_________________

Love’s Rescue

A prostitute, a spy, and the liberation of Paris.

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp?

Simon Harlow is one of an elite corps of American soldiers. Regularly chosen for dangerous covert missions, he is tasked with infiltrating Paris to ascertain the Axis’s defenses. Nearly caught by German forces moments after arriving, he owes his life to the beautiful prostitute who claims she’s been waiting for the Allies to arrive. Her lifestyle goes against everything he believes in, but will she steal his heart during his quest to liberate her city?

Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/mKwLAv

Sources:
https://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/bel/occ/w2bo-food.html
https://www.historyhit.com/how-did-potatoes-become-political-in-wartime/
https://the1940sexperiment.com/2023/02/14/how-many-potatoes-did-people-eat-during-ww2/
https://histclo.com/essay/war/child/ww2/food/cou/eur/w2cfc-swe.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgeBWzocLqU
https://museum.wales/articles/1084/The-ration-years-of-the-Second-World-War/
https://www.mofga.org/stories/stories/potatoes/

Photo Credits:
Poster: U.S. Archives
Potato Pete Cookbook: museum.wales.
Girls with potatoes: courtesy Imperial War Museum

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Amanda Cabot

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Back, Amanda Cabot

I am very pleased to welcome back Amanda Cabot to my blog. I love her stories, and she is a fellow tea drinker! Grab your favorite hot beverage and meet this lovely author.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

There are actually two things that I love about being a writer. The first is being able to escape into a world that I’ve created. The second is having readers tell me that my stories touched their hearts and helped them through a difficult time in their lives. That’s worth more than the largest royalty check!

How did you learn how to write?

By reading. That may sound strange, but reading what would now be considered classics taught me how to structure a sentence and how to plot a book. It also instilled a lifelong love of books in me. As Thomas Jefferson famously said, “I cannot live without books.”

What does your writing space look like?

I have two desks. Does that sound strange? One is for handwriting, which is how I outline my

manuscripts and then edit them once they’ve been keyed into Word and printed. (Yes, I’m old-school and like to work with hard copy.) The second desk houses my computer. The highlight of the room is the wall in front of my monitor which has three shelves with framed covers of my books. Seeing them there provides me the inspiration I need when I’m in the middle of the first draft, my least favorite part of the whole writing process.

What was your inspiration for the story?

The Sisters of the Heart trilogy started because I was intrigued by the idea of three very different women living together and becoming as close as blood sisters. The year Sophia, Victoria, and Olivia spent in Europe forged their friendship and created ties that were only strengthened once they returned to the States.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

Since my heroine’s father is imprisoned for embezzlement, I needed to learn where he might have been incarcerated. That led me to Eastern State Penitentiary, which was considered the foremost example of “modern” correctional facilities. I was appalled by how far they took solitary confinement, even putting hoods over the prisoners’ heads when they left their cells so that they would not see another human being. That’s not my idea of enlightened punishment.

If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why?

What a great question. Although I hadn’t thought about a fourth book in the series, Charlene Scott deserves a chance at redemption. Who knows? Thanks to your asking the question, she just might get her own book.

What is your advice to fledgling writers?

Three things. First, read extensively in the genre you want to write. Secondly, attend writers’ conferences to hone your craft. Thirdly—and most importantly—never give up.

What is your next project?

The predictable answer would be the third of the Sisters of the Heart books, and I will be working on that soon, but since readers hated to leave Sweetwater Crossing, I’m going to give them another Sweetwater book. Although the majority of my books are set in the nineteenth century, Beyond the Melody takes place right after World War II. I’m having so much fun bringing that pivotal time in American history to life. Melody is scheduled for release in early July.

BOOK BLURB:

A woman whose life is in shambles. A man who’s fighting for his future. A decades-old mystery. Carr

Valley will never be the same.

Victoria Holton has it all, or so it seems: beauty, a doting father, betrothal to one of Philadelphia’s most eligible bachelors. But all that ends the day her father is imprisoned for embezzlement. Suddenly penniless and shunned because of her father’s crime, she flees to Carr Valley, hoping to find refuge with Sophia, her sister of the heart.

With her life upended, Victoria longs to find a new purpose, but what can she do? She wishes she could solve a decades-old mystery that’s haunting a newfound friend, but the only clue leads nowhere. Her attempts at housekeeping in Sophia’s hotel are laughable, and despite a number of would-be suitors, she has no intention of marrying. The only man who interests her is one she could never consider, for if there’s one thing Victoria knows, it’s that she is not meant to be a minister’s wife.

Pastor Peter Mulholland has never doubted his calling to the ministry … until now. Even though he can’t please everyone, he refuses to let the deacons’ demand that he marry determine his future. He knows the kind of wife they expect him to choose, and it’s not a woman like Victoria. Besides, what does he have to offer her? Perhaps his critics are right, and it’s time for him to leave Carr Valley.

But then a stranger arrives and the whispers begin.

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/4quiSr3

About Amanda:
From the age of seven, Amanda Cabot dreamed of becoming a published author, but it was only when she set herself the goal of selling a book by her thirtieth birthday that the dream came true. A former director of Information Technology, Amanda has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. She is now the bestselling author of more than forty novels and a variety of novellas. Her books have been honored with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. For her, a day is incomplete unless it includes books and at least one pot of tea.

Social Media Links
www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

Photo credits:

Author photo and book image: Courtesy Amanda Cabot

Jail Cell: Pixabay/Ichigo121212

On Tour: A Year in the Room

On Tour: A Year in the Room

About the Book

Book: A Year in the Room (The Reluctant Pilgrim Book 2)

Author: Steven Rogers

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release Date: October 23, 2024

Reluctant pilgrim Ben Cahill steps off a flight from Israel facing an unrelenting list of challenges—a fractured family, no job, no place to live, and a dubious grip on his newly-found sobriety. He has no plans for the next steps in his life.

Ben starts over, settling into a small, rented room and working three part-time jobs. As his first year of recovery unfolds, Ben fights an unrelenting spiritual war against his personal demons and the consequences of his past actions.

Can a chain-smoking, no-nonsense grandmother, a retired navy cook, a crusty old Scotsman, and an unexpected pilgrimage to the legendary Scottish Island of Iona, clear away the wreckage of Ben’s life and lead him to hope? Join Ben on his journey in this sequel to the award-winning novel Into the Room.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Steven Rogers is a Christian author of the “Reluctant Pilgrim” series. His most recent novel, A Year in the Room, was published in November 2024. The book is a sequel to his debut novel, Into the Room, which was published in 2021. In addition to other awards, both books were finalists for the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Awards.

Steven loves the process of writing, especially exploring characters that are either broken or facing unfamiliar situations. They are usually ordinary people confronting their internal demons and the challenges of day-to-day living. He also enjoys bringing his stories to a happy, or at least hopeful, ending.

Steven serves as the Director of Royalty Management and Acquisitions Editor at Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. In addition to writing, Steven is a speaker and enjoys sharing his journey of faith and exploring how God’s word applies in the modern world.

Steven, a proud father of three adult children and one incredibly lucky son-in-law, is happily married to his wife of thirty-nine years, Kathy. They live in Richmond, Virginia.

More from Steven

When I first began writing, I was trying to become the next Stephen King. I was inventing serial killers, violently murdering people, and using time travel as a plot concept. At the time, I didn’t know there was a robust and far-reaching Christian Fiction market.

Things changed in 2017 while I was on a flight to Israel. Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, I had the thought, I wonder what would happen if I were an alcoholic who has just been released from rehab, and I HAD to take this trip? I quickly invented my character, Ben Cahill, and took him on the tour with me.

When we got back home, my wife asked what I’d been writing in my journal during our visit to The Holy Land. After I explained, the following exchange took place:

Her: “You may have a book there.”

Me: “That’s not my genre.”

Her (using much gentler language): “You’re not published yet; you don’t have a genre.”

To make a long story short, the result of this conversation was my first novel, Into the Room.

A Year in the Room is Book 2 in my “Reluctant Pilgrim” series. I wrote the book because I was compelled to continue telling Ben Cahill’s story and explore an alcoholic/addict during the first year of recovery.

Many writers fall in love with their characters. I am no different. Writing about Ben has been a blessing for me. His story has significantly impacted my personal spiritual journey, taught me to forgive, and brought me closer to God. I will be forever grateful for his impact on my life.

Interview with Steven: 

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I consider writing a mission and a book can only impact one person at a time. As a result, my favorite thing about being a writer is meeting readers and discussing my books. There’s something about the personal connection and hearing what people did or didn’t like about my stories that is both fulfilling and educational. I especially enjoy learning that my story had a positive impact on one of my readers.

My most blessed moment was when a reader of A Year in the Room said, “I actually think I’m a better man for having read this story.” To know that my writing had a positive impact on someone was a compliment beyond anything I could have dreamed of receiving.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I have a whole presentation on this topic and could talk about it all day long. The most surprising thing I learned was how much my writing impacted my personal faith journey and changed the way I viewed life.

Writing about my protagonist, Ben Cahill, and his struggles with alcoholism taught me to forgive others. It helped clear my heart of resentment, anger, and guilt directed towards the alcoholics/addicts in my life. In addition, walking with Ben through the story helped me to understand better God’s grace and His love for all of us. I genuinely believe that, if these books had never been published, telling Ben’s story would have changed my life.

Can you share a real-life event that inspired your writing?

While A Year in the Room is fictional, the story reflects my own experiences observing alcohol and drug abuse in others. This perspective was forged by living with those around me suffering from the disease, witnessing their recovery, and addressing the impacts those addictions had on me and my life. My journey has led me to do extensive research into the mind of the alcoholic/addict and the reality of alcoholism/addiction as a family disease. No one escapes untouched. I’ve tried to reflect this perspective through the story.

What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book?

I begin with three questions. First, what is the story I want to tell? Second, have I already told this story? Three, has someone else told the story?

Once I’m satisfied with these three, I ask myself the big question— “Are you vulnerable enough to dig into your soul and expose some of your demons?” To truly impact a reader, an author must be willing to let themselves be seen on the page. This does not mean writing an autobiography or detailing specific events in your life. What it does mean is confronting your emotions and/or behaviors. For example, in writing about my protagonist Ben Cahill’s alcoholism, I had to face my own actions, faults, and addictions, working them, directly and indirectly, into Ben’s personality and the plotline. This is not easy to do, but I believe it makes for an authentic story.

What was the best money you spent as a writer?

Before submitting the manuscript of my first novel, Into the Room, to agents, editors, or publishers, I invested in a professional editor. She provided invaluable feedback and style recommendations. She also requested a few additional scenes that strengthened the story. Once we were completed, she helped me find my publisher, Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. I will forever be grateful to Michele Chynoweth for her counsel and advice.

How do you come up with story lines/book topic?

My ideas primarily come from two mental exercises. First, I constantly ask myself, “I wonder what would happen if?” About ten percent of the time, I get a story idea. Secondly, I mentally practice writing by trying to describe the space around me using imagery and “showing versus telling.” Sometimes my mind wanders further than I planned, and I end up with a short story, sketch, or character I’ll later insert into a longer work.

What was your favorite childhood book and why?

First, I’ll tell you about the childhood book that had the most significant impact on my life. When I was in second grade, my father grew tired of me watching TV and dragged me to the local library, enrolling me in their summer reading program. For each book I read, I received a paper feather to glue onto a picture of a Native American headdress. The first book (something about a swimmer in a neighborhood pool) did not impress me at all. However, the second, The Reluctant Pitcher by Matt Christopher, flipped a switch in my brain, and I became a lifelong lover of reading fiction. Since that eventful summer, I’ve always been reading novels and exploring new authors. I often wonder if my passion would have developed without the experience of reading Mr. Christopher’s books as a seven-year-old boy.

My favorite childhood book was Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. For me, the story was magic, filled with amazing adventures and unforgettable characters. I used to roam the woods behind my house pretending I was Tom. Also, this was the first book I ever bought with my own money. I can still remember the Saturday morning my parents and I stopped at a flea market in Fall River, Massachusetts, when I dug some change out of my pocket to buy an old hardcover copy issued in 1928. The book still sits on my bookshelf today.

Blog Stops

Inspired by Fiction, February 6

Simple Harvest Reads, February 7 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, February 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 8

Artistic Nobody, February 9 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 10

Guild Master, February 11 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 12

Fiction Book Lover, February 13 (Author Interview)

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 14 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 15

A Reader’s Brain, February 16 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 17 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 17

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, February 18 (Author Interview)

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, February 19 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Steven is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/AqCbw/a-year-in-the-room-celebration-tour-giveaway

On Tour: Plague of Lies

On Tour: Plague of Lies

About the Book

Book: Plague of Lies

Author: Marbeth Skwarczynski

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release Date: January 6, 2026

Plague of Lies

The man who taught him how to live was living a lie.

Scott Andrews was content to be a rule-follower, happily attending church and youth group while planning a future with his beautiful girlfriend, Cindy. He and his friends planned to change the world. But when his mentor is exposed as a fraud, Scott’s life turns upside down. He’s forced to grow up, but unlike the man who betrayed him, Scott is determined to live honestly.

Lauren spent her life believing she was a mistake. Then, on her eighteenth birthday, a letter arrives from the father she’s never met. It seems out of character for a deadbeat dad who wanted nothing to do with her. But with the letter in hand, Lauren’s life suddenly has a purpose. She’ll confront the man and demand to know why he abandoned her so many years before.

It’s time for the truth to come out.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Like many writers, I began as a reader. My favorite authors were those whose styles were realistic and relatable, so when I began creating my first novel in my thirties, I knew that, above all, I wanted my stories to connect with readers.

My first foray into writing was a book about the biblical character Ruth. I spent years rewriting and shelving the book before finally submitting it to Elk Lake Publishing. They loved the book, and helped me prepare it for publication. Now, my work of biblical fiction, Princess of Moab: A Novel of Ruth, is finished and ready to find its readership.

I also have a contemporary Christian fiction series called The Rose Collection. These timely novels spotlight healing after spiritual abuse. I keep my characters grounded in the real world, so while they grow, learn, and seek solutions, they must also confront the detritus of the past. I write what I know, whether firsthand or through close observation, infusing the joy, happiness, and humor that come with spiritual freedom and love. The Rose Collection goes further than the deconstruction of broken spirits to the reconstruction of rescued souls.

My non-fiction book, The Women Who Set the Precedents: An Exploration of the Bible’s Bill of Rights for Women, is a deep dive into the prophecy of Bathsheba. Each chapter explores the life of a biblical woman as she embodies the principles of empowerment, intelligence, and spiritual maturity mentioned in the iconic, but often misapplied, last chapter of Proverbs.

More from Marbeth

I wrote Plague of Lies during school holidays while teaching at my church’s Christian school and raising two teen boys. Some of the conflict in the novel was inspired by the sudden appearance of a youth pastor from another school (my sons played against that school in basketball and football). He joined our church and was immediately placed in leadership positions. Later, it came out that he was fleeing from a bench warrant.

My story follows the fallout after a beloved church leader and mentor is exposed as a fraud and shuffled off to another church. I wanted to explore what happened to one of the students left behind as he attempts to pick up the spiritual pieces of his life.

While the book contains some heavy subject matter, it also offers hope, encouragement, and relatable main characters.

Scott Andrews, a seventeen-year-old who is blindsided by his mentor’s moral failing, has a failing of his own. But, instead of running away, he repents and becomes determined to live his life with complete honesty.

Eighteen years later, the fallout of the lies and betrayal continues as Lauren Andrews-Gianni reconnects with her long-lost father and learns the truth about her birth, why Scott walked away, and how he remembered her during their forced separation.

The rebuilding of Scott and Lauren’s relationship is the crux of the book and serves as a picture of how our Heavenly Father is preparing a home for us

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 4

Simple Harvest Reads, February 5 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 6

Artistic Nobody, February 7 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 8

Guild Master, February 9 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 9

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 10

Fiction Book Lover, February 11 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, February 12

A Reader’s Brain, February 13 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 14

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 15 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, February 16 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 16

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, February 17 (Author Interview)

Interview with Marbeth:

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marbeth is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/vm5xP/plague-of-lies-celebration-tour-giveaway

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome David Mathews

A GUEST BLOG POST

By David Mathews

I have enjoyed writing since I was old enough to correctly hold a #2 pencil, but my first book wasn't published until I was 60 years young. I guess that makes me a bit of a procrastinator; however, in my own defense, I've made up for lost time since then! God has gifted me with a rather active imagination, and I desire to use that to encourage others and to glorify Him. My motivation comes from 1 Peter 4:10, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” My latest Christian fiction novel is Pig-Sty High: When Pigs Fly, a lighthearted, humorous, small-town tale with an uplifting spiritual message.

When Jason Wisniewski moves to Piggottsville, Arkansas, to start his teaching career, he never expected to find a town so much in need of a pick-me-up. Taking on the role of history teacher and football coach, Jason quickly realizes that he may have bitten off more than he can chew. Even the people in the community see the high school as a joke, and their attitude is rubbing off on the misfit students of Piggottsville High. But sometimes, it takes just one person to believe that a pig can fly before it will. Determined to turn things around for his new hometown, Jason decides to take on the impossible—with the help of the God of the impossible. As he sets about on changing things for the better, Jason will have to face his own fears and deal with an unlikely lot of football players, who may not be winners but can certainly tell you a thing or two about pigs! In a world focused on negative things, Pig-Sty High brings humor into some serious topics and helps the reader to lighten up a little bit when things get tough.

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 6: There's a Skunk in My Classroom!

“Does anyone else notice that?” I asked, sniffing again. “What’s that smell?”

“It’s Skunk!” someone blurted out.

“Skunk!” My adrenaline shot through the roof. “There’s a skunk in here? Everyone, stay calm! I want

you all to slowly get up and walk quietly out of the room. Leave your books and backpacks where they are.” I waved them toward the door, but they weren’t budging. Instead, they were laughing. “Quickly now! I don’t want anyone to get sprayed or bitten. Wild animals can be dangerous!” They were rolling on the floor. I stopped and stared at my class. “What’s going on here? What’s so funny?”

“It’s not a wild animal, Mr. Wisniewski,” Jackson Pressley answered, laughing so hard he could barely form the words. “It’s Willard!”

That was just swell! First guns, then paint, then matches. Now a skunk named Willard. In my classroom, no less! I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever make it to graduation alive. “All right, then; so where’s the skunk?” I demanded firmly. “Would somebody please tell me where this Willard is?”

“He’s right there, teacher.” Jimmy Dean pointed to a scrawny boy slunk down in the corner desk, which had been pulled apart from the others. His hair was a tangled, sandy-brown mop, and his face and arms looked like he hadn’t bathed in years. He was dressed in a soiled T-shirt and filthy jeans full of holes that weren’t meant to be fashion statements. His formerly white tennis shoes were a grimy gray color, and his untied, frayed laces posed a major tripping hazard. He eased up his hand and waved at me.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzl022

Social Media Links:

Website: www.davidjmathews.com
Email: davidmathews.author@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidmathews.author
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Photo credits:

Author photo and book image: Courtesy of David Mathews

Social Media Icons: Pixabay/Thomas Ulrich

Movie Monday: Road to Utopia

Movie Monday: Road to Utopia

Released in the U.S. on February 27, 1946, Road to Utopia, fourth in the seven-movie “Road to…” series, was filmed in late 1943 and early 1944. As one site put it, viewers probably would have enjoyed watching during the tense time between Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, but Hollywood had other plans.

Starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour, Road to Utopia is told in flashback after Chester (Hope) and Sal (Lamour) during a visit by their friend Duke (Crosby) and reminisce about their days in the Alaskan Klondike when the three searched for gold. Various villains chase them for their map while Chester and Duke compete for Sal’s love.

With the usual silly dialogue and slapstick action, Road to Utopia adds innuendo (especially a moment at the end) that surprisingly got past the Motion Picture Production Code as well as the quirky gimmick of Robert Benchley popping in to break the “fourth wall” and offer comments. The plot is thin and includes talking animals and a cameo appearance by Santa Clause.

The film is directed by Hal Walker who directed four of the Road movies and some of Dean Martin’s

and Jerry Lewis’s pictures. A fun fact is that Walker was born in Ottumwa, Iowa (hometown of M*A*S*H character Radar O’Reilly). One source indicates it was the Hope, Crosby, and Lamour trio that convinced studio executives to hire Walker for the series.

By the time she’d been selected as a lead in the Road movies, Lamour had more than a dozen movies under her belt. Crosby and Hope were also film veterans with Crosby’s Hollywood career starting in 1930 and Hope’s a few years later. The supporting cast is filled with characters actors long forgotten but who were well-known at the time. One, Jerry Colonna, would accompany Bob Hope in countless USO tours in the decades following WWII.

Written by Johnny Burke (lyrics) and Jimmy Van Heusen (music), the film’s soundtrack was popular, and “Personality” charted at number nine, and the Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers version hit number one. The critics loved the movie and were effusive with their praise. Tenth in the list of top-grossing movies of 1946, Road to Utopia received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay but lost to the British melodrama The Seventh Veil.

Have you seen this classic?

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Shetland Sunset (Coming 03*06*26):

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian-American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

Pre-order Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AWqJk

Sources:
https://paramount-pics.fandom.com/wiki/Road_to_Utopia
https://obscurehollywood.net/road-to-utopia-1945.html
https://www.classicmoviehub.com/facts-and-trivia/film/road-to-utopia-1946/
https://laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com/2025/12/tonights-movie-road-to-utopia-1945-kino.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_to_Utopia

Photo credits:
Movie poster: By http://www.impawards.com/1945/road_to_utopia.html. Fair use.
Crosby and Lamour movie still: Courtesy Paramount Pictures
Hope and Crosby movie still: Courtesy Paramount Pictures