Friday, February 4, 2022

Fiction Friday: New Releases for February

February 2022 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Amish Romance:


Strength in the Storm by Laurel M. Blount -- After the murder of both her parents, Emma Hochstedler returns to the small community of Johns Mill, hoping to resume her quiet existence. Reclaiming her place proves harder than expected—especially now that a movie is being made about her family’s loss. But then, an old friend offers her a lifeline that gives her new purpose. Amish builder Samuel Christner is the biggest—and the strongest—man in town. In fact, the gentle giant has only one weakness—Emma. Even though she broke his heart, he won’t let his childhood sweetheart face her troubles alone. He hires Emma as a nurse for his elderly aunt…and finds himself falling for her all over again. (Amish Romance from Berkley Penguin Random House)

Biblical:


Defending David by Barbara M. Britton -- When a quiet journey to Jerusalem turns tragic, newly orphaned Rimona must flee a kinsman set on selling her as a slave. Racing into the rocky hills outside of Hebron, Rimona is rescued by a Philistine commander journeying to Jerusalem with six-hundred warriors. Exiled commander, Ittai the Gittite, is seeking refuge in the City of David. Protecting a frantic Hebrew woman is not in his leadership plan. Although, having a nobleman's niece in his caravan might prove useful for finding shelter in a foreign land. Rimona and Ittai arrive in Jerusalem on the eve of a rebellion. In the chaos of an heir's betrayal, will they be separated forever, or can they defend King David and help the aging monarch control his rebellious son? (Biblical from Harbourlight Books/Penguin)

Contemporary Romance:


Book Title by Carolyn Miller -- parks fly when a hometown hockey hero meets a classy art-loving museum guide hiding a secret...Jai Mullins is used to being the fastest man on ice. Trouble is, his ability to find a genuine woman is tracking at glacial melt levels. He’s trusting God she’s out there, but he’s wary of getting trapped by a superfan, when all he wants is someone with whom he can be real. Allie Davis has two great loves: impressionist art and hockey. More specifically, a certain hockey player. But between her shyness and her family, she’s convinced she’ll never meet him, let alone connect with him in a non-embarrassing way. Until she does. And they connect. And romance sparks. But she is hiding a big secret, and he’s about to find that first impressions sometimes need a reality check. Will they learn to trust and find a way forward, or will half-truths lead to further hurt on opposite sides of the country and lonely lives? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins -- Cassie Beaumont believes in second chances. Cassie is set on proving she’s no longer a party girl, instead focusing on her career as an event planner. Ryan Mitchell, her dad’s top executive, proves to be a handsome distraction, especially when someone from Cassie’s wild past tries to draw her back into the life she has worked hard to escape. Ryan is taken with his boss’s beautiful daughter. But he is slow to trust, having been burned by a brother who ran in the same circles. When Cassie’s newfound faith works its way into his heart, Ryan wants to claim both Cassie and her faith as his own. Can they forgive past mistakes and navigate a future together? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh -- Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells--Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Oloro Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing. Distraught by her mother's betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Oloro Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council's list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring. (Contemporary Romance from Bethany House/Baker Publishing)

Secrets of Their Past by Allie Pleiter -- Facing the past could change his future. Veterinarian Neal Rodgers is in Wander Canyon seeking the truth about his past—not to rescue a litter of kittens under his next-door neighbor’s porch. But persistent single-mom Tessa Kennedy is impossible to ignore—especially when she uncovers a family secret of her own. Discovering the hidden facts of their histories could be the key to unlocking everything in this small town. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

The Valentine Proposal by Beth Pugh -- Can Love Be 10 Years in the Making? Award-winning photographer Mason Montgomery is back in Pine Valley, Kentucky. Hopefully, for good, if his business proposal is accepted. On paper, he’s the perfect buyer for Forget-Me-Not Photography. Too bad the seller, Ol' Man Rowe, doesn't see it that way. He's looking for a family man to take over, and Mason's bachelor status doesn't fit the bill.For shy Lily Anne Dawson, life has not turned out the way she'd hoped. Working at her mother's bakery and editing for the local newspaper is a far cry from her journalistic dream. She's a failure. A lonely failure worrying about infertility with no romantic prospects in sight. That all changes when a decade-old promise to marry on Valentine's Day pushes the two together at their high school reunion. The impromptu proposal offers a solution to their problems. But marriage requires honesty―and both have secrets. Secrets that could make or break their budding love. (Contemporary Romance from Candlelight/Iron Stream Media)

To Belong Together by Emily Conrad -- Fame and money have a way of complicating love. Drummer John Kennedy can keep a beat, but he can’t hold a conversation, so he relies on actions to show he cares. Unfortunately, when he’s instantly intrigued by a spunky female mechanic, he can’t seem to convey the sincerity of his intentions. And the rejections don’t stop there. His own sister is pushing him away just when he could help her most. Erin Hirsh’s life would be easier if God hadn’t given her a love for cars. Only her father understood her, and she’s losing him to dementia. Her brief romances have always backfired worse than a mistuned engine, and she refuses to give John the chance to wreck her heart. A rock star with a supermodel ex can’t possibly see anything in her. At least that’s what she thinks until they find common ground in faith and their worsening family situations leave them each longing for a place to belong. Could God intend for this pair of opposites to belong together? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

General Historical:


Wilderness Wife by Delores Topliff -- arguerite Wadin MacKay believes her 17-year marriage to explorer, Alex MacKay, is strong—until sudden fame makes him announce their frontier marriage is void in Montréal where he now goes to choose a society wife—not one with native blood. Taking their son, MacKay sends Marguerite and their three daughters to a trading post where she lived as a child. Deeply shamed, she arrives in time to assist young visiting Doctor John McLoughlin with a medical emergency. Marguerite now lives only for her girls. When Fort William on Lake Superior opens a school, Marguerite moves there for her daughters’ sake. Newly assigned there, Doctor McLoughlin’s friendship with Marguerite grows. When he declares his love, she dissuades him from a match harmful to his career. She’s mixed blood and nine years older. He will have no one else. After abandonment, can a woman love again and fulfill the key role in North American History that is her destiny? (General Historical from Scrivenings Press)

Historical Romance:


Avenue of Betrayal by Sandra Merville Hart -- Betrayed by her brother and the man she loves…whom can she trust when tragedy strikes? Soldiers are pouring into Washington City every day and have begun drilling in preparation for a battle with the Confederacy. Annie Swanson worries for her brother, whom she’s just discovered is a Confederate officer in his new home state of North Carolina. Even as Annie battles feelings of betrayal toward the big brother she’s always adored, her wealthy banker father swears her and her sister to secrecy about their brother’s actions. How could he forsake their mother’s abolitionist teachings?Sergeant-Major John Finn camps within a mile of the Swansons’ mansion where his West Point pal once lived. Sweet Annie captured his heart at Will’s wedding last year and he looks forward to reestablishing their relationship—until he’s asked to spy on her father.To prove her father’s loyalty to the Union, John agrees to spy on the Swanson family, though Annie must never know. Then the war strikes a blow that threatens to destroy them all—including the love that’s grown between them against all odds. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Gold Rush Bride Tegan by Linda Shenton Matchett -- Tegan Llewellyn has always been different than her adopted family, except Grandmother Hannah, a prospector during the 1829 Georgia gold rush. Now, seventy years later there are reports of gold in Nome, and the opportunity is too good to pass up. But Tegan doesn’t count on the dangers that strike from the moment she steps off the steamer, including the threat of losing her heart. Elijah Hunter has prospected for gold all over the US and Canada and likes being on the move. The last thing he expects to find on his latest search is a lady miner who proves to be nothing but trouble. Can he convince her that leaving is for her own good before it’s too late...for both of them? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Lumberjacks and Ladies by Jennifer Lamont Leo, et. al -- Lumberjacks and Ladies Work Together to Build America...Struggling to remain independent in the 1800s, four women reluctantly open up to help from lumberjacks—and love. All That Glitters by Candice Sue Patterson, 1851—Maine. Winifred finds herself running the family lobstering business when her father and brothers join the California gold rush. Will she stubbornly reject help from a local lumberjack? Winter Roses by Pegg Thomas, 1865—Michigan. Elizabeth cooks for a logging crew, spurning the men’s advances, until reoccurring gifts capture her attention. Will she heed her mother’s warning about “shanty boys”? Not for Love by Naomi Musch, 1881—Wisconsin. Widowed, Maggie seeks a husband—in name only—from the logging camps, but the man who answers her letter is a surprise. Can she open her heart to love again? Undercover Logger by Jennifer Lamont Leo, 1890—Idaho. Carrie will not sell her timberland and allows the banker’s nephew to sign onto her logging crew to ferret out the reason she is losing money at an alarming rate. Will truth be revealed to her forlorn heart? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Eileen Davis -- A WASP Goes Above the Call of Duty to Free Captive American Soldiers. Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes--the heroines of WWII. Peggy Witherspoon, a widow, mother, and pilot flying for the Women Airforce Service Pilots in 1944 clashes with her new reporting officer. Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg was injured in combat and is now stationed at Bolling Field in Washington D.C. Most of Peggy's jobs are safe, predictable, and she can be home each night with her two daughters--until a cargo run to Cuba alerts her to American soldiers being held captive there, despite Cuba being an "ally." Will Peggy go against orders to help the men--even risk her own life? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin -- As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books. Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission. (Historical Romance from Revell/Baker Publishing Group)

With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer -- Will trust be the winning ticket to mending two wounded hearts? The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition is taking place in Seattle with participants from all over the world when Lizzie Clark accepts a position at an orphanage in the city. After suffering heartbreak and loss, she is determined to make a life for herself independently. Jack Butler’s mother abandoned their family when he was a young boy. Loyalty to his father cost him fulfilling his own aspirations, so Jack strives to take their family farm in a new direction. A newborn is left at the orphanage with a note asking Lizzie to take care of him. Why did the woman abandon her child? And why is Jack, a handsome local farmer so interested in helping Lizzie search for the infant’s mother? When shocking revelations disrupt their plans, Lizzie and Jack are faced with life-changing decisions. Will they open their hearts to trusting again? (Historical Romance from Morningview Publishing)

Mystery: Cozy:


Cliffhanger by Susan Page Davis -- The Novel Inn’s reopening goes smoothly until a guest vanishes. The new owners prepare for their first large group—a former squad of cheerleaders meeting for a reunion. Things go awry when the head cheerleader fails to show up. Sisters Kate and Jillian, the innkeepers, enlist the help of their brother Rick, a local police officer. They’re confident the missing woman will be found, but they soon learn to expect the unexpected, even during a walk on the beach. (Mystery: Cozy from Scrivenings Press)

Mystery: Romance:


The Prediction by Jean Rezab -- Thea deals with the limits her father places on her when she has a vision of his death. He has never accepted her ability, and he also deals with his own depression regarding his past. (Mystery: Romance, Independently Published)

Thriller/Suspense/Romance:


Safe House Exposed by Darlene L. Turner -- Witness protection should have kept them safe. Instead, it left them completely exposed…Canadian border patrol officer Emma James has only one concern after putting a crime boss behind bars: keeping her daughter safe. But witness protection has a leak, and Emma's enemies know exactly where to find her. Now on the run with no safe haven, trusting her estranged former brother-in-law, police constable Mason James, to shield them is her only hope… (Thriller/Suspence/Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

That Scott Woman by Carlene Havel -- Maggie Scott returns home in 1966 after serving four years in prison. She has only one goal in mind, to create a secure and stable life for herself. Then Maggie meets Blake Hamilton, ex-rodeo cowboy turned preacher. The chemistry between this unlikely pair is undeniable, but there are problems. Blake is sure his calling is to serve God. Maggie is convinced she is beyond redemption. Common sense tells Maggie her attraction to Blake will end in heartbreak. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance, Independently Published)

Touch of Innocence by Robin Patchen -- How can she protect the child if nobody believes her? Grace used to try to save people, but that was before she realized how powerless she is. Now, she avoids emotional ties, working from her secluded cabin, content with her aloneness. When eight-year-old Lily starts hanging around, Grace enjoys her company but carefully keeps her distance—until she discovers the girl is being exploited. Little though she wants to, she must get involved, even if it means risking her own safety to secure Lily’s. Andrew can’t help but be drawn to his new neighbor and her beautiful foster child. When he learns about Lily’s disturbing history, he offers to help Grace prove her suspicions about the girl’s father. But the more they learn, the more puzzling Lily’s history seems. They work together to unravel the mystery, determined to ensure Lily ends up with a family who loves her. But Lily’s father isn’t giving up his muse—or his obsession—that easily. He believes Lily is rightfully his, and he’ll do anything to get her back. (Thrilled/Suspense/Romance, Independently Published)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:  
 
Dear Beth by Alyssa Schwartz, Might it finally be time for her to risk her heart again? (Romance - Novella)

 
 
Recaptured from Oblivion by Cindy M. Amos, In the heat of pursuit, ordination slips toward a far-off horizon— or can Karch safeguard Lolo and recapture his dreams from oblivion? (Contemporary Romance)

 
 
Sleep Deprived by Therese Heckenkamp, An odd encounter in a cemetery. A baby in need. Every mom’s worst nightmare. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance)

 
 
The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson, In this gripping WWII time-slip novel from the author whose books have been called “propulsive” and a “must-read” (Publishers Weekly), Grace Tonquin is an American Quaker who works tirelessly in Vichy France to rescue Jewish children from the Nazis. (Historical Romance)

 
 
Though Darkness Descend by Janet Joanou Weiner, With persecution of the Huguenots intensifying in 17th century France, what will be the cost of her unbelief? (General Historical)

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome LeighAnne Clifton!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome LeighAnne Clifton!

Linda: Welcome to my blog. It’s a pleasure to have you. Congratulations on your debut novel, All Your Heart, last year and the second book in the series coming soon. Tell us about the premise for the series and your inspiration for the plots. 

LeighAnne: The Together for Good series follows Alex, a young woman who has to make a difficult decision after she’s assaulted by someone she trusts. Alex runs away, only to encounter a lady who changes her life by taking her in to pregnancy care home and introducing her to the matchless love of Jesus. Ultimately, Alex finds not only the peace and acceptance she longs for, but also love and family. 

Together for Good is the name of the pregnancy care home, which the series centers around. It comes from Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” The goal of the home is to show the mothers-to-be that God loves them and their unborn children and has a purpose for them. 

I feel it’s important for people to know that Christians aren’t immune to the same problems everyone else faces. Sickness, pain, and even crime happen to Christians, too. The difference is we have Jesus to walk through these hard things with us. He promised He would! 

LM: Tell us about your writing journey. 

LeighAnne: I didn’t do this the normal way! My degree is in chemical engineering, and I worked in the environmental compliance field for over 30 years. Most of my professional career involved technical writing and editing, but I’ve always had a deep-seated love for reading. Several years ago, the Lord began stirring a desire in my heart to create stories, not just consume them. 

LM: You published a children’s book in 2018. How is writing adult fiction different? The same? 


LeighAnne: The Little Vessel was written as a response to a group of girls I taught in Sunday school to remind them that God creates each of us with a unique and wonderful purpose. 

Writing adult fiction is different in that there’s more room to let the story breathe and grow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the author can just take the reader on some meandering jaunt through unrelated scenes and miraculously expect everything to end up in a nice, neat package. I think writing for adults is like playing Jenga backwards! All of the pieces have to be put in place so that by the end, it’s satisfying and complete. 

LM: Research is an important aspect of writing. What sort of research did you do for Ready to Forgive? Was there a particular piece of information you knew you needed to include in the book? 

LeighAnne: Not to give away too much of the plot, but there’s a wedding in Ready to Forgive! My research for this was kind of on-the-job since my daughter got married a few years ago. She was still in college, so a lot of the details fell to me (as an engineer, this was in my wheel house!). So, I relied heavily on my experiences from that time. 

LM: In addition to your fiction writing, you have a blog, flip furniture, and pursue other crafts. How do you juggle your various responsibilities? 

LeighAnne: It’s funny that this is one of the questions! I’ve seen several people on social media choose a “word of the year,” and I kept wondering what that was all about. Recently, though, God impressed on my heart that I should choose “Focus” for 2022. I do have a lot of things pulling me in different directions, including a newly-retired husband and a 3rd grade Sunday school class, but I believe my writing is my worship. It’s hard to stay focused, but I keep my planner handy and rely on the time-management skills I developed over years of juggling a career and motherhood. 

But, always, I start the day with God. If something happens to upset this, my day is a mess. 

LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do? 

Photo: Pixabay
LeighAnne: With my 57th birthday looming large, I know there are things that are simply unrealistic, and that’s OK. I do wish I could knit. 

But, even as I try to think of something, I realize how blessed I am. When God has called me to something, He’s equipped me for it. Like writing my first novel in my 50s! 

LM: What is your next project? 

LeighAnne: I’m writing the third book in the Together for Good series. It’s actually my favorite so far. Can an author say that, or is it like picking a favorite child? Anyway, I hope that my newly discovered focus for 2022 will produce the best book to date. 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

LeighAnne: My website is https://alive-leighjourney.com. There’s a Book News tab for readers to keep up with the latest on book releases, launches, cover reveals, etc. There’s also a place to sign up for my monthly newsletter. When readers sign up, they’ll receive In Their Own Words, the prequel to the Together for Good series, just for subscribing.

Twitter: @LeighAClifton
Instagram: leighanne_clifton_author


About All Your Heart 

Alex is determined to use college on the other coast to escape her small Southern town and workaholic mother. However, a prom-night assault and the resulting pregnancy require a drastic change of plans. Alex flees with every intention of ending her cross-country trek at an abortion clinic. Instead, finding herself stranded and scared after wrecking her car, Miss Matilda welcomes Alex to town with love and open doors. It just happens that Matilda runs a crisis pregnancy home. 

When Alex strikes a deal with Chad, the handsome mechanic with secrets of his own, the citizens of Burton discover Alex’s artistry, prompting a business partnership with Matilda’s nephew. Alex soon discovers the life-altering sweetness of trusting Jesus, but her past hurts make it difficult to trust Chad with her heart. Then, secrets within the pages of an old diary discovered at the home threaten to tear families apart. Can the people of Burton learn to heal the hurts of the past by trusting the Lord with all their hearts? 

Ready to Forgive 
Before she can marry Chad, Alex must forgive the man who changed her life when he attacked her. Meanwhile, Terry decides to finally meet his biological father. The two embark on a trip that changes not only their lives, but also J.T.’s eternity. Despite the hurdles of planning a wedding in less than two months, Alex and Chad’s big day finally arrives. Only to be derailed by Karen and a bombshell announcement. Will the couple, and everyone they love, make it through all the obstacles thrown in their way?

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Traveling Tuesday: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

Traveling Tuesday: Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania 

Photo: WikiImages
In honor of Groundhog Day, I thought it would be fun for us to “travel” to Punxsutawney this week. Located in western Pennsylvania eighty-four miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and fifty files northwest of Altoona, the borough is in the southern portion of Jefferson County. The population is just under 6,000 residents making it the largest incorporated municipality in the county. 

According to several sources, the name Punxsutawney derives from a Lenape word Punkwsutenay meaning town of sandflies or mosquitos. Another source claims the word comes from Put’schisk’tey which means poison vine. 

Native Americans of the Shawnee and Lenapi/Delaware tribes lived on the banks of the Mahoning Creek beginning in 1754, having moved there to get away from the increasing number of Europeans in the east. The following year a conference was held with the Delawares, Muncy, Shawnees, Naticokes, Tuscaroras, and Mingoes to protest the sale of their land by the “Six Nations” in Albany. There was dissension among them, attempts at peace failed, and some of the tribes banded with the French during the French and Indian War. 

In October 1755, fed up with the growth of the population of white settlers, the Delawares attacked at Penn’s Creek and captured two 12-year-old girls. The girls escaped five years later, and the tribe soon left the area. Nearly twenty years later, a Moravian Church missionary arrived with a group of Christianized Delaware Indians. By the end of the Revolutionary War, the tribes had left Pennsylvania and settled in Ohio. 

More settlers moved into the area, and the population grew to about one hundred inhabitants. In1849 Punxsutawney incorporated with agriculture and lumbering being the mainstays of the economy. Eventually, coal was discovered and the mining industry and railroads became important parts of the economy. One source says that a person could walk from Punxsutawney to Reynoldsville entirely underground at this time – a distance of fifteen miles. 
 
Photo: Pixabay/
Eliza28diamonds
According to a history of the town: “It {Groundhog day celebrations} all began on February 2, 1886 with a terse paragraph in the local newspaper, The Punxsutawney Spirit, “Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow.” 
 
The report goes on to say that “in the summer of 1887 a group of local hunters held a groundhog hunt and picnic, celebrating the event by barbequing the game. Inspired by the hunt, the editor of the newspaper, Clymer Freas dubbed the picnickers the ‘Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.’ He recalled the Pennsylvania Dutch legend of the groundhog being a weather prophet and claimed for the Punxsutawney groundhog all weather rights. He then created a home for him on Gobbler’s Knob, a wooded area outside of town.” 
 
Photo: Pixabay/hangela
In its heyday, the town saw as many as eighty trains come through each day. A trolley car system was put in place in 1892, and in the early 1900s, Punxsutawney became the shopping center for many of the miners. Industrial growth peaked in the 1920s, but the crash of 1929 impacted the town with the rest of the country. Many businesses closed or declined. After the Depression, the town recovered slowly and gained a carbon plant in the process. A machine shop and manufacturing plants helped shore up the economy. Coal is still mined, although not at the levels of its early days. 
 
An annual event is held on February second, and has grown to thousands of visitors attending the festivities each year. The 1993 movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell created significant interest in the town, although to the residents’ disappointment the film was shot in Illinois. 

Do you pay attention to the groundhog’s prediction?
 _______________ 

About Gold Rush Tegan

Tegan Llewellyn has always been different than her adopted family, except Grandmother Hannah, a prospector during the 1829 Georgia gold rush. Now, seventy years later there are reports of gold in Nome, and the opportunity is too good to pass up. But Tegan doesn’t count on the dangers that strike from the moment she steps off the steamer, including the threat of losing her heart. 

Elijah Hunter has prospected for gold all over the US and Canada and likes being on the move. The last thing he expects to find on his latest search is a lady miner who proves to be nothing but trouble. Can he convince her that leaving is for her own good before it’s too late...for both of them?


Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3r8FzVe

Friday, January 28, 2022

Fiction Friday: Around the World in Eighty Days

Fiction Friday: Around the World in Eighty Days

Photo: WikiImages

PBS has been showing an eight-part “adaptation” of Jules Verne’s acclaimed novel Around the World in Eighty Days. I put the word adaptation in quotations because two significant changes were made to the original. The characters of Fix and Passepartout are completely different and seemed to be a nod to political correctness rather than adhering to Verne’s intentions, with Fix being a female journalist and Passepartout being black. 

For those of you unfamiliar with this 1872 French novel, Phileas Fogg, a rich Englishman who lives a solitary life in London. He periodically frequents a gentleman’s club called the Reform Club where he seems to be ridiculed for his habitual modest lifestyle and fastidious manner, so fastidious he fires his valet for bringing him shaving water at a lower temperature than desired. He hires Frenchman Jean Passepartout as replacement. 

One day, Fogg and several of his friends see an article in The Daily Telegraph that states a new railroad
section has opened in India, making it now possible to travel around the world in eighty days. An argument ensues as to the veracity of the claim, and Fogg accepts a bet for 20,000 pounds that he can complete the journey. Experiences in Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, San Francisco, New York, France, Ireland, and finally Liverpool, and the intervening travel keep readers turning pages. At first, Fogg believes he has lost the wager but a series of events reveal that because he has traveled eastward, his days were shortened by four minutes for each of the 360 degrees of longitude they cross, thus they had seen eighty sunrises and sunsets to London’s seventy-nine, therefore winning the bet. Ironically, he has spent nearly 19,000 pounds of his travel money during the trip. 

Photo: WikiImages
Written during the Franco-Prussian war in which Verne was drafted, he struggled with financial difficulties and grief over the recent death of his father. Fascinated by technology, Vern was intrigued by the possibility of such speedy travel. Interestingly, the closing date of the novel, December 21, 1872, was the same date as the serial publication, leading some readers to believe the journal was actually taking place. Bets were placed, and some railroad companies campaigned for Verne to include them and the book. 

After the book’s publication as a novel, several people attempted to follow Fogg’s circumnavigation. Here are a few of them: 

  • 1889: Nellie Bly did the journey in 72 days and met Verne in Amiens at its completion; 
  • 1903: James Willis Sayre’s journey lasted 54 days 
  • 1908: Harry Bensley attempted the journey on foot, but it took so long, he had to abandon the trip in 1914 at the commencement of WWI. 
  • 1928: A Danish Boy Scout traveled by train and ship, but did not go via India, and his journey lasted 44 days. 
Since 1979, Verne is the second-most translated author, ranking between William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Have you read this classic?

____________________

Rayne's Redemption:

Will she have to lose her identity to find true love?

Twin sisters Rayne and Jessica Dalton have been swapping places their whole lives, so when Jessica dies on the eve of heading west to become a mail-order bride, Rayne decides to fill her sister's shoes. The challenge will be faking Jessica's faith in God. Can Rayne fool her prospective groom without losing her heart...or her soul?

Flynn Ward fled England to escape his parent's attempts at marrying him off, but now that he's ready to wed, locating a woman in the Wyoming mountains is harder than finding a hackney in a rainstorm. Then the Westward Home & Hearts Agency offers him the perfect match. But when his prospective bride 
arrives, she's nothing like she seemed in her letters. Is he destined to go through life alone?

Can two desperate people overcome their differences to find common ground...and love?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/32EJ3Wk

Thursday, January 27, 2022

Talkshow Thursday: Laura DeNooyer-Moore

Talkshow Thursday: Laura DeNooyer-Moore

Linda: Welcome to my blog! Congratulations on your debut novel, All That is Hidden. It sounds fantastic. Where did you get your inspiration for the story? 

Laura: Thank you for having me, Linda. My inspiration grew from a visit to Mars Hill, North Carolina when I was in college--many years ago! Our professor took 22 education students to be teacher aids in the mountain schools of Buncombe, Madison, and Yancey counties near the Smokies. Turns out the teacher aids had the most to learn. It was culture shock for us midwesterners. That was our first introduction to the mountain culture of southern Appalachia. 
 
LM: What sort of research was required for the book? 

Laura: I researched everything long before the days of the internet. Besides that first visit during college, I made another trip there to get the lay of the land. A book of southern Appalachian dialect and idioms came in handy. Multiple Foxfire Books by Eliot Wigginton were invaluable for understanding the people, traditions, and lifestyles of the area: spinning, weaving, cooking, planting, crafts, beliefs, superstitions, and more. 

This all culminated in hiring a literary consultant, Dr. Steve Eberly of Western Carolina University, to read the manuscript for accuracy, assuring that I’d captured the Appalachian spirit. 
 
I published this novel years ago, and recently relaunched it with a new cover and revised content--a tightened version of the same story. 

LM: You’re a native of Michigan and have lived in Wisconsin. What made you choose Appalachian as a setting for the book? 
 
Laura: In other words, what’s a Midwestern girl like me doing writing southern fiction, right? Fair question! The short answer: I fell in love with the place. 

The longer answer: During my first visit, as we explored the area, I was struck by the number of people
Photo: Pixabay/
Paulbr75
who created meaningful lives by a route much different from those seeking the prosperity of “The American Dream” that I’d grown up with. With little money, few possessions, and no races up the ladder of success, these folks still enjoyed rich lives--a foreign concept to me at the time. 
 
That set me to wondering and primed the creative juices: “What would happen with a clash between big-city northern values and southern Appalachian culture?” I wrote a prize-winning short story about it when I got home. Over the years, those characters beckoned me back to their hills until I succumbed and wrote their story in novel form. 

LM: You are also a visual artist. How do you find writing different from drawing/painting? The same? 

Laura: Great question! There are definite similarities. The right words create pictures in the reader’s head. Instead of wielding colored pencils or a paintbrush and paint, novelists use words alone. I use this “word picture” analogy with my high school and middle school writing students. I ask: how do you visualize the scene before you? What do you want your reader to see? Which words will serve you best in that purpose? 
 
However, too many words--like too many brushstrokes or colors all mashed together--can be overkill. A picture on canvas includes details that don’t leave much for the viewer’s imagination. Every pattern, texture, and shape is right there in plain sight. The tricky part of writing is using enough key words and phrases to suggest the scene, action, or character. Each reader’s mind will fill in that word picture differently, yet still carry the essence of what you’re trying to convey. 

Photo: Pixabay/
Rudy and Peter Skitterians
I suppose it’s the difference between writing as a detective or a poet. The detective needs to include every last detail, thinking photographically, whereas the poet picks a few relevant sensory details (or metaphors) to evoke an image and a mood in the reader’s mind—and touch the heart, too. Authors strive to be evocative, like the poet. 

Your question makes me think of a John Gardner quote: “We read just five words of a good novel and we forget we’re reading printed words on a page; we begin to see images.” 

LM: What advice do you have for fledgling writers? 

Laura: Join a writers group that will both stretch you and encourage you. Improvement comes from constant revision, accountability, and teachability. 

Read, read, read! Especially in your genre. Read like a writer, not just a reader. Dissect each novel. What makes it tick? What techniques does the author use? What works? What doesn’t? 

Persevere. Find joy is in the journey, not just the end product. God is the ultimate Storyteller, and He made us in His image. He delights in our creativity. During frustrating days, that should be inspiration enough. 
 
LM: Here are some quickies: 

Laura:
Favorite childhood book: the Nancy Drew series (can’t recall a title that stands out) 
Favorite Bible verse: Romans 8 (hard to narrow it down to one verse!) 
Favorite place to vacation: Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan (annual family vacation) 

LM: What other projects are on the docket for you this year? 

Photo: WikiImages
Laura: Two things, mainly. Continue to host authors on my new Standout Stories blog (launched in November), and find a home for at least two of my unpublished novels, both more historical fiction. One is Biblical fiction, set in the time of Christ, and the other is a split-time story (1980 and early 1900s) with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum, as a main character. Not southern fiction this time, but set in a small town in Michigan where Baum’s family spent their summers (near Lake Macatawa). I gravitate toward small towns and bygone eras, wherever they happen to be. 

I have many irons in the fire. With my kids all grown up, I finally have time to fine-time a plethora of rough drafts and seek publication. 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

Laura: My website & Standout Stories blog: https://lauradenooyer-author.com/
Join my monthly newsletter, and I'll send you a free gift: http://www.standoutstoriesnewsletter.com/

About All That is Hidden  

Are secrets worth the price they cost to keep? 

Ten-year-old Tina Hamilton finds out the hard way. She always knew her father had a secret. But all of God’s earth to Tina are the streams for fishing, the fields for romping, a world snugly enclosed by the blue-misted Smokies. Nothing ever changed. Until the summer of 1968. Trouble erupts when northern exploitation threatens her tiny southern Appalachian town. Some folks blame the trouble on progress, some blame the space race and men meddling with the moon’s cycles, and some blame Tina’s father. A past he has hidden catches up to him as his secret settles in like an unwelcome guest. The clash of progressive ideas and small town values escalates the collision of a father’s past and present.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3mWbuG6

Friday, January 21, 2022

Fiction Friday: Vintage Reads - The Professor by Charlotte Bronte

Fiction Friday: Charlotte Bronte’s The Professor 
 
Photo: WikiImages
Authors are told to write what they know, and British writer Charlotte Brontë did just that. The Professor, which was published by her husband two years after her death was actually Charlotte’s first novel, written well before Jane Eyre. Rejected by the few publishers of the time, the book manuscript was put on the back burner as the author set about crafting her next novel. Parts of the manuscript were later reworked from the prospective of a female teacher and published as Villette. 
 
Based on her experiences ten years’ prior as teacher and language student in Belgium, The Professor tells the story of William Crimsworth, a teacher in Brussels. Told in first-person narrative form, the novel describes his maturation, career, and relationships. The story begins with a letter sent from William to a friend and discusses his rejection of an uncle’s proposal that he become a clergyman as well as his first meeting with his rich brother. William obtains a job with Edward who treats him poorly. Leaving the position, William accepts a job at a school in Brussels. 
 
Author photo
His excellent reputation as a “professor” becomes known to a headmistress at a girls school nearby. Sheoffers him a job that he accepts, and slowly falls in love with her. He overhears a conversation with her fiancé about their deceitful treatment of him, and reacts by being cold and distant with her. In a plot line that would make the author of Peyton Place proud, William begins to teach one of the younger instructors and falls in love with her. Jealous of the attention he is paying to the young woman, the headmistress fires her. He searches high and low for her, finally finding her in a graveyard (of all places). Not wanting to cause further dissension at the Williams quits and finds a new position at a college. He and the young teacher marry, open and school together, and have a child – a neatly tied up happily-ever-after. 
 
Interestingly, Brontë uses the book as an opportunity to put forward her dislike of Catholics and the Flemish, and there are several negative incidents involving both. 
 
Photo: Pixabay/
Joaquin Aranoa
Because she based the novel on her own experiences, The Professor gives readers a peek into the Charlotte’s life. During her short stint at the school, she fell in love with the headmaster, a married man with children. According to a later biography, she didn’t handle the situation well, and made herself an embarrassment. Additionally, because Charlotte passed away at an early age she didn’t write as many books as she might have if she’d lived longer. Of the book, she said, “The middle and latter portion is as good as I can write...it contains more pith, more substance, more reality, in my judgment, than much of Jane Eyre.” 
 
Some find the book slow and plodding, lacking the passion and intrigue of Jane Eyre, but I enjoyed reading the story as it immersed me in the “working man’s life” of the mid-1800s. Consider reading this classic.
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About Dinah's Dilemma

Will she have to run from the past for the rest of her life? 

Dinah Simpkins has no chance of making a good marriage. Her outlaw brothers and her father’s gambling addiction have ruined the family’s reputation. Then the Westward Home and Hearts Matrimonial Agency provides an opportunity for a fresh start. After Dinah arrives in Nebraska, she discovers her brothers played a part in the death of her prospective groom’s first wife. 

As a former Pinkerton detective Nathan Childs knows when someone is lying. The bride sent by the matrimonial agency may be beautiful, but she’s definitely hiding something, and he has no intention of marrying her until he uncovers the truth. But an easier solution may be to send her packing. Then his young daughter goes missing. He and Dinah must put aside their mutual hurt and mistrust to find her.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3quggwT

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Cathe Swanson!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Cathe Swanson

Linda: Welcome! I love a good mystery and can’t wait to hear about your book Murder at the Empire which is part of CelebrateLit’s Ever After Mystery series, a set of stories that are loosely based on fairy tales. What was your inspiration for the plot? 
 
Cathe: My book is based on the fairy tale, The Nightingale, but I have to admit… when Sandy from Celebrate Lit asked me if I would like to participate in the project, I chose a fairy tale to suit my plot idea. I wanted to write a story about a girl who plays the Mighty Wurlitzer organ to accompany silent movies in a magnificent movie palace. 
 
LM: How do you develop your characters? Are they based on people you know...or yourself? How do you decide on their names? 

Cathe: Some of these characters were inspired by real people I discovered while researching the 1920’s. There were many fascinating people in that era! Gayle’s mother was a suffragette and member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. She’s a social reformer in every way, happily married to a Presbyterian minister who adores her. 
 
I wanted to make Gayle a nice, ordinary girl. She lacks the ambition of her mother, but she’s not ready to become a wife and mother like her older sister, either. Lots of things interest her, but she’s not ready to settle down. She likes playing the organ and being a part of the theater, but what Gayle really wants is a motor car of her own. 

And I wanted a flapper! Gayle’s childhood friend, Lilian, is a reflection of some of the young people of
Photo: Pixabay
that era. She has a tragic past, of course, and she’s saved from her wicked ways at the end of the book. 

Gayle is a nod to the Nightingale, of course. Other names were chosen to reflect their ethnic origin and social standing. I usually refer to the Social Security names index to make sure that the names I choose are fitting for the time period. 

LM: What did you edit out of this book? 

Cathe: Lots of information about life in the 1920’s! The research for this time period was fascinating. I wanted to include everything! It was a time of social, technological, and political change. Opportunities for women and people of color expanded. Affordable motorcars transformed the middle-class culture. I wanted to include everything! 

LM: What was the hardest scene in the book to write? 

Cathe: The denouement, for sure. I’ve been reading mysteries my whole life, so I knew what I wanted, but it was important to have every detail right. 
 
LM: What was your favorite childhood book and why? 

Cathe:. I read everything as a child, and I had different favorites at different ages. I have especially fond memories of the Anne of Green Gables series and various books by Louisa May Alcott. 

LM: What one piece of advice would you give to fledgling writers? 

Photo: Pixabay

Cathe: Just do it. Write it all out without stopping to edit. It’s too easy to stop and start, always fixing things instead of letting the story flow uninterrupted. You need to WRITE! Polishing it up comes later. As a famous author once said, “You can’t edit a blank page.” 

LM: What writing projects are on your plate right now? 

Cathe: I am working on Book 3 in my Serenity Hill series and on a book for another Celebrate Lit collection. I’ve also just started a fun series I’m co-writing with my good friend Chautona Havig. 

Linda: Where can folks connect with you? 

Cathe: 

About Murder at the Empire: 

Gayle Wells is a killer organist, but does a killer have her in his sights? 

They call him the Emperor. John Starek fills his theater with fine artwork and treasures. He’s particularly pleased to have one of the country’s first female organists – and he thinks Gayle Wells is the bee’s knees. 

Despite pressure from her social crusader mother, Gayle isn’t interested in changing the world. She just wants a car of her own – and a career playing the organ at the Empire movie palace would be especially ducky. 

Then the Empire’s treasures start disappearing and employees start dying. Are a few pieces of art really enough motive for the string of murders? Will Gayle be next? 

Murder at the Empire brings The Nightingale into an elegant movie palace in the roaring 20’s – but the real excitement is all off-screen.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3Km3NmA