Cheryl Martin and the Hawaiian Island Detective Club--busy again!

About the Book, Ukuleles Undercover, book 3 of the Hawaiian Island Detective Club series:

 

Someone’s leaving threatening notes on music stands, in cases, on stacks of music and in the bathrooms. Kimo takes ukulele lessons and is very concerned about his teacher, Mrs. Lee, the kids and the music school, so he asks Leilani to join the class to investigate the mystery. She’s not happy since she’s a surfer girl, not a musician. Maile and Sam join her in class which makes the whole thing bearable.

Cheryl, what inspired you to write mysteries for kids and this series?

I was first inspired to write as a child, reading Nancy Drew. I knew at that young age that I would one day write a mystery!

Striving to do what God has placed in front of me motivates me to keep pressing forward. Sharing wholesome mysteries filled with fun, humor, mishaps and unexpected moments for kids to enjoy also motivates me to continue this amazing journey.

I have always loved Hawaii ever since I lived there while attending The University of Hawaii. I combined that with my interest in writing for ages 8-12 years and The Hawaiian Island Detective Club was born!

The three books in this series are entitled Pineapples in Peril, Menehunes Missing, and Ukuleles Undercover.

What do you do for fun and relaxation when you’re not writing?

I love to grow veggies, blueberries and raspberries on my deck. I also love to sing, and am part of my church’s drama team—challenging, yet rewarding. I sometimes work-out with my son and do push-ups with the Oregon Duck (the U of O mascot) whenever Oregon scores—and, yes, they’re men’s push-ups! I’m practicing for another great fall of football and push-ups!

Tell us a little about your family:

I have a great husband, three amazing kids and two adorable Persian cats, Nala and Thor.

My oldest son, Ian, has his own home and works for Nautilus. My daughter, Ashley, is married to a wonderful man, Dave. She works for Portland State University and he is a lawyer for a Portland, Oregon firm. They just made me a first-time “Tutu” with the birth of their son, Ewan. My youngest son, Shane, wants to be an artist for a Graphic Novel company. In between working at a movie theater, he’s busy working on projects—not unlike being an author!

 

Connect with Cheryl:

My website

My blog all about Hawaii

You can also connect with me on my facebook author page 

Twitter

If “tweeters” would like to comment on The Hawaiian Island Detective Club, they can add any of the following hashtags: #Detective #Hawaii #Hawaiian #Ukuleles #Undercover #Kids #Parents #Moms #Homeschool #HIDC

Jerusha Agen talks No love, No pain in her debut novel

Meet Jerusha Agen, who talks about her debut book This Dance,
book one of Dance Sisters Redeemed

PRINT $14.99 ISBN-13: 978-1-938092-44-2
DIGITAL $4.99 ISBN-13: 978-1-938092-45-9

PURCHASE on Amazon

About the Book:

No love, no pain. No God, no games.

A tragedy three years ago destroyed Nye's rise to the top of the dancing world as an upcoming tango star, and in the process destroyed her reason for living. She survived the pain and built a new life resembling nothing like the one she left behind, determined never to hurt again.

Nye's emotional walls hold up perfectly until she meets a handsome lawyer and an elderly landowner. They seem harmless, but one awakens feelings she doesn't want and the other makes her face the God she can't forgive. Will these two men help Nye dance again?

 

Jerusha, what do you love about this book?

I have always loved dancing and studied ballet for several years when I was young, so the idea of writing about a former dancer is in part what first made me fall in love with this story. The central character, Nye Sanders, is an artist and, as an artist myself, I can understand and relate to her artistic personality. I also love the topics that God enabled me to deal with in this book. I hope that Nye's experience with great loss and her struggle with God because of that loss will be of help to others.

Tell us something you learned during the research that fascinated you.

Nye's new career as the manager of a private equity firm required me to learn about a field with which I was previously unfamiliar. It never ceases to amaze me how many careers and different "worlds" I know nothing about! Part of the joy of writing is getting to explore those worlds and become an "expert" while I'm working on the story.

What do you hope readers will tell other potential readers about your book?

I hope they will say that this book is more than just entertaining. I pray that people who read This Dance will be able to honestly say it touched them, changed them, and, most of all, brought them closer to Christ.

About the Author:

Jerusha Agen is a lifelong lover of story--a passion that has led her to a B.A. in English and a highly varied career. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her fiction and nonfiction have been published in various journals, magazines, and newsletters.

In addition, she is a screenwriter, and several of her original scripts have been produced as films. Jerusha is also a film critic, with reviews featured at the website, www.RedeemerReviews.com.

Jerusha relishes snowy Midwest winters spent with her large, furry dogs and one little, furry cat.

Visit Jerusha’s website at www.SDGwords.com. Follow Jerusha on Twitter @SDGwords and Facebook (Jerusha Agen – SDG Words).

 

Garden Truths From My Family’s Stories

By Chris Eirschele

c. 2013

36-page book with eight chapters, photographs

 

“The innate ability to grow plants is a gift from my parents; this is their story; what I did with it is mine.”

 

Garden Truths is a charming story of family, legacy, gifts, secrets and joy, through it all, growing things. Eirschele’s memoir will touch readers who have fond memories of their parents.

 

Eirschele’s dad loved to grow flowers from bulbs and perennials, and especially loved to share them. Some of the authors’ family and friends shared their memories of the precious gift.

 

Throughout the book, Eirschele has photographs of her own plants, plants that illustrate the chapters. She also takes care to include instructions for the growth, nurture, and storage of the plants she talks about.

 

From lilies to sweet Williams to her mother’s indoor potted citrus trees (an orangery), exotic plants, and fruit and vegetable hints, Eirschele’s gentle memoir is sure to enchant.

 

Find out more www.StayGardening.com, the author’s blog.

 

About the Author:

Chris Eirschele is a freelance garden writer whose current work is found on www.BucketTripper.com. Chris' inspiration comes from plants grown, gardens explored and garden paths traveled. Her articles have been read in such far ranging publications as Ohio Gardener, Greenhouse Grower and Milwaukee Magazine. Her muse resides at her blog, www.StayGardening.com.

She is a past Master Gardener with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee County Extension and as member of the Southeast Wisconsin Master Gardeners and was horticulturally educated at Milwaukee Area Technical College. A native of Wisconsin, Chris now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

She has maintained a membership with the Garden Writers Association since 2006. Chris' past memberships include the Perennial Plant Association and the Daylily Society of SouthEast Wisconsin.

Book Review: On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

 

Book two in the Wings of the Nightingale series

 

 

Baker Publishing Group

c. August, 2013

ISBN: 9780800720827

$14.99 print and $14.99 ebook

Historical Romance

Sarah Sundin is a favorite author, I admit. Her attention to detail is always amazing. Her latest novel which takes place during World War II features a flight nurse, Georgie Taylor, who signed up on a lark with her best friend while she was waiting to get hitched, and pharmacist John Hutchinson, who was drafted before he could enlist in officer’s training school and carries a medium-sized chip on his shoulder for being a medical professional who’s treated like a roadie.

Both the American soldiers face their worst fears under dangerous combat situations. Will they buckle or overcome? When the pair meet, she’s engaged and longing for home, unsure she’s really cut out for wartime service, yet reluctant to simply quit. He’s engaged as well, a practical situation, although he regretted not tying the knot before he shipped out. Georgie and Hutch encourage each other to be more than what they’ve been told they are, to reach for loftier goals, but for the right reasons.

When, through tragedy and adverse situations, they meet again, they are unencumbered by their intendeds and they are free to give in to their feelings for each other. The mechanisms of others, misunderstandings and more tragedy cause them to wonder if their feelings are the sum of their fears.

I could hear the music to South Pacific in the background while I read, though of course this story takes place on the western front: gorgeous European settings, Sicily, Greece, Italy, and so forth. The camaraderie, the fun, the dark places and self-discovery each soldier must face were well-drawn. Although I appreciate the depth of research, sometimes it felt as though Sundin stuck in facts simply because she’d discovered a cool detail. I personally like that because I’m a history nerd, but others may skim over it.

I like characters who have to grow, reach out for help, and learn to trust, no matter the setting. Those who enjoy detailed historical situations, particularly World War Two-era medical corps stories, will find a great story in On Distant Shores.

“Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”