Book Review: Hidden in the Heart by Cathy West

Hidden in the Heart

By Catherine West

 

 

Paperback: 248 pages

Publisher: OakTara (September 15, 2012)

ISBN-10: 1602903298

ISBN-13: 978-1602903296

 

From the publisher:

Everything Claire wants seems to be beyond her reach... After losing her mother to cancer and suffering a miscarriage soon after, Claire Ferguson numbs the pain with alcohol and pills, and wonders if her own life is worth living. Adopted at birth, Claire is convinced she has some unknown genetic flaw that may have been the cause of her miscarriage. She must find a way to deal with the guilt she harbors. But exoneration will come with a price. With her marriage in trouble and her father refusing to answer any questions about her adoption, Claire begins the search for her birth mother. For the first time in her life, she really wants to know where she came from. But what if the woman who gave her life doesn't want to be found?

 

My review:

Cathy West seems to excel at poking for your heart, cutting it into tiny little pieces, ripping out your guts and sewing it all back together with a little extra love and admiration added in.

 

No sophomore syndrome for this author, in my opinion. Right from the start of West’s new novel, Hidden in the Heart, I walked with Claire, who was completely out of control with grief and fear and loss of identity despite having everything most people only dream of. She certainly wasn’t likeable, nor could she even like herself. In her determination to find a cause or someone to blame for her miscarriage she sets out to find her birth parents.

 

West drew the threads of her story together tactfully. It wasn’t hard to figure out who was who, but, rather, the novel was more an exploration of who they became. Why do we abandon the things or people we love? Only from great depths can people rise to new freedom, and sometimes only when we are offered a second chance to revisit our past can we learn to forgive ourselves, let alone the people we wound.

 

Claire might have had everything from a husband determined to love her no matter how self-destructive and hatefully embarrassing she’d become, wealth and a loving home, but she threw it all away in order to search for answers to fill the hole in her identity, even if the rest of her birth family is determined to keep secrets or bent on revealing the worst of themselves. Readers shouldn’t be surprised at the real conclusions, but will certainly grieve and rejoice with Claire and her new-found sense of self and family.

West says her novel is very loosely on her own experiences of being adopted. I’ve come to admire this author for her realism, the depth of character and the beauty-in-the-face-of-ugliness of her story lines. Well done.

 

About the author

Catherine West is an award-winning author writing inspirational stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. Her first novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow, released in 2011, her second, Hidden in the Heart, in September, 2012. When she's not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary. Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at Catherine@catherinejwest.com

Lighten Up Day!

Living in the Light/Dwelling in His Presence by Rhonda Rhea excerpt from Chapter 14 of: How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? I admit it, I’m a cruise fan. I love everything about it. Especially the food. A cruise and overeating go together like a hand in glove. Well more accurately, they go together like a size ten hand in a size two glove. All the gourmet food you can eat, for crying out loud! I guess I was just asking for a trip back to maternity pants. I now refer to myself as “17 years post-partum.” The staff on the ship said the average person gains seven to ten pounds on a seven-day cruise. But then, I’ve always considered myself an overachiever. On prime rib night, my husband and I were walking out of the dining room and, even though he was about to let his belt out a notch, Richie said he was thinking of ordering yet another prime rib. Another one! I figured that could cost him at least another two belt notches. I told him I thought that would be a mistake. Get it? Prime rib? “Mis-steak”? Anytime we’re going to overdo, though, it’s good to make sure we’re “overdoing” in all the right areas. First Thessalonians 4:1 talks about living right to please God and then it says, “Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” To do and to overdo. It’s an encouragement to keep growing. Not so much growing in the “bring on the elastic waistbands” kind of growth. But growing in maturity. We grow as we seek to stay in the light, dwelling in the presence of the Lord, making sure our lives are for Him and all about Him. Our growth is not an option. It’s a command. Verse 7 in that same passage in 1 Thessalonians says, “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” Rejecting His instruction? Rejecting the Father Himself? Mistake of the highest order. Growing in Him and dwelling in His presence results in a life in which growing “a notch or two” spiritually is a regular happening. The good kind of growth. And seeking that consistency in growth diligently. There’s a lot at stake. Sometimes also a lot at steak.

Rhonda Rhea is a radio personality, humor columnist, conference/event speaker and author of eight books, including I’m Dreaming of Some White Chocolate, High Heels in High Places, and her newest, How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? She is presently working on her ninth nonfiction book, scheduled to release in early 2013, and just this week got a yes from a publishing board on a two-book fiction deal co-authored with her daughter, Kaley Faith Rhea. Rhonda is a pastor’s wife and mother of five mostly grown children. She chuckles through the hubbub with pastor/hubby, Richie Rhea, near St. Louis in Troy, Missouri. Website: rhondarhea.com About Rhonda's Latest Book: How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person?—Bright Ideas for Delightful Transformation (New Hope Publishers, 2012). Author and speaker, Patsy Clairmont, calls the book “high voltage humor along with a biblical charge.” In Ephesians 1:18, Paul prays, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.” One version calls it “light” that will “flood your hearts.” God shines so much of His light through Scripture so that we can see—we can have understanding. For every person longing for a change, for everyone who is getting weary in a grisly struggle to make a particular change, God-given enlightenment makes possible real change in every way. Lasting change. The God who is powerful enough to create light, then create the sun—the God who keeps the sun blazing and the stars and moon reflecting—that same God is powerful enough, caring enough, and detail-minded enough to light our way. He wants to show us the path of change, and He longs to light the way for us in His magnificent plan for our lives. How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person is a laugh-along-the-way journey into that light through God’s Word. His Word? Now there’s some enlightening! And I hear enlightening has even been known to strike twice in the same place.

Book Review: Debut Action Thriller

The Diaries of Pontius Pilate

JosephMax Lewis

c. August 2012
Trestle Press
Genre: Contemporary Thriller
e-Book $4.99

 

Nook

 

Kindle

 

briefly:

 

The Diaries of Pontius Pilate opens with the murder of a member of an archeological team along the shores of the Dead Sea. We learn that the murderer and victim are both spies observing the expedition and grappling with the fact that the team has just discovered some controversial artifacts.

In fact, archaeologists Kevin Elliot Jill Gates have unearthed twenty mysterious copper scrolls. They manage to open one scroll far enough to take a series of digital photographs of the writings and email them to a Professor of Ancient Latin for translation. Unaware of the content, Kevin and Jill are unprepared when they’re caught between an ancient conspiracy of global power that’s determined to destroy the scrolls along with everyone connected to them and a small interfaith group of former military volunteers, the only force on earth that stands between the truth and certain death.

 

My review:

Joseph Max Lewis, former Green Beret, debuts with a page-turning thriller. Although the author asked for a review and sent a review copy, I did purchase the e-book.

 

Diaries is part conspiracy theory, part archaeology, part special ops and technological suspense with some torture and a little romance.

The reader is sent between international and inter-denominational power groups, but it’s not clear at first who are the good guys and which are the bad, which only ramps the tension. Moving through Israel, the US, academia, and anonymous torture chambers where evil reigns, readers gradually learn along with archaeologists Kevin and Jill exactly the importance of the long-held secret they unearthed. Never published, documented, or even more than faintly rumored, the existence of Pontius Pilate’s, one-time Roman ruler of Palestine at the time of Christ,  investigation into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus could affect the faith of the world. Pilate hid the diaries perhaps too well, for they lay silent for two thousand years, along with other artifacts from that horrible time.

 

Running from those who want to destroy evidence of the diaries and anyone who knows about them, Kevin and Jill must figure out who to trust as they are forced into close quarters on a ship. They wonder if they can even trust each other. Over the course of time, they examine their feelings as well as matters of faith while trying to keep the scrolls safe.

Diaries is not for the faint of heart, as scenes of massacre and torture are somewhat graphic. Intriguing details of military operations are detailed, as one would expect given the author’s background. Little formatting glitches and occasional other errors don’t stop the action much; I occasionally buzzed through extra-long passages of technology which others would probably enjoy. The romantic relationship was a little rough and spastic, but the story was not meant to be built around a romance, and those elements will only get better in future work, I suspect. I look forward to more from this author.

Book Review: YA fantasy allegory from Lorilyn Roberts

At 99 cents, this book makes a great Christmas gift for your tween's Kindle!



 

The Seventh Dimension-The Door

By Lorilyn Roberts

Oct 14, 2012, Amazon Digital

YA Adventure/Fantasy

ASIN: B009R8Q1WC
$.99 E-book

 

A truly epic adventure for readers of all ages: although Lorilyn calls this a YA coming of age story, it's every bit as wondrous for adults. The author has studied the classics, and only subsequent reads will help you find the planted symbolism that makes Seventh Dimension-The Door a clever read.

You'll find a loving nod to Pilgrim's Progress if you follow the little white dog into the woods. Shale Snyder has a dreadful accident as a young girl, and finds it difficult to forgive herself or move forward when the victim refuses to accept her grief or confession. Grief is accompanied by hatred which colors Shale's world.

She is given a second chance, however, in a fantastic land of talking animals (grown from Roberts's first story, The Donkey and the King), an allegory which makes teaching your children about forgiveness, good and evil, a much easier task. Follow Shale and her new friends as she travels on an adventure of a lifetime to find the king while also growing out of her bad habits into a self-assured young woman who learns obedience and gratitude despite willfulness in the face of despair. Finding the father she always wanted, and his new wife and mysterious servants, help Shale unravel the truth of her long-ago accident, and face the consequences with a clean heart.

 

Truth, time travel, self-doubt, sacrifice, forgiveness and even all four loves, are explored in depth in this soon-to-be beloved tale of supernatural grace. Told in third person from Shale's point of view, with humor, dread, sorrow and shame, Roberts's time-honored story-telling will make you feel part of the adventure and eagerly anticipating the next book.

Buy

Christmas blog tour starts today

Grace Filled Christmas Blog Tour 2012


Visit the following sites for great authors and book info- get everyone you love a book this year!

CALENDAR:

Sat, Nov 3: Nike Chillemi (GOODBYE NOEL, PERILOUS SHADOWS, BURNING HEARTS) http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

Mon, Nov 5: Shaunna Gonzales (DARK DAYS OF PROMISE) www.shaunnagonzales.blogspot.com

Wed, Nov 7: Debbie Roome (CONTAGIOUS HOPE) http://debbieroome.blogspot.co.nz/

Sat, Nov 10: Naomi Musch (THE BLACK ROSE, THE RED FURY, THE GREEN VEIL) http://www.naomimusch.com/apps/blog/

Mon, Nov 12: Elaine Marie Cooper (THE ROAD TO DEER RUN, THE PROMISE OF DEER RUN, THE LEGACY OF DEER RUN) http://ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com

Wed, Nov 14: Deanna Klingel (CRACKS IN THE ICE) www.BooksByDeanna.com

Sat, Nov 17: Meg Moseley (WHEN SPARROWS FALL) megmoseley.wordpress.com

Mon, Nov 19: Sharon Leaf (LADY AND THE SEA) www.sharonleaf.com

Wed, Nov 21: Tracy Krauss (WIND OVER MARSHDALE, PLAY IT AGAIN, MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER) http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com

Sat, Nov 24: Suzanne Williams (MISSING, FOUND) http://suzanne-williams-photography.blogspot.com

Mon, Nov 26: Amanda Stephan (THE PRICE OF TRUST, LONELY HEARTS) http://www.booksbyamanda.com/blog

Wed, Nov 28: Barbara E. Brink (THE CHOSEN, THE BOOK OF THE SHUNNED, THE BISHOP’S RECKONING) http://barbaraellenbrink.com/

Sat, Dec 1: William D. Burt (THE KING OF THE TREES, TORSILS IN TIME, THE GOLDEN WOOD) http://www.kotbooks.blogspot.com/

Mon, Dec 3: Tammy Doherty (CELTIC KNOT, CLADDAUGH, CELTIC CROSS) http://mystiqueofnaultag.blogspot.com/

Wed, Dec 5: Christina Freeburn (LOST THEN FOUND, LED ASTRAY, SAFE AND SOUND) www.theselfrescueprincess.wordpress.com

Sat, Dec 8: B.J. Robinson (WHISPERING CYPRESS, SOUTHERN SUPERSTITIONS) http://barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com

Mon, Dec 10: Carole Towriss (SHADOW OF SINAI) caroletowriss.com/notes

Wed, Dec 12: Jean Thompson Kinsey (WILLOW SHADE, THE LIGHT KEEPER’S DAUGHTER) http://kystorywriter.blogspot.com/

Sat, Dec 15: Karin Kaufman (SPARROW HOUSE) http://www.karin-kaufman.blogspot.com

Mon, Dec 17: Katie Ganshert (WILDFLOWERS FROM WINTER) http://katieganshert.com/blog/

Wed, Dec 19: Laura J. Davis (COME TO ME) http://interviewsandreviews.blogspot.com

Sat, Dec 22: Mikayla Kayne (THE ANGEL CREST DECEPTION) http://miksreliablelibrary.wordpress.com/

 

Have A Very Merry, Blessed Christmas Filled with Good Reading and Good Cheer!!!

And A Happy New Year!!!

Delia Latham and Heart's Haven

Introducing Heart’s Haven

From White Rose Publishing

"Jewels for the Kingdom" is a 20,000 word e-Book, the first of FOUR books in the Heart's Haven collection.

Authors who contributed to the collection include Marianne Evans (Operation Breathless), Tanya Stowe (Leap of Faith), Mary Manners (Dance with Me) and Delia Latham (Jewels for the Kingdom).

 

The authors are all very excited about Heart's Haven, and truly believe God had a very decisive hand in its creation and publication.

A bit about Heart's Haven:

Heart's Haven is a one-of-a-kind apartment complex located just outside the fictional town of Angel Falls, TX, on the outskirts of the Angelina National Forest. It's owned by Andrew Hart, a crusty old guy who is rumored to have the ability to see and speak with angels. Does he? Well, who knows? But there is, without a doubt, some kind of divine presence that makes itself felt by every tenant. The complex consists of eight small cottages, each with its own tiny yard and trellised gate. Over each gate, a hand-carved sign proclaims: May love find all who enter here. And it usually does...

 

Here's a blurb from Delia Latham’s book in the collection:

Jewels for the Kingdom

Pia Peretti’s past could destroy her future. Thanks to her pre-Christian lifestyle, she can’t marry a believer, and she won’t marry a non-believer. Minister David Myers wants to help Pia release her guilt and trust that God has forgiven her...but the young minister is working through his own trial of faith.

 

After a failed counseling session with a wounded soul, David's confidence is shaken. He accepts a new pastorate, and moves to Angel Falls to find a haven for his wounded heart.

Is it possible these two hurting hearts are meant to mend each other’s brokenness with some divine intervention?

$2.99 on Amazon

Visit the Facebook page

Each of the heroines from the four Heart's Haven books also has a page, as does Mr. Hart. Please...take a stroll through Heart's Haven and visit all of its character pages, as well. I think you'll like what you find.

 

Delia Latham, Author of the Solomon's Gate Series

www.delialatham.net

 

K Dawn Byrd and Amazing Love, her newest book

K Dawn Byrd's New Release! Amazing Love

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational novels in several genres, including, historical, suspense, romance, and young adult. Some of her favorite things are chocolate, cars, and her pets. Her hobbies include reading, writing, and riding down country roads in the passenger seat of her husband's Corvette Stingray. When asked why she writes, her response is, "For the simple joy of placing words on the page!"

 

 

About the book:

Amazing Love, the modern-day story of Hosea and Gomer from the Bible, speaks of God's unconditional love, mercy, and grace and how much loving someone that much can cost.

Gabe Knight, a pastor in a small coastal town, finds his life is turned upside down when Dee Dillow arrives and hires him to remodel an estate she's inherited from her aunt. Dee dashes his plans for wedded bless when on a drunken binge, she divulges that she's the highest paid call girl in Nevada and part-owner of the ritziest brothel in the state.

 

Gabe falls in love with her, but can't believe he's hearing the voice of God when a still, small voice tells him to marry her. After much questioning, they marry and he is deliriously happy. Until, Dee betrays him.

 

Gabe soon discovers just how hard it is to have the unconditional love God calls him to have for his wife, the kind of love God has for his children. When faced with losing her, Gabe realizes what true love is, how much it hurts, and just how much God loves and is willing to sacrifice for his children.

 

 

Excerpt from the prologue:

Prologue

Dee signed the letter with a flourish and then read it aloud.

Maggie:

 

For the longest time, I blamed myself. There must be something terribly wrong with me, something so bad that even a mother couldn't love me. After years of therapy, I've learned that it's not me, it's you, Maggie. You're not capable of loving anyone. That's a terrible thing to say about a mother, but it's true.

Even here at Carpe Diem, I've continued therapy via technology. Today was a hard day because it's my birthday. As was expected, I never heard from you. Like my therapist said, it's not my fault you didn't call. It's a choice you made, Maggie, like so many other bad choices.

 

I used to dwell often on the things you allowed to happen to me. You had to have known that John was visiting my room almost nightly. You chose to ignore it even though he was your husband. And then, he sold me to his wealthy friends and you stood back and allowed it to happen. Whoever had the most money. That wasn't the life I would have chosen if given a choice. Even now, I long for a life of normalcy. A husband, a couple of children, and a picket fence is just a dream.

 

There are times I hate you, but I realize you have demons of your own. Something has happened to you to cause you to be so selfish and full of anger. That's why I try to overlook your hostility and lack of love toward me. You need a good therapist.

My therapist recommends that I write letters to you when I'm angry. It helps. This is letter 642. I've kept them all. You'll probably never read them, but they're not really for you. They're for me.

 

Your daughter, Dee

 An Interview with the Author

Why did you choose to write this book?
A couple of years ago, I was the story of Hosea and Gomer in the Bible and the thought came to mind that it would be fun to retell the story in a modern setting.

What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned that even though the Bible gives us stories about individuals who lived in Bible times, it's vague at times about specifics. This give a fiction writer a lot of leeway to let their imaginations run wild.

 

Tell us what you think readers will enjoy about it.

 

Amazing Love is the modern story of Hosea and Gomer. It was a tough story to write because my heroine suffers severe consequences for her sins, but it was necessary to portray how low we can go and how much God still loves us through it all. I hope readers will take away the fact that no matter what we do, God loves us with an unconditional love and is ready to accept us back into His loving arms.
 

 

Tell us a little more about yourself , with three things not many people know about you.

I have a masters degree in professional counseling from Liberty University.

I'm an animal lover. I own two hairless Chinese Crested dogs, an African Gray parrot, three ferrets, and several aquariums in my home.

I love sour foods. I'd rather have olives, pickles, or dilly beans than something sweet sometimes.
 

What are you working on right now?

I'm working on a thriller about a serial killer. It's a difficult story because there are several twists and turns and I have to be careful how I write it for everything to fall into place correctly.
 

What's next for you?

I have three releases in 2012, all young adult. Something Beautiful in January. The Hot Line Girl in June. Luck of the Draw in November.

New cookbook review - A Farmer's Daughter

A Farmer’s Daughter: Recipes from a Mennonite Kitchen

By Dawn Stoltzfus  

978-0-8007-2091-9

$13.99 

224 pages

Pub Date: October 2012

 

Looking at a book that says “Over 300 mouthwatering recipes!” I’m excited! And when I check it out, this book, is so much more than a cookbook. Reminiscent of the Raised on Sunshine and Raised on Rainbows, Stoltzfus includes little tidbits such as Food For Thought that’s almost a devotional and a challenge at the end of chapters. “How do you prepare for your own day of rest?” she asks at the end of Chapter Four. “I encourage you to incorporate this principle of rest and see what it will do for your soul!” The author also makes plenty of suggestions for additions and substitutes on many recipes - a great time-saver when you're in a hurry and don't have or care for or are allergic to some of the ingredients.

I page through, seeing a few favorites, such as cheddar potato chowder, variations on meatloaf and all kinds of yummy breads. Things to do with tomatoes…tomato toppers with bacon and onions and Worcestershire sauce. Ah – Hubby has a newfound love of rosemary. I think I’ll try the Baked Rosemary Chicken tonight and get back to you. – the next morning: Pretty Good! I had to make a few adjustments as I used plump breasts and cut them open, and had no celery, so used celery seed. But it was great using our own garlic, apples and onion for the main fill. Very easy and tasty.

 

Here's what the dish looked like before I put it in the oven - I even got the professional grease on the page.

And here's the final meal, served with squash from my son's garden and green beans, a tasty meal.

I’m going to love this book! Divided into chapters that are more than just the usual meal portions, Stoltzfus includes whole chapters of season items, “Summer Sandwiches and Winter Soups,” and Spring Salads and Dressings.” And two separate chapters of sweets. A woman after my own heart for sure.

 

About the author:

Dawn Stoltzfus is a wife, a mother of two sweet little boys and a lover of anything creative. She started and ran The Farmer's Wife Market until 2008 when she sold it in order to stay at home to raise her family. She loves to cook, for one or three hundred and sees cooking and entertaining as an opportunity to serve them out of love and joy rather than out of a sense of obligation. Her love for cooking was inspired by her mother and developed as she cooked for her family of six on their active, working dairy farm in Ohio.

 

“Available October 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

One Year Alone With God

Today I welcome Ava Pennington, author of a great new devotional, One Year Alone With God, 366 Deovtions on the Names of God.

Ava Pennington is a writer, Bible teacher, and speaker. She is the author of One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God (Revell Books), endorsed by Precepts founder and teacher Kay Arthur. Additionally, Ava is co-author of  Faith Basics for Kids. The first two books in the series are Do You Love Me More? and Will I See You Today? (Standard Publishing).

Ava has also published stories in more than twenty anthologies, including sixteen books in the inspirational Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Her articles have appeared in Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse, The  LOOKOUT, Today’s Christian Woman, and other magazines.

Ava is a passionate speaker and teacher, and delights in challenging audiences with relevant, enjoyable presentations.

For more information, visit www.AvaWrites.com.

 

 

About the book:

In the daily devotional One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God, author Ava Pennington examines the biblical names of God through 366 daily readings and helps readers discover what those names mean for their own faith.

 

Readers will learn how a particular name of God provides insight into his character, how those attributes affect them individually or how they should relate to others. Pennington examines each of God’s names for three days, applying these three perspectives to our lives.

 

Each devotion looks at a particular name of God and includes a passage of Scripture, questions for reflection, and a prayer.

 

One year from now, will you be able to say that you know God better than you did before? Revitalize your devotional life with an intimate journey through the names of God.

 

The next 366 days will pass quickly—make each one count!

 

One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God may be purchased through:

 

Amazon

 

Barnes & Noble

 

CBD

For our interview, I asked Ava the following questions:

1. What’s been a favorite work experience you’ve had so far in life?

            Although it isn’t a paid position, I’ve been teaching a weekly, interdenominational Bible study for 175+ women for the past several years. I love working with women who desire to grow in their relationship with the Lord by meeting Him in His Word.

2. If you could do anything you want, what would it be?

            Please don’t think this is a cop-out, but teaching and writing is precisely what I want to do. I am so privileged that my dream job is my present job.

3. What’s the most exotic place you’ve visited?

            Caracas, Venezuela. In my previous career, I was a Human Resources executive for several international companies based in New York City, and was fortunate to travel extensively.

 

4. What do you see outside the closest window right now?

Grass, shrubs, and a baby mango tree I grew from a seed and planted a few months ago.

I’m not usually a patient person, but since mangos are one of my favorite fruits, I’ll wait!

 

5. What do you tell people when they ask “and what do you do?”

            It took me forever to answer that question with “I’m a writer” before my first book was published. I dreaded the follow-up question…“And what have you published?”

            I finally realized that I could not expect other people to see me as a writer if I didn’t begin identifying myself as one.

    

6. Where’s your favorite place to grocery shop?

            Two places, actually. Walmart for my long lists. Publix Supermarket for the in-between trips. (And I’m a coupon-clipper!)

7. What, to you, is worship?

            For me, true worship occurs when I am so lost in who God is that nothing else is more important to me than giving Him the praise He is due.

 

It's Here! Christmas in October

“Christmas In October”

http://www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com/2012/10/christmas-in-october-october-15.html

It’s true! Your Christmas shopping can be done before the hustle and bustle even starts. Or you can just keep all the good stuff for yourself! But the good news is….

It could all be FREE!

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, throughout the entire month of October, over 40 authors will be showcasing the covers of their books, along with a short synopsis, and what they will be offering up as their giveaway!

All you need to do is comment. That’s it! Stop by www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and leave a comment. However many times you comment, your name is put in a drawing.

They Stood Alone - great new biography anthology and free gifts

 

They Stood Alone The Winner of the 2012 American Authors Association Golden Quill Award for Children’s Books

 

Follow These 3 Steps For Immediate Access To Valuable FREE Bonus Gifts! Today Only…

1. Click on any Order from Amazon.com Button

2. After Purchasing They Stood Alone visit: http://theystoodalone.com/

3. Enter Your Name, Email and Order Confirmation Number From Amazon in the Form

 

Imagine this: For centuries everyone has believed that the sun and all the planets revolve around the earth. But by studying the old books and observing the heavens, you have concluded that the earth and all the other planets revolve around the sun. Your theory is so radical that you are hesitant to tell others about it. Your name is Nicolaus Copernicus. Although at first your beliefs are denounced and ridiculed, your observations are eventually proved correct. In time, you come to be called the founding father of modern astronomy.

Or imagine this: It’s the early 19th century and women have few legal rights. Married women can’t own property, their wages belong to their husbands, and they don’t even have the right of guardianship over their children. You know the laws are unfair, but as a young woman yourself, what can you do? Your name is Elizabeth Cady Stanton. You spend your life fighting for women’s rights, and later many give you credit for being the architect and founder of the Women’s Rights Movement.

Nicolaus Copernicus and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are just two of the twenty-five extraordinary men and women whom you will have a chance to meet in this inspiring book that explores and celebrates people who had the courage to follow their own convictions, even when everyone around them said they were wrong. They were people of vision who saw life from a new perspective and were willing to question conventional wisdom. And their revolutionary breakthroughs changed and shaped the course of history.

Author Sandra McLeod Humphrey invites you to have the courage to stand alone too, hold on to your dreams, and follow your heart wherever it may lead. Like the twenty-five pioneers who lived before you, you too may someday make a difference!


Winner DIY Book Festival Award

Endorsements For They Stood Alone…

“I highly recommend this inspiring book. It should be in the hands of every parent, teacher, and child advoate who cares about our children’s moral futures.”

 

Michele Borba, EdD. Author of Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues That Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing

“One word, ‘INSPIRING’ comes to mind over and over as I read this manuscript. The stories in this book reveal that distinct pathways in life can be purposeful and fulfilling with some rewards coming early and others being long delayed. In that sense, this is a book of ‘HOPE,’ not wishful thinking but hope that is driven by intrinsic motivation, a desire to give rather than take from the world, and a deep belief in the difference that one person can make when an ability, idea, or goal is taken to its highest level…All of the men and women in these stories will surface again and again in the lives of the readers as they advance through their school years. In that sense, this book is foundational to higher learning. It gives an emotional as well as an intellectual mindset to the 25 people who made a difference and, thus, they become the giants for the current generation of readers upon which to rest their feet.”

 

Dr. Donald Draayer, Minnetonka School Superintendent, 24 years. A National Superintendent of the Year.

“They Stood Alone! digs deep into the lives of those individuals who made it possible for all of us to have our own personal heroes. Through these twenty-five examples we, too, can learn how to make a difference in the lives of others and give back. This is a book that is both powerful and significant. A must read for all.”

Terry Hitchcock, motivational speaker, author, consultant
“They Stood Alone! is a book all young people should read. It contains the stories of real-life heroes and heroines who showed the courage and inspiration to truly make a difference in the world. The twenty-five men and woman featured in this book are an eclectic group ranging from scientist and explorers to civil rights activists and authors. Their dedication and commitment encourage all of us to strive to do our best and to live a meaningful life.”

Philip Bigler 1998 National Teacher of the Year

“They stood alone and stood out! Seldom, if ever, do kids have a vision without a role model. Sandra Humphrey’s new book They Stood Alone! provides kids everywhere with extraordinary people who had beliefs and convictions and stood by them to make an enormous difference. These stories will galvanize youngsters to action!”

Gene Bedley 1986 National Educator of the Year

2012 Reader’s Favorite
Silver Award Recipient



About the Author:

Sandra McLeod Humphrey is a retired clinical psychologist with over 35 years experience working with young people. She is a writer and consultant for the Heroes & Dreams Foundation which provides character education materials to schools K-8 throughout the United States and Canada and the recipient of the National Character Education Center’s Award for “Exemplary Leadership in Ethics Education” (2000). She was also “Author of the Month” for MyShelf.com 12/03 and the recipient of the Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature (7/05).

About the Book:

They Stood Alone!: 25 Men and Women Who Made a Difference is an inspiring collection of brief biographies of 25 men and women who refused to conform to the societal beliefs and expectations of their time and, by stepping out and away from the crowd, they changed their world and ours as well. It’s received the 2011 Mom’s Choice Gold Award for Young Adult Nonfiction, the 2012 Readers Favorite Silver Medal Award for Young Adults-General, and was the 2011-2012 DIY Book Festival Winner for the Teenage category. The Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA) also selected it for their annual list of best selections for young adults in the nonfiction category.

2011 Mom’s Choice
Gold Award Recipient

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Review of Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie

Lady Outlaw

By Stacy Henrie

Love, Inspired

September 4, 2012

ISBN: 978-0373829347

$5.75 Print

$3.82 Kindle

 

Buy on Amazon

 

 

About the Book:

No one would ever imagine a fresh-faced young woman could be robbing stage bandits of their ill-gotten fortunes. But Jennie Jones is desperate to save her family's ranch from foreclosure. And the risks seem worth it, until her upright new ranch hand offers a glimpse of how much is really at stake.

Former bounty hunter Caleb Johnson is ready for a new, clean start. With a woman like Jennie, he could build a future there in Utah territory. But only if his gentle faith can guide her in a choice between the land she's fought so hard to save and a future by his side.

 

About the Author:

Stacy Henrie has always had an avid appetite for history, fiction and chocolate. While she had a goal to write and publish a book one day, she turned her attentions first to graduating with a bachelor's degree in public relations. Not long after, she switched from writing press releases and newsletters to writing inspirational historical romances as a stay-at-home mom. Stacy loves reading, interior decorating, romantic movies, and most of all, laughing with her husband and three kids. She appreciates the chance to live out history through her characters, while enjoying all the modern conveniences of life in the 21st century.

 

My review:

What does “desperate” justify?

A young woman left orphaned on a cattle ranch in the Wild West of the 1870s is determined not to make the same mistakes her mother did. She will not abandon her heritage or run away from a few difficulties when her younger brother and her grandmother need her. Her cattle rustled from under her nose and wearing her clothes to bare threads make tough, straight-shooting Jennie fearful of nothing – except the bank manager calling her father’s loan in early, and maybe falling love with the hired hand. Oh—and church. Those people whispered and made her feel terrible after her mother left, and she never went back. But no matter what else is plaguing her, her underlying determination all comes down to this: how can she save the ranch?

A new twist of robbing the guilty instead of the rich, Lady Outlaw is an enjoyable read from author Stacy Henrie. Her characters are fresh, the plot just wiggly enough to keep the reader wondering. How much does Jennie want to stay out of trouble, and how much fretting the gentle, faithful Caleb who agrees to work for her, will put up with, especially when he realizes the awful truth. Henrie writes with maturity, and her public relations background has obviously suited her well in her debut efforts. The dialogue is never clumsy and the action riveting. A few more historical issues could have been cleaned up, but for the most part, Henrie’s fiction reads clean and well.

 

This sweet tale of renewed conviction, vengeance served warm, and sweet romance will keep you turning pages as you spend some quality time in the Wild West with Jennie and Caleb in Lady Outlaw.