Book review Amish fiction by Linda Maran

The Stranger 

Linda Maran

c. 2017 Pelican Book Group

Inspirational Fiction

Contemporary

Amish

$4.99 EBook

$16.99 Print

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Barnes and Noble

About the Book

When Kristen Esh loses her mom in a tragic accident months before her 18th birthday, she suddenly finds herself among Amish relatives she never knew she had. The dramatic change from the Jersey Shore to remote upstate New York is difficult enough, but abiding by the Amish rules and lifestyle is a challenge unlike any other. As she discovers secrets that unravel her true identity, she finds an unlikely ally in John Wagler, the step-son of her aunt. He lessens Kristen's fears and encourages her faith. Interwoven with gradual revelations is the growing love between Kristen and John. One that encourages forgiveness and helps seal Kristen's fate.

My review

Maran’s debut book length fiction is well done, with coming of age elements. A young lady recently orphaned discovers the truth behind her identity and must come to terms with life-changing, life-challenging decisions on the cusp of adulthood.

Little about life for Kristen was anything like her friend’s lives—those with two parents, siblings, and a home of their own. Kristen lived with her mom and her mom’s boss in his large, empty home. She was usually alone and had learned to fend for herself and traverse high school, doing well enough with the help of her best friend’s stable family life and a boyfriend.

The news of her mother’s death, along with that of her boss in a tragic accident left her numb. What left her reeling was her mother’s instructions—after high school, she was to live with her aunt and family until her eighteenth birthday. Her aunt’s Amish family. Kristen’s mother had been raised Amish, but Kristen went as a stranger to her hopefully temporary life. When Kristen’s boyfriend disappeared, Kristen had to decide whether to stay or leave and be truly alone. Her new shirt-tale relative who lives with the family, John, makes that decision easier. More complications arise when Kristen’s mysterious father’s identity is uncovered.

The Stranger is contemporary new adult fiction, set in an Amish environment. Recommended for those who enjoy Amish fiction and romance with post-high-school-age characters. Told from multiple viewpoints, both male and female main characters, The Stranger is a story of finding home and family no matter who you are or how far removed you’ve been.

About the Author

I am the author of: Confronting the Bully of OCD. (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.) A beneficial step-by-step self-help book with techniques taught to me by a leading NYC OCD specialist. I enjoy reading, writing, praying, nature, NYC jaunts, walking to keep fit, cooking, playing drums, and good phone conversations. I don't eat animals.

Review of a personal memoir Bringing Hope by Debbie McKinney

Bringing Hope: A Disaster Relief Journey

Debbie McKinney

c. August 2017, eLectio Publishing

$4.99 EBook

$14.99 Print

Buy on Amazon

ISBN 978-1632134066

Memoir

About the Book

Sometimes the UNTHINKABLE happens!

When terrorists attack, tornadoes make homes disappear, or hurricanes have communities tumbling like building blocks, our hearts weep for those in need. With insight into a world most people are unaware of, Debbie McKinney brings us along on the true story of her volunteer adventures. Travel with her through both uplifting and emotionally challenging experiences. An engaging, honest, and heartfelt account of bringing hope to people after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, northern New Jersey flooding, and Hurricane Sandy. Her daily journals provide a unique view behind-the-scenes of what a volunteer does, experiences, and feels.

My Review

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like for those who drop everything and purposefully run into trouble, McKinney’s book is for you. The author was a long-time Red Cross volunteer with understanding bosses in her field of college administration who allowed her leave time to go and help. Although no one could respond to every disaster when called, and McKinney didn’t, she was part of the recovery efforts of some of the worst natural and man-made disasters in modern American history. Bringing Hope chronicles her time rendering aid.

McKinney shares how she became a Red Cross volunteer, a little history of the organization, and the typical responses in both her large urban community of Milwaukee, and the smaller, rural community in northern Washington County. Then she shares her personal journals and recollections from heart-wrenching major disasters such as the terrorist attacks on New York in 2001, and two of the formerly worst storms to strike American coasts.

The book is personal as well as matter-of-fact, a tell-it-like-it-was account of her role in the aftermath of tragedy. Not an immediate responder for the biggest disasters, McKinney was part of the team to go in a week or more after the event and help people mitigate their losses. Some were easy to take care of; most involved hours on the phone, deliberate decisions of how much money to give, where to find the basic necessities, or counselors, all while living away from family sometimes for weeks in situations little better than the victims.

McKinney’s story doesn’t end with her personal account, it’s a call for action, encouraging readers to respond by finding ways to help others where they are. Bringing Hope is a great story that will touch your heart, make you see red, cry, and laugh even when it feels as though things will never be the same.

About the Author

Debbie McKinney is an accidental author, convinced to share the journals of her volunteer experiences after 9/11 in Washington, D.C., Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi, and Hurricane Sandy in New York. She grew up and began her twenty years of volunteering in Milwaukee. A former Financial Aid Director with a BA in Interpersonal Communication from Marquette University, McKinney currently lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband. She enjoys gardening, model trains, and traveling.

The Little Girl Inside with Tonya Barbee

This is one of my stops during the two month tour for The Little Girl Inside: Owning My Role in My Own Pain by Tonya Barbee. This virtual book tour is organized by Write Now Literary Book Tours. This tour runs October & November. Follow the tour here.  Book your own tour here WNL

ASIN: B00VJFVN5Q

ISBN-10: 0692564802

ISBN-13: 978-0692564806

Genre: Non-Fiction

The Little Girl Inside is a prolific story of triumph and discovery of inner peace. With each page, the reader will be captivated while the author uses the writing pen as a sowing tool-seaming a garment of praise, banner of victory and fabric of joy. With imaginative color, the book is a perfectly designed combination of patterns expressing the maturation of a woman.

A uniquely designed transparent jewel every woman should own in her jewelry box. The Little Girl Inside is a ministry resource tool for women in search for transparency in the human heart. The author shows us how to overcome the inner battle of doing the right thing the wrong way, going from finding love in the wrong places to allowing love to be revealed in the right time and in the right place.

I made room for Sir Intellectual to bring what I thought were the remainder of hi things. I also made room on my health insurance policy just in case he didn't have any. Too bad it didn't occur to me to ask him. My ability to confront was non-existent. I decided not to wait until I returned to work to handle it. I contacted my carrier and updated my policy to include my new husband. 

The whole time I felt sad that he wasn't contacting his carrier to include me. I had a husband, though what caliber of husband, I wasn't sure. Sometimes I wanted to slap myself for being so needy that I overlooked important things and ignored flags, bells, and whistles.

TONYA BARBEE is a novelist and aspiring playwright. Her most recent published work is titled, The Little Girl Inside Owning My Role in My Own Pain. She is currently working on another project that complements this book. Tonya grew up in Durham, NC, a family of four daughters and one son. Her father, Woodrow served his country for twenty years as an Army officer, retired then taught ROTC for another twenty years and her mother, Doris, a college administrator. She is a proud 1980 graduate of Frank W. Ballou High School in Washington, DC. She worked in operations and management for Department of Agriculture for twenty years. For the past ten years, she’s worked as a project manager for Department of Defense in Washington, DC. She studied at National-Louis University where she earned her Masters in Business Administration in 2009.

Although she’s worked her way up the ladder in the federal government, she had no idea she would end up writing professionally however she has always enjoyed sharing her personal life through story telling with those she thought she could help. Then something clicked. As she writes, she is in hopes that her work reaches her readers that have been through something and have contemplated giving up. Her goal is to enable her readers to become empowered to keep moving forward to accomplish their dreams no matter what challenges they have been faced with.

Tonya resides in Bowie, MD with two of her youngest children, Christian and Zachary. Her eldest two, Andrew and Jessica left the nest years ago and have blessed her with seven beautiful grandkids.

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Literary Search for Truth book review Ilago Villroth

Ilago Villroth’s The Inconsistencies: A Comical Tragedy in Two Parts

Review

 

August, 2017

3.99 eBook

11.99 Print

I confess to reading this tale during a strange time in my life—newly set in a strange land in a home freshly built, so my review is strongly biased in this light.

Inconsistencies is surely that: if Kafka and Voltaire wrote together and had their essay edited by John Bunyan, perhaps part one, Confessions, would result. Augustine may not have been present much past Paris and the strange loss of a first love. It is a decades-long revision of a life of regret and experiment and more regret, and conclusion that something denied, God, is missing. Philosophical Confessions, then, becomes somewhat of a Pilgrim’s journey. Villroth’s principal narrator sets forth his reason in the opening: “This insignificant work of mine recounts my life’s Confession: all my terrible sins and failures are here told, as is my eventual journey toward Providence…my searching for and discovering Truth.”

Part two feels a bit like Ahab’s crew taking the Time Machine forward to a Brave New World with Robinson Crusoe, a land and culture well out of date and coherence, filled with characters all guiding the Pilgrim.

The Pilgrim’s last confession at journey’s end is that of repentance—“I destroy my altars! …let me repent, and so be converted, that I may be razed!”—before leaping into the watery depths to rejoin his long-lost true love.

This book is for readers who enjoy finding cues of theorists and philosophers, deists, visionaries in literature. Villroth explains his story is not necessarily “consistent”: both parts make up the whole, a cyclic story of realizing life is full of holes, many of which are self-inflicted, and the search for fulfillment. Highly literary, told in early nineteenth-century-enlightenment style.

Late Evaluate Your Life Day message from Suzette Webb

5 Keys to Trusting God’s Plan for You Even When Your Path Seems Unclear

from Lisa:

I'm so sorry this is posted late - but since pretty much every day should be "evaluate your life" day, the book and message definitely fits!

Thanks, Suzette.

CHICAGO, IL – October 16, 2017 – October 19 is Evaluate Your Life Day and Chicago entrepreneur and author of a witty and inspiring spiritual book says that trusting God is imperative at every turn in the road, especially at those that seem foggy or uncertain.  In fact, it is especially important that at those times when the path forward seems to be lost, we renew our faith in the Lord and in His ultimate guidance.

“When we find ourselves in an uncharted situation,” says Webb, author of Blues to Blessings: Moving from Fearful to Faithful, “it can be difficult to trust that God is still by our side, guiding our footsteps. However, it is precisely in those moments of uncertainty and doubt that we need to find the strength to rely on God’s wisdom. He is the one who will guide us to success and to happiness every time.”

Webb offers the following tips for putting your faith in God:

·         Be honest with yourself – Are you feeling uncertain? Are you beginning to doubt the path that God has set before you? Instead of ignoring your feelings, face them for what they are. Every faithful person has doubts at one time or another, but the key is that you need to confront them. Only then will you be able to move past them and into a space of complete and total trust in the Lord and His ways.

 

·         Get quiet – When you feel as though the walls are closing in and there is no easy way to move forward, you may begin to panic. However, allow your doubt and unfaithful thoughts to fester, you will not be able to see the path that the Lord has created for you. So, instead of allowing these feelings to overcome you, take a step back after you have articulated your feelings. Simply go on a walk or jog without music, or choose to ride in the car without the radio. However you choose to do it, take the time to get quiet and simply be in the moment.

 

·         Take Inventory – Examine your life both personally and professionally and recall all the blessings that God has given you. All that you have achieved at work and in your home is thanks to God’s infinite power, generosity, and guidance. Despite all the uncertain situations, hurdles, and setbacks that you have experienced in your past, you have arrived at this moment because of God’s expert guidance. Take a moment to give thanks for the myriad blessings He has brought your way so far and trust that more are on their way.

 

·         Set goals – Set 1 to 2 attainable goals that will allow you to have more faith in the Lord’s unfailing direction. Perhaps make it a goal to let go of a situation once you pray about it, or decide to wait for God’s sign before you act. In whatever way you decide to demonstrate your faith in the Lord, make it a goal to do so. That way, if your uncertainty begins to creep in, you can focus on your decision to trust God and the path He has laid for you rather than falling victim to any doubting thoughts.

 

·         Take action – Finally, make sure to be ready to take that first step as soon as the Lord shows you the way. Even though the road may not look like the one you envisioned, or may be more frightening or challenging than the one that you are currently on, have confidence in the Lord’s wisdom and take that leap of faith toward your miraculous future. If you remain faithful and go where God leads you, there is no doubt that you will find your miracle.

 

Blues to Blessings: Moving from Fearful to Faithful inspires people to leap from their comfort to their miracle by renewing their faith and trust in the Lord. With fitting Bible verses and engaging, powerful stories, it guides the reader to a place of deeper connection with God and with themselves to ensure they are living the fulfilling, purposeful life they were meant to live. For more information, visit www.bluestoblessings.com.

Life's Seasons

Charlotte’s Garden

By Shirley Johnson

Charlotte loved to work in her garden in the morning. She could hear the morning birds greet the day with a song. The refreshing dewdrops found rest upon the garden. The flowers seemed to smile back at the sun.

Charlotte worked hard at maintaining the presentation and growth of the garden. She knew with the proper care it would not only look beautiful, but create a peaceful atmosphere for those viewing it. From childhood, she knew which of the elements and garden intruders can interfere with the presentation and growth of the garden and which are harmless.

The garden often ministered to Charlotte. She embraced the seasons of the garden. It often shared reflections of life and whispers of hope.

While working in the garden a ladybug crawled on her sleeve. There was a time many years ago if this happened she would have panicked. She smiled and laughed to herself. She thought back to when she was a very small child. She was with her mom visiting at their friend’s home. The porch provided a favorite play area. Somehow a ladybug crawled right where she sat. She cried out to her mom for help.

Charlotte’s mom came running in response to her cries. While Charlotte saw a big intruder, her mother saw a simple little ladybug. “Oh, Charlotte.” “It’s okay,” said her mom. Her mom had gardened a long time and knew the difference between a harmless bug and dangerous ones. “This is just an innocent little bug that somehow landed in the wrong place.” She calmly scooped up the ladybug with her gentle hands, opened the screen door, and let it go.

Life’s seasons have a way of presenting itself with different problems. There are times when we have real problems, big problems that we need to face, address and solve. Sometimes though, we have little irritations that invade our space. They land right where we sit in life. They have us talking, repeating, agonizing and spinning our wheels. They interfere and distract us from the purpose and plan in our lives. They “bug” us.

When those little irritations land in our space,

look at them and determine how big they are.

Perhaps there are times when we too must open the screen door and let them go.

ABOUT

Shirley Johnson shares inspiration and encouragement through her writing. She is a member of SCBWI and ACFW. She loves to read and has volunteered at her local Public Library as an Adult Literacy Tutor. She shares her writing on her blog. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

http://busylifepause.com/

https://twitter.com/shrlyjohnson

https://www.instagram.com/shrlyjohnson/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/shrlyjohnson

Say Yes to your Passion, Purpose, Power

Walking in Your Own Shoes

By Kolleen Lucariello

Here in my home state of New York, October ushers in the fun of pumpkins, apple picking and salmon fishing season. There’s also the beauty of leaves peaking, apple cider and cozy sweaters. Among the many things October has to offer, it has also been designated as Women Walking in Their Own Shoes month: a global call for women to say yes to their purpose, passion and power.

If you’re like me, fall also means it’s time to shed the flip-flops, put away the sandals, and slip your feet back into a pair of shoes. Preferably comfortable ones—it’s never enjoyable to spend a day in shoes that don’t fit.

Once, while visiting my parents, I slipped my feet into a pair of my mother’s shoes so I could retrieve something from the car. Immediately, I noticed we walk completely differently; she walks on the inside of her sole—I don’t. My feet in her shoes didn’t work well. Come to think of it, I’ve stood in the clearance section trying to squeeze my feet into the wrong size shoe all for the sake of cuteness. I’ve also clomped around in shoes too big out of convenience. Neither were comfortable. Did you know it’s possible to cause serious harm to yourself by wearing shoes that don’t fit properly?

Serious harm can also happen when insecurities keep you from walking in your own shoes. Just as there’s comfort when we slip our feet into our own shoes, comfort can be found when we slip ourselves into the purpose, passion and power God has given us.

Paul wrote, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12, MSG).

When we say yes to Christ, we say yes to purpose because we discover what we are living for. We say yes to passion because we recognize who we are, and we say yes to power because we understand the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Cinderella was the only one who could wear the glass slipper.

You’re the only one who can walk in your shoes.

ABOUT

Kolleen Lucariello, #TheABCGirl, the author of the devotional book, The ABC's of Who God Says I Am, resides in Central New York with her husband, Pat. You can connect with Kolleen at as she pursues God’s heartbeat to change our identity—one letter at a time. 

www.speakkolleen.com

Improve Marriage with Reading

One Proposal for An Improved Marriage

by Lori Lipsky

For the first time in our marriage, we decided to read a book at the same time so we could discuss it together. Credit for the idea goes to my husband, but I was excited about the plan and in total agreement with our book choice.

My husband had once asked a well-read acquaintance we both respect to recommend several books that had been most influential in his life. One of the authors this man mentioned was Dostoevsky. We decided to choose Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. I’m a bit ashamed to admit what happened next.

I could make excuses, but the quick truth is my husband read the book right away and then patiently waited for years for me to complete it. I started in several times but got bogged down in the early pages by the long Russian names. Prior to this I had read Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and some Chekhov stories so I’m not sure why I struggled. I guess I allowed myself to be distracted by life and by other books, and I put off the Dostoevsky. As I look back, I regret not making The Brothers Karamazov more of a priority. I eventually purchased an audio copy of the book and completed the novel.

After I finished listening to the book, we shared our impressions with one another. Remarkably, my husband remembered details of the book quite well. Since then, we’ve read or listened to dozens of books and discussed them. We have different tastes, but our interests intersect with authors like David McCullough, Louise Penny, and David Baldacci. When it’s time to order another Audible book, we’ll sometimes collaborate to choose a selection we agree on so we can both listen on our own, but then have the book in our shared reading history.

Our book talk is informal and brief, but it’s a treat to talk books with my husband. We’ve found discussing books often sparks interesting conversation. Good books teach me more about who I am, but each new book we share helps me learn more about my spouse, too. We’re learning together as a couple. We discuss dreams and ideas. Books get us talking, and in marriage, communication is a good thing.

About the Author:

Lori Lipsky is a writer and teacher. Her poetry and short fiction pieces have appeared in a variety of literary journals and magazines. She lives in Waunakee, Wisconsin with her husband, where she teaches piano at a private music school. You can find her at on Twitter @LoriSLipsky

That Was Then This is Now with Paulette Harper

Hello. I’m Excited. This is one of my stops for the Virtual Book Tour That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored. This virtual book tour is organized by Write Now Literary Book Tours. This tour runs September 28, 2017.  

Follow the tour here.  

Book your own tour here WNL

Genre: Christian Non Fiction

Kindle ASIN: B073VCY1L5

About the Author

 In addition to being an award winning author of Completely Whole and Secret Places Revealed, Paulette is an inspirational speaker, as well as a writing workshop instructor. Her literary works have been spotlighted in a growing number of publications, including CBN, Real Life Real Faith Magazine, The Sacramento Observer and Black Pearls Magazine. She has also appeared on numerous local and online radio shows.

Paulette resides in Northern California.

                     About The Book

HOW COULD GOD HAVE A PURPOSE FOR ME AMIDST THIS MESS?

WHY DO SUCH BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

If you've recently asked yourself these questions, Paulette Harper's That Was Then, This is Now has the answers. Struggling to recover from a broken marriage and disappointed dreams, Paulette Harper gropes for meaning and understanding. And through her searching, God reveals Himself to her in ways she never before imagined possible. By sharing her struggles with transparency, she illustrates how a heart attitude of surrender allows God to use a broken vessel for His ultimate plans of glory.

That Was Then, This is Now, minsters to hurting hearts in every season in life, reminding them that God restores shattered lives, intent on using them for His sovereign purposes.

Purchase Links

Amazon paperback:  http://a.co/8uFAONt

Ebook: http://a.co/cAcnJ5C

Connect Socially

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/authorpauletteharper

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pauletteharper

Amazon author page: http://amzn.com/e/B004FEJKCQ

Website: www.pauletteharper.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5824102.Paulette_Harper

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauletteharper1/?hl=en

Tour hosted by Write Now Literacy

Read an excerpt:

Destiny and Purpose

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, and then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. Psalms 139:13 (MG)

Destiny is the inevitable or necessary succession of events. What is necessary happens to any person or thing. Purpose is something one intends to get or do; the object in which something exits.

“You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bit–by–bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something” (Psalms 139:15, MSG). Everything about you God already knows every hair on your head, the shape of your body, your personality, your character, and your habits (good and bad). He knows every detail about you. You and I are in the mind of God. “Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love” (Ephesians 1:4, MSG).

Even though you might not like certain parts of your makeup, God did not make a mistake. You are not an accident, nor did your parents “slip” when it came to you. Everything that has happened to us, pleasant and unpleasant, has shaped us to be the people we are today. He will use life’s circumstances to redefine your character and bring necessary changes to your person. No matter what life has thrown our way, what blows have come, what road we have taken, the plan of God will always remain. The purpose for which you were created will stand. Destiny is within us. “Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day” (Psalms 139:16, MSG).

You must find out why God created you and for what purpose. No one other than God can tell you why you were created. He knows your destiny because He is the one who designed and formed you. Some of us were called into ministry, appointed to be pastors; some were called to be presidents, owners of corporations, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and professional athletes. Whatever the vocation you are called into, you and only you can fulfill your God–given destiny. Once you realize what your purpose is, that will motivate you to continue striving in spite of the setbacks in life.

God is expecting you to finish your assignment no matter what you face, what odds are against you, what valley you are in, how high the mountain you think you can’t climb. You are required by God to rely on Him and depend and trust that everything is going to work out. Do not allow what you have experienced in life to reposition you out of the destiny in which you were created. Be determined, no matter what befalls you, to stay on course with the purposes of God. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NKJV).

Mattie's Choice book review with Gay Lewis

$4.99

$15.99

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Barnes and Noble

Buy on Smashwords

About the Book:

It's 1925 in rural Oklahoma. A naïve seventeen-year-old Mattie chooses to elope with Jesse, leaving behind an ideal life with her wealthy and loving family. With hope for a happy future, she vows to stay with her husband through good times or bad, but the wonderful life Mattie dreams of is shattered by Jesse's abusive nature and his refusal to allow her to see her family.

When Jesse’s brother, Joe, brings home his new wife--the vivacious Ella--Mattie believes Ella is living the life Mattie prays to have with Jesse. As the years grow harder and Jesse and Mattie’s growing family struggles to survive The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl and illness, Jesse’s abuse worsens.

Life also unravels for Ella and Joe as he begins to abuse his wife. Ella makes the choice that Mattie has never considered.

Will Mattie keep her vow to stay with Jesse at the risk of her own life and the life of her children or will she leave him despite the vow?

A brief interview with the author

Gay, tell us what you love about this book.

I love the characters of Mattie and Ella. Mattie is naïve and blossoms as the book progresses. She was reared with wealth, but she wasn’t pampered. Her mother and father expected her to learn how to manage a household. She’s a talented cook and seamstress. Her problem? Well, she’s stubborn—almost to a fault. Her pride kept her from attempting a reconciliation with her father after she eloped against his wishes. Ella is eight years older than Mattie, and she’s much more sophisticated. Her parents died when she was young, but growing up, she too had an excellent work ethic. After the death of Ella’s parents, her aunt and uncle took her into their home in Galveston. She became a nurse, married and moved to Oklahoma with her husband. Her maturity and education gave her breaks that Mattie never had. She became Mattie’s mentor. Through her friendship, Mattie grew self-confidence. This book celebrates the life-long friendship of these two women.

Share two things you learned, either about the era, events, or publication process during the writing of this book.

Oh my! I learned so many. I’d known Frank Phillips created the oil company, Phillips 66, but I didn’t know he had also owned a bank in Bartlesville, OK. Phillip’s and Conoco merged into ConocoPhillips and are one company today. I love seeing how times and events evolve. I was surprised to learn Will Rogers raised $30,000 in Tulsa for the Red Cross during the Great Depression. People were starving, and these funds bought wheat to disperse to the hungry as well as to defray medical costs in hospitals. During the Great Depression, Oklahoma also experienced the Dust Bowl. Hospitals were overcrowded with starving, asthmatic folks. This money brought relief to them.

What did I learn about the publication process? I learned more than I can shake a stick at. I suppose the hardest lesson was how to present a controversial subject in Christian literature. Most people don’t realize that each genre has a formula with certain rules. For instance: no curse words in one, but that’s not difficult for me. No sex, and that’s easy to eliminate, but subjects such as divorce? Well, that horse has a different color. Divorce is red with horns. In other words, divorce is frowned upon in Christian novels. So is domestic violence.

Introduce us to the toughest character to write.

The toughest character to write was Mattie’s husband, Jesse Colby. I wanted to show he had a good side as well as the bad one. Was he a good person acting bad, or a bad person acting good?  He provided well, but he had skewed ideas of marriage and how to conduct himself as the “head of the house.” I wanted people to dislike him, but to also find a few qualities to admire. Maybe feel sorry for him a little even though they disliked him. We are all flawed, some more than others, and Jesse was definitely flawed. I wanted to show he loved Mattie, but he didn’t know how to express it. His warped ideas kept him from being the husband she wanted him to be as well as the one he wanted to be.

Lisa: I think you did that--but it was still hard to find anything redeeming about him.

You had a lot of ups and downs during the publication of this story. Would you like to share one or two of those moments and how you’re plunging through the rapids?

Yes!  Thanks for asking. Where do I begin? This book went through major transitions. It took me twelve years to write, two publishers and several editors. Prism, my original publisher, merged with Pelican Book Group while this book was under contract. The transition took extra time. And then there’s this: Editors don’t always agree with writers. Sigh. (hangs head in despair) Editors like to delete scenes that writers deem important. That happened in my case. At one point, I became exasperated—to the point of not caring if this ever book saw the light of day. I’m happy to say it did, but not without a lot of frustration on my part. And I know I caused consternation to those who worked with me too!

Lisa: It's hard to trust others with our visions - especially when you've had it so long.

Mattie’s Choice is a departure from Sarah the Love Angel. What led you to this story?

I admired my mother-in-law and my husband’s aunt. They are the inspirations to Mattie’s Choice. My mother-in-law lived with a controlling husband. He never physically hurt her, but he did emotionally. He refused to allow her to see family and wanted her pregnant.  This strong woman had fourteen pregnancies. Two miscarriages and one stillborn. If he hadn’t died when my husband was a child, I guess she would’ve had more children. He was a difficult husband, but she reared eleven children to become successful, God-fearing adults. She stayed positive during hard times. She did what I couldn’t do. I revered her and believe God blessed her with tenacity and determination. She stayed true to her convictions when most of us would have thrown in the towel.

What’s next for you?

I have the sequel written to Mattie’s Choice. It’s going by the title Rebecca’s Family Secrets. Rebecca was one of Mattie’s children. She came by way of adoption. This story is a romance and of course the mystery is the secret.  I’m in the process of fine-tuning it. This is a Christian story with no divorce or violence in it.

Lisa: I look forward to reading it. I was curious about her.

What are you reading now?

I’m reading Regency Romance right now. This is a time frame I never plan to write in.

Lisa: It's always good to read outside of our field. Enjoy!

About the author:

Gay N. Lewis

A native Texan, Gay lives in Fulshear, a small town west of Houston.  She loves to travel and engage in artistic ventures.  Two videos she produced —The Canadian Rockies, English and Japanese translations, and Psalms from the Mountains, sold well in international markets. Graphic skills kept her busy as a portrait photographer, and for over ten years, she used her imaginative insight in the interior design field.

As a pastor’s wife, she writes Faith Features for various church periodicals. She also writes articles for Texas Hill Country.  Gay is also a published author for Pelican Book Group in romance and fantasy fiction. Her current series is about a dyslexic angel who comes to earth to help humans, but Sarah, the angel, is more like Lucy Ricardo with humorous antics and bumbles.

All of the Sarah books have appeared on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List. The Sarah series is available in eBook format as well as print at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Pelican Book Group, and other book sellers. Some additions are available in Amazon Audible. Each book in the series is a standalone novel.

Her latest books, Mattie’s Choice, and Clue into Kindness are not fantasy and romance. These books are women’s fiction. The stories are about abusive men and women who are addicted to an unhealthy relationship.

The books are available in print, eBook, and audio.

For more information, please go to http ://gaynlewis.com/

Gay would love to have you see her video trailers and become a follower of her blog.

http://www.gaynlewis.blogspot.com

https://www.amazon.com/author/gaynlewis
www.facebook.com/GayNLewis and also on Twitter @GayNLewis2.

Sarah has her own Facebook page. Follow Sarah on Facebook@ Sarah Wingspand

Book Review Kimberly Miller Picking Daisy

Picking Daisy

Kimberly Miller

Christian Romance

Prism Book Group, Pelican Ventures LLC

September 2017

Print $15.99

Ebook $4.99

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

About the Book

Daisy Parker isn’t the woman that rock star Robby Grant would have imagined himself falling for. She’s soft-spoken, sweet, and lives by a strange code the struggling musician is recognizing as Biblical.

And he’s helpless against it.

Even if Daisy is hard-pressed to believe that a man like Robby would see her—a woman long forgotten by the rest of the world—as anything more than a step back to his career.
But Robby challenges Daisy in ways she’d long avoided.

With their mutual love of music, it seems nothing can separate them—not Daisy’s wheelchair or Robby’s ego.

As Robby grows into the man he’s long dreamed of being, Daisy dares to trust again. But will this sweet melody last?

My Review

A most worthy debut by Kimberly Miller. The story of a man who can’t grow up but has promise and a woman broken and abandoned by illusions of love was such an enjoyable read. I love it when I can invest in characters and want to hug them or smack them. Robby was so redeemable with the core of people who believe in him and real that I cheered for him from the start, seeing him through the eyes of his Uncle Nick, even though I wanted to dislike him and his immense ego. But contrasting him with Daisy of the title, a woman who hid behind a wheelchair while healing from life, made me realize that we should be proud and comfortable with who we are, not settle for but graciously accept the things we cannot change and come to a understanding with the aspects of ourselves that do need to be changed.

Told from both perspectives of the hero and heroine, the formula of romance, meeting head-on, and the wonderful conflict not of person but of morals makes for a refreshing twist in the standard tried and true genre. People you root for, a dilemma that could go several ways, too-good-to-be-true vicarious lifestyle of the rich and famous add up to one delightful take-me-away romantic read. While Daisy is obviously a paraplegic, there are no gruesome details about what it’s like to have to take care of a wheelchair-bound person. Daisy was strong and at ease, but there are things that have to happen that I wondered how Robby would deal with, even though he was chair-blind. He didn’t need Daisy to save him, and the author dealt naturally and organically with his faith-growth. Daisy, however, needed someone like him to force her out of her pity-party, and the two of them together were a glorious fit.

The side characters—Uncle Nick who was the instigation for the romance and remained largely out of the picture, Daisy’s friends, and Roby’s brother, and his bodyguard—were wonderful additions. I’m normally not a huge fan of companion stories, but would enjoy reading stories about any of these people. They were integral, integrated without being overbearing, and fleshed enough to hold the story together.

Wonderful job. I enjoyed the story thoroughly and recommend Picking Daisy for those who like slightly edgy but clean contemporary romance with characters who happily inhabit your heart and mind for a while.

About the Author

Kimberly Miller enjoys the seasonal weather in Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and one ornery cat. She teaches writing and film courses, and in her spare time loves reading, watching movies, making jewelry, drinking coffee and eating one of God’s amazing gifts—chocolate and peanut butter.

Tips for the Sandwich Generation

Stuck in the Sweet in the Middle

by Robin Steinweg

Do you ever feel you’re in that awkward, in-between stage? I sure do!

I recently spent years stuck in a crushing middle. Round and round I turned from the growing needs of aging parents to those of growing sons to those of work. I’d carve hours from sleepless nights to write, compose, or read. More often to pray. My husband accepted leftovers with grace and gratitude. Not just food, but time and energy. He was stuck in his own middle, caring for his dad and doing more for my parents than can be recorded.

Now our parents are gone. I’m living in the middle of grief, rediscovering who I am if no longer a caregiver. Looking to experience—and to pass on—the rich life Jesus came to give us (John 10:10). Know what? God shows me things I can do so He can help me move forward. I’m not stuck here. I get to be here, where it can be sweet in the middle!

If you’re in the midst of circumstances or even past them, it’s never too late to rediscover who you are. Try some of the following:

• Develop friendships with people who will build you up.
• Find ways to build others up.
• Journal what you’re going through as a way to release feelings.
•  Photo journal or doodle journal.
•  Admit if you need help.
• Get more color in your surroundings/clothing.
•  List your blessings.
• Express more gratitude.
• Find ways to expand or share your hobbies.
• Join a book club.
• Volunteer to help others.
• If you have grieving to do, do it whole-heartedly. But don’t stay there.
•  Live fully. Enjoy what God gives you to enjoy.
• Dream again. Don’t hold back—dream big. What does God have for you next?

These ideas have helped. Yes, I still pick up the phone to call my mom or find jigsaw puzzles for my dad. I still if wonder I could have, should have done more for them. Guilt and remorse creep in.

But I realize that’s the voice of our enemy, the accuser. So I intentionally turn to words of life in God’s Word. I leave my broken heart at Jesus’ feet. I embrace the blessings He sends my way.

I affirm this truth: It is Sweet in the Middle!

About the Author:

Robin Steinweg says life is like a sandwich-cookie. Whatever circumstances close in on us, it can be Sweet in the Middle. Her writings can be found in Today’s Christian Woman, Upper Room, Secret Place and The Christian Pulse. She also writes monthly for Music Teachers Helper blog.