Showing posts with label Gay Lewis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gay Lewis. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Mattie's Choice book review with Gay Lewis

Mattie's Choice

$4.99
$15.99
Buy on Amazon
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


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.

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

Friday, March 4, 2016

Gay N Lewis and the newest Love Angel book

Welcome back to Gay N Lewis, author of the Sarah books. I love Gay's take on sweet, romantic love and forgiveness and getting the right kick once in a while to remind us of our priorities. Quite often similar characters will appear in her stories, but they are all stand alone books and don't have to be read in any particular order.

Gay's newest addition to the Sarah series is Sarah and a Date for MacKenzie. In this book, Sarah must find a boyfriend for a high school student while at the same time finding a companion for the teen’s mother.


About the Book
Merciful heavens! Getting acquainted with adult teachers in a high school is one challenge, but hang with the kids too? Sarah, heaven’s little love angel—known for bungles, has dealt with children and enjoyed them, but teenagers? My stars! They are a different ballgame. She doesn’t understand their jargon, clothes or hairdos. And mood swings? Forget it. She knew nothing about them—nada —zippo. She’d seen and heard them from above—even wondered at times why they existed on the same planet as adults. They were unique and interesting, but to mingle with them? Not a chance would she choose to do so—well, not until her latest assignment. Why would the Superiors send a bumbling angel like her to help a shy teenager find a date for a high school prom? Poopty doopty! A nightmare is about to happen.

Inspirational romance novella
$2,99 eBook purchase on Kindle and other online outlets.


Brief Interview with the Author

Gay, what do you love about this book?
Thinking of young people and the future they have ahead of them. My characters became real and I found myself hoping they wouldn’t do anything to cause regrets.

Tell us two things you learned from researching or publishing this story.
Young people don’t say they are dating. They say, “we are talking.” I also discovered they are extremely creative when asking someone to go to prom. They devise all kinds of events to pop the question. I enjoyed meeting with them at school, emailing back and forth, and becoming friends on FaceBook. These kids are great fun and have a bright future ahead.

Introduce us to your least favorite character.
Pace. This guy was abused by a female babysitter when he was seven years old. He never told anyone about it and didn’t seek help. As a result, he turned himself into a James Dean rebel and becomes a bully and a threat to Mackenzie.

What are you reading?
I’m finishing a book by Ann B. Ross. Miss Julia’s Marvelous Makeover. The author writes a series about an older woman. Like my character, Sarah, Miss Julia gets into all kinds of mischief.  Ann B. Ross writes humor and throws in common sense and inspiration at the same time. Each book stands alone, but if you haven’t read Miss Julia, I suggest you start with Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind. It is hilarious.

They sound like great books. Thanks! What else is going on with your writing career, Gay?
I have another book just released.
Clue into Kindness was released February 12, 
(From Lisa: see the post, a story from Gay about meeting her husband, and my review here.)

Clue into Kindness
“Love is kind…” 1 Corinthians: 13:4

Georgia loves her husband, Alan. She shows him kindness with actions and words, but Alan responds in a heartless, selfish way. To receive respect and admiration from people, he believes he must have a perfect wife—so he criticizes Georgia at every opportunity—even tells her she’s fat! Alan’s best friend Ken and his wife Jana, reassure Georgia that she remains the gorgeous beauty queen she was during her college days. Who will Georgia believe—her friends or the mysterious, handsome stranger who comes into her life? Circumstances bring a change to Alan’s attitudes. But is it too late to save this marriage?


About the Author
A native Texan, Gay lives in a small town west of Houston. Gay has always been involved with creative and artistic ventures.  Two videos she produced—The Canadian Rockies, English and Japanese translations, and Psalms from the Mountains, were sold in Canada, America, as well as all international markets.

Gay’s real love is writing. As a pastor’s wife, she has written, produced, and photographed many programs. Her Faith Features have been published in various church periodicals.

Teaching an adult Bible study every Sunday morning is Gay’s joy, and she is often called upon for speaking engagements.  When needed, she plays the piano or organ and serves as worship leader in her husband’s church. 

Take a glance at the covers and read the blurbs on Prism Book Group.
For more information, please go to www.GayNLewis.com
Read excerpts on www.prismbookgroup.com
Gay would love to have you see her video trailers and become a follower of her blog.

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

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Book review: Sarah and the Widow's Mate by Gay N. Lewis


Gay N. Lewis 

Prism Book Group
November 2013
ISBN: 978-1940099279
$3.99 ebook; $14.99 print book
Inspirational fantasy

 

From the publisher:
Widow Beth Marsh is not only beautiful, but wealthy enough to buy a third-world country. When she enters the dating arena to find companionship, two men profess an interest in her...but is it Beth they want, or are they out to get her money? Watching from the Heavenlies, the Superiors dispatch Heaven’s Little Love Angel to Houston during the Christmas holidays. Sarah’s mission is to help the lady determine which of her suitors is the genuine article. Is black-haired Bryan Wingate the real deal? Or is good-looking Charles Chadwick the more earnest suitor? When Beth invites human-disguised Sarah to attend a wedding, the delighted angel looks forward to an opportunity to wear a beautiful formal gown, and maybe—at long last—red stilettos! But Sarah’s mission becomes deadly serious when she discovers Beth’s life is in danger. If Sarah fails in her mission, Tomas, the Warrior Angel, will intercede. Determined to keep her human charge safe from gold diggers and save Tomas the trouble, the little love angel steps up her efforts. But Sarah wouldn’t be Sarah without a few bungles along the way...

 
My review:
The adorable love angel, Sarah, is on her next assignment. After successfully running interference in encouraging Laney and Cannon’s romance and marriage in Sarah: Laney’s Angel, Sarah, aka Annie Wingspand, is tasked next with guiding Beth Marsh. Beth has been widowed a few years, and is being courted by three different gentlemen, one of whom means her harm. Sarah is charged with helping Beth choose the right one.

Who couldn’t love angel who adores food, high heels, whose favorite exclamation is poopty doopty, and giving lost people a little help, even when those sidetracks aren’t part of her mission. I appreciated that about Lewis’s story; even her description of heavenly messengers with different missions.

Told from Sarah’s point of view, those who enjoy fantasy stories about what angels might be doing, hanging around us, will find much to love in this story. Those who enjoy Mignon Ballard’s August Ballard will love Sarah. One of my favorite parts was those rumbles from above whenever Sarah entertained less than charitable thoughts. I tried to practice that on myself—imagining those rumbles. I’ll report back later when I don’t end up soaking everyone around me with thunderstorms.

 
Note: The first book, Sarah: A Mission of Love, is on sale for Kindle, .99